✠In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Where our love of neighbour and of God has been less than it should,
and as we prepare to celebrate these Holy Mysteries,
let us call to mind our sins
May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins,
and bring us to everlasting life. Amen.
THE GLORIA
Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to people of good will.
We praise you, we bless you,
we adore you, we glorify you,
we give you thanks for your great glory,
Lord God, heavenly King,
O God, almighty Father.
Lord Jesus Christ, Only Begotten Son,
Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father,
you take away the sins of the world,
have mercy on us;
you take away the sins of the world,
receive our prayer;
you are seated at the right hand of the Father,
have mercy on us.
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.
THE COLLECT FOR THE DAY
O God, who teach us that you abide in hearts that are just and true,
grant that we may be so fashioned by your grace
as to become a dwelling pleasing to you.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
FIRST READING - Lev 13:1-2. 44-46
The Lord said to Moses and Aaron,
“If a swelling or scab or shiny spot appears on a man’s skin, a case of leprosy of the skin is to be suspected.
The man must be taken to Aaron, the priest, or to one of the priests who are his sons. “The man is leprous: he is unclean. The priest must declare him unclean; he is suffering from leprosy of the head. A man infected with leprosy must wear his clothing torn and his hair disordered; he must shield his upper lip and cry, ‘Unclean, unclean.’ As long as the disease lasts he must be unclean; and therefore he must live apart; he must live outside the camp.”
RESPONSORIAL PSALM Ps 31
You are my refuge, O Lord;
You fill me with the joy of salvation.
Happy the man whose offence is forgiven,
whose sin in remitted.
O happy the man to whom the Lord imputes no guilt,
in whose spirit is no guile.
But now I have acknowledged my sins;
my guilt I did not hide.
I said: “I will confess my offence to the Lord.”
And you, Lord, have forgiven the guilt of my sin.
Rejoice, rejoice in the Lord,
exult, you just!
O come, ring out your joy,
all you upright of heart.
SECOND READING - 1 Cor 10:31-11:1
Whatever you eat, whatever you drink, whatever you do at all,
do it for the glory of God. Never do anything offensive to anyone
– to Jews or Greeks or to the Church of God;
just as I try to be helpful to everyone at all times,
not anxious for my own advantage but for the advantage of everybody else, so that they may be saved. Take me for your model, as I take Christ.
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
May the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ enlighten the eyes of our mind,
so that we can see what hope his call holds for us.. Alleluia!
GOSPEL -A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark. Mk 1:40-45
A leper came to Jesus and pleaded on his knees: “If you want to” he said “you can cure me.” Feeling sorry for him, Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him. “Of course I want to!” he said. “Be cured!” And the leprosy left him at once and he was cured.
Jesus immediately sent him away and sternly ordered him, “Mind you say nothing to anyone, but go and show yourself to the priest, and make the offering for your healing prescribed by Moses as evidence of your recovery.”
The man went away, but then started talking about it freely and telling the story everywhere, so that Jesus could no longer go openly into any town,
but had to stay outside in places where nobody lived. Even so, people from all around would come to him.
HOMILY - TOUCHED BY THE HEART OF JESUS
(The Sacred Heart statue referred to in the text
is to be found in Holy Trinity Church)
When the dust has settled
and we finally return back to whatever normal looks like
handshakes and hugs are going to feel so good.
Today, we hear of Jesus touching the untouchable,
a healing touch that overturned the leper’s life.
For centuries leprosy was considered God’s curse,
a punishment for the sins of forebears.
The illness itself was viewed as a curse,
and curse it most certainly is.
It doesn’t kill, but it creates a living hell for the sufferer.
People were and are shunned because of it.
The disease is considered so dreadful that once a person contracts it he or she is turned out of his home and village
and left to beg and fend for himself.
In India, where there is still a high incidence of the disease,
In some rural villages the family members perform funeral rites according to Hindu custom, never to receive them back home.
Three years ago I introduced you to Pattu,
a leper who found a welcome for herself and her son
at a small Leper Village called Shantigramam, in Tamil Nadu.
She’s still there, frailer these days,
but grateful for the experience of Christ’s touch.
The ravages of leprosy and the years of social exclusion
have left their mark,
but Christ reached out to her and touched her
as she found acceptance as a human being,
loved and created by God.
Jesus’s concern for Pattu,
as for the leper he encountered in Mark chapter 1,
was to halt the escalation of her present condition,
and to heal the wound of rejection she carried throughout her past.
In this Church we have a fine statue of The Sacred Heart.
It’s big, but it’s in a corner of the Church that’s easy to miss.
Jesus’s Heart went out to the leper rejected by a heartless society. Jesus’s Heart went out to Pattu,through the medical know-how of Karigiri Hospital and the Shantigramam Village.
This same Sacred Heart of Jesus, as depicted so clearly in our Church, wants to beat compassionately in and through this Church.
CHALLENGE: -
How can we ensure that the statue of The Sacred Heart behind me
is not just for show, but is a symbol of Jesus’s compassionate action through us?
Before Lockdown we were looking at ways we could let our parish community feel Christ’s Heartbeat.
We were exploring how Christ’s loving Heart could be effectively experienced by those who are locked-in to their homes, or who were feeling less-and-less at home in themselves.
To whom should we as a Church be reaching-out in compassion?
Is there someone known to you who is marginalised?
Perhaps their behaviour makes them difficult….
Perhaps they seem out to make your life difficult…..
Perhaps they hold different views to your own,
and that makes the harder to warm to….
Perhaps they’ve been unkind to you,
and you find it difficult to be in their company.
PRAY that Jesus the Compassionate,
He whose Sacred Heart beats with love for all,
can use even you and me to reach out to the unreachable,
the untouchable, the unlovable.
And what of the things about myself that I find difficult to accept?
The things I feel are not very lovable about me?
On this day of hearts, has Jesus got a heart for me?
Am I beyond His love?
Judging by His treatment of the leper, I’d say not….
Jesus’s Heart extends even to me!
Lord, open our eyes that we may see you in our brothers and sisters. Lord, open our ears that we may hear you in the cries of the hungry, the cold, the frightened, the oppressed. Lord, open our hearts that we may love you in each other as you love us. Amen.
THE APOSTLES’ CREED
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
Creator of heaven and earth,
and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died and was buried;
he descended into hell;
on the third day he rose again from the dead;
he ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty;
from there he will come 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 life everlasting. Amen.
THE PRAYER OF THE FAITHFUL (Bidding Prayers)
For the Church: that we may reach out to all who have been excluded
or marginalized by society.
For transformation: that we may present ourselves before Christ
and confidently surrender to his touch all that is sinful, selfish, or alienating
in our life
For the grace to imitate Christ: that God will help us to love others,
confront injustice, and surrender ourselves in service to God and neighbour
as did Jesus.
For all who are physically isolated: that God will guide us in reaching out
to them, assisting with their needs
For all who are ill: that God will touch the sick and return them to wholeness,
and free the human family from the coronavirus.
For openness to the Spirit: that we may be attentive to the invitation of God
to grow and change during the coming Lenten season
For all who are suffering: that God will assist and guide to fulfilment
all who are searching for jobs, a place to call home, and food for their table.
We ask Mary to pray with us, as we with her bring our care for the situation in which we find ourselves;
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed art thou among women,
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now, and at the hour of our death.
in the midst of so many and great dangers, that by reason of the frailty of our nature we cannot always stand upright: grant to us such strength and protection as may support us in all dangers and carry us through all temptations; Merciful Father, accept these prayers for the sake of your Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Let us lift up our hearts.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is truly right and just, our duty and our salvation,
always and everywhere to give you thanks,
Father of mercies and faithful God.
For you have given us Jesus Christ, your Son,
as our Lord and Redeemer.
He always showed compassion for children and for the poor,
for the sick and for sinners,
and he became a neighbour to the oppressed and the afflicted.
By word and deed he announced to the world
that you are our Father and that you care for all your sons and daughters.
And so, with all the Angels and Saints,
we exalt and bless your name and sing the hymn of your glory,
as without end we acclaim
Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of hosts.
Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
At the Saviour’s command
and formed by divine teaching, we dare to say:
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.
Deliver us, Lord, we pray, from every evil,
graciously grant peace in our days,
that, by the help of your mercy,
we may be always free from sin
and safe from all distress,
as we await the blessed hope
and the coming of our Saviour, Jesus Christ.
For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours
now and for ever.
SPIRITUAL COMMUNION
Loving God, I have come to worship you.
Help me to remember that you are here with me.
Eternal God, in Christ you make yourself a guest.
Amid all my cares and concerns
make me attentive to your voice
and alert to your presence,
that I may know your love surpasses all else;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
Sit for a moment in silence
My Jesus,
I believe that You are present in the Most Holy Sacrament.
I love You above all things,
and I desire to receive You into my soul.
Since I cannot at this moment
receive You sacramentally,
come at least spiritually into my heart.
I embrace You as if You were already there
and unite myself wholly to You.
Never permit me to be separated from You.
Silence
ASKING GOD’S BLESSING
hold fast that which is good; render to no one evil for evil;
strengthen the fainthearted; support the weak;
help the afflicted; honour everyone;
love and serve the Lord,
rejoicing in the power of the Holy Spirit;
and the blessing of almighty God, the Father, and the Son, ✠
and the Holy Spirit, come down upon us
and remain with us for ever. Amen.
The angel of the Lord brought tidings unto Mary. And she conceived by the Holy Ghost.
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now,
and at the hour of our death.
Behold the handmaid of the Lord. Be it unto me according to thy word.
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now,
and at the hour of our death.
And the Word was made flesh. And dwelt amongst us.
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now,
and at the hour of our death.
Pray for us, O holy Mother of God. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us pray. We beseech thee, O Lord, pour thy grace into our hearts,
that as we have known the Incarnation of thy Son Jesus Christ
by the message of an angel, so by his Cross and Passion
we may be brought unto the glory of his Resurrection;
through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.
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