March 7

STS. PERPETUA AND FELICITY, Martyrs

Introduction

Today we celebrate two women martyrs from Carthage, North Africa. Perpetua was a noblewoman, Felicity a slave girl. Both were arrested in a raid on Christians. Each had recently given birth and the Roman authorities tried to use their first newborn babies as hostages to force them to renounce their faith, but both refused. Their faith was dearer to them than even their most cherished possession. With remarkable serenity they went to their heroic death.

Opening Prayer

Lord our God,
you inspire with remarkable courage
those who put all their trust in you.
On this celebration of your holy martyrs
Saints Perpetua and Felicity
we pray you for the strength
to hold you dearer than anything else.

Let nothing stand between you and us,
nothing separate us from you,
for you are our living and loving God,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

*Prayer over the Gifts

Lord our God,
before he laid down his life for us,
your Son Jesus gave himself to his disciples,
as he said to them:
This is my body for you.
May he give us the strength
to live for him and for you,
even when we have to surrender
what is dearest to us,
for you are our loving Lord
through our Savior Jesus Christ.

*Prayer after Communion

Loving God of all that lives,
no one could rob Jesus your Son
from his inner freedom
when he gave up his life for us.
By the word and the body of your Son,
make us strong enough to resist
all attacks of evil
and to stand up for all
that is good and true and beautiful,
for what you have created us for,
for a life and a joy without end,
through Jesus Christ Our Lord.

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March 19

SOLEMNITY OF ST. JOSEPH, Patron of the Church

Introduction

Today’s gospel calls Joseph “a just man.” It is a title that the scriptures of the Old and the New Testaments give to people who try to live according to God’s plans. Indeed, he played an important role in God’s plan of salvation; God entrusted our Savior, Jesus, to his care. He experienced that his important role brought him many difficulties, but he stood the test and served God well, as a man of faith, generous, and indeed “just.”

Opening Prayer

God our Father,
you entrusted your Son Jesus
to the dedicated care of St. Joseph.
Give us the faith of this just man,
the patron of your Church,
that we may always listen to you,
and serve you in everything you ask of us
also when we do not understand
where you are leading us.

Make us live close to your Son,
Jesus Christ our Lord.

General Intercessions

As we celebrate St. Joseph today, let us bring our intentions before the Lord.

–   Lord, we pray you for your Church. Let it honor St Joseph, its patron, through a responsible and dedicated leadership, we pray:

–   Lord, we pray you for those in public office, that they may lead their people with wisdom and justice, we pray:

–   Lord, we pray you for heads of families, including single parents, that they may be dedicated to their children, we pray:

–   Lord, we pray you for laborers who live by the work of their hands; may they do their work conscientiously and take pride in it, we pray:

–   Lord, we pray you for ourselves. May we be people who know how to serve and to live in our presence, we pray:

Lord, may the help of St Joseph help us all to serve you with love. We ask this through Christ our Lord.

Prayer over the Gifts

Lord,
we bring before you bread and wine.
Let these gifts express
that we want to carry out
the task you entrust to us in life.
Dispose us to cooperate wholeheartedly with your plans
to bring your love and freedom
to this entire world,
that it may accept and serve
Jesus Christ our Lord.

Prayer after Communion

God our Father,
you have given us the food
that brings us the strength and the perseverance
to do the work you entrust to us.
Like St Joseph, may we serve you well
and put all our trust in you.
Make us responsible and just persons
who reflect your goodness and love.
Grant this through Christ our Lord.

Blessing

May the Lord make us his good and faithful servants, trustworthy and just. Let his blessing come down on us and accompany us on the road of life: the blessing of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

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March 25

THE LORD’S ANNUNCIATION 

Introduction

We celebrate today the solemn feast of the Annunciation. “Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary,” said the old missal. That was correct, in a way, for the angel came to announce glad tidings to Mary. “Annunciation of the Lord,” says the new missal. Yes, this is the day that the good news is announced that she will become the Mother of Jesus. It is Jesus who is announced. He will be “God-with-us” (1^st reading), who comes to do God’s will by being with us and saving us (2^nd reading). It’s Jesus’ day, but it’s also Mary’s day. With the same disposition to serve God and people as Jesus had, she says, I am fully ready to serve – “I am the handmaid of the Lord.” May these be our words too.

Opening Prayer

Our faithful God and Father,
you are indeed our “God-with-us.”
Your Son became one of us, human,
born of the Holy Spirit
and of the Virgin Mary.
He came to serve,
she was the humble handmaid.
Make us deeply aware, Lord,
that salvation began with service.
Make us ready to serve in love,
as Mary did, together with Jesus Christ,
your Son and our Lord for ever.

General Intercessions

On this solemnity of the Annunciation, let us pray with Mary for the needs of the Church and of all people.

–   That the Church may always accept and carry out its vocation of proclaiming the Word of God faithfully and with zeal, we pray:

–   That with the Lord we may reach out with goodness and tender care to the weak and those suffering, we pray:

–   That those who have to take important decisions regarding the future of their life may, like Mary, see how they can best serve God and people, we pray:

–   That we may all become unaffected and humble enough to let God do great things through us, we pray:

–   That all in our Christian communities may be open enough to God’s Sprit to accept any task God asks of us, we pray:

Lord God, hear us as we ask you that with Mary we may seek your will in all we do. Grant this through her Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Prayer over the Gifts

Lord our God,
here are bread and wine
as signs of our willingness
to be available to you and to our neighbor.
As Jesus could come among people
because Mary was ready to serve,
so may your Son now be alive among us
because we open our hearts
to you and to those around us,
together with Jesus Christ our Lord.

Prayer after Communion

Lord God, our Father,
you have announced also to us today
that your Son came among us
to be the our life and joy.
He has been with us
as your living word and our bread of life.
May we grow in his life
and, like Mary, by his word bring a message
of liberation and happiness
to those in search of life and meaning.
 We ask this in the name of Jesus the Lord.

Blessing

“Here I am to do your will,” says Jesus. “Here I am as the handmaid of the Lord,” says Mary. May these be our words too. They are beautiful, but they are not easy. May God be our strength, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

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