Or:

Lord, hear the prayers of Augustine Zhao Rong and the martyrs of China
and give us the courage to bear witness to your truth.
Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.


First Reading
1 John 5:1-5

Every one who believes that Jesus is the Christ is a child of God, and every one who loves the parent loves the child. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that overcomes the world, our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?


Responsorial Psalm          124:2-3, 4-5, 7cd-8
R./ (7) Our soul has been rescued like a bird from the fowler’s snare.
Had not the Lord been with us–
When men rose up against us,
    then would they have swallowed us alive,
When their fury was inflamed against us.
R./ Our soul has been rescued like a bird from the fowler’s snare.
Then would the waters have overwhelmed us;
The torrent would have swept over us;
    over us then would have swept
    the raging waters.
R./ Our soul has been rescued like a bird from the fowler’s snare.
Broken was the snare,
    and we were freed.
Our help is in the name of the Lord,
    who made heaven and earth.
R./ Our soul has been rescued like a bird from the fowler’s snare.

Gospel Reading
John 12:24-26

Jesus said: Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If any one serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there shall my servant be also; if any one serves me, the Father will honor him.

PRAYER OVER THE OFFERINGS

Lord,
receive the gifts we bring
in memory of your holy martyrs.
Keep us strong in our faith
and in our witness to you.
Grant this in the name of Jesus the Lord.


Communion Antiphon:
You are the men who have stood by me faithfully in my trial, and now I confer a kingdom on you, says the Lord. You will eat and drink at my table in my kingdom.- Lk 22:28-30

Prayer after Communion

God our Father,
in your holy martyrs you show us the glory of your cross.
through this sacrifice, strengthen our resolution
to follow Christ faithfully
and to work in your church for the salvation of all.
We ask this through Christ the Lord.