A New Presentation for Sunday's Liturgy

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This presentation is originally prepared in Spanish by Fr. Cristo Rey García Paredes, cmf. The original version, along with other very useful materials for pastoral agents and Christians in general can be found at: http://ciudadredonda.org

August 24, 2003 - Sunday, 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time

A. Are You on My Side?
B. We Have Made a Choice
C. Though Not Perfect, It Is Beautiful Inside

Readings:
Jos 24:1-2, 15-18; Ps 34:2-3, 16-17, 18-19, 20-21, 22-23; Eph 5:21-32; Jn 6:60-69

Commentaries / Gospel Reflections from:
Sunday's Into Silence • Diario Biblico • Daily Gospel • A Certain Jesus

Greeting (see Second Reading)

Christ loved his Church;
he gave himself up for her
to make her holy and immaculate;
he nourishes us and cares for us.
May his love and peace be always with you. R/ And also with you.

Introduction by the Celebrant

A. Are You on My Side?

After Vatican II many were affected by the deeper insights in the gospel and our faith which the Spirit had given to his Church: most were the result of deeper study or simply rediscoveries of neglected truths. To most people the renewal after the Council was like a deep breath of fresh air; but some went away sadly from the Church. They could not take it; there was no room for growth in their faith. Today Jesus asks us too: Can you grow in your faith? Do you choose me and my Church or do you stick to your own ideas? He invites us: choose me, grow in my life and my love.

B. We Have Made a Choice

Ever since we were baptized we belong to Christ as our Lord and Savior and brother. Have we ever made our baptismal choice a conscious, personal option for Christ? Our presence here at the eucharist implies that we have done so. Do we confirm that choice by our everyday Christian living, in our dealings with those around us in love and justice and forgiveness? When our faith is put to the test do we renew our choice and say: "Lord, to whom else shall we go? You are the Lord of my life."

C. Though Not Perfect, It Is Beautiful Inside

Why do we stay in the Church even though we see glaring defects in its structures and members? For me personally I'd like to answer: because I also see its numerous qualities and beauty. The Church brings me its message of life and especially, I see the Lord present in it. It is my Church because I find my Lord there. He is present there in the eucharist, he is present there in the community. And I know it is a Church on the way and so it cannot yet be perfect. For me the Church does not have to be perfect, for it is a Church of people and leaders who struggle and try, and so the Lord is there.

Penitential Act

A. Are You on My Side?

We have to acknowledge with shame
that we have often preferred ourselves,
our interests, ideas and comforts
to those of God and of our neighbor.
We ask now for forgiveness.
            (PAUSE)
Lord Jesus, you put before us
good and evil, your gospel and our own ways,
and you tell us to choose:
Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.
Jesus Christ, you put before us
yourself and your message of life
and you ask us: Do you too want to go away?
Christ, have mercy. R/ Christ, have mercy.
Lord Jesus, you put before us
the bread of life, and you tell us:
"Take this, all of you, and eat it."
Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.
Have mercy on us, Lord:
we know that you accept us and forgive us.
Make us accept you with all our heart
and lead us to everlasting life. R/ Amen.

B. and C.

Let us ask the Lord to forgive us
our doubts and hesitations
and our lukewarm efforts to follow him.
            (PAUSE)
Lord, to whom else shall we go,
for you have the message of everlasting life.
Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.
Jesus Christ, to whom else shall we go,
for you go with us our weary way through life.
Christ, have mercy. R/ Christ, have mercy.
Lord, to whom else shall we go,
for you are among us with your love
and your patient forgiveness.
Lord, have mecy. R/ Lord, have mercy.
Have mercy on us, Lord,
and forgivve us all our sins.
Give us a living, loving faith
and leaad us to everlsting life. R/ Amen.

Opening Prayer

Let us pray to God for the courage
to be faithful to him always
            (PAUSE)
Faithful God of the covenant,
in the daily choices we have to make
give us the courage to opt always
for your Son and his ways
and to remain close to him.
Bless the difficult road we sometimes have to take
without seeing where it will lead us.
Keep us from making half-hearted decisions
where we have not enough faith, and
to accept all the consequences of our choice.
Keep us always faithful
through Jesus Christ our Lord. R/ Amen.

Scripture Readings:

First Reading Introduction: God's People Choose The Lord
        God's people is conscious that it owes its freedom and its country to God's liberating love. The Hebrews choose to link their destiny to that of God and to serve him loyally.

First Reading: Jos 24:1-2a, 15-17, 18b

Joshua summoned all the tribes of Israel in Shechem, and assembled the elders, leaders, judges and secretaries. And together they presented themselves before God.

Addressing the people, Joshua said to them: "Yahweh, the God of Israel, commands me to say to you: Your ancestors lived beyond the Euphrates River-Terah the father of Abraham and Nahor-serving other gods.

But if you do not want to serve Yahweh, make known this very day whom you shall serve-whether they be the gods your ancestors served in Mesopotamia or the gods of the Amorites who formerly occupied the land in which you now live. As for me, I and my household will serve Yahweh."

The people answered: "May God not permit that we ever abandon Yahweh to serve other gods! For it was he who brought us and our ancestors out of Egypt, the house of slavery. It was he who did those great wonders that we have seen; he protected us on the way and through all the land where we passed, driving away before us all the nations especially the Amorites who lived in this land. So we shall also serve Yahweh: he is our God!"

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 34:2-3, 16-17, 18-19, 20-21, 22-23

R (9a) Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.

I will bless the Lord at all times;
his praise shall be ever in my mouth.
Let my soul glory in the Lord;
the lowly will hear me and be glad.
R Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.

The Lord has eyes for the just,
and ears for their cry.
The Lord confronts the evildoers,
to destroy remembrance of them from the earth.
R Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.

When the just cry out, the Lord hears them,
and from all their distress he rescues them.
The Lord is close to the brokenhearted;
and those who are crushed in spirit he saves.
R Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.

Many are the troubles of the just one,
but out of them all the Lord delivers him;
he watches over all his bones;
not one of them shall be broken.
R Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.

Second Reading Introduction: The Covenant of Marriage
         In marriage the partners choose one another for lifelong love and fidelity and give themselves to one another as Christ gave himself for the Church.

Second Reading: Eph 5:21-32

Let all kinds of submission to one another become obedience to Christ. So wives to their husbands: as to the Lord.

The husband is the head of his wife, as Christ is the head of the Church, his body, of whom he is also the Savior. And as the Church submits to Christ, so let a wife submit in everything to her husband.

As for you, husbands, love your wives as Christ loved the Church and gave himself up for her. He washed her and made her holy by baptism in the Word. As he wanted a radiant Church without stain or wrinkle or any blemish, but holy and blameless, he himself had to prepare and present her to himself.

In the same way, husbands should love their wives as they love their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. And no one has ever hated his body; he feeds and takes care of it. That is just what Christ does for the Church, because we are a part of his body.

Scripture says: Because of this a man shall leave his father and mother to be united with his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. This is a very great mystery, and I refer to Christ and the Church.

Gospel Introduction: Do You Choose Me?
       The upsetting words of Jesus place a choice before the disciples. Many leave. Peter, apparently speaking in the name of all the apostles, expresses his firm faith in the Lord.

Gospel Reading: Jn 6:60-69

After hearing his doctrine, many of Jesus' followers said, "This language is very hard! Who can accept it?"

Jesus was aware that his disciples were murmuring about this and so he said to them, "Does this offend you? Then how will you react when you see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? It is the spirit that gives life; the flesh cannot help. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life. but among you there are some who do not believe."

From the beginning, Jesus knew who would betray him. So he added, "As I have told you, no one can come to me unless it is granted by the Father."

After this many disciples withdrew and no longer followed him. Jesus asked the Twelve, "Will you also go away?" Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We now believe and know that you are the Holy One of God."

Commentary

The words of Jesus concerning his body and blood proved too much to accept for many of those who had come to hear his teaching. One by one, they began leaving him, finding it too hard to understand how he could give his body and his blood for all to eat. With a certain tinge of sadness in his voice, Jesus turns to his disciples and asks, "Do you want to leave me as well?" They remain with him, just as uncertain as the crowd as to what the words of Jesus meant, but more faithful than the crowd in holding on to him despite the difficulty of his teaching. We find ourselves in those situations on occasion-moments when our faith is tested, sometimes beyond breaking point. They are the moments when we find ourselves troubled, down, or even sorrowing-when believing in a God who cares and loves us becomes so difficult a pill to swallow. How can pain and suffering be a manifestation of God? We think to ourselves. But the fact is, if we live with the realization that God is "all in all" as St. Paul says, nothing can ever "separate us" from God and from seeing that all things, the good and the not-so-good can be ways by which we can see his hand at work in our lives. When difficulties come to assail us, it is worth remembering the words of the apostles in today's reading: "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life."

Read also: • Gospel Reflections by Fr. Gerry Pierse, C.Ss.R.
          • Biblical Commentaries fro Diario Biblico

General Intercessions

Let us pray to God, our Father in heaven, who is the source and meaning of our lives, and let us say: R/ Lord, your kingdom come.

- That the gospel of the Lord may keep striking the ministers of the Church as an ever-new message, and that they may proclaim it with conviction and warmth, let us pray: R/ Lord, your kingdom come.

- That those who have been chosen to serve the Lord in the priesthood or the religious life may continue to give themselves to others in joy and faithfulness to God and people, let us pray: R/ Lord, your kingdom come.

- That those who promised faithfulness to each other in marriage may continue growing in love and reflecting God's love for his Church, let us pray: R/ Lord, your kingdom come.

- That none of us may run after false gods out of cowardice, indifference or shallowness; that we may not be self-serving but learn to live for others, let us pray: R/ Lord, your kingdom come.

- That those who find no purpose in life may discover a God to love and adore through the life of faith, hope and love they see in our Christian communities, let us pray: R/ Lord, your kingdom come.

Lord God, you have chosen us as your people. Keep us faithful to your love in freedom and trust, that you may be our God now and for ever. R/ Amen.

Prayer over the Gifts

Lord our God,
the death of Jesus, your Son, was the price
you paid for our freedom.
In these signs of bread and wine
he gives himself again to us
as our food and drink of life.
In his strength, let us go his way
to you and to people
as flesh and blood for others,
in faith and hope in your kingdom
that will stand for ever and ever. Amen.

Introduction to the Eucharistic Prayer

We praise God for having chosen us in Christ to be his holy people, and to praise God in the name of all that is.

Invitation to the Lord's Prayer

God has chosen us
to be his sons and daughters.
With Jesus, we recognize his love
and call upon him as our Father: R/ Our Father...

Deliver Us

Deliver us, Lord, from every servitude
of sin and evil
and forgive us our infidelities.
Make us free to serve you and one another
in love and justice,
as we wait in joyful hope
for the growth of your kingdom among us
and for the coming in glory
of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. R/ For the kingdom...

At the Breaking of Bread (A. Schilling)

We break the bread of Jesus Christ.
He himself was broken - by people like us.
Much happiness and hope
are still being broken by people.
We share the bread of Jesus Christ,
for he has shared his life with us
and much is being healed
when each of us
breaks our bread and life with others.

Invitation to Communion

This is our Lord Jesus Christ,
the Lamb of God, who said:
''Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood
have eternal life in them."
Happy are we if we can say to him:
''Lord, to whom else should we go?
You have the message of eternal life." R/ Lord, I am not worthy...

Prayer after Communion

Lord our God,
in response to your love,
we have chosen you at baptism
as the God of our lives.
In the strength of this eucharist
help us to renew day after day
this commitment to you and your kingdom.
Let your Son build up with us
a community of peace and service,
and when it is slow in coming
reassure us that in your own good time
the seed will bear fruit
that lasts for ever and ever. R/ Amen.

Blessing

We experience in life
that we have to make a lot of choices.
When it is an important matter
our first consideration should always be
what does God want me to do?
In the light of the gospel,
what decision should I take?
The choice is not always easy or clear.
May God give you light and courage,
and may he love and bless you:
the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. R/ Amen.

Let us go and make every act of life
a choice for the Lord. R/ Thanks be to God.

Additional Resource Material for this Sunday

Ideal for catechetical and liturgical dramatization of today's gospel.

In Front of the Synagogue
(Jn 6:60-69)

(taken from the book A Certain Jesus, Vol. 2)
Click here for other Lenten Readings --> Index of A Certain Jesus