Saturday

04

September

Blessed Dina Bélanger

(1897 – 1929)

Green / White

She was born on 30 April 1897 in Québec and at the recommendation of her parish priest she went to New York to study at the Institute of Musical Art, with the intention of becoming a concert pianist. On her return home, she decided to enter the religious life in the Congregation of Jésus-Marie at Sillery, where the nuns had their mother house.

Entrance Antiphon: Ps 85: 3, 5

Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I cry to you all the day long. O Lord, you are good and forgiving, full of mercy to all who call to you.

Collect

God of might, giver of every good gift, put into our hearts the love of your name, so that, by deepening our sense of reverence, you may nurture in us what is good and, by your watchful care, keep safe what you have nurtured. 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: Colossians 1:21-23

Not long ago, you were foreigners and enemies, in the way that you used to think and the evil things that you did; but now he has reconciled you, by his death and in that mortal body. Now you are able to appear before him holy, pure and blameless – as long as you persevere and stand firm on the solid base of the faith, never letting yourselves drift away from the hope promised by the Good News, which you have heard, which has been preached to the whole human race, and of which I, Paul, have become the servant.

Psalm 53(54):3-4,6,8

R/     I have God for my help.

1.     O God, save me by your name; by your power, uphold my cause. O God, hear my prayer listen to the words of my mouth.

2.     But I have God for my help. The Lord upholds my life. I will sacrifice to you with willing heart and praise your name for it is good:

Gospel Acclamation: Ps26:11

Alleluia, alleluia! Instruct me, Lord, in your way; on an even path lead me. Alleluia!

Gospel: Luke 6:1-5

One sabbath Jesus happened to be taking a walk through the cornfields, and his disciples were picking ears of corn, rubbing them in their hands and eating them. Some of the Pharisees said, ‘Why are you doing something that is forbidden on the sabbath day?’ Jesus answered them, ‘So you have not read what David did when he and his followers were hungry how he went into the house of God, took the loaves of offering and ate them and gave them to his followers, loaves which only the priests are allowed to eat?’ And he said to them, ‘The Son of Man is master of the sabbath.’

Prayer over the Offerings

May this sacred offering, O Lord, confer on us always the blessing of salvation, that what it celebrates in mystery it may accomplish in power. Through Christ our Lord.

Communion Antiphon: Ps 30: 20

How great is the goodness, Lord, that you keep for those who fear you.

Prayer after Communion

Renewed by this bread from the heavenly table, we beseech you, Lord, that, being the food of charity, it may confirm our hearts and stir us to serve you in our neighbour. Through Christ our Lord.

Meditation

Sunday, the weekly celebration of the Lord’s Resurrection, is the “new Sabbath”, the fulfilment of the Sabbath. On Sundays, the faithful are to abstain from labour and business concerns which impede the worship to be rendered to God, the joy which is proper to the Lord’s Day or the proper relaxation of mind and body. The issue in the objection of the Pharisees is not so much the Sabbath, but their exaggerated multiplication and detailed expansion of laws. In the end, holiness would be more about keeping laws and less about loving God. Jesus teaches otherwise.