✠In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Where our love of neighbour and of God
has been less than it should,
let us call to mind our sins
I confess to almighty God that I have greatly sinned
in my thoughts and in my words,
in what I have done and in what I have failed to do,
through my fault, through my fault,
through my most grievous fault;
therefore I ask blessed Mary ever Virgin,
and all the Angels and Saints,
to pray for me to the Lord our God.
May almighty God have mercy on us, ✠ forgive us our sins,
and bring us to everlasting life.
THE COLLECT FOR THE DAY
Keep your family safe, O Lord, with unfailing care,
that, relying solely on the hope of heavenly grace,
they may be defended always by your protection.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
FIRST READING Job chapter 7, beginning at verse 1.
Keep your family safe, O Lord, with unfailing care,
that, relying solely on the hope of heavenly grace,
they may be defended always by your protection.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Job spoke, saying: Is not man’s life on earth a drudgery?
Are not his days those of hirelings?
He is a slave who longs for the shade
a hireling who waits for his wages.
So I have been assigned months of misery,
and troubled nights have been allotted to me.
If in bed I say, “When shall I arise?”
then the night drags on;
I am filled with restlessness until the dawn.
My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle;
they come to an end without hope.
Remember that my life is like the wind;
I shall not see happiness again.
Alleluia, alleluia!
He took our sicknesses away,
and carried our diseases for us.
Alleluia!
Gospel Mark 1:29-39
He cast out devils and cured many who were suffering from disease
On leaving the synagogue, Jesus went with James and John straight
to the house of Simon and Andrew. Now Simon’s mother-in-law had
gone to bed with fever, and they told him about her straightaway.
He went to her, took her by the hand and helped her up.
And the fever left her and she began to wait on them.
That evening, after sunset, they brought to him all who were sick
and those who were possessed by devils.
The whole town came crowding round the door,
and he cured many who were suffering from diseases
of one kind or another; he also cast out many devils, but he would
not allow them to speak, because they knew who he was.
In the morning, long before dawn, he got up and left the house,
and went off to a lonely place and prayed there.
Simon and his companions set out in search of him,
and when they found him they said, ‘Everybody is looking for you.’
He answered, ‘Let us go elsewhere, to the neighbouring country
towns, so that I can preach there too, because that is why I came.’
And he went all through Galilee, preaching in their synagogues
and casting out devils.
HOMILY - EAT UP!
A Polish-American Jesuit friend once invited me to dinner at his
mother’s house. This sounded quite agreeable.
The only instruction I was given beforehand was:
do not refuse second helpings.
I was young and skinny and I knew I would even accept thirds.
But ...Polish mothers take great pride in their traditional foods
and in the multiple, large, large bowls in which they serve each one.
Different foods, every one delicious, each and every one
astonishingly filling.
So I ate and ate and ate until the terrible moment arrived.
“Here, have some more, oh my goodness you don’t have anything
on your plate, take some of this. And this. You are going to starve.
You won’t be ready for dessert if you don’t eat your meal!”
Luckily I did not roll my eyes. I took as little of each as I could politely
do, dealt with dessert, and took my stuffed self away from the table,
graced with a new friend in my new Polish mother, and a sore
stomach.
Why do I tell you this? Because Simon’s mother-in-law in the
Gospel must have been this sort of a woman.
Whenever guests visited I’m sure she would be hustling and bustling,
stirring up a welcome, dish after dish.
But, when Jesus and the apostles came over one day,
she was ill and helpless.
Jesus, immersed in his new career of preaching, curing,
driving out unclean spirits, and showing the great tenderness of God
for people, he saw how much out of character it was for her to just
lie there and watch her guests. He took her hand,
healed her without ceremony, and lifted her out of her frustration.
The Gospel says that, “she waited on them.” Just like the Polish
mother. But there is a contrast. In the First Reading we hear the
ancient words of Job, who does nothing but complain that
everything has been taken away from him. “My life is like the wind,”
he says, “I shall not see happiness again.I have been assigned months
of misery, and troubled nights have been allotted to me.
If in bed I say, "When shall I arise?"then the night drags on;
I am filled with restlessness until the dawn.
Many of us will recognize these symptoms from our own lives.
But Job lost more than just sleep. He had been prosperous,
with a wife and servants, children, land, livestock,
and a sterling reputation. Now they were taken away.
What had he done to deserve such huge deprivations?
For that matter, what did Jesus do to deserve the loss of his people
(and his frequent meals with them), and of his preaching and curing
and befriending? When he hung on the cross did he remember his
mother’s meals?
And did she?
We too have to know that loss is included in the way of the world.
God knows this also. And he remains with us either way.
God shows that love means “being with us”
in good times and in bad as well.
Yes, he does join us in delightful meals.
But he does not take troubles away.
He joins us in them too.
John Foley, SJ
THE APOSTLES’ CREED
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
Creator of heaven and earth,
and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died and was buried;
he descended into hell;
on the third day he rose again from the dead;
he ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty;
from there he will come 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 life everlasting. Amen.
THE PRAYER OF THE FAITHFUL
For the Church: that we may be instruments of healing,
relieving the suffering of those who are burdened with illness
or frailty, and offering support and hope.
Lord, hear us.
For all who are ill, particularly for those with the Coronavirus:
that the sick will be healed, protect the vulnerable from the virus,
strengthen healthcare workers, and make the vaccines effective.
Lord, hear us.
For all who echo Job’s cry: those struggling to survive,
fleeing violence, or searching for food: that the Spirit will give them
strength and that open our hearts to assist them.
Lord, hear us.
For all who are seeking employment: that God will open new
opportunities for them and help them recognize their gifts and skills
that they have not been using.
Lord, hear us.
For greater care for the earth and its resources:
that God will guide us in being good stewards of the earth
and protecting its resources for future generations
Lord, hear us.
For all who have died. Rest eternal grant to them, O Lord,
and let light perpetual shine upon them.
Lord, hear us.
We ask Mary to pray with us, as we with her bring our care
for the situation in which we find ourselves;
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee,
blessed art thou among women,
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now,
and at the hour of our death.
Almighty God, by whose grace alone we are accepted
and called to your service: strengthen us by your Holy Spirit
and make us worthy of our calling;
Merciful Father, accept these prayers for the sake of your Son,
our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Let us lift up our hearts.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is truly right and just to give you thanks
and raise to you a hymn of glory and praise,
O Lord, Father of infinite goodness.
For by the word of your Son’s Gospel
you have brought together one Church
from every people, tongue, and nation,
and, having filled her with life by the power of your Spirit,
you never cease through her to gather the whole human race into one. Manifesting the covenant of your love,
she dispenses without ceasing the blessed hope of your Kingdom
and shines bright as the sign of your faithfulness,
which in Christ Jesus our Lord you promised would last for eternity.
And so, with all the Powers of heaven,
we worship you constantly on earth, while,
with all the Church, as one voice we acclaim:
Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of hosts.
Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
At the Saviour’s command
and formed by divine teaching, we dare to say:
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come,
thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
Deliver us, Lord, we pray, from every evil,
graciously grant peace in our days,
that, by the help of your mercy,
we may be always free from sin
and safe from all distress,
as we await the blessed hope
and the coming of our Saviour, Jesus Christ.
For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours
now and for ever.
SPIRITUAL COMMUNION
Loving God, I have come to worship you.
Help me to remember that you are here with me.
Eternal God, in Christ you make yourself a guest.
Amid all my cares and concerns
make me attentive to your voice
and alert to your presence,
that I may know your love surpasses all else;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
Sit for a moment in silence
My Jesus,
I believe that You are present in the Most Holy Sacrament.
I love You above all things,
and I desire to receive You into my soul.
Since I cannot at this moment
receive You sacramentally,
come at least spiritually into my heart.
I embrace You as if You were already there
and unite myself wholly to You.
Never permit me to be separated from You.
Silence
O God, whose holiness is not limited
to grand cathedrals or saintly persons,
spectacular mountains or mountain-moving leaders;
plant Your holiness in this place, in us now.
Grow us in our time with you,
that we might flower, here where we are,
with the beauty of Your holiness.
ASKING GOD’S BLESSING
Most High, Glorious God, enlighten the darkness of our minds.
Give us a right faith, a firm hope and a perfect charity,
so that we may always and in all things act
according to God’s Holy Will
and may the blessing of almighty God,
the Father, and the Son, ✠ and the Holy Spirit,
come down upon us
and remain with us for ever.
THE ANGELUS
The angel of the Lord brought tidings unto Mary. And she conceived by the Holy Ghost.
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now,
and at the hour of our death.
Behold the handmaid of the Lord. Be it unto me according to thy word.
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now,
and at the hour of our death.
And the Word was made flesh. And dwelt amongst us.
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now,
and at the hour of our death.
Pray for us, O holy Mother of God. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
We beseech thee, O Lord, pour thy grace into our hearts,
that as we have known the Incarnation of thy Son Jesus Christ
by the message of an angel, so by his ✠ Cross and Passion
we may be brought unto the glory of his Resurrection;
through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.
Let us bless the Lord. Thanks be to God.
