God
of mercy,
you put the self-righteous to shame
and you call sinners to the task
of bringing your Son's salvation to the world.
Forgive us our pride and reassure us
that we can count on you and your love
because we are weak and sinful people.
Let us share in your life
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Liturgy
of the Word
First
Reading Introduction
Amos
castigates the people of Israel for offering sacrifices
and observing religious feasts but not rendering justice;
they are exploiting their brothers and sisters, who are
with them people of the same covenant. He holds out hope
for them if they are converted.
First
Reading: Am 8:4 –6, 9 –12
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 containers for measuring,
add to the weights,
and fix our scales for cheating!
We will buy the lowly man for silver,
and the poor man for a pair of sandals;
even the refuse of the wheat we will sell!”
On that day, says the Lord GOD,
I will make the sun set at midday
and cover the earth with darkness in broad daylight.
I will turn your feasts into mourning
and all your songs into lamentations.
I will cover the loins of all with sackcloth
and make every head bald.
I will make them mourn as for an only son,
and bring their day to a bitter end.
Yes, days are coming, says the Lord GOD,
when I will send famine upon the land:
Not a famine of bread, or thirst for water,
but for hearing the word of the LORD.
Then shall they wander from sea to sea
and rove from the north to the east
In search of the word of the LORD,
but they shall not find it.
Responsorial
Psalm: Ps 119:2, 10, 20, 30, 40,
131
R./
One does not live by bread alone,
but by every word that
comes
from the mouth of God.
Blessed
are they who observe his decrees,
who seek him with all their heart. R./ One does not live by bread alone,
but by every word that
comes
from the mouth of God.
With
all my heart I seek you;
let me not stray from your commands. R./ One does not live by bread alone,
but by every word that
comes
from the mouth of God.
My soul is consumed with longing
for your ordinances at all times. R./
One does not live by bread alone,
but by every word that
comes
from the mouth of God.
The way of truth I have chosen;
I have set your ordinances before me. R./
One does not live by bread alone,
but by every word that
comes
from the mouth of God.
Behold, I long for your precepts;
in your justice give me life. R./
One does not live by bread alone,
but by every word that
comes
from the mouth of God.
I
gasp with open mouth
in my yearning for your commands. R./
One does not live by bread alone,
but by every word that
comes
from the mouth of God.
Gospel
Reading Introduction
The Gospel, which Jesus preaches and lives, is not a religion
based on the self-righteousness of people but a religion
of love and mercy based on God's pure generosity. This
makes it possible for a typical sinner - an exploiter
and a traitor to his people to boot - to be called to
be an apostle. And Christ sits at table with sinners -
with Levi-Matthew and his friends, with us now "so
that sins may be forgiven."
Gospel
Reading: 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.”
Commentary
Jesus'
invitation struck St. Matthew to the core, and caused
within him a change that not even his closest friends
could have ever predicted. From a world filled with trickery
and greed, St. Matthew emerged as one who would call other
people to a life of integrity and simplicity of life,
following in the footsteps of the Lord Jesus, who became
poor so that we might become incredibly wealthy.
May we, like St. Matthew, be wise enough to respond generously
to the Lord's life-changing invitation to follow Him along
the path of everlasting life.
General
Intercessions
- For
the Church, a community of saints and sinners, that we,
the People of God, and our leaders, may not condemn those
who fail, but with God give them new chances in life, we
pray:
- For people who have failed and no longer believe in themselves,
in God or in the community, that they may draw new courage
and hope from our compassion and understanding, we pray:
- For priests and religious, that they may keep trusting
in the Lord who called them notwithstanding their human
frailty; that with Christ they may care especially for the
poor and the weak, we pray:
Prayer
over the Gifts
Lord
God, merciful Father,
your Son Jesus Christ
was eating with tax collectors and sinners
because they needed him.
We bring this bread and wine before you
that he may sit at table with us
because we too need him.
Accept his sacrifice and ours
so that sins may be forgiven
and that we may live in your love
now and for ever.
Prayer
after Communion
Lord
our God, merciful Father,
through your Son in our midst
help us to be mild and compassionate
without condemning anyone,
for you have been gentle to us.
And do not let us boast
of our human achievements,
for we owe everything
to your grace and your call
in Jesus Christ our Lord.
Blessing
"I
desire mercy, not sacrifice. I have come to call not the
righteous but sinners." Let these Words change our
attitude towards people and also ourselves. Let these Words
make us understanding and mild to everyone, with the blessing
of almighty God, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Claretian Publications MACAU