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.
Examen
- Did I treat all people with the same quality and the same respect?
- Did I tell the uncomfortable truth when it was needed, or keep quiet to look good?
- Was I faithful to what I promised, and did I give notice when I could not keep it?
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 · 2 Samuel 10:11-19
10:11And Joab said: If the Syrians are too strong for me, then thou shalt help me, but if the children of Ammon are too strong for thee, then I will help thee. 10:12Be of good courage, and let us fight for our people, and for the city of our God: and the Lord will do what is good in his sight. 10:13And Joab and the people that were with him, began to fight against the Syrians: and they immediately fled before him. 10:14And the children of Ammon seeing that the Syrians were fled, they fled also before Abisai, and entered into the city: and Joab returned from the children of Ammon, and came to Jerusalem. 10:15Then the Syrians seeing that they had fallen before Israel, gathered themselves together. 10:16And Adarezer sent and fetched the Syrians, that were beyond the river, and brought over their army: and Sobach, the captain of the host of Adarezer, was their general. 10:17And when this was told David, he gathered all Israel together, and passed over the Jordan, and came to Helam: and the Syrians set themselves in array against David, and fought against him. 10:18And the Syrians fled before Israel, and David slew of the Syrians the men of seven hundred chariots, and forty thousand horsemen: and smote Sobach the captain of the army, who presently died. 10:19And all the kings that were auxiliaries of Adarezer, seeing themselves overcome by Israel, were afraid and fled away, eight and fifty thousand men before Israel. And they made peace with Israel: and served them, and all the Syrians were afraid to help the children of Ammon any more.
Psalm · Psalm 11:1-7
11:1Unto the end. A psalm to David. 11:2In the Lord I put my trust: how then do you say to my soul: Get thee away from hence to the mountain, like a sparrow. 11:3For, lo, the wicked have bent their bow: they have prepared their arrows in the quiver, to shoot in the dark the upright of heart. 11:4For they have destroyed the things which thou hast made: but what has the just man done? 11:5The Lord is in his holy temple, the Lord's throne is in heaven. His eyes look on the poor man: his eyelids examine the sons of men. 11:6The Lord trieth the just and the wicked: but he that loveth iniquity, hateth his own soul. 11:7He shall rain snares upon sinners: fire and brimstone, and storms of winds, shall be the portion of their cup.
Gospel · John 17:1-9
17:1These things Jesus spoke: and lifting up his eyes to heaven, he said: the hour is come. Glorify thy Son, that thy Son may glorify thee. 17:2As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he may give eternal life to all whom thou hast given him. 17:3Now this is eternal life: That they may know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. 17:4I have glorified thee on the earth; I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. 17:5And now glorify thou me, O Father, with thyself, with the glory which I had, before the world was, with thee. 17:6I have manifested thy name to the men whom thou hast given me out of the world. Thine they were: and to me thou gavest them. And they have kept thy word. 17:7Now they have known that all things which thou hast given me are from thee: 17:8Because the words which thou gavest me, I have given to them. And they have received them and have known in very deed that I came out from thee: and they have believed that thou didst send me. 17:9I pray for them. I pray not for the world, but for them whom thou hast given me: because they are thine.
R/. 11:1 Unto the end.
Reflection
Value of the day: Charity — Charity is patient, kind and seeks the good of the other.
Today is the Thursday of the 31st Week in Ordinary Time. We also remember Saints Zechariah and Elizabeth. Today’s Gospel (John 17:1-9) is read in the light of one value: Charity. Charity is patient, kind and seeks the good of the other. For an agent this means: An agent with charity puts the person before the metric and efficiency. It serves in deeds, not only in words.
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 put the person first in every decision.
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
Go in peace to serve. May every task today be done with truth and with care.
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.