by | Oct 6, 2022 | Evangelium

Friday 07 th october 2022

 

Our Lady of the Rosary

 

The feast of the Holy Rosary was instituted by Pope Pius V to celebrate the anniversary of the defeat of the Turkish fleet at the battle of Lepanto, which ended the threat of Muslim domination of the Mediterranean and was ascribed in part to the prayers and processions of the Rosary confraternity in Rome.

 

Entrance Antiphon : Cf. Lk 1: 28, 42

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb.

 

Collect

Pour forth, we beseech you, O Lord, your grace into our hearts, that we, to whom the Incarnation of Christ your Son was made known by the message of an Angel, may, through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, by his Passion and Cross be brought to the glory of his Resurrection. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

 

First reading : Galatians 3:7-14

Don’t you see that it is those who rely on faith who are the sons of Abraham? Scripture foresaw that God was going to use faith to justify the pagans, and proclaimed the Good News long ago when Abraham was told: In you all the pagans will be blessed. Those therefore who rely on faith receive the same blessing as Abraham, the man of faith. On the other hand, those who rely on the keeping of the Law are under a curse, since Scripture says: Cursed be everyone who does not persevere in observing everything preScribed in the book of the Law. The Law will not justify anyone in the sight of God, because we are told: the righteous man finds life through faith. The Law is not even based on faith, since we are told: The man who practises these precepts finds life through practising them. Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law by being cursed for our sake, since Scripture says: Cursed be everyone who is hanged on a tree. This was done so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might include the pagans, and so that through faith we might receive the promised Spirit.

 

Psalm 110:1-6

R/  The Lord keeps his covenant ever in mind.

 

  1. I will thank the Lord with all my heart in the meeting of the just and their assembly. Great are the works of the Lord, to be pondered by all who love them.
  2. Majestic and glorious his work, his justice stands firm for ever. He makes us remember his wonders. The Lord is compassion and love.
  3. He gives food to those who fear him; keeps his covenant ever in mind. He has shown his might to his people by giving them the lands of the nations.

 

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 : Luke 11:15-26

When Jesus had cast out a devil, some of the people said, ‘It is through Beelzebul, the prince of devils, that he casts out devils.’ Others asked him, as a test, for a sign from heaven; but, knowing what they were thinking, he said to them, ‘Every kingdom divided against itself is heading for ruin, and a household divided against itself collapses. So too with Satan: if he is divided against himself, how can his kingdom stand? – Since you assert that it is through Beelzebul that I cast out devils. Now if it is through Beelzebul that I cast out devils, through whom do your own experts cast them out? Let them be your judges then. But if it is through the finger of God that I cast out devils, then know that the kingdom of God has overtaken you. So long as a strong man fully armed guards his own palace, his goods are undisturbed; but when someone stronger than he is attacks and defeats him, the stronger man takes away all the weapons he relied on and shares out his spoil. ‘He who is not with me is against me; and he who does not gather with me scatters. ‘When an unclean spirit goes out of a man it wanders through waterless country looking for a place to rest, and not finding one, it says, “I will go back to the home I came from.” But on arrival, finding it swept and tidied, it then goes off and brings seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and set up house there, so that the man ends up by being worse than he was before.’

 

Prayer over the Offerings

Grant, we pray, O Lord, that we may be rightly conformed to these offerings we bring and so honour the mysteries of your Only Begotten Son, as to be made worthy of his promises. Who lives and reigns for ever and ever.

 

Communion Antiphon : Lk 1: 31

Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus.

 

Prayer after Communion

We pray, O Lord our God, that, just as we proclaim in this Sacrament the Death and Resurrection of your Son, so, being made partakers in his suffering, we may also merit a share in his consolation and his glory. Who lives and reigns for ever and ever.

 

Meditation

How could deeply religious people like the Pharisees look at the Son of God and see a devil? They miss the spiritual reality that unfolds before them because their religious conviction is superficial and often hinged on abuses. As a result, they see what they want to see, not the reality before them. They see Jesus as a threat to their power and privileges. Spiritual blindness is, therefore, quite destructive. Despite the extraordinary signs that Jesus is performing, including the one they have just witnessed, His enemies still ask Him for a sign from God.  However, the people praise and thank God for the marvels they are witnessing, for there is no greater manifestation of God’s loving grace than to be liberated from the Devil’s influence.

by | Oct 4, 2022 | Evangelium

Wednesday 05 th october 2022

 

St. Faustina

 

Sister Faustina was a young, uneducated, nun in a convent of the Congregation of Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy in Poland during the 1930s. She received extraordinary revelations on God’s loving message of Divine Mercy. Saint Faustina’s revelations are a constant reminder of the message to trust in Jesus’ endless mercy, and to live life mercifully towards others.

 

Entrance Antiphon : Cf. Est 4: 17

Within your will, O Lord, all things are established, and there is none that can resist your will. For you have made all things, the heaven and the earth, and all that is held within the circle of heaven; you are the Lord of all.

 

Collect

Almighty ever-living God, who in the abundance of your kindness surpass the merits and the desires of those who entreat you, pour out your mercy upon us to pardon what conscience dreads and to give what prayer does not dare to ask. 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 : Galatians 2:1-2,7-14

It was not till fourteen years had passed that I went up to Jerusalem again. I went with Barnabas and took Titus with me. I went there as the result of a revelation, and privately I laid before the leading men the Good News as I proclaim it among the pagans; I did so for fear the course I was adopting or had already adopted would not be allowed. On the contrary, they recognised that I had been commissioned to preach the Good News to the uncircumcised just as Peter had been commissioned to preach it to the circumcised. The same person whose action had made Peter the apostle of the circumcised had given me a similar mission to the pagans. So, James, Cephas and John, these leaders, these pillars, shook hands with Barnabas and me as a sign of partnership: we were to go to the pagans and they to the circumcised. The only thing they insisted on was that we should remember to help the poor, as indeed I was anxious to do. When Cephas came to Antioch, however, I opposed him to his face, since he was manifestly in the wrong. His custom had been to eat with the pagans, but after certain friends of James arrived he stopped doing this and kept away from them altogether for fear of the group that insisted on circumcision. The other Jews joined him in this pretence, and even Barnabas felt himself obliged to copy their behaviour. When I saw they were not respecting the true meaning of the Good News, I said to Cephas in front of everyone, ‘In spite of being a Jew, you live like the pagans and not like the Jews, so you have no right to make the pagans copy Jewish ways. ’

 

Psalm 116:1-2

R/ Go out to the whole world and proclaim the Good News.

 

  1. O praise the Lord, all you nations, acclaim him all you peoples!
  2. Strong is his love for us; he is faithful for ever.

 

Gospel Acclamation : Ps118:24

Alleluia, alleluia! Train me, Lord, to observe your law, to keep it with my heart. Alleluia!

Gospel : Luke 11:1-4

Once Jesus was in a certain place praying, and when he had finished, one of his disciples said, ‘Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.’ He said to them, ‘Say this when you pray: “Father, may your name be held holy, your kingdom come; give us each day our daily bread, and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive each one who is in debt to us. And do not put us to the test.”’

 

Prayer over the Offerings

Accept, O Lord, we pray, the sacrifices instituted by your commands and, through the sacred mysteries, which we celebrate with dutiful service, graciously complete the sanctifying work by which you are pleased to redeem us. Through Christ our Lord.

 

Communion Antiphon : Lam 3: 25

The Lord is good to those who hope in him, to the soul that seeks him.

 

Prayer after Communion

Grant us, almighty God, that we may be refreshed and nourished by the Sacrament which we have received, so as to be transformed into what we consume. Through Christ our Lord.

 

Meditation

In today’s gospel, we see Jesus praying. Seeing Him pray, His disciples ask Him to teach them how to pray, and He teaches them the Lord’s Prayer. They must have been surprised that He prayed in such simple language. The Lord, therefore, teaches that prayer is not communicating with God using special words and techniques, but reaching up to Him honestly.

To call God our Father is to recognise that our lives come from Him and, like a loving Father. He will give us what we ask of him sincerely. The Lord’s Prayer is, therefore, a reflection of true Christian prayer and living.

by | Oct 3, 2022 | Evangelium

Tuesday 04 th october 2022

 

St. Francis of Assisi

(1181 – 1226)

 

He was the son of a wealthy 12th-century Italian merchant, and early in his life was devoted to partying and enjoying his social status. After an illness his life changed: He began a life of evangelical poverty, living by begging. His followers are called the Franciscans. Francis died in 1226, having started a revolution. The Franciscans endure to this day.

 

Entrance Antiphon

Francis, the man of God, left his home behind, abandoned his inheritance and became poor and penniless, but the Lord raised him up.

 

Collect

O God, by whose gift Saint Francis was conformed to Christ in poverty and humility, grant that, by walking in Francis’ footsteps, we may follow your Son, and, through joyful charity, come to be united with you. 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 : Galatians 1:13-24

You must have heard of my career as a practising Jew, how merciless I was in persecuting the Church of God, how much damage I did to it, how I stood out among other Jews of my generation, and how enthusiastic I was for the traditions of my ancestors. Then God, who had specially chosen me while I was still in my mother’s womb, called me through his grace and chose to reveal his Son in me, so that I might preach the Good News about him to the pagans. I did not stop to discuss this with any human being, nor did I go up to Jerusalem to see those who were already apostles before me, but I went off to Arabia at once and later went straight back from there to Damascus. Even when after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and stayed with him for fifteen days, I did not see any of the other apostles; I only saw James, the brother of the Lord, and I swear before God that what I have just written is the literal truth. After that I went to Syria and Cilicia, and was still not known by sight to the churches of Christ in Judaea, who had heard nothing except that their one-time persecutor was now preaching the faith he had previously tried to destroy; and they gave glory to God for me.

 

Psalm 138:1-3,13-15

R/  Lead me, O Lord, in the path of life eternal.

 

  1. O Lord, you search me and you know me, you know my resting and my rising, you discern my purpose from afar. You mark when I walk or lie down, all my ways lie open to you..
  2. For it was you who created my being, knit me together in my mother’s womb. I thank you for the wonder of my being, for the wonders of all your creation.
  3. Already you knew my soul, my body held no secret from you when I was being fashioned in secret and moulded in the depths of the earth.

 

Gospel Acclamation : Jn15:15

Alleluia, alleluia! I call you friends, says the Lord, because I have made known to you everything I have learnt from my Father. Alleluia!

 

 

Gospel : Luke 10:38-42

Jesus came to a village, and a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. She had a sister called Mary, who sat down at the Lord’s feet and listened to him speaking. Now Martha who was distracted with all the serving said, ‘Lord, do you not care that my sister is leaving me to do the serving all by myself? Please tell her to help me.’ But the Lord answered: ‘Martha, Martha,’ he said ‘you worry and fret about so many things, and yet few are needed, indeed only one. It is Mary who has chosen the better part; it is not to be taken from her.’

 

Prayer over the Offerings

As we bring you these offerings, O Lord, we pray that we may be rightly disposed for the celebration of the mystery of the Cross, which Saint Francis so ardently embraced. Through Christ our Lord.

 

Communion Antiphon : Mt 5: 3

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

 

Prayer after Communion

Grant us, we pray, O Lord, through these holy gifts which we have received, that, imitating the charity and apostolic zeal of Saint Francis, we may experience the effects of your love and spread them everywhere for the salvation of all. Through Christ our Lord.

 

Meditation

Mary is a listener, while Martha is a doer. Listening and doing constitute the very essence of Christian living, that is, engaging in action for others guided by what we learn in contemplation. But, the highest form of activity in Christian living is contemplation, that is, being in conscious contact with God and His Word. This is seen in Jesus’ life;  He did not only spend long hours bringing healing to people’s lives but also retired to quiet places to be alone in communion with His Father. The same pattern must also be ours. In our relationship with Jesus, are we more of listeners or doers?  We should always strive to strike the right balance.

by | Oct 2, 2022 | Evangelium

Monday 03 rd october 2022

 

Blessed André de Soveral and Ambrosio Francisco Ferro

 (-1645)

 

Blessed André was born in São Vicente, in the state of São Paulo in Brazil. The two priests and 28 of their known lay companions were beatified by Pope John Paul II on 5 March 2000.

 

Entrance Antiphon : Cf. Est 4: 17

Within your will, O Lord, all things are established, and there is none that can resist your will. For you have made all things, the heaven and the earth, and all that is held within the circle of heaven; you are the Lord of all.

 

Collect

Almighty ever-living God, who in the abundance of your kindness surpass the merits and the desires of those who entreat you, pour out your mercy upon us to pardon what conscience dreads and to give what prayer does not dare to ask. 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 : Galatians 1:6-12

I am astonished at the promptness with which you have turned away from the one who called you and have decided to follow a different version of the Good News. Not that there can be more than one Good News; it is merely that some troublemakers among you want to change the Good News of Christ; and let me warn you that if anyone preaches a version of the Good News different from the one we have already preached to you, whether it be ourselves or an angel from heaven, he is to be condemned. I am only repeating what we told you before: if anyone preaches a version of the Good News different from the one you have already heard, he is to be condemned. So now whom am I trying to please – man, or God? Would you say it is men’s approval I am looking for? If I still wanted that, I should not be what I am – a servant of Christ. The fact is, brothers, and I want you to realise this, the Good News I preached is not a human message that I was given by men, it is something I learnt only through a revelation of Jesus Christ.

 

Psalm 110:1-2,7-10

R/  The Lord keeps his covenant ever in mind.

 

  1. I will thank the Lord with all my heart in the meeting of the just and their assembly. Great are the works of the Lord, to be pondered by all who love them.
  2. His works are justice and truth, his precepts are all of them sure, standing firm for ever and ever; they are made in uprightness and truth.
  3. He has sent deliverance to his people and established his covenant for ever. Holy his name, to be feared. His praise shall last for ever!

 

Gospel Acclamation : cf. Jn6:63,68

Alleluia, alleluia! Your words are spirit, Lord, and they are life; you have the message of eternal life. Alleluia!

 

Gospel : Luke 10:25-37

There was a lawyer who, to disconcert Jesus, stood up and said to him, ‘Master, what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ He said to him, ‘What is written in the Law? What do you read there?’ He replied, ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbour as yourself.’ ‘You have answered right,’ said Jesus ‘do this and life is yours.’ But the man was anxious to justify himself and said to Jesus, ‘And who is my neighbour?’ Jesus replied, ‘A man was once on his way down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell into the hands of brigands; they took all he had, beat him and then made off, leaving him half dead. Now a priest happened to be travelling down the same road, but when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. In the same way a Levite who came to the place saw him, and passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan traveller who came upon him was moved with compassion when he saw him. He went up and bandaged his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them. He then lifted him on to his own mount, carried him to the inn and looked after him. Next day, he took out two denarii and handed them to the innkeeper. “Look after him,” he said “and on my way back I will make good any extra expense you have.” Which of these three, do you think, proved himself a neighbour to the man who fell into the brigands’ hands?’ ‘The one who took pity on him’ he replied. Jesus said to him, ‘Go, and do the same yourself.’

 

Prayer over the Offerings

Accept, O Lord, we pray, the sacrifices instituted by your commands and, through the sacred mysteries, which we celebrate with dutiful service, graciously complete the sanctifying work by which you are pleased to redeem us. Through Christ our Lord.

Communion Antiphon : Lam 3: 25

The Lord is good to those who hope in him, to the soul that seeks him.

 

Prayer after Communion

Grant us, almighty God, that we may be refreshed and nourished by the Sacrament which we have received, so as to be transformed into what we consume. Through Christ our Lord.

 

 

Meditation

Jesus reverses the traditional concept of a neighbour. We must not wait till our neighbour appears along our way, perhaps in quite extraordinary circumstances. We have to be ready to notice and find him. We are all called to be the neighbour! From today’s gospel, we learn that our neighbour is not only our fellow countryman, but also those outside our community, religion and professional circles. Jesus is the Good Samaritan par excellence because he poured out His life so generously on Calvary to save us from our sins.

by | Oct 1, 2022 | Evangelium

Sunday 02 nd october 2022

 

27th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Psalter III

 

Entrance Antiphon : Cf. Est 4: 17

Within your will, O Lord, all things are established, and there is none that can resist your will. For you have made all things, the heaven and the earth, and all that is held within the circle of heaven; you are the Lord of all.

 

Collect

Almighty ever-living God, who in the abundance of your kindness surpass the merits and the desires of those who entreat you, pour out your mercy upon us to pardon what conscience dreads and to give what prayer does not dare to ask. 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 : Habakkuk 1:2-3,2:2-4

How long, O Lord, am I to cry for help while you will not listen; to cry ‘Oppression!’ in your ear and you will not save? Why do you set injustice before me, why do you look on where there is tyranny? Outrage and violence, this is all I see, all is contention, and discord flourishes. Then the Lord answered and said, Write the vision down, inscribe it on tablets to be easily read, since this vision is for its own time only: eager for its own fulfilment, it does not deceive; if it comes slowly, wait, for come it will, without fail. See how he flags, he whose soul is not at rights, but the upright man will live by his faithfulness.’

 

Psalm 94(95):1-2,6-9

R/ O that today you would listen to his voice! ‘Harden not your hearts.’

 

  1. Come, ring out our joy to the Lord; hail the rock who saves us. Let us come before him, giving thanks, with songs let us hail the Lord.
  2. Come in; let us bow and bend low; let us kneel before the God who made us: for he is our God and we the people who belong to his pasture, the flock that is led by his hand.
  3. O that today you would listen to his voice! ‘Harden not your hearts as at Meribah, as on that day at Massah in the desert when your fathers put me to the test; when they tried me, though they saw my work.’

 

Second reading : 2 Timothy 1:6-8,13-14

I am reminding you to fan into a flame the gift that God gave you when I laid my hands on you. God’s gift was not a spirit of timidity, but the Spirit of power, and love, and self-control. So you are never to be ashamed of witnessing to the Lord, or ashamed of me for being his prisoner; but with me, bear the hardships for the sake of the Good News, relying on the power of God. Keep as your pattern the sound teaching you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. You have been trusted to look after something precious; guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.

 

Gospel Acclamation : Jn15:15

Alleluia, alleluia! Speak, Lord, your servant is listening: you have the message of eternal life. Alleluia!

 

Gospel : Luke 17:5-10

The apostles said to the Lord, ‘Increase our faith.’ The Lord replied, ‘Were your faith the size of a mustard seed you could say to this mulberry tree, “Be uprooted and planted in the sea,” and it would obey you.  ‘Which of you, with a servant ploughing or minding sheep, would say to him when he returned from the fields, “Come and have your meal immediately”? Would he not be more likely to say, “Get my supper laid; make yourself tidy and wait on me while I eat and drink. You can eat and drink yourself afterwards”? Must he be grateful to the servant for doing what he was told? So with you: when you have done all you have been told to do, say, “We are merely servants: we have done no more than our duty.”’

 

Prayer over the Offerings

Accept, O Lord, we pray, the sacrifices instituted by your commands and, through the sacred mysteries, which we celebrate with dutiful service, graciously complete the sanctifying work by which you are pleased to redeem us. Through Christ our Lord.

 

Communion Antiphon : Lam 3: 25

The Lord is good to those who hope in him, to the soul that seeks him.

 

Prayer after Communion

Grant us, almighty God, that we may be refreshed and nourished by the Sacrament which we have received, so as to be transformed into what we consume. Through Christ our Lord.

 

Meditation

Jesus answers the disciples’ request for increased faith. He says it does not take much faith to do great things. However, He does not tell the disciples how to get more faith. They might have been expecting a miracle, but they do not get one, an indication they have plenty already of faith which they are not using as required. We do not need more faith; we only need to be ever more faithful. And it is also possible that we need a different kind of faith, the kind that, like a mustard seed, colonises the area where it is dropped, growing persistently and cannot be easily destroyed.

by | Sep 30, 2022 | Evangelium

Saturday 01 st october 2022

Saint Theresia of the Child Jesus, Virgin, Doctor

 

Marie-Françoise-Thérèse Martin was born in Alençon, in France, on 2 January 1873. Her mother, who already had breast cancer, died when Thérèse was four, and the family moved to Lisieux.

 

Entrance Antiphon : Cf. Deut 32: 10-12

The Lord led her and taught her, and kept her as the apple of his eye. Like an eagle spreading its wings he took her up and bore her on his shoulders. The Lord alone was her guide.

 

Collect

O God, who open your Kingdom to those who are humble and to little ones, lead us to follow trustingly in the little way of Saint Thérèse, so that through her intercession we may see your eternal glory revealed. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.

 

First reading : Job 42:1-3,5-6,12-17

This was the answer Job gave to the Lord: I know that you are all-powerful: what you conceive, you can perform.

I am the man who obscured your designs with my empty-headed words.

I have been holding forth on matters I cannot understand, on marvels beyond me and my knowledge. I knew you then only by hearsay; but now, having seen you with my own eyes, I retract all I have said, and in dust and ashes I repent. The Lord blessed Job’s new fortune even more than his first one. He came to own fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen and a thousand she-donkeys. He had seven sons and three daughters; his first daughter he called ‘Turtledove’, the second ‘Cassia’ and the third ‘Mascara.’ Throughout the land there were no women as beautiful as the daughters of Job. And their father gave them inheritance rights like their brothers.

After his trials, Job lived on until he was a hundred and forty years old, and saw his children and his children’s children up to the fourth generation. Then Job died, an old man and full of days.

 

Psalm 118(119):66,71,75,91,125,130

R/  Let your face shine on your servant, O Lord.

 

  1. Teach me discernment and knowledge for I trust in your commands. It was good for me to be afflicted, to learn your statutes.
  2. Lord, I know that your decrees are right, that you afflicted me justly. By your decree it endures to this day; for all things serve you.
  3. I am your servant, give me knowledge; then I shall know your will. The unfolding of your word gives light and teaches the simple.

 

Gospel Acclamation : cf. Lk 1:28

Alleluia, alleluia! Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for revealing the mysteries of the kingdom

to mere children. Alleluia!

 

Gospel : Luke 10:17-24

The seventy-two came back rejoicing. ‘Lord,’ they said ‘even the devils submit to us when we use your name.’ He said to them, ‘I watched Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Yes, I have given you power to tread underfoot serpents and scorpions and the whole strength of the enemy; nothing shall ever hurt you. Yet do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you; rejoice rather that your names are written in heaven.’

It was then that, filled with joy by the Holy Spirit, he said:

‘I bless you, Father, Lord of heaven and of earth, for hiding these things from the learned and the clever and revealing them to mere children. Yes, Father, for that is what it pleased you to do. Everything has been entrusted to me by my Father; and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.’

Then turning to his disciples he spoke to them in private, ‘Happy the eyes that see what you see, for I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see, and never saw it; to hear what you hear, and never heard it.’

 

Prayer over the Offerings

As we proclaim your wonders in Saint Thérèse, O Lord, we humbly implore your majesty, that, as her merits were pleasing to you, so, too, our dutiful service may find favour in your sight.

Through Christ our Lord.

 

Communion Antiphon : Mt 18: 3

Thus says the Lord: Unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven.

 

Prayer after Communion

May the Sacrament we have received, O Lord, kindle in us the force of that love with which Saint Thérèse dedicated herself to you and longed to obtain your mercy for all. Through Christ our Lord.

 

Meditation

In today’s Gospel, Jesus makes it clear that the source of true joy is God alone.  In good times and bad times, God always assures us of victory in Jesus Christ.  Jesus assures His disciples that He has all power over evil, including the power of Satan and evil spirits.  Jesus came into the world to overthrow the Evil One. Like Jesus’ disciples, we have been given spiritual authority and power to overcome the works of darkness and evil. Jesus sends out seventy disciples on a mission and they return elated with their accomplishments. What do you think of your Christian mission in these challenging times?