Weekly Prayers of the Faithful

Fourth Sunday of Ordinary Time, January 28, 2024

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Fourth Sunday of Ordinary Time, January 28, 2024

We voice our prayers and petitions mindful of the importance of listening for the voice of the Lord that answers all our needs.    

  1. That the Lord will raise up — within his holy Church — prophetic voices that tell us his will in these troubled times.  We pray to the Lord.
  2. That those waging wars in the Mideast, Ukraine, and Africa, and those enabling wars to continue, will hear the voice of the Lord, not with hardened hearts, but with hearts that recognize the beauty of creation seen in all human life.  We pray to the Lord.
  3. That we may be free of anxieties, not consumed by worry about the things of the world that are beyond our control, but living freely with adherence to the Lord without distraction.  We pray to the Lord.
  4. That those with power will lead their nations and organizations with humility that reflects understanding that their authority comes from God.  We pray to the Lord.
  5. That those who teach in the Church, and those who listen, will not be intent on advancing personal agendas but will open their mouths and ears to prophetic teachings of God’s word.  We pray to the Lord.
  6. That when we are tormented by evil forces or unclean spirits, we will turn to Jesus who drives out hate, corruption, and wickedness, shining his light into our darkness.  We pray to the Lord. 
  7. That all nations and peoples will observe International Holocaust Remembrance Day this weekend by condemning persistent genocidal extermination and declaring “that the logic of hatred and violence can never be justified because it denies our very humanity.”[1]  We pray to the Lord.
  8. That we will “not tire of praying for peace, for an end to conflicts, for a halt to weapons, and for relief for exhausted populations.”1 We pray to the Lord.
  9. That on this World Leprosy Day, we will commit ourselves to ending discrimination against those whom we move to the margins of society because of disfigurements, differences in skin color, or personal biases.  We pray to the Lord.
  10. That the ill and injured who are unable to access medical care will be comforted, tended to, and encouraged by family and friends who recognize the sacredness of human life in all its stages.  We pray to the Lord.
  11. That those who have died enduring the painful agonies of war or disease may rest peacefully in the arms of the Lord freed from the suffering of this world.  We pray to the Lord.

Almighty God, we come to you so that we might know your words guiding us in the ways of love and mercy.  May we hear your voice in all that we do.  We make these prayers through Christ our Lord.  Amen.

[1] Quote from Pope Francis at his weekly General Audience of January 24, 2024, commenting on International Holocaust Remembrance Day (January 27, 2024), the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, the largest Nazi death camp.

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