by Jude Thaddeus Langeh | May 27, 2023 | Evangelium
SUNDAY 28 MAY
Pentecost – Mass of the Day
Entrance Antiphon: Wis 1: 7
The Spirit of the Lord has filled the whole world and that which contains all things understands what is said, alleluia.
Collect
O God, who by the mystery of today’s great feast, sanctify your whole Church in every people and nation, pour out, we pray, the gifts of the Holy Spirit across the face of the earth, and, with the divine grace that was at work when the Gospel was first proclaimed, fill now, once more the hearts of believers. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
First reading: Acts 2:1-11
When Pentecost day came round, they had all met in one room, when suddenly they heard what sounded like a powerful wind from heaven, the noise of which filled the entire house in which they were sitting; and something appeared to them that seemed like tongues of fire; these separated and came to rest on the head of each of them. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak foreign languages as the Spirit gave them the gift of speech. Now there were devout men living in Jerusalem from every nation under heaven, and at this sound they all assembled, each one bewildered to hear these men speaking his own language. They were amazed and astonished. “Surely”, they said, “all these men speaking are Galileans? How does it happen that each of us hears them in his own native language? Parthians, Medes and Elamites; people from Mesopotamia, Judaea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya round Cyrene; as well as visitors from Rome – Jews and proselytes alike – Cretans and Arabs; we hear them preaching in our own language about the marvels of God.”
Psalm 103:1, 24, 29-31, 34
R/ Send forth your spirit, O Lord, and renew the face of the earth.
Bless the Lord, my soul! Lord God, how great you are! How many are your works, O Lord! The earth is full of your riches.
You take back your spirit, they die, returning to the dust from which they came. You send forth your spirit, they are created; and you renew the face of the earth.
May the glory of the Lord last for ever! May the Lord rejoice in his works! May my thoughts be pleasing to him. I find my joy in the Lord.
Second reading: 1 Cor. 12:3-7,12-13
No one can say, “Jesus is Lord” unless he is under the influence of the Holy Spirit. There is a variety of gifts but always the same Spirit; there are all sorts of service to be done, but always to the same Lord; working in all sorts of different ways in different people, it is the same God who is working in all of them. The particular way in which the Spirit is given to each person is for a good purpose. Just as a human body, though it is made up of many parts, is a single unit because all these parts, though many, make one body, so it is with Christ. In the one Spirit we were all baptised, Jews as well as Greeks, slaves as well as citizens, and one Spirit was given to us all to drink.
Gospel Acclamation
Alleluia, alleluia! Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love. Alleluia!
Gospel: John 20:19-23
In the evening of the first day of the week, the doors were closed in the room where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews. Jesus came and stood among them. He said to them, “Peace be with you”, and showed them his hands and his side. The disciples were filled with joy when they saw the Lord, and he said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father sent me, so am I sending you. After saying this he breathed on them and said: “Receive the Holy Spirit. For those whose sins you forgive, they are forgiven; for those whose sins you retain, they are retained.”
Prayer over the Offerings
Grant, we pray, O Lord, that, as promised by your Son, the Holy Spirit may reveal to us more abundantly the hidden mystery of this sacrifice and graciously lead us into all truth. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon: Acts 2: 4, 11
They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke of the marvels of God, alleluia.
Prayer after Communion
O God, who bestow heavenly gifts upon your Church, safeguard, we pray, the grace you have given, that the gift of the Holy Spirit poured out upon her may retain all its force and that this spiritual food may gain her abundance of eternal redemption. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
Jesus came to the disciples at the time of their greatest fear. He came to them even though the doors were closed. He comes to me too, wherever I am shut in by fear, and he gives me his peace. Today I can think of those areas of my life that scare me. I imagine Jesus coming to me, standing in front of me and saying “Peace be with you”. I stand there for a little while, looking at Jesus, listening to his words of peace, feeling the calm return to my heart. And Jesus breathes on me and gives me the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of peace, truth and joy. I can turn to this Spirit for help whenever fear threatens or overwhelm my life.
by Jude Thaddeus Langeh | May 26, 2023 | Evangelium
SATURDAY 27 MAY
SAINT Augustin
of Canterbury
Augustine was consecrated archbishop of the English, and then returned to Canterbury to set up his see. The mission prospered, and he founded two more sees, at London and at Rochester in Kent. Augustine died at Canterbury on 26 May 605.
Entrance Antiphon: Acts 1: 14
The disciples devoted themselves with one accord to prayer with the women, and Mary the Mother of Jesus, and his brethren, alleluia!
Collect
Grant, we pray, almighty God, that we, who have celebrated the paschal festivities, may by your gift hold fast to them in the way that we live our lives. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
First reading: Acts 28:16-20,30-31
On our arrival in Rome Paul was allowed to stay in lodgings of his own with the soldier who guarded him. After three days he called together the leading Jews. When they had assembled, he said to them, “Brothers, although I have done nothing against our people or the customs of our ancestors, I was arrested in Jerusalem and handed over to the Romans. They examined me and would have set me free, since they found me guilty of nothing involving the death penalty; but the Jews lodged an objection, and I was forced to appeal to Caesar, not that I had any accusation to make against my own nation. That is why I have asked to see you and talk to you, for it is on account of the hope of Israel that I wear this chain.” Paul spent the whole of the two years in his own rented lodging. He welcomed all who came to visit him, proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching the truth about the Lord Jesus Christ with complete freedom and without hindrance from anyone.
Psalm: 10(11): 4-5, 7
R/ The upright shall see your face, O Lord.
The Lord is in his holy temple, the Lord, whose throne is in heaven. His eyes look down on the world; his gaze tests mortal men.
The Lord tests the just and the wicked; the lover of violence he hates. The Lord is just and loves justice; the upright shall see his face.
Gospel Acclamation: Col 3:1
Alleluia, alleluia! Since you have been brought back to true life with Christ, you must look for the things that are in heaven, where Christ is, sitting at God’s right hand. Alleluia!
Gospel: John 21:20-25
Peter turned and saw the disciple Jesus loved following them – the one who had leaned on his breast at the supper and had said to him, “Lord, who is it that will betray you?” Seeing him, Peter said to Jesus, “What about him, Lord?” Jesus answered, “If I want him to stay behind till I come, what does it matter to you? You are to follow me.” The rumour then went out among the brothers that this disciple would not die. Yet Jesus had not said to Peter, “He will not die”, but, “If I want him to stay behind till I come.” This disciple is the one who vouches for these things and has written them down, and we know that his testimony is true. There were many other things that Jesus did; if all were written down, the world itself, I suppose, would not hold all the books that would have to be written.
Prayer over the Offerings
May the Holy Spirit coming near, we pray, O Lord, prepare our minds for the divine Sacrament, since the Spirit himself is the remission of all sins. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon: Jn 16: 14
The Holy Spirit will glorify me, for he will take from what is mine and declare it to you, says the Lord, alleluia.
Prayer after Communion
Hear in your compassion our prayers, O Lord, that, as we have been brought from things of the past to new mysteries, so, with former ways left behind, we may be made new in holiness of mind. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
The disciple whom Jesus loved. What a description of anyone! Have I ever thought of myself as “the one whom Jesus loved” or have I had an experience that I can remember where I considered myself especially loved by Jesus? To love Jesus and to be loved by Jesus imply following him. Yes, you have to “follow” him in order to fully experience his love. The beloved disciple is charged with “bearing witness” to what has happened in his or her life. I, too, am called to “bear witness” to the “great things the Lord has done” in my life. “For the Mighty One has done great things for me” as I am reminded by Mary’s Magnificat (Luke 1:49).
by Jude Thaddeus Langeh | May 25, 2023 | Evangelium
FRIDAY 26 MAY
SAINT Philippe Néri
He was born in Florence in 1515. At the age of eighteen he went to Rome, and earned his living as a tutor. He undertook much-needed charitable work among the young men of the city, and started a brotherhood to help the sick poor and pilgrims.
Entrance Antiphon: Rom 5: 5; cf. 8,
The love of God has been poured into our hearts through the Spirit of God dwelling within us, alleluia.
Collect
O God, who never cease to bestow the glory of holiness on the faithful servants you raise up for yourself, graciously grant that the Holy Spirit may kindle in us that fire with which he wonderfully filled the heart of Saint Philip Neri. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
First reading: Acts 25:13-21
King Agrippa and Bernice arrived in Caesarea and paid their respects to Festus. Their visit lasted several days, and Festus put Paul’s case before the king. “There is a man here”, he said “whom Felix left behind in custody, and while I was in Jerusalem the chief priests and elders of the Jews laid information against him, demanding his condemnation. But I told them that Romans are not in the habit of surrendering any man, until the accused confronts his accusers and is given an opportunity to defend himself against the charge. So they came here with me, and I wasted no time but took my seat on the tribunal the very next day and had the man brought in. When confronted with him, his accusers did not charge him with any of the crimes I had expected; but they had some argument or other with him about their own religion and about a dead man called Jesus whom Paul alleged to be alive. Not feeling qualified to deal with questions of this sort, I asked him if he would be willing to go to Jerusalem to be tried there on this issue. But Paul put in an appeal for his case to be reserved for the judgement of the august emperor, so I ordered him to be remanded until I could send him to Caesar.”
Psalm 102:1-2, 11-12, 19-20
R/ The Lord has set his sway in heaven.
My soul, give thanks to the Lord all my being, bless his holy name. My soul, give thanks to the Lord and never forget all his blessings.
For as the heavens are high above the earth so strong is his love for those who fear him. As far as the East is from the West, so far does he remove our sins.
The Lord has set his sway in heaven and his kingdom is ruling over all. Give thanks to the Lord, all his angels, mighty in power, fulfilling his word.
Gospel Acclamation: Jn 14: 26
Alleluia, alleluia! The Holy Spirit will teach you everything and remind you of all I have said to you. Alleluia!
Gospel: John 21:15-19
After Jesus had shown himself to his disciples and eaten with them, he said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these others do?” He answered, “Yes Lord, you know I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs.” A second time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” He replied, “Yes, Lord, you know I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Look after my sheep.” Then he said to him a third time, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was upset that he asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” and said, “Lord, you know everything; you know I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. I tell you most solemnly, when you were young you put on your own belt and walked where you liked; but when you grow old you will stretch out your hands, and somebody else will put a belt round you and take you where you would rather not go.” In these words he indicated the kind of death by which Peter would give glory to God. After this he said, “Follow me.”
Prayer over the Offerings
As we offer you the sacrifice of praise, O Lord, we ask that by the example of Saint Philip we may always give ourselves cheerfully for the glory of your name and the service of our neighbour. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon: Jn 15: 9
As the Father loves me, so I also love you; remain in my love, alleluia.
Prayer after Communion
Having fed upon these heavenly delights, we pray, O Lord, that in imitation of Saint Philip we may always long for that food by which we truly live. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
Do you love me? Peter was asked this question, and we, like him, are being asked the same. Do I see the goodness that Jesus sees in me? As Peter stands before Jesus, it is reasonable to assume that he is all too aware of his failure to stand with and for his beloved master during the Passion. And Jesus focuses on his ability to love, not his failure. He does not rebuke him for his betrayals. Because he loves, Peter is reinstated and given a great responsibility to care for the early Christian community. Is this a problem for me, focusing on my failures and being unable to accept that the Lord loves me as I am? Pray and ask God to show you how much he loves you, and that you may be able to understand the signs he gives you.
by Jude Thaddeus Langeh | May 24, 2023 | Evangelium
THURSDAY 25 MAY
Pope SAINT Gregory VII
He was born in Tuscany. He became a monk, and assisted several Popes in reforming and purifying the Church. He was elected pope in 1073 and took the name of Gregory VII. He fought single-mindedly to free the Church from harmful influences and dependence on the state.
Entrance Antiphon: Heb 4: 16
With boldness let us approach the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace as a timely help, alleluia.
Collect
May your Spirit, O Lord, we pray, imbue us powerfully with spiritual gifts, that he may give us a mind pleasing to you and graciously conform us to your will. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
First reading: Acts 22:30,23:6-11
Since the tribune wanted to know what precise charge the Jews were bringing, he freed Paul and gave orders for a meeting of the chief priests and the entire Sanhedrin; then he brought Paul down and stood him in front of them. Now Paul was well aware that one section was made up of Sadducees and the other of Pharisees, so he called out in the Sanhedrin, “Brothers, I am a Pharisee and the son of Pharisees. It is for our hope in the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial.” As soon as he said this a dispute broke out between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the assembly was split between the two parties. For the Sadducees say there is neither resurrection, nor angel, nor spirit, while the Pharisees accept all three. The shouting grew louder, and some of the Scribes from the Pharisees’ party stood up and protested strongly, “We find nothing wrong with this man. Suppose a spirit has spoken to him, or an angel?” Feeling was running high, and the tribune, afraid that they would tear Paul to pieces, ordered his troops to go down and haul him out and bring him into the fortress. Next night, the Lord appeared to him and said, “Courage! You have borne witness for me in Jerusalem, now you must do the same in Rome.”
Psalm 15:1-2,5,7-11
R/ Preserve me, Lord, I take refuge in you.
Preserve me, God, I take refuge in you. I say to the Lord: ‘You are my God. O Lord, it is you who are my portion and cup; it is you yourself who are my prize.’
I will bless the Lord who gives me counsel, who even at night directs my heart. I keep the Lord ever in my sight: since he is at my right hand, I shall stand firm.
And so my heart rejoices, my soul is glad; even my body shall rest in safety. For you will not leave my soul among the dead, nor let your beloved know decay.
You will show me the path of life, the fullness of joy in your presence, at your right hand happiness for ever.
Gospel Acclamation: cf.Jn16:7,13
Alleluia, alleluia! I will send you the Spirit of truth, says the Lord; he will lead you to the complete truth. Alleluia!
Gospel: John 17:20-26
Jesus raised his eyes to heaven and said: “Holy Father, I pray not only for these, but for those also who through their words will believe in me. May they all be one. Father, may they be one in us, as you are in me and I am in you, so that the world may believe it was you who sent me. I have given them the glory you gave to me, that they may be one as we are one. With me in them and you in me, may they be so completely one that the world will realise that it was you who sent me and that I have loved them as much as you loved me. Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, so that they may always see the glory you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. Father, Righteous One, the world has not known you, but I have known you, and these have known that you have sent me. I have made your name known to them and will continue to make it known, so that the love with which you loved me may be in them, and so that I may be in them.”
Prayer over the Offerings
Graciously sanctify these gifts, O Lord, we pray, and, accepting the oblation of this spiritual sacrifice, make of us an eternal offering to you. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon: Jn 16: 7
I tell you the truth, it is for your good that I go; for if I do not go away, the Paraclete will not come to you, says the Lord, alleluia.
Prayer after Communion
May the mysteries we have received, O Lord, we pray, enlighten us by the instruction they bring and restore us through our participation in them, that we may merit the gifts of the Spirit. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
Jesus makes God known through the perfect love he shows to his fragile disciples. The disciples are to be recognized as sent by Jesus by the love they have for one another. There are over 300 references of love in the New Testament. Love is God’s greatest gift to us. Through our love for one another, we reveal God’s love to the world. The pagans said to each other in the early church, “See how these Christians love each other!” May this love impel us to bear witness to Christ even more in our world today.
by Jude Thaddeus Langeh | May 23, 2023 | Evangelium
WEDNESDAY 24 MAY
Blessed Louis-Zépherin Moreau
He was bishop of the St Hyacinthe diocese in Quebec for 25 years, from 1876 until his death.
Entrance Antiphon: Ps 46: 2
All peoples, clap your hands. Cry to God with shouts of joy, alleluia.
Collect
Graciously grant to your Church, O merciful God, that, gathered by the Holy Spirit, she may be devoted to you with all her heart and united in purity of intent. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
First reading: Acts 20:28-38
Paul addressed these words to the elders of the Church of Ephesus: “Be on your guard for yourselves and for all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you the overseers, to feed the Church of God which he bought with his own blood. I know quite well that when I have gone, fierce wolves will invade you and will have no mercy on the flock. Even from your own ranks there will be men coming forward with a travesty of the truth on their lips to induce the disciples to follow them. So be on your guard, remembering how night and day for three years I never failed to keep you right, shedding tears over each one of you. And now I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace that has power to build you up and to give you your inheritance among all the sanctified. I have never asked anyone for money or clothes; you know for yourselves that the work I did earned enough to meet my needs and those of my companions. I did this to show you that this is how we must exert ourselves to support the weak, remembering the words of the Lord Jesus, who himself said, ‘There is more happiness in giving than in receiving.’ When he had finished speaking he knelt down with them all and prayed. By now they were all in tears; they put their arms round Paul’s neck and kissed him; what saddened them most was his saying they would never see his face again. Then they escorted him to the ship.
Psalm 67:29-30, 33-36
R/ Kingdoms of the earth, sing to God.
Show forth, O God, show forth your might, your might, O God, which you have shown for us. For the sake of your temple high in Jerusalem may kings come to you bringing their tribute.
Kingdoms of the earth, sing to God, praise the Lord who rides on the heavens, the ancient heavens. He thunders his voice, his mighty voice. Come, acknowledge the power of God.
His glory is on Israel; his might is in the skies. God is to be feared in his holy place. He is the Lord, Israel’s God. He gives strength and power to his people. Blessed be God!
Gospel Acclamation: Mt 28:19, 20
Alleluia, alleluia! Go, make disciples of all the nations. I am with you always; yes, to the end of time. Alleluia!
Gospel: John 17:11-19
Jesus raised his eyes to heaven and said: “Holy Father, keep those you have given me true to your name, so that they may be one like us. While I was with them, I kept those you had given me true to your name. I have watched over them and not one is lost except the one who chose to be lost, and this was to fulfil the Scriptures. But now I am coming to you and while still in the world I say these things to share my joy with them to the full. I passed your word on to them, and the world hated them, because they belong to the world no more than I belong to the world. I am not asking you to remove them from the world, but to protect them from the evil one. They do not belong to the world any more than I belong to the world. Consecrate them in the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world, and for their sake I consecrate myself so that they too may be consecrated in truth.”
Prayer over the Offerings
Accept, O Lord, we pray, the sacrifices instituted by your commands, and through the sacred mysteries, which we celebrate as our dutiful service, graciously complete the sanctifying work by which you are pleased to redeem us. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon: Jn 15: 26-27
When the Paraclete comes, whom I will send you, the Spirit of Truth who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness to me, and you also will bear witness, says the Lord, alleluia.
Prayer after Communion
May our partaking of this divine Sacrament, O Lord, constantly increase your grace within us, and, by cleansing us with its power, make us always ready to receive so great a gift. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
Jesus prays for me, for us! Very often, we ask others to pray for us and we believe their prayer will benefit us. We trust in the prayers of those whom we consider to be closer to God than we are. Now that we know that Jesus himself prays for us, we can count on his prayers. Thank him for the care and concern he manifests over each of us, and connect your prayer to his. Jesus’ prayer to the Father is not to remove us from the world, to create a safe place where we will not be disturbed, but to protect us from the evil one. Let us pray for the ability to face difficulties as Jesus did, in confidence.
by Jude Thaddeus Langeh | May 21, 2023 | Evangelium
MONDAY 22 MAY
SAINT Rita of Cascia
She was born in Italy. She was married at the age of 12 but became a nun at the death of her husband. She is widely honoured as a patron saint of impossible or lost causes.
Entrance Antiphon: Acts 1: 8
You will receive the power of the Holy Spirit coming upon you, and you will be my witnesses, even to the ends of the earth, alleluia.
Collect
May the power of the Holy Spirit come to us, we pray, O Lord, that we may keep your will faithfully in mind and express it in a devout way of life. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
First reading: Acts 19:1-8
While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul made his way overland as far as Ephesus, where he found a number of disciples. When he asked, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?” they answered, “No, we were never even told there was such a thing as a Holy Spirit.” “Then how were you baptised?” he asked. “With John’s baptism” they replied. “John’s baptism”, said Paul, “was a baptism of repentance; but he insisted that the people should believe in the one who was to come after him – in other words, Jesus.” When they heard this, they were baptised in the name of the Lord Jesus, and the moment Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came down on them, and they began to speak with tongues and to prophesy. There were about twelve of these men. He began by going to the synagogue, where he spoke out boldly and argued persuasively about the kingdom of God. He did this for three months.
Psalm 67(68):2-7
R/ Kingdoms of the earth, sing to God.
Let God arise, let his foes be scattered. Let those who hate him flee before him. As smoke is blown away so will they be blown away; like wax that melts before the fire, so the wicked shall perish at the presence of God.
But the just shall rejoice at the presence of God, they shall exult and dance for joy. O sing to the Lord, make music to his name; rejoice in the Lord, exult at his presence.
Father of the orphan, defender of the widow, such is God in his holy place. God gives the lonely a home to live in; he leads the prisoners forth into freedom.
Gospel Acclamation: Jn16:28
Alleluia, alleluia! I came from the Father and have come into the world, and now I leave the world to go to the Father. Alleluia!
Gospel: John 16:29-33
His disciples said to Jesus, “Now you are speaking plainly and not using metaphors! Now we see that you know everything, and do not have to wait for questions to be put into words; because of this we believe that you came from God.” Jesus answered them: “Do you believe at last? Listen; the time will come – in fact it has come already – when you will be scattered, each going his own way and leaving me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me. I have told you all this so that you may find peace in me. In the world you will have trouble, but be brave: I have conquered the world.”
Prayer over the Offerings
May this unblemished sacrifice purify us, O Lord, and impart to our minds the force of grace from on high. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon: Jn 14: 18; 16: 22
I will not leave you orphans, says the Lord; I will come to you again, and your heart will rejoice, alleluia.
Prayer after Communion
Graciously be present to your people, we pray, O Lord, and lead those you have imbued with heavenly mysteries to pass from former ways to newness of life. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
We certainly can’t blame Jesus for urging us to follow him. Elsewhere he talks about carrying our cross daily and following him, here he talks about the persecution his followers will face. I shouldn’t be surprised if living the Gospel involves difficulties. I have to pray for those who face severe persecution and even the danger of losing their lives for the sake of the truth and the Gospel. Yet Jesus also makes an equally strong statement: Take courage: I have overcome the world. He does not say, I will overcome the world, but I have already overcome it! And he invites me to share the fruits of this victory.
