by L'équipe de publication | Jul 3, 2024 | Evangelium
Saint Elizabeth of Portugal
(1271 – 1336)
Green
She was married to King Denis of Portugal, by whom she had two children. She set up hospitals, orphanages, and other institutions, patiently endured her husband’s infidelities. On her husband’s death in 1325 she retired from public affairs and devoted herself to prayer and the service of the poor
Entrance Antiphon : Ps 46: 2
All peoples, clap your hands. Cry to God with shouts of joy!
Collect
O God, who through the grace of adoption, chose us to be children of light; grant, we pray, that we may not be wrapped in the darkness of error but always be seen to stand in the bright light of truth. 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 : Amos 7:10-17
Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent word to Jeroboam king of Israel as follows. ‘Amos is plotting against you in the heart of the House of Israel; the country can no longer tolerate what he keeps saying. For this is what he says, “Jeroboam is going to die by the sword, and Israel go into exile far from its country.”’ To Amos, Amaziah said, ‘Go away, seer;’ get back to the land of Judah; earn your bread there, do your prophesying there. We want no more prophesying in Bethel; this is the royal sanctuary, the national temple.’ ‘I was no prophet, neither did I belong to any of the brotherhoods of prophets,’ Amos replied to Amaziah ‘I was a shepherd, and looked after sycamores: but it was the Lord who took me from herding the flock, and the Lord who said, “Go, prophesy to my people Israel.” So listen to the word of the Lord. ‘You say: ‘“Do not prophesy against Israel, utter no oracles against the House of Isaac.” ‘Very well, this is what the Lord says, ‘“Your wife will be forced to go on the streets, your sons and daughters will fall by the sword, your land be parcelled out by measuring line, and you yourself die on unclean soil and Israel will go into exile far distant from its own land.”’
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm
18(19):8-11
R/ The decrees of the Lord are truth and all of them just.
The law of the Lord is perfect, it revives the soul. The rule of the Lord is to be trusted, it gives wisdom to the simple.
The precepts of the Lord are right, they gladden the heart. The command of the Lord is clear, it gives light to the eyes.
The fear of the Lord is holy, abiding for ever. The decrees of the Lord are truth and all of them just.
They are more to be desired than gold, than the purest of gold and sweeter are they than honey, than honey from the comb.
Gospel Acclamation : Mt11:25
Alleluia, alleluia! Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for revealing the mysteries of the kingdom to mere children. Alleluia!
Gospel : Matthew 9:1-8
Jesus got in the boat, crossed the water and came to his own town. Then some people appeared, bringing him a paralytic stretched out on a bed. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralytic, ‘Courage, my child, your sins are forgiven.’ And at this some scribes said to themselves, ‘This man is blaspheming.’ Knowing what was in their minds Jesus said, ‘Why do you have such wicked thoughts in your hearts? Now, which of these is easier to say, “Your sins are forgiven,” or to say, “Get up and walk”? But to prove to you that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins,’ – he said to the paralytic – ‘get up, and pick up your bed and go off home.’ And the man got up and went home. A feeling of awe came over the crowd when they saw this, and they praised God for giving such power to men.
Prayer over the Offerings
O God, who graciously accomplish the effects of your mysteries, grant, we pray, that the deeds by which we serve you may be worthy of these sacred gifts. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon : Cf. Ps 102: 1
Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all within me, his holy name.
Prayer after Communion
May this divine sacrifice we have offered and received fill us with life, O Lord, we pray, so that, bound to you in lasting charity, we may bear fruit that lasts for ever. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation Jesus heals a paralytic at Capernaum. The sickness has an interior dimension, a spiritual paralysis and that is why Jesus first forgives his sins. In the previous episode Jesus calmed the sea which only God can do. In forgiving sins too, Jesus puts himself on par with God. The scribes accuse Jesus of blasphemy because they believed that only God can forgive sins and God does it through the temple system, with animal sacrifice offered by the Levitical priests. Jesus responds to the accusation, first by forgiving the sins of the man and then physically healing him. He does both to prove his authority to forgive sins as well as his power to heal. The crowds glorify God for granting authority to forgive sins to human beings. Let us ask Jesus to forgive our sins and heal our inner wounds that paralyze us in many ways.
by L'équipe de publication | Jul 2, 2024 | Evangelium
Psalter: Proper
Saint Thomas, Apostle
Feast
(1530 – 1616)
Red
Thomas the Apostle (also called Didymus which means «the twin») was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ. He is informally called doubting Thomas because he doubted Jesus’ resurrection when first told, (in the Gospel of John), followed later by his confession of faith, «My Lord and my God», on seeing Jesus’ wounded body.
Entrance Antiphon: Cf. Ps 117: 28, 21
You are my God, and I confess you; you are my God, and I exalt you; I will thank you, for you became my saviour.
Collect
Grant, almighty God, that we may glory in the Feast of the blessed Apostle Thomas, so that we may always be sustained by his intercession and, believing, may have life in the name of Jesus Christ your Son, whom Thomas acknowledged as the Lord. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
First reading: Ephesians 2:19-22
You are no longer aliens or foreign visitors: you are citizens like all the saints, and part of God’s household. You are part of a building that has the apostles and prophets for its foundations, and Christ Jesus himself for its main cornerstone. As every structure is aligned on him, all grow into one holy temple in the Lord; and you too, in him, are being built into a house where God lives, in the Spirit.
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm
116(117):1-2
R/ Go out to the whole world; proclaim the Good News.
O praise the Lord, all you nations, acclaim him all you peoples!
Strong is his love for us; he is faithful for ever.
Gospel Acclamation: Jn20:29
Alleluia, alleluia! Jesus said: ‘You believe because you can see me. Happy are those who have not seen and yet believe.’ Alleluia!
Gospel: John 20:24-29
Thomas, called the Twin, who was one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. When the disciples said, ‘We have seen the Lord’, he answered, ‘Unless I see the holes that the nails made in his hands and can put my finger into the holes they made, and unless I can put my hand into his side, I refuse to believe.’ Eight days later the disciples were in the house again and Thomas was with them. The doors were closed, but Jesus came in and stood among them. ‘Peace be with you’ he said. Then he spoke to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here; look, here are my hands. Give me your hand; put it into my side. Doubt no longer but believe.’ Thomas replied, ‘My Lord and my God!’ Jesus said to him: ‘You believe because you can see me. Happy are those who have not seen and yet believe.’
Prayer over the Offerings
We render you, O Lord, the service that is your due, humbly imploring you to keep safe your gifts in us, as we honour the confession of the Apostle Saint Thomas and offer you a sacrifice of praise. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon: Cf. Jn 20: 27
Bring your hand and feel the place of the nails, and do not be unbelieving but believing.
Prayer after Communion
O God, as we truly receive in this Sacrament the Body of your Only Begotten Son, grant, we pray, that we may recognize him with the Apostle Thomas by faith as our Lord and our God and proclaim him by our deeds and by our life. Who lives and reigns for ever and ever.
Meditation
The gospels present Thomas as an impetuous follower of Christ. It is obvious, in his exhortation to the other apostles, “Let us also go, that we may die with him” (John 11:16), when Jesus has decided to return to Judea, where the Jews were trying to stone him. His reluctance to believe in the resurrection of Jesus made him “doubting Thomas” but his public profession of faith in the divinity of Jesus makes him “witnessing Thomas.” In fact, his declaration, “My Lord and My God” is the genuine expression of his trust and faith in Jesus. According to traditions after Pentecost Thomas was sent to evangelise the Parthians, Medes and Persians and ultimately he reached India with the Good News. In serving his master, he shed his blood and became a martyr. Let the life and martyrdom of Thomas continue to be an example for us to be genuine followers of Jesus.
by L'équipe de publication | Jun 30, 2024 | Evangelium
Psalter: Week 1
Blessed Junipero Serra
(1713 – 1784)
Green
He was born on the Spanish island of Mallorca, and became a Franciscan. Over a period of fifteen years he founded nine missions with about six thousand converts. He frequently came into conflict with the authorities over their treatment of the native population, but nevertheless, when he died, he was buried with full military honours. He was beatified in 1988.
Entrance Antiphon : Ps 46: 2
All peoples, clap your hands. Cry to God with shouts of joy!
Collect
O God, who through the grace of adoption, chose us to be children of light; grant, we pray, that we may not be wrapped in the darkness of error but always be seen to stand in the bright light of truth. 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 : Amos 2:6-10,13-16
The Lord says this: For the three crimes, the four crimes, of Israel I have made my decree and will not relent: because they have sold the virtuous man for silver and the poor man for a pair of sandals, because they trample on the heads of ordinary people and push the poor out of their path, because father and son have both resorted to the same girl, profaning my holy name, because they stretch themselves out by the side of every altar on clothes acquired as pledges, and drink the wine of the people they have fined in the house of their god… Yet it was I who overthrew the Amorites when they attacked, men tall as cedars and strong as oaks, I who destroyed them, both fruit above ground and root below. It was I who brought you out of the land of Egypt and for forty years led you through the wilderness to take possession of the Amorite’s country. See then how I am going to crush you into the ground as the threshing-sledge crushes when clogged by straw; flight will not save even the swift, the strong man will find his strength useless, the mighty man will be powerless to save himself. The bowman will not stand his ground, the fast runner will not escape, the horseman will not save himself, the bravest warriors will run away naked that day. It is the Lord who speaks.
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 49:16-23
R/ Mark this, you who never think of God.
‘How can you recite my commandments and take my covenant on your lips, you who despise my law and throw my words to the winds?
‘You who see a thief and go with him; who throw in your lot with adulterers, who unbridle your mouth for evil and whose tongue is plotting crime.
‘You who sit and malign your brother and slander your own mother’s son. You do this, and should I keep silence? Do you think that I am like you?
‘Mark this, you who never think of God, lest I seize you and you cannot escape; a sacrifice of thanksgiving honours me and I will show God’s salvation to the upright.’
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 8:18-22
When Jesus saw the great crowds all about him he gave orders to leave for the other side. One of the Scribes then came up and said to him, ‘Master, I will follow you wherever you go.’ Jesus replied, ‘Foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.’ Another man, one of his disciples, said to him, ‘Sir, let me go and bury my father first.’ But Jesus replied, ‘Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their dead.’
Prayer over the Offerings
O God, who graciously accomplish the effects of your mysteries, grant, we pray, that the deeds by which we serve you may be worthy of these sacred gifts. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon : Cf. Ps 102: 1
Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all within me, his holy name.
Prayer after Communion
May this divine sacrifice we have offered and received fill us with life, O Lord, we pray, so that, bound to you in lasting charity, we may bear fruit that lasts for ever. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
Jesus is about to cross to a Gentile territory where many of his followers may not be willing to go. Only true followers of Jesus may accompany him to such places. Two men, a scribe and a disciple show willingness to follow him to his foreign mission. Jesus seem to discourage the scribe saying that he has nowhere to rest his head. Jesus was an itinerant preacher and anyone who wants to follow him must be ready for a radical change in lifestyle. The scribes are scholars of the Mosaic Law and its interpretation and they do it in an institutional set up and so may not fit into the lifestyle of Jesus. The second one is already a disciple of Jesus but he exhibits an attitude of procrastination. A follower of Jesus must give priority to Jesus and to his plans. Are you a follower of Jesus? Do you give priority to Jesus and to his plans?
by L'équipe de publication | Jun 29, 2024 | Evangelium
13th Sunday in Ordinary
Time
Psalter: Week 1
Saint Prosper
Green
Entrance Antiphon: Ps 46: 2
All peoples, clap your hands. Cry to God with shouts of joy!
Collect
O God, who through the grace of adoption chose us to be children of light, grant, we pray, that we may not be wrapped in the darkness of error but always be seen to stand in the bright light of truth. 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: Wisdom 1:13-15,2:23-24
Death was not God’s doing, he takes no pleasure in the extinction of the living. To be – for this he created all; the world’s created things have health in them, in them no fatal poison can be found, and Hades holds no power on earth; for virtue is undying. Yet God did make man imperishable, he made him in the image of his own nature; it was the devil’s envy that brought death into the world, as those who are his partners will discover.
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 29(30):2,4-6,11-13
R/ I will praise you, Lord, you have rescued me.
I will praise you, Lord, you have rescued me and have not let my enemies rejoice over me. O Lord, you have raised my soul from the dead, restored me to life from those who sink into the grave.
Sing psalms to the Lord, you who love him, give thanks to his holy name. His anger lasts a moment; his favour all through life. At night there are tears, but joy comes with dawn.
The Lord listened and had pity. The Lord came to my help. For me you have changed my mourning into dancing: O Lord my God, I will thank you for ever.
Second reading: 2 Corinthians 8:7,9,13-15
You always have the most of everything – of faith, of eloquence, of understanding, of keenness for any cause, and the biggest share of our affection – so we expect you to put the most into this work of mercy too. Remember how generous the Lord Jesus was: he was rich, but he became poor for your sake, to make you rich out of his poverty. This does not mean that to give relief to others you ought to make things difficult for yourselves: it is a question of balancing what happens to be your surplus now against their present need, and one day they may have something to spare that will supply your own need. That is how we strike a balance: as scripture says: The man who gathered much had none too much, the man who gathered little did not go short.
Gospel Acclamation: cf.Jn6:63,68
Alleluia, alleluia! Your words are spirit, Lord, and they are life; you have the message of eternal life. Alleluia!
Gospel: Mark 5:21-43
When Jesus had crossed in the boat to the other side, a large crowd gathered round him and he stayed by the lakeside. Then one of the synagogue officials came up, Jairus by name, and seeing him, fell at his feet and pleaded with him earnestly, saying, ‘My little daughter is desperately sick. Do come and lay your hands on her to make her better and save her life.’ Jesus went with him and a large crowd followed him; they were pressing all round him. Now there was a woman who had suffered from a haemorrhage for twelve years; after long and painful treatment under various doctors, she spent all she had without being any the better for it, in fact, she was getting worse. She had heard about Jesus, and she came up behind him through the crowd and touched his cloak. ‘If I can touch even his clothes,’ she had told herself ‘I shall be well again.’ And the source of the bleeding dried up instantly, and she felt in herself that she was cured of her complaint. Immediately aware that power had gone out from him, Jesus turned round in the crowd and said, ‘Who touched my clothes?’ His disciples said to him, ‘You see how the crowd is pressing round you and yet you say, “Who touched me?”’ But he continued to look all round to see who had done it. Then the woman came forward, frightened and trembling because she knew what had happened to her, and she fell at his feet and told him the whole truth. ‘My daughter,’ he said ‘your faith has restored you to health; go in peace and be free from your complaint.’ While he was still speaking some people arrived from the house of the synagogue official to say, ‘Your daughter is dead: why put the Master to any further trouble?’ But Jesus had overheard this remark of theirs and he said to the official, ‘Do not be afraid; only have faith.’ And he allowed no one to go with him except Peter and James and John the brother of James. So they came to the official’s house and Jesus noticed all the commotion, with people weeping and wailing unrestrainedly. He went in and said to them, ‘Why all this commotion and crying? The child is not dead, but asleep.’ But they laughed at him. So he turned them all out and, taking with him the child’s father and mother and his own companions, he went into the place where the child lay. And taking the child by the hand he said to her, ‘Talitha, kum!’ which means, ‘Little girl, I tell you to get up.’ The little girl got up at once and began to walk about, for she was twelve years old. At this they were overcome with astonishment, and he ordered them strictly not to let anyone know about it, and told them to give her something to eat.
Prayer over the Offerings
O God, who graciously accomplish the effects of your mysteries, grant, we pray, that the deeds by which we serve you may be worthy of these sacred gifts. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon: Cf. Ps 102: 1
Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all within me, his holy name.
Prayer after Communion
May this divine sacrifice we have offered and received fill us with life, O Lord, we pray, so that, bound to you in lasting charity, we may bear fruit that lasts for ever. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
The readings of today speak to us about death. It is good to think and talk about death. Many people hate to think about it. But one thing is certain; every human has to go that way. Death is inescapable. Nothing is more certain than death. Though we all know we will die, none of us likes to die. We want to live. Yes, we are born to live and not to die. Still, we know we have to die one day, sooner or later. Our faith teaches that death is not a tragedy. The risen Lord tells us that death is not the end of all but is the door to life, to eternal life. Death is life-giving. Only through death can new life emerge. That convinced the famous psychologist Victor Frankl who said: «If there is meaning in life, there must also be meaning in death.» For us Christians, death means life. To die with Christ means to live with him forever. That was the conviction of the martyrs who willingly sacrificed themselves for the sake of Christ. Death, therefore, should not frighten us; instead, it should encourage us to live well to make the best of the present.
by L'équipe de publication | Jun 28, 2024 | Evangelium
Psalter: Proper
Saints Peter and Paul,
Apostles
Red
Two pillars of our faith: Peter’s original name was Simon. Christ Himself gave him the name Cephas or Peter (rock) when they first met and later confirmed it. The first Pope, Peter is the Prince of the Apostles. Converted from Judaism, Paul did much to advance Christianity among the gentiles, and is considered one of the primary sources of early Church doctrine.
Entrance Antiphon
These are the ones who, living in the flesh, planted the Church with their blood; they drank the chalice of the Lord and became the friends of God.
Collect
O God, who on the Solemnity of the Apostles Peter and Paul, give us the noble and holy joy of this day, grant, we pray, that your Church may, in all things, follow the teaching of those through whom she received the beginnings of right religion. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
First reading : Acts 12:1-11
King Herod started persecuting certain members of the Church. He beheaded James the brother of John, and when he saw that this pleased the Jews he decided to arrest Peter as well. This was during the days of Unleavened Bread, and he put Peter in prison, assigning four squads of four soldiers each to guard him in turns. Herod meant to try Peter in public after the end of Passover week. All the time Peter was under guard the Church prayed to God for him unremittingly. On the night before Herod was to try him, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, fastened with double chains, while guards kept watch at the main entrance to the prison. Then suddenly the angel of the Lord stood there, and the cell was filled with light. He tapped Peter on the side and woke him. ‘Get up!’ he said ‘Hurry!’ – and the chains fell from his hands. The angel then said, ‘Put on your belt and sandals.’ After he had done this, the angel next said, ‘Wrap your cloak round you and follow me.’ Peter followed him, but had no idea that what the angel did was all happening in reality; he thought he was seeing a vision. They passed through two guard posts one after the other, and reached the iron gate leading to the city. This opened of its own accord; they went through it and had walked the whole length of one street when suddenly the angel left him. It was only then that Peter came to himself. ‘Now I know it is all true’ he said. ‘The Lord really did send his angel and has saved me from Herod and from all that the Jewish people were so certain would happen to me.’
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 33:2-9
R/ From all my terrors the Lord set me free.
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.
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.
Second reading: 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 17-18
My life is already being poured away as a libation, and the time has come for me to be gone. I have fought the good fight to the end; I have run the race to the finish; I have kept the faith; all there is to come now is the crown of righteousness reserved for me, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to me on that Day; and not only to me but to all those who have longed for his appearing. The Lord stood by me and gave me power, so that through me the whole message might be proclaimed for all the pagans to hear; and so I was rescued from the lion’s mouth. The Lord will rescue me from all evil attempts on me, and bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Gospel Acclamation : Mt16:18
Alleluia, alleluia! You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church. And the gates of the underworld can never hold out against it. Alleluia!
Gospel : Matthew 16:13-19
When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi he put this question to his disciples, ‘Who do people say the Son of Man is?’ And they said, ‘Some say he is John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.’ ‘But you,’ he said ‘who do you say I am?’ Then Simon Peter spoke up, ‘You are the Christ,’ he said ‘the Son of the living God.’ Jesus replied, ‘Simon son of Jonah, you are a happy man! Because it was not flesh and blood that revealed this to you but my Father in heaven. So I now say to you: You are Peter and on this rock I will build my Church. And the gates of the underworld can never hold out against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven: whatever you bind on earth shall be considered bound in heaven; whatever you loose on earth shall be considered loosed in heaven.’
Prayer over the Offerings
May the prayer of the Apostles, O Lord, accompany the sacrificial gift that we present to your name for consecration, and may their intercession make us devoted to you in celebration of the sacrifice. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon : Cf. Mt 16: 16, 18
Peter said to Jesus: You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus replied: You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church.
Prayer after Communion
Grant us, O Lord, who have been renewed by this Sacrament, so to live in the Church, that, persevering in the breaking of the Bread and in the teaching of the Apostles, we may be one heart and one soul, made steadfast in your love. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
How we relate to a person depends on who that person is to us. When Jesus asks who he is, he wants to know the place he occupies in our lives. The apostles were ready to tell him other people’s views, but when it came to their turn, they could not speak except for Peter. Very often, we are ready to give the views of other persons, especially in matters of faith, but we cannot provide personal testimony of faith. If Jesus made Peter the rock on which he was going to build his Church, it is simply because that answer gave a true definition of Jesus flowing from the heart of Peter. We often find ourselves in situations where we need to show who Jesus is to us. Today, Jesus is asking that burning question to us: who do you say I am? Let us ask the Holy Spirit to assist us so we can give a favourable answer.
by L'équipe de publication | Jun 27, 2024 | Evangelium
Saint Irenaeus,
Bishop, Martyr (130 – 202)
Red
Irenaeus was born in Smyrna, (now Izmir in Turkey) and emigrated to Lyons, in France, where he eventually became the bishop. Irenaeus fought against many heresies especially the Gnostics and Valentinians.
Entrance Antiphon: Mal 2: 6
The law of truth was in his mouth;no dishonesty was found on his lips. He walked with me in integrity and peace, and turned many away from evil.
Collect
O God, who called the Bishop Saint Irenaeus to confirm true doctrine and the peace of the Church, grant, we pray, through his intercession, that, being renewed in faith and charity, we may always be intent on fostering unity and concord. 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 25:1-12
In the ninth year of Zedekiah’s reign, in the tenth month, on the tenth day of the month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came with his whole army to attack Jerusalem; he pitched camp in front of the city and threw up earthworks round it. The city lay under siege till the eleventh year of King Zedekiah. In the fourth month, on the ninth day of the month, when famine was raging in the city and there was no food for the populace, a breach was made in the city wall. At once, the king made his escape under cover of dark, with all the fighting men, by way of the gate between the two walls, which is near the king’s garden – the Chaldaeans had surrounded the city – and made his way towards the Arabah. The Chaldaean troops pursued the king and caught up with him in the plains of Jericho, where all his troops deserted. The Chaldaeans captured the king and took him to the king of Babylon at Riblah, who passed sentence on him. He had the sons of Zedekiah slaughtered before his eyes, then put out Zedekiah’s eyes and, loading him with chains, carried him off to Babylon. In the fifth month, on the seventh day of the month – it was in the nineteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon – Nebuzaradan, commander of the guard, an officer of the king of Babylon, entered Jerusalem. He burned down the Temple of the Lord, the royal palace and all the houses in Jerusalem. The Chaldaean troops who accompanied the commander of the guard demolished the walls surrounding Jerusalem. Nebuzaradan, commander of the guard, deported the remainder of the population left behind in the city, the deserters who had gone over to the king of Babylon, and the rest of the common people. The commander of the guard left some of the humbler country people as vineyard workers and ploughmen.
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm
136(137):1-6
R/ O let my tongue cleave to my mouth if I remember you not!
By the rivers of Babylon there we sat and wept, remembering Zion; on the poplars that grew there we hung up our harps.
For it was there that they asked us, our captors, for songs, our oppressors, for joy ‘Sing to us,’ they said, ‘one of Zion’s songs.’
O how could we sing the song of the Lord on alien soil? If I forget you, Jerusalem, let my right hand wither!
O let my tongue cleave to my mouth if I remember you not, if I prize not Jerusalem above all my joys!
Gospel Acclamation: Ps144:13
Alleluia, alleluia! The Lord is faithful in all his words and loving in all his deeds. Alleluia!
Gospel: Matthew 8:1-4
After Jesus had come down from the mountain large crowds followed him. A leper now came up and bowed low in front of him. ‘Sir,’ he said ‘if you want to, you can cure me.’ Jesus stretched out his hand, touched him and said, ‘Of course I want to! Be cured!’ And his leprosy was cured at once. Then Jesus said to him, ‘Mind you do not tell anyone, but go and show yourself to the priest and make the offering prescribed by Moses, as evidence for them.’
Prayer over the Offerings
May the sacrifice we offer you with joy on the heavenly birthday of Saint Irenaeus bring you glory, O Lord, and instill in us a love of the truth, so that we may keep the Church’s faith inviolate and her unity secure. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon: Jn 15: 4-5
Remain in me, as I remain in you, says the Lord.Whoever remains in me, and I in him, bears fruit in plenty.
Prayer after Communion
Through these sacred mysteries, we pray, O Lord, give us in your compassion an increase of that faith which brought glory to the Bishop Saint Irenaeus as he maintained it even until death, and may the same faith bring to us, who truly follow it, justification in your sight. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
When we honestly and sincerely meet Jesus, our story changes. In today’s gospel passage, the leper sincerely met with Christ and showed faith. His story changed. Leprosy was often looked upon as an external manifestation of sin in antiquities. Like leprosy, sin leaves us in a pitiful state, helpless and despairing. Whether sin or disease, Jesus, moved by passion, is always ready to heal us and strengthen our faith. He delights in pouring out his power on those who approach him in humility and trust. Where is your faith? Do you truly and sincerely believe in Jesus Christ? Let us pray to God to grant and increase our faith.
