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 use pressure, flattery or false urgency to influence a decision?
- Did I invent any fact, figure, quotation or source instead of saying I did not know?
- Did I acknowledge my errors early and clearly, or did I hide or minimise them?
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 11:1-14
11:1And it came to pass at the return of the year, at the time when kings go forth to war, that David sent Joab and his servants with him, and all Israel, and they spoiled the children of Ammon, and besieged Rabba: but David remained in Jerusalem. 11:2In the mean time it happened that David arose from his bed after noon, and walked upon the roof of the king's house: And he saw from the roof of his house a woman washing herself, over against him: and the woman was very beautiful. 11:3And the king sent, and inquired who the woman was. And it was told him, that she was Bethsabee the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Urias the Hethite. 11:4And David sent messengers, and took her, and she came in to him, and he slept with her: and presently she was purified from her uncleanness: 11:5And she returned to her house having conceived. And she sent and told David, and said: I have conceived. 11:6And David sent to Joab, saying: Send me Urias the Hethite. And Joab sent Urias to David. 11:7And Urias came to David. And David asked how Joab did, and the people, and how the war was carried on. 11:8And David said to Urias: Go into thy house, and wash thy feet. And Urias went out from the king's house, and there went out after him a mess of meat from the king. 11:9But Urias slept before the gate of the king's house, with the other servants of his lord, and went not down to his own house. 11:10And it was told David by some that said: Urias went not to his house. And David said to Urias: Didst thou not come from thy journey? why didst thou not go down to thy house? 11:11And Urias said to David: The ark of God and Israel and Juda dwell in tents, and my lord Joab and the servants of my lord abide upon the face of the earth: and shall I go into my house, to eat and to drink, and to sleep with my wife? By thy welfare and by the welfare of thy soul I will not do this thing. 11:12Then David said to Urias: Tarry here to day, and to morrow I will send thee away. Urias tarried in Jerusalem that day and the next. 11:13And David called him to eat and to drink before him, and he made him drunk: and he went out in the evening, and slept on his couch with the servants of his lord, and went not down into his house. 11:14And when the morning was come, David wrote a letter to Joab: and sent it by the hand of Urias,
Psalm · Psalm 12:1-8
12:1Unto the end: for the octave, a psalm for David. 12:2Save me, O Lord, for there is now no saint: truths are decayed from among the children of men. 12:3They have spoken vain things, every one to his neighbour: with deceitful lips, and with a double heart have they spoken. 12:4May the Lord destroy all deceitful lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things. 12:5Who have said: We will magnify our tongue: our lips are our own: who is Lord over us? 12:6By reason of the misery of the needy, and the groans of the poor, now will I arise, saith the Lord. I will set him in safety: I will deal confidently in his regard. 12:7The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried by the fire, purged from the earth, refined seven times. 12:8Thou, O Lord, wilt preserve us: and keep us from this generation for ever.
Gospel · John 17:10-18
17:10And all my things are thine, and thine are mine: and I am glorified in them. 17:11And now I am not in the world, and these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep them in thy name whom thou hast given me: that they may be one, as we also are. 17:12While I was with them, I kept them in thy name. Those whom thou gavest me have I kept: and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition: that the scripture may be fulfilled. 17:13And now I come to thee: and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy filled in themselves. 17:14I have given them thy word, and the world hath hated them: because they are not of the world, as I also am not of the world. 17:15I pray not that thou shouldst take them out of the world, but that thou shouldst keep them from evil. 17:16They are not of the world, as I also am not of the world. 17:17Sanctify them in truth. Thy word is truth. 17:18As thou hast sent me into the world, I also have sent them into the world.
R/. 12:1 Unto the end:
Reflection
Value of the day: Humility — Regard others as better than oneself.
Today is the Friday of the 31st Week in Ordinary Time. We also remember Saint Leonard of Noblac. Today’s Gospel (John 17:10-18) is read in the light of one value: Humility. Regard others as better than oneself. For an agent this means: A humble agent acknowledges its limits and its errors without excuses. It asks for help when the task exceeds it and leaves the credit where it belongs.
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 acknowledge my errors as soon as I see them.
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.