Liturgy Alive Thursday, February 9, 2017
Opening Prayer
Father of all,?
long ago you chose the people of Israel?
to make your name known to all nations.
Your Son Jesus Christ, made it clear?
that forgiveness and life are the share?
of all who believe in him.?
Make your Church truly a place of encounter?
for all those who grope for you,?
that all obstacles and barriers may be removed?
and that the riches of all nations and cultures?
may reveal the thousand faces of the love you show us?
in Jesus Christ, our Lord.
First Reading Introduction: The Lord God brought her to Adam, and the two of them became one flesh.
Why are men and women attracted to one another? Love is stronger than death and stronger than the bonds with parents. They become one chair, most of all in the chair of the child. Human beings are social, and need an equal partner, created from near the heart of man, “flesh from my flesh and bone from my bones.” And now, the man can say “you, thou.”
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Gospel Introduction: The dogs under the table eat the children’s scraps.
Despised pagans too, are offered salvation. The doctors of the Law had called the region where Jesus worked this miracle, a region of dogs. God lifts up the lowly who believe. Grace is no exclusive privilege for God’s people. The kingdom is also for pagans.
General Intercessions
– That there may be room in the universal Church for the cultural riches of various peoples and for their manifesting the same faith in a variety of languages and forms of expression, we pray:
– That we may open our homes and hearts to those who differ in many ways from us, that we may do all we can to integrate them into the human and Christian community, we pray:
– That all of us may be concerned about those who are not here because they are estranged from the Church, we pray:
Prayer over the Gifts
God, our Father,?
you set the table of your Son?
for all who are willing to come:?
for saints and for sinners, for the poor and the rich.?
May we learn from your Son, Jesus Christ, ?
to give to all those who ask for food or love?
not meager crumbs or leftovers,?
but the food of ourselves,?
as Jesus does here for us,?
he who is your Son and our Lord for ever.
Prayer after Communion
God our Father,?
in this Eucharist we have all been one?
in Jesus Christ, your Son.?
He died and rose to life for all;?
his likeness is reflected?
in the face of every human being.?
May it become visible in all.?
Let his face not be marred or divided?
by our prejudices and fears;?
do not allow your love to be less than universal,?
but unite us all in him?
who is our common way to you and to one another,?
Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Blessing
May there be room in this house, that is, in our Christian communities, for all people, whatever their race or social class, their culture or education. May Almighty God bless you all, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
