Thursday 01 FEbruary

by | Jan 31, 2024 | Evangelium

Blessed Philip of Jesús Munárriz Azcona, priest,

and his companions, religious and martyrs.

Green

These include the 184 Claretian martyrs who have been beatified so far. We remember, then, following the chronological order of the beatifications, the 51 martyrs of Barbastro (25 October 1992), Fr Andrés Solá Molist (20 November 2005), the 23 martyrs beatified in Tarragona (13 October 2013) and the 109 beatified in Barcelona(22 October 2017).

Entrance Antiphon: Ps 105: 47     

Save us, O Lord our God! And gather us from the nations, to give thanks to your holy name, and make it our glory to praise you.

Collect

Grant us, Lord our God, that we may honour you with all our mind, and love everyone in truth of heart. 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 2:1-4,10-12

As David’s life drew to its close he laid this charge on his son Solomon, ‘I am going the way of all the earth. Be strong and show yourself a man. Observe the injunctions of the Lord your God, following his ways and keeping his laws, his commandments, his customs and his decrees, as it stands written in the Law of Moses, that so you may be successful in all you do and undertake, so that the Lord may fulfil the promise he made me, “If your sons are careful how they behave, and walk loyally before me with all their heart and soul, you shall never lack for a man on the throne of Israel.”’ So David slept with his ancestors and was buried in the Citadel of David. David’s reign over Israel lasted forty years: he reigned in Hebron for seven years, and in Jerusalem for thirty-three. Solomon was seated upon the throne of David, and his sovereignty was securely established.

Responsorial Psalm: 1 Chronicles 29:10-12

R/ You, Lord, are the ruler of all.

May you be blessed, O Lord, the God of Israel, our father, for ever, for ages unending!

Yours, Lord, are greatness and power, and splendour, triumph, and glory. All is yours, in heaven and on earth.

Yours, Lord, is the kingdom; you are supreme above all. Both honour and riches come from you.

You are the ruler of all, from your hand come strength and power; from your hand come greatness and might.

Gospel Acclamation: Jn15:15     

Alleluia, alleluia! I call you friends, says the Lord, because I have made known to you everything I have learnt from my Father. Alleluia!

Gospel: Mark 6:7-13       

Jesus made a tour round the villages, teaching. Then he summoned the Twelve and began to send them out in pairs giving them authority over the unclean spirits. And he instructed them to take nothing for the journey except a staff – no bread, no haversack, no coppers for their purses. They were to wear sandals but, he added, ‘Do not take a spare tunic.’ And he said to them, ‘If you enter a house anywhere, stay there until you leave the district. And if any place does not welcome you and people refuse to listen to you, as you walk away shake off the dust from under your feet as a sign to them.’ So they set off to preach repentance; and they cast out many devils, and anointed many sick people with oil and cured them.

Prayer over the Offerings               

O Lord, we bring to your altar these offerings of our service: be pleased to receive them, we pray, and transform them into the Sacrament of our redemption. Through Christ our Lord.

Communion Antiphon: Cf. Ps 30: 17-18

Let your face shine on your servant. Save me in your merciful love. O Lord, let me never be put to shame, for I call on you.

Prayer after Communion               

Nourished by these redeeming gifts, we pray, O Lord, that through this help to eternal salvation true faith may ever increase. Through Christ our Lord.

Meditation

Jesus sends out the twelve apostles to preach the gospel giving them power and authority to be exercised in His name. Jesus exercised power and authority in a self-sacrificing love, humility and obedience to His Father’s will. Imitating Jesus, they are to manifest the spirit of poverty taking only what is necessary for their mission. Freed from greed and materialism they are to trust in God’s providence. Jesus is sending us out today as His present disciples for the work of evangelization. Let us listen to the missionary injunctions. He has given us gifts and talents to share with one another. Let us endeavor to walk in His ways observing His statues, commands and ordinances so that we may succeed in whatever we do