Liturgy Alive Monday, July 1, 2019

Opening Prayer

Lord, our God,
we share in the sins of the world,
in its injustices and lack of love,
by our silence and our cowardice.
Make us aware that you also call us
to lift up this world above itself
by proclaiming to it the Good News
of your Son, Jesus Christ.
And to make this message of hope believable,
help us to live it consistently,
that people may see that you are our God
of justice, love, and peace, now and for ever.

Liturgy of the Word

First Reading Introduction
      The simple narrative of Abraham interceding for sinful Sodom and Gomorra is very rich in content. 1. All nations, even these twin cities of sin, can be blessed on account of Abraham if they show just a little faith and repentance. 2. Abraham, the origin and leader of a new people, is presented as a mediator, who intercedes for the people, as Christ will do. 3. A small number of just people can save many sinners, on account of solidarity in sin and in goodness. This theme will be further developed in the Bible that one person can save all (cf. The Suffering Servant), that is, in fact, Christ will do.

Gospel Reading Introduction

     "Leave the dead to bury their dead." Though implying total renunciation in the style of the Jewish rabbis, Jesus stresses more making a new beginning, getting uprooted from the past and breaking with it, so as not even to stay at home until one's father dies, and accepting the insecurity of following Jesus and living the faith consistently and earnestly. Are we consistent? Are we radicals in the sense demanded by Jesus?

General Intercessions

– Lord, we want to follow you, but do we really have to give up people who are dear to us? Give us courage, we pray:
– Lord, we remember also those who follow you on the way to the cross: the sick, the handicapped, those who suffer. Give them courage, we pray:
– Lord, you know from experience how much it costs a person to respond fully to your call. Give us strength and be our guide, we pray:

Prayer over the Gifts

Lord our God,
in these signs of bread and wine,
we remember that your Son has called us
to make a new beginning with him.
Give us the strength
to go with him all the way on life's road.
May we join him in his offering
not only with words here in this celebration
but in the real life of every day,
that we may live with him for ever.

Prayer after Communion

Lord our God,
we thank you for Jesus
and for his message of Good News.
Take away from us the fear
of making ourselves available
to you and to our neighbor
as Jesus demands in his Gospel
and as he has shown us first.
Give us the courage to be radical enough
to commit ourselves to serve,
that we may be true disciples
of Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Blessing

"Follow me," says Jesus. We have to leave behind everything that is not in conformity with his message. This applies not only to religious and missionaries. We have to understand and accept that the Gospel is radical and asks us at times to take decisions that are even beyond bonds of family and all that is dear to us. May God give you this courage and bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.