Praying Together 2021

103 Gather Light a candle as a sign of God’s presence and sit quietly. Ring a bell or chime to start the prayer. The Lord be with you! And with your spirit. COLLECT Saint Aloysius Gonzaga is an inspiration for the young. He was only 23 when he died of a disease he caught while caring for the sick. Let us pray that all young people will be happy to serve Christ. (pause ) O God, giver of new life, make us enthusiastic for works of charity. Through Christ our Lord. Amen. SCRIPTURE A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke 7:1, 4-7, 9-10 In that town an army officer’s servant was sick and about to die. The leaders went to Jesus and begged him to do something. They said, “This man deserves your help! He loves our nation and even built us a meeting place.” So Jesus went with them. When Jesus was not far from the house, the officer sent some friends to tell him, “Lord, don’t go to any trouble for me! I am not good enough for you to come into my house. And I am certainly not worthy to come to you. Just say the word, and my servant will get well.” When Jesus heard this, he was so surprised that he turned and said to the crowd following him, “In all of Israel I’ve never found anyone with this much faith!” The officer’s friends returned and found the servant well. The Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ. RESPONSE This is a story of tremendous faith. Not only did the soldier in today’s story believe that Jesus could heal his servant – he believed that Jesus could heal him from far away just with words. Even Jesus was surprised with the soldier’s faith! Jesus healed the servant without even seeing him. Sing a joyful song by Crossroad Kids that will remind you t o ‘Walk By Faith’. For children who like to get up and move, there is also an alternative version o f “Walk by Faith” with actions by KidSummit. DISMISSAL May the Lord look upon us with kindness and give us peace. Amen. May God bless us in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Ring the bell or chime to signal the end of the prayer. Extinguish the candle. “Just say the word, and my servant will get well.” Monday St Aloysius Gonzaga 21 June 2021