24
September
St. Stephanie
Green
St Stephanie was martyred at Denderah in Egypt in the fourth century. Stephanie, who was only 18 years old, suffered death together with about 500 Christians who were accused of preferring Christ to the local gods. Their faith and courage are a great challenge for us today.
Entrance Antiphon
I am the salvation of the people, says the Lord. Should they cry to me in any distress, I will hear them, and I will be their Lord for ever.
Collect
O God, who founded all the commands of your sacred Law upon love of you and of our neighbour, grant that, by keeping your precepts, we may merit to attain eternal life. 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: Haggai 1:15-2:9
In the second year of King Darius, on the twenty-first day of the seventh month, the word of the Lord was addressed through the prophet Haggai, as follows, ‘You are to speak to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, the high commissioner of Judah, to Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to all the remnant of the people. Say this, “Who is there left among you that saw this Temple in its former glory? And how does it look to you now? Does it seem nothing to you? But take courage now, Zerubbabel – it is the Lord who speaks. Courage, High Priest Joshua son of Jehozadak! Courage, all you people of the country! – it is the Lord who speaks. To work! I am with you – it is the Lord of Hosts who speaks – and my spirit remains among you. Do not be afraid! For the Lord of Hosts says this: A little while now, and I am going to shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land. I will shake all the nations and the treasures of all the nations shall flow in, and I will fill this Temple with glory, says the Lord of Hosts. Mine is the silver, mine the gold! – it is the Lord of Hosts who speaks. The new glory of this Temple is going to surpass the old, says the Lord of Hosts, and in this place I will give peace – it is the Lord of Hosts who speaks.”’
Psalm 42(43):1-4
R/ Hope in God; I will praise him still, my saviour and my God.
1. Defend me, O God, and plead my cause against a godless nation. From deceitful and cunning men rescue me, O God.
2. Since you, O God, are my stronghold, why have you rejected me? Why do I go mourning oppressed by the foe?
3. O send forth your light and your truth; let these be my guide. Let them bring me to your holy mountain, to the place where you dwell.
4. And I will come to the altar of God, the God of my joy. My redeemer, I will thank you on the harp, O God, my God.
Gospel Acclamation; Ep1:17,18
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: Luke 9:18-22
One day when Jesus was praying alone in the presence of his disciples he put this question to them, ‘Who do the crowds say I am?’ And they answered, ‘John the Baptist; others Elijah; and others say one of the ancient prophets come back to life.’ ‘But you,’ he said, ‘who do you say I am?’ It was Peter who spoke up. ‘The Christ of God,’ he said. But he gave them strict orders not to tell anyone anything about this. ‘The Son of Man,’ he said, ‘is destined to suffer grievously, to be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes and to be put to death, and to be raised up on the third day.’
Prayer over the Offerings
Receive with favour, O Lord, we pray, the offerings of your people,
that what they profess with devotion and faith may be theirs through these heavenly mysteries.
Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon: Ps 118: 4-5
You have laid down your precepts to be carefully kept; may my ways be firm in keeping your statutes.
Prayer after Communion
Graciously raise up, O Lord, those you renew with this Sacrament, that we may come to possess your redemption both in mystery and in the manner of our life. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
It is hard to find God in suffering. We are familiar with the old question: where is God when bad things happen? But in today’s Gospel, we literally find God in suffering. The response of Peter means that Jesus is God. Then Jesus immediately talks about his impending rejection, suffering and death. God himself, in Jesus, suffered. He showed us that sufferings do come our way. But the way out of such suffering is to go right through it. That is what Jesus did. When we go through suffering, God goes with us. Jesus, who understands suffering, accompanies us.