General. During the Eucharist we pray God to bestow upon us and increase His grace within us. We yearn for a new order in humanity, little realizing that this order is already with us in Christ Jesus, the centre of humanity. He is the first fruit of a new creation in a renewed earth which partakes of heaven, where justice reigns. This justice has a new meaning, namely that brought about by the Cross and the Blood of Jesus which makes of man a new being in a new order, no longer a slave to sin.

Genesis. Abraham shows great compassion towards the three visitors to his tent and affords them hospitality. In recompense, one of the visitors foretold that his wife was to bear a child within a year, the couple having been childless. In God’s eyes, mercy, compassion and hospitality draw great merits from Him who is everlastingly compassionate to us notwithstanding our faults.

Epistle to the Colossians. St Paul expounds his mission within the Church, a sort of apologia pro vita sua. What Christ accomplished through his suffering for humanity, Paul is now continuing for the Church of which he has become a minister spreading the Word. This Word was a mystery hidden to mankind as from the beginning of ages, but it has now been revealed to the chosen ones who are spreading the word to pagans (non-believers, sceptics, not really atheists) about how good and righteous it is to believe in Christ within oneself through Baptism.

St Luke. Everyday works very often take a large chunk of our lives and put us in a state of depression which we seek to relieve through recreation and entertainment little, if at all, allowing us to listen to the Word of God. Sundays are fast becoming one such outlet for steam, and for those of us who still attend Mass on Sunday, we feel justified not to exaggerate matters and be considered as fundamentalists to do any spiritual reading or to listen to the Word of God during the rest of the week. Jesus’ words to Martha who was always fretting about the house, are clear enough. Mary has chosen the better part which she will not lose. This implies that all other material activities will pass and rust away in time.

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