Sunday, March 22, 2026 is the Fifth Sunday of Lent — the last Sunday before Holy Week begins. It is a day soaked in resurrection hope, tender grief, and the kind of prayer that rises from the very depths of the human heart.
Today’s prayer of the day is not a polished performance offered from a place of comfort. It is the prayer of a people who have walked thirty days through the wilderness of Lent and arrived at a threshold: the story of Lazarus, the grave opened by Christ, and the question that echoes through every soul — Do you believe this?
This article brings you the official liturgical prayer, the Collect, the Prayers of the Faithful, intercessions, and a complete personal prayer guide — all rooted in the Scripture and spiritual tradition of this remarkable Sunday.
What Sunday Is March 22, 2026?
March 22, 2026 is the Fifth and last Sunday of Lent before the beginning of Holy Week. It also marks the beginning of Passiontide — the final, more intense phase of Lenten preparation that leads through Holy Week to the Passion, death, and Resurrection of the Lord.
Today the Church celebrates the Third Scrutiny, as the faithful journey to the font with those preparing for Baptism. It is a day of deep communal prayer — for the catechumens approaching Easter, for those who grieve, for the Church, and for a broken world.
The liturgical color for today is purple/violet, the color of Lenten penance, humility, and the longing for Easter that now stands very close.
The Official Collect: Liturgical Prayer for March 22, 2026
The Collect — the Church’s official opening prayer — sets the spiritual tone for the entire Sunday. The Collect for the Fifth Sunday of Lent reads:
“By your help, we beseech you, Lord our God, may we walk eagerly in that same charity with which, out of love for the world, your Son handed himself over to death. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.”
This prayer is extraordinary in its ambition. It does not simply ask God to help us survive the week. It asks for the grace to love the world the way Jesus loved it — enough to hand ourselves over in self-giving sacrifice. That is the prayer of the Fifth Sunday of Lent: Make me generous. Make me self-forgetful. Make me like your Son.
Today’s Prayer of the Day — From Call to Worship
The Reformed and Presbyterian tradition provides a Prayer of the Day that speaks with equal power for March 22, 2026. The Prayer of the Day for the Fifth Sunday of Lent reads:
“Living God, we come to you today in humility and need. We pray for life for our wounded souls, for our ailing communities, for our troubled nation, and for our hurting world. Call us out of discouragement and despair to rise up in courage and love. Let your light shine upon our faces, so that, forgiven and renewed, we may live again as your people, holy and whole, singing praises and serving with joy through the grace of Jesus Christ. Amen.”
This prayer names something most people feel but rarely say aloud in a church building: “We are wounded. Our communities are ailing. Our world is hurting.” The Fifth Sunday of Lent does not ask us to pretend otherwise. It invites us to bring the full weight of our reality to God — and trust that resurrection power will meet us there.
The Prayers of the Faithful for March 22, 2026
The universal Church’s intercessions on this Fifth Sunday of Lent reach across the full range of human need. The Prayers of the Faithful composed by Rev. Ronald Raab, C.S.C. for March 22, 2026 include:
- For the Pope and the Universal Church — that the faithful may run to meet the sick, the immigrant, and the desperate poor, and that prayer may restore communities to new life.
- For all Christians preparing for Easter — that those renewing their baptismal promises may live a richer life celebrating God’s enduring love.
- For peace in a world torn by war — that every nation works for enduring peace and reconciliation, especially in Iran and the Middle East.
- For people who survive homelessness and addictions — that they may be housed in the shelter of compassion and care.
- For those experiencing loss and mental anguish — that God’s mercy and tenderness meet them when anxiety and misfortune take hold.
- For young people struggling to find a healthy path — that Christ offers healing when children face fear and hopelessness.
- For the planet and environment — that Christ be invited into conversations about how to live in the beauty of God’s earth.
- For those who grieve — that all who weep at the tombs of loved ones find consolation in the dying and rising of Jesus Christ.
- For the beloved dead — that they may rejoice in their home in heaven.
These intercessions are beautifully matched to today’s Gospel. Jesus wept at the tomb of Lazarus. He did not stand at a distance from grief — He entered it. Today’s prayers ask Him to do the same for every person, community, and nation listed above.
Scripture That Powers Today’s Prayer
Every prayer today draws its depth from the Sunday readings. Understanding the Scripture makes the prayers come alive.
| Reading | Passage | Prayer Connection |
| First Reading | Ezekiel 37:12–14 | God opens graves — pray for the seemingly hopeless |
| Responsorial Psalm | Psalm 130:1–8 | Out of the depths — honest cries are heard |
| Second Reading | Romans 8:8–11 | The Spirit gives life — pray in resurrection confidence |
| Gospel | John 11:1–45 | Jesus is the resurrection — pray for those at a tomb |
The opening sentences for worship today remind believers: “As children of God, we dwell in the Spirit, and the Spirit dwells in us. We are alive in the Spirit through the righteousness of God.” That is the foundation from which all of today’s prayer springs.
A Personal Morning Prayer for Sunday, March 22, 2026
Use this prayer to open your Sunday. It is drawn from today’s themes — the depths of Psalm 130, the self-giving love of the Collect, and the resurrection hope of John 11.
Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall declare your praise.
Living God, I come to you this Fifth Sunday of Lent from whatever depth I have been living in this week. I do not always come from a place of confidence or clarity. Sometimes I come — like the psalmist — from the depths. And I am learning that the depths are exactly where you listen.
Today I pray for life. Life for my soul, which grows tired and dry some days. Life for those I love, who carry pain I cannot fix. Life for this world that seems so far from Easter.
You are the resurrection and the life. Not someday. Now. Today. Speak into whatever feels sealed and final in my life. Call it — call me — out.
Help me to love the way Jesus loved: giving, not grasping. Serving, not seeking. Weeping when weeping is the most honest thing I can do.
May your light shine on my face today. May I live as your person — holy and whole — singing praise and serving with joy.
May the Lord bless us, protect us from all evil, and bring us to everlasting life. Amen.
The Closing Prayer for the Fifth Sunday of Lent
“Father,
It’s so hard to love the world sometimes, and to love it the way Jesus did seems impossible. Help me to be inspired by his love and guided by his example. Most of all, I want to accept that I can’t do it alone, and that trying is an arrogance of self-centeredness.
I need you, dear God, to give me support in this journey. Show me how to unlock my heart so that I am less selfish. Let me be less fearful of the pain and darkness that will be transformed by you into Easter joy. May the Lord bless us, protect us from all evil, and bring us to everlasting life.
Amen.”
Conclusion
The Prayer of the Day for Sunday, March 22, 2026 rises out of the depths and reaches toward life. The Collect asks for the grace to love like Jesus — self-giving and generous. The Prayer of the Day asks God to call us out of despair into courage. The Prayers of the Faithful extend that courage outward — to the poor, the grieving, the young, the dying, and the whole wounded world. And the closing prayer admits the most honest thing a believer can say: I cannot do this alone. I need you.
This is the prayer of the Fifth Sunday of Lent. It is not polished or perfect. It is real. And it is exactly the kind of prayer that God — the One who wept at the tomb of a friend — has always answered.
Charlotte, founder of Namesslection.com, shares her passion for creativity through Funny Names, Cute Names, and Other Names. She helps people find unique, fun, and meaningful names with ease.
