by L'équipe de publication | Jul 6, 2023 | Evangelium
SAINT Maelruain
In 769 he founded the monastery at Tallaght, in County Dublin, Ireland. Together with St Aengus he wrote a detailed Rule for the community, which is an important document in the history of early monasticism.
Entrance Antiphon: Ps 46: 2
All peoples, clap your hands. Cry to God with shouts of joy!
Collect
O God, who through the grace of adoption, chose us to be children of light; grant, we pray, that we may not be wrapped in the darkness of error but always be seen to stand in the bright light of truth. 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: Genesis 23:1-4,19,24:1-8,62-67
The length of Sarah’s life was a hundred and twenty-seven years. She died at Kiriath-arba, or Hebron, in the land of Canaan, and Abraham went in to mourn and grieve for her. Then leaving his dead, Abraham spoke to the sons of Heth: “I am a stranger and a settler among you,” he said. “Let me own a burial-plot among you, so that I may take my dead wife and bury her.” After this, Abraham buried his wife Sarah in the cave of the field of Machpelah opposite Mamre, in the country of Canaan. By now Abraham was an old man well on in years, and the Lord had blessed him in every way. Abraham said to the eldest servant of his household, the steward of all his property, “Place your hand under my thigh, I would have you swear by the Lord, God of heaven and God of earth, that you will not choose a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites among whom I live. Instead, go to my own land and my own kinsfolk to choose a wife for my son Isaac.” The servant asked him, “What if the woman does not want to come with me to this country? Must I take your son back to the country from which you came?” Abraham answered, “On no account take my son back there. The Lord, God of heaven and God of earth, took me from my father’s home, and from the land of my kinsfolk, and he swore to me that he would give this country to my descendants. He will now send his angel ahead of you, so that you may choose a wife for my son there. And if the woman does not want to come with you, you will be free from this oath of mine. Only do not take my son back there.” Isaac, who lived in the Negeb, had meanwhile come into the wilderness of the well of Lahai Roi. Now Isaac went walking in the fields as evening fell, and looking up saw camels approaching. And Rebekah looked up and saw Isaac. She jumped down from her camel, and asked the servant, “Who is that man walking through the fields to meet us?” The servant replied, “That is my master”; then she took her veil and hid her face. The servant told Isaac the whole story, and Isaac led Rebekah into his tent and made her his wife; and he loved her. And so Isaac was consoled for the loss of his mother.
Psalm 105(106):1-5
R/ O give thanks to the Lord for he is good.
O give thanks to the Lord for he is good; for his love endures for ever. Who can tell the Lord’s mighty deeds? Who can recount all his praise?
They are happy who do what is right, who at all times do what is just. O Lord, remember me out of the love you have for your people.
Come to me, Lord, with your help that I may see the joy of your chosen ones and may rejoice in the gladness of your nation and share the glory of your people.
Gospel Acclamation: Ps24:4,5
Alleluia, alleluia! Teach me your paths, my God, make me walk in your truth. Alleluia!
Gospel: Matthew 9:9-13
As Jesus was walking on, he saw a man named Matthew sitting by the customs house, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed him. While he was at dinner in the house it happened that a number of tax collectors and sinners came to sit at the table with Jesus and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your master eat with tax collectors and sinners?” When he heard this he replied, “It is not the healthy who need the doctor, but the sick. Go and learn the meaning of the words: What I want is mercy, not sacrifice. And indeed I did not come to call the virtuous, but sinners.”
Prayer over the Offerings
O God, who graciously accomplish the effects of your mysteries, grant, we pray, that the deeds by which we serve you may be worthy of these sacred gifts. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon: Cf. Ps 102: 1
Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all within me, his holy name.
Prayer after Communion
May this divine sacrifice we have offered and received fill us with life, O Lord, we pray, so that, bound to you in lasting charity, we may bear fruit that lasts for ever. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
Jesus calls Matthew, the tax collector. He calls all of us, each sitting in his own sinful comfort. Further on, he eats with the tax collectors to the great indignation of the Pharisees: “Why does your master eat with tax collectors and sinners?” And Jesus replies: “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners”. Indeed, in our darkness, let us not feel unworthy of divine mercy. Like Matthew, let us respond promptly. Let us rest our heavy burden of sin on Jesus; He has come to relieve us of them. Let us pray for our personal conversion and that of our brothers and sisters.
by L'équipe de publication | Jul 5, 2023 | Evangelium
SAINT Maria Goretti
Maria Goretti was an 11years old girl from a poor peasant family in Italy. She was naturally pious, kind, helpful and beautiful. In 1902 an eighteen-year-old neighbour, Alexander, tried to rape her. When Maria resisted, Alexander stabbed her 14 times. She forgave her murderer on her dead bed and died in the afternoon of 6th July, 1902.
Entrance Antiphon: Ps 46: 2
All peoples, clap your hands. Cry to God with shouts of joy!
Collect
O God, who through the grace of adoption, chose us to be children of light; grant, we pray, that we may not be wrapped in the darkness of error but always be seen to stand in the bright light of truth. 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: Genesis 22:1-19
God put Abraham to the test. “Abraham, Abraham” he called. “Here I am” he replied. “Take your son,” God said “your only child Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah. There you shall offer him as a burnt offering, on a mountain I will point out to you.” Rising early next morning Abraham saddled his ass and took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. He chopped wood for the burnt offering and started on his journey to the place God had pointed out to him. On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. Then Abraham said to his servants, “Stay here with the donkey. The boy and I will go over there; we will worship and come back to you.” Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering, loaded it on Isaac, and carried in his own hands the fire and the knife. Then the two of them set out together. Isaac spoke to his father Abraham, “Father” he said. “Yes, my son” he replied. “Look,” he said “here are the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” Abraham answered, “My son, God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering.” Then the two of them went on together. When they arrived at the place God had pointed out to him, Abraham built an altar there, and arranged the wood. Then he bound his son Isaac and put him on the altar on top of the wood. Abraham stretched out his hand and seized the knife to kill his son. But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven. “Abraham, Abraham” he said. “I am here” he replied. “Do not raise your hand against the boy” the angel said. “Do not harm him, for now I know you fear God. You have not refused me your son, your only son.” Then looking up, Abraham saw a ram caught by its horns in a bush. Abraham took the ram and offered it as a burnt-offering in place of his son. Abraham called this place “The Lord Provides”, and hence the saying today: On the mountain the Lord provides. The angel of the Lord called Abraham a second time from heaven. “I swear by my own self – it is the Lord who speaks – because you have done this, because you have not refused me your son, your only son, I will shower blessings on you, I will make your descendants as many as the stars of heaven and the grains of sand on the seashore. Your descendants shall gain possession of the gates of their enemies. All the nations of the earth shall bless themselves by your descendants, as a reward for your obedience.” Abraham went back to his servants, and together they set out for Beersheba, and he settled in Beersheba.
Psalm 114(116):1-6,8-9
R/ I will walk in the presence of the Lord in the land of the living.
I love the Lord for he has heard the cry of my appeal; for he turned his ear to me in the day when I called him.
They surrounded me, the snares of death, with the anguish of the tomb; they caught me, sorrow and distress. I called on the Lord’s name. O Lord, my God, deliver me!
How gracious is the Lord, and just; our God has compassion. The Lord protects the simple hearts; I was helpless so he saved me.
He has kept my soul from death, my eyes from tears and my feet from stumbling. I will walk in the presence of the Lord in the land of the living.
Gospel Acclamation: Mt11:25
Alleluia, alleluia! Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for revealing the mysteries of the kingdom to mere children. Alleluia!
Gospel: Matthew 9:1-8
Jesus got in the boat, crossed the water and came to his own town. Then some people appeared, bringing him a paralytic stretched out on a bed. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralytic, “Courage, my child, your sins are forgiven.” And at this some scribes said to themselves, “This man is blaspheming.” Knowing what was in their minds Jesus said, “Why do you have such wicked thoughts in your hearts? Now, which of these is easier to say, “Your sins are forgiven,” or to say, “Get up and walk”? But to prove to you that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins,” – he said to the paralytic – “get up, and pick up your bed and go off home.” And the man got up and went home. A feeling of awe came over the crowd when they saw this, and they praised God for giving such power to men.
Prayer over the Offerings
O God, who graciously accomplish the effects of your mysteries, grant, we pray, that the deeds by which we serve you may be worthy of these sacred gifts. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon: Cf. Ps 102: 1
Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all within me, his holy name.
Prayer after Communion
May this divine sacrifice we have offered and received fill us with life, O Lord, we pray, so that, bound to you in lasting charity, we may bear fruit that lasts for ever. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
The texts of this day edify us on the strength of the faith of others, and more so on the power of intercessory prayer. The faith of Abraham, from the very beginning, brought God’s blessing on his descendants. The paralyzed man in the Gospel is saved by the faith of the people who bring him to Jesus. Praying for one another and participating in common prayer (like the Eucharist for example), brings grace to those whose intentions we bring to the altar. Furthermore, the healing that Jesus offers is integral and touches the very root of evil that is sin. “Have faith, my child, your sins are forgiven”. Thus, to benefit from peace of body and soul requires the identification of the root of our handicap. Is it jealousy? Is it power? Money? Hatred?
by L'équipe de publication | Jul 4, 2023 | Evangelium
SAINT Antony Mary Zaccaria
He was born in Cremona in Lombardy and started by studying medicine, but soon decided to become a priest instead and was ordained in 1528. He founded a religious Congregation, the Barnabites, whose aim was the reform of the clergy and laity.
Entrance Antiphon: Ps 46: 2
All peoples, clap your hands. Cry to God with shouts of joy!
Collect
O God, who through the grace of adoption, chose us to be children of light; grant, we pray, that we may not be wrapped in the darkness of error but always be seen to stand in the bright light of truth. 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: Genesis 21:5,8-20
Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him. The child grew and was weaned, and Abraham gave a great banquet on the day Isaac was weaned. Now Sarah watched the son that Hagar the Egyptian had borne to Abraham, playing with her son Isaac. “Drive away that slave-girl and her son,” she said to Abraham; “this slave-girl’s son is not to share the inheritance with my son Isaac.” This greatly distressed Abraham because of his son, but God said to him, “Do not distress yourself on account of the boy and your slave-girl. Grant Sarah all she asks of you, for it is through Isaac that your name will be carried on. But the slave-girl’s son I will also make into a nation, for he is your child too.” Rising early next morning Abraham took some bread and a skin of water and, giving them to Hagar, he put the child on her shoulder and sent her away. She wandered off into the wilderness of Beersheba. When the skin of water was finished she abandoned the child under a bush. Then she went and sat down at a distance, about a bowshot away, saying to herself, “I cannot see the child die.” So she sat at a distance; and the child wailed and wept. But God heard the boy wailing, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven. “What is wrong, Hagar?” he asked. “Do not be afraid, for God has heard the boy’s cry where he lies. Come, pick up the boy and hold him safe, for I will make him into a great nation.” Then God opened Hagar’s eyes and she saw a well, so she went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink. God was with the boy. He grew up and made his home in the wilderness, and he became a bowman.
Psalm 33(34):7-8,10-13
R/ This poor man called; the Lord heard him.
This poor man called, the Lord heard him and rescued him from all his distress. The angel of the Lord is encamped around those who revere him, to rescue them.
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?
Gospel Acclamation: Jn14:6
Alleluia, alleluia! I am the Way, the Truth and the Life, says the Lord; No one can come to the Father except through me. Alleluia!
Gospel: Matthew 8:28-34
When Jesus reached the country of the Gadarenes on the other side of the lake, two demoniacs came towards him out of the tombs – creatures so fierce that no one could pass that way. They stood there shouting, “What do you want with us, Son of God? Have you come here to torture us before the time?” Now some distance away there was a large herd of pigs feeding, and the devils pleaded with Jesus, “If you cast us out, send us into the herd of pigs.” And he said to them, “Go then”, and they came out and made for the pigs; and at that the whole herd charged down the cliff into the lake and perished in the water. The swineherds ran off and made for the town, where they told the whole story, including what had happened to the demoniacs. At this the whole town set out to meet Jesus; and as soon as they saw him they implored him to leave the neighbourhood.
Prayer over the Offerings
O God, who graciously accomplish the effects of your mysteries, grant, we pray, that the deeds by which we serve you may be worthy of these sacred gifts. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon: Cf. Ps 102: 1
Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all within me, his holy name.
Prayer after Communion
May this divine sacrifice we have offered and received fill us with life, O Lord, we pray, so that, bound to you in lasting charity, we may bear fruit that lasts for ever. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
Jesus brings with Him a spiritual aura so strong that he does not go unnoticed. He is recognized by demons who beg him to cast them into the herd of swine. This spiritual strength is forged and strengthened through prayer and total surrender to God. But curiously, Jesus is sent away by the crowd, furious about losing the herd that is thrown into the sea. So he goes away. Being ready to leave, to accept to start again, to begin all over on new bases and to try new options is sometimes the solution to our obstacles. Let us pray for all those who have lost or lack direction; that they may set out again with Christ towards new horizons of joy and success.
by L'équipe de publication | Jul 3, 2023 | Evangelium
SAINT Elizabeth of Portugal
She was married to King Denis of Portugal, by whom she had two children. She set up hospitals, orphanages, and other institutions, patiently endured her husband’s infidelities. On her husband’s death in 1325 she retired from public affairs and devoted herself to prayer and the service of the poor
Entrance Antiphon: Ps 46: 2
All peoples, clap your hands. Cry to God with shouts of joy!
Collect
O God, who through the grace of adoption, chose us to be children of light; grant, we pray, that we may not be wrapped in the darkness of error but always be seen to stand in the bright light of truth. 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: Genesis 19:15-29
The angels urged Lot, “Come, take your wife and these two daughters of yours, or you will be overwhelmed in the punishment of the town.” And as he hesitated, the men took him by the hand, and his wife and his two daughters, because of the pity the Lord felt for him. They led him out and left him outside the town. As they were leading him out he said, “Run for your life. Neither look behind you nor stop anywhere on the plain. Make for the hills if you would not be overwhelmed.” “No, I beg you, my lord,” Lot said to them, “your servant has won your favour and you have shown great kindness to me in saving my life. But I could not reach the hills before this calamity overtook me, and death with it. The town over there is near enough to flee to, and is a little one. Let me make for that – is it not little? – and my life will be saved.” He answered, “I grant you this favour too, and will not destroy the town you speak of. Hurry, escape to it, for I can do nothing until you reach it.” That is why the town is named Zoar. As the sun rose over the land and Lot entered Zoar, the Lord rained on Sodom and Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord. He overthrew these towns and the whole plain, with all the inhabitants of the towns, and everything that grew there. But the wife of Lot looked back, and was turned into a pillar of salt. Rising early in the morning Abraham went to the place where he had stood before the Lord, and looking towards Sodom and Gomorrah, and across all the plain, he saw the smoke rising from the land, like smoke from a furnace. Thus it was that when God destroyed the towns of the plain, he kept Abraham in mind and rescued Lot out of disaster when he overwhelmed the towns where Lot lived.
Psalm 25(26):2-3,9-12
R/ Your love, O Lord, is before my eyes.
Examine me, Lord, and try me; O test my heart and my mind, for your love is before my eyes and I walk according to your truth.
Do not sweep me away with sinners, nor my life with bloodthirsty men in whose hands are evil plots, whose right hands are filled with gold.
As for me, I walk the path of perfection. Redeem me and show me your mercy. My foot stands on level ground: I will bless the Lord in the assembly.
Gospel Acclamation: Ps 147: 12
Alleluia, alleluia! O praise the Lord, Jerusalem! He sends out his word to the earth. Alleluia!
Gospel: Matthew 8:23-27
Jesus got into the boat followed by his disciples. Without warning a storm broke over the lake, so violent that the waves were breaking right over the boat. But he was asleep. So they went to him and woke him saying, “Save us, Lord, we are going down!” And he said to them, “Why are you so frightened, you men of little faith?” And with that he stood up and rebuked the winds and the sea; and all was calm again. The men were astounded and said, “Whatever kind of man is this? Even the winds and the sea obey him.”
Prayer over the Offerings
O God, who graciously accomplish the effects of your mysteries, grant, we pray, that the deeds by which we serve you may be worthy of these sacred gifts. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon: Ps 102: 1
Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all within me, his holy name.
Prayer after Communion
May this divine sacrifice we have offered and received fill us with life, O Lord, we pray, so that, bound to you in lasting charity, we may bear fruit that lasts for ever. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
The boat can symbolize our life. Jesus joins us in it every time we invite him in prayer or when he invites himself through the Holy Spirit who accompanies us. The boat passes through the sea, the seat of evil and difficulties, like the revolting waves that distress the disciples. “Lord, save us! We are lost”; this cry of distress is also ours, in the midst of our existential worries. Just as the sea will never cease to be sea in its symbolic sense, our boat remains so, with its challenges of violent winds, but also of the joy of having Christ at our side. Indeed, Jesus helps us to cross over to the other side. Even if the sea is raging, he stands up, calms the winds and gives us peace.
by L'équipe de publication | Jul 2, 2023 | Evangelium
SAINT Thomas the Apostle
Feast
Thomas the Apostle (also called Didymus which means “the twin”) was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ. He is informally called doubting Thomas because he doubted Jesus’ resurrection when first told, (in the Gospel of John), followed later by his confession of faith, “My Lord and my God”, on seeing Jesus’ wounded body.
Entrance Antiphon Cf. Ps 117: 28, 21
You are my God, and I confess you; you are my God, and I exalt you; I will thank you, for you became my Saviour.
Collect
Grant, almighty God, that we may glory in the Feast of the blessed Apostle Thomas, so that we may always be sustained by his intercession and, believing, may have life in the name of Jesus Christ your Son, whom Thomas acknowledged as the Lord. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
First reading: Ephesians 2:19-22
You are no longer aliens or foreign visitors: you are citizens like all the saints, and part of God’s household. You are part of a building that has the apostles and prophets for its foundations, and Christ Jesus himself for its main cornerstone. As every structure is aligned on him, all grow into one holy temple in the Lord; and you too, in him, are being built into a house where God lives in the Spirit.
Psalm 116:1-2
R/ Go out to the whole world; proclaim the Good News.
O praise the Lord, all you nations, acclaim him all you peoples!
Strong is his love for us; he is faithful for ever.
Gospel Acclamation : Jn20:29
Alleluia, alleluia! Jesus said: ‘You believe because you can see me. Happy are those who have not seen and yet believe.’ Alleluia!
Gospel: John 20: 24-29
Thomas, called the Twin, who was one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. When the disciples said, “We have seen the Lord”, he answered, “Unless I see the holes that the nails made in his hands and can put my finger into the holes they made, and unless I can put my hand into his side, I refuse to believe.” Eight days later the disciples were in the house again and Thomas was with them. The doors were closed, but Jesus came in and stood among them. “Peace be with you” he said. Then he spoke to Thomas, “Put your finger here; look, here are my hands. Give me your hand; put it into my side. Doubt no longer but believe.” Thomas replied, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him: “You believe because you can see me. Happy are those who have not seen and yet believe.”
Prayer over the Offerings
We render you, O Lord, the service that is your due, humbly imploring you to keep safe your gifts in us, as we honour the confession of the Apostle Saint Thomas and offer you a sacrifice of praise. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon: Cf. Jn 20: 27
Bring your hand and feel the place of the nails, and do not be unbelieving but believing.
Prayer after Communion
O God, as we truly receive in this Sacrament the Body of your Only Begotten Son, grant, we pray, that we may recognize him with the Apostle Thomas by faith as our Lord and our God and proclaim him by our deeds and by our life. Who lives and reigns for ever and ever.
Meditation
The figure of Thomas is often associated with doubt. His doubt demands empirical evidence of the resurrection of Jesus: “If I do not see in his hands the mark of the nails […] I will not believe.” So, Jesus reappears with irrefutable evidence: he speaks and the marks are all fresh: “Peace be with you […] put your finger here, and see my hands.” By this step, Thomas has made the way for us. He carried our unbelief with him. Blessed are we who believe without having seen. This faith which makes us members of the body of Christ, invites us to a true sense of belonging in our religious and parish communities. Let us quit behaving like strangers or Sunday disciples of Jesus; it is time to fully believe in him.
by L'équipe de publication | Jul 1, 2023 | Evangelium
13th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Psalter week I
He was born on the Spanish island of Mallorca, and became a Franciscan. Over a period of fifteen years he founded nine missions with about six thousand converts. He frequently came into conflict with the authorities over their treatment of the native population, but nevertheless, when he died, he was buried with full military honours. He was beatified in 1988.
Entrance Antiphon: Ps 46: 2
All peoples, clap your hands. Cry to God with shouts of joy!
Collect
O God, who through the grace of adoption, chose us to be children of light; grant, we pray, that we may not be wrapped in the darkness of error but always be seen to stand in the bright light of truth. 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: 2 Kings 4:8-11,13-16
One day as Elisha was on his way to Shunem, a woman of rank who lived there pressed him to stay and eat there. After this he always broke his journey for a meal when he passed that way. She said to her husband, “Look, I am sure the man who is constantly passing our way must be a holy man of God. Let us build him a small room on the roof, and put him a bed in it, and a table and chair and lamp; whenever he comes to us he can rest there.” One day when he came, he retired to the upper room and lay down. He said to his servant Gehazi, “Call our Shunammitess. Tell her this: “Look, you have gone to all this trouble for us, what can we do for you? Is there anything you would like said for you to the king or to the commander of the army?” But she replied, “I live with my own people about me.” “What can be done for her then?” he asked. Gehazi answered, “Well, she has no son and her husband is old.” Elisha said, “Call her.” The servant called her and she stood at the door. This time next year,” he said “you will hold a son in your arms.”
Psalm 88(89):2-3,16-19
R/ I will sing for ever of your love, O Lord.
I will sing for ever of your love, O Lord; through all ages my mouth will proclaim your truth. Of this I am sure, that your love lasts for ever, that your truth is firmly established as the heavens.
Happy the people who acclaim such a king, who walk, O Lord, in the light of your face, who find their joy every day in your name, who make your justice the source of their bliss.
For it is you, O Lord, who are the glory of their strength; by your favour it is that our might is exalted; for our ruler is in the keeping of the Lord; our king in the keeping of the Holy One of Israel.
Second reading: Romans 6:3-4,8-11
When we were baptised in Christ Jesus we were baptised in his death; in other words, when we were baptised we went into the tomb with him and joined him in death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the Father’s glory, we too might live a new life. But we believe that having died with Christ we shall return to life with him: Christ, as we know, having been raised from the dead will never die again. Death has no power over him anymore. When he died, he died, once for all, to sin, so his life now is life with God; and in that way, you too must consider yourselves to be dead to sin but alive for God in Christ Jesus.
Gospel Acclamation: cf.Ac16:14
Alleluia, alleluia! Open our heart, O Lord, to accept the words of your Son. Alleluia!
Gospel: Matthew 10:37-42
Jesus instructed the Twelve as follows: “Anyone who prefers father or mother to me is not worthy of me. Anyone who prefers son or daughter to me is not worthy of me. Anyone who does not take his cross and follow in my footsteps is not worthy of me. Anyone who finds his life will lose it; anyone who loses his life for my sake will find it. ”Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me; and those who welcome me welcome the one who sent me. “Anyone who welcomes a prophet will have a prophet’s reward; and anyone who welcomes a holy man will have a holy man’s reward. If anyone gives so much as a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is a disciple, then I tell you solemnly, he will most certainly not lose his reward.”
Prayer over the Offerings
O God, who graciously accomplish the effects of your mysteries, grant, we pray, that the deeds by which we serve you may be worthy of these sacred gifts. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon: Cf. Ps 102: 1
Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all within me, his holy name.
Prayer after Communion
May this divine sacrifice we have offered and received fill us with life, O Lord, we pray, so that, bound to you in lasting charity, we may bear fruit that lasts for ever. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
“He who loses his life for my sake will keep it”. To base our hope in Christ is the best decision. St. Paul reiterates his profession of faith when he says: “If we have passed through death with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him”. Indeed, the rich woman in the first reading had passed through the death of grief as a result of barrenness. But persevering in her hospitality towards Elisha, the holy man of God, she is rewarded with the promise of childbirth after so many years of waiting. The psalmist therefore celebrates this renewed assurance of the Lord towards those who hope in him: “your love Lord, I sing of it without end”. Let us pray to receive the graces of the Lord through the bearers of his Word of comfort.
