The Lighting of the Candle
Assistant: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Group: All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that has been made.
Assistant: In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.
Group: The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. (1Jn 1:1-5)
Assistant: Heavenly Father, in honor of your Son, Light of the World and Author of Life, we are about to kindle the light for the Lord’s Day. On this day You raised Your Son Jesus from the dead and began the new creation. May our celebration of His resurrection this day be filled with Your peace and heavenly blessing. Be gracious to us and cause Your Holy Spirit to dwell more richly among us. Father of Mercy, continue Your loving kindness towards us. Make us worthy to walk in the way of Your Son, loyal to Your teaching and unwavering in love and service. Keep far from us all anxiety, darkness, and gloom, and grant that peace, light, and joy ever abide among us.
Group: For in You is the fountain of life; in Your light do we see light.
Light the candle and recite the following blessing.
Assistant: Blessed are You, Lord our God, who created light on the first day and raised Your Son, the Light of the World, to begin the new creation. Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who gives us joy as we kindle the light for the Lord’s Day.
Group: Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Your faithful and enkindle in them the fire of Your love. Send forth Your Spirit that they shall be created, and You shall renew the face of the earth.
Assistant: Christ said, “I am the Way and the Truth and the Life” (Jn. 14:6). Heavenly Father, through the intercession of Bl. Pier Giorgio Frassati, may we foster a deeper awareness of Your abiding Presence within us, a greater love of wisdom, and a holy desire for Christian fellowship by devoting this day to You.
The Blessing of the Meal
Leader: Brothers and sisters, this is the Lord’s Day.
Group: Let us welcome it in joy and peace.
Leader: Today we set aside the concerns of the week that we may honor the Lord and celebrate His resurrection. Today we cease from our work in order to worship God and remember the eternal life to which He has called us.
Group: The Lord Himself is with us to refresh and to strengthen us.
Leader: Let us welcome God among us and give Him glory.
Group: Let us love one another in Christ.
Leader: May the Holy Spirit be with us to deepen our devotion to the Lord and to increase our zeal for the way of life He has given us.
Read Sunday’s Gospel and allow for time of reflection.
The Blessing of the Wine
Pour wine into the cup(s), raise it, and recite the following prayer.
Leader: Let us praise God with this symbol of joy and thank Him for the blessings of the past week – for health, strength, and wisdom, for our life together in the Tipi Loschi Frassati Fellowship, for the disciplines of our trials and temptations, for the happiness that has come to us out of our work. Let us thank Him this day especially for the great blessings He has bestowed on us in Christ. From His fullness we have all received grace upon grace. We who were dead through sin have been brought to life together with Christ and raised up with Him to sit in heavenly places with Him. Lord our God, You have brought us into the rest of Christ.
Group: Now we live with Him through the Holy Spirit, and we look for the day when we will dwell with Him in Your everlasting Kingdom.
Leader: Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, Who has created the fruit of the vine.
Group: Amen.
Leader: Christ, you invited Blessed Pier Giorgio to walk a unique path to holiness which was illuminated with joy.
Group: Lord Jesus, cleanse us in Your Precious Blood; so that we too may become saints for your Kingdom.
The Setting-Aside of the Day
This blessing welcomes the day and consecrates it to the celebration of the Lord’s Resurrection.
Leader: Blessed are You, Lord our God, for the true rest you have given us in your Son Jesus and for this day which is a commemoration of His redeeming work. We welcome this day with gladness and consecrate it to the celebration of His resurrection and of the new creation founded in Him. Look graciously upon Your servants and show us Your glory. Blessed are You, Lord our God, Who favor Your people in the days set aside to Your honor.
Group: Amen.
The leader gives thanks for the past week, drinks from the cup, and passes it on for others to do the same.
The Blessing of the Bread
The leader takes bread and recites the following blessing.
Leader: The eyes of all look to You, O Lord, and You give them their food in due season.
Group: You open Your hand; You satisfy the desire of every living thing.
Leader: Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, Who brings forth bread from the earth.
Group: Amen.
Leader: Bl. Pier Giorgio Frassati’s love for the Eucharist was so great that he prayed, “When you are totally consumed by the Eucharistic fire, then you will be able more consciously to thank God, who has called you to become part of His family.”
Group: Lord, increase the fire of Your divine love within us every time we receive Your most Precious Body. Help us to grow in an ever greater knowledge of You as we humbly recognize Your abiding Presence with us.
Break the bread, pass it, and offer petitions.
Leader: Lord, through the celebration of this Lord’s Day, may we emulate the virtues of Bl. Pier Giorgio Frassati. Please fill our hearts with the fire of Your divine love so that we may become who You created us to be, thereby setting the world on fire with Your love. Together let us pray:
Group: Heavenly Father,
Give me the courage to strive for the highest goals,
to flee every temptation to be mediocre.
Enable me to aspire to greatness, as Pier Giorgio did,
and to open my heart with joy to Your call to holiness.
Free me from the fear of failure.
I want to be, Lord, firmly and forever united to You.
Grant me the graces I ask You through Pier Giorgio’s intercession,
by the merits of Our Lord Jesus Christ.
Amen.
God, come to our assistance! Lord, make haste to help us! Amen.