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1 Tim 2:1-8
Beloved:
First of all, I ask that supplications, prayers, petitions, and thanksgivings be offered for everyone, for kings and for all in authority, that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life in all devotion and dignity. This is good and pleasing to God our savior, who wills everyone to be saved and to come to knowledge of the truth.
For there is one God.
There is also one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as ransom for all.
This was the testimony at the proper time. For this I was appointed preacher and Apostle (I am speaking the truth, I am not lying), teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth. It is my wish, then, that in every place the men should pray, lifting up holy hands, without anger or argument.
Ps 28:2,7,8-9
R./ Blessed be the Lord, for he has heard my prayer.
Hear the sound of my pleading, when I cry to you,
lifting up my hands toward your holy shrine.
R./ Blessed be the Lord, for he has heard my prayer.
The LORD is my strength and my shield.
In him my heart trusts, and I find help;
then my heart exults, and with my song I give him thanks.
R./ Blessed be the Lord, for he has heard my prayer.
The LORD is the strength of his people,
the saving refuge of his anointed.
Save your people, and bless your inheritance;
feed them, and carry them forever!
R./ Blessed be the Lord, for he has heard my prayer.
Luke 7:1-10
When Jesus had finished teaching to the people, he went to Capernaum.
There was a captain whose servant was very sick and near to death, a man very dear to him. So when he heard about Jesus, he sent some elders of the Jews to persuade him to come and save his servant's life. The elders came to Jesus and begged him earnestly, saying, "He deserves this of you, for he loves our people and even built a synagogue for us."
Jesus went with them. He was not far from the house when the captain sent friends to give this message, "Sir, do not trouble yourself for I am not worthy to welcome you under my roof. You see I didn't approach you myself. Just give the order and my servant will be healed. For I myself, a junior officer, give orders to my soldiers and I say to this one: 'Go,' and he goes; and to the other: 'Come,' and he comes; and to my servant: 'Do this,' and he does it."
On hearing these words, Jesus was filled with admiration. He turned and said to the people with him, "I say to you, not even in Israel have I found such great faith." The people sent by the captain went back to his house; there they found that the servant was well.
Lord God, Father of all,
you call people from every language, culture and nation
to worship you and to live in your love.
Let your Son Jesus Christ speak among us
your saving word that brings healing to all.
May many accept his invitation
to sit with us at his table.
Give us enough faith and love
that we, too, like you and your Son,
may turn strangers into friends.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
First Reading Introduction
Paul urges Christians through Timothy to be mediators by our supplications, prayers and intercessions for all of humankind. The basis is that Christ is the one mediator between God and humanity and God wants all to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth. How universal God's plan and will to save!
Gospel Introduction
Today we have the beautiful scene of the Roman centurion asking Jesus through emissaries to heal his slave. He loved the Jewish people and had faith in Jesus because of what he had heard about Jesus. Another sign of faith, something unusual in a world of slavery, seems to be that he begged for the healing of a slave. We hear him also say the words we use in the eucharistic celebration, that he is not worthy of Jesus coming to his house.
- That those who believe in the Lord Jesus may express their faith in deeds of justice and love, of dedicated service and of endless compassion, we pray:
- That all peoples of the earth may hear where the Lord Jesus can be found, come to know his name and pray to him, we pray:
- That we may welcome strangers and foreigners in our Christian communities and make them feel at home with us, we pray:
Lord our God,
we bring bread and wine before you
to celebrate our gratitude to you
as we are gathered around Jesus your Son.
For in him you have accepted us.
From his hospitable table
may men and women from all cultures
eat his bread of life and drink his wine of joy,
that all may know your name
and praise your merciful love.
We ask this in the name of Jesus the Lord.
Father in heaven,
we thank you that your Son has come to us,
even though we are not worthy.
May he find great faith in us
and in all his people.
Let his word fill our empty words
and his love inspire all we do,
that with our whole life
and in the harmony of our many languages
we may sing our honor and thanks to you, Father.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
For God there are no strangers, no foreigners, no aliens. He knows them all, accepts them all, loves them all, whether they know it or not, for they are all his children. May you accept them as God does, with the blessing of almighty God, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
