Wednesday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time

Doing good on the Lord’s Day

Other Celebrations for this Day:

Saint Agnes

Liturgical Cycle: A | Lectionary Cycle: I

Introduction

David and Goliath! A boy and a professional military leader. Often in the Bible, the weak are more powerful than the strong. What is weak and small attracts God’s strength. It is not really the underdog who beats the bragging man of violence, but God who makes his greatness known, for he is the God and Saviour of his people.

We sometimes reduce our religion to a matter of casuistic laws: Is it permitted to heal on Sundays? When does it become a mortal sin if I am late for Mass? Is it wrong if I do not raise my hands for the Our Father? We sometimes behave like immature kids. God wants us to grow up in our faith. Where is the Good News of Jesus? Where is our love for the Lord and for people?

Opening Prayer

Gracious and holy God,
you have chosen us to be
your kingdom of peace and mature love.
But we have to acknowledge with shame
that there is still much room for growth.
Make our love richer, more sensitive;
Complete the work you have begun in us,
that we may have a permanent place in your heart
and reflect the adult, healing goodness
of Jesus Christ, our Lord.

First Reading

1 Samuel 17:32-33, 37, 40-51

David spoke to Saul:
"Let your majesty not lose courage.
I am at your service to go and fight this Philistine."
But Saul answered David,
"You cannot go up against this Philistine and fight with him,
for you are only a youth, while he has been a warrior from his youth."

David continued:
"The LORD, who delivered me from the claws of the lion and the bear,
will also keep me safe from the clutches of this Philistine."
Saul answered David, "Go! the LORD will be with you."

Then, staff in hand, David selected five smooth stones from the wadi
and put them in the pocket of his shepherd's bag.
With his sling also ready to hand, he approached the Philistine.

With his shield bearer marching before him,
the Philistine also advanced closer and closer to David.
When he had sized David up,
and seen that he was youthful, and ruddy, and handsome in appearance,
the Philistine held David in contempt.
The Philistine said to David,
"Am I a dog that you come against me with a staff?"
Then the Philistine cursed David by his gods
and said to him, "Come here to me,
and I will leave your flesh for the birds of the air
and the beasts of the field."
David answered him:
"You come against me with sword and spear and scimitar,
but I come against you in the name of the LORD of hosts,
the God of the armies of Israel that you have insulted.
Today the LORD shall deliver you into my hand;
I will strike you down and cut off your head.
This very day I will leave your corpse
and the corpses of the Philistine army for the birds of the air
and the beasts of the field;
thus the whole land shall learn that Israel has a God.
All this multitude, too,
shall learn that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves.
For the battle is the LORD's and he shall deliver you into our hands."

The Philistine then moved to meet David at close quarters,
while David ran quickly toward the battle line
in the direction of the Philistine.
David put his hand into the bag and took out a stone,
hurled it with the sling,
and struck the Philistine on the forehead.
The stone embedded itself in his brow,
and he fell prostrate on the ground.
Thus David overcame the Philistine with sling and stone;
he struck the Philistine mortally, and did it without a sword.
Then David ran and stood over him;
With the Philistine's own sword, which he drew from its sheath
he dispatched him and cut off his head.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 144:1b, 2, 9-10

R. (1) Blessed be the Lord, my Rock!
Blessed be the LORD, my rock,
who trains my hands for battle, my fingers for war.
R. Blessed be the Lord, my Rock!
My refuge and my fortress,
my stronghold, my deliverer,
My shield, in whom I trust,
who subdues my people under me.
R. Blessed be the Lord, my Rock!
O God, I will sing a new song to you;
with a ten-stringed lyre I will chant your praise,
You who give victory to kings,
and deliver David, your servant from the evil sword.
R. Blessed be the Lord, my Rock!

Alleluia Verse

See Matthew 4:23

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Jesus preached the Gospel of the Kingdom
and cured every disease among the people.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

Mark 3:1-6

Jesus entered the synagogue.
There was a man there who had a withered hand.
They watched Jesus closely
to see if he would cure him on the sabbath
so that they might accuse him.
He said to the man with the withered hand,
"Come up here before us."
Then he said to the Pharisees,
"Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath rather than to do evil,
to save life rather than to destroy it?"
But they remained silent.
Looking around at them with anger
and grieved at their hardness of heart,
Jesus said to the man, "Stretch out your hand."
He stretched it out and his hand was restored.
The Pharisees went out and immediately took counsel
with the Herodians against him to put him to death.

Prayers of the Faithful

– That people everywhere may be given the time to rest and recover from the pressure of their work, and be given the opportunity to worship God and help people, we pray:

– That the faithful who go to Mass on Sundays will also live according to the Gospel on weekdays, we pray:

– That the Eucharistic celebration on Sundays may be to all Christian communities a source of great joy as we deeply encounter the Lord and receive the strength to follow him on his ways, we pray:

Prayer over the Gifts

Our healing God,
you set the table of your Son
not merely for a select few
but for all, for the sick and the suffering,
for the weak and the lonely.
Let Jesus’ love, his acceptance of people,
his spirit of sharing and healing be ours
in all our Christian communities.
Teach us to set the table of ourselves,
as Jesus did, your Son and our brother,
who lives with you and stays with us,
now and for ever.

Prayer after Communion

Our saving and healing God,
we thank you for uniting us
at the table of your Son in this Eucharistic celebration.
Let the Christian community be
to all people what you are to us:
love and healing, peace and joy
and a surprisingly generous gift,
a gift freely given and never regretted.
We ask this through Christ, our Lord.

Blessing

When did you visit me? Perhaps, the best day to visit our brother Jesus in the sick is Sunday, the day of the Lord! Bring God’s healing to people, with the blessing of Almighty God, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

REFLECTIONS

Mark 3:1-6

Liturgy without charity is a sin!

Today's Gospel shows Jesus healing a man with a withered hand despite opposition from the Pharisees. This healing symbolises the coming of the kingdom of God.

The theme of Jesus' preaching ministry was that the kingdom of God is at hand. He represented a completely revolutionary approach to obedience to the Law and matters of faith. His love and compassion, his sarcasm directed at the religious leaders of his day, as well as his healing and teaching demonstrated the beginning of God's reign over his people.

"He looked around at them with anger and grieved at their hardness of heart," says the evangelist. Are we not stiff-necked and hard-hearted at times with our scrupulous observances of rules and rituals, forgetting charity and mercy? There was severe criticism directed at Pope Francis after he permitted priests to bless couples who were in irregular marriages. As the Lord has come to call sinners, the Church continues to carry out his mission.

In today’s readings we find three hard things: a stone that kills Goliath, a rock that provides stability, and hearts that are hardened. Solidity is a virtue only when it is rooted on the true rock of our lives—God. He becomes the deepest foundation from where we can shape our responses and reach out, as demanded by the needs of the times.

However, the Pharisees were solid in the wrong place—in their own hearts which only got closed in on itself. Had they been grounded in the rock of God, their hearts would have found a joyous flexibility to reach out and raise the paralyzed hand of their brother. We need rock-like faith, but liquid hearts that can melt in compassion for the other.

Today we celebrate the memoria of St. Anthony, the Abbot, a 3rd Century monk from Egypt. He is revered as the father of monasticism. Once while attending the Mass, he heard the command of Jesus to the rich young man: “If you wish to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven” (Matthew 19:21). He gave away most of his property, sold almost everything and entered the desert to live a life of poverty, solitude, prayer, and mortification. St. Anthony, pray for us before the Lord.

Liturgy without charity is a sin! - Youtube

Mark 3:1-6

Called to Life in the Centre of the Community

In today’s Gospel reflection, we journey with Jesus through the heart of conflict, where love and life confront rigid legalism. This passage invites us, as pilgrims of hope, to consider how we, like the early Christians, can find courage in Christ’s example when faced with systems that prioritise rules over compassion.

On a Sabbath day, Jesus heals a man with a withered hand in the synagogue. While the religious authorities scrutinise Him for any breach of Sabbath law, Jesus boldly places the man at the centre of the community, declaring through His actions that every person is beloved and has a rightful place in God’s family.

By asking the man to "get up and stand in the middle," Jesus not only restores his hand but resurrects his dignity. The call to rise is a call to new life, a reminder that the Gospel liberates us from systems that diminish life and hope. As pilgrims of hope, we are challenged to emulate Jesus by rejecting any ideology that sacrifices human well-being for the sake of rigid rules.

Jesus’ question—“Is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the Sabbath, to save life or to kill?”—pierces the hearts of His opponents, revealing the hypocrisy of a system that values tradition over love. His anger and grief echo the pain of all who suffer under unjust structures, urging us to act with compassion and courage.

Lord of life, give us the courage to stand for what is good and just, placing love above all else. Amen.

Called to Life in the Centre of the Community - Youtube

The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity

DAY 4
Called to one hope

Verse for the day
There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling (Eph4:4).

Additional Scripture passages:

Deuteronomy 6:4-9; Psalm 24:1-6; John 17:20-26;

Reflection:
In Ephesians 4:4 the Apostle Paul highlights the profound unity that binds the Church worldwide. This unity is rooted in the one Spirit and the one hope that connects all Christians in their faith. On the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit ignited the global mission of the Church. This same Spirit empowers us and nurtures our collective mission today, fostering a universal Church that transcends national and cultural boundaries. Our shared hope in salvation through Jesus Christ is the cornerstone of this unity, drawing together diverse peoples into one holy, catholic and apostolic Church. As Christians, we are defined by this singular hope and by the one Spirit through whom we are baptised and renewed. Our task is to ensure that this unity is not just a concept but a lived reality, reinforcing our shared mission and love for one another.

A question to consider:
In what ways can we, as a church or community, embrace the challenge of our one calling, while maintaining our unique identity and traditions?

Prayer:
Jesus Christ, you have brought us together in all our diversity as your family and church. In the face of so many situations on earth where hope has given way to despair and wounded hearts, renew our hope in the Holy Spirit’s work of changing the world. Move us to spread this hope to everyone everywhere. You are the true Light, who casts out the darkness of sin, and shines into our hearts the joy and hope of your eternal love. Amen.