THIRD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
In these extraordinary times when we cannot gather as a Christian Community to celebrate Mass, let us unite ourselves spiritually to the Mass as it is being celebrated in our churches.
One way you can do this by joining broadcast Masses on radio, television, or via the internet.
This resource is offered to provide a ritual by which families, "the domestic church," can keep the Lord's day holy by joining together to celebrate part of the Church's liturgy at home. Ideally, the head of the family will lead the service; other members of the family should take on roles as readers.
It would be appropriate to celebrate this service at the usual time the family would attend Mass. If possible, prepare a suitable prayer space with a crucifix, holy picture and/or a candle or two. If the family is blessed with musical talent, hymns would be appropriate.
GREETING
PENITENTIAL ACT
After a pause for silent reflection,
the leader continues.
GLORY TO GOD
Glory to God in the highest,
We praise you, we bless you
Lord Jesus Christ, Only Begotten Son,
For you alone are the Holy One,
COLLECT
Almighty ever-living God,
Father's forgiveness, for God is full of gentleness and compassion.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
and on earth peace to people of good will.
we adore you, we glorify you,
we give you thanks for your great glory,
Lord God, heavenly King,
O God, almighty Father.
Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father,
you take away the sins of the world,
have mercy on us;
you take away the sins of the world,
receive our prayer;
you are seated at the right hand of the Father,
have mercy on us.
you alone are the Lord,
you alone are the Most High, (Jesus),
Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit,
in the glory of God the Father. Amen.
direct our actions according to your good pleasure,
that in the name of your beloved Son
we may abound in good works.
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
The word of the Lord came to Jonah, saying: "Set out for the
When God saw by their actions how they turned from their evil
The Word of the Lord.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM
SECOND READING
I tell you, brothers and sisters, the time is running out. From
now on, let those having wives act as not having them, those
weeping as not weeping, those rejoicing as not rejoicing, those
buying as not owning, those using the world as not using it fully.
For the world in its present form is passing away.
The Word of the Lord.
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
After John had been arrested, Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming
the gospel of God: "This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom
of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel."
As he passed by the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother
Andrew casting their nets into the sea; they were fishermen.
Jesus said to them, "Come after me, and I will make you fishers
of men." Then they abandoned their nets and followed him. He
walked along a little farther and saw James, the son of Zebedee,
and his brother John. They too were in a boat mending their nets.
Then he called them. So they left their father Zebedee in the
boat along with the hired men and followed him.
The Gospel of the Lord.
Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming. . . . "Repent, and believe
in the gospel." (Mark 1:14,15)
Today, as we near the end of the Week of Prayer for Christian
Unity, the Church also celebrates the Sunday of God's Word. How
fitting, then, that the readings today look at two proclaimers
of God's word: Jonah and Jesus. Both proclaimed God's word, and
both witnessed the power of that word to unite the people who
heard it.
Although Jesus and Jonah were similar, their differences are
even more significant. Unlike Jonah, Jesus was no reluctant prophet.
On the contrary, he moved with determination from village to
village in his desire to preach God's word (Mark 1:38-39). Also
unlike Jonah, Jesus didn't preach only repentance. He also announced
that God's time of redemption had finally come. In Jesus, we
see the Word of God himself breaking into history and gathering
all God's children into one. As Jesus would later say, "Something
greater than Jonah [is] here" (Matthew 12:41).
How amazing it must have been to see and hear Jesus, the Word
of God, walking this earth! But our celebration of God's word
today reminds us that we have that same powerful Word available
to us every time we read the Scriptures or hear them proclaimed
at Mass. Jesus is always speaking to us.
So just as God's word touched the hearts of people in Nineveh
and Galilee, it can move us to repentance and faith. Just as
Jesus' words moved Simon and Andrew to leave their nets and follow
him, they can move us to reorder our priorities and follow Jesus
more closely. And just as Jesus' words called both Jews and Gentiles
into one Church, God's word can bring us to unity with our brothers
and sisters in Christ. As Pope Francis said when instituting
Word of God Sunday, "The word of God unites believers and makes
them one people" (Aperuit Illis, 4).
"Lord, change us by your word, and make us one so that the world
might believe."
I believe in one God,
I believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
[All bow during these two lines:]
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.
GENERAL INTERCESSIONS
We pray to the Lord.
We pray to the Lord.
We pray to the Lord.
We pray to the Lord.
We pray to the Lord.
We pray to the Lord.
We pray to the Lord.
We pray to the Lord.
We pray to the Lord.
LORD'S PRAYER
Our Father, who art in heaven,
Amen.
My Jesus, I believe that you are present in the most Blessed
Amen.
PRAYER OF BLESSING
great city of Nineveh, and announce to it the message that I
will tell you." So Jonah made ready and went to Nineveh, according
to the Lord's bidding. Now Nineveh was an enormously large city;
it took three days to go through it. Jonah began his journey
through the city, and had gone but a single day's walk announcing,
"Forty days more and Nineveh shall be destroyed," when the people
of Nineveh believed God; they proclaimed a fast and all of them,
great and small, put on sackcloth.
way, he repented of the evil that he had threatened to do to
them; he did not carry it out.
Your ways, O Lord, make known to me;
teach me your paths,
guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my savior.
and your love are from of old.
In your kindness remember me,
because of your goodness, O Lord.
thus he shows sinners the way.
He guides the humble to justice
and teaches the humble his way.
Repent and believe in the Gospel.
GOSPEL
REFLECTION
PROFESSION OF FAITH
the Father almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all things visible and invisible.
the Only Begotten Son of God,
born of the Father before all ages,
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father;
through him all things were made,
For us men and for our salvation
he came down from heaven:
and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary,
and become man.
he suffered death and was buried,
and rose again on the third day
in accordance with the Scriptures.
He ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified,
who has spoken through the Prophets.
I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come. Amen.
let us present our prayers with faith and hope.
that we may hear God's call to be salt for the earth,
instruments of God's love, and faithful witnesses
to God's message to our families, co-workers, and communities.
that God will inspire their understanding of the
current issues and guide them in addressing the economic,
healthcare, and safety issues of our society.
that God will heal the wounds and misunderstandings of the past,
lead all the baptized to offer a more united witness to the Gospel,
and offer greater service to our suffering and vulnerable neighbors.
that they witness to Christ's prayer "That All May Be One".
that the Spirit will redirect their hearts
to the life and wholeness that is found in a relationship with God.
that the Spirit of God will guide us in supporting women
who have difficult pregnancies and open ways
to address the many issues that make them consider abortion.
and, particularly, those who are placed in quarantine and isolation,
(pause)
that God's healing touch may bring them comfort and peace.
those who have died from the coronavirus pandemic,
(pause)
that they experience the joy of God's heavenly family for all
eternity.
Change our hearts by the power of your Spirit,
through Jesus our Lord.
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.
SPIRITUAL COMMUNION
Sacrament.
I love You above all things and I desire to receive You into
my soul.
Since I cannot now 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.
Lectionary for Sunday Mass
© 1998, 1997, 1970, Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Washington,
DC
Prayers at Home When Gathering for Mass Is Not Possible
© 2020, the Diocese of Clonfert and the Diocese of Elphin,
Ireland
The Roman Missal © 2011, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Washington, DC
Sunday Celebrations in the Absence of a Priest: Leader's
Edition
© 2007, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Washington,
DC
The Word Among Us, © 2020 The Word Among Us.