THE SECRET TO HAPPINESS

Prayer before Mass: Almighty and ever-living God, I approach the sacrament of Your only-begotten Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ. I come sick to the doctor of life, unclean to the fountain of mercy, blind to the radiance of eternal light, and poor and needy to the Lord of heaven and earth. Lord, in Your great generosity, heal my sickness, wash away my defilement, enlighten my blindness, enrich my poverty, and clothe my nakedness. May I receive the Bread of Angels, the King of kings and Lord of lords, with humble reverence, with the purity and faith, the repentance and love, and the determined purpose that will help  to bring me to salvation. 

May I receive the sacrament of the Lord’s Body and Blood, and its reality and power. Kind God, may I receive the Body of Your only-begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, born from the womb of the Virgin Mary, and so be received into His mystical body and numbered among His members.

Loving Father, as on my earthly pilgrimage I now receive Your beloved Son under the veil of a  sacrament, may I one day see Him face to face in glory, who lives and reigns with You forever. Amen. By Knights of the Holy Eucharist. Readings Lectures  Reflection 

First Reading           Isaiah 58:9-14

You will be like a spring whose

water never run dry

If you do away with the yoke, the clenched fist, the wicked word, if you give your bread to  the hungry, and relief to the oppressed, your light will rise in the darkness, and your shadows become like noon. The Lord will always guide you, giving you relief in desert places. He will give strength to your bones and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water whose waters never run dry. You will rebuild the ancient ruins, build up on the old foundations.

You will be called ‘Breach-mender’, ‘Restorer of ruined houses.’ If you refrain from trampling the sabbath, and doing business on the holy day, if you call the Sabbath ‘Delightful’, and the day sacred to the Lord ‘Honourable’, if you honour it by abstaining from travel, from doing business and from gossip, then shall you find your happiness in the Lord and I will lead you triumphant over the heights of the land. I will feed you on the heritage of Jacob your father. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.

Responsorial Psalm 

Show me Lord, your way so that I may walk in your truth

Gospel       Luke 5:27-32

Jesus comes not to call the virtuous, but sinners to repentance

Jesus noticed a tax collector, Levi by name, sitting by the customs house, and said to him, ‘Follow me.’ And leaving everything he got up and followed him.

In his honour Levi held a great reception in his house, and with them at table was a large gathering of tax collectors and others. The Pharisees and their scribes complained to his disciples and said, ‘Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?’ Jesus said to them in reply, ‘It is not those who are well who need the doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the virtuous, but sinners to repentance.

My Father in heaven, show me your way so that I may walk in your truth. Father take away every yoke of clenched fist, wicked word from my lips, help me to be generous towards those I consider poor among your creatures, that I may be a voice for the oppressed in our society. Father with your guidance,  my light will shine in the darkness, I my shadows will be like noon, Father you will give me relief in my trials.  

For you Father will give strength to my bones, for I shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water that shall never run dry. I will be a builder having a strong foundation.  I will be a Breach-mender, a restorer of ruined houses.

Father that I will honor your sacred day, that I be delight in serving you. In keeping your day holy Father I will abstain from fowl words but sing your praises. That my participation during Holy Mass will be undivided. For it is day of the Lord, it is sacred. May I find my delight in serving you.

Father I know I am unworthy to stand in your presence, the assurance is that Christ Jesus your Son came to save sinners like me. It is comforting to know that you love me Father, unworthy sinner. This is my secret to happiness. Thank you Lord Jesus Christ for loving me.