CTK – HOPE – Prayer Resources

Hello everyone, welcome back to CTKPray. The prayer theme for this week is HOPE.

Hope is an expectation and desire for the things that are to come in the future. It is a powerful virtue that can help us to persevere through difficult times. In the season of Advent, we hope for the coming of Jesus and that he will bring peace, joy and love to the world.

Liturgical Year

Scripture

Videos

Music

Images

Mission

Planning

This Sunday we celebrated the Churches new year as we enter into year C. This week is the first Sunday of Advent.
Advent is a special time in the Catholic Church that happens during the four weeks before Christmas. It’s a season of hope and preparation as we get ready to celebrate the birth of Jesus, our Savior.
During Advent, we light candles on an Advent wreath—one for each week. Each candle represents something important: hope, peace, joy, and love. The colors of the candles (purple and pink) remind us to pray, to wait patiently, and to be joyful because Jesus is coming.

It’s like preparing your heart and soul for a big celebration—just like you might clean your house and decorate for a holiday, Advent helps us “decorate” our hearts with kindness, forgiveness, and love for others.

This week we celebrate:

Sunday 1st December – First Sunday of Advent
Monday 18th November – The Dedication of the Basilicas of Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles
Tuesday 3rd December – Saint Francis Xavier
Wednesday 4th December – Saint John Damascene
Friday 6th December – Saint Nicholas.
Saturday 7th December – Saint Ambrose

Please note that the responses in red are for everyone to join in with.

If you would like to explore your own choose of the scripture the link below will take you to open bible which allows you to explore scripture on any theme.
https://www.openbible.info/topics/hope

Luke 21:25-28, 34-36 Sunday’s Gospel

A reading from the Holy Gospel according Luke

Glory to you O Lord

The Coming of the Son of Man

“And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves, people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”

Watch Yourselves

“But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap. For it will come upon all who dwell on the face of the whole earth. But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.”

The Gospel of the Lord

Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ

Luke 1:78-79

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Luke

Glory you O Lord

because of the tender mercy of our God,
whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high
to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

The Gospel of the Lord

Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ

Jeremiah 33:14-16

A reading from the Prophet Jeremiah

The Lord’s Eternal Covenant with David

“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will fulfil the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah. In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David, and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In those days Judah will be saved, and Jerusalem will dwell securely. And this is the name by which it will be called: ‘The Lord is our righteousness.’

The word of the Lord

Thanks be to God

Jeremiah 29:11

A reading from the prophet Jeremiah

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile.

The word of the Lord

Thanks be to God

Romans 15:12-13

A reading from the letter of Saint Paul to Romans

And again Isaiah says,

“The root of Jesse will come,
even he who arises to rule the Gentiles;
in him will the Gentiles hope.”

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

The word of the Lord

Thanks be to God

Isaiah 9:2, 6-7

A reading from the prophet Isaiah

The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light;
those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness,
on them has light shined.

For to us a child is born,
    to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
    and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God,
    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of his government and of peace
    there will be no end,
on the throne of David and over his kingdom,
    to establish it and to uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
    from this time forth and for evermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.

The word of the Lord

Thanks be to God

Use these videos our on the theme of “HOPE”. These videos help us to feel unity as a church and stand up for those in need.

Visio Divina, meaning “Divine Seeing,” is a form of prayer in the Catholic Church that involves contemplating religious images or art to encounter God. It is similar to Lectio Divina (sacred reading), but instead of focusing on scripture, the participant meditates on visual representations, such as icons, paintings, or stained glass. The process usually involves several steps: gazing at the image, meditating on its meaning, praying in response to what is seen, and contemplating how the image speaks to one’s life. This practice deepens spiritual insight and fosters a connection with the divine through sacred imagery.