Sunday October 3, 2021
TWENTY-SEVENTH SUNDAY OF THE YEAR
Vestment: Green
Today’s Rosary: Glorious Mystery
Catechetical Week Begins Today.
MAKURDI: Tomorrow is the 7th Anniversary of the episcopal ordination of Most Revd Wilfred C. Anagbe, 4th October 2014
Theme of the Sunday: MARRIAGE ACCORDING TO GOD’S PLAN. The first reading and the gospel are about marriage and present the original plan of God. Why has he made us male and female? What was his purpose? The teaching of today is that the indissolubility of marriage, monogamy and chastity are not hard and unreasonable impositions of God, but a means to defend and protect the dignity of man and of woman and to make them happy. The second reading could be linked to this theme. Jesus is a man like us, and he understands all our difficulties in regard to sexuality. Christians have the duty to show understanding for couples who are in difficulty
FIRST READING
“They become one flesh.”
A reading from the Book of Genesis (Genesis 2:18-24)
The LORD God said, “it is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.” so out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name. The man gave names to all cattle, and to the birds of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for the man there was not found a helper fit for him. So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh; and the rib which the LORD God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. Then the man said, “this at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of man.” Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and clings to his wife, and they become one flesh.
The word of the Lord.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM Psalm 128:1-2.3.4-5.6 (R. see 5)
R. May the Lord bless us all the days of our lives.
Blessed are all who fear the LORD,
and walk in his ways!
By the labour of your hands you shall eat.
You will be blessed and prosper. R.
Your wife like a fruitful vine
in the heart of your house;
Your children like shoots of the olive
around your table. R.
R. May the Lord bless us all the days of our lives.
Indeed thus shall be blessed
the man who fears the LORD.
May the LORD bless you from Sion.
May you see Jerusalem prosper
all the days of your life! R.
May you see your children’s children.
On Israel, peace! R.
SECOND READING
“He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified have all one origin.”
A reading from the Letter to the Hebrews (Hebrews 2:9-11)
Brethren: we see Jesus, who for a little while was made lower than the angels, crowned with glory and honour because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through suffering. For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified have all one origin. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brethren.
The word of the Lord.
ALLELUIA 1 John 4:12
Alleluia. If we love one another, God abides in us, and his love is perfected in us. Alleluia.
GOSPEL
“What God has joined together, let no man put asunder.”
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark (Mark 10:2-16)
At that time: Pharisees came up and in order to test Jesus asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” He answered them, “What did Moses command you?” They said, “Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of divorce, and to put her away.” But Jesus said to them, “For your hardness of heart he wrote you this commandment. But from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.’ ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let no man put asunder.” And in the house the disciples asked him again about this matter. And he said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another, commits adultery against her; and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.” *
And they were bringing children to him, that he might touch them; and the disciples rebuked them. But when Jesus saw it he was indignant, and said to them, “Let the children come to me, do not hinder them; for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands upon them.
The Gospel of the Lord. *
PRAYER OF THE FAITHFUL
Marriage is a sacred bond of unity.
PRIEST: Jesus Christ instituted the sacraments of marriage and endowed it with all the graces by which a man and woman grow in true love, and, if so blessed, raise up a Christian family to God’s glory. We ask the Lord for the graces which married couples need in today’s world.
READER:
FOR THE LEADERS AND TEACHERS IN THE CHURCH, (pause) may they keep before the eyes of the faithful the true dignity of marriage, and may priests and counselors help especially those who are preparing for the sacrament, or whose marriage has run into difficulties. (pause) Lord, hear us; and bless family life we pray Oh Lord
FOR THE LEADERS OF OUR GOVERNMENT, (pause) may they show their appreciation of marriage in society by helping couples to stay together, and avoiding laws which would encourage their separation. (pause) Lord, hear us; and bless family life we pray Oh Lord.
FOR DIVORCED HUSBANDS OR WIVES, (pause) may their lives be filled with serenity as they find the courage to go forward again in life, grateful for the past in so far as it has helped them to grow in an understanding of marriage and of themselves. (pause) Lord, hear us; and bless family life we pray Oh Lord.
FOR ALL SINGLE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY (pause) may they see their single lives not in terms of not being married but as a positive grace by which they follow the example of Christ himself.
(pause) Lord, hear us; and bless family life we pray Oh Lord.
In silence, we make our private petitions to God, the Father of everyone
PRIEST:
Father, as members of the Christian family who are conscious of the sacred calling of marriage, we confidently make our prayers to you. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Today’s Reflection
Marriage is a wonderful institution, one that has stood the test of time. it is “not forfeited by original sin, nor washed away by the flood.” As the nuptial blessing put it. It is a sacrament with many challenges, one of which is divorce. Many couples today live under the yoke of a vow they wish they had never taken and some couples live together simple as flat mates. This is certainly not God’s intention, for the Lord wills that man and wife should be one in every sense. Forgiveness and understanding are needed to sustain the joys of their commitment. Above all else, prayer is necessary. “The family that prays together is the family that stays together.” As a wise man advised a couple, “If you focus on yourself you will have a bad marriage; if you focus on your spouse, you will have a good marriage; but if you focus on God you will have a great marriage.”
PERSONAL DEVOTIONAL
Reflection on St. Joseph: Day 3
The example of Jesus Christ, who wished to honour St. Joseph so much, and to be subject to him on earth, ought to inflame all with a fervent devotion towards this great saint. Since the Eternal Father shared his own authority with St. Joseph, Jesus always regarded him as a father, and respected and obeyed him for thirty years. St Luke says He “was subject to them” (Luke 2:51). These words mean that during all this time the sole occupation of the Redeemer was to obey Mary and Joseph. To St. Joseph, as head of the little family, belonged the office of commanding, and to Jesus as a subject, the duty of obedience. Hence, a learned author has justly said: “Men should pay great honour to him whom the King of kings wished to raise to such a height”.
Let Us Pray
St. Joseph, by the obedience which Jesus rendered to thee, make me always obedient to the will of God.
THE MIRACULOUS 54-DAY ROSARY NOVENA
FIRST 27 DAYS IN PETITION
Day 26: THE SORROWFUL MYSTERIES
1. Sign of the Cross:
In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit Amen
PERSONAL INTENTION: Let us pray for all those participating in this Miraculous 54-Day Rosary Novena, that through the intercession of Our Mother Mary, God will hear and answer our prayers and grant us our heart desires we pray O Lord.
2. Hail Mary:
Hail Mary, full of grace, The Lord is with Thee; Blessed art thou among women, And blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, Pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen
3. IN PETITION (First 27 Days):
Hail, Queen of the Most Holy Rosary, my Mother Mary, hail! At thy feet I humbly kneel to offer thee a Crown of Roses, snow white buds to remind thee of thy joys, each bud recalling to thee a holy mystery, each 10 bound together with my petition for a particular grace. O Holy Queen, dispenser of God’s graces, and Mother of all who invoke thee, thou canst not look upon my gift and fail to see its binding. As thou receivest my gift, so wilt thou receive my petition; from thy bounty thou wilt give me the favor I so earnestly and trustingly seek. I despair of nothing that I ask of thee. Show thyself my Mother!
4. Say:
- The Apostles’ Creed,
- Our Father,
- 3 Hail Mary,
- Glory Be.
5. The Agony in the Garden – Our Father, 10 Hail Mary’s, Glory Be.
Concluding Prayer: I bind these blood red roses with a petition for the virtue of resignation to the will of God and humbly lay this bouquet at thy feet.
The Scourging at the Pillar – Our Father, 10 Hail Mary’s, Glory Be.
Concluding Prayer: I bind these blood red roses with a petition for the virtue of mortification and humbly lay this bouquet at thy feet
The Crowning with Thorns – Our Father, 10 Hail Mary’s, Glory Be.
Concluding Prayer: I bind these blood red roses with a petition for the virtue of humility and humbly lay this bouquet at thy feet.
The Carrying of the Cross – Our Father, 10 Hail Mary’s, Glory Be.
Concluding Prayer: I bind these blood red roses with a petition for the virtue of patience in adversity and humbly lay this bouquet at thy feet.
The Crucifixion – Our Father, 10 Hail Mary, Glory Be.
Concluding Prayer: I bind these blood red roses with a petition for the virtue of love of our enemies and humbly lay this bouquet at thy feet.
6. Say: The Hail Holy Queen.
Hail Holy Queen, Mother of mercy, hail Our life, our sweetness, and our hope. To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve. To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy towards us. And after this, our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus. O clement O loving O sweet Virgin Mary.
V/. Pray for us oh holy mother of God.
R/. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
7. Let us pray: O God whose only begotten son by his life death………..
8. Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary (optional)
9. Let us pray: Sweet Mother Mary, I offer thee this spiritual communion to bind my bouquets in a wreath to place upon thy brow. O my Mother! Look with favor upon my gift, and in thy love obtain for me (specify request).
HAIL MARY;
Hail Mary, full of grace, The Lord is with Thee; Blessed art thou among women, And blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, Pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen
10. In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit amen.
– Promise of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary
Whoever desires to obtain favors from Me should make three novenas of the prayers of the Rosary, and three novenas in thanksgiving.”
- Fr Richard Heilman February 7, 2016
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