Liturgy of the Word
Third Sunday of Lent
March 27, 2011 Cycle A
Purple priestly vestments symbolize penance and preparation.
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Cycles A 10-11
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 24:15-16 My eyes are
ever fixed on the Lord, for he releases my feet from the snare. O look at
me and be merciful, for I am wretched and alone.
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 Lord
be with you.
All:
And also with you.
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: Coming together as God's family, with confidence let us ask the Father's forgiveness, for he is full of gentleness and compassion.
Priest: Lord Jesus, you came to gather the nations into the peace
of God's kingdom: Lord, have mercy.
All: Lord, have
mercy.
Priest: You come in word and sacrament to strengthen us in
holiness: Christ, have mercy.
All: Christ,
have mercy.
Priest: You will come in glory with salvation for your people:
Lord, have mercy.
All: Lord, have mercy.
Priest: May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and
bring us to everlasting life.
All: Amen.
The Opening Prayer:
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. Father, you have taught us to overcome our sins by prayer,
fasting and works of mercy. When we are discouraged by our weakness, give
us confidence in your love. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ,
your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever
and ever. Lord, guide the course of world events and give your Church the
joy and peace of serving you in freedom. We ask this through our Lord
Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and 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
book of Exodus
First Reading: 1 Exodus 17:3-7
In those days, in their thirst for water, the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “Why did you ever make us leave Egypt? Was it just to have us die here of thirst with our children and our livestock?” So Moses cried out to the Lord, “What shall I do with this people? A little more and they will stone me!” The Lord answered Moses, “Go over there in front of the people, along with some of the elders of Israel, holding in your hand, as you go, the staff with which you struck the river. I will be standing there in front of you on the rock in Horeb. Strike the rock, and the water will flow from it for the people to drink.” This Moses did, in the presence of the elders of Israel. The place was called Massah and Meribah, because the Israelites quarreled there and tested the Lord, saying, “Is the Lord in our midst or not?”
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 62:2-3, 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 us joyfully sing to the Lord; let us acclaim
the Rock of our salvation. Let us greet him 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 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.
Priest/Reader: A Reading
from the letter of Paul to the Romans.
Second Reading: Romans 5:1-2, 5-8
Brothers and sisters: Since we have been justified by faith, we have peace
with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by
faith to this grace in which we stand, and we boast in hope of the glory of God.
And hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. For Christ, while we were still helpless, died at the appointed time for the ungodly. Indeed, only with difficulty does one die for a just person, though perhaps for a good person one might even find courage to die. But God proves his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.
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 4:42. 15
Cantor: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ, king of endless
glory!
ALL: R/. Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ, king of endless
glory!
Cantor: Lord, you are truly the Savior of the world; give
me living water, that I may never thirst again.
ALL: R/. Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ, king of endless
glory!
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 John.
All: Glory
to you, Lord.
The Gospel: John 4:5-42
John wrote to show that Christ was
the Messiah, the Divine Son of God.
Jesus came to a town of Samaria called
Sychar, near the plot of land that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob’s
well was there. Jesus, tired from his journey, sat down there at the well. It
was about noon.
A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.” His disciples had gone into the town to buy food. The Samaritan woman said to him, “How can you, a Jew, ask me, a Samaritan woman, for a drink?” – For Jews use nothing in common with Samaritans. – Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God and who is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.” The woman said to him, “Sir, you do not even have a bucket and the cistern is deep; where then can you get this living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us this cistern and drank from it himself with his children and his flocks?” Jesus answered and said to her, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again; but whoever drinks the water I shall give will never thirst; the water I shall give will becomes in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water, so that I may not be thirsty or have to keep coming here to draw water.”
Jesus said to her, “Go call your husband and come back.” The woman answered and said to him, “I do not have a husband.” Jesus answered her, “You are right in saying, ‘I do not have a husband.’ For you have had five husbands, and the one you have now is not your husband. What you have said is true.” The woman said to him, “Sir, I can see that you are a prophet. Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain; but you people say that the place to worship is in Jerusalem.” Jesus said to her, “Believe me, woman, the hour is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You people worship what you do not understand; we worship what we understand, because salvation is from the Jews. But the hour is coming, and is now here, when true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and truth; and indeed the Father seeks such people to worship him. God is Spirit, and those who worship him must worship in Spirit and truth.” The woman said to him, “I know that the Messiah is coming, the one called the Christ; when he comes, he will tell us everything.” Jesus said to her, “I am he, the one who is speaking with you.”
At that moment his disciples returned, and were amazed that he was talking with a woman, but still no one said, “What are you looking for?” or “Why are you talking with her?” The woman left her water jar and went into the town and said to the people, “Come see a man who told me everything I have done. Could he possibly be the Christ?” They went out of the town and came to him. Meanwhile, the disciples urged him, “Rabbi, eat.” But he said to them, “I have food to eat of which you do not know.” So the disciples said to one another, “Could someone have brought him something to eat?” Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of the one who sent me and to finish his work. Do you not say, ‘In four months the harvest will be here?’ I tell you, look up and see the fields ripe for the harvest. The reaper is already receiving payment and gathering crops for eternal life, so that the sower and reaper can rejoice together. For here the saying is verified that ‘One sows and another reaps.’ I sent you to reap what you have not worked for; others have done the work, and you are sharing the fruits of their work.”
Many of the Samaritans of that town began to believe in him because of the word of the woman who testified, “He told me everything I have done.” When the Samaritans came to him, they invited him to stay with them; and he stayed there two days. Many more began to believe in him because of his word, and they said to the woman, “We no longer believe because of your word; for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is truly the savior of the world.”
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: We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is seen and unseen. We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, one in Being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit he was born of the Virgin Mary, and became man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered, died, and was buried. On the third day he rose again in fulfillment of 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. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the son. With the Father and the Son he is worshipped and glorified. He has spoken through the Prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We 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.
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, by the grace of this sacrifice may we who ask forgiveness be ready to forgive one another. We ask this in the name of Jesus the 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: Father, all powerful and ever-living God, we do well always and everywhere to give you thanks through Jesus Christ our Lord. When he asked the woman of Samaria for water to drink, Christ had already prepared for her the gift of faith. In his thirst to receive her faith he awakened in her heart the fire of your love. With thankful praise, in company with the angels, we glorify the wonders of your power:
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: Father, we acknowledge your greatness: all your actions show your wisdom and love. You formed man in your own likeness and set him over the whole world to serve you, his creator, and to rule over all creatures. Even when he disobeyed you and lost your friendship you did not abandon him to the power of death, but helped all men to seek and find you. Again and again you offered a covenant to man, and through the prophets taught him to hope for salvation. Father, you so loved the world that in the fullness of time you sent your only Son to be our Savior.
He was conceived through the power of the Holy Spirit, and born of the Virgin Mary, a man like us in all things but sin. To the poor he proclaimed the good news of salvation, to prisoners, freedom, and to those in sorrow, joy. In fulfillment of your will he gave himself up to death; but by rising from the dead, he destroyed death and restored life. And that we might live no longer for ourselves but for him, he sent the Holy Spirit from you, Father, as his first gift to those who believe, to complete his work on earth and bring us the fullness of grace.
Priest: Father, may this Holy Spirit sanctify these offerings. Let them become the body and blood of Jesus Christ our Lord as we celebrate the great mystery which he left us as an everlasting covenant.
He always loved those who
were his own in the world. When the time came for him to be glorified by
you, his heavenly Father, he showed the depth of his love.
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: When we eat this bread and drink this cup, we
proclaim your death, Lord Jesus, until you come in glory.
Memorial Prayer: (The priest may select from several forms).
Priest: Father, we now celebrate this memorial of our redemption. We recall Christ's death, his descent among the dead, his resurrection, and his ascension to your right hand; and, looking forward to his coming in glory, we offer you his body and blood, the acceptable sacrifice which brings salvation to the whole world.
Lord, look upon this
sacrifice which you have given to your Church; and by your Holy Spirit, gather
all who share this one bread and one cup into the one body of Christ, a living
sacrifice of praise.
Lord, remember those for whom we offer this sacrifice, especially _____ our Pope, _____ our bishop, and bishops and clergy everywhere. Remember those who take part in this offering, those here present and all your people, and all who seek you with a sincere heart. Remember those who have died in the peace of Christ and all the dead whose faith is known to you alone. Father, in your mercy grant also to us, your children, to enter into our heavenly inheritance in the company of the Virgin Mary, the Mother of God, and your apostles and saints. Then, in your kingdom, freed from the corruption of sin and death, we shall sing your glory with every creature through Christ our Lord, through whom you give us everything that is good.
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.
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: Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, who by the will of the Father and the work of the Holy Spirit, through your death gave life to the world. By your holy body and blood free me from all my sins, and from every evil. Keep me faithful to your teaching, and never let me be parted from you.
Priest: This is 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:
Communion Song: John 4:13-14
Whoever drinks the water that I shall give him, says the Lord, will have a spring inside him, welling up for eternal life.
Communion of the Faithful:
Priest: The Body of Christ.
All: Amen.
Priest:
The Blood of Christ.
All: 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: Lord, in sharing this sacrament may we receive your
forgiveness and be brought together in unity and peace. We ask this
through Christ our Lord.
All:
Amen.
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.
The Father of mercies has given us an example of unselfish love in the
sufferings of his only Son. Through your service of God and neighbor may
you receive his countless blessings.
All:
Amen.
Priest: You believe
that by his dying Christ destroyed death for ever. May he give you
everlasting life.
All: Amen.
Priest: He humbled himself for our sakes. May you
follow his example and share in his resurrection.
All: Amen.
Priest: May almighty God bless you, the Father, and the Son,
and the Holy Spirit.
All: Amen.
Priest: Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
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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