WORSHIP@HOME

January 24, 2021 • 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Parish or Diocesan Leaders, please read this!

Preparation

Just Before You Begin

INTRODUCTORY RITES

Opening Song

Introduction

Leader: Today we gather together to continue hearing stories
from the early days of Jesus' ministry.

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 learn how to live more like Jesus.
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 a story from our faith,
let us remember that God is love. Lord Jesus, you know that we don't always act out of love:
Lord, have mercy.

All: Lord, have mercy.

Leader: Lord Jesus, you know that sometimes we don’t speak up when we see something wrong:
Christ, have mercy.

All: Christ, have mercy.

Leader: Lord Jesus, we don’t always have the courage to do the right thing:
Lord, have mercy.

All: Lord, have mercy.

Opening Prayer

Leader: Let us pray

Leader: God of Love,
you stand for justice and peace
and ask for our help in building your Kingdom in this world. May we work peacefully toward a better world,
seeking what is best for all,
And having the courage to act and respond out of love. We ask this through Christ our Lord.

All: Amen.

LITURGY OF THE WORD

Alleluia

Gospel

Reader 1: In today’s reading, we hear about Jesus continuing to invite his first disciples to follow him. 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 Mark.

Reader 1: After John was arrested, Jesus went to Galilee and told the good news that comes from God.
He said, “The time has come! God’s kingdom will soon be here.
Turn back to God and believe the good news!” As Jesus was walking along the shore of Lake Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew.
They were fishermen and were casting their nets into the lake.
Jesus said to them, “Come with me! I will teach you how to bring in people instead of fish.”
Right then the two brothers dropped their nets and went with him. Jesus walked on and soon saw James and John, the sons of Zebedee.
They were in a boat, mending their nets.
At once Jesus asked them to come with him.
They left their father in the boat with the hired workers and went with him.

Reader 1: After John had been arrested,
Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God:
“This is the time of fulfillment.
The kingdom of God is at hand.
Repent, and believe in the gospel.” As he passed by the Sea of Galilee,
he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting their nets into the sea;
they were fishermen.
Jesus said to them,
“Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
Then they abandoned their nets and followed him. He walked along a little farther
and saw James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John.
They too were in a boat mending their nets.
Then he called them.
So they left their father Zebedee in the boat
along with the hired men and followed him.

Reader 1: The Gospel of the Lord.

All: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Gospel Video Retelling

Gospel Video Reflection

Reflections on the Readings

  1. The beginning of the Gospel reading today tells us that John the Baptist was just arrested. (The King didn’t like John telling him he was breaking the law so he put him in jail and later had him killed.) So what does Jesus do? He picks right up where John left off, telling the people that God’s Kingdom is very close to us, asking us to change any wrong ways we are living, and to believe in the gospel. When John couldn’t do his job for God anymore, Jesus stepped in to keep spreading God’s message. Can you think of other examples of people stepping in to keep up the good work when someone else can’t for some reason? Please share.
  2. St. Theresa of Avila once wrote that “Christ has no body now but yours...Yours are the hands, yours are the feet, yours are the eyes, you are his body. Christ has no body now on earth but yours.” What can you do this week to be Christ in the world?
  3. When Jesus called Simon, Andrew, James, and John to be his disciples, he asked them to use a talent they were good at (fishing) in a way that would help the world. What talents or gifts do you have that God can use to help other people?

General Intercessions

Leader: Now let’s pray together to God for what we need.

Reader 2: We pray for the United States government, its elected officials, and everyone who works for it,
that they may be servant leaders who seek the good of all,
let us pray to the Lord.

All: Lord, hear our prayer.

Reader 2: We pray for all those who are sick,
and for all the doctors, nurses, caregivers and essential workers
who are caring for them, that they remain healthy,
let us pray to the Lord.

All: Lord, hear our prayer.

Reader 2: We pray for all those in public safety—police, fire, and other security—
that they can remain safe as they protect us,
let us pray to the Lord.

All: Lord, hear our prayer.

Reader 2: We pray for students who are struggling to learn or stay connected to friends
while the coronavirus keeps some schooling virtual,
that they can stay focused until they can gather in person again,
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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