by L'équipe de publication | Jan 20, 2024 | Evangelium
3RD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR B
PSAlTER WEEk iii
SAINT AGNES
Green
Entrance Antiphon: Cf. Ps 95: 1, 6
O sing a new song to the Lord; sing to the Lord, all the earth. In his presence are majesty and splendour, strength and honour in his holy place.
Collect
Almighty ever-living God, direct our actions according to your good pleasure, that in the name of your beloved Son we may abound in good works. 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: Jonah 3:1-5,10
The word of the Lord was addressed to Jonah: ‘Up!’ he said ‘Go to Nineveh, the great city, and preach to them as I told you to.’ Jonah set out and went to Nineveh in obedience to the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was a city great beyond compare: it took three days to cross it. Jonah went on into the city, making a day’s journey. He preached in these words, ‘Only forty days more and Nineveh is going to be destroyed.’ And the people of Nineveh believed in God; they proclaimed a fast and put on sackcloth, from the greatest to the least. God saw their efforts to renounce their evil behaviour. And God relented: he did not inflict on them the disaster which he had threatened.
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 24(25):4-6,7b-9 R/ Lord, make me know your ways.
- Lord, make me know your ways. Lord, teach me your paths. Make me walk in your truth, and teach me: for you are God my saviour.
- Remember your mercy, Lord, and the love you have shown from of old.
- In your love remember me, because of your goodness, O Lord.
- The Lord is good and upright. He shows the path to those who stray, He guides the humble in the right path, He teaches his way to the poor.
Second reading: 1 Corinthians 7:29-31
Brothers: our time is growing short. Those who have wives should live as though they had none, and those who mourn should live as though they had nothing to mourn for; those who are enjoying life should live as though there were nothing to laugh about; those whose life is buying things should live as though they had nothing of their own; and those who have to deal with the world should not become engrossed in it. I say this because the world as we know it is passing away.
Gospel Acclamation: Mk1:15
Alleluia, alleluia! The kingdom of God is close at hand: repent, and believe the Good News. Alleluia!
Gospel: Mark 1:14-20
After John had been arrested, Jesus went into Galilee. There he proclaimed the Good News from God. ‘The time has come’ he said ‘and the kingdom of God is close at hand. Repent, and believe the Good News.’ As he was walking along by the Sea of Galilee he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net in the lake – for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, ‘Follow me and I will make you into fishers of men.’ And at once they left their nets and followed him. Going on a little further, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John; they too were in their boat, mending their nets. He called them at once and, leaving their father Zebedee in the boat with the men he employed, they went after him.
Prayer over the Offerings
Accept our offerings, O Lord, we pray, and in sanctifying them grant that they may profit us for salvation. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon: Cf. Ps 33: 6
Look toward the Lord and be radiant; let your faces not be abashed.
Prayer after Communion
Grant, we pray, almighty God, that, receiving the grace by which you bring us to new life, we may always glory in your gift. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
Christ came to earth to free humanity from sin and restore our relationship with God. This act of love explains to us the permanence of God’s love for us humans. After the fall of our first parents, Adam and Eve, God did not abandon us. God promised from the beginning to save humanity from the evil one. In the Gospel, God calls us to repent and change. God is faithful, and this call seems always to be coming to us and inviting a response. Today we are to consider our call to follow Jesus and proclaim the kingdom of God. God is always faithful to us in unconditional love that keeps gently pulling us towards Godself with the sole requirement: “The kingdom of God is close at hand. Repent, and believe the Good News” In other words, Jesus is telling you and me, “repent, believe and embrace this good news of my unconditional love for you.”
by L'équipe de publication | Jan 20, 2024 | Evangelium
BlESSED CYPRIAN MICHAEL IWENE TANSI, PRiEST
SAinT FABIEN, POPE AnD MARTYR
SAinT SEBASTiAn, MARTYR,
Green/Red/White
Father Cyprian Michael Iwene Tansi was born in Nigeria in 1903. He was brought up by the Holy Ghost Fathers (Spiritans) and trained as a teacher and a catechist. Later he decided to join the seminary and in 1937 he was ordained a priest. In 1950 he left his Diocese in order to go to England where he joined the Cistercian Abbey of Mount St Bernard, near Nottingham. He had been singled out as the ideal candidate to be trained in England and then return to establish a Trappist Monastery in the Diocese of Onitsha in Nigeria. Fr Tansi lived the monastic life with great faith and humility.
Entrance Antiphon
Where brothers unite to glorify God, there the Lord will give blessing.
Collect
O God, in the priest Blessed Cyprian Michael Iwene Tansi you joined the apostolic zeal of a pastor to the way of life of a monk. Grant us by his intercession that persevering in prayer, we seek untiringly the coming of your kingdom. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son and our elder brother, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
First reading : 2 Samuel 1:1-4,11-12,17,19,23-27
David returned from his rout of the Amalekites and spent two days in Ziklag. On the third day a man came from the camp where Saul had been, his garments torn and earth on his head. When he came to David, he fell to the ground and did homage. ‘Where do you come from?’ David asked him. ‘I have escaped from the Israelite camp’ he said. David said to him, ‘What happened? Tell me.’ He replied, ‘The people have fled from the battlefield and many of them have fallen. Saul and his son Jonathan are dead too.’ Then David took hold of his garments and tore them, and all the men with him did the same. They mourned and wept and fasted until the evening for Saul and his son Jonathan, for the people of The Lord and for the House of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword. Then David made this lament over Saul and his son Jonathan. Alas, the glory of Israel has been slain on your heights! How did the heroes fall? Saul and Jonathan loved and lovely, neither in life, nor in death, were divided. Swifter than eagles were they, stronger were they than lions. O daughters of Israel, weep for Saul who clothed you in scarlet and fine linen, who set brooches of gold on your garments. How did the heroes fall in the thick of the battle? O Jonathan, in your death I am stricken, I am desolate for you, Jonathan my brother. Very dear to me you were, your love to me more wonderful than the love of a woman. How did the heroes fall and the battle armour fail?
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 79:2-3,5-7
R/ Let your face shine on us, O Lord, and we shall be saved.
- O shepherd of Israel, hear us, you who lead Joseph’s flock, shine forth from your cherubim throne upon Ephraim, Benjamin, Manasseh. O Lord, rouse up your might, O Lord, come to our help.
- Lord God of hosts, how long will you frown on your people’s plea? You have fed them with tears for their bread, an abundance of tears for their drink. You have made us the taunt of our neighbours, our enemies laugh us to scorn.
Gospel : Mark 3:20-21
Jesus went home, and once more such a crowd collected that they could not even have a meal. When his relatives heard of this, they set out to take charge of him, convinced he was out of his mind.
Prayer over the Offerings
Receive, O Lord, we pray, the offerings made for the salvation of your people, so that through the intercession of blessed Cyprian Michael we may flee the enticements of sin and draw near to the company of heaven. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon
Those who keep God’s word with a good and perfect heart patiently bring forth fruit.
Prayer after Communion
Grant our request, we pray, O Lord our God, that, defended by the protection of blessed Cyprian Michael, we may live by this Sacrament of your wisdom in serenity and moderation. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
Some students secondary and high school, who try to be prayerful and refuse to indulge themselves in useless activities, get ridiculed by their peers. Some are nicknamed “Holy Maria” or “St Joseph”. Jesus experienced more than ridicule. He was greatly misunderstood. Even his own family thought he was out of his mind. This is because he was disturbingly different: healing the sick, forgiving sinners, associating with outcasts, spending whole nights at prayer. He didn’t have any home of his own. He claimed God as his Father and he challenged the religious leaders of his day. He taught people to love their enemies and to do good to those who hurt them. He calls us to take the lowest place where the world encourages us to strive for success and praise. He basically goes against the current by the call to holiness. The qualities he seeks to form in us go against the world and expose us to ridicule. We are blessed if we have a share in the ridicule he experienced.
by L'équipe de publication | Jan 18, 2024 | Evangelium
Bl ANDREW OF PESCHIERA OP (1400 – 1485)
Green
Blessed Andrew was born at Peschiera, Italy in 1400 and entered the Dominican Order in a reformed priory of the Congregation of Lombardy. Itinerant preaching was his life’s ministry, especially in the Valtelline region of the Italian Alps where he labored for forty- five years. Traveling on foot and living with the poor, he reconciled many to Christ. He died at the priory of Morbegno on January 18, 1485.
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, one God, for ever and ever
First reading: 1 Samuel 24:3-21
Saul took three thousand men chosen from the whole of Israel and went in search of David and his men east of the Rocks of the Wild Goats. He came to the sheepfolds along the route where there was a cave, and went in to cover his feet. Now David and his men were sitting in the recesses of the cave; David’s men said to him, Today is the day of which the Lord said to you, “I will deliver your enemy into your power, do what you like with him.”’ David stood up and, unobserved, cut off the border of Saul’s cloak. Afterwards David reproached himself for having cut off the border of Saul’s cloak. He said to his men, ‘The Lord preserve me from doing such a thing to my lord and raising my hand against him, for he is the anointed of the Lord.’ David gave his men strict instructions, forbidding them to attack Saul. Saul then left the cave and went on his way. After this, David too left the cave and called after Saul, ‘My lord king!’ Saul looked behind him and David bowed to the ground and did homage. Then David said to Saul, ‘Why do you listen to the men who say to you, “David means to harm you”? Why, your own eyes have seen today how the Lord put you in my power in the cave and how I refused to kill you, but spared you. “I will not raise my hand against my lord,” I said “for he is the anointed of the Lord.” O my father, see, look at the border of your cloak in my hand. Since I cut off the border of your cloak, yet did not kill you, you must acknowledge frankly that there is neither malice nor treason in my mind. I have not offended against you, yet you hunt me down to take my life. May the Lord be judge between me and you, and may the Lord avenge me on you; but my hand shall not be laid on you. (As the old proverb says: Wickedness goes out from the wicked, and my hand will not be laid on you.) On whose trail has the king of Israel set out? On whose trail are you in hot pursuit? On the trail of a dead dog! On the trail of a single flea! May the Lord be the judge and decide between me and you; may he take up my cause and defend it and give judgement for me, freeing me from your power.’ When David had finished saying these words to Saul, Saul said, ‘Is that your voice, my son David?’ And Saul wept aloud. ‘You are a more upright man than I,’ he said to David ‘for you have repaid me with good while I have repaid you with evil. Today you have crowned your goodness towards me since the Lord had put me in your power yet you did not kill me. When a man comes on his enemy, does he let him go unmolested? May the Lord reward you for the goodness you have shown me today. Now I know you will indeed reign and that the sovereignty in Israel will be secure in your hands.’
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 56(57):2-4,6,11 R/ Have mercy on me, God, have mercy.
- Have mercy on me, God, have mercy for in you my soul has taken refuge In the shadow of your wings I take refuge till the storms of destruction pass by.
- I call to God the Most High, to God who has always been my help. May he send from heaven and save me and shame those who assail me.
- O God, arise above the heavens; may your glory shine on earth! for your love reaches to the heavens and your truth to the skies.
Gospel Acclamation: cf.2Th2:14
Alleluia, alleluia! Through the Good News God called us to share the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Alleluia!
Gospel: Mark 3:13-19
Jesus went up into the hills and summoned those he wanted. So they came to him and he appointed twelve; they were to be his companions and to be sent out to preach, with power to cast out devils. And so he appointed the Twelve: Simon to whom he gave the name Peter, James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James, to whom he gave the name Boanerges or ‘Sons of Thunder’; then Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, the man who was to betray him.
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
Jesus picked some of the most unlikely folks to convert the world. If it were left to us to choose the first apostles, we might have been put off by the apparent lack of qualification of simple fishermen. But Jesus saw beyond their frailties and rough exteriors. He saw in these uncultured, uneducated working men hearts that truly wanted to serve God. He called them to be with him. Transformed by his Spirit they went out boldly to proclaim the name of Jesus. Jesus is calling each of us. If we agree to spend time enough with him he will empower us as he did the apostles.
by L'équipe de publication | Jan 17, 2024 | Evangelium
SAinT VOLUSIAN
GREEN
Bishop of Tours, France. A senator at Tours, he was initially married, supposedly to a most unpleasant wife. Named bishop of the city in 488, he was forced to leave the see in 496 by the Arian Visigoths, and went to Spain. He died perhaps in Toulouse, or in Spain, possibly as a martyr.
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, one God, for ever and ever.
First reading: 1 Samuel 18:6-9,19:1-7
On their way back, as David was returning after killing the Philistine, the women came out to meet King Saul from all the towns of Israel, singing and dancing to the sound of tambourine and lyre and cries of joy; and as they danced the women sang: ‘Saul has killed his thousands, and David his tens of thousands.’ Saul was very angry; the incident was not to his liking. ‘They have given David the tens of thousands,’ he said ‘but me only the thousands; he has all but the kingship now.’ And Saul turned a jealous eye on David from that day forward. Saul told Jonathan his son and all his servants of his intention to kill David. Now Jonathan, Saul’s son, held David in great affection; and so Jonathan warned David; ‘My father Saul is looking for a way to kill you,’ he said ‘so be on your guard tomorrow morning; hide away in some secret place. Then I will go out and keep my father company in the fields where you are hiding, and will talk to my father about you; I will find out what the situation is and let you know.’ So Jonathan spoke well of David to Saul his father; he said, ‘Let not the king sin against his servant David, for he has not sinned against you, and what he has done has been greatly to your advantage. He took his life in his hands when he killed the Philistine, and the Lord brought about a great victory for all Israel. You saw it yourself and rejoiced; why then sin against innocent blood in killing David without cause?’ Saul was impressed by Jonathan’s words and took an oath, ‘As the Lord lives, I will not kill him.’ Jonathan called David and told him all these things. Then Jonathan brought him to Saul, and David attended on him as before.
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 55(56):2-3,9-14 R/ In God I trust: I shall not fear.
- Have mercy on me, God, men crush me; they fight me all day long and oppress me. My foes crush me all day long, for many fight proudly against me.
- You have kept an account of my wanderings; you have kept a record of my tears; (are they not written in your book?) Then my foes will be put to flight on the day that I call to you.
- This I know, that God is on my side. In God, whose word I praise, in the Lord whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not fear; what can mortal man do to me?
- I am bound by the vows I have made you. O God, I will offer you praise for you have rescued my soul from death, you kept my feet from stumbling that I may walk in the presence of God and enjoy the light of the living.
Gospel Acclamation: cf.Jn6:63,68
Alleluia, alleluia! Your words are spirit, Lord, and they are life; you have the message of eternal life. Alleluia!
Gospel: Mark 3:7-12
Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the lakeside, and great crowds from Galilee followed him. From Judaea, Jerusalem, Idumaea, Transjordania and the region of Tyre and Sidon, great numbers who had heard of all he was doing came to him. And he asked his disciples to have a boat ready for him because of the crowd, to keep him from being crushed. For he had cured so many that all who were afflicted in any way were crowding forward to touch him. And the unclean spirits, whenever they saw him, would fall down before him and shout, ‘You are the Son of God!’ But he warned them strongly not to make him known.
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
Jesus captivated the crowds. Huge crowds urgently sought him. He attracted crowds for a simple reason. He cared. They recognised his compassion and affection for everyone—the sick, the lost, the lonely, the homeless, the needy — and he never turned anyone away. Look at how people rush around him to touch him thinking he will give them power. People believed Jesus wanted to heal body, mind, and spirit and had time for them. People ran to Jesus because those who had experienced his healing love testified that Messiah had come to answer humanity’s needs and alleviate their burden. Even demons recognise him now. They did so because they knew and feared him. Jesus rejected their confession because accepting Jesus without repentance and transformation is worthless to God. Thus, Jesus exposes himself as the Messiah who conquers evil and builds a spiritual kingdom. Sharing God’s favours and miracles will draw many to Jesus today.
by L'équipe de publication | Jan 16, 2024 | Evangelium
SAinT ANTONY,ABBOT
(251 – 356)
MEMORiAl
White
St Antony is the originator of the monastic life. He was born in Egypt: when his parents died, he listened to the words of the Gospel and gave all his belongings to the poor. He lived to be over a hundred years old, and died in 356.
Entrance Antiphon : Cf. Ps 91: 13-14
The just will flourish like the palm tree, and grow like a Lebanon cedar, planted in the house of the Lord, in the courts of the house of our God.
Collect
O God, who brought the Abbot Saint Anthony to serve you by a wondrous way of life in the desert, grant, through his intercession, that, denying ourselves, we may always love you above all things. 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 Samuel 17: 32-33, 37, 40-51
David said to Saul, ‘Let no-one lose heart on his account; your servant will go and fight the Philistine.’ But Saul answered David, ‘You cannot go and fight the Philistine; you are only a boy and he has been a warrior from his youth.’ ‘The Lord who rescued me from the claws of lion and bear’ David said ‘will rescue me from the power of this Philistine.’ Then Saul said to David, ‘Go, and the Lord be with you!’ He took his staff in his hand, picked five smooth stones from the river bed, put them in his shepherd’s bag, in his pouch, and with his sling in his hand he went to meet the Philistine. The Philistine, his shield-bearer in front of him, came nearer and nearer to David; and the Philistine looked at David, and what he saw filled him with scorn, because David was only a youth, a boy of fresh complexion and pleasant bearing. The Philistine said to him, ‘Am I a dog for you to come against me with sticks?’ And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. The Philistine said to David, ‘Come over here and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field.’ But David answered the Philistine, ‘You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord of Hosts, the God of the armies of Israel that you have dared to insult. Today the Lord will deliver you into my hand and I shall kill you; I will cut off your head, and this very day I will give your dead body and the bodies of the Philistine army to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, so that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, and that all this assembly may know that it is not by sword or by spear that the Lord gives the victory, for the Lord is lord of the battle and he will deliver you into our power.’ No sooner had the Philistine started forward to confront David than David left the line of battle and ran to meet the Philistine. Putting his hand in his bag, he took out a stone and slung it and struck the Philistine on the forehead; the stone penetrated his forehead and he fell on his face to the ground. Thus David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone and struck the Philistine down and killed him. David had no sword in his hand. Then David ran and, standing over the Philistine, seized his sword and drew it from the scabbard, and with this he killed him, cutting off his head. The Philistines saw that their champion was dead, and took to flight.
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm143(144): 1-2, 9-10 R/ Blessed be the Lord, my rock.
- Blessed be the Lord, my rock, who trains my arms for battle, who prepares my hands for war.
- He is my love, my fortress; he is my stronghold, my savior my shield, my place of refuge. He brings peoples under my rule.
- To you, O God, will I sing a new song; I will play on the ten-stringed lute to you who give kings their victory, who set David your servant free.
Gospel Acclamation : Heb4:12
Alleluia, alleluia! The word of God is something alive and active: it can judge secret emotions and thoughts Alleluia!
Gospel : Mark 3:1-6
Jesus went into a synagogue, and there was a man there who had a withered hand. And they were watching him to see if he would cure him on the sabbath day, hoping for something to use against him. He said to the man with the withered hand, ‘Stand up out in the middle!’ Then he said to them, ‘Is it against the law on the sabbath day to do good, or to do evil; to save life, or to kill?’ But they said nothing. Then, grieved to find them so obstinate, he looked angrily round at them, and said to the man, ‘Stretch out your hand.’ He stretched it out and his hand was better. The Pharisees went out and at once began to plot with the Herodians against him, discussing how to destroy him.
Prayer over the Offerings
May these offerings of our service, placed on your altar in commemoration of Saint Anthony, be acceptable to you, O Lord, we pray, and grant that, released from earthly attachments, we may have our riches in you alone. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon : Cf. Mt 19: 21
If you would be perfect, go, sell what you have, give to the poor, and follow me, says the Lord.
Prayer after Communion
Nourished for our healing by your Sacraments, O Lord, may we escape every snare of the enemy unharmed, just as by your grace Saint Anthony won glorious victories over the powers of darkness. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
In the Gospel, we see the Pharisees whose understanding of religion and scrupulous observance of the Sabbath code deprives healing and life of their people. In Jewish law, it was permitted to heal on the Sabbath day if life was threatened. But the man with the paralysed hand was not in any danger of death, so Jesus’ opponents could accuse him of breaking the law. However, the law was originally meant to help people to do God’s will. By Jesus’ time a multitude of traditions had made the law more prohibitive. By interpreting the law so strictly like the Pharisees did, Jesus’ opponents missed the opportunity to do good. And that is tantamount to doing evil! Properly interpreted the law cannot stand in the way of God’s benefits. Jesus gave his opponents a sign of God’s power by healing the man.
by L'équipe de publication | Jan 15, 2024 | Evangelium
SAinT FuRSA (- c.650)
Green/White
He was an Irish monk who did much to establish Christianity throughout the British Isles and particularly in East Anglia, at a time when a high Christian civilization existed in Ireland but had been largely wiped out elsewhere.
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, one God, for ever and ever.
First reading : 1 Samuel 16:1-13
The Lord said to Samuel, ‘How long will you go on mourning over Saul when I
have rejected him as king of Israel? Fill your horn with oil and go. I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem, for I have chosen myself a king among his sons.’ Samuel replied, ‘How can I go? When Saul hears of it he will kill me.’ Then the Lord said, ‘Take a heifer with you and say, “I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.” Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and then I myself will tell you what you must do; you must anoint to me the one I point out to you.’ Samuel did what the Lord ordered and went to Bethlehem. The elders of the town came trembling to meet him and asked, ‘Seer, have you come with good intentions towards us?’ ‘Yes,’ he replied ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Purify yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice.’ He purified Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice. When they arrived, he caught sight of Eliab and thought, ‘Surely the Lord’s anointed one stands there before him’, but the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Take no notice of his appearance or his height for I have rejected him; God does not see as man sees; man looks at appearances but the Lord looks at the heart.’ Jesse then called Abinadab and presented him to Samuel, who said, ‘The Lord has not chosen this one either.’ Jesse then presented Shammah, but Samuel said, ‘The Lord has not chosen this one either.’ Jesse presented his seven sons to Samuel, but Samuel said to Jesse, ‘The Lord has not chosen these.’ He then asked Jesse, ‘Are these all the sons you have?’ He answered, ‘There is still one left, the youngest; he is out looking after the sheep.’ Then Samuel said to Jesse, ‘Send for him; we will not sit down to eat until he comes.’ Jesse had him sent for, a boy of fresh complexion, with fine eyes and pleasant bearing. The Lord said, ‘Come, anoint him, for this is the one.’ At this, Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him where he stood with his brothers; and the spirit of the Lord seized on David and stayed with him from that day on. As for Samuel, he rose and went to Ramah.
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 88(89) : 20-22, 27-28 R/ I have found David, my servant.
- Of old you spoke in a vision. To your friends the prophets you said: ‘I have set the crown on a warrior, I have exalted one chosen from the people.
- ‘I have found David my servant and with my holy oil anointed him. My hand shall always be with him and my arm shall make him strong.
- ‘He will say to me: “You are my father, my God, the rock who saves me.” And I will make him my first-born, the highest of the kings of the earth.’
Gospel Acclamation : Ps118:18
Alleluia, alleluia! Open my eyes, O Lord, that I may consider the wonders of your law. Alleluia!
Gospel : Mark 2:23-28
One sabbath day, Jesus happened to be taking a walk through the cornfields, and his disciples began to pick ears of corn as they went along. And the Pharisees said to him, ‘Look, why are they doing something on the sabbath day that is forbidden?’ And he replied, ‘Did you never read what David did in his time of need when he and his followers were hungry – how he went into the house of God when Abiathar was high priest, and ate the loaves of offering which only the priests are allowed to eat, and how he also gave some to the men with him? ‘And he said to them, ‘The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath; the Son of Man is master 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
Jesus once again reminds the Pharisees of what true religion consists of. It is not by merely meticulously keeping the rules and regulations of the Church. Nor is it just in attending worship on Sundays and refraining from work. Nor is it in just saying my prayers and reading my bible daily. Does it mean that all those things are unnecessary? Not at all! It simply means that love, compassion, forgiveness and service are at the heart of Christianity. And when these things are lacking, our religious practices become sterile. The Lord makes the same point in the First Reading when he reminds Samuel that he does not judge by physical appearance but looks at the heart. Therein lies the true devotion to God, which manifests itself in service to the brethren – especially to the needy, the abandoned and the downtrodden. How can one call himself a Christian when he leaves a wounded man on the road while hurrying to Church when he can assist? When that sacred period is used to attend to an emergency that saves a life, it demonstrates that the
Sabbath is made for man, not man for the Sabbath
