Fifth Sunday of Lent
March 22, 2026 Cycle A
Purple priestly vestments symbolize penance and preparation.

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Liturgical Year 2025-2026 

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 42:1-2 
Give me justice, O God, and plead my cause against a nation that is faithless.  From the deceitful and cunning, rescue me, for you, O God, are my strength.  

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 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:   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 Collect 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.  By your help, we beseech you, Lord our God, may we walk eagerly in that same charity with which, out of love for the world, your Son handed himself over to death.  Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.

Liturgy of the Word

Christ is made known to us through the Old Testament which prepares us to recognize Him.  In those days, God inspired men who spoke His message.  Now, the New Testament Gospel reading announces His presence to us directly through His Son.  Both readings bring God's message to us.  Our responsibility is to respond.

The First Reading: From the Old Testament

Priest/Reader:   A reading from the prophet Ezekiel. 

First Reading:   Ezekiel 37:12-14

Thus says the Lord God: O my people, I will open your graves and have you rise from them and bring you back to the land of Israel.  Then you shall know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves and have you rise from them, O my people!  I will put my spirit in you that you may live, and I will settle you upon your land; thus, you shall know that I am the Lord.  I have promised, and I will do it, says the Lord.

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 130:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8

Cantor:   With the Lord there is mercy, and fullness of redemption.
All:   R/   With the Lord there is mercy, and fullness of redemption.
Cantor:   Out of the depths I cry to you O Lord; Lord, hear my voice!  Let your ears be attentive to my voice in supplication.
All:   R/   With the Lord there is mercy, and fullness of redemption.
Cantor:   If you, O Lord, mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand?  But with you is forgiveness, that you may be revered.
All:   R/   With the Lord there is mercy, and fullness of redemption.
Cantor:   I trust in the Lord; my soul trusts in his word.  More than sentinels wait for the dawn, let Israel wait for the Lord.
All:   R/   With the Lord there is mercy, and fullness of redemption.
Cantor:   For with the Lord is kindness and with him is plenteous redemption; and he will redeem Israel from all their iniquities.
All:   R/.  With the Lord there is mercy, and fullness of redemption.

The Second Reading:  Taken from the New Testament, often from a letter written by St. Paul.

Priest/Reader:   A Reading from the first letter of Saint Paul to the Romans.  

Second Reading:   Romans 8:8-11

Brothers and sisters: Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.  But you are not in the flesh; on the contrary, you are in the spirit, if only the Spirit of God dwells in you.  Whoever does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.  But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the spirit is alive because of righteousness.  If the Spirit of the One who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, the One who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also, through his Spirit dwelling in you.

The Alleluia:  An ancient expression of joy anticipating the Lord's message we will hear in the Gospel.
John 11:25a, 26

Cantor:    Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ, king of endless glory!
ALL:  R/.  Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ, king of endless glory!
Cantor:    I am the resurrection and the life, said the Lord: he who believes in me, even if he dies, will never die.
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 11:1-45

John wrote to show that Christ was
the Messiah, the Divine Son of God.

Now a man was ill, Lazarus from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha.  Mary was the one who had anointed the Lord with perfumed oil and dried his feet with her hair; it was her brother Lazarus who was ill.  So, the sisters sent word to Jesus saying, “Master, the one you love is ill.”  When Jesus heard this, he said, “This illness is not to end in death, but is for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”  Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.  So, when he heard that he was ill, he remained for two days in the place where he was.  Then after this he said to his disciples, “Let us go back to Judea.”  The disciples said to him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just trying to stone you, and you want to go back there?”   Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in a day?   If one walks during the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world.  But if one walks at night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.”  He said this, and then told them, “Our friend Lazarus is asleep, but I am going to awaken him.”  So, the disciples said to him, “Master, if he is asleep, he will be saved.”  But Jesus was talking about his death, while they thought that he meant ordinary sleep.  So then, Jesus said to them clearly, “Lazarus has died.  And I am glad for you that I was not there, that you may believe.  Let us go to him.”  So, Thomas, called Didymus, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go to die with him.”

When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days.  Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, only about two miles away.  And many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them about their brother.  When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him; but Mary sat at home.  Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.  But even now I know that whatever you ask f God, God will give you.”  Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise.”  Martha said to him, “I know he will rise, in the resurrection on the last day.”  Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die.  Do you believe this?”  She said to him, “Yes, Lord, I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world.”

When she has said this, she went and called her sister Mary secretly, saying, “The teacher is here and is asking for you.”  As soon as she heard this, she rose quickly and went to him.  For Jesus had not yet come into the village but was still where Martha had met him.  So, when the Jews who were with her in the house comforting her saw Mary get up quickly and go out, they followed her, presuming that she was going to the tomb to weep there.  When Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”  When Jesus saw her weeping and the Jews who had come with her weeping, he became perturbed and deeply troubled, and said, “Where have you laid him?”  They said to him, “Sir, come and see.”  And Jesus wept.  So, the Jews said, “See how he loved him.”  But some of them said, “Could not the one who opened the eyes of the blind man have done something so that this man would not have died?”

So, Jesus perturbed again, came to the tomb.  It was a cave, and a stone lay across it.  Jesus said, “Take away the stone.”  Martha, the dead man’s sister, said to him, “Lord, by now there will be a stench; he has been dead for four days.”  Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believe you will see the glory of God?”  So, they took away the stone.  And Jesus raised his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you for hearing me.  I know that you always hear me; but because of the crowd here I have said this, that they may believe that you sent me.”  And when he had said this, he cried out in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!”  The dead man came out, tied hand and foot with burial bands, and his face was wrapped in a cloth.  So Jesus said to them, “Untie him and let him go.”

Now many of the Jews who had come to Mary and seen what he had done began to believe in him.

Priest:    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 Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is visible and invisible.  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 he 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 forward to 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, through your goodness we have this bread to offer, which earth has given and human hands have made.  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 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:    Lord, wash away my iniquity; cleanse me from my sin. Pray, brethren, that my sacrifice and yours may be acceptable to God, 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:   Hear us, almighty God, and, having instilled in your servants the teachings of the Christian faith, graciously purify them by the working of this sacrifice.  Through Christ our Lord.
All:    Amen.

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 as true man he wept for Lazarus his friend and as eternal God raised him from the tomb, just as, taking pity on the human race, he leads us by sacred mysteries to new life.  Through him the host of Angels adores your majesty and rejoices in your presence forever.  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.

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. 

Priest:   You are indeed Holy, O Lord, the fount of all holiness.  Make holy, therefore, these gifts, we pray, by sending down your spirit upon them like the dewfall, so that they may become for us the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.  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:     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).

Therefore, 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 Sprit. 

Remember, Lord, 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, forever 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:   Let us pray for the coming of the kingdom as Jesus taught 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, from every evil, and grant us peace in our day.  In your mercy keep us free from sin and protect us from all anxiety as we wait in joyful hope for 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, you 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 the peace and unity of your kingdom where you live 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 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:

Communion Song: John 11:26
Everyone who lives and believes in me will not die for ever, says the Lord.

Communion of the Faithful:

Priest:   The Body of Christ.    
The Faithful:   Amen

Priest:   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 forever.

Prayer after Communion:

Priest:   Let us pray.
Priest:   We pray, almighty God, that we may always be counted among the members of Christ, in whose Body and Blood we have communion.  Who lives and reigns forever and ever.

Concluding Rite

Priest:   The Lord be with you.
All:    And also, with you.
Priest:   Bow your heads and let us pray for God's blessing.

Dismissal Prayer: (The priest may select from several forms)

Priest:   Bless, O Lord, your people, who long for the gift of your mercy, and grant what, at your prompting, they desire they may receive by your generous gift.  Through Christ our Lord.
All:   Amen.

Final Blessing:

Priest:   May almighty God bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
All:   Amen.

Priest/Deacon:   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,