Greetings (See Responsorial Psalm)
The Lord will guard you against evil; he will guard your soul. The Lord will guard your going and coming. May the Lord be always with you. R/ And also with you.
Introduction by the Celebrant
Prayer: The Breath of Life
Do we put our very life in our prayer or are we reciting formulas, even though we agree with their contents? If we could only express in prayer what we live, cry out our miseries and shout our joys, persist in praying, not giving up, insisting, against all odds, because our faith is against all odds and because our very life depends on it, as does the life of justice and love in the world. In this Eucharist we join our prayers to those of Jesus our Lord.
Prayer: Conversing with God
In a personal relationship with a person, you speak to him or her, to thank, to tell how you feel about the other or yourself, and about things and persons. Once in a while you ask for a favor or you offer your help and encouragement. In our relationship with the Lord prayer is doing all these things. If we love him, we cannot keep silent. Let us ask Jesus again in this Eucharist: “Lord, teach us to pray.”
Love of the Bible
We are witnessing with joy in our day how people come together to hear and read the Good News of the Bible. They seek in its message the meaning of their lives. Though written in the past, the Bible still deals with God's love present among us now. What has Jesus to say to us today about the reason why we live, about the great questions of life and death? Let Jesus’ words stir us and move us to share in his life.
Penitential Act
Prayer: The Breath of Life
Where were our trust and our persistence when we turned to the Lord in prayer? Let us examine ourselves before the Lord. (pause)
-Lord Jesus, with you we pray that the Father’s will be done, not ours. Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.
-Jesus Christ, with you we pray that justice be done to everyone: Christ, have mercy. R/ Christ, have mercy.
-Lord Jesus, with you we pray that those who do evil to us may be forgiven. Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.
Have mercy on us, Lord, and hear our prayer for forgiveness. Guard us from all evil and lead us to everlasting life. R/ Amen.
Prayer: Conversing with God
We wish that we were closer to the Lord and could talk to him as a friend to a friend. Let us ask forgiveness for not having spoken more to him. (pause)
Lord Jesus, you often speak to us in your word, in the Church, in people, and we do not answer you: Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.
Jesus Christ, you have given us the task of bringing the needs of all people before you, but too often we think only of our own concerns: Christ, have mercy. R/ Christ, have mercy.
Lord Jesus, you tell us that we need to pray constantly and never to give up; but sometimes we tire and give up: Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.
We pray you for mercy and forgiveness, Lord. Be kind to us and patient with us sinners; give us the joy of your pardon and lead us to everlasting life. R/ Amen.
Love of the Bible
Do we listen to the Word of God and let God speak to us? Does its power change us? Let us examine ourselves before the Lord, (pause)
Lord Jesus, you are God’s living Word who speak to us today: Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.
Jesus Christ, your words are spirit and life: you have the words of everlasting life: Christ, have mercy. R/ Christ, have mercy.
Lord Jesus, your word is truth; make us holy in the truth: Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy. Have mercy on us, Lord, forgive us our sins and let us see our life in the light of your words. Lead us to everlasting life. R/ Amen.
Opening Prayer
and 2. Prayer
Let us pray for the gift of perseverance in prayer (pause)
Lord our God, we know that you are our loving Father, that you wait for us and that you are attentive to us every moment of our lives. Let then our prayer come to you as a cry of trust coming straight from the poverty of our hearts. If you have to turn us down when we ask for harmful or useless things, give us what we really need and keep our trust alive that you are good and loving, for you are our Father in Christ Jesus our Lord. R/ Amen.
Love of the Bible Let us pray to God our Father that we may love to hear the Word he speaks to us (pause)
God our Father, you keep speaking to us today in the words and deeds that bind us to you. Make us listen attentively to your Son, that his Good News may change us with its message of faith, hope and love. Let it bring us wisdom in our confusion, encouragement in our trials, guidance and strength to follow your Son on his way through death to life. May we respond to his words with deeds of justice and love, We ask this through Christ our Lord. R/ Amen.
First Reading (Ex 17:8-13): In the Name of the Lord In this strange story, which the liturgy uses to stress perseverance in prayer, Moses raises his staff in the name of the Lord and leads his people to victory.
Second Reading (2 Tim 3:14-4:2): Proclaim the Word Inspired by the Spirit Hold on to God and his message, says St. Paul to Timothy, and share it with others. For this message is inspired by the Holy Spirit.
Gospel (Lk 18:1-8): Pray Continually and Never Lose Heart God’s justice and love are greater than that of people. He will hear the prayers of those who cry out to him with trust and perseverance.
Gospel: Lk 18:1-8:
Intercessions
Let us listen to the invitation of our Lord to pray insistently, without giving up. Let us ask him to bring our prayers before our Father in heaven, and let us say: R/ Lord, hear our prayer. – For the Church today, that the Church may see clearly how to keep the faith alive in the hearts of its members and how to deal with the problems facing it in today’s world, let us pray: R/ Lord, hear our prayer.
– For those in the Church to whom special ministries are entrusted, that they may be men and women of prayer, mindful of the Lord’s words, “without me you can do nothing,” Let us pray: R/ Lord, hear our prayer.
– For contemplative monks and nuns, that we may appreciate their life of prayer and penance and be grateful to them for the Lord’s blessings which they obtain for us, let us pray: R/ Lord, hear our prayer.
– For all who know or seek God, that they may enter into a dialogue with God by praying from the heart. Let us pray: R/ Lord, hear our prayer.
– For all Christians, that our prayers for the poor and the suffering may commit us more to bringing them justice, to lightening their burdens and restoring their dignity, let us pray: R/ Lord, hear our prayer.
– For all of us here, that we may learn to pray without giving up for whatever is good and in accordance with God’s will, and that this Eucharist may bring us and the world closer to God, let us pray: R/ Lord, hear our prayer.
Lord Jesus Christ, you are our hope and assurance that the Father will hear us. For you are his Son and our brother, now and for ever. R/ Amen.
Prayer over the Gifts
God our Father, you cannot resist our prayer if we have full trust in you. Let the Holy Spirit, here among us prompt us to pray trustingly and insistently. Let him cry out in our hearts to call you “Father,” together with him who offers himself and us to you, Jesus Christ our Lord. R/ Amen.
Introduction to the Eucharistic Prayer
With one heart and one mind and in union with Jesus our Lord, let us offer our thanksgiving to the Father.
Invitation to the Lord’s Prayer
Let us pray now to our Father the model of all prayers, which Jesus himself taught us: R/ Our Father...
Deliver Us
Deliver us, Lord, from all evil and grant us the peace that flows from justice as from a river. Help us to give to everyone his or her due and, like you, to pay special attention to the victims of injustice. Let us bring fresh hope to them as we prepare for the full coming among us of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. R/ For the kingdom...
Invitation to Communion
This is Jesus, our Lord and Savior. He taught us to pray continually, without ever losing heart. He now invites us to receive him and to share in his offering to the Father. R/ Lord, I am not worthy...
Prayer after Communion
God our Father, with Jesus we have raised our hands in prayer to you, our living God. With Jesus we keep trusting in you. Hear us then, even in our pains and struggles, when we are disappointed and grope in the dark. For we believe that you love us and want us to find happiness through Jesus Christ our Lord. R/ Amen.
Blessing and 2. Prayer This Eucharist has been for us a strong reminder that persevering, trusting prayer must necessarily be a prayer of concern for the weak and the poor, and that concern must express itself in bringing them justice. May the Lord give you this strength and bless you: the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit. R/ Amen. Let us go to love and serve the Lord in the people around us. R/ Thanks be to God.
Love of the Bible Our words come and go and are soon forgotten. God’s word remains: it is faithful. May we learn to become more familiar with it and to treasure it deeply. Perhaps then it will do what it was meant to do: to make us new, to give us the mentality of Jesus and to make us live like him. May God strengthen you by his word and bless you: the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. R/ Amen. Go in peace and take God’s Word to heart. R/ Thanks be to God.
Commentary Perseverance in Prayer Read:
Moses intercedes with raised hands while Joshua fights the enemies. Paul reminds Timothy of the need to study the Scriptures and preach the Gospel in season and out of season. Through the parable of the widow and the judge, Jesus teaches the need for perseverance in prayer. Reflect: Two things that get waylaid when we busy ourselves with the daily chores of life are reading the Scriptures and praying. The immediate demands of life are so great that spending time to read the Bible and pray individually or collectively seem like luxury. I once observed a phenomenon in a theology study house: on the days the students had examination, the morning prayer and meditation became “private” and the Mass was postponed to evening – to help students with their immediate preparation for exam. I wonder if it didn’t communicate a message to the students – the future priests – that prayers were secondary and cancellable to suit one’s convenience? And, that is what they would grow up to do as well! When prayer becomes marginal and sporadic, so does the grace of God in our lives as well. Pray: “Lord, give me the grace of perseverance in daily prayer.”
