Liturgy Alive Monday, September 17, 2012

print
Monday, September 17, 2012

 

Opening Prayer

Father, whose purpose it is
to unite everyone in Jesus your Son,
do not allow us to have separate tables
or exclusive reservations
neither for the Eucharist
nor in our communities.
Whatever way we come, rich or poor,
saints or sinners, healthy or weak,
keep us united in mutual respect and love
in the one body of your Son,
Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Liturgy of the Word

First Reading Introduction
        Paul makes a strong statement against the Corinthians for their division between rich and poor at the Eucharistic celebration. Underlying his reprimand is that the Corinthians act against something basic to Christianity: the Eucharistic body of Christ builds up the Church as his ecclesial body. If they eat the one body of Christ and share the same cup, they ought to be one. They are to be the sign of the unity of all humankind in Christ.

Gospel Introduction
       
Today we have the beautiful scene of the Roman centurion asking Jesus through emissaries to heal his slave. He loved the Jewish people and had faith in Jesus because of what he had heard about Jesus. Another sign of faith, something unusual in a world of slavery, seems to be that he begged for the healing of a slave. We hear him also say the words we use in the eucharistic celebration, that he is not worthy of Jesus coming to his house.

 

General Intercessions

– That the day may come when all who believe in Christ may sit at the same table to break the bread of the Lord, we pray:
– That the Eucharist may build us up more as Church, uniting us more as the body of Christ in prayer, thanksgiving to God, and concern for the weak, we pray:
– That the Eucharist may unite the whole community in mutual forgiveness, acceptance and sharing, we pray:

Prayer over the Gifts

Lord God, Father of all,
let this holy feast meal
be to us, indeed, the Lord's supper,
where we put aside our squabbles and differences
not only for a moment,
but where we can forget them.
Let your Son here in our midst
make us one of heart and mind
as the people you love
in Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Prayer after Communion

Our one Father of all,
we have been one for a little while
around the table of your Son.
We thank you for having made us
different from each other,
each with one's own identity and character,
one's talents, and even one's faults.
Thank you for saving us
from the monotony of sameness.
May we thus sing to you
a living symphony of many voices,
and nourish us with the same bread
united by the one mentality
of Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Blessing

It is a real shame that people who meet in the Lord, listen to his Word, and eat the Eucharist from his table are divided and discriminate against one another. May in his goodness God bless you all, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

 
share :