JANUARY 1 – MARY, MOTHER OF GOD AND NEW YEAR’S DAY
INTRODUCTION
Today we celebrate the Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God. It is also the World Day
of Peace and, of course, New Year’s Day. On this day of new beginnings, let us join
believers all over the world and pray to the Prince of Peace to make us peacemakers and,
like his mother, Christ-bearers to the world.
PENITENTIAL RITE
Lord Jesus, you are the Son of God and son of Mary: Lord, have mercy.
Christ Jesus, you are the Prince of Peace and King of all creation: Christ, have mercy.
Lord Jesus, you are our brother who guides us into heaven: Lord, have mercy.
SCRIPTURE READINGS
Num 6:22-27 The Lord bless you and keep you.
Gal 4:4-7 The Son, born of a woman, that we might receive adoption
Luke 2:16-21 He was named Jesus.
PRAYERS OF THE FAITHFUL
PRESIDER As we begin this New Year, let us hope to be like Mary, saying “Yes” to
God’s plan for us as we pray, Be born in us; be born in our world.
us say “Yes” to peace, that we may become peacemakers in our daily
lives, we pray, Be born in us; be born in our world.
Help us say “Yes” to life, that we may protect those whose lives are threatened: the
poor, the unborn, the sick, and the dying, we pray, Be born in us; be born in our world.
Help us say “Yes” to love, that we may to honor the old, cherish the young and
welcome the stranger, we pray, Be born in us; be born in our world.
Help us say “Yes” to joy, that we may be true witnesses to God’s delight in every
person, we pray, Be born in us; be born in our world.
Help us say “Yes” to hope, that we may trust in God’s plan for us and for our world, we
pray, Be born in us; be born in our world.
Help us pray now for those for whom we have promised to pray … (significant pause)
… for those who most need our prayers, we pray, Be born in us; be born in our world.
Help us pray now for what we need in this new year … (significant pause) … that we
may become the holy men and women you call us to be, we pray, Be born in us; be born
in our world.
MINISTER Help
PRESIDER Good
and gracious God, you chose humble Mary as a fit dwelling for your
Son. Hear our prayers and make us Christ-bearers to your waiting, needy world. We pray
in Jesus’ name. Amen.
JANUARY 6 – EPIPHANY OF THE LORD
INTRODUCTION
My friends, today we proclaim that God is God of the whole world. On this day of
Epiphany let us turn away from darkness and welcome God’s light in the dark places of
our world, in the dark places of our lives.
PENITENTIAL RITE
Lord Jesus, you are light in the darkness: Lord, have mercy.
Christ Jesus, you are charity where there is division: Christ, have mercy.
Lord Jesus, you are hope where there is despair: Lord, have mercy.
SCRIPTURE READINGS
Isa 60:1-6 Raise your eyes and see the glory of the Lord.
Eph 3:2-3a, 5-6 Gentiles are coheirs and copartners in the promise.
Matt 2:1-12 The wise follow the star.
PRAYERS OF THE FAITHFUL
Presider My friends, today we remember that Jesus is the light that came into our dark
world. So that we may withstand the powers of darkness and walk in the light of the
Lord, let us pray: “Be born in us; be born in our world.”
MINISTER Where
there is the darkness of war, we pray, Be born in us; be born in our
world.
Where there is the darkness of poverty, we pray, Be born in us; be born in our world.
Where there is the darkness of hunger, we pray, Be born in us; be born in our world.
Where there is the darkness of illness, we pray, Be born in us; be born in our world.
Where there is the darkness of fear, we pray, Be born in us; be born in our world.
Where there is the darkness of hatred, we pray, Be born in us; be born in our world.
Where there is the darkness of despair, we pray, Be born in us; be born in our world.
Let us pray quietly for a moment for those places in our lives where we most need the
light of the Lord: in our families, in our work, in our suffering, in our doubt, in our
loneliness, in our fear of loss … in all those dark places, we pray, Be born in us; be born
in our world.
PRESIDER Loving
God, you sent your Son, Jesus, to be the light of the world. Make us
children of the light, believers in the light, followers of the light, so that we may be a
light to those who live in darkness and long for your presence. We pray always in Jesus’
name. Amen.
JANUARY 13 – BAPTISM OF THE LORD
INTRODUCTION
My friends, on this day when we remember the Baptism of our Lord Jesus, it is fitting
that we also remember our own baptism. The promise we made on that day — or that was
made for us by those who loved us — was to follow Jesus wherever he leads us. We
don’t know the road, but we know the destination because we know the Guide. As we
renew our baptismal promises, let us pray that we, too, will hear the voice of God
proclaim about us, “This is my Beloved in whom I am well pleased.”
We suggest that the Rite of Blessing and Sprinkling Holy Water replace the Penitential
Rite.
SCRIPTURE READINGS
Isa 42:1-4, 6-7 God’s servant, called for the victory of justice
Acts 10:34-38 Jesus, baptized and anointed by the Holy Spirit, went about doing good.
Matt 3:13-17 Jesus is baptized and a voice from heaven speaks.
PRAYERS OF THE FAITHFUL
Presider My friends, it is both the duty and the privilege of all the baptized to offer
prayers of intercession for our church and our world and those most in need of our
prayers. Grateful to be called to this duty and privilege, let us pray.
Minister We pray for the church. For the continuation of the work that Jesus came to do;
for the work of peace and justice, healing and inspiration, truth-telling and truth-living,
we pray,
We pray for peace throughout the world. For peace among the nations and neighbors;
within families and communities; for peace within our hearts, we pray,
For our children: for our adult children and teenagers; for little ones and tiny babies; for
all children who have been baptized in this parish, for their continued formation in the
faith and all that they need to grow in holiness, we pray,
For each one here: for God’s own grace that we might continue to live out our baptismal
promises and grow to be the holy men and women God intends us to be, we pray,
We remember those who have died … (names). For all those we love and miss and all
our ancestors in the faith whose love and faithfulness provided for us today, we pray,
Presider Creator God, you called us in baptism and you continue to call us each day.
Help us to listen for your voice and answer your call so that someday we may hear that
you are well-pleased with us. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
JANUARY 20 – SECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
INTRODUCTION
My friends, there are several observances this week to remember in our prayers. Monday
is the holiday we remember the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.. Tuesday is the
anniversary of Roe v. Wade and a day we are called to pray for the protection of all
human life. And Friday marks the beginning of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.
Let us join Jesus’ disciples everywhere and pray this day to follow the One Lord, the one
whom John the Baptist called “the Son of God.”
PENITENTIAL RITE
Lord Jesus, you came to love people of every race and nation: Lord, have mercy.
Christ Jesus, you came to love the fragile and the forgotten: Christ, have mercy.
Lord Jesus, you came that all may know you and be one in you: Lord, have mercy.
SCRIPTURE READINGS
Isa 49:3, 5-6 You are my servant and a light to the nations.
1 Cor 1:1-3 The beginning of Paul’s writings to the Corinthians
John 1:29-34 John the Baptist said, “Jesus is the Son of God.”
PRAYER OF THE FAITHFUL
Presider Let us join with Christians throughout the world and pray for all those whose
lives are threatened.
Minister Let us pray for the church throughout the world; for its holiness and humility
and dedication to the work Jesus came to do, we pray,
This week across our nation, men and women are remembering the life and death of Dr.
Martin Luther King Jr. Let us pray for an end to racism and all unjust discrimination; for
the continued cooperation among those of different races, we pray,
This week we begin the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. Let us pray for the work of
church leaders who are finding paths to unity, and for a spirit of tolerance and hospitality
among all Christians; for all the churches of our community, we pray,
This week we remember the 1973 Supreme Court decision Roe v. Wade. Let us pray for
all those whose lives are at risk; for the very old and the very young and those yet to be
born; for the very sick, the disabled, the poor, those in prison, the unemployed, and the
uneducated; for those who feel they are without hope for their future, we pray,
Let us remember those who have died … (names). For all who mourn the passing of
someone they love and hold dear, we pray,
Presider Good and gracious God, Creator of all life, hear our prayers this day. Give us
the grace to be generous in our dedication to finding solutions to our society’s problems
that will respect the life of every human being. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
JANUARY 27 – THIRD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
INTRODUCTION
My friends, in today’s Gospel, Jesus calls the first disciples away from the life they had
known to a different, new life. And Jesus is calling us, too. These days most of us are so
busy, our lives so hectic, that we don’t have time to answer the phone or check our
messages. So do we have time to answer when Jesus calls? Well, we have time right now.
Let’s agree to put away all busyness for the next hour and listen for the voice of God
calling us today.
PENITENTIAL RITE
Lord Jesus, you announce the Kingdom of God and call us to repent: Lord, have mercy.
Christ Jesus, you called your disciples to follow you: Christ, have mercy.
Lord Jesus, you call us today in Word and sacrament: Lord, have mercy.
SCRIPTURE READINGS
Isa 8:23–9:3 The people in darkness have seen a great light.
1 Cor: 10-13, 17 Let there be no divisions among disciples.
Matt 4:12-23 Jesus calls the disciples to follow him.
PRAYERS OF THE FAITHFUL
Presider Brothers and sisters, we are called to discipleship, and one of the privileges and
duties of disciples is to intercede for the world. Let us pray.
Minister We pray for the church. For the work of the church in the world: peacemaking
among enemies, the protection of life, the care of those who are forgotten by society, we
pray,
Today is the beginning of Catholic Schools Week. We pray for all young people and
those charged with their formation in the faith; for all that they need to grow into holy
men and women, we pray,
For those most affected by the winter cold. For the elderly, those who are home-bound
and those who live on fixed incomes; for those who work outside; for those with colds
and flu; for the poor and those without homes, we pray,
For those who are sick. For those living with chronic pain and those who love them; for
all whose work it is to care for the sick and the dying, we pray,
We remember those who have died … (names). For those we love and miss, for those
who are mourning the passing of a dear one, and for those who have no one to pray for
them, we pray,
Presider Loving God, you have promised to be with us whenever people gather in your
name, whenever people call on you. Be with us this day. Hear our prayers and guide us
and all those we love along the path of eternal life. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.