Worship along with us!

Fourth Sunday of Lent March 19, 2023

St. Mary’s uses music by permission from OCP through One License. Our license number is M-400277. All songs used in today’s Mass are used by permission.

INTRODUCTORY RITES************************

In These Days of Lenten Journey

Ricky Manalo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVaF8iRofgE&list=PLMQrJzPlip5U9-Q2kT0FDKb_pcMMQmPie&index=1

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.

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

We call on the Spirit of Justice

and pray for righteousness' sake.

We will sing for the freedom

of all the oppressed;

we will loosen the bonds of distress.

REFRAIN

Greeting

The fourth Sunday of Lent in the Roman Catholic liturgical calendar. The term is derived from the opening words of the Latin Mass, “Rejoice (Laetare) Jerusalem” (Isaiah 66:10). The church is called to joyful anticipation of the victory to be won.

Bishop Tom: Welcome to St. Mary’s of Washington, DC, a parish of the National Catholic Church of North America! I’m Bishop Tom Wieczorek and all are welcome!

Let us begin,

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. +

All: Amen.

Bp. Tom: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

All: And also with you.

Sign of Peace

Bp. Tom: Lord Jesus Christ, you said to your apostles: I leave you peace, my peace I give you. Look not on our sins, but on the faith of your Church, and grant us the peace and unity of your kingdom where you live for ever and ever.
All: Amen.

Bp. Tom: The Peace of the Lord be with you always.
All: And also with you.

Bp. Tom: Let us offer each other a sign of peace.

Penitential Act

Kyrie (SONG)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1yjsIygJl4&list=PLMQrJzPlip5U9-Q2kT0FDKb_pcMMQmPie&index=2

Lord Jesus, you raise us to new life

Kyrie, eleison. (Lord Have Mercy)

Kyrie, eleison.

Lord Jesus you forgive us our sins

Christe, eleison. (Christ have mercy)

Christe, eleison.

Lord Jesus, you feed us your body and blood

Kyrie, eleison. (Lord have mercy)

Kyrie, eleison.

Bishop Tom: May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life!

ALL: AMEN

The Collect

Bp. Tom: Let us pray.

Father of peace,

we are joyful in your Word,

your Son Jesus the Christ,

who reconciles us to you.

Let us hasten toward Easter

with the eagerness of faith and love.

We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,

God, for ever and ever.

ALL: Amen.

LITURGY OF THE WORD***********************

The first reading is from the first book of Samuel

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

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.

The Word of the Lord

ALL: Thanks be to God

Responsorial Psalm

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

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIqFOPy5D5Y&list=PLMQrJzPlip5WsHnzoO-7fgFA_4EOKJq2j&index=3

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.

The second reading is from the Letter of Paul to the Ephesians

Eph 5:8-14

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.

ALL: Thanks be to God

Gospel (SUNG)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXynoVaPV5I&list=PLMQrJzPlip5WsHnzoO-7fgFA_4EOKJq2j&index=4

Glory to you, word of God, Lord Jesus Christ!

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

Glory to you, word of God, Lord Jesus Christ!

The Lord is WITH you!

ALL: And also with you!

A Reading from the Holy Gospel, according to John

ALL: Glory to you, Oh Lord!

Jn 9:1-41

As Jesus passed by he saw a man blind from birth.
His disciples asked him,
"Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents,
that he was born blind?"
Jesus answered,
"Neither he nor his parents sinned;
it is so that the works of God might be made visible through him.
We have to do the works of the one who sent me while it is day.
Night is coming when no one can work.
While I am in the world, I am the light of the world."
When he had said this, 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."
So they said to him, "How were your eyes opened?"
He replied,
"The man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes
and told me, 'Go to Siloam and wash.'
So I went there and washed and was able to see."
And they said to him, "Where is he?"
He said, "I don't know."

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."

Now the Jews did not believe
that he had been blind and gained his sight
until they summoned the parents of the one who had gained his sight.
They asked them,
"Is this your son, who you say was born blind?
How does he now see?"
His parents answered and said,
"We know that this is our son and that he was born blind.
We do not know how he sees now,
nor do we know who opened his eyes.
Ask him, he is of age;
he can speak for himself."
His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews,
for the Jews had already agreed
that if anyone acknowledged him as the Christ,
he would be expelled from the synagogue.
For this reason his parents said,
"He is of age; question him."

So a second time they called the man who had been blind
and said to him, "Give God the praise!
We know that this man is a sinner."
He replied,
"If he is a sinner, I do not know.
One thing I do know is that I was blind and now I see."
So they said to him,
"What did he do to you?
How did he open your eyes?"
He answered them,
"I told you already and you did not listen.
Why do you want to hear it again?
Do you want to become his disciples, too?"
They ridiculed him and said,
"You are that man's disciple;
we are disciples of Moses!
We know that God spoke to Moses,
but we do not know where this one is from."
The man answered and said to them,
"This is what is so amazing,
that you do not know where he is from, yet he opened my eyes.
We know that God does not listen to sinners,
but if one is devout and does his will, he listens to him.
It is unheard of that anyone ever opened the eyes of a person born blind.
If this man were not from God,
he would not be able to do anything."
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,
the one speaking with you is he."
He said,
"I do believe, Lord," and he worshiped him.
Then Jesus said,
"I came into this world for judgment,
so that those who do not see might see,
and those who do see might become blind."

Some of the Pharisees who were with him heard this
and said to him, "Surely we are not also blind, are we?"
Jesus said to them,
"If you were blind, you would have no sin;
but now you are saying, 'We see,' so your sin remains.

Bp. Tom: The Gospel of the Lord

All: Praise to you Lord Jesus the Christ

Homily

Profession of Faith

THE NICENE CREED (Pre-2011)

We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten not made, one in being with the Father. Through him all things were made.

For us and our salvation he came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit he was born of the Virgin Mary and became man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered, died, and was buried. On the third day he rose again in fulfillment of 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.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son she is worshipped and glorified. She has spoken through the prophets.

We believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.

Universal Prayer

General Intercessions / Prayer of the Faithful:

Bp. Tom: Father, help us not to judge; to judge others by who they are and not WHOSE they are. We are all children of a living God! As we prepare to celebrate the ultimate gift that we receive each time we gather for Mass, let us first ask forgiveness when we have been tempted to blame rather than rejoice. This Lenten season, let us take time to not just forgive others but to forgive ourselves!

We now stand before you with these prayers and petitions and thank you for already knowing and answering.

*For our Jewish brothers and sisters; our Ukrainian family; our LGBTQ children; and for so many who face persecution, hatred, and are forced to hide who and what they are for fear of injury and death.

WE PRAY TO THE LORD