Social Gatherings: Opportunities for Christian Witness (22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time)

Be Humble and Kind to the Poor

A pleasant day to everyone!

          Today’s gospel parable is concerned not with table manners but with our inner disposition before the “table of the Lord,” his offer of salvation.  In the Lord’s feast, there is no place for self-righteousness nor for the only too human desire for honor and recognition. Rather, there are places for humility, joy, and thanksgiving for the good things we have been invited to share.

Prayers of the Faithful

(22^nd Sunday Ordinary Time)

(Priest):            Let us pray for the needs of the Church and of the men and women of today, that we may become more and more a thankful and sharing people, let our response be:

“Lord, hear your people.”

(Reader):

·       May the Church and her leaders strive for humble service and simplicity rather than for power and influence. We pray: (R)

·       May government officials and civil servants see their office as a public trust and so serve the people with sincerity, dedication, and competence. We pray: (R)

·       May no one among us feel so superior as to exclude others or feel so inadequate as not to contribute anything. Instead, may we be mutually enriched by one another. We pray: (R)

·       May we not try to impress, impose, or seek advancement at the expense of others. We pray: (R)

·       May all those wounded and belittled by our words and actions forgive us and inspire us to respect others more. We pray: (R)

·       May the Lord welcome our departed ones to his heavenly banquet. We pray: (R)

(Priest):            Father of hope and consolation, hear the prayers of your people and fill is with your love. May we work for your kingdom in patience and perseverance.

Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

21st Sunday in Ordinary Time

Introduction

(21^st Sunday Ordinary Time)

A pleasant day to everyone!

          Our Gospel today is a wake-up call. Knowing the Lord and the Gospel is not enough. It is necessary to live the life that Jesus lived and put His word into practice.  Entrance into God’s kingdom is not easy. We have to pass through the narrow door.

          May we have the humility to see that God’s kingdom is a gift which we have to accept with joy and courage, so that it may bear fruit in our lives.

Prayers of the Faithful

(21st^h Sunday Ordinary Time)

(Priest):            Let us pray that we may have hearts open to welcome all peoples as brothers and sisters, fellow travelers, and partakers in the Lord’s banquet. With confidence, we pray:

“Lord, listen to your people.”

(Reader):

·       That after preaching to others, the ministers of the Word may live what they preach so that they may become credible witnesses and will not be left out of the reign of God, we pray: (R)

·       That we may see ourselves not as the only ones who will be saves but, like the rest, as partakers of the Lord’s gift of salvation, we pray: (R)

·       That those who suffer in any way and those who feel they may have difficulty passing through the “narrow door” may come closer to Christ who saved us through His cross, we pray: (R)

·       That the Church, the government, and the affluent sectors of our society may address the basic social and economic needs of the less privileged so that we may avoid rift and class struggle among our people, we pray: (R)

·       That our departed loved ones may know the joy of the heavenly banquet together with the forebears and all the holy ones, we pray: (R)

(Priest):            Fill our family with your Spirit, Lord, so that our lives may give you praise and glory.

Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Be a faithful Servants of God: 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time

San Antonio de Padua GKK

Deca Homes Resort & Residences

Mintal, Davao City

Introduction

(19^th Sunday Ordinary Time)

A pleasant day to everyone!

        Today’s liturgy focuses on our vigilant faith. We must be like faithful servants who stay awake waiting for their master. We need to open our hearts and minds so that we shall be aware of the Lord’s coming into our lives, be it in moments of prayer and recollection, in active service to our brothers and sisters, or in dramatic events.

Our waiting must be an active waiting.

       

To begin our celebration, let us all stand for the entrance hymn.

Prayers of the Faithful

(19^th Sunday Ordinary Time)

(Priest):            The Lord Jesus has set us as faithful stewards over his people. May we remain ever vigilant and faithful. Aware of our limitations, we pray.

“Lord, make us your faithful servant.”

(Reader):

·       May the community of God’s people set their hearts on never-failing treasures: faith, hope, love, peace, and life eternal. We pray: (R)

·       May our Church and government leaders attend to the needs of the people with wisdom and gentleness, never lording over God’s flock but giving it a shepherd’s care. We pray: (R)

·       May there be more leaders, prophets, and witnesses of faith who will keep alive our hope for a better world, for a more just society, for greater brotherhood and sisterhood among men and women. We pray: (R)

·       May young people not measure success solely in terms of material possessions but instead see in it an opportunity to render service to their neighbors. We pray: (R)

·       May our beloved dead be welcomed as good servants by the Lord in His kingdom, and there enjoy the peace and happiness of the just. We pray: (R)

(Priest):            Father, grant that we who partake in your table of love be also eager to share this love to others.

We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Be simple... Be Generous: 18th Sunday

Introduction

(18^th Sunday Ordinary Time)

A pleasant day to everyone!

        Greed is like a monster which feeds both on the greedy person and the victims of his greed. Once desire for material possessions takes control of our hearts, we lose interest in important values like honesty and family ties. God is replaced by mammon, the idol of wealth.

Today, Jesus warns that the greedy has no place in the kingdom. Such a person is fool who thinks that by amassing riches, he can grow rich in the sight of God.

        To begin our celebration, let us all stand for the entrance hymn.

Prayers of the Faithful

(18^th Sunday Ordinary Time)

(Priest):            God alone suffices. Let us pray that we may put our trust in him rather than in what the world promises. Let us say to Him:

“Lord, let us put our trust in you.”

(Reader):

·       May the Church be ever more the Church of the poor, and enrich the world with the values of sharing, brotherhood, and trust in God. We pray: (R)

·       As we celebrate today St. John Mary Vianney Sunday, may the Filipino clergy and all priests in the world imitate the example of the saint who was outstanding in humility, zeal for confession, and service to the poor. We pray: (R)

·       May the rich and the satisfied come to recognize the vanity of wealth and power and start to store up for themselves treasures that are neither stolen nor corrupted nor lost. We pray: (R)

·       May our political leaders and the wealthy among us strive to improve the lot of the poor and the underprivileged so that our country may be spared from the specter of class warfare. We pray: (R)

·       May the emptiness of life and our experience of its vanities not lead us to despair but help us raise our minds to spiritual realities; may we find fulfillment in the beatitude promised to the poor, the humble, and the meek. We pray: (R)

(Priest):            Father, help us to see your kingdom as our greatest treasure and make us joyful sharers of our goods and talents. At the end of our life, may we appear before you rich with the things of the spirit.

We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.