Third Sunday of Advent, December 11, 2022
We rejoice on this Gaudete Sunday with thanks that Jesus was born, with hope for his coming again, and with confidence of his presence with us now through the Holy Spirit as we offer our prayers to the Father.
- That those who struggle to find the Lord will enter our churches and be met by faithful communities with joy and gladness so that sorrow and mourning will flee from their lives. We pray to the Lord.
- That those who suffer from drought or the dreary destruction of wars or environmental disasters will find deserts and parched lands that exult and abundant flowers that bloom so that they may rejoice with joyful song. We pray to the Lord.
- That the blind, the deaf, the lame, and the mute will see and hear God’s call to them, walk with him throughout their lives, and proclaim his glory with songs of praise. We pray to the Lord.
- That this Advent season of waiting will help us be patient, as are farmers who wait for the fruits of the earth, as we prepare for the fruits of the Kingdom of God to grow in our hearts and our lives. We pray to the Lord.
- That we may not complain or be judgmental about others and live each moment of our lives as an opportunity to love God and our neighbors. We pray to the Lord.
- That at times in our lives when our faith is challenged and we wonder if we should look elsewhere, may we contemplate the miracle healings in the Gospel and know that Jesus is the one who has come and that we too can be healed from all that disturbs us. We pray to the Lord.
- That we will look for the Lord in the everyday encounters of our lives, not seeking him in fine clothing, palaces, or the riches of Earth, but seeing him in the ordinary, the poor, the suffering, and those who challenge our complacency with prophetic words. We pray to the Lord.
- That we will respond to the call of Pope Francis to pray to the Mother of God to comfort all those tried by the brutality of war in tormented Ukraine and in other nations torn by conflict.[1] We pray to the Lord.
- That we may consistently spend time in prayer discerning God’s will for us and see that his will “communicates a peace that lasts in time, a peace that brings harmony, unity, fervor, and zeal.”[2] We pray to the Lord.
- That the aging whose hands are feeble, whose knees are weak, or whose hearts are frightened will be strong and shed all fears knowing that our God comes to save them. We pray to the Lord.
- That those who have died may rejoice forever in heaven and their families and friend may find joy in the memory of their departed loved ones. We pray to the Lord.
God our Father, you sent your only Son into this world to save us and to draw us closer to you. Through your answer to our prayers, may we be people of joy who rejoice always in knowledge of your love for us. We make our prayers through Christ our Lord. Amen.
[1] Based on comments of Pope Francis at his General Audience, December 7, 2022.
[2] Quoted from Pope Francis at his General Audience, December 7, 2022.
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