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First Reading: Jon 3:1-10
The word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time:
"Set out for the great city of Nineveh,
and announce to it the message that I will tell you."
So Jonah made ready and went to Nineveh,
according to the LORD's bidding.
Now Nineveh was an enormously large city;
it took three days to go through it.
Jonah began his journey through the city,
and had gone but a single day's walk announcing,
"Forty days more and Nineveh shall be destroyed,"
when the people of Nineveh believed God;
they proclaimed a fast and all of them, great and small,
put on sackcloth.
When the news reached the king of Nineveh,
he rose from his throne, laid aside his robe,
covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in the ashes.
Then he had this proclaimed throughout Nineveh,
by decree of the king and his nobles:
"Neither man nor beast, neither cattle nor sheep,
shall taste anything;
they shall not eat, nor shall they drink water.
Man and beast shall be covered with sackcloth
and call loudly to God;
every man shall turn from his evil way
and from the violence he has in hand.
Who knows, God may relent and forgive,
and withhold his blazing wrath,
so that we shall not perish."
When God saw by their actions how they turned from their evil way,
he repented of the evil that he had threatened to do to them;
he did not carry it out.
Responsorial Psalm: Ps 130:1b-2, 3-4ab, 7-8
R./ If you, O Lord, mark iniquities, who can stand?
Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD;
LORD, hear my voice!
Let your ears be attentive
to my voice in supplication.
R./ If you, O Lord, mark iniquities, who can stand?
If you, O LORD, mark iniquities,
LORD, who can stand?
But with you is forgiveness,
that you may be revered.
R./ If you, O Lord, mark iniquities, who can stand?
Let Israel wait for the LORD,
For with the LORD is kindness
and with him is plenteous redemption;
And he will redeem Israel
from all their iniquities.
R./ If you, O Lord, mark iniquities, who can stand?
Gospel Reading: Lk 10:38-42
As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he entered a village and a woman called Martha welcomed him to her house. She had a sister named Mary who sat down at the Lord's feet to listen to his words. Martha, meanwhile, was busy with all the serving and finally she said, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do all the serving?"
But the Lord answered, "Martha, Martha, you worry and are troubled about many things, whereas only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen the better part, and it will not be taken away from her."
ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI
Memorial
October 4
Introduction
We speak much today of poverty and or returning to the true values of the Gospel. What St. Francis of Assisi (1181?82–1226) undertook in the 13th century might very well inspire our times. Today's society threatens to destroy itself in many parts of the world by its own philosophy and prosperity; even in developing countries, artificial needs are forced on people, to the loss of the deeper values of God and people. What we need is not only talk about poverty and evangelical living, but responsible Christian living according to the values of the Gospel.
Opening Prayer
Lord our God,
it is a pleasure for us to celebrate today
your gentle and loveable saint,
Francis of Assisi.
Let us go through life like him
one with you, one with nature,
one with all that is good and kind-hearted.
Make us humble and peaceful like him.
We ask this through Christ, our Lord.
Gospel Introduction
A hospitable family or person makes guests feel at home and gives them the best available. But if we are truly hospitable we are also listening to the guest and to receive from him or her perhaps more than we give and in a deeper way. We receive the guest as a person. God presents himself in the Bible as a traveler on a journey. He asks for hospitality as a stranger or a poor person. Christ also says that in the homeless we welcome him.
Prayer over the Gifts
Our mighty God,
you are partial to the poor.
From your own gifts,
we bring before you bread and wine.
Make us as genuine and simple
as these offerings,
that we may understand readily
the simple story of your forgiveness and love,
which you tell us through your Son,
Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Prayer after Communion
Lord of heaven and earth,
we thank you in the poverty of our hearts,
that you have let us eat from Jesus' table
notwithstanding our inadequate faith
and our lukewarm love.
Keep accepting us in our weakness as we are,
help us to be and to do better
and to render wholehearted service
to our brothers and sisters in need.
We ask this through Christ, our Lord.
