WORSHIP@HOME
This is the 20th Worship@Home service we have created. When we began, we had no idea the need for these services would extend beyond a month or perhaps two.
Even with limited Masses starting to resume in some areas, it is clear that many families will still not be comfortable or able to attend in-person services for some time. We are tracking the number of families using the services each week, and while the numbers have dropped a lot since we began, we will continue posting services as long as we can.
The Pastoral Center is a small, family-based ministry and business (pictured: Paul, Madeleine, Ann, and Rachel). This is our full-time job and ministry, and it's the way we pay our bills. We do not receive funding from any parish or diocese, except through resource sales (which are now largely suspended indefinitely). You are under no obligation, but we are very grateful for any contributions!
Preparation
- We recommend glancing through the whole service before you start. Adapt the service for your family, especially so it will be age-appropriate.
- You could make the setting special by using a green table cloth and setting some candles out. Get the whole family involved in the preparations.
- Place your family Bible on the table, if you have one, opened up to the Gospel of the day (Matthew 13:44-52).
- The script has leader and various reader parts. Anyone old enough to read well can perform these roles.
- An iPad/tablet computer or large phone could work well for reading the script. It would would be helpful to have two devices for multiple people to read.
- Don't worry, you don't have to do this perfectly. Have some fun with it. Let's pray!
Just Before You Begin
- Silence and set aside all phones or other devices that may interrupt you.
INTRODUCTORY RITES
Opening Song
Greeting
Leader:
┼ In the name of the Father, and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit.
All: Amen.
Leader:
Grace and peace to you from God our Father
and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Blessed be God forever.
(The response is: Blessed be God forever.)
All: Blessed be God forever.
Leader:
We gather together as a family
to listen to God's Word and let it grow in our hearts.
One with all of our sisters and brothers throughout the world,
let us now listen to God's Word and join in prayer.
All: Amen.
Litany in Praise of God's Mercy
Leader:
As we prepare to hear about God's plan for the world,
let us remember that God works through us and through our love.
Lord Jesus, you know that we make mistakes and don’t always live as you taught:
Lord, have mercy.
All: Lord, have mercy.
Leader:
Lord Jesus, you always give us another chance to start over:
Christ, have mercy.
All: Christ, have mercy.
Leader:
Lord Jesus, you have more patience with us than we have with ourselves:
Lord, have mercy.
All: Lord, have mercy.
Opening Prayer
Leader: Let us pray
Leader:
God of Love,
you have created us to live in love
and given us graces we can never earn.
May we be grateful, not taking our gifts for granted,
willing to share what we have,
especially with those who have less than we do.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.
LITURGY OF THE WORD
Alleluia
Gospel
Reader 1:
In today’s reading, we hear two more parables about God's Kingdom.
We now do this action prayer together:
May the Lord be on my mind, ┼
on my lips, ┼
and in my heart ┼
as we hear the Gospel today.
A reading from the holy Gospel of Matthew.
Reader 1:
The kingdom of heaven is like what happens when someone finds a treasure hidden in a field and buries it again.
A person like that is happy and goes and sells everything in order to buy that field.
The kingdom of heaven is like what happens when a shop owner is looking for fine pearls.
After finding a very valuable one, the owner goes and sells everything in order to buy that pearl.
Reader 1:
Jesus said to his disciples:
“The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field,
which a person finds and hides again,
and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant
searching for fine pearls.
When he finds a pearl of great price,
he goes and sells all that he has and buys it.”
Reader 1: The Gospel of the Lord.
All: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
Gospel Video Reflection
Reflections on the Readings
- In Jesus’ day, burying a treasure was considered one of the best ways to keep it safe. Sometimes people buried their treasure but then if they died no one else knew where it was and others would find it later by accident. It seems a little odd that someone would sell everything they had to buy land just to get another treasure. But that means the treasure must be worth a lot more! Name one or two or three of your biggest treasures. Can you imagine anything worth more than those things?
- In the second parable, the person finds a treasure after searching hard for it - not finding it by accident like in the first parable. When have you searched for a long time or worked hard for a treasure? What did it feel like when you found it?
- These parables suggest the Kingdom of God is so wonderful that it’s worth more than all the things you have, put together. What would be worth giving up everything you own?
General Intercessions
Leader: Now let’s pray together to God for what we need.
Reader 2:
For all those in our families, communities, nation, and world
who are sick with the coronavirus,
and for those who are caring for them,
let us pray to the Lord.
All: Lord, hear our prayer.
Reader 2:
We pray for all those who in positions of leadership
of countries, states, cities, schools, and businesses,
that they may have the wisdom to make the best decisions possible in during this pandemic,
let us pray to the Lord.
All: Lord, hear our prayer.
Reader 2:
That we may have courage
to do what is right and what is most loving
during this challenging time,
let us pray to the Lord.
All: Lord, hear our prayer.
Reader 2: For what else and for who else shall we pray?
Lord's Prayer
Leader: Jesus taught us to call God our Father, and so we have the courage to say:
All:
Our Father, who art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
Sign of Peace
Leader: Let us now offer each other a sign of peace.
A Litany for Spiritual Communion
Leader: The response is: Lord, bring us closer to you!
All: Lord, bring us closer to you!
Leader:
Lord our God,
we wish we could gather today with our parish community,
but we gather here out of love and concern for others.
You teach us that when two or three are gathered in your name,
you are there.
Together, we pray:
All: Lord, bring us closer to you!
Leader:
Christ Jesus, you are present in a special way
when bread and wine are turned into your Body and Blood.
Since we cannot receive you in this way today,
We ask that you enter our hearts
so that we may receive you spiritually.
Together, we pray:
All: Lord, bring us closer to you!
Leader:
Lord our God,
watch over your family
and keep us safe in your care,
for all our hope is in you.
All: Lord, bring us closer to you!
Concluding Rite
Blessing & Dismissal
Leader: Go in the peace of Christ.
All: Thanks be to God.
Closing Song
After the Service
Give Us a Tip: Support Our Ministry
The Pastoral Center is a small, family-based ministry and business (pictured: Paul, Madeleine, Ann, and Rachel). This is our full-time job and ministry, and it's the way we pay our bills. We do not receive funding from any parish or diocese, except through resource sales (which are now largely suspended indefinitely). You are under no obligation, but we are very grateful for any contributions!
Please Support Your Local Parish
Your parish still has to pay the electric bill and your staff, even when public Masses are cancelled. If you haven't already, sign up for electronic payments or mail in a check today.
Give Us Feedback
How did it go? What would have made it better? Send us an email at resources@pastoralcenter.com to share feedback with us.
Portions excerpted from or adapted from Sunday Celebrations in the Absence of a Priest: Leader's Guide © 1993 United States Catholic Conference (USCC), 3211 Fourth Street, NE, Washington, DC 20017-1194 USA. All rights reserved.
© 2020 The Pastoral Center. All rights reserved.
