This lovely 17th century Ukrainian icon is titled, The Protection of the Mother of God. Here we see the Mother of God opening a wide mantle over (symbolically) everyone. There are bishops, priests and deacons, a royal or two, men and women, young children, the sick and the poor. The ribbons ascending from the crowd carry the prayerful intercessions of all.
Since the inception of Pauca Verba, March of 2013, I've offered intercessions each Thursday with Sunday in mind. Some folks write to say they sit with their phones in church before Mass and pray them silently. Priests from Ireland and Vietnam have written to say the intercessions are used in their churches on Sunday. I offer them here, as the generic prayers found in books which most churches use on Sunday, are not especially conducive to prayer. Because they need to speak to everyone, everywhere and at any time, they wind up saying — not much. Of course, as the world goes, between my posting of the intercessions on Thursday and perhaps our praying them on Sunday, a lot can happen that can urgently hope for our prayer. The intercessions I offer are never meant to, say it all. Hopefully, they will be a stimulus to you in your desire to pray for the world in all its weariness, suffering and need.
"If we are truly living in union with God, our minds and hearts, far from being shut up in themselves, open up to embrace the whole universe and the mystery of Christ that saves it." From the Carthusian statutes 34:2
