Leading Intercessions. Raymond Chapman

with the sharing of love . . . Help us to live in peace and harmony with our neighbours . . . We have seen the light of Christ: let it shine through us.

      Have mercy on those who are broken in body, mind or spirit . . . Come to those who are torn apart by anxiety and give them the confidence of knowing your loving purpose.

      As we remember those who are now gathered into unity with you, made whole in your presence, we offer our imperfect faith that we too may come to the perfection of eternal life.

      May our prayers be joined with the worship of saints and angels, and may we too be messengers of God’s peace.

       THE EPIPHANY

      Let us pray in the glorious light of Christ who leads his people in all their worship and adoration.

      As the Wise Men were led to worship the infant Jesus, so lead your Church to know you more clearly and to do your work on earth more faithfully . . . Give us deeper reverence in worship, humbly to adore the mystery of the Incarnation.

      Guide those with authority and influence to acknowledge the lordship of Christ . . . Teach those who control the resources of the world to use them responsibly . . . Turn the hearts of those who work only for their own interests and bring them to love others in the freedom of your service.

      Help those who work in our local community, and those with whom we work, to offer their gifts and talents for the good of all . . . Make us witnesses to your truth through the quiet offering of our lives.

      Bring reconciliation to families broken by infidelity and misunderstanding . . . Have mercy on orphaned and neglected children . . . Visit and relieve the homeless and those driven out by war or persecution.

      We pray for those who have died in childhood, that their lives may be fulfilled in eternal life . . . Comfort those who mourn for them with the knowledge that they are free from all suffering and are close to you for ever.

      May our offerings of prayer be acceptable to the King of glory, revealed to all who seek him diligently in faith.

       THE BAPTISM OF CHRIST (FIRST SUNDAY OF EPIPHANY)

      In obedience to the Lord who for our sake was obedient to the human condition and gave us the example of holy baptism, we offer our prayers.

      As Christians are united in baptism, break down the barriers that keep us apart . . . All things are made new in Jesus your Son: renew your Church, appointed to make him known to all nations.

      Open the eyes that are blind with false values, liberate those who are held in the prison of their sins, lighten the darkness of ignorance and error, that the world may be truly free.

      Fill us with the love of Jesus, revealed to us in faith . . . As our lives touch other lives, make us agents of the good news that he is our Saviour.

      Look with pity on those whose lives are bruised, whose hopes are quenched . . . Give them new life through the Holy Spirit who descended on Jesus, the beloved, in his baptism.

      We commend to your love those who, washed in the water of baptism, were close to you in this life and now are closer in the life eternal . . . By your grace, may we and they be one in you.

      Being washed with the water of repentance and new life, we pray as members through hope of the Kingdom of God.

       SECOND SUNDAY OF EPIPHANY

      We who are disciples of Christ in our time join in prayer for his Church, and for all people.

      As you have called us to your service, make us worthy of our calling . . . Your loving purpose was before all ages; let it not fail through those who are your Church in this generation.

      Come with your powerful love to those who have not heard your call or have failed to answer it . . . Draw the mighty and the humble of the world to follow where Jesus has led.

      May our homes be radiant with your presence through our love and hospitality to others . . . Help us to do our daily work knowing that it is part of our calling to be your disciples.

      Give to the suffering the comfort of your presence . . . Make the lives of the poor rich, as the disciples were made rich through their calling.

      We give thanks for those whose faith was confirmed to the end, who were called to be saints not by any merit of their own but by your grace . . . May they be joyful in the life that was prepared for them from the beginning.

      May Almighty God, who shows the way to men and women who have heard his voice, graciously hear us when we raise our own voices in prayer.

       THIRD SUNDAY OF EPIPHANY

      Guided by the great light of divine glory, let us pray to God who calls us to follow and worship him.

      Illumine the Church with the light of your truth . . . Keep her faithful to her one Lord, Jesus Christ, avoiding contention and never trusting in human strength alone.

      Shine with divine love on those who walk in darkness . . . Let the nations hear the gentle voice of your call and respond with joy, that there may be peace in place of strife.

      As the disciples were called to be fishers of people for the Kingdom, make us obedient to the call to be ministers of the Gospel in our homes, our work, our community.

      As our Lord Jesus in his earthly ministry healed all kinds of sickness and disease, may his healing power come now to the sick and injured . . . Strengthen and enable all who work to heal the sick.

      We remember before you those who were your disciples in this world and now rejoice in the great light of heaven . . . We give thanks that you have indeed multiplied their joy.

      Rejoicing that we are led in the way of obedience and love, we pray to the Lord of light and truth.

       FOURTH SUNDAY OF EPIPHANY

      Let us pray to God, our gracious host and divine guest, giver of all good gifts.

      Loving God, whose foolishness is greater than human wisdom, strengthen your Church to proclaim the faith of Christ crucified . . . Let no contempt or opposition hold her back from her duty to the world.

      Have mercy on a world made foolish by misuse of knowledge and power . . . Grant to those who think themselves wise the simple trust that is the only hope of humanity. Where there are families in need, bring comfort . . . Where there is joy, give blessing . . . May the presence of Jesus protect and sanctify all marriages.

      As the daily miracle of your creation brings food and drink for human needs, have mercy on the hungry of the world . . . Give us eager hearts and ready hands to give relief.

      We commend to your love those who trusted in the Cross and now are called to the great feast where the faithful departed rejoice in the fullness of the divine love.

      May the Lord who most bountifully answers every need hear us as we call upon him in our prayers.

       THE PRESENTATION OF CHRIST

      With confidence in the divine light revealed to our human race, let us pray to the Lord.

      We give thanks for knowledge of our salvation, seen with the eye not of sight but of faith . . . Enlighten the Church to be a true Temple to the glory of Christ and a witness to the world.

      Make the divine light to shine on all nations . . . Through Christ, who took our nature fully upon him, deliver your people from all evil.

      In our families and friendships, make us a light to lighten the lives of others . . . Come with the healing fire of your love to cleanse all that is not right in our community, that all may know their true Redeemer.

      Bless and protect the vulnerable ones of our common humanity: the babies, the parents who have few of the world’s goods, the aged and infirm . . . Be their strong defence in times of need and keep them from harm.

      We pray for those who have departed in peace and come into the glorious