EUCHARISTIC ADORATION
THROUGH THE LITURGICAL YEAR (Vol. 3, n. 16)
4th Sunday of Lent, Year C
March 18-24, 2007
“The Feast of Homecoming”
(+) In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
(A moment of silence)
SONG: Any Eucharistic hymn, Lenten hymn or any appropriate song may be sung.
WORD OF POPE JOHN PAUL II
(Cf. Encyclical Dives in misericordia IV, 6)
Mercy – as Christ has presented it in the parable of the prodigal son – has the interior form of the love that in the New Testament is called agape. This love is able to reach down to every prodigal son, to every human misery, and above all to every form of moral misery, to sin. When this happens, the person who is the object of mercy does not feel humiliated, but rather found again and “restored to value” … Mercy constitutes the fundamental content of the messianic message of Christ and constitutive power of his mission.
SILENT ADORATION
OPENING PRAYER
Leader: Father of mercy,
like the prodigal son I return to you and say:
“I have sinned against you
and am no longer worthy to be called your son.”
Christ Jesus, savior of the world,
I pray with the repentant thief to whom you promised paradise:
“Lord, remember me in your kingdom.”
Holy Spirit, fountain of love, I call on you with trust:
“Purify my heart, and help me to walk as a child of light.”
We pray and bless you, Father of mercy,
Jesus Savior,
Holy Spirit of love,
now and forever.
Assembly: Amen.
Part I
JESUS MASTER TRUTH
Listening to the Word
FIRST READING: Jos 5:9a, 10-12
RESPONSORIAL PSALM
GOSPEL READING: Lk 15:1-3, 11-32
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 [Series 5, n. 16]: 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, Lenten hymn or song of praise may be sung.
Part II
JESUS MASTER WAY
POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART
A. What are the marvelous acts of liberation and benevolence accomplished by God on behalf of his people Israel? What is the meaning of the Passover celebration on the plains of Jericho? How does this paschal banquet mould the life, faith and identity of God’s people? What is the relevance of these events and realities to our life as God’s covenant people in Jesus Christ? How does the joyful “homecoming” to the Promised Land inspire us?
B. What are the insights we can derive from the “homecoming” of the Prodigal Son? Why is this celebration of life important? Are we grateful to the Father who lavishly initiated and organized the joyous feasting of his son’s “homecoming”? How do we regard the negative reaction of the son who never left home and what do we think about his resistance to that feasting? What are the various “homecomings” we have experienced in our own personal life? How does the merciful and forgiving response of the “prodigal” father – so lavish in his love – impact us?
C. Do we try to delve into the deep meaning of the Eucharist as a sacrament of our “homecoming” in Jesus Christ? How do we contribute to the joy of the Church’s Eucharistic celebration and feasting? How do we endeavor to translate into our daily life the paschal spirit of feasting for one “who was dead, and has come to life again” and for one “who was lost, and has been found”?
PRAYING WITH THE WORD
(Cf. Commission Francophone Cistercienne, La nuit, le jour, 40 (Fiche de chant G 184) in Days of the Lord, vol. 3, Collegeville: The Liturgical Press, 1993, p. 178)
Leader: No lost child unforgiven who seeks him,
no one has strayed too far for God;
let tears come, bringing a new birth,
joy of returning to the Father.
Assembly: “I shall get up and go to my father.”
Leader: No wound too deep for his healing hand,
nothing is lost for God;
let grace come, bringing a new life,
flame surging from the embers.
Assembly: “I shall get up and go to my father.”
Leader: No darkness devoid of hope for light,
nothing is finished for God;
let dawn come, in which love rises,
song of Easter morning.
Assembly: “I shall get up and go to my father.”
Part III
JESUS LIFE
Acting upon the Word
PERSONAL PRAYER
CONTEMPLATING WITH MARY THE FACE OF CHRIST: The Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary may be prayed in part or in full.
THE WAY OF SOLIDARITY: PRAYER OF INTERCESSION
Priest: Let us present our petitions to our loving God with trust and confidence and say to him:
(R.) LORD, HEAR OUR PRAYER.
1. For the Holy Father’s General Intention for this month of March: For governments: when adopting development plans and policies may they take into account the poor and the excluded. We pray: (R.)
2. For the Holy Father’s Mission Intention for this month of March: For the local Church: may they realize the need to form Christians to face the challenges of new evangelization. We pray: (R.)
3. For those who, like the prodigal son, are alienated from the grandiose love of God: may they fully respond to the grace of conversion. We pray: (R.)
4. For those who, like the older son, are unable to be prodigal in their mercy: may they imitate the Father’s compassionate love and abounding mercy. We pray: (R.)
5. For those who endeavor to unite themselves with the Father’s merciful and forgiving love: may they fully share in the feast of his forgiveness and join in the feast of the prodigal son's “homecoming”. We pray: (R.)
6. For the Christian community that in this Lenten season the faithful may seriously and efficaciously avail themselves of the sacrament of reconciliation and participate more meaningfully in the Eucharistic feasting. We pray: (R.)
7. For confessors: may they be docile and effective channels of the Father’s forgiving and welcoming love. We pray: (R.)
(Other prayers may be added.)
THE LORD’S PRAYER
CONCLUDING PRAYER
Leader: Father of peace,
we are joyful in your Word,
your Son Jesus Christ,
who reconciles us to you.
Let us hasten toward Easter
with the eagerness of faith and love.
You live and reign forever and ever.
Assembly: Amen.
FINAL SONG: Any 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
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