OrSaint Fursa (- c.650)
He was an Irish monk who did much to establish Christianity throughout the British Isles and particularly in East Anglia, at a time when a high Christian civilization existed in Ireland but had been largely wiped out elsewhere.
Green
Entrance Antiphon
Upon a lofty throne, I saw a man seated, whom a host of angels adore, singing in unison: Behold him, the name of whose empire is eternal.
Collect
Attend to the pleas of your people with heavenly care, O Lord, we pray, that they may see what must be done and gain strength to do what they have seen. 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: Hebrews 2:14-18
Since all the children share the same blood and flesh, Christ too shared equally in it, so that by his death he could take away all the power of the devil, who had power over death, and set free all those who had been held in slavery all their lives by the fear of death. For it was not the angels that he took to himself; he took to himself descent from Abraham. It was essential that he should in this way become completely like his brothers so that he could be a compassionate and trustworthy high priest of God’s religion, able to atone for human sins. That is, because he has himself been through temptation he is able to help others who are tempted.
Psalm 104 (105) :1-4, 6-9
R/ The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
- Give thanks to the Lord, tell his name, make known his deeds among the peoples. O sing to him, sing his praise; tell all his wonderful works!
- Be proud of his holy name, let the hearts that seek the Lord rejoice. Consider the Lord and his strength; constantly seek his face.
- 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.
4.He remembers his covenant for ever, his promise for a thousand generations, the covenant he made with Abraham, he oath he swore to Isaac.
Gospel Acclamation : cf.Col 3:16a, 17
Alleluia, alleluia!Let the message of Christ, in all its richness, find a home with you; through him give thanks to God the Father. Alleluia!
Gospel : Mark 1:29-39
On leaving the synagogue, Jesus went with James and John straight to the house of Simon and Andrew. Now Simon’s mother-in-law had gone to bed with fever, and they told him about her straight away. He went to her, took her by the hand and helped her up. And the fever left her and she began to wait on them. That evening, after sunset, they brought to him all who were sick and those who were possessed by devils. The whole town came crowding round the door, and he cured many who were suffering from diseases of one kind or another; he also cast out many devils, but he would not allow them to speak, because they knew who he was. In the morning, long before dawn, he got up and left the house, and went off to a lonely place and prayed there. Simon and his companions set out in search of him, and when they found him they said, ‘Everybody is looking for you.’ He answered, ‘Let us go elsewhere, to the neighbouring country towns, so that I can preach there too, because that is why I came.’ And he went all through Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out devils.
Prayer over the Offerings
May your people’s oblation, O Lord, find favour with you, we pray, that it may restore them to holiness and obtain what they devoutly entreat. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon : Ps 35: 10
With you, O Lord, is the fountain of life, and in your light we see light.
Prayer after Communion
Humbly we ask you, almighty God, be graciously pleased to grant that those you renew with your Sacraments may also serve with lives pleasing to you. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
In the First Reading, we learn something that we sometimes take for granted or forget: Jesus knows our human condition, given that he experienced it. He became a human being like us and lived through everything we experience. He knows what it means to be sick, to be broken-hearted, to lose a loved one, to be poor etc. He knows all our problems, because he lived through them himself. And it is precisely to solve these problems that he came. That is why in the Gospel we see him healing people and liberating them from demons. But Jesus is not just a wonder worker; he came to give us true liberation, which is liberation from sin. This liberation comes through accepting his word. This is why his healing is accompanied by preaching. Let us listen to the word of Jesus and let it guide us, and we can be sure to find solutions to life’s problems.