Give Us This Day - October 2011 Sample

OCTOBER 2011

DAILY PRAYER FOR TODAY’S CATHOLICDAILY PRAYER FOR TODAY’S CATHOLICTM

Give Us This Day™

Canticle of Zechariah (Benedictus) Luke 1:68-79

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 fathersand 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 salvationby the forgiveness of their sins.

In the tender compassion of our Godthe 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, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

1 W

St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus

✛ St. Thérèse of Lisieux Fr. Henri J. M. Nouwen

2 Twenty-Seventh Week in Ordinary Time

G

St. Catherine of Siena

3 G

✛ St. Theodore Guerin

Dorothy Day

4 W

St. Francis of Assisi

✛ St. Francis of Assisi

Michelle Francl-Donnay

5 G

✛ St. Mary Faustina Kowalska

Evelyn Underhill

6 G

✛ St. Bruno

Fr. Anthony Gittins

7 W

Our Lady of the Rosary

✛ Eileen Egan

Joel Schorn

8 G

✛ Penny Lernoux

Sr. Melannie Svoboda

9 Twenty-Eighth Week in Ordinary Time

G

St. Gregory the Great

10 G

✛ Mollie Rogers Wendy Cichanski

11 G

✛ Bd. John XXIII Christopher Pramuk

12 G

✛ Caryll Houselander Sr. Shawn Carruth

13 G

✛ Madeleine Delbrêl Fr. Romano Guardini

14 G

✛ Julius Nyerere Russ Connors

15 W

St. Teresa of Jesus

✛ St. Teresa of Avila Fr. Don Talafous

16 Twenty-Ninth Week in Ordinary Time

G

Fr. Michael Casey

17 R

St. Ignatius of Antioch

✛ St. Ignatius of Antioch St. Augustine

18 R

St. Luke

✛ St. Luke Cardinal Basil Hume

19 R

Sts. John de Brébeuf and Isaac Jogues

✛ St. Isaac Jogues John Shea

20 G

✛ Bd. Jerzy Popieluszko Sr. Katherine Howard

21 G

✛ St. Margaret Clitherow Fr. Daniel Durken

22 G

✛ St. Margaret Mary Alacoque

Pope Benedict XVI

23 Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time

G

St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross

24 G

✛ St. Anthony Mary Claret

Rachelle Linner

25 G

✛ The Forty Martyrs of England and Wales

Ida Görres

26 G

✛ St. Severinus Boethius

C. Vanessa White

27 G

✛ Bd. Contardo Ferrini

Alicia von Stamwitz

28 R

Sts. Simon and Jude

✛ Sts. Simon and Jude

Bd. John Henry Newman

29 G

✛ St. Marcellus

Fr. Raniero Cantalamessa

30 Thirty-First Week in Ordinary Time

G

Therese Borchard

31 G

✛ St. Alphonsus Rodriguez

Mary Stommes

KeyVestment colors: G Green R Red W White

✛ Blessed Among Us Reflection Writer

October 2011

Within the Word: Romans

Within the Word: Psalm 119

Within the Word: Simon and Jude

Within the Word: Martha and Mary

Within the Word: Malachi

Give UsThısDay™DAILY PRAYER FOR TODAY’S CATHOLIC

Editorial Advisors James Martin, SJ ◆ Irene Nowell, OSB Bishop Robert F. Morneau ◆ Timothy Radcliffe, OP Kathleen Norris ◆ Ronald Rolheiser, OMI

Peter Dwyer, PublisherMary Stommes, Editor

Aelred Senna, OSB, Associate PublisherRobert Ellsberg, “Blessed Among Us” Author

www.giveusthisday.orgCustomer Service: 800-858-5450, [email protected]

Give Us This Day, Liturgical PressPO Box 7500, Collegeville, MN 56321-7500

© 2011 by the Order of Saint Benedict, Collegeville, Minnesota. Printed in Canada.

Give Us This Day™ (ISSN 2159-2136, print; 2159-2128, online) is published monthly by Liturgical Press, an apostolate of Saint John’s Abbey, Collegeville, Minnesota. Rev. John Klassen, OSB, Abbot. For complete publication informa-tion see page 366.

Published with the approval of the Committee on Divine Worship, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

CONTENTS October 2011 ◆ Volume 1, Issue 3

The Splendor of October Spiritualities Bishop Robert F. Morneau . . . . . . . . 5Teach Us to Pray: The Rosary Fr. James Martin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary Melissa Musick Nussbaum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8Prayers and Blessings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10Daily Prayer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14Changes to the Mass—People’s Responses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 319Order of Mass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 326Liturgy of the Word (with Holy Communion) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 350Hymns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 354Guide to Lectio Divina . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 360How to Use Give Us This Day . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 361

14 Saturday 15

Saturday, October 1

MorningO Lord, open my lips.And my mouth will proclaim your praise.

(opt. hymn, pp. 354–59)Psalm 124“If the Lord had not been on our side,”let Israel say—“If the Lord had not been on our sidewhen people rose against us,then would they have swallowed us alivewhen their anger was kindled.

Then would the waters have engulfed us,the torrent gone over us;over our head would have sweptthe raging waters.”

Blest be the Lord who did not give usa prey to their teeth!Our life, like a bird, has escapedfrom the snare of the fowler.

Indeed, the snare has been broken,and we have escaped.Our help is in the name of the Lord,who made heaven and earth.

Glory to the Father . . .

Scripture Isaiah 54:4-7

Do not fear, you shall not be put to shame; / do not be discouraged, you shall not be disgraced. / For the

shame of your youth you shall forget, / the reproach of your widowhood no longer remember. / For your husband is your Maker; / the Lord of hosts is his name, / Your redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, / called God of all the earth. / The Lord calls you back, / like a wife forsaken and grieved in spirit, / A wife married in youth and then cast off, / says your God. / For a brief moment I abandoned you, / but with great tenderness I will take you back.

Read, Ponder, Pray on a word or phrase from today’s Scripture (Lectio Divina, p. 360)

AntiphonMy love shall never leave you, says the Lord.

Canticle of Zechariah (inside front cover)

IntercessionsGod of love, you never abandon us. With trust in you we pray: r. God, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Help us to welcome you in the ordinary events of this day. r.

Strengthen parents to image your love to their children. r.

Seek out those who have strayed from you. r.

Our Father . . .

May the peace of Christ rule in our hearts now and forever. Amen.

16 October 1 Saturday 17

Blessed Among UsSt. Thérèse of LisieuxDoctor of the Church (1873–1897)

St. Thérèse spent most of her short life within the cloister of an obscure Carmelite convent in Normandy, where she died in 1897 at the age of twenty-four. Within years of her death, however, due to the posthumous publication of her autobi-ography, The Story of a Soul, her name had circled the globe. She was canonized with remarkable speed in 1925 and quickly became one of the most popular saints of modern times. Evidently her message struck a chord.

Thérèse called her spirituality the “Little Way.” It involved performing one’s everyday actions and suffering each petty insult or injury in the presence and love of God. By this means one could turn any situation into a profound arena of holiness; each moment, accepted and lived in a spirit of love, could become an occasion for heroism and a potential step along the path to sanctity.

Thérèse wrote her book under obedience to a request from her superior, and the last chapters were written as she lay dying in terrible agony from tuberculosis. In the years after her death she was credited with many miracles. She had once said, “After my death I will let fall a shower of roses. I will spend my heaven in doing good upon earth.”

In 1997 she was named a Doctor of the Church.

“My vocation is love! In the heart of the Church, who is my Mother, I will be love.”

—St. Thérèse of Lisieux

MassSt. Thérèse of the Child Jesus, Memorial

Entrance Antiphon See Deuteronomy 32:10-12The Lord nurtured and taught her; he guarded her as the apple of his eye. As the eagle spreads its wings to carry its young, he bore her on his shoulders. The Lord alone was her leader.

Opening PrayerGod our Father,you have promised your kingdomto those who are willing to become like little children.Help us to follow the way of St. Theresa with confidenceso that by her prayerswe may come to know your eternal glory.Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,one God, for ever and ever.

A reading from the Book of the Prophet Baruch 4:5-12, 27-29

He who brought disaster upon you will bring you back enduring joy.

Fear not, my people! / Remember, Israel, / You were sold to the nations / not for your destruction; / It was be-

cause you angered God / that you were handed over to your foes. / For you provoked your Maker / with sacrifices to demons, to no-gods; / You forsook the Eternal God who nourished you, / and you grieved Jerusalem who fostered you. / She indeed saw coming upon you / the anger of God; and she said:

Saturday 1918 October 1

“Hear, you neighbors of Zion! / God has brought great mourning upon me, / For I have seen the captivity / that the Eternal God has brought / upon my sons and daughters. / With joy I fostered them; / but with mourning and lament I let them go. / Let no one gloat over me, a widow, / bereft of many: / For the sins of my children I am left desolate, / because they turned from the law of God.

Fear not, my children; call out to God! / He who brought this upon you will remember you. / As your hearts have been disposed to stray from God, / turn now ten times the more to seek him; / For he who has brought disaster upon you / will, in saving you, bring you back enduring joy.”The word of the Lord.

Responsorial Psalm 69:33-35, 36-37

r. (34) The Lord listens to the poor.

“See, you lowly ones, and be glad; you who seek God, may your hearts revive!For the Lord hears the poor, and his own who are in bonds he spurns not.Let the heavens and the earth praise him, the seas and whatever moves in them!” r.

For God will save Zion and rebuild the cities of Judah.They shall dwell in the land and own it, and the descendants of his servants shall inherit it, and those who love his name shall inhabit it. r.

Gospel Acclamation See Matthew 11:25Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth;you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the

Kingdom.

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke 10:17-24

Rejoice because your names are written in heaven.

The seventy-two disciples returned rejoicing and said to Jesus, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us be-

cause of your name.” Jesus said, “I have observed Satan fall like lightning from the sky. Behold, I have given you the power ‘to tread upon serpents’ and scorpions and upon the full force of the enemy and nothing will harm you. Never-theless, do not rejoice because the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice because your names are written in heaven.”

At that very moment he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I give you praise, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike. Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father. No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him.”

Turning to the disciples in private he said, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. For I say to you, many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it.”The Gospel of the Lord.

Prayer over the GiftsLord,we praise the wonder of your grace in St. Theresa.As you were pleased with the witness she offered,be pleased also to accept this service of ours.We ask this through Christ our Lord.


Communion Antiphon Matthew 18:3Unless you change and become like little children, says the Lord, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven.

Prayer after CommunionLord,by the power of your loveSt. Theresa offered herself completely to youand prayed for the salvation of all mankind.May the sacraments we have received fill us with loveand bring us forgiveness.We ask this in the name of Jesus the Lord.

ReflectionNew Eyes and New Ears

. . . many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it.

Each day of the year has its own Gospel passage. Each passage holds its own treasure for us. For me it has been of immense spiritual value to read each morning the story about Jesus that has been chosen for the day and to look at it and listen to it with my inner eyes and ears. I have discovered that when I do this over a long period of time, the life of Jesus becomes more and more alive in me and starts to guide me in my daily activities.

Often I have found myself saying: “The Gospel that I read this morning was just what I needed today!” This was much more than a wonderful coincidence. What, in fact, was taking place was not that a Gospel text helped me with a concrete

problem, but that the many Gospel passages that I had been contemplating were gradually giving me new eyes and new ears to see and hear what was happening in the world. It wasn’t that the Gospel proved useful for my many worries but that the Gospel proved the uselessness of my worries and so refocused my whole attention.

Once I was trying very hard to help two of my friends resolve their marriage difficulties. As I read the Gospel stories day after day it dawned on me that I was more interested in being a successful counselor than in making my friends fully open to God’s will, whatever the implications would be for their future life. I became less anxious to solve their problems and more free to be an instrument of God’s healing.

The daily contemplation of the Gospel is one of the most straightforward ways to set our minds and hearts first on the kingdom.

Fr. Henri J. M. Nouwen

Henri J. M. Nouwen (1932–1996) was an internationally known priest and is among the great spiritual writers of modern times.


EveningGod, come to my assistance.Lord, make haste to help me.

(opt. hymn, pp. 354–59)Psalm 81:2-11Sing joyfully to God our strength,shout in triumph to the God of Jacob.Raise a song and sound the timbrel,the sweet-sounding harp and the lute;blow the trumpet at the new moon,when the moon is full, on our feast.

For this is a statute in Israel,a command of the God of Jacob.He made it a decree for Joseph,when he went out from the land of Egypt.

A voice I did not know said to me:“I freed your shoulder from the burden;your hands were freed from the builder’s basket.You called in distress and I delivered you.

I answered, concealed in the thunder;at the waters of Meribah I tested you.Listen, my people, as I warn you.O Israel, if only you would heed!

Let there be no strange god among you,nor shall you worship a foreign god.I am the Lord your God,who brought you up from the land of Egypt.Open wide your mouth, and I will fill it.”


Scripture 1 Peter 1:10-12

Concerning this salvation, prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and in-

vestigated it, investigating the time and circumstances that the Spirit of Christ within them indicated when it testified in advance to the sufferings destined for Christ and the glories to follow them. It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you with regard to the things that have now been announced to you by those who preached the good news to you [through] the holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels longed to look.


AntiphonRejoice as you attain the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

Canticle of Mary (inside back cover)

IntercessionsYou alone are God. Awed by your power, we pray: r. God of the covenant, listen and answer.

Lead us to rejoice always in your grace and favor. r.

Give hope to those who suffer the distress of war. r.

Strengthen those who suffer for the sake of the Gospel. r.

Our Father . . .

May God free us from all distress and confirm our hearts in love. Amen.

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Vineyards with Their Watch Towers by James Tissot, c. 1888.

Sunday, October 2


(opt. hymn, pp. 354–59)Psalm 108:2-7My heart is ready, O God;my heart is ready.I will sing, I will sing your praise.Awake, my soul;awake, O lyre and harp.I will awake the dawn.

I will praise you, Lord, among the peoples;I will sing psalms to you among the nations,for your mercy reaches to the heavens,and your truth to the skies.

O God, be exalted above the heavens;may your glory shine on all the earth!With your right hand, grant salvation and give answer;O come and deliver your friends.


Scripture Hosea 14:5-8

I will heal their apostasy, / I will love them freely; / for my anger is turned away from them. / I will be like the dew

for Israel: / he will blossom like the lily; / He will strike root like the Lebanon cedar, / and his shoots will go forth. / His splendor will be like the olive tree / and his fragrance like

Sunday 2726 October 2

Lebanon cedar. / Again they will live in his shade; / they will raise grain, / They will blossom like the vine, / and his renown will be like the wine of Lebanon.


AntiphonThe vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel.


IntercessionsO God, your love fills the heavens. With trust we pray: r. Spread your glory across the earth!

Awaken your Church to praise your name unceasingly. r.

Deliver your people from hatred and violence. r.

Rescue the poor who call upon your name. r.

Our Father . . .

May almighty God protect us from all harm and bless us with every good gift. Amen.

MassTwenty-Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

Entrance Antiphon Esther 13:9, 10-11O Lord, you have given everything its place in the world, and no one can make it otherwise. For it is your creation, the heavens and the earth and the stars: you are the Lord of all.

Gloria (p. 328)

Opening PrayerFather,your love for ussurpasses all our hopes and desires.Forgive our failings,keep us in your peaceand lead us in the way of salvation.We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,one God, for ever and ever.

A reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah 5:1-7

The vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel.

Let me now sing of my friend, / my friend’s song con-cerning his vineyard. / My friend had a vineyard / on

a fertile hillside; / he spaded it, cleared it of stones, / and planted the choicest vines; / within it he built a watchtower, / and hewed out a wine press. / Then he looked for the crop of grapes, / but what it yielded was wild grapes.

Now, inhabitants of Jerusalem and people of Judah, / judge between me and my vineyard: / What more was there to do for my vineyard / that I had not done? / Why, when I


looked for the crop of grapes, / did it bring forth wild grapes? / Now, I will let you know / what I mean to do with my vineyard: / take away its hedge, give it to grazing, / break through its wall, let it be trampled! / Yes, I will make it a ruin: / it shall not be pruned or hoed, / but overgrown with thorns and briers; / I will command the clouds / not to send rain upon it. / The vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, / and the people of Judah are his cherished plant; / he looked for judgment, but see, bloodshed! / for justice, but hark, the outcry!The word of the Lord.

Responsorial Psalm 80:9, 12, 13-14, 15-16, 19-20

r. (Isaiah 5:7a) The vineyard of the Lord is the house of Israel.

A vine from Egypt you transplanted; you drove away the nations and planted it.It put forth its foliage to the Sea, its shoots as far as the River. r.

Why have you broken down its walls, so that every passer-by plucks its fruit,the boar from the forest lays it waste, and the beasts of the field feed upon it? r.

Once again, O Lord of hosts, look down from heaven, and see;take care of this vine, and protect what your right hand has planted the son of man whom you yourself made strong. r.

Then we will no more withdraw from you; give us new life, and we will call upon your name.O Lord, God of hosts, restore us; if your face shine upon us, then we shall be saved. r.

A reading from the Letter of Saint Paul to the Philippians 4:6-9

Do these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

Brothers and sisters: Have no anxiety at all, but in every-thing, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make

your requests known to God. Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Keep on doing what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me. Then the God of peace will be with you.The word of the Lord.

Gospel Acclamation cf. John 15:16I have chosen you from the world, says the Lord,to go and bear fruit that will remain.

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew 21:33-43

He will lease his vineyard to other tenants.

Jesus said to the chief priests and the elders of the people: “Hear another parable. There was a landowner who

planted a vineyard, put a hedge around it, dug a wine press in it, and built a tower. Then he leased it to tenants and went on a journey. When vintage time drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants to obtain his produce. But the tenants seized the servants and one they beat, another they killed, and a third they stoned. Again he sent other servants, more numerous than the first ones, but they treated them


in the same way. Finally, he sent his son to them, thinking, ‘They will respect my son.’ But when the tenants saw the son, they said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and acquire his inheritance.’ They seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him. What will the owner of the vineyard do to those tenants when he comes?” They answered him, “He will put those wretched men to a wretched death and lease his vineyard to other tenants who will give him the produce at the proper times.” Jesus said to them, “Did you never read in the Scriptures: The stone that the builders rejected / has become the cornerstone; / by the Lord has this been done, / and it is wonderful in our eyes? Therefore, I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that will produce its fruit.”The Gospel of the Lord.

Creed (p. 329)

Prayer over the GiftsFather,receive these giftswhich our Lord Jesus Christhas asked us to offer in his memory.May our obedient servicebring us to the fullness of your redemption.We ask this in the name of Jesus the Lord.

Communion Antiphon Lamentations 3:25The Lord is good to those who hope in him, to those who are searching for his love.

Prayer after CommunionAlmighty God,let the eucharist we sharefill us with your life.May the love of Christwhich we celebrate heretouch our lives and lead us to you.We ask this in the name of Jesus the Lord.

ReflectionOne Common Vineyard

Do you know what course I follow, once my servants have completely given themselves to the teaching of the gentle loving Word? I prune them, so that they will bear much fruit—cultivated fruit, not wild [Isa 5:1-4]. . . .

You, then, are my workers. You have come from me, the supreme eternal gardener, and I have engrafted you onto the vine by making myself one with you.

Keep in mind that each of you has your own vineyard. But every one is joined to your neighbors’ vineyards without any dividing lines. They are so joined together, in fact, that you cannot do good or evil for yourself without doing the same for your neighbors.

All of you together make up one common vineyard, the whole Christian assembly, and you are all united in the vine-yard of the mystic body of holy Church from which you draw your life.

St. Catherine of Siena, The Dialogue

Catherine of Siena (1347–1380), mystic and Doctor of the Church, was deeply involved in the life of society and the Church.



(opt. hymn, pp. 354–59)Psalm 123To you have I lifted up my eyes,you who dwell in the heavens.

Behold, like the eyes of slaveson the hand of their lords,like the eyes of a servanton the hand of her mistress,so our eyes are on the Lord our God,till he show us his mercy.

Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy.We are filled with contempt.Indeed, all too full is our soulwith the scorn of the arrogant,the disdain of the proud.


Scripture Romans 11:13-18

Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am the apostle to the Gentiles, I glory in my ministry

in order to make my race jealous and thus save some of them. For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? If the firstfruits are holy, so is the whole batch of dough; and if the root is holy, so are the branches.

But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, a wild olive shoot, were grafted in their place and have come to share in the rich root of the olive tree, do not boast

against the branches. If you do boast, consider that you do not support the root; the root supports you.


AntiphonBy the mercy of God, we grow and bear fruit.


IntercessionsO Lord, we fix our eyes on you and await your kindness as we pray: r. Have mercy on us, Lord.

Deepen our desire to seek peace and pursue it. r.

Restore stability to lands and peoples torn apart by war. r.

Animate those who seek to be reconciled to you and to their neighbor. r.

Our Father . . .

May the peace of the risen Christ be with us always. Amen.

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35October 2–8Twenty-Seventh Week in Ordinary Time

Within the WordMartha and Mary

Martha and Mary are among the most sympathetic and well-loved characters of the Gospels. Sure, Martha complains a little, and Mary is quite exuberant, even reckless in her demonstration of gratitude to Jesus for the raising of their brother. But these features only endear readers to these sisters and add to their humanity.

Many believers can identify with the take-charge, capable, and intelligent Martha. She welcomes Jesus into her home (Luke 10:38-42, Tuesday’s Gospel). Later, when Jesus delays in coming even after learning of Lazarus’s illness, Martha goes out to meet Jesus on the way (John, chap. 11). Her barely concealed complaint is also a profession of faith as she says, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. And even now I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give you.” Although Lazarus had already died, Martha declares, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world.” All her misgivings, her doubts and fears, evaporated when Martha witnessed Lazarus’s resurrection and heard Jesus’ words, “Unbind him and let him go.” Long before she saw the power of Jesus even over death, Martha believed. Her hospitality, her faith, and her persistence all contributed not only to this single miracle but to our appreciation of the power of the Gospel for life.

The image of Mary presents another aspect of discipleship. Mary also welcomes Jesus and sits at his feet listening to him. When Martha complained about her sister, Jesus defended

Mary. After Lazarus was raised, the family gave a dinner in Jesus’ honor, and Mary celebrated by bringing expensive oil to anoint Jesus’ feet, which she dried with her hair. This time it is Judas who complains, and Jesus again defends Mary, insinuating that hers is a prophetic action in recognition of his very purpose in being sent into the world (John 12:1-8).

John presents the episodes of Martha and Mary as one of the final encounters with Jesus before his death. He devotes fourteen verses to his portrait of Martha (11:1-3, 20-28, 39-40) and seven to his description of Mary (12:1-7).

Luke’s five verses about the two sisters (Luke 10:38-42), pitting one against the other, tends to obscure the positive impression left by John. But we can also read Luke’s story in a positive light about the freedom of women to act both as hosts for the house-churches and as listeners of the word who, consequently, will spread the Gospel to others.

Jesus describes his disciples as those who, “hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bring forth fruit in patience” (Luke 8:15). Disciples, then, are mandated to go out and proclaim that “the Kingdom of God is at hand for you” (10:9). The spread of the Gospel depends on resident sympathizers such as Martha and Zacchaeus and Lydia who give hospitality to Jesus and later to itinerant missionaries. It also requires the free-spirited, generous, and courageous prophets such as Mary and Paul, Priscilla and Aquila, Phoebe and Apollos. We would all be impoverished if we limit the expressions of true discipleship to one or another form.

Mary and Martha have yet much to teach us.—Mary Ann Getty Sullivan

Mary Ann Getty Sullivan holds a Doctor of Sacred Theology and taught New Testament courses in colleges and seminaries for more than thirty years. She has retired from teaching full time to devote more time to writing and lecturing.

Monday 3736

Monday, October 3


(opt. hymn, pp. 354–59)Psalm 20:2–10May the Lord answer you in time of trial;may the name of Jacob’s God protect you.May he send you help from the holy place,and give you support from Sion.

May he remember all your offerings,and receive your sacrifice with favor.May he give you your heart’s desire,and fulfill every one of your plans.

May we ring out our joy at your victory,and raise banners in the name of our God.May the Lord grant all your prayers.

Now I know the Lord saves his anointed,and answers from his holy heavenwith the mighty victory of his hand.

Some put their trust in chariots or horses,but we in the name of the Lord, our God.They will collapse and fall,but we shall rise up and hold firm.Grant salvation to the king, O Lord,give answer on the day we call.


Scripture Jeremiah 1:4-8

The word of the Lord came to me: / Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, / before you were born I dedi-

cated you, / a prophet to the nations I appointed you. / “Ah, Lord God!” I said, / “I do not know how to speak. I am too young!” / But the Lord answered me, / Do not say, “I am too young.” / To whomever I send you, you shall go; / what-ever I command you, you shall speak. / Do not be afraid of them, / for I am with you to deliver you—oracle of the Lord.


AntiphonGod has called us to serve one another.


IntercessionsO God, we place our trust in you. Attend to our prayer as we say: r. Hear us and answer, O Lord.

Open our lips, that we might speak in your name. r.

Give success to the efforts of diplomats and peacemakers. r.

Give victory to those who struggle to overcome addiction. r.

Our Father . . .

May the Lord fix our hearts on the words of eternal life and lead us to joy everlasting. Amen.

Monday 3938 October 3

Blessed Among UsSt. Theodore GuerinFounder of the Sisters of Providence (1798–1856)

In 1840 Mother Theodore Guerin and five fellow Sisters of Providence embarked on a long journey that would take them from their motherhouse in France to “St. Mary-in-the Woods”—literally a log cabin in the middle of the woods in Indiana. Building on these inauspicious beginnings, the sis-ters established a thriving community, attracting postulants and drawing eager students from the scattered pioneer families.

But the greatest trial confronting Mother Guerin was the persistent persecution from her local bishop, who regarded the community as his personal possession and tried to control its affairs in every detail. It seemed, thought Mother Guerin, that he wished to “keep our sisters in a species of slavery.”

Tensions reached the point that Mother Guerin offered to resign as superior. “I love Indiana with my whole soul,” she wrote. “To do good there was my whole ambition; the good God has permitted that you did not wish it. May his will be done.” The bishop was not content. He declared that she was no longer a Sister of Providence, expelled her from his diocese, and threatened to excommunicate any sister who followed her.

With this news, the entire community began to pack their bags. But at this point surprising news arrived: the Vatican had appointed a new bishop. Mother Guerin was restored to office and under her leadership the community continued to prosper. She was canonized in 2006.

“We are not called upon to do all the good possible, but only that which we can do.”

—St. Theodore Guerin

MassMonday of the Twenty-Seventh Week in Ordinary Time

Entrance Antiphon Esther 13:9, 10-11O Lord, you have given everything its place in the world, and no one can make it otherwise. For it is your creation, the heavens and the earth and the stars: you are the Lord of all.

Opening PrayerFather,your love for ussurpasses all our hopes and desires.Forgive our failings,keep us in your peaceand lead us in the way of salvation.We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,one God, for ever and ever.

A reading from the beginning of the Book of the Prophet Jonah 1:1–2:1-2, 11

But Jonah made ready to flee away from the Lord.

This is the word of the Lord that came to Jonah, son of Amittai: “Set out for the great city of Nineveh, and

preach against it; their wickedness has come up before me.” But Jonah made ready to flee to Tarshish away from the Lord. He went down to Joppa, found a ship going to Tarshish, paid the fare, and went aboard to journey with them to Tarshish, away from the Lord.

The Lord, however, hurled a violent wind upon the sea, and in the furious tempest that arose the ship was on the point of breaking up. Then the mariners became frightened


and each one cried to his god. To lighten the ship for them-selves, they threw its cargo into the sea. Meanwhile, Jonah had gone down into the hold of the ship, and lay there fast asleep. The captain came to him and said, “What are you doing asleep? Rise up, call upon your God! Perhaps God will be mindful of us so that we may not perish.”

Then they said to one another, “Come, let us cast lots to find out on whose account we have met with this misfor-tune.” So they cast lots, and thus singled out Jonah. “Tell us,” they said, “what is your business? Where do you come from? What is your country, and to what people do you belong?” Jonah answered them, “I am a Hebrew, I worship the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.”

Now the men were seized with great fear and said to him, “How could you do such a thing!—They knew that he was fleeing from the Lord, because he had told them.—They asked, “What shall we do with you, that the sea may quiet down for us?” For the sea was growing more and more tur-bulent. Jonah said to them, “Pick me up and throw me into the sea, that it may quiet down for you; since I know it is because of me that this violent storm has come upon you.”

Still the men rowed hard to regain the land, but they could not, for the sea grew ever more turbulent. Then they cried to the Lord: “We beseech you, O Lord, let us not per-ish for taking this man’s life; do not charge us with shedding innocent blood, for you, Lord, have done as you saw fit.” Then they took Jonah and threw him into the sea, and the sea’s raging abated. Struck with great fear of the Lord, the men offered sacrifice and made vows to him.

But the Lord sent a large fish, that swallowed Jonah; and Jonah remained in the belly of the fish three days and three nights. From the belly of the fish Jonah prayed to the Lord,

his God. Then the Lord commanded the fish to spew Jonah upon the shore.The word of the Lord.

Responsorial Psalm Jonah 2:3, 4, 5, 8

r. You will rescue my life from the pit, O Lord.

Out of my distress I called to the Lord, and he answered me;From the midst of the nether world I cried for help, and you heard my voice. r.

For you cast me into the deep, into the heart of the sea, and the flood enveloped me;All your breakers and your billows passed over me. r.

Then I said, “I am banished from your sight! yet would I again look upon your holy temple.” r.

When my soul fainted within me, I remembered the Lord;My prayer reached you in your holy temple. r.

Gospel Acclamation John 13:34I give you a new commandment:love one another as I have loved you.

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke 10:25-37

Who is my neighbor?

There was a scholar of the law who stood up to test Jesus and said, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal

life?” Jesus said to him, “What is written in the law? How do you read it?” He said in reply, “You shall love the Lord,


your God, with all your heart, with all your being, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” He replied to him, “You have answered cor-rectly; do this and you will live.”

But because he wished to justify himself, he said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” Jesus replied, “A man fell victim to robbers as he went down from Jerusalem to Jericho. They stripped and beat him and went off leaving him half-dead. A priest happened to be going down that road, but when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side. Likewise a Levite came to the place, and when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side. But a Samaritan traveler who came upon him was moved with compassion at the sight. He approached the victim, poured oil and wine over his wounds and bandaged them. Then he lifted him up on his own animal, took him to an inn, and cared for him. The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the inn-keeper with the instruction, ‘Take care of him. If you spend more than what I have given you, I shall repay you on my way back.’ Which of these three, in your opinion, was neigh-bor to the robbers’ victim?” He answered, “The one who treated him with mercy.” Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”The Gospel of the Lord.

Prayer over the GiftsFather,receive these giftswhich our Lord Jesus Christhas asked us to offer in his memory.May our obedient servicebring us to the fullness of your redemption.We ask this in the name of Jesus the Lord.

Communion Antiphon Lamentations 3:25The Lord is good to those who hope in him, to those who are searching for his love.

Prayer after CommunionAlmighty God,let the eucharist we sharefill us with your life.May the love of Christwhich we celebrate heretouch our lives and lead us to you.We ask this in the name of Jesus the Lord.

ReflectionIf We Love Enough

Love and ever more love is the only solution to every problem that comes up. If we love each other enough, we will bear with each other’s faults and burdens. If we love enough, we are going to light that fire in the hearts of others. And it is love that will burn out the sins and hatred that sadden us. It is love that will make us want to do great things for each other. No sacrifice and no suffering will then seem too much.

Yes, I see only too clearly how bad people are. . . . It is my own sins that give me such clarity. If I did not bear the scars of so many sins to dim my sight and dull my capacity for love and joy, then I would see Christ more clearly in you all.

. . . My prayer from day to day is that God will so enlarge my heart that I will see you all, and live with you all, in His love.

Dorothy Day, Selected Writings

Dorothy Day (1897–1980) was a devout Catholic convert, social justice activist, and cofounder of the Catholic Worker movement.



(opt. hymn, pp. 354–59)Psalm 17:1-9aO Lord, hear a cause that is just;pay heed to my cry.Turn your ear to my prayer:no deceit is on my lips.From you may my justice come forth.Your eyes discern what is upright.

Search my heart and visit me by night.Test me by fire, and you will find no wrong in me.

My mouth does not transgress as others do;on account of the words of your lips,I closely watched the paths of the violent.

I kept my steps firmly in your paths.My feet have never faltered.

To you I call; for you will surely heed me, O God.Turn your ear to me; hear my words.Display your merciful love.By your right hand you deliver from their foesthose who put their trust in you.

Guard me as the apple of your eye.Hide me in the shadow of your wingsfrom the violent attack of the wicked.


Scripture Romans 13:8-10

Owe nothing to anyone, except to love one another; for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. The

commandments, “You shall not commit adultery; you shall not kill; you shall not steal; you shall not covet,” and what-ever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this saying, [namely] “You shall love your neighbor as your-self.” Love does no evil to the neighbor; hence, love is the fulfillment of the law.


AntiphonBecause God has loved us so much, we are called to love one another.


IntercessionsO God, you answer all who call for your help. Hear us as we pray: r. Lord, show us your wonderful love.

Expand our hearts to welcome you in the stranger and the outcast. r.

Give justice to those unjustly accused. r.

Raise to new life all who have died with their hope fixed on you. r.

Our Father . . .

May God, who frees us from sin, bless us and keep us always in peace. Amen.

The Order of Mass 327

326

The Order of Mass❙❚ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the

Holy Spirit.❙❚ Amen.

Greeting�The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.And also with you.�The grace and peace of God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ be with you.Blessed be God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. or:And also with you.The Lord be with you.And also with you.

Penitential RiteAs we prepare to celebrate the mystery of Christ’s love,let us acknowledge our failuresand ask the Lord for pardon and strength.Coming together as God’s family,with confidence let us ask the Father’s forgiveness,for he is full of gentleness and compassion.My brothers and sisters,to prepare ourselves to celebrate the sacred mysteries,let us call to mind our sins.

I confess to almighty God,and to you, my brothers and sisters,that I have sinned through my own fault People strike their breast:

in my thoughts and in my words,in what I have done,and in what I have failed to do;and I ask blessed Mary, ever virgin,all the angels and saints,and you, my brothers and sisters,to pray for me to the Lord our God.Lord, we have sinned against you:Lord, have mercy.Lord, have mercy.Lord, show us your mercy and love.And grant us your salvation.Invocation.Lord, have mercy.Lord, have mercy.Invocation.Christ, have mercy.Christ, have mercy.Invocation.Lord, have mercy.Lord, have mercy.

❙❚�� May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life.

❙❚�� Amen.

B

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Celebration of the Liturgy of the Word 351

350

Celebration of the Liturgy of the Word[With Holy Communion]

Introductory RitesIntroductionDeacon or lay leader:We gather here to celebrate the Lord’s Day.Sunday has been called the Lord’s Day because

it was on this daythat Jesus conquered sin and death and rose to new life.Unfortunately, we are not able to celebrate the Mass todaybecause we do not have a priest.Let us be united in the spirit of Christ with

the Church around the worldand celebrate our redemption in Christ’s suffering,

death and resurrection.

Sign of the CrossDeacon or lay leader:❙❚ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the

Holy Spirit.❙❚ Amen.

GreetingDeacon or lay leader:❙❚ Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from

the Lord Jesus Christ.❙❚ Blessed be God for ever.

Opening Prayer

Liturgy of the WordFirst Reading

Responsorial Psalm

Second Reading

Gospel Acclamation

Gospel

Homily or Reflection on the Readings

Period of Silence

Profession of Faith[The Nicene Creed can be found on p. 329]

Apostles’ CreedI 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.

356 Hymns Hymns 357

O Christ, You Are the Light of Dayam/pm

Familiar Tune: The Glory of These Forty Days

O God of Truth, Prepare Our Mindsam/pm

Familiar Tune: I Know That My Redeemer Lives

As Fiery Sun Is Setting Nowpm

Familiar Tune: That Easter Day with Joy Was Bright

360 361

Guide to Lectio DivinaChoose a word or phrase of the Scriptures you wish to pray. It makes no difference which text is chosen, as long as you have no set goal of “covering” a certain amount of text. The amount of text covered is in God’s hands, not yours.

Read. Turn to the text and read it slowly, gently. Savor each portion of the reading, constantly listening for the “still, small voice” of a word or phrase that somehow says, “I am for you today.” Do not expect lightning or ecstasies. In lectio divina, God is teaching us to listen, to seek him in silence. God does not reach out and grab us but gently invites us ever more deeply into his presence.

Ponder. Take the word or phrase into yourself. Memorize it and slowly repeat it to yourself, allowing it to interact with your inner world of concerns, memories, and ideas. Do not be afraid of distractions. Memories or thoughts are simply parts of yourself that, when they rise up during lectio divina, are asking to be given to God along with the rest of your inner self. Allow this inner pondering, this rumination, to invite you into dialogue with God.

Pray. Whether you use words, ideas, or images—or all three—is not important. Interact with God as you would with one who you know loves and accepts you. Give to God what you have discovered during your experience of meditation. Give to God what you have found within your heart.

It is not necessary to assess the quality of your lectio divina, as if you were “performing” or seeking some goal. Lectio divina has no goal other than that of being in the presence of God by praying the Scriptures.

—Fr. Luke Dysinger

Luke Dysinger, OSB, is a Benedictine monk of Saint Andrew’s Abbey, Valyermo, California.

How to Use Give Us This Day™

Why a guide for using a daily prayer resource? Because daily prayer can seem daunting. Though I grew up saying prayers daily, daily prayer was a practice I came to well into my adult life. It was challenging at the start. Even if we’ve settled into the rhythm and practice of daily prayer, there is much to gain from the simplicity and substance of a resource such as Give Us This Day:

• Prayers for morning and evening include Scripture, inter-cessions, and other helpful prompts.

• “Blessed Among Us” features models of holy living who have gone before us and pray for us.

• Mass texts and reflections convey the depth and breadth of Scripture—and of God’s love for us in Christ.

You don’t need to attend daily Mass to pray with those texts. Nor do you need to pray with the daily content “in order.” You may wish to pray with all the content and not miss a word. You may be drawn to just a few words or particular features that give you pause. All or any of this is fine. Let the Holy Spirit be your daily guide—and be sure to explore the inspiring weekly and monthly pieces in each issue as well (see the user-friendly calendar and contents on pp. 2–4).

Whenever you pray—even if you don’t feel instant “results”— entrust your prayer to the Holy Spirit, who surely and certainly will lead you into communion with God and others.

May Give Us This Day help each of us to comfortably approach God in prayer, confident that God approaches us first and this day awaits our response.

Editor

Canticle of Mary (Magnificat) Luke 1:46-55

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,my spirit rejoices in God my Savior

for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.

From this day all generations will call me blessed:the Almighty has done great things for me,and holy is his Name.

He has mercy on those who fear himin every generation.

He has shown the strength of his arm,he has scattered the proud in their conceit.

He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,and has lifted up the lowly.

He has filled the hungry with good things,and the rich he has sent away empty.

He has come to the help of his servant Israelfor he has remembered his promise of mercy,the promise he made to our fathers,to Abraham and his children for ever.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

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