Clonard Solemn Novena Day 1

Gospel (Luke 13:10-17)
Now he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. And just then there appeared a woman with a spirit that had crippled her for eighteen years. She was bent over and was quite unable to stand up straight. When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said, “Woman, you are set free from your ailment.” When he laid his hands on her, immediately she stood up straight and began praising God. But the leader of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had cured on the Sabbath, kept saying to the crowd, “There are six days on which work ought to be done; come on those days and be cured, and not on the Sabbath day.” But the Lord answered him and said, “You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the manger, and lead it away to give it water? And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen long years, be set free from this bondage on the Sabbath day?” When he said this, all his opponents were put to shame; and the entire crowd was rejoicing at all the wonderful things that he was doing.

The message
For 18 years she has been crippled, so bent over she can’t stand up straight. Nobody pays attention to her anymore. Most simply ignore her. She’s just another cripple after all.
On the Sabbath day she appears in the synagogue while Jesus is preaching there. And he sees her. She may be so bent over that she’s almost hidden in the crowd but Jesus sees her, and he calls her to him. Then, in front of everybody, he lays his hands on her and tells her she is free from her ailment. Immediately, the woman stands up straight and begins praising God. She has been healed, restored, set free. She is able to walk tall again.
It should be a cause for rejoicing but the leader of the synagogue isn’t impressed. In fact, he’s really annoyed. Jesus shouldn’t be doing this kind of thing on the Sabbath when there are six other days in the week. But Jesus is quick to show up the hypocrisy behind this kind of thinking. They all know they would pull an ox or ass out of a ditch on the Sabbath, so why shouldn’t this “daughter of Abraham” be set free on the Sabbath too?
Jesus’ message is clear: people matter more than institutions. The institution and its rules are there to serve people – not the other way around.

The lesson
It’s been a bad few years for the institution of the Church. The reports into abuse of children by priests and religious have left people feeling sickened, upset, outraged, betrayed. And now similar reports are emerging from across Europe and beyond.
We can only imagine the suffering of the abused, and marvel at their strength and courage. We thank God that their stories have at last come to light. That justice is hopefully being done.
But we are left asking questions too. We wonder how this abuse could have been allowed to happen, how nothing was done about it for so long. We wonder how our Church leaders could have been so blind to the suffering of so many. We wonder if there isn’t some deep fault-line at the heart of the Church that we must all face up to.
When Jesus saw the woman in the synagogue, he didn’t just see a ‘cripple,’ he saw the whole person; he saw the potential in her. And so he called her, set her free.
This is a time for us to look at what is crippling our church, so that it too can be set free to become truly the People of God.

The challenge
Jesus respected the Sabbath but he knew that people come before any institution. He was saying to the people, “You are putting the institution and its rules ahead of the people and their needs. You must get your priorities right.”
Maybe this is what Jesus is saying to our Church today. The People of God come first. Institutions are not ends in themselves. The Church must be a living, loving community that draws people to God, nourishes and protects them, offers them hope.
He is calling us to look at what it means to be Church today, and what kind of Church we want to have.

The Prayer
“Lord, help your Church in these difficult times. Help it to become the kind of Church you want it to be. Amen.

--- Prayers for the Mass ---

Opening Prayer
Lord, send your Holy Spirit
to make us witnesses before the world,
to the Good News proclaimed by Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God for ever and ever..

Prayer over the Gifts:
Lord,
receive these offerings
chosen from your many gifts.
May these mysteries make us holy
and lead us to eternal joy.
Through Christ our Lord.

Concluding Prayer:
Gracious God,
You have called us together in this Eucharist
to be a sign of the unity that you promise.
May the new life you give us
increase our love and keep us in the joy of your kingdom.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.

	Wed June 16 A Time for Setting Free





Gospel (Luke 13:10-17) Now he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. And just then there appeared a woman with a spirit that had crippled her for eighteen years. She was bent over and was quite unable to stand up straight. When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said, “Woman, you are set free from your ailment.” When he laid his hands on her, immediately she stood up straight and began praising God. But the leader of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had cured on the Sabbath, kept saying to the crowd, “There are six days on which work ought to be done; come on those days and be cured, and not on the Sabbath day.” But the Lord answered him and said, “You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the manger, and lead it away to give it water? And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen long years, be set free from this bondage on the Sabbath day?” When he said this, all his opponents were put to shame; and the entire crowd was rejoicing at all the wonderful things that he was doing. The message For 18 years she has been crippled, so bent over she can’t stand up straight. Nobody pays attention to her anymore. Most simply ignore her. She’s just another cripple after all. On the Sabbath day she appears in the synagogue while Jesus is preaching there. And he sees her. She may be so bent over that she’s almost hidden in the crowd but Jesus sees her, and he calls her to him. Then, in front of everybody, he lays his hands on her and tells her she is free from her ailment. Immediately, the woman stands up straight and begins praising God. She has been healed, restored, set free. She is able to walk tall again. It should be a cause for rejoicing but the leader of the synagogue isn’t impressed. In fact, he’s really annoyed. Jesus shouldn’t be doing this kind of thing on the Sabbath when there are six other days in the week. But Jesus is quick to show up the hypocrisy behind this kind of thinking. They all know they would pull an ox or ass out of a ditch on the Sabbath, so why shouldn’t this “daughter of Abraham” be set free on the Sabbath too? Jesus’ message is clear: people matter more than institutions. The institution and its rules are there to serve people – not the other way around. The lesson It’s been a bad few years for the institution of the Church. The reports into abuse of children by priests and religious have left people feeling sickened, upset, outraged, betrayed. And now similar reports are emerging from across Europe and beyond. We can only imagine the suffering of the abused, and marvel at their strength and courage. We thank God that their stories have at last come to light. That justice is hopefully being done. But we are left asking questions too. We wonder how this abuse could have been allowed to happen, how nothing was done about it for so long. We wonder how our Church leaders could have been so blind to the suffering of so many. We wonder if there isn’t some deep fault-line at the heart of the Church that we must all face up to. When Jesus saw the woman in the synagogue, he didn’t just see a ‘cripple,’ he saw the whole person; he saw the potential in her. And so he called her, set her free. This is a time for us to look at what is crippling our church, so that it too can be set free to become truly the People of God. The challenge Jesus respected the Sabbath but he knew that people come before any institution. He was saying to the people, “You are putting the institution and its rules ahead of the people and their needs. You must get your priorities right.” Maybe this is what Jesus is saying to our Church today. The People of God come first. Institutions are not ends in themselves. The Church must be a living, loving community that draws people to God, nourishes and protects them, offers them hope. He is calling us to look at what it means to be Church today, and what kind of Church we want to have. The Prayer “Lord, help your Church in these difficult times. Help it to become the kind of Church you want it to be. Amen. --- Prayers for the Mass --- Opening Prayer Lord, send your Holy Spirit to make us witnesses before the world, to the Good News proclaimed by Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever.. Prayer over the Gifts: Lord, receive these offerings chosen from your many gifts. May these mysteries make us holy and lead us to eternal joy. Through Christ our Lord. Concluding Prayer: Gracious God, You have called us together in this Eucharist to be a sign of the unity that you promise. May the new life you give us increase our love and keep us in the joy of your kingdom. We ask this through Christ our Lord. div>
Day1 morning Homily part1Fr. Gerry Moloney

Day1 morning Homily part2 Fr. Gerry Moloney

Day1 evening Homily part1 Fr.Séamus Enright

Day1 evening Homily part2 Fr. Séamus Enright
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Intention for the unity of the Church early sessions 7.00am session And we ask Our Lady to pray for the Glengall St Methodist congregation with whom our unity pilgrims have met in faith and friendship 8.15am session And we ask Our Lady to pray for the Donegall Rd Methodist congregation with whom our unity pilgrims have met in faith and friendship 9.30am session And we ask Our Lady to pray for the Springfield Road Methodist congregation with whom our unity pilgrims have met in faith and friendship 11.00am sessions And we ask Our Lady to pray for the St Columba’s Highfield Church of Ireland congregation with whom our unity pilgrims have met in faith and friendship 2.00pm session And we ask Our Lady to pray for the St Stephen’s & St Luke’s Church of Ireland congregation with whom our unity pilgrims have met in faith and friendship 3All, with one accord, devoted themselves to prayer, together with Mary, the Mother of Jesus” (Acts of the Apostles 1.14)	Intention for the unity of the Church evening sessions 3.30pm session And we ask Our Lady to pray for the St Bartholomew’s Church of Ireland congregation Stranmillis with whom our unity pilgrims have met in faith and friendship 6.30pm session And we ask Our Lady to pray for the Great Victoria St Presbyterian congregation with whom our unity pilgrims have met in faith and friendship 8.00pm session And we ask Our Lady to pray for the Lowe Memorial Presbyterian congregation Lisburn Rd with whom our unity pilgrims have met in faith and friendship 9.30pm session And we ask Our Lady to pray for the Townsend Street Presbyterian congregation with whom our unity pilgrims have met in faith and friendship 11.00pm sessions And we ask Our Lady to pray for the West Kirk Presbyterian congregation, Shankill Road with whom our unity pilgrims have met in faith and friendship “All, with one accord, devoted themselves to prayer, together with Mary, the Mother of Jesus” (Acts of the Apostles 1.14)
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