Intro to Mass

The theme of today s liturgy is the role of the prophet. Prophets have always had
an important place in the life of the Church. This comes as a surprise to most p
eople probably because they think of prophets as those who predict future events
: something that rarely happened. Prophets are people who
because they are in tu
ne with God help us to see things as God sees them. They point out the way God i
s calling us to follow, and remind us of the future God has in store for those w
ho trust in him. As Vatican II has told us, we are all called - through our bapt
ism - to share in Christ s role as the Father s great Prophet.
Intro to 1st reading - A reading from the Book of Jeremiah (1:4-5, 17-19)
The first reading from the prophet Jeremiah reminds us of the importance of the
prophets of the Old Testament. In tune
with God s ways, they called the people and their rulers to recognize these ways a
nd to live by them. We are all called to stand up for the ways of God.
Intro to 2nd reading - A reading from the First Letter of St Paul to the Corinth
ians (12:31 13:1-13)
The second reading is a splendid complement to our main theme. Having the gift of
prophecy and an understanding of all the mysteries will achieve nothing if it is n
ot inspired by love. Nothing opens the way to the hearing of a challenging messa
ge more effectively than an approach full of good will - if faith, hope and love
are the constants in the shared life of the Church, the greatest of these is lov
e .

COLLECT
Grant us, Lord our God, that we may honour you with our mind, and love everyone
in truth of heart. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who
lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and
ever.
FIRST READING
(The prophetic mission for which Jeremiah is called is not an easy one. Jeremiah
has his enemies but the Lord is more powerful than they, and he will protect hi
m).
A reading from the Book of Jeremiah (1:4-5, 17-19)
The word of the Lord came to me saying, Before I formed you in the womb I knew yo
u, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the
nations. But you, gird up your loins; arise, and say to them everything that I c
ommand you. Do not be dismayed by them, lest I dismay you before them. And I, be
hold, I make you this day a fortified city, an iron pillar, and bronze walls, ag
ainst the whole land against the kings of Judah, its princes, its priests, and t
he people of the land. They will fight against you; but they shall not prevail a

gainst you, for I am with you, says the Lord, to deliver you.
The Word of the Lord
PSALM (71)
Response: My lips will tell of your help.
In you, O Lord, I take refuge; let me never be put to shame. In your justice res
cue me, free me: pay heed to me and save me. R/
Be a rock where I can take refuge, a mighty stronghold to save me; for you are m
y rock, my stronghold. Free me from the hand of the wicked. R/
It is you, O Lord, who are my hope, my trust O Lord, since my youth. On you I ha
ve leaned from my birth, from my mother s womb you have been my help. R/
My lips will tell of your justice and day by day of your help. O God, you have t
aught me from my youth and I proclaim your wonders still. R/
SECOND READING
( The hymn to love is one of the best-known texts in the entire Bible. The descript
ion of love s qualities like patience, kindness, and endurance could have come onl
y from a deep Christian experiences).
A reading from the First Letter of St Paul to the Corinthians (12:31 13:1-13)
Earnestly desire the higher gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent wa
y. If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noi
sy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all
mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains
, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver m
y body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient and kind;
love is not jealous or boastful; it is not arrogant or rude. Love does not insi
st on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wron
g, but rejoices in the right. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes
all things, endures all things. Love never ends; as for prophecies, they will pa
ss away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. F
or our knowledge is imperfect and our prophecy is imperfect; but when the perfec
t comes, the imperfect will pass away. When I was a child, I spoke like a child,
I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became a man, I gave up
childish ways. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I k
now in part; then I shall understand fully, even as I have been
fully understood. So faith, hope, love abide, these three; but the greatest of t
hese is love.
The Word of the Lord
ACCLAMATION
Alleluia, alleluia! The Word became flesh and dwelt among us; to all who receive
d him he gave power to become children of God. Alleluia! (Jn 1:12-14)
GOSPEL
(The initial admiration by those in the synagogue towards Jesus turns to bittern
ess when Jesus takes the examples of the widow of Zarephath and Naaman).
A reading from the Holy Gospel according to St Luke (4:21-30)
Jesus began to say to all in the synagogue, Today this scripture has been fulfill
ed in your hearing. And all spoke well of him, and wondered at the gracious words
which proceeded out of his mouth; and they said, Is not this Joseph s son? And he s
aid to them, Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, Physician, heal yourself
; what we have heard you did at Capernaum, do here also in your own country . And h
e said, Truly, I say to you, no prophet is acceptable in his own country. But in
truth, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when
the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when there came a great famin
e over all the land; and Elijah was sent to none of them but only to Zarephath,
in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. And there were many lepers in
Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha; and none of them was cleansed, but onl
y Naaman the Syrian. When they heard this, all in the synagogue were filled with
wrath. And they rose up and put him out of the city, and led him to the brow of
the hill on which their city was built, that they might throw him down headlong.
But passing through the midst of them he went away.
The Gospel of the Lord

I believe in God,/.....
PRAYER OF THE FAITHFUL
Cel: Jeremiah remained true to his prophetic vocation despite all the atrocities
committed against him because God was with him. Jesus did not give in to the wh
ims and fancies of the men in the Synagogue as to how a prophet should behave. L
et us pray that we too may have the courage of Jeremiah who stood against the ri
ch and the powerful and Jesus who challenged the conservative mindset of his opp
onents, saying,
Response: Lord make us your courageous witness.
1. For the pope, the bishops, the priests and the religious that they may be har
bingers of change in the society that is much oppressive just like the society i
n Jeremiah s time, we pray... R/
2. For young people in love and contemplating marriage that they may not give in
to the allurements of forbidden love until they are united in the holy sacramen
t of matrimony, we pray... R/
3. For those who feel themselves abandoned, lonely with nobody to love or care f
or them which has become a curse of modern times, that the local Church may do t
heir bit to bring some joy and hope to these unhappy people, we pray... R/
4. That the society in which we live may become more just, more tolerant, more n
on-discriminative and more peace-loving, we pray... R/
5. For all of us present in this sacred assembly that enlightened and challenged
by the Word of God we may commit ourselves to building a community that is more
charitable and all-embracing, we pray... R/
(Pause to pray for personal and community needs)
Cel: God our Father, we thank you for the gift of your Son Jesus whose interacti
on with the people was a
perfect blend of firmness and gentleness. For very often there was amazement amo
ng the people who witnessed a miraculous sign performed by Jesus or listened to
his stories and parables. Give us the grace that we may strive to understand bet
ter the redemptive work accomplished by Jesus. We make this prayer
PRAYER OVER THE OFFERINGS
O Lord, we bring to your altar these offerings of our service: be pleased to rec
eive them, we pray, and transform them into the Sacrament of our redemption. Thr
ough Christ our Lord.
PREFACE III (Ordinary)
It is truly right and just, our duty and our salvation, always and everywhere to
give you thanks, Lord, holy Father, almighty and eternal God.
For we know it belongs to your boundless glory, that you came to the aid of mort
al beings with your divinity and even fashioned for us a remedy out of mortality
itself, that the cause of our downfall might become the means of our salvation,
through Christ our Lord.
Through him the host of Angels adores your majesty and rejoices in your presence
for ever. May our voices, we pray, join with theirs in one chorus of exultant p
raise, as we acclaim:
All: Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of hosts
COMMUNION ANTIPHON
Let your face shine on your servant. Save me in your merciful love. O Lord, let
me never be put to shame, for I call on you. (Ps 30:17-18)
PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION
Nourished by these redeeming gifts, we pray, O Lord, that through this help to e
ternal salvation true faith may ever increase. Through Christ our Lord.