THIRD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
Time Is Running Out
Greetings (see the gospel)
Our Lord is here in our midst and tells us: “The time has
come, and the kingdom of God is close at hand. Repent and believe the Good
News.” May you heed his words and may the Lord be always with you. R/
And also with you.
Introduction by the Celebrant
“Do not postpone until tomorrow what you can do
today,” says an old proverb. Unfortunately, we often do the opposite, saying
that there will be time enough tomorrow. God’s word, though, keeps urging us.
The time to do the things of God is now. The time to change is urgent. Repent
now, be converted now, God and his kingdom are here with you now. With the Lord
among us here we ask him to make us listen now to his Good News and to make it
come true among us now.
Penitential Act
Too easily we postpone our wish to serve God better. We now
ask the Lord to forgive us. (pause)
Lord Jesus, you tell us that now the time has come to turn
away from our sins: Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.
Jesus Christ, you ask us to accept fully your Good News and
to live by it: Christ, have mercy. R/ Christ, have mercy.
Lord Jesus, you urge us to serve you and your kingdom: Lord,
have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.
In your kind mercy, forgive us, Lord, for being so slow to
accept your word and to implement it fully. Lead us to everlasting life. R/
Amen.
Opening Prayer
Let us pray that we may answer the Lord’s urgent call for
conversion. (pause)
God our Father, you tell us through Jesus your Son that it
is more than time for us to be converted to the Good News which he wants us to
hear and to live up to. You alone can change us. Give us the courage to entrust
ourselves without fear and hesitation to Jesus and to follow him wherever he
leads us, for we are sure he will lead us to joy and make us share his words
and life with our brothers and sisters, and guide us to you, our God and Father
for ever. R/ Amen.
First Reading: Josah 3:1-5,10 Pagans Are Also Called to
Conversion
Jonah, thinking that salvation is only for the Jews,
reluctantly preaches conversion to pagans. These pagans listen to the word of
God and turn away from evil.
Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 7:29-31 The Detached
Style of Life of Christians
Because Christians are converted and turned to God, they are
supposed to live for the kingdom. Hence, they should use the things of this
world without attaching themselves to them.
Gospel: Mark 1:14-20 Repent, and Believe the Good News
The Good News proclaimed by Jesus Christ demands conversion
and commitment of faith. The apostles respond with total generosity and will
cast their nets over the world to gather everyone and all in Christ.
Intercessions
Let us recommend to God our Father the needs and sufferings
of this world, and let us say: R/ Lord, renew our hearts.
– For the
Church dear to us, that the Lord may help it to keep renewing itself, that it
may
stay on the road of the gospel and help people to live it as
Good News, let us pray to the Lord:
R/
Lord, renew our hearts.
– For those
who leave their nets to follow Jesus the Lord, that they may so live the Gospel
as to make it visible and tangible, let us pray to the Lord:
R/
Lord, renew our hearts.
– For those
who are rejoicing, that they may take the time to bring joy to others, let us
pray to the Lord:
R/
Lord, renew our hearts.
– For those
who weep, that they may keep hoping for the time when their tears will be
dried, let us pray to the Lord:
R/
Lord, renew our hearts.
– And for
all of us, that the Lord may give us courage to take the gospel seriously and
to live in closer union with Jesus, let us pray to the Lord:
R/
Lord, renew our hearts.
Keep calling us, Lord, but give us the strength to respond
to your call, by the power of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Prayer over the Gifts
God our Father, you know how we are, at the same time looking
and groping for you with goodwill and yet fickle, unreliable and weak. With
these gifts of bread and wine, we bring before you our good intentions, and our
desire to please you in all we do. Accept us with these offerings and give us
the strength to follow the words of life and the example of Jesus Christ our
Lord. R/ Amen.
Introduction to the Eucharistic Prayer
It is good that Jesus is with us, for left to ourselves we
are not capable of responding to the challenge of the gospel. Let us thank the
Father for giving us Jesus.
Introduction to the Lord’s Prayer
That our hearts may be set on God’s kingdom, let us pray to
God our Father the prayer of Jesus, his Son and our brother: R/ Our
Father...
Deliver Us
Deliver us, Lord, from our indifference, and from our
fickleness which keeps us from seeking you with all our hearts. Help us to
break the chains of sin, that we can become free for you and for your kingdom and
for serving our neighbor. Grant us the peace of your lasting friendship and
give us the courage to prepare for the full coming among us of our Lord and
Savior Jesus Christ. R/ For the kingdom...
Invitation to Communion
This is Jesus our Lord, God’s Son, and our brother. He
invites us to repent and to believe in him and his Good News. Happy are we to
hear him and to receive him as our food of strength.
R/ Lord, I am not worthy...
Prayer after Communion
God our Father, it has been a joy for us to be with your Son
and to eat from his table. He has spoken to us and calls us to be his disciples
and to come after him. Give us the courage not to hesitate but to leave behind
our petty self-interests, our little plans, and narrow thoughts; open us to his
wide new world of all that is true and good and lovable. By the strength of the
food he has given us, make us go without fear where he goes and follow him on
the road to you, our God forever and ever. R/ Amen.
Blessing
Let us not forget the urgency of the Lord’s call in this
celebration. The time to conform our mentality to that of Jesus and his Good
News is not later, but NOW, today: the time has come to be real disciples of
Jesus. May almighty God give you that courage and bless you: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. R/ Amen.
Go in the peace of Christ.
R/ Thanks be to God.
