September 7, 2004 - Tuesday, 23rd Week in Ordinary Time

CHOSEN TO DO GOD'S WORK

Readings:
1 Cor 6:1-11; Ps 149:1b–2, 3– 4, 5– 6a and 9b; Lk 6:12-19

Opening Prayer

Lord our God,
your Son Jesus Christ could build
firm foundations for your Church
on weak and fallible people
Only he could do it; we would not dare.
We pray with your Son
that our faith may remain unshaken
in your Church and those who lead it.
As they struggle and grope,
let your Holy Spirit fill them
with his wisdom and fire.
And lead us all forward in hope.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.

Liturgy of the Word

First Reading Introduction:
       If there are difficulties and dissensions in the community, these should be settled in the community itself rather than bringing them before a civil court, St. Paul tells the Corinthians. Shouldn't communities not be "one heart and one soul?"

First Reading: 1 Cor 6:1–11

Brothers and sisters:
How can any one of you with a case against another dare to
bring it to the unjust for judgment instead of to the holy ones?
Do you not know that the holy ones will judge the world? If
the world is to be judged by you, are you unqualified for the
lowest law courts? Do you not know that we will judge angels?
Then why not everyday matters? If, therefore, you have courts
for everyday matters, do you seat as judges people of no
standing in the Church? I say this to shame you. Can it be that
there is not one among you wise enough to be able to settle a
case between brothers? But rather brother goes to court against
brother, and that before unbelievers?
Now indeed then it is, in any case, a failure on your part
that you have lawsuits against one another. Why not rather put
up with injustice? Why not rather let yourselves be cheated?
Instead, you inflict injustice and cheat, and this to brothers.
Do you not know that the unjust will not inherit the Kingdom
of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators nor idolaters
nor adulterers nor boy prostitutes nor sodomites nor thieves
nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor robbers will
inherit the Kingdom of God. That is what some of you used to
be; but now you have had yourselves washed, you were
sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus
Christ and in the Spirit of our God.

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 149:1b–2, 3– 4, 5– 6a and 9b

R. The Lord takes delight in his people.

Sing to the LORD a new song
of praise in the assembly of the faithful.
Let Israel be glad in their maker,
let the children of Zion rejoice in their king.
R. The Lord takes delight in his people.

Let them praise his name in the festive dance,
let them sing praise to him with timbrel and harp.
For the LORD loves his people,
and he adorns the lowly with victory.
R. The Lord takes delight in his people.

Let the faithful exult in glory;
let them sing for joy upon their couches;
Let the high praises of God be in their throats.
This is the glory of all his faithful. Alleluia.
R. The Lord takes delight in his people.

Gospel Introduction:
       As in other very important occasions in his life, Jesus prays before selecting twelve apostles from among his disciples. For this is a very important moment. He will train them and then will take the risk of entrusting his own work to fallible people. He knows they will not always do the best they can, as they will have moments of fear, discouragement, cowardice and compromises. Still, he trusts them enough and will help them to bring his work to a good end in God's own good time. In this eucharist we express our trust in the Church of Jesus Christ.

Gospel Reading: Lk 6:12-19

Jesus went out into the hills to pray, spending the whole night in prayer with God. When day came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them whom he called apostles: Simon, whom he named Peter, and his brother Andrew, James and John; Philip and Bartholomew; Matthew and Thomas; James son of Alpheus and Simon called the Zealot; Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who would be the traitor.

Coming down the hill with them, Jesus stood on a level place. Many of his disciples were there and a large crowd of people who had come from all parts of Judea and Jerusalem and from the coastal cities of Tyre and Sidon. They gathered to hear him and be healed of their diseases; likewise people troubled by evil spirits were healed. The entire crowd tried to touch him because of the power that went out from him and healed them all.

Commentary

HERE is a taste of C.H. Spurgeon, the great English 19th-century Baptist preacher whose collected works run to fifty volumes, and who had to have larger and larger buildings put up to accommodate his vast congregations-the last one capable of holding 6,000 people.

"Those dark and silent hills were a fit oratory for the Son of God. Heaven and earth in midnight stillness heard the groans and sighs of the mysterious Being in whom both worlds were blended. The continuance of His pleadings is remarkable; the long watches were not too long; the cold wind did not chill His devotions; the grim darkness did not darken His faith, or loneliness check His importunity. We cannot watch with Him one hour, but He watched for us whole nights. The occasion for this prayer is notable; it was after His enemies had been enraged-prayer was His refuge and solace; it was before He sent forth the twelve apostles-prayer was the gate of His enterprise, the herald of His new work. Should we not learn from Jesus to resort to special prayer when we are under peculiar trial, or contemplate fresh endeavors for the Master's glory? Lord Jesus, teach us to pray."

Intentions

- For the pope, that he may lead the Church in faith, wisdom and mercy, we pray:

- For our bishops united with the pope, that they may see and attend to the great needs of the Church in our day, we pray:

- For those who are afraid to answer the call of God to follow Christ and to serve the people of God, we pray:

Prayer over the Gifts

Lord our God,
in the name of Jesus your Son,
your ministers and people offer to you
the memorial of his death and resurrection.
Let us, sinful as we are, be your holy people,
that we may bear witness to your name
and be a believable sign to all
that your Son lives
and that you are our mighty God and Father
now and for ever.

Prayer after Communion

Holy God and Father,
to us, your people on the way,
you have let your Son speak
his uplifting word
and give to us his food of strength.
Renew your Church in its leaders and members,
that we may live as we believe
and raise in our world a prophetic voice
that speaks with credibility
of justice, truth and unity.
May thus the world believe in your Son,
Jesus Christ our Lord.

Blessing

Jesus entrusts his own mission to weak and fallible human hands. "Entrusts," for he trusts them enough. With the help of the Holy Spirit we can do God's work. May almighty God bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

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