Mass Reflection: Sunday - 02nd April 2023

 IS 50:4-7; PS 22:8-9, 17-20, 23-24; PHIL 2:6-11; MT 26:14-27:66 or MT 27:11-54

We begin this Holy Week with the reading of the Lord’s Passion from the Gospel of Matthew. It is fitting that we Christian stewards focus our minds and hearts intensely this week on the steps of our Brother and Savior as He laid down His very life for us. 
 
Before we do so, let us first take a moment to examine the seemingly small acts of stewardship by some who encountered Jesus during this most eventful week.
 
One occurred when Jesus gave instructions to the disciples about the room where they would celebrate the Passover. Jesus said, “Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, “the teacher says… “In your house I shall celebrate the Passover with my disciples.” We do not know this man’s name but we do know that he agreed to this request — he shared the material gift of his home and the gift of hospitality so that Jesus had a place to celebrate the Passover. Little did he know that because of his good stewardship, his own home would be the site of the institution of the Eucharist!
 
There was also Simon the Cyrenian who offered the gift of his physical strength, helping the Lord to carry His Cross. Privilege of privileges!  
 
Consider, too, the actions of Joseph of Arimathea — he generously shared a material gift of the tomb that was his, and he gave the gift of service to our Lord by giving Him a proper burial. 
 
Then there were the "two Marys" who gave Jesus the gift of their time. Keeping watch in a tender vigil after His death, they “remained sitting there, facing the tomb.”
 
Each of these were simple acts of good stewardship, yet God used them in mighty ways. God invites each of us, too, to cooperate with Him in small ways through the sharing of our time, talents and material gifts. Small gifts can become mighty deeds when placed in God’s service.
 
And there is no greater motivation to embrace this stewardship way of life than to turn our attention in the week ahead to the details of the Passion that our Lord undertook for love of us. Consider just a few right now, but spend some time this week on your own or with your family,  pondering what Jesus has done for each one of us personally:
 
“Jesus took the bread, said the blessing, broke it, and… said, “Take and eat; this is my body” — for you!
 
“Then he took a cup, gave thanks…saying ‘Drink from it… for this is my blood of the covenant which will be shed on behalf of many’” — and for you!
 
He agonized in the garden over the sins of all mankind, taking them on Himself — for you.
 
“They spat in His face and struck Him, while some slapped Him” — He allowed it for you.
 
His dear friend Peter, denied, Him: “I do not know the man” — and Jesus endured this for you.
 
They bound Him, led Him away — for you.
 
He stood before the crowd, His own people, as they shouted, “Crucify Him!” — for you.
 
They mocked Him, stripped Him, whipped Him, nailed His hands and feet to the Cross — for you.
 
Finally, when there was literally nothing left to give, “He gave up His spirit” — for you.
 
Are we not compelled, as Christian stewards, to live now for Him, to give ourselves generously, in big ways and small — to Him Who has given us all that we have and are, Who has given His very Self?

Mass Reading: Sunday - 02nd April 2023

Gospel
Matthew 21:1-11
Blessings on him who comes in the name of the Lord!

When they drew near to Jerusalem 
and came to Bethphage, to the Mount of Olives, 
Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, 
‘Go into the village facing you, 
and immediately you will find an ass tied,
and a colt with her: untie them and bring them to me. 
If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, 
“The Lord has need of them,”
and he will send them immediately.’
This took place to fulfil
what was spoken by the prophet, saying,
‘Tell the daughter of Sion, 
Behold, your king is coming to you, 
humble, and mounted on an ass, 
and on a colt, the foal of an ass.’
The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them;
they brought the ass and the colt,
and put their garments on them, and he sat thereon.
Most of the crowd spread their garments on the road,
and others cut branches from the trees
and spread them on the road.
And the crowds that went before him
and that followed him shouted,
‘Hosanna to the Son of David!
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!
Hosanna in the highest!’
And when he entered Jerusalem,
all the city was stirred, saying, ‘Who is this?’
And the crowds said,
‘This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth of Galilee.’

_________

First reading
Isaiah 50:4-7
I did not cover my face against insult: I know I shall not be shamed

The Lord has given me
a disciple’s tongue.
So that I may know how to reply to the wearied
he provides me with speech.
Each morning he wakes me to hear,
to listen like a disciple.
The Lord has opened my ear.

For my part, I made no resistance,
neither did I turn away.
I offered my back to those who struck me,
my cheeks to those who tore at my beard;
I did not cover my face
against insult and spittle.

The Lord comes to my help,
so that I am untouched by the insults.
So, too, I set my face like flint;
I know I shall not be shamed.

The word of the Lord.

________

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 21(22):8-9,17-20,23-24

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?

All who see me deride me.
    They curl their lips, they toss their heads.
‘He trusted in the Lord, let him save him;
    let him release him if this is his friend.’

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?

Many dogs have surrounded me,
    a band of the wicked beset me.
They tear holes in my hands and my feet
    I can count every one of my bones.

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?

They divide my clothing among them.
    They cast lots for my robe.
O Lord, do not leave me alone,
    my strength, make haste to help me!

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?

I will tell of your name to my brethren
    and praise you where they are assembled.
‘You who fear the Lord give him praise;
    all sons of Jacob, give him glory.
    Revere him, Israel’s sons.

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?

________

Second reading
Philippians 2:6-11
Christ humbled himself but God raised him high

His state was divine,
yet Christ Jesus did not cling
to his equality with God
but emptied himself
to assume the condition of a slave
and became as men are;
and being as all men are,
he was humbler yet,
even to accepting death,
death on a cross.
But God raised him high
and gave him the name
which is above all other names
so that all beings
in the heavens, on earth and in the underworld,
should bend the knee at the name of Jesus
and that every tongue should acclaim
Jesus Christ as Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.

The word of the Lord.

________

Gospel Acclamation
Phil2:8-9

Praise to you, O Christ, king of eternal glory!

Christ was humbler yet,
even to accepting death, death on a cross.
But God raised him high
and gave him the name which is above all names.

Praise to you, O Christ, king of eternal glory!

________

The Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew.

Matthew 26:14-27:66
The Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew

Key: N. Narrator. ✠ Jesus. O. Other single speaker. C. Crowd, or more than one speaker.

    N. One of the Twelve, the man called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said,

    O. What are you prepared to give me if I hand him over to you?

    N. They paid him thirty silver pieces, and from that moment he looked for an opportunity to betray him.

    Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus to say,

    C. Where do you want us to make the preparations for you to eat the passover?

    N. He replied:

    ✠ Go to so-and-so in the city and say to him, ‘The Master says: My time is near. It is at your house that I am keeping Passover with my disciples.’

    N. The disciples did what Jesus told them and prepared the Passover.

    When evening came he was at table with the twelve disciples. And while they were eating he said:

    ✠ I tell you solemnly, one of you is about to betray me.

    N. They were greatly distressed and started asking him in turn,

    C. Not I, Lord, surely?

    N. He answered,

    ✠ Someone who has dipped his hand into the dish with me will betray me. The Son of Man is going to his fate, as the scriptures say he will, but alas for that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! Better for that man if he had never been born!

    N. Judas, who was to betray him, asked in his turn,

    O. Not I, Rabbi, surely?

    N. Jesus answered:

    ✠ They are your own words.

    N. Now as they were eating, Jesus took some bread, and when he had said the blessing he broke it and gave it to the disciples and said:

    ✠ Take it and eat; this is my body.

    N. Then he took a cup, and when he had returned thanks he gave it to them, saying:

    ✠ Drink, all of you, from this, for this is my blood, the blood of the covenant, which is to be poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. From now on, I tell you, I shall not drink wine until the day I drink the new wine with you in the kingdom of my Father.

    N. After psalms had been sung they left for the Mount of Olives. Then Jesus said to them,

    ✠ You will all lose faith in me this night, for the scripture says: I shall strike the shepherd and the sheep of the flock will be scattered, but after my resurrection I shall go before you to Galilee.

    N. At this, Peter said,

    O. Though all lose faith in you, I will never lose faith.

    N. Jesus answered him,

    ✠ I tell you solemnly, this very night, before the cock crows, you will have disowned me three times.

    N. Peter said to him,

    O. Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.

    N. And all the disciples said the same.

    Then Jesus came with them to a small estate called Gethsemane; and he said to his disciples,

    ✠ Stay here while I go over there to pray.

    N. He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee with him. And sadness came over him, and great distress. Then he said to them,

    ✠ My soul is sorrowful to the point of death. Wait here and keep awake with me.

    N. And going on a little further he fell on his face and prayed:

    ✠ My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass me by. Nevertheless, let it be as you, not I, would have it.

    N. He came back to the disciples and found them sleeping, and he said to Peter:

    ✠ So you had not the strength to keep awake with me one hour? You should be awake, and praying not to be put to the test. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.

    N. Again, a second time, he went away and prayed:

    ✠ My Father, if this cup cannot pass by without my drinking it, your will be done!

    N. And he came back again and found them sleeping, their eyes were so heavy. Leaving them there, he went away again and prayed for the third time, repeating the same words. Then he came back to the disciples and said to them,

    ✠ You can sleep on now and take your rest. Now the hour has come when the Son of Man is to be betrayed into the hands of sinners. Get up! Let us go! My betrayer is already close at hand.

    N. He was still speaking when Judas, one of the Twelve, appeared, and with him a large number of men armed with swords and clubs, sent by the chief priests and elders of the people. Now the traitor had arranged a sign with them. He had said,

    O. ‘The one I kiss, he is the man. Take him in charge.’

    N. So he went straight up to Jesus and said,

    O. Greetings, Rabbi.

    N. and kissed him. Jesus said to him,

    ✠ My friend, do what you are here for.

    N. Then they came forward, seized Jesus and took him in charge. At that, one of the followers of Jesus grasped his sword and drew it; he struck out at the high priest’s servant, and cut off his ear. Jesus then said,

    ✠ Put your sword back, for all who draw the sword will die by the sword. Or do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father who would promptly send more than twelve legions of angels to my defence? But then, how would the scriptures be fulfilled that say this is the way it must be?

    N. It was at this time that Jesus said to the crowds,

    ✠ Am I a brigand, that you had to set out to capture me with swords and clubs? I sat teaching in the Temple day after day and you never laid hands on me.

    N. Now all this happened to fulfil the prophecies in scripture. Then all the disciples deserted him and ran away.

    The men who had arrested Jesus led him off to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled. Peter followed him at a distance, and when he reached the high priest’s palace, he went in and sat down with the attendants to see what the end would be.

    The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for evidence against Jesus, however false, on which they might pass the death sentence. But they could not find any, though several lying witnesses came forward. Eventually two stepped forward and made a statement,

    O. This man said: ‘I have power to destroy the Temple of God and in three days build it up.’

    N. The high priest then stood up and said to him,

    O. Have you no answer to that? What is this evidence these men are bringing against you?

    N. But Jesus was silent. And the high priest said to him,

    O. I put you on oath by the living God to tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.

    N. Jesus answered:

    ✠ The words are your own. Moreover, I tell you that from this time onward you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.

    N. At this, the high priest tore his clothes and said,

    O. He has blasphemed. What need of witnesses have we now? There! You have just heard the blasphemy. What is your opinion?

    N. They answered,

    C. He deserves to die.

    N. Then they spat in his face and hit him with their fists; others said as they struck him,

    C. Play the prophet, Christ! Who hit you then?

    N. Meanwhile Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard, and a servant-girl came up to him and said,

    O. You too were with Jesus the Galilean.

    N. But he denied it in front of them all, saying:

    O. I do not know what you are talking about.

    N. When he went out to the gateway another servant-girl saw him and said to the people there,

    O. This man was with Jesus the Nazarene.

    N. And again, with an oath, he denied it:

    O. I do not know the man.

    N. A little later the bystanders came up and said to Peter,

    C. You are one of them for sure! Why, your accent gives you away.

    Then he started calling down curses on himself and swearing:

    O. I do not know the man.

    N. At that moment the cock crew, and Peter remembered what Jesus had said, ‘Before the cock crows you will have disowned me three times.’ And he went outside and wept bitterly.

    When morning came, all the chief priests and the elders of the people met in council to bring about the death of Jesus. They had him bound, and led him away to hand him over to Pilate, the governor.

    When he found that Jesus had been condemned, Judas his betrayer was filled with remorse and took the thirty silver pieces back to the chief priests and elders, saying:

    O. I have sinned. I have betrayed innocent blood.

    N. They replied:

    C. What is that to us? That is your concern.

    N. And flinging down the silver pieces in the sanctuary he made off and hanged himself. The chief priests picked up the silver pieces and said,

    C. It is against the Law to put this into the treasury: it is blood-money.

    N. So they discussed the matter and bought the potter’s field with it as a graveyard for foreigners, and this is why the field is called the Field of Blood today. The words of the prophet Jeremiah were then fulfilled: And they took the thirty silver pieces, the sum at which the precious One was priced by children of Israel, and they gave them for the potter’s field, just as the Lord directed me.

    Jesus, then, was brought before the governor, and the governor put to him this question:

    O. Are you the king of the Jews?

    N. Jesus replied,

    ✠ It is you who say it.

    N. But when he was accused by the chief priests and the elders he refused to answer at all. Pilate then said to him,

    O. Do you not hear how many charges they have brought against you?

    N. But to the governor’s complete amazement, he offered no reply to any of the charges.

    At festival time it was the governor’s practice to release a prisoner for the people, anyone they chose. Now there was at that time a notorious prisoner whose name was Barabbas. So when the crowd gathered, Pilate said to them,

    O. Which do you want me to release for you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?

    N. For Pilate knew it was out of jealousy that they had handed him over. Now as he was seated in the chair of judgement, his wife sent him a message,

    O. Have nothing to do with that man; I have been upset all day by a dream I had about him.

    N. The chief priests and the elders, however, had persuaded the crowd to demand the release of Barabbas and the execution of Jesus. So when the governor spoke and asked them,

    O. Which of the two do you want me to release for you?

    N. they said, 

    C. Barabbas.

    N. Pilate said to them:

    O. But in that case, what am I to do with Jesus who is called Christ?

    N. They all said:

    C. Let him be crucified!

    N. Pilate asked:

    O. Why? What harm has he done?

    N. But they shouted all the louder, 

    C. Let him be crucified!

    N. Then Pilate saw that he was making no impression, that in fact a riot was imminent. So he took some water, washed his hands in front of the crowd and said,

    O. I am innocent of this man’s blood. It is your concern.

    N. And the people, to a man, shouted back,

    C. His blood be on us and on our children!

    N. Then he released Barabbas for them. He ordered Jesus to be first scourged and then handed over to be crucified.

    The governor’s soldiers took Jesus with them into the Praetorium and collected the whole cohort round him. Then they stripped him and made him wear a scarlet cloak, and having twisted some thorns into a crown they put this on his head and placed a reed in his right hand. To make fun of him they knelt to him saying,

    C. Hail, king of the Jews!

    N. And they spat on him and took the reed and struck him on the head with it. And when they had finished making fun of him, they took off the cloak and dressed him in his own clothes and led him away to crucify him.

    On their way out, they came across a man from Cyrene, Simon by name, and enlisted him to carry his cross. When they had reached a place called Golgotha, that is, the place of the skull, they gave him wine to drink mixed with gall, which he tasted but refused to drink. When they had finished crucifying him they shared out his clothing by casting lots, and then sat down and stayed there keeping guard over him.

    Above his head was placed the charge against him; it read: ‘This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.’ At the same time two robbers were crucified with him, one on the right and one on the left.

    The passers-by jeered at him; they shook their heads and said,

    C. So you would destroy the Temple and rebuild it in three days! Then save yourself! If you are God’s son, come down from the cross!

    N. The chief priests with the scribes and elders mocked him in the same way, saying:

    C. He saved others; he cannot save himself. He is the king of Israel; let him come down from the cross now, and we will believe in him. He puts his trust in God; now let God rescue him if he wants him. For he did say, ‘I am the son of God.’

    N. Even the robbers who were crucified with him taunted him in the same way.

    From the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour. And about the ninth hour, Jesus cried out in a loud voice,

    ✠ Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?

    N. That is, ‘My God, my God, why have you deserted me?’ When some of those who stood there heard this, they said,

    C. The man is calling on Elijah.

    N. and one of them quickly ran to get a sponge which he dipped in vinegar and, putting it on a reed, gave it him to drink. The rest of them said:

    C. Wait! See if Elijah will come to save him.

    N. But Jesus, again crying out in a loud voice, yielded up his spirit.

    Here all kneel and pause for a short time.

    At that, the veil of the Temple was torn in two from top to bottom; the earth quaked; the rocks were split; the tombs opened and the bodies of many holy men rose from the dead, and these, after his resurrection, came out of the tombs, entered the Holy City and appeared to a number of people. Meanwhile the centurion, together with the others guarding Jesus, had seen the earthquake and all that was taking place, and they were terrified and said,

    C. In truth this was a son of God.

    N. And many women were there, watching from a distance, the same women who had followed Jesus from Galilee and looked after him. Among them were Mary of Magdala, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.

    When it was evening, there came a rich man of Arimathaea, called Joseph, who had himself become a disciple of Jesus. This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Pilate thereupon ordered it to be handed over. So Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean shroud and put it in his own new tomb which he had hewn out of the rock. He then rolled a large stone across the entrance of the tomb and went away. Now Mary of Magdala and the other Mary were there, sitting opposite the sepulchre.

    Next day, that is, when Preparation Day was over, the chief priests and the Pharisees went in a body to Pilate and said to him,

    C. Your Excellency, we recall that this impostor said, while he was still alive, ‘After three days I shall rise again.’ Therefore give the order to have the sepulchre kept secure until the third day, for fear his disciples come and steal him away and tell the people, ‘He has risen from the dead.’ This last piece of fraud would be worse than what went before.

    N. Pilate said to them:

    O. You may have your guard. Go and make all as secure as you know how.

    N. So they went and made the sepulchre secure, putting seals on the stone and mounting a guard.

Mass Reading: Sunday - 26th March 2023

First reading
Ezekiel 37:12-14
I shall put my spirit in you, and you will live

    The Lord says this: I am now going to open your graves; I mean to raise you from your graves, my people, and lead you back to the soil of Israel. And you will know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves and raise you from your graves, my people. And I shall put my spirit in you, and you will live, and I shall resettle you on your own soil; and you will know that I, the Lord, have said and done this – it is the Lord who speaks.

The word of the Lord.

________

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 129(130)

With the Lord there is mercy and fullness of redemption.

Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord,
    Lord, hear my voice!
O let your ears be attentive
    to the voice of my pleading.

With the Lord there is mercy and fullness of redemption.

If you, O Lord, should mark our guilt,
    Lord, who would survive?
But with you is found forgiveness:
    for this we revere you.

With the Lord there is mercy and fullness of redemption.

My soul is waiting for the Lord.
    I count on his word.
My soul is longing for the Lord
    more than watchman for daybreak.
(Let the watchman count on daybreak
    and Israel on the Lord.)

With the Lord there is mercy and fullness of redemption.

Because with the Lord there is mercy
    and fullness of redemption,
Israel indeed he will redeem
    from all its iniquity.

With the Lord there is mercy and fullness of redemption.

________

Second reading
Romans 8:8-11
The Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you

    People who are interested only in unspiritual things can never be pleasing to God. Your interests, however, are not in the unspiritual, but in the spiritual, since the Spirit of God has made his home in you. In fact, unless you possessed the Spirit of Christ you would not belong to him. Though your body may be dead it is because of sin, but if Christ is in you then your spirit is life itself because you have been justified; and if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, then he who raised Jesus from the dead will give life to your own mortal bodies through his Spirit living in you.

The word of the Lord.

________

Gospel Acclamation
Jn11:25, 26

Glory and praise to you, O Christ!

I am the resurrection and the life, says the Lord;
whoever believes in me will never die.

Glory and praise to you, O Christ!

________

Gospel
John 11:1-45
I am the resurrection and the life

    There was a man named Lazarus who lived in the village of Bethany with the two sisters, Mary and Martha, and he was ill. It was the same Mary, the sister of the sick man Lazarus, who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair. The sisters sent this message to Jesus, ‘Lord, the man you love is ill.’ On receiving the message, Jesus said, ‘This sickness will end not in death but in God’s glory, and through it the Son of God will be glorified.’

    Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus, yet when he heard that Lazarus was ill he stayed where he was for two more days before saying to the disciples, ‘Let us go to Judaea.’ The disciples said, ‘Rabbi, it is not long since the Jews wanted to stone you; are you going back again?’ Jesus replied:

‘Are there not twelve hours in the day?

A man can walk in the daytime without stumbling

because he has the light of this world to see by;

but if he walks at night he stumbles,

because there is no light to guide him.’

    He said that and then added, ‘Our friend Lazarus is resting, I am going to wake him.’ The disciples said to him, ‘Lord, if he is able to rest he is sure to get better.’ The phrase Jesus used referred to the death of Lazarus, but they thought that by ‘rest’ he meant ‘sleep’, so Jesus put it plainly, ‘Lazarus is dead; and for your sake I am glad I was not there because now you will believe. But let us go to him.’ Then Thomas – known as the Twin – said to the other disciples, ‘Let us go too, and die with him.’

    On arriving, Jesus found that Lazarus had been in the tomb for four days already. Bethany is only about two miles from Jerusalem, and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to sympathise with them over their brother. When Martha heard that Jesus had come she went to meet him. Mary remained sitting in the house. Martha said to Jesus, ‘If you had been here, my brother would not have died, but I know that, even now, whatever you ask of God, he will grant you.’ ‘Your brother’ said Jesus to her ‘will rise again.’ Martha said, ‘I know he will rise again at the resurrection on the last day.’ Jesus said:

‘I am the resurrection and the life.

If anyone believes in me, even though he dies he will live,

and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.

Do you believe this?’

‘Yes, Lord,’ she said ‘I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, the one who was to come into this world.’

    When she had said this, she went and called her sister Mary, saying in a low voice, ‘The Master is here and wants to see you.’ Hearing this, Mary got up quickly and went to him. Jesus had not yet come into the village; he was still at the place where Martha had met him. When the Jews who were in the house sympathising with Mary saw her get up so quickly and go out, they followed her, thinking that she was going to the tomb to weep there.

    Mary went to Jesus, and as soon as she saw him she threw herself at his feet, saying, ‘Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.’ At the sight of her tears, and those of the Jews who followed her, Jesus said in great distress, with a sigh that came straight from the heart, ‘Where have you put him?’ They said, ‘Lord, come and see.’ Jesus wept; and the Jews said, ‘See how much he loved him!’ But there were some who remarked, ‘He opened the eyes of the blind man, could he not have prevented this man’s death?’ Still sighing, Jesus reached the tomb: it was a cave with a stone to close the opening. Jesus said, ‘Take the stone away.’ Martha said to him, ‘Lord, by now he will smell; this is the fourth day.’ Jesus replied, ‘Have I not told you that if you believe you will see the glory of God?’ So they took away the stone. Then Jesus lifted up his eyes and said:

‘Father, I thank you for hearing my prayer.

I knew indeed that you always hear me,

but I speak for the sake of all these who stand round me,

so that they may believe it was you who sent me.’

    When he had said this, he cried in a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, here! Come out!’ The dead man came out, his feet and hands bound with bands of stuff and a cloth round his face. Jesus said to them, ‘Unbind him, let him go free.’

    Many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary and had seen what he did believed in him.

The Gospel of the Lord.

 

Mass Reflection: Sunday - 26th March 2023

 

EZ 37:12-14; PS 130:1-8; ROM 8:8-11; JN 11:1-45 or JN 11:3-7, 20-27, 33b-45

At this point in our Lenten journey, it is tempting to grow weary of the spiritual disciplines we have taken on. Today’s readings inspire us to remain faithful, in grateful response to a God who loves us so much. What’s more, these readings give us wonderful guidance on just how to make this grateful response.
 
In our first reading, from Ezekiel, the prophet speaks God’s own words to us. “I will put my spirit in you that you may live… I have promised, and I will do it, says the Lord.” Our God wants only good for us. He wants to be so closely united to us that we are one with Him. And He has promised He will do it.
 
But only if we allow Him. He will not force His way into our lives. That would not be loving and God is Love itself. We must invite Him in. We must make room for Him by making Him THE priority of our lives. Putting God first is a grateful response that is very pleasing to Him.
 
How can we please God by putting Him first? Our second reading, from St. Paul’s letter to the Romans, gives us good instruction. “Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. But you are not in the flesh… you are in the spirit, if only the Spirit of God dwells in you.” To be “in the flesh” means that we allow our own selves — our whims, our pleasure, our comfort-seeking — to determine our daily decisions. To be "in the flesh" is to spend our time, talent, and material gifts primarily on ourselves. When we are in the flesh, we leave no room for the Spirit of God to fill our thoughts, our hearts, and our souls.
 
The disciplines of Lent and the disciplines of a stewardship way of life are wonderful gifts that free us from too great an attachment to “the flesh.” The sacrifices we make in a particular way during this holy season, and every day when we truly embrace a stewardship way of life, are not meant to restrict our freedom and joy. Quite the contrary — they are tools to help us find the real freedom and joy that only come when we make room in our lives for God. In fact, the more we allow God to take over every aspect of our lives, the freer and more joyful we become.
 
And our loving God is always ready to renew His Spirit within us whenever we find ourselves led astray by the temptation to selfishness. Today’s Gospel passage from John recounts Jesus’ raising of His friend, Lazarus, from the dead. In Jesus’ poignant reaction to the death of Lazarus and the grief of his sisters, we see once again how closely our God identifies with us and all of our sufferings and burdens. His tenderness and compassion teach us that we can safely surrender our lives to Him knowing that He will care for us. His raising of Lazarus from the dead demonstrates His power over all things, even death itself, reminding us that it would be foolish not to surrender to such an awesome God!
 
As we journey ever closer to the powerful days of Palm Sunday, Holy Week, and the Passion and Resurrection of our Lord, let us intensify our Lenten resolutions and our stewardship way of life. Let us invite the Holy Spirit to take over more and more of our lives. By Easter, we will be freer to rejoice in Him and truly pleasing to God.

Mass Reading: Sunday - 19th March 2023

First reading
1 Samuel 16:1,6-7,10-13
David is anointed by Samuel

The Lord said to Samuel, ‘Fill your horn with oil and go. I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem, for I have chosen myself a king among his sons.’ When Samuel arrived, he caught sight of Eliab and thought, ‘Surely the Lord’s anointed stands there before him,’ but the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Take no notice of his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him: God does not see as man sees: man looks at appearances but the Lord looks at the heart.’ Jesse presented his seven sons to Samuel, but Samuel said to Jesse, ‘The Lord has not chosen these.’ He then asked Jesse, ‘Are these all the sons you have?’ He answered, ‘There is still one left, the youngest; he is out looking after the sheep.’ Then Samuel said to Jesse, ‘Send for him; we will not sit down to eat until he comes.’ Jesse had him sent for, a boy of fresh complexion, with fine eyes and pleasant bearing. The Lord said, ‘Come, anoint him, for this is the one.’ At this, Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him where he stood with his brothers; and the spirit of the Lord seized on David and stayed with him from that day on.

The word of the Lord.

________

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 22(23)

The Lord is my shepherd: there is nothing I shall want.

The Lord is my shepherd;
    there is nothing I shall want.
Fresh and green are the pastures
    where he gives me repose.
Near restful waters he leads me,
    to revive my drooping spirit.

The Lord is my shepherd: there is nothing I shall want.

He guides me along the right path;
    he is true to his name.
If I should walk in the valley of darkness
    no evil would I fear.
You are there with your crook and your staff;
    with these you give me comfort.

The Lord is my shepherd: there is nothing I shall want.

You have prepared a banquet for me
    in the sight of my foes.
My head you have anointed with oil;
    my cup is overflowing.

The Lord is my shepherd: there is nothing I shall want.

Surely goodness and kindness shall follow me
    all the days of my life.
In the Lord’s own house shall I dwell
    for ever and ever.

The Lord is my shepherd: there is nothing I shall want.

________

Second reading
Ephesians 5:8-14
Anything exposed by the light will turn into light

You were darkness once, but now you are light in the Lord; be like children of light, for the effects of the light are seen in complete goodness and right living and truth. Try to discover what the Lord wants of you, having nothing to do with the futile works of darkness but exposing them by contrast. The things which are done in secret are things that people are ashamed even to speak of; but anything exposed by the light will be illuminated and anything illuminated turns into light. That is why it is said:

Wake up from your sleep,
rise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.

The word of the Lord.

________

Gospel Acclamation
Jn8:12

Glory to you, O Christ, you are the Word of God!
I am the light of the world, says the Lord;
whoever follows me will have the light of life.
Glory to you, O Christ, you are the Word of God!

________

Gospel
John 9:1-41
The blind man went off and washed himself, and came away with his sight restored

    As Jesus went along, he saw a man who had been blind from birth. His disciples asked him, ‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, for him to have been born blind?’ ‘Neither he nor his parents sinned,’ Jesus answered ‘he was born blind so that the works of God might be displayed in him.

‘As long as the day lasts

I must carry out the work of the one who sent me;

the night will soon be here when no one can work.

As long as I am in the world

I am the light of the world.’

    Having said this, he spat on the ground, made a paste with the spittle, put this over the eyes of the blind man, and said to him, ‘Go and wash in the Pool of Siloam’ (a name that means ‘sent’). So the blind man went off and washed himself, and came away with his sight restored.

    His neighbours and people who earlier had seen him begging said, ‘Isn’t this the man who used to sit and beg?’ Some said, ‘Yes, it is the same one.’ Others said, ‘No, he only looks like him.’ The man himself said, ‘I am the man.’ So they said to him, ‘Then how do your eyes come to be open?’ ‘The man called Jesus’ he answered ‘made a paste, daubed my eyes with it and said to me, “Go and wash at Siloam”; so I went, and when I washed I could see.’ They asked, ‘Where is he?’ ‘I don’t know’ he answered.

    They brought the man who had been blind to the Pharisees. It had been a sabbath day when Jesus made the paste and opened the man’s eyes, so when the Pharisees asked him how he had come to see, he said, ‘He put a paste on my eyes, and I washed, and I can see.’ Then some of the Pharisees said, ‘This man cannot be from God: he does not keep the sabbath.’ Others said, ‘How could a sinner produce signs like this?’ And there was disagreement among them. So they spoke to the blind man again, ‘What have you to say about him yourself, now that he has opened your eyes?’ ‘He is a prophet’ replied the man. However, the Jews would not believe that the man had been blind and had gained his sight, without first sending for his parents and asking them, ‘Is this man really your son who you say was born blind? If so, how is it that he is now able to see?’ His parents answered, ‘We know he is our son and we know he was born blind, but we do not know how it is that he can see now, or who opened his eyes. He is old enough: let him speak for himself.’ His parents spoke like this out of fear of the Jews, who had already agreed to expel from the synagogue anyone who should acknowledge Jesus as the Christ. This was why his parents said, ‘He is old enough; ask him.’

    So the Jews again sent for the man and said to him, ‘Give glory to God! For our part, we know that this man is a sinner.’ The man answered, ‘I don’t know if he is a sinner; I only know that I was blind and now I can see.’ They said to him, ‘What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?’ He replied, ‘I have told you once and you wouldn’t listen. Why do you want to hear it all again? Do you want to become his disciples too?’ At this they hurled abuse at him: ‘You can be his disciple,’ they said ‘we are disciples of Moses: we know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he comes from.’ The man replied, ‘Now here is an astonishing thing! He has opened my eyes, and you don’t know where he comes from! We know that God doesn’t listen to sinners, but God does listen to men who are devout and do his will. Ever since the world began it is unheard of for anyone to open the eyes of a man who was born blind; if this man were not from God, he couldn’t do a thing.’ ‘Are you trying to teach us,’ they replied ‘and you a sinner through and through, since you were born!’ And they drove him away.

    Jesus heard they had driven him away, and when he found him he said to him, ‘Do you believe in the Son of Man?’ ‘Sir,’ the man replied ‘tell me who he is so that I may believe in him.’ Jesus said, ‘You are looking at him; he is speaking to you.’ The man said, ‘Lord, I believe’, and worshipped him.

    Jesus said:

‘It is for judgement

that I have come into this world,

so that those without sight may see

and those with sight turn blind.’

Hearing this, some Pharisees who were present said to him, ‘We are not blind, surely?’ Jesus replied:

‘Blind? If you were,

you would not be guilty,

but since you say, “We see,”

your guilt remains.’

The Gospel of the Lord.

Mass Reflection: Sunday - 19th March 2023

1 SM 16:1B, 6-7, 10-13A; PS 23:1-6; EPH 5:8-14; JN 9:1-41 or JN 9:1, 6-9, 13-17, 34-38

Today’s readings on this fourth Sunday of Lent are filled with contrasting images — God’s vision versus human vision, the light of Christ versus the darkness of sin, spiritual blindness versus spiritual sightedness. Embracing a stewardship way of life can free us from spiritual blindness, allow us to see as God sees, and help us to reflect the light of Christ’s love in the way we live our daily lives.
 
The first reading, from the First Book of Samuel, recounts God’s choice of a king for his people from among the sons of Jesse. Surprisingly, it was not the oldest or the strongest of the seven brothers that God chose to lead his people. It was the youngest, the least likely candidate by the world’s standards, that God chose — “Not as man sees does God see, because man sees the appearance but the Lord looks into the heart.” Our Heavenly Father is not impressed by our job title or athletic achievements or the number of Twitter followers we have. He is pleased by the condition of our hearts when they are conformed to Christ and by the way we use the time and gifts He has given us to serve others.
 
Our Second Reading, from Ephesians, gives a further reminder of the aspect of our identity that truly matters to God and encourages us to live in a way that reflects this. “You were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light.” Because of our Baptism, we have the “light” of the Blessed Trinity dwelling within us. In the difficulties and messiness of daily life, it’s easy to forget this glorious truth about ourselves. It can also be difficult to determine whether we truly are living in a way that reflects Christ’s light. The stewardship way of life, with its emphasis on the rightly ordered use of the gifts of time, talent, and treasure, gives us a guide we can consult on a daily basis to help ensure that we really are living as “children of the light.”
 
In our Gospel passage from John, Christ says of Himself, “I am the light of the world.” This passage recounts a miracle our Lord performs, restoring sight to a man born blind. The man responds to the Pharisees who question him about his healing by declaring to them that Jesus “opened my eyes.” These Lenten days are an excellent time for us to ask Jesus to open our eyes, too. Let us ask Him to show us where we may be suffering from spiritual blindness, perhaps even in subtle ways. 
 
Are we truly reflecting His light in our use of time by giving priority to our prayer lives, regularly attending Mass and Confession, giving our full and consistent attention to our loved ones?
 
Are we reflecting His light in the sharing of our talents by supporting the ministries in this parish, by community involvement, and by being good neighbors to those near us who may be in need?
 
Are we reflecting His light by sharing our material blessings in a committed and intentional way as an act of gratitude to the God Who has given us all that we have?
 
As we continue on our Lenten journey, let’s intensify our efforts in any of these areas where we have become a little blinded so that by Easter, we are truly living as children of the light.

 

Mass Reading: Sunday - 12th March 2023

First reading
Exodus 17:3-7
Strike the rock, and water will flow from it

    Tormented by thirst, the people complained against Moses. ‘Why did you bring us out of Egypt?’ they said. ‘Was it so that I should die of thirst, my children too, and my cattle?’

    Moses appealed to the Lord. ‘How am I to deal with this people?” he said. ‘A little more and they will stone me!’ the Lord said to Moses, ‘Take with you some of the elders of Israel and move on to the forefront of the people; take in your hand the staff with which you struck the river, and go. I shall be standing before you there on the rock, at Horeb. You must strike the rock, and water will flow from it for the people to drink.’ This is what Moses did, in the sight of the elders of Israel. The place was named Massah and Meribah because of the grumbling of the sons of Israel and because they put the Lord to the test by saying, ‘Is the Lord with us, or not?’

The word of the Lord.

________

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 94(95):1-2,6-9

O that today you would listen to his voice! ‘Harden not your hearts.’

Come, ring out our joy to the Lord;
    hail the rock who saves us.
Let us come before him, giving thanks,
    with songs let us hail the Lord.

O that today you would listen to his voice! ‘Harden not your hearts.’

Come in; let us bow and bend low;
    let us kneel before the God who made us:
for he is our God and we
    the people who belong to his pasture,
    the flock that is led by his hand.

O that today you would listen to his voice! ‘Harden not your hearts.’

O that today you would listen to his voice!
    ‘Harden not your hearts as at Meribah,
    as on that day at Massah in the desert
when your fathers put me to the test;
    when they tried me, though they saw my work.’

O that today you would listen to his voice! ‘Harden not your hearts.’

________

Second reading
Romans 5:1-2,5-8
The love of God has been poured into our hearts

    Through our Lord Jesus Christ, by faith we are judged righteous and at peace with God, since it is by faith and through Jesus that we have entered this state of grace in which we can boast about looking forward to God’s glory. And this hope is not deceptive, because the love of God has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit which has been given us. We were still helpless when at his appointed moment Christ died for sinful men. It is not easy to die even for a good man – though of course for someone really worthy, a man might be prepared to die – but what proves that God loves us is that Christ died for us while we were still sinners.

The word of the Lord.

________

Gospel Acclamation
Jn4:42,15

Glory to you, O Christ, you are the Word of God!

Lord, you are really the saviour of the world:
give me the living water, so that I may never get thirsty.

Glory to you, O Christ, you are the Word of God!

________

Gospel
John 4:5-42
A spring of water welling up to eternal life

    Jesus came to the Samaritan town called Sychar, near the land that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. Jacob’s well is there and Jesus, tired by the journey, sat straight down by the well. It was about the sixth hour. When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, ‘Give me a drink.’ His disciples had gone into the town to buy food. The Samaritan woman said to him, ‘What? You are a Jew and you ask me, a Samaritan, for a drink?’ – Jews, in fact, do not associate with Samaritans. Jesus replied:

‘If you only knew what God is offering

and who it is that is saying to you:

Give me a drink, you would have been the one to ask,

and he would have given you living water.’

    ‘You have no bucket, sir,’ she answered ‘and the well is deep: how could you get this living water? Are you a greater man than our father Jacob who gave us this well and drank from it himself with his sons and his cattle?’ Jesus replied:

‘Whoever drinks this water

will get thirsty again;

but anyone who drinks the water that I shall give

will never be thirsty again:

the water that I shall give

will turn into a spring inside him,

welling up to eternal life.’

‘Sir,’ said the woman ‘give me some of that water, so that I may never get thirsty and never have to come here again to draw water.’ ‘Go and call your husband’ said Jesus to her ‘and come back here.’ The woman answered, ‘I have no husband.’ He said to her, ‘You are right to say, “I have no husband”; for although you have had five, the one you have now is not your husband. You spoke the truth there.’ ‘I see you are a prophet, sir’ said the woman. ‘Our fathers worshipped on this mountain, while you say that Jerusalem is the place where one ought to worship.’ Jesus said:

‘Believe me, woman,

the hour is coming

when you will worship the Father

neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem.

You worship what you do not know;

we worship what we do know:

for salvation comes from the Jews.

But the hour will come

– in fact it is here already –

when true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth:

that is the kind of worshipper the Father wants.

God is spirit,

and those who worship

must worship in spirit and truth.’

    The woman said to him, ‘I know that Messiah – that is, Christ – is coming; and when he comes he will tell us everything.’ ‘I who am speaking to you,’ said Jesus ‘I am he.’

    At this point his disciples returned, and were surprised to find him speaking to a woman, though none of them asked, ‘What do you want from her?’ or, ‘Why are you talking to her?’ The woman put down her water jar and hurried back to the town to tell the people. ‘Come and see a man who has told me everything I ever did; I wonder if he is the Christ?’ This brought people out of the town and they started walking towards him.

    Meanwhile, the disciples were urging him, ‘Rabbi, do have something to eat; but he said, ‘I have food to eat that you do not know about.’ So the disciples asked one another, ‘Has someone been bringing him food?’ But Jesus said:

‘My food is to do the will of the one who sent me,

and to complete his work.

Have you not got a saying:

Four months and then the harvest?

Well, I tell you:

Look around you, look at the fields;

already they are white, ready for harvest!

Already the reaper is being paid his wages,

already he is bringing in the grain for eternal life,

and thus sower and reaper rejoice together.

For here the proverb holds good:

one sows, another reaps;

I sent you to reap a harvest you had not worked for.

Others worked for it;

and you have come into the rewards of their trouble.’

Many Samaritans of that town had believed in him on the strength of the woman’s testimony when she said, ‘He told me all I have ever done’, so, when the Samaritans came up to him, they begged him to stay with them. He stayed for two days, and when he spoke to them many more came to believe; and they said to the woman, ‘Now we no longer believe because of what you told us; we have heard him ourselves and we know that he really is the saviour of the world.’

The Gospel of the Lord.

Mass Reflection: Sunday - 12th March 2023

 

EX 17:3-7; PS 95:1-2, 6-9; ROM 5:1-2, 5-8; JN 4:5-42 OR JN 4:5-15, 19B-26, 39A, 40-42

Today’s readings on this third Sunday of Lent present us with the theme of “thirst” and show us that a stewardship way of life can both satisfy our spiritual thirst for Christ and help us to satisfy Christ’s thirst for souls.

Our first reading, from the book of Exodus, begins with the words, “In their thirst for water, the people grumbled against Moses.” What little faith and lack of trust they show after all God has done to free them from slavery. But Moses cried out to God for help, and sure enough, God provided abundantly to quench their thirst, instructing Moses to strike a rock “and the water will flow from it for the people to drink.” God continued to provide generously for them. And He continues to provide generously for us these many centuries later.

Our second reading, from Paul’s letter to the Romans, is a further reminder of God’s graciousness to us: “The love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” And not because we are deserving, but because God is so very good: “God proves His love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.” If we spent the rest of our Lent truly contemplating that latter verse, we would surely be inspired to become more passionate stewards in response to such overwhelming love. We would become stewards who, by the heroic sharing of all the gifts God has given us, lead many of those around us to Christ and help to quench His thirst for souls. 

Our Gospel passage from John recounts the life-changing encounter that Christ has with the Samaritan woman at the well beginning with His words to her, “Give me a drink.” She is puzzled by this request so our Lord adds, “If you knew the gift of God and who is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.” Christ is speaking these same words to us today: “Give me a drink” and “If only you knew…” 

These two verses encapsulate the call to stewardship. Christ asks us to “give him a drink” by sharing what we have with Him and with others for His sake. Yet, it is Christ Himself who provides the water — the living water that is His grace: “Whoever drinks the water I shall give will never thirst; the water I shall give will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

For some mysterious reason, God has chosen to include us in His plan for bringing all people to salvation through Him. We live out our part in His plan through a stewardship way of life. It is an indescribable privilege to live this way. 

Yet, our Lord does not wish us to be concerned about our unworthiness for such a high calling. He demonstrates this throughout the Scriptures by calling the “unworthy.” In today’s passage, He chooses the Samaritan woman. She is a woman with a “past” and even a current living situation that is scandalous. But He calls her to conversion, and she responds to His call, becoming a disciple for her whole village. 

He is calling to us too, to live as His modern-day disciples. This Lent, let us resolve to respond to His call with passion and commitment. Let us do our part to quench His thirst for the salvation of all.

Mass Reflection: Sunday - 05th March 2023

GN 12:1-4A; PS 33:4-5, 18-20, 22; 2 TIM 1:8B-10; MT 17:1-9

Our readings for this second Sunday of Lent offer us, as Christian stewards, the motivation to continue our 40-day journey toward deeper holiness.
 
The first reading from the book of Genesis describes God’s call to Abram (who would later be called Abraham). God instructs Abram to leave his home and set out to a land that God had chosen for him. Abram’s response is an ancient example of good stewardship. Instead of clinging to his comfortable way of life, to the only home he has ever known, he recognizes that all he has is a gift from God, puts his trust in God, and obeys. And God rewards him saying, “I will make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.”
 
To “be a blessing” is the true aim of a stewardship way of life. It is also an excellent way to live out the season of Lent. The sacrifices we take on, the spiritual disciplines we practice, and the extra acts of service we perform during this season — all give glory to God and transform our lives into a blessing for others.
 
St. Paul encourages us on this path in our second reading taken from his letter to Timothy. “Bear your share of hardship for the gospel…” adding this critical phrase, “with the strength that comes from God.” On our own, we are weak and inclined towards selfishness and comfort-seeking. Relying on God’s strength, however, we can persevere in the fight to attain holiness. Paul reminds us that we were made for this! “[God] saved us and called us to a holy life.”
 
To be “holy” means to be set apart for God. This means that our lives as Christian stewards will look different from those around us who do not know the Lord — but different in a way that is attractive, that draws them to the Lord as well. It is a way of life that is counter-cultural in our individualistic, “me first” day and age. The generous offering to God of our time, talent, and treasure at times can feel like the “hardship” Paul mentions in our second reading. But this way of life is a path to holiness.
 
Lest we grow weary on this path, our Gospel passage today, from Matthew, offers us a powerful image of the great God we serve. It is the story of the Transfiguration of Jesus when our Lord takes His key apostles up to a high mountain and reveals Himself in His true glory.

“He was transfigured before them; his face shone like the sun and his clothes became white as light.” And not only that but the voice of the Father was revealed to them with the words, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.”

This revelation of the glory of God was so overwhelming to the apostles that they fell to the ground in fear when they saw Him this way. But our loving Savior is quick to reassure them to “Rise, and do not be afraid.”
 
As we continue our Lenten journey, let us take these two verses to heart:

• “Listen to Him”
• “Rise, and do not be afraid”

Let us rely on God’s strength to aid us in our spiritual disciplines as we move through Lent. We will arrive at Easter with deeper holiness, as a blessing to God and others — and as better stewards of all God’s gifts to us.

Mass Reading: Sunday - 05th March 2023

First reading
Genesis 12:1-4
All the tribes of the earth shall bless themselves by you

    The Lord said to Abram, ‘Leave your country, your family and your father’s house, for the land I will show you. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name so famous that it will be used as a blessing.

‘I will bless those who bless you:
I will curse those who slight you.
All the tribes of the earth
shall bless themselves by you.’

So Abram went as the Lord told him.

The word of the Lord.

________

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 32(33):4-5,18-20,22

May your love be upon us, O Lord, as we place all our hope in you.

The word of the Lord is faithful
    and all his works to be trusted.
The Lord loves justice and right
    and fills the earth with his love.

May your love be upon us, O Lord, as we place all our hope in you.

The Lord looks on those who revere him,
    on those who hope in his love,
to rescue their souls from death,
    to keep them alive in famine.

May your love be upon us, O Lord, as we place all our hope in you.

Our soul is waiting for the Lord.
    The Lord is our help and our shield.
May your love be upon us, O Lord,
    as we place all our hope in you.

May your love be upon us, O Lord, as we place all our hope in you.

________

Second reading
2 Timothy 1:8-10
God calls and enlightens us

    With me, bear the hardships for the sake of the Good News, relying on the power of God who has saved us and called us to be holy – not because of anything we ourselves have done but for his own purpose and by his own grace. This grace had already been granted to us, in Christ Jesus, before the beginning of time, but it has only been revealed by the Appearing of our saviour Christ Jesus. He abolished death, and he has proclaimed life and immortality through the Good News.

The word of the Lord.

________

Gospel Acclamation
Mt17:5

Glory and praise to you, O Christ!
From the bright cloud the Father’s voice was heard:
‘This is my Son, the Beloved. Listen to him.’
Glory and praise to you, O Christ!

________

Gospel
Matthew 17:1-9
His face shone like the sun

    Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John and led them up a high mountain where they could be alone. There in their presence he was transfigured: his face shone like the sun and his clothes became as white as the light. Suddenly Moses and Elijah appeared to them; they were talking with him. Then Peter spoke to Jesus. ‘Lord,’ he said ‘it is wonderful for us to be here; if you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.’ He was still speaking when suddenly a bright cloud covered them with shadow, and from the cloud there came a voice which said, ‘This is my Son, the Beloved; he enjoys my favour. Listen to him.’ When they heard this the disciples fell on their faces overcome with fear. But Jesus came up and touched them. ‘Stand up,’ he said ‘do not be afraid.’ And when they raised their eyes they saw no one but only Jesus.

    As they came down from the mountain Jesus gave them this order, ‘Tell no one about the vision until the Son of Man has risen from the dead.’

The Gospel of the Lord.

Pope's Monthly Intentions for March 2023

For victims of abuse

We pray for those who have suffered harm from members of the Church; may they find within the Church herself a concrete response to their pain and suffering.

**********************************************************************************************

In response to cases of abuse, especially to those committed by members of the Church, it’s not enough to ask for forgiveness.

Asking for forgiveness is necessary, but it is not enough. Asking for forgiveness is good for the victims, but they are the ones who have to be “at the center” of everything.

Their pain and their psychological wounds can begin to heal if they find answers —if there are concrete actions to repair the horrors they have suffered and to prevent them from happening again.

The Church cannot try to hide the tragedy of abuse of any kind. Nor when the abuse takes place in families, in clubs, or in other types of institutions.

The Church must serve as a model to help solve the issue and bring it to light in society and in families.

The Church must offer safe spaces for victims to be heard, supported psychologically, and protected.

Let us pray for those who have suffered because of the wrongs done to them from members of the Church; may they find within the Church herself a concrete response to their pain and suffering. 

Daily Offering Prayer

God, our Father, I offer You my day. I offer You my prayers, thoughts, words, actions, joys, and sufferings in union with the Heart of Jesus, who continues to offer Himself in the Eucharist for the salvation of the world. May the Holy Spirit, Who guided Jesus, be my guide and my strength today so that I may witness to your love. With Mary, the mother of our Lord and the Church, I pray for all Apostles of Prayer and for the prayer intentions proposed by the Holy Father this month. Amen.