Liturgy Alive Friday, January 29, 2021

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Friday, January 29, 2021

Opening Prayer

Patient God,
curb our impatience when we try to impose
your truth and justice and peace
in a world and even a Church
not yet disposed to welcome them.
In our helplessness and discouragement,
may we come to accept
that all true growth comes from you.
We can only plant the seed:
make it bloom into a mighty tree that shelters many.
 We ask this through Christ, our Lord.

 

First Reading Introduction: Do not throw away your confidence. It will have a great reward.
          We hear for the first time that the “Hebrews” for whom this letter was destined had to undergo persecution and various difficulties for following Christ. The author encourages them vividly to persevere in their faith, for God is faithful to his promises.

Gospel Introduction: A man scatters seed on the land and would sleep and the seed would sprout and grow, he knows not how.
        The kingdom of God does not irrupt in our human world with extraordinary signs and power. It is a patient, modest growth, beginning with a tiny seed in the personal salvation history of every person, in the salvation history of humankind. It is constantly threatened by sin, which is the refusal to grow.

General Intercessions

–    That the tiny spark of faith still alive in the hearts of many who abandon the Church may not be extinguished, but grow again onto a bright light renewing their life, we pray:
–    That our schools may implant into the hearts of our youth the seeds of faith, of generous and serving love, and that the Lord may bless the educators in their tremendous task, we pray:
–    That missionaries may keep sowing the seed of the joyful Good News of the Lord in our often indifferent and hostile world, we pray:

Prayer over the Gifts

Almighty and patient God,
we bring before you the fruits
grown from tiny seeds of wheat
and the small shoots of the vine.
By the power of your Spirit,
they will become Jesus among us.
Let the seed of his life and message
bear fruit among us, your people,
and make us the body of Christ to the world,
that trust and hope may grow among all.
We ask you this through Christ, our Lord.

Prayer after Communion

God our Father,
with your generous hand you have sown
among us here in this Eucharist
the seed of all that is good and true,
your Son, Jesus Christ.
However, insignificant and disappointing
our faith and love may seem now,
give us the hope and the courage
that he can unite us into a community
where truth and justice and freedom will prevail,
until the crop is ready for the reaping
in your own good time.
Grant this through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Blessing

Patience and a sense of humble modesty are needed when we do God’s work. He sows, he plants, and he gives growth. He will do the harvesting. But he expects us to cooperate with him. May Almighty God bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

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