INTRODUCTORY REFLECTION
The lengthy blessing with which the letter to the Ephesians begins is a single sentence in the original Greek. It is like a cathedral of words, grand in scale, full of majesty, highly ornate but unified in design.
It holds together time and eternity, heaven and earth, God and humanity, sin and salvation. Its overarching vision fires our imagination and warms our hearts.
The more we inhabit it, wonder at it, the better it serves as a life-saving antidote to the discontents of our fractured society. It raises us up out of the culture of complaint and competition in which we are immersed. Blessed be God for the grace of freedom and forgiveness bestowed on us in Christ.
THE WEEK’S PRAYER FOCUS
For all who work in forums of dispute resolution, that they will be effective agents of reconciliation and healing.
SAMPLE INTERCESSIONS
These intercessions are offered for selected use at Sunday Mass in the parish alongside those that express local needs and concerns.
PRESIDER
Dear friends, baptised in Christ and sealed with the Spirit, let us pray as God’s beloved children for the needs of all our sisters and brothers.
READER
1. We pray for the whole human family, that a new sense of shared humanity will inspire us to live peacefully and sustainably on this fragile planet. (Pause for silent prayer) Lord, hear us.
2. We pray for the world-wide Christian community, that all the baptised will treasure the blessings bestowed on them and radiate the joy of the good news. (Pause for silent prayer) Lord, hear us.
3. We pray for the delegates to the Plenary Council, that the Member Formation Sessions will prepare them well to discern what God is asking of the church in Australia. (Pause for silent prayer) Lord, hear us.
4. We pray for public health authorities advising on COVID-safe measures, that they will do so with wisdom, courage and an unwavering commitment to the common good. (Pause for silent prayer) Lord, hear us.
5. We pray for global economic reform, that endless exploitation and consumption will be replaced by an economy that respects finite resources and minimises waste. (Pause for silent prayer) Lord, hear us.
6. We pray for the staff and volunteers of youth sporting associations, that their care of young people, especially the troubled, will open up paths of life for them. (Pause for silent prayer) Lord, hear us.
7. We pray for all who are preparing for religious life or priestly ministry, that they will have wise guides on their way to life-long service of God and the church. (Pause for silent prayer) Lord, hear us.
8. We pray for all the dying, that they will be able to give thanks for the lives they’ve led and entrust themselves into God’s loving care. (Pause for silent prayer) Lord, hear us.
9. We pray for the recently deceased . . . and for those whose anniversary of death occurs around this time, that they will inherit the eternal life prepared for them. (Pause for silent prayer) Lord, hear us.
PRESIDER
God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, you have blessed us in Christ with freedom and forgiveness. Keep us true to his name. We ask this through the same Christ our Lord.