Wednesday

01

September

St. Giles

(c.650 – c.710)

Green

St. Giles was a seventh century Athenian of noble birth. His piety and learning made him an object of great admiration. He spent many years in solitude with God. He founded a monastery with an excellent discipline therein. St. Giles died in about the year 710.

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: Colossians 1:1-8

From Paul, appointed by God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and from our brother Timothy to the saints in Colossae, our faithful brothers in Christ: Grace and peace to you from God our Father. We have never failed to remember you in our prayers and to give thanks for you to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, ever since we heard about your faith in Christ Jesus and the love that you show towards all the saints because of the hope, which is stored up for you in heaven. It is only recently that you heard of this, when it was announced in the message of the truth. The Good News which has reached you is spreading all over the world and producing the same results as it has among you ever since the day when you heard about God’s grace and understood what this really is. Epaphras, who taught you, is one of our closest fellow workers and a faithful deputy for us as Christ’s servant, and it was he who told us all about your love in the Spirit.

Psalm 51(52):10-11

R/     I trust in the goodness of God forever and ever.

1.     I am like a growing olive tree in the house of God. I trust in the goodness of God forever and ever.

2.     I will thank you for evermore; for this is your doing. I will proclaim that your name is good, in the presence of your friends.

Gospel Acclamation: 1P1:25

Alleluia, alleluia! The word of the Lord remains for ever: What is this word? It is the Good News that has been brought to you. Alleluia!

Gospel: Luke 4:38-44

Leaving the synagogue, Jesus went to Simon’s house. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever and they asked him to do something for her. Leaning over her he rebuked the fever and it left her. And she immediately got up and began to wait on them. At sunset all those who had friends suffering from diseases of one kind or another brought them to him, and laying his hands on each he cured them. Devils too came out of many people, howling, ‘You are the Son of God.’ But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak because they knew that he was the Christ. When daylight came he left the house and made his way to a lonely place. The crowds went to look for him, and when they had caught up with him they wanted to prevent him leaving them, but he answered, ‘I must proclaim the Good News of the kingdom of God to the other towns too, because that is what I was sent to do.’ And he continued his preaching in the synagogues of Judaea.

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

Sometimes we imagine there’s not much we can do for others who are suffering, especially from diseases. We seek medical attention in various places. We must also always remember to bring them to Jesus, like those in the Gospel. Jesus is the supreme physician, who cures the soul, and then the body if it is his will. This is the power of intercession, when we lift others up in prayer. In addition, we must not forget the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick in which we encounter the same Jesus who cured Simon’s mother and all the other sick people.