Daily TV Mass Tuesday March 17, 2026

Fr. John Bertao

Transcript

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From the historic Loreto Abbey Chapel. With the kind cooperation of the Toronto Catholic District School Board, the National Catholic Broadcasting Council presents the Daily TV Mass.

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Welcome to the celebration of the Daily TV Mass. I'm Father John Burteo. The television of this mass is made possible by the contribution from Claudia from Guelph, Ontario, in love and memory of Angelo, Dominic, and Margaret, the deceased members of the Gori, Jelly, Burns, and Geratwana families and the souls in purgatory, for the intentions of Bill and Livia and their families, for her special intentions, for the release of hostages everywhere, persecuted Christians, and for world peace. On behalf of all who are gathered for the celebration of this Eucharist, and we thank Claudia for the gift of this Mass that we begin with the sign of our salvation in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. The Lord be with you.

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And with your spirit.

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May Almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life. Let us pray. O God, who chose the Bishop St. Patrick to preach your glory to the peoples of Ireland, grant through his merits and intercession that those who glory in the name of Christian may never cease to proclaim your wondrous deeds to all. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever.

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Amen. A reading from the book of the Prophet Ezekiel. In the midst of the vision I received from the Lord, the angel brought me back to the entrance of the temple. There the water was flowing from below the threshold of the temple toward the east, for the temple faced east. And the water was flowing down from below the south end of the threshold of the temple, south of the altar. Then the angel brought me out by way of the north gate, and led me around on the outside to the outer gate, that faces toward the east, and the water was coming out on the south side. Going on eastward with a cord in his hand, the man measured one thousand cubits, and then led me through the water, and it was ankle deep. Again he measured one thousand and led me through the water, and it was knee deep. Again he measured one thousand and led me through the water, and it was up to the waist. Again he measured one thousand, and it was a river that I could not cross, for the water had risen. It was deep enough to swim in, a river that could not be crossed. He said to me, Mortal, have you seen this? Then he led me back along the bank of the river. As I came back, I saw on the bank of the river a great many trees, on the one side and on the other. He said to me, This water flows toward the eastern region, and goes down into the Arabah, and when it enters the sea, the sea of stagnant waters, the water will become fresh. Wherever the river goes, every living creature that swarms will live, and there will be very many fish. Once these waters reach there, it will become fresh, and everything will live where the river goes. On the banks, on both sides of the river, there will grow all kinds of trees for food. Their leaves will not wither, nor their fruit fail, but they will bear fresh fruit every month, because the water for them flows from the sanctuary, their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for healing. The word of the Lord.

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See what awesome things he has brought on the earth. Give back to me the joy of your salvation, praise to me, Lord, King of Eternal Glory.

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A reading from the Holy Gospel according to John. There was a festival of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now in Jerusalem by the sheep gate there was a pool called in Hebrew Batata, which has five porticles. In these lay many invalids, blind, lame, and paralyzed. One man was who had been ill for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had been there a long time. Jesus said to him, Do you want to be made well? The sick man answered him, Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up. And while I am making my way, someone else steps down ahead of me. Jesus said to him, Stand up, take your mat and walk. And once the man was made well, and he took up his mat and began to walk. Now that day was a Sabbath, so the Jews said to the men who had been cured, It is the Sabbath, it is not lawful for you to carry your mat. But he answered them, The man who made me well said to me, Take up your mat and walk. They asked him, Who was the man who said to you, Take up your Take up and walk? Now the man who had been rehealed did not know who it was, for Jesus had disappeared in the crowd that was there. Later Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, See, you have been made well. Do not sin any more, so that nothing worse may happen to you. The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well. Therefore the Jews started persecute persecuting Jesus because he was doing such things on the Sabbath. The gospel of the Lord. Some of you might be thinking, wait a minute. We had today is the 17th. We're celebrating a special Saint St. Patrick. It's also Lent, and yet here's the Portuguese priest. Is he going to talk about St. Patrick, or is he going to talk about Lent, or is he going to talk about, well, how about maybe a compromise in both? Just a little bit about St. Patrick, just a little tiny bit, even though, because we're still in Lent, and so trying to uh put both together. Just a few words. Now it is believed very, very shortly, very quick. I believe that St. Patrick was born in the fifth century in Britain of Britain Roman parents. When he was sixteen, he was captured by pirates and taken to Ireland. There he was sold as a slave. His owner said to him to tend to the flocks of sheep on the mountains. Patrick was had very little food and clothing, and he took good care of the animals in the rain, in the snow, and ice. Patrick was so lonely, and here's the key. Patrick was so lonely on the hillside that he often turned to prayer to Jesus and his mother Mary. That was a really good thing to do. His life was hard and unfair, but Patrick's trust in God grew stronger all the time. Six years later, when he escaped Ireland, Patrick decided to become a priest. And I'm sure you know much more about him than I could actually tell you in the few minutes that I've given. So, but if you could, if you could please, uh just look up his Confessio, which is a letter that he wrote about himself, where explains everything that he did and what happened in his life and all the various things and how he is so honored today by many parts of the world. In addition, not the green uh stuff that we like to drink, and maybe even the green coffee, but prayer was so key, so key in his life, and it should be key in our life as well. Prayer and faith in God. You see, St. Patrick teaches that that being focused on Jesus is Jesus' life is life-giving to us no matter what we are doing in life. Even when we think that Jesus is not listening or paying attention to our needs. For example, in today's gospel, we are invited to reflect on the question, and I quote, is there anything holding you back from the Lord's healing power and transforming grace that can set you free to live in wholeness, joy, and peace with God? See, God input into the heart of the prophet Ezekiel the vision of the river's living water flowing from God's heavenly throne to bring healing and restoration to his people. So we begin to see the fulfillment of this restoration taking place when the Lord announces the coming of God's kingdom and performs signs and miracles to in demonstration of the power of that kingdom, the kingdom of salvation that Jesus brings to us. And one of the key signs or miracles, which John points out in the gospel today, accounts takes place in Jerusalem when Jesus went up to the temple during the great festival feasts. As Jesus approached the temple area, he stopped at the pool of Etsaidah, which was very close by. Many Jews brought their sick relatives and friends to the pool. John tells us that a multitude of invalids, blind, lame, and paralyzed were laid there on the pavement surrounding the pool. Imagine that. All these people waiting. The pool likely was on the ritual baths used for the purification of people before they went into the temple to offer prayers and sacrifice. On certain occasions, especially when the waters were stirred, the lame and others were dis with diseases, were dipped into the pool on the hope that they might be cured of their ailments. The lame man that Jesus stopped to speak with had been paralyzed for 38 years. That's a lifetime for some people. He felt helpless because he had no friends to help him bathe in the purifying water of the pool. Despite his many years of unanswered prayer, he still waited by the pool in the hope that help might come his way. And it did, as we hear in the gospel today. Jesus offered this incurable man not only the prospect to help, but to also in healing him as well. Jesus first awakened, he first awakened the faith in him that brought him to life, physically and spiritually speaking, just like St. Patrick. Jesus then ordered him to get up and walk. Now the lame man had put his newfound faith into action. He decided to take the Lord's at his word and immediately stood up and began to walk freely. Are you suffering physically or otherwise? How much do you focus outside of yourself, outside of suffering, and give yourself to the healing power of Jesus? Perhaps like St. Patrick and this man. The Lord Jesus approaches each one of us with the same probing question, and I quote, Do you really want to be healed, to be forgiven, to be set free from guilt and sin, from uncontrollable anger and other disordered passions, from the hurtful desires or maybe even maybe even addictions. The first essential step towards freedom then and healing is a desire to change inwardly and outwardly. If you are content to stay as you are, then no amount of coaxing will change you. The Lord will not refuse anyone who sincerely asks for his pardon. Merely just ask for mercy and healing. It's up to each one of us to do so, to welcome the life-changing healing that we desire that Jesus prepared to give to each one of us. And so I close with a prayer, Lord Jesus, put into my heart a burning desire to be changed and transformed in your way of holiness. Let your Holy Spirit purify my heart and renew me in fervent love and desire to do whatever is pleasing to you and to refuse whatever is contrary to your divine will. Amen. And we pray for all of those in our Daily TV Mass Prayer and Intentions book. We pray to the Lord.

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Lord hear our prayer.

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For this month's community, prayer is for the fathers, grandfathers, and protectors, that they may lead with wisdom and humility, inspired by the quiet faith of Saint Joseph. We pray to the Lord.

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Lord, hear our prayer.

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And to the spouse of Saint Joseph, we never forgetting our blessed mother who is always prepared to help us. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us, sinners, now and our death. Amen. Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation, for if you're willing to receive the bread we offer you. Through the mystery of this water and wine, may become to share in the divinity of Christ, who humble themselves to share in our humanity. Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation, for your willness to receive the wine we offer you. Fruit of the vine and work of human hands, it will become our spiritual drink. No sacrifice, Lord God. Lord, wash away my iniquity and cleanse me from my sins. I pray, brothers and sisters, that my sacrifice and yours be acceptable to God, the Almighty Father. Look with favor, look with favor, O Lord, we pray on the offerings that we set upon the sacred altar on the feast day of Saint Patrick, that bestowing on us your pardon, our oblations may give honor to your name. Through Christ our Lord. The Lord be with you.

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And with your spirit.

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Lift up your hearts.

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Lift them up to the Lord.

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Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. It is right and just truly right and just our duty and our salvation, always and everywhere to give you thanks, Lord, Holy Father, Almighty Eternal God, for you have given your children a sacred time for the renewing and purifying of their hearts, that freed from the disordered affections, they may so deal with the things that that is pass of this passing world, as to hold rather to the things that eternally endure. And so with all the angels and saints we praise you, as without end we acclaim. You are indeed holy, O Lord, the fount of all holiness. Make holy therefore these gifts, we pray, by sending down your spirit upon them like the dew fall, 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. 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. Therefore, as we celebrate the memorial of his death and resurrection, we offer, Lord, the word of life and the choss of salvation, giving thanks that you've held us worthy to be in your presence of Mr. Toyu. How we pray that partaking of the body and blood of Christ, we may be gathered into one by the Holy Spirit. Remember, Lord, your church spread throughout the world, and bring you to the fullness of charity, together with Leo, our Pope, Francis, 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 the blessed Joseph, our spouse, with the blessed apostles and all the saints who please you throughout the ages, we may merry to be co-hero to eternal life, and we 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 for ever and ever.

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Amen.

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At the Savior's command, and formed by divine teaching, we dare to say, Our Father who art in heaven, how beginning, thy kingdom come, thy will be done as it is in Him. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but live us from evil. Deliver us, Lord, your brave from every evil. Gracious you grant peace in our days that by the help of your mercy we may be always free from sin and safe from all the stress, as we with the blessed hope and the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Now and forever. 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 grace, you know, with peace and unity in accordance with your will, who live and reign forever and ever. The peace of the Lord be with you always.

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And with your spirit.

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May his healing and peace be with each one of you. Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb. Lord, I am not the shallow entertainment.

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My Jesus, I believe that you are present in this holy sacrament of the altar. I love you above all things, and I passionately desire to receive you into my soul. Since I cannot now receive you sacramentally, come spiritually into my soul, so that I may unite myself wholly to you now and forever. Amen.

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Let us pray. Renewed by these sacred mysteries, we humbly pray, O Lord, that following the example of Blessed Patrick, we may strive to profess what he believed and to practice what he taught. Through Christ our Lord. The Lord be with you.

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And with your Spirit.