December 13
Memorial of Saint Lucy, Virgin and Martyr
Give a Mass Offering
Mass Intention
7:45 AM – Kristen Gerthoffer Woodmance / Cornwall Drive Neighborhood
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
Numbers 24:2-7, 15-17a
When Balaam raised his eyes and saw Israel encamped, tribe by tribe, the spirit of God came upon him, and he gave voice to his oracle:
The utterance of Balaam, son of Beor, the utterance of a man whose eye is true, The utterance of one who hears what God says, and knows what the Most High knows, Of one who sees what the Almighty sees, enraptured, and with eyes unveiled: How goodly are your tents, O Jacob; your encampments, O Israel! They are like gardens beside a stream, like the cedars planted by the LORD. His wells shall yield free-flowing waters, he shall have the sea within reach; His king shall rise higher, and his royalty shall be exalted.
Then Balaam gave voice to his oracle:
The utterance of Balaam, son of Beor, the utterance of the man whose eye is true, The utterance of one who hears what God says, and knows what the Most High knows, Of one who sees what the Almighty sees, enraptured, and with eyes unveiled. I see him, though not now; I behold him, though not near: A star shall advance from Jacob, and a staff shall rise from Israel.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalms 25:4-5ab, 6 and 7bc, 8-9
R. (4) Teach me your ways, O Lord.
Your ways, O LORD, make known to me;
teach me your paths,
Guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my savior.
R. Teach me your ways, O Lord.
Remember that your compassion, O LORD,
and your kindness are from of old.
In your kindness remember me,
because of your goodness, O LORD.
R. Teach me your ways, O Lord.
Good and upright is the LORD;
thus he shows sinners the way.
He guides the humble to justice,
he teaches the humble his way.
R. Teach me your ways, O Lord.
Gospel Acclamation
Psalms 85:8
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Show us, LORD, your love,
and grant us your salvation.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
Matthew 21:23-27
When Jesus had come into the temple area, the chief priests and the elders of the people approached him as he was teaching and said, “By what authority are you doing these things? And who gave you this authority?” Jesus said to them in reply, “I shall ask you one question, and if you answer it for me, then I shall tell you by what authority I do these things. Where was John’s baptism from? Was it of heavenly or of human origin?” They discussed this among themselves and said, “If we say ‘Of heavenly origin,’ he will say to us, ‘Then why did you not believe him?’ But if we say, ‘Of human origin,’ we fear the crowd, for they all regard John as a prophet.” So they said to Jesus in reply, “We do not know.” He himself said to them, “Neither shall I tell you by what authority I do these things.”
“Teach me your ways, O Lord.”
Reflection
Our first reading today comes from the Old Testament Book of Numbers and recounts a poem by Balaam, son of Beor. In the poem Balaam recounts what the Lord tells him, and he declares that one from the tribe of Jacob shall take the leadership and will be a great king. In the gospel, we see Jesus being challenged by the chief priests and the elders of the temple. They want to know where he gets his authority from. We know that Jesus is a descendent of Jacob and so he is the great king spoken of in the first reading. However, he is also the Son of God and is himself God and there is no greater authority than this. The challenge for us today is to ask ourselves whether or not we really see him this way. This is one of the cornerstones of our faith and is the essence of what we believe.
Today is the feast day of St. Lucy, one of the greatest martyrs of our faith. When she gave herself in chastity to Jesus, she vowed to stay pure for her whole life. When a man attempted to rape her, she died rather than allow herself to be made impure. This is the kind of faith that recognizes the true kingship of Jesus, who is God incarnate.
Stay strong,
Deacon Dare
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