WITH LOVE,
WE YOUR CHILDREN
INVITE YOU TO CELEBRATE WITH US
AS WE RECEIVE THE BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST
FIRST COMMUNION APRIL 29, 2017 at 11:30 AM
VERY REVEREND PHILLIP C. PFLEGER E.V.
Pastor
FATHER AWTE WELDU O. CIST.
FATHER MUSIE TESFAYOHANNES, O. CIST.
FATHER GABRIEL ZEIS, T.O.R.
FATHER MAURIZIO NICOLETTI, O. CIST
ST. JOHN NEUMANN PARISH
MT. LAUREL, NEW JERSEY
LITURGY OF THE WORD
Today we come together as members of God's family to celebrate the greatest thing that could happen. Jesus has given us His own body and blood. Help us to realize during this celebration how wonderful this gift really is. May the Eucharist we receive today help us to go forth and make our Family, school, neighborhood and world a better place.
ENTRANCE HYMN GOD IS HERE!
Enter, enter, come in! Rejoice!
Let us come into the presence of God.
Enter, enter, come in! Rejoice!
Let us come into the presence of God.
REFRAIN
God is here! Come, let us celebrate!
God is here! Let us rejoice!
God is here! Come, let us celebrate!
God is here! Let us rejoice!
Enter, enter, come giving thanks!
Let us come in giving thanks to our God.
Enter, enter, come giving thanks!
Let us come in giving thanks to our God.
REFRAIN
Enter, enter, joyfully sing!
Let us come in singing praise to our God.
Enter, enter, joyfully sing!
Let us come in singing praise to our God.
REFRAIN
GREETING
Celebrant: In the name of the Father and of the Son and
of the Holy Spirit.
All: Amen.
Celebrant: The Lord be with you.
All: And with your spirit.
PENITENTIAL RITE
Celebrant: Dear boys and girls, during the past months,
you have spent much time learning about
Jesus, the Bread of Life. You have talked to
Him in prayer. He has become your friend.
Today, for the first time, you will share His
life in Holy Communion. May the peace of
Jesus fill your heart.
Jesus says, "Before coming to the altar, make
peace with one another." In order to join in
the meal of love and unity, let us ask our Lord, our Family and friends for forgiveness.
Deacon: For the times we have not acted as children
of God's Family, Lord have mercy.
All: Lord, have mercy.
Deacon: For the times we have not been at peace with
God, our Families and friends, Christ have
mercy.
All: Christ, have mercy.
Deacon: For the times we have forgotten to give thanks
for our many gifts, Lord, have mercy.
All: Lord, have mercy.
Celebrant: May Almighty God have mercy on us, forgive
us our sins and bring us to everlasting life.
All: Amen.
GLORY TO GOD
All: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth
peace to people of good will. We praise you, we bless you, we adore you, we glorify you, we give you thanks for your great glory, Lord God, heavenly King, O God, almighty Father. Lord Jesus Christ, Only Begotten Son, Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us; you take away the sins of the world, receive our prayer; you are seated at the right hand of the Father, have mercy on us. For you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the Lord, you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father. Amen.
COLLECT
Celebrant: Let us pray, O God, who have accomplished
the work of human redemption through the Paschal Mystery of your Only Begotten Son, graciously grant that we, who confidently proclaim, under sacramental signs, the Death and resurrection of Christ, may experience continued increase of your saving grace. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
All: Amen.
(Please sit)
FIRST READING
A reading from the book of Genesis.
Melchizedek, king of Salem, brought out bread and wine, and being a priest of God Most High, he blessed Abram with these words:
"Blessed be Abram by God Most High, the creator of heaven and earth; and blessed be God Most High, Who delivered your foes into your hand.”
The Word of the Lord.
All: Thanks be to God.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM
Reader: Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
All: Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
Reader: I will always praise the Lord. With all my heart, I
will praise the Lord. Let all who are helpless listen
and be glad.
All: Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
Reader: Honor the Lord with me! Celebrate his great name.
I asked the Lord for help, and he saved me from
all my fears.
All: Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
Reader: Keep your eyes on the Lord! You will shine like the
sun and never blush with shame. I was a nobody,
but I prayed, and the Lord saved me from all my
troubles.
All: Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
Reader: Honor the Lord! You are his special people. No
one who honors the Lord will ever be in need.
Young lions may go hungry or even starve, but if
you trust the Lord, you will never miss out on
anything good.
All: Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
SECOND READING
A reading from the first letter of Paul to the Corinthians.
Brothers and sisters: I have already told you what Jesus did on the night he was betrayed. And it came from the Lord himself.
He took some bread in his hands. Then after he had given thanks, he broke it and said, "This is my body, which is given for you. Eat this and remember me."
After the meal, Jesus took a cup of wine in his hands and said, "This is my blood, and with it God makes his new agreement with you. Drink this and remember me.”
The Lord meant that when you eat this bread and drink from this cup, you tell about his death until he comes.
The Word of the Lord.
All: Thanks be to God.
Sing: Alleluia
All: Alleluia
I am the living bread from heaven, says the
Lord; if anyone eats this bread he will live forever.
All: Alleluia
(Please stand)
GOSPEL
Deacon: The Lord be with you.
All: And with your spirit.
Deacon: A reading from the Holy Gospel according to
Mark.
All: Glory to you, Lord.
People were bringing their little children to Jesus to have him touch them, but the disciples were scolding them for this. Jesus became indignant when He noticed it and said to them:
"Let the children come to me and do not hinder them. It is to just such as these that the Kingdom of God belongs. I assure you that whoever does not accept the kingdom of God like a little child shall not enter into it."
Then he embraced them and blessed them, placing his hands on them.
The Gospel of the Lord.
All: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
(Please sit)
GENERAL INTERCESSIONS
(Please stand)
Celebrant: God our Father, we come before you believing
you will hear our prayers. We place our needs
in your care.
Reader: Please Respond: Lord, hear our prayer.
For the leaders of our church, that they will
continue to spread the Good News of Jesus, let us pray to the Lord.
All: Lord, hear our prayer.
Reader: For the leaders of the world that they will work together for justice and peace, let us pray to
the Lord.
All: Lord, hear our prayer.
Reader: For Parents and Families that God will bless
them with many good gifts, let us pray to the
Lord.
All: Lord, hear our prayer.
Reader: For all children who are receiving the Eucharist for the first time, that they will be filled with the life of Jesus, let us pray to the Lord.
All: Lord, hear our prayer.
Reader: That God will give strength and health to all
who are sick, let us pray to the Lord.
All: Lord, hear our prayer.
Reader: That we may always see the Eucharist as a
sign of God's love, let us pray to the Lord.
All: Lord, hear our prayer.
Celebrant: Father, we thank you for your goodness to us. We pray, you will continue to answer our
prayer. We ask this in the name of Jesus,
Your Son and our Brother.
All: Amen.
(Please sit)
OFFERTORY SONG WE COME TO YOUR TABLE
Gentle Jesus, risen Lord,
We come to Your table;
With our hearts so full of joy,
We come to Your table.
REFRAIN
We come, we come, we come to Your table.
We come, we come, we come to Your table.
Bringing gifts of all we are,
We come to Your table;
Gifts of life and love and joy,
We come to Your table.
REFRAIN
Jesus Savior, living bread;
We come to Your table.
Bread of heaven, Bread of hope,
We come to Your table.
REFRAIN
LITURGY OF THE EUCHARIST
PREPARATION OF THE ALTAR AND GIFTS
PRAYER OVER THE GIFTS
Celebrant: Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation, for
through your goodness we have received the
bread we offer you: fruit of the earth and work
of human hands, it will become for us the
bread of life.
All: Blessed be God for ever.
Celebrant: Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation, for
through your goodness we have received the
wine we offer you: fruit of the vine and work of
human hands, it will become our our spiritual
drink.
All: Blessed be God for ever.
(Please stand)
Celebrant: Pray, brethren, that my sacrifice and yours
may be acceptable to God, the Almighty
Father.
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.
Amen.
Celebrant: Celebrating the memorial of our salvation, we
humbly beseech your mercy, O Lord, that this Sacrament of your loving kindness may be for us the sign of unity and the bond of charity. Through Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.
Celebrant: The Lord be with you.
All: And with your spirit.
Celebrant: Lift up your hearts.
All: We lift them up to the Lord.
Celebrant: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
All: It is right and just.
PREFACE
Celebrant:
It is truly right and just, our duty and our salvation, always and everywhere to give you thanks, Lord, Holy Father, almighty and eternal God, through Christ our Lord.
For he is the true and eternal Priest, who instituted the pattern of an everlasting sacrifice and was the first to offer himself as the saving Victim, commanding us to make this offering as his memorial. As we eat his flesh that was sacrificed for us, we are made strong, and, as we drink his blood that was poured out for us, we are washed clean.
And so, with Angels and Archangels, with Thrones and Dominions, and with all the hosts and powers of heaven, we sing the hymn of your glory, as without end we acclaim:
All: Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of hosts.
Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
(Please kneel)
Celebrant:
You are indeed Holy, O Lord, the fount of all holiness. Make holy, therefore, these gifts, we pray, by sending down your Spirit upon them like the dewfall, so that they may become for us the Body and + Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.
At the time he was betrayed and entered willingly into his Passion, he took bread and, giving thanks, broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying:
TAKE THIS, ALL OF YOU, AND EAT OF IT, FOR THIS IS MY BODY WHICH WILL BE GIVEN UP FOR YOU.
In a similar way, when supper was ended, he took the chalice and, once more giving thanks, he gave it to his disciples, saying:
TAKE THIS, ALL OF YOU, AND DRINK FROM IT,
FOR THIS IS THE CHALICE OF MY BLOOD,
THE BLOOD OF THE NEW AND ETERNAL COVENANT, WHICH WILL BE POURED OUT FOR YOU AND FOR MANY FOR THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS.
DO THIS IN MEMORY OF ME.
The mystery of faith.
All: When we eat this Bread and drink this Cup, we proclaim your Death, O Lord, until you come again.
Celebrant:
Therefore, as we celebrate the memorial of his Death and Resurrection, we offer you, Lord, the Bread of life and the Chalice of salvation, giving thanks that you have held us worthy to be in your presence and minister to you.
Humbly we pray that, partaking of the Body and Blood of Christ, we may be gathered into one by the Holy Spirit.
Remember, Lord, your Church, spread throughout the world, and bring her to the fullness of charity, together with Francis, our Pope, David our Bishop, and all of the clergy.
Remember also our brothers and sisters who have fallen asleep in the hope of the resurrection, and all who have died in your mercy: welcome them into the light of your face. Have mercy on us all, we pray, that with the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, with the blessed Apostles, Saint John Neumann, Saint Isaac Jogues and all the Saints who have pleased you throughout the ages, we may merit to be coheirs to eternal life, and may praise and glorify you through your Son, Jesus Christ.