Liturgical Leaflet for an Active Participation in the Celebration of the Eucharist

15December 2023
August 2016 First Friday FIRST FRIDAY
Year C

Opening Our Hearts with Faith-Filled Hope

to the Divine Judge

T
his First Friday of December falls just one day before the end of the
liturgical year which focuses on the Last Judgment, at the thought
of which many tremble in fear. Today’s readings, however, invite us
to open our hearts to trust and hope because the Judge of all mankind will
be Jesus Christ, the “Son of Man” on whom God the Father has bestowed
power, honor and kingship. He is our brother and Savior, the one who came
to reveal to us the love of the Father, and who gave his own life to merit for
us the gift of eternal happiness in heaven.
This consoling thought, however, should not make us presumptu-
ous, and lead us to think that we will be saved, no matter what we do. It
should, instead, bring us to renew our commitment to live in such a way as
to always please him, remembering that he said, “If you love me, obey my commandments.”
And having done our best to do so, even with occasional failure, we will look forward to the day of
judgment constantly trusting in God’s merciful love. This is also what it means to be a devotee of the
Sacred Heart.

all. All – Lord, have mercy!

Entrance Antiphon
(To be recited only when no
Entrance Hymn is sung.)
The designs of his Heart are
from age to age, to rescue their
souls from death, and to keep
them alive in famine.
Greeting
P – In the name of the Father,
and of the Son, and of the Holy
Spirit!
All – Amen!
P –Blessed be God who renews
us in His Son Jesus Christ. May
His grace and peace be with you
All –And with your spirit! P –May almighty God have
mercy on us, forgive us our sins
Penitential Act and bring us to everlasting life.
P –As we prepare to celebrate All – Amen!
the sacred mysteries, let us
humbly acknowledge our sins Collect (Opening Prayer)
and ask the Lord’s forgiveness. P –Grant, we pray, almighty
(Pause) God, that we, who glory in the
P –You came to reveal to us the Heart of your beloved Son and
Love of the Father. Lord, recall the wonders of his love
have mercy! for us, may be made worthy to
All – Lord, have mercy! receive an overflowing measure
of grace from that fount of heav-
P –You came to call sinners to enly gifts.
conversion. Christ, have Through our Lord Jesus
mercy! Christ, your Son, who lives and
All – Christ, have mercy! reigns with you in the unity of
P –You will come to judge the the Holy Spirit, God, for ever
living and the dead. Lord, and ever.
have mercy! All –Amen!

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1st Reading Dn 7:2-14
In the Book of Daniel, four
beasts terrorized the whole
world. But God gave “domin-
ion, glory, and kingship” to a
majestic individual – “one like a
son of man.” Christian tradition
holds that the “one like a son of
man” is a prophetic image of the
Messiah, Jesus Christ.
R –A proclamation from the
Book of the Prophet Daniel
In a vision I, Daniel, saw
during the night, the four
winds of heaven stirred up
the great sea, from which
emerged four immense beasts,
each different from the oth-
ers. The first was like a lion,
but with eagle’s wings. While
I watched, the wings were
plucked; it was raised from
the ground to stand on two feet
like a man, and given a human
mind. The second was like a
bear; it was raised up on one
side, and among the teeth in
its mouth were three tusks. It
was given the order, “Up, de-
vour much flesh.” After this I
looked and saw another beast,
like a leopard; on its back were
four wings like those of a bird,
and it had four heads. To this
beast dominion was given.
After this, in the visions of the
night I saw the fourth beast,
different from all the others,
terrifying, horrible, and of ex-
traordinary strength; it had
great iron teeth with which it
devoured and crushed, and
what was left it trampled with
its feet. I was considering the
ten horns it had, when sudden-
ly another, a little horn, sprang
out of their midst, and three of
the previous horns were torn
away to make room for it. This
horn had eyes like a man, and
a mouth that spoke arrogantly.
As I watched, thrones were
set up and the Ancient One
took his throne. His clothing
was snow bright, and the hair
on his head as white as wool;
His throne was flames of fire,
with wheels of burning fire. A
1 December 2023
surging stream of fire flowed
out from where he sat; thou-
sands upon thousands were
ministering to him, and myri-
ads upon myriads attended
him.
The court was convened,
and the books were opened. I
watched, then, from the first of
the arrogant words which the
horn spoke, until the beast was
slain and its body thrown into
the fire to be burnt up. The oth-
er beasts, which also lost their
dominion, were granted a pro-
longation of life for a time and
a season. As the visions during
the night continued, I saw One
like a son of man coming, on
the clouds of heaven. When he
reached the Ancient One and
was presented before him, he
received dominion, glory, and
kingship; nations and peoples
of every language serve him.
His dominion is an everlast-
ing dominion that shall not be
taken away; his kingship shall
not be destroyed.
The Word of the Lord!
All – Thanks be to God!
Responsorial Psalm Dn 3
R –Give glory and eternal
praise to him!
* “Mountains and hills, bless
the Lord; praise and exalt him
above all forever.” R.
* “Everything growing from
the earth, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all
forever.” R.
* “You springs, bless the
Lord; praise and exalt him
above all forever.” R.
* “Seas and rivers, bless the
Lord; praise and exalt him
above all forever.” R.
* “You dolphins and all wa-
ter creatures, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all
forever.” R.
* “All you birds of the air,
bless the Lord; praise and ex-
alt him above all forever.” R.
* All you beasts, wild and
tame, bless the Lord; praise
and exalt him above all for-
ever.” R.
Gospel Acclamation Jn 10:27
All– Alleluia! Alleluia!
My sheep hear my voice,
says the Lord; I know
them, and they follow me.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Gospel Lk 21:29-33
Jesus has just described
the dramatic events that will
precede and accompany the
destruction of Jerusalem and the
end of the world. He now draws
his practical conclusion with
unique earnest: Be ready and
vigilant at any time, for what he
said will surely come to pass!
P –The Lord be with you!
All –And with your spirit!
P –A proclamation from the
holy Gospel according to
Luke
All –Glory to you, O Lord!
Jesus told his disciples a
parable: “Consider the fig tree
and all the other trees. When
their buds burst open, you see
for yourselves and know that
summer is now near. In the
same way, when you see these
things happening, know that
the Kingdom of God is near.
Amen, I say to you, this gen-
eration will not pass away un-
til all these things have taken
place. Heaven and earth will
pass away, but my words will
not pass away.”
The Gospel of the Lord!
All –Praise to you, Lord Jesus
Christ!
Homily
Prayer of the Faithful
P –Made alert by the urgency
of God’s word, let us confi-
dently turn to Him and present
our petitions for the needs of the
Church and all mankind. Let our
response be:
All – Lord, graciously hear us!
C –For the universal Church:
May she successfully carry out
her mission of reminding people
of the divine judgment and of the
need to prepare for it through a
life of obedience to God’s law.
Let us pray! R.
C –For the Holy Father, our
Bishop, and all other religious
leaders: May they always be our
inspiration in preparing for the
coming of Jesus as our Judge
and Savior. Let us pray! R.
C –For all those who live un-
mindful of the final judgment
that awaits all human beings:
May they have the wisdom to
evaluate their behavior in the
light of the Second Coming of
Christ. Let us pray! R.
C –For all those who are com-
mitted to promote justice and
peace in the world: May they
persevere in the good work, de-
riving inspiration and strength
from the eternal reward they will
receive at the end of time. Let us
pray! R.
C –For ourselves and all the
devotees of the Sacred Heart
of Jesus: May the abundance of
God’s grace give us the strength
that we need to constantly trust
in the Lord and do our best to
please Him. Let us pray! R.
C –For all persons with dis-
abilities: that they may be at the
center of the world’s attention
and that institutions may find it
in their heart to care for them and
their needs. Let us pray! R.
P –Lord God, keep us faithful
to our commitments and always
full of trust in your mercy. May
all our actions be according to
your will, in imitation of Jesus
your Son who lives and reigns
for ever and ever.
All –Amen!
Preparation of the Gifts
P –Pray, brethren . . .
All – May the Lord accept the
sacrifice at your hands, for the
praise and glory of his name,
for our good and the good of all
his holy Church.
Prayer over the Offerings
P –Look, O Lord, we pray, on
the surpassing charity in the
Heart of your beloved Son, that
what we offer may be a gift ac-
ceptable to you and an expiation
of our offenses. poured out blood and water from
Through Christ our Lord. his pierced side, the wellspring
All – Amen! of the Church’s Sacraments, so
that, won over to the open heart
Preface of the Savior, all might draw wa-
of the Sacred Heart ter joyfully from the springs of
salvation.
P –The Lord be with you! And so, with all the Angels
All –And with your spirit! and Saints, we praise you, as
P –Lift up your hearts! without end we acclaim:
All –We lift them up to the Lord! All –Holy, holy, holy Lord, God
P –Let us give thanks to the of hosts. Heaven and earth are
Lord our God! full of your glory. Hosanna in
All –It is right and just! the highest!
P – It is truly right and just, Blessed is he who comes in
our duty and our salvation, al- the name of the Lord. Hosanna
ways and everywhere to give in the highest!
you thanks, Lord, holy Father, al-
mighty and eternal God, through Memorial Acclamation
Christ our Lord.
For raised up high on the P –The mystery of faith!
Cross, he gave himself up for All –We proclaim your Death,
us with a wonderful love and O Lord, and profess your
NOVENA PRAYER TO THE SACRED HEART OF JESUS
Divine Jesus, you have said, Ć „Ask, and you shall receive; Ć seek,
and you shall find; Ć knock, and it shall be opened unto you.‰ Ć Behold
me kneeling at your feet, Ć filled with a lively faith and confidence Ć in
the promises dictated by your Sacred Heart Ć and pronounced by your
adorable lips. Ć I come to ask this favor: (Silently mention your petitions.)
To whom can I turn if not to you Ć whose heart is the source of
all graces and merits? Ć Where should I seek if not in the treasure Ć
which contains all the riches of your kindness and mercy? Ć Where
should I knock Ć if not at the door through which God gives himself
to us Ć and through which we go to God? Ć I have recourse to you,
Heart of Jesus. Ć In you I find consolation when afflicted, Ć protection
when persecuted, Ć strength when burdened with trials, Ć and light
in doubt and darkness.
Dear Jesus, I firmly believe Ć that you can grant me the grace I
implore, Ć even though it should require a miracle. Ć You have only
to will it, Ć and my prayer will be granted. Ć I admit that I am most
unworthy of your favors, Ć but this is not a reason for me to be
discouraged. Ć You are the God of mercy Ć and you will not refuse
a contrite heart. Ć Cast upon me a look of mercy, I beg of you, Ć and
your kind heart will find in my miseries and weaknesses Ć a reason
for granting my prayer.
O Sacred Heart, Ć whatever may be your decision with regard to
my request, Ć I will never stop adoring, loving, praising, and serving
you. Ć My Jesus, be pleased to accept this, my act of perfect resigna-
tion Ć to the decrees of your adorable heart Ć which I sincerely desire
may be fulfilled Ć in and by me and by all your creatures for ever.
Sacred Heart of Jesus, Ć I know that there is but one thing impossible
to you: Ć to be without pity for those who are suffering or in distress. Ć
Look upon me, I beg of you, dear Jesus, Ć and grant me the grace for
which I humbly implore you Ć through the Immaculate Heart of your
most sorrowful Mother. Ć You have entrusted me to her as her child,
Ć and her prayers are all-powerful with you. Ć Amen!
First Friday
 Resurrection until you
come again!
All – Our Father . . .
P –Deliver us, Lord . . .
All – For the kingdom, the
power, and the glory are
yours, now and for ever!
Sign of Peace
Breaking of the Bread
All – Lamb of God, you take
away the sins of the world: have
mercy on us. (2x)
Lamb of God, you take
away the sins of the world:
grant us peace.
Communion
P –This is the Lord Jesus, the Di-
vine Judge and the Lamb of God
who takes away the sins of the
world. Blessed are those who are
called to his Supper.
All –Lord, I am not worthy
that you should enter under
my roof, but only say the word
and my soul shall be healed.
Communion Antiphon
(To be recited only when no
Communion Hymn is sung.)
Thus says the Lord: Let
whoever is thirsty come to me
and drink. Streams of living
water will flow from within the
one who believes in me.
Prayer after Communion
P –May this sacrament of
charity, O Lord, make us fer-
vent with the fire of holy love, so
that, drawn always to your Son,
we may learn to see him in our
neighbor.
Through Christ our Lord.
All – Amen!
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spite of all temptations to
the contrary.
All – Amen!
P –May He reward with eternal
P –The Lord be with you. happiness the sacrifices you
All –And with your spirit! make to be faithful to Him
P –Bow your heads and pray all the days of your life.
All – Amen!
for God’s blessing. (Pause)
– May the Lord give you the P – May almighty God bless
wisdom you need to prior- you: the Father, and the Son
itize what really matters in and the Holy Spirit.
life. All – Amen!
All – Amen!
P –Go in the peace of Christ to
P –May He give you the grace renew the world with his
that you need to be always love!
true to your priorities, in All –Thanks be to God!
FIRMNESS & TENDERNESS
Kalakbay at Katoto
Tsort of terrifying. They all refer to the coming of the Mes-
he apocalyptic language used by the prophet Daniel are
siah alluded to by the term Son of Man. The images conjured
up, however, talks not so much about terror, but of firmness and
definitiveness. One thing is certain, the kingship, dominion and
glory of the Messiah will one day be established – a kingship that
will never be destroyed.
The firmness we speak of is more like certainty. God’s reign
is not just an empty beautiful promise. It is bound to happen in
God’s own good time.
At the same time, though, the readings, especially the Gospel,
also talks of tenderness and mercy. We only need to be watchful
and waiting. We need to recognize the signs of the coming of
the Kingdom. And there is more promise that is more than just
reassuring: “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will
not pass away.”
God is in-charge. And this God is present by our side. He is a
God of firmness and tenderness. There is surety in His words and
certainty in what He promises.
This tender and merciful God is revealed to us in Jesus Christ,
symbolized and effected by the image of His Sacred Heart.
Today, first Friday and everyday of our lives, we have access to
God’s infinite mercy and compassion. But our capacity to benefit
from such mercy and tenderness also demands a certain firm
commitment on our part to do the right thing and obey His will
every moment of our lives. JESUS, MEEK AND HUMBLE OF
HEART, HAVE MERCY ON US SINNERS!
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