Friday 16th September 2022
Ss. Cornelius, Pope, and Cyprian, Bishop, Martyrs
(-253)
Cornelius was made bishop of the church in Rome in the year 251. He fought against the Novatian schismatics, and established his authority with the aid of Cyprian. The emperor Gallus sent him into exile, and he died at Civitavecchia in June 253. He is buried in Rome.
Entrance Antiphon
The souls of the Saints are rejoicing in heaven, the Saints who followed the footsteps of Christ, and since for love of him they shed their blood, they now exult with Christ for ever.
Collect
O God, who gave Saints Cornelius and Cyprian to your people as diligent shepherds and valiant Martyrs, grant that through their intercession we may be strengthened in faith and constancy and spend ourselves without reserve for the unity of the Church. 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 Corinthians 15:12-20
Now if Christ raised from the dead is what has been preached, how can some of you be saying that there is no resurrection of the dead? If there is no resurrection of the dead, Christ himself cannot have been raised, and if Christ has not been raised then our preaching is useless and your believing it is useless; indeed, we are shown up as witnesses who have committed perjury before God, because we swore in evidence before God that he had raised Christ to life. For if the dead are not raised, Christ has not been raised, and if Christ has not been raised, you are still in your sins. And what is more serious, all who have died in Christ have perished. If our hope in Christ has been for this life only, we are the most unfortunate of all people. But Christ has in fact been raised from the dead, the first-fruits of all who have fallen asleep.
Psalm 16(17):1,6-8,15
R/ I shall be filled, when I awake, with the sight of your glory, O Lord.
- Lord, hear a cause that is just, pay heed to my cry. Turn your ear to my prayer: no deceit is on my lips.
- I am here and I call, you will hear me, O God. Turn your ear to me; hear my words Display your great love, you whose right hand saves your friends from those who rebel against them.
- Guard me as the apple of your eye. Hide me in the shadow of your wings As for me, in my justice I shall see your face and be filled, when I awake, with the sight of your glory.
Gospel Acclamation : Ps94:8
Alleluia, alleluia! Harden not your hearts today, but listen to the voice of the Lord. Alleluia!
Gospel : Luke 8:1-3
Jesus made his way through towns and villages preaching, and proclaiming the Good News of the kingdom of God. With him went the Twelve, as well as certain women who had been cured of evil spirits and ailments: Mary surnamed the Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, Joanna the wife of Herod’s steward Chuza, Susanna, and several others who provided for them out of their own resources.
Prayer over the Offerings
Receive, we pray, O Lord, the offerings of your people in honour of the passion of your holy Martyrs Saints Cornelius and Cyprian, and may the gifts that gave them courage under persecution make us, too, steadfast in all trials. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon : Lk 22: 28-30
It is you who have stood by me in my trials; and I confer a kingdom on you, says the Lord, that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom.
Prayer after Communion
Through these mysteries which we have received, we humbly beseech you, O Lord, that by the example of the Martyrs Saints Cornelius and Cyprian we may be strengthened with the fortitude of your Spirit to bear witness to the truth of the Gospel. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
We have the tendency to exclude others from certain important issues. Everyone should have a chance to show their talents. Everyone can make a significant contribution to our survival or even our salvation. We must ask ourselves if we are treating anyone like an object, as less human, without dignity or respect, or as one who is not made in the image and likeness of God like us. The Gospel indicates Jesus’ inclusive spirit, and we must follow his example in order to counteract the exclusive nature of man, which is root cause of much of the world’s turmoil today. Just as Jesus used women in His ministry, let us all, men and women, be part of that ministry by taking the bull by the horns and standing up to the challenges which we have, supporting the Church in her ministry according to our means and circumstances, and accompanying Jesus daily when we meet him in our brothers and sisters.