SPIRITUAL COMMUNION FOR DIVINE MERCY SUNDAY, LOW SUNDAY 2021
✠ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Alleluia! Christ is risen.
He is risen indeed. Alleluia!
SAYING SORRY
Compassion and mercy belong to the Lord our God,though we have rebelled against him.
Let us then renounce our wilfulness and ask his mercy by confessing our sins in penitence and faith.
Like Mary Magdalen at the empty tomb,
we fail to grasp the wonder of your presence. Lord, have mercy.
Like the disciples behind locked doors,
we are afraid to be seen as your followers. Christ, have mercy.
Like Thomas in the upper room,
we are slow to believe.
Lord, have mercy.
Almighty God, who forgives all who truly repent, have mercy upon us,
pardon and deliver us from all our sins,
confirm and strengthen us in all goodness, and keep us in life eternal;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
A COLLECT FOR DIVINE MERCY SUNDAY
Eternal God, in whom mercy is endless and the treasury of compassion inexhaustible,
look kindly upon us and increase Your mercy in us, that in these difficult times we might not despair nor become despondent, but with great confidence submit ourselves to Your holy will, which is Love and Mercy itself.
FIRST READING: 1 JOHN 5:1-6.
Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ has been begotten by God;
and whoever loves the Father that begot him loves the child whom he begets. We can be sure that we love God’s children if we love God himself and do what he has commanded us;
this is what loving God is –keeping his commandments; and his commandments are not difficult,
because anyone who has been begotten by God has already overcome the world; this is the victory over the world –our faith.
Who can overcome the world? Only the man who believes that Jesus is the Son of God: Jesus Christ who came by water and blood, not with water only, but with water and blood;
with the Spirit as another witness – since the Spirit is the truth.
Gospel Acclamation - Jn20:29
Alleluia, alleluia! Jesus said: ‘You believe because you can see me.
Happy are those who have not seen and yet believe.’ Alleluia!
GOSPEL OF JOHN CHAPTER 20:19-31
Thomas, called the Twin, who was one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. When the disciples said, ‘We have seen the Lord’, he answered, ‘Unless I see the holes that the nails made in his hands and can put my finger into the holes they made, and unless I can put my hand into his side, I refuse to believe.’
Eight days later the disciples were in the house again and Thomas was with them. The doors were closed, but Jesus came in and stood among them.
‘Peace be with you’ he said. Then he spoke to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here; look, here are my hands.
Give me your hand; put it into my side. Doubt no longer but believe.’
Thomas replied, ‘My Lord and my God!’
Jesus said to him: ‘You believe because you can see me. Happy are those who have not seen and yet believe.’
The message of divine mercy is implicitly a message about the value of every human being. Each person is precious in God’s eyes; Christ gave his life, Christ gave his Heart, for each one; to everyone the Father gives his Spirit and offers intimacy.
This consoling message is addressed above all to those who, afflicted by a particularly harsh trial or crushed by the weight of sin, have lost all confidence in life
and are tempted to give in to despair. To them the gentle face of Christ is offered;
those rays from his heart touch them and shine upon them, warm them, show them the way and fill them with hope.
For the sake of His sorrowful Passion,
have mercy on us
and on the whole world.
Holy God, Holy Mighty One,
Holy Immortal One,
have mercy on us
and on the whole world.
Eternal God, in whom mercy is endless
and the treasury of compassion —
inexhaustible, look kindly upon us
and increase Your mercy in us,
that in difficult moments we might not despair nor become despondent, but with great confidence submit ourselves to Your holy will, which is Love and Mercy itself.
I BELIEVE….
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again;
He ascended into heaven,
He is seated at the right hand of the Father,
And he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
PRAYERS Keep us, good Lord, under the shadow of your mercy in this time of uncertainty and distress. Sustain and support the anxious and fearful, and lift up all who are brought low; that we may rejoice in your comfort knowing that nothing can separate us from your love in Christ Jesus our Lord.
I pray for those struggling financially…….
I pray for the food bank,
that supplies will keep-up with those who need help…….
I pray for those on the front line in combating this virus;
refuse workers, shop assistants, doctors, nurses, care assistants
and all other key workers. ….
I pray for those who cannot look after themselves,
those in care homes and hospitals……
I pray for the local businesses,
especially for those who have had to close and have had to furlough staff.
May they come through this time safely
able to open their business as soon as possible….
I pray for those worried about their jobs, their income;
families breaking-up under the strain of these difficult times…..
Pray for those who have no personal faith, or those whose faith is challenged,
that they may seek and find the One who never changes
and whose love is free, limitless and unconditional.
We ask Mary to pray with us, as we with her
bring our care for the situation in which we find ourselves
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee,
blessed art thou among women,
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners now,
and at the hour of our death.
Risen Christ, for whom no door is locked,
no entrance barred:
open the doors of our hearts,
that we may seek the good of others
and walk the joyful road of sacrifice and peace;
Merciful Father, accept these prayers for the sake of your Son,
our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen.
SPIRITUAL COMMUNION
This is holy space
God is here - you are welcome
This is your space to be with God And God's space to be with you
Make yourself at home
Be yourself
Be real
There's no rush
Let God love you
Let God know you
Let God heal you
Let God speak to you
Receive from God
Commune with God…..
Sit for a moment in silence
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God;
It is right and just. It is truly right and just, our duty and our salvation, always and everywhere to give you thanks, Lord, holy Father, almighty and eternal God, through Christ our Lord. For raised up high on the Cross, he gave himself up for us with a wonderful love and poured out blood and water from his pierced side, the wellspring of the Church’s Sacraments, so that, won over to the open heart of the Saviour, all might draw water joyfully from the springs of salvation. And so, with all the Angels and Saints, we praise you, as without end we acclaim: Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of hosts. Heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.
At the Saviour’s command
and formed by divine teaching, we dare to say:
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come,
thy will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
Deliver us, Lord, we pray, from every evil,
graciously grant peace in our days,
that, by the help of your mercy,
we may be always free from sin
and safe from all distress,
as we await the blessed hope
and the coming of our Saviour, Jesus Christ.
For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours
now and for ever.
Lord Jesus Christ, who said to your Apostles:
Peace I leave you, my peace I give you,
look not on our sins,
but on the faith of your Church,
and graciously grant her peace and unity
in accordance with your will.
Who live and reign for ever and ever. Amen.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world,
have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world,
have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world,
grant us peace.
Time to sit quietly to receive the Lord’s Presence spiritually.
“My Jesus, I believe that You are present
in the Most Holy Sacrament of the altar.
I love You above all things,
and I desire to receive You into my soul.
Since I cannot at this moment receive You sacramentally,
come at least spiritually into my heart …
I embrace You as if You were already there
and unite myself wholly to You.
Never permit me to be separated from You,”
Pope Francis prayed this on March 21, 2020,
in his televised daily Mass from the Vatican City.
REMEMBERING PRINCE PHILIP on the occasion of his death on Friday 9th April, 2021, in his hundredth year.
Lord God
We give thanks for the long life
of Prince Philip,
for all that he has contributed
to our nation and beyond,
and for his support of our Queen.
We pray that he will be at rest
trusting in the grace of God.
We remember before you Her Majesty the Queen and her family, praying
that they will know your comfort
and strength in the days to come.
In Jesus' name, Amen.
THE REGINA CAELI Joy to thee,
O Queen of Heaven! Alleluia. He whom thou wast meet to bear, alleluia. As he promised, hath arisen, alleluia. Pour for us to him thy prayer, alleluia.
Rejoice and be glad, O Virgin Mary, alleluia. For the Lord is risen indeed, alleluia!
O God, who through the resurrection
of Thy Son our Lord Jesus Christ didst vouchsafe to give joy to the world: grant, we beseech thee, that through His Mother, the Virgin Mary, we may obtain the joys of everlasting life. Through Christ our Lord.
Let us bless the Lord.
Thanks be to God!
