Greeting (See Second Reading)

God loves you and has chosen you
and had the Good News brought to you.
May the grace and peace of God our Father
and the Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
R/ And also with you.

Introduction by the Celebrant

A. God and Caesar

We love our country, and it is good we do so. But should we agree with everything that happens in it and with all its structures? A lot of times we don't know what is best for it. A Christian should learn to be discerning and to judge what happens among us and what we should do in the light of the gospel. For we are citizens both of our country and of the Kingdom of God. Let us pray with the Lord in today's eucharist that we may be good citizens of both.

B. Good Citizens of God's Kingdom and Our Country

Sometimes the Church is accused of meddling in politics or the affairs of the state. But the Church has to raise a prophetic voice to form the consciences of its members regarding the moral aspects of political and economic questions, to see to it that the laws of God and human rights and dignity are respected. A good Christian must be a good citizen and take up his responsibilities toward the human community. Church and state must respect each other without trying to control each other. Let us give to the state what belongs to the state and to God what belongs to God.

Penitential Act

What have we done for our country?
Have we done anything to enrich it
with the values of the gospel?
Let us examine ourselves before the Lord.
(PAUSE)
Lord Jesus, you wept over Jerusalem
because your people did not recognize
the coming of God's kingdom:
Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.

Jesus Christ, you criticized
the religious leaders of your country
because they were misleading the people:
Christ, have mercy. R/ Christ, have mercy.

Lord Jesus, on the cross you prayed
that your Father would forgive
those of your people who rejected you:
Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.

Have mercy on us, Lord,
and forgive us all our sins.
Help us to live by the gospel
and lead us to everlasting life. R/ Amen.

Opening Prayer

Let us pray
that the Lord may guide our world
(PAUSE)
Lord, mighty God,
you lead the world and all humanity
to their destiny in you.
Give to the leaders of the world and of our country
a vision of the future
that is both imaginative and realistic
and respectful of human rights and dignity.
Help us to bear witness in everyday life
to the values of the gospel
and to be involved in the work
of freedom, integrity and justice.
May we thus build up a community
that foreshadows our heavenly homeland.
We ask this through Christ our Lord. R/ Amen.

Liturgy of the Word

First Reading Introduction: A pagan, instrument of God's plan
Cyrus, without knowing it, serves the plans of God by liberating the Jews from exile. For God is the Lord of history.

Second Reading Introduction: Words of appreciation

Paul thanks God for the young Christian community of Saloniki; it is an ideal community of faith, hope and love.

Gospel Introduction: Church and state

(We belong to both the human city and the city of God and we must give each its due. The values of the gospel must be our guide.)

General Intercessions

Let us remember before God our Father our country and its people and give thanks for them and for all people. Let us say: R/ We pray you, hear your people.

- That everywhere on earth the Church may speak out without fear for peace and the rights and dignity of the human person, let us pray: R/ We pray you, hear your people.

- That justice, love and responsible freedom may be the basis of the social order in the world and in our country, that all may live in peace and security, let us pray: R/ We pray you, hear your people.

- That all humanity may share equitably in the world's material and spiritual goods, and that the state and civic organizations may help and protect the weak and the victims of calamities, let us pray: R/ We pray you, hear your people.

- That all citizens may have a strong sense of civic responsibility and actively participate toward the common welfare; let us pray: R/ We pray you, hear your people.

- That the Church in our country may bear witness to God's kingdom to all the peoples of Asia; that our country may play a role of honor in the family of nations and cooperate to world peace and unity, let us pray: R/ We pray you, hear your people.

God, you love people and people are your concern. Make us share in your care
through your Son who became one of us, Jesus Christ our Lord. R/ Amen.

Prayer over the Gifts

Lord our God,
we bring this bread and wine before you
as the signs in which your Son Jesus Christ
relives his commitment to us.
May they also become the signs
of our responsibility towards others,
that with your Son we may be ready
to break the bread of ourselves
and to share ourselves with people
as a refreshing cup that is passed around.
Grant us this through Christ our Lord. R/ Amen.

Introduction to the Eucharistic Prayer

With Christ, we offer to the Father the sacrifice that saved the world. From Christ we have received the mission to continue his work and to bring his Good News to the ends of the earth.

Invitation to the Lord's Prayer

Let us pray the prayer of Jesus
to his and our Father in heaven,
that everyone may seek his will and his kingdom.
: R/ Our Father...

Deliver Us

Deliver us, Lord, from our apathy,
our easy excuses and pretexts
that keep us from accepting your invitation
to follow your Son on the road to you.
Do not allow us to be sad,
since you are our joy and strength.
Keep us from all sin that divides us
and lead us forward in hope
to the coming among us in power and mercy
of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
R/ For the kingdom..

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 many victims of war and violence,
and have mercy on them.
Grant peace to all nations,
regard the faith of your Church
and give to your people the gift
of the peace and unity of your kingdom,
where you live for ever and ever. R/ Amen.

The peace of the Lord be with you always.
R/ And also with you.

Invitation to Communion

This is Jesus, the Lamb of God
who gave to God what belongs to God
and who saved us by his death and rising.
Through him we can live our faith,
labor in love, and show constancy in hope.
R/ Lord, I am not worthy...

Prayer after Communion

Lord our God,
you are about to send your people
gathered here around your Son,
back to the human city
to join forces with all
to build up the city of God.
Make us sensitive to the needs of others
and help us to give to all equal chances in life,
to build up communities of friendship and love
and to warm the earth
with a touch of your gentleness.
Be present in our human world
through Jesus Christ our Lord. R/ Amen.

Blessing

In this eucharist
we have given praise and thanks to God
not only as his people
but in the name of all humanity,
for Christ died and rose from the dead for all.
Our world is not yet God's world,
the earthly realities are still mixed
with injustice, inequality, fear.
We are sent to make this earth God's world.
May God give you the courage
to carry out this task and may he bless you:
the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. R/ Amen.

Go in the name of Christ
and bring his love to all. R/ Thanks be to God.