by Norbert Doulanni | Jul 5, 2025 | Evangelium
14th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Saint Maria Goretti (1890 – 1902)
Psalter: Week II
Green
Entrance Antiphon: Cf. Ps 47: 10-11
Your merciful love, O God, we have received in the midst of your temple.Your praise, O God, like your name,reaches the ends of the earth;your right hand is filled with saving justice.
Collect
O God, who in the abasement of your Son have raised up a fallen world,fill your faithful with holy joy,for on those you have rescued from slavery to sinyou bestow eternal gladness.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: Isaiah 66:10-14
Rejoice, Jerusalem, be glad for her, all you who love her!Rejoice, rejoice for her,all you who mourned her!That you may be suckled, filled,from her consoling breast,that you may savour with delighther glorious breasts.For thus says the Lord:Now towards her I send flowingpeace, like a river,and like a stream in spatethe glory of the nations.At her breast will her nurslings be carriedand fondled in her lap.Like a son comforted by his motherwill I comfort you.And by Jerusalem you will be comforted.At the sight your heart will rejoice,and your bones flourish like the grass.To his servants the Lord will reveal his hand.
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 65(66):1-7,16,20
R/ Cry out with joy to God, all the earth.
Cry out with joy to God all the earth,O sing to the glory of his name.O render him glorious praise.Say to God: ‘How tremendous your deeds!
‘Before you all the earth shall bow;shall sing to you, sing to your name!’Come and see the works of God,tremendous his deeds among men.
He turned the sea into dry land,they passed through the river dry-shod.Let our joy then be in him;he rules for ever by his might.
Come and hear, all who fear God.I will tell what he did for my soul:Blessed be God who did not reject my prayernor withhold his love from me.
Second reading: Galatians 6:14-18
The only thing I can boast about is the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom the world is crucified to me, and I to the world. It does not matter if a person is circumcised or not; what matters is for him to become an altogether new creature. Peace and mercy to all who follow this rule, who form the Israel of God. I want no more trouble from anybody after this; the marks on my body are those of Jesus. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, my brothers. Amen.
Gospel Acclamation: Jn15:15
Alleluia, alleluia! I call you friends, says the Lord,because I have made known to youeverything I have learnt from my Father.Alleluia!
Gospel: Luke 10:1-12,17-20
The Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them out ahead of him, in pairs, to all the towns and places he himself was to visit. He said to them, ‘The harvest is rich but the labourers are few, so ask the Lord of the harvest to send labourers to his harvest. Start off now, but remember, I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. Carry no purse, no haversack, no sandals. Salute no one on the road. ‘Whatever house you go into, let your first words be, “Peace to this house!” And if a man of peace lives there, your peace will go and rest on him; if not, it will come back to you. Stay in the same house, taking what food and drink they have to offer, for the labourer deserves his wages; do not move from house to house. ‘Whenever you go into a town where they make you welcome, eat what is set before you. Cure those in it who are sick, and say, “The kingdom of God is very near to you.” But whenever you enter a town and they do not make you welcome, go out into its streets and say, “We wipe off the very dust of your town that clings to our feet, and leave it with you. Yet be sure of this: the kingdom of God is very near.” I tell you, on that day it will not go as hard with Sodom as with that town.’ The seventy-two came back rejoicing. ‘Lord,’ they said ‘even the devils submit to us when we use your name.’ He said to them, ‘I watched Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Yes, I have given you power to tread underfoot serpents and scorpions and the whole strength of the enemy; nothing shall ever hurt you. Yet do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you; rejoice rather that your names are written in heaven.’
Prayer over the Offerings
May this oblation dedicated to your name purify us, O Lord, and day by day bring our conduct closer to the life of heaven. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon: Ps 33: 9
Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed the man who seeks refuge in him.
Prayer after Communion
Grant, we pray, O Lord, that, having been replenished by such great gifts, we may gain the prize of salvation and never cease to praise you. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation The Christian calling is undeniably challenging, fraught with such obstacles as social pressures and secular attacks. In sending the seventy-two other disciples to preach His word of salvation, Jesus extends this calling to each one of us. Regardless of our roles or status in life — whether as parents, teachers, employees, employers, professionals, or students — we are all tasked with the mission of evangelisation as missionaries of His word of salvation. We become partakers of the sharers of God’s word by virtue of our Baptism and Confirmation. In whatever we do, we are called to first of all – be Christians; that is, to be like Christ.
by Norbert Doulanni | Jul 4, 2025 | Evangelium
Saturday memorial of the Blessed
Virgin Mary
Saint Antony Mary Zaccaria (1502 – 1539)
Psalter: Week I
Green
He was born in Cremona in Lombardy and started by studying medicine, but soon decided to become a priest instead and was ordained in 1528. He founded a religious Congregation, the Barnabites, whose aim was the reform of the clergy and laity.
Entrance Antiphon : Ps 46: 2
All peoples, clap your hands. Cry to God with shouts of joy!
Collect
O God, who through the grace of adoption, chose us to be children of light; grant, we pray, that we may not be wrapped in the darkness of error but always be seen to stand in the bright light of truth. 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: Genesis 27:1-5,15-29
Isaac had grown old, and his eyes were so weak that he could no longer see. He summoned his elder son Esau, ‘My son!’ he said to him, and the latter answered, ‘I am here.’ Then he said, ‘See, I am old and do not know when I may die. Now take your weapons, your quiver and bow; go out into the country and hunt me some game. Make me the kind of savoury I like and bring it to me, so that I may eat, and give you my blessing before I die.’ Rebekah happened to be listening while Isaac was talking to his son Esau. So when Esau went into the country to hunt game for his father, Rebekah took her elder son Esau’s best clothes, which she had in the house, and dressed her younger son Jacob in them, covering his arms and the smooth part of his neck with the skins of the kids. Then she handed the savoury and the bread she had made to her son Jacob. He presented himself before his father and said, ‘Father.’ ‘I am here;’ was the reply ‘who are you, my son?’ Jacob said to his father, ‘I am Esau your first-born; I have done as you told me. Please get up and take your place and eat the game I have brought and then give me your blessing.’ Isaac said to his son, ‘How quickly you found it, my son!’ ‘It was the Lord your God’ he answered ‘who put it in my path.’ Isaac said to Jacob, ‘Come here, then, and let me touch you, my son, to know if you are my son Esau or not.’ Jacob came close to his father Isaac, who touched him and said, ‘The voice is Jacob’s voice but the arms are the arms of Esau!’ He did not recognize him, for his arms were hairy like his brother Esau’s, and so he blessed him. He said, ‘Are you really my son Esau?’ And he replied, ‘I am.’ Isaac said, ‘Bring it here that I may eat the game my son has brought, and so may give you my blessing.’ He brought it to him and he ate; he offered him wine, and he drank. His father Isaac said to him, ‘Come closer, and kiss me, my son.’ He went closer and kissed his father, who smelled the smell of his clothes .He blessed him, saying: ‘Yes, the smell of my son is like the smell of a fertile field blessed by the Lord. May God give you dew from heaven, and the richness of the earth, abundance of grain and wine! May nations serve you and peoples bow down before you! Be master of your brothers; may the sons of your mother bow down before you! Cursed be he who curses you; blessed be he who blesses you!’
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 134(135):1-6
R/ Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good.
Praise the name of the Lord, praise him, servants of the Lord, who stand in the house of the Lord in the courts of the house of our God.
Praise the Lord for the Lord is good. Sing a psalm to his name for he is loving. For the Lord has chosen Jacob for himself and Israel for his own possession.
For I know the Lord is great, that our Lord is high above all gods. The Lord does whatever he wills, in heaven, on earth, in the seas.
Gospel Acclamation: Ps118:135
Alleluia, alleluia! Let your face shine on your servant, and teach me your decrees. Alleluia!
Gospel: Matthew 9:14-17
John’s disciples came to him and said, ‘Why is it that we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not?’ Jesus replied, ‘Surely the bridegroom’s attendants would never think of mourning as long as the bridegroom is still with them? But the time will come for the bridegroom to be taken away from them, and then they will fast. No one puts a piece of unshrunken cloth on to an old cloak, because the patch pulls away from the cloak and the tear gets worse. Nor do people put new wine into old wineskins; if they do, the skins burst, the wine runs out, and the skins are lost. No; they put new wine into fresh skins and both are preserved.’
Prayer over the Offerings
O God, who graciously accomplish the effects of your mysteries, grant, we pray, that the deeds by which we serve you may be worthy of these sacred gifts. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon : Cf. Ps 102: 1
Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all within me, his holy name.
Prayer after Communion
May this divine sacrifice we have offered and received fill us with life, O Lord, we pray, so that, bound to you in lasting charity, we may bear fruit that lasts for ever. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
When we undertake fasting, it is crucial to examine our true motives. Is Jesus truly as the centre of our fasting? Is it for the glorification of His name, or are there other underlying reasons? The incident involving John the Baptist’s disciples, who are upset with Jesus’ disciples for not fasting, serves as a poignant reminder. Jesus uses this opportunity to teach about the essence of fasting. While fasting is recommended, Jesus says that our focus should be on Him. This should translate into humility and genuine love for others. Our fasting should lead us to become more compassionate individuals, eager to bring joy to others. Ultimately, fasting should be a means to draw closer to Christ and reflect His love in our actions towards others.
by Norbert Doulanni | Jul 3, 2025 | Evangelium
Saint Elizabeth of Portugal
(1271 – 1336)
Psalter: Week I
Green
She was married to King Denis of Portugal, by whom she had two children. She set up hospitals, orphanages, and other institutions, patiently endured her husband’s infidelities. On her husband’s death in 1325 she retired from public affairs and devoted herself to prayer and the service of the poor
Entrance Antiphon : Ps 46: 2
All peoples, clap your hands. Cry to God with shouts of joy!
Collect
O God, who through the grace of adoption, chose us to be children of light; grant, we pray, that we may not be wrapped in the darkness of error but always be seen to stand in the bright light of truth. 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: Genesis 23:1-4,19,24:1-8,62-67
The length of Sarah’s life was a hundred and twenty-seven years. She died at Kiriath-arba, or Hebron, in the land of Canaan, and Abraham went in to mourn and grieve for her.Then leaving his dead, Abraham spoke to the sons of Heth: ‘I am a stranger and a settler among you,’ he said. ‘Let me own a burial-plot among you, so that I may take my dead wife and bury her.’After this, Abraham buried his wife Sarah in the cave of the field of Machpelah opposite Mamre, in the country of Canaan.
By now Abraham was an old man well on in years, and the Lord had blessed him in every way. Abraham said to the eldest servant of his household, the steward of all his property, ‘Place your hand under my thigh, I would have you swear by the Lord, God of heaven and God of earth, that you will not choose a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites among whom I live. Instead, go to my own land and my own kinsfolk to choose a wife for my son Isaac.’ The servant asked him, ‘What if the woman does not want to come with me to this country? Must I take your son back to the country from which you came?’ Abraham answered, ‘On no account take my son back there. The Lord, God of heaven and God of earth, took me from my father’s home, and from the land of my kinsfolk, and he swore to me that he would give this country to my descendants. He will now send his angel ahead of you, so that you may choose a wife for my son there. And if the woman does not want to come with you, you will be free from this oath of mine. Only do not take my son back there.’ Isaac, who lived in the Negeb, had meanwhile come into the wilderness of the well of Lahai Roi. Now Isaac went walking in the fields as evening fell, and looking up saw camels approaching. And Rebekah looked up and saw Isaac. She jumped down from her camel, and asked the servant, ‘Who is that man walking through the fields to meet us?’ The servant replied, ‘That is my master’; then she took her veil and hid her face. The servant told Isaac the whole story, and Isaac led Rebekah into his tent and made her his wife; and he loved her. And so Isaac was consoled for the loss of his mother.
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 105(106):1-5
R/ O give thanks to the Lord for he is good.
O give thanks to the Lord for he is good; for his love endures forever. Who can tell the Lord’s mighty deeds? Who can recount all his praise?
They are happy who do what is right, who at all times do what is just. O Lord, remember me out of the love you have for your people.
Come to me, Lord, with your help that I may see the joy of your chosen onesand may rejoice in the gladness of your nation and share the glory of your people.
Gospel Acclamation: Ps24:4,5
Alleluia, alleluia! Teach me your paths, my God,make me walk in your truth.Alleluia!
Gospel: Matthew 9:9-13
As Jesus was walking on, he saw a man named Matthew sitting by the customs house, and he said to him, ‘Follow me.’ And he got up and followed him. While he was at dinner in the house it happened that a number of tax collectors and sinners came to sit at the table with Jesus and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, ‘Why does your master eat with tax collectors and sinners?’ When he heard this he replied, ‘It is not the healthy who need the doctor, but the sick. Go and learn the meaning of the words: What I want is mercy, not sacrifice. And indeed I did not come to call the virtuous, but sinners.’
Prayer over the Offerings
O God, who graciously accomplish the effects of your mysteries, grant, we pray, that the deeds by which we serve you may be worthy of these sacred gifts. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon : Cf. Ps 102: 1
Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all within me, his holy name.
Prayer after Communion
May this divine sacrifice we have offered and received fill us with life, O Lord, we pray, so that, bound to you in lasting charity, we may bear fruit that lasts for ever. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
Many individuals in the Bible experience greatness after being given a second chance. Matthew, a tax collector is hated by the Jews and considered a sinner. No one wants to associate with him except his fellow tax collectors and sinners. However, Jesus shows him mercy by offering him a second chance. Often, we express our love for God through words and prayers, but we fail to demonstrate mercy in our lives. Jesus urges us to express our love for Him by patiently tolerating others and giving them the opportunity to turn over a new leaf. We are called to view others through the compassionate lens and heart of Christ, refraining from passing judgement or condemnation.
by Norbert Doulanni | Jul 2, 2025 | Evangelium
Saint Thomas the Apostle-
Feast
Psalter: Week I
Red
Thomas the Apostle (also called Didymus which means «the twin») was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ. He is informally called doubting Thomas because he doubted Jesus’ resurrection when first told, (in the Gospel of John), followed later by his confession of faith, «My Lord and my God», on seeing Jesus’ wounded body.
Entrance Antiphon: Cf. Ps 117: 28, 21
You are my God, and I confess you; you are my God, and I exalt you; I will thank you, for you became my saviour.
Collect
Grant, almighty God, that we may glory in the Feast of the blessed Apostle Thomas, so that we may always be sustained by his intercession and, believing, may have life in the name of Jesus Christ your Son, whom Thomas acknowledged as the Lord. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.
First reading: Ephesians 2:19-22
You are no longer aliens or foreign visitors: you are citizens like all the saints, and part of God’s household. You are part of a building that has the apostles and prophets for its foundations, and Christ Jesus himself for its main cornerstone. As every structure is aligned on him, all grow into one holy temple in the Lord; and you too, in him, are being built into a house where God lives, in the Spirit.
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 116(117):1-2
R/ Go out to the whole world; proclaim the Good News.
O praise the Lord, all you nations, acclaim him all you peoples!
Strong is his love for us; he is faithful forever.
Gospel Acclamation: Jn20:29
Alleluia, alleluia! Jesus said: ‘You believe because you can see me. Happy are those who have not seen and yet believe.’ Alleluia!
Gospel: John 20:24-29
Thomas, called the Twin, who was one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. When the disciples said, ‘We have seen the Lord’, he answered, ‘Unless I see the holes that the nails made in his hands and can put my finger into the holes they made, and unless I can put my hand into his side, I refuse to believe.’ Eight days later the disciples were in the house again and Thomas was with them. The doors were closed, but Jesus came in and stood among them. ‘Peace be with you’ he said. Then he spoke to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here; look, here are my hands. Give me your hand; put it into my side. Doubt no longer but believe.’ Thomas replied, ‘My Lord and my God!’ Jesus said to him: ‘You believe because you can see me. Happy are those who have not seen and yet believe.’
Prayer over the Offerings
We render you, O Lord, the service that is your due, humbly imploring you to keep safe your gifts in us, as we honour the confession of the Apostle Saint Thomas and offer you a sacrifice of praise. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon: Cf. Jn 20: 27
Bring your hand and feel the place of the nails, and do not be unbelieving but believing.
Prayer after Communion
O God, as we truly receive in this Sacrament the Body of your Only Begotten Son,grant, we pray, that we may recognize him with the Apostle Thomas by faith as our Lord and our Godand proclaim him by our deeds and by our life. Who lives and reigns forever and ever.
Meditation
Today, we celebrate the feast of Saint Thomas the Apostle, known as the “Doubting Thomas” and the patron saint of those in doubt. Despite his doubt, he boldy professes his faith to the Lord: “My Lord and my God!” Thomas, alongside Saint Peter, stands out as one of the few apostles who openly affirm their faith in Jesus. Reflecting on our own lives, we often grapple with doubts, whether concerning our faith, doctrines, or various life circumstances. However, Jesus shows how much He loves his disciples by granting them second chances. Our doubts, failures, and weaknesses should ultimately lead us to a deeper and stronger faith in God.
by Norbert Doulanni | Jul 1, 2025 | Evangelium
Bernardino Realino (1530 – 1616)
Psalter: Week I
Green
He was a Jesuit of Italy. St. Bernardino won widespread recognition as a result of his ceaseless apostolic labors. He was a model confessor, a powerful preacher, a diligent teacher of the Faith to the young, a dedicated shepherd of souls. His kindness brought about the end of vendettas and public scandals that cropped up from time to time.
Entrance Antiphon : Ps 46: 2
All peoples, clap your hands. Cry to God with shouts of joy!
Collect
O God, who through the grace of adoption, chose us to be children of light; grant, we pray, that we may not be wrapped in the darkness of error but always be seen to stand in the bright light of truth. 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: Genesis 21:5,8-20
Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him. The child grew and was weaned, and Abraham gave a great banquet on the day Isaac was weaned. Now Sarah watched the son that Hagar the Egyptian had borne to Abraham, playing with her son Isaac. ‘Drive away that slave-girl and her son,’ she said to Abraham; ‘this slave-girl’s son is not to share the inheritance with my son Isaac.’ This greatly distressed Abraham because of his son, but God said to him, ‘Do not distress yourself on account of the boy and your slave-girl. Grant Sarah all she asks of you, for it is through Isaac that your name will be carried on. But the slave-girl’s son I will also make into a nation, for he is your child too.’ Rising early next morning Abraham took some bread and a skin of water and, giving them to Hagar, he put the child on her shoulder and sent her away. She wandered off into the wilderness of Beersheba. When the skin of water was finished she abandoned the child under a bush. Then she went and sat down at a distance, about a bowshot away, saying to herself, ‘I cannot see the child die.’ So she sat at a distance; and the child wailed and wept. But God heard the boy wailing, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven. ‘What is wrong, Hagar?’ he asked. ‘Do not be afraid, for God has heard the boy’s cry where he lies. Come, pick up the boy and hold him safe, for I will make him into a great nation.’ Then God opened Hagar’s eyes and she saw a well, so she went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink. God was with the boy. He grew up and made his home in the wilderness, and he became a bowman.
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 33(34):7-8,10-13
R/ The poor man called; the Lord heard him.
This poor man called, the Lord heard himand rescued him from all his distress.The angel of the Lord is encampedaround those who revere him, to rescue them.
Revere the Lord, you his saints. They lack nothing, those who revere him.Strong lions suffer want and go hungry but those who seek the Lord lack no blessing.
Come, children, and hear me that I may teach you the fear of the Lord.Who is he who longs for life and many days, to enjoy his prosperity?
Gospel Acclamation: Jn14:6
Alleluia, alleluia! I am the Way, the Truth and the Life, says the Lord; No one can come to the Father except through me.Alleluia!
Gospel: Matthew 8:28-34
When Jesus reached the country of the Gadarenes on the other side of the lake, two demoniacs came towards him out of the tombs – creatures so fierce that no one could pass that way. They stood there shouting, ‘What do you want with us, Son of God? Have you come here to torture us before the time?’ Now some distance away there was a large herd of pigs feeding, and the devils pleaded with Jesus, ‘If you cast us out, send us into the herd of pigs.’ And he said to them, ‘Go then’, and they came out and made for the pigs; and at that the whole herd charged down the cliff into the lake and perished in the water. The swineherds ran off and made for the town, where they told the whole story, including what had happened to the demoniacs. At this the whole town set out to meet Jesus; and as soon as they saw him they implored him to leave the neighbourhood.
Prayer over the Offerings
O God, who graciously accomplish the effects of your mysteries, grant, we pray, that the deeds by which we serve you may be worthy of these sacred gifts. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon : Cf. Ps 102: 1
Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all within me, his holy name.
Prayer after Communion
May this divine sacrifice we have offered and received fill us with life, O Lord, we pray, so that, bound to you in lasting charity, we may bear fruit that lasts forever. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
Today’s gospel reading presents the reality of the presence of evil spirits. In it, we witness the absolute power of Jesus over demons, a power that can be manifested in our lives in numerous ways, if we allow Him the opportunity to act. Jesus also shows kindness towards the evil spirits by granting them their wish not to be tormented, but instead to be sent into the herd of swine. This act prompts reflection on our own kindness towards others. However, it is astonishing to note the negative reaction of the Gadarenes populace. They ask Jesus to leave their district, demonstrating a blindness to spiritual good akin to what many of us experience. They place more worth on their swine (material possessions) than on the restored lives of the two demoniacs that Jesus has healed.
by Norbert Doulanni | Jul 1, 2025 | Evangelium
Blessed Junipero Serra (1713 – 1784)
Psalter: Week I
Green
He was born on the Spanish island of Mallorca, and became a Franciscan. Over a period of fifteen years he founded nine missions with about six thousand converts. He frequently came into conflict with the authorities over their treatment of the native population, but nevertheless, when he died, he was buried with full military honours. He was beatified in 1988.
Entrance Antiphon : Ps 46: 2
All peoples, clap your hands. Cry to God with shouts of joy!
Collect
O God, who through the grace of adoption, chose us to be children of light; grant, we pray, that we may not be wrapped in the darkness of error but always be seen to stand in the bright light of truth. 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: Genesis 19:15-29
The angels urged Lot, ‘Come, take your wife and these two daughters of yours, or you will be overwhelmed in the punishment of the town.’ And as he hesitated, the men took him by the hand, and his wife and his two daughters, because of the pity the Lord felt for him. They led him out and left him outside the town. As they were leading him out he said, ‘Run for your life. Neither look behind you nor stop anywhere on the plain. Make for the hills if you would not be overwhelmed.’ ‘No, I beg you, my lord,’ Lot said to them ‘your servant has won your favour and you have shown great kindness to me in saving my life. But I could not reach the hills before this calamity overtook me, and death with it. The town over there is near enough to flee to, and is a little one. Let me make for that – is it not little? – and my life will be saved.’ He answered, ‘I grant you this favour too, and will not destroy the town you speak of. Hurry, escape to it, for I can do nothing until you reach it.’ That is why the town is named Zoar. As the sun rose over the land and Lot entered Zoar, the Lord rained on Sodom and Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord. He overthrew these towns and the whole plain, with all the inhabitants of the towns, and everything that grew there. But the wife of Lot looked back, and was turned into a pillar of salt. Rising early in the morning Abraham went to the place where he had stood before the Lord, and looking towards Sodom and Gomorrah, and across all the plain, he saw the smoke rising from the land, like smoke from a furnace. Thus it was that when God destroyed the towns of the plain, he kept Abraham in mind and rescued Lot out of disaster when he overwhelmed the towns where Lot lived.
Responsorail Psalm: Psalm 25(26):2-3,9-12
R/ Your love, O Lord, is before my eyes.
Examine me, Lord, and try me;O test my heart and my mind,for your love is before my eyesand I walk according to your truth.
Do not sweep me away with sinners, nor my life with bloodthirsty menin whose hands are evil plots, whose right hands are filled with gold.
As for me, I walk the path of perfection. Redeem me and show me your mercy.My foot stands on level ground: I will bless the Lord in the assembly.
Gospel Acclamation: Ps147:12,15
Alleluia, alleluia! O praise the Lord, Jerusalem! He sends out his word to the earth. Alleluia!
Gospel: Matthew 8:23-27
Jesus got into the boat followed by his disciples. Without warning a storm broke over the lake, so violent that the waves were breaking right over the boat. But he was asleep. So they went to him and woke him saying, ‘Save us, Lord, we are going down!’ And he said to them, ‘Why are you so frightened, you men of little faith?’ And with that he stood up and rebuked the winds and the sea; and all was calm again. The men were astounded and said, ‘Whatever kind of man is this? Even the winds and the sea obey him.’
Prayer over the Offerings
O God, who graciously accomplish the effects of your mysteries, grant, we pray, that the deeds by which we serve you may be worthy of these sacred gifts. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon : Cf. Ps 102: 1
Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all within me, his holy name.
Prayer after Communion
May this divine sacrifice we have offered and received fill us with life, O Lord, we pray, so that, bound to you in lasting charity, we may bear fruit that lasts forever. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
While in the boat with His disciples, Jesus calms the stormy sea and their fear. He also rebukes their lack of faith. Hence, the biblical scholar Donald Arthur Carson attests that “faith drives out fear, and fear drives out faith.” Indeed, we all profess that Jesus is God, but do we live each day believing and trusting that Jesus is truly in charge of every circumstance in our lives? So often, we call to God for help in times of trouble, and if we feel that He is not responding swiftly, we tend to say, “Jesus has abandoned us”; we think that Jesus is asleep during our tribulations. Can we trust Him to guide us through every step of our life journey, much like a skilled driver who knows the best routes to take?
