Liturgy Alive Easter Feria

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Thursday, May 7, 2015

 ALL ARE WELCOME IN THE CHURCH

Introduction

In full collegiality, the apostles decided at the Council of Jerusalem that the Church is to be open to all without any distinction. All are saved in the same way: through Jesus Christ. God loves all people. That must have been a tremendous challenge for the Jews, to whom pagans were unclean and alien.
Is the Church indeed open to all today? Is there no distinction of color, language, and social class? Is there no discrimination against the poor, against people with a “bad record?” People with long hair, who have different tastes in music, people with shorter sleeves or skirts? What are the things that really matter and that are objects of faith? What makes us stay and live in the love of Christ?

Opening Prayer

Lord, our God,
you want your Church
to be open to all persons and all nations,
for your Son was available to all
and you love all people.
God, give us open minds
and open hearts.
Save us from our narrow prejudices
and stop us from trying to create people
in our own image and likeness.
We ask you this through Christ, our Lord.

General Intercessions

–    That the leaders of the Church may always be open to the Holy Spirit, especially when they have to take important decisions, we pray:
–    That God who knows the human heart, may keep the leaders and the faithful in the Church from discriminating against anyone, we pray:
–    That the Spirit of the Lord may dispose us to see the good that there is in others, also in those who differ much from us, we pray:

Prayer over the Gifts

Lord our God,
your Son Jesus, is here among us
not because we are a privileged class
but because you are good and loving.
Give us the Spirit of your Son,
that we may love all people
without any discrimination.
May faith and love unite us all
in Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Prayer after Communion

Lord our God, Father of all,
we remain in your love
if we keep your commandments.
Give us the strength
to keep your command of love
without any discrimination.
And if we have any favorites,
let it be the poor and the little people,
those without rights or name,
that we give them access to justice and joy.
In this way, may the joy of your Son be in us,
now and until it is complete forever.

Blessing

A world, even a Church, without discrimination and judgment, where people accept, appreciate and love one another, how great that would be! May we be one in the Lord who loves all of us, with the blessing of Almighty God, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

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