SUNDAY 11 OCTOBER 2020

by | Oct 10, 2020 | Evangelium

sunday 11 October 2020

 

 

TWENTY EIGHT SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

Psalter IV

Pope John XXIII (1881 – 1963)

 

Green

 

Entrance Antiphon: Ps 129: 3-4

If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities, Lord, who could stand? But with you is found forgiveness, O God of Israel.

 

Collect

May your grace, O Lord, we pray, at all times go before us and follow after and make us always determined to carry out good works. 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: Isaiah 25:6-10

On this mountain, the Lord of hosts will prepare for all peoples a banquet of rich food. On this mountain he will remove the mourning veil covering all peoples, and the shroud enwrapping all nations, he will destroy Death for ever. The Lord will wipe away the tears from every cheek; he will take away his people’s shame everywhere on earth, for the Lord has said so. That day, it will be said: See, this is our God in whom we hoped for salvation; the Lord is the one in whom we hoped. We exult and we rejoice that he has saved us.

 

Psalm 22(23)

R/   In the Lord’s own house shall I dwell for ever and ever.

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. You have prepared a banquet for me in the sight of my foes. My head you have anointed with oil; my cup is overflowing.
  4. 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.

 

Second reading: Phil 4:12-14, 19-20

I know how to be poor and I know how to be rich too. I have been through my initiation and now I am ready for anything anywhere: full stomach or empty stomach, poverty or plenty. There is nothing I cannot master with the help of the One who gives me strength. All the same, it was good of you to share with me in my hardships. In return my God will fulfil all your needs, in Christ Jesus, as lavishly as only God can. Glory to God, our Father, for ever and ever. Amen.

 

Gospel Acclamation : Jn 1:14, 12

Alleluia, alleluia! The Word was made flesh and lived among us: to all who did accept him he gave power to become children of God. Alleluia!

 

Gospel: Matthew 22:1-14

Jesus began to speak to the chief priests and elders of the people in parables: ‘The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a feast for his son’s wedding. He sent his servants to call those who had been invited, but they would not come. Next he sent some more servants. “Tell those who have been invited” he said “that I have my banquet all prepared, my oxen and fattened cattle have been slaughtered, everything is ready. Come to the wedding.” But they were not interested: one went off to his farm, another to his business, and the rest seized his servants, maltreated them and killed them. The king was furious. He despatched his troops, destroyed those murderers and burnt their town. Then he said to his servants, “The wedding is ready; but as those who were invited proved to be unworthy, go to the crossroads in the town and invite everyone you can find to the wedding.” So these servants went out on to the roads and collected together everyone they could find, bad and good alike; and the wedding hall was filled with guests. When the king came in to look at the guests he noticed one man who was not wearing a wedding garment, and said to him, “How did you get in here, my friend, without a wedding garment?” And the man was silent. Then the king said to the attendants, “Bind him hand and foot and throw him out into the dark, where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth.” For many are called, but few are chosen.’

 

Prayer over the Offerings

Accept, O Lord, the prayers of your faithful with the sacrificial offerings, that, through these acts of devotedness, we may pass over to the glory of heaven. Through Christ our Lord.

 

Communion Antiphon:  Ps 33: 11

The rich suffer want and go hungry, but those who seek the Lord lack no blessing.

 

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.

 

Meditation

Parties are very joyful occasions and no one goes to the party with tears.   Jesus compares living in His company to attending a party. This means that the Church should be a happy place. Joy and gladness are at the very heart of the Christian message. Let us reflect on the nature of our parties:  Are they places of Holy Joy? What is at the centre of our parties? At times even in Religious Festivals, we get into excess drinking and eating, and we commit sin. Our “Joy” therefore turns into sin. A preacher, Fr. James Gilhooley insists on the importance of Joy in the presence of the Lord and the authentic way of finding this joy lies in a deep meditation of the very word JOY : J : place Jesus first, O: Place others second, Y: Place yourself last. Anytime we are in a party and the Joy is not a holy one, then Christ is not at the centre. If being a disciple of Christ has not brought joy and serenity to me, I cannot expect the message I bring to others to be effective. The Eucharist is the greatest festival into which the Lord Invites us. We must come to this party putting on the feasting habit. This entails accepting the Love and the joy of Jesus. We must clothe ourselves with “Holy Joy” to participate in this great banquet.