"He is present among us.

Christ declares that he is present among us.

Many Christians believe Christ is present in the Church,

his body, and specifically in the sacraments, such as the Eucharist.

Christ's presence is also recognized when believers gather in his name,

study his word, and serve others.

 

 St. Pontian, pope, and   

St. Hippolytus, priest, martyrs

 ＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊

Deuteronomy 34:1-12

From the barren plain of Moab,

Moses went up to Mount Nebo, to the summit of Pisgah, opposite Jericho.

And the Lord showed him all the Land: from Gilead to Dan, the whole of Naphtali, the land of Ephraim,

and of Manasseh, the whole land of Judah, as far as the Western Sea, the Negeb, the Plains, the valley of Jericho,

the city of palm trees, as far as Zoar. And the Lord said to him: "This is the land about which I swore to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob,

promising it to their descendants. I have let you see it with your own eyes, but you shall not enter it."

 

Moses, the servant of God, died there in the land of Moab, according to the will of the Lord.

They buried him in the valley in the land of Moab opposite Beth-peor; but to this very day, no one knows where his tomb is.

Moses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died. He did not lose his vigor and his eyes still saw clearly.

The children of Israel mourned for him in the plains of Moab for thirty days. But Joshua, son of Nun,

was full of the spirit of wisdom because Moses had laid his hands upon him.

 

The children of Israel obeyed him and did as the Lord had commanded Moses.

No prophet like Moses has appeared again. The Lord conversed with him face to face.

What signs and wonders he worked in Egypt against Pharaoh, against his people and all his land!

He displayed great power and awesome might in view of all Israel!

 

Ps 66:1-3a, 5 & 8, 16-17

Blessed be God who filled my soul with fire!

 

＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊

Matthew   18:15-20

If your brother has sinned against you, go and point out the fault to him, when the two of you are alone;

and if he listens to you, you have won back your brother. If he doesn't listen to you, take with you one or two others,

so that the case may be decided by the evidence of two or three witnesses. And if he refuses to listen to them,

tell it to the assembled Church. But if he does not listen to the Church, then regard him as a pagan, or a tax collector.

I say to you: whatever you bind on earth, heaven will keep bound; and whatever you unbind on earth, heaven will keep unbound.

In like manner, I say to you, if, on earth, two of you agree in asking for anything, it will be granted to you by my heavenly Father;

for where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there, among them."

      

Gospel Reflection ：

"He is present among us.

"Where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there, among them." Christ declares that he is present among us.

Christ is with us as a community at prayer. We are a unity of faith, a unity of trust in the Lord, hoping in God's grace and salvation.

The martyrs don't suffer alone either. They witness to Christ in union with the Church and are supported by the prayers of their fellow Christians.

Earlier in his life, Hippolytus had been a force for division in the Church in his criticisms and his opposition of the Pope.

However, he was reconciled with Pope Pontian towards the end of his life and died with him, after they were exiled to work in the mines of Sardinia.

 

The legacy of that unity of faith is left in the works of Hippolytus,

whose words are used to this day in the Second Eucharistic Prayer and in the Prayer of Ordination of bishops.

In these prayers, our small celebrations unite with the whole Church and unite with Christ as Head.

Today let's pray for the unity of the Church and for a greater awareness of Christ among us.