Liturgy Alive Wednesday 8th Week in Ordinary Time

Opening Prayer

God Lord of all,
your Son Jesus, was your equal
and yet he made himself our brother and servant.
May his Spirit be alive in us
and dispose us to become like him,
powerless and vulnerable,
so that we can serve one another,
especially the weakest of our brothers and sisters.
In this way, may people experience
how bold you make your love.
We ask this through Christ, our Lord.

Liturgy of the Word

First Reading Introduction
     Peter reminds his audience that they have the obligation to live up to their baptism. For they have been reborn at the expense of the blood of Christ, who also rose for them.

Gospel Introduction
      The Gospel tells us that the great God will save people through Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who came as a servant of all. Those who follow Jesus must, like him, learn to serve, and learn to serve even at the cost of pain.

General Intercessions

– For those in authority in the Church, that they may not become functionaries but be "ministers," that is, servants, we pray:
– For our Christian families, that by their mutual care and service, parents may prepare their children to render service to others, we pray:
– For the many who serve us in various ways and provide us with the things and help we need—servants, drivers, nurses, technicians and so many others, too many to name—that we may be grateful and kind to them, we pray:

Prayer over the Gifts

Lord our God,
as your Son serves us himself at table
in the signs of bread and wine,
he asks us to drink with him
the cup of self-sacrificing love.
Let your Son fill us with that love
which alone can understand
that to be great is to serve others
and to use up our lives
to give people a chance to live and be free.
May we seek no other reward
than to share the destiny of Jesus,
our Lord and Savior for ever.

Prayer after Communion

Loving Father,
your Son has been with us
in this Eucharistic celebration
as the servant of us all.
Let him dispose our hearts
and give us his courage
to understand and accept others,
to accompany them on the road of life,
to suffer their pains,
to rejoice with their joys
and to carry each other's burdens,
that he may be with us,
now and for ever.

Blessing

We, too, are here to serve rather than to be served. It is not an easy task. Spare others by not sparing yourself. May Almighty God bless you for this, the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit.