by | Nov 21, 2022 | Evangelium

Tuesday 22 nd november 2022

St. Cecilia

 

Devotion to St Cecilia, in whose honour a basilica was constructed in Rome in the fifth century, has spread far and wide because of the Passion of Saint Cecilia, which holds her up as a perfect example of a Christian woman, who embraced virginity and suffered martyrdom for the love of Christ.

 

 

Entrance Antiphon

Behold, now she follows the Lamb who was crucified for us, powerful in virginity, modesty her offering, a sacrifice on the altar of chastity.

 

Collect

O God, who gladden us each year with the feast day of your handmaid Saint Cecilia, grant, we pray, that what has been devoutly handed down concerning her may offer us examples to imitate and proclaim the wonders worked in his servants  by Christ your Son. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

 

First reading : Apocalypse 14:14-19

In my vision I, John, saw a white cloud and, sitting on it, one like a son of man with a gold crown on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand. Then another angel came out of the sanctuary, and shouted aloud to the one sitting on the cloud, ‘Put your sickle in and reap: harvest time has come and the harvest of the earth is ripe.’ Then the one sitting on the cloud set his sickle to work on the earth, and the earth’s harvest was reaped.

Another angel, who also carried a sharp sickle, came out of the temple in heaven, and the angel in charge of the fire left the altar and shouted aloud to the one with the sharp sickle, ‘Put your sickle in and cut all the bunches off the vine of the earth; all its grapes are ripe.’ So the angel set his sickle to work on the earth and harvested the whole vintage of the earth and put it into a huge winepress, the winepress of God’s anger.

 

Psalm 95(96):10-13

R/ The Lord comes to rule the earth.

 

  1. Proclaim to the nations: ‘God is king.’ The world he made firm in its place; he will judge the peoples in fairness.
  2. Let the heavens rejoice and earth be glad, let the sea and all within it thunder praise, let the land and all it bears rejoice, all the trees of the wood shout for joy at the presence of the Lord for he comes, he comes to rule the earth.
  3. With justice he will rule the world, he will judge the peoples with his truth.

 

Gospel Acclamation : Rv 2:10

Alleluia, alleluia! Even if you have to die, says the Lord, keep faithful, and I will give you the crown of life. Alleluia!

 

Gospel : Luke 21:5-11

When some were talking about the Temple, remarking how it was adorned with fine stonework and votive offerings, Jesus said, ‘All these things you are staring at now – the time will come when not a single stone will be left on another: everything will be destroyed.’ And they put to him this question: ‘Master,’ they said ‘when will this happen, then, and what sign will there be that this is about to take place?’

‘Take care not to be deceived,’ he said ‘because many will come using my name and saying, “I am he” and, “The time is near at hand.” Refuse to join them. And when you hear of wars and revolutions, do not be frightened, for this is something that must happen but the end is not so soon.’ Then he said to them, ‘Nation will fight against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes and plagues and famines here and there; there will be fearful sights and great signs from heaven.’

 

Prayer over the Offerings

May the offerings we bring in celebration of St. Cecilia. win your gracious acceptance, O Lord, we pray, just as the struggle of her suffering and passion was pleasing to you. Through Christ our Lord.

 

Communion Antiphon : Rv 7: 17

The Lamb who is at the centre of the throne will lead them to the springs of the waters of life.

 

Prayer after Communion

O God, who bestowed on St. Cecilia. a crown among the Saints for her twofold triumph of virginity and martyrdom, grant, we pray, through the power of this Sacrament, that, bravely overcoming every evil, we may attain the glory of heaven. Through Christ our Lord.

 

Meditation

The day of the Lord is usually presented in terms of harvest time. God allows both good and bad people to live together; he permits both the corn and weeds to grow in the same farm. On the day of harvest He makes the difference as he burns the weeds and put the corn in the barn. For those who follow God, the day of the Lord is the day of salvation, but for those who have neglected God and pushed Him to the periphery of their lives, the Day of the Lord speaks of disaster and the winepress of God’s anger! That is why in the Gospel today, as the people were more seduced by the beauty of the Temple, Jesus saw its weakness immediately and knew it would collapse. If we do not anchor our security in God, we are bound to collapse too. Since modern man is so taken up by secularism and materialism, they easily get frightened by all the wars, frightful happenings and the calamities in our world today. False prophets and teachers take advantage of this fear and preach amount the imminent end of the world. Many believe them and become frantic.