Liturgy of the Word
Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time
September 6, 2020 Cycle A
Green priestly vestments symbolize hope and the vitality of
the life of faith.
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Liturgical Year Cycle
2019-2020
Introductory Acts Of Worship
The Entrance Prayers: On
Sunday, usually a hymn praising God is sung in place of reciting a Psalm from
the Bible which invites us to enter more deeply into the mystery of God's love
for us. The recited weekday Psalm expresses a youthful heart and spirit,
delighted that we may come before the living God.
Entrance Song / Entrance Psalm (Antiphon)
Entrance Song
Psalm: 119:137, 124 You are just, O
Lord, and your judgment is right; treat your servant in accord with your
merciful love.
The Priest Approaches and Kisses the Altar: The altar is a symbol of Christ. In it are cut five crosses to recall the five wounds of Christ. The altar also represents the Church and has embedded in it the relics of her saints. The priest comes to the altar to celebrate the Sacrifice in the Church's name. Because of the glory surrounding the altar upon which the divine Sacrifice will be made, the kiss of the priest unites the Church to Christ, its Redeemer.
Priest:
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
All:
Amen.
The Greeting: We are welcomed in God's name. Our response unites us to our neighbor, to the priest and to God. (The priest may select from several forms of greeting).
Priest: The
grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the
Holy Spirit be with you all.
All: And with your spirit.
The Penitential Prayers: We recognize our guilt for past sins, express our sorrow for them, and ask that Mary, the angels, the saints, and our brothers and sisters in Christ pray for the Lord God's mercy. (The priest may select from several forms).
Priest: Brothers and sisters, let us
acknowledge our sins, and so prepare ourselves to celebrate the sacred
mysteries.
Priest / All: I confess to almighty God and to you, my brothers and
sisters, that I have greatly sinned, in my thoughts and in my words, in what I
have done and in what I have failed to do, through my faulty, through my fault,
through my most grievous fault; therefore I ask blessed Mary ever-Virgin, all
the Angels and Saints, and you, my brothers and sisters, to pray for me to the
Lord our God.
The Absolution:
Priest: May almighty God have mercy
on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life.
All: Amen.
The Gloria: The Glory of God prayers have existed from the second century. They repeat the angels praise of God which heralded the birth of Christ on earth. Our praise is lifted again through the years as we rejoice at His coming as Lord, God, the most high Jesus Christ, who at Christmas took on our human nature while at the same time being the son of Man. This ancient hymn expresses our recognition of God's glory and love. It calls upon Christ as our holy and divine mediator, and the Holy Spirit who forever binds us together in God's love.
Priest and All: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to people of good will. We praise you, we bless you, we adore you, we glorify you, we give you thanks for your great glory, Lord God, heavenly King, O God, almighty Father. Lord Jesus Christ, Only Begotten Son, Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us; you take away the sins of the world, receive our prayer; you are seated at the right hand of the Father, have mercy on us. For you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the Lord, you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father. Amen.
The Collect: The priest lifts the united prayers and petitions of the congregation to God the Father through the merits of Jesus Christ in the Holy Spirit.
Priest: O God, by whom we are redeemed and
receive adoption, look graciously upon your beloved sons and daughters, that
those who believe in Christ may receive true freedom and an everlasting
inheritance. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, our Son, who lives and reigns with
you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
Liturgy of the Word
Christ is made known to us through
the Old Testament which prepares us to recognize Him. In those days, God
inspired men who spoke His message. Now, the New Testament Gospel reading
announces His presence to us directly through His Son. Both readings bring
God's message to us. Our responsibility is to respond.
The First Reading: From
the Old Testament
Priest/Reader: A reading from the prophet
Ezekiel.
First Reading: Ezekiel 33:7-9
Thus says the Lord: You, son of man, I have appointed watchman for the house of Israel; when you hear me say anything, you shall warn them for me. If I tell the wicked, “O wicked one, you shall surely die,” and you do not speak out to dissuade the wicked from his way, the wicked shall die for his guilt, but I will hold you responsible for his death. But if you warn the wicked, trying to turn him from his way, and he refuses to turn from his way, he shall die for his guilt, but you shall save yourself.
Priest/Reader: The
Word of the Lord.
All: Thanks be
to God.
The Responsorial Psalm: This Psalm praising God, is a prayer to God, or recommends the practice of virtue. It is sung as an interlude between the scriptural readings. It provides yet another instructional setting and invites the assembly to imitate the cantor who sings a repeated response to the verses of an ancient Psalm many of which are attributed to King David. The verses are sung first by a cantor (song leader) accompanied by instruments, the refrain is sung by the people.
Psalm 95:1-2. 6-7, 8-9
Cantor: If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
All:
If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
Cantor: Come, let using joyfully to the Lord; let us acclaim the
rock of our salvation. Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us
joyfully sing psalms to him.
All:
If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
Cantor: Come, let us bow down in worship let us kneel before the
Lord who made us. For he is our God, and we are the people he shepherds, the
flock he guides.
All:
If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
Cantor: Oh, that today you would hear his voice: “Harden not your
hearts as at Meribah, as in the day of Massah in the desert, where your fathers
tempted me; they tested me though they had seen my works.”
All:
If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
The Second Reading: Taken from the New Testament, often from a letter written by St. Paul.
Second Reading: Romans 13:8-10
Brothers and sisters: Owe nothing to anyone, except to love one another; for
the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. The commandments, “You shall
not commit adultery; you shall not kill; you shall not steal; you shall not
covet,” and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this
saying, namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no evil
to the neighbor; hence, love is the fulfillment of the law.
The Alleluia: An ancient expression of joy anticipating the Lord's message we will hear in the Gospel.
2 Corinthians 5:19
Cantor: Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
All: Alleluia!
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Cantor: God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ and
entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.
All: Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
The
Gospel: The
Liturgy of the Word is completed by the reading of the Gospel. Before its
reading, the members of the assembly trace the sign of the cross upon the
forehead to indicate their mental acceptance of the Truth, on the lips to
indicate their readiness to announce it, and over the heart to indicate their
sincere desire to accept it into their lives. The "Good News" of the Gospel
tells that God's kingdom has come for all to hear, accept, and announce to the
world for its salvation. It is God who is speaking to us. Christ comes to
teach us by the example of His life and by His own words.
Priest: Cleanse my heart and my
lips, almighty God, that I may worthily proclaim your holy Gospel. Through
the words of the Gospel may our sins be wiped away.
Priest: The
Lord be with you.
All: And also
with your spirit.
Priest/Deacon: A reading from the
holy Gospel according to Matthew.
All: Glory to
you, Lord.
The Gospel: Matthew 18:15-20
Matthew wrote to show that Christ was the
Messiah and fulfilled the Jewish prophecies.
Jesus
said to his disciples: “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his
fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have won over your
brother. If he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, so that
‘every fact may be established on the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ If
he refuses to listen to them, tell the church. If he refuses to listen even to
the church, then treat him as you would a Gentile or a tax collector. Amen, I
say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever
you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again, amen, I say to you, if two
of you agree on earth about anything for which they are to pray, it shall be
granted to them by my heavenly Father. For where two or three are gathered
together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”
Priest/Deacon: The Gospel of the
Lord.
All: Praise
to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
The Priest's Sermon: The
priest develops, explains, and comments upon the Master's words, so our minds
may be
enlightened, and our hearts enriched.
(A priestly reflection upon this Gospel)
Profession of Faith: We state in the Nicene Creed the principles of our faith in precise and definite terms.
All: I believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is seen and unseen. I believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God, born of the Father before all ages. God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father; through him all things were made. For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven, and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate, he suffered death and was buried, and rose again on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead and his kingdom will have no end. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets. I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church. I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins and I look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen.
General Intercessions: We pray for the needs of the pope, civic leaders, our own needs, those of others, the sick, the dying, those who have died, the church, and the world. The response of all to each intercession: Lord, hear our prayer.
All: Lord, hear our prayer.
The Liturgy of the Eucharist
Gifts
of bread and wine symbolizing ourselves are presented to the priest who will
offer them to God the Father. Through the Holy Spirit, they will become the
Body and Blood of Jesus Christ whom we receive in Holy Communion. Jesus unites
Himself with us for our spiritual nourishment and strength. Today, when
individuals do not present their own personal offerings of bread and wine, the
monetary contribution symbolizes the material of their united sacrifice. The
priest makes and offering of the bread and wine to God.
Preparation of the Bread and Wine:
Priest: Blessed
are you, Lord God of all creation, for through your goodness we have received
the bread we offer you: fruit of the earth and work of human hands, it will
become for us the bread of life.
All: Blessed
be God for ever.
Priest: By the mystery of this water and wine may we come to share in the divinity of Christ, who humbled himself to share in our humanity.
Priest: Blessed
are you, Lord God of all creation, for through your goodness we have received
the wine we offer you; fruit of the vine and work of human hands it will become
our spiritual drink.
All: Blessed
be God for ever.
Priest: With humble spirit and contrite heart may we be accepted by you, O Lord, and may our sacrifice in your sight this day be pleasing to you, Lord God.
The Priest's Hands are Washed: This act was traditionally necessary because the priest handled the various gifts presented by the people. Now, the cleansing act using water reminds the priest and ourselves of the need to cleanse not only the hands but the soul. Soon, the priest's hands will hold the actual body of Christ, and we will become His dwelling place.
Priest: Wash
me O Lord, from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.
Pray, brethren, that my sacrifice and yours may be
acceptable to God, the almighty Father.
All: May the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands for the praise and glory of his name, for our good and the good of all his holy Church.
Prayer over the Gifts: Speaking in our name, the priest asks the Father to accept the gifts we offer through him.
Priest: O God, who give us the gift of true prayer and of peace, graciously grant that, through this offering, we may do fitting homage to your divine majesty and, by partaking of the sacred mystery, we may be faithfully united in mind and heart. Through Christ our Lord.
Eucharistic Prayer: (Number Four: The priest may select from several forms).
Priest: The Lord be with you.
All: And also with you.
Priest: Lift up your hearts.
All: We lift them up to the Lord.
Priest: Let us give thanks to the Lord, our God.
All: It is right to
give him thanks and praise.
Preface Prayer:
Priest: It is truly right to give you thanks, truly just to give you glory, Father most holy, for you are the one God living and true, existing before all ages and abiding for all eternity, dwelling in unapproachable light; yet you, who alone are good, the source of life, have made all that is, so that you might fill your creatures with blessings and bring joy to many of them by the glory of your light.
And so, in your presence are countless hosts of Angels, who serve you day and night and, gazing upon the glory of your face, glorify you without ceasing.
With them we, too, confess your name in exultation, giving voice to every creature under heaven, as we acclaim:
Acclamation:
Priest / All: 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.
Priest: We give you praise, Father most holy, for you are great and you have fashioned all your works in wisdom and in love. You formed man in your own image and entrusted the whole world to his care, so that in serving you alone, the Creator, he might have dominion over all creatures. And when through disobedience he had lost your friendship, you did not abandon him to the domain of death. For you came in mercy to the aid of all, so that those who seek might find you. Time and again you offered them covenants and through the prophets taught them to look forward to salvation.
And you so loved the world, Father most holy, that in the fullness of time you sent your Only Begotten Son to be our Savior. Made incarnate by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary, he shared our human nature in all things but sin. To the poor he proclaimed the good news of salvation, to prisoners, freedom, and to the sorrowful of heart, joy. To accomplish your plan, he gave himself up to death, and, rising from the dead, he destroyed death and restored life.
And that we might live no longer for ourselves but for him who died and rose again for us, he sent the Holy Spirit from you, Father, as the first fruits for those who believe, so that, bringing to perfection his work in the world, he might sanctify creation to the full.
Therefore, O Lord, we pray: may this same Holy Spirit graciously sanctify these offerings, that they may become the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ for the celebration of this great mystery, which he himself left us as an eternal covenant.
The priest repeats the words which Christ used at his Last Supper when He changed the bread into His Body and the wine into His Blood. His Body and Blood are truly present but under the appearance of bread and wine. The death of Christ is prolonged in each of those who receive Him worthily. We apply His death to ourselves so that we may share His glory. This moment is the most solemn on earth because it is Divine act which enables us to apply to ourselves the Cross which Christ willingly took upon Himself.
We are called to die to sin and
lift our very selves to God so that we become changed; to do as God would have
us do, to become what God would have us become. Our own little cross can
lift us into union with Christ's Cross so we may earn the joys of everlasting
happiness with God the Father.
The
Lord's Supper:
While they were at supper, he took bread,
said the blessing, broke the bread, and gave it to his disciples, saying:
Take this, all of
you and eat of it: for this is my Body which will be given up for you.
In
the same way, he took the cup filled with wine. He gave you thanks, and
giving the cup to his disciples, and said:
Take this, all of you, and drink from it; for this is the chalice of my
Blood, the Blood of the new and eternal covenant; which will be poured out for you and for many for the
forgiveness of sins. Do this in memory of me.
Memorial Acclamation: (The priest may
select from several forms).
Priest:
Let us proclaim the mystery of faith.
Priest and All: We proclaim your Death, O Lord, and profess your
Resurrection until you come again.
Priest: Therefore, O Lord, as we now celebrate the memorial of our redemption, we remember Christ's Death and his descent to the realm of the dead, we proclaim his Resurrection and his Ascension to your right hand, and, as we await his coming in glory, we offer you his body and Blood, the sacrifice acceptable to you which brings salvation to the whole world.
Look, O Lord, upon the Sacrifice which you yourself have provided for your Church, and grant in your loving kindness to all who partake of this one Bread and one Chalice that, gathered into one body by the Holy Spirit, they may truly become a living sacrifice in Christ to the praise of your glory.
Therefore, Lord, remember now all for whom we offer this sacrifice: especially your servant ____ our Pope, ____ our Bishop, and the whole Order of Bishops, all the clergy, those who take part in this offering, those gathered here before you, your entire people, and all who seek you with a sincere heart. Remember also those who have died in the peace of your Christ and all the dead, whose faith you alone have known.
To all of us, your children, grant, O merciful Father, that we may enter into a heavenly inheritance with the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, with Blessed Joseph her spouse, and with your Apostles and Saints in your kingdom.
There, with the whole of creation, freed from the corruption of sin and death, may we glorify you through Christ our Lord, through whom you bestow on the world all that is good.
Doxology:
Prayer of Praise:
Through
him, with him, and in him, O God, almighty Father, in the unity of the Holy
Spirit, all glory and honor is yours, for ever and ever.
All: Amen.
Communion Rite
In the Liturgy of the Eucharist, we symbolically offer ourselves to the Lord through the gifts of bread and wine. At the Consecration, we offer our very lives to be united the God the Father through the Cross of Christ. In Communion, we find that we have not died at all, but have come to life. We have surrendered ourselves to God through His Divine Son, Jesus Christ. In return become ennobled and enriched. We give up time and we get eternity, we give up our sin and we receive grace, we surrender our self-will and receive the strength of the Divine Will, we give up ourselves and we receive everything. For the Son of God says to us that unless we receive Him we shall not have Divine life in us. But it is not really we who receive Christ as it is Christ who receives us, bringing us into Himself.
God makes His Cross the very means of our salvation and our life. While we have crucified Him, His eternal love cannot be extinguished. Christ willed to give us the very life we crucified in our Redemption, the Consecration of Holy Thursday into Communion, His death into our everlasting life.
The Lord's Prayer:
Priest: Jesus taught us to call God our Father, and so we have
the courage to say:
Priest and
All: Our
Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be they name; Thy kingdom come; Thy will be
done on earth as it is in
heaven. Give us this
day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who
trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
All: For the kingdom, the power and
the glory are yours, now and for ever.
Prayer for Peace:
Priest and All: Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the
world, have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
Lamb
of God, you take away the sins of the world, grant us peace.
Communion of the Priest:
Priest: May this mingling of the body and blood
of our Lord Jesus Christ bring eternal life to us who receive it.
Priestly Preparation:
May the receiving of your Body and Blood, Lord Jesus Christ, not bring me to
judgment and condemnation, but through your loving mercy be for me protection in
mind and body and a healing remedy.
Priest: Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. Happy are
those who are called to his supper.
Priest and All: Lord,
I am not worthy to receive you, but only say the word and I shall be healed.
Priest: May the Body of Christ keep me safe for eternal life.
May the Blood of Christ keep me safe for eternal life.
Communion Antiphon:
Psalm 42: 2-3
Like the deer that yearns for running streams, so my soul is thirsting for God, the living God.
Communion of the Faithful:
Priest:
The Body of Christ.
The Faithful: Amen.
Priest/Deacon/
Extraordinary Eucharistic Minister:
The Blood of Christ.
The Faithful: Amen.
Cleansing of the Vessels:
Priest: Lord,
may I receive these gifts in purity of heart. May they bring me healing
and strength, now and for ever.
Prayer after Communion:
Priest: Let us pray.
Priest: Grant that your faithful, O Lord, whom you nourish and
endow with life through the food of your Word and heavenly Sacrament, may so
benefit from your beloved Son's great gifts that we may merit an eternal share
in his life. Who lives and reigns for ever and ever.
Concluding Rite
Priest: The Lord be with you.
All: And also with you.
Dismissal Prayer: (The priest may select
from several forms)
Priest: Bow your heads and pray for God's blessing.
Priest: May almighty God always keep every adversity
far from you and in his kindness pour out upon you the gifts of his blessing.
All: Amen.
Priest: May God keep your hearts attentive to his words, that
they may be filled with everlasting gladness.
All: Amen.
Priest: And so, may you always understand what is good and
right, and be found ever hastening along in the path of God's commands, made
co-heirs with the citizens of heaven.
All: Amen.
Blessing:
Priest: May almighty God bless you, the Father, and the Son, and
the Holy Spirit.
All:
Amen.
Sending Forth:
Deacon / Priest:
Go in peace.
All: Thanks be to God.
O my Jesus, forgive us our sins.
Save us from the fires of hell.
Lead all souls to heaven,
especially those in most need of your mercy.
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Liturgical Year Cycle
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