Liturgy Lines

PRAYING FOR RAIN

THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF CHURCHES IN AUSTRALIA HAS REQUESTED THAT
ALL MEMBER CHURCHES INCLUDE PRAYERS FOR RAIN IN THEIR SERVICES ON THE FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT 2002, IST DECEMBER
I was asked to prepare appropriate prayers for use at Catholic Masses. They can be downloaded from the NCCA website (www.ncca.org.au). I have included them in this week’s Liturgy Lines to make them more widely available and to illustrate the principles for preparing liturgy from recent columns.
The readings and prayers for the First Sunday of Advent must be used. In any case, they are perfectly appropriate for the occasion. Below are suggested forms for the Penitential Rite and Prayers of the Faithful and a prayer for rain.

PENITENTIAL RITE (people are asked to kneel)

Leader: Our land is dry and barren, thirsting for life-giving rain.
All: Come, Lord Jesus.
Leader: Our hearts are dry and barren, awaiting the balm of your
healing love.
All: Come, Lord Jesus.
Leader: Our lives are dry and barren, searching for purpose and
meaning.
All: Come, Lord Jesus.

Presider: Lord Jesus, you give us living water to drink.
All: Lord, have mercy.
Presider: You bring light to those in darkness.
All: Christ, have mercy.
Presider: You intercede for us with the Father.
All: Lord, have mercy.
Presider: May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and
bring us to everlasting life.
All: Amen

INTERCESSIONS

Presider: My sisters and brothers, let us entrust our needs to the Lord
who comforts us with the promise of salvation.

Reader: For Church leaders and all who minister in the name of Christ.
May they hear the word of God and bring it to birth in our waiting
world. (pause) We pray to the Lord.

For all who make decisions that effect the welfare of others. May
they follow God’s will and seek the good of all people. (pause)
We pray to the Lord.

For people in all parts of the world who are suffering as a result of natural disasters and deliberate acts of violence. May they know that God is with them in their distress. (pause) We pray to the Lord.

For Australia and its people in this time of drought, for those on farms and in rural areas deprived of harvests and livestock, livelihood and hope. May God send rain to water the earth and help for those in need. (pause) We pray to the Lord.

For agencies and individuals working to support those affected by the drought. May their endeavours be blessed and their efforts richly rewarded. (pause) We pray to the Lord.

For those organisations aimed at the conservation and restoration of the natural environment. May they inspire all people to treat God’s creation with respect and reverence and to use the resources of the earth wisely. (pause) We pray to the Lord.

For all who have died, especially those whose despair has driven them to suicide, and for those who mourn them. May they find in God refreshment, rest and peace. (pause) We pray to the Lord.

Presider: Loving God, have mercy on your people in their need and
hear the prayers we offer with sincere and contrite hearts.
We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

PRAYER FOR RAIN
God of compassion,
we wait and watch for your gift of rain
to water the soil and make the barren land come alive again.
We wait and watch for the gift of salvation
to free us from hatred, greed and fear
so that we may live again as people of faith, hope and love.
We make this prayer in the name of our Saviour who comes to be with us. Amen.