Greeting (See 1 Thes 1:11-12)

May our God make you worthy of his call.
May his power fulfill all our desires
to do what is right
and so make our faith active.
May we thus give glory to the name
of our Lord Jesus Christ,
and may he be with you always.
R/ And also with you.

Introduction by the Celebrant

Isn't it true that often in life we make great promises which we do not keep? Or we see what is right and good to do and then we do not do it. When we hear the magnificent message of Jesus about God's love for us and the love we owe him and people, we say: "How beautiful all this is." Jesus tells us today: it is not enough to say "Long live the Lord! I admire your words." We must live as we believe. In this eucbarist we ask Jesus to make us believers and doers.

Penitential Act

Let us ask forgiveness from the Lord
for having honored him with our lips
but not always with our hearts.
(PAUSE)
Lord, your word shows us the way,
but we often lack the courage to put it into practice:
Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.

Lord Jesus Christ,
you are the rock on which we build,
but often people can not rely on us:
Christ, have mercy. R/ Christ, have mercy.

Lord, we cry out to you
and call you our Lord and God,
but when your ways are demanding
we go our own easy ways:
Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.

Have mercy on us, Lord,
forgive us our inconsistencies and sins,
and lead us by your word and strength
to everlasting life. R/ Amen.

Opening Prayer

Let us pray to our Father in heaven
that we may live as we believe.
(PAUSE)
Lord our God,
you are the rock on which we are founded.
Let the word of your Son sink into our hearts
so deeply and so firmly
that all of our life is marked by it
and that nothing can shake this faith.
Give us the courage to live as we believe,
consistently and radically,
that with your Son and by his strength
we may seek your will in all we do
and live in your love for ever and ever. R/ Amen.

Liturgy of the Word

First Reading Introduction: Write My Words On Your Hearts
       God's covenant people must take God's words and commands to heart. By doing so, they choose to follow God and they receive his blessing.

First Reading: Deuteronomy 11:18, 26-28, 32

Moses told the people,
"Take these words of mine into your heart and soul.
Bind them at your wrist as a sign,
and let them be a pendant on your forehead.

"I set before you here, this day, a blessing and a curse:
a blessing for obeying the commandments of the Lord, your God,
which I enjoin on you today;
a curse if you do not obey the commandments of the Lord, your God,
but turn aside from the way I ordain for you today,
to follow other gods, whom you have not known."

Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 31:2-3, 3-4, 17, 25

R./ Lord, be my rock of safety.

In you, O Lord, I take refuge;
let me never be put to shame.
In your justice rescue me,
incline your ear to me,
make haste to deliver me!
R./ Lord, be my rock of safety.

Be my rock of refuge,
a stronghold to give me safety.
You are my rock and my fortress;
for your name's sake you will lead and guide me.
R./ Lord, be my rock of safety.

Let your face shine upon your servant;
save me in your kindness.
Take courage and be stouthearted,
all you who hope in the Lord.
R./ Lord, be my rock of safety.

Second Reading Introduction: Saved By Faith In Jesus Christ
       However needed and good whatever we do, only our faith in Jesus Christ makes it valuable. God accepts us in his love if we believe in Christ and accept his grace.

Second Reading: Romans 3:21-25, 28

Brothers and sisters,
Now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law,
though testified to by the law and the prophets,
the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ
for all who believe.
For there is no distinction;
all have sinned and are deprived of the glory of God.
They are justified freely by his grace
through the redemption in Christ Jesus,
whom God set forth as an expiation,
through faith, by his blood.
For we consider that a person is justified by faith
apart from works of the law.

Gospel Introduction: Build On Rock!
       Jesus ends the Sermon on the Mount by saying, put my words into practice; in this way you build your faith on rock.

Gospel Reading: Matthew 7:21-27

Jesus said to his disciples:
"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,'
will enter the kingdom of heaven,
but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.
Many will say to me on that day,
'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name?
Did we not drive out demons in your name?
Did we not do mighty deeds in your name?'
Then I will declare to them solemnly,
'I never knew you. Depart from me, you evildoers.'

"Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them
will be like a wise man who built his house on rock.
The rain fell, the floods came,
and the winds blew and buffeted the house.
But it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock.
And everyone who listens to these words of mine
but does not act on them
will be like a fool who built his house on sand.
The rain fell, the floods came,
and the winds blew and buffeted the house.
And it collapsed and was completely ruined."

Commentary

Notice that the house built upon rock was subjected to the very same wind and rain that would afflict the house built upon sand. The difference between the two houses would lie in their foundations.
In the same way, the follower of Jesus cannot expect to be spared the inevitable tempests and storms that are part of the human condition. The winds will blow and the rains will come! Being rooted in the firm foundation of faith, hope and charity will make all the difference in the world. May we never stray from the One who makes us strong.

General Intercessions

Jesus' message of the gospel and his own life are our guidelines for seeking God's will. Let us pray to God our Father that we may follow Jesus and live his message and let us say: R/ Lord, give us faith and strength.

- That the Church, both its leaders and members, may live in the spirit of the gospel and always seek God's will in faithfulness and humble service, let us pray: R/ Lord, give us faith and strength.

- That the leaders of nations may keep international agreements; that their efforts to seek peace and the just access of all to the world's goods may be rewarded with success, let us pray: R/ Lord, give us faith and strength.

- That married couples may find happiness in fidelity to one another and in the good example they give to their children, let us pray: R/ Lord, give us faith and strength.

- That the victims of our broken promises may not lose faith in God or people; that we may bring to the old and the sick words and deeds of encouragement and friendship, let us pray: R/ Lord, give us faith and strength.

- That in this and all Christian communities there may be men and women among us who make God's word alive among us, who bring us together and give us courage, let us pray: R/ Lord, give us faith and strength.

Lord our God, write your words and commands on our hearts and lead us forward in the ways of love and peace of Jesus Christ our Lord. R/ Amen.

Prayer Over the Gifts

God our Father,
you offer us the bread and the cup
of your Son Jesus Christ.
May his food and drink
make us strong enough
to choose you and all that is good.
May we give you a response of freedom
and serve you in the people around us
on account of Jesus Christ our Lord. R/ Amen.

Introduction to the Eucharistic Prayer

We thank our Father in heaven that he saved us from our disobedience by the obedience of Jesus, who always did the will of the Father.

Invitation to the Lord's Prayer

With Jesus our Lord,
we pray to the Father
that we may always do his will. R/ Our Father...

Deliver Us

Deliver us, Lord, from evil
and from that obstinate self-will
which leads us to sin.
Give us the peace and serenity that comes
from seeking your will in all we do.
Help us to choose you above all
and grant us that we may prepare
without fear and with expectant joy
for the full coming among us
of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. R/ For the kingdom...

Invitation to Communion

This is the Lamb of God
who takes away the sins of the world.
Happy are we to be called to his supper
and to receive from him the strength
to do what we believe in. R/ Lord, I am not worthy...

Prayer After Communion

Lord God, our rock,
we want to build our lives on you
by the power of Jesus your Son,
present here in our midst.
Through him make us strong enough
to keep going forward in hope and trust
when the rains of sorrow come
and the floods of trials rise,
and when the stormwinds of doubt and fear blow in us,
for you are our firm rock for ever and ever. R/ Amen.

Blessing

How different we and the world would be
if only we would put into practice
the good news of our Lord.
He obeyed the will of the Father
in his life and even his death,
whereas we don't even have the courage
to live by our faith.
May God give us this strength and bless us:
the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. R/ Amen.

Go in peace and live by God's word
in everything you do. R/ Thanks be to God.