STAY COMMITTED
INTRODUCTORY RITES
Gather as a family/ community; create an environment appropriate for prayer (dress appropriately - switch off your phones...).
We cannot gather as usual for the Eucharist. But we are conscious that Christ is present not only in the Blessed Sacrament but also in the Scriptures and in our hearts. Even when we are on our own, we remain part of the Body of Christ.
Place lighted candles, a crucifix, and the Bible on a covered table. These remind us of the sacredness of our time of prayer and could help us feel connected with our local worshipping communities.
You may sing or play an appropriate hymn. For instance:
The Sign of the Cross
Greeting and Introductory Words
L: The Lord invites us to the table of his Word: let us bless him for his goodness.
A: Blessed be God forever.
L: We are confronted with many choices in life; we must make decisions that are not always easy. A fundamental choice was made for us at baptism: to belong to Christ. Do we confirm that choice by our everyday Christian living, in our dealings with those around us?
We pray that we may daily renew our baptismal commitment to belong to the Lord and stay committed.
Penitential Rite
L: Let us ask the Lord to forgive us our doubts and hesitations, and our lukewarm efforts to follow him.
Pause
L: Lord Jesus, you have given us the consolation of the truth:
Lord, have mercy.
A: Lord, have mercy.
L: Lord Jesus, you are the Holy One of God:
Christ, have mercy.
A: Christ, have mercy.
L: Lord Jesus, you have the words of eternal life:
Lord, have mercy.
A: Lord, have mercy.
L: May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins,
and bring us to everlasting life.
A: Amen.
Gloria
Opening Prayer
L: In every age, O God,
you give your people freedom
to walk in faith or to turn away.
Grant us grace
to remain faithful to your Holy One,
whose words are spirit and life,
Jesus Christ, our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God for ever and ever.
A: Amen.
THE LITURGY OF THE WORD
Readings
The readings are those assigned for the day in the Lectionary.
Preferably use a Bible/ Lectionary for reading.
Reading 1 Joshua 24:1-2a, 15-17, 18b
Psalm Psalm 34:2-3, 16-17, 18-19, 20-21
Response Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
Reading 2 Ephesians 5:21-32 or 5:2a, 25-32
Acclamation
Alleluia, alleluia.
Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life;
you have the words of everlasting life.
Gospel John 6:60-69
Reflection on the Readings
Use one of the following ways to reflect on the readings.
Lectio Divina
Imagine you are one of the disciples. Are you among those who murmur: “This saying is hard…”? Or among those who “no longer accompanied him”?
How do you respond to Jesus’ question to the Twelve: “Do you also want to leave”? What are your thoughts/feelings when you hear Peter say: “Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life”?
Sunday Snippets
A few weeks before the 1924 Paris Olympics, a member of the USA canoe team, Bill Havens, faced the toughest decision of his life: his wife was expecting their first child about the time of the event; should Bill go to the Olympics or be with his wife? His wife urged Bill to go but he decided to be with her.
The US won the gold medal. Ironically, the child was born much after the due date; Bill could have competed and returned in time for the birth. But he had no regrets. He had made a commitment to be with his wife always; he was faithful to that commitment.
Bill Havens’ story is a powerful illustration of commitment to our choices.
The first reading describes the covenant renewal before the Israelites entered the promised land. Joshua gathers the people, declares his choice to serve God, and asks them to make their choice. The people make their choice: “We will also serve the Lord.”
In the second reading, Paul urges husbands and wives to be faithful to their marriage commitment. This fidelity is based on Christ’s fidelity and love for his church.
In the gospel, Jesus offers his apostles the choice to be with him or to join the ranks of the deserters. He had been popular as the wonder worker, the healer, the feeder of the multitude! Then he started talking tough. Many disciples were confused about his teaching about the bread of life, then found it intolerable/unacceptable, and finally chose to leave him.
Jesus gives the Twelve a choice: to remain with him or to leave. Peter tells Jesus that they cannot turn to anyone else. They have made their choice and remain committed to it.
The liturgy challenges us to stay committed to our choice for God… every day.
Do I remain faithful to God in times of difficulty or do I “no longer go with him”? Am I faithful to my commitments? In what aspects do I need to deepen my commitment to God and my family?
A sequel to the Bill Havens’ story!
Twenty-eight years later, Bill received a cablegram from his son, Frank, from Helsinki, the venue of the 1952 Olympics: “Dad, I won. I’m bringing home the gold medal you lost while waiting for me to be born.” Frank Havens won the gold in canoe-racing, a medal his father had dreamed of winning but never did because he lived his commitment.
There is a sequel to our commitment stories too! May we stay committed!
Questions to Ponder
Reflect on some (or all) of the following questions:
Reading 1: Are the messes in which I find myself usually the result of wrong choices? Would it have been better if God created me to do the right thing automatically/always? Why/why not?
Reading 2: Paul urges the Ephesians to “live in love, as Christ loved us.” What is the challenge to live in love as Christ loves me and what is outcome when I do so?
Gospel: Jesus asks: “Do you also want to leave?” If I were there at the time, would I be one of the many disciples who returned to his/her former way of life or one that stayed with Jesus? Why?
The Creed
Prayer of the Faithful
L: Many disciples deserted Jesus because they found his teachings hard to accept. We pray that, like Peter, we have the faith to recognise Jesus as the Holy One who will lead us to eternal life: Lord, hear our prayer.
R: For the Church: that we may be strengthened in our faith and invigorated with the love of Christ for all people, we pray…
R: For leaders of nations: that they may act with concern for the well-being of all, especially the poorest and weakest in their societies, and that their leadership be shaped by humility and a desire to serve, we pray…
R: For people in war-torn parts of the world: that God may preserve them from bloodshed and fill them with hope in their darkest moments, we pray…
R: For married couples: that the love of Christ may abound in their relationships and in their homes, we pray…
R: For better stewardship of earth’s resources: that as we approach the Season of Creation, we may grow in appreciating the beauty and diversity of all that God has created and in a commitment to change our selfish and destructive attitudes and actions, we pray…
R: For ourselves: that we may be deepen our knowledge of Christ and stay committed through trials, struggles, and doubts, we pray…
L: Lord God, you have chosen us as your people and are always faithful to us. Give us your grace to be faithful to our commitment to you and to people. Through Christ our Lord.
A: Amen.
SPIRITUAL COMMUNION
The Lord’s Prayer
Spiritual Communion
A: Jesus, I know and believe in your real presence in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist. It is you I desire to love and receive above all things. As I am unable to receive your sacramental presence now, come and be with me in heart and soul. Let my entire self be united with you as I welcome you again and know your loving embrace. Amen.
Post Spiritual Communion Reflection
Lord,
Joshua told the tribes of Israel:
“Decide today whom you will serve.”
Why do you let us choose?
Our decisions can wreak such havoc!
You say to us:
“I didn’t make you robots.
I want you to choose me
out of your freewill
with which I have blessed you.”
Lord,
you give us a choice:
“Do you also want to leave?”
With Peter we say: “To whom shall we go?”
Set our hearts on fire with your love.
Help us to always choose to love you
in every joy and every sorrow,
and to stay committed to this choice… ALWAYS!
CONCLUDING RITE
Concluding Prayer
L: God our Father,
in the daily choices we make
give us the courage to opt always
for your Son and his ways.
Keep us from making half-hearted decisions
and to accept all the consequences of our choice.
Through Christ our Lord.
A: Amen.
Blessing
L: The Lord bless us, protect us from all evil, and lead us to everlasting life.
A: Amen.
L: Go in the peace of Christ.
A: Thanks be to God.
Conclude with a hymn. For instance:
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