>>> St JEROME – Pray for Us!
FINDING JESUS IN THE SCRIPTURES
Introduction
The scholar St. Jerome (347-419/20) translated most of the Bible from the original languages into Latin and revised some parts already translated to make them more understandable. His immense work opened the Scriptures to the parts of Europe that spoke Latin. He fought all his life against his difficult character. He can still inspire us today to love the Word of God… and to live it.
Opening Prayer
Lord our God,
you continue speaking your word to us today
as St. Jerome loved it.
Like him,
may we understand it in your way,
keep your word faithfully in word and deed,
and pass it on to those who are with us
and who will come after us.
We ask you this through Christ, our Lord. Amen!
1 Reading – JOB 38:1, 12-21; 40:3-5
The LORD addressed Job out of the storm and said: Have you ever in your lifetime commanded the morning and shown the dawn its place for taking hold of the ends of the earth, till the wicked are shaken from its surface? The earth is changed as is clay by the seal, and dyed as though it were a garment; but from the wicked the light is withheld, and the arm of pride is shattered. Have you entered into the sources of the sea, or walked about in the depths of the abyss? Have the gates of death been shown to you, or have you seen the gates of darkness? Have you comprehended the breadth of the earth? Tell me, if you know all: Which is the way to the dwelling place of light, and where is the abode of darkness, that you may take them to their boundaries and set them on their homeward paths? You know, because you were born before them, and the number of your years is great! Then Job answered the LORD and said: Behold, I am of little account; what can I answer you? I put my hand over my mouth. Though I have spoken once, I will not do so again; though twice, I will do so no more.
Responsorial PSALM 139:1-3, 7-8, 9-10, 13-14AB
R. (24b) Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
O LORD, you have probed me and you know me;
you know when I sit and when I stand;
you understand my thoughts from afar.
My journeys and my rest you scrutinize,
with all my ways you are familiar. R.
Where can I go from your spirit?
From your presence where can I flee?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I sink to the nether world, you are present there. R.
If I take the wings of the dawn,
if I settle at the farthest limits of the sea,
Even there your hand shall guide me,
and your right hand hold me fast. R.
Truly you have formed my inmost being;
you knit me in my mother’s womb.
I give you thanks that I am fearfully, wonderfully made;
wonderful are your works. R.
Alleluia – PSALM 95:8
Alleluia, alleluia.
If today you hear his voice,
harden not your hearts.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel – LUKE 10:13-16
Jesus said to them, “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty deeds done in your midst had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would long ago have repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. But it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you. And as for you, Capernaum, ‘Will you be exalted to heaven? You will go down to the netherworld.’ Whoever listens to you listens to me. Whoever rejects you rejects me. And whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me.”
Commentary
Gift of Wonder
So many miracles happened in Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum; but the hearts of their citizens remained cold and unresponsive. They failed to respond precisely because they had lost the sense of wonder and marvel; they had lost the freshness of sight. Take a second look at the questions Yahweh raised before Job. Have we ever contemplated those marvels? If we pause to “really see” those marvels unfolding around us on a daily basis, we will, like Job, place our hands on our mouth in wonder and go down on our knees in worship and adoration of the Creator. We will then respond to these marvels by sitting in ashes and wearing sackcloth of repentance for failing to recognize Grace that has always surrounded us; and we will align ourselves with the designs of the Creator.
Intentions
– That the world of today may not lose its sense of sin and “legalize” things that are wrong, we pray:
– That all those hardened in sin may be touched by the Spirit of the Lord to repent and change their ways, we pray:
– That the many who bear a heavy burden of sin and guilt and those who suffer from the sins of others may keep trusting in God’s liberating and forgiving goodness, we pray:
Prayer over the Gifts
Loving Father,
your word has become our food in Jesus Christ.
He makes us one with you.
Through him, give us your strength
to enlighten our minds and to guide us,
that we may put your words into practice
and follow your living Word,
your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen!
Prayer after Communion
Lord our God,
you have made a covenant with us,
a union of life and love,
and you want the whole of creation to share in it.
You speak to us and to the world
your liberating word.
God, may we be the answer to your word,
not only by what we say,
but in everything we are and do.
We ask you this through Christ, our Lord. Amen!
Blessing
We regret it, and in our best moments, we don’t really want it, but sin always returns. May God have mercy on us and help us. May God bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!