First Sunday of Advent, November 30, 2025
That as the Church begins its new liturgical year, we come together on this first Sunday of Advent preparation to ask the Father to light our way throughout this year.
- That the Church will act to fight “every form of abuse … so that communities may increasingly become examples of trust and dialogue, where each person is respected, heard, and valued.”[1] We pray to the Lord.
- That nations and individuals may beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks so that we may interact constructively to feed the hungry, restore homes amid rubble, and develop peace and respect among all people. We pray to the Lord.
- That Pope Leo’s visit to Lebanon for an inter-religious meeting at Martyrs’ Square, to pray at the site of the 2020 Beirut Port explosion, to meet with young people seeking opportunity, and to stop at the De La Croix Hospital to meet with some who are physically and mentally disabled and those who care for them will bring hope for a brighter future to this country beset with crises. We pray to the Lord.
- That as part of our Advent preparations to commemorate the birth of an impoverished child away from his home, we may provide welcome to those in the margins of our society living away from their places of origin. We pray to the Lord.
- That with the help of God’s grace we may throw off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light, conducting ourselves properly and rejecting the temptations of sin. We pray to the Lord.
- That we will find ways to resist the injustice in our country evidenced when two men are out in the field with one taken and one left, two women grinding at the mill with one taken and one left, and children living in fear and grief with one parent taken and one left. We pray to the Lord.
- That the kidnapping of teachers and children from schools in Nigeria will cease, that the use of children as pawns in extortion efforts, and that the international community will take constructive action that ensures the rights of all children. We pray to the Lord.
- That in these difficult times, amid so many concerns and fears, threats of war and violence, natural disasters, grave injustices and imbalances, and the hunger and misery suffered by millions, the Nicene Creed we have been proclaiming for 1700 years may give us hope.[2] We pray to the Lord.
- That “even [in] our time, marked by so many crosses… [Christ’s Resurrection will bring] care and healing, nourishing hope in the face of the frightening challenges that life presents every day on a personal and global level.[3] We pray to the Lord.
- That those who are lonely or depressed as Christmas draws near will find hope through our kindness toward them and knowledge that Jesus comes into all lives offering his love. We pray to the Lord.
- That we will not mourn the absence of our deceased loved ones during this season but may find joy in remembering their time with us as they are rejoicing in the house of the Lord. We pray to the Lord.
God our Father, we ask that we may climb your mountain so that we may hear your answer to our prayers, be instructed in your ways, and led to walk in your paths. We make these prayers through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
[1] Quote from message of Pope Leo to participants in “Building Communities that Safeguard Dignity.” November 17, 2025.
[2] Based on item 2 of the Apostolic Letter of Pope Leo, In Unitate Fedei, November 23, 2025.
[3] Quote from Pope Leo during his General Audience, November 5, 2025.
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