STAY COMMITTED
INTRODUCTORY RITES
Gather as a family/ community; create an environment appropriate for prayer (dress appropriately - switch off your phones...).
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: People tend to think that artists produce their works in bursts of creative energy. Beethoven rewrote each bar of his music at least a dozen times. For the “Last Judgment,” Michelangelo produced more than 2,000 sketches/renderings in the eight years it took to complete his masterpiece. Anything of lasting value requires patient commitment and in the face of adversity.
Marriage, religious life, and the priesthood are of lasting value! These need patient commitment. We pray for all in committed relationships for grace and courage to stay committed.
Penitential Rite
L: We ask the Lord to forgive us for our failures in our commitments.
Pause
L: Lord Jesus, you were committed to your Father in total obedience
even to death on the Cross: Lord, have mercy.
A: Lord, have mercy.
L: Lord Jesus, you were committed to seeking and saving the lost,
and you gave up your life for us: Christ, have mercy.
A: Christ, have mercy.
L: Lord Jesus, you were committed to your mission,
and put up with difficulties: 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: Creator God,
you created man and woman in your image.
Heal our hardened hearts,
renew our obedience to your spoken will,
and conform our lives to your design.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
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 Genesis 2:18-24
Psalm Psalm 128:1-2, 3, 4-5, 6
Response May the Lord bless us all the days of our lives.
Reading 2 Hebrews 2:9-11
Acclamation
Alleluia, alleluia.
If we love one another, God remains in us
and his love is brought to perfection in us.
Gospel Mark 10:2-16 or (shorter form) 10:2-12
Reflection on the Readings
Use one of the following ways to reflect on the readings.
Lectio Divina
Imagine you are with Jesus when the Pharisees question him. What are your thoughts and feelings when you hear the question and when you hear Jesus’ response?
Sunday Snippets
The elderly couple in the check-out line were talking about their upcoming golden wedding anniversary. The young cashier piped in: “I can’t imagine being married to same man for 50 years!” The wife replied: “Well, honey, until you can… don’t get married!”
This little exchange conveys what marriage is: two people—not only imagining—but also and especially deciding and pledging to stay in a relationship forever. Marriage is a commitment. So are religious life and the priesthood!
This is the core of today’s first reading and gospel.
In response to the Pharisees’ question about the legality of divorce, Jesus argues that Moses’ permission for husbands to divorce (cf. Deuteronomy 24:1-4) was “because of the hardness of your hearts.”
He, then, turns to the biblical ideal of marriage, as God intended it “from the beginning of creation”. In God’s plan (cf. first reading), marriage is not about male superiority/rights, but a communion of love between complementary partners who become one flesh. This oneness is not only a union of bodies, but also a union of minds, hearts, and wills.
This love reflects God’s love; it is a commitment with a beginning and no end.
Love-commitment is difficult because it means loving the other as she/he is; it does not redesign a person.
There will be problems in marriage. Pope Francis alluded to these when he said: “Families have difficulties. Families will quarrel. Sometimes plates fly. And children bring headaches. I don’t want to speak about mothers-in-law… but difficulties are overcome by love.”
There are four p’s to overcome this mega “p”:
- be positive: appreciate and affirm the other;
- be polite: show respect and courtesy, be careful about what-how-when-where we say things;
- be playful: make fun and humour a mainstay in relationships;
- be prayerful: spend time praying together.
What will I do to stay committed?
On a lighter note, someone asked Henry Ford on his fiftieth wedding anniversary for his rule for marital bliss and longevity: “Just the same as in the automobile business: stick to one model.”
Questions to Ponder
Reflect on some (or all) of the following questions:
Reading 1: What would I say to a person who thinks the superiority of men over women is divinely revealed in this text? What do I do in situations where women and men are not treated as equals?
Reading 2: Jesus called us sisters and brothers. How does this influence my attitude towards people? Do I treat all people with the same respect?
Gospel: The Pharisees and the disciples question Jesus about divorce. He answers: “whoever divorces his wife commits adultery.” But he also reminds them about Moses permitting “husbands to write bill of divorce.” What might these two ideas say to the Church today?
The Creed
Prayer of the Faithful
L: Let us pray to God our Father that he may complete in us his work of love and faithfulness: Lord, hear our prayer.
R: For the Church: that we may be a sign of communion between God and humanity and a means of reconciliation amongst all people, we pray…
R: For the leaders of nations: that God may give them wisdom and courage to address crucial issues of society and to work together to address the common good, we pray…
R: For all married/engaged couples: that they may recognize Christ in each other, grow into true oneness of life, and bring God’s love to others, we pray…
R: For all who are in lonely or troubled marriages: that they may find support in the Christian community and receive strength and courage to work to renew their relationships, we pray…
R: For all who have experienced divorce: that God may heal their pain, renew their sense of self, and help them find support and understanding in our community, we pray…
R: For commitment to care for our common home: that through God’s grace we may hear its cry of the damage done and be moved to protect it for future generations to enjoy, we pray…
R: For ourselves: that we may be faithful to our promises and commitments, to spouses, children, parents, communities, and friends, we pray…
L: Our God and Father, be present with all your faithfulness wherever people come together to build communities of love and friendship. Build with us, that our love may endure, now and always. 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
You are love, O God.
You three have loved each other so much
that you are one.
Let us too be not alone,
but at one
with the whole created universe,
especially one with each other,
all together in the fullness of your love.
May each of us
remain faithful to our commitment.
May each of us
keep striving to mirror in our lives
the loving unity of the Trinity.
CONCLUDING RITE
Concluding Prayer
L: Our God and Father
you have entrusted love to us
not as a finished product
but as an assignment for life.
Let the love of your Son invest our love
with fidelity and generosity,
that it may weather all storms
and keep growing in depth,
until you crown it with your joy.
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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