Jeremiah 20:10–13
He has delivered the soul of the needy from the hands of evil men.
Psalm 68(69):8–10, 14, 17, 33–35
R. Lord, in your great love, answer me.
Romans 5:12–15
The gift considerably outweighed the fall.
John 15:26,27
The Spirit of truth will bear witness to me, says the Lord, and you also will be my witnesses.
Matthew 10:26–33
Do not be afraid of those who kill the body.
It is, therefore, of the greatest importance that the celebration of the Mass, or the Lord’s Supper be so arranged that the sacred ministers and the faithful taking part in it, according to the proper state of each, may derive from it more abundantly those fruits for the sake of which Christ the Lord instituted the Eucharistic Sacrifice of his Body and Blood and entrusted it to the Church, his beloved Bride, as the memorial of his Passion and Resurrection.
—General Instruction of the Roman Missal, §17
How we celebrate the Mass matters. The reverence with which we approach this most sacred celebration, the intentionality and dignity with which it is accorded, is how both the priest and the faithful are able to 'derive from it more abundantly those fruits for the sake of which Christ the Lord instituted the Eucharistic Sacrifice'. By their participation in the Mass, every person ascends Calvary to be united with our Lord. Is this reflected in how we celebrate the Mass?
‘Renewed and nourished by the Sacred Body and Precious Blood of your Son, we ask of your mercy, O Lord, that what we celebrate with constant devotion may be our sure pledge of redemption.’ —prayer after Communion
Exodus 19:2–6
I will count you a kingdom of priests, a consecrated nation.
Psalm 99(100):2–3, 5
R. We are his people, the sheep of his flock.
Romans 5:6–11
Now we have been reconciled by the death of his Son, surely we may count on being saved by the life of his Son.
John 15:26,27
The Spirit of truth will bear witness to me, says the Lord, and you also will be my witnesses.
Mark 1:15
The kingdom of God is near; repent and believe the Good News!
In addition, the nature of the ministerial priesthood also puts into its proper light another reality, which must indeed be highly regarded, namely, the royal priesthood of the faithful, whose spiritual sacrifice is brought to completeness through the ministry of the Bishop and the priests in union with the sacrifice of Christ, the one and only Mediator. For the celebration of the Eucharist is an action of the whole Church, and in it each one should carry out solely but completely that which pertains to him or her, in virtue of the rank of each within the People of God ... Though holy in its origin, this people nevertheless grows continually in holiness by its conscious, active, and fruitful participation in the mystery of the Eucharist.
—General Instruction of the Roman Missal, §5
The Church often speaks about the priestly People of God. However, the sharing of every baptised person in the priestly office of Christ does not eradicate distinctions in 'rank' or vocation or calling. The Church is a unity in its difference. The ministerial priesthood and episcopacy are called to serve a particular role in the dispensation of the sacraments; the laity are also called to serve in their own way, bringing their whole lives as a sacrificial offering, uniting them to the sacrifice of Christ. In this communion with the Body and Blood of Christ, we grow in holiness.
‘As this reception of your Holy Communion, O Lord, foreshadows the union of the faithful in you, so may it bring about unity in your Church.’ —prayer after Communion
Deuteronomy 8:2–3, 14–16
He fed you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known.
Psalm 147:12–15, 19–20
R. Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.
1 Corinthians 10:16–17
That there is only one loaf means that, though we are many, we form one body.
John 6:51–52
I am the living bread from heaven, says the Lord; whoever eats this bread will live for ever.
John 6:51–58
My flesh is real food and my blood is real drink.
Above all, the Second Vatican Council, which recommended ‘that more perfect form of participation in the Mass by which the faithful, after the priest’s Communion, receive the Lord’s Body from the same Sacrifice,’19 called for another desire of the Fathers of Trent to be realized, namely that for the sake of a fuller participation in the holy Eucharist ‘the faithful present at each Mass should communicate not only by spiritual desire but also by sacramental reception of the Eucharist.
—General Instruction of the Roman Missal, §13
Full participation at Mass requires the priestly people of God to share in physical communion with the consecrated Body and Blood of Christ. For this reason, Communion should only be given from the altar, not from the tabernacle. By this eating and drinking, the priestly people of God exercise fully their priesthood in Christ.
‘Grant, O Lord, we pray, that we may delight for all eternity in that share in our divine life which is foreshadowed in the present age by our reception of your precious Body and Blood.’ —prayer after Communion
Exodus 34:4–6, 8–9
‘Lord, Lord, a God of tenderness and compassion’
Daniel 3:52–56
R. To you glory and praise for evermore.
2 Corinthians 13:11–13
The grace of Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit
cf. Revelation 1:8
Glory to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit: to God who is, who was, and who is to come.
John 3:16–18
God sent his Son so that through him the world might be saved.
When the Entrance chant is concluded, the priest stands at the chair and, together with the whole gathering, makes the Sign of the Cross. Then he signifies the presence of the Lord to the community gathered there by means of the Greeting. By this greeting and the people’s response, the mystery of the Church gathered together is made manifest.
—General Instruction of the Roman Missal, §50
‘May receiving this Sacrament, O Lord, our God, bring us health of body and soul, as we confess your eternal holy Trinity and undivided Unity.’
—prayer after Communion
Acts 2:1–11
They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak.
Psalm 103(104):1, 24, 29–31, 34
R. Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.
1 Corinthians 12:3–7, 12–13
In the one Spirit we were all baptised.
Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love.
John 20:19–23
As the Father sent me, so am I sending you: receive the Holy Spirit.
The Christian community is never closed in upon itself … This intimate life only acquires its full meaning when it becomes a witness … Thus it is the whole Church that receives the mission to evangelize, and the work of each individual member is important for the whole.
—Paul VI, Evangelii Nuntiandi, §15
For many, the word evangelisation implies standing on a street corner pushing opinions to convert others. In contrast, Pope Paul speaks of a subtle and respectful approach of entering into dialogue with contemporary culture to discover its values and offer it the depth of Christian life. This is our daily task: to be witnesses to the world in which we move.
‘O God, who bestow heavenly gifts upon your Church, safeguard, we pray, the grace you have given, that the gift of the Holy Spirit poured out upon her may retain all its force and that this spiritual food may gain her abundance of eternal redemption.’
—prayer after Communion
Acts 1:1–11
Jesus was lifted up while they looked on.
Psalm 46(47):2–3, 6–9
R. God mounts his throne to shouts of joy: a blare of trumpets for the Lord.
Ephesians 1:17–23
God made him sit at his right hand in heaven.
Matthew 28:19, 20
Go and teach all people my Gospel. I am with you always, until the end of the world.
Matthew 28:16–20
Go and make disciples of all nations.
The pilgrim Church is missionary by her very nature, since it is from the mission of the Son and the mission of the Holy Spirit that she draws her origin, in accordance with the decree of God the Father.
—Vatican II, Decree on the Church’s Missionary Activity, §2
Christ has entrusted to all the call to mission. All are called to participate in the overflowing love of God, who sent his Son into the world and who in turn gives the Spirit to men and women in all time and ages. By initiation, we are called and empowered to do what God does in the world: we are the hearts and hands of God who can bring God’s love and compassion into every aspect of our life. We are commissioned to be ambassadors of God’s love so that his message may reach the ends of the earth.
‘Almighty ever-living God, who allow those on earth to celebrate divine mysteries, grant, we pray, that Christian hope may draw us onward to where our nature is united with you.’
—prayer after Communion
Acts 8:5–8, 14–17
They laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
Psalm 65(66):1–7, 16, 20
R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
1 Peter 3:15–18
In the body he was put to death, in the spirit he was raised to life.
John 14:23
All who love me will keep my words, and my Father will love them and we will come to them.
John 14:15–21
I shall ask the Father and he will give you another Advocate.
Zeal for the promotion and restoration of the liturgy is rightly held to be a sign of the providential dispositions of God in our time, as a movement of the Holy Spirit in His Church. It is today a distinguishing mark of the Church’s life.
—Vatican II, Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, §43
Our generation has witnessed a resurgence of the place of the Holy Spirit in our liturgy. Previously it was not common to speak of the working of the Spirit in the prayers of the Church. Nowadays we regularly name the Spirit working in our liturgy, particularly in the eucharistic prayers. It is only by the Spirit that the gifts we bring for consecration become the Body and Blood of Christ. As we share these gifts, we become one body, one spirit in Christ.
‘Almighty ever-living God, who restore us to eternal life in the Resurrection of Christ, increase in us, we pray, the fruits of this paschal Sacrament and pour into our hearts the strength of this saving food.’ —prayer after Communion
God strengthens us through the Gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ. In his name, we make intercession for all who await his mercy.
We pray for Pope Leo and the bishops of our Church. May their teachings encourage the people of our day to look to the Gospel as the words of eternal life.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for world leaders who proclaim the Christmas message of hope. May their words be put into action for the betterment of their people.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for families where there is division and tension. May the true spirit of Christmas touch their hearts and lead to healing and peace.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for those awaiting the birth of a child. May they, like Mary, be filled with wonder at God’s gift of life.
Lord hear us
We pray for …
Lord hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for the sick of our parish and for those who care for them.
We pray for those who have died recently and for those whose anniversaries occur at this time. May they be welcomed to the eternal banquet at the table of the Lord.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
God of mercy, hear your people as we open our hearts to your words of hope. We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
The will of God for us is to give thanks for all things. Ever mindful that we can trust in God’s care for all Creation, we bring these prayers of petition to our Almighty Father.
We pray for Pope Leo and the bishops of our Church. May they be guided by the Spirit to spread the message of hope and trust in the Good News.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for the leaders of our world. May justice and peace be at the very heart of their words and actions.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for all people who have been baptised in Christ. May we all continue to listen to the words of Jesus and to hold fast to all that is good.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for our faith community. May we, in this Advent season, seek quiet spaces in the rushed activity of our lives to welcome Jesus.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for …
Lord hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for the sick of our parish and for all who have asked for our prayers.
We pray for the recently deceased and for those whose anniversaries occur at this time. May the God of mercy fulfil the promise of their baptism by welcoming them into eternal life.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
Your mercy, O God, is on all those who call out to you. Receive these petitions and come to the help of your servant people. We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Let us lift up our prayers of petition to our God, who brings comfort to all people.
We pray for Pope Leo and the bishops of our Church. May they always be for us models of Christian hope.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray in solidarity with and for persecuted Christians and other minorities around the world. May they see an end to the violence being waged against them.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for all the women and men of our time who, like John the Baptist, give fearless witness to the Gospel. May their words and actions open the hearts of us all.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for our faith community. May we heed the words of St Peter and strive to live lives that are ‘holy and saintly’.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for …
Lord hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for the sick of our parish and for all who have asked for our prayers.
We pray for all those who have died recently and those whose anniversaries occur at this time. May the Lord rejoice to lead them home.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
Gracious God, hear the prayers of your people, who await new heavens and a new earth in which your righteousness dwells. We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.