Catholic Identity

ANZAC Day Liturgy 2020

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.

Opening Prayer

God of love and liberty,

we thank you for the peace and security we enjoy.  It was won for us through the courage and devotion of those who gave their lives in time of war.  We pray that their labour and sacrifice may not be in vain,

but that their spirit may live on in us and in generations to come. We ask this prayer in the name of Jesus and in the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Gospel Reading

A reading from the Gospel of John (John 12: 23-24)

Jesus replied, “Now the hour has come for the Chosen One to be glorified. The truth of the matter is, unless a grain of wheat falls on the ground and dies, it remains only a single grain; but if it dies, it yields a rich harvest.”

The Gospel of the Lord

Reflection

The Rising Sun Badge

One of the mainsprings of an army is its esprit-de-corps - that spirit which gives a soldier purpose and the endurance to carry on when others might give up.

In the prolonged and bitter struggles of World War 1 and World War 2, the soldiers of the 1st and 2nd AIF (Australian Imperial Forces) had this esprit-de-corps, and its focal point was a humble badge. The so-called ‘Rising Sun’ badge, worn on the up- turned brim of a slouch hat, typified the spirit of ANZAC - the camaraderie of Australian soldiers to fight for the Crown and the British Empire.

Closing Prayer

Let us pray ...

God of our Mothers and Fathers,

we pray for the peace of the world.

We especially entrust to your mercy the homeless and refugees; those who have been dispossessed through war;

those whose lives and families have been disrupted;

and who mourn the loss of loved ones.

We pray for countries who are war-torn even today.

May sanity return and kindness win through wherever there is warfare. We ask our prayers through Jesus Christ. Amen

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.

Sunday 26th of April:

Sunday 3rd of May: