Immaculate Heart of Mary (Memorial)

Or

June 28, 2003 - Saturday, 12th Week in Ordinary Time

GOD AS VISITOR, GREAT FAITH

Readings:
Gen 18:1-15; Lk 1:46- 47, 48 - 49, 50 and 53, 54 - 55; Mt 8:5-17

Opening Prayer

Lord our God,
you come and visit us
often when we are not aware of your coming.
Make us aware of your presence,
that we may eagerly receive you
and be enriched by your visit.
Make us highly appreciate your hospitality
when you set for us the table
of your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Scripture Readings

First Reading Introduction
       Our first reading in Year I speaks of the wonderful visit of God to Abraham to confirm his promise. The monk Andrei Rublev used this scene for his famous icon of the Blessed Trinity. God invites himself in our lives. Do we recognize and receive him?

First Reading: Gen 18:1-15

Yahweh appeared to Abraham near the oak of Mamre. Abraham was sitting at the entrance to his tent, in the heat of the day, when he looked up and saw three men standing nearby. When he saw them he ran from the entrance of the tent to meet them. He bowed to the ground and said, "My Lord, if I have found favor in your sight, do not pass your servant by. Let a little water be brought. Wash your feet and then rest under the trees. I shall fetch some bread so that you can be refreshed and continue on your way, since you have come to your servant." They then said, "Do as you say." Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah and said to her, "Quick, take three measures of flour, knead it and make cakes."

Abraham then ran to the herd, took a fine, tender calf, gave it to the servant who hurried to prepare it. He took butter and milk and together with the calf he had prepared laid it all before them. And while he remained standing, they ate. They then asked, "Where is Sarah, your wife?" Abraham answered, "She is in the tent." And the visitor said, "At this same time next year I will return and Sarah by then will have a son."

Now Sarah was behind him, listening at the entrance to the tent. Abraham and Sarah were old, well on in years, and Sarah no longer had her monthly periods. Sarah laughed to herself saying, "Now that I am old and worn and my husband is an old man, am I to have this pleasure?" Yahweh said to Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh, saying: 'Am I really going to have a child now that I am old?' Is there anything that is impossible for God? At this same time next year I will return and Sarah by then will have a son."

Sarah denied saying, "I did not laugh," for she was afraid. But he said, "You did laugh."

Responsorial Psalm: Lk 1:46- 47, 48 - 49, 50 and 53, 54 - 55

R. The Lord has remembered his mercy.

"My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior."
R. The Lord has remembered his mercy.

"For he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed:
the Almighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his Name."
R. The Lord has remembered his mercy.

"He has mercy on those who fear him
in every generation.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty."
R. The Lord has remembered his mercy.

"He has come to the help of his servant Israel
for he has remembered his promise of mercy,
The promise he made to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children for ever."
R. The Lord has remembered his mercy.

Gospel Introduction
       At a mere word of Jesus the health of the centurion’s servant is restored in response to the marvelous faith of the pagan centurion. He is a model of faith to all of us. His faith makes him worthy to take his place at the table of the kingdom.

Gospel Reading: Mt 8:5-17

When Jesus entered Capernaum, an army captain approached him to ask his help, "Sir, my servant lies sick at home. He is paralyzed and suffers terribly." Jesus said to him, "I will come and heal him."

The captain answered, "I am not worthy to have you under my roof. Just give an order and my boy will be healed. For I myself, a junior officer, give orders to my soldiers. And if I say to one: 'Go,' he goes, and if I say to another: 'Come,' he comes, and to my servant: 'Do this,' he does it."

When Jesus heard this he was astonished and said to those who were following him, "I tell you, I have not found such faith in Israel. I say to you, many will come from east and west and sit down with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob at the feast in the kingdom of heaven; but the heirs of the kingdom will be thrown out into the darkness; there they will wail and grind their teeth."

Then Jesus said to the captain, "Go home now. As you believed, so let it be." And at that moment his servant was healed.

Jesus went to Peter's house and found Peter's mother-in-law in bed with fever. He took her by the hand and the fever left her; she got up and began to wait on him.
Towards evening they brought to Jesus many possessed by evil spirits, and with a word he drove out the spirits. He also healed all who were sick. In doing this he fulfilled what was said by the prophet Isaiah: He bore our infirmities and took on himself our diseases.

Commentary

Matthew presents Jesus as the Servant of Yahweh who had as a mission to heal people and to restore them to fullness of life as a holy people of God. The full extent of Jesus' healing action becomes clear in the last verse of this reading, where Matthew indicates that Jesus fulfilled a prophecy. Matthew wants to make it clear that Jesus' action was part of the salvific plan of God, prepared over a long period of history. This prophecy could only be fulfilled in Jesus because of his total obedience to God. Jesus was not a simple healer like so many others but a person who, as the prophet says, 'took our infirmities and bore our diseases'.

Father in heaven, you want to bring healing and unity to humankind. Teach us obedience so that we may cooperate with your plan of salvation.

General Intercessions

– That all the peoples of the earth may hear where the Lord can be found, come to know his name and pray to him, we pray:

– That we may care for the sick and bring them healing and strength by our friendship and encouraging words, we pray:

– That we may welcome foreigners and strangers in our Christian communities and invite them to form community with us, we pray:

Prayer over the Gifts

God of all people,
we bring bread and wine before you
to celebrate our gratitude to you
as we are gathered around Jesus your Son.
For in him you have accepted us.
From his hospitable table
may men and women from all peoples and cultures
eat his bread of life
and drink his wine of joy,
that all may know your name
and praise your healing love.
We ask this in the name of Jesus the Lord.

Prayer after Communion

Father in heaven,
we thank you that your Son
has spoken his healing word to us
even though we are not worthy.
May he find great faith in us.
We also thank you
that the promise of Jesus has been fulfilled:
Many have come from east and west
to eat from the same table with your people,
as they have joined us in the eucharist.
Accept our thanks
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Blessing

May the Lord speak to us also the words he spoke to the centurion when we sincerely pray to him: “Let it be done for you according to your faith,” and may God bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

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