May 11st, 2025 – Fourth Sunday of Easter, Year C
ENTRANCE ANTIPHON
Declare with a shout of joy
that resounds to the ends of the earth:
‘The Lord has redeemed his people,’ alleluia.
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 you all.
And with your spirit.
Brethren (brothers and sisters), let us acknowledge our sins,
and so prepare ourselves to celebrate the sacred mysteries.
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,
[All strike their breast]
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.
May almighty God have mercy on us,
forgive us our sins,
and bring us to everlasting life.
Amen.
GLORIA
Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to people of good will.
We praise you,
we bless you,
we adore you,
we glorify you,
we give you thanks for your great glory,
Lord God, heavenly King,
O God, almighty Father.
Lord Jesus Christ, only Begotten Son,
Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father,
you take away the sins of the world,
have mercy on us;
you take away the sins of the world,
receive our prayer;
you are seated at the right hand of the Father,
have mercy on us.
For you alone are the Holy One,
you alone are the Lord,
you alone are the Most High,
Jesus Christ,
with the Holy Spirit,
in the glory of God the Father.
Amen.
COLLECT
Let us pray.
O God, who unite your faithful people in one heart and mind, grant that we may love your commandments and desire what you promise, that through all the vicissitudes of this life our hearts may remain fixed on you, the source of true joy. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.
Amen.
LITURGY OF THE WORD
FIRST READING
A reading from the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 21:8b-14)
In those days. We entered the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him. And he had four unmarried daughters, who prophesied. While we were staying for some days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judaea. And coming to us he took Paul’s belt and bound his own feet and hands and said, ‘Thus says the Holy Spirit, “So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.”’ When we heard this, we and the people there begged him not to go up to Jerusalem. Then Paul answered, ‘What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be imprisoned but even to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.’ And when he would not be persuaded, we ceased and said, ‘The will of the Lord be done.’
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
PSALM
Psalm 15 (16)
R. All my life is in your hands, O Lord.
OR R. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia
The Lord is my portion and cup,
you hold my lot.
The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
yes, I have a goodly heritage. R.
I bless the Lord who gives me counsel,
who even at night directs my heart.
I keep the Lord ever before me;
because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. R.
Therefore my heart rejoices,
my soul is glad;
even my body shall rest in safety. R.
You show me the path of life;
in your presence there is fulness of joy,
in your right hand are pleasures for evermore. R.
EPISTLE
A reading from the First Letter of St Paul to the Philippians (Phil 1:8-14)
My brothers, God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruits of righteousness which come through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. I want you to know, brethren, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, so that it has become known throughout the whole praetorian guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ; and most of the brethren have been made confident in the Lord because of my imprisonment, and are much more bold to speak the word of God without fear.
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
Alleluia.
I am the Good Shepherd, says the Lord;
I know my sheep,
and my sheep know me.
Alleluia.
GOSPEL
The Lord be with you
And with your spirit.
A reading from the Holy Gospel according to St John (15:9-17)
Glory to you, O Lord.
In that time. The Lord Jesus said to his disciples: ‘As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you; abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete. This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide; so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. This I command you, to love one another.’
The Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
AFTER THE GOSPEL
We, your people and the sheep of your flock,
entrust ourselves solely to your care,
praising your name to the end of time, alleluia.
PRAYERS OF THE FAITHFUL
Dear brothers and sisters, filled with paschal joy,
let us pray earnestly to God that he, who graciously listened
to the prayers and supplications of his beloved Son,
may now be pleased to look upon us in our lowliness.
Lord, in your mercy
Hear our prayer
CONCLUSION OF THE LITURGY OF THE WORD
O God, whose fatherly arms are always open to those who trust in you, tenderly guide our feet in your ways, that we may not stray from the source of life. Through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
THE LITURGY OF THE EUCHARIST
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.
Blessed be God forever.
Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation,
for through your goodness we have received
this wine we offer you:
fruit of the vine and work of human hands,
it will become our spiritual drink.
Blessed be God forever.
PROFESSION OF FAITH
I believe in one God,
the Father almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all things visible and invisible.
I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ,
the Only begotten Son of God,
born of the Father before all ages.
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father;
through him all things were made.
For us men and for our salvation
he came down from heaven,
and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary,
and became man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried,
and rose again on the third day
in accordance with 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 is adored and glorified.
who has spoken through the prophets.
I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.
I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins
and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead
and the life of the world to come. Amen.
PRAYER OVER THE GIFTS
May the offering which we have dedicated to you, O living and eternal God, obtain for us blessing and salvation. Grant that what has been accomplished in these sacred mysteries spring up in us as the fount of our life and strength. Through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
PREFACE
The Lord be with you.
And with your spirit.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them up to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right and just.
It is truly right and just, our duty and our salvation,
Always and everywhere to give you thanks,
Lord, holy Father, almighty and eternal God.
Moved with compassion for mankind which had gone astray,
He humbled himself to be born of the Virgin.
By his death he delivered us from unending death,
And through his resurrection he gave us eternal life.
In him the angels sing your praises,
The Dominions adore you,
The Powers tremble before you.
The Seraphim, the angelic choir and all the heavenly host unite
In a hymn of unending joy:
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.
EUCHARISTIC PRAYER
You are indeed Holy, O Lord,
The fount of all holiness.
Make holy, therefore, these gifts, we pray,
by sending down your Spirit upon them like the dewfall,
so that they may become for us
the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.
At the time he was betrayed
And entered willingly into his Passion,
he took bread and, giving thanks, broke it,
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 the chalice
and, once more giving thanks,
he gave it to his disciples, saying:
Take this, all of you, and drink from it,
for this is the chalice of my Blood,
the Blood of the new and eternal covenant,
Which will be poured out for you and for many
for the forgiveness of sins.
Do this in memory of me.
The mystery of faith.
We proclaim your Death, O Lord,
and profess your Resurrection
until you come again.
Therefore, as we celebrate
the memorial of his Death and Resurrection,
we offer you, Lord,
the Bread of life and the Chalice of salvation,
giving thanks that you have 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 Francis our Pope
and Mario our Bishop,
and all the clergy.
Remember also our brothers and sisters
who have fallen asleep in the hope of the resurrection,
and all who have died in your mercy:
welcome them into the light of your face.
Have mercy on us all, we pray,
that with the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God,
with blessed Joseph, her Spouse
with the blessed Apostles,
and all the Saints who have pleased you throughout the ages,
we may merit to be coheirs to eternal life,
and may praise and glorify you
through your Son, Jesus Christ.
Through him, and with him, and in him,
O God, almighty Father,
In the unity of the Holy Spirit,
all glory and honour is yours,
Forever and ever.
Amen.
THE COMMUNION RITE
BREAKING OF THE BREAD
You have given your people, O Lord, the food of angels,
providing every pleasure and suited to every taste,
alleluia, alleluia.
At the Saviour’s command
and formed by divine teaching,
we dare to say:
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy Name,
thy kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
Deliver us, Lord, we pray, from every evil,
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 Saviour, Jesus Christ.
For the kingdom,
the power and the glory are yours
now and for ever.
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.
Amen.
The peace and communion of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you always.
And with your spirit.
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.
Lord, I am not worthy
that you should enter under my roof,
but only say the word
and my soul shall be healed.
AT HOLY COMMUNION
Go forward in fear and trembling to receive the sacrament,
and taste the sweetness of Christ.
The Lord has given us the bread of heaven;
man has eaten the bread of the angels, alleluia, alleluia.
The Body of Christ.
Amen.
AFTER HOLY COMMUNION
Let us pray.
May the sacrament which we have received, O Father, nourish and fortify our spirit and be for us protection and help in our daily necessities. Through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
The Lord be with you.
And with your spirit.
Kyrie, eleison. Kyrie, eleison. Kyrie, eleison.
May almighty God bless you,
the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Amen
Go in peace.
In the name of Christ.
