sunday 30 August 2020
TWENTY-SECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME, PS III
St Margaret Clitherow, née Middleton (1556 – 1586)
Green
Entrance Antiphon: Ps 85: 3, 5
Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I cry to you all the day long. O Lord, you are good and forgiving, full of mercy to all who call to you.
Collect
God of might, giver of every good gift, put into our hearts the love of your name, so that, by deepening our sense of reverence, you may nurture in us what is good and, by your watchful care, keep safe what you have nurtured. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
First reading: Jeremiah 20:7-9
You have seduced me, Lord, and I have let myself be seduced; you have overpowered me: you were the stronger. I am a daily laughing-stock, everybody’s butt. Each time I speak the word, I have to howl and proclaim: ‘Violence and ruin!’ The word of the Lord has meant for me insult, derision, all day long. I used to say, ‘I will not think about him, I will not speak in his name any more.’ Then there seemed to be a fire burning in my heart, imprisoned in my bones. The effort to restrain it wearied me, I could not bear it.
Psalm 62(63):2-6, 8-9
R/ For you my soul is thirsting, O Lord my God.
- O God, you are my God, for you I long; for you my soul is thirsting. My body pines for you like a dry, weary land without water.
- So I gaze on you in the sanctuary to see your strength and your glory. For your love is better than life, my lips will speak your praise.
- So I will bless you all my life, in your name I will lift up my hands. My soul shall be filled as with a banquet, my mouth shall praise you with joy.
- For you have been my help; in the shadow of your wings I rejoice. My soul clings to you; your right hand holds me fast.
Second reading: Romans 12:1-2
Think of God’s mercy, my brothers, and worship him, I beg you, in a way that is worthy of thinking beings, by offering your living bodies as a holy sacrifice, truly pleasing to God. Do not model yourselves on the behaviour of the world around you, but let your behaviour change, modelled by your new mind. This is the only way to discover the will of God and know what is good, what it is that God wants, what is the perfect thing to do.
Gospel Acclamation: Ep 1:17, 18
Alleluia, alleluia! May the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ enlighten the eyes of our mind, so that we can see what hope his call holds for us. Alleluia!
Gospel: Matthew 16:21-27
Jesus began to make it clear to his disciples that he was destined to go to Jerusalem and suffer grievously at the hands of the elders and chief priests and scribes, to be put to death and to be raised up on the third day. Then, taking him aside, Peter started to remonstrate with him. ‘Heaven preserve you, Lord;’ he said ‘this must not happen to you.’ But he turned and said to Peter, ‘Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle in my path, because the way you think is not God’s way but man’s.’ Then Jesus said to his disciples, ‘If anyone wants to be a follower of mine, let him renounce himself and take up his cross and follow me. For anyone who wants to save his life will lose it; but anyone who loses his life for my sake will find it. What, then, will a man gain if he wins the whole world and ruins his life? Or what has a man to offer in exchange for his life? ‘For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of his Father with his angels, and, when he does, he will reward each one according to his behaviour.’
Prayer over the Offerings
May this sacred offering, O Lord, confer on us always the blessing of salvation, that what it celebrates in mystery it may accomplish in power. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon: Ps 30: 20
How great is the goodness, Lord, that you keep for those who fear you.
Prayer after Communion
Renewed by this bread from the heavenly table, we beseech you, Lord, that, being the food of charity, it may confirm our hearts and stir us to serve you in our neighbour. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
Jesus once more tells his disciples of his journey to Jerusalem and how he is to suffer and die. The disciples at this moment are naturally not happy because their Lord and master, their guide, is going to die and no longer be with them. They already have a projective feeling of insecurity and abandonment. Peter tries to stop Jesus but Jesus in his turn rebukes him: “get behind me Satan”. This is not an insult, rather Jesus is teaching us that everything that is worth it, comes at a higher price (death for our sins) and to such, we must not pose an obstacle (this must not happen to you). Peter was an obstacle but Jesus surmounted it. What are those things or even people who stand on our way to attainment of the kingdom? We must learn to remove all obstacles in our lives (greed, materialism, stealing, malice, all forms of corruption, our families and friends, etc.) for a higher gain (eternal life). This is part of the cross we must carry if we want to be followers of Jesus Christ.