Introduction
Acknowledging
sin, being sorry for it and seeking forgiveness is a reality that can only
exist where there is genuine friendship and the awareness that this friendship
has been hurt or even destroyed. Without friendship with God and with people,
sin remains only a thing to be wiped off, sorrow is little more than a superficial
regretting of something that should not have happened, and forgiveness is
erasing the past. Sin, sorrow, pardon are to be seen in the light of the
covenant relationship with a merciful God, who loved us first, and with
our neighbor, with whom we are taken up in this union of life and love with
God.
Opening
Prayer
Just
and holy God,
our loving Father,
you offered us your hand in friendship
and you sent us your Son Jesus
to go with us the road
of obedience and loyalty.
God, we often hurt this friendship,
we act as if we were not your sons and daughters.
See the look of shame on our faces.
Forgive us, for we count on you.
Accept our thanks
for continuing to take us as we are
and loving us notwithstanding our sins.
We ask you this through Christ our Lord.
Liturgy
of the Word
First
Reading: Dn
9:4-10
I prayed
to Yahweh, my God, and made this confession: "Lord God, great and to
be feared, you keep your Covenant and love for those who love you and observe
your commandments. We have sinned, we have not been just, we have been rebels,
and have turned away from your commandments and laws. We have not listened
to your servants, the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, leaders,
fathers and to all the people of the land.
Lord, justice
is yours, but ours is a face full of shame, as it is to this day - we, the
people of Judah, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the whole of Israel, near
and far away, in all the lands where you have dispersed us because of the
infidelity we have committed against you. Ours is the shame, O Lord for
we, our kings, princes, fathers, have sinned against you. We hope for pardon
and mercy from the Lord, because we have rebelled against him. We have not
listened to the voice of Yahweh, our God, or followed the laws which he
has given us through his servants, the prophets.
Responsorial
Psalm:
Ps 79:8, 9, 11 and 13
R (see
103:10a) Lord, do not deal with us according to our sins.
Remember
not against us the iniquities of the past;
may your compassion quickly come to us,
for we are brought very low.
R Lord, do not deal with us according to our sins.
Help us,
O God our savior,
because of the glory of your name;
Deliver us and pardon our sins
for your name's sake.
R Lord, do not deal with us according to our sins.
Let the
prisoners' sighing come before you;
with your great power free those doomed to death.
Then we, your people and the sheep of your pasture,
will give thanks to you forever;
through all generations we will declare your praise.
R Lord, do not deal with us according to our sins.
Gospel
Reading: Lk
6:36-38
Jesus said to his disciples, “Be merciful,
just as your Father is merciful.
“Don’t be a judge of others and you will
not be judged; do not condemn and you will not be condemned; forgive and
you will be forgiven; give and it will be given to you, and you will receive
in your sack good measure, pressed down, full and running over. For the
measure you give will be the measure you receive back.”
Commentary
DANIEL'S
prayer must be our own, as sinners before God the Holy One, asking mercy,
knowing how greatly we all need it because of our disobedience of the
law and our ignoring the cries of the prophets. We have rebelled against
our God and our infidelities have created a world and a nation that is
scattered, without unity, hope or a way to worship with integrity. We
must learn to practice the mercy of God towards others that we have known
all our lives. The measure we give: in judgment, in condemning others
and in forgiving others as well as in giving generously to others is the
measure we will know from the hand of Our Father. O Holy One of God, make
us mindful of God's mercy upon us, keeping us from death and make us respond
to others with mercy, without revenge, without violence, without hate
and with forgiveness. O God, be merciful to us, your children who are
sinners. Amen.
General
Intercession
– That
each of us may have the courage to say, “Sorry, I am wrong, forgive me,”
not only to God when we have sinned but also to people we have hurt, we
pray:
– That
we may never gloss over any evil but voice our disapproval without condemning
the wrongdoer, we pray:
– That
we may not pay back evil with evil but listen to the Spirit who wants us
to pay back evil with good, we pray:
Prayer
over the Gifts
Lord
our God, in this eucharist
your Son Jesus comes among us
to bring us your pardon and peace.
Remind us of what he went through for us,
that we may be converted to you
and be your holy people,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Prayer
after Communion
Lord
our God,
your forgiving love is without measure.
May our hearts become as large as yours,
that we too may learn to forgive one another,
and stop from judging and condemning.
May we too take people as they are
and continue offering our friendship
even when it is abused,
by the strength of him
who has given himself to us in this eucharist,
Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Blessing
“Be
merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.”
Words to remember and to practice, with the blessing of almighty God, the
Father, and the Son, and the holy Spirit.