Sunday 28 October Thirtenth Sunday of the Year B.

Sunday 28 October
Thirtenth Sunday of the Year
Vestment: Green
Today’s Rosary: Glorious Mystery
SAINTS SIMON AND JUDE, Apostles Feast

Theme of the Sunday: Enlightened to Follow Christ. The episode of the healing of Bartimaeus in the gospel has a lot to teach about the light that the Christian receives when meeting Christ in Baptism. It is in this sacrament that the eyes of men and women are opened. That is where they understand what it means to follow Christ. The first reading prepares this teaching as it describes the journey of the “blind” people of Israel from slavery to freedom. God himself is their guide. The second reading contains words of consolation for those who, after receiving the light of Christ, follow the Master along the road: he is a travelling ‘companion who can understand our weakness.

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The Gloria      
When indicated this hymn is either sung or said
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to people of good will. We bless you, we adore you, we glorify you, we give you thanks for your great glory, Lord God, heavenly King, O God, almighty Father. Lord Jesus Christ, Only Begotten Son, Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us; you take away the sins of the world, receive our prayer; you are seated at the right hand of the Father, have mercy on us. For you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the Lord, you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father. Amen.

FIRST READING     
“With consolations I will lead them back, among them the blind and the lame.”
A reading from the Book  of Jeremiah (Jeremiah 31:7-9)
Thus says the Lord: “Sing aloud with gladness for Jacob, and raise shouts for the chief of the nations; proclaim, give praise, and say, ‘The Lord has saved his people, the remnant of Israel.’ Behold, I will bring them from the north country, and gather them from the farthest parts of the earth, among them the blind and the lame, the woman with child and her who is in travail, together; a great company, they shall return here. With weeping they shall come, and with consolations I will lead them back, I will make them walk by brooks of water, in a straight path in which they shall not stumble; for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my first-born.”

The word of the Lord.

RESPONSORIAL PSALM  Psalm 126:1-2ab.2cd-3.4-5.6 (R. 3)
R. What great deeds the Lord worked for us! Indeed, we were glad.

When the Lord brought back the exiles of Sion,
we thought we were dreaming.
Then was our mouth filled with laughter;
on our tongues, songs of joy. R.

Then the nations themselves said,
“What great deeds
the Lord worked for them!”
What great deeds the Lord worked for us!
Indeed, we were glad. R.

Bring back our exiles, O Lord,
as streams in the south.
Those who are sowing in tears
will sing when they reap. R.

They go out, they go out, full of tears,
bearing seed for the sowing;
they come back, they come back with a song,
bearing their sheaves. R.

SECOND READING   
“You are a priest for ever according to the order of Melchizedek.”
A reading from the Letter to the Hebrews (Hebrews 5 : 1-6)
Every high priest chosen from among men is appointed to act on behalf of men in relation to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. He can deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is beset with weakness. Because of this he is bound to offer sacrifice for his own sins as well as for those of the people. And one does not take the honour upon himself, but he is ‘called by God, just as Aaron was. So also Christ did not exalt himself to be made a high priest, but was appointed by him who said to him, “You are my Son, today I have begotten you”; as he says also in another place, “You are a priest for ever, according to the order of Melchizedek.”

The word of the Lord.

ALLELUIA   2 Timothy 1:10
Alleluia. Our Saviour Christ Jesus abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel. Alleluia.

GOSPEL        
“Master let me receive my sight.”
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark (Mark 10:46-52)
At that time: As Jesus was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a great multitude, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside. And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent; but he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” And Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” And they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take heart; rise, he is calling you.” And throwing off his cloak he sprang up and came to Jesus. And Jesus said to him, “What do you want me to do for you?” And the blind man said to him, “Master, let me receive my sight.” And Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he received his sight and followed him on the way.

The Gospel of the Lord.

The Creed (I Believe)
I believe in one God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible. I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God, born of the Father before all ages. God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father; through him all things were made. For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven, and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate, he suffered death and was buried, and rose again on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.  He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead and his kingdom will have no end. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets. I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church. I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen.

PRAYER OF THE FAITHFUL
Master, let me see again!

PRIEST:  My brothers and sisters, through the light of faith, we are given a new vision of life. We make our prayers to the Lord that this vision my be given to all his people.

READER: FOR THOSE WITH PROPHETIC VISION IN THE CHURCH, pause may they communicate their prophetic message in sympathy and love to the rest of the community, so that distrust and discord are avoided, and the faith of everyone increased. pause Lord, grant in your mercy; that we might see we pray Oh Lord.

FOR PEACE AND HARMONY AMONG GOVERNMENTS, pause may they see beyond their differences to those elements which unite them within the common bond of the human family. pause Lord, grant in your mercy; that we might see we pray Oh Lord.

FOR THOSE WHO ARE THREATENED WITH BLINDNESS, pause may they look to the Lord Jesus, who is the Light of Life, to be with them in their darkness and comfort them in their fears for the future, as they commit their lives into the hands of a loving Father. pause Lord, grant in your mercy; that we might see we pray Oh Lord.

FOR A DEEPER FAITH IN THE COMMUNITY, pause may we call on the Lord to help us, when we find things in the Church difficult to understand and accept. pause Lord, grant in your mercy; that we might see we pray Oh Lord.

We pray in silence for our intentions to God, our heavenly Father.

PRIEST: Father, with the eyes of faith and confident in your mercy, we make our prayers to you. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.