April 29

Memorial of Saint Catherine of Siena, Virgin and Doctor of the Church

Give a Mass Offering

Mass Intentions

7:45 AM – Vona Sharer / Jean & John Anastasio

Prayer for Spiritual Communion

My Jesus, I believe that you are present in the most Blessed Sacrament. I love You above all things and I desire to receive You into my soul. Since I cannot now 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. Amen.


Readings

First Reading

Acts 13:13-25

From Paphos, Paul and his companions set sail and arrived at Perga in Pamphylia. But John left them and returned to Jerusalem. They continued on from Perga and reached Antioch in Pisidia. On the sabbath they entered into the synagogue and took their seats. After the reading of the law and the prophets, the synagogue officials sent word to them, “My brothers, if one of you has a word of exhortation for the people, please speak.”

So Paul got up, motioned with his hand, and said, “Fellow children of Israel and you others who are God-fearing, listen. The God of this people Israel chose our ancestors and exalted the people during their sojourn in the land of Egypt. With uplifted arm he led them out, and for about forty years he put up with them in the desert. When he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, he gave them their land as an inheritance at the end of about four hundred and fifty years. After these things he provided judges up to Samuel the prophet. Then they asked for a king. God gave them Saul, son of Kish, a man from the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years. Then he removed him and raised up David as their king; of him he testified,

I have found David, son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will carry out my every wish.

From this man’s descendants God, according to his promise, has brought to Israel a savior, Jesus. John heralded his coming by proclaiming a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel; and as John was completing his course, he would say, ‘What do you suppose that I am? I am not he. Behold, one is coming after me; I am not worthy to unfasten the sandals of his feet.’“

Responsorial Psalm

Psalms 89:2-3, 21-22, 25 and 27

R. (2) For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.

The favors of the LORD I will sing forever;
through all generations my mouth shall proclaim your faithfulness.
For you have said, “My kindness is established forever”;
in heaven you have confirmed your faithfulness.

R. For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.

“I have found David, my servant;
with my holy oil I have anointed him,
That my hand may be always with him,
and that my arm may make him strong.”

R. For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.

“My faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him,
and through my name shall his horn be exalted.
He shall say of me, ‘You are my father,
my God, the Rock, my savior.’”

R. For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.

Gospel Acclamation

See Revelations 1:5ab

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Jesus Christ, you are the faithful witness,
the firstborn of the dead,
you have loved us and freed us from our sins by your Blood.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

John 13:16-20

When Jesus had washed the disciples’ feet, he said to them: “Amen, amen, I say to you, no slave is greater than his master nor any messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you understand this, blessed are you if you do it. I am not speaking of all of you. I know those whom I have chosen. But so that the Scripture might be fulfilled, The one who ate my food has raised his heel against me. From now on I am telling you before it happens, so that when it happens you may believe that I AM. Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.”


For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
— see Psalms 89:2

Reflection

What does it mean to serve? I suppose that has as many answers as people who have asked the question. I believe that to serve means to imitate Christ. We, as Church, do that well. We feed the poor. We provide the sacraments to the faithful. We teach. We comfort. We look out for those whom are less fortunate or whom are ill. Of course, when I say the Church does this, I really mean the faithful do all these things. 

The one thing that I believe we overlook is the need to serve others through our prayer. This can be especially important for those who cannot be as active as they once were. Perhaps, you can no longer go out and minister to the needs of those in our community, or you do not have the financial resources to support the missionary work of the Church. We must always remember that Christ calls us to be people of prayer. All the other activities that we have mentioned should flow from our personal and corporate prayer. Do we take time to pray? Do we see private prayer as service? We should! If we do not, perhaps we need to think about what or whom we should pray. Spend some time in conversation with God. That is the best and first way to serve the needs of all, even our own needs!

Peace,

Fr. John 


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