Lord's Day is an old Jewish tradition celebrating the coming of the Sabbath. Members and visitors sing praise, read the Gospel, offer up the burdens of the week, give thanks for the blessings of the week, and enjoy bread and wine together.
Examination of Conscience
Leader: Before we come before the Lord on His day of resurrection, let us call to mind any way in which we have offended or hurt Him and our sisters this past week. In our hearts, let us beg for forgiveness.
“When you stand to pray, forgive anyone against whom you have a grievance, so that your heavenly Father may in turn forgive you your transgressions.” (Mark 12:25-26)
“For the judgment is merciless to one who has not shown mercy, mercy triumphs over judgment.” (James 2:13)
Opening Song
Passing of the Candle
All: “Only in God be at rest, my soul, for from Him comes my hope. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my stronghold; I shall not be disturbed. In God is my safety and my glory. He is the rock of my strength; my refuge is in God. Trust in Him at all times. O my people! Pour out your hearts before Him; God is my refuge!” (Psalm 62:6-9)
Leader: Sisters, as we pass this candle, let us put our lives into the hands of our Blessed Mother Mary, and with her, let us run quickly to the most Sacred Heart of Jesus and confidently unload our difficulties of this past week into His Heart where He will take them and purify them in the fire of His love.
(As the candle is passed and reaches each sister, she offers up the trials, hurts and struggles of the past week, either aloud or in the silence of her heart. Then, the candle is lit, symbolizing the offering to God of all that we endured this past week.)
Leader: “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God.” (John 1:1)
All: “He was in the beginning with God. All things came to be through Him, and without Him, nothing came to be.” (John 1:2-3)
Leader: “What came to be through Him was life, and this life was light, the light of men.” (John 1:3-4)
All: “The light shines in the darkness of our lives, and the darkness has not overcome it.” (John 1:5)
Leader: Heavenly Father, in honor of your Son, Light of the world and Author of life, we are about to kindle the light for the Lord's Day. On this day, you raised your Son, JESUS, from the dead and began a new creation, a creation freed from the shackles of sin and death. May our celebration of His Resurrection this day be filled with your peace, which is beyond all understanding, and your heavenly blessing. Be gracious to us, and cause us to be drawn ever more deeply into the most Sacred Heart of JESUS through the most Immaculate Heart of Mary, where our hearts may be transformed and likened unto Thine.
All: “I am all Thine, and all that I have is Thine, O most loving JESUS, through Mary, Thy most loving Mother.” (True Devotion)
Through Your love that is the Holy Spirit, may we ever draw nearer to one another. For just as we are closest to you in contemplating your suffering on the Cross, so too shall we draw closer to you in encountering the suffering of each other.
Leader: Father of Mercy, continue your loving kindness toward us, and make us worthy to walk in the light of your Son, loyal to your teaching and unwavering in your love and service. Keep far from us all anxiety, darkness and gloom; grant that peace, light and joy ever abide among us.
All: “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom, a light has shone. You have brought them abundant joy and great rejoicing, as they rejoice before you as at the harvest, as men make merry when dividing the spoils.” (Isaiah 9:1-3)
(As the second candle is lit, the Jewish chant is sung.)
Leader: “My sheep hear my voice; I know them and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish. No one can take them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one can take them out of the Father's hand.” (John 10:27-29)
All: Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who has given us joy as we have kindled the light for the Lord's Day.
"Let the soul of Mary be in each of us to glorify the Lord; let the spirit of Mary be in each of us to rejoice in God." (St. Ambrose)
The Reading of the Word
(The Gospel reading for Sunday Mass is read. Contemplation and discussion follow.)
Leader: Sisters, this is the Lord's Day!
All: Let us welcome it with hearts full of true joy and everlasting peace, as we entrust our lives into the hands of Mary, that she may draw us ever more deeply within the wounded side of the sacrificial Lamb, closer to His most Sacred Heart.
Leader: We have set aside the concerns of the week, let us now celebrate His Resurrection. Today, we cease from our work in order to worship God together and remember the eternal life He has called us to.
All: The Lord Himself is with us to refresh and strengthen us.
Leader: We thank You, Father, for the most blessed temple among women - the beautiful womb of Mary our Mother. May we realize the tabernacle that every person is, and love one another ever more deeply in Christ!
All: May the Holy Spirit be with us to inflame our hearts with deeper devotion to His spouse, that we may learn to be true, pure, strong women of God, and to increase our zeal for the way of life He has called us to.
The Blessing of the Wine
Leader: (Fills the cup and raises it.) Let us praise God for this symbol of joy and thank Him for the many blessings He has bestowed on us in our lives together in Love of the Lamb household and Franciscan University.
(The cup is passed and everyone thanks God for the many ways He has poured out His eternal love the past week, then takes a drink and passes the cup.)
The Blessing of the Bread
Leader: Blessed are you, Lord God of the universe, who brings forth bread from the earth!
(The bread is broken, and each passes it around. All sing "AMEN!")
Closing
(My Beloved is sung.)
Examination of Conscience
Leader: Before we come before the Lord on His day of resurrection, let us call to mind any way in which we have offended or hurt Him and our sisters this past week. In our hearts, let us beg for forgiveness.
“When you stand to pray, forgive anyone against whom you have a grievance, so that your heavenly Father may in turn forgive you your transgressions.” (Mark 12:25-26)
“For the judgment is merciless to one who has not shown mercy, mercy triumphs over judgment.” (James 2:13)
Opening Song
Passing of the Candle
All: “Only in God be at rest, my soul, for from Him comes my hope. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my stronghold; I shall not be disturbed. In God is my safety and my glory. He is the rock of my strength; my refuge is in God. Trust in Him at all times. O my people! Pour out your hearts before Him; God is my refuge!” (Psalm 62:6-9)
Leader: Sisters, as we pass this candle, let us put our lives into the hands of our Blessed Mother Mary, and with her, let us run quickly to the most Sacred Heart of Jesus and confidently unload our difficulties of this past week into His Heart where He will take them and purify them in the fire of His love.
(As the candle is passed and reaches each sister, she offers up the trials, hurts and struggles of the past week, either aloud or in the silence of her heart. Then, the candle is lit, symbolizing the offering to God of all that we endured this past week.)
Leader: “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God.” (John 1:1)
All: “He was in the beginning with God. All things came to be through Him, and without Him, nothing came to be.” (John 1:2-3)
Leader: “What came to be through Him was life, and this life was light, the light of men.” (John 1:3-4)
All: “The light shines in the darkness of our lives, and the darkness has not overcome it.” (John 1:5)
Leader: Heavenly Father, in honor of your Son, Light of the world and Author of life, we are about to kindle the light for the Lord's Day. On this day, you raised your Son, JESUS, from the dead and began a new creation, a creation freed from the shackles of sin and death. May our celebration of His Resurrection this day be filled with your peace, which is beyond all understanding, and your heavenly blessing. Be gracious to us, and cause us to be drawn ever more deeply into the most Sacred Heart of JESUS through the most Immaculate Heart of Mary, where our hearts may be transformed and likened unto Thine.
All: “I am all Thine, and all that I have is Thine, O most loving JESUS, through Mary, Thy most loving Mother.” (True Devotion)
Through Your love that is the Holy Spirit, may we ever draw nearer to one another. For just as we are closest to you in contemplating your suffering on the Cross, so too shall we draw closer to you in encountering the suffering of each other.
Leader: Father of Mercy, continue your loving kindness toward us, and make us worthy to walk in the light of your Son, loyal to your teaching and unwavering in your love and service. Keep far from us all anxiety, darkness and gloom; grant that peace, light and joy ever abide among us.
All: “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom, a light has shone. You have brought them abundant joy and great rejoicing, as they rejoice before you as at the harvest, as men make merry when dividing the spoils.” (Isaiah 9:1-3)
(As the second candle is lit, the Jewish chant is sung.)
Leader: “My sheep hear my voice; I know them and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish. No one can take them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one can take them out of the Father's hand.” (John 10:27-29)
All: Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who has given us joy as we have kindled the light for the Lord's Day.
"Let the soul of Mary be in each of us to glorify the Lord; let the spirit of Mary be in each of us to rejoice in God." (St. Ambrose)
The Reading of the Word
(The Gospel reading for Sunday Mass is read. Contemplation and discussion follow.)
Leader: Sisters, this is the Lord's Day!
All: Let us welcome it with hearts full of true joy and everlasting peace, as we entrust our lives into the hands of Mary, that she may draw us ever more deeply within the wounded side of the sacrificial Lamb, closer to His most Sacred Heart.
Leader: We have set aside the concerns of the week, let us now celebrate His Resurrection. Today, we cease from our work in order to worship God together and remember the eternal life He has called us to.
All: The Lord Himself is with us to refresh and strengthen us.
Leader: We thank You, Father, for the most blessed temple among women - the beautiful womb of Mary our Mother. May we realize the tabernacle that every person is, and love one another ever more deeply in Christ!
All: May the Holy Spirit be with us to inflame our hearts with deeper devotion to His spouse, that we may learn to be true, pure, strong women of God, and to increase our zeal for the way of life He has called us to.
The Blessing of the Wine
Leader: (Fills the cup and raises it.) Let us praise God for this symbol of joy and thank Him for the many blessings He has bestowed on us in our lives together in Love of the Lamb household and Franciscan University.
(The cup is passed and everyone thanks God for the many ways He has poured out His eternal love the past week, then takes a drink and passes the cup.)
The Blessing of the Bread
Leader: Blessed are you, Lord God of the universe, who brings forth bread from the earth!
(The bread is broken, and each passes it around. All sing "AMEN!")
Closing
(My Beloved is sung.)
