Liturgy Alive Friday, October 11, 2013
Opening Prayer
Father of all people,
we are recalcitrant sons and daughters.
Are we your children or not?
God, give us love, give us peace,
that your judgment may not condemn us,
that you may not come to us
when we are not prepared.
God, when we have messed up everything,
keep sending us again and again your Son
to put things straight,
for we cannot do without him,
for he is the Lord and Savior of the world,
now and for ever.
Liturgy of the Word
First Reading Introduction
Judgment. It is an uneasy word. A discomforting possibility. Will it be a discomforting reality? The answer lies in us. The answer lies in our world. Our options are clear. We are facing the evil in ourselves and in the world. In a way we judge ourselves, we have to take a stand in the face of evil, in word and deed. And as believers we must also be conscious of our role of intercession, mediation, and reconciliation.
Gospel Introduction
In sharp contrast, with Abraham, the people of the promise in Jesus' time challenged and questioned him, especially the religious leaders. Even the signs of liberation from evil that Jesus gave them did not impress them as signs to believe in. What is our attitude toward the signs of God's care in our lives?
General Intercessions
– That we may be convinced that our faith in Christ can help us overcome much evil in us and around us, we pray:
– That we may always recognize and appreciate the good that other people do, we pray:
– That by the strength of Christ, we may not give evil the opportunity to ruin our lives, we pray:
Prayer over the Gifts
Lord, God and Father,
not all is well in the best of worlds.
Your people go hungry and are oppressed
because we fail to heed your Word.
Give us the courage Lord,
to speak up and stand up
for the rights of people,
for the dignity of the least of all,
for the freedom and life you have promised us
in Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Prayer after Communion
Lord our God,
we have listened to the words of Jesus,
and we have eaten from his table.
He made himself close to us,
and we believe in him as our Lord and Savior.
Let him also make us more aware
that with him, we have to fight evil
and let him grow up in us.
Make us pray with him,
that goodness may triumph in our world
and that the kingdom of justice and peace
may dawn on all of humankind.
We ask this through Christ, our Lord.
Blessing
A few days ago, we heard Jesus say: "Blessed are the eyes that see what you see." Yes, blessed are we that God has given us the grace of our faith, that we believe in Jesus, that we see also in all the good things that happen in our world through people who believe in him. May God bless you all, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
