The Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
Penitential Act: Confiteor
my brothers and sisters,
that I have greatly sinned
in my thoughts and in my words,
in what I have done
and in what I have failed to do,
through my fault, through my fault,
through my most grievous fault;
Therefore I ask blessed Mary ever-Virgin,
all the Angels and Saints;
and you, my brothers and sisters,
to pray for me to the Lord our God.
The LORD said to Moses,
"Speak to the whole Israelite community and tell them:
Be holy, for I, the LORD, your God, am holy.
"You shall not bear hatred for your brother or sister in your heart.
Though you may have to reprove your fellow citizen,
do not incur sin because of him.
Take no revenge and cherish no grudge against any of your people.
You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
I am the LORD."
R. The Lord is kind and merciful.
Bless the LORD, O my soul;
and all my being, bless his holy name.
Bless the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits.
R.The Lord is kind and merciful.
He pardons all your iniquities,
heals all your ills.
He redeems your life from destruction,
crowns you with kindness and compassion.
R.The Lord is kind and merciful.
Merciful and gracious is the LORD,
slow to anger and abounding in kindness.
Not according to our sins does he deal with us,
nor does he requite us according to our crimes.
R. The Lord is kind and merciful.
As far as the east is from the west,
so far has he put our transgressions from us.
As a father has compassion on his children,
so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him.
R. The Lord is kind and merciful.
Brothers and sisters:
Do you not know that you are the temple of God,
and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?
for the temple of God, which you are, is holy.
Let no one deceive himself.
let him become a fool, so as to become wise.
for it is written:
God catches the wise in their own ruses,
and again:
The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise,
that they are vain.
So let no one boast about human beings, for everything belongs to you,
Paul or Apollos or Cephas,
or the world or life or death,
or the present or the future:
all belong to you, and you to Christ, and Christ to God.
Whoever keeps the word of Christ,
the love of God is truly perfected in him.
Mt 5:38-48
Jesus said to his disciples:
"You have heard that it was said,
An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.
But I say to you, offer no resistance to one who is evil.
When someone strikes you on your right cheek,
turn the other one as well.
If anyone wants to go to law with you over your tunic,
hand over your cloak as well.
Should anyone press you into service for one mile,
go for two miles.
Give to the one who asks of you,
and do not turn your back on one who wants to borrow.
"You have heard that it was said,
You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.
But I say to you, love your enemies
and pray for those who persecute you,
that you may be children of your heavenly Father,
for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good,
and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust.
For if you love those who love you,
what recompense will you have?
Do not the tax collectors do the same?
And if you greet your brothers only,
what is unusual about that?
Do not the pagans do the same?
So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect."
Lord Jesus, You said to your disciples,
"I am the way the truth and the life."
Give young people the gift of discernment,
to find their way and embrace their true vocation,
the life for which you have created them.
In all that lies before them, help them discern a life
that is pleasing to you,
whether to Christian marriage,
to priesthood,
or the consecrated religious life.
Send your Holy Spirit to inspire them.
Grant them the grace to embrace
a life of joyful service.
Fulfill their desires to make a
generous gift of themselves to others,
after your example.
Give them the loving support of family and friends
as they prayerfully discern their vocation in this life.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
~ Amen