LeaderThe bishops of Australia have invited us to celebrate a Year of Grace from this Pentecost until next Pentecost. During this coming year we will ‘start afresh from Christ’. We will focus on Christ and draw our life and inspiration from him. Let us begin this Year of Grace by praying together.

OPENING PRAYER All: Loving God,

pour your grace over the whole earthand fill our hearts with love for Jesus Christ, your Son.May we find in him our way, our truth and our life.

OPENING PRAYER All: May we see in his face

a reflection of what we are called to be:Your sons and daughters, filled with grace and truth. We make our prayer with confidence in your love, through Christ, our Lord.Amen.

FIRST READINGEphesians 2: 8

For by grace you have been saved

through faith, and this is not your own doing;

it is the gift of God.

The Word of the LordAll: Thanks be to God

RESPONSORIAL PSALMPs 5: 11–12

Leader: Hope in the Lord foreverAll: Hope in the Lord forever

Reader: O Lord, my heart is not lifted up,my eyes are not raised too high;I do not occupy myself with thingstoo great and too marvellous for

me. All: Hope in the Lord forever

Reader: But I have calmed and quieted my soul,like a weaned child with its mother;my soul is like the weaned child that is with me.

All: Hope in the Lord forever

Reader: O Israel, hope in the Lordfrom this time on and for

evermore. All: Hope in the Lord forever

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION Alleluia, Alleluia!Open our hearts, O Lord, to listen to the words of Your Son. Alleluia.

GOSPEL John 1: 14–15, 16–18

And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth. … From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.

The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father’s heart, who has made him known.

Reader: The Gospel of the LordAll: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ

GENERAL INTERCESSIONS

Leader: All grace flows from God. Let us now turn to God, confident that our

prayers will be answered.

Reader:We pray that in all we do we may start afresh from Jesus Christ, contemplating his face and learning from his teachings. Lord, hear us.

All: Let the light of your face shine on us.

GENERAL INTERCESSIONS

Reader: We pray that all Australians may become more deeply aware of the grace of God in their lives. Lord, hear us.

All: Let the light of your face shine on us.

GENERAL INTERCESSIONS

Reader: We pray that we will grow as disciples of Jesus during this Year of Grace. Lord, hear us.

All: Let the light of your face shine on us.

GENERAL INTERCESSIONS

Leader:O God, transform the Church in Australia by the power of your grace. We make these prayers with confidence in you, through

Christ our Lord.All: Amen

LIGHTING OF THE YEAR OF GRACE CANDLE

Leader:

As we light the Year of Grace candle, we gaze at its light which is a sign of

Christ’s presence among us. Let us pray in silence

for a few moments.

[silent prayer]

PRAYER FOR THE YEAR OF GRACE

Leader: Gracious God,You have blessed this ancient landwith many gifts, especially its people.

All: We thank you for the Year of Grace,a time to start afresh from Christ.

Leader: You invite us to contemplate the face of Jesus your Son,that we may experience a new wave of grace,and that the light of Christ may burn more brightly in our lives.

All: Attune our hearts and minds

to the presence of your Holy Spirit,that our Church may be transformed,our relationships be healed,and our nation grow in compassion and justice.

Leader: With the intercession of St Mary MacKillop, who showed us new ways of living the Gospel,we make our prayer through Christ our Lord.

All: Amen.

Leader: Mary, Help of Christians,

All: Pray for us.

HYMN: Shine, Jesus, Shine

Lord, the light of your love is shining,in the midst of the darkness shining;

Jesus, light of the world, shine upon us,

set us free by the truth you now bring us.

Shine on me, shine on me.

Shine, Jesus, shine;fill this land with the Father’s glory;

blaze, Spirit, blaze, set our hearts on fire.

Flow, river, flow; flood the nations with grace and mercy;

Send forth your word, Lord, and let there be light.

Lord, I come to your awesome presence,

from the shadows into your radiance;by the blood I may enter

your brightness,search me, try me,

consume all my darkness.Shine on me, shine on me.

Shine, Jesus, shine;fill this land with the Father’s glory;

blaze, Spirit, blaze, set our hearts on fire.

Flow, river, flow; flood the nations with grace and mercy;

Send forth your word, Lord, and let there be light.

As we gaze on your kingly brightness,so our faces display your likeness,ever changing from glory to glory;

mirrored here may our lives tell your story,

Shine on me, shine on me.

Shine, Jesus, shine;fill this land with the Father’s glory;

blaze, Spirit, blaze, set our hearts on fire.

Flow, river, flow; flood the nations with grace and mercy;

Send forth your word, Lord, and let there be light.

Shine, Jesus, shine;fill this land with the Father’s glory;

blaze, Spirit, blaze, set our hearts on fire.

Flow, river, flow; flood the nations with grace and mercy;

Send forth your word, Lord, and let there be light.