by Jude Thaddeus Langeh | Feb 7, 2023 | Evangelium
WEDNESday 08 febRuary
SAINT Josephine Bakhita
She was born in Darfur (Sudan). She was kidnapped and sold as a slave. Rescued by an Italian family she became a Christian and joined the Canossian Daughters of Charity. She died in 1947.
Entrance Antiphon: Ps 94: 6-7
O come, let us worship God and bow low before the God who made us, for he is the Lord our God.
Collect
Keep your family safe, O Lord, with unfailing care, that, relying solely on the hope of heavenly grace, they may be defended always by your protection. 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 2: 4-9, 15-17
At the time when the Lord God made earth and heaven there was as yet no wild bush on the earth nor had any wild plant yet sprung up, for the Lord God had not sent rain on the earth, nor was there any man to till the soil. However, a flood was rising from the earth and watering all the surface of the soil. The Lord God fashioned man of dust from the soil. Then he breathed into his nostrils a breath of life, and thus man became a living being. The Lord God planted a garden in Eden which is in the east, and there he put the man he had fashioned. The Lord God caused to spring up from the soil every kind of tree, enticing to look at and good to eat, with the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in the middle of the garden. The Lord God took the man and settled him in the garden of Eden to cultivate and take care of it. Then the Lord God gave the man this admonition, ‘You may eat indeed of all the trees in the garden. Nevertheless, of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you are not to eat, for on the day you eat of it you shall most surely die.’
Psalm 103: 1-2, 27-30
R/ Bless the Lord, my soul!
Bless the Lord, my soul! Lord God, how great you are, clothed in majesty and glory,wrapped in light as in a robe!
All of these look to you to give them their food in due season. You give it, they gather it up: you open your hand, they have their fill.
You take back your spirit, they die, returning to the dust from which they came. You send forth your spirit, they are created; and you renew the face of the earth.
Gospel Acclamation: cf.2 Tim 1:10
Alleluia, alleluia! Our Saviour Jesus Christ abolished death and he has proclaimed life through the Good News. Alleluia!
Gospel: Mark 7:14-23
Jesus called the people to him and said, “Listen to me, all of you, and understand. Nothing that goes into a man from outside can make him unclean; it is the things that come out of a man that make him unclean. If anyone has ears to hear, let him listen to this.” When he had gone back into the house, away from the crowd, his disciples questioned him about the parable. He said to them, “Do you not understand either? Can you not see that whatever goes into a man from outside cannot make him unclean, because it does not go into his heart but through his stomach and passes out into the sewer?” (Thus he pronounced all foods clean.) And he went on, “It is what comes out of a man that makes him unclean. For it is from within, from men’s hearts, that evil intentions emerge: fornication, theft, murder, adultery, avarice, malice, deceit, indecency, envy, slander, pride, folly. All these evil things come from within and make a man unclean.”
Prayer over the Offerings
O Lord, our God, who once established these created things to sustain us in our frailty, grant, we pray, that they may become for us now, the Sacrament of eternal life. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon: Cf. Ps 106: 8-9
Let them thank the Lord for his mercy, his wonders for the children of men, for he satisfies the thirsty soul, and the hungry he fills with good things.
Prayer after Communion
O God, who have willed that we be partakers in the one Bread and the one Chalice, grant us, we pray, so to live that, made one in Christ, we may joyfully bear fruit for the salvation of the world. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
Eating (with someone) has a deeper meaning in scripture than just consuming food. It could mean communing with another person or being in an intimate relationship with them. For the Jews in Jesus’ time and for some of us today, what a person eats, and with whom he does so are significant and essential. When Jesus said that nothing which goes into a man from outside can make him unclean, he dismissed one of the cultural and religious pillars of the Jewish tradition. Everything we eat or drink is clean and healthy; they are gifts from the God of life. Without wisdom, wicked impulses can take hold of our hearts. Jesus names some of these: theft, fornication, murder, greed, arrogance, and an obtuse spirit. In the Eucharist, we gather as a family to partake of Jesus, who is the Bread of Life. Let us always keep good and loving hearts.
by Jude Thaddeus Langeh | Feb 6, 2023 | Evangelium
TUESday 07 febRuary
SAINT MEL
A Briton who came to Ireland with Saint Patrick, his uncle. He was ordained in Ardagh. He is one of the earliest Irish saints and gave the religious veil to Saint Brigid.
Entrance Antiphon: Ps 94: 6-7
O come, let us worship God and bow low before the God who made us, for he is the Lord our God.
Collect
Keep your family safe, O Lord, with unfailing care, that, relying solely on the hope of heavenly grace, they may be defended always by your protection. 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 1: 20- 2: 4
God said, “Let the waters teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth within the vault of heaven.” And so it was. God created great sea-serpents and every kind of living creature with which the waters teem, and every kind of winged creature. God saw that it was good. God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful, multiply, and fill the waters of the seas; and let the birds multiply upon the earth.” Evening came and morning came: the fifth day. God said, “Let the earth produce every kind of living creature: cattle, reptiles, and every kind of wild beast.” And so it was. God made every kind of wild beast, every kind of cattle, and every kind of land reptile. God saw that it was good. God said, “Let us make man in our own image, in the likeness of ourselves, and let them be masters of the fish of the sea, the birds of heaven, the cattle, all the wild beasts and all the reptiles that crawl upon the earth.” God created man in the image of himself, in the image of God he created him, male and female he created them. God blessed them, saying to them, “Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth and conquer it. Be masters of the fish of the sea, the birds of heaven and all living animals on the earth.” God said, “See, I give you all the seed-bearing plants that are upon the whole earth, and all the trees with seed-bearing fruit; this shall be your food. To all wild beasts, all birds of heaven and all living reptiles on the earth I give all the foliage of plants for food.” And so it was. God saw all he had made, and indeed it was very good. Evening came and morning came: the sixth day. Thus, heaven and earth were completed with all their array. On the seventh day God completed the work he had been doing. He rested on the seventh day after all the work he had been doing. God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on that day he had rested after all his work of creating. Such were the origins of heaven and earth when they were created.
Psalm 8: 4-9
R/ How great is your name, O Lord our God, through all the earth!
When I see the heavens, the work of your hands, the moon and the stars which you arranged, what is man that you should keep him in mind, mortal man that you care for him?
Yet you have made him little less than a god; with glory and honour you crowned him, gave him power over the works of your hand, put all things under his feet.
All of them, sheep and cattle, yes, even the savage beasts, birds of the air, and fish that make their way through the waters.
Gospel Acclamation: Ps 118: 24
Alleluia, alleluia! Train me, Lord, to observe your law, to keep it with my heart. Alleluia!
Gospel: Mark 7: 1-13
The Pharisees and some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered round Jesus, and they noticed that some of his disciples were eating with unclean hands, that is, without washing them. For the Pharisees, and the Jews in general, follow the tradition of the elders and never eat without washing their arms as far as the elbow; and on returning from the market place, they never eat without first sprinkling themselves. There are also many other observances which have been handed down to them concerning the washing of cups and pots and bronze dishes. So these Pharisees and scribes asked him, “Why do your disciples not respect the tradition of the elders but eat their food with unclean hands?” He answered, “It was of you hypocrites that Isaiah so rightly prophesied in this passage of scripture: This people honour me only with lip-service, while their hearts are far from me. The worship they offer me is worthless, the doctrines they teach are only human regulations. You put aside the commandment of God to cling to human traditions.” And he said to them, “How ingeniously you get round the commandment of God in order to preserve your own tradition! For Moses said: ‘Do your duty to your father and your mother’, and, ‘Anyone who curses father or mother must be put to death.’ But you say, ‘If a man says to his father or mother: Anything I have that I might have used to help you is Corban (that is, dedicated to God), then he is forbidden from that moment to do anything for his father or mother.’ In this way you make God’s word null and void for the sake of your tradition which you have handed down. And you do many other things like this.”
Prayer over the Offerings
O Lord, our God, who once established these created things to sustain us in our frailty, grant, we pray, that they may become for us now, the Sacrament of eternal life. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon: Cf. Ps 106: 8-9
Let them thank the Lord for his mercy, his wonders for the children of men, for he satisfies the thirsty soul, and the hungry he fills with good things.
Prayer after Communion
O God, who have willed that we be partakers in the one Bread and the one Chalice, grant us, we pray, so to live that, made one in Christ, we may joyfully bear fruit for the salvation of the world. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
Jesus confronts the Jewish Law. What a travesty it would be to prioritize arbitrary human traditions over the clearly expressed will of God! Many traditional rituals of Jesus’ time had lost touch with the core virtues taught by Moses and the prophets. We need to re-examine our legal and social traditions so that they may reflect genuine values today. The Holy Spirit is always at work in the Church. That is why Vatican Council II valiantly invited Church Leaders to discuss creative ways of renewing the practices and liturgy of the Church.
by Jude Thaddeus Langeh | Feb 5, 2023 | Evangelium
MONday 06 febRuary
Saint Paul Miki and compagnons, Martyrs
Born in Japan, he joined the Society of Jesus. When a persecution of the Catholics arose, he was arrested together with twenty-five others, bound to crosses and speared in Nagasaki in 1597
Entrance Antiphon
The souls of the Saints are rejoicing in heaven, the Saints who followed the footsteps of Christ, and since for love of him they shed their blood, they now exult with Christ for ever.
Collect
O God, strength of all the Saints, who through the Cross were pleased to call the Martyrs Saint Paul Miki and companions to life, grant, we pray, that by their intercession we may hold with courage even until death to the faith that we profess. 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 1:1-19
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was a formless void, there was darkness over the deep, and God’s spirit hovered over the water. God said, “Let there be light”, and there was light. God saw that light was good, and God divided light from darkness. God called light “day”, and darkness he called “night.” Evening came and morning came: the first day. God said, “Let there be a vault in the waters to divide the waters in two.” And so it was. God made the vault, and it divided the waters above the vault from the waters under the vault. God called the vault “heaven.” Evening came and morning came: the second day. God said, “Let the waters under heaven come together into a single mass, and let dry land appear.” And so it was. God called the dry land “earth” and the mass of waters “seas”, and God saw that it was good. God said, “Let the earth produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants, and fruit trees bearing fruit with their seed inside, on the earth.” And so it was. The earth produced vegetation: plants bearing seed in their several kinds, and trees bearing fruit with their seed inside in their several kinds. God saw that it was good. Evening came and morning came: the third day. God said, “Let there be lights in the vault of heaven to divide day from night, and let them indicate festivals, days and years. Let them be lights in the vault of heaven to shine on the earth.” And so it was. God made the two great lights: the greater light to govern the day, the smaller light to govern the night, and the stars. God set them in the vault of heaven to shine on the earth, to govern the day and the night and to divide light from darkness. God saw that it was good. Evening came and morning came: the fourth day.
Psalm 103(104):1-2,5-6,10,12,24,35
R/ May the Lord rejoice in his works!
Bless the Lord, my soul! Lord God, how great you are, clothed in majesty and glory, wrapped in light as in a robe!
You founded the earth on its base, to stand firm from age to age. You wrapped it with the ocean like a cloak: the waters stood higher than the mountains.
You make springs gush forth in the valleys; they flow in between the hills. On their banks dwell the birds of heaven; from the branches they sing their song.
How many are your works, O Lord! In wisdom you have made them all. The earth is full of your riches. Bless the Lord, my soul!
Gospel Acclamation: Jn 8: 12
Alleluia, alleluia! I am the light of the world, says the Lord; anyone who follows me will have the light of life. Alleluia!
Gospel; Mark 6: 53-56
Having made the crossing, Jesus and his disciples came to land at Gennesaret and tied up. No sooner had they stepped out of the boat than people recognised him, and started hurrying all through the countryside and brought the sick on stretchers to wherever they heard he was. And wherever he went, to village, or town, or farm, they laid down the sick in the open spaces, begging him to let them touch even the fringe of his cloak. And all those who touched him were cured.
Prayer over the Offerings
Receive, holy Father, the offerings we bring in commemoration of the holy Martyrs, and grant that we, your servants, may be found steadfast in confessing your name. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon: Lk 22: 28-30
It is you who have stood by me in my trials; and I confer a kingdom on you, says the Lord, that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom.
Prayer after Communion
O God, who in your holy Martyrs have wonderfully made known the mystery of the Cross, graciously grant that, drawing strength from this sacrifice, we may cling faithfully to Christ and labour in the Church for the salvation of all. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
The story of creation is lovely and follows a poetic narration. It reminds us that God is in all things. Be good stewards of the earth and all plants and animals. Your care for each other is mirrored in this. You echo God’s stewardship when you try to make the world better. The creation story is one to remember when you are careless about the earth or people. Jesus took care of people in desperate situations. In the Gospel, Jesus is popular among the ordinary people of Galilee. He attracted the sick and broken; God’s healing power worked in him. The poor and the needy were desperate to get to and connect with him. In our lives, it is in our brokenness that we seek the Lord with the greatest urgency. Something uncovers and activates our vulnerability, our weakness, our inability to cope. Then we come face to face with our limitations and frailties, we realize our need for the Lord and our dependence on him; we seek the Lord with greater energy. It is often the darker and more painful experiences of life that open us up to the Lord.
by Jude Thaddeus Langeh | Feb 4, 2023 | Evangelium
SUNday 05 febRuary
5th Sunday in Ordinary Time,
Psalter week I
Entrance Antiphon: Ps 94: 6-7
O come, let us worship God and bow low before the God who made us, for he is the Lord our God.
Collect
Keep your family safe, O Lord, with unfailing care, that, relying solely on the hope of heavenly grace, they may be defended always by your protection. 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: Isaiah 58: 7-10
Thus says the Lord: Share your bread with the hungry, and shelter the homeless poor, clothe the man you see to be naked and do not turn from your own kin. Then will your light shine like the dawn and your wound be quickly healed over. Your integrity will go before you and the glory of the Lord behind you. Cry, and the Lord will answer; call, and he will say, ‘I am here.’ If you do away with the yoke, the clenched fist, the wicked word, if you give your bread to the hungry, and relief to the oppressed, your light will rise in the darkness, and your shadows become like noon.
Psalm 111(112): 4-9
R/ The good man is a light in the darkness for the upright.
He is a light in the darkness for the upright: he is generous, merciful and just. The good man takes pity and lends, he conducts his affairs with honour.
The just man will never waver: he will be remembered for ever. He has no fear of evil news; with a firm heart he trusts in the Lord.
With a steadfast heart he will not fear; open-handed, he gives to the poor; his justice
Second reading: 1 Corinthians 2: 1-5
When I came to you, brothers, it was not with any show of oratory or philosophy, but simply to tell you what God had guaranteed. During my stay with you, the only knowledge I claimed to have was about Jesus, and only about him as the crucified Christ. Far from relying on any power of my own, I came among you in great ‘fear and trembling’ and in my speeches and the sermons that I gave, there were none of the arguments that belong to philosophy; only a demonstration of the power of the Spirit. And I did this so that your faith should not depend on human philosophy but on the power of God.
Gospel Acclamation: Jn 8: 12
Alleluia, alleluia! I am the light of the world, says the Lord; anyone who follows me will have the light of life. Alleluia!
Gospel: Matthew 5: 13-16
Jesus said to his disciples: “You are the salt of the earth. But if salt becomes tasteless, what can make it salty again? It is good for nothing, and can only be thrown out to be trampled underfoot by men. You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill-top cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp to put it under a tub; they put it on the lamp-stand where it shines for everyone in the house. In the same way your light must shine in the sight of men, so that, seeing your good works, they may give the praise to your Father in heaven.”
Prayer over the Offerings
O Lord, our God, who once established these created things to sustain us in our frailty,
grant, we pray, that they may become for us now the Sacrament of eternal life. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon: Cf. Ps 106: 8-9
Let them thank the Lord for his mercy, his wonders for the children of men, for he satisfies the thirsty soul, and the hungry he fills with good things.
Prayer after Communion
O God, who have willed that we be partakers in the one Bread and the one Chalice, grant us, we pray, so to live that, made one in Christ, we may joyfully bear fruit for the salvation of the world. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
Jesus brought his disciples up to a high mountain; he was like Moses appearing again to the people. In his teachings, Jesus does not tell us what we could become but who we are. Take note, Jesus did not say, “you are like the salt of the earth.” No, he said, “you are the salt of the earth.” He is giving a big compliment to his listeners and disciples. It is an appropriate one, too, for fishers who salted fish. “You are the light of the world.” In the time of Christ, oil lamps were the electricity of their day. They need oil. No oil, no light. Jesus tells his listeners that the lamp of God’s love burns in this world only with the oil of our good lives. Light is a bi-product of good deeds.
by Jude Thaddeus Langeh | Feb 3, 2023 | Evangelium
SATURday 04 febRuary
SAINT GIBLBERT OF SEPRIGHAM
He was born at Sempringham, he founded an order of monks and nuns, known as the GIlbertines. He died at Sempringham in 1190, at the age of 106.
Entrance Antiphon: Ps 105: 47
Save us, O Lord our God! And gather us from the nations, to give thanks to your holy name, and make it our glory to praise you.
Collect
Grant us, Lord our God, that we may honour you with all our mind, and love everyone in truth of heart. 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: Hebrews 13: 15-17, 20-21
Through Christ, let us offer God an unending sacrifice of praise, a verbal sacrifice that is offered every time we acknowledge his name. Keep doing good works and sharing your resources, for these are sacrifices that please God. Obey your leaders and do as they tell you, because they must give an account of the way they look after your souls; make this a joy for them to do, and not a grief – you yourselves would be the losers. I pray that the God of peace, who brought our Lord Jesus back from the dead to become the great Shepherd of the sheep by the blood that sealed an eternal covenant, may make you ready to do his will in any kind of good action; and turn us all into whatever is acceptable to himself through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever, Amen.
Psalm 22(23)
R/ The Lord is my shepherd: there is nothing I shall want.
The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want. Fresh and green are the pastures where he gives me repose. Near restful waters he leads me, to revive my drooping spirit.
He guides me along the right path; he is true to his name. If I should walk in the valley of darkness no evil would I fear. You are there with your crook and your staff; with these you give me comfort.
You have prepared a banquet for me in the sight of my foes. My head you have anointed with oil; my cup is overflowing.
Surely goodness and kindness shall follow me all the days of my life. In the Lord’s own house shall I dwell for ever and ever.
Gospel Acclamation: Jn10: 27
Alleluia, alleluia! The sheep that belong to me listen to my voice, says the Lord, I know them and they follow me. Alleluia!
Gospel: Mark 6: 30-34
The apostles re-joined Jesus and told him all they had done and taught. Then he said to them, “You must come away to some lonely place all by yourselves and rest for a while” for there were so many coming and going that the apostles had no time even to eat. So they went off in a boat to a lonely place where they could be by themselves. But people saw them going, and many could guess where; and from every town they all hurried to the place on foot and reached it before them. So as he stepped ashore he saw a large crowd; and he took pity on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd, and he set himself to teach them at some length.
Prayer over the Offerings
O Lord, we bring to your altar these offerings of our service: be pleased to receive them, we pray, and transform them into the Sacrament of our redemption. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon: Cf. Ps 30: 17-18
Let your face shine on your servant. Save me in your merciful love. O Lord, let me never be put to shame, for I call on you.
Prayer after Communion
Nourished by these redeeming gifts, we pray, O Lord, that through this help to eternal salvation true faith may ever increase. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
Shepherding was one of the oldest callings in Israel, even before farming; the Chosen People travelled from place to place, living in tents and driving their flocks from one pasture to another. Looking after sheep was not an easy calling. It required great skill and courage. Herds were quite large, in thousands or even tens of thousands. Strayed sheep had to be found and brought back to the flock. Since hyenas, jackals, wolves, and even bears frequently attacked and fed on the sheep, shepherds had to fight these wild and dangerous beasts. A shepherd put his life at risk to defend his sheep. The harassed and dejected people who came to Jesus were a manifestation of how Church and political leaders had neglected their duty of sanctifying and administering to them; they could easily go astray or be devoured by those who proposed death traps in the guise of “better lives”. Jesus is the Good Shepherd, willing to lay down his life for his sheep (Mt 18:12, Lk 15:4, Jn 10). Listen keenly to his voice, and do not be afraid of following him.
by Jude Thaddeus Langeh | Feb 2, 2023 | Evangelium
FRIday 03 febRuary
SAINT BLAISE
He was bishop of Sebaste and was martyred in the fourth century. Devotion to him spread throughout the Church during the Middle Ages. He is invoked for disorders of the throat.
Entrance Antiphon: Ps 105: 47
Save us, O Lord our God! And gather us from the nations, to give thanks to your holy name,
and make it our glory to praise you.
Collect
Grant us, Lord our God, that we may honour you with all our mind, and love everyone in truth of heart. 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: Hebrews 13: 1-8
Continue to love each other like brothers, and remember always to welcome strangers, for by doing this, some people have entertained angels without knowing it. Keep in mind those who are in prison, as though you were in prison with them; and those who are being badly treated, since you too are in the one body. Marriage is to be honoured by all, and marriages are to be kept undefiled, because fornicators and adulterers will come under God’s judgement. Put greed out of your lives and be content with whatever you have; God himself has said: I will not fail you or desert you, and so we can say with confidence: With the Lord to help me, I fear nothing: what can man do to me? Remember your leaders, who preached the word of God to you, and as you reflect on the outcome of their lives, imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same today as he was yesterday and as he will be for ever.
Psalm 26(27):1, 3, 5, 8-9
R/ The Lord is my light and my help.
The Lord is my light and my help; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; before whom shall I shrink?
Though an army encamp against me my heart would not fear. Though war break out against me even then would I trust.
For there he keeps me safe in his tent in the day of evil. He hides me in the shelter of his tent, on a rock he sets me safe.
It is your face, O Lord, that I seek; hide not your face. Dismiss not your servant in anger; you have been my help.
Gospel Acclamation: cf. Lk 8: 15
Alleluia, alleluia! Blessed are those who, with a noble and generous heart, take the word of God to themselves and yield a harvest through their perseverance. Alleluia!
Gospel: Mark 6: 14-29
King Herod had heard about Jesus, since by now his name was well known. Some were saying, “John the Baptist has risen from the dead, and that is why miraculous powers are at work in him.” Others said, “He is Elijah”, others again, “He is a prophet, like the prophets we used to have.” But when Herod heard this he said, “It is John whose head I cut off; he has risen from the dead.” Now it was this same Herod who had sent to have John arrested, and had him chained up in prison because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife whom he had married. For John had told Herod, “It is against the law for you to have your brother’s wife.” As for Herodias, she was furious with him and wanted to kill him; but she was not able to, because Herod was afraid of John, knowing him to be a good and holy man, and gave him his protection. When he had heard him speak he was greatly perplexed, and yet he liked to listen to him. An opportunity came on Herod’s birthday when he gave a banquet for the nobles of his court, for his army officers and for the leading figures in Galilee. When the daughter of this same Herodias came in and danced, she delighted Herod and his guests; so the king said to the girl, “Ask me anything you like and I will give it you.” And he swore her an oath, “I will give you anything you ask, even half my kingdom.” She went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask for?” She replied, “The head of John the Baptist.” The girl hurried straight back to the king and made her request, “I want you to give me John the Baptist’s head, here and now, on a dish.” The king was deeply distressed but, thinking of the oaths he had sworn and of his guests, he was reluctant to break his word to her. So the king at once sent one of the bodyguard with orders to bring John’s head. The man went off and beheaded him in prison; then he brought the head on a dish and gave it to the girl, and the girl gave it to her mother. When John’s disciples heard about this, they came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.
Prayer over the Offerings
O Lord, we bring to your altar these offerings of our service: be pleased to receive them, we pray, and transform them into the Sacrament of our redemption. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon: Cf. Ps 30: 17-18
Let your face shine on your servant. Save me in your merciful love. O Lord, let me never be put to shame, for I call on you.
Prayer after Communion
Nourished by these redeeming gifts, we pray, O Lord, that through this help to eternal salvation true faith may ever increase. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
The account of the execution of John, ordered by King Herod, makes us see a retrospective not previously recorded in the Gospel. The memory of John haunted Herod; he imagined Jesus to be John raised from the dead. John the Baptist was good and holy; he bravely spoke up the truth and was killed for it. Jesus is crucified for the same reason, speaking out without fear against injustice and oppression. Herod had John beheaded out of impulse and a desire to please his family and friends. Herod was a weak man. He took a firm stand on wrong things even when he knew what was right. The Lord gives his grace to the humble and to those who acknowledge their sins and seek God’s mercy and pardon. Today, more than ever, we need the Holy Spirit to make us worthy to hold to the values of Jesus. Courageous faith is not arrogant, but it is firm and enduring.
