HOLY HOUR/ VIRTUAL VISITA IGLESIA FOR HEALING OF THE WORLD FROM COVID-19: MAUNDY THURSDAY

THE HEALING HEART OF JESUS

A. ENTRANCE HYMN AND EXPOSITION

As the priest exposes the Blessed Sacrament on the altar, the people kneel and sing the traditional hymn “O Salutaris Hostia” or any adoration hymn related to the theme of the month.

O Salutaris Hostia

O salutaris Hostia,

Quae caeli pandis ostium:

Bella premunt hostilia,

Da robur, fer auxilium.

Uni trinoque Domino

Sit sempiterna gloria,

Qui vitam sine termino

Nobis donet in patria.

Amen.

(or in English)

O Saving Victim, Opening Wide

O Saving Victim, opening wide

The gates of heaven to man below,

Our foes press on from every side;

Thine aid supply, thy strength bestow

To thy great name be endless praise,

Immortal Godhead, One in three.

Oh, grant us endless length of days

In our true native land with thee.

Amen.

Priest (Leader): In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

All: Amen.

1. Introduction (all kneel)

Priest or Reader:

In his life and ministry among people, the Lord Jesus Christ preached the Kingdom and performed wonderful actions, among them deeds of healing that ignited the flame of belief, weakened the onslaught of doubts, and manifested the true heart of God. Today our world needs healing because nations and individuals are riddled with wounds caused by sin, sickness and selfishness. As we gather, let us remember places around the world and in our country where wounds of violence, death, and neglect are calling out for the balm of God's attention, forgiveness and restoration.

In a special way, we pray for the healing power of God on all those who are sick in body and spirit. We believe that God will heal us because His love impels Him to touch us where we are most vulnerable and most needy. The God who healed in the accounts of the Bible is the God who continues to give hope to those who trust in His healing hands. Jesus heals because first, He loves us. This is what gives us confidence to ask in faith and trust.

In this Holy Hour, let us turn to Jesus, our Healer and Divine Physician. His Sacred Heart overflows with serenity and calm assurance that those who seek Him will find healing for their afflictions (Is. 53:5), health and newness (Mk 3:5-6), and the renewed strength that enables us to serve  (Lk. 4:39).

2. Praise and Thanksgiving (all kneel)

Priest:

Let us praise God our Healer and beg Him to extend His hands on our shattered world, wounded bodies, and weak spirits. Our response will be: Lord God, say but the word and we shall be healed.

Father, you created the world to enjoy wholeness so that all may come to the knowledge of your generous gift of life, meaning, and purpose. May you be adored and worshiped as the Father who heals his children. (Response)

Jesus, Divine Healer, your heart went out to all those who were suffering in body, mind and spirit and you embraced every affliction to show your love. May all praise and worship you as the Word that brings healing. (Response)

Spirit, Who Jesus called the Finger of God (Lk 11:20), your power shows forth in recovery of what is lost and restoration of what is broken. May You be adored and glorified as You revive our spirits and energize our bodies. (Response)

3. Prayer for Healing (all rise)

Priest:

Let us pray for the gift of healing for our selves, our loved ones and all those around us who rely on the miraculous intervention and powerful action of God.

God of kindness and mercy, you envisioned a world that is suitable and satisfying for all, a world where laughter and tranquility will reign forever. Our sins through the centuries have unleashed powers that stunt growth, destroy vitality and lead to death. So many people today are suffering due to interrupted growth and wellness.

In prayer, we join ourselves to those languishing in pain in hospitals, clinics and homes. We remember those who cannot afford to pay for their treatment and buy their medicines. We lift up to you people who have been declared beyond hope of recovery. Behold their tears and feel their impatience, boredom and fear.

We come to you with our many complaints in our bodies due to stress, hardwork, old age or neglect. It is when you heal us that your goodness becomes concrete in our own experience. Your healing is our testimony in favor of your power, but most especially of your compassion. May your Son take our hand and lead us to true life. May your Spirit revive our hope and teach us to trust You at all times.

In this Holy Hour, may the Healing Heart of Jesus, give meaning to our pains, inspire us to discover you in adversity and speak to us the Word that makes any ailment flee.

We ask this through Our Lord Jesus Christ your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.

All: Amen.

(a short period of silent adoration)

B. CELEBRATION OF THE WORD

1. Praying the Psalms (all seated)

Priest/ Leader:

Let us now offer to the Lord the praises and supplications of the Psalms. (The psalms may be prayed slowly and meditatively in unison or together, or in choir, meaning alternate reading of the stanzas by those seated on the right and left sides of the assembly, with two readers leading the people. Three psalms are recommended, but the reciting of less than three may be preferred.)

PSALM 34

I will bless the LORD at all times;

his praise shall be always in my mouth.

My soul will glory in the LORD;

let the poor hear and be glad.

            Magnify the LORD with me;

            and let us exalt his name together.

            I sought the LORD, and he answered me,

            delivered me from all my fears.

Look to him and be radiant,

and your faces may not blush for shame.

This poor one cried out and the LORD heard,

and from all his distress he saved him.

            The angel of the LORD encamps

            around those who fear him, and he saves them.

            Taste and see that the LORD is good;

            blessed is the stalwart one who takes refuge in him.

Fear the LORD, you his holy ones;

nothing is lacking to those who fear him.

The rich grow poor and go hungry,

but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.

            Come, children, listen to me;

            I will teach you fear of the LORD.

            Who is the man who delights in life,

            who loves to see the good days?

Keep your tongue from evil,

your lips from speaking lies.

Turn from evil and do good;

seek peace and pursue it.

            The eyes of the LORD are directed toward the

            righteous

            and his ears toward their cry.

            The LORD’s face is against evildoers

            to wipe out their memory from the earth.

The righteous cry out, the LORD hears

and he rescues them from all their afflictions.

The LORD is close to the brokenhearted,

saves those whose spirit is crushed.

            Many are the troubles of the righteous,

            but the LORD delivers him from them all.

            He watches over all his bones;

            not one of them shall be broken.

Evil will slay the wicked;

those who hate the righteous are condemned.

The LORD is the redeemer of the souls of his servants;

and none are condemned who take refuge in him.

            Glory to the Father

            and to the Son

            and to the Holy Spirit,

as it was in the beginning

is now,

and will be forever. Amen.

(followed by short silence)

PSALM 5

Give ear to my words, O LORD;

understand my sighing.

Attend to the sound of my cry,

my king and my God!

            For to you I will pray, LORD;

            in the morning you will hear my voice;

            in the morning I will plead before you and wait.

You are not a god who delights in evil;

no wicked person finds refuge with you;

the arrogant cannot stand before your eyes.

            You hate all who do evil;

            you destroy those who speak falsely.

            A bloody and fraudulent man

            the LORD abhors.

But I, through the abundance of your mercy,

will enter into your house.

I will bow down toward your holy sanctuary

out of fear of you.

            LORD, guide me in your justice because of my foes;

            make straight your way before me.

For there is no sincerity in their mouth;

their heart is corrupt.

Their throat is an open grave;

on their tongue are subtle lies.

            Declare them guilty, God;

            make them fall by their own devices.

            Drive them out for their many sins;

            for they have rebelled against you.

Then all who trust in you will be glad

and forever shout for joy.

You will protect them and those will rejoice in you

who love your name.

            For you, LORD, bless the just one;

            you surround him with favor like a shield.

Glory to the Father

and to the Son

and to the Holy Spirit,

            as it was in the beginning

            is now,

            and will be forever. Amen.

(followed by short silence)

PSALM 36

Sin directs the heart of the wicked man;

his eyes are closed to the fear of God.

For he lives with the delusion:

his guilt will not be known and hated.

            Empty and false are the words of his mouth;

            he has ceased to be wise and do good.

            On his bed he hatches plots;

            he sets out on a wicked way;

            he does not reject evil.

LORD, your mercy reaches to heaven;

your fidelity, to the clouds.

Your justice is like the highest mountains;

your judgments, like the mighty deep;

human being and beast you sustain, LORD.

            How precious is your mercy, O God!

            The children of Adam take refuge in the shadow of

            your wings.

            They feast on the rich food of your house;

            from your delightful stream you give them drink.

For with you is the fountain of life,

and in your light we see light.

Show mercy on those who know you,

your just defense to the upright of heart.

            Do not let the foot of the proud overtake me,

            nor the hand of the wicked disturb me.

            There make the evildoers fall;

            thrust them down, unable to rise.

Give glory to God

the Father All-Powerful,

to His Son Jesus Christ the Lord,

            and to the Holy Spirit

            Who lives in our hearts,

            now and forever. Amen.

(followed by short silence)

2. Psalm Collect (all rise)

Priest: Let us pray.

We give you thanks, God all powerful, that You give us the clearness of day and the serenity of night. We pray that in your abundant goodness, You will touch our world with Your healing hand and surround our hearts with the Spirit's restoring power. Through Jesus Christ Our Lord.

All: Amen.

(While seated, a short period of silent adoration follows; reflective music may be played and lights dimmed.)

3. Reading of the Gospel/ Scripture

All rise while the choir/ people sing the Alleluia or an antiphon (if reading is not from the Gospels) and the priest/reader prepares to read the Gospel below, or the Gospel of the day, or another suitable selection, which may even be a non-Gospel reading.

Priest:  The Lord be with you.

All:        And with your spirit.

Priest:  A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew (8: 5-13)

When he entered Capernaum, a centurion approached him and appealed to him, saying, “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, suffering dreadfully.” He said to him, “I will come and cure him.” The centurion said in reply, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof; only say the word and my servant will be healed. For I too am a person subject to authority, with soldiers subject to me. And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come here,’ and he comes; and to my slave, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, “Amen, I say to you, in no one in Israel have I found such faith. I say to you, many will come from the east and the west, and will recline with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the banquet in the kingdom of heaven, but the children of the kingdom will be driven out into the outer darkness, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.” And Jesus said to the centurion, “You may go; as you have believed, let it be done for you.” And at that very hour [his] servant was healed.

Priest: The Gospel of the Lord

All: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ

(The priest may give a short reflection on the theme, followed by a period of silent adoration. In case, there is no sharing from the priest, all will be seated for silent meditation on the reading. Fitting music may accompany this time. The points below may be useful when praying the Holy Hour alone or in small groups.)

4. Points for Personal Reflection (when there is no preaching or sharing)

*Jesus generously served the needs of the sick that sought him. This sprang from His mercy for all those who suffer, and not from any desire to prove his power. Are there sick family members and friends who need our presence today? Can we spend time serving them or expressing our concern for their good?

*Healing is a gift from God. When it is given to us we must be willing to thank the Lord. When we are asked to wait or endure some more sacrifice, we must ask the Spirit to give us the virtue of patience, surrender and sacrifice.

*Lift up to the Lord your own need for healing and the healing of people who ask for your prayers.

5. Song of Praise to the Sacred Heart of Jesus

After the preached or silent meditation, there follows the singing of a Hymn to the Sacred Heart. Traditional versions are given at the end of this book.

6. Intercessions for Healing

Priest:

Believing in the power of the Healing Heart of Jesus, let us all rise and renew our confidence that He will make all people whole and happy in the Kingdom. As we intercede, let us say: Lord, heal and restore us.

Reader:

To those present here who experience bodily pain and agony (Response)

To the sick who are declared malignant and terminal cases (Response)

To the sick who are also burdened by poverty (Response)

To those who commit themselves to care for their sick loved ones (Response)

To people who must cover up their sickness due to shame (Response)

To doctors who make healing their real mission in life (Response)

To children who suffer in spite of their innocence (Response)

To the elderly in their steady loss of mobility and use of their faculties (Response)

To the generous benefactors of poor patients (Response)

To the sick who are at the threshold of death (Response)

To those whose sickness is in the mind or spirit  (Response)

To the sick who want to be reconciled to God  (Response)

Let us now pray for the intentions close to our hearts....  (silence)

All: Our Father Who are in heaven…

Priest: O Sacred Heart of Jesus to whom one thing alone is impossible, namely, not to have compassion on the afflicted and the needy, have pity on us miserable sinners and grant us the grace which we ask of You through the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, Your and our tender Mother. Amen.

C. BENEDICTION AND CLOSING PRAYERS

All kneel while singing the Tantum Ergo. The priest offers incense to the Blessed Sacrament.

Tantum ergo Sacramentum

Veneremur cernui:

Et antiquum documentum

Novo cedat ritui:

Praestet fides supplementum

Sensuum defectui.

Genitori, Genitoque

Laus et jubilatio,

Salus, honor, virtus quoque

Sit et benedictio:

Procedenti ab utroque

Compar sit laudatio. Amen.

Priest: Panem de caelo praestitisti eis. (Alleluia)

All:  Omne delectamentum in se habentem. (Alleluia)

Priest: Oremus:

Deus, qui nobis sub sacramento mirabili, passionis tuae memoriam reliquisti: tribue, quaesumus, ita nos corporis et sanguinis tui sacra mysteria venerari, ut redemptionis tuae fructum in nobis iugiter sentiamus. Qui vivis et regnas in saecula saeculorum.

All: Amen.

Or in English:

Down In Adoration Falling

Down in adoration falling,

This great Sacrament we hail;

Over ancient forms of worship

Newer rites of grace prevail;

Faith will tell us Christ is present,

When our human senses fail

To the everlasting Father,

And the Son who made us free,

And the Spirit, God proceeding

From them Each eternally,

Be salvation, honor, blessing,

Might and endless majesty.

Amen.

Priest: You have given them bread from heaven ( Alleluia).

All:  Having within it all sweetness ( Alleluia).

Let us pray: O God, who in this wonderful Sacrament left us a memorial of Thy Passion: grant, we implore Thee, that we may so venerate the sacred mysteries of Thy Body and Blood, as always to be conscious of the fruit of Thy Redemption. Thou who livest and reignest forever and ever.

All: Amen.

(The priest blesses the people with the monstrance containing the Most Blessed Sacrament. On returning to the kneeler, he leads everyone in reciting The Divine Praises.)

The Divine Praises

Priest and People:

Blessed be God.

Blessed be His Holy Name.

Blessed be Jesus Christ, true God and true Man.

Blessed be the Name of Jesus.

Blessed be His Most Sacred Heart.

Blessed be His Most Precious Blood.

Blessed be Jesus in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar.

Blessed be the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete.

Blessed be the great Mother of God, Mary most Holy.

Blessed be her Holy and Immaculate Conception.

Blessed be her Glorious Assumption.

Blessed be the Name of Mary, Virgin and Mother.

Blessed be St. Joseph, her most chaste spouse.

Blessed be God in His Angels and in His Saints.

(After a brief moment of adoration, the priest returns the Blessed Sacrament to the tabernacle, while the people sing O Sacrament Most Holy or any appropriate selection, connected to HEALING, for recessional.)

O Sacrament Most Holy

O Sacrament Most Holy

O Sacrament Divine

All praise and all thanksgiving

Be every moment thine

Be every moment thine