First
Sunday of Lent
March 9,
2025 Cycle C
Purple priestly vestments symbolize penance and preparation.
Introductory
Acts of Worship
The
Entrance Prayers:
On
Sunday, usually a hymn praising God is sung in place of
reciting a Psalm from the Bible which invites us to enter
more deeply into the mystery of God's love for us. The
recited weekday Psalm expresses a youthful heart and spirit,
delighted that we may come before the living God.
Entrance
Song / Entrance Psalm (Antiphon)
Entrance
Song
Psalm 90:15-16 When he
calls on me, I will answer him; I will deliver him and give him
glory, I will grant him length of days.
The
Priest Approaches and Kisses the Altar: The
altar is a symbol of Christ. In it are cut five
crosses to recall the five wounds of Christ. The altar
also represents the Church and has embedded in it the relics
of her saints. The priest comes to the altar to
celebrate the Sacrifice in the Church's name. Because
of the glory surrounding the altar upon which the divine
Sacrifice will be made, the kiss of the priest unites the
Church to Christ, its Redeemer.
Priest:
In the
name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
All:
Amen.
The
Greeting: We are
welcomed in God's name. Our response unites us to our
neighbor, to the priest and to God. (The priest may
select from several forms of greeting).
Priest:
The grace
of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion
of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
All: And with your spirit.
The
Penitential Prayers:
We
recognize our guilt for past sins, express our sorrow for
them, and ask that Mary, the angels, the saints, and our
brothers and sisters in Christ pray for the Lord God's
mercy. (The priest may select from several forms).
Priest:
Brothers
and sisters, let us acknowledge our sins, and so prepare
ourselves to celebrate the sacred mysteries.
Priest/All: I confess to almighty God and to you,
my brothers and sisters, that I have greatly sinned, in my
thoughts and in my words, in what I have done and in what I have
failed to do, through my fault, through my fault, through my
most grievous fault; therefore I ask blessed Mary ever-Virgin,
all the Angels and Saints, and you, my brothers and sisters, to
pray for me to the Lord our God.
The
Absolution:
Priest:
May
almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us
to everlasting life.
All:
Amen.
The
Collect:
The
priest lifts the united prayers and petitions of the
congregation to God the Father through the merits of Jesus
Christ in the Holy Spirit.
Priest:
Let us
pray.
Priest: Grant, almighty God, through the
yearly observances of holy Lent, that we may grow in
understanding of the riches hidden in Christ and by worthy
conduct pursue their effects. Through our Lord Jesus
Christ, your son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of
the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
Liturgy
of the Word
Christ
is made known to us through the Old Testament which prepares
us to recognize Him. In those days, God inspired men
who spoke His message.
Now, the New Testament Gospel reading announces His
presence to us directly through His Son. Both readings
bring God's message to us. Our responsibility is to
respond.
The
First Reading:
From
the Old Testament.
Deuteronomy
26:4-10
Moses spoke
to the people, saying: “The priest shall receive the basket from
you and shall set it in front of the altar of the Lord, your
God. Then you shall declare before the Lord, your God, ‘My
father was a wandering Aramean who went down to Egypt with a
small household and he lived there as an alien. But there he became a
nation great, strong, and numerous. When the Egyptians
maltreated and oppressed us, imposing hard labor upon us, we
cried to the Lord, the God of our fathers, and he heard our cry
and saw our affliction, our toil, and our oppression. He
brought us out of Egypt with his strong hand and outstretched
arm, with terrifying power, with signs and wonders; and bringing
us into this country, he gave us this land flowing with milk and
honey. Therefore, I have now brought you the first fruits
of the products of the soil which you, O Lord, have given
me.’ And having set them before the Lord, your God, you
shall bow down in his presence.”
Priest/Reader:
The
Word of the Lord.
All:
Thanks
be to God.
The
Responsorial Psalm: This
Psalm praising God, is a prayer to God, or recommends the
practice of virtue. It is sung as an interlude between
the scriptural readings. It provides yet another
instructional setting and invites the assembly to imitate
the cantor, who sings a repeated response to the verses of
an ancient Psalm many of which are attributed to King
David. The verses are sung first by a cantor (song
leader) accompanied by instruments, the refrain is sung by
the people.
Responsorial
Psalm 01:1-2, 10-11, 12-13, 14-15
Cantor:
Be with
me, Lord, when I am in trouble.
All: R/. Be with me, Lord, when I
am in trouble.
Cantor: You who dwell in the shelter of the
Most High, who abides in the shadow of the Almighty, say to the
Lord, “My refuge and fortress, my God in whom I trust.”
All: R/. Be with me, Lord, when I
am in trouble.
Cantor: No evil shall befall you, nor shall
affliction come near your test, for to his angels he has given
command about you, that they guard you in all your ways.
All: R/. Be with me, Lord, when I
am in trouble.
Cantor: Upon their hands they shall bear
you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone. You shall
tread upon the asp and the viper; you shall trample down the
lion and the dragon.
All: R/. Be with me, Lord, when I
am in trouble.
Cantor: Because he clings to me, I will
deliver him; I will set him on high because he acknowledges my
name. He shall call upon me, and I will answer him; I will
be with him in distress; I will deliver him and glorify him.
All: R/. Be with me, Lord, when I
am in trouble.
Second
Reading Romans 10:8-13
Brothers
and sisters: What does Scripture say? The word
is near you, in your mouth and in your heart –
that is, the word of faith that we preach – for, if you confess
with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart
that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For
one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one
confesses with the mouth and so is saved. For the
Scripture says, No one who believes in him will be put to
shame. For there is not distinction between Jew and
Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all, enriching all who call upon
him. For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will
be saved.”
Gospel
Acclamation Matthew 4:4b
Cantor:
Praise to
you, Lord Jesus Christ, King of endless glory!
All: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ, King of
endless glory!
Cantor: One does not live on bread alone, but on
every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.
All: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ, King of
endless glory!
The
Gospel: The
Liturgy of the Word is completed by the reading of the
Gospel. Before its reading, the members of the
assembly trace the sign of the cross upon the forehead to
indicate their mental acceptance of the Truth, on the lips
to indicate their readiness to announce it, and over the
heart to indicate their sincere desire to accept it into
their lives. The "Good News" of the Gospel tells that
God's kingdom has come for all to hear, accept, and announce
to the world for its salvation. It is God who is
speaking to us. Christ comes to teach us by the
example of His life and by His own words.
Priest: Cleanse
my heart and my lips, almighty God, that I may worthily proclaim
your holy Gospel. Through the words of the Gospel
may our sins be wiped away.
Priest: The Lord be with you.
All: And with our spirit.
Priest/Deacon: A reading
from the holy Gospel according to Luke.
All: Glory
to you, Lord.
The
Gospel Luke 4:1-13
Written by
Luke to explain that
Christ
came to save everyone.
Filled
with the Holy Spirit, Jesus returned from the Jordan and was
led by the Spirit into the desert for forty days, to be
tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days,
and when they were over he was hungry. The devil said to
him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become
bread,” Jesus answered him, “It is written, One does
not live on bread alone.”
Then he
took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a
single instant. The devil said to him, “I shall give to
you all this power and glory; for it has been handed over to
me, and I may give it to whomever I wish. Al this will
be yours, if you worship me.” Jesus said to him in
reply, “It is written: you shall worship the Lord, your
God, and him alone shall you serve.”
Then he
led him to Jerusalem, made him stand on the parapet of the
temple, and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw
yourself down from here, for it is written: He will
command his angels concerning you, to guard you, and : with
their hands they will support you, lest you dash your foot
against a stone.”
Jesus
said to him in reply, “It also says, You shall not put the
Lord, your God, to the test.”
When the
devil had finished every temptation, he departed from him for
a time.
Priest: The
Gospel of the Lord.
All: Praise
to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
The
Priest's Sermon: The
priest develops, explains, and comments upon the Master's
words, so our minds may be
enlightened, and our hearts enriched.
(A
priestly reflection upon this Gospel)
Profession
of Faith:
We state
in the Nicene Creed the principles of our faith in precise
and definite terms.
All: We
believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven
and earth, of all that is seen and unseen. We believe in
one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten
of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from
true God, begotten, not made, one in Being with the
Father. Through him all things were made. For us men
and for our salvation he came down from heaven: by the power of
the Holy Spirit he was born of the Virgin Mary, and became
man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered, died, and was buried. On the third day he
rose again 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
his kingdom will have no end. We believe in the Holy
Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the
Father and the Son. With
the Father and the Son he is worshipped and glorified. He
has spoken through the Prophets. We believe in one holy
catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism
for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection
of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.
General
Intercessions: We pray
for the needs of the pope, civic leaders, our own needs,
those of others, the sick, the dying, those who have died,
the church, and the world. The response of all to each
intercession: Lord, hear our prayer.
All: Lord,
hear our prayer.
The
Liturgy of the Eucharist
The gifts of
bread and wine symbolizing ourselves are presented to the
priest who will offer them to God the Father. Through
the Holy Spirit, they will become the Body and Blood of
Jesus Christ whom we receive in Holy Communion. Jesus unites
Himself with us for our spiritual nourishment and
strength. Today, when individuals do not present their
own personal offerings of bread and wine, the monetary
contribution symbolizes the material of their united
sacrifice. The priest makes and offering of the bread
and wine to God.
Preparation
of the Bread and Wine:
Priest: Blessed
are you, Lord God of all creation, for through your goodness we
have received the bread we offer you: fruit of the earth and
work of human hands, it will become for us the bread of
life.
All:
Blessed be
God for ever.
Priest: By the
mystery of this water and wine may we come to share in the
divinity of Christ, who humbled himself to share in our
humanity.
Priest: Blessed
are you, Lord God of all creation, for through your goodness we
have received the wine we offer you; fruit of the vine and work
of human hands it will become our spiritual drink.
All: Blessed be
God for ever.
Priest: With
humble spirit and contrite heart may we be accepted by you, O
Lord, and may our sacrifice in your sight this day be pleasing
to you, Lord God.
The
Priest's Hands are Washed: This act
was traditionally necessary because the priest handled the
various gifts presented by the people. Now, the
cleansing act using water reminds the priest and ourselves
of the need to cleanse not only the hands but the
soul. Soon, the priest's hands will hold the actual
body of Christ, and we will become His dwelling place.
Priest: Wash me
o Lord, from m iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.
Pray, brethren, that my sacrifice and yours may be
acceptable to God, the almighty Father.
All: 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.
Prayer
over the Gifts:
Speaking
in our name, the priest asks the God the Father to accept
the gifts we offer through him.
Priest:
Give us
the right dispositions, O Lord, we pray, to make these
offerings, for with them we celebrate the beginning of this
venerable and sacred time. Through Christ our Lord.
Eucharistic
Prayer: (Number
One: The priest may select from several forms).
Priest: The
Lord be with you.
All: And
with your spirit.
Priest: Lift up
your hearts.
All: We lift
them up to the Lord.
Priest: Let us
give thanks to the Lord, our God.
All: It is
right and just.
Preface Prayer:
Priest:
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. By abstaining forty
long days from earthly food, he consecrated through his fast the
pattern of our Lenten observance, and, by overturning all the
snares of the ancient serpent, taught us to cast out the leaven
of malice, so that, celebrating worthily the Paschal Mystery, we
might pass over at last to the eternal paschal feast. And
so, with the company of Angels and Saints, we sing the hymn of
your praise, as without end we acclaim:
Acclamation:
Priest
and All: 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.
Priest:
To you,
therefore, most merciful Father, we make humble prayer and
petition through Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord: that you
accept and bless these gifts, these offerings, these holy and
unblemished sacrifices, which we offer you firstly for your holy
catholic Church. Be pleased to grant her peace, to guard,
unite and govern her throughout the whole world, together with
your servant _____ our Pope, and _____ our Bishop, and all those
who, holding to the truth, hand on the catholic and apostolic
faith.
Remember,
Lord, your servants _____ and _____, and all gathered here,
whose faith and devotion are known to you. For them, we
offer you this sacrifice of praise or they offer it for
themselves and all who are dear to them: for the redemption of
their souls, in hope of health and well-being, and paying their
homage to you, the eternal God, living and true.
In
communion with those whose memory we venerate, especially the
glorious ever-Virgin Mary, Mother of our God, and Lord, Jesus
Christ, and blessed Joseph, her Spouse, your blessed Apostles
and Martyrs, Peter and Paul, Andrew, James, John, Thomas, James,
Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Simon and Jude; Linus, Cletus,
Clement, Sixtus, Cornelius, Cyprian, Lawrence, Chrysogonus, John
and Paul, Cosmas and Damian and all your Saints; we ask that
through their merits and prayers, in all things we may be
defended by your protecting help. Through Christ our
Lord. Amen.
Therefore,
Lord, we pray; graciously accept this oblation of our service,
that of your whole family; order our days in your peace, and
command that we be delivered from eternal damnation and counted
among the flock of those you have chosen. Through Christ
our Lord. Amen.
Be pleased,
O God, we pray, to bless, acknowledge, and approve this offering
in every respect; make it spiritual and acceptable, so that it
may become for us the Body and Blood of your most beloved Son,
our Lord Jesus Christ.
The
priest repeats the words which Christ used at his Last
Supper when He changed the bread into His Body and the wine
into His Blood. His Body and Blood are truly present
but under the appearance of bread and wine. The death
of Christ is prolonged in each of those who receive Him
worthily. We apply His death to ourselves so that we
may share His glory. This moment is the most solemn on
earth because it is Divine act which enables us to apply to
ourselves the Cross which Christ willingly took upon
Himself.
We are
called to die to sin and lift our very selves to God so that
we become changed; to do as God would have us do, to become
what God would have us become. Our own little cross
can lift us into union with Christ's Cross so we may earn
the joys of everlasting happiness with God the Father.
The
Lord's Supper: On the
day before he was to suffer, he took bread in his holy and
venerable hands, and with eyes raised to heaven to you, O God,
his almighty Father, giving you thanks, he said the blessing,
broke the bread and gave it to his disciples, saying:
Take
this, all of you, and eat of it, for this is my Body, which
will be given up for you.
In a
similar way, when supper was ended, he took this precious
chalice in his holy and venerable hands, and once more giving
you thanks, he said the blessing and gave the chalice to his
disciples, saying:
Take
this, all of you, and drink from it, for this is the chalice
of my Blood, the Blood of the new and eternal covenant,
which will be poured out for you and for many for the
forgiveness of sins. Do this in memory of me.
Memorial
Acclamation: (The
priest may select from several forms).
Priest: The
mystery of faith.
Priest /
All: We
proclaim your Death, O Lord, and profess your Resurrection until
you come again.
Memorial
Prayer: (The
priest may select from several forms).
Priest:
Recalls
Christ's Passion, Resurrection, Ascension, the Church, the
dead, and ourselves.
Therefore,
O Lord, as we celebrate the memorial of the blessed Passion, the
Resurrection from the dead, and the glorious Ascension into
heaven of Christ, your Son, our Lord, we, your servants and your
holy people, offer to your glorious majesty from the gifts that
you have given us, this pure victim, this holy victim, this
spotless victim, the holy Bread of eternal life and the Chalice
of everlasting salvation.
Be pleased
to look upon these offerings with a serene and kindly
countenance, and to accept them, as once you were pleased to
accept the gifts of your servant Able the just, the sacrifice of
Abraham, our father in faith, and the offering of your high
priest Melchizedek, a holy sacrifice, a spotless victim.
In humble
prayer we ask you, almighty God: command these gifts be borne by
the hands of your holy Angel to your altar on high in the sight
of your divine majesty, so that all of us, who through this
participation at the altar receive the most holy Body and Blood
of your Son, may be filled with every grace and heavenly
blessing. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Remember
also, Lord, your servants _____ and _____, who have gone before
us with the sign of faith and rest in the sleep of peace.
Grant them, O Lord, we pray, and all who sleep in Christ, a
place of refreshment, light and peace. Through Christ our
Lord. Amen.
To us,
also, your servants, who though sinners, hope in your abundant
mercies, graciously grant some share and fellowship with your
holy Apostles and Martyrs: with John the Baptist, Stephen,
Matthias, Barnabas, Ignatius, Alexander, Marcellinus, Peter,
Felicity, Perpetua, Agatha, Lucy, Agnes, Cecilia, Anastasia and
all your Saints; admit us, we beseech you, into their company,
not weighing our merits, but granting us your pardon, through
Christ our Lord. Through whom you continue to make all
these good things, O Lord; you sanctify them, fill them with
life, bless them, and bestow them upon us.
Doxology:
Prayer
of Praise:
Through
him, with him, and in him, O God, almighty Father, in the unity
of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honor is
yours, for ever and ever.
All:
Amen.
Communion
Rite
In the
Liturgy of the Eucharist, we symbolically offer ourselves to
the Lord through the gifts of bread and wine. At the
Consecration, we offer our very lives to be united the God
the Father through the Cross of Christ. In Communion,
we find that we have not died at all but have come to
life. We have surrendered ourselves to God through His
Divine Son, Jesus Christ. In return, become ennobled
and enriched.
We give up time and we get eternity, we give up our sin and
we receive grace, we surrender our self-will and receive the
strength of the Divine Will, we give up ourselves and we
receive everything. For the Son of God says to us that
unless we receive Him, we shall not have Divine life in
us. But it is not really we who receive Christ, as it
is Christ who receives us, bringing us into Himself.
God
makes His Cross the very means of our salvation and our
life. While we have crucified Him, His eternal love
cannot be extinguished. Christ willed to give us the
very life we crucified in our Redemption, the Consecration
of Holy Thursday into Communion, His death into our
everlasting life.
The
Lord's Prayer:
Priest:
At the
Savior's command and formed by divine teaching, we dare to say:
Priest
and All: Our
Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be they 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.
Priest:
Deliver us,
Lord, we pray, from every evil, graciously grant peace in our
days, that, by the help of your mercy, we may be always free
from sin and safe from all distress, as we await the blessed
hope and the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ.
All:
For the
kingdom, the power and the glory are yours now and forever.
Prayer
for Peace:
Priest:
Lord Jesus
Christ, who said to your Apostles: Peace I leave you, my peace I
give you, look not on our sins, but on the faith of your Church,
and graciously grant her peace and unity in accordance with your
will. Who live and reign for ever and ever.
All: Amen.
Priest:
The peace
of the Lord be with you always.
All: And with your spirit.
Priest: Let us offer each other the sign of
peace.
Breaking
of the Bread:
Priest:
May
this mingling of the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ
bring eternal life to us who receive it.
Priest
and All: 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.
Priestly
Preparation: Lord
Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, who, by the will of the
Father and the work of the Holy Spirit, through your Death gave
life to the world, free me by this, your most holy Body and
Blood, from all my sins
and from every evil; keep me always faithful to your
commandments, and 
never
let me be parted from you.
Priest: Behold
the Lamb of God, behold him who takes away the sins of the
world. Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb.
Priest
and All: Lord, I
am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say
the world and my soul shall be healed.
Priest: May the
Body of Christ keep me safe for eternal life.
May
the
Blood of Christ keep me safe for eternal life.
Communion
Antiphon: Matthew
4:4
One does
not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes forth from
the mouth of God.
Communion
of the Faithful:
Priest: The
Body of Christ.
The
Faithful: Amen.
Priest/Deacon/Extraordinary
Eucharistic Minister: The
Blood of Christ.
The Faithful: Amen.
Cleansing
of the Vessels:
Priest:
What
has passed our lips as food, O Lord, may we possess in purity of
heart, that what has been given to us in time may be our healing
for eternity.
Prayer
after Communion:
Priest: Renewed
now with heavenly bread, by which faith is nourished, hope
increased, and charity strengthened, we pray, O Lord, that we
may learn to hunger for Christ, the true and living Bread, and
strive to live by every word which proceeds from your
mouth. Through Christ our Lord.
Concluding
Rite
Priest: The
Lord be with you.
All: And
with your spirit.
Priest: Bow
down for the blessing.
Dismissal
Prayer: (The
priest may select from several forms)
Priest:
May
bountiful blessings, O Lord, we pray, come down upon your
people, that hope may grow in tribulation, virtue be
strengthened in temptation, and eternal redemption be
assured. Through Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.
O my Jesus, forgive us our sins.