BLESSED CYPRIAN TANSI, PRIEST
Psalter II
GREEN
He was an Igbo Nigerian priest and later aCistercian monk. He was ordained a priest for theArchdiocese of Onitsha in 1937 and later joinedMount Saint Bernard Abbey in 1950, taking thename Cyprian. He served as a parish priest,working tirelessly to spread the Catholic faith.
Entrance Antiphon: Ps 65: 4
All the earth shall bow down before you, O God, and shall sing to you, shall sing to your name, O Most High!
Collect
Almighty ever-living God, who govern all things, both in heaven and on earth, mercifully hear the pleading of your people and bestow your peace on our times. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.
First reading: 1 Samuel 16:1-13
The Lord said to Samuel: “How long will you grieve for Saul, whom I have rejected as king of Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and be on your way. I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem, for I have chosen my king from among his sons.” But Samuel replied: “How can I go? Saul will hear of it and kill me.” To this the Lord answered: “Take a heifer along and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’ Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I myself will tell you what to do; you are to anoint for me the one I point out to you.” Samuel did as the Lord had commanded him. When he entered Bethlehem, the elders of the city came trembling to meet him and inquired, “Is your visit peaceful, O seer?” He replied: “Yes! I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. So cleanse yourselves and join me today for the banquet.” He also had Jesse and his sons cleanse themselves and invited them to the sacrifice. As they came, he looked at Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed is here before him.” But the Lord said to Samuel: “Do not judge from his appearance or from his lofty stature, because I have rejected him. Not as man sees does God see, because he sees the appearance but the Lord looks into the heart.” Then Jesse called Abinadab and presented him before Samuel, who said, “The Lord has not chosen him.” Next Jesse presented Shammah, but Samuel said, “The Lord has not chosen this one either.” In the same way Jesse presented seven sons before Samuel, but Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen any one of these.” Then Samuel asked Jesse, “Are these all the sons you have?” Jesse replied, “There is still the youngest, who is tending the sheep.” Samuel said to Jesse, “Send for him; we will not begin the sacrificial banquet until he arrives here.” Jesse sent and had the young man brought to them. He was ruddy, a youth handsome to behold and making a splendid appearance. The Lord said, “There–anoint him, for this is he!” Then Samuel, with the horn of oil in hand, anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and from that day on, the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon David. When Samuel took his leave, he went to Ramah.
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 89:20, 21-22, 27-28
R/ I have found David, my servant.
- Once you spoke in a vision, and to your faithful ones you said: “On a champion I have placed a crown; over the people I have set a youth.”
- I have found David, my servant; with my holy oil I have anointed him, That my hand may be always with him, and that my arm may make him strong.”
- He shall say of me, ‘You are my father, my God, the Rock, my savior.’ And I will make him the firstborn, highest of the kings of the earth. »
Gospel Acclamation: Ephesians 1:17 18
Alleluia, alleluia. May the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ enlighten the eyes of our hearts, that we may know what is the hope that belongs to our call. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel: Mark 2:23-28
As Jesus was passing through a field of grain on the sabbath, his disciples began to make a path while picking the heads of grain. At this the Pharisees said to him, “Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the sabbath?” He said to them, “Have you never read what David did when he was in need and he and his companions were hungry? How he went into the house of God when Abiathar was high priest and ate the bread of offering that only the priests could lawfully eat, and shared it with his companions?” Then he said to them, “The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath. That is why the Son of Man is lord even of the sabbath.”
Prayer over the Offerings
Grant us, O Lord, we pray, that we may participate worthily in these mysteries, for whenever the memorial of this sacrifice is celebrated the work of our redemption is accomplished. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon: Cf. Ps 22: 5
You have prepared a table before me, and how precious is the chalice that quenches my thirst.
Prayer after Communion
Pour on us, O Lord, the Spirit of your love, and in your kindness make those you have nourished by this one heavenly Bread one in mind and heart. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
“The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.” The Pharisees felt that Jesus’ disciples should respect the law of the Sabbath rest, even if it meant they should go hungry. Jesus responded by reminding them of the instance in which David broke the Law in order to save himself and his men from starvation. Jesus thus taught them, and teaches us today, an important lesson: religious laws and observances are meaningless if they do not make us work for the welfare of people. Jesus came to save man; thus, whatever we say or do in his name should be aimed at helping ourselves and others to grow as persons. Quite often, we go to Church and at the same time we cheat, lie and oppress people around us. We attend prayer crusades and novenas, and at the same time we make life difficult for people, or we are indifferent to their plight. May the Lord give us the grace to practice true religion, and true religion brings us closer to God by bringing us closer to our neighbours.