∫ [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 13th Sunday in Ordinary Time.

My name is Dan Riley,

I’m joined by Tom McNamara and Maudette Carr,

And our Celebrant is Father Scott Donahue,

President of Mercy Home for Boys and Girls.

∫ Rejoice, the Lord is King! ∫

∫ your Lord and King adore. ∫

∫ Rejoice, give thanks and sing, exultant evermore. ∫

∫ Lift up your heart, lift up your voice! ∫

∫ Rejoice again I say, rejoice! ∫

We gather together as a community of Faith

Around the Lord’s Table,

And we gather to celebrate Eucharist.

To give thanks to God as we praise our God,

In the name of the Father

And of the Son

And of the Holy Spirit.

-Amen.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,

And the love of God and the Communion

Of the Holy Spirit be with each of you.

-And with your spirit.

My friends, as we gather as always, we turn to the Lord

And we seek the Lord’s loving and merciful 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 that you are Truth

And that your Word reveals God’s love for us.

Christ, have mercy.

-Christ, have mercy.

And Lord Jesus, we believe that you are Life.

That through your own life and your death and Resurrection

You have given us a new life in you.

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.

∫ [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. ∫

My friends, let us pray.

O God, who through the grace of adoption,

Chose us to be children of the light,

Grant, we pray, that we may not be wrapped

In the darkness of air, but always be seen

To stand in the bright light of your Truth.

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 second Book of Kings.

One day Elijah came to Shunem where there was a woman

Of influence who urged him to dine with her.

Afterwards, whenever he passed by,

He used to stop there to dine.

So she said to her husband,

“I know that Elijah is a Holy Man of God.

Since he visits us often, let us arrange

A little room on the roof and furnish it for him

With a bed, table, chair, and lamp

So that when he comes to us he can stay there.”

Sometime later, Elijah arrived

And stayed in the room overnight.

Later, Elijah asked, “can something be done for her?”

His servant Gehazi answered, “yes.

She has no son and her husband is getting on in years.”

Elijah said, “call her.”

When the woman had been called and stood at the door,

Elijah promised this time next year

She will be fondling a baby son.

The word of the Lord.

-Thanks be to God.

∫ [Piano music] ∫

∫ Forever I will sing the goodness of the Lord. ∫

∫ Forever I will sing the goodness of the Lord. ∫

∫ I will sing forever of your mercies, O Lord. ∫

∫ through all ages my mouth will proclaim your fidelity. ∫

∫ I have declared your mercy is established forever. ∫

∫ your fidelity stands firm as the heavens. ∫

∫ Forever I will sing the goodness of the Lord. ∫

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

Brothers and sisters,

Are you unaware that we who were Baptized in Christ Jesus

Were Baptized into his death?

We were indeed buried with him through Baptism into death

So that just as Christ was raised from the dead

By the glory of the Father,

We too might live in newness of life.

If then we have died with Christ,

We believe that we shall also live with him.

We know that Christ, raised from the dead, dies no more.

Death no longer has power over him.

As to his death, he died to sin once and for all

As to his life he lives for God.

Consequently, you too must think of yourselves

As dead to sin and living for God and Christ Jesus.

The word of the Lord.

-Thanks be to God.

∫ [Piano music] ∫

∫ Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, ∫

∫ Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia. ∫

∫ you are a chosen race, ∫

∫ a Royal Priesthood, ∫

∫ a Holy Nation. ∫

∫ announce the praises of him who called you ∫

∫ out of darkness into his wonderful light. ∫

∫ Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia. ∫

The Lord be with each of you.

-And with your spirit.

Ours is a reading taken from the Holy Gospel

According to Saint Matthew.

-Glory to you, O Lord.

Jesus said to his Apostles, “whoever loves father or mother

More than me is not worthy of me.

Whoever loves son or daughter

More than me is not worthy of me.

Whoever does not take up their cross

And follow after me is not worthy of me.

Whoever finds his life will lose it.

Whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.

Whoever receives you receives me.

And whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.

Whoever receives a Prophet because they are a Prophet

Will receive a Prophet’s reward.

And whoever receives a righteous person

Because they are a righteous person

Will receive a righteous person’s reward.

And whoever gives only a cup of water to one of these

Little ones to drink because the little one is a Disciple,

Amen, I say to you,

Will surely receive a Prophet’s reward.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

-Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Well over 20 years ago,

I was probably ordained about 10 years,

And I took an extended vacation, a month-long vacation.

And I traveled with a friend of mine who was an English teacher,

A wonderful guy,

And we went to Italy, and the one place

He really wanted to go to was northern Africa.

Because his father had fought in World War II,

And there was an enormous cemetery in Tunisia –

In northern Africa,

And it was really important for him to see that.

It was a great experience and talk about, you know,

Being in Tunisia, northern Africa, all new for me.

Well, we’re in Tunisia, and he wasn’t feeling well.

Frank was his name,

And not far from where we were staying at the hotel,

There was a city on the mountain called Citi Busaid,

And in the worst way I wanted to go up there,

It was an intriguing place I had heard,

And Frank wasn’t up for the journey,

So I took a cab and went up to Citi Busaid,

And it was just magnificent, all the white painted

Stucco buildings with the blue doors,

And sitting outside and drinking mint tea with a lot of sugar.

Fascinating, a whole nother world.

And the taxi driver who drove me up the mountain

Said he would stay around and make sure

That I got back to the hotel all right,

Which was gracious and kind.

I wasn’t sure how to make, or what to make,

Of that kind of hospitality.

And sure enough, he did wait for me.

In driving me down back to the hotel, he said,

“what are you doing for dinner tonight?”

I said, “well, I don’t know.” He said, “you come,

You join my family. My wife will cook,

And I have two daughters.”

Again, we’re not used to that,

And particularly with strangers in a strange country,

But there was something about him that I trusted implicitly.

And so I accepted that gracious invitation of hospitality.

Hospitality that we hear about in the Middle East,

And I had a wonderful dinner with him and with his family,

And when the meal was over, he drove me back to the hotel.

Hospitality.

Being people of hospitality. How important that is.

Welcoming the stranger.

Making all those feel comfortable.

Reminding us through gracious hospitality

That we really do all belong to the Family of God.

That we really are sisters and brothers to one another.

We look at the world sometimes, and it’s a difficult concept,

But it’s true. You and I, we all were born

And raised in the image and the likeness of God,

And we are called to be brothers and sisters to one another.

I was talking to a priest friend of mine the other day,

And for his first Mass in his homily,

It was on the day back in 1985

When they had the Hands Across America.

What an image.

Brothers and sisters to one another,

Not just here in America, but in the world.

It’s an ideal,

It’s a dream that we try to live up to.

Let’s stand together

As we profess what it is we believe:

I believe in one God. 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 power of the Holy Spirit

Was Incarnate of the Virgin Mary and became man.

For our sake, he was crucified under Pontius Pilate.

He suffered death and was buried

And rose again on the third day

In fulfillment of the Scriptures.

He ascended into Heaven

And is seated at the right hand of the Father.

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

And of his Kingdom there will be no end.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of Life,

Who proceeds from the Father and Son.

With the Father and Son is adored and glorified,

Who has spoken to the Prophets.

I believe in one Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church

And profess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins.

I look forward to the Resurrection of the Dead,

And life for the world to come.

Amen.

We take this opportunity now

To place in the hands of the Lord

Our own hopes and dreams for our own families

And for our friends, for our community, for the world.

Our response to each prayer will be,

‘Lord, hear our prayer.’

For the Holy Father and all Clergy as they proclaim

Christ’s message of peace and love in the world,

Let us pray to the Lord.

-Lord, hear our prayer.

For those who are homeless, hungry, and suffering,

May they be cared for through the compassion of others.

Let us pray to the Lord.

-Lord, hear our prayer.

For the children of Mercy Home for Boys and Girls,

May they be filled with hope through healing.

We pray to the Lord.

-Lord, hear our prayer.

For those who are struggling, may the Lord’s presence

Fill their hearts with courage.

We pray to the Lord.

-Lord, hear our prayer.

Gracious, loving God, we trust, we know

That you hear all of our prayers,

Those prayers we have just prayed out loud,

And certainly those many prayers

That rest in the quiet of our hearts.

Give us once again the grace and the wisdom,

The patience, and the courage

To be your Disciples in this world.

Through Christ our Lord.

-Amen.

∫ [Piano music] ∫

∫ [Piano music continues] ∫

Pray, my friends, my sisters, my brothers,

That this our Sacrifice may be acceptable to God

The Father Almighty.

-May the Lord accept the Sacrifice at your hands

For the praise and glory of his name

For our good and the good of all his Holy Church.

O God, who graciously accomplish the effects

Of your Mysteries, grant, we pray,

That the deeds by which we serve you may be worthy of those

And these sacrificial gifts that we offer.

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, Father most holy

Through your beloved Son, Jesus Christ,

Your Word through whom you made all things.

Whom you sent as our Savior and Redeemer,

Incarnate by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary.

Fulfilling your will and gaining for you a Holy People,

He stretched out his hands as he endured his Passion.

So as to break the bonds of death

And to manifest the Resurrection.

And so with the Angels and with all the Saints

We declare your glory as with one voice 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 dew falls.

So that they become for us

The Body and Blood of our Lord, Jesus Christ.

At the time that he was betrayed and entered willingly

Into his Passion

He took Bread and giving thanks he broke it.

He gave it to his Disciples, saying,

“Take this all of you and eat of it,

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

In a similar way, when the Supper was ended

He took the Chalice and once more giving thanks,

He gave it to his Disciples, saying,

“Take this all of you and drink from it.

For this is the Chalice of my Blood.

The Blood of the new and the eternal Covenant

Which will be poured out for you and for many,

For the forgiveness of sins. Do this in memory of me.”

The Mystery of Faith.

∫ [Piano music] ∫

∫ When we eat this Bread and drink this Cup ∫

∫ we proclaim your death, O Lord, ∫

∫ until you come again. ∫

Therefore as we celebrate the memorial

Of his death and Resurrection we offer to you Lord,

The Bread of Life and the Chalice of Salvation,

Giving thanks 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, Blasé… our Bishop,

And with all your faith-filled people.

Remember also our sisters and our brothers

Who have fallen asleep in the hope of the Resurrection

And all of those who have died in your mercy.

Welcome them into the light of your presence.

Have mercy on us all, we pray,

That with the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God

With her blessed spouse Joseph with the Blessed Apostles

And with the Martyrs with all the Saints

That have pleased you throughout the ages

That we may merit to be co-heirs to eternal life,

And give you praise and glorify you

Through your Son, Jesus Christ.

For it is 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. ∫

Let’s pray together for the coming of God’s Kingdom

As 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 the 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.

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

We pray that you receive God’s choicest blessings

And the peace of Christ in their 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. ∫

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.

[Priest prays quietly]

∫ [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, ‘We Shall Rise Again.’

∫ [Piano music] ∫

∫ Come to me, all you weary, with your burdens and pain. ∫

∫ Take my yoke on your shoulders and learn from me: ∫

∫ I am gentle and humble, and your Soul will find rest, ∫

∫ for my yoke is easy and my burden is light. ∫

∫ We shall rise again on the last day ∫

∫ with the faithful, rich and poor. ∫

∫ Coming to the house of Lord Jesus, ∫

∫ we will find an open door there, ∫

∫ we will find an open door. ∫

And 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 please pray with me

The prayer for the children here.

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.

Let us pray.

May this divine Sacrifice that we have offered

And received fill us with life, O Lord, we pray,

So that bound to you in lasting charity

We may bear the fruits that last forever

Through Christ our Lord.

-Amen.

For the final blessing, once again thank you all

For joining us for this TV Mass

Here at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls.

And as always I would ask that you continue to pray

For our children, for our donors,

Many of you who are and we’re grateful for that.

And for my co-workers who work so hard –

The backbone of this organization.

And so may the many blessings of Almighty God;

The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit

Come upon all of you, your family members,

And friends and remain with you forever.

-Amen.

Our Mass has ended. Go in peace.

-Thanks be to God.

∫ [Piano music] ∫

∫ Lord, you give a great commission: ∫

∫ “Heal the sick and preach the Word.” ∫

∫ Lest the Church neglect its mission ∫

∫ and the Gospel go unheard, ∫

∫ help us witness to your purpose ∫

∫ with renewed integrity; ∫

∫ with the Spirit’s gifts empower us ∫

∫ for the work of ministry. ∫

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.

And 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 13th Sunday in Ordinary Time.

My name is Dan Riley,

I’m joined by Tom McNamara and Maudette Carr,

And our Celebrant is Father Scott Donahue,

President of Mercy Home for Boys and Girls.

∫ Rejoice, the Lord is King! ∫

∫ your Lord and King adore. ∫

∫ Rejoice, give thanks and sing, exultant evermore. ∫

∫ Lift up your heart, lift up your voice! ∫

∫ Rejoice again I say, rejoice! ∫

We gather together as a community of Faith

Around the Lord’s Table,

And we gather to celebrate Eucharist.

To give thanks to God as we praise our God,

In the name of the Father

And of the Son

And of the Holy Spirit.

-Amen.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,

And the love of God and the Communion

Of the Holy Spirit be with each of you.

-And with your spirit.

My friends, as we gather as always, we turn to the Lord

And we seek the Lord’s loving and merciful 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 that you are Truth

And that your Word reveals God’s love for us.

Christ, have mercy.

-Christ, have mercy.

And Lord Jesus, we believe that you are Life.

That through your own life and your death and Resurrection

You have given us a new life in you.

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.

∫ [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. ∫

My friends, let us pray.

O God, who through the grace of adoption,

Chose us to be children of the light,

Grant, we pray, that we may not be wrapped

In the darkness of air, but always be seen

To stand in the bright light of your Truth.

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 second Book of Kings.

One day Elijah came to Shunem where there was a woman

Of influence who urged him to dine with her.

Afterwards, whenever he passed by,

He used to stop there to dine.

So she said to her husband,

“I know that Elijah is a Holy Man of God.

Since he visits us often, let us arrange

A little room on the roof and furnish it for him

With a bed, table, chair, and lamp

So that when he comes to us he can stay there.”

Sometime later, Elijah arrived

And stayed in the room overnight.

Later, Elijah asked, “can something be done for her?”

His servant Gehazi answered, “yes.

She has no son and her husband is getting on in years.”

Elijah said, “call her.”

When the woman had been called and stood at the door,

Elijah promised this time next year

She will be fondling a baby son.

The word of the Lord.

-Thanks be to God.

∫ [Piano music] ∫

∫ Forever I will sing the goodness of the Lord. ∫

∫ Forever I will sing the goodness of the Lord. ∫

∫ I will sing forever of your mercies, O Lord. ∫

∫ through all ages my mouth will proclaim your fidelity. ∫

∫ I have declared your mercy is established forever. ∫

∫ your fidelity stands firm as the heavens. ∫

∫ Forever I will sing the goodness of the Lord. ∫

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

Brothers and sisters,

Are you unaware that we who were Baptized in Christ Jesus

Were Baptized into his death?

We were indeed buried with him through Baptism into death

So that just as Christ was raised from the dead

By the glory of the Father,

We too might live in newness of life.

If then we have died with Christ,

We believe that we shall also live with him.

We know that Christ, raised from the dead, dies no more.

Death no longer has power over him.

As to his death, he died to sin once and for all

As to his life he lives for God.

Consequently, you too must think of yourselves

As dead to sin and living for God and Christ Jesus.

The word of the Lord.

-Thanks be to God.

∫ [Piano music] ∫

∫ Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, ∫

∫ Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia. ∫

∫ you are a chosen race, ∫

∫ a Royal Priesthood, ∫

∫ a Holy Nation. ∫

∫ announce the praises of him who called you ∫

∫ out of darkness into his wonderful light. ∫

∫ Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia. ∫

The Lord be with each of you.

-And with your spirit.

Ours is a reading taken from the Holy Gospel

According to Saint Matthew.

-Glory to you, O Lord.

Jesus said to his Apostles, “whoever loves father or mother

More than me is not worthy of me.

Whoever loves son or daughter

More than me is not worthy of me.

Whoever does not take up their cross

And follow after me is not worthy of me.

Whoever finds his life will lose it.

Whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.

Whoever receives you receives me.

And whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.

Whoever receives a Prophet because they are a Prophet

Will receive a Prophet’s reward.

And whoever receives a righteous person

Because they are a righteous person

Will receive a righteous person’s reward.

And whoever gives only a cup of water to one of these

Little ones to drink because the little one is a Disciple,

Amen, I say to you,

Will surely receive a Prophet’s reward.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

-Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Well over 20 years ago,

I was probably ordained about 10 years,

And I took an extended vacation, a month-long vacation.

And I traveled with a friend of mine who was an English teacher,

A wonderful guy,

And we went to Italy, and the one place

He really wanted to go to was northern Africa.

Because his father had fought in World War II,

And there was an enormous cemetery in Tunisia –

In northern Africa,

And it was really important for him to see that.

It was a great experience and talk about, you know,

Being in Tunisia, northern Africa, all new for me.

Well, we’re in Tunisia, and he wasn’t feeling well.

Frank was his name,

And not far from where we were staying at the hotel,

There was a city on the mountain called Citi Busaid,

And in the worst way I wanted to go up there,

It was an intriguing place I had heard,

And Frank wasn’t up for the journey,

So I took a cab and went up to Citi Busaid,

And it was just magnificent, all the white painted

Stucco buildings with the blue doors,

And sitting outside and drinking mint tea with a lot of sugar.

Fascinating, a whole nother world.

And the taxi driver who drove me up the mountain

Said he would stay around and make sure

That I got back to the hotel all right,

Which was gracious and kind.

I wasn’t sure how to make, or what to make,

Of that kind of hospitality.

And sure enough, he did wait for me.

In driving me down back to the hotel, he said,

“what are you doing for dinner tonight?”

I said, “well, I don’t know.” He said, “you come,

You join my family. My wife will cook,

And I have two daughters.”

Again, we’re not used to that,

And particularly with strangers in a strange country,

But there was something about him that I trusted implicitly.

And so I accepted that gracious invitation of hospitality.

Hospitality that we hear about in the Middle East,

And I had a wonderful dinner with him and with his family,

And when the meal was over, he drove me back to the hotel.

Hospitality.

Being people of hospitality. How important that is.

Welcoming the stranger.

Making all those feel comfortable.

Reminding us through gracious hospitality

That we really do all belong to the Family of God.

That we really are sisters and brothers to one another.

We look at the world sometimes, and it’s a difficult concept,

But it’s true. You and I, we all were born

And raised in the image and the likeness of God,

And we are called to be brothers and sisters to one another.

I was talking to a priest friend of mine the other day,

And for his first Mass in his homily,

It was on the day back in 1985

When they had the Hands Across America.

What an image.

Brothers and sisters to one another,

Not just here in America, but in the world.

It’s an ideal,

It’s a dream that we try to live up to.

Let’s stand together

As we profess what it is we believe:

I believe in one God. 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 power of the Holy Spirit

Was Incarnate of the Virgin Mary and became man.

For our sake, he was crucified under Pontius Pilate.

He suffered death and was buried

And rose again on the third day

In fulfillment of the Scriptures.

He ascended into Heaven

And is seated at the right hand of the Father.

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

And of his Kingdom there will be no end.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of Life,

Who proceeds from the Father and Son.

With the Father and Son is adored and glorified,

Who has spoken to the Prophets.

I believe in one Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church

And profess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins.

I look forward to the Resurrection of the Dead,

And life for the world to come.

Amen.

We take this opportunity now

To place in the hands of the Lord

Our own hopes and dreams for our own families

And for our friends, for our community, for the world.

Our response to each prayer will be,

‘Lord, hear our prayer.’

For the Holy Father and all Clergy as they proclaim

Christ’s message of peace and love in the world,

Let us pray to the Lord.

-Lord, hear our prayer.

For those who are homeless, hungry, and suffering,

May they be cared for through the compassion of others.

Let us pray to the Lord.

-Lord, hear our prayer.

For the children of Mercy Home for Boys and Girls,

May they be filled with hope through healing.

We pray to the Lord.

-Lord, hear our prayer.

For those who are struggling, may the Lord’s presence

Fill their hearts with courage.

We pray to the Lord.

-Lord, hear our prayer.

Gracious, loving God, we trust, we know

That you hear all of our prayers,

Those prayers we have just prayed out loud,

And certainly those many prayers

That rest in the quiet of our hearts.

Give us once again the grace and the wisdom,

The patience, and the courage

To be your Disciples in this world.

Through Christ our Lord.

-Amen.

∫ [Piano music] ∫

∫ [Piano music continues] ∫

Pray, my friends, my sisters, my brothers,

That this our Sacrifice may be acceptable to God

The Father Almighty.

-May the Lord accept the Sacrifice at your hands

For the praise and glory of his name

For our good and the good of all his Holy Church.

O God, who graciously accomplish the effects

Of your Mysteries, grant, we pray,

That the deeds by which we serve you may be worthy of those

And these sacrificial gifts that we offer.

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, Father most holy

Through your beloved Son, Jesus Christ,

Your Word through whom you made all things.

Whom you sent as our Savior and Redeemer,

Incarnate by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary.

Fulfilling your will and gaining for you a Holy People,

He stretched out his hands as he endured his Passion.

So as to break the bonds of death

And to manifest the Resurrection.

And so with the Angels and with all the Saints

We declare your glory as with one voice 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 dew falls.

So that they become for us

The Body and Blood of our Lord, Jesus Christ.

At the time that he was betrayed and entered willingly

Into his Passion

He took Bread and giving thanks he broke it.

He gave it to his Disciples, saying,

“Take this all of you and eat of it,

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

In a similar way, when the Supper was ended

He took the Chalice and once more giving thanks,

He gave it to his Disciples, saying,

“Take this all of you and drink from it.

For this is the Chalice of my Blood.

The Blood of the new and the eternal Covenant

Which will be poured out for you and for many,

For the forgiveness of sins. Do this in memory of me.”

The Mystery of Faith.

∫ [Piano music] ∫

∫ When we eat this Bread and drink this Cup ∫

∫ we proclaim your death, O Lord, ∫

∫ until you come again. ∫

Therefore as we celebrate the memorial

Of his death and Resurrection we offer to you Lord,

The Bread of Life and the Chalice of Salvation,

Giving thanks 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, Blasé… our Bishop,

And with all your faith-filled people.

Remember also our sisters and our brothers

Who have fallen asleep in the hope of the Resurrection

And all of those who have died in your mercy.

Welcome them into the light of your presence.

Have mercy on us all, we pray,

That with the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God

With her blessed spouse Joseph with the Blessed Apostles

And with the Martyrs with all the Saints

That have pleased you throughout the ages

That we may merit to be co-heirs to eternal life,

And give you praise and glorify you

Through your Son, Jesus Christ.

For it is 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. ∫

Let’s pray together for the coming of God’s Kingdom

As 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 the 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.

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

We pray that you receive God’s choicest blessings

And the peace of Christ in their 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. ∫

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.

[Priest prays quietly]

∫ [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, ‘We Shall Rise Again.’

∫ [Piano music] ∫

∫ Come to me, all you weary, with your burdens and pain. ∫

∫ Take my yoke on your shoulders and learn from me: ∫

∫ I am gentle and humble, and your Soul will find rest, ∫

∫ for my yoke is easy and my burden is light. ∫

∫ We shall rise again on the last day ∫

∫ with the faithful, rich and poor. ∫

∫ Coming to the house of Lord Jesus, ∫

∫ we will find an open door there, ∫

∫ we will find an open door. ∫

And 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 please pray with me

The prayer for the children here.

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.

Let us pray.

May this divine Sacrifice that we have offered

And received fill us with life, O Lord, we pray,

So that bound to you in lasting charity

We may bear the fruits that last forever

Through Christ our Lord.

-Amen.

For the final blessing, once again thank you all

For joining us for this TV Mass

Here at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls.

And as always I would ask that you continue to pray

For our children, for our donors,

Many of you who are and we’re grateful for that.

And for my co-workers who work so hard –

The backbone of this organization.

And so may the many blessings of Almighty God;

The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit

Come upon all of you, your family members,

And friends and remain with you forever.

-Amen.

Our Mass has ended. Go in peace.

-Thanks be to God.

∫ [Piano music] ∫

∫ Lord, you give a great commission: ∫

∫ “Heal the sick and preach the Word.” ∫

∫ Lest the Church neglect its mission ∫

∫ and the Gospel go unheard, ∫

∫ help us witness to your purpose ∫

∫ with renewed integrity; ∫

∫ with the Spirit’s gifts empower us ∫

∫ for the work of ministry. ∫

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.

And 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 13th Sunday in Ordinary Time.

My name is Dan Riley,

I’m joined by Tom McNamara and Maudette Carr,

And our Celebrant is Father Scott Donahue,

President of Mercy Home for Boys and Girls.

∫ Rejoice, the Lord is King! ∫

∫ your Lord and King adore. ∫

∫ Rejoice, give thanks and sing, exultant evermore. ∫

∫ Lift up your heart, lift up your voice! ∫

∫ Rejoice again I say, rejoice! ∫

We gather together as a community of Faith

Around the Lord’s Table,

And we gather to celebrate Eucharist.

To give thanks to God as we praise our God,

In the name of the Father

And of the Son

And of the Holy Spirit.

-Amen.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,

And the love of God and the Communion

Of the Holy Spirit be with each of you.

-And with your spirit.

My friends, as we gather as always, we turn to the Lord

And we seek the Lord’s loving and merciful 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 that you are Truth

And that your Word reveals God’s love for us.

Christ, have mercy.

-Christ, have mercy.

And Lord Jesus, we believe that you are Life.

That through your own life and your death and Resurrection

You have given us a new life in you.

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.

∫ [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. ∫

My friends, let us pray.

O God, who through the grace of adoption,

Chose us to be children of the light,

Grant, we pray, that we may not be wrapped

In the darkness of air, but always be seen

To stand in the bright light of your Truth.

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 second Book of Kings.

One day Elijah came to Shunem where there was a woman

Of influence who urged him to dine with her.

Afterwards, whenever he passed by,

He used to stop there to dine.

So she said to her husband,

“I know that Elijah is a Holy Man of God.

Since he visits us often, let us arrange

A little room on the roof and furnish it for him

With a bed, table, chair, and lamp

So that when he comes to us he can stay there.”

Sometime later, Elijah arrived

And stayed in the room overnight.

Later, Elijah asked, “can something be done for her?”

His servant Gehazi answered, “yes.

She has no son and her husband is getting on in years.”

Elijah said, “call her.”

When the woman had been called and stood at the door,

Elijah promised this time next year

She will be fondling a baby son.

The word of the Lord.

-Thanks be to God.

∫ [Piano music] ∫

∫ Forever I will sing the goodness of the Lord. ∫

∫ Forever I will sing the goodness of the Lord. ∫

∫ I will sing forever of your mercies, O Lord. ∫

∫ through all ages my mouth will proclaim your fidelity. ∫

∫ I have declared your mercy is established forever. ∫

∫ your fidelity stands firm as the heavens. ∫

∫ Forever I will sing the goodness of the Lord. ∫

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

Brothers and sisters,

Are you unaware that we who were Baptized in Christ Jesus

Were Baptized into his death?

We were indeed buried with him through Baptism into death

So that just as Christ was raised from the dead

By the glory of the Father,

We too might live in newness of life.

If then we have died with Christ,

We believe that we shall also live with him.

We know that Christ, raised from the dead, dies no more.

Death no longer has power over him.

As to his death, he died to sin once and for all

As to his life he lives for God.

Consequently, you too must think of yourselves

As dead to sin and living for God and Christ Jesus.

The word of the Lord.

-Thanks be to God.

∫ [Piano music] ∫

∫ Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, ∫

∫ Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia. ∫

∫ you are a chosen race, ∫

∫ a Royal Priesthood, ∫

∫ a Holy Nation. ∫

∫ announce the praises of him who called you ∫

∫ out of darkness into his wonderful light. ∫

∫ Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia. ∫

The Lord be with each of you.

-And with your spirit.

Ours is a reading taken from the Holy Gospel

According to Saint Matthew.

-Glory to you, O Lord.

Jesus said to his Apostles, “whoever loves father or mother

More than me is not worthy of me.

Whoever loves son or daughter

More than me is not worthy of me.

Whoever does not take up their cross

And follow after me is not worthy of me.

Whoever finds his life will lose it.

Whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.

Whoever receives you receives me.

And whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.

Whoever receives a Prophet because they are a Prophet

Will receive a Prophet’s reward.

And whoever receives a righteous person

Because they are a righteous person

Will receive a righteous person’s reward.

And whoever gives only a cup of water to one of these

Little ones to drink because the little one is a Disciple,

Amen, I say to you,

Will surely receive a Prophet’s reward.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

-Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Well over 20 years ago,

I was probably ordained about 10 years,

And I took an extended vacation, a month-long vacation.

And I traveled with a friend of mine who was an English teacher,

A wonderful guy,

And we went to Italy, and the one place

He really wanted to go to was northern Africa.

Because his father had fought in World War II,

And there was an enormous cemetery in Tunisia –

In northern Africa,

And it was really important for him to see that.

It was a great experience and talk about, you know,

Being in Tunisia, northern Africa, all new for me.

Well, we’re in Tunisia, and he wasn’t feeling well.

Frank was his name,

And not far from where we were staying at the hotel,

There was a city on the mountain called Citi Busaid,

And in the worst way I wanted to go up there,

It was an intriguing place I had heard,

And Frank wasn’t up for the journey,

So I took a cab and went up to Citi Busaid,

And it was just magnificent, all the white painted

Stucco buildings with the blue doors,

And sitting outside and drinking mint tea with a lot of sugar.

Fascinating, a whole nother world.

And the taxi driver who drove me up the mountain

Said he would stay around and make sure

That I got back to the hotel all right,

Which was gracious and kind.

I wasn’t sure how to make, or what to make,

Of that kind of hospitality.

And sure enough, he did wait for me.

In driving me down back to the hotel, he said,

“what are you doing for dinner tonight?”

I said, “well, I don’t know.” He said, “you come,

You join my family. My wife will cook,

And I have two daughters.”

Again, we’re not used to that,

And particularly with strangers in a strange country,

But there was something about him that I trusted implicitly.

And so I accepted that gracious invitation of hospitality.

Hospitality that we hear about in the Middle East,

And I had a wonderful dinner with him and with his family,

And when the meal was over, he drove me back to the hotel.

Hospitality.

Being people of hospitality. How important that is.

Welcoming the stranger.

Making all those feel comfortable.

Reminding us through gracious hospitality

That we really do all belong to the Family of God.

That we really are sisters and brothers to one another.

We look at the world sometimes, and it’s a difficult concept,

But it’s true. You and I, we all were born

And raised in the image and the likeness of God,

And we are called to be brothers and sisters to one another.

I was talking to a priest friend of mine the other day,

And for his first Mass in his homily,

It was on the day back in 1985

When they had the Hands Across America.

What an image.

Brothers and sisters to one another,

Not just here in America, but in the world.

It’s an ideal,

It’s a dream that we try to live up to.

Let’s stand together

As we profess what it is we believe:

I believe in one God. 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 power of the Holy Spirit

Was Incarnate of the Virgin Mary and became man.

For our sake, he was crucified under Pontius Pilate.

He suffered death and was buried

And rose again on the third day

In fulfillment of the Scriptures.

He ascended into Heaven

And is seated at the right hand of the Father.

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

And of his Kingdom there will be no end.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of Life,

Who proceeds from the Father and Son.

With the Father and Son is adored and glorified,

Who has spoken to the Prophets.

I believe in one Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church

And profess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins.

I look forward to the Resurrection of the Dead,

And life for the world to come.

Amen.

We take this opportunity now

To place in the hands of the Lord

Our own hopes and dreams for our own families

And for our friends, for our community, for the world.

Our response to each prayer will be,

‘Lord, hear our prayer.’

For the Holy Father and all Clergy as they proclaim

Christ’s message of peace and love in the world,

Let us pray to the Lord.

-Lord, hear our prayer.

For those who are homeless, hungry, and suffering,

May they be cared for through the compassion of others.

Let us pray to the Lord.

-Lord, hear our prayer.

For the children of Mercy Home for Boys and Girls,

May they be filled with hope through healing.

We pray to the Lord.

-Lord, hear our prayer.

For those who are struggling, may the Lord’s presence

Fill their hearts with courage.

We pray to the Lord.

-Lord, hear our prayer.

Gracious, loving God, we trust, we know

That you hear all of our prayers,

Those prayers we have just prayed out loud,

And certainly those many prayers

That rest in the quiet of our hearts.

Give us once again the grace and the wisdom,

The patience, and the courage

To be your Disciples in this world.

Through Christ our Lord.

-Amen.

∫ [Piano music] ∫

∫ [Piano music continues] ∫

Pray, my friends, my sisters, my brothers,

That this our Sacrifice may be acceptable to God

The Father Almighty.

-May the Lord accept the Sacrifice at your hands

For the praise and glory of his name

For our good and the good of all his Holy Church.

O God, who graciously accomplish the effects

Of your Mysteries, grant, we pray,

That the deeds by which we serve you may be worthy of those

And these sacrificial gifts that we offer.

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, Father most holy

Through your beloved Son, Jesus Christ,

Your Word through whom you made all things.

Whom you sent as our Savior and Redeemer,

Incarnate by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary.

Fulfilling your will and gaining for you a Holy People,

He stretched out his hands as he endured his Passion.

So as to break the bonds of death

And to manifest the Resurrection.

And so with the Angels and with all the Saints

We declare your glory as with one voice 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 dew falls.

So that they become for us

The Body and Blood of our Lord, Jesus Christ.

At the time that he was betrayed and entered willingly

Into his Passion

He took Bread and giving thanks he broke it.

He gave it to his Disciples, saying,

“Take this all of you and eat of it,

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

In a similar way, when the Supper was ended

He took the Chalice and once more giving thanks,

He gave it to his Disciples, saying,

“Take this all of you and drink from it.

For this is the Chalice of my Blood.

The Blood of the new and the eternal Covenant

Which will be poured out for you and for many,

For the forgiveness of sins. Do this in memory of me.”

The Mystery of Faith.

∫ [Piano music] ∫

∫ When we eat this Bread and drink this Cup ∫

∫ we proclaim your death, O Lord, ∫

∫ until you come again. ∫

Therefore as we celebrate the memorial

Of his death and Resurrection we offer to you Lord,

The Bread of Life and the Chalice of Salvation,

Giving thanks 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, Blasé… our Bishop,

And with all your faith-filled people.

Remember also our sisters and our brothers

Who have fallen asleep in the hope of the Resurrection

And all of those who have died in your mercy.

Welcome them into the light of your presence.

Have mercy on us all, we pray,

That with the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God

With her blessed spouse Joseph with the Blessed Apostles

And with the Martyrs with all the Saints

That have pleased you throughout the ages

That we may merit to be co-heirs to eternal life,

And give you praise and glorify you

Through your Son, Jesus Christ.

For it is 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. ∫

Let’s pray together for the coming of God’s Kingdom

As 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 the 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.

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

We pray that you receive God’s choicest blessings

And the peace of Christ in their 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. ∫

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.

[Priest prays quietly]

∫ [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, ‘We Shall Rise Again.’

∫ [Piano music] ∫

∫ Come to me, all you weary, with your burdens and pain. ∫

∫ Take my yoke on your shoulders and learn from me: ∫

∫ I am gentle and humble, and your Soul will find rest, ∫

∫ for my yoke is easy and my burden is light. ∫

∫ We shall rise again on the last day ∫

∫ with the faithful, rich and poor. ∫

∫ Coming to the house of Lord Jesus, ∫

∫ we will find an open door there, ∫

∫ we will find an open door. ∫

And 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 please pray with me

The prayer for the children here.

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.

Let us pray.

May this divine Sacrifice that we have offered

And received fill us with life, O Lord, we pray,

So that bound to you in lasting charity

We may bear the fruits that last forever

Through Christ our Lord.

-Amen.

For the final blessing, once again thank you all

For joining us for this TV Mass

Here at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls.

And as always I would ask that you continue to pray

For our children, for our donors,

Many of you who are and we’re grateful for that.

And for my co-workers who work so hard –

The backbone of this organization.

And so may the many blessings of Almighty God;

The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit

Come upon all of you, your family members,

And friends and remain with you forever.

-Amen.

Our Mass has ended. Go in peace.

-Thanks be to God.

∫ [Piano music] ∫

∫ Lord, you give a great commission: ∫

∫ “Heal the sick and preach the Word.” ∫

∫ Lest the Church neglect its mission ∫

∫ and the Gospel go unheard, ∫

∫ help us witness to your purpose ∫

∫ with renewed integrity; ∫

∫ with the Spirit’s gifts empower us ∫

∫ for the work of ministry. ∫

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.

And 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] ∫

Well over 20 years ago,

I was probably ordained about 10 years,

And I took an extended vacation, a month-long vacation.

And I traveled with a friend of mine who was an English teacher,

A wonderful guy,

And we went to Italy, and the one place

He really wanted to go to was northern Africa.

Because his father had fought in World War II,

And there was an enormous cemetery in Tunisia –

In northern Africa,

And it was really important for him to see that.

It was a great experience and talk about, you know,

Being in Tunisia, northern Africa, all new for me.

Well, we’re in Tunisia, and he wasn’t feeling well.

Frank was his name,

And not far from where we were staying at the hotel,

There was a city on the mountain called Citi Busaid,

And in the worst way I wanted to go up there,

It was an intriguing place I had heard,

And Frank wasn’t up for the journey,

So I took a cab and went up to Citi Busaid,

And it was just magnificent, all the white painted

Stucco buildings with the blue doors,

And sitting outside and drinking mint tea with a lot of sugar.

Fascinating, a whole nother world.

And the taxi driver who drove me up the mountain

Said he would stay around and make sure

That I got back to the hotel all right,

Which was gracious and kind.

I wasn’t sure how to make, or what to make,

Of that kind of hospitality.

And sure enough, he did wait for me.

In driving me down back to the hotel, he said,

“what are you doing for dinner tonight?”

I said, “well, I don’t know.” He said, “you come,

You join my family. My wife will cook,

And I have two daughters.”

Again, we’re not used to that,

And particularly with strangers in a strange country,

But there was something about him that I trusted implicitly.

And so I accepted that gracious invitation of hospitality.

Hospitality that we hear about in the Middle East,

And I had a wonderful dinner with him and with his family,

And when the meal was over, he drove me back to the hotel.

Hospitality.

Being people of hospitality. How important that is.

Welcoming the stranger.

Making all those feel comfortable.

Reminding us through gracious hospitality

That we really do all belong to the Family of God.

That we really are sisters and brothers to one another.

We look at the world sometimes, and it’s a difficult concept,

But it’s true. You and I, we all were born

And raised in the image and the likeness of God,

And we are called to be brothers and sisters to one another.

I was talking to a priest friend of mine the other day,

And for his first Mass in his homily,

It was on the day back in 1985

When they had the Hands Across America.

What an image.

Brothers and sisters to one another,

Not just here in America, but in the world.

It’s an ideal,

It’s a dream that we try to live up to.