>>> OUR LADY OF MOUNT CARMEL – Pray for Us!
I SHALL PLACE MY SPIRIT UPON HIM
Introduction
The glories of Mount Carmel are sung in the bible, as the prophet Elijah had stood up there for the purity of Israel’s faith. In the twelfth century, hermits withdrew to this mountain and later founded the Carmelite order, which is devoted to the contemplative life under the patronage of Mary, the holy Mother of God.
Opening Prayer
Lord our God,
Mary, the mother of your Son Jesus Christ,
was open to the word of God
with a believing, trusting mind and heart.
Like her, may we entrust ourselves to you
ponder your words and seek your will in them.
Make your will our will,
that you may lead us to your home
under the guidance of him
who sought your will in everything,
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen!
1 Reading – MICAH 2:1-5
Woe to those who plan iniquity, and work out evil on their couches; in the morning light they accomplish it when it lies within their power. They covet fields, and seize them; houses, and they take them; they cheat an owner of his house, a man of his inheritance. Therefore thus says the LORD: Behold, I am planning against this race an evil from which you shall not withdraw your necks; nor shall you walk with head high, for it will be a time of evil. On that day a satire shall be sung over you, and there shall be a plaintive chant: “Our ruin is complete, our fields are portioned out among our captors, The fields of my people are measured out, and no one can get them back!” Thus you shall have no one to mark out boundaries by lot in the assembly of the LORD.
Responsorial PSALM 10:1-2, 3-4, 7-8, 14
R. (12b) Do not forget the poor, O Lord!
Why, O LORD, do you stand aloof?
Why hide in times of distress?
Proudly the wicked harass the afflicted,
who are caught in the devices the wicked have contrived. R.
For the wicked man glories in his greed,
and the covetous blasphemes, sets the LORD at nought.
The wicked man boasts, “He will not avenge it”;
“There is no God,” sums up his thoughts. R.
His mouth is full of cursing, guile and deceit;
under his tongue are mischief and iniquity.
He lurks in ambush near the villages;
in hiding he murders the innocent;
his eyes spy upon the unfortunate. R.
You do see, for you behold misery and sorrow,
taking them in your hands.
On you the unfortunate man depends;
of the fatherless you are the helper. R.
Alleluia – 2 CORINTHIANS 5:19
Alleluia, alleluia.
God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ,
and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel – MATTHEW 12:14-21
The Pharisees went out and took counsel against Jesus to put him to death. When Jesus realized this, he withdrew from that place. Many people followed him, and he cured them all, but he warned them not to make him known. This was to fulfill what had been spoken through Isaiah the prophet: Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved in whom I delight; I shall place my Spirit upon him, and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles. He will not contend or cry out, nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets. A bruised reed he will not break, a smoldering wick he will not quench, until he brings justice to victory. And in his name the Gentiles will hope.
Commentary
Pastoral Prudence
Jesus was not a coward to withdraw from the town where his enemies were plotting against him. Being a reader of hearts, he knew what they were up to; but he also knew that it was not yet “the hour” of confrontation or Passion. When the “appointed time” came, he would go directly to Jerusalem, but not now. So, he left the town, but continued to do fearlessly what he had always done: bringing healing and joy into the lives of the people. Matthew tells us specifically that Jesus cured all who came to him. He did not discriminate or look at the eligibilities of those who came to him. His service was for all. In the midst of suffering and opposition, Christians should take heart from this example: We do not have to add fire to every antagonism; but we must also not cease from our God-given mission to build up the lives of the people. Pastoral prudence is what we need.
Intercessions
– That we may learn from Jesus to be discreet in our love and service to the poor, we pray:
– That we may learn from Jesus to be very respectful of people and care especially for those wounded in life, we pray:
– That Jesus may give us his Holy Spirit to work for justice and righteousness in our world, we pray:
Prayer over the Gifts
Lord our God,
this bread and this wine
are signs that with Jesus and Mary
we are ready to seek your will.
Allow us to share in this table
as his brothers and sisters, his relatives,
and to follow him on his faithful way
to you, our God for ever. Amen!
Prayer after Communion
Lord our God,
make us, like Mary, ponder the words
which Jesus has spoken here to us.
Let them be words that guide our lives
and to which we respond in all we do.
Let the bread of strength of your Son
give us the will and the courage
to make your good news
the foundation of our lives.
We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen!
Blessing
We have heard God say about Jesus that he is the servant he likes. Jesus makes us servants with him. May we too be pleasing to God, and may almighty God bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!