Thanksgiving

It's quite right that we thank you, Father God

for our existence and for the life you have given us

and for the creation that accompanies us.

We want, Lord, to be always mindful

of the need for thanksgiving.

But we know you are not a God

who is pleased with sacrifices and sufferings,

that the only thing you want

is for us to get on well together, as brothers,

that we respect and love each other,

and look after one another.

We cannot allow any longer

that so much hunger continues to exist in the world,

and there is no mystery in the evil that besets us,

because it is not your fault but only ours,

the direct result of our egoism and passivity.

But thank you, Father, for giving us the opportunity each day

to try and become more humane

and try and live in universal brotherhood.

In thankfulness, we sing in your honour this hymn of glory.

Memorial of the Lord's Supper

Thank you, Father, for giving us Jesus.

We cannot find sufficient words

to thank you for his time in history.

Thank you, Father, thank you. Jesus is everything for us.

Jesus is our guide,

who shows us how to walk in this world.

He only needed to look at people's hearts

and never took into account their their social or religious status.

He taught us every day that as far as he was concerned

there were no people of greater or lesser rank,

that we are all equal in front of God

and no one can be excluded from society.

He insisted once and again

that we cannot forget our brothers

whom, first of all, we have empoverished

and afterwards separated and marginalised.

Invocation to the Spirit of God

When we remember the whole life of Jesus,

his fortitude in enduring his death on the cross,

and how you finally welcomed him in your arms as your son,

we ask you, holy Father, to send us your Spirit

so that those of us who form this community gathered here together

learn how to place our little grain of sand

in the construction of your kingdom.

Counting with your strength,

we propose to follow the footsteps of Jesus

and collaborate to the utmost of our ability

in the great task of building a more just and humane world.

Cast away from our lives, Father God,

all arrogance, envy, anger and wickedness,

and help us to be good and understanding with everyone.

No one in our community

must feel themselves to be cold-shouldered or considered second rate.

We want everyone who surrounds us to be happy,

including also those who, may be far away, but need us.

To you all glory, through Jesus, the Christ, our Lord.