∫ [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 Second Sunday in Ordinary Time.

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

∫ Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound ∫
∫ That saved a wretch like me. ∫
∫ I once was lost, but now am found; ∫
∫ Was blind, but now I see. ∫

We gather together around the Table of the Lord
To celebrate the Eucharist together,
To give thanks to God as we praise our God.

And we begin 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, we are invited to pause for just a moment now
To acknowledge our faults and our failings,
To turn to the Lord and seek the Lord’s
Merciful and loving forgiveness.

Lord Jesus, we believe that You are the way
That leads us to the Father.
Lord, have mercy.
—Lord, have mercy.

Lord Jesus, we believe Your Word is truth
And reveals God’s love for us.
Christ, have mercy.
—Christ, have mercy.

Lord Jesus, we believe that You are Life,
And that through Your own Life,
Your Death and Resurrection,
You have promised us a new life in You.
Lord, have mercy.
—Lord, have mercy.

May Almighty God have mercy on us,
Forgive us of our sins,

And bring us to life everlasting.
—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. ∫
∫ [Piano Music] ∫

My friends, let us pray.

Almighty, ever-living God,
Who governs all things, both in Heaven and on the earth,
Mercifully hear the pleadings of Your people
And bestow Your peace on our times.
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.

The first reading is a reading
From the book of the Prophet Isaiah.

The Lord said to me, “You are My servant, Israel,
Through whom I show My glory.
Now the Lord has spoken,
Who formed me as His servant from the womb,
That Jacob may be brought back to Him
And Israel gathered to Him.
And I am glorious in the sight of the Lord,
And My God is now My strength.

“It is too little,” the Lord said, “for you to be My servant,
To raise up the tribes of Jacob
And restore the survivors of Israel.
I will make you a light to the nations,
That My salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.”

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

∫ [Piano Music] ∫
∫ Here am I, Lord, I come to do Your will. ∫
∫ Here am I, Lord, I come to do Your will. ∫
∫ I waited, I waited for the Lord, ∫
∫ And He stooped down to me; He heard my cry. ∫
∫ He put a new song into my mouth, ∫
∫ Praise of our God. ∫
∫ Here am I, Lord, I come to do Your will. ∫

The second reading is a reading from
The first letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians.

Paul, called to be an Apostle of Christ Jesus
By the will of God,
And Sosthenes, our brother,
To the Church of God that is in Corinth,
To you who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus,
Called to be holy.

With all those everywhere who call upon
The Name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Their Lord and ours.
Grace to you and peace from God our Father
And the Lord Jesus Christ.

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

∫ [Piano Music] ∫
∫ Alleluia, Alleluia. ∫
∫ Alleluia, Alleluia. ∫
∫ The Word of God became flesh and dwelt among us; ∫
∫ To those who accepted Him, He gave power ∫
∫ To become children of God. ∫
∫ Alleluia, Alleluia. ∫

The Lord be with each of you.
—And with your spirit.

A reading from the Holy Gospel
According to St. John.
—Glory to You, O Lord.

John the Baptist saw Jesus coming toward him and said,
“Behold, the Lamb of God,
Who takes away the sin of the world.
He is the one of whom I said,
‘A man is coming after me who ranks ahead of me
Because He existed before me.’
I did not know Him.
But the reason I came baptizing with water
Was that He might be made known to Israel.”

John testified further, saying,
“I saw the Spirit come down like a dove
From the heavens and remain upon Him.
I did not know Him.
But the One who sent me to baptize with water told me,
‘On whomever you see the Spirit come down and remain,
He is the One who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’
Now I have seen and I testify
That He is the Son of God.”

The Gospel of the Lord.
—Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ.

When I think of John the Baptist,
I think of one of my favorite prayers—one that I say often.
It was a prayer written by a very humble Bishop
Who lived in South America.
He has gone home to God now.
His name was Dom Hélder Câmara.

And this was the simple prayer that he said every day:

Lord, permit the symbol of my life
To be a candle which burns itself, spends itself,
Consumes itself while there is yet wax to burn.

Lord, permit the symbol of my life
To be a candle which burns and spends
And consumes itself while there is yet wax to burn.

That was the life, and that was the mission,
Of John the Baptist.

He was humble.
He points to Jesus across the river
At one point in the Scripture,
And he says to his disciples, “I must decrease.
He must increase.”

And in his humility, John sends his disciples
To go and follow Jesus.
Great humility.

John understood what his mission was:
Burning, consuming, and spending his life
Pointing to the Light of the World,
Pointing to Christ, our Savior.

All of us as disciples of the Lord Jesus,
All of us baptized into the life of the Lord Jesus,
Are called to be disciples like John,
To follow in the way of Jesus,
To do so with great humility and understanding,
To follow the will of what the Lord asks
Of each and every one of us.

We then are given the light through Baptism.
At Baptism, we are given a candle, and we too
Are called to carry that Light of Christ,
To bring the Light of Christ to those who need compassion,
And those who need hope, and those who need healing.

Like John, we know we are not the Christ,
But we are called to follow in the way of Christ,
To bring the Kingdom of Christ, the Kingdom of God,
The Kingdom of compassion and love to others.

Let us stand together and profess what it is we believe:

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 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 fulfillment of the Scriptures.

He ascended into Heaven
And is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory
To judge the living and the dead,
And of His Kingdom there will be no end.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of Life,
Who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
Who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified,
Who has spoken through the Prophets.

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

We take this opportunity to present our prayers,
Our hopes, and our dreams to God.
Our response to each prayer will be,
“Lord, hear our prayer.”

For all Church leaders,
May they continue to stand up for human rights
And speak out against all that seeks to destroy human dignity.
We pray to the Lord.
—Lord, hear our prayer.

For the leaders of all nations,
May they work together toward world peace.
We pray to the Lord.
—Lord, hear our prayer.

For the young men and women of Mercy Home,
May their New Year’s resolutions
Help them continue their healing process.
We pray to the Lord.
—Lord, hear our prayer.

In gratitude for the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.,
Who through his life, his work, and his death
Championed the dignity and rights
Of all people through peaceful means,
May our Lord bless us with wisdom as we work together
For equality, peace, and harmony throughout our world.
We pray to the Lord.
—Lord, hear our prayer.

We pray, always, the prayer of the Angels in Heaven,
That there might be peace on earth
And good will toward all.
We pray to the Lord.

—Lord, hear our prayer.

Gracious and loving God, we trust and we know
That You hear all of our prayers,
Those prayers we’ve prayed out loud
And certainly those many prayers
That rest in the quiet of our hearts.
Help us to be good disciples.
This prayer we make through Christ our Lord.
—Amen.

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

Pray, my friends, my sisters, and my brothers,
That this, our sacrifice, may be acceptable
To God, the Father Almighty.

—May the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands
For the praise and glory of His Name,
For our good and the good of all His Holy Church.

Grant us, O Lord, we pray,
That we may participate worthily in these Holy Mysteries,
For whenever the memorial of the Sacrifice is celebrated,
The work of our redemption
Is accomplished 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,
Through Christ our Lord.

For out of compassion for the waywardness that is ours,
He humbled Himself and was born of the Virgin Mary.
By the Passion of the Cross
He freed us from an unending death,
And by rising from the dead
He has given us life eternal.

And so, with the Angels and Archangels,
With Thrones and Dominions,
And with all the hosts and powers of Heaven,
We sing the hymn of Your glory
As without end 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 that he was betrayed
And entered willingly into his passion,
He took bread and giving thanks he broke it.
He gave it to his disciples saying,
“Take this all of you and eat of it,
For this is my body which will be given up for you.”
In a similar way when the supper was ended
He took the chalice and once more giving thanks.
He gave it to his disciples saying,
“Take this all of you and drink from it,
For this is the chalice of my blood,
The blood of the new and the eternal covenant
Which will be poured out for you and for many,
For the forgiveness of sins.
Do this in memory of me.”
The mystery of faith.
∫ [piano music] ∫
∫ when we eat this bread and drink this cup, ∫
∫ we proclaim your death, o Lord, until you come again. ∫
Therefore as we celebrate the memorial
Of his death and resurrection we offer to you, Lord,
The bread of life and the chalice of salvation.
Giving thanks that you’ve held us worthy
To be in your presence and minister to you.
Humbly we pray that partaking in 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, blaze… our bishop,
And with all your faith-filled people.
Remember also our sisters and brothers
Who have fallen asleep in the hope of the resurrection
And all of those who have died in your mercy.
Welcome them into the light of your presence.
Have mercy on us all, we pray,
That with the blessed Virgin Mary, the mother of God,
With her blessed spouse Joseph,
With the blessed Apostles and with the martyrs,
With all the Saints that have pleased you
Throughout the ages,
That we may merit to be 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. ∫
And gathered with His friends, His disciples,
With His Apostles, Jesus taught them how to pray:

Our Father, Who art in Heaven,
Hallowed be Thy Name;
Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done
On earth as it is in Heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
And forgive us our trespasses,
As we forgive those who trespass against us;
And lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from evil.

Deliver us, Lord, we pray,
From every evil, and graciously grant peace in our day,
That by the help of Your mercy
We may be freed from sin and safe from all distress,
As we await the blessed hope,
The coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

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

And Lord Jesus Christ, who said to Your 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 live and reign 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,
We pray—I pray—that you receive
God’s choicest blessings in your life.

∫ [Piano Music] ∫
∫ Lamb of God, ∫
∫ You take away the sins of the world; ∫
∫ Have mercy on us. ∫
∫ Lamb of God, ∫
∫ You take away the sins of the world; ∫
∫ Have mercy on us. ∫

∫ Lamb of God, ∫
∫ You take away the sins of the world; ∫
∫ Grant us peace. ∫

My friends, behold Jesus,
The Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.
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,
“There Is a Longing.”

∫ [Piano Music] ∫
∫ There is a longing in our hearts, O Lord, ∫
∫ For You to reveal Yourself to us. ∫
∫ There is a longing in our hearts for love, ∫
∫ We only find in You, our God. ∫
∫ For justice, for freedom, for mercy; hear our prayer. ∫
∫ In sorrow, in grief, be near; hear our prayer, O God. ∫
∫ There is a longing in our hearts, O Lord, ∫
∫ For You to reveal Yourself to us. ∫
∫ There is a longing in our hearts for love, ∫
∫ We only find in You, our God. ∫
∫ For wisdom, for courage, ∫

∫ For comfort, hear our prayer. ∫
∫ In weakness, in fear, be near; hear our prayer, O God. ∫
∫ There is a longing in our hearts, O Lord, ∫
∫ For You to reveal Yourself to us. ∫
∫ There is a longing in our hearts for love, ∫
∫ We only find in You, our God. ∫

My friends, I invite you to turn to page six
Of the TV Mass Guide that we have here at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls,
And pray with me the prayer for the children here 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 see God’s mercy in action
Through our love, prayers, and sacrifices.

And we continue our prayer.

Pour on us, O Lord, the Spirit of Your love,
And in Your kindness make those whom You have nourished
By this one heavenly Bread
One in mind and one in heart.
Through Christ our Lord.
—Amen.

I want to thank all of you
For the many ways in which you support this mission
At Mercy Home for Boys and Girls.
I thank you for the prayers that you offer
For our children and for my co-workers here at the Home,
And for me as well.
I thank you for the ways in which you contribute
To this ministry so that we can continue it.

And so we offer this final blessing for you.

The Lord be with you.
—And with your spirit.

May the many blessings of Almighty God,
The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
Come upon all of you,
Your family members and your friends,
And remain with you forever.
—Amen.

Our Mass has ended. Go in peace.
—Thanks be to God.

∫ [Piano Music] ∫
∫ I heard the voice of Jesus say, “Come unto Me and rest.” ∫
∫ Lay down, O weary one, ∫
∫ Lay down your head upon My breast. ∫

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 are 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.

May God bless you and 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 Second Sunday in Ordinary Time.

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

∫ Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound ∫
∫ That saved a wretch like me. ∫
∫ I once was lost, but now am found; ∫
∫ Was blind, but now I see. ∫

We gather together around the Table of the Lord
To celebrate the Eucharist together,
To give thanks to God as we praise our God.

And we begin 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, we are invited to pause for just a moment now
To acknowledge our faults and our failings,
To turn to the Lord and seek the Lord’s
Merciful and loving forgiveness.

Lord Jesus, we believe that You are the way
That leads us to the Father.
Lord, have mercy.
—Lord, have mercy.

Lord Jesus, we believe Your Word is truth
And reveals God’s love for us.
Christ, have mercy.
—Christ, have mercy.

Lord Jesus, we believe that You are Life,
And that through Your own Life,
Your Death and Resurrection,
You have promised us a new life in You.
Lord, have mercy.
—Lord, have mercy.

May Almighty God have mercy on us,
Forgive us of our sins,

And bring us to life everlasting.
—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. ∫
∫ [Piano Music] ∫

My friends, let us pray.

Almighty, ever-living God,
Who governs all things, both in Heaven and on the earth,
Mercifully hear the pleadings of Your people
And bestow Your peace on our times.
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.

The first reading is a reading
From the book of the Prophet Isaiah.

The Lord said to me, “You are My servant, Israel,
Through whom I show My glory.
Now the Lord has spoken,
Who formed me as His servant from the womb,
That Jacob may be brought back to Him
And Israel gathered to Him.
And I am glorious in the sight of the Lord,
And My God is now My strength.

“It is too little,” the Lord said, “for you to be My servant,
To raise up the tribes of Jacob
And restore the survivors of Israel.
I will make you a light to the nations,
That My salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.”

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

∫ [Piano Music] ∫
∫ Here am I, Lord, I come to do Your will. ∫
∫ Here am I, Lord, I come to do Your will. ∫
∫ I waited, I waited for the Lord, ∫
∫ And He stooped down to me; He heard my cry. ∫
∫ He put a new song into my mouth, ∫
∫ Praise of our God. ∫
∫ Here am I, Lord, I come to do Your will. ∫

The second reading is a reading from
The first letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians.

Paul, called to be an Apostle of Christ Jesus
By the will of God,
And Sosthenes, our brother,
To the Church of God that is in Corinth,
To you who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus,
Called to be holy.

With all those everywhere who call upon
The Name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Their Lord and ours.
Grace to you and peace from God our Father
And the Lord Jesus Christ.

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

∫ [Piano Music] ∫
∫ Alleluia, Alleluia. ∫
∫ Alleluia, Alleluia. ∫
∫ The Word of God became flesh and dwelt among us; ∫
∫ To those who accepted Him, He gave power ∫
∫ To become children of God. ∫
∫ Alleluia, Alleluia. ∫

The Lord be with each of you.
—And with your spirit.

A reading from the Holy Gospel
According to St. John.
—Glory to You, O Lord.

John the Baptist saw Jesus coming toward him and said,
“Behold, the Lamb of God,
Who takes away the sin of the world.
He is the one of whom I said,
‘A man is coming after me who ranks ahead of me
Because He existed before me.’
I did not know Him.
But the reason I came baptizing with water
Was that He might be made known to Israel.”

John testified further, saying,
“I saw the Spirit come down like a dove
From the heavens and remain upon Him.
I did not know Him.
But the One who sent me to baptize with water told me,
‘On whomever you see the Spirit come down and remain,
He is the One who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’
Now I have seen and I testify
That He is the Son of God.”

The Gospel of the Lord.
—Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ.

When I think of John the Baptist,
I think of one of my favorite prayers—one that I say often.
It was a prayer written by a very humble Bishop
Who lived in South America.
He has gone home to God now.
His name was Dom Hélder Câmara.

And this was the simple prayer that he said every day:

Lord, permit the symbol of my life
To be a candle which burns itself, spends itself,
Consumes itself while there is yet wax to burn.

Lord, permit the symbol of my life
To be a candle which burns and spends
And consumes itself while there is yet wax to burn.

That was the life, and that was the mission,
Of John the Baptist.

He was humble.
He points to Jesus across the river
At one point in the Scripture,
And he says to his disciples, “I must decrease.
He must increase.”

And in his humility, John sends his disciples
To go and follow Jesus.
Great humility.

John understood what his mission was:
Burning, consuming, and spending his life
Pointing to the Light of the World,
Pointing to Christ, our Savior.

All of us as disciples of the Lord Jesus,
All of us baptized into the life of the Lord Jesus,
Are called to be disciples like John,
To follow in the way of Jesus,
To do so with great humility and understanding,
To follow the will of what the Lord asks
Of each and every one of us.

We then are given the light through Baptism.
At Baptism, we are given a candle, and we too
Are called to carry that Light of Christ,
To bring the Light of Christ to those who need compassion,
And those who need hope, and those who need healing.

Like John, we know we are not the Christ,
But we are called to follow in the way of Christ,
To bring the Kingdom of Christ, the Kingdom of God,
The Kingdom of compassion and love to others.

Let us stand together and profess what it is we believe:

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 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 fulfillment of the Scriptures.

He ascended into Heaven
And is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory
To judge the living and the dead,
And of His Kingdom there will be no end.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of Life,
Who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
Who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified,
Who has spoken through the Prophets.

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

We take this opportunity to present our prayers,
Our hopes, and our dreams to God.
Our response to each prayer will be,
“Lord, hear our prayer.”

For all Church leaders,
May they continue to stand up for human rights
And speak out against all that seeks to destroy human dignity.
We pray to the Lord.
—Lord, hear our prayer.

For the leaders of all nations,
May they work together toward world peace.
We pray to the Lord.
—Lord, hear our prayer.

For the young men and women of Mercy Home,
May their New Year’s resolutions
Help them continue their healing process.
We pray to the Lord.
—Lord, hear our prayer.

In gratitude for the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.,
Who through his life, his work, and his death
Championed the dignity and rights
Of all people through peaceful means,
May our Lord bless us with wisdom as we work together
For equality, peace, and harmony throughout our world.
We pray to the Lord.
—Lord, hear our prayer.

We pray, always, the prayer of the Angels in Heaven,
That there might be peace on earth
And good will toward all.
We pray to the Lord.

—Lord, hear our prayer.

Gracious and loving God, we trust and we know
That You hear all of our prayers,
Those prayers we’ve prayed out loud
And certainly those many prayers
That rest in the quiet of our hearts.
Help us to be good disciples.
This prayer we make through Christ our Lord.
—Amen.

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

Pray, my friends, my sisters, and my brothers,
That this, our sacrifice, may be acceptable
To God, the Father Almighty.

—May the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands
For the praise and glory of His Name,
For our good and the good of all His Holy Church.

Grant us, O Lord, we pray,
That we may participate worthily in these Holy Mysteries,
For whenever the memorial of the Sacrifice is celebrated,
The work of our redemption
Is accomplished 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,
Through Christ our Lord.

For out of compassion for the waywardness that is ours,
He humbled Himself and was born of the Virgin Mary.
By the Passion of the Cross
He freed us from an unending death,
And by rising from the dead
He has given us life eternal.

And so, with the Angels and Archangels,
With Thrones and Dominions,
And with all the hosts and powers of Heaven,
We sing the hymn of Your glory
As without end 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 that he was betrayed
And entered willingly into his passion,
He took bread and giving thanks he broke it.
He gave it to his disciples saying,
“Take this all of you and eat of it,
For this is my body which will be given up for you.”
In a similar way when the supper was ended
He took the chalice and once more giving thanks.
He gave it to his disciples saying,
“Take this all of you and drink from it,
For this is the chalice of my blood,
The blood of the new and the eternal covenant
Which will be poured out for you and for many,
For the forgiveness of sins.
Do this in memory of me.”
The mystery of faith.
∫ [piano music] ∫
∫ when we eat this bread and drink this cup, ∫
∫ we proclaim your death, o Lord, until you come again. ∫
Therefore as we celebrate the memorial
Of his death and resurrection we offer to you, Lord,
The bread of life and the chalice of salvation.
Giving thanks that you’ve held us worthy
To be in your presence and minister to you.
Humbly we pray that partaking in 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, blaze… our bishop,
And with all your faith-filled people.
Remember also our sisters and brothers
Who have fallen asleep in the hope of the resurrection
And all of those who have died in your mercy.
Welcome them into the light of your presence.
Have mercy on us all, we pray,
That with the blessed Virgin Mary, the mother of God,
With her blessed spouse Joseph,
With the blessed Apostles and with the martyrs,
With all the Saints that have pleased you
Throughout the ages,
That we may merit to be 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. ∫
And gathered with His friends, His disciples,
With His Apostles, Jesus taught them how to pray:

Our Father, Who art in Heaven,
Hallowed be Thy Name;
Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done
On earth as it is in Heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
And forgive us our trespasses,
As we forgive those who trespass against us;
And lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from evil.

Deliver us, Lord, we pray,
From every evil, and graciously grant peace in our day,
That by the help of Your mercy
We may be freed from sin and safe from all distress,
As we await the blessed hope,
The coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

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

And Lord Jesus Christ, who said to Your 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 live and reign 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,
We pray—I pray—that you receive
God’s choicest blessings in your life.

∫ [Piano Music] ∫
∫ Lamb of God, ∫
∫ You take away the sins of the world; ∫
∫ Have mercy on us. ∫
∫ Lamb of God, ∫
∫ You take away the sins of the world; ∫
∫ Have mercy on us. ∫

∫ Lamb of God, ∫
∫ You take away the sins of the world; ∫
∫ Grant us peace. ∫

My friends, behold Jesus,
The Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.
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,
“There Is a Longing.”

∫ [Piano Music] ∫
∫ There is a longing in our hearts, O Lord, ∫
∫ For You to reveal Yourself to us. ∫
∫ There is a longing in our hearts for love, ∫
∫ We only find in You, our God. ∫
∫ For justice, for freedom, for mercy; hear our prayer. ∫
∫ In sorrow, in grief, be near; hear our prayer, O God. ∫
∫ There is a longing in our hearts, O Lord, ∫
∫ For You to reveal Yourself to us. ∫
∫ There is a longing in our hearts for love, ∫
∫ We only find in You, our God. ∫
∫ For wisdom, for courage, ∫

∫ For comfort, hear our prayer. ∫
∫ In weakness, in fear, be near; hear our prayer, O God. ∫
∫ There is a longing in our hearts, O Lord, ∫
∫ For You to reveal Yourself to us. ∫
∫ There is a longing in our hearts for love, ∫
∫ We only find in You, our God. ∫

My friends, I invite you to turn to page six
Of the TV Mass Guide that we have here at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls,
And pray with me the prayer for the children here 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 see God’s mercy in action
Through our love, prayers, and sacrifices.

And we continue our prayer.

Pour on us, O Lord, the Spirit of Your love,
And in Your kindness make those whom You have nourished
By this one heavenly Bread
One in mind and one in heart.
Through Christ our Lord.
—Amen.

I want to thank all of you
For the many ways in which you support this mission
At Mercy Home for Boys and Girls.
I thank you for the prayers that you offer
For our children and for my co-workers here at the Home,
And for me as well.
I thank you for the ways in which you contribute
To this ministry so that we can continue it.

And so we offer this final blessing for you.

The Lord be with you.
—And with your spirit.

May the many blessings of Almighty God,
The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
Come upon all of you,
Your family members and your friends,
And remain with you forever.
—Amen.

Our Mass has ended. Go in peace.
—Thanks be to God.

∫ [Piano Music] ∫
∫ I heard the voice of Jesus say, “Come unto Me and rest.” ∫
∫ Lay down, O weary one, ∫
∫ Lay down your head upon My breast. ∫

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 are 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.

May God bless you and 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 Second Sunday in Ordinary Time.

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

∫ Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound ∫
∫ That saved a wretch like me. ∫
∫ I once was lost, but now am found; ∫
∫ Was blind, but now I see. ∫

We gather together around the Table of the Lord
To celebrate the Eucharist together,
To give thanks to God as we praise our God.

And we begin 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, we are invited to pause for just a moment now
To acknowledge our faults and our failings,
To turn to the Lord and seek the Lord’s
Merciful and loving forgiveness.

Lord Jesus, we believe that You are the way
That leads us to the Father.
Lord, have mercy.
—Lord, have mercy.

Lord Jesus, we believe Your Word is truth
And reveals God’s love for us.
Christ, have mercy.
—Christ, have mercy.

Lord Jesus, we believe that You are Life,
And that through Your own Life,
Your Death and Resurrection,
You have promised us a new life in You.
Lord, have mercy.
—Lord, have mercy.

May Almighty God have mercy on us,
Forgive us of our sins,

And bring us to life everlasting.
—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. ∫
∫ [Piano Music] ∫

My friends, let us pray.

Almighty, ever-living God,
Who governs all things, both in Heaven and on the earth,
Mercifully hear the pleadings of Your people
And bestow Your peace on our times.
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.

The first reading is a reading
From the book of the Prophet Isaiah.

The Lord said to me, “You are My servant, Israel,
Through whom I show My glory.
Now the Lord has spoken,
Who formed me as His servant from the womb,
That Jacob may be brought back to Him
And Israel gathered to Him.
And I am glorious in the sight of the Lord,
And My God is now My strength.

“It is too little,” the Lord said, “for you to be My servant,
To raise up the tribes of Jacob
And restore the survivors of Israel.
I will make you a light to the nations,
That My salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.”

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

∫ [Piano Music] ∫
∫ Here am I, Lord, I come to do Your will. ∫
∫ Here am I, Lord, I come to do Your will. ∫
∫ I waited, I waited for the Lord, ∫
∫ And He stooped down to me; He heard my cry. ∫
∫ He put a new song into my mouth, ∫
∫ Praise of our God. ∫
∫ Here am I, Lord, I come to do Your will. ∫

The second reading is a reading from
The first letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians.

Paul, called to be an Apostle of Christ Jesus
By the will of God,
And Sosthenes, our brother,
To the Church of God that is in Corinth,
To you who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus,
Called to be holy.

With all those everywhere who call upon
The Name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Their Lord and ours.
Grace to you and peace from God our Father
And the Lord Jesus Christ.

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

∫ [Piano Music] ∫
∫ Alleluia, Alleluia. ∫
∫ Alleluia, Alleluia. ∫
∫ The Word of God became flesh and dwelt among us; ∫
∫ To those who accepted Him, He gave power ∫
∫ To become children of God. ∫
∫ Alleluia, Alleluia. ∫

The Lord be with each of you.
—And with your spirit.

A reading from the Holy Gospel
According to St. John.
—Glory to You, O Lord.

John the Baptist saw Jesus coming toward him and said,
“Behold, the Lamb of God,
Who takes away the sin of the world.
He is the one of whom I said,
‘A man is coming after me who ranks ahead of me
Because He existed before me.’
I did not know Him.
But the reason I came baptizing with water
Was that He might be made known to Israel.”

John testified further, saying,
“I saw the Spirit come down like a dove
From the heavens and remain upon Him.
I did not know Him.
But the One who sent me to baptize with water told me,
‘On whomever you see the Spirit come down and remain,
He is the One who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’
Now I have seen and I testify
That He is the Son of God.”

The Gospel of the Lord.
—Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ.

When I think of John the Baptist,
I think of one of my favorite prayers—one that I say often.
It was a prayer written by a very humble Bishop
Who lived in South America.
He has gone home to God now.
His name was Dom Hélder Câmara.

And this was the simple prayer that he said every day:

Lord, permit the symbol of my life
To be a candle which burns itself, spends itself,
Consumes itself while there is yet wax to burn.

Lord, permit the symbol of my life
To be a candle which burns and spends
And consumes itself while there is yet wax to burn.

That was the life, and that was the mission,
Of John the Baptist.

He was humble.
He points to Jesus across the river
At one point in the Scripture,
And he says to his disciples, “I must decrease.
He must increase.”

And in his humility, John sends his disciples
To go and follow Jesus.
Great humility.

John understood what his mission was:
Burning, consuming, and spending his life
Pointing to the Light of the World,
Pointing to Christ, our Savior.

All of us as disciples of the Lord Jesus,
All of us baptized into the life of the Lord Jesus,
Are called to be disciples like John,
To follow in the way of Jesus,
To do so with great humility and understanding,
To follow the will of what the Lord asks
Of each and every one of us.

We then are given the light through Baptism.
At Baptism, we are given a candle, and we too
Are called to carry that Light of Christ,
To bring the Light of Christ to those who need compassion,
And those who need hope, and those who need healing.

Like John, we know we are not the Christ,
But we are called to follow in the way of Christ,
To bring the Kingdom of Christ, the Kingdom of God,
The Kingdom of compassion and love to others.

Let us stand together and profess what it is we believe:

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 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 fulfillment of the Scriptures.

He ascended into Heaven
And is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory
To judge the living and the dead,
And of His Kingdom there will be no end.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of Life,
Who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
Who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified,
Who has spoken through the Prophets.

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

We take this opportunity to present our prayers,
Our hopes, and our dreams to God.
Our response to each prayer will be,
“Lord, hear our prayer.”

For all Church leaders,
May they continue to stand up for human rights
And speak out against all that seeks to destroy human dignity.
We pray to the Lord.
—Lord, hear our prayer.

For the leaders of all nations,
May they work together toward world peace.
We pray to the Lord.
—Lord, hear our prayer.

For the young men and women of Mercy Home,
May their New Year’s resolutions
Help them continue their healing process.
We pray to the Lord.
—Lord, hear our prayer.

In gratitude for the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.,
Who through his life, his work, and his death
Championed the dignity and rights
Of all people through peaceful means,
May our Lord bless us with wisdom as we work together
For equality, peace, and harmony throughout our world.
We pray to the Lord.
—Lord, hear our prayer.

We pray, always, the prayer of the Angels in Heaven,
That there might be peace on earth
And good will toward all.
We pray to the Lord.

—Lord, hear our prayer.

Gracious and loving God, we trust and we know
That You hear all of our prayers,
Those prayers we’ve prayed out loud
And certainly those many prayers
That rest in the quiet of our hearts.
Help us to be good disciples.
This prayer we make through Christ our Lord.
—Amen.

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

Pray, my friends, my sisters, and my brothers,
That this, our sacrifice, may be acceptable
To God, the Father Almighty.

—May the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands
For the praise and glory of His Name,
For our good and the good of all His Holy Church.

Grant us, O Lord, we pray,
That we may participate worthily in these Holy Mysteries,
For whenever the memorial of the Sacrifice is celebrated,
The work of our redemption
Is accomplished 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,
Through Christ our Lord.

For out of compassion for the waywardness that is ours,
He humbled Himself and was born of the Virgin Mary.
By the Passion of the Cross
He freed us from an unending death,
And by rising from the dead
He has given us life eternal.

And so, with the Angels and Archangels,
With Thrones and Dominions,
And with all the hosts and powers of Heaven,
We sing the hymn of Your glory
As without end 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 that he was betrayed
And entered willingly into his passion,
He took bread and giving thanks he broke it.
He gave it to his disciples saying,
“Take this all of you and eat of it,
For this is my body which will be given up for you.”
In a similar way when the supper was ended
He took the chalice and once more giving thanks.
He gave it to his disciples saying,
“Take this all of you and drink from it,
For this is the chalice of my blood,
The blood of the new and the eternal covenant
Which will be poured out for you and for many,
For the forgiveness of sins.
Do this in memory of me.”
The mystery of faith.
∫ [piano music] ∫
∫ when we eat this bread and drink this cup, ∫
∫ we proclaim your death, o Lord, until you come again. ∫
Therefore as we celebrate the memorial
Of his death and resurrection we offer to you, Lord,
The bread of life and the chalice of salvation.
Giving thanks that you’ve held us worthy
To be in your presence and minister to you.
Humbly we pray that partaking in 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, blaze… our bishop,
And with all your faith-filled people.
Remember also our sisters and brothers
Who have fallen asleep in the hope of the resurrection
And all of those who have died in your mercy.
Welcome them into the light of your presence.
Have mercy on us all, we pray,
That with the blessed Virgin Mary, the mother of God,
With her blessed spouse Joseph,
With the blessed Apostles and with the martyrs,
With all the Saints that have pleased you
Throughout the ages,
That we may merit to be 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. ∫
And gathered with His friends, His disciples,
With His Apostles, Jesus taught them how to pray:

Our Father, Who art in Heaven,
Hallowed be Thy Name;
Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done
On earth as it is in Heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
And forgive us our trespasses,
As we forgive those who trespass against us;
And lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from evil.

Deliver us, Lord, we pray,
From every evil, and graciously grant peace in our day,
That by the help of Your mercy
We may be freed from sin and safe from all distress,
As we await the blessed hope,
The coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

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

And Lord Jesus Christ, who said to Your 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 live and reign 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,
We pray—I pray—that you receive
God’s choicest blessings in your life.

∫ [Piano Music] ∫
∫ Lamb of God, ∫
∫ You take away the sins of the world; ∫
∫ Have mercy on us. ∫
∫ Lamb of God, ∫
∫ You take away the sins of the world; ∫
∫ Have mercy on us. ∫

∫ Lamb of God, ∫
∫ You take away the sins of the world; ∫
∫ Grant us peace. ∫

My friends, behold Jesus,
The Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.
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,
“There Is a Longing.”

∫ [Piano Music] ∫
∫ There is a longing in our hearts, O Lord, ∫
∫ For You to reveal Yourself to us. ∫
∫ There is a longing in our hearts for love, ∫
∫ We only find in You, our God. ∫
∫ For justice, for freedom, for mercy; hear our prayer. ∫
∫ In sorrow, in grief, be near; hear our prayer, O God. ∫
∫ There is a longing in our hearts, O Lord, ∫
∫ For You to reveal Yourself to us. ∫
∫ There is a longing in our hearts for love, ∫
∫ We only find in You, our God. ∫
∫ For wisdom, for courage, ∫

∫ For comfort, hear our prayer. ∫
∫ In weakness, in fear, be near; hear our prayer, O God. ∫
∫ There is a longing in our hearts, O Lord, ∫
∫ For You to reveal Yourself to us. ∫
∫ There is a longing in our hearts for love, ∫
∫ We only find in You, our God. ∫

My friends, I invite you to turn to page six
Of the TV Mass Guide that we have here at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls,
And pray with me the prayer for the children here 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 see God’s mercy in action
Through our love, prayers, and sacrifices.

And we continue our prayer.

Pour on us, O Lord, the Spirit of Your love,
And in Your kindness make those whom You have nourished
By this one heavenly Bread
One in mind and one in heart.
Through Christ our Lord.
—Amen.

I want to thank all of you
For the many ways in which you support this mission
At Mercy Home for Boys and Girls.
I thank you for the prayers that you offer
For our children and for my co-workers here at the Home,
And for me as well.
I thank you for the ways in which you contribute
To this ministry so that we can continue it.

And so we offer this final blessing for you.

The Lord be with you.
—And with your spirit.

May the many blessings of Almighty God,
The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
Come upon all of you,
Your family members and your friends,
And remain with you forever.
—Amen.

Our Mass has ended. Go in peace.
—Thanks be to God.

∫ [Piano Music] ∫
∫ I heard the voice of Jesus say, “Come unto Me and rest.” ∫
∫ Lay down, O weary one, ∫
∫ Lay down your head upon My breast. ∫

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 are 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.

May God bless you and 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] ∫

When I think of John the Baptist,
I think of one of my favorite prayers—one that I say often.
It was a prayer written by a very humble Bishop
Who lived in South America.
He has gone home to God now.
His name was Dom Hélder Câmara.

And this was the simple prayer that he said every day:

Lord, permit the symbol of my life
To be a candle which burns itself, spends itself,
Consumes itself while there is yet wax to burn.

Lord, permit the symbol of my life
To be a candle which burns and spends
And consumes itself while there is yet wax to burn.

That was the life, and that was the mission,
Of John the Baptist.

He was humble.
He points to Jesus across the river
At one point in the Scripture,
And he says to his disciples, “I must decrease.
He must increase.”

And in his humility, John sends his disciples
To go and follow Jesus.
Great humility.

John understood what his mission was:
Burning, consuming, and spending his life
Pointing to the Light of the World,
Pointing to Christ, our Savior.

All of us as disciples of the Lord Jesus,
All of us baptized into the life of the Lord Jesus,
Are called to be disciples like John,
To follow in the way of Jesus,
To do so with great humility and understanding,
To follow the will of what the Lord asks
Of each and every one of us.

We then are given the light through Baptism.
At Baptism, we are given a candle, and we too
Are called to carry that Light of Christ,
To bring the Light of Christ to those who need compassion,
And those who need hope, and those who need healing.

Like John, we know we are not the Christ,
But we are called to follow in the way of Christ,
To bring the Kingdom of Christ, the Kingdom of God,
The Kingdom of compassion and love to others.