mercy of god mercy may almighty god have mercy on us forgive us our state and bring us to everlasting life and then let us pray oh god father of mercy who is only be gotten son as he hung upon the cross shows the blessid virgin mary his mother to be our mother old grand we pray that with her loving help your church may be more fruitful day by day and exulting in the holiness of her children may draw to her embrace all the families of the people through our lord jesus christ your son who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the holy spirit one god for every endeavor reading from the book of nehemiah the whole people gathered as one in the open space before the watergate and they called upon as wrote the scribe to bring forth the book of law of moses which the lord prescribed for israel on the st day of the th month therefore as read the priest brought the law before the assembly which consisted of men women and those children old enough to understand standing at one end of the open place that was before the watergate he read out of the book from daybreak until midday in the presence of  women and those children old enough to understand and all the people listened attentively to the book of the law ezra the scribe stood on a wooden platform that had been made for the occasion he opened the sc so that all the people the people might see it where he was standing higher up than any of the people and as he opened it all the people rose ezra bless the lord the great god and all the people their hands raise time i answered amen amen then they bowed down and prostrated themselves before the lord their faces to the ground as the people remained in their places as  plainly from the book of the law of god interpret ing it so that all could understand what was read then nehemiah that is his excellency and as rather the prescribed and the levites who  instructing the people said to all the people today is is holy to the lord your god do not be sad and do not weep for all the people were weeping as they heard the words the law he said further go eat rich foods and drink sweet drinks and a lot fortune's to those who had nothing prepared for today is holy to our lord do not be sad in this day for rejoicing in the lord must be your strength and the levites quieted all the people saying push for today is holy and you must not be said then all the people went to eat and drink to distribute portions and to celebrate with great joy for they understood the words that had been expounded to them the word of the lord the precepts of the lord give joy to the heart the priests have a lawyer you point to the heart the law of the lord is perfect refreshing the soul the decree of the lord is trustworthy giving wisdom to the simple the the precepts of the lord our right we joy sing the heart the command of the lord is clear enlightening the eye the present it to the lord you give joy to the heart the fear of the lord d is pure enduring for ever the ordinances of the lord are true all of them just precept of the lord you it will go to the heart they are more precious than gold then a heap of pure visit he said to them the harvest is abundant but the laborers are few so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest go on your way behold i am sending you like lambs among wo carry no money bag no sack no sandals and greet no one along the way into whatever house you enter st say peace to this household if a peaceful person lives there your peace will rest on him but if not it will return to you stay in the same house and eat and drink what is offered to you for the labor of deserves his payment do not move about from one house to another whatever town you enter and they welcome you eat what is said before you cure the sick of it and say to them the kingdom of god is at hand for you whatever town you went there and they do not receive you go out into the streets and say the dust of your town that clings to our feet even that shall shake off against you yet know this the kingdom of god is at hand i tell you it will be more tolerable for saddam on that day and for that town the gospel of the lord over the last number of the day as in the gospel stories we've been listening very carefully to how jesus has band forming the missionary activity of the church so day after day we have heard how he called his disciples together and from them began to select them and send them out as apostles to proclaim the good news so in light of today's gospel which talks about the harvest and the labor is of course many of us associate this gospel story with vocations to the priesthood the the laborers who go out into the harvest and who advance the work of the church it certainly is an important concept that it's been with us for a long time but mindful that today at the liturgy we have the presence not only of our superintendent of schools but the members of the partnership in the whole educational system you can't help but think about the important task of the labor in the face of the educators the ones who have been given responsibility for the young women and men who will be the future of the church really as teachers and principals and staff members and teaching assistants and paragraphs it's the awesome task really to gather the harvest together to harvest to harvest the souls of those entrusted to our kids and those of the souls that rests within the faces of the young boys and girls who are put into our charge and who are under our influence and certainly under our guidance and the task today is probably more important than any other child because i know that you will agree that we live so sadly in a culture of darkness within society sometimes even in the church sometimes in our schools today's a good opportunity for us to be reminded again that  people whom god has placed in our lives who carry us from the darkness into the light and in classrooms throughout the country probably specifically  classrooms throughout the whole country what an opportunity to lead young boys and girls out of the culture of darkness and into the light that really is the gospel message that we bring women and men who are educators are really what the face of the labor looks like today these are christ's messengers to bring about the good news to those who desperately need to hear it let us pray now my brothers and sisters so that with one voice we can offer to god our petitions for all of our needs and so we pray for parents and teachers and that they will be blessed with creativity and zeal as they make efforts to instruct others in the christian ways of the faith let us pray to the lord for world leaders that their governance of global nations will be guided wholeheartedly by christ law of love let us pray to the lord for all those who are living in regions where teaching the gospel is limited that they will be strengthened in their perseverance and practice of the faith let us pray to the lord for our parish families that children will learn discipleship from their parents eternal reward in heaven for having lived according to god's law on earth let us pray to the lord heavenly father we are grateful that you give us your law and gospel of peace to day we ask that you hear an answer or petitions as we pray through christ our lord ai receive our offerings lord and transform them into the mystery of salvation so that by its power we may be set aflame with the charity of the virgin mary mother of the church and with her may be united more closely to the work of redemption through christ our lord amen the lord be with you with your spirit lift up your hearts to lift them up to let us give thanks to the lord our god is right and just it is truly right in just our duty and our salvation always and everywhere to give you thanks only lord holy father almighty and eternal god and to proclaim your greatness with you praise as we honor the blessid virgin mary receiving your word in her immaculate heart she was found worthy to conceive him in her virgins warm and giving birth to the creator she nurtured the beginnings of the church standing beside the cross she received the testament of divine law and took to herself as sons and daughters all those who by the death of christ are born into heavenly life as the apostles awaited the spirit the spirit that you had promise she joined with supplication to the prayers of the disciples and so became the pattern of the church at prayer raised to the glory of heaven she accompanies your pilgrim church with a mother's love and she watches and kindness over the churches homeward steps until the lord's day which will come in glorious splendor and so with all the angels and saints we praise you as without and we acclaim see you are indeed holy a lord's the sounds of all holiness make holy therefore these gifts we pray by sending down there is upon them like to do for all 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 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 life and the chalice of salvation giving thanks that you have held us worthy to be in your presence and ministered to you humbly we pray that partaking of the body and blood of christ we may be gathered into wine by the holy spirit remember lord your church spread throughout the world and bring her to the fullness of charity together with francis our pope t archbishop his brother bishops 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 welcomed them into the light of your ages we may merit to be co heirs to eternal life and make praise and glorify you through your son jesus christ through him and with him and in him oh god 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 bless at home and the coming of our savior jesus christ with the kingdom the power in the story are yours now and for a 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 face of your church grace of the outpouring of the spirit filled the whole earth through christ our lord amen the lord be with you and with us for a almighty god bless you as a father's a son and the holy spirit amen