A New Presentation for Sunday's Liturgy

Sent to proclaim
the Good News
June 12, 2005
11th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Click here to download: (English - 2.76MB)
Flash Presentation

The original version,along with other very useful materials for pastoral agents and Christians in general can be found at: http://ciudadredonda.org

June 12, 2005 - 11th Sunday in Ordinary Time (A)

Sent to Heal

Readings:
Ex 19:2-6; Ps 100:1-2,3,5
Rom 5:6-11; Matthew 9:36-10:8

Commentaries / Gospel Reflections from:
Daily Gospel • Preaching the Word • A Certain Jesus
Sundays Into Silence • Homily by Fr. Peter,cmf NEW

Greeting (see Second Reading)

God loves us, even though we sin.
By dying for us,
Jesus brought us reconciliation
and has filled us with joyful trust in God.
May the Lord Jesus be always with you.
R/ And also with you.

Introduction by the Celebrant

Many in our society and our communities are in need of healing. We too need the healing of forgiveness, maybe also of illness and pain and suffering. Jesus came to bring us healing from sin and he sends out his disciples, in the past and today, to bring healing to a world so often afflicted and yet often harsh and pitiless. Let us ask the Lord that we may pass on to others the mercy he is showing to us.

Penitential Act

Let us ask forgiveness from the Lord
because we have often been hard and merciless.
(PAUSE)
Lord Jesus, you are our Good Shepherd
who laid down your life for people:
Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.

Jesus Christ, you went around doing good,
healing the people from all their ills:
Christ, have mercy. R/ Christ, have mercy.

Lord Jesus, you want us to pass on to others
what we have received for free from you:
Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.

Take pity on us too, Lord,
and forgive us all our sins.
Heal us and restore us
and lead us to everlasting life . R/ Amen.

Opening Prayer

Let us pray to God
that we may be to everyone
the sign of his healing love
(PAUSE)
Lord God, source of all love
you showed through your Son Jesus Christ
how you take pity on people in their helplessness.
You have made yourself our God
and have bound us closely to yourself
in a lasting covenant of life and love.
Mold us into a real people
set free by Jesus your Son.
Make us responsible together for one another
and let us be to all a living sign
of your tender love and compassion.
We ask this in the name of Jesus the Lord . R/ Amen.

Liturgy of the Word

First Reading Introduction: Chosen by God as his holy people
      God chose Israel as his people, liberated them and bound himself to them in a covenant union of permanent life and love. The priestly mission of this people was to reflect the holiness of God and to make it known to all.

First Reading: Exodus 19:2-6

In those days, the Israelites came to the desert and camped in the wilderness of Sinai.

The Israelites camped there in front of the mountain, but Moses went up to God and Yahweh called to him from the mountain, saying, "This is what you are to say and to explain to the Israelites: You have seen what I did to the Egyptians and how I carried you on eagle's wings and brought you to myself. Now if you listen to me and keep my covenant, you shall be my very own possession among all the nations. For all the earth is mine, but you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation."

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 100:1-2,3,5

R. We are his people, the sheep of his flock.

Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands;
serve the LORD with gladness;
come before him with joyful song.
R. We are his people, the sheep of his flock.

Know that the LORD is God;
he made us, his we are,
his people, the flock he tends.
R. We are his people, the sheep of his flock.

The LORD is good:
His kindness endures forever,
and his faithfulness, to all generations.
R. We are his people, the sheep of his flock.

Second Reading Introduction: Saved by His life
       God made us what we are by his love. The proof of the depth of his love is that his Son Jesus Christ died for us to reconcile us with God and to let us share in his life.

Second Reading: Romans 5:6-11

Brothers and sisters, Christ died for us when we were still sinners and unable to do anything. Few would accept to die for an upright person; although, for a very good person, perhaps someone would dare to die. But see how God manifested his love for us: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us and we have become just through his blood. With much more reason now he will save us from any condemnation. Once enemies, we have been reconciled with God through the death of his Son; with much more reason now we may be saved through his life. Not only that; we feel secure in God because of Christ Jesus, our Lord, through whom we have been reconciled.

Gospel Introduction: Sent to proclaim the Good News
     Jesus sends out his apostles on a mission that will be the mission of the whole People of God: to bring to everyone God's compassionate love which we ourselves have experienced.

Gospel Reading: Matthew 9:36-10:8

When Jesus saw the crowds he was moved with pity, for they were harassed and helpless like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is abundant but the workers are only few. Ask the master of the harvest to send workers to gather his harvest."

Then he called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority over the unclean spirits to drive them out and to heal every disease and sickness.
These are the names of the twelve apostles: first Simon, called Peter, and his brother Andrew; James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew, Thomas and Matthew, the tax collector; James, the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon, the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, the man who would betray him.

Jesus sent these twelve on mission with the instruction: "Do not visit pagan territory and do not enter a Samaritan town. Go instead to the lost sheep of the people of Israel.

Go and proclaim this message: The kingdom of heaven is near. Heal the sick, bring the dead back to life, cleanse the lepers, and drive out demons. You received this as a gift, so give it as a gift.

Commentary

ALWAYS there are crowds of people pressing in around Jesus and so many in such desperate need moves Jesus to great pity and compassion, but also to exhort his disciples to pray for more workers-twelve is nothing-there should be one thousand two hundred in every church to gather the harvest that others have sown and that the Spirit brings to readiness. Jesus picks his disciples, twelve in remembrance of the twelve tribes of Israel, but there are supposed to be disciples from every tribe, race, nation, place and peoples on earth. And these leaders are given authority over unclean spirits-to stand and confront evil, sin and injustice that harms and hinders the children of God and to heal every disease and sickness-to provide solace, medicine, comfort, balm, peace and forgiveness for every malady that exists. These are the primary functions of the apostles. And in every group there are those with great weakness: Peter, Thomas, James and John the sons of Thunder and all will fight among themselves for power and there are those who will betray all that the group seeks to witness to-we must be aware of our own weakness and sins and that they effect the coming of the kingdom among us.

Read also Sundays Into Silence:
Is There a Vocation Crisis?

General Intercessions

Let us pray to our Lord Jesus Christ that with him we may take compassion on people and heal their wounds by God's power. Let us say: R/ Lord, fill us with your mercy.

- Lord Jesus, make your Church treat its erring members with deep compassion and endless patience, in the way you are lenient with us. And so we pray: R/ Lord, fill us with your mercy.

- Lord Jesus, make political leaders aware of the many poor in society:
the homeless, refugees, the jobless, those abandoned by parents or spouses. We pray: R/ Lord, fill us with your mercy.

- Lord Jesus, look with pity on those of your faithful who have no shepherds to lead them, on parishes without priests or with inadequate shepherds,
on discouraged and bungling priests. We pray: R/ Lord, fill us with your mercy.

- Lord Jesus, make us look with pity for young people without ideals or guidance, for sad old people in their loneliness, for broken families and couples in irregular marriages. We pray: R/ Lord, fill us with your mercy.

- Lord Jesus, look with pity on our communities. Unite them when they are divided, make them welcome those who have erred, let them be hospitable to all. We pray: R/ Lord, fill us with your mercy.

Jesus, our Good Shepherd, by your free gifts you have been very good to us.
Dispose us to be equally kind and good to all people in need. Lead us, Lord, now and for ever. R/ Amen.

Prayer over the Gifts

God our Father,
you have given us without charge
this bread and wine.
Turn them by the power of the Holy Spirit
into your best free gift to us,
your Son Jesus Christ.
Dispose us not to keep him to ourselves
but to share him freely with all those around us,
without any other preference than his own:
the poor, the needy, and the little people.
May this be the sign
that your kingdom has come among us,
that we are your people
and you our God for ever and ever . R/ Amen.

Introduction to the Eucharistic Prayer

Through the death and resurrection of Jesus God has made us his chosen people. We, that "holy people," offer ourselves with Jesus to bring God's compassion and healing to all.

Invitation to the Lord's Prayer

Our Lord Jesus Christ has filled us
with joyful trust in God.
With him we pray to our Father in heaven : R/ Our Father...

Deliver Us

Deliver us, Lord, form every evil
and grant us the peace of your forgiveness.
Keep us from looking down on others
and from condemning in them the faults
that we ourselves commit but hide.
Help us to uplift one another
and to serve you in spirit and in truth,
as we prepare for the full coming among us
of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ . R/ For the kingdom...

Invitation to Communion

This is Jesus, the Lamb of God,
who died for us while we were still sinners.
He has made us into God's new people.
Happy are we to receive him
and to live through him in the Father's love.
R/ Lord, I am not worthy...

Prayer after Communion

Lord God, Father of all,
again we ask of you to make us more
the people of the covenant.
Through Jesus, your Son-with-us, make us all one,
praying and working together
to build up your kingdom among people.
Let none of us be an uncommitted spectator
but make each of us fully aware
that, weak and fallible as we are,
you need us and want us to be a holy people,
the sign to all of your lasting goodness.
We ask you this through Christ our Lord . R/ Amen.

Blessing

In his love, God chose us
and made us his own people.
Now he sends us out
to make his love known to all.
May we be his heart that beats for others,
his hands that lighten burdens,
his word of encouragement and hope.
And on all our ways
may he go with you and bless you:
the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit .R/ Amen.

The Lord guides us to one another;
let us go in his peace . R/ Thanks be to God.

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Additional Resource Material for this Sunday

Ideal for catechetical and liturgical dramatization of today"s gospel.

The Thirteen
(Mt 9:36-10:8)

(taken from the book A Certain Jesus, Vol. 1)
Click here for other Readings --> Index of A Certain Jesus