OPENING PRAYER

Lord, guide the course of world events and give your Church the joy and peace of serving you in freedom.

 

FIRST READING

A reading from the prophet Isaiah 49:14-15

Theme: I will never forget you.

Zion was saying, “The Lord has abandoned me, the Lord has forgotten me.” Does a woman forget her baby at the breast, or fail to cherish the son of her womb? Yet even if these forget, I will never forget you.

This is the word of the Lord.

 

RESPONSORIAL PSALM Ps 61:2-3. 6-9. R.v.6

R. In God alone is my soul at rest.

1.  In God alone is my soul at rest; my help comes from him. He alone is my rock, my stronghold, my fortress: I stand firm. (R.)

2.  In God alone be at rest, my soul; for my hope comes from him. He alone is my rock, my stronghold my fortress: I stand firm. (R.)

3.  In God is my safety and glory, the rock of my strength. Take refuge in God all you people. Trust him at all times. Pour out your hearts before him. (R.)

 

SECOND READING

A reading from the first letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians 4:1-5.

Theme: The Lord will reveal the secret intentions of men’s hearts.

People must think of us as Christ’s servants, stewards entrusted with the mysteries of God. What is expected of stewards is that each one should be found worthy of his trust. Not that it makes the slightest difference to me whether you, or indeed any human tribunal, find me worthy or not. I will not even pass judgement on myself. True, my conscience does not reproach me at all, but that does not prove that I am acquitted: the Lord alone is my judge. There must be no passing of premature judgement. Leave that until the Lord comes: He will light up all that is hidden in the dark and reveal the secret intentions of men’s hearts. Then will be the time for each one to have whatever praise he deserves, from God.

This is the word of the Lord.

 

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION JOHN 6:6

Alleluia, alleluia!

Your words are spirit, Lord, and they are life: You have the message of eternal life.

 

GOSPEL

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew 6: 24-34

Theme: Do not worry about tomorrow.

Jesus said to his disciples: “No one can be the slave of two masters:  he will either hate the first and love the second, or treat the first with respect and the second with scorn. You cannot be the slave both of God and of money. “That is why I am telling you not to worry about your life and what you are to eat, nor about your body and how you are to clothe it. Surely life means more than food, and the body more than clothing! Look at the birds in the sky. They do not sow or reap or gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they are? Can any of you, for all his worrying, add one single cubit to his span of life? And why worry about clothing? Think of the flowers growing in the fields; they never have to work or spin; yet I assure you that not even Solomon in all his regalia was robed like one of these. Now if that is how God clothes the grass in the field which is there today and thrown into the furnace tomorrow, will he not much more look after you, you men of little faith? So do not worry; do not say, ‘What are we to eat? What are we to drink? How are we to be clothed?’ It is the pagans who set their hearts on all these things. Your heavenly Father knows you need them all. Set your hearts on his kingdom first, and on his righteousness, and all these other things will be given you as well. So do not worry about tomorrow: tomorrow will take care of itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

This is the Gospel of the Lord

 

PRAYER OVER THE GIFTS

God our Creator, may this bread and wine we offer as a sign of our love and worship lead us to salvation.

 

PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION

God of salvation, may this sacrament which strengthens us here on earth bring us to eternal life.

 

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