Here is a prayer of intercession for Advent which comes from the archives of the Church of Scotland’s excellent Starters for Sunday website.
Advent Prayer of Intercession
O God, the Mother and Father of us all,
we come like children with a huge Christmas list,
asking for the gifts of peace, understanding and love to be upon your people.
The frustrated whose dreams lie in ruins,
and whose relationships are soured.
The outcasts and strangers, refugees and homeless,
and those stricken by drought and disease.
The fair and just who suffer insult and indignity
at the hands of the misguided and mischievous.
The enthusiastic whose vigour renders them liable
to be dismissed as fanatics.
The travellers who are away from the familiar
and face difficulties alone.
The deeply ashamed who cannot forgive themselves.
The arrogant and proud who require re-evaluation.
The men and women who find themselves the focus
of media attention, and the centre of gossip.
The bullies who need to keep others in subjection
to maintain their self-esteem.
The too busy who are trying to hide
among the clutter of incomplete tasks.
The ungrateful and complacent
who see nothing in this world to rejoice in.
The corrupt and morally decayed whose power relies
on the crushing of the innocent and voiceless.
The fearless whose unqualified convictions mark them out
as unacceptable in the face of society’s displeasure.
The sick and the dying who need to know more
of the love of Christ this Advent.
Hear us, O gracious God,
and grant according to your will, our requests,
in the name of Jesus, the Prince of Peace. Amen
— posted on the Church of Scotland’s Starters for Sunday website.
For more worship resources for the first Sunday of Advent (November 27, 2011), click on Advent I Year B in the list of “Labels” at the lower right side of the page, or visit this index of Advent Worship Resources.
For other prayers and prayer resources on this blog, see this Scriptural Prayer Index or this Topical Prayer Index.
