INTRODUCTORY REFLECTION
More than ever this year, powerful tides have us in their grip. Preparing for Christmas has a new urgency. Supply chains have been disrupted and deliveries delayed. Shop now! There’s excitement at the prospect of local and international travel resuming. A federal election is in the air.
There’s so much of 2021 to leave behind, so much to get on with. Amid this tumult, against all the odds, Advent invites us to contemplate the God who was, who is and who is to come.
We remember Christ’s birth, we attend to the Spirit in our lives, we look forward to God’s final word. But remembering and hoping are grounded in the present. It’s the quality of our now that counts.
THE WEEK’S PRAYER FOCUS
We pray for all who are afflicted with fear and anxiety, that they be led by the Spirit into the freedom of the children of God.
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, Jesus encourages us to look forward to our final liberation. With strength and confidence let us pray for the salvation of the world.
READER
We pray for church communities in every place, that they be a leaven of Advent hope and peace amid the anxieties of the world. (Pause for silent prayer) Lord, hear us.
We pray for a global revolution of justice, that the needs of nations most disadvantaged by climate change and the COVID pandemic be met by the world community. (Pause for silent prayer) Lord, hear us.
We pray for the people of Cyprus and Greece, that Pope Francis’ visit this week will encourage them to work for social and spiritual renewal. (Pause for silent prayer) Lord, hear us.
We pray for the Palestinian people, that international solidarity with them will raise their hopes for lasting justice and peace. (Pause for silent prayer) Lord, hear us.
We pray for Jewish people around the world, that this week’s celebration of Hannukah will confirm their faith in God’s covenant love for them. (Pause for silent prayer) Lord, hear us.
We pray for women and children trafficked into slavery, that on-going international efforts to abolish human servitude will secure their freedom. (Pause for silent prayer) Lord, hear us.
We pray for all people living with disabilities, that their gifts will enrich the community and call us to a deeper embrace of our shared humanity. (Pause for silent prayer) Lord, hear us.
We pray for our parish community, that the celebration of Advent will confirm us in holiness and make us more generous in love. (Pause for silent prayer) Lord, hear us.
We pray for the recently deceased . . . and for those whose anniversary of death occurs around this time, that they will be gathered into the glory of God for ever. (Pause for silent prayer) Lord, hear us.
PRESIDER
Faithful and ever-living God, you promise us the fulfilment of all our hopes. Keep us awake and alert for the coming of the Son of Man. We ask this through Christ our Lord.