Entrance Antiphon
Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvellous deeds; he has revealed
to the nations his saving power, alleluia.
Introduction
On this Sunday we are reminded by St Peter that we are a chosen race, a royal
priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, that we may declare the wonderful
deeds of him who called us out of darkness into his marvellous light. Let us
rejoice and celebrate this new life in the Risen Lord who has redeemed us and
made us an anointed people of God.
PENITENTIAL RITE
My dear friends, as the Lord reveals himself as the Way, the Truth and Life, and
his marvellous designs for us in this Eucharist, let us prepare ourselves by
asking the Lord to anoint afresh each one of us with his Holy Spirit to live our
life of consecration and commitment. (Pause)
Glory to God in the highest, and peace to his people on earth. Lord God,
heavenly King, almighty God and Father, we worship you, we give you thanks, we
praise you for your glory. Lord, Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father, Lord God,
Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world: have mercy on us; you are
seated at the right hand of the Father, receive our prayer. For you alone are
the Holy One, you alone are the Lord, you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ,
with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father. Amen.
Opening Prayer
Let us pray. God our Father, look upon us with love. You redeem us and make us
your children in Christ. Give us true freedom and bring us to the inheritance
you promised. We ask this…
FIRST READING
(As the apostles had to commit themselves to the preaching of the Good News and
to prayer, they chose and ordained seven men to take care of the charitable
services to the poor.)
A reading from the Acts of the Apostles (6:1-7)
Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, the Hellenists
murmured against the Hebrews because their widows were neglected in the daily
distribution. And the twelve summoned the body of the disciples and said, “It is
not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables.
Therefore, brethren, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of
the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint to this duty. But we will devote
ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” And what they said pleased
the whole multitude, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy
Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and
Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch. These they set before the apostles, and they
prayed and laid their hands upon them. And the word of God increased; and the
number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the
priests were obedient to the faith.
This is the Word of the Lord
PSALM (32)
Response: May your love be upon us, O Lord, as we place all our hope in you.
Ring out your joy to the Lord, O you just; for praise is fitting for loyal
hearts. Give thanks to the Lord upon the harp, with a ten-stringed lute sing him
songs.
For the word of the Lord is faithful and all his works to be trusted. The Lord
loves justice and right and fills the earth with his love.
The Lord looks on those who revere him, on those who hope in his love, to rescue
their souls from death, to keep them alive in famine.
SECOND READING
(St Peter reminds us that we are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a people set
apart to sing the praises of God.)
A reading from the First letter of St Peter (2:4-9)
Come to him, to that living stone, rejected by men but in God’s sight chosen and
precious; and like living stones be yourselves built into a spiritual house, to
be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through
Jesus Christ. For it stands in scripture: “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone,
a cornerstone chosen and precious, and he who believes in him will not be put to
shame.” To you therefore who believe, he is precious, but for those who do not
believe, “The very stone which the builders rejected has become the head of the
corner,” and “A stone that will make men stumble, a rock that will make them
fall”; for they stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to
do. But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own
people, that you may declare the wonderful deeds of him who called you out of
darkness into his marvellous light.
This is the Word of the Lord
ACCLAMATION (Jn 14:6)
Alleluia, alleluia! Jesus said: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no
one comes to the Father, but by me.” Alleluia!
GOSPEL
(Jesus assures that we would do great works in his name since he is the Way, the
Truth and the Life, and since he was going to the Father.)
A reading from the Holy Gospel according to St John (14:1-12)
Jesus said to his disciples, “Let not your hearts be troubled; believe in God,
believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so,
would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And when I go and
prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that
where I am you may be also. And you know the way where I am going.” Thomas said
to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going; how can we know the way?”
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to
the Father, but by me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also;
henceforth you know him and have seen him.”
Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and we shall be satisfied.” Jesus
said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you do not know me, Philip?
He who has seen me has seen the Father; how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?
Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father in me? The words that
I say to you I do not speak on my own authority; but the Father who dwells in me
does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father in me; or else
believe me for the sake of the works themselves.
“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in me will also do the works that I
do; and greater works than these will he do, because I go to the Father.”
This is the Gospel of the Lord
I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth. I believe in
Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy
Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was
crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he
rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the
Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the
Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness
of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
PRAYER OF THE FAITHFUL
Cel: Dear sisters and brothers, being called to be God’s own anointed people to
declare his marvellous deeds and to continue the mission of the Lord, we shall
pray for the various blessings by praying: Lord, bless your people.
Response: Lord, bless your people.
1. That all Christians may deeply experience that Jesus as their only way to the
Father, as their only truth and as their sole source of life.
2. That all those who are called to fulfil various ministries in the Church may
faithfully adhere to their duties with dedication and self-sacrifice.
3. That the laity in the Church may recognize their special gifts and respond to
their call of exercising their specific ministries especially the service to the
poor and the needy.
4. That all those who take part in this Eucharistic celebration may be empowered
by the Risen Lord to live holy and faithful lives and bear witness to his
presence in the world.
Cel: Loving God, you prepare a place for those who are faithful to your ways.
Listen to our prayers that we may one day enjoy everlasting life with you. We
ask this…
Prayer over the gifts
Lord God, by this holy exchange of gifts you share with us your divine life.
Grant that everything we do may be directed by the knowledge of your truth. We
ask this…
PREFACE (23)
Father, all-powerful and ever-living God, we do well always and everywhere to
give you thanks through Jesus Christ our Lord.
We praise you with greater joy than ever in this Easter season, when Christ
became our paschal sacrifice. He is still our priest, our advocate who always
pleads our cause. Christ is the victim who dies no more, the Lamb, once slain,
who lives for ever.
The joy of the resurrection renews the whole world, while the choirs of heaven
sing for ever to your glory:
All: Holy, hoy, holy…
Communion antiphon
I am the vine and you are the branches, says the Lord; he who lives in me, and I
in him, will bear much fruit, alleluia.
Prayer after communion
Merciful Father, may these mysteries give us new purpose and bring us to a new
life in you. Grant this…
Liturgy and Life
At Baptism all Christians are anointed to be a chosen race, a royal priesthood,
a holy nation, and God’s own people so that we may declare the wonderful deeds
of God who called us out of darkness into his marvellous light. Today we see a
new awakening in the Church. The Holy Spirit is anointing many lay people with a
great variety of lay ministries. This phenomenon in the Church is a renewal of
the life lived in Church in the first centuries. Today’s scripture passages
nurture and nourish this reawakening in the Church.
The first reading tells how in the first Christian communities, the apostles
felt the need to entrust some of their tasks to other believers in order to
commit themselves more to their primary ministry of proclaiming the Word and the
prayer. Our present age has new needs, different tasks and difficult situations
that previous ones did not have. New situations call for new ministries. These
new ministries need support for her existence and growth. The next two readings
of today concentrate on the solid foundations upon which lay ministries are to
be built. Jesus is the living stone which was once rejected but became the
corner stone. Like Jesus, each believer with his special ministry in the Church
is a living stone, being built into a holy temple of God’s anointed people.
St Peter reminds us of our special calling to share in the spiritual heritages
of Christ. All Christians belong to the holy priesthood of Christ through our
baptism which is called the “priesthood of all the faithful”. This is our
highest honour because thereby we are privileged to offer our spiritual
sacrifice to the Father with Christ. Jesus tells us in the Gospel, “Let not your
hearts be troubled; believe in God, believe also in me… he who believes in me
will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do,
because I go to the Father.” The Risen Lord is fully alive and active in us. The
Laity, therefore, reading the signs of the times are called upon to play new
roles actively in the Church. May the new blossoming lay ministries in the
Church become vibrant and animated by the Word of God.
