Thursday, August 31, 2006
21st Week in Ordinary Time


THE SERVANT STANDS READY

1 Cor 1:1-9; Ps 145:2-3,4-5,6-7; Matthew 24:42-51


Daily Gospel

Opening Prayer

Lord our God,
we affirm that we believe in you,
but we are in danger of forgetting
that deeds have to prove
the sincerity of our faith.
Help us to be wise and faithful servants
of steadfast faith and fervent love,
who follow the example of Jesus Christ,
your Son and our Lord for ever.

Liturgy of the Word

Introduction to the First Reading
       For three-and-a-half weeks, we will hear in the first reading excerpts from Paul's first letter to the Corinthians. In this letter, Paul has to face practical problems in a young Christian community in pagan territory, particularly its internal division into factions, lapses of morality, relations with pagans, the role of charisms, and faith in the resurrection, so difficult to Greeks. In today's greeting, he reminds the Christians of Corinth how they have become rich in Christ.

First Reading: 1 Cor 1:1-9

Paul, called to be an Apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,
and Sosthenes our brother,
to the Church of God that is in Corinth,
to you who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be holy,
with all those everywhere who call upon the name
of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours.
Grace to you and peace from God our Father
and the Lord Jesus Christ.

I give thanks to my God always on your account
for the grace of God bestowed on you in Christ Jesus,
that in him you were enriched in every way,
with all discourse and all knowledge,
as the testimony to Christ was confirmed among you,
so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift
as you wait for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ.
He will keep you firm to the end,
irreproachable on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
God is faithful,
and by him you were called to fellowship with his Son,
Jesus Christ our Lord.

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 145:2-3,4-5,6-7

R. (1) I will praise your name for ever, Lord.

Every day will I bless you,
and I will praise your name forever and ever.
Great is the LORD and highly to be praised;
his greatness is unsearchable.
R. (1) I will praise your name for ever, Lord.

Generation after generation praises your works
and proclaims your might.
They speak of the splendor of your glorious majesty
and tell of your wondrous works.
R. (1) I will praise your name for ever, Lord.

They discourse of the power of your terrible deeds
and declare your greatness.
They publish the fame of your abundant goodness
and joyfully sing of your justice.
R. (1) I will praise your name for ever, Lord.

Introduction to Gospel Reading
      Especially to the leaders of the community, the Lord says that at his coming, he should find them doing what they are supposed to do, that is, serving the community in love.

Gospel Reading: Matthew 24:42-51

       Jesus said to his disciples, "Stay awake, then, for you do not know on what day your Lord will come. Just think about this: if the owner of the house knew that the thief would come by night around a certain hour, he would stay awake to prevent his house to be broken into. So be alert, for the Son of Man will come at the hour you least expect.

        Imagine a capable servant whom his master has put in charge of his household to give them food at the proper time. Fortunate indeed is that servant whom his master will find at work when he comes. Truly, I say to you, his lord will entrust that one with everything he has.

        Not so with the bad servant who thinks: My master is delayed. And he begins ill-treating his fellow servants while eating and drinking with drunkards. But his master will come on the day he does not know and at the hour he least expects. He will dismiss that servant and deal with him as with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."

Commentary

Paul rejoices that the witness he bore to the Corinthians has been rewarded richly in their speech, knowledge and confirmation of belief. He prays for continued growth and strength and blamelessness, more grace and peace among them so that they will be holy. Could this be a description of us?

Jesus is warning his own to 'stay awake' because we can't know when the day of the Son of Man will come, when judgment will come upon the earth. We are to be like servants of the master who is away, who are faithful; not like those who take over, take the master's house for their own, beat one another and get caught. We will be judged and punished if we act like those he has been criticizing and calling to task. If the Son of Man came today what would we be doing?

General Intercessions

- That we may be attentive to God's presence in our world in the goodness of people, we pray:

- That we may be awake to the love of God that he shows us and makes grow in us in every eucharist, we pray:

- That we may hope in the certainty that our commitment to justice and love and our dedicated service are needed to bring God's kingdom in our world, we pray:

Prayer over the Gifts

Lord our God,
as the body is dead without the soul,
this bread and this wine remain lifeless
if not animated by your Spirit.
Give life to these gifts, we pray you,
by the power of the Holy Spirit,
that Christ's love may inspire our lives
to serve you and people
and make us ready to meet at any time
our Savior, Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Prayer after Communion

Lord our God,
you have called us to life
to be happy ourselves
and to make others happy.
Make us vividly aware
of our responsibility for one another.
Help us to be faithful servants
whose faith in you is made visible
in deeds of sincere love,
as we wait in joyful hope
for the coming of Jesus Christ our Lord.

Blessing

Blessed is that servant whom the master finds at work when he arrives. May the Lord bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

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