Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Prayer for the Morning
The Lord is our light and our help:
to him do we pray in trust.
Glory to the Father…. Alleluia!
HYMN
In the hour of trial, Jesus, plead for me,
Lest by base denial I depart from thee.
When thou seest me waver, with a look recall,
Nor for fear or favor suffer me to fall.
With forbidden pleasures would this vain world charm,
Or its sordid treasures spread to work me harm,
Bring to my remembrance sad Gethsemane,
Or, in darker semblance, cross-crowned Calvary.
Should thy mercy send me sorrow, toil and woe,
Or should pain attend me on my path below,
Grant that I may never fail thy hand to see;
Grant that I may ever cast my care on thee.
When my last hour cometh, fraught with strife and pain,
When my dust returneth to the dust again,
On thy truth relying, through that mortal strife,
Jesus, take me, dying, to eternal life.
PSALM 27:1-5
Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather, be afraid of the one who can destroy both soul and body in Gehenna. (Mt 10:28)
Fear is a universal experience. Sometimes fear of other people, or their disapproval, leads us to act against our religious beliefs. Jesus cautions us to put our fear where it belongs: we should fear the loss of eternal life far more than we fear the threats of human beings, mortal and accountable like ourselves.
The Lord is my light and my help;
whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life;
before whom shall I shrink?
When evil-doers draw near
to devour my flesh,
it is they, my enemies and foes,
who stumble and fall.
Though an army encamp against me
my heart would not fear.
Though war break out against me
even then would I trust.
There is one thing I ask of the Lord,
for this I long,
to live in the house of the Lord,
all the days of my life,
to savor the sweetness of the Lord,
to behold his temple.
For there he keeps me safe in his tent
in the day of evil.
He hides me in the shelter of his tent,
on a rock he sets me safe.
Glory to the Father….
Word of God (Isaiah 51:6c-8)
My salvation shall remain forever/ and my justice shall never be dismayed./ Hear me, you who know justice,/ you people who have my teaching at heart:/ Fear not the reproach of men,/ be not dismayed at their revilings./ They shall be like a garment eaten by moths,/ like wool consumed by grubs;/ But my justice shall remain forever/ and my salvation, for all generations.
It is I who say to you, “Fear not,/ I will help you.”
(Is 41:13)
CANTICLE OF ZECHARIAH
Fear not, my children; call out to God! (Bar 4:27a)
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel;
he has come to his people and set them free.
He has raised up for us a mighty savior,
born of the house of his servant David.
Through his holy prophets he promised of old
that he would save us from our enemies,
from the hands of all who hate us.
He promised to show mercy to our fathers
and to remember his holy covenant.
This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham:
to set us free from the hands of our enemies,
free to worship him without fear,
holy and righteous in his sight
all the days of our life.
You, my child, shall be called the prophet
of the Most High;
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,
to give his people knowledge of salvation
by the forgiveness of their sins.
In the tender compassion of our God
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
to shine on those who dwell in darkness
and the shadow of death,
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.
Glory to the Father…
INTERCESSIONS
In time of trial, let us pray:
R/You are the stronghold of our life!
When we are tempted to displease you in order to please other people:
– strengthen us to do what is right in your eyes: R/
When we tempt others to disobey you in order to please us:
– forgive us and grant us conversion of heart: R/
When we suppress the voice of conscience because other voices appeal to our self-interest:
– grant us clarity of mind and purity of heart: R/
(Personal intentions)
Our Father….
God of power and might, you shield us from all harm by the power of your redeeming love. Protect us in our weakness; make us strong in our faith; keep us in your paths, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
