Liturgy of the Word
Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time
September 13, 2020 Cycle A
Green priestly vestments symbolize hope and the vitality of
the life of faith.
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 Sirach 36:18
Give peace, Lord, to those who
wait for you and your prophets will proclaim you as you deserve. Hear the
prayers of your servant and of your people Israel.
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:
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
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: Have mercy on us, O Lord.
All: For we have sinned against you.
Priest: Show us, O Lord, your mercy.
All: And grant us your salvation.
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 peace to his people on earth. Lord God, heavenly King, almighty God and Father, we worship you, we give you thinks, we praise you for your glory. Lord Jesus Christ, only son of the Father, Lord God, Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world: have mercy on us; you are seated at the right hand of the Father: receive our prayer. 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: Let us pray. Look upon us, O God, Creator and
ruler of all things, and, that we may feel the working of your mercy, grant that
we may serve you with all our heart. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your
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 Sirach.
Sirach 27:30-28:7
Wrath and anger are hateful things, yet the sinner hugs them tight. The vengeful will suffer the Lord’s vengeance, for he remembers their sins in detail. Forgive your neighbor’s injustice; then when you pray, your own sins will be forgiven. Could anyone nourish anger against another and expect healing from the Lord? Could anyone refuse mercy to another like himself, can he seek pardon for his sins? If one who is but flesh cherishes wrath, who will forgive his sins? Remember your last days, set enmity aside; remember death and decay, and cease from sin! Think of the commandments, hate not your neighbor; remember the Most High’s covenant, and overlook faults.
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 103:8; 103:1-2, 3-4, 9-10, 11-12
Cantor: The Lord is kind and merciful, slow to anger, and rich in
compassion.
All: The
Lord is kind and merciful, slow to anger, and rich in compassion.
Cantor: Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all my being, bless his holy
name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.
All: The
Lord is kind and merciful, slow to anger, and rich in compassion.
Cantor: He pardons all your iniquities, heals all your ills. He
redeems your life from destruction, crowns you with kindness and compassion.
All: The
Lord is kind and merciful, slow to anger, and rich in compassion.
Cantor:
He will not always chide, nor does he
keep his wrath forever. Not according to our sins does he deal with us, nor
does he requite us according to our crimes.
All: The
Lord is kind and merciful, slow to anger, and rich in compassion.
Cantor: For as the heavens are high above the earth, so surpassing
is his kindness toward those who fear him. As far as the east is from the west,
so far has he put our transgressions from us.
All: The
Lord is kind and merciful, slow to anger, and rich in compassion.
The Second Reading: Taken from the New Testament, often from a letter written by St. Paul.
Second Reading: Romans 14:7-9
Brothers and sisters: None of us lives for oneself, and no one dies for
oneself. For if we live, we live for the Lord, and if we die, we die for the
Lord; so then, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. For this is why
Christ died and came to life, that he might be Lord of both the dead and the
living.
Priest/Reader: The
word of the Lord.
All: Thanks
be to God.
The Alleluia: An ancient expression of joy anticipating the Lord's message we will hear in the Gospel.
John 6:64-69
Cantor: Alleluia!
Alleluia! Alleluia!
All: R/. Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Cantor: Your words, O Lord, are spirit and life; you have
the words of everlasting life.
All: R/. 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 you.
Priest/Deacon: A
reading from the holy Gospel according
to Matthew.
All: Glory
to you, Lord.
The Gospel: Matthew 18:21-35
Matthew wrote to show that Christ
was the
Messiah and fulfilled the Jewish prophecies.
Peter approached Jesus and
asked him, “Lord, if my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive? As
many as seven times?” Jesus answered, “I say to you, not seven times but
seventy-seven times. That is why the kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king
who decided to settle accounts with his servants. When he began the accounting,
a debtor was brought before him who owed him a huge amount. Since he had no way
of paying it back, his master ordered him to be sold, along with his wife, his
children, and all his property, in payment of the debt. At that, the servant
fell down, did him homage, and said, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you
back in full.’ Moved with compassion the master of that servant let him go and
forgave him the loan. When the servant had left, he found one of his fellow
servants who owed him a much smaller amount. He seized him and started to choke
him, demanding, ‘Pay back what you woe.’ Falling to his knees, his fellow
servant begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay back.’ But he refused.
Instead, he had the fellow servant put in prison until he paid back the debt.
Now when his fellow servants saw what had happened, they were deeply disturbed,
and went to their master and reported the whole affair. His master summoned him
and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you your entire debt because
you begged me to. Should you not have had pity on your fellow servant, as I had
pity on you?’ Then in anger his master handed him over to the torturers until
he should pay back the whole debt. So will my heavenly Father do to you, unless
each of you forgives your brother from your heart.”
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)
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.
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: Lord God, we ask you to receive us and be pleased with the sacrifice we offer you with humble and contrite hearts.
The Priest's Hands are Washed: This act was traditional 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: Lord,
wash away my iniquity; 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: Lord, hear the prayers of your people and receive our gifts. May the worship of each one here bring salvation to all. Grant this through Christ our Lord.
Eucharistic Prayer: (Number One: The priest may select from several forms).
Priest: The Lord be with you.
All: And with your
spirit.
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
and just.
Preface Prayer:
Priest: 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.
For we know it belongs to your boundless glory, that you came to the aid of mortal beings with your divinity and even fashioned for us a remedy out of mortality itself, that the cause of our downfall might become the means of our salvation, through Christ our Lord.
Through him the host of Angels adores you 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:
Acclamation:
Priest and All: Holy, Holy, Holy Lord, God of power and might, 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 come to you, Father, with praise and thanksgiving, through Jesus Christ your Son. Through him we ask you to accept and bless these gifts we offer you in sacrifice.
We
offer them for your holy catholic Church, watch over it, Lord, and guide it;
grant it peace and unity throughout the world. We offer them for _____ our
Pope, for _____ our bishop, and for all who hold and teach the catholic faith
that comes to us from the apostles.
Remember, Lord, your people, especially those
for whom we now pray, _____ and _____. Remember all of us gathered here
before you. You know how firmly we believe in you and dedicate ourselves
to you. We offer you this sacrifice of praise for ourselves and those who
are dear to us. We pray to you, our living and true God, for our
well-being and redemption.
In union with the whole Church we honor Mary, the ever-virgin mother of
Jesus Christ our Lord and God. We honor Joseph, her husband, the apostles
and martyrs Peter and Paul, Andrew, James, John, Thomas, James, Philip,
Bartholomew, Matthew, Simon and Jude; we honor Linus, Cletus, Clement, Sixtus,
Cornelius, Cyprian, Lawrence, Chrysogonus, John and Paul, Cosmas and Damian and
all the saints. May their merits and prayers gain us your constant help
and protection. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Father, accept this offering from your whole family. Grant us your peace in this life, save us from final damnation, and count us among those you have chosen. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Bless and approve our offering; make it
acceptable to you, an offering in spirit and in truth. Let it become for
us the body and blood of Jesus Christ, your only Son, our Lord. Through
Christ our Lord. Amen.
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:
The day before he suffered he took
bread in his sacred hands and looking up to heaven, to you, his almighty Father,
he gave you thanks and praise. He broke the bread, gave it to his
disciples, and said:
Take this, all of
you and eat of it: for this is my Body which will be given up for you.
When
supper was ended, he took the cup. Again he gave you thanks and praise,
gave 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: When we
eat this Bread and drink this Cup, we proclaim your Death, O Lord, until you
come again.
Memorial Prayer:
Priest: Therefore, O Lord, as we celebrate the memorial of the blessed Passion, the Resurrection from the dead, and the glorious Ascension into heaven of Christ, your Son, our Lord, we, your servants and your holy people, offer to your glorious majesty from the gifts that you have given us, this pure victim, this holy victim, this spotless victim, the holy Bread of eternal life and the Chalice of everlasting salvation.
Be pleased to look upon these offerings with a serene and kindly countenance, and to accept them, as once you were pleased to accept the gifts of your servant Abel the just, the sacrifice of Abraham, our father in faith, and the offering of your high priest Melchizedek, a holy sacrifice, a spotless victim.
In humble prayer we ask you, almighty God: command that these gifts be borne by the hands of your holy Angel to your altar on high in the sight of your divine majesty, so that all of us, who through this participation at the altar receive the most holy Body and Blood of your Son, may be filled with every grace and heavenly blessing. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Remember also, Lord, your servants _____ and _____, who have gone before us with the sing of faith and rest in the sleep of peace. Grant them, O Lord, we pray, and all who sleep in Christ, a place of refreshment, light and peace. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
To us, also, your servants, who, though sinners, hope in your abundant mercies, graciously grant some share and fellowship with your holy Apostles and martyrs: with John the Baptist, Stephen, Matthias, Barnabas, (Ignatius, Alexander, Marcellinus, Peter, Felicity, Perpetua, Agatha, Lucy, Agnes, Cecilia, Anastasia) and all your Saints; admit us, we beseech you, into their company not weighing our merits, but granting us your pardon, through Christ our Lord.
Through whom you continue to make all these good
things, O Lord; you sanctify them, fill them with life, bless them, and bestow
them upon us.
Doxology:
Prayer of Praise: Through him, with him,
and in him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honor is yours,
almighty Father, for ever and ever. 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:
Let us ask our Father to forgive our sins and to bring us to forgive those
who sin against us.
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.
Priest: Deliver us, Lord, we pray, from every evil,
graciously grant peace in our days, that, by the help of your mercy, we may be
always free from sin and safe from all distress, as we await the
blessed hope and the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ.
All: For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours, now and for ever.
Prayer for Peace:
Priest: Lord
Jesus Christ, you said to your apostles: I leave you peace, my peace I give you.
Look not on our sins, but on the faith
of your Church, and grant us peace and unity of your kingdom where you live for
ever and ever. Amen.
Priest: Let
us offer each other the sign of peace.
Breaking of the Bread:
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.
Priest: May this mingling of the body and blood of our Lord
Jesus Christ bring eternal life to us who receive it.
Communion of the Priest:
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 36:8
Priest: How precious is your mercy, O God! The children of
men seek shelter in the shadow of your wings.
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: May the working of this heavenly gift, O Lord, we
pray, take possession of our minds and bodies, so that its effects, and not our
own desires, may always prevail in us. Through Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.
Concluding Rite
Priest: The Lord be with you.
All: And
with your spirit.
Priest: Bow your heads and pray for God's blessing.
Dismissal Prayer:
Priest: Turn your people to you with all their heart, O Lord,
we pray, for you protect even those who go astray, but when they serve you with
undivided heart, you sustain them with still greater care. Through Christ
our Lord.
All: Amen.
Final Blessing:
Priest: May almighty God bless you in his kindness and pour
out saving wisdom upon you.
All: Amen.
Priest: May he nourish you always with the teachings of the
faith and make you persevere in holy deeds.
All: Amen.
Priest: May he turn your steps towards himself and show you the
path of charity and peace.
All: Amen.
Priest: And may the blessing of almighty God, the Father, and the
Son, and the Holy Spirit, come down on you and remain with you for ever.
All: Amen.
Dismissal:
Priest: Go in peace, glorifying the Lord by your life..
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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