Liturgical Music

3|15|26 - Fourth Sunday of Lent (A)

Entrance: In These Days of Lenten Journey

Refrain:
In these days of Lenten journey
We have seen and we have heard
The call to sow justice
In the lives of those we serve

Verse 1:
We reach out to those who are homeless
To those who live without warmth
In the coolness of evening we’ll shelter their
dreams
We will clothe them in mercy and peace
[Refrain]

Verse 2:

We open our eyes to the hungry
And see the faces of Christ
As we nourish all people who hunger for
food
May their faith in our God be renewed
[Refrain]

Verse 3:
We open our ears to the weary
And hear the cry of the poor
To the voices that echo the song of despair
We will show our compassion and care
[Refrain]

Penitential Act (Confiteor)

I confess to almighty God
and to you, my brothers and sisters,
that I have greatly sinned,
in my thoughts and in my words,
in what I have done and
in what I have failed to do,

[Pray while striking the breast three times.]
through my fault, through my fault,
through my most grievous fault;

therefore I ask blessed Mary ever-Virgin,
all the Angels and Saints,
and you, my brothers and sisters,
to pray for me to the Lord our God.

Lectionary: 31

1st reading

1 Samuel 16:1b, 6-7, 10-13a

A reading from the first Book of Samuel

The LORD said to Samuel:
“Fill your horn with oil, and be on your way.
I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem,
for I have chosen my king from among his sons.”

As Jesse and his sons came to the sacrifice,
Samuel looked at Eliab and thought,
“Surely the LORD’s anointed is here before him.”
But the LORD said to Samuel:
“Do not judge from his appearance or from his lofty stature,
because I have rejected him.
Not as man sees does God see,
because man sees the appearance
but the LORD looks into the heart.”
In the same way Jesse presented seven sons before Samuel,
but Samuel said to Jesse,
“The LORD has not chosen any one of these.”
Then Samuel asked Jesse,
“Are these all the sons you have?”
Jesse replied,
“There is still the youngest, who is tending the sheep.”
Samuel said to Jesse,
“Send for him;
we will not begin the sacrificial banquet until he arrives here.”
Jesse sent and had the young man brought to them.
He was ruddy, a youth handsome to behold
and making a splendid appearance.
The LORD said,
“There—anoint him, for this is the one!”
Then Samuel, with the horn of oil in hand,
anointed David in the presence of his brothers;
and from that day on, the spirit of the LORD rushed upon David.

Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 23: 1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6

R. (1) The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
In verdant pastures he gives me repose;
beside restful waters he leads me;
he refreshes my soul.

R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

He guides me in right paths
for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk in the dark valley
I fear no evil; for you are at my side
With your rod and your staff
that give me courage.

R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

You spread the table before me
in the sight of my foes;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.

R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

Only goodness and kindness follow me
all the days of my life;
and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD
for years to come.

R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

2nd reading

Ephesians 5:8-14

A reading from the Letter of Saint Paul to the Ephesians

Brothers and sisters:You were once darkness,
but now you are light in the Lord.
Live as children of light,
for light produces every kind of goodness
and righteousness and truth.
Try to learn what is pleasing to the Lord.
Take no part in the fruitless works of darkness;
rather expose them, for it is shameful even to mention
the things done by them in secret;
but everything exposed by the light becomes visible,
for everything that becomes visible is light.

Therefore, it says:
“Awake, O sleeper,
and arise from the dead,
and Christ will give you light.”

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Lenten Gospel Acclamation:

John 8:12

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ, King of endless glory

I am the light of the world, says the Lord;
whoever follows me will have the light of life.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ, King of endless glory

Gospel

John 9:1, 6-9, 13-17, 34-38

The Lord be with you. And with your spirit

A reading from the holy Gospel according to John

Glory to you, O Lord.

As Jesus passed by he saw a man blind from birth.
He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva,
and smeared the clay on his eyes,
and said to him,
“Go wash in the Pool of Siloam” — which means Sent —.
So he went and washed, and came back able to see.

His neighbors and those who had seen him earlier as a beggar said,
“Isn’t this the one who used to sit and beg?”
Some said, “It is, “
but others said, “No, he just looks like him.”
He said, “I am.”

They brought the one who was once blind to the Pharisees.
Now Jesus had made clay and opened his eyes on a sabbath.
So then the Pharisees also asked him how he was able to see.
He said to them,
“He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and now I can see.”
So some of the Pharisees said,
“This man is not from God,
because he does not keep the sabbath.”
But others said,
“How can a sinful man do such signs?”
And there was a division among them.
So they said to the blind man again,
“What do you have to say about him,
since he opened your eyes?”
He said, “He is a prophet.”

They answered and said to him,
“You were born totally in sin,
and are you trying to teach us?”
Then they threw him out.

When Jesus heard that they had thrown him out,
he found him and said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?”
He answered and said,
“Who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?”
Jesus said to him,
“You have seen him, and
the one speaking with you is he.”
He said,
“I do believe, Lord,” and he worshiped him.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

NICENE CREED

I believe in one God,
the Father almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all things visible and invisible.

I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ,
the Only Begotten Son of God,
born of the Father before all ages.
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father;
through him all things were made.
For us men and for our salvation
he came down from heaven, (ALL BOW)
and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary,
and became man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate,
he suffered death and was buried,
and rose again on the third day
in accordance with the Scriptures.
He ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory
to judge the living and the dead
and his kingdom will have no end.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets.

I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.
I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins
and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead
and the life of the world to come.

Amen.

Offertory: We Remember

Refrain:
We remember how you loved us to your death,
and still we celebrate, for you are with us here;
and we believe that we will see you when you come in your glory, Lord.
We remember, we celebrate, we believe.

Verse 1:
Here, a million wounded souls are yearning just to touch you and be healed.
Gather all your people, and hold them to your heart.[Refrain]

Verse 2:
Now we recreate your love, we bring the bread and wine to share a meal.
Sign of grace and mercy, the presence of the Lord. [Refrain]

Verse 3:
Christ, the Father's great "Amen" to all the hopes and dreams of ev'ry heart,
Peace beyond all telling, and freedom from all fear. [Refrain]

Verse 4:
See the face of Christ revealed in ev'ry person standing by your side,
Gift to one another, and temples of your love. [Refrain]

Communion: As Christ to the World

Refrain:
As light is to darkness,
As water is to thirst,
As food is to hunger,
Is Christ to the world.
We are his body, his presence here on earth,
Called to love one another,
As Christ to the world.

Verse 1:
We are one body, one faith shared for all.
We are Christ’s presence, we answer the call.
We are the branches, and Jesus is the vine.
Alone we can do nothing,
As one a living sign. [Refrain]

Verse 2:
Where two or three are fathered in his name,
Christ walks beside us, his love in us remains.
Gathered together, we sing our praise to God.
Blessed and holy, we praise the name of God. [Refrain]

Verse 3:
Here in this banquet, our hearts are joined as one.
One in the Spirit, and one in the Lord.
Christ lives among us, as stranger and as friend,
Love so freely given, a love that has no end. [Refrain]

Verse 4:
Sent as disciples, as witness of God’s love;
A burning fire, so deep within our hearts.
We go in peace, to love and serve the Lord;
A peace that can unite us, the peace of Christ, the Lord. [Refrain]

Mediation: God Is Light

Refrain:
God is Light, in whom no darkness lives;
walk as the children of light.
God is Love, in whom no hate can be;
walk as God’s children of love.

Verse 1:
Hold in your heart Spirit’s anointing,
empowered to bless and to heal with love.
[Refrain]

Verse 2:
Walk in Christ’s love with great
thanksgiving,
choosing to serve others in his name.
[Refrain]

Verse 3:
Radiance behold, stand in the presence of
mercy,
forgiveness, the faithfulness of God.
[Refrain]

Final: We Are the Light of the World

Verse 1:
Blessed are they who are poor in spirit,
Theirs is the kingdom of God.
Bless us, O Lord, make us poor in spirit;
Bless us, O Lord, our God

Refrain:
We are the light of the world;
May our light shine before all,
That they may see the good that we do, and
give glory to God.

Verse 2:
Blessed are they who are meek and
humble,
They will inherit the earth
Bless us, O Lord, make us meek and
humble;
Bless us, O Lord, our God [Refrain]

Verse 3:
Blessed add they who will mourn in sorrow,
They will be comforted.
Bless us, O Lord, make us share their
sorrow,
Bless us, O Lord, our God. [Refrain]