
Prepare Your Heart, 2025 Virtual Advent Retreat in the Holy Cross Tradition, Third Sunday of Advent, December 14, 2025, Host: Rev. Ronald Raab, CSC
The Fourth Sunday of Advent, December 21, 2025, Cycle A, The Prayers of the Faithful

December 21, 2025
Fourth Sunday of Advent
For Leo, our Pope, and ___, our Bishop. May our leaders seek Christ’s love and true community for all peoples under heaven. May hope be born in our midst.
We pray to the Lord.
For peace upon the land of every nation. May Christ secure hope and harmony in every heart in Advent. May housing and employment be restored for all families upon our earth.
We pray to the Lord.
For people who wait in darkness and fear. May Christ become the light of compassion and mercy in Advent. May faith lead us into fearlessness in God’s eternal presence among us.
We pray to the Lord.
For expectant mothers. May all couples wait with tender and genuine love for new life to be born in our world. May God open our hearts to a new generation.
We pray to the Lord.
For family members who feels alone and apart from family life. May God bring people around a full and harmonious table of food and celebration at Christmas.
We pray to the Lord.
For people surviving storms, flooding and bitter cold. May Christ bring miracles within communities to provide the basics of life. May we provide security and warmth this Advent.
We pray to the Lord.
For our elderly in nursing homes and those who live alone. May all who close their blinds early on cold evenings find security in nighttime. May God comfort the lonely this Advent.
We pray to the Lord.
For people who grieve this Advent season. May all who live with regret and fear find hope as we celebrate Christ in our midst. May our grief ease as we surrender to Emmanuel, God-with-us.
We pray to the Lord.
For our loved ones who have died. May we remember those who have given us love and friendship. May they rest now in the Kingdom of peace.
We pray to the Lord.
(Audio) The Third Sunday of Advent, December 14, 2025, Cycle A, Matthew 11:2-11, Reflection

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Prepare Your Heart, 2025 Virtual Advent Retreat In The Holy Cross Tradition, Second Sunday of Advent, December 7, 2025. Host: Rev. Ronald Raab, CSC
The Third Sunday of Advent, December 14, 2025, The Prayers of the Faithful

December 14, 2025
Third Sunday of Advent
For Leo, our Pope, and ___, our Bishop. May courage be expressed in the hearts of all leaders in the Church. May they serve in the promise of Christ’s presence among us.
We pray to the Lord.
For an assured and lasting peace among nations. May wars end. May hope be in the lives of all people who rebuild from the tragedies of conflict, gun violence and aggressive war.
We pray to the Lord.
For people who sleep under cardboard on our city streets. May the lives of God’s poor find warmth as we provide shelter, food and clothing in these bitter cold months.
We pray to the Lord.
For people who live with ongoing body pain and diminishment. May our bodies find a home in Christ’s consolation and peace. May pain be eased in our search for Christ in Advent.
We pray to the Lord.
For the joy of our children’s creativity. May we affirm God’s creative work in our children. May Christ’s coming at Christmas help us express the beauty of our faith in our fearful world.
We pray to the Lord.
For the joy of newly engaged couples. May we celebrate couples who are preparing for marriage. May love be manifest in our families in Advent.
We pray to the Lord.
For our elders in these months of cold and darkness. May Advent bring consolation to people who live alone with few resources. May Christ free us from anxiety and loneliness.
We pray to the Lord.
For people hidden in the darkness of grief and loss. May Christ ease the pain of our fragile hearts. May fear be eased in the light of Christ’s coming in Advent.
We pray to the Lord.
For our beloved dead. May the souls of our loved ones find joy in eternal rest. May they see Christ Jesus face to face for all eternity.
We pray to the Lord.
(Audio) The Second Sunday of Advent, December 7, 2025, Matthew 3:1-12, Reflection
Prepare Your Heart, 2025 Virtual Advent Retreat in the Holy Cross Tradition, First Sunday of Advent, November 30, 2025. Host: Rev. Ronald Raab, CSC
The Second Sunday of Advent, December 7, 2025, Cycle A, The Prayers of the Faithful

December 7, 2025
Second Sunday of Advent
For Leo, our Pope, and ___, our Bishop. May our leaders of faith give voice to the prophetic life of John the Baptist. May they voice the beauty of life and the hope for peace in our world.
We pray to the Lord.
For a clear mission of faith and service in Advent. May every Christian point into the direction of Christ Jesus. May our baptism wipe away every doubt in our lives and free us to serve people in need.
We pray to the Lord.
For families facing severe debt in Advent. May we realize our worth in Christ Jesus and the bounty of God’s love for our families and communities.
We pray to the Lord.
For a deeper experience of Christ in Advent. May we seek Christ Jesus in our hearts and souls and not settle for only external piety. May our hearts be transformed by the coming of Christ in our world.
We pray to the Lord.
For people lost in loneliness. May we house the love of Christ within our hearts that sustains us even in fear. May God offer every heart consolation and joy.
We pray to the Lord.
For people experiencing severe body pain. May our earthly lives find solace in the coming of Christ Jesus. May we surrender to God’s love so to heal our souls and bodies.
We pray to the Lord.
For children waiting in Advent. May our young know God’s tender care beyond the externals of Christmas. May we share with our youth the hope for God in times of division, uncertainty, and war.
We pray to the Lord.
For people experiencing loss of home or shelter. May we long to be sheltered in God’s love in Advent. May we reach out to people starving for food, employment, long-term housing. May hope be built upon the earth for all people.
We pray to the Lord.
For our loved ones who have died. May our grieving hearts long for Christ’s love in Advent. May the dead know their lasting home in heaven.
We pray to the Lord.
(Audio) The First Sunday of Advent, November 30, 2025, Matt 24:37-44, Reflection

