Thanksgiving

Thank you, our God and Father, because you have deigned to show yourself

and we have heard your voice in the words of your beloved son.

Whether or not we want it, whether of not we are conscious of it,

you are present within us and you give us life.

You are the life that we live,

the love that we feel

and the good that we do.

Your spirit enriches us and opens our horizons,

illuminates our intimate conscience

and moves us to cooperate with others.

Thank you for being our fount of inspiration.

Thank you also, Father, for so many witnesses and prophets

who have opened our eyes

and have helped us to discover

the meaning of our own baptism.

Thank you for so many good people

who have taught us the way that leads to You.

In sincere thanks,

we sing in your honour this hymn of praise.

Memorial of the Lord's Supper

We bless you, Father, for your son Jesus,

the loved one, the chosen one,

in whom you have placed your satisfaction as a Creator

and on whom you have poured your spirit in plenitude.

We remember with emotion how Jeus,

throughout his whole life,

always behaved as your son

and fully identified himself with you.

He gave us his example to those of us who want to feel ourselves your sons.

That cannot be achieved just by calling on you as a Father

but by following completely the trail of your son Jesus.

He respected all creatures,

he didn't tread on or throw down the broken cane.

He didn't make logs from the fallen tree.

He didn't put out the flickering flame.

He came to help the weak

and defend them against injustice.

He infused a new strength in the poor and oppressed.

As a result, the powers that be became alarmed

and started to move against him to destroy him.

Father God, before our eyes we see

the baptism of your beloved son in the Jordan

hidden amongst sinners

and his baptism of blood on the cross between thieves.

We remember and celebrate his efforts and his testimony.

Invocation to the Spirit of God

We implore you, Father of goodness,

to send us your Spirit,

as you did to Jesus on the banks of the Jordan,

so that we may decide to follow in his footsteps

and merit in also being called your sons.

We petition you for the christian community

so it may reflect on his life

the engagement of his baptism

and give both a personal and collective testimony,

of professing and following the true message of Jesus.

We ask you for all humanity,

so that together in the company of others, in solidarity,

we may build, because it is possible to achieve

that just and fair world that you have dreamed.

We ask you today for all our sick family members and friends

and for those whom we hold dearest in our hearts.

Don't forget those whom death has separated from us.

To you, good Father, Father of Jesus and our father,

we address ourselves today with all those baptised in Christ

and by him and with him we bless and praise you.

AMEN.