SANCTIFY THEM! CONSECRATE THEM! MAY THEY BE ONE!
Introduction
WORDS OF THE HOLY FATHER
The task which Jesus entrusts to a small group of common men lacking great intellectual capacity seems truly too bold! Yet this small company, insignificant compared to the great powers of the world, is sent to bring the message of Jesus’ love and mercy to every corner of the earth. The Lord’s Ascension into heaven, while inaugurating a new form of Jesus’ presence among us, calls us to keep eyes and hearts open to encounter him, to serve him and bear witness to him to others. On this journey we encounter Christ himself in our brothers and sisters, especially in the poorest, in those who suffer in their very flesh the harsh and humiliating experience of old and new forms of poverty. (Regina Caeli, 13 may 2018)
Entrance Antiphon Cf. Psalm 27: 7-9
O Lord, hear my voice, for I have called to you; of you my heart has spoken: Seek his face; hide not your face from me, alleluia.
Collect
Graciously hear our supplications, O Lord, so that we, who believe that the Saviour of the human race is with you in your glory, may experience, as he promised, until the end of the world, his abiding presence among us. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
First reading: Acts 1:15-17,20-26
In those days Peter stood up among the brethren (the company of persons was in all about a hundred and twenty), and said, “Brethren, the scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David, concerning Judas who was guide to those who arrested Jesus. For he was numbered among us, and was allotted his share in this ministry. For it is written in the book of Psalms, ‘Let his habitation become desolate, and let there be no one to live in it’; and ‘His office let another take.’ So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us—one of these men must become with us a witness to his resurrection.” And they put forward two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias. And they prayed and said, “Lord, who knowest the hearts of all men, show which one of these two you have chosen to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside, to go to his own place.” And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias; and he was enrolled with the eleven apostles.
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 103:1-2,11-12,19-20
The Lord has fixed his throne in heaven. Or: Alleluia.
Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all within me, his holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and never forget all his benefits. R.
For as the heavens are high above the earth, so strong his mercy for those who fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far from us does he remove our transgressions. R.
The LORD has fixed his throne in heaven, and his kingdom is ruling over all. Bless the LORD, all you his angels, mighty in power, fulfilling his word. R.
Second reading: 1 John 4:11-16
Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No man has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us. By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his own Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son as the Saviour of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. So we know and believe the love God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.
Gospel Acclamation cf. John 14:18
Alleluia, alleluia!
I will not leave you orphans, says the Lord; I will come back to you, and your hearts will rejoice. Alleluia!
Gospel; John 17:11-19
At that time: Lifting up his eyes to heaven, Jesus prayed, saying, “Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one. While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me; I have guarded them, and none of them is lost but the son of perdition, that the scripture might be fulfilled. But now I am coming to you; and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves. I have given them your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I do not pray that you should take them out of the world, but that you should keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be consecrated in truth.”
Introduction to intercessions
Dear brothers and sisters,
filled with paschal joy,
let us pray more earnestly to God
that he, who graciously listened
to the prayers and supplications of his beloved Son,
may now be pleased to look upon us in our lowliness.
R. Come Holy Ghost, Come!
—- For the shepherds of our souls,
that they may have the strength to govern wisely
the flock entrusted to them by the Good Shepherd,
let us pray to the Lord.
—- For the whole world,
that it may truly know the peace given by Christ,
let us pray to the Lord.
—- For our brothers and sisters who suffer,
that their sorrow may be turned to gladness
which no one can take from them,
let us pray to the Lord.
—- For our own community,
that it may bear witness with great confidence
to the Resurrection of Christ,
let us pray to the Lord.
Prayer
O God, who know that our life in this present age
is subject to suffering and need,
hear the desires of those who cry to you
and receive the prayers of those who believe in you.
Through Christ our Lord.
R. Amen.
Prayer over the Offerings
Accept, O Lord, the prayers of your faithful with the sacrificial offerings, that through these acts of devotedness we may pass over to the glory of heaven. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon John 17: 22
Father, I pray that they may be one as we also are one, alleluia.
Prayer after Communion
Hear us, O God our Saviour, and grant us confidence, that through these sacred mysteries there will be accomplished in the body of the whole Church what has already come to pass in Christ her Head. Who lives and reigns for ever and ever.
Reflection
Our Christian hope is anchored on the resurrection of Christ and this is one of the reasons why Matthias (whose Feast we celebrated last Friday) a witness of Jesus’ resurrection was chosen by the Holy Spirit through the casting of lots, so as to replace Judas. Becoming an apostle entails proclaiming the gospel truths of Christ, who loved us and prayed fervently, as in today’s Gospel, that we remain united in his love. Through baptism and confirmation we all are called to be witnesses in our own ways, proclaiming the love of Christ and becoming instruments of unity in our Christian communities, and in a world marked by socio-political bigotry, injustice and total wickedness to man and to nature. The sad thing is that many of us sow these seeds of discord, thereby making our various communities develop fault lines. Our lives should radiate God’s love and we ought to show docility to the Holy Spirit, so that we become instruments for bringing people together through sharing in the love of Christ. Let our lives conform to that of Christ who is the architect of love and unity.
Blessings
May almighty God bless you,
for on this very day his Only Begotten Son
pierced the heights of heaven
and unlocked for you the way
to ascend to where he is. R. Amen.
May he grant that,
as Christ after his Resurrection
was seen plainly by his disciples,
so when he comes as Judge
he may show himself merciful to you for all eternity. R. Amen.
And may you, who believe he is seated
with the Father in his majesty,
know with joy the fulfillment of his promise
to stay with you until the end of time. R. Amen.
And may the blessing of almighty God,
the Father, and the Son, +, and the Holy Spirit,
come down on you and remain with you for ever. R. Amen.
Go in the Peace of the Lord, in hopeful waiting for the coming of the Spirit of Christ, the Advocate, the Teacher and Revealer of Truth with God’s blessing – the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Alleluia! Alleluia!
R. Thanks be to God. Alleluia! Alleluia!