September 19
Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Give a Mass Offering
Mass Intentions
Sat. 4:00 PM – Russell & Mary Hayes / Richard & Marcia Hoogkamp
Sun. 7:30 AM – John Laura / His Loving Family
Sun. 10:30 AM – Thomas Dadey / Joe & Diana Evans
Sun. 5:00 PM – Ben Stabile / Elaine Lostumbo
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
Wisdom 2:12, 17-20
The wicked say: Let us beset the just one, because he is obnoxious to us; he sets himself against our doings, reproaches us for transgressions of the law and charges us with violations of our training. Let us see whether his words be true; let us find out what will happen to him. For if the just one be the son of God, God will defend him and deliver him from the hand of his foes. With revilement and torture let us put the just one to the test that we may have proof of his gentleness and try his patience. Let us condemn him to a shameful death; for according to his own words, God will take care of him.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalms 54:3-4, 5, 6 and 8
R. (6b) The Lord upholds my life.
O God, by your name save me,
and by your might defend my cause.
O God, hear my prayer;
hearken to the words of my mouth.
R. The Lord upholds my life.
For the haughty have risen up against me,
the ruthless seek my life;
they set not God before their eyes.
R. The Lord upholds my life.
Behold, God is my helper;
the Lord sustains my life.
Freely will I offer you sacrifice;
I will praise your name, O LORD, for its goodness.
R. The Lord upholds my life.
Second Reading
James 3:16—4:3
Beloved: Where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every foul practice. But the wisdom from above is first of all pure, then peaceable, gentle, compliant, full of mercy and good fruits, without inconstancy or insincerity. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace for those who cultivate peace.
Where do the wars and where do the conflicts among you come from? Is it not from your passions that make war within your members? You covet but do not possess. You kill and envy but you cannot obtain; you fight and wage war. You do not possess because you do not ask. You ask but do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.
Gospel Acclamation
Cf. 2 Thes 2:14
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
God has called us through the Gospel
to possess the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
Mark 9:30-37
Jesus and his disciples left from there and began a journey through Galilee, but he did not wish anyone to know about it. He was teaching his disciples and telling them, “The Son of Man is to be handed over to men and they will kill him, and three days after his death the Son of Man will rise.” But they did not understand the saying, and they were afraid to question him.
They came to Capernaum and, once inside the house, he began to ask them, “What were you arguing about on the way?” But they remained silent. They had been discussing among themselves on the way who was the greatest. Then he sat down, called the Twelve, and said to them, “If anyone wishes to be first, he shall be the last of all and the servant of all.” Taking a child, he placed it in their midst, and putting his arms around it, he said to them, “Whoever receives one child such as this in my name, receives me; and whoever receives me, receives not me but the One who sent me.”
“Come with joy into the presence of the Lord.”
Reflection
What does it mean to be a servant? Of course, when Jesus speaks of servanthood, he is not talking about being a slave, a servant with no choice in the matter; but instead, he speaks of true servanthood, a giving of oneself without the expectation of personal gain.
When I ponder the reason why I may choose to serve in a particular capacity, I often realize that I secretly hope for some type of recognition or repayment for my service. I also may hope there is not an ultimate cost because of my service. Although we may all understand that a human response like that is common, we must also realize that it is not what true servanthood is in the eye of God.
The other very real issue in servanthood is that if we truly listen to God, and follow the movement of the Holy Spirit in our life, we may find that God invites us to serve in ways that we do not feel qualified, or in ways that do not meet our expectations.
No matter how God asks us to serve, whether through feet on the ground, one-on-one service, fruitful prayer, support- ing our parish or financially supporting the work of Hope Appeal, we must realize that we all are called to serve through our Baptism. Our trusting cooperation with God’s will in our life is what will make us joyous givers, ones who walk with Jesus and help in the day-to-day ministry to God’s people!
Peace,
Fr. John
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