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First Reading: Rom 1:1-7
Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus,
called to be an Apostle and set apart for the Gospel of God,
which he promised previously through his prophets in the holy Scriptures,
the Gospel about his Son, descended from David according to the flesh,
but established as Son of God in power
according to the Spirit of holiness
through resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Through him we have received the grace of apostleship,
to bring about the obedience of faith,
for the sake of his name, among all the Gentiles,
among whom are you also, who are called to belong to Jesus Christ;
to all the beloved of God in Rome, called to be holy.
Grace to you and peace from God our Father
and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Responsorial Psalm: Ps 98:1bcde, 2-3ab, 3cd-4
R./ The Lord has made known his salvation.
Sing to the LORD a new song,
for he has done wondrous deeds;
His right hand has won victory for him,
his holy arm.
R./ The Lord has made known his salvation.
The LORD has made his salvation known:
in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice.
He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulness
toward the house of Israel.
R./ The Lord has made known his salvation.
All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation by our God.
Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands;
break into song; sing praise.
R./ The Lord has made known his salvation.
Gospel Reading: Lk 11:29-32
As the crowd increased, Jesus began to speak in this way, "People of the present time are evil people. They ask for a sign, but no sign will be given to them except the sign of Jonah. As Jonah became a sign for the people of Nineveh, so will the Son of Man be a sign for this generation. The Queen of the South will rise up on Judgment Day with the people of these times and accuse them, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and here there is greater than Solomon. The people of Nineveh will rise up on Judgment Day with the people of these times and accuse them, for Jonah's preaching made them turn from their sins, and here there is greater than Jonah."
Opening Prayer
Lord God, our Father,
we too wish at times we could see signs
that brace our hesitant faith.
Give us a faith that is strong enough
not to ask for wonders and proofs
but simply to trust in you
and in your Son, our Savior Jesus Christ.
Deepen this faith and make it
the very foundation of the whole of our life.
We ask you this through Christ our risen Lord.
Liturgy of the Word
First Reading Introduction
Starting today and for the next four weeks, we shall listen to Paul's letter to the Romans. Today he presents himself as the Lord's apostle, especially for the gentiles, and then he goes straight to the heart of the message he has to proclaim: that Jesus Christ is the son of David and our risen Savior.
Gospel Introduction
Jesus reprimands the Jews for not believing unless they see spectacular signs. But Christ proclaims that faith consists in trust in the word and in the person of the one who is sent. The early Christian community specified further: faith rests in confidence in the risen Christ. The preeminent sign is Jesus Christ himself. We believe not because of this or that wonder or proof but because Jesus makes God visible to us.
General Intercessions
- That we may have a deep faith in Jesus Christ and be close to him, for he is for us the human sign and shape of God, we pray:
- That we may be people deeply marked by the resurrection of Christ as people who keep rising with him to a deeper Christian life and who raise up one another from sin and misery, we pray:
- That many people may come to know Christ and grow in his life, we pray:
Prayer over the Gifts
Lord our God,
we believe in your Son Jesus Christ
and in his continuous presence
in the Christian community.
Accept these gifts of bread and wine
by which we express our faith
and offer you our life with its struggles,
with its joys and hopes.
Through his eucharistic body
make us more and more
the believing and serving body of the Church.
Grant this in the name of Jesus the Lord.
Prayer after Communion
Lord God,
we were asking for wonders
and you have given us no other sign
than the presence in faith
of your Son here in our midst.
Let this be enough to sustain us
to go with one another the road
- at times smooth, at times rough -
of service, communion and friendship.
Help us to uplift and raise up one another
by the power of our risen Lord,
Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives with you and with us
now and for ever.
Blessing
Greater than Solomon, greater than any prophet, is Jesus. In him we believe. Him we trust. Him we treasure as the meaning of our lives. May almighty God bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
