Whoever Rejects Me Rejects The One Who Sent Me

SEPTEMBER 30, 2022, FRIDAY

Memorial of Saint Jerome, Priest and Doctor of the Church (White)

CYCLE C - YEAR II

Lectionary: 459

Reading 1

Jb 38:1, 12-21; 40:3-5

The LORD addressed Job out of the storm and said:

Have you ever in your lifetime commanded the morning

and shown the dawn its place

For taking hold of the ends of the earth,

till the wicked are shaken from its surface?

The earth is changed as is clay by the seal,

and dyed as though it were a garment;

But from the wicked the light is withheld,

and the arm of pride is shattered.

Have you entered into the sources of the sea,

or walked about in the depths of the abyss?

Have the gates of death been shown to you,

or have you seen the gates of darkness?

Have you comprehended the breadth of the earth?

Tell me, if you know all:

Which is the way to the dwelling place of light,

and where is the abode of darkness,

That you may take them to their boundaries

and set them on their homeward paths?

You know, because you were born before them,

and the number of your years is great!

Then Job answered the LORD and said:

Behold, I am of little account; what can I answer you?

I put my hand over my mouth.

Though I have spoken once, I will not do so again;

though twice, I will do so no more.

Responsorial Psalm

Ps 139:1-3, 7-8, 9-10, 13-14ab

R. (24b) Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.

O LORD, you have probed me and you know me;

you know when I sit and when I stand;

you understand my thoughts from afar.

My journeys and my rest you scrutinize,

with all my ways you are familiar.

R. Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.

Where can I go from your spirit?

From your presence where can I flee?

If I go up to the heavens, you are there;

if I sink to the nether world, you are present there.

R. Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.

If I take the wings of the dawn,

if I settle at the farthest limits of the sea,

Even there your hand shall guide me,

and your right hand hold me fast.

R. Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.

Truly you have formed my inmost being;

you knit me in my mother's womb.

I give you thanks that I am fearfully, wonderfully made;

wonderful are your works.

R. Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.

Alleluia

Ps 95:8

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

If today you hear his voice,

harden not your hearts.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

Lk 10:13-16

Jesus said to them,

"Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida!

For if the mighty deeds done in your midst

had been done in Tyre and Sidon,

they would long ago have repented,

sitting in sackcloth and ashes.

But it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon

at the judgment than for you.

And as for you, Capernaum, 'Will you be exalted to heaven?

You will go down to the netherworld.'

Whoever listens to you listens to me.

Whoever rejects you rejects me.

And whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me."

GOSPEL REFLECTION:

Jesus laments that people reject the Good News despite all he does for them. The truth can be painful at times and challenging to hear. When we speak out of truth and live our lives according to the teaching of Christ, then we have chosen the better part, and it cannot be taken away from us.

PRAYER:

I come back to you God as your loving disciple, again and again, in all my sinfulness. But you do not ‘bring me down to Hades’. Instead you revive my drooping spirit as you enfold me in your loving forgiveness.

There's No Duplicity In Him (FEAST OF SAINTS MICHAEL, GABRIEL AND RAPHAEL, ARCHANGELS - C)

SEPTEMBER 29, 2022, THURSDAY

FEAST OF SAINTS MICHAEL, GABRIEL, AND RAPHAEL, ARCHANGELS (White)

CYCLE C - YEAR II

Lectionary: 647

Reading I

Dn 7:9-10, 13-14

As I watched:

    Thrones were set up

        and the Ancient One took his throne.

    His clothing was bright as snow,

        and the hair on his head as white as wool;

    His throne was flames of fire,

        with wheels of burning fire.

    A surging stream of fire

        flowed out from where he sat;

    Thousands upon thousands were ministering to him,

        and myriads upon myriads attended him.

The court was convened, and the books were opened.

As the visions during the night continued, I saw

    One like a son of man coming,

        on the clouds of heaven;

    When he reached the Ancient One

        and was presented before him,

    He received dominion, glory, and kingship;

        nations and peoples of every language serve him.

    His dominion is an everlasting dominion

        that shall not be taken away,

        his kingship shall not be destroyed.

OR: 

Rv 12:7-12ab

War broke out in heaven;

Michael and his angels battled against the dragon.

The dragon and its angels fought back,

but they did not prevail

and there was no longer any place for them in heaven.

The huge dragon, the ancient serpent,

who is called the Devil and Satan,

who deceived the whole world,

was thrown down to earth,

and its angels were thrown down with it.

Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say:

“Now have salvation and power come,

and the Kingdom of our God

and the authority of his Anointed.

For the accuser of our brothers is cast out,

who accuses them before our God day and night.

They conquered him by the Blood of the Lamb

and by the word of their testimony;

love for life did not deter them from death.

Therefore, rejoice, you heavens,

and you who dwell in them.”

Responsorial Psalm

138:1-2ab, 2cde-3, 4-5

R.    (1)  In the sight of the angels I will sing your praises, Lord.

I will give thanks to you, O LORD, with all my heart,

    for you have heard the words of my mouth;

    in the presence of the angels I will sing your praise;

I will worship at your holy temple

    and give thanks to your name.

R.    In the sight of the angels I will sing your praises, Lord.

Because of your kindness and your truth;

    for you have made great above all things

    your name and your promise.

When I called, you answered me;

    you built up strength within me.

R.    In the sight of the angels I will sing your praises, Lord.

All the kings of the earth shall give thanks to you, O LORD

    when they hear the words of your mouth;

And they shall sing of the ways of the LORD

    “Great is the glory of the LORD"

R.    In the sight of the angels I will sing your praises, Lord.

Alleluia

Ps 103:21

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Bless the LORD, all you angels,

you ministers, who do his will.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

Jn 1:47-51

Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him,

“Here is a true child of Israel.

There is no duplicity in him.”

Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?”

Jesus answered and said to him,

“Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree.”

Nathanael answered him,

“Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel.”

Jesus answered and said to him,

“Do you believe

because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree?

You will see greater things than this.”

And he said to him, “Amen, amen, I say to you,

you will see heaven opened

and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”

GOSPEL REFLECTION:

We celebrate today the feast of three archangels, Michael (Who is like God?) is the protector from the snares of the devil, Gabriel (Strength of God) announced to Zachariah the forthcoming birth of John the Baptist, and to Mary, the birth of Jesus, Raphael (Medicine of God) is the archangel who looked after Tobias on his journey.

Let us reflect on the roles of the three Archangels. Michael, our protector against the snares of the devil, prompts us to ask if we are aware of the work of the devil in our lives. Recalling the temptation of Christ, we can be assured that if Satan went after Jesus, he will go after us. Gabriel, the messenger to Zachariah and Mary, suggests that we ask ourselves how we react to the call of God in the changing movements of our lives. Raphael recalls our Guardian Angels, our personal protectors. Do our guardian angels feel unemployed because we give them so little attention?

PRAYER:

Father, thank You for taking care of me through Your mighty and loving angels, in Christ Jesus' name, AMEN.

I Will Follow You Wherever You Go

SEPTEMBER 28, 2022, WEDNESDAY

Wednesday of the Twenty-sixth Week in Ordinary Time (Green)

Optional Memorial of Saint Lawrence Ruiz and Companions, Martyrs (Red)

Optional Memorial of Saint Wenceslaus, Martyr (Red)

CYCLE C - YEAR II

Lectionary: 457

Reading 1

Jb 9:1-12, 14-16

Job answered his friends and said:

I know well that it is so;

but how can a man be justified before God?

Should one wish to contend with him,

he could not answer him once in a thousand times.

God is wise in heart and mighty in strength;

who has withstood him and remained unscathed?

He removes the mountains before they know it;

he overturns them in his anger.

He shakes the earth out of its place,

and the pillars beneath it tremble.

He commands the sun, and it rises not;

he seals up the stars.

He alone stretches out the heavens

and treads upon the crests of the sea.

He made the Bear and Orion,

the Pleiades and the constellations of the south;

He does great things past finding out,

marvelous things beyond reckoning.

Should he come near me, I see him not;

should he pass by, I am not aware of him;

Should he seize me forcibly, who can say him nay?

Who can say to him, "What are you doing?"

How much less shall I give him any answer,

or choose out arguments against him!

Even though I were right, I could not answer him,

but should rather beg for what was due me.

If I appealed to him and he answered my call,

I could not believe that he would hearken to my words.

Responsorial Psalm

Ps 88:10bc-11, 12-13, 14-15

R. (3) Let my prayer come before you, Lord.

Daily I call upon you, O LORD;

to you I stretch out my hands.

Will you work wonders for the dead?

Will the shades arise to give you thanks?

R. Let my prayer come before you, Lord.

Do they declare your mercy in the grave,

your faithfulness among those who have perished?

Are your wonders made known in the darkness,

or your justice in the land of oblivion?

R. Let my prayer come before you, Lord.

But I, O LORD, cry out to you;

with my morning prayer I wait upon you.

Why, O LORD, do you reject me;

why hide from me your face?

R. Let my prayer come before you, Lord.

Alleluia

Phil 3:8-9

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

I consider all things so much rubbish

that I may gain Christ and be found in him.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

Lk 9:57-62

As Jesus and his disciples were proceeding

on their journey, someone said to him,

"I will follow you wherever you go."

Jesus answered him,

"Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests,

but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head."

And to another he said, "Follow me."

But he replied, "Lord, let me go first and bury my father."

But he answered him, "Let the dead bury their dead.

But you, go and proclaim the Kingdom of God."

And another said, "I will follow you, Lord,

but first let me say farewell to my family at home."

Jesus answered him, "No one who sets a hand to the plow

and looks to what was left behind is fit for the Kingdom of God."

GOSPEL REFLECTION:

Jesus wants to help us to know ourselves, so he questions us, leading us to deeper self-knowledge. Even our excuses are opportunities to recognise what really attracts us and to bring them to Jesus.

PRAYER:

I rightly say, ‘Lord, I will follow you wherever you go’. This is a beautiful and loving promise. But left to myself I do not have the inner strength to keep it. I must ask Jesus for his strength day by day, and I start now.

Samaritan Opposition

SEPTEMBER 27, 2022, TUESDAY

MEMORIAL OF SAINT VINCENT DE PAUL, PRIEST (White)

CYCLE C - YEAR II

Lectionary: 456

Reading 1

Jb 3:1-3, 11-17, 20-23

Job opened his mouth and cursed his day.

Job spoke out and said:

Perish the day on which I was born,

the night when they said, “The child is a boy!”

Why did I not perish at birth,

come forth from the womb and expire?

Or why was I not buried away like an untimely birth,

like babes that have never seen the light?

Wherefore did the knees receive me?

or why did I suck at the breasts?

For then I should have lain down and been tranquil;

had I slept, I should then have been at rest

With kings and counselors of the earth

who built where now there are ruins

Or with princes who had gold

and filled their houses with silver.

There the wicked cease from troubling,

there the weary are at rest.

Why is light given to the toilers,

and life to the bitter in spirit?

They wait for death and it comes not;

they search for it rather than for hidden treasures,

Rejoice in it exultingly,

and are glad when they reach the grave:

Those whose path is hidden from them,

and whom God has hemmed in!

Responsorial Psalm

Ps 88:2-3, 4-5, 6, 7-8

R. (3) Let my prayer come before you, Lord.

O LORD, my God, by day I cry out;

at night I clamor in your presence.

Let my prayer come before you;

incline your ear to my call for help.

R. Let my prayer come before you, Lord.

For my soul is surfeited with troubles

and my life draws near to the nether world.

I am numbered with those who go down into the pit;

I am a man without strength.

R. Let my prayer come before you, Lord.

My couch is among the dead,

like the slain who lie in the grave,

Whom you remember no longer

and who are cut off from your care.

R. Let my prayer come before you, Lord.

You have plunged me into the bottom of the pit,

into the dark abyss.

Upon me your wrath lies heavy,

and with all your billows you overwhelm me.

R. Let my prayer come before you, Lord.

Alleluia

Mk 10:45

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

The Son of Man came to serve

and to give his life as a ransom for many.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

Lk 9:51-56

When the days for Jesus to be taken up were fulfilled,

he resolutely determined to journey to Jerusalem,

and he sent messengers ahead of him.

On the way they entered a Samaritan village

to prepare for his reception there,

but they would not welcome him

because the destination of his journey was Jerusalem.

When the disciples James and John saw this they asked,

“Lord, do you want us to call down fire from heaven

to consume them?”

Jesus turned and rebuked them,

and they journeyed to another village.

GOSPEL REFLECTION:

This passage indicates the hostility between Jews and Samaritans, which was strong in Jesus' time. However, the disciples’ way of dealing with the issue and the Lord’s way differ greatly. The disciples were furious when they were not received in the village of the Samaritans and wanted revenge. Jesus said no.

What causes feelings of revenge to enter into me? Do I sometimes feel a desire for revenge on some person, or some group, with whom I cannot resolve my differences? Could I place those feelings before the Lord in silence and pray to become more like Christ in my attitudes?

PRAYER:

Jesus, you will not be distracted by any setbacks placed before you. Ignite in me the flame of your steadfast spirit so that I may follow you to the end.

The Least Among You Is The Greatest

SEPTEMBER 26, 2022, MONDAY

Monday of the Twenty-sixth Week in Ordinary Time (Green)

Optional Memorial of Saints Cosmas and Damian, Martyrs (Red)

CYCLE C - YEAR II

Lectionary: 455

Reading 1

JB 1:6-22

One day, when the angels of God came to present themselves before the LORD,

Satan also came among them.

And the LORD said to Satan, “Whence do you come?”

Then Satan answered the LORD and said,

“From roaming the earth and patrolling it.” 

And the LORD said to Satan, “Have you noticed my servant Job,

and that there is no one on earth like him,

blameless and upright, fearing God and avoiding evil?”

But Satan answered the LORD and said,

“Is it for nothing that Job is God-fearing?

Have you not surrounded him and his family

and all that he has with your protection?

You have blessed the work of his hands,

and his livestock are spread over the land.

But now put forth your hand and touch anything that he has,

and surely he will blaspheme you to your face.”

And the LORD said to Satan,

“Behold, all that he has is in your power;

only do not lay a hand upon his person.”

So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.

And so one day, while his sons and his daughters

were eating and drinking wine

in the house of their eldest brother,

a messenger came to Job and said,

“The oxen were ploughing and the asses grazing beside them,

and the Sabeans carried them off in a raid.

They put the herdsmen to the sword,

and I alone have escaped to tell you.”

While he was yet speaking, another came and said,

“Lightning has fallen from heaven

and struck the sheep and their shepherds and consumed them;

and I alone have escaped to tell you.”

While he was yet speaking, another messenger came and said,

“The Chaldeans formed three columns,

seized the camels, carried them off,

and put those tending them to the sword,

and I alone have escaped to tell you.”

While he was yet speaking, another came and said,

“Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine

in the house of their eldest brother,

when suddenly a great wind came across the desert

and smote the four corners of the house.

It fell upon the young people and they are dead;

and I alone have escaped to tell you.”

Then Job began to tear his cloak and cut off his hair.

He cast himself prostrate upon the ground, and said,

“Naked I came forth from my mother’s womb,

and naked shall I go back again.

The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away;

blessed be the name of the LORD!”

In all this Job did not sin,

nor did he say anything disrespectful of God.

Responsorial Psalm

PS 17:1BCD, 2-3, 6-7

R. (6) Incline your ear to me and hear my word.

Hear, O LORD, a just suit;

attend to my outcry;

hearken to my prayer from lips without deceit.

R. Incline your ear to me and hear my word.

From you let my judgment come;

your eyes behold what is right.

Though you test my heart, searching it in the night,

though you try me with fire, you shall find no malice in me.

R. Incline your ear to me and hear my word.

I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God; 

incline your ear to me; hear my word.

Show your wondrous mercies,

O savior of those who flee

from their foes to refuge at your right hand.

R. Incline your ear to me and hear my word.

 

 

Alleluia

MK 10:45

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

The Son of Man came to serve

and to give his life as a ransom for many.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

LK 9:46-50

An argument arose among the disciples

about which of them was the greatest. 

Jesus realized the intention of their hearts and took a child

and placed it by his side and said to them,

“Whoever receives this child in my name receives me,

and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.

For the one who is least among all of you

is the one who is the greatest.”

Then John said in reply, 

“Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name 

and we tried to prevent him

 because he does not follow in our company.”

Jesus said to him, 

“Do not prevent him, for whoever is not against you is for you.”

GOSPEL REFLECTION:

Over and over Jesus tries to get his disciples to see that they are called to serve, not to dominate. In the kingdom of God everyone is equal: there are no positions of power, no hierarchy. Everyone is a daughter or son of God, all are fully loved by God.

Certificates, titles, recognition and honours come with the years and may mislead people who don’t know what really matters. Being in Jesus’ company reminded the disciples of his perspective. What will help me to receive Jesus message now? What does being like a child mean to me?

PRAYER:

In prayer we must grapple with these extraordinary truths and try to let them sink in, so that we emerge from our time with God with a more inclusive and respectful attitude to others. Prayer stretches our imagination: prayer is real only when we begin to see and love the world as God does.

Parable Of The Rich Man and Lazarus

SEPTEMBER 25, 2022, SUNDAY

Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Green)

CYCLE C - YEAR II

Lectionary: 138

Reading 1

Am 6:1a, 4-7

Thus says the LORD the God of hosts:

 Woe to the complacent in Zion!

 Lying upon beds of ivory,

 stretched comfortably on their couches,

 they eat lambs taken from the flock,

 and calves from the stall!

 Improvising to the music of the harp,

 like David, they devise their own accompaniment.

 They drink wine from bowls

 and anoint themselves with the best oils;

 yet they are not made ill by the collapse of Joseph!

 Therefore, now they shall be the first to go into exile,

 and their wanton revelry shall be done away with.

Responsorial Psalm

Ps 146:7, 8-9, 9-10

R. (1b) Praise the Lord, my soul!

or:

R. Alleluia.

Blessed is he who keeps faith forever,

 secures justice for the oppressed,

 gives food to the hungry.

The LORD sets captives free.

R. Praise the Lord, my soul!

or:

R. Alleluia.

The LORD gives sight to the blind;

 the LORD raises up those who were bowed down.

The LORD loves the just;

 the LORD protects strangers.

R. Praise the Lord, my soul!

or:

R. Alleluia.

The fatherless and the widow he sustains,

 but the way of the wicked he thwarts.

The LORD shall reign forever;

 your God, O Zion, through all generations. Alleluia.

R. Praise the Lord, my soul!

or:

R. Alleluia.

Reading 2

1 Tm 6:11-16

But you, man of God, pursue righteousness,

devotion, faith, love, patience, and gentleness.

Compete well for the faith.

Lay hold of eternal life, to which you were called

when you made the noble confession in the presence of many witnesses.

I charge you before God, who gives life to all things,

and before Christ Jesus,

who gave testimony under Pontius Pilate for the noble confession,

to keep the commandment without stain or reproach

until the appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ

that the blessed and only ruler

will make manifest at the proper time,

the King of kings and Lord of lords,

who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light,

and whom no human being has seen or can see.

To him be honor and eternal power.  Amen.

Alleluia

Cf. 2 Cor 8:9

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Though our Lord Jesus Christ was rich, he became poor,

so that by his poverty you might become rich.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

Lk 16:19-31

Jesus said to the Pharisees:

"There was a rich man who dressed in purple garments and fine linen

and dined sumptuously each day.

And lying at his door was a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores,

who would gladly have eaten his fill of the scraps

that fell from the rich man's table.

Dogs even used to come and lick his sores.

When the poor man died,

he was carried away by angels to the bosom of Abraham.

The rich man also died and was buried,

and from the netherworld, where he was in torment,

he raised his eyes and saw Abraham far off

and Lazarus at his side.

And he cried out, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me.

Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue,

for I am suffering torment in these flames.'

Abraham replied,

'My child, remember that you received

what was good during your lifetime

while Lazarus likewise received what was bad;

but now he is comforted here, whereas you are tormented.

Moreover, between us and you a great chasm is established

to prevent anyone from crossing who might wish to go

from our side to yours or from your side to ours.'

He said, 'Then I beg you, father,

send him to my father's house, for I have five brothers,

so that he may warn them,

lest they too come to this place of torment.'

But Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and the prophets.

Let them listen to them.'

He said, 'Oh no, father Abraham,

but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.'

Then Abraham said, 'If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets,

neither will they be persuaded if someone should rise from the dead.'"

GOSPEL REFLECTION:

This story reminds us of the huge inequality of people in Jesus' time and still today. The parable invites us to see ourselves as richer in the goods of the world than many millions. Even by having access to this text, you count among the privileged world. Praying on this story will simply challenge us into care for the needy in whatever way we can improve the lives of very poor people.

PRAYER:

I asked for a greater sensitivity to those who live with nothing and think of how I might show some compassion to those whose need is greater than mine.

The Disciples Did Not Understand Jesus

SEPTEMBER 24, 2022, SATURDAY

Saturday of the Twenty-Fifth Week in Ordinary Time (Green)

CYCLE C - YEAR II

Lectionary: 454

Reading 1

ECCL 11:9—12:8

Rejoice, O young man, while you are young 

and let your heart be glad in the days of your youth.

Follow the ways of your heart,

the vision of your eyes;

Yet understand that as regards all this

God will bring you to judgment.

Ward off grief from your heart

and put away trouble from your presence,

though the dawn of youth is fleeting.

Remember your Creator in the days of your youth,

before the evil days come

And the years approach of which you will say,

I have no pleasure in them;

Before the sun is darkened,

and the light, and the moon, and the stars,

while the clouds return after the rain;

When the guardians of the house tremble,

and the strong men are bent,

And the grinders are idle because they are few,

and they who look through the windows grow blind;

When the doors to the street are shut,

and the sound of the mill is low;

When one waits for the chirp of a bird,

but all the daughters of song are suppressed;

And one fears heights,

and perils in the street;

When the almond tree blooms,

and the locust grows sluggish

and the caper berry is without effect,

Because man goes to his lasting home,

and mourners go about the streets;

Before the silver cord is snapped

and the golden bowl is broken,

And the pitcher is shattered at the spring,

and the broken pulley falls into the well,

And the dust returns to the earth as it once was,

and the life breath returns to God who gave it.

Vanity of vanities, says Qoheleth,

all things are vanity!

Responsorial Psalm

PS 90:3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 14 AND 17

R. (1) In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.

You turn man back to dust,

saying, “Return, O children of men.”

For a thousand years in your sight 

are as yesterday, now that it is past,

or as a watch of the night..

R. In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.

You make an end of them in their sleep;

the next morning they are like the changing grass,

Which at dawn springs up anew,

but by evening wilts and fades.

R. In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.

Teach us to number our days aright,

that we may gain wisdom of heart.

Return, O LORD! How long?

Have pity on your servants!

R. In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.

Fill us at daybreak with your kindness,

that we may shout for joy and gladness all our days.

And may the gracious care of the LORD our God be ours;

prosper the work of our hands for us!

Prosper the work of our hands!

R. In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.

 

 

Alleluia

2 TIMOTHY 1:10

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Our Savior Christ Jesus destroyed death

and brought life to light through the Gospel.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

LK 9:43B-45

While they were all amazed at his every deed,

Jesus said to his disciples,

“Pay attention to what I am telling you.

The Son of Man is to be handed over to men.” 

But they did not understand this saying;

its meaning was hidden from them

so that they should not understand it,

and they were afraid to ask him about this saying.

GOSPEL REFLECTION:

See how Jesus emphasises his words; he knows that the disciples will find them difficult to accept. It is still the case. Sometimes it is easier for me to accept that I might betray Jesus than it is for me to receive his assurance of continuing love and presence. I ask, now, that I might listen to Jesus’ words and not be preoccupied by my own hesitation.

PRAYER:

Lord, when things go badly wrong and I am discouraged, remind me of your Passion. Then I will be able to continue on, in the belief that you have radically defeated the evil of the world from the inside.

You Are The Christ Of God

SEPTEMBER 23, 2022, FRIDAY

MEMORIAL OF SAINT PIUS OF PIETRELCINA, PRIEST (White)

CYCLE C - YEAR II 

Lectionary: 453

Reading 1

ECCL 3:1-11

There is an appointed time for everything,

and a time for every thing under the heavens.

A time to be born, and a time to die;

a time to plant, and a time to uproot the plant.

A time to kill, and a time to heal;

a time to tear down, and a time to build.

A time to weep, and a time to laugh;

a time to mourn, and a time to dance.

A time to scatter stones, and a time to gather them;

a time to embrace, and a time to be far from embraces.

A time to seek, and a time to lose;

a time to keep, and a time to cast away.

A time to rend, and a time to sew;

a time to be silent, and a time to speak.

A time to love, and a time to hate;

a time of war, and a time of peace.

What advantage has the worker from his toil?

I have considered the task that God has appointed

for the sons of men to be busied about.

He has made everything appropriate to its time,

and has put the timeless into their hearts,

without man’s ever discovering,

from beginning to end, the work which God has done.

Responsorial Psalm

PS 144:1B AND 2ABC, 3-4

R. (1) Blessed be the Lord, my Rock!

Blessed be the LORD, my rock,

my mercy and my fortress,

my stronghold, my deliverer,

My shield, in whom I trust.

R. Blessed be the Lord, my Rock!

LORD, what is man, that you notice him;

the son of man, that you take thought of him?

Man is like a breath;

his days, like a passing shadow.

R. Blessed be the Lord, my Rock!

 

 

Alleluia

MK 10:45

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

The Son of Man came to serve

and to give his life as a ransom for many.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

LK 9:18-22

Once when Jesus was praying in solitude,

and the disciples were with him,

he asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?”

They said in reply, “John the Baptist; others, Elijah;

still others, ‘One of the ancient prophets has arisen.’”

Then he said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”

Peter said in reply, “The Christ of God.”

He rebuked them and directed them not to tell this to anyone.

He said, “The Son of Man must suffer greatly

and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes,

and be killed and on the third day be raised.”

GOSPEL REFLECTION:

This is a crucial moment in Jesus’ life. He asks the question which lies at the heart of Christian faith and theology: ‘Who do you say I am?’ Peter becomes the spokesperson for this little contingent of believers. Only later will they grasp how the term Messiah is understood by Jesus. Suffering, rejection and death await him, but then glory.

PRAYER:

Lord, to follow you I too must embark on a personal discovery of who you are. Give me the grace to walk this faith-journey. May I not keep you at arm’s length by putting a protective shield around myself, but help me rather to daily embrace you on the path of discipleship, with its pains and joys.

Herod Is Anxious To See Jesus

SEPTEMBER 22, 2022, THURSDAY

Thursday of the Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time (Green)

CYCLE C - YEAR II

Lectionary: 452

Reading 1

ECCL 1:2-11

Vanity of vanities, says Qoheleth,

vanity of vanities!  All things are vanity!

What profit has man from all the labor

which he toils at under the sun?

One generation passes and another comes,

but the world forever stays.

The sun rises and the sun goes down;

then it presses on to the place where it rises.

Blowing now toward the south, then toward the north,

the wind turns again and again, resuming its rounds.

All rivers go to the sea,

yet never does the sea become full.

To the place where they go,

the rivers keep on going.

All speech is labored;

there is nothing one can say.

The eye is not satisfied with seeing

nor is the ear satisfied with hearing.

What has been, that will be;

what has been done, that will be done.

Nothing is new under the sun.

Even the thing of which we say, “See, this is new!”

has already existed in the ages that preceded us.

There is no remembrance of the men of old;

nor of those to come will there be any remembrance

among those who come after them.

 

Responsorial Psalm

PS 90:3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 14 AND 17BC

R. (1)  In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.

You turn man back to dust,

saying, “Return, O children of men"

For a thousand years in your sight

are as yesterday, now that it is past,

or as a watch of the night.

R. In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.

You make an end of them in their sleep;

the next morning they are like the changing grass,

Which at dawn springs up anew,

but by evening wilts and fades.

R. In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.

Teach us to number our days aright,

that we may gain wisdom of heart.

Return, O LORD!  How long?

Have pity on your servants!

R. In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.

Fill us at daybreak with your kindness,

that we may shout for joy and gladness all our days.

Prosper the work of our hands for us!

Prosper the work of our hands!

R. In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.

 

 

Alleluia

JN 14:6

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

I am the way and the truth and the life, says the Lord;

no one comes to the Father except through me.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

LK 9:7-9

Herod the tetrarch heard about all that was happening,

and he was greatly perplexed because some were saying,

“John has been raised from the dead”;

others were saying, “Elijah has appeared”;

still others, “One of the ancient prophets has arisen.”

But Herod said, “John I beheaded.

Who then is this about whom I hear such things?”

And he kept trying to see him.

GOSPEL REFLECTION:

The Gospel today brings to light a very important point: to simply know about somebody is very different from actually knowing them personally. Through the gift of grace we can know Jesus, and our prayer is our communication with a friend, not with an acquaintance. If you are blessed in having some close friends you then understand the difference. Recall then the words of Jesus, “I do not call you servants any longer…I have called you friends” (John 15:15). You are never alone when you return his offer of friendship.

How do you react to Herod’s ‘perplexity’? Let it stimulate you to ask the fundamental question, ‘Who is Jesus for me?’

PRAYER:

Lord, may I recognise you in the moments of grace that come my way. May I be open to you, no matter under what disguise you come to me.

The Call of Matthew (FEAST OF SAINT MATTHEW, APOSTLE AND EVANGELIST - C)

SEPTEMBER 21, 2022, WEDNESDAY

FEAST OF SAINT MATTHEW, APOSTLE AND EVANGELIST (Red)

CYCLE C - YEAR II

Lectionary: 643

Reading I

Eph 4:1-7, 11-13

Brothers and sisters:

I, a prisoner for the Lord,

urge you to live in a manner worthy of the call you have received,

with all humility and gentleness, with patience,

bearing with one another through love,

striving to preserve the unity of the Spirit

through the bond of peace:

one Body and one Spirit,

as you were also called to the one hope of your call;

one Lord, one faith, one baptism;

one God and Father of all,

who is over all and through all and in all.

But grace was given to each of us

according to the measure of Christ’s gift. 

And he gave some as Apostles, others as prophets,

others as evangelists, others as pastors and teachers,

to equip the holy ones for the work of ministry,

for building up the Body of Christ,

until we all attain to the unity of faith

and knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood,

to the extent of the full stature of Christ. 

Responsorial Psalm

19:2-3, 4-5

R.    (5)  Their message goes out through all the earth.

The heavens declare the glory of God;

    and the firmament proclaims his handiwork.

Day pours out the word to day,

    and night to night imparts knowledge.

R.    Their message goes out through all the earth.

Not a word nor a discourse

    whose voice is not heard;

Through all the earth their voice resounds,

    and to the ends of the world, their message.

R.    Their message goes out through all the earth.

Alleluia

See Te Deum

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

We praise you, O God,

we acclaim you as Lord;

the glorious company of Apostles praise you.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

Mt 9:9-13

As Jesus passed by,

he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the customs post.

He said to him, “Follow me.”

And he got up and followed him.

While he was at table in his house,

many tax collectors and sinners came

and sat with Jesus and his disciples.

The Pharisees saw this and said to his disciples,

“Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

He heard this and said,

“Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do.

Go and learn the meaning of the words,

    I desire mercy, not sacrifice.

I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.”

 

GOSPEL REFLECTION:

Jesus is inclusive – even ‘tax collectors and sinners’ are welcomed. They represent those whose professions and social status are ‘not respectable’. But Jesus shows that he has come for all people, without exception, and especially the weak and the vulnerable, the ‘sick’ and the ‘sinner’.

How inclusive and compassionate Jesus is in his ministry! I ask myself if I am prejudiced against any individuals or groups? Lord, help me to become more like you in thought, word and deed. Make me large-hearted.

PRAYER:

Lord, your call to Matthew comes right in the midst of the ordinariness of his life. He does not hesitate or delay in order to balance the books, but gets up and follows you. As I move through this day, keep me alert to the many ways your grace seeks entry into my life. May I respond generously and without delay to your calls.

The Mother And Brothers of Jesus

SEPTEMBER 20, 2022, TUESDAY

Memorial of Saints Andrew Kim Tae-gŏn, Priest, and Paul Chŏng Ha-sang, and Companions, Martyrs (Red)

CYCLE C - YEAR II

Lectionary: 450

Reading 1

PRV 21:1-6, 10-13

Like a stream is the king’s heart in the hand of the LORD;

wherever it pleases him, he directs it.

All the ways of a man may be right in his own eyes,

but it is the LORD who proves hearts.

To do what is right and just

is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.

Haughty eyes and a proud heart–

the tillage of the wicked is sin.

The plans of the diligent are sure of profit,

but all rash haste leads certainly to poverty.

Whoever makes a fortune by a lying tongue

is chasing a bubble over deadly snares.

The soul of the wicked man desires evil;

his neighbor finds no pity in his eyes.

When the arrogant man is punished, the simple are the wiser;

when the wise man is instructed, he gains knowledge.

The just man appraises the house of the wicked:

there is one who brings down the wicked to ruin.

He who shuts his ear to the cry of the poor

will himself also call and not be heard.

Responsorial Psalm

PS 119:1, 27, 30, 34, 35, 44

R. (35) Guide me, Lord, in the way of your commands.

Blessed are they whose way is blameless,

who walk in the law of the LORD.

R. Guide me, Lord, in the way of your commands.

Make me understand the way of your precepts,

and I will meditate on your wondrous deeds.

R. Guide me, Lord, in the way of your commands.

The way of truth I have chosen;

I have set your ordinances before me.

R. Guide me, Lord, in the way of your commands.

Give me discernment, that I may observe your law

and keep it with all my heart.

R. Guide me, Lord, in the way of your commands.

Lead me in the path of your commands,

for in it I delight.

R. Guide me, Lord, in the way of your commands.

And I will keep your law continually,

forever and ever.

R. Guide me, Lord, in the way of your commands.

 

 

Alleluia

LK 11:28

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Blessed are those who hear the word of God

and observe it.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

LK 8:19-21

The mother of Jesus and his brothers came to him

but were unable to join him because of the crowd.

He was told, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside

and they wish to see you.”

He said to them in reply, “My mother and my brothers 

are those who hear the word of God and act on it.”

GOSPEL REFLECTION:

Our prime relationship in life is our relationship with God. This explains why Jesus' words about his mother and brothers. Even the strongest family bonds and ties fit into a prior relationship we all enter into at conception - we belong to God before we belong to anyone else. Our relationship to each other is deepest in our common belonging to God. Our relationship with God grows by listening to his word, praying over his word, and translating his word into christian life and service.

But what is ‘the word’ and how do we ‘do it’? The primary word told us by Jesus is that the love of his Father for us is infinite; we are to trust this word and live by it. As Pope Francis says: ‘When everything is said and done, we are infinitely loved’. When we know how well we are loved, and how well our neighbours are loved, our attitude to others is transformed and the world becomes a warmer place.

PRAYER:

Lord, fidelity to your word is the only basis for my Christian identity. As I daily sit at your feet, may I draw nourishment from listening to you and may I reveal you through my actions.

A Lamp On A Stand

SEPTEMBER 19, 2022, MONDAY

Monday of the Twenty-fifth Week In Ordinary Time (Green)

CYCLE C - YEAR II

Lectionary: 449

Reading 1

Prv 3:27-34

Refuse no one the good on which he has a claim

when it is in your power to do it for him.

Say not to your neighbor, “Go, and come again,

tomorrow I will give,” when you can give at once.

Plot no evil against your neighbor,

against one who lives at peace with you.

Quarrel not with a man without cause,

with one who has done you no harm.

Envy not the lawless man

and choose none of his ways:

To the LORD the perverse one is an abomination,

but with the upright is his friendship.

The curse of the LORD is on the house of the wicked,

but the dwelling of the just he blesses;

When dealing with the arrogant, he is stern,

but to the humble he shows kindness.

Responsorial Psalm

ps 15:2-3a, 3bc-4ab, 5

R. (1) The just one shall live on your holy mountain, O Lord.

He who walks blamelessly and does justice;

who thinks the truth in his heart

and slanders not with his tongue.

R. The just one shall live on your holy mountain, O Lord.

Who harms not his fellow man,

nor takes up a reproach against his neighbor;

By whom the reprobate is despised,

while he honors those who fear the LORD.

R. The just one shall live on your holy mountain, O Lord.

Who lends not his money at usury

and accepts no bribe against the innocent.

He who does these things

shall never be disturbed.

R. The just one shall live on your holy mountain, O Lord.

Alleluia

Mt 5:16

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Let your light shine before others,

that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

Lk 8:16-18

Jesus said to the crowd:

"No one who lights a lamp conceals it with a vessel

or sets it under a bed;
rather, he places it on a lampstand
so that those who enter may see the light.
For there is nothing hidden that will not become visible,
and nothing secret that will not be known and come to light.
Take care, then, how you hear.
To anyone who has, more will be given,
and from the one who has not,
even what he seems to have will be taken away."

GOSPEL REFLECTION:

The lamp is lit for a purpose; the light it gives shows it at its fullest potential. When loving others we express our love of God. Our acts of kindness, thoughtfulness or thanks are ways in which we can be lamps that are lit.

Jesus asks me to pay attention to how I listen, to notice how I notice. If my prayer is full of distraction or if my mind is always racing, I need to do as Jesus asks and pay attention. If I see only deficiency I will lose everything; if I am able to recognise, appreciate and receive blessing, I can trust in God’s goodness and love.

PRAYER:

Lord, to be a Christian today is challenging. In times of struggle I am tempted to hide my light, to remain anonymous, to be silent out of shame. Lord, when the wick of my lamp flickers and fades, strengthen its beam and let me be again a light-bearer, a beacon of hope to all whom I daily encounter.

You Cannot Serve Two Masters

SEPTEMBER 18, 2022, SUNDAY

Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Green)

CYCLE C - YEAR II

Lectionary: 135

Reading 1

Am 8:4-7

Hear this, you who trample upon the needy

 and destroy the poor of the land!

 "When will the new moon be over," you ask,

 "that we may sell our grain,

 and the sabbath, that we may display the wheat?

 We will diminish the ephah,

 add to the shekel,

 and fix our scales for cheating!

 We will buy the lowly for silver,

 and the poor for a pair of sandals;

 even the refuse of the wheat we will sell!"

 The LORD has sworn by the pride of Jacob:

 Never will I forget a thing they have done!

Responsorial Psalm

Ps 113:1-2, 4-6, 7-8

R. (cf. 1a, 7b) Praise the Lord who lifts up the poor.

or:

R. Alleluia.

Praise, you servants of the LORD,

 praise the name of the LORD.

Blessed be the name of the LORD

 both now and forever.

R. Praise the Lord who lifts up the poor.

or:

R. Alleluia.

High above all nations is the LORD;

 above the heavens is his glory.

Who is like the LORD, our God, who is enthroned on high

 and looks upon the heavens and the earth below?

R. Praise the Lord who lifts up the poor.

or:

R. Alleluia.

He raises up the lowly from the dust;

 from the dunghill he lifts up the poor

to seat them with princes,

 with the princes of his own people.

R. Praise the Lord who lifts up the poor.

or:

R. Alleluia.

Reading 2

1 Tm 2:1-8

Beloved:

First of all, I ask that supplications, prayers,

petitions, and thanksgivings be offered for everyone,

for kings and for all in authority,

that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life

in all devotion and dignity.

This is good and pleasing to God our savior,

who wills everyone to be saved

and to come to knowledge of the truth.

For there is one God.

There is also one mediator between God and men,

     the man Christ Jesus,

who gave himself as ransom for all.

This was the testimony at the proper time.

For this I was appointed preacher and apostle

— I am speaking the truth, I am not lying —,

teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.

It is my wish, then, that in every place the men should pray,

lifting up holy hands, without anger or argument.

Alleluia

Cf. 2 Cor 8:9

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Though our Lord Jesus Christ was rich, he became poor,

so that by his poverty you might become rich.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

Lk 16:1-13

Jesus said to his disciples,

"A rich man had a steward

who was reported to him for squandering his property.

He summoned him and said,

'What is this I hear about you?

Prepare a full account of your stewardship,

because you can no longer be my steward.'

The steward said to himself, 'What shall I do,

now that my master is taking the position of steward away from me?

I am not strong enough to dig and I am ashamed to beg.

I know what I shall do so that,

when I am removed from the stewardship,

they may welcome me into their homes.'

He called in his master's debtors one by one.

To the first he said,

'How much do you owe my master?'

He replied, 'One hundred measures of olive oil.'

He said to him, 'Here is your promissory note.

Sit down and quickly write one for fifty.'

Then to another the steward said, 'And you, how much do you owe?'

He replied, 'One hundred kors of wheat.'

The steward said to him, 'Here is your promissory note;

write one for eighty.'

And the master commended that dishonest steward for acting prudently.

"For the children of this world

are more prudent in dealing with their own generation

than are the children of light.

I tell you, make friends for yourselves with dishonest wealth,

so that when it fails, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.

The person who is trustworthy in very small matters

is also trustworthy in great ones;

and the person who is dishonest in very small matters

is also dishonest in great ones.

If, therefore, you are not trustworthy with dishonest wealth,

who will trust you with true wealth?

If you are not trustworthy with what belongs to another,

who will give you what is yours?

No servant can serve two masters.

He will either hate one and love the other,

or be devoted to one and despise the other.

You cannot serve both God and mammon."

Or

Lk 16:10-13

Jesus said to his disciples:

"The person who is trustworthy in very small matters

is also trustworthy in great ones;

and the person who is dishonest in very small matters

is also dishonest in great ones.

If, therefore, you are not trustworthy with dishonest wealth,

who will trust you with true wealth?

If you are not trustworthy with what belongs to another,

who will give you what is yours?

No servant can serve two masters.

He will either hate one and love the other,

or be devoted to one and despise the other.

You cannot serve both God and mammon."

GOSPEL REFLECTION: 

You & money: What choice do you make? What may thinks important, God holds incontempt? The opposite is also true, on which side do I find myself?

PRAYER: 

"How blessed I anyone who fears the Lord,

Who delights on His commandments!

His descendants shall be powerful on earth,

The race of the honest shall receive blessings."

(Psalm 112, 1-2)

The Sower And The Seeds

SEPTEMBER 17, 2022, SATURDAY

Saturday of the Twenty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time (Green)

Optional Memorial of Saint Hildegard of Bingen, Virgin and Doctor of the Church (White)

CYCLE C - YEAR II

Lectionary: 448

Reading 1

1 COR 15:35-37, 42-49

Brothers and sisters:

Someone may say, “How are the dead raised? 

With what kind of body will they come back?”You fool!

What you sow is not brought to life unless it dies.

And what you sow is not the body that is to be

but a bare kernel of wheat, perhaps, or of some other kind.

So also is the resurrection of the dead.

It is sown corruptible; it is raised incorruptible.

It is sown dishonorable; it is raised glorious.

It is sown weak; it is raised powerful.

It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body.

If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual one.

So, too, it is written,

“The first man, Adam, became a living being,”

the last Adam a life-giving spirit.

But the spiritual was not first;

rather the natural and then the spiritual.

The first man was from the earth, earthly;

the second man, from heaven.

As was the earthly one, so also are the earthly,

and as is the heavenly one, so also are the heavenly.

Just as we have borne the image of the earthly one,

we shall also bear the image of the heavenly one.

Responsorial Psalm

PS 56:10C-12, 13-14

R. (14) I will walk in the presence of God, in the light of the living.

Now I know that God is with me.

In God, in whose promise I glory,

in God I trust without fear;

what can flesh do against me?

R. I will walk in the presence of God, in the light of the living.

I am bound, O God, by vows to you;

your thank offerings I will fulfill.

For you have rescued me from death,

my feet, too, from stumbling;

that I may walk before God in the light of the living.

R. I will walk in the presence of God, in the light of the living.

 

 

Alleluia

LK 8:15

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Blessed are they who have kept the word with a generous heart

and yield a harvest through perseverance.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

LK 8:4-15

When a large crowd gathered, with people from one town after another

journeying to Jesus, he spoke in a parable. 

“A sower went out to sow his seed.

And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path and was trampled,

and the birds of the sky ate it up.

Some seed fell on rocky ground, and when it grew,

it withered for lack of moisture.

Some seed fell among thorns,

and the thorns grew with it and choked it.

And some seed fell on good soil, and when it grew,

it produced fruit a hundredfold.”

After saying this, he called out,

“Whoever has ears to hear ought to hear.”

Then his disciples asked him

what the meaning of this parable might be.

He answered,

“Knowledge of the mysteries of the Kingdom of God

has been granted to you;

but to the rest, they are made known through parables

so that they may look but not see, and hear but not understand.

“This is the meaning of the parable. 

The seed is the word of God.

Those on the path are the ones who have heard,

but the Devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts

that they may not believe and be saved.

Those on rocky ground are the ones who, when they hear,

receive the word with joy, but they have no root;

they believe only for a time and fall away in time of temptation.

As for the seed that fell among thorns,

they are the ones who have heard, but as they go along,

they are choked by the anxieties and riches and pleasures of life, 

and they fail to produce mature fruit.

But as for the seed that fell on rich soil,

they are the ones who, when they have heard the word,

embrace it with a generous and good heart,

and bear fruit through perseverance.”

 

GOSPEL REFLECTION: 

The seed falls in four different places: on the road side, among the rocks, among the thorns and in the good earth. What does each one of these four places mean? What type of earth am I? Sometimes, people are rock; other times thistles; other roadside, other times good ground. Normally, what are we in our community? Which are the fruits which the Word of God is producing in our life and in our community?

PRAYER: 

"Your kingship is a kingship for ever,

your reign lasts from age to age.

Yahweh is trustworthy in all his words,

and upright in all his deeds." (Ps 145,12-13)

Women Accompanying Jesus

SEPTEMBER 16, 2022, FRIDAY

MEMORIAL OF SAINTS CORNELIUS POPE, AND CYPRIAN, BISHOP, MARTYRS (Red)

CYCLE C - YEAR II

Lectionary: 447

First Reading

1 COR 15:12-20

Brothers and sisters:

If Christ is preached as raised from the dead,

how can some among you say there is no resurrection of the dead?

If there is no resurrection of the dead,

then neither has Christ been raised.

And if Christ has not been raised, then empty too is our preaching;

empty, too, your faith.

Then we are also false witnesses to God,

because we testified against God that he raised Christ,

whom he did not raise if in fact the dead are not raised.

For if the dead are not raised, neither has Christ been raised,

and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is vain;

you are still in your sins.

Then those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.

If for this life only we have hoped in Christ,

we are the most pitiable people of all.

But now Christ has been raised from the dead,

the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

 

Responsorial Psalm

PS 17:1BCD, 6-7, 8B AND 15

R. (15b) Lord, when your glory appears, my joy will be full.

Hear, O LORD, a just suit;

attend to my outcry;

hearken to my prayer from lips without deceit. 

R. Lord, when your glory appears, my joy will be full.

I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God; 

incline your ear to me; hear my word.

Show your wondrous mercies,

O savior of those who flee 

from their foes to refuge at your right hand.

R. Lord, when your glory appears, my joy will be full.

Hide me in the shadow of your wings,

But I in justice shall behold your face;

on waking, I shall be content in your presence.

R. Lord, when your glory appears, my joy will be full.

 

 

Alleluia

MT 11:25

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth;

you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the Kingdom.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

LK 8:1-3

Jesus journeyed from one town and village to another,

preaching and proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom of God.

Accompanying him were the Twelve

and some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities,

Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out,

Joanna, the wife of Herod’s steward Chuza,

Susanna, and many others

who provided for them out of their resources.

GOSPEL REFLECTION:

This passage illustrates the call of the women, who followed Jesus. It shows how people of means supported the Lord’s mission; Jesus and the Christian community depended on the generosity of people to sustain its mission. In what ways do I support the mission of the Church?

PRAYER:

In these times I may experience the Church as fragile and ill-equipped for its great task of spreading the Good News. I pray that God may bless my efforts to bring good news to those I meet.

Behold Your Mother (MEMORIAL OF OUR LADY OF SORROWS - C)

SEPTEMBER 15, 2022, THURSDAY

MEMORIAL OF OUR LADY OF SORROWS (White)

CYCLE C - YEAR II

Lectionary: 446/639

Reading 1

1 Cor 15:1-11

I am reminding you, brothers and sisters,

of the Gospel I preached to you,

which you indeed received and in which you also stand.

Through it you are also being saved,

if you hold fast to the word I preached to you,

unless you believed in vain.

For I handed on to you as of first importance what I also received:

that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures;

that he was buried;

that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures;

that he appeared to Cephas, then to the Twelve.

After that, he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at once,

most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep.

After that he appeared to James,

then to all the Apostles.

Last of all, as to one born abnormally,

he appeared to me.

For I am the least of the Apostles,

not fit to be called an Apostle,

because I persecuted the Church of God.

But by the grace of God I am what I am,

and his grace to me has not been ineffective.

Indeed, I have toiled harder than all of them;

not I, however, but the grace of God that is with me.

Therefore, whether it be I or they,

so we preach and so you believed.

Responsorial Psalm

Ps 118:1b-2, 16ab-17, 28

R. (1) Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,

for his mercy endures forever.

Let the house of Israel say,

“His mercy endures forever.”

R. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.

“The right hand of the LORD is exalted;

the right hand of the LORD has struck with power.”

I shall not die, but live,

and declare the works of the LORD.

R. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.

You are my God, and I give thanks to you;

O my God, I extol you.

R. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.

Sequence (Optional) - Stabat Mater

At the cross her station keeping,

Stood the mournful Mother weeping,

Close to Jesus to the last.

Through her heart, his sorrow sharing,

All his bitter anguish bearing,

Now at length the sword had passed.

Oh, how sad and sore distressed

Was that Mother highly blessed

Of the sole begotten One!

Christ above in torment hangs,

She beneath beholds the pangs

Of her dying, glorious Son.

Is there one who would not weep,

‘Whelmed in miseries so deep,

Christ’s dear Mother to behold?

Can the human heart refrain

From partaking in her pain,

In that mother’s pain untold?

Bruised, derided, cursed, defiled,

She beheld her tender Child,

All with bloody scourges rent.

For the sins of his own nation

Saw him hang in desolation

Till his spirit forth he sent.

O sweet Mother! font of love,

Touch my spirit from above,

Make my heart with yours accord.

Make me feel as you have felt;

Make my soul to glow and melt

With the love of Christ, my Lord.

Holy Mother, pierce me through,

In my heart each wound renew

Of my Savior crucified.

Let me share with you his pain,

Who for all our sins was slain,

Who for me in torments died.

Let me mingle tears with you,

Mourning him who mourned for me,

All the days that I may live.

By the cross with you to stay,

There with you to weep and pray,

Is all I ask of you to give.

Virgin of all virgins blest!

Listen to my fond request:

Let me share your grief divine.

Let me to my latest breath,

In my body bear the death

Of that dying Son of yours.

Wounded with his every wound,

Steep my soul till it has swooned

In his very Blood away.

Be to me, O Virgin, nigh,

Lest in flames I burn and die,

In his awful judgment day.

Christ, when you shall call me hence,

Be your Mother my defense,

Be your cross my victory.

While my body here decays,

May my soul your goodness praise,

Safe in heaven eternally.

Amen. (Alleluia)

Alleluia

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Blessed are you, O Virgin Mary;

without dying you won the martyr’s crown

beneath the Cross of the Lord.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

Jn 19:25-27

Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother

and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas,

and Mary Magdalene.

When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved

he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son.”

Then he said to the disciple,

“Behold, your mother.”

And from that hour the disciple took her into his home.

 

or:

Gospel

Lk 2:33-35

Jesus’ father and mother were amazed at what was said about him;

and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother,

“Behold, this child is destined

for the fall and rise of many in Israel,

and to be a sign that will be contradicted

and you yourself a sword will pierce

so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”

GOSPEL REFLECTION:

From His humble birth in a manger until to his death on the cross, Mary was there, Her heart was being pierced in agony as she witness the persecution of Jesus. Through it all she remained silent & accepted everything with prayer, humble trust & confidence in God. Like Mary, may our mothers will be also like Her's, ready & willing to sacrifice everything for the sake and protection of their children, in spite of grief and in agony.

PRAYER:

Like the Blessed Mother, may we all humbly trust and may we all find comfort in prayer.