Phil

Jun 27, 20216 min read

SPIRITUAL MASS O13B

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

Amen.

Let us acknowledge our sins,

and so prepare ourselves to greet the Lord.

You were sent to heal the contrite of heart:

Lord, have mercy.

You came to call sinners:

Christ, have mercy.

You are seated at the right hand of the Father to intercede for us:

Lord, have mercy.

May almighty God have mercy on us,

forgive us our sins,

and bring us to everlasting life. Amen.

The Collect O God, who through the grace of adoption

chose us to be children of light, grant, we pray,

that we may not be wrapped in the darkness of error

but always be seen to stand in the bright light of truth.

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.

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark, Chapter 5

Now there was a woman who had suffered from a haemorrhage

for twelve years; after long and painful treatment under various doctors,

she had spent all she had without being any the better for it, in fact, she was

getting worse. She had heard about Jesus, and she came up behind him

through the crowd and touched his cloak. “If I can touch even his clothes,” she

had told herself “I shall be well again.” And the source of the bleeding dried up

instantly, and she felt in herself that she was cured of her complaint.

Immediately aware that power had gone out from him Jesus turned round in

the crowd and said, “Who touched my clothes?” His disciples said to him, “You

see how the crowd is pressing round you and yet you say, ‘Who touched me?’”

But he continued to look all round to see who had done it. Then the woman

came forward, frightened and trembling because she knew what had happened

to her, and she fell at his feet and told him the whole truth. “My daughter,” he

said “your faith has restored you to health; go in peace and be free from your

complaint.” The Gospel of the Lord.

HOMILY

“Who touched me?” “Don’t be silly, Rabbi – you’re hemmed in, they’re ALL touching you!” But Jesus insisted; someone had reached-out to touch the hem of his clothing. He felt that someone was reaching out to him in need; and, just for a second or two, he felt drained.

The pain had gone; she felt alive.

She hadn’t felt this good for twelve years!

She came clean.

Trembling, and afraid she might have upset him,

she knelt and apologised to Jesus of Nazareth

and told him the whole sorry tale.

“Go in peace and be free from this illness”

Can you imagine how she felt on hearing those words?!

“Go in peace and be free…….”

… the account of this untouchable woman has touched millions

since she got into print in Mark’s Gospel.

As He was two thousand years ago,

Jesus is today on the shore, making His way towards our hearts,

waiting for us to reach out to Him

in anticipation of prayers to be answered,

hopes to be realised,

bodies and minds to be healed.

Is there anything that has been unresolved in your life;

a situation that is not getting better?

A difficult relationship with someone

you find hard to love, like, or with whom to agree?

Is there something or someone at work, at school,

or in your family you find disabling?

Or perhaps something in yourself,

an attitude, a perennial problem,

a besetting sin that comes up again and again,

an addiction perhaps,

an over-reliance on something which is getting the better of you…..

that you would welcome help to change

or even to learn to accept?

Reach out to Jesus , and hear Him say to you “Go in peace and be free…….”

“To the Lost Christ shows His face,

to the unloved He gives His embrace;

To those who cry in pain or disgrace,

Christ makes, with His Friends, a Touching Place”

THE PROFESSION OF FAITH

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.

PRAYERS

For all who are clinging to life, particularly those who have fled war, gangs, famine, or natural disasters: that God will open the hearts of many to reach out to them and support them.

For all who are incapacitated by age, disability, mental illness, or illiteracy: that they may be respected as persons and receive the food, shelter, and medical care they need.

For all entrapped by loneliness: that God’s love may break through their bonds and heal their deepest hurts.

For international, national and local government, : that ways might be found to work together in developing programmes to address the greatest needs in society and the advancement of the common good.

For the healing of minds and hearts: that the healing touch of Jesus will restore those who have experienced abuse, discrimination, abandonment, or ridicule.

For all who are working to end the Covid pandemic: that God will guide and protect all who are manufacturing, distributing, or administering the vaccine and help them to persevere through difficult challenges.

For peace: that God will guide leaders of nations in promoting agricultural and economic development so that everyone may have food and opportunities to use their gifts.

O God, the protector of all who trust in you,

without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy:

increase and multiply upon us your mercy;

that with you as our ruler and guide

we may so pass through things temporal

that we lose not our hold on things eternal;

grant this, heavenly Father,

for our Lord Jesus Christ’s sake. Amen.

SPIRITUAL COMMUNION

In our anxiety, fear and uncertainty, when hearts are heavy with the load we bear, and there is no one to turn toward but you; yours is the peace that calms, the peace that comforts, the peace that gives us strength to carry on. Yours is the voice we long to hear, the persistent whisper in our ear, ‘Be still, and know that I am God’.

Yours is the presence in the dark that banishes our fears. Yours is the hand that guides, the footprints in which I walk. In our anxiety, fear and uncertainty in confidence we turn to you.

Look, Lord, on an empty vessel that needs to be filled.

In faith I am weak - strengthen me.

In love I am cold - warm me and make me fervent

so that my love may go out to my neighbour.

Lord, strengthen my faith and trust in you.

You are all the treasure I possess.

I am poor, you are rich,

and you came to have mercy on the poor.

I am a sinner, you are goodness.

From you I can receive goodness,

but I can give you nothing.

Therefore I shall stay with you. (Martin Luther)

At Your feet, O my Jesus,

I prostrate myself .

I adore You

in the Sacrament of Your love.

I desire to receive You

into the poor dwelling

that my heart offers.

Come to me, Lord,

since I, for my part,

am coming to You.

I believe in You,

I hope in You,

I love You.

Amen.

Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof,

but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.

Be the Lord a bright flame before us, Be the Lord a guiding star above us, Be the Lord a smooth path below us, Be the Lord a kindly shepherd behind us, Today, tonight and forever. Amen.