Lent Day 28

Opening Prayer:
Father,
may our Lenten observance
prepare us to embrace the paschal mystery
and to proclaim your salvation with joyful praise.

We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit
one God, for ever and ever.

The Readings: Ezekiel 47:1-9, 12; Psalm 46; John 5:1-16

Intercessions:
God the Father has given us his only Son, the Word made human,
to be our food and our life. Let us thank him and pray:
May the word of Christ dwell among us in all its richness.

Help us this Lenten season to listen more frequently to your word,
- that we may celebrate the solemnity of Easter with greater love for Christ, our paschal sacrifice.
May your Holy Spirit be our teacher,
- that we may encourage those in doubt and error to follow what is true and good.
Enable us to enter more deeply into the mystery of your Anointed One,
- that our lives may reveal him more effectively.
Purify and renew your Church in this time of salvation,
- that it may give an ever greater witness to you.

Closing Prayer:
Joyful praise in Lent?
I'm not sure I always feel that.
I ask you to help me prepare to understand
and embrace the paschal mystery in my life.
I don't always see the beauty and mystery of this season
and often I run from the pain.
Help me to see how your saving grace
and your loving touch in my life
can fill me with joyful praise of the salvation
you have sent to me.