Liturgy Alive Our Lady Of Walsingham
Opening Prayer
Lord our God,
you chose for your new people
no one else than the people
set free by the blood of your Son.
How can we be your sign among the nations
unless you are alive in our midst
in our welcome to all, our peace,
our spirit of service, our love without boundaries?
Make us capable of all these, Lord,
by the saving power of your Son,
Jesus Christ our Lord.
Liturgy of the Word
First Reading Introduction
The prophet Zechariah gives us today a vision of joy, hope and universalism. The rebuilding of the Temple and of Jerusalem after the exile assures that God lives in the midst of his people and that many nations will find God there, among his people. They must be an open people, without walls, for God himself will protect them.
Gospel Introduction
"They did not understand it at all," says the gospel about the disciples, when Jesus told them about his coming passion. Jesus speaks of himself as the "Son of Man," the mysterious person of heavenly origin predicted by Daniel. "He must be delivered up," for he is also the Suffering Servant of the songs of Second Isaiah. Indeed, all this, about one who comes from God, is a servant, and has to suffer and die, is hard to reconcile and accept, at least from the human viewpoint. And to be told to follow his example is difficult to take too.
General Intercessions
- That we may be a Church without discrimination, where everyone is welcome, we pray:
- That with God, who lets the sun shine on all, we may learn to see the good there is in people and refuse to condemn, we pray:
- That our communities may be kind and hospitable to all the people whom God has placed on our way, we pray:
Prayer over the Gifts
God our Father,
you invite us to sit at the table
of Jesus Christ your Son.
Make it a long table, Lord,
that spans the earth,
and at which can sit down and take place
all people willing to come
and eager to be nourished
with the word and the body
of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Prayer after Communion
God our Father,
through this meal of the eucharist
you have bound us more closely
to Jesus your Son and to one another.
Make it obvious for all to see
that he is alive among us,
not because we are better
but because he is our strength and hope.
By his power we try,
awkwardly and not always too well,
to love one another as he has loved us,
for he is our Lord for ever.
Blessing
An open people is a people where God is welcome and can welcome all his sons and daughters from the whole wide world. There is room there for his kingdom to feel at home and grow. May we be such a people, with the blessing of almighty God, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
