This week’s Advent topic is on hope; hope of the promises to come.  

All around the world, Catholic Churches have begun this new season by lighting the first Advent candle, the “Prophecy Candle.” This candle represents hope and the fulfillment of the Lord’s promises.

As we enter into the season of Advent, let us first focus on the hope found through the birth of Christ. May we acknowledge how good our Father is by keeping His promises made through the prophets which foretold the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

According to the Catholic liturgical calendar, the first Sunday of Advent is the beginning of a new year. So happy new year to you!

As we do around January 1st, this first week of Advent is a great time to refocus our minds and our hearts on the greatest gift of all, Jesus Christ. We are now in a time of waiting and deep anticipation to celebrate the first coming of the Word made flesh.

From Isaiah to Micah and Jeremiah to Zechariah, among others, the Messiah’s coming was foretold over 40 times in the Old Testament and fulfilled over 40 times in the New Testament through Jesus. 

--------

Thank you so much again for praying along with us and all of The Prayer Podcast listeners. Our hope is that we are able to provide you with another tool to bring you closer to God.

If you have any specific prayer intentions, questions, or feedback for The Prayer Podcast, please check out: ⁠theprayerpodcast.fm/welcome⁠ to connect with us or sign up to be a part of our prayer chain email list. We are also available on all social media platforms.

If you are interested in supporting this ministry, please visit our Patreon page at ⁠patreon.com/theprayerpodcast⁠.

Thank you and may God bless you!

*We may make a small commission on qualifying purchases through links in this post at no additional cost to you.

Pray this before Mass to focus on uniting your gifts and faults to the Cross. This prayer is inspired by Book 4 Chapter 9 of "The Imitation of Christ". Read it here.

If you have any specific prayer intentions, questions, or feedback for The Prayer Podcast, please check out: ⁠⁠⁠theprayerpodcast.fm/welcome⁠⁠⁠ or [email protected] to connect with us or sign up to be a part of our prayer chain email list.

If you are interested in supporting this ministry, please visit ⁠⁠⁠theprayerpodcast.fm/support⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/theprayerpodcast⁠⁠⁠.

Thank you and may God bless you!

O Lord of all creation, heaven and earth proclaim Your glory. Today, I offer myself to You with a willing heart, to remain forever in Your service. Accept me, O God, as an offering of love and praise, united with the holy sacrifice of Your Son, given for the salvation of the world. May angels unseen bear witness to this offering, as I place myself entirely in Your hands.

Before Your altar, O merciful God, I lay down all my sins and failings, from the first moment I erred until now. Cleanse me, Lord, in the fire of Your love. Burn away the stains of guilt and restore to me the grace that sin has taken. Grant me pardon, not for my merit but for the sake of Your infinite mercy. Embrace me with the peace only You can give.

I confess my unworthiness and grieve over my offenses. In sorrow, I resolve never to sin again and to make amends as best I can. Hear my humble plea, O Lord, and look upon me with compassion. Save me by the power of Your precious Blood, and shape me according to Your goodness, not my flawed ways.

All that I possess, though little and imperfect, I offer to You. Purify these gifts, O Lord, that they may please You and serve Your purpose. Strengthen me to grow in holiness and to fulfill the mission You have entrusted to me, that I may reach the end You have destined for me—a life with You forever.

I lift up to You the prayers and needs of my family, friends, and all who have shown me kindness. Extend Your grace to them, protect them from harm, and deliver them from trials. May they, too, find joy in giving thanks to You and resting in Your care.

I pray for those who have wronged me and for those I have hurt, knowingly or unknowingly. Let Your mercy heal the wounds between us. Take from our hearts all bitterness, anger, and division, and fill them with love, understanding, and peace.

O Lord, pour out Your mercy on all who call upon You. Grant us strength to live in Your grace, hope to persevere through trials, and faith to one day enter eternal life in Your presence. May all we do glorify You, now and forever. Amen.

Don't forget to follow or subscribe to us on your favorite podcast platform to be notified when new prayers are released!

Thank you so much again for praying along with us and all of The Prayer Podcast listeners. Our hope is that we are able to provide you with another tool to bring you closer to God.

*We may earn a small commission on qualifying purchases through links in this post at no additional cost to you.

Sign up for the "This Week in Catholicism" newsletter. Get hand-picked Catholic content sent directly to your inbox that helps you grow in your faith life and connects you to other Catholics around the world.

If you have any specific prayer intentions, questions, or feedback for The Prayer Podcast, please check out: ⁠theprayerpodcast.fm/welcome⁠ or [email protected] to connect with us or sign up to be a part of our prayer chain email list.

If you are interested in supporting this ministry, please visit ⁠theprayerpodcast.fm/support⁠ or ⁠patreon.com/theprayerpodcast⁠.

Thank you and may God bless you!

Lord, I believe in you: increase my faith.
I trust in you: strengthen my trust.
I love you: let me love you more and more.
I am sorry for my sins: deepen my sorrow.
I worship you as my first beginning,
I long for you as my last end,
I praise you as my constant helper,
And call on you as my loving protector.
Guide me by your wisdom,
Correct me with your justice,
Comfort me with your mercy,
Protect me with your power.
I offer you, Lord, my thoughts: to be fixed on you;
My words: to have you for their theme;
My actions: to reflect my love for you;
My sufferings: to be endured for your greater glory.
I want to do what you ask of me:
In the way you ask,
For as long as you ask,
Because you ask it.
Lord, enlighten my understanding,
Strengthen my will,
Purify my heart,
and make me holy.
Help me to repent of my past sins
And to resist temptation in the future.
Help me to rise above my human weaknesses
And to grow stronger as a Christian.
Let me love you, my Lord and my God,
And see myself as I really am:
A pilgrim in this world,
A Christian called to respect and love
All whose lives I touch,
Those under my authority,
My friends and my enemies.
Help me to conquer anger with gentleness,
Greed by generosity,
Apathy by fervor.
Help me to forget myself
And reach out toward others.
Make me prudent in planning,
Courageous in taking risks.
Make me patient in suffering, unassuming in prosperity.
Keep me, Lord, attentive at prayer,
Temperate in food and drink,
Diligent in my work,
Firm in my good intentions.
Let my conscience be clear,
My conduct without fault,
My speech blameless,
My life well-ordered.
Put me on guard against my human weaknesses.
Let me cherish your love for me,
Keep your law,
And come at last to your salvation.
Teach me to realize that this world is passing,
That my true future is the happiness of heaven,
That life on earth is short,
And the life to come eternal.
Help me to prepare for death
With a proper fear of judgment,
But a greater trust in your goodness.
Lead me safely through death
To the endless joy of heaven.
Grant this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Don't forget to follow or subscribe to us on your favorite podcast platform to be notified when new prayers are released!

Thank you so much again for praying along with us and all of The Prayer Podcast listeners. Our hope is that we are able to provide you with another tool to bring you closer to God.

*We may earn a small commission on qualifying purchases through links in this post at no additional cost to you.

Sign up for the "This Week in Catholicism" newsletter. Get hand-picked Catholic content sent directly to your inbox that helps you grow in your faith life and connects you to other Catholics around the world.

This is what we call an intercessory decade of the Rosary. We both enjoy this form of prayer very much and use it often in our own prayer lives. Each intercessory decade that we produce will focus on specific prayer intentions that we feel moved to pray for or from our listeners. Join us on Patreon or email us at [email protected] with your prayer intentions.

We ask for protection...

Don't forget to follow or subscribe to us on your favorite podcast platform to be notified when new prayers are released!

Thank you so much again for praying along with us and all of The Prayer Podcast listeners. Our hope is that we are able to provide you with another tool to bring you closer to God.

If you have any specific prayer intentions, questions, or feedback for The Prayer Podcast, please check out: theprayerpodcast.fm/welcome to connect with us or sign up to be a part of our prayer chain email list.

If you are interested in supporting this ministry, please visit theprayerpodcast.fm/support or patreon.com/theprayerpodcast.

Thank you and may God bless you!

*We may earn a small commission on qualifying purchases through links in this post at no additional cost to you.

Cut through the noise when looking for the best Catholic content online. Try out the "This Week in Catholicism" newsletter sent straight to your inbox with hand-picked Catholic content!

Don't forget to follow or subscribe to us on your favorite podcast platform to be notified when new prayers are released!

If you have any feedback for The Prayer Podcast, please check out: theprayerpodcast.fm/welcome to connect with us or sign up to be a part of our prayer chain email list.

If you are interested in supporting this ministry, please visit our Patreon page at patreon.com/theprayerpodcast. If you liked this lectio divina, there are more on our Patreon page exclusively for our patrons.

Thank you and may God bless you!

-------- Affiliate Links*

Find Catholic books worth reading at TAN Books - https://theprayerpodcast.fm/catholic-books - Free Shipping on orders over $50!

Find your Catholic match on CatholicMatch - https://theprayerpodcast.fm/find-your-match!

Matthew 6:5-8

When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners so that others may see them. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you. In praying, do not babble like the pagans, who think that they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them. Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

*We may earn a small commission on qualifying purchases through links in this post at no additional cost to you.

Don't forget to follow or subscribe to us on your favorite podcast platform to be notified when new prayers are released!

If you have any feedback for The Prayer Podcast, please check out: theprayerpodcast.fm/welcome to connect with us or sign up to be a part of our prayer chain email list.

If you are interested in supporting this ministry, please visit our Patreon page at patreon.com/theprayerpodcast.

Thank you and may God bless you!

-------- Affiliate Links*

Find Catholic books worth reading at TANBooks.com. Free Shipping on orders over $50!

Find your Catholic match on CatholicMatch.com!

A Christmas Prayer by Fr. Karl Rahner

Now God says to us

*We may earn a small commission on qualifying purchases through links in this post at no additional cost to you.

Don't forget to follow or subscribe to us on your favorite podcast platform to be notified when new prayers are released!

If you have any feedback for The Prayer Podcast, please check out: theprayerpodcast.fm/welcome to connect with us or sign up to be a part of our prayer chain email list.

If you are interested in supporting this ministry, please visit our Patreon page at patreon.com/theprayerpodcast. If you liked this lectio divina, there are more on our Patreon page exclusively for our patrons.

Thank you and may God bless you!

-------- Affiliate Links*

Find Catholic books worth reading at TAN Books - https://theprayerpodcast.fm/catholic-books - Free Shipping on orders over $50!

Find your Catholic match on CatholicMatch - https://theprayerpodcast.fm/find-your-match!

Luke 2:1-20

Now there were shepherds in that region living in the fields and keeping the night watch over their flock. The angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were struck with great fear. The angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For today in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is Messiah and Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying: “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” When the angels went away from them to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go, then, to Bethlehem to see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.” So they went in haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the infant lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known the message that had been told to them about this child. All who heard it were amazed by what had been told to them by the shepherds. And Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart. Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, just as it had been told to them.

*We may earn a small commission on qualifying purchases through links in this post at no additional cost to you.

Looking to learn more about Marian theology? TAN Books has a great selection.

Don't forget to follow, subscribe to, and rate this podcast!

If you have any feedback for The Prayer Podcast, please check out: theprayerpodcast.fm/welcome to connect with us or sign up to be a part of our prayer chain email list.

If you are interested in supporting this ministry, please visit our Patreon page at patreon.com/theprayerpodcast.

Thank you and may God bless you!

-------- Affiliate Links*

Find your Catholic match on CatholicMatch.com!

Matthew 1:18-24

Now this is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found with child through the holy Spirit. Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly. Such was his intention when, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her. She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel,” which means “God is with us.” When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home.

*We may earn a small commission on qualifying purchases through links in this post at no additional cost to you.

For amazing Catholic books, check out the deals found at TAN Books!

Don't forget to follow, subscribe, and rate this podcast!

Go to theprayerpodcast.fm/welcome to connect with us.

If you are interested in supporting this ministry, please visit our Patreon page at patreon.com/theprayerpodcast.

Thank you and may God bless you!

--------

Find your Catholic match on CatholicMatch.com! (*affiliate)

Litany of the Love of God

Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, have mercy on us.

Let us pray:

*We may earn a small commission on qualifying purchases through links in this post at no additional cost to you.

This year is dedicated to Saint Joseph by Pope Francis. Pray this daily in hope that your heart may be opened to the Lord's Will. For more information and resources surrounding this dedication, check out yearofstjoseph.org.

Don't forget to follow or subscribe to us on your favorite podcast platform to be notified when new prayers are released!

If you have any specific prayer intentions, questions, or feedback for The Prayer Podcast, please check out: theprayerpodcast.fm/welcome to connect with us or sign up to be a part of our prayer chain email list.

If you are interested in supporting this ministry, please visit our Patreon page at patreon.com/theprayerpodcast.

Thank you and may God bless you!

--------

Find Catholic books worth reading at TANBooks.com. Get Free Shipping on orders over $50! (*affiliate)

Find your Catholic match on CatholicMatch.com! (*affiliate)

Lord, have mercy on us.

God the Father of Heaven, have mercy on us.

Holy Mary, pray for us.

Joseph most just, pray for us.

Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world,

V. He made him the lord of His household,

Let Us Pray