Time of the Church 13

Song

Psalm

My soul, give praise to the Lord;
I will praise the Lord all my days,
make music to my God while I live.

They are happy who are helped by Jacob’s God,
whose hope is in the Lord their God,
who alone made heaven and earth,
the seas and all they contain.

It is the Lord who keeps faith for ever,
who is just to those who are oppressed.
It is God who gives bread to the hungry,
the Lord, who sets prisoners free.

The Lord who gives sight to the blind,
who raises up those who are bowed down,
the Lord, who protects the stranger
and upholds the widow and the orphan.

It is the Lord who loves the just
but thwarts the path of the wicked.
The Lord will reign for ever,
Zion’s God, from age to age.

Reading

Paul wrote: For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth takes its name. I pray that, according to the riches of his glory, he may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through his Spirit, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love. I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

or

Many of Jesus’ disciples turned back and no longer went about with him. So Jesus asked the twelve, “Do you also wish to go away?” Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.”

Song

Silence

Intercessions

God our Father, you gather us into the communion of your Church: give us life by your love.

God our Father, you never take back your call and your gifts: give us life by your love.

Son of the living God, your faithfulness enables us to remain always faithful to you: give us life by your love.

Son of the living God, you are familiar with our trials and our poverty: give us life by your love.

Holy Spirit, in our lives you stimulate a desire for peace and justice: give us life by your love.

Holy Spirit, your road leads us towards all who suffer in our society: give them life by your love.

Holy Spirit, you have placed gifts in our hearts to make us creators of communion: give us life by your love.

Our Father

Prayer

Christ Jesus, enable us to forge a steadfast heart to remain faithful to you. Risen Lord, you send upon us the light of your forgiveness. That is the perfect gift. And for each person, to dare to forgive awakens God’s joy in us.

or

Jesus our peace, obtain for us the greatest of joys: to have one mind, one love, one soul.

Songs