Give Us This Day - February 2012 Sample

FEBRUARY 2012

DAILY PRAYER FOR TODAY’S CATHOLICDAILY PRAYER FOR TODAY’S CATHOLICTM

Give Us This Day™Canticle of Zechariah (Benedictus) Luke 1:68-79

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel;he has come to his people and set them free.

He has raised up for us a mighty savior,born of the house of his servant David.

Through his holy prophets he promised of old that he would save us from our enemies, from the hands of all who hate us.

He promised to show mercy to our fathersand to remember his holy covenant.

This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham:to set us free from the hands of our enemies,free to worship him without fear,holy and righteous in his sight all the days of our life.

You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High;for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,to give his people knowledge of salvationby the forgiveness of their sins.

In the tender compassion of our Godthe dawn from on high shall break upon us,to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death,and to guide our feet into the way of peace.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

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✛ St. Brigid Nancy Dallavalle

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Presentation of the Lord

✛ St. Catherine dei Ricci St. Sophronius

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✛ St. Blaise Fr. Edward Foley

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✛ Pedro Arrupe Sr. Jeremy Hall

5 Fifth Week in g Ordinary Time

St. Peter Chrysologus

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St. Paul Miki and Companions

✛ St. Paul Miki Alicia von Stamwitz

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✛ Marthe Robin Fr. James wallace

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✛ St. Josephine Bakhita Fr. Romano guardini

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✛ St. Apollonia Michelle

Francl-Donnay

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St. Scholastica

✛ St. Scholastica Pope Benedict XVI

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✛ St. Evagrius Ponticus Rachelle Linner

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Sr. Verna Holyhead

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✛ Sr. Dorothy Stang

Sr. Meg Funk

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Sts. Cyril and Methodius✛ Sts. Cyril and

Methodius Fr. Richard gula

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✛ Ben Salmon

Monika Hellwig

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✛ Abp. Janani Luwum

Abbot John Klassen

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✛ Martyrs of China wendy Cichanski

Caduff

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✛ Bd. Fra Angelico

St. Thérèse of Lisieux

19 Seventh Week in g Ordinary Time—Lent

Sr. Katherine Howard

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✛ St. Robert Southwell Jean Vanier

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✛ Hans and Sophie Scholl Thomas Merton

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Ash Wednesday

Fr. Michael Casey

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✛ St. Polycarp Sr. Melannie Svoboda

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✛ Bd. Margaret Ebner Kathy Mcgovern

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✛ Felix Varela Fr. Herbert McCabe

26 First Week of Lent V

Abp. george Niederauer

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✛ Anointer of Bethany

Rita Ferrone

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✛ Martyrs of the Plague of Alexandria

Mary Stommes

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✛ St. John Cassian

Bp. Robert Morneau

Key✛ Blessed Among Us by Robert Ellsberg Reflection WriterVestment colors:g green V VioletR Red w white

Within the Word: Letter of James

Within the Word: Almsgiving, Prayer, Fasting

Within the Word: Our Father

Within the Word: Queen of Sheba

How to Use Give Us This Day, p. 345

February 2012

Give UsThısDay™DAILY PRAYER FOR TODAY’S CATHOLIC

Editorial Advisors James Martin, SJ ◆ Irene Nowell, OSB Bishop Robert F. Morneau ◆ Timothy Radcliffe, OP Kathleen Norris ◆ Ronald Rolheiser, OMI

Peter Dwyer, PublisherMary Stommes, Editor

Aelred Senna, OSB, Associate PublisherRobert Ellsberg, “Blessed Among Us” Author

Irene Nowell, OSB, Scripture Editor, Morning and EveningSusan Barber, OSB, Intercessions

www.giveusthisday.orgCustomer Service: 800-858-5450, [email protected]

Give Us This Day, Liturgical PressPO Box 7500, Collegeville, MN 56321-7500

© 2012 by the Order of Saint Benedict, Collegeville, Minnesota. Printed in the United States of America.

Give Us This Day™ (ISSN 2159-2136, print; 2159-2128, online) is published monthly by Liturgical Press, an apostolate of Saint John’s Abbey, Collegeville, Minnesota. Rev. John Klassen, OSB, Abbot. For complete publication informa-tion see page 349.

Published with the approval of the Committee on Divine worship, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

CONTENTS February 2012 ◆ Volume 2, Issue 2

A Feast by Any Other Name Sr. Irene Nowell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5Teach Us to Pray: Praying during Lent Fr. James Martin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7St. Francis’s Prayer before the Crucifix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8Prayers and Blessings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10Daily Prayer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12Order of Mass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 307Liturgy of the word (with Holy Communion) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 334Hymns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 338guide to Lectio Divina . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 344How to Use Give Us This Day . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 345

53

Healing of Peter’s Mother-in-Law by Rembrandt, ca. 1655–1660.

Sunday, February 5

MorningO Lord, open my lips.And my mouth will proclaim your praise.

(opt. hymn, pp. 338–43)Psalm 148:1-6Alleluia!

Praise the Lord from the heavens;praise him in the heights.Praise him, all his angels;praise him, all his hosts.

Praise him, sun and moon;praise him, all shining stars.Praise him, highest heavens,and the waters above the heavens.

Let them praise the name of the Lord.He commanded: they were created.He established them forever and ever,gave a law which shall not pass away.

Glory to the Father . . .

Scripture Ecclesiastes 5:17-19

Here is what I see as good: It is appropriate to eat and drink and prosper from all the toil one toils at under

the sun during the limited days of life God gives us; for this is our lot. Those to whom God gives riches and property, and grants power to partake of them, so that they receive

Sunday 5554 February 5

their lot and find joy in the fruits of their toil: This is a gift from God. For they will hardly dwell on the shortness of life, because God lets them busy themselves with the joy of their heart.

Read, Ponder, Pray on a word or phrase from today’s Scripture (Lectio Divina, p. 344)

AntiphonGod remembers that our life is but a breath.

Canticle of Zechariah (inside front cover)

IntercessionsGod of life, we praise you for your goodness to us and we pray: r. Teach us your wisdom, O God.

Strengthen your Church for words and works of charity and love. r.

Fill our hearts with praise and gratitude for your faithful love. r.

Open our hearts to the cries of the poor and needy. r.

Our Father . . .

May God bless us with peace, love, joy, and faith, through Christ our Lord. Amen.

MassFifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Entrance Antiphon Psalm 95 (94):6-7O come, let us worship God / and bow low before the God who made us, / for he is the Lord our God.

gloria (p. 309)

CollectKeep your family safe, O Lord, with unfailing care,that, relying solely on the hope of heavenly grace,they may be defended always by your protection.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.

A reading from the Book of Job 7:1-4, 6-7

I am filled with restlessness until the dawn.

Job spoke, saying: / Is not man’s life on earth a drudgery? / Are not his days those of hirelings? / He is a slave who

longs for the shade, / a hireling who waits for his wages. / So I have been assigned months of misery, / and troubled nights have been allotted to me. / If in bed I say, “When shall I arise?” / then the night drags on; / I am filled with restlessness until the dawn. / My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle; / they come to an end without hope. / Re-member that my life is like the wind; / I shall not see hap-piness again.The word of the Lord.


Responsorial Psalm 147:1-2, 3-4, 5-6

r. (cf. 3a) Praise the Lord, who heals the brokenhearted. or: r. Alleluia.

Praise the Lord, for he is good;sing praise to our God, for he is gracious;it is fitting to praise him.

The Lord rebuilds Jerusalem;the dispersed of Israel he gathers. r.

He heals the brokenheartedand binds up their wounds.

He tells the number of the stars;he calls each by name. r.

Great is our Lord and mighty in power;to his wisdom there is no limit.

The Lord sustains the lowly;the wicked he casts to the ground. r.

A reading from the first Letter of Saint Paul to the Corinthians 9:16-19, 22-23

Woe to me if I do not preach the Gospel.

Brothers and sisters: If I preach the gospel, this is no reason for me to boast, for an obligation has been im-

posed on me, and woe to me if I do not preach it! If I do so willingly, I have a recompense, but if unwillingly, then I have been entrusted with a stewardship. What then is my recom-pense? That, when I preach, I offer the gospel free of charge so as not to make full use of my right in the gospel.

Although I am free in regard to all, I have made myself a slave to all so as to win over as many as possible. To the weak I became weak, to win over the weak. I have become all things to all, to save at least some. All this I do for the sake of the gospel, so that I too may have a share in it.The word of the Lord.

gospel Acclamation Matthew 8:17Christ took away our infirmitiesand bore our diseases.

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark 1:29-39

Jesus cured many who were sick with various diseases.

On leaving the synagogue Jesus entered the house of Simon and Andrew with James and John. Simon’s

mother-in-law lay sick with a fever. They immediately told him about her. He approached, grasped her hand, and helped her up. Then the fever left her and she waited on them.

When it was evening, after sunset, they brought to him all who were ill or possessed by demons. The whole town was gathered at the door. He cured many who were sick with various diseases, and he drove out many demons, not permitting them to speak because they knew him.

Rising very early before dawn, he left and went off to a deserted place, where he prayed. Simon and those who were with him pursued him and on finding him said, “Everyone is looking for you.” He told them, “Let us go on to the nearby villages that I may preach there also. For this pur-pose have I come.” So he went into their synagogues, preaching and driving out demons throughout the whole of Galilee.The Gospel of the Lord.

Creed (p. 310)

Prayer over the OfferingsO Lord our God,who once established these created thingsto sustain us in our frailty,


grant, we pray,that they may become for us nowthe Sacrament of eternal life.Through Christ our Lord.

Communion Antiphon Cf. Psalm 107 (106):8-9Let them thank the Lord for his mercy, / his wonders for the children of men, / for he satisfies the thirsty soul, / and the hungry he fills with good things.

Or: Matthew 5:5-6Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be consoled. / Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, / for they shall have their fill.

Prayer after CommunionO God, who have willed that we be partakersin the one Bread and the one Chalice,grant us, we pray, so to livethat, made one in Christ,we may joyfully bear fruitfor the salvation of the world.Through Christ our Lord.

ReflectionDivine Healing

Those who have listened attentively to today’s gospel will have learnt why the Lord of heaven, by whom all creation was renewed, entered the houses of his servants on earth. Nor should it surprise us that he so courteously adapted himself

to every situation, since his motive in coming among us was to bring mercy and help to all.

You can easily see what drew Christ to Peter’s house on this particular occasion; it was no desire to sit down and rest himself, but compassion for a woman stricken down by sick-ness. He was prompted not by the need to eat but by the opportunity to heal, his immediate preoccupation being the performance of a work which only his divine power could carry out, rather than the enjoyment of human company at table. In Peter’s house that day it was not wine that flowed, but tears. Consequently Christ did not enter to obtain suste-nance for himself, but to restore vitality to another. god wants human beings, not human goods. He desires to bestow what is heavenly, not to acquire anything earthly. Christ came to seek not our possessions but us.

As soon as Jesus crossed the threshold he saw Peter’s mother-in-law lying ill in bed with a fever. . . . At a glance he saw her desperate plight, and at once stretched out his hands to perform their divine work of healing; nor would he sit down to satisfy his human needs before he had made it possible for the stricken woman to rise up and serve her god. So he took her by the hand, and the fever left her. Here you see how fever loosens its grip on a person whose hand is held by Christ’s; no sickness can stand its ground in the face of the very source of health. where the Lord of life has entered, there is no room for death.

St. Peter Chrysologus, Sermon 18

Peter Chrysologus (ca. 380–450), Bishop and Doctor of the Church, had a great reputation as a preacher and pastor. He earned the title “Chrysologus,” meaning “golden-worded,” because of his inspired preaching.


EveningGod, come to my assistance.Lord, make haste to help me.

(opt. hymn, pp. 338–43)Psalm 95:1-9Come, let us ring out our joy to the Lord;hail the rock who saves us.Let us come into his presence, giving thanks;let us hail him with a song of praise.

A mighty God is the Lord,a great king above all gods.In his hands are the depths of the earth;the heights of the mountains are his.To him belongs the sea, for he made it,and the dry land that he shaped by his hands.

O come; let us bow and bend low.Let us kneel before the God who made us,for he is our God and wethe people who belong to his pasture,the flock that is led by his hand.

O that today you would listen to his voice!“Harden not your hearts as at Meribah,as on that day at Massah in the desertwhen your forebears put me to the test;when they tried me, though they saw my work.”


Scripture Acts 20:21-24

I earnestly bore witness for both Jews and Greeks to repen-tance before God and to faith in our Lord Jesus. But now,

compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem. What will happen to me there I do not know, except that in one city after another the holy Spirit has been warning me that im-prisonment and hardships await me. Yet I consider life of no importance to me, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to bear witness to the gospel of God’s grace.


AntiphonAll this I do for the sake of the gospel, so that I too may have a share in it.

Canticle of Mary (inside back cover)

IntercessionsMighty Creator, with trust we pray to you: r. Save us, O God.

Call us out of our complacency and open our hearts to hear your voice. r.

Strengthen those whose faith wavers in the face of misfortune or disaster. r.

Forgive our sins and lead us into a future of hope. r.

Our Father . . .

May God open our minds and hearts that we may hear his voice wherever it is to be found. Amen.

62

63February 5–11Fifth week in Ordinary Time

Within the WordThe Queen of Sheba

During this week of Ordinary Time we are privileged to ex-perience an extraordinary encounter between two successful heads of state. The description of their visit is like an episode of Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous. The queen’s name in Arab lore was Bilqus. Her country, Sheba, was Abyssinia in south-west Arabia, present-day Yemen. She was an astute business-woman, respected by her people as their leader. She was black and beautiful, wise and wealthy. It is possible that one of the main products of her country came from the trees whose gum resin produced frankincense. Solomon had just com-pleted a magnificent temple requiring a significant amount of this perfumed spice for ceremonies. Bilqus heard of Solo-mon’s fame. She came to “test him with hard questions” (1 Kgs 10:1). She also came to do business.

They meet when Solomon’s reign and the Kingdom of Israel are at their peak. The Queen of Sheba brought many gifts of gold, spices, and precious stones, yet she is rendered breathless at the sight of Solomon’s palace, temple, and obvi-ous wealth. Their conversation reveals two monarchs who are secure in their positions; they speak as equals. The queen acknowledges that Solomon is even more wise and prosper-ous than she expected. when complimenting him on his wisdom, justice, and the harmony among his people, she gives credit to his god who made him king. Solomon re-sponds by lavishing the queen with “everything she desired” (1 Kgs 10:13).

The story of Solomon in the following chapters of 1 Kings describes a reign in decline, a kingdom disintegrating. The blame is placed on Solomon’s infidelity to the Lord, evidenced by his many foreign wives. Regardless of his renowned wis-dom and financial accomplishments, there was only one cri-terion for measuring the King of Israel’s greatness: fidelity to Israel’s god. Because of this decisive standard, when the Is-raelites wrote their history from the place of exile it was David who was deemed Israel’s greatest king, while Solomon was considered Israel’s worst king.

Legend has it that the Queen of Sheba bore Solomon’s son and that he became the emperor of Ethiopia. In the tiny Ethiopian chapel that is part of the Church of the Holy Sep-ulcher in Jerusalem, there is a mural depicting the visit of the queen and Solomon. In fact, the Ethiopian Orthodox Church traces its foundation to Solomon and the Queen of Sheba.

From the Arab world, where this queen is more prominent than in Judeo-Christian tradition, we learn about her quali-ties as a leader. She earned the respect of her people by her benevolent leadership. She was revered for her kindness and her capacity to live by her religious principles. She gained wisdom through her commitment to learning and spiritual development. She was disciplined and self-sacrificing, always focused on the good of her people.

Today we admire these same qualities in our leaders. we also recognize when they are missing. Reflecting on the Queen of Sheba raises important questions for us in this re-gard: In my opportunities for leadership what motivates me? How do I use my gifts to collaborate with others?

—Sr. Marianne Race

Marianne Race, CSJ, is a frequent contributor to The Bible Today and leads women’s retreats in the Holy Land that focus on biblical women.

64 Monday 65

Monday, February 6


(opt. hymn, pp. 338–43)Psalm 127If the Lord does not build the house,in vain do its builders labor;if the Lord does not guard the city,in vain does the guard keep watch.

In vain is your earlier rising,your going later to rest,you who toil for the bread you eat,when he pours gifts on his beloved while they slumber.

Yes, children are a gift from the Lord,a blessing, the fruit of the womb.Indeed, the sons of youthare like arrows in the hand of a warrior.

Blessed is the warriorwho has filled his quiver with these arrows!He will have no cause for shame,when he disputes with his foes in the gateways.


Scripture Isaiah 61:1-3

The spirit of the Lord God is upon me, / because the Lord has anointed me; / He has sent me to bring good

news to the afflicted, / to bind up the brokenhearted, / To proclaim liberty to the captives, / release to the prisoners, / To announce a year of favor from the Lord / and a day of vindication by our God; / To comfort all who mourn; / to place on those who mourn in Zion / a diadem instead of ashes, / To give them oil of gladness instead of mourning, / a glorious mantle instead of a faint spirit.


AntiphonAll who touched Jesus’ cloak were healed.


IntercessionsGod, through the intercession of St. Paul Miki and the martyrs of Nagasaki we pray: r. Hear us, O God.

Restore the land and livelihood of the people of Japan. r.

Strengthen those who suffer hardship and torture because of their faith in Christ. r.

Lead your Church to promote respect among races and cultures. r.

Our Father . . .

May Jesus, the Son of God, strengthen our faith and help us in all our needs. Amen.

66 February 6 Monday 67

Blessed Among UsSt. Paul Miki and CompanionsMartyrs of Japan (d. 1597)

Christianity arrived in Japan in 1549 with the landing of St. Francis Xavier and the first Jesuit missionaries. By the end of the century Christians numbered as many as 300,000. This trend, however, was soon to be reversed; indeed, as rapidly as it had spread, the Christian religion would be all but eradicated.

The reasons for the persecution were complex. A major cause was fear on the part of powerful rulers that the mis-sionaries were the advance agents for foreign colonialism, or that foreign cultural influence would interfere with their plans for national unification. In 1587 Hideyoshi, a powerful feudal lord, ordered the expulsion of all foreign missionaries. In 1597 he condemned twenty-six Christians to death. These included three Japanese Jesuits, of whom the best known was Paul Miki, a convert from a wealthy family who had achieved renown as a popular preacher. On February 5 these martyrs were publicly crucified in Nagasaki.

Later waves of savage persecution virtually swept Chris-tianity out of sight. Through such experience Japanese Chris-tians acquired a distinctive spirituality. Refined in the forge of martyrdom and suffering, the Japanese Church promoted a fervent devotion to the crucified Savior and a commitment to the cross as a symbol of endurance and the hope of final victory. Such a spirit helped to preserve the faith in a long underground existence.

“My religion teaches me to pardon my enemies and all who have offended me. I do gladly pardon the emperor and all who have sought my death.”

—St. Paul Miki

MassSt. Paul Miki and Companions, Memorial

Entrance AntiphonThe souls of the Saints are rejoicing in heaven, / the Saints who followed the footsteps of Christ, / and since for love of him they shed their blood, / they now exult with Christ for ever.

Or: Holy men shed their glorious blood for the Lord; / they loved Christ in their life, / they imitated him in their death, / and therefore were crowned in triumph.

CollectO God, strength of all the Saints,who through the Cross were pleased to callthe Martyrs Saint Paul Miki and companions to life,grant, we pray, that by their intercessionwe may hold with courage even until deathto the faith that we profess.Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the


A reading from the first Book of Kings 8:1-7, 9-13

They brought the ark of the covenant into the holy of holies, and a cloud filled the temple of the Lord.

The elders of Israel and all the leaders of the tribes, the princes in the ancestral houses of the children of Israel,

came to King Solomon in Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the Lord’s covenant from the City of David, which is Zion. All the people of Israel assembled before King Solomon


during the festival in the month of Ethanim (the seventh month). When all the elders of Israel had arrived, the priests took up the ark; they carried the ark of the Lord and the meeting tent with all the sacred vessels that were in the tent. (The priests and Levites carried them.)

King Solomon and the entire community of Israel present for the occasion sacrificed before the ark sheep and oxen too many to number or count. The priests brought the ark of the covenant of the Lord to its place beneath the wings of the cherubim in the sanctuary, the holy of holies of the temple. The cherubim had their wings spread out over the place of the ark, sheltering the ark and its poles from above. There was nothing in the ark but the two stone tablets which Moses had put there at Horeb, when the Lord made a covenant with the children of Israel at their depar-ture from the land of Egypt.

When the priests left the holy place, the cloud filled the temple of the Lord so that the priests could no longer min-ister because of the cloud, since the Lord’s glory had filled the temple of the Lord. Then Solomon said, “The Lord intends to dwell in the dark cloud; I have truly built you a princely house, a dwelling where you may abide forever.”The word of the Lord.

Responsorial Psalm 132:6-7, 8-10

r. (8a) Lord, go up to the place of your rest!

Behold, we heard of it in Ephrathah;we found it in the fields of Jaar.

Let us enter into his dwelling,let us worship at his footstool. r.

Advance, O Lord, to your resting place,you and the ark of your majesty.

May your priests be clothed with justice;let your faithful ones shout merrily for joy.

For the sake of David your servant,reject not the plea of your anointed. r.

gospel Acclamation See Matthew 4:23Jesus preached the Gospel of the Kingdomand cured every disease among the people.


As many as touched it were healed.

After making the crossing to the other side of the sea, Jesus and his disciples came to land at Gennesaret and

tied up there. As they were leaving the boat, people imme-diately recognized him. They scurried about the surround-ing country and began to bring in the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was. Whatever villages or towns or countryside he entered, they laid the sick in the market-places and begged him that they might touch only the tassel on his cloak; and as many as touched it were healed.The Gospel of the Lord.

Prayer over the OfferingsReceive, holy Father, the offerings we bringin commemoration of the holy Martyrs,and grant that we, your servants,may be found steadfast in confessing your name.Through Christ our Lord.


Communion Antiphon Luke 22:28-30It is you who have stood by me in my trials; / and I confer a kingdom on you, says the Lord, / that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom.

Or: See how rich is the Saints’ reward from God; / they died for Christ and will live for ever.

Prayer after CommunionO God, who in your holy Martyrshave wonderfully made known the mystery of the Cross,graciously grantthat, drawing strength from this sacrifice,we may cling faithfully to Christand labor in the Church for the salvation of all.Through Christ our Lord.

ReflectionUnbridled Power

There’s something about gennesaret. Jesus healed many people in many different places before landing on these shores, but in gennesaret Jesus pulls out all the stops and heals everyone. Jesus doesn’t seem to monitor his power out-put here like he did with the woman who was healed of a twelve-year hemorrhage (Mark 5:25-34). Healing is yours for the taking in gennesaret. It’s a striking contrast to Nazareth, where the people’s lack of faith blocked Jesus’ power.

why was gennesaret so different? No mention is made of the people’s faith; we know only that they, like everyone, are excited by miracles. As for Jesus, we know he had earlier dismissed the crowds and his disciples so he could rest and

reboot. After praying alone on the mountain, he intended to pass by the disciples in the boat. But when the disciples saw Jesus and cried out, he rejoined them. And when the crowds in gennesaret recognized Jesus and pursued him, he made himself available to them too.

I am most moved in this passage by Jesus’ perseverance. Again and again, he offers himself and whatever strength he has to god’s people. In gennesaret, god apparently takes that self-offering and multiplies it, just as he multiplied the loaves and fishes. How else to explain Jesus’ extraordinary, unbridled power here? As many as touched “only the tassle on his cloak” were instantly cured.

It’s a good image for those times when we, too, are ex-hausted by the endless needs of god’s people. when rest is impossible and the crowd presses in, may the mighty god made manifest in gennesaret cloak us with fresh spiritual power.

Alicia von Stamwitz

Alicia von Stamwitz, a retreat leader and author living in St. Louis, was an editor with Liguori Publications for 27 years and traveled internationally promoting lay leadership in Redemptorist ministries.



(opt. hymn, pp. 338–43)Psalm 93The Lord is king, with majesty enrobed.The Lord has robed himself with might;he has girded himself with power.

The world you made firm, not to be moved;your throne has stood firm from of old.From all eternity, O Lord, you are.

The floods have lifted up, O Lord,the floods have lifted up their voice;the floods have lifted up their thunder.

Greater than the roar of mighty waters,more glorious than the surgings of the sea,the Lord is glorious on high.

Truly your decrees are to be trusted.Holiness is fitting to your house,O Lord, until the end of time.


Scripture Hebrews 9:1-5a

Now [even] the first covenant had regulations for wor-ship and an earthly sanctuary. For a tabernacle was

constructed, the outer one, in which were the lampstand, the table, and the bread of offering; this is called the Holy Place. Behind the second veil was the tabernacle called the Holy of Holies, in which were the gold altar of incense and the ark of the covenant entirely covered with gold. In it were the gold jar containing the manna, the staff of Aaron that had sprouted, and the tablets of the covenant. Above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the place of expiation.


AntiphonThe glory of the Lord filled the temple.


IntercessionsGod of glory, you are robed in majesty. In trust we pray: r. We place our trust in you, O God.

Save us from famine, violence, and greed. r.

Save us from the threat of nuclear destruction. r.

Save us from final death. r.

Our Father . . .

May God stir our hearts with love for each other and may Christ’s peace be with us always. Amen.

74 Tuesday 75

Tuesday, February 7


(opt. hymn, pp. 338–43)Psalm 1Blessed indeed is the manwho follows not the counsel of the wicked,nor stands in the path with sinners,nor abides in the company of scorners,but whose delight is the law of the Lord,and who ponders his law day and night.

He is like a tree that is plantedbeside the flowing waters,that yields its fruit in due season,and whose leaves shall never fade;and all that he does shall prosper.

Not so are the wicked, not so!For they, like winnowed chaff,shall be driven away by the wind.

When the wicked are judged they shall not rise,nor shall sinners in the council of the just;for the Lord knows the way of the just,but the way of the wicked will perish.


Scripture Jonah 2:2, 8-10

Jonah prayed to the Lord, his God, from the belly of the fish:

When I became faint, / I remembered the Lord; / My prayer came to you / in your holy temple. / Those who wor-ship worthless idols / abandon their hope for mercy. / But I, with thankful voice, / will sacrifice to you; / What I have vowed I will pay: / deliverance is from the Lord.


AntiphonLord, there is no God like you in heaven above or on earth below.


IntercessionsHappy are they who hope in you, O Lord. To you we pray: r. Show us your way, O God.

Set our hearts on the love of Christ. r.

Cast out all fear, greed, and violence from our hearts. r.

Ground your Church in Gospel justice and peace. r.

Our Father . . .

May Jesus direct our hearts in the love of God and the holiness of the Spirit. Amen.

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Blessed Among UsMarthe RobinFounder of the Foyers of Charity (1902–1981)

Marthe Robin was born in a small village near Lyons. Her early childhood was happy and unremarkable. when she was sixteen, however, she showed the first symptoms of a grave disease that would eventually leave her bedridden. On March 25, 1925, she offered a solemn prayer consecrating her life and her sufferings to god to help spread love in the world. within three years she was totally paralyzed. By this time she was unable to eat or drink and was sustained for the rest of her life by the Eucharist alone. In time she also received the stigmata, the marks on her hands and feet of Jesus’ passion.

In 1934 she received a young priest named georges Finet to serve as her spiritual director. To him she confided her vision for a new apostolic movement, the Foyers of Charity. with his help, her vision was realized. The Foyers of Charity are an international network of Catholic men and women who live, work, and pray together as a family to spread Christ’s love in the world.

Marthe lived on for many years, blind, immobilized, yet active through her prayers in the life of the Church. Receiving visitors and dispensing spiritual counsel, she showed that even when a person is stripped of everything she still has the power to love.

Marthe Robin died on February 6, 1981.

“Perfection is achieved through love; holiness through humility.”

—Marthe Robin

MassTuesday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time

Entrance Antiphon Psalm 95 (94):6-7O come, let us worship God / and bow low before the God who made us, / for he is the Lord our God.

CollectKeep your family safe, O Lord, with unfailing care,that, relying solely on the hope of heavenly grace,they may be defended always by your protection.Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the


A reading from the first Book of Kings 8:22-23, 27-30

You have said: My name shall be there, to hear the prayers of your people Israel.

Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in the pres-ence of the whole community of Israel, and stretching

forth his hands toward heaven, he said, “Lord, God of Is-rael, there is no God like you in heaven above or on earth below; you keep your covenant of mercy with your servants who are faithful to you with their whole heart.

“Can it indeed be that God dwells on earth? If the heav-ens and the highest heavens cannot contain you, how much less this temple which I have built! Look kindly on the prayer and petition of your servant, O Lord, my God, and listen to the cry of supplication which I, your servant, utter before you this day. May your eyes watch night and day over this temple, the place where you have decreed you shall be honored; may you heed the prayer which I, your servant,


offer in this place. Listen to the petitions of your servant and of your people Israel which they offer in this place. Listen from your heavenly dwelling and grant pardon.”The word of the Lord.

Responsorial Psalm 84:3, 4, 5 and 10, 11

r. (2) How lovely is your dwelling place, Lord, mighty God!

My soul yearns and pinesfor the courts of the Lord.

My heart and my fleshcry out for the living God. r.

Even the sparrow finds a home,and the swallow a nestin which she puts her young—

Your altars, O Lord of hosts,my king and my God! r.

Blessed they who dwell in your house!continually they praise you.

O God, behold our shield,and look upon the face of your anointed. r.

I had rather one day in your courtsthan a thousand elsewhere;

I had rather lie at the threshold of the house of my Godthan dwell in the tents of the wicked. r.

gospel Acclamation Psalm 119:36, 29bIncline my heart, O God, to your decrees;and favor me with your law.


You disregard God’s commandment but cling to human tradition.

When the Pharisees with some scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus, they ob-

served that some of his disciples ate their meals with un-clean, that is, unwashed, hands. (For the Pharisees and, in fact, all Jews, do not eat without carefully washing their hands, keeping the tradition of the elders. And on coming from the marketplace they do not eat without purifying themselves. And there are many other things that they have traditionally observed, the purification of cups and jugs and kettles and beds.) So the Pharisees and scribes ques-tioned him, “Why do your disciples not follow the tradition of the elders but instead eat a meal with unclean hands?” He responded, “Well did Isaiah prophesy about you hypo-crites, as it is written: / This people honors me with their lips, / but their hearts are far from me; / In vain do they worship me, / teaching as doctrines human precepts. / You disregard God’s commandment but cling to human tradition.” He went on to say, “How well you have set aside the command-ment of God in order to uphold your tradition! For Moses said, Honor your father and your mother, and Whoever curses father or mother shall die. Yet you say, ‘If someone says to father or mother, “Any support you might have had from me is qorban” ’ (meaning, dedicated to God), you allow him to do nothing more for his father or mother. You nullify the word of God in favor of your tradition that you have handed on. And you do many such things.”The Gospel of the Lord.


Prayer over the OfferingsO Lord our God,who once established these created thingsto sustain us in our frailty,grant, we pray,that they may become for us nowthe Sacrament of eternal life.Through Christ our Lord.

Communion Antiphon Cf. Psalm 107 (106):8-9Let them thank the Lord for his mercy, / his wonders for the children of men, / for he satisfies the thirsty soul, / and the hungry he fills with good things.

Or: Matthew 5:5-6Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be consoled. / Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, / for they shall have their fill.

Prayer after CommunionO God, who have willed that we be partakersin the one Bread and the one Chalice,grant us, we pray, so to livethat, made one in Christ,we may joyfully bear fruitfor the salvation of the world.Through Christ our Lord.

ReflectionRules Worth Keeping

Television’s The Doctors recently reported on “Ten Rules It’s OK to Break.” One of these was the “five-second rule”: you can eat any food that falls on the floor or ground if you pick it up within five seconds. Not so. Dropped food always picks up some bacteria; the amount depends on how dry or moist both the food and the surface where it lands are. The safest action? Ignore this rule. Toss the food.

Longstanding rules, customs, and traditions often need to be reevaluated. The Pharisees were overly concerned about their traditions, especially the purity rules governing cooking and bodily cleanliness. Jesus reacts to their criticism of his disciples, calling them to examine whose authority—god’s or human—was behind their rules and customs. He charges that certain traditions end up competing with god’s com-mands, for instance, neglecting parents by declaring some-thing has been set aside for god instead. Human rules and traditions can become idols and even counter god’s will.

Solomon recognizes in his prayer that nothing—neither the heavens nor even the magnificent Temple he had built—can contain the god of Israel. when a human custom, law, or tradition no longer reflects the living, loving, merciful, generous god who calls all to holiness and freedom in the Spirit, wisdom suggests we ask whether this is a rule worth keeping. with the guidance of the Spirit, god’s people, with their leaders, must always search out and discover the will of the living god in our present life situations.

Fr. James A. wallace

James A. Wallace, CSsR, PhD, is professor of homiletics at the Washington Theological Union.



(opt. hymn, pp. 338–43)Psalm 134O come, bless the Lord,all you servants of the Lord,who stand by night in the courtsof the house of the Lord.Lift up your hands to the holy place,and bless the Lord.

May the Lord bless you from Sion,he who made both heaven and earth.


Scripture Colossians 2:6-10

So, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in him, rooted in him and built upon him and established in

the faith as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. See to it that no one captivate you with an empty, seductive philosophy according to human tradition, according to the elemental powers of the world and not according to Christ.

For in him dwells the whole fullness of the deity bodily, and you share in this fullness in him, who is the head of every principality and power.


AntiphonThe word of God is living and effective, sharper than any two-edged sword.


IntercessionsChrist Jesus, we place our trust in you and pray: r. Hear us, O Lord.

Shape our hearts according to your word. r.

Fill your Church with love and make her a sign of joy and thanksgiving. r.

Give everlasting peace to those who have gone before us in faith. r.

Our Father . . .

May God give us a peaceful rest that we may rise joyfully to praise him throughout another day. Amen.

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The Order of Mass❙❚ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the

Holy Spirit.❙❚ Amen.

GreetingThe grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,and the love of God,and the communion of the Holy Spiritbe with you all.And with your spirit.Grace to you and peace from God our Fatherand the Lord Jesus Christ.And with your spirit.The Lord be with you.And with your spirit.

Penitential RiteBrethren (brothers and sisters), let us acknowledge our sins,and so prepare ourselves to celebrate the sacred mysteries.

(Pause)I confess to almighty Godand to you, my brothers and sisters,that I have greatly sinned,in my thoughts and in my words,in what I have done and in what I have failed to do, And, striking their breast, they say:

through my fault, through my fault,through my most grievous fault; Then they continue:

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therefore I ask blessed Mary ever-Virgin,all the Angels and Saints,and you, my brothers and sisters,to pray for me to the Lord our God.Have mercy on us, O Lord.For we have sinned against you.Show us, O Lord, your mercy.And grant us your salvation.

These or other invocations may be used.

You were sent to heal the contrite of heart:Lord, have mercy. Or: Kyrie, eleison.Lord, have mercy. Or: Kyrie, eleison.You came to call sinners:Christ, have mercy. Or: Christe, eleison.Christ, have mercy. Or: Christe, eleison.You are seated at the right hand of the Father to intercede for us:Lord, have mercy. Or: Kyrie, eleison.Lord, have mercy. Or: Kyrie, eleison.

❙❚ May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life.

❙❚ Amen.

KyrieThe Kyrie, eleison (Lord, have mercy) invocations follow, unless they have just occurred in a formula of the Penitential Act.❙❚ Lord, have mercy. ❙❚ Kyrie, eleison.❙❚ Lord, have mercy. ❙❚ Kyrie, eleison.❙❚ Christ, have mercy. ❙❚ Christe, eleison.❙❚ Christ, have mercy. ❙❚ Christe, eleison.❙❚ Lord, have mercy. ❙❚ Kyrie, eleison.❙❚ Lord, have mercy. ❙❚ Kyrie, eleison.

GloriaGlory to God in the highest,and on earth peace to people of good will.We praise you,we bless you,we adore you,we glorify you,we give you thanks for your great glory,Lord God, heavenly King,O God, almighty Father.Lord Jesus Christ, Only Begotten Son,Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father,you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us;you take away the sins of the world, receive our prayer;you are seated at the right hand of the Father, have mercy on us.For you alone are the Holy One,you alone are the Lord,you alone are the Most High,Jesus Christ,with the Holy Spirit,in the glory of God the Father.Amen.

Collect (Opening Prayer)

Liturgy of the WordFirst Reading

Responsorial Psalm

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Second Reading

Gospel Acclamation

GospelCleanse my heart and my lips, almighty God,that I may worthily proclaim your holy Gospel.❙❚ The Lord be with you.❙❚ And with your spirit.❙❚ A reading from the holy Gospel according to N.❙❚ Glory to you, O Lord.At the end:❙❚ The Gospel of the Lord.❙❚ Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Through the words of the Gospelmay our sins be wiped away.

Homily

Profession of Faith[The Apostles’ Creed can be found on p. 335]

I believe in one God,the Father almighty,maker of heaven and earth,of all things visible and invisible.I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ,the Only Begotten Son of God,born of the Father before all ages.God from God, Light from Light,true God from true God,begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father;through him all things were made.For us men and for our salvationhe came down from heaven,

At the words that follow, up to and including and became man, all bow.

and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary,and became man.For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate,he suffered death and was buried,and rose again on the third dayin accordance with the Scriptures.He ascended into heavenand is seated at the right hand of the Father.He will come again in gloryto judge the living and the deadand his kingdom will have no end.I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,who proceeds from the Father and the Son,who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified,who has spoken through the prophets.I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sinsand I look forward to the resurrection of the deadand the life of the world to come. Amen.

Prayer of the Faithful (Bidding Prayers)

Liturgy of the EucharistBlessed are you, Lord God of all creation,for through your goodness we have receivedthe bread we offer you:fruit of the earth and work of human hands,it will become for us the bread of life.Blessed be God for ever.


By the mystery of this water and winemay we come to share in the divinity of Christwho humbled himself to share in our humanity.Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation,for through your goodness we have receivedthe wine we offer you:fruit of the vine and work of human hands,it will become our spiritual drink.Blessed be God for ever.With humble spirit and contrite heartmay we be accepted by you, O Lord,and may our sacrifice in your sight this daybe pleasing to you, Lord God.Wash me, O Lord, from my iniquityand cleanse me from my sin.Pray, brethren (brothers and sisters),that my sacrifice and yoursmay be acceptable to God,the almighty Father.May the Lord accept the sacrifice at your handsfor the praise and glory of his name,for our goodand the good of all his holy Church.

Prayer over the Offerings

Eucharistic Prayer❙❚ The Lord be with you. ❙❚ And with your spirit.❙❚ Lift up your hearts. ❙❚ We lift them up to the Lord.❙❚ Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.❙❚ It is right and just.

Preface II of the Sundays in Ordinary TimeThe mystery of salvationIt is truly right and just, our duty and our salvation,always and everywhere to give you thanks,Lord, holy Father, almighty and eternal God,through Christ our Lord.For out of compassion for the waywardness that is ours,he humbled himself and was born of the Virgin;by the passion of the Cross he freed us from unending

death,and by rising from the dead he gave us life eternal.And so, with Angels and Archangels,with Thrones and Dominions,and with all the hosts and Powers of heaven,we sing the hymn of your glory,as without end we acclaim:

Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of hosts . . .

Common Preface IISalvation through ChristIt is truly right and just, our duty and our salvation,always and everywhere to give you thanks,Lord, holy Father, almighty and eternal God.For in goodness you created manand, when he was justly condemned,in mercy you redeemed him,through Christ our Lord.Through him the Angels praise your majesty,Dominions adore and Powers tremble before you.Heaven and the Virtues of heaven and the blessed

Seraphimworship together with exultation.


May our voices, we pray, join with theirsin humble praise, as we acclaim:Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of hosts . . .

Preface of the Presentation The mystery of the Presentation of the LordIt is truly right and just, our duty and our salvation,always and everywhere to give you thanks,Lord, holy Father, almighty and eternal God.For your co-eternal Son was presented on this day in the

Templeand revealed by the Spiritas the glory of Israel and Light of the nations.And so, we, too, go forth, rejoicing to encounter your

Salvation,and with the Angels and Saintspraise you, as without end we acclaim:Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of hosts . . .

Preface III of Lent(The following Preface is said in Masses of the weekdays of Lent and on days of fasting.)The fruits of abstinenceIt is truly right and just, our duty and our salvation,always and everywhere to give you thanks,Lord, holy Father, almighty and eternal God.For you will that our self-denial should give you thanks,humble our sinful pride,contribute to the feeding of the poor,and so help us imitate you in your kindness.And so we glorify you with countless Angels,as with one voice of praise we acclaim:

Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of hosts . . .

Preface of the First Sunday of LentThe Temptation of the LordIt is truly right and just, our duty and our salvation,always and everywhere to give you thanks,Lord, holy Father, almighty and eternal God,through Christ our Lord.By abstaining forty long days from earthly food,he consecrated through his fastthe pattern of our Lenten observanceand, by overturning all the snares of the ancient serpent,taught us to cast out the leaven of malice,so that, celebrating worthily the Paschal Mystery,we might pass over at last to the eternal paschal feast.And so, with the company of Angels and Saints,we sing the hymn of your praise,as without end we acclaim:Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of hosts . . .

SanctusHoly, Holy, Holy Lord God of hosts.Heaven and earth are full of your glory.Hosanna in the highest.Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.Hosanna in the highest.

Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus Dóminus Deus Sábaoth.Pleni sunt caeli et terra glória tua.Hosánna in excélsis.Benedíctus qui venit in nómine Dómini.Hosánna in excélsis.


Eucharistic Prayer I (Roman Canon)To you, therefore, most merciful Father,we make humble prayer and petitionthrough Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord:that you acceptand bless these gifts, these offerings,these holy and unblemished sacrifices,which we offer you firstlyfor your holy catholic Church.Be pleased to grant her peace,to guard, unite and govern herthroughout the whole world,together with your servant N. our Popeand N. our Bishop,and all those who, holding to the truth,hand on the catholic and apostolic faith.Remember, Lord, your servants N. and N.and all gathered here,whose faith and devotion are known to you.For them, we offer you this sacrifice of praiseor they offer it for themselvesand all who are dear to them:for the redemption of their souls,in hope of health and well-being,and paying their homage to you,the eternal God, living and true.In communion with those whose memory we venerate,especially the glorious ever-Virgin Mary,Mother of our God and Lord, Jesus Christ,† and blessed Joseph, her Spouse,your blessed Apostles and Martyrs,Peter and Paul, Andrew,(James, John,Thomas, James, Philip,

Bartholomew, Matthew,Simon and Jude;Linus, Cletus, Clement, Sixtus,Cornelius, Cyprian,Lawrence, Chrysogonus,John and Paul,Cosmas and Damian)and all your Saints;we ask that through their merits and prayers,in all things we may be defendedby your protecting help.(Through Christ our Lord. Amen.)Therefore, Lord, we pray:graciously accept this oblation of our service,that of your whole family;order our days in your peace,and command that we be delivered from eternal damnationand counted among the flock of those you have chosen.(Through Christ our Lord. Amen.)Be pleased, O God, we pray,to bless, acknowledge,and approve this offering in every respect;make it spiritual and acceptable,so that it may become for usthe Body and Blood of your most beloved Son,our Lord Jesus Christ.On the day before he was to suffer,he took bread in his holy and venerable hands,and with eyes raised to heavento you, O God, his almighty Father,giving you thanks, he said the blessing,broke the breadand gave it to his disciples, saying:


Take this, all of you, and eat of it,for this is my Body,which will be given up for you.In a similar way, when supper was ended,he took this precious chalicein his holy and venerable hands,and once more giving you thanks, he said the blessingand gave the chalice to his disciples, saying:

Take this, all of you, and drink from it,for this is the chalice of my Blood,the Blood of the new and eternal covenant,which will be poured out for you and for manyfor the forgiveness of sins.Do this in memory of me.The mystery of faith.

We proclaim your Death, O Lord,and profess your Resurrectionuntil you come again.When we eat this Bread and drink this Cup,we proclaim your Death, O Lord,until you come again.Save us, Savior of the world,for by your Cross and Resurrectionyou have set us free.

Therefore, O Lord,as we celebrate the memorial of the blessed Passion,the Resurrection from the dead,and the glorious Ascension into heavenof Christ, your Son, our Lord,we, your servants and your holy people,offer to your glorious majesty

from the gifts that you have given us,this pure victim,this holy victim,this spotless victim,the holy Bread of eternal lifeand the Chalice of everlasting salvation.Be pleased to look upon these offeringswith a serene and kindly countenance,and to accept them,as once you were pleased to acceptthe gifts of your servant Abel the just,the sacrifice of Abraham, our father in faith,and the offering of your high priest Melchizedek,a holy sacrifice, a spotless victim.In humble prayer we ask you, almighty God:command that these gifts be borneby the hands of your holy Angelto your altar on highin the sight of your divine majesty,so that all of us, who through this participation at the altarreceive the most holy Body and Blood of your Son,may be filled with every grace and heavenly blessing.(Through Christ our Lord. Amen.)Remember also, Lord, your servants N. and N.,who have gone before us with the sign of faithand rest in the sleep of peace.Grant them, O Lord, we pray,and all who sleep in Christ,a place of refreshment, light and peace.(Through Christ our Lord. Amen.)To us, also, your servants, who, though sinners,hope in your abundant mercies,graciously grant some share

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and fellowship with your holy Apostles and Martyrs:with John the Baptist, Stephen,Matthias, Barnabas,(Ignatius, Alexander,Marcellinus, Peter,Felicity, Perpetua,Agatha, Lucy,Agnes, Cecilia, Anastasia)and all your Saints;admit us, we beseech you,into their company,not weighing our merits,but granting us your pardon,through Christ our Lord.Through whomyou continue to make all these good things, O Lord;you sanctify them, fill them with life,bless them, and bestow them upon us.Through him, and with him, and in him,O God, almighty Father,in the unity of the Holy Spirit,all glory and honor is yours,for ever and ever.Amen.The Lord’s Prayer, p. 330.

Eucharistic Prayer IIPrefaceIt is truly right and just, our duty and our salvation,always and everywhere to give you thanks, Father most holy,through your beloved Son, Jesus Christ,your Word through whom you made all things,whom you sent as our Savior and Redeemer,

incarnate by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin.Fulfilling your will and gaining for you a holy people,he stretched out his hands as he endured his Passion,so as to break the bonds of death and manifest the resurrection.And so, with the Angels and all the Saintswe declare your glory,as with one voice we acclaim:Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of hosts . . .You are indeed Holy, O Lord,the fount of all holiness.Make holy, therefore, these gifts, we pray,by sending down your Spirit upon them like the dewfall,so that they may become for usthe Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.At the time he was betrayedand entered willingly into his Passion,he took bread and, giving thanks, broke it,and gave it to his disciples, saying:

Take this, all of you, and eat of it,for this is my Body,which will be given up for you.In a similar way, when supper was ended,he took the chaliceand, once more giving thanks,he gave it to his disciples, saying:

Take this, all of you, and drink from it,for this is the chalice of my Blood,the Blood of the new and eternal covenant,which will be poured out for you and for manyfor the forgiveness of sins.Do this in memory of me.


The mystery of faith.We proclaim your Death, O Lord,

and profess your Resurrectionuntil you come again.When we eat this Bread and drink this Cup,we proclaim your Death, O Lord,until you come again.Save us, Savior of the world,for by your Cross and Resurrectionyou have set us free.Therefore, as we celebratethe memorial of his Death and Resurrection,

we offer you, Lord,the Bread of life and the Chalice of salvation,giving thanks that you have held us worthyto be in your presence and minister to you.Humbly we praythat, partaking of the Body and Blood of Christ,we may be gathered into one by the Holy Spirit.Remember, Lord, your Church,spread throughout the world,and bring her to the fullness of charity,together with N. our Pope and N. our Bishopand all the clergy.Remember also our brothers and sisterswho have fallen asleep in the hope of the resurrection,and all who have died in your mercy:welcome them into the light of your face.Have mercy on us all, we pray,that with the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God,with the blessed Apostles,

and with all the Saints who have pleased you throughout the ages,

we may merit to be coheirs to eternal life,and may praise and glorify youthrough your Son, Jesus Christ.Through him, and with him, and in him,O God, almighty Father,in the unity of the Holy Spirit,all glory and honor is yours,for ever and ever.Amen.The Lord’s Prayer, p. 330.

Eucharistic Prayer IIIYou are indeed Holy, O Lord,and all you have createdrightly gives you praise,for through your Son our Lord Jesus Christ,by the power and working of the Holy Spirit,you give life to all things and make them holy,and you never cease to gather a people to yourself,so that from the rising of the sun to its settinga pure sacrifice may be offered to your name.Therefore, O Lord, we humbly implore you:by the same Spirit graciously make holythese gifts we have brought to you for consecration,that they may become the Body and Bloodof your Son our Lord Jesus Christ,at whose command we celebrate these mysteries.For on the night he was betrayedhe himself took bread,and, giving you thanks, he said the blessing,broke the bread and gave it to his disciples, saying:

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Take this, all of you, and eat of it,for this is my Body,which will be given up for you.In a similar way, when supper was ended,he took the chalice,and, giving you thanks, he said the blessing,and gave the chalice to his disciples, saying:


We proclaim your Death, O Lord,and profess your Resurrectionuntil you come again.When we eat this Bread and drink this Cup,we proclaim your Death, O Lord,until you come again.Save us, Savior of the world,for by your Cross and Resurrectionyou have set us free.

Therefore, O Lord, as we celebrate the memorialof the saving Passion of your Son,his wondrous Resurrectionand Ascension into heaven,and as we look forward to his second coming,we offer you in thanksgivingthis holy and living sacrifice.

Look, we pray, upon the oblation of your Churchand, recognizing the sacrificial Victim by whose deathyou willed to reconcile us to yourself,grant that we, who are nourishedby the Body and Blood of your Sonand filled with his Holy Spirit,may become one body, one spirit in Christ.May he make of usan eternal offering to you,so that we may obtain an inheritance with your elect,especially with the most Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God,with your blessed Apostles and glorious Martyrs(with Saint N.: the Saint of the day or Patron Saint)and with all the Saints,on whose constant intercession in your presencewe rely for unfailing help.May this Sacrifice of our reconciliation,we pray, O Lord,advance the peace and salvation of all the world.Be pleased to confirm in faith and charityyour pilgrim Church on earth,with your servant N. our Pope and N. our Bishop,the Order of Bishops, all the clergy,and the entire people you have gained for your own.Listen graciously to the prayers of this family,whom you have summoned before you:in your compassion, O merciful Father,gather to yourself all your childrenscattered throughout the world.† To our departed brothers and sistersand to all who were pleasing to youat their passing from this life,give kind admittance to your kingdom.

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There we hope to enjoy for ever the fullness of your glorythrough Christ our Lord,through whom you bestow on the world all that is good. †Through him, and with him, and in him,O God, almighty Father,in the unity of the Holy Spirit,all glory and honor is yours,for ever and ever.Amen.The Lord’s Prayer, p. 330.

Eucharistic Prayer IVPrefaceIt is truly right to give you thanks,truly just to give you glory, Father most holy,for you are the one God living and true,existing before all ages and abiding for all eternity,dwelling in unapproachable light;yet you, who alone are good, the source of life,have made all that is,so that you might fill your creatures with blessingsand bring joy to many of them by the glory of your light.And so, in your presence are countless hosts of Angels,who serve you day and nightand, gazing upon the glory of your face,glorify you without ceasing.With them we, too, confess your name in exultation,giving voice to every creature under heaven,as we acclaim:Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of hosts . . .We give you praise, Father most holy,for you are great

and you have fashioned all your worksin wisdom and in love.You formed man in your own imageand entrusted the whole world to his care,so that in serving you alone, the Creator,he might have dominion over all creatures.And when through disobedience he had lost your friendship,you did not abandon him to the domain of death.For you came in mercy to the aid of all,so that those who seek might find you.Time and again you offered them covenantsand through the prophetstaught them to look forward to salvation.And you so loved the world, Father most holy,that in the fullness of timeyou sent your Only Begotten Son to be our Savior.Made incarnate by the Holy Spiritand born of the Virgin Mary,he shared our human naturein all things but sin.To the poor he proclaimed the good news of salvation,to prisoners, freedom,and to the sorrowful of heart, joy.To accomplish your plan,he gave himself up to death,and, rising from the dead,he destroyed death and restored life.And that we might live no longer for ourselvesbut for him who died and rose again for us,he sent the Holy Spirit from you, Father,as the first fruits for those who believe,so that, bringing to perfection his work in the world,he might sanctify creation to the full.


Therefore, O Lord, we pray:may this same Holy Spiritgraciously sanctify these offerings,that they may becomethe Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christfor the celebration of this great mystery,which he himself left usas an eternal covenant.For when the hour had comefor him to be glorified by you, Father most holy,having loved his own who were in the world,he loved them to the end:and while they were at supper,he took bread, blessed and broke it,and gave it to his disciples, saying:

Take this, all of you, and eat of it,for this is my Body,which will be given up for you.In a similar way,taking the chalice filled with the fruit of the vine,he gave thanks,and gave the chalice to his disciples, saying:


We proclaim your Death, O Lord,and profess your Resurrectionuntil you come again.

When we eat this Bread and drink this Cup,we proclaim your Death, O Lord,until you come again.Save us, Savior of the world,for by your Cross and Resurrectionyou have set us free.

Therefore, O Lord,as we now celebrate the memorial of our redemption,we remember Christ’s Deathand his descent to the realm of the dead,we proclaim his Resurrectionand his Ascension to your right hand,and, as we await his coming in glory,we offer you his Body and Blood,the sacrifice acceptable to youwhich brings salvation to the whole world.Look, O Lord, upon the Sacrificewhich you yourself have provided for your Church,and grant in your loving kindnessto all who partake of this one Bread and one Chalicethat, gathered into one body by the Holy Spirit,they may truly become a living sacrifice in Christto the praise of your glory.Therefore, Lord, remember nowall for whom we make this sacrifice:especially your servant N. our Pope,N. our Bishop, and the whole Order of Bishops,all the clergy,those who take part in this offering,those gathered here before you,your entire people,and all who seek you with a sincere heart.

B

C

A


Remember alsothose who have died in the peace of your Christand all the dead,whose faith you alone have known.To all of us, your children,grant, O merciful Father,that we may enter into a heavenly inheritancewith the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God,and with your Apostles and Saints in your kingdom.There, with the whole of creation,freed from the corruption of sin and death,may we glorify you through Christ our Lord,through whom you bestow on the world all that is good.Through him, and with him, and in him,O God, almighty Father,in the unity of the Holy Spirit,all glory and honor is yours,for ever and ever.Amen.

Communion RiteLord’s PrayerAt the Savior’s commandand formed by divine teaching,we dare to say:Our Father, who art in heaven,hallowed be thy name;thy kingdom come,thy will be doneon earth as it is in heaven.Give us this day our daily bread,and forgive us our trespasses,as we forgive those who trespass against us;

and lead us not into temptation,but deliver us from evil.Deliver us, Lord, we pray, from every evil,graciously grant peace in our days,that, by the help of your mercy,we may be always free from sinand safe from all distress,as we await the blessed hopeand the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ.For the kingdom,the power and the glory are yoursnow and for ever.Lord Jesus Christ,who said to your Apostles:Peace I leave you, my peace I give you,look not on our sins,but on the faith of your Church,and graciously grant her peace and unityin accordance with your will.Who live and reign for ever and ever.Amen.The peace of the Lord be with you always.And with your spirit.Let us offer each other the sign of peace.

Breaking of the BreadMay this mingling of the Body and Bloodof our Lord Jesus Christbring eternal life to us who receive it.Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.


Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, grant us peace.

Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi: miserere nobis.Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi: miserere nobis.Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi: dona nobis pacem.

CommunionLord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God,who, by the will of the Fatherand the work of the Holy Spirit,through your Death gave life to the world,free me by this, your most holy Body and Blood,from all my sins and from every evil;keep me always faithful to your commandments,and never let me be parted from you.Or:May the receiving of your Body and Blood,Lord Jesus Christ,not bring me to judgment and condemnation,but through your loving mercybe for me protection in mind and bodyand a healing remedy.Behold the Lamb of God,behold him who takes away the sins of the world.Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb.Lord, I am not worthythat you should enter under my roof,but only say the wordand my soul shall be healed.

If there is no singing, the communion antiphon is recited.

Prayer after Communion

Concluding RitesFinal Blessing❙❚ The Lord be with you.❙❚ And with your spirit.❙❚ May almighty God bless you,

the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.❙❚ Amen.

DismissalGo forth, the Mass is ended.Go and announce the Gospel of the Lord.Go in peace, glorifying the Lord by your life.Go in peace.

Thanks be to God.DCBA

Celebration of the Liturgy of the Word 335

334

Celebration of the Liturgy of the Word[With Holy Communion]

Introductory RitesIntroductionDeacon or lay leader:We gather here to celebrate the Lord’s Day.Sunday has been called the Lord’s Day because

it was on this daythat Jesus conquered sin and death and rose to new life.Unfortunately, we are not able to celebrate the Mass todaybecause we do not have a priest.Let us be united in the spirit of Christ with

the Church around the worldand celebrate our redemption in Christ’s suffering,

death, and resurrection.

Sign of the CrossDeacon or lay leader:❙❚ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the

Holy Spirit.❙❚ Amen.

GreetingDeacon or lay leader:❙❚ Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from

the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be God for ever.❙❚ Blessed be God for ever.

Collect

Liturgy of the WordFirst Reading

Responsorial Psalm

Second Reading

Gospel Acclamation

Gospel

Homily or Reflection on the Readings

Period of Silence

Profession of Faith[The Nicene Creed can be found on p. 310]

Apostles’ CreedI believe in God,the Father almighty,Creator of heaven and earth,and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. At the words that follow, up to and including the Virgin Mary,

all bow.

who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,born of the Virgin Mary,suffered under Pontius Pilate,was crucified, died and was buried;he descended into hell;on the third day he rose again from the dead;he ascended into heaven,and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty;from there he will come to judge the living and the dead.I believe in the Holy Spirit,the holy catholic Church,the communion of saints,the forgiveness of sins,

338 Hymns Hymns 339

The Father’s Glory, Christ Our Lightordinary time—am

Familiar Tune: Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow

Canticle of Simeonordinary time—pm

Familiar Tune: The King Shall Come When Morning Dawns

O Christ, You Are the Light of Dayordinary time—am/pm

Familiar Tune: The Glory of These Forty Days

344 345

Guide to Lectio DivinaChoose a word or phrase of the Scriptures you wish to pray. It makes no difference which text is chosen, as long as you have no set goal of “covering” a certain amount of text. The amount of text covered is in God’s hands, not yours.

Read. Turn to the text and read it slowly, gently. Savor each portion of the reading, constantly listening for the “still, small voice” of a word or phrase that somehow says, “I am for you today.” Do not expect lightning or ecstasies. In lectio divina, God is teaching us to listen, to seek him in silence. God does not reach out and grab us but gently invites us ever more deeply into his presence.

Ponder. Take the word or phrase into yourself. Memorize it and slowly repeat it to yourself, allowing it to interact with your inner world of concerns, memories, and ideas. Do not be afraid of distractions. Memories or thoughts are simply parts of yourself that, when they rise up during lectio divina, are asking to be given to God along with the rest of your inner self. Allow this inner pondering, this rumination, to invite you into dialogue with God.

Pray. Whether you use words, ideas, or images—or all three—is not important. Interact with God as you would with one who you know loves and accepts you. Give to God what you have discovered during your experience of meditation. Give to God what you have found within your heart.

It is not necessary to assess the quality of your lectio divina, as if you were “performing” or seeking some goal. Lectio divina has no goal other than that of being in the presence of God by praying the Scriptures.

—Fr. Luke Dysinger

Luke Dysinger, OSB, is a Benedictine monk of Saint Andrew’s Abbey, Valyermo, California.

How to Use Give Us This Day™

Why a guide for using a daily prayer resource? Because daily prayer can seem daunting. Though I grew up saying prayers daily, daily prayer was a practice I came to well into my adult life. It was challenging at the start. Even if we’ve settled into the rhythm and practice of daily prayer, there is much to gain from the simplicity and substance of a resource such as Give Us This Day:

• Prayers for morning and evening include Scripture, inter-cessions, and other helpful prompts.

• “Blessed Among Us” features models of holy living who have gone before us and pray for us.

• Mass texts and reflections convey the depth and breadth of Scripture—and of God’s love for us in Christ.

You don’t need to attend daily Mass to pray with those texts. Nor do you need to pray with the daily content “in order.” You may wish to pray with all the content and not miss a word. You may be drawn to just a few words or particular features that give you pause. All or any of this is fine. Let the Holy Spirit be your daily guide—and be sure to explore the inspiring weekly and monthly pieces in each issue as well (see the user-friendly calendar and contents on pp. 2–4).

Whenever you pray—even if you don’t feel instant “results”— entrust your prayer to the Holy Spirit, who surely and certainly will lead you into communion with God and others.

May Give Us This Day help each of us to comfortably approach God in prayer, confident that God approaches us first and this day awaits our response.

Editor

Canticle of Mary (Magnificat) Luke 1:46-55

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,my spirit rejoices in God my Savior

for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.

From this day all generations will call me blessed:the Almighty has done great things for me,and holy is his Name.

He has mercy on those who fear himin every generation.

He has shown the strength of his arm,he has scattered the proud in their conceit.

He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,and has lifted up the lowly.

He has filled the hungry with good things,and the rich he has sent away empty.

He has come to the help of his servant Israelfor he has remembered his promise of mercy,the promise he made to our fathers,to Abraham and his children for ever.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

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