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First Reading: Gal 2:1–2,7–14
Brothers and sisters:
After fourteen years I again went up to Jerusalem with Barnabas,
taking Titus along also.
I went up in accord with a revelation,
and I presented to them the Gospel that I preach to the Gentiles–
but privately to those of repute–
so that I might not be running, or have run, in vain.
On the contrary,
when they saw that I had been entrusted with the Gospel to the uncircumcised,
just as Peter to the circumcised,
for the one who worked in Peter for an apostolate to the circumcised
worked also in me for the Gentiles,
and when they recognized the grace bestowed upon me,
James and Cephas and John,
who were reputed to be pillars,
gave me and Barnabas their right hands in partnership,
that we should go to the Gentiles
and they to the circumcised.
Only, we were to be mindful of the poor,
which is the very thing I was eager to do.
And when Cephas came to Antioch,
I opposed him to his face because he clearly was wrong.
For, until some people came from James,
he used to eat with the Gentiles;
but when they came, he began to draw back and separated himself,
because he was afraid of the circumcised.
And the rest of the Jews acted hypocritically along with him,
with the result that even Barnabas
was carried away by their hypocrisy.
But when I saw that they were not on the right road
in line with the truth of the Gospel,
I said to Cephas in front of all,
"If you, though a Jew,
are living like a Gentile and not like a Jew,
how can you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews?"
Responsorial Psalm: Ps 117:1bc, 2
R./ Go out to all the world, and tell the Good News.
Praise the Lord, all you nations,
glorify him, all you peoples!
R./ Go out to all the world, and tell the Good News.
For steadfast is his kindness toward us,
and the fidelity of the Lord endures forever.
R./ Go out to all the world, and tell the Good News.
Gospel Reading: Lk 11:1-4
One day Jesus was praying in a certain place and when he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples." And Jesus said to them, "When you pray, say this:
Father, hallowed be your name,
may your kingdom come,
give us each day the kind of bread we need,
and forgive us our sins, for we also forgive all who do us wrong,
and do not bring us to the test."
Dear friends,
Paul thinks he is an apostle to the Gentiles. The Church of Jerusalem confirmed this to him. This is the letter that says his preaching is authentic. It was written to stop the Judaising tendencies that wanted to subject the Gentile Christians to Jewish prescriptions. Paul talks about one of the great conflicts in the early church. It almost split the church. In the end, unity was maintained, but not without pain.
In the Gospel, Jesus teaches us the Lord’s Prayer. It answers his disciples’ concerns about prayer. «Teach us to pray.» It is the most important prayer. It helps us understand our faith and experience God as our Father. The Lord’s Prayer is a simple way to find your way to the centre. Luke’s version takes us to the centre through four essential petitions: the kingdom, bread, forgiveness and temptation. Jesus prays to connect with his Father. Jesus knows how to journey to the centre. From the centre, he connects with everyone and everything. These expressions can be misunderstood when we have talked about going to the edge. There’s no contradiction. Here, ‘centre’ doesn’t mean power, but the heart. To travel to the centre is to discover God, ourselves and others. That’s why praying is like breathing.
Godgossip
Opening Prayer
God our Father,
you tell us today how Jesus prayed
and taught his disciples to pray,
first and foremost, for the glory of your name,
for the coming and growth of your kingdom,
and for heaven and earth to do your will.
We know that this will is a Father's will
and so, we ask of you with trusting faith:
Let your will be ours,
let your glory be ours,
let your kingdom of peace and justice,
of love and forgiveness be ours
and let it grow among us, now and for ever.
Liturgy of the Word
First Reading Introduction
Though he had received his mission from Jesus and worked mainly among pagans, Paul was in union with those who worked among the Jews; they approved of his work, but asked him to help the poor Christians of Jewish origin. Paul tells the Galatians also how he stood up to Peter the time when the latter did not eat from the table of Christians coming from paganism under pressure from Christians from Jewish origin. That's hypocrisy, said Paul.
Gospel Introduction
The disciples must have admired Jesus when he prayed, for when he had finished, they asked him to teach them to pray. This is indeed what we too should ask him in this eucharist, that our prayer may be wide and deep like his, giving honor to the Father and bringing to him the stream of the needs and concerns of all. And like him too, in our prayers we try not to bend God's will to ours, but ours to God's will and General Intercessions .
General Intercessions
– That we may be praying people, so that the source of our strength may never run dry and that we may live and work in the presence of God, we pray:
– That for Christians and for all people, prayer may not become a flight from life or from involvement with people in need, we pray:
– That we may learn from Christ to place first things first when we pray, to give priority to things that really matter: the coming of God's kingdom and the good of the People of God, we pray:
Prayer over the Gifts
God our Father,
the gifts here in our hands
express the prayers of all those present
and also of those who are not here.
Help us to grow in depth and width
in a life of faith and prayer.
Teach us to pray like your Son,
that you may accept us with him
who is our Lord for ever.
Prayer after Communion
God our Father,
keep us listening to your Word,
as we have done here in the presence of your Son.
Keep us in constant dialogue with you,
that we may also be capable of dialogue
with the world and with our brothers and sisters.
Let prayer be to us a source of commitment
that never dries up.
We ask you this in the name of Jesus, the Lord.
Blessing
It is good to remember that as Christians, we have the task to pray for all people. It is our role to be mediators, just as we are also mediators of peace and reconciliation. May Almighty God bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
