Our Sunday Supplication

Sunday, January 24, 2021

The Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

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 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. 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.

Order of Prayer

Taken from the Mass and the Liturgy of the Hours

Introduction

Leader: O God, ✠ come to my assistance.
Response: O 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

Audio Recording

R. I will choose Christ, I will choose love,
I choose to serve.
I give my heart, I give my life,
I give my all to you. V.

V. How many times must he call my name
and show to me that he is God?
And as a servant he calls to me,
“You must serve too.” R.

V. As I look upon your cross,
so too must I die with you.
And with the death of my own desires,
I’ll rise with you. R.

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 ever-living God,
direct our actions according to your good pleasure,
that in the name of your beloved Son
we may abound in good works.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Together: Amen.

The Sunday Readings

USCCB Audio Recording of Sunday Readings

A reading from the Book of the Prophet Jonah (Jonah 3:1-5, 10)

The word of the LORD came to Jonah, saying: “Set out for the great city of Nineveh, and announce to it the message that I will tell you.” So Jonah made ready and went to Nineveh, according to the LORD’S bidding. Now Nineveh was an enormously large city; it took three days to go through it. Jonah began his journey through the city, and had gone but a single day’s walk announcing, “Forty days more and Nineveh shall be destroyed,” when the people of Nineveh believed God; they proclaimed a fast and all of them, great and small, put on sackcloth.

When God saw by their actions how they turned from their evil way, he repented of the evil that he had threatened to do to them; he did not carry it out.

The Word of the Lord.
―Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm (Psalm 25:4-5, 6-7, 8-9)

Reader: Teach me your ways, O Lord.
Together: Teach me your ways, O Lord.

Reader: Your ways, O LORD, make known to me;
teach me your paths,
Guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my savior.
Together: Teach me your ways, O Lord.

Reader: Remember that your compassion, O LORD,
and your love are from of old.
In your kindness remember me,
because of your goodness, O LORD.
Together: Teach me your ways, O Lord.

Reader: Good and upright is the LORD;
thus he shows sinners the way.
He guides the humble to justice
and teaches the humble his way.
Together: Teach me your ways, O Lord.

A Reading from the Letter of Saint Paul to the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 7:29-31)

I tell you, brothers and sisters, the time is running out. From now on, let those having wives act as not having them, those weeping as not weeping, those rejoicing as not rejoicing, those buying as not owning, those using the world as not using it fully. For the world in its present form is passing away.

The word of the Lord.
―Thanks be to God.

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark (Mark 1:14-20)

After John had been arrested, Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God: “This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.”

As he passed by the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting their nets into the sea; they were fishermen. Jesus said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Then they abandoned their nets and followed him. He walked along a little farther and saw James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They too were in a boat mending their nets. Then he called them. So they left their father Zebedee in the boat along with the hired men and followed him.

The Gospel of the Lord.
―Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ

For Reflection:

1. Both of our readings and the Gospel today speak with a sense of urgency. Now is the time to repent and to respond to the call of the Lord. Why is it so important to be aware of this urgency and how do we maintain it? Why do we tend to become complacent and lose this sense of urgency?
2. What do you think Paul means by the following phrases?
   
   “…let those having wives act as not having them, those weeping as not weeping, those rejoicing as not rejoicing, those buying as not owning, those using the world as not using it fully.”
3. When Jesus invited Simon, Andrew, James and John to follow him, they dropped their nets and went with him. Was their a time in your life when you “dropped your nets” to follow Jesus? What may Jesus still be calling you to leave behind so that you can follow him more fully?

Response to the Word

Leader: Christ, Son of the Living God, have mercy on us.
Response: Christ, Son of the Living God, have mercy on us.

Leader: You are seated at the right hand of the Father,
Response: have mercy on us.

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.

Prayer of the Faithful

Leader: Father, you sent the Holy Spirit to enlighten the hearts of men; hear us as we pray:
Response: Enlighten your people, Lord.

Leader: Blessed are you, O God, our light, you have given us a new day resplendent with your glory.
Response: Enlighten your people, Lord.

Leader: You enlightened the world through the resurrection of your Son, through your Church shed this light on all men.
Response: Enlighten your people, Lord.

Leader: You gave the disciples of your only-begotten Son the Spirit’s gift of understanding, through the same Spirit keep the Church faithful to you.
Response: Enlighten your people, Lord.

Leader: Light of nations, remember those who remain in darkness, open their eyes and let them recognize you, the only true God.
Response: Enlighten your people, Lord.

Leader: In your mercy, 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: Enlighten your people, Lord.

The Lord's Prayer

Leader: Let us pray together as Jesus taught us:
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.