4th Sunday of Advent A

The following are prayerful resources rather than a liturgy.

  • The gospel for the day
    (a useful commentary on the reading         here)
  • Some optional questions for reflection
  • Prayers of Intercession
  • Cluster Prayer
  • The gospel of the week ahead with questions

Matthew 1:18-24   How Jesus Christ came to be born.


This is how Jesus Christ came to be born.

His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph;

but before they came to live together

she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit.

Her husband Joseph; being a man of honour and wanting to spare her publicity,

decided to divorce her informally.

He had made up his mind to do this

when the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said,

‘Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife,

because she has conceived what is in her by the Holy Spirit.

She will give birth to a son and you must name him Jesus,

because he is the one who is to save his people from their sins.’

Now all this took place to fulfil the words spoken by the Lord through the prophet:

The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son
and they will call him Emmanuel,

a name which means ‘God-is-with-us.’

When Joseph woke up he did what the angel of the Lord had told him to do:

he took his wife to his home.

This is the gospel of the Lord

Copyright © 1996-2021 Universalis Publishing Limited: see www.universalis.com.

Scripture readings from the Jerusalem Bible are published and copyright © 1966, 1967 and 1968 by Darton, Longman & Todd, Ltd and Doubleday, a division of Random House, Inc.

Text of the Psalms: Copyright © 1963, The Grail (England). All rights reserved.


Having used our prayer resources, you might want simply to reflect yourself on them and how that might flow into your coming week. Some people have found it very helpful to meet with others and share their thoughts.
If you are interested  in joining a small group to share your thoughts and feelings about God's Word from any of the resources you have watched please email us.         cluster.alpha@outlook.com

Questions for reflection (framed for a group discussion)

The Son of God enters the world amid rumour and innuendo surrounding a young betrothed woman.

If you think Mary and Joseph agreed quite easily, you have a very poor understanding of human nature.

Jesus wants us all of the time, not just for an hour at the weekend.

That's the relationship offer to any missionary disciple... should you choose to enter into it.

  1. In what ways can we en-courage each other to be better missionary disciples? (Share)
  2. Whom do you find it difficult to welcome in your life? What can you do to overcome that?*

* All second questions © The Pastoral Center

Prayers of Intercession

 

Prayers of Intercession 4th  Sunday of Advent 2022

 

In today’s Gospel Joseph listened to the voice of the Lord with attentiveness and humility, even though it meant adapting his way of life so that others could flourish. May we celebrate the generous people in our lives who are happy to live in the shadows, nourishing the fulfilment of others.

Maranatha    Come Lord Jesus Come

 

For world leaders, that, through the conversion of their hearts to an environmental mindset, the world will become a place where babies born in the coming year will experience the peace of Christ , and not the environmental catastrophe that scientists predict.

Maranatha   Come Lord Jesus Come

 

For Cop 15, the biodiversity summit in Montreal, which draws to a close this weekend. As it becomes more and more evident that peace with creation is needed for peace between humankind, may its initiatives inform, inspire and ignite change for the common good.

 Maranatha   Come Lord Jesus Come

 

For those in our community who are suffering from the effects of the cost of living rises and fuel increases, and for whom Christmas is a time of anxiety. May we continue to play our part in seeking a just and fairer society.

 Maranatha    Come Lord Jesus Come

 

 

For all the war torn areas of the world with no respite from violence this Christmas. May we stand in solidarity in our prayers with all affected and may the spirit of peace that comes with the birth of Jesus melt the hearts of those engaged in oppression.

 Maranatha    Come Lord Jesus Come

 

For all who are sick, lonely, fearful, depressed or in any need. Let us be mindful of our neighbours, both near and far, as we ask for the peace of God for those in our hearts and those on the prayer foundation list.

 Maranatha    Come Lord Jesus Come

 

 

For those who have died and those whose anniversaries fall at this time:

Scott Fraser, Patricia McDonald, David Wightman, James Waugh, Sadie McCole and Bridget (Beattie) Goonan.

May they rest in the peace of the Lord

 

Maranatha    Come Lord Jesus Come


Let's continue with our cluster prayer.

Prayer to be Missionary Disciples

Picture of Jesus at door

Lord continue to bless our community
in this time of transition.
Help us on our journey
to grow from a maintenance church
to a missionary church.
Give us the courage
to be missionary disciples.
Make our doors wide enough
to receive all who need
human love and fellowship;
narrow enough to shut out
all envy, pride and prejudice.
Kindle in us the fire of your love
that all who come here
will find joy, peace and love.
Make this a house of prayer
and a gateway to your kingdom.
AMEN

Preparing for next week -  The Nativity of the Lord - Day Mass

John 1: 1-18       The Word was made flesh, and lived among us.

In the beginning was the Word:
and the Word was with God
and the Word was God.
He was with God in the beginning.
Through him all things came to be,
not one thing had its being but through him.
All that came to be had life in him
and that life was the light of men,
a light that shines in the dark,
a light that darkness could not overpower.

A man came, sent by God.
His name was John.
He came as a witness,
as a witness to speak for the light,
so that everyone might believe through him.
He was not the light,
only a witness to speak for the light.

The Word was the true light
that enlightens all men;
and he was coming into the world.
He was in the world
that had its being through him,
and the world did not know him.
He came to his own domain
and his own people did not accept him.
But to all who did accept him
he gave power to become children of God,
to all who believe in the name of him
who was born not out of human stock
or urge of the flesh
or will of man
but of God himself.

The Word was made flesh,
he lived among us,
and we saw his glory,
the glory that is his as the only Son of the Father,
full of grace and truth.

John appears as his witness. He proclaims:
‘This is the one of whom I said:
He who comes after me ranks before me
because he existed before me.’

Indeed, from his fullness we have, all of us, received –
yes, grace in return for grace,
since, though the Law was given through Moses,
grace and truth have come through Jesus Christ.
No one has ever seen God;
it is the only Son, who is nearest to the Father’s heart,
who has made him known.

This is the gospel of the Lord.

Copyright © 1996-2021 Universalis Publishing Limited: see www.universalis.com.

Scripture readings from the Jerusalem Bible are published and copyright © 1966, 1967 and 1968 by Darton, Longman & Todd, Ltd and Doubleday, a division of Random House, Inc.

Text of the Psalms: Copyright © 1963, The Grail (England). All rights reserved

Questions for reflection (framed for a group discussion)

If God is Love then God must be a comm-unity of relationships - true love needs another to love.

In Jesus' life, death and resurrection we watch that Love in action.

He is the light of the world - showing us the way into true relationship with God.

  1. When have you experienced "progress" in some way in your relationship with God/Jesus?
  2. Whom do you find it difficult to welcome in your life? What can you do to overcome that?*

* All second questions © The Pastoral Center