PRIEST: Today Jesus challenges us as to the nature and demands of being His disciples: whether we prize our relationship with the Lord before all else? Whether we are willing to persevere in the task of loving by shouldering with Him the Cross of humanity’s suffering? The second reading today asks us whether we enslave others or set them free? There is no-one who is not our brother, our sister. Let us trust the forgiving love of our God and as we welcome His mercy re-commit ourselves to the Light of Mercy to our world.
READER: For the ways we do not put our relationship with God first,
for not making time for prayer,
for pushing worship to the sidelines of our lives
LORD HAVE MERCY
When we avoid carrying the Cross with Jesus,
when we do not get involved with the suffering of others
because it will demand too much of us
CHRIST HAVE MERCY
Because our world enslaves so many people today
for child exploitation, human trafficking, forced labour and servitude;
whenever men, women and children are sexually exploited
LORD HAVE MERCY
PRIEST: May our God of love, Father, Son and Spirit
embrace us with mercy, touch us with peace,
and reconcile us with compassion,
that we may build a world where all are free,
bringing all to life everlasting …
AMEN!