Monday

20

September

St. Andrew Kim Taegon, Paul Chong Hasang,

and companions

Red

For centuries, Korea was closed to all outside influences, and all contact with foreigners was forbidden. No missionaries went there. Nevertheless, a number of laymen sought to find out all that they could about the outside world through the annual embassy to Peking. Some books about Christianity fell into their hands, and they were converted.

Entrance Antiphon:

The blood of the holy Martyrs was poured out for Christ upon the earth; therefore they have gained everlasting rewards.

Collect

O God, who have been pleased to increase your adopted children in all the world, and who made the blood of the Martyrs Saint Andrew Kim Taegon and his companions a most fruitful seed of Christians, grant that we may be defended by their help and profit always from their example. 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: Ezra 1:1-6

In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, to fulfil the word of the Lord that was spoken through Jeremiah, the Lord roused the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia to issue a proclamation and to have it publicly displayed throughout his kingdom: ‘Thus speaks Cyrus king of Persia, “The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth; he has ordered me to build him a Temple in Jerusalem, in Judah. Whoever there is among you of all his people, may his God be with him! Let him go up to Jerusalem in Judah to build the Temple of the Lord, the God of Israel – he is the God who is in Jerusalem. And let each survivor, wherever he lives, be helped by the people of that place with silver and gold, with goods and cattle, as well as voluntary offerings for the Temple of God which is in Jerusalem.”’ Then the heads of families of Judah and of Benjamin, the priests and the Levites, in fact all whose spirit had been roused by God, prepared to go and rebuild the Temple of the Lord in Jerusalem; and all their neighbours gave them every assistance with silver, gold, goods, cattle, quantities of costly gifts and with voluntary offerings of every kind.

Psalm 125(126)

R/     What marvels the Lord worked for us.

1.     When the Lord delivered Zion from bondage, it seemed like a dream. Then was our mouth filled with laughter, on our lips there were songs.

2.     The heathens themselves said: ‘What marvels the Lord worked for them!’ What marvels the Lord worked for us! Indeed we were glad.

3. Deliver us, O Lord, from our bondage as streams in dry land. Those who are sowing in tears will sing when they reap.

4. They go out, they go out, full of tears, carrying seed for the sowing: they come back, they come back, full of song, carrying their sheaves.

Gospel Acclamation: James1:18

Alleluia, alleluia! By his own choice the Father made us his children by the message of the truth, so that we should be a sort of first-fruits of all that he created. Alleluia!

Gospel: Luke 8:16-18

Jesus said to the crowds: ‘No one lights a lamp to cover it with a bowl or to put it under a bed. No, he puts it on a lamp-stand so that people may see the light when they come in. For nothing is hidden but it will be made clear, nothing secret but it will be known and brought to light. So take care how you hear; for anyone who has will be given more; from anyone who has not, even what he thinks he has will be taken away.’

Prayer over the Offerings

Look with favour, almighty God, on the offerings of your people and, through the intercession of the blessed Martyrs, grant that we ourselves may become a sacrifice acceptable to you for the salvation of all the world. Through Christ our Lord.

Communion Antiphon: Mt 10: 32

Everyone who acknowledges me before others I will acknowledge before my heavenly Father, says the Lord.

Prayer after Communion

Nourished with the food of the valiant as we celebrate the blessed Martyrs, we humbly ask you, O Lord, that, clinging faithfully to Christ, we may labour in the Church for the salvation of all. Through Christ our Lord.

Meditation

Humility has been greatly misunderstood by many. The graveyard is one of the richest places in the world for in it lies much untapped potential. We often feel that by downplaying ourselves, we are humble. True humility rests in service and the optimum utilisation of our talents. The more we invest, the more we gain, but when we feel that we do not have, we fail to manage even the little we think we have and, in a moment, it is gone. As Christians, we need to let our light shine before men that they may give glory to our Father who is in heaven.