Prayers of the People/Intercession on Beliefs
Abba – Father: Because of Your love and strength, we trust You … believing You are faithful, true and gracious. Thank You for coming into our world when we could not and would not come to You. You walked our dusty roads. You moved in among the crowded streets of our cities, amidst the noise, the chaos and the commercialism. And You are still there when we have eyes to see You, ears tuned to Your voice and wills quick to follow You. You say this is Your world: help us to believe it – and live like it is. You say, You know our sin and forgive us anyhow: help us to believe it, and so forgive others.
You say, You have a better life to give if we’ll open our hearts and hands to receive it by your grace: help us to believe the Gospel of Your grace. You say You can do what we can’t: help us to believe it, to find hope and to stop trying (and failing) to make it on our own. You say, You come to give us life – and life abundantly: help us believe it and live it. You say, You want to make our lives count for eternity: help us to believe it, to willingly risk failure in something worthwhile rather than success in something worth little.
You say, You can heal our hurts: help us to believe and trust You. You say, You can reconcile us to Yourself and to each other through Christ: help us to believe it, to live it and to experience it. We pray for the sick, the injured, the worried and despairing asking You to heal bodies, to rebuild souls and encourage anxious hearts by igniting the light of hope in the darkness of depression. Today we especially ask your healing for the sick/ We pray Your comfort for the grieving/ And we pray for your world: bring peace to the troubled places in our world; break down walls dividing people from people; heal war-torn and battle-weary nations; and embolden Your people in those lands to live and declare the Gospel with power. AMEN.
The Lord calls us to examine the wounds of the Risen One and to see there the depth of his love for us. Let us therefore approach the throne of God in confidence as we pray for the people of God in Christ Jesus, and for all people according to their needs.
O LORD our Lord–how majestic is Your name in all the earth. Jesus: as You entered a locked room to show Your disciples the beginning of a new world, so enter our hearts and move us to faith inYou, the Risen One.
Convince us of the reality and significance of the resurrection, and free us from all that binds us and tries to hold us captive—our fears and our addictions; our past and our pain; what we remember and what we’ve forgotten.
Lord: make us courageous in the face of death, and show us how to enter a new resurrected life as Your followers.
Be with Your church throughout the world. In Your mercy, don’t abandon us to our own devices. Instead, empower the preaching of Your Word and enable in us acts of love as they testify to the resurrection.
Wherever Your church is faithless and lacking courage—come, Lord Jesus. Come. Come. Revive, restore and refresh us with Your Spirit. Pour out Your Spirit on pastors and teachers, enabling each and all to listen well to Your voice, and then speak Your truth with the authority of Christ.
Wherever nations are at war and people are divided, visit and bring true reconciliation. Especially protect all Christian people in these nations, and help them to inspire their fellow-citizens to live and work for the good of all. Give national leaders godly wisdom and righteous hearts as they lead in the right paths.
Where homes are disrupted by anger and bitterness, where relationships are distorted and dulled: Come, Lord Jesus. Bring peace and harmony. Enable understanding and love.
Wherever young people gather in your name, visit and guide them with your holy word and wisdom; and care for little ones, the children—that they may know Your love.
Jesus—our Great Physician and Healer: Comfort and heal the sick and suffering. Restore and strengthen weak bodies, as well as anxious and troubled minds. Supportall with your great love and mercy, and give special strength to caregivers; Draw near to mend broken and sick bodies, minds and spirits.
As our Risen and Reigning Lord–Jesus, please comfort those who mourn today, whether their grief is fresh or lingering. We especially pray for peace and consolation for the families and friends who have recently suffered loss. And we pray that You will bring each who has died to the place You have prepared for them. These prayers and those still unspoken we overthrow the name of the Risen One, even our Lord and Savior Jesus the Christ. AMEN
Prayer for those who Influence Public Opinion
Almighty God, you proclaim your truth in every age by many voices: Direct, in our time, we pray, those who speak where many listen and write what many read; that they may do their part in making the heart of this people wise, its mind sound, and its will righteous; to the honor of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Book of Common Prayer of the Episcopal Church (1979)