COURAGE YOUR FAITH HAS RESTORED YOU TO HEALTH

PRAYER BEFORE HOLY MASS     Act of Love before Mass

O my God, I love Thee with all my heart, with all my soul, with all my strength and with no other desire than to be inseparably united to Thee. It is through Thy Divine Son that this union is about to be realized within me. In Holy Communion I long to identify myself with Him, that it will no longer be myself, but Him, who lives in me; and when I have received Jesus within myself, then I shall love and be loved by Thee in that same measure, in which I am united to Him. Hasten then, to give me Thy Divine Son, at the hands of Thy priest, that through Jesus, I may unite myself forever to Thee, O God the Father, in the unity of the Holy Spirit.  Mass Readings Lectures de la Messe Reflection

First Reading Genesis 28:10-22

Jacob's dream of the ladder at Bethel

Jacob left Beersheba and set out for Haran. When he had reached a certain place he passed the night there, since the sun had set. Taking one of the stones to be found at that place, he made it his pillow and lay down where he was. He had a dream: a ladder was there, standing on the ground with its top reaching to heaven; and there were angels of God going up it and coming down. And the Lord was there, standing over him, saying, ‘I am the Lord, the God of Abraham your father, and the God of Isaac. I will give to you and your descendants the land on which you are lying. Your descendants shall be like the specks of dust on the ground; you shall spread to the west and the east, to the north and the south, and all the tribes of the earth shall bless themselves by you and your descendants. 

‘Be sure that I am with you; I will keep you safe wherever you go, and bring you back to this land, for I will not desert you before I have done all that I have promised you.’ 

Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, ‘Truly, the Lord is in this place and I never knew it!’ He was afraid and said, ‘How awe-inspiring this place is! This is nothing less than a house of God; this is the gate of heaven!’ Rising early in the morning, Jacob took the stone he had used for his pillow, and set it up as a monument, pouring oil over the top of it. He named the place Bethel, but before that the town was called Luz. 

Jacob made this vow, ‘If God goes with me and keeps me safe on this journey I am making, if he gives me bread to eat and clothes to wear, and if I return home safely to my father, then the Lord shall be my God. This stone I have set up as a monument shall be a house of God.’

Responsorial Psalm

My God, in you I trust

Gospel Acclamation

Alleluia, alleluia!

Our Saviour Jesus Christ abolished death

and he has  proclaimed life through the Good News.

Alleluia! cf. 2Tim. 1: 10

Gospel  Matt. 9:18-26

Your faith has restored you to health

While Jesus was speaking, up came one of the officials, who bowed low in front of him and said, ‘My daughter has just died, but come and lay your hand on her and her life will be saved.’ Jesus rose and, with his disciples, followed him. Then from behind him came a woman, who had suffered from a haemorrhage for twelve years, and she touched the fringe of his cloak, for she said to herself, ‘If I can only touch his cloak I shall be well again.’ Jesus turned round and saw her; and he said to her, ‘Courage, my daughter, your faith has restored you to health.’ And from that moment the woman was well again. 

When Jesus reached the official’s house and saw the flute-players, with the crowd making a commotion he said, ‘Get out of here; the little girl is not dead, she is asleep.’ And they laughed at him. But when the people had been turned out he went inside and took the little girl by the hand; and she stood up. And the news spread all round the countryside.

Loving Father, my God your presence is ever with us. You are our breath, you are our life, you are our guide and guard.  Father most times we fail to realize your presence in our live.  You are with us in our joy and happiness. Your presence is with us in our life journey, in our challenges.  My God, my loving Father because of your presence, you are our divine providence. You will never abandon your children in their joy, temptation and challenge. Father in loving us so much, you do not impose your will upon us but give us freedom of choice, but in our choices, you are ever present to protect us. Direct our actions. Give us courage to do your will.

Lord Jesus Christ I trust in you. You abolished death. Give me life, give me health. I pray for courage to trust you. Give courage Lord. Give me faith that does of doubt your ability to be with me in all challenges. A faith that will not doubt your presence in my life. A faith that will never doubt your ability to meet all my needs for you came that I might have life in abundance. My Saviour I trust in you. Virgin Mary, Mother of Christ, my Mother pray for me. Saint Joseph pray for me.