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First Reading: Acts of the Apostles 6:1-7
As the number of disciples continued to grow,
the Hellenists complained against the Hebrews
because their widows
were being neglected in the daily distribution.
So the Twelve called together the community of the disciples and said,
“It is not right for us to neglect the word of God to serve at table.
Brothers, select from among you seven reputable men,
filled with the Spirit and wisdom,
whom we shall appoint to this task,
whereas we shall devote ourselves to prayer
and to the ministry of the word.”
The proposal was acceptable to the whole community,
so they chose Stephen, a man filled with faith and the Holy Spirit,
also Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas,
and Nicholas of Antioch, a convert to Judaism.
They presented these men to the apostles
who prayed and laid hands on them.
The word of God continued to spread,
and the number of the disciples in Jerusalem increased greatly;
even a large group of priests were becoming obedient to the faith.
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 33:1-2, 4-5, 18-19
R./ Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you. or: Alleluia.
Exult, you just, in the LORD;
praise from the upright is fitting.
Give thanks to the LORD on the harp;
with the ten-stringed lyre chant his praises.
R./ Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you. or: Alleluia.
Upright is the word of the LORD,
and all his works are trustworthy.
He loves justice and right;
of the kindness of the LORD the earth is full.
R./ Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you. or: Alleluia.
See, the eyes of the LORD are upon those who fear him,
upon those who hope for his kindness,
To deliver them from death
and preserve them in spite of famine.
R./ Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you. or: Alleluia.
Second Reading: 1 Peter 2:4-9
Beloved:
Come to him, a living stone, rejected by human beings
but chosen and precious in the sight of God,
and, like living stones,
let yourselves be built into a spiritual house
to be a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices
acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
For it says in Scripture:
Behold, I am laying a stone in Zion,
a cornerstone, chosen and precious,
and whoever believes in it shall not be put to shame.
Therefore, its value is for you who have faith, but for those without faith:
The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone, and
A stone that will make people stumble,
and a rock that will make them fall.
They stumble by disobeying the word, as is their destiny.
You are “a chosen race, a royal priesthood,
a holy nation, a people of his own,
so that you may announce the praises” of him
who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
Gospel Reading: John 14:1-12
Jesus said to his disciples:
“Do not let your hearts be troubled.
You have faith in God; have faith also in me.
In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places.
If there were not,
would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?
And if I go and prepare a place for you,
I will come back again and take you to myself,
so that where I am you also may be.
Where I am going you know the way.”
Thomas said to him,
“Master, we do not know where you are going;
how can we know the way?”
Jesus said to him, “I am the way and the truth and the life.
No one comes to the Father except through me.
If you know me, then you will also know my Father.
From now on you do know him and have seen him.”
Philip said to him,
“Master, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us.”
Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you for so long a time
and you still do not know me, Philip?
Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.
How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?
Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me?
The words that I speak to you I do not speak on my own.
The Father who dwells in me is doing his works.
Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me,
or else, believe because of the works themselves.
Amen, amen, I say to you,
whoever believes in me will do the works that I do,
and will do greater ones than these,
because I am going to the Father.”
Greeting (See Second Reading)
You are a chosen race,
a royal priesthood,
a consecrated nation,
a people set apart to praise God.
May Jesus, our Lord and Savior,
be always with you.
Introduction by the Celebrant (Two Options)
A. Jesus Is The Way
“Where are you going in life, or what are you living for?” is the most important question to ask ourselves, one another, the Church, our people. Many do not know what answer to give to this. Even we Christians at times feel lost. Yet we shouldn’t, for we have Jesus who shows us the way, who is our way to God, to ourselves, to people. Jesus is not only our way but he is our companion on the road. Let him show us his way here in this Eucharist.
(or)
B. The Way To God, To People, To Ourselves
How sad when we have lost the way, looking for a person or address we can’t find. Sadder even, we feel totally “lost” when we do not know where we stand in life, when all looks confusing and senseless. Today someone speaks to us, who says not only “I will show you the way,” but: “I AM THE WAY.” Go with me, follow me, I will lead you to your goal in life. I will bring you safely to the Father and to people, even to your own true self. Live as I have lived, for I am the way and the truth and the life.
Penitential Act
When we knew the way to God and to people,
we chose to go our own selfish ways.
We now ask the Lord to forgive and to correct us.
(PAUSE)
Lord Jesus, our way,
you were always on the way to people.
Take us along with you on that road:
Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.
Jesus Christ, our way,
you went your painful way of the cross.
Give us the courage to follow you there.
Christ, have mercy. R/ Christ, have mercy.
Lord Jesus, our way,
you are first of all our way to the Father:
Take us along with you on that road:
Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.
Have mercy on us, Lord,
forgive us and keep us from devious roads.
Go with us the way to everlasting life. R/ Amen.
Opening Prayer
Let us pray to our living God
that in Jesus he may show us the road of life
(PAUSE)
Lord, our living God,
you are a God on the way with your people;
you led them through the desert to freedom,
you sent us Jesus to be our way to you.
Let Jesus walk with us the road to you,
to our deepest selves, to people.
Quench your people’s thirst with the water of life,
keep giving us the food we need for the journey,
the bread of life of Jesus himself,
until we reach your eternal home.
We ask this through Christ our Lord. R/ Amen.
Liturgy of the Word
First Reading Introduction: A Ministry Of Service
When the Christian community grew, it solved difficulties of organization by creating new ministries of service to assist the apostles and elders.
Second Reading Introduction: A Priestly People
Christ our high priest has made us a holy people of priests; our task is to continue the mission of Christ by making God known to people and giving praise to God in the name of all.
Gospel Introduction: Christ, Our Way, Truth And Life
Those who believe in Christ can do what Christ did and go where he leads them, for Christ is the way, the truth, and the life for us.
General Intercessions
Through Jesus, our way to the Father, let us bring before God the needs of the Church and of the world, and let us pray: R/ Lord, show us the way.
• Jesus, teach us and all your people your way, that we may be sure where we are going and that we live your way, doing what is right and good, we pray: R/ Lord, show us the way.
• Jesus, make our road through life smooth, filled with justice, mercy and goodness, that it may be a way of peace for all, we pray: R/ Lord, show us the way.
• Jesus, make all your people find the way to one another’s life and heart, that we may no longer remain strangers, we pray: R/ Lord, show us the way.
• Jesus, make us also discover the road to ourselves, that we may know who we really are and what we want in life; let what we want be what you want for us, we pray: R/ Lord, show us the way.
• Jesus, make us build roads that are safe and that lead people to one another rather than away from one another, we pray: R/ Lord, show us the way.
• Jesus, inspire each of us and our communities to become with you a way of light and love that leads people to God, we pray: R/ Lord, show us the way.
Lord Jesus, we entrust ourselves to you, for we are sure that you will lead us safely home to the house of the Father, for you are our brother and friend now and for ever. R/ Amen.
Prayer over the Gifts
Lord, our God and Father,
your Son Jesus Christ showed us what it means
to be for us the way, the truth and the life
by giving himself for us on the cross
and here in the Eucharist to us.
May we learn from him
to give to one another
our time, our compassion, our service
and above all to give ourselves,
as Jesus did, your Son and our Lord,
who lives with you and also with us
now, and we hope and pray, for ever. R/ Amen.
Introduction to the Eucharistic Prayer
Through Christ we go to the Father and with him we offer his sacrifice of praise. He has made us a chosen people to give thanks to the Father in the name of all the world.
Introduction to the Lord’s Prayer
“No one can go to the Father
except through me,” said Jesus.
Let us go then, with our prayer to the Father
in the words of Jesus himself.
Deliver Us
Deliver us Lord, from every evil
and give us always the peace and joy
of your presence among us.
Keep us free from doubt and discouragement
and let your Son walk by our side
that together with him,
we may build up among us
his new world of friendship and hope,
and so prepare the coming in glory
of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Prayer for Peace
Lord Jesus Christ, you said to your apostles:
I leave you peace, my peace I give you.
Look not on our sins, but on the faith of your Church
and hear your people’s plea for peace and unity
in the Church and in the world.
Be the Good Shepherd of all,
that there may be only one flock and one shepherd,
now and for ever. R/ Amen.
Invitation to Communion
This is Jesus our Lord,
who said of himself:
I am the Way and the Truth and the Life;
no one can come to the Father except through me.
Happy are we to receive him
as our food on the road to the Father.
Prayer after Communion
God our Father,
your Son Jesus Christ said:
he who sees me, sees my Father.
May the people around us
see your Son and you, Father in heaven,
when we become to one another
the way to hope, justice, and love,
the truth that uplifts and reassures,
the life that is given freely
even when the cost is high.
May Christ thus become to all
the way, the truth, and the life for ever. R/ Amen.
Blessing
In this Eucharist we have been
the holy, priestly people of God.
In union with the whole Church
and in the name of all people,
we have offered to our Father in heaven
the sacrifice of his Son Jesus Christ.
We will go back to our homes,
but the Mass is not really ended.
It has to continue to be offered,
in every day life.
For it is there that we become with Christ
the way to God and one another,
the credible, reliable truth,
and the life of the people around us.
May you do so wholeheartedly,
with the blessing of Almighty God,
the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. R/ Amen.
Let us go and take Christ to people.
R/ Thanks be to God.
