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First Reading: Genesis 21:5, 8-20a
Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him.
Isaac grew, and on the day of the child's weaning
Abraham held a great feast.
Sarah noticed the son whom Hagar the Egyptian
had borne to Abraham
playing with her son Isaac;
so she demanded of Abraham:
"Drive out that slave and her son!
No son of that slave is going to share the inheritance
with my son Isaac!"
Abraham was greatly distressed,
especially on account of his son Ishmael.
But God said to Abraham: "Do not be distressed about the boy
or about your slave woman.
Heed the demands of Sarah, no matter what she is asking of you;
for it is through Isaac that descendants shall bear your name.
As for the son of the slave woman,
I will make a great nation of him also,
since he too is your offspring."
Early the next morning Abraham got some bread and a skin of water
and gave them to Hagar.
Then, placing the child on her back, he sent her away.
As she roamed aimlessly in the wilderness of Beer-sheba,
the water in the skin was used up.
So she put the child down under a shrub,
and then went and sat down opposite him, about a bowshot away;
for she said to herself, "Let me not watch to see the child die."
As she sat opposite Ishmael, he began to cry.
God heard the boy's cry,
and God's messenger called to Hagar from heaven:
"What is the matter, Hagar?
Don't be afraid; God has heard the boy's cry in this plight of his.
Arise, lift up the boy and hold him by the hand;
for I will make of him a great nation."
Then God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water.
She went and filled the skin with water, and then let the boy drink.
God was with the boy as he grew up.
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 34:7-8, 10-11, 12-13
R./ The Lord hears the cry of the poor.
When the poor one called out, the Lord heard,
and from all his distress he saved him.
The angel of the Lord encamps
around those who fear him, and delivers them.
R./ The Lord hears the cry of the poor.
Fear the Lord, you his holy ones,
for nought is lacking to those who fear him.
The great grow poor and hungry;
but those who seek the Lord want for no good thing.
R./ The Lord hears the cry of the poor.
Come, children, hear me;
I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
Which of you desires life,
and takes delight in prosperous days?
R./ The Lord hears the cry of the poor.
Gospel Reading: Matthew 8:28-34
When Jesus came to the territory of the Gadarenes,
two demoniacs who were coming from the tombs met him.
They were so savage that no one could travel by that road.
They cried out, "What have you to do with us, Son of God?
Have you come here to torment us before the appointed time?"
Some distance away a herd of many swine was feeding.
The demons pleaded with him,
"If you drive us out, send us into the herd of swine."
And he said to them, "Go then!"
They came out and entered the swine,
and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea
where they drowned.
The swineherds ran away,
and when they came to the town they reported everything,
including what had happened to the demoniacs.
Thereupon the whole town came out to meet Jesus,
and when they saw him they begged him to leave their district.
IN WIND AND STORM
Opening Prayer
Lord our God,
Your Son, Jesus Christ, took pity
on people rejected by their society
and restored them as human beings.
Never allow us to judge anyone
and to reject people from our communities.
Make us leave the judgment to you
for you alone know what is going on
in the hearts of people.
Make us mild and compassionate
through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Liturgy of the Word
First Reading Introduction
God fulfilled at least a bit of his promise to Abraham, that in him, the families of the earth would be blessed. Ishmael, the son of the slave girl, would not inherit the promises made to Abraham, but God took pity on this outcast and made him the ancestor of nomadic Bedouin tribes.
First Reading: Genesis 21:5, 8-20a
Gospel Reading Introduction
Jesus takes pity on people considered possessed by the devil, outcasts of little value to their pagan fellow citizens, who are more concerned about the loss of their pigs than over the cure of these outcasts. This text is difficult to understand unless we pay attention to the underlying theme of impurity. The outcasts from whom Jesus will exorcise demons live in an impure place, a cemetery; the demons are driven out into pigs, an unclean animal for the Jews. The pagans of the region do not yet recognize Jesus and this seems to indicate that the story is symbolic of times still to come: evil is still rampant. But in any case, the power of Jesus is already working.
General Intercessions
– For the Church, that like our God, it may care for those who are least favored and least loved, so that the Gospel may be good news to them, we pray:
– For governments and public officials, that they may not tolerate favoritism or discrimination of any kind and that they may defend the oppressed and restore their rights, we pray:
– For those considered outcasts by "respectable" society, that we may not judge them, but that our goodness, respect, and understanding may help them to integrate themselves in our communities, we pray:
Prayer over the Gift.
Lord, loving God,
your Son Jesus, died on the cross
as an outcast deserted by his people,
but that was the way in which he saved us.
Let this offering of bread and wine express
that we are one with Jesus,
and that with him, we accept people
the way you accept them and want to save them.
We ask this through Christ, our Lord.
Prayer after Communion
God our Father,
you have let us share the table of your Son
and let us join him in giving praise and thanks to you.
By his power, we want to continue
giving you honor and thanks
with the whole of our everyday lives
through deeds of justice, love,
and endless compassion for people
who lose their struggle with the difficulties of life.
We ask this through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Blessing
"Let justice flow like water, and righteousness like an ever flowing stream." If we can be just and good, the Lord will listen to us and accept our offering, for then, it will be part of the sacrifice of Jesus. May God bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
