Liturgy Alive

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Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time

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Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time

  1. With Jesus in the Storm
  2. Do Not Be Afraid

 

Greeting (see Second Reading)

The love of Christ overwhelms us.
He died for all,
so that those who live
should no longer live for themselves
but for him who died
and was raised up for us.
May the Risen Lord be always with you. R/ And also with you.

 

Introduction by the Celebrant

With Jesus in the Storm

      “Where are you, Lord, when we suffer?” “Why do you sleep, Lord, when your Church is in pain?” “Why is there so much evil in the world?” These are often our cries when we feel threatened by the waves of misfortune and suffering and evil. And the Lord’s answer to us is a question: “Why are you so afraid? I am with you! Have faith in me, trust me.” In this Eucharist we express our trust that with the Lord we can overcome all evil and trials.

 

Do Not Be Afraid

      Many people are afraid today. Our times are very insecure in so many respects, with wars, violence, economic and moral crises. Things seem to move too fast for many. And the Church, in its leaders and members, is often upset and afraid too. God seems so far away, like a God who sleeps, a God who seems indifferent to our fears and anxieties. Where is our faith? Let us turn to him who journeys with us and wake him up, Jesus, our Lord and brother here among us.

 

Penitential Act

Let us ask the Lord here among us
to forgive us our lack of trust in him
and to command the waves of fear in us
to keep quiet and to leave us in peace.
                        (pause)
Lord Jesus, you command them to be quiet
when the waves of fear toss us about:
Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.

Jesus Christ, you rescue your Church from distress
when your people put their trust in you:
Christ, have mercy. R/ Christ, have mercy.

Lord Jesus, we rejoice in the calm
which you give us when we believe in you:
Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.

Forgive us our lack of faith, Lord,
and help us to put ourselves into your hands.
Lead us forward in trust
to the peace of everlasting life. R/ Amen.

 

Opening Prayer

In the storms of life let us pray
for endless trust in the Lord
                        (pause)
God of power and might,
when we cry out to you in the tempests of life,
reassure us that you care and that you are with us,
even when you seem absent.
Let our faith remain calm and peaceful
and deepen it in every trial.
Keep us believing that the waves obey you
and that at your command
the powers of evil cannot harm us.
Stay with us through your Son,
Jesus Christ, our Lord for ever. R/ Amen.

 

First Reading: God Speaks from the Heart of the Tempest

      To Job crying out to God in his suffering, God’s answers: Look to my power and trust me, even if you do not understand.

Reading 1: Job 38:1, 8-11

Then the LORD* answered Job out of the storm and said:

Who shut within doors the sea,

when it burst forth from the womb,

When I made the clouds its garment

and thick darkness its swaddling bands?

When I set limits for it

and fastened the bar of its door,

And said: Thus far shall you come but no farther,

and here shall your proud waves stop?

 

Responsorial Psalm 107:23-24, 25-26, 28-29, 30-31

R. (1b) Give thanks to the Lord, his love is everlasting.
or:
R. Alleluia.
They who sailed the sea in ships,
    trading on the deep waters,
These saw the works of the LORD
    and his wonders in the abyss.
R. Give thanks to the Lord, his love is everlasting.
or:
R. Alleluia.
His command raised up a storm wind
    which tossed its waves on high.
They mounted up to heaven; they sank to the depths;
    their hearts melted away in their plight.
R. Give thanks to the Lord, his love is everlasting.
or:
R. Alleluia.
They cried to the LORD in their distress;
    from their straits he rescued them,
He hushed the storm to a gentle breeze,
    and the billows of the sea were stilled.
R. Give thanks to the Lord, his love is everlasting.
or:
R. Alleluia.
They rejoiced that they were calmed,
    and he brought them to their desired haven.
Let them give thanks to the LORD for his kindness
    and his wondrous deeds to the children of men.
R. Give thanks to the Lord, his love is everlasting.
or:
R. Alleluia.

 

Second Reading: Now All Is New

      The love of Christ moves us forward, for in him we have become all new and we give up our old ways.

Reading 2: 2 Cor 5:14-17

For the love of Christ impels us, once we have come to the conviction that one died for all; therefore, all have died.  He indeed died for all, so that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.

Consequently, from now on we regard no one according to the flesh; even if we once knew Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know him so no longer. So whoever is in Christ is a new creation: the old things have passed away; behold, new things have come.

 

Alleluia: Lk 7:16

R. Alleluia, alleluia

A great prophet has arisen in our midst.

God has visited his people.

R. Alleluia, alleluia

 

Gospel: Who Can This Be?

      Fear shocks the weak faith of the disciples when they experience danger. We too are asked: Why are you afraid? Why is your faith so weak?

Gospel: Mk 4:35-41   

 On that day, as evening drew on, he said to them, “Let us cross to the other side.” Leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat just as he was. And other boats were with him. A violent squall came up and waves were breaking over the boat, so that it was already filling up. Jesus was in the stern, asleep on a cushion. They woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” He woke up, rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Quiet! Be still!”* The wind ceased and there was great calm. Then he asked them, “Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith?” They were filled with great awe and said to one another, “Who then is this whom even wind and the sea obey?”

 

Intercessions

God is our light and our security. Let us express our trust in him and pray for all people who journey through life. Let us say:

R/ God, in you we trust.

–                   For the Church of Jesus Christ, that its faith and love may not waver in the difficulties and storms of our time, let us pray:

R/ God, in you we trust.

–                   For those who doubt their faith and are afraid of facing the future, that God may give them courage, and that we may refresh their hope, let us pray:

R/ God, in you we trust.

–                   For sailors and fisherfolk, that the sea may be peaceful and generous to them; for all who travel, that they may safely reach their destination, let us pray:

R/ God, in you we trust.

–                   For the community of nations, that they may live in peace an harmony, let us pray:

R/ God, in you we trust.

–                   For our Christian communities, that we may all grow in trusting faith in Jesus our Lord and that his love may move us to live for one another, let us pray:

R/ God, in you we trust.

Lord our God, why should we still be afraid when we know your Son Jesus is with us? Give us his peace and let it last for ever and ever. R/ Amen.

 

Prayer over the Gifts

Father,
in these signs of bread and wine
we place ourselves into your hands
together with Jesus, your Son.
Make us ready with him
to accept everything for you
and to seek your will in all we do.
For we know you love us
and we love you
in Jesus Christ our Lord. R/ Amen.

 

Introduction to the Eucharistic Prayer

Jesus placed himself in the hands of the Father in life and death.

With him we thank the Father for answering our trust in him.

Introduction to the Lord’s Prayer

With Jesus our Lord,
let us now pray his prayer of trust
to God our Father: R/ Our Father...

 

Deliver Us

Deliver us, Lord, from every evil,
above all from the evil of sin.
Enliven our faith
and let it bring us your peace.
Protect us from all anxiety,
and give us the courage and hope
to build up your new world,
as we prepare for the coming
of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. R/ For the kingdom...

 

At the Breaking of Bread

Jesus took bread, broke it
and through it shared himself with his friends.
In the same way we now break the bread of life
to unite us all in Jesus
and to learn from him
to share ourselves with one another.

 

Invitation to Communion

This is Jesus the Lord
who stays with us
in the joys and trials of life.
He asks us: “Why are you afraid?”
Happy are we
that he is our food of courage. R/ Lord, I am not worthy...

 

Prayer after Communion

God our Father,
in this Eucharist, you have let your Son
speak to us words of encouragement
that put our fears to rest,
and given us his bread of strength.
Let us now brave with faith and hope
the storms of the trials of life.
For we know that Jesus is close to us,
even if we do not see his guiding hand.
Let him stay with us always and bring us to the safe harbor of your home,
for he is our Lord for ever and ever. R/ Amen.

 

Blessing

This Eucharist has been for us
a celebration of encouragement and trust.
God has assured us:
‘‘Even in the dark days of life
there is nothing to fear,
I am with you.
Face life and its problems,
I will lead you to a safe harbor.
Trust me.”
May almighty God give you this faith
and bless you all:
the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. R/ Amen.

 

Let us go in the peace of Christ.

R/ Thanks be to God.

 

Commentary

Why are you so cowardly?
Pay attention to the narration of Mark about Jesus calming the sea. It was evening when Jesus and the disciples took the boat. There were also other small boats. They are venturing into the other side of the sea. Once in the boat, Jesus falls asleep while the disciples are left to face the tempests of the sea in the night.
Mark wants to tell the readers that Jesus was reaching the evening of his life. And he is no more physically with his disciples. His presence is there in the boat – that is the Church, which is being tossed on the tempests of the world. Therefore, when they faced the persecutions and struggles in life, they felt that Jesus, their God was sleeping and did not care about their struggles. That’s why they complain: “Do you not care that we are perishing?” The gospel also mentions about other small boats moving with them. They represent the other communities of faithful in different regions. They are travelling towards the other side of the sea. It is a clear indication of the Church, journeying towards the heaven.

Jesus calms the sea by saying: “Quiet! Be Still.” We hear that kind of a command from Jesus only when he used to drive out demons. Here, Mark must have been referring to the common belief of the time that the sea is the abode of the devil. The devil in the world is making the life of the Church difficult and creates a sense of perishing. But Jesus drives out the demons by commanding them to “be quiet!”

In the history of the Church, there have been numerous moments of tempests that traumatised the life of the Church. The same is true of our community, our family where we have gone through ups and downs. In all those moments, it is easy to see the image of the boat, shaken by winds and waves.

But in such moments of uncertainties and fear, it is important to remember that we are not alone. Jesus seems to be asleep and doesn't want to know about our problems. In fact, he addresses us with the same words that he addressed to the disciples that night on the lake. "Why are you so cowardly? Do you still not have faith?”

Jesus did not spare us of all the waves and tempests of life. The problems are there and they will remain. They are part of the human condition. There will be moments of doubt, of hesitation. Jesus is on board with us and that he will not let go of our hand. Even though sometimes we don't feel his presence, at times it seems to us that he is sleeping, yet our faith reminds that we are not left alone and he is there.

 

BibleClaret

Hong Kong

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