Acts
13:13-25; Ps 89:2-3, 21-22, 25 and 27; Jn 13:16-20
Daily
Gospel
Introduction
In
his preaching Paul presents Christ as the one to whose coming
the whole Old Testament was leading, and John the Baptist
as the immediate announcer of Jesus' appearance of that
fulfillment.
Jesus
had told his disciples quite insistently and emphatically
that neither power nor rank was to be the mark of the disciple
but service: serving love. Now at the Last Supper he showed
this by his own example when he, the Lord and Master washed
the feet of his apostles. They, the servants, are no greater
than their master, and his messengers are no greater than
Jesus who sends them.
Opening
Prayer
All-powerful
God,
your Son Jesus reminds us today
that we are no greater than your and our servant,
Jesus, our Lord and master.
Give us the love and endurance
to serve you and people
without waiting for awards or gratitude
and to accept the difficulties and contradictions
which are part of the Christian life
and which are normal for followers
of him who bore the cross for us,
Jesus Christ our Lord.
Liturgy
of the Word
First
Reading: Acts 13:13-25
From
Paphos, Paul and his companions set sail and came to Perga
in Pamphylia. There John left them and returned to Jerusalem
while they went on from Perga and came to Antioch in Pisidia.
On the Sabbath day they entered the synagogue and sat down.
After the reading of the Law and the Prophets, the officials
of the synagogue sent this message to them, "Brothers,
if you have any word of encouragement for the assembly,
please speak up."
So
Paul arose, motioned to them for silence and began, "Fellow
Israelites and also all you who fear God, listen. The God
of our people Israel chose our ancestors, and after he had
made them increase during their stay in Egypt, he led them
out by powerful deeds. For forty years he fed them in the
desert, and after he had destroyed seven nations in the
land of Canaan, he gave them their land as an inheritance.
All this took four hundred and fifty years. After that,
he gave them Judges until Samuel the prophet. Then they
asked for a king and God gave them Saul, son of Kish, of
the tribe of Benjamin, and he was king for forty years.
After that time, God removed him and raised up David as
king, to whom he bore witness saying: I have found David,
the son of Jesse, a man after my own heart, who will do
all I want him to do.
It
is from the descendants of David that God has now raised
up the promised savior of Israel, Jesus. Before he appeared,
John proclaimed a baptism of repentance for all the people
of Israel. As John was ending his life's work, he said:
'I am not what you think I am, for after me another one
is coming whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.'
Responsorial
Psalm: Ps 89:2-3, 21-22, 25 and 27
R.
For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
The
favors of the Lord I will sing forever;
through all generations my mouth shall proclaim your faithfulness.
For you have said, "My kindess is established forever";
in heaven you have confirmed your faithfulness. R.
For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
"I
have found David, my servant;
with my holy oil I have anointed him,
That my hand may be always with him,
and that my arm may make him strong." R.
For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
"My
faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him,
and through my name shall his horn be exalted.
He shall say of me, 'You are my father,
my God, the Rock, my savior.'" R.
For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
Gospel
Reading: Jn 13:16-20
After
Jesus had washed the feet of the disciples he said. "Truly,
I say to you, the servant is not greater than his master,
nor is the messenger greater than he who sent him. Understand
this, and blessed are you if you put it into practice.
"I
am not speaking of you all, because I know the ones I have
chosen and the Scripture has to be fulfilled that says,
The one who shared my table has risen against me. I tell
you this now before it happens, so that when it does happen,
you may know that I am He.
"Truly,
I say to you, whoever welcomes the one I send, welcomes
me, and whoever welcomes me, welcomes the One who sent me."
Commentary
Just
as Jesus is sent by the Father to accomplish the mission of salvation,
so too does the Lord send each of us to accomplish a mission in
life. Each of us has something to do in this life that no one else
on earth can do. Each of us is called to build up the kingdom of
God in a manner that is unique to our circumstances in life.
We pray that we will have the wisdom to know the Lord's will, and
the courage to put His will into practice. The Lord builds up the
Kingdom, but He chooses to do so through you and me.
General
Intercessions
- For
the leaders and ministers in the Church, that they may not seek honor
and power but in all simplicity serve their brothers and sisters, we
pray:
- For
all those in public office, that they may not just seek power and private
gain but give the best of themselves to work for the interests of people
and country, we pray:
- For
doctors and nurses, that they may serve the sick with great love and
dedication, we pray:
Prayer
over the Gifts
Lord
our God,
as your Son Jesus himself serves us
in the signs of bread and wine,
he asks us to drink with him the cup
of self-sacrificing service.
Let your Son fill us with that love
which alone can understand
that to be great is to serve others
and to use up our lives
to give them a chance to live.
May we seek no other reward
than to share the destiny of Jesus,
our Lord and Savior for ever.
Prayer
after Communion
Loving
Father,
in this eucharistic celebration
your Son Jesus has been with us
as the servant of us all.
Let him dispose our hearts
and give us his sensitive courage
to understand and accept others,
to accompany them on the road of life,
to suffer their pains, to rejoice with their joys
and to carry each other's burdens,
that he may be with us
now and for ever.
Blessing
"Servants
are no greater than their master," is Jesus' reminder to us today.
What moves service and makes it dedicated and unobtrusive is love. If
we love people, they can come and ask us for any service. May God bless
you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Claretian Publications MACAU