Second Sunday of the Year 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 95

Proclaim His marvelous deeds

Proclaim his marvelous deeds to all the nations

Proclaim his marvelous deeds to all the nations

Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord all the earth;

Sing to the Lord, bless his name.

Proclaim his marvelous deeds to all the nations

Proclaim his marvelous deeds to all the nations

Proclaim his salvation day after day

Tell his glory, among the nations; among all people his wondrous deeds.

Proclaim his marvelous deeds to all the nations

Proclaim his marvelous deeds to all the nations

Sing to the Lord you families of peoples; give to the Lord glory and  praise

Give to the Lord the glory of his name.

Proclaim his marvelous deeds to all the nations

Proclaim his marvelous deeds to all the nations

John 2:1-11  This was the first of the signs given by Jesus:

it was at Cana in Galilee.

There was a wedding at Cana in Galilee.

The mother of Jesus was there,

and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited.

When they ran out of wine,

since the wine provided for the wedding was all finished,

the mother of Jesus said to him,

‘They have no wine.’

Jesus said ‘Woman, why turn to me? My hour has not come yet.’

His mother said to the servants,

‘Do whatever he tells you.’

There were six stone water jars standing there,

meant for the ablutions that are customary among the Jews:

each could hold twenty or thirty gallons.

Jesus said to the servants,

‘Fill the jars with water’, and they filled them to the brim.

‘Draw some out now’ he told them ‘and take it to the steward.’

They did this; the steward tasted the water, and it had turned into wine.

Having no idea where it came from –

only the servants who had drawn the water knew –

the steward called the bridegroom and said,

‘People generally serve the best wine first,

and keep the cheaper sort till the guests have had plenty to drink;

but you have kept the best wine till now.’
This was the first of the signs given by Jesus:

it was given at Cana in Galilee.

He let his glory be seen, and his disciples believed in him.

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 watched our online liturgy, you might want simply to reflect yourself on what you have seen and heard 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

Questions for reflection (framed for a group discussion)

 The reign of God is often likened to a wedding feast.

Mary (again!) is crucial to this first sign of God's coming among us.

The "new wine" - the best ever - transforms a ceremony into a joyous celebration.

Now you too are invited to join the celebration - sing and dance for the Lord is in your heart!

1. Describe an "ordinary" event in your life
   that turned out to have extraordinary meaning for you. (Share)
2. When have you stepped in, as Mary did at Cana,
   to try and make a difficult situation easier for someone?
   

Prayers of Intercession

For Pope Francis and all the bishops of the Church

as they prepare for the Synod in 2023.

We pray for the Scottish bishops

that they will listen diligently to the voice of the Holy Spirit

as it speaks through their parishioners

and that they will faithfully represent those submissions

at the Synod in Rome when the time comes.

Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.

As we enter the Week for Christian Unity next Tuesday,

We remember the prayer of Jesus:

“May they all be one, just as, Father, you are in me and I am in you,

so that they also may be in us.”

May Christians everywhere join together in proclaiming their common beliefs

And be a beacon of hope in a divided world.

Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.

In today’s gospel Mary intervenes to change a humiliating situation

Into a joyful celebration with an abundance of the very best wine.

She tells the servants: “Do what he tells you.”

We pray for the grace to hear what Jesus asks of us

And for the courage to follow it through.

Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.

For our faith communities as we continue to listen and reflect

on the scripture readings each week.

We pray that each of us will put this “new wine” into fresh wineskins,

Meaning that we will listen afresh with open minds

To the Word of God speaking to us and encouraging us to act in his name.

Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.

For those in our local community who need us in many different ways

But are afraid or ashamed to reach out for help.

We pray for the insight and wisdom of Mary

Who saw a need and quietly approached those who were best qualified to help.

Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.

For those who need healing

either from physical pain and suffering

or from mental stress and despair.

May their prayers for help and support find ready answers in our community

through its response of praying and caring for those in most need.

In particular we remember all those named in the Prayer Foundation.

Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.

For those who have died and for those who grieve for their loss.

May they take comfort from knowing they are in God’s loving care

And very much alive in our hearts.

We remember in particular:   David Dowie, Pauline McLaughlin nee O’Donnell,

John Waugh Snr and Angela Jensen.

And all those whose anniversary occurs at this time.

Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Prayer to be Missionary Disciples