Friday, September 19 2014; Friday of the Twenty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time

Lectionary: 447

Reading 1
1 cor 15:12-20

Brothers and sisters:
If Christ is preached as raised from the dead,
how can some among you say there is no resurrection of the dead?
If there is no resurrection of the dead,
then neither has Christ been raised.
And if Christ has not been raised, then empty too is our preaching;
empty, too, your faith.
Then we are also false witnesses to God,
because we testified against God that he raised Christ,
whom he did not raise if in fact the dead are not raised.
For if the dead are not raised, neither has Christ been raised,
and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is vain;
you are still in your sins.
Then those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.
If for this life only we have hoped in Christ,
we are the most pitiable people of all.

But now Christ has been raised from the dead,
the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

Responsorial Psalm
ps 17:1bcd, 6-7, 8b and 15

R. (15b) Lord, when your glory appears, my joy will be full.

Hear, O LORD, a just suit;
attend to my outcry;
hearken to my prayer from lips without deceit. 

R. Lord, when your glory appears, my joy will be full.

I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God; 
incline your ear to me; hear my word.
Show your wondrous mercies,
O savior of those who flee 
from their foes to refuge at your right hand.

R. Lord, when your glory appears, my joy will be full.

Hide me in the shadow of your wings,
But I in justice shall behold your face;
on waking, I shall be content in your presence.

R. Lord, when your glory appears, my joy will be full.

Gospel
lk 8:1-3

Jesus journeyed from one town and village to another,
preaching and proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom of God.
Accompanying him were the Twelve
and some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities,
Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out,
Joanna, the wife of Herod’s steward Chuza,
Susanna, and many others
who provided for them out of their resources.

REFLECTION
SOURCE: One Bread One Body
THEME: RISEN LIFE NOW AND FOREVER

"Christ is now raised from the dead." –1 Corinthians 15:20

We are witnesses for Jesus risen (1 Cor 15:15; Acts 2:32; 3:15; 4:2). The resurrection of Jesus is the heart of the gospel (2 Tm 2:8). "If Christ has not been raised, our preaching is void of content and your faith is empty too" (1 Cor 15:14). "If Christ was not raised, your faith is worthless. You are still in your sins, and those who have fallen asleep in Christ are the deadest of the dead. If our hopes in Christ are limited to this life only, we are the most pitiable of men" (1 Cor 15:17-19).

Therefore, we celebrate the risen Christ daily at Mass, by witnessing for Him, and by living radically courageous lives (see 1 Cor 15:30-31). We celebrate Jesus' resurrection weekly by focusing our whole lives on Sunday, the Resurrection Day. We celebrate the risen Christ annually in the fifty days of the Easter season – the fifty-day Sunday, the celebration of celebrations.

Through Baptism, we have been raised in company with Christ (Col 3:1; Eph 2:6). We are the resurrection-people. Rise and shine!

PRAYER: Father, may I think of Jesus' resurrection and mine several times a day. May this fill me with hope (1 Pt 1:3).

PROMISE: Jesus "journeyed through towns and villages preaching and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve accompanied Him, and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and maladies." –Lk 8:1-2

PRAISE: When St. Januarius and his two companions were thrown into the arena to be devoured by wild beasts, the animals wouldn't touch them, as the Lord protected them.

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