by Jude Thaddeus Langeh Basebang | Mar 28, 2019 | Evangelium
St. Berthold
Ordained a priest, Berthold joined his brother, Aymeric, in Turkey on the Crusades. On Mount Carmel he found a group of hermits, joined them, and established a rule. He is considered by some historians to be the founder of the Carmelite Order.
Violet
Entrance Antiphon: Ps. 85: 8, 10
Among the gods there is none like you, O Lord, for you are great and do marvellous deeds; you alone are God.
Collect
Pour your grace into our hearts, we pray, O Lord, that we may be constantly drawn away from unruly desires and obey by your own gift the heavenly teaching you give us. 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 14:2-10
The Lord says this: Israel, come back to the Lord your God; your iniquity was the cause of your downfall. Provide yourself with words and come back to the Lord. Say to him, ‘Take all iniquity away so that we may have happiness again and offer you our words of praise. Assyria cannot save us, we will not ride horses any more, or say, “Our God!” to what our own hands have made, for you are the one in whom orphans find compassion.’ – I will heal their disloyalty, I will love them with all my heart, for my anger has turned from them. I will fall like dew on Israel. He shall bloom like the lily, and thrust out roots like the poplar, his shoots will spread far; he will have the beauty of the olive and the fragrance of Lebanon. They will come back to live in my shade; they will grow corn that flourishes, they will cultivate vines as renowned as the wine of Helbon. What has Ephraim to do with idols any more when it is I who hear his prayer and care for him? I am like a cypress ever green, all your fruitfulness comes from me. Let the wise man understand these words. Let the intelligent man grasp their meaning. For the ways of the Lord are straight, and virtuous men walk in them, but sinners stumble.
Psalm 80 (81):6, 8-11, 14, 17
R I am the Lord your God: listen to my warning.
1) A voice I did not know said to me: ‘I freed your shoulder from the burden; your hands were freed from the load. You called in distress and I saved you.
2) ‘I answered, concealed in the storm cloud; at the waters of Meribah I tested you. Listen, my people, to my warning. O Israel, if only you would heed!
3) ‘Let there be no foreign god among you. no worship of an alien god. I am the Lord your God, who brought you from the land of Egypt.
4)‘O that my people would heed me, that Israel would walk in my ways! But Israel I would feed with finest wheat and fill them with honey from the rock.’
Gospel Acclamation: Mt 4:17
Praise and honour to you, Lord Jesus! The seed is the word of God, Christ the sower; whoever finds this seed will remain for ever. Praise and honour to you, Lord Jesus!
Gospel: Mark 12:28-34
One of the scribes came up to Jesus and put a question to him, ‘Which is the first of all the commandments?’ Jesus replied, ‘This is the first: Listen, Israel, the Lord our God is the one Lord, and you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: You must love your neighbour as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.’ The scribe said to him, ‘Well spoken, Master; what you have said is true: that he is one and there is no other. To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and strength, and to love your neighbour as yourself, this is far more important than any holocaust or sacrifice.’ Jesus, seeing how wisely he had spoken, said, ‘You are not far from the kingdom of God.’ And after that no one dared to question him any more.
Prayer over the Offerings
Look with favour, we pray, Lord, on the offerings we dedicate, that they may be pleasing in your sight and always be salutary for us. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon: Cf. Mk 12: 33
To love God with all your heart, and your neighbour as yourself, is worth more than any sacrifice.
Prayer after Communion
May your strength be at work in us, O Lord, pervading our minds and bodies, that what we have received by participating in this Sacrament may bring us the fullness of redemption. Through Christ our Lord.
Prayer over the People
Look graciously, O Lord, upon the faithful who implore your mercy, that, trusting in your kindness, they may spread far and wide the gifts your charity has bestowed. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Meditation
The question put to Jesus concerns the heart of the Law, that is, the foundation without which the entire Torah would not exist. Jesus responds by stating that the whole Law is founded on love of God and love of neighbour. Our entire existence can be summed up in two relations: our relationship with God and our relationship with our neighbour. These two relations should be founded on love. We must show love for God by going to him regularly in prayer and doing what he commands us to do. We must show love for our neighbour by striving to help them know happiness and peace. These two commandments are actually inseparable, because, God manifests himself to us through the people we meet, and if we cannot love those around us whom we see, then wecannot claim to love God whom we do not see.
by Jude Thaddeus Langeh Basebang | Mar 27, 2019 | Evangelium
St. Venturino of Bergamo
He was a Dominican preacher and missionary crusader. He is also known for helping to organize a crusade, at the behest of Pope Clement VI against the Turks who were then menacing Europe.
Violet
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 for ever.
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(95):1-2, 6-9
R) O that today you would listen to his voice! ‘Harden not your hearts.’
1) 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.
2) 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.
3) 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 Ezk 18:31
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.
Prayer over the People
We call on your loving kindness and trust in your mercy, O Lord, that, since we have from you all that we are, through your grace we may seek what is right and have strength to do the good we desire. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Meditation
Doubt is a terrible thing in human life because sometimes it can be a barrier between a person and a great achievement. Seeing the wonders, signs and miraculous deeds performed by Jesus, the people around were filled with doubt instead of believing in him, and they asked for a sign from heaven as a confirmation that all his miracles were performed by the power of God. They were not aware that in their midst stood what they were asking for, that is Jesus himself; Jesus is the sign that the kingdom of God has come. Doubt therefore separated and barred them from the kingdom of God. Doubt can cost us our salvation. Let us not doubt the power of Jesus; rather, let us believe in him and accept him as the one sent by God. May God grant us the gift of faith in Jesus.
by Jude Thaddeus Langeh Basebang | Mar 26, 2019 | Evangelium
St John of Egypt (304 – 394)
A hermit in a cave, he lived a very strict life of prayer and manual work. People visited him, since he was able to perform miracles, heal the sick and read people’s hearts. He died in 394, at the age of 90.
Violet
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, for ever 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!
1) praise the Lord, Jerusalem! Zion, praise your God! He has strengthened the bars of your gates he has blessed the children within you.
2) 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.
3) 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: Jn 8:12
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.
Prayer over the People
Give to your people, our God, a resolve that is pleasing to you, for, by conforming them to your teachings, you bestow on them every favour. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Meditation
Many Jews may have started to give Jesus a sinister look as they listened to his teaching. But the part of the Sermon on the Mount about not abolishing the Law but rather completing it surely won their hearts. A biblical scholar called Richard Gardner puts it perfectly: For Matthew, the Law remains valid until all that the Law intends is fully revealed in Jesus’ teaching and fully reflected in Jesus’ community. We should therefore keep all the commandments of God without exception and teach others to do the same. Obeying the commandments and teaching them to others go hand-in-hand; we should start by keeping the commandments ourselves, and then we should invite others by our words and example to do the same.
by Jude Thaddeus Langeh Basebang | Mar 25, 2019 | Evangelium
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.
Violet
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, for ever 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 (25):4-6, 7a-9
R/ Remember your mercy, Lord.
1) 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.
2) 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.
3) 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. Lk 8:15
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.
Prayer over the People
O God, founder and ruler of your people, drive away the sins that assail them, that they may always be pleasing to you and ever safe under your protection. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Meditation
Considering the biblical meaning of the number seven (perfection), Peter believes that to forgive someone seven times is to make a superhuman effort. But Jesus challenges Peter to forgive not just seven times but seventy-seven times, showing him that forgiveness is not limited at all. As a follower of Jesus he has to forgive unceasingly. The parable that follows shows how ungrateful we often become; we are forgiven but we are unable to forgive others in our own turn. The teaching of the Gospel is that, since God is graciously merciful and always forgives us, we should not withhold forgiveness and mercy from other people. We can only expect forgiveness from God if we forgive those who offend us.
by Jude Thaddeus Langeh Basebang | Mar 24, 2019 | Evangelium
THE ANNUNCIATION OF THE LORD:
ST. DISMAS
Dismas is the Good Thief crucified with Christ on Calvary.
White
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 he 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.
1) You do not ask for sacrifice and offerings, but an open ear. You do not ask for holocaust and victim. Instead, here am I.
2) 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.
3) Your justice I have proclaimed in the great assembly. My lips I have not sealed; you know it, O Lord.
4)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: Jn. 1:14
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.
Prayer over the People
May your right hand, we ask, O Lord, protect this people that makes entreaty to you: graciously purify them and give them instruction, that, finding solace in this life, they may reach the good things to come. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Meditation
The greeting to Mary, “Rejoice, so highly favoured,” is remarkable and overwhelming, considering the meaning of the phrase. The greeting already contains the mission of Mary in God’s plan of salvation as it means “to be furnished with grace.” Just as the house can be fitted and decorated with furniture in order to be stunningly beautiful and appealing, Mary is intrinsically well-favoured by God and the angel’s greeting indicates that the message he has come to deliver is of great importance. “You are to conceive in your womb…”; these words remind us of the message of the prophet Zephaniah concerning the Messiah : “The Lord, your God is in your midst, a mighty saviour,” (Zeph. 3:17). The Lord is in the womb of Mary, which is why she will bear a son to be called the Son of the Most High. Mary is blessed among all women, and indeed among all creatures, because she had the unique privilege of bearing and giving Jesus to the world; let us also give Jesus to the world by making him known to and loved by those around us.
by Jude Thaddeus Langeh Basebang | Mar 23, 2019 | Evangelium
THIRD SUNDAY OF LENT:
Psalter III
ST MACARTAN (D. 506)
Violet
Entrance Antiphon: Cf. Ps 24: 15-16
My eyes are always on the Lord, for he rescues my feet from the snare. Turn to me and have mercy on me, for I am alone and poor.
Collect
O God, author of every mercy and of all goodness, who in fasting, prayer and almsgiving have shown us a remedy for sin, look graciously on this confession of our lowliness, that we, who are bowed down by our conscience, may always be lifted up by your mercy. 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: Exodus 3:1-8, 13-15
Moses was looking after the flock of Jethro, his father-in-law priest of Midian. He led his flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in the shape of a flame of fire, coming from the middle of a bush. Moses looked; there was the bush blazing but it was not being burnt up. ‘I must go and look at this strange sight,’ Moses said, ‘and see why the bush is not burnt.’ Now the Lord saw him go forward to look, and God called to him from the middle of the bush. ‘Moses, Moses!’ he said. ‘Here I am,’ Moses answered. ‘Come no nearer,’ he said. ‘Take off your shoes, for the place on which you stand is holy ground. I am the God of your fathers,’ he said, ‘the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.’ At this Moses covered his face, afraid to look at God. And the Lord said, ‘I have seen the miserable state of my people in Egypt. I have heard their appeal to be free of their slave-drivers. Yes, I am well aware of their sufferings. I mean to deliver them out of the hands of the Egyptians and bring them up out of that land to a land rich and broad, a land where milk and honey flow, the home of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites and the Jebusites.’ Then Moses said to God, ‘I am to go, then, to the sons of Israel and say to them, “The God of your fathers has sent me to you.” But if they ask me what his name is, what am I to tell them?’ And God said to Moses, ‘I Am who I Am. This’ he added ‘is what you must say to the sons of Israel: “I Am has sent me to you.”’ And God also said to Moses, ‘You are to say to the sons of Israel: “The Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.” This is my name for all time; by this name I shall be invoked for all generations to come.’
Psalm 102 (103):1-4, 6-8, 11
R/ The Lord is compassion and love.
1) 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.
2) 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,
3) 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.
4)The Lord is compassion and love, slow to anger and rich in mercy. For as the heavens are high above the earth so strong is his love for those who fear him.
Second reading: 1 Corinthians 10:1-6, 10-12
I want to remind you, brothers, how our fathers were all guided by a cloud above them and how they all passed through the sea. They were all baptised into Moses in this cloud and in this sea; all ate the same spiritual food and all drank the same spiritual drink, since they all drank from the spiritual rock that followed them as they went, and that rock was Christ. In spite of this, most of them failed to please God and their corpses littered the desert. These things all happened as warnings for us, not to have the wicked lusts for forbidden things that they had. You must never complain: some of them did, and they were killed by the Destroyer. All this happened to them as a warning, and it was written down to be a lesson for us who are living at the end of the age. The man who thinks he is safe must be careful that he does not fall.
Gospel Acclamation: Mt4:17
Glory to you, O Christ, you are the Word of God! Repent, says the Lord, for the kingdom of heaven is close at hand. Glory to you, O Christ, you are the Word of God!
Gospel: Luke 13:1-9
Some people arrived and told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with that of their sacrifices. At this he said to them, ‘Do you suppose these Galileans who suffered like that were greater sinners than any other Galileans? They were not, I tell you. No; but unless you repent you will all perish as they did. Or those eighteen on whom the tower at Siloam fell and killed them? Do you suppose that they were more guilty than all the other people living in Jerusalem? They were not, I tell you. No; but unless you repent you will all perish as they did.’ He told this parable: ‘A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came looking for fruit on it but found none. He said to the man who looked after the vineyard, “Look here, for three years now I have been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and finding none. Cut it down: why should it be taking up the ground?” “Sir,” the man replied “leave it one more year and give me time to dig round it and manure it: it may bear fruit next year; if not, then you can cut it down.”’
Prayer over the Offerings
Be pleased, O Lord, with these sacrificial offerings, and grant that we who beseech pardon for our own sins, may take care to forgive our neighbour. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon
The sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest for her young: by your altars, O Lord of hosts, my King and my God. Blessed are they who dwell in your house, for ever singing your praise.
Prayer after Communion
As we receive the pledge of things yet hidden in heaven and are nourished while still on earth with the Bread that comes from on high, we humbly entreat you, O Lord, that what is being brought about in us in mystery may come to true completion. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
Once more, today’s readings, and especially the Gospel, express the need for timely repentance. One preacher says of today’s parable, “The parable reinforces the need for repentance and suggests that there is a strict limit to the time available for the required repentance. The image is of judgment graciously held back for a time.” The fig tree was given three years to bear fruits but it produced none. In the Bible, three is the perfect number, and in the context of this parable it means that the tree was given sufficient time to bear fruit. Since it failed to do so it has to be cut down, but since the owner is patient and merciful, he listens to the plea of the caretaker to give it another year. We Christians are expected to bear fruits of faith, hope and charity; when our lives prove to be barren in this respect, we are given another chance to yield fruit. Judgment has already been delivered but has been held back, meaning we are living in a time of grace. God in his mercy has given us time to repent and bear fruits of good works; let us not waste it. The time for conversion is now!
