Mass Readings

Catholic Ireland

Tuesday of the Eight Week in Ordinary Time, Cycle  1
Memorial of St Casimir, man of prayer, strove for peace and unity in Western Europe,
and Patron of Poland, d. 1484 . c/f his lifestory after the Readings

FIRST READING

A reading from the Book of  Ecclesiasticus           35:1-12
A man offers communion sacrifices by following the commandments.

A man multiplies offerings by keeping the Law; he offers communion sacrifices by following the commandments.
By showing gratitude he makes an offering of fine flour, by giving alms he offers a sacrifice of praise.
Withdraw from wickedness and the Lord will be pleased, withdraw from injustice and you make atonement.
Do not appear empty-handed in the Lord’s presence; for all these things are due under the commandment.

A virtuous man’s offering graces the altar, and its savour rises before the Most High.
A virtuous man’s sacrifice is acceptable, its memorial will not be forgotten.
Honour the Lord with generosity, do not stint the first-fruits you bring.
Add a smiling face to all your gifts, and be cheerful as you dedicate your tithes.

Give to the Most High as he has given to you, generously as your means can afford; for the Lord is a good rewarder, he will reward you seven times over.
Offer him no bribe, he will not accept it, do not put your faith in an unvirtuous sacrifice;
since the Lord is a judge who is no respecter of personages.

The Word of the Lord.                Thanks be to God

Responsorial Psalm             Ps 49
Response                                   I will show God’s salvation to the upright.

1. ‘Summon before me my people who made covenant with me by sacrifice.’
The heavens proclaim his justice, for he, God, is the judge.                                                   Response

2. ‘Listen, my people, I will speak; Israel, I will testify against you, for I am God your God.
I find no fault with your sacrifices, your offerings are always before me.                            Response

3. ‘Pay your sacrifice of thanksgiving to God and render him your votive offerings.
A sacrifice of thanksgiving honours me and I will show God’s salvation to the upright’. Response

Gospel  Acclamation            Phil 2: 15-16
Alleluia, Alleluia!
You will shine in the world like bright stars because you are offering it the word of life.
Alleluia!

Or                                                   2 Cor 8: 9
Alleluia, Alleluia!
Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth,
for revealing the mysteries of the kingdom to mere children.
Alleluia!

GOSPEL

The Lord be with you                     And with your spirit.
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark    10:28-31    Glory to you, O Lord
You will be repaid a hundred times over in this present time and, in the world to come, eternal life.

‘What about us?‘ Peter asked Jesus. ‘We have left everything and followed you.’
Jesus said,
‘I tell you solemnly, there is no one who has left house, brothers, sisters, father, children or land for my sake and for the sake of the gospel who will not be repaid a hundred times over, houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and land – not without persecutions – now in this present time and, in the world to come, eternal life.

‘Many who are first will be last, and the last first.’

The Gospel of the Lord.           Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

********************
Gospel Reflection          Tuesday,         Eighth Week in Ordinary Time       Mark 10:28–31

There is a lot of wisdom in the Jewish Scriptures. We are reading these days from the Book of Ecclesiasticus, which is one of the Wisdom books of the Bible. In today’s first reading, the author calls on people to honour God not just by offering sacrifices in the Temple but by the way that they live, ‘a virtuous person’s offering graces the altar’. The author goes on to say that serving the Lord by both our worship and our way of life is to be done cheerfully, ‘add a smiling face to all your gifts, and be cheerful as you dedicate your tithes’. I am reminded of a verse from Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians, ‘Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver’.

Sometimes our giving to the Lord and to others can be reluctant and a little begrudging, as if we were putting everyone under a complement to us. To give joyfully is a sign, a fruit, of the Spirit in our lives. Peter’s question to Jesus in today’s gospel reading, reveals something of that attitude of reluctant giving, ‘What about us? We have left everything and followed you’. It is as if he was saying, ‘We have given a lot. Now what’s in it for us?’ Jesus takes his question seriously, however, and promises Peter that having given up everything to become a disciple, he will experience a rich reward in the form of a new family, a family of faith, brothers and sisters in the Lord, and Jesus adds, ‘not without persecutions’. For all its blessings, the path of discipleship won’t always be easy. Even when it is not easy, our following of the Lord is to be cheerful. It is always a joyful response to God’s prior goodness to us.

+++++++++ Tomorrow, Ash Wednesday begins the Holy Season of Lent +++++++++

________________________________________________

The scripture readings are taken from The Jerusalem Bible, published by Darton, Longman and Todd Ltd and used with the permission of the publishers.  http://dltbooks.com/
The Gospel reflection is available with our thanks from Reflections on the Weekday Readings  You have the Words of Eternal life: by Martin Hogan and published by Messenger Publications  c/f www.messenger.ie/bookshop/

________________

 Summary: St Casimir was a man of prayer, who strove for peace and unity in Western Europe. He was a prince, peacemaker, and born at Krakow (Poland) in 1458,  Though a young prince of Poland, he preferred peace to being a soldier. He chose celibacy over marriage and favoured prayer and penance rather than royal privilege. Noted for his generous life of austerity and devotion. Patron Saint of Poland. Casimire died in Lithuania on this day in 1484.

Patrick Duffy tells his story

 Although he lived in a world where he had to conform to the expectations of his father, Casimir was aware of other priorities – the love of God – and these were what he followed. In 1948 Pope Pius XII named him as patron saint of all youth.

A pious youth
Casimir born in 1458, was the second son of King Casimir IV of Poland. Tutored from childhood by a holy and modest man, Fr John Dlugosz of Cracow, a historian of Poland, he grew up as a devout and pious youth. When he was thirteen his father, at the request of one Hungarian faction, sent his son at the head of a large army to be king of Hungary, but at the border Casimir turned back and, to avoid his father’s anger, went to do three months penance to the castle of Dobski near Cracow.

His preference for a life of religious retirement
Influenced again by Fr Dlugosz, he was reluctant to take up arms especially against Christians who were being pressed by the Turks. He also refused to marry a daughter of Emperor Frederick III and preferred a life of celibacy, religious retirement and penance.

Viceroy of Poland
His elder brother, Ladislaus, had by now become king of Bohemia, so his father initiated him into public life and when in 1479 the king went to Lithuania for five years arranging affairs there, Casimir was viceroy of Poland, and from 1481 to 1483 administered the state with great prudence and justice. He promoted peace and the unity of Western Europe.

Died en route to Lithuania
He became ill with a lung disease, which may have been due to his fastings and mortification. While on a journey to Lithuania, he died at the court of Grodno, 4 March 1484. and was buried in the chapel of the Blessed Virgin in the cathedral of Vilna.