Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time
January 28, 2024 Cycle B
Green priestly vestments symbolize hope and the vitality of
the life of faith.
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Liturgical
Year Cycle B 2023-2024
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: 106:47 Save us,
O Lord our God! And gather us from the nations, to give thanks to your holy
name, and make it our glory to praise you.
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: The Lord be with you.
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: You were sent to heal the contrite of heart: Lord, have
mercy.
All: Lord, have mercy.
Priest: You came to call sinners: Christ, have mercy.
All: Christ, have mercy.
Priest: You are seated at the right hand of the Father to intercede
for us: Lord, have mercy.
All: Lord, have mercy.
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 thanks, 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.
Priest: Grant us, Lord our God, that we may honor you with
all our mind, and love everyone in truth of 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 Book of Deuteronomy.
Deuteronomy 18:15-20
Moses spoke to all the people, saying: “A prophet like me will the Lord, your God, raise up for you from among your own kin; to him you shall listen. This is exactly what you requested of the Lord, your God, at Horeb on the day of the assembly, when you said, ‘Let us not again hear the voice of the Lord, or God, nor see this great fire any more, lest we die.’ And the Lord said to me, ‘This was well said. I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their kin, and will put my words into his mouth; he shall tell them all that I command him. Whoever will not listen to my words which he speaks in my name, I myself will make him answer for it. But if a prophet presumes to speak in my name an oracle that I have not commanded him to speak, or speaks in the name of other gods, he shall die.’”
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 95:1-2, 6-7, 7-9
Cantor: If today you hear his
voice, if today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts, harden not your
hearts.
All: R/. If
today you hear his voice, if today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts,
harden not your hearts.
Cantor: Come, let us sing 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: R/. If
today you hear his voice, if today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts,
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: R/. If
today you hear his voice, if today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts,
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: R/. If
today you hear his voice, if today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts,
harden not your hearts.
The Second Reading: Taken from the New Testament, often from a letter written by St. Paul.
1 Corinthians 7:32-35
Brothers and sisters: I should like you to be free of anxieties. An unmarried man is anxious about the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord. But a married man is anxious about the things of the world, how he may please his wife, and he is divided. An unmarried woman or a virgin is anxious about the things of the Lord, so that she may be holy in both body and spirit. A married woman, on the other hand, is anxious about the things of the world, how she may please her husband. I am telling you this for your own benefit, not to impose a restraint upon you, but for the sake of propriety and adherence to the Lord without distraction.
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.
Matthew 4:16
Cantor: Alleluia! Alleluia!
Alleluia!
ALL: R/. Alleluia! Alleluia!
Alleluia!
Cantor: The people who sit in darkness have seen a great
light; on those dwelling in a land overshadowed by death, light has arisen.
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.
The Gospel: Mark 1:21-28
Mark's writings explain Christ to the
Gentiles who had become Christian.
Then
they came to Capernaum, and on the Sabbath Jesus entered the synagogue and
taught. The people were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one
having authority and not as the scribes. In their synagogue was a man with an
unclean spirit; he cried out, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth?
Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are – the Holy One of God!” Jesus
rebuked him and said, “Quite! Come out of him!” The unclean spirit convulsed
him and with a loud cry came out of him. All were amazed and asked one another,
“What is this? A new teaching with authority. He commands even the unclean
spirits and they obey him.” His fame spread everywhere throughout the whole
region of Galilee.
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 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 Lord, we bring to your altar these offerings of our service: be pleased to receive them, we pray, and transform them into the Sacrament of our redemption. 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 your majesty and rejoices in your presence for ever. May our voices, we pray, join with theirs in one chorus of exultant praise, as we acclaim:
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: To
you, therefore, most merciful Father, we make humble prayer and petition through
Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord: that you accept and bless these gifts, these
offerings, these holy and unblemished sacrifices, which we offer you firstly for
your holy catholic church. Be pleased to grant her peace, to guard, unite
and govern her throughout the whole world, together with your servant ______,
our Pope and _____, our Bishop, and all those who, holding to the truth, hand on
the catholic and apostolic faith.
Remember, Lord, your servants _____ and _____ and all gathered here, whose faith and devotion are known to you. For them, we offer you this sacrifice of praise or they offer it for themselves and all who are dear to them: for the redemption of their souls, in hope of health and well-being, and paying their homage to you, the eternal God, living and true.
In communion with those whose memory we venerate, especially the glorious ever-Virgin Mary, Mother of our God and Lord, Jesus Christ, and blessed Joseph, her Spouse, your blessed Apostles and Martyrs, Peter and Paul, Andrew, James, John, Thomas, James, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Simon and Jude; Linus, Cletus, Clement, Sixtus, Cornelius, Cyprian, Lawrence, Chrysogonus, John and Paul, Cosmas and Damian and all your Saints; we ask that through their merits and prayers, in all things we may be defended by your protecting help. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Be pleased, O God, we pray, to bless, acknowledge, and approve this offering in every respect; make it spiritual and acceptable, so that it may become for us the Body and Blood of your most beloved Son, 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: On the day before he was to suffer, he took bread in his holy and venerable hands, and with eyes raised to heaven to you, O God, his almighty Father, giving you thanks, he 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 a similar
way, when
supper was ended, he took this precious chalice in his holy and venerable hands,
and once more giving you thanks, he said the blessing and gave the chalice 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.
The Mystery of Faith:
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: (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 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 Able 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 these 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 sign 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.
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.
Priest 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, free me by this, your most holy
Body and Blood, from all my sins and from every
evil; keep me always faithful to your commandments, and never let me be parted
from you.
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 31:17-18 Let your face
shine on your servant. Save me in your merciful love. O Lord, let me
never be put to shame, for I call on you.
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: Nourished
by these redeeming gifts, we pray, O Lord, that through this help to eternal
salvation, true faith may ever increase. Through Christ our Lord.
Concluding Rite
Priest: The Lord be with you.
All: And
with your spirit.
Priest: Bow
down for the blessing.
Dismissal Prayer: (The priest may select
from several forms)
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.
Final Blessing:
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 forth, the Mass is ended.
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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