Year of Mercy – Shelter the Homeless

    March 21, 2016
    A smiling family sits on a blue couch. The father has dark hair and a partial beard and has one arm around a blond boy in a striped shirt. The other arm is around the woman, who has a long brown ponytail and is holding a sleeping infant in her arms.

    OPENING PRAYER

    O Lord, to whom no one is a stranger and from whose help no one is ever distant, look with compassion on those without a place to live; restore them, we pray, to a home of their own, and give us a kind heart to help the homeless in their need. We ask this through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

    READ LUKE 16:19-31

    RESPONSORIAL PSALM 68:5, 6-7, 8-9, 10-11, 20

    R./ Blessed be the Lord day by day.

    Sing to God, praise his name; exalt the rider of the clouds. Rejoice before him whose name is the Lord. R./

    Father of the fatherless, defender of widows— God in his holy abode, God gives a home to the forsaken, he leads prisoners out to prosperity. R./

    God, when you went forth before your people, when you marched through the desert, the earth quaked, the heavens poured, before God, the God of Israel. R./

    You poured abundant rains, God, your inheritance was weak and you repaired it. Your creatures dwelt in it; you will establish it in your goodness for the poor, O God.

    Time for reflection/discussion

    INTERCESSIONS

    That all governments work tirelessly to provide food, clothing and housing to all who need them, we pray to the Lord.

    Lord, hear our prayer.

    That every local community supports policies and actions to end homelessness in their districts, we pray to the Lord.

    Lord, hear our prayer.

    That people living in the same neighborhood practice healthy living habits for the good of their community and common areas, we pray to the Lord.

    Lord, hear our prayer.

    That we are always good stewards in the use and preservation of our common home, the earth, we pray to the Lord.

    Lord, hear our prayer.

    That houses of worship remain sanctuaries where people may find rest and peace, we pray to the Lord.

    Lord, hear our prayer.

    Our Father…

    CLOSING PRAYER

    Pope Francis’ Prayer for the Jubilee Year of Mercy (excerpt)

    Lord Jesus Christ, you have taught us to be merciful like the heavenly Father, and have told us that whoever sees you sees Him. You are the visible face of the invisible Father, of the God who manifests his power above all by forgiveness and mercy: Let the Church be your visible face in the world. Send your Spirit and consecrate every one of us with its anointing, so that the Jubilee of Mercy may be a year of grace from the Lord, and your Church, with renewed enthusiasm, may bring good news to the poor, proclaim liberty to captives and the oppressed, and restore sight to the blind. We ask this of you, Lord Jesus, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever. Amen

    SPIRITUAL WORK OF MERCY

    To “Comfort the afflicted” means entering into the realm of suffering of another person so that the person is not alone. Being with the afflicted person reminds him or her that the affliction, however terrible, does not exhaust the person’s identity. A remedy for the affliction may or may not be available, but the loving presence of a neighbor is always a possibility.

    QUOTE OF MERCY

    “We can find no social or moral justification, no justification whatsoever, for lack of housing.” –Pope Francis

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