I Sunday of Advent

HOPE CHANGES EVERYTHING

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 a 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:

Let Heaven Rejoice

O Come Divine Messiah

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: Today we begin the Liturgical Year and the Season of Advent.  Advent reminds us that what the human heart deeply desires, God began to fulfil in the first Advent through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus; what God has begun in Jesus, he will complete. We need to hope and to do our part.

Let us pray that we may hope and work for the coming of God in our lives.

Penitential Rite

L: Let us prepare for his coming in our midst now and at the end of time in glory by asking him to pardon us for not waiting in hope!

        Pause

L: Lord Jesus, you want us to stay awake, 

for we do not know the day of your coming:

Lord, have mercy.

A: Lord, have mercy.

L: Lord Jesus, you tell us to be watchful,

for you want to us to experience your forgiveness and love: 

Christ, have mercy.

A: Christ, have mercy.

L: Lord Jesus, you ask us to walk in your path 

of peace, love, and justice: 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.

Opening Prayer

L: God of majesty and power, keep your household watchful and aware of the hour in which we live. Hasten the advent of that day when the sounds of war will be for ever stilled, the darkness of evil scattered, and all your children gathered into one.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,

one 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.

Liturgical Readings for the I Sunday of Advent

Reading 1     Isaiah 2:1-5

Psalm            Psalm 122: 1-2, 3-4, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9

Response     Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.

                        Option 1 or Option 2 or Option 3

Reading 2    Romans 13:11-14

Acclamation

                        Alleluia, alleluia.

                        Show us Lord, your love;

                        and grant us your salvation.

                Acclamation

Gospel     Matthew 24:37-44

 

Reflection on the Readings

 

Use one of the following ways to reflect on the readings.

Lectio Divina

Imagine being among the disciples when Jesus says: “Stay awake! For you do not know on which day your Lord will come.” What thoughts and feelings do his words evoke: fear or hope? 

Sunday Snippets

A school tutored its pupils while they were in hospital to stay abreast with their studies. Once, it sent a tutor to teach a boy, who had been seriously injured in an accident, nouns and adverbs!

When the tutor reached his room, she was unnerved by his state and stammered: “Your school sent me to teach you nouns and adverbs.” The next day, a nurse asked her: “What did you do to that boy?” The teacher thought she had done something wrong and began to apologize. The nurse said: “No, no! Since yesterday, his attitude has changed; he’s fighting back, responding to treatment. It’s as though he’s decided to live.”

Later the boy explained that he had given up hope until the tutor arrived. Everything changed when he realized that “they wouldn’t send a teacher to work on nouns and adverbs with a dying boy!”

Hope changes everything!

Isaiah (first reading) writes during a period of wars and intrigue, alienation and division. In this time of discouragement, his is a message of hope: our faithful God is with us and is bringing us together. He predicts a time of unity and peace symbolized by people transforming “swords into ploughshares and spears into pruning hooks” (changing weapons of war into tools for growth).

This is the message we need today! No matter where we live, there is uncertainty, upheaval, violence. We need to hope and make it change everything. In Paul’s words to the Romans, we need to throw off the works of darkness and put on the armour of light.

The gospel, too, is a hopeful reassurance that the Lord will come. We need to stay awake and be prepared.

God doesn’t send his Son into a “dying” world!

During this Advent season, will I hope and make it change everything? Will I allow light into places of darkness? Will I work for reconciliation and unity in my family/ community/ society? What swords do I need to beat into ploughshares and what spears into pruning hooks?

Questions to Ponder

Reflect on some (or all) of the following questions:

Reading 1: What words come to my mind when I think of “swords” and “spears” or “ploughshares”? Do I have the equivalent of swords and spears in my office, parish, or life? How does, “They shall beat their swords into ploughshares” relate to me?

Reading 2: In all the places I live and work is there some dimness that I can brighten with my “Christ light”? 

Gospel: Advent is about God coming to us. How can I become more aware of the ways Christ comes to me?

The Creed

Prayer of the Faithful

L: Let us be attentive to the Lord’s call to be awake and to prepare for his coming in the Church and the world and let us pray with hope: Lord, hear our prayer.

R: For the Church: that we may grow in our awareness of how God is fulfilling the deepest desires of our hearts, learn to recognize his presence in our lives, and expectantly await his continuing work, we pray to the Lord… 

R: For the world: that God may touch the hearts of leaders of nations so that they turn resources for war into resources for healing and development, we pray to the Lord…

R: For all who must wait: that God may strengthen and comfort all who are waiting with the sick, those awaiting a diagnosis, those separated from loved ones, and those who are held unjustly, we pray to the Lord…

R: For all who are ill: that God’s healing love may sustain and comfort them, we pray to the Lord…

R: For better stewardship of creation: that we may hear the cry of the earth of the damage done and be moved to protect it for future generations, we pray to the world…

R: For ourselves: that we may be aware of the signs of the times and awaken from our complacency to live life fully each day, we pray to the Lord…

L: God our Father, you sent your Son to renew us and our world. Inspire us by the power of his Spirit and sustain us in hope that we may commit ourselves to build a world that is human, peaceful, just, and fraternal. 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, 

we remember a time in our lives when disaster struck:

- we lost a secure job;

- a good friend betrayed us;

- we fell into a habit we thought we had overcome.

We were like people in the days before the Flood

living routine and unsuspecting lives until the disaster struck.

We recognise now that it was your coming,

a moment when you showed us how vulnerable we are.

Lord, 

help us to stay awake,

for there are burglars 

who break through the security of our lives;

help us to be prepared

to welcome you into our hearts and lives.

We wait in hope for your coming now and always.

CONCLUDING RITE

Concluding Prayer

L: God our Father,

you sent your Son Jesus among us, but we have been unaware of his presence. Wake us up, make us recognize him, that he may be the light of our lives and that we may lead people to him. May he build up among us and with us a world and a kingdom of peace and love where we serve you in one another. 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:

Every Valley

Like a Shepherd

Jesus Christ the Universal King

THE POWER TO FORGIVE AND TRANSFORM

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:

To Jesus Christ, Our Sovereign King

Come On and Celebrate

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 celebrate the Feast of Jesus Christ the Universal King. Christ’s Kingship, particularly in Luke’s Gospel, is one of mercy and forgiveness. We thank the Lord for showing us that authority is for humble and loving service. We pray that we may open ourselves to his love and mercy, and in turn may be loving and merciful to the people in our lives.

Penitential Rite

L: For the times we have closed ourselves to Christ’s mercy and have not been merciful; for the times we have not accepted him as our King, we ask his mercy.

        Pause

L: Lord Jesus, king of our hearts,

you were born one of us in the poverty of a crib in a stable:

Lord, have mercy.

A: Lord, have mercy.

L: Lord Jesus, king of the people,

you came to be the servant of all, especially the sick and sinners:

Christ, have mercy.

A: Christ, have mercy.

L: Lord Jesus, king of the universe,

your love went so far as to make you lay down your life for all:

        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: God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, you gave us your Son, the beloved who was rejected, the Saviour who appeared defeated. Show us in his death the victory that crowns the ages, and in his broken body the love that unites heaven and earth.

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.

Liturgical Readings for the Solemnity of Christ the King

Reading 1    2 Samuel 5:1-3

Psalm            Psalm 122:1-2, 3-4, 4-5

Response    Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.

              Option 1 or Option 2 or Option 3 

Reading 2    Colossians 1:12-20

Acclamation

                        Alleluia, alleluia.

                        Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!

                        Blessed is the kingdom of our father David that is to come!

                Acclamation

Gospel     Luke 23:35-43

 

Reflection on the Readings

 

Use one of the following ways to reflect on the readings.

Lectio Divina

Imagine you are at the foot of the cross. What are your thoughts and feelings when you hear the rulers’ and soldiers’ jeering and the dialogue between Jesus and the thief?

Sunday Snippets

In the Notre Dame Cathedral, the Archbishop of Paris preached: 

Some years ago, three young tourists—rude and cynical—came into this cathedral. Two dared the third to make up a confession. The young man went and arrogantly made his confession. The confessor told him: “For your penance, stand before the crucifix, look into the face of the crucified Christ and say: All this you did for me, and I don’t give a damn!” The young man went out and bragged that he had completed the dare; but the other two insisted he finish the dare by doing the penance. So he re-entered the cathedral, stood before the crucifix, looked up into the face of Christ and began: “All this you did for me and I… I… I don’t… I don’t give…” he couldn’t continue. 

At this point, the archbishop leaned over the pulpit and said: “That young man stands before you to preach today.”

This is the power of our King has: the power to forgive and transform through love and the cross.

On the cross, stripped of everything—clothes, strength, dignity—Jesus retains his power to

- forgive: he forgives his persecutors, the executioners, and the repentant thief; 

- change hearts: he transforms the thief, the centurion, and the people.

Paul’s hymn to the Colossians (second reading) emphasizes that in Jesus we have the forgiveness of sins; through him, all things are reconciled.

In a world which gives importance to territory, power, wealth, rhetoric, and show… Jesus is a king whose

- kingdom has no boundaries and goes beyond nationality; 

- citizens are the poor, the lost, the marginalized;

- crown is compassion 

- throne is the crib and the cross; 

- authority is that of humble and loving service; 

- law is love;

- life and death was among sinners.

Is Jesus my king? If so… Do I imitate him and his way of love and mercy, humility and service? Do I allow him to transform me with the power of his love and his cross? 

Questions to Ponder

Reflect on some (or all) of the following questions:

Reading 1: Compare Jesus and David as shepherds, anointed ones, and kings.

Compare/contrast Jesus’ kingdom with countries that have powerful political organizations. How are the objectives different in God’s kingdom and in these countries?

Reading 2: “For him all the fullness was pleased to dwell.” What does fullness mean to me in this context? Let me think of all the places in which I find goodness. Are they sacred? What is the goodness and beauty in my life saying to me about God?

Gospel: Jesus told the ‘good thief’: “Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.” What does Jesus’ assurance to the good thief confirm?

The Creed

Prayer of the Faithful

L: Let us turn to God our Father, the source of all that is good, asking him, with humble hearts, for all that we need to live in his light as we pray: Lord, hear our prayer.

R: For the Church: that we may continue the ministry of Jesus in offering forgiveness and accepting suffering in discipleship, we pray to the Lord…

R: For the leaders of nations: that they may recognize the source of their authority and be guided by God’s wisdom in promoting justice and advancing the well-being of all members of society, we pray to the Lord…

R: For all whose commitment to the truth brings them into conflict with the social, governmental, and religious authorities: that they may learn from and be strengthened by Christ, the suffering servant of truth, we pray to the Lord…

R: For all who are imprisoned, particularly those condemned to death: that the Spirit of God may lead them to conversion and through Christ into paradise, we pray to the Lord…

R: For a renewed reverence for creation: that we may respect and care for all that God has created, we pray to the Lord…

R: For ourselves: that through the Cross, we may change our understanding of power, success, and glory, open ourselves to receiving his mercy, and forgive all who have injured us, we pray to the Lord…

L: God, our Father, your Son showed us the meaning of kingship and authority. Like him and with him commit us totally to you and to people, in generous love and dedicated service. 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,

we stand before your Cross today.

The leaders are jeering and the soldiers are pouring scorn on you.

The dialogue of Dismas, one of the criminals with you,

is refreshingly different!

He saw that you have done no wrong 

and do not deserve this punishment. 

He recognized that this was not the end 

and that you would return as King.

He accepted that he deserved to be punished 

but threw himself on your mercy. 

You responded to him with the gift of salvation.

Lord, 

I acknowledge my sinfulness 

and I rejoice that your grace and mercy is available to me.

We entrust ourselves, with Dismas,

to your infinite love and mercy, 

and like him, we ask simply: remember us.

CONCLUDING RITE

Concluding Prayer

L: God our Father, you sent us Jesus your Son as the humble servant of your love, who offered his life on the cross for all. Give us enough faith to learn from him that to serve is to reign, and that to give our life to our brothers and sisters is to find a joy and a happiness that no one can take away from us.

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:

Thee O Christ, the Prince of Ages

King of Kings

XXXIII Sunday of the Year

LIVE FULLY… NOW

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:

Be Not Afraid

Sing a New Song

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: Today’s world has troubles unique to its time: from financial crises to technological meltdowns to a computerized global war. Observing the convergence of such events, today’s prophets suggest that these might be signs of the end of the world. This is not something new: there have been doomsday predictors from Montanus in the second century to David Meade in 2017.

The readings of today urge us to not speculate about when the world will end but to live fully now! We pray that we may trust God so that we may live full lives today.

Penitential Rite

L: For the times our worry and preoccupation about the end of the world has prevented us from living fully, we ask the Lord for forgiveness.

        Pause

L: Lord Jesus, you came that we have life in all its fullness: 

Lord, have mercy.

A: Lord, have mercy.

L: Lord Jesus, you raise us to new life: 

Christ, have mercy.

A: Christ, have mercy.

L: Lord Jesus, you bring light to those in darkness:

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: Lord God of all the ages, the One who is, who was, and who is to come, stir up within us a longing for your kingdom, steady our hearts in time of trial, and grant us patient endurance until the sun of justice dawns.

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.

Liturgical Readings for the XXXIII Sunday of the Year

Reading 1    Malachi 3:19-20a

Psalm            Psalm 98:5-6, 7-8, 9

Response    The Lord comes to rule the earth with justice.

                         Option 1 or Option 2 or Option 3

Reading 2    2 Thessalonians 3:7-12

Acclamation

                        Alleluia, alleluia.

                        Stand erect and raise your heads

                        because your redemption is at hand.

                        Acclamation

Gospel          Luke 21:5-19

Reflection on the Readings

 

Use one of the following ways to reflect on the readings.

Lectio Divina

Imagine you are with the people who were “speaking about how the temple was adorned with costly stones and votive offerings.” What are your thoughts and feelings when you hear them and when you hear Jesus’ response about the signs of the end time? 

Sunday Snippets

A warrior was struck by a poisonous arrow. His companions wanted to remove the arrow. But he would not allow them until he had answers to his questions: the characteristics of the shooter and his origins; the wood of the arrow; the bird from which the feathers came; the type of bow; the material of the bowstring. His companions cried out in frustration: “For heaven’s sake! Stop speculating and pull out the arrow!”

In this Sunday’s gospel, there is the speculative warrior in the people: they live in a present which is tense, and they want to know when the end will happen and what signs will indicate the end.

Jesus lists three phenomena which people might assume are indicators of the end: persecution, the appearance of false messiahs, disasters. But he indicates that it is pointless to speculate when and how the end will happen; it will happen “whenever”.

What is more important is our response when these things happen! 

We need not be afraid because the Lord will be with us; we ought not to be attached to transient structures. We need to live fully with and for God always, to lead lives of perseverance. Then, it will be future perfect! “There will arise the sun of justice with its healing rays” (first reading). In the second reading, St Paul gives us another response: hard work. Some people in the church at Thessalonica were unwilling to work and were becoming a burden to others. Paul presents himself as a model and advises all to work hard and quietly!

Am I going to allow the speculative warrior in me to “wonder” about the future and the end of the world or will I “pull out the arrow” by working hard and living a full life?

Let us not re-live the past; not pre-live the future; let us live fully now. As Joan Borysenko writes: “The question is not whether we will die, but how we will live!”

Questions to Ponder

Reflect on some (or all) of the following questions:

Reading 1: Do I fear death and/or the end of time? Why/ why not?

Reading 2: What is my attitude to work? When I am involved in ministry, do I have a sense of entitlement or do I see my ministry as a God-given vocation?

Gospel: In times of trial, do I believe in Jesus’ promise of divine assistance? How do I use times of conflict or turmoil as opportunities to witness?

Does my attitude to death/ the end time help/hinder me from living life fully? 

The Creed

Prayer of the Faithful

L: Sisters and brothers, let us ask the Lord to set us free from all fear of the future so that we can live full lives, as we pray: Lord, hear our prayer.

R: For the Church: that we may offer hope and vision to all the human family in times of confusion and offer support to those who are searching for God, we pray to the Lord… 

R: For the world: that God may bring an end to wars and protect the human family from weapons of mass destruction, we pray to the Lord…

R: For all who are experiencing an “end of their world”: that those who are ill, have lost employment, or are grieving the death of a loved one may know God’s comforting presence this day and be strengthened by his Spirit, we pray to the Lord…

R: For a spirit of stewardship: that we may protect and care for all creation which God has made and which reflects God’s glory, we pray to the Lord…

R: For ourselves: that God may drive disabling fear from our hearts and help us live fully with confidence and trust that God is always with us and will never abandon us, we pray to the Lord…

L: Lord of life, in the face of shocking events, help us not to panic but to keep our inner serenity, and to go through the joys and pains of life with a firm hope in you. 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,

you foresaw terrible times ahead: 

a day when not one stone of the temple would rest on another. 

You warned of other signs: 

clashes, wars, insurrections; 

mighty quakes, plague, famine;

rejection and even persecution for believers.

But Lord,

has there ever been an age without such trial and turmoil? 

And so you offer this advice: 

“Do not be perturbed. These things are bound to happen.” 

Life is bound to be this way!

Each day is the last; each time is the end time; 

each human being faces the end of the world in the span of a life.

Through all the turmoil, you offer a new saving birth.

With this assurance, 

let me live each day and each moment FULLY.

CONCLUDING RITE

Concluding Prayer

L: God our Father, we believe that your plans for us are for peace and not for disaster and fear. Help us to commit ourselves untiringly to the growth of the kingdom among us by carrying out your plans for peace and love.

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:

Guide Me O Thou Great Jehovah

For the Healing of the Nations

The Dedication of the Lateran Basilica

A CHURCH ALIVE

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:

All People That On Earth Do Dwell

All Are Welcome

What A Joy

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:    Today’s Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica celebrates not just a building, but a profound truth: God chooses to dwell among his people. The Lateran Basilica, the cathedral of the Pope as Bishop of Rome, is the “mother and head of all churches.” Its dedication reminds us that every sacred space, from the grandest basilica to the humblest chapel, points to an even more sacred reality: we are living temples of God.

We pray that we may be a church that is alive

Penitential Rite

L: For the times, we have not been a people and church that is alive, we ask the Lord’s forgiveness.

        Pause

L: Lord Jesus, you pitched your tent among us: 

Lord, have mercy.

A: Lord, have mercy.

L: Lord Jesus, you had zeal for your Father’s house: 

Christ, have mercy.

A: Christ, have mercy.

L: Lord Jesus, you asked the merchants to stop making your Father's house a marketplace:

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.

Opening Prayer

L: God of majesty, you choose living stones to fashion for yourself an eternal dwelling place. Increase the spiritual gifts you have given to your Church, that your faithful people may continue to grow and so build up the new and heavenly Jerusalem.

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.

Liturgical Readings for the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica

Reading 1    Ezekiel 47:1-2, 8-9, 12

Psalm            Psalm 46:2-3, 5-6, 8-9

Response    The waters of the river gladden the city of God, the holy dwelling of the Most High!

                         Option 1 or Option 2

Reading 2    Romans 5:5-11

Acclamation

                        Alleluia, alleluia.

                        I have chosen and consecrated this house, says the Lord, 

                        that my name may be there forever.

                Acclamation

Gospel         John 2:13-22

Reflection on the Readings

 

Use one of the following ways to reflect on the readings.

Lectio Divina

Imagine you are in the temple when Jesus drives out the people selling animals and the moneychangers. What are your thoughts and feelings when you witness his anger and when you hear him tell the Jews: “Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up”? 

Sunday Snippets

In 1953, reporters gathered at a Chicago railway station to meet the 1952 Nobel peace prize winner. Suddenly, during the welcome, the man excused himself and walked up to an elderly Afro-American woman struggling to carry her suitcases. He picked up her cases, escorted her to a bus, then returned to the waiting group, and apologised for keeping them waiting.

That was Dr Albert Schweitzer, the missionary-doctor who had spent his life helping the poor and the sick in Africa. A member of the reception committee remarked: “That’s the first time I ever saw a sermon walking.”

Dr Schweitzer understood the meaning of being church: being alive. He was also alive to the reality around him.

Benedict XVI reminded us that “the temple of stones is a symbol of the living church, the Christian community, which… is a ‘spiritual edifice,’ built by God with ‘living stones,’ namely, Christians themselves.”

The readings highlight this fact. Ezekiel emphasises that the temple is the source of life-giving water. St Paul reminds the Corinthians that they are God’s holy building with Christ as their foundation. Therefore, they need to build their lives carefully and live lives worthy of their calling. Through the cleansing of the temple, Jesus indicates that he is the new temple… the source of life and love. These are not separate truths but a movement: from the physical temple to the human heart to the divine presence among us, from structure to spirit.

Do I see myself—and other Christians—as church? Am I—and the community of believers to which I belong—a live church and a church that is alive to the realities around me? Am I a source of life and love?

Questions to Ponder

Reflect on some (or all) of the following questions:

Reading 1: How can I allow God’s living water to flow through me and bring life and healing to me and to others through me?  

Reading 2: How does the awareness that God chooses to dwell within me impact how I live my life? 

In what ways can I honour and care for the true and living “temple” that is both my body and my community, recognizing that God’s Spirit dwells within?

Gospel: What “tables” or worldly clutter in my heart does Jesus need to overturn? Are there attitudes, habits, or attachments that turn my inner temple away from true worship and love of God?

Prayer of the Faithful

L: Built on the foundation of Christ, we are the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit. With joy and faith, let us ask for God’s blessing on the whole human family as we pray: Lord, hear our prayer.

R: For Pope Leo: that today’s feast of his cathedral church may grace him with joy and peace for his mission of shepherding God’s people, we pray to the Lord… 

R: For the leaders of nations: that they may seek peace in the world and look for common solutions for common problems, while respecting each other’s rights and dignity, we pray to the Lord…

R: For Christians who have no place to worship because of violent destruction, climate change, or poverty: that they may gather in peace knowing that they are created as temples of the Holy Spirit, we pray to the Lord…

R: For the hungry, the poor, and the neglected: that they may receive food and safety, dignity and respect, care and love, we pray to the Lord…

R: For the participants of COP30 in Brazil: that they may agree on the urgent measures that must be taken to sustain life on earth, we pray to the Lord…

R: For ourselves: that we may cooperate better with one another so that by our teamwork and unity we become more the one body of Christ, we pray to the Lord…

L: God, our refuge and strength, you bring us to new birth in the waters of baptism and nourish us with the bread of life. Help us be life-giving to the world. We ask this 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,

we are living stones 

and temples of the Holy Spirit. 

Overturn the tables in our hearts and drive out the desires 

that prevent us from being people alive to the reality around us.

Strengthen our unity with the universal Church, 

and empower us to be instruments of your peace and truth in the world. 

Revive our zeal for your mission 

of spreading your values and message in a materialistic world.

May we live as true temples of your Holy Spirit, 

for your glory, forever and ever. Amen.

CONCLUDING RITE

Concluding Prayer

L: God our Father, you have called us through your Son to be a community of faith, love, and service. Fill us with your Spirit, that we may be your Church in word and deed. Help us to bring joy to all, to love without excluding anyone and to serve without demanding gratitude.

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:

Living Waters

Christ, Be Our Light