Mass Reflection: Sunday, 27th June 2021

Our readings today remind us that our God is a tender and loving God. 
 
Our First Reading, from the book of Wisdom, helps answer a common question in our Catholic faith — why is there suffering and death? 
 
We are tempted to be angry at God for death of loved ones or innocent people. We are also tempted to be angry at Him our sufferings — like illness, car troubles or a terrible week at work. Wisdom teaches us, “God did not make death, nor does he rejoice in the destruction of the living.” Rather, “God formed man to be imperishable; the image of his own nature he made him.” 
 
It was in God’s original plan for man to not suffer and to not die. This is how the world began with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. It is when they sinned that suffering and death entered our lives, as Wisdom states, “by the envy of the devil, death entered the world.” 
 
To restore God’s original plan, and to save us from the state of sin and death, He sent His only Son to revive our souls. Through Jesus Christ, we once again are imperishable when we enter eternal life. 
 
Because of Him, our suffering is not meaningless. As we’re told in the Scriptures, God did not create suffering and death. However, because He loves us, He allows it so that we might become united to Him and have an opportunity to participate in His work of salvation. 
 
In our Gospel, Jesus heals two people — a sick woman and an ill child. The woman and the father of the child approached Jesus because they heard of His healing works. 
 
The first healing was a woman who suffered physically for many years. She believed that, “if I but touch his clothes, I shall be cured.” As Jesus questioned who touched Him, she fell at her knees and confessed the truth of what she had done. Jesus replied with such tender words, “Daughter, your faith has saved you. Go in peace and be cured of your affliction.”
 
These words that Christ spoke are very similar to the words He speaks to us during the Sacrament of Reconciliation. As we kneel before a priest with sorrow in our hearts and profess the entire truth of how we have offended our Lord, Christ can only reply with such tender words, “Daughter or son, your sins are forgiven. Go in peace.” 
 
As this woman got on her knees and felt ashamed of what she did, Jesus could only look at her with eyes of love. So too, as we kneel before Christ, feeling ashamed and unwanted, all He can do is look at us with love and see our great faith. 
 
The second healing was of a 12-year-old girl. An anxious and loving father sought after Jesus so that his daughter might be cured of her illness. As Jesus was traveling to heal her, they got word that the daughter had died. In that deeply painful moment, a moment no parent wants to experience, Jesus turned and said, “Do not be afraid; just have faith.”
 
Recall a moment when you felt like you hit rock bottom. Maybe you received devastating news, someone died, you lost your job, you were fighting addiction, or you were suffering mentally, spiritually or physically. Maybe you are living that moment or maybe that moment is yet to come.
 
In that time, imagine Jesus looking at you and saying, “Do not be afraid; just have faith.”  Remember this verse. May it bring you peace and comfort in tribulation. Recall, as Wisdom tells us, God does not rejoice in our suffering and death. He rejoices in our faith and our trust in His glorious plan for our lives. 
 
Whether we are healed like the little girl in our Gospel in this life, or we carry our suffering with us until we reach the next, if we remain faithful, Jesus will one day say to us, “Little girl or little boy, I say to you, arise!”
 
Today, let us reflect on how much our Good and Gracious God loves us. Remember that whatever we are suffering in this life, do not be afraid, God is right there with us. Offer it to Him, seek His healing and remain faithful so that one day we might rise. 

The Liturgy of the Word: Sunday, 27th June 2021

First reading
Wisdom 1:13-15,2:23-24

God takes no pleasure in the extinction of the living

Death was not God’s doing,

he takes no pleasure in the extinction of the living.

To be – for this he created all;

the world’s created things have health in them,

in them no fatal poison can be found,

and Hades holds no power on earth;

for virtue is undying.

Yet God did make man imperishable,

he made him in the image of his own nature;

it was the devil’s envy that brought death into the world,

as those who are his partners will discover.

The word of the Lord.

---

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 29(30):2,4-6,11-13

I will praise you, Lord, you have rescued me.

I will praise you, Lord, you have rescued me

  and have not let my enemies rejoice over me.

O Lord, you have raised my soul from the dead,

  restored me to life from those who sink into the grave.

I will praise you, Lord, you have rescued me.

Sing psalms to the Lord, you who love him,

  give thanks to his holy name.

His anger lasts a moment; his favour all through life.

  At night there are tears, but joy comes with dawn.

I will praise you, Lord, you have rescued me.

The Lord listened and had pity.

  The Lord came to my help.

For me you have changed my mourning into dancing:

  O Lord my God, I will thank you for ever.

I will praise you, Lord, you have rescued me.

---

Second reading
2 Corinthians 8:7,9,13-15 ·

The Lord Jesus became poor for your sake, to make you rich

You always have the most of everything – of faith, of eloquence, of understanding, of keenness for any cause, and the biggest share of our affection – so we expect you to put the most into this work of mercy too. Remember how generous the Lord Jesus was: he was rich, but he became poor for your sake, to make you rich out of his poverty. This does not mean that to give relief to others you ought to make things difficult for yourselves: it is a question of balancing what happens to be your surplus now against their present need, and one day they may have something to spare that will supply your own need. That is how we strike a balance: as scripture says: The man who gathered much had none too much, the man who gathered little did not go short.

The word of the Lord.

---

Gospel Acclamation	cf.Jn6:63,68

Alleluia, alleluia!

Your words are spirit, Lord, and they are life;

you have the message of eternal life.

Alleluia!

Gospel
Mark 5:21-24,35-43

Little girl, I tell you to get up

When Jesus had crossed in the boat to the other side, a large crowd gathered round him and he stayed by the lakeside. Then one of the synagogue officials came up, Jairus by name, and seeing him, fell at his feet and pleaded with him earnestly, saying, ‘My little daughter is desperately sick. Do come and lay your hands on her to make her better and save her life.’ Jesus went with him and a large crowd followed him; they were pressing all round him.

  While he was still speaking some people arrived from the house of the synagogue official to say, ‘Your daughter is dead: why put the Master to any further trouble?’ But Jesus had overheard this remark of theirs and he said to the official, ‘Do not be afraid; only have faith.’ And he allowed no one to go with him except Peter and James and John the brother of James. So they came to the official’s house and Jesus noticed all the commotion, with people weeping and wailing unrestrainedly. He went in and said to them, ‘Why all this commotion and crying? The child is not dead, but asleep.’ But they laughed at him. So he turned them all out and, taking with him the child’s father and mother and his own companions, he went into the place where the child lay. And taking the child by the hand he said to her, ‘Talitha, kum!’ which means, ‘Little girl, I tell you to get up.’ The little girl got up at once and began to walk about, for she was twelve years old. At this they were overcome with astonishment, and he ordered them strictly not to let anyone know about it, and told them to give her something to eat.

The Gospel of the Lord

:

Mass Reflection: Sunday, 20th June 2021

 

Our readings today remind us that God always has our best interests in mind. No matter what is going on in our lives, God is with us. 
 
Our First Reading is from the end of the book of Job. The book of Job is an incredible story of God allowing trial and suffering to occur in Job’s life. The devil thinks that the only reason Job is faithful to God is because the Lord has blessed him with wealth, family, etc. God knows that Job is a faithful man and will not turn away from Him despite hardships. So, the Lord allows destruction in Job’s life.
 
Let’s think for a moment what it was like to be Job. He lost all that he had, including his children. He must have felt completely alone and confused as to why all of this happened to him. 
 
During his trials, Job laments and wallows, but never completely loses faith in God. Our First Reading finds us at the end of his trials. After questioning God, the Lord responds to Job, “Who shut within doors the sea, when it burst forth from the womb… When I set limits for it and fastened the bar of its door, and said: Thus far shall you come but not farther, and here shall your proud waves be stilled!”
 
Finally, the Lord responded to his questioning heart. God essentially responds by reminding Job to have faith in His power.  
 
It is the Lord who has the power to create, power to allow suffering, and the power to calm the storms of life. It is in this response that we are reminded God is in control and God is always with us. He sees us in every moment, whether we are rejoicing or suffering. 
 
This is re-echoed in our Gospel today. Jesus and His disciples are traveling in a boat when heavy winds and violent waves begin to overwhelm the boat. Jesus was there sleeping in the boat in the midst of this horrific storm. 
 
The disciples woke Jesus and questioned Him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” Jesus calms the wind and the waves, and then asks them in return, “Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith?”
 
Think back to a time that you endured great suffering, a hard trial or felt overwhelmed with life. You might be living it right now. 
 
How did you respond? 
 
In moments of trial, we often live our days in a panic. It is as if our life is like the life of those disciples. We see the water coming into our boat and we do all that we can in our power to stay afloat. We aimlessly try to throw the water overboard, and we become exhausted because it is thrown right back into our face. We are frantic, so we fail to stop and recognize that our Savior is in the same boat with us. Although it might feel like He is sleeping and His presence is lacking, He is right there suffering with us. 
 
Our First Reading and Gospel remind us that God won’t allow anything that we cannot handle. He sees the whole picture. We can only see the right now. And in a moment of suffering, we might feel trapped. Yet, God sees the way out. He sees the moment of peace and still waters. 
 
Therefore, during our trials, cling to Jesus. Know that there is an end, and whether we see the end in this life or the next, God allows it all for our salvation. 
 
Today, let us thank God for His presence in our lives, and ask for the eyes of faith to see that He is right here with us always. 

The Liturgy of the Word: Sunday, 20th June 2021

 

First reading

Job 38:1,8-11 ·

From the heart of the tempest the Lord gives Job his answer

From the heart of the tempest the Lord gave Job his answer. He said:
Who pent up the sea behind closed doors
  when it leapt tumultuous out of the womb,
when I wrapped it in a robe of mist
  and made black clouds its swaddling bands;
when I marked the bounds it was not to cross
  and made it fast with a bolted gate?
Come thus far, I said, and no farther:
  here your proud waves shall break.

The word of the Lord.

---

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 106(107):23-26,28-32

O give thanks to the Lord, for his love endures for ever.

Some sailed to the sea in ships
  to trade on the mighty waters.
These men have seen the Lord’s deeds,
  the wonders he does in the deep.

O give thanks to the Lord, for his love endures for ever.

For he spoke; he summoned the gale,
  tossing the waves of the sea
up to heaven and back into the deep;
  their souls melted away in their distress.

O give thanks to the Lord, for his love endures for ever.

Then they cried to the Lord in their need
  and he rescued them from their distress.
He stilled the storm to a whisper:
  all the waves of the sea were hushed.

O give thanks to the Lord, for his love endures for ever.

They rejoiced because of the calm
  and he led them to the haven they desired.
Let them thank the Lord for his love,
  for the wonders he does for men.

O give thanks to the Lord, for his love endures for ever.

---

Second reading

2 Corinthians 5:14-17 ·

We do not judge anyone by the standards of the flesh

The love of Christ overwhelms us when we reflect that if one man has died for all, then all men should be dead; and the reason he died for all was so that living men should live no longer for themselves, but for him who died and was raised to life for them.

  From now onwards, therefore, we do not judge anyone by the standards of the flesh. Even if we did once know Christ in the flesh, that is not how we know him now. And for anyone who is in Christ, there is a new creation; the old creation has gone, and now the new one is here.

The word of the Lord.

---

Gospel Acclamation

cf.Ep1:17,18

Alleluia, alleluia!

May the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ
enlighten the eyes of our mind,
so that we can see what hope his call holds for us.

Alleluia!

---

Gospel

Mark 4:35-41

'Even the wind and the sea obey him'

With the coming of evening, Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Let us cross over to the other side.’ And leaving the crowd behind they took him, just as he was, in the boat; and there were other boats with him. Then it began to blow a gale and the waves were breaking into the boat so that it was almost swamped. But he was in the stern, his head on the cushion, asleep. They woke him and said to him, ‘Master, do you not care? We are going down!’ And he woke up and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, ‘Quiet now! Be calm!’ And the wind dropped, and all was calm again. Then he said to them, ‘Why are you so frightened? How is it that you have no faith?’ They were filled with awe and said to one another, ‘Who can this be? Even the wind and the sea obey him.’

The Gospel of the Lord.

Mass Reflection:. Sunday, 13th June 2021

As we enter back into Ordinary Time, our readings today remind us that heaven is our true home and that we cannot make it there without God’s assistance.  
 
In our First Reading, the prophet Ezekiel foretells the coming of the Kingdom of God. It is through a newly planted cedar that God will bear fruit. As he says, “Birds of every kind shall dwell beneath it… And all the trees of the field shall know that I, the Lord, bring low the high tree, lift high the lowly tree.” 
 
We can see that Jesus is the cedar that will become refuge for all people. He will humble the proud, lift up the lowly and produce good fruit in the weakened. It is God who does the wondrous works. 
 
We often go through life wanting to be in control. We try to solve all our problems, as we think, "I can do it myself." We cling to our own ideas by putting certain events, future plans or even day-to-day moments into a perfect little box, "This is the way I want it." We can even push back in moments of suffering by trying to find every possible way to get out of it. We are "in control."
 
Imagine what life would be like if we surrendered a little more. It is easier said than done — but, oh, how freeing it would be. 
 
What if we opened our clenched hands to God and said, “Thy will be done”? What if we allowed God to be our problem solver or trusted in His plans for our lives? What if, instead of pushing away suffering, we actually resided in it with Christ Himself? 
 
We would become free from attachment and more blessed than we could ever imagine. 
 
Only God can do all that He promised in our First Reading. We need Him. All we need to do is surrender. To help us on this journey of total surrender, try starting each day with a prayer of surrender, “Lord, I give You this day and all that You have in store for me, my family and friends.”
 
Our Second Reading reminds us that we are not at home in this life, but in the next, as St. Paul says, “We would rather leave the body and go home to the Lord.” This message is easy to say, but difficult to believe with our whole heart. We might look at our lives and think, "I like my home, I love my family and friends, and I enjoy the little comforts in my life. I don’t want to give that up."
 
Eternal life will surpass anything we could ever imagine and hope for. It will fulfill our deepest desires and aching hearts, and we will be filled with lasting peace and pure joy. If we only knew how incredible our heaven is, then we would give God everything to get there. But as St. Paul reminds us, it is not something we can see — “We walk by faith, not by sight.” We are called to have eyes of faith and hearts of trust. Pray for the grace to have overwhelming faith.  
 
In our Gospel, Jesus expresses two parables about the Kingdom of God. The first mentions a man scattering seed on the land. As time passes, the seed sprouts and grows — yet, the man does not know how it happened. 
 
This parable reminds us of our call to scatter seeds of faith to others. Over time, God will work with those seeds and produce fruit. It is not our doing, but God’s doing. We need Him to produce the effects — all we can do is be good stewards of the knowledge and love for our faith. 
 
We must ask ourselves, what are the ways I am scattering seeds of faith to others? 
 
There are countless ways to do just that — teaching a faith formation class, leading RCIA or a Bible Study; reading saint stories or discussing the Sunday readings with your kids; praying with your spouse; openly discussing your faith with those around you, both Catholics and non-Catholics; actively living out your faith through service, prayer and sacraments. God will not only produce fruit from the seeds you scattered by your witness, but He will also grow more fruit in your life. 
 
Jesus’ second parable relates the Kingdom of God to a mustard seed. It is one of the tiniest seeds, that grows rapidly into a field of weeds. However, in the parable, Jesus compares the Kingdom to a mustard seed that grows into the largest of plants. 
 
The beginnings of the Kingdom started out small, but have grown and continue to grow into something grand. This seems unlikely, since Jesus is comparing it to a mustard seed, but we have to recognize that He is describing the Kingdom of God — something that is out of this world and beyond what we can imagine. 
 
As Christian disciples, we hope to reside in the branches of heaven, along with our family and friends. We cannot do this on our own. As our other readings mention, it is through the total surrender, complete faith and actively living out our faith as a witness to Christ that we can hope in eternal life. 
 
As we settle into Ordinary Time, let us not become complacent, but keep our hearts and minds fixed on the Kingdom of God. 

The Liturgy of the Word:. Sunday, 13th June 2021

First reading
Ezekiel 17:22-24 ·

I will plant a shoot on the high mountain of Israel

‘From the top of the cedar,
The Lord says this:

from the highest branch I will take a shoot

and plant it myself on a very high mountain.

I will plant it on the high mountain of Israel.

It will sprout branches and bear fruit,

and become a noble cedar.

Every kind of bird will live beneath it,

every winged creature rest in the shade of its branches.

And every tree of the field will learn that I, the Lord, am the one

who stunts tall trees and makes the low ones grow,

who withers green trees and makes the withered green.

I, the Lord, have spoken, and I will do it.’

The word of the Lord.

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 91(92):2-3,13-16

It is good to give you thanks, O Lord.

It is good to give thanks to the Lord,

  to make music to your name, O Most High,

to proclaim your love in the morning

  and your truth in the watches of the night.

It is good to give you thanks, O Lord.

The just will flourish like the palm tree

  and grow like a Lebanon cedar.

It is good to give you thanks, O Lord.

Planted in the house of the Lord

  they will flourish in the courts of our God,

still bearing fruit when they are old,

  still full of sap, still green,

to proclaim that the Lord is just.

  In him, my rock, there is no wrong.

It is good to give you thanks, O Lord.

Second reading
2 Corinthians 5:6-10 ·

We want to be exiled from the body and make our home with the Lord

We are always full of confidence when we remember that to live in the body means to be exiled from the Lord, going as we do by faith and not by sight – we are full of confidence, I say, and actually want to be exiled from the body and make our home with the Lord. Whether we are living in the body or exiled from it, we are intent on pleasing him. For all the truth about us will be brought out in the law court of Christ, and each of us will get what he deserves for the things he did in the body, good or bad.

The word of the Lord.

Gospel Acclamation	Jn15:15

Alleluia, alleluia!

I call you friends, says the Lord,

because I have made known to you

everything I have learnt from my Father.

Alleluia!

Gospel	Mark 4:26-34

The kingdom of God is a mustard seed growing into the biggest shrub of all

Jesus said to the crowds: ‘This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man throws seed on the land. Night and day, while he sleeps, when he is awake, the seed is sprouting and growing; how, he does not know. Of its own accord the land produces first the shoot, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. And when the crop is ready, he loses no time: he starts to reap because the harvest has come.’

  He also said, ‘What can we say the kingdom of God is like? What parable can we find for it? It is like a mustard seed which at the time of its sowing in the soil is the smallest of all the seeds on earth; yet once it is sown it grows into the biggest shrub of them all and puts out big branches so that the birds of the air can shelter in its shade.’

  Using many parables like these, he spoke the word to them, so far as they were capable of understanding it. He would not speak to them except in parables, but he explained everything to his disciples when they were alone.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Mass Reflection: Sunday, 6th June 2021

The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ

Today we celebrate Corpus Christi — the Body and Blood of Christ. Jesus’ Body and Blood was sacrificed for us on Calvary, but before that excruciating event, He humbly bound Himself to human hands in the Eucharist. As St. Thomas Aquinas expresses, “In this sacrament sins are purged away, virtues are increased, the soul satiated with an abundance of every spiritual gift. No other sacrament is so beneficial.” 

Jesus gave us the perfect and loving Gift of Himself so that we might be nourished, strengthened and more fully united to Him as we journey to eternal life. This glorious solemnity calls us to reflect on the precious gift of the Eucharist and what it truly means for us as Catholics. 

Our Gospel today recounts the Last Supper. As Jesus ate the Passover meal with His apostles, He broke bread, telling them, “This is my Body,” and again, poured wine, saying, “This is my Blood… which will be shed for many.” In this moment, Jesus sacrificially gave us Himself in the Eucharist by foreshadowing His passion, death and resurrection. 

The Eucharist, what we celebrate at each Mass, is the real presence of our Savior — Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity. It is not a symbol of Jesus or even just a piece of Him. It is all of Him, given to each of us. As St. Catherine of Siena said, “Even if it would be possible to fragment the Holy Eucharist into thousands of tiny Particles, in each one of the tiny Particles there is the presence of Christ, the whole God and the whole Man.” 

Out of total love, Jesus holds nothing back from us. He gives us His entire self. 

We must ask ourselves, do we understand Who we consume at every Mass? 

It is our Precious Redeemer. 

As life becomes busy and our minds are filled with the countless things we must get done each day, we often forget to acknowledge our Savior at Mass; or to spend time with Him throughout our week; or to accept all the graces He wishes to bestow on us as we receive Him. So let us stop and recognize the real presence of our Savior. 

It begins as we walk into the church each week. Where do our minds and hearts focus? Is it on which pew we might sit in, if our friend is at Mass, or are we wrapped up in a thought of "thank goodness we made it before the Gospel"?

In our humanity, it is so easy to think of these things, but as we enter the church, we should strive to leave the world outside and enter into God’s time. We should draw our eyes, minds and hearts to the One we came to see lain in the Tabernacle. Recall, it is truly Jesus’ presence we have just entered. It is God before us. Let’s greet Him with reverence as we bend one knee or bow before Him. Let us strive to sit in silence and speak to Him from your mind and heart. This can be difficult for us with the distractions of what is going on around us or if we have young kids. All we can do is try out best.  

When the high point of our Mass occurs — when the bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Christ, recall that we are at Calvary once again. The crucifixion of Christ is made re-present to us. We have the opportunity to consume His precious Body and Blood. It is truly the most intimate moment we have with God on this earth. 

Do not let this moment pass us by. It is an opportunity for mercy, offerings and grace. As we approach Jesus’ Body and Blood, ask for mercy for every sin we have ever committed; offer our greatest joy and our deepest sorrow along with all of our intentions; and ask for grace to persevere in this life. 

Recall that this is a Eucharistic meal. We should continue these prayers, along with prayers of gratitude and praise, after we receive Him. Just as the apostles spent time with Jesus at the Last Supper by speaking with Him as they shared that meal, so too are we called to fully partake in this meal at Mass. When someone serves us a meal, we do not turn around and leave. Instead we enjoy it and share our gratitude for it. This is how we are to respond to our spiritual food.  

It can be difficult to wrap our minds around Jesus’ presence in the Eucharist. The appearance of bread and wine are tough to look past. Thankfully, God hears our cry for faith. If we struggle to believe in His real presence, pray frequently, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” Our God looks on us with such love and compassion. He will increase our eyes of faith. 

Yet another way to deepen our understanding of Jesus’ real presence in the Eucharist is through Eucharistic Adoration or time before the Tabernacle. Spending time in the presence of Jesus will undoubtedly transform our hearts. Grace is poured out on us just by being with Him. Anyone can pray in His presence. It is as simple as St. John Vianney proclaims, “I look at Him and He looks at me.” We don’t need to overcomplicate our prayer — we just need to be with Jesus. 

As we celebrate this glorious solemnity of The Body and Blood of Christ, let us find time today to reflect on the Eucharist. Let us strive to intentionally honor and reverence Him at every Mass; strive to fully partake in each Eucharistic meal; and let us find time to visit our Savior in the Tabernacle. And let us pray frequently, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!”

The Liturgy of the Word: Sunday, 6th June 2021

 

First reading
Exodus 24:3-8 ·

This is the blood of the Covenant that the Lord has made with you

Moses went and told the people all the commands of the Lord and all the ordinances. In answer, all the people said with one voice, ‘We will observe all the commands that the Lord has decreed.’ Moses put all the commands of the Lord into writing, and early next morning he built an altar at the foot of the mountain, with twelve standing-stones for the twelve tribes of Israel. Then he directed certain young Israelites to offer holocausts and to immolate bullocks to the L looord as communion sacrifices. Half of the blood Moses took up and put into basins, the other half he cast on the altar. And taking the Book of the Covenant he read it to the listening people, and they said, ‘We will observe all that the Lord has decreed; we will obey.’ Then Moses took the blood and cast it towards the people. This’ he said ‘is the blood of the Covenant that the Lord has made with you, containing all these rules.’

The word of the Lord.

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 115(116):12-13,15-18

The cup of salvation I will raise; I will call on the Lord’s name.

How can I repay the Lord

  for his goodness to me?

The cup of salvation I will raise;

  I will call on the Lord’s name.

The cup of salvation I will raise; I will call on the Lord’s name.

O precious in the eyes of the Lord

  is the death of his faithful.

Your servant, Lord, your servant am I;

  you have loosened my bonds.

The cup of salvation I will raise; I will call on the Lord’s name.

A thanksgiving sacrifice I make;

  I will call on the Lord’s name.

My vows to the Lord I will fulfil

  before all his people.

The cup of salvation I will raise; I will call on the Lord’s name.

Second reading
Hebrews 9:11-15 ·

The blood of Christ can purify our inner self

Now Christ has come, as the high priest of all the blessings which were to come. He has passed through the greater, the more perfect tent, which is better than the one made by men’s hands because it is not of this created order; and he has entered the sanctuary once and for all, taking with him not the blood of goats and bull calves, but his own blood, having won an eternal redemption for us. The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer are sprinkled on those who have incurred defilement and they restore the holiness of their outward lives; how much more effectively the blood of Christ, who offered himself as the perfect sacrifice to God through the eternal Spirit, can purify our inner self from dead actions so that we do our service to the living God.

  He brings a new covenant, as the mediator, only so that the people who were called to an eternal inheritance may actually receive what was promised: his death took place to cancel the sins that infringed the earlier covenant.

The word of the Lord.

Sequence

Lauda, Sion

*Behold the bread of angels, sent

For pilgrims in their banishment,

The bread for God’s true children meant,

  That may not unto dogs be given:

Oft in the olden types foreshowed;

In Isaac on the altar bowed,

And in the ancient paschal food,

  And in the manna sent from heaven.

*Come then, good shepherd, bread divine,

Still show to us thy mercy sign;

Oh, feed us still, still keep us thine;

So may we see thy glories shine

  In fields of immortality;

*O thou, the wisest, mightiest, best,

Our present food, our future rest,

Come, make us each thy chosen guest,

Co-heirs of thine, and comrades blest

  With saints whose dwelling is with thee.

Amen. Alleluia.

Gospel Acclamation	Jn6:51

Alleluia, alleluia!

I am the living bread which has come down from heaven,

says the Lord.

Anyone who eats this bread will live for ever.

Alleluia!

Gospel
Mark 14:12-16,22-26

This is my body; this is my blood

On the first day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover lamb was sacrificed, his disciples said to Jesus, ‘Where do you want us to go and make the preparations for you to eat the passover?’ So he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, ‘Go into the city and you will meet a man carrying a pitcher of water. Follow him, and say to the owner of the house which he enters, “The Master says: Where is my dining room in which I can eat the passover with my disciples?” He will show you a large upper room furnished with couches, all prepared. Make the preparations for us there.’ The disciples set out and went to the city and found everything as he had told them, and prepared the Passover.

  And as they were eating he took some bread, and when he had said the blessing he broke it and gave it to them. ‘Take it,’ he said ‘this is my body.’ Then he took a cup, and when he had returned thanks he gave it to them, and all drank from it, and he said to them, ‘This is my blood, the blood of the covenant, which is to be poured out for many. I tell you solemnly, I shall not drink any more wine until the day I drink the new wine in the kingdom of God.’

  After psalms had been sung they left for the Mount of Olives.

The Gospel of the Lord.