October 16th : Gospel

You overlook justice and the love of God

*A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to St.Luke 11:42-46* 

The Lord said to the Pharisees: ‘Alas for you Pharisees! You who pay your tithe of mint and rue and all sorts of garden herbs and overlook justice and the love of God! These you should have practised, without leaving the others undone. Alas for you Pharisees who like taking the seats of honour in the synagogues and being greeted obsequiously in the market squares! Alas for you, because you are like the unmarked tombs that men walk on without knowing it!

  A lawyer then spoke up. ‘Master,’ he said ‘when you speak like this you insult us too.’

  ‘Alas for you lawyers also,’ he replied ‘because you load on men burdens that are unendurable, burdens that you yourselves do not move a finger to lift.’

*The Word of the Lord.*

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October 16th : Responsorial Psalm

*

Psalm 1:1-4,6 

*Anyone who follows you, O Lord, will have the light of life.*

Happy indeed is the man

  who follows not the counsel of the wicked;

nor lingers in the way of sinners

  nor sits in the company of scorners,

but whose delight is the law of the Lord

  and who ponders his law day and night.

*Anyone who follows you, O Lord, will have the light of life.*

He is like a tree that is planted

  beside the flowing waters,

that yields its fruit in due season

  and whose leaves shall never fade;

  and all that he does shall prosper.

*Anyone who follows you, O Lord, will have the light of life.*

Not so are the wicked, not so!

For they like winnowed chaff

  shall be driven away by the wind:

for the Lord guards the way of the just

  but the way of the wicked leads to doom.

*Anyone who follows you, O Lord, will have the light of life.*

*Gospel Acclamation* cf.Ps26:11

Alleluia, alleluia!

Instruct me, Lord, in your way;

on an even path lead me.

Alleluia!

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October 16th : First Reading

To belong to Christ, crucify all self-indulgence

*A Reading from the letter of St.Paul to the Galatians 5:18-25* 

If you are led by the Spirit, no law can touch you. When self-indulgence is at work the results are obvious: fornication, gross indecency and sexual irresponsibility; idolatry and sorcery; feuds and wrangling, jealousy, bad temper and quarrels; disagreements, factions, envy; drunkenness, orgies and similar things. I warn you now, as I warned you before: those who behave like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. What the Spirit brings is very different: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, trustfulness, gentleness and self-control. There can be no law against things like that, of course. You cannot belong to Christ Jesus unless you crucify all self-indulgent passions and desires.

  Since the Spirit is our life, let us be directed by the Spirit.

*The Word of the Lord.*

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7th OCTOBER, MONDAY

*🌹📿OUR LADY OF THE ROSARY📿🌹*

_These are the readings for the memorial_

*FIRST READING*

Acts 1:12-14

The apostles all joined in continuous prayer with Mary, the mother of Jesus

After Jesus was taken up into heaven the apostles went back from the Mount of Olives, as it is called, to Jerusalem, a short distance away, no more than a sabbath walk; and when they reached the city they went to the upper room where they were staying; there were Peter and John, James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Jude son of James. All these joined in continuous prayer, together with several women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.

___________________________

*RESPONSORIAL PSALM*

Luke 1:46-55

*R. The Almighty works marvels for me. Holy is his name!*

or

*R. Blessed is the Virgin Mary, who bore the Son of the eternal Father.*

My soul glorifies the Lord,

  my spirit rejoices in God, my Saviour.

*R. The Almighty works marvels for me. Holy is his name!*

or

*R. Blessed is the Virgin Mary, who bore the Son of the eternal Father.*

He looks on his servant in her nothingness;

  henceforth all ages will call me blessed.

The Almighty works marvels for me.

  Holy his name!

*R. The Almighty works marvels for me. Holy is his name!*

or

*R. Blessed is the Virgin Mary, who bore the Son of the eternal Father.*

His mercy is from age to age,

  on those who fear him.

He puts forth his arm in strength

  and scatters the proud-hearted.

*R. The Almighty works marvels for me. Holy is his name!*

or

*R. Blessed is the Virgin Mary, who bore the Son of the eternal Father.*

He casts the mighty from their thrones

  and raises the lowly.

He fills the starving with good things,

  sends the rich away empty.

*R. The Almighty works marvels for me. Holy is his name!*

or

*R. Blessed is the Virgin Mary, who bore the Son of the eternal Father.*

He protects Israel, his servant,

  remembering his mercy,

the mercy promised to our fathers,

  to Abraham and his sons for ever.

*R. The Almighty works marvels for me. Holy is his name!*

or

*R. Blessed is the Virgin Mary, who bore the Son of the eternal Father.*

___________________________

*GOSPEL ACCLAMATION*

Lk 1:28

Alleluia, alleluia!

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee!

Blessed art thou among women.

Alleluia!

___________________________

*GOSPEL*

Luke 1:26-38

'I am the handmaid of the Lord'

The angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the House of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. He went in and said to her, ‘Rejoice, so highly favoured! The Lord is with you.’ She was deeply disturbed by these words and asked herself what this greeting could mean, but the angel said to her, ‘Mary, do not be afraid; you have won God’s favour. Listen! You are to conceive and bear a son, and you must name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David; he will rule over the House of Jacob for ever and his reign will have no end.’ Mary said to the angel, ‘But how can this come about, since I am a virgin?’ ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you’ the angel answered ‘and the power of the Most High will cover you with its shadow. And so the child will be holy and will be called Son of God. Know this too: your kinswoman Elizabeth has, in her old age, herself conceived a son, and she whom people called barren is now in her sixth month, for nothing is impossible to God.’ ‘I am the handmaid of the Lord,’ said Mary ‘let what you have said be done to me.’ And the angel left her.

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October 2nd : Gospel

'I will follow you wherever you go'

A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to St.Luke 9:57-62 

As Jesus and his disciples travelled along they met a man on the road who said to him, ‘I will follow you wherever you go.’ Jesus answered, ‘Foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.’

  Another to whom he said, ‘Follow me’, replied, ‘Let me go and bury my father first.’ But he answered, ‘Leave the dead to bury their dead; your duty is to go and spread the news of the kingdom of God.’

  Another said, ‘I will follow you, sir, but first let me go and say goodbye to my people at home.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Once the hand is laid on the plough, no one who looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.’

The Word of the Lord.

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October 2nd : Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 87(88):10-15 

Let my prayer come into your presence, O Lord.

I call to you, Lord, all the day long;

  to you I stretch out my hands.

Will you work your wonders for the dead?

  Will the shades stand and praise you?

Let my prayer come into your presence, O Lord.

Will your love be told in the grave

  or your faithfulness among the dead?

Will your wonders be known in the dark

  or your justice in the land of oblivion?

Let my prayer come into your presence, O Lord.

As for me, Lord, I call to you for help:

  in the morning my prayer comes before you.

Lord, why do you reject me?

  Why do you hide your face?

Let my prayer come into your presence, O Lord.

Gospel Acclamation Ps118:105

Alleluia, alleluia!

Your word is a lamp for my steps

and a light for my path.

Alleluia!

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October 2nd : First Reading

How can man be in the right against God?

A Reading from the Book of Job 9:1-13,14-16 

Job spoke to his friends:

Indeed, I know it is as you say:

  how can man be in the right against God?

If any were so rash as to challenge him for reasons,

  one in a thousand would be more than they could answer.

His heart is wise, and his strength is great:

  who then can successfully defy him?

He moves the mountains, though they do not know it;

  he throws them down when he is angry.

He shakes the earth, and moves it from its place,

  making all its pillars tremble.

The sun, at his command, forbears to rise,

  and on the stars he sets a seal.

He and no other stretched out the skies,

  and trampled the Sea’s tall waves.

The Bear, Orion too, are of his making,

  the Pleiades and the Mansions of the South.

His works are great, beyond all reckoning,

  his marvels, past all counting.

Were he to pass me, I should not see him,

  nor detect his stealthy movement.

Were he to snatch a prize, who could prevent him,

  or dare to say, ‘What are you doing?’

How dare I plead my cause, then,

  or choose arguments against him?

Suppose I am in the right, what use is my defence?

  For he whom I must sue is judge as well.

If he deigned to answer my citation,

  could I be sure that he would listen to my voice?

The Word of the Lord.

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September 28th : Gospel

They were afraid to ask him what he meant

*A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to St.Luke 9: 43-45* 

At a time when everyone was full of admiration for all he did, Jesus said to his disciples, ‘For your part, you must have these words constantly in your mind: “The Son of Man is going to be handed over into the power of men.”’ But they did not understand him when he said this; it was hidden from them so that they should not see the meaning of it, and they were afraid to ask him about what he had just said.

*The Word of the Lord.*

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September 28th : Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 89(90): 3-6,12-14,17 

*O Lord, you have been our refuge from one generation to the next.*

You turn men back to dust

  and say: ‘Go back, sons of men.’

To your eyes a thousand years

  are like yesterday, come and gone,

  no more than a watch in the night.

*O Lord, you have been our refuge from one generation to the next.*

You sweep men away like a dream,

  like the grass which springs up in the morning.

In the morning it springs up and flowers:

  by evening it withers and fades.

*O Lord, you have been our refuge from one generation to the next.*

Make us know the shortness of our life

  that we may gain wisdom of heart.

Lord, relent! Is your anger for ever?

  Show pity to your servants.

*O Lord, you have been our refuge from one generation to the next.*

In the morning, fill us with your love;

  we shall exult and rejoice all our days.

Let the favour of the Lord be upon us:

  give success to the work of our hands.

*O Lord, you have been our refuge from one generation to the next.*

*Gospel Acclamation* cf.Ac16:14

Alleluia, alleluia!

Open our heart, O Lord,

to accept the words of your Son.

Alleluia!

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September 28th : First Reading

Remember your creator in the days of your youth

*A reading from the book of Ecclesiastes 11: 9-12:8*

Rejoice in your youth, you who are young;

let your heart give you joy in your young days.

Follow the promptings of your heart

and the desires of your eyes.

But this you must know: for all these things God will bring you to judgement.

Cast worry from your heart,

shield your flesh from pain.

Yet youth, the age of dark hair, is vanity. And remember your creator in the days of your youth, before evil days come and the years approach when you say, ‘These give me no pleasure’, before sun and light and moon and stars grow dark, and the clouds return after the rain;

the day when those who keep the house tremble

and strong men are bowed;

when the women grind no longer at the mill,

because day is darkening at the windows

and the street doors are shut;

when the sound of the mill is faint,

when the voice of the bird is silenced,

and song notes are stilled,

when to go uphill is an ordeal

and a walk is something to dread.

Yet the almond tree is in flower,

the grasshopper is heavy with food

and the caper bush bears its fruit,

while man goes to his everlasting home. And the mourners are already walking to and fro in the street

before the silver cord has snapped,

or the golden lamp been broken,

or the pitcher shattered at the spring,

or the pulley cracked at the well,

or before the dust returns to the earth as it once came from it, and the breath to God who gave it.

  Vanity of vanities, the Preacher says. All is vanity.

*The Word of the Lord.*

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September 22nd : Gospel

'John? I beheaded him; so who is this?'

*A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to St.Luke 9:7-9*

Herod the tetrarch had heard about all that was being done by Jesus; and he was puzzled, because some people were saying that John had risen from the dead, others that Elijah had reappeared, still others that one of the ancient prophets had come back to life. But Herod said, ‘John? I beheaded him. So who is this I hear such reports about?’ And he was anxious to see Jesus.

*The Word of the Lord.*

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