Celebrant: We serve a generous God. With confidence, therefore, we come before him with our needs. 

Deacon/Lector: 

That the Church may be ever more effective in leading the faithful to know God more fully and to serve him more generously, we pray to the Lord...

That the Church’s shepherds may be guided by the Holy Spirit as they lead God’s people in the truth of His Word, we pray to the Lord...

That lawmakers and judges may enact and enforce laws that reflect the compassion of Christ, we pray to the Lord...

That as God brings us love and justice, we may build a society of love and justice, based on respect for each and every human life, we pray to the Lord...

That those who suffer from sickness, addiction, or abuse may find relief and peace amidst their pain, we pray to the Lord...

That those who have died may be at rest in the loving presence of the angels and saints, we pray to the Lord...

Celebrant:

Merciful God, hear our prayers.
Give us grace to turn away from anything that keeps us from you. 
We ask this through Christ our Lord.

Married to God

The first reading and Gospel today reveal that God loves us so much that he describes himself as our spouse. He is not content to “watch us from a distance,” nor to simply “send” his love to us. Rather, he comes radically close to us, fills us with his being, and gives himself entirely to us. We, in turn, are called to give ourselves entirely to him, as to a spouse. The marriage between God and his people, between Christ and his Church, is both permanent and fruitful. This bond of love cannot be broken. Moreover, it always brings about new life in the spirit. It is because the Church is the Bride of Christ that she proclaims the dignity of all human life, and calls us to welcome every life with generosity.

Hos 2:16b, 17b, 21-22 
2 Cor 3:1b-6
Mark 2:18-22

Click here for a video with homily hints.

As the bulletin insert above suggests, today’s readings lead us to reflect on the fact that the marriage between God and his people illumines why we are pro-life. Some criticize the Church for what they see as a failure to recognize the full rights and dignity of women, and the more radical “pro-choice” elements of society see our pro-life stance as “oppressive of women.” In reality, however, the Church is pro-life because she is a woman, a bride, a mother! The welcome of life springs from the Church’s very nature. In giving himself to us, God teaches us how to give ourselves to him and to each other – including to our children, born and unborn. In fact, God does not only teach us how to do this, but gives us the very power to do it, as he lives in us and loves through us. Being pro-life, in short, is how we live out our marriage vows with God.