SOME THOUGHTS AS WE ENTER THESE SACRED DAYS
SOME THOUGHTS AS WE ENTER THESE SACRED DAYS:
HOLY THURSDAY MORNING – CHRISM MASS
Gracious and loving God, we thank your for the gift of our priests.
Through them, we experience your presence in the sacraments.
Help our priests to be strong in their vocation.
Set their souls on fire with love for your people.
Grant them the wisdom, understanding, and strength they need to follow in the footsteps of Jesus.
Inspire them with the vision of your Kingdom.
Give them the words they need to spread the Gospel.
Allow them to experience joy in their ministry.
Help them to become instruments of your divine grace.
We ask this through Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns as our Eternal Priest.
Amen.
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
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HOLY THURSDAY EVENING – COMMEMORATING THE LAST SUPPER
A table is set before us. A feast is prepared for us.
A meal of bread and wine, of meat and bitter herbs.
The Lord calls us to this supper of remembrance.
The Lord calls us to serve and to be served.
As we break the bread and share the cup,
our understanding may fail us.
But we will never forget Christ’s example.
We will never forget the full extent of his love.
~ posted on the Worship Elements page of the Ministry Matters website. http://www.ministrymatters.
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GOOD FRIDAY
If the cross tells us anything, O Lord,
it is that You know and share our suffering:
You are with us, and all those who are victims of disease,
of the violence or abuse of others,
of our own ignorance, foolishness or sin.
Help us and restore us, O Lord, we pray.
You are with us, and all those who inflict pain on others and on our world,
through our selfishness or greed,
through our brokenness or anger,
through our rigidity or need to be right.
Help us and restore us, O Lord, we pray.
You are with us, and all those who are fearful of threats
to this world we call home,
to our safety and survival,
to our sense of community and togetherness as people.
Help us and restore us, O Lord, we pray.
Silent personal prayers may be offered here.
Christ of the Cross,
See our need of Your grace,
Hear our prayer for Your mercy,
And come to us again, to help and restore,
because we cannot heal ourselves.
Amen.
~ written by John van de Laar, in A Communion Liturgy for Good Friday
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HOLY SATURDAY MORNING
Between Light and Shadow
Holy God, We are caught in the tension of
light and shadow, death and resurrection.
You spoke the world into being,
you illuminated the universe by your very speech,
then filled the void with life.
Indeed, you have filled the void
of darkness and death,
the empty promises of the abyss,
with new life and new creation.
We look to you in the space between the world and the Kingdom,
longing for the fulfillment of your word
in the work of the Holy Spirit
and the reign of Christ, our Creator and King.
Amen
~ written by Thomas Turner, and posted on everyday liturgy. http://everydayliturgy.com/
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EASTER VIGIL/EASTER MORNING
May none of God’s wonderful works keep silence,
night or morning.
Bright stars,
high mountains,
the depths of the seas,
sources of rushing rivers;
may all these break into song
as we sing to Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
May all the angels in the heavens reply
Amen! Amen! Amen!
Power, praise, honor, eternal glory to God,
the only giver of grace.
Amen! Amen! Amen!
~ anonymous Christian author, from sometime during the 3rd to 6th century.
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[with thanks to Noirin Lynch in the Limerick Diocesan Pastoral Development Office for some of these resources]
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