God So Loved The World (FEAST OF EXALTATION OF THE HOLY CROSS - C)

SEPTEMBER 14, 2022, WEDNESDAY

FEAST OF THE EXALTATION OF THE HOLY CROSS (Red)

CYCLE C - YEAR II

Lectionary: 638

Reading I

Nm 21:4b-9

With their patience worn out by the journey,

the people complained against God and Moses,

“Why have you brought us up from Egypt to die in this desert,

where there is no food or water?

We are disgusted with this wretched food!”

In punishment the LORD sent among the people saraph serpents,

which bit the people so that many of them died.

Then the people came to Moses and said,

“We have sinned in complaining against the LORD and you.

Pray the LORD to take the serpents from us.”

So Moses prayed for the people, and the LORD said to Moses,

“Make a saraph and mount it on a pole,

and if any who have been bitten look at it, they will live.”

Moses accordingly made a bronze serpent and mounted it on a pole,

and whenever anyone who had been bitten by a serpent 

looked at the bronze serpent, he lived.    

Responsorial Psalm

78:1bc-2, 34-35, 36-37, 38

R.    (see 7b)  Do not forget the works of the Lord!

Hearken, my people, to my teaching;

    incline your ears to the words of my mouth.

I will open my mouth in a parable,

    I will utter mysteries from of old.

R.    Do not forget the works of the Lord!

While he slew them they sought him

    and inquired after God again,

Remembering that God was their rock

    and the Most High God, their redeemer.

R.    Do not forget the works of the Lord!

But they flattered him with their mouths

    and lied to him with their tongues,

Though their hearts were not steadfast toward him,

    nor were they faithful to his covenant.

R.    Do not forget the works of the Lord!

But he, being merciful, forgave their sin

    and destroyed them not;

Often he turned back his anger

    and let none of his wrath be roused.

R.    Do not forget the works of the Lord!

Reading II

Phil 2:6-11

Brothers and sisters:

    Christ Jesus, though he was in the form of God,

        did not regard equality with God something to be grasped.

    Rather, he emptied himself,

    taking the form of a slave,

    coming in human likeness;

    and found human in appearance,

    he humbled himself,

    becoming obedient to death,

        even death on a cross.

Because of this, God greatly exalted him

    and bestowed on him the name

    that is above every name,

    that at the name of Jesus

    every knee should bend,

    of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

    and every tongue confess that

    Jesus Christ is Lord,

    to the glory of God the Father.

Alleluia

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you,

because by your Cross you have redeemed the world.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

Jn 3:13-17

Jesus said to Nicodemus:

“No one has gone up to heaven

except the one who has come down from heaven, the Son of Man.

And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert,

so must the Son of Man be lifted up,

so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.”

For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son,

so that everyone who believes in him might not perish

but might have eternal life.

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world,

but that the world might be saved through him. 

GOSPEL REFLECTION:

On Good Friday we are caught up with the suffering and death of Jesus and the cost to Him of losing his life in such a painful way. Today, the Feast of The Exaltation of the Holy Cross, we celebrate his great love for us as shown in that act of suffering, and praise Him in thanksgiving for thinking of us in this way. Greater love than this no one can have – it is the ultimate of the expression of love.

In our exaltation of the Cross lies the basic paradox of our faith in Jesus Christ. We believe that the suffering of Jesus brought us salvation, and that we are called to express this faith by joining our own suffering with His. I believe that doing this saves my suffering from meaninglessness and furthers the salvation of the world from suffering.

The cross is the icon of great faith, hope and love. As I gaze and contemplate Christ on the cross, I ask the Lord for his redemptive and healing love that embraces the whole world.

PRAYER:

Lord, divine love doesn't count the cost; it gives liberally. True lovers offer everything to their beloveds. The cross is the icon of great faith, hope and love. As I gaze on the cross, may I be lifted up into all that is true, good and beautiful.

Jesus Raises The Widows Son

SEPTEMBER 13, 2022, TUESDAY
MEMORIAL OF SAINT JOHN CHRYSOSTOM, BISHOP AND DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH (White)
CYCLE C - YEAR II
Lectionary: 444

Reading 1
1 Cor 12:12-14, 27-31a

Brothers and sisters:

As a body is one though it has many parts,

and all the parts of the body, though many, are one body,

so also Christ.

For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one Body,

whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free persons,

and we were all given to drink of one Spirit.

Now the body is not a single part, but many.

Now you are Christ's Body, and individually parts of it.

Some people God has designated in the Church

to be, first, Apostles; second, prophets; third, teachers;

then, mighty deeds;

then gifts of healing, assistance, administration,

and varieties of tongues.

Are all Apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers?

Do all work mighty deeds? Do all have gifts of healing?

Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret?

Strive eagerly for the greatest spiritual gifts.

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 100:1b-2, 3, 4, 5

R. (3) We are his people: the sheep of his flock.

Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands;

serve the LORD with gladness;

come before him with joyful song.

R. We are his people: the sheep of his flock.

Know that the LORD is God;

he made us, his we are;

his people, the flock he tends.

R. We are his people: the sheep of his flock.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving,

his courts with praise;

Give thanks to him; bless his name.

R. We are his people: the sheep of his flock.

For he is good, the LORD,

whose kindness endures forever,

and his faithfulness, to all generations.

R. We are his people: the sheep of his flock.

Alleluia

Lk 7:16

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

A great prophet has arisen in our midst

and God has visited his people.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

Lk 7:11-17

Jesus journeyed to a city called Nain,

and his disciples and a large crowd accompanied him.

As he drew near to the gate of the city,

a man who had died was being carried out,

the only son of his mother, and she was a widow.

A large crowd from the city was with her.

When the Lord saw her,

he was moved with pity for her and said to her,

"Do not weep."

He stepped forward and touched the coffin;

at this the bearers halted,

and he said, "Young man, I tell you, arise!"

The dead man sat up and began to speak,

and Jesus gave him to his mother.

Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, exclaiming,

"A great prophet has arisen in our midst,"

and "God has visited his people."

This report about him spread through the whole of Judea

and in all the surrounding region.

GOSPEL REFLECTION:

Our reading today celebrates that extraordinary power and compassion on the part of Jesus in giving life back to the young man and uplifting the heart of his mother.

Ask the Lord to make me appreciate the need to pray for what people need and not only for what they desire. The bereaved mother usually requires the grace to cope with the sadness and to face life with courage and trust in God.

PRAYER:

Jesus, you reveal a God who comes close to us: you heal our brokenness with kindness and compassion. I live in a broken and tearful world. When the suffering of life threatens to overwhelm me, help me to notice that you are there, watching, and that you ‘come forward’ with your compassion and power to raise me up.

Centurion's Faith

SEPTEMBER 12, 2022, MONDAY

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

MEMORIAL OF THE MOST HOLY NAME OF MARY (White)

CYCLE C - YEAR II

Lectionary: 443

Reading 1

1 Cor 11:17-26, 33

Brothers and sisters:

In giving this instruction, I do not praise the fact

that your meetings are doing more harm than good.

First of all, I hear that when you meet as a Church

there are divisions among you,

and to a degree I believe it;

there have to be factions among you

in order that also those who are approved among you

may become known.

When you meet in one place, then,

it is not to eat the Lord's supper,

for in eating, each one goes ahead with his own supper,

and one goes hungry while another gets drunk.

Do you not have houses in which you can eat and drink?

Or do you show contempt for the Church of God

and make those who have nothing feel ashamed?

What can I say to you? Shall I praise you?

In this matter I do not praise you.

For I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you,

that the Lord Jesus, on the night he was handed over,

took bread and, after he had given thanks,

broke it and said, "This is my Body that is for you.

Do this in remembrance of me."

In the same way also the cup, after supper, saying,

"This cup is the new covenant in my Blood.

Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me."

For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup,

you proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes.

Therefore, my brothers and sisters,

when you come together to eat, wait for one another.

Responsorial Psalm

Ps 40:7-8a, 8b-9, 10, 17

R. (1 Cor 11:26b) Proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes again.

Sacrifice or oblation you wished not,

but ears open to obedience you gave me.

Burnt offerings or sin offerings you sought not;

then said I, "Behold I come."

R. Proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes again.

"In the written scroll it is prescribed for me,

To do your will, O my God, is my delight,

and your law is within my heart!"

R. Proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes again.

I announced your justice in the vast assembly;

I did not restrain my lips, as you, O LORD, know.

R. Proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes again.

May all who seek you

exult and be glad in you

And may those who love your salvation

say ever, "The LORD be glorified."

R. Proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes again.

Alleluia

Jn 3:16

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son,

so that everyone who believes in him might have eternal life.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

Lk 7:1-10

When Jesus had finished all his words to the people,

he entered Capernaum.

A centurion there had a slave who was ill and about to die,

and he was valuable to him.

When he heard about Jesus, he sent elders of the Jews to him,

asking him to come and save the life of his slave.

They approached Jesus and strongly urged him to come, saying,

"He deserves to have you do this for him,

for he loves our nation and he built the synagogue for us."

And Jesus went with them,

but when he was only a short distance from the house,

the centurion sent friends to tell him,

"Lord, do not trouble yourself,

for I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof.

Therefore, I did not consider myself worthy to come to you;

but say the word and let my servant be healed.

For I too am a person subject to authority,

with soldiers subject to me.

And I say to one, 'Go,' and he goes;

and to another, 'Come here,' and he comes;

and to my slave, 'Do this,' and he does it."

When Jesus heard this he was amazed at him

and, turning, said to the crowd following him,

"I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith."

When the messengers returned to the house,

they found the slave in good health.

GOSPEL REFLECTION:

Jesus says some very surprising words of the Roman centurion, 'In no one in Israel have I found such faith'. He praises the unique faith of a pagan. We often ask ourselves what faith really is, and we may sometimes think that our faith is practically non-existent. And what of the faith of those who belong to other religions or who claim they are unbelievers or atheists? I remember that Jesus said that it is enough if my faith is as big as mustard seed, and thank God for this great gift.

The centurion displayed a great compassion for his servant. I allow my heart to be moved as I think of those in need. I bring their needs before God.

Bring your infirmities, physical and psychological, before Jesus with faith that he can heal them.

PRAYER:

Lord, I can receive you in Holy Communion day by day. May I welcome you with the same reverence as the Roman, and the same expectation that you will bring healing.