AD SENSE

Easter 4 A - Liturgical Prayers

Greeting (See Second Reading)
By the wounds of Jesus we have been healed.
We had gone astray like sheep,
but now we have come back
to the shepherd and guardian of our souls.
May Jesus our Good Shepherd
be always with you.


Introduction by the Celebrant (Two Options)
A.  Hear The Shepherd's Voice
It is God our Father himself who has taken the initiative to love us. His love keeps calling each of us personally, and we hear his voice particularly through Jesus, our Good Shepherd, calling us. Do we hear his voice in our prayer, in the words he speaks to us in the Scriptures, or when he speaks to us from heart to heart in the Eucharistic celebration? And let us not forget too that Jesus speaks to us in the Church that appeals to us in the people who cry out their needs and love to us.
(or)

B.   He Calls Us By Name
It is great to know that someone knows you by your first name, for that is already a sign of love. If this person is someone you trust, you can put yourself in his or her hands and feel very safe. Jesus presents himself today as a friend who knows and calls us to walk with him the road of life. He sticks to us through thick and thin; he shows us the way to follow. Under his leadership we can truly be a people, God’s people. With Jesus, our Good Shepherd, we now celebrate this Eucharist and learn from him to care for one another.


Penitential Act
At times we have turned a deaf ear
to the Lord calling us.
We ask God now to forgive us.
        (PAUSE)
Good Shepherd, let us hear your voice
in the challenging words you speak to us:
Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.
Good Shepherd, let your voice provoke us
to continue your work in the Church
and to make you known to all people:
Christ, have mercy. R/ Christ, have mercy.
Good Shepherd, make us recognize your voice
crying out to us in those in need and who suffer:
Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.
Have mercy on us, Lord,
and forgive us all our sins.
Attune us to your voice calling us
and make us follow you all the way
to everlasting life. R/ Amen.


Opening Prayer
Let us pray to God
that we may always listen to the voice
of Jesus, our Good Shepherd
        (PAUSE)
Lord our God, almighty and loving Father,
you have given us, your people,
a reliable and caring guide
to lead us to you and to one another,
your Son and our Good Shepherd Jesus Christ.
Stir our hearts with the words of the Gospel
as the message of good news for us today.
and help us to hear God's voice also
in the silence of our faith,
in the groaning of our miseries,
and in the words of encouragement and joy
of the shepherds of your Church
and of everyone who has a good word for us.
For there too speaks and calls
our Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ. R/ Amen.


First Reading Introduction: Called To Follow Christ
          On Pentecost, Peter calls the Jews to follow Jesus Christ whom they have crucified. Through baptism they will be forgiven, will belong to him and to his community and be guided by his Holy Spirit.


Second Reading Introduction: Saved By Our Shepherd
          In a world full of injustice and suffering, we feel like straying sheep. Jesus has shared our lot. By giving himself totally for us he became our shepherd.


Gospel Introduction: Called To Follow Our Shepherd
        Jesus is the good shepherd who does not abuse his power but knows us personally and is our gate to lasting happiness and joy.


General Intercessions
Let us pray with the fullest trust to Jesus, our Good Shepherd, for he takes care of the needs of all who follow him. Let us say: R/ Lord, guide us in right paths.
•    For the shepherds of the Church, that they may take Christ for their model and courageously lead the People of God to the kingdom of justice and love, let us pray: R/ Lord, guide us in right paths.
•    For all Christians everywhere, that they may become one holy people of God; for those who have lost their faith, that our Christian living may be so credible as to inspire them to return to Christ, let us pray: R/ Lord, guide us in right paths.
•    For those in tasks of Christian formation, that they themselves may know where they are going and lead those entrusted to them on roads of life and commitment to God and to their brothers and sisters, let us pray: R/ Lord, guide us in right paths.
•    For the leaders of nations, that they may promote the freedom and dignity of people, and place justice and the quality of life above personal gain and power, let us pray: R/ Lord, guide us in right paths.
•    For our youth and young adults, that they may have the courage to make themselves totally free for the work of the Lord if he calls them to special tasks in the Church, let us pray: R/ Lord, guide us in right paths.
Lord Jesus Christ, we entrust all these cares to you. Do not forget us, for we rely on you. our shepherd and our Lord. R/ Amen.


Prayer over the Gifts

Lord God, our Father,
your Son and Good Shepherd Jesus Christ
spreads for us the table of the Eucharist;
he calls each of us by name
to share his meal with him.
We can only bring bread and wine before you.
He will give himself to us.
Let him lead us into your own house,
and in the meantime help us
to nourish one another on our journey
with kindness, hope and justice,
in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. R/ Amen.


Introduction to the Eucharistic Prayer
We have now reached the core of the Mass, the Eucharistic prayer. We recall in it how Jesus, our Good Shepherd laid down his life for us to give us life to the full. Let us thank the Father with one heart and one voice.

Introduction to the Lord’s Prayer
Led by Jesus Christ, our Good Shepherd,
we pray to our Father in heaven
to give us food that nourishes our bodies
and the bread of life of the Eucharist.


Deliver Us
Deliver us Lord, from every evil
and give us always the peace and joy
of your presence among us.
Keep us free from doubt and discouragement
and let your Son walk by our side
that together with him,
we may build up among us
his new world of friendship and hope,
and so prepare the coming in glory
of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.


Prayer for Peace
Lord Jesus Christ, you said to your apostles:
I leave you peace, my peace I give you.
Look not on our sins, but on the faith of your Church
and hear your people’s plea for peace and unity
in the Church and in the world.
Be the Good Shepherd of all,
that there may be only one flock and one shepherd,
now and for ever. R/ Amen.


Invitation to Communion
This is Jesus, our Good Shepherd.
He calls each of us by name
and invites us to share his table,
that he may give us life to the full.
Happy are we to listen to him.


Prayer after Communion
Lord our God, eternal Shepherd of your people,
it was good to hear the voice of your Son,
Jesus Christ our Good Shepherd,
and to receive him as the food of life.
Let him lead us to a valley of peace
where we will learn from him
to call each other by name,
to have time and space for one another
and to give not just gifts but ourselves,
that others may live and be free.
Let this be a token and pledge
of the joy of your eternal home.
We ask this in the name of Jesus the Lord. R/ Amen.


Blessing
In this Eucharistic celebration
we have grown in love and trust
in Jesus, our Good Shepherd.
Through him we have also grown in trust in each other
and in a sense of belonging and community.
When our Shepherd brings us together,
what else can we do than realize
that we belong together as God’s people
and that, like our Lord,
we have to live for one another.
May you put this into practice these days
with the blessing of Almighty God,
the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. R/ Amen.
Go in peace and let Christ be your guide. R/ Thanks be to God.