Liturgical Leaflet for an Active Participation in the Celebration of the Eucharist

4 February 2022 First Friday Year C

The Cost of Faithfulness

F
aithfulness to one’s mission has its cost, as the Gospel pas-
sage of today’s Mass reminds us. Immersed in a society
tainted by selfishness, greed and lust, we feel our weak-
ness, and instinctively turn to Jesus, pleading for forgiveness,
guidance, and strength. We may not be asked to shed our blood,
as it happened to John the Baptist, but if our devotion to the Sa-
cred Heart is genuine, then we must be prepared even to suffer,
rather than renege him.
This is what we are called to do as we undergo the “martyr-
dom” of our daily duties which we should fulfill as a concrete
expression of our love for God and our neighbor. Aware of our
weakness, we turn to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, as we gather in
front of his image to honor him, but also to seek his help in our
effort to be his faithful disciples and friends.

Entrance Antiphon
(To be recited only when no
Entrance Hymn is sung.)
Save us, O Lord our God!
And gather us from the na-
tions, to give thanks to your
holy name, and make it our
glory to praise you.
Greeting
P –The grace of our Lord Jesus
Christ, the love of God and the
communion of the Holy Spirit be
with you all!
All – And with your spirit!
Penitential Act
P – My brothers and sisters, to
prepare ourselves to celebrate
the sacred mysteries, let us call
to mind our sins and ask the
Lord for pardon and strength.
(Pause)
P –Lord Jesus, you came to
reveal to all the love of the
Father. Lord, have mercy!
All – Lord, have mercy!
P –Lord Jesus, you command
us to love one another as
you love us. Christ, have
mercy!
All – Christ, have mercy!
P –Lord Jesus, you are the
source of the strength we
need to keep your com-
mandments. Lord, have
mercy!
All – Lord, have mercy!
P –May almighty God have
mercy on us, forgive us our sins
and bring us to everlasting life.
All – Amen!
Collect (Opening Prayer)
P –Grant us, Lord our God, that
we may honor you with all our
mind, and love everyone in truth
of heart.
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.
All –Amen!
1st Reading Sir 47:2-11
David was for all Israelites
the symbol of the perfect hero
and honest man. His example
of faithfulness and repentance
when he sinned is an inspiration
also for us who, like David, ex-
perience temptations and falls.
R –A proclamation from the
Book of Sirach
Like the choice fat of the
sacred offerings, so was David
in Israel. He made sport of li-
ons as though they were kids,
and of bears, like lambs of the

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flock. As a youth he slew the gi-
ant and wiped out the people’s
disgrace, when his hand let
fly the slingstone that crushed
the pride of Goliath. Since he
called upon the Most High
God, who gave strength to his
right arm to defeat the skilled
warrior and raise up the might
of his people, therefore, the
women sang his praises and
ascribed to him tens of thou-
sands and praised him when
they blessed the Lord.
When he assumed the roy-
al crown, he battled and sub-
dued the enemy on every side.
He destroyed the hostile Philis-
tines and shattered their power
till our own day. With his every
deed he offered thanks to God
Most High, in words of praise.
With his whole being he loved
his Maker and daily had his
praises sung. He set singers
before the altar and by their
voices he made sweet melodies.
He added beauty to the feasts
and solemnized the seasons
of each year so that when the
Holy Name was praised, before
daybreak the sanctuary would
resound. The Lord forgave
him his sins and exalted his
strength forever. He conferred
on him the rights of royalty
and established his throne in
Israel.
The Word of the Lord!
All –Thanks be to God!
Responsorial Psalm Ps 18
R – Blessed be God my salva-
tion!
* God’s way is unerring, the
promise of the Lord is fire-
tried; he is a shield to all who
take refuge in him. R.
* The Lord live! And blessed
be my Rock! Extolled be God
my savior. Therefore will I pro-
claim you, O Lord, among the
nations, and I will sing praise
to your name. R.
* You who gave great victo-
ries to your king and showed
kindness to your anointed, to
David and his posterity for-
ever.
R.
Gospel Acclamation
4 February 2022
All –Alleluia! Alleluia!
Blessed are they who have
kept the word with a gen-
erous heart, and yield a
harvest through persever-
ance.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Gospel Mk 6:14-29
St. Mark describes for us
how John the Baptist became a
victim of the lust and imprudence
of King Herod, and of the venge-
fulness of Herodias.
P –The Lord be with you!
All – And with your spirit!
P – A proclamation from the
holy Gospel according to
Mark
All –Glory to you, O Lord!
King Herod heard about
Jesus, for his fame had become
widespread, and people were
saying, “John the Baptist has
been raised from the dead;
that is why mighty powers are
at work in him.” Others were
saying, “He is Elijah”; still
others, “He is a prophet like
any of the prophets.” But when
Herod learned of it, he said,
“It is John whom I beheaded.
He has been raised up.” Herod
was the one who had John ar-
rested and bound in prison on
account of Herodias, the wife
of his brother Philip, whom he
had married. John had said to
Herod, “It is not lawful for you
to have your brother’s wife.”
Herodias harbored a
grudge against John and want-
ed to kill him but was unable
to do so. Herod feared John,
knowing him to be a righteous
and holy man, and kept him in
custody. When he heard John
speak, Herod was very much
perplexed, yet he liked to listen
to him. Herodias had an op-
portunity one day when Herod,
on his birthday, gave a banquet
for his courtiers, his military
officers, and the leading men
of Galilee.
Herodias’s own daughter
came in and performed a dance
that delighted Herod and his
guests. The king said to the
girl, “Ask of me whatever you
wish and I will grant it to you.”
He even swore many things to
her, “I will grant you whatever
you ask of me, even to half of
my kingdom.”
She went out and said to
her mother, “What shall I
ask for?” She replied, “The
head of John the Baptist.”
The girl hurried back to the
king’s presence and made her
request, “I want you to give
me at once on a platter the
head of John the Baptist.” The
king was deeply distressed,
but because of his oaths and
the guests, he did not wish to
break his promise to her. So
he promptly dispatched an ex-
ecutioner with orders to bring
back John’s head. The man
went off and beheaded John in
the prison. He brought in the
head on a platter and gave it to
the girl. The girl, in turn, gave
it to her mother.
When his disciples heard
about it, they came and took
his body and laid it in a tomb.
The Gospel of the Lord!
All –Praise to you, Lord Jesus
Christ!
Homily
Prayer of the Faithful
P – Full of admiration for the
courage and moral strength of
John the Baptist, let us humbly
ask the same for ourselves and
all the people of goodwill. Let
our response be:
All – Lord, graciously hear us!
C –That the whole Church,
starting with her leaders, may
follow the example of John the
Baptist in upholding God’s Law
even at the cost of persecution,
let us pray! R.
C –That all those in author-
ity may never presume to place
themselves above the law, espe-
cially God’s law, let us pray! R.
C –That married couples may
be faithful to each other and
thereby be an inspiration to their
children and the rest of society,
let us pray! R.
C –That our youth may not fol-
low the bad example of many
adults, especially in the area of
sexual morality, let us pray! R.
C –That all of us may be spared
from all evil and be preserved in
our love for the Sacred Heart, let
us pray! R.
C –Let us pray in silence for our
personal intentions. (Pause)
Let us pray! R.
P –Lord God, grant all our pe-
titions and keep us at all times
faithful to you the way St. John
the Baptist was. We ask this
through Christ our Lord.
All –Amen!
Preparation of the Gifts
P –Pray, brethren. . .
All –May the Lord accept the
sacrifice at your hands, for the
praise and glory of his name,
for our good and the good of all
his holy Church.
Prayer over the Offerings
P –O Lord, we bring to your altar
these offerings of our service: be
pleased to receive them, we pray,
and transform them into the Sac-
rament of our redemption.
Through Christ our Lord.
All – Amen!
Preface of the Sacred Heart
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, al-
mighty and eternal God, through
Christ our Lord.
For, raised up high on the
Cross, he gave himself up for
us with a wonderful love and
poured out blood and water from
his pierced side, the wellspring
of the Church’s Sacraments, so
that, won over to the open heart
of the Savior, all might draw wa-
ter joyfully from the springs of
salvation.
And so, with all the Angels
and Saints, we praise you, as
without end we acclaim:
All –Holy, holy, holy . . .
Memorial Acclamation behold him who takes away the
sins of the world. Blessed are
P –The mystery of faith! those called to the Supper of the
All –When we eat this Bread Lamb.
and drink this Cup, we All – Lord, I am not worthy
proclaim your Death, that you should enter under my
O Lord, until you come roof, but only say the word and
again! my soul shall be healed.
Communion Antiphon
(To be recited only when no
Communion Hymn is sung.)
All – Our Father . . . Let your face shine on your
P –Deliver us, Lord . . . servant. Save me in your merci-
All –For the kingdom, the ful love. O Lord, let me never be
power, and the glory are put to shame, for I call on you.
yours, now and for ever.
Prayer after Communion
Sign of Peace
P –Nourished by these redeem-
Breaking of the Bread ing gifts, we pray, O Lord, that
through this help to eternal sal-
All – Lamb of God . . . vation true faith may ever in-
crease.
Communion Through Christ our Lord.
P –Behold the Lamb of God, All – Amen!
NOVENA PRAYER
TO THE SACRED HEART OF JESUS
Divine Jesus, you have said, Ć „Ask, and you shall receive;
Ć seek, and you shall find; Ć knock, and it shall be opened unto
you.‰ Ć Behold me kneeling at your feet, Ć filled with a lively faith
and confidence Ć in the promises dictated by your Sacred Heart Ć
and pronounced by your adorable lips. Ć I come to ask this favor:
(Silently mention your petitions.)
To whom can I turn if not to you Ć whose heart is the source of
all graces and merits? Ć Where should I seek if not in the treasure Ć
which contains all the riches of your kindness and mercy? Ć Where
should I knock Ć if not at the door through which God gives himself
to us Ć and through which we go to God? Ć I have recourse to you,
Heart of Jesus. Ć In you I find consolation when afflicted, Ć protec-
tion when persecuted, Ć strength when burdened with trials, Ć and
light in doubt and darkness.
Dear Jesus, I firmly believe Ć that you can grant me the grace
I implore, Ć even though it should require a miracle. Ć You have
only to will it, Ć and my prayer will be granted. Ć I admit that I am
most unworthy of your favors, Ć but this is not a reason for me
to be discouraged. Ć You are the God of mercy Ć and you will not
refuse a contrite heart. Ć Cast upon me a look of mercy, I beg of
you, Ć and your kind heart will find in my miseries and weaknesses
Ć a reason for granting my prayer.
O Sacred Heart, Ć whatever may be your decision with regard to
my request, Ć I will never stop adoring, loving, praising, and serving
you. Ć My Jesus, be pleased to accept this my act of perfect resigna-
tion Ć to the decrees of your adorable heart Ć which I sincerely desire
may be fulfilled Ć in and by me and by all your creatures for ever.
Sacred Heart of Jesus, Ć I know that there is but one thing impos-
sible to you: Ć to be without pity for those who are suffering or in
distress. Ć Look upon me, I beg of you, dear Jesus, Ć and grant me
the grace for which I humbly implore you Ć through the Immaculate
Heart of your most sorrowful Mother. Ć You have entrusted me to
her as her child, Ć and her prayers are all-powerful with you. Ć Amen!
First Friday

P –The Lord be with you.
All – And with your spirit!
P –Bow your heads and pray
for God’s blessing. (Pause)
– May the Lord make you
strong in your faith and per-
severing in the fulfillment the way of peace.
of your duties. All – Amen!
All – Amen! P –May almighty God bless
P –May he purify your inten- you: the Father, and the
tions and make you a lumi- Son, and the Holy Spirit.
nous example of Christian All – Amen!
living. P –Go in peace, glorifying the
All – Amen! Lord by your life!
P –May he protect you from all All – Thanks be to God!
dangers and lead you into

THE SACRED HEART AND HUMAN LOVE

F ebruary is “Valentine’s Month,” the month when people
try to find so many ways to manifest their feelings of
tenderness and appreciation for each other. All this is
rooted in the fact that we are made to love.
Love is one of the most powerful motives in life.
Love is that mysterious energy that pushes people,
even small and frail ones, to perform acts of self-giving
and heroism far above any calculation and expecta-
tion. Love is the deep source of all the wonders that we
can be and do.
Genuine human love is the source of every sin-
cere friendship that binds together two or more human
beings in a relationship that enriches all the members,
creates a sense of security, affirmation and fulfillment
which makes life beautiful, difficulties lighter and pains
more bearable. Love creates and nurtures solidarity
and faithfulness. It is the origin of that “communion” and
sharing that can make life on earth not only a foreshad-
owing but also a foretaste of heaven.
Genuine human love is the foundation of ev-
ery human family. It is in the human family that the
friendship and self-giving between a man and a
woman becomes so deep as to mirror and share in
the creative love of the Blessed Trinity. This is how
human love and life multiply and flourish, and thereby
disseminate and perpetuate the “incarnation” of God’s
love in this world.
Genuine human love is also the source and foun-
dation of that “virginal communion” with God and other
persons that is established and grows even without the
mediation of the generative faculties that are part of mar-
ried life. It is the love of total consecration to God, a
sign of the transcendence of the Kingdom, in imitation
of the virginal Christ, and in view of a freer and more
generous donation of self to all other human beings,
especially the “unloved” and the rejected.
But human love is no longer as perfect as it was
meant to be in the Creator’s plan. Like all other aspects
of our personality and behavior, our love, too, bears the
sad consequences of original sin. It is a wounded and
weakened love. It can become so deeply wounded and
“infected” by so many forms of “viruses” as to turn
into a “fake love” or a “perverted love.”
We see instances of such weakness and perversions
every day around us in our society, which is ever more
under the influence of a resurgent and rampant pa-
ganism. We feel its bites and wild urges even in our-
selves, as it makes us yearn for what we know is
against God’s will . . . .
We need to learn how to harness this powerful source
of energy. We need to learn how to love in a genu-
inely human, life-giving manner. And for this we need
a teacher who knows our heart and its deepest aspira-
tions because he, too, has a human heart. This teacher
is JESUS CHRIST.
He is the perfect realization, in human form, of the
primordial love of the Trinity. As the Son of God, he
knows how much God should be loved. As a perfect
human being, unsullied by the stain of sin, Jesus
knows what it is like to love God and people with a
human heart, a human sensitivity, a human body and
a human mind.
It is in the Gospels and in the letters of the apostles
that we learn about the rich and varied manifestations of
Christ’s love. We see how deeply and faithfully he loved
his eternal Father. To Him he talked in prayer with a trust
and a readiness to obey that has traced the new bound-
aries of heroism and holiness.
We see, likewise, how the Jesus who conversed
freely with his eternal Father, also related affection-
ately to the little children and blessed them by placing
his hands on them. His human heart was not afraid
to show clear signs of compassion and acceptance
even to people who had sinned and were the object
of rejection and contempt, such as Mary Magdalene,
the adulterous woman, and the prostitute who washed
his feet with her tears.
His heart vibrated with indignation at the thought of
human beings leading innocent children and simple peo-
ple into sin. (See Mt 18:6.)
Much more could be said about the ways Jesus
showed his human love for God and people. It is enough
to read attentively the four Gospels and the letters of
Paul and John, to realize how deep and pure Jesus’
love was. He is our Master and Model. He is also the
one who, through his Spirit, empowers us to love as
he loved and loves us.

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