Liturgical Leaflet for an Active Participation in the Celebration of the Eucharist

8 July 2018 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B

God’s Prophets in an Unbelieving World

T
oday we are reminded that God continues to care for all
human beings, including those who reject Him and wan-
der far away in their moral life. Some of the clearest signs
of His caring love are the prophets that He sends to His people to
remind them of their duties and to make them understand the
great harm they cause to others and to themselves through their
misbehavior.
Jesus, the greatest of all prophets, experienced the bitter
taste of rejection and warned his disciples that they, too, would
be treated in the same way. Far from discouraging us, this should
bring us to do our best to be faithful to our prophetic mission in
the Church and in society, following the example of Jesus himself.
In this Eucharist, let us ask for the grace to do just this, no mat-
ter what the cost.

have mercy! sins of the world, receive our

All –Lord, have mercy! prayer; you are seated at the right
P –You came to call sinners to hand of the Father, have mercy
conversion. Christ, have on us. For you alone are the Holy
Entrance Antiphon One, you alone are the Lord, you
(To be recited only when no Entrance mercy!
All –Christ, have mercy! alone are the Most High, Jesus
Hymn is sung.) Christ, with the Holy Spirit, in the
Your merciful love, O God, P –You plead for us at the right glory of God the Father. Amen!
we have received in the midst hand of the Father. Lord,
of your temple. Your praise, have mercy! Collect (Opening Prayer)
O God, like your name, reach- All – Lord, have mercy!
es the ends of the earth; your P –O God, who in the abase-
P – May almighty God have ment of your Son have raised up
right hand is filled with saving mercy on us, forgive us our sins,
justice. a fallen world, fill your faithful
and bring us to everlasting life. with holy joy, for on those you
All – Amen! have rescued from slavery to sin,
Greeting
you bestow eternal gladness.
P –Blessed be Jesus, the great Gloria Through our Lord Jesus
Prophet of the Father and the All – Glory to God in the high- Christ, your Son, who lives and
anointed of the Spirit. May his est, and on earth peace to people reigns with you in the unity of
grace be with you all! of good will. We praise you, the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever
All –And with your spirit! we bless you, we adore you, we and ever.
Penitential Act glorify you, we give you thanks All – Amen!
for your great glory, Lord God,
P –As we prepare ourselves heavenly King, O God, almighty
to celebrate the sacred myster- Father.
ies, let us call to mind our sins. Lord Jesus Christ, Only Be-
(Pause) gotten Son, Lord God, Lamb of
P –You do not want sinners to God, Son of the Father, you take 1st Reading Ez 2:2-5
die, but that they go back away the sins of the world, have In spite of the negative at-
to you and be saved. Lord, mercy on us; you take away the titude of many sinners, God
does not leave a stone unturned more than sated with con- fered his first setback in the very
in order to bring about their tempt; our souls are more than town where he had been raised
conversion. The call of young sated with the mockery of the and where he lived for about 30
Ezekiel to go and preach to the arrogant, with the contempt of years.
Israelites shows God’s constant the proud. R. P –The Lord be with you!
concern for the salvation even All –And with your spirit!
of obstinate sinners. 2nd Reading 2 Cor 12:7-10
P – A proclamation from the
R –A proclamation from the Even great saints have holy Gospel according to
Book of the Prophet Eze- their own limitations and “weak Mark
kiel points,” such as the mysterious All – Glory to you, O Lord!
“thorn in the flesh” mentioned
As the Lord spoke to me, by St. Paul in today’s passage. Jesus departed from there
the spirit entered into me and In God’s eyes, all that matters is and came to his native place,
set me on my feet, and I heard our constant cooperation with accompanied by his disciples.
the one who was speaking say His grace. When the sabbath came he be-
to me: “Son of man, I am send- gan to teach in the synagogue,
ing you to the Israelites, rebels R –A proclamation from the and many who heard him were
who have rebelled against me. Second Letter of Paul to the astonished. They said, “Where
They and their ancestors have Corinthians did this man get all this? What
revolted against me to this very Brothers and sisters: kind of wisdom has been given
day. Hard of face and obstinate That I, Paul, might not him? What mighty deeds are
of heart are they to whom I am become too elated, because wrought by his hands! Is he not
sending you. But you shall say of the abundance of the rev- the carpenter, the son of Mary,
to them: ‘Thus says the Lord elations, a thorn in the flesh and the brother of James and
God!’ And whether they heed was given to me, an angel of Joses and Judas and Simon?
or resist – for they are a rebel- Satan, to beat me, to keep me And are not his sisters here
lious house – they shall know from being too elated. Three with us?” And they took of-
that a prophet has been among times I begged the Lord about fense at him.
them.” this, that it might leave me, Jesus said to them, “A
The Word of the Lord! but he said to me, “My grace prophet is not without honor
All – Thanks be to God! is sufficient for you, for power except in his native place and
is made perfect in weakness.” among his own kin and in his
Responsorial Psalm Ps 123
I will rather boast most own house.” So he was not able
gladly of my weaknesses, in to perform any mighty deed
R –Our eyes are fixed on the order that the power of Christ there, apart from curing a few
Lord, pleading for his mer- may dwell with me. Therefore, sick people by laying his hands
cy! I am content with weaknesses, on them. He was amazed at
R. M. Velez insults, hardships, persecu- their lack of faith.
tions, and constraints, for the The Gospel of the Lord!
Dm Gm
      
sake of Christ; for when I am All – Praise to you, Lord Jesus
 weak, then I am strong. Christ!
Our eyes are fixed on the Lord,
The Word of the Lord!
All – Thanks be to God! Homily
C Dm
    
   Gospel Acclamation Lk 4:18 Profession of Faith
(Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed)
All – Alleluia! Alleluia!
plea-ding for his mer-cy! The Spirit of the Lord is All –I believe in one God, the Fa-
upon me for he sent me to ther almighty, maker of heaven
* To you I lift up my eyes bring glad tidings to the and earth, of all things visible
who are enthroned in heaven poor. and invisible.
– as the eyes of servants are on Alleluia! Alleluia! I believe in one Lord Jesus
the hands of their masters. R. Christ, the Only Begotten Son
Gospel Mk 6:1-6 of God, born of the Father be-
* As the eyes of a maid are Jesus had been extremely fore all ages. God from God,
on the hands of her mistress, successful at the beginning of Light from Light, true God from
so are our eyes on the Lord, our his mission. But soon, he also true God, begotten, not made,
God, till he have pity on us. R. met with misunderstanding and consubstantial with the Father;
* Have pity on us, O Lord, opposition. In today’s Gospel through him all things were
have pity on us, for we are passage, we learn that he suf- made. For us men and for our

GLOSSARY: • Brothers and sisters of Jesus: Catholic and Orthodox traditions have constantly understood that the terms “brothers” and
“sisters,” when used in reference to Jesus, mean close relatives, such as cousins and stepbrothers/sisters. In the Bible, in fact, the words
“brother” and “sister” have a wider meaning than siblings born of the same parents.

8 July 2018
salvation he came down from exercise the prophetic ministry And so, with Angels and
heaven, (bow)* and by the Holy in the Church may always con- Archangels, with Thrones and
Spirit was incarnate of the Vir- form their lives to the message Dominions, and with all the
gin Mary, and became man.* For they proclaim, let us pray! R. hosts and Powers of heaven, we
our sake he was crucified under C –That all those who are in- sing the hymn of your glory, as
Pontius Pilate, he suffered death volved in promoting peace in our without end we acclaim:
and was buried, and rose again country and other parts of the All – Holy, holy, holy . . .
on the third day in accordance world may find the indispens-
with the Scriptures. He ascended able cooperation of all the parties Memorial Acclamation
into heaven and is seated at the concerned, let us pray! R. P –The mystery of faith!
right hand of the Father. He will All –When we eat this Bread
come again in glory to judge C –Let us pray in silence for our
personal intentions. (Pause) and drink this Cup, we pro-
the living and the dead and his claim your Death, O Lord,
kingdom will have no end. Let us pray! R.
until you come again!
I believe in the Holy Spirit, P –Lord God, send us many
the Lord, the giver of life, who and worthy prophets that they
proceeds from the Father and may help us to know Your will
the Son, who with the Father clearly and carry it out faithfully
and the Son is adored and glori- through Christ our Lord.
fied, who has spoken through All – Amen! All – Our Father . . .
the prophets. P –Deliver us, Lord . . .
I believe in one, holy, cath- All –For the kingdom, the
olic and apostolic Church. I power, and the glory are
confess one Baptism for the yours, now and for ever.
forgiveness of sins and I look
forward to the resurrection of Preparation of the Gifts Sign of Peace
the dead and the life of the world P –Pray, brethren . . .
to come. Amen! Breaking of the Bread
All – May the Lord accept the
sacrifice at your hands, for the All – Lamb of God, you take
Prayer of the Faithful praise and glory of his name, away the sins of the world: have
P –Prophets have always been for our good and the good of all mercy on us. (2x)
eloquent signs of God’s love for his holy Church. Lamb of God, you take
His people. We need them today away the sins of the world:
as much as in the past. Let us Prayer over the Offerings grant us peace.
pray for all those called to the P –May this oblation dedicated
prophetic service in our days, Communion
to your name purify us, O Lord,
saying: and day by day bring our conduct P –This is the Lord Jesus,
All –Lord, graciously hear us! closer to the life of heaven. the great prophet of the
Through Christ our Lord. Father. He is the Lamb of God
C –That the Catholic Church All – Amen! who takes away the sins of the
may constantly fulfill her pro- world. Blessed are those called
phetic role in the world without Preface II to his Supper.
fear, ambiguity, or compromise, All –Lord, I am not worthy
let us pray! R. P –The Lord be with you! that you should enter under
All –And with your spirit! my roof, but only say the word
C –That the message of the P –Lift up your hearts!
prophets of old may be wisely and my soul shall be healed.
All – We lift them up to the Lord!
applied to our present situation P –Let us give thanks to the
and bear fruits of conversion and Communion Antiphon
Lord our God! (To be recited only when no Com-
improvement, let us pray! R. All –It is right and just! munion Hymn is sung.)
C –That the gift of authentic P –It is truly right and just, our
prophecy may flourish in the duty and our salvation, always Taste and see that the Lord
Church and be duly recognized and everywhere to give you is good; blessed the man who
by her leaders and all the faith- thanks, Lord, holy Father, al- seeks refuge in him.
ful, let us pray! R. mighty and eternal God, through
Christ our Lord. Prayer after Communion
C –That those who receive
God’s call to the prophetic min- Out of compassion for the P –Grant, we pray, O Lord,
istry today may not be frightened waywardness that is ours, he that, having been replenished
by the challenge of their mission humbled himself and was born of by such great gifts, we may gain
and the prospect of rejection, let the Virgin; by the passion of the the prize of salvation and never
us pray! R. Cross, he freed us from unend- cease to praise you.
ing death, and by rising from the Through Christ our Lord.
C –That those who are called to dead, he gave us life eternal. All – Amen!

14th Sunday in Ordinary Time (B)

 P –May you grow in the aware- Son, and the Holy Spirit.
ness that you, too, are par- All – Amen!
ticipants in the prophetic P –Go in peace and be prophets
mission of Christ. of the Lord in your daily
P –The Lord be with you. All – Amen!
All – And with your spirit! life.
P –May your life be a constant All – Thanks be to God!
P –Bow your heads and pray for
God’s blessing. (Pause) witness to the prophetic
May you always listen rever- message you are called to
ently to the message of the proclaim in your society.
All – Amen!
prophets of old that reaches
us through the Scriptures. P – May almighty God bless
All – Amen! you: the Father, and the

Rejected By His Own People

B
eing appreciated and accepted is a basic 1:11)! Jesus wept bitterly over the failure of his
human need. Rejection always inflicts a people to recognize the time of God’s “visita-
moral wound which hurts us all the more tion” (Lk 19:41-44).
when it comes from the people we love. All these serve as a warning addressed to the
Most of the prophets of Israel, especially whole world (including us) today. It is not enough
Jeremiah and Ezekiel, suffered some forms of to acclaim Jesus as “Superstar,” “wise man,” “friend
rejection at the hands of the very people to whom of the poor.” We have to accept him especially as
God had sent them. (See the First Reading.) Son of God and Savior of all mankind. Refusal
Jesus Christ, the greatest of all prophets, to acknowledge him as such, is the worst form of
did not enjoy a better deal. Old Simeon had spiritual suicide we could ever commit, for “there is
prophesied that he would be “a sign that will be no salvation in anyone else” (Acts 4:12)!
opposed” (Lk 2:34). And the Nazareans – the
townsfolk of Jesus – took upon themselves the Enjoy Pope Francis’ heart-warming
sad task of beginning to fulfill that ominous latest Apostolic Exhortation:
prophecy. (See Mk 6:3-6.)
They thought that they knew Jesus well
(see Mk 6:3). He had been one of them for
thirty years! When he went back to them as the
“bearer of the Good News,” they refused to see
and accept him as “the Christ,” the Anointed
One of God, the Savior of the world – their Sav-
ior. Their prejudices blinded them to the point of
rejecting the salvation Jesus had come to offer.
And this distressed him so much. (See Mk 6:6.)
But the rejection by the townsfolk of Naza-
reth was just the beginning, almost an “acted- in its STUDY EDITION.
out prophecy” foreshadowing the numerous
other rejections Jesus would suffer and which In addition to the Holy Father’s Exhortation,
would culminate in the one that brought him to this mini encyclopedia on
Calvary – the worst rejection orchestrated and “MIDDLE-CLASS HOLINESS” includes:
* An extensive Subject Index
spearheaded by the religious authorities of the
* Quotable Quotes from Gaudete et Exsultate
people. * Methodological Suggestions
The rejection of Jesus as the “Messiah” by * A collection of Pope Francis’ definitions
the majority of the people of Israel continues to of holiness
this very day. Such is their tragedy. “To his own * Filipino Way to Holiness . . . and much more!
he came. Yet his own did not accept him” (Jn Order now from Word & Life Publications

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