God is forever faithful, and he secures justice for the oppressed. We pray with confidence on behalf of all who need God’s loving and abiding presence.
We pray for Pope Leo and all our Church leaders. May the Holy Spirit continue inspiring them to proclaim the Gospel of life—that God’s image is alive and well.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
On this Social Justice Sunday, we pray for all who make our laws and administer justice. May they acknowledge that the Christian values of forgiveness and reconciliation can lead to peace and non-violence in our society.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for all non-government agencies and their projects that address the desperate needs of people who are starving. May governments collaborate with them to meet these needs.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for our faith community. As we enjoy the fruits of God’s creation, may we be willing to share with others our time, talents and wealth.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for …
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for the sick of our parish and for all who have asked for our prayers.
We pray for those who have died recently and for those whose anniversaries occur at this time. May they be welcomed to the heavenly banquet of God’s promise.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
God of life, hear us as we seek healing, justice and peace for all who are in need. We make our prayer through Christ, our Lord.
Amen.
We are empowered to live trustworthy lives through grace. We lift our hearts and pray that in your mercy, you will listen to the needs of your people.
We pray for Pope Leo and all religious leaders who proclaim the Gospel. May they inspire people to seek the true Gospel values of truth and justice.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for all leaders of government. May they cooperate to overcome conflicting values and exercise their power to improve the lives of all people.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
In light of the feast of St Vincent de Paul this week, we pray with gratitude for those who offer their time and talents to reach out to people in need in our society.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for our faith community as we share the Eucharist. May we be more devoted to God than to money so that we may bring the riches of love and mercy to our society.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for …
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for all who are sick in our parish and for all who have asked for our prayers.
We also pray for those who have died recently and those whose anniversaries we recall. May God welcome these people into the eternal kingdom and reward them for their faithful service.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
Receive our prayers of petition, merciful God, so that all people may live their lives in peace and tranquillity. We ask this through Christ, our Lord.
Amen.
God gives us wisdom through the Holy Spirit. May the Spirit guide us as we pray today for all who are in need.
We pray for Pope Leo. May he continue inspiring the Church to demonstrate faith in Christ by embracing the cross with Jesus.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for all our world leaders. May they learn to trust Wisdom rather than their own limited personal resources.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
On this National Child Protection Sunday, we pray for all children. May we work together to create safe environments for them and guard them against all harm.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for our faith community. May we be strengthened to carry the crosses of our lives as we live out our baptism.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for …
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for all who are sick in our parish and for all who care for them.
We pray for those who have died recently and for those whose anniversaries we remember at this time. May they share fully in the glory of God’s promise.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
Merciful God, in your goodness, hear our prayers. Fill us with your kindness so that we may shout with joy and gladness for all our days. We offer our prayers to you through Christ, our Lord.
Amen.
We come before the throne of the living God and before Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant. We pray for justice, peace and mercy throughout the world.
We pray for Pope Leo and all Church leaders. May their lives and teachings give witness to a God who is merciful and just towards all people.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for our political, civil and business leaders. May the Gospel standard of humility challenge those who claim to serve their people.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for all fathers today. May the Holy Spirit grant them the wisdom to rightly fulfil the responsibilities of fatherhood, and may they be blessed through their children.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for our faith community. Strengthened and inspired by the Eucharist, may we give witness to the Good News of Jesus in our daily lives.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for …
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for our sick relatives and friends, as well as for those who take care of them.
We remember those who have died recently and those whose anniversaries occur at this time. May they rejoice in the blessings of God’s kingdom.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
God, in your goodness, listen to our prayers. May all who seek you be welcomed at the banquet table of life. We offer our prayers in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Amen.
The Word of God counsels us not to lose heart when we are discouraged. We come as sons and daughters before our loving God to make intercession for all who seek help in difficult times.
We pray for Pope Leo and the bishops of our Church. May the Holy Spirit lead the Church to be a strong witness to the unity of God’s plan for the world.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for the people of our world whose lives have been devastated by natural or human-made disasters. May they be supported to rebuild their lives and communities.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for our faith community as we gather to worship God in the celebration of the Eucharist. May our community continue being the expression of our faith as we strive to remain faithful to the Gospel.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for …
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for all who are ill in our parish and for all who have asked for our prayers.
We pray for those who have died recently and those whose anniversaries occur at this time. May they share fully in the glory of God’s promise.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
Gracious God and Father, steadfast in your kindness towards us, hear our prayers and let our joy be full. We ask this through Christ, our Lord.
Amen.
The Letter to the Hebrews encourages us to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus. It is through him that we now lift our hearts in prayer and make intercession for all who struggle for justice and wholeness.
We pray for Pope Leo and all Church leaders. May their lives and teachings give witness to a God who is compassionate and just.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for the people of the world who are being persecuted because of their Christian beliefs. May they be strengthened in their resolve and stand firm in their beliefs, comforted by the words Jesus has given them.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for all who suffer from depression and who find it difficult to recognise a caring and listening God. May they experience God’s care through the love and compassion of others.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for our faith community. Purified by Jesus and driven by zeal for him, may we experience the peace he promised.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for …
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for all who are ill in our parish and for all who have asked for our prayers.
We pray for those who have died recently and for those whose anniversaries occur at this time. May they be welcomed into the eternal kingdom and be rewarded for their faithful service.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
God of life, continue to be our help and deliverer as we come before the throne of your mercy. We make our prayer through Christ, our Lord.
Amen.
2 Samuel 5:1–3
They anointed David king of Israel.
Psalm 121(122):1–5
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
Colossians 1:12–20
The Father has created a place for us in the kingdom of the Son that he loves.
Mark 11:9, 10
Blessed is he who inherits the kingdom of David our Father; blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Luke 23:35–43
‘Today you will be with me in paradise.’
It is most desirable that the faithful, just as the priest himself is bound to do, receive the Lord’s Body from hosts consecrated at the same Mass and that, in the instances when it is permitted, they partake of the chalice, so that even by means of the signs Communion will stand out more clearly as a participation in the sacrifice actually being celebrated.
—General Instruction of the Roman Missal, §85
In many parishes, during the singing of the Lamb of God, the acolyte will go to the tabernacle and retrieve a ciborium of hosts that was consecrated during a previous Mass; it would then be used immediately for Communion. In this practice, the parish denies God’s people their opportunity to exercise their priesthood. To fulfil their priestly role of offering sacrifice, the members should bring their offering to the altar with the hosts during the procession of gifts. These hosts are then consecrated and returned to the members in Communion. Although this is obligatory for the presiding celebrant, it should also be available to the entire assembly.
‘The Lord sits as King for ever. The Lord will bless his people with peace.’
—communion antiphon
Malachi 3:19–20
For you the sun of righteousness will shine out.
Psalm 97(98):5–9
R. The Lord comes to rule the earth with justice.
2 Thessalonians 3:7–12
Do not let anyone have food if he refuses to work.
Luke 21:28
Lift up your heads and see; your redemption is near at hand.
Luke 21:5–19
The destruction of the Temple foretold.
To bring to completion the prayer of the People of God, and also to conclude the entire Communion Rite, the priest sings or says the Prayer after Communion, in which he prays for the fruits of the mystery just celebrated.
In the Mass only one Prayer after Communion is said … The people make the prayer their own by the acclamation: Amen.
—General Instruction of the Roman Missal, §89
The celebration of the Eucharist is an action of both Christ and the Church. The Church is formed by God’s people under the leadership of the ordained—and neither party acts alone; they both operate in unity. The presiding celebrant serves the prayer of God’s people through performing numerous tasks during the celebration, and God’s people voice their participation in the action through their acclamations.
‘To be near God is my happiness, to place my hope in God the Lord.’
—communion antiphon
Ecclesiasticus 35:12–14, 16–19
The humble man’s prayer pierces the clouds.
Psalm 33(34):2–3, 17–19, 23
R. The Lord hears the cry of the poor.
2 Timothy 4:6–8, 16–18
All there is to come now is the crown of righteousness reserved for me.
2 Corinthians 5:19
God was in Christ, to reconcile the world to himself; and the Good News of reconciliation he has entrusted to us.
Luke 18:9–14
The tax collector, not the Pharisee, went home justified.
Now the centre and summit of the entire celebration begins, namely, the Eucharistic Prayer, that is, the prayer of thanksgiving and sanctification … The meaning of the Prayer is that the entire congregation of the faithful should join itself with Christ in confessing the great deeds of God and in the offering of sacrifice. The Eucharistic Prayer demands that all listen to it with reverence and in silence.
—General Instruction of the Roman Missal, §78
The eucharistic prayer is often deemed to belong to the presiding celebrant alone. However, it is the prayer of the entire assembly, and members contribute by bringing their spiritual offerings to the altar and enriching the presider’s words for the eucharistic prayer. In the procession of gifts, the members have laid their lives onto the altar as an offering, and during the eucharistic prayer, the presider invites them to express their prayers of thanksgiving to God.
‘We will ring out our joy at your saving help and exult in the name of our God.’
—communion antiphon
Exodus 17:8–13
As long as Moses kept his arm raised, Israel had the advantage.
Psalm 120 (121)
R. Our help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
2 Timothy 3:14–4:2
The man who is dedicated to God becomes fully equipped and ready for any good work.
Hebrews 4:12
The word of God is living and active; it probes the thoughts and motives of our heart.
Luke 18:1–8
The parable of the unjust judge.
Other lay persons may be commissioned to proclaim the readings from Sacred Scripture. They should be truly suited to perform this function and should be carefully prepared, so that the faithful by listening to the readings from the sacred texts may develop in their hearts a warm and living love for Sacred Scripture.
—General Instruction of the Roman Missal, §101
The ministry of proclaiming the Scriptures in our Sunday Eucharist has been a great gift to the Church. Our lectors take time during the week to prayerfully prepare their text. In some parishes, this preparation is completed as a lectio, in which other ministers of the celebration, such as the musicians and the homilist, together focus on the Word that will form their decisions regarding how the Eucharist will be celebrated. Through their preparation, they contribute to the Word being alive and active in the hearts of the assembly.
‘Behold, the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him, who hope in his merciful love, to rescue their souls from death, to keep them alive in famine.’
—communion antiphon