∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

The following presentation is made possible 

By the generosity of the viewers 

Of Sunday Mass at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls in Chicago. 

Good morning and welcome to Sunday Mass at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls. 

Today we celebrate the feast of the holy family. 

My name is dan riley. 

I am joined by tom McNamara and Elizabeth Norden 

And our celebrant is Father Scott Donahue, 

President of Mercy Home for Boys and Girls. 

∫ Angels from the realms of glory, ∫ 

∫ Wing your flight o’er all the earth; ∫ 

∫ You who sang creation’s story now proclaim messiah’s birth. ∫ 

∫ Come and worship, come and worship, ∫ 

∫ Worship Christ, the newborn king. ∫ 

We gather during this holiest time of year 

As today we celebrate the wonderful feast day 

Of the holy family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph. 

We offer our prayer in the name of the father 

And of the son and of the holy spirit. 

Amen. 

The grace of our Lord, Jesus Christ 

And the love of God 

And the communion of the holy spirit, 

Be with each of you. 

-And with your spirit. 

My friends as we gather we turn to the Lord 

And we graciously ask for, 

We receive, the Lord’s loving forgiveness. 

Lord Jesus you are the son of God and the son of Mary. 

Lord have mercy. 

-Lord have mercy. 

Lord Jesus you are the prince of peace, the king of kings. 

Christ have mercy. 

-Christ have mercy. 

Lord Jesus you are God’s word made flesh 

In the splendor of the father. 

Lord have mercy. 

-Lord have mercy. 

May almighty God have mercy on us, 

Forgive us of our sin, bring us to life everlasting. 

-Amen. 

We praise God. 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

∫ Glory to God in the highest ∫ 

∫ And on earth peace to people of good will. ∫ 

∫ Glory to God in the highest ∫ 

∫ And on earth peace to people of good will. ∫ 

My friends let us pray. 

O God who were pleased to give us 

The shining example of the holy family. 

Graciously grant that we may imitate them 

In the practicing of the virtues of family life 

And of the bonds of charity. 

And so in the joy of your house 

Delight one day in eternal rewards. 

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. 

-Amen. 

The first reading is a reading from the book of Samuel. 

In those days Hannah conceived and at the end of her term 

Bore a son whom she called Samuel 

Since she had asked the Lord for him. 

The next time her husband Alkana was going up 

With the rest of his household to offer 

The customary sacrifice to the Lord 

And to fulfill his vows 

Hannah did not go explaining to her husband, 

“Once the child is weaned I will take him to appear 

“Before the Lord and to remain there forever. 

“I will offer him as a perpetual Nazarite.” 

Once Samuel was weaned Hannah brought him up with her 

Along with a three-year-old bull 

An ephah of flower and a skin of wine 

And presented him at the temple of the Lord in Shiloh. 

After the boy’s father had sacrificed the young bull, 

Hannah his mother approached Eli, and said, 

“Pardon my Lord as you live my Lord 

“I am the woman who stood near you here praying to the Lord. 

“I prayed for this child and the Lord granted my request. 

“Now I in turn, give him to the Lord. 

“As long as he lives, he shall be dedicated to the Lord.” 

Hannah left Samuel there. 

The word of the Lord. 

-Thanks be to God. 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

∫ Blessed, blessed are they ∫ 

∫ Who dwell in your house, o Lord. ∫ 

∫ Blessed, blessed are they ∫ 

∫ Who dwell in your house, o Lord. ∫ 

∫ How lovely is your dwelling place, o Lord of hosts. ∫ 

∫ My soul is longing and yearning ∫ 

∫ For the courts of the Lord, ∫ 

∫ My heart and my flesh ∫ 

∫ Cry out to the living God. ∫ 

∫ Blessed, blessed are they ∫ 

∫ Who dwell in your house, o Lord. ∫ 

The second reading 

Is a reading from the first letter of St. John. 

Beloved: see what love the father has bestowed on us 

That we may be called the children of God. 

And so we are. 

The reason the world does not know us 

Is that it did not know him. 

Beloved, we are God’s children now; 

What we shall be has not yet been revealed. 

We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him, 

For we shall see him as he is. 

Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us, 

We have confidence in God and receive from him 

Whatever we ask, because we keep his commandments 

And do what pleases him. 

And his commandment is this: 

We should believe in the name of his son, Jesus Christ, 

And love one another just as he commanded us. 

Those who keep his commandments remain in him, 

And he in them, and the way we know 

That he remains in us is from the spirit he gave us. 

The word of the Lord. 

-Thanks be to God. 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

∫ Alleluia, alleluia, ∫ 

∫ Alleluia, alleluia. ∫ 

∫ Alleluia, alleluia, ∫ 

∫ Alleluia, alleluia. ∫ 

∫ Open our hearts, o Lord, ∫ 

∫ To listen to the words of your son. ∫ 

∫ Alleluia, alleluia. ∫ 

∫ Alleluia,, alleluia. ∫ 

The Lord be with each of you. 

-And with your spirit. 

Ours is a reading taken from the holy gospel 

According to St. Luke. 

-Glory to you, o Lord. 

Each year, Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem 

For the feast of Passover. 

And when he was 12 years old, 

They went up according to the festival custom. 

After they had completed its days, they were returning, 

The boy Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem, 

But his parents did not know it. 

Thinking that he was in the caravan, 

They journeyed for a day, 

And they looked for him amongst their relatives 

And acquaintances, but not finding him. 

They returned to Jerusalem to look for him. 

After three days, they found him in the temple 

Sitting in the midst of the teachers, 

Listening to them and asking them questions. 

And all who heard him were astounded 

At his understanding and his answers. 

When the parents saw this, they too were astonished. 

And his mother said to him, 

“Son, why have you done this to us? 

“Your father and I have been looking for you 

“With great anxiety.” 

And then he said to them, 

“Why were you looking for me? 

“Did you not know that I must be in my father’s house?” 

But they did not understand what he said to them. 

He went down with them, and he came to Nazareth, 

And he was obedient to them. 

And his mother kept all these things in her heart. 

Jesus advanced in wisdom and age and favor 

Before God and God’s people. 

The gospel of the Lord. 

-Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ. 

 

Family life, family, family, family. 

During the Christmas season, all of us have family traditions. 

And as a little boy, one of the great family traditions in my home was going out and buying the Christmas tree. My two older sisters, my younger brother, my mother, my father and I, we’d go to a lot. And this is something my dad just loved, picking out the Christmas tree. 

And we would spend a lot of time—he wanted the perfect tree. And when they found the perfect tree, Mom and dad bought it, and then my dad would always buy extra branches and bring it back to the house, put it in the stand, and if there was any bare spots in the tree, my dad would take a drill, and he’d drill into the tree and add the extra branches. It had to be perfect. 

And then the other thing my dad loved to do after the ornaments were on the tree, and he did it one strand at a time of the tinsel, the lead tinsel, and would hang it. It had to be perfect. And we loved it. 

My dad passed, and the following Christmas was pretty tough for my family. And my mother wanted to do everything the same, so we went out to the lot and bought the tree and brought it back, and sure enough, it was crooked as can be. She couldn’t get it in the stand. It was an exercise in frustration, and she was so disappointed.  

So I remember the tree that we had, she went and she opened the front door of our house, and she took the tree and she threw it into the front lawn right into the snow and was done with Christmas trees. And we went out and we bought an artificial tree. 

The neighbor saw the tree in the snow and knocked on the door. 

He said, “Mrs. Donahue, could we have that Christmas tree?” 

Oh, my God, you should have seen all of that. 

Anyways, with the best of intentions, every family has its ups and downs. It’s good moments and it’s difficult moments. It’s frustrating moments, even during the Christmas season. 

The movie “The Line In Winter,” there’s a great line in it, and Catherine Hepburn looks at the camera and says, “Every family has its ups and downs,” and it’s true, and so did the holy family. The holy family, the beautiful family of Mary and Joseph and Jesus. 

In the gospel today, he’s 12 years old. They go to Jerusalem and they lose the child. Now, Jesus wasn’t lost. He was in the temple. He knew where he was, but can you imagine the anxiety that Mary and Joseph had looking for him for three days? The fear, it’s just simply hard to imagine. 

And the joy when they found him in the temple and at the same time not understanding exactly why he was there and what was going on. He goes home with them, and they say in the gospel that he grew in age and wisdom and understanding, and he was obedient. 

The word “obedient” means “obetari.” It means to listen, and Jesus listened as he grew in age and wisdom. 

Every family has its ups and downs. Your family does. My family does. But the beauty of the holy family that teaches us a lesson on this feast day is no matter what, we come together in unity. We come together in peace. We are invited to listen carefully to one another and to try to model our family lives and our lives after that of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. The model of the holy family. 

 

We take this opportunity now as we place our own hopes 

And our dreams during this holy season 

Into the very hands of God. 

Our response to each prayer will be, 

‘Lord, hear our prayer.’ 

For our holy father and all church leaders, 

May they inspire peace and justice throughout the world.” 

We pray to the Lord. 

-Lord, hear our prayer. 

For families burdened by divorce, abuse, or alienation, 

May they be filled with the faith and strength 

Of the holy family during challenging times. 

We pray to the Lord. 

-Lord, hear our prayer. 

For those who so generously support Mercy Home for Boys and Girls, 

May they be greatly blessed 

For their compassion and kindness. 

We pray to the Lord. 

-Lord, hear our prayer. 

For all those who are ill, may their hearts and health 

Be strengthened with the hope and joy of this holy season. 

We pray to the Lord. 

-Lord, hear our prayer. 

And we pray the prayer of the angels in heaven, 

That there might be peace on earth, 

Goodwill towards all. 

We pray to the Lord. 

-Lord, hear our prayer. 

Gracious and loving God, we trust and know 

That you hear all of our prayers, 

The prayers we pray out loud. 

Certainly those many prayers that rest in our hearts. 

Give us the strength, the grace, and the wisdom 

To be faithful disciples. 

These prayers we make through Christ our Lord. 

Amen. 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

Pray, my friends, my sisters and brothers, 

That this our sacrifice may be acceptable to God, 

The father almighty. 

May the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands 

For the praise and glory of his name, 

For our good and the good of all his holy church. 

We offer you, Lord, the sacrifice of conciliation, 

Humbly asking that through the intercession 

Of the virgin mother of God and saint joseph, 

You may establish our families firmly in your grace and in your peace. 

Through Christ our Lord. 

Amen. 

The Lord is with you. 

-And with your spirit. 

Lift up your hearts. 

-We lift them up to the Lord. 

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. 

It is right and just. 

-It is truly right and just. 

Our duty and salvation always and everywhere 

To give you thanks. 

Lord, holy father, almighty and eternal God, 

Through Christ our Lord. 

For through him, the holy exchange that restores our life 

Has shown forth today in splendor 

When our frailty is assumed by your word. 

Not only does human mortality receive unending honor, 

But by his wondrous union, we too are made eternal. 

And so in the company of the choirs of angels, 

We praise you and with joy we proclaim. 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

∫ Holy, holy, holy Lord God of hosts ∫ 

∫ Heaven and earth are full of your glory ∫ 

∫ Hosanna in the highest ∫ 

∫ Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord ∫ 

∫ Hosanna in the highest. ∫ 

You are indeed holy, o Lord, the fount of all holiness. 

Make holy therefore these gifts, we pray, 

By sending down your spirit upon them like the dew falls, 

So that they become for us the body and blood 

Of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

At the time that he was betrayed 

And entered willingly into his passion, 

He took bread and giving thanks, he broke it. 

He gave it to his disciples saying, 

“Take this, all of you, and eat of it, 

For this is my body which will be given up for you.” 

In a similar way, when the supper was ended, 

He took the chalice and once more giving thanks, 

He gave it to his disciples saying, 

“Take this, all of you, and drink from it, 

For this is the chalice of my blood, 

The blood of the new and the eternal covenant, 

Which will be poured out for you and for many 

For the forgiveness of sins. 

Do this in memory of me.” 

The mystery of faith. 

∫ When we eat this bread and drink this cup, ∫ 

∫ We proclaim your death, o Lord, ∫ 

∫ Until you come again. ∫ 

Therefore, as we celebrate the memorial of his death 

And resurrection we offer to you, Lord, 

The bread of life and the chalice of salvation, 

Giving thanks that you’ve held us worthy 

To be in your presence and minister to you. 

Humbly we pray that partaking of the body and blood of Christ, 

We may be gathered into one 

By the holy spirit. 

Remember, Lord, your church, spread throughout the world 

And bring her to the fullness of charity. 

Together with Francis, our Pope, 

Blas… our bishop, and with all your faith-filled people, 

Lord, we ask that you remember your servant, Julie Rose, 

Whom you have called from this world to yourself. 

Grant that she who was united with your son 

In a death like his may also be one with him 

In his resurrection. 

Remember also our sisters and our brothers 

Who have fallen asleep in the hope of the resurrection, 

And all those who have died in your mercy, 

Welcome them into the light of your presence. 

Have mercy on us all, we pray, 

That with the blessed Virgin Mary, the mother of God, 

With her blessed spouse, joseph, 

With the blessed apostles and with the martyrs, 

With all the saints that have pleased you throughout the ages, 

That we may merit to be coheirs to eternal life 

And may praise and glorify you through your son, Jesus Christ. 

Through him and with him and in him, 

O God, almighty father, in the unity of the holy spirit, 

All glory and honor is yours forever and ever. 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

∫ Amen, amen, amen. ∫ 

And gathered with his friends, with his disciples, 

He taught them how to pray: 

Our father, who art in heaven, 

Hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, 

Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 

Give us this day our daily bread, 

And forgive us our trespasses, 

As we forgive those who trespass against us. 

And lead us not into temptation, 

But deliver us from evil. 

Deliver us, Lord, we pray, from every evil. 

Graciously grant peace in our day, 

That by the help of your mercy, 

We may be freed from sin and saved from all distress, 

As we await the blessed hope, 

The coming of our savior, Jesus Christ. 

For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, 

Now and forever. 

And Lord Jesus Christ, who said to his apostles, 

“Peace I leave you. 

“It is my peace that I give to you.” 

Look not on our sins, but on the faith of your church. 

And graciously grant her peace and unity 

In accordance with your will, 

Who lives and reigns forever and ever. 

Amen. 

The peace of the risen Lord be with each of you. 

-And with your spirit. 

And share the Lord’s peace. 

And for those of you who are at home 

Celebrating this eucharist with us here 

At Mercy Home for Boys and Girls, 

We pray, especially during this holy time of year, 

That you receive God’s choicest blessings, 

And the peace of Christ in your life. 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

∫ Lamb of God; ∫ 

∫ You take away the sins of the world, ∫ 

∫ Have mercy on us. ∫ 

∫ Lamb of God; ∫ 

∫ You take away the sins of the world, ∫ 

∫ Have mercy on us. ∫ 

∫ Lamb of God; ∫ 

∫ You take away the sins of the world, ∫ 

∫ Grant us peace. ∫ 

My friends, behold Jesus. 

Behold the lamb of God that takes away 

The sins of the world. 

Emmanuel God forever with his people. 

Blessed are those invited to the supper of the lamb. 

Lord, I’m not worthy that you should enter under my roof, 

But only say the word and my soul shall be healed. 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

∫ Ave maria! ∫ 

∫ Gratia plena, maria gratia plena, ∫ 

∫ Maria gratia plena, ∫ 

∫ Ave, ave! ∫ 

∫ Dominus, dominus tecum, ∫ 

∫ Benedicta tu in mulieribus, et benedictus, ∫ 

∫ Et benedictus fructus ventris, ventris tui, ∫ 

∫ Jesus. ∫ 

∫ Ave maria! ∫ 

I invite you to turn to page six of the tv mass guide 

That we have here at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls. 

And please pray with me the prayer that we have 

For our children. 

Our lady of mercy, we pray that you will guide, protect 

And bless all boys and girls 

Who this day have a home called mercy. 

May they find the father’s mercy as we offer them our hearts 

In the name of your son, Jesus Christ. 

May they see God’s mercy in action 

Through our love, prayers and sacrifices. 

And so we pray. 

Bring those you refresh with this heavenly sacrament, 

Most merciful father, to imitate constantly 

The example of the holy family, 

So that after the trials of this world, 

We may share in their company forever. 

Through Christ our Lord. 

Amen. 

The Lord is with you. 

-And with your spirit. 

May the many blessings of almighty God, 

The father and the son and the holy spirit 

Come upon all of you, your family members and your friends, 

And remain with you forever. 

Amen. 

Our mass has ended. 

Go in peace. 

-Thanks be to God. 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

∫ What child is this, who laid to rest, ∫ 

∫ On Mary’s lap is sleeping, ∫ 

∫ Whom angels greet with anthems sweet ∫ 

∫ While shepherds watch our keeping? ∫ 

∫ This, this is Christ the king ∫ 

∫ Whom shepherds guard and angels sing; ∫ 

∫ Haste, haste to bring him laud ∫ 

∫ The babe, the son of Mary. ∫ 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

My friends, I just want to thank you 

For the ways in which you support the tv mass 

Here at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls. 

Let us continue to pray for one another. 

Please consider making an offering 

So that we can keep the tv mass on the air. 

May God bless you, your family members and your friends. 

The music for the broadcast of ‘Sunday Mass at Mercy Home’ 

Is generously provided by G-I-A Publications Incorporated 

And its World Library Publications Division. 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

The following presentation is made possible 

By the generosity of the viewers 

Of Sunday Mass at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls in Chicago. 

Good morning and welcome to Sunday Mass at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls. 

Today we celebrate the feast of the holy family. 

My name is dan riley. 

I am joined by tom McNamara and Elizabeth Norden 

And our celebrant is Father Scott Donahue, 

President of Mercy Home for Boys and Girls. 

∫ Angels from the realms of glory, ∫ 

∫ Wing your flight o’er all the earth; ∫ 

∫ You who sang creation’s story now proclaim messiah’s birth. ∫ 

∫ Come and worship, come and worship, ∫ 

∫ Worship Christ, the newborn king. ∫ 

We gather during this holiest time of year 

As today we celebrate the wonderful feast day 

Of the holy family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph. 

We offer our prayer in the name of the father 

And of the son and of the holy spirit. 

Amen. 

The grace of our Lord, Jesus Christ 

And the love of God 

And the communion of the holy spirit, 

Be with each of you. 

-And with your spirit. 

My friends as we gather we turn to the Lord 

And we graciously ask for, 

We receive, the Lord’s loving forgiveness. 

Lord Jesus you are the son of God and the son of Mary. 

Lord have mercy. 

-Lord have mercy. 

Lord Jesus you are the prince of peace, the king of kings. 

Christ have mercy. 

-Christ have mercy. 

Lord Jesus you are God’s word made flesh 

In the splendor of the father. 

Lord have mercy. 

-Lord have mercy. 

May almighty God have mercy on us, 

Forgive us of our sin, bring us to life everlasting. 

-Amen. 

We praise God. 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

∫ Glory to God in the highest ∫ 

∫ And on earth peace to people of good will. ∫ 

∫ Glory to God in the highest ∫ 

∫ And on earth peace to people of good will. ∫ 

My friends let us pray. 

O God who were pleased to give us 

The shining example of the holy family. 

Graciously grant that we may imitate them 

In the practicing of the virtues of family life 

And of the bonds of charity. 

And so in the joy of your house 

Delight one day in eternal rewards. 

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. 

-Amen. 

The first reading is a reading from the book of Samuel. 

In those days Hannah conceived and at the end of her term 

Bore a son whom she called Samuel 

Since she had asked the Lord for him. 

The next time her husband Alkana was going up 

With the rest of his household to offer 

The customary sacrifice to the Lord 

And to fulfill his vows 

Hannah did not go explaining to her husband, 

“Once the child is weaned I will take him to appear 

“Before the Lord and to remain there forever. 

“I will offer him as a perpetual Nazarite.” 

Once Samuel was weaned Hannah brought him up with her 

Along with a three-year-old bull 

An ephah of flower and a skin of wine 

And presented him at the temple of the Lord in Shiloh. 

After the boy’s father had sacrificed the young bull, 

Hannah his mother approached Eli, and said, 

“Pardon my Lord as you live my Lord 

“I am the woman who stood near you here praying to the Lord. 

“I prayed for this child and the Lord granted my request. 

“Now I in turn, give him to the Lord. 

“As long as he lives, he shall be dedicated to the Lord.” 

Hannah left Samuel there. 

The word of the Lord. 

-Thanks be to God. 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

∫ Blessed, blessed are they ∫ 

∫ Who dwell in your house, o Lord. ∫ 

∫ Blessed, blessed are they ∫ 

∫ Who dwell in your house, o Lord. ∫ 

∫ How lovely is your dwelling place, o Lord of hosts. ∫ 

∫ My soul is longing and yearning ∫ 

∫ For the courts of the Lord, ∫ 

∫ My heart and my flesh ∫ 

∫ Cry out to the living God. ∫ 

∫ Blessed, blessed are they ∫ 

∫ Who dwell in your house, o Lord. ∫ 

The second reading 

Is a reading from the first letter of St. John. 

Beloved: see what love the father has bestowed on us 

That we may be called the children of God. 

And so we are. 

The reason the world does not know us 

Is that it did not know him. 

Beloved, we are God’s children now; 

What we shall be has not yet been revealed. 

We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him, 

For we shall see him as he is. 

Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us, 

We have confidence in God and receive from him 

Whatever we ask, because we keep his commandments 

And do what pleases him. 

And his commandment is this: 

We should believe in the name of his son, Jesus Christ, 

And love one another just as he commanded us. 

Those who keep his commandments remain in him, 

And he in them, and the way we know 

That he remains in us is from the spirit he gave us. 

The word of the Lord. 

-Thanks be to God. 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

∫ Alleluia, alleluia, ∫ 

∫ Alleluia, alleluia. ∫ 

∫ Alleluia, alleluia, ∫ 

∫ Alleluia, alleluia. ∫ 

∫ Open our hearts, o Lord, ∫ 

∫ To listen to the words of your son. ∫ 

∫ Alleluia, alleluia. ∫ 

∫ Alleluia,, alleluia. ∫ 

The Lord be with each of you. 

-And with your spirit. 

Ours is a reading taken from the holy gospel 

According to St. Luke. 

-Glory to you, o Lord. 

Each year, Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem 

For the feast of Passover. 

And when he was 12 years old, 

They went up according to the festival custom. 

After they had completed its days, they were returning, 

The boy Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem, 

But his parents did not know it. 

Thinking that he was in the caravan, 

They journeyed for a day, 

And they looked for him amongst their relatives 

And acquaintances, but not finding him. 

They returned to Jerusalem to look for him. 

After three days, they found him in the temple 

Sitting in the midst of the teachers, 

Listening to them and asking them questions. 

And all who heard him were astounded 

At his understanding and his answers. 

When the parents saw this, they too were astonished. 

And his mother said to him, 

“Son, why have you done this to us? 

“Your father and I have been looking for you 

“With great anxiety.” 

And then he said to them, 

“Why were you looking for me? 

“Did you not know that I must be in my father’s house?” 

But they did not understand what he said to them. 

He went down with them, and he came to Nazareth, 

And he was obedient to them. 

And his mother kept all these things in her heart. 

Jesus advanced in wisdom and age and favor 

Before God and God’s people. 

The gospel of the Lord. 

-Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ. 

 

Family life, family, family, family. 

During the Christmas season, all of us have family traditions. 

And as a little boy, one of the great family traditions in my home was going out and buying the Christmas tree. My two older sisters, my younger brother, my mother, my father and I, we’d go to a lot. And this is something my dad just loved, picking out the Christmas tree. 

And we would spend a lot of time—he wanted the perfect tree. And when they found the perfect tree, Mom and dad bought it, and then my dad would always buy extra branches and bring it back to the house, put it in the stand, and if there was any bare spots in the tree, my dad would take a drill, and he’d drill into the tree and add the extra branches. It had to be perfect. 

And then the other thing my dad loved to do after the ornaments were on the tree, and he did it one strand at a time of the tinsel, the lead tinsel, and would hang it. It had to be perfect. And we loved it. 

My dad passed, and the following Christmas was pretty tough for my family. And my mother wanted to do everything the same, so we went out to the lot and bought the tree and brought it back, and sure enough, it was crooked as can be. She couldn’t get it in the stand. It was an exercise in frustration, and she was so disappointed.  

So I remember the tree that we had, she went and she opened the front door of our house, and she took the tree and she threw it into the front lawn right into the snow and was done with Christmas trees. And we went out and we bought an artificial tree. 

The neighbor saw the tree in the snow and knocked on the door. 

He said, “Mrs. Donahue, could we have that Christmas tree?” 

Oh, my God, you should have seen all of that. 

Anyways, with the best of intentions, every family has its ups and downs. It’s good moments and it’s difficult moments. It’s frustrating moments, even during the Christmas season. 

The movie “The Line In Winter,” there’s a great line in it, and Catherine Hepburn looks at the camera and says, “Every family has its ups and downs,” and it’s true, and so did the holy family. The holy family, the beautiful family of Mary and Joseph and Jesus. 

In the gospel today, he’s 12 years old. They go to Jerusalem and they lose the child. Now, Jesus wasn’t lost. He was in the temple. He knew where he was, but can you imagine the anxiety that Mary and Joseph had looking for him for three days? The fear, it’s just simply hard to imagine. 

And the joy when they found him in the temple and at the same time not understanding exactly why he was there and what was going on. He goes home with them, and they say in the gospel that he grew in age and wisdom and understanding, and he was obedient. 

The word “obedient” means “obetari.” It means to listen, and Jesus listened as he grew in age and wisdom. 

Every family has its ups and downs. Your family does. My family does. But the beauty of the holy family that teaches us a lesson on this feast day is no matter what, we come together in unity. We come together in peace. We are invited to listen carefully to one another and to try to model our family lives and our lives after that of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. The model of the holy family. 

 

We take this opportunity now as we place our own hopes 

And our dreams during this holy season 

Into the very hands of God. 

Our response to each prayer will be, 

‘Lord, hear our prayer.’ 

For our holy father and all church leaders, 

May they inspire peace and justice throughout the world.” 

We pray to the Lord. 

-Lord, hear our prayer. 

For families burdened by divorce, abuse, or alienation, 

May they be filled with the faith and strength 

Of the holy family during challenging times. 

We pray to the Lord. 

-Lord, hear our prayer. 

For those who so generously support Mercy Home for Boys and Girls, 

May they be greatly blessed 

For their compassion and kindness. 

We pray to the Lord. 

-Lord, hear our prayer. 

For all those who are ill, may their hearts and health 

Be strengthened with the hope and joy of this holy season. 

We pray to the Lord. 

-Lord, hear our prayer. 

And we pray the prayer of the angels in heaven, 

That there might be peace on earth, 

Goodwill towards all. 

We pray to the Lord. 

-Lord, hear our prayer. 

Gracious and loving God, we trust and know 

That you hear all of our prayers, 

The prayers we pray out loud. 

Certainly those many prayers that rest in our hearts. 

Give us the strength, the grace, and the wisdom 

To be faithful disciples. 

These prayers we make through Christ our Lord. 

Amen. 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

Pray, my friends, my sisters and brothers, 

That this our sacrifice may be acceptable to God, 

The father almighty. 

May the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands 

For the praise and glory of his name, 

For our good and the good of all his holy church. 

We offer you, Lord, the sacrifice of conciliation, 

Humbly asking that through the intercession 

Of the virgin mother of God and saint joseph, 

You may establish our families firmly in your grace and in your peace. 

Through Christ our Lord. 

Amen. 

The Lord is with you. 

-And with your spirit. 

Lift up your hearts. 

-We lift them up to the Lord. 

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. 

It is right and just. 

-It is truly right and just. 

Our duty and salvation always and everywhere 

To give you thanks. 

Lord, holy father, almighty and eternal God, 

Through Christ our Lord. 

For through him, the holy exchange that restores our life 

Has shown forth today in splendor 

When our frailty is assumed by your word. 

Not only does human mortality receive unending honor, 

But by his wondrous union, we too are made eternal. 

And so in the company of the choirs of angels, 

We praise you and with joy we proclaim. 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

∫ Holy, holy, holy Lord God of hosts ∫ 

∫ Heaven and earth are full of your glory ∫ 

∫ Hosanna in the highest ∫ 

∫ Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord ∫ 

∫ Hosanna in the highest. ∫ 

You are indeed holy, o Lord, the fount of all holiness. 

Make holy therefore these gifts, we pray, 

By sending down your spirit upon them like the dew falls, 

So that they become for us the body and blood 

Of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

At the time that he was betrayed 

And entered willingly into his passion, 

He took bread and giving thanks, he broke it. 

He gave it to his disciples saying, 

“Take this, all of you, and eat of it, 

For this is my body which will be given up for you.” 

In a similar way, when the supper was ended, 

He took the chalice and once more giving thanks, 

He gave it to his disciples saying, 

“Take this, all of you, and drink from it, 

For this is the chalice of my blood, 

The blood of the new and the eternal covenant, 

Which will be poured out for you and for many 

For the forgiveness of sins. 

Do this in memory of me.” 

The mystery of faith. 

∫ When we eat this bread and drink this cup, ∫ 

∫ We proclaim your death, o Lord, ∫ 

∫ Until you come again. ∫ 

Therefore, as we celebrate the memorial of his death 

And resurrection we offer to you, Lord, 

The bread of life and the chalice of salvation, 

Giving thanks that you’ve held us worthy 

To be in your presence and minister to you. 

Humbly we pray that partaking of the body and blood of Christ, 

We may be gathered into one 

By the holy spirit. 

Remember, Lord, your church, spread throughout the world 

And bring her to the fullness of charity. 

Together with Francis, our Pope, 

Blas… our bishop, and with all your faith-filled people, 

Lord, we ask that you remember your servant, Julie Rose, 

Whom you have called from this world to yourself. 

Grant that she who was united with your son 

In a death like his may also be one with him 

In his resurrection. 

Remember also our sisters and our brothers 

Who have fallen asleep in the hope of the resurrection, 

And all those who have died in your mercy, 

Welcome them into the light of your presence. 

Have mercy on us all, we pray, 

That with the blessed Virgin Mary, the mother of God, 

With her blessed spouse, joseph, 

With the blessed apostles and with the martyrs, 

With all the saints that have pleased you throughout the ages, 

That we may merit to be coheirs to eternal life 

And may praise and glorify you through your son, Jesus Christ. 

Through him and with him and in him, 

O God, almighty father, in the unity of the holy spirit, 

All glory and honor is yours forever and ever. 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

∫ Amen, amen, amen. ∫ 

And gathered with his friends, with his disciples, 

He taught them how to pray: 

Our father, who art in heaven, 

Hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, 

Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 

Give us this day our daily bread, 

And forgive us our trespasses, 

As we forgive those who trespass against us. 

And lead us not into temptation, 

But deliver us from evil. 

Deliver us, Lord, we pray, from every evil. 

Graciously grant peace in our day, 

That by the help of your mercy, 

We may be freed from sin and saved from all distress, 

As we await the blessed hope, 

The coming of our savior, Jesus Christ. 

For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, 

Now and forever. 

And Lord Jesus Christ, who said to his apostles, 

“Peace I leave you. 

“It is my peace that I give to you.” 

Look not on our sins, but on the faith of your church. 

And graciously grant her peace and unity 

In accordance with your will, 

Who lives and reigns forever and ever. 

Amen. 

The peace of the risen Lord be with each of you. 

-And with your spirit. 

And share the Lord’s peace. 

And for those of you who are at home 

Celebrating this eucharist with us here 

At Mercy Home for Boys and Girls, 

We pray, especially during this holy time of year, 

That you receive God’s choicest blessings, 

And the peace of Christ in your life. 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

∫ Lamb of God; ∫ 

∫ You take away the sins of the world, ∫ 

∫ Have mercy on us. ∫ 

∫ Lamb of God; ∫ 

∫ You take away the sins of the world, ∫ 

∫ Have mercy on us. ∫ 

∫ Lamb of God; ∫ 

∫ You take away the sins of the world, ∫ 

∫ Grant us peace. ∫ 

My friends, behold Jesus. 

Behold the lamb of God that takes away 

The sins of the world. 

Emmanuel God forever with his people. 

Blessed are those invited to the supper of the lamb. 

Lord, I’m not worthy that you should enter under my roof, 

But only say the word and my soul shall be healed. 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

∫ Ave maria! ∫ 

∫ Gratia plena, maria gratia plena, ∫ 

∫ Maria gratia plena, ∫ 

∫ Ave, ave! ∫ 

∫ Dominus, dominus tecum, ∫ 

∫ Benedicta tu in mulieribus, et benedictus, ∫ 

∫ Et benedictus fructus ventris, ventris tui, ∫ 

∫ Jesus. ∫ 

∫ Ave maria! ∫ 

I invite you to turn to page six of the tv mass guide 

That we have here at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls. 

And please pray with me the prayer that we have 

For our children. 

Our lady of mercy, we pray that you will guide, protect 

And bless all boys and girls 

Who this day have a home called mercy. 

May they find the father’s mercy as we offer them our hearts 

In the name of your son, Jesus Christ. 

May they see God’s mercy in action 

Through our love, prayers and sacrifices. 

And so we pray. 

Bring those you refresh with this heavenly sacrament, 

Most merciful father, to imitate constantly 

The example of the holy family, 

So that after the trials of this world, 

We may share in their company forever. 

Through Christ our Lord. 

Amen. 

The Lord is with you. 

-And with your spirit. 

May the many blessings of almighty God, 

The father and the son and the holy spirit 

Come upon all of you, your family members and your friends, 

And remain with you forever. 

Amen. 

Our mass has ended. 

Go in peace. 

-Thanks be to God. 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

∫ What child is this, who laid to rest, ∫ 

∫ On Mary’s lap is sleeping, ∫ 

∫ Whom angels greet with anthems sweet ∫ 

∫ While shepherds watch our keeping? ∫ 

∫ This, this is Christ the king ∫ 

∫ Whom shepherds guard and angels sing; ∫ 

∫ Haste, haste to bring him laud ∫ 

∫ The babe, the son of Mary. ∫ 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

My friends, I just want to thank you 

For the ways in which you support the tv mass 

Here at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls. 

Let us continue to pray for one another. 

Please consider making an offering 

So that we can keep the tv mass on the air. 

May God bless you, your family members and your friends. 

The music for the broadcast of ‘Sunday Mass at Mercy Home’ 

Is generously provided by G-I-A Publications Incorporated 

And its World Library Publications Division. 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

The following presentation is made possible 

By the generosity of the viewers 

Of Sunday Mass at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls in Chicago. 

Good morning and welcome to Sunday Mass at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls. 

Today we celebrate the feast of the holy family. 

My name is dan riley. 

I am joined by tom McNamara and Elizabeth Norden 

And our celebrant is Father Scott Donahue, 

President of Mercy Home for Boys and Girls. 

∫ Angels from the realms of glory, ∫ 

∫ Wing your flight o’er all the earth; ∫ 

∫ You who sang creation’s story now proclaim messiah’s birth. ∫ 

∫ Come and worship, come and worship, ∫ 

∫ Worship Christ, the newborn king. ∫ 

We gather during this holiest time of year 

As today we celebrate the wonderful feast day 

Of the holy family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph. 

We offer our prayer in the name of the father 

And of the son and of the holy spirit. 

Amen. 

The grace of our Lord, Jesus Christ 

And the love of God 

And the communion of the holy spirit, 

Be with each of you. 

-And with your spirit. 

My friends as we gather we turn to the Lord 

And we graciously ask for, 

We receive, the Lord’s loving forgiveness. 

Lord Jesus you are the son of God and the son of Mary. 

Lord have mercy. 

-Lord have mercy. 

Lord Jesus you are the prince of peace, the king of kings. 

Christ have mercy. 

-Christ have mercy. 

Lord Jesus you are God’s word made flesh 

In the splendor of the father. 

Lord have mercy. 

-Lord have mercy. 

May almighty God have mercy on us, 

Forgive us of our sin, bring us to life everlasting. 

-Amen. 

We praise God. 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

∫ Glory to God in the highest ∫ 

∫ And on earth peace to people of good will. ∫ 

∫ Glory to God in the highest ∫ 

∫ And on earth peace to people of good will. ∫ 

My friends let us pray. 

O God who were pleased to give us 

The shining example of the holy family. 

Graciously grant that we may imitate them 

In the practicing of the virtues of family life 

And of the bonds of charity. 

And so in the joy of your house 

Delight one day in eternal rewards. 

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. 

-Amen. 

The first reading is a reading from the book of Samuel. 

In those days Hannah conceived and at the end of her term 

Bore a son whom she called Samuel 

Since she had asked the Lord for him. 

The next time her husband Alkana was going up 

With the rest of his household to offer 

The customary sacrifice to the Lord 

And to fulfill his vows 

Hannah did not go explaining to her husband, 

“Once the child is weaned I will take him to appear 

“Before the Lord and to remain there forever. 

“I will offer him as a perpetual Nazarite.” 

Once Samuel was weaned Hannah brought him up with her 

Along with a three-year-old bull 

An ephah of flower and a skin of wine 

And presented him at the temple of the Lord in Shiloh. 

After the boy’s father had sacrificed the young bull, 

Hannah his mother approached Eli, and said, 

“Pardon my Lord as you live my Lord 

“I am the woman who stood near you here praying to the Lord. 

“I prayed for this child and the Lord granted my request. 

“Now I in turn, give him to the Lord. 

“As long as he lives, he shall be dedicated to the Lord.” 

Hannah left Samuel there. 

The word of the Lord. 

-Thanks be to God. 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

∫ Blessed, blessed are they ∫ 

∫ Who dwell in your house, o Lord. ∫ 

∫ Blessed, blessed are they ∫ 

∫ Who dwell in your house, o Lord. ∫ 

∫ How lovely is your dwelling place, o Lord of hosts. ∫ 

∫ My soul is longing and yearning ∫ 

∫ For the courts of the Lord, ∫ 

∫ My heart and my flesh ∫ 

∫ Cry out to the living God. ∫ 

∫ Blessed, blessed are they ∫ 

∫ Who dwell in your house, o Lord. ∫ 

The second reading 

Is a reading from the first letter of St. John. 

Beloved: see what love the father has bestowed on us 

That we may be called the children of God. 

And so we are. 

The reason the world does not know us 

Is that it did not know him. 

Beloved, we are God’s children now; 

What we shall be has not yet been revealed. 

We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him, 

For we shall see him as he is. 

Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us, 

We have confidence in God and receive from him 

Whatever we ask, because we keep his commandments 

And do what pleases him. 

And his commandment is this: 

We should believe in the name of his son, Jesus Christ, 

And love one another just as he commanded us. 

Those who keep his commandments remain in him, 

And he in them, and the way we know 

That he remains in us is from the spirit he gave us. 

The word of the Lord. 

-Thanks be to God. 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

∫ Alleluia, alleluia, ∫ 

∫ Alleluia, alleluia. ∫ 

∫ Alleluia, alleluia, ∫ 

∫ Alleluia, alleluia. ∫ 

∫ Open our hearts, o Lord, ∫ 

∫ To listen to the words of your son. ∫ 

∫ Alleluia, alleluia. ∫ 

∫ Alleluia,, alleluia. ∫ 

The Lord be with each of you. 

-And with your spirit. 

Ours is a reading taken from the holy gospel 

According to St. Luke. 

-Glory to you, o Lord. 

Each year, Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem 

For the feast of Passover. 

And when he was 12 years old, 

They went up according to the festival custom. 

After they had completed its days, they were returning, 

The boy Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem, 

But his parents did not know it. 

Thinking that he was in the caravan, 

They journeyed for a day, 

And they looked for him amongst their relatives 

And acquaintances, but not finding him. 

They returned to Jerusalem to look for him. 

After three days, they found him in the temple 

Sitting in the midst of the teachers, 

Listening to them and asking them questions. 

And all who heard him were astounded 

At his understanding and his answers. 

When the parents saw this, they too were astonished. 

And his mother said to him, 

“Son, why have you done this to us? 

“Your father and I have been looking for you 

“With great anxiety.” 

And then he said to them, 

“Why were you looking for me? 

“Did you not know that I must be in my father’s house?” 

But they did not understand what he said to them. 

He went down with them, and he came to Nazareth, 

And he was obedient to them. 

And his mother kept all these things in her heart. 

Jesus advanced in wisdom and age and favor 

Before God and God’s people. 

The gospel of the Lord. 

-Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ. 

 

Family life, family, family, family. 

During the Christmas season, all of us have family traditions. 

And as a little boy, one of the great family traditions in my home was going out and buying the Christmas tree. My two older sisters, my younger brother, my mother, my father and I, we’d go to a lot. And this is something my dad just loved, picking out the Christmas tree. 

And we would spend a lot of time—he wanted the perfect tree. And when they found the perfect tree, Mom and dad bought it, and then my dad would always buy extra branches and bring it back to the house, put it in the stand, and if there was any bare spots in the tree, my dad would take a drill, and he’d drill into the tree and add the extra branches. It had to be perfect. 

And then the other thing my dad loved to do after the ornaments were on the tree, and he did it one strand at a time of the tinsel, the lead tinsel, and would hang it. It had to be perfect. And we loved it. 

My dad passed, and the following Christmas was pretty tough for my family. And my mother wanted to do everything the same, so we went out to the lot and bought the tree and brought it back, and sure enough, it was crooked as can be. She couldn’t get it in the stand. It was an exercise in frustration, and she was so disappointed.  

So I remember the tree that we had, she went and she opened the front door of our house, and she took the tree and she threw it into the front lawn right into the snow and was done with Christmas trees. And we went out and we bought an artificial tree. 

The neighbor saw the tree in the snow and knocked on the door. 

He said, “Mrs. Donahue, could we have that Christmas tree?” 

Oh, my God, you should have seen all of that. 

Anyways, with the best of intentions, every family has its ups and downs. It’s good moments and it’s difficult moments. It’s frustrating moments, even during the Christmas season. 

The movie “The Line In Winter,” there’s a great line in it, and Catherine Hepburn looks at the camera and says, “Every family has its ups and downs,” and it’s true, and so did the holy family. The holy family, the beautiful family of Mary and Joseph and Jesus. 

In the gospel today, he’s 12 years old. They go to Jerusalem and they lose the child. Now, Jesus wasn’t lost. He was in the temple. He knew where he was, but can you imagine the anxiety that Mary and Joseph had looking for him for three days? The fear, it’s just simply hard to imagine. 

And the joy when they found him in the temple and at the same time not understanding exactly why he was there and what was going on. He goes home with them, and they say in the gospel that he grew in age and wisdom and understanding, and he was obedient. 

The word “obedient” means “obetari.” It means to listen, and Jesus listened as he grew in age and wisdom. 

Every family has its ups and downs. Your family does. My family does. But the beauty of the holy family that teaches us a lesson on this feast day is no matter what, we come together in unity. We come together in peace. We are invited to listen carefully to one another and to try to model our family lives and our lives after that of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. The model of the holy family. 

 

We take this opportunity now as we place our own hopes 

And our dreams during this holy season 

Into the very hands of God. 

Our response to each prayer will be, 

‘Lord, hear our prayer.’ 

For our holy father and all church leaders, 

May they inspire peace and justice throughout the world.” 

We pray to the Lord. 

-Lord, hear our prayer. 

For families burdened by divorce, abuse, or alienation, 

May they be filled with the faith and strength 

Of the holy family during challenging times. 

We pray to the Lord. 

-Lord, hear our prayer. 

For those who so generously support Mercy Home for Boys and Girls, 

May they be greatly blessed 

For their compassion and kindness. 

We pray to the Lord. 

-Lord, hear our prayer. 

For all those who are ill, may their hearts and health 

Be strengthened with the hope and joy of this holy season. 

We pray to the Lord. 

-Lord, hear our prayer. 

And we pray the prayer of the angels in heaven, 

That there might be peace on earth, 

Goodwill towards all. 

We pray to the Lord. 

-Lord, hear our prayer. 

Gracious and loving God, we trust and know 

That you hear all of our prayers, 

The prayers we pray out loud. 

Certainly those many prayers that rest in our hearts. 

Give us the strength, the grace, and the wisdom 

To be faithful disciples. 

These prayers we make through Christ our Lord. 

Amen. 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

Pray, my friends, my sisters and brothers, 

That this our sacrifice may be acceptable to God, 

The father almighty. 

May the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands 

For the praise and glory of his name, 

For our good and the good of all his holy church. 

We offer you, Lord, the sacrifice of conciliation, 

Humbly asking that through the intercession 

Of the virgin mother of God and saint joseph, 

You may establish our families firmly in your grace and in your peace. 

Through Christ our Lord. 

Amen. 

The Lord is with you. 

-And with your spirit. 

Lift up your hearts. 

-We lift them up to the Lord. 

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. 

It is right and just. 

-It is truly right and just. 

Our duty and salvation always and everywhere 

To give you thanks. 

Lord, holy father, almighty and eternal God, 

Through Christ our Lord. 

For through him, the holy exchange that restores our life 

Has shown forth today in splendor 

When our frailty is assumed by your word. 

Not only does human mortality receive unending honor, 

But by his wondrous union, we too are made eternal. 

And so in the company of the choirs of angels, 

We praise you and with joy we proclaim. 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

∫ Holy, holy, holy Lord God of hosts ∫ 

∫ Heaven and earth are full of your glory ∫ 

∫ Hosanna in the highest ∫ 

∫ Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord ∫ 

∫ Hosanna in the highest. ∫ 

You are indeed holy, o Lord, the fount of all holiness. 

Make holy therefore these gifts, we pray, 

By sending down your spirit upon them like the dew falls, 

So that they become for us the body and blood 

Of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

At the time that he was betrayed 

And entered willingly into his passion, 

He took bread and giving thanks, he broke it. 

He gave it to his disciples saying, 

“Take this, all of you, and eat of it, 

For this is my body which will be given up for you.” 

In a similar way, when the supper was ended, 

He took the chalice and once more giving thanks, 

He gave it to his disciples saying, 

“Take this, all of you, and drink from it, 

For this is the chalice of my blood, 

The blood of the new and the eternal covenant, 

Which will be poured out for you and for many 

For the forgiveness of sins. 

Do this in memory of me.” 

The mystery of faith. 

∫ When we eat this bread and drink this cup, ∫ 

∫ We proclaim your death, o Lord, ∫ 

∫ Until you come again. ∫ 

Therefore, as we celebrate the memorial of his death 

And resurrection we offer to you, Lord, 

The bread of life and the chalice of salvation, 

Giving thanks that you’ve held us worthy 

To be in your presence and minister to you. 

Humbly we pray that partaking of the body and blood of Christ, 

We may be gathered into one 

By the holy spirit. 

Remember, Lord, your church, spread throughout the world 

And bring her to the fullness of charity. 

Together with Francis, our Pope, 

Blas… our bishop, and with all your faith-filled people, 

Lord, we ask that you remember your servant, Julie Rose, 

Whom you have called from this world to yourself. 

Grant that she who was united with your son 

In a death like his may also be one with him 

In his resurrection. 

Remember also our sisters and our brothers 

Who have fallen asleep in the hope of the resurrection, 

And all those who have died in your mercy, 

Welcome them into the light of your presence. 

Have mercy on us all, we pray, 

That with the blessed Virgin Mary, the mother of God, 

With her blessed spouse, joseph, 

With the blessed apostles and with the martyrs, 

With all the saints that have pleased you throughout the ages, 

That we may merit to be coheirs to eternal life 

And may praise and glorify you through your son, Jesus Christ. 

Through him and with him and in him, 

O God, almighty father, in the unity of the holy spirit, 

All glory and honor is yours forever and ever. 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

∫ Amen, amen, amen. ∫ 

And gathered with his friends, with his disciples, 

He taught them how to pray: 

Our father, who art in heaven, 

Hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, 

Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 

Give us this day our daily bread, 

And forgive us our trespasses, 

As we forgive those who trespass against us. 

And lead us not into temptation, 

But deliver us from evil. 

Deliver us, Lord, we pray, from every evil. 

Graciously grant peace in our day, 

That by the help of your mercy, 

We may be freed from sin and saved from all distress, 

As we await the blessed hope, 

The coming of our savior, Jesus Christ. 

For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, 

Now and forever. 

And Lord Jesus Christ, who said to his apostles, 

“Peace I leave you. 

“It is my peace that I give to you.” 

Look not on our sins, but on the faith of your church. 

And graciously grant her peace and unity 

In accordance with your will, 

Who lives and reigns forever and ever. 

Amen. 

The peace of the risen Lord be with each of you. 

-And with your spirit. 

And share the Lord’s peace. 

And for those of you who are at home 

Celebrating this eucharist with us here 

At Mercy Home for Boys and Girls, 

We pray, especially during this holy time of year, 

That you receive God’s choicest blessings, 

And the peace of Christ in your life. 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

∫ Lamb of God; ∫ 

∫ You take away the sins of the world, ∫ 

∫ Have mercy on us. ∫ 

∫ Lamb of God; ∫ 

∫ You take away the sins of the world, ∫ 

∫ Have mercy on us. ∫ 

∫ Lamb of God; ∫ 

∫ You take away the sins of the world, ∫ 

∫ Grant us peace. ∫ 

My friends, behold Jesus. 

Behold the lamb of God that takes away 

The sins of the world. 

Emmanuel God forever with his people. 

Blessed are those invited to the supper of the lamb. 

Lord, I’m not worthy that you should enter under my roof, 

But only say the word and my soul shall be healed. 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

∫ Ave maria! ∫ 

∫ Gratia plena, maria gratia plena, ∫ 

∫ Maria gratia plena, ∫ 

∫ Ave, ave! ∫ 

∫ Dominus, dominus tecum, ∫ 

∫ Benedicta tu in mulieribus, et benedictus, ∫ 

∫ Et benedictus fructus ventris, ventris tui, ∫ 

∫ Jesus. ∫ 

∫ Ave maria! ∫ 

I invite you to turn to page six of the tv mass guide 

That we have here at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls. 

And please pray with me the prayer that we have 

For our children. 

Our lady of mercy, we pray that you will guide, protect 

And bless all boys and girls 

Who this day have a home called mercy. 

May they find the father’s mercy as we offer them our hearts 

In the name of your son, Jesus Christ. 

May they see God’s mercy in action 

Through our love, prayers and sacrifices. 

And so we pray. 

Bring those you refresh with this heavenly sacrament, 

Most merciful father, to imitate constantly 

The example of the holy family, 

So that after the trials of this world, 

We may share in their company forever. 

Through Christ our Lord. 

Amen. 

The Lord is with you. 

-And with your spirit. 

May the many blessings of almighty God, 

The father and the son and the holy spirit 

Come upon all of you, your family members and your friends, 

And remain with you forever. 

Amen. 

Our mass has ended. 

Go in peace. 

-Thanks be to God. 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

∫ What child is this, who laid to rest, ∫ 

∫ On Mary’s lap is sleeping, ∫ 

∫ Whom angels greet with anthems sweet ∫ 

∫ While shepherds watch our keeping? ∫ 

∫ This, this is Christ the king ∫ 

∫ Whom shepherds guard and angels sing; ∫ 

∫ Haste, haste to bring him laud ∫ 

∫ The babe, the son of Mary. ∫ 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

My friends, I just want to thank you 

For the ways in which you support the tv mass 

Here at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls. 

Let us continue to pray for one another. 

Please consider making an offering 

So that we can keep the tv mass on the air. 

May God bless you, your family members and your friends. 

The music for the broadcast of ‘Sunday Mass at Mercy Home’ 

Is generously provided by G-I-A Publications Incorporated 

And its World Library Publications Division. 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

Family life, family, family, family. 

During the Christmas season, all of us have family traditions. 

And as a little boy, one of the great family traditions in my home was going out and buying the Christmas tree. My two older sisters, my younger brother, my mother, my father and I, we’d go to a lot. And this is something my dad just loved, picking out the Christmas tree. 

And we would spend a lot of time—he wanted the perfect tree. And when they found the perfect tree, Mom and dad bought it, and then my dad would always buy extra branches and bring it back to the house, put it in the stand, and if there was any bare spots in the tree, my dad would take a drill, and he’d drill into the tree and add the extra branches. It had to be perfect. 

And then the other thing my dad loved to do after the ornaments were on the tree, and he did it one strand at a time of the tinsel, the lead tinsel, and would hang it. It had to be perfect. And we loved it. 

My dad passed, and the following Christmas was pretty tough for my family. And my mother wanted to do everything the same, so we went out to the lot and bought the tree and brought it back, and sure enough, it was crooked as can be. She couldn’t get it in the stand. It was an exercise in frustration, and she was so disappointed.  

So I remember the tree that we had, she went and she opened the front door of our house, and she took the tree and she threw it into the front lawn right into the snow and was done with Christmas trees. And we went out and we bought an artificial tree. 

The neighbor saw the tree in the snow and knocked on the door. 

He said, “Mrs. Donahue, could we have that Christmas tree?” 

Oh, my God, you should have seen all of that. 

Anyways, with the best of intentions, every family has its ups and downs. It’s good moments and it’s difficult moments. It’s frustrating moments, even during the Christmas season. 

The movie “The Line In Winter,” there’s a great line in it, and Catherine Hepburn looks at the camera and says, “Every family has its ups and downs,” and it’s true, and so did the holy family. The holy family, the beautiful family of Mary and Joseph and Jesus. 

In the gospel today, he’s 12 years old. They go to Jerusalem and they lose the child. Now, Jesus wasn’t lost. He was in the temple. He knew where he was, but can you imagine the anxiety that Mary and Joseph had looking for him for three days? The fear, it’s just simply hard to imagine. 

And the joy when they found him in the temple and at the same time not understanding exactly why he was there and what was going on. He goes home with them, and they say in the gospel that he grew in age and wisdom and understanding, and he was obedient. 

The word “obedient” means “obetari.” It means to listen, and Jesus listened as he grew in age and wisdom. 

Every family has its ups and downs. Your family does. My family does. But the beauty of the holy family that teaches us a lesson on this feast day is no matter what, we come together in unity. We come together in peace. We are invited to listen carefully to one another and to try to model our family lives and our lives after that of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. The model of the holy family.