EUCHARISTIC ADORATION
THROUGH THE LITURGICAL YEAR (# 44)
A Weekly Pastoral Tool for the YEAR OF THE EUCHARIST
26th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A
September 25 – October 1, 2005
“Belonging to the Kingdom”
(+) In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
(A moment of silence)
SONG: Any suitable Eucharistic hymn or any appropriate song may be sung.
WORDS OF YVES DE MONTCHEUIL
There is only one sign of belonging to the kingdom: faithfulness to the will of God … Now life in the kingdom does not merely consist in putting one’s name down for it. Entry into the kingdom requires of us a continuing and living desire to accept God’s will for us at each moment of our life. It is a “yes” said over and over again … The kingdom is for each one of us the response to a personal call; it means clinging to the personal will of God which varies for each one and likewise varies according to our circumstances … Indeed the kingdom of God is not a place where we can sit back and relax. We have to be always following Jesus without knowing beforehand where we are going, ready to discern what God is expecting of us now. We must, then, keep careful watch, wakeful, attentive, and yet peaceful, to discern this living and evolving will of God. His demands on us can make us grow; he can ask of us tomorrow what he did not ask yesterday and so these demands engage us constantly in new ways. We need to examine our motives in all we do in order to hold ourselves in readiness for God.
SILENT ADORATION
OPENING PRAYER
Leader: Father,
you show us your almighty power in your mercy and forgiveness.
Continue to fill us with your gifts of love.
Help us to hurry toward the eternal life you promise
and come to share in the joys of your kingdom.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Assembly: Amen.
Part I
JESUS MASTER TRUTH
Listening to the Word
GOSPEL READING: Mt 21:28-32
PERSONAL REFLECTION
(As a tool for personal reflection, please visit the PDDM Website: www.pddm.org // www.pddm.us for BREAKING THE BREAD OF THE WORD [# 44]: A Lectio Divina Approach to the Sunday Liturgy. The Biblico-Liturgical Reflections are an aid for a deeper understanding of the Gospel reading.)
SONG: Any Eucharistic hymn or suitable song of praise may be sung.
Part II
JESUS MASTER WAY
Confrontation with the Word
POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART
Leader: We open our hearts to listen to the promptings of the living Word. Let us ask ourselves with limpid honesty:
1. With regards to God’s invitation to work in his vineyard, can we compare ourselves to the first son who initially refused, but changed his mind and finally abided by the divine saving will?
2. Does the positive response of “tax collectors and prostitutes” who were pushing ahead into the vineyard of God’s kingdom inspire us to a spirit of repentance and conversion?
3. Are we convinced that entrance into the kingdom requires a living and continual will, a constant and present acceptance of God’s will for us, a continual renewal of our “yes” to God?
PRAYER
(Cf. The Grail)
Leader: Lord Jesus, I give you my hands to do your work.
I give you my feet to go your way.
I give you my eyes to see as you do.
I give you my tongue to speak your words.
I give you my mind that you may think in me.
I give you my spirit that you may pray in me.
Above all, I give you my heart
that you may love in me your Father and all mankind.
I give you my whole self that you may grow in me,
so that it is you, Lord Jesus, who live and work and pray in me.
Assembly: Lord Jesus, help me to respond “yes” to the Father’s invitation
to go and work in his vineyard.
May my “yes” to the Father’s saving will
be constant and true.
SONG: Any suitable song may be sung.
Part III
JESUS LIFE
Acting upon the Word
PERSONAL PRAYER
CONTEMPLATING WITH MARY THE FACE OF CHRIST: The Mysteries of Light of the Rosary may be prayed in part or in full.
THE WAY OF SOLIDARITY: PRAYER OF INTERCESSION
Leader: Let us pray to God who cares for all, and with earnest humility say:
(R.) LORD, HEAR OUR PRAYER.
1. That we may truly belong to the kingdom of God by our faithfulness to God’s will.
2. That we may serve the Lord and labor in his vineyard with personal dedication.
3. That our continuing “yes” to the divine saving will may be a source of inspiration for others.
4. That those who have been unfaithful to their “yes” to God be given the grace of conversion and repentance.
5. That our “yes” to God be expressed in concrete service to the poor, the marginalized and the underprivileged of our society.
(Other prayers may be added.)
THE LORD’S PRAYER
CONCLUDING PRAYER
Leader: God our Father,
whose law is a law of liberty,
grant us wisdom to use aright the freedom that you have given us,
by surrendering ourselves to your service.
We know that,
when we are your willing and faithful servants and laborers in your vineyard,
then only are we truly free.
May the “yes” of our commitment to work in your kingdom
be faithful and true.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Assembly: Amen.
FINAL SONG: Any suitable Eucharistic hymn or song of praise may be sung.
Prepared by Sr. Mary Margaret Tapang PDDM
PIAE DISCIPULAE DIVINI MAGISTRI
SISTER DISCIPLES OF THE DIVINE MASTER
60 Sunset Ave., Staten Island, NY 10314
Tel. (718) 494-8597 // (718) 761-2323
Website: WWW.PDDM.US