EUCHARISTIC ADORATION
THROUGH THE LITURGICAL YEAR (Vol. 3, n. 17)
5th Sunday of Lent, Year C
March 25-31, 2007
“I Am Doing Something New …”
(+) 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 JEAN VANIER
After the Pharisees leave, the woman stands alone in front of Jesus ... It must have been a very deep meeting … When Saint Augustine talks of this meeting, he talks of the kiss of mercy and misery. The woman becomes conscious that she is in front of the Liberator, because when Jesus looks at her and says, Do not sin again, he creates a relationship with her. She loves him for he has saved her, and she goes away with a new force in her being. She will not sin again, because there has been a communication between the eyes of Jesus and her being, the being of Jesus and her being, and a strength comes into her … This is at the heart of each one of us, this meeting of Jesus with the woman taken in adultery. It is for us a very personal reality, for we have not been faithful to the quiet callings of the Spirit. We have turned away from the Lover and have used his gifts for our own power and glory.
SILENT ADORATION
OPENING PRAYER
Leader: Lord Jesus, you forgave the adulterous woman and have made of her a “new creation”. By your saving death and resurrection, recreate us in your merciful love. Touch us with the balm of your peace. Help us to sin no more and let the word of your forgiveness heal the painful wounds inflicted by sin on our fragile spirits. Transform us, recreate us in the love of the Holy Spirit, and make us instruments of the love that renews in a world that deeply yearns for healing and wholeness. You live and reign forever and ever.
Assembly: Amen.
Part I
JESUS MASTER TRUTH
Listening to the Word
FIRST READING: Is 43:16-21
RESPONSORIAL PSALM
GOSPEL READING: Jn 8:1-11
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. 17]: 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 saving events delineated by the prophet Isaiah in this Sunday’s Old Testament reading? What is the meaning of God’s promise to do “something new”? How does God’s promise of newness impact us? Are we open to receive the divine offer of newness and “new creation” in our daily life?
B. Do we perceive Christ’s paschal event as the definitive exodus? Why is this the “radical newness”? What is the recreating and renewing effect of the way of merciful love taught to us by Jesus Christ? Are we open to receive Christ’s new way of forgiveness? Do we respond to the Christian vocation and destiny as a “new creation”? Do we slake our thirst at the font of living water and allow ourselves to be filled with the Spirit of new life?
C. How does the plight of the adulterous woman used by the scribes and Pharisees to trap Jesus affect us? What gift of newness did the woman receive from Jesus? How is her life an “exodus” event? Like the woman who had received the forgiving love of Jesus, are we willing to be the objects of his compassion and mercy? Are we ready to respond to the exhortation of Jesus, “Go, and from now on do not sin any more”? Are we willing to relive the newness of God’s saving story and his forgiving love in our daily lives? Do we dare to be instruments of God’s recreating and renewing love in today’s world?
PRAYING WITH THE WORD
Leader: Loving Father,
the Exodus event in Egypt liberated a people in bondage
and transformed them into a new people covenanted to you.
When you led the same people out of Babylonian captivity,
you renewed in them the saving wonders of the old Exodus.
In the paschal mystery of your Son’s passion, death and resurrection,
we have experienced the true and definitive Exodus
and tasted the radical newness of salvation.
Our Lord Jesus Christ introduced us to the new way of forgiveness,
which had healed, restored and recreated the life of the adulterous woman.
Help us to relive the quality of newness in your Son’s forgiving love
and may we respond fully to our vocation and destiny
as your “new creation” in Jesus Christ,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
forever and ever.
Assembly: Amen.
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 the community of Christian believers that, in this Lenten season and threshold of Holy Week, they may be sensitive and responsive to the gift of newness that God offers through his Son Jesus’ paschal mystery. We pray: (R.)
4. For catechumens and the elect that they may experience fully the gift of newness and the grace of being a “new creation” in Christ. We pray: (R.)
5. For those who have been deeply wronged that they may have the grace to forgive and for those who have cruelly done injustice to others that they may respond to the gracious offer of conversion. We pray: (R.)
6. For all of us that we may be instruments of God’s recreating and renewing love in the Church and in the world today. We pray: (R.)
(Other prayers may be added.)
THE LORD’S PRAYER
CONCLUDING PRAYER
Leader: Father of peace,
we are joyful in your Son Jesus Christ.
He is the Word of mercy and love 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
60 Sunset Ave., Staten Island, NY 10314
Tel. (718) 494-8597 // (718) 761-2323
Website: WWW.PDDM.US