Sixth 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 118- Happy are those who place their trust in the Lord

Happy are those, happy are those who have placed their trust in the Lord.

Happy indeed are those

Who follow not the counsel of the wicked,

Nor linger in the way of sinners,

Nor sit in the company of scorners,

Whose delight is the law of the Lord

And who ponder his law day and night.

They are like a tree that is planted

Beside the flowing waters,

That yields its fruit in due season

And whose leaves shall never fade;

And all they do shall prosper.

Not so are the wicked, not so!

For they, like winnowed chaff

Shall be driven away by the wind.

For the Lord guards the way of the just,

But the way of the wicked leads to doom.

Luke 6:17, 20-26  How happy are you who are poor, alas for you who are rich

Jesus came down with the Twelve

and stopped at a piece of level ground

where there was a large gathering of his disciples

with a great crowd of people from all parts of Judaea

and from Jerusalem and from the coastal region of Tyre and Sidon.

Then fixing his eyes on his disciples he said:

‘How happy are you who are poor: yours is the kingdom of God.
Happy you who are hungry now: you shall be satisfied.
Happy you who weep now: you shall laugh.

Happy are you when people hate you, drive you out, abuse you,

denounce your name as criminal, on account of the Son of Man.

Rejoice when that day comes and dance for joy,

for then your reward will be great in heaven.

This was the way their ancestors treated the prophets.

‘But alas for you who are rich: you are having your consolation now.
Alas for you who have your fill now: you shall go hungry.
Alas for you who laugh now: you shall mourn and weep.

‘Alas for you when the world speaks well of you!

This was the way their ancestors treated the false prophets.’

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)

This gospel message makes it clear that being a missionary disciple involves challenging much of what the world thinks is good: prosperity, popularity and power.

Reflect on the ways that the world is holding you back from being a better follower of Jesus.

1. Think of times when you stood up for others being treated unjustly - and when you didn't. (Share)
2.  In what way are you serving the poor, as Jesus did?
   

Prayers of Intercession

Loving Lord, today’s readings remind us to put our trust not in people but in the crucified and risen Christ.

Help us then, to find time in our busy worldly lives to hear your call, and follow you.

Walk with us on our journey and never let us lose our sense of direction.  

Be with us as we offer our prayers and make us instruments of your peace in our troubled world.

Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.

For Pope Francis as he reminds us that listening to others has always accompanied the path of humanity.

May we this weekend, as we embark on our own Synodal conversations in the Cluster,

listen attentively to others and hear the promptings of the Holy Spirit through them for the future of the Church.

Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.

For all governments engaged in negotiating peaceful resolutions to the many war-torn areas of the world. We remember the Middle East, Afghanistan and the Ukraine.

May those involved listen to each other and make decisions to create stability and security for all.

Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.

For all those in education, as both students and teachers continue to experience disruption in their teaching and learning, may schools, parents and examination authorities work together for the best outcomes for the futures of our children and young people.   

Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.

For ourselves, that we continue our roles as missionary disciples as we capture people’s hearts by showing love and care to our families, friends and everyone we meet in our daily lives.

Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.

For all those who are unwell in mind and body and for whom life is a struggle.  May the Holy Spirit bless and protect them and keep them safe. We ask God’s healing hand on all who have asked for our prayers and for everyone on the Prayer Foundation list.

Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.

For those who have died. May they find rest in the Lord and may all who mourn them find comfort.

We remember especially, Sheila Moir.

Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Prayer to be Missionary Disciples