Liturgy Alive Friday, July 15, 2022

Opening Prayer

Lord our God,
you want us to seek security
not in observing the letter of the law
but to seek the insecurity
of committing ourselves to you and to people
in mercy and service.
Give us the courage to take the risk
and, like Jesus, to make the sacrifice
of giving ourselves to you
in our neighbor in need,
of sharing in their joys and sorrows,
their problems and their protests,
that we may know and serve them
as you know and serve us
in Jesus Christ our Lord.

Liturgy of the Word

Introduction to the First Reading

In response to the insistent prayer of King Hezekiah God heals the king and postpones his death so that he can finish what he intended to do in the service of his people.

Introduction to the Gospel

Laws are not above the service to people, for the service of God does not contradict the love and mercy to be shown to people. Laws, commandments are based on the freedom God has brought to us in Christ.

Intentions

- That people everywhere be given the time to rest, to recover from the pressure of their work, and have the opportunity to worship God, we pray:

- That the faithful who go to Mass on Sundays will behave as Christians also on weekdays, we pray:

- That Sunday may be to all of us a special occasion to grow in love for those who are dear to us, to visit the sick and to serve the needy, we pray:

Prayer over the Gifts

Lord our God,
this bread and this wine will become
the Lamb of God, Jesus, your Son.
We remember that he shed his blood
that our sins may be forgiven.
Let him be our food and drink today
that we may pass with him from death to life
and that we may truly be your people,
born to be free
and to make one another free
in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Prayer after Communion

Lord, God of the living,
we have eaten the Passover meal
of your people of the new covenant. 
Let Jesus help us to live
the great commandment of love
not so much as an order to be obeyed
but as a free gift to people
of our time, our attention and our very selves,
by the strength of Jesus Christ our Lord.

Blessing

Of course, there are commandments. But the Lord himself tells us that they may never stand in the way of mercy and of the loving service of people. May almighty God bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.