Tuesday September 28

TWENTY-SIXTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

A MISSIONARY COMMUNITY

 

Introduction

      If God lives in the community of his faithful, this community is by itself missionary, for it reveals the face of God; by its witnessing, it attracts others.

      The prophet Elijah did not find God in the storm wind or the earthquake or the fire, but in the gentle breeze. The “sons of thunder,” James and John, wanted fire to come down on the Samaritan village that did not receive Jesus, but Jesus reprimanded them. Violence is not God’s way.

 

Opening Prayer

Lord our God,
the early Christian community
was praised by Jews and pagans alike
and led many to the faith by their example.
Like them, may we be united heart and soul,
as a community of faith, prayer, service,
and of sharing with one another.
May people discover
that the Spirit of Jesus Christ is alive in us,
so that they may praise your name
now and for ever.

 

Reading 1: Zec 8:20-23

Thus says the LORD of hosts:
There shall yet come peoples,
the inhabitants of many cities;
and the inhabitants of one city shall approach those of another,
and say, “Come! let us go to implore the favor of the LORD”;
and, “I too will go to seek the LORD.”
Many peoples and strong nations shall come
to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem
and to implore the favor of the LORD.
Thus says the LORD of hosts:
In those days ten men of every nationality,
speaking different tongues, shall take hold,
yes, take hold of every Jew by the edge of his garment and say,
“Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.”

 

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 87:1b-3, 4-5, 6-7

(Zec 8:23) God is with us.
His foundation upon the holy mountains
the LORD loves:
The gates of Zion,
more than any dwelling of Jacob.
Glorious things are said of you,
O city of God!
R. God is with us.
I tell of Egypt and Babylon
among those that know the LORD;
Of Philistia, Tyre, Ethiopia:
“This man was born there.”
And of Zion they shall say:
“One and all were born in her;
And he who has established her
is the Most High LORD.”
R. God is with us.
They shall note, when the peoples are enrolled:
“This man was born there.”
And all shall sing, in their festive dance:
“My home is within you.”
R. God is with us.

 

Alleluia: Mk 10:45

Alleluia, alleluia.
The Son of Man came to serve
and to give his life as a ransom for many.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

 

Gospel: Lk 9:51-56

When the days for Jesus to be taken up were fulfilled,
he resolutely determined to journey to Jerusalem,
and he sent messengers ahead of him.
On the way they entered a Samaritan village
to prepare for his reception there,
but they would not welcome him
because the destination of his journey was Jerusalem.
When the disciples James and John saw this they asked,
“Lord, do you want us to call down fire from heaven
to consume them?”
Jesus turned and rebuked them,
and they journeyed to another village.

 

Intercessions

–   That those who search and grope for faith may encounter the Lord Jesus in the witness of faith and love of our communities, we pray:

–   That the universal Church, the local churches and missionary societies may proclaim Christ to the world not by power and prestige but by humble service, we pray:

–   That each of the young churches may be deeply rooted in its own people as a community of faith and love that enriches the whole Church, we pray:

 

Prayer over the Gifts

Bread and wine are here,
gifts from your hands
to bring us your greater gift, your own Son.
God, may peoples and nations
come and see that through him
you are alive in your community.
And may they want to go your way with us
and find favor with you,
our Lord and God for ever.

 

Prayer after Communion

Lord our God,
you ask much of us, your people,
for it is not easy for us
to reveal your face to people.
May we never be screens that hide you
but your transparent images,
patterned after your Son Jesus Christ
and growing day after day
in the likeness of him
who is our Lord for ever and ever.

 

Blessing

After the time of the apostles and the persecutions, the Church spread mostly because of the inspiring life of the Christian community. It attracted people, for they saw God alive in the Church. May you be a Church that attracts people to God, with the blessing of almighty God, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

 

Commentary

At this point in Luke’s Gospel, Jesus sets his sights on Jerusalem as he begins the journey that will lead to his death and resurrection. The company is not afforded a welcome in a Samaritan village because they are headed for Jerusalem. The anger at this rebuff by Jesus’ disciples finds no echo in the Master himself. Their willingness to see the village destroyed sprang from a lengthy period of hostility between Jews and Samaritans. But as early Christianity spread in the region, Samaria became a center of belief.

So convinced is Zechariah of the universal appeal of Judaism that he envisions the Jewish population being inundated by peo­ples of other nations who attach themselves to the Jewish believ­ers in coming to seek the Lord in Jerusalem. Hebrew universalism does not involve proselytizing on the part of the Jews; it is wholly the work of God.

Jesus does not disdain people of other beliefs. In fact, in a number of cases, he commends their sincerity and uprightness. While not all people share our faith, we are convinced that they are God’s children and are in no’ way excluded from his love. If we can share our faith with them, we are glad to do so. Certainly we want to bring them before the Lord in prayer. To speak of other believers with disdain is alien to our spirit.

 

Points to Ponder

Old Testament universalism

The tolerance of Jesus

Our respect for other faiths