Liturgy Alive Friday, June 5, 2015

Opening Prayer

Lord our God,
the person who laid down his life
to save us from our human limitations
and to let us live in your world
is your own Son and our Lord, Jesus Christ.
Give us the true wisdom
to accept him as the Lord of our lives
and your presence among us.
Let him lead us to you,
our God, for ever and ever.

Liturgy of the Word

First Reading Introduction
     Our text is a profession of faith and a liturgical hymn. The profession of faith is made because Gnosticism was creeping in.

Gospel Introduction

      As there were so many rules of the Law to observe, it is easy to understand the desire of scribes to ask which was the key commandment. Twice a day pious Jews professed the "Hear, Israel," with the love of God unique and very important. Jesus attaches to it love of neighbor too, as a total commitment that he will practice on the cross.

General Intercessions

– That we may recognize and love Jesus as one of us, who knows us and shares our struggles and concerns, we pray:
– That people everywhere may accept Christ as more than a great human person and as our Lord and Savior, we pray:
– That our communities may recognize Christ and his Spirit as the binding force of love and friendship among us we pray:

Prayer over the Gifts

Lord our God,
accept in this bread and this wine
our faith and our commitment to Jesus
as our Savior and Lord.
May he help us grow
in faith and patience,
in love and constancy,
that we may be ready for any good work
and encounter you and people
through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Prayer after Communion

Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 
your Son is with us
as our brother and Savior.
It is our joy
that he has become one of us, 
human, breathing, living.
We want to go his way.
Let his suffering be our victory,
his humiliation our honor,
his innocence our justice,
his death our life,
his resurrection our comfort,
for he is our Lord for ever.
(Based on a prayer by Caspar Neumann, +1700)

Blessing

We believe in Jesus Christ, born of the Virgin Mary and one of us, human, but more than a human person: the Son of God and our Savior. May Almighty God confirm your faith and bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.