Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, January 01, 2023
On this World Day of Prayer for Peace, we ask that Mary, the Mother of God, will intercede on behalf of all her children and join with us as we offer our prayers to the Father.
- That in the New Year the Church may be blessed with wisdom in spreading the message of the Gospel to address issues of war, poverty, and life serving as a beacon of hope for all who are outcast, marginalized, or deprived of human rights. We pray to the Lord.
- That throughout this coming year Mary, the Mother of God and Queen of Peace, will intercede for us so that all whose lives are shattered by war may find joy and peace. We pray to the Lord.
- That throughout this New Year, the Lord may bless and keep us and our families; may let his face shine upon us and be gracious to us; and may look upon us kindly and grant us peace. We pray to the Lord.
- That our own amazement at hearing the message told to the shepherds about the child will inspire us each day to glorify and praise God for all that we have heard and seen. We pray to the Lord.
- That as we encounter challenges in our lives, we will flee to Mary for protection, implore her help, and ask for her intercession confident that we will not be left unaided by the Mother of Jesus and our Mother who hears and answers us. We pray to the Lord.
- That the women and girls of Afghanistan who are deprived of rights to work or become educated will find support from the international community and people of all faiths who cry out for respect of all human life. We pray to the Lord.
- That commemorations during this Octave of Christmas that have recalled the stoning of Stephen and the killing of the Holy Innocents will remind us that “Christmas is not the fairytale of the birth of a king, but the coming of the Savior, who frees us from evil by taking upon himself our evil: selfishness, sin, [and] death.”[1] We pray to the Lord.
- That in this new year we will resolve to “improve our witness [to Christ] through charity towards our brothers and sisters, fidelity to the Word of God, and forgiveness.”[2] We pray to the Lord.
- That those who are suffering from the freezing weather, drought, winds, or floods will be joined in community with their friends and neighbors to alleviate the challenges they face and will receive assistance from compassionate people of good will. We pray to the Lord.
- That the love we show to our neighbors may not be a possessive and selfish love but may mirror God’s love which is pure gift, pure grace, only for us, and for our good.[3] We pray to the Lord.
- That those who are depressed or in despair from the darkness of these winter days and the sad events of their lives will know the bright light of the infant and be consoled by the love of his Mother. We pray to the Lord.
- That mothers, grandmothers, and Godmothers who have died and who provided us with love and guided us to faith will be with Mary and her Son for all eternity in heaven. We pray to the Lord.
God, our Father, on this first day of the New Year, we honor the Mother of your Son and join with people throughout the world in praying for peace. We offer all our prayers through Jesus Christ, our Lord whose birth among us we celebrate. Amen.
[1] Pope Francis’ remarks at Angelus prayer on December 26, 2022.
[2] Pope Francis’ remarks at Angelus prayer on December 26, 2022.
[3] Based on Pope Francis’ remarks at his General Audience, December 28, 2022.
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