EUCHARISTIC ADORATION

THROUGH THE LITURGICAL YEAR (# 4)

A Weekly Pastoral Tool for the YEAR OF THE EUCHARIST

Third Week of Advent, Year A

December 19-25, 2004

 

“Jesus, Born of Mary, the Betrothed of Joseph”

 

 

(+) 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 Advent song may be sung.

 

 

WORDS OF POPE JOHN PAUL II

(From the Encyclical Letter, Ecclesia de Eucharstia, n. 53-55)

 

Mary is a “woman of the Eucharist” in her whole life. The Church, which looks to Mary as a model, is also called to imitate her in her relationship with this most holy mystery. “Mysterium fidei!” If the Eucharist is a mystery of faith which so greatly transcends our understanding as to call for sheer abandonment to the word of God, then there can be no one like Mary to act as our support and guide in acquiring this disposition … In a certain sense Mary lived her eucharistic faith even before the institution of the Eucharist, by the very fact that she offered her virginal womb for the incarnation of God’s Word. The Eucharist, while commemorating the passion and resurrection, is also in continuity with the incarnation.

 

At the Annunciation Mary conceived the Son of God in the physical reality of his body and blood, thus anticipating within herself what to some degree happens sacramentally in every believer who receives, under the signs of bread and wine, the Lord’s body and blood … In continuity with the Virgin’s faith, in the eucharistic mystery we are asked to believe that the same Jesus Christ, Son of God and son of Mary, becomes present in his full humanity and divinity under the signs of bread and wine …

 

When, at the Visitation, she bore in her womb the Word made flesh, she became in some way a “tabernacle” – the first “tabernacle” in history – in which the Son of God, still invisible to our human gaze, allowed himself to be adored by Elizabeth, radiating his light as it were through the eyes and the voice of Mary.

 

 

SILENT ADORATION AND PRAYER

 

OPENING PRAYER

Leader: Let us pray as Advent draws to a close

for the faith that opens our lives

to the Spirit of God.

(Brief silence)

 

Father, all-powerful God,

your eternal Word took flesh on our earth

when the Virgin Mary placed her life

at the service of your plan.

Lift our minds in watchful hope

to hear the voice which announces his glory

and open our minds to receive the Spirit

who prepares us for his coming.

You live and reign forever and ever.

Assembly: Amen.

 

 

Part I

JESUS MASTER TRUTH

Listening To the Word

 

 

GOSPEL READING: Mt 1:18-24

 

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 (# 4): 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 Advent 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: In this Advent season of immediate preparation for Christmas, we too are called not only to be guardians of the “Son of God” whom we meet in others, but also to be like Mary in letting Christ be born, grow and live in us. Docile to the creative and life-giving Holy Spirit alive in us, let us now examine our hearts and see how fully we have opened ourselves to grace.

 

1.      Are we willing to fulfill the role of St. Joseph as guardians of the Holy One in ourselves, in our lives, in our work? How do we imitate the sterling virtues of St. Joseph who spent his whole life guarding Jesus so that he might become in truth the savior and the life of the world?

 

2.      Do we experience the abiding and saving presence of Jesus, the Emmanuel – “God with us”? How do we make his salvation known to others?

 

3.      In the spirit of Mary, the ever virgin Mother of God, how do we let Jesus be born, grow and live in us?

 

 

 

PENITENTIAL PRAYER

 

Leader: For our failure in imitating St. Joseph, the guardian of the Holy One, in his compassionate care of Jesus present in the lives of the poor and needy: Father, be merciful.

Assembly: Father, be merciful.

 

Leader: For our doubt and lack of trust in the abiding, saving presence of Jesus, the Emmanuel – “God with us” and for not making the gift of salvation known to the ends of the earth: Father, be merciful.

Assembly: Father, be merciful.

 

Leader: For our failure to live in the spirit of Mary, the ever virgin Mother of God and for not letting Christ be formed in our lives: Father, be merciful.

Assembly: Father, be merciful.

 

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 the Rosary may be prayed in part or in full.

 

THE WAY OF SOLIDARITY: PRAYER OF INTERCESSION

 

Leader: Pope John Paul II, in his Apostolic Letter, “Mane Nobiscum Domine” exhorts us: “Can we not make this Year of the Eucharist an occasion for diocesan and parish communities to commit themselves in a particular way to responding with fraternal solicitude to one of the many forms of poverty present in our world? I think for example of the tragedy of hunger which plagues hundreds of millions of human beings, the diseases which afflict developing countries, the loneliness of the elderly, the hardships faced by the unemployed, the struggles of immigrants. These are evils which are present – albeit to a different degree – even in areas of immense wealth. We cannot delude ourselves: by our mutual love and, in particular, by our concern for those in need we will be recognized as true followers of Christ. This will be the criterion by which the authenticity of our Eucharistic celebrations is judged.”

 

 

            In the spirit of solidarity with all of humanity and with the use of news briefs, let us now make our prayers of intercession for the world.

 

1.      LITTLE PROGRESS MADE TOWARD CUTTING WORLD HUNGER RATES IN HALF: The present levels of hunger cause the death of more than 5 million children every year – or one child every five seconds. All but one of the 16 countries with the highest levels of hunger are in sub-Saharan Africa, with many suffering from food emergencies. The number of food emergencies each year has more than doubled since the 1980’s, much of those because of wars or economic failure.     (SILENT PRAYER)

 

2.      AMERICANS STILL DIVIDED OVER BUSH’S JOB WITH IRAQ: Americans remain sharply divided in their views of how President Bush is handling Iraq, and their confidence that a stable, democratic government will be established in that country has eroded.    (SILENT PRAYER)

 

3.      SUDANESE TROOPS LAUCH ASSAULT IN STRIFE-TORN DARFUR: The United Nations has described Darfur in Sudan as the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. Darfur’s conflict started in February 2003 when two non-Arab African rebel groups took up arms to fight for more power and resources. The Sudanese government responded by backing the Janjaweed, which are now accused of targeting civilians in a campaign of murder, rape and arson.         (SILENT PRAYER)

 

4.      MEXICO GETS HUMAN-RIGHTS PLAN: President Vicente Fox presented a plan to improve Mexico’s checkered human-rights record, pledging to eradicate torture and to hold corrupt and abusive authorities accountable for wrongful arrests and shoddy police work.            (SILENT PRAYER)

 

5.      THE POPE APPEALS FOR THE PROTECTION OF EVERY HUMAN LIFE: In his address to the members of the Christian Office for the Disabled on Nov. 13, 2004, the Holy Father said: “I appeal for the protection of every human life, especially the lives of the frailest, lowliest and poorest; and also for an end to all acts whose aim is to eliminate defenseless unborn children, for by so doing man makes himself the master of life. To scorn the life of little ones is, in a certain way, to scorn our own humanity, for we are bound by the same brotherhood and the same solidarity.”          (SILENT PRAYER)

 

6.      THE HOLY FATHER APPEALS FOR TRUE ECUMENISM: In his message to the participants of the Ecumenical Conference organized at the Vatican in honor of the 40th anniversary of the promulgation of the Conciliar Decree, Unitatis Redintegrati , Pope John Paul II said: “There is no true ecumenism without inner conversion and the purification of memory, without holiness of life in conformity with the Gospel, and above all, without intense and assiduous prayer that echoes the prayer of Jesus.”         (SILENT PRAYER)

 

(Other prayers may be added.)

 

THE LORD’S PRAYER

 

CONCLUDING PRAYER

Leader: Loving Father, we thank you for St. Joseph who accepted wholeheartedly his role in salvation history as guardian, foster-father and protector of your Son Jesus, our Savior, the Emmanuel – “God with us”. Help us to be a “true Joseph” in today’s world by taking care of the “needy” Jesus whom we see in the poor and suffering, and the victims of violence and injustice. Like St. Joseph, assist us to be honorable and compassionate in every way, and obedient to your divine plan. Like Mary, help us to be receptive to divine grace and allow Jesus to be formed in us. May our Christmas this year be meaningful and bedecked with acts of kindness and self-giving. In our celebration of Jesus’ birth, may we truly experience his gifts of love, joy and peace for he is our saving Lord, now and forever.

Assembly:

 

FINAL SONG: Any suitable Eucharistic hymn or Advent song may be sung.

 

 

 

P

Prepared by Sr. Mary Margaret Tapang  PDDM

 

 

PIAE DISCIPULAE DIVINI MAGISTRI

SISTER DISCIPLES OF THE DIVINE MASTER

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