19 December 2021

Sunday intercessions, 19 December 2021,
the Fourth Sunday of Advent

The Visitation … a panel in the 19th Century neo-Gothic altarpiece from Oberammergau in the Lady Chapel in Lichfield Cathedral (Photograph: Patrick Comerford)

Let us pray:

‘My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour’ (Luke 1: 46):

Heavenly Father,
As we wait in Advent for the coming of the Kingdom,
let us give thanks to Lord … make known your deeds among the nations …
May those in power and in government
hear the cry of all in who ‘sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,’
especially refugees, asylum seekers, migrants,
prisoners of conscience, the victims of people trafficking,
that they may be met with mercy and justice,
and know love and peace.

Lord have mercy,
Lord have mercy.

‘He has looked with favour on the lowliness of his servant’ (Luke 1: 48):

Lord Jesus Christ,
as we wait in Advent for your coming,
we pray for the Church,
that we may eagerly prepare the way for your coming among us …

In the Church of Ireland this month,
we pray for this Diocese of Tuam, Limerick and Killaloe,
the Archbishop’s Commissaries,
Archdeacon Stephen McWhirter and Dean Niall Sloane,
and for the Episcopal Electoral College called to fill the vacant see.

In the Anglican Cycle of Prayer,
we pray for the Church of the Province of Central Africa,
and the Primate, Archbishop Albert Chama.

In the Diocesan Cycle of Prayer,
we pray for the Kenmare and Dromod Union of parishes,
the Revd Michael Kavanagh and the congregations of
Saint Patrick’s Church, Kenmare, the Church of the Transfiguration, Sneem,
Saint Michael and All Angels, Waterville, and Saint John the Baptist, Valentia.

In our community,
we pray for our schools,
we pray for our parishes and people …
we pray for our neighbouring churches and parishes …
and people of faith everywhere,
that we may be blessed in our variety and diversity.

Christ have mercy,
Christ have mercy.

‘His mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation’ (Luke 1: 50):

Holy Spirit, we pray for one another …

We remember those who are remembered and mourned by parishioners,
May their memories be a blessing to us.

We pray for all who are sick or isolated,
at home, in hospital …
Ruby … Daphne … Sylvia … Ajay …
Cecil … Pat … Mary … Ann … Vanessa …

We pray for those who feel pain and loss …
for those who are bewildered and without answers …
for those we love and those who love us …
for our families, friends and neighbours …

We pray for all who feel rejected and discouraged …
we pray for all in need and who seek healing …
and we pray for those we promised to pray for …
and we pray for one another and for ourselves …

May your generosity and love to us be reflected in our love and generosity to others.

Lord have mercy,
Lord have mercy.

The Prayer in the USPG Prayer Diary today (19 December 2021, the Fourth Sunday of Advent) invites us to pray:

Almighty Lord,
you bless us with unexpected joys.
May we suspend our disbelief,
and listen to your will.

Merciful Father …

‘Mary meets Elizabeth’ (1996), by Dinah Roe Kendall, in ‘Allegories of Heaven: an artist explores the greatest story ever told’ (Carlisle: Piquant, 2002)


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