Petitions/Prayer of the Faithful--for Sunday, April 26, 2015

Here are the petitions I worked up for next Sunday, April 26. As usual, I try to find a couple of striking and important lines from the scheduled readings. Then I look about my city and the world and see what is going on. I thought it particularly important to pray for the endangered Christian communities in Africa and the Middle East. And I also wanted to pray for the migrants trying to escape the murder, mayhem, and poverty of North Africa and the Middle East--those risking their lives to sail across the Mediterranean Sea toward Italy and the European continent. So many have drowned this past week--hundreds and hundreds.

I also wanted to remember the children preparing for First Communion and for the neglected people in our own community. I want St. Mary's to be a "front-porch Church," meeting and understanding the people and problems right around us.

Here they are:

Prayer of the Faithful for April 26, 2015. Fourth Sunday of Easter

Celebrant: As we continue our celebration of the Resurrection of Our Lord, let us, dear sisters and brothers, approach the one God to voice all our needs.

·         Like the Psalmist, let us sing, “Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
for his kindness and mercy endure forever.” We pray to the Lord.

·         In thanksgiving for Jesus, who said, “I am the good shepherd.
A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” We pray to the Lord.

·         For the protection of endangered Christians in Africa and the Middle East. We pray to the Lord.

·         For the safety of migrants fleeing violence, death, and poverty in Africa and the Middle East. We pray to the Lord.

·         That we might do our utmost to prevent abuse of children during this Child Abuse Prevention Month.   We pray to the Lord.

·         For those preparing for their First Holy Communion. We pray to the Lord.

·         That we might be a “front porch Church,” reaching out to our lonely and suffering friends and neighbors, that they might take hope from our Lord’s own suffering and Resurrection. We pray to the Lord.

·         and for those for whom this mass is offered [name them]. We pray to the Lord.

Let us pause now and silently offer to the Father our own particular intentions [...allow for silence...]. We pray to the Lord.

Celebrant: Father, today and throughout the Easter season, we have confidence that you will hear and respond to our sincere prayers, for they are asked in the name of your Risen Son, and in the power of your Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.