Sing to the Lord All the Earth

Readings:
Is 2:1-5
Acts 1:3-8
Mt 28:16-20

(The readings from the Lectionary for Masses for the Spread of the Gospel are those suggested for Year A by the Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines.)

Greeting (See 1 Thes 1:4)

God loves you and has chosen you
and had the Good News brought to you.
May the grace and peace of God our Father
and the Lord Jesus Christ be with you. R/ And also with you.

Introduction by the Celebrant

Today’s celebration of Mission Sunday deeply concerns all of us, for mission  is the task given to all. The whole Church is mission. We want Christ to be brought to all peoples, that all may be united with him and through him praise the Father of all. The Church will enrich the nations by giving them Christ and his Good News and they will enrich us with the gifts of their culture which they had  received from the Lord. Then together we can praise the Lord with one symphony of many voices.

Penitential Act

How much thought have we given
to those who do not know Christ?
Let us examine ourselves before the Lord.
            (pause)
Lord Jesus, you prompt us
to go our to the whole world
and to teach all peoples how much you love them:
Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.

Jesus Christ, you have made us
a light to shine on all nations:
Christ, have mercy. R/ Christ, have mercy.

Lord Jesus, the Good News
of the love of the Father
and of your death and resurrection
is destined to be known by all:
Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.

Have mercy on us, Lord,
and forgive us all our sins.
Do not allow us to hide your light
and lead us to everlasting life. R/ Amen.

Opening Prayer

Let us pray that all may come
to know and love Christ
            (pause)
God, you love all nations and people,
for they are your creation,
your sons and daughters.

Let all come to know Christ and his message,
that they may become aware
of how much you love them
and what they are called to become
by growing toward the adulthood of your Son.

May the day come when all peoples praise you
through Jesus Christ our Lord. R/ Amen.

Scripture Readings

First Reading: All Peoples Will Seek and Find The Lord
      The day will come when all nations will find the Lord and then there will be no more wars, for the ways of the Lord are peace.

First Reading: Is 2:1-5

The vision of Isaiah, son of Amoz, concerning Judah and Jerusalem.

In the last days, the mountain of Yahweh's house shall be set over the highest mountains and shall tower over the hills.

All the nations shall stream to it, saying, "Come, let us go to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways and we may walk in his paths. For the Teaching comes from Zion, and from Jerusalem the word of Yahweh.

He will rule over the nations and settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not raise sword against nation; they will train for war no more.

O nation of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the Lord!"

Hide in the dust

Second Reading (Acts 1:3-8): Be My Witnesses to the Whole Earth
       Jesus sends his disciples out: by the power of the Holy Spirit they and we will become his witnesses to the whole world.

Second Reading: Acts 1:3-8

After his passion, he presented himself to them, giving many signs that he was alive; over a period of forty days he appeared to them and taught them concerning the kingdom of God. Once when he had been eating with them, he told them, "Do not leave Jerusalem but wait for the fulfillment of the Father's promise about which I have spoken to you: John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit within a few days."

When they had come together, they asked him, "Is it now that you will restore the Kingdom of Israel?" And he answered, "It is not for you to know the time and the steps that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, even to the ends of the earth."

Gospel (Mt 28:16-20): Make Disciples of All Nations
        The disciples of Jesus are sent out to win other disciples for him everywhere on earth. He assures them that that he will always be with them in this task.

Gospel Reading: Mt 28:16-20

As for the Eleven disciples, they went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw Jesus, they bowed before him, although some doubted.

Then Jesus approached them and said, "I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Go, therefore, and make disciples from all nations. Baptize them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teach them to fulfill all that I have commanded you. I am with you always until the end of this world."

General Intercessions

Together with all the churches who have taken their place in the universal Church we pray today that the gospel may reach all, and we say: R/ God, let all the nations praise you.

–   With the churches in Oceania we pray for missionary hearts as wide as the world that have the courage to proclaim Christ in all languages, and so we say:
R/ God, let all the nations praise you.

–   With the churches in Africa we pray for families with a missionary spirit that they may find joy in bringing other families to Christ. And so we pray:
R/ God, let all the nations praise you.

–   With the churches of the Americas, we pray for communities of faith, hope and love that respect all people in their human and divine dignity. And so we pray:
R/ God, let all the nations praise you.

–   With the churches in Western Europe, we pray for the strength to rediscover the gospel: with the churches of Eastern Europe we pray for the freedom to persevere in the faith. And so we pray:
R/ God, let all the nations praise you.

–   With the churches in Asia we pray for a spirit of thoughtful witnessing to the values of the gospel that people may recognize the face of Christ in the thoughts and actions of his disciples. And so we pray:
R/ God, let all the nations praise you.

–   And for the worldwide Church we pray that through the intercession of Mary there may be missionary vocations from all cultures. And so we pray:
R/ God, let all the nations praise you.

Lord our God, let the life and message of your Son bring your love to all peoples of this earth and make us all one family united in your Son, Jesus Christ our lord. R/ Amen.

Prayer Over the Gifts

Lord our God,
what riches we discover
in the various cultures and peoples of this earth!
As we bring before you
these humble gifts of bread and wine
we pray you that all the nations may offer to you
the treasures of their talents and lifestyle
made holy by the life, death and resurrection
of Jesus Christ our Lord. R/ Amen.

Introduction to the Eucharistic Prayer

As we join Jesus in his sacrifice, we dream of the day and pray for it that all peoples and nations may be united with us to praise God with one voice.

Introduction to the Lord’s Prayer

Let us pray to the Father of all
that all may know that God is their Father
and that his kingdom may come to them. R/ Our Father...

Prayer for Peace

Lord Jesus Christ, you said to your apostles:
I leave you peace, my peace I give you.
Make all peoples aware that they belong together
as your brothers and sisters,
under the one Father of all.
May they know then that they are called
to live in the peace and unity
of the kingdom of justice and peace and love
where you live with us for ever and ever. R/ Amen.

Prayer after Communion

God our Father,
we have sat at the table of Jesus your Son,
we have listened to his challenging word
and have eaten his bread of life and strength.
We pray you to hasten the day
when people from all nations and cultures
may sit with us at the same table
and be one with us in your Son
and sing together to you with our many voices
one harmonious symphony of praise.
We ask you this through Christ our Lord. R/ Amen.

Blessing

Saint Paul says emphatically
that where people accept the risen Lord Jesus,
there is no more pagan or Jew,
no more slave or free person,
male or female,
for the same Spirit is alive in all
and we are all one in Christ,
with one Father for all.
But that day is not yet with us.
Let us pray for that day
and contribute to it by the way we live.
May almighty God bless you all:
the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. R/ Amen.

Let us go in the peace of the Lord. R/ Thanks be to God.

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Taken from Liturgy Alive for Sundays, Cycle A
& Bible Diary 2002
(Scripture Readings from Christian Community Bible, Pastoral Edition)
Copyright © 2002 by Claretian Publications
A division of Claretian Communications, Inc.
U.P. P.O. Box 4 Diliman, 1101 Quezon City, Philippines
Tel. (632) 921-3984 • Fax: (632) 921-7429
Email: cci@claret.org

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