Prayers of the Faithful Jesus is present when His people gather in prayer. In Matthew are gathered at Mass, we offer up our prayers in the prayers of the faithful, or general intercessions. You may notice at Mass that there is a pattern in the prayers of the faithful. The Roman Missal says that we should pray first for the needs of the Church, then for public authorities and the salvation of the whole world, for those oppressed by any need, and finally, for the local community. There may also be prayers for the souls of the recently faithful departed. After the priest gives a brief introduction, the deacon or lector will read each prayer and end with an invitation for the congregation to acknowledge and join the prayer – like “Let us pray to the Lord.” The congregation responds with something like, “Lord, hear our prayer.” St. Paul encouraged offering up prayers to his friend Timothy, a bishop in the early Church, when he wrote, “First of all, then, I ask that supplications, prayers, petitions, and thanksgivings be offered for everyone, for kings and all in authority, that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life in all devotion and dignity. This is good and pleasing to God our savior.” For further study: Matthew 18:20 • 1 Timothy 2:1-3 44 18:20 He said, “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” So while we Notes
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