XVII Sunday of the Year

STAKE EVERYTHING ON ONE THING

INTRODUCTORY RITES

Gather as a family/ community; create an environment appropriate for prayer (dress appropriately - switch off your phones...). 

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:

Seek Ye First

God’s Wonderful People

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: The word of God today asks us: What is the treasure of my life? Am I willing to risk everything for this treasure? Am I willing to make a total investment in this treasure?

Let’s pray for wisdom and an understanding heart that we may discern what is our true treasure!

Penitential Rite

L: For the times our hearts were not fixed on the Lord but on other values: ourselves, possessions, power… we ask the Lord to forgive us.

        Pause

L: Lord Jesus, you gave up everything to do your Father’s will:

Lord, have mercy. 

A: Lord, have mercy.

L: Lord Jesus, you have brought us the treasure of the Father’s love: 

Christ, have mercy.

A: Christ, have mercy.

L: Lord Jesus, you invite us to seek first the kingdom of God:

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: Lord God, our Father, our heart remains restless until it has discovered you and the peace you offer us. Help us to put our trust and joy not in brittle, perishable things but in your Son, his Good News, and the kingdom he came to build among us. He 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.

Liturgical Readings for the XVII Sunday of the Year

Reading 1    1 Kings 3:5, 7-12

Psalm         Psalm 119:57, 72, 76-77, 127-128, 129-130

Response Lord, I love your commands.

                Response Option 1 or Response Option 2

Reading 2 Romans 8:28-30

Acclamation

                        Alleluia, alleluia.

                        Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth;

                you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the kingdom.

                  Acclamation

Gospel         Matthew 13:44-52 or (short form) 13:44-46  

 

Reflection on the Readings

 

Use one of the following ways to reflect on the readings.

Lectio Divina

Imagine you are with the disciples when Jesus tells them the parables of the tenant farmer and of the pearl merchant. What are your thoughts and feelings when you hear the parables? 

Sunday Snippets

A member of a youth-group, an Infosys employee, was leaving for the US and wanted to sell his Infosys shares. The others in the group were willing to do anything to buy those shares. One guy was willing to sell his bike; now this guy wouldn’t allow anyone to touch his bike! Anything for Infosys shares.

Many youngsters in our shelter homes have run away from home chasing a dream. Their dreams are different but they have one thing in common: they have left everything – home and family – to achieve that goal.

Were Jesus living now, he might have used a different parable to speak about the kingdom! Rather than speak about a pearl merchant or a farmer, he might have spoken about a youngster who gave up everything to realize his goal!

What’s common to the pearl merchant, the farmer, the shares-seeking-youngster, and the dream-chasing-kid? Each is willing to stake everything to possess something valuable.

That is Jesus’ point in today’s gospel parable. The farmer, who stumbles on a treasure, and the pearl merchant, who finds an invaluable pearl after a great search, appreciate the value of their find; they sell everything to possess their find.

To an outsider, these men might appear insane; they risk everything on one object. But the men are certain about the wisdom of their act: they give up something valuable to get the one invaluable treasure; their investment is total. 

Jesus gave up everything he valued – his family, his home, his profession – to do his Father’s will. For Jesus, there was no treasure greater than his Father’s will. 

In the first reading, we have something similar: Solomon chooses “an understanding heart” over a long life, riches, his enemies’ lives. That was his treasure.

Jesus asks us whether we see the kingdom as a treasure. 

We might stumble over it (like the farmer); we might find it unexpectedly after a long search (like the pearl merchant). One thing is clear: we will experience great joy when we discover it! 

The question then is: Am I ready to stake everything on it? What must I give up to possess it? 

Let us pray that we stake everything on the right thing!

Questions to Ponder

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

Reading 1: If the Lord said to me: “Ask something of me and I will give it to you”, for what would I ask?

Reading 2: “All things work together for those who love God.” In what ways have I seen this in my life? 

Gospel: Do I find, or at least look for God, in my life? What is my “treasure buried in a field” and “pearl of great price”?

The Creed

Prayer of the Faithful

L: The ministry entrusted to us, the Church, is to pray for all people, that they may discover the treasure of faith. And so, we pray: Lord, hear our prayer.

R: For the Church: that we may place a supreme value on seeking the kingdom of God and utilize all our talents to deepen our relationship with God, we pray… 

R: For our leaders: that as they work for prosperity and progress, they may not lose sight of what is essential, people and the deepest human values, we pray…

R: For those who are rich in possessions and talents: that they may put their gifts and goods at the service of people, we pray…

R: For all searching for meaning in life: that God may guide their search, lead them to a new understanding, and help them encounter a community where the Gospel is lived, we pray…

R: For reverence for God’s creation: that we may recognize the world around us as God’s gift and work to promote care and respect for the soil, air, water, animals, and the human family, we pray…

R: For ourselves: that we may rely upon God’s generous love to sustain us and seek his kingdom above all else, we pray…

L: Lord, we thank you that in you we have found the treasure that makes our life worthwhile. Keep us in your love. 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, you make it clear 

that the kingdom is discovered not manufactured; 

it is gift. 

The treasure in the field is a serendipitous find. 

Your kingdom is not a supplement 

to add a little ‘spiritual something’ to our lives. 

Your kingdom is so much more 

than just a good set of guidelines for living. 

Your kingdom comes 

in our complete surrender to you and your values.

You are not speaking of a single act of renunciation. 

You ask us to show that priority all through our life, 

in every decision we take.

I pray with the psalmist:

“Whom have I in heaven but you?

And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.

My flesh and my heart may fail,

but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever”

(Psalm 73:25-26).

CONCLUDING RITE

Concluding Prayer

L: Lord our God, nourish in us the growth of your kingdom. Open our eyes to the goodness and yet the relative value of the things of this earth. Help us to seek you and your kingdom above all else. 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:

Pearl of Great Price

Lord, I Offer My Life to You

XVI Sunday of the Year

DON’T JUMP TO CONCLUSIONS

INTRODUCTORY RITES

Gather as a family/ community; create an environment appropriate for prayer (dress appropriately - switch off your phones...). 

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:

Though the Mountains May Fall

Enter His Gates with Thanksgiving

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 wish to see a world without evil, a Church without faults. We are impatient and intolerant with the Church and the world. But God is patient with the Church and with the world, and with us; he gives us time to change. 

Let us thank our Lord for his patience with us and ask him to make us a bit like himself: patient and forgiving because people are neither entirely good nor completely bad.

Penitential Rite

L: For the times, we have been impatient and judgmental with ourselves and others, let us God to pardon us.

        Pause

L: Lord Jesus, your encounter with Zacchaeus changed him:

Lord, have mercy. 

A: Lord, have mercy.

L: Lord Jesus, you did not condemn the woman caught in adultery: 

Christ, have mercy.

A: Christ, have mercy.

L: Lord Jesus, you forgave the repentant Peter:

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: Merciful and patient God, you let your sun rise on both bad and good and let the rain fall on the just and the wicked alike. Thank you for your patience and mercy towards us. Change our hearts, and dispose us to accept everyone with your own untiring love and trust.         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.

Liturgical Readings for the XVI Sunday of the Year

Reading 1    Wisdom 12:13, 16-19

Psalm         Psalm 86:5-6, 9-10, 15-16

Response Lord, you are good and forgiving.

                Response Option 1 or Response Option 2

Reading 2 Romans 8:26-27

Acclamation

                        Alleluia, alleluia.

                        Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth;

                you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the kingdom.

                  Acclamation

Gospel         Matthew 13:24-43 or (short form) 13:24-30  

 

Reflection on the Readings

 

Use one of the following ways to reflect on the readings.

Lectio Divina

Imagine you are among the crowds when Jesus “proposed another parable” to them. What are your thoughts and feelings when you hear the parable of the wheat and weeds, of the mustard seed, of the yeast? 

Sunday Snippets

A bishop, sailing on an ocean-liner, found that he was sharing a cabin. After he unpacked his bags, he went to the purser to leave his valuables in the ship’s safe. He remarked that he was afraid that his co-passenger might not be trustworthy. The purser smiled, accepted the valuables, and said: “Bishop, I’ll be glad to keep your valuables. Your cabin-mate has just been here and left his valuables for the same reason!”  

Jumping to conclusions is an exercise most of us get! We are quick to judge and want to do away with wrong doers, without knowing facts/ circumstances/ motives.

Instant judgment and intolerance are a major problem today. Think of the number of kangaroo courts especially on social media!

Instant judgment and intolerance were attitudes that plagued Israel. They wanted instant punishment for their enemies. Jesus was in conflict with the Pharisees precisely on the issue of intolerance; they condemned all who failed to keep the law. 

Today’s liturgy strongly challenges these attitudes. 

The first reading asserts that God is patient and merciful; he gives people time to change. He asks his people to be patient towards one another, even their enemies. 

The psalmist sees God as a forgiving God, a God of mercy and compassion, who is slow to anger!

God’s patience appears again in the Gospel parable of the wheat and the weeds. The workers want to uproot the weeds. The owner knows that wheat and weeds look identical until they ripen! So, he cautions the workers: “Wait till all the facts are in; don’t jump to conclusions! Else, in your zeal, you might uproot wheat.” It is worth pondering on the landowner’s confidence that the wheat would survive the effect of the weeds and his trust in goodness which outdoes wickedness.

Consider some characters in scripture: Moses, a murderer; David, an adulterer and murderer; Paul, a persecutor; Peter, a coward. What if God had considered them weeds and uprooted them! 

There are times when we must make moral decisions. But this parable counsels patience – amid our failures; amid our urge fix things; amid our tendency to act on instant judgments about others.

What are the “weeds” in my life where I need to be patient with myself? With whom do I need to be patient? 

God is patient with us. Let us be patient with ourselves, with others, with the world. Let us stop jumping to conclusions.

Questions to Ponder

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

Reading 1: “You taught your people, by these deeds, that those who are just must be kind.” Do I accept this teaching? Does kindness take a back seat to aggression, selfishness, and quest for control?

Reading 2: Do I call on the Spirit when I am in need? In what ways has the Spirit come to my aid when I have needed help? 

Gospel: Can I always tell the weeds from the wheat, or the sinners from the saints? If I am quick to judge might I mistake a saint for a sinner? How patient am I with others and with myself?

The Creed

Prayer of the Faithful

L: Our God is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in kindness and fidelity. To this God, we bring our needs, as we pray: Lord, hear our prayer.

R: For the Church: that we may allow the good seed of the Gospel to take root within us and bring forth a harvest of virtue and manifestations of the kingdom of God, we pray… 

R: For our leaders: that they may defer judgment on those things that are unclear and await insight from God to make wise choices, we pray…

R: For peace: that God may bring an end to violence in Manipir, Ukraine, and Sudan, protect the innocent from harm, and establish justice for all, we pray…

R: For those bound by hatred and resentment: that the Spirit may cultivate forgiveness and compassion within hearts, we pray…

R: For grandparents and the elderly: that we value their presence, help them to live serenely, and bestow on them the love and gratitude they have earned through their lives of sacrifice and dedication, we pray…

R: For ourselves: that we may not judge one another but rather be open to the work that God is doing within each of us that will be revealed in God’s time, we pray…

L: Lord, you are patient with us, see the good in us, and give us time to heal. Keep us free from judging and condemning, help us to accept and appreciate on another. 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

Alexander Solzhenitsyn, in “Gulag Archipelago”, has rich insights to offer on the matter of the struggle of good and evil within us:

I learned two great lessons from being in prison camps.

I learned how a person becomes evil

and how he becomes good.

When I was young, I thought I was infallible,

and I was cruel to those under me.

I was madly in love with power and, in exercising it,

I was a murderer and an oppressor.

Yet in my most evil moments,

I thought I was doing good,

and I had plenty of arguments 

with which to justify my deeds.

It was only when things were reversed,

when as a prisoner I lay on rotten straw,

that I began to feel within myself 

the first stirrings of good.

Gradually I came to realize

that the line which separates good from evil

passes not between states, or between classes,

or between political parties… 

but right through every human heart.

Even in hearts that are overwhelmed by evil

one small bridgehead of good is retained.

And in the best of all hearts,

there remains an un-uprooted small corner of evil.

CONCLUDING RITE

Concluding Prayer

L: Lord our God, you reveal your strength by being patient with the weak. Give us your Spirit, that we may encourage rather than condemn, be constructive rather than criticize, accept one another rather than reject.

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:

Father, I Put My Life in Your Hands

XV Sunday of the Year

KEEP SOWING

INTRODUCTORY RITES

Gather as a family/ community; create an environment appropriate for prayer (dress appropriately - switch off your phones...). 

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:

Wonderful Words of Life

Let Us Go to the Altar

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: When we look at nature, we see how much seed is generously sown; yet only a few seeds bear fruit. The Lord himself patiently and extravagantly sows his word in us as a call and a challenge: a call to respond to his word; a challenge to imitate him in generously sowing the seed and patiently waiting for it to bear fruit. We pray that we may respond to his call and challenge.

Penitential Rite

L: For not allowing God’s word to be fruitful and for our impatience with others and ourselves in wanting results, we ask the Lord to forgive us.

        Pause

L: Lord Jesus, you were patient with your disciples:

Lord, have mercy. 

A: Lord, have mercy.

L: Lord Jesus, you were compassionate towards the crowds: 

Christ, have mercy.

A: Christ, have mercy.

L: Lord Jesus, you keep sowing your word in every kind of soil:

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: Gracious God, we thank you for sowing your word extravagantly in our hearts. Even when the ground seems to others to not be good, you continue to sow. We pray that we might allow your seed to bear fruit,         and patiently sow it in the lives of others.         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.

Liturgical Readings for the XV Sunday of the Year

Reading 1    Isaiah 55:10-11

Psalm         Psalm 65:10, 11, 12-13, 14

Response The seed that falls on good ground will yield a fruitful harvest.

                Response Option 1 or Response Option 2

Reading 2 Romans 8:18-23

Acclamation

                        Alleluia, alleluia.

                        The seed is the word of God, Christ is the sower.

                All who come to him will have life forever.

                  Acclamation

Gospel         Matthew 13:1-23 or (short form) 13:1-9  

 

Reflection on the Readings

 

Use one of the following ways to reflect on the readings.

Lectio Divina

Imagine you are part of the crowd on the shore. Listen to Jesus as he speaks to you in parables. What does he want to tell you? What sense do you make of this parable?

Sunday Snippets

“I’m leaving!” said a priest companion as he and I were vesting for the Eucharist. Before a stunned me could respond, he explained that his province was quitting a missionary area because even after thirty years of ministry, they were not seeing the fruit of their labour. They planned to relocate to places where the people were receptive.

It is frustrating to work and not see the results of our labour. Parents, educators, mentors… we’ve been there and felt it. We want to throw our hands up and say: “That’s it! I’ve had enough.” 

Today’s word is addressed to those who want to quit: keep sowing because God’s word is efficacious.

Let’s situate today’s parable of the sower. The disciples are disheartened. Jesus has had very little “success”: the Pharisees are against him; the crowds come to him but only for their benefit. 

Every Israelite listening to the parable could identify with every detail: some seed fell on hard ground; much of their land was limestone, and beneath a few inches of soil there was rock; the soil which looked clean could have fibrous roots of weeds. Every detail was commonplace except one: the size of the harvest! A farmer who reaped a five-fold harvest was considered fortunate; a seven-fold harvest was a bounty attributable to God’s blessing, and reason to celebrate. A thirty-fold harvest? Unheard of. Sixty-fold, hundred-fold? Impossible!

Jesus’ emphasis: when we sow God’s word, there will be miraculous success despite initial frustration. 

The first reading gives us reason for confidence in an abundant harvest: just as rain inevitably brings forth fruitfulness, God’s word is efficacious. 

The sower knows soils are different; he accepts that the seed will grow differently. He sows anyway; he sows everywhere. 

And so we ought. In an age that looks for quick results, we need to sow the seed with patience and in hope that what we sow will, eventually, produce a harvest – even when it appears pointless, even when it appears that every inch of ground is worthless. Keep sowing the seed because God’s word is efficacious. 

Will I quit or will I keep sowing?

Questions to Ponder

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

Reading 1: “My word shall not return to me void, but shall do my will, achieving the end for which I sent it.” Do I allow God’s word to achieve its end in my life?

Reading 2: What do I think is the corruption from which creation is trying to free itself? Is there some pain involved in trying to end war, birth a cleaner environment for the planet, and establish new and better kinds of race relations? If God continually creates us moment by moment, will God help with these difficult births? 

Gospel: What do/ can I do about receiving the “seed” if my soil is hard, or filled with stones and thorns?

The Creed

Prayer of the Faithful

L: We bring our prayer to the Lord who sows and harvests, that people may eagerly welcome his Word and respond to its urgent call: Lord, hear our prayer.

R: For the Church: that we may spread hope, joy, understanding, and Good News with great generosity so that all may experience the compassionate mercy of God, we pray… 

R: For our leaders: that the seeds of justice may bear fruit in their hearts so that all people have their basic needs met, we pray…

R: For all who spread the Word of God – parents, teachers, writers, preachers: that they may announce God’s loving compassion faithfully and patiently, we pray…

R: For all who have closed their hearts to God: that his word, sown through people, may break through their barriers, we pray…

R: For the created world: that we may be aware of God’s revelation through the created world around us, promote respect for it, and work to protect it for future generations, we pray…

R: For ourselves: that our hearts may welcome the Word of God and be fertile soil where the seed will produce an abundant harvest of faith and charity, we pray…

L: Lord, may your word not return to you without carrying out your will in us. Having borne some fruit, may we patiently sow your word in the soil of the people around 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

Pray

God, our Father, 

you are prodigal, generous, extravagant, and wasteful 

in your love and mercy!

You are non-calculating, non-discriminating, 

incredibly risk-taking, and big-hearted beyond our imagination.

Instinctually, we move to self-preservation and security;

we fear and we hoard. 

We tend to work out of a sense of scarcity, 

fearing always that we don't have enough, 

and that we need to be careful in what we give away.

Prodigal Father,

give us a share of your abundance 

to always risk a bigger heart and generosity 

beyond the instinctual fear that has us believe that, 

because things seem scarce, we need to be more calculating.

(based on Ron Rolheiser, “The Abundance of God as an Invitation to Generosity”)

Or watch Doris Hall’s Sow a Seed

CONCLUDING RITE

Concluding Prayer

L: Lord our God, people hunger today for truth, authenticity, for the deeper meaning of life. Open them to your Good News; fill our stammering words with your word of life and teach us to speak to them a language they understand, especially the language of hope and mercy and love.

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:

Generous Giver

XIV Sunday of the Year

COUNTER THE CULTURE

INTRODUCTORY RITES

Gather as a family/ community; create an environment appropriate for prayer (dress appropriately - switch off your phones...). 

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:

Just Like a Child

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: Christianity, or rather Jesus’ way, is counter-cultural! In his Kingdom, the last are first, the poor are blessed, one saves one’s life by losing it, the “crown” comes through suffering and death.  It is not easy to understand and accept this counter-cultural way! We pray that we may become “little” to understand Jesus’ way and to accept his yoke.

Penitential Rite

L: For the times we have not understood his way and have not accepted his yoke, we ask the Lord to forgive us.

        Pause

L: Lord Jesus, Son of God, you humbled yourself by becoming man:

Lord, have mercy. 

A: Lord, have mercy.

L: Lord Jesus, Universal King, you made yourself poor with us: 

Christ, have mercy.

A: Christ, have mercy.

L: Lord Jesus, our Master, you made yourself our servant:

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: Father,         make us humble and receptive to the Good News, for you show yourself to those who are aware of their poverty and littleness. Fill us with the trust that you care for us. Let your peace and rest dwell in us even in the struggles of life, as we take the yoke of Jesus, 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.

Liturgical Readings for the XIV Sunday of the Year

Reading 1    Zechariah 9:9-10

Psalm         Psalm 145:1-2, 8-9, 10-11, 13-14 

Response I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God.

                Response Option 1 or Response Option 2

Reading 2 Romans 8:9, 11-13

Acclamation

                        Alleluia, alleluia.

                        Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth;

                you have revealed to little ones                 the mysteries of the kingdom.

                  Acclamation

Gospel         Matthew 11:25-30  

 

Reflection on the Readings

 

Use one of the following ways to reflect on the readings.

Lectio Divina

Listen to Jesus’ invitation: “Come to me, all you who labour and are burdened, and I will give you rest.” What are the burdens that you wish to lay at the Lord’s feet?

Sunday Snippets

Extracts from Ellen Goodman’s editorial, “Battling our Culture is Parents’ Task” in the Chicago Tribune:

One of your main jobs as a parent is to counter the culture. What the media delivers to children by the masses, you are expected to rebut one at a time. We need parents who know how to say “no”. But it occurs to me now the call for “parental responsibility” is increasing in direct proportion to marketplace irresponsibility.

Are the kids being sold junk food? Just say no. Is TV bad? Turn it off. Counter the culture. Mothers and fathers are expected to screen virtually every aspect of their children’s lives.

Parents see themselves in a struggle for the hearts and minds of their own children. It isn’t that they can’t say no. It’s that there’s so much more to say no to. It’s not just that families have less time with their kids, it’s that that we must spend more of this time doing battle with our own culture. 

What society compels parents to do today is what Jesus challenged his disciples to do two thousand years ago: counter the culture! Christianity is counter-cultural.

Some indicators of his counter-cultural way: 

▪ God’s revelation is not to “the wise and the learned” but to the “little ones”: fishermen, sinners, tax collectors, women – those whom society considered unimportant and marginalised.

▪ Freedom comes not from escapism but from surrendering to the well-fitting yoke of Jesus; 

▪ God’s preference is for the “childlike” and the poor.

Why should we be counter-cultural?

The second reason is because Jesus challenges us to be counter cultural. 

The first reason is the example of Jesus, who: 

▪ rides not a horse but a colt, a symbol of peace; who proclaims not war but peace; who does not build but destroys weapons (cf. the first reading); 

▪ took the form of a slave, was born in human likeness, and shows us that authority comes not from power but from service;

▪ calls us to learn from his meekness and humility.

Being counter-cultural is not about boycotting companies, signing online petitions, protesting on streets – though these are sometimes needed. Being counter-cultural is living gospel values, living the way Jesus lived.

Will I imitate my God and be counter-cultural? Will I learn from him who is meek and humble of heart? Will I submit to his yoke?

Questions to Ponder

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

Reading 1: What ideas do I associate with the words king and meekness? Is “meek king” an oxymoron? What is the way forward to solve the world’s crises: power or peace?

Reading 2: “The Spirit of God dwells in you.” What implications does this have for me? Do I reverence myself and my neighbour?

Gospel: A carpenter hand-made the yoke to fit the animal that wore it. Do I see my yoke as handmade for me and well-fitting? 

The Creed

Prayer of the Faithful

L: We bring our anxieties and burdens to the One who loves us and strengthens us with confidence that God will provide for us in every circumstance, and so we pray: Lord, hear our prayer.

R: For the Pope and all bishops: that God may help them take up the yoke of Christ and follow him in speaking the truth lovingly and fearlessly, we pray… 

R: For our leaders: that God may give them wisdom to address current challenges and courage to work for the good of all, we pray…

R: For all who need healing: that God’s healing Spirit may ease their suffering, restore them to health, and guide all who are caring for them, we pray…

R: For all who are weary: that the Spirit may, through the loving service of people, restore strength to the physically exhausted and hope to those who are emotionally worn out, we pray…

R: For ourselves: that we may learn dependence upon God and surrender our attempts to control our lives through knowledge, power, or possessions, we pray…

L: Lord our God, show us how to disengage from our busy-ness and technology so that our minds and spirits may be refreshed through prayer, engaging in relationships, and appreciating nature. 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

Pray

“My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” 

Lord, it does seem odd, doesn’t it?

But then, Lord, 

what you said and did was contrary to the culture.

Still is.

Our culture says: You are strong, you can do it! 

You say: Apart from me, you can do nothing. 

Our culture says: Look out for yourself. 

You say: Serve others like I have served you.

Our culture says: Become rich and famous.

You say: Learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart.

Our culture says: Retaliate. Give back.

You say: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.

Lord, it does not make sense.

Ah! But I am trying to understand with human wisdom.

I need to become a “little one”.

Help me, Lord.

Or watch Come unto Me

and sing with Jami Smith… Jesus’ invitation to come unto him.

Or watch My Yoke is Easy

– a powerful video clip which says more than words can say!

CONCLUDING RITE

Concluding Prayer

L: Lord of heaven and earth, you showed yourself to us in the gentle and humble heart of Jesus. Uplifted by his word may we admit how poor and little we are and learn to give time and attention to the weary. 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:

Like a Shepherd