Prayerful Concerns of Our Parish Community – 2nd Sunday of Advent
We offer these Prayers of the Faithful for the Second Sunday in Advent (Dec 3-4, 2022) and share them here for reflection throughout the week. It was particularly moving this week to hear from the hearts of those who voiced the names of those for whom they wished for the Assembly to pray.
In this Advent season of waiting, we can be too impatient, rushing around, preparing for Christmas. Today we seek to hear your word, in Christ and in the women and men who are prophets in our world today. We pray:
Inspire our church and our parish this Advent and Christmas to make special effort to express the love of God seen in the birth of Jesus by what we say, what we do, and how we welcome friends and strangers among us. We pray to the Lord.
For all the sick, especially those with long-term illnesses, and those with Alzheimer’s and other memory loss diseases – and for care-givers at home and in health care facilities. If you wish to say the first names of the sick you wish to pray for, we pause a moment now for anyone to do that… We pray to the Lord.
For those who are afraid in the world today: afraid of the violence around them, afraid of the cold this winter because they are homelessness or unable to heat their homes, afraid because of health concerns, for all who live in fear, we pray to the Lord.
For parents who have many demands on their time and resources; that they make wise decisions and are able to nurture their children and teach them the ways of Jesus. We pray to the Lord.
For victims of human trafficking, for women in Afghanistan where girls are not allowed to go to school, for our other brothers and sisters who are being treated as less than human by governments, businesses and other organizations around the world, may they be set free and we not forget them. We pray to the Lord.
For all who have died. May the promises of eternal life be theirs now. At this liturgy we especially remember:
4:30 PM Thomas Williams by Joe Williams & Family
7:30 AM Shawn Ingalls by Mom & Family
9:30 AM Deceased Members of the O’Brien Family by the Family
5:00 PM For the People of the Parish both Living & Deceased
We pray to the Lord.
Lord God, we offer you the prayers we have spoken and those we hold in our hearts. We bless you for the prophets, men, women and children who have spoken and speak today your word which can challenge us and console us. We make these prayers through Christ who is our priest, our prophet and our King.
Amen.