Third Sunday of Lent

We welcome you Lord Jesus…

IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER… Christ is with us, HE IS WITH US INDEED And so we gather. IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER…

Forgiving God, we thank you for the love and care that you show to us all. Help us to grow in your love, and to do all that we can to help each other to live free from poverty Amen.

Lord Jesus, you give us all good things. Lord Have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Jesus Christ, you are the vine. Christ have mercy Christ, have mercy. Lord Jesus, you call us to bear fruit every day. Lord have mercy

Please stand…

Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. Luke Glory to you, Lord This is The Gospel of the Lord Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ

I wonder what you heard in the Gospel today? If we are like the fig tree, who is the gardener? How do you think the man felt when his tree didn’t bear fruit? How can we care for people to help them grow and develop?

Plants and trees, just like people, need the right conditions to grow. How we treat other people can help them to grow and develop, or stop them from doing so. Sometimes we are a bit like the fig tree when we do not share our fruit as well as we could. The gardener gives the fig tree another chance, and like Jesus is always ready to forgive us when we have done something wrong. God gives us the chance to change, to share what we have and to do all that we can for others. .

As brothers and sisters in one loving family, together let us pray to our Heavenly Father. We pray for world leaders: that the Holy Spirit will inspire them to make real changes so that we may all have access to the clean water which God has given for us to share. Lord hear our prayer. We pray for the Church throughout the world: that like the gardener in the gospel story, she may continue to work to help people to change their lives for the better. We pray for our parish, family and friends: that through God’s grace, we may share what we have with others, and help make sure that all people have the chance to grow and live life to the full.

Knowing that our heavenly Father is listening, in the silence of our hearts, let us share our own unspoken prayers with him.

Please stand… I love him and he loves me and his banner over me is love. X3 There is one way to peace-in the power of the cross and his banner over me is love. X3 Jesus is the shepherd and we are the sheep and his banner over me is love. X3 Jesus is the vine and we are the branches and his banner over me is love. X3 Jesus is the bridge over troubled, troubled water and his banner over me is love. X3 I am his and he is mine and his banner over me is love. X3

Creator God, you gave us a world full of wonderful things. May we share these fairly with each other so all people have the chance to grow and live well. Amen

Third Sunday of Lent