4th Sunday of Lent - Laetare Sunday
The 4th Sunday of Lent is known as Laetare Sunday. “Laetare” means “Rejoice,” and comes from the opening words of the Entrance antiphon for the day, from Isaiah 66:10-11: “Rejoice, Jerusalem, and all who love her. Be joyful, all who were in mourning; exalt and be satisfied at her consoling breast.”
Laetare Sunday, a day of hope and joy, gives us a glimpse of the the Easter joy to come.
Welcome to Our Lady of Angels, where we strive "To love God, Embrace all People, and Share the Gospel Joyfully." Visit our website to find out more about our community.
Our Lenten mass parts will be sung from the Mass of Repentance, written by Nina McKay.
Processional Hymn - 590 - Christ Be Our Light
Longing for light, we wait in darkness
Longing for truth, we turn to You.
Make us Your own, Your holy people,
light for the world to see.
Christ, be our light!
Shine in our hearts.
Shine through the darkness.
Christ, be our light!
Shine in your Church gathered today.
Longing for peace, our world is troubled
Longing for hope, many despair.
Your word alone has pow'r to save us.
Make us your living voice.
Christ, be our light!
Shine in our hearts.
Shine through the darkness.
Christ, be our light!
Shine in Your church gathered today.
Longing for food, many are hungry
Longing for water, many still thirst.
Make us Your bread, broken for others
Shared until all are fed.
Christ, be our light!
Shine in our hearts.
Shine through the darkness.
Christ, be our light!
Shine in Your church gathered today.
Longing for shelter, many are homeless
Longing for warmth, many are cold.
Make us Your building, sheltering others
Walls made of living stone.
Christ, be our light!
Shine in our hearts.
Shine through the darkness.
Christ, be our light!
Shine in Your church gathered today.
Many the gift, many the people
Many the hearts that yearn to belong.
Let us be servants to one another
Making Your kingdom come.
Christ, be our light!
Shine in our hearts.
Shine through the darkness.
Christ, be our light!
Shine in Your church gathered today.
Sign of the Cross
Greeting:
Priest: The Lord be with you.
ALL: And with your spirit.
Kyrie:
Kyrie eleison,
Christe eleison,
Kyrie eleison.
Collect
This prayer concludes the opening rites of mass.
(please sit)
1st Reading –
2 Chron. 36:14-16, 19-23
In those days, all the princes of Judah, the priests, and the people added infidelity to infidelity, practicing all the abominations of the nations and polluting the LORD’s temple which he had consecrated in Jerusalem.
Early and often did the LORD, the God of their fathers, send his messengers to them,
for he had compassion on his people and his dwelling place.
But they mocked the messengers of God,
despised his warnings, and scoffed at his prophets, until the anger of the LORD against his people was so inflamed
that there was no remedy.
Their enemies burnt the house of God,
tore down the walls of Jerusalem,
set all its palaces afire, and destroyed all its precious objects.
Those who escaped the sword were carried captive to Babylon, where they became servants of the king of the Chaldeans and his sons until the kingdom of the Persians came to power.
All this was to fulfill the word of the LORD spoken by Jeremiah:
“Until the land has retrieved its lost sabbaths, during all the time it lies waste it shall have rest while seventy years are fulfilled.”
In the first year of Cyrus, king of Persia,
in order to fulfill the word of the LORD spoken by Jeremiah, the LORD inspired King Cyrus of Persia to issue this proclamation throughout his kingdom,
both by word of mouth and in writing:
“Thus says Cyrus, king of Persia:
All the kingdoms of the earth
the LORD, the God of heaven, has given to me, and he has also charged me to build him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah.
Whoever, therefore, among you belongs to any part of his people, let him go up, and may his God be with him!”
The Word of the Lord
ALL: Thanks be to God.
Responsorial Psalm –
Psalm 136
R. Let my tongue be silenced, let my tongue be silenced, if I ever forget you, Jerusalem, Jerusalem!
By the streams of Babylon, we sat and wept,
when we remembered Zion.
On the aspens on that land
we hung up our harps.
R. Let my tongue be silenced, let my tongue be silenced, if I ever forget you, Jerusalem, Jerusalem!
For there our captors asked of us
the lyrics of our songs
our despoilers urged us to be joyous,
“Sing for us the songs of Zion!”
R. Let my tongue be silenced, let my tongue be silenced, if I ever forget you, Jerusalem, Jerusalem!
How could we sing a song of the Lord
in a foreign land?
If I forget you, Jerusalem,
may my right hand be forgotten!
R. Let my tongue be silenced, let my tongue be silenced, if I ever forget you, Jerusalem, Jerusalem!
May my tongue cleave to my palate
if I remember you not,
If I place not Jerusalem
ahead of my joy.
R. Let my tongue be silenced, let my tongue be silenced, if I ever forget you, Jerusalem, Jerusalem!
2nd Reading –
Eph. 2:4-10
Brothers and sisters:
God, who is rich in mercy,
because of the great love he had for us,
even when we were dead in our transgressions, brought us to life with Christ — by grace you have been saved —,
raised us up with him, and seated us with him in the heavens in Christ Jesus,
that in the ages to come He might show the immeasurable riches of his grace
in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not from you; it is the gift of God; it is not from works, so no one may boast.
For we are his handiwork, created in Christ Jesus for the good works that God has prepared in advance, that we should live in them.
The Word of the Lord.
ALL: Thanks be to God.
Gospel Acclamation
Cantor: Praise to you, Lord, Jesus Christ,
King of Endless Glory.
ALL: Praise to you, Lord, Jesus Christ,
King of Endless Glory.
God so loved the world that he gave his only Son,
so that everyone who believes in him might have eternal life.
ALL: Praise to you, Lord, Jesus Christ,
King of Endless Glory. (2x)
Gospel –
John 3:14-21
Priest or Deacon: The Lord be with you.
ALL: And with your spirit.
Priest/Deacon: A reading from the Gospel according to John.
ALL: Glory to you, O Lord (while make a small sign of the Cross on the forehead, lips, and chest).
Jesus said to Nicodemus:
“Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up,
so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.”
For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.
Whoever believes in him will not be condemned,
but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.
And this is the verdict,
that the light came into the world,
but people preferred darkness to light,
because their works were evil.
For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come toward the light, so that his works might not be exposed.
But whoever lives the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God.
The Gospel of the Lord.
ALL: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
Homily (please sit)
Creed
General Intercessions:
After each prayer, respond: Lord, hear our prayer.
Prayer for Our Lady of Angels Parish
Heavenly Father, we thank you for gathering us together and calling us to serve as your disciples.
You have charged us through your Son, Jesus, with the great mission of evangelizing and witnessing your love to the world.
Send your Holy Spirit to guide us as we discern your will for the spiritual renewal of our parish.
Give us strength, courage, and clear vision as we use our gifts to serve you.
We entrust our parish family to the care of Mary, our mother, and ask for her intercession and guidance, as we strive to build a parish that loves God, embraces all people, and shares the Gospel joyfully.
(please sit)
Offertory Hymn - 484 - Hosea
Come back to me with all your heart.
Don’t let fear keep us apart.
Trees do bend,
‘though straight and tall;
so must we to others’ call.
Long have I waited for your
coming home to me
and living deeply
our new life.
The wilderness will lead you
to your heart where I will speak.
Integrity and justice,
with tenderness,
you shall know.
Long have I waited for your
coming home to me
and living deeply
our new life.
You shall sleep
secure in peace;
faithfulness will be your joy.
Long have I waited for your
coming home to me
and living deeply
our new life.
Sanctus
The Sanctus acclamation is sung to conclude the introduction of the eucharistic prayer.
(all sing)
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.
Memorial Acclamation
The acclamation follows the priest’s invitation: The Mystery of Faith.
(all sing)
Save us, Savior of the world,
for by your Cross and Resurrection,
you have set us free.
Doxology:
The Eucharistic prayer concludes:
Priest: Through him, and 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 (sung): Amen, amen, amen!
Amen, amen, amen!
Our Father
All: Our Father, who art in heaven,
Hallowed by your name.
Your kingdom come,
Your 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: ... and the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ.
All: For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours now and for ever.
Sign of Peace
Priest The peace of the Lord be with you always.
All: And with your spirit.
To each other: Peace be with you.
(all may exchange a sign of peace)
Lamb of God (sung)
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.
Invitation to Communion
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.
All: Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.
(While Holy Communion is reserved for Catholics, persons of all faiths wishing to receive a blessing may participate in the
communion procession. Place your arms across your chest to indicate you would like to receive this blessing.)
Communion Hymn - 485 - Turn, Turn to the Living God
Turn, turn to the living God,
the God of healing and comfort,
and with delight, God will turn to you.
With delight, God will turn to you.
For now is the time of fulfillment.
The reign of our God is at hand.
Reform your life,
turn from sin
and believe this glorious news.Come, and return to the Lord.
All you weary,
bring your grieving hearts.
With kindness and mercy
God’s compassion will fill
your hearts with love.Have mercy, O Lord,
on your people.
In your goodness
wipe away our guilt.
Wash us clean, free us,
to become your living song of praise .Come, sing with joy to the Lord.
Listen with an open heart.
Hear God’s voice and follow;
our good Shepherd is guiding the way.
Recessional Hymn - 469 - Remember You are Dust
Turn away from sin
and be faithful to the Gospel.
Remember you are dust
and to dust you shall return.
Cantor: Repent, the kingdom is at hand.
All: Repent, the kingdom is at hand.
Cantor: v1. Forgive one another.
v2. Now, the day of salvation.
v3. Forgive one another.
v.4. Now, the day of salvation.
Now, the acceptable time.
Now, the acceptable time.