Prayers of the People, Advent 3B

God of Joy,

We cry out to you this day, naming those who need your healing touch, your comforting presence, your reassuring word. Hear our prayers, we pray, and make us vessels of healing in your name.
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All around us, Lord, the consumption is rampant. Those who have feast gluttonously, while those who have not scrape to provide. The distance between the two is growing. Children go to bed hungry. Adults work two and three jobs, if they can find a job at all, to make ends meet. Many who are wealthy hoard what they have, storing it in "off shore accounts" or hiding it or using it only to care for their own, stagnating the energy of blessing you have poured out. Still we believe. Spirit of God, move among us and open our Scroogish hearts that we may give of ourselves to help others in ways that bring blessing and hope.

All around us, Lord, hearts are breaking as homes burn to the ground in wildfires and traffic accidents claim the lives of those we love and terrorism disrupts every day life. We drop to our knees in grief and despair, aching for a word of hope from you. Still we believe. Spirit of God, heal our brokenness, we pray, and call us into the wholeness of your realm, that we may know the abiding joy of community.

All around us, Lord, are captives imprisoned by fear ... fear that drives addiction and pain and isolation ... fear that lashes out at others and builds walls to keep them out and refuses to welcome the stranger. Still we believe. Spirit of God, open our hearts to love that casts out fear and reconciles us to you and to one another. Grow us into Oaks of Righteousness, providing shelter and life-giving hope for others.

Hear also our prayers for those whom we name below ... those whose names are in our hearts and on our minds. In addition, hear our prayers for those whose names we do not know. Surround them with your steadfast love. Touch them with your infinite mercy. Fill them with a peace that passes all understanding.

In Jesus' name we pray,
Amen.