Intercede
Origin
Latin intercedere, from inter- + cedere to go
Definition
- 1 : to intervene between parties with a view to reconciling differences : mediate
Description
Intercession is the act of interceding (intervening or mediating) between two parties. In Christian religious usage, it is a prayer to God on behalf of others.
In western forms of Christian worship, intercession forms a distinct form of prayer, alongside Adoration, Confession, and Thanksgiving. In public worship, intercession is offered as prayer for the world beyond the immediate vicinity and friendship networks of the church community. As such, intercession constitutes part of the worshiping community's engagement with otherness, as it expresses Christians' solidarity with those who are 'other' than themselves. In so doing, a church both appeals to, and seeks to embody, God's own love for the world.
