by Jude Thaddeus Langeh | Jan 6, 2023 | Evangelium

SATURDAY 07 January

SAINT Raymond of Pennafort

Raymond of Pennafort was a Spanish Dominican friar in the 13th-century, who compiled a collection of canon laws that remained a major part of Church law until the 20th century. He is the patron saint of lawyers, especially canon lawyers.

Entrance Antiphon : Gal 4: 4-5

God sent his Son, born of a woman, so that we might receive adoption as children

Collect

Almighty ever-living God, who were pleased to shine forth with new light through the coming of your Only Begotten Son, grant, we pray, that, just as he was pleased to share our bodily form through the child-bearing of the Virgin Mary, so we, too, may one day merit to become companions in his kingdom of grace Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

First reading : 1 John 5:14-21

We are quite confident that if we ask the Son of God for anything, and it is in accordance with his will, he will hear us; and, knowing that whatever we may ask, he hears us, we know that we have already been granted what we asked of him. If anybody sees his brother commit a sin that is not a deadly sin, he has only to pray, and God will give life to the sinner – not those who commit a deadly sin; for there is a sin that is death, and I will not say that you must pray about that. Every kind of wrong-doing is sin, but not all sin is deadly. We know that anyone who has been begotten by God does not sin, because the begotten Son of God protects him, and the Evil One does not touch him. We know that we belong to God, but the whole world lies in the power of the Evil One. We know, too, that the Son of God has come, and has given us the power to know the true God. We are in the true God, as we are in his Son, Jesus Christ. This is the true God, this is eternal life. Children, be on your guard against false gods.

Psalm 149 :1-6,9

R/ The Lord takes delight in his people

Sing a new song to the Lord, his praise in the assembly of the faithful. Let Israel rejoice in its Maker, let Zion’s sons exult in their king.

Let them praise his name with dancing and make music with timbrel and harp. For the Lord takes delight in his people. He crowns the poor with salvation.

Let the faithful rejoice in their glory, shout for joy and take their rest. Let the praise of God be on their lips: this honour is for all his faithful

Gospel Acclamation : Lk7:16

Alléluia, alléluia! . A great prophet has appeared among us; God has visited his people Alléluia.

Gospel: John 2:1-11

There was a wedding at Cana in Galilee. The mother of Jesus was there, and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited. When they ran out of wine, since the wine provided for the wedding was all finished, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” Jesus said, “Woman, why turn to me? My hour has not come yet.” His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” There were six stone water jars standing there, meant for the ablutions that are customary among the Jews: each could hold twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”, and they filled them to the brim. “Draw some out now” he told them, “and take it to the steward.” They did this; the steward tasted the water, and it had turned into wine. Having no idea where it came from – only the servants who had drawn the water knew – the steward called the bridegroom and said, “People generally serve the best wine first, and keep the cheaper sort till the guests have had plenty to drink; but you have kept the best wine till now.” This was the first of the signs given by Jesus: it was given at Cana in Galilee. He let his glory be seen, and his disciples believed in him.

Prayer over the Offerings

O God, who give us the gift of true prayer and of peace, graciously grant that, through this offering, we may do fitting homage to your divine majesty and, by partaking of the sacred mystery, we may be faithfully united in mind and heart. Through Christ our Lord.

Communion Antiphon: Jn 1: 16

From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.

Prayer after Communion

May your people, O Lord, whom you guide and sustain in many ways, experience, both now and in the future, the remedies which you bestow, that, with the needed solace of things that pass away, they may strive with ever deepened trust for things eternal. Through Christ our Lord.

Meditation

To whom do we go when we are in need? Today Jesus manifests his glory at the wedding in Cana, and he is ready to manifest it again in our lives if we go to him through Mary. If we do all that he tells us, as Mary his mother advises us, Christ will fill the empty jars of our lives abundantly as he did at the wedding feast. The first reading confirms this promise when it says: “Beloved, this is the assurance we have with God: if we request according to his will, he hears us… We also know that we get what we have asked of him.”

by Jude Thaddeus Langeh | Jan 5, 2023 | Evangelium

FRIday 06 January

SAINT André Bessette

He was a lay brother of the Congregation of Holy Cross and a significant figure of the Roman Catholic Church among French-Canadians, credited with thousands of reported miraculous healings.

Entrance Antiphon : Ps 111: 4

A light has risen in the darkness for the upright of heart; the Lord is generous, merciful and just.

Collect

Cast your kindly light upon your faithful, Lord, we pray, and with the splendour of your glory set their hearts ever aflame, that they may never cease to acknowledge their Saviour and may truly hold fast to him. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

First reading : 1 John 5: 5-13

Who can overcome the world? Only the man who believes that Jesus is the Son of God: Jesus Christ who came by water and blood, not with water only, but with water and blood; with the Spirit as another witness – since the Spirit is the truth – so that there are three witnesses, the Spirit, the water and the blood, and all three of them agree. We accept the testimony of human witnesses, but God’s testimony is much greater, and this is God’s testimony, given as evidence for his Son. Everybody who believes in the Son of God has this testimony inside him; and anyone who will not believe God is making God out to be a liar, because he has not trusted the testimony God has given about his Son. This is the testimony: God has given us eternal life and this life is in his Son; anyone who has the Son has life, anyone who does not have the Son does not have life. I have written all this to you so that you who believe in the name of the Son of God may be sure that you have eternal life.

Psalm 147:12-15,19-20

R/ O praise the Lord, Jerusalem!

O praise the Lord, Jerusalem! Zion, praise your God! He has strengthened the bars of your gates he has blessed the children within you.

He established peace on your borders, he feeds you with finest wheat. He sends out his word to the earth and swiftly runs his command.

He makes his word known to Jacob, to Israel his laws and decrees. He has not dealt thus with other nations; he has not taught them his decrees.

Gospel Acclamation : cf. Mk 9: 6

Alléluia, alléluia! The heavens opened and the Father’s voice resounded ‘This is my Son, the Beloved. Listen to him. Alléluia.

Gospel : Mark 1:6-11

In the course of his preaching John said: “Someone is following me, someone who is more powerful than I am, and I am not fit to kneel down and undo the strap of his sandals. I have baptised you with water, but he will baptise you with the Holy Spirit.” It was at this time that Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptised in the Jordan by John. No sooner had he come up out of the water than he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit, like a dove, descending on him. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; my favour rests on you.”

Prayer over the Offerings

Receive with favour, O Lord, we pray, the offerings of your people, that what they profess with devotion and faith may be theirs through these heavenly mysteries. Through Christ our Lord.

Communion Antiphon: 1 Jn 4: 9

By this the love of God was revealed to us: God sent his Only Begotten Son into the world, so that we might have life through him.

Prayer after Communion

O God, who touch us through our partaking of your Sacrament, work, we pray, the effects of its power in our hearts, that we may be made fit to receive your gift through this very gift itself. Through Christ our Lord.

Meditation

John the Baptist presents Jesus to us today in all humility… he who baptises in the Spirit. It is righteous to feel unworthy before the Lord; to recognize that we are nothing without him and that in him, the beloved Son in whom the Father finds joy, we have the fullness of life. Today’s Gospel gives us the opportunity for meditation; to ask ourselves whether we remember that God chooses us to manifest Christ in our lives through our Baptism.

by Jude Thaddeus Langeh | Jan 4, 2023 | Evangelium

THURSday 05 January

SAINT John Neumann

This American saint was born in Bohemia in 1811. John was appointed bishop of Philadelphia in 1852. Fluent in many languages, he was dedicated to helping the poor and most abandoned. John died on January 5, 1860 at the age of 48.

Entrance Antiphon : Cf. Jn 1: 1

In the beginning and before all ages, the Word was God and he humbled himself to be born the Saviour of the world.

Collect

O God, who by the Nativity of your Only Begotten Son wondrously began for your people the work of redemption, grant, we pray, to your servants such firmness of faith, that by his guidance they may attain the glorious prize you have promised. 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 : 1 John 3: 11-21   This is the message as you heard it from the beginning: that we are to love one another; not to be like Cain, who belonged to the Evil One and cut his brother’s throat; cut his brother’s throat simply for this reason, that his own life was evil and his brother lived a good life. You must not be surprised, brothers, when the world hates you; we have passed out of death and into life, and of this we can be sure because we love our brothers. If you refuse to love, you must remain dead; to hate your brother is to be a murderer, and murderers, as you know, do not have eternal life in them. This has taught us love – that he gave up his life for us; and we, too, ought to give up our lives for our brothers. If a man who was rich enough in this world’s goods saw that one of his brothers was in need, but closed his heart to him, how could the love of God be living in him? My children, our love is not to be just words or mere talk, but something real and active; only by this can we be certain that we are children of the truth and be able to quieten our conscience in his presence, whatever accusations it may raise against us, because God is greater than our conscience and he knows everything. My dear people, if we cannot be condemned by our own conscience, we need not be afraid in God’s presence.

Psalm 99(100)

R/ Cry out with joy to the Lord, all the earth.

Cry out with joy to the Lord, all the earth. Serve the Lord with gladness. Come before him, singing for joy.

Know that he, the Lord, is God. He made us, we belong to him. We are his people, the sheep of his flock.

Go within his gates, giving thanks. Enter his courts with songs of praise. Give thanks to him and bless his name.

Indeed, how good is the Lord, eternal his merciful love. He is faithful from age to age.

Gospel Acclamation: Heb1:1-2

Alléluia, alléluia! alleluia! At various times in the past and in various different ways, God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets; but in our own time, the last days, he has spoken to us through his Son. Alléluia.

Gospel: John 1:43-51

After Jesus had decided to leave for Galilee, he met Philip and said, “Follow me.” Philip came from the same town, Bethsaida, as Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, the one about whom the prophets wrote: he is Jesus son of Joseph, from Nazareth.” “From Nazareth?” said Nathanael. “Can anything good come from that place?” “Come and see”, replied Philip. When Jesus saw Nathanael coming he said of him, “There is an Israelite who deserves the name, incapable of deceit.” “How do you know me?” said Nathanael. “Before Philip came to call you,” said Jesus “I saw you under the fig tree.” Nathanael answered, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God, you are the King of Israel.” Jesus replied, “You believe that just because I said: I saw you under the fig tree. You will see greater things than that.” And then he added “I tell you most solemnly, you will see heaven laid open and, above the Son of Man, the angels of God ascending and descending.”

Prayer over the Offerings        

Receive our oblation, O Lord, by which is brought about a glorious exchange, that, by offering what you have given, we may merit to receive your very self. Through Christ our Lord.

Communion Antiphon

God so loved the world that he gave his Only Begotten Son, so that all who believe in him may not perish, but may have eternal life.

Prayer after Communion

Grant, we pray, almighty God, that, by the power of these holy mysteries, our life may be constantly sustained. Through Christ our Lord.

Meditation

The Word of God on this day distinguishes between two realities: being a disciple of Christ and becoming a disciple of Christ. To be a disciple of Christ is to accept to follow him as Philip did, beyond geographical movement; it is to introduce Christ to those with whom we live and work, and help others find him. To become a disciple of Christ, like Nathanael, is to go to the Lord as we are and to believe in him who knows us long before we are conceived. Let us strive every day to be among those who believe and follow the Lord who assures us of eternal life.

by Jude Thaddeus Langeh | Jan 3, 2023 | Evangelium

WEDNESday 04 January

SAINT Elizabeth Ann Seton

She was born in New York into an Episcopalian family, who ostracized her and left her penniless when she became a Catholic in 1805. Seton was the first native born American to be canonized by the Catholic Church.

Entrance Antiphon : Is 9:1

A people who walked in darkness has seen a great light; for those dwelling in a land of deep gloom, a light has shone.

Collect

Grant us, almighty God, that the bringer of your salvation, who for the world’s redemption came forth with newness of heavenly light, may dawn afresh in our hearts and bring us constant renewal. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever..

First reading: 1 John 3:7-10

My children, do not let anyone lead you astray: to live a holy life is to be holy just as he is holy; to lead a sinful life is to belong to the devil, since the devil was a sinner from the beginning. It was to undo all that the devil has done that the Son of God appeared. No one who has been begotten by God sins; because God’s seed remains inside him, he cannot sin when he has been begotten by God. In this way we distinguish the children of God from the children of the devil: anybody not living a holy life and not loving his brother is no child of God’s.

Psalm 97(98):1,7-9

R/ All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

Sing a new song to the Lord for he has worked wonders. His right hand and his holy arm have brought salvation.

Let the sea and all within it, thunder; the world, and all its peoples. Let the rivers clap their hands and the hills ring out their joy

At the presence of the Lord: for he comes, he comes to rule the earth. He will rule the world with justice and the peoples with fairness.

Gospel Acclamation : Jn 1: 14, 12

Alléluia, alléluia! The Word became flesh, and dwelt among us. To all who received him he gave power to become children of God  Alléluia.

Gospel: John 1: 35-42

As John stood with two of his disciples, Jesus passed, and John stared hard at him and said, “Look, there is the lamb of God.” Hearing this, the two disciples followed Jesus. Jesus turned round, saw them following and said, “What do you want?” They answered, “Rabbi,” – which means Teacher – “where do you live?” “Come and see”, he replied; so they went and saw where he lived, and stayed with him the rest of that day. It was about the tenth hour. One of these two who became followers of Jesus after hearing what John had said was Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter. Early next morning, Andrew met his brother and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” – which means the Christ – and he took Simon to Jesus. Jesus looked hard at him and said, “You are Simon, son of John; you are to be called Cephas” – meaning Rock.

Prayer over the Offerings

O God, who give us the gift of true prayer and of peace, graciously grant that, through this offering, we may do fitting homage to your divine majesty and, by partaking of the sacred mystery, we may be faithfully united in mind and heart. Through Christ our Lord.

Communion Antiphon: 1 Jn 1: 2

That life which was with the Father became visible, and has appeared to us.

Prayer after Communion

May your people, O Lord, whom you guide and sustain in many ways, experience, both now and in the future, the remedies which you bestow, that, with the needed solace of things that pass away, they may strive with ever deepened trust for things eternal. Through Christ our Lord.

Meditation

In today’s Gospel, Jesus asks a question that is apparently ordinary but of profound significance: “What do you want?” This question is put to us for our meditation and requires an answer from within us. The two disciples of John the Baptist, who had just heard of Christ as the Lamb of God, answered this question by asking another: “Where do you live, Lord?” Thus, they expressed their desire to dwell with him. In answering this same question that Jesus asks us today, may we also courageously express our desire to stay with him, for the person who dwells with the Lord lacks nothing and brings others to him.

by Jude Thaddeus Langeh | Jan 2, 2023 | Evangelium

Tuesday 03 January

SAINT Genevieve

St. Genevieve was born about the year 422, at Nanterre near Paris. The life of St. Genevieve was one of great austerity, constant prayer, and works of charity. She died in the year 512..

Entrance Antiphon : Ps 117: 26-27

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord : The Lord is God and has given us light.

Collect

O God, who in the blessed child-bearing of the holy Virgin Mary kept the flesh of your Son free from the sentence incurred by the human race, grant, we pray, that we, who have been taken up into this new creation, may be freed from the ancient taint of sin. 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 : 1 John 2: 29- 3: 6

You know that God is righteous – then you must recognise that everyone whose life is righteous has been begotten by him. Think of the love that the Father has lavished on us, by letting us be called God’s children; and that is what we are. Because the world refused to acknowledge him, therefore it does not acknowledge us. My dear people, we are already the children of God but what we are to be in the future has not yet been revealed; all we know is, that when it is revealed, we shall be like him because we shall see him as he really is. Surely everyone who entertains this hope must purify himself, must try to be as pure as Christ. Anyone who sins at all breaks the law, because to sin is to break the law. Now you know that he appeared in order to abolish sin, and that in him there is no sin; anyone who lives in God does not sin, and anyone who sins has never seen him or known him.

Psalm 97(98):1, 3-6

R/ All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

Sing a new song to the Lord for he has worked wonders. His right hand and his holy armhave brought salvation.

All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. Shout to the Lord, all the earth,ring out your joy.

Sing psalms to the Lord with the harp with the sound of music. With trumpets and the sound of the horn acclaim the King, the Lord.

Gospel Acclamation

Alléluia, alléluia! A hallowed day has dawned upon us. Come, you nations, worship the Lord, for today a great light has shone down upon the earth  Alléluia. (cf. Jn 1, 14a.12a)

Gospel: John 1: 29-34

Seeing Jesus coming towards him, John said, “Look, there is the lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world. This is the one I spoke of when I said: A man is coming after me who ranks before me because he existed before me. I did not know him myself, and yet it was to reveal him to Israel that I came baptising with water.” John also declared, “I saw the Spirit coming down on him from heaven like a dove and resting on him. I did not know him myself, but he who sent me to baptise with water had said to me, “The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and rest is the one who is going to baptise with the Holy Spirit.” Yes, I have seen and I am the witness that he is the Chosen One of God.”

Prayer over the Offerings

Receive with favour, O Lord, we pray, the offerings of your people, that what they profess with devotion and faith may be theirs through these heavenly mysteries. Through Christ our Lord.

Communion Antiphon: Eph 2: 4; Rm 8: 3          

Because of that great love of his with which God loved us, he sent his Son in the likeness of sinful flesh.

Prayer after Communion

O God, who touch us through our partaking of your Sacrament, work, we pray, the effects of its power in our hearts, that we may be made fit to receive your gift through this very gift itself. Through Christ our Lord..

MEDITATION

The Lamb played an important role in the lives of the Jewish people. The Lamb’s sacrifice was a symbol of deliverance from slavery in Egypt. By calling Jesus the Lamb, John referred to a new spiritual deliverance from the slavery of sin. The question asked by Isaac – the Son of Abraham – at the beginning of Genesis, “where is the lamb of sacrifice?” has now been answered by John in these words: “there is the lamb.” Jesus is the Lamb who takes away our sins. Let us turn to Christ to obtain true freedom from our sins in this new year.

by Jude Thaddeus Langeh | Dec 31, 2022 | Evangelium

Sunday 01 January

Mary, Mother of God

Solemnity

Entrance Antiphon : Cf Is 9 : 1,5

Hail, Holy Mother, who gave birth to the King, who rules heaven and earth forever.

Collect

O God, who through the fruitful virginity of Blessed Mary bestowed on the human race the grace of eternal salvation, grant, we pray, that we may experience the intercession of her, through whom we were found worthy to receive the author of life, our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.

First reading : Numbers 6:22-27

The Lord spoke to Moses and said, ‘Say this to Aaron and his sons: “This is how you are to bless the sons of Israel. You shall say to them: May the Lord bless you and keep you.  May the Lord let his face shine on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord uncover his face to you and bring you peace. This is how they are to call down my name on the sons of Israel, and I will bless them.’

Psalm 66(67): 2-3, 5, 6, 8

R/ O God, be gracious and bless us

O God, be gracious and bless us and let your face shed its light upon us. So will your ways be known upon earth and all nations learn your saving help.

Let the nations be glad and exult for you rule the world with justice. With fairness you rule the peoples, you guide the nations on earth.

Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you. May God still give us his blessing

till the ends of the earth revere him.

Second reading: Galatians 4: 4-7

When the appointed time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born a subject of the Law, to redeem the subjects of the Law and to enable us to be adopted as sons. The proof that you are sons is that God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts: the Spirit that cries, ‘Abba, Father’, and it is this that makes you a son, you are not a slave anymore; and if God has made you son, then he has made you heir.

Gospel Acclamation: Heb 1: 1-2

Alléluia, alléluia! At various times in the past and in various different ways, God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets; but in our own time, the last days, he has spoken to us through his Son. Alléluia!

Gospel: Luke 2: 16-21

The shepherds hurried away to Bethlehem and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in the manger. When they saw the child, they repeated what they had been told about him, and everyone who heard it was astonished at what the shepherds had to say. As for Mary, she treasured all these things and pondered them in her heart. And the shepherds went back glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen; it was exactly as they had been told. When the eighth day came and the child was to be circumcised, they gave him the name Jesus, the name the angel had given him before his conception.

Prayer over the offerings

O God, who in your kindness begin all good things and bring them to fulfilment, grant to us, who find joy in the Solemnity of the holy Mother of God, that, just as we glory in the beginnings of your grace, so one day we may rejoice in its completion. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Communion Antiphon: Heb 13: 8

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

Prayer after Communion

We have received this heavenly Sacrament with joy, O Lord: grant, we pray, that it may lead us to eternal life, for we rejoice to proclaim the blessed ever-Virgin Mary Mother of your Son and Mother of the Church. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

MEDITATION

At the beginning of the New Year, the Church celebrates the Motherhood of Mary. The Council of Ephesus declared that: “If anyone does not confess that Emmanuel is God in truth, and therefore that the Holy Virgin is the mother of God (Theotokos) (for she bore in a fleshly way the Word of God became flesh), let him be anathema.” The confession of Mary being the mother of God does not occupy a doctrinal niche of its own but pertains to the doctrine of Christ and elsewhere of the Church, of which she is seen as the archetype. Since the Child born to Mary is true God, she who bore the true God incarnate is the true mother of God. Paul affirms this in the Second Reading: “When the appointed time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman”. That woman is Mary. As the shepherds in the Gospel hurried to Bethlehem and found Mary, we should also hurry this year with our different intentions and demands to entrust them to our mother Mary so that she can channel them to Jesus.