Liturgy Alive Friday, August 21, 2020

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Friday, August 21, 2020

Opening Prayer

Lord mighty God,
to a world that is divided
and struggling against dehumanizing forces,
to a Church that is confused
and often discouraged,
you speak a message of hope.
With your grace, call us out of our weary sluggishness,
breathe your Spirit of vigor and love into our dry bones,
that hope may fill our hearts
and love may move us forward
on account of him who came
to make everything new,
Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Liturgy of the Word

Introduction to the First Reading
        Against the rather narrow nationalism of Judges and Ezra-Nehemiah, the small book of Ruth gives a romantic, idyllic example in Ruth that even non-Jews can become integrated into the Jewish people. Ruth figures even in the genealogy of Jesus.

Introduction to Gospel Reading

     At the Last Supper Jesus said: "At this people will know that you are my disciples, that you love one another" (Jn 13:35.) He is speaking not just of any love, but the love by which he loved his disciples, that is, a love that goes to the end, that sets no conditions, that sacrifices everything if necessary for the sake of others. This is the love "with one's whole heart and mind and soul" and as strong as, or stronger than, self-love, of which today's gospel speaks. This is a tremendous task that will never end. Is it this kind of love that moves us?

General Intercessions

– Lord, our resurrection and life, blow your Spirit on our dry bones to make us a Church alive in our time with the warmth of your love, we pray: 
– Lord, revive our love to care for the disinherited and those who suffer, we pray:
– Lord, revive our communities, that we may really and without reservation serve one another, we pray:

Prayer over the Gifts

Lord our God,
in these signs of bread and wine,
we relive the holy meal
at which your Son has invited us
to love you and one another
as he loved you and us.
Write these words with fire
into our hearts and deeds,
that we may never forget them,
but that by their power,
we may renew ourselves,
the Church and the world,
and march to the land of the promise,
where you will be our God for ever.

Prayer after Communion

Lord our God,
in this Eucharist, you have reassured us,
that you are always with us
and can give new life to our dry bones.
Fill us with the Holy Spirit
of your Son, Jesus Christ;
let him give wings to our dreams
of a new world of human dignity
that speaks of your wonderful deeds
and lead us to your new heaven
where all will praise you for ever.

Blessing

Open yourselves to the Spirit of the Lord, and let him breath new life into our old, dry bones! May Almighty God bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

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