14th  SUNDAY  OF  THE  YEAR (Cycle C) "The harvest is plentiful but the labourers are few." ENTRANCE ANTIPHON Within your temple, we ponder your loving kindness, O God. As your name, so also your praise reaches to the ends of the earth; your right hand is filled with justice. PENITENTIAL RITE Jesus sends out his disciples as messengers of peace. He gives the same task to us. We are called to be messengers of peace in our homes, in our neighbourhood and in our place of work. But we have failed many times in this task. So as a preparation for this celebration let us purify ourselves by asking God’s pardon for our sins and shortcomings. (Pause) I confess ... Glory to God ... OPENING PRAYER Let us pray. Father, through the obedience of Jesus, your servant and your Son, you raised a fallen world. Free us from sin and bring us the joy that lasts for ever. We ask this… FIRST READING (The prophet foretells the overthrow of idolatry and the joy of God’s people and how they will rejoice like a child at its mother’s breast.) A reading from the book of Isaiah (66:10-14c) "Rejoice with Jerusalem, and be glad for her, all you who love her; rejoice with her in joy, all you who mourn over her; that you may suck and be satisfied with her consoling breasts; that you may drink deeply with delight from the abundance of her glory." For thus says the Lord: "Behold, I will extend prosperity to her like a river, and the wealth of the nations like an overflowing stream; and you shall suck, you shall be carried upon her hip, and dandled upon her knees. As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you; you shall be comforted in Jerusalem. You shall see, and your heart shall rejoice; your bones shall flourish like the grass; and it shall be known that the hand of the Lord is with his servants." This is the Word of the Lord PSALM (65) Response: Cry out with joy to God all the earth. Cry out with joy to God all the earth, O sing to the glory of his name. O render him glorious praise. Say to God: "How tremendous your deeds!" R./ "Before you all the earth shall bow; shall sing to you, sing to your name!" Come and see the works of God, tremendous his deeds among men. R./ He turned the sea into dry land, they passed through the river dry-shod. Let our joy then be in him; he rules for ever by his might. R./ Come and hear, all who fear God. I will tell what he did for my soul. Blessed be God who did not reject my prayer nor withhold his love from me. R./ SECOND READING (Paul’s sufferings for the cause of the gospel mark him out as belonging wholly to Christ.) A reading from the letter of St Paul to the Galatians (6:14-18) Far be it from me to glory except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. Peace and mercy be upon all who walk by this rule, upon the Israel of God. Henceforth let no man trouble me; for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brethren. Amen. This is the Word of the Lord ACCLAMATION (Mt 11:25) Alleluia, alleluia! I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have revealed these things to children. Alleluia! GOSPEL (Jesus exhorts his disciples to pray and sends them out on an urgent mission to bring to all who are ready to listen, the good news of love, justice and peace.) A reading from the Holy Gospel according to St Luke (10:1-12,17-20) The Lord appointed seventy others, and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to come. And he said to them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few; pray therefore the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his harvest. Go your way; behold, I send you out as lambs in the midst of wolves. Carry no purse, no bag, no sandals; and salute no one on the road. Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace be to this house!’ And if a son of peace is there, your peace shall rest upon him; but if not, it shall return to you. And remain in the same house, eating and drinking what they provide, for the labourer deserves his wages; do not go from house to house. Whenever you enter a town and they receive you, eat what is set before you; heal the sick in it and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ But whenever you enter a town and they do not receive you, go into its streets and say, ‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet, we wipe off against you; nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near.’ I tell you, it shall be more tolerable on that day for Sodom than for that town." The seventy returned with joy, saying, "Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!" And he said to them, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Behold, I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing shall hurt you. Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you; but rejoice that your names are written in heaven." This is the Gospel of the Lord I believe in God,/the Father Almighty,/Creator of heaven and earth./ I believe in Jesus Christ,/his only Son, our Lord./He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit/ and born of the Virgin Mary./He suffered under Pontius Pilate,/was crucified, died, and was buried./He descended to the dead./On the third day he rose again./He ascended into Heaven,/and is seated at the right hand of the Father./He will come again to judge the living and the dead./I believe in the Holy Spirit,/the Holy Catholic Church,/the communion of saints,/the forgiveness of sins,/the resurrection of the body,/and the life everlasting./ Amen. PRAYER OF THE FAITHFUL Cel: Dear brothers and sisters, let us realize that each one of us by our baptism is a missionary. We can become missionaries by our individual witnessing and by working hard for the spread of the kingdom. Let us pray so that we may be strengthened to fulfil this mission given to us by the Lord. Response: Lord, make us messengers of your gospel. 1. We pray for our Holy Father, bishops, priests, and all Church leaders that they may lead the people on the way of justice and peace. R./ 2. We pray for all our catholic families, especially for all parents that they may, by leading an exemplary life by word and deed, establish peace in their homes. R./ 3. We pray for all young men and women, growing up in our world, so that they may overcome all temptations to violence and injustice. R./ 4. We pray for all those who are suffering injustice owing to caste prejudices. May they be given the dignity that is theirs as our brothers and sisters. R./ (Pray for persona/local needs.) Cel: Heavenly Father, may the world enjoy the fruits of your kingdom of justice and peace. May we by our lives contribute to the growth and spread of this kingdom. We make this prayer… PRAYER OVER THE GIFTS Lord, let this offering to the glory of your name purify us and bring us closer to eternal life. We ask this... PREFACE (P 29-36) COMMUNION ANTIPHON Taste and see the goodness of the Lord; blessed is he who hopes in God. PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION Lord, may we never fail to praise you for the fullness of life and salvation you give us in this Eucharist. We ask this… LITURGY  AND  LIFE God’s ways are different from our ways. Jesus asked for help from his disciples to bring themselves and their fellowmen to heaven when he himself could have done it far more effectively without their help. The Son of God could have worked more miracles which would have made the whole Roman empire and the Jewish kingdom wonder. He could have made the spread of his kingdom much easier and quicker. James and John, the sons of thunder, once expounded some similar idea. They asked their Master to bring down fire from heaven on some unfortunate Samaritans. The Son of God did not want that. He could have without the slightest difficulty, forced all men to accept his gospel and to live according to it. The fact is that God does not want forced labourers in heaven. He wants free citizens to work for his kingdom, free people who are ready to go to heaven. Every one is free to choose the path that leads to heaven. He has marked that path clearly and vividly for all those who wish to see. He has placed his men as guides along the way to help the weak and warn travellers not to take wrong turnings. With his prodigal sons he deals as a loving father, ever ready to help them, as he would help those who remain near him. He is ready to welcome back the spendthrifts and wastrels and arrange a home-coming party in their honour. In today’s gospel passage Jesus says, "the harvest is plentiful but the labourers are very few; pray therefore the Lord of the harvest to send labourers into his harvest." This is not only a loving call to priesthood and religious life. It is also a call to all Christians. He needs many guides on the long road to heaven. Today Christ is calling you and me to spread his kingdom. How much have I worked to bring men to heaven? How much have I contributed to help the missions? Have you heard the story of the 100 Re note and 1 Re coin? They finally met in the Indian treasury. After a long time they had come together. The 100 spoke, "I have had a good time. I have been in many restaurants. I have been in some cool vacations. I have seen excellent theatres. Then he put the ball in the court of 1. "How about you pilgrim? What kind of time have you had?" Downcast 1 Re coin responded. "Pretty lousy! I have spent most of my life at the bottom of the collection boxes in the churches." We may laugh at this story, but the laugh is on us. Jesus tells in v. 7 of the gospel passage, "the labourer deserves his wages." Jesus is telling us, Catholics, "Just as you pay your plumber, who works in your house, support my disciples who build up your spirits." How does this advice of our Lord compare with the fact! So let us be generous and support the missions financially. Let us reflect upon Rousseau’s dictum, "when a man dies he carries in his hands only that which he has given away."   July 2007 READINGS OF THE WEEK (Psalter Week 2) 9/Mon (GR) Or Ss. Augustine Zhao Rong, pt & Comps mm Gn 28:10-22a; Ps 90:1-2,3-4,14-15; Mt 9:18-26 10/Tu (G) Gn 32:23-33; Ps 16:1,2-3ab,6-7,8&15; Mt 9:32-38 11/Wed (W) S. Benedict, ab – mem Gn 41:55-57; 42:5-7a,17-24a; Ps 32:2-3,10-11,18-19; Mt 10:1-7 12/Thu (G) Gn 44:18-21,23b-29; 45:1-5; Ps 104:16-17,18-19,20-21; Mt 10:7-15 13/Fri (G/W) Or S. Henry Gn 46:1-7,28-30; Ps 36:3-4,18-19,27-28ab, 39-40; Mt 10:16-23 14/Sat (G/W/W) S. Camillus de Lellis, pt Or BVM on Saturday Gn 49:29-33; 50:15-26; Ps 104:1-2,3-4,6-7; Mt 10:24-33