Prayer of Praise  

(from Opening Prayers p26, Prayers for the Seasons of God’s People Year A p77)  

  Creator God, your glory is revealed in your mighty works that we see and experience around us every day, the Earth on which we walk, the air that surrounds us and which we breathe and gives us life, the stars and the planets that you have set in the Universe and which move and have their place in the night sky according to the laws and principles of Physics that you established.

  May our worship of you acknowledge your majesty and authority over all that lives and over all that is part of the Universe in which we exist.

  Shepherd God, we praise you for enfolding us in your great love.  We rejoice in the knowledge that your care for us is so great that we lack nothing.  You provide for all our needs, especially the strength to cope in times of darkness and distress.  The depth of your care for us is revealed in the person of Jesus, who was prepared to go to the cross to prove that your goodness and mercy is more powerful than evil and death. 

  May our worship of you sincerely reflect our thankfulness and earnest appreciation.

  Healing God, you have restored our vision as to what is beautiful, what is worthy and what lasts.  We are no longer blind to the truth of your grace and mercy.  We have heard the good news proclaimed in your Gospel and have responded to your promise of redemption and restoration.  In you we find a sure and steadfast anchor for our souls.  In you we find a richness of being unknown to us before.

  May our worship be a profession of you as Lord and Master of our lives, now and always.  Amen.

Prayer of Confession   

  Holy and merciful God, we confess to a blindness to our faults and our shortcomings, a defiance that does not regret its own sins.

  We confess to a pride that dares not admit that we sin, and to an evasion of our true nature that tries to make excuses for our sin.

  We confess that there are times when we choose to reject the gift of your insight, preferring to ‘close our eyes’ to the pain and suffering which are daily experiences for so many people.  When selfishness blinds us to the needs of others; 

  Jesus, Light of the world, forgive us.

  When our insensitivity blinds us to the hurt we cause others;

  Jesus, Light of the world, forgive us.

  When our prejudices blind us to the equal dignity and worth of others;

  Jesus, Light of the world, forgive us.

  When our pride blinds us to our own faults;

  Jesus, Light of the world, forgive us.

  When the lure of materialism blinds us to the transience of property and wealth, and blinds us to the poverty of others;

  Jesus, Light of the world, forgive us and cleanse us from our sins.  Guide us in the right paths with trust in our hearts.  In your name we pray.  Amen.

Assurance of Forgiveness 

(John 9: 39a) 

“I came into this World so that the blind should see” said Jesus.  Our sins have bound us to the darkness and blinded us to the love of God.  God in His mercy has not forgotten us but has searched for us, has found us, and has provided the means for restoring us to a right relationship with Himself.  Having confessed our sins before God, we have the confidence in knowing that He has forgiven us and has welcomed us as Children of the Light, able to experience the very presence of God in our Lives.

Thanks be to God.

Prayers for Others

Loving God, knowing of your love for all of Humanity, especially of your compassion for the needy, we come to you with our cares and our concerns.

We bring to you our prayers for the World around us and for people individually.

  Merciful God, we look at the World around us and see the darkness of hatred and conflict, we see the darkness of oppression and discrimination, we see the darkness of need and suffering.  And we bring our cares and concerns before You.

  Merciful God, we pray for the leaders of Nations, those who make the decisions that affect the lives and the livelihoods of others.  May they discern their responsibility to make right judgements, their responsibility to value the worth of each person, their responsibility to respect the rights of other Nations, their responsibility to tend to the needs of the people under their care, above any desire to accumulate power and prestige and wealth for themselves.

  We pray for peace and cooperation between Nations, so that there will be a common effort to combat diseases, to cater for the needs arising from natural disasters, to create opportunities for jobs and for education for all people.

  Merciful God, we pray for our own Leaders, at all levels of Government, National, State and Local.  We pray that they will focus of people, not on politics or privileges or getting re-elected in three or four years time.  We pray for sincere efforts to enact legislation for the betterment of our Society, to alleviate needs, to correct wrongs.

  We pray for right decisions to ensure that people are safe in their homes and when they walk along the streets.  We pray for right decisions to ensure that people have worthwhile employment and opportunities for their future.  We pray that you will enlighten them as to your will for Humanity.

  Merciful God, we pray for those who are suffering and disabled, may they find in you comfort and healing.  We pray for those who are distressed and lost amidst their worries and concerns.  May they find in you a peace of mind and of soul that brings calm to their lives.

  We pray for those who have not been treated with respect or care.  May they find in you someone in whom they can trust to love them and to bring them through troubled times.  We pray for those who are tired of life and its troubles.  May they find in you a friend and

helper.

  Merciful God, we pray for those who serve others, for those working in our hospitals and assisted accommodation facilities, for those teaching our children in schools and colleges, for those preserving and saving the lives of those caught up in accidents and emergencies, for those offering a helping hand or a shoulder upon which to cry, for those in our military services at home and overseas protecting the lives of others and preserving peace in areas of conflict.

  Please sustain them in their efforts, please guide them in making the correct decisions, please give to them a sense of accomplishment and purpose.

  Merciful God, we pray for your Church, that it would reflect your light to a darkened World, that it would not let itself be influenced by Human desires for glory or for wealth or for influence, but seek to challenge the World to look at itself in its state of darkness and to its need to turn to you for its redemption and healing.

  May the Church be a source of compassion for the downtrodden; may it be a source of action for the oppressed; may it be a source of strength for the powerless.  May the Church be the moral thorn of Society, confronting people to make choices according to your will and purpose for your created World.

We pray for the Church, that we may share the light of the Gospel with all who are struggling to recognize good from evil, truth from lies, and selfless love from self-serving activity.

We pray for the growth of our faith, that your love for us may enlighten our path as we face our daily challenges and draw us into a deeper relationship with you.

We pray for a spirit of respect, that we may honour each person who enters our life, particularly those with physical or developmental limitations, and encourage them to use their gifts and enrich the community.

We pray for all who face social, cultural, political, or family opposition to embracing the Gospel, that you will strengthen their hearts and help them find loving and supporting communities.

We pray for all who are bound by the blindness of prejudice, that you will free them from judging others and open their eyes to the value and dignity of each Human person.

We pray for reconciliation amongst communities of faith, that we may each repent of past wrongs and work together to confront evil and violence in the World.

We pray for Government officials, that you will anoint their minds and hearts so that they

may promote the well-being of all whom they serve, particularly the vulnerable and powerless of society.

We pray for all who have suffered abuse by religious leaders, that you will heal their wounds, give them new insight into their strengths, and help them to be open to sharing their gifts for the good of others.

We pray for all who have no sight or who are losing their sight, that they may experience your presence with them and your guidance in living their lives fully.

We pray for insight and openness to caring for our environment, that you will help us to see the damages that have been done to our air, water, and land and guide us in developing policies that will protect the environment from further harm.

We pray for all whose lives are darkened by alcohol, drugs, or pornography, that the light of the Gospel may shatter their darkness and open a path to living a new life.

We pray for all who live in the darkness of violence, warfare, or human trafficking, that you will comfort all who are in pain, bring light into their lives, and speed the assistance that they need to find new communities.

We pray for refugees, that you will guide them to places of safety and open the hearts of their new neighbours to welcome and include them in their communities.

We pray for all recovering from natural disasters, that you will protect them from harm, heal their injuries, and guide them in accessing the resources which they need.

https://liturgy.slu.edu/4LentA031923/ideas_other.html Copyright © 2023. Joe Milner. All rights reserved.<br> Permission is hereby granted to reproduce for personal or parish use.

We pray for Kylie Conomos, that you will support her and guide her as she seeks to address the issues and problems affecting the lives of the students, families and staff of Bald Hills State School.

We pray for the leaders of Religious Instruction classes held at Bald Hills State School, that you will enthuse them as they present the Gospel to the children.  May the Holy Spirit work in the minds and the hearts of the children so that they will respond to your message with acceptance and joy.

We pray for those who have not been able to join us in fellowship.  May they experience your presence and support each day, reassured of your strength and power to guide them.

  God of justice and peace, may we be your justice makers and your peacemakers, feeding the hungry, tending the sick, planting goodwill and sowing justice.  May your words give nourishment to the roots of our faith so that in our words and actions we can give nourishment to those in the Community in which we live and move.

The Lord’s Prayer

Our Father in Heaven, hallowed be your name,

your kingdom come,

your will be done, on Earth as it is in Heaven.

Give us today our daily bread.

Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us.

Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil,

For the Kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours,

Now and forever.  Amen.