Tuesday 11 th october 2022
Pope John XXIII
(1881 – 1963)
He was ordained priest in 1904. He served the Holy See directly in various posts, both in Rome and in Bulgaria, Turkey and Greece, culminating as Apostolic Nuncio to France from 1944 until 1953. He was elected Pope in 1958. He convoked the Roman Synod, instituted the revision of Canon Law, and called the Second Vatican Council, which opened on 11 October 1962.
Entrance Antiphon : Ps 129: 3-4
If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities, Lord, who could stand? But with you is found forgiveness, O God of Israel.
Collect
May your grace, O Lord, we pray, at all times go before us and follow after and make us always determined to carry out good works. 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 : Galatians 5:1-6
When Christ freed us, he meant us to remain free. Stand firm, therefore, and do not submit again to the yoke of slavery. It is I, Paul, who tell you this: if you allow yourselves to be circumcised, Christ will be of no benefit to you at all. With all solemnity I repeat my warning: Everyone who accepts circumcision is obliged to keep the whole Law. But if you do look to the Law to make you justified, then you have separated yourselves from Christ, and have fallen from grace. Christians are told by the Spirit to look to faith for those rewards that righteousness hopes for, since in Christ Jesus whether you are circumcised or not makes no difference – what matters is faith that makes its power felt through love.
Psalm 118:41,43-45,47-48
R/ Lord, let your love come upon me..
- Lord, let your love come upon me, the saving help of your promise. Do not take the word of truth from my mouth for I trust in your decrees.
- I shall always keep your law for ever and ever. I shall walk in the path of freedom for I seek your precepts.
- Your commands have been my delight; these I have loved. I will worship your commands and love them and ponder your statutes.
Gospel Acclamation : Ps118:135
Alleluia, alleluia! Let your face shine on your servant, and teach me your decrees. Alleluia!
Gospel : Luke 11:37-41
Jesus had just finished speaking when a Pharisee invited him to dine at his house. He went in and sat down at the table. The Pharisee saw this and was surprised that he had not first washed before the meal. But the Lord said to him, ‘Oh, you Pharisees! You clean the outside of cup and plate, while inside yourselves you are filled with extortion and wickedness. Fools! Did not he who made the outside make the inside too? Instead, give alms from what you have and then indeed everything will be clean for you.’
Prayer over the Offerings
Accept, O Lord, the prayers of your faithful with the sacrificial offerings, that, through these acts of devotedness, we may pass over to the glory of heaven. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon : Cf. Ps 33: 11
The rich suffer want and go hungry, but those who seek the Lord lack no blessing.
Prayer after Communion
We entreat your majesty most humbly, O Lord, that, as you feed us with the nourishment which comes from the most holy Body and Blood of your Son, so you may make us sharers of his divine nature. Who lives and reigns for ever and ever.
Meditation
Today’s gospel raises a fundamental question: which is more important to God, clean hands or a clean heart and mind? Jesus reproaches the Pharisees for their evil thoughts. He urges them, and us, to give alms and by so doing, express love, kindness and mercy to those in need. This is important because a heart overflowing with love has no place for evil thoughts. The Pharisees are obsessed with observing the Law, but Jesus asks for even much more- showing love, mercy and compassion to the needy. For Jesus, holiness is not essentially about staying away from what is considered ritually unclean, but placing inner goodness above the law.