>>> ANTHONY, Abbot – Pray for Us!
LORD OF THE SABBATH
Introduction
“If you want to be perfect, go and sell what you own… and come, follow me.” Saint Anthony (251-356) heard these words, gave away what he had and withdrew into the desert, as he thought that this was the place where the evangelical way could be practiced in all its purity. Later Anthony organized monastic life for the “fathers of the desert” who had followed him and for whom he wrote a rule. For a while he left the desert to defend his faith against Arianism and to strengthen those suffering for the faith. Then he retired again to the desert.
Opening Prayer
Lord our God,
though he was a rich young man,
Saint Anthony did not refuse the invitation of Jesus
to renounce his material riches
and to follow your Son radically.
Through the prayers of St. Anthony,
may we too put our riches
not in what we have
but in what you give us and make us
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen!
1 Reading HEBREWS 6:10-20
Brothers and sisters: God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love you have demonstrated for his name by having served and continuing to serve the holy ones. We earnestly desire each of you to demonstrate the same eagerness for the fulfillment of hope until the end, so that you may not become sluggish, but imitators of those who, through faith and patience, are inheriting the promises. When God made the promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore by himself, and said, I will indeed bless you and multiply you. And so, after patient waiting, Abraham obtained the promise. Now, men swear by someone greater than themselves; for them an oath serves as a guarantee and puts an end to all argument. So when God wanted to give the heirs of his promise an even clearer demonstration of the immutability of his purpose, he intervened with an oath, so that by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge might be strongly encouraged to hold fast to the hope that lies before us. This we have as an anchor of the soul, sure and firm, which reaches into the interior behind the veil, where Jesus has entered on our behalf as forerunner, becoming high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.
Responsorial Psalm 111:1-2, 4-5, 9 and 10c
R. (5) The Lord will remember his covenant for ever. or: Alleluia.
I will give thanks to the LORD with all my heart
in the company and assembly of the just.
Great are the works of the LORD,
exquisite in all their delights. R.
He has won renown for his wondrous deeds;
gracious and merciful is the LORD.
He has given food to those who fear him;
he will forever be mindful of his covenant. R.
He has sent deliverance to his people;
he has ratified his covenant forever;
holy and awesome is his name.
His praise endures forever. R.
Alleluia cf. EPHESIANS 1:17-18
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
May the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ
enlighten the eyes of our hearts,
that we may know what is the hope
that belongs to our call.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel MARK 2:23-28
As Jesus was passing through a field of grain on the Sabbath, his disciples began to make a path while picking the heads of grain. At this the Pharisees said to him, “Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?” He said to them, “Have you never read what David did when he was in need and he and his companions were hungry? How he went into the house of God when Abiathar was high priest and ate the bread of offering that only the priests could lawfully eat, and shared it with his companions?” Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. That is why the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.”
Commentary
The church teaches that the salvation of the human person is the supreme law of the church. This teaching takes into consideration both the temporal and spiritual aspects of human life (welfare, freedom, good health, salvation, safety, happiness, etc.). It is important to understand that this is not an attempt to underestimate the importance of the law – laws are necessary for the well-being of human beings in the society, yet, like the Sabbath, laws should have a human face. The good intentions behind many laws notwithstanding, we must never lose sight of the fact that laws are a means to an end and not an end in itself. We need to be watchful that we do not become slaves of the law. The glory of God is the human being fully alive. Since human laws are mostly circumstantial, time sensitive and at times unjustly promulgated, effort must be made to root out laws that diminish the dignity of the human person for whom Jesus died on the cross.
Intentions
– That Christians may regard the commandments as doors to freedom from sin and evil and as ways to serve God and people, we pray:
– That lawmakers everywhere make laws that are humane and serve the good of all, we pray:
– That Sunday may be for us a special occasion to grow in love of those who are dear to us, to visit the sick and to serve the needy, we pray:
Prayer over the Gifts
Lord our God,
Let these offerings of bread and wine express
that we welcome your Son in our midst.
As he places himself into our hands,
entirely and without holding anything back,
may he give us the wisdom and strength
to go all the way with him,
without becoming sad,
without looking back
and without counting the cost,
for he is our riches and Lord for ever. Amen!
Prayer after Communion
Lord our God,
you have satisfied our hunger
for food that lasts.
Let it be a hunger that cannot be stilled
for you, for people, for life in its fullness.
Give us the courage to put Jesus and his gospel
above everything else and to give you
not only the best of what we have
but our very selves,
by the power of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen!
Blessing
Laws are made for people, not people for laws. This applies also to God’s laws. They are guidelines, helps for people, not instruments of oppression. May Almighty God bless you and help you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!