Liturgy Alive Tuesday, January 12, 2016

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Tuesday, January 12, 2016

 

Opening Prayer

God, source of all power,
we like to imagine that we can do great things,
but when it comes to your work,
in your kingdom of truth and justice,
we have to recognize, perhaps grudgingly,
that we are weak and ineffective.
Help us to acknowledge this weakness
not as defeat, but as our real strength,
to let your power reveal itself
in suffering, in struggles, 
and in gentleness and love,
which you show us in Jesus Christ,
your Son and our Lord for ever.

Liturgy of the Word

First Reading Introduction
      Extraordinary vocations are, at times, described in the bible in terms of barrenness, which, through prayer and faith in God's power, produces life. It underlines God's gratuitous grace, God's power and also the difficulty, the struggle of faith, to lead to redemption. Samuel, then became the fruit of prayer and faith in God's power.

Gospel Introduction

     In the Gospel, Mark shows the power of God at work in Jesus, the Messiah. It is a power that is contested by the powers of evil that must struggle and come to grip with opposition and suffering, but which will ultimately win—through struggle and contradiction. Such is also the power of God today in the world, the power of God in answer to our faith and prayer.

General Intercessions

– That in the Church, we may bring to one another the healing of forgiveness and compassion, we pray:
– That all who are ill may keep hoping that they will be cured and that at least they may bear their suffering in patience, we pray:
– That in our communities, we may consider it our task to share each other's pain and to lighten each other's burden, we pray:

Prayer over the Gifts

Almighty God and Father,
through this bread and this wine
you want Jesus, your Son, to join us today
in our struggle to be free
as disciples who serve you and our neighbor.
Let him drive out from us
the rebellious spirit of pride and selfishness
and fill us with his good spirit,
the Holy Spirit of love and strength,
that with your Son, we may be yours,
now and for ever.

Prayer after Communion

Lord our God, we are afraid
of struggles and pain,
of weakness and apparent defeat.
Keep reminding us, not harshly but gently,
that this was the way of your Son
and that this is the way in which you always win.
And when we do not understand fully,
help us to grow in faith and trust
in your own plan for success
and in your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Blessing

Jesus was teaching with authority. Why? Because he fully believed in what he said and backed up his teaching with signs. Perhaps the greatest sign was that he lived what he taught. May we too, live as we believe, with the blessing of Almighty God, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

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