Sign of the Cross

Greeting 

From God,
who reveals his love to the humble of heart,
peace and joy be with you.

Introduction

"Come to me, all you who labor and are overburdened,
and I will give you rest."
That is the invitation and the promise made by Jesus in today's Gospel.
We have accepted his invitation to come to Church;
here we hope to find rest in his presence.

Litany of Praise

In your presence, Lord Jesus, the overburdened find rest.
Lord, have mercy.

You are gentle and humble of heart.
Christ, have mercy.

Your yoke is easy and your burden light.
Lord, have mercy.

Opening Prayer

Option A

Lord of heaven and earth,
by whose gracious will
the mysteries of the kingdom are revealed to the childlike,
make us learn humility of heart from your Son,
that in obeying God's call in our daily lives
we may find refreshment and rest.

We ask this 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. AMEN.

Option B

To the childlike, O God, you reveal yourself,
and on those who are meek and humble of heart
you promise the inheritance of your kingdom.

Refresh our weary souls
with the teaching of Christ,
that with him we may shoulder the gentle yoke of the cross,
and proclaim to everyone
the joy that comes from you alone.

We ask this 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. AMEN.

Liturgy of the Word

Homily

Credo

PRAYER OF THE FAITHFUL

P        "The Lord supports all who fall
and raises all who are bowed down."
Because we believe in a God who is abounding in love,
we bring before him the needs of the Church and the world;

             With confidence we pray:

CM     Father, listen to the prayers of your children. (Please repeat)

For all Christians: (pause)
that through our witness the world will come to know our God
who is kind and full of compassion,
slow to anger and abounding in love. We pray:

For the leaders of nations: (pause)
that they will give their people a reason to hope
by proclaiming peace and abandoning the instruments of war. We pray:

For the poor, the humble, the childlike; (pause)
for those who are neither wise nor learned in the eyes of the world. (pause)
May they all receive the full revelation of God's love. We pray:

For those who are tempted to despair under the crushing weight of their problems. May they find consolation by placing them in the heart of Jesus. We pray:

[The Presider may add a Petition that is local / relevant]

P      Father, you have revealed your truth to mere children
        and hidden it from the learned.
        Keep us humble in heart
        that we may always hear you when you call.
        This we ask in the name of your beloved Son,
        Jesus our Lord. AMEN

Prayer over the Gifts

Most Gracious God,
in these simple signs of bread and wine
your Son comes among us today
to be our companion on the road
and to help us carry our burdens.

May we learn from his life
how to be gentle and humble of heart.
Grant this through the same Christ our Lord AMEN.

Invitation to the Lord’s Prayer

No one knows your name, O God,
except your Son Jesus,
and those to whom he chooses to reveal it.
He has revealed it to us and so we dare to call you Father:
Our Father ...

Deliver us Lord

Deliver us, Lord, from every evil
through the gentleness of the nonviolent
and grant us peace in our day.
Keep us free from sin
as we prepare with hope and joy
for the final coming among us
of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Rite of Peace

Lord, Jesus Christ, you said to your apostles:
"Come to me all you who are weary
and I will give you rest."
Look not upon our sins of pride
but rather on the faith of those
who are gentle and humble of heart,
and grant us the peace and unity of your kingdom
where you live for ever and ever.

The peace of the Lord be always with you.

Exchange of Peace
Jesus the Messiah proclaimed "peace to the nations"
Let us now share that peace with one another.

Optional Prayer to accompany the ‘Breaking of Bread’

P      Loving Father,
        you have fed us from our earliest days.
        In your faithfulness,
        nourish us today with the bread, blessed and broken,
        so that all may share
        and grow in the life-giving Spirit of your Son.

A     LAMB OF GOD.....

Invitation to Communion

This is Jesus the Lord who speaks to us now:
"Come to me, all you that carry heavy burdens
and I will give you rest."
Blessed are we who hear his voice and come.

Lord, I am not worthy…

Prayer after Communion

Lord of heaven and earth,
we praise you for showing yourself to us
in the gentle and humble heart of Jesus.

Encouraged by his word
and strengthened by the bread of life
we can reach out to those who are weary
because of their heavy burdens
and help them find refreshment and rest.
Grant this in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN.

Solemn Blessing

May the Father of heaven and earth reveal himself to you
and help you to live as his children. AMEN.

May you come to Jesus and find rest in his gentle, humble heart. AMEN.

May the Spirit of God dwell always within you. AMEN.

And may almighty God bless you,
+ Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. AMEN.

Dismissal      

May our lives of service
give thanks to the Lord during the coming week.
Go in the peace of Christ.