Our
God with a heart,
in your Son Jesus Christ you have shown us
your compassion for all that is weak.
Give us shepherds who care for your people
and nourish them with faith and trust in you
and with an unselfish love
that knows how to serve
even without waiting for gratitude.
Let it be the kind of gratuitous love
that you have shown us
in Jesus Christ our Lord.
Liturgy
of the Word
First
Reading Introduction
The
people of God in the OT deserted God for idols - false gods,
sham gods of their own making. They tried to fashion a god
in their own image and likeness. Are we Christians free
from idolatry? We make our own idols and bend our knees
to them - some in the crude way: God is for Sundays; power,
money, the horoscope for weekdays, or drugs and escapists
pleasure; others in a milder way, but perhaps equally destructive
of people and of God in us: efficiency, timesaving and speed,
mechanization of life, comfort. Even the pious person may
have his little idols: his devotions, his institutions,
his intolerance, and his tendency to turn laws and authority
into absolutes. Who is our God?
First
Reading: Hos 8:4 – 7, 11–13
Thus
says the LORD:
They made kings in Israel, but not by my authority;
they established princes, but without my approval.
With their silver and gold they made
idols for themselves, to their own destruction.
Cast away your calf, O Samaria!
my wrath is kindled against them;
How long will they be unable to attain
innocence in Israel?
The work of an artisan,
no god at all,
Destined for the flames—
such is the calf of Samaria!
When they sow the wind,
they shall reap the whirlwind;
The stalk of grain that forms no ear
can yield no flour;
Even if it could,
strangers would swallow it.
When Ephraim made many altars to expiate sin,
his altars became occasions of sin.
Though I write for him my many ordinances,
they are considered as a stranger’s.
Though they offer sacrifice,
immolate flesh and eat it,
the LORD is not pleased with them.
He shall still remember their guilt
and punish their sins;
they shall return to Egypt.
Our
God is in heaven;
whatever he wills, he does.
Their idols are silver and gold,
the handiwork of men. R./ The house of Israel trusts in the Lord.
They
have mouths but speak not;
they have eyes but see not;
They have ears but hear not;
they have noses but smell not. R./ The house of Israel trusts in the Lord.
They have hands but feel not;
they have feet but walk not.
Their makers shall be like them,
everyone that trusts in them. R./
The house of Israel trusts in the Lord.
Gospel
Reading Introduction
Jesus was spreading his message of Good News in Word and
deed. Today he asks us that there may be among us many
who hear his invitation to continue his work and to bring
his liberating compassion to the people of our day. At
least all of us should pray for such messengers, for the
need is urgent.
Gospel
Reading: Mt 9:32 – 38
A
demoniac who could not speak was brought to Jesus, and
when the demon was driven out the mute man spoke. The
crowds were amazed and said, “Nothing like this has
ever been
seen in Israel.” But the Pharisees said, “He drives
out demons
by the prince of demons.”
Jesus went around to all the towns and villages, teaching
in
their synagogues, proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom,
and
curing every disease and illness. At the sight of the
crowds,
his heart was moved with pity for them because they
were
troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd.
Then
he said to his disciples, “The harvest is abundant but
the laborers
are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out
laborers
for his harvest.”
Commentary
Jesus'
heart was stirred to deep pity when He looked upon the
vast crowds who longed for relief from their burdens.
Some of the sick He would cure physically, but all would
go away healed in a deeper way: healed of their cynicism,
their despair, their doubt.
Whatever our problem might be, Jesus is the solution.
When we draw near to Him we find healing and grace, and
we find that our lives take on great significance. The
Lord who looked upon those crowds with pity continues
to look upon us with love.
General
Intercessions
- For
the Church, the People of God, that the Lord may give us
shepherds who reconcile and animate with fairness and love,
we pray:
- For all our Christian communities, that we may trust and
support our pastors, dialogue with them and share their
burdens, we pray:
- For all of us, that Christ's care for us may inspire us
to nourish one another with Words of encouragement and hope
and deeds of support, we pray:
Prayer
over the Gifts
Tender
and compassionate God,
you give us food and drink
to sustain us on the road of life.
See how many people today
are needy and rudderless
and give them shepherds to guide them in life,
to nourish them with your living Word
and with the food of lasting life,
Jesus Christ our Lord.
Prayer
after Communion
Lord
our God,
your Son Jesus still goes around today
to our cities and towns far and near.
Let his Word be to all of us
Good News of liberation
from the diseases of our hearts and bodies
and make us pass on this message
to the people around us,
at least by the way we live it.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Blessing
Let
us be and proclaim the Good News of God's kingdom on earth
by our goodness and compassion. May almighty God bless you
for this task, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Claretian Publications MACAU