Fifth Sunday of Easter A

The following are prayerful resources rather than a liturgy.

• 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

John 14:1-12    I am the Way, the Truth and the Life.

Jesus said to his disciples:
‘Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God still, and trust in me. There are many rooms in my Father’s house; if there were not, I should have told you. I am going now to prepare a place for you, and after I have gone and prepared you a place, I shall return to take you with me; so that where I am you may be too. You know the way to the place where I am going.’
Thomas said, ‘Lord, we do not know where you are going, so how can we know the way?’ Jesus said:
‘I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one can come to the Father except through me. If you know me, you know my Father too. From this moment you know him and have seen him.’
Philip said, ‘Lord, let us see the Father and then we shall be satisfied.’

‘Have I been with you all this time, Philip,’ said Jesus to him ‘and you still do not know me?
‘To have seen me is to have seen the Father, so how can you say, “Let us see the Father”? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak as from myself: it is the Father, living in me, who is doing this work. You must believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; believe it on the evidence of this work, if for no other reason. I tell you most solemnly, whoever believes in me will perform the same works as I do myself, he will perform even greater works, because I am going to the Father.’

This is 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

In today's gospel, we hear Jesus say ‘I am the way, the truth and the life’. We give thanks for Pope Francis as he lives out Jesus’ example of being the way, the truth and the life. May we too hear the call of Jesus and be an example to our neighbours and each other.

Lord in your mercy – hear our prayer.

Kings Charles III was crowned today. We give thanks for his willingness and desire for church unity and interfaith relations. May he too live out the example of Jesus in his service to the country.

Lord in your mercy - hear our prayer.

We pray for peace in the world – beginning with ourselves. We ask for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit – to change the hardened hearts of leaders and those who pursue violence against their neighbours. We pray especially for the people of Sudan and all countries ravaged by war and civil unrest. We ask forgiveness for the times when we have not been peacemakers in our own situations.

Lord in your mercy – hear our prayer.

We pray for our young people and all those searching for their path in life. May Jesus be an example for them and may the Holy Spirit guide them in the choices and relationships that they make.

Lord in your mercy – hear our prayer.

For our sick, and those named on the Prayer Foundation list – we ask that the Lord will surround them with his tenderness and love, giving them strength, comfort and peace. May he give courage and compassion to those who continue to care for them, whether in hospital or at home.

Lord in your mercy – hear our prayer.

We remember all those who have gone to their eternal rest in the Lord, especially Mary Boyle, Margaret Livingston and Darcio Fernandes. We give thanks for their lives and for the privilege of having known them. May they intercede for us as we continue our faith journey here on Earth.

Lord in your mercy – hear our prayer.

We will now say the Missionary Prayer together.

Prayer to be Missionary Disciples