∫ [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 in Ordinary Time.

My name is Dan Riley.
I’m joined by Tom McNamara and Maudette Carr,
and our celebrant is Father James Wallace.

∫ Lord whose love in humble service ∫
∫ bore the weight of human need, ∫
∫ who upon the Cross forsaken ∫
∫ offered mercy’s perfect deed. ∫
∫ we Your servants bring the worship, ∫
∫ not a voice alone but heart, ∫
∫ consecrating to Your purpose ∫
∫ every gift that You impart. ∫

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

Amen.

The Lord be with you.

And with your spirit.

Morning everyone,
welcome for Mass this Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time.
We hope you are doing well.

We’re delighted that you could join us to celebrate
our Eucharist together to worship God
and to receive grace from this Mass.

So let us prepare ourselves by calling to mind our sins.

You were sent to heal the contrite of heart.
Lord, have mercy.

Lord, have mercy.

You came to call sinners.
Christ, have mercy.

Christ, have mercy.

You were seated at the right hand of the Father
to intercede for us.
Lord, have mercy.

Lord, have mercy.

May Almighty God have mercy on us,
forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life.

Amen.

∫ [Piano music] ∫
∫ Glory to God in the highest ∫
∫ and on earth peace to people of good will. ∫

∫ Glory to God in the highest ∫
∫ and on earth peace to people of good will. ∫

Let us pray.

Keep Your family safe, O Lord, with unfailing care.
They are relying solely on the hope of heavenly grace,
that they may be defended always by Your protection.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son,
who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, forever and ever.

Amen.

A reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah.

Thus says the Lord:
“Share your bread with the hungry.
Shelter the oppressed and the homeless.
Clothe the naked when you see them,
and do not turn your back on your own.

Then your light shall break forth like the dawn,
and your wound shall quickly be healed.
Your vindication shall go before you,
and the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.

Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer;
you shall cry for help, and He will say, ‘Here I am.’

If you remove from your midst oppression,
false accusation, and malicious speech,
if you bestow your bread on the hungry
and satisfy the afflicted,
then light shall rise for you in the darkness.”
And the gloom shall become for you like midday.”

The Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

∫ [Piano music] ∫

∫ The just man is a light in darkness for the upright. ∫
∫ The just man is a light in darkness for the upright. ∫
∫ A light rises in the darkness for the upright. ∫
∫ He is generous, merciful, and just. ∫
∫ It goes well for the man who deals generously ∫
∫ and lends, who conducts his affairs with justice. ∫
∫ The just man is a light in darkness for the upright. ∫

A reading from the First Letter
of Saint Paul to the Corinthians.

When I came to you, brothers and sisters,
proclaiming the mystery of God,
I did not come with sublimity of words or of wisdom.

For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you
except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.

I came to you in weakness and fear and much trembling,
and my message and my proclamation
were not with persuasive words of wisdom,
but with demonstration of Spirit and power,
so that your faith might rest not on human wisdom,
but on the power of God.

The Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

∫ [Piano music] ∫

∫ Alleluia, alleluia. ∫
∫ Alleluia, alleluia. ∫
∫ I am the light of the world, says the Lord. ∫
∫ Whoever follows Me will have the light of life. ∫
∫ Alleluia, alleluia. ∫

The Lord be with you.

And with your spirit.

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew.

Glory to You, O Lord.

Jesus said to His disciples,
“You are the salt of the Earth.
But if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned?
It is no longer good for anything
but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.

You are the light of the world.
A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden,
nor do they light a lamp
and then put it under a bushel basket.
It is set on a lampstand,
where it gives light to all in the house.

Just so, your light must shine before others,
that they may see your good deeds
and glorify your Heavenly Father.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ.

It’s really an incredible thing when Jesus says,
“You’re the salt of the Earth.
You’re the light of the world.”

It’s basically our Lord saying,
“Look, I’m not doing this all on my own.
I’m not here to redeem the world just by myself.
I’m going to use you.
You’re going to be My partners in helping heal
and redeem the world.”

And so the way we help bring goodness into the world,
and beauty and truth and whatnot,
is by being light and by being salt.

We see this on perfect display in Saint Paul.
Saint Paul is such an attractive evangelist.
People loved him.
People followed him; they listened to him.

And what he says in our reading to the Corinthians
is not because he’s eloquent,
or good-looking, or charismatic.
It’s because he’s real.

He’s a man with real salt in his heart,
a man who loves God,
and that love kind of comes forth through him.

So by being himself, by being real salt-of-the-Earth kind of guy,
Paul is attractive.
So that word “salt,” okay, salt is significant.

When Jesus is saying this,
I mean, we say this now today, “salt of the Earth,”
and it’s just sort of a saying of ours.

But for our Lord in ancient times,
you know, salt really had four significant purposes.
Salt was quite valuable.

So the first purpose of salt in the ancient world
was that it was a preservative.
We kind of use this the same way today.
You put salt on some meat; it can keep it over time.

I remember when I was in Italy,
I saw one time a farmer making prosciutto.
He took a bunch of ham and ground it up,
and then he poured, like, a bucket of salt into it.

And then you could see prosciutto hocks
just hanging in restaurants for years
because they’re preserved by the salt.

So when we’re salt, or the Church is the salt of the Earth,
we’re called to preserve.
Preserve goodness.
Preserve truth.
Preserve beauty.

That’s one of the functions that we have.

Okay, the second act of salt, or what salt does, is this:
if it’s a preservative in some cases,
it’s also destructive in other cases.

So too much salt can destroy.
You see this, for instance,
when the Romans defeated Carthage.
They salted the Earth so nothing could ever grow there again.

You salt a garden plot, and you’re not going to see
flowers in that garden anymore.

Okay, so salt—we are called at times to destroy some things.
Not life or anything like that,
but to destroy, maybe, sin within us,
or negative ways of thinking,
or unhealthy images.

So as a Church, we don’t just let everything go.
We are called to cut some things out as disciples.
That’s what salt does.

So it preserves.
It destroys.

Salt was also a commodity.
It was a unit of measurement.
The word salarium in Latin is where we get
our word “salary” from.

Okay, so sometimes salt was used as exchange.
So that saying, like, “a man is not worth his salt”
or “she’s worth her salt”—
that’s where it comes from.

Okay, so we’re also a standard of measurement,
if you will, as a Church, as people.
Hopefully people look to us and they’re like,
“Yeah, that’s what it means to be a Christian.
That’s what it means to be a good man or a good woman.”

We kind of—hopefully—set the bar.

And then finally, the fourth purpose of salt is this:
it brings flavor, right?
You put salt on something—
salt your popcorn or whatever it might be—
and that thing is going to taste better.

That’s why Father Scott has a salt lick in his office,
you know. He likes, you know,
that feeling of tasting something good.

So as Christians, as Catholics,
when we have the love of God in our hearts,
again, we bring something very flavorful into the world,
hopefully into one another’s lives.

And again, Saint Paul had that.
May we have it too.
Amen.

So friends, we profess our faith together:

I believe in one God, the Father Almighty,
Maker 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 and for our salvation,
He came down from heaven,
and by 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 accordance with 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 His Kingdom will have 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 has spoken through the Prophets.

I believe in one holy, Catholic, and apostolic Church.
I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins,
and I look forward to the Resurrection of the dead
and the life of the world to come.
Amen.

So we pray now for all the needs
we have in our Church, in our world,
and in the silence of our hearts.

Our response to each prayer will be,
“Lord, hear our prayer.”

For our Church leaders, as they spread the Gospel message,
may those searching for Christ find faith, hope, and light
as they proclaim Christ’s words of everlasting life.
We pray to the Lord.

Lord, hear our prayer.

For those who pray with us
during Sunday Mass at Mercy Home,
may they feel God’s love filling their hearts
and bringing them peace and comfort.
We pray to the Lord.

Lord, hear our prayer.

For the boys and girls of Mercy Home for Boys and Girls,
may they be blessed with wisdom and determination
as they take their exams at school.
We pray to the Lord.

Lord, hear our prayer.

For those who have recently become ill,
and for their caretakers, may they be blessed
with hope and courage.
We pray to the Lord.

Lord, hear our prayer.

Almighty and loving Father, please draw near to us
during this Liturgy and answer now these prayers.
We make them through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

∫ [Piano music] ∫
∫ [Piano music continues] ∫

Pray, brothers and sisters, that my sacrifice and yours
may be acceptable to God, the Almighty Father.

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.

O Lord, our God, who once established
these created things to sustain us in our frailty,
grant, we pray, that they may become for us now
the Sacrament of eternal life.

Through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

The Lord be 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 our salvation,
always and everywhere to give You thanks,
Lord, Holy Father, Almighty and eternal God.

For we know it belongs to Your boundless glory
that You came to the aid of mortal beings
with Your divinity, and even fashioned for us
a remedy out of mortality itself,
that the cause of our downfall
might become the means of our salvation.

Through Christ our Lord.

Through Him the host of Angels adores Your Majesty

And rejoicing in Your presence forever,
may our voices, we pray, join with theirs in one chorus
of exultant praise as 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 indeed Holy, O Lord, the fount of all holiness.

Make holy, therefore, these gifts, we pray,
by sending down Your Spirit upon them
like the dewfall, so that they may become for us
the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.

At the time He was betrayed
and entered willingly into His Passion,
He took bread and, giving thanks,
broke it and 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 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 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 You, Lord, the Bread of life
and the Chalice of salvation,
giving thanks that You have 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 Leo our Pope
and Blas… our Bishop,
and all the clergy.

Remember also our brothers and sisters
who have fallen asleep in the hope of the Resurrection,
and all who have died in Your mercy.
Welcome them into the light of Your face.

Have mercy on us all, we pray,
that with the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God,
Blessed Joseph, her spouse,
with the Blessed Apostles,
and all the Saints who have pleased You throughout the ages,
we may merit to be co-heirs to eternal life,
and may praise and glorify You
through Your Son, Jesus Christ.

Through Him, and with Him, and in Him,
O God, Almighty Father,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
all glory and honor is Yours,
forever and ever.

∫ [Piano music] ∫
∫ Amen, amen, amen. ∫

By the Savior’s command, formed by divine teaching,
we dare to say:

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;
graciously grant peace in our days,
that by the help of Your mercy
we may be always free from sin
and safe from all distress,
as we await the blessed hope
and the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

For the Kingdom, the power, and the glory are Yours
now and forever.

Lord Jesus Christ, who said to Your Apostles,
“Peace I leave you, My peace I give 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 live and reign forever and ever.

Amen.

The peace of the Lord be with you always.

And with your spirit.

Let us offer each other a sign of peace.

Peace with you, my brothers and sisters.

As always, we are grateful for your participation in our Mass,
watching us and supporting Mercy Home.

This basket here has all of the intentions
that you send in and write to us,
so feel free to give us.

Your prayers and your petitions, so we can pray for you.

And on behalf of Father Scott Donahue,
Cardinal Archbishop of Chicago,
and everyone here at Mercy Home,
we offer you our prayers and our blessings this day.

May God’s peace go with you today
and all the days of 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. ∫

Behold the Lamb of God.
Behold Him who takes away the sins of the world.
Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb.

Lord, I am 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,
“There Is a Balm in Gilead.”

∫ [Piano music] ∫

∫ There is a balm in Gilead to make the wounded whole. ∫

∫ There is a balm in Gilead to heal the sin-sick soul. ∫
∫ Sometimes I feel discouraged and think my work’s in vain. ∫
∫ But then the Holy Spirit revives my soul again. ∫
∫ There is a balm in Gilead to make the wounded whole.

∫ There is a balm in Gilead to heal the sin-sick soul. ∫
∫ Don’t ever be discouraged, for Jesus is your friend. ∫
∫ And if you lack for knowledge, He’ll ne’er refuse to lend. ∫
∫ There is a balm in Gilead to make the wounded whole. ∫
∫ There is a balm in Gilead to heal the sin-sick soul. ∫

Friends, I invite you to join me now
in our prayer for the children of Mercy Home.

Our Lady of Mercy, we pray
that You will guide, protect, and bless all boys and girls
who this day have a home called Mercy.

May they find the Father’s mercy
as we offer them our hearts.

In the Name of Your Son, Jesus Christ.

May they seek God’s mercy in action
through our love, prayers, and sacrifices.

Let us pray.

O God, who have willed that we be partakers
in the one Bread and the one Chalice,
grant us, we pray, so to live that, made one in Christ,
we may joyfully bear fruit
for the salvation of the world.

Through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Again, it was good to be with you all.
I hope you have a wonderful rest of your day
and that you are staying warm in these winter months.

We’ll give you a final special blessing.

The Lord be with you.

And with your spirit.

Bow your heads and pray for God’s blessing.

May the God of all consolation order your days in His peace
and grant you the gifts of His blessing.

May He free you always from every distress
and confirm your hearts in His love,
so that on this life’s journey
you may be effective in good works,
rich in the gifts of faith, hope, and charity,
and come happily toward eternal life.

And finally, may He turn your steps toward Himself
and show you the path of charity and peace.
Amen.

And may the peace and blessing of Almighty God,
the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
come down on you all
and remain with you forever.

Amen.

Go in peace.

Thanks be to God.

∫ [Piano music] ∫

∫ Come down, O Love Divine; seek now this soul of mine, ∫
∫ and visit it with Your own ardor glowing. ∫
∫ O Comforter, draw near; within my heart appear, ∫
∫ and kindle it, Your Holy Flame bestowing. ∫
∫ O let it freely burn, till earthly passions turn ∫
∫ to dust and ashes in its heat consuming. ∫
∫ And let Your glorious light shine ever on my sight, ∫
∫ and clothe me round, the while my path is looming. ∫

∫ [Piano music] ∫

Hello, my friends. As you know, as I know,
this TV ministry at Mercy Home is so important.

It allows us to gather, wherever you may be,
to participate in the prayer of the Church.
It allows us to pray for one another,
and how important that is.

It allows you and me to pray for the children
here at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls.
We’re nourished by our presence together
and by the celebration of the Eucharist.

I just want to take this opportunity to thank you
so very much for the ways in which you support
this Mass here at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls.
Please consider doing that going forward as well.

And may God bless you, your family, and your friends
for all you do for the TV Mass at Mercy Home
and for our children.

The music for the broadcast of Sunday Mass at Mercy Home
is generously provided by GIA 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 in Ordinary Time.

My name is Dan Riley.
I’m joined by Tom McNamara and Maudette Carr,
and our celebrant is Father James Wallace.

∫ Lord whose love in humble service ∫
∫ bore the weight of human need, ∫
∫ who upon the Cross forsaken ∫
∫ offered mercy’s perfect deed. ∫
∫ we Your servants bring the worship, ∫
∫ not a voice alone but heart, ∫
∫ consecrating to Your purpose ∫
∫ every gift that You impart. ∫

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

Amen.

The Lord be with you.

And with your spirit.

Morning everyone,
welcome for Mass this Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time.
We hope you are doing well.

We’re delighted that you could join us to celebrate
our Eucharist together to worship God
and to receive grace from this Mass.

So let us prepare ourselves by calling to mind our sins.

You were sent to heal the contrite of heart.
Lord, have mercy.

Lord, have mercy.

You came to call sinners.
Christ, have mercy.

Christ, have mercy.

You were seated at the right hand of the Father
to intercede for us.
Lord, have mercy.

Lord, have mercy.

May Almighty God have mercy on us,
forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life.

Amen.

∫ [Piano music] ∫
∫ Glory to God in the highest ∫
∫ and on earth peace to people of good will. ∫

∫ Glory to God in the highest ∫
∫ and on earth peace to people of good will. ∫

Let us pray.

Keep Your family safe, O Lord, with unfailing care.
They are relying solely on the hope of heavenly grace,
that they may be defended always by Your protection.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son,
who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, forever and ever.

Amen.

A reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah.

Thus says the Lord:
“Share your bread with the hungry.
Shelter the oppressed and the homeless.
Clothe the naked when you see them,
and do not turn your back on your own.

Then your light shall break forth like the dawn,
and your wound shall quickly be healed.
Your vindication shall go before you,
and the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.

Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer;
you shall cry for help, and He will say, ‘Here I am.’

If you remove from your midst oppression,
false accusation, and malicious speech,
if you bestow your bread on the hungry
and satisfy the afflicted,
then light shall rise for you in the darkness.”
And the gloom shall become for you like midday.”

The Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

∫ [Piano music] ∫

∫ The just man is a light in darkness for the upright. ∫
∫ The just man is a light in darkness for the upright. ∫
∫ A light rises in the darkness for the upright. ∫
∫ He is generous, merciful, and just. ∫
∫ It goes well for the man who deals generously ∫
∫ and lends, who conducts his affairs with justice. ∫
∫ The just man is a light in darkness for the upright. ∫

A reading from the First Letter
of Saint Paul to the Corinthians.

When I came to you, brothers and sisters,
proclaiming the mystery of God,
I did not come with sublimity of words or of wisdom.

For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you
except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.

I came to you in weakness and fear and much trembling,
and my message and my proclamation
were not with persuasive words of wisdom,
but with demonstration of Spirit and power,
so that your faith might rest not on human wisdom,
but on the power of God.

The Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

∫ [Piano music] ∫

∫ Alleluia, alleluia. ∫
∫ Alleluia, alleluia. ∫
∫ I am the light of the world, says the Lord. ∫
∫ Whoever follows Me will have the light of life. ∫
∫ Alleluia, alleluia. ∫

The Lord be with you.

And with your spirit.

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew.

Glory to You, O Lord.

Jesus said to His disciples,
“You are the salt of the Earth.
But if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned?
It is no longer good for anything
but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.

You are the light of the world.
A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden,
nor do they light a lamp
and then put it under a bushel basket.
It is set on a lampstand,
where it gives light to all in the house.

Just so, your light must shine before others,
that they may see your good deeds
and glorify your Heavenly Father.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ.

It’s really an incredible thing when Jesus says,
“You’re the salt of the Earth.
You’re the light of the world.”

It’s basically our Lord saying,
“Look, I’m not doing this all on my own.
I’m not here to redeem the world just by myself.
I’m going to use you.
You’re going to be My partners in helping heal
and redeem the world.”

And so the way we help bring goodness into the world,
and beauty and truth and whatnot,
is by being light and by being salt.

We see this on perfect display in Saint Paul.
Saint Paul is such an attractive evangelist.
People loved him.
People followed him; they listened to him.

And what he says in our reading to the Corinthians
is not because he’s eloquent,
or good-looking, or charismatic.
It’s because he’s real.

He’s a man with real salt in his heart,
a man who loves God,
and that love kind of comes forth through him.

So by being himself, by being real salt-of-the-Earth kind of guy,
Paul is attractive.
So that word “salt,” okay, salt is significant.

When Jesus is saying this,
I mean, we say this now today, “salt of the Earth,”
and it’s just sort of a saying of ours.

But for our Lord in ancient times,
you know, salt really had four significant purposes.
Salt was quite valuable.

So the first purpose of salt in the ancient world
was that it was a preservative.
We kind of use this the same way today.
You put salt on some meat; it can keep it over time.

I remember when I was in Italy,
I saw one time a farmer making prosciutto.
He took a bunch of ham and ground it up,
and then he poured, like, a bucket of salt into it.

And then you could see prosciutto hocks
just hanging in restaurants for years
because they’re preserved by the salt.

So when we’re salt, or the Church is the salt of the Earth,
we’re called to preserve.
Preserve goodness.
Preserve truth.
Preserve beauty.

That’s one of the functions that we have.

Okay, the second act of salt, or what salt does, is this:
if it’s a preservative in some cases,
it’s also destructive in other cases.

So too much salt can destroy.
You see this, for instance,
when the Romans defeated Carthage.
They salted the Earth so nothing could ever grow there again.

You salt a garden plot, and you’re not going to see
flowers in that garden anymore.

Okay, so salt—we are called at times to destroy some things.
Not life or anything like that,
but to destroy, maybe, sin within us,
or negative ways of thinking,
or unhealthy images.

So as a Church, we don’t just let everything go.
We are called to cut some things out as disciples.
That’s what salt does.

So it preserves.
It destroys.

Salt was also a commodity.
It was a unit of measurement.
The word salarium in Latin is where we get
our word “salary” from.

Okay, so sometimes salt was used as exchange.
So that saying, like, “a man is not worth his salt”
or “she’s worth her salt”—
that’s where it comes from.

Okay, so we’re also a standard of measurement,
if you will, as a Church, as people.
Hopefully people look to us and they’re like,
“Yeah, that’s what it means to be a Christian.
That’s what it means to be a good man or a good woman.”

We kind of—hopefully—set the bar.

And then finally, the fourth purpose of salt is this:
it brings flavor, right?
You put salt on something—
salt your popcorn or whatever it might be—
and that thing is going to taste better.

That’s why Father Scott has a salt lick in his office,
you know. He likes, you know,
that feeling of tasting something good.

So as Christians, as Catholics,
when we have the love of God in our hearts,
again, we bring something very flavorful into the world,
hopefully into one another’s lives.

And again, Saint Paul had that.
May we have it too.
Amen.

So friends, we profess our faith together:

I believe in one God, the Father Almighty,
Maker 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 and for our salvation,
He came down from heaven,
and by 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 accordance with 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 His Kingdom will have 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 has spoken through the Prophets.

I believe in one holy, Catholic, and apostolic Church.
I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins,
and I look forward to the Resurrection of the dead
and the life of the world to come.
Amen.

So we pray now for all the needs
we have in our Church, in our world,
and in the silence of our hearts.

Our response to each prayer will be,
“Lord, hear our prayer.”

For our Church leaders, as they spread the Gospel message,
may those searching for Christ find faith, hope, and light
as they proclaim Christ’s words of everlasting life.
We pray to the Lord.

Lord, hear our prayer.

For those who pray with us
during Sunday Mass at Mercy Home,
may they feel God’s love filling their hearts
and bringing them peace and comfort.
We pray to the Lord.

Lord, hear our prayer.

For the boys and girls of Mercy Home for Boys and Girls,
may they be blessed with wisdom and determination
as they take their exams at school.
We pray to the Lord.

Lord, hear our prayer.

For those who have recently become ill,
and for their caretakers, may they be blessed
with hope and courage.
We pray to the Lord.

Lord, hear our prayer.

Almighty and loving Father, please draw near to us
during this Liturgy and answer now these prayers.
We make them through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

∫ [Piano music] ∫
∫ [Piano music continues] ∫

Pray, brothers and sisters, that my sacrifice and yours
may be acceptable to God, the Almighty Father.

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.

O Lord, our God, who once established
these created things to sustain us in our frailty,
grant, we pray, that they may become for us now
the Sacrament of eternal life.

Through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

The Lord be 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 our salvation,
always and everywhere to give You thanks,
Lord, Holy Father, Almighty and eternal God.

For we know it belongs to Your boundless glory
that You came to the aid of mortal beings
with Your divinity, and even fashioned for us
a remedy out of mortality itself,
that the cause of our downfall
might become the means of our salvation.

Through Christ our Lord.

Through Him the host of Angels adores Your Majesty

And rejoicing in Your presence forever,
may our voices, we pray, join with theirs in one chorus
of exultant praise as 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 indeed Holy, O Lord, the fount of all holiness.

Make holy, therefore, these gifts, we pray,
by sending down Your Spirit upon them
like the dewfall, so that they may become for us
the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.

At the time He was betrayed
and entered willingly into His Passion,
He took bread and, giving thanks,
broke it and 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 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 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 You, Lord, the Bread of life
and the Chalice of salvation,
giving thanks that You have 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 Leo our Pope
and Blas… our Bishop,
and all the clergy.

Remember also our brothers and sisters
who have fallen asleep in the hope of the Resurrection,
and all who have died in Your mercy.
Welcome them into the light of Your face.

Have mercy on us all, we pray,
that with the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God,
Blessed Joseph, her spouse,
with the Blessed Apostles,
and all the Saints who have pleased You throughout the ages,
we may merit to be co-heirs to eternal life,
and may praise and glorify You
through Your Son, Jesus Christ.

Through Him, and with Him, and in Him,
O God, Almighty Father,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
all glory and honor is Yours,
forever and ever.

∫ [Piano music] ∫
∫ Amen, amen, amen. ∫

By the Savior’s command, formed by divine teaching,
we dare to say:

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;
graciously grant peace in our days,
that by the help of Your mercy
we may be always free from sin
and safe from all distress,
as we await the blessed hope
and the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

For the Kingdom, the power, and the glory are Yours
now and forever.

Lord Jesus Christ, who said to Your Apostles,
“Peace I leave you, My peace I give 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 live and reign forever and ever.

Amen.

The peace of the Lord be with you always.

And with your spirit.

Let us offer each other a sign of peace.

Peace with you, my brothers and sisters.

As always, we are grateful for your participation in our Mass,
watching us and supporting Mercy Home.

This basket here has all of the intentions
that you send in and write to us,
so feel free to give us.

Your prayers and your petitions, so we can pray for you.

And on behalf of Father Scott Donahue,
Cardinal Archbishop of Chicago,
and everyone here at Mercy Home,
we offer you our prayers and our blessings this day.

May God’s peace go with you today
and all the days of 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. ∫

Behold the Lamb of God.
Behold Him who takes away the sins of the world.
Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb.

Lord, I am 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,
“There Is a Balm in Gilead.”

∫ [Piano music] ∫

∫ There is a balm in Gilead to make the wounded whole. ∫

∫ There is a balm in Gilead to heal the sin-sick soul. ∫
∫ Sometimes I feel discouraged and think my work’s in vain. ∫
∫ But then the Holy Spirit revives my soul again. ∫
∫ There is a balm in Gilead to make the wounded whole.

∫ There is a balm in Gilead to heal the sin-sick soul. ∫
∫ Don’t ever be discouraged, for Jesus is your friend. ∫
∫ And if you lack for knowledge, He’ll ne’er refuse to lend. ∫
∫ There is a balm in Gilead to make the wounded whole. ∫
∫ There is a balm in Gilead to heal the sin-sick soul. ∫

Friends, I invite you to join me now
in our prayer for the children of Mercy Home.

Our Lady of Mercy, we pray
that You will guide, protect, and bless all boys and girls
who this day have a home called Mercy.

May they find the Father’s mercy
as we offer them our hearts.

In the Name of Your Son, Jesus Christ.

May they seek God’s mercy in action
through our love, prayers, and sacrifices.

Let us pray.

O God, who have willed that we be partakers
in the one Bread and the one Chalice,
grant us, we pray, so to live that, made one in Christ,
we may joyfully bear fruit
for the salvation of the world.

Through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Again, it was good to be with you all.
I hope you have a wonderful rest of your day
and that you are staying warm in these winter months.

We’ll give you a final special blessing.

The Lord be with you.

And with your spirit.

Bow your heads and pray for God’s blessing.

May the God of all consolation order your days in His peace
and grant you the gifts of His blessing.

May He free you always from every distress
and confirm your hearts in His love,
so that on this life’s journey
you may be effective in good works,
rich in the gifts of faith, hope, and charity,
and come happily toward eternal life.

And finally, may He turn your steps toward Himself
and show you the path of charity and peace.
Amen.

And may the peace and blessing of Almighty God,
the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
come down on you all
and remain with you forever.

Amen.

Go in peace.

Thanks be to God.

∫ [Piano music] ∫

∫ Come down, O Love Divine; seek now this soul of mine, ∫
∫ and visit it with Your own ardor glowing. ∫
∫ O Comforter, draw near; within my heart appear, ∫
∫ and kindle it, Your Holy Flame bestowing. ∫
∫ O let it freely burn, till earthly passions turn ∫
∫ to dust and ashes in its heat consuming. ∫
∫ And let Your glorious light shine ever on my sight, ∫
∫ and clothe me round, the while my path is looming. ∫

∫ [Piano music] ∫

Hello, my friends. As you know, as I know,
this TV ministry at Mercy Home is so important.

It allows us to gather, wherever you may be,
to participate in the prayer of the Church.
It allows us to pray for one another,
and how important that is.

It allows you and me to pray for the children
here at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls.
We’re nourished by our presence together
and by the celebration of the Eucharist.

I just want to take this opportunity to thank you
so very much for the ways in which you support
this Mass here at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls.
Please consider doing that going forward as well.

And may God bless you, your family, and your friends
for all you do for the TV Mass at Mercy Home
and for our children.

The music for the broadcast of Sunday Mass at Mercy Home
is generously provided by GIA 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 in Ordinary Time.

My name is Dan Riley.
I’m joined by Tom McNamara and Maudette Carr,
and our celebrant is Father James Wallace.

∫ Lord whose love in humble service ∫
∫ bore the weight of human need, ∫
∫ who upon the Cross forsaken ∫
∫ offered mercy’s perfect deed. ∫
∫ we Your servants bring the worship, ∫
∫ not a voice alone but heart, ∫
∫ consecrating to Your purpose ∫
∫ every gift that You impart. ∫

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

Amen.

The Lord be with you.

And with your spirit.

Morning everyone,
welcome for Mass this Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time.
We hope you are doing well.

We’re delighted that you could join us to celebrate
our Eucharist together to worship God
and to receive grace from this Mass.

So let us prepare ourselves by calling to mind our sins.

You were sent to heal the contrite of heart.
Lord, have mercy.

Lord, have mercy.

You came to call sinners.
Christ, have mercy.

Christ, have mercy.

You were seated at the right hand of the Father
to intercede for us.
Lord, have mercy.

Lord, have mercy.

May Almighty God have mercy on us,
forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life.

Amen.

∫ [Piano music] ∫
∫ Glory to God in the highest ∫
∫ and on earth peace to people of good will. ∫

∫ Glory to God in the highest ∫
∫ and on earth peace to people of good will. ∫

Let us pray.

Keep Your family safe, O Lord, with unfailing care.
They are relying solely on the hope of heavenly grace,
that they may be defended always by Your protection.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son,
who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, forever and ever.

Amen.

A reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah.

Thus says the Lord:
“Share your bread with the hungry.
Shelter the oppressed and the homeless.
Clothe the naked when you see them,
and do not turn your back on your own.

Then your light shall break forth like the dawn,
and your wound shall quickly be healed.
Your vindication shall go before you,
and the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.

Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer;
you shall cry for help, and He will say, ‘Here I am.’

If you remove from your midst oppression,
false accusation, and malicious speech,
if you bestow your bread on the hungry
and satisfy the afflicted,
then light shall rise for you in the darkness.”
And the gloom shall become for you like midday.”

The Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

∫ [Piano music] ∫

∫ The just man is a light in darkness for the upright. ∫
∫ The just man is a light in darkness for the upright. ∫
∫ A light rises in the darkness for the upright. ∫
∫ He is generous, merciful, and just. ∫
∫ It goes well for the man who deals generously ∫
∫ and lends, who conducts his affairs with justice. ∫
∫ The just man is a light in darkness for the upright. ∫

A reading from the First Letter
of Saint Paul to the Corinthians.

When I came to you, brothers and sisters,
proclaiming the mystery of God,
I did not come with sublimity of words or of wisdom.

For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you
except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.

I came to you in weakness and fear and much trembling,
and my message and my proclamation
were not with persuasive words of wisdom,
but with demonstration of Spirit and power,
so that your faith might rest not on human wisdom,
but on the power of God.

The Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

∫ [Piano music] ∫

∫ Alleluia, alleluia. ∫
∫ Alleluia, alleluia. ∫
∫ I am the light of the world, says the Lord. ∫
∫ Whoever follows Me will have the light of life. ∫
∫ Alleluia, alleluia. ∫

The Lord be with you.

And with your spirit.

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew.

Glory to You, O Lord.

Jesus said to His disciples,
“You are the salt of the Earth.
But if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned?
It is no longer good for anything
but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.

You are the light of the world.
A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden,
nor do they light a lamp
and then put it under a bushel basket.
It is set on a lampstand,
where it gives light to all in the house.

Just so, your light must shine before others,
that they may see your good deeds
and glorify your Heavenly Father.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ.

It’s really an incredible thing when Jesus says,
“You’re the salt of the Earth.
You’re the light of the world.”

It’s basically our Lord saying,
“Look, I’m not doing this all on my own.
I’m not here to redeem the world just by myself.
I’m going to use you.
You’re going to be My partners in helping heal
and redeem the world.”

And so the way we help bring goodness into the world,
and beauty and truth and whatnot,
is by being light and by being salt.

We see this on perfect display in Saint Paul.
Saint Paul is such an attractive evangelist.
People loved him.
People followed him; they listened to him.

And what he says in our reading to the Corinthians
is not because he’s eloquent,
or good-looking, or charismatic.
It’s because he’s real.

He’s a man with real salt in his heart,
a man who loves God,
and that love kind of comes forth through him.

So by being himself, by being real salt-of-the-Earth kind of guy,
Paul is attractive.
So that word “salt,” okay, salt is significant.

When Jesus is saying this,
I mean, we say this now today, “salt of the Earth,”
and it’s just sort of a saying of ours.

But for our Lord in ancient times,
you know, salt really had four significant purposes.
Salt was quite valuable.

So the first purpose of salt in the ancient world
was that it was a preservative.
We kind of use this the same way today.
You put salt on some meat; it can keep it over time.

I remember when I was in Italy,
I saw one time a farmer making prosciutto.
He took a bunch of ham and ground it up,
and then he poured, like, a bucket of salt into it.

And then you could see prosciutto hocks
just hanging in restaurants for years
because they’re preserved by the salt.

So when we’re salt, or the Church is the salt of the Earth,
we’re called to preserve.
Preserve goodness.
Preserve truth.
Preserve beauty.

That’s one of the functions that we have.

Okay, the second act of salt, or what salt does, is this:
if it’s a preservative in some cases,
it’s also destructive in other cases.

So too much salt can destroy.
You see this, for instance,
when the Romans defeated Carthage.
They salted the Earth so nothing could ever grow there again.

You salt a garden plot, and you’re not going to see
flowers in that garden anymore.

Okay, so salt—we are called at times to destroy some things.
Not life or anything like that,
but to destroy, maybe, sin within us,
or negative ways of thinking,
or unhealthy images.

So as a Church, we don’t just let everything go.
We are called to cut some things out as disciples.
That’s what salt does.

So it preserves.
It destroys.

Salt was also a commodity.
It was a unit of measurement.
The word salarium in Latin is where we get
our word “salary” from.

Okay, so sometimes salt was used as exchange.
So that saying, like, “a man is not worth his salt”
or “she’s worth her salt”—
that’s where it comes from.

Okay, so we’re also a standard of measurement,
if you will, as a Church, as people.
Hopefully people look to us and they’re like,
“Yeah, that’s what it means to be a Christian.
That’s what it means to be a good man or a good woman.”

We kind of—hopefully—set the bar.

And then finally, the fourth purpose of salt is this:
it brings flavor, right?
You put salt on something—
salt your popcorn or whatever it might be—
and that thing is going to taste better.

That’s why Father Scott has a salt lick in his office,
you know. He likes, you know,
that feeling of tasting something good.

So as Christians, as Catholics,
when we have the love of God in our hearts,
again, we bring something very flavorful into the world,
hopefully into one another’s lives.

And again, Saint Paul had that.
May we have it too.
Amen.

So friends, we profess our faith together:

I believe in one God, the Father Almighty,
Maker 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 and for our salvation,
He came down from heaven,
and by 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 accordance with 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 His Kingdom will have 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 has spoken through the Prophets.

I believe in one holy, Catholic, and apostolic Church.
I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins,
and I look forward to the Resurrection of the dead
and the life of the world to come.
Amen.

So we pray now for all the needs
we have in our Church, in our world,
and in the silence of our hearts.

Our response to each prayer will be,
“Lord, hear our prayer.”

For our Church leaders, as they spread the Gospel message,
may those searching for Christ find faith, hope, and light
as they proclaim Christ’s words of everlasting life.
We pray to the Lord.

Lord, hear our prayer.

For those who pray with us
during Sunday Mass at Mercy Home,
may they feel God’s love filling their hearts
and bringing them peace and comfort.
We pray to the Lord.

Lord, hear our prayer.

For the boys and girls of Mercy Home for Boys and Girls,
may they be blessed with wisdom and determination
as they take their exams at school.
We pray to the Lord.

Lord, hear our prayer.

For those who have recently become ill,
and for their caretakers, may they be blessed
with hope and courage.
We pray to the Lord.

Lord, hear our prayer.

Almighty and loving Father, please draw near to us
during this Liturgy and answer now these prayers.
We make them through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

∫ [Piano music] ∫
∫ [Piano music continues] ∫

Pray, brothers and sisters, that my sacrifice and yours
may be acceptable to God, the Almighty Father.

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.

O Lord, our God, who once established
these created things to sustain us in our frailty,
grant, we pray, that they may become for us now
the Sacrament of eternal life.

Through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

The Lord be 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 our salvation,
always and everywhere to give You thanks,
Lord, Holy Father, Almighty and eternal God.

For we know it belongs to Your boundless glory
that You came to the aid of mortal beings
with Your divinity, and even fashioned for us
a remedy out of mortality itself,
that the cause of our downfall
might become the means of our salvation.

Through Christ our Lord.

Through Him the host of Angels adores Your Majesty

And rejoicing in Your presence forever,
may our voices, we pray, join with theirs in one chorus
of exultant praise as 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 indeed Holy, O Lord, the fount of all holiness.

Make holy, therefore, these gifts, we pray,
by sending down Your Spirit upon them
like the dewfall, so that they may become for us
the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.

At the time He was betrayed
and entered willingly into His Passion,
He took bread and, giving thanks,
broke it and 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 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 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 You, Lord, the Bread of life
and the Chalice of salvation,
giving thanks that You have 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 Leo our Pope
and Blas… our Bishop,
and all the clergy.

Remember also our brothers and sisters
who have fallen asleep in the hope of the Resurrection,
and all who have died in Your mercy.
Welcome them into the light of Your face.

Have mercy on us all, we pray,
that with the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God,
Blessed Joseph, her spouse,
with the Blessed Apostles,
and all the Saints who have pleased You throughout the ages,
we may merit to be co-heirs to eternal life,
and may praise and glorify You
through Your Son, Jesus Christ.

Through Him, and with Him, and in Him,
O God, Almighty Father,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
all glory and honor is Yours,
forever and ever.

∫ [Piano music] ∫
∫ Amen, amen, amen. ∫

By the Savior’s command, formed by divine teaching,
we dare to say:

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;
graciously grant peace in our days,
that by the help of Your mercy
we may be always free from sin
and safe from all distress,
as we await the blessed hope
and the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

For the Kingdom, the power, and the glory are Yours
now and forever.

Lord Jesus Christ, who said to Your Apostles,
“Peace I leave you, My peace I give 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 live and reign forever and ever.

Amen.

The peace of the Lord be with you always.

And with your spirit.

Let us offer each other a sign of peace.

Peace with you, my brothers and sisters.

As always, we are grateful for your participation in our Mass,
watching us and supporting Mercy Home.

This basket here has all of the intentions
that you send in and write to us,
so feel free to give us.

Your prayers and your petitions, so we can pray for you.

And on behalf of Father Scott Donahue,
Cardinal Archbishop of Chicago,
and everyone here at Mercy Home,
we offer you our prayers and our blessings this day.

May God’s peace go with you today
and all the days of 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. ∫

Behold the Lamb of God.
Behold Him who takes away the sins of the world.
Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb.

Lord, I am 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,
“There Is a Balm in Gilead.”

∫ [Piano music] ∫

∫ There is a balm in Gilead to make the wounded whole. ∫

∫ There is a balm in Gilead to heal the sin-sick soul. ∫
∫ Sometimes I feel discouraged and think my work’s in vain. ∫
∫ But then the Holy Spirit revives my soul again. ∫
∫ There is a balm in Gilead to make the wounded whole.

∫ There is a balm in Gilead to heal the sin-sick soul. ∫
∫ Don’t ever be discouraged, for Jesus is your friend. ∫
∫ And if you lack for knowledge, He’ll ne’er refuse to lend. ∫
∫ There is a balm in Gilead to make the wounded whole. ∫
∫ There is a balm in Gilead to heal the sin-sick soul. ∫

Friends, I invite you to join me now
in our prayer for the children of Mercy Home.

Our Lady of Mercy, we pray
that You will guide, protect, and bless all boys and girls
who this day have a home called Mercy.

May they find the Father’s mercy
as we offer them our hearts.

In the Name of Your Son, Jesus Christ.

May they seek God’s mercy in action
through our love, prayers, and sacrifices.

Let us pray.

O God, who have willed that we be partakers
in the one Bread and the one Chalice,
grant us, we pray, so to live that, made one in Christ,
we may joyfully bear fruit
for the salvation of the world.

Through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Again, it was good to be with you all.
I hope you have a wonderful rest of your day
and that you are staying warm in these winter months.

We’ll give you a final special blessing.

The Lord be with you.

And with your spirit.

Bow your heads and pray for God’s blessing.

May the God of all consolation order your days in His peace
and grant you the gifts of His blessing.

May He free you always from every distress
and confirm your hearts in His love,
so that on this life’s journey
you may be effective in good works,
rich in the gifts of faith, hope, and charity,
and come happily toward eternal life.

And finally, may He turn your steps toward Himself
and show you the path of charity and peace.
Amen.

And may the peace and blessing of Almighty God,
the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
come down on you all
and remain with you forever.

Amen.

Go in peace.

Thanks be to God.

∫ [Piano music] ∫

∫ Come down, O Love Divine; seek now this soul of mine, ∫
∫ and visit it with Your own ardor glowing. ∫
∫ O Comforter, draw near; within my heart appear, ∫
∫ and kindle it, Your Holy Flame bestowing. ∫
∫ O let it freely burn, till earthly passions turn ∫
∫ to dust and ashes in its heat consuming. ∫
∫ And let Your glorious light shine ever on my sight, ∫
∫ and clothe me round, the while my path is looming. ∫

∫ [Piano music] ∫

Hello, my friends. As you know, as I know,
this TV ministry at Mercy Home is so important.

It allows us to gather, wherever you may be,
to participate in the prayer of the Church.
It allows us to pray for one another,
and how important that is.

It allows you and me to pray for the children
here at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls.
We’re nourished by our presence together
and by the celebration of the Eucharist.

I just want to take this opportunity to thank you
so very much for the ways in which you support
this Mass here at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls.
Please consider doing that going forward as well.

And may God bless you, your family, and your friends
for all you do for the TV Mass at Mercy Home
and for our children.

The music for the broadcast of Sunday Mass at Mercy Home
is generously provided by GIA Publications, Incorporated,
and its World Library Publications division.

∫ [Piano music] ∫

It’s really an incredible thing when Jesus says,
“You’re the salt of the Earth.
You’re the light of the world.”

It’s basically our Lord saying,
“Look, I’m not doing this all on my own.
I’m not here to redeem the world just by myself.
I’m going to use you.
You’re going to be My partners in helping heal
and redeem the world.”

And so the way we help bring goodness into the world,
and beauty and truth and whatnot,
is by being light and by being salt.

We see this on perfect display in Saint Paul.
Saint Paul is such an attractive evangelist.
People loved him.
People followed him; they listened to him.

And what he says in our reading to the Corinthians
is not because he’s eloquent,
or good-looking, or charismatic.
It’s because he’s real.

He’s a man with real salt in his heart,
a man who loves God,
and that love kind of comes forth through him.

So by being himself, by being real salt-of-the-Earth kind of guy,
Paul is attractive.
So that word “salt,” okay, salt is significant.

When Jesus is saying this,
I mean, we say this now today, “salt of the Earth,”
and it’s just sort of a saying of ours.

But for our Lord in ancient times,
you know, salt really had four significant purposes.
Salt was quite valuable.

So the first purpose of salt in the ancient world
was that it was a preservative.
We kind of use this the same way today.
You put salt on some meat; it can keep it over time.

I remember when I was in Italy,
I saw one time a farmer making prosciutto.
He took a bunch of ham and ground it up,
and then he poured, like, a bucket of salt into it.

And then you could see prosciutto hocks
just hanging in restaurants for years
because they’re preserved by the salt.

So when we’re salt, or the Church is the salt of the Earth,
we’re called to preserve.
Preserve goodness.
Preserve truth.
Preserve beauty.

That’s one of the functions that we have.

Okay, the second act of salt, or what salt does, is this:
if it’s a preservative in some cases,
it’s also destructive in other cases.

So too much salt can destroy.
You see this, for instance,
when the Romans defeated Carthage.
They salted the Earth so nothing could ever grow there again.

You salt a garden plot, and you’re not going to see
flowers in that garden anymore.

Okay, so salt—we are called at times to destroy some things.
Not life or anything like that,
but to destroy, maybe, sin within us,
or negative ways of thinking,
or unhealthy images.

So as a Church, we don’t just let everything go.
We are called to cut some things out as disciples.
That’s what salt does.

So it preserves.
It destroys.

Salt was also a commodity.
It was a unit of measurement.
The word salarium in Latin is where we get
our word “salary” from.

Okay, so sometimes salt was used as exchange.
So that saying, like, “a man is not worth his salt”
or “she’s worth her salt”—
that’s where it comes from.

Okay, so we’re also a standard of measurement,
if you will, as a Church, as people.
Hopefully people look to us and they’re like,
“Yeah, that’s what it means to be a Christian.
That’s what it means to be a good man or a good woman.”

We kind of—hopefully—set the bar.

And then finally, the fourth purpose of salt is this:
it brings flavor, right?
You put salt on something—
salt your popcorn or whatever it might be—
and that thing is going to taste better.

That’s why Father Scott has a salt lick in his office,
you know. He likes, you know,
that feeling of tasting something good.

So as Christians, as Catholics,
when we have the love of God in our hearts,
again, we bring something very flavorful into the world,
hopefully into one another’s lives.

And again, Saint Paul had that.
May we have it too.
Amen.