Your Sunday Connection for Easter 2020

Dear Friends,

Happy Easter! Because of the “stay at home” order in the State of Illinois, we are providing you with a way of praying in your own home for Easter.

There are numerous resources which offer video/streaming opportunities to see Mass such as https://radiotv.archchicago.org/television/broadcast-masses

We also encourage you to take time, perhaps with your family, perhaps around the table, and share this “Your Sunday Connection” web page. As you scroll through, read and pray along. A homily message from Fr. Sergio is included.

If you have petitions that you would like to include in our weekly prayers, please click on the link found in the Prayers of the Faithful below and let us know. God bless!

Opening Prayer

O God, who on this day, through your Only Begotten Son, have conquered death and unlocked for us the path to eternity, grant, we pray, that we who keep the solemnity of the Lord’s Resurrection may, through the renewal brought by your Spirit, rise up in the light of life. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, on God, for ever and ever. AMEN.

The Readings

Reading 1 ACTS 10:34A, 37-43

Peter proceeded to speak and said: “You know what has happened all over Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached, how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power.
He went about doing good and healing all those oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. We are witnesses of all that he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree. This man God raised on the third day and granted that he be visible, not to all the people, but to us, the witnesses chosen by God in advance, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.
He commissioned us to preach to the people and testify that he is the one appointed by God as judge of the living and the dead. To him all the prophets bear witness, that everyone who believes in him will receive forgiveness of sins through his name.”

Reading 2 I COR 5:6B-8

Brothers and sisters: Do you not know that a little yeast leavens all the dough? Clear out the old yeast, so that you may become a fresh batch of dough, inasmuch as you are unleavened. For our paschal lamb, Christ, has been sacrificed. Therefore, let us celebrate the feast, not with the old yeast, the yeast of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

Gospel JN 20:1-9

On the first day of the week, Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning, while it was still dark, and saw the stone removed from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them, “They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don’t know where they put him.”
So Peter and the other disciple went out and came to the tomb. They both ran, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter and arrived at the tomb first; he bent down and saw the burial cloths there, but did not go in. When Simon Peter arrived after him, he went into the tomb and saw the burial cloths there, and the cloth that had covered his head, not with the burial cloths but rolled up in a separate place.
Then the other disciple also went in, the one who had arrived at the tomb first, and he saw and believed. For they did not yet understand the Scripture that he had to rise from the dead.

The Homily

Please click on the video link below to watch the homily for this week.

The Renewal of Baptismal Promises

At Easter it is customary to renew the promises that are made at Baptism. As a household, these promises can be made as a commitment to keep to each other. A full ritual of the renewal can also be downloaded in the .pdf below.

Do we renounce sin, so as to live in the freedom of the children of God?

RE: Yes

Do we renounce the lure of evil, so that sin may have no mastery over us?

RE: Yes

Do we renounce Satan, the author and prince of sin?

RE: Yes

Do we believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth?

RE: Yes

Do we believe in Jesus Christ, his only son, our Lord, who was born of the virgin Mary, suffered death and was buried, rose again from the dead and is seated at the right hand of the Father?

RE: Yes

Do you believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting?

RE: Yes

And may almighty God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

who has given us new birth by water and the Holy spirit

and bestowed on us forgiveness of our sins,

keep us by his grace,

in Christ Jesus our Lord,

for eternal life. AMEN

The Prayers of the Faithful

– For the Church, that we may proclaim the hope and promise of Christ’s resurrection in everything we do. We pray to the Lord. LORD HEAR OUR PRAYER.

– For those entrusted with leading their countries, that they may work to bring peace to nations ravaged by war and prosperity to areas

devastated by poverty. We pray to the Lord. LORD HEAR OUR PRAYER.

– For those whose lives are threatened by violence, chronic illness, or sudden trauma, that in their ordeal they may be embraced by God, the source of everlasting life. We pray to the Lord. LORD HEAR OUR PRAYER.

– For all of us in this church community, that we may always rejoice in the Lord’s resurrection and realize the salvation he won for us. We pray to the Lord. LORD HEAR OUR PRAYER.

– For those who are affected by COVID19 that God will help them through this terrible time and for the entire world as we face the pandemic together. We pray to the Lord. LORD HEAR OUR PRAYER.

– For the departed, who remain with us in our prayers and our memories and for the promise of a joyful reunion. We pray to the Lord. LORD HEAR OUR PRAYER

If you have a special intention that you would like us to include in the prayers of the parish, please complete the Special Intentions form found at the link below.

Submit Your Special Intentions

Sunday Offertory

Stewardship of Saint Andrew Parish is the responsibility of us all. Consistently throughout the year, we remind parishioners about stewarding the gifts of Time, Talent, and Treasure to support the mission of Saint Andrew Parish.

During this pandemic, there are many urgent needs, among those needs are caring for the financial obligations of Saint Andrew Parish. If you do not regularly contribute electronically ether weekly or monthly, please consider making a Sunday Offering online through Give Central through the link below.

Give to the Sunday Offertory

Spiritual Communion

In many places in the world receiving Holy Communion is not possible. Catholics in these areas are encouraged to make “Spiritual Communion.” St.Teresa of Jesus wrote about this practice:

“When you do not receive communion and you do not attend Mass, you can make a spiritual communion, which is a most beneficial practice; by it the love of God will be greatly impressed on you”

You can make Spiritual Communion by the bringing this prayer to your heart…

“My Jesus, I believe that you are in the Blessed Sacrament. I love you above all things, and I long for you in my soul. Since I cannot now receive you sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. As though you have already come, I embrace you and unite myself entirely to you; never permit me to be separated from you. Amen.”

Closing Prayer

Look upon your Church, O God, with unfailing love and favor, so that, renewed by the paschal mysteries, she may come to the glory of the resurrection. Through Christ our Lord. AMEN.

Announcements

Easter Photo Mosiac

PLEASE TAKE A PHOTO OF YOUR HOUSEHOLD THIS EASTER SUNDAY (a selfie will do just fine) and load that photo to our website at www.standrew.org/easterphoto or email the photo to info@standrew.org The photo will be combined with photos from the households at Saint Andrew to create a beautiful photo that will represent us all.

Read the Sunday Bulletin