This section, provided by Fr. Bernard Cotter of Cloyne diocese, offers useful material for the celebrant, on Sundays and Feasts: alternative prayers, introductions, intercessions etc.
Now that we are ten days into the season of Lent, our goal is clarified in today’s liturgy. The Gospel of the Transfiguration reminds us that we are destined for glory. Like the disciples, we keep this glimpse of glory in our hearts in the dark days ahead. Resurection will follow, as surely as day follows night.
We celebrate the first Sunday of Lent. All over the world today, men and women are beginning a period of preparation for their baptism at the Easter Vigil. Like them, we spend Lent preparing to renew our baptismal vows at Easter, looking forward to our blessing with Easter water and to receiving the gift of a new start.
Loving the enemy and praying for those who make life difficult are two marks of a Christian, or so Jesus teaches us today. We gather, aware of how difficult love can be, yet united by the saving mercy of God, on which we rely.
Today’s readings ask for decisions, challenging Christians to choose the right path. We gather to worship God, who can help us in all our choices.
Over these Sundays, we listen to what Jesus taught in his Sermon on the Mount. In today’s liturgy, we hear that we are the salt of the earth and the light of the world. Rejoicing in this calling, we praise God who sustains us all our days.
The people that walked in darkness has seen a great light: Jesus, the light of the world, walks among us, preaching a message of repentance. We gather to listen to him, to share the bread of life and to prepare to go out and build up his kingdom.
The Christmas Season ended last Sunday, and we have entered Ordinary Time, moving slowly from winter towards spring. The season of Lent begins on the 26th February: between now and then, we learn a little more each Sunday about the life and teachings of Jesus, as St Matthew recorded them.
This feast of the Baptism of the Lord marks the last day of Christmas. At his baptism Jesus sees how much he is loved by God and is given the power to go out and spread the news. We share that power through our baptism.
On this feast of the Epiphany we celebrate the revelation of who Christ is. The visit of the wise men reminds us that Jesus came as the Saviour of all nations, including ours. We worship God who wants all people to be saved.
We gather to celebrate the first Sunday of 2020, with thankfulness for the year just gone. We ask God for continuing care and protection as face this New Year, not knowing what it will bring.
Happy New Year! On this first day of the Year of Our Lord 2020, we acclaim Mary as Mother of God and ask her to mind us and those we love during this new year. Today is also World Peace Day, a day during which we pray for peace.
The Holy Family is the focus on the first Sunday after Christmas, so we honour Jesus, Mary and Joseph today. We worship God who shared the life of the human family, and thank God for all the gifts we continue to receive in each other.
The Season of Advent ends on Tuesday, so the celebration of the birth of Christ is now very close. We gather in preparation for that great event, worshipping God who was made flesh to bring us to glory.
Traditionally, this Sunday is called Gaudete Sunday, which means ‘a day for rejoicing’. Advent is about half over, and the day of the Lord’s coming is nearer. We worship God who promises us joy without end.
Our preparations for Christmas always include Mary, the Mother of God. Her Advent feast is displaced from 8th December this year because of a clash with the Second Sunday of Advent, which we celebrated yesterday. Today, we honour her conception free from sin, a miracle that displays God’s power for believers. We worship God, for whom everything is posssible.
John the Baptist is the focus of the Gospel reading on the Second Sunday of Advent each year. His words challenge and inspire. We worship God who uses many messengers to call us from darkness to light.
The season of Advent begins today. During the next 24 days we will look forward in hope. We will watch for the end times, when Christ will come in glory, Christ whose birthday we will celebrate very soon.
We celebrate the feast of Christ the King this Sunday, remembering that our king’s life ended on a cross. Today we worship this wounded and resurrected God, who promises us a place in Paradise.
The readings this Sunday focus on the end of the world, though we are also reassured that people of faith have nothing to fear.
Today is World Day of the Poor, an annual day of significance established by Pope Francis in 2016.
At this time of remembrance, our dead are often in our minds. Today’s readings challenge us to believe in eternal life after death. We worship God who sustains us in this life and promises us a share in the resurrection.
• Today is Prisoners’ Sunday
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