Prayers of Intercession - The Ascension of Christ

The Ascension of Christ, Salvador Dali, 1958

Prayers written for the Choral Eucharist on the Feast of the Ascension at St Stephen Walbrook on Thursday 26th May 2022 based on text from Luke 24.44-end  references from the hymn ‘Hail the Day that Sees Him Rise’ by Charles Wesley  and God is Gone Up by Gerald Finzi, text by William Croft based on Psalm 47.

Let us lift up our prayers to the ascended Lord, who ever intercedes for us. 

 

Risen Lord, 

Send down your blessing on your church; your broken body on earth. 

Lift up our heads towards the guiding light of your power and glory; 

open the gates of our minds, by your grace, that we might understand the scriptures;

may all who hear them become living witnesses to your Word. 

We lift up in prayer all bishops, priests and deacons; all who proclaim repentance and forgiveness of sins to the nations; all who take great risks when they worship and praise your name. 

 

Lord in your mercy

Hear our prayer 

 

Risen Lord,

Send down your spirit over the world you love and upon its people you have saved;

Lift up our heads so that we might rise above our selfish concerns and love our neighbour as you have loved us.

We pray for peace throughout the world, especially in Ukraine, in the Middle East and between the peoples of the Holy Land. 

We ask for forgiveness for our abuse of your creation and pray for those most affected by rising temperatures and sea levels.

 

Lord in your mercy

Hear our prayer 

 

Risen Lord,

Send down your eternal wisdom over the people of this parish and this City.

Lift up our heads so that we may be inspired by the rich beauty of the living stones all around us.

We pray for the work of the Lord Mayor, the Corporation of London, all businesses and charities here.

May the streets of the Square Mile ring out with the merry noise of life lived joyfully in all its fullness. 

 

Lord in your mercy

Hear our prayer 

 

Risen Lord,

Send down your healing power on all those in need.

Lift up our heads to be present amongst the sick and suffering in our midst.

Here at the birthplace of The Samaritans we pray for all those who are experiencing suicidal thoughts

We ask for your blessing on all health professionals. 

We hold up all who have asked for our prayers, including Melvyn, John, Mary, William, Shelley, Margaret and Philip, Caroline, Francine, Carole, Peter and for Juliet and her family, Adrian, Jennifer and their family, Martin, Sam and Sophia, for Sally, for Tom, for Sarah, Kim and Mark.

 

Lord in your mercy

Hear our prayer 

 

Risen Lord,

Send down upon all who mourn the assurance of your promise of everlasting life;

Lift up our heads to your eternal gates as we pray for all the faithful who have recently entered there;

as we look for the day when we may join them, and you, in our Father’s house. 

 

Merciful Father

accept these prayers

for the sake of your Son

our Saviour, Jesus Christ

Amen 

 

Image : The Ascension of Christ by Salvador Dali, 1958
These prayers were written in 2021. Original text here.