Liturgy Alive 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time (C)

Greetings (See Second Reading)

We, though we are many,
are one body in Christ
and we have all been given the same Spirit.
May the Lord Jesus be always with you.
R/ And also with you.

Introduction by the Celebrant

A. Proclaiming Liberty To Captives

In church we often hear the words "salvation" or "redemption." These technical words sound difficult and remote. Jesus, whose name means "God saves," tells us today what this "saving" means: He came to bring us freedom and liberation from all that alienates us from God and people and to make us capable of liberating one another. Indeed we are created and born to be free. That is the Good News he brings us. Let Jesus here among us make us free sons and daughters of God.

B. Many Members, One Body

We know that it is not easy to bring together in one community people of different backgrounds, different talents, each with one's own brand of selfishness too. But what is impossible for us to do, God tries to do with us in Christ. In him God calls us together from our diversity and division caused by the alienation of sin. Through baptism we have become one body, one family, one community in Christ. Each has to contribute one's share, different from that of anyone else for the benefit of all and yet can remain true to oneself. Each of us becomes an irreplaceable part on which the whole body depends. In this unity in diversity let us praise the Father and eat the body of Christ that we may become more his body of the Church.

Penitential Act

We are far from free, for we are captives of sin.
Let us ask the Lord to set us free.
(pause)
Lord Jesus, give us the freedom
promised to those captive in sin:
Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.
Jesus Christ, make us join you
in proclaiming your Good News to the poor:
Christ, have mercy. R/ Christ, have mercy.
Lord Jesus, make us capable
of setting the downtrodden free:
Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.
Lord, in your kindness
liberate us from all sin,
that we may be free and alive and fully human.
Lead us to everlasting life. R/ Amen.

Opening Prayer

A. Proclaiming Liberty To Captives

Let us pray
that we may accept and live
God's Good News today
(pause)
God our Father,
through Jesus you speak to us today
your message of Good News.
May we accept today
the year of grace he proclaims.
Give us your Holy Spirit today
to enlighten us and to make us free
for you and for people.
And with his help may we bring your Good News
to the poor and to those in prison,
to the blind and the downtrodden,
that all may enjoy your happiness.
We ask this through Christ our Lord. R/ Amen.

B. Many Members, One Body 

Let us pray that we may truly be
the body of Christ
(pause)
God our Father,
you sent your Son among us
to bring together the poor and the weak
with the strong and the healthy
into the one body of Jesus Christ.
Let your Spirit bind us together
in one community of faith, hope, and love.
Let him enrich us with the variety of his gifts
that each in one's own place and identity
may be responsible for the others
and that together we may be
the one visible body of Jesus Christ our Lord. R/ Amen.

Liturgy of the Word

First Reading Introduction: The People Were Moved By God's Word
      God's people were gathered as one by and for the Word of God. God's message upset them; yet they rejoiced in the Lord.

Second Reading Introduction: Each Has A Role In The One Body
      Through baptism, we have become constituent parts of the one body of Christ. Each part has to contribute toward the good of the whole.

Gospel Introduction: Today the Good News Is Fulfilled

      To the people in the synagogue Jesus presents his liberating program of salvation. In Jesus the Good News of God's word is fulfilled.

General Intercessions

A. Proclaiming Liberty To Captives

Let us pray to our Lord Jesus Christ, who has spoken to each and all of us here. Let us ask him that his word may come to life in our hearts and in our deeds. Let us say: R/ Speak, Lord, we listen.
• Lord, give courage to our leaders and to all teachers in the Church, that they may help us to understand your word and proclaim it as Good News to all. And so we say: R/ Speak, Lord, we listen.
• Lord, unite in your word and your person all who call themselves Christians. Bring them together as brothers and sisters into your one body. And so we pray: R/ Speak, Lord, we listen.
• Lord, inspire by your word all the mighty of this earth. Help them to join forces to bring lasting peace, food, and human dignity to all. And so we pray: R/ Speak, Lord, we listen.
• Lord, open our eyes to the miseries of people; make us concerned about those imprisoned in their fears and in the grip of injustice. Make us lights to those in the dark. And so we pray: R/ Speak, Lord, we listen.
• Lord, make us receptive to your word. Free us from banality and fear, from our self-security and certainties. Give us new insight in your message, that we may live as we believe. And so we pray: R/ Speak, Lord, we listen.
Lord, we are gathered in your name. Be alive among us here, listen to our prayers and speak your forceful word in our lives, for you are or Lord for ever. R/ Amen.

B. Many Members, One Body 

Realizing how much we are often divided and need to be one as Christ's community, let us insistently pray to God our Father that he may bring us together in Christ. Let us say: R/ Our God, make us one in your Son.
• Father, you know how much the Church is polarized. Some resist all change of renewal, others impatiently run after every novelty. Let no one run too far ahead, let no one lag behind; help us grow together in Christ, we pray you: R/ Our God, make us one in your Son.
• Father, we suffer because Christianity is divided. Many Churches claim your Son as their Savior. Keep us from distrust and competition, make us respect each other's richness, and bring us together in your Son, we pray you: R/ Our God, make us one in your Son.
• Father, in our world there are rifts between the poor and the rich nations, between ideologies and power blocks. Make us reach out for peace and friendship beyond boundaries and barriers, we pray you: R/ Our God, make us one in your Son.
• Father, you know how many homes are broken, how there is often a gap between old and young. Let the older generation guide the young toward responsible freedom and let the young respect the ways of their parents, we pray you: R/ Our God, make us one in your Son.
God our Father, let our communities grow in your love in mutual respect, in acceptance of one another, in justice and fairness to all. This is our trusting prayer through Jesus Christ our Lord. R/ Amen.

Prayer over the Gifts

God our Father,
with bread and wine and words of praise
we thank you for your Son Jesus Christ,
your Word spoken here in our midst.
Let his Word change our gifts
into his own flesh and blood.
By the power of his Spirit,
let also our hollow words
become flesh and blood
of goodness and service
to people around us and to you,
our God for ever and ever. R/ Amen.

Introduction to the Eucharistic Prayer

With grateful hearts we praise God our Father for letting his Son Jesus speak his Good News to us and staying with us in everyday life.

Invitation to the Lord's Prayer

Let Jesus fill our groping words
with the power of his own words,
as we pray to our Father in heaven:R/ Our Father...

Deliver Us

Deliver us Lord, from words
that do not convey the truth
or that do not commit us to what we say.
Set us free from all sin
and help us to live the Good News of your Son,
as we pray and work in hope and joy
for the full coming among us
of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
R/ For the kingdom...

Invitation to Communion

This is Jesus, God's living Word,
who expressed himself in what he said
and lived as he spoke.
Happy are we to receive him
that we may live according to his words. 
R/ Lord, I am not worthy...

Prayer after Communion

You have spoken your Word, Lord,
and it became flesh here in our midst.
You have strengthened us
with his word and his body.
Could we ask you anything better
than to let our lives become
the Good News of his message
to whomever we meet?
Set us all free with the freedom
brought us by Jesus Christ,
your Son and our Lord for ever. R/ Amen.

Blessing

The message of our Lord Jesus Christ
will be Good News to us only if we are aware
of our own poverty and emptiness.
And we will make it Good News of hope and joy
to all those around us
only if the Spirit of truth speaks in our words
and if then we commit ourselves to what we say.
May God give you this courage and bless you:
the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. R/ Amen.

Go in peace
and live by the word of the Lord. R/ Thanks be to God.