by | Jul 26, 2022 | Evangelium

Wednesday 27 th July 2022

 

Blessed Titus Brandsma

(1881 – 1942)

 

He was born in Bolsward in the Netherlands. He was vehemently opposed to Nazi ideology. He was arrested in January 1942, when he tried to persuade Dutch Catholic newspapers not to print Nazi propaganda (as was required by the law of the Nazi German occupiers). Titus Brandsma was killed by lethal injection in Dachau on July 26, 1942.

Entrance Antiphon : Cf. Ps 67: 6-7, 36

God is in his holy place, God who unites those who dwell in his house; he himself gives might and strength to his people.

 

Collect

O God, protector of those who hope in you, without whom nothing has firm foundation, nothing is holy, bestow in abundance your mercy upon us and grant that, with you as our ruler and guide, we may use the good things that pass in such a way as to hold fast even now to those that ever endure. 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 : Jeremiah 15:10,16-21

‘Woe is me, my mother, for you have borne me to be a man of strife and of dissension for all the land. I neither lend nor borrow, yet all of them curse me. ‘When your words came, I devoured them: your word was my delight and the joy of my heart; for I was called by your name, the Lord, God of Hosts. I never took pleasure in sitting in scoffers’ company; with your hand on me I held myself aloof, since you had filled me with indignation. Why is my suffering continual, my wound incurable, refusing to be healed? Do you mean to be for me a deceptive stream with inconstant waters?’ To which the Lord replied, ‘If you come back, I will take you back into my service; and if you utter noble, not despicable, thoughts, you shall be as my own mouth. They will come back to you, but you must not go back to them. I will make you a bronze wall fortified against this people. They will fight against you but they will not overcome you, because I am with you to save you and to deliver you – it is the Lord who speaks. I mean to deliver you from the hands of the wicked and redeem you from the clutches of the violent. ’

 

Psalm 58:2-5,10-11,17-18

R/ O God, you have been a refuge in the day of my distress.

 

  1. Rescue me, God, from my foes; protect me from those who attack me. O rescue me from those who do evil and save me from blood-thirsty men.
  2. See, they lie in wait for my life; powerful men band together against me. For no offence, no sin of mine, Lord, for no guilt of mine they rush to take their stand.
  3. O my Strength, it is you to whom I turn, for you, O God, are my stronghold, the God who shows me love.
  4. As for me, I will sing of your strength and each morning acclaim your love for you have been my stronghold, a refuge in the day of my distress.
  5. O my Strength, it is you to whom I turn, for you, O God, are my stronghold, the God who shows me love.

 

Gospel Acclamation : Ps118:105

Alleluia, alleluia! Your word is a lamp for my steps and a light for my path. Alleluia!

 

Gospel : Matthew 13:44-46

Jesus said to the crowds, ‘The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field which someone has found; he hides it again, goes off happy, sells everything he owns and buys the field. ‘Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls; when he finds one of great value he goes and sells everything he owns and buys it.’

 

Prayer over the Offerings

Accept, O Lord, we pray, the offerings which we bring from the abundance of your gifts, that through the powerful working of your grace, these most sacred mysteries may sanctify our present way of life and lead us to eternal gladness. Through Christ our Lord.

 

Communion Antiphon : Ps 102: 2

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and never forget all his benefits..

 

Prayer after Communion

We have consumed, O Lord, this divine Sacrament, the perpetual memorial of the Passion of your Son; grant, we pray, that this gift, which he himself gave us with love beyond all telling, may profit us for salvation. Through Christ our Lord.

 

Meditation

Whenever one values of something, he does everything to possess that thing.  A true Christian who knows the value of Christianity and will do all it takes to uphold Christian values. The parable of the treasure in today’s gospel invites us not to let opportunities pass by as far as the kingdom of God is concerned. Many have been longing for such a treasure. We are assured that if truly know the value of what we are looking for, we will find it. This can be found in we least expect like a forgiving word and a friendly smile in which the other person finds joy and happiness. As the founder buries the treasure again, may we also preserve this treasure with much care as we work hard to have it.