A Journey Through Lent - Not by Bread Alone

FORTY DAYS & FORTY NIGHTS

SPEECH: GREETING (MONSIGNOR O’BRIEN) In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. The Lord be with you And with your spirit.

SPEECH: WELCOME (MONSIGNOR O’BRIEN) Good morning, and welcome to the Metropolitan Cathedral in Liverpool as we celebrate the Holy Eucharist on the First Sunday of Lent. I’m Monsignor Anthony O’Brien, the Dean of the Cathedral and our preacher this morning is the Archbishop of Liverpool, the Most Rev John Sherrington. Today, we enter the holy season of Lent, beginning our own forty-day journey into the desert of the heart. As we will hear in today’s Gospel, Jesus is led by the Spirit to be tempted, showing us that he walks with us in our own struggles and weaknesses. Together with the whole Church, we seek to renew our faith through prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, turning away from distraction to focus once more on the grace of our Lord.

SPEECH: PENITENTIAL RITE Brothers and sisters, let us acknowledge our sins, and so prepare ourselves to celebrate the sacred mysteries. V./ Have mercy on us, O Lord. R./ For we have sinned against you. V./ Show us, O Lord, your mercy. R./ And grant us your salvation.

May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life.

Amen

KYRIE (Mass for four voices - Byrd)

COLLECT (MONSIGNOR O’BRIEN) Let us pray. Grant, almighty God, through the yearly observances of holy Lent, that we may grow in understanding of the riches hidden in Christ and by worthy conduct pursue their effects. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Reading – Genesis 2:7-9; 3:1-7 (JACQULINE THOMAS) A reading from the book of Genesis, Chapter 2 beginning at verse 7 The Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature. And the Lord God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he put the man whom he had formed. And out of the ground the Lord God made to spring up every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, ‘Did God actually say, “You shall not eat of any tree in the garden”?’ And the woman said to the serpent, ‘We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, but God said, “You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.” ’ But the serpent said to the woman, ‘You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.’ So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths. The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.

RESPONSORIAL PSALM (CHOIR)

GOSPEL (FR ANTHONY LIPPO) The Lord be with you. And with your Spirit. A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew, Chapter 4, beginning at verse 1. Glory to you, O Lord. At that time: Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. And the tempter came and said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.’ But he answered, ‘It is written, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.” Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the Temple and said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, “He will command his angels concerning you”, and their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.” ’ Jesus said to him, ‘Again it is written, “You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.” Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to him, ‘All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.’ Then Jesus said to him, ‘Be gone, Satan! For it is written, “You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.” ’ Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him. The Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

SERMON (ARCHBISHOP JOHN SHERRINGTON) On Ash Wednesday, Christians began their pilgrimage towards Easter. We look forward with hope to the celebration of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead and his promise of eternal life. We pray for those adults who are preparing to be baptised, confirmed and receive holy communion at the Easter Vigil. They are a sign that the living Christ continues to call disciples to follow him and be his presence in the world through the power of the Holy Spirit. Later this afternoon, like bishops across the world, I will welcome these chosen ones to the Metropolitan Cathedral in Liverpool. I will remind them that the whole Church will be praying for them during Lent. It is a beautiful moment and very encouraging, as I hear each person’s journey to faith which is always very moving. They are the new green shoots in our communities. God reveals his merciful love for us on the cross of Good Friday. We are created in the image and likeness of God out of love who calls us to love. We also know temptation and weakness just as Jesus knew this in the wilderness. As George Herbert writes ‘Love bade me welcome, but my soul drew back, guilty of dust and sin’. The reading from the Book of Genesis described the temptation ‘to be like God’. The Fall begins a vicious cycle of blame and retribution which breaks the harmony created and desired by God and ends in ‘dust and sin’. When self-love is centre stage, it leads to pride, the misuse of power, greed and the denial of the equality of each woman and man. As Pope Leo said recently, ‘Pride obscures both reality itself and our empathy towards others.’1. To break out of this dynamic, we need God’s grace to save us, help us see the beauty of all of creation, see others with the gaze of Jesus, and be more be compassionate. Our Lenten exercises, prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, help us to widen the vision of our love, be less distracted about ourselves and focus more deeply on God’s generous love poured out on each of us. Our response is gratitude which leads to greater generosity to others. Fasting helps us put balance back into lives; maybe this year fasting on occasions from the internet or social media would be helpful? In our conflicted and divided world, Lent is a call to love others more deeply, to overcome prejudices, to welcome the Other, and to be generous to the poorest in our midst – whoever they may be. It is a time to do the daily, ordinary things of life with extraordinary love.

INTERCESSIONS (MONSIGNOR O’BRIEN) As we start our Lenten journey, we know we need the help of our God. May we strive to turn our hearts to the Lord. [GERALDINE ROUSKI]: We pray that during this holy season we may follow Jesus’ example and overcome the temptations of the devil, putting our trust in the mercy and compassion of God. Lord in your mercy Hear our prayer

Let us pray for the poor of the world struggling against injustice and oppression. May we stand with them. Lord in your mercy Hear our prayer

Let us pray for those who have recently died and for all who mourn that they may be comforted. Lord in your mercy Hear our prayer

(MONSIGNOR O’BRIEN) Almighty and ever living God, we give thanks for the gift of faith to overcome the temptations of the Devil. Help us to be ready to share that blessing with those close to us; we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

CHOIR ‘CALL TO REMEMBRANCE’ – FARRANT

(MONSIGNOR O’BRIEN) Pray, my brothers and sisters, that my sacrifice and yours may be acceptable to God, the almighty Father. 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. Give us the right dispositions, O Lord, we pray, to make these offerings, for with them we celebrate the beginning of this venerable and sacred time. Through Christ our Lord. AMEN

EUCHARISTIC PRAYER (SUNG BY MONSIGNOR O’BRIEN/CHOIR) The Lord be with you. And with your spirit. Lift up your hearts. We lift them up to the Lord. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. It is right and just. 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. By abstaining forty long days from earthly food, he consecrated through his fast the pattern of our Lenten observance and, by overturning all the snares of the ancient serpent, taught us to cast out the leaven of malice, so that, celebrating worthily the Paschal Mystery, we might pass over at last to the eternal paschal feast. And so, with the company of Angels and Saints, we sing the hymn of your praise, as without end we acclaim

SANCTUS (Mass for four voices - Byrd)

EUCHARISTIC PRAYER (MONSIGNOR O’BRIEN) 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 convenant, 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. (SUNG) We proclaim your Death, O Lord, and profess your Resurrection, until you come again. 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 Leo our Pope and John our Bishop and all 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, Blessed Joseph her spouse, with the blessed Apostles, and all the Saints who have pleased you throughout the ages, we may merit to be co-heirs to eternal life, and may praise and glorify you through your Son, Jesus Christ. (SUNG) Through him, and with him, and in him, O God, almighty Father, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honor is yours, for ever and ever.

 (SUNG) A-men. A-men. A-men.

(MONSIGNOR O’BRIEN) At the Saviour’s command and formed by divine teaching, we dare to say: Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Deliver us, Lord, we pray, from every evil, graciously grant peace in our days, that, by the help of your mercy, we may be always free from sin and safe from all distress, as we await the blessed hope and the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ. For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours now and for ever. Lord Jesus Christ, who said to your Apostles: Peace I leave you, my peace I give you, look not on our sins, but on the faith of your Church, and graciously grant her peace and unity in accordance with your will. Who live and reign for ever and ever. Amen

THE PEACE The peace of the Lord be with you always. And with your spirit.

AGNUS DEI (Mass for four voices - Byrd)

INVITATION TO COMMUNION (MONSIGNOR O’BRIEN) Behold the Lamb of God, behold him who takes away the sins of the world. Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb. Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.

COMMUNION HYMN –CHOIR ‘AGAIN WE KEEP THIS SOLEMN FAST’

COLLECT (MONSIGNOR O’BRIEN) Let us pray. Renewed now with heavenly bread, by which faith is nourished, hope increased, and charity strengthened, we pray, O Lord, that we may learn to hunger for Christ, the true and living Bread, and strive to live by every word which proceeds from your mouth. Through Christ our Lord. AMEN

BLESSING (MONSIGNOR O’BRIEN) The Lord be with you And with your spirit May almighty God bless you, the Father and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen Go and announce the Gospel of the Lord Thanks be to God.

ORGAN VOLUNTARY