INTRODUCTORY REFLECTION
On the mount of transfiguration, so Luke says, the three disciples were ‘heavy with sleep, but they kept awake and saw his glory’. On the Mount of Olives, on the other hand, Jesus found the disciples ‘sleeping for sheer grief’ (22:45).
In spite of the glory they had once seen, their faith failed them; only the women, and ‘the disciple Jesus loved’, stayed by the cross. Few of us may have such extreme experiences of glory and grief, of these heights and depths. More than likely, light and darkness are constantly at play in our daily lives.
The key is to be attentive to them – to welcome and enjoy the glimpses of light and to face and disarm the shadows that haunt us.
THE WEEK’S PRAYER FOCUS
For the countless people displaced around the world by war, oppression or hunger, that nations of peace and prosperity will come to their aid.
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, in company with Jesus, God’s beloved Son, let us pray for the glory of God to dispel the shadows of the world.
READER
For the people of Ukraine, that the killing, destruction and displacement they are suffering will end and negotiations for peace begin. (Pause) Let us pray to the Lord.
For the leaders of every nation on earth, that they will renounce aggression and uphold the humanity we have in common. (Pause) Let us pray to the Lord.
For the whole human family, that the troubling uncertainty of these times will draw us together in solidarity and hope. (Pause) Let us pray to the Lord.
For all who have lost loved ones, homes or livelihoods in the floods along Australia’s east coast, that will get the short and long-term support they need to recover. (Pause) Let us pray to the Lord.
For the work of Caritas India among ethnic minority groups and the disabled, that our support for Project Compassion will help it grow. (Pause) Let us pray to the Lord.
For Australia’s indigenous communities, that National Close the Gap Day (17 March) will help reduce the inequality of health outcomes they suffer. (Pause) Let us pray to the Lord.
For all residents, staff and volunteers in aged care homes, that the unfulfilled recommendations of the Royal Commission will be implemented as a matter of urgency. (Pause) Let us pray to the Lord.
For our parish community, that together we will seek God ever more intensely in prayer and lives of self-sacrifice. (Pause) Let us pray to the Lord.
For the recently deceased . . . and for those whose anniversary of death occurs around this time, that they will be filled with the glory of Christ. (Pause) Let us pray to the Lord.
PRESIDER
Holy God, you revealed the glory of your Son to the chosen apostles. Open our eyes to see him and our ears to hear him. We ask this through Christ our Lord.