RELIGION AND ART

PRAYER BEFORE MASS Go before us O Lord, in this our sacrifice of Prayer and Praise, and grant that we say and sing with our lips we may believe in our hearts, and practice and show forth in our daily lives. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.   PRAYER AFTER MASS Bless, O Lord, our hearts and minds, and grant that as we leave Your house, we may continue to be aware of Your presence. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.  by Saint John Berchmans, Patron Saint of Altar Boys. Readings   Lectures   Reflection   Sts. Peter and Paul, Apostles First Reading Act 12:1-11 Now I know the Lord really did saved me from Herod King Herod started persecuting certain members of the Church. He beheaded James the brother of John, and when he saw that this pleased the Jews he decided to arrest Peter as well. This was during the days of Unleavened Bread, and he put Peter in prison, assigning four squads of four soldiers each to guard him in turns. Herod meant to try Peter in public after the end of Passover week. All t

A ltar Server Prayer:   Father in heaven, Your Son Jesus Christ showed his love for you by serving his brothers and sisters in need.  I now ask you to give me your help I serve you and your people Open my mouth to praise you in word and song. Open my ears to hear your word. Open my hand to do your work well.  Take from me all evil and distracting thoughts.   Help me to know what I should do and do it well. Help me to serve reverently at your Holy Altar and  give you praise and glory now and for ever.  Amen Readings Lectures In your minds you must be the same as Christ Jesus:  His state was divine, yet he did not cling to his equality with God but emptied himself to assume the condition of a slave, and became as men are; and being as all men are, he was humbler yet, even to accepting death, death on a cross. But God raised him high and gave him the name which is above all other names so that all beings in the heavens, on earth and in the underworld, should bend the knee at the name