Mass Reflection: Sunday - 12th October 2025

 

2 KGS 5:14-17; PS 98: 1-4;2 TM 2:8-13; LK 17:11-19

Gratitude is the key to a stewardship way of life. Today’s readings demonstrate the power and vital importance of gratitude in the life of the Christian disciple, for gratitude leads us to worship God who offers us salvation.

We see the power of gratitude at work in the response of two individuals in today’s readings who received the gift of physical healing, one in our First Reading, from the book of Second Kings, and the other in our Gospel Reading, from Luke.

In the First Reading, we hear the story of Namaan, a commander in the army of Syria, who presents himself to the prophet, Elisha, “the man of God,” to ask for healing from his leprosy. The prophet agrees to this request and intercedes on his behalf before God, telling Namaan to wash in the Jordan River. Namaan receives complete healing from the disease.

Overjoyed, Namaan returns to Elisha, filled with gratitude to God and wanting to offer a gift in thanksgiving for this healing. Though Elisha refuses to accept a gift, Naaman declares that for the rest of his life he “will no longer offer holocaust or sacrifice to any other god except to the Lord.” Namaan recognized the great blessing he had received from the Lord and, as a result of his gratitude to God, is led to worship Him for the rest of his life.

We find a similar instance of healing in the Gospel passage, this one involving 10 lepers seeking healing. They cry out to Jesus in their affliction and feeling pity for the 10, He tells them to go and show themselves to the priests. As they go on their way, all 10 are healed.

Yet, what we learn in the very next verse is surprising. “And one of them, realizing he had been healed, returned.” Only one of the 10 recognized the tremendous blessing he had received from Jesus and returned to thank him. It’s easy to feel indignant at the failure of the nine others to return and thank Jesus. But how of10 do we fail to recognize blessings great and small, answered prayers, healings (both physical and spiritual), that the Lord showers upon us, day and night?

The truth is that our very lives and every breath we take are His gift to us. But we can get so caught up in the stresses and distractions of daily life that we lose touch with this truth.

Gratitude begins within our minds and hearts when we take the time to recognize how blessed we truly are and when we have the humility to recognize where these blessings come from — our merciful and loving God.

The Samaritan reacts to his gift of healing in much the same way that Namaan did and demonstrates the proper response to our loving God. Recognizing what he had just received from the Lord, he “returned, glorifying God in a loud voice; and he fell at the feet of Jesus and thanked Him.” He was grateful for what God had done for him, and this gratitude led to worship.

And because of this response, Jesus offered him a far more precious gift than physical healing; He offered him the gift of salvation. “Where are the other nine? Has none but the foreigner returned to give thanks to God? … Stand up and go; your faith has saved you.”

Too often, we hear the phrase, “Count your blessings,” and write it off as nothing more than a trite saying. Today’s readings show us otherwise. Gratitude is powerful. It deepens our faith in God and leads us to fitting worship of Him.

Mass Reading: Sunday - 12th October 2025

First reading
2 Kings 5:14-17
Naaman the leper returned to Elisha and acknowledged the Lord

 

Naaman the leper went down and immersed himself seven times in the Jordan, as Elisha had told him to do. And his flesh became clean once more like the flesh of a little child.

Returning to Elisha with his whole escort, he went in and stood before him. ‘Now I know’ he said ‘that there is no God in all the earth except in Israel. Now, please, accept a present from your servant.’

But Elisha replied, ‘As the Lord lives, whom I serve, I will accept nothing.’ Naaman pressed him to accept, but he refused.

Then Naaman said, ‘Since your answer is “No,” allow your servant to be given as much earth as two mules may carry, because your servant will no longer offer holocaust or sacrifice to any god except the Lord.’

 

The word of the Lord.

 

_______________

 

 

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 97(98):1-4

The Lord has shown his salvation to the nations.

Sing a new song to the Lord

for he has worked wonders.

His right hand and his holy arm

have brought salvation.

The Lord has shown his salvation to the nations.

The Lord has made known his salvation;

has shown his justice to the nations.

He has remembered his truth and love

for the house of Israel.

The Lord has shown his salvation to the nations.

All the ends of the earth have seen

the salvation of our God.

Shout to the Lord, all the earth,

ring out your joy.

The Lord has shown his salvation to the nations.

_________________

Second reading
2 Timothy 2:8-13
If we hold firm then we shall reign with Christ
 

Remember the Good News that I carry, ‘Jesus Christ risen from the dead, sprung from the race of David’; it is on account of this that I have my own hardships to bear, even to being chained like a criminal – but they cannot chain up God’s news. So I bear it all for the sake of those who are chosen, so that in the end they may have the salvation that is in Christ Jesus and the eternal glory that comes with it.

 Here is a saying that you can rely on:

If we have died with him, then we shall live with him.

If we hold firm, then we shall reign with him.

If we disown him, then he will disown us.

We may be unfaithful, but he is always faithful,

for he cannot disown his own self.

 

The word of the Lord.

 

_______________

Gospel
Luke 17:11-19
No-one has come back to praise God, only this foreigner

 

    On the way to Jerusalem Jesus travelled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. As he entered one of the villages, ten lepers came to meet him. They stood some way off and called to him, ‘Jesus! Master! Take pity on us.’ When he saw them he said, ‘Go and show yourselves to the priests.’ Now as they were going away they were cleansed. Finding himself cured, one of them turned back praising God at the top of his voice and threw himself at the feet of Jesus and thanked him. The man was a Samaritan. This made Jesus say, ‘Were not all ten made clean? The other nine, where are they? It seems that no one has come back to give praise to God, except this foreigner.’ And he said to the man, ‘Stand up and go on your way. Your faith has saved you.’

 

The Gospel of the Lord.

Mass Reading: Sunday - 13th October 2024

First reading
Wisdom 7:7-11
I esteemed Wisdom more than sceptres or thrones

I prayed, and understanding was given me;

I entreated, and the spirit of Wisdom came to me.

I esteemed her more than sceptres and thrones;

compared with her, I held riches as nothing.

I reckoned no priceless stone to be her peer,

for compared with her, all gold is a pinch of sand,

and beside her silver ranks as mud.

I loved her more than health or beauty,

preferred her to the light,

since her radiance never sleeps.

In her company all good things came to me,

at her hands riches not to be numbered.

The word of the Lord.

________

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 89(90):12-17

Fill us with your love so that we may rejoice.

Make us know the shortness of our life
    that we may gain wisdom of heart.
Lord, relent! Is your anger for ever?
    Show pity to your servants.

Fill us with your love so that we may rejoice.

In the morning, fill us with your love;
    we shall exult and rejoice all our days.
Give us joy to balance our affliction
    for the years when we knew misfortune.

Fill us with your love so that we may rejoice.

Show forth your work to your servants;
    let your glory shine on their children.
Let the favour of the Lord be upon us:
    give success to the work of our hands.

Fill us with your love so that we may rejoice.

________

Second reading
Hebrews 4:12-13
The word of God cuts more finely than a double-edged sword

    The word of God is something alive and active: it cuts like any double-edged sword but more finely: it can slip through the place where the soul is divided from the spirit, or joints from the marrow; it can judge the secret emotions and thoughts. No created thing can hide from him; everything is uncovered and open to the eyes of the one to whom we must give account of ourselves.

The word of the Lord.

________

Gospel Acclamation
Mt11:25

Alleluia, alleluia!

Blessed are you, Father, 
Lord of heaven and earth,
for revealing the mysteries of the kingdom
to mere children.

Alleluia!

Or:
Mt5:3

Alleluia, alleluia!

How happy are the poor in spirit:
theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Alleluia!

________

Gospel
Mark 10:17-30
Give everything you own to the poor, and follow me

    Jesus was setting out on a journey when a man ran up, knelt before him and put this question to him, ‘Good master, what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ Jesus said to him, ‘Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. You know the commandments: You must not kill; You must not commit adultery; You must not steal; You must not bring false witness; You must not defraud; Honour your father and mother.’ And he said to him, ‘Master, I have kept all these from my earliest days.’ Jesus looked steadily at him and loved him, and he said, ‘There is one thing you lack. Go and sell everything you own and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.’ But his face fell at these words and he went away sad, for he was a man of great wealth.

    Jesus looked round and said to his disciples, ‘How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!’ The disciples were astounded by these words, but Jesus insisted, ‘My children,’ he said to them ‘how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.’ They were more astonished than ever. ‘In that case’ they said to one another ‘who can be saved?’ Jesus gazed at them. ‘For men’ he said ‘it is impossible, but not for God: because everything is possible for God.’

    Peter took this up. ‘What about us?’ he asked him. ‘We have left everything and followed you.’ Jesus said, ‘I tell you solemnly, there is no one who has left house, brothers, sisters, father, children or land for my sake and for the sake of the gospel who will not be repaid a hundred times over, houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and land – not without persecutions – now in this present time and, in the world to come, eternal life.’

The Gospel of the Lord.

Mass Reflection: Sunday - 13th October 2024

 

WIS 7:7-11; PS 90:12-13, 14-15, 16-17; HEB 4:12-13; MK 10:17-30 OR 10:17-27

In our Gospel today we hear the story of a man who ran up to Jesus and asked Him what he must do to reach eternal life.

Jesus said, “You are lacking in one thing. Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.”

It says the man went away sad because he had much.

We might cringe when we hear this story because it is sad — this man was so close to becoming an active disciple of Jesus, but instead turned away. We also might cringe because it could be deeply applicable to our lives.

Jesus states that, “It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”

One of the metaphors for the “eye of a needle” was a tight passageway into Jerusalem that people had to enter to get into the city. In order for their camels to pass through, they had to remove whatever the camel was carrying, only then, could they enter.

If we look at our own lives, we can most likely think of something that we tightly carry with us. Maybe it is possessions — material goods or money — like Jesus references in our Gospel. Or maybe it is something less material — like status, pride or control. As we go through life, it can be hard not to cling tightly to things of the world.

But what will happen when we reach the gate of heaven? All of our “stuff” won’t fit into the narrow gate.

Jesus doesn’t want our stuff — our job promotions, our designer house or our bank account. He just wants us. So, we need to be willing to strip those things from our lives in order to reach Him.

Later in our Gospel, Jesus’ disciples asked a question we all might be thinking, “Then who can be saved?” How can anyone make it to heaven if we all are attached to things in our everyday life that we put in front of Him?

Jesus tells us, “For human beings it is impossible, but not for God. All things are possible for God.” It is only through Him that we will reach eternal life.

Our First Reading reminds us that through prayer, we will gain the virtues to persevere through this life — “I prayed, and prudence was given me; I pleaded, and the spirit of wisdom came to me.” If we ask, we shall receive. And if we remain close to Jesus, He will show us the way.

It is also through opportunity. As our Second Reading states, “everything is naked and exposed to the eyes of him.” Jesus knows exactly what we struggle with, and He gives us countless opportunities in life to choose Him, to overcome our attachments and surrender.

It could be a tragic life event, a rough week, an unexpected expense that depletes our savings, or the loss of material goods. These moments are opportunities that Jesus allows in our lives for our sanctification. It is our job not to waste those moments.

We can also create opportunities throughout our day to help ourselves detach from whatever is holding us back from Jesus. Jesus’ recommendation to this man was to sell all his possessions and give them to the poor. While He may not be calling us to do that, we can still give to the point where it makes us uncomfortable. And it is in that discomfort that we put more trust in Christ that helps us to grow closer to Jesus, that we turn and follow Him more intentionally.

Recall that Jesus already knew the life of this man in our Gospel, and it said that He “loved him.” No matter where we are on our journey as disciples, know that Jesus knows everything about us and still radically loves us. There is nothing we could do to make Him love us more or less. However, there is much we can do to love Him more.

May we consider what it is that is holding us back from radically loving Jesus in return. Pray for the grace to overcome, don’t pass by the opportunities to surrender and create moments to detach. It might seem difficult, but the outcome will be more than we could have ever imagined — peace on earth and treasure in heaven.

Mass Reflection: Sunday - 15th October 2023

 

IS 25:6-10A; P S23:1-6; PHIL 4:12-14, 19-20; MT 21:1-14 or 22:1-10

How easy it is, especially in these times, to be consumed by the cares and distractions of the “here and now,” forgetting about what matters most — living for the Kingdom of Heaven. The stewardship way of life, with its emphasis on the virtuous use of our Time, Talent and Treasure, allows us to embrace daily life and all its demands — with eternity in mind.
 
In our First Reading, the prophet Isaiah paints a beautiful and compelling picture of what we can hope for in Heaven. “The LORD of hosts will provide for all peoples a feast of rich food and choice wines, juicy, rich food and pure, choice wines.” And not only that, our loving Father will personally heal us of each and every suffering we endured during our lives. “The Lord GOD will wipe away the tears from every face.” 
 
How can we say “no” to such an enticing invitation? Yet, so often we are tempted to do just that. We ignore our relationship with God, neglect our prayer and sacramental life, and the call to put others ahead of ourselves. We prioritize the  “immediate” over the “eternal.”
 
How do we keep focused on the Kingdom of Heaven? St. Paul shares his secret for an eternity-driven life. In our Second Reading from his Letter to the Philippians, Paul says, “I know how to live in humble circumstances; I know also how to live with abundance. In every circumstance and in all things I have learned the secret of being well fed and of going hungry, of living in abundance and of being in need.” In other words, Paul has learned to live the stewardship way of life.
 
What is the secret? It is this: “I can do all things in him who strengthens me.” How? Through this: “My God will fully supply whatever you need, in accord with his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” It is so simple! But it is not easy. It takes both courage and humility to live this way. God will supply these to us if we ask.
 
In our Gospel passage from Matthew, we return to the image of a feast. To describe the Kingdom of Heaven, Jesus shares the parable of a wedding feast that a king gives for his son. The king sends several groups of servants to call the invited guests to come and join the feast. By virtue of our Baptism, we are the “invited guests” that Jesus is describing. How do the invited guests respond? The first group of guests refuses to come. Among the second group of guests, “some ignored the invitation and went away, one to his farm, another to his business.” Is this how we respond?
 
Our Heavenly Father is continuously inviting us (reminding us, prodding us) to come and join Him in the Kingdom of Heaven. Not in a far-off future, but right here and right now. If we will put Him first, partake of the sacraments He gives us (especially the gift of His own Son in the Eucharist) we can enter into the Kingdom of Heaven right now. And our example can lead others to join us. 
 
So let us embrace the stewardship way of life today! Let us put God first with our Time, our Talents and our Treasure, knowing that we can do all of this through Christ Who gives us strength. God is calling to us today to live with eternity in mind. If we do this, we will be feasting now and forever!

Mass Reflection: Sunday - 10th October 2021

In our Gospel today we hear the story of a man who ran up to Jesus and asked Him what he must do to reach eternal life. 

Jesus said, “You are lacking in one thing. Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.”

It says the man went away sad because he had much. 

We might cringe when we hear this story because it is sad — this man was so close to becoming an active disciple of Jesus, but instead turned away. We also might cringe because it could be deeply applicable to our lives. 

Jesus states that “It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”

One of the metaphors for the “eye of a needle” was a tight passageway into Jerusalem that people had to enter to get into the city. In order for their camels to pass through, they had to remove whatever the camel was carrying, only then, could they enter. 

If we look at our own lives, we can most likely think of something that we tightly carry with us. Maybe it is possessions — material goods or money — like Jesus references in our Gospel. Or maybe it is something less material — like status, pride, or control. As we go through life, it can be hard not to cling tightly to things of the world. 

But what will happen when we reach the gate of heaven? All of our “stuff” won’t fit into the narrow gate. 

Jesus doesn’t want our stuff — our job promotions, our designer house, or our bank account. He just wants us. So, we need to be willing to strip those things from our lives in order to reach Him. 

Later in our Gospel, Jesus’ disciples asked a question we all might be thinking, “Then who can be saved?” How can anyone make it to heaven if we all are attached to things in everyday life that we put in front of Him?

Jesus tells us, “For human beings it is impossible, but not for God. All things are possible for God.” It is only through Him that we will reach eternal life.

Our First Reading reminds us that through prayer, we will gain the virtues to persevere through this life — “I prayed, and prudence was given me; I pleaded, and the spirit of wisdom came to me.” If we ask, we shall receive. And if we remain close to Jesus, He will show us the way. 

It is also through opportunity. As our Second Reading states, “everything is naked and exposed to the eyes of him.” Jesus knows exactly what we struggle with, and He gives us countless opportunities in life to choose Him, to overcome our attachments, and surrender. 

It could be a tragic life event, a rough week, an unexpected expense that depletes our savings, or the loss of material goods. These moments are opportunities that Jesus allows in our lives for our sanctification. It is our job not to waste those moments. 

We can also create opportunities throughout our day to help ourselves detach from whatever is holding us back from Jesus. Jesus’ recommendation to this man was to sell all his possessions and give them to the poor. While He may not be calling us to do that, we can still give to the point where it makes us uncomfortable. And it is in that discomfort that we put more trust in Christ that helps us to grow closer to Jesus, that we turn and follow Him more intentionally. 

Recall that Jesus already knew the life of this man in our Gospel, and it said that He “loved him.” No matter where we are on our journey as disciples, know that Jesus knows everything about us and still radically loves us. There is nothing we could do to make Him love us more or less. However, there is much we can do to love Him more. 

May we consider what it is that is holding us back from radically loving Jesus in return. Pray for the grace to overcome, don’t pass by the opportunities to surrender, and create moments to detach. It might seem difficult, but the outcome will be more than we could have ever imagined — peace on earth and treasure in heaven. 

The Liturgy of the Word: Sunday - 10th October 2021

First reading
Wisdom 7:7-11
I esteemed Wisdom more than sceptres or thrones

I prayed, and understanding was given me;
I entreated, and the spirit of Wisdom came to me.
I esteemed her more than sceptres and thrones;
compared with her, I held riches as nothing.
I reckoned no priceless stone to be her peer,
for compared with her, all gold is a pinch of sand,
and beside her silver ranks as mud.
I loved her more than health or beauty,
preferred her to the light,
since her radiance never sleeps.
In her company all good things came to me,
at her hands riches not to be numbered.

The word of the Lord.

_____

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 89(90):12-17

Fill us with your love so that we may rejoice.

Make us know the shortness of our life
    that we may gain wisdom of heart.
Lord, relent! Is your anger for ever?
    Show pity to your servants.

Fill us with your love so that we may rejoice.

In the morning, fill us with your love;
    we shall exult and rejoice all our days.
Give us joy to balance our affliction
    for the years when we knew misfortune.

Fill us with your love so that we may rejoice.

Show forth your work to your servants;
    let your glory shine on their children.
Let the favour of the Lord be upon us:
    give success to the work of our hands.

Fill us with your love so that we may rejoice.

________

Second reading
Hebrews 4:12-13
The word of God cuts more finely than a double-edged sword

The word of God is something alive and active: it cuts like any double-edged sword but more finely: it can slip through the place where the soul is divided from the spirit, or joints from the marrow; it can judge the secret emotions and thoughts. No created thing can hide from him; everything is uncovered and open to the eyes of the one to whom we must give account of ourselves.

The word of the Lord.

________

Gospel Acclamation
Mt11:25

Alleluia, alleluia!

Blessed are you, Father, 
Lord of heaven and earth,
for revealing the mysteries of the kingdom
to mere children.

Alleluia!

Or:

Mt5:3

Alleluia, alleluia!

How happy are the poor in spirit:
theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Alleluia!

________

Gospel

Mark 10:17-30
Give everything you own to the poor, and follow me

Jesus was setting out on a journey when a man ran up, knelt before him and put this question to him, ‘Good master, what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ Jesus said to him, ‘Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. You know the commandments: You must not kill; You must not commit adultery; You must not steal; You must not bring false witness; You must not defraud; Honour your father and mother.’ And he said to him, ‘Master, I have kept all these from my earliest days.’ Jesus looked steadily at him and loved him, and he said, ‘There is one thing you lack. Go and sell everything you own and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.’ But his face fell at these words and he went away sad, for he was a man of great wealth.

    Jesus looked round and said to his disciples, ‘How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!’ The disciples were astounded by these words, but Jesus insisted, ‘My children,’ he said to them ‘how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.’ They were more astonished than ever. ‘In that case’ they said to one another ‘who can be saved?’ Jesus gazed at them. ‘For men’ he said ‘it is impossible, but not for God: because everything is possible for God.’

    Peter took this up. ‘What about us?’ he asked him. ‘We have left everything and followed you.’ Jesus said, ‘I tell you solemnly, there is no one who has left house, brothers, sisters, father, children or land for my sake and for the sake of the gospel who will not be repaid a hundred times over, houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and land – not without persecutions – now in this present time and, in the world to come, eternal life.’

The Gospel of the Lord.

Reflection on Mass Readings: Sunday, 11th October 2020

IS 25:6-10A; P S23:1-6; PHIL 4:12-14, 19-20; MT 21:1-14 or 22:1-10

How easy it is, especially in these times, to be consumed by the cares and distractions of the “here and now,” forgetting about what matters most — living for the Kingdom of Heaven. The stewardship way of life, with its emphasis on the virtuous use of our Time, Talent and Treasure, allows us to embrace daily life and all its demands — with eternity in mind.

In our First Reading, the prophet Isaiah paints a beautiful and compelling picture of what we can hope for in Heaven. “The LORD of hosts will provide for all peoples a feast of rich food and choice wines, juicy, rich food and pure, choice wines.” And not only that, our loving Father will personally heal us of each and every suffering we endured during our lives. “The Lord GOD will wipe away the tears from every face.” 

How can we say “no” to such an enticing invitation? Yet, so often we are tempted to do just that. We ignore our relationship with God, neglect our prayer and sacramental life, and the call to put others ahead of ourselves. We prioritize the  “immediate” over the “eternal.”

How do we keep focused on the Kingdom of Heaven? St. Paul shares his secret for an eternity-driven life. In our Second Reading from his Letter to the Philippians, Paul says, “I know how to live in humble circumstances; I know also how to live with abundance. In every circumstance and in all things I have learned the secret of being well fed and of going hungry, of living in abundance and of being in need.” In other words, Paul has learned to live the stewardship way of life.

What is the secret? It is this: “I can do all things in him who strengthens me.” How? Through this: “My God will fully supply whatever you need, in accord with his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” It is so simple! But it is not easy. It takes both courage and humility to live this way. God will supply these to us if we ask.

In our Gospel passage from Matthew, we return to the image of a feast. To describe the Kingdom of Heaven, Jesus shares the parable of a wedding feast that a king gives for his son. The king sends several groups of servants to call the invited guests to come and join the feast. By virtue of our Baptism, we are the “invited guests” that Jesus is describing. How do the invited guests respond? The first group of guests refuses to come. Among the second group of guests, “some ignored the invitation and went away, one to his farm, another to his business.” Is this how we respond?

Our Heavenly Father is continuously inviting us (reminding us, prodding us) to come and join Him in the Kingdom of Heaven. Not in a far-off future, but right here and right now. If we will put Him first, partake of the sacraments He gives us (especially the gift of His own Son in the Eucharist) we can enter into the Kingdom of Heaven right now. And our example can lead others to join us. 

So let us embrace the stewardship way of life today! Let us put God first with our Time, our Talents and our Treasure, knowing that we can do all of this through Christ Who gives us strength. God is calling to us today to live with eternity in mind. If we do this, we will be feasting now and forever!

Mass Readings: Sunday, 11th October 2020

FIRST READING

A reading from the prophet Isaiah 25:6-10

The Lord will prepare a banquet, and will wipe away the tears from

every cheek.

On this mountain,

the Lord of hosts will prepare for all peoples

a banquet of rich food, a banquet of fine wines,

of food rich and juicy, of fine strained wines.

On this mountain he will remove

the mourning veil covering all peoples,

and the shroud enwrapping all nations,

he will destroy Death for ever.

The Lord will wipe away

the tears from every cheek;

he will take away his people’s shame

everywhere on earth,

for the Lord has said so.

That day, it will be said: See, this is our God in

whom we hoped for salvation;

The Lord is the one in whom we hoped.

We exult and we rejoice

that he has saved us;

for the hand of the Lord

rests on this mountain.

The Word of the Lord.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 22

Response:  In the Lord’s own house shall I dwell for ever and ever.

1. 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.

2. He guides me along the right path;

he is true to his name.

If l 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.

3. You have prepared a banquet for me

in the sight of my foes.

My head you have anointed with oil;

my cup is overflowing.

4. 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.

SECOND READING

A reading from the letter of St Paul to the Philippians 4:12-14. 19-20

There is nothing I cannot master with the help of the One who gives

me strength.

I know how to be poor and I know how to be rich too. I have been

through my initiation and now I am ready for anything anywhere: full

stomach or empty stomach, poverty or plenty. There is nothing I

cannot master with the help of the One who gives me strength. All

the same, it was good of you to share with me in my hardships. In

return my God will fulfil all your needs, in Christ Jesus, as lavishly as

only God can. Glory to God, our Father, for ever and ever. Amen.

The Word of the Lord.

Gospel Acclamation Jn 1: 12. 14

Alleluia, alleluia!

The Word was made flesh and lived among us;

to all who did accept him he gave power to become children of

God. 

Alleluia!

or Eph 1: 17. 18

Alleluia, alleluia!

May the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, enlighten the eyes of your

mind so that you can see what hope his call holds for us.

Alleluia!

GOSPEL

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew 22:1-14

Invite everyone you can find to the wedding.

Jesus said to the chief priests and the elders of the people: ‘The

kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a feast

for his son’s wedding. He sent his servants to call those who had

been invited, but they would not come. Next he sent some more

servants. “Tell those who have been invited” he said “that I have my

banquet all prepared, my oxen and fattened cattle have been

slaughtered, everything is ready. Come to the wedding.” But they

were not interested: one went off to his farm, another to his business,

and the rest seized his servants, maltreated them and killed them.

The king was furious. He despatched his troops, destroyed those

murderers and burnt their town. Then he said to his servants, “The

wedding is ready; but as those who were invited proved to be

unworthy, go to the crossroads in the town and invite everyone you

can find to the wedding”.

So these servants went out on to the roads and collected together

everyone they could find, bad and good alike; and the wedding

hall was filled with guests. When the king came in to look at the

guests he noticed one man who was not wearing a wedding

garment, and said to him, “How did you get in here, my friend,

without a wedding garment?” And the man was silent. Then the king

said to the attendants, “Bind him hand and foot and throw him out

into the dark, where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth”.

For many are called, but few are chosen.’

The Gospel of the Lord