readings, gospels and reflections

Old Testament Readings (First Readings)

1.         A Reading from the book of Ruth.

Do not ask me to leave you or to go back
instead of following you, for wherever you go,
I will go, wherever you live, I will live. Your
people shall be my people and your God will
be mine too. Whenever you laugh I will laugh.
Whenever you cry, your tears are mine,
we shall be together forever and our love will
be the gift of our lives.        
           
This is the word of the Lord.

 

2.         A Reading from the Book of Genesis 1:26-28, 31

Male and Female he created them.

Then God said, “Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the wild animals of the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.” 

So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them.  God blessed them, and God said to them,
“Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over
the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that
moves upon the earth.” God saw everything that he had made, and indeed,
it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.

This is the word of the Lord

 

3.         A reading from the Song of Songs 2:8-10.14.16; 8:6-7

Love is strong as Death.

I hear my Beloved.
See how he comes
leaping on the mountains,
bounding over the hills.
My Beloved is like a gazelle,
like a young stag.
See where he stands
behind our wall.
He looks in at the window,
he peers through the lattice.
My Beloved lifts up his voice,
he says to me,
'Come then, my love,
my lovely one, come.
My dove, hiding in the clefts of the rock.
In the coverts of the cliff,
show me your face,
let me hear your voice;
for your voice is sweet
and your face is beautiful.'

My beloved is mine and I am his.

Set me like a seal on your heart,
like a seal on your arm.
For love is strong as Death,
jealousy relentless as Sheol. The flash of it is a flash of fire,
a flame of the Lord himself.
Love no flood can quench,
no torrents drown.

This is the word of the Lord

 

4.         A Reading from the Book of Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor.

For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion.
But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up.
Furthermore, if two lie down together they keep warm, but how can
one be warm alone? And if one can overpower him who is alone,
two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart.

This is the word of the Lord

 

 

New Testament Readings (Second Readings)
           
1.         A Reading from the first letter of St Paul to the Corinthians 12:31- 13:8

If I am without love, it will do me no good whatever.

Be ambitious for the higher gifts. And I am going to show you a way that is better than any of them. If I have all the eloquence of men or of angels, but speak without love, I am simply a gong booming or a cymbal clashing. If I have the gift of prophecy, understanding all the mysteries there~ are, and knowing everything, and if I have faith in all its fullness, to move mountains, but without love, then I am nothing at all.
If I give away all that I possess, piece by piece, and if I even let them take my body to burn it, but am without love, it will do me no good whatever.

Love is always patient and kind; it is never jealous;
love is never boastful or conceited; it is never rude or selfish;
it does not take offence, and is not resentful.
Love takes no pleasure in other people's sins but delights in the truth;
it is always ready to excuse, to trust, to hope, and to endure whatever comes.
Love does not come to an end.

This is the word of the Lord.

 

2.         A Reading from the Letter to the Colossians 3:12-17

            The peace of Christ rule in your hearts

As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.  Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.  Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.  And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful. 

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs
to God.  And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

This is the word of the Lord

 

3.         A reading from the letter of St Paul to the Romans 12:1-2.9-18

Offering your living bodies as a holy sacrifice, truly pleasing to him.

Think of God's mercy, my brothers, and worship him, I beg you, in a way that is worthy of thinking beings, by offering your living bodies as a holy sacrifice, truly pleasing to God. Do not model yourselves on the behaviour of the world around you, but let your behaviour change, modelled by your new mind. This is the only way to discover the will of God and know what is good, what it is that God wants, what is the perfect thing to do.
Do not let your love be a pretence, but sincerely prefer good to evil. Love each other as much as brothers should, and have a profound respect for each other. Work for the Lord with untiring effort and with great earnestness of spirit. If you have hope, this will make you cheerful. Do not give up if trials come; and keep on praying. If any of the saints are in need you must share with them; and you should make hospitality your special care.
Bless those who persecute you: never curse them, bless them. Rejoice with those who rejoice and be sad with those in sorrow. Treat everyone with equal kindness; never be condescending but make real friends with the poor. Do not allow yourself to become self-satisfied. Never repay evil with evil but let everyone see that you are interested only in the highest ideals. Do all you can to live at peace with everyone.

This is the word of the Lord.

 

 

 4.  A Reading from the first letter of St. John 4:7-19

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love. By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

No one has seen God at any time; if we love one another, God abides in us,
and His love is perfected in us. By this we know that we abide in Him and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. We have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this, love is perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment; because as He is, so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love.

We love, because He first loved us.

GOSPEL READINGS

1.         Gospel Acclamation I Jn 4:8.11

Alleluia, alleluia! God is love;
let us love one another
as God has loved us. Alleluia!

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew 5:1-12
Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven.

Seeing the crowds, Jesus went up the hill. There he sat down and was joined by his disciples. Then he began to speak. This is what he taught them:

'How happy are the poor in spirit;
theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Happy the gentle:
they shall have the earth for their heritage.
Happy those who mourn:
they shall be comforted.
Happy those who hunger and thirst for what is right:
they shall be satisfied.
Happy the merciful:
they shall have mercy shown them.
Happy the pure in heart:
they shall see God.
Happy the peacemakers:
they shall be called sons of God.
Happy those who are persecuted in the cause of right:
theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

'Happy are you when people abuse you and persecute you and speak all kinds of calumny against you on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven.'
This is the Gospel of the Lord.

 

2.         Gospel Acclamation I Jn4:8.11

Alleluia, alleluia! God is love;
let us love one another
as God has loved us. Alleluia!

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew 22:35-40
This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second resembles it.

A lawyer, to disconcert Jesus, put a question, 'Master, which is the greatest commandment of the Law?'
Jesus said, 'You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second resembles it: You must love your neighbour as yourself. On these two commandments hang the whole Law, and the Prophets also.'

This is the Gospel of the Lord.

3.         Gospel Acclamation 1 In 4:12

Alleluia, alleluia!
As long as we love one another
God will live in us,
and his love will be complete in us.
Alleluia!

A reading from the holy Gospel according to John 2:1-11
This was the first of the signs given by Jesus - at Cana in Galilee.

There was a wedding at Cana in Galilee. The mother of Jesus was there, and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited. When they ran out of wine, since the wine provided for the wedding was all finished, the mother of Jesus said to him, 'They have no wine.' Jesus said, 'Woman why turn to me? My hour has not come yet.' His mother said to the servants, 'Do whatever he tells you.' There were six stone water jars standing there, meant for the ablutions that are customary among the Jews: each could hold twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus said to the servants, 'Fill the jars with water,' and they filled them to the brim. 'Draw some out now,' he told them, 'and take it to the steward.' They did this; the steward tasted the water, and it had turned into wine. Having no idea where it came from - only the servants who had drawn the water knew - the steward called the bridegroom and said, 'People generally serve the best wine first, and keep the cheaper sort till the guests have had plenty to drink, but you have kept the best wine till now.'
This was the first of the signs given by Jesus: it was given at Cana in Galilee.
He let his glory be seen, and his disciples believed in him.

 This is the Gospel of the Lord.

 

4.         Gospel Acclamation 1 In 4:8. 11

Alleluia, alleluia!
God is love;
let us love one another
as God has loved us.
Alleluia!

 

A reading from the holy Gospel according to John 15:12-16
What I command you is to love one another.

Jesus said to his disciples:

'This is my commandment: love one another, as I have loved you.
A man can have no greater love than to lay down his life for his friends.
You are my friends, if you do what I command you. I shall not call you
servants any more, because a servant does not know his master's business;
I call you friends, because I have made known to you everything I have learnt
from my Father. You did not choose me, no, I chose you; and I commissioned
you to go out and to bear fruit, fruit that will last; and then the Father will give
you anything you ask him in my name.'

This is the Gospel of the Lord.

 

Reflections

 

On Marriage from 'The Prophet'

Then Almitra spoke again and said, "And what of marriage master? And he answered saying: You were born together, and together you shall be for evermore. You shall be together when the white wings of death scatter your days. Ay, you shall be together even in the silent memory of God. But let there be spaces in your togetherness, And let the winds of the heavens dance between you.

Love one another, but make not a bond of love.

Let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls.
Fill each other's cup but drink not from one cup.
Give one another of your bread but eat not from the same loaf.
Sing and dance together and be joyous,
But let each one of you be alone.
Even though the strings of a lute are alone, though they quiver with the same music.

Give your hearts, but not into each other's keeping:

For only the hand of life can contain your hearts.
And stand together yet not too near together:
For the pillars of the temple stand apart,
And the oak tree and the cypress grow,
Not in each other's shadow.

Kahlil Gibran 1883 - 1931

 

Prayer for Newly Married Couple

O God, we pray for Mary and Stephen.
Bless their union:
May the door of their house
be wide enough to receive all who hunger for love,
All who are lonely for friendship.
May it welcome all who have cares to unburden,
thanks to express, hopes to nurture.
May the door of their house be narrow enough
to shut out pettiness and pride, envy and enmity.
May its threshold be no stumbling block to young or strained feet.
May it be too high to admit complacency, selfishness and harshness.
May their home for all who enter the doorway bring riches
and a more meaningful life. Amen.

Blessing - from the Apache

May you feel no rain, for each of you will be shelter to the other;
May you feel no cold, for each of you will be warmth to the other;
May there be no loneliness for you.
Now you are two bodies; but there is one life before you:
Go now to your dwelling-place, to enter into the days of your togetherness.
And may your days be good and long upon the earth.

Love Is by Susan Polis Schutz

Love is…
being happy for the other person when they are happy
being sad for the other person when they are sad
being together in good times and being together in bad times
Love is the source of strength

Love is…
being honest with yourself at all times
being honest with the other person at all times
telling, listening, respecting the truth and never pretending
Love is the source of reality

Love is
an understanding that is so complete that
you feel as if you are a part of the other person
accepting the other person just the way they are
and not trying to change them to be something else
Love is the source of unity

Love is
the freedom to pursue your own desires
while sharing your experience with the other person
the growth of one individual along side of
and together with the growth of another individual
Love is the source of success

Love is
the excitement of planning things together
the excitement of doing things together
Love is the source of the future

Love is
the fury of the storm
the calm of the rainbow
Love is the source of passion

Love is
giving and taking in a daily situation
being patient with each other's needs and desires
Love is the source of sharing

Love is
knowing that the other person will always be with you regardless of what happens
missing the other person when they are away but remaining near in heart at all times
Love is the source of security

Love is the source of life.

 

From Les Miserables.

You can give without loving
But you can never love without giving.
The great acts of love are done by those who
Are habitually performing small acts of kindness.
We pardon to the extent that we love.
Love is knowing that even when you are alone,
You will never be lonely again.
And great happiness of life
Is the conviction that we are loved.
Loved for ourselves.
And even loved in spite of ourselves.

Victor Hugo (1802 - 1885)

 

 

Love…

Love is real
Real is love
Love is feeling
Feeling love
Love is touch
Touch is love
Love is reaching
Reaching love
Love is you
You and me.

John Lennon