30 July 2022

XVIII Sunday of the Year

WHEN THE DOLLARS ARE IN THE WAY



INTRODUCTORY RITES

Gather as a family/ community; create an environment appropriate for prayer (dress appropriately - switch off your phones...). 
We cannot gather as usual for the Eucharist. But we are conscious that Christ is present not only in the Blessed Sacrament but also in the Scriptures and in our hearts. Even when we are on our own, we remain part of the Body of Christ.
Place lighted candles, a crucifix, and the Bible on a covered table. These remind us of the sacredness of our time of prayer and could help us feel connected with our local worshipping communities.

You may sing or play an appropriate hymn. For instance:
The Sign of the Cross

Greeting and Introductory Words

L: The Lord invites us to the table of his Word: let us bless him for his goodness.
A: Blessed be God forever.

L: We need things that are necessary for life, but experience keeps reminding us that accumulating riches does not bring happiness! The joy of living does not depend on full granaries or fat bank accounts but on how much we love the Lord and one another and on how much we share what we have. This is how we become rich in the sight of God. We pray that we may get our priorities right.

Penitential Rite

L: For the moments we have focused exclusively on ourselves, and we have put our happiness and life in what is perishable, we ask the Lord for forgiveness.
        Pause

L: Lord Jesus, you are our life
and you want us to live for values that last: 
Lord, have mercy.
A: Lord, have mercy.
L: Lord Jesus, you are rich in mercy
and you want us to be rich in forgiveness and love: 
Christ, have mercy.
A: Christ, have mercy.
L: Lord Jesus, you brought us freedom
and you want us to be free from greed, free for God and people:
Lord, have mercy.
A: Lord, have mercy.

L: May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life.
A: Amen.

Gloria
Opening Prayer

L: O God, the giver of every gift that endures, only by your grace can we understand the wonder of life and why it is given. By the word of your Son challenge our foolishness, confront our greed, and shape our lives to the wisdom of the gospel .
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever
A: Amen.

THE LITURGY OF THE WORD

Readings

The readings are those assigned for the day in the Lectionary.
Preferably use a Bible/ Lectionary for reading.


Reading 1    Ecclesiastes 1:2; 2:21-23
Psalm         Psalm 90:3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 14, 17
Response If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
                Response 1 or Response 2
Reading 2 Colossians 3:1-5, 9-11
Acclamation
                        Alleluia, alleluia.
                        Blessed are the poor in spirit,
                        for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
                  Acclamation
Gospel         Luke 12:13-21
Reflection on the Readings
 
Use one of the following ways to reflect on the readings.

Lectio Divina

Imagine you are in the crowd when someone asks Jesus: “Teacher, tell my brother to share the inheritance with me.” What are your thoughts and feelings when you hear the question and when you hear Jesus’ response and the parable of the rich fool?

Sunday Snippets

Henry Ford asked an associate about his life goals. The man replied that his goal was to make a million dollars. A few days later Ford gave him a pair of specs with dollar coins instead of lenses. He told the man to put them on and asked what he could see. “Nothing,” the man said, “the dollars are in the way.” Ford told him that he should invest in reaching out to others, not simply in making money.

Money is important. It is necessary! But it is only a means to higher ends. When the “dollars” get in the way of our seeing God, others, and the world, it’s time to change/remove our specs! 

In the gospel, when called to arbitrate in a property dispute, Jesus warns his listeners—through the parable of the rich fool—not to focus on possessions. The rich man of the parable is a “fool” not because he is rich; but because 
a) he trusts inordinately in his riches: he cannot see beyond himself; in his barns, there is room only for grain, not for God.
b) he is totally self-centred: when he has a problem, he talks it over with himself; all his planning is for his benefit and comfort only.
The man has riches but is extremely poor in his relationships. 
This is why St Paul, in the second reading, cautions the Colossians: “put to death… the greed that is idolatry.” The first reading, from the Book of Ecclesiastes, sums up Jesus’ teaching!

This text appears in the section on discipleship. Having spoken of the central place of love and prayer in the life of the disciple, Jesus now stresses the need to be rich in what matters to God: becoming truly human, that is, becoming rich in our relationship with God and others.
Few of us are as rich as the man in the story; but each of us has riches: talents, time, resources, families…
Do my “riches” isolate me from others or do I share my riches with others and use these to build my relationships? Where does my security lie: in the bank or in God? On what do I focus: grain/ green/ God? Are the “dollars” in the way?

Questions to Ponder

Reflect on some (or all) of the following questions:

Reading 1Is there more of “toil and anxiety” than I want in my life?
This reading is about priorities. Do mine occasionally need to be checked and rearranged?

Reading 2: “Here there is no Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision.” Could St Paul give the same speech today? How would acting as if “Christ is all and in all” solve today’s problems like racism?

Gospel: Many would determine their worth as a person by the greatness of their house or portfolio or the make of their car. What about me? How do I estimate my/a person’s worth? 
What are some qualities that “matter to God”?

The Creed

Prayer of the Faithful

L: God is the origin and end of our riches, peace, and joy. To him we pray: Lord, hear our prayer.

R: For the Church: that we may recognize our dependence upon God and let go of our attempts to control our lives, we pray… 
R: For leaders of nations: that they work for effective political, social, and economic reforms that allow people to enjoy the fruits of their work, material and spiritual goods, and the treasures of education and culture, we pray…
R: For families that are divided by inheritance and financial issues: that God may help them recognize the value and dignity of each other and guide them to a resolution of their conflicts, we pray…
R: For health and healing: that God may protect us from the new coronavirus variants and other rampant diseases, and heal those who are ill, we pray…
R: For greater stewardship: that we may understand the beauty and value of God’s creation and work to protect it, we pray…
R: For ourselves: that we may appreciate all the gifts that God has given us and become rich through words of faith, attitudes of hope, and deeds of love, we pray…

L: Lord our God, keep us attentive to the brittleness of all things to which we attach ourselves. Make us share our goods and talents and keep us trusting in you, our true wealth and our hope. We ask this through Christ our Lord.
A: Amen.

SPIRITUAL COMMUNION

The Lord’s Prayer 

Spiritual Communion 

A: Jesus, I know and believe in your real presence in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist. It is you I desire to love and receive above all things. As I am unable to receive your sacramental presence now, come and be with me in heart and soul. Let my entire self be united with you as I welcome you again and know your loving embrace. Amen.

Post Spiritual Communion Reflection

If I owned all the clothes in the mall
but I did not clothe the naked;
if I sipped tasty wines
but did not give a glass of cold water;
if I took time to rake in money
but did not spread love;
then, what would I have?

Lord, 
What would you want me to have?
Make me want that more than anything else.
Through your Holy Spirit,
help me take off the old self
and put on what is new
so I can better seek what is above.

CONCLUDING RITE

Concluding Prayer

L: Father, you care, and so in you we trust. Our hearts are divided, yet we must provide care and security to those we love. Do not allow greed to blind us so as to pile up goods we do not need and things that do not really matter. Make us generous sharers of what we have that we may become rich in your sight.
Through Christ our Lord.
A: Amen.

Blessing

L: The Lord bless us, protect us from all evil, and lead us to everlasting life.
A: Amen.

L: Go in the peace of Christ.
A: Thanks be to God.

Conclude with a hymn. For instance:

23 July 2022

XVII Sunday of the Year

NEVER GIVE UP



INTRODUCTORY RITES

Gather as a family/ community; create an environment appropriate for prayer (dress appropriately - switch off your phones...). 
We cannot gather as usual for the Eucharist. But we are conscious that Christ is present not only in the Blessed Sacrament but also in the Scriptures and in our hearts. Even when we are on our own, we remain part of the Body of Christ.
Place lighted candles, a crucifix, and the Bible on a covered table. These remind us of the sacredness of our time of prayer and could help us feel connected with our local worshipping communities.

You may sing or play an appropriate hymn. For instance:
The Sign of the Cross

Greeting and Introductory Words

L: The Lord invites us to the table of his Word: let us bless him for his goodness.
A: Blessed be God forever.

L: Mark Twain’s character Huckleberry Finn once prayed for a fishing pole and hooks. When he got only the pole, he gave up on prayer. 
We may have the same experience: we pray for something; we don’t get it and we are tempted to give up on prayer. Today’s readings urge us to never give up on God and prayer, and to trust that God will give us what we need. We pray that we persist in praying and trust that God will heed our prayer.

Penitential Rite

L: For the moments we have given up on God and prayer, we ask his pardon.
        Pause

L: Lord Jesus, you gave us a pattern of prayer, the “Our Father”: 
Lord, have mercy.
A: Lord, have mercy.
L: Lord Jesus, you gave us an example of prayer
when you spent time alone with your Father: 
Christ, have mercy.
A: Christ, have mercy.
L: Lord Jesus, you invite us to ask, seek, and knock:
Lord, have mercy.
A: Lord, have mercy.

L: May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life.
A: Amen.

Gloria
Opening Prayer

L: Provident Father, with the prayer your Son taught us, we ask, we seek, we knock at your door. In our every need, grant us the first and best of all your gifts, the Spirit who makes us your children.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever
A: Amen.

THE LITURGY OF THE WORD

Readings

The readings are those assigned for the day in the Lectionary.
Preferably use a Bible/ Lectionary for reading.


Reading 1    Genesis 18:20-32
Psalm         Psalm 138:1-2, 2-3, 6-7, 7-8
Response Lord, on the day I called for help, you answered me.
                Response 1 or Response 2
Reading 2 Colossians 2:12-14
Acclamation
                        Alleluia, alleluia.
                        You have received a Spirit of adoption,
                        through which we cry, Abba, Father.
                  Acclamation
Gospel         Luke 11:1-13
Reflection on the Readings
 
Use one of the following ways to reflect on the readings.

Lectio Divina

Imagine you are one of the disciples. What are your thoughts and feelings when you hear Jesus’ teaching on prayer and/or his illustrations?

Sunday Snippets

Winston Churchill took three years to get through the eighth grade! Many years later, in October 1941, he was asked to address the boys at his alma mater. His speech supposedly consisted of five words: “Never, never, never give up!”

This may be a legend! But these words sum up the thrust of today’s readings: NEVER GIVE UP on God and on prayer.

In the first reading, Abraham asks God repeatedly and negotiates with him to save the immoral cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. This is the APU program: aggressive/audacious, persistent, unreasonable!
In today’s gospel, after teaching his disciples to pray, Jesus urges them to be persistent in prayer: ask repeatedly, seek untiringly, and knock loudly… and they will receive, find, and have the door opened.

But for what do we ask, seek, and knock? 
Jesus gives us the “pattern” to pray. We ought to pray, first, for God’s name to be made holy, for his kingdom to be established, and for his will to be done. We, then, pray for ourselves: for food, forgiveness (in the measure that we forgive!), and freedom from temptation/evil.

When we pray according to this “pattern”, God – like and much more than a good parent – will answer our prayer!
Jesus’ simple argument is that no father ever refused the request of his son; and so God the great Father will never refuse the requests of his children. A child might not be able to distinguish between a stone and bread, between a snake and a fish, between a scorpion and an egg. The parent, seeing the child reach out for a stone/ eel/ scorpion, knows the child is hungry, and satisfies not the request but the need expressed.
God gives us what we need. Instead of a change in situation for which we may be praying, he may give us strength and courage to face the situation or a new path of action or an enlarged capacity for suffering or looking at things with broader vision. God’s response to our prayer is generous and mysterious: the Holy Spirit.

Will I persist in prayer like Abraham? Will I ask repeatedly, seek untiringly, and knock loudly?
May you and I remember that prayer is to be in harmony with God; to feel the assurance that God is in, around and greater than any circumstance; that prayer is not a trading post, but a line of communication. 
May you and I never give up on God and on prayer!

Questions to Ponder

Reflect on some (or all) of the following questions:

Reading 1What do you learn about God in this story? How does God respond to Abraham’s persistence?
What do you learn about Abraham in the story? What behaviour of his would I like to imitate? How honest and persistent am I in prayer?

Reading 2: “He brought you to life along with him, having forgiven us… our transgressions; obliterating the bond against us…” Why would this action of Christ (the complete razing of the wall between God and humankind) allow us to ask the Father for all we need and know we will receive as in today’s Gospel?

Gospel: How are the sleepy friend and the father in the parables like God? How are they different?
Do I think God already knows all my prayers of petition? If he knows my prayers, what is the purpose of prayer?

The Creed

Prayer of the Faithful

L: We come before our heavenly Father with trust and confidence, and pray: Lord, hear our prayer.

R: For the Church: that, like Abraham, we may grow in our friendship with God and honestly present our needs to God each day, we pray… 
R: For government leaders: that God may guide them in addressing the issues of inflation, violence, and the care of creation so that all may live in safety, find housing, and have food, we pray…
R: For peace: that God may turn hearts away from violence, bring an end to warfare especially in Ukraine and Syria, and protect the vulnerable from harm, we pray…
R: For all facing trial and difficulty: that God’s Spirit may strengthen the hearts of all people who are imprisoned or persecuted for their faith or ideologies and fill them with courage, we pray…
R: For health and healing: that God may curtail the new coronavirus variants, heal those who are ill, and protect the elderly and very young from the virus, we pray…
R: For greater stewardship: that we may have the right attitudes and action to care for creation, we pray…
R: For ourselves: that the Spirit may teach us how to authentically express our deepest needs to God in prayer and give us strength never to grow tired of calling upon God for assistance, we pray…

L: Father in heaven, open our eyes and ears to you, to ourselves and to people, that we may know what to pray for and that we may be open to your answer to our prayer, even when it is different from what we expect. We ask this through Christ our Lord.
A: Amen.

SPIRITUAL COMMUNION

The Lord’s Prayer 

Spiritual Communion 

A: Jesus, I know and believe in your real presence in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist. It is you I desire to love and receive above all things. As I am unable to receive your sacramental presence now, come and be with me in heart and soul. Let my entire self be united with you as I welcome you again and know your loving embrace. Amen.

Post Spiritual Communion Reflection

Lord,
Abraham bargained.
“Forty innocent ones? Twenty? Ten?”
You, his loving abba, surrendered each time.
And Abraham kept asking for more!

You stand at the door waiting for us to knock,
always seeking ways to dote on us,
and fill us with good things.
Let us come to you and plead with you.
Help us to persist in our prayers
for climate change, gun control, 
immigrants, starving children,
racism, war.   
Thank you for hearing and answering
our life-long pleadings in your way and your time.

CONCLUDING RITE

Concluding Prayer

L: Our Father in heaven, we thank you for giving us your Son. May we learn from him not only to pray to you but also to let our deeds match our words. May our prayers prompt us to commit ourselves more deeply to bring forgiveness, justice, and love to all, that people may praise your name.
Through Christ our Lord.
A: Amen.

Blessing

L: The Lord bless us, protect us from all evil, and lead us to everlasting life.
A: Amen.

L: Go in the peace of Christ.
A: Thanks be to God.

Conclude with a hymn. For instance:

16 July 2022

XVI Sunday of the Year

BEING WITH AND DOING FOR…



INTRODUCTORY RITES

Gather as a family/ community; create an environment appropriate for prayer (dress appropriately - switch off your phones...). 
We cannot gather as usual for the Eucharist. But we are conscious that Christ is present not only in the Blessed Sacrament but also in the Scriptures and in our hearts. Even when we are on our own, we remain part of the Body of Christ.
Place lighted candles, a crucifix, and the Bible on a covered table. These remind us of the sacredness of our time of prayer and could help us feel connected with our local worshipping communities.

You may sing or play an appropriate hymn. For instance:
The Sign of the Cross

Greeting and Introductory Words

L: The Lord invites us to the table of his Word: let us bless him for his goodness.
A: Blessed be God forever.

L: It is amusing to see people with cameras at occasions or at locales. They are so focussed on getting the right shot that they miss the whole experience and miss being with people. They see it only through the camera lens. It is easy for us to miss what is going on around us, to get so busy doing things that we fail to be with people and to enjoy their presence. 
Let us pray that we may enjoy the precious moments life gives us to be with people.

Penitential Rite

L: For the time we have focused on doing many things instead of “wasting” it with people, let us ask the Lord to forgive us.
        Pause

L: Lord Jesus, you spent time with your disciples: 
Lord, have mercy.
A: Lord, have mercy.
L: Lord Jesus, you interacted with the people you healed: 
Christ, have mercy.
A: Christ, have mercy.
L: Lord Jesus, you spent time at the home of Martha, Mary, and Lazarus:
Lord, have mercy.
A: Lord, have mercy.

L: May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life.
A: Amen.

Gloria
Opening Prayer

L: Eternal God, you draw near to us in Christ and make yourself our guest. Amid the cares of our daily lives, make us attentive to your voice and alert to your presence, that we may treasure your word above all else.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever
A: Amen.

THE LITURGY OF THE WORD

Readings

The readings are those assigned for the day in the Lectionary.
Preferably use a Bible/ Lectionary for reading.


Reading 1    Genesis 18:1-10a
Psalm         Psalm 15:2-3, 3-4, 5
Response He who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord.
                Response 1 or Response 2
Reading 2 Colossians 1:24-28
Acclamation
                        Alleluia, alleluia.
                        Blessed are they who have kept the word with a generous heart
                        and yield a harvest through perseverance.
                  Acclamation
Gospel         Luke 10:38-42
Reflection on the Readings
 
Use one of the following ways to reflect on the readings.

Lectio Divina

Imagine you are in the house of Martha and Mary. What are your thoughts and feelings when you see Martha scurry about serving Jesus and Mary quietly sitting at his feet; when you hear Martha speak with Jesus; and when you hear Jesus’ response?

Sunday Snippets

One hears parents complain: “I slog from morning till night to give my kids the best. They don’t care. for whom am I working if not for them?” Children also complain: “Dad and Mum never spend time with me.” A dilemma! To be with people or to do things for them?

This dilemma finds an echo in today’s Gospel story. Martha and Mary both respond to Jesus’ presence—one by serving him, the other by sitting with him. Both responses are good yet seem to contradict each other. 

It’s not a question of work vs prayer. To understand the story, it is necessary to look at its context. Today’s incident comes after the parable of the Good Samaritan, which Jesus concludes with the words: “Go and do likewise.” The passage that follows today’s pericope is about prayer. In between we have today’s real-life situation: Martha serves Jesus and Mary simply sits with him. Who is neighbour to Jesus?

Reginald Fuller, a biblical scholar, suggests that the Martha-Mary story is a corrective to the activism in the parable of the Good Samaritan. Jesus’ command “Go and do likewise” is meaningful only when it flows from hearing the word/prayer. For Martha’s service to be a true expression of love of neighbour, it would need to flow out of being with Jesus.
Further, it’s about discerning what a person needs in a particular situation and at a given moment. Jesus is on his way to Jerusalem to his passion and death. His greatest need is not “many things” but an empathetic-silent presence. That is what Mary gives him.
Finally, it’s about balance! Some of us are like Martha and some like Mary. We need to combine the two: without sitting and listening—to God and people—our doing leads to anxiety and anger; without doing, our faith and our love are empty, our being is passive. 

Like Martha, we could get distracted by many things. We need to spend time with people. This will help us to discern what they want and need, and then we can meet that need. 
Will my love of neighbour flow from my being with the Lord? Will I discern a person’s need and then meet that need? Will I strike a balance between being with people and doing things for them?

Questions to Ponder

Reflect on some (or all) of the following questions:

Reading 1What does this story of Abraham’s hospitality signify? Why is hospitality important? How would I compare it to Martha’s hospitality in the Gospel reading? Who needs my hospitality today?

Reading 2: If I had a task like Paul’s, to take God’s love places where it is not known well, how would I do it? Could hospitality be a starting point?

Gospel: With whom do I identify most in this story, Mary or Martha? What can I learn from this passage about myself?
If I were Martha, what would I have done differently? If I were Mary, what would I have done differently?

The Creed

Prayer of the Faithful

L: As members of the Body of Christ, we are called to love and serve one another, so let us turn to the Father with our prayers for ourselves and for our world, and pray: Lord, hear our prayer.

R: For the Church: that our deeds of hospitality and service may reveal to all people a glimpse of the face of God, we pray… 
R: For the world: that God may turn hearts from violence, open new opportunities for dialogue, and protect innocent people from attacks and violence, we pray…
R: For those suffering especially in Ukraine and Sri Lanka: that God may protect them from harm, and inspire nations and peoples to respond to their needs, we pray…
R: For those whose lives are filled with distraction and fears: that their anxieties may be calmed, and they may be able to rest in the stillness of God’s presence, we pray…
R: For all who are ill: that God’s healing spirit may bring them through their illness and restore them to wholeness, we pray…
R: For greater stewardship: that the Spirit may guide us in sharing our time, talents, and resources in support of the church of the forgotten of society and of creation, we pray…
R: For ourselves: that God may free us from overworking, help us find the life-giving balance, and recognize the relationships which bring us life, we pray…

L: Lord, with Abraham and Sarah we open wide our hearts to serve you; with Mary we open wide our ears to hear your word; with Martha we open wide our hands to do your work. May our prayer today centre our lives on your Son, Jesus Christ, who is Lord for ever and ever.
A: Amen.

SPIRITUAL COMMUNION

The Lord’s Prayer 

Spiritual Communion 

A: Jesus, I know and believe in your real presence in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist. It is you I desire to love and receive above all things. As I am unable to receive your sacramental presence now, come and be with me in heart and soul. Let my entire self be united with you as I welcome you again and know your loving embrace. Amen.

Post Spiritual Communion Reflection

Lord,
serving Martha 
readied the table, cooked the meal, and waited on you;
resting Mary
sat herself down at your feet and listened to you.

O Jesus,
call us to rest at your feet and listen;
to share for a while with you that one thing that is necessary.
And then, let us bustle about serving it to others 
and reach out to them in love and service.
Let us take the riches and glory of your love
to every part of your world, to every person,
so all can know you and your compassion for all people.


CONCLUDING RITE

Concluding Prayer

L: Our loving God and Father, you have invited us to stay with you, to listen to the message of Jesus your Son and to accept from him your peace and love. May we welcome him wholeheartedly and learn from him to welcome him too in people who appeal to us for forgiveness and a bit of warmth, for patience and hope and joy.
Through Christ our Lord.
A: Amen.

Blessing

L: The Lord bless us, protect us from all evil, and lead us to everlasting life.
A: Amen.

L: Go in the peace of Christ.
A: Thanks be to God.

Conclude with a hymn. For instance:

09 July 2022

XV Sunday of the Year

LOVE HAS NO BORDERS



INTRODUCTORY RITES

Gather as a family/ community; create an environment appropriate for prayer (dress appropriately - switch off your phones...). 
We cannot gather as usual for the Eucharist. But we are conscious that Christ is present not only in the Blessed Sacrament but also in the Scriptures and in our hearts. Even when we are on our own, we remain part of the Body of Christ.
Place lighted candles, a crucifix, and the Bible on a covered table. These remind us of the sacredness of our time of prayer and could help us feel connected with our local worshipping communities.

You may sing or play an appropriate hymn. For instance:
The Sign of the Cross

Greeting and Introductory Words

L: The Lord invites us to the table of his Word: let us bless him for his goodness.
A: Blessed be God forever.

L: Someone said: “True love knows no boundaries even though it crosses many.” This is what today’s liturgy challenges us to do: to love all people especially those in need irrespective of language, race, religion. We ask the Lord of Love to give us the grace to love beyond all barriers and boundaries.

Penitential Rite

L: For the times we have put barriers to our love, we ask the Lord to pardon us.
        Pause

L: Lord Jesus, you reached out to the least and the lost, the sinner and the outcast: 
Lord, have mercy.
A: Lord, have mercy.
L: Lord Jesus, you reached out to the Samaritan woman, the Roman Centurion,
        the Syro-Phoenician woman: 
Christ, have mercy.
A: Christ, have mercy.
L: Lord Jesus, you had compassion on the crowds
because they were harassed and helpless:
Lord, have mercy.
A: Lord, have mercy.

L: May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life.
A: Amen.

Gloria
Opening Prayer

L: In Christ you draw near to us, God of mercy and compassion, lifting us out of death, binding up our wounds, and nursing our spirits back to health. Let such a tenderness as yours compel us to go and do likewise. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever
A: Amen.

THE LITURGY OF THE WORD

Readings

The readings are those assigned for the day in the Lectionary.
Preferably use a Bible/ Lectionary for reading.


Reading 1    Deuteronomy 30:10-14
Psalm         Psalm 69:14, 17, 30-31, 33-34, 36, 37
Response Turn to the Lord in your need, and you will live.
                Response 1 or Response 2
Reading 2 Colossians 1:15-20
Acclamation
                        Alleluia, alleluia.
                        Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life;
                        you have the words of everlasting life.
                  Acclamation
Gospel         Luke 10:25-37
Reflection on the Readings
 
Use one of the following ways to reflect on the readings.

Lectio Divina

Imagine you are present when “the scholar of the law… stood up to test Jesus.” What are your thoughts and feelings when you hear him ask “And who is my neighbour?” and when you hear Jesus’ reply through the parable of the Good Samaritan? 

Sunday Snippets

In July 2003, the successful heart operation on two-and-a-half-year-old Noor Fatima, a child from Pakistan, put the spotlight on Dr Devi Shetty and his Narayana Hrudayalaya (in Bangalore). Patients from several countries continue to visit this hospital. Dr Shetty says: “Pain has no language… reaction to pain and suffering is the same, so our response to the problem is also the same.” 

Through the parable of the Good Samaritan, this is what Jesus tells the scholar of the law who asked him: “Who is my neighbour?” The scholar asks Jesus the meaning of Leviticus 19:18 (which he has just quoted). For the Jews, one’s neighbour was the people in one’s own group, camp, area; it had a restrictive meaning.
But Leviticus 19:33 reads: “The stranger who sojourns with you shall be to you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself.” So the command to love one’s “neighbour” extended to foreigners, immigrants, and sojourners.

Love has no borders and knows no barriers. Love reaches out to anyone in need. Love gets involved, regardless of who the person is and regardless of the cost. 
This is what the unlikely hero of the parable does. The Samaritan goes beyond the boundaries of religion and nationality; he reaches out to the wounded man in need, gets involved in his life, spends time with him, and pays the innkeeper to minister to him. Recall that the Jews considered the Samaritans half breeds, thieves, and heretics. The Samaritan—the one least likely to keep the law—is the only one who keeps it.
Jesus gives the “man” no name, no religion, no nationality… in times of need, these are irrelevant. Further, he reverses the question: it is not important who my neighbour is, but to whom am I a neighbour! 

In an era when we build “gated communities” with religious, ethnic-racial, socio-economic fences, when we want to build walls and fences on borders, Jesus challenges me to live the commandment of love by going beyond all barriers and to build his kingdom as a neighbourhood with no frontiers.

How do we respond to people in need: are we moved with compassion and do we reach out to them with mercy or do we walk on pretending they don’t exist? To whom and how will I be “neighbour” in the week ahead?

May our love be across borders and boundaries.

Questions to Ponder

Reflect on some (or all) of the following questions:

Reading 1Do I find myself relying on codes/ guidelines more than on the underlying spirit of the commandment? What if that “love” guideline were the basis for all created laws?

Reading 2: Christ reconciled all things, making peace by the blood of his cross. What still needs reconciling today? With whom do I need to be reconciled?

Gospel: Think of the Good Samaritan story in terms of today’s world. What groups need the Samaritan? Jesus said “go and do likewise.” Whether it is large or small, what can I do to help any of these?
Consider the reasons the priest and the Levite might have had for not helping the man. Do I see any of these attitudes in myself?

The Creed

Prayer of the Faithful

L: Let us present to our caring God our concern for the people whom he has placed on our road of life, and let us pray: Lord, hear our prayer.

R: For the Church: that we continue Jesus’ mission of reconciling others to God and to one another, we pray… 
R: For the world: that political leaders may listen to opposing views, respect the dignity of those with different ideas, and strive to find a path that will promote the welfare of all, we pray…
R: For all who have been the victims of crime: that God may restore their loss, heal their wounds, and help them to trust others again, we pray…
R: For all who care for those in need: that those working in healthcare, outreach, shelter homes, or refugee services may continue to bring God’s love and compassion to those whom they serve, we pray…
R: For those who are ill: that they may know the tender touch of God through the care of their families and communities, we pray…
R: For greater stewardship of the earth: that we may work to honour and protect all creation as a sign of God’s love for all people, we pray…
R: For ourselves: that we may allow the pain and suffering of others to move our hearts and spirits to a loving response, we pray…

L: Lord our God, you want us not to seek security in observing the letter of the law but to seek the insecurity of committing ourselves to you and to people. give us the courage to make the sacrifice of giving ourselves to you in our neighbours in need, of sharing in their joys and sorrows, that we may know and love them as you know and love us. Through Christ our Lord.
A: Amen.

SPIRITUAL COMMUNION

The Lord’s Prayer 

Spiritual Communion 

A: Jesus, I know and believe in your real presence in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist. It is you I desire to love and receive above all things. As I am unable to receive your sacramental presence now, come and be with me in heart and soul. Let my entire self be united with you as I welcome you again and know your loving embrace. Amen.

Post Spiritual Communion Reflection

Lord Jesus,
You teach us in your parable that there are two kinds of people:
those who bend down to help and those who look the other way.
Which kind of people will we be?

We say, “Yes, Lord, I will love you and love my neighbour.”
But then we ask:
The migrant... is she my neighbour?
Those in poverty...are they my neighbours?
Victims of war across the world... are they neighbours?
One who faces racism… is he my neighbour?
Those disabled or elderly... are they my neighbours?
You remind us: Yes. All of us neighbours.

Show us how to love, Lord.
May we open our eyes.
May we emerge from our comfortable isolation.
May we build a world of compassion and dignity.

Lord Jesus, who was neighbour to all,
Help us to persevere in love.
Help us to restore dignity to the suffering.
Help us to build a society based not on exclusion, but on community.

Prayer inspired by Fratelli Tutti, 64, 67, 70
Copyright © 2021, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.


CONCLUDING RITE

Concluding Prayer

L: Tender and merciful Father, you did not let your Son pass us by in our poverty and pain, but you let him make himself our neighbour. Make our heart go out to those who lie wounded by the roadside and give us the courage to lose time on them to lift them up and to care for them until they are healed.
Through Christ our Lord.
A: Amen.

Blessing

L: The Lord bless us, protect us from all evil, and lead us to everlasting life.
A: Amen.

L: Go in the peace of Christ.
A: Thanks be to God.

Conclude with a hymn. For instance: