17 May 2020

Click HERE to view liturgy as a PDF.

Mother/other person lights candle

Ldr:   Christ, our Lord, is risen, alleluia!

All:     He is truly risen, alleluia!

Ldr:   WE PRAY IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER,

AND OF THE SON AND OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.

All:     Amen!

Ldr:   Jesus promised to give us the Holy Spirit

as our Advocate to be with us always. 

Let us pause in a moment of silence to open our hearts

to the Spirit of God and pray for the guidance we need…

(pause)

You have redeemed us, O God, in Christ your Son,

and in answer to his prayer

you sent us the Spirit of Truth to be with us always. 

With the help of the Spirit

help us to listen well to the words of salvation

your Son has spoken to us

and to share them with all the nations. 

In Jesus’ name we pray.  Amen.

First reader:

A reading from the first letter of Peter     (1 Peter 3:15–18)

Brothers and sisters, sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts.

Always be ready to make your defense

to anyone who demands from you

an accounting for the hope that is in you;

yet do it with gentleness and reverence.

Keep your conscience clear, so that, when you are maligned,

those who abuse you for your good conduct in Christ may be put to shame.

For it is better to suffer for doing good, if suffering should be God’s will,

than to suffer for doing evil.

For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous,

in order to bring you to God.

He was put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the Spirit.

The word of the Lord.        (“Thanks be to God”)

Second reader:

A reading from the Gospel of John.              (John 14:15–21)

Jesus said, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.

And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate,

to be with you forever.

This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive,

because it neither sees him nor knows him.

You know him, because he abides with you, and he will be in you.

“I will not leave you orphaned; I am coming to you.

In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me;

because I live, you also will live.

On that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you.

They who have my commandments and keep them are those who love me;

and those who love me will be loved by my Father,

and I will love them and reveal myself to them.”

The Gospel of the Lord.     (“Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.”)

[reflection:  -Have you ever had to defend your faith?  If so,

     were you able to do so “with gentleness and reverence”?

-Have you ever been lost and afraid?  Who helped you?

-How is it easy to live Jesus’ law of love?  When is it hard? ]

Prayer leader:

Our response to our prayers will be, “Lord, hear us.”

• For the Church, here and throughout the world:

may the Holy Spirit purify, strengthen and sustain us

so that we may faithfully and gently teach Christ’s way of love… 

we pray:

• For all the people of the world:

may the Holy Spirit animate us to be good stewards of the environment

and to care for creation…  

we pray: 

• Remove from our hearts all shades of darkness

so that Jesus may dwell gloriously in our hearts…  

we pray:

• We offer to our God for blessings and strength

all those who are sick and those who care for them,

those who are struggling with loneliness or fear, and those who mourn…  

we pray:

• Receive into your great mercy, O God, all who have died (especially __ )…

we pray:

          (other prayers?)

We bind all our prayers together with the words Jesus taught us: OUR FATHER…

Ldr:

O God,

let your Holy Spirit abide with us always,

to keep us steadfast in times of suffering and difficulty

and always gentle and faithful in bearing witness

to the love of Christ in the world. 

We pray in his Name, who is Lord forever and ever. 

Amen. 

May the Lord bless us with peace

     and protect us from all harm.  Amen.

Pray for us, O holy Mother of God…

All:   That we may be worthy of the promises of Christ. Amen.