2 Kings 5:14–17
Naaman the leper returned to Elisha and acknowledged the Lord.
Psalm 97(98):1–4
R. The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.
2 Timothy 2:8–13
If we hold firm then we shall reign with Christ.
1 Thessalonians 5:18
For all things give thanks to God, because this is what he expects of you in Christ Jesus.
Luke 17:11–19
No-one has come back to praise God, only this foreigner.
For this people is the People of God, purchased by Christ’s Blood, gathered together by the Lord, nourished by his word. It is a people called to bring to God the prayers of the entire human family, a people giving thanks in Christ for the mystery of salvation by offering his Sacrifice. Finally, it is a people made one by sharing in the Communion of Christ’s Body and Blood.
—General Instruction of the Roman Missal, §5
Our Sunday Eucharist invites everyone to participate in the heart of the celebration. Each member contributes to the celebration through his or her active participation in the action. Summoned by God’s calling, all members choose to come to this sacred assembly—in which they are open to being formed by the Word proclaimed—to intercede for the needs of the world and to offer their unique sacrifice so that, in Communion, they may form the one Body of Christ.
‘The rich suffer want and go hungry, but those who seek the Lord lack no blessing.’
—communion antiphon
Habakkuk 1:2–3, 2:2–4
The upright man will live by his faithfulness.
Psalm 94(95):1–2, 6–9
R. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
2 Timothy 1:6–8, 13–14
Never be ashamed of witnessing to our Lord.
1 Peter 1:25
The word of the Lord stands for ever; it is the word given to you, the Good News.
Luke 17:5–10
Say, ‘We are merely servants.’
The Second Vatican Council … [was] able to grant that ‘the use of the vernacular language may frequently be of great advantage to the people’ and gave the faculty for its use. The enthusiasm in response to this measure has been so great everywhere that it has led, under the leadership of the Bishops and the Apostolic See itself, to permission for all liturgical celebrations in which the people participate to be in the vernacular, for the sake of a better comprehension of the mystery being celebrated
—General Instruction of the Roman Missal, §12
Since the reform, we have been able to listen to the Scriptures and liturgy in our own language. However, given our multicultural society, peoples of many cultures and languages join us when we assemble. Throughout the year, how does your parish acknowledge this diversity of languages? Are there opportunities for individuals to hear their own language during the liturgy?
‘The Lord is good to those who hope in him, to the soul that seeks him.’
—communion antiphon
Amos 6:1, 4–7
Woe to those who live in luxury.
Psalm 145(146):7–10
R. Praise the Lord, my soul!
1 Timothy 6:11–16
Do all that you have been told, until the Appearing of the Lord.
2 Corinthians 8:9
Jesus Christ was rich but he became poor, to make you rich out of his poverty.
Luke 16:19–31
Dives and Lazarus.
The purpose of the Symbolum or Profession of Faith, or Creed, is that the whole gathered people may respond to the word of God proclaimed in the readings taken from Sacred Scripture and explained in the Homily and that they may also call to mind and confess the great mysteries of the faith by reciting the rule of faith in a formula approved for liturgical use, before these mysteries are celebrated in the Eucharist.
—General Instruction of the Roman Missal, §67
The profession of faith, either as the Apostles’ Creed or the Nicene Creed, is a response to the Word of God that fosters unity of faith among the community members and within the worldwide community of the Church. Other Christian communities also share these creeds. The Creed may also be sung or said; when said, it can be recited by everyone together or by two choirs responding to one another.
‘Remember your word to your servant, O Lord, by which you have given me hope. This is my comfort when I am brought low.’
—communion antiphon
Amos 8:4–7
I will never forget your deeds, you who trample on the needy.
Psalm 112(113):1–2, 4–8
R. Praise the Lord who lifts up the poor.
1 Timothy 2:1–8
Pray for everyone to God, who wants everyone to be saved.
2 Corinthians 8:9
Jesus Christ was rich but he became poor, to make you rich out of his poverty.
Luke 16:1–13
You cannot be the slave of both God and money.
In the General Intercessions or the Prayer of the Faithful, the people respond in a certain way to the word of God which they have welcomed in faith and, exercising the office of their baptismal priesthood, offer prayers to God for the salvation of all. It is fitting that such a prayer be included, as a rule, in Masses celebrated with a congregation, so that petitions will be offered for the holy Church, for civil authorities, for those weighed down by various needs, for all men and women, and for the salvation of the whole world.
—General Instruction of the Roman Missal, §69
Inspired by the words of St Paul, as expressed in today’s second reading, the Church has developed a longstanding tradition of praying for everyone. God’s priestly people play a significant role in interceding for the many needs of the world. The Church expects each parish community to prepare its own prayers, so that the whole community can participate in the sacred intercessory prayer during the Sunday Eucharist.
‘You have laid down your precepts to be carefully kept; may my ways be firm in keeping your statutes.’
—communion antiphon
Wisdom 9:13–18
Who can divine the will of God?
Psalm 89(90):3–6, 12–14, 17
R. In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.
Philemon 9–10, 12–17
He is a slave no longer, but a dear brother in the Lord.
Psalm 118(119):135
Let your face shine on your servant, and teach me your laws.
Luke 14:25–33
Anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.
The offerings are then brought forward. It is praiseworthy for the bread and wine to be presented by the faithful. They are then accepted at an appropriate place by the priest or the deacon and carried to the altar. Even though the faithful no longer bring from their own possessions the bread and wine intended for the liturgy as in the past, nevertheless the rite of carrying up the offerings still retains its force and its spiritual significance.
It is well also that money or other gifts for the poor or for the Church, brought by the faithful or collected in the church, should be received. These are to be put in a suitable place but away from the Eucharistic table.
—General Instruction of the Roman Missal, §73
The gifts that members of the faithful bring to the altar should be processed in a way that invites the whole assembly to offer themselves to the table of sacrifice. Occasionally, their offering may be enhanced by other gifts for the poor, and whatever is brought to the altar does not return to the giver. Although the bread and wine are placed on the altar, these other gifts are set in a different significant place and are then distributed after Mass.
‘Like the deer that yearns for running streams, so my soul is yearning for you, my God; my soul is thirsting for God, the living God.’
—communion antiphon
Ecclesiasticus 3:19–21, 30–31
Behave humbly, and you will find favour with the Lord.
Psalm 67(68):4–7, 10–11
R. God, in your goodness, you have made a home for the poor.
Hebrews 12:18–19, 22–24
You have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God.
Matthew 11:29ab
Take my yoke upon you; learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart.
Luke 14:1, 7–14
Everyone who exalts himself shall be humbled.
Sacred buildings and requisites for divine worship should, moreover, be truly worthy and beautiful and be signs and symbols of heavenly realities.
—General Instruction of the Roman Missal, §288
This week, the Letter to the Hebrews reminds us that we ‘have come to the city of the living God’. As we gather faithfully Sunday after Sunday, we witness to everyone around us how we are caught in the mystery of ‘God with us’. This is why we deeply care about the building that houses God’s people. We are grateful to all who help care for our building—our gardeners, cleaners and decorators. They each contribute their precious gifts to our community, so that we can recognise the presence of our living God.
‘May this sacred offering, O Lord, confer on us always the blessing of salvation, that what it celebrates in mystery it may accomplish in power.’
—prayer over the offerings
Isaiah 66:18–21
They will bring all your brothers from all the nations.
Psalm 116 (117)
R. Go out to all the world, and tell the Good News.
Hebrews 12:5–7, 11–13
The Lord trains the one he loves.
John 14:6
I am the way, the truth, and the life, says the Lord; no one comes to the Father, except through me.
Luke 13:22–30
The last shall be first and the first last.
If [other] priests are not present and there is a very large number of communicants, the priest may call upon extraordinary ministers to assist him, i.e., duly instituted acolytes or even other faithful who have been deputed for this purpose.
—General Instruction of the Roman Missal, §162
The presiding celebrant is always the ordinary minister of Communion. However, if he faces ill health or a large assembly, then others can help him. Given the shortage of ordained ministers and the wider practice of ministering the cup, our generation has witnessed increasingly more extraordinary ministers helping distribute Communion. We have also witnessed an increase in Communion being taken to the housebound, especially from our Sunday Mass.
‘O Lord, who gained for yourself a people by adoption through the one sacrifice offered once for all, bestow graciously on us, we pray, the gifts of unity and peace in your Church.’
—prayer over the offerings
Jeremiah 38:4–6, 8–10
‘Do not let the prophet die.’
Psalm 39(40):2–4, 18
R. Lord, come to my aid!
Hebrews 12:1–4
We should keep running steadily in the race we have started.
John 10:27
My sheep listen to my voice, says the Lord; I know them, and they follow me.
Luke 12:49–53
How I wish it were blazing already!
Through him the Angels praise your majesty, Dominions adore and Powers tremble before you. Heaven and the Virtues of heaven and the blessed Seraphim worship together with exultation. May our voices, we pray, join with theirs in humble praise, as we acclaim.
—Order of the Mass, §42
With the new translation of the Roman Missal, we regularly hear in the preface the invocation of all creation—in heaven and on earth—as we prepare to join in singing God’s praise. This eschatological quality takes us beyond ourselves and invites us to join the many witnesses in creation and sing God’s praise.
‘Receive our oblation, O Lord, by which is brought about a glorious exchange, that, by offering what you have given, we may merit to receive your very self.’
—prayer over the offerings
In today’s text, Jesus finds himself in a situation in which he is asked to render judgment on a claim one brother has made against another. In a sense, this request shows that Jesus is recognised as an authority, given that a rabbi was expected to be able to make judgments on all facets of law. According to the law, the firstborn son inherited a double portion of his father’s inheritance—that is, he inherits twice as much as his brothers (Deuteronomy 21:17). Perhaps this man’s brother was not keeping the law. However, Jesus refuses to be drawn into such a debate because it does not align with his mission. He has come to establish a new way, one in which women and men are drawn into God’s reign. The parable of the unwise man makes this point. A person’s life is not made secure by what he or she owns. It is better to store riches in heaven than in the here and now.
I used to think when I was a child that Christ might have been exaggerating when he warned about the danger of wealth. Today I know better. I know how very hard it is to be rich and still keep the milk of human kindness. Money has a dangerous way of putting scales on one’s eyes, a dangerous way of freezing people’s hands, eyes, lips and hearts.
For the Church, works of mercy are among the obligations that all Christians must have. The spiritual works of mercy include ‘instructing, advising, consoling, comforting … forgiving and bearing wrongs patiently’; the corporal (bodily) works of mercy include ‘feeding the hungry, sheltering the homeless, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and imprisoned … burying the dead’ and ‘giving alms to the poor’ (CCC, §2447).
The quest for material comfort and security can distract us from what is truly important. We become so easily preoccupied with acquiring ‘things’ rather than attitudes and values. Pope John Paul II has said:
It is not wrong to want to live better; what is wrong is a style of life which is presumed to be better when it is directed towards ‘having’ rather than ‘being’.
(Centesimus Annus, §36)
Similarly, Pope Francis has said that ‘money must serve, not rule’ (address to UNIPAC conference participants, 17 November 2016). Contemplate the image of being ‘rich in the sight of God’.
The longer version of today’s gospel opens with a sublime promise: ‘There is no need to be afraid, little flock, for it has pleased your Father to give you the kingdom’. These words convey such intimacy, not only in regard to Jesus’ relationship with his ‘little flock’ but also in the Father's promise to bestow the kingdom onto the flock. However, this intimate relationship and promise do not remove our responsibility. On the contrary! Our response to this promise—whether we have faith in it or doubt it—will determine our response to the demands that Jesus makes of us: detachment from possessions, readiness for the Lord when he comes and integrity of life. We have been given a great deal, and a great deal will be demanded from us in return. We must be attentive to the Master’s requirements.
Jesus promised that he would return at the end of time and usher in the new creation of God’s reign. The earliest church communities believed that the Second Coming would occur very soon; however, as time passed, they modified this belief with the realisation that they had to live the life of discipleship in the here and now while they waited for Christ’s return in glory. The Church today still holds this belief, and it is at the heart of our Creed: ‘He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead.’ This belief requires us to remain ready.
In this text, the imagery of the vigilant servants who remain ready for their master’s return at any hour of the night reminds us to live expectantly and to be prepared for what is to come. Reflect on your own journey towards Jesus so far. Are you now living expectantly as you prepare for what is to come?