Thirty-Third
Sunday of Ordinary Time, Cycle B
Celebrant: We are gathered as the
Body of Christ, and await the coming of his kingdom. We trust in the
goodness of our all-knowing and loving God to answer our prayers today.
Deacon/Lector:
That the Church may be a faithful
steward of the gift of grace entrusted to her in order to gather all people into
the kingdom of God, we pray to the Lord.
That the spiritual leaders of the
Church may reflect the love and compassion of Christ and draw their people ever
closer to Him, we pray to the Lord.
That those who work for justice
and peace in the world may be blessed in their service to build up the common
good of all, we pray to the Lord.
That Jesus' one sacrifice for
sins may console those who suffer because of a past abortion, we pray to the
Lord.
That those who suffer from
diseases of the mind or body may trust in God's continuing love for them and
experience God's healing presence, we pray to the Lord.
That those who have died in the
peace of Christ be gathered into the heavenly kingdom, we pray to the Lord.
Celebrant: Loving and gracious
God, surround us with your love and care. We offer these prayers for
ourselves and for the world in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
Bulletin Insert
Click here for Spanish
translation
Mercy Triumphs
The Church opposes abortion, but
embraces with mercy those who have made this mistake. Let’s all take
encouragement from these words of Pope John Paul II: “I would now like to say a
special word to women who have had an abortion. The Church is aware of the many
factors which may have influenced your decision, and she does not doubt that in
many cases it was a painful and even shattering decision. The wound in your
heart may not yet have healed. Certainly what happened was and remains terribly
wrong. But do not give in to discouragement and do not lose hope. Try rather to
understand what happened and face it honestly. If you have not already done so,
give yourselves over with humility and trust to repentance. The Father of
mercies is ready to give you his forgiveness and his peace in the Sacrament of
Reconciliation. To the same Father and to his mercy you can with sure hope
entrust your child.” (The Gospel of Life, #99).
Homily Suggestions on
Pro-life Themes
Dn 12:1-3
Heb 10:11-14, 18
Mk 13:24-32
We
have arrived at a time of the Church year when the readings speak of the Second
Coming of Christ. This is a theme, of course, that is echoed in every Mass:
“Christ will come again…We wait in joyful hope for the coming of our Savior,
Jesus Christ…And ready to greet him when he comes again, we offer you in
thanksgiving this holy and living sacrifice.”
In
some gospel passages, the teaching about the effects of Christ’s passion, death,
and resurrection is interspersed with teaching about his second coming. These
are two critical moments of salvation history: in the one, the power of sin and
death are overthrown at their roots; in the other, the victory is brought to its
culmination and full manifestation. Both of these moments are described with
apocalyptic language and imagery from Old Testament passages such as today’s
first reading from Daniel. What is being conveyed here is the destruction of one
kingdom and the inauguration of another. This, of course, is what Christ came to
do. His kingdom is among us, thanks to his death and resurrection, made present
again to us in every Mass. That kingdom, as the liturgy tells us, is “A kingdom
of truth and life, a kingdom of holiness and grace, a kingdom of justice, love,
and peace” (Preface of Christ the King).
We
live now in the “in between” time, when the kingdom of Christ has been
inaugurated on earth, but not yet brought to its full manifestation. The power
of sin and death – revealed in evils such as abortion – has been destroyed at
its roots. Yet we still struggle, in and through Christ, to bring about a
Culture of Life. We must bear witness to the truth, life, holiness, grace,
justice, love, and peace that characterize the kingdom. The apocalyptic language
of the readings should inspire in us both the awareness of how awesome a
struggle this is, and the confidence in the final victory – a victory marked by
the triumph of life. “Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall
awake” (First reading). Life has the last word. “Now he waits until his enemies
are made his footstool” (Second reading) – and the last enemy to be destroyed
will be death itself.
Mercy
also has the last word, as the second reading likewise conveys – mercy that
reaches even to those who have taken life by abortion and similar sins.
Pro-Life Liturgical Resources
