Liturgy Alive Tuesday, September 26, 2023
Opening Prayer
God of the covenant,
you are present where there are people
who believe in you
and who gather in your name.
Gather us together from our dispersion
of selfishness and overconcern
about our petty interests,
that we may be your people
and the living temple of your presence
in the midst of all people.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Liturgy of the Word
First Reading Introduction
After the enthusiastic return of the Jews from the exile, they soon fell apart into factions: almost all looked after their own interests first. Because they were not a real community, they could not achieve the reconstruction of their modest temple, for to do this, there had to be a community of faith. Finally, withprophets exhorting them, they could muster that degree of unity to finish the temple and to celebrate the Passover feast. Where we are a community, God is present, even without a temple or church.
Gospel Introduction
After his parables on the sower of the word and of the lamp, Luke, using the incident of Mary and Jesus' relatives seeking him out in the crowd, sums up by saying that Jesus' new family is made up of those who hear the word of God and live accordingly. Accepting the gospel transcends family ties. This is no direct rebuke to Mary, as we know that she received and responded to the word of God and pondered it in her heart. Like her, do we put it into practice?
General Intercessions
- For the community of the Church, that our leaders may inspire us by their faith and that we may bring our joy and peace to a world in dire need of hope and love, we pray:
- For the communities of our families, that parents may inspire their children with a living, contagious faith and that the young may be eager seekers of truth, justice and Christian hope, we pray:
- For the community of our parish, that we learn to cooperate and that we may be concerned about the poor and the sick among us, we pray:
Prayer over the Gifts
God our Father,
with bread and wine we celebrate
your everlasting covenant with your people.
Let this feast not merely be
a remembrance of the past,
but a sharing today in the death to sin
and in the resurrection to new life
of your Son Jesus Christ.
Let it also express our firm hope
in the future of a new Church and a new world,
in which we are fully your people
and you our God for ever.
Prayer after Communion
Lord our God,
through the bread of strength
and the wine of joy and hope
of Jesus your Son,
let us be the living stones
with which you build up among people
the community in which you live.
And let our firm foundation be
the cornerstone you have given us,
Jesus Christ our Lord.
Blessing
How much we could do if our communities were united! The reality of one heart and one soul is a tremendous force. May God give you this grace and bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
