WEDNESDAY WITHIN THE SIXTH WEEK OF EASTER

Sign of the Cross 

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.

Examen

Before listening to the Word of God take a moment to reflect. 

For what am I grateful to God for today? Where did I stray from God: through words, actions or things I did not do. How might I do better tomorrow? What grace do I ask from God in order to live more closely in his love? 

You may wish to conclude by saying: 

Lord Jesus, you have revealed yourself as the way to the Father:
Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. 

You have poured out on your people the Spirit of truth:
Christ, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. 

You are the Good Shepherd, leading us to eternal life:
Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. 

Collect

Grant, we pray, O Lord,
that, as we celebrate in mystery
the solemnities of your Son’s Resurrection,
so, too, we may be worthy
to rejoice at his coming with all the Saints.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.

First Reading

A reading from the Acts of the Apostles 17:15, 22-18:1

The God whom I proclaim is in fact the one whom you already worship without knowing it.

Paul’s escort took him as far as Athens, and went back with instructions for Silas and Timothy to rejoin Paul as soon as they could.

Paul stood before the whole Council of the Areopagus and made this speech:

‘Men of Athens, I have seen for myself how extremely scrupulous you are in all religious matter, because I noticed, as I strolled round admiring your sacred monuments, that you had an altar inscribed: To An Unknown God. Well, the God whom I proclaim is in fact the one whom you already worship without knowing it.’

‘Since the God who made this world and everything in it is himself Lord of heaven and earth, he does not make his home in shrines made by human hands. Nor is he dependent on anything that human hands can do for him, since he can never be in need of anything; on the contrary, it is he who gives everything – including life and breath – to everyone. From one single stock he not only created the whole human race so that they could occupy the entire earth, but he decreed how long each nation should flourish and what the boundaries of its territory should be. And he did this so that all nations might seek the deity and, by feeling their way towards him, succeed in finding him. Yet in fact he is not far from any of us, since it is in him that we live, and move, and exist, as indeed some of your own writers have said:’

“We are all his children.”

‘Since we are the children of God, we have no excuse for thinking that the deity looks like anything in gold, silver or stone that has been carved and designed by a man.’

‘God overlooked that sort of thing when men were ignorant, but now he is telling everyone everywhere that they must repent, because he has fixed a day when the whole world will be judged, and judged in righteousness, and he has appointed a man to be the judge. And God has publicly proved this by raising this man from the dead.’

At this mention of rising from the dead, some of them burst out laughing; others said, ‘We would like to hear your talk about this again.’ After that Paul left them, but there were some who attached themselves to him and became believers, among them Dionysius the Aeropagite and a woman called Damaris, and others besides. After this Paul left Athens and went to Corinth.

The word of the Lord.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 148: 1-2, 11-14

Your glory fills all heaven and earth.

Praise the Lord from the heavens,
praise him in the heights.
Praise him, all his angels,
praise him, all his host. R.

All earth’s kings and peoples,
earth’s princes and rulers;
young men and maidens,
old men together with children. R.

Let them praise the name of the Lord
for he alone is exalted.
The splendour of his name
reaches beyond heaven and earth. R.

He exalts the strength of his peoples.
He is the praise of all his saints,
of the sons of Israel,
of the people to whom he comes close. R.

Gospel Acclamation

Alleluia, Alleluia!

Since you have been brought back to true life with Christ,
you must look for the things that are in heaven where Christ is,
sitting at God’s right hand.

Alleluia!

Gospel

A reading from the holy Gospel according to John 16: 12-15

The Spirit of truth will lead you to the complete truth.

Jesus said to his disciples:

‘I still have many things to say to you
but they would be too much for you now.
But when the Spirit of truth comes
he will lead you to the complete truth,
since he will not be speaking as from himself
but will say only what he has learnt;
and he will tell you of the things to come.
He will glorify me,
since all he tells you
will be taken from what is mine.
Everything the Father has is mine;
that is why I said:
All he tells you
will be taken from what is mine.’

The Gospel of the Lord.

Profession of Faith

The Apostles’ Creed

I believe in God,
the Father almighty,
Creator of heaven and earth,
and 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 into hell;
on the third day he rose again from the dead;
he ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty;
from there 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 life everlasting. Amen,

Prayers

Intercessions 

Pray for family and loved ones so that they may be held in God’s compassionate care. Pray for other countries who are struggling with the effects of the COVID 19 virus. 

For those in authority: may they offer advice with care and integrity, may they seek to protect the poor and vulnerable. 

Lord, in your mercy. Hear our prayer.

For all who work in healthcare: give strength to all who look after the sick so that they may bring comfort and relief to the suffering. 

Lord, in your mercy. Hear our prayer.

For the Church: may she offer prayers and consolation for all those affected.

Lord, in your mercy. Hear our prayer. 

For our local community and all for those in need: may those who are isolated know the support and service of their neighbours. 

Lord, in your mercy. Hear our prayer.

Lord’s Prayer 

Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed by thy name;
they 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.

Prayer for Spiritual communion 

I prostrate myself at your feet, O my Jesus, and I offer you the repentance of my contrite heart, which abases itself in its nothingness in Your Holy Presence. I adore you in the Sacrament of Your Love; I desire to receive You in the poor abode that my heart offers You. While waiting for the happiness of a Sacramental Communion, I want to possess You in spirit. Come to me, O my Jesus, that I may come to You. May Your love inflame my whole being, in life and in death. I believe in You. I hope in You. I love You.
Amen.

Daily Prayer

God and Father,
we honour the yearly feast of your Son’s resurrection
by celebrating it in the sacramental mystery.
Give us likewise the grace
to rejoice with all the saints
when he comes in glory.
We make our prayer through our Lord.
Through Christ our Lord.

Memorare

Remember O most gracious Virgin Mary,
that never was it known that anyone
who fled to thy protection, implored thy help,
or sought thy intercession was left unaided.
Inspired by this confidence, we fly unto thee,
O Virgin of virgins, my Mother; to thee do we come,
before thee do we stand sinful and sorrowful.
O Mother of the Word incarnate, despise not our petitions,
but in thy mercy hear and answer us.
Amen.

Prayer for the Year of the Word

Living God, you walk alongside us and speak to us throughout the Scriptures.
Your Son, Jesus Christ, listens to our hopes and fears and shows us how to live for one another.
Send us the Holy Spirit to open our hearts and minds, so that we may be your witnesses throughout the world.
Amen.

Your word is our path and your truth is our light.
This day and every day.
Our Lady of the Annunciation. Pray for us.
St Matthew. Pray for us.
St. Jerome. Pray for us.

A Prayer for protection in times of pandemic

O Mary,
you always brighten our path
as a sign of salvation and of hope.
We entrust ourselves to you, Health of the Sick, who, at the Cross, 
took part in Jesus’ pain while remaining steadfast in faith.
O loving Mother,
you know what we need,
and we are confident you will provide for us as at Cana in Galilee.
Intercede for us with your Son Jesus,
the Divine Physician,
for those who have fallen ill,
for those who are vulnerable,
and for those who have died. 
Intercede also for those charged with protecting the health and safety of others and for those who are tending to the sick and seeking a cure.
Help us, O Mother of Divine Love,
to conform to the will of the Father
and to do as we are told by Jesus,
who took upon himself our sufferings and carried our sorrows,
so as to lead us, through the Cross,
to the glory of the Resurrection.
Amen.

Under thy protection, we seek refuge, O Holy Mother of God.
In our needs, despise not our petitions, but deliver us always from all dangers, O glorious and blessed Virgin.
Amen.

Conclusion

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.