>>> St BERNARD of Clairvaux – Pray for Us!
THE HUMBLE WILL BE EXALTED
Introduction
St. Bernard (1090-1153), the famous abbot of Clairvaux in the 12th century, reminded popes, kings and princes of what Christ expected of them, especially in the matter of unity and peace and a sense of responsibility for their people; he was called the conscience of his time. But he drew the strength for his determined boldness from a strict ascetic life, marked by prayer and contemplation. Christ was the center of his life: “My daily schedule is Christ’s life,” he wrote.
Opening Prayer
Lord God,
we celebrate today with gratitude
St. Bernard, your prophet of unity and reconciliation.
Like him, let us find the strength
to speak out and act when needed
in prayer and contemplation,
that we may see the deeper realities
of life and of our world
with eyes of faith and love.
Grant this through Christ, our Lord. Amen!
1 Reading EZEKIEL 43:1-7AB
The angel led me to the gate which faces the east, and there I saw the glory of the God of Israel coming from the east. I heard a sound like the roaring of many waters, and the earth shone with his glory. The vision was like that which I had seen when he came to destroy the city, and like that which I had seen by the river Chebar. I fell prone as the glory of the LORD entered the temple by way of the gate which faces the east, but spirit lifted me up and brought me to the inner court. And I saw that the temple was filled with the glory of the LORD. Then I heard someone speaking to me from the temple, while the man stood beside me. The voice said to me: Son of man, this is where my throne shall be, this is where I will set the soles of my feet; here I will dwell among the children of Israel forever.
Responsorial PSALM 85:9AB AND 10, 11-12, 13-14
R. (Cf. 10b) The glory of the Lord will dwell in our land.
I will hear what God proclaims;
the LORD –for he proclaims peace.
Near indeed is his salvation to those who fear him,
glory dwelling in our land. R.
Kindness and truth shall meet;
justice and peace shall kiss.
Truth shall spring out of the earth,
and justice shall look down from heaven. R.
The LORD himself will give his benefits;
our land shall yield its increase.
Justice shall walk before him,
and salvation, along the way of his steps. R.
Alleluia MATTHEW 23:9B, 10B
Alleluia, alleluia.
You have but one Father in heaven;
you have but one master, the Christ.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel MATTHEW 23:1-12
Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples, saying, “The scribes and the Pharisees have taken their seat on the chair of Moses. Therefore, do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you, but do not follow their example. For they preach but they do not practice. They tie up heavy burdens hard to carry and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they will not lift a finger to move them. All their works are performed to be seen. They widen their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels. They love places of honor at banquets, seats of honor in synagogues, greetings in marketplaces, and the salutation ‘Rabbi.’ As for you, do not be called ‘Rabbi.’ You have but one teacher, and you are all brothers. Call no one on earth your father; you have but one Father in heaven. Do not be called ‘Master’; you have but one master, the Christ. The greatest among you must be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”
Commentary
Mismatch
A priest began his homily thus: “I am ashamed to preach what I do not practice. However, if I were to preach what I practice, it would be far more embarrassing and I would be doubly ashamed.” Rare are the spiritual leaders whose words and deeds match perfectly. Only of Jesus can we say of being “Word Incarnate”; everyone else falls short, more or less. This awareness must produce two results: the leader must become humbly aware of this mismatch between his or her words and deeds and seek God’s Grace on a continual basis to bridge the gap; and the recipients of the ministry must look at him or her with compassion and understanding, and as Jesus advices today, must listen to their words while not necessarily imitating their actions. For imitation, the model of Jesus must suffice. We must also pray for the leaders as well as for ourselves, for we too fall short.
Intercessions
– For the People of God, that with courage and honesty we may take to heart the task of renewal and reconciliation, so as to show to the world of today the true face of Christ, we pray:
– For all who seek God with a sincere heart, for all who search for truth and justice, that their hunger may be satisfied, we pray:
– For all Christian communities, that we may be reliable and truthful with one another and that our unity and friendship may be genuine, we pray:
Prayer over the Gifts
Lord our God,
at his invitation we gather
at the table of your Son
as we prepare to share in his meal.
As he has united us as his brothers and sisters,
may the Holy Spirit keep us united
in the life of every day.
Let him bind us together
in strong and dedicated communities,
in which we accept one another
notwithstanding our differences.
Unite us in the love of Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen!
Prayer after Communion
Lord our God,
the Psalmist rejoices
when even brothers and sisters
can live together in one love.
Let this be a reality among us
who believe in our one Lord, Jesus Christ.
Let the deepest witnessing of our faith be
that we live for one another in the same unity
that united your Son Jesus with you,
our living and loving God, now and for ever. Amen!
Blessing
We believe in Jesus and in his gospel. Let our lives not contradict our faith, but let our lives tell the story of that faith, with the blessing of almighty God, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!