by Jude Thaddeus Langeh | Mar 25, 2022 | Evangelium
Saturday 26 March 2022
St. Margaret Clitherow
She was born in England in 1555. For hosting fugitive priests, she was arrested, imprisoned by authorities and condemned to be pressed to death on March 25, 1586. She was stretched out on the ground with a sharp rock on her back and crushed under a door over laden with unbearable weights.
Entrance Antiphon : Ps 102: 2-3
Bless the Lord, O my soul, and never forget all his benefits; it is he who forgives all your sins.
Collect
Rejoicing in this annual celebration of our Lenten observance, we pray, O Lord, that, with our hearts set on the paschal mysteries, we may be gladdened by their full effects. 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 : Hosea 5:15-6:6
The Lord says this: They will search for me in their misery. ‘Come, let us return to the Lord. He has torn us to pieces, but he will heal us; he has struck us down, but he will bandage our wounds; after a day or two he will bring us back to life, on the third day he will raise us and we shall live in his presence. Let us set ourselves to know the Lord; that he will come is as certain as the dawn his judgement will rise like the light, he will come to us as showers come, like spring rains watering the earth.’ What am I to do with you, Ephraim? What am I to do with you, Judah? This love of yours is like a morning cloud, like the dew that quickly disappears. This is why I have torn them to pieces by the prophets, why I slaughtered them with the words from my mouth, since what I want is love, not sacrifice; knowledge of God, not holocausts.
Psalm 50:3-4,18-21
R/ What I want is love, not sacrifice.
- 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.
- For in sacrifice you take no delight, burnt offering from me you would refuse, my sacrifice, a contrite spirit. A humbled, contrite heart you will not spurn.
- In your goodness, show favour to Zion: rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. Then you will be pleased with lawful sacrifice, burnt offerings wholly consumed.
Gospel Acclamation : Ps. 94:8
Glory and praise to you, O Christ! Harden not your hearts today, but listen to the voice of the Lord. Glory and praise to you, O Christ!
Gospel : Luke 18:9-14
Jesus spoke the following parable to some people who prided themselves on being virtuous and despised everyone else: ‘Two men went up to the Temple to pray, one a Pharisee, the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood there and said this prayer to himself, “I thank you, God, that I am not grasping, unjust, adulterous like the rest of mankind, and particularly that I am not like this tax collector here. I fast twice a week; I pay tithes on all I get.” The tax collector stood some distance away, not daring even to raise his eyes to heaven; but he beat his breast and said, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner.” This man, I tell you, went home again at rights with God; the other did not. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the man who humbles himself will be exalted.’
Prayer over the Offerings
O God, by whose grace it comes to pass that we may approach your mysteries with minds made pure, grant, we pray, that, in reverently handing them on, we may offer you fitting homage. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon : Lk 18: 13
The tax collector stood at a distance, beating his breast and saying: O God, be merciful to me, a sinner.
Prayer after Communion
May we truly revere, O merciful God, these holy gifts, by which you ceaselessly nourish us, and may we always partake of them with abundant faith in our heart. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
Today’s Gospel deals with prayer, but the issue is the attitude, the content of the heart as one prays. Jesus’ words can serve as an examination of conscience to guard against a self-righteous attitude. Our Lord points out what is most dangerous about pride. First, we come to trust in our own abilities rather than trusting God. Second, we come to regard other people with contempt and disrespect rather than seeing them as created equal in the image of God. St John of the Cross (The Ascent of Mount Carmel) says, “Christians should keep in mind that the value of their good works, fast, alms, penances… is not based on quantity and quality so much as on the love of God practised in them”. True love of God will also find expression in love – not contempt – of neighbour.
by Jude Thaddeus Langeh | Mar 24, 2022 | Evangelium
Friday 25 March 2022
The Annunciation of the Lord
Solemnity
The Feast of the Annunciation is the reason why we celebrate Christmas on December 25. Christmas comes exactly nine months after the Archangel Gabriel invited the Virgin Mary to be the Mother of God, an event we commemorate on March 25. It is fruitful to reflect upon the incarnation of Jesus Christ in the womb of the Virgin Mary.
Entrance Antiphon : Heb 10: 5, 7
The Lord said, as he entered the world: Behold, I come to do your will, O God.
Collect
O God, who willed that your Word should take on the reality of human flesh in the womb of the Virgin Mary, grant, we pray, that we, who confess our Redeemer to be God and man, may merit to become partakers even in his divine nature. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
First reading : Isaiah 7:10-14,8:10
The Lord spoke to Ahaz and said, ‘Ask the Lord your God for a sign for yourself coming either from the depths of Sheol or from the heights above.’ ‘No,’ Ahaz answered ‘I will not put the Lord to the test.’ Then Isaiah said: ‘Listen now, House of David: are you not satisfied with trying the patience of men without trying the patience of my God, too? The Lord himself, therefore, will give you a sign. It is this: the maiden is with child and will soon give birth to a son whom she will call Immanuel, a name which means “God-is-with-us.”’
Psalm 39(40):7-11
R/ Here I am, Lord! I come to do your will.
- You do not ask for sacrifice and offerings, but an open ear. You do not ask for holocaust and victim. Instead, here am I.
- In the scroll of the book it stands written that I should do your will. My God, I delight in your law in the depth of my heart.
- Your justice I have proclaimed in the great assembly. My lips I have not sealed; you know it, O Lord.
- I have not hidden your justice in my heart but declared your faithful help. I have not hidden your love and your truth from the great assembly.
Second reading : Hebrews 10:4-10
Bulls’ blood and goats’ blood are useless for taking away sins, and this is what Christ said, on coming into the world: You who wanted no sacrifice or oblation, prepared a body for me. You took no pleasure in holocausts or sacrifices for sin; then I said, just as I was commanded in the scroll of the book, ‘God, here I am! I am coming to obey your will.’ Notice that he says first: You did not want what the Law lays down as the things to be offered, that is: the sacrifices, the oblations, the holocausts and the sacrifices for sin, and you took no pleasure in them; and then he says: Here I am! I am coming to obey your will. He is abolishing the first sort to replace it with the second. And this will was for us to be made holy by the offering of his body made once and for all by Jesus Christ.
Gospel Acclamation : Jn1:14
Praise to you, O Christ, king of eternal glory! The Word became flesh, he lived among us, and we saw his glory. Praise to you, O Christ, king of eternal glory!
Gospel : Luke 1:26-38
The angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the House of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. He went in and said to her, ‘Rejoice, so highly favoured! The Lord is with you.’ She was deeply disturbed by these words and asked herself what this greeting could mean, but the angel said to her, ‘Mary, do not be afraid; you have won God’s favour. Listen! You are to conceive and bear a son, and you must name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David; he will rule over the House of Jacob for ever and his reign will have no end.’ Mary said to the angel, ‘But how can this come about, since I am a virgin?’ ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you’ the angel answered ‘and the power of the Most High will cover you with its shadow. And so the child will be holy and will be called Son of God. Know this too: your kinswoman Elizabeth has, in her old age, herself conceived a son, and she whom people called barren is now in her sixth month, for nothing is impossible to God.’ ‘I am the handmaid of the Lord,’ said Mary ‘let what you have said be done to me.’ And the angel left her.
Prayer over the Offerings
Be pleased, almighty God, to accept your Church’s offering, so that she, who is aware that her beginnings lie in the Incarnation of your Only Begotten Son, may rejoice to celebrate his mysteries on this Solemnity. Who lives and reigns for ever and ever.
Communion Antiphon : Is 7: 14
Behold, a Virgin shall conceive and bear a son; and his name will be called Emmanuel.
Prayer after Communion
Confirm in our minds the mysteries of the true faith, we pray, O Lord, so that, confessing that he who was conceived of the Virgin Mary is true God and true man, we may, through the saving power of his Resurrection, merit to attain eternal joy. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
The Annunciation of the birth of Jesus to Mary happens in the small insignificant Galilean village of Nazareth, and in a simple calm exchange between Mary and Gabriel. Had we designed these events, pomp and circumstance probably would have attended the announcement and birth of Jesus, but God chose to use an average young woman to announce His intentions in quiet obscurity. The fulfilment of God’s promise came to earth in an unadorned package of human innocence, without pomp, far away from any palace. The promised One entered human life at the level of everyday experience with everyday people. Yes, God still speaks to us in our concrete everyday experiences. Are we like Mary attentive to His voice? Mary, a model believer, teaches us to take God at His word, to open up to His grace, be thoughtful, obedient, believing, worshipful, and faithful followers of God’s law.
by Jude Thaddeus Langeh | Mar 23, 2022 | Evangelium
Thursday 24 March 2022
St. Macartan
(- 506)
He was a convert from paganism and a companion of St Patrick, who made him bishop of Clogher in 454. He is the patron saint of the diocese.
Entrance Antiphon
I am the salvation of the people, says the Lord. Should they cry to me in any distress, I will hear them, and I will be their Lord forever.
Collect
We implore your majesty most humbly, O Lord, that, as the feast of our salvation draws ever closer, so we may press forward all the more eagerly towards the worthy celebration of the Paschal Mystery. 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 : Jeremiah 7:23-28
These were my orders: Listen to my voice, then I will be your God and you shall be my people. Follow right to the end the way that I mark out for you, and you will prosper. But they did not listen, they did not pay attention; they followed the dictates of their own evil hearts, refused to face me, and turned their backs on me. From the day your ancestors came out of the land of Egypt until today, day after day I have persistently sent you all my servants the prophets. But they have not listened to me, have not paid attention; they have grown stubborn and behaved worse than their ancestors. You may say all these words to them: they will not listen to you; you may call them: they will not answer. So tell them this, “Here is the nation that will not listen to the voice of the Lord its God nor take correction. Sincerity is no more, it has vanished from their mouths.
Psalm 94:1-2,6-9
R/ O that today you would listen to his voice! ‘Harden not your hearts.’
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.’
Gospel Acclamation : Ezk18:31
Praise to you, O Christ, king of eternal glory! Shake off all your sins – it is the Lord who speaks – and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. Praise to you, O Christ, king of eternal glory!
Gospel : Luke 11:14-23
Jesus was casting out a devil and it was dumb; but when the devil had gone out the dumb man spoke, and the people were amazed. But some of them 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.’
Prayer over the Offerings
Cleanse your people, Lord, we pray, from every taint of wickedness, that their gifts may be pleasing to you; and do not let them cling to false joys, for you promise them the rewards of your truth. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon : Ps 118: 4-5
You have laid down your precepts to be carefully kept; may my ways be firm in keeping your statutes.
Prayer after Communion
Graciously raise up, O Lord, those you renew with this Sacrament, that we may come to possess your salvation both in mystery and in the manner of our life. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
Religious leaders oppose Jesus and question the source of His healing power. They think Satan is responsible. Jesus warns that the lines are being drawn. The one who does not align with Jesus is against Him. God is breaking peacefully into creation through Jesus to reclaim humanity from Satan’s grip. To think Jesus’ power comes from Satan is to miss the arrival of God’s kingdom and, thus, to make a grievous mistake. Jesus overcomes the presence and power of evil in the world. His power is greater than that of demons. He is stronger than Satan. His power and authority reverse the effect of sin. This exercise of power through Jesus is why Paul can call the Gospel “the power of God” (Rom 1:16-17). The story of the Gospel is the story of how Satan, sin and the flesh are overcome through Jesus’ provision of the Spirit. So Paul calls the kingdom of God a matter of power (1 Cor 4:20) as well as justice, peace and joy inspired by the Spirit (Rom 14:17). Are we ready to align with Jesus and be beneficiaries of His kingdom?
by Jude Thaddeus Langeh | Mar 22, 2022 | Evangelium
Wednesday 23 March 2022
St. Turibius
of Mogrovejo
(1538 – 1606)
He was born in Spain in about 1538 and studied law at the University of Salamanca. He was named bishop of Lima in 1580. He was full of apostolic zeal. He died in Lima on 23 March 1606.
Entrance Antiphon : Cf. Ps 118: 133
Let my steps be guided by your promise; may evil never rule me.
Collect
Grant, we pray, O Lord, that, schooled through Lenten observance and nourished by your word, through holy restraint, we may be devoted to you with all our heart and be ever united in prayer. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.
First reading : Deuteronomy 4:1,5-9
Moses said to the people: ‘Now, Israel, take notice of the laws and customs that I teach you today, and observe them, that you may have life and may enter and take possession of the land that the Lord the God of your fathers is giving you. ‘See, as the Lord my God has commanded me, I teach you the laws and customs that you are to observe in the land you are to enter and make your own. Keep them, observe them, and they will demonstrate to the peoples your wisdom and understanding. When they come to know of all these laws they will exclaim, “No other people is as wise and prudent as this great nation.” And indeed, what great nation is there that has its gods so near as the Lord our God is to us whenever we call to him? And what great nation is there that has laws and customs to match this whole Law that I put before you today?’But take care what you do and be on your guard. Do not forget the things your eyes have seen, nor let them slip from your heart all the days of your life; rather, tell them to your children and to your children’s children.’
Psalm 147:12-13,15-16,19-20
R/ O praise the Lord, Jerusalem!
- O praise the Lord, Jerusalem! Zion, praise your God! He has strengthened the bars of your gates, He has blessed the children within you.
- He sends out his word to the earth And swiftly runs his command. He showers down snow white as wool, He scatters hoar-frost like ashes.
- He makes his word known to Jacob, To Israel his laws and decrees. He has not dealt thus with other nations; He has not taught them his decrees.
Gospel Acclamation : Jn8:12
Glory to you, O Christ, you are the Word of God! I am the light of the world, says the Lord; anyone who follows me will have the light of life. Glory to you, O Christ, you are the Word of God!
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
Accept, O Lord, we pray, the prayers of your people along with these sacrificial offerings, and defend those who celebrate your mysteries from every kind of danger. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon : Cf. Ps 15: 11
You will show me the path of life, the fullness of joy in your presence, O Lord.
Prayer after Communion
May the heavenly banquet, at which we have been fed, sanctify us, O Lord, and, cleansing us of all errors, make us worthy of your promises from on high. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
The Gospel reminds us today that God has not given us the right to pick and choose among His commandments. When we accept to be Christians/disciples, we must accept the whole package of faith which Jesus offers, and not pick and choose according to our feelings. God does not allow us the right to say, “I will obey His teaching about murder but not his teaching about adultery or fornication”; or, “I will obey His teaching about theft, but not about divorce”. To refuse His right to rule any of our ethics or behaviour is to deny His Lordship. Jesus also warns us against undermining the faith of others through what we teach or our bad examples. We must not only obey the commandments, but also “teach […] them” so that we “will be considered great in the kingdom of heaven”.
by Jude Thaddeus Langeh | Mar 21, 2022 | Evangelium
Tuesday 22 March 2022
St. Deogratias
(d. 457)
He was an outstanding priest, very much loved and supported by the people because of his charity and preaching. He later became bishop of diocese of Carthage.
Entrance Antiphon : Cf. Ps 16: 6, 8
To you I call, for you will surely heed me, O God; Turn your ear to me; hear my words. Guard me as the apple of your eye; In the shadow of your wings protect me.
Collect
May your grace not forsake us, O Lord, we pray, but make us dedicated to your holy service and at all times obtain for us your help. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.
First reading : Daniel 3:25,34-43
Azariah stood in the heart of the fire, and he began to pray: Oh! Do not abandon us for ever, for the sake of your name; do not repudiate your covenant,do not withdraw your favour from us, for the sake of Abraham, your friend, of Isaac your servant, and of Israel your holy one, to whom you promised descendants as countless as the stars of heaven and as the grains of sand on the seashore. Lord, now we are the least of all the nations, now we are despised throughout the world, today, because of our sins. We have at this time no leader, no prophet, no prince, no holocaust, no sacrifice, no oblation, no incense, no place where we can offer you the first-fruits and win your favour. But may the contrite soul, the humbled spirit be as acceptable to you as holocausts of rams and bullocks, as thousands of fattened lambs: such let our sacrifice be to you today, and may it be your will that we follow you wholeheartedly, since those who put their trust in you will not be disappointed. And now we put our whole heart into following you, into fearing you and seeking your face once more. Do not disappoint us; treat us gently, as you yourself are gentle and very merciful. Grant us deliverance worthy of your wonderful deeds, let your name win glory, Lord.
Psalm 24:4-6,7-9
R/ Remember your mercy, Lord.
- Lord, make me know your ways. Lord, teach me your paths. Make me walk in your truth, and teach me: for you are God my saviour.
- In you I hope all day long because of your goodness, O Lord. Remember your mercy, Lord, and the love you have shown from of old. Do not remember the sins of my youth. In your love remember me.
- The Lord is good and upright. He shows the path to those who stray, He guides the humble in the right path, He teaches his way to the poor.
Gospel Acclamation : cf.Lk8:15
Glory and praise to you, O Christ! Blessed are those who, with a noble and generous heart, take the word of God to themselves and yield a harvest through their perseverance. Glory and praise to you, O Christ!
Gospel : Matthew 18:21-35
Peter went up to Jesus and said, ‘Lord, how often must I forgive my brother if he wrongs me? As often as seven times?’ Jesus answered, ‘Not seven, I tell you, but seventy-seven times.’ And so the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who decided to settle his accounts with his servants. When the reckoning began, they brought him a man who owed ten thousand talents; but he had no means of paying, so his master gave orders that he should be sold, together with his wife and children and all his possessions, to meet the debt. At this, the servant threw himself down at his master’s feet. “Give me time” he said “and I will pay the whole sum.” And the servant’s master felt so sorry for him that he let him go and cancelled the debt. Now as this servant went out, he happened to meet a fellow servant who owed him one hundred denarii; and he seized him by the throat and began to throttle him. “Pay what you owe me” he said. His fellow servant fell at his feet and implored him, saying, “Give me time and I will pay you.” But the other would not agree; on the contrary, he had him thrown into prison till he should pay the debt. His fellow servants were deeply distressed when they saw what had happened, and they went to their master and reported the whole affair to him. Then the master sent for him. “You wicked servant,” he said “I cancelled all that debt of yours when you appealed to me. Were you not bound, then, to have pity on your fellow servant just as I had pity on you?” And in his anger the master handed him over to the torturers till he should pay all his debt. And that is how my heavenly Father will deal with you unless you each forgive your brother from your heart.’
Prayer over the Offerings
Grant us, O Lord, we pray, that this saving sacrifice may cleanse us of our faults and become an oblation pleasing to your almighty power. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon : Cf. Ps 14: 1-2
Lord, who may abide in your tent, and dwell on your holy mountain? Whoever walks without fault and does what is just.
Prayer after Communion
May the holy partaking of this mystery give us life, O Lord, we pray, and grant us both pardon and protection. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
Christian living or conduct in the community of disciples is to be patterned after the mercy and grace of God’s free forgiveness of sins – which is an important basis for the very existence of the community. As God freely forgives those who have sinned against Him, so are disciples to freely forgive those who sin against them. In both instances, the repentance of the sinner is assumed. The failure to forgive one who is repentant casts doubt on the genuineness of a person’s discipleship. The refusal to forgive others blocks God’s mercy from reaching us, too. Forgiveness must issue “from your heart”, it must be sincere. It is true some injuries are so deep and difficult to forget, but “the heart that offers itself to the Holy Spirit turns injury into compassion and purifies the memory in transforming the hurt into intercession” (CCC, n. 2843).
by Jude Thaddeus Langeh | Mar 20, 2022 | Evangelium
Monday 21 March 2022
St. Enda
(- 530)
He founded a monastery on the pagan island of Aran Mor in Galway Bay, which remained a centre for sanctity and learning for the next 300 years.
Entrance Antiphon : Ps 83: 3
My soul is longing and yearning for the courts of the Lord. My heart and my flesh cry out to the living God.
Collect
May your unfailing compassion, O Lord, cleanse and protect your Church, and, since without you she cannot stand secure, may she be always governed by your grace. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.
First reading : 2 Kings 5: 1- 15
Naaman, army commander to the king of Aram, was a man who enjoyed his master’s respect and favour, since through him the Lord had granted victory to the Aramaeans. But the man was a leper. Now on one of their raids, the Aramaeans had carried off from the land of Israel a little girl who had become a servant of Naaman’s wife. ‘She said to her mistress, ‘If only my master would approach the prophet of Samaria. He would cure him of his leprosy.’ Naaman went and told his master. ‘This and this’ he reported ‘is what the girl from the land of Israel said.’ ‘Go by all means,’ said the king of Aram ‘I will send a letter to the king of Israel.’ So Naaman left, taking with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold and ten festal robes. He presented the letter to the king of Israel. It read: ‘With this letter, I am sending my servant Naaman to you for you to cure him of his leprosy.’ When the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his garments. ‘Am I a god to give death and life,’ he said ‘that he sends a man to me and asks me to cure him of his leprosy? Listen to this, and take note of it and see how he intends to pick a quarrel with me.’When Elisha heard that the king of Israel had torn his garments, he sent word to the king, ‘Why did you tear your garments? Let him come to me, and he will find there is a prophet in Israel.’ So Naaman came with his team and chariot and drew up at the door of Elisha’s house. And Elisha sent him a messenger to say, ‘Go and bathe seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will become clean once more.’ But Naaman was indignant and went off, saying, ‘Here was I thinking he would be sure to come out to me, and stand there, and call on the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the spot and cure the leprous part. Surely Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, are better than any water in Israel? Could I not bathe in them and become clean?’ And he turned round and went off in a rage. But his servants approached him and said, ‘My father, if the prophet had asked you to do something difficult, would you not have done it? All the more reason, then, when he says to you, “Bathe, and you will become clean.”’ So he went down and immersed himself seven times in the Jordan, as Elisha had told him to do. And his flesh became clean once more like the flesh of a little child. Returning to Elisha with his whole escort, he went in and stood before him. ‘Now I know’ he said ‘that there is no God in all the earth except in Israel. ’
Psalm 41: 2 – 3, 42: 3 – 4
R/ My soul is thirsting for God, the God of my life: when can I enter and see the face of God?
- Like the deer that yearns for running streams, So my soul is yearning for you, my God. My soul is thirsting for God, the God of my life; When can I enter and see the face of God?
- O send forth your light and your truth; Let these be my guide. Let them bring me to your holy mountain, to the place where you dwell.
- And I will come to the altar of God, the God of my joy. My redeemer, I will thank you on the harp, O God, my God.
Gospel Acclamation : 2Co : 6 – 2
Praise and honour to you, Lord Jesus! Now is the favourable time:This is the day of salvation. Praise and honour to you, Lord Jesus!
Gospel : Luke 4, 24-30
Jesus came to Nazara and spoke to the people in the synagogue: ‘I tell you solemnly, no prophet is ever accepted in his own country. ‘There were many widows in Israel, I can assure you, in Elijah’s day, when heaven remained shut for three years and six months and a great famine raged throughout the land, but Elijah was not sent to any one of these: he was sent to a widow at Zarephath, a Sidonian town. And in the prophet Elisha’s time there were many lepers in Israel, but none of these was cured, except the Syrian, Naaman.’ When they heard this everyone in the synagogue was enraged. They sprang to their feet and hustled him out of the town; and they took him up to the brow of the hill their town was built on, intending to throw him down the cliff, but he slipped through the crowd and walked away.
Prayer over the Offerings
May what we offer you, O Lord, in token of our service, Be transformed by you into the sacrament of salvation. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon : Ps 116:1,2
O praise the Lord, all you nations, for his merciful love towards us is great.
Prayer after Communion
May communion in this your Sacrament, we pray, O Lord, bring with it purification and the unity that is your gift. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
Jesus recalls the history of Israel in the period of Elijah and Elisha (1 Kings 17-18; 2 Kings 5:1-14). The lesson is a warning. The period was a low point in the nation’s life, when the rejection of God was at an all-time high and idolatry and unfaithfulness were rampant. Therefore, God moved His works of mercy outside the nation into Gentile regions, as only a widow in Sidon and Naaman the Syrian experienced God’s mercy and healing. The price of rejecting God’s message is severe; mercy and goodness move on to others. It is quite risky to walk away from God’s offer of deliverance. Jesus’ ministry presents a basic challenge to us and the choice He presents carries high stakes. Shall we take the opportunity He offers to benefit from God’s goodness and mercy, or respond in anger like the people of Nazara?
