Sign of the Cross

Greeting  

Grace, mercy and peace from God our Father
and from Christ Jesus our Lord
be with you all. (1 Tim. 1:2).

Introduction and Litany of Praise

If we really want to be Church? followers of Christ? we must be brothers and sisters to one another. That means that we have the courage to correct our brother or sister when they are in error. But do we have enough love for the Lord and one another to do this?

Option A
For the times we have ignored the needs of others
and shrugged them off with words like
'It's their own business' or
'Why should I get involved?'
Lord, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.

For the times when we have been too cowardly
to 'point out the fault of a brother or sister
who has sinned against us':
Christ, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.

For the times when we, as Church,
have not denounced evil,
especially when it is hurting other people:
Lord, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.


Option B
Lord Jesus, you hold us responsible
for a brother or sister who falls away from grace:
Lord, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.

Jesus Christ, you hold us responsible
for the unity and integrity of the Church:
Christ, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.

Lord Jesus, you hold us responsible
for reconciliation not only within
the Church but in the world at large:
Lord, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.

Opening Prayer

Option A
O God, whose Word is life,
grant us a bold and faithful spirit,
that we may proclaim your truth in love,
and bring back those who have gone astray.
Bind us together in mutual love,
that our prayer in Christ's name
may be pleasing to you.
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
God of unity and peace,
your Son has taught us
that where two or three are gathered in his name
he is present in their midst
and that you will grant their request.
Grant us a new heart
so that we can become people
whose law is love for one another
and whose peace and reconciliation is Jesus
who lives and reigns with you
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God for ever and ever. AMEN.

Liturgy of the Word

Homily

PRAYER OF THE FAITHFUL

P        Jesus tells us today:
          "If two of you agree about anything you ask,
           it will be done for you by my Father in heaven".
          So we say.

             With confidence we pray:

CM     Thank you, Lord, for being with us. (Please repeat)

1. For the Church of Jesus Christ; (pause)
   that it may always be a sign of reconciliation and
   that its leaders may always have the courage
   to call evil by its name.
   We pray:
   
2. For those who have strayed from the right path: (pause)
   may they experience a change of heart,
   ask pardon from the Lord,
   and be reconciled with the Christian community.
   We pray:
   
3. For all of us gathered here in eucharistic worship; (pause)
   may we have the courage to speak the truth with love
   and accept criticism with humility.
   We pray:
4. For all those who have died in tragic
   circumstances over the past days; (pause)
   the victims of the fires in Paris,
   the severe flooding in Eastern Europe
   and New Orleans; those killed in the ongoing
   conflict in the Middle East and Iraq.
   We pray:

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

P     God our Father, with your Son among us we pray:
       Increase the love of our neighbor in our hearts.
       and keep us sensitive to one another's needs.
       We ask this through Christ our Lord. AMEN.

Prayer over the Gifts

Most Gracious God,
you bring together at the table of your Son,
the weak and the strong,
the sinner and the saint.
May your Spirit give us the strength to care for one another
and be willing to search for those who have gone astray.
All this we ask in the name of Jesus, our Lord. AMEN.

Invitation to the Lord’s Prayer

With Jesus present in our midst,
we pray the prayer that he taught us:
Our Father ...

Deliver us Lord  

Deliver us, Lord, from every evil,
and grant us the peace
that comes from knowing that you are always with us.
In your mercy,
keep us free from the sin of condemning people to their past.
Help us to show our concern for them
as we all prepare for the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Prayer for Peace

Lord Jesus Christ, you said to us:
"Where two or three are gathered in my name,
I am there among them."
Touch our hearts so that we may become people
who work and pray
that there be peace in your kingdom
where you live for ever and ever. AMEN

Exchange of Peace
Let us express our love and concern for one another
by offering a sign of Christ's peace.

Optional Prayer to accompany the ‘Breaking of Bread’

P      May we become as this blessed bread,
        a blessed people, blessed and broken
        in the love and care of one another.
        Through our sharing, we proclaim
        our willingness to build a community of love.
A     LAMB OF GOD.....

Invitation to Communion

This is Jesus, the Rock of our salvation.
Come, let us bow down in worship;
let us kneel before the Lord who made us and say.
Lord, I am not worthy…

Prayer after Communion   

God of love and mercy,
your Son Jesus is in our midst;
he has strengthened us with his body and blood
so that we can reach out
to those who have wandered far from you,
for you are our Shepherd- God,
and we, the people you guide.
Oh, that today we would hear your voice
as we make our prayer through Jesus, the Lord . AMEN.

Solemn Blessing

May God who loves you keep you in his fatherly care.
AMEN

May Jesus who lives in our midst guide you on your way.
AMEN.

May the Holy Spirit give you the strength to do God's will. AMEN.

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

Dismissal     

The Lord has instructed us to be concerned for one another.
Go, therefore, and 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'
Thanks be to God.