MONDAY

27

September

St. Vincent de Paul (1581 – 1660)

White

He was born in Aquitaine and became a priest. He devoted his whole life to the service of the poor. He founded a congregation of priests for missionary work, groups of laymen to help paupers and galley-slaves, and, with St Louise de Marillac, the Sisters of Charity.

Entrance Antiphon: Lk 4: 18

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has anointed me and sent me to preach the good news to the poor, to heal the broken-hearted

Collect

O God, who for the relief of the poor and the formation of the clergy endowed the Priest Saint Vincent de Paul with apostolic virtues, grant, we pray, that, afire with that same spirit, we may love what he loved and put into practice what he taught. 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: Zechariah 8:1-8

The word of the Lord of Hosts was addressed to me as follows: ‘The Lord of Hosts says this.I am burning with jealousy for Zion, with great anger for her sake. The Lord of Hosts says this. I am coming back to Zion and shall dwell in the middle of Jerusalem. Jerusalem will be called Faithful City and the mountain of the Lord of Hosts, the Holy Mountain. The Lord of Hosts says this. Old men and old women will again sit down in the squares of Jerusalem; every one of them staff in hand because of their great age. And the squares of the city will be full of boys and girls playing in the squares. The Lord of Hosts says this. If this seems a miracle to the remnant of this people (in those days), will it seem one to me? It is the Lord of Hosts who speaks. The Lord of Hosts says this. Now I am going to save my people from the countries of the East and from the countries of the West. I will bring them back to live inside Jerusalem. They shall be my people and I will be their God in faithfulness and integrity.’

Psalm 101(102):16-21,29,22-23

R/     The Lord shall build up Zion again and appear in all his glory.

1.     The nations shall fear the name of the Lord and all the earth’s kings your glory, when the Lord shall build up Zion again and appear in all his glory. Then he will turn to the prayers of the helpless; he will not despise their prayers.

2.     Let this be written for ages to come that a people yet unborn may praise the Lord; for the Lord leaned down from his sanctuary on high. He looked down from heaven to the earth that he might hear the groans of the prisoners and free those condemned to die.

3.     The sons of your servants shall dwell untroubled and their race shall endure before you that the name of the Lord may be proclaimed in Zion and his praise in the heart of Jerusalem, when peoples and kingdoms are gathered together to pay their homage to the Lord.

Gospel Acclamation : Jn14:6

Alleluia, alleluia! I am the Way, the Truth and the Life, says the Lord; No one can come to the Father except through me. Alleluia!

Gospel : Luke 9:46-50

An argument started between the disciples about which of them was the greatest. Jesus knew what thoughts were going through their minds, and he took a little child and set him by his side and then said to them, ‘Anyone who welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me; and anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. For the least among you all, that is the one who is great.’ John spoke up. ‘Master,’ he said ‘we saw a man casting out devils in your name, and because he is not with us we tried to stop him.’ But Jesus said to him, ‘You must not stop him: anyone who is not against you is for you.’

Prayer over the Offerings

O God, who enabled Saint Vincent to imitate what he celebrated in the divine mysteries, grant that by the power of this sacrifice we, too, may be transformed into an oblation acceptable to you. Through Christ our Lord.

Communion Antiphon:  Ps 106: 8-9

Let them thank the Lord for his mercy, his wonders for the children of men, for he satisfies the thirsty soul, and the hungry he fills with good things.

Prayer after Communion

Renewed by this heavenly Sacrament, O Lord, we implore, that just as we are prompted by Saint Vincent’s example to imitate your Son in his preaching of the Gospel to the poor, so, too, we may be sustained by his prayers. Through Christ our Lord.

Meditation

One more time Jesus tries to get his disciples to understand that they are called to serve and not to dominate. There is a human instinct to be in control of situations and of other people. Jesus reminds us that whatever position we find ourselves in, it is meant for service. The purpose of authority is to organise and to serve. When we find ourselves in any position of leadership, in the spirit of Jesus, we must understand that it is meant for us to be of service to others.