EUCHARISTIC ADORATION

THROUGH THE LITURGICAL YEAR (Vol. 3, n. 21)

3rd Sunday of Easter, Year C

April 22-28, 2007

 

“We Are Easter Witnesses …”

 

 

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

 

(A moment of silence)

 

 

SONG: Any Eucharistic hymn, Easter hymn or any appropriate song may be sung.

 

 

 

WORDS OF AUGUSTINE OF HIPPO

 

The Lord appeared once again to his disciples after his resurrection, and questioning Peter, who from fear had thrice denied him, extracted from him a threefold declaration of love. Christ had been raised to life in the flesh, and Peter to life in the spirit; for when Christ died as a result of the torments he endured, Peter was also dead as a result of denying his master. Christ the Lord was raised from the dead; Christ the Lord raised up Peter through Peter’s love for him. And having obtained from him the assurance of that love, he entrusted his sheep to Peter’s care … We are commanded to love Christ the Lord, whom we have never seen. And we all cry out and say that we love Christ … May nothing, then, ever be dearer to us than Christ the Lord; let us love him with all our hearts.

 

 

SILENT ADORATION

 

 

 

OPENING PRAYER

 

Leader:  God of mercy,

may the Easter mystery we celebrate

be effective in our lives.

We ask this through Christ, our Risen Lord.

 

Assembly: Amen.

 

 

Part I

JESUS MASTER TRUTH

Listening to the Word

 

FIRST READING: Acts 5:27b-32, 40b-41

 

RESPONSORIAL PSALM

 

GOSPEL READING: Jn 21:1-19

 

PERSONAL REFLECTION

(As a tool for personal reflection, please visit the PDDM Website: www.pddm.org // www.pddm.us for BREAKING THE BREAD OF THE WORD [Series 5, n. 21]: A Lectio Divina Approach to the Sunday Liturgy. The Biblico-Liturgical Reflections are an aid for a deeper understanding of the Gospel reading.)

 

SONG: Any Eucharistic hymn, Easter hymn or song of praise may be sung.

 

 

 

Part II

JESUS MASTER WAY

 

POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART

A.    Why did Peter and the other apostles sail off from the shores of Lake Tiberias to fish? What is the significance of this action? What must have been the effect on them of their fruitless toil? How did the apparition of the Risen Lord upon the lakeshore impact them? What insights and feelings are evoked in us by the excitement and awed recognition shown by Peter and John, and their companions? What is the meaning of the meal of bread and fish prepared by Jesus as breakfast for his apostles? What is the implication of Peter’s threefold protestation of love for the Risen Lord and what does this threefold avowal of love entail?

B.     In what manner did Peter and the apostles carry out their witnessing before the people and the Sanhedrin? What was the content of the Gospel message preached by them? What role did the Holy Spirit play in the Easter witnessing? What enabled the apostles to rejoice in the midst of persecution and suffering? How did Peter and the apostles minister to the needs of God’s flock entrusted to their care?

C.     Why is the Church of today founded on the apostolic witnessing? Why is the reality of the “here and now” important and what is its challenge for the community of believers? Are we today’s heroic apostolic witnesses? Do we seek to follow Christ, the Risen Lord all the way? Are we totally receptive to the promptings of the Holy Spirit, his Easter gift to the Church? Are we credible “signs” of the richness and bounty of the universal Church, of the Eucharistic community in continual paschal celebration, and of the Risen Lord’s pastoral love and care for his sheepfold?

 

PRAYING WITH THE WORD

Leader: O Risen Lord, you revealed yourself anew to Peter, John and the other apostles as they struggled in the bleak waters of Lake Tiberias, disheartened by a night of fruitless toil. At daybreak, you stood at the shore calling out to them and challenging them to cast the net again on the other side of the boat. In obedience to your command, they cast the net and hauled a great load of fish. In the miraculous catch, they recognized you as the Lord Jesus – the one who had ordained them to be fishers of men. They also recognized you as the life-giving Lord in the “Eucharistic” meal of bread and fish you have graciously hosted at the lakeshore. They recognized you, furthermore, as the sacrificial life-giving Lord in your command to feed the flock and tend the sheep. By the waters of Lake Tiberias, the original site of their vocation as disciples-apostles, you have inspired Peter to avow his love threefold and commit himself anew to follow you totally to your paschal destiny. By the gift of your Holy Spirit, Peter and the apostles became courageous witnesses of your death and rising, proclaiming you as the saving Lord - the source of repentance and forgiveness of sins.

As we contemplate this Easter mystery, grant us the grace to recognize you, alive and present to us in the “death and rising” events of daily life. Make us courageous witnesses of the Gospel by the power of the Holy Spirit and anoint us for a greater service to your suffering people and the needy flock entrusted to our care. We adore you, we love you, and we commit ourselves to serve and give witness to you, now and forever.

Assembly: Amen.

 

 

Part III

JESUS LIFE

Acting upon the Word

 

PERSONAL PRAYER

 

CONTEMPLATING WITH MARY THE FACE OF CHRIST: The Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary may be prayed in part or in full.

 

THE WAY OF SOLIDARITY: PRAYER OF INTERCESSION

Priest: With trust and confidence, let us present our petitions to our loving God who raised his Son Jesus from the dead. Let us say to him:

 

(R.) LORD, HEAR OUR PRAYER.

 

1.      For the Holy Father’s General Intention for this month of April: That allowing themselves to be enlightened by the Holy Spirit, all Christians may answer enthusiastically and faithfully to the universal call to sanctity. We pray: (R.)

2.      For the Holy Father’s Mission Intention for this month of April: That the number of priestly and religious vocations may grow in North America and the countries of the Pacific Ocean in order to adequately meet the pastoral and missionary needs of those populations. We pray: (R.)

3.      That the violence of war and injustice may finally cease and that world leaders may have the courage to be peaceful, we pray: (R.)

4.      That those experiencing the bleakness of life’s storms may see the rising sun of hope and that those disheartened by seemingly fruitless toil may be strengthened by the Easter apparition of our Lord Jesus, we pray: (R.)

5.      That the Christian disciples of today may be able to recognize keenly and deeply the presence and action of the Risen Lord at work in their daily lives, we pray: (R.)

6.      That we may all have the grace to witness courageously the saving event of Christ death and rising to life and that we may endeavor to bring the healing power of Christ’s resurrection to various situations that cry out for healing, comfort, peace and joy, we pray: (R.)

7.      That our faithful departed may relish the liturgy of giving joyful praise to the victorious Paschal Lamb, Jesus Christ in heaven, we pray: (R.)

 

(Other prayers may be added.)

 

 

THE LORD’S PRAYER

 

CONCLUDING PRAYER

 

Leader: Father,

by the love of your Spirit,

may we who have experienced

the grace of the Lord’s resurrection

rise to the newness of life in joy.

We ask this through Christ our Lord.

 

Assembly: Amen.

 

 

FINAL SONG: Any Eucharistic hymn, Easter hymn or song of praise may be sung.

 

 

 

Prepared by Sr. Mary Margaret Tapang  PDDM

 

PIAE DISCIPULAE DIVINI MAGISTRI

SISTER DISCIPLES OF THE DIVINE MASTER

60 Sunset Ave., Staten Island, NY 10314

Tel. (718) 494-8597 // (718) 761-2323

Website: WWW.PDDM.US