by Norbert Doulanni | Jun 24, 2025 | Evangelium
Saint William of Vercelli (1085-1142)
Psalter: Week IV
White
Born in Vercelli Italy, he was brought up as an orphan and became a hermit. He attracted so many followers that a monastery was built. He founded monasteries throughout Naples, and died at the Guglielmo monastery near Nusco Italy.
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: Genesis 15:1-12,17-18
It happened that the word of the Lord was spoken to Abram in a vision, ‘Have no fear, Abram, I am your shield; your reward will be very great.’ ‘My Lord,’ Abram replied ‘what do you intend to give me? I go childless…’ Then Abram said, ‘See, you have given me no descendants; some man of my household will be my heir.’ And then this word of the Lord was spoken to him, ‘He shall not be your heir; your heir shall be of your own flesh and blood.’ Then taking him outside he said, ‘Look up to heaven and count the stars if you can. Such will be your descendants’ he told him. Abram put his faith in the Lord, who counted this as making him justified. ‘I am the Lord’ he said to him ‘who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldaeans to make you heir to this land.’ ‘My Lord,’ Abram replied ‘how am I to know that I shall inherit it?’ He said to him, ‘Get me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove and a young pigeon.’ He brought him all these, cut them in half and put half on one side and half facing it on the other; but the birds he did not cut in half. Birds of prey came down on the carcases but Abram drove them off. Now as the sun was setting Abram fell into a deep sleep, and terror seized him. When the sun had set and darkness had fallen, there appeared a smoking furnace and a firebrand that went between the halves. That day the Lord made a Covenant with Abram in these terms: ‘To your descendants I give this land, from the wadi of Egypt to the Great River, the river Euphrates.’
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 104(105):1-4,6-9
R/ The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
Give thanks to the Lord, tell his name, make known his deeds among the peoples. O sing to him, sing his praise; tell all his wonderful works!
Be proud of his holy name, let the hearts that seek the Lord rejoice. Consider the Lord and his strength; constantly seek his face.
O children of Abraham, his servant, O sons of the Jacob he chose. He, the Lord, is our God: his judgements prevail in all the earth.
He remembers his covenant for ever, his promise for a thousand generations, the covenant he made with Abraham, the oath he swore to Isaac.
Gospel Acclamation: Ps118:18
Alleluia, alleluia! Open my eyes, O Lord, that I may consider the wonders of your law. Alleluia!
Gospel: Matthew 7:15-20
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Beware of false prophets who come to you disguised as sheep but underneath are ravenous wolves. You will be able to tell them by their fruits. Can people pick grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles? In the same way, a sound tree produces good fruit but a rotten tree bad fruit. A sound tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor a rotten tree bear good fruit. Any tree that does not produce good fruit is cut down and thrown on the fire. I repeat, you will be able to tell them by their fruits.’
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
“You will be able to tell them by their fruits.” Human relationships often involve hypocrisy, with people pretending to be something they are not. Some who claim to be friends may abandon us in times of need, while others we expect to be morally upright (spiritual leaders, for example) may be involved in scandals. Individuals who appear to be nice to their partners before marriage may undergo changes after tying the knot. Today, Jesus cautions us to be vigilant in our interactions with others. It is crucial to be observant and cautious because, sooner or later, people reveal their true selves through their actions. More importantly, it is essential to examine ourselves and ensure that we are not hypocrites ourselves. We should strive for honesty and sincerity, presenting ourselves authentically to others. We should learn to tell people the truth even if it may not align with what they want to hear. Such authentic behaviour stems from a life of faith. Let us ask God to give us the faith of Abraham, who believed God’s promises even though they were humanly impossible. May God grant us a similar faith which will inspire us to live authentic lives.
by Norbert Doulanni | Jun 23, 2025 | Evangelium
The Birthday of Saint John the Baptist
Psalter: Week IV
White
Jesus Christ himself said: John was the greatest of the sons of men. The greatest, but also the most tragic. A prophet from before his birth, leaping in the womb to announce the coming of the incarnate God, to proclaim the fulfilment of all prophecies – and thus his own obsolescence
Entrance Antiphon: Jn 1, 6-7; Lk 1, 17
A man was sent from God, whose name was John. He came to testify to the light, to prepare a people fit for the Lord.
Collect
O God, who raised up Saint John the Baptist to make ready a nation fit for Christ the Lord, give your people, we pray, the grace of spiritual joys and direct the hearts of all the faithful into the way of salvation and peace. 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: Isaiah 49:1-6
Islands, listen to me, pay attention, remotest peoples. The Lord called me before I was born, from my mother’s womb he pronounced my name. He made my mouth a sharp sword, and hid me in the shadow of his hand. He made me into a sharpened arrow, and concealed me in his quiver. He said to me, ‘You are my servant (Israel) in whom I shall be glorified’; while I was thinking, ‘I have toiled in vain, I have exhausted myself for nothing’; and all the while my cause was with the Lord, my reward with my God. I was honoured in the eyes of the Lord, my God was my strength. And now the Lord has spoken, he who formed me in the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob back to him, to gather Israel to him: ‘It is not enough for you to be my servant, to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back the survivors of Israel; I will make you the light of the nations so that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.’
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 138(139):1-3,13-15
R/ I thank you for the wonder of my being.
O Lord, you search me and you know me, you know my resting and my rising, you discern my purpose from afar. You mark when I walk or lie down, all my ways lie open to you.
For it was you who created my being, knit me together in my mother’s womb. I thank you for the wonder of my being, for the wonders of all your creation.
Already you knew my soul, my body held no secret from you when I was being fashioned in secret and moulded in the depths of the earth.
Second reading: Acts 13:22-26
Paul said: ‘God deposed Saul and made David their king, of whom he approved in these words, “I have selected David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart, who will carry out my whole purpose.” To keep his promise, God has raised up for Israel one of David’s descendants, Jesus, as Saviour, whose coming was heralded by John when he proclaimed a baptism of repentance for the whole people of Israel. Before John ended his career he said, “I am not the one you imagine me to be; that one is coming after me and I am not fit to undo his sandal.” ‘My brothers, sons of Abraham’s race, and all you who fear God, this message of salvation is meant for you.’
Gospel Acclamation: cf.Lk1:76
Alleluia, alleluia! As for you, little child, you shall be called a prophet of God, the Most High. You shall go ahead of the Lord to prepare his ways before him. Alleluia!
Gospel: Luke 1:57-66,80
The time came for Elizabeth to have her child, and she gave birth to a son; and when her neighbours and relations heard that the Lord had shown her so great a kindness, they shared her joy. Now on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child; they were going to call him Zechariah after his father, but his mother spoke up. ‘No,’ she said ‘he is to be called John.’ They said to her, ‘But no one in your family has that name’, and made signs to his father to find out what he wanted him called. The father asked for a writing-tablet and wrote, ‘His name is John.’ And they were all astonished. At that instant his power of speech returned and he spoke and praised God. All their neighbours were filled with awe and the whole affair was talked about throughout the hill country of Judaea. All those who heard of it treasured it in their hearts. ‘What will this child turn out to be?’ they wondered. And indeed the hand of the Lord was with him. Meanwhile the child grew up and his spirit matured. And he lived out in the wilderness until the day he appeared openly to Israel.
Prayer over the Offerings
We place these offerings on your altar, O Lord, to celebrate with fitting honour the nativity of him who both foretold the coming of the world’s Saviour and pointed him out when he came. Who lives and reigns for ever and ever.
Communion Antiphon: Cf. Lk 1: 78
Through the tender mercy of our God, the Dawn from on high will visit us.
Prayer after Communion
Having feasted at the banquet of the heavenly Lamb, we pray, O Lord, that, finding joy in the nativity of Saint John the Baptist, your Church may know as the author of her rebirth the Christ whose coming John foretold. Who lives and reigns for ever and ever.
Meditation
“The Lord called me before I was born, from my mother’s womb he pronounced my name.” As we celebrate the birth of John the Baptist, it is crucial to recall that God chose and named him from birth, consecrating him for the mission of preparing God’s people for the coming of Jesus. You, too, share a similar divine perspective as John the Baptist. God knew you by name before your birth, and consecrated you. Your birth is not an accident; you were born for a purpose. God has endowed you with gifts and talents, providing opportunities in your life because he intends to use you to make a meaningful impact in this world. Take time to reflect on your life today and seek God’s guidance regarding the purpose of your existence. Ask Him to help you uncover your potential and discern how you can contribute positively to the world around you. Surrender yourself at His will and ask Him to mold you into an instrument capable of transforming the lives of those you encounter, facilitating their encounter with Him through you.
by Norbert Doulanni | Jun 22, 2025 | Evangelium
Saint Etheldreda (679)
Psalter: Week IV
Green
She was born in Suffolk. She was the most venerated of the women saints of Anglo-Saxon England, renowned for her dedication to a life of chastity and for the austerity of the regime she imposed on herself in her later years.
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: Genesis 12:1-9
The Lord said to Abram, ‘Leave your country, your family and your father’s house, for the land I will show you. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name so famous that it will be used as a blessing. ‘I will bless those who bless you: I will curse those who slight you. All the tribes of the earth shall bless themselves by you.’ So Abram went as the Lord told him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran. Abram took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had amassed and the people they had acquired in Haran. They set off for the land of Canaan, and arrived there. Abram passed through the land as far as Shechem’s holy place, the Oak of Moreh. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. The Lord appeared to Abram and said, ‘It is to your descendants that I will give this land.’ So Abram built there an altar for the Lord who had appeared to him. From there he moved on to the mountainous district east of Bethel, where he pitched his tent, with Bethel to the west and Ai to the east. There he built an altar to the Lord and invoked the name of the Lord. Then Abram made his way stage by stage to the Negeb.
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 32(33):12-13,18-20,22
R/ Happy the people the Lord has chosen as his own.
They are happy, whose God is the Lord, the people he has chosen as his own. From the heavens the Lord looks forth, he sees all the children of men.
The Lord looks on those who revere him, on those who hope in his love, to rescue their souls from death, to keep them alive in famine.
Our soul is waiting for the Lord. The Lord is our help and our shield. May your love be upon us, O Lord, as we place all our hope in you.
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
“Leave your country, your family, and your father’s house.” God demanded a radical shift from Abram, instructing him to abandon his familiar life and everything he knew, and embark on a journey to an unfamiliar and unknown land. It is worth noting that Abram never returned to his country after responding to God’s call. Similarly, our Christian calling is marked by this radical shift. God expects us to abandon our old way of life without the prospect of ever turning back. We are called to embrace a new mindset, new perspectives, and new values. It entails that we stop living the way the world expects us to live and start living the way God wants us to live. For instance, while the world may encourage us to criticise and label others as evil because of their faults, God urges us to recognise our own imperfections and so transform our lives first before helping others change. When you were baptised, God called you like He called Abram. Accept His invitation to leave your old life behind and undergo a transformative change.
by Norbert Doulanni | Jun 21, 2025 | Evangelium
Corpus Christi – Solemnity
Saint Thomas More (1477 – 1535)
Psalter: Week IV
White
Entrance Antiphon : Cf. Ps 80: 17
He fed them with the finest wheat and satisfied them with honey from the rock.
Collect
O God, who in this wonderful Sacrament have left us a memorial of your Passion, grant us, we pray, so to revere the sacred mysteries of your Body and Blood that we may always experience in ourselves the fruits of your redemption. Who live and reign with God the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
First reading : Genesis 14:18-20
Melchizedek king of Salem brought bread and wine; he was a priest of God Most High. He pronounced this blessing: ‘Blessed be Abram by God Most High, creator of heaven and earth, and blessed be God Most High for handing over your enemies to you.’ And Abram gave him a tithe of everything.
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 109(110):1-4
R/ You are a priest for ever, a priest like Melchizedek of old.
The Lord’s revelation to my Master: ‘Sit on my right: your foes I will put beneath your feet.’
The Lord will wield from Zion your sceptre of power: rule in the midst of all your foes.
A prince from the day of your birth on the holy mountains; from the womb before the dawn I begot you.
The Lord has sworn an oath he will not change. ‘You are a priest for ever, a priest like Melchizedek of old.’
Second reading : 1 Corinthians 11: 23-26
This is what I received from the Lord, and in turn passed on to you: that on the same night that he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took some bread, and thanked God for it and broke it, and he said, ‘This is my body, which is for you; do this as a memorial of me.’ In the same way he took the cup after supper, and said, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Whenever you drink it, do this as a memorial of me.’ Until the Lord comes, therefore, every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are proclaiming his death.
Gospel Acclamation : Jn6:51
Alleluia, alleluia! I am the living bread which has come down from heaven, says the Lord. Anyone who eats this bread will live for ever. Alleluia!
Gospel : Luke 9:11-17
Jesus made the crowds welcome and talked to them about the kingdom of God; and he cured those who were in need of healing. It was late afternoon when the Twelve came to him and said, ‘Send the people away, and they can go to the villages and farms round about to find lodging and food; for we are in a lonely place here.’ He replied, ‘Give them something to eat yourselves.’ But they said, ‘We have no more than five loaves and two fish, unless we are to go ourselves and buy food for all these people.’ For there were about five thousand men. But he said to his disciples, ‘Get them to sit down in parties of about fifty.’ They did so and made them all sit down. Then he took the five loaves and the two fish, raised his eyes to heaven, and said the blessing over them; then he broke them and handed them to his disciples to distribute among the crowd. They all ate as much as they wanted, and when the scraps remaining were collected they filled twelve baskets.
Prayer over the Offerings
Grant your Church, O Lord, we pray, the gifts of unity and peace, whose signs are to be seen in mystery in the offerings we here present. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon : Jn 6: 57
Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him, says the Lord.
Prayer after Communion
Grant, O Lord, we pray, that we may delight for all eternity in that share in your divine life, which is foreshadowed in the present age by our reception of your precious Body and Blood. Who live and reign for ever and ever.
Meditation
Today, the Church invites us to meditate on the mystery by which bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Christ during the Eucharistic celebration. God sent the priest Melchizedek to Abraham with an offering of bread and wine, the same elements that Jesus shared with His disciples at the Last Supper, saying, “This is my body; this is my blood.” It is this same bread and wine that a priest consecrates during the Mass. In the celebration of the Eucharist, we commemorate the sacrifice through which Jesus secured our salvation. On Calvary, Jesus offered himself and shed his blood for our sake. He became the Lamb of God slain to take away the sins of the world. In the Eucharist, we partake of the flesh and blood of this Lamb. The Body and Blood of Christ thus become a source of nourishment for our souls. When Jesus fed the 5000 men, he provided food for their bodies, but he knew that they also needed to feed their souls. The Eucharist is the spiritual banquet through which we proclaim the death and resurrection of Jesus. It unites us with Jesus, and empower us to faithfully serve Him each day. Let us partake in the Eucharist regularly and faithfully.
by Norbert Doulanni | Jun 20, 2025 | Evangelium
Saint Aloysius Gonzaga (1568 – 1591)
Psalter: Week II
White
At the age of 16 he became a Jesuit novice in Rome. Aloysius, still a novice, worked hard helping patients infected by the plague. He himself caught the plague. He died at midnight on the 20th of June with the name of Jesus on his lips.
Entrance Antiphon : Cf. Ps 23: 4, 3
The clean of hands and pure of heart shall climb the mountain of the Lord and stand in his holy place.
Collect
O God, giver of heavenly gifts, who in Saint Aloysius Gonzaga joined penitence to a wonderful innocence of life, grant, through his merits and intercession, that, though we have failed to follow him in innocence, we may imitate him in penitence. 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 Corinthians 12:1-10
Must I go on boasting, though there is nothing to be gained by it? But I will move on to the visions and revelations I have had from the Lord. I know a man in Christ who, fourteen years ago, was caught up – whether still in the body or out of the body, I do not know; God knows – right into the third heaven. I do know, however, that this same person – whether in the body or out of the body, I do not know; God knows – was caught up into paradise and heard things which must not and cannot be put into human language. I will boast about a man like that, but not about anything of my own except my weaknesses. If I should decide to boast, I should not be made to look foolish, because I should only be speaking the truth; but I am not going to, in case anyone should begin to think I am better than he can actually see and hear me to be. In view of the extraordinary nature of these revelations, to stop me from getting too proud I was given a thorn in the flesh, an angel of Satan to beat me and stop me from getting too proud! About this thing, I have pleaded with the Lord three times for it to leave me, but he has said, ‘My grace is enough for you: my power is at its best in weakness.’ So I shall be very happy to make my weaknesses my special boast so that the power of Christ may stay over me, and that is why I am quite content with my weaknesses, and with insults, hardships, persecutions, and the agonies I go through for Christ’s sake. For it is when I am weak that I am strong.
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 33(34):8-13
R/ Taste and see that the Lord is good.
The angel of the Lord is encamped around those who revere him, to rescue them. Taste and see that the Lord is good. He is happy who seeks refuge in him.
Revere the Lord, you his saints. They lack nothing, those who revere him. Strong lions suffer want and go hungry but those who seek the Lord lack no blessing.
Come, children, and hear me that I may teach you the fear of the Lord. Who is he who longs for life and many days, to enjoy his prosperity?
Gospel Acclamation: Mt4:4
Alleluia, alleluia! Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God. Alleluia!
Gospel: Matthew 6:24-34
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘No one can be the slave of two masters: he will either hate the first and love the second, or treat the first with respect and the second with scorn. You cannot be the slave both of God and of money. ‘That is why I am telling you not to worry about your life and what you are to eat, nor about your body and how you are to clothe it. Surely life means more than food, and the body more than clothing! Look at the birds in the sky. They do not sow or reap or gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they are? Can any of you, for all his worrying, add one single cubit to his span of life? And why worry about clothing? Think of the flowers growing in the fields; they never have to work or spin; yet I assure you that not even Solomon in all his regalia was robed like one of these. Now if that is how God clothes the grass in the field which is there today and thrown into the furnace tomorrow, will he not much more look after you, you men of little faith? So do not worry; do not say, “What are we to eat? What are we to drink? How are we to be clothed?” It is the pagans who set their hearts on all these things. Your heavenly Father knows you need them all. Set your hearts on his kingdom first, and on his righteousness, and all these other things will be given you as well. So do not worry about tomorrow: tomorrow will take care of itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.’
Prayer over the Offerings
Grant us, O Lord,that by the example of Saint Aloysius, we may take our place at the heavenly banquet, clothed always in our wedding garment, so that, by participation in this mystery, we may possess the riches of your grace. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon : Ps 77: 24-25
God gave them bread from heaven; man ate the bread of Angels.
Prayer after Communion
Bring us, who have been fed with the food of Angels, O Lord, to serve you in purity of life, and, following the example of Saint Aloysius, whom we honour today, may we persevere in constant thanksgiving. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
“Do not worry.” Is this possible? How can we avoid worrying? Life is full of anxieties: providing for our needs and those of our families, job security, the faithfulness of our spouses, the success of our children, plans, and projects, among others. All these concerns occupy our minds, and their significance is undeniable. So, what does Jesus mean? He is urging us to cultivate trust in divine providence, that is, God’s ability to make all things work out for our good. He reminds us that God is aware of our needs and asures us that the One who cares for the birds and the grass will certainly take care of us. This does not mean we should stop planning, projecting, and working. Instead, it means that, amidst these efforts, we should remember to surrender everything into God’s hands, mindful that success ultimately depends on Him. As Saint Ignatius of Loyola advises, we should work as if everything depended on us, and then pray as if nothing depended on us. Let us learn to rely on God and entrust our worries to Him.
by Norbert Doulanni | Jun 19, 2025 | Evangelium
Saints Alban, Julius and Aaron
Psalter: Week III
Green
During a persecution by Diocletian, Alban surrendered himself in place of a Christian priest, and so unbaptised by water, attained a baptism of blood. In the same persecution Julius and Aaron, at Caerleon on Usk, are named among others who gave their lives for the faith.
Entrance Antiphon: Cf. Ps 26: 7, 9
O Lord, hear my voice, for I have called to you; be my help. Do not abandon or forsake me, O God, my Saviour!
Collect
O God, strength of those who hope in you, graciously hear our pleas, and, since without you mortal frailty can do nothing, grant us always the help of your grace, that in following your commands we may please you by our resolve and our deeds. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
First reading: 2 Corinthians 11:18,21-30
So many others have been boasting of their worldly achievements, that I will boast myself. But if anyone wants some brazen speaking – I am still talking as a fool – then I can be as brazen as any of them, and about the same things. Hebrews, are they? So am I. Israelites? So am I. Descendants of Abraham? So am I. The servants of Christ? I must be mad to say this, but so am I, and more than they: more, because I have worked harder, I have been sent to prison more often, and whipped many times more, often almost to death. Five times I had the thirty-nine lashes from the Jews; three times I have been beaten with sticks; once I was stoned; three times I have been shipwrecked and once adrift in the open sea for a night and a day. Constantly travelling, I have been in danger from rivers and in danger from brigands, in danger from my own people and in danger from pagans; in danger in the towns, in danger in the open country, danger at sea and danger from so-called brothers. I have worked and laboured, often without sleep; I have been hungry and thirsty and often starving; I have been in the cold without clothes. And, to leave out much more, there is my daily preoccupation: my anxiety for all the churches. When any man has had scruples, I have had scruples with him; when any man is made to fall, I am tortured. If I am to boast, then let me boast of my own feebleness.
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 33(34):2-7
R/ The Lord rescues the just in all their distress.
I will bless the Lord at all times, his praise always on my lips; in the Lord my soul shall make its boast. The humble shall hear and be glad.
Glorify the Lord with me. Together let us praise his name. I sought the Lord and he answered me; from all my terrors he set me free.
Look towards him and be radiant; let your faces not be abashed. This poor man called, the Lord heard him and rescued him from all his distress.
Gospel Acclamation: Jn8:12
Alleluia, alleluia! I am the light of the world, says the Lord; anyone who follows me will have the light of life. Alleluia!
Gospel: Matthew 6:19-23
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Do not store up treasures for yourselves on earth, where moths and woodworms destroy them and thieves can break in and steal. But store up treasures for yourselves in heaven, where neither moth nor woodworms destroy them and thieves cannot break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. ‘The lamp of the body is the eye. It follows that if your eye is sound, your whole body will be filled with light. But if your eye is diseased, your whole body will be all darkness. If then, the light inside you is darkness, what darkness that will be!’
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
“Do not store up treasures for yourselves on earth.” Some may mistakenly believe that Christianity glorifies poverty by advising people against seeking riches on earth or improving their material well-being. However, this perception is far from the truth. As seen in Psalm 127, the righteous person is encouraged: “By the labour of your hands you shall eat; you will be happy and prosper.” The message is not to abstain from possessing riches but to avoid being possessed by riches. Jesus says that earthly treasures can be destroyed or stolen because they are not permanent. They can vanish overnight, and even if retained, they cannot be taken to the grave. True treasure, heavenly treasure, lies in communion with God, and is attainable through a virtuous life. Our quest for earthly treasure is legitimate, but it should not blind us to the need of growing in holiness — the true treasure that secures us eternal life.
