Liturgical Information
Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time (A)

Themes & Motives: humility, kingdom of God, heaven, wisdom

Introit:
Save us, Lord our God, and gather us together from the nations, that we may proclaim your holy name and glory in your praise. (Psalm 105:47)

Opening Prayer:
Lord our God,
help us to love you with all our hearts
and to love all men as you love them.
Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

• Zephaniah 2:3; 3:12-13 [I will leave among you a humble and lowly people. /v.12]
• Psalm 146: 6-7 / 8-9 / 9-10 [R. Happy the poor in spirit; the kingdom of heaven is theirs!. / Mt 5:3]
• I Corinthians 1:26-31 [Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord. /v.31]
• Gospel Verse: Mt 5:12 [Rejoice and be glad; your reward will be great in heaven.]
• Mathhew 5:1-12a [Rejoice, and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great. /v.12]

Prayer over the Gifts:
Lord,
be pleased with the gifts we bring to your altar,
and make them the sacrament of our salvation.
We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Preface for Sundays in Ordinary Time IV: [The history of salvation]
Father, all-powerful and ever-living God,
we do well always and everywhere to give you thanks
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

By his birth we are reborn.
In his suffering we are freed from sin.
By his rising from the dead we rise to everlasting life.
In his return to you in glory
we enter into your heavenly kingdom.

And so, we join the angels and the saints
as they sing their unending hymn of praise:

  Holy, holy, holy Lord...

Communion Antiphon:
Happy are the poor in spirit; the kingdom of heaven is theirs! Happy are the lowly; they shall inherit the land. (Matthew 5:3-4)

Prayer after Communion:
Lord,
you invigorate us with this help to our salvation.
By this eucharist give the true faith continued growth
throughout the world.
We ask this in the name of Jesus the Lord. Amen.

** An official, approved English translation of the Offertory Antiphon has never been published. The offertory antiphon used here is cited in Latin in the Graduale Romanum. The English is from the New American Bible, a Scripture translation approved for liturgical use in the United States.

The English translation of the Introit, Opening Prayer, Psalm Refrain, Gospel Verse, Prayer over the Gifts, Preface, Communion Antiphon, Prayer after Communion, and Solemn Blessing from The Roman Missal, © Copyright 1973, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved.

Excerpts from the First Reading, Second Reading and Gospel are taken from the New American Standard Bible ® © Copyright 1973 The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.