Give Us This Day - September 2011 Sample

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DAILY PRAYER FOR TODAY’S CATHOLICDAILY PRAYER FOR TODAY’S CATHOLIC

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 G

✛ Albert Schweitzer Fr. Karl Rahner

2 G

✛ French Martyrs Br. Benet Tvedten

3 W

St. Gregory the Great

✛ St. Gregory the Great Elizabeth Nagel

4 Twenty-Third Week in Ordinary Time

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Fr. Hans Urs von Balthasar

5 W

Labor Day

✛ Bd. Mother Teresa Brian Doyle

6 G

✛ E. F. Schumacher Rita Ferrone

7 G

✛ Bd. Frederic Ozanam Jean Vanier

8 W

Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary

✛ John Howard Griffin Fr. Anthony Oelrich

9 W

St. Peter Claver

✛ St. Peter Claver St. Cyril of Alexandria

10 G

✛ St. Rose of Viterbo Kathy Coffey

11 Twenty-Fourth Week in Ordinary Time

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Bishop Emil Wcela

12 G

✛ Thomas Frederick Price Alicia von Stamwitz

13 W

St. John Chrysostom

✛ St. John Chrysostom Sr. Verna Holyhead

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Exaltation of the Holy Cross

✛ Dante Alighieri St. Catherine of Siena

15 W

Our Lady of Sorrows

✛ St. Catherine of Genoa Rachelle Linner

16 R

Sts. Cornelius and Cyprian

✛ Adrienne von Speyr Fr. Christopher Jamison

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✛ St. Hildegard of Bingen Thomas Merton

18 Twenty-Fifth Week in Ordinary Time

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Sr. Meg Funk

19 G

✛ St. Emily de Rodat Susan Pitchford

20 R

St. Andrew Kim and the Korean Martyrs

✛ St. Andrew Kim and the Korean Martyrs

Madeleine Delbrêl

21 R

St. Matthew

✛ St. Matthew St. John Chrysostom

22 G

✛ Henri Nouwen Dolores Leckey

23 W

St. Pio of Pietrelcina

✛ St. (Padre) Pio Catherine de Hueck

Doherty

24 G

✛ St. Thecla Abbot Brendan

Freeman

25 Twenty-Sixth Week in Ordinary Time

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Mary Jo Leddy

26 G

✛ St. Sergius of Radonezh Sr. Carolyn Osiek

27 W

St. Vincent de Paul

✛ St. Vincent de Paul Rachel Srubas

28 G

✛ St. Lioba Bd. John Paul II

29 W

Sts. Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael

✛ Bd. Richard Rolle Fr. James Wallace

30 W

St. Jerome

✛ St. Jerome Mary Deeley

Key:Vestment colors: G Green R Red W White

✛ Blessed Among Us Reflection Writer

September 2011

Within the Word: The Widow of Nain

Within the Word: Haggai

Within the Word: Archangels

Within the Word: Luke’s Beatitudes

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 346.

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

CONTENTS September 2011 ◆ Volume 1, Issue 2

The Call of St. Matthew Sr. Genevieve Glen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5Teach Us to Pray: Lectio Divina Fr. James Martin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7Crux fidelis Fr. Columba Stewart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8Prayers and Blessings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10Daily Prayer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14Order of Mass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 314Liturgy of the Word (with Holy Communion) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 338Hymns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 342Guide to Lectio Divina . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 345How to Use Give Us This Day . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 350

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Jesus Addresses the Disciples. 15th-century miniature.

Sunday, September 4

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

(opt. hymn, pp. 342–44)Psalm 16:5-11O Lord, it is you who are my portion and cup;you yourself who secure my lot.Pleasant places are marked out for me:a pleasing heritage indeed is mine!

I will bless the Lord who gives me counsel,who even at night directs my heart.I keep the Lord before me always;with him at my right hand, I shall not be moved.

And so, my heart rejoices, my soul is glad;even my flesh shall rest in hope.For you will not abandon my soul to hell,nor let your holy one see corruption.

You will show me the path of life,the fullness of joy in your presence,at your right hand, bliss forever.

Glory to the Father . . .

Scripture Deuteronomy 32:45-47

When Moses had finished speaking all these words to all Israel, he said to them, Take to heart all the words

that I am giving in witness against you today, words you

44 September 4 Sunday 45

should command your children, that they may observe care-fully every word of this law. For this is no trivial matter for you, but rather your very life; by this word you will enjoy a long life on the land you are crossing the Jordan to possess.

Read, Ponder, Pray on a word or phrase from today’s Scripture (Lectio Divina, p. 345)

AntiphonLove is the fulfillment of the law.

Canticle of Zechariah (inside front cover)

IntercessionsFather, we thank you for keeping us through the night and for welcoming us into your presence this morning. Look kindly on us as we pray: r. Lord, we hope in you.

Save Christians from self-righteousness, and stir us to seek your peace. r.

Teach us to turn from our sins and offenses and live in our baptismal power for good. r.

Grant everlasting happiness to those who have gone before us through the gates of death. r.

Our Father . . .

May the risen Christ grant us a share of his life and glory. Amen.

MassTwenty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

Entrance Antiphon Psalm 118:137, 124Lord, you are just, and the judgments you make are right. Show mercy when you judge me, your servant.

Gloria (p. 316)

Opening PrayerGod our Father,you redeem usand make us your children in Christ.Look upon us,give us true freedomand bring us to the inheritance you promised.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 Ezekiel 33:7-9

If you do not speak out to dissuade the wicked from his way, I will hold you responsible for his death.

Thus says the Lord: You, son of man, I have appointed watchman for the house of Israel; when you hear me

say anything, you shall warn them for me. If I tell the wicked, “O wicked one, you shall surely die,” and you do not speak out to dissuade the wicked from his way, the wicked shall die for his guilt, but I will hold you responsible for his death. But if you warn the wicked, trying to turn him from his way, and he refuses to turn from his way, he shall die for his guilt, but you shall save yourself.The word of the Lord.


Responsorial Psalm 95:1-2, 6-7, 8-9

r. (8) If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

Come, let us sing joyfully to the Lord; let us acclaim the rock of our salvation.Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us joyfully sing psalms to him. r.

Come, let us bow down in worship; let us kneel before the Lord who made us.For he is our God, and we are the people he shepherds, the flock he guides. r.

Oh, that today you would hear his voice: “Harden not your hearts as at Meribah, as in the day of Massah in the desert,where your fathers tempted me; they tested me though they had seen my works.” r.

A reading from the Letter of Saint Paul to the Romans 13:8-10

Love is the fulfillment of the law.

Brothers and sisters: 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 whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this saying, namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no evil to the neighbor; hence, love is the fulfillment of the law.The word of the Lord.

Gospel Acclamation 2 Corinthians 5:19God was reconciling the world to himself in Christand entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew 18:15-20

If your brother or sister listens to you, you have won them over.

Jesus said to his disciples: “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him

alone. If he listens to you, you have won over your brother. If he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, so that ‘every fact may be established on the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ If he refuses to listen to them, tell the church. If he refuses to listen even to the church, then treat him as you would a Gentile or a tax collector. Amen, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again, amen, I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything for which they are to pray, it shall be granted to them by my heavenly Father. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”The Gospel of the Lord.

Creed (p. 317)

Prayer over the GiftsGod of peace and love,may our offering bring you true worshipand make us one with you.Grant this through Christ our Lord.

Communion Antiphon Psalm 41:2-3Like a deer that longs for running streams, my soul longs for you, my God. My soul is thirsting for the living God.


Prayer after CommunionLord,your word and your sacramentgive us food and life.May this gift of your Sonlead us to share his life for ever.We ask this through Christ our Lord.

ReflectionMagnificent Promises

Christian Order. The texts for this Sunday’s celebration are absolutely decisive for the form God wants for the Church. In the center stands loving mutual admonition. This is an obligation resting on every Christian, for we are members of a single body and the entire organism cannot afford to be indifferent when a single member injures itself and thereby damages the life of the whole. Of course, the Gospel makes it clear that admonition (and such correction as may be nec-essary) dare take place only as a sign of divine self-revelation and of the ecclesial order established by Christ. . . .

Jesus’ promise. From Jesus’ two final comments we see how ecclesial, common prayer can really count on a heavenly hearing. Both promises are magnificent: whatever two ask for out of shared and loving expectancy toward God will be granted. Wherever two or three are assembled in Jesus’ name he is in their midst. In the time of Jesus there was a rabbinic maxim: “If two sit side-by-side with the words of the Torah between them, then the Shekinah [God’s presence in the world] abides in their midst.” Here prayer has replaced sitting; the new, living Law, Jesus Christ, takes the place of the law;

instead of God’s Shekinah we have his incarnate eucharistic Presence. We must try to bring all those who migrate to the margins and fall over the edge back into the mystery of this ecclesial center.

Fr. Hans Urs von Balthasar, Light of the Word

Hans Urs von Balthasar (1905–1988) was a Swiss theologian and is considered to be one of the most influential Catholic theologians of the twentieth century.


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

(opt. hymn, pp. 342–44)Psalm 141:1-5, 8-10I have called to you, Lord; hasten to help me!Hear my voice when I cry to you.Let my prayer be accepted as incense before you,the raising of my hands like an evening oblation.

Set, O Lord, a guard on my mouth;keep watch at the door of my lips!Do not turn my heart to things that are evil,to wicked deeds with those who are sinners.

Never allow me to share in their feasting.If a good man strikes me it is kindness;but let the oil of the wicked not anoint my head.Let my prayer be ever against their malice.

To you my eyes are turned, O Lord, my Lord.In you I take refuge; spare my soul!From the trap they have laid for me, keep me safe;keep me from the snares of those who do evil.

Let the wicked together fall into their traps,while I pursue my way unharmed.


Scripture Galatians 6:1-5

Even if a person is caught in some transgression, you who are spiritual should correct that one in a gentle

spirit, looking to yourself, so that you also may not be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so you will fulfill

the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he is deluding himself. Each one must exam-ine his own work, and then he will have reason to boast with regard to himself alone, and not with regard to someone else; for each will bear his own load.


AntiphonOwe no one anything except to love one another.

Canticle of Mary (inside back cover)

IntercessionsOn this day of resurrection, we cry out to you, O God, and praise the glory of your name. Send us your Spirit as we say: r. Lord, bless your people.

Open our ears to hear your voice in the silence of solitude and the sounds of our daily life. r.

Open our hearts to love one another as freely and completely as you have loved us in Christ. r.

Open our hands to do your work well and serve one another in humility. r.

Our Father . . .

May the Father who raised Jesus from the dead grant us a full share of his Spirit. Amen.

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September 4–10Twenty-Third Week in Ordinary Time

Within the WordLuke’s Beatitudes

In grade school I memorized the eight beatitudes. I was not aware at the time that they were Matthew’s version (Matt 5:3-11): “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the king-dom of heaven. . . . Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,” and so on. They had a nice ring to them, a comforting spiritual tone.

How startling, then, this week (Wednesday) to hear Luke’s terser version (6:20-26)! Instead of a list of eight neatly ordered commendations for the meek, those who mourn, the merci-ful, the pure of heart, and so on, Luke has four beatitudes (blessings) with four parallel woes (warnings). The tone is different too. The images are more concrete. There is no spiri-tualizing in this text. Jesus speaks literally of the poor, the hungry, the weeping, and those persecuted “on account of the Son of Man.” Blessed are they who now experience these dire situations, for they will one day have their reward.

The woes are just the reverse. Jesus warns the now rich, the well-fed, those who laugh, and those who are treated well. They’ve had their fill; their comforts will one day be gone. Talk about a topsy-turvy world! Those on top will find them-selves at the bottom of the heap, and those at the bottom will suddenly find themselves on top. Such is the kingdom of God.

To tell the truth, Luke’s version of this famous teaching of Jesus makes me more than a bit uncomfortable. It is so down-to-earth. I don’t like to think of the other side of the Gospel message of Jesus, namely, that there will be an accounting for

how we lived in this world and what we have done with what we have been given. But, then, that’s the point, isn’t it? It’s a radical vision. Life is often not fair. The gap between the haves and have-nots never seems to get smaller. The rich grow richer, the poor get poorer. But Jesus insists that God favors the poor, the lowly, the downtrodden, the powerless, the marginalized, and all those in need. He equally insists that one day, when God’s kingdom is fully established, there will be a great re-versal of fortune, something I imagine the rich and well-fed, the successful and well-clothed, don’t like to think about.

Jesus’ message is stark. In him, this world’s inequities won’t endure forever. The great reversal is coming. In fact, his mother Mary, in her great prayer the Magnificat, had already foreseen this. In response to the miraculous message that she would bear a Son, a Savior for the world, she cried out: “[God] has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty” (Luke 1:52-53).

If these Scriptures unsettle us even just a little, if they make us a bit more mindful of the have-nots and those who suffer, then we will have glimpsed Jesus’ vision of his Father’s kingdom.

—Fr. Ronald D. Witherup

Ronald Witherup, SS, is Superior General of the Sulpicians and lives in Paris, France. He holds a doctorate in biblical studies and is the author of numerous books and articles on Scripture.

Monday 5554

Monday, September 5


(opt. hymn, pp. 342–44)Psalm 148:1, 7-13Alleluia!

Praise the Lord from the heavens;praise him in the heights.

Praise the Lord from the earth,sea creatures and all ocean depths,fire and hail, snow and mist,stormy winds that fulfill his command;

Mountains and all hills,fruit trees and all cedars,beasts, both wild and tame,reptiles and birds on the wing;

Kings of the earth and all peoples,princes and all judges of the earth,young men and maidens as well,the old and the young together.

Let them praise the name of the Lord,for his name alone is exalted,his splendor above heaven and earth.


Scripture Exodus 31:12-15a

The Lord said to Moses: You must also tell the Israelites: Keep my sabbaths, for that is to be the sign between

you and me throughout the generations, to show that it is I, the Lord, who make you holy. Therefore, you must keep the sabbath for it is holiness for you. Whoever desecrates it shall be put to death. If anyone does work on that day, that person must be cut off from the people. Six days there are for doing work, but the seventh day is the sabbath of complete rest, holy to the Lord.


AntiphonIs it lawful to do good on the Sabbath rather than to do evil?


IntercessionsCreator God, you work for our good, now and always. On this Labor Day, we ask your help in all that we do as we pray: r. Lord, remember your people.

Send Spirit-filled people to continue your Son’s work of evangelization. r.

Give to all workers safety in the workplace and a just return for their labor. r.

Give your friendship to those laboring in jobs that take them away from their families. r.

Our Father . . .

May the all-powerful God order our days and deeds in peace. Amen.

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Blessed Among UsBlessed Mother TeresaFounder of the Missionaries of Charity (1910–1997)

In 1946, Sister Agnes, a thirty-six-year-old Loreto Sister of Albanian extraction, who had spent the prior twenty years teaching in her order’s schools in India, was traveling by train to Darjeeling in the Himalayas. That day she received a “call within a call.” God, she felt, wanted something more from her. “He wanted me to be poor with the poor and love him in the distressing disguise of the poorest of the poor.”

With permission from her congregation she left her con-vent, donned a simple white sari, and went out to seek Jesus in the desperate byways of Calcutta. Eventually, she was joined by others. They became the Missionaries of Charity. And she became Mother Teresa.

With time she established centers of service around the globe, but she was particularly identified with her home for the dying in Calcutta. There, destitute and dying men and women, gathered off the streets, received loving care until they died. Those who had lived like “animals in the gutter” were enabled to “die like angels.”

For many years she toiled in obscurity. Eventually she was “discovered” by the world. Though she received every sort of award, she remained unaffected by adulation. “We can do no great things,” she said, “only small things with great love.”

Mother Teresa died on September 5, 1997, and was beati-fied in 2003 by Pope John Paul II.

“To show great love for God and our neighbor we need not do great things. It is how much love we put in the doing that makes our offering something beautiful for God.”

—Blessed Teresa of Calcutta

MassFor the Blessing of Human Labor (Labor Day)

Entrance Antiphon Psalm 90:17May the goodness of the Lord be upon us, and give success to the work of our hands.

Opening PrayerGod our Creator,it is your will that man accept the duty of work.In your kindness may the work we beginbring us growth in this lifeand help to extend the kingdom of Christ.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 Genesis 1:26–2:3

Fill the earth and subdue it.

God said: “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. Let them have dominion over the fish of the

sea, the birds of the air, and the cattle, and over all the wild animals and all the creatures that crawl on the ground.” / God created man in his image; / in the divine image he created him; / male and female he created them. / God blessed them, saying: “Be fertile and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, and all the living things that move on the earth.” God also said: “See, I give you every seed-bearing plant all over the earth and every tree that has seed-bearing fruit on it to be your food; and to all the animals of the land, all the birds of the air, and all the living creatures that crawl on the ground, I give all the green plants for food.” And so


it happened. God looked at everything he had made, and he found it very good. Evening came, and morning fol-lowed—the sixth day.

Thus the heavens and the earth and all their array were completed. Since on the seventh day God was finished with the work he had been doing, he rested on the seventh day from all the work he had undertaken. So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work he had done in creation.The word of the Lord.

Responsorial Psalm 90:2, 3-5a, 12-13, 14 and 16

r. (see 17b) Lord, give success to the work of our hands.

Before the mountains were begotten, and the earth and the world were brought forth, from everlasting to everlasting you are God. r.

You turn man back to dust, saying, “Return, O children of men.”For a thousand years in your sight are as yesterday, now that it is past, or as a watch of the night.You make an end of them in their sleep. r.

Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain wisdom of heart.Return, O Lord! How long? Have pity on your servants! r.

Fill us at daybreak with your kindness, that we may shout for joy and gladness all of our days.Let your work be seen by your servants and your glory by their children. r.

A reading from the first Letter of Saint Paul to the Thessalonians 4:1b-2, 9-12

Work with your own hands that you may conduct yourselves properly.

Brothers and sisters, we earnestly ask and exhort you in the Lord Jesus that, as you received from us how

you should conduct yourselves to please God—and as you are conducting yourselves—you do so even more. For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus.

On the subject of mutual charity you have no need for anyone to write you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another. Indeed, you do this for all the brothers throughout Macedonia. Nevertheless, we urge you, brothers, to progress even more, and to aspire to live a tran-quil life, to mind your own affairs, and to work with your own hands, as we instructed you, that you may conduct yourselves properly toward outsiders and not depend on anyone.The word of the Lord.

Gospel Acclamation Psalm 68:20Blessed be the Lord day by day,God, our salvation, who bears our burdens.

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew 6:31-34

Do not worry about tomorrow.

Jesus said to his disciples: “Do not worry and say, ‘What are we to eat?’ or ‘What are we to drink?’ or ‘What are

we to wear?’ All these things the pagans seek. Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides. Do not worry about tomorrow;


tomorrow will take care of itself. Sufficient for a day is its own evil.”The Gospel of the Lord.

Prayer over the GiftsGod our Father,you provide the human race with food for strengthand with the eucharist for its renewal;may these gifts which we offeralways bring us health of mind and body.Grant this through Christ our Lord.

Communion Antiphon Colossians 3:17Let everything you do or say be in the name of the Lord with thanksgiving to God.

Prayer after CommunionLord,hear the prayersof those who gather at your table of unity and love.By doing the work you have entrusted to usmay we sustain our life on earthand build up your kingdom in faith.Grant this through Christ our Lord.

ReflectionA Call to Creativity

Fill the earth and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, and all the living things that move on the earth.

You know how sometimes when you are in the den happily reading your Silver Surfer comic books and someone in the

kitchen shouts something over the music and you think you heard it right but you didn’t and later the complications of this misunderstanding reach epic and awful proportions? I think this is what happened with this passage. I think maybe the harried and probably frightened folks heard the Word poured into their hearts and wrote as fast as possible in whatever shorthand they were using, then didn’t spend the careful editing time they should have, and so this passage has caused tumult and turmoil ever since. Could it be that we are reading it wrong, and actually it’s not about conquest, but about companionship?

The ultimate root of the word dominion is domus, mean-ing house, shelter, domicile, home. I think this passage is about treating this holy creation as your home and living peaceably with your neighbors no matter what species. I think William Blake was right when he said everything that lives is holy. I think the great poet Pattiann Rogers is right when she says God needs us to fulfill his vision of what we can rise to be. I think that is the point of the Resurrection. I think this passage is a call to creativity, not control. I think that is the way to conduct ourselves properly, as Saint Paul says. Love one another, says Paul, in his blunt way, and who are we to argue with old sinewy Paul, knocked off his horse by the Light?

Brian Doyle

Brian Doyle, an award-winning author and essayist, is editor of the University of Portland’s Portland magazine.



(opt. hymn, pp. 342–44)Psalm 34:12-23Come, children, and hear me,that I may teach you the fear of the Lord.Who is it that desires lifeand longs to see prosperous days?

Guard your tongue from evil,and your lips from speaking deceit.Turn aside from evil and do good.Seek after peace, and pursue it.

The Lord turns his eyes to the just,and his ears are open to their cry.The Lord turns his face against the wickedto destroy their remembrance from the earth.

When the just cry out, the Lord hears,and rescues them in all their distress.The Lord is close to the brokenhearted;those whose spirit is crushed he will save.

Many are the trials of the just man,but from them all the Lord will rescue him.He will keep guard over all his bones;not one of his bones shall be broken.

Evil brings death to the wicked;those who hate the just man are doomed.The Lord ransoms the souls of his servants.All who trust in him shall not be condemned.


Scripture 2 Thessalonians 3:10-13

When we were with you, we instructed you that if any-one was unwilling to work, neither should that one

eat. We hear that some are conducting themselves among you in a disorderly way, by not keeping busy but minding the business of others. Such people we instruct and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to work quietly and to eat their own food. But you, brothers, do not be remiss in doing good.


AntiphonI labor for this: to bring to you the word of God.


IntercessionsIn you, O God, we find rest and safety as night approaches, but especially your saving love in Jesus Christ. In his name we pray: r. Lord, draw us to yourself.

Quicken within us a spirit of cooperation and concern for the well-being of all. r.

Grant farmers a safe and bountiful harvest, and help all people to care for the good earth you have given us. r.

Sustain us and our coworkers with health and strength, for we place our trust in you. r.

Our Father . . .

May our Lord Jesus Christ and God our Father establish our hearts in every good work and word. Amen.

Tuesday 6564

Tuesday, September 6


(opt. hymn, pp. 342–44)Psalm 119:1-8Blessed are those whose way is blameless,who walk in the law of the Lord!Blessed are those who keep his decrees!With all their hearts they seek him.

They never do anything evil,but walk in his ways.You have laid down your preceptsto be carefully kept.

May my ways be firmin keeping your statutes.Then I shall not be put to shameas I observe all your commands.

I will thank you with an upright heart,as I learn your just judgments.I will keep your statutes;do not ever forsake me.


Scripture Deuteronomy 30:4-6

Though you may have been dispersed to the farthest corner of the heavens, even from there will the Lord,

your God, gather you; even from there will he bring you back. The Lord, your God, will then bring you into the land

your ancestors once possessed, that you may possess it; and he will make you more prosperous and numerous than your ancestors. The Lord, your God, will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants, so that you will love the Lord, your God, with your whole heart and your whole being, in order that you may live.


AntiphonYou were buried with Christ in baptism and raised with him through faith.


IntercessionsLord Jesus, compassionate Savior, you live to present our needs to our God, who is gracious and merciful. Listen as we say: r. Lord, we trust in you.

Let your Church share the fullness of your redeeming love, the source of our thanksgiving and praise. r.

Grant your abundant mercy to those who are sick and restore them to wholeness. r.

Bring to eternal life those who were buried with you in the waters of baptism. r.

Our Father . . .

May God, the giver of peace, make us ready by every blessing to do his will. Amen.

66 September 6 Tuesday 67

Blessed Among UsE. F. SchumacherEconomist (1911–1977)

E. F. Schumacher was a prophet in the guise of an economist. He spent a lifetime mastering the principles of growth, savings, and the “invisible hand” of the market. Yet ultimately he became one of its most effective critics, alerting the world to the catastrophic consequences of the Western experiment in materialism. He inspired hope that it was not too late to fashion an alternative society, responsive to the moral, spiri-tual, and material needs of human beings.

Born in Germany, Schumacher went to England in the 1930s on a Rhodes scholarship. During the war he was de-tained as an enemy alien and also converted to Catholicism. After the war he worked as a top economist for the British Coal Board. He came to believe that traditional economics was really a kind of religion, based on a materialistic view of reality in which growth, efficiency, and production were the ultimate measures of value. Economists ignored the spiritual dimen-sion, while promoting a civilization headed for disaster.

In 1973 Schumacher created a sensation with his book Small Is Beautiful, which promoted such concepts as renew-able energy, appropriate technology, and economics on a human scale. He believed we were approaching a time of convergence between the practical imperatives of planetary survival and the great, unheeded wisdom of our prophets and sages. His writings had enormous influence, but he lived only to plant the seeds. He died on September 4, 1977, just four years after the appearance of his famous book.

“The task of our generation, I have no doubt, is one of meta-physical reconstruction.” —E. F. Schumacher

MassTuesday of the Twenty-Third Week in Ordinary Time

Entrance Antiphon Psalm 118:137, 124Lord, you are just, and the judgments you make are right. Show mercy when you judge me, your servant.

Opening PrayerGod our Father,you redeem usand make us your children in Christ.Look upon us,give us true freedomand bring us to the inheritance you promised.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 Letter of Saint Paul to the Colossians 2:6-15

God brought you to life along with Christ having forgiven us all our transgressions.

Brothers and sisters: As you received Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in him, rooted in him and built upon him

and established in the faith as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. See to it that no one captivate you with an empty, seductive philosophy according to the tradition of men, according to the elemental powers of the world and not according to Christ.

For in him dwells the whole fullness of the deity bodily, and you share in this fullness in him, who is the head of every principality and power. In him you were also circum-cised with a circumcision not administered by hand, by


stripping off the carnal body, with the circumcision of Christ. You were buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead. And even when you were dead in transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, he brought you to life along with him, having forgiven us all our transgressions; obliterating the bond against us, with its legal claims, which was opposed to us, he also re-moved it from our midst, nailing it to the cross; despoiling the principalities and the powers, he made a public spec-tacle of them, leading them away in triumph by it.The word of the Lord.

Responsorial Psalm 145:1b-2, 8-9, 10-11

r. (9) The Lord is compassionate toward all his works.

I will extol you, O my God and King, and I will bless your name forever and ever.Every day will I bless you, and I will praise your name forever and ever. r.

The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and of great kindness.The Lord is good to all and compassionate toward all his works. r.

Let all your works give you thanks, O Lord, and let your faithful ones bless you.Let them discourse of the glory of your Kingdom and speak of your might. r.

Gospel Acclamation See John 15:16I chose you from the world,that you may go and bear fruit that will last, says the Lord.

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke 6:12-19

He spent the night in prayer. He chose Twelve, whom he also named Apostles.

Jesus departed to the mountain to pray, and he spent the night in prayer to God. When day came, he called his

disciples to himself, and from them he chose Twelve, whom he also named Apostles: Simon, whom he named Peter, and his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called a Zealot, and Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.

And he came down with them and stood on a stretch of level ground. A great crowd of his disciples and a large number of the people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the coastal region of Tyre and Sidon came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases; and even those who were tormented by unclean spirits were cured. Everyone in the crowd sought to touch him because power came forth from him and healed them all.The Gospel of the Lord.

Prayer over the GiftsGod of peace and love,may our offering bring you true worshipand make us one with you.Grant this through Christ our Lord.

Communion Antiphon Psalm 41:2-3Like a deer that longs for running streams, my soul longs for you, my God. My soul is thirsting for the living God.


Prayer after CommunionLord,your word and your sacramentgive us food and life.May this gift of your Sonlead us to share his life for ever.We ask this through Christ our Lord.

ReflectionLean into Whatever is Coming

I like to walk. It’s a chance to stretch my legs, fill my lungs, and view the world around me, quite literally in my own stride. As the seasons change, I like to walk even more—to lean into whatever’s coming. September is here. As late summer trea-sures up its glory, and the slant of the sun’s rays subtly begins to change, there is a sense of hastening as people turn their attention from summertime to school year and jobs of the fall. We are all walking somewhere.

What does it mean to “walk in Christ”? It must mean that somehow, in the steps we take, our decisions, the daily life we lead, he is here. Like the air we breathe, the ground under our feet, the vigor in our step, he is the condition of our walk-ing. Indeed, the walk that is our life, as each season gives way to the next and year follows upon year, can take place in Christ if we but choose it. “As you received Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in him,” St. Paul tells the Christians at Colossae.

After a full night spent in prayer, Jesus chooses the Twelve from among his disciples. Something new is beginning. He comes down from the mountain and into a mass of human need, ready to show compassion. Then, as now, the ones who

are chosen must walk with him. It’s time to lean into whatever is coming.

Rita Ferrone

Rita Ferrone is a writer and speaker about issues of liturgy, catechesis, and church renewal. She lives in Mount Vernon, New York.



(opt. hymn, pp. 342–44)Psalm 26:1-8Give judgment for me, O Lord,for I have walked in my integrity.I have trusted in the Lord; I have not wavered.

Examine me, Lord, and try me.O test my heart and my mind.Your mercy is before my eyes,and I walk according to your truth.

I never take my seat with liars,and with hypocrites I shall not go.I hate the evildoer’s company;I will not take my seat with the wicked.

I wash my hands in innocenceand take my place around your altar,singing a song of thanksgiving,recounting all your wonders.O Lord, I love the house where you dwell,the place where your glory abides.


Scripture Acts 10:40-43

This man God raised [on] the third day and granted that he be visible, not to all the people, but to us, the wit-

nesses chosen by God in advance, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. He commissioned us to preach to the people and testify that he is the one appointed

by God as judge of the living and the dead. To him all the prophets bear witness, that everyone who believes in him will receive forgiveness of sins through his name.”


AntiphonJesus chose twelve, whom he also named apostles.


IntercessionsLord, you have rooted your Church in the person of Jesus Christ, the rock of our faith. In the power of Jesus we pray: r. Lord, bless and keep us.

Let your faithful ones praise you for your goodness and loving-kindness. r.

Grant that teachers and students may savor abundant wisdom in Christ the teacher. r.

Show your great love to those who have no help but you. r.

Our Father . . .

May the all-powerful and merciful Lord, Father, Son, and Spirit, bless and keep us. Amen.

The Order of Mass 315

314

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.

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Celebration of the Liturgy of the Word 339

338

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. 317]

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.

342 Hymns Hymns 343

Now That the Daylight Fills the Skyam

Familiar Tune: I Know That My Redeemer Lives

Lord God of Morning and of Nightam/pm

Familiar Tune: O Radiant Light, O Sun Divine

O Mary of Gracesam/pm

Familiar Tune: How Firm a Founda

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

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.

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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