by Jude Thaddeus Langeh Basebang | Jun 21, 2020 | Evangelium
monday 22 June 2020
Sts Paulius of Nola,
John Fisher,
Thomas More
Thomas More (1477 – 1535) was born in London, the son of a judge, and himself became an eminent lawyer. He was tried on the charge of high treason for denying the King’s supreme headship of the Church, found guilty, and sentenced to death. He went to his execution, on July 6, 1535.
Green/White/Red
Entrance Antiphon: Ps 27: 8-9
The Lord is the strength of his people, a saving refuge for the one he has anointed. Save your people, Lord, and bless your heritage, and govern them forever.
Collect
Grant, O Lord, that we may always revere and love your holy name, for you never deprive of your guidance those you set firm on the foundation of your love. 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: 2 Kings 17:5-8,13-15,18
The king of Assyria invaded the whole country and, coming to Samaria, laid siege to it for three years. In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria captured Samaria and deported the Israelites to Assyria. He settled them in Halah on the Habor, a river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes. This happened because the Israelites had sinned against the Lord their God who had brought them out of the land of Egypt, out of the grip of Pharaoh king of Egypt. They worshipped other gods, they followed the practices of the nations that the Lord had dispossessed for them. And yet through all the prophets and all the seers, the Lord had given Israel and Judah this warning, ‘Turn from your wicked ways and keep my commandments and my laws in accordance with the entire Law I laid down for your fathers and delivered to them through my servants the prophets.’ But they would not listen, they were more stubborn than their ancestors had been who had no faith in the Lord their God. They despised his laws and the covenant he had made with their ancestors, and the warnings he had given them. They pursued emptiness, and themselves became empty through copying the nations round them although the Lord had ordered them not to act as they did. For this, the Lord was enraged with Israel and thrust them away from him. There was none left but the tribe of Judah only.
Psalm 59(60):3-5, 12-13
R/ Hear us, O Lord, and help us.
- O God, you have rejected us and broken us. You have been angry; come back to us.
- You have made the earth quake, torn it open. Repair what is shattered for it sways. You have inflicted hardships on your people and made us drink a wine that dazed us.
- Will you utterly reject us, O God and no longer march with our armies? Give us help against the foe: for the help of man is vain.
Gospel Acclamation: Jn17:17
Alleluia, alleluia! Your word is truth, O Lord: consecrate us in the truth. Alleluia!
Gospel: Matthew 7:1-5
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Do not judge, and you will not be judged; because the judgements you give are the judgements you will get, and the amount you measure out is the amount you will be given. Why do you observe the splinter in your brother’s eye and never notice the plank in your own? How dare you say to your brother, “Let me take the splinter out of your eye,” when all the time there is a plank in your own? Hypocrite! Take the plank out of your own eye first, and then you will see clearly enough to take the splinter out of your brother’s eye.’
Prayer over the Offerings
Receive, O Lord, the sacrifice of conciliation and praise and grant that, cleansed by its action, we may make offering of a heart pleasing to you. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon: Ps 144: 15
The eyes of all look to you, Lord, and you give them their food in due season.
Prayer after Communion
Renewed and nourished by the Sacred Body and Precious Blood of your Son, we ask of your mercy, O Lord, that what we celebrate with constant devotion may be our sure pledge of redemption. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
In the Gospel passage today, Jesus continues his teaching on the Sermon on the Mount and the central theme today is “Do not judge.” At this time, Jesus was building the community of disciples and one of the key requirements for community living is to avoid judgement. This condition helps to minimize misconceptions and prejudice. However, this topic can be a tricky one. How can we ever judge the behaviour of others? We judge every day by distinguishing between good and evil, day from night and teachers have to judge in other to evaluate their students. Understanding it literally can lead to passive behaviour. An uncaring attitude and indifference. We might fall into that temptation of saying “I will not judge you, for you are responsible for your own choices…” Jesus is simply asking us not to judge others more harshly than we judge ourselves by avoiding prejudice and arrogance and acting with compassion, especially towards those people whose opinions differ from ours. We need to be open to God’s guidance in order to have a healthy approach to every situation.
by Jude Thaddeus Langeh Basebang | Jun 20, 2020 | Evangelium
sunday 21 June 2020
TWELFTH SUNDAY IN
ORDINARY TIME
Psalter IV
St Aloysius Gonzaga (1568 – 1591)
Green
Entrance Antiphon: Cf. Ps 27: 8-9
The Lord is the strength of his people, a saving refuge for the one he has anointed. Save your people, Lord, and bless your heritage, and govern them for ever.
Collect
Grant, O Lord, that we may always revere and love your holy name, for you never deprive of your guidance those you set firm on the foundation of your love. 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 20:10-13
Jeremiah said: I hear so many disparaging me, ‘“Terror from every side!” Denounce him! Let us denounce him!’ All those who used to be my friends watched for my downfall, ‘Perhaps he will be seduced into error. Then we will master him and take our revenge!’ But the Lord is at my side, a mighty hero; my opponents will stumble, mastered, confounded by their failure; everlasting, unforgettable disgrace will be theirs. But you, O Lord of Hosts, you who probe with justice, who scrutinise the loins and heart, let me see the vengeance you will take on them, for I have committed my cause to you. Sing to the Lord, praise the Lord, for he has delivered the soul of the needy from the hands of evil men.
Psalm 68(69):8-10,14,17,33-35
R/ In your great love, answer me, O Lord.
- It is for you that I suffer taunts, that shame covers my face, that I have become a stranger to my brothers, an alien to my own mother’s sons. I burn with zeal for your house and taunts against you fall on me.
- This is my prayer to you, my prayer for your favour. In your great love, answer me, O God, with your help that never fails: Lord, answer, for your love is kind; in your compassion, turn towards me.
- The poor when they see it will be glad and God-seeking hearts will revive; for the Lord listens to the needy and does not spurn his servants in their chains. Let the heavens and the earth give him praise, the sea and all its living creatures.
Second reading: Romans 5:12-15
Sin entered the world through one man, and through sin death, and thus death has spread through the whole human race because everyone has sinned. Sin existed in the world long before the Law was given. There was no law and so no one could be accused of the sin of ‘law-breaking’, yet death reigned over all from Adam to Moses, even though their sin, unlike that of Adam, was not a matter of breaking a law. Adam prefigured the One to come, but the gift itself considerably outweighed the fall. If it is certain that through one man’s fall so many died, it is even more certain that divine grace, coming through the one man, Jesus Christ, came to so many as an abundant free gift.
Gospel Acclamation : Jn 1:14, 12
Alleluia, alleluia! The Word was made flesh and lived among us: to all who did accept him he gave power to become children of God. Alleluia!
Gospel: Matthew 10:26-33
Jesus instructed the Twelve as follows: ‘Do not be afraid. For everything that is now covered will be uncovered, and everything now hidden will be made clear. What I say to you in the dark, tell in the daylight; what you hear in whispers, proclaim from the housetops. ‘Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; fear him rather who can destroy both body and soul in hell. Can you not buy two sparrows for a penny? And yet not one falls to the ground without your Father knowing. Why, every hair on your head has been counted. So there is no need to be afraid; you are worth more than hundreds of sparrows. ‘So if anyone declares himself for me in the presence of men, I will declare myself for him in the presence of my Father in heaven. But the one who disowns me in the presence of men, I will disown in the presence of my Father in heaven.’
Prayer over the Offerings
Receive, O Lord, the sacrifice of conciliation and praise and grant that, cleansed by its action, we may make offering of a heart pleasing to you. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon: Ps 144: 15
The eyes of all look to you, Lord, and you give them their food in due season.
Prayer after Communion
Renewed and nourished by the Sacred Body and Precious Blood of your Son, we ask of your mercy, O Lord, that what we celebrate with constant devotion may be our sure pledge of redemption. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
The disciples of Jesus went through numerous trials as they followed in his footsteps. The Scriptures also narrate the ordeals that the Chosen People went through and today, the followers of Jesus are faced with numerous trials as well. We can then imagine how good it is for someone who is stressed out to hear these words from Jesus: “Do not be afraid.” Our Lord is both human and divine, so he reminded them over and over not to worry. All that is covered will be uncovered and everything that is hidden will be made clear; those who try to kill will only kill the body. “so if anyone declares himself for me in the presence of men, I will declare myself for him in the presence of my Father in heaven.” Jesus teaches us by his example how to cope with stress and anxiety. Before his passion, he showed us how to deal with worry and distress in Gethsemane: he felt the inner pain and fear when he prayed with these words, “My soul is sorrowful even to death.” He went forward to acknowledge the pain before the heavenly Father, “Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me…. not as I will, but as you will.” When he speaks of fear, he is not referring to a spontaneous reaction of fear in the face of a perceived danger. He is referring to the fear that controls one’s deliberate response in the face of danger. He was thus preparing them to face the coming trials that intensified after his death and resurrection. Faith and prayer were very important factors in those trying moments.
by Jude Thaddeus Langeh Basebang | Jun 18, 2020 | Evangelium
friday 19 June 2020
The Most Sacred Heart of Jesus
Solemnity
St Romuald (c.951 – 1027)
He joined a Benedictine monastery but made himself unpopular there by trying to get the lax monks to mend their ways and so, with the permission of his abbot, became a wandering hermit.
White
Entrance Antiphon: Ps 32: 11, 19
The designs of his Heart are from age to age, to rescue their souls from death, and to keep them alive in famine.
Collect
Grant, we pray, almighty God, that we, who glory in the Heart of your beloved Son and recall the wonders of his love for us, may be made worthy to receive an overflowing measure of grace from that fount of heavenly gifts. 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: Deuteronomy 7:6-11
Moses said to the people: ‘You are a people consecrated to the Lord your God; it is you that the Lord our God has chosen to be his very own people out of all the peoples on the earth. ‘If the Lord set his heart on you and chose you, it was not because you outnumbered other peoples: you were the least of all peoples. It was for love of you and to keep the oath he swore to your fathers that the Lord brought you out with his mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Know then that the Lord your God is God indeed, the faithful God who is true to his covenant and his graciousness for a thousand generations towards those who love him and keep his commandments, but who punishes in their own persons those that hate him. He is not slow to destroy the man who hates him; he makes him work out his punishment in person. You are therefore to keep and observe the commandments and statutes and ordinances that I lay down for you today.’
Psalm 102(103):1-4, 6-8, 10
R/ The love of the Lord is everlasting upon those who hold him in fear.
- 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.
- It is he who forgives all your guilt, who heals every one of your ills, who redeems your life from the grave, who crowns you with love and compassion,
- The Lord does deeds of justice, gives judgement for all who are oppressed. He made known his ways to Moses and his deeds to Israel’s sons.
- The Lord is compassion and love, slow to anger and rich in mercy. He does not treat us according to our sins nor repay us according to our faults.
Second reading: 1 John 4:7-16
My dear people, let us love one another since love comes from God and everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God. Anyone who fails to love can never have known God, because God is love. God’s love for us was revealed when God sent into the world his only Son so that we could have life through him; this is the love I mean: not our love for God, but God’s love for us when he sent his Son to be the sacrifice that takes our sins away. My dear people, since God has loved us so much, we too should love one another. No one has ever seen God; but as long as we love one another God will live in us and his love will be complete in us. We can know that we are living in him and he is living in us because he lets us share his Spirit. We ourselves saw and we testify that the Father sent his Son as saviour of the world. If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him, and he in God. We ourselves have known and put our faith in God’s love towards ourselves. God is love and anyone who lives in love lives in God, and God lives in him.
Gospel Acclamation : Mt 11:29
Alleluia, alleluia! Shoulder my yoke and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart. Alleluia!
Gospel: Matthew 11:25-30
Jesus exclaimed, ‘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 the Son except the Father, just as no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. ‘Come to me, all you who labour and are overburdened, and I will give you rest. Shoulder my yoke and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Yes, my yoke is easy and my burden light.’
Prayer over the Offerings
Look, O Lord, we pray, on the surpassing charity in the Heart of your beloved Son, that what we offer may be a gift acceptable to you and an expiation of our offences. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon: Jn 7: 37-38
Thus says the Lord: Let whoever is thirsty come to me and drink. Streams of living water will flow from within the one who believes in me.
Prayer after Communion
May this sacrament of charity, O Lord, make us fervent with the fire of holy love, so that, drawn always to your Son, we may learn to see him in our neighbour. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
As the Church celebrates today the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, we take our minds to that image which hangs in many churches and homes. On that image we see a heart radiating with love and life for humanity. The Gospel passage is a very beautiful piece in which Jesus bares his soul and speaks of his unique relationship with the Father. He speaks also of his deep desire to embrace us in our weakness and pain. Our weakness becomes the door that leads to the gentle mercy of Christ. When the weight of our preoccupations in life tends to overwhelm us and we end up living in fear and uncertainty, then Jesus comes and offers us a lifeline “Come to me”. Responding and reaching out to Him makes a great difference, he takes the load off our shoulders and carries it for us. The Sacred heart of Jesus is the symbol of the fidelity of God’s love, a love which he shows unconditionally without any merit on our part.
by Jude Thaddeus Langeh Basebang | Jun 17, 2020 | Evangelium
thursday 18 June 2020
St. Gregory Barbarigo (1625-1657)
St. Gregory Barbarigo was born in 1625 in Venice. He first embraced a diplomatic career before becoming priest, bishop and cardinal. He worked unceasingly in carrying out the reforms set forth by the Council of Trent. He died in 1697.
Green
Entrance Antiphon: 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: Ecclesiasticus 48:1-15
The prophet Elijah arose like a fire, his word flaring like a torch. It was he who brought famine on the people, and who decimated them in his zeal. By the word of the Lord, he shut up the heavens, he also, three times, brought down fire. How glorious you were in your miracles, Elijah! Has anyone reason to boast as you have? – rousing a corpse from death, from Sheol by the word of the Most High; dragging kings down to destruction, and high dignitaries from their beds; hearing reproof on Sinai, and decrees of punishment on Horeb; anointing kings as avengers, and prophets to succeed you; taken up in the whirlwind of fire, in a chariot with fiery horses; designated in the prophecies of doom to allay God’s wrath before the fury breaks, to turn the hearts of fathers towards their children, and to restore the tribes of Jacob, Happy shall they be who see you, and those who have fallen asleep in love; for we too will have life. Elijah was shrouded in the whirlwind, and Elisha was filled with his spirit; throughout his life no ruler could shake him, and no one could subdue him. No task was too hard for him, and even in death his body prophesied. In his lifetime he performed wonders, and in death his works were marvellous.
Psalm 96(97):1-7
R/ Rejoice, you just, in the Lord.
- The Lord is king, let earth rejoice, let all the coastlands be glad. Cloud and darkness are his raiment; his throne, justice and right.
- A fire prepares his path; it burns up his foes on every side. His lightnings light up the world, the earth trembles at the sight.
- The mountains melt like wax before the Lord of all the earth. The skies proclaim his justice; all peoples see his glory.
- Let those who serve idols be ashamed, those who boast of their worthless gods. All you spirits, worship him.
Gospel Acclamation: 1S 3:9, Jn 6:68
Alleluia, alleluia! Speak, Lord, your servant is listening: you have the message of eternal life. Alleluia!
Gospel: Matthew 6:7-15
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘In your prayers do not babble as the pagans do, for they think that by using many words they will make themselves heard. Do not be like them; your Father knows what you need before you ask him. So you should pray like this: ‘Our Father in heaven, may your name be held holy, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we have forgiven those who are in debt to us. And do not put us to the test, but save us from the evil one. ‘Yes, if you forgive others their failings, your heavenly Father will forgive you yours; but if you do not forgive others, your Father will not forgive your failings either.’
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
Jesus teaches his disciples how to pray and corrects some misconceptions they had about prayer. He teaches them to call God, Father, “Abba” which is the name Jesus uses to address himself to God. It reveals a new relationship that characterizes the life of the communities. Calling God, “Our Father” and not “my Father” raises the awareness that we all belong to one Father, no matter our race, creed or social status. To pray is to enter into a special relationship with God which in turn would mean being sensitive to the cry of all the brothers and sisters who cry for their daily bread. The first part makes three requests for God’s cause: the Name, the Kingdom and the Will. We ask that our relationship with God be re-established. This is followed by four petitions for the cause of our brothers and sisters: bread, forgiveness, victory and freedom. In this prayer we pronounce the phrase which either condemns or absolves us when we say, “…forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” We offer God the measure of pardon that we want for ourselves.
by Jude Thaddeus Langeh Basebang | Jun 15, 2020 | Evangelium
tuesday 16 June 2020
St Richard of Chichester (1197 – 1253)
Richard Wych was, born at Droitwich (then known as Wych) in about 1197. In 1252 the Pope appointed Richard to preach the Crusade. He died on 3rd April 1253. His body was brought back to Chichester, where he was immediately hailed as a saint.
.
Green
Entrance Antiphon: 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(51):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: 2 Co 5:19
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
In today’s passage which is also based on the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus sets another higher level of observing the Law. He bases his teaching on love, which we can describe as “agape”, a selfless love which might not even be reciprocated and which reflects the love God himself has for humanity. Jesus showed on the cross the meaning of this true love, he forgave the same soldiers who tortured him and drilled heavy nails into his hands, “Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing.” The mentality of the time made it look so normal for people to hate their enemies and love those who loved them back. However, this makes no difference because even hardened criminals love those who love them. God lets rain fall on both the good and evil people. God’s love does not segregate or count on merits. The water that flowed from his side was full of love and was by far stronger than the hatred of those who accused him. He invites us there to be “perfect as your Father who is in heaven.”
by Jude Thaddeus Langeh Basebang | Jun 14, 2020 | Evangelium
monday 15 June 2020
Blessed Peter Snow and Ralph Grimston
Peter Snow a priest in Soissons, France and Ralph Grimston, his friend (a layman) were key figures in the English mission (1598). Both suffered death for preaching the gospel. They were beatified in 1987.
.
Green
Entrance Antiphon: 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 21:1-16
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 : Jn 14:23
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 to his disciples: ‘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
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
Jesus continues to put a higher level of understanding as he interprets some commands of the Mosaic Law. The text today talks about “an eye for an eye and tooth for a tooth.” It is part of the Law of Talion (lex talionis), by which a punishment for an offence was supposed to be restricted to not more than the suffering that one experienced. Jesus’ approach gives q different kind of response. Turning the other cheek in our world today will be construed as cowardice but Jesus did what he preached; he kept silence when mocked and slapped at the Sanhedrin and then he said: “If there is something wrong in what I said, point it out… why do you strike me? This does not mean we are to allow people to walk over us and offer no resistance at all. In some circumstances we need to respond and many people following the example of Jesus responded to violence with a nonviolent approach. Our experience in today’s world has proven that violence only begets violence and radicalizes most of its victims who in turn become violent. Outstanding figures of nonviolence include Martin Luther King Jr, Mahatma Gandhi, Rosa Parks and Hildegard Meyer. All of these people were actively involved in the correction of seriously unjust situations.
