WORSHIP@HOME
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 14:13-21).
- 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 move us to take action.
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 about how Jesus is able to turn the little that we have into enough for everyone.
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:
After Jesus heard about John, he crossed Lake Galilee[a] to go to some place where he could be alone.
But the crowds found out and followed him on foot from the towns.
When Jesus got out of the boat, he saw the large crowd.
He felt sorry for them and healed everyone who was sick.
That evening the disciples came to Jesus and said,
“This place is like a desert, and it is already late.
Let the crowds leave, so they can go to the villages and buy some food.”
Jesus replied,
“They don’t have to leave. Why don’t you give them something to eat?”
But they said, “We have only five small loaves of bread and two fish.”
Jesus asked his disciples to bring the food to him, and he told the crowd to sit down on the grass.
Jesus took the five loaves and the two fish. He looked up toward heaven and blessed the food.
Then he broke the bread and handed it to his disciples, and they gave it to the people.
After everyone had eaten all they wanted,
Jesus' disciples picked up twelve large baskets of leftovers.
There were about five thousand men who ate, not counting the women and children.
Reader 1:
When Jesus heard of the death of John the Baptist,
he withdrew in a boat to a deserted place by himself.
The crowds heard of this and followed him on foot from their towns.
When he disembarked and saw the vast crowd,
his heart was moved with pity for them, and he cured their sick.
When it was evening, the disciples approached him and said,
“This is a deserted place and it is already late;
dismiss the crowds so that they can go to the villages
and buy food for themselves.”
Jesus said to them, “There is no need for them to go away;
give them some food yourselves.”
But they said to him,
“Five loaves and two fish are all we have here.”
Then he said, “Bring them here to me, ”
and he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass.
Taking the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven,
he said the blessing, broke the loaves,
and gave them to the disciples,
who in turn gave them to the crowds.
They all ate and were satisfied,
and they picked up the fragments left over—
twelve wicker baskets full.
Those who ate were about five thousand men,
not counting women and children.
Reader 1: The Gospel of the Lord.
All: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
Gospel Video Reflection
Here's a video retelling this story for younger children.
Gospel Song Reflection
This compelling song by Billy Crockett will give older kids and adults insights into how this gospel encourages us to share our gifts today.
Reflections on the Readings
- When Jesus heard that his cousin and friend John the Baptist had died, he wanted to be by himself for awhile. What do you want to do when you are sad? Where do you go when you want to be alone? How does doing that help?
- Even though Jesus was full of sadness that John had just died, he didn’t get upset that the crowds followed him. His heart was moved, and he wanted to help by curing the sick and feeding everyone. Sometimes, after being alone with our sadness, it helps us to help others. Whether you are sad or lonely or scared or worried this week, can you think of someone else you can help? Who is it? What can you do for them?
- Jesus surprised the disciples and all the people in the crowd by turning some food that didn’t seem like much into plenty for thousands of people. Sometimes we might feel like those disciples, disbelieving that we will have enough of what we need (money for rent, health care, enough courage to start in a new school or a new job, friends or people to support us). What do you want to ask Jesus to supply more of? Take a minute in silence to ask for whatever that is right now.
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 are without paid work
or struggling financially,
that through sharing everyone will receive what they need,
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
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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.
