Our Sunday Supplication
Sunday, May 3, 2020
Fourth Sunday of Easter
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
1. Be joyful, Mary, heav'nly queen, Gaude, Maria:
Your Son who died was living seen,
Alleluia,
Laetare, O Maria!
The Son you bore by heaven's grace, Gaude, Maria:
Did all our guilt and sin efface,
Alleluia,
Laetare, O Maria!
The Lord is risen from the dead, Gaude, Maria:
He rose with might as he had said,
Alleluia,
Laetare, O Maria!
Then pray to God, O Virgin fair, Gaude, Maria:
That He our souls to heaven bear.
Alleluia!
Laetare, O Maria!
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: Almighty and ever-living God, give us new strength from the courage of Christ our shepherd, and lead us to join the saints in heaven, where he 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 2:14a, 36-41)
Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice, and proclaimed: “Let the whole house of Israel know for certain that God has made both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.” Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and they asked Peter and the other apostles, “What are we to do, my brothers?” Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is made to you and to your children and to all those far off, whomever the Lord our God will call.” He testified with many other arguments, and was exhorting them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand persons were added that day.
The Word of the Lord.
―Thanks be to God.
Responsorial Psalm (Psalm 23:1-3a, 3b4b, 5, 6)
Reader: The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
Together: The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
Reader: The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. In verdant pastures he gives me repose; beside restful waters he leads me; he refreshes my soul.
Together: The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
Reader: He guides me in right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk in the dark valley I fear no evil; for you are at my side. With your rod and your staff that give me courage.
Together: The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
Reader: You spread the table before me in the sight of my foes; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
Together: The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
Reader: Only goodness and kindness follow me all the days of my life; and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD for years to come.
Together: The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
A Reading from the first Letter of Saint Peter (1 Peter 2:20b-25)
Beloved: If you are patient when you suffer for doing what is good, this is a grace before God. For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example that you should follow in his footsteps. He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth. When he was insulted, he returned no insult; when he suffered, he did not threaten; instead, he handed himself over to the one who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body upon the cross, so that, free from sin, we might live for righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. For you had gone astray like sheep, but you have now returned to the shepherd and guardian of your souls.
The word of the Lord.
―Thanks be to God.
Gospel Verse (John 10:14)
Reader: I am the good shepherd, says the Lord;
Together: I know my sheep, and mine know me.
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke (John 10:1-10)
Jesus said: “Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever does not enter a sheepfold through the gate but climbs over elsewhere is a thief and a robber. But whoever enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens it for him, and the sheep hear his voice, as the shepherd calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has driven out all his own, he walks ahead of them, and the sheep follow him, because they recognize his voice. But they will not follow a stranger; they will run away from him, because they do not recognize the voice of strangers.” Although Jesus used this figure of speech, the Pharisees did not realize what he was trying to tell them. So Jesus said again, “Amen, amen, I say to you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate. Whoever enters through me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. A thief comes only to steal and slaughter and destroy; I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
―Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ
For Reflection:
- Why do you think Peter had such a remarkable success in preaching to the people? What does this teach us?
- Think about a time you suffered for doing what was right. At the time, it was probably very difficult. But how do you feel about it now? What did it teach you?
- We call this Sunday “Good Shepherd Sunday” because we reflect upon Jesus as our Good Shepherd. But he is also the gate for the sheep? What do you think this means? Also, how has the Lord been a good shepherd to us during this week of staying at home?
Response to the Word
Leader: Christ, Son of the living God, have mercy on us, alleluia, alleluia.
Response: Christ, Son of the living God, have mercy on us, alleluia, alleluia.
Leader: You have risen from the dead,
Response: alleluia, alleluia.
Leader: Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Response: Christ, Son of the living God, have mercy on us, alleluia, 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: In your mercy, Father, continue to sanctify all who are afflicted from the present pandemic, and draw us all closer to you, and to one another, in this time of suffering.
Response: Give us, Lord, the glory of your Son.
The Lord's Prayer
Leader: Let us now pray in the words our savior taught us:
Together: Our Father, who art in heaven …
Spiritual Communion
Leader: You have given us bread from heaven, alleluia, alleluia.
Response: Containing in itself all delight, alleluia, alleluia.
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.
