+ Monday 6th – Happy Holy Week – some prayer – and an Easter plans message

Holy Week and Easter plans for the parish 

Dear friends,

The following recorded message is

  • a follow up from the drive-through palm pick-up on the weekend and wider community outreach cards
  • a message about streamed video Easter ceremonies in planning for Our Lady of the Way parish 

And here are a couple of shots from that special drive-through for palms and outreach cards on the weekend

For Palm Sunday there was a full Our Lady of the Way liturgy/Mass on the weekend post. The picture on the cover of this post is from the Mass that was offered – and that the weekend post shared from – here in the Parish Blog space.

You can still access that liturgy on this website as all the posts are stored in due order. The picture on the cover of this post is taken from the Mass.

We also had a Children’s Liturgy posted on Sunday with a combination of personal video input from parishioner Cate along with a voice recorded prayer activity and some printable worksheets. Some might like to share that with people with young children.


Today…

… I’ve printed the readings of today’s Mass – followed by just a few of the prayer parts of the Mass for our reflection. Sometimes it can help our prayer and sense of God’s presence by  focussing slowly on a few things, rather than only overviewing the full sequence of prayer/Mass to which we’re accustomed. I wish you some rich personal or shared reflection today with these few pieces as part of your day. 

First Reading

A Reading from the book of the prophet Isaiah   (42:1-7)

Here is my servant whom I uphold,
my chosen one in whom my soul delights.
I have endowed him with my spirit
that he may bring true justice to the nations.
He does not cry out or shout aloud,
or make his voice heard in the streets.
He does not break the crushed reed,
nor quench the wavering flame.
Faithfully he brings true justice;
he will neither waver, nor be crushed
until true justice is established on earth,
for the islands are awaiting his law.
Thus says God, the Lord,
he who created the heavens and spread them out,
who gave shape to the earth and what comes from it,
who gave breath to its people
and life to the creatures that move in it:
‘I, the Lord, have called you to serve the cause of right;
I have taken you by the hand and formed you;
I have appointed you as covenant of the people and light of the nations,
‘to open the eyes of the blind,
to free captives from prison,
and those who live in darkness from the dungeon.’
The word of the Lord.

 


Responsorial Psalm 

Response: The Lord is my light and my salvation.
The Lord is my light and my help;
  whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life;
  before whom shall I shrink?
The Lord is my light and my salvation.
When evil-doers draw near
  to devour my flesh,
it is they, my enemies and foes,
  who stumble and fall.
The Lord is my light and my salvation.
Though an army encamp against me
  my heart would not fear.
Though war break out against me
  even then would I trust.
The Lord is my light and my salvation.
I am sure I shall see the Lord’s goodness
  in the land of the living.
Hope in him, hold firm and take heart.
  Hope in the Lord!
The Lord is my light and my salvation.

Gospel Acclamation

Praise and honour to you, Lord Jesus Christ!
Let us greet our king;
he alone showed mercy for our sins.
Praise and honour to you, Lord Jesus Christ!

Gospel 

A reading from the holy Gospel according to John   (12:1-11)

Six days before the Passover, Jesus went to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom he had raised from the dead. They gave a dinner for him there; Martha waited on them and Lazarus was among those at table. Mary brought in a pound of very costly ointment, pure nard, and with it anointed the feet of Jesus, wiping them with her hair; the house was full of the scent of the ointment. Then Judas Iscariot – one of his disciples, the man who was to betray him – said, ‘Why wasn’t this ointment sold for three hundred denarii, and the money given to the poor?’ He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief; he was in charge of the common fund and used to help himself to the contributions. So Jesus said, ‘Leave her alone; she had to keep this scent for the day of my burial. You have the poor with you always, you will not always have me.’
  Meanwhile a large number of Jews heard that he was there and came not only on account of Jesus but also to see Lazarus whom he had raised from the dead. Then the chief priests decided to kill Lazarus as well, since it was on his account that many of the Jews were leaving them and believing in Jesus.
The Gospel of the Lord.

You might like to just slowly ponder a couple of the prayer parts of today’s Mass – a chance to sit with them perhaps more so than in the normal course of Mass


Prayer over the gifts 

Look graciously, O Lord,
upon the sacred mysteries we celebrate here,
and may what you have mercifully provided
to cancel the judgement we incurred
bear for us fruit in eternal life.
Through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Preface

(just before the Eucharistic Prayer)
It is truly right and just, our duty and our salvation,
always and everywhere to give you thanks,
Lord, holy Father, almighty and eternal God,
through Christ our Lord.
For the days of his saving Passion
and glorious Resurrection are approaching,
by which the pride of the ancient foe is vanquished
and the mystery of our redemption in Christ is celebrated.
Through him the host of Angels adores your majesty
and rejoices in your presence for ever.
May our voices, we pray, join with theirs
in one chorus of exultant praise, as we acclaim:
Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of hosts.
Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.

Prayer after Communion 

Let us pray.
Visit your people, O Lord, we pray,
and with ever-watchful love
look upon the hearts dedicated to you by means of these sacred mysteries,
so that under your protection
we may keep safe this remedy of eternal salvation,
which by your mercy we have received.
Through Christ our Lord.
Amen

 


See you in the next post friends – and as the recording above said, there’ll be more details over the next two days of the streamed video plans etc for Our Lady of the Way Easter ceremonies.
With friendship in God’s mission,
fr Paul

 

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