Liturgy Alive Wednesday, September 19, 2018
Opening Prayer
God, your name is love.
You are the source of all love.
Let love become so characteristic
of the disciples of your Son
that it is part of our identity
and that it prompts people to say:
"See how they love one another."
Make us recognize more
that it is a precious gift
that comes from your generosity.
We offer you our thanks
through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Liturgy of the Word
First Reading Introduction
St. Paul gives us today his famous hymn to Christian love. It is greater than any charism, for charisms are vain if not rooted in love. Look at all the great things that love produces. Love will never pass, for all the rest is vowed to disappear.
Gospel Introduction
Luke compares those who reject Christ and God's prophets to spoiled children. Jews, and later the pagans for whom Luke writes, see John the Baptist and Jesus and the things they say and do, but they do not recognize these signs.
General Intercessions
–– That our anemic and dried-up love may become rich and spontaneous, like a fresh breath of life and joy brightening the lives of those around us and a wordless song of praise to God, we pray:
– That we may be reliable friends to those marked by suffering in any form; that we may let them feel God's presence by the warmth of our presence, we pray:
– That people may not lose their heart in today's economic system of profit, production, and competition but seek human relationships of respect, love, and friendship, we pray:
Prayer over the Gifts
Our loving Father,
we bring this bread and wine before you
to share in the meal of your Son.
Dispose us also to share in his love,
which made him lay down his life for us
and let the Eucharist become for us
the source that keeps nourishing our love
in everyday life.
We ask this through Christ, our Lord.
Prayer after Communion
Lord our God,
in this Eucharistic celebration,
you have let Christ pour out his love in us.
Let it be a love that expresses itself
not so much in words as in deeds
of forgiveness and patience,
of compassion and generosity,
and of endless service.
Let that love never end.
This we ask you through Christ, our Lord.
Blessing
May love not be just something we are supposed to do, but something we do naturally and with great joy. May that love never end, with the blessing of Almighty God, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
