Sunday intercessions on 24 January 2021, Third Sunday after the Epiphany

‘He saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John, who were in their boat mending the nets’ (Mark 1: 19) … a fishing boat in the harbour at Loughshinny, Co Dublin (Photograph: Patrick Comerford, 2020)

Let us pray:

‘Put no trust in oppression; in robbery take no empty pride’ (Psalm 62: 10):

Heavenly Father,
we pray for the world,
that your blessings may guide the rulers of the nations and all people.

As Holocaust Memorial Day approaches,
We Remember.
We pray for all who defend democracy and human rights,
for all who stand against racism, prejudice and oppression,
for all nations torn and divided by war and strife,
and we pray for all peacemakers.
We pray too this morning for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris,
as they begin their terms of office in the United States.

Lord have mercy,
Lord have mercy.

‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near’ (Mark 1: 15):

Lord Jesus Christ,
we pray for the Church,
that we may heed your call and follow you.

In this Week of Prayer for Christian Unity,
we rejoice in the diversity and variety found in the Church today.
We pray for all churches,
particularly our neighbouring churches in Co Limerick and Co Kerry,
that we may be blessed in their variety and diversity.

In the Anglican Cycle of Prayer this week,
we pray for the Church of Bangladesh
and the Most Revd Samuel Sunil Mankhin,
Moderator and Bishop of Kushtia.

In the Church of Ireland this month,
we pray for the Diocese of Armagh
and Archbishop John McDowell.

In the Diocesan Cycle of Prayer this week, we pray
for our diocesan schools and all teachers and students
boards of management, school secretaries and cleaners.

We pray for our own parishes and people and for ourselves …

Christ have mercy,
Christ have mercy.

‘Wait on God alone in stillness, O my soul; for in him is my hope’ (Psalm 62: 5):

Holy Spirit,
we pray for ourselves, for one another as children of God,
for those we love and those who love us,
and we remember those who have brought love into our lives:

We pray for the mothers, survivors, adult children and staff …
of the former ‘Mother and Baby Homes’ and their families …
who are grieving and mourning, and reliving their losses …

We pray for those in need and those who seek healing …
for those working for healing …
for those waiting for healing …
for those seeking an end to this Covid crisis …

We pray for those who are sick or isolated,
at home or in hospital …

Linda … Ann … Daphne … Declan … Sylvia …
Ajay … Ena … Eileen … George … Louise …
Ralph …

We pray for those we have offered to pray for …
and we pray for those who pray for us …

We pray for all who grieve and mourn at this time …
for Margaret, Nigel, Brian and their families …
we remember and give thanks for those who have died …
especially for Alan Fitzell … George Hill …
for Martha Gray-Stack, once a priest in this diocese …
remembering too her husband Charles, once a priest in this parish …
and for those whose anniversaries are at this time …
including Kathy … Stephen … Dorothy … Kathleen …
May their memories be a blessing to us …

Lord have mercy,
Lord have mercy.

A prayer from the Anglican mission agency USPG (United Society Partners in the Gospel) on the Third Sunday after the Epiphany:

Loving God,
The Earth and all its beauty are yours.
Help us, whom you have made stewards of the Earth,
to care for it and treat it with love.

Merciful Father …

‘In God is my strength and my glory; God is my strong rock; in him is my refuge’ (Psalm 62: 7) … a rocky outcrop in the Ionian waters off the west coast of Paxos (Photograph: Patrick Comerford)

These intercessions were prepared for use in the Rathkeale and Kilnaughtin Group of Parishes on Sunday 24 January 2021, the Third Sunday after Epiphany