Third Sunday of Lent
March 8, 2015 Cycle B
Purple priestly vestments symbolize penance and preparation.
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Liturgical
Church Year Cycle B14-15
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 25:15-16 My eyes are
always on the Lord, for he rescues my feet from the snare. Turn to me and have
mercy on me, for I am alone and poor.
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.
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 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.
Priest: O God, author of every mercy and of all goodness, who
in fasting, prayer and almsgiving have shown us a remedy for sin, look
graciously on this confession of our lowliness, that we, who are bowed down by
our conscience, may always be lifted up by your mercy. 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 Book of Exodus.
Exodus 20:1-17
In those days, God delivered all these commandments: “I, the Lord, am your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, that place of slavery. You shall not have other gods besides me. You shall not carve idols for yourselves in the shape of anything in the sky above or on the earth below or in the waters beneath the earth; you shall not bow down before them or worship them. For I, the Lord, your God, am a jealous God, inflicting punishment for their fathers’ wickedness on the children of those who hate me, down to the third and fourth generation; but bestowing mercy down to the thousandth generation on the children of those who love me and keep my commandments.
“You shall not take the name of the Lord, your God, in vain. For the Lord will not leave unpunished the one who takes his name in vain.
“Remember to keep holy the Sabbath day. Six days you may labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord, your God. No work may be done then either by you, or your son or daughter, or your male or female slave, or your beast, or by the alien who lives with you. In six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them; but on the seventh day he rested. That is why the Lord has blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
“Honor your father and your mother, that you may have a long life in the land which the Lord, your God, is giving you. You shall not kill. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male or female slave, nor his ox or ass, nor anything else that belongs to him.”
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.
Responsorial
Psalm 19:8, 9, 10, 11
Cantor: Lord, you have the words
of everlasting life, the words of everlasting life.
All: R/. Lord,
you have the words of everlasting life, the words of everlasting life.
Cantor: The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul;
the decree of the Lord is trustworthy, giving wisdom to the simple.
All: R/. Lord,
you have the words of everlasting life, the words of everlasting life.
Cantor: The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the
heart; the command of the Lord is clear, enlightening the eye.
All: R/. Lord,
you have the words of everlasting life, the words of everlasting life.
Cantor: The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever; the
ordinances of the Lord are true, all of them just.
All: R/. Lord,
you have the words of everlasting life, the words of everlasting life.
Cantor: They are more precious than gold, than a heap of
purest gold; sweeter also than syrup or honey from the comb.
All: R/.
Lord, you have the words of everlasting life, the words of everlasting life.
The Second Reading:
Taken from the New Testament, often
from a letter written by St. Paul.
1 Corinthians 1:22-25
Brothers and sisters: Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those who are called, Jews and Greeks alike, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.
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 3:16
Cantor: Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ, king of endless
glory.
All: R/. Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ, king of
endless glory.
Cantor: God so loved the world that he gave his only
Son, so that everyone who believes in him might have eternal life.
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.
Priest: The Lord be with you.
All: And with our spirit.
Priest/Deacon: A
reading from the holy Gospel according
to John.
All: Glory
to you, Lord.
The Gospel: John 2:13-25
John wrote to show that Christ was
the Messiah, the Divine Son of God.
Since
the Passover of the Jews was near, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. He found in
the temple area those who sold oxen, sheep, and doves, as well as the money
changers seated there. He made a whip out of cords and drove them all out
of the temple area, with the sheep and oxen, and spilled the coins of the money
changers and overturned their tables, and to those who sold doves he said, "Take
these out of here, and stop making my Father's house a marketplace." His
disciples recalled the words of Scripture, Zeal for your house will consume
me.
At this the Jews answered and said to him, "What sign can you show us for doing this?" Jesus answered and said to them, "Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up." The Jews said, "This temple has been under construction for forty-six years, and you will raise it up in three days?" But he was speaking about the temple of his body. Therefore, when he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he has said this, and they came to believe the Scripture and the word Jesus had spoken.
While he was in Jerusalem for the feast of Passover, many began to believe in his name when they saw the signs he was doing. But Jesus would not trust himself to them because he knew them all, and did not need anyone to testify about human nature. He himself understood it well.
Priest: The
Gospel of the Lord.
All: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
Priest: Through the words of the Gospel may our sins be wiped
away.
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 m 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: Be pleased, O Lord, with these sacrificial offerings, and grant that we who beseech pardon for our own sins, may take care to forgive our neighbor. Through Christ our Lord.
Eucharistic Prayer: (Number Two: 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 to
give him thanks and praise.
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, through Christ our
Lord.
For by your gracious gift each year your faithful await the sacred paschal feasts with the joy of minds made pure, sot that, more eagerly intent on prayer and on the works of charity, and participating in the mysteries by which they have been reborn, they may be led to the fullness of grace that you bestow on your sons and daughters.
And so, with Angels and Archangels, with Thrones and Dominion, and with all the hosts and Powers of heaven, we sing the hymn of your glory, as without end 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: Lord, you are holy indeed, the fountain of all
holiness. Let your Spirit come upon these gifts to make them holy, so that
they may become for us the body and blood of our Lord, Jesus Christ.
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: At the time he was betrayed and entered willingly into his Passion, he took bread and, giving thanks, broke it, 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 a similar way, when supper was ended, he took the chalice and, once more giving thanks, he gave it to his disciples, saying:
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: The
mystery of faith.
Priest
/ All: We
proclaim your Death, O Lord, and profess your Resurrection until you come again.
Memorial Prayer: (The priest may select from several forms).
Priest:
Recalls Christ's Passion, Resurrection, Ascension, the Church,
the dead, and ourselves.
Therefore, O Lord, as we celebrate the memorial of his Death and
Resurrection, we offer you, Lord, the Bread of life and the Chalice of
salvation, giving thanks that you have held us worthy to be in your presence and
minister to you. Humbly we pray that, partaking of the Body and Blood of
Christ, we may be gathered into one by the Holy Spirit.
Remember, your Church, spread throughout the
world, and bring her to the fullness of charity, together with _____ our Pope,
and _____ our Bishop, and all the clergy. Remember also our brothers and
sisters who have fallen asleep in the hope of the resurrection, and all who have
died in your mercy: welcome them into the light of your face. Have mercy
on us all, we pray, that with the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, with
Blessed Joseph, her spouse, with the
blessed Apostles, and all the Saints who have pleased you throughout the ages,
we may merit to be coheirs to eternal life, and may praise and glorify you
through your Son, Jesus Christ.
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: At
the Savior's command and formed by divine teaching, we dare 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.
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 forever.
Prayer for Peace:
Priest: Lord Jesus Christ, who said to your Apostles: Peace I leave
you, my peace I give you, look not on our sins, but on the faith of your Church,
and graciously grant her peace and unity in accordance with your will. Who
live and reign for ever and ever.
All: Amen.
Priest: The peace of the Lord be with
you always.
All: And with your spirit.
Priest: Let us offer each other the sign of peace.
Breaking of the Bread:
Priest: May this mingling of the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ bring eternal life to us who receive it.
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.
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, behold him who takes away the sins of the world. Blessed
are those called to the supper of the Lamb.
Priest and All: Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the world and my soul 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 84:4-5
A sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest for her young: by your
altars, O Lord of hosts, my King and my God. Blessed are they who dwell in
your house, for ever singing your praise.
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: What has passed our lips as food, O Lord, may we possess in purity of heart, that what has been given to us in time may be our healing for eternity.
Prayer after Communion:
Priest: Let us pray.
Priest: As we receive the pledge of things yet hidden in heaven and
are nourished while still on earth with the Bread that comes from on high, we
humbly entreat you, O Lord, that what is being brought about in as in mystery
may come to true completion. Through Christ our Lord.
Concluding Rite
Greeting:
Priest: The Lord be with you.
All: And
with your spirit.
Priest: Bow
down for the blessing.
Blessing:
Priest: Direct, O Lord, we pray, the hearts of your faithful, and
in your kindness grant your servants this grace that, abiding in the love of you
and their neighbor, they may fulfill the whole of your commands. Through
Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.
Priest: Go and announce the Gospel of 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.