Resources for the Family Mass: June
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5 June • Luke 7:11-17
Sacred Space: Posters of Merciful Father
Homily: Compassion in our world
Jesus responds to the bereft mother and the weeping family and friends with utter compassion. It is his immediate response to the desperate situation of human grief. How do I respond to the grief and suffering of other? Even if I am too busy and taken up with my own issues to fully understand, do I make any effort to be compassionate, merciful? Do people think that I have a compassionate heart? This is the same with any of our suffering. Having the courage to hand it over to Jesus means that the compassion of his heart lets us know that we are understood, accepted and welcomed in the loving heart of God.
Prayer of the Faithful
1. Loving God, in this year of mercy, let us show compassion in our hearts and walk with others in their pain or suffering.
2. Gentle God, Jesus comes to heal, to liberate, and to restore to life. Give me the courage to allow his compassion heal my own pains and worries.
3. Saving God, empower me to be your hands and feet in the world. Let me carry your love to others.
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12 June • Luke 7:36-8:3
Sacred Space: Black Sheep/ Odd socks/ ‘difference’
Homily: Saints and Sinners
Jesus never shut anyone down or out. Jesus’ ministry included everyone and anyone, saints as well as sinners. The Gospel today shows us that we must cease to judge and exclude, rather we must work hard in all our brokenness and humanity to accept and include. Jesus shows us that not even the least worthy among us is left out, everyone is welcome in God’s love. How can I show this in my daily routine? Do I give wicked looks? Do I choose only certain people to mix with? Because others may not have the right gear or the cool attitude, do I avoid them? What part of this Gospel speaks to my lack of tolerance and superiority complex today?
Prayer of the Faithful
1. Dear Jesus, help me follow in your footsteps of peace, hope and friendship.
2. Lord God, enable me to have a voice that will speak out for the meek and the excluded, those who love you and may not be able to articulate it.
3. Holy God, thank you for helping me to know you, to love you and to seek you.
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19 June • Luke 9:18-24
Sacred Space: Symbols of love, deep and eternal
Homily: Who do you say I am?
In today’s Gospel, Peter, when questioned, gives the right answer: ‘You are the Messiah of God’. But it is as if Peter is giving the answer that he thinks he should give. Having spent time without Jesus with the disciples, it is then and maybe only then that Peter really felt the answer in his heart as well as in his head. At that time on the lakeside Peter shows that his heart is at last fully engaged. ‘You know I love you!’ he says to Jesus. Having journeyed with Jesus, ran from the cross and huddled with his fellow disciples after the death of Jesus, Peter now knows with every part of his being, that this is indeed the right answer.
Prayer of the Faithful
1. Lord, we ask you to give us the words and the courage to show your love on earth, to live your way and to embody our love for you.
2. God of love, our hearts are searching for their rest in you. Help us find our words at the lakeside.
3. Gracious God, we offer thanks and praise for your boundless love for us. Help us to respond to it in with our hearts as well as with our minds.
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26 June • Luke 9:51-62
Sacred Space: Circles entwined/symbols of courage and bravery
Homily: Commitment
The Gospel today explains how Jesus fired up his followers by telling them that a decision to follow him has no ‘ifs or buts’! We are all a valuable part of a community and we need to pull forward like one body to follow in Jesus’ footsteps. Jesus asks for commitment – real commitment. He does not say, ‘whenever you think you might follow me, have a go, Jesus says the time for commitment, for stepping up to our faith, is now. It is our baptismal promise to share the good news, to try to share the love of God the father, the Son and the Holy Spirit each day on our ordinary road. If we keep waiting for the right moment, the sands of time will run quickly through our fingers.
Prayer of the Faithful
1. Holy God, bless us with the ability to step up to your invitation to follow you today.
2. Lord God, bless this whole community with the strength to work as a team, helping and caring as we go.
3. Saving God, we offer thanks and praise for your daily love.