SMC ENGLISH MASS - Fifth Sunday of Lent Year A (22 Mar 2026)

SMC English Mass - Fifth Sunday of Lent Year A (22 Mar 2026)

Prayer for the 80th Anniversary of the Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong

Messengers of Hope

O Lord, You are the source of all blessings and you guide the course of human history by your Providence.

With gratitude we thank you for the establishment of our Diocese eighty years ago.

In the footsteps of our predecessors, we have steadfastly kept the heritage of our Faith over the years and so have been able

to experience your unfailing help in the face of challenges;

to regain strength in our weakness;

to restore hope in our discouragement;

to look for your direction when we have lost our way.

As your children, may we always entrust ourselves to you in humility. May we always respond to your calling for us to carry on our mission to spread the Gospel and bear witness to our faith in Hong Kong, sowing the seeds of love and hope while living in joy and peace. 

We ask this in the name of your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen

PROCESSIONAL HYMN

I will sing of the mercies of the Lord #141 P.46

I will sing of the mercies of the Lord
Forever I will sing, I will sing
I will sing of the mercies of the Lord
Forever I will sing of the mercies of the Lord

With my mouth will I make known
Thy faithfulness, Thy faithfulness
With my mouth will I make known
Thy faithfulness to all generations

Sign of the cross

Priest ✠ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

All: Amen.

Greeting

P✠: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

All: And with your spirit.

Penitential Act

P✠: Brethren (brothers and sisters), let us acknowledge our sins, and so prepare ourselves to celebrate the sacred mysteries.

All: I confess to almighty God and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have greatly sinned, in my thoughts and in my words, in what I have done and in what I have failed to do, (striking their breast) through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault; therefore I ask blessed Mary ever-Virgin, all the Angels and Saints, and you, my brothers and sisters, to pray for me to the Lord our God.

P✠: May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life.

All: Amen.

Kyrie Eleison

P✠: You were sent to heal the contrite of heart: Lord, have mercy.

All: Lord, have mercy.

P✠: You came to call sinners: Christ, have mercy.

All: Christ, have mercy.

P✠: You are seated at the right hand of the Father to intercede for us: Lord, have mercy.

All: Lord, have mercy.

P✠: May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life.

All: Amen.

Collect 

Let us pray (pause)

By your help, we beseech you, Lord our God,

may we walk eagerly in that same charity with which, out of love for the world,

your Son handed himself over to death.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, for ever and ever.

All: Amen.

1st Reading – Ezekiel 37:12-14

Thus says the Lord GOD: O my people, I will open your graves and have you rise from them, and bring you back to the land of Israel. Then you shall know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves and have you rise from them, O my people! I will put my spirit in you that you may live, and I will settle you upon your land; thus you shall know that I am the LORD. I have promised, and I will do it, says the LORD. - The Word of the Lord.

All: Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm – Psalm 130:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8

R. With the Lord there is mercy and fullness of redemption. 

Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD; LORD, hear my voice! Let your ears be attentive to my voice in supplication. 

R. With the Lord there is mercy and fullness of redemption.  

If you, O LORD, mark iniquities,  LORD, who can stand? But with you is forgiveness, that you may be revered. 

R. With the Lord there is mercy and fullness of redemption.  

I trust in the LORD; my soul trusts in his word. More than sentinels wait for the dawn, let Israel wait for the LORD.

R. With the Lord there is mercy and fullness of redemption. 

 

For with the LORD is kindness and with him is plenteous redemption;

And he will redeem Israel from all their iniquities.

R. With the Lord there is mercy and fullness of redemption. 

 

2nd Reading – Romans 8:8-11

Brothers and sisters: Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. But you are not in the flesh; on the contrary, you are in the spirit, if only the Spirit of God dwells in you. Whoever does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the spirit is alive because of righteousness. If the Spirit of the one who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, the one who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also, through his Spirit dwelling in you. - The Word of the Lord.

All: Thanks be to God.

Gospel Acclamation – John 11:25a, 26

Christ Lord of Glory, Christ Prince of Nations, Christ our King of Kings

I am the resurrection and the life, says the Lord; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will never die.

Gospel - John 11:3-7, 17, 20-27, 33b-45 

(Short Form)

The sisters of Lazarus sent word to Jesus, saying, “Master, the one you love is ill.” When Jesus heard this he said, “This illness is not to end in death, but is for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So when he heard that he was ill, he remained for two days in the place where he was. Then after this he said to his disciples,
"Let us go back to Judea.”

When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him; but Mary sat at home.
Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here,my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give you.” Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise.” Martha said, “I know he will rise,
in the resurrection on the last day.” Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” She said to him, “Yes, Lord.
I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world.”

He became perturbed and deeply troubled, and said,
“Where have you laid him?”
They said to him, “Sir, come and see.” And Jesus wept. So the Jews said, “See how he loved him.” But some of them said, “Could not the one who opened the eyes of the blind man have done something so that this man would not have died?”

So Jesus, perturbed again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay across it. Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the dead man’s sister, said to him, “Lord, by now there will be a stench; he has been dead for four days.” Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believe you will see the glory of God?” So they took away the stone. And Jesus raised his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you for hearing me. I know that you always hear me; but because of the crowd here I have said this, that they may believe that you sent me.” And when he had said this,
He cried out in a loud voice,
“Lazarus, come out!” The dead man came out, tied hand and foot with burial bands, and his face was wrapped in a cloth. So Jesus said to them, “Untie him and let him go.”

Now many of the Jews who had come to Mary and seen what he had done began to believe in him. - The Gospel of the Lord. 

All: Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ.

HOMILY

Nicene Creed

I believe in one God,

the Father almighty,

maker of heaven and earth,

of all things visible and invisible.

I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ,

the Only Begotten Son of God,

born of the Father before all ages.

God from God, Light from Light,

true God from true God,

begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father; through him all things were made.

For us men and for our salvation

he came down from heaven, and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man.

For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate, he suffered death and was buried,

and rose again on the third day

in accordance with the Scriptures.

He ascended into heaven

and is seated at the right hand of the Father.

He will come again in glory

to judge the living and the dead and his kingdom will have no end.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son,

who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets.

I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church. I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen.

Prayer of the Faithful

OFFERTORY HYMN

Gethsemane

Jesus climbed the hill 

To the garden still 

His steps were heavy and slow 

Love and a prayer 

Took Him there 

To the place only He could go

Gethsemane Jesus loves me So He went willingly 

To Gethsemane

He felt all that was sad, wicked or bad all the pain we would ever know 

While His friends were asleep 

He fought to keep 

His promise made long ago

Gethsemane Jesus loves me So He went willingly 

To Gethsemane

The hardest thing that ever was done 

The greatest pain that ever was known 

The biggest battle that ever was won 

This was done by Jesus 

The fight was won by Jesus

Gethsemane Jesus loves me So He gave His gift to me 

In Gethsemane

Gethsemane Jesus loves me So He gives His gift to me From Gethsemane

P✠: Pray, brethren (brothers and sisters), that my sacrifice and yours be acceptable to God, the almighty Father.

All: 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. 

Prayer over the Offerings 

Hear us, almighty God,

and, having instilled in your servants

the teachings of the Christian faith,

graciously purify them

by the working of this sacrifice.

Through Christ our Lord.

All: Amen

P✠: The Lord be with you.

All: And with your spirit.

P✠: Lift up your hearts.

All: We lift them up to the Lord.

P✠: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

All: It is right and just.

P✠: It is truly right and just, our duty and our salvation,

always and everywhere to give you thanks, Lord, holy Father, almighty and eternal God, through Christ our Lord. 

… as we acclaim:

Sanctus

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. 

P✠: You are indeed Holy, O Lord, the…. 

At the time he was betrayed and entered willingly into his Passion, he took bread and, giving thanks, broke it, and 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.

P✠: In a similar way, when 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 ETERNAL COVENANT, WHICH WILL BE POURED OUT FOR YOU AND FOR MANY

FOR THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS.

DO THIS IN MEMORY OF ME.

P✠: The mystery of faith.

All: We proclaim your Death, O Lord, and profess your Resurrection until you come again.

P✠: Therefore, as we celebrate the memorial of his Death and Resurrection,..... 

P✠: 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, for ever and ever.

All: Amen.

Lord’s Prayer

P✠: At the Savior’s command and formed by divine teaching, we dare to say:

All: 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.

P✠: Deliver us, Lord, we pray, from every evil, graciously grant peace in our days, that, by the help of your mercy, we may be always free from sin and safe from all distress, as we await the blessed hope and the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

All: For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and for ever.

P✠: Lord Jesus Christ, who said to your Apostles: Peace I leave you, my peace I give 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 live and reign for ever and ever.

All: Amen.

P✠: The peace of the Lord be with you always.

All: And with your spirit.

P✠: Let us offer each other the sign of peace.

Agnus Dei

All: 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.

P✠: Lord Jesus Christ,.... 

P✠: Behold the Lamb of God, behold him who takes away the sins of the world. Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb.

All: Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.

COMMUNION HYMN

I am the bread of life #128 P. 42

1. I am the bread of life, he who comes to Me shall not hunger
He who believes in Me shall not thirst. No one can come to Me, unless the Father draws him

* And I will raise him up, and I will raise him up
And I will raise him up on the last day

2. The bread that I will give, is My flesh for the life of the world
And he who eats of this bread. He shall live for-ev-er, he shall live forever

3. Unless you eat, of the flesh of the Son of Man
And drink of His blood, and drink of His blood. You shall not have life with-in you

4. I am the resurrection, I am the life
He who believes in Me even if he dies. He shall live forever

5. Yes, Lord, I believe, that you are the Christ
The Son of God, who have come in-to the world

Reason to believe #251 P.82

1. If I listen long enough to You
I'll find the way to believe what is true
Knowing what you say, the truth, the life, the way
And from You I'll find the reason to believe

* Someone like you bring to us
What we've lost thru ourselves
Someone like you bring salvation back
And never thinking of Yourself

2. If I give You time to change my mind
I'll find the way to leave the past behind
Knowing thru Your pain, the knowledge that we've gained
And You show to us the reason to look ahead

Prayer After Communion

P✠: Let us pray (pause)

We pray, almighty God,

that we may always be counted among the members of Christ,

in whose Body and Blood we have communion.

Who lives and reigns for ever and ever.

All: Amen.

 

P✠: The Lord be with you.

All: And with your spirit.

P✠: May almighty God bless you, ✠ the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

All: Amen

P✠: Go forth, the Mass is ended.

All: Thanks be to God.

RECESSIONAL HYMN

Walk with faith #320 P.105

1. Walk with faith in your heart and you'll never walk alone
For the faith in your heart, the world is yours to own
You never will grieve if in Him you believe
And walk with faith in your heart

2. When the dreams that you dream seem to disappear from view
That's the time to hang on and soon they'll come true
He'll lighten your load as you travel life's road
So walk with faith in your heart

3. You will find happiness if you let Him be your friend
And you'll find that success is just around the bend
He won't let you down, wear a smile not a frown
[And walk with faith in your heart] x 2