Our Sunday Supplication
Sunday, April 19, 2020
Divine Mercy Sunday
Holy Mass is at the very core of our worship as a Catholic community. Nothing can ever be substituted for the celebration of the Eucharist. But in this exceptional time of difficulty for our communities, our nation, and even the whole world, this order of prayer can be offered by individuals and families and engages us in our Sunday celebration of the Word of God. We can pray this prayer in our homes—the “domestic churches” which help build up the Body of Christ on earth—and thus be connected to the entire Church at prayer.
During this time of prayer, we include the opportunity to make a Spiritual Communion, since we are presently unable to receive Holy Communion. Making a Spiritual Communion is a worthy practice, recommended by innumerable saints throughout the ages, which unites our whole selves to God and his Church. For, despite not being able to celebrate Mass together, this is certainly not a time to abandon the praise and supplication of almighty God, for he never abandons us! Now is the time to love and serve the Lord as best we can in our limited capacities.
Order of Prayer
Taken from the Mass and the Liturgy of the Hours
Introduction
Leader: God, ✠ come to my assistance.
Response: Lord, make haste to help me.
Leader: Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
Response: as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Hymn
We walk by faith, and not by sight:
No gracious words we hear
Of him who spoke as none e'er spoke,
But we believe him near.
We may not touch his hands and side,
Nor follow where he trod;
Yet in his promise we rejoice,
And cry “My Lord and God!”
Help then, O Lord, our unbelief,
And may our faith abound;
To call on you when you are near,
And seek where you are found:
That when our life of faith is done
In realms of clearer light
We may behold you as you are
In full and endless sight.
Act of Contrition
Leader: Let us acknowledge our sins, and seek the Lord’s pardon and peace.
Together: I confess to almighty God
and to you, my brothers and sisters,
that I have greatly sinned,
in my thoughts and in my words,
in what I have done and in what I have failed to do,
through my fault, through my fault,
through my most grievous fault;
therefore I ask blessed Mary ever-Virgin,
all the Angels and Saints,
and you, my brothers and sisters,
to pray for me to the Lord our God.
Leader: God of mercy, you wash away our sins in water, you give us new birth in the Spirit, and redeem us in the blood of Christ. As we celebrate Christ’s resurrection, increase our awareness of these blessings, and renew your gift of life within us. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
Together: Amen.
The Sunday Readings
A reading from the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 2:42-47)
They devoted themselves to the teaching of the apostles and to the communal life, to the breaking of bread and to the prayers. Awe came upon everyone, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their property and possessions and divide them among all according to each one’s need. Every day they devoted themselves to meeting together in the temple area and to breaking bread in their homes. They ate their meals with exultation and sincerity of heart, praising God and enjoying favor with all the people. And every day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.
The Word of the Lord.
―Thanks be to God.
Responsorial Psalm (Psalm 118: 2-4, 13-15, 22-24)
Reader: Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, his love is everlasting.
Together: Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, his love is everlasting.
Reader: Let the house of Israel say, “His mercy endures forever.”
Let the house of Aaron say, “His mercy endures forever.”
Let those who fear the LORD say, “His mercy endures forever.”
Together: Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, his love is everlasting.
Reader: I was hard pressed and was falling, but the LORD helped me.
My strength and my courage is the LORD, and he has been my savior.
The joyful shout of victory in the tents of the just:
Together: Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, his love is everlasting.
Reader: The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.
By the LORD has this been done; it is wonderful in our eyes.
This is the day the LORD has made; let us be glad and rejoice in it.
Together: Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, his love is everlasting.
A Reading from the first Letter of Saint Peter (1 Peter 1:3-9)
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who in his great mercy gave us a new birth to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you who by the power of God are safeguarded through faith, to a salvation that is ready to be revealed in the final time. In this you rejoice, although now for a little while you may have to suffer through various trials, so that the genuineness of your faith, more precious than gold that is perishable even though tested by fire, may prove to be for praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Although you have not seen him you love him; even though you do not see him now yet believe in him, you rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy, as you attain the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
The word of the Lord.
―Thanks be to God.
Gospel Verse (John 20:29)
Reader: You believe in me, Thomas, because you have seen me, says the Lord;
Together: blessed are they who have not seen me, but still believe!
A reading from the holy Gospel according to John (John 20:19-31)
On the evening of that first day of the week, when the doors were locked, where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.”
Thomas, called Didymus, one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples said to him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger into the nail marks and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”
Now a week later his disciples were again inside and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, although the doors were locked, and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe.” Thomas answered and said to him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.”
Now, Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples that are not written in this book. But these are written that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that through this belief you may have life in his name.
The Gospel of the Lord.
―Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ
For Reflection:
- The early disciples of Jesus shared everything they had with one another and those in need. In what ways can we share what we have with each other, and with those outside our family?
- We are those of whom Jesus spoke—"who have not seen and have believed. How can we help others to believe?
- Today is the feast of Divine Mercy. Stop and think of someone you know who may be in great need of God’s mercy. How can you help them?
Response to the Word
Leader: This is the day the Lord has made;
Response: let us rejoice and be glad, alleluia.
Prayer of the Faithful
Leader: God the almighty Father raised Jesus as the firstborn from the dead, and made him our Savior. Let us call upon him, saying.
Response: Give us, Lord, the glory of your Son.
Leader: All-holy Father, you brought your beloved Son Jesus from the darkness of death into the splendor of your glory; bring us also into your marvelous light.
Response: Give us, Lord, the glory of your Son.
Leader: You have given us faith to save us; may we live today by the faith of our baptism.
Response: Give us, Lord, the glory of your Son.
Leader: You command us to seek the things that are above, where Christ is seated at your right hand; do not let us be deceived by the allurements of sin.
Response: Give us, Lord, the glory of your Son.
Leader: May our life, hidden with Christ in you, our Father, shine before the world, foreshadowing a new heaven and a new earth.
Response: Give us, Lord, the glory of your Son.
Leader: Sanctify all who suffer from the present pandemic, and draw us all closer to you in this time of suffering.
Response: Give us, Lord, the glory of your Son.
The Lord's Prayer
Leader: Remember us, Lord, when you come to your kingdom and teach us how to pray:
Together: Our Father, who art in heaven …
Spiritual Communion
Leader: You have given us bread from heaven.
Response: Containing in itself all delight.
Together: My Jesus,
I believe that you are present
in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar.
I love you above all things,
and I desire to receive you into my soul.
Since I cannot at this moment receive you sacramentally,
come at least spiritually into my heart.
I embrace you as if you were already there
and unite myself wholly to you.
Never permit me to be separated from you,
my Lord and my God!
Amen.
Canticle of Praise
Canticle of Zechariah (Luke 1:68-79)
Together: ✠ Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel;
he has come to his people and set them free.
He has raised up for us a mighty savior,
born of the house of his servant David.
Through his holy prophets he promised of old
that he would save us from our enemies,
from the hands of all who hate us.
He promised to show mercy to our fathers
and to remember his holy covenant.
This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham:
to set us free from the hands of our enemies,
free to worship him without fear,
holy and righteous in his sight
all the days of our life.
You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High;
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,
to give his people knowledge of salvation
by the forgiveness of their sins.
In the tender compassion of our God
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death,
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen.
Conclusion
Leader: ✠ May the Lord bless us, protect us from all evil,
and bring us to everlasting life.
Together: Amen.
