Tuesday July 11, 2017
Introduction
The mysterious wrestling of Jacob with God is typical of the wrestling of the Christians of today with themselves and with God – with God seen in the light and the obscurity of faith. Faith is indeed, often a wrestling in the night with realities that surpass us, with a God so great and yet so lovable that he appears unbelievable, so different from us, at times like absent, and yet so near. In these struggles, it is often not clear with whom we are wrestling. But we must hold on; we may not allow ourselves to be beaten, until something beautiful is born, a blessing. Also Christ had to wrestle until the dawn of the resurrection and of life.
Gospel. Jesus was spreading his message of good news in word and deed. Today, he asks us that there may be among us many who hear his invitation to continue his work and to bring his liberating compassion to the people of our day. At least, all of us should pray for such messengers, for the need is urgent.
Opening Prayer
Our God with a heart,
in your Son, Jesus Christ, you have shown us
your compassion for all that is weak.
Give us shepherds who care for your people
and nourish them with faith and trust in you
and with an unselfish love
that knows how to serve
even without waiting for gratitude.
Let it be the kind of gratuitous love
that you have shown us
in Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Reading 1: GN 32:23-33
In the course of the night, Jacob arose, took his two wives,
with the two maidservants and his eleven children,
and crossed the ford of the Jabbok.
After he had taken them across the stream
and had brought over all his possessions,
Jacob was left there alone.
Then some man wrestled with him until the break of dawn.
When the man saw that he could not prevail over him,
he struck Jacob's hip at its socket,
so that the hip socket was wrenched as they wrestled.
The man then said, "Let me go, for it is daybreak."
But Jacob said, "I will not let you go until you bless me."
The man asked, "What is your name?"
He answered, "Jacob."
Then the man said,
"You shall no longer be spoken of as Jacob, but as Israel,
because you have contended with divine and human beings
and have prevailed."
Jacob then asked him, "Do tell me your name, please."
He answered, "Why should you want to know my name?"
With that, he bade him farewell.
Jacob named the place Peniel,
"Because I have seen God face to face," he said,
"yet my life has been spared."
At sunrise, as he left Penuel,
Jacob limped along because of his hip.
That is why, to this day, the children of Israel do not eat
the sciatic muscle that is on the hip socket,
inasmuch as Jacob's hip socket was struck at the sciatic muscle.
Responsorial Psalm 17:1B, 2-3, 6-7AB, 8B AND 15
R. In justice, I shall behold your face, O Lord.
Hear, O LORD, a just suit;
attend to my outcry;
hearken to my prayer from lips without deceit.
R. In justice, I shall behold your face, O Lord.
From you let my judgment come;
your eyes behold what is right.
Though you test my heart, searching it in the night,
though you try me with fire, you shall find no malice in me.
R. In justice, I shall behold your face, O Lord.
I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God;
incline your ear to me; hear my word.
Show your wondrous mercies,
O savior of those who flee from their foes.
R. In justice, I shall behold your face, O Lord.
Hide me in the shadow of your wings.
I in justice shall behold your face;
on waking, I shall be content in your presence.
R. In justice, I shall behold your face, O Lord.
Alleluia JN 10:14
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I am the good shepherd, says the Lord;
I know my sheep, and mine know me.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel: MT 9:32-38
A demoniac who could not speak was brought to Jesus,
and when the demon was driven out the mute man spoke.
The crowds were amazed and said,
"Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel."
But the Pharisees said,
"He drives out demons by the prince of demons."
Jesus went around to all the towns and villages,
teaching in their synagogues,
proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom,
and curing every disease and illness.
At the sight of the crowds, his heart was moved with pity for them
because they were troubled and abandoned,
like sheep without a shepherd.
Then he said to his disciples,
"The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few;
so ask the master of the harvest
to send out laborers for his harvest."
Intercessions
– For the Church, the People of God, that the Lord may give us shepherds who reconcile and animate with fairness and love, we pray:
– For all our Christian communities, that we may trust and support our pastors, dialogue with them and share their burdens, we pray:
– For all of us, that Christ’s care for us may inspire us to nourish one another with words of encouragement and hope and deeds of support, we pray:
Prayer over the Gifts
Tender and compassionate God,
you give us food and drink
to sustain us on the road of life.
See how many people today
are needy and rudderless
and give them shepherds to guide them in life,
to nourish them with your living word
and with the food of lasting life,
Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Prayer after Communion
Lord our God,
your Son Jesus, still goes around today
to our cities and towns far and near.
Let his word be to all of us
good news of liberation
from the diseases of our hearts and bodies
and make us pass on this message
to the people around us,
at least by the way we live it.
We ask this through Christ, our Lord.
Blessing
Let us be and proclaim the Good News of God’s kingdom on earth by our goodness and compassion. May Almighty God bless you for this task, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
