ENTRANCE ANTIPHON
Listen, Lord, and answer me. Save your servant who trusts in you. I call to you
all day long, have mercy on me, O Lord.
PENITENTIAL RITE
We see in the Gospel of today, many disciples leaving Jesus when they found his
teaching on the Bread of Life too hard to understand. Today, too, the Eucharist
is a cause for division. Let us ask mercy and forgiveness from the Lord for the
many sins committed against the Body of Christ, the sacrament of our salvation,
especially the sin of division among Christians.
I confess...
Glory to God...
OPENING PRAYER
Let us pray: Father, help us to seek the values that will bring us lasting joy
in this changing world. In our desire for what you promise make us one in mind
and heart. Grant this…
FIRST READING
(Joshua asks all the tribes of Israel to choose between serving the Lord their
God and the gods their fathers served beyond the river. They decide to serve the
one true God who brought them out of the land of slavery.)
A reading from the book of Joshua (24:1-2,15-18)
Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and summoned the elders,
the heads, the judges, and the officers of Israel; and they presented themselves
before God. And Joshua said to all the people, “If you be unwilling to serve the
Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served
in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you
dwell; but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” Then the people
answered, “Far be it from us that we should forsake the Lord, to serve other
gods; for it is the Lord our God who brought us and our fathers up from the land
of Egypt, out of the house of bondage, and who did those great signs in our
sight, and preserved us in all the way that we went, and among all the peoples
through whom we passed; and the Lord drove out before us all the peoples, the
Amorites who lived in the land; therefore we also will serve the Lord, for he is
our God.”
This is the Word of the Lord
PSALM (33)
Response: Taste and see that the Lord is good.
I will bless the Lord at all times, his praise always on my lips; in the Lord my
soul shall make its boast. The humble shall hear and be glad. R./
The Lord turns his face against the wicked to destroy their remembrance from the
earth. The Lord turns his eyes to the just and his ears to their appeal. R./
They call and the Lord hears and rescues them in all their distress. The Lord is
close to the broken-hearted; those whose spirit is crushed he will save. R./
Many are the trials of the just man but from them all the Lord will rescue him.
He will keep guard over all his bones, not one of his bones shall be broken. R./
Evil brings death to the wicked; those who hate the good are doomed. The Lord
ransoms the souls of his servants. Those who hide in him shall not be condemned.
R./
SECOND READING
(Paul argues the reasons for reverence, respect and love between husband and
wife in marriage. Christ’s love for his Church is the model Paul sets before
them.)
A reading from the Letter of St Paul to the Ephesians (5:21-32)
Be subject to one another out of reverence for Christ. Wives, be subject to your
husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is
the head of the Church, his body, and is himself its Saviour. As the Church is
subject to Christ, so let wives also be subject in everything to their husbands.
Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the Church and gave himself up for
her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water
with the word, that he might present the Church to himself in splendour, without
spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.
Even so husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his
wife loves himself. For no man ever hates his own flesh, but nourishes and
cherishes it, as Christ does the Church, because we are members of his body.
“For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his
wife, and the two shall become one.” This is a great mystery, and I mean in
reference to Christ and the Church.
This is the Word of the Lord
ACCLAMATION (Eph 1:17-18)
Alleluia! Alleluia! May the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ enlighten the eyes
of our heart, so that we may know the hope to which he has called us. Alleluia!
GOSPEL
(Many disciples leave Jesus at his teaching on the Bread of Life. But the twelve
Apostles want to stay behind as Peter declares on their behalf that he alone has
the words of eternal life.)
A reading from the Holy Gospel according to St John (6:60-69)
Many of the disciples, when they heard the doctrine of Jesus, said, “This is a
hard saying; who can listen to it?” But Jesus knowing in himself that his
disciples murmured at it, said to them, “Do you take offence at this? Then what
if you were to see the Son of man ascending where he was before? It is the
spirit that gives life, the flesh is of no avail; the words that I have spoken
to you are spirit and life. But there are some of you that do not believe.” For
Jesus knew from the first who those were that did not believe, and who it was
that should betray him. And he said, “This is why I told you that no one can
come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.” After this many of his
disciples drew back and no longer went about with him. Jesus said to the twelve,
“Will you also go away?” Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go?
You have the words of eternal life; and we have believed, and have come to know
that you are the Holy One of God.”
This is the Gospel of the Lord
I believe in God,/the Father almighty,/ Creator of heaven and earth./ I believe
in Jesus Christ,/his only Son, our Lord./ He was conceived by the power of the
Holy Spirit/ and born of the Virgin Mary./He suffered under Pontius Pilate,/was
crucified, died, and was buried./He descended to the dead./On the third day he
rose again./He ascended into heaven,/and is seated at the right hand of the
Father./He will come again to judge the living and the dead./I believe in the
Holy Spirit,/the holy catholic Church,/the communion of saints,/the forgiveness
of sins,/the resurrection of the body,/and the life everlasting./ Amen.
PRAYER OF THE FAITHFUL
Cel: Dear brothers and sisters, Jesus alone has the words of eternal life. As we
have listened to God’s word, with faith let us now approach him with our needs
and the needs of the world.
Response: Lord, hear our prayer and provide for our needs.
1. We pray for the Church and her leaders that they may always remain close to
Jesus and proclaim him who alone has the words of eternal life. R./
2. We pray for all Christian denominations that they may find in the holy
Eucharist the source and summit of their lives and the cause for unity and
peace. R./
3. We pray for leaders of nations, that they may lead the people entrusted to
their care with benevolence and dedication. R./
4. We pray for all teachers that they may be blessed with true knowledge and
impart it to others in selfless love and dedication. R./
5. We pray for the poor, the needy, the suffering and those caring for them that
they may find in Jesus their source of hope and eternal salvation. R./
(Pray for local and personal needs)
Cel: Lord, we thank you for sharing with us your eternal word and your sacred
body and blood. Bless our lives and all our efforts and endeavours that we may
continue to give glory to your name. We make this...
PRAYER OVER THE GIFTS
Merciful God, the perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ made us your people. In your
love, grant peace and unity to your Church. We ask this…
PREFACE (P 34)
Father, all-powerful and ever-living God, we do well always and everywhere to
give you thanks.
In you we live and move and have our being. Each day you show us a Father’s
love; your Holy Spirit, dwelling within us, gives on earth the hope of unending
joy.
Your gift of the Spirit, who raised Jesus from the dead, is the foretaste and
promise of the paschal feast of heaven.
With thankful praise, in company with the angels, we glorify the wonders of your
power:
All: Holy, holy, holy...
COMMUNION ANTIPHON
Lord, the earth is filled with your gift from heaven; man grows bread from
earth, and wine to cheer his heart.
PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION
Lord, may this Eucharist increase within us the healing power of your love. May
it guide and direct our efforts to please you in all things. We ask this…
Liturgy & Life
Today’s First reading and the
gospel place before us two decisive questions. The listeners are challenged to
make a definite decision. Their answer to these questions would make the
all-important difference to the rest of their lives. They are to choose between
the God who loves them and bring them life and liberty and the other gods who
are but illusions.
Many disciples found Jesus’ teaching on the Eucharist too hard to understand.
Some were scandalized, others confused and unconvinced. The best option before
them was to quit. Jesus watches them leaving. But he does not dilute his
teaching. Nor is he prepared to compromise in order to keep the flock with him.
Jesus only repeats what he has been telling all along – that he is the bread
that came down from heaven and anyone who eats that bread will live for ever.
Many of his followers closed their ears and their understanding to the riches of
this great and extraordinary mystery of life and love shared by Jesus with his
followers in the Sacrament of the Eucharist. It is so profound and rich a
mystery that any dilution or compromise would only make it meaningless. The
choice was theirs to make: to receive the gift of God’s own life in the
Eucharist or abandon its riches.
Right from the time of Jesus Eucharist is a great divider; paradoxically so. St.
Paul, after the death of the Lord pleaded with the Corinthian community for
unity among those who come to celebrate the Lord’s Supper: “The cup of blessing
which we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? Because there
is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one
bread.” (1 Cor10:16-17). But it’s a sad reality that the Eucharist, the
Sacrament of unity, continues to divide Christians everywhere.
Jesus’ challenge to his disciples, “Do you also want to go away?” is indicative
of what Christian teachings should be. Even apart from the Eucharist, today
there is an ‘anything goes’ tendency among the Christians. This version of
Christianity, in the name of tolerance and relativism, is ready to dilute
Church’s teaching on bioethics and the sanctity of human life. It permits
abortion, divorce and other destructive practices for trivial reasons. There are
many who grumble and say, “Who can accept this teaching of the Church?” “Why is
not Church making it easy for us?” “Why is Pope driving people away from the
Church by his firm stands?”
Peter, the spokesperson of the apostles gives us why we need to stick to Jesus
and his teachings: “Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal
life”. And the people of Israel (First Reading) responded to the challenge of
Joshua: “Far be it from us to forsake the LORD for the service of other gods…”
Let these two responses be ours as we move out of this place of worship.
— Fr Joe Eruppakkatt, ssp
August 2009
READINGS OF THE
WEEK
Psalter Week 1
24 Mon (R) St BARTHOLOMEW, Ap
(Fst) Rev 21:9b-14; Ps 144:101-11,12-13ab,17-18; Jn 1:45-51
25 Tue (W) St Louis ,1 Thes 2:1-8; Ps 138:1-2,3-4,5-6; Mt 23:23-26
26 Wed (G) 1 Thes 2:9-13; Ps 138:7-87,9-10,11-12; Mt 23:27-32
27 Thu (W) St Monica (mem) 1 Thes 3:7-13; Ps 89:3-4,12-13,14&17ab; Mt 24:42-51
28 Fri (W) St Augustine, (mem) 1 Thes 4:1-8; Ps 96:1-2,5-6,10,11-12; Mt 25:1-13
29 Sat (R) Beheading of St John the Baptist (mem) Jer 1:17-19;
Ps 70:1-2,3-4a,5-6ab,15ab&17; Mk 6:17-29
