Year C

- Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

No man putting his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God

Luke 9:51-62

51 And it came to pass that when the days were approaching for him to be taken up to heaven, he steadfastly took the road for Jerusalem.
52 And he sent messengers before him; and going, they entered into a city of the Samaritans, to prepare for him.
53 And they did not receive him, because his face was of one going to Jerusalem.
54 And when his disciples James and John had seen this, they said: Lord, is it all right with you that we command fire to come down from heaven to consume them?
55 And turning, he rebuked them, saying: You don?t know of what spirit you are.
56 The Son of man came not to destroy souls, but to save. And they went into another town.
57 And it came to pass, as they walked in the way, that a certain man said to him: I will follow you wherever you go.
58 Jesus said to him: The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air nests; but the Son of man has nowhere to lay his head.
59 But he said to another: Follow me. And he said: Lord, suffer me first to go, and to bury my father.
60 And Jesus said to him: Let the dead bury their dead: but you go, and preach the kingdom of God.
61 And another said: I will follow you, Lord; but let me first take my leave of them that are at my house.
62 Jesus said to him: No man putting his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God

Inspiration of the Holy Spirit - From the Sacred Heart of Jesus

Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time - No man putting his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God

Great is the power of God and greatly blessed are those who have received it. Moses commanded the sea to open and it obeyed, the prophet Elijah commanded the heavens to pour down rain and they obeyed.

The power of God was always in me, the Son of the Living God, a power that cannot be put in the wrong hands. My power is the power of my Word, it is absolute power that has created everything that has come into existence.

However I did not come into the world to show off my power or to exalt myself with it. I came with a different purpose; I used my power to save the world by denying my self, by taking up my cross and by sacrificing myself.

The power exercised in performing my miracles was the power of God giving testimony of my coming into the world.

I granted my apostles and all those who believe in me a share of my power so that they would be able to heal the sick and to cast out demons. There was a moment when the Apostles were tempted to misuse that power in a moment of pride. I showed them how the spirit of God uses His power not to destroy but to build, not to condemn but to save, not to exalt but to humble.

As children of God, you would all have the same powers that I had here on earth, but because of the pride in your hearts, those great gifts have to be suppressed for now.

The power of God is at home in the hearts of the humble. It is the great power of faith that is given to those who put all their trust in God. It pierces through the heavens and comes straight to my throne; it always receives when it asks. Nothing pleases me more than to answer the petitions of the humble.

Humility is the great lesson that I taught the world. I said, learn from me because I am meek and humble of heart. I tell you now, come to me and become like me so that you benefit from my power that makes you sons and daughters of the Most High.

I explained how the foxes have holes, and the birds of the air nests; but the Son of man has nowhere to lay his head. I was saying, here is your King, the Almighty God who having everything has reduced himself to nothing in order to teach you that humility is the way to go, because pride blinds the soul and leads you to sin.

He who desires me must follow me, He who follows me will become like me, but the price he has to pay is detachment from the world and from his self-love.

Author: Joseph of Jesus and Mary

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Office of Readings and Invitatory Prayer

Office of Readings

If this is the first Hour that you are reciting today, you should precede it with the Invitatory Psalm.

O God, come to my aid.
O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen. Alleluia.

A suitable hymn may be inserted at this point.

Psalm 1
The two paths
Blessed the one who does not follow the counsels of the wicked, or stand in the paths that sinners use, or sit in the gatherings of those who mock: his delight is the law of the Lord, he ponders his law day and night. He is like a tree planted by flowing waters, that will give its fruit in due time, whose leaves will not fade. All that he does will prosper. Not thus are the wicked, not thus. They are like the dust blown by the wind. At the time of judgement the wicked will not stand, nor sinners in the council of the just. For the Lord knows the path of the just; but the way of the wicked leads to destruction. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Psalm 1

The two paths

Blessed the one who does not follow the counsels of the wicked,
or stand in the paths that sinners use,
or sit in the gatherings of those who mock:
his delight is the law of the Lord,
he ponders his law day and night.

He is like a tree planted by flowing waters,
that will give its fruit in due time,
whose leaves will not fade.
All that he does will prosper.

Not thus are the wicked, not thus.
They are like the dust blown by the wind.
At the time of judgement the wicked will not stand,
nor sinners in the council of the just.

For the Lord knows the path of the just;
but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.

Psalm 2
The Messiah, king and victor
Why are the nations in a ferment? Why do the people make their vain plans? The kings of the earth have risen up; the leaders have united against the Lord, against his anointed. “Let us break their chains, that bind us; let us throw off their yoke from our shoulders!” The Lord laughs at them, he who lives in the heavens derides them. Then he speaks to them in his anger; in his fury he throws them into confusion: “But I – I have set up my king on Sion, my holy mountain”. I will proclaim the Lord’s decrees. The Lord has said to me: “You are my son: today I have begotten you. Ask me, and I will give you the nations for your inheritance, the ends of the earth for you to possess. You will rule them with a rod of iron, break them in pieces like an earthen pot”. So now, kings, listen: understand, you who rule the land. Serve the Lord in fear, tremble even as you praise him. Learn his teaching, lest he take anger, lest you perish when his anger bursts into flame. Blessed are all who put their trust in the Lord. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Psalm 2

The Messiah, king and victor

Why are the nations in a ferment? Why do the people make their vain plans?

The kings of the earth have risen up; the leaders have united against the Lord, against his anointed.
“Let us break their chains, that bind us; let us throw off their yoke from our shoulders!”

The Lord laughs at them, he who lives in the heavens derides them.
Then he speaks to them in his anger; in his fury he throws them into confusion:
“But I – I have set up my king on Sion, my holy mountain”.

I will proclaim the Lord’s decrees.
The Lord has said to me: “You are my son: today I have begotten you.
Ask me, and I will give you the nations for your inheritance, the ends of the earth for you to possess.
You will rule them with a rod of iron, break them in pieces like an earthen pot”.

So now, kings, listen: understand, you who rule the land.
Serve the Lord in fear, tremble even as you praise him.
Learn his teaching, lest he take anger, lest you perish when his anger bursts into flame.

Blessed are all who put their trust in the Lord.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.

Psalm 3
The Lord is my protector
Lord, how many they are, my attackers! So many rise up against me, so many of them say: “He can hope for no help from the Lord”. But you, Lord, are my protector, my glory: you raise up my head. I called to the Lord, and from his holy mountain he heard my voice. I fell asleep, and slept; but I rose, for the Lord raised me up. I will not fear when the people surround me in their thousands. Rise up, Lord; bring me to safety, my God. Those who attacked me – you struck them on the jaw, you shattered their teeth. Salvation comes from the Lord: Lord, your blessing is upon your people. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Psalm 3

The Lord is my protector

Lord, how many they are, my attackers!
So many rise up against me, so many of them say:
“He can hope for no help from the Lord”.

But you, Lord, are my protector, my glory: you raise up my head.
I called to the Lord, and from his holy mountain he heard my voice.

I fell asleep, and slept; but I rose, for the Lord raised me up.
I will not fear when the people surround me in their thousands.
Rise up, Lord; bring me to safety, my God.

Those who attacked me – you struck them on the jaw, you shattered their teeth.
Salvation comes from the Lord: Lord, your blessing is upon your people.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.

Reading	1 Samuel 28:3 - 25 ©
Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had mourned him and buried him at Ramah, his own town. Saul had expelled the necromancers and wizards from the country. Meanwhile the Philistines had mustered and pitched camp at Shunem. Saul mustered all Israel and they encamped at Gilboa. When Saul saw the Philistine camp he was afraid and there was a great trembling in his heart. Saul consulted the Lord, but the Lord gave him no answer, either by dream or oracle or prophet. ‘Then Saul said to his servants, ‘Find a woman who is a necromancer for me to go and consult her’. His servants replied, There is a necromancer at En-dor’. And so Saul, disguising himself and changing his clothes, set out accompanied by two men; their visit to the woman took place at night. ‘Disclose the future to me’ he said ‘by means of a ghost. Conjure up the one I shall name to you.’ The woman answered, ‘Look, you know what Saul has done, how he has swept the necromancers and wizards out of the country; why are you setting a trap for my life, then, to have me killed?’ But Saul swore to her by the Lord, ‘As the Lord lives,’ he said ‘no blame shall attach to you for this business.’ Then the woman asked, ‘Whom shall I conjure up for you?’ He replied, ‘Conjure up Samuel’. Then the woman saw Samuel and, giving a great cry, she said to Saul, ‘Why have you deceived me? You are Saul.’ The king said, ‘Do not be afraid! What do you see?’ The woman answered Saul, ‘I see a ghost rising up from the earth’. ‘What is he like?’ he asked. She answered, ‘It is an old man coming up; he is wrapped in a cloak’. Then Saul knew it was Samuel and he bowed down his face to the ground and did homage. Then Samuel said to Saul, ‘Why have you disturbed my rest, conjuring me up?’ Saul replied, ‘I am in great distress; the Philistines are waging war against me, and God has abandoned me and no longer answers me either by prophet or dream; and so I have summoned you to tell me what I must do’. Samuel said, ‘And why do you consult me, when the Lord has abandoned you and is with your neighbour?” the Lord has done to you as he foretold through me; he has snatched the sovereignty from your hand and given it to your neighbour, David, because you disobeyed the voice of the Lord and did not execute his fierce anger against Amalek. That is why the Lord treats you like this now. What is more, the Lord will deliver Israel and you, too, into the power of the Philistines. Tomorrow you and your sons will be with me; and Israel’s army, too, for the Lord will deliver it into the power of the Philistines.’ Saul was overcome and fell full-length on the ground. He was terrified by what Samuel had said and, besides this, he was weakened by having eaten nothing at all that day and all that night. The woman then came to Saul, and seeing his terror said, ‘Look, your servant has obeyed your voice; I have taken my life in my hands, and have obeyed the command you gave me. So now you in your turn listen to what your servant says. Let me set a little food before you for you to eat and get some strength for your journey.’ But he refused. ‘I will not eat’ he said. His servants however pressed him, and so did the woman. Allowing himself to be persuaded by them, he rose from the ground and sat on the divan. The woman owned a fattened calf which she quickly slaughtered, and she took some flour and kneaded it and with it baked cakes of unleavened bread; she put these before Saul and his servants; and after they had eaten they set off and left the same night.

Reading

Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had mourned him and buried him at Ramah, his own town. Saul had expelled the necromancers and wizards from the country.
Meanwhile the Philistines had mustered and pitched camp at Shunem. Saul mustered all Israel and they encamped at Gilboa. When Saul saw the Philistine camp he was afraid and there was a great trembling in his heart. Saul consulted the Lord, but the Lord gave him no answer, either by dream or oracle or prophet. ‘Then Saul said to his servants, ‘Find a woman who is a necromancer for me to go and consult her’. His servants replied, There is a necromancer at En-dor’.
And so Saul, disguising himself and changing his clothes, set out accompanied by two men; their visit to the woman took place at night. ‘Disclose the future to me’ he said ‘by means of a ghost. Conjure up the one I shall name to you.’ The woman answered, ‘Look, you know what Saul has done, how he has swept the necromancers and wizards out of the country; why are you setting a trap for my life, then, to have me killed?’ But Saul swore to her by the Lord, ‘As the Lord lives,’ he said ‘no blame shall attach to you for this business.’ Then the woman asked, ‘Whom shall I conjure up for you?’ He replied, ‘Conjure up Samuel’.
Then the woman saw Samuel and, giving a great cry, she said to Saul, ‘Why have you deceived me? You are Saul.’ The king said, ‘Do not be afraid! What do you see?’ The woman answered Saul, ‘I see a ghost rising up from the earth’. ‘What is he like?’ he asked. She answered, ‘It is an old man coming up; he is wrapped in a cloak’. Then Saul knew it was Samuel and he bowed down his face to the ground and did homage.
Then Samuel said to Saul, ‘Why have you disturbed my rest, conjuring me up?’ Saul replied, ‘I am in great distress; the Philistines are waging war against me, and God has abandoned me and no longer answers me either by prophet or dream; and so I have summoned you to tell me what I must do’. Samuel said, ‘And why do you consult me, when the Lord has abandoned you and is with your neighbour?” the Lord has done to you as he foretold through me; he has snatched the sovereignty from your hand and given it to your neighbour, David, because you disobeyed the voice of the Lord and did not execute his fierce anger against Amalek. That is why the Lord treats you like this now. What is more, the Lord will deliver Israel and you, too, into the power of the Philistines. Tomorrow you and your sons will be with me; and Israel’s army, too, for the Lord will deliver it into the power of the Philistines.’
Saul was overcome and fell full-length on the ground. He was terrified by what Samuel had said and, besides this, he was weakened by having eaten nothing at all that day and all that night. The woman then came to Saul, and seeing his terror said, ‘Look, your servant has obeyed your voice; I have taken my life in my hands, and have obeyed the command you gave me. So now you in your turn listen to what your servant says. Let me set a little food before you for you to eat and get some strength for your journey.’ But he refused. ‘I will not eat’ he said. His servants however pressed him, and so did the woman. Allowing himself to be persuaded by them, he rose from the ground and sat on the divan. The woman owned a fattened calf which she quickly slaughtered, and she took some flour and kneaded it and with it baked cakes of unleavened bread; she put these before Saul and his servants; and after they had eaten they set off and left the same night.

Reading	From a homily by Pope Paul VI
We proclaim Christ to the whole world
Not to preach the Gospel would be my undoing, for Christ himself sent me as his apostle and witness. The more remote, the more difficult the assignment, the more my love of God spurs me on. I am bound to proclaim that Jesus is Christ, the Son of the living God. Because of him we come to know the God we cannot see. He is the firstborn of all creation; in him all things find their being. Man’s teacher and redeemer, he was born for us, died for us, and for us he rose from the dead. All things, all history converges in Christ. A man of sorrow and hope, he knows us and loves us. As our friend he stays by us throughout our lives; at the end of time he will come to be our judge; but we also know that he will be the complete fulfilment of our lives and our great happiness for all eternity. I can never cease to speak of Christ for he is our truth and our light; he is the way, the truth and the life. He is our bread, our source of living water who allays our hunger and satisfies our thirst. He is our shepherd, our leader, our ideal, our comforter and our brother. He is like us but more perfectly human, simple, poor, humble, and yet, while burdened with work, he is more patient. He spoke on our behalf; he worked miracles; and he founded a new kingdom: in it the poor are happy; peace is the foundation of a life in common; where the pure of heart and those who mourn are uplifted and comforted; the hungry find justice; sinners are forgiven; and all discover that they are brothers. The image I present to you is the image of Jesus Christ. As Christians you share his name; he has already made most of you his own. So once again I repeat his name to you Christians and I proclaim to all men: Jesus Christ is the beginning and the end, the alpha and the omega, Lord of the new universe, the great hidden key to human history and the part we play in it. He is the mediator – the bridge, if you will – between heaven and earth. Above all he is the Son of man, more perfect than any man, being also the Son of God, eternal and infinite. He is the son of Mary his mother on earth, more blessed than any woman. She is also our mother in the spiritual communion of the mystical body. Remember: [it] is Jesus Christ I preach day in and day out. His name I would see echo and re-echo for all time even to the ends of the earth.

Reading

From a homily by Pope Paul VI

We proclaim Christ to the whole world

Not to preach the Gospel would be my undoing, for Christ himself sent me as his apostle and witness. The more remote, the more difficult the assignment, the more my love of God spurs me on. I am bound to proclaim that Jesus is Christ, the Son of the living God. Because of him we come to know the God we cannot see. He is the firstborn of all creation; in him all things find their being. Man’s teacher and redeemer, he was born for us, died for us, and for us he rose from the dead.
All things, all history converges in Christ. A man of sorrow and hope, he knows us and loves us. As our friend he stays by us throughout our lives; at the end of time he will come to be our judge; but we also know that he will be the complete fulfilment of our lives and our great happiness for all eternity.
I can never cease to speak of Christ for he is our truth and our light; he is the way, the truth and the life. He is our bread, our source of living water who allays our hunger and satisfies our thirst. He is our shepherd, our leader, our ideal, our comforter and our brother.
He is like us but more perfectly human, simple, poor, humble, and yet, while burdened with work, he is more patient. He spoke on our behalf; he worked miracles; and he founded a new kingdom: in it the poor are happy; peace is the foundation of a life in common; where the pure of heart and those who mourn are uplifted and comforted; the hungry find justice; sinners are forgiven; and all discover that they are brothers.
The image I present to you is the image of Jesus Christ. As Christians you share his name; he has already made most of you his own. So once again I repeat his name to you Christians and I proclaim to all men: Jesus Christ is the beginning and the end, the alpha and the omega, Lord of the new universe, the great hidden key to human history and the part we play in it. He is the mediator – the bridge, if you will – between heaven and earth. Above all he is the Son of man, more perfect than any man, being also the Son of God, eternal and infinite. He is the son of Mary his mother on earth, more blessed than any woman. She is also our mother in the spiritual communion of the mystical body.
Remember: [it] is Jesus Christ I preach day in and day out. His name I would see echo and re-echo for all time even to the ends of the earth.

Hymn	Te Deum
God, we praise you; Lord, we proclaim you! You, the Father, the eternal – all the earth venerates you. All the angels, all the heavens, every power – The cherubim, the seraphim – unceasingly, they cry: “Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Hosts: heaven and earth are full of the majesty of your glory!” The glorious choir of Apostles – The noble ranks of prophets – The shining army of martyrs – all praise you. Throughout the world your holy Church proclaims you. – Father of immeasurable majesty, – True Son, only-begotten, worthy of worship, – Holy Spirit, our Advocate. You, Christ: – You are the king of glory. – You are the Father’s eternal Son. – You, to free mankind, did not disdain a Virgin’s womb. – You defeated the sharp spear of Death, and opened the kingdom of heaven to those who believe in you. – You sit at God’s right hand, in the glory of the Father. – You will come, so we believe, as our Judge. And so we ask of you: give help to your servants, whom you set free at the price of your precious blood. Number them among your chosen ones in eternal glory. Bring your people to safety, Lord, and bless those who are your inheritance. Rule them and lift them high for ever. Day by day we bless you, Lord: we praise you for ever and for ever. Of your goodness, Lord, keep us without sin for today. Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy on us. Let your pity, Lord, be upon us, as much as we trust in you. In you, Lord, I trust: let me never be put to shame. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Hymn

Te Deum

God, we praise you; Lord, we proclaim you!
You, the Father, the eternal –
all the earth venerates you.
All the angels, all the heavens, every power –
The cherubim, the seraphim –
unceasingly, they cry:
“Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Hosts:
heaven and earth are full of the majesty of your glory!”

The glorious choir of Apostles –
The noble ranks of prophets –
The shining army of martyrs –
all praise you.
Throughout the world your holy Church proclaims you.
– Father of immeasurable majesty,
– True Son, only-begotten, worthy of worship,
– Holy Spirit, our Advocate.

You, Christ:
– You are the king of glory.
– You are the Father’s eternal Son.
– You, to free mankind, did not disdain a Virgin’s womb.
– You defeated the sharp spear of Death, and opened the kingdom of heaven to those who believe in you.
– You sit at God’s right hand, in the glory of the Father.
– You will come, so we believe, as our Judge.

And so we ask of you: give help to your servants, whom you set free at the price of your precious blood.
Number them among your chosen ones in eternal glory.
Bring your people to safety, Lord, and bless those who are your inheritance.
Rule them and lift them high for ever.

Day by day we bless you, Lord: we praise you for ever and for ever.
Of your goodness, Lord, keep us without sin for today.
Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy on us.
Let your pity, Lord, be upon us, as much as we trust in you.
In you, Lord, I trust: let me never be put to shame.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.

Concluding Prayer
O God, by your grace you adopted us and chose us to be children of light. Grant that we may not become entangled in error and shadow but always shine with the glory of truth. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever. Amen.