by Jude Thaddeus Langeh | Jun 13, 2022 | Evangelium
Tuesday 14 th June 2022
St. Davnet
She is the patron saint of the diocese of Clogher. Nothing is known about her for certain. She may have lived and died at Tydavnet in County Monaghan, possibly in the seventh century.
Entrance Antiphon : Cf. Ps 26: 7, 9
O Lord, hear my voice, for I have called to you; be my help. Do not abandon or forsake me, O God, my Saviour!
Collect
O God, strength of those who hope in you, graciously hear our pleas, and, since without you, mortal frailty can do nothing, grant us always the help of your grace, that in following your commands, we may please you by our resolve and our deeds. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
First reading : 1 Kings 21:17-29
After the death of Naboth, the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite, ‘Up! Go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, in Samaria. You will find him in Naboth’s vineyard; he has gone down to take possession of it. You are to say this to him, “the Lord says this: You have committed murder; now you usurp as well. For this – and the Lord says this – in the place where the dogs licked the blood of Naboth, the dogs will lick your blood too.”’ Ahab said to Elijah, ‘So you have found me out, O my enemy!’ Elijah answered, ‘I have found you out. For your double dealing, and since you have done what is displeasing to the Lord, I will now bring disaster down on you; I will sweep away your descendants, and wipe out every male belonging to the family of Ahab, fettered or free in Israel. I will treat your House as I treated the House of Jeroboam son of Nebat and of Baasha son of Ahijah, for provoking my anger and leading Israel into sin. (Against Jezebel the Lord spoke these words: The dogs will eat Jezebel in the Field of Jezreel.) Those of Ahab’s family who die in the city, the dogs will eat; and those who die in the open country, the birds of the air will eat.’ And indeed there never was anyone like Ahab for double dealing and for doing what is displeasing to the Lord, urged on by Jezebel his wife. He behaved in the most abominable way, adhering to idols, just as the Amorites used to do whom the Lord had dispossessed for the sons of Israel. When Ahab heard these words, he tore his garments and put sackcloth next his skin and fasted; he slept in the sackcloth; he walked with slow steps. Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite, ‘Have you seen how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Since he has humbled himself before me, I will not bring the disaster in his days; I will bring the disaster down on his House in the days of his son. ’
Psalm 50:3-6,11,16
R/ Have mercy on us, Lord, for we have sinned.
- Have mercy on me, God, in your kindness. In your compassion blot out my offence. O wash me more and more from my guilt and cleanse me from my sin.
- My offences truly I know them; my sin is always before me Against you, you alone, have I sinned; what is evil in your sight I have done.
- From my sins turn away your face and blot out all my guilt. O rescue me, God, my helper, and my tongue shall ring out your goodness.
Gospel Acclamation : 2Co5:19
Alleluia, alleluia! God in Christ was reconciling the world to himself, and he has entrusted to us the news that they are reconciled. Alleluia!
Gospel : Matthew 5:43-48
Jesus said to his disciples, ‘You have learnt how it was said: You must love your neighbour and hate your enemy. But I say this to you: love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you; in this way you will be sons of your Father in heaven, for he causes his sun to rise on bad men as well as good, and his rain to fall on honest and dishonest men alike. For if you love those who love you, what right have you to claim any credit? Even the tax collectors do as much, do they not? And if you save your greetings for your brothers, are you doing anything exceptional? Even the pagans do as much, do they not? You must therefore be perfect just as your heavenly Father is perfect.’
Prayer over the Offerings
O God, who in the offerings presented here provide for the twofold needs of human nature, nourishing us with food and renewing us with your Sacrament, grant, we pray, that the sustenance they provide may not fail us in body or in spirit. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon : Ps 26: 4
There is one thing I ask of the Lord, only this do I seek: to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.
Prayer after Communion
As this reception of your Holy Communion, O Lord, foreshadows the union of the faithful in you, so may it bring about unity in your Church. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
The love of enemies reveals the meaning and essence of the Christian life. To love, yes, but how should we love? To love in truth is to love to the point of giving our lives for those we love. But who should we love? Only our friends, those who esteem us and do us favours, those who give us their love and show us their tenderness? When Jesus said that we must love our enemies, he meant that our love must transcend the barriers of hatred, whether they be socio-cultural, linguistic or regional. We have a duty to love everyone because God loves them, not because they are what we like them to be. We live in a context where we choose whom we love according to whether they meet our expectations. Moreover, we have stopped loving the human being and have transferred the love we have for human beings to money, and we use human beings to make money for us and to offer us their services. Why do you love those you love and exclude others from this love?
by Jude Thaddeus Langeh | Jun 12, 2022 | Evangelium
Monday 13 th June 2022
Psalter III
St. Antony of Padua
(1195 – 1231)
Saint Antony was first of all an Augustinian monk, and later a Franciscan. Illness prevented him going to Africa to preach. His sermons are full of gentleness, but he reproved the wicked with fearle Entrance Antiphon : Cf. Sir 15: 5
In the midst of the Church he opened his mouth,and the Lord filled him with the spirit of wisdom and understanding and clothed him in a robe of glory.
Collect
Almighty ever-living God, who gave Saint Anthony of Padua to your people as an outstanding preacher and an intercessor in their need, grant, that with his assistance, as we follow the teachings of the Christian life, we may know your help in every trial. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
First reading : 1 Kings 21:1-16
Naboth of Jezreel had a vineyard close by the palace of Ahab king of Samaria, and Ahab said to Naboth, ‘Give me your vineyard to be my vegetable garden, since it adjoins my house; I will give you a better vineyard for it or, if you prefer, I will give you its worth in money.’ But Naboth answered Ahab, ‘The Lord forbid that I should give you the inheritance of my ancestors!’ Ahab went home gloomy and out of temper at the words of Naboth of Jezreel, ‘I will not give you the inheritance of my fathers.’ He lay down on his bed and turned his face away and refused to eat. His wife Jezebel came to him. ‘Why are you so dispirited’ she said ‘that you will not eat?’ He said, ‘I have been speaking to Naboth of Jezreel; I said: Give me your vineyard either for money or, if you prefer, for another vineyard in exchange. But he said, “I will not give you my vineyard.”’ Then his wife Jezebel said, ‘You make a fine king of Israel, and no mistake! Get up and eat; cheer up, and you will feel better; I will get you the vineyard of Naboth of Jezreel myself.’ So she wrote letters in Ahab’s name and sealed them with his seal, sending them to the elders and nobles who lived where Naboth lived. In the letters she wrote, ‘Proclaim a fast, and put Naboth in the forefront of the people. Confront him with a couple of scoundrels who will accuse him like this, “You have cursed God and the king” Then take him outside and stone him to death.’ The men of Naboth’s town, the elders and nobles who lived in his town, did what Jezebel ordered, what was written in the letters she had sent them. They proclaimed a fast and put Naboth in the forefront of the people. Then the two scoundrels came and stood in front of him and made their accusation, ‘Naboth has cursed God and the king.’ They led him outside the town and stoned him to death. They then sent word to Jezebel, ‘Naboth has been stoned to death.’ When Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned to death, she said to Ahab, ‘Get up! Take possession of the vineyard which Naboth of Jezreel would not give you for money, for Naboth is no longer alive, he is dead.’ When Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, he got up to go down to the vineyard of Naboth of Jezreel and take possession of it.
Psalm 5:2-3,5-7
R/ Give heed to my groaning, O Lord.
- To my words give ear, O Lord, give heed to my groaning. Attend to the sound of my cries, my King and my God.
- You are no God who loves evil; no sinner is your guest. The boastful shall not stand their ground before your face.
- You hate all who do evil; you destroy all who lie. The deceitful and bloodthirsty man the Lord detests.
Gospel Acclamation : Jn14:23
Alleluia, alleluia! If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we shall come to him. Alleluia!
Gospel : Matthew 5:38-42
Jesus said, ‘You have learnt how it was said: Eye for eye and tooth for tooth. But I say this to you: offer the wicked man no resistance. On the contrary, if anyone hits you on the right cheek, offer him the other as well; if a man takes you to law and would have your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone orders you to go one mile, go two miles with him. Give to anyone who asks, and if anyone wants to borrow, do not turn away.’
Prayer over the Offerings
May the sacrifice which we gladly present on the feast day of St. Antony of Padua, be pleasing to you, O God, for, taught by him, we, too, give ourselves entirely to you in praise. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon : Cf. Lk 12: 42
Behold a faithful and prudent steward to give them their allowance of food at the proper time.
Prayer after Communion
Through Christ the teacher, O Lord, instruct those you feed with Christ, the living Bread, that on the feast day of St. Antony of Padua. they may learn your truth and express it in works of charity. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
In today’s Gospel, Jesus completely reverses the traditional order by commanding us to adopt a new praxis of religion. We have to respond to violence with love, gentleness, charity, generosity and forgiveness. This is an effective way to end the cycle of violence generated by the law of retaliation with its normative “an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth”. Do we adhere to this new orientation? Let us remember that if we hate people in our hearts, if we rage against colleagues and comrades, if we hold a grudge against a brother no matter what evil he has done to us, we remain adherents of the law of retaliation and our hearts which cry out for vengeance, are resistant to the new word order which Jesus wants to usher in. ss severity – especially backsliding clergy and the oppressors of the weak.
by Jude Thaddeus Langeh | Jun 11, 2022 | Evangelium
Sunday 12 th June 2022
The Most Holy Trinity
– Solemnity,
Psalter proper
Entrance Antiphon
Blest be God the Father, and the Only Begotten Son of God, and also the Holy Spirit, for he has shown us his merciful love.
Collect
God our Father, who by sending into the world the Word of truth and the Spirit of sanctification made known to the human race your wondrous mystery, grant us, we pray, that in professing the true faith, we may acknowledge the Trinity of eternal glory and adore your Unity, powerful in majesty. 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 : Proverbs 8:22-31
The Wisdom of God cries aloud: The Lord created me when his purpose first unfolded, before the oldest of his works. From everlasting I was firmly set, from the beginning, before earth came into being. The deep was not, when I was born, there were no springs to gush with water. Before the mountains were settled, before the hills, I came to birth; before he made the earth, the countryside, or the first grains of the world’s dust. When he fixed the heavens firm, I was there, when he drew a ring on the surface of the deep, when he thickened the clouds above, when he fixed fast the springs of the deep, when he assigned the sea its boundaries – and the waters will not invade the shore – when he laid down the foundations of the earth, I was by his side, a master craftsman, delighting him day after day, ever at play in his presence, at play everywhere in his world, delighting to be with the sons of men.
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.
Second reading : Romans 5:1-5
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, by faith we are judged righteous and at peace with God, since it is by faith and through Jesus that we have entered this state of grace in which we can boast about looking forward to God’s glory. But that is not all we can boast about; we can boast about our sufferings. These sufferings bring patience, as we know, and patience brings perseverance, and perseverance brings hope, and this hope is not deceptive, because the love of God has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit which has been given us.
Gospel Acclamation : cf.Rv1:8
Alleluia, alleluia! Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; the God who is, who was, and who is to come. Alleluia!
Gospel : John 16:12-15
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘I still have many things to say to you but they would be too much for you now. But when the Spirit of truth comes he will lead you to the complete truth, since he will not be speaking as from himself but will say only what he has learnt; and he will tell you of the things to come. He will glorify me, since all he tells you will be taken from what is mine. Everything the Father has is mine; that is why I said: All he tells you will be taken from what is mine.’
Prayer over the Offerings
Sanctify by the invocation of your name, we pray, O Lord our God, this oblation of our service, and by it make of us an eternal offering to you. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon : Gal 4: 6
Since you are children of God, God has sent into your hearts the Spirit of his Son, the Spirit who cries out: Abba, Father.
Prayer after Communion
May receiving this Sacrament, O Lord our God, bring us health of body and soul, as we confess your eternal holy Trinity and undivided Unity. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
Today the church commemorates the solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity. We celebrate an ineffable mystery which constitutes the seed of our faith, namely, One God in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The mystery of the Holy Trinity is the most fundamental mystery of our faith. On it everything else depends and from it everything else is derived. Hence the Church’s constant concern to safeguard the revealed truth that God is One in nature and Three in Persons. Two lessons can be learnt from the doctrine of the Trinity. Primo, at the level of the Church, we can learn to operate in the same kind of teamwork as that of the Trinity. Segundo, at the level of the individual, may we exhibit the same kind of submission and obedience to the Father that Jesus did. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. Amen
by Jude Thaddeus Langeh | Jun 10, 2022 | Evangelium
Saturday 11 th June 2022
St. Barnabas
the Apostle
He was born in Cyprus. He accompanied Paul on his first missionary journey and later went to Cyprus with his cousin John Mark (Mark the evangelist) to preach the gospel there. He was probably martyred at Salamis in Cyprus, some time before the year 61.
Entrance Antiphon : Cf. Acts 11: 24
Blessed is this holy man, who was worthy to be numbered among the Apostles, for he was a good man, filled with the Holy Spirit and with faith.
Collect
O God, who decreed that Saint Barnabas, a man filled with faith and the Holy Spirit, should be set apart to convert the nations, grant that the Gospel of Christ, which he strenuously preached, may be faithfully proclaimed by word and by deed. 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 11:21-26,13:1-3
A great number believed and were converted to the Lord. The Church in Jerusalem heard about this and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. There he could see for himself that God had given grace, and this pleased him, and he urged them all to remain faithful to the Lord with heartfelt devotion; for he was a good man, filled with the Holy Spirit and with faith. And a large number of people were won over to the Lord. Barnabas then left for Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he found him he brought him to Antioch. As things turned out they were to live together in that Church a whole year, instructing a large number of people. It was at Antioch that the disciples were first called ‘Christians.’ In the Church at Antioch the following were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen, who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. One day while they were offering worship to the Lord and keeping a fast, the Holy Spirit said, ‘I want Barnabas and Saul set apart for the work to which I have called them.’ So it was that after fasting and prayer they laid their hands on them and sent them off.
Psalm 97:1-6
R/ The Lord has shown his salvation to the nations.
I Sing a new song to the Lord for he has worked wonders. His right hand and his holy arm have brought salvation.
- The Lord has made known his salvation; has shown his justice to the nations. He has remembered his truth and love for the house of Israel.
- All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. Shout to the Lord, all the earth, ring out your joy.
- Sing psalms to the Lord with the harp with the sound of music. With trumpets and the sound of the horn acclaim the King, the Lord.
Gospel Acclamation : Ps118:18
Alleluia, alleluia! Open my eyes, O Lord, that I may consider the wonders of your law. Alleluia!
Gospel : Matthew 5:33-37
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘You have learnt how it was said to our ancestors: You must not break your oath, but must fulfil your oaths to the Lord. But I say this to you: do not swear at all, either by heaven, since that is God’s throne; or by the earth, since that is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, since that is the city of the great king. Do not swear by your own head either, since you cannot turn a single hair white or black. All you need say is “Yes” if you mean yes, “No” if you mean no; anything more than this comes from the evil one.’
Prayer over the Offerings
Sanctify with your blessing, we pray, O Lord, the offerings presented here, so that by your grace they may set us on fire with the flame of your love, by which Saint Barnabas brought the light of the Gospel to the nations. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon : Cf. Jn 15: 15
I no longer call you slaves, because a slave does not know what his master is doing. But I have called you friends, because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father.
Prayer after Communion
As we receive the pledge of eternal life, we humbly implore you, Lord, that what we celebrate in sacramental signs on the Memorial of the blessed Apostle Barnabas we may one day behold unveiled. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
All you need say is “Yes” if you mean yes, “No” if you mean no. This is a recommendation to be devoted followers of the truth, which is not our own creation but God’s revelation to our spirit. It is our responsibility to transmit it in all its purity without adulterations or multiple interpretations that may obscure or alter it. Today the truth is manufactured by our interests, and this makes us adopt the attitude of “yes-no” or yes when it is no and no when it is yes. Am I a faithful disciple of truth or a marketer of truth for interest? May God help us in every word we speak this day.
by Jude Thaddeus Langeh | Jun 9, 2022 | Evangelium
Friday 10 th June 2022
St. Landry
He was the bishop of Paris. He was consecrated in 650 and built the first major hospital in the city, dedicating it to St. Christopher. It’s today called the l’Hôtel-Dieu.
Entrance Antiphon : Cf. Ps 26: 1-2
The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; whom should I dread? When those who do evil draw near, they stumble and fall.
Collect
O God, from whom all good things come, grant that we, who call on you in our need, may at your prompting discern what is right, and by your guidance do it. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
First reading : 1 Kings 19:9,11-16
When Elijah reached Horeb, the mountain of God, he went into the cave and spent the night in it. Then he was told, ‘Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord.’ Then the Lord himself went by. There came a mighty wind, so strong it tore the mountains and shattered the rocks before the Lord. But the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind came an earthquake. But the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire. But the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there came the sound of a gentle breeze. And when Elijah heard this, he covered his face with his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. Then a voice came to him, which said, ‘What are you doing here, Elijah?’ He replied, ‘I am filled with jealous zeal for the Lord of Hosts, because the sons of Israel have deserted you, broken down your altars and put your prophets to the sword. I am the only one left and they want to kill me.’ ‘Go,’ the Lord said, ‘go back by the same way to the wilderness of Damascus. You are to go and anoint Hazael as king of Aram. You are to anoint Jehu son of Nimshi as king of Israel, and to anoint Elisha son of Shaphat, of Abel Meholah, as prophet to succeed you.’
Psalm : 26:7-9,13-14
R/ It is your face, O Lord, that I seek.
- O Lord, hear my voice when I call; have mercy and answer. Of you my heart has spoken: ‘Seek his face. ’
- It is your face, O Lord, that I seek; hide not your face. Dismiss not your servant in anger; you have been my help.
- I am sure I shall see the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living. Hope in him, hold firm and take heart. Hope in the Lord!
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 : Matthew 5:27-32
Jesus said to his disciples, ‘You have learnt how it was said: You must not commit adultery. But I say this to you: if a man looks at a woman lustfully, he has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye should cause you to sin, tear it out and throw it away; for it will do you less harm to lose one part of you than to have your whole body thrown into hell. And if your right hand should cause you to sin, cut it off and throw it away; for it will do you less harm to lose one part of you than to have your whole body go to hell. ‘It has also been said: Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a writ of dismissal. But I say this to you: everyone who divorces his wife, except for the case of fornication, makes her an adulteress; and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.’
Prayer over the Offerings
Look kindly upon our service, O Lord, we pray, that what we offer may be an acceptable oblation to you and lead us to grow in charity. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon : Ps 17: 3
The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer; my God is my saving strength.
Prayer after Communion
May your healing work, O Lord, free us, we pray, from doing evil, and lead us to what is right. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
Conversion is an unavoidable pre-requisite to enter the kingdom of heaven. The conversion we are talking about here is rooted in the Word that God addresses to our hearts and that goes beyond our traditions and personal convictions and appetites. We must break away from our desires and follow and practice only what Christ teaches and expects of us. “You have learnt how it was said…. But I say this to you! “This is an imperative call that awaits a radical response. We have to sacrifice pleasures, benefits, or the comfort of a conscience that is not guilty of trying to do good. We must cut all these off and cast them away, for it is better to go to heaven without them than to keep them and go to hell.
by Jude Thaddeus Langeh | Jun 8, 2022 | Evangelium
Thursday 09 th June 2022
St. EphraIm the Deacon
(306 – 373)
He was a poet and a theologian. He is famous not only for the beauty of expression of his homilies but also for his hymns, which have spread far beyond his native Syriac church and are in use in East and West alike.
Entrance Antiphon : Cf. Ps 26: 1-2
The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; whom should I dread? When those who do evil draw near, they stumble and fall.
Collect
O God, from whom all good things come, grant that we, who call on you in our need, may, at your prompting, discern what is right, and by your guidance do it. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
First reading : 1 Kings 18:41-46
Elijah said to Ahab, ‘Go back, eat and drink; for I hear the sound of rain.’ While Ahab went back to eat and drink, Elijah climbed to the top of Carmel and bowed down to the earth, putting his face between his knees. ‘Now go up,’ he told his servant ‘and look out to the sea.’ He went up and looked. ‘There is nothing at all’ he said. ‘Go back seven times’ Elijah said. The seventh time, the servant said, ‘Now there is a cloud, small as a man’s hand, rising from the sea.’ Elijah said, ‘Go and say to Ahab, “Harness the chariot and go down before the rain stops you.”’ And with that the sky grew dark with cloud and storm, and rain fell in torrents. Ahab mounted his chariot and made for Jezreel. The hand of the Lord was on Elijah, and tucking up his cloak he ran in front of Ahab as far as the outskirts of Jezreel.
Psalm 64:10-13
R/ To you our praise is due in Zion, O God.
- You care for the earth, give it water, you fill it with riches. Your river in heaven brims over to provide its grain.
- And thus you provide for the earth; you drench its furrows; you level it, soften it with showers; you bless its growth.
- You crown the year with your goodness. Abundance flows in your steps, in the pastures of the wilderness it flows. The hills are girded with joy.
Gospel Acclamation : cf.1Th2:13
Alleluia, alleluia! Accept God’s message for what it really is: God’s message, and not some human thinking. Alleluia!
Gospel : Matthew 5:20-26
Jesus said to his disciples, If your virtue goes no deeper than that of the Scribes and Pharisees, you will never get into the kingdom of heaven. ‘You have learnt how it was said to our ancestors: You must not kill; and if anyone does kill he must answer for it before the court. But I say this to you: anyone who is angry with his brother will answer for it before the court; if a man calls his brother “Fool” he will answer for it before the Sanhedrin; and if a man calls him “Renegade” he will answer for it in hell fire. So then, if you are bringing your offering to the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar, go and be reconciled with your brother first, and then come back and present your offering. Come to terms with your opponent in good time while you are still on the way to the court with him, or he may hand you over to the judge and the judge to the officer, and you will be thrown into prison. I tell you solemnly, you will not get out till you have paid the last penny.’
Prayer over the Offerings
Look kindly upon our service, O Lord, we pray, that what we offer may be an acceptable oblation to you and lead us to grow in charity. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon : Ps 17: 3
The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer; my God is my saving strength.
Prayer after Communion
May your healing work, O Lord, free us, we pray, from doing evil, and lead us to what is right. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
Jesus presents the human heart as the place where true justice is manifested. For this reason, God’s gaze is focused on it . It is not enough for us to be men who let it be seen that they do good; we must take the further step of cultivating have a good heart, just and full of love. Our heart is invisible because it is the dwelling place of God in us, God who is invisible but present and active. May the Lord purify make our thoughts and intentions through the gift of his Spirit, who sanctifies and justifies everything.
