Dearest Lord, we come before you with open hearts. Hear our prayers that we bring before you.
As lockdown restrictions begin to ease, we pray to resume activities with a heightened awareness and responsibility in looking after our common home. Let us be grateful for the beauty that surrounds us and mindful of the continued need to protect and care for it.
As we mark the Nativity of St John the Baptist we pray to remember our own Sacrament of Baptism and our commitment and promises to God. Just as St John the Baptist announced Jesus’ coming, let us prepare to fulfil Jesus’ ministry in our everyday lives.
We pray to the two great Apostles, Peter and Paul. As leaders in the origin of our faith and the very foundations on which the Church was built we give thanks today for our own church, our parish community and our clergy who continually guide us.
We pray for those that are unemployed and those experiencing job insecurities. May they be supported and navigated through the next steps available to them. May they be blessed by new opportunities as they arise and find the peace of Christ in their hearts and minds.
We pray for families as they come back together. May they experience pure joy and happiness in their hearts as they reunite with loved ones. Let us always be thankful for those that surround us and give everlasting gratitude for their health and wellbeing.
We pray for families that are bereaved. Let us remember their loss and show genuine empathy for their broken hearts. Let us show kindness and compassion to their needs and travel beside them on their journey through grief.
Let us pray for a moment for our own personal petitions.
Father Almighty, we pray and ask You to hear our prayers through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.