December 14
Memorial of Saint John of the Cross, Priest and Doctor of the Church
Give a Mass Offering
Mass Intention
7:45 AM – Phyllis, Robert Sr. & Kris Reid / Family
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
Zephaniah 3:1-2, 9-13
Thus says the LORD: Woe to the city, rebellious and polluted, to the tyrannical city! She hears no voice, accepts no correction; In the LORD she has not trusted, to her God she has not drawn near.
For then I will change and purify the lips of the peoples, That they all may call upon the name of the LORD, to serve him with one accord; From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia and as far as the recesses of the North, they shall bring me offerings.
On that day You need not be ashamed of all your deeds, your rebellious actions against me; For then will I remove from your midst the proud braggarts, And you shall no longer exalt yourself on my holy mountain. But I will leave as a remnant in your midst a people humble and lowly, Who shall take refuge in the name of the LORD: the remnant of Israel. They shall do no wrong and speak no lies; Nor shall there be found in their mouths a deceitful tongue; They shall pasture and couch their flocks with none to disturb them.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalms 34:2-3, 6-7, 17-18, 19 and 23
R. (7a) The Lord hears the cry of the poor.
I will bless the LORD at all times;
his praise shall be ever in my mouth.
Let my soul glory in the LORD;
the lowly will hear me and be glad.
R. The Lord hears the cry of the poor.
Look to him that you may be radiant with joy,
and your faces may not blush with shame.
When the poor one called out, the LORD heard,
and from all his distress he saved him.
R. The Lord hears the cry of the poor.
The LORD confronts the evildoers,
to destroy remembrance of them from the earth.
When the just cry out, the LORD hears them,
and from all their distress he rescues them.
R. The Lord hears the cry of the poor.
The LORD is close to the brokenhearted;
and those who are crushed in spirit he saves.
The LORD redeems the lives of his servants;
no one incurs guilt who takes refuge in him.
R. The Lord hears the cry of the poor.
Gospel Acclamation
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Come, O Lord, do not delay;
forgive the sins of your people.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
Matthew 21:28-32
Jesus said to the chief priests and the elders of the people: “What is your opinion? A man had two sons. He came to the first and said, ‘Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.’ The son said in reply, ‘I will not,’ but afterwards he changed his mind and went. The man came to the other son and gave the same order. He said in reply, ‘Yes, sir,’ but did not go. Which of the two did his father’s will?” They answered, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Amen, I say to you, tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the Kingdom of God before you. When John came to you in the way of righteousness, you did not believe him; but tax collectors and prostitutes did. Yet even when you saw that, you did not later change your minds and believe him.”
“The Lord hears the cry of the poor.”
Reflection
Our first reading today is appropriate for the Feast of St John of the Cross, because in it the Lord is telling of the woes of not drawing near to him, and the psalm reminds us that the Lord knows our hearts and hears our cries. It speaks of how the Lord is with us when we are suffering. The Lord has called people for this and, with those he has called, he shares his glory. In the gospel we see Jesus rebuking the religious leaders for not believing. He explains that sinners have accepted Jesus, changed their ways, and were entering the Kingdom of Heaven, while the self-righteous saw this and still did not listen to the will of God.
The readings very much reflect the life which John of the Cross lived in Spain, and they also challenge us to work for the building up of the Kingdom. When we think about the life of St. John of the Cross, we recognize someone who humbly turned his life over to God to do his will and enter into his Kingdom. When John’s brother monks turned on him because of his reforming of their monastery, he did not curse them or plot revenge. He turned his mind and heart toward the true reformer, Jesus. He spent many months naked and cold in a cell where they kept him, and he composed beautiful poetry to the Lord. “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; and those who are crushed in spirit he saves” (Psalms 34:19). In our own lives, let us seek to emulate John’s love and peaceful nature in spite of his great suffering.
Peace,
Deacon Dare
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