>>> NICHOLAS – Pray for Us!
SEARCHING FOR THE STRAYING SHEEP
Introduction
St. Nicholas was bishop of Myra, (in Turkey) in the fourth century. He became one of the most popular saints of the Church. Historically, we know little more about him than that he lived at the time the Church had to struggle with Arianism. He must have been a very good, generous person, caring for the poor and those suffering, as the many legends around his name point to kindness and liberality, looking even for a dowry for poor girls. That is why he is the model of the giver of gifts to children and to the poor.
Commercialized, and the center of all sorts of fantasies, he became the Santa Claus of secularized Christmas celebrations.
Opening Prayer
Generous God,
we are happy to honor today Saint Nicholas,
a saint with an open hand like you.
May we be men and women
who are big-hearted enough
to let many share in your gifts,
that people may come to admire and love you
and to respond to your liberality
with great faith and trust.
We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen!
1 Reading: ISAIAH 40:1-11
Comfort, give comfort to my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her service is at an end, her guilt is expiated; Indeed, she has received from the hand of the LORD double for all her sins. A voice cries out: In the desert prepare the way of the LORD! Make straight in the wasteland a highway for our God! Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill shall be made low; The rugged land shall be made a plain, the rough country, a broad valley. Then the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all people shall see it together; for the mouth of the LORD has spoken. A voice says, “Cry out!” I answer, “What shall I cry out?” “All flesh is grass, and all their glory like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower wilts, when the breath of the LORD blows upon it. So then, the people is the grass. Though the grass withers and the flower wilts, the word of our God stands forever.” Go up onto a high mountain, Zion, herald of glad tidings; Cry out at the top of your voice, Jerusalem, herald of good news! Fear not to cry out and say to the cities of Judah: Here is your God! Here comes with power the Lord GOD, who rules by his strong arm; here is his reward with him, his recompense before him. Like a shepherd he feeds his flock; in his arms he gathers the lambs, Carrying them in his bosom, and leading the ewes with care.
Responsorial PSALM 96:1-2, 3 and 10ac, 11-12, 13
R. (cf, Isaiah 40:10ab) The Lord our God comes with power.
Sing to the LORD a new song;
sing to the LORD, all you lands.
Sing to the LORD; bless his name;
announce his salvation, day after day. R.
Tell his glory among the nations;
among all peoples, his wondrous deeds.
Say among the nations: The LORD is king;
he governs the peoples with equity. R.
Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice;
let the sea and what fills it resound;
let the plains be joyful and all that is in them!
Then let all the trees of the forest rejoice. R.
They shall exult before the LORD, for he comes;
for he comes to rule the earth.
He shall rule the world with justice
and the peoples with his constancy. R.
Alleluia
Alleluia, alleluia.
The day of the Lord is near;
Behold, he comes to save us.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel: MATTHEW 18:12-14
Jesus said to his disciples: “What is your opinion? If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray, will he not leave the ninety-nine in the hills and go in search of the stray? And if he finds it, amen, I say to you, he rejoices more over it than over the ninety-nine that did not stray. In just the same way, it is not the will of your heavenly Father that one of these little ones be lost.”
Commentary
What God Doesn’t Want
I was with a bunch of young adults and the topic of suicide came up. A woman, a passionate catholic, was particularly severe on her views about those who committed suicide. Taking one’s own life, she argued, was a very serious sin that deserved hell. I asked her: “Imagine that you have a son. He commits suicide. If you were given the duty to judge him, would you condemn him to hell?” She went silent for a moment, and said, “No, I wouldn’t.” “God says that even if a mother forgets her child, he would not forget us. Are you sure then, that God would condemn so?” “I had never thought about it thus”, she said and broke down. We do not know how God judges finally. But one thing we know: Jesus’ Father in heaven does not want even one of the little ones to perish.
Intercessions
– That the Church may be compassionate and patient with people who err, as God is compassionate to us, we pray:
– That we may bring joy and comfort to one another, as God has brought us joy and comfort in Christ, we pray:
– That we may not condemn people who commit mistakes or hurt us, we pray:
Prayer over the Gifts
Our loving God,
we bring bread and wine before you
from your own good gifts to us
and we ask you to let them become for us
the greatest of all gifts, your own Son Jesus Christ.
Let him make us generous to our neighbour
with all the gifts of mind and heart
with which you have enriched us
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen!
Prayer after Communion
Generous God,
we thank you that you have let us share
in the table of the word and the bread
of Jesus, our Saviour and our brother.
May we be grateful to you and to people
for all you have given us so graciously
and sing to you our songs of praise and thanks
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen!
Blessing
We thank God that he still cared for us when we sinned. With him, we care also for people who go astray. May Almighty God bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!