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Our Sunday Supplication

Sunday, April 11, 2021

Second Sunday of Easter - Divine Mercy 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 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

We walk by faith, and not by sight:
No gracious words we hear
Of him who spoke as none e'er spoke,
But we believe him near.

We may not touch his hands and side,
Nor follow where he trod;
Yet in his promise we rejoice,
And cry “My Lord and God!”

Help then, O Lord, our unbelief,
And may our faith abound;
To call on you when you are near,
And seek where you are found:

That when our life of faith is done
In realms of clearer light
We may behold you as you are
In full and endless sight.

We walk by faith, and not by sight:
No gracious words we hear
Of him who spoke as none e'er spoke,
But we believe him near.

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 of everlasting mercy,
who in the very recurrence of the paschal feast
kindle the faith of the people you have made your own,
increase, we pray, the grace you have bestowed,
that all may grasp and rightly understand
in what font they have been washed,
by whose Spirit they have been reborn,
by whose Blood they have been redeemed.
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 Acts of the Apostles (Acts 4:32-35)

The community of believers was of one heart and mind, and no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they had everything in common. With great power the apostles bore witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great favor was accorded them all. There was no needy person among them, for those who owned property or houses would sell them, bring the proceeds of the sale, and put them at the feet of the apostles, and they were distributed to each according to need.

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

Responsorial Psalm (Psalm 118:2-4, 13-15, 22-24)

Reader: Give thanks to the LORD for he is good, his love is everlasting.
Together: Give thanks to the LORD for he is good, his love is everlasting.

Reader: Let the house of Israel say, “His mercy endures forever.”
Let the house of Aaron say, “His mercy endures forever.”
Let those who fear the LORD say, “His mercy endures forever.”
Together: Give thanks to the LORD for he is good, his love is everlasting.

Reader: I was hard pressed and was falling, but the LORD helped me.
My strength and my courage is the LORD, and he has been my savior.
The joyful shout of victory in the tents of the just:
Together: Give thanks to the LORD for he is good, his love is everlasting.

Reader: The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.
By the LORD has this been done; it is wonderful in our eyes.
This is the day the LORD has made; let us be glad and rejoice in it.
Together: Give thanks to the LORD for he is good, his love is everlasting.

A Reading from the Letter of Saint John (1 John 5:1-6)

Beloved: Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is begotten by God, and everyone who loves the Father loves also the one begotten by him. In this way we know that we love the children of God when we love God and obey his commandments. For the love of God is this, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome, for whoever is begotten by God conquers the world. And the victory that conquers the world is our faith. Who indeed is the victor over the world but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

This is the one who came through water and blood, Jesus Christ, not by water alone, but by water and blood. The Spirit is the one that testifies, and the Spirit is truth.

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

A reading from the holy Gospel according to John (John 20:19-31)

On the evening of that first day of the week, when the doors were locked, where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.”

Thomas, called Didymus, one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples said to him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger into the nailmarks and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”

Now a week later his disciples were again inside and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, although the doors were locked, and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe.” Thomas answered and said to him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.”

Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples that are not written in this book. But these are written that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that through this belief you may have life in his name.

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

For Reflection:

  1. The early disciples of Jesus shared everything they had with one another and those in need. In what ways can we share what we have with each other, and with those outside our family?
  2. We are those of whom Jesus spoke—"who have not seen and have believed. How can we help others to believe?
  3. Today is the feast of Divine Mercy. Stop and think of someone you know who may be in great need of God’s mercy. How can you help them?

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: God the almighty Father raised Jesus as the firstborn from the dead, and made him our savior. Let us call upon him, saying:
Response: Give us, Lord, the glory of your Son.

Leader: All-holy Father, you brought your beloved Son Jesus from the darkness of death into the splendor of your glory, bring us also into your marvelous light.
Response: Give us, Lord, the glory of your Son.

Leader: You have given us faith to save us, may we live today by the faith of our baptism.
Response: Give us, Lord, the glory of your Son.

Leader: You command us to seek the things that are above, where Christ is seated at your right hand, do not let us be deceived by the allurements of sin.
Response: Give us, Lord, the glory of your Son.

Leader: May our life, hidden with Christ in you, our Father, shine before the world, foreshadowing a new heaven and a new earth.
Response: Give us, Lord, the glory of your Son.

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: Give us, Lord, the glory of your Son.

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, alleluia, alleluia.
Response: Containing in itself all delight, alleluia, alleluia.
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.

Hymn: “We Walk By Faith” – Text: Henry Alford, 1810-1871, alt. Tune: SHANTI, CM; Marty Haugen, b. 1950, © 1984, GIA Publications. All rights reserved. Recorded by Dan Klocke. Music streamed with permission granted by OneLicense.net podcast/streaming/reprint license A-705112.Excerpts from The Roman Missal © 2010, ICEL; excerpts from The Liturgy of the Hours © 1994, ICEL. All rights reserved.

Excerpts from The Roman Missal © 2010, ICEL; excerpts from The Liturgy of the Hours © 1994, ICEL. All rights reserved.

Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

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Patrick Callahan


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Our Sunday Supplication

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