Fourteenth Sunday in
Ordinary Time, Cycle B
General Intercessions
Celebrant: Nourished by the
Word of God, we place our prayers and petitions before him, who loves us beyond
measure.
Deacon/Lector:
That the Church may continue
to serve the spiritual and physical needs of the people of God, we pray to the
Lord...
That Church leaders may have
the courage to stand firm in the teachings of Christ and preach the true freedom
that he brings, we pray to the Lord...
That public officials may
constantly work to protect the welfare of the weak and the dignity of all
people, we pray to the Lord...
For those who speak up for the
sanctity of life, but find ridicule and rejection in return, that they may have
the blessings that belong to the prophets, we pray to the Lord...
That those trapped by poverty
or poor health may be strengthened by God's saving love and by caring people who
help them, we pray to the Lord...
That those who have died may
know the peace of the risen Christ, we pray to the Lord...
Celebrant: God our
Father, as you answer the prayers we have presented to you today, grant us the
strength and courage to answer your call to holiness. We ask this through Jesus
Christ our Lord.
Bulletin Insert
Our Bishops Speak
“While it is
always necessary to work to reduce the number of abortions by providing
alternatives and help to vulnerable parents and children, Catholic teaching
calls all Catholics to work actively to restrain, restrict and bring to an end
the destruction of unborn human life. As the Church carries out its
central responsibility to teach clearly and help form consciences, and as
Catholic legislators seek to act in accord with their own consciences, it is
essential to remember that conscience must be consistent with fundamental moral
principles. As members of the Church, all Catholics are obliged to shape our
consciences in accord with the moral teaching of the Church.” -- Statement on
Responsibilities of Catholics in Public Life, March 10, 2006
Homily Suggestions on Pro-life Themes
The readings today
invite us to reflect on what it means to be a prophet, and how we can be
“content with…insults…and persecutions.”
At our baptism, we
were declared to be “Priest, Prophet, and King,” like the Lord Jesus into whose
Body and mission we were baptized. A “prophet’ does not primarily tell the
future; rather, a prophet tells the present, declaring to the people what the
Word of the Lord says about our current circumstances, culture, and lifestyle.
The prophet declares the next good step for God’s people to take on their
constant road of repentance and growth in holiness. As the People of Life living
amidst a culture of death, we are all prophets regarding the sanctity of life;
we are prophets who declare that the only appropriate response to life at all
stages, especially when most vulnerable, is a generous and loving “Yes.” We are
prophets as we teach our children about the dignity of life; we are prophets
when we share the pro-life message with friends and co-workers, with the
community through letters to the local papers or over the internet. We are
prophets when we enter the voting booth, as we have the obligation to do this
November, and elect candidates who are committed to protect the unborn.
Because a
prophetic stance calls us to change and to repent of sin, the prophet will often
be rejected. The readings tell us that this is par for the course. It is easy to
think that the rejection or persecution that accompany the prophetic role mean
we need to go back to the drawing board or perhaps hire a public relations firm
to refine our message. But in fact it doesn’t mean that at all. We are called to
be faithful, as Mother Teresa noted, whether or not we are successful. “They
shall know that a prophet has been among them.”
This is also what
Paul means by being “content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions,
and constraints.” Sometimes this passage is related only to moral weaknesses.
But he clearly also means persecutions and insults – the very things that we try
too hard to avoid.
Liturgical Resources
