∫ [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 Fourth Sunday of Lent.

My name is Dan Riley.
I am joined by Tom McNamara and Morgan Kuhn
And our celebrant is Father Scott Donahue,
President of Mercy Home for Boys and Girls.

∫ Come to us, Creative Spirit; in our Father’s house ∫
∫ every human talent hallow, hidden skills arouse ∫
∫ that, within your earthly temple, ∫
∫ wise and simple may rejoice. ∫

Together now, we journey deeper
Into this very holy season of Lent.
As we offer our prayer 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, every time we gather we just pause for a moment.
We do acknowledge our faults and failings.
We acknowledge our dependency upon God
And all things in this life.
God’s love and God’s mercy and certainly God’s forgiveness.

Lord Jesus, during this holy season,
We ask that you might deepen our faith.

Lord have mercy.
-Lord have mercy.

We ask that you might strengthen our sense of hope
In one another and in this world of ours.

Christ have mercy.
-Christ have mercy.

We ask that you teach us to love as you have loved us.

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.

O God who through your Word reconciles the human race
To yourself in a wonderful way.

Grant we pray, that with this prompt devotion
And with eager faith the Christian people
May hasten towards the solemn celebration yet to come.

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 First Book of Samuel.

The Lord said to Samuel, “Fill your horn with oil
“And be on your way.
“I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem
“For I have chosen my king among his sons.”

As Jesse and his sons came to the sacrifice,
Samuel looked at Eliab and thought,
“Surely the Lord’s anointed is here before him.”

But the Lord said to Samuel,
“Do not judge from his appearance
“Or from his lofty stature because I have rejected him.
“Not as man sees does God see,
“Because man sees the appearance
“But the Lord looks into the heart.”

In the same way, Jesse presented seven sons before Samuel,
But Samuel said to Jesse,
“The Lord has not chosen any one of these.”

Then Samuel asked Jesse,
“Are these all the sons you have?”

Jesse replied, “There is still the youngest
“Who is tending the sheep.”

Samuel said to Jesse, “Send for him.
“We will not begin the sacrificial banquet
“Until he arrives here.”

Jesse sent and had the young man brought to them.
He was ruddy, a youth handsome to behold
And making a splendid appearance.

The Lord said, “There—anoint him, for this is the one!”

Then Samuel, with the horn of oil in hand,
Anointed David in the presence of his brothers;
And from that day on, the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon David.

The Word of the Lord.
-Thanks be to God.

∫ [Piano music] ∫

∫ The Lord is my shepherd; ∫
∫ there is nothing I shall want. ∫

∫ The Lord is my shepherd; ∫
∫ there is nothing I shall want. ∫

∫ The Lord is my shepherd; ∫
∫ there is nothing I shall want. ∫

∫ fresh and green are the pastures ∫
∫ where he gives me repose. ∫

∫ near restful waters he leads me. ∫
∫ he revives my soul. ∫

∫ The Lord is my shepherd; ∫
∫ there is nothing I shall want. ∫

A reading from the Letter of Saint Paul to the Ephesians.

Brothers and sisters: you were once darkness,
But now you are the light in the Lord.

Live as the children of the light,
For light produces every kind of goodness
And righteousness and truth.

Try to learn what is pleasing to the Lord.

Take no part in the fruitless work of darkness;
Rather expose them, for it is shameful

To even mention all the things done by them in secret;
But everything exposed by the light becomes visible,
For everything that becomes visible is light.

Therefore it says, “Awake, O sleeper
“And arise from the dead,
“And the Christ will give you light.”

The Word of the Lord.
-Thanks be to God.

∫ [Piano music] ∫

∫ Glory and praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ. ∫
∫ Glory and praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ. ∫

∫ I am the light of the world says the Lord; ∫
∫ whoever follows me will have the light of life. ∫

∫ Glory and praise to you, 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 Saint John.

-Glory to you, O Lord.

As Jesus passed by he saw a man blind from birth.
He spat on the ground and made clay with his saliva
And smeared the clay on his eyes.

And he said to him, “Go wash in the Pool of Siloam.”
—which means Sent.—

So he went and washed and he came back able to see.

His neighbors and those who had seen him
Earlier as a beggar said,

“Isn’t this the one who used to sit and beg?”

Some said, “It is.”
But others said, “No, it just looks like him.”

He said, “I am.”

They brought the one
Who was once blind to the Pharisees.

Now Jesus had made clay
And opened his eyes on the Sabbath.

So then the Pharisees also asked how he was able to see.

He said to them,
“He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and now I see.”

So some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God,
“Because he does not keep the Sabbath.”

But others said, “How can a sinful man do such signs?”

And there was a division among them.

And so they said to the blind man again,
“What do you have to say about all of this
“Since he opened your eyes?”

He said, “He is a prophet.”

They answered and they said to him,
“You were born totally in sin and you are trying to teach us.”

Then they threw him out.

When Jesus heard that they had thrown him out,
He found him and said to him,
“Do you believe in the Son of Man?”

He answered and said,
“Who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?”

Jesus said to him, “You have seen him.
“The one who is speaking with you is he.”

He said, “I do believe, Lord.” And then he worshiped him.

The Gospel of the Lord.
-Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

So we are now in that fourth week of the Lenten season.
It’s better than halfway over.

It’s a time in which the Church invites us
To pray and to fast and to do acts of kindness.

To pray—which is an inward relationship.
To fast—which is also an inward relationship
With ourselves and with our bodies.

And then to do acts of kindness.
To go out of ourselves and to enhance and make better
The world in which we live.

Prayer and fasting and acts of kindness
Are the pillars of the Lenten season.

So as reading this Gospel passage,
I couldn’t help—this little tune kept coming in my mind.

Now, you all know Father James Wallace.
He now is singing at our TV Masses.

I don’t have that talent, but I’ll hum a little bit.
One of my favorite ditties.

∫ Day by day. ∫
∫ Oh day by day. ∫
∫ O dear Lord, there are three things that I pray. ∫
∫ To see thee more clearly. ∫
∫ To love thee more dearly. ∫
∫ To follow thee more nearly. ∫
∫ Day by day by day. ∫

Now that’s my best singing rendition.
And all of you are familiar with that little ditty I just said.

It comes from Godspell.
The desire to draw closer to the Lord,
Day by day by day in our own lives.

In the Gospel today—it’s a complicated Gospel.
We see the very best in humanity
And we see the very worst of humanity.

Here is a man who was born blind,
Through no fault of his own.

There was part of the tradition that said,
If someone was born blind or with a deficiency in life,
That they must have been a great sinner
Or the parents were a great sinner.
Someone in the family was a great sinner.

How absurd.
How ridiculous.

Here’s a man who was born blind.

And Jesus, out of compassion—the word compassion means
To journey with those who struggle with life—
Sees him and goes and heals him that he might see.

Not just see in a physical way the world around him,
But to see in a spiritual way that God loves him dearly,
And wants him to participate in the fullness of life.

This wonderful gift of sight that physically
Allows him to see, but also the gift of faith
That draws him into a deeper
And more loving relationship with God.

The God of love and the God of compassion.

∫ Day by day, day by day, ∫
∫ dear Lord, three things I pray. ∫
∫ to see thee more clearly, to love thee more dearly, ∫
∫ to follow thee more nearly, day by day by day. ∫

What a wonderful little tune or a little ditty, as I would say.
What a wonderful prayer for us,
Particularly during this holy season of Lent.

Let us take this opportunity as we place before our Lord
The prayers, the dreams, the hopes.

That we have for one another and for this world in which we live.

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

For the members of the clergy who minister
Throughout the world,
May Christ’s light be seen in their good works.

We pray to the Lord.
-Lord, hear our prayer.

For those preparing to receive the Sacraments,
May they be fully open to God’s grace and love.

We pray to the Lord.
-Lord, hear our prayer.

For the children of Mercy Home for Boys and Girls,
May they find the healing needed in their lives.

We pray to the Lord.
-Lord, hear our prayer.

For the poor, homeless, lonely and oppressed,
Lord, give us the courage and compassion to see them all
As your beloved children.

We pray to the Lord.
-Lord, hear our prayer.

Gracious and loving God, we trust, we know
That you hear all of our prayers.
The prayers we pray out loud,
The prayers that we hold in the silence of our hearts.

Give us the grace and the strength,
The wisdom and the courage to be your disciples
In this world of ours, making our prayer
Through Christ our Lord.

-Amen.

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

[Priest prays quietly]

Pray, my friends, my sisters and 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.

We place before you with joy these offerings,
Which bring eternal remedies, O Lord,
Praying that we may both faithfully revere them
And present them to you as a fitting gift
For the salvation of all the world.

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,
Through Christ our Lord.

By the mystery of the Incarnation,
He has led the human race that walked in darkness
Into the radiance of the faith,
And has brought those born in slavery to ancient sin
Through the waters of regeneration
To make them your adopted children.

Therefore, all creatures of Heaven and of the earth
Sing a new song in adoration,

And we, with one host of Angels, cry out
And without end 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 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 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 Leo, our Pope, Blase, 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 who have pleased you
Throughout the ages,
That we may merit to be coheirs to eternal life,
And may praise and give you glory,
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. ∫

Together now let us pray for the coming of God’s Kingdom,
In the words that Jesus taught us 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 day,
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.

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.

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

-And with your spirit.

Share now the Lord’s peace.

And for those of you who are at home
Celebrating this Eucharist with us
Here at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls,
I pray, we pray, that you receive
God’s choicest blessings
And the peace of Christ in your lives.

∫ [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. ∫

Again, my friends, behold Jesus,
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 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,
“The Steadfast Love of the Lord.”

∫ O God of all the broken, ∫
∫ look and see: your children die; ∫
∫ they are grieving, lost, forsaken. ∫
∫ do you hear them when they cry? ∫

∫ yet, even now, we remember, ∫
∫ and we hope, still we hope: ∫

∫ for the steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, ∫
∫ God’s mercies never come to an end. ∫

∫ they are new every morning, new every morning. ∫

∫ how great is your faithfulness, ∫
∫ great is your faithfulness, O God! ∫

And my friends, let us give thanks to God.

O God, who enlightens everyone who comes into this world,
Illuminate our hearts, we pray,
With the splendor of your grace,
That we may always ponder what is worthy
And pleasing to your majesty,
To love you with all sincerity through Christ our Lord.

-Amen.

I invite you now to turn to page six
Of the TV Mass Guide and pray with me the prayer
That we have here for the children at 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, prayer, and sacrifices.

I want to thank you all for joining us,
For celebrating this Eucharist.

Thank you for praying for our mission
Here at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls.

Thank you for praying for the young people
Entrusted to our care.

Please be assured of my prayer for all of you.

As I say these most important words…

The Lord is with you.
-And with your spirit.

May Almighty God bless us all;
The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

-Amen.

Our Mass has ended.
Go in peace.

-Thanks be to God.

∫ [Piano music] ∫

∫ Praise the one who breaks the darkness, ∫
∫ with a liberating light. ∫

∫ Praise the one who frees the prisoners, ∫
∫ turning blindness into sight. ∫

∫ Praise the one who preached the Gospel, ∫
∫ healing every dread disease. ∫

∫ calming storms… ∫

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 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 Fourth Sunday of Lent.

My name is Dan Riley.
I am joined by Tom McNamara and Morgan Kuhn
And our celebrant is Father Scott Donahue,
President of Mercy Home for Boys and Girls.

∫ Come to us, Creative Spirit; in our Father’s house ∫
∫ every human talent hallow, hidden skills arouse ∫
∫ that, within your earthly temple, ∫
∫ wise and simple may rejoice. ∫

Together now, we journey deeper
Into this very holy season of Lent.
As we offer our prayer 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, every time we gather we just pause for a moment.
We do acknowledge our faults and failings.
We acknowledge our dependency upon God
And all things in this life.
God’s love and God’s mercy and certainly God’s forgiveness.

Lord Jesus, during this holy season,
We ask that you might deepen our faith.

Lord have mercy.
-Lord have mercy.

We ask that you might strengthen our sense of hope
In one another and in this world of ours.

Christ have mercy.
-Christ have mercy.

We ask that you teach us to love as you have loved us.

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.

O God who through your Word reconciles the human race
To yourself in a wonderful way.

Grant we pray, that with this prompt devotion
And with eager faith the Christian people
May hasten towards the solemn celebration yet to come.

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 First Book of Samuel.

The Lord said to Samuel, “Fill your horn with oil
“And be on your way.
“I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem
“For I have chosen my king among his sons.”

As Jesse and his sons came to the sacrifice,
Samuel looked at Eliab and thought,
“Surely the Lord’s anointed is here before him.”

But the Lord said to Samuel,
“Do not judge from his appearance
“Or from his lofty stature because I have rejected him.
“Not as man sees does God see,
“Because man sees the appearance
“But the Lord looks into the heart.”

In the same way, Jesse presented seven sons before Samuel,
But Samuel said to Jesse,
“The Lord has not chosen any one of these.”

Then Samuel asked Jesse,
“Are these all the sons you have?”

Jesse replied, “There is still the youngest
“Who is tending the sheep.”

Samuel said to Jesse, “Send for him.
“We will not begin the sacrificial banquet
“Until he arrives here.”

Jesse sent and had the young man brought to them.
He was ruddy, a youth handsome to behold
And making a splendid appearance.

The Lord said, “There—anoint him, for this is the one!”

Then Samuel, with the horn of oil in hand,
Anointed David in the presence of his brothers;
And from that day on, the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon David.

The Word of the Lord.
-Thanks be to God.

∫ [Piano music] ∫

∫ The Lord is my shepherd; ∫
∫ there is nothing I shall want. ∫

∫ The Lord is my shepherd; ∫
∫ there is nothing I shall want. ∫

∫ The Lord is my shepherd; ∫
∫ there is nothing I shall want. ∫

∫ fresh and green are the pastures ∫
∫ where he gives me repose. ∫

∫ near restful waters he leads me. ∫
∫ he revives my soul. ∫

∫ The Lord is my shepherd; ∫
∫ there is nothing I shall want. ∫

A reading from the Letter of Saint Paul to the Ephesians.

Brothers and sisters: you were once darkness,
But now you are the light in the Lord.

Live as the children of the light,
For light produces every kind of goodness
And righteousness and truth.

Try to learn what is pleasing to the Lord.

Take no part in the fruitless work of darkness;
Rather expose them, for it is shameful

To even mention all the things done by them in secret;
But everything exposed by the light becomes visible,
For everything that becomes visible is light.

Therefore it says, “Awake, O sleeper
“And arise from the dead,
“And the Christ will give you light.”

The Word of the Lord.
-Thanks be to God.

∫ [Piano music] ∫

∫ Glory and praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ. ∫
∫ Glory and praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ. ∫

∫ I am the light of the world says the Lord; ∫
∫ whoever follows me will have the light of life. ∫

∫ Glory and praise to you, 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 Saint John.

-Glory to you, O Lord.

As Jesus passed by he saw a man blind from birth.
He spat on the ground and made clay with his saliva
And smeared the clay on his eyes.

And he said to him, “Go wash in the Pool of Siloam.”
—which means Sent.—

So he went and washed and he came back able to see.

His neighbors and those who had seen him
Earlier as a beggar said,

“Isn’t this the one who used to sit and beg?”

Some said, “It is.”
But others said, “No, it just looks like him.”

He said, “I am.”

They brought the one
Who was once blind to the Pharisees.

Now Jesus had made clay
And opened his eyes on the Sabbath.

So then the Pharisees also asked how he was able to see.

He said to them,
“He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and now I see.”

So some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God,
“Because he does not keep the Sabbath.”

But others said, “How can a sinful man do such signs?”

And there was a division among them.

And so they said to the blind man again,
“What do you have to say about all of this
“Since he opened your eyes?”

He said, “He is a prophet.”

They answered and they said to him,
“You were born totally in sin and you are trying to teach us.”

Then they threw him out.

When Jesus heard that they had thrown him out,
He found him and said to him,
“Do you believe in the Son of Man?”

He answered and said,
“Who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?”

Jesus said to him, “You have seen him.
“The one who is speaking with you is he.”

He said, “I do believe, Lord.” And then he worshiped him.

The Gospel of the Lord.
-Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

So we are now in that fourth week of the Lenten season.
It’s better than halfway over.

It’s a time in which the Church invites us
To pray and to fast and to do acts of kindness.

To pray—which is an inward relationship.
To fast—which is also an inward relationship
With ourselves and with our bodies.

And then to do acts of kindness.
To go out of ourselves and to enhance and make better
The world in which we live.

Prayer and fasting and acts of kindness
Are the pillars of the Lenten season.

So as reading this Gospel passage,
I couldn’t help—this little tune kept coming in my mind.

Now, you all know Father James Wallace.
He now is singing at our TV Masses.

I don’t have that talent, but I’ll hum a little bit.
One of my favorite ditties.

∫ Day by day. ∫
∫ Oh day by day. ∫
∫ O dear Lord, there are three things that I pray. ∫
∫ To see thee more clearly. ∫
∫ To love thee more dearly. ∫
∫ To follow thee more nearly. ∫
∫ Day by day by day. ∫

Now that’s my best singing rendition.
And all of you are familiar with that little ditty I just said.

It comes from Godspell.
The desire to draw closer to the Lord,
Day by day by day in our own lives.

In the Gospel today—it’s a complicated Gospel.
We see the very best in humanity
And we see the very worst of humanity.

Here is a man who was born blind,
Through no fault of his own.

There was part of the tradition that said,
If someone was born blind or with a deficiency in life,
That they must have been a great sinner
Or the parents were a great sinner.
Someone in the family was a great sinner.

How absurd.
How ridiculous.

Here’s a man who was born blind.

And Jesus, out of compassion—the word compassion means
To journey with those who struggle with life—
Sees him and goes and heals him that he might see.

Not just see in a physical way the world around him,
But to see in a spiritual way that God loves him dearly,
And wants him to participate in the fullness of life.

This wonderful gift of sight that physically
Allows him to see, but also the gift of faith
That draws him into a deeper
And more loving relationship with God.

The God of love and the God of compassion.

∫ Day by day, day by day, ∫
∫ dear Lord, three things I pray. ∫
∫ to see thee more clearly, to love thee more dearly, ∫
∫ to follow thee more nearly, day by day by day. ∫

What a wonderful little tune or a little ditty, as I would say.
What a wonderful prayer for us,
Particularly during this holy season of Lent.

Let us take this opportunity as we place before our Lord
The prayers, the dreams, the hopes.

That we have for one another and for this world in which we live.

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

For the members of the clergy who minister
Throughout the world,
May Christ’s light be seen in their good works.

We pray to the Lord.
-Lord, hear our prayer.

For those preparing to receive the Sacraments,
May they be fully open to God’s grace and love.

We pray to the Lord.
-Lord, hear our prayer.

For the children of Mercy Home for Boys and Girls,
May they find the healing needed in their lives.

We pray to the Lord.
-Lord, hear our prayer.

For the poor, homeless, lonely and oppressed,
Lord, give us the courage and compassion to see them all
As your beloved children.

We pray to the Lord.
-Lord, hear our prayer.

Gracious and loving God, we trust, we know
That you hear all of our prayers.
The prayers we pray out loud,
The prayers that we hold in the silence of our hearts.

Give us the grace and the strength,
The wisdom and the courage to be your disciples
In this world of ours, making our prayer
Through Christ our Lord.

-Amen.

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

[Priest prays quietly]

Pray, my friends, my sisters and 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.

We place before you with joy these offerings,
Which bring eternal remedies, O Lord,
Praying that we may both faithfully revere them
And present them to you as a fitting gift
For the salvation of all the world.

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,
Through Christ our Lord.

By the mystery of the Incarnation,
He has led the human race that walked in darkness
Into the radiance of the faith,
And has brought those born in slavery to ancient sin
Through the waters of regeneration
To make them your adopted children.

Therefore, all creatures of Heaven and of the earth
Sing a new song in adoration,

And we, with one host of Angels, cry out
And without end 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 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 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 Leo, our Pope, Blase, 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 who have pleased you
Throughout the ages,
That we may merit to be coheirs to eternal life,
And may praise and give you glory,
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. ∫

Together now let us pray for the coming of God’s Kingdom,
In the words that Jesus taught us 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 day,
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.

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.

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

-And with your spirit.

Share now the Lord’s peace.

And for those of you who are at home
Celebrating this Eucharist with us
Here at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls,
I pray, we pray, that you receive
God’s choicest blessings
And the peace of Christ in your lives.

∫ [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. ∫

Again, my friends, behold Jesus,
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 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,
“The Steadfast Love of the Lord.”

∫ O God of all the broken, ∫
∫ look and see: your children die; ∫
∫ they are grieving, lost, forsaken. ∫
∫ do you hear them when they cry? ∫

∫ yet, even now, we remember, ∫
∫ and we hope, still we hope: ∫

∫ for the steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, ∫
∫ God’s mercies never come to an end. ∫

∫ they are new every morning, new every morning. ∫

∫ how great is your faithfulness, ∫
∫ great is your faithfulness, O God! ∫

And my friends, let us give thanks to God.

O God, who enlightens everyone who comes into this world,
Illuminate our hearts, we pray,
With the splendor of your grace,
That we may always ponder what is worthy
And pleasing to your majesty,
To love you with all sincerity through Christ our Lord.

-Amen.

I invite you now to turn to page six
Of the TV Mass Guide and pray with me the prayer
That we have here for the children at 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, prayer, and sacrifices.

I want to thank you all for joining us,
For celebrating this Eucharist.

Thank you for praying for our mission
Here at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls.

Thank you for praying for the young people
Entrusted to our care.

Please be assured of my prayer for all of you.

As I say these most important words…

The Lord is with you.
-And with your spirit.

May Almighty God bless us all;
The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

-Amen.

Our Mass has ended.
Go in peace.

-Thanks be to God.

∫ [Piano music] ∫

∫ Praise the one who breaks the darkness, ∫
∫ with a liberating light. ∫

∫ Praise the one who frees the prisoners, ∫
∫ turning blindness into sight. ∫

∫ Praise the one who preached the Gospel, ∫
∫ healing every dread disease. ∫

∫ calming storms… ∫

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 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 Fourth Sunday of Lent.

My name is Dan Riley.
I am joined by Tom McNamara and Morgan Kuhn
And our celebrant is Father Scott Donahue,
President of Mercy Home for Boys and Girls.

∫ Come to us, Creative Spirit; in our Father’s house ∫
∫ every human talent hallow, hidden skills arouse ∫
∫ that, within your earthly temple, ∫
∫ wise and simple may rejoice. ∫

Together now, we journey deeper
Into this very holy season of Lent.
As we offer our prayer 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, every time we gather we just pause for a moment.
We do acknowledge our faults and failings.
We acknowledge our dependency upon God
And all things in this life.
God’s love and God’s mercy and certainly God’s forgiveness.

Lord Jesus, during this holy season,
We ask that you might deepen our faith.

Lord have mercy.
-Lord have mercy.

We ask that you might strengthen our sense of hope
In one another and in this world of ours.

Christ have mercy.
-Christ have mercy.

We ask that you teach us to love as you have loved us.

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.

O God who through your Word reconciles the human race
To yourself in a wonderful way.

Grant we pray, that with this prompt devotion
And with eager faith the Christian people
May hasten towards the solemn celebration yet to come.

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 First Book of Samuel.

The Lord said to Samuel, “Fill your horn with oil
“And be on your way.
“I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem
“For I have chosen my king among his sons.”

As Jesse and his sons came to the sacrifice,
Samuel looked at Eliab and thought,
“Surely the Lord’s anointed is here before him.”

But the Lord said to Samuel,
“Do not judge from his appearance
“Or from his lofty stature because I have rejected him.
“Not as man sees does God see,
“Because man sees the appearance
“But the Lord looks into the heart.”

In the same way, Jesse presented seven sons before Samuel,
But Samuel said to Jesse,
“The Lord has not chosen any one of these.”

Then Samuel asked Jesse,
“Are these all the sons you have?”

Jesse replied, “There is still the youngest
“Who is tending the sheep.”

Samuel said to Jesse, “Send for him.
“We will not begin the sacrificial banquet
“Until he arrives here.”

Jesse sent and had the young man brought to them.
He was ruddy, a youth handsome to behold
And making a splendid appearance.

The Lord said, “There—anoint him, for this is the one!”

Then Samuel, with the horn of oil in hand,
Anointed David in the presence of his brothers;
And from that day on, the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon David.

The Word of the Lord.
-Thanks be to God.

∫ [Piano music] ∫

∫ The Lord is my shepherd; ∫
∫ there is nothing I shall want. ∫

∫ The Lord is my shepherd; ∫
∫ there is nothing I shall want. ∫

∫ The Lord is my shepherd; ∫
∫ there is nothing I shall want. ∫

∫ fresh and green are the pastures ∫
∫ where he gives me repose. ∫

∫ near restful waters he leads me. ∫
∫ he revives my soul. ∫

∫ The Lord is my shepherd; ∫
∫ there is nothing I shall want. ∫

A reading from the Letter of Saint Paul to the Ephesians.

Brothers and sisters: you were once darkness,
But now you are the light in the Lord.

Live as the children of the light,
For light produces every kind of goodness
And righteousness and truth.

Try to learn what is pleasing to the Lord.

Take no part in the fruitless work of darkness;
Rather expose them, for it is shameful

To even mention all the things done by them in secret;
But everything exposed by the light becomes visible,
For everything that becomes visible is light.

Therefore it says, “Awake, O sleeper
“And arise from the dead,
“And the Christ will give you light.”

The Word of the Lord.
-Thanks be to God.

∫ [Piano music] ∫

∫ Glory and praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ. ∫
∫ Glory and praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ. ∫

∫ I am the light of the world says the Lord; ∫
∫ whoever follows me will have the light of life. ∫

∫ Glory and praise to you, 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 Saint John.

-Glory to you, O Lord.

As Jesus passed by he saw a man blind from birth.
He spat on the ground and made clay with his saliva
And smeared the clay on his eyes.

And he said to him, “Go wash in the Pool of Siloam.”
—which means Sent.—

So he went and washed and he came back able to see.

His neighbors and those who had seen him
Earlier as a beggar said,

“Isn’t this the one who used to sit and beg?”

Some said, “It is.”
But others said, “No, it just looks like him.”

He said, “I am.”

They brought the one
Who was once blind to the Pharisees.

Now Jesus had made clay
And opened his eyes on the Sabbath.

So then the Pharisees also asked how he was able to see.

He said to them,
“He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and now I see.”

So some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God,
“Because he does not keep the Sabbath.”

But others said, “How can a sinful man do such signs?”

And there was a division among them.

And so they said to the blind man again,
“What do you have to say about all of this
“Since he opened your eyes?”

He said, “He is a prophet.”

They answered and they said to him,
“You were born totally in sin and you are trying to teach us.”

Then they threw him out.

When Jesus heard that they had thrown him out,
He found him and said to him,
“Do you believe in the Son of Man?”

He answered and said,
“Who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?”

Jesus said to him, “You have seen him.
“The one who is speaking with you is he.”

He said, “I do believe, Lord.” And then he worshiped him.

The Gospel of the Lord.
-Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

So we are now in that fourth week of the Lenten season.
It’s better than halfway over.

It’s a time in which the Church invites us
To pray and to fast and to do acts of kindness.

To pray—which is an inward relationship.
To fast—which is also an inward relationship
With ourselves and with our bodies.

And then to do acts of kindness.
To go out of ourselves and to enhance and make better
The world in which we live.

Prayer and fasting and acts of kindness
Are the pillars of the Lenten season.

So as reading this Gospel passage,
I couldn’t help—this little tune kept coming in my mind.

Now, you all know Father James Wallace.
He now is singing at our TV Masses.

I don’t have that talent, but I’ll hum a little bit.
One of my favorite ditties.

∫ Day by day. ∫
∫ Oh day by day. ∫
∫ O dear Lord, there are three things that I pray. ∫
∫ To see thee more clearly. ∫
∫ To love thee more dearly. ∫
∫ To follow thee more nearly. ∫
∫ Day by day by day. ∫

Now that’s my best singing rendition.
And all of you are familiar with that little ditty I just said.

It comes from Godspell.
The desire to draw closer to the Lord,
Day by day by day in our own lives.

In the Gospel today—it’s a complicated Gospel.
We see the very best in humanity
And we see the very worst of humanity.

Here is a man who was born blind,
Through no fault of his own.

There was part of the tradition that said,
If someone was born blind or with a deficiency in life,
That they must have been a great sinner
Or the parents were a great sinner.
Someone in the family was a great sinner.

How absurd.
How ridiculous.

Here’s a man who was born blind.

And Jesus, out of compassion—the word compassion means
To journey with those who struggle with life—
Sees him and goes and heals him that he might see.

Not just see in a physical way the world around him,
But to see in a spiritual way that God loves him dearly,
And wants him to participate in the fullness of life.

This wonderful gift of sight that physically
Allows him to see, but also the gift of faith
That draws him into a deeper
And more loving relationship with God.

The God of love and the God of compassion.

∫ Day by day, day by day, ∫
∫ dear Lord, three things I pray. ∫
∫ to see thee more clearly, to love thee more dearly, ∫
∫ to follow thee more nearly, day by day by day. ∫

What a wonderful little tune or a little ditty, as I would say.
What a wonderful prayer for us,
Particularly during this holy season of Lent.

Let us take this opportunity as we place before our Lord
The prayers, the dreams, the hopes.

That we have for one another and for this world in which we live.

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

For the members of the clergy who minister
Throughout the world,
May Christ’s light be seen in their good works.

We pray to the Lord.
-Lord, hear our prayer.

For those preparing to receive the Sacraments,
May they be fully open to God’s grace and love.

We pray to the Lord.
-Lord, hear our prayer.

For the children of Mercy Home for Boys and Girls,
May they find the healing needed in their lives.

We pray to the Lord.
-Lord, hear our prayer.

For the poor, homeless, lonely and oppressed,
Lord, give us the courage and compassion to see them all
As your beloved children.

We pray to the Lord.
-Lord, hear our prayer.

Gracious and loving God, we trust, we know
That you hear all of our prayers.
The prayers we pray out loud,
The prayers that we hold in the silence of our hearts.

Give us the grace and the strength,
The wisdom and the courage to be your disciples
In this world of ours, making our prayer
Through Christ our Lord.

-Amen.

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

[Priest prays quietly]

Pray, my friends, my sisters and 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.

We place before you with joy these offerings,
Which bring eternal remedies, O Lord,
Praying that we may both faithfully revere them
And present them to you as a fitting gift
For the salvation of all the world.

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,
Through Christ our Lord.

By the mystery of the Incarnation,
He has led the human race that walked in darkness
Into the radiance of the faith,
And has brought those born in slavery to ancient sin
Through the waters of regeneration
To make them your adopted children.

Therefore, all creatures of Heaven and of the earth
Sing a new song in adoration,

And we, with one host of Angels, cry out
And without end 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 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 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 Leo, our Pope, Blase, 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 who have pleased you
Throughout the ages,
That we may merit to be coheirs to eternal life,
And may praise and give you glory,
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. ∫

Together now let us pray for the coming of God’s Kingdom,
In the words that Jesus taught us 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 day,
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.

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.

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

-And with your spirit.

Share now the Lord’s peace.

And for those of you who are at home
Celebrating this Eucharist with us
Here at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls,
I pray, we pray, that you receive
God’s choicest blessings
And the peace of Christ in your lives.

∫ [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. ∫

Again, my friends, behold Jesus,
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 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,
“The Steadfast Love of the Lord.”

∫ O God of all the broken, ∫
∫ look and see: your children die; ∫
∫ they are grieving, lost, forsaken. ∫
∫ do you hear them when they cry? ∫

∫ yet, even now, we remember, ∫
∫ and we hope, still we hope: ∫

∫ for the steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, ∫
∫ God’s mercies never come to an end. ∫

∫ they are new every morning, new every morning. ∫

∫ how great is your faithfulness, ∫
∫ great is your faithfulness, O God! ∫

And my friends, let us give thanks to God.

O God, who enlightens everyone who comes into this world,
Illuminate our hearts, we pray,
With the splendor of your grace,
That we may always ponder what is worthy
And pleasing to your majesty,
To love you with all sincerity through Christ our Lord.

-Amen.

I invite you now to turn to page six
Of the TV Mass Guide and pray with me the prayer
That we have here for the children at 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, prayer, and sacrifices.

I want to thank you all for joining us,
For celebrating this Eucharist.

Thank you for praying for our mission
Here at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls.

Thank you for praying for the young people
Entrusted to our care.

Please be assured of my prayer for all of you.

As I say these most important words…

The Lord is with you.
-And with your spirit.

May Almighty God bless us all;
The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

-Amen.

Our Mass has ended.
Go in peace.

-Thanks be to God.

∫ [Piano music] ∫

∫ Praise the one who breaks the darkness, ∫
∫ with a liberating light. ∫

∫ Praise the one who frees the prisoners, ∫
∫ turning blindness into sight. ∫

∫ Praise the one who preached the Gospel, ∫
∫ healing every dread disease. ∫

∫ calming storms… ∫

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 GIA Publications Incorporated
And its World Library Publications division.

∫ [Piano music] ∫

So we are now in that fourth week of the Lenten season.
It’s better than halfway over.

It’s a time in which the Church invites us
To pray and to fast and to do acts of kindness.

To pray—which is an inward relationship.
To fast—which is also an inward relationship
With ourselves and with our bodies.

And then to do acts of kindness.
To go out of ourselves and to enhance and make better
The world in which we live.

Prayer and fasting and acts of kindness
Are the pillars of the Lenten season.

So as reading this Gospel passage,
I couldn’t help—this little tune kept coming in my mind.

Now, you all know Father James Wallace.
He now is singing at our TV Masses.

I don’t have that talent, but I’ll hum a little bit.
One of my favorite ditties.

∫ Day by day. ∫
∫ Oh day by day. ∫
∫ O dear Lord, there are three things that I pray. ∫
∫ To see thee more clearly. ∫
∫ To love thee more dearly. ∫
∫ To follow thee more nearly. ∫
∫ Day by day by day. ∫

Now that’s my best singing rendition.
And all of you are familiar with that little ditty I just said.

It comes from Godspell.
The desire to draw closer to the Lord,
Day by day by day in our own lives.

In the Gospel today—it’s a complicated Gospel.
We see the very best in humanity
And we see the very worst of humanity.

Here is a man who was born blind,
Through no fault of his own.

There was part of the tradition that said,
If someone was born blind or with a deficiency in life,
That they must have been a great sinner
Or the parents were a great sinner.
Someone in the family was a great sinner.

How absurd.
How ridiculous.

Here’s a man who was born blind.

And Jesus, out of compassion—the word compassion means
To journey with those who struggle with life—
Sees him and goes and heals him that he might see.

Not just see in a physical way the world around him,
But to see in a spiritual way that God loves him dearly,
And wants him to participate in the fullness of life.

This wonderful gift of sight that physically
Allows him to see, but also the gift of faith
That draws him into a deeper
And more loving relationship with God.

The God of love and the God of compassion.

∫ Day by day, day by day, ∫
∫ dear Lord, three things I pray. ∫
∫ to see thee more clearly, to love thee more dearly, ∫
∫ to follow thee more nearly, day by day by day. ∫

What a wonderful little tune or a little ditty, as I would say.
What a wonderful prayer for us,
Particularly during this holy season of Lent.