by L'équipe de publication | Jun 30, 2023 | Evangelium
Blessed Junipero Serra
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: Cf. Ps 27: 8-9
The Lord is the strength of his people, a saving refuge for the one he has anointed. Save your people, Lord, and bless your heritage, and govern them forever.
Collect
Grant, O Lord, that we may always revere and love your holy name, for you never deprive of your guidance those you set firm on the foundation of your love. 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 18:1-15
The Lord appeared to Abraham at the Oak of Mamre while he was sitting by the entrance of the tent during the hottest part of the day. He looked up, and there he saw three men standing near him. As soon as he saw them he ran from the entrance of the tent to meet them, and bowed to the ground. “My lord,” he said “I beg you, if I find favour with you, kindly do not pass your servant by. A little water shall be brought; you shall wash your feet and lie down under the tree. Let me fetch a little bread and you shall refresh yourselves before going further. That is why you have come in your servant’s direction.” They replied, “Do as you say.” Abraham hastened to the tent to find Sarah.” “Hurry,” he said “knead three bushels of flour and make loaves.” Then running to the cattle Abraham took a fine and tender calf and gave it to the servant, who hurried to prepare it. Then taking cream, milk and the calf he had prepared, he laid all before them, and they ate while he remained standing near them under the tree. “Where is your wife Sarah?” they asked him. “She is in the tent” he replied. Then his guest said, “I shall visit you again next year without fail, and your wife will then have a son.” Sarah was listening at the entrance of the tent behind him. Now Abraham and Sarah were old, well on in years, and Sarah had ceased to have her monthly periods. So Sarah laughed to herself, thinking, “Now that I am past the age of child-bearing, and my husband is an old man, is pleasure to come my way again!” But the Lord asked Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, “Am I really going to have a child now that I am old?” Is anything too wonderful for the Lord? At the same time next year I shall visit you again and Sarah will have a son.” “I did not laugh” Sarah said, lying because she was afraid. But he replied, “Oh yes, you did laugh.”
Psalm Luke 1:46-50,53-55
R/ The Lord remembered his mercy.
My soul glorifies the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God, my Saviour.
He looks on his servant in her nothingness; henceforth all ages will call me blessed. The Almighty works marvels for me. Holy his name!
His mercy is from age to age, on those who fear him. He fills the starving with good things, sends the rich away empty.
He protects Israel, his servant, remembering his mercy, the mercy promised to our fathers, to Abraham and his sons for ever.
Gospel Acclamation: cf.2Tim1:10
Alleluia, alleluia! Our Saviour Jesus Christ abolished death and he has proclaimed life through the Good News. Alleluia!
Gospel: Matthew 8:5-17
When Jesus went into Capernaum a centurion came up and pleaded with him. “Sir,” he said “my servant is lying at home paralysed, and in great pain.” “I will come myself and cure him” said Jesus. The centurion replied, “Sir, I am not worthy to have you under my roof; just give the word and my servant will be cured. For I am under authority myself, and have soldiers under me; and I say to one man: Go, and he goes; to another: Come here, and he comes; to my servant: Do this, and he does it.” When Jesus heard this he was astonished and said to those following him, “I tell you solemnly, nowhere in Israel have I found faith like this. And I tell you that many will come from east and west to take their places with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob at the feast in the kingdom of heaven; but the subjects of the kingdom will be turned out into the dark, where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth.” And to the centurion Jesus said, “Go back, then; you have believed, so let this be done for you.” And the servant was cured at that moment. And going into Peter’s house Jesus found Peter’s mother-in-law in bed with fever. He touched her hand and the fever left her, and she got up and began to wait on him. That evening they brought him many who were possessed by devils. He cast out the spirits with a word and cured all who were sick. This was to fulfil the prophecy of Isaiah: He took our sicknesses away and carried our diseases for us.
Prayer over the Offerings
Receive, O Lord, the sacrifice of conciliation, and praise, and grant that, cleansed by its action, we may make offering of a heart pleasing to you. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon: Ps 144: 15
The eyes of all look to you, Lord, and you give them their food in due season.
Prayer after Communion
Renewed and nourished by the Sacred Body and Precious Blood of your Son, we ask of your mercy, O Lord, that what we celebrate with constant devotion may be our sure pledge of redemption. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
Today’s readings lead us to meditate on three points: 1. Identifying the Lord along the way. Abraham and the centurion did so, each in his own context. In the same way, let us recognize Christ in the perpetual journey with us, both in our life of faith and in our brothers and sisters. 2. Welcoming the Lord, each in his own way. Abraham kneads flour, Peter welcomes Jesus into his home, the centurion says these humble words that we meditate on at each Eucharist: “I am not worthy to receive you…” This is an invitation to listen to the word in humility of heart, and to daily benevolence. 3. Giving thanks. The Magnificat is a response to the promise of conception made to Abraham and Sarah. In the same way, let us bear witness to the wonders of God in our lives. And in so doing, never forget to manifest your thanksgiving to God for his gifts to you.
by L'équipe de publication | Jun 29, 2023 | Evangelium
THE FIRST MARTYRS OF THE SEE OF ROME
When the city of Rome had been devastated by fire in the year 64, the emperor Nero launched a persecution against the Christians, who were thrown to the wild beasts in the arena or soaked in tar and used as living torches. Their deaths are documented in the writings of the Roman historian Tacitus and in Pope St Clement’s letter to the Corinthians.
Entrance Antiphon: Cf. Ps 27: 8-9
The Lord is the strength of his people, a saving refuge for the one he has anointed. Save your people, Lord, and bless your heritage, and govern them for ever.
Collect
Grant, O Lord, that we may always revere and love your holy name, for you never deprive of your guidance those you set firm on the foundation of your love. 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 17: 1, 9-10, 15-22
When Abram was ninety-nine years old the Lord appeared to him and said, “I am El Shaddai. Bear yourself blameless in my presence, and I will make a Covenant between myself and you. You on your part shall maintain my Covenant, yourself and your descendants after you, generation after generation. Now this is my Covenant which you are to maintain between myself and you, and your descendants after you: all your males must be circumcised. God said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her Sarai, but Sarah. I will bless her and moreover give you a son by her. I will bless her and nations shall come out of her; kings of peoples shall descend from her.” Abraham bowed to the ground, and he laughed, thinking to himself, “Is a child to be born to a man one hundred years old, and will Sarah have a child at the age of ninety?” Abraham said to God, “Oh, let Ishmael live in your presence!” But God replied, “No, but your wife Sarah shall bear you a son whom you are to name Isaac. With him I will establish my Covenant, a Covenant in perpetuity, to be his God and the God of his descendants after him. For Ishmael too I grant you your request: I bless him and I will make him fruitful and greatly increased in numbers. He shall be the father of twelve princes, and I will make him into a great nation. But my Covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear you at this time next year.” When he had finished speaking to Abraham God went up from him.
Psalm 127 (128): 1-5
R/ Indeed the man shall be blessed, the man who fears the Lord.
O blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways! By the labour of your hands you shall eat. You will be happy and prosper.
Your wife will be like a fruitful vine in the heart of your house; your children like shoots of the olive, around your table.
Indeed thus shall be blessed the man who fears the Lord. May the Lord bless you from Zion all the days of your life!
Gospel Acclamation: Ps 144: 13
Alleluia, alleluia! The Lord is faithful in all his words and loving in all his deeds. Alleluia!
Gospel: Matthew 8: 1-4
After Jesus had come down from the mountain large crowds followed him. A leper now came up and bowed low in front of him. “Sir,” he said, “if you want to, you can cure me.” Jesus stretched out his hand, touched him and said, “Of course I want to! Be cured!” And his leprosy was cured at once. Then Jesus said to him, “Mind you do not tell anyone, but go and show yourself to the priest and make the offering prescribed by Moses, as evidence for them.”
Prayer over the Offerings
Receive, O Lord, the sacrifice of conciliation and praise, and grant that, cleansed by its action, we may make offering of a heart pleasing to you. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon: Ps 144: 15
The eyes of all look to you, Lord, and you give them their food in due season.
Prayer after Communion
Renewed and nourished by the Sacred Body and Precious Blood of your Son, we ask of your mercy, O Lord, that what we celebrate with constant devotion may be our sure pledge of redemption. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
Lepers in Israel, as in the entire ancient world, were banished from the community of men. They had to stay outside the city and could at most beg at the gates. But today, Jesus extends his hand. He touches the untouchable and breaks all taboos. He wants the man to feel a brotherly hand placed on him. And here is the leper who hears in the depths of his being these words whispered by Jesus: “I want it, be cleansed!” A single word from Christ is enough to erase all suffering, to reconnect man to his society. This Word remains ever-powerful today, because if Jesus wants it now, he can cure us of our leprosy: leprosy of the heart, of intelligence, of rejection, of intolerance, of irony. From all this, Lord, if you want, you can heal us. This is our bold and confident prayer for this day.
by L'équipe de publication | Jun 28, 2023 | Evangelium
SAINTS PETER AND PAUL, Apostles
Feast
Two pillars of our faith: Peter’s original name was Simon. Christ Himself gave him the name Cephas or Peter (rock) when they first met and later confirmed it. The first Pope, Peter is the Prince of the Apostles.
Converted from Judaism, Paul did much to advance Christianity among the gentiles, and is considered one of the primary sources of early Church doctrine.
Entrance Antiphon
These are the ones who, living in the flesh, planted the Church with their blood; they drank the chalice of the Lord and became the friends of God.
Collect
O God, who on the Solemnity of the Apostles Peter and Paul, give us the noble and holy joy of this day, grant, we pray, that your Church may, in all things, follow the teaching of those through whom she received the beginnings of right religion. 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 12:1-11
King Herod started persecuting certain members of the Church. He beheaded James the brother of John, and when he saw that this pleased the Jews, he decided to arrest Peter as well. This was during the days of Unleavened Bread, and he put Peter in prison, assigning four squads of four soldiers each to guard him in turns. Herod meant to try Peter in public after the end of Passover week. All the time Peter was under guard the Church prayed to God for him unremittingly. On the night before Herod was to try him, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, fastened with double chains, while guards kept watch at the main entrance to the prison. Then suddenly the angel of the Lord stood there, and the cell was filled with light. He tapped Peter on the side and woke him. “Get up!” he said. “Hurry!” – and the chains fell from his hands. The angel then said, “Put on your belt and sandals.” After he had done this, the angel next said, “Wrap your cloak round you and follow me.” Peter followed him, but had no idea that what the angel did was all happening in reality; he thought he was seeing a vision. They passed through two guard posts one after the other, and reached the iron gate leading to the city. This opened of its own accord; they went through it and had walked the whole length of one street when suddenly the angel left him. It was only then that Peter came to himself. “Now I know it is all true”, he said. “The Lord really did send his angel and has saved me from Herod and from all that the Jewish people were so certain would happen to me.”
Psalm 33:2-9
R/ From all my terrors the Lord set me free.
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.
Glorify the Lord with me. Together let us praise his name. I sought the Lord and he answered me; from all my terrors he set me free.
Look towards him and be radiant; let your faces not be abashed. 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. Taste and see that the Lord is good. He is happy who seeks refuge in him.
Second reading: 2 Timothy 4: 6-8, 17-18
My life is already being poured away as a libation, and the time has come for me to be gone. I have fought the good fight to the end; I have run the race to the finish; I have kept the faith; all there is to come now is the crown of righteousness reserved for me, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to me on that Day; and not only to me but to all those who have longed for his appearing. The Lord stood by me and gave me power, so that through me the whole message might be proclaimed for all the pagans to hear; and so I was rescued from the lion’s mouth. The Lord will rescue me from all evil attempts on me, and bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Gospel Acclamation: Mt 16: 18
Alleluia, alleluia! You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church. And the gates of the underworld can never hold out against it. Alleluia!
Gospel: Matthew 16: 13-19
When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi he put this question to his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” And they said, “Some say he is John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” “But you,” he said, “who do you say I am?” Then Simon Peter spoke up, “You are the Christ,” he said, “the Son of the living God.” Jesus replied, “Simon son of Jonah, you are a happy man! Because it was not flesh and blood that revealed this to you but my Father in heaven. So I now say to you: You are Peter and on this rock I will build my Church. And the gates of the underworld can never hold out against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven: whatever you bind on earth shall be considered bound in heaven; whatever you loose on earth shall be considered loosed in heaven.”
Prayer over the Offerings
May the prayer of the Apostles, O Lord, accompany the sacrificial gift that we present to your name for consecration, and may their intercession make us devoted to you in celebration of the sacrifice. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon: Cf. Mt 16: 16, 18
Peter said to Jesus: You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus replied: You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church.
Prayer after Communion
Grant us, O Lord, who have been renewed by this Sacrament, so to live in the Church, that, persevering in the breaking of the Bread and in the teaching of the Apostles, we may be one heart and one soul, made steadfast in your love. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
St. Peter and St. Paul are the foundations of the early church and, therefore, of our Christian faith. “The Son of Man, who is he, according to what men say?” Pope Francis warns, “We can walk all we want, we can build many things, but if we don’t confess to Jesus, then something is wrong. We will end up being a welfare NGO, but not the Church, the bride of the Lord. We see this every day: the Jesus we believe in is mocked, insulted and maligned. He has become the favourite subject of mockers. But nothing should stop the proclamation of the Gospel. As in the days of Peter and Paul, the Lord counts on our faith. And it is on this faith that he wants to build his Church today. The faith of Christians today can lead many souls to Christ as the Gospel proclaims. If we are Christians, it is because others raised the standards and placed us before God. The challenges may be many in our society, indifferent or hostile to faith today. But let us not be lukewarm Christians.
by L'équipe de publication | Jun 27, 2023 | Evangelium
SAINT IRENAEUS
Irenaeus was born in Smyrna, (now Izmir in Turkey) and emigrated to Lyons, in France, where he eventually became the bishop. Irenaeus fought against many heresies especially the Gnostics and Valentinians.
Entrance Antiphon: Mal 2: 6
The law of truth was in his mouth; no dishonesty was found on his lips. He walked with me in integrity and peace, and turned many away from evil.
Collect
O God, who called the Bishop Saint Irenaeus to confirm true doctrine and the peace of the Church, grant, we pray, through his intercession, that, being renewed in faith and charity, we may always be intent on fostering unity and concord. 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 15: 1-12, 17-18
It happened that the word of the Lord was spoken to Abram in a vision, “Have no fear, Abram, I am your shield; your reward will be very great.” “My Lord,” Abram replied, “what do you intend to give me? I go childless…” Then Abram said, “See, you have given me no descendants; some man of my household will be my heir.” And then this word of the Lord was spoken to him, “He shall not be your heir; your heir shall be of your own flesh and blood.” Then taking him outside he said, “Look up to heaven and count the stars if you can. Such will be your descendants” he told him. Abram put his faith in the Lord, who counted this as making him justified. “I am the Lord,” he said to him, “who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldaeans to make you heir to this land.” “My Lord,” Abram replied, “how am I to know that I shall inherit it?” He said to him, “Get me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove and a young pigeon.” He brought him all these, cut them in half and put half on one side and half facing it on the other; but the birds he did not cut in half. Birds of prey came down on the carcases but Abram drove them off. Now as the sun was setting Abram fell into a deep sleep, and terror seized him. When the sun had set and darkness had fallen, there appeared a smoking furnace and a firebrand that went between the halves. That day the Lord made a Covenant with Abram in these terms: “To your descendants I give this land, from the wadi of Egypt to the Great River, the river Euphrates.”
Psalm 104 (105): 1-4, 6-9
R/ The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
Give thanks to the Lord, tell his name, make known his deeds among the peoples. O sing to him, sing his praise; tell all his wonderful works!
Be proud of his holy name, let the hearts that seek the Lord rejoice. Consider the Lord and his strength; constantly seek his face.
O children of Abraham, his servant, O sons of the Jacob he chose. He, the Lord, is our God: his judgements prevail in all the earth.
He remembers his covenant forever, his promise for a thousand generations, the covenant he made with Abraham, the oath he swore to Isaac.
Gospel Acclamation: Ps 118: 18
Alleluia, alleluia! Open my eyes, O Lord, that I may consider the wonders of your law. Alleluia!
Gospel: Matthew 7:15-20
Jesus said to his disciples: “Beware of false prophets who come to you disguised as sheep but underneath are ravenous wolves. You will be able to tell them by their fruits. Can people pick grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles? In the same way, a sound tree produces good fruit but a rotten tree bad fruit. A sound tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor a rotten tree bear good fruit. Any tree that does not produce good fruit is cut down and thrown on the fire. I repeat, you will be able to tell them by their fruits.”
Prayer over the Offerings
May the sacrifice we offer you with joy on the heavenly birthday of Saint Irenaeus bring you glory, O Lord, and instil in us a love of the truth, so that we may keep the Church’s faith inviolate and her unity secure. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon: Jn 15: 4-5
Remain in me, as I remain in you, says the Lord. Whoever remains in me, and I in him, bears fruit in plenty.
Prayer after Communion
Through these sacred mysteries, we pray, O Lord, give us in your compassion an increase of that faith which brought glory to the Bishop Saint Irenaeus as he maintained it even until death, and may the same faith bring to us, who truly follow it, justification in your sight. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
“Beware of false prophets. Jesus’ statements on this theme are so simple that they sound simplistic. But they are not at all! Men are recognised by their fruits. Many are seductive with their beautiful words. Today, many voices claim to be from the Lord our God, but they do not sound the same; we are lost in wondering on who is a false prophet and who is a true prophet, even if unusual things are done by many of them. May the Lord help us to be less attentive to their words than to their fruits, in order to recognise those who truly speak in the name of Jesus Christ our Saviour.
by L'équipe de publication | Jun 26, 2023 | Evangelium
SAINT CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA
St. Cyril of Alexandria, Bishop and Doctor of the Church was born at Alexandria, Egypt. He was nephew of the patriarch of that city, Theophilus. Cyril wrote treatises that clarified the doctrines of the Trinity and the Incarnation from heretical interpretations.
Entrance Antiphon: Cf. Ps 27: 8-9
The Lord is the strength of his people, a saving refuge for the one he has anointed. Save your people, Lord, and bless your heritage, and govern them for ever.
Collect
Grant, O Lord, that we may always revere and love your holy name, for you never deprive of your guidance those you set firm on the foundation of your love. 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 13: 2, 5-18
Abram was a very rich man, with livestock, silver and gold. Lot, who was travelling with Abram, had flocks and cattle of his own, and tents too. The land was not sufficient to accommodate them both at once, for they had too many possessions to be able to live together. Dispute broke out between the herdsmen of Abram’s livestock and those of Lot’s. (The Canaanites and the Perizzites were then living in the land.) Accordingly Abram said to Lot, ‘Let there be no dispute between me and you, nor between my herdsmen and yours, for we are brothers. Is not the whole land open before you? Part company with me: if you take the left, I will go right; if you take the right, I will go left.’ Looking round, Lot saw all the Jordan plain, irrigated everywhere – this was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah – like the garden of the Lord or the land of Egypt, as far as Zoar. So Lot chose all the Jordan plain for himself and moved off eastwards. Thus they parted company: Abram settled in the land of Canaan; Lot settled among the towns of the plain, pitching his tents on the outskirts of Sodom. Now the people of Sodom were vicious men, great sinners against the Lord. The Lord said to Abram after Lot had parted company with him, ‘Look all round from where you are towards the north and the south, towards the east and the west. All the land within sight I will give to you and your descendants for ever. I will make your descendants like the dust on the ground: when men succeed in counting the specks of dust on the ground, then they will be able to count your descendants! Come, travel through the length and breadth of the land, for I mean to give it to you.’ So Abram went with his tents to settle at the Oak of Mamre, at Hebron, and there he built an altar to the Lord.
Psalm 14 (15): 2-5
R/ The just will live in the presence of the Lord.
Lord, who shall dwell on your holy mountain? He who walks without fault; he who acts with justice and speaks the truth from his heart; he who does not slander with his tongue.
He who does no wrong to his brother, who casts no slur on his neighbour, who holds the godless in disdain, but honours those who fear the Lord.
He who keeps his pledge, come what may; who takes no interest on a loan and accepts no bribes against the innocent. Such a man will stand firm for ever.
Gospel Acclamation: Mt 11: 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 7:6,12-14
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Do not give dogs what is holy; and do not throw your pearls in front of pigs, or they may trample them and then turn on you and tear you to pieces. ‘So always treat others as you would like them to treat you; that is the meaning of the Law and the Prophets. ‘Enter by the narrow gate, since the road that leads to perdition is wide and spacious, and many take it; but it is a narrow gate and a hard road that leads to life, and only a few find it.’
Prayer over the Offerings
Receive, O Lord, the sacrifice of conciliation and praise, and grant that, cleansed by its action, we may make offering of a heart pleasing to you. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon: Ps 144: 15
The eyes of all look to you, Lord, and you give them their food in due season.
Prayer after Communion
Renewed and nourished by the Sacred Body and Precious Blood of your Son, we ask of your mercy, O Lord, that what we celebrate with constant devotion may be our sure pledge of redemption. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
Jesus comes today to preach gentleness and to show us an example, but in his eyes, naivety is not a virtue, especially when it compromises his message. Only God has the power to wisely shake up man’s reticence. As for us who are only messengers, our testimony requires a lot of discernment. For there are deadlines that we cannot shorten, crises that we must respect. One of our greatest miseries that we deal with all day long is that we bring everything down to our desires. From this comes most of our sadness: we expect everything from others and we resent them for not giving us everything; we would like to be recognised, to be valued, to be appreciated in our tastes or choices. However, Jesus Christ asks us not to let ourselves be served, but to serve and give our life; not to be carried, but to carry the burden of our brother; not to be understood, but to understand the other. Give us your Spirit, Lord, and come to act in each of us.
by L'équipe de publication | Jun 25, 2023 | Evangelium
SAINT ANTHELM OF BELLEY
Anthelm was born in 1107 in a castle near Chambery, in Savoy, France. He was a prior of the Carthusian Grand Chartreuse and bishop of Belley. In liturgical art, Anthelm is depicted with a lamp lit by a divine hand. He was remarkable for monastic reforms
Entrance Antiphon: Cf. Ps 27: 8-9
The Lord is the strength of his people, a saving refuge for the one he has anointed. Save your people, Lord, and bless your heritage, and govern them for ever.
Collect
Grant, O Lord, that we may always revere and love your holy name, for you never deprive of your guidance those you set firm on the foundation of your love. 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 12:1-9
The Lord said to Abram, “Leave your country, your family and your father’s house, for the land I will show you. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name so famous that it will be used as a blessing. I will bless those who bless you: I will curse those who slight you. All the tribes of the earth shall bless themselves by you.” So Abram went as the Lord told him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran. Abram took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had amassed and the people they had acquired in Haran. They set off for the land of Canaan, and arrived there. Abram passed through the land as far as Shechem’s holy place, the Oak of Moreh. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. The Lord appeared to Abram and said, “It is to your descendants that I will give this land.” So Abram built there an altar for the Lord who had appeared to him. From there he moved on to the mountainous district east of Bethel, where he pitched his tent, with Bethel to the west and Ai to the east. There he built an altar to the Lord and invoked the name of the Lord. Then Abram made his way stage by stage to the Negeb.
Psalm 32 (33): 12-13, 18-20, 22
R/ Happy the people the Lord has chosen as his own.
They are happy, whose God is the Lord, the people he has chosen as his own. From the heavens the Lord looks forth, he sees all the children of men.
The Lord looks on those who revere him, on those who hope in his love, to rescue their souls from death, to keep them alive in famine.
Our soul is waiting for the Lord. The Lord is our help and our shield. May your love be upon us, O Lord, as we place all our hope in you.
Gospel Acclamation: Jn 17: 17
Alleluia, alleluia! Your word is truth, O Lord: consecrate us in the truth. Alleluia!
Gospel: Matthew 7: 1-5
Jesus said to his disciples: “Do not judge, and you will not be judged; because the judgements you give are the judgements you will get, and the amount you measure out is the amount you will be given. Why do you observe the splinter in your brother’s eye and never notice the plank in your own? How dare you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the splinter out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own? Hypocrite! Take the plank out of your own eye first, and then you will see clearly enough to take the splinter out of your brother’s eye.”
Prayer over the Offerings
Receive, O Lord, the sacrifice of conciliation and praise, and grant that, cleansed by its action, we may make offering of a heart pleasing to you. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon: Ps 144: 15
The eyes of all look to you, Lord, and you give them their food in due season.
Prayer after Communion
Renewed and nourished by the Sacred Body and Precious Blood of your Son, we ask of your mercy, O Lord, that what we celebrate with constant devotion may be our sure pledge of redemption. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
“Do not judge!” This is one of the most disturbing words of Jesus. He does not say: “Close your eyes, close your ears; do not reflect on events, attitudes or situations.” No! On the contrary, he even recommends us to be careful like snakes, but warns us against setting ourselves as judges and substituting ourselves for God who alone can assess a man’s guilt. Jesus Christ insists that there is an order to be respected in all things; first see clearly, then enlighten others; first challenge yourself, before challenging your brothers; first convert, then challenge your brothers or your community. So, if we want to avoid any bad surprises, the safest thing would be to borrow God’s measure, to give it back to him at the right time. But God’s measure is not easy to handle; it is infinitely elastic. It has a name: mercy. Let us try this mercy through the grace of Christ.
