PRAYER
A CALL TO ACCOUNTABILITY
OPENING PRAYER
LEADER: Eternal God, in this
year, we thank you for the precious gift of time. Bless us as chosen
representatives of the parish and school, and bless our hours of
planning. Enable us as a council to review our stewardship of parish
resources and to plan confidently for the future direction of our
parish and school according to your will. Through our Lord Jesus
Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the
Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever. Amen.
Word of God (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8)
A Reading from the Book of
Ecclesiastes
There is an appointed time for
everything, and a time for ever affair under the heavens.
A time to be born, and a time to
die; a time to plant and a time to uproot the plant.
A time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to tear down, and a time to build.
A time to weep, and a time to
laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance.
A time to scatter stones, and a
time to gather them;
A time to embrace, and a time to be
far from embraces.
A time to seek, and a time to lose;
a time to keep and a time to cast away.
A time to rend, and a time to sew;
a time to be silent, and a time to speak.
A time to love, and a time to hate;
a time of war, and a time of peace.
(Silent Reflection)
RESPONSE:
Side 1: Use your time well;
guard yourself from evil...(Sir 4:20)
Side 2: Instead you should say,
“If the Lord wills it, we shall live to do this or that (James
4:15).
Side 1: ...there is a time for
ever affair and on every work a judgement (Ecclesiastes 3:17)
Side 2: God has made everything
appropriate to its time, and has put the timeless into their hearts
(Ecclesiastes 3:11)
Side 1: Much will be required of
the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of
the person entrusted with more (LK 12:48).
Side 2: Behold, now is a very
acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation (2 Cor 6:2).
INTERCESSION:
LEADER: That we have a listening
heart sensitive to the needs of the Church...
ALL: This is truly the year of
the Lord.
LEADER: That we encourage and
support the ministers of our parish...
ALL: This is truly the year of
the Lord.
LEADER: That we treasure the
time we have together and not waste time in quarreling and
division...
ALL: This is truly the year of
the Lord.
LEADER: That we realize that we
are accountable to the people and to the God who gathered us
together...
ALL: This is truly the year of
the Lord.
LEADER: That we learn from the
mistakes of the past and make wiser decisions for the future...
ALL: This is truly the year of
the Lord.
CLOSING PRAYER
ALL: Lord of history, you have
apportioned the days and the years of our time here on earth. Make
us aware that time is not just your gift but also our responsibility.
May we, as a council, use that time to build up our parish as a
community of justice, peace and love. We ask this through your Son,
our Lord, Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of
the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever. Amen.
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