friday 22 May 2020
St. Rita of Cascia (1377 – 1447)
She was born in Italy. She was married at the age of 12 but became a nun following the death of her husband. She is widely honoured as the patron saint of impossible or lost causes.
White
Entrance Antiphon: Rv 5: 9-10
You have redeemed us, Lord, by your Blood from every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and have made us into a kingdom, priests for our God, alleluia.
Collect
O God, who restore us to eternal life in the Resurrection of Christ, raise us up, we pray, to the author of our salvation, who is seated at your right hand, so that, when our Saviour comes again in majesty, those you have given new birth in Baptism may be clothed with blessed immortality. 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.
First reading: Acts 18:9-18
At Corinth one night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision, ‘Do not be afraid to speak out, nor allow yourself to be silenced: I am with you. I have so many people on my side in this city that no one will even attempt to hurt you.’ So Paul stayed there preaching the word of God among them for eighteen months. But, while Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews made a concerted attack on Paul and brought him before the tribunal. ‘We accuse this man’ they said ‘of persuading people to worship God in a way that breaks the Law.’ Before Paul could open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, ‘Listen, you Jews. If this were a misdemeanour or a crime, I would not hesitate to attend to you; but if it is only quibbles about words and names, and about your own Law, then you must deal with it yourselves – I have no intention of making legal decisions about things like that.’ Then he sent them out of the court, and at once they all turned on Sosthenes, the synagogue president, and beat him in front of the court house. Gallio refused to take any notice at all. After staying on for some time, Paul took leave of the brothers and sailed for Syria, accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila. At Cenchreae he had his hair cut off, because of a vow he had made.
Psalm 46(47):2-7
R/ God is king of all the earth.
- All peoples, clap your hands, cry to God with shouts of joy! For the Lord, the Most High, we must fear, great king over all the earth.
- He subdues peoples under us and nations under our feet. Our inheritance, our glory, is from him, given to Jacob out of love.
- God goes up with shouts of joy; the Lord goes up with trumpet blast. Sing praise for God, sing praise, sing praise to our king, sing praise.
Gospel Acclamation: Jn 14:26
Alleluia, alleluia! The Holy Spirit will teach you everything and remind you of all I have said to you. Alleluia!
Gospel: John 16:20-23
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘I tell you most solemnly, you will be weeping and wailing while the world will rejoice; you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn to joy. A woman in childbirth suffers, because her time has come; but when she has given birth to the child she forgets the suffering in her joy that a man has been born into the world. So it is with you: you are sad now, but I shall see you again, and your hearts will be full of joy, and that joy no one shall take from you. When that day comes, you will not ask me any questions.’
Prayer over the Offerings
Accept in compassion, Lord, we pray, the offerings of your family, that under your protective care they may never lose what they have received, but attain the gifts that are eternal. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon: Rm 4: 25
Christ our Lord was handed over for our transgressions and was raised again for our justification, alleluia.
Prayer after Communion
Keep safe, O Lord, we pray, those whom you have saved by your kindness, that, redeemed by the Passion of your Son, they may rejoice in his Resurrection. Who lives and reigns for ever and ever.
Meditation
From sadness to joy. The disciples will have to go through such an experience, like a woman in child birth who suffers greatly but is so happy to see her newborn child. Today’s passage adds the promise that when Jesus sees them again, they will experience a joy ‘no one can take away’. And they will no longer have need of asking the questions they are asking now. This does not mean that there will no longer be sufferings in the future. There will be and some of them will give their lives for their commitment to Jesus and the kingdom. Let us pray for the grace to have enduring presence of the Risen Jesus with us at all times. Wherever we happen to be, may we experience the joy that Jesus gives, in spite of inevitable trials and disappointments.