Year B
Discover the deeper meaning and connections found in this week's readings, through these great commentaries written by our priests.
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A mother asked me about having her child baptised.
I inquired why she wanted this, given that she never came to Mass herself.
She explained that she could not face church.
It was full of fibbers, gossips and hypocrites.
I agreed with her.
She was taken aback.
But I did say that it seemed a little like waiting in a doctor’s surgery
complaining that everybody else there was ill.
The world generally has fibbers, gossips and hypocrites.
At Mass we admit our faults but we claim no monopoly on fibbing, gossiping or hypocrisy.
We try to do something about our sins, even if we fail as often as not, and maybe more so.
Among the first words of Mass we confess that we are sinners.
Before we approach the Lord in communion we admit
Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof;
but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.
Like the doctor’s patients we are here because we need to be healed: made whole again.
Unlike the patients, we don’t claim any right to be here.
We never claim that we are worthy to be here.
We need help together.
Together we offer each other prayerful help.
We draw together on the help and the grace of God.
Jesus catches the image of our being together, of our interconnectedness:
I am the vine, you are the branches.
Whoever remains in me, with me in him, bears fruit in plenty;
for cut off from me you can do nothing.
We are all together in our faith.
Our faith is real and active, not just words or mere talk.
We build each other up, despite our weakness and unworthiness.
We remain alert to the dangers of fibbing and gossip and hypocrisy.
We need humility and perseverance to confront our weakness,
to resist it and to repent it every time it makes us fail.
But we should never let our weakness become an excuse to give up trying.
Even when we keep in mind
that we believe in the name of God’s Son Jesus Christ and that we love one another as he told us to,
we don’t become perfect.
That is for eternal life.
But, loving one another, we find it ever harder to lie and gossip about each other or about anyone.
We find it ever harder to pretend that we are what we are not.
If we prune those failings in our lives
we make way for greater and stronger growth in what is good.
We grasp Jesus’ promise that;
If you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask what you will and you shall get it.
Fifth Sunday of Easter
CCC 2746-2751: Christ’s prayer at the Last Supper
CCC 736, 737, 755, 787, 1108, 1988, 2074: Christ is the vine, we are the branches
CCC 953, 1822-1829: charity
During Eastertide the Font ought to remain at the centre of our celebrations reminding us Sunday by Sunday that we have renewed our Baptismal Commitment on Easter Day. During this season we might begin the Mass at the Font singing the Entry Song on the way to the Baptismal area. Once arrived at the Font the Entry Song can be paused and the priest may greet the people as usual and using the words prescribed bless the water which has been placed in the Font beforehand with the special prayer for Eastertide. The Entry Song may now be resumed as the priest and servers move to the altar, the priest sprinkling the people with water taken from the Font. Once arrived at the altar and the priest having greeted the altar and incensed it if incense is being used the Entry chant is concluded and the ‘Gloria’ is sung. The Kyrie is omitted.
The Collect Prayer for today makes special mention of Baptism and the renewal of the Paschal mystery of death and resurrection renewed in each of us and so might be introduced with:
‘Let us pray that as we have been baptised into the death and resurrection of Christ so we may bear the fruits of love in our daily lives’
The Intercessions during Eastertide ought always to make allusion to our Baptism and remember all those who have been baptised at Easter.
During Eastertide the Font may be decorated with flowers so that it is noticed by the people when they come into the church.
Notes These hymns have been selected from various sources:
Sing a new song to the Lord (L705)
I am the vine, you are the branches (CFE273)
Shepherd of Souls (CFE641, L859)
Unless a grain of wheat (CFE754, L748, LHON697)
and Easter seasonal music - see Easter Sunday and 2nd Sunday of Easter and 6th Sunday of Easter
Key
CFE - Celebration Hymnal for Everyone
L – Laudate
LHON – Liturgical Hymns Old and New (Mayhew, 1999)
TCH – The Catholic Hymnbook (Gracewing)
Do you have questions about the liturgy and how we are called to participate in it? Explore how the Church councils, saints, and popes have answered this key question and many more.
Every movement of the Mass is rich in meaning but we can become over-familiar with it. Rediscover the Mass and explore how it relates to the Exodus story, where many of its rituals come from, and how it makes Jesus present to us today.
