Monday 06 th June 2022
Mary, Mother of the Church,
Psalter II
- Norbert
(1080 – 1134)
He was born in Xanten, Germany. After a period of worldly life, at the age of 35 he had a narrow escape from death and his life changed. He became a priest. He founded a religious Order after the rule of St. Augustine. He died in 1134.
Entrance Antiphon
The disciples devoted themselves with one accord to prayer with Mary, the mother of Jesus.
Collect
O God, Father of mercies, whose Only Begotten Son, as he hung upon the Cross, chose the Blessed Virgin Mary, his Mother, to be our Mother also; grant, we pray, that with her loving help, your Church may be more fruitful day by day, and exulting in the holiness of her children, may draw to her embrace all the families of the peoples. 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 : 1 Kings 17:1-6
Elijah the Tishbite, of Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, ‘As the Lord lives, the God of Israel whom I serve, there shall be neither dew nor rain these years except at my order.’ The word of the Lord came to him, ‘Go away from here, go eastwards, and hide yourself in the wadi Cherith which lies east of Jordan. You can drink from the stream, and I have ordered the ravens to bring you food there.’ He did as the Lord had said; he went and stayed in the wadi Cherith which lies east of Jordan. The ravens brought him bread in the morning and meat in the evening, and he quenched his thirst at the stream.
Psalm 120(121)
R/ Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
- I lift up my eyes to the mountains; from where shall come my help? My help shall come from the Lord who made heaven and earth.
- May he never allow you to stumble! Let him sleep not, your guard. No, he sleeps not nor slumbers, Israel’s guard.
- The Lord is your guard and your shade; at your right side he stands. By day the sun shall not smite you nor the moon in the night.
- The Lord will guard you from evil, he will guard your soul. The Lord will guard your going and coming both now and for ever.
Gospel Acclamation : cf.2Th2:14
Alleluia, alleluia! Through the Good News God called us to share the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Alleluia!
Gospel : Matthew 5:1-12
Seeing the crowds, Jesus went up the hill. There he sat down and was joined by his disciples. Then he began to speak. This is what he taught them: ‘How happy are the poor in spirit; theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Happy the gentle: they shall have the earth for their heritage. Happy those who mourn: they shall be comforted. Happy those who hunger and thirst for what is right: they shall be satisfied. Happy the merciful: they shall have mercy shown them. Happy the pure in heart: they shall see God. Happy the peacemakers: they shall be called sons of God. Happy those who are persecuted in the cause of right: theirs is the kingdom of heaven. ‘Happy are you when people abuse you and persecute you and speak all kinds of calumny against you on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven: this is how they persecuted the prophets before you.’
Prayer over the Offerings
Receive our offerings, O Lord, and transform them into the mystery of salvation, so that by its power we may be set aflame with the charity of the Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church, and with her may be united more closely to the work of redemption. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon : Cf. Jn2:1,11
A wedding was held in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there; then Jesus performed the first of his signs and manifested his glory and his disciples believed in him
Prayer after Communion
Having received the pledge of redemption and of life we humbly pray, O Lord, that with the Blessed Virgin’s motherly help your Church may teach all nations by proclaiming the Gospel and, thanks to the outpouring of the Spirit, may fill the whole earth.Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
The Beatitudes that Jesus pronounces are the inauguration of a new reign, a reign that brings perfect joy to everyone who approaches it. This is why the sermon of Jesus touches on different levels those who are present. He sees the crowds, but his disciples come closer to him as he reveals the various paths that lead to the kingdom, whose presence he embodies. We must ask ourselves where we are situated as we listen to and read the scriptures: do we remain in the crowd, that is, in anonymity without making our identity as a disciple shine through, or do we truly draw closer to Christ and thus to the kingdom through the paths he reveals to us? Have a poor heart, have a gentle heart, thirst for justice, be peacemakers.