Resources for Family Mass: May
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1 May • John 14:23-29
Sacred Space: Scroll/baton/Dove/Peace lily.
Homily: Love and Peace to You
Today’s Gospel is about Jesus preparing the disciples for his leaving. He knew he had to leave his disciples and he knew that he had to prepare them for when he was not physically with them. Jesus told his disciples how much he loved them and indeed how much the Father loved them, he wished them peace in their hearts and told them that the Holy Spirit would be there to inspire and guide them. Jesus had done everything for his disciples, they were now ready to step up leadership in his name, and they did! How ready are we to step up to our faith? How ready are we to step up to sharing our faith? How often are we open to the opportunity of sharing faith?
Prayer of the Faithful
1. Lord God, help us to open our hearts to your presence in our lives.
2. Loving God, help us to open our minds to making choices for a just world
3. Gentle God, help us to open our world to your love and mercy.
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8 May • Luke 24:46-53
Sacred Space: Picture of Ascencion.
Homily: The Ascension of Jesus
Today’s Gospel is about Jesus and the time he spent with his disciples before he ascended into heaven. Last week, we read about Jesus telling his disciples he had brought them the Fathers’ love and peace and that God would send the Holy Spirit. This week, Jesus is helping the disciples understand that what has happened, and is happening, was all written in the Scriptures by the prophets. He explains that his death was for us and to liberate us from the poor choices we make, Jesus suffered the crucifixion in order to liberate us from the shackles of our egos. This freedom is about being open, being humble and being selfless to love Jesus with all our hearts of our own freewill. That means we are not forced to love Jesus, but invited through unconditional love. Think about this reality and reflect on its presence in our lives. What might it looks like? How does God’s love manifest itself in my life?
Prayer of the Faithful
1. Lord God, we thank you for your unconditional love made present in our lives each day.
2. Saving God, we offer our gratitude for the opportunities we are presented with to show mercy.
3. Gracious God, we offer our prayers for all of those who live their faith and step up to the hope of Easter.
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15 May • John 20:19-23
Sacred Space: Symbols of the Holy Spirit/Hands shaking in peace/Peace sign.
Homily: The breath of God
This week’s Gospel is about the breath of God, what do you think that means? The breath of God is the Holy Spirit being breathed onto the disciples. This was Jesus keeping his promise. He had already told the disciples that the Father would send the Holy Spirit and now he actually brought the Holy Spirit himself!
Again Jesus wishes the disciples peace. This is really important to observe. For the last three Sundays, Jesus has shared peace with his friends. God asks us to be a conduit for peace. This means that any chance we have to bring peace into a relationship, a conversation or a chance meeting we should take up that opportunity and carry Christ’s peace. It may not always be easy to be the bearer of peace but it is always necessary to lead in this way. When we offer each other the sign of peace today, really think about what we are doing and live in that moment for the person you offer peace to.
Prayer of the Faithful
1. Jesus, we thank you for the gift of the Holy Spirit. May we celebrate by letting the fruits of the Holy Spirit be present in our daily lives.
2. Holy Spirit, Guide and direct us in our decisions for a selfless life.
3. God our Father, help us to let go of our egos and be liberated from our insecurities.
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22 May • John 16:12-15
Sacred Space: Rublev’s icon of the Blessed Trinity.
Homily: The Holy Trinity
The week’s Gospel is about the Holy Trinity. The Holy Trinity is the term used to describe the three persons in God. God the Father, Jesus the Son and the Holy Spirit. St Patrick explained the Trinity by using the Irish shamrock. In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells us about truth. Jesus came to tell us about the Kingdom of God, as Christians and followers of Jesus, this is our truth. However, we are not always ready or receptive to the way of the Kingdom. God the Father sent the Holy Spirit to journey with us and help us understand the message of Jesus throughout our lives. It is important to keep trying and to keep working on our life choices and the way we live every day. The sun rises every single day, so every single day God offers us the opportunity to begin again. God the father, the Son and the Holy Spirit is with us in the weariness of our human road.
Prayer of the Faithful
1. God our Father, thank you for sending your only Son to journey with us showing us the way, the truth and the life.
2. God our Father, thank you for sending the Holy Spirit to guide and inspire us to live relevant and authentic lives.
3. God our Father, help us to share and show your love with and for others.
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29 May • Luke 9:11-17
Sacred Space: Bread/Baskets/Candles/ cut-outs of people together in community
Homily: The Feeding of the Five Thousand
The story of the feeding of the five thousand is found in all four Gospels. It accomplishes what Mary said in the Magnificat: ‘He has filled the hungry with good things’ and fulfils what Jesus said in the Beatitudes – that those who are hungry now will be filled. Today we celebrate the Body of Christ, blessed and broken for us. A central message of today is that we are not in a one-to-one relationship with Christ but rather in and through each other, we share in God’s love. St Teresa of Avila said that Christ has no body but yours, no hands, no feet but yours. Therefore, the feast of Corpus Christi celebrates the Eucharist and how we live in Jesus by our love for and with each other. We rejoice in the unity which follows from that. Celebrating the Lord’s Day is not the time to manufacture community; rather, it is the time to celebrate it. Let us celebrate our ability to carry on the work of Jesus on earth, together as one body in Christ.
Prayer of the Faithful
1. Our Lord and Our God, help us to see the road of faith as a journey in community.
2. Saviour God, thank you for calling us into community and allowing us to shine in and through each other.
3. Loving God, we rejoice in our being together as one Body in Christ.
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