monday 11 May 2020
St. John Houghton and Companions
He was one of the Carthusian martyrs under Henry VIII.. He was recognized as a man of sanctity even before his martyrdom. His community was a model of observance and austerity.
White
Entrance Antiphon
The Good Shepherd has risen, who laid down his life for his sheep and willingly died for his flock, alleluia.
Collect
May your right hand, O Lord, we pray, encompass your family with perpetual help, so that, defended from all wickedness by the Resurrection of your Only Begotten Son, we may make our way by means of your heavenly gifts. 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: Acts 14:5-18
Eventually with the connivance of the authorities a move was made by pagans as well as Jews to make attacks on the apostles and to stone them. When the apostles came to hear of this, they went off for safety to Lycaonia where, in the towns of Lystra and Derbe and in the surrounding country, they preached the Good News. A man sat there who had never walked in his life, because his feet were crippled from birth; and as he listened to Paul preaching, he managed to catch his eye. Seeing that the man had the faith to be cured, Paul said in a loud voice, ‘Get to your feet – stand up’, and the cripple jumped up and began to walk. When the crowd saw what Paul had done they shouted in the language of Lycaonia, ‘These people are gods who have come down to us disguised as men.’ They addressed Barnabas as Zeus, and since Paul was the principal speaker they called him Hermes. The priests of Zeus-outside-the-Gate, proposing that all the people should offer sacrifice with them, brought garlanded oxen to the gates. When the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard what was happening they tore their clothes, and rushed into the crowd, shouting, ‘Friends, what do you think you are doing? We are only human beings like you. We have come with good news to make you turn from these empty idols to the living God who made heaven and earth and the sea and all that these hold. In the past he allowed each nation to go its own way; but even then he did not leave you without evidence of himself in the good things he does for you: he sends you rain from heaven, he makes your crops grow when they should, he gives you food and makes you happy.’ Even this speech, however, was scarcely enough to stop the crowd offering them sacrifice.
Psalm 113B (115): 1-4, 15-16
R/ Not to us, Lord, but to your name give the glory.
1) Not to us, Lord, not to us, but to your name give the glory for the sake of your love and your truth, lest the heathen say: ‘Where is their God?’
2) But our God is in the heavens; he does whatever he wills. Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands.
3) May you be blessed by the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth. The heavens belong to the Lord but the earth he has given to men.
Gospel Acclamation
Alleluia, alleluia! Christ has risen and shone upon us whom he redeemed with his blood. Alleluia!
Gospel: John 14:21-26
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Anybody who receives my commandments and keeps them will be one who loves me; and anybody who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I shall love him and show myself to him.’ Judas – this was not Judas Iscariot – said to him, ‘Lord, what is all this about? Do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?’ Jesus replied: ‘If anyone loves me he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we shall come to him and make our home with him. Those who do not love me do not keep my words. And my word is not my own: it is the word of the one who sent me. I have said these things to you while still with you; but the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and remind you of all I have said to you.’
Prayer over the Offerings
May our prayers rise up to you, O Lord, together with the sacrificial offerings, so that, purified by your graciousness, we may be conformed to the mysteries of your mighty love. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon: Jn 14: 27
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you, says the Lord, alleluia.
Prayer after Communion
Almighty ever-living God, who restore us to eternal life in the Resurrection of Christ, increase in us, we pray, the fruits of this paschal Sacrament and pour into our hearts the strength of this saving food. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
Christ says in the gospel that he will “reveal” himself to those who love him. The more God is revealed to us, the greater is our capacity to love. The Father’s revelation of his love in the Person of Jesus Christ is the greatest revelation thus far. And when Christ says he will make himself known to us, he will do so tenderly, as a sweet surprise. Independently of whether the person is Christian or not, the Father manifests himself to all those who observe the commandment of Jesus which is love of neighbour. We have the promise of the gift of the Spirit to help us understand the word of Jesus. Do I invoke the light of the Spirit when I prepare myself to read and meditate on the scripture? Do I keep His word in a way that allows the Father and the Son to dwell in me continuously, or is it only certain times?