Sunday Liturgy at Home
A number of parishes have the facility to stream their Masses, and that is one way for us to participate in some way in the Mass on Sunday while we are unable to gather in church. Here at St Josephs we don't have tha facility, so we have decided to do something a bit different.
Each Sunday we will post the texts of the Mass for you to use as individuals or as a family. The music group will continue to choose the hymns and liturgical music, and we will put up links to online versions of those to enable you to join in. Fr Tony will prepare a homily and will put both the text of the homily and a video of him delivering it. We may augment this in future with other features. We welcome you feedback - please email Fr Tony on tony.milner@abdiocese.org.uk
Sunday 29th March, 5th Sunday of Lent
Choose somebody to be the leader. That person should say the parts in italics, and also lead off with the prayers you say together. You should also choose who is going to read the readings.
Opening hymn: Create in me a new heart of God (YouTube)
Give me justice, O God,
and plead my cause against a nation that is faithless.
From the deceitful and cunning rescue me,
for you, O God, are my strength.
In the name of the Father.... Make the Sign of the Cross
Brother and sisters, let us acknowledge our sins,
and so prepare ourselves to celebrate these sacred mysteries
As you listen and join in, reflect on the loving mercy of God. At the end say together
May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins,
and bring us to everlasting life. Amen.
Opening Prayer
Let us pray. (Pause)
By your help, we beseech you, Lord our God,
may we walk eagerly in that same charity
with which, out of love for the world,
your Son handed himself over to death.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.
Liturgy of the Word
For the readings go to universalis.com
Psalm 130, Out of the Depths (De Profundis)
you can either have
the choral version (Graham Gordon Ramsay)
or a modern worship version (Esther Mui)
I am the resurrection and the life, says the Lord;
whoever believes in me will never die.
Fr. Tony's Homily (PDF version)
Say together the Apostles Creed
I believe in God,
the Father almighty,
Creator of heaven and earth,
and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died and was buried;
he descended into hell;
on the third day he rose again from the dead;
he ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty;
from there he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and life everlasting. Amen.
Prayers of the Faithful
These could be read by the leader, or by another person,
or taking it in turns,
Feel free to adapt or add to these prayers as you see fit.
Let us place our prayers before the Lord
In today’s Gospel we read how Jesus rewarded the faith of Mary and Martha when he raised Lazarus from the dead. We pray that we too can match their faith and look forward with confidence to sharing the joy of resurrection and reunion with our Heavenly Father.
(Pause) Lord hear us. Lord graciously hear us.
We pray for Pope Francis and all Church leaders as they seek to make difficult decisions to protect their flocks. May they be given wisdom to know how to support their parishioners in new ways until church services can take place again.
(Pause) Lord hear us. Lord graciously hear us.
As we come closer to Holy Week, we pray that as many Christians as possible can join together in prayer to show appreciation for the sacrifice which our Lord Jesus Christ suffered on our behalf.
(Pause) Lord hear us. Lord graciously hear us.
We pray for the perfect love to strengthen and unite our human family at this most difficult time. Let us ask the Lord to grant to all who are now most at risk from COVID-19 the gifts of courage and serenity and care for each other, so that they will overcome this trial and be strengthened in their love for God our Father, the source of all healing.
(Pause) Lord hear us. Lord graciously hear us.
We remember health workers throughout the world during this devastating pandemic and ask that the Lord bless them with safety in their work. We pray also for those who feel isolated and unable to be with their loved ones and those in financial difficulties that they be assisted through the generosity of those less affected.
(Pause) Lord hear us. Lord graciously hear us.
We pray for all who have died recently and those whose anniversaries occur at this time. May all those who mourn their loss be comforted in their grief by the Lord who himself wept at the death of his friend Lazarus.
(Pause) Lord hear us. Lord graciously hear us.
We join our prayers with Churches Together in Dorking for all those who give their time to help at the Dorking Food Bank. May we give generously to those in need especially at this difficult time.
(Pause) Lord hear us. Lord graciously hear us.
We ask Our Lady of Walsingham to pray for us as England is re-dedicated this Sunday as the Dowry of Mary.
Hail Mary...
Liturgy of the Eucharist
The Liturgy of the Eucharist begins with the Offertory Collection and the preparation of the Gifts
You may wish to reflect silently or together on the gifts you are going to offer to the Lord over the coming week. These gifts may be food to the foodbank, money to charity, or service of those around you.
If you normally put money into the collection, either via a green envelope or simply loose, the parish would be grateful if you could continue to give. You can put envelopes through the presbytery door. Alternatively, if you are able to give by direct transfer, email the parish office on saintjosephs@tiscali.co.uk for our bank details.
Hymn: Take my hands (YouTube)
Although it is not appropriate to read the main part of the Eucharistic Prayer, the Preface and the Holy Holy are a suitable way of us offering our thanks and praise to God.
The Lord be with you.
And with your spirit.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them up to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
it is right and just.
It is truly right and just, our duty and our salvation,
always and everywhere to give you thanks,
Lord, holy Father, almighty and eternal God,
through Christ our Lord.
For as true man he wept for Lazarus his friend
and as eternal God raised him from the tomb,
just as, taking pity on the human race,
he leads us by sacred mysteries to new life.
Through him the host of Angels adores your majesty
and rejoices in your presence for ever.
May our voices, we pray, join with theirs
in one chorus of exultant praise, as we acclaim:
Holy Holy from Christopher Walker's A New Celtic Mass
(Follow the link and click on the 'play' button under the picture of the composer)
Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of hosts.
Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
In place of the main part of the Eucharistic prayer, reflect in silence for a while that the Mass is being celebrated all around the world, including in our parish church each day. In a sense it is one big celebration, since it is always the one sacrifice of Christ on the cross, and you can unite yourselves to that celebration in your heart.
Fr. Pierre Teilhard de Chardin saw a cosmological dimension to the eucharist:
The Mass On The World
Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, S.J., was professor of geology at the Catholic Institute in Paris, director of the National Geologic Survey of China, and director of the National Research Center of France. He died in New York City in 1955. His book Hymn of the Universe was published in 1961 by Harper & Row. Chapter One of the book was entitled "The Mass on the World", the first paragraphs of which reproduced below.
Click here for the full text of "The Mass on the World"
THE OFFERING Since once again, Lord — though this time not in the forests of the Aisne but in the steppes of Asia — I have neither bread, nor wine, nor altar, I will raise myself beyond these symbols, up to the pure majesty of the real itself; I, your priest, will make the whole earth my altar and on it will offer you all the labours and sufferings of the world.
Over there, on the horizon, the sun has just touched with light the outermost fringe of the eastern sky. Once again, beneath this moving sheet of fire, the living surface of the earth wakes and trembles, and once again begins its fearful travail. I will place on my paten, O God, the harvest to be won by this renewal of labour. Into my chalice I shall pour all the sap which is to be pressed out this day from the earth’s fruits.
My paten and my chalice are the depths of a soul laid widely open to all the forces which in a moment will rise up from every corner of the earth and converge upon the Spirit. Grant me the remembrance and the mystic presence of all those whom the light is now awakening to the new day.
Say together the Our Father, reminding yourselves that though we are currently unable to come together as a parish in prayer, we are united as the children of one Father
Our Father...
Deliver us, Lord, we pray, from every evil,
graciously grant peace in our days,
that, by the help of your mercy,
we may be always free from sin
and safe from all distress,
as we await the blessed hope
and the coming of our Saviour, Jesus Christ.
For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours
now and for ever.
Lord Jesus Christ,
who said to your Apostles:
Peace I leave you, my peace I give you,
look not on our sins,
but on the faith of your Church,
and graciously grant her peace and unity
in accordance with your will.
Who live and reign for ever and ever.
Amen.
The peace of the Lord be with you always.
And with your spirit.
Let us offer each other the sign of peace.
Act of Spiritual Communion
When we are unable to receive communion, the Church teaches us that we receive the same graces through and act of spiritual communion here is a prayer for that purpose, written by St Alphonsus Liguori
My Jesus, I believe that you are present in the Most Holy Sacrament.
I love You above all things, and I desire to receive you into my soul.
Since I cannot at this moment receive you sacramentally,
come at least spiritually into my heart.
I embrace you as if you were already there
and unite myself wholly to you.
Never permit me to be separated from you.
Amen.
Hymn: I am the bread of life, Sr Suzanne Toolan (YouTube)
Let us pray.
We pray, almighty God,
that we may always be counted among the members of Christ,
in whose Body and Blood we have communion.
Who lives and reigns for ever and ever.
Amen.
May the Lord bless us, keep us from all evil
and bring us to everlasting life
Amen
Re-dedication of England as the Dowry of Mary
This Sunday (29th March England is being rededicated to Our Lady in all the cathedrals across the land. You can find out more and how to join in at the special website Behold 2020, where you can also join in a live stream from Arundel Catherdral at 12 noon (Mass with Bishop Richard starts at 11:15)
Our final hymn is chosen to accompany that dedication
Final Hymn: Holy Virgin By God's Decree (YouTube)
Finally, you are invited to join with people from churches around the country in 'Prayers of Hope' at 7pm this and every Sunday evening
I hope you found this helpful. As I said above, please feel free to email me with comments at tony.milner@abdiocese.org.uk
