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
Sing and shout for joy for great in your midst is the holy one the holy one of Israel
Sing and shout for joy for great in your midst is the holy one the holy one of Israel
Truly is my salvation, I trust, I shall not fear.
For the Lord is my strength my song, he became my saviour
With joy you will draw water from the well of salvation
Sing and shout for joy for great in your midst is the holy one the holy one of Israel
Give thanks to the Lord, give praise to his name!
Make his mighty deeds known to the peoples,
Declare the greatness of his name
Sing and shout for joy for great in your midst is the holy one the holy one of Israel
Sing a psalm to the Lord for he has done glorious deed,
Make them known to all the earth!
People of Zion, sing and shout for joy
For great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel
Sing and shout for joy for great in your midst is the holy one the holy one of Israel
Sing and shout for joy for great in your midst is the holy one the holy one of Israel
Luke 3:10-18 Someone is coming who will baptise you
with the Holy Spirit and with fire.
When all the people asked John, ‘What must we do?’ he answered,
‘If anyone has two tunics he must share with the man who has none,
and the one with something to eat must do the same.’
There were tax collectors too who came for baptism,
and these said to him, ‘Master, what must we do?’
He said to them, ‘Exact no more than your rate.’
Some soldiers asked him in their turn, ‘What about us? What must we do?’
He said to them, ‘No intimidation! No extortion! Be content with your pay!’
A feeling of expectancy had grown among the people,
who were beginning to think that John might be the Christ,
so John declared before them all,
‘I baptise you with water, but someone is coming,
someone who is more powerful than I am,
and I am not fit to undo the strap of his sandals;
he will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
His winnowing-fan is in his hand to clear his threshing-floor
and to gather the wheat into his barn;
but the chaff he will burn in a fire that will never go out.’
As well as this, there were many other things he said
to exhort the people and to announce the Good News to them.
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, and used by permission of the publishers. Text of the Psalms: Copyright © 1963, The Grail (England). Used with permission of A.P. Watt Ltd. 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)
John may have lived in the desert but he was wise to the wiles of the world.
He tailored his answers to those who asked, "What must we do?"
- What would be John's tailored answer to you, your family, your faith community if he were alive today? (Share)
- What might John the Baptist challenge you to do differently in your life?
Prayers of Intercession
On this Gaudete or Rose Sunday where the rose is evident as a symbol of joy, we are called ‘to rejoice and be glad’ as we await the feast of our Lord’s birth.
For Pope Francis and all faith leaders, may they be true to the mission of the Church to rejoice in the Lord always. May their service reflect that of John the Baptist, who declares he was sent by God ‘to testify to the light, the one who is coming, the Christ’.
May they and we bring the light of Christ into the darkest corners of the world.
Lord in your mercy.... Hear our prayer
For those in government across the world, that they be true servants of their peoples, be principled in their decisions, honest in their communications in tackling Covid this winter.
May they work generously and compassionately together to protect all who are vulnerable and afraid.
Lord in your mercy...hear our prayer
For ourselves, in our busy preoccupied lives as we prepare for Christmas may we hear your voice today, and know that you are near. With every gift we buy and wrap, may we be mindful of those less fortunate who may be homeless, sleeping rough, without a warm meal to eat or a gift to open.
Let us respond to the urgings of John the Baptist to share our abundance and give generously to all those in need for the glory of God.
Lord in your mercy...hear our prayer
That we be gracious, generous and non-judgmental, in all our relationships, thankful for our own baptism and leaving it to the Lord to separate good from evil, wheat from chaff.
Lord in your mercy...hear our pray
That we be thankful for the gift of life and pray for those whose lives are troubled by illness, grief, poverty or injustice. We pray that in the darkness of their suffering and pain Your Advent light will shine to bring them hope and assurance of the coming of your son Jesus.
We particularly remember all those named in our Cluster News and by the Prayer Foundation.
Lord in your mercy... hear our prayer
We remember ‘with joy and gladness’ all those who have died, confident that God will draw them to himself in heaven, especially,
Sr. Patsy McMahon, Baby Harry Ross, (born at 21 weeks),
Grettel Calvo Mendez, Gilmour Forrest and those whose anniversaries occur this time.
May they rest in the Lord.
Lord in your mercy. Hear our prayer
Prayer to be Missionary Disciples
Lord continue to bless our community
in this time of transition.
Help us on our journey
to grow from a maintenance church
to a missionary church.
Give us the courage
to be missionary disciples.
Make our doors wide enough
to receive all who need
human love and fellowship;
narrow enough to shut out
all envy, pride and prejudice.
Kindle in us the fire of your love
that all who come here
will find joy, peace and love.
Make this a house of prayer
and a gateway to your kingdom.
AMEN
