Entrance Antiphon
O God, when you went forth before your people, marching with them and living among them, the earth trembled, heavens poured down rain, alleluia.
Collect
O God, who restore human nature to yet greater dignity than at its beginnings, look upon the amazing mystery of your loving kindness, and in those you have chosen to make new through the wonder of rebirth, may you preserve the gifts of your enduring grace and blessing. Through our Lord…
FIRST READING
Of David’s posterity God has brought to Israel a Saviour, Jesus.
A reading from the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 13:13-25)
Paul and his company set sail from Paphos, and came to Perga in Pamphylia. And John left them and returned to Jerusalem; but they passed on from Perga and came to Antioch of Pisidia. And on the sabbath day they went into the synagogue and sat down. After the reading of the law and the prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent to them, saying, “Brethren, if you have any word of exhortation for the people, say it.” So Paul stood up, and motioning with his hand said: “Men of Israel, and you that fear God, listen. The God of this people Israel chose our fathers and made the people great during their stay in the land of Egypt, and with uplifted arm he led them out of it. And for about forty years he bore with them in the wilderness. And when he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, he gave them their land as an inheritance, for about four hundred and fifty years. And after that he gave them judges until Samuel the prophet. Then they asked for a king; and God gave them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years. And when he had removed him, he raised up David to be their king; of whom he testified and said, ‘I have found in David, the son of Jesse, a man after my heart, who will do all my will.’ Of this man’s posterity God has brought to Israel a Saviour, Jesus, as he promised. Before his coming John had preached a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. And as John was finishing his course, he said, ‘What do you suppose that I am? I am not he. No, but after me one is coming, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie.”‘
The word of the Lord.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM Psalm 89:2-3.21 -22.25.27
R/. I will sing forever of your mercies, O Lord.
I will sing forever of your mercies, O Lord;
through all ages my mouth will proclaim your fidelity.
I have declared your mercy is established forever;
your fidelity stands firm as the heavens. R/.
I have found my servant David,
and with my holy oil anointed him.
My hand shall always be with him,
and my arm shall make him strong. R/.
R/. I will sing forever of your mercies, O Lord.
My mercy and my faithfulness shall be with him;
by my name his might shall be exalted.
He will call out to me, ‘You are my father,
my God, the rock of my salvation.’ R/.
ALLELUIA Revelation 1:5ac
Alleluia. Jesus Christ, you are a faithful witness, the first-born of the dead; you have loved us and washed our sins in your blood. Alleluia.
GOSPEL
“He who receives any one whom I send receives me.
A reading from the holy Gospel according to John (John 13: 16-20)
[When Jesus had washed the feet of his disciples, he said to them,] “Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. I am not speaking of you all; I know whom I have chosen; it is that the Scripture may be fulfilled, ‘He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.’ I tell you this now, before it takes place, that when it does take place you may believe that I am he. Truly, truly, I say to you, he who receives any one whom I send receives me; and he who receives me receives him who sent me.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
Today’s Reflection
Jesus speaks of his own betrayal in a veiled manner. The context is the last supper during which Jesus washed his disciples’ feet, demonstrating the “he came not to be served, but to serve and give his life as a ransom for many”. To be a disciple of Jesus means to be a servant like the master, to reach out to people in love, compassion and kindness. To be a disciple means to be ready for betrayal, rejection, persecution and even death. He empowers us in our weakness, he accompanies us in our loneliness, he welcomes us in our moments of rejection, and he fills us with his joy in our sadness. Lord, and master, we thank you for knowing our weakness and carrying our sufferings.