Tuesday September 19, 2017
Introduction
In today’s Gospel, Luke tries to tell us that the time of salvation has come, for with Jesus, the blind begin to see, the deaf hear, the lame walk, and yes, the dead come back to life. With him, a new era has begun – God’s era. It is the era in which we live. Do we make it an era of resurrection and life, in which our hands that reach out raise up our neighbors above their miseries? Do we make it an era in which we bring dead love back to life in Christ?
Opening Prayer
Loving Father,
your Son, Jesus Christ spoke a human language
and filled it with new meaning.
He put his fingers on people’s ears and lips
and they could hear and speak
words of life and goodness.
Continue in us the work of your Son.
Allow us to change with him
darkness into light, sadness into joy
and death into life,
that with him, we may also enter
your life and joy that last for ever.
Reading: 1 TM 3:1-13
Beloved, this saying is trustworthy:
whoever aspires to the office of bishop desires a noble task.
Therefore, a bishop must be irreproachable,
married only once, temperate, self-controlled,
decent, hospitable, able to teach,
not a drunkard, not aggressive, but gentle,
not contentious, not a lover of money.
He must manage his own household well,
keeping his children under control with perfect dignity;
for if a man does not know how to manage his own household,
how can he take care of the Church of God?
He should not be a recent convert,
so that he may not become conceited
and thus incur the Devil's punishment.
He must also have a good reputation among outsiders,
so that he may not fall into disgrace, the Devil's trap.
Similarly, deacons must be dignified, not deceitful,
not addicted to drink, not greedy for sordid gain,
holding fast to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience.
Moreover, they should be tested first;
then, if there is nothing against them,
let them serve as deacons.
Women, similarly, should be dignified, not slanderers,
but temperate and faithful in everything.
Deacons may be married only once
and must manage their children and their households well.
Thus those who serve well as deacons gain good standing
and much confidence in their faith in Christ Jesus.
Responsorial Psalm 101:1B-2AB, 2CD-3AB, 5, 6
R. (2) I will walk with blameless heart.
Of mercy and judgment I will sing;
to you, O LORD, I will sing praise.
I will persevere in the way of integrity;
when will you come to me?
R. I will walk with blameless heart.
I will walk with blameless heart,
within my house;
I will not set before my eyes
any base thing.
R. I will walk with blameless heart.
Whoever slanders his neighbor in secret,
him will I destroy.
The man of haughty eyes and puffed up heart
I will not endure.
R. I will walk with blameless heart.
My eyes are upon the faithful of the land,
that they may dwell with me.
He who walks in the way of integrity
shall be in my service.
R. I will walk with blameless heart.
Alleluia LK 7:16
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
A great prophet has arisen in our midst
and God has visited his people.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel: LK 7:11-17
Jesus journeyed to a city called Nain,
and his disciples and a large crowd accompanied him.
As he drew near to the gate of the city,
a man who had died was being carried out,
the only son of his mother, and she was a widow.
A large crowd from the city was with her.
When the Lord saw her,
he was moved with pity for her and said to her,
"Do not weep."
He stepped forward and touched the coffin;
at this the bearers halted,
and he said, "Young man, I tell you, arise!"
The dead man sat up and began to speak,
and Jesus gave him to his mother.
Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, exclaiming,
"A great prophet has arisen in our midst,"
and "God has visited his people."
This report about him spread through the whole of Judea
and in all the surrounding region.
Intercessions
– God of mercy and compassion, keep your Church forgiving and patient with its members who err or rebel, we pray:
– God of the sad and the sorrowing, fill us with Christian empathy for those who suffer and make us bold enough to tell them: “Do not weep. The Lord loves you,” we pray:
– God of those who are sick in any way, bring your healing power to them through people who visit them and cheer them up, we pray:
Prayer over the Gifts
God, your gifts to us of bread and wine
enable us to live and to enjoy life.
We bring them before you to fill them
with the higher life and the deeper joy
of your Son, Jesus Christ.
Let them be a life and a joy
which, even in the uncertainties
and the trials of life,
can never be taken away from us.
Let him lead us to your everlasting life and joy.
We ask this in the name of Jesus, the Lord.
Prayer after Communion
Faithful God,
you promise us life and joy
if we have the courage
to listen to Jesus’ words
and put them into practice.
Let your Son fill us here
with a love that is stronger than death,
that we may speak words that uplift
and that we can break for one another
bread that gives life.
Grant us this in the name of Jesus, the Lord.
Blessing
“Young man, young woman, I tell you, get up.” Let us speak these words also to people who are suffering and discouraged, for they are words of life and resurrection. May Almighty God bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
