by Jude Thaddeus Langeh | Jun 7, 2022 | Evangelium
Wednesday 08 th June 2022
Blessed James Berthieu
(1838 – 1896)
Born in France, he was ordained a Jesuit priest in 1864. In 1875 he left for Madagascar where he spent the rest of his life. On the night of 8 June 1896, while he was praying, he was shot dead and his body thrown in the river Mananara.
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 18:20-39
Ahab called all Israel together and assembled the prophets on Mount Carmel. Elijah stepped out in front of all the people. ‘How long’ he said ‘do you mean to hobble first on one leg then on the other? If the Lord is God, follow him; if Baal, follow him.’ But the people never said a word. Elijah then said to them, ‘I, I alone, am left as a prophet of the Lord, while the prophets of Baal are four hundred and fifty. Let two bulls be given us; let them choose one for themselves, dismember it and lay it on the wood, but not set fire to it. I in my turn will prepare the other bull, but not set fire to it. You must call on the name of your god, and I shall call on the name of mine; the god who answers with fire, is God indeed.’ The people all answered, ‘Agreed!’ Elijah then said to the prophets of Baal, ‘Choose one bull and begin, for there are more of you. Call on the name of your god but light no fire.’ They took the bull and prepared it, and from morning to midday they called on the name of Baal. ‘O Baal, answer us!’ they cried, but there was no voice, no answer, as they performed their hobbling dance round the altar they had made. Midday came, and Elijah mocked them. ‘Call louder,’ he said ‘for he is a god: he is preoccupied or he is busy, or he has gone on a journey; perhaps he is asleep and will wake up.’ So they shouted louder and gashed themselves, as their custom was, with swords and spears until the blood flowed down them. Midday passed, and they ranted on until the time the offering is presented; but there was no voice, no answer, no attention given to them. Then Elijah said to all the people, ‘Come closer to me’, and all the people came closer to him. He repaired the altar of the Lord which had been broken down. Elijah took twelve stones, corresponding to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob to whom the word of the Lord had come, ‘Israel shall be your name’, and built an altar in the name of the Lord. Round the altar he dug a trench of a size to hold two measures of seed. He then arranged the wood, dismembered the bull, and laid it on the wood. Then he said, ‘Fill four jars with water and pour it on the holocaust and on the wood’; this they did. He said, ‘Do it a second time’; they did it a second time. He said, ‘Do it a third time’; they did it a third time. The water flowed round the altar and the trench itself was full of water. At the time when the offering is presented, Elijah the prophet stepped forward. ‘O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel,’ he said ‘let them know today that you are God in Israel, and that I am your servant, that I have done all these things at your command. Answer me, O Lord, answer me, so that this people may know that you, the Lord, are God and are winning back their hearts.’ Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the holocaust and wood and licked up the water in the trench. When all the people saw this they fell on their faces. ‘The Lord is God,’ they cried, ‘the Lord is God.’
Psalm 15:1-2,4-5,8,11
R/ Save me, Lord, I take refuge in you.
- Preserve me, God, I take refuge in you. I say to the Lord: ‘You are my God. ’
- Those who choose other gods increase their sorrows. Never will I offer their offerings of blood. Never will I take their name upon my lips.
- O Lord, it is you who are my portion and cup; it is you yourself who are my prize. I keep the Lord ever in my sight: since he is at my right hand, I shall stand firm.
- You will show me the path of life, the fullness of joy in your presence, at your right hand happiness for ever.
Gospel Acclamation : Ps118:27
Alleluia, alleluia! Make me grasp the way of your precepts, and I will muse on your wonders. Alleluia!
Gospel : Matthew 5:17-19
Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Do not imagine that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I have come not to abolish but to complete them. I tell you solemnly, till heaven and earth disappear, not one dot, not one little stroke, shall disappear from the Law until its purpose is achieved. Therefore, the man who infringes even one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be considered the least in the kingdom of heaven; but the man who keeps them and teaches them will be considered great in the kingdom of heaven.’
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
The Scriptures in their entirety are fulfilled in the person of Christ. He is the one whom they announced from the beginning. Thus, the teaching of the prophets and the law of Moses are not in contradiction with Christ, who is their perfect fulfilment. The observance of the law is therefore the way to the kingdom of heaven. He who keeps the commandments of God and teaches men to do the same is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. If we have forgotten the 10 commandments, let us take the trouble to revisit them on this day and to talk about them in our family.
by Jude Thaddeus Langeh | Jun 6, 2022 | Evangelium
Tuesday 07 th June 2022
- Colman
of Dromore
He was active in the late fifth and early sixth centuries. He spent most of his life in the Dromore area of County Down. He was persuaded by Saint Mac Nissi to settle at Dromore in around 514, where he became the first bishop of the See of Dromore.
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 : 17:7-16
The stream in the place where Elijah lay hidden dried up, for the country had no rain. And then the word of the Lord came to Elijah, ‘Up and go to Zarephath, a Sidonian town, and stay there. I have ordered a widow there to give you food.’ So he went off to Sidon. And when he reached the city gate, there was a widow gathering sticks; addressing her he said, ‘Please bring me a little water in a vessel for me to drink.’ She was setting off to bring it when he called after her. ‘Please’ he said ‘bring me a scrap of bread in your hand.’ ‘As the Lord your God lives,’ she replied ‘I have no baked bread, but only a handful of meal in a jar and a little oil in a jug; I am just gathering a stick or two to go and prepare this for myself and my son to eat, and then we shall die.’ But Elijah said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, go and do as you have said; but first make a little scone of it for me and bring it to me, and then make some for yourself and for your son. For thus the Lord speaks, the God of Israel: “Jar of meal shall not be spent, jug of oil shall not be emptied, before the day when the Lord sends rain on the face of the earth.”’ The woman went and did as Elijah told her and they ate the food, she, himself and her son. The jar of meal was not spent nor the jug of oil emptied, just as the Lord had foretold through Elijah.
Psalm 4:2-5,7-8
R/ Lift up the light of your face on us, O Lord.
- When I call, answer me, O God of justice; from anguish you released me, have mercy and hear me! O men, how long will your hearts be closed, will you love what is futile and seek what is false?
- It is the Lord who grants favours to those whom he loves; the Lord hears me whenever I call him. Fear him; do not sin: ponder on your bed and be still.
- ‘What can bring us happiness?’ many say. Lift up the light of your face on us, O Lord. You have put into my heart a greater joy than they have from abundance of corn and new wine.
Gospel Acclamation : Ph2:15-16
Alleluia, alleluia! You will shine in the world like bright stars because you are offering it the word 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
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
“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.” The essence of being a Christian is to do good to people, to be love in the midst of the world. It is in this that we become the salt of the earth and the light of the world, not by telling people about our faith, but by letting our actions, our witness of life, tell those around us about Jesus Christ. May the Lord give us docility to the inspirations of his Spirit so that our life may correspond to our discipleship and tell God to a world that is thirsty and hungry for him.
by Jude Thaddeus Langeh | Jun 5, 2022 | Evangelium
Monday 06 th June 2022
Mary, Mother of the Church,
Psalter II
- Norbert
(1080 – 1134)
He was born in Xanten, Germany. After a period of worldly life, at the age of 35 he had a narrow escape from death and his life changed. He became a priest. He founded a religious Order after the rule of St. Augustine. He died in 1134.
Entrance Antiphon
The disciples devoted themselves with one accord to prayer with Mary, the mother of Jesus.
Collect
O God, Father of mercies, whose Only Begotten Son, as he hung upon the Cross, chose the Blessed Virgin Mary, his Mother, to be our Mother also; grant, we pray, that with her loving help, your Church may be more fruitful day by day, and exulting in the holiness of her children, may draw to her embrace all the families of the peoples. 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 17:1-6
Elijah the Tishbite, of Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, ‘As the Lord lives, the God of Israel whom I serve, there shall be neither dew nor rain these years except at my order.’ The word of the Lord came to him, ‘Go away from here, go eastwards, and hide yourself in the wadi Cherith which lies east of Jordan. You can drink from the stream, and I have ordered the ravens to bring you food there.’ He did as the Lord had said; he went and stayed in the wadi Cherith which lies east of Jordan. The ravens brought him bread in the morning and meat in the evening, and he quenched his thirst at the stream.
Psalm 120(121)
R/ Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
- I lift up my eyes to the mountains; from where shall come my help? My help shall come from the Lord who made heaven and earth.
- May he never allow you to stumble! Let him sleep not, your guard. No, he sleeps not nor slumbers, Israel’s guard.
- The Lord is your guard and your shade; at your right side he stands. By day the sun shall not smite you nor the moon in the night.
- The Lord will guard you from evil, he will guard your soul. The Lord will guard your going and coming both now and for ever.
Gospel Acclamation : cf.2Th2:14
Alleluia, alleluia! Through the Good News God called us to share the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Alleluia!
Gospel : Matthew 5:1-12
Seeing the crowds, Jesus went up the hill. There he sat down and was joined by his disciples. Then he began to speak. This is what he taught them: ‘How happy are the poor in spirit; theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Happy the gentle: they shall have the earth for their heritage. Happy those who mourn: they shall be comforted. Happy those who hunger and thirst for what is right: they shall be satisfied. Happy the merciful: they shall have mercy shown them. Happy the pure in heart: they shall see God. Happy the peacemakers: they shall be called sons of God. Happy those who are persecuted in the cause of right: theirs is the kingdom of heaven. ‘Happy are you when people abuse you and persecute you and speak all kinds of calumny against you on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven: this is how they persecuted the prophets before you.’
Prayer over the Offerings
Receive our offerings, O Lord, and transform them into the mystery of salvation, so that by its power we may be set aflame with the charity of the Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church, and with her may be united more closely to the work of redemption. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon : Cf. Jn2:1,11
A wedding was held in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there; then Jesus performed the first of his signs and manifested his glory and his disciples believed in him
Prayer after Communion
Having received the pledge of redemption and of life we humbly pray, O Lord, that with the Blessed Virgin’s motherly help your Church may teach all nations by proclaiming the Gospel and, thanks to the outpouring of the Spirit, may fill the whole earth.Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
The Beatitudes that Jesus pronounces are the inauguration of a new reign, a reign that brings perfect joy to everyone who approaches it. This is why the sermon of Jesus touches on different levels those who are present. He sees the crowds, but his disciples come closer to him as he reveals the various paths that lead to the kingdom, whose presence he embodies. We must ask ourselves where we are situated as we listen to and read the scriptures: do we remain in the crowd, that is, in anonymity without making our identity as a disciple shine through, or do we truly draw closer to Christ and thus to the kingdom through the paths he reveals to us? Have a poor heart, have a gentle heart, thirst for justice, be peacemakers.
by Jude Thaddeus Langeh | Jun 4, 2022 | Evangelium
Sunday 05 th June 2022
Pentecost
Mass of the Day
Entrance Antiphon : Wis 1: 7
The Spirit of the Lord has filled the whole world and that which contains all things understands what is said, alleluia.
Collect
O God, who by the mystery of today’s great feast, sanctify your whole Church in every people and nation, pour out, we pray, the gifts of the Holy Spirit across the face of the earth, and, with the divine grace that was at work when the Gospel was first proclaimed, fill now, once more the hearts of believers. 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 2:1-11
When Pentecost day came round, they had all met in one room, when suddenly they heard what sounded like a powerful wind from heaven, the noise of which filled the entire house in which they were sitting; and something appeared to them that seemed like tongues of fire; these separated and came to rest on the head of each of them. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak foreign languages as the Spirit gave them the gift of speech. Now there were devout men living in Jerusalem from every nation under heaven, and at this sound they all assembled, each one bewildered to hear these men speaking his own language. They were amazed and astonished. ‘Surely’ they said ‘all these men speaking are Galileans? How does it happen that each of us hears them in his own native language? Parthians, Medes and Elamites; people from Mesopotamia, Judaea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya round Cyrene; as well as visitors from Rome – Jews and proselytes alike – Cretans and Arabs; we hear them preaching in our own language about the marvels of God.’
Psalm 103:1,24,29-31,34
R/ Send forth your spirit, O Lord, and renew the face of the earth.
I Bless the Lord, my soul! Lord God, how great you are, How many are your works, O Lord! The earth is full of your riches.
- 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.
- May the glory of the Lord last for ever! May the Lord rejoice in his works! May my thoughts be pleasing to him. I find my joy in the Lord.
Second reading : 1 Cor. 12:3-7,12-13
No one can say, ‘Jesus is Lord’ unless he is under the influence of the Holy Spirit. There is a variety of gifts but always the same Spirit; there are all sorts of service to be done, but always to the same Lord; working in all sorts of different ways in different people, it is the same God who is working in all of them. The particular way in which the Spirit is given to each person is for a good purpose. Just as a human body, though it is made up of many parts, is a single unit because all these parts, though many, make one body, so it is with Christ. In the one Spirit we were all baptised, Jews as well as Greeks, slaves as well as citizens, and one Spirit was given to us all to drink.
Gospel Acclamation
Alleluia, alleluia! Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love. Alleluia!
Gospel : John 20:19-23
In the evening of the first day of the week, the doors were closed in the room where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews. Jesus came and stood among them. He said to them, ‘Peace be with you’, and showed them his hands and his side. The disciples were filled with joy when they saw the Lord, and he said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. ‘As the Father sent me, so am I sending you.’ After saying this he breathed on them and said: ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. For those whose sins you forgive, they are forgiven; for those whose sins you retain, they are retained.’
Prayer over the Offerings
Grant, we pray, O Lord, that, as promised by your Son, the Holy Spirit may reveal to us more abundantly the hidden mystery of this sacrifice and graciously lead us into all truth. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon : Acts 2: 4, 11
They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke of the marvels of God, alleluia.
Prayer after Communion
O God, who bestow heavenly gifts upon your Church, safeguard, we pray, the grace you have given, that the gift of the Holy Spirit poured out upon her may retain all its force and that this spiritual food may gain her abundance of eternal redemption. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
The Holy Spirit is the Third Person of the Blessed Trinity. He is the helper sent by Jesus to teach us everything. At Pentecost the church celebrates that day when the earth witnessed the powerful outpouring of the Spirit of God. Today the Spirit of God seizes men and women and enables them to achieve more than what they are naturally capable of. The Holy Spirit descended on the disciples who lived in the fear of the Jews and transformed them into untiring missionaries to preach the Gospel of Christ. The gospel of Christ has impregnated the world since the coming of the Holy Spirit. The gospel is driven by the strength of the Spirit, which is like an engine of change. The Spirit continues to blow in our world today. He is bringing conversion, healing, and multiple spectra of miracles. Have you experienced the presence and the power of God’s Spirit?
by Jude Thaddeus Langeh | Jun 3, 2022 | Evangelium
Saturday 04 th June 2022
St. Clotilde
(475 – 545)
She was the second wife of the Frankish King Clovis I, and a princess of the kingdom of Burgundy. She converted her husband to the catholic faith. She was known for almsgiving and penitential works of mercy.
Entrance Antiphon : Acts 1: 14
O The disciples devoted themselves with one accord to prayer with the women, and Mary the Mother of Jesus, and his brethren, alleluia
Collect
Grant, we pray, almighty God, that we, who have celebrated the paschal festivities, may by your gift hold fast to them in the way that we live our lives. 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 28:16-20,30-31
On our arrival in Rome Paul was allowed to stay in lodgings of his own with the soldier who guarded him. After three days he called together the leading Jews. When they had assembled, he said to them, ‘Brothers, although I have done nothing against our people or the customs of our ancestors, I was arrested in Jerusalem and handed over to the Romans. They examined me and would have set me free, since they found me guilty of nothing involving the death penalty; but the Jews lodged an objection, and I was forced to appeal to Caesar, not that I had any accusation to make against my own nation. That is why I have asked to see you and talk to you, for it is on account of the hope of Israel that I wear this chain.’ Paul spent the whole of the two years in his own rented lodging. He welcomed all who came to visit him, proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching the truth about the Lord Jesus Christ with complete freedom and without hindrance from anyone.
Psalm: 10(11):4-5,7
R/ The upright shall see your face, O Lord.
- The Lord is in his holy temple, the Lord, whose throne is in heaven. His eyes look down on the world; his gaze tests mortal men.
- The Lord tests the just and the wicked; the lover of violence he hates. The Lord is just and loves justice; the upright shall see his face.
Gospel Acclamation : Col3:1
Alleluia, alleluia! Since you have been brought back to true life with Christ, you must look for the things that are in heaven, where Christ is, sitting at God’s right hand. Alleluia!
Gospel : John 21:20-25
Peter turned and saw the disciple Jesus loved following them – the one who had leaned on his breast at the supper and had said to him, ‘Lord, who is it that will betray you?’ Seeing him, Peter said to Jesus, ‘What about him, Lord?’ Jesus answered, ‘If I want him to stay behind till I come, what does it matter to you? You are to follow me.’ The rumour then went out among the brothers that this disciple would not die. Yet Jesus had not said to Peter, ‘He will not die’, but, ‘If I want him to stay behind till I come.’ This disciple is the one who vouches for these things and has written them down, and we know that his testimony is true. There were many other things that Jesus did; if all were written down, the world itself, I suppose, would not hold all the books that would have to be written.
Prayer over the Offerings
May the Holy Spirit coming near, we pray, O Lord, prepare our minds for the divine Sacrament, since the Spirit himself is the remission of all sins. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon : Jn 16: 14
The Holy Spirit will glorify me, for he will take from what is mine and declare it to you, says the Lord, alleluia.
Prayer after Communion
Hear in your compassion our prayers, O Lord, that, as we have been brought from things of the past to new mysteries, so, with former ways left behind, we may be made new in holiness of mind. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
The gospel according to Saint John concludes with the statement that the whole world would not contain the books that would be written if all the things that Jesus did were written. The entire New Testament writings are but a sketch of the works of Jesus. God is infinite and so cannot be restricted to Scripture. For any doctrine to be acceptable for Christian living, it must be consistent with Scripture and Tradition. Moreover, it is one thing to know scriptural texts and another thing to understand Sacred Scripture. We need the magisterium, the only teaching authority of the Church. Are you humble enough to let yourself be guided and taught?
by Jude Thaddeus Langeh | Jun 2, 2022 | Evangelium
Friday 03 rd June 2022
Ss Charles Lwanga
and his companions
(1885/7)
Sts Charles Lwanga and his companions became the first martyrs of black Africa under Ugandan king Mwanga. They were executed for being Christians, for rebuking the king for his debauchery, for murdering an Anglican missionary and for “praying from a book,” . They died between 1885 and 1887.
Entrance Antiphon : Cf. Wis 3: 6-7, 9
As gold in the furnace, the Lord put his chosen to the test; as sacrificial offerings, he took them to himself; and in due time they will be honoured, and grace and peace will be with the elect of God, alleluia.
Collect
O God, who have made the blood of Martyrs the seed of Christians, mercifully grant that the field which is your Church, watered by the blood shed by Saints Charles Lwanga and his companions, may be fertile and always yield you an abundant harvest. 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 25:13-21
King Agrippa and Bernice arrived in Caesarea and paid their respects to Festus. Their visit lasted several days, and Festus put Paul’s case before the king. ‘There is a man here’ he said ‘whom Felix left behind in custody, and while I was in Jerusalem the chief priests and elders of the Jews laid information against him, demanding his condemnation. But I told them that Romans are not in the habit of surrendering any man, until the accused confronts his accusers and is given an opportunity to defend himself against the charge. So they came here with me, and I wasted no time but took my seat on the tribunal the very next day and had the man brought in. When confronted with him, his accusers did not charge him with any of the crimes I had expected; but they had some argument or other with him about their own religion and about a dead man called Jesus whom Paul alleged to be alive. Not feeling qualified to deal with questions of this sort, I asked him if he would be willing to go to Jerusalem to be tried there on this issue. But Paul put in an appeal for his case to be reserved for the judgement of the august emperor, so I ordered him to be remanded until I could send him to Caesar.’
Psalm 102:1-2,11-12,19-20
R/ The Lord has set his sway in heaven.
I My soul, give thanks to the Lord all my being, bless his holy name. My soul, give thanks to the Lord and never forget all his blessings.
- For as the heavens are high above the earth so strong is his love for those who fear him. As far as the east is from the west so far does he remove our sins.
- The Lord has set his sway in heaven and his kingdom is ruling over all. Give thanks to the Lord, all his angels, mighty in power, fulfilling his word.
Gospel Acclamation : Jn14:26
Alleluia, alleluia! The Holy Spirit will teach you everything and remind you of all I have said to you. Alleluia!
Gospel : John 21:15-19
After Jesus had shown himself to his disciples and eaten with them, he said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me more than these others do?’ He answered, ‘Yes Lord, you know I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my lambs.’ A second time he said to him, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’ He replied, ‘Yes, Lord, you know I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Look after my sheep.’ Then he said to him a third time, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’ Peter was upset that he asked him the third time, ‘Do you love me?’ and said, ‘Lord, you know everything; you know I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my sheep. ‘I tell you most solemnly, when you were young you put on your own belt and walked where you liked; but when you grow old you will stretch out your hands, and somebody else will put a belt round you and take you where you would rather not go.’ In these words he indicated the kind of death by which Peter would give glory to God. After this he said, ‘Follow me.’
Prayer over the Offerings
We offer you sacrifice, O Lord, humbly praying that, as you granted the blessed Martyrs grace to die rather than sin, so you may bring us to minister at your altar in dedication to you alone. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon : Ps 115: 15I How precious in the eyes of the Lord is the death of his holy ones., alleluia.
Prayer after Communion
We have received this divine Sacrament, O Lord, as we celebrate the victory of your holy Martyrs; may what helped them to endure torment, we pray, make us, in the face of trials, steadfast in faith and in charity. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
Love for Christ is the foundation for authentic discipleship and for the fulfilment of the mission of the Church. Three times Peter must pass the test of love in order to be called to feed the flock and to be invited to follow the Master. Wherever we are, – in the family, in the office, in the home, – what matters to God is the love we have and show for our neighbour, because in the twilight of our lives we will be judged by the love we have demonstrated.
