ENTRANCE ANTIPHON

The Lord has been my strength; he has led me into freedom. He saved me because he loves me. (Ps 17:19-20)
 

PENITENTIAL RITE

In the Gospel Jesus reminds us that we are God’s precious children. He loves and cares for us. The knowledge of this truth should free us from fretting and worrying. Jesus urges us to let go of worry, and to trust in the love and care of God for us. The Christian must put his future in the hands of God. Let us ask ourselves a few questions: Am I taken up by worldly values? Am I enslaved by material things? Where do I place my trust? To celebrate this Eucharist worthily let us call to mind all our sins and ask pardon from the Lord. (Pause)
I confess...
Glory to God...
 

OPENING PRAYER

Lord, guide the course of world events and give your Church the joy and peace of serving you in freedom. We ask this…
 

FIRST READING

(This passage is part of the message of consolation and hope, that the prophet Isaiah brought to the Jewish exiles in Babylon, where they were on the brink of despair.)
 

A reading from the Book of Isaiah
(49:14-15)
 

Zion said, “The Lord has forsaken me, my Lord has forgotten me.” “Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you.”
This is the Word of the Lord
 

PSALM (61)

Response: In God alone is my soul at rest.
 

In God alone is my soul at rest; my help comes from Him. He alone is my rock, my stronghold, my fortress: I stand firm. R./
In God alone be at rest, my soul; for my hope comes from Him. He alone is my rock, my stronghold, my fortress: I stand firm. R./
In God is my safety and glory, the rock of my strength. Take refuge in God all you people. Trust Him at all times. Pour out your hearts before Him. R./
 

SECOND READING

(St Paul tells the Corinthians that the preachers of the Gospel are Christ’s servants and no one but God has the right to pass judgement on them. For God alone knows the secrets of their hearts and God is the only one who can judge them rightly.)
 

A reading from the First Letter of St Paul to the Corinthians (4:1-5)
 

This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover it is required of stewards that they be found trustworthy. But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court. I do not even judge myself. I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me. Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then every man will receive his commendation from God.
This is the Word of the Lord
 

ACCLAMATION

Alleluia, alleluia! The Word became flesh and dwelt among us; to all who received him, he gave power to become children of God. Alleluia! (Jn 1:12,14)
 

GOSPEL

(Jesus tells his disciples not to be over-solicitous about their food or their clothing, and not to make themselves slaves to things of this world. Jesus urges them to place their lives in the hands of his heavenly Father.)
 

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to St Matthew (6:24-34)
 

Jesus said to his disciples, “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.
“Therefore, I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink, nor about your body, what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add one cubit to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin; yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O men of little faith? Therefore, do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek all these things; and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well.
“Therefore, do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Let the day’s own trouble be sufficient for the day.”
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 reminds us that we are God’s precious children and he urges us to let go of worry and to trust in the love and care of God. With confidence and trust let us make our needs known to our heavenly Father, saying:
 

Response: Father, hear our prayer.
 

1. For our Pope, bishops and clergy: that through their ministry people may experience the tender and steadfast love of God. Empower them with your Holy Spirit, so that they may uphold Christian values and morals. Let us pray to the Lord. R./
2. For all parents: that they may show love and care for their children in good times and in bad so that homes may become places of happiness. Let us pray… R./
3. For all those who are burdened with problems and worries: that they may know the strength that comes from trust in God. Let us pray… R./
4. For all government leaders: that they may make untiring efforts to rule their people in freedom and justice, providing them with the necessary education and food. Let us pray… R./
5. For those here present: that we may experience the Providence of God and put our future in His hands. Let us pray… R./
(Pray for local and personal needs)
 

Cel: Almighty God, we acknowledge you as our heavenly Father; provide us, your children, with all our needs; take away from us all worry, anxiety and fear. Increase in us a spirit of trust and confidence in your love and care. We ask this…
 

PRAYER OVER THE GIFTS

God our Creator, may this bread and wine we offer as a sign of our love and worship lead us to salvation. Grant this…
 

PREFACE (P 35)

Father, all-powerful and ever-living God, we do well always and everywhere to give you thanks.
So great was your love that you gave us your Son as our redeemer. You sent him as one like ourselves, though free from sin, that you might see and love in us what you see and love in Christ. Your gifts of grace, lost by disobedience, are now restored by the obedience of your Son.
We praise you, Lord, with all the angels and saints in their song of joy:
 

All: Holy, holy, holy…
 

COMMUNION ANTIPHON

I, the Lord, am with you always, until the end of the world. (Mt 28:20)
 

PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION

od of salvation, may this sacrament which strengthens us here on earth bring us to eternal life. We ask this…
 

LITURGY  AND  LIFE

For many, the Gospel passage of Matthew 6:25-31, that refers to the God, who feeds the birds of the air and clothes the wild flowers of the field, is unparalleled in its literary richness. But for millions of believers and non-believers alike, this portion of the Sermon on the Mount contains a profound  encouragement, as well as a call for greater faith. It calls for trust in God, who provides for our every need, no matter how small and insignificant we are. God has a wonderful plan for our lives, and part of that plan includes taking care of us. Even in difficult times, when it seems that God doesn’t care, we can put our trust in the Lord and focus our attention on his Kingdom.
We must not, however, think that Jesus is forbidding us from working hard, planning and saving for our future, or even having legitimate concerns about life’s demands. We obviously need to care for the needs of those around us, be conscientious in carrying out our responsibilities, or even save for our future needs. Jesus is commanding us to cease from being “concerned” in a way that is sinful– to cease from worry or anxiety. It is about our need for trusting in a God, who is benevolent and generous towards everyone, who knows our needs and provides for us. This is called the Biblical doctrine of God’s ‘providence’. We are to confidently trust, that this very same God, who is so wonderful ‘shall supply all our needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus’ (Phil 4:19). This God has created the universe and everything in it, He takes care of every living and non-living being in this creation of His and He will see to its fulfilment at the end. To worry is to deny, in practice, the doctrine of God’s providence. It tells God that we don’t trust Him, that we don’t believe He will really take care of us. It says that we know more than He does about our situation. This is a contradiction for us Christians. St Peter tells us: “Cast all your worries upon God, for He cares for you.” (1 Pt 5:7)
We don’t need to worry. First, because worry is futile. We cannot, by worrying, add anything to our lives and improve our situation. It is said that ‘today is the tomorrow we worried about yesterday’. Secondly, we don’t need to worry, because we are of great value to our heavenly Father. We will never have to persuade the almighty God of the universe to care for us; because we are already so valuable to Him that He cares for us infinitely. Thirdly, we don’t need to worry because, in Christ, we are citizens of the Father’s Kingdom. Jesus says, “Therefore do not worry, saying ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all, these things the Gentiles seek. For, your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.” (Mt 6:31-32)
“Worry never robs tomorrow of its sorrow, it only saps today of its joy.” –Leo Buscaglia
 —Fr Joe Eruppakkatt, ssp
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February  2011               READINGS OF THE WEEK             Psalter Week   4

28 Mon (G) Sir 17:20-28/ Ps 31:1-2.5 6.7/ Mk 10:17-27
01 Tue (G) Sir 35:1-15/ Ps 49:5-6.7-8.14 & 23/ Mk 10:28-31
02 Wed (G) Sir 36:1-2a.5-6.13-19/ Ps 78:8.9.11 & 13/ Mk 10:32-45
03 Thu (G) Sir 42:15-26/ Ps 32:2-3.4-5.6-7.8-9/ Mk 10:46-52
04 Fri (W) St Casimir, Sir 44:1.9-13/ Ps 149:1b-2.3-4.5-6a & 9b/ Mk 11:11-26
05 Sat (G) Sir 51:17-27/ Ps 18:8.9.10.11/ Mk 11:27-33

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