Sign of the Cross

Greeting  [from 1st Reading]

The Lord has prepared for all people
a feast of rich food,
a banquet of choice wines.
May the Lord be with you.

Introduction and Litany of Praise

We come together at the Lord's invitation to share in the banquet he has prepared for us. At the table of the WORD we are conscious of our failure
to follow Jesus, God's Word made flesh. Around the table of the
EUCHARIST we likewise remember that the Lord welcomed sinners and
ate and drank with them. The invitation of God is to all; we are usually
selective and we exclude many.

Option A
Lord Jesus, you have prepared a banquet for us:
Lord, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.

Christ Jesus, you nourish us with the Word of Life:
Christ, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.

Lord Jesus, you invite everyone
to the Banquet of your Body and Blood:
Lord, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.

Option B
Lord Jesus, you wipe away the tears from our faces
and take away our disgrace:
Lord, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.

Christ Jesus, you invite us
to the wedding feast of the Kingdom:
Christ, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.

Lord Jesus, you invite to the feast of love
the weak and the humble
along with the strong and the healthy:
Lord, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.

Opening Prayer

Option A
God, whose word is life,
you invite all peoples to the banquet
and offer them a feast beyond compare.
Give us your saving grace
to keep unstained the robe of our baptism
until that day when you welcome us to heaven's joyful table.

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 wedding feast of your Son,
O good and gracious God,
you have invited all the peoples of the world.
Open our community to all who seek you.
May we lead others to the banquet of eternal life
where all will be welcome.

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

The Presider may wish to omit the last paragraph of today's Gospel.

i.e. " But when the king came in…. few are chosen"

Homily

GENERAL INTERCESSIONS

P       Let us present to our Father the needs and aspirations of our people, especially those of indigenous Filipinos. Let our response be:

             With confidence we pray:

CM     Lord, bless your people. (Please repeat)

1. That the Church may continually affirm the God-given dignity of indigenous peoples, a dignity we all share equally as children of the one Father.
   We pray:
   
2. That our government officials may protect the rich traditions and heritage of our cultural minorities, especially from the onslaught of commercialization and agro-industrial projects.
   We pray:
   
3. That the whole Church will imitate the Lord in welcoming all people to God's banquet, whatever their race, nationality, gender or status.
   We pray:
4. That the nations of the world will see their way to find a peaceful solution to the crisis in _______, the Holy Land and other troubled areas of the world.
   We pray:

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

P     Lord God, you promise to wipe away every tear
       and fulfill every one of our needs.
       Hear the prayers we make to you
       and bring us to the salvation which you have gained for us
       through Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN.

Prayer over the Gifts

Lord God,
as a loving Father,
you have prepared a feast in our midst
for the sick and the healthy,
for the sinners and the saints.
Accept our joy and gratitude
as we join your Son, Jesus, in offering you our worship.
All this we ask through the same Christ our Lord. AMEN.

Invitation to the Lord’s Prayer

As we prepare to receive the bread of life,
let us pray in the words that Jesus taught us:
Our Father ...

Deliver us Lord  

Deliver us, Lord, from every evil,
especially from our tendency to make excuses
when invited to follow Jesus, your Son.
In your mercy, protect us from all anxiety
as we wait in joyful hope
for the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Prayer for Peace

Lord Jesus Christ, you said to your servants:
'Go out into the main streets
and invite everyone you find to the banquet.'
Lord, forgive us for the times
when we excluded others from entering the banquet
which you have prepared in your kingdom
where you live for ever and ever. AMEN

Exchange of Peace
We are the servants who know that we are blessed.
Let us share our joy with those around us.

Optional Prayer to accompany the ‘Breaking of Bread’

P      Isaiah proclaims:
        "On this mountain, God will prepare a banquet.
        The finest food and the best wine will be served
        for all to partake.
        On that day it will be said:
        'Behold, this is our God;
        we have waited for him, so that he might save us.' "
        (Isaiah 25:6)
A     LAMB OF GOD.....

Invitation to Communion

Option A
This is the Lord who invites us:
'Come to the feast… the table is set.'
Blessed are we who have responded to his invitation.
Lord, I am not worthy…

Option B
Behold! This is the Lord Jesus.
He invites us now to join him at the banquet table.
Lord, I am not worthy…

Prayer after Communion    (based on1st Reading)

Provident Father,
we have been guests at the table of your Son.
Now, we can do all things in the power of him who strengthens us.
He is the Lord for whom we have waited,
let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.
Grant this in the name of the same Christ our Lord. AMEN.

Solemn Blessing

May the Father remove all your sadness. AMEN.

May the Son fill you with joy. AMEN.

May the Holy Spirit lead you safely to God's house. AMEN.

And may the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit,
+ bless you now and forever. AMEN.

Dismissal     

Option A
Sent to proclaim God's kingdom with power
and to serve others with humility,
go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

Option B
Our celebration is ended.
Let us go and proclaim in words and in action
what the Lord has said to us today:
"All are invited to the banquet of the Lord".
Thanks be to God.