Our Sunday Supplication

Sunday, February 14, 2021

The Sixth 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

Praise to the Lord,
the Almighty, the King of creation!
O my soul, praise him,
for he is your health and salvation.
All you who hear, now to his temple draw near.
Praise him in glad adoration.

Praise to the Lord,
who will prosper your work and defend you;
Surely his goodness and mercy
shall daily attend you.
Ponder anew, what the Almighty can do,
Who with his love does befriend you.

Praise to the Lord!
O let all this is in me adore him!
All that has life and breath,
come now with praises before him!
Let the “Amen” sound from his people again!
Gladly with praise we adore him!

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: O God, who teach us that you abide in hearts that are just and true,
grant that we may be so fashioned by your grace
as to become a dwelling pleasing to you.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God for ever and ever.
Together: Amen.

The Sunday Readings

USCCB Audio Recording of Sunday Readings

A reading from the Book of Leviticus (Leviticus 13:1-2, 44-46)

The LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “If someone has on his skin a scab or pustule or blotch which appears to be the sore of leprosy, he shall be brought to Aaron, the priest, or to one of the priests among his descendants. If the man is leprous and unclean, the priest shall declare him unclean by reason of the sore on his head.

“The one who bears the sore of leprosy shall keep his garments rent and his head bare, and shall muffle his beard; he shall cry out, ‘Unclean, unclean!’ As long as the sore is on him he shall declare himself unclean, since he is in fact unclean. He shall dwell apart, making his abode outside the camp.”

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

Responsorial Psalm (Psalm 32:1-2, 5, 11)

Reader: I turn to you, Lord, in time of trouble,
and you fill me with the joy of salvation.
Together: I turn to you, Lord, in time of trouble,
and you fill me with the joy of salvation.

Reader: Blessed is he whose fault is taken away,
whose sin is covered.
Blessed the man to whom the LORD imputes not guilt,
in whose spirit there is no guile.
Together: I turn to you, Lord, in time of trouble,
and you fill me with the joy of salvation.

Reader: Then I acknowledged my sin to you,
my guilt I covered not.
I said, “I confess my faults to the LORD,”
and you took away the guilt of my sin.
Together: I turn to you, Lord, in time of trouble,
and you fill me with the joy of salvation.

Reader: Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, you just;
exult, all you upright of heart.
Together: I turn to you, Lord, in time of trouble,
and you fill me with the joy of salvation.

A Reading from the first Letter of Saint Paul to the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 10:31—11:1)

Brothers and sisters, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God. Avoid giving offense, whether to the Jews or Greeks or the church of God, just as I try to please everyone in every way, not seeking my own benefit but that of the many, that they may be saved. Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.

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

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark (Mark 1:40-45)

A leper came to Jesus and kneeling down begged him and said, “If you wish, you can make me clean.” Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand, touched him, and said to him, “I do will it. Be made clean.” The leprosy left him immediately, and he was made clean. Then, warning him sternly, he dismissed him at once.

He said to him, “See that you tell no one anything, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses prescribed; that will be proof for them.”

The man went away and began to publicize the whole matter. He spread the report abroad so that it was impossible for Jesus to enter a town openly. He remained outside in deserted places, and people kept coming to him from everywhere.

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

For Reflection:

1. What was the lot in life for a person afflicted with leprosy? How are we like lepers due to our sin?
2. Why did Jesus tell the leper not to tell anyone of his healing? Why was it nearly impossible for the leper to obey Jesus’ command?
3. What healing or other blessing has God brought about in your life? Have you ever shared with someone the story of God’s power and mercy in your life? Why or why not?

Response to the Word

Leader: We give thanks to you, O God, as we call upon your name.
Response: We give thanks to you, O God, as we call upon your name.

Leader: We cry aloud how marvelous you are,
Response: as we call upon your name.

Leader: Glory to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
Response: We give thanks to you, O God, as we call upon your name.

Prayer of the Faithful

Leader: Let us give thanks to our Savior who came into this world as God’s presence among us. Let us call upon him:
Response: Christ, King of Glory, be our light and our joy.

Leader: Lord Jesus, you are the rising Sun, the firstfruits of the future resurrection, grant that we may not sit in the shadow of death but walk in the light of life.
Response: Christ, King of Glory, be our light and our joy.

Leader: Show us your goodness, present in every creature, that we may contemplate your glory everywhere.
Response: Christ, King of Glory, be our light and our joy.

Leader: Do not allow us to be overcome by evil today, but grant that we may overcome evil through the power of good.
Response: Christ, King of Glory, be our light and our joy.

Leader: You were baptized in the Jordan and anointed by the Holy Spirit, grant that we may this day give thanks to your Holy Spirit.
Response: Christ, King of Glory, be our light and our joy.

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: Christ, King of Glory, be our light and our joy.

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.