Greetings (See Second Reading)
With St Paul, we say today: "I forget the past and I strain ahead for what is still to come, for the prize to which God calls us." May the strength of the Lord Jesus be always with you. R/ And also with you.
Introduction by the Celebrant
A. Throw No Stones: Have you ever had the experience
of hurting someone very much but that the offended person forgave you, perhaps
with difficulty, and accepted your apology, and that was the end? Do you
remember how relieved you felt, as if you were a new person? That is how God
keeps forgiving us: he makes us new every time again. Do we live as forgiven,
new people? Do we make others new by our pardon? Let us encounter again in this
Eucharist our patient, forgiving Lord Jesus.
B. Look First Into
Your Own Heart: When they have sinned, especially when grievously, some
people are afraid that God is out to catch them, like a policeman who has to
implement the law. Today we learn from Jesus that God goes beyond the law, for
he forgives and keeps forgiving. This is the attitude we learn from God. Look
into your own heart and see that you need forgiveness. And repeatedly so. Then
you will also easily forgive others. Let us ask Jesus for this attitude, even
when we still feel the hurt inflicted.
Penitential Act
During this Lent we have looked into ourselves and,
hopefully, realized that we are sinners in constant need of forgiveness. Let us
seek the Lord's pardon. (pause) Lord Jesus, you throw no stones at us and you
don't want us to throw them at anyone: Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have
mercy. Jesus Christ, you do not condemn us for you have come to save what
was lost and you want us to be free and alive: Christ, have mercy. R/
Christ, have mercy. Lord Jesus, you tell us to go and to sin no more: Lord,
have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy. Have mercy on us, Lord, forgive us
and make us new. Lead us to everlasting life. R/ Amen.
Opening Prayer
Let us ask our Father that we may imitate his mercy (pause) God
of life, this is the Good News you let us hear today through your living image,
Jesus Christ: Love is stronger than death, you want the sinner to live and to
become all new. Let us no longer live in the past of sin but make us free for
life and for love. Give us hearts as merciful to one another as you have been
lenient and loving to us. We ask you this through Christ our Lord. R/
Amen.
Liturgy of the Word
First Reading Introduction: Forget The Past; Go
Forward With Me To his chosen people
suffering in exile, God says: I have done great deeds of salvation for you in
the past. I will do greater things for you in the future.
Second Reading Introduction: Push On To What Is
Ahead
Once Paul had
been "seized" by Christ, the past no longer counted, and he strained
toward his future in Christ, by the strength of the Risen Lord.
Gospel Introduction: Go Away And Don't Sin Any More
The mission of
Jesus is not to judge and condemn but to forgive and to give new chances in
life. Isn't that our mission too?
General Intercessions
In his love, God wants to make the world ever new. Let us
entrust to his mercy our intentions and those of our brothers and sisters. Let
us say: R/ Lord of life, in you we trust. • For the Church we love, that
it may be in our world a place and a sign of forgiveness and reconciliation,
let us pray: R/ Lord of life, in you we trust. • For those who
condemn and for those who are condemned, let us pray: R/ Lord of life,
in you we trust. • For broken homes and for families that are united, let
us pray: R/ Lord of life, in you we trust. • For those wounded by
the hardships of life and for those who keep hoping, let us pray: R/
Lord of life, in you we trust. • For those in authority, that they pay
attention to the people's needs and not crush anyone with their power, let us
pray: R/ Lord of life, in you we trust. • For our Christian
communities, that we keep accepting everyone with understanding and compassion,
let us pray: R/ Lord of life, in you we trust. Lord our God, we
thank you for listening to us and for showing us your patient mercy, through
Jesus Christ our Lord. R/ Amen.
Prayer over the Gifts
Lord God, merciful Father in these signs of bread and wine we
share in the forgiveness and life of your Son Jesus Christ. By his body and
blood make us, limited and fallible people, your new creation, your people of
hope, capable of rising above ourselves and preparing your new heaven and new
earth. For we expect everything from you through Jesus Christ our Lord. R/
Amen.
Introduction to the Eucharistic Prayer
hrough Jesus our Lord we thank our Father for forgetting our
past and leading us to a future of love and justice and freedom.
Invitation to the Lord's Prayer
In the words of Jesus our Lord we call on our Father in
heaven to forgive us as we forgive others: R/ Our Father...
Deliver Us
Deliver us Lord, from a past of evil, from everything that
estranges us from you and one another. Gather us in the solidarity and peace of
one faith, one hope, one love, as people set free by your Son. May we spread
your reconciliation to build up a liberated world and to wait in hope for the
coming in glory of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. R/ For the
kingdom...
Invitation to Communion
This is the Lamb of God who does not condemn us but makes
with us an ever-new beginning. Happy are we to be invited to hear his words of
forgiveness and to eat his bread of life. R/ Lord, I am not worthy...
Prayer after Communion
Tender and compassionate Father, we thank you for letting us
share in the sacrifice of your Son that brought us your pardon and peace. Let
him give to us, pardoned sinners, the strength to remain faithful to you. Let
us be disciples demanding to ourselves and very merciful to others. We ask this
through Christ our Lord. R/ Amen.
Blessing
We have heard today our Lord's invitation not to shut ourselves up in the mediocrity of our past but to set out boldly for the future with fresh generosity. This future will not be without difficulties: the Lord never promises an easy life. But he promises to be with us with the blessing of Almighty God, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. R/ Amen. Let us go in the joy and the strength of the Lord. R/ Thanks be to God.
