TAKE UP YOUR CROSS AND FOLLOW

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.  

First Reading Exodus 1:8-14,22 
The Egyptians force the sons of Israel into slavery
There came to power in Egypt a new king who knew nothing of Joseph. ‘Look,’ he said to his subjects ‘these people, the sons of Israel, have become so numerous and strong that they are a threat to us. We must be prudent and take steps against their increasing any further, or if war should break out, they might add to the number of our enemies. They might take arms against us and so escape out of the country.’ Accordingly they put slave-drivers over the Israelites to wear them down under heavy loads. In this way they built the store-cities of Pithom and Rameses for Pharaoh. But the more they were crushed, the more they increased and spread, and men came to dread the sons of Israel. The Egyptians forced the sons of Israel into slavery, and made their lives unbearable with hard labour, work with clay and with brick, all kinds of work in the fields; they forced on them every kind of labour. 

Pharaoh then gave his subjects this command: ‘Throw all the boys born to the Hebrews into the river, but let all the girls live.’

Responsrial Psalm
Our help is in the name of the Lord

Gospel Acclamation
Alleluia, alleluia!
Happy those who are persecuted
in the cause of right,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Alleluia!  Matt. 5:10

Gospel Matthew 10:34-11:1
It is not peace I have come to bring but a sword
Jesus instructed the Twelve as follows: ‘Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth: it is not peace I have come to bring, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. A man’s enemies will be those of his own household. 

‘Anyone who prefers father or mother to me is not worthy of me. Anyone who prefers son or daughter to me is not worthy of me. Anyone who does not take his cross and follow in my footsteps is not worthy of me. Anyone who finds his life will lose it; anyone who loses his life for my sake will find it.

‘Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me; and those who welcome me welcome the one who sent me.  ‘Anyone who welcomes a prophet will have a prophet’s reward; and anyone who welcomes a holy man will have a holy man’s reward.  ‘If anyone gives so much as a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is a disciple, then I tell you solemnly, he will most certainly not lose his reward.’  

When Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples he moved on from there to teach and preach in their towns.

My Father in heaven I worship and adore you. In you is my being. Life challenges can be so great that I find myself helpless.  I must take up my cross and follow.  Give me the strength, the courage to hold on to your word, and unto the instructions of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Christ is the way, the truth and life. Holy Spirit be with me, dwell in me.  Thank you Lord Jesus Christ for loving me. Lord I trust in you. Virgin Mary pray for me. Saint Joseph pray for me.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

JE NE SUIS PAS VENU APPELER DES JUSTES MAIS DES PÉCHEURS

LES CHEVEUX DE VOTRE TETE SONT TOUS COMPTÉS

THE FIG TREE YOU CURSED HAS WITHERED AWAY