Suggestions
for next Sunday’s Liturgy
12 September 2010
These suggestions are intended mainly for those who prepare and lead
Sunday Liturgy in small communities in the absence of a priest. This situation is
occurring more often because of the decreasing number of priests.
If such small local communities have ready access to
helpful and relevant liturgical resources, so much the better. When such
resources are not available, or if they are not sufficient or too difficult to
follow in a small and perhaps remote community, then these suggestions might be
particularly helpful.
Before introducing a change in procedure in the
liturgical pattern followed by a community, before the liturgy starts, it is
advisable to offer some explanation. Explanations and directives given during
the liturgy can spoil the flow and prayerful mood of the liturgy.
Sometimes it is easier to see the gospel
truth in a reflection than in the gospel text itself. Sometimes it is easier to
hear it in something that is an echo of the gospel word than in the gospel text
itself. Having seen the message reflected in a life-situation that is familiar
to us, we can proceed to better appreciate the message
in the gospel itself.
Facing a related reality, we can ask:
what is the inspiration of God saying to us through the scriptural word we have
just heard. In silent reflection, in sharing of thoughts we can ask: what might
God be revealing to us here and now, prompted by the proclaimed Word in the
Liturgy.
That is one reason why it is good to use stories in drawing attention to the
message of the gospel. It is good to ask: where is the echo of the scriptural
Word we read today in the world around us now?
Because it is often easier, and more realistic, for us
to enter into the Word through its echo.
An appropriate story or recounted experience or observation, with the connected
emotions, not only catches people’s attention, it can also illustrate the
message in a relevant way and lead them to consider, with fresh minds, the
deeper wisdom of the scriptural message.
A Suggested Procedure in the Liturgy
1. Announce
the action, or event, or situation or question that will be the background
theme of the day’s Liturgy.
2. In the
reflection following the readings, begin with the announced action or event or
situation or question, discuss it briefly, then refer to sentences or themes or
thoughts in the readings which throw light on the action, event, or situation
or question. In particular, try to discern what might be in the mind and heart
of Jesus as the matter is discussed. Invite the Spirit of Jesus to help in this
endeavour. Perhaps have a brief period of silence in the course of the
reflection to allow the Holy Spirit to guide and inspire us.
3. At the
conclusion of the Liturgy, as a part of the Dismissal-“Missioning” rite, refer again to the reality of the
background theme in the day’s Liturgy and call for suggestions indicating
action on the issue that the participants might undertake during the week.
Twenty Fourth Sunday in
Ordinary Time :: 12 September 2010
Gospel: Luke
15: 1 – 32
A Focus Point or theme in
today’s Liturgy:
A forgiving
God.
A phrase from today’s Liturgy for prayerful pondering:
Have mercy on me, God, in your kindness.
Forgive us our sins, as we forgive
those who sin against us.
Related Reality:
It is possible to forgive, and forgiveness
opens the way to new life.
For example:
Nelson Mandela – forgiving those who
had brought so much suffering to himself and to other blacks and coloured people
in South Africa.
Ramos Horta
– who intervened to save the lives of people who had participated in the nearly-successful
action to assassinate him.
Headings for the Sharing of Reflections. .
Today’s gospel parables illustrate that God is a God of forgiveness,
to an infinite dimension.
What can we do in response to the
message in the Liturgy?
Be
prepared to accept forgiveness and to grant forgiveness.
Points in the
We have a very Jewish story in the first reading from
the book of Exodus. It is about a forgiving God.
Psalm 50 is a repentance psalm and the antiphon
refers to today’s gospel: I will rise and go to my father.
The mercy of God is a theme in the second reading,
which, this Sunday, can connect it with the first reading, the psalm, and the
longest of the three parables in the gospel.
Rejoicing does not seem to be a characteristic of the
Scribes and Pharisees to whom the gospel parables are addressed. Yet rejoicing
features strongly in each of the parables. Rejoicing seems to be a
characteristic of God, as presented by Jesus – a rejoicing which is
extended to those in the realm of God.
Introduction
to the Liturgy
If you are
using a data projector to help with the Liturgy and with the reflection on the proclaimed
Word, you might consider using the following frames.
Before the Liturgy begins
A forgiving
God.
Related Reality:
It is possible to forgive, and forgiveness
opens the way to new life.
For example:
Nelson Mandela – forgiving those who
had brought so much suffering to himself and to other blacks and coloured people
in South Africa.
Ramos Horta
– who intervened to save the lives of people who had participated in the nearly-successful
action to assassinate him.
During the sharing of Reflections or homily
Today’s gospel parables illustrate that God is a God of forgiveness,
to an infinite dimension.
What can we do in response to the
message in the Liturgy?
Be
prepared to accept forgiveness and to grant forgiveness.
After the proclamation of the
scriptures
Some more thoughts on the Gospel
A reflection on each
Sunday’s gospel by Judith Lynch can be found at:
http://www.tarellaspirituality.com/
For good, well-informed, easy-to-read, briefly-stated
information about the scripture texts
go to the Center for Liturgy: http://liturgy.slu.edu/
choose the Sunday date
and click on Information about the
Other very useful background scriptural resources can be found
at:
http://catholic-resources.org/
If you decide to follow the pattern of
the Prayer of the Faithful suggested in these notes, it is important to explain
the change to the congregation beforehand. The reader of the petitions needs to
be especially careful to allow, what might seem like a very extended time (10
full seconds) to him/her, for silent prayer before declaring “Lord, hear
us” to conclude the petition.
In
explaining the change it is appropriate not only to describe the changed
procedure: a reason for the change can also be given, such as the following.
A good
model of petitionary prayer is the example of Mary as
indicated in the story of the wedding feast at
Mary
simply stated the problem to Jesus: “They have no wine”. She did
not point out what Jesus might or should do; she did not ask for a particular
favour. But she did say to the waiters: “Do whatever he tells you”.
Like
Mary, in our prayer of petition we can simply state the problem, or the issue
that is of concern to us, and leave time for silent prayer. The prayer happens
in the silence. The prayer of all those present is then gathered together in
the community response to the invocation: “Lord, hear us” … “Lord,
hear our prayer”. Hopefully, as a result of our prayer we might be
inspired to discern what Jesus is calling us to do in the situation.
For further information on the Prayer of the Faithful see
articles in the Index.
General Intercessions
Twenty Fourth Sunday in
Ordinary Time :: 12 September 2010
Leader: Jesus presents
us with an extraordinary God:
one who looks for and is ready to welcome back everyone,
one who offers a celebration and wishes that all participate
in it and enjoy it.
To this God
we bring our prayer.
Reader: Many people seem to be lost
in a world of superficial
distractions and entertainments.
We pray.
(10 second pause for
silent prayer) Lord,
hear us.
Some
people are led astray by glamour,
wasteful living, and selfish consumption.
We pray. (10
second pause for silent prayer) Lord, hear us.
Some
people are abandoned or rejected
because nobody wants them.
We
pray. (10 second pause for silent prayer) Lord, hear us.
The
challenge of extreme climatic conditions
is putting pressure on many people.
We
pray. (10 second pause for silent prayer) Lord, hear us.
Leader: Dear God,
you are like the Father in
today’s gospel story.
You continually reach out to all who need your help and support.
May we accept your largesse with gratitude
and seek to manifest your attitudes
in our own behaviour,
inspired by your Spirit,
coming to us through Jesus Christ our
Lord. Amen
Thanksgiving Intentions
The Prayer of the Faithful is a prayer of
intercession or petition – a time to consider our needs and the needs of
others, and pray. It is inappropriate to include reasons for thanksgiving into
the Intercessory Prayers – the Prayer of the Faithful. To do so is to
confuse the rite (and the people present at the Liturgy).
Especially when we gather as a community on Sunday, prayer
of thanksgiving should be a feature of our community prayer.
This is the case when the Eucharist is celebrated:
Eucharist means Thanksgiving. In the Mass the
Eucharistic Prayer is basically prayer of thanks and praise.
In the absence of a priest a community can’t
celebrate the Mass: there is no Eucharistic Prayer. Nevertheless, in the
prayers provided for lay led Liturgy, there is often a Prayer of Thanksgiving
before the Lord’s Prayer (and Communion).
To make this Prayer of Thanksgiving (and even the
Eucharistic Prayer at Mass) more precise and relevant, particular reasons for
thanksgiving could be mentioned in introducing the prayer. It would be simple
and easy to do. Thanksgiving intentions probably fit in best at the end of the
introductory dialogue just before the beginning of the “Preface” or
its equivalent prayer of thanks and praise.
A thanksgiving intention: We rejoice and give thanks,
when, through God’s goodness,
people find their way
into the realm of God.
After the announcements, arrangements
and general business
Introducing the
Concluding Rite
or
“Dismissal”
with
a “missioning” statement
Our church community needs
always to be ready
to welcome
back
those who have been
lost from our gatherings.
What do we need to be like
and to do
in order to
be attractive and welcoming?
Free Clipart for each Sunday
available at: http://www.servicioskoinonia.org/cerezo/indexBgraf.html
Other
material for liturgy, including more clipart: www.textweek.com