Liturgy Alive, Models of Celebrations

Hos 10:1–3, 7– 8, 12;
Ps 105:2 – 3, 4 – 5, 6 –7; Mt 10:1–7

Daily Gospel

First Reading: Hos 10:1–3, 7– 8, 12

Israel is a luxuriant vine
whose fruit matches its growth.
The more abundant his fruit,
the more altars he built;
The more productive his land,
the more sacred pillars he set up.
Their heart is false,
now they pay for their guilt;
God shall break down their altars
and destroy their sacred pillars.
If they would say,
“We have no king”—
Since they do not fear the LORD,
what can the king do for them?
The king of Samaria shall disappear,
like foam upon the waters.
The high places of Aven shall be destroyed,
the sin of Israel;
thorns and thistles shall overgrow their altars.
Then they shall cry out to the mountains, “Cover us!”
and to the hills, “Fall upon us!”
“Sow for yourselves justice,
reap the fruit of piety;
break up for yourselves a new field,
for it is time to seek the LORD,
till he come and rain down justice upon you.”

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 105:2 – 3, 4 – 5, 6 –7

R./ Seek always the face of the Lord.

Sing to him, sing his praise,
proclaim all his wondrous deeds.
Glory in his holy name;
rejoice, O hearts that seek the LORD!
R./ Seek always the face of the Lord.

Look to the LORD in his strength;
seek to serve him constantly.
Recall the wondrous deeds that he has wrought,
his portents, and the judgments he has uttered.
R./ Seek always the face of the Lord.

You descendants of Abraham, his servants,
sons of Jacob, his chosen ones!
He, the LORD, is our God;
throughout the earth his judgments prevail.
R./ Seek always the face of the Lord.

Gospel Reading Introduction
Jesus sends out his apostles as healers of the ills of people so that the new era of the kingdom of God can begin. They, and we too, have to be healers in a world that is harsh and pitiless and much in need of healing. Let the forgiveness and compassionate love we receive from God renew this world and make it God's world and kingdom.

Gospel Reading: Mt 10:1–7

Jesus summoned his Twelve disciples and gave them authority
over unclean spirits to drive them out and to cure every disease
and every illness. The names of the Twelve Apostles are these:
first, Simon called Peter, and his brother Andrew; James, the
son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew,
Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James, the son of
Alphaeus, and Thaddeus; Simon the Cananean, and Judas
Iscariot who betrayed Jesus.

Jesus sent out these Twelve after instructing them thus, “Do
not go into pagan territory or enter a Samaritan town. Go rather
to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. As you go, make this
proclamation: ‘The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.’”

Commentary

The apostles charged with the task of proclaiming the Kingdom were not all of the same mold. Some were fishermen and another was a tax collector. Some were learned and others were simple. Some were zealous for political change, others were young and still learning their way.

Jesus called each of the apostles for a reason, just as He has a purpose for calling each of us. In our own way, using the gifts that God has given to us, we all have a unique role to play in the proclamation of the Kingdom of God.

General Intercessions

- That our commitment to the work of justice and our sense of service may bear witness that the kingdom of God is alive among us, we pray:

- That the Lord may call many priests, religious and committed laypersons to announce the Good News to the world, we pray:

- That in our Christian communities we may receive and live the Word of God with open hearts and great zeal, we pray:

Prayer over the Gifts

Our loving God,
you have given us without charge
this bread and wine.
Turn them by the power of the Holy Spirit
into your best free gift to us,
your Son Jesus Christ.
Dispose us to keep him not to ourselves
but to share him with all those around us
without any other preference than that of Jesus:
the poor, the needy, and the little people.
May this be the sign that we are your people,
that your kingdom is growing among us
and that you are our God now and for ever.

Prayer after Communion

Lord our God,
again we ask of you to make us more
your people of the covenant.
Through Jesus, your Son-with-us, make us all one,
praying and working together
to build up your kingdom among people.
Let none of us be an uncommitted spectator
but make each of us fully aware
that, weak and fallible as we are,
you need us and want us to be a holy people,
the sign to all of your lasting goodness.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.

Blessing

God sends us to be healers and to proclaim with our lives that the kingdom of heaven is here and growing in our world. May almighty God bless you for this task, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.