FIFTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

 

CELEBRANT: Let us join now in prayer to our compassionate God, who heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.

 

READER: Please respond, “LORD, HEAR OUR PRAYER!”

 

1.  That, by proclaiming the message of God’s healing love in word and deed, Christians may cast out among themselves and in the world the demons of prejudice, disunity, and misunderstanding, we pray. . .

 

2.  That heads of state may come more and more to see themselves as servant leaders who must work together to drive out the demons of war and terror, and to promote the peace, justice, and dignity that is rightfully due every human being, we pray. . .

 

3.  That wisdom from on high and strength of spirit may be given to those seeking to bless with new hope all in our land who are hungry or poor or jobless and who are burdened by anxious days and sleepless nights, we pray. . .

 

4.  That the holy work of all who labor to comfort the sick, console the dying, and lift up in spirit the mourning may be blessed abundantly, we pray. . .   

 

5.  That fairness, justice, and the service of truth may be the hallmarks of the impeachment trial, we pray. . .

 

6.  That our service men and women, our First Responders, and essential workers may be kept safe; and, the seriously ill in our parish community and among our family members and friends gifted with loving care and the healing touch of our God, (especially  ____________________,)­­­ we pray. . .

 

7.  That Easter’s glorious promise may wrap the hearts of those among us in mourning; and ____________________ (and) all our beloved dead come to eternal rest and the everlasting embrace of our God’s love and peace; we pray. . .

 

8.  We pause to express, in the silence of our hearts, our personal intentions -

                                    (PAUSE)

That God may receive with a special kindness those unspoken concerns, we pray. . .

 

CELEBRANT: Lord God, you have offered us healing and ask us in turn to heal others.  Grant us, from the bounty of your gifts to us, the grace to give generously of ourselves to the work of lifting up your hurting people.  We pray this through Christ our Lord. Amen.