Mass for the Sick

Dear Parishioners and all those who logged into our Parish,

may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be in you and upon you.

This celebration of Mass took place at 7pm on Tuesday 9th June – Parishioners and others joined via the webcam and radios at home.

 

First reading: from the letter of St Paul to the Romans 8:31-35, 37-39.

Nothing can come between us and the love of Christ.

Responsorial.

Blest be the Lord. From the St Louis Jesuits

 

Gospel: according to Matthew 8:14-17.

He took our sicknesses away.

 

My few words:

At the beginning of Mass:

We gather again – at a distance – to celebrate the Eucharist. Welcome to all who join us via radio or webcam both near and far.

This evening we gather for Mass for the Sick: please have a small teaspoon of olive oil available at home to bless those who are sick or preparing for/recovering from operations or receiving treatment at this time or are aged or anyone who is living with addiction or mental health or emotional health or spiritual health issues. We will do that later in the Mass.

If you have a relative or friend who cannot be present, I hope you have a photo of them placed on a table. And light a candle.

Today is the feast day of St Columba who lived in the sixth century and is celebrated in Ireland and Scotland.

All of us are in need of God’s healing that comes with God’s mercy and forgiveness. We acknowledge our sinfulness, our selfishness…

 

After the Gospel:

As I said at the beginning of Mass today is the feast day of St Columba, also known as Columcille. He was born of royal stock so he would have had a comfortable lifestyle. Christianity was relatively new as a religion in Ireland, but Columba embraced its teachings, and this deepened his faith in God and in Jesus, the personification of God on earth. Columba became a missionary and travelled to Iona, an island off the west coast of Scotland. From there he gathered likeminded followers who in turn travelled across Scotland and Northern England to preach about God and Jesus.

Part of that preaching would have included telling the stories of Jesus curing those who were sick and maybe because of sickness or illness felt excluded from family and friends and society in general. We know ourselves when we are unwell or out of sorts, all we want is maybe to be left alone. That might be ok some of the time, but in general we need other people to help and support us in our illness or weakness. We don’t have to face each day alone.

The Sacrament of the Sick, and the ritual we will take part in shortly, is a recognition that God is with us now in our sickness or weakness. When we gather, as we do now, we are also saying, I need God and others to get me through this time of uncertainty or anxiety or fear or recovery.

St Columba preached the Gospel, the Good News of God’s care and healing of each one of us. Our families and friends and carers in the community and medical personnel in general put it into practice.

Ritual for those at home

Have the teaspoon of olive oil ready.

The Lord Jesus, who went about doing good works and healing sickness and infirmity of every kind, commanded his disciples to care for the sick, to pray for them, and to lay hands on them. In this ritual we shall entrust our sick sisters and brothers to the care of the Lord, asking that he will enable them to bear their pain and suffering in the knowledge that, if they accept their share in the pain of his own Passion, they will also share in its power to give comfort and strength.

Response: Lord, give those who are sick the comfort of your presence.

1. Lord Jesus, you came as healer of body and of mind and of spirit, in order to cure all our ills. Response.

2. You were a man of suffering, but it was our infirmities that you bore, our sufferings that you endured. Response.

3. You chose to be like us in all things, in order to assure us of your compassion. Response.

4. You experienced the weakness of the flesh in order to deliver us from evil. Response.

5. Lord Jesus, you called the little children to come to you and said that the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to such as these; listen to our prayers for these children and babies. Response.

6. For those bound by the chains of addiction or substance abuse or mental health or emotional health or spiritual health issues; that we encourage and assist them in their struggle. Response.

7. At the foot of the Cross your Mother stood as companion in your sufferings, and in your tender care you gave her to us as our Mother. Response.

Prayer of praise for the oil.

Praise to you, almighty God and Father. You sent your Son to live among us and bring us salvation.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ, the Father’s only Son. You humbled yourself to share in our humanity, and you desired to cure all our illnesses.

Praise to you God the Holy Spirit, the Consoler. You heal our sickness with your mighty power

Lord God, with faith in you our beloved – or if you are alone, yourself – will be blessed with this oil. Ease their/my sufferings and strengthen their/me in their/my weakness.

We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Now I invite you to bless on the forehead whoever is in need of blessing and we will listen to the hymn – Lay your hands gently upon us – James Kilbane.

We continue with the Prayer of the Faithful

Priest: Let us pray to God for the graces we need at this time.

1. In this time of the coronavirus pandemic we pray that God’s mercy may bring healing and reconciliation to all humankind. …pause… Lord, hear us.

2. That all who suffer in mind or body may find in Mary, the Mother of God, who stood at the foot of the cross, the strength to endure and accept. …pause… Lord, hear us.

3. That the sick may receive healing. That those addicted may have courage and strength. That those who carry the stress of mind, emotional or spiritual crosses may see a way through life. …pause… Lord, hear us.

4. May medical teams at hospital, medical centres, in the community be blessed and guided in their work of healing and support. …pause…Lord, hear us.

5. May family and friends who care and worry and serve the sick be given patience and understanding. …pause… Lord, hear us.

6. We pray for peace in our families and in our country. That healing and reconciliation may be experienced by those who seek it. …pause… Lord, hear us.

Priest: O God, listen to our prayers and grant them through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Hymn post Communion: These alone are enough, Dan Schutte – St Louis Jesuits

At the end of Mass:

I wish you all health and happiness.

Continue to do what we are doing for the good of us all – stay at home!

Keep safe and well and keep your distance!

Lord, our God, who watch over us with unfailing care, keep us in the safe embrace of your love. With your strong right hand raise us up and give us the strength of your own power. Minister to us and heal us so that we may have from you the help we long for.

Blessing

Closing hymn: Be thou my vision – Nathan Pacheco Music

Followed by James Kilbane cd

Before Mass James Kilbane cd