Liturgy Alive 6th Dunday of Easter
6th Sunday of Easter (A)
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Date: Sunday, 29 May, 2011
Year: I
Cycle: A
Season: Easter
Vestment: White
Psalter: Week II
Liturgical Calendar
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THEME
A. If You Love Me… The Spirit Will Come
B. Open Your Heart To The Breath Of God
LITURGY OF THE WORD
Acts 6:1-7; 1 Pt 3:15-18; John 14:15-21
COMMENTARY
Bible Diary ♦ Diario Bíblico
Preaching ♦ Sundays Into Silence
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Greeting (See the Gospel)
“I will not leave you orphans,” says Jesus,
“but my Father will give you
the Spirit of truth.”
May the Spirit of our Lord be always with you.
Introduction by the Celebrant (Two Options)
A. If You Love Me… The Spirit Will Come
We are Christians, people who follow Christ. What makes us sure that we really love him? Jesus tells us today: “If you love me you will keep my commandments.” And we know that his commandment is: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and your neighbor as yourself. Today Jesus promises us the Holy Spirit, who will make us see what we have to do to love God and our neighbor and who will give us the strength to do so. Let us ask Jesus present here to give us this Spirit of insight and strength.
(or)
B. Open Your Heart To The Breath Of God
When an exemplary head of a family dies, it is a great consolation for his wife and friends if his ideals and style of life keep living in his children. “He keeps inspiring them,” they say. Jesus is not dead, for he died and rose again, yet he is no longer physically among us. But his very own Spirit is still with us, like a breath, the wind, even a storm. Where he blows we feel him without seeing him. He touches our hearts and moves us forward to love and serve as Jesus did, to give warmth to this cold world, to renew us and our Church and our world through our hands and hearts. We pray that this Sprit be alive in us.
Penitential Act (Two Options)
A. If You Love Me… The Spirit Will Come
We are still far from loving God with all our heart
and our neighbor as ourselves.
We ask the Lord to forgive us.
(PAUSE)
Lord Jesus, if we really love you,
we listen to the Spirit
telling us how to love and serve God well:
Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.
Jesus Christ, if we really love you
we let the Spirit guide us
to invent new ways to love those around us:
Christ, have mercy. R/ Christ, have mercy.
Lord Jesus, if we really love you
we let the Spirit inspire us
to become more like you:
Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.
Have mercy on us, Lord,
and forgive us all our sins.
Pour out your Spirit of light over us
and lead us to everlasting life. R/ Amen.
(or)
B. Open Your Heart To The Breath Of God
Is the breath of the Spirit moving us,
or do we let sin paralyze us?
Let us examine ourselves before the Lord.
(PAUSE)
Lord, let your Spirit of truth inspire us
to make us honest with God,
with ourselves and with people:
Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.
Jesus Christ, let your Spirit of freedom inspire us
to bring true liberation to our brothers and sisters:
Christ, have mercy. R/ Christ, have mercy.
Lord, let your creative Spirit of love move us
to form communities in which we share
our hope for a better world:
Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.
Have mercy on us, Lord,
and let your Spirit take our sins away.
Let him make us faithful and strong
on the way to everlasting life. R/ Amen.
Opening Prayer
Let us pray in hope
that the Holy Spirit may be poured out on us
(PAUSE)
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
your Son has promised
not to leave us orphans.
Give us the Holy Spirit of Truth,
to be with us and to live in us,
that we may know where are we going
and that we may follow Jesus Christ
on his way to you and to people.
May this Spirit kindle in us
the love of Jesus,
that we make the Good News of his love
visible and tangible to all.
We ask this through Christ our Lord. R/ Amen.
First Reading Introduction: They Received The Holy Spirit
When a non-Jewish community was founded in Samaria, the Holy Spirit confirmed this important step in the life of a universal Church, for he came down on the Samaritans.
Second Reading Introduction: Suffering With The Mentality Of Christ
Peter encourages the Christians who suffer persecution and misunderstanding. Bear witness to your faith, he says, and accept sufferings with the mentality of Christ. Then you will overcome with him.
Gospel Introduction: The Father Will Give You The Spirit
Christ promises his Holy Spirit to help us believe and live our faith, and so live in the love of the Father and the Son.
General Intercessions
Faithful to the command of the Lord who calls us to love all people, let us be united in prayer with Jesus our Lord, and say to him: R/ Lord, give us your Spirit.
• That the Spirit of strength may be given to all who have to bear witness to the hope alive in us, let us pray: R/ Lord, give us your Spirit.
• That the Spirit of power may be given to those who are persecuted for following their consciences and standing up for their integrity, let us pray: R/ Lord, give us your Spirit.
• That the Spirit of light may be given to those who do not yet know the Lord and to those who fail to follow him, let us pray: R/ Lord, give us your Spirit.
• That the Spirit of light may be given to those who know him and to those to be confirmed, let us pray: R/ Lord, give us your Spirit.
• That the Spirit of love may be given to those who want to grow in the love of God and people, let us pray: R/ Lord, give us your Spirit.
• That the Spirit of unity may be given to all who share in this Eucharist with faith and understanding, let us pray: R/ Lord, give us your Spirit.
Lord Jesus, pour out your Holy Spirit on our world and our Church generously. Let him lead us forward in hope and help us to build our future with you, for you are our Lord for ever. R/ Amen.
Prayer over the Gifts
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
your Son promised us
not to leave us orphans
but to be with us always.
Let your spirit of power and truth
change these gifts into your Son
present here in our midst.
Through the Holy Spirit of love
create us anew and give us fresh hope
that we can do your liberating will
and live in your love for ever. R/ Amen.
Introduction to the Eucharistic Prayer
Moved by the Holy Spirit, let us with joy give thanks to the Father.
Introduction to the Lord’s Prayer
Guided by the Holy Spirit of Jesus,
we pray with our Lord
his prayer to the Father in heaven.
Introduction to the Lord’s Prayer
“No one can go to the Father
except through me,” said Jesus.
Let us go then, with our prayer to the Father
in the words of Jesus himself.
Deliver Us
Deliver us Lord, from every evil
and keep your Church free from persecution.
When we suffer for our faith,
let your Spirit of truth help us
to bear witness to you without fear,
with the courage of him
whose body could be killed
but whose spirit stayed alive,
our Risen Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Invitation to Communion
This is Jesus Christ,
our Risen Lord who said:
Those who obey my commandments
are the ones who love me;
and those who love me
will be loved by my Father
and I too will love them.
Happy are we to be loved by our Lord
and to receive him.
Prayer after Communion
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
your Son has restored us with his body
and renewed our hope in the Spirit’s coming.
Let this same Spirit give us
the mentality of Jesus Christ,
that we may bear witness without fear
to your Son’s presence among us.
Let him make our hope and love
without conditions or boundaries.
Keep us joyful and free
by the strength of the surprising Spirit
of Jesus Christ our Lord. R/ Amen.
Blessing
Go and take the Spirit of Christ with you,
that your mentality may be
the mentality of Christ
and your life the Lord’s life.
Be not afraid to bear witness,
for he is your strength.
And may Almighty God bless you,
the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. R/ Amen.
Go in peace and keep hoping
in the coming of the Spirit. R/ Thanks be to God.
