Solemnity of Our Lady of Mount Carmel

Welcome | Resources for Liturgy | Rites of the Church | Celebrations of the Word for God for Home Use during COVID-19

Sunday 18 July 2021

Celebration of the Word of God

In the current COVID-19 pandemic, many Catholics are unable to participate in the Sunday Eucharistic celebration. This resource is provided so that families and individuals can observe and celebrate Sunday in their homes. It is adapted from, and based on, Celebrations of the Word of God that may be celebrated on Sundays in parishes when a priest is not present to lead the celebration of Mass.

Before the celebration, choose a space for prayer together in the home. You may wish to prepare a focus for prayer, with a lit candle and cross. You could also decorate this focus with white cloth if you have any, to reflect the liturgical colour of the feast day.

If several people will pray together, choose who will be the leader of the celebration. Other people should be chosen to read the readings and the intercessions. If you are on your own, you may omit the parts that would only apply to a group setting (eg responses).

Please note: Today’s celebration is that for the Solemnity of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, as this is the feast observed in our parish today. As we do at Mass on this day, the texts will be those selected and published in the Carmelite Missal.

The Introductory Rites

Opening Song

You may choose to play this recording of Flower of Carmel

Greeting

Leader:

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

All:

Amen.

Leader:

Blessed be God, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

All:

Blessed be God for ever.

Penitential Act

Leader:

The love of Christ has gathered us together.
Let us ask forgiveness of the Lord who is compassion and love.

Pause briefly for silent prayer.

Leader:

Lord Jesus, you are the Son of God and the Son of Mary:
Lord, have mercy.

All:

Lord, have mercy.

Leader:

You entrusted Mary to us as the Mother of Carmel and our sister in faith:
Christ, have mercy.

All:

Christ, have mercy.

Leader:

Mary’s humble and courageous faith leads us to you:
Lord, have mercy.

All:

Lord, have mercy.

Leader:

May almighty God have mercy on us,
forgive us our sins,
and bring us to everlasting life.

All:

Amen.

Collect Prayer

Leader:

Let us pray.

Pause for silent prayer.

All gracious God,
may the prayers of the Blessed Virgin Mary,
Mother and Queen of Carmel,
protect us,
and bring us to your holy Mountain,
Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.

All:

Amen.

The Liturgy of the Word

First Reading

Reader:

A reading from the first book of the Kings

Elijah climbed to the top of Carmel and bowed down to the earth, putting his face between his knees. ‘Now go up,’ he told his servant ‘and look out to the sea.’ He went up and looked. ‘There is nothing at all’ he said. ‘Go back seven times’ Elijah said. The seventh time, the servant said, ‘Now there is a cloud, small as a man’s hand, rising from the sea.’ Elijah said, ‘Go and say to Ahab, “Harness the chariot and go down before the rain stops you.”‘ And with that the sky grew dark with cloud and storm, and rain fell in torrents.

The word of the Lord.

All:

Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm

℟ Draw us after you, Virgin Mary; we shall follow in your footsteps.

Lord, who shall be admitted to your tent
and dwell on your holy mountain? ℟

He who walks without fault;
he who acts with justice
and speaks the truth from his heart.
He who does no wrong to his brother,
who casts no slur on his neighbour. ℟

He who holds the godless in disdain,
but honours those who fear the Lord. ℟

Second Reading

Reader:

A reading from the letter of St Paul to the Galatians

When the appointed time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born a subject of the Law, to redeem the subjects of the Law and to enable us to be adopted as sons. The proof that you are sons is that God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts: the Spirit that cries, ‘Abba, Father,’ and it is this that makes you a son, you are not a slave any more; and if God has made you son, then he has made you heir.

The word of the Lord.

All:

Thanks be to God.

Acclamation Before the Gospel

Try to sing Alleluia to a simple tune known to all.

Gospel

Reader:

A reading from the holy Gospel according to John

Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary of Magdala. Seeing his mother and the disciple he loved standing near her, Jesus said to his mother, ‘Woman, this is your son’. Then to the disciple he said, ‘This is your mother’. And from that moment the disciple made a place for her in his home.

The Gospel of the Lord.

All:

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Silent Reflection on the Readings

Profession of Faith

All:

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.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who 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 of the Faithful

Leader:

Mary is for us a model of prayer and concern for others.
Let us pray for our needs and the needs of the world.

Reader:

For the Carmelite family throughout the world.
May it continue to grow under the protection of Mary, Mother of Carmel.
We pray to the Lord.

All:

Lord, hear our prayer.

Reader:

For our world.
May we work together to stop the spread of COVID-19
for the good of all people.
We pray to the Lord. ℟

For all mothers.
May they draw strength and inspiration
from Mary’s example of humility, courage and love.
We pray to the Lord. ℟

For the Carmelite Friars in our community.
May they be blessed in their ministry and supported by those they serve.
We pray to the Lord. ℟

For those who have died.
May they who called God their father in this life
enjoy their eternal inheritance.
We pray to the Lord. ℟

Leader:

Eternal God,
hear these prayers, which we make
in the humble spirit of Mary, our mother and sister in faith.
Through Christ, our Lord.

All:

Amen.

Proclamation of Praise

Leader:

This is the day that the Lord has made,
so let us give praise to God.

Everyone prays the Gloria in excelsis together.

All:

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.

Lord’s Prayer

Leader:

Let us pray the words that Jesus taught us.

All:

Our Father…

The Concluding Rites

Blessing and Dismissal

All make the Sign of the Cross as the leader says:

Leader:

May God fill us with faith, hope and love,
both now and forever.

All:

Amen.

Leader:

Let us praise the Lord.

All:

Thanks be to God.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This celebration is based on the Directory for Sunday Celebrations in the Absence of a Priest, Congregation for Divine Worship, 1988; and Sunday Celebrations in the Absence of a Priest: Directives for the Dioceses of Australia, Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, 2004. In Pastoral Handbook for the Dioceses of Australia: Sunday Celebration of the Word, Sunday Celebration of the Hours, © National Liturgical Commission (Australia), 2004, published by The Liturgical Commission, Brisbane.

Prayer texts from The Carmelite Sacramentary. Containing the Masses proper to the Carmelite Order and the Order of Discalced Carmelites from The Carmelite Missal, 1979, with certain authorised additions. Provisional Text. United States of America: North American Carmelite Conference, 1997.

Readings from The Carmelite Lectionary. Containing the Masses proper to the Carmelite Order and the Order of Discalced Carmelites from The Carmelite Missal, 1979, with certain authorised additions. Provisional Text. United States of America: North American Carmelite Conference, 1997.

Psalm texts used in the Proclamation of Praise from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicised Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993, 1995 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. All rights reserved.

Other texts, homily video and graphics not from sources acknowledged above are produced by Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish, Wentworthville for prayer at home during the period of time that Masses are suspended and/or Sunday obligation is dispensed in the Diocese of Parramatta due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This resource can be used for personal, non-profit use, and only for its intended purpose.