November 3 - Sunday - 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time
Theme: Let Your LIfe Tell God's Story
Readings:
1st Reading: Mal 1:14-2:2, 8-10
2nd Reading: 1 Thes 2:7-9, 13
Gospel Reading: Mt 23:1-12
Greeting (See Second Reading)
Thanks to God, you have heard his message
through his Son Jesus Christ.
It is God’s own message which the Church proclaims,
not some human thinking.
It gives you strength when you believe it.
May Jesus, God’s living Word, be always with you.
R/ And also with you.
Introduction by the Celebrant
How ridiculous when someone shows you the way and then gets lost himself! How credible is the politician who makes promises and then does not keep them, the catechist who teaches religion and does not go to church, a priest preaching about justice and not paying his personnel? If we want to be trustworthy and believable, we ourselves must live as we believe, especially those in tasks of leadership and ministries. Let us learn from Jesus, here in this eucharist.
Penitential Act
Let us ask forgiveness from the Lord and each other
for scandalizing others
by not living up to the faith we profess.
(pause)
Lord Jesus, you came to serve,
not to be served:
Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.Jesus Christ, you yourself took up the cross
before you asked people to carry theirs after you:
Christ, have mercy. R/ Christ, have mercy.Lord Jesus, your yoke is light
because you have shown us the way:
Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.Have mercy on us, Lord,
and forgive us all our sins.
Help us to serve the Father and people with you
and lead us to everlasting life. R/ Amen.
Opening Prayer
Let us pray that our life
may not turn our faith into a lie
(pause)
Lord God, our Father,
you keep speaking your Word to us
through your Son Jesus Christ.
Make us listen to that word and welcome it
with all that is in us.
Let that word change our mentality and our ways,
that it may direct our life
to make it a lived message of Good News
for all to see, to be inspired by, and to follow.
Let it be the living power that leads all
to give you praise and glory,
through Jesus Christ our Lord. R/ Amen.
Scripture Readings
First
Reading Intrdoduction: God's Messengers Who Do Not
Speak God's Word
The prophet speaks hard words against
priests who do not speak God’s word. They mislead the people and violate
the covenant. Should they not be the first to be converted to
the word of God?
First Reading : Mal 1:14b- 2:2, 8-10
Cursed be the cheater who, after promising me a bull from his herd, sacrifices a stunted animal. I am a great King and my Name is respected through all the nations, says Yahweh of hosts.
This warning is also for you, priests. If you do not listen to it or concern yourself to glorify my Name, says Yahweh of hosts, I will send the curse on you and curse even your blessings.
But you, says Yahweh of hosts, have strayed from my way, and more- over caused many to stumble because of your teaching. You have broken my covenant with Levi. Therefore I let all the people despise you and consider you unworthy, because you do not follow my ways and you show partiality in your judgments.
Do we not all have the same father? Has the same God not created all of us? Why, then, does each of us betray his brother, defiling the Covenant of our ancestors?
Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 131:1-3
O LORD, my heart is not lifted up, my eyes are not raised too high; I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvelous for me.
But I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother; my soul is like the weaned child that is with me.
O Israel, hope in the LORD from this time on and forevermore.
Second
Reading Intrdoduction: Paul, A Good Messenger of
the Lord
Paul displays all the
qualities of a true messenger of the gospel. He preaches the gospel as
God’s word, not his own, is ready to back it up with his life, is affectionate
to his people (as a mother, he says).
Second Reading: 1 Thes 2:7b-9, 13
Brothers and sisters, we were gentle with you, as a nursing mother who feeds and cuddles her baby. And so great is our concern that we are ready to give you, as well as the Gospel, even our very lives, for you have become very dear to us.
Remember our labor and toil; when we preached the Gospel, we worked day and night so as not to be a burden to you.
This is why we never cease giving thanks to God for, on receiving our message, you accepted it, not as human teaching, but as the word of God. That is what it really is, and as such it is at work in you who believe.
Gospel
Reading Intrdoduction: They Do not Practice
Whate They Preach
Jesus
warns against teachers who do not practice what they preach: Do what
they tell you, but do not follow their example. The great danger is that
we won’t ever listen to them, for they are not credible.
Gospel
Reading: Mt 23:1-12Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, "The teachers of the Law and the Pharisees sat on the seat of Moses. So you shall do and observe all they say, but do not do as they do, for they do not do what they say. They tie up heavy burdens and load them on the shoulders of the people, but they do not even raise a finger to move them. They do everything in order to be seen by people; so they wear very wide bands of the Law around their foreheads, and robes with large tassels. They enjoy the first place at feasts and reserved seats in the synagogues, and being greeted in the marketplace and being called 'Master' by the people.
But you, do not let yourselves be called Master because you have only one Master, and all of you are brothers and sisters. Neither should you call anyone on earth Father, because you have only one Father, he who is in heaven. Nor should you be called leader, because Christ is the only leader for you. Let the greatest among you be the servant of all. For whoever makes himself great shall be humbled, and whoever humbles himself shall be made great."
General Intercession
Let us pray today to the God of truth and love for truthfulness and authenticity in the Church and in the world, and let us say: R/ Lord, hear our prayer.
– For the Church, expecially its leaders, that with courge and honesty they may take to heart the task of renewal and reconciliation, so as to become more the true face of Christ the Lord to the world of today, let us pray:
R/ Lord, hear our prayer.– For priests and religious, that the poverty and love of Christ and people may become visible in them and make their teaching credible, let us pray: R/ Lord, hear our prayer.
– For politicians and civic leaders, that their concern may not be honor and power but justice, dignity, and the unity of those whom they honestly serve, let us pray:
R/ Lord, her our prayer.– For all who seek God with a sincere heart, for all who search for truth and justice, that their hunger may be satisfied; for reporters of newspapaers, television and radio, that the truth may mean more to them than sensationalism and popularity, let us pray:
R/ Lord, hear our prayer.– For all Christian communities, including ours, that we may be truthful and reliable with one another, that our unity and friendship may be genuine, that we may not look down on those who err or doubt, let us pray:
R/ Lord, hear our prayer.God our Father, help us to love and serve you and people in spirit and in truth, through him who is our way to you, Jesus Christ our Lord. R/ Amen.
Prayer Over the Gifts
God our Father,
in these signs we celebrate the memorial
of the death and resurrection of your Son.
He showed us how deep and reliable
was his love for you and for us.
Make our love as genuine as his,
open to your presence in each of us,
capable of forgiving injuries,
and always willing to share the best of ourselves.
Make this come true in our lives,
that our offering may express what is in us
in spirit and in truth.
We ask you this in the name of Jesus the Lord. R/ Amen.
Introduction to the Eucharistic Prayer
With Jesus,who came among us as the servant of all, we give thanks to the Father.
R/ Our Father...
Introduction to the Lord’s Prayer
We have only one Father,
the One in heaven.
To him we pray with Jesus. R/ Our Father...
Deliver Us
Deliver us, Lord, from every evil,
from false appearances and pretences
that we are better than we really are.
Rip off our masks and place on our lips
words full and rich with the warmth of friendship,
that among us love may not be just a word
but a gesture of hope in the coming
of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. R/ For the kingdom...
Invitation to Communion
This is Jesus the Lord, who says:
anyone who eats my flesh
and drinks my blood
will live because of me. R/ Lord, I am not worthy...
Prayer after Communion
God, who are we to boast or pretend?
It is you who have chosen us
and filled us with your gifts.
Even our capacity to do good
comes from your kindness.
By the strength of this eucharist
make us unaffected and humble
before you and the good there is in people.
May we serve you with joy
in the simplicity of our hearts
and proclaim our faith with living deeds.
Grant this through Christ our Lord. R/ Amen.
Blessing
You have only one Father,
the One in heaven.
You have only one Master,
Jesus our Lord.
Serve one another
in the Spirit of truth and love.
May the living and faithful God bless you:
the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. R/ Amen.Go in peace, live as you believe,
and serve one another. R/ Thanks be to God.
Gospel Commentary (Sunday)
It is difficult to avoid thinking about our church after reading today's Gospel. It is easy to change the text and place priests, religious and bishops where the Gospel says scribes and pharisees. But Jesus' criticism would still be valid. Not certainly in all cases but in many. The temptation of religious professionals will always be to become owners and lords of the community and, in some measure, to get some benefits from it. It was then, it is now and it will always be. A Christian community ought to be vigilant to help its pastors overcome that temptation - praying and denouncing the abuses in a prophetic way.
Taken
from Liturgy
Alive for Sundays, Cycle A
& Bible
Diary 2002
(Scripture Readings from Christian
Community Bible, Pastoral Edition)
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