October 28 - Monday, 30th Week in Ordinary Time
Feasts of Sts. Simon & Jude, Apostles
Readings:
Eph 2:19-22; Lk 6:12-16
Introduction
Little is know about these apostles. The nickname "Zealot" probably indicates the Simon had been among the anti-Roman activists before he became an apostle. Jude, brother of James and also called Thaddeus, asked Jesus after the Last Supper how Jesus could show himself to the world as Messiah without using force. Jesus answered him that the believers would accept him because of his love.
Opening
Prayer
Lord our God,
as we celebrate your apostles Simon and Jude,
we remember how your Son could build his Church
on weak and fallible people
and make these its firm foundations.
We pray with your Son
that our faith may remain unshaken
in your Church and in those who lead it.
As they struggle and grope,
let your Spirit fill them
with his wisdom and his fire.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Scripture Readings
Now you are no longer strangers or guests, but fellow citizens of the holy people: you are of the household of God. You are the house whose foundations are the apostles and prophets, and whose cornerstone is Christ Jesus. In him the whole structure is joined together and rises to be a holy temple in the Lord. In him you too are being built to become the spiritual sanctuary of God.
Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 19:2-5
Day to day pours forth speech, and night to night declares knowledge.
There is no speech, nor are there words; their voice is not heard; yet their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In the heavens he has set a tent for the sun, which comes out like a bridegroom from his wedding canopy, and like a strong man runs its course with joy.
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.
General Intercessions
- For the pope, that he may lead the Church in faith, wisdom and mercy, we pray:
- For our bishops, that united with the pope 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 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 to us
his uplifting, inspiring word
and give 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 hand. "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.
Jesus was so brilliant in choosing the Apostles! Each one with a different background. Very simple people, maybe too simple for the difficult task to which he was calling them. They could not understand completely what Jesus wanted from them either. The Gospels remind us of this quite often. And when the moment of truth arrived, not one stayed behind to share the same lot as their master. But they are the foundation on which the Church is built. We have received our faith from them and their preaching. Thus, we can clearly see that it is God's grace which acts in our Church, not men's wisdom.
October 29 - Tuesday, 30th Week in Ordinary Time
Theme: CHRISTIAN MARRIAGE
Readings:
Eph 5:21-33; Lk 13:18-21
Opening Prayer
Lord God,
source and model of all love,
you cause the paths of life
of men and women to cross
and to discover one another
as partners in life.
May their love be genuine and creative
and strong enough to survive
the differences and trials
that are part of life.
Let it be patient, understanding,
forgiving and lasting,
as is the love that you have shown us
in Jesus Christ our Lord.
Scripture Readings
First
Reading Introduction:
Each
sacrament is a sharing in the paschal mystery of Christ, a dying and rising
in the new life of Christ. So is marriage. Genuine love in marriage is
a reflection of Christ’s love – with each partner living the life of Christ,
dying to selfishness, rising to deeper, creative and serving love. Ephesians
says that the marriage covenant reflects the love of God for his people
and at the same time the love of Christ for his Church. Then, under the
influence of the socio-cultural thinking and structures of his time, he
continues to draw a parallel between Christ as head of his Church and
the husband as the head of his wife and the family, a parallel which is
hard to accept in contemporary thought.
Let all kinds of submission to one another become obedience to Christ. So wives to their husbands: as to the Lord.
The husband is the head of his wife, as Christ is the head of the Church, his body, of whom he is also the Savior. And as the Church submits to Christ, so let a wife submit in everything to her husband.
As for you, husbands, love your wives as Christ loved the Church and gave himself up for her. He washed her and made her holy by baptism in the Word. As he wanted a radiant Church without stain or wrinkle or any blemish, but holy and blameless, he himself had to prepare and present her to himself.
In the same way, husbands should love their wives as they love their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. And no one has ever hated his body; he feeds and takes care of it. That is just what Christ does for the Church, because we are members of his body.
Scripture says: Because of this a man shall leave his father and mother to be united with his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. This is a very great mystery, and I refer to Christ and the Church. As for you, let each one love his wife as himself, and let the wife respect her husband.
Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 128:1-5
Happy is everyone who fears the LORD, who walks in his ways.
You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands; you shall be happy, and it shall go well with you.
Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house; your children will be like olive shoots around your table.
Thus shall the man be blessed who fears the LORD.
The LORD bless you from Zion. May you see the prosperity of Jerusalem all the days of your life.
Gospel
Reading Introduction:
The
kingdom of God must grow among us, like a seed growing into a tree, like
flour transformed into bread by the yeast. But growth means change and
going ahead, marching forward, and this cannot happen without change and
saying goodbye to the past and even to the present, to walk forward in
hope toward the future. This brings the pain of separation, of giving
up something familiar, but also the joy of knowing that we are on the
way with the Lord.
Jesus said, "What is the kingdom of God like? What shall I compare it to? Imagine a person who has taken a mustard seed and planted it in the garden. The seed has grown and become like a small tree, so that the birds of the air shelter in its branches."
And Jesus said again, "What is the kingdom of God like? Imagine a woman who has taken yeast and hidden it in three measures of flour until it is all leavened."
General Intercessions
– For the Church, the bride of Christ, that she may always be faithful to the message of the gospel and the liberating love of Christ, we pray:
– For homes built on unselfish love, that through them we may understand better all the depth of God’s love, we pray:
– For the young preparing for marriage, that they may learn from life that the depth and beauty of love rest on generosity and sharing, we pray;
Prayer over the Gifts
Lord our God,
bread tastes good
and wine rejoices
when they are shared
as signs of friendship and love.
Break for us the bread of life
and pour for us the wine of happiness
of Jesus, your Son,
that your people may bear together
the burdens of life
and share its joys
by the strength of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Prayer after Communion
Our God and Father,
you have renewed in this eucharist
your covenant of love with your people.
In the name of this covenant we ask of you:
let all love among us
and the union of marriage
between husbands and wives
reflect a bit the tender warmth,
the respect and the inventive ways
of your love for us.
Keep loving us in Jesus Christ our Lord.
Blessing
Marriage is a great mystery of love. Love is not mere sentiment, not just feeling, but the giving of oneself. It is patterned after the love of Christ, who gave himself and did not measure his love. He simply gave himself to us. May our married couples also give themselves to one another and to their children, with the blessing of almighty God, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Some years back I made a long pilgrimage by foot. The road was hard. I was feeling tired. I finally arrived at the inn. Other pilgrims were arriving. We didn't know each other. But there was a person in charge of the inn. She was welcoming us and attending to our needs. To some she gave a bucket of water for their tired feet. Others were requested to help prepare the meals. And she succeeded into changing a group of strangers into a family sharing a simple meal around a common table. At that moment, I remembered the parable of the mustard seed. I prayed for our Christian communities that they also would have this ability of hospitality and welcome.
October 30 - Wednesday, 30th Week in Ordinary Time
Theme: MANY FROM EAST AND WEST
Readings:
Eph 6:1-9; Lk 13:22-30
Opening Prayer
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
We know that there are poor people
and that there are people suffering
from injustice and the hard-heartedness of others.
Do not allow us to remain indifferent to their plight
but give us the courage to share with the needy
and to be the voice of the voiceless.
Make our faith deep and committed,
that you may recognize us
as real brothers and sisters,
of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Scripture Readings
First
Reading Introduction:
God
has no favorites. “He is not impressed by one person any more than by
another.” Thus Ephesians sums up the passage we hear today. This passage
speaks to children and their parents, to slaves and to their masters,
about their mutual relationships of respect, responsibility and love.
Before God they are all equal. In later centuries the logical conclusion
will be drawn that no human person can be enslaved to any other human
being
Children, obey your parents for this is right: Honor your father and your mother. And this is the first commandment that has promise: that you may be happy and enjoy long life in the land. And you, fathers, do not make rebels of your children, but educate them by correction and instruction which the Lord may inspire.
Servants, obey your masters of this world with fear and respect, with simplicity of heart, as if obeying Christ. Do not serve only when you are watched or in order to please others, but become servants of Christ who do God's will with all your heart. Work willingly, for the Lord and not for humans, mindful that the good each one has done, whether servant or free, will be rewarded by the Lord.
And you, masters, deal with your servants in the same way, and do not threaten them, since you know that they and you have the same Lord who is in heaven, and he treats all fairly.
Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 145:10-14
All your works shall give thanks to you, O LORD, and all your faithful shall bless you.
They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom, and tell of your power, to make known to all people your mighty deeds, and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures throughout all generations. The LORD is faithful in all his words, and gracious in all his deeds.
The LORD upholds all who are falling, and raises up all who are bowed down.
Gospel
Reading Introduction:
For disciples of Christ, it
is not enough to know about the Lord or to come to Mass to eat with the
Lord or to read the Bible. As Jesus tells us in many ways throughout the
gospel, we must live as his disciples and put his word into practice.
Otherwise it is as if we did not know him and he does not know us.
Jesus went through towns and villages teaching and making his way to Jerusalem. Someone asked him, "Lord, is it true that few people will be saved?"
And Jesus answered, "Do your best to enter by the narrow door, for many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able. When once the master of the house has got up and locked the door, you will stand outside; then you will knock at the door calling: 'Lord, open to us.' But he will say to you: 'I do not know where you come from.'
Then you will say: We ate and drank with you and you taught in our streets! But he will reply: 'I don't know where you come from. Away from me all you workers of evil.'
You will weep and grind your teeth when you see Abraham and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves left outside. Others will sit at table in the kingdom of God, people coming from east and west, from north and south. Some who are among the last will be the first, and others who were first will be last!"
General Intercessions
– For the Church, that it may never stop proclaiming the gospel to all peoples, languages and cultures, we pray:
– For the unity of all Christians, that they may not remain enclosed within their particularities and human traditions but may enrich one another in Christ, we pray:
– For our Christian communities, that we may be united; that no one is made to feel a stranger among us and that we may be open to one another and to all, we pray:
Prayer over the Gifts
Our loving God,
let this bread and wine
that we bring before you
be tokens and strong affirmations
that we are ready to share our food and joy
with those who need them.
Let our love and generosity
become a way of saying thanks to you
for everything you have given us
freely and abundantly
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Prayer after Communion
Generous God,
your Son Jesus has let us eat and drink with him
and he has spoken to us his message of life.
We have eagerly listened to him.
Help us now to live eagerly by his words
and to learn from him to open our doors and our hearts
to anyone who appeals to us,
that you may also open the door to us
when we knock and ask you to admit us
into your home of everlasting joy.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Blessing
The message of Jesus is good news for everyone. May it also become and remain good news for each of us when we put our heart in it by putting it into practice. May almighty God bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
In Baptism, God blessed us with the gift of faith which made us children of the Father and heirs to the Kingdom. If we do not live our faith in a life concretely animated by love expressed in service, it may happen that others who perhaps have not even received sacramental baptism, but who, following the natural law of God in their hearts, have put themselves at the service of others, will soon find themselves sitting at the table in the banquet of God's Kingdom.
October 31 - Thursday, 30th Week in Ordinary Time
Theme: I MUST BE ON MY WAY
Readings:
Eph 6:10-20; Lk 13:13-35
Opening Prayer
Lord God,
to have an aim, a purpose,
a sure destiny to go to,
even at the cost of sacrifice and pain,
is very reassuring in all its uncertainty.
Keep us going on our way in faith and trust,
without fear or hesitation,
for we are sure that nothing can harm us
and that no prison made by human hands or minds
can deprive us from the inner freedom
which you have given us
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Scripture Readings
First
Reading Introduction:
Ephesians tells us in
the words of Paul how he was boldly and confidently facing the powers
of evil. Paul is in prison for the gospel. He asks his Christians to pray
that he may have the courage to speak out for the gospel and he himself
prompts the faithful to stand strong in the face of evil.
Finally, be strong in the Lord with his energy and strength. Put on the whole armor of God to be able to resist the cunning of the devil. Our battle is not against human forces but against the rulers and authorities and their dark powers that govern this world. We are struggling against the spirits and supernatural forces of evil.
Therefore put on the whole armor of God, that in the evil day, you may resist and stand your ground, making use of all your weapons. Take truth as your belt, justice as your breastplate, and zeal as your shoes to propagate the Gospel of peace. Always hold in your hand the shield of faith to repel the flaming arrows of the devil. Finally, use the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, that is, the Word of God.
Pray at all times as the Spirit inspires you. Keep watch, together with sustained prayer and supplication for all the holy ones. Pray also for me, so that when I speak, I may be given words to proclaim bravely the mystery of the Gospel. Even when in chains I am an ambassador of God; may he give me the strength to speak as I should.
Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 144:1-2, 9-10
Blessed be the LORD, my rock, who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle; my rock and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, my shield, in whom I take refuge, who subdues the peoples under me.
I will sing a new song to you, O God; upon a ten-stringed harp I will play to you, the one who gives victory to kings, who rescues his servant David.
Gospel
Introduction:
Jesus is warned by apparently
sympathetic Pharisees that Herod may kill him. Jesus replies that he has
already faced evil spirits and will continue on his way to Jerusalem, – “I
must continue on my way” where death awaits him “today, tomorrow, and
the next day,” that is, soon. Are we people marked by courage? Let us
pray to the Lord for strength.
Some Pharisees came to Jesus and gave him this warning, "Leave this place and go on your way, for Herod wants to kill you." Jesus said to them, "Go and give that fox my answer: 'I drive out demons and heal today and tomorrow, and on the third day I finish my course!' Nevertheless, I must go on my way today and tomorrow and for a little longer, for it would not be fitting for a prophet to be killed outside Jerusalem.
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you slay the prophets and stone your apostles! How often have I tried to bring together your children, as a bird gathers her young under her wings, but you refused! From now on you will be left with your temple and you will no longer see me until the time when you will say: Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord."
General Intercessions
– For all who are persecuted for their faith, that Jesus may give them the strength to remain faithful, we pray:
– For couples whose roads in marriage passes through difficult moments, that their love may not fail, we pray:
– For all of us, that through questions, doubts and difficulties God may help our faith grow, we pray:
Prayer over the Gifts
Lord our God,
your Son Jesus accepted
to go all the way to his destiny
of suffering and death
because he believed in your love.
By this bread and this wine
keep us believing in your victory
over evil and death
and let them become for us
the source of strength and courage
in our struggle for all that is good.
We ask you this through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Prayer after Communion
Lord our God,
we overcome evil with your Son
when we opt for integrity and truth,
for patience and forgiveness.
Keep us going on our wayAnd strengthen in us the conviction
that the reality of evil and sin
within us and in the world
can never be victorious,
for all that is good cannot die
since your Son rose from the dead,
and he is our Lord for ever.
Blessing
We must be on our way with the Lord, consistently, even in the difficulties of life. We know our goal: love of God and of people, and nothing should stop us. We know we are in the hands of God. May almighty God bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
The lamentation of Jesus over Jerusalem offers us a new perspective of his personality. Jesus feels disheartened. He, the messenger of the Good News, who has wanted to offer to his people peace and salvation, has been rejected. He has lived among his people doing only good: curing, offering hope, and giving life. But the price he is going to receive is death. That's why his complain comes from the depth of his heart. The same happens to us at times. The question is whether we have the same right to complain as Jesus has. Indeed, have we gone among our brothers and sisters doing good?
Taken
from Liturgy
Alive for Weekdays
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