Our Sunday Supplication
Sunday, April 12, 2020
Easter 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
Jesus Christ is risen today, Alleluia!
Our triumphant holy day, Alleluia!
Who did once upon the cross, Alleluia!
Suffer to redeem our loss. Alleluia!
Hymns of praise then let us sing, Alleluia!
Unto Christ, our heavenly King, Alleluia!
Who endured the cross and grave, Alleluia!
Sinners to redeem and save. Alleluia!
But the pains which he endured, Alleluia!
Our salvation have procured; Alleluia!
Now he reigns above as King, Alleluia!
Where the angels ever sing. Alleluia!
Sing we to our God above, Alleluia!
Praise eternal as his love, Alleluia!
Praise him, all ye heavenly host, Alleluia!
Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Alleluia!
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 our Father, by raising Christ your Son you conquered the power of death and opened for us the way to eternal life. Let our celebration today raise us up and renew our lives by the Spirit that is within us. Grant 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 10:34a, 37-43)
Peter proceeded to speak and said: “You know what has happened all over Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached, how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power. He went about doing good and healing all those oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. We are witnesses of all that he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree. This man God raised on the third day and granted that he be visible, not to all the people, but to us, the witnesses chosen by God in advance, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. He commissioned us to preach to the people and testify that he is the one appointed by God as judge of the living and the dead. To him all the prophets bear witness, that everyone who believes in him will receive forgiveness of sins through his name.”
The Word of the Lord.
―Thanks be to God.
Responsorial Psalm (Psalm 118:1-2, 16-17, 22-23)
Reader: This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad.
Together: This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad.
Reader: Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his mercy endures forever.
Let the house of Israel say, “His mercy endures forever.”
Together: This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad.
Reader: “The right hand of the LORD has struck with power;
the right hand of the LORD is exalted.
I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the LORD.”
Together: This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad.
Reader: The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.
By the LORD has this been done; it is wonderful in our eyes.
Together: This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad.
A Reading from the Letter of Saint Paul to the Colossians (Colossians 3:1-4)
Brothers and sisters: If then you were raised with Christ, seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Think of what is above, not of what is on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ your life appears, then you too will appear with him in glory.
The word of the Lord.
―Thanks be to God.
Sequence
Christians, to the Paschal victim
Offer your thankful praises!
A Lamb the sheep redeems:
Christ, who only is sinless,
Reconciles sinners to the Father.
Death and life have contended in that combat stupendous:
The Prince of life, who died, reigns immortal.
Speak, Mary, declaring
What you saw, wayfaring:
“The tomb of Christ, who is living,
The glory of Jesus’ resurrection;
Bright angels attesting,
The shroud and napkin resting.
Yes, Christ my hope is arisen;
To Galilee he will go before you.”
Christ indeed from death is risen, our new life obtaining;
Have mercy, victor King, ever reigning!
Amen. Alleluia.
Gospel Verse (cf. 1 Cor 5:7b-82)
Reader: Alleluia. Christ, our paschal lamb, has been sacrificed;
Together: let us then feast with joy in the Lord. Alleluia.
A reading from the holy Gospel according to John (John 20:1-9)
On the first day of the week, Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning, while it was still dark, and saw the stone removed from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them, “They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don’t know where they put him.” So Peter and the other disciple went out and came to the tomb. They both ran, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter and arrived at the tomb first; he bent down and saw the burial cloths there, but did not go in. When Simon Peter arrived after him, he went into the tomb and saw the burial cloths there, and the cloth that had covered his head, not with the burial cloths but rolled up in a separate place. Then the other disciple also went in, the one who had arrived at the tomb first, and he saw and believed. For they did not yet understand the Scripture that he had to rise from the dead.
The Gospel of the Lord.
―Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ
For Reflection:
- As we begin this Easter season, how can we better live, each and every day, in practical ways, our belief in the Resurrection of our blessed Lord?
- Who might we send greetings to on this festive day?
- Why do you think that Jesus did not appear to his enemies—those who had him put to death—in order to prove to them that he was truly the Son of God?
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: Christ is the Lord of life, raised up by the Father; in his turn he will raise us up by his power. Let us pray to him, saying:
Response: Christ our life, save us.
Leader: Lord Jesus, light shining in the darkness, you lead your people into life, and
give our mortal nature the gift of holiness; may we spend this day in praise of your glory.
Response: Christ our life, save us.
Leader: Lord, you walked the way of suffering and crucifixion: may we suffer and
die with you, and rise again to share your glory.
Response: Christ our life, save us.
Leader: Son of the Father, our master and our brother, you have made us a kingdom of priests for our God; may we offer you our joyful sacrifice of praise.
Response: Christ our life, save us.
Leader: King of glory, we look forward to the great day of your coming in splendor,
that we may see you face to face, and be transformed in your likeness.
Response: Christ our life, save us.
Leader: Sanctify all who suffer from the present pandemic, and draw us all closer to
you in this time of suffering.
Response: Christ our life, save us.
Leader: Author of life, remember those who have passed from this world; grant
them the glory of your risen life.
Response: Christ our life, save us.
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.
