Mass Reflection: Sunday - 26th October 2025

 

SIR 35:12-14, 16-18; PS 34: 2-3, 17-19, 23; 2 TM 4:6-8,16-18; LK 18:9-14

One of the wonderful aspects of stewardship spirituality is its balanced approach to all areas of life. We see this balance in play as we continue to explore the Pillar of Prayer. As stewards, aware of our total dependence on God for everything, we come to Him in awe and gratitude. At the same time, we approach God with an awareness of the great dignity He has given us, creating us in His own image and likeness and calling us to join Him in the work of advancing His kingdom.

In last week’s readings, we were encouraged to remain persistent and constant in our prayer life. Today, we focus on the proper attitude of a steward at prayer.

The first reading, from the Book of Sirach, gives us the confidence to turn to God with all our needs, assuring us that “the Lord is a God of justice, who knows no favorites. Though not unduly partial toward the weak, yet he hears the cry of the oppressed.” Whether rich and powerful or poor and obscure, our loving Father delights in hearing from all His children. We are all His favorites!

But we learn that a particular attitude in our approach to prayer will make our prayer lives more effective: “the prayer of the lowly pierces the clouds; it does not rest till it reaches its goal.” When we pray with a humble attitude, God will respond.

In today’s Gospel from Luke, Jesus Himself gives further instruction on the humble attitude we must have as we approach God in prayer, as He tells a parable of two praying men. One is a Pharisee, a man with respected status, theological training, and all the right credentials. He marches right up to the front of the temple to speak a prayer “to himself,” thanking God for making him just a little bit superior to everyone else!

The other man is a tax collector, known by all those of his day to be a cheater and a sell-out to his fellow Jews. In contrast to the Pharisee, he stands near the back and cries out to God in a simple and honest way: “Be merciful to me a sinner.”

Jesus tells us that it is the tax collector and not the Pharisee who leaves the temple justified. Why?

The Pharisee was full of self as he approached God. He felt no real need for God as he rattled off his resume of good works and spiritual practices. He was simply going through the motions of prayer. His lack of humility prevented him from entering a real dialogue with the Father. He was not transformed by his time of prayer because he was so full of himself that He left God no space to enter in.

The tax collector, by contrast, emptied himself as he approached God. He recognized who he truly was (a sinner) and asked simply for mercy, leaving all the rest up to God. This is the kind of attitude that God can work with! This is how a good steward prays — with trust, with complete openness to God’s will, with a listening mind and heart, ready to serve as God leads.

The good steward knows he needs God, and that God has chosen to need him in advancing the Kingdom. His prayers pierce the clouds, and God is glorified!

Mass Readaing: Sunday - 26th October 2025

First reading

Ecclesiasticus 35:12-14, 16-19

The humble man's prayer pierces the clouds

The Lord is a judge

    who is no respecter of personages.

He shows no respect of personages to the detriment of a poor man,

    he listens to the plea of the injured party.

He does not ignore the orphan’s supplication,

    nor the widow’s as she pours out her story.

The man who with his whole heart serves God will be accepted,

    his petitions will carry to the clouds.

The humble man’s prayer pierces the clouds,

    until it arrives he is inconsolable,

And the Lord will not be slow,

    nor will he be dilatory on their behalf.

The word of the Lord.

________

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 33(34):2-3,17-19,23

This poor man called; the Lord has heard him.

I will bless the Lord at all times,

    his praise always on my lips;

in the Lord my soul shall make its boast.

    The humble shall hear and be glad.

This poor man called; the Lord has heard him.

The Lord turns his face against the wicked

    to destroy their remembrance from the earth.

The just call and the Lord hears

    and rescues them in all their distress.

This poor man called; the Lord has heard him.

The Lord is close to the broken-hearted;

    those whose spirit is crushed he will save.

The Lord ransoms the souls of his servants.

    Those who hide in him shall not be condemned.

This poor man called; the Lord has heard him.

________

Second reading

2 Timothy 4:6-8,16-18

All there is to come now is the crown of righteousness reserved for me

    My life is already being poured away as a libation, and the time has come for me to be gone. I have fought the good fight to the end; I have run the race to the finish; I have kept the faith; all there is to come now is the crown of righteousness reserved for me, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to me on that Day; and not only to me but to all those who have longed for his Appearing.

    The first time I had to present my defence, there was not a single witness to support me. Every one of them deserted me – may they not be held accountable for it. But the Lord stood by me and gave me power, so that through me the whole message might be proclaimed for all the pagans to hear; and so I was rescued from the lion’s mouth. The Lord will rescue me from all evil attempts on me, and bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

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:

2Co5:19

Alleluia, alleluia!

God in Christ was reconciling the world to himself,

and he has entrusted to us the news that they are reconciled.

Alleluia!

________

Gospel

Luke 18:9-14

The tax collector, not the Pharisee, went home justified.

    Jesus spoke the following parable to some people who prided themselves on being virtuous and despised everyone else: ‘Two men went up to the Temple to pray, one a Pharisee, the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood there and said this prayer to himself, “I thank you, God, that I am not grasping, unjust, adulterous like the rest of mankind, and particularly that I am not like this tax collector here. I fast twice a week; I pay tithes on all I get.” The tax collector stood some distance away, not daring even to raise his eyes to heaven; but he beat his breast and said, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner.” This man, I tell you, went home again at rights with God; the other did not. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the man who humbles himself will be exalted.’

The Gospel of the Lord.

Mass Reading: Sunday - 27th October 2024

First reading
Jeremiah 31:7-9
I will guide them by a smooth path where they will not stumble

The Lord says this:
Shout with joy for Jacob!
Hail the chief of nations!
Proclaim! Praise! Shout:
‘The Lord has saved his people,
the remnant of Israel!’

See, I will bring them back
from the land of the North
and gather them from the far ends of earth;
all of them: the blind and the lame,
women with child, women in labour:
a great company returning here.

They had left in tears,
I will comfort them as I lead them back;
I will guide them to streams of water,
by a smooth path where they will not stumble.
For I am a father to Israel,
and Ephraim is my first-born son.

The word of the Lord.

________

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 125(126)

What marvels the Lord worked for us! Indeed we were glad.

When the Lord delivered Zion from bondage,
    it seemed like a dream.
Then was our mouth filled with laughter,
    on our lips there were songs.

What marvels the Lord worked for us! Indeed we were glad.

The heathens themselves said: ‘What marvels
    the Lord worked for them!’
What marvels the Lord worked for us!
    Indeed we were glad.

What marvels the Lord worked for us! Indeed we were glad.

Deliver us, O Lord, from our bondage
    as streams in dry land.
Those who are sowing in tears
    will sing when they reap.

What marvels the Lord worked for us! Indeed we were glad.

They go out, they go out, full of tears,
    carrying seed for the sowing:
they come back, they come back, full of song,
    carrying their sheaves.

What marvels the Lord worked for us! Indeed we were glad.

________

Second reading
Hebrews 5:1-6
'You are a priest of the order of Melchizedek, and for ever'

    Every high priest has been taken out of mankind and is appointed to act for men in their relations with God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins; and so he can sympathise with those who are ignorant or uncertain because he too lives in the limitations of weakness. That is why he has to make sin offerings for himself as well as for the people. No one takes this honour on himself, but each one is called by God, as Aaron was. Nor did Christ give himself the glory of becoming high priest, but he had it from the one who said to him: You are my son, today I have become your father, and in another text: You are a priest of the order of Melchizedek, and for ever.

The word of the Lord.

_________

Gospel Acclamation
Jn8:12

Alleluia, alleluia!

I am the light of the world, says the Lord;
anyone who follows me will have the light of life.

Alleluia!

Or:
cf.2Tim1:10

Alleluia, alleluia!

Our Saviour Jesus Christ abolished death
and he has proclaimed life through the Good News.

Alleluia!

________

Gospel
Mark 10:46-52
Go; your faith has saved you

    As Jesus left Jericho with his disciples and a large crowd, Bartimaeus (that is, the son of Timaeus), a blind beggar, was sitting at the side of the road. When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout and to say, ‘Son of David, Jesus, have pity on me.’ And many of them scolded him and told him to keep quiet, but he only shouted all the louder, ‘Son of David, have pity on me.’ Jesus stopped and said, ‘Call him here.’ So they called the blind man. ‘Courage,’ they said ‘get up; he is calling you.’ So throwing off his cloak, he jumped up and went to Jesus. Then Jesus spoke, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ ‘Rabbuni,’ the blind man said to him ‘Master, let me see again.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Go; your faith has saved you.’ And immediately his sight returned and he followed him along the road.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Mass Reflection: Sunday - 27th October 2024

 

JER 31:7-9; PS 126:1-2, 2-3, 4-5, 6; HEB 5:1-6; MK 10:46-52

Our Psalm today, “The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy,” sheds light on our glorious Gospel reading about the healing of the blind man, Bartimaeus.

If we place ourselves in this Gospel passage, we can imagine that Jesus had gained quite a few followers from His words and miraculous healings. As He left Jericho in the midst of a large crowd of disciples, Bartimaeus sat on the roadside. Although he was blind, he knew who was in his midst. And although there was a crowd, he confidently called out, “Jesus, son of David, have pity on me.”

Many encouraged him to stop, yet he cried out “all the more.” And in the midst of the chaos, Jesus heard him as He said, “call him.”

We can learn a lot from Bartimaeus when it comes to our own personal relationships with Jesus. Many of us struggle with something from which we need healing — physical blindness, illness, addiction, bad habits, anger, sin. In our weakness, do we confidently cry out to Jesus knowing that He will help us?

Oftentimes we begin to, but then a voice in our thoughts tells us to doubt and encourages us to stop trying, like the crowd in our Gospel. Although that voice is persistent and strong, we are called to cry out all the more. If Jesus can hear one voice in a crowd of many, then He can hear our direct prayer to Him in our hearts.

When Bartimaeus heard that Jesus called him, “He threw aside his cloak, sprang up, and came to Jesus.”

There are many times throughout our day that Jesus calls us towards Him. They are opportunities for us to spring up and move closer to Christ on our journey as disciples. It could simply be a moment of helping someone who is struggling instead of passing them by, cooking dinner for your family with a joyful heart after an exhausting day, or using that spare 10 minutes of your day to sit in silence with the Lord instead of getting one more thing done around the house. It is through these day-to-day moments that we can encounter Christ as Bartimaeus did.

Our Gospel story closes with the miraculous moment when Bartimaeus is healed. The conversation with Jesus was simple. Jesus asked Bartimaeus what he would like Him to do. This man, blind for who knows how many years, desired sight. Jesus responded, “Go your way; your faith has saved you.” He was healed and continued to follow Christ.

There was not much that Bartimaeus had to do to become healed. All he needed was his undoubting faith.

Whatever it is that we are struggling with in this life, all Jesus asks of us is to have faith in Him. As a result, we will remain steadfast in our relationship with Christ and will have the strength to keep going. And although we might not be healed in this life, Jesus still hears our confident cries. And through our faith we will surely be healed in the next.

Whatever it is that you desire to be healed from today, confidently cry out to Jesus in prayer. He is listening. And when you hear the voice of doubt, keep praying. Strive to have unwavering faith that Jesus is with you, He hears you and will heal you in His way and His time. Know that the Lord has done great things for us and will continue to do so — so let our hearts be filled with joy.

Mass Reading: Sunday - 29th October 2023

First reading
Exodus 22:20-26
If you are harsh with the widow and orphan, my anger will flare against you

The Lord said to Moses, ‘Tell the sons of Israel this:

    ‘“You must not molest the stranger or oppress him, for you lived as strangers in the land of Egypt. You must not be harsh with the widow, or with the orphan; if you are harsh with them, they will surely cry out to me, and be sure I shall hear their cry; my anger will flare and I shall kill you with the sword, your own wives will be widows, your own children orphans.

    ‘“If you lend money to any of my people, to any poor man among you, you must not play the usurer with him: you must not demand interest from him.

    ‘“If you take another’s cloak as a pledge, you must give it back to him before sunset. It is all the covering he has; it is the cloak he wraps his body in; what else would he sleep in? If he cries to me, I will listen, for I am full of pity.”’

The word of the Lord.

________

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 17(18):2-4,47,51

I love you, Lord, my strength.

I love you, Lord, my strength,
    my rock, my fortress, my saviour.
My God is the rock where I take refuge;
    my shield, my mighty help, my stronghold.
The Lord is worthy of all praise,
    when I call I am saved from my foes.

I love you, Lord, my strength.

Long life to the Lord, my rock!
    Praised be the God who saves me,
He has given great victories to his king
    and shown his love for his anointed.

I love you, Lord, my strength.

________

Second reading
1 Thessalonians 1:5-10
You broke with idolatry and became servants of God; you are now waiting for his Son

    You observed the sort of life we lived when we were with you, which was for your instruction, and you were led to become imitators of us, and of the Lord; and it was with the joy of the Holy Spirit that you took to the gospel, in spite of the great opposition all round you. This has made you the great example to all believers in Macedonia and Achaia since it was from you that the word of the Lord started to spread – and not only throughout Macedonia and Achaia, for the news of your faith in God has spread everywhere. We do not need to tell other people about it: other people tell us how we started the work among you, how you broke with idolatry when you were converted to God and became servants of the real, living God; and how you are now waiting for Jesus, his Son, whom he raised from the dead, to come from heaven to save us from the retribution which is coming.

The word of the Lord.

________

Gospel Acclamation
cf.Ac16:14

Alleluia, alleluia!

Open our heart, O Lord,
to accept the words of your Son.

Alleluia!

Or:
Jn14:23

Alleluia, alleluia!

If anyone loves me he will keep my word,
and my Father will love him, 
and we shall come to him.

Alleluia!

________

Gospel
Matthew 22:34-40
The commandments of love

    When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees they got together and, to disconcert him, one of them put a question, ‘Master, which is the greatest commandment of the Law?’ Jesus said, ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second resembles it: You must love your neighbour as yourself. On these two commandments hang the whole Law, and the Prophets also.’

The Gospel of the Lord.

Mass Reflection: Sunday - 29th October 2023

EX 22:20-26; PS 18:2-4, 47, 51; 1 THES 1:5C-10; MT 22:34-40

Today’s readings are all about love — the radical love of God for His people and the radical love we are called to live out in response. The stewardship way of life is nothing more and nothing less than the practical application of loving God and neighbor in our daily lives.
 
From the very beginning, God reveals Himself as a loving and compassionate Father Who has a particular concern for the most vulnerable of His people. He requires this same compassion from His people in our treatment of one another. 
 
Our First Reading, from Exodus, is an example. In this ancient text God says, “You shall not molest or oppress an alien... You shall not wrong any widow or orphan... If you take your neighbor’s cloak as a pledge, you shall return it to him before sunset… If he cries out to me, I will hear him; for I am compassionate.” This love of neighbor was a radical departure for the people of this era. But this is the radical God that we serve.
 
Jesus sums up the message of all the prophets as well as the purpose of all God’s laws in today's Gospel passage, from Matthew. It is a message we have likely grown up hearing — but it is so beautiful and so challenging, it bears repeating again and again. It is Christ’s response to a question about which commandment is greatest. His answer reveals both the greatest and the second greatest commandments.
 
He says, “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind... The second is like it: you shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 
 
How is the second like the first? What do the two commands have in common? Love. 
 
Love God first and love neighbor as self. This is the heart of the stewardship way of life — simple enough for a child to understand, challenging enough to be the life’s work of every “grown-up.” The “how” of loving God first and neighbor as self is unique to each individual.
 
Perhaps God is calling you to love Him with your whole heart, soul and mind by committing to a daily time of praying with the Scriptures. Maybe He is calling you to spend time with Him in adoration or a weekday Mass. It might be that He is asking you to put Him first as a family with a time for evening or morning prayer together. Maybe He wants you to spend a bit less time watching the news or surfing the internet, and a little more time pondering the blessings He has given you throughout the day.
 
And how is God calling you to love your neighbor as yourself? Maybe it is by checking on a relative or neighbor who is isolated. Or by patiently listening to a colleague at work who is overwhelmed. Or by getting involved in a ministry that serves children or the poor. 
 
The stewardship way of life is the unique way that each of us applies the two greatest commandments to our daily lives. To sum it up, it’s all about love. 

Mass Reflection: Sunday - 23rd October 2022

 SIR 35:12-14, 16-18; PS 34: 2-3, 17-19, 23; 2 TM 4:6-8,16-18; LK 18:9-14

One of the wonderful aspects of stewardship spirituality is its balanced approach to all areas of life. We see this balance in play as we continue to explore the Pillar of Prayer. As stewards, aware of our total dependence on God for everything, we come to Him in awe and gratitude. At the same time, we approach God with an awareness of the great dignity He has given us, creating us in His own image and likeness and calling us to join Him in the work of advancing His kingdom. 
 
In last week’s readings we were encouraged to remain persistent and constant in our prayer life. Today we focus on the proper attitude of a steward at prayer.
 
The first reading, from the Book of Sirach, gives us the confidence to turn to God with all our needs assuring us that “the Lord is a God of justice, who knows no favorites. Though not unduly partial toward the weak, yet he hears the cry of the oppressed.” Whether rich and powerful or poor and obscure, our loving Father delights in hearing from all His children. We are all His favorites! 
 
But we learn that a particular attitude in our approach to prayer will make our prayer lives more effective: “the prayer of the lowly pierces the clouds; it does not rest till it reaches its goal.” When we pray with a humble attitude, God will respond. 
 
In today’s Gospel from Luke, Jesus Himself gives further instruction on the humble attitude we must have as we approach God in prayer as He tells a parable of two praying men. One is a Pharisee, a man with respected status, theological training and all the right credentials. He marches right up to the front of the temple to speak a prayer “to himself,” thanking God for making him just a little bit superior to everyone else! 
 
The other man is a tax collector, known by all those of his day to be a cheater and a sell-out to his fellow Jews. In contrast to the Pharisee, he stands near the back and cries out to God in a simple and honest way: “Be merciful to me a sinner.”
 
Jesus tells us that it is the tax collector and not the Pharisee who leaves the temple justified. Why?
 
The Pharisee was full of self as he approached God. He felt no real need for God as he rattled off his resume of good works and spiritual practices. He was simply going through the motions of prayer. His lack of humility prevented him from entering a real dialogue with the Father. He was not transformed by his time of prayer because he was so full of himself that He left God no space to enter in.
 
The tax collector, by contrast, emptied himself as he approached God. He recognized who he truly was (a sinner) and asked simply for mercy, leaving all the rest up to God. This is the kind of attitude that God can work with! This is how a good steward prays — with trust, with complete openness to God’s will, with a listening mind and heart, ready to serve as God leads.
 
The good steward knows he needs God, and that God has chosen to need him in advancing the Kingdom. His prayers pierce the clouds and God is glorified! 

Mass Reading: Sunday - 23rd October 2022

First reading
Ecclesiasticus 35:12-14, 16-19
The humble man's prayer pierces the clouds

The Lord is a judge
    who is no respecter of personages.
He shows no respect of personages to the detriment of a poor man,
    he listens to the plea of the injured party.
He does not ignore the orphan’s supplication,
    nor the widow’s as she pours out her story.
The man who with his whole heart serves God will be accepted,
    his petitions will carry to the clouds.
The humble man’s prayer pierces the clouds,
    until it arrives he is inconsolable,
And the Lord will not be slow,
    nor will he be dilatory on their behalf.

The word of the Lord.

All reply:

Thanks be to God.

________

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 33(34):2-3,17-19,23

This poor man called; the Lord has heard him.

I will bless the Lord at all times,
    his praise always on my lips;
in the Lord my soul shall make its boast.
    The humble shall hear and be glad.

This poor man called; the Lord has heard him.

The Lord turns his face against the wicked
    to destroy their remembrance from the earth.
The just call and the Lord hears
    and rescues them in all their distress.

This poor man called; the Lord has heard him.

The Lord is close to the broken-hearted;
    those whose spirit is crushed he will save.
The Lord ransoms the souls of his servants.
    Those who hide in him shall not be condemned.

This poor man called; the Lord has heard him.

________

Second reading
2 Timothy 4:6-8,16-18
All there is to come now is the crown of righteousness reserved for me

    My life is already being poured away as a libation, and the time has come for me to be gone. I have fought the good fight to the end; I have run the race to the finish; I have kept the faith; all there is to come now is the crown of righteousness reserved for me, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to me on that Day; and not only to me but to all those who have longed for his Appearing.

    The first time I had to present my defence, there was not a single witness to support me. Every one of them deserted me – may they not be held accountable for it. But the Lord stood by me and gave me power, so that through me the whole message might be proclaimed for all the pagans to hear; and so I was rescued from the lion’s mouth. The Lord will rescue me from all evil attempts on me, and bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

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:

2Co5:19

Alleluia, alleluia!

God in Christ was reconciling the world to himself,
and he has entrusted to us the news that they are reconciled.

Alleluia!

________

Gospel
Luke 18:9-14
The tax collector, not the Pharisee, went home justified.

    Jesus spoke the following parable to some people who prided themselves on being virtuous and despised everyone else: ‘Two men went up to the Temple to pray, one a Pharisee, the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood there and said this prayer to himself, “I thank you, God, that I am not grasping, unjust, adulterous like the rest of mankind, and particularly that I am not like this tax collector here. I fast twice a week; I pay tithes on all I get.” The tax collector stood some distance away, not daring even to raise his eyes to heaven; but he beat his breast and said, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner.” This man, I tell you, went home again at rights with God; the other did not. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the man who humbles himself will be exalted.’

The Gospel of the Lord.

Mass Reflection: Sunday - 24h October 2021

 

Our Psalm today, “The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy,” sheds light on our glorious Gospel reading about the healing of the blind man, Bartimaeus.
 
If we place ourselves in this Gospel passage, we can imagine that Jesus had gained quite a few followers from His words and miraculous healings. As He left Jericho in the midst of a large crowd of disciples, Bartimaeus sat on the roadside. Although he was blind, he knew who was in his midst. And although there was a crowd, he confidently called out, “Jesus, son of David, have pity on me.” 
 
Many encouraged him to stop, yet he cried out “all the more.” And in the midst of the chaos, Jesus heard him as He said, “call him.”
 
We can learn a lot from Bartimaeus when it comes to our own personal relationships with Jesus. Many of us struggle with something from which we need healing — physical blindness, illness, addiction, bad habits, anger, sin. In our weakness, do we confidently cry out to Jesus knowing that He will help us? 
 
Oftentimes we begin to, but then a voice in our thoughts tells us to doubt and encourages us to stop trying, like the crowd in our Gospel. Although that voice is persistent and strong, we are called to cry out all the more. If Jesus can hear one voice in a crowd of many, then He can hear our direct prayer to Him in our hearts. 
 
When Bartimaeus heard that Jesus called him, “He threw aside his cloak, sprang up, and came to Jesus.” 
 
There are many times throughout our day that Jesus calls us towards Him. They are opportunities for us to spring up and move closer to Christ on our journey as disciples. It could simply be a moment of helping someone who is struggling instead of passing them by, cooking dinner for your family with a joyful heart after an exhausting day, or using that spare 10 minutes of your day to sit in silence with the Lord instead of getting one more thing done around the house. It is through these day-to-day moments that we can encounter Christ as Bartimaeus did. 
 
Our Gospel story closes with the miraculous moment when Bartimaeus is healed. The conversation with Jesus was simple. Jesus asked Bartimaeus what he would like Him to do. This man, blind for who knows how many years, desired sight. Jesus responded, “Go your way; your faith has saved you.” He was healed and continued to follow Christ. 
 
There was not much that Bartimaeus had to do to become healed. All he needed was his undoubting faith. 
 
Whatever it is that we are struggling with in this life, all Jesus asks of us is to have faith in Him. As a result, we will remain steadfast in our relationship with Christ and will have the strength to keep going. And although we might not be healed in this life, Jesus still hears our confident cries. And through our faith we will surely be healed in the next. 
 
Whatever it is that you desire to be healed from today, confidently cry out to Jesus in prayer. He is listening. And when you hear the voice of doubt, keep praying. Strive to have unwavering faith that Jesus is with you, He hears you and will heal you in His way and His time. Know that the Lord has done great things for us and will continue to do so — so let our hearts be filled with joy. 

Liturgy of the Word: Sunday - 24th October 2021

First reading
Jeremiah 31:7-9
I will guide them by a smooth path where they will not stumble

The Lord says this:
Shout with joy for Jacob!
Hail the chief of nations!
Proclaim! Praise! Shout:
‘The Lord has saved his people,
the remnant of Israel!’

See, I will bring them back
from the land of the North
and gather them from the far ends of earth;
all of them: the blind and the lame,
women with child, women in labour:
a great company returning here.

They had left in tears,
I will comfort them as I lead them back;
I will guide them to streams of water,
by a smooth path where they will not stumble.
For I am a father to Israel,
and Ephraim is my first-born son.

The word of the Lord.

________

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 125(126)

What marvels the Lord worked for us! Indeed we were glad.

When the Lord delivered Zion from bondage,
    it seemed like a dream.
Then was our mouth filled with laughter,
    on our lips there were songs.

What marvels the Lord worked for us! Indeed we were glad.

The heathens themselves said: ‘What marvels
    the Lord worked for them!’
What marvels the Lord worked for us!
    Indeed we were glad.

What marvels the Lord worked for us! Indeed we were glad.

Deliver us, O Lord, from our bondage
    as streams in dry land.
Those who are sowing in tears
    will sing when they reap.

What marvels the Lord worked for us! Indeed we were glad.

They go out, they go out, full of tears,
    carrying seed for the sowing:
they come back, they come back, full of song,
    carrying their sheaves.

What marvels the Lord worked for us! Indeed we were glad.

________

Second reading
Hebrews 5:1-6
'You are a priest of the order of Melchizedek, and for ever'

Every high priest has been taken out of mankind and is appointed to act for men in their relations with God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins; and so he can sympathise with those who are ignorant or uncertain because he too lives in the limitations of weakness. That is why he has to make sin offerings for himself as well as for the people. No one takes this honour on himself, but each one is called by God, as Aaron was. Nor did Christ give himself the glory of becoming high priest, but he had it from the one who said to him: You are my son, today I have become your father, and in another text: You are a priest of the order of Melchizedek, and for ever.

The word of the Lord.

________

Gospel Acclamation
Jn8:12

Alleluia, alleluia!

I am the light of the world, says the Lord;
anyone who follows me will have the light of life.

Alleluia!

Or:
cf.2Tim1:10

Alleluia, alleluia!

Our Saviour Jesus Christ abolished death
and he has proclaimed life through the Good News.

Alleluia!

_______

Gospel
Mark 10:46-52
Go; your faith has saved you

As Jesus left Jericho with his disciples and a large crowd, Bartimaeus (that is, the son of Timaeus), a blind beggar, was sitting at the side of the road. When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout and to say, ‘Son of David, Jesus, have pity on me.’ And many of them scolded him and told him to keep quiet, but he only shouted all the louder, ‘Son of David, have pity on me.’ Jesus stopped and said, ‘Call him here.’ So they called the blind man. ‘Courage,’ they said ‘get up; he is calling you.’ So throwing off his cloak, he jumped up and went to Jesus. Then Jesus spoke, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ ‘Rabbuni,’ the blind man said to him ‘Master, let me see again.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Go; your faith has saved you.’ And immediately his sight returned and he followed him along the road.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Mass Reflection: Sunday, 25th October 2020

EX 22:20-26; PS 18:2-4, 47, 51; 1 THES 1:5C-10; MT 22:34-40

Today’s readings are all about love — the radical love of God for His people and the radical love we are called to live out in response. The stewardship way of life is nothing more and nothing less than the practical application of loving God and neighbor in our daily lives.

From the very beginning, God reveals Himself as a loving and compassionate Father Who has a particular concern for the most vulnerable of His people. He requires this same compassion from His people in our treatment of one another. 

Our First Reading, from Exodus, is an example. In this ancient text God says, “You shall not molest or oppress an alien... You shall not wrong any widow or orphan... If you take your neighbor’s cloak as a pledge, you shall return it to him before sunset… If he cries out to me, I will hear him; for I am compassionate.” This love of neighbor was a radical departure for the people of this era. But this is the radical God that we serve.

Jesus sums up the message of all the prophets as well as the purpose of all God’s laws in today's Gospel passage, from Matthew. It is a message we have likely grown up hearing — but it is so beautiful and so challenging, it bears repeating again and again. It is Christ’s response to a question about which commandment is greatest. His answer reveals both the greatest and the second greatest commandments.

He says, “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind... The second is like it: you shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 

How is the second like the first? What do the two commands have in common? Love. 

Love God first and love neighbor as self. This is the heart of the stewardship way of life — simple enough for a child to understand, challenging enough to be the life’s work of every “grown-up.” The “how” of loving God first and neighbor as self is unique to each individual.

Perhaps God is calling you to love Him with your whole heart, soul and mind by committing to a daily time of praying with the Scriptures. Maybe He is calling you to spend time with Him in adoration or a weekday Mass. It might be that He is asking you to put Him first as a family with a time for evening or morning prayer together. Maybe He wants you to spend a bit less time watching the news or surfing the internet, and a little more time pondering the blessings He has given you throughout the day.

And how is God calling you to love your neighbor as yourself? Maybe it is by checking on a relative or neighbor who is isolated. Or by patiently listening to a colleague at work who is overwhelmed. Or by getting involved in a ministry that serves children or the poor. 

The stewardship way of life is the unique way that each of us applies the two greatest commandments to our daily lives. To sum it up, it’s all about love. 

Mass Readings: Sunday, 25th October 2020

 

First reading

Exodus 22:20-26 ·

If you are harsh with the widow and orphan, my anger will flare against you

The Lord said to Moses, ‘Tell the sons of Israel this:

  ‘“You must not molest the stranger or oppress him, for you lived as strangers in the land of Egypt. You must not be harsh with the widow, or with the orphan; if you are harsh with them, they will surely cry out to me, and be sure I shall hear their cry; my anger will flare and I shall kill you with the sword, your own wives will be widows, your own children orphans.

  ‘“If you lend money to any of my people, to any poor man among you, you must not play the usurer with him: you must not demand interest from him.

  ‘“If you take another’s cloak as a pledge, you must give it back to him before sunset. It is all the covering he has; it is the cloak he wraps his body in; what else would he sleep in? If he cries to me, I will listen, for I am full of pity.”’

The word of the Lord.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 17(18):2-4,47,51

I love you, Lord, my strength.

I love you, Lord, my strength,

  my rock, my fortress, my saviour.

My God is the rock where I take refuge;

  my shield, my mighty help, my stronghold.

The Lord is worthy of all praise,

  when I call I am saved from my foes.

I love you, Lord, my strength.

Long life to the Lord, my rock!

  Praised be the God who saves me,

He has given great victories to his king

  and shown his love for his anointed.

I love you, Lord, my strength.

 

Second reading

1 Thessalonians 1:5-10 ·

You broke with idolatry and became servants of God; you are now waiting for his Son

You observed the sort of life we lived when we were with you, which was for your instruction, and you were led to become imitators of us, and of the Lord; and it was with the joy of the Holy Spirit that you took to the gospel, in spite of the great opposition all round you. This has made you the great example to all believers in Macedonia and Achaia since it was from you that the word of the Lord started to spread – and not only throughout Macedonia and Achaia, for the news of your faith in God has spread everywhere. We do not need to tell other people about it: other people tell us how we started the work among you, how you broke with idolatry when you were converted to God and became servants of the real, living God; and how you are now waiting for Jesus, his Son, whom he raised from the dead, to come from heaven to save us from the retribution which is coming.

The word of the Lord.

  

Gospel Acclamation

cf.Ac16:14

Alleluia, alleluia!

Open our heart, O Lord,

to accept the words of your Son.

Alleluia!

Or:

Jn14:23

Alleluia, alleluia!

If anyone loves me he will keep my word,

and my Father will love him,

and we shall come to him.

Alleluia!

  

Gospel

Matthew 22:34-40

The commandments of love

When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees they got together and, to disconcert him, one of them put a question, ‘Master, which is the greatest commandment of the Law?’ Jesus said, ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second resembles it: You must love your neighbour as yourself. On these two commandments hang the whole Law, and the Prophets also.’

The Gospel of the Lord.