Lord God, Creator of all that is good and source of our happiness and peace, we bring our prayers before you, joyfully knowing your presence in our lives and gladly remembering that our journey through Lent leads to the wonder of Easter Sunday.
We celebrate the safe return of Pope Francis from his historic bridge-building journey to Iraq. We pray that his willingness to engage in dialogue with the leaders of other religions will create stepping-stones to lasting peace.
We rejoice in the first cautious moves towards re-opening schools, colleges and businesses after lockdown. We pray that God will reward and bless the hard work of so many people to fight the effects of Covid-19 and to provide a safe working environment.
We happily remember the bright moments of the past year, when we have experienced the unexpected kindness of a stranger. We pray for the many unsung heroes and heroines of the pandemic, that God will bless them for their generosity and compassion.
We honour the gift of motherhood as we celebrate Mothering Sunday. May Our Blessed Mother be close to all mothers everywhere and may they both love and be loved.
We celebrate, on Mothering Sunday, the uniqueness of each pregnancy and each mother-to-be. We pray that Mary will hold each unborn baby and each mother very close to herself at this crucial time and that fathers will share the miracle of the life they have helped to create.
We rejoice in the arrival of Spring and the beauty of Creation. We pray for increased local, national and international cooperation in preserving our beautiful but fragile planet.
Lord God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, be with us and keep us close to you in love and compassion. Amen.