JESUS CHRIST THE LIGHT CAME INTO THE WORLD

PRAYER BEFORE MASS Go before us O Lord, in this our sacrifice of Prayer and Praise, and grant that we say and sing with our lips we may believe in our hearts, and practice and show forth in our daily lives. Through Christ our Lord. Amen. 

 

PRAYER AFTER MASS

Bless, O Lord, our hearts and minds, and grant that as we leave Your house, we may continue to be aware of Your presence. Through Christ our Lord. Amen. by Saint John Berchmans, Patron Saint of Altar Boys 

Readings Lectures Reflection

First Reading   Acts 12:24-13:5

'I want Barnabas and Paul set apart'

The word of God continued to spread and to gain followers. Barnabas and Saul completed their task and came back from Jerusalem, bringing John Mark with them. 

In the church at Antioch the following were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen, who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. One day while they were offering worship to the Lord and keeping a fast, the Holy Spirit said, ‘I want Barnabas and Saul set apart for the work to which I have called them.’ So it was that after fasting and prayer they laid their hands on them and sent them off.

So these two, sent on their mission by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia and from there sailed to Cyprus. They landed at Salamis and proclaimed the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews; John acted as their assistant.

Responsorial Psalm

Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you

Gospel Acclamation

Alleluia, alleluia!

I am the light of the world, says the Lord;

anyone who follows me will have the light of life.

Alleluia!    John 8:12

Gospel  John 12:44-50

 

I, the light, have come into the world

Jesus declared publicly:

‘Whoever believes in me

believes not in me

but in the one who sent me,

and whoever sees me,

sees the one who sent me.

I, the light, have come into the world,

so that whoever believes in me

need not stay in the dark any more.

If anyone hears my words and does not keep them faithfully,

it is not I who shall condemn him,

since I have come not to condemn the world,

but to save the world.

He who rejects me and refuses my words has his judge already:

the word itself that I have spoken will be his judge on the last day.

For what I have spoken does not come from myself;

no, what I was to say,

what I had to speak,

was commanded by the Father who sent me,

and I know that his commands mean eternal life.

And therefore what the Father has told me

is what I speak.’

My Father in heaven, help me understand the mystery of your oneness with your Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit.  Help me understand your love for all your creatures, and me in particular. Father fill me with your Holy Spirit that I may understand the teachings of your Son Jesus Christ, for he is the light that came into our world to redeem us from darkness and from the power of evil. 

Father in heaven your Son Jesus Christ spoke about his divinity, unity and oneness with you, a mystery beyond human comprehension, give me faith to believe without questioning his teachings. I know with faith my darkness is dispel. I will appreciate God's love towards me and for all His creatures. Christ crucifixion, his sacrifice on the cross and his resurrection to save our world. For this will be my guide to eternal life, and my salvation.  Lord Jesus Christ thank you for loving me. My Jesus I trust in you.