St. Francis Bulletin: This Sunday's Readings: Page 4: English, Page 5 Spanish
This is from the BLESSED videos Season 5 Episode 5!
Confirmands: This is a powerful teaching by Father Mike Schmitz: https://youtu.be/iaLNmqdeUlk?si=_W4CgtM-xU8VtUA4
LAETARE SUNDAY
This Sunday is the halfway mark of the Sundays of Lent. (20 more days before we celebrate the Lord’s RESURRECTION DAY : EASTER!)
It is called Laetare Sunday…..Laetare (lay tuh ree) is a Latin word meaning Be JOYFUL or Rejoice.
The color pink that the priest is wearing gives us HOPE as we continue our journey toward EASTER SUNDAY to celebrate the eternal life Christ offers us!
OPENING PRAYER
Listen carefully to the prayer that the priest says BEFORE the reading of God's WORD. This prayer is always VERY important. It helps us to understand what God will be teaching us in His WORD.
O God, through your Word
reconcile the human race to yourself in a wonderful way,
grant, we pray,
that with prompt devotion and eager faith
the Christian people may hasten
toward the solemn celebration to come.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
Who lives and reigns with you
in the unity of the Holy Spirit
God, for ever and ever, AMEN
Here is what we are asking in prayer:
We are asking God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) to reconcile us (bring all of us back) on his path through HIS WORD of truth in a wonderful way.
We are asking God to give us more FAITH to help us eagerly follow Jesus in his last days: his suffering, death, and resurrection for our sake.
FIRST READING: Joshua 5:9a, 10-12
The people of God celebrate the Passover in the promised land, and as a sign that they are "home" the manna from heaven is no longer provided.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM VERSE:
Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
SECOND READING:
2 Corinthians 5;17-21
Christ the ambassador, reconciles all to God. Our transgressions find forgiveness in him so that we might become the very holiness of God. We are NEW CREATIONS through what Christ did for us.
VERSE BEFORE THE GOSPEL: Luke 15:18
I will get up and go to my Father and shall say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.
GOSPEL: Luke 15:1-3, 11-32
Our loving Father is always ready to forgive the truly repentant.
Listen and ponder the teaching by Father Mike Schmitz above.
CLOSING PRAYER:
Look upon those who call to you, O Lord,
and sustain the weak;
give life by your unfailing LIGHT
to those who walk in the shadow of death,
and bring those rescued by your mercy from every evil
to reach the highest good.
Through Christ our Lord.
AMEN
