Recognising that Christ is our wisdom, our virtue, our holiness and our freedom, we offer these prayers in the hope that we might serve God with our whole being.
Reader
We pray for Pope Francis and all those in ordained ministry. May they serve your people in a spirit of charity and love.
Lord, hear us. Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for all national leaders. In the spirit of justice, may they make their mark as peacemakers in our world.
Lord, hear us. Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for all who have responded to the Lord’s call, whether married, single, ordained to the priesthood or in religious life. May they grow in the grace of their vocations.
Lord, hear us. Lord, hear our prayer.
As we begin a new school year, we pray for all teachers that they may be blessed in dealing with our young people, encouraging them to work to the best of their abilities and to enjoy success in their studies.
Lord, hear us. Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for our faith community as we share in this Eucharist. May we strive to use our God-given gifts in the service of others.
Lord, hear us. Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for …
Lord hear us. Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for sick parishioners, family members and friends, that they will find healing. We pray for those who have died recently and those whose anniversaries we recall at this time. May they enter into the eternal life of God’s kingdom, as promised to us all.
Lord, hear us. Lord, hear our prayer.
Presider
Father in heaven, hear the prayers of all of us gathered here as we seek to more fully serve you. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Entrance
Christ be beside me—CWBII 463
Gather us in—AOV1 12, CWBII 501, G 848, GA 526
Praise to the Lord, the Almighty—AOV2 132, CWB 792, CWBII 586, G 616, GA 421
Seek, O seek the Lord—CWB 802, CWBII 595, GA 211
Responsorial psalm (see also music overview for Ordinary Time)
Psalm 145 (146): Happy the Poor in Spirit (Porter)—G 139
Common Psalm 102 (103): The Lord is kind and merciful (Haugen)—G 75, DD (GIA)
Common Psalm 102 (103): The Lord is kind and merciful (Herry)—DD (Marist Music)
Common Psalm 102 (103): The Lord is kind and merciful (Willcock)—GA 61, PFS 56
Common Psalm 144 (145): I will praise your name (Willcock)—CWB 337, GA 82, PFS 58
Gospel acclamation
Matthew 5:12
Alleluia, alleluia! Rejoice and be glad; your reward will be great in heaven. Alleluia!
Procession of the gifts/offertory
The Beatitudes (Kearney)—CWB 817, CWBII 456, GA 489
For the healing of the nations—G 803, GA 513, DD (GIA)
O blessed are the poor in spirit—CWBII 563
Seek ye first—AOV1 48, CWBII 594, GA 456, G 658
Communion
A Touching Place—GA 469
Be not afraid (Dufford)—AOV1 114, CWBII 653, G 683, GA 449
Jesus, you are bread for us—AOV1 42, CWBII 116
My peace—AOV2 96, CWBII 558, GA 518
My soul is longing for your peace—CWB 751, CWBII 559, GA 519
Prayer of St Francis—AOV2 126, CWB 793, CWBII 555, G 828, GA 490
The cry of the poor—AOV1 83, CWBII 618, G 47, GA 36
Thanksgiving hymn/song/canticle (optional, sung by all)
My peace—AOV2 96, CWBII 558, GA 518
We have no other boast—CWBII 502, GA 491
Sending forth
Christ be near us—AOVNG 21
Go make a difference—AOVNG 52, DD (OCP)
In faith and hope and love—CWB 722, CWBII 520, GA 442
The kingdom of God—CWBII 616, G 736
First reading
Zephaniah 2:3, 3:12–13 In your midst I will leave a humble and lowly people.
Responsorial psalm
Psalm 145(146):6–10 R. Happy the poor in spirit; the kingdom of heaven is theirs.
Second reading
1 Corinthians 1:26–31 God chose what is foolish by human reckoning, to shame the wise.
Gospel acclamation
Matthew 5:12 Rejoice and be glad; your reward will be great in heaven.
Gospel
Matthew 5:1–12a How happy are the poor in spirit.
Images from the Word
Poor in spirit
Pure in heart
Rejoice and be glad
A humble and lowly people
Shame the wise
Liturgical notes
Therefore, attention should be paid to what is determined by this General Instruction and the traditional practice of the Roman Rite and to what serves the common spiritual good of the People of God, rather than private inclination or arbitrary choice.
A common posture, to be observed by all participants, is a sign of the unity of the members of the Christian community gathered for the sacred Liturgy: it both expresses and fosters the intention and spiritual attitude.
—General Instruction of the Roman Missal, §42
How sensitive is our liturgical assembly to the significance of the gestures we share during the celebration? When it comes to singing, we are very aware of our need to sing together—singing at our own tempo is not appropriate. Regarding the gestures we share, though, we are not that sensitive—some may choose to stand, while others kneel and others sit during parts of the Mass. Are we not all called to share the same posture to express and foster our unity?
‘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.’
Hearing that John had been arrested, Jesus went back to Galilee, and leaving Nazareth he went and settled in Capernaum, a lakeside town on the borders of Zebulun and Naphtali. In this way the prophecy of Isaiah was to be fulfilled:
‘Land of Zebulun! Land of Naphtali! Way of the sea on the far side of Jordan, Galilee of the nations! The people that lived in darkness has seen a great light; on those who dwell in the land and shadow of death a light has dawned.’
From that moment Jesus began his preaching with the message, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is close at hand.’
As he was walking by the Sea of Galilee he saw two brothers, Simon, who was called Peter, and his brother Andrew; they were making a cast in the lake with their net, for they were fishermen. And he said to them, ‘Follow me and I will make you fishers of men.’ And they left their nets at once and followed him. Going on from there he saw another pair of brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John; they were in their boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them. At once, leaving the boat and their father, they followed him.
He went round the whole of Galilee teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Good News of the kingdom and curing all kinds of diseases and sickness among the people.
(Matthew 4:12–23)
Did you know?
Points of interest and Catholic lore
When the people of Israel returned to the Promised Land after their liberation from Egypt, the land was divided among the twelve tribes descended from the twelve sons of Jacob. Zebulun and Naphtali were two of those sons.
The town of Capernaum stood on the shores of the Sea of Galilee, on the border of the areas given to these two sons of Jacob.
Matthew uses the term kingdom of heaven rather than kingdom of God. This may have been because his audience is largely Jewish, and Jews avoided using the sacred name of God.
This is another example of Matthew stating that, in Jesus, the Old Testament prophecies of the Messiah’s coming are fulfilled.
Exploring the Word
This gospel tells of the first public actions of Jesus’ ministry. It should be studied in conjunction with the first reading from Isaiah, which speaks of a light coming that breaks the ‘bars’, ‘yokes’ and ‘rods’ that bind people and weigh them down.
What are the things that weigh you down at the moment?
From what does our world need to be liberated?
This gospel reveals Jesus as the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy. John the Baptist, the precursor, has now left the scene, having been arrested, so Jesus takes up and completes his message of repentance because the kingdom is at hand. In the final verses, the manifestation of that kingdom is made apparent. People are healed and the Good News is proclaimed. The second part of this text shows the effectiveness of Jesus’ message. His voice and his proclamation draw people from their labours to a new kind of work: cooperating in the task of drawing people to the truth of God’s plan for the world.
Explore the call of discipleship and what that means for people who follow Christ today. How are we called to ‘come, follow me’?
Making connections
Opportunities for group discussion and personal prayer
What have you left behind to follow Jesus? How do you feel about that?
Have you ever felt ‘called’ to do something: a challenge you just could not pass by? a strange urge to move beyond your normal behaviour, or to pursue something outside your experience? What was the outcome? Share your reflections.
Try to be a light for other people this week. Be aware of opportunities through which you could draw other people to Christ.
Use a part of today’s psalm as your prayer this week: The Lord is my light and my salvation. Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; before whom shall I shrink? The Lord is my light and my salvation.
Sharing the tradition
A closer look at the Scripture of the day, to see how it makes more explicit God’s word to us through the teachings of Jesus Christ
Peter the fisherman was always considered to be the first among the apostles—that is, the twelve specially chosen followers of Jesus.
Point out the difference between the many who were disciples and the Twelve.
The primacy of Peter, the first Bishop of Rome, is carried on in the Church through the primacy of the Pope as Bishop of Rome and successor of Peter. One of the titles often given to the Pope is ‘the fisherman’, as in the book and film The Shoes of the Fisherman.
Explain the structure of the hierarchical Church—with the Pope at its head, the College of Cardinals, the Synod of Bishops, local bishops’ conferences, dioceses and individual parishes—and the unity that exists in the whole Church. (See Catechism of the Catholic Church, §§880–887.)
You could share a profile of the current successor of Peter, Pope Francis, highlighting his particular focus and witness as pope.
You could introduce the teaching authority of the Church, or magisterium, and explain how that operates.You may need to deal with some sensitive issues of church teaching or the question of infallibility.
Symbols and images
St Cyril of Jerusalem offered the following reflection to catechumens around the year 380:
You now find yourself in the fishing nets of Christ. Let yourselves be caught. Christ wants to capture you, not to kill you but to give you life out of death.
How does this speak to you as a catechumen today?
Living the Word
Practical ideas for group leaders to employ in connecting Scripture and daily life, with suggestions for music and environment
Identify the ways in which your community reaches out to others as ‘fishers of people’. This is part of the missionary and evangelising nature of the Church. Are there ways catechumens can bear witness to their own call to faith? What may they be able to teach others in your community who were born into the Church?
You could use images of fish or boats as a focus for prayer. A suitable song could be ‘The Galilee Song’ (As One Voice 5). Pray for each other, for strength on the journey as you leave your old life behind to follow Jesus. Pray for all those involved in a ministry of drawing new followers to Christ. Conclude with the prayer of exorcism in the RCIA at §94E.
Presider
As we gather to be formed in faith by God’s word, we ask the Lord of all hopefulness to receive these prayers of intercession for all God’s people.
Reader
We pray for Pope Francis and all Church leaders. May they use wisely the authority bestowed on them and continue to witness to God’s kingdom among us.
Lord, hear us. Lord, hear our prayer.
As we celebrate Australia Day this week, may we be sensitive to and acknowledge the First Nations of this land. We pray for God’s blessings on all of us and on our land, where we are privileged to live.
Lord, hear us. Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for our faith community. In the light of the prophetic call of our baptism, may we discern the movement of God’s Spirit in our daily lives.
Lord, hear us. Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for …
Lord hear us. Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for Pope Emeritus Benedict. May he share in the heavenly liturgy, having devoutly exercised the ministry of priest and bishop in the earthly liturgy.
Lord hear us. Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for sick parishioners, family and friends, that they will find healing. We pray for those who have died recently and for those whose anniversaries occur at this time. May they enter into the eternal life of God’s kingdom, as promised to us all.
Lord, hear us. Lord, hear our prayer.
Presider
Father in heaven, we have come together to ask your blessings upon us and on all who have asked for our prayers. We are confident you do not forget your own people. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Entrance
Christ, be our light—AOV2 3, CWBII 540, G 590, GA 404
City of God—AOV1 57, CWBII 453, G 766, GA 498
Galilee Song—AOV1 5
Gather as one—AOVNG 48
Gather us in—AOV1 12, CWBII 501, G 848, GA 526
I heard the voice of Jesus say—AOV1 54, CWBII 512, G 724, GA 468
In Christ there is no east or west—CWBII 519, G 832
Responsorial psalm (see also music overview for Ordinary Time)
Psalm 26 (27): The Lord is my light (Ancell)—GA 27
Psalm 26 (27): The Lord is my light (Herry)—DD (Marist Music)
Psalm 26 (27): The Lord is my light (Willcock)—CWBII 481 (refrain 2), GA 28 (refrain II), PFS 40
Common Psalm 144 (145): I will praise your name (Willcock)—CWB 337, GA 82, PFS 58
Gospel acclamation
Matthew 4:23
Alleluia, Alleluia! Jesus preached the Good News of the kingdom and healed all who were sick. Alleluia!
Procession of the gifts/offertory
A new commandment—CWB 615, CWBII 443, GA 318
All creatures of our God and King—CWB 618, CWBII 446, G 611, GA 395
All creatures of our God and King (arr. Rick Modlin)—DD (OCP)
Christ Light, shining in the darkness—CWBII 468
Christians, let us love one another—CWB 648, CWBII 469, GA 206
The Summons—CWBII 645, G 790, GA 502
You walk along our shoreline—CWBII 653
Communion
Do not be afraid/The Lord is my light—AOV2 73, CWBII 481, GA 28, PFS 40
Here I am, Lord—AOV1 90, CWBII 518, G 777, GA 496
One body in Christ—AOVNG 102
One bread, one body—AOV1 129, CWBII 579, G 932, GA 193
Seed, scattered and sown—CWBII 592, GA 195
Ubi caritas (Taizé)—CWBII 633, 634, GA 324
Where there is charity and love—CWB 863, CWBII 638, GA 323
Thanksgiving hymn/song/canticle (optional, sung by all or sending forth
A Blessing Hymn for Australia—CWBII 655, DD (Marist Music, free)
Christ, be our light—AOV2 3, CWBII 540, G 590, GA 404
City of God—AOV1 57, CWBII 453, G 766, GA 498
Out of darkness—AOV1 134, GA 504
The Great Southland—AOV2 159
Word of God, come down on earth—CWBII 644
First reading
Isaiah 8:23–9:3 In Galilee of the nations the people has seen a great light.
Responsorial psalm
Psalm 26(27):1, 4, 13–14 R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.
Second reading
1 Corinthians 1:10–13, 17 Make up the differences between you instead of disagreeing among yourselves.
Gospel acclamation
Matthew 4:23 Jesus preached the Good News of the kingdom and healed all who were sick.
Gospel
Matthew 4:12–23 He went and settled in Capernaum: in this way the prophecy of Isaiah was fulfilled.
Images from the Word
Repent
Come
Immediately
A great light
Is Christ divided?
Liturgical notes
Therefore, attention should be paid to what is determined by this General Instruction and the traditional practice of the Roman Rite and to what serves the common spiritual good of the People of God, rather than private inclination or arbitrary choice.
A common posture, to be observed by all participants, is a sign of the unity of the members of the Christian community gathered for the sacred Liturgy: it both expresses and fosters the intention and spiritual attitude.
—General Instruction of the Roman Missal, §42
How sensitive is our liturgical assembly to the significance of the gestures we share during the celebration? When it comes to singing, we are very aware of our need to sing together—singing at our own tempo is not appropriate. Regarding the gestures we share, though, we are not that sensitive—some may choose to stand, while others kneel and others sit during parts of the Mass. Are we not all called to share the same posture to express and foster our unity?
‘O sing a new song to the Lord; sing to the Lord, all the earth. In his presence are majesty and splendour, strength and honour in his holy place.’
—entrance antiphon
First reading
Isaiah 49:3, 5–6 I will make you the light of the nations so that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.
Responsorial psalm
Psalm 39(40):2, 4, 7–10 R. Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will.
Second reading
1 Corinthians 1:1–3 May God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ send you grace and peace.
Gospel acclamation
John 1:14, 12 The Word of God became flesh and dwelt among us. He enabled those who accepted him to become the children of God.
Gospel
John 1:29–34 ‘Look: there is the Lamb of God.’
Images from the Word
Lamb of God
Remain upon him
Son of God
Light of the nations
Church of God
Liturgical notes
The Christian faithful who gather together as one to await the Lord’s coming are instructed by the Apostle Paul to sing together psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs (cf. Col 3:16). Singing is the sign of the heart’s joy (cf. Acts 2:46). Thus St Augustine says rightly, ‘Singing is for one who loves.’ There is also the ancient proverb: ‘One who sings well prays twice.’
—General Instruction of the Roman Missal, §39
The importance that the Church places upon singing at our Sunday celebration is reflected in all the work that was done to provide us with the Catholic Worship Book II. This resource goes well beyond providing hymns that can serve our diverse communities. It also provides resources for the necessary singing of the parts of the Mass. We are also becoming aware of the need to sing the responsorial psalm as the model for the best celebration of the Liturgy of the Word.
‘All the earth shall bow down before you, O God, and shall sing to you, shall sing to your name, O Most High!’ —entrance antiphon
Seeing Jesus coming towards him, John said, ‘Look, there is the lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world. This is the one I spoke of when I said: A man is coming after me who ranks before me because he existed before me. I did not know him myself, and yet it was to reveal him to Israel that I came baptising with water.’ John also declared, ‘I saw the Spirit coming down on him from heaven like a dove and resting on him. I did not know him myself, but he who sent me to baptise with water had said to me, “The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and rest is the one who is going to baptise with the Holy Spirit.” Yes, I have seen and I am the witness that he is the Chosen One of God.’
(John 1:29–34)
Did you know?
Points of interest and Catholic lore
The title of ‘Lamb of God’ would have suggested the Passover feast to those listening to John. At that time, sacrificial lambs were slaughtered in the temple, recalling the blood of the lambs that was shed so that Israel could be spared death and freed from slavery in Egypt. Read the story of this deliverance in Exodus 12.
Now that the Christmas cycle is completed, the Church enters what is known as ‘Ordinary Time’ for a period. (This will be interrupted for the Lent–Easter–Pentecost cycle.)
Ordinary Time does not mean a time that is commonplace or unremarkable. The name derives from the word ordinal, which means ‘counted and sequential’.
Exploring the Word
This week, we depart from the normal cycle of readings from Matthew for this text in John. There is no explicit account of the baptism of Jesus in John. Rather, the emphasis is on John the Baptist as a witness to the real identity of Jesus: the Lamb of God and the Chosen One of God. Twice John the Baptist says, ‘I did not know him myself but it was to reveal him that I came.’ Such a statement would have had a significant effect on the evangelist’s community. This is the last of the gospels written, at around the end of the first century. It is unlikely that many followers of Jesus in this community would have known him personally, some seventy years earlier!
But John the Baptist, despite his not knowing Jesus in person, is in no doubt as to his identity. Filled with conviction, he knows that Jesus is the one in whom the hopes of Israel and all humankind will be fulfilled. ‘Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe’ (John 20:29).
In what ways does this echo our own experience of not knowing Jesus as a physical reality but recognising him as the fulfillment of our longings?
What things may hinder our recognition of Jesus?
How could you point others to Jesus and give witness to who he is?
Making connections
Opportunities for group discussion and personal prayer
How do you witness to the Chosen One of God?
Twice John says that he did not know Jesus himself, but that Jesus was revealed to him by God. What was it that first revealed Jesus to you?
What sin of the world is in need of redemption today?
Have you ever been an eye witness to something significant, either in your family or in the wider community? Share stories of what you have seen? How did you bear witness to this event? What effect did it have on you?
Like John, give witness to Christ this week. Share something of your search for faith with others.
The title of ‘Lamb of God’ is used of Jesus during the liturgy in the Communion rite. Learn this prayer by heart and say it often, contemplating its meaning: 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.
Sharing the tradition
A closer look at the Scripture of the day, to see how it makes more explicit God’s word to us through the teachings of Jesus Christ
Down the centuries, there have been many people who, filled with conviction, have given brave witness to Christ. In the early church, this sometimes meant death. The martyrs of the Church are revered for their loyal faith and witness to the truth of Christ, and they hold a special place among the saints.
You could tell the stories of some of the martyrs of the New Testament and the early church, or from later periods of church history, especially those listed in Eucharistic Prayer I.
It needs to be pointed out that even in this modern day, people are still persecuted for their faith, and modern missionaries sometimes pay the ultimate price. Australian Sr Irene McCormack is an example of one who was killed because of her faith. You could tell her story. St Oscar Romero is another story you could tell.
We may not expect to lose our lives for our faith, but there are times we may be persecuted or reviled for being believers. Discuss how this may manifest in our own society.
In recent years, we have heard of instances where Christian minority groups are persecuted because of their faith. Discuss some examples of this. How should we best promote religious freedom today?
Symbols and images
Just as with Jesus, the Holy Spirit is conferred upon the faithful at baptism, and the Spirit’s presence is affirmed at the sacrament of confirmation. How do you perceive the Spirit with you already in your journey towards baptism or reception?
Living the Word
Practical ideas for group leaders to employ in connecting Scripture and daily life, with suggestions for music and environment
How does your community give public witness to Christ, outside the Sunday liturgy?
Use a lighted candle and an image of Jesus or an icon as a focus for prayer. A suitable song might be ‘Christ be our Light’ (GA 404). Pray for all those who give witness to their faith. Pray for those who are persecuted or have lost their lives for their faith. Pray for each other and the strength to be witnesses. Conclude with the prayer of exorcism in RCIA at §94D.
Presider
Just as Peter and Andrew ‘left their nets’ to follow Christ, we gather to pray for the needs of the Church.
Reader
We pray for Pope Francis and all those who, like the apostles, are called to share the ministry of Jesus. May the Spirit guide them in proclaiming the Good News of the kingdom.
Lord, hear us. Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for the leaders of our nation. May they strive to be good stewards of the resources entrusted to their care, and good neighbours to those in their region who are less fortunate.
Lord, hear us. Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for all those seeking meaning and purpose in their lives. May they find hope and strength in Jesus’ promise of life and life to the full.
Lord, hear us. Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for our faith community. May we, like the first apostles, willingly hear Jesus’ call to follow him and live our lives as Jesus taught.
Lord, hear us. Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for …
Lord hear us. Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for Pope Emeritus Benedict, who governed Christ’s Church with love and fidelity. May Christ welcome him to the place prepared for him in the Father’s house.
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 those who have died recently and for all whose anniversaries occur at this time. May they rest in everlasting peace.
