26th Sunday of the Year (a)
This Week’s Liturgy Calendar.
Ordinary Season of the Year. (a)
Weekdays – Year 2
Sunday 28th September: Twenty-Sixth Sunday of the Year. (a)
The first reading is from the Prophet Ezekiel. He insists, in the name of God, on personal responsibility for the good or evil we do. God seeks to forgive us and wants us to live in his love.
St. Paul, in the second reading, reminds us that we must have the same fundamental disposition as Our Lord. We are called to be humble and self-effacing before God and people.
The self-righteous leaders of the people reject Jesus and his teaching and also reject and condemn sinners. The sinners, however, are the ones who welcome Jesus and are converted. Who does the will of God? With whom do we identify?
Monday 29th September: Feast of Sts Michael, Gabriel and Raphael.
Today is a feast celebrating the care God has for each one of us. Traditionally, we believe that angels are his messengers to us. Michael means ‘who is like God’ and is regarded as the guardian angel of the People of God; Gabriel means ‘God’s power. Raphael means ‘God’s healing.’
Tuesday 30th September: Memorial of St. Jerome.
St. Jerome was born in 342 and died in 420. He devoted his life to translating and explaining the Scriptures. One of his best known sayings is that ‘to be ignorant of the Scriptures is to be ignorant of Christ.’ His greatest work was the translation of the Scriptures into Latin.
Wednesday 1st October: Memorial of St. Teresa of the Child Jesus.
Teresa was born in Alençon in France in 1873. She entered the convent in Lisieux when she was only fifteen years of age. From then until her death at the age of twenty-four she lived a very ordinary religious life. No miracles or great mystical experiences are recorded of her but in such a short space of time she attained a high degree of holiness, based on her faithfulness to her duties. She was always at the service of others. Her writings are full of great spiritual insights. She prayed especially for priests, the Church and the conversion of all people to Christ. Her way of living the Christian life is often referred to as ‘the little way.’ She is patron saint of the missions.
Thursday 2nd October: Memorial of the Guardian Angels
Today is a feast celebrating the care God has for each one of us. Traditionally, we believe that angels are his messengers to us. Michael means ‘who is like God’ and is regarded as the guardian angel of the People of God; Gabriel means ‘God’s power. Raphael means ‘God’s healing.’
Friday 3rd October: Friday in 26th week of the year.
We have missed the opening sections of the Book of Job but now we pick it up as we hear God’s response to all Job’s questions and to his despair. Job realises how insignificant he is in the sight of the whole of creation and how small minded he has been and awesome is the power of God.
Yesterday we were told what the disciples were to do if they were refused welcome in any town. Now we hear Jesus condemns the towns that have closed their ears to his message.
Saturday 4th October: Memorial of St. Francis of Assisi.
Francis was born in 1181. He lived a very lavish life until he was about twenty. He was captured by soldiers from a neighbouring city and held prisoner for over a year. He then took on the Christian life despite severe opposition from his father. In 1208, while praying in the church of the Portiuncula, he felt called personally by God to leave all things and follow him. He put on the garment, which we now know as the Franciscan habit. Others joined him and so the Franciscan Order came into being, living vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. In 1224, Francis received the stigmata. He is also credited with building the first crib to help the people understand the story of the birth of Jesus. He was a man of generosity, simplicity and devotion to God. He died in 1226.
Prayer to the Holy Family for the Synod, composed by the Holy Father.
Jesus, Mary and Joseph, in you we contemplate the splendour of true love, to you we turn with trust.
Holy Family of Nazareth, grant that our families too may be places of communion and prayer, authentic schools of the Gospel and small domestic Churches.
Holy Family of Nazareth, may families never again experience violence, rejection and division: may all who have been hurt or scandalized find ready comfort and healing.
Holy Family of Nazareth, may the approaching Synod of Bishops make us once more mindful of the sacredness and inviolability of the family, and its beauty in God’s plan.
Jesus, Mary and Joseph, graciously hear our prayer.
Amen.