LUNDI 01 FEVRIER

Sainte Ella

Ella Fitzpatrick, par son époux Guillaume, était la belle-sœur de Richard Cœur de Lion, prince d’Angleterre. Son époux n’était pas des plus fidèles, ce dont elle souffrait tout en étant indulgente pour son inconduite, espérant toujours qu’il reviendrait à une vie morale plus proche des exigences évangéliques. Ce qui arriva. Au retour de la 3e croisade et sauvé d’une tempête, Guillaume résolut de ne plus la tromper et de vivre selon la vertu. Il tint parole. Devenue veuve, Ella se plaça sous la direction de saint Edmond et fonda une abbaye de religieuses augustines à Lay rock dans le Lancashire, dont elle fut la première abbesse.

Vert

Antienne d’ouverture : Ps 105, 47

Sauve-nous, Seigneur notre Dieu; rassemble tes enfants dispersés. Nous rendrons grâce à ton saint nom, nous te bénirons dans la joie.

 

Prière d’ouverture

Accorde-nous, Seigneur, de pouvoir t’adorer sans partage, et d’avoir pour tout homme une vraie charité. Par Jésus Christ.

 

Première lecture : Hébreux 11, 32-40

Frères, sur la puissance de la foi, que dire encore ? Le temps me manquerait pour rappeler l’histoire de Gédéon, Baraq, Samson, Jephté, David, Samuel et les prophètes. Par leur foi, ils ont conquis des royaumes, pratiqué la justice, obtenu la réalisation de certaines promesses. Ils ont fermé la gueule des lions, éteint la flamme des brasiers, échappé au tranchant de l’épée, retrouvé leurs forces après la maladie, montré du courage à la guerre, mis en fuite des armées étrangères. Des femmes dont les enfants étaient morts les ont retrouvés ressuscités. Mais certains autres ont été torturés et n’ont pas accepté la libération qui leur était proposée, car ils voulaient obtenir une meilleure résurrection. D’autres ont subi l’épreuve des moqueries et des coups de fouet, des chaînes et de la prison. Ils furent lapidés, sciés en deux, massacrés à coups d’épée. Ils allèrent çà et là, vêtus de peaux de moutons ou de toisons de chèvres, manquant de tout, harcelés et maltraités  – mais en fait, c’est le monde qui n’était pas digne d’eux ! Ils menaient une vie errante dans les déserts et les montagnes, dans les grottes et les cavernes de la terre. Et, bien que, par leur foi, ils aient tous reçu le témoignage de Dieu, ils n’ont pas obtenu la réalisation de la promesse. En effet, pour nous Dieu avait prévu mieux encore, et il ne voulait pas les mener sans nous à la perfection.

 

Psaume : Ps 30 (31), 20, 21, 22, 23, 24

R/ Soyez forts, prenez courage, vous tous qui espérez le Seigneur ! (30, 25)

 

1.    Qu’ils sont grands, tes bienfaits ! Tu les réserves à ceux qui te craignent. Tu combles, à la face du monde, ceux qui ont en toi leur refuge.

2.     Tu les caches au plus secret de ta face, loin des intrigues des hommes. Tu leur réserves un lieu sûr, loin des langues méchantes. Béni soit le Seigneur : son amour a fait pour moi des merveilles !

3.    Et moi, dans mon trouble, je disais : « Je ne suis plus devant tes yeux. »Pourtant, tu écoutais ma prière quand je criais vers toi.

4.  Aimez le Seigneur, vous, ses fidèles : le Seigneur veille sur les siens ; mais il rétribue avec rigueur, qui se montre arrogant.

 

Acclamation

Alléluia. Alléluia. Un grand prophète s’est levé parmi nous, et Dieu a visité son peuple. Alléluia. (Lc 7, 16)

 

Évangile : Marc 5, 1-20

En ce temps-là, Jésus et ses disciples arrivèrent sur l’autre rive, de l’autre côté de la mer de Galilée,

dans le pays des Géraséniens. Comme Jésus sortait de la barque, aussitôt un homme possédé d’un esprit impur s’avança depuis les tombes à sa rencontre ; il habitait dans les tombeaux et personne ne pouvait plus l’attacher, même avec une chaîne ;  en effet on l’avait souvent attaché avec des fers aux pieds et des chaînes, mais il avait rompu les chaînes, brisé les fers, et personne ne pouvait le maîtriser. Sans arrêt, nuit et jour, il était parmi les tombeaux et sur les collines, à crier, et à se blesser avec des pierres. Voyant Jésus de loin, il accourut, se prosterna devant lui et cria d’une voix forte :« Que me veux-tu, Jésus, Fils du Dieu Très-Haut ? Je t’adjure par Dieu, ne me tourmente pas ! » Jésus lui disait en effet : « Esprit impur, sors de cet homme ! »  Et il lui demandait : « Quel est ton nom ? » L’homme lui dit : « Mon nom est Légion, car nous sommes beaucoup. » Et ils suppliaient Jésus avec insistance de ne pas les chasser en dehors du pays. Or, il y avait là, du côté de la colline, un grand troupeau de porcs qui cherchait sa nourriture. Alors, les esprits impurs supplièrent Jésus : « Envoie-nous vers ces porcs, et nous entrerons en eux.»  Il le leur permit. Ils sortirent alors de l’homme et entrèrent dans les porcs. Du haut de la falaise, le troupeau se précipita dans la mer : il y avait environ deux mille porcs, et ils se noyaient dans la mer.  Ceux qui les gardaient prirent la fuite, ils annoncèrent la nouvelle dans la ville et dans la campagne, et les gens vinrent voir ce qui s’était passé. Ils arrivent auprès de Jésus, ils voient le possédé assis, habillé, et revenu à la raison, lui qui avait eu la légion de démons, et ils furent saisis de crainte. Ceux qui avaient vu tout cela leur racontèrent l’histoire du possédé et ce qui était arrivé aux porcs. Alors ils se mirent à supplier Jésus de quitter leur territoire.  Comme Jésus remontait dans la barque, le possédé le suppliait de pouvoir être avec lui. Il n’y consentit pas, mais il lui dit : « Rentre à la maison, auprès des tiens, annonce-leur tout ce que le Seigneur a fait pour toi dans sa miséricorde. » Alors l’homme s’en alla, il se mit à proclamer dans la région de la Décapole ce que Jésus avait fait pour lui, et tout le monde était dans l’admiration.

 

Prière sur les offrandes

Pour te servir, Seigneur, nous déposons nos offrandes sur ton autel : accueille-les avec indulgence, pour qu’elles deviennent le sacrement de notre salut. Par jésus.

 

Antienne de la communion

Seigneur, que ton visage s’éclaire en faveur de tes fidèles ; Sauve-nous dans ta bonté, ne déçois pas notre prière.

 

Prière après la communion

Nous avons été fortifiés, Seigneur, par le sacrement de notre Rédemption; permets que cet aliment de salut éternel nous fasse progresser dans la vraie foi. Par Jésus.

 

 

 

Méditation

Bien-aimés dans le Christ, cette page de l’évangile nous invite à découvrir le Christ comme sauveur et libérateur de tout l’Homme et de tout Homme. Le Christ est celui qui prend l’initiative de venir à notre rencontre ; aussi se trouve-t-il dans un territoire païen face à un possédé, l’image de l’homme déchu, enchainé par les vices et livré au tombeau de la mort. En clair, Jésus démontre la primauté et la valeur de la vie humaine sur tout bien matériel.

MONDAY 01 FEBRUARY

St. Brigid (451? – 525)

She was born in 451 or 452 at Faughart, near Dundalk, in Ireland. Her name is that of the pagan goddess of fire. She converted to Christanity, inspired by the preaching of St. Patrick. She founded a double monastery, of monks and nuns, at Kildare, the first women’s monastic community in Ireland, and she died there in 525.

Green

Entrance Antiphon: Ps 105: 47

Save us, O Lord our God! And gather us from the nations, to give thanks to your holy name, and make it our glory to praise you.

 

Collect

Grant us, Lord our God, that we may honour you with all our mind, and love everyone in truth of heart. 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: Hebrews 11:32-40

Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets – these were men who through faith conquered kingdoms, did what is right and earned the promises. They could keep a lion’s mouth shut, put out blazing fires and emerge unscathed from battle. They were weak people who were given strength, to be brave in war and drive back foreign invaders. Some came back to their wives from the dead, by resurrection; and others submitted to torture, refusing release so that they would rise again to a better life. Some had to bear being pilloried and flogged, or even chained up in prison. They were stoned, or sawn in half, or beheaded; they were homeless, and dressed in the skins of sheep and goats; they were penniless and were given nothing but ill-treatment. They were too good for the world and they went out to live in deserts and mountains and in caves and ravines. These are all heroes of faith, but they did not receive what was promised, since God had made provision for us to have something better, and they were not to reach perfection except with us.

 

Psalm 30(31):20-24

R/     Let your heart take courage, all who hope in the Lord.

 

1.      How great is the goodness, Lord, that you keep for those who fear you, that you show to those who trust you in the sight of men

2.      You hide them in the shelter of your presence from the plotting of men; you keep them safe within your tent from disputing tongues.

3.      Blessed be the Lord who has shown me the wonders of his love in a fortified city.

4.   ‘I am far removed from your sight’ I said in my alarm. Yet you heard the voice of my plea when I cried for help.

5.  Love the Lord, all you saints. He guards his faithful but the Lord will repay to the full those who act with pride.

 

Gospel Acclamation: Jn 17:17

Alleluia, alleluia! Your word is truth, O Lord: consecrate us in the truth.Alleluia!

 

Gospel: Mark 5:1-20

Jesus and his disciples reached the country of the Gerasenes on the other side of the lake, and no sooner had Jesus left the boat than a man with an unclean spirit came out from the tombs towards him. The man lived in the tombs and no one could secure him any more, even with a chain; because he had often been secured with fetters and chains but had snapped the chains and broken the fetters, and no one had the strength to control him. All night and all day, among the tombs and in the mountains, he would howl and gash himself with stones. Catching sight of Jesus from a distance, he ran up and fell at his feet and shouted at the top of his voice, ‘What do you want with me, Jesus, son of the Most High God? Swear by God you will not torture me!’ – for Jesus had been saying to him, ‘Come out of the man, unclean spirit.’ ‘What is your name?’ Jesus asked. ‘My name is legion,’ he answered, ‘for there are many of us.’ And he begged him earnestly not to send them out of the district.  Now there was there on the mountainside a great herd of pigs feeding, and the unclean spirits begged him, ‘Send us to the pigs, let us go into them.’ So he gave them leave. With that, the unclean spirits came out and went into the pigs, and the herd of about two thousand pigs charged down the cliff into the lake, and there they were drowned. The swineherds ran off and told their story in the town and in the country round about; and the people came to see what had really happened. They came to Jesus and saw the demoniac sitting there, clothed and in his full senses – the very man who had had the legion in him before – and they were afraid. And those who had witnessed it reported what had happened to the demoniac and what had become of the pigs. Then they began to implore Jesus to leave the neighbourhood. As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed begged to be allowed to stay with him. Jesus would not let him but said to him, ‘Go home to your people and tell them all that the Lord in his mercy has done for you.’ So the man went off and proceeded to spread throughout the Decapolis all that Jesus had done for him. And everyone was amazed.

 

Prayer over the Offerings

O Lord, we bring to your altar these offerings of our service: be pleased to receive them, we pray, and transform them into the Sacrament of our redemption. Through Christ our Lord.

 

Communion Antiphon: Cf. Ps 30: 17-18

Let your face shine on your servant. Save me in your merciful love. O Lord, let me never be put to shame, for I call on you.

 

 

Prayer after Communion

Nourished by these redeeming gifts, we pray, O Lord, that through this help to eternal salvation true faith may ever increase. Through Christ our Lord.

 

 

 

Meditation

Every human attempt to chain the evil one would always prove futile. As seen in the gospel, nothing could keep the (possessed) man down. Nothing but the power of God. Once our human effort to resist sin is not drawn from God’s power, we cannot do much. Nothing stands above the salvation of man, not even your prized possessions. This is seen in the loss of the herds of pigs. This gesture shows us that the dignity and wellbeing of man comes first. Our world leaders need to understand this and not place things over man.

DIMANCHE 31 JANVIER

4ème dimanche du Temps Ordinaire

Saint Jean Bosco, prêtre

Psautier IV

Vert

Antienne d’ouverture : Ps 105, 47

Sauve-nous, Seigneur notre Dieu; rassemble tes enfants dispersés. Nous rendrons grâce à ton saint nom, nous te bénirons dans la joie.

 

Prière d’ouverture

Accorde-nous, Seigneur, de pouvoir t’adorer sans partage, et d’avoir pour tout homme une vraie charité. Par Jésus Christ.

 

Première lecture : Dt 18, 15-20

Moïse disait au peuple : « Au milieu de vous, parmi vos frères, le Seigneur votre Dieu fera se lever un prophète comme moi, et vous l’écouterez. C’est bien ce que vous avez demandé au Seigneur votre Dieu, au mont Horeb, le jour de l’assemblée, quand vous disiez : “Je ne veux plus entendre la voix du Seigneur mon Dieu, je ne veux plus voir cette grande flamme, je ne veux pas mourir !” Et le Seigneur me dit alors : “Ils ont bien fait de dire cela. Je ferai se lever au milieu de leurs frères un prophète comme toi ; je mettrai dans sa bouche mes paroles, et il leur dira tout ce que je lui prescrirai. Si quelqu’un n’écoute pas les paroles que ce prophète prononcera en mon nom, moi-même je lui en demanderai compte. Mais un prophète qui aurait la présomption de dire en mon nom une parole que je ne lui aurais pas prescrite, ou qui parlerait au nom d’autres dieux, ce prophète-là mourra.” »

 

Psaume : 94 (95), 1-2, 6-7abc, 7d-9

R/ Aujourd’hui, ne fermez pas votre cœur, mais écoutez la voix du Seigneur. (cf. 94, 8a.7d)

 

1. Venez, crions de joie pour le Seigneur, acclamons notre Rocher, notre salut ! Allons jusqu’à lui en rendant grâce, par nos hymnes de fête acclamons-le !

2. Entrez, inclinez-vous, prosternez-vous, adorons le Seigneur qui nous a faits. Oui, il est notre Dieu ; nous sommes le peuple qu’il conduit le troupeau guidé par sa main.

3. Aujourd’hui écouterez-vous sa parole ? « Ne fermez pas votre cœur comme au désert, comme au jour de tentation et de défi, où vos pères m’ont tenté et provoqué, et pourtant ils avaient vu mon exploit. » 

 

Deuxième lecture : 1 Co 7, 32-35

Frères, j’aimerais vous voir libres de tout souci. Celui qui n’est pas marié a le souci des affaires du Seigneur, il cherche comment plaire au Seigneur. Celui qui est marié a le souci des affaires de ce monde, il cherche comment plaire à sa femme, et il se trouve divisé. La femme sans mari, ou celle qui reste vierge, a le souci des affaires du Seigneur, afin d’être sanctifiée dans son corps et son esprit. Celle qui est mariée a le souci des affaires de ce monde, elle cherche comment plaire à son mari. C’est dans votre intérêt que je dis cela ; ce n’est pas pour vous tendre un piège, mais pour vous proposer ce qui est bien, afin que vous soyez attachés au Seigneur sans partage.

 

Acclamation

Alléluia. Alléluia. Le peuple qui habitait dans les ténèbres a vu une grande lumière. Sur ceux qui habitaient dans le pays et l’ombre de la mort, une lumière s’est levée. Alléluia. (Mt 4, 16)

 

 

Évangile : Marc 1, 21-28

Jésus et ses disciples entrèrent à Capharnaüm. Aussitôt, le jour du sabbat, il se rendit à la synagogue, et là, il enseignait. On était frappé par son enseignement, car il enseignait en homme qui a autorité, et non pas comme les scribes. Or, il y avait dans leur synagogue un homme tourmenté par un esprit impur, qui se mit à crier : « Que nous veux-tu, Jésus de Nazareth ? Es-tu venu pour nous perdre ? Je sais qui tu es : tu es le Saint de Dieu. » Jésus l’interpella vivement : « Tais-toi ! Sors de cet homme. » L’esprit impur le fit entrer en convulsions, puis, poussant un grand cri, sortit de lui. Ils furent tous frappés de stupeur et se demandaient entre eux : « Qu’est-ce que cela veut dire ? Voilà un enseignement nouveau, donné avec autorité ! Il commande même aux esprits impurs, et ils lui obéissent. » Sa renommée se répandit aussitôt partout, dans toute la région de la Galilée.

 

Prière sur les offrandes

Que ton Esprit, Seigneur notre Dieu, nous donne, dans cette eucharistie, la lumière de la foi qui éclairait l’Apôtre Paul quand il annonçait ta gloire aux nations païennes. Par Jésus .

 

Antienne de la communion

« Je vis dans la foi au Fils de Dieu qui m’a aimé et qui s’est livré pour moi »

 

 

Prière après la communion

Que cette communion, Seigneur notre Dieu, entretienne en nous la charité qui brûlait au cœur de l’Apôtre Paul et lui donnait un souci passionné de toutes les Eglises. Par Jésus.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Méditation

Le jour du shabbat Jésus se rend aussitôt à la Synagogue pour enseigner. Voici le réflexe de l’oint de Dieu. Se rendre dans le Sanctuaire pour rencontrer Dieu dans sa Parole. Nous, fidèles du Christ, sommes appelés à fréquenter avec action de grâce et reconnaissance les lieux privilégiés de la présence de Dieu. Pendant des moments de voyages ou d’autres formes de déplacements, il arrive que certains chrétiens oublient ce devoir fondamental de chercher les lieux de cultes afin de rendre grâce à Dieu et écouter sa Parole. Il est bon d’imiter cette attitude du Christ en cherchant à identifier nos églises lorsque nous arrivons nouvellement dans une ville ou un quartier. En le faisant, nous prenons en même temps l’engagement de rendre visite au Saint-Sacrement de façon régulière.

SUNDAY 31 JANUARY

Fourth Sunday In Ordinary Time, Psalter IV

He was born in Piedmont of a peasant family, and he was brought up by his widowed mother. He became a priest, and his particular concern was for the young.

 

Green

Entrance Antiphon Ps 105: 47

Save us, O Lord our God! And gather us from the nations, to give thanks to your holy name, and make it our glory to praise you.

 

Collect

Grant us, Lord our God, that we may honour you with all our mind, and love everyone in truth of heart. 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 18:15-20

Moses said to the people: ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like myself, from among yourselves, from your own brothers; to him you must listen. This is what you yourselves asked of the Lord your God at Horeb on the day of the Assembly. “Do not let me hear again,” you said, “the voice of the Lord my God, nor look any longer on this great fire, or I shall die”; and the Lord said to me, “All they have spoken is well said. I will raise up a prophet like yourself for them from their own brothers; I will put my words into his mouth and he shall tell them all I command him. The man who does not listen to my words that he speaks in my name, shall be held answerable to me for it. But the prophet who presumes to say in my name a thing I have not commanded him to say, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet shall die.”’

Psalm 94(95):1-2,6-9

R/     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. O that today you would listen to his voice! ‘Harden not your hearts as at Meribah, as on that day at Massah in the desert when your fathers put me to the test; when they tried me, though they saw my work.’

 

Second reading: 1 Corinthians 7:32-35

I would like to see you free from all worry. An unmarried man can devote himself to the Lord’s affairs, all he need worry about is pleasing the Lord; but a married man has to bother about the world’s affairs and devote himself to pleasing his wife: he is torn two ways. In the same way an unmarried woman, like a young girl, can devote herself to the Lord’s affairs; all she need worry about is being holy in body and spirit. The married woman, on the other hand, has to worry about the world’s affairs and devote herself to pleasing her husband. I say this only to help you, not to put a halter round your necks, but simply to make sure that everything is as it should be, and that you give your undivided attention to the Lord.

 

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 : Mark 1:21-28

Jesus and his disciples went as far as Capernaum, and as soon as the sabbath came he went to the synagogue and began to teach. And his teaching made a deep impression on them because, unlike the scribes, he taught them with authority. In their synagogue just then there was a man possessed by an unclean spirit and it shouted, ‘What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are: the Holy One of God.’ But Jesus said sharply, ‘Be quiet! Come out of him!’ And the unclean spirit threw the man into convulsions and with a loud cry went out of him. The people were so astonished that they started asking each other what it all meant. ‘Here is a teaching that is new,’ they said, ‘and with authority behind it: he gives orders even to unclean spirits and they obey him.’ And his reputation rapidly spread everywhere, through all the surrounding Galilean countryside.

 

Prayer over the Offerings

O Lord, we bring to your altar these offerings of our service: be pleased to receive them, we pray, and transform them into the Sacrament of our redemption. Through Christ our Lord.

 

Communion Antiphon Cf. Ps 30: 17-18

Let your face shine on your servant. Save me in your merciful love. O Lord, let me never be put to shame, for I call on you.

 

Prayer after Communion

Nourished by these redeeming gifts, we pray, O Lord, that through this help to eternal salvation true faith may ever increase. Through Christ our Lord.

 

 

 

Meditation

Yesterday, Jesus showed his powers over nature. Today he shows his power over other spiritual beings especially over evil. We are once again reminded of the power of Christ over everything seen and unseen. Let us place our trust in him and have faith that he will set us free.

SATURDAY 30 JANUARY

St. Aedan of Ferns (c.550 – 632)

He was the son of an Irish tribal chieftain and studied under St. Finian and St. David. He was the first bishop of Ferns, in Ireland, and founded many churches and monasteries.

 

Green / White

Entrance Antiphon : Ps 95: 1, 6

O sing a new song to the Lord; sing to the Lord, all the earth. In his presence are majesty and splendour, strength and honour in his holy place.

 

Collect

Almighty ever-living God, direct our actions according to your good pleasure, that in the name of your beloved Son, we may abound in good works. 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 : Hebrews 11:1-2,8-19

Only faith can guarantee the blessings that we hope for, or prove the existence of the realities that at present remain unseen. It was for faith that our ancestors were commended. It was by faith that Abraham obeyed the call to set out for a country that was the inheritance given to him and his descendants, and that he set out without knowing where he was going. By faith he arrived, as a foreigner, in the Promised Land, and lived there as if in a strange country, with Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. They lived there in tents while he looked forward to a city founded, designed and built by God. It was equally by faith that Sarah, in spite of being past the age, was made able to conceive, because she believed that he who had made the promise would be faithful to it. Because of this, there came from one man, and one who was already as good as dead himself, more descendants than could be counted, as many as the stars of heaven or the grains of sand on the seashore. All these died in faith, before receiving any of the things that had been promised, but they saw them in the far distance and welcomed them, recognising that they were only strangers and nomads on earth. People who use such terms about themselves make it quite plain that they are in search of their real homeland. They can hardly have meant the country they came from, since they had the opportunity to go back to it; but in fact they were longing for a better homeland, their heavenly homeland. That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God, since he has founded the city for them. It was by faith that Abraham, when put to the test, offered up Isaac. He offered to sacrifice his only son even though the promises had been made to him and he had been told: It is through Isaac that your name will be carried on. He was confident that God had the power even to raise the dead; and so, figuratively speaking, he was given back Isaac from the dead.

 

Psalm: Luke 1:69-75

R/     Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel! He has visited his people and redeemed them.

 

  1. He has raised up for us a mighty saviour in the house of David his servant, as he promised by the lips of holy men, those who were his prophets from of old.
  2. A saviour who would free us from our foes, from the hands of all who hate us. So his love for our fathers is fulfilled and his holy covenant remembered.
  3. He swore to Abraham our father to grant us that free from fear, and saved from the hands of our foes,we might serve him in holiness and justice all the days of our life in his presence.

 

Gospel Acclamation : cf.Ps26:11

Alleluia, alleluia! Instruct me, Lord, in your way; on an even path lead me. Alleluia!

 

Gospel : Mark 4:35-41

With the coming of evening, Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Let us cross over to the other side.’ And leaving the crowd behind they took him, just as he was, in the boat; and there were other boats with him. Then it began to blow a gale and the waves were breaking into the boat so that it was almost swamped. But he was in the stern, his head on the cushion, asleep. They woke him and said to him, ‘Master, do you not care? We are going down!’ And he woke up and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, ‘Quiet now! Be calm!’ And the wind dropped, and all was calm again. Then he said to them, ‘Why are you so frightened? How is it that you have no faith?’ They were filled with awe and said to one another, ‘Who can this be? Even the wind and the sea obey him.’

 

Prayer over the Offerings

Accept our offerings, O Lord, we pray, and in sanctifying them grant that they may profit us for salvation. Through Christ our Lord.

 

Communion Antiphon : Cf. Ps 33: 6

Look toward the Lord and be radiant; let your faces not be abashed.

 

Prayer after Communion

Grant, we pray, almighty God, that, receiving the grace by which you bring us to new life, we may always glory in your gift. Through Christ our Lord.

 

 

 

Meditation

The calmness of Christ in a rocking boat fills his disciples with worry, They think he cares little about them, they probably expect him to join them in their anxiety. Rather, Jesus wakes up and rebukes the wind and the sea, ordering them to be quiet and calm. This act of Jesus indicates that he has authority over land and sea and the forces of the universe. Do I recognise Jesus as such? How often do I invite Jesus to calm the storms in my life? Do I believe he can do it for me?