Liturgy Alive Weekday before Epiphany
Introduction by the Celebrant
When two young people set out together on the adventure of married life, they affirm that they believe in each other, in love, in life, in the future, and hopefully, in God who will support them. This is the message God speaks to us today. He has committed himself to us, his people, in a covenant bond of love, as lasting and as beautiful as marriage, when his Son, Jesus, became one of us. In him, he has given himself to us forever, for better and for worse, accepting that his Son laid down his life for us so that we might live. He continues to change the drabness and failures of our existence into plenty of wine and joy. And the best wine will be kept for the end, for eternal happiness.
Opening Prayer
Faithful and loving God,
your Son, Jesus, shared with ordinary people
the joy of their marriage feast.
Set for us the table and pour for us
the delightful wine of your covenant,
bring us close to you and to one another,
and warm our hearts with your own love.
Make our lives become a feast,
an unending song of joy and praise,
to you, our living God,
through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
General Intercessions
– Lord, pour on your Church the good wine of your pardon, because our love remains lukewarm and we do not have enough faith in you and trust in one another, we pray:
– Lord, pour on our families the wine of love, that they may be faithful and committed to each other and that children may learn from their parents to care for people and to serve you, we pray:
– Lord, pour our Christian communities the wine of unity and friendship, that we may be one in you and together become your body serving one another and the world by our spirit of sharing and caring for each other, we pray:
Prayer over the Gifts
Faithful God,
you let us experience your love
in this meal of grace and friendship
at the table of your Son, Jesus Christ.
Let him break for us the bread of life
and pour for us his wine of joy,
that we may be faithful to you
and be brothers and sisters to one another,
on account of him who shed for us
the precious wine of his blood,
Jesus Christ, our Lord. R/ Amen.
Prayer after Communion
We thank you, our faithful God,
for letting Jesus speak to us in this Eucharist
his words of encouragement and joy
and for pouring on our behalf the wine
of his new and everlasting covenant.
Let our life become a feast
of forgiveness and mutual service
and of dedication to you, our living God.
May this celebration be a foretaste
of the happiness you prepare for us in your home.
Grant this through Christ, our Lord. R/ Amen.
Blessing
Today, we have celebrated in this Eucharist God's love for his people. God is married to us in a union of love that he will never break. Jesus is married to his Church. God's love is faithful. May you always respond to his love, with the blessing of Almighty God, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. R/ Thanks be to God.
