Pause

Take a moment to still yourself. Take a deep breath and ask God for a renewed sense of presence with you in this moment.

Opening Prayer

Keep your family safe, O Lord, with unfailing care,
that, relying soley on the hope of heavenly grace,
they may be defended always by your protection.

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.

Sing or listen

FIRST READING

Job 7:1-4, 6-7

RESPONSORIAL PSALM

Psalm 146(147):1-6
R: Praise the Lord, who heals the broken-hearted.

SECOND READING

1 Corinthians 9:16-19, 22-23

Gospel

Mark 1:29-39

On leaving the synagogue, Jesus went with James and John straight to the house of Simon and Andrew. Now Simon’s mother-in-law had gone to bed with fever, and they told him about her straightaway. He went to her, took her by the hand and helped her up. And the fever left her and she began to wait on them.

That evening, after sunset, they brought to him all who were sick and those who were possessed by devils. The whole town came crowding round the door, and he cured many who were suffering from diseases of one kind or another; he also cast out many devils, but he would not allow them to speak, because they knew who he was.

In the morning, long before dawn, he got up and left the house, and went off to a lonely place and prayed there. Simon and his companions set out in search of him, and when they found him they said, ‘Everybody is looking for you.’ He answered, ‘Let us go elsewhere, to the neighbouring country towns, so that I can preach there too, because that is why I came.’ And he went all through Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out devils.

This section is designed to be adapted depending on how you are gathering to pray. There are links to external resources for children and young people. There is also a reflection which can be used by individuals or adapted to be used in groups.

Closing Prayer

Heavenly Father, we offer our thanksgiving for having been introduced to your love. We thank you for the ways you have opened our eyes to your way, truth, and life. We thank you for the people who have preached the Gospel to us. We ask that you may further reveal to us how you would like us to live out the Gospel in our day-to-day lives. Fill us with your Holy Spirit so that our words may not be ours, but yours. Give us kind and compassionate hearts so that others may experience you through us. Jesus, we love you and praise you. Amen.