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First Reading: 2 Corinthians 5:14-21
Brothers and sisters:
The love of Christ impels us,
once we have come to the conviction that one died for all;
therefore, all have died.
He indeed died for all,
so that those who live might no longer live for themselves
but for him who for their sake died and was raised.
Consequently, from now on we regard no one according to the flesh;
even if we once knew Christ according to the flesh,
yet now we know him so no longer.
So whoever is in Christ is a new creation:
the old things have passed away;
behold, new things have come.
And all this is from God,
who has reconciled us to himself through Christ
and given us the ministry of reconciliation,
namely, God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ,
not counting their trespasses against them
and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.
So we are ambassadors for Christ,
as if God were appealing through us.
We implore you on behalf of Christ,
be reconciled to God.
For our sake he made him to be sin who did not know sin,
so that we might become the righteousness of God in him.
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 103:1-2, 3-4, 9-10, 11-12
R./ The Lord is kind and merciful.
Bless the Lord, O my soul;
and all my being, bless his holy name.
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits.
R./ The Lord is kind and merciful.
He pardons all your iniquities,
he heals all your ills.
He redeems your life from destruction,
he crowns you with kindness and compassion.
R./ The Lord is kind and merciful.
He will not always chide,
nor does he keep his wrath forever.
Not according to our sins does he deal with us,
nor does he requite us according to our crimes.
R./ The Lord is kind and merciful.
For as the heavens are high above the earth,
so surpassing is his kindness toward those who fear him.
As far as the east is from the west,
so far has he put our transgressions from us.
R./ The Lord is kind and merciful.
Gospel Reading: Matthew 5:33–37
Jesus said to his disciples:
"You have heard that it was said to your ancestors,
Do not take a false oath,
but make good to the Lord all that you vow.
But I say to you, do not swear at all;
not by heaven, for it is God's throne;
nor by the earth, for it is his footstool;
nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.
Do not swear by your head,
for you cannot make a single hair white or black.
Let your 'Yes' mean 'Yes,' and your 'No' mean 'No.'
Anything more is from the Evil One."
Opening Prayer
God our Father,
to make it possible for us, sinful people,
to live again in your friendship,
you let your Son Jesus Christ
take our weakness and failures upon himself
and die the death we deserved.
Make us your new creation through him,
that we may no longer live for ourselves.
Let his love move us
to be his ambassadors of peace and forgiveness
to everyone of good will
in the Church and in the world.
We ask you this in the name of Jesus, the Lord.
Liturgy of the Word
First Reading Introduction
In a very dense text, Paul speaks of the ministry of reconciliation, of himself and of the Church. God has reconciled us and the world to himself; he does not accept the world in as far as it is sinful but rather draws the world to himself and makes it—and us—a new creation. All this he does through Christ, who brought us reconciliation.
The same ministry of reconciliation between people and God, from person to person too, has been entrusted to the Church, to all of us. Are we agents of reconciliation?
Gospel Reading Introduction
Why do people require that at special occasions a statement be backed up by an oath? Is it because they doubt one another's sincerity and truthfulness, particularly when it matters? And if God is invoked in witness of the truth, is it always the truth that is sworn to? In the mind of Jesus, Christians should always be so reliable that there is no need for swearing oaths. We should mean what we say at all occasions.
General Intercessions
– For the Church, that it may be to this world of fallible people a constant sign of reconciliation and peace, we pray:
– For our Christian families, that they may always be places of forgiveness where people take one another as they are and where erring children are taken back with the warmth of love and joy, we pray:
– For all Christians, that we who have experienced God's forgiveness may learn to forgive one another wholeheartedly and without regrets, we pray:
Prayer over the Gifts
God, our Father,
we are gathered here to give you thanks
for restoring us to your friendship
by the death of Jesus, your Son.
By his body and blood, raise us up
from our discouragement
and half-hearted efforts,
help us to get out of our enclosures
and to extend to all those around us
the same acceptance and compassionate mercy
which you have shown us
through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Prayer after Communion
God our Father,
you have let us share here
the table of your Son.
It was your sign to us
that you remember no longer
the evil we have done
against you and our neighbor.
Help us then, to be tolerant of one another,
to build in trust and peace,
bridges between friend and foe,
and to bring a bit of your healing
in a world in need of warmth and hope.
We ask this in the name of Jesus, the Lord.
Blessing
God has reconciled us to himself through Christ. He has made us ministers, ambassadors of reconciliation. It is a difficult and very delicate task. May God give you this power and bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
