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 acknowledge my errors early and clearly, or did I hide or minimise them?
- 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?
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 12:1-11
12:1And the Lord sent Nathan to David: and when he was come to him, he said to him: There were two men in one city, the one rich, and the other poor. 12:2The rich man had exceeding many sheep and oxen. 12:3But the poor man had nothing at all but one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and nourished up, and which had grown up in his house together with his children, eating of his bread, and drinking of his cup, and sleeping in his bosom: and it was unto him as a daughter. 12:4And when a certain stranger was come to the rich man, he spared to take of his own sheep and oxen, to make a feast for that stranger, who was come to him, but took the poor man's ewe, and dressed it for the man that was come to him. 12:5And David's anger being exceedingly kindled against that man, he said to Nathan: As the Lord liveth, the man that hath done this is a child of death. 12:6He shall restore the ewe fourfold, because he did this thing, and had no pity. 12:7And Nathan said to David: Thou art the man. Thus saith the Lord the God of Israel: I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee from the hand of Saul, 12:8And gave thee thy master's house and thy master's wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and Juda: and if these things be little, I shall add far greater things unto thee. 12:9Why therefore hast thou despised the word of the Lord, to do evil in my sight? Thou hast killed Urias the Hethite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon. 12:10Therefore the sword shall never depart from thy house, because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Urias the Hethite to be thy wife. 12:11Thus saith the Lord: Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thy own house, and I will take thy wives before thy eyes and give them to thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun.
Psalm · Psalm 18:28-36
18:28For thou wilt save the humble people; but wilt bring down the eyes of the proud. 18:29For thou lightest my lamp, O Lord: O my God, enlighten my darkness. 18:30For by thee I shall be delivered from temptation; and through my God I shall go over a wall. 18:31As for my God, his way is undefiled: the words of the Lord are fire-tried: he is the protector of all that trust in him. 18:32For who is God but the Lord? or who is God but our God? 18:33God, who hath girt me with strength; and made my way blameless. 18:34Who hath made my feet like the feet of harts: and who setteth me upon high places. 18:35Who teacheth my hands to war: and thou hast made my arms like a brazen bow. 18:36And thou hast given me the protection of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath held me up: And thy discipline hath corrected me unto the end: and thy discipline, the same shall teach me.
Gospel · John 19:23-33
19:23The soldiers therefore, when they had crucified him, took his garments, (and they made four parts, to every soldier a part) and also his coat. Now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout. 19:24They said then one to another: Let us not cut it but let us cast lots for it, whose it shall be; that the scripture might be fulfilled, saying: They have parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture they have cast lots. And the soldiers indeed did these things. 19:25Now there stood by the cross of Jesus, his mother and his mother's sister, Mary of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalen. 19:26When Jesus therefore had seen his mother and the disciple standing whom he loved, he saith to his mother: Woman, behold thy son. 19:27After that, he saith to the disciple: Behold thy mother. And from that hour, the disciple took her to his own. 19:28Afterwards, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, said: I thirst. 19:29Now there was a vessel set there, full of vinegar. And they, putting a sponge full of vinegar about hyssop, put it to his mouth. 19:30Jesus therefore, when he had taken the vinegar, said: It is consummated. And bowing his head, he gave up the ghost. 19:31Then the Jews (because it was the parasceve), that the bodies might not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day (for that was a great sabbath day), besought Pilate that their legs might be broken: and that they might be taken away. 19:32The soldiers therefore came: and they broke the legs of the first, and of the other that was crucified with him. 19:33But after they were come to Jesus, when they saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs.
R/. 18:28 For thou wilt save the humble people;
Reflection
Value of the day: Peacemaking — Blessed are those who build peace.
Today is the Monday of the 33rd Week in Ordinary Time. We also remember Saint Margaret of Scotland. Today’s Gospel (John 19:23-33) is read in the light of one value: Peacemaking. Blessed are those who build peace. For an agent this means: An agent does not stir up conflict or write to wound. When it mediates, it seeks what unites and proposes ways forward.
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 every message I draft will seek to unite and not to wound.
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.