TUESday 10 January

SAINT William of Bourges

He was Archbishop of Bourges from 1200 until 1209. He was given to a life of exercises of piety and to the acquisition of knowledge. Saint William was canonized on May 17, 1218.

Entrance Antiphon          

Upon a lofty throne, I saw a man seated, whom a host of angels adore, singing in unison: Behold him, the name of whose empire is eternal.

Collect       

Attend to the pleas of your people with heavenly care, O Lord, we pray, that they may see what must be done and gain strength to do what they have seen. 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: Hebrews 2:5-12   

God did not appoint angels to be rulers of the world to come, and that world is what we are talking about. Somewhere there is a passage that shows us this. It runs: What is man that you should spare a thought for him, the son of man that you should care for him? For a short while you made him lower than the angels; you crowned him with glory and splendour. You have put him in command of everything. Well then, if he has put him in command of everything, he has left nothing which is not under his command. At present, it is true, we are not able to see that everything has been put under his command, but we do see in Jesus one who was for a short while made lower than the angels and is now crowned with glory and splendour because he submitted to death; by God’s grace he had to experience death for all mankind. As it was his purpose to bring a great many of his sons into glory, it was appropriate that God, for whom everything exists and through whom everything exists, should make perfect, through suffering, the leader who would take them to their salvation. For the one who sanctifies, and the ones who are sanctified, are of the same stock; that is why he openly calls them brothers in the text: I shall announce your name to my brothers, praise you in full assembly.

Psalm 8:2,5-9         

R/ You gave your Son power over the works of your hand.

How great is your name, O Lord our God, through all the earth! What is man that you should keep him in mind, mortal man that you care for him?

Yet you have made him little less than a god; with glory and honour you crowned him, gave him power over the works of your hand, put all things under his feet.

All of them, sheep and cattle, yes, even the savage beasts, birds of the air, and fish that make their way through the waters.

Gospel Acclamation: Jm1:21  

Alleluia, alleluia! Accept and submit to the word which has been planted in you and can save your souls. Alleluia!

Gospel: Mark 1:21-28     

Jesus and his disciples went as far as Capernaum, and as soon as the Sabbath came he went to the synagogue and began to teach. And his teaching made a deep impression on them because, unlike the scribes, he taught them with authority.  In their synagogue just then there was a man possessed by an unclean spirit and it shouted, ‘What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are: the Holy One of God.’ But Jesus said sharply, ‘Be quiet! Come out of him!’ And the unclean spirit threw the man into convulsions and with a loud cry went out of him. The people were so astonished that they started asking each other what it all meant. ‘Here is a teaching that is new’ they said ‘and with authority behind it: he gives orders even to unclean spirits and they obey him.’ And his reputation rapidly spread everywhere, through all the surrounding Galilean countryside.

Prayer over the Offerings        

May your people’s oblation, O Lord, find favour with you, we pray, that it may restore them to holiness and obtain what they devoutly entreat. Through Christ our Lord.

Communion Antiphon: Ps 35: 10         

With you, O Lord, is the fountain of life, and in your light we see light.

Prayer after Communion        

Humbly we ask you, almighty God, be graciously pleased to grant that those you renew with your Sacraments may also serve with lives pleasing to you. Through Christ our Lord.

Meditation

“Here is a teaching that is new and with authority behind it”. These were the words of Jesus’ contemporaries when they saw what he was proclaiming and doing. His teaching is different from that of the Scribes because he does not teach tradition and Law as the Scribes do; his teaching is characterised by divine authority and exercised with sovereign freedom. Jesus’ authority is not oppressive; it drives out what is unclean, forgives sins, brings healing and leads us to the freedom of God’s children. This same authority of Jesus is an invitation to enter a new world of love and to remain in it.