CELEBRANTS GUIDE #1
Third Sunday of Advent Year C
Written by Conor O'Riordan, O.P.
From Issue 24Liturgical Readings
INVITATION TO THE MASS
'Rejoice, rejoice in the Lord.' There is a tremendous exuberance in today's Mass. 'Rejoice' is not a call to the feigned superficial 'joy' of the escapist, but an invitation to prepare ourselves for the inflow of Christian joy which is not of this world. Though it cannot be described, it should be seen in the very lives of all Christians.
INVITATION TO REPENTANCE
Before we begin our Mass we ask God's pardon for our many sins.
For our joylessness. We ask your pardon. Lord have mercy.
For being difficult to live with and doing nothing about it. We ask your pardon. Christ have mercy.
For any act or omission of ours which brought sorrow to others. We ask your pardon. Lord have mercy.
HEADINGS FOR READINGS
First reading (Zeph. 3 :14-18). A clarion call to Jerusalem to rejoice because in spite of past infidelity the Lord will renew his loving relationship with his people. May he do the same for us this Advent.
Responsorial psalm (Is. 12 :2-6). The Lord is with us. Go, tell everyone.
Second reading (Phil. 4 :4-7). An extraordinarily cheerful message from a prisoner, is it not? It is provoked not by hysteria, but by tranquillity, Paul's firm conviction that the Lord who is to come again is his present steadfast support.
Gospel (Luke 3 :10-18). John the Baptist is blunt in spelling out some of the uncompromising demands of fellowship with Christ. The underlying tone of urgency and expectancy which the evangelist injects into the scene sh6uld find an echo in our personal attitude towards the second coming.
PRAYER OF THE FAITHFUL
Following St Paul's advice we pray to God for our many needs.
Response: Come Lord Jesus.
(1) For the hard hearted, for those who feel unloved, that the joy and peace of God may enter their lives. Let us pray to the Lord.
(2) That avarice, the most evident form of moral underdevelopment in individuals and in nations, may be replaced by a joyous sharing of the good things God has placed in our world. Let us pray to the Lord.
(3) That the pastors of the Church may persevere in courageous proclamation of the good news. Let us pray to the Lord.
(4) You might like to pause for a moment to pray for more personal needs. Pause .. Let us pray to the Lord.
God our Father we thank you for giving us year after year this opportunity to recall the first coming of your Son. Help us to make the celebration of Christmas a real meeting with our Saviour. Amen.
We have received the baptism foretold by John. It has made us sons of God. In the spirit of our common sonship we pray together in the words our Lord has given us.
Our oneness in Christ is a reality. Let our acknowledgment of the reality be expressed in a sincere sign of peace.
This is the Lamb of God proclaimed by John the Baptist. He takes away the sins of the world. Happy are we………….
The Lord is very near, may you be constantly aware of his saving presence. Amen.
May your joy in his presence dispel the darkness of sin. Amen.
May you be a source of joy to all whom you meet. Amen.
And may the blessing of Almighty God
Third Sunday of Advent Year C
Written by Eleanor Dorgan, R.S.C.J..
From Issue 48Liturgical Readings
Welcome, to-day to our celebration of the Eucharist and let us remember as we begin, that God our Father is very glad to welcome each of us into his presence.
At Mass, Christ comes to us in a special way but we often find it boring and dull rather than alive and joyful. We do not really believe that the Lord is truly, personally near to us and so we are unable to communicate this to each other. Let us ask forgiveness for this from God and from each other.
First Reading (Zeph 3:14-18). Great joy is given to Israel since God is in the midst of his people.
Second Reading (Phil 4:4-7). Happiness and peace with mutual tolerance are the attitudes of mind that come from knowing that the Lord is very near.
Third Reading (Lk 3:10-18). "What must we do?" the people ask. John answers that they must give to those who have less and treat with respect all who depend on them.
Let us pray that all Christians may experience that Christ is near them wherever they are:
That our false ideas of God may give way to the true image, who is Jesus Christ, the one who comes to us in all our sisters and brothers, Lord, hear us.
That we may be sincere in recognising the needs and rights of others and work in a practical way for justice in our world, Lord, hear us.
That those who are struggling for justice for the oppressed may find strength, peace and wisdom in Christ and in his Church, Lord, hear us.
That those who have met injustice in their lives may be freed from all resentment and find in Christ the power to forgive, Lord, hear us.
That prophetic voices to-day may show us truth even when its demands are hard, and that we, and all who lead and influence us, may pay heed to it effectively.
Confident that our Father gladly listens to us, let us unite with Christians everywhere and say.
Rejoicing in Christ and in each other's company, let us now exchange a sign of that joy.
Let us remember those moments in our lives when we sensed in some way that the Lord was near us. Let us ask him sincerely what we must do now to prepare for the coming of his Kingdom and let us allow that peace of God which is so much greater than we can understand to guard our hearts and our thoughts.
[Reprinted with permission from Scripture In Church. These "Celebrant's Guides" are two of six (6) which are available on the CD-ROM for this Sunday's liturgy. This resource is usually available through the Homiletic Resource Center for ($129.95) $119.95. However, until Christmas Eve, it is available for the special price of $99.95!! It contains a wealth of commentaries, reflections and liturgical resources for each Sunday AND WEEKDAY of the three-year lectionary cycle. I guarantee you'll find something here to jog your homiletic juices whenever you need it! And it makes a great Christmas gift to any homilist, especially for those who preach on a daily basis!!]