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notre dame montreal

Church Prayers and Intercessions

Prayers Sunday 29 December Christmas 1 Year A 2014

By Mrs Morag Stewart

Heavenly Father, give us a sense of your presence as we gather here for worship today. Grant us gratitude as we remember your goodness, penitence as we remember our sins, and joy as we remember your love; and enable us to lift up our hearts in humble prayer and fervent praise through Jesus Christ our Lord
O God of Love, we ask you to give us love
Love in our thinking, love in our speaking,
Love in our doing, and love in the hidden places of our souls;
Love of our neighbours near and far;
Love of our friends old and new;
Love of those with whom we find it hard to bear,
And love of those who find it hard to bear with us;
Love of those with whom we work,
An love for those with whom we take our ease;
Love in joy, love in sorrow
Love in life and love in death;
That so at length we may be worthy to dwell with you
Who are eternal love.

God of love
hear our prayer

Lord Jesus Christ, we celebrate your birth among us.
You lived in our real world,and knew its hardship and its need.
You showed love for lonely people, outcast people, people who were ill or unloved.
So we bring you our prayers for people in need today, believing that you love them now as you did then.

We pray for homeless people; for refugees who have no country to call their own.
You were born in a stable because there was no room for you in the houses of Bethlehem, and you were taken to Egypt as a refugee when Herod threatened your life.
Let your blessing be with those who work to help homeless people and refugees, and give to all of us the determination to help where we can, so that every family on earth will have a home which they can call their own.

God of love
hear our prayer

We pray for children everywhere. You grew up in a family with brothers and sisters, and one day you called children to you and gave them your blessing. Bless all our children and we ask for a special blessing for Jacob who has been brought to you in baptism today. Grant that he may grow up to be a faithful member of yourfamily and may learn to love and serve you.
God of love
hear our prayer

We pray for the world.
You came as the Prince of peace and brought a message of peace for all people. Help us to be peacemakers in our homes, at our work, wherever we meet with people, so that your Spirit can work through us in our community and in the world.
God of love
hear our prayer

We pray for your church.
You have called us to be part of your family. Be with us now and always; give us strength to do your work well, and may the spirit of Christmas show itself in us, as we serve and love and care for others in your name.
God of love
hear our prayer
Father of all, we pray for those we love but no longer see. Jesus Christ is the light of the world, a light which no darkness can quench. We remember before God those who have died and light a candle to symbolise the light of Christ, which eternally shines and brings hope. Today we remember:
You turn our darkness into light,
in your light shall we see light.
Merciful Father, accept these prayers for the sake of your Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ.
Amen