Holy Mass from St Mary Magdalen RC Parish, London

Turn your ear, O Lord, and answer me. Save the servant who trusts in you, my God. Have mercy on me, Lord, for I cry to you all the day long.

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

Today we celebrate the Mass of the 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time. We are going to offer it for the intentions of the people of the parish.

Brothers and sisters, let us acknowledge our sins and so prepare ourselves to celebrate the sacred mysteries.

I confess to Almighty God and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have greatly sinned in my thoughts and in my words, in what I have done and in what I have failed to do. Through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault. Therefore, I ask blessed Mary, ever virgin, all the angels and saints, and you, my brothers and sisters, to pray for me to the Lord our God. May Almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life. Amen.

Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy.

Christ, Lord, have mercy. Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to people of good will. We praise you, we bless you, we adore you, we glorify you, we give you thanks for your great glory. Lord God, heavenly King, O God Almighty Father, Lord Jesus Christ, only begotten Son, Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.

You take away the sins of the world. Receive our prayer. You are seated at the right hand of the Father. Have mercy on us. For you alone are the Holy One.

You alone are the Lord. You alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit in the glory of God the Father.

Amen. Let us pray. O God, who cause the minds of the faithful to unite in a single purpose, grant your people to love what you command and to desire what you promise.

That amid the uncertainties of this world, our hearts may be fixed on that place where true gladness is found.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God forever and ever.

Amen. A reading from the prophet Isaiah. Thus says the Lord God of hosts: Come, go to the steward Shebna who is over the household and say to him, "I will thrust you from your office, and you will be pulled down from your station." In that day I will call my servant Elakim, the son of Hilkiah, and I will clothe him with your robe, and will bind your sash on him, and will commit your authority to his hand, and he shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to the house of Judah. And I will place on his shoulder the key of the house of David. He shall open, and none shall shut. And he shall shut, and none shall open. And I will fasten him like a peg in a secure place, and he will become a throne of honor to his father's house.

The word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. Your response: O Lord, your merciful love is eternal. Discard not the work of your hands.

Discard not the work of your hands. I thank you, Lord, with all my heart. You have heard the words of my mouth. In the presence of the angels I praise you. I bow down toward your holy temple.

I give thanks to your name for your merciful love and your faithfulness. On the day I called, you answered me. You increased the strength of my soul.

The Lord is high, yet he looks on the lowly, and the haughty he knows from afar.

O Lord, your merciful love is eternal. Discard not the work of your hands. A reading from the letter of St. Paul to the Romans. Oh, the depths of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor? Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid? From him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen. The word of the Lord.

Thank you. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. The Lord be with you. A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew. Glory to you.

At that time, when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?" And they said, "Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets."

He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" Simon Peter replied, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." And Jesus answered him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."

Then he strictly charged the disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ.

The gospel of the Lord. So, this is what we just heard: this beautiful profession of faith of Peter that came to him straight from the heart because the Father, as Jesus said, revealed it to him, put it in his heart, and when he was put the question forward, he answered spontaneously, directly from the heart. It didn't have to be there thinking, "Who is this man? Who is this man? Maybe let me go to the scripture to read better. No, let me study."

Probably he couldn't even read, the man, because he was a fisherman. So, who told Peter this truth that Jesus is the Son of God, the Messiah, the one who has come into the world to redeem us?

This is the Father indeed, through the Holy Spirit. I wish we could all be blessed like Peter today and answer the question in the same way because this question is put forward for you and me today. We are the disciples of this generation. It is not a question that was valid 2,000 years ago and has no relevance or importance today. It's very important for your life and mine. In fact, by the way we answer the question depends everything we do, the way we live our life, the choices we take in life, and so on and so forth. Everything, the reality of a marriage, of a relationship, everything depends on the way we answer this question: Who is Jesus for you? Who is he? No, who is he for the people in the world, those who do not believe, those who are not Christians? What will they say of Jesus? At best, they will say, "You know, he was a good man, a good teacher," something like this. No, some may arrive at the point of saying he was a prophet. No, like the disciples, they say, "You maybe," they thought he was the reincarnation of someone, John the Baptist who came alive again, or Elijah whom they were waiting for because the prophecy says that before the Messiah comes, Elijah would come back, the prophet Elijah, to open the way to the Messiah, and so on and so forth. So, who is Jesus for you and me? Just one of the prophets? A person like you and me? Because sometimes people were expecting to see big signs in order to believe.

If you go to the gospel, so many times the Jews asked of him, "Give us a sign, give us a sign, perform a miracle, do this and do that. Otherwise, we won't believe that you are the Messiah." And we can be very much like this in life. And so today we are not able to answer the question like Peter with faith. Why? Because for you this Messiah has not arrived yet in your life. Why? Because he didn't solve the problems you have. That's why you want miracles, miracles, miracles in life, which the real miracle, and the only one which really matters, is the conversion of the heart. That's the real miracle we need to ask. And many people go on pilgrimages. They go to Lourdes to ask for what? To be healed by some physical... I hope this is finishing this time.

This is called natural religiosity. This kind of bar

He said to them, "But who do you say that I am? Simon Peter replied, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." And Jesus answered him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but

my father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven and whatever you

bind on earth shall be bound in heaven and whatever you lose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

Then he strictly charged the disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ.

The gospel of the Lord. So this is what we just heard is the this beautiful profession of faith of Peter uh that came to him straight from the heart because the father as Jesus said revealed it to him put it in in his

heart and when he was put the question forward he answered spontaneously uh directly from the heart. It didn't have to be there thinking uh who is this man?

Who is this man? Maybe let me go to the scripture to read better. No, let me study.

Probably couldn't even read the man because he was a fisherman. So who told Peter this truth that Jesus is the son of God? the Messiah, the one who has come into the world to redeem us.

This is the father indeed through the holy spirit. I wish we could all be blessed like Peter today and answer to the to the question in the same way because this question is put forward for you and me

today. We are the disciples of this generation. is not a question that was valid 2,000 years ago and has no relevance importance today. It's very important for your life and mine. In fact, by the way we answer the question

depends everything we do, the way we live our life, the choices we take in life and so on and so forth. Everything the reality of of of a marriage of a relationship everything everything depends from the way we answer this

question who is Jesus for you who is he know who is he for the people in the world those who do not believe those who are not Christians what will they say of Jesus at best they will say you know he

was a good man a good teacher something like this No, some may arrive to the point of saying he was a prophet. No, like the disciples they say you maybe uh they thought they he was the reincarnation someone John

the Baptist who came alive again or Elijah whom they were waiting because the prophecy says that before the Messiah comes Elijah would come back the prophet Elijah to open the way to the Messiah and so on and so forth. So who is Jesus

for you and me? Just one of the prophets. A person like you and me because sometimes people were expecting to see big signs uh in order to believe.

If you go to the gospel so many times the Jews asked of him, give us a sign, give us a sign, perform a miracle, do this and do that. Otherwise we won't believe that you are the messiah and we

can be very much like this in lifeh and so today we are not able to answer the question like Peter with faith why because for you this Messiah has not arrived yet in your life why because it didn't solve the problems you have

that's why you want miracles miracles miracles in the lifeh which the real miracle with and the only one which really matters is the conversion of the heart. That's the real miracle we need to ask. And many people go

do pilgrimages. They go to lords to ask for what? To be healed by some physical uh I hope this is finishing this time.

This is called natural religiosity. This kind of bargain with God. I do the pilgrimage. I do the prayer. I do the mass and I get the goody goody, you know.

And then your heart remains the same. Maybe what you go on a wheelchair, come back on a walking, but in your house with your wife and your husband and your children, it's all a mess. But now you can walk. But so what? So what?

Please h the conversion of the heart. To receive the Messiah in our lives is exactly this.

To enter into conversion to accept uh your situation in which you live today. Even if this is very difficult, even if we get even more difficult like for Christ, for the Lord to the po point who was obedience says Paul in one

of his letter to the point of death and death of a cross. It's not that the life for Jesus was getting any better uh with the time passing. No, it was leading to that point, to that moment.

And that's why we know he is the true Messiah. That's that is the sign that he's the true Messiah.

That he gave up his life for sinners, for you and me. That's the sign.

And surely we need faith. It has to be revealed to us. We cannot discover it with our own strengths. Huh? Or because we can do some some experience experiments in a lab or because we can study a lot or

because of archaeological discoveries or whatever that kind of truth. No either it is given to you by the father through the holy spirit otherwise impossible.

And then you will discover true happiness. True happiness. That is true happiness that even if you are on a wheelchair in your deathbed in a hospital wherever you are fulfilled super happy very happy because you have encountered the Messiah who has forgiven

your sins who has given you eternal life already that's why you can re rejoice and be at peaceh I hope we can receive this today in this mass because the Messiah comes here today. He's already here. He's already

asking you who am I? Who am I for you? Who am I? Because if you don't know, better you ask it.

But this revelation comes to you as well because again joy, blessedness as Jesus told in to Peter, you are blessed. You are happy man. You are happy man. So your happiness depends the way you answer this but not in in your head. You

understand with your lips but with your heart because you believe it but you cannot make yourself believe it unless the Lord gives it to you and you cannot receive it unless you are opened to the will of God whatever it may be. whatever

to the point of the cross. Uh whatever. But what is the promise? That you will be free, incredibly free and happy in your life to love the other, to fulfill the commandments. This is life. This is Christianity. Everything else is uh

talks talks. But this truth and this is given here through the body and blood of Christ to the word that you receive to the Holy Spirit that is coming to you to those the Lord has brought you here

today. I don't know why you and not your brother or sister or someone else but you are here today.

Maybe so that these people may believe through you through you looking at your life at your blessedness because you believe they may come to say one day he is the Messiah.

They may encounter Christ through you. The Lord started his church with 12 disciples. 12 all a disasterh starting with Peter to whom he said you are my rock yeah you are the rock on the one on which I will

found my church his name Peter kaya kaya in the means rock basically is the new the new high priest you remember the high priest at the time of Jesus was called kyifa kifa Kaya Kyifa they have the same root. The old one has

been replaced. Like in the first reading, there is this man who had been given great honor. He was one of the ministers of the kingdom of Israel. He had the keys to open the doors to the king's chambers. Very important. You are

corrupted. Finished. I will put uh there another person So this is speaking of the messiah speaking speaking of Peter as well the pope today is Leo Pope Leo and we need to pray for him and for all the people the Lord puts in authority

because there is a great battle with the devil who will try to destroy those the Lord has chosen. But all of us in fact even all those who have been baptized indeed because we have a great mission to be the light of the world. To

be the light of the world that the people may see and come to Christ. And as I said we are very weak.

We look at Peter. Peter if you go and read a few few words after this uh passage of the gospel. This is chapter 16. If you will go on a little bit at some point the Lord will reveal to his

disciplesh what will about his passion what will happen to him in Jerusalem that he will be taken and con and put to prison condemned crucified he will die and he will have to rise again and Peter said the same one who said you are the son of

God the Messiah he says this will not happen to you no and he complained demonstrated against Jesus. And how did Jesus reply to him?

Few few days before he said you are blessed, blessed are you. And now what did he tell him? Satan, Satan, get behind me because you are not thinking like God in this moment. There is not the Holy Spirit. You are thinking

like men. But who can think and know instead the mind of God says here uh Paul to the Romans. Oh the depths of the riches of the and wisdom and knowledge of God. How unsearchable are his judgments and how unscrutable his ways.

For who has known the mind of the Lord or who has been his counselor? Who who can reveal this? The plan of God for your life can reveal it to you. uh only God himself in the Holy Spirit that you

receive here and you will know exactly what to do today you are wondering about this situation so if you what have to do the Holy Spirit will put it into you the the answer if you are ready if you are ready

if you don't resist the Holy Spirit certainly he will bring you to love your neighborh ultimately and your enemy your enemy and this is the real mission Happiness comes from here to resemble to be in the image of Christ in the image

of the love he has shown to you and to me. So now we will stand and profess the faith like Peter did uh uh through the creed together. I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth.

I believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, born of the Father before ages, God from God, light from light, true God from true God, begotten not made, and conssubstantial with the Father. Through him all things

were made. For us men and for our salvation, he came down from heaven and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary and became man. For our sake, he was crucified under Pontious Pilot. He suffered death and was buried

and rose again on the third day in accordance with the scriptures. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead and his kingdom will have

no end. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets. I believe in one

holy, Catholic, and apostolic church. I confess one baptism for the forgiveness of sins, and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead, the life of the world to come. Amen.

Let us turn in prayer to our heavenly father whose love and mercy unites us.

For the church that we may be strong in faith and courageous in our proclamation that Jesus Christ has redeemed and saved the world. Lord in your mercy, here our pray for world leaders that they will unite against violence and oppression and help

establish order and peace in all parts of the world so that the most vulnerable will be safe and able to thrive. Lord in your mercy. Lord for our young people especially those who are making important choices in life

at this time that they may open their hearts to the prompings of the spirit and have the support they need to live out God's plan. Lord in your mercy here our pray for those suffering in body, heart, mind

or soul that they will be relieved from their distress and be renewed in strength and hope. We pray for Mark Kuhan, Kitty Oalivan and Isabel Olivera.

Lord in your mercy our pray. We pray for people of the parish for whom this mass is offered. Lord in your mercy here our pray.

We pray for all those who have died recently. Rose Mcnicholis Anne Marie Dolan and for those whose anniversaries occur at this time Margaret and Michael Rice Oliver Finnegan John Reddican Stannis Law Killis and Dennis and M Michelle Mason. May they

rest in peace of Christ. Lord in your mercy, here our pray. Let us commend our prayers to the intercession of Mary, mother of the church. As we pray, Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed th and blessed is the

fruit of thy w Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

Let us pray in silence for our needs and the needs of those we love.

Father in heaven, hear our prayers to you and fill us with the spirit of your love so that we can help build your kingdom on earth with your son who lives and reigns forever and ever.

Amen. Blessed are you, Lord, God of all creation, for through your goodness we have received the bread we offer you, fruit of the earth and work of human hands. It will become for us the bread of life. Blessed be God forever.

Blessed are you, Lord, God of all creation, for through your goodness we have received the wine we offer you, fruit of the vine and work of human hands. It will become our spiritual drink.

Pray brothers and sisters that my sacrifice and yours may be acceptable to God the almighty father.

Oh Lord, who gained for yourself a people by adoption through the one sacrifice offered once for all, bestow graciously on us, we pray the gifts of unity and peace in your church through Christ our Lord.

Amen. The Lord be with you. And your spirit. Lift up your hearts. Lift up to the Lord. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

It is right and 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 you so loved the world that in your mercy you

sent us the redeemer to live like us in all things but sin. So that you might love in us what you loved in your son.

by whose obedience we have been restored to those gifts of yours that by sinning we had lost in disobedience. And so Lord with all the angels and saints we too give you thanks as in exaltation we acclaim. Holy, holy, holy Lord God of

hosts. Heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosana in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lordana in the highest.

You are indeed holy, O Lord, the f of all holiness. Make holy, therefore, these [music] gifts we pray by sending down your spirit upon them like the dwfall so that they may become for us the body and blood of our lord Jesus Christ.

At the time he was betrayed and entered willingly into his passion, he took bread and giving thanks, broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, "Take this all of you and eat of it, for this is my body which will be given up for

you. [bell] In a similar way, when supper was ended, he took the chalice and once more giving thanks, he gave it to his disciples saying, "Take this all of you and drink from it. For this is the chalice of my

blood, the blood of the new and eternal covenant, which will be poured out for you and for many, for the forgiveness of sins. Do this in memory of me.

[bell] The mystery of faith. We proclaim your death, O Lord, and profess your resurrection [singing] until you come again.

Therefore, as we celebrate the memorial of his death and resurrection, we offer you, Lord, the bread of life and the chalice of salvation, giving thanks that you have held us worthy to be in your presence and minister to you. Humbly we

pray that partaking of the body and blood of Christ, we may be gathered into one by the Holy Spirit. And remember, Lord, your church spread throughout the world and bring her to the fullness of charity. together with Leo our Pope and

Richard our Bishop and all the clergy. Remember also our brothers and sisters who have fallen asleep in the hope of the resurrection and all who have died in your mercy. Welcome them into the light of your face. Have mercy on us

all. We pray that with the blessed virgin Mary, mother of God, with blessed Joseph, her spouse, with the blessed apostles and all the saints who have pleased you throughout the ages, we may merit to be coairs to eternal life and

may praise and glorify you through your son Jesus Christ. Through him and with him and in him, O God, almighty Father, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honor is yours forever and [singing] ever.

At the Savior's command and formed by divine teaching, we dare to say, Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive

us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Deliver us, Lord, we pray, from every evil. Graciously grant peace in our days, that by the help of your

mercy, we may be always free from sin and safe from all distress, as we await the blessed hope and the coming of our savior Jesus Christ.

Lord Jesus Christ, who said to your apostles, "Peace I leave you, my peace I give you. Look not on our sins, but on the faith of your church, and graciously grant her peace and unity in accordance with your will. Who live and reign

forever and ever. Amen. The peace of the Lord be with you always. Let us offer each other the sign of peace.

Lamb of God. Behold the Lamb of God. Behold him who takes away the sins of the world.

Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb. [bell] Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, says the Lord, and I will raise him [clears throat] up on the last day.

Let us pray. Complete within us, O Lord, we pray, the healing work of your mercy and graciously perfect and sustain us so that in all things we may please you through Christ our Lord.

Amen. The Lord be with you. May almighty God bless you. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Go in peace glorifying the Lord by your life.