First Sunday of Lent C

The following are prayerful resources rather than a liturgy.

• Responsorial Psalm
• The gospel for the day
  (a useful commentary on the reading  here)
• Some optional questions for reflection
  
• Prayers of Intercession
  
• Cluster Prayer
• The gospel of the week ahead with questions
  

Psalm 90   Be with me Lord when I am in my distress

Be with me Lord when I am in distress

He who dwells in the shelter of the most high

and abides in the shade of the Almighty

says to the Lord, “My refuge my stronghold

My God in whom I trust”.

Upon you no evil shall fall

no plague approach where you dwell

For you he has commanded his angels

to keep you in all your ways.

They shall bear you upon their hands

lest you strike your foot against a stone.

On the lion and the viper you will tread

and trample the young lion and the dragon.

His love he set on me so I will rescue him;

protect him for He knows my name

When he calls, I shall answer – “I am with you.”

I will save Him in distress and give him glory.

Luke 4: 1-13  Jesus was led by the Spirit through the wilderness and was tempted there

Filled with the Holy Spirit, Jesus left the Jordan

and was led by the Spirit through the wilderness,

being tempted there by the devil for forty days.

During that time he ate nothing and at the end he was hungry.

Then the devil said to him,

‘If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to turn into a loaf.’

But Jesus replied, ‘Scripture says: Man does not live on bread alone.’

Then leading him to a height,

the devil showed him in a moment of time all the kingdoms of the world and said to him,

‘I will give you all this power and the glory of these kingdoms,

for it has been committed to me and I give it to anyone I choose.

Worship me, then, and it shall all be yours.’

But Jesus answered him, ‘Scripture says:
You must worship the Lord your God,
and serve him alone.’

Then he led him to Jerusalem and made him stand on the parapet of the Temple.

‘If you are the Son of God,’ he said to him

‘throw yourself down from here, for scripture says:
He will put his angels in charge of you
to guard you,
and again:
They will hold you up on their hands
in case you hurt your foot against a stone.’

But Jesus answered him, ‘It has been said:
You must not put the Lord your God to the test.’
Having exhausted all these ways of tempting him, the devil left him,

to return at the appointed time.

This the gospel of the Lord

Copyright © 1996-2021 Universalis Publishing Limited: see www.universalis.com.

Scripture readings from the Jerusalem Bible are published and copyright © 1966, 1967 and 1968 by Darton, Longman & Todd, Ltd and Doubleday, a division of Random House, Inc.

Text of the Psalms: Copyright © 1963, The Grail (England). All rights reserved.

Having used our prayer resources, you might want simply to reflect yourself on them and how that might flow into your coming week. Some people have found it very helpful to meet with others and share their thoughts.
If you are interested  in joining a small group to share your thoughts and feelings about God's Word from any of the resources you have watched please email us.         cluster.alpha@outlook.com

Prayers of Intercession

St Paul tells us that no-one who believes in God will be put to shame and so we confidently ask our Father in heaven to hear our needs and the needs of those around us.

For Pope Francis, all bishops, priests, deacons and religious that through our prayer, fasting and almsgiving we may all be strengthened in our faith.

Lord Hear us…. Lord graciously hear us.

For all in positions of political authority that they may resist the temptations of power and work for the benefit of even the poorest of their people. We also pray that they are guided by the Holy Spirit in the difficult times ahead in dealing with the war being raged on Ukraine.

Lord Hear us…. Lord graciously hear us.

For the people of war torn Ukraine, those who have become refugees, those still trying to escape and for those who remain in their homeland. We also remember in prayer the majority of Russian people who are not supportive that President Putin has pushed them into a war and they too are victims of the conflict.

Lord Hear us…. Lord graciously hear us.

We pray for all those who find themselves in extremely challenging financial times and that during Lent, those of us who can, will be generous to those in need, especially those in our local community.

Lord Hear us…. Lord graciously hear us.

For all here today in this season of prayer, fasting and almsgiving as we seek to deepen our relationship with God and with each other.

Lord Hear us…. Lord graciously hear us.

For those separated from the church or estranged from their families that this Lenten season will bring healing and reconciliation.

Lord Hear us…. Lord graciously hear us.

We pray for all those ill in mind, body or soul and all those included in the prayer foundation list.

Lord Hear us…. Lord graciously hear us.

We pray also for those who have died:  Bridie Sawyers, Richie Ellis, Mary Duffy, Martin Mc Graw, Sarah Duffy, Rose Neilson, Constance Kelly and Loreto Spiridigliozzi and those whose anniversaries occur at this time. May they see the light of God’s face and for all those who mourn the loss of a loved one that they will be comforted in their grief.

Lord Hear us…. Lord graciously hear us.

Prayer to be Missionary Disciples