MONDAY 29 JUNE 2020

by Jude Thaddeus Langeh Basebang | Jun 28, 2020 | Evangelium

monday 29 June 2020

Sts. Peter and Paul, apostles

Two pillars of our faith! Peter’s original name was Simon. Christ Himself gave him the name Cephas or Peter (rock) when they first met and later confirmed it. The first Pope, Peter is the Prince of the Apostles.

Converted from Judaism, Paul did much to advance Christianity among the gentiles, and is considered one of the primary sources of early Church doctrine.

Red

Entrance Antiphon

These are the ones who, living in the flesh, planted the Church with their blood; they drank the chalice of the Lord and became the friends of God.

Collect

O God, who on the Solemnity of the Apostles Peter and Paul, give us the noble and holy joy of this day, grant, we pray, that your Church may, in all things, follow the teaching of those through whom she received the beginnings of right religion. 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 12:1-11

King Herod started persecuting certain members of the Church. He beheaded James the brother of John, and when he saw that this pleased the Jews he decided to arrest Peter as well. This was during the days of Unleavened Bread, and he put Peter in prison, assigning four squads of four soldiers each to guard him in turns. Herod meant to try Peter in public after the end of Passover week. All the time Peter was under guard the Church prayed to God for him unremittingly. On the night before Herod was to try him, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, fastened with double chains, while guards kept watch at the main entrance to the prison. Then suddenly the angel of the Lord stood there, and the cell was filled with light. He tapped Peter on the side and woke him. ‘Get up!’ he said ‘Hurry!’ – and the chains fell from his hands. The angel then said, ‘Put on your belt and sandals.’ After he had done this, the angel next said, ‘Wrap your cloak round you and follow me.’ Peter followed him, but had no idea that what the angel did was all happening in reality; he thought he was seeing a vision. They passed through two guard posts one after the other, and reached the iron gate leading to the city. This opened of its own accord; they went through it and had walked the whole length of one street when suddenly the angel left him. It was only then that Peter came to himself. ‘Now I know it is all true’ he said. ‘The Lord really did send his angel and has saved me from Herod and from all that the Jewish people were so certain would happen to me.’

Psalm 33:2-9

R/   From all my terrors the Lord set me free.

1. I will bless the Lord at all times, his praise always on my lips; in the Lord my soul shall make its boast. The humble shall hear and be glad.
2. Glorify the Lord with me. Together let us praise his name. I sought the Lord and he answered me; from all my terrors he set me free.
3. Look towards him and be radiant; let your faces not be abashed. This poor man called, the Lord heard him and rescued him from all his distress.
4. The angel of the Lord is encamped around those who revere him, to rescue them. Taste and see that the Lord is good. He is happy who seeks refuge in him.

Second reading: 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 17-18

My life is already being poured away as a libation, and the time has come for me to be gone. I have fought the good fight to the end; I have run the race to the finish; I have kept the faith; all there is to come now is the crown of righteousness reserved for me, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to me on that Day; and not only to me but to all those who have longed for his appearing. The Lord stood by me and gave me power, so that through me the whole message might be proclaimed for all the pagans to hear; and so I was rescued from the lion’s mouth. The Lord will rescue me from all evil attempts on me, and bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Gospel Acclamation:  Mt 16:18

Alleluia, alleluia! You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church. And the gates of the  underworld can never hold out against it. Alleluia!

Gospel :  Matthew 16:13-19

When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi he put this question to his disciples, ‘Who do people say the Son of Man is?’ And they said, ‘Some say he is John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.’ ‘But you,’ he said ‘who do you say I am?’ Then Simon Peter spoke up, ‘You are the Christ,’ he said ‘the Son of the living God.’ Jesus replied, ‘Simon son of Jonah, you are a happy man! Because it was not flesh and blood that revealed this to you but my Father in heaven. So I now say to you: You are Peter and on this rock I will build my Church. And the gates of the underworld can never hold out against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven: whatever you bind on earth shall be considered bound in heaven; whatever you loose on earth shall be considered loosed in heaven.’

Prayer over the Offerings

May the prayer of the Apostles, O Lord, accompany the sacrificial gift that we present to your name for consecration, and may their intercession make us devoted to you in celebration of the sacrifice. Through Christ our Lord.

Communion Antiphon: Cf. Mt 16: 16, 18

Peter said to Jesus: You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus replied: You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church.

Prayer after Communion

Grant us, O Lord, who have been renewed by this Sacrament, so to live in the Church, that, persevering in the breaking of the Bread and in the teaching of the Apostles, we may be one heart and one soul, made steadfast in your love. Through Christ our Lord.

Meditation

We remember today Saints Peter and Paul who were instrumental in early years of the Church’s history. The two apostles had two different personalities which helped in the early church: Peter’s impetuousity helped him look after the flock and Paul’s strong character and strong intellectual training helped to ensure that the non-Jews were welcomed in the Church. The people who knew Jesus had different impressions of him: to some he was Q healer to others he was a teacher and to the religious authorities, he was a troublesome leader who threatened their political power. So, when Jesus asks this quintessential question of faith: “who do you say I am?”  The disciples who had followed him and saw all he did and listened to Him daily Had To give a personalized answer. They needed to choose and make the commitment of faith; choose between being a follower, a spectator or an antagonist. Peter answers by proclaiming this profession of faith: “You are the Christ … the Son of the living God.” St Paul met this same Messiah on his way to Damascus when he asked “who are you, Lord?” And the Lord replied: “I am Jesus of Nazareth whom you are persecuting.” Paul had the opportunity to make a choice and he became a great missionary.

SUNDAY 28 JUNE 2020

by Jude Thaddeus Langeh Basebang | Jun 27, 2020 | Evangelium

sunday 28 June 2020

THIRTEENTH SUNDAY IN

ORDINARY TIME

Psalter I

St Irenaeus (130 – 202)

Green

Entrance Antiphon: Ps 46: 2

All peoples, clap your hands. Cry to God with shouts of joy!

Collect

O God, who through the grace of adoption chose us to be children of light, grant, we pray, that we may not be wrapped in the darkness of error but always be seen to stand in the bright light of truth. 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: 2 Kings 4:8-11,13-16

One day as Elisha was on his way to Shunem, a woman of rank who lived there pressed him to stay and eat there. After this he always broke his journey for a meal when he passed that way. She said to her husband, ‘Look, I am sure the man who is constantly passing our way must be a holy man of God. Let us build him a small room on the roof, and put him a bed in it, and a table and chair and lamp; whenever he comes to us he can rest there.’ One day when he came, he retired to the upper room and lay down. He said to his servant Gehazi, ‘Call our Shunammitess. Tell her this: “Look, you have gone to all this trouble for us, what can we do for you? Is there anything you would like said for you to the king or to the commander of the army?”’ But she replied, ‘I live with my own people about me.’ ‘What can be done for her then?’ he asked. Gehazi answered, ‘Well, she has no son and her husband is old.’ Elisha said, ‘Call her.’ The servant called her and she stood at the door. This time next year,’ he said ‘you will hold a son in your arms.’

Psalm 88(89):2-3, 16-19

R/   I will sing forever of your love, O Lord.

1. I will sing forever of your love, O Lord; through all ages my mouth will proclaim your truth. Of this I am sure, that your love lasts forever, that your truth is firmly established as the heavens.
2. Happy the people who acclaim such a king, who walk, O Lord, in the light of your face, who find their joy every day in your name, who make your justice the source of their bliss.
3. For it is you, O Lord, who are the glory of their strength; by your favour it is that our might is exalted; for our ruler is in the keeping of the Lord; our king in the keeping of the Holy One of Israel.

Second reading: Romans 6:3-4, 8-11

When we were baptised in Christ Jesus we were baptised in his death; in other words, when we were baptised we went into the tomb with him and joined him in death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the Father’s glory, we too might live a new life. But we believe that having died with Christ we shall return to life with him: Christ, as we know, having been raised from the dead will never die again. Death has no power over him anymore. When he died, he died, once for all, to sin, so his life now is life with God; and in that way, you too must consider yourselves to be dead to sin but alive for God in Christ Jesus.

Gospel Acclamation : Ac 16:14

Alleluia, alleluia! Open our heart, O Lord, to accept the words of your Son. Alleluia!

Gospel: Matthew 10: 37-42

Jesus instructed the Twelve as follows: ‘Anyone who prefers father or mother to me is not worthy of me. Anyone who prefers son or daughter to me is not worthy of me. Anyone who does not take his cross and follow in my footsteps is not worthy of me. Anyone who finds his life will lose it; anyone who loses his life for my sake will find it. ‘Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me; and those who welcome me welcome the one who sent me. ‘Anyone who welcomes a prophet will have a prophet’s reward; and anyone who welcomes a holy man will have a holy man’s reward. ‘If anyone gives so much as a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is a disciple, then I tell you solemnly, he will most certainly not lose his reward.’

Prayer over the Offerings

O God, who graciously accomplish the effects of your mysteries, grant, we pray, that the deeds by which we serve you may be worthy of these sacred gifts. Through Christ our Lord.

Communion Antiphon: Ps 102: 1

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all within me, his holy name.

Prayer after Communion

May this divine sacrifice we have offered and received fill us with life, O Lord, we pray, so that, bound to you in lasting charity, we may bear fruit that lasts forever. Through Christ our Lord.

Meditation

The readings today bring out one clear theme: hospitality. In the first reading, the Shunammite woman does not only welcome the prophet Elisha but goes ahead to make a room for him in her home. She has no special interests and does not intend to gain praises from the public. Her kind gesture and hospitality are due to the fact that Elisha is a prophet, a holy man of God. She received the Lord’s blessing when the prophet promised this childless couple the gift of a child. The gesture of this woman is re-echoed in the Gospel when Jesus says, “Anyone who welcomes a prophet will have a prophet’s reward; and anyone who welcomes a holy man will have a holy man’s reward.” Jesus also speaks of the need to put the Lord first in our lives, even before our own families. Our condition as disciples is not therefore a marginal or a secondary aspect of our lives, it is the central aspect of our being. We are therefore called upon to open our hearts to the Lord just as this woman did when she received Elisha. When we love God first and above everything, then all other relationships will become meaningful. Without God any relationship will have no foundation and no basis. Saint Paul confirms this in our second reading, taken from the Letter to the Romans when he says, “…so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the Father’s glory, we too might live a new life.” We can only reach the newness of life if we trust in God and allow him to live in our hearts and to become instruments of his divine will.

SATURDAY 27 JUNE 2020

by Jude Thaddeus Langeh Basebang | Jun 26, 2020 | Evangelium

saturday 27 June 2020

St Cyril of Alexandria (370 – 444)

BVM

St. Cyril of Alexandria, Bishop and Doctor of the Church was born in Alexandria, Egypt. He was nephew of the patriarch of that city, Theophilus. Cyril wrote treatises that clarified the doctrines of the Trinity and the Incarnation from heretical interpretations.

Green/White

Entrance Antiphon: Ps 27: 8-9

The Lord is the strength of his people, a saving refuge for the one he has anointed. Save your people, Lord, and bless your heritage, and govern them forever.

Collect

Grant, O Lord, that we may always revere and love your holy name, for you never deprive of your guidance those you set firm on the foundation of your love. 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: Lamentations 2:2,10-14,18-19

The Lord has pitilessly destroyed all the homes of Jacob; in his displeasure he has shattered the strongholds of the daughter of Judah; he has thrown to the ground, he has left accursed the kingdom and its rulers. Mutely they sit on the ground, the elders of the daughter of Zion; they have put dust on their heads, and wrapped themselves in sackcloth. The virgins of Jerusalem hang their heads down to the ground. My eyes wasted away with weeping, my entrails shuddered, my liver spilled on the ground at the ruin of the daughters of my people, as children, mere infants, fainted in the squares of the Citadel. They kept saying to their mothers, ‘Where is the bread?’ as they fainted like wounded men in the squares of the City, as they poured out their souls on their mothers’ breasts. How can I describe you, to what compare you, daughter of Jerusalem? Who can rescue and comfort you, virgin daughter of Zion? For huge as the sea is your affliction; who can possibly cure you? The visions your prophets had on your behalf were delusive, tinsel things, they never pointed out your sin, to ward off your exile. The visions they proffered you were false, fallacious, misleading. Cry aloud, then, to the Lord, groan, daughter of Zion; let your tears flow like a torrent, day and night; give yourself no relief, grant your eyes no rest. Up, cry out in the night-time, in the early hours of darkness; pour your heart out like water before the Lord. Stretch out your hands to him for the lives of your children who faint with hunger at the entrance to every street.

Psalm 73(74):1-7, 20-21

R/   Do not forget your poor servants forever.

1. Why, O God, have you cast us off forever? Why blaze with anger at the sheep of your pasture? Remember your people whom you chose long ago, the tribe you redeemed to be your own possession, the mountain of Zion where you made your dwelling.
2. Turn your steps to these places that are utterly ruined! The enemy has laid waste the whole of the sanctuary. Your foes have made uproar in your house of prayer: they have set up their emblems, their foreign emblems, high above the entrance to the sanctuary.
3. Their axes have battered the wood of its doors. They have struck together with hatchet and pickaxe. O God, they have set your sanctuary on fire: they have razed and profaned the place where you dwell.
4. Remember your covenant; every cave in the land is a place where violence makes its home. Do not let the oppressed return disappointed; let the poor and the needy bless your name.

Gospel Acclamation: 2 Tim 1:10

Alleluia, alleluia! Our Saviour Jesus Christ abolished death and he has proclaimed life through the Good News. Alleluia!

Gospel: Matthew 8:5-17

When Jesus went into Capernaum a centurion came up and pleaded with him. ‘Sir,’ he said ‘my servant is lying at home paralysed, and in great pain.’ ‘I will come myself and cure him’ said Jesus. The centurion replied, ‘Sir, I am not worthy to have you under my roof; just give the word and my servant will be cured. For I am under authority myself, and have soldiers under me; and I say to one man: Go, and he goes; to another: Come here, and he comes; to my servant: Do this, and he does it.’ When Jesus heard this he was astonished and said to those following him, ‘I tell you solemnly, nowhere in Israel have I found faith like this. And I tell you that many will come from east and west to take their places with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob at the feast in the kingdom of heaven; but the subjects of the kingdom will be turned out into the dark, where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth.’ And to the centurion Jesus said, ‘Go back, then; you have believed, so let this be done for you.’ And the servant was cured at that moment. And going into Peter’s house Jesus found Peter’s mother-in-law in bed with fever. He touched her hand and the fever left her, and she got up and began to wait on him. That evening they brought him many who were possessed by devils. He cast out the spirits with a word and cured all who were sick. This was to fulfil the prophecy of Isaiah: He took our sicknesses away and carried our diseases for us.

Prayer over the Offerings

Receive, O Lord, the sacrifice of conciliation and praise and grant that, cleansed by its action, we may make offering of a heart pleasing to you. Through Christ our Lord.

Communion Antiphon: Ps 144: 15

The eyes of all look to you, Lord, and you give them their food in due season.

Prayer after Communion

Renewed and nourished by the Sacred Body and Precious Blood of your Son, we ask of your mercy, O Lord, that what we celebrate with constant devotion may be our sure pledge of redemption.

Through Christ our Lord.

Meditation

In today’s Gospel recounts a very rich profession of faith from a centurion who was not a Jew. The encounter was already a sign of the future role of Gentiles in the Christian community, which at first would be predominantly Jewish.  The centurion asks Jesus to cure his servant who had become paralysed, but he draws our attention when he says, “Sir, I am not worthy to have you under my roof; just give the word and my servant will be cured…” These words later became part of the liturgical text which we use just before Communion. Jesus is astonished at this beautiful expression of faith and foretells the future of the Church where Gentiles from all over the world would come and take possession of the Kingdom of God. What Jesus expects of his followers is that act of trust and surrender by which they can commit themselves to the power of God. As Jesus turns to the centurion he says, “Go back, then; you have believed, so let this be done for you.” The central theme in many other healings is the crucial element of faith in the people who approach Jesus. Faith is the only condition required. One’s position, race or gender is irrelevant.

FRIDAY 26 JUNE 2020

by Jude Thaddeus Langeh Basebang | Jun 25, 2020 | Evangelium

friday 26 June 2020

St. Anthelm of Belley (1107–1178)

Anthelm was born in 1107 in a castle near Chambery, in Savoy, France. He was a prior of the Carthusian Grand Chartreuse and bishop of Belley. In liturgical art, Anthelm is depicted with a lamp lit by a divine hand. He was remarkable for monastic reforms.

Green

Entrance Antiphon: Ps 27: 8-9

The Lord is the strength of his people, a saving refuge for the one he has anointed. Save your people, Lord, and bless your heritage, and govern them forever.

Collect

Grant, O Lord, that we may always revere and love your holy name, for you never deprive of your guidance those you set firm on the foundation of your love. 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: 2 Kings 25:1-12

In the ninth year of Zedekiah’s reign, in the tenth month, on the tenth day of the month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came with his whole army to attack Jerusalem; he pitched camp in front of the city and threw up earthworks round it. The city lay under siege till the eleventh year of King Zedekiah. In the fourth month, on the ninth day of the month, when famine was raging in the city and there was no food for the populace, a breach was made in the city wall. At once, the king made his escape under cover of dark, with all the fighting men, by way of the gate between the two walls, which is near the king’s garden – the Chaldaeans had surrounded the city – and made his way towards the Arabah. The Chaldaean troops pursued the king and caught up with him in the plains of Jericho, where all his troops deserted. The Chaldaeans captured the king and took him to the king of Babylon at Riblah, who passed sentence on him. He had the sons of Zedekiah slaughtered before his eyes, then put out Zedekiah’s eyes and, loading him with chains, carried him off to Babylon. In the fifth month, on the seventh day of the month – it was in the nineteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon – Nebuzaradan, commander of the guard, an officer of the king of Babylon, entered Jerusalem. He burned down the Temple of the Lord, the royal palace and all the houses in Jerusalem. The Chaldaean troops who accompanied the commander of the guard demolished the walls surrounding Jerusalem. Nebuzaradan, commander of the guard, deported the remainder of the population left behind in the city, the deserters who had gone over to the king of Babylon, and the rest of the common people. The commander of the guard left some of the humbler country people as vineyard workers and ploughmen.

Psalm 136(137):1-6

R/  O let my tongue cleave to my mouth if I remember you not!

1. By the rivers of Babylon there we sat and wept, remembering Zion; on the poplars that grew there we hung up our harps.
2. For it was there that they asked us, our captors, for songs, our oppressors, for joy. ‘Sing to us,’ they said, ‘one of Zion’s songs.’
3. O how could we sing the song of the Lord on alien soil? If I forget you, Jerusalem, let my right hand wither!
4. O let my tongue cleave to my mouth if I remember you not, if I prize not Jerusalem above all my joys!

Gospel Acclamation: Ps144:13

Alleluia, alleluia! The Lord is faithful in all his words and loving in all his deeds. Alleluia!

Gospel: Matthew 8:1-4

After Jesus had come down from the mountain large crowds followed him. A leper now came up and bowed low in front of him. ‘Sir,’ he said ‘if you want to, you can cure me.’ Jesus stretched out his hand, touched him and said, ‘Of course I want to! Be cured!’ And his leprosy was cured at once. Then Jesus said to him, ‘Mind you do not tell anyone, but go and show yourself to the priest and make the offering prescribed by Moses, as evidence for them.’

Prayer over the Offerings

Receive, O Lord, the sacrifice of conciliation and praise and grant that, cleansed by its action, we may make offering of a heart pleasing to you. Through Christ our Lord.

Communion Antiphon: Ps 144: 15

The eyes of all look to you, Lord, and you give them their food in due season.

Prayer after Communion

Renewed and nourished by the Sacred Body and Precious Blood of your Son, we ask of your mercy, O Lord, that what we celebrate with constant devotion may be our sure pledge of redemption. Through Christ our Lord.

Meditation

The value of every human life matters a lot. Jesus focuses on a leper Instead of tending to the great crowds that were following him. To be sick of leprosy was a horrible experience because one was not only physically isolated but suffered from loneliness and separation from society and religion. He breaks the norms of religion in order to enter into contact with Jesus. The law forbade lepers from talking to anyone and They had to keep away from the society. Jesus went as far as touching an unclean person which rendered him unclean as well. The leper is a man of faith for he asks, “Sir, if you want to, you can cure me.” and Jesus’ response “Of course I want to! Be cured! “shows that the man received double healing: first, from the sickness of leprosy which him unclean and secondly, from the sickness of solitude and loneliness. He becomes the centre of divine attention. Jesus’ welcoming of the leper was an infringement of social norms, but this gesture shows that everyone is welcome in his house, at his table and in his presence. Who are the lepers in our society today? We can identify some in our societies: some AIDS patients, some children born with disabilities, people whose points of view differ from ours and are thus treated with bias based on tribe, race or religion.

friday 26 June 2020

St. Anthelm of Belley (1107–1178)

Anthelm was born in 1107 in a castle near Chambery, in Savoy, France. He was a prior of the Carthusian Grand Chartreuse and bishop of Belley. In liturgical art, Anthelm is depicted with a lamp lit by a divine hand. He was remarkable for monastic reforms.

Green

Entrance Antiphon: Ps 27: 8-9

The Lord is the strength of his people, a saving refuge for the one he has anointed. Save your people, Lord, and bless your heritage, and govern them forever.

Collect

Grant, O Lord, that we may always revere and love your holy name, for you never deprive of your guidance those you set firm on the foundation of your love. 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: 2 Kings 25:1-12

In the ninth year of Zedekiah’s reign, in the tenth month, on the tenth day of the month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came with his whole army to attack Jerusalem; he pitched camp in front of the city and threw up earthworks round it. The city lay under siege till the eleventh year of King Zedekiah. In the fourth month, on the ninth day of the month, when famine was raging in the city and there was no food for the populace, a breach was made in the city wall. At once, the king made his escape under cover of dark, with all the fighting men, by way of the gate between the two walls, which is near the king’s garden – the Chaldaeans had surrounded the city – and made his way towards the Arabah. The Chaldaean troops pursued the king and caught up with him in the plains of Jericho, where all his troops deserted. The Chaldaeans captured the king and took him to the king of Babylon at Riblah, who passed sentence on him. He had the sons of Zedekiah slaughtered before his eyes, then put out Zedekiah’s eyes and, loading him with chains, carried him off to Babylon. In the fifth month, on the seventh day of the month – it was in the nineteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon – Nebuzaradan, commander of the guard, an officer of the king of Babylon, entered Jerusalem. He burned down the Temple of the Lord, the royal palace and all the houses in Jerusalem. The Chaldaean troops who accompanied the commander of the guard demolished the walls surrounding Jerusalem. Nebuzaradan, commander of the guard, deported the remainder of the population left behind in the city, the deserters who had gone over to the king of Babylon, and the rest of the common people. The commander of the guard left some of the humbler country people as vineyard workers and ploughmen.

Psalm 136(137):1-6

R/  O let my tongue cleave to my mouth if I remember you not!

1. By the rivers of Babylon there we sat and wept, remembering Zion; on the poplars that grew there we hung up our harps.
2. For it was there that they asked us, our captors, for songs, our oppressors, for joy. ‘Sing to us,’ they said, ‘one of Zion’s songs.’
3. O how could we sing the song of the Lord on alien soil? If I forget you, Jerusalem, let my right hand wither!
4. O let my tongue cleave to my mouth if I remember you not, if I prize not Jerusalem above all my joys!

Gospel Acclamation: Ps144:13

Alleluia, alleluia! The Lord is faithful in all his words and loving in all his deeds. Alleluia!

Gospel: Matthew 8:1-4

After Jesus had come down from the mountain large crowds followed him. A leper now came up and bowed low in front of him. ‘Sir,’ he said ‘if you want to, you can cure me.’ Jesus stretched out his hand, touched him and said, ‘Of course I want to! Be cured!’ And his leprosy was cured at once. Then Jesus said to him, ‘Mind you do not tell anyone, but go and show yourself to the priest and make the offering prescribed by Moses, as evidence for them.’

Prayer over the Offerings

Receive, O Lord, the sacrifice of conciliation and praise and grant that, cleansed by its action, we may make offering of a heart pleasing to you. Through Christ our Lord.

Communion Antiphon: Ps 144: 15

The eyes of all look to you, Lord, and you give them their food in due season.

Prayer after Communion

Renewed and nourished by the Sacred Body and Precious Blood of your Son, we ask of your mercy, O Lord, that what we celebrate with constant devotion may be our sure pledge of redemption. Through Christ our Lord.

Meditation

The value of every human life matters a lot. Jesus focuses on a leper Instead of tending to the great crowds that were following him. To be sick of leprosy was a horrible experience because one was not only physically isolated but suffered from loneliness and separation from society and religion. He breaks the norms of religion in order to enter into contact with Jesus. The law forbade lepers from talking to anyone and They had to keep away from the society. Jesus went as far as touching an unclean person which rendered him unclean as well. The leper is a man of faith for he asks, “Sir, if you want to, you can cure me.” and Jesus’ response “Of course I want to! Be cured! “shows that the man received double healing: first, from the sickness of leprosy which him unclean and secondly, from the sickness of solitude and loneliness. He becomes the centre of divine attention. Jesus’ welcoming of the leper was an infringement of social norms, but this gesture shows that everyone is welcome in his house, at his table and in his presence. Who are the lepers in our society today? We can identify some in our societies: some AIDS patients, some children born with disabilities, people whose points of view differ from ours and are thus treated with bias based on tribe, race or religion.

friday 26 June 2020

St. Anthelm of Belley (1107–1178)

Anthelm was born in 1107 in a castle near Chambery, in Savoy, France. He was a prior of the Carthusian Grand Chartreuse and bishop of Belley. In liturgical art, Anthelm is depicted with a lamp lit by a divine hand. He was remarkable for monastic reforms.

Green

Entrance Antiphon: Ps 27: 8-9

The Lord is the strength of his people, a saving refuge for the one he has anointed. Save your people, Lord, and bless your heritage, and govern them forever.

Collect

Grant, O Lord, that we may always revere and love your holy name, for you never deprive of your guidance those you set firm on the foundation of your love. 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: 2 Kings 25:1-12

In the ninth year of Zedekiah’s reign, in the tenth month, on the tenth day of the month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came with his whole army to attack Jerusalem; he pitched camp in front of the city and threw up earthworks round it. The city lay under siege till the eleventh year of King Zedekiah. In the fourth month, on the ninth day of the month, when famine was raging in the city and there was no food for the populace, a breach was made in the city wall. At once, the king made his escape under cover of dark, with all the fighting men, by way of the gate between the two walls, which is near the king’s garden – the Chaldaeans had surrounded the city – and made his way towards the Arabah. The Chaldaean troops pursued the king and caught up with him in the plains of Jericho, where all his troops deserted. The Chaldaeans captured the king and took him to the king of Babylon at Riblah, who passed sentence on him. He had the sons of Zedekiah slaughtered before his eyes, then put out Zedekiah’s eyes and, loading him with chains, carried him off to Babylon. In the fifth month, on the seventh day of the month – it was in the nineteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon – Nebuzaradan, commander of the guard, an officer of the king of Babylon, entered Jerusalem. He burned down the Temple of the Lord, the royal palace and all the houses in Jerusalem. The Chaldaean troops who accompanied the commander of the guard demolished the walls surrounding Jerusalem. Nebuzaradan, commander of the guard, deported the remainder of the population left behind in the city, the deserters who had gone over to the king of Babylon, and the rest of the common people. The commander of the guard left some of the humbler country people as vineyard workers and ploughmen.

Psalm 136(137):1-6

R/  O let my tongue cleave to my mouth if I remember you not!

1. By the rivers of Babylon there we sat and wept, remembering Zion; on the poplars that grew there we hung up our harps.
2. For it was there that they asked us, our captors, for songs, our oppressors, for joy. ‘Sing to us,’ they said, ‘one of Zion’s songs.’
3. O how could we sing the song of the Lord on alien soil? If I forget you, Jerusalem, let my right hand wither!
4. O let my tongue cleave to my mouth if I remember you not, if I prize not Jerusalem above all my joys!

Gospel Acclamation: Ps144:13

Alleluia, alleluia! The Lord is faithful in all his words and loving in all his deeds. Alleluia!

Gospel: Matthew 8:1-4

After Jesus had come down from the mountain large crowds followed him. A leper now came up and bowed low in front of him. ‘Sir,’ he said ‘if you want to, you can cure me.’ Jesus stretched out his hand, touched him and said, ‘Of course I want to! Be cured!’ And his leprosy was cured at once. Then Jesus said to him, ‘Mind you do not tell anyone, but go and show yourself to the priest and make the offering prescribed by Moses, as evidence for them.’

Prayer over the Offerings

Receive, O Lord, the sacrifice of conciliation and praise and grant that, cleansed by its action, we may make offering of a heart pleasing to you. Through Christ our Lord.

Communion Antiphon: Ps 144: 15

The eyes of all look to you, Lord, and you give them their food in due season.

Prayer after Communion

Renewed and nourished by the Sacred Body and Precious Blood of your Son, we ask of your mercy, O Lord, that what we celebrate with constant devotion may be our sure pledge of redemption. Through Christ our Lord.

Meditation

The value of every human life matters a lot. Jesus focuses on a leper Instead of tending to the great crowds that were following him. To be sick of leprosy was a horrible experience because one was not only physically isolated but suffered from loneliness and separation from society and religion. He breaks the norms of religion in order to enter into contact with Jesus. The law forbade lepers from talking to anyone and They had to keep away from the society. Jesus went as far as touching an unclean person which rendered him unclean as well. The leper is a man of faith for he asks, “Sir, if you want to, you can cure me.” and Jesus’ response “Of course I want to! Be cured! “shows that the man received double healing: first, from the sickness of leprosy which him unclean and secondly, from the sickness of solitude and loneliness. He becomes the centre of divine attention. Jesus’ welcoming of the leper was an infringement of social norms, but this gesture shows that everyone is welcome in his house, at his table and in his presence. Who are the lepers in our society today? We can identify some in our societies: some AIDS patients, some children born with disabilities, people whose points of view differ from ours and are thus treated with bias based on tribe, race or religion.

friday 26 June 2020

St. Anthelm of Belley (1107–1178)

Anthelm was born in 1107 in a castle near Chambery, in Savoy, France. He was a prior of the Carthusian Grand Chartreuse and bishop of Belley. In liturgical art, Anthelm is depicted with a lamp lit by a divine hand. He was remarkable for monastic reforms.

Green

Entrance Antiphon: Ps 27: 8-9

The Lord is the strength of his people, a saving refuge for the one he has anointed. Save your people, Lord, and bless your heritage, and govern them forever.

Collect

Grant, O Lord, that we may always revere and love your holy name, for you never deprive of your guidance those you set firm on the foundation of your love. 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: 2 Kings 25:1-12

In the ninth year of Zedekiah’s reign, in the tenth month, on the tenth day of the month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came with his whole army to attack Jerusalem; he pitched camp in front of the city and threw up earthworks round it. The city lay under siege till the eleventh year of King Zedekiah. In the fourth month, on the ninth day of the month, when famine was raging in the city and there was no food for the populace, a breach was made in the city wall. At once, the king made his escape under cover of dark, with all the fighting men, by way of the gate between the two walls, which is near the king’s garden – the Chaldaeans had surrounded the city – and made his way towards the Arabah. The Chaldaean troops pursued the king and caught up with him in the plains of Jericho, where all his troops deserted. The Chaldaeans captured the king and took him to the king of Babylon at Riblah, who passed sentence on him. He had the sons of Zedekiah slaughtered before his eyes, then put out Zedekiah’s eyes and, loading him with chains, carried him off to Babylon. In the fifth month, on the seventh day of the month – it was in the nineteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon – Nebuzaradan, commander of the guard, an officer of the king of Babylon, entered Jerusalem. He burned down the Temple of the Lord, the royal palace and all the houses in Jerusalem. The Chaldaean troops who accompanied the commander of the guard demolished the walls surrounding Jerusalem. Nebuzaradan, commander of the guard, deported the remainder of the population left behind in the city, the deserters who had gone over to the king of Babylon, and the rest of the common people. The commander of the guard left some of the humbler country people as vineyard workers and ploughmen.

Psalm 136(137):1-6

R/  O let my tongue cleave to my mouth if I remember you not!

1. By the rivers of Babylon there we sat and wept, remembering Zion; on the poplars that grew there we hung up our harps.
2. For it was there that they asked us, our captors, for songs, our oppressors, for joy. ‘Sing to us,’ they said, ‘one of Zion’s songs.’
3. O how could we sing the song of the Lord on alien soil? If I forget you, Jerusalem, let my right hand wither!
4. O let my tongue cleave to my mouth if I remember you not, if I prize not Jerusalem above all my joys!

Gospel Acclamation: Ps144:13

Alleluia, alleluia! The Lord is faithful in all his words and loving in all his deeds. Alleluia!

Gospel: Matthew 8:1-4

After Jesus had come down from the mountain large crowds followed him. A leper now came up and bowed low in front of him. ‘Sir,’ he said ‘if you want to, you can cure me.’ Jesus stretched out his hand, touched him and said, ‘Of course I want to! Be cured!’ And his leprosy was cured at once. Then Jesus said to him, ‘Mind you do not tell anyone, but go and show yourself to the priest and make the offering prescribed by Moses, as evidence for them.’

Prayer over the Offerings

Receive, O Lord, the sacrifice of conciliation and praise and grant that, cleansed by its action, we may make offering of a heart pleasing to you. Through Christ our Lord.

Communion Antiphon: Ps 144: 15

The eyes of all look to you, Lord, and you give them their food in due season.

Prayer after Communion

Renewed and nourished by the Sacred Body and Precious Blood of your Son, we ask of your mercy, O Lord, that what we celebrate with constant devotion may be our sure pledge of redemption. Through Christ our Lord.

Meditation

The value of every human life matters a lot. Jesus focuses on a leper Instead of tending to the great crowds that were following him. To be sick of leprosy was a horrible experience because one was not only physically isolated but suffered from loneliness and separation from society and religion. He breaks the norms of religion in order to enter into contact with Jesus. The law forbade lepers from talking to anyone and They had to keep away from the society. Jesus went as far as touching an unclean person which rendered him unclean as well. The leper is a man of faith for he asks, “Sir, if you want to, you can cure me.” and Jesus’ response “Of course I want to! Be cured! “shows that the man received double healing: first, from the sickness of leprosy which him unclean and secondly, from the sickness of solitude and loneliness. He becomes the centre of divine attention. Jesus’ welcoming of the leper was an infringement of social norms, but this gesture shows that everyone is welcome in his house, at his table and in his presence. Who are the lepers in our society today? We can identify some in our societies: some AIDS patients, some children born with disabilities, people whose points of view differ from ours and are thus treated with bias based on tribe, race or religion.

friday 26 June 2020

St. Anthelm of Belley (1107–1178)

Anthelm was born in 1107 in a castle near Chambery, in Savoy, France. He was a prior of the Carthusian Grand Chartreuse and bishop of Belley. In liturgical art, Anthelm is depicted with a lamp lit by a divine hand. He was remarkable for monastic reforms.

Green

Entrance Antiphon: Ps 27: 8-9

The Lord is the strength of his people, a saving refuge for the one he has anointed. Save your people, Lord, and bless your heritage, and govern them forever.

Collect

Grant, O Lord, that we may always revere and love your holy name, for you never deprive of your guidance those you set firm on the foundation of your love. 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: 2 Kings 25:1-12

In the ninth year of Zedekiah’s reign, in the tenth month, on the tenth day of the month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came with his whole army to attack Jerusalem; he pitched camp in front of the city and threw up earthworks round it. The city lay under siege till the eleventh year of King Zedekiah. In the fourth month, on the ninth day of the month, when famine was raging in the city and there was no food for the populace, a breach was made in the city wall. At once, the king made his escape under cover of dark, with all the fighting men, by way of the gate between the two walls, which is near the king’s garden – the Chaldaeans had surrounded the city – and made his way towards the Arabah. The Chaldaean troops pursued the king and caught up with him in the plains of Jericho, where all his troops deserted. The Chaldaeans captured the king and took him to the king of Babylon at Riblah, who passed sentence on him. He had the sons of Zedekiah slaughtered before his eyes, then put out Zedekiah’s eyes and, loading him with chains, carried him off to Babylon. In the fifth month, on the seventh day of the month – it was in the nineteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon – Nebuzaradan, commander of the guard, an officer of the king of Babylon, entered Jerusalem. He burned down the Temple of the Lord, the royal palace and all the houses in Jerusalem. The Chaldaean troops who accompanied the commander of the guard demolished the walls surrounding Jerusalem. Nebuzaradan, commander of the guard, deported the remainder of the population left behind in the city, the deserters who had gone over to the king of Babylon, and the rest of the common people. The commander of the guard left some of the humbler country people as vineyard workers and ploughmen.

Psalm 136(137):1-6

R/  O let my tongue cleave to my mouth if I remember you not!

1. By the rivers of Babylon there we sat and wept, remembering Zion; on the poplars that grew there we hung up our harps.
2. For it was there that they asked us, our captors, for songs, our oppressors, for joy. ‘Sing to us,’ they said, ‘one of Zion’s songs.’
3. O how could we sing the song of the Lord on alien soil? If I forget you, Jerusalem, let my right hand wither!
4. O let my tongue cleave to my mouth if I remember you not, if I prize not Jerusalem above all my joys!

Gospel Acclamation: Ps144:13

Alleluia, alleluia! The Lord is faithful in all his words and loving in all his deeds. Alleluia!

Gospel: Matthew 8:1-4

After Jesus had come down from the mountain large crowds followed him. A leper now came up and bowed low in front of him. ‘Sir,’ he said ‘if you want to, you can cure me.’ Jesus stretched out his hand, touched him and said, ‘Of course I want to! Be cured!’ And his leprosy was cured at once. Then Jesus said to him, ‘Mind you do not tell anyone, but go and show yourself to the priest and make the offering prescribed by Moses, as evidence for them.’

Prayer over the Offerings

Receive, O Lord, the sacrifice of conciliation and praise and grant that, cleansed by its action, we may make offering of a heart pleasing to you. Through Christ our Lord.

Communion Antiphon: Ps 144: 15

The eyes of all look to you, Lord, and you give them their food in due season.

Prayer after Communion

Renewed and nourished by the Sacred Body and Precious Blood of your Son, we ask of your mercy, O Lord, that what we celebrate with constant devotion may be our sure pledge of redemption. Through Christ our Lord.

Meditation

The value of every human life matters a lot. Jesus focuses on a leper Instead of tending to the great crowds that were following him. To be sick of leprosy was a horrible experience because one was not only physically isolated but suffered from loneliness and separation from society and religion. He breaks the norms of religion in order to enter into contact with Jesus. The law forbade lepers from talking to anyone and They had to keep away from the society. Jesus went as far as touching an unclean person which rendered him unclean as well. The leper is a man of faith for he asks, “Sir, if you want to, you can cure me.” and Jesus’ response “Of course I want to! Be cured! “shows that the man received double healing: first, from the sickness of leprosy which him unclean and secondly, from the sickness of solitude and loneliness. He becomes the centre of divine attention. Jesus’ welcoming of the leper was an infringement of social norms, but this gesture shows that everyone is welcome in his house, at his table and in his presence. Who are the lepers in our society today? We can identify some in our societies: some AIDS patients, some children born with disabilities, people whose points of view differ from ours and are thus treated with bias based on tribe, race or religion.

friday 26 June 2020

St. Anthelm of Belley (1107–1178)

Anthelm was born in 1107 in a castle near Chambery, in Savoy, France. He was a prior of the Carthusian Grand Chartreuse and bishop of Belley. In liturgical art, Anthelm is depicted with a lamp lit by a divine hand. He was remarkable for monastic reforms.

Green

Entrance Antiphon: Ps 27: 8-9

The Lord is the strength of his people, a saving refuge for the one he has anointed. Save your people, Lord, and bless your heritage, and govern them forever.

Collect

Grant, O Lord, that we may always revere and love your holy name, for you never deprive of your guidance those you set firm on the foundation of your love. 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: 2 Kings 25:1-12

In the ninth year of Zedekiah’s reign, in the tenth month, on the tenth day of the month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came with his whole army to attack Jerusalem; he pitched camp in front of the city and threw up earthworks round it. The city lay under siege till the eleventh year of King Zedekiah. In the fourth month, on the ninth day of the month, when famine was raging in the city and there was no food for the populace, a breach was made in the city wall. At once, the king made his escape under cover of dark, with all the fighting men, by way of the gate between the two walls, which is near the king’s garden – the Chaldaeans had surrounded the city – and made his way towards the Arabah. The Chaldaean troops pursued the king and caught up with him in the plains of Jericho, where all his troops deserted. The Chaldaeans captured the king and took him to the king of Babylon at Riblah, who passed sentence on him. He had the sons of Zedekiah slaughtered before his eyes, then put out Zedekiah’s eyes and, loading him with chains, carried him off to Babylon. In the fifth month, on the seventh day of the month – it was in the nineteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon – Nebuzaradan, commander of the guard, an officer of the king of Babylon, entered Jerusalem. He burned down the Temple of the Lord, the royal palace and all the houses in Jerusalem. The Chaldaean troops who accompanied the commander of the guard demolished the walls surrounding Jerusalem. Nebuzaradan, commander of the guard, deported the remainder of the population left behind in the city, the deserters who had gone over to the king of Babylon, and the rest of the common people. The commander of the guard left some of the humbler country people as vineyard workers and ploughmen.

Psalm 136(137):1-6

R/  O let my tongue cleave to my mouth if I remember you not!

1. By the rivers of Babylon there we sat and wept, remembering Zion; on the poplars that grew there we hung up our harps.
2. For it was there that they asked us, our captors, for songs, our oppressors, for joy. ‘Sing to us,’ they said, ‘one of Zion’s songs.’
3. O how could we sing the song of the Lord on alien soil? If I forget you, Jerusalem, let my right hand wither!
4. O let my tongue cleave to my mouth if I remember you not, if I prize not Jerusalem above all my joys!

Gospel Acclamation: Ps144:13

Alleluia, alleluia! The Lord is faithful in all his words and loving in all his deeds. Alleluia!

Gospel: Matthew 8:1-4

After Jesus had come down from the mountain large crowds followed him. A leper now came up and bowed low in front of him. ‘Sir,’ he said ‘if you want to, you can cure me.’ Jesus stretched out his hand, touched him and said, ‘Of course I want to! Be cured!’ And his leprosy was cured at once. Then Jesus said to him, ‘Mind you do not tell anyone, but go and show yourself to the priest and make the offering prescribed by Moses, as evidence for them.’

Prayer over the Offerings

Receive, O Lord, the sacrifice of conciliation and praise and grant that, cleansed by its action, we may make offering of a heart pleasing to you. Through Christ our Lord.

Communion Antiphon: Ps 144: 15

The eyes of all look to you, Lord, and you give them their food in due season.

Prayer after Communion

Renewed and nourished by the Sacred Body and Precious Blood of your Son, we ask of your mercy, O Lord, that what we celebrate with constant devotion may be our sure pledge of redemption. Through Christ our Lord.

Meditation

The value of every human life matters a lot. Jesus focuses on a leper Instead of tending to the great crowds that were following him. To be sick of leprosy was a horrible experience because one was not only physically isolated but suffered from loneliness and separation from society and religion. He breaks the norms of religion in order to enter into contact with Jesus. The law forbade lepers from talking to anyone and They had to keep away from the society. Jesus went as far as touching an unclean person which rendered him unclean as well. The leper is a man of faith for he asks, “Sir, if you want to, you can cure me.” and Jesus’ response “Of course I want to! Be cured! “shows that the man received double healing: first, from the sickness of leprosy which him unclean and secondly, from the sickness of solitude and loneliness. He becomes the centre of divine attention. Jesus’ welcoming of the leper was an infringement of social norms, but this gesture shows that everyone is welcome in his house, at his table and in his presence. Who are the lepers in our society today? We can identify some in our societies: some AIDS patients, some children born with disabilities, people whose points of view differ from ours and are thus treated with bias based on tribe, race or religion.

friday 26 June 2020

St. Anthelm of Belley (1107–1178)

Anthelm was born in 1107 in a castle near Chambery, in Savoy, France. He was a prior of the Carthusian Grand Chartreuse and bishop of Belley. In liturgical art, Anthelm is depicted with a lamp lit by a divine hand. He was remarkable for monastic reforms.

Green

Entrance Antiphon: Ps 27: 8-9

The Lord is the strength of his people, a saving refuge for the one he has anointed. Save your people, Lord, and bless your heritage, and govern them forever.

Collect

Grant, O Lord, that we may always revere and love your holy name, for you never deprive of your guidance those you set firm on the foundation of your love. 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: 2 Kings 25:1-12

In the ninth year of Zedekiah’s reign, in the tenth month, on the tenth day of the month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came with his whole army to attack Jerusalem; he pitched camp in front of the city and threw up earthworks round it. The city lay under siege till the eleventh year of King Zedekiah. In the fourth month, on the ninth day of the month, when famine was raging in the city and there was no food for the populace, a breach was made in the city wall. At once, the king made his escape under cover of dark, with all the fighting men, by way of the gate between the two walls, which is near the king’s garden – the Chaldaeans had surrounded the city – and made his way towards the Arabah. The Chaldaean troops pursued the king and caught up with him in the plains of Jericho, where all his troops deserted. The Chaldaeans captured the king and took him to the king of Babylon at Riblah, who passed sentence on him. He had the sons of Zedekiah slaughtered before his eyes, then put out Zedekiah’s eyes and, loading him with chains, carried him off to Babylon. In the fifth month, on the seventh day of the month – it was in the nineteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon – Nebuzaradan, commander of the guard, an officer of the king of Babylon, entered Jerusalem. He burned down the Temple of the Lord, the royal palace and all the houses in Jerusalem. The Chaldaean troops who accompanied the commander of the guard demolished the walls surrounding Jerusalem. Nebuzaradan, commander of the guard, deported the remainder of the population left behind in the city, the deserters who had gone over to the king of Babylon, and the rest of the common people. The commander of the guard left some of the humbler country people as vineyard workers and ploughmen.

Psalm 136(137):1-6

R/  O let my tongue cleave to my mouth if I remember you not!

1. By the rivers of Babylon there we sat and wept, remembering Zion; on the poplars that grew there we hung up our harps.
2. For it was there that they asked us, our captors, for songs, our oppressors, for joy. ‘Sing to us,’ they said, ‘one of Zion’s songs.’
3. O how could we sing the song of the Lord on alien soil? If I forget you, Jerusalem, let my right hand wither!
4. O let my tongue cleave to my mouth if I remember you not, if I prize not Jerusalem above all my joys!

Gospel Acclamation: Ps144:13

Alleluia, alleluia! The Lord is faithful in all his words and loving in all his deeds. Alleluia!

Gospel: Matthew 8:1-4

After Jesus had come down from the mountain large crowds followed him. A leper now came up and bowed low in front of him. ‘Sir,’ he said ‘if you want to, you can cure me.’ Jesus stretched out his hand, touched him and said, ‘Of course I want to! Be cured!’ And his leprosy was cured at once. Then Jesus said to him, ‘Mind you do not tell anyone, but go and show yourself to the priest and make the offering prescribed by Moses, as evidence for them.’

Prayer over the Offerings

Receive, O Lord, the sacrifice of conciliation and praise and grant that, cleansed by its action, we may make offering of a heart pleasing to you. Through Christ our Lord.

Communion Antiphon: Ps 144: 15

The eyes of all look to you, Lord, and you give them their food in due season.

Prayer after Communion

Renewed and nourished by the Sacred Body and Precious Blood of your Son, we ask of your mercy, O Lord, that what we celebrate with constant devotion may be our sure pledge of redemption. Through Christ our Lord.

Meditation

The value of every human life matters a lot. Jesus focuses on a leper Instead of tending to the great crowds that were following him. To be sick of leprosy was a horrible experience because one was not only physically isolated but suffered from loneliness and separation from society and religion. He breaks the norms of religion in order to enter into contact with Jesus. The law forbade lepers from talking to anyone and They had to keep away from the society. Jesus went as far as touching an unclean person which rendered him unclean as well. The leper is a man of faith for he asks, “Sir, if you want to, you can cure me.” and Jesus’ response “Of course I want to! Be cured! “shows that the man received double healing: first, from the sickness of leprosy which him unclean and secondly, from the sickness of solitude and loneliness. He becomes the centre of divine attention. Jesus’ welcoming of the leper was an infringement of social norms, but this gesture shows that everyone is welcome in his house, at his table and in his presence. Who are the lepers in our society today? We can identify some in our societies: some AIDS patients, some children born with disabilities, people whose points of view differ from ours and are thus treated with bias based on tribe, race or religion.

friday 26 June 2020

St. Anthelm of Belley (1107–1178)

Anthelm was born in 1107 in a castle near Chambery, in Savoy, France. He was a prior of the Carthusian Grand Chartreuse and bishop of Belley. In liturgical art, Anthelm is depicted with a lamp lit by a divine hand. He was remarkable for monastic reforms.

Green

Entrance Antiphon: Ps 27: 8-9

The Lord is the strength of his people, a saving refuge for the one he has anointed. Save your people, Lord, and bless your heritage, and govern them forever.

Collect

Grant, O Lord, that we may always revere and love your holy name, for you never deprive of your guidance those you set firm on the foundation of your love. 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: 2 Kings 25:1-12

In the ninth year of Zedekiah’s reign, in the tenth month, on the tenth day of the month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came with his whole army to attack Jerusalem; he pitched camp in front of the city and threw up earthworks round it. The city lay under siege till the eleventh year of King Zedekiah. In the fourth month, on the ninth day of the month, when famine was raging in the city and there was no food for the populace, a breach was made in the city wall. At once, the king made his escape under cover of dark, with all the fighting men, by way of the gate between the two walls, which is near the king’s garden – the Chaldaeans had surrounded the city – and made his way towards the Arabah. The Chaldaean troops pursued the king and caught up with him in the plains of Jericho, where all his troops deserted. The Chaldaeans captured the king and took him to the king of Babylon at Riblah, who passed sentence on him. He had the sons of Zedekiah slaughtered before his eyes, then put out Zedekiah’s eyes and, loading him with chains, carried him off to Babylon. In the fifth month, on the seventh day of the month – it was in the nineteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon – Nebuzaradan, commander of the guard, an officer of the king of Babylon, entered Jerusalem. He burned down the Temple of the Lord, the royal palace and all the houses in Jerusalem. The Chaldaean troops who accompanied the commander of the guard demolished the walls surrounding Jerusalem. Nebuzaradan, commander of the guard, deported the remainder of the population left behind in the city, the deserters who had gone over to the king of Babylon, and the rest of the common people. The commander of the guard left some of the humbler country people as vineyard workers and ploughmen.

Psalm 136(137):1-6

R/  O let my tongue cleave to my mouth if I remember you not!

1. By the rivers of Babylon there we sat and wept, remembering Zion; on the poplars that grew there we hung up our harps.
2. For it was there that they asked us, our captors, for songs, our oppressors, for joy. ‘Sing to us,’ they said, ‘one of Zion’s songs.’
3. O how could we sing the song of the Lord on alien soil? If I forget you, Jerusalem, let my right hand wither!
4. O let my tongue cleave to my mouth if I remember you not, if I prize not Jerusalem above all my joys!

Gospel Acclamation: Ps144:13

Alleluia, alleluia! The Lord is faithful in all his words and loving in all his deeds. Alleluia!

Gospel: Matthew 8:1-4

After Jesus had come down from the mountain large crowds followed him. A leper now came up and bowed low in front of him. ‘Sir,’ he said ‘if you want to, you can cure me.’ Jesus stretched out his hand, touched him and said, ‘Of course I want to! Be cured!’ And his leprosy was cured at once. Then Jesus said to him, ‘Mind you do not tell anyone, but go and show yourself to the priest and make the offering prescribed by Moses, as evidence for them.’

Prayer over the Offerings

Receive, O Lord, the sacrifice of conciliation and praise and grant that, cleansed by its action, we may make offering of a heart pleasing to you. Through Christ our Lord.

Communion Antiphon: Ps 144: 15

The eyes of all look to you, Lord, and you give them their food in due season.

Prayer after Communion

Renewed and nourished by the Sacred Body and Precious Blood of your Son, we ask of your mercy, O Lord, that what we celebrate with constant devotion may be our sure pledge of redemption. Through Christ our Lord.

Meditation

The value of every human life matters a lot. Jesus focuses on a leper Instead of tending to the great crowds that were following him. To be sick of leprosy was a horrible experience because one was not only physically isolated but suffered from loneliness and separation from society and religion. He breaks the norms of religion in order to enter into contact with Jesus. The law forbade lepers from talking to anyone and They had to keep away from the society. Jesus went as far as touching an unclean person which rendered him unclean as well. The leper is a man of faith for he asks, “Sir, if you want to, you can cure me.” and Jesus’ response “Of course I want to! Be cured! “shows that the man received double healing: first, from the sickness of leprosy which him unclean and secondly, from the sickness of solitude and loneliness. He becomes the centre of divine attention. Jesus’ welcoming of the leper was an infringement of social norms, but this gesture shows that everyone is welcome in his house, at his table and in his presence. Who are the lepers in our society today? We can identify some in our societies: some AIDS patients, some children born with disabilities, people whose points of view differ from ours and are thus treated with bias based on tribe, race or religion.

friday 26 June 2020

St. Anthelm of Belley (1107–1178)

Anthelm was born in 1107 in a castle near Chambery, in Savoy, France. He was a prior of the Carthusian Grand Chartreuse and bishop of Belley. In liturgical art, Anthelm is depicted with a lamp lit by a divine hand. He was remarkable for monastic reforms.

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Entrance Antiphon: Ps 27: 8-9

The Lord is the strength of his people, a saving refuge for the one he has anointed. Save your people, Lord, and bless your heritage, and govern them forever.

Collect

Grant, O Lord, that we may always revere and love your holy name, for you never deprive of your guidance those you set firm on the foundation of your love. 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: 2 Kings 25:1-12

In the ninth year of Zedekiah’s reign, in the tenth month, on the tenth day of the month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came with his whole army to attack Jerusalem; he pitched camp in front of the city and threw up earthworks round it. The city lay under siege till the eleventh year of King Zedekiah. In the fourth month, on the ninth day of the month, when famine was raging in the city and there was no food for the populace, a breach was made in the city wall. At once, the king made his escape under cover of dark, with all the fighting men, by way of the gate between the two walls, which is near the king’s garden – the Chaldaeans had surrounded the city – and made his way towards the Arabah. The Chaldaean troops pursued the king and caught up with him in the plains of Jericho, where all his troops deserted. The Chaldaeans captured the king and took him to the king of Babylon at Riblah, who passed sentence on him. He had the sons of Zedekiah slaughtered before his eyes, then put out Zedekiah’s eyes and, loading him with chains, carried him off to Babylon. In the fifth month, on the seventh day of the month – it was in the nineteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon – Nebuzaradan, commander of the guard, an officer of the king of Babylon, entered Jerusalem. He burned down the Temple of the Lord, the royal palace and all the houses in Jerusalem. The Chaldaean troops who accompanied the commander of the guard demolished the walls surrounding Jerusalem. Nebuzaradan, commander of the guard, deported the remainder of the population left behind in the city, the deserters who had gone over to the king of Babylon, and the rest of the common people. The commander of the guard left some of the humbler country people as vineyard workers and ploughmen.

Psalm 136(137):1-6

R/  O let my tongue cleave to my mouth if I remember you not!

1. By the rivers of Babylon there we sat and wept, remembering Zion; on the poplars that grew there we hung up our harps.
2. For it was there that they asked us, our captors, for songs, our oppressors, for joy. ‘Sing to us,’ they said, ‘one of Zion’s songs.’
3. O how could we sing the song of the Lord on alien soil? If I forget you, Jerusalem, let my right hand wither!
4. O let my tongue cleave to my mouth if I remember you not, if I prize not Jerusalem above all my joys!

Gospel Acclamation: Ps144:13

Alleluia, alleluia! The Lord is faithful in all his words and loving in all his deeds. Alleluia!

Gospel: Matthew 8:1-4

After Jesus had come down from the mountain large crowds followed him. A leper now came up and bowed low in front of him. ‘Sir,’ he said ‘if you want to, you can cure me.’ Jesus stretched out his hand, touched him and said, ‘Of course I want to! Be cured!’ And his leprosy was cured at once. Then Jesus said to him, ‘Mind you do not tell anyone, but go and show yourself to the priest and make the offering prescribed by Moses, as evidence for them.’

Prayer over the Offerings

Receive, O Lord, the sacrifice of conciliation and praise and grant that, cleansed by its action, we may make offering of a heart pleasing to you. Through Christ our Lord.

Communion Antiphon: Ps 144: 15

The eyes of all look to you, Lord, and you give them their food in due season.

Prayer after Communion

Renewed and nourished by the Sacred Body and Precious Blood of your Son, we ask of your mercy, O Lord, that what we celebrate with constant devotion may be our sure pledge of redemption. Through Christ our Lord.

Meditation

The value of every human life matters a lot. Jesus focuses on a leper Instead of tending to the great crowds that were following him. To be sick of leprosy was a horrible experience because one was not only physically isolated but suffered from loneliness and separation from society and religion. He breaks the norms of religion in order to enter into contact with Jesus. The law forbade lepers from talking to anyone and They had to keep away from the society. Jesus went as far as touching an unclean person which rendered him unclean as well. The leper is a man of faith for he asks, “Sir, if you want to, you can cure me.” and Jesus’ response “Of course I want to! Be cured! “shows that the man received double healing: first, from the sickness of leprosy which him unclean and secondly, from the sickness of solitude and loneliness. He becomes the centre of divine attention. Jesus’ welcoming of the leper was an infringement of social norms, but this gesture shows that everyone is welcome in his house, at his table and in his presence. Who are the lepers in our society today? We can identify some in our societies: some AIDS patients, some children born with disabilities, people whose points of view differ from ours and are thus treated with bias based on tribe, race or religion.

WEDNESDAY 24 JUNE 2020

by Jude Thaddeus Langeh Basebang | Jun 23, 2020 | Evangelium

wednesday 24 June 2020

Birthday of Saint John the Baptist

Jesus Christ himself said: John was the greatest of the sons of men. The greatest, but also the most tragic. A prophet from before his birth, leaping in the womb to announce the coming of the incarnate God, to proclaim the fulfillment of all prophecies – and thus his own obsolescence

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Entrance Antiphon: Jn 1, 6-7; Lk 1, 17

A man was sent from God, whose name was John. He came to testify to the light, to prepare a people fit for the Lord.

Collect

O God, who raised up Saint John the Baptist to make ready a nation fit for Christ the Lord, give your people, we pray, the grace of spiritual joys and direct the hearts of all the faithful into the way of salvation and peace. 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: Isaiah 49:1-6

Islands, listen to me, pay attention, remotest peoples. The Lord called me before I was born, from my mother’s womb he pronounced my name. He made my mouth a sharp sword, and hid me in the shadow of his hand. He made me into a sharpened arrow, and concealed me in his quiver. He said to me, ‘You are my servant (Israel) in whom I shall be glorified’; while I was thinking, ‘I have toiled in vain, I have exhausted myself for nothing’; and all the while my cause was with the Lord, my reward with my God. I was honoured in the eyes of the Lord, my God was my strength. And now the Lord has spoken, he who formed me in the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob back to him, to gather Israel to him: ‘It is not enough for you to be my servant, to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back the survivors of Israel; I will make you the light of the nations so that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.’

Psalm 138(139):1-3, 13-15

R/  I thank you for the wonder of my being.

1. O Lord, you search me and you know me, you know my resting and my rising, you discern my purpose from afar. You mark when I walk or lie down, all my ways lie open to you.
2. For it was you who created my being, knit me together in my mother’s womb. I thank you for the wonder of my being, for the wonders of all your creation.
3. Already you knew my soul, my body held no secret from you when I was being fashioned in secret and moulded in the depths of the earth.

Second reading: Acts 13:22-26

Paul said: ‘God deposed Saul and made David their king, of whom he approved in these words, “I have selected David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart, who will carry out my whole purpose.” To keep his promise, God has raised up for Israel one of David’s descendants, Jesus, as Saviour, whose coming was heralded by John when he proclaimed a baptism of repentance for the whole people of Israel. Before John ended his career he said, “I am not the one you imagine me to be; that one is coming after me and I am not fit to undo his sandal.” ‘My brothers, sons of Abraham’s race, and all you who fear God, this message of salvation is meant for you.’

Gospel Acclamation: Lk1:76

Alleluia, alleluia! As for you, little child, you shall be called a prophet of God, the Most High. You shall go ahead of the Lord to prepare his ways before him. Alleluia!

Gospel: Luke 1:57-66,80

The time came for Elizabeth to have her child, and she gave birth to a son; and when her neighbours and relations heard that the Lord had shown her so great a kindness, they shared her joy. Now on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child; they were going to call him Zechariah after his father, but his mother spoke up. ‘No,’ she said ‘he is to be called John.’ They said to her, ‘But no one in your family has that name’, and made signs to his father to find out what he wanted him called. The father asked for a writing-tablet and wrote, ‘His name is John.’ And they were all astonished. At that instant his power of speech returned and he spoke and praised God. All their neighbours were filled with awe and the whole affair was talked about throughout the hill country of Judaea. All those who heard of it treasured it in their hearts. ‘What will this child turn out to be?’ they wondered. And indeed the hand of the Lord was with him. Meanwhile the child grew up and his spirit matured. And he lived out in the wilderness until the day he appeared openly to Israel.

Prayer over the Offerings

We place these offerings on your altar, O Lord, to celebrate with fitting honour the nativity of him who both foretold the coming of the world’s Saviour and pointed him out when he came. Who lives and reigns for ever and ever.

Communion Antiphon:  Lk 1: 78

Through the tender mercy of our God, the Dawn from on high will visit us.

Prayer after Communion

Having feasted at the banquet of the heavenly Lamb, we pray, O Lord, that, finding joy in the nativity of Saint John the Baptist, your Church may know as the author of her rebirth the Christ whose coming John foretold. Who lives and reigns for ever and ever.

Meditation

As the Church celebrates today the birth of John the Baptist, we can affirm that St Luke dedicates the first two chapters of the Gospel describing two important births, the birth of John and Jesus. The two will occupy a very important place in the realization of God’s plan for his people. He uses facts and people from the Old Testament to show how the promises made in the past become reality in the birth of John and Jesus. Elizabeth the mother of John is compared to Sarah, the wife of Abraham; to Rachel and to Hannah, the mother of Samuel. These women were sterile like Elizabeth but God blessed them with the birth of a child when everyone had lost hope. These sons had very important roles to play in the history of salvation. The people saw God’s goodness in Elizabeth’s pregnancy and all rejoiced with her. She did not let herself to be overcome by the external pressure to name him after his father, Zechariah but stood her grounds, “His name is John.” In a little town like Ain Karem, it could have been a difficult battle as social control could be strong. Zechariah himself wrote on the tablet, “his name is John.” All were astonished and must have confirmed that there was something special about this child.

TUESDAY 23 JUNE 2020

by Jude Thaddeus Langeh Basebang | Jun 22, 2020 | Evangelium

tuesday 23  June 2020

St Etheldreda (679)

She was born in Suffolk. She was the most venerated of the women saints of Anglo-Saxon England, renowned for her dedication to a life of chastity and for the austerity of the regime she imposed on herself in her later years.

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Entrance Antiphon:  Ps 27: 8-9

The Lord is the strength of his people, a saving refuge for the one he has anointed. Save your people, Lord, and bless your heritage, and govern them forever.

Collect

Grant, O Lord, that we may always revere and love your holy name, for you never deprive of your guidance those you set firm on the foundation of your love. 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: 2 Kings 19:9-11, 14-21, 31-36

Sennacherib, King of the Assyrians, sent messengers to Hezekiah saying, ‘Tell this to Hezekiah king of Judah, “Do not let your God on whom you are relying deceive you, when he says: Jerusalem shall not fall into the power of the king of Assyria. You have learnt by now what the kings of Assyria have done to every country, putting them all under the ban. Are you likely to be spared?’ Hezekiah took the letter from the hands of the messenger and read it; he then went up to the Temple of the Lord and spread it out before the Lord. Hezekiah said this prayer in the presence of the Lord, ‘O Lord of Hosts, God of Israel, enthroned on the cherubs, you alone are God of all the kingdoms of the earth, you have made heaven and earth. ‘Give ear, Lord, and listen. Open your eyes, Lord, and see. Hear the words of Sennacherib who has sent to insult the living God. ‘It is true, O Lord, that the kings of Assyria have exterminated all the nations, they have thrown their gods on the fire, for these were not gods but the work of men’s hands, wood and stone, and hence they have destroyed them. But now, O Lord our God, save us from his hand, I pray you, and let all the kingdoms of the earth know that you alone are God, the Lord.’ Then Isaiah son of Amoz sent to Hezekiah. ‘The Lord, the God of Israel,’ he said, ‘says this, “I have heard the prayer you have addressed to me about Sennacherib king of Assyria.” Here is the oracle that the Lord has pronounced against him: ‘“She despises you, she scorns you, the virgin, daughter of Zion; she tosses her head behind you, the daughter of Jerusalem.” ‘This, then, is what the Lord says about the king of Assyria: ‘“He will not enter this city, he will let fly no arrow against it, confront it with no shield, throw up no earthwork against it. By the road that he came on he will return; he shall not enter this city. It is the Lord who speaks. I will protect this city and save it for my own sake and for the sake of my servant David.”’ That same night the angel of the Lord went out and struck down a hundred and eighty-five thousand men in the Assyrian camp. Sennacherib struck camp and left; he returned home and stayed in Nineveh.

Psalm 47(48):2-4,10-11

R/  God upholds his city forever.

1. The Lord is great and worthy to be praised in the city of our God. His holy mountain rises in beauty, the joy of all the earth.
2. Mount Zion, true pole of the earth, the Great King’s city! God, in the midst of its citadels, has shown himself its stronghold.
3. O God, we ponder your love within your temple. Your praise, O God, like your name reaches the ends of the earth.

Gospel Acclamation : Mt 11:25

Alleluia, alleluia! Blessed are you, Father,  Lord of heaven and earth, for revealing the mysteries of the kingdom to mere children. Alleluia!

Gospel: Matthew 7:6,12-14

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Do not give dogs what is holy; and do not throw your pearls in front of pigs, or they may trample them and then turn on you and tear you to pieces. ‘So always treat others as you would like them to treat you; that is the meaning of the Law and the Prophets. ‘Enter by the narrow gate, since the road that leads to perdition is wide and spacious, and many take it; but it is a narrow gate and a hard road that leads to life, and only a few find it.’

Prayer over the Offerings

Receive, O Lord, the sacrifice of conciliation and praise and grant that, cleansed by its action, we may make offering of a heart pleasing to you. Through Christ our Lord.

Communion Antiphon: Ps 144: 15

The eyes of all look to you, Lord, and you give them their food in due season.

Prayer after Communion

Renewed and nourished by the Sacred Body and Precious Blood of your Son, we ask of your mercy, O Lord, that what we celebrate with constant devotion may be our sure pledge of redemption. Through Christ our Lord.

Meditation

The Gospel passage today brings together three apparently unrelated teachings of Jesus. He begins by exhorting his followers to keep and guard jealously the gift of the faith which they have received. Jesus said, “do not give dogs what is holy…” Animals used in sacrifice could not be given to the dogs. Let us remember that dogs were unclean animals. We can remember the episode of the Syro-Phoenecian woman about not giving children’s food to the dogs. In a similar way, pigs were unclean and precious pearls should not be given to pigs. This moment is a reminder to us, Catholic Christians in our celebration of the sacraments especially the Holy Eucharist. The second part of the Gospel dwells on what is known as the “Golden Rule” which states “So always treat others as you would like them to treat you; that is the meaning of the Law and the Prophets.” This rule can be observed by doing good to others. The narrow gate is a sure path to Christ because it requires discipline, truth, principles, values and sacrifice, and truly, only a few people find it. The wide road will refer to living according to one’s instincts, whims and self-centeredness.