Welcome to our Year-End Paraliturgy

Introduction Leader: Welcome to our school closing liturgy. Please join in singing our opening song ***

Opening Prayer Leader: Let us begin in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Let us pray. Loving God, you have given us many opportunities for growth in our faith this year. We thank you for your love and care for us as we have worked to learn our school subjects and to learn how to be a community that loves and cares for all of its members. Continue to bless us as we finish the school year. We ask this in the name of your son, Jesus. Amen. Let us listen attentively to God’s Word.

First Reading Reader One: A reading from letter of Paul to the Colossians. In our prayers for you we always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, for we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. You have heard of this hope before in the word of the truth, the gospel that has come to you. Just as it is bearing fruit and growing in the whole world, so it has been bearing fruit among yourselves from the day you heard it and truly comprehended the grace of God.

First Reading Continued… For this reason, since the day we heard it, we have not ceased praying for you and asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of God’s will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you may lead lives worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, as you bear fruit in every good work and as you grow in the knowledge of God. May you be made strong with all the strength that comes from his glorious power, and may you be prepared to endure everything with patience, while joyfully giving thanks to the Father. The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.

Psalm: The Response is, “God has been good to me.” 1) Mary said, “My heart sings with thanks. God is great and good. Holy is God’s name.” God has been good to me. 2) God has smiled on me. God looks kindly on all poor people. Holy is God’s name.

Psalm Continued… 3) God is mighty and powerful. God has done great things for me. Holy is God’s name. God has been good to me. 4) God remembers his people. God has done marvellous deeds for me. Holy is God’s name.

Second Reading Leader: A reading from the gospel according to St. Mark. Glory to you, O Lord. Jesus began to teach them many things in parables, and in his teaching he said to them: ‘Listen! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and it sprang up quickly, since it had no depth of soil.

Second Reading Continued… And when the sun rose, it was scorched; and since it had no root, it withered away. Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain. Other seed fell into good soil and brought forth grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirty and sixty and a hundredfold.’ And he said, ‘Let anyone with ears to hear listen!’   The Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Reflection: We have all seen plants growing and changing as they grow. God’s word is like a seed that is planted and growing in our hearts and changing us as we grow with it. What are some ways that our school community has grown?  How has God’s word taken root in your life in the past year? Is it starting to bear fruit? What is one thing that you will remember about how your faith has grown and that you will work to improve upon?

Prayers of the Faithful Leader: Knowing that our loving God loves us and listens to our needs, we now bring our prayers before him with confidence.   For Pope Francis and all church leaders, may they be granted the graces they need to be faithful sowers of the seed of God’s Word, we pray to the Lord. Lord, hear our prayer. For political leaders throughout the world, working for peace and understanding between nations and cultures, we pray to the Lord. Lord, hear our prayer.

Prayers of the Faithful Continued… For our school community at St Mark’s School, may our knowledge of God’s love for us keep us always trying hard to love others, we pray to the Lord. Lord, hear our prayer. For all of the students and staff who will be leaving our school and moving on to other schools, we pray to the Lord. Lord, hear our prayer. For all of us as we rest and play this summer, may we stay safe and healthy, we pray to the Lord. Lord, hear our prayer. Leader: God, we ask you to hear our prayers that we make with faith in your loving mercy, through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Leader: Jesus taught his followers to call God Father and so we pray, 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. Amen

Closing Remarks Leader: Let us pray. Generous God, you have guided all the work we did this year. We offer all of our efforts to you so that you may bless our work, our play and our growth. May our hearts be filled with love for you and for one another as we work to build up your Kingdom. We ask this in the name of your beloved Son, Jesus. Amen May we be blessed in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen Leader: Please join in and sing the closing song - ***