Liturgical Readings for : Thursday, 20th June, 2024
Thursday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time, Year 2
Memorial of the Irish Martyrs
FIRST READING
A reading from the Book of Ecclesiasticus 48:1-14
Elijah was shrouded in the whirlwind, and Elisha was filled with his spirit.
The prophet Elijah arose like a fire, his word flaring like a torch.
It was he who brought famine on them, and who decimated them in his zeal.
By the word of the Lord, he shut up the heavens, he also, three times, brought down fire.
How glorious you were in your miracles, Elijah!
Has anyone reason to boast as you have?- rousing a corpse from death,
from Sheol by the word of the Most High;
dragging kings down to destruction, and high dignitaries from their beds;
hearing reproof on Sinai, and decrees of punishment on Horeb;
anointing kings as avengers, and prophets to succeed you;
taken up in the whirlwind of fire, in a chariot with fiery horses;
designated in the prophecies of doom to allay God’s wrath before the fury breaks,
to turn the hearts of fathers towards their children, and to restore the tribes of Jacob.
Happy shall they be who see you, and those who have fallen asleep in love; for we too will have life.
Elijah was shrouded in the whirlwind, and Elisha was filled with his spirit;
throughout his life no ruler could shake him, and no one could subdue him.
No task was too hard for him, and even in death his body prophesied.
In his lifetime he performed wonders, and in death his works were marvellous.
The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 96
Response Rejoice, you just, in the Lord.
1. The Lord is king, let earth rejoice, the many coastlands be glad.
Cloud and darkness are his raiment; his throne, justice and right. Response
2. A fire prepares his path; it bums up his foes on every side.
His lightnings light up the world, the earth trembles at the sight. Response
3. The mountains melt like wax before the Lord of all the earth.
The skies proclaim his justice; all peoples see his glory. Response
4. Let those who serve idols be ashamed, those who boast of their worthless gods.
All you spirits, worship him. Response
Gospel Acclamation 1 Sam 3; 9
Alleluia, Alleluia!
Speak, Lord, your servant is listening: you have the message of eternal life.
Alleluia!
Or Rom 8: 15
Alleluia, Alleluia!
The spirit you received is the spirit of sons, and it makes us cry out, ‘Abba Father‘.
Alleluia!
GOSPEL
The Lord be with you. And with your spirit
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew 6:7-15 Glory to you, O Lord
You should pray like this.
Jesus said to his disciples:
In your prayers do not babble as the pagans do, for they think that by using many words they will make themselves heard. Do not be like them; your Father knows what you need before you ask him. So you should pray like this:
‘Our Father in heaven,
may your name be held holy,
your kingdom come,
your will be done, on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we have forgiven those who are in debt to us.
And do not put us to the test, but save us from the evil one.
Yes, if you forgive others their failings, your heavenly Father will forgive you yours;
but if you do not forgive others, your Father will not forgive your failings either.
The Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
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Gospel Reflection Thursday Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time Matthew 6:7-15
Jesus contrasts the prayer which is to characterize his disciples with the prayer of the pagans, who ‘think that by using many words they will make themselves heard’. They consider it necessary to use a multitude of words to get an indifferent deity’s attention. If they use many words, sooner or later they will hit on the right formula to engage their god. However, Jesus declares that God his Father, and our Father, knows what we need before we even ask him. He is not a distant God who needs to be prodded into action by frantic prayers. The God whom Jesus reveals is unimaginably generous. What matters is to dispose our hearts to receive his generosity.
The prayer that Jesus gives his disciples is with a view to opening up our hearts to all that God wants to give us. The opening petitions imply a surrender of ourselves to God’s purpose for our lives, the prayer for the honouring of God’s name, the coming of God’s kingdom and the doing of God’s will. The remaining petitions acknowledge our poverty before God and our need for all that God can and wants to give us, the satisfaction of our physical and spiritual hunger, forgiveness for our sins and the readiness to pass on God’s forgiveness to others, and protection from the evil forces that seek to undermine our relationship with God. This surrender of ourselves to what God wants and this recognition of our poverty and need before God disposes our heart to receive all that God wants to give us and to give our world through us.
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The Scripture Readings are taken from The Jerusalem Bible, published 1966 by Darton, Longman & Todd Ltd.
