Liturgy Alive Second Sunday in Ordinary Time - C -

Greetings (See Second Reading)

One and the same Holy Spirit
distributes different gifts to different people
just as the Spirit chooses.
Through the Holy Spirit
may the Lord Jesus give us the gifts we need
to build up his Church.
May he always be with you. 
R/ And also with you.

Introduction by the Celebrant

A. From Water Into Wine 

The Lord wants to tell us today that life is a feast. A feast? With all its troubles and miseries? Yes, a feast, if we learn to look at it with eyes of faith, if we come to see what makes life beautiful. We all have our daily cares, we may have days of mourning and problems, but the deepest reality is that we are not alone, that we have God, who lets us drink the wine of his love, God who gives us Jesus to lead us to him. Let us drink the wine of joy!

B. A Marriage Feast 

When two young people set out together on the adventure of married life, they affirm that they believe in each other, in love, in life, in the future. This is the message God speaks to us today. He has committed himself to us, his people, in a covenant bond of love, as lasting and as beautiful as marriage, when his Son Jesus became human. In him he has given himself to us for ever, for better and for worse, accepting that his Son laid down his life for us, so that we might live. He continues to change for us the water of the drabness and failures of our existence into plenty of wine and joy. And the best wine will be kept for the end, for eternal happiness. In this Eucharist Jesus changes bread and wine for us into the food and drink of life.

Penitential Act

Where has been our joy as Christians?
Let us ask ourselves before the Lord.
(pause)
Lord Jesus, through your pardon
change the gloom of our sinfulness
into the joy of reconciliation and friendship:
Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.
Jesus Christ, Lord of life,
raise us up from our sadness
and make us happy, joyful people:
Christ, have mercy. R/ Christ, have mercy.
Lord Jesus, joy of our life,
teach us to find happiness in sharing
and in making other people happy:
Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.
In your kindness, Lord,
forgive us all our sins,
make us radiate your love
and lead us to everlasting life. R/ Amen.

Opening Prayer

Let us pray that we may always live
in God's covenant love
(pause)
Faithful and loving God,
your Son Jesus shared with ordinary people
in the joy of a marriage feast.
Set for us the table and pour for us
the delightful wine of your covenant,
bring us close to you and to one another
and warm our hearts with your own love.
Make our lives become a feast, 
an unending song of joy and praise
to you, our living God,
through Jesus Christ our Lord. R/ Amen.

Liturgy of the Word

First Reading Introduction: God Married To His People
      Even though his people have been unfaithful to him, God forgives their infidelity. For he is "married" to his people forever.

Second Reading Introduction: One Spirit, Many Gifts

      One and the same Spirit gives an endless diversity of gifts to the Church to make it one in its rich variety.

Gospel Introduction: Jesus, The Bridegroom

      Jesus "gives his first sign" that he is the bridegroom, who has united himself to people in a bond of love. He will give them the wine abounding with life and happiness.

General Intercessions

Jesus has invited us to his feast meal; he offers us the bread of strength and the best wine of himself. Let us pray to him for all those whose life has become watered down, and say: R/ Lord, hear your people.
• Lord, pour for your Church the good wine of your pardon, because our love remains lukewarm, and we do not have enough faith in you and trust in each other; may we also wholeheartedly forgive one another, we pray you: R/ Lord, hear your people.
• Lord, pour for our families the wine of love, that they may be faithful and committed to one another, and that their children may learn from their parents to care for people and to serve you, we pray you: R/ Lord, hear your people.
• Lord, pour for people who suffer the wine of your strength and hope, and for those who can help them pour forth the wine of your compassion and solidarity, we pray you: R/ Lord, hear your people.
• Lord, pour for our Christian communities the wine of unity and friendship, that we may be one in you and together become your body serving one another and the world by our spirit of sharing and caring for each other, we pray you: R/ Lord, hear your people.
• Lord, pour for all of us here in this Eucharist the wine of your joy and life and give us the bread of yourself, that we may live in you, we pray you: R/ Lord, hear your people.
Lord Jesus, do not allow our life to become banal and watered down. Be near to us and fill us with your joy, now and for ever. R/ Amen.

Prayer over the Gifts

Faithful God,
you let us experience your love
in this meal of friendship
at the table of your Son Jesus Christ.
Let him break for us the bread of life
and pour for us his wine of joy,
that we may be faithful to you
and be brothers and sisters to one another,
on account of him who shed for us
the precious wine of his blood,
Jesus Christ our Lord. R/ Amen.

Introduction to the Eucharistic Prayer

Let us give thanks to the Father, for he has united himself to us in an unbreakable bond of friendship and love and has made us his holy people.

Prayer for Peace

Lord Jesus Christ,
through your Holy Spirit
you bind together in one body
and unite in one love your holy people.
May the various gifts he pours out on us
make us build up in peace
a Church that knows how to love and serve,
until you give us the peace and joy
that last for ever and ever. R/ Amen.

Invitation to the Lord's Prayer

Invited to the Lord's table
and united by his Spirit,
we pray now to our loving Father: R/ Our Father...

Deliver Us

Deliver us Lord, from every evil
and grant us peace with you
and with one another.
When you test those who belong to you,
do not allow us to yield
to the seductive power of sin
but refine our loyalty and love
and strengthen us with the hopeful joy
that you will complete your victory in us
at the full coming
of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 
R/ For the kingdom...

Invitation to Communion

This is Jesus our Lord,
who invites us to the feast
of his body and blood
as a pledge and token
of the everlasting marriage feast.
Happy are we to accept his invitation. 
R/ Lord, I am not worthy...

Prayer after Communion

We thank you, God our Father,
for letting Jesus speak to us in this Eucharist
his words of encouragement and joy
and for pouring for us the wine
of his new and everlasting covenant.
Let our life become a feast
of forgiveness and mutual service
and of dedication to you, our living God.
May this celebration be a foretaste
of the happiness you prepare for us in your home.
Grant this through Christ our Lord.R/ Amen.

Blessing

A marriage feast is always important
as a feast of love and friendship.
Today we have celebrated in this Eucharist
God's love for his people:
God is "married" to us,
Jesus is married to his Church.
God's love is faithful.
May you always respond to his love,
with the blessing of Almighty God,
the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. R/ Amen.

Let us live in unity and peace
as God's beloved people. R/ Thanks be to God.