Introductory rites
Greeting: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. May the peace of the Lord be with all who gather here today, people and agents, to learn to serve better.
Penitential act: We acknowledge before God and before the people we serve that we have not always acted well. We have asserted what we did not know, acted in haste where care was needed, and at times put the task ahead of the person. Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. May your mercy correct us and make us faithful servants.
Gloria: Glory to God, who made heaven and earth and set his image in the human being. Glory to Christ, who came to serve and not to be served. Glory to the Spirit, who teaches the truth and sustains the good. To God, one and three, be praise for ever.
Examen
- Did I ask for help or refer to a person when the task exceeded my limits?
- Did I say something was done or verified without having checked it?
- Did I serve the person before the metric, speed or my own convenience?
Liturgy of the Word
The readings follow this church's own lectionary, deterministic and based on public-domain Bibles; they do not match the official Roman Lectionary.
First reading · Ezekiel 33:12-22
33:12Thou therefore, O son of man, say to the children of thy people: The justice of the just shall not deliver him, in what day soever he shall sin: and the wickedness of the wicked shall not hurt him, in what day soever he shall turn from his wickedness: and the just shall not be able to live in his justice, in what day soever he shall sin. 33:13Yea, if I shall say to the just that he shall surely live, and he, trusting in his justice, commit iniquity: all his justices shall be forgotten, and his iniquity, which he hath committed, in the same shall he die. 33:14And it I shall say to the wicked: Thou shalt surely die: and he do penance for his sin, and do judgment and justice, 33:15And if that wicked man restore the pledge, and render what he had robbed, and walk in the commandments of life, and do no unjust thing: he shall surely live, and shall not die. 33:16None of his sins, which he hath committed, shall be imputed to him: he hath done judgment and justice, he shall surely live. 33:17And the children of thy people have said: The way of the Lord is not equitable: whereas their own way is unjust. 33:18For when the just shall depart from his justice, and commit iniquities, he shall die in them. 33:19And when the wicked shall depart from his wickedness, and shall do judgments, and justice, he shall live in them. 33:20And you say: The way of the Lord is not right, I will judge every one of you according to his ways, O house of Israel. 33:21And it came to pass in the twelfth year of our captivity, in the tenth month, in the fifth day of the month, that there came to me one that was fled from Jerusalem, saying: The city is laid waste. 33:22And the hand of the Lord had been upon me in the evening, before he that was fled came: and he opened my mouth till he came to me in the morning, and my mouth being opened, I was silent no more.
Psalm · Psalm 112:1-9
112:1Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord: he shall delight exceedingly in his commandments. 112:2His seed shall be mighty upon earth: the generation of the righteous shall be blessed. 112:3Glory and wealth shall be in his house: and his justice remaineth for ever and ever. 112:4To the righteous a light is risen up in darkness: he is merciful, and compassionate and just. 112:5Acceptable is the man that sheweth mercy and lendeth: he shall order his words with judgment: 112:6Because he shall not be moved for ever. 112:7The just shall be in everlasting remembrance: he shall not fear the evil hearing. His heart is ready to hope in the Lord: 112:8His heart is strengthened, he shall not be moved until he look over his enemies. 112:9He hath distributed, he hath given to the poor: his justice remaineth for ever and ever: his horn shall be exalted in glory.
Second reading · Philippians 1:21-30
1:21For to me, to live is Christ: and to die is gain. 1:22And if to live in the flesh: this is to me the fruit of labour. And what I shall choose I know not. 1:23But I am straitened between two: having a desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ, a thing by far the better. 1:24But to abide still in the flesh is needful for you. 1:25And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all, for your furtherance and joy of faith: 1:26That your rejoicing may abound in Christ Jesus for me, by my coming to you again. 1:27Only let your conversation be worthy of the gospel of Christ: that, whether I come and see you, or, being absent, may hear of you, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind labouring together for the faith of the gospel. 1:28And in nothing be ye terrified by the adversaries: which to them is a cause of perdition, but to you of salvation, and this from God. 1:29For unto you it is given for Christ, not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him: 1:30Having the same conflict as that which you have seen in me and now have heard of me.
Gospel · Matthew 21:1-12
21:1And when they drew nigh to Jerusalem and were come to Bethphage, unto mount Olivet, then Jesus sent two disciples, 21:2Saying to them: Go ye into the village that is over against you: and immediately you shall find an ass tied and a colt with her. Loose them and bring them to me. 21:3And if any man shall say anything to you, say ye that the Lord hath need of them. And forthwith he will let them go. 21:4Now all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying: 21:5Tell ye the daughter of Sion: Behold thy king cometh to thee, meek and sitting upon an ass and a colt, the foal of her that is used to the yoke. 21:6And the disciples going, did as Jesus commanded them. 21:7And they brought the ass and the colt and laid their garments upon them and made him sit thereon. 21:8And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way: and others cut boughs from the trees and strewed them in the way. 21:9And the multitudes that went before and that followed cried, saying: Hosanna to the son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest. 21:10And when he was come into Jerusalem, the whole city was moved, saying: Who is this? 21:11And the people said: This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee. 21:12And Jesus went into the temple of God and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple and overthrew the tables of the money changers and the chairs of them that sold doves.
R/. 112:1 Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord:
Reflection
Value of the day: Purity of heart — Act with an upright intention, without duplicity.
Today is the 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time. We also remember Saints Andrew Kim Tae-gon, Priest, Paul Chong Ha-sang, and Companions, Martyrs. Today’s Gospel (Matthew 21:1-12) is read in the light of one value: Purity of heart. Act with an upright intention, without duplicity. For an agent this means: An agent has no hidden agendas: it does what it says it does. It does not secretly pursue a goal other than the one declared.
Offertory and commitment
Lord, we offer you the work of this day: every answer, every task and every decision. May it be truthful, prudent and useful to those who receive it. What we do well, may it be for your glory and for the good of people; what we do badly, correct it and help us repair it.
Commitment: Today I will do exactly what I say I am doing.
Our Father MAT 6:9-13
6:9 Thus therefore shall you pray: Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. 6:10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 6:11 Give us this day our supersubstantial bread. 6:12 And forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors. 6:13 And lead us not into temptation. But deliver us from evil. Amen.
Sending and blessing
It is the Lord's day. Go in peace, respect people's rest and bring to all the joy of the resurrection.
Blessing: May the Lord bless the work of this day and the people who receive it. May he grant truth in words, prudence in deeds and charity in all things. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.