Liturgy Alive Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary

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Thursday, September 8, 2022

 

Introduction

The Bible, including today's readings, sees Mary in function of her Son; nothing more is said about her in the Gospel than what illustrates and serves Christ's mission. Her inconspicuous and self-effacing service is very telling about her character and role—and at the same time about our mission: to witness quietly to the pre-eminence of Christ, to serve him, to be open to his salvation, to live for others.

Opening Prayer

Lord our God,
we thank you today for giving us Mary
as the Mother of your Son.
In her, you show us how strong your grace is
and how surprisingly near you are to people.
Give us a firm faith
in the great things you do for all of us
and help us to respond to your gifts
with joyful and receptive hearts.
We ask you this through Christ, our Lord.


Intentions

– For the world with all its needs, that Mary may watch over it and pray for it, keep people from warring with one another and from making one another suffer, we pray:
– For people in lowly jobs, that they may learn from our humble mother that God values all work done with love and care, we pray:
– For all of us united here, that our faith in Jesus Christ may produce in us, as in Mary, fruits of genuine love for one another, we pray:

Prayer over the Gifts

Lord God, you satisfy the hungry
with the bread of life
and you quench the thirsty
with the abundance of your Son's wine.
May these gifts be the signs
that we too, are willing to share the riches
of your salvation and of the good things of life
with those who hunger and thirst
for bread, justice, and love.
May all people thus know
that you are attentive to our needs,
through Christ, our Lord.

Prayer after Communion

Lord our God,
however weak and wavering
our faith may be,
we believe and we pray
that you may supply us
with the strength we lack.
Do in us and through us
the great things you wish to accomplish.
Like Mary, may we serve your Son,
Jesus Christ, our Lord for ever.

Blessing

No wonder that we are so attached to Mary. She gave us Jesus, stood by him all her life, and at his death became our mother too. May we too, stand by Jesus' side in all our life and death, and may God bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

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