∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

The following presentation is made possible 

By the generosity of the viewers 

Of Sunday Mass at mercy home for Boys and Girls in Chicago. 

Good morning, and welcome to Sunday Mass at mercy home for Boys and Girls. 

Today, we celebrate the Fifth Sunday of Lent. 

My name is dan riley. 

I am joined by tom McNamara and Joyce Mcquiggan, 

And our celebrant is Father Scott Donahue, 

President of mercy home for Boys and Girls. 

∫ Christ be our light, shine in our hearts, ∫ 

∫ Shine through the darkness. ∫ 

∫ Christ be our light, ∫ 

∫ Shine in your church, gather today. ∫ 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

Together now we journey deeper into this holy season of lent 

As we offer our prayer celebrating the eucharist. 

In the name of the father, and of the son, and of the holy spirit, 

-Amen. 

The grace of our Lord, Jesus Christ 

And the love of God 

And the communion of the holy spirit 

Be with each of you. 

-And with your spirit. 

My friends, as we gather, we turn to the Lord once again. 

We seek and then we graciously receive 

The Lord’s loving kindness and forgiveness. 

Lord Jesus, during this holy season of lent, 

May we draw closer to you through our lives of prayer. 

Lord have mercy. 

-Lord have mercy. 

Help us to draw closer to you through our fasting. 

Christ have mercy. 

-Christ have mercy. 

Help us to draw closer to you Lord 

By our reaching out and helping 

Our sisters and brothers in need. 

Lord have mercy. 

-Lord have mercy. 

May almighty God have mercy on us, 

Forgive us of our sin and bring us to life everlasting. 

-Amen. 

Let us pray. 

By your help we beseech you Lord our God. 

May we walk eagerly in the same charity 

With which out of love for the world your son 

Handed himself over to death. 

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. 

A reading from the book of the prophet Isaiah. 

Thus says the Lord who opens a way in the sea 

And a path in the mighty waters, 

Who leads out chariots and horsemen, a powerful army, 

Till they lie prostrate together never to rise, 

Snuffed out and quenched like a wick. 

Remember not the events of the past, 

The things of long ago consider not. 

See I am doing something new. 

Now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? 

In the desert I make a way, in the wasteland rivers, 

Wild beasts honor me, jackals and ostriches 

For I put water in the desert 

And rivers in the wasteland for my chosen people to drink, 

The people whom I formed for myself 

That they might announce my praise. 

The word of the Lord. 

-Thanks be to God. 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

∫ The Lord has done great things for us. ∫ 

∫ We are filled with joy. ∫ 

∫ We are filled with joy. ∫ 

∫ The Lord has done great things for us. ∫ 

∫ We are filled with joy. ∫ 

∫ We are filled with joy. ∫ 

∫ When the Lord brought back the exiles of Zion, ∫ 

∫ We thought we were dreaming. ∫ 

∫ Then was our mouth filled with laughter ∫ 

∫ On our tongues, songs of joy. ∫ 

∫ The Lord has done great things for us. ∫ 

∫ We are filled with joy. ∫ 

∫ We are filled with joy. ∫ 

A reading from the letter of St. Paul to the Philippians. 

Brothers and sisters, I consider everything as a loss 

Because of the supreme good of knowing 

Christ Jesus, my Lord. 

For his sake I have accepted the loss of all things 

And I consider them so much rubbish 

That I may gain Christ and be found in him, 

Not having any righteousness of my own 

Based on the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, 

The righteousness from God. 

Depending on faith to know him and the power 

Of his resurrection and the sharing 

Of his sufferings by being conformed to his death, 

If somehow I may attain the resurrection 

From the dead, it is not that I have already 

Taken hold of it or have already attained perfect maturity, 

But I continue my pursuit 

In hope that I may possess it since I have indeed 

Taken possession of by Christ Jesus. 

Brothers and sisters, I for my part 

Do not consider myself to have taken possession. 

Just one thing, forgetting what lies ahead, 

But straining forward to see what lies ahead, 

I continue my pursuit toward the goal, 

The prize of God’s upward calling in Christ Jesus, 

The word of the Lord. 

-Thanks be to God. 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

∫ Praise to you, word of God, Lord Jesus Christ! ∫ 

∫ Praise to you, word of God, Lord Jesus Christ! ∫ 

∫ Even now, says the Lord, ∫ 

∫ Return to me with your whole heart. ∫ 

∫ For I am gracious and merciful. ∫ 

∫ Praise to you, word of God, Lord Jesus Christ! ∫ 

The Lord be with each of you. 

-And with your spirit. 

Ours is a reading taken from the holy gospel 

According to St. John. 

-Glory to you, o Lord. 

Jesus went to the mount of olives, 

But early in the morning he arrived again in the temple area 

And all the people started coming to him 

And he sat down and he taught them. 

Then the scribes and the pharisees 

Brought a woman who had been caught in adultery 

And made her stand in the middle. 

They said to him, “teacher, this woman was caught 

In the very act of committing adultery. 

Now in the law, moses commanded us to stone such women. 

What do you say?” 

They said to test him so that they 

Could have some charge to bring against him. 

Jesus bent down and began to write on the ground 

With his finger, but they continued asking him. 

He straightened up and he said to them, 

“Let the one among you who is without sin 

Be the first to throw a stone at her.” 

Again, he bent down and wrote on the ground. 

In response, they went away one by one, 

Beginning with the elders. 

So Jesus was left alone with the woman before him. 

He straightened up and he said to her, 

“Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” 

She replied, “no one, sir.” 

Then Jesus said, “neither do I condemn you. 

Go and from now on sin no more.” 

The gospel of the Lord. 

-Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ. 

Meister Eckhart, a theologian in the early church, 

Says that Jesus is the very compassion of God. 

Jesus is the compassion of God. 

In this gospel we hear about Jesus’ compassion, 

His love, and his forgiveness. 

How important it is that we be people 

Who are willing to forgive and to accept forgiveness from one another. 

Here’s a woman who’s caught in the act of adultery 

And she’s brought before Jesus and before all these people 

And they shame her and they call out her sin. 

And they said that according to the mosaic law 

She should be stoned to death. 

And then they say, “Jesus, what do you say?” 

And they say this to trap him. 

And Jesus realizes exactly what’s going on. 

He sees the woman who is shamed and humiliated 

And so he says nothing. 

He bends down and he uses his finger 

And he writes in the sand. 

And they continue, 

And so he bends and he writes in the sand again. 

Now scripture scholars have all sorts 

Of interpretations of what this writing in the sand 

With the finger was all about. 

The one that I like the best in terms of interpretation 

Is when moses went up to the mountain 

And God wrote with his finger into the stone tablets, 

The ten commandments. 

The very finger of God 

That gives us the law in the Hebrew scriptures. 

Many theologians believe that that’s exactly 

What Jesus was doing again. 

By his very finger writing in the ground, 

Writing in sand, writing in rock, 

He says that he is the new law giver and that this new law 

Is about compassion, love and forgiveness. 

It’s interesting, isn’t it? 

In the scripture story, those who are 

The eldest in the group, they walk away first. 

Let the one of you who has no sins, 

You cast the first stone. 

The older we get, the more we know, 

The more we understand that all of us are sinners. 

And it’s the elderly who walk away first. 

They acknowledge your own sinfulness. 

We acknowledge our sinfulness, 

But more importantly, we acknowledge the mercy 

And the love and the compassion of God, 

The forgiveness of God in our lives, 

How blessed and how fortunate we are. 

What Jesus has done and taught us, 

We are to do for others, to show compassion, 

To show love and to show forgiveness. 

Let’s profess now what it is we believe: 

I believe in one God, the father almighty, 

Creator of heaven and earth, 

Of all things visible and invisible. 

I believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, 

The only begotten son of God, 

Born of the father before all ages, 

God from God, light from light, 

True God from true God, 

Begotten not made, consubstantial with the father, 

Through him all things were made. 

For us men, for our salvation, he came down from heaven. 

And by the power of the holy spirit 

Was incarnate of the Virgin Mary and became man. 

For our sake, he was crucified under Pontius Pilate. 

He suffered death and was buried 

And rose again on the third day 

In fulfillment of the scriptures. 

He ascended into heaven 

And is seated at the right hand of the father. 

He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead 

And of his kingdom there will be no end. 

I believe in the holy spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, 

Who proceeds from the father and the son, 

Who with the father and the son is adored and glorified, 

Who is spoken through the prophets. 

I believe in one holy catholic and apostolic church. 

I confess one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. 

I look forward to the resurrection of the dead 

And the life of the world to come. 

Amen. 

We take this opportunity now as we place 

Our own hopes, our dreams, our prayers 

Into the hands of a God who loves us dearly. 

Our response to each prayer will be, 

“Lord, hear our prayer.” 

For those preparing for baptism 

Into the catholic church, 

May the holy spirit fill their hearts 

And guide them throughout their new life in Christ. 

We pray to the Lord. 

-Lord, hear our prayer. 

For our community of faith, 

May we recognize our own sinfulness 

So that we may respond to others with mercy and kindness. 

We pray to the Lord. 

-Lord, hear our prayer. 

For the children of mercy home, 

May they experience the fullness of Christ’s love in their lives. 

We pray to the Lord. 

-Lord, hear our prayer. 

For those mourning the death of a loved one, 

May Christ’s victory over death and his resurrection 

Fill them with comfort and joy. 

We pray to the Lord. 

-Lord, hear our prayer. 

We pray to the prayer of the angels in heaven, 

That there might be peace on earth and goodwill towards all. 

We pray to the Lord. 

-Lord, hear our prayer. 

Gracious and loving, compassionate God, 

We trust and we know that you hear all of our prayers. 

You teach us to show mercy and to show forgiveness. 

Help us to be faithful disciples in doing just that. 

This we pray through Christ our Lord. 

Amen. 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

Pray, my friends, my sisters, my brothers, 

That this our sacrifice may be acceptable 

To God the father almighty. 

-May the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands 

For the praise and glory of his name, 

For our good and the good of all his holy church. 

Hear us, almighty God, and having instilled 

In your servants the teachings of the Christian faith, 

Graciously purify them by the working 

Of this sacrifice through Christ our Lord. 

-Amen. 

The Lord is with you. 

-And with your spirit. 

Lift up your hearts. 

-We lift them up to the Lord. 

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. 

-It is right and just. 

It is truly right and just, our duty and salvation, 

Always and everywhere to give you thanks. 

Lord, holy father, almighty and eternal God, 

For you will that our self-denial 

Should give you thanks, humble our sinful pride, 

Contribute to the feeding of the poor, 

And so help us imitate you in your kindness. 

And so we glorify you with countless angels, 

As with one voice of praise we acclaim. 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

∫ 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. ∫ 

You are holy indeed, o Lord, 

And you are the fount of all holiness. 

Make holy therefore these gifts, we pray, 

By sending down your spirit upon them like the dewfalls, 

So that they become for us, 

The body and blood of our Lord, Jesus Christ. 

At the time that he was betrayed and entered 

Willingly into his passion, 

He took bread and giving thanks, he broke it. 

He gave it to his disciples, saying, 

“Take this, all of you, and eat of it, 

For this is my body which will be given up for you.” 

In a similar way, when the supper was ended, 

He took the chalice, and once more giving thanks, 

He gave it to his disciples, 

Saying, “take this, all of you, and drink from it, 

For this is the chalice of my blood, 

The blood of the new and the eternal covenant, 

Which will be poured out for you and for many 

For the forgiveness of sins. 

Do this in memory of me.” 

The mystery of faith. 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

∫ When we eat this bread and drink this cup, ∫ 

∫ We proclaim your death, o Lord, ∫ 

∫ Until you come again. ∫ 

Therefore, as we celebrate the memorial of his death and resurrection, 

We offer to you, Lord, 

The bread of life and the chalice of salvation, 

Giving thanks that you’ve held us worthy 

To be in your presence and minister to you. 

Humbly, we pray that partaking 

Of the body and blood of Christ, 

We may be gathered into one by the holy spirit. 

Remember, Lord, your church spread throughout the world 

And bring her to the fullness of charity. 

Together with Francis our pope, 

†Blas… our bishop, and with all your faith-filled people. 

Remember also our sisters and our brothers 

Who have fallen asleep in the hope of the resurrection 

And all of those who have died in your mercy. 

Welcome them into the light of your presence. 

Have mercy on us all, we pray, 

That with the blessed Virgin Mary, the mother of God, 

With her blessed spouse joseph, 

With the blessed apostles and with the martyrs, 

With all the saints that have pleased you 

Throughout the ages, 

That we may merit to be coheirs to eternal life 

And may praise and glorify you 

Through your son, Jesus Christ, 

Through him and with him and in him. 

In the unity of the holy spirit, 

All glory and honor is yours forever and ever. 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

∫ Amen, amen, amen. ∫ 

Together with his friends, with his disciples, 

Jesus taught them how to pray: 

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 

And graciously grant peace in our days, 

That by the help of your mercy we may be always 

Freed from sin and safe from all distress, 

As we await the blessed hope, 

The coming of our savior, Jesus Christ. 

-For the kingdom, the power, 

And the glory are yours, now and forever. 

And Lord Jesus Christ, 

Who said to his apostles, “peace I leave you. 

It is my peace that I give to you. 

Look not on our sins, but on the faith of your church 

And graciously grant her peace and unity 

In accordance with your will, 

Who lives and reigns forever and ever.” 

-Amen. 

May the peace of the risen Lord be with each of you. 

-And with your spirit. 

Share with one another the Lord’s peace. 

And for those of you who are at home 

Sharing and celebrating this eucharist with us 

Here at mercy home for Boys and Girls, 

I pray that you receive God’s choicest blessings 

And the peace of Christ in your life. 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

∫ Lamb of God, ∫ 

∫ You take away the sins of the world. ∫ 

∫ Have mercy on us. ∫ 

∫ Lamb of God, ∫ 

∫ You take away the sins of the world. ∫ 

∫ Have mercy on us. ∫ 

∫ Lamb of God, ∫ 

∫ You take away the sins of the world. ∫ 

∫ Grant us peace. ∫ 

My friends, behold Jesus. 

Behold the lamb of God 

Who takes away the sins of the world, 

The bread of life that comes down from heaven. 

Blessed are those invited to the supper of the lamb. 

Lord I’m not worthy that you should 

Enter under my roof, but only say the word 

And my soul shall be healed. 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

For those of you at home, please turn to page six 

In your tv mass guide and join in singing 

Our communion song, “do not be afraid.” 

∫ Do not be afraid. ∫ 

∫ I am with you always. ∫ 

∫ Do not be afraid. ∫ 

∫ My love is forever. ∫ 

∫ I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. ∫ 

∫ Plans for peace and prosperity. ∫ 

∫ Trust in me as I live in you. ∫ 

∫ I give you a future and a hope. ∫ 

∫ So do not be afraid. ∫ 

∫ I am with you always. ∫ 

∫ Do not be afraid. ∫ 

∫ My love is forever. ∫ 

We pray, almighty God, that we may always 

Be counted among the members of Christ, 

In whose body and blood we have communion, 

Who lives and reigns forever and ever. 

-Amen. 

I pray that you’re all having a very good Lenten season 

As it begins to draw to an end. 

I thank you for all that you do for our 

Young people here at mercy home for Boys and Girls. 

I and all of us here are deeply grateful. 

The Lord is with you. 

-And with your spirit. 

May the many blessings of almighty God, 

The father and the son and the holy spirit 

Come upon all of you, your family members 

And friends, and remain with you forever. 

-Amen. 

Our mass is ended. 

Go in peace. 

-Thanks be to God. 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

∫ Love divine, all loves excelling, ∫ 

∫ Joy of heaven, to Earth come down! ∫ 

∫ Fix in us your humble dwelling… ∫ 

My friends, I just want to thank you 

For the ways in which you support the tv mass 

Here at mercy home for Boys and Girls. 

Let us continue to pray for one another. 

Please consider making an offering 

So that we can keep the tv mass on the air. 

May God bless you, your family members and your friends. 

The music for the broadcast of Sunday Mass at mercy home 

Is generously provided by G-I-A Publications Incorporated 

And its World Library Publications Division. 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

The following presentation is made possible 

By the generosity of the viewers 

Of Sunday Mass at mercy home for Boys and Girls in Chicago. 

Good morning, and welcome to Sunday Mass at mercy home for Boys and Girls. 

Today, we celebrate the Fifth Sunday of Lent. 

My name is dan riley. 

I am joined by tom McNamara and Joyce Mcquiggan, 

And our celebrant is Father Scott Donahue, 

President of mercy home for Boys and Girls. 

∫ Christ be our light, shine in our hearts, ∫ 

∫ Shine through the darkness. ∫ 

∫ Christ be our light, ∫ 

∫ Shine in your church, gather today. ∫ 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

Together now we journey deeper into this holy season of lent 

As we offer our prayer celebrating the eucharist. 

In the name of the father, and of the son, and of the holy spirit, 

-Amen. 

The grace of our Lord, Jesus Christ 

And the love of God 

And the communion of the holy spirit 

Be with each of you. 

-And with your spirit. 

My friends, as we gather, we turn to the Lord once again. 

We seek and then we graciously receive 

The Lord’s loving kindness and forgiveness. 

Lord Jesus, during this holy season of lent, 

May we draw closer to you through our lives of prayer. 

Lord have mercy. 

-Lord have mercy. 

Help us to draw closer to you through our fasting. 

Christ have mercy. 

-Christ have mercy. 

Help us to draw closer to you Lord 

By our reaching out and helping 

Our sisters and brothers in need. 

Lord have mercy. 

-Lord have mercy. 

May almighty God have mercy on us, 

Forgive us of our sin and bring us to life everlasting. 

-Amen. 

Let us pray. 

By your help we beseech you Lord our God. 

May we walk eagerly in the same charity 

With which out of love for the world your son 

Handed himself over to death. 

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. 

A reading from the book of the prophet Isaiah. 

Thus says the Lord who opens a way in the sea 

And a path in the mighty waters, 

Who leads out chariots and horsemen, a powerful army, 

Till they lie prostrate together never to rise, 

Snuffed out and quenched like a wick. 

Remember not the events of the past, 

The things of long ago consider not. 

See I am doing something new. 

Now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? 

In the desert I make a way, in the wasteland rivers, 

Wild beasts honor me, jackals and ostriches 

For I put water in the desert 

And rivers in the wasteland for my chosen people to drink, 

The people whom I formed for myself 

That they might announce my praise. 

The word of the Lord. 

-Thanks be to God. 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

∫ The Lord has done great things for us. ∫ 

∫ We are filled with joy. ∫ 

∫ We are filled with joy. ∫ 

∫ The Lord has done great things for us. ∫ 

∫ We are filled with joy. ∫ 

∫ We are filled with joy. ∫ 

∫ When the Lord brought back the exiles of Zion, ∫ 

∫ We thought we were dreaming. ∫ 

∫ Then was our mouth filled with laughter ∫ 

∫ On our tongues, songs of joy. ∫ 

∫ The Lord has done great things for us. ∫ 

∫ We are filled with joy. ∫ 

∫ We are filled with joy. ∫ 

A reading from the letter of St. Paul to the Philippians. 

Brothers and sisters, I consider everything as a loss 

Because of the supreme good of knowing 

Christ Jesus, my Lord. 

For his sake I have accepted the loss of all things 

And I consider them so much rubbish 

That I may gain Christ and be found in him, 

Not having any righteousness of my own 

Based on the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, 

The righteousness from God. 

Depending on faith to know him and the power 

Of his resurrection and the sharing 

Of his sufferings by being conformed to his death, 

If somehow I may attain the resurrection 

From the dead, it is not that I have already 

Taken hold of it or have already attained perfect maturity, 

But I continue my pursuit 

In hope that I may possess it since I have indeed 

Taken possession of by Christ Jesus. 

Brothers and sisters, I for my part 

Do not consider myself to have taken possession. 

Just one thing, forgetting what lies ahead, 

But straining forward to see what lies ahead, 

I continue my pursuit toward the goal, 

The prize of God’s upward calling in Christ Jesus, 

The word of the Lord. 

-Thanks be to God. 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

∫ Praise to you, word of God, Lord Jesus Christ! ∫ 

∫ Praise to you, word of God, Lord Jesus Christ! ∫ 

∫ Even now, says the Lord, ∫ 

∫ Return to me with your whole heart. ∫ 

∫ For I am gracious and merciful. ∫ 

∫ Praise to you, word of God, Lord Jesus Christ! ∫ 

The Lord be with each of you. 

-And with your spirit. 

Ours is a reading taken from the holy gospel 

According to St. John. 

-Glory to you, o Lord. 

Jesus went to the mount of olives, 

But early in the morning he arrived again in the temple area 

And all the people started coming to him 

And he sat down and he taught them. 

Then the scribes and the pharisees 

Brought a woman who had been caught in adultery 

And made her stand in the middle. 

They said to him, “teacher, this woman was caught 

In the very act of committing adultery. 

Now in the law, moses commanded us to stone such women. 

What do you say?” 

They said to test him so that they 

Could have some charge to bring against him. 

Jesus bent down and began to write on the ground 

With his finger, but they continued asking him. 

He straightened up and he said to them, 

“Let the one among you who is without sin 

Be the first to throw a stone at her.” 

Again, he bent down and wrote on the ground. 

In response, they went away one by one, 

Beginning with the elders. 

So Jesus was left alone with the woman before him. 

He straightened up and he said to her, 

“Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” 

She replied, “no one, sir.” 

Then Jesus said, “neither do I condemn you. 

Go and from now on sin no more.” 

The gospel of the Lord. 

-Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ. 

Meister Eckhart, a theologian in the early church, 

Says that Jesus is the very compassion of God. 

Jesus is the compassion of God. 

In this gospel we hear about Jesus’ compassion, 

His love, and his forgiveness. 

How important it is that we be people 

Who are willing to forgive and to accept forgiveness from one another. 

Here’s a woman who’s caught in the act of adultery 

And she’s brought before Jesus and before all these people 

And they shame her and they call out her sin. 

And they said that according to the mosaic law 

She should be stoned to death. 

And then they say, “Jesus, what do you say?” 

And they say this to trap him. 

And Jesus realizes exactly what’s going on. 

He sees the woman who is shamed and humiliated 

And so he says nothing. 

He bends down and he uses his finger 

And he writes in the sand. 

And they continue, 

And so he bends and he writes in the sand again. 

Now scripture scholars have all sorts 

Of interpretations of what this writing in the sand 

With the finger was all about. 

The one that I like the best in terms of interpretation 

Is when moses went up to the mountain 

And God wrote with his finger into the stone tablets, 

The ten commandments. 

The very finger of God 

That gives us the law in the Hebrew scriptures. 

Many theologians believe that that’s exactly 

What Jesus was doing again. 

By his very finger writing in the ground, 

Writing in sand, writing in rock, 

He says that he is the new law giver and that this new law 

Is about compassion, love and forgiveness. 

It’s interesting, isn’t it? 

In the scripture story, those who are 

The eldest in the group, they walk away first. 

Let the one of you who has no sins, 

You cast the first stone. 

The older we get, the more we know, 

The more we understand that all of us are sinners. 

And it’s the elderly who walk away first. 

They acknowledge your own sinfulness. 

We acknowledge our sinfulness, 

But more importantly, we acknowledge the mercy 

And the love and the compassion of God, 

The forgiveness of God in our lives, 

How blessed and how fortunate we are. 

What Jesus has done and taught us, 

We are to do for others, to show compassion, 

To show love and to show forgiveness. 

Let’s profess now what it is we believe: 

I believe in one God, the father almighty, 

Creator of heaven and earth, 

Of all things visible and invisible. 

I believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, 

The only begotten son of God, 

Born of the father before all ages, 

God from God, light from light, 

True God from true God, 

Begotten not made, consubstantial with the father, 

Through him all things were made. 

For us men, for our salvation, he came down from heaven. 

And by the power of the holy spirit 

Was incarnate of the Virgin Mary and became man. 

For our sake, he was crucified under Pontius Pilate. 

He suffered death and was buried 

And rose again on the third day 

In fulfillment of the scriptures. 

He ascended into heaven 

And is seated at the right hand of the father. 

He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead 

And of his kingdom there will be no end. 

I believe in the holy spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, 

Who proceeds from the father and the son, 

Who with the father and the son is adored and glorified, 

Who is spoken through the prophets. 

I believe in one holy catholic and apostolic church. 

I confess one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. 

I look forward to the resurrection of the dead 

And the life of the world to come. 

Amen. 

We take this opportunity now as we place 

Our own hopes, our dreams, our prayers 

Into the hands of a God who loves us dearly. 

Our response to each prayer will be, 

“Lord, hear our prayer.” 

For those preparing for baptism 

Into the catholic church, 

May the holy spirit fill their hearts 

And guide them throughout their new life in Christ. 

We pray to the Lord. 

-Lord, hear our prayer. 

For our community of faith, 

May we recognize our own sinfulness 

So that we may respond to others with mercy and kindness. 

We pray to the Lord. 

-Lord, hear our prayer. 

For the children of mercy home, 

May they experience the fullness of Christ’s love in their lives. 

We pray to the Lord. 

-Lord, hear our prayer. 

For those mourning the death of a loved one, 

May Christ’s victory over death and his resurrection 

Fill them with comfort and joy. 

We pray to the Lord. 

-Lord, hear our prayer. 

We pray to the prayer of the angels in heaven, 

That there might be peace on earth and goodwill towards all. 

We pray to the Lord. 

-Lord, hear our prayer. 

Gracious and loving, compassionate God, 

We trust and we know that you hear all of our prayers. 

You teach us to show mercy and to show forgiveness. 

Help us to be faithful disciples in doing just that. 

This we pray through Christ our Lord. 

Amen. 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

Pray, my friends, my sisters, my brothers, 

That this our sacrifice may be acceptable 

To God the father almighty. 

-May the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands 

For the praise and glory of his name, 

For our good and the good of all his holy church. 

Hear us, almighty God, and having instilled 

In your servants the teachings of the Christian faith, 

Graciously purify them by the working 

Of this sacrifice through Christ our Lord. 

-Amen. 

The Lord is with you. 

-And with your spirit. 

Lift up your hearts. 

-We lift them up to the Lord. 

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. 

-It is right and just. 

It is truly right and just, our duty and salvation, 

Always and everywhere to give you thanks. 

Lord, holy father, almighty and eternal God, 

For you will that our self-denial 

Should give you thanks, humble our sinful pride, 

Contribute to the feeding of the poor, 

And so help us imitate you in your kindness. 

And so we glorify you with countless angels, 

As with one voice of praise we acclaim. 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

∫ 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. ∫ 

You are holy indeed, o Lord, 

And you are the fount of all holiness. 

Make holy therefore these gifts, we pray, 

By sending down your spirit upon them like the dewfalls, 

So that they become for us, 

The body and blood of our Lord, Jesus Christ. 

At the time that he was betrayed and entered 

Willingly into his passion, 

He took bread and giving thanks, he broke it. 

He gave it to his disciples, saying, 

“Take this, all of you, and eat of it, 

For this is my body which will be given up for you.” 

In a similar way, when the supper was ended, 

He took the chalice, and once more giving thanks, 

He gave it to his disciples, 

Saying, “take this, all of you, and drink from it, 

For this is the chalice of my blood, 

The blood of the new and the eternal covenant, 

Which will be poured out for you and for many 

For the forgiveness of sins. 

Do this in memory of me.” 

The mystery of faith. 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

∫ When we eat this bread and drink this cup, ∫ 

∫ We proclaim your death, o Lord, ∫ 

∫ Until you come again. ∫ 

Therefore, as we celebrate the memorial of his death and resurrection, 

We offer to you, Lord, 

The bread of life and the chalice of salvation, 

Giving thanks that you’ve held us worthy 

To be in your presence and minister to you. 

Humbly, we pray that partaking 

Of the body and blood of Christ, 

We may be gathered into one by the holy spirit. 

Remember, Lord, your church spread throughout the world 

And bring her to the fullness of charity. 

Together with Francis our pope, 

†Blas… our bishop, and with all your faith-filled people. 

Remember also our sisters and our brothers 

Who have fallen asleep in the hope of the resurrection 

And all of those who have died in your mercy. 

Welcome them into the light of your presence. 

Have mercy on us all, we pray, 

That with the blessed Virgin Mary, the mother of God, 

With her blessed spouse joseph, 

With the blessed apostles and with the martyrs, 

With all the saints that have pleased you 

Throughout the ages, 

That we may merit to be coheirs to eternal life 

And may praise and glorify you 

Through your son, Jesus Christ, 

Through him and with him and in him. 

In the unity of the holy spirit, 

All glory and honor is yours forever and ever. 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

∫ Amen, amen, amen. ∫ 

Together with his friends, with his disciples, 

Jesus taught them how to pray: 

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 

And graciously grant peace in our days, 

That by the help of your mercy we may be always 

Freed from sin and safe from all distress, 

As we await the blessed hope, 

The coming of our savior, Jesus Christ. 

-For the kingdom, the power, 

And the glory are yours, now and forever. 

And Lord Jesus Christ, 

Who said to his apostles, “peace I leave you. 

It is my peace that I give to you. 

Look not on our sins, but on the faith of your church 

And graciously grant her peace and unity 

In accordance with your will, 

Who lives and reigns forever and ever.” 

-Amen. 

May the peace of the risen Lord be with each of you. 

-And with your spirit. 

Share with one another the Lord’s peace. 

And for those of you who are at home 

Sharing and celebrating this eucharist with us 

Here at mercy home for Boys and Girls, 

I pray that you receive God’s choicest blessings 

And the peace of Christ in your life. 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

∫ Lamb of God, ∫ 

∫ You take away the sins of the world. ∫ 

∫ Have mercy on us. ∫ 

∫ Lamb of God, ∫ 

∫ You take away the sins of the world. ∫ 

∫ Have mercy on us. ∫ 

∫ Lamb of God, ∫ 

∫ You take away the sins of the world. ∫ 

∫ Grant us peace. ∫ 

My friends, behold Jesus. 

Behold the lamb of God 

Who takes away the sins of the world, 

The bread of life that comes down from heaven. 

Blessed are those invited to the supper of the lamb. 

Lord I’m not worthy that you should 

Enter under my roof, but only say the word 

And my soul shall be healed. 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

For those of you at home, please turn to page six 

In your tv mass guide and join in singing 

Our communion song, “do not be afraid.” 

∫ Do not be afraid. ∫ 

∫ I am with you always. ∫ 

∫ Do not be afraid. ∫ 

∫ My love is forever. ∫ 

∫ I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. ∫ 

∫ Plans for peace and prosperity. ∫ 

∫ Trust in me as I live in you. ∫ 

∫ I give you a future and a hope. ∫ 

∫ So do not be afraid. ∫ 

∫ I am with you always. ∫ 

∫ Do not be afraid. ∫ 

∫ My love is forever. ∫ 

We pray, almighty God, that we may always 

Be counted among the members of Christ, 

In whose body and blood we have communion, 

Who lives and reigns forever and ever. 

-Amen. 

I pray that you’re all having a very good Lenten season 

As it begins to draw to an end. 

I thank you for all that you do for our 

Young people here at mercy home for Boys and Girls. 

I and all of us here are deeply grateful. 

The Lord is with you. 

-And with your spirit. 

May the many blessings of almighty God, 

The father and the son and the holy spirit 

Come upon all of you, your family members 

And friends, and remain with you forever. 

-Amen. 

Our mass is ended. 

Go in peace. 

-Thanks be to God. 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

∫ Love divine, all loves excelling, ∫ 

∫ Joy of heaven, to Earth come down! ∫ 

∫ Fix in us your humble dwelling… ∫ 

My friends, I just want to thank you 

For the ways in which you support the tv mass 

Here at mercy home for Boys and Girls. 

Let us continue to pray for one another. 

Please consider making an offering 

So that we can keep the tv mass on the air. 

May God bless you, your family members and your friends. 

The music for the broadcast of Sunday Mass at mercy home 

Is generously provided by G-I-A Publications Incorporated 

And its World Library Publications Division. 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

The following presentation is made possible 

By the generosity of the viewers 

Of Sunday Mass at mercy home for Boys and Girls in Chicago. 

Good morning, and welcome to Sunday Mass at mercy home for Boys and Girls. 

Today, we celebrate the Fifth Sunday of Lent. 

My name is dan riley. 

I am joined by tom McNamara and Joyce Mcquiggan, 

And our celebrant is Father Scott Donahue, 

President of mercy home for Boys and Girls. 

∫ Christ be our light, shine in our hearts, ∫ 

∫ Shine through the darkness. ∫ 

∫ Christ be our light, ∫ 

∫ Shine in your church, gather today. ∫ 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

Together now we journey deeper into this holy season of lent 

As we offer our prayer celebrating the eucharist. 

In the name of the father, and of the son, and of the holy spirit, 

-Amen. 

The grace of our Lord, Jesus Christ 

And the love of God 

And the communion of the holy spirit 

Be with each of you. 

-And with your spirit. 

My friends, as we gather, we turn to the Lord once again. 

We seek and then we graciously receive 

The Lord’s loving kindness and forgiveness. 

Lord Jesus, during this holy season of lent, 

May we draw closer to you through our lives of prayer. 

Lord have mercy. 

-Lord have mercy. 

Help us to draw closer to you through our fasting. 

Christ have mercy. 

-Christ have mercy. 

Help us to draw closer to you Lord 

By our reaching out and helping 

Our sisters and brothers in need. 

Lord have mercy. 

-Lord have mercy. 

May almighty God have mercy on us, 

Forgive us of our sin and bring us to life everlasting. 

-Amen. 

Let us pray. 

By your help we beseech you Lord our God. 

May we walk eagerly in the same charity 

With which out of love for the world your son 

Handed himself over to death. 

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. 

A reading from the book of the prophet Isaiah. 

Thus says the Lord who opens a way in the sea 

And a path in the mighty waters, 

Who leads out chariots and horsemen, a powerful army, 

Till they lie prostrate together never to rise, 

Snuffed out and quenched like a wick. 

Remember not the events of the past, 

The things of long ago consider not. 

See I am doing something new. 

Now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? 

In the desert I make a way, in the wasteland rivers, 

Wild beasts honor me, jackals and ostriches 

For I put water in the desert 

And rivers in the wasteland for my chosen people to drink, 

The people whom I formed for myself 

That they might announce my praise. 

The word of the Lord. 

-Thanks be to God. 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

∫ The Lord has done great things for us. ∫ 

∫ We are filled with joy. ∫ 

∫ We are filled with joy. ∫ 

∫ The Lord has done great things for us. ∫ 

∫ We are filled with joy. ∫ 

∫ We are filled with joy. ∫ 

∫ When the Lord brought back the exiles of Zion, ∫ 

∫ We thought we were dreaming. ∫ 

∫ Then was our mouth filled with laughter ∫ 

∫ On our tongues, songs of joy. ∫ 

∫ The Lord has done great things for us. ∫ 

∫ We are filled with joy. ∫ 

∫ We are filled with joy. ∫ 

A reading from the letter of St. Paul to the Philippians. 

Brothers and sisters, I consider everything as a loss 

Because of the supreme good of knowing 

Christ Jesus, my Lord. 

For his sake I have accepted the loss of all things 

And I consider them so much rubbish 

That I may gain Christ and be found in him, 

Not having any righteousness of my own 

Based on the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, 

The righteousness from God. 

Depending on faith to know him and the power 

Of his resurrection and the sharing 

Of his sufferings by being conformed to his death, 

If somehow I may attain the resurrection 

From the dead, it is not that I have already 

Taken hold of it or have already attained perfect maturity, 

But I continue my pursuit 

In hope that I may possess it since I have indeed 

Taken possession of by Christ Jesus. 

Brothers and sisters, I for my part 

Do not consider myself to have taken possession. 

Just one thing, forgetting what lies ahead, 

But straining forward to see what lies ahead, 

I continue my pursuit toward the goal, 

The prize of God’s upward calling in Christ Jesus, 

The word of the Lord. 

-Thanks be to God. 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

∫ Praise to you, word of God, Lord Jesus Christ! ∫ 

∫ Praise to you, word of God, Lord Jesus Christ! ∫ 

∫ Even now, says the Lord, ∫ 

∫ Return to me with your whole heart. ∫ 

∫ For I am gracious and merciful. ∫ 

∫ Praise to you, word of God, Lord Jesus Christ! ∫ 

The Lord be with each of you. 

-And with your spirit. 

Ours is a reading taken from the holy gospel 

According to St. John. 

-Glory to you, o Lord. 

Jesus went to the mount of olives, 

But early in the morning he arrived again in the temple area 

And all the people started coming to him 

And he sat down and he taught them. 

Then the scribes and the pharisees 

Brought a woman who had been caught in adultery 

And made her stand in the middle. 

They said to him, “teacher, this woman was caught 

In the very act of committing adultery. 

Now in the law, moses commanded us to stone such women. 

What do you say?” 

They said to test him so that they 

Could have some charge to bring against him. 

Jesus bent down and began to write on the ground 

With his finger, but they continued asking him. 

He straightened up and he said to them, 

“Let the one among you who is without sin 

Be the first to throw a stone at her.” 

Again, he bent down and wrote on the ground. 

In response, they went away one by one, 

Beginning with the elders. 

So Jesus was left alone with the woman before him. 

He straightened up and he said to her, 

“Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” 

She replied, “no one, sir.” 

Then Jesus said, “neither do I condemn you. 

Go and from now on sin no more.” 

The gospel of the Lord. 

-Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ. 

Meister Eckhart, a theologian in the early church, 

Says that Jesus is the very compassion of God. 

Jesus is the compassion of God. 

In this gospel we hear about Jesus’ compassion, 

His love, and his forgiveness. 

How important it is that we be people 

Who are willing to forgive and to accept forgiveness from one another. 

Here’s a woman who’s caught in the act of adultery 

And she’s brought before Jesus and before all these people 

And they shame her and they call out her sin. 

And they said that according to the mosaic law 

She should be stoned to death. 

And then they say, “Jesus, what do you say?” 

And they say this to trap him. 

And Jesus realizes exactly what’s going on. 

He sees the woman who is shamed and humiliated 

And so he says nothing. 

He bends down and he uses his finger 

And he writes in the sand. 

And they continue, 

And so he bends and he writes in the sand again. 

Now scripture scholars have all sorts 

Of interpretations of what this writing in the sand 

With the finger was all about. 

The one that I like the best in terms of interpretation 

Is when moses went up to the mountain 

And God wrote with his finger into the stone tablets, 

The ten commandments. 

The very finger of God 

That gives us the law in the Hebrew scriptures. 

Many theologians believe that that’s exactly 

What Jesus was doing again. 

By his very finger writing in the ground, 

Writing in sand, writing in rock, 

He says that he is the new law giver and that this new law 

Is about compassion, love and forgiveness. 

It’s interesting, isn’t it? 

In the scripture story, those who are 

The eldest in the group, they walk away first. 

Let the one of you who has no sins, 

You cast the first stone. 

The older we get, the more we know, 

The more we understand that all of us are sinners. 

And it’s the elderly who walk away first. 

They acknowledge your own sinfulness. 

We acknowledge our sinfulness, 

But more importantly, we acknowledge the mercy 

And the love and the compassion of God, 

The forgiveness of God in our lives, 

How blessed and how fortunate we are. 

What Jesus has done and taught us, 

We are to do for others, to show compassion, 

To show love and to show forgiveness. 

Let’s profess now what it is we believe: 

I believe in one God, the father almighty, 

Creator of heaven and earth, 

Of all things visible and invisible. 

I believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, 

The only begotten son of God, 

Born of the father before all ages, 

God from God, light from light, 

True God from true God, 

Begotten not made, consubstantial with the father, 

Through him all things were made. 

For us men, for our salvation, he came down from heaven. 

And by the power of the holy spirit 

Was incarnate of the Virgin Mary and became man. 

For our sake, he was crucified under Pontius Pilate. 

He suffered death and was buried 

And rose again on the third day 

In fulfillment of the scriptures. 

He ascended into heaven 

And is seated at the right hand of the father. 

He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead 

And of his kingdom there will be no end. 

I believe in the holy spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, 

Who proceeds from the father and the son, 

Who with the father and the son is adored and glorified, 

Who is spoken through the prophets. 

I believe in one holy catholic and apostolic church. 

I confess one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. 

I look forward to the resurrection of the dead 

And the life of the world to come. 

Amen. 

We take this opportunity now as we place 

Our own hopes, our dreams, our prayers 

Into the hands of a God who loves us dearly. 

Our response to each prayer will be, 

“Lord, hear our prayer.” 

For those preparing for baptism 

Into the catholic church, 

May the holy spirit fill their hearts 

And guide them throughout their new life in Christ. 

We pray to the Lord. 

-Lord, hear our prayer. 

For our community of faith, 

May we recognize our own sinfulness 

So that we may respond to others with mercy and kindness. 

We pray to the Lord. 

-Lord, hear our prayer. 

For the children of mercy home, 

May they experience the fullness of Christ’s love in their lives. 

We pray to the Lord. 

-Lord, hear our prayer. 

For those mourning the death of a loved one, 

May Christ’s victory over death and his resurrection 

Fill them with comfort and joy. 

We pray to the Lord. 

-Lord, hear our prayer. 

We pray to the prayer of the angels in heaven, 

That there might be peace on earth and goodwill towards all. 

We pray to the Lord. 

-Lord, hear our prayer. 

Gracious and loving, compassionate God, 

We trust and we know that you hear all of our prayers. 

You teach us to show mercy and to show forgiveness. 

Help us to be faithful disciples in doing just that. 

This we pray through Christ our Lord. 

Amen. 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

Pray, my friends, my sisters, my brothers, 

That this our sacrifice may be acceptable 

To God the father almighty. 

-May the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands 

For the praise and glory of his name, 

For our good and the good of all his holy church. 

Hear us, almighty God, and having instilled 

In your servants the teachings of the Christian faith, 

Graciously purify them by the working 

Of this sacrifice through Christ our Lord. 

-Amen. 

The Lord is with you. 

-And with your spirit. 

Lift up your hearts. 

-We lift them up to the Lord. 

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. 

-It is right and just. 

It is truly right and just, our duty and salvation, 

Always and everywhere to give you thanks. 

Lord, holy father, almighty and eternal God, 

For you will that our self-denial 

Should give you thanks, humble our sinful pride, 

Contribute to the feeding of the poor, 

And so help us imitate you in your kindness. 

And so we glorify you with countless angels, 

As with one voice of praise we acclaim. 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

∫ 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. ∫ 

You are holy indeed, o Lord, 

And you are the fount of all holiness. 

Make holy therefore these gifts, we pray, 

By sending down your spirit upon them like the dewfalls, 

So that they become for us, 

The body and blood of our Lord, Jesus Christ. 

At the time that he was betrayed and entered 

Willingly into his passion, 

He took bread and giving thanks, he broke it. 

He gave it to his disciples, saying, 

“Take this, all of you, and eat of it, 

For this is my body which will be given up for you.” 

In a similar way, when the supper was ended, 

He took the chalice, and once more giving thanks, 

He gave it to his disciples, 

Saying, “take this, all of you, and drink from it, 

For this is the chalice of my blood, 

The blood of the new and the eternal covenant, 

Which will be poured out for you and for many 

For the forgiveness of sins. 

Do this in memory of me.” 

The mystery of faith. 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

∫ When we eat this bread and drink this cup, ∫ 

∫ We proclaim your death, o Lord, ∫ 

∫ Until you come again. ∫ 

Therefore, as we celebrate the memorial of his death and resurrection, 

We offer to you, Lord, 

The bread of life and the chalice of salvation, 

Giving thanks that you’ve held us worthy 

To be in your presence and minister to you. 

Humbly, we pray that partaking 

Of the body and blood of Christ, 

We may be gathered into one by the holy spirit. 

Remember, Lord, your church spread throughout the world 

And bring her to the fullness of charity. 

Together with Francis our pope, 

†Blas… our bishop, and with all your faith-filled people. 

Remember also our sisters and our brothers 

Who have fallen asleep in the hope of the resurrection 

And all of those who have died in your mercy. 

Welcome them into the light of your presence. 

Have mercy on us all, we pray, 

That with the blessed Virgin Mary, the mother of God, 

With her blessed spouse joseph, 

With the blessed apostles and with the martyrs, 

With all the saints that have pleased you 

Throughout the ages, 

That we may merit to be coheirs to eternal life 

And may praise and glorify you 

Through your son, Jesus Christ, 

Through him and with him and in him. 

In the unity of the holy spirit, 

All glory and honor is yours forever and ever. 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

∫ Amen, amen, amen. ∫ 

Together with his friends, with his disciples, 

Jesus taught them how to pray: 

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 

And graciously grant peace in our days, 

That by the help of your mercy we may be always 

Freed from sin and safe from all distress, 

As we await the blessed hope, 

The coming of our savior, Jesus Christ. 

-For the kingdom, the power, 

And the glory are yours, now and forever. 

And Lord Jesus Christ, 

Who said to his apostles, “peace I leave you. 

It is my peace that I give to you. 

Look not on our sins, but on the faith of your church 

And graciously grant her peace and unity 

In accordance with your will, 

Who lives and reigns forever and ever.” 

-Amen. 

May the peace of the risen Lord be with each of you. 

-And with your spirit. 

Share with one another the Lord’s peace. 

And for those of you who are at home 

Sharing and celebrating this eucharist with us 

Here at mercy home for Boys and Girls, 

I pray that you receive God’s choicest blessings 

And the peace of Christ in your life. 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

∫ Lamb of God, ∫ 

∫ You take away the sins of the world. ∫ 

∫ Have mercy on us. ∫ 

∫ Lamb of God, ∫ 

∫ You take away the sins of the world. ∫ 

∫ Have mercy on us. ∫ 

∫ Lamb of God, ∫ 

∫ You take away the sins of the world. ∫ 

∫ Grant us peace. ∫ 

My friends, behold Jesus. 

Behold the lamb of God 

Who takes away the sins of the world, 

The bread of life that comes down from heaven. 

Blessed are those invited to the supper of the lamb. 

Lord I’m not worthy that you should 

Enter under my roof, but only say the word 

And my soul shall be healed. 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

For those of you at home, please turn to page six 

In your tv mass guide and join in singing 

Our communion song, “do not be afraid.” 

∫ Do not be afraid. ∫ 

∫ I am with you always. ∫ 

∫ Do not be afraid. ∫ 

∫ My love is forever. ∫ 

∫ I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. ∫ 

∫ Plans for peace and prosperity. ∫ 

∫ Trust in me as I live in you. ∫ 

∫ I give you a future and a hope. ∫ 

∫ So do not be afraid. ∫ 

∫ I am with you always. ∫ 

∫ Do not be afraid. ∫ 

∫ My love is forever. ∫ 

We pray, almighty God, that we may always 

Be counted among the members of Christ, 

In whose body and blood we have communion, 

Who lives and reigns forever and ever. 

-Amen. 

I pray that you’re all having a very good Lenten season 

As it begins to draw to an end. 

I thank you for all that you do for our 

Young people here at mercy home for Boys and Girls. 

I and all of us here are deeply grateful. 

The Lord is with you. 

-And with your spirit. 

May the many blessings of almighty God, 

The father and the son and the holy spirit 

Come upon all of you, your family members 

And friends, and remain with you forever. 

-Amen. 

Our mass is ended. 

Go in peace. 

-Thanks be to God. 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

∫ Love divine, all loves excelling, ∫ 

∫ Joy of heaven, to Earth come down! ∫ 

∫ Fix in us your humble dwelling… ∫ 

My friends, I just want to thank you 

For the ways in which you support the tv mass 

Here at mercy home for Boys and Girls. 

Let us continue to pray for one another. 

Please consider making an offering 

So that we can keep the tv mass on the air. 

May God bless you, your family members and your friends. 

The music for the broadcast of Sunday Mass at mercy home 

Is generously provided by G-I-A Publications Incorporated 

And its World Library Publications Division. 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

Meister Eckhart, a theologian in the early church,  says that Jesus is the very compassion of God. Jesus is the compassion of God. 

In this gospel we hear about Jesus’ compassion, his love, and his forgiveness. How important it is that we be people who are willing to forgive and to accept forgiveness from one another.

Here’s a woman who’s caught in the act of adultery and she’s brought before Jesus and before all these people and they shame her and they call out her sin. And they said that according to the Mosaic Law she should be stoned to death. And then they say, “Jesus, what do you say?” 

And they say this to trap him. And Jesus realizes exactly what’s going on. He sees the woman who is shamed and humiliated and so he says nothing. He bends down and he uses his finger and he writes in the sand. 

And they continue, and so he bends and he writes in the sand again. Now scripture scholars have all sorts of interpretations of what this writing in the sand with the finger was all about. The one that I like the best in terms of interpretation is when Moses went up to the mountain and God wrote with his finger into the stone tablets, the ten commandments. 

The very finger of God that gives us the law in the Hebrew scriptures. Many theologians believe that that’s exactly that Jesus was doing again. 

By his very finger writing in the ground, writing in sand, writing in rock, he says that he is the new law giver and that this new law is about compassion, love and forgiveness. 

It’s interesting, isn’t it? 

In the scripture story, those who are the eldest in the group, they walk away first. Let the one of you who has no sins, you cast the first stone. The older we get, the more we know,  the more we understand that all of us are sinners.  And it’s the elderly who walk away first. They acknowledge your own sinfulness. 

We acknowledge our sinfulness,  but more importantly, we acknowledge the mercy  and the love and the compassion of God,  the forgiveness of God in our lives, how blessed and how fortunate we are. 

What Jesus has done and taught us, we are to do for others, to show compassion,  to show love and to show forgiveness.