20th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Psalter: Week 4
Saint Helena
Green
Entrance Antiphon: Ps 83: 10-11
Turn your eyes, O God, our shield; and look on the face of your anointed one; one day within your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere.
Collect
O God, who have prepared for those who love you good things which no eye can see, fill our hearts, we pray, with the warmth of your love, so that, loving you in all things and above all things, we may attain your promises, which surpass every human desire. 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: Proverbs 9:1-6
Wisdom has built herself a house, she has erected her seven pillars, she has slaughtered her beasts, prepared her wine, she has laid her table. She has despatched her maidservants and proclaimed from the city’s heights: ‘Who is ignorant? Let him step this way.’ To the fool she says, ‘Come and eat my bread, drink the wine I have prepared! Leave your folly and you will live, walk in the ways of perception.’
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 33(34):2-3,10-15
R/ Taste and see that the Lord is good.
I will bless the Lord at all times, his praise always on my lips; in the Lord my soul shall make its boast. The humble shall hear and be glad.
Revere the Lord, you his saints. They lack nothing, those who revere him. Strong lions suffer want and go hungry but those who seek the Lord lack no blessing.
Come, children, and hear me that I may teach you the fear of the Lord. Who is he who longs for life and many days, to enjoy his prosperity?
Then keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit. Turn aside from evil and do good; seek and strive after peace.
Second reading: Ephesians 5:15-20
Be very careful about the sort of lives you lead, like intelligent and not like senseless people. This may be a wicked age, but you redeem it. And do not be thoughtless but recognise what is the will of the Lord. Do not drug yourselves with wine, this is simply dissipation; be filled with the Spirit. Sing the words and tunes of the psalms and hymns when you are together, and go on singing and chanting to the Lord in your hearts, so that always and everywhere you are giving thanks to God who is our Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Gospel Acclamation: Jn1:14,12
Alleluia, alleluia! The Word was made flesh and lived among us: to all who did accept him he gave power to become children of God. Alleluia!
Gospel: John 6:51-58
Jesus said to the crowd: ‘I am the living bread which has come down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will live for ever; and the bread that I shall give is my flesh,
for the life of the world.’ Then the Jews started arguing with one another: ‘How can this man give us his flesh to eat?’ they said. Jesus replied: ‘I tell you most solemnly, if you do not eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you will not have life in you. Anyone who does eat my flesh and drink my blood has eternal life, and I shall raise him up on the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood lives in me and I live in him. As I, who am sent by the living Father, myself draw life from the Father, so whoever eats me will draw life from me. This is the bread come down from heaven; not like the bread our ancestors ate: they are dead, but anyone who eats this bread will live for ever.’
Prayer over the Offerings
Receive our oblation, O Lord, by which is brought about a glorious exchange, that, by offering what you have given, we may merit to receive your very self. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon: Ps 129: 7
With the Lord there is mercy; in him is plentiful redemption.
Prayer after Communion
Made partakers of Christ through these Sacraments, we humbly implore your mercy, Lord, that, conformed to his image on earth, we may merit also to be his coheirs in heaven. Who lives and reigns for ever and ever.
Meditation
Food is very essential in the lives of every human being. It gives the necessary nutrients which sustains the body. As man needs food for the body, so also does he need food for the soul. We continue with the teaching of Jesus on the bread of life today. This bread of life, the Eucharist, is the food for the soul. Receiving it is reception of the whole person of Christ who gives life. As we receive the Eucharist, we get graces from the person of Christ. The Holy Eucharist makes us alive in Christ. This is a mystery of faith. We have to strengthen our faith to get its fruits. Participation in the Holy Eucharist should show fruit in the lives of Christians. So, when we see that the human race is facing various disasters while there are those who share Christ in the Holy Eucharist that is a problem. We should live the Eucharist that unites us with Christ to obtain new and eternal life. This is the way to make the presence of God continue to exist among us. We can only live good lives if we allow Christ to dwell in us, and his wisdom would guide us in doing what is right, what is just, what is good and what is loving in a wicked world.