Year 36 No.

41 4th Sunday in Ordinary Time (A) — Green January 29, 2023

National Bible Sunday/Pro-Life Sunday

W hat does it mean to be

blessed? Can we equate it
with answered prayers or attained
and heart, and that God continues
to bless us. As the Stoic Roman
Emperor philosopher Marcus
goals or fulfilled dreams? May it Aurelius once remarked, “When
also mean receiving gifts deserved you arise in the morning, think of
or otherwise? Being blessed for what a precious privilege it is to
some translates into being safe, be alive—to breathe, to think, to
able to surpass difficulties brought enjoy, to love.”
about by sufferings. The second challenge comes
The word “blessed” in Greek in moments when we are blessed.
is makarios, which expresses In times like these, we are called
the happy, untroubled state of all the more to be humble and
the gods, and then more grateful and to go beyond
generally, the happiness pride and arrogance. How
of the rich who are free can we achieve this?
from care. In the Greek By being a blessing
Septuagint translation to others—sharing
of the Old Testament, whatever blessings
it is used for the we have received.
Hebrew word asere, The First Reading
having reference to from the book of the
the religious joy of the prophet Zephaniah
person who has a share exhorts us: “Seek the
in salvation. Lord, all you humble
Jesus in the Gospel of the earth, who have
gives us a blessing, a hope observed his law; seek
of salvation especially
justice, seek humility.”
for those who suffer in
Remember and treasure what
despair, the marginalized, and
the persecuted. Jesus reminds
Being a blessing it is to be a blessing.

Blessed
Sometimes a random act of
us that God’s loving gaze is for
kindness toward a friend or a
everyone, not just for those who
stranger is the easiest way to pick
are blessed in any way but also
yourself up out of a slump. Through
for those who are not aware that
the small act of a home cooked
they are blessed and loved. Jesus
declares that even the greatest
Bryan B. Albia meal shared or a handwritten letter,
a simple thumbs-up or words of
suffering can be a blessing – a
share in salvation. around us. In times like these, appreciation, encouragement, or
The Gospel brings us two we are to follow Jesus’ action of forgiveness, you are empowered
challenges. The first is when we find “going up the mountain,” taking to turn someone’s average day
ourselves far from being blessed. a moment to find something to into a blessed day.
Oftentimes we are simply too be thankful for in God’s loving May the words of the psalmist
distracted to count our blessings— presence through prayer. It can be our prayer as we continue in
even to the point that we do not be something small, like the first our journey back home to the
realize how we have been blessed. cool breeze in the morning, or Father, proclaiming God’s love
The hardships that we face, the something bigger, like the support and goodness and sharing it with
weight of responsibilities like of our loved ones. Whether they our neighbors, “I will praise the
family, work, and finances can may be small or big, one thing is Lord all my life, sing praise to
cloud our vision of the blessings sure, that we are in God’s mind my God while I live” (Ps 146:1).
 P—Lord, have mercy. humility; perhaps you may
THE INTRODUCTORY RITES All—Lord, have mercy. be sheltered on the day of the
Entrance Antiphon P—Christ, have mercy. Lord’s anger.
(Ps 106 [105]:47) All—Christ, have mercy. But I will leave as a remnant
(Recited when there is no opening song) P—Lord, have mercy. in your midst a people humble
Save us, O Lord our God! And All—Lord, have mercy. and lowly, who shall take
gather us from the nations, to give Gloria refuge in the name of the Lord:
thanks to your holy name, and the remnant of Israel. They shall
Glory to God in the highest, do no wrong and speak no
make it our glory to praise you.
and on earth peace to people lies; nor shall there be found
Greeting of good will. We praise you, in their mouths a deceitful
(The sign of the cross is made here) we bless you, we adore you, tongue; they shall pasture and
we glorify you, we give you couch their flocks with none
P—The Lord be with you.
thanks for your great glory, to disturb them.
All—And with your spirit.
Lord God, heavenly King, O
God, almighty Father. Lord —The word of the Lord.
Introduction All—Thanks be to God.
(These [or similar words] may be used Jesus Christ, Only Begotten
to address the assembly.) Son, Lord God, Lamb of God, Responsorial Psalm (Ps 146)
Son of the Father, you take
P—Dear sisters and brothers: away the sins of the world, have R—Blessed are the E.C. poor in
Marfori
Many advertisements proclaim mercy on us; you take away the spirit;Fthe kingdom ofE.C. heaven 
Marfori
that fulfillment is can only be sins of the world, receive our   F   
is theirs! 
  Marfori

E.C.
obtained in the pleasures that    Ble F ssed  are the poor   in
E.C. Marfori
prayer; you are seated at the

         in
money, power, and material right hand of the Father, have F
Ble ssed are the poor
possessions bring. mercy on us. For you alone are  Gm       in
Ble ssed are  the
Ble/F ssed are theB♭/Fpoor

         
3
Jesus tells us, however, that the Holy One, you alone are Gm / F B♭ /
poor
F
in

  spi  /F   the king  /F 

3

true happiness can only come the Lord, you alone are the Gm B♭

  spi
Gm/rit
   the   dom
B♭dom
 of
/F of
3
from living the values of God’s Most High, Jesus Christ, with  rit  king
F
  
3

kingdom that are expressed the Holy Spirit, in the glory of  B♭m    F 
spi rit/F
  B♭m /F  F king dom of 
6 the king dom of
in the Beatitudes. Happiness God the Father. Amen.
 
spi rit the
   
6

belongs to those who rely on Collect  hea 

B♭m/F  F

  hea  ven 
6
ven/ is theirs.

 e Liso r d theirs.

the Lord for their strength and B♭m F

k e e p s f a i t h
F
1. Th
6

protection. It belongs to those P—Let us pray. (Pause)

who in their lives mirror Jesus Grant us, Lord our God, that hea ven is
forever,/
hea vensecuresis
theirs.
justice for the
theirs.
who was meek and humble of we may honor you with all oppressed,/ gives food to the
heart, who gave up everything our mind, and love everyone hungry./ The Lord sets captives
in obedience to the Father. in truth of heart. free. (R)
Through our Lord Jesus
Penitential Act Christ your Son, who lives 2. The Lord gives sight to the
and reigns with you in the blind;/ the Lord raises up those
P—Brethren (brothers and who were bowed down./ The
sisters), let us acknowledge our unity of the Holy Spirit, God,
for ever and ever. Lord loves the just;/ the Lord
sins, and so prepare ourselves to
celebrate the sacred mysteries. protects strangers. (R)
All—Amen.
(Pause) 3. The fatherless and the widow
All—I confess to almighty God Liturgy of the word the Lord sustains,/ but the way
and to you, my brothers and of the wicked he thwarts./
First Reading (Zep. 2:3; 3:12–13) The Lord shall reign forever;/
sisters, that I have greatly sinned (Sit)
in my thoughts and in my words, your God, O Zion, through
in what I have done and in The salvation of Israel is not in the all generations. Alleluia. (R)
what I have failed to do, (Strike hands of the powerful and the mighty,
Second Reading (1 Cor 1:26–31)
your breast) through my fault, but in those of the humble and the
through my fault, through my lowly whom the Lord will build up Paul reminds the Christians in Corinth
most grievous fault; therefore I after the defeat of the nation. The that the gift of faith comes purely from
ask blessed Mary ever-Virgin, all Lord will make of the remnant a the graciousness of God, who favors
the Angels and Saints, and you, people faithful to him. the humble and the weak over those
my brothers and sisters, to pray who boast of their status and influence.
A reading from the Book of
for me to the Lord our God. the Prophet Zephaniah A reading from the First Letter
P—May almighty God have of Saint Paul to the Corinthians
mercy on us, forgive us our sins, SEEK the Lord, all you humble
and bring us to everlasting life. of the earth, who have observed CONSIDER your own calling,
All—Amen. his law; seek justice, seek brothers and sisters. Not many
of you were wise by human are you when they insult you now. With joy in our hearts
standards, not many were and persecute you and utter we say:
powerful, not many were every kind of evil against you R—Faithful God, bless us, your
of noble birth. Rather, God falsely because of me. Rejoice poor children.
chose the foolish of the world and be glad, for your reward
to shame the wise, and God will be great in heaven.” C—Make us, your Church,
chose the weak of the world remain humble as we strive
—The Gospel of the Lord. to shun the temptation of
to shame the strong, and God All—Praise to you, Lord Jesus
chose the lowly and despised of clericalism and ideology. Help
Christ. us stay true only to the gospel
the world, those who count for
nothing, to reduce to nothing Homily (Sit) of your kingdom. We pray: (R)
those who are something, so Profession of Faith (Stand) C—Make all those who govern
that no human being might compassionate enough to
boast before God.It is due All—I believe in one God, remember and work for the
the Father almighty, maker
to him that you are in Christ plight of our poor and oppressed
of heaven and earth, of all
Jesus, who became for us things visible and invisible. brethren. Guide them by your
wisdom from God, as well as I believe in one Lord Jesus Truth. We pray: (R)
righteousness, sanctification, Christ, the Only Begotten Son C—Stir in us the desire to serve
and redemption, so that, as it of God, born of the Father each other in humility especially
is written, “Whoever boasts, before all ages. God from God, those of us who are lost, least,
should boast in the Lord.” Light from Light, true God from and last. We pray: (R)
true God, begotten, not made,
—The word of the Lord. consubstantial with the Father; C—Welcome our departed
All —Thanks be to God. through him all things were loved ones into your eternal
Alleluia (Mt 5:12a) (Stand) made. For us men and for our embrace. Comfort those of us
salvation he came down from who were left mourning. We
All—Alleluia, alleluia. Rejoice heaven, (at the words that follow, up pray: (R)
and be glad; your reward will to and including and became man,
be great in heaven. Alleluia, all bow) and by the Holy Spirit C—Let us pray for the urgent
alleluia. was incarnate of the Virgin concerns of our community
Mary and became man. and our personal intentions
Gospel (Mt 5:1–12a) For our sake he was crucified (pause). We pray: (R)
P—A reading from the holy under Pontius Pilate, he P—Faithful Father, through, with,
Gospel according to Matthew suffered death and was buried, and in your Son, we rejoice
All—Glory to you, O Lord. and rose again on the third and are glad for in him, the
day in accordance with the
Scriptures. He ascended into Kingdom is truly at hand. Make
WHEN Jesus saw the crowds, us participate in your work of
heaven and is seated at the
he went up the mountain, communion and salvation
right hand of the Father. He will
and after he had sat down, come again in glory to judge through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
his disciples came to him. He the living and the dead and All—Amen.
began to teach them, saying: his kingdom will have no end.
Blessed are the poor in spirit,
Liturgy of
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of the Lord, the giver of life, who
the eucharist
heaven. Blessed are they proceeds from the Father and Presentation of the Gifts
who mourn, for they will be the Son, who with the Father (Stand)
comforted. Blessed are the and the Son is adored and
glorified, who has spoken P—Pray, brethren…
meek, for they will inherit All—May the Lord accept the
the land. Blessed are they through the prophets.
I believe in one, holy, sacrifice at your hands for the
who hunger and thirst for praise and glory of his name,
righteousness, for they will catholic, and apostolic Church.
I confess one Baptism for the for our good and the good of
be satisfied. Blessed are the forgiveness of sins and I look all his holy Church.
merciful, for they will be forward to the resurrection Prayer over the Offerings
shown mercy. Blessed are of the dead and the life of the
the clean of heart, for they world to come. Amen. P—O Lord, we bring to your
will see God. Blessed are the altar these offerings of our
peace-makers, for they will Prayer of the Faithful service: be pleased to receive
be called children of God. P—Sisters and brothers, as we them, we pray, and transform
Blessed are they who are rejoice for our great reward in them into the Sacrament of our
persecuted for the sake of heaven, let us also pray to the redemption.
righteousness, for theirs is the Father for the grace to make Through Christ our Lord.
kingdom of heaven. Blessed present his Kingdom, here and All—Amen.
Preface (Ordinary Time VIII)

P—The Lord be with you.

All—And with your spirit.
P—Lift up your hearts.
All—We lift them up to the Lord.
P—Let us give thanks to the
Lord our God.
All—It is right and just.
P—It is truly right and just,
our duty and our salvation,
always and everywhere to give
you thanks, Lord, holy Father,
almighty and eternal God.
For when your children
were scattered afar by sin,
through the Blood of your Son
and the power of the Spirit,
you gathered them again
to yourself, that a people,
formed as one by the unity
of the Trinity, made the body
of Christ and the temple of the
Holy Spirit, might, to the praise my roof, but only say the word the Son, + and the Holy Spirit,
of your manifold wisdom, be and my soul shall be healed. come down on you and remain
manifest as the Church. with you for ever.
Communion Antiphon All—Amen.
And so, in company with (Cf. Ps 31[30]:17–18)
the choirs of Angels, we praise
Let your face shine on your Dismissal
you, and with joy we proclaim:
All—Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God servant. Save me in your P—The Mass is ended. Go in
of hosts. Heaven and earth are merciful love. O Lord, let me peace, glorifying the Lord by
full of your glory. Hosanna in never be put to shame, for I your life.
the highest. Blessed is he who call on you. All—Thanks be to God.
comes in the name of the Lord. Prayer after Communion
Hosanna in the highest.(Kneel) (Stand)
BE A PAULINE
Acclamation (Stand) P—Let us pray. (Pause) PRIEST OR A
Nourished by these BROTHER!
All—We proclaim your Death, redeeming gifts, we pray, O
O Lord, and profess your Resur- Lord, that through this help to If you are a Grade 12 student,
rection until you come again. eternal salvation true faith may a college student, or a young

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The Lord’s Prayer All—Amen. brother involved in the apostolate
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Invitation to Peace P—Bow down for the blessing.
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All—Lord, I am not worthy P—And may the blessing of
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