Prayerful Concerns of Our Parish Community – 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time

These Prayers of the Faithful from the 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Oct 7-8, 2023) may be helpful in your own prayer reflection this week. We hope they are.

God of all peoples and nature, the prophets and Jesus tell us your vision is for a community of hope in which we care for one another and for the world you have given us. Over and over, you invite us to accept your vision and become peoples of forgiveness and inclusion. For ourselves and others today we pray that we can, in the depth of our hearts say “yes” to you.

We pray for your church in all places, that it be the community you desire. We especially ask for the presence and guidance of your Holy Spirit in the Synod now meeting in Rome. We pray to the Lord.

We pray for women and men who confront all that makes for death and despair in our lives, communities and world. May we never lose sight of the possibility of transformation. We pray to the Lord.

For care-givers – friends and family caring for the sick and troubled, lonely. For women and men serving in our health care and mental health systems. May they know your love and just how important their service is. We pray to the Lord.

For people and organizations that are working hard to protect our natural world, teaching us what is harmful and doing what can be done to reverse the damage that has happened. For the gift of clean air and water, and food that is safe to eat. For all those people living this day without clean water, healthy air, or enough food, we pray to the Lord.

That we take the time and have the wisdom to sort through the candidates in the November elections and in the referendum questions facing us, that we vote intelligently and in a way that promotes God’s vision for the world – and the well-being of human beings, especially those who have little voice or power, we pray to the Lord.

God, your vision for us is not only for the time we are on this earth, but forever. We now entrust to you all our loved ones who have died. At this liturgy we especially remember:

4:30 PM  Margaret Aceto by her daughter Maureen

7:30 AM  David Wallace by Carolyn & Craig Ewald

9:30 AM The People of the Parish both Living & Deceased

5:00 PM Christina Franco by Angie Magno & Families

We pray to the Lord.

We offer these prayers today and those in our hearts. May our hearts be open wide enough to accept your vision for us and our world. May we feed each other as you feed us. May we hold others in grace, resist complacency, and strive for justice and peace for all people and all times. Amen.