FIRST READING
“The prayer of a righteous man has great power. ”
A reading from the Letter of Saint James (James 5: 13-20)
Beloved: Is any one among you suffering? Let him pray. Is any cheerful? Let him sing praise. Is any among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the Church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer of faith will save the sick man, and the Lord will raise him up; and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man has great power in its effects. Elijah was a man of like nature with ourselves and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. Then he prayed again and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth its fruit. My brethren, if any one among you wanders from the truth and some one brings him back, let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.
The word of the Lord
RESPONSORIAL PSALM Psalm 141: 1 -2, 3 and 5 (R/. 2a)
R/. O Lord, let my prayer be accepted as incense before you.
I have called to you, Lord;
hasten to help me!
Hear my voice when I cry to you.
Let my prayer be accepted as incense before you,
the raising of my hands like an evening oblation. R/.
R/. O Lord, let my prayer be accepted as incense before you.
Set, O Lord, a guard on my mouth;
keep watch at the door of my lips!
To you my eyes are turned, O Lord, my Lord.
In you I take refuge; spare my soul! R/.
ALLELUIA. Matthew 11:25
Alleluia. Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the kingdom. Alleluia
GOSPEL
“Who ever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark (Mark 10:13-16)
At that time: They were bringing children to Jesus, that he might touch them; and the disciples rebuked them. But when Jesus saw it he was indignant, and said to them, “Let the children come to me, do not hinder them; for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands upon them.
The Gospel of the Lord.
TODAY’S REFLECTION
What can we do, if not by his grace? Let us, therefore appreciate daily what God has done, what he is doing and what he will continue doing in and with us. Only in this way can we develop the appreciative attitude of accepting the kingdom of God – the mystery of God’s rule over our life – like little children, as the Gospel says. Mary, the mother of Jesus, is one person who, in word and deed, demonstrates such an attitude.