Saturday 23rd  March

Saint Turibius of Mongrovejo

(1538 – 1606)

Purple

He was born in Spain in about 1538 and studied law at the University of Salamanca. He was named bishop of Lima in 1580. He was full of apostolic zeal. He died in Lima on 23 March 1606.

Entrance Antiphon : Cf. Ps 21: 20, 7

O Lord, do not stay afar off; my strength, make haste to help me! For I am a worm and no man, scorned by everyone, despised by the people.

Collect

O God, who have made all those reborn in Christ a chosen race and a royal priesthood, grant us, we pray, the grace to will and to do what you command, that the people called to eternal life may be one in the faith of their hearts and the homage of their deeds. 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 : Ezekiel 37:21-28

The Lord says this: ‘I am going to take the sons of Israel from the nations where they have gone. I shall gather them together from everywhere and bring them home to their own soil. I shall make them into one nation in my own land and on the mountains of Israel, and one king is to be king of them all; they will no longer form two nations, nor be two separate kingdoms. They will no longer defile themselves with their idols and their filthy practices and all their sins. I shall rescue them from all the betrayals they have been guilty of; I shall cleanse them; they shall be my people and I will be their God. My servant David will reign over them, one shepherd for all; they will follow my observances, respect my laws and practise them. They will live in the land that I gave my servant Jacob, the land in which your ancestors lived. They will live in it, they, their children, their children’s children, for ever. David my servant is to be their prince for ever. I shall make a covenant of peace with them, an eternal covenant with them. I shall resettle them and increase them; I shall settle my sanctuary among them for ever. I shall make my home above them; I will be their God, they shall be my people. And the nations will learn that I am the Lord, the sanctifier of Israel, when my sanctuary is with them for ever.’

Canticle: Jeremiah 31:10-13

R/ The Lord will guard us as a shepherd guards his flock.

O nations, hear the word of the Lord, proclaim it to the far-off coasts. Say: ‘He who scattered Israel will gather him and guard him as a shepherd guards his flock.’

For the Lord has ransomed Jacob, has saved him from an overpowering hand. They will come and shout for joy on Mount Zion, they will stream to the blessings of the Lord.

Then the young girls will rejoice and dance, the men, young and old, will be glad. I will turn their mourning into joy, I will console them, give gladness for grief.

Gospel Acclamation : Ezk18:31

Praise to you, O Christ, king of eternal glory! Shake off all your sins – it is the Lord who speaks –and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. Praise to you, O Christ, king of eternal glory!

Gospel : John 11:45-56

Many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary and had seen what Jesus did believed in  him, but some of them went to tell the Pharisees what Jesus had done. Then the chief priests and Pharisees called a meeting. ‘Here is this man working all these signs’ they said ‘and what action are we taking? If we let him go on in this way everybody will believe in him, and the Romans will come and destroy the Holy Place and our nation.’ One of them, Caiaphas, the high priest that year, said, ‘You do not seem to have grasped the situation at all; you fail to see that it is better for one man to die for the people, than for the whole nation to be destroyed.’ He did not speak in his own person, it was as high priest that he made this prophecy that Jesus was to die for the nation – and not for the nation only, but to gather together in unity the scattered children of God. From that day they were determined to kill him. So Jesus no longer went about openly among the Jews, but left the district for a town called Ephraim, in the country bordering on the desert, and stayed there with his disciples. The Jewish Passover drew near, and many of the country people who had gone up to Jerusalem to purify themselves looked out for Jesus, saying to one another as they stood about in the Temple, ‘What do you think? Will he come to the festival or not?’

Prayer over the Offerings

May the gifts we offer from our fasting be acceptable to you, O Lord, we pray, and, as an expiation for our sins, may they make us worthy of your grace and lead us to what you promise for eternity. Through Christ our Lord.

Communion Antiphon : Cf. Jn 11: 52

Christ was handed over, to gather into one the scattered children of God.

Prayer after Communion

We entreat your majesty most humbly, O Lord, that, as you feed us with the nourishment which comes from the most holy Body and Blood of your Son, so you may make us sharers of his divine nature. Who lives and reigns for ever and ever.

Prayer over the People            

Have mercy, Lord, on your Church, as she brings you her supplications, and be attentive to those who incline their hearts before you: do not allow, we pray, those you have redeemed by the Death of your Only Begotten Son, to be harmed by their sins or weighed down by their trials. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Meditation

While Jesus went about doing good and bringing people to the kingdom of God, the Chief Priests and Pharisees in his time were interested in politics. In today’s gospel, we hear the Jews being afraid of the Roman authorities and looking for a way to kill the son of God. They feared that Jesus was proving to be a king parallel to Caesar, and if Rome heard it, it would query them and maybe reduce their authority. Whenever religion and politics mingle, most often, religion pays for it. The Church tries to look at politics from a distance though encouraging her children to participate to sanitise it. Religion remains a sign that points humanity to its meaning and reminds us that there is a reason why we are here. As Christians, we must not let political matters dissuade us from defending truth and justice.

Friday 22nd  March

Saint Deogratias

(d. 457)

Purple

He was an outstanding priest, very much loved and supported by the people because of his charity and preaching. He later became bishop of diocese of Carthage.

Entrance Antiphon : Ps 30: 10, 16, 18

Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am in distress. Deliver me from the hands of my enemies and those who pursue me. O Lord, let me never be put to shame, for I call on you.

Collect

Pardon the offences of your people, we pray, O Lord, and in your goodness set us free from the bonds of the sins we have committed in our weakness. 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 : Jeremiah 20:10-13

Jeremiah said: I hear so many disparaging me, ‘“Terror from every side!” Denounce him! Let us denounce him!’ All those who used to be my friends watched for my downfall, ‘Perhaps he will be seduced into error. Then we will master him and take our revenge!’ But the Lord is at my side, a mighty hero; my opponents will stumble, mastered, confounded by their failure; everlasting, unforgettable disgrace will be theirs. But you, O Lord of Hosts, you who probe with justice, who scrutinise the loins and heart, let me see the vengeance you will take on them, for I have committed my cause to you. Sing to the Lord, praise the Lord, for he has delivered the soul of the needy from the hands of evil men.

Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 17:2-7

R/   In my anguish I called to the Lord, and he heard my voice.

I love you, Lord, my strength, my rock, my fortress, my saviour. My God is the rock where I take refuge; my shield, my mighty help, my stronghold. The Lord is worthy of all praise, when I call I am saved from my foes.

The waves of death rose about me; the torrents of destruction assailed me; the snares of the grave entangled me; the traps of death confronted me.

In my anguish I called to the Lord; I cried to God for help. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came to his ears.

Gospel Acclamation : cf.Jn6:63,68

Glory to you, O Christ, you are the Word of God! Your words are spirit, Lord, and they are life; you have the message of eternal life. Glory to you, O Christ, you are the Word of God!

Gospel : John 10:31-42

The Jews fetched stones to stone him, so Jesus said to them, ‘I have done many good works for you to see, works from my Father; for which of these are you stoning me?’ The Jews answered him, ‘We are not stoning you for doing a good work but for blasphemy: you are only a man and you claim to be God.’ Jesus answered: ‘Is it not written in your Law: I said, you are gods? So the Law uses the word gods of those to whom the word of God was addressed, and Scripture cannot be rejected. Yet you say to someone the Father has consecrated and sent into the world, “You are blaspheming,” because he says, “I am the Son of God.” If I am not doing my Father’s work, there is no need to believe me; but if I am doing it, then even if you refuse to believe in me, at least believe in the work I do; then you will know for sure that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.’ They wanted to arrest him then, but he eluded them. He went back again to the far side of the Jordan to stay in the district where John had once been baptising. Many people who came to him there said, ‘John gave no signs, but all he said about this man was true’; and many of them believed in him.

Prayer over the Offerings

Grant, O merciful God, that we may be worthy to serve ever fittingly at your altars, and there to be saved by constant participation. Through Christ our Lord.

Communion Antiphon : 1 Pt 2: 24

Jesus bore our sins in his own body on the cross, so that dead to sin, we might live for righteousness. By his wounds we have been healed.

Prayer after Communion

May the unfailing protection of the sacrifice we have received never leave us, O Lord, and may it always drive far from us all that would do us harm. Through Christ our Lord.

Prayer over the People       

Grant, we pray, almighty God, that your servants, who seek the grace of your protection, may be free from every evil and serve you in peace of mind. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Meditation

Jesus was about to be stoned for calling God his Father, and he did not retract or apologise. He instead fired the harder. Winston Churchill once said, “It is better to die on the battlefield than in the glory of sleep.” Many Christians live in situations where it is challenging to profess their faith in Christ. Many lose their lives every day because they believe in Jesus. Some are even ashamed that they will be given nicknames for praying in public or making the sign of the cross around people. While this may be understood as an effort to avoid hypocrisy, it is worth noting that there will always be ‘Pharisees’ wanting to stone us for our faith. Are you a convinced Christian or a Christian by convenience?

Thursday 21st  March

Saint Enda

(- 530)

Purple

He founded a monastery on the pagan island of Aran Mor in Galway Bay, which remained a centre for sanctity and learning for the next 300 years.

Entrance Antiphon : Heb 9: 15

Christ is mediator of a New Covenant, so that by means of his death, those who are called may receive the promise of an eternal inheritance.

Collect

Be near, O Lord, to those who plead before you, and look kindly on those who place their hope in your mercy, that, cleansed from the stain of their sins, they may persevere in holy living and be made full heirs of your promise. 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 : Genesis 17:3-9

Abram bowed to the ground and God said this to him, ‘Here now is my covenant with you: you shall become the father of a multitude of nations. You shall no longer be called Abram; your name shall be Abraham, for I make you father of a multitude of nations. I will make you most fruitful. I will make you into nations, and your issue shall be kings. I will establish my Covenant between myself and you, and your descendants after you, generation after generation, a Covenant in perpetuity, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you. I will give to you and to your descendants after you the land you are living in, the whole land of Canaan, to own in perpetuity, and I will be your God.’

Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 104:4-9

R/   The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.

Consider the Lord and his strength; constantly seek his face. Remember the wonders he has done, his miracles, the judgements he spoke.

O children of Abraham, his servant, O sons of the Jacob he chose. He, the Lord, is our God: his judgements prevail in all the earth.

He remembers his covenant for ever, his promise for a thousand generations, the covenant he made with Abraham, the oath he swore to Isaac.

Gospel Acclamation : cf.Jn6:63,68

Glory and praise to you, O Christ! Your words are spirit, Lord, and they are life; you have the message of eternal life. Glory and praise to you, O Christ!

Gospel : John 8:51-59

Jesus said to the Jews: ‘I tell you most solemnly, whoever keeps my word will never see death.’ The Jews said, ‘Now we know for certain that you are possessed. Abraham is dead, and the prophets are dead, and yet you say, “Whoever keeps my word will never know the taste of death.” Are you greater than our father Abraham, who is dead? The prophets are dead too. Who are you claiming to be?’ Jesus answered: ‘If I were to seek my own glory that would be no glory at all; my glory is conferred by the Father, by the one of whom you say, “He is our God” although you do not know him. But I know him, and if I were to say: I do not know him, I should be a liar, as you are liars yourselves. But I do know him, and I faithfully keep his word. Your father Abraham rejoiced to think that he would see my Day; he saw it and was glad.’ The Jews then said, ‘You are not fifty yet, and you have seen Abraham!’ Jesus replied: ‘I tell you most solemnly, before Abraham ever was, I Am.’ At this they picked up stones to throw at him; but Jesus hid himself and left the Temple.

Prayer over the Offerings

Look with favour, Lord, we pray, on these sacrificial offerings, that they may profit our conversion and the salvation of all the world. Through Christ our Lord.

Communion Antiphon : Rm 8: 32

God did not spare his own Son, but handed him over for us all; with him, he has given us all things.

Prayer after Communion

Nourished by your saving gifts, we beseech your mercy, Lord, that by this same Sacrament with which you feed us in the present age, you may make us partakers of life eternal. Through Christ our Lord.

Prayer over the People       

Be gracious to your people, Lord, we pray, that, as from day to day they reject what does not please you, they may be filled instead with delight at your commands. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Meditation

“Abraham’s blessings are mine!” goes a common song. Indeed, Abraham is blessed! Thousands of years after his death, he is still honoured by Jews, Christians and Muslims. Abraham was a man of faith. Because he believed the promises of God came to pass for him and his descendants. We may be unfaithful, but God is always faithful. (2 Tim 2:13). But it is possible to call Abraham “my father in faith”, yet to everything unlike him. To seek hostility instead of peace, to fail to trust God, and deny welcoming those who challenge us with the truth. When we do this, we get locked in our shadows. Jesus, the Rock of Ages, is promising us a new vision through his passion. Christ, the “I AM”, wishes to share with us a new life. That life will be ours when we learn to listen to, share and keep his word daily.

Wednesday 20th  March

Bl John of Parma, O.F.M.

Purple

He was an Italian Franciscan friar, who served as one of the first Ministers General of the Order of Friars Minor. He was also a noted theologian of the period.

Entrance Antiphon : Cf. Ps 17: 48-49

My deliverer from angry nations, you set me above my assailants; you saved me from the violent man, O Lord.

Collect

Enlighten, O God of compassion, the hearts of your children, sanctified by penance, and in your kindness, grant those you stir to a sense of devotion, a gracious hearing when they cry out to you. 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 : Daniel 3:14-20,24-25,28

King Nebuchadnezzar said, ‘Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, is it true that you do not serve my gods, and that you refuse to worship the golden statue I have erected? When you hear the sound of horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, or any other instrument, are you prepared to prostrate yourselves and worship the statue I have made? If you refuse to worship it, you must be thrown straight away into the burning fiery furnace; and where is the god who could save you from my power?’ Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to King Nebuchadnezzar, ‘Your question hardly requires an answer: if our God, the one we serve, is able to save us from the burning fiery furnace and from your power, O king, he will save us; and even if he does not, then you must know, O king, that we will not serve your god or worship the statue you have erected.’ These words infuriated King Nebuchadnezzar; his expression was very different now as he looked at Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. He gave orders for the furnace to be made seven times hotter than usual, and commanded certain stalwarts from his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and throw them into the burning fiery furnace. Then King Nebuchadnezzar sprang to his feet in amazement. He said to his advisers, ‘Did we not have these three men thrown bound into the fire?’ They replied, ‘Certainly, O king.’ ‘But,’ he went on ‘I can see four men walking about freely in the heart of the fire without coming to any harm. And the fourth looks like a son of the gods.’ Nebuchadnezzar exclaimed, ‘Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego: he has sent his angel to rescue the servants who, putting their trust in him, defied the order of the king, and preferred to forfeit their bodies rather than serve or worship any god but their own.’

Canticle : Daniel 3:52-56

You are blest, Lord God of our fathers. To you glory and praise for evermore. Blest your glorious holy name. To you glory and praise for evermore.

You are blest in the temple of your glory. To you glory and praise for evermore. You are blest on the throne of your kingdom. To you glory and praise for evermore.

You are blest who gaze into the depths. To you glory and praise for evermore. You are blest in the firmament of heaven. To you glory and praise for evermore.

Gospel Acclamation : Mt4:4

Praise and honour to you, Lord Jesus! Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God. Praise and honour to you, Lord Jesus!

Gospel : John 8:31-42

To the Jews who believed in him Jesus said: ‘If you make my word your home you will indeed be my disciples, you will learn the truth and the truth will make you free.’ They answered, ‘We are descended from Abraham and we have never been the slaves of anyone; what do you mean, “You will be made free”?’ Jesus replied: ‘I tell you most solemnly, everyone who commits sin is a slave. Now the slave’s place in the house is not assured, but the son’s place is assured. So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed. I know that you are descended from Abraham; but in spite of that you want to kill me because nothing I say has penetrated into you. What I, for my part, speak of is what I have seen with my Father; but you, you put into action the lessons learnt from your father.’ They repeated, ‘Our father is Abraham.’ Jesus said to them: ‘If you were Abraham’s children, you would do as Abraham did. As it is, you want to kill me when I tell you the truth as I have learnt it from God; that is not what Abraham did. What you are doing is what your father does.’ ‘We were not born of prostitution,’ they went on ‘we have one father: God.’ Jesus answered: ‘If God were your father, you would love me, since I have come here from God; yes, I have come from him; not that I came because I chose, no, I was sent, and by him.’

Prayer over the Offerings

Receive back, O Lord, these sacrificial offerings, which you have given to be offered to the honour of your name, and grant that they may become remedies for our healing. Through Christ our Lord.

Communion Antiphon : Col 1: 13-14

God has brought us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption through his Blood, the forgiveness of sins.

Prayer after Communion

May the mysteries we have received, O Lord, bring us heavenly medicine, that they may purge all evil from our heart and strengthen us with eternal protection. Through Christ our Lord.

Prayer over the People          

Attend, almighty God, to the prayers of your people, and, as you endow them with confident hope in your compassion, let them feel as ever the effects of your mercy. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Meditation

The Gospel leads us to understand that true freedom consists in abandoning the darkness of our lives to follow Christ, the true light and Truth of truths, who directs our existence towards eternal salvation in God. In addition, true freedom is synonymous with the accomplishment of good. May the Lord develop true inner freedom in us and extirpate from us the darkness that prevents us from reaching the pure light, the revealed truth.

Monday 19th  March

Saint Joseph, husband of the

Blessed Virgin Mary

Solemnity

White

He was a carpenter. He accepted the will of God and supported Mary and brought up Jesus. He is widely venerated as a patron of artisans and of workers in general.

Entrance Antiphon : Cf. Lk 12: 42

Behold, a faithful and prudent steward, whom the Lord set over his household.

Collect    

Grant, we pray, almighty God, that by Saint Joseph’s intercession, your Church may constantly watch over the unfolding of the mysteries of human salvation, whose beginnings you entrusted to his faithful care. 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 : 2 Samuel 7:4-5,12-16

The word of the Lord came to Nathan: ‘Go and tell my servant David, “Thus the Lord speaks: “When your days are ended and you are laid to rest with your ancestors, I will preserve the offspring of your body after you and make his sovereignty secure. (It is he who shall build a house for my name, and I will make his royal throne secure for ever.) I will be a father to him and he a son to me; if he does evil, I will punish him with the rod such as men use, with strokes such as mankind gives. Yet I will not withdraw my favour from him, as I withdrew it from your predecessor. Your House and your sovereignty will always stand secure before me and your throne be established for ever.”’

Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 88:2-5,27,29

R/  His dynasty shall last for ever.

I will sing for ever of your love, O Lord; through all ages my mouth will proclaim your truth. Of this I am sure, that your love lasts for ever, that your truth is firmly established as the heavens.

I have made a covenant with my chosen one; I have sworn to David my servant: I will establish your dynasty for ever and set up  your throne through all ages.

‘He will say to me: “You are my father, my God, the rock who saves me.” I will keep my love for him always; with him my covenant shall last.’

Second reading: Romans 4:13,16-18,22

The promise of inheriting the world was not made to Abraham and his descendants on account of any law but on account of the righteousness which consists in faith. That is why what fulfils the promise depends on faith, so that it may be a free gift and be available to all of Abraham’s descendants, not only those who belong to the Law but also those who belong to the faith of Abraham who is the father of all of us. As Scripture says: I have made you the ancestor of many nations – Abraham is our father in the eyes of God, in whom he put his faith, and who brings the dead to life and calls into being what does not exist. Though it seemed Abraham’s hope could not be fulfilled, he hoped and he believed, and through doing so he did become the father of many nations exactly as he had been promised: Your descendants will be as many as the stars. This is the faith that was ‘considered as justifying him.’

Gospel Acclamation : Ps83:5

Glory and praise to you, O Christ. They are happy who dwell in your house, O Lord, for ever singing your praise. Glory and praise to you, O Christ.

Gospel : Matthew 1:16,18-21,24

Jacob was the father of Joseph the husband of Mary; of her was born Jesus who is called Christ. This is how Jesus Christ came to be born. His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph; but before they came to live together she was found to be with child  through the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph; being a man of honour and wanting to spare her publicity, decided to divorce her informally. He had made up his mind to do this when the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because she has conceived what is in her by the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son and you must name him Jesus, because he is the one who is to save his people from their sins.’ When Joseph woke up he did what the angel of the Lord had told him to do.

Prayer over the Offerings

We pray, O Lord, that, just as Saint Joseph served with loving care your Only Begotten Son, born of the Virgin Mary, so we may be worthy to minister with a pure heart at your altar. Through Christ our Lord.

Communion Antiphon: Mt 25: 21

Well done, good and faithful servant. Come, share your master’s joy.

Prayer after Communion

Defend with unfailing protection, O Lord, we pray, the family you have nourished with food from this altar, as they rejoice at the Solemnity of Saint Joseph, and graciously keep safe your gifts among them. Through Christ our Lord.

Meditation

In this day and age of divorce, polygamy, single parenthood, and the like, it is difficult to comprehend St Joseph’s contribution.  We hear of marriages that lasted less than a month.  Our courts and tribunals are inundated with divorce applications.  We hear stories about people who have been married seven times, divorced seven times, and sometimes divorced the same man twice.  How can we make St. Joseph relevant in our time and make him the patron saint of marriages?  He received embarrassing and upsetting messages about his wife, yet he clung to her.  He was a man of tremendous faith and deep love, thus he stood by his family till the end. Let us all stand and beseech the intercession of this wonderful Saint to help all families via his glorious intercession.

Monday 18th  March

5th Sunday of Lent 

year B

Saint Cyril of Jerusalem

(315 – 386)

Purple

He was born in 315 and became bishop of Jerusalem in 348. He was active in the Arian controversy. He is respected by both the Catholics and the Orthodox, and he was declared a Doctor of the Church by the Pope in 1883.

Entrance Antiphon : Cf. Ps 55: 2

Have mercy on me, O God, for people assail me; they fight me all day long and oppress me.

Collect

O God, by whose wondrous grace we are enriched with every blessing, grant us so to pass from former ways to newness of life, that we may be made ready for the glory of the heavenly Kingdom. 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 : Daniel 13:41-62

Susanna was condemned to death. She cried out as loud as she could, ‘Eternal God, you know all secrets and everything before it happens; you know that they have given false evidence against me. And now have I to die, innocent as I am of everything their malice has invented against me?’ The Lord heard her cry and, as she was being led away to die, he roused the holy spirit residing in a young boy named Daniel who began to shout, ‘I am innocent of this woman’s death!’ At which all the people turned to him and asked, ‘What do you mean by these words?’ Standing in the middle of the crowd he replied, ‘Are you so stupid, sons of Israel, as to condemn a daughter of Israel unheard, and without troubling to find out the truth? Go back to the scene of the trial: these men have given false evidence against her.’ All the people hurried back, and the elders said to Daniel, ‘Come and sit with us and tell us what you mean, since God has given you the gifts that elders have.’ Daniel said, ‘Keep the men well apart from each other for I want to question them.’ When the men had been separated, Daniel had one of them brought to him. ‘You have grown old in wickedness,’ he said ‘and now the sins of your earlier days have overtaken you, you with your unjust judgements, your condemnation of the innocent, your acquittal of guilty men, when the Lord has said, “You must not put the innocent and the just to death.” Now then, since you saw her so clearly, tell me what tree you saw them lying under?’ He replied, ‘Under a mastic tree.’ Daniel said, ‘True enough! Your lie recoils on your own head: the angel of God has already received your sentence from him and will slash you in half.’ He dismissed the man, ordered the other to be brought and said to him, ‘Spawn of Canaan, not of Judah, beauty has seduced you, lust has led your heart astray! This is how you have been behaving with the daughters of Israel and they were too frightened to resist; but here is a daughter of Judah who could not stomach your wickedness! Now then, tell me what tree you surprised them under?’ He replied, ‘Under a holm oak.’ Daniel said, ‘True enough! Your lie recoils on your own head: the angel of God is waiting, with a sword to drive home and split you, and destroy the pair of you.’ Then the whole assembly shouted, blessing God, the saviour of those who trust in him. And they turned on the two elders whom Daniel had convicted of false evidence out of their own mouths. As prescribed in the Law of Moses, they sentenced them to the same punishment as they had intended to inflict on their neighbour. They put them to death; the life of an innocent woman was spared that day.

Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 22(23)

R/   If I should walk in the valley of darkness, no evil would I fear.

The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want. Fresh and green are the pastures where he gives me repose. Near restful waters he leads me, to revive my drooping spirit.

He guides me along the right path; he is true to his name. If I should walk in the valley of darkness no evil would I fear. You are there with your crook and your staff; with these you give me comfort.

You have prepared a banquet for me in the sight of my foes. My head you have anointed with oil; my cup is overflowing.

Surely goodness and kindness shall follow me all the days of my life. In the Lord’s own house shall I dwell for ever and ever.

Gospel Acclamation : 2Co6:2

Glory to you, O Christ, you are the Word of God! Now is the favourable time: this is the day of salvation. Glory to you, O Christ, you are the Word of God!

Gospel : John 8:1-11

Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. At daybreak he appeared in the Temple again; and as all the people came to him, he sat down and began to teach them. The scribes and Pharisees brought a woman along who had been caught committing adultery; and making her stand there in full view of everybody, they said to Jesus, ‘Master, this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery, and Moses has ordered us in the Law to condemn women like this to death by stoning. What have you to say?’ They asked him this as a test, looking for something to use against him. But Jesus bent down and started writing on the ground with his finger. As they persisted with their question, he looked up and said, ‘If there is one of you who has not sinned, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.’ Then he bent down and wrote on the ground again. When they heard this they went away one by one, beginning with the eldest, until Jesus was left alone with the woman, who remained standing there. He looked up and said, ‘Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?’ ‘No one, sir’ she replied. ‘Neither do I condemn you,’ said Jesus ‘go away, and do not sin any more.’

Prayer over the Offerings

Grant, we pray, O Lord, that, preparing to celebrate the holy mysteries, we may bring before you as the fruit of bodily penance a joyful purity of heart. Through Christ our Lord.

Communion Antiphon

I am the light of the world, says the Lord; whoever follows me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life.

Prayer after Communion

Strengthened by the blessing of your Sacraments, we pray, O Lord, that through them we may constantly be cleansed of our faults and, by following Christ, hasten our steps upward toward you. Through Christ our Lord.

Prayer over the People              

Set free from their sins, O Lord, we pray, the people who call upon you, that, living a holy way of life, they may be kept safe from every trial. Through Christ our Lord.

Meditation

Women are still suffering marginalisation in our modern society. The woman in our liturgy today is a symbol of weakness, vulnerability and the abused, unable to defend herself in front of the selfish and unjust society. We have people who are often sacrificed for the lust and other evils of the powerful, but God is the only judge to defend them, and he turns the unjust’s wishes into what they had plotted for the weak. In the case of the adulterous woman, we must all see ourselves. We are all adulterers, unfaithful to ourselves and our vocations and life, and traitors to our most dear relationships. We constantly strive to find new lovers to deceive us with false promises. Only with great difficulty can we stay where life has placed us, for we are constantly running away, seduced by our summer loves. We all need to realise that we are all human and should not condemn others for their mistakes. If Jesus, who is perfect, can forgive and not oppress others for their sins, I should also be able to follow that example in my life.