by Jude Thaddeus Langeh Basebang | Mar 10, 2020 | Evangelium
wednesday 11 March 2020
St Aengus (- 824)
He was born near Clonenagh, Ireland. He was first a hermit and later joined the monastery of Tallaght. He was a co-author of a martyrology written in 790. He died on 11 March 824.
Violet
Entrance Antiphon: Ps 37: 22-23
Forsake me not, O Lord! My God, be not far from me! Make haste and come to my help, O Lord, my strong salvation!
Collect
Keep your family, O Lord, schooled always in good works, and so comfort them with your protection here as to lead them graciously to gifts on high. 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: Jeremiah 18:18-20
‘Come on,’ they said, ‘let us concoct a plot against Jeremiah; the priest will not run short of instruction without him, nor the sage of advice, nor the prophet of the word. Come on, let us hit at him with his own tongue; let us listen carefully to every word he says.’ Listen to me, O Lord, hear what my adversaries are saying. Should evil be returned for good? For they are digging a pit for me. Remember how I stood in your presence to plead on their behalf, to turn your wrath away from them.
Psalm 30(31):5-6,14-16
R/ Save me in your love, O Lord.
- Release me from the snares they have hidden for you are my refuge, Lord. Into your hands I commend my spirit. It is you who will redeem me, Lord.
- I have heard the slander of the crowd, fear is all around me, as they plot together against me, as they plan to take my life.
- But as for me, I trust in you, Lord; I say: ‘You are my God. My life is in your hands, deliver me from the hands of those who hate me.’
Gospel Acclamation: Jn6:63,68
Glory to you, O Christ, you are the Word of God! Your words are spirit, Lord, and they are life; you have the message of eternal life. Glory to you, O Christ, you are the Word of God!
Gospel: Matthew 20:17-28
Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, and on the way he took the Twelve to one side and said to them, ‘Now we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man is about to be handed over to the chief priests and scribes. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the pagans to be mocked and scourged and crucified; and on the third day he will rise again.’ Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came with her sons to make a request of him, and bowed low; and he said to her, ‘What is it you want?’ She said to him, ‘Promise that these two sons of mine may sit one at your right hand and the other at your left in your kingdom.’ ‘You do not know what you are asking’ Jesus answered. ‘Can you drink the cup that I am going to drink?’ They replied, ‘We can.’ ‘Very well,’ he said ‘you shall drink my cup, but as for seats at my right hand and my left, these are not mine to grant; they belong to those to whom they have been allotted by my Father.’ When the other ten heard this they were indignant with the two brothers. But Jesus called them to him and said, ‘You know that among the pagans the rulers lord it over them, and their great men make their authority felt. This is not to happen among you. No; anyone who wants to be great among you must be your servant, and anyone who wants to be first among you must be your slave, just as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.’
Prayer over the Offerings
Look with favour, Lord, on the sacrificial gifts we offer you, and by this holy exchange undo the bonds of our sins. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon: Mt 20: 28
The Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.
Prayer after Communion
Grant, we pray, O Lord our God, that what you have given us as the pledge of immortality may work for our eternal salvation. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
The true reality of every Christian is that you can never avoid persecution, because the ways of the spirit will always conflict with the ways of the world. When Jesus says, “He that is in you is greater than he that is in the world”, he simply affirms our earthly battles against principalities and powers. These principalities are principles of corruption in the world, which the world would want us to be among. The powers are the forces that coerce us to submit to these corrupt practices in the world. Do not submit because in Christ we are assured of victory.
by Jude Thaddeus Langeh Basebang | Mar 9, 2020 | Evangelium
tuesday 10 March 2020
St. John Ogilvie (1579 – 1615)
He was born in Scotland and became a Jesuit in 1608 and returned to Scotland in disguise, saying Masses in secret. He was arrested in Glasgow in 1614, tortured, paraded through the streets, and hanged on 10 March 1615.
Violet
Entrance Antiphon: Ps 12: 4-5
Give light to my eyes lest I fall asleep in death, lest my enemy say: I have overcome him.
Collect
Guard your Church, we pray, O Lord, in your unceasing mercy, and, since without you mortal humanity is sure to fall, may we be kept by your constant helps from all harm
and directed to all that brings salvation. 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 1:10, 16-20
Hear the word of the Lord, you rulers of Sodom; listen to the command of our God, you people of Gomorrah. ‘Wash, make yourselves clean. Take your wrong-doing out of my sight. Cease to do evil. Learn to do good, search for justice, help the oppressed, be just to the orphan, plead for the widow. ‘Come now, let us talk this over, says the Lord. Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool. ‘If you are willing to obey, you shall eat the good things of the earth. But if you persist in rebellion, the sword shall eat you instead.’
Psalm 49(50):8-9,16-17,21,23
R/ I will show God’s salvation to the upright.
- ‘I find no fault with your sacrifices, your offerings are always before me. I do not ask more bullocks from your farms, nor goats from among your herds.
- ‘But how can you recite my commandments and take my covenant on your lips, you who despise my law and throw my words to the winds,
- ‘You do this, and should I keep silence? Do you think that I am like you? A sacrifice of thanksgiving honours me and I will show God’s salvation to the upright.’
Gospel Acclamation : Mt4:17
Glory and praise to you, O Christ! Repent, says the Lord, for the kingdom of heaven is close at hand. Glory and praise to you, O Christ!
Gospel: Matthew 23:1-12
Addressing the people and his disciples Jesus said, ‘The scribes and the Pharisees occupy the chair of Moses. You must therefore do what they tell you and listen to what they say; but do not be guided by what they do: since they do not practise what they preach. They tie up heavy burdens and lay them on men’s shoulders, but will they lift a finger to move them? Not they! Everything they do is done to attract attention, like wearing broader phylacteries and longer tassels, like wanting to take the place of honour at banquets and the front seats in the synagogues, being greeted obsequiously in the market squares and having people call them Rabbi. ‘You, however, must not allow yourselves to be called Rabbi, since you have only one master, and you are all brothers. You must call no one on earth your father, since you have only one Father, and he is in heaven. Nor must you allow yourselves to be called teachers, for you have only one Teacher, the Christ. The greatest among you must be your servant. Anyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and anyone who humbles himself will be exalted.’
Prayer over the Offerings
Be pleased to work your sanctification within us by means of these mysteries, O Lord, and by it may we be cleansed of earthly faults and led to the gifts of heaven. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon: Ps 9: 2-3
I will recount all your wonders. I will rejoice in you and be glad, and sing psalms to your name, O Most High.
Prayer after Communion
May the refreshment of this sacred table, O Lord, we pray, bring us an increase in devoutness of life and the constant help of your work of conciliation. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
Pride has made many Christians not to see the emptiness of their lives. Jesus in the gospel condemned the hypocritical attitudes of the Scribes and Pharisees. There are many in the Church who are like the Pharisees and Scribes in the Bible. Many fail to go for confession because they feel that people will see them as less spiritual. Others fall victim to this because they think they are sinless and cannot commit sin. A Christian who cannot kneel before the confessional and confess his or her sins, can never in life be sorry for his wrong doing. Let us not allow the devil to harden our hearts and prevent us from acknowledging our unworthiness.
by Jude Thaddeus Langeh Basebang | Mar 8, 2020 | Evangelium
monday 09 March 2020
St Frances of Rome (1384 – 1440)
St John of God (1495 – 1550)
She was born in Rome in 1384 and was married at the age of 13. She distributed gifts to the poor and ministered to the sick. After her husband’s death she retired to a convent she had founded.
Violet
Entrance Antiphon: Ps 25: 11-12
Redeem me, O Lord, and have mercy on me. My foot stands on level ground; I will bless the Lord in the assembly.
Collect
O God, who have taught us to chasten our bodies for the healing of our souls, enable us, we pray, to abstain from all sins, and strengthen our hearts to carry out your loving commands. 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: Daniel 9:4-10
O Lord, God great and to be feared, you keep the covenant and have kindness for those who love you and keep your commandments: we have sinned, we have done wrong, we have acted wickedly, we have betrayed your commandments and your ordinances and turned away from them. We have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes, our ancestors, and to all the people of the land. Integrity, Lord, is yours; ours the look of shame we wear today, we, the people of Judah, the citizens of Jerusalem, the whole of Israel, near and far away, in every country to which you have dispersed us because of the treason we have committed against you. To us, Lord, the look of shame belongs, to our kings, our princes, our ancestors, because we have sinned against you. To the Lord our God mercy and pardon belong, because we have betrayed him, and have not listened to the voice of the Lord our God nor followed the laws he has given us through his servants the prophets.
Psalm 78 (79): 8-9, 11, 13
R/ Do not treat us according to our sins, O Lord.
- Do not hold the guilt of our fathers against us. Let your compassion hasten to meet us; we are left in the depths of distress.
- O God our saviour, come to our help. Come for the sake of the glory of your name. O Lord our God, forgive us our sins; rescue us for the sake of your name.
- Let the groans of the prisoners come before you; let your strong arm reprieve those condemned to die. But we, your people, the flock of your pasture, will give you thanks for ever and ever. We will tell your praise from age to age.
Gospel Acclamation
Praise and honour to you, Lord Jesus! The seed is the word of God, Christ the sower; whoever finds this seed will remain for ever. Praise and honour to you, Lord Jesus!
Gospel: Luke 6:36-38
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Be compassionate as your Father is compassionate. Do not judge, and you will not be judged yourselves; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned yourselves; grant pardon, and you will be pardoned. Give, and there will be gifts for you: a full measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will be poured into your lap; because the amount you measure out is the amount you will be given back.’
Prayer over the Offerings
Accept in your goodness these our prayers, O Lord, and set free from worldly attractions those you allow to serve the heavenly mysteries. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon: Lk 6: 36
Be merciful, as your Father is merciful, says the Lord.
Prayer after Communion
May this Communion, O Lord, cleanse us of wrongdoing and make us heirs to the joy of heaven. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
The psalmist will ask the Lord: If you oh Lord should mark our guilt, Lord who will survive? If God does not condemn us but rather gives us opportunities for repentance, why does humanity bear grudges and condemn? Satan makes us think that there is no remedy to a failed situation. Because of this, we have found it hard to really give our failing brothers and sisters an opportunity to recover. Satan knows that we are blest when the world is healed; that is why he fuels our hearts with bitterness and condemnation. Everyone deserves a new opportunity because everyone must make mistakes and no one’s life should be described in terms of his or her mistakes. It is our duty as Christians, to help our failing brothers and sisters to rise again.
by Jude Thaddeus Langeh Basebang | Mar 7, 2020 | Evangelium
sunday 08 March 2020
SECOND SUNDAY OF LENT
Psalter II
St John of God (1495 – 1550)
Violet
Entrance Antiphon: Ps 26: 8-9
Of you my heart has spoken, Seek his face. It is your face, O Lord, that I seek; hide not your face from me.
Collect
O God, who have commanded us to listen to your beloved Son, be pleased, we pray, to nourish us inwardly by your word, that, with spiritual sight made pure, we may rejoice to behold your glory. 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: Genesis 12:1-4
The Lord said to Abram, ‘Leave your country, your family and your father’s house, for the land I will show you. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name so famous that it will be used as a blessing. ‘I will bless those who bless you: I will curse those who slight you. All the tribes of the earth shall bless themselves by you. ‘So Abram went as the Lord told him.
Psalm 32 (33): 4-5, 18-20, 22
R/ May your love be upon us, O Lord, as we place all our hope in you.
- The word of the Lord is faithful and all his works to be trusted. The Lord loves justice and right and fills the earth with his love.
- The Lord looks on those who revere him, on those who hope in his love, to rescue their souls from death, to keep them alive in famine.
- Our soul is waiting for the Lord. The Lord is our help and our shield. May your love be upon us, O Lord, as we place all our hope in you.
Second reading: 2 Timothy 1:8-10
With me, bear the hardships for the sake of the Good News, relying on the power of God who has saved us and called us to be holy – not because of anything we ourselves have done but for his own purpose and by his own grace. This grace had already been granted to us, in Christ Jesus, before the beginning of time, but it has only been revealed by the Appearing of our saviour Christ Jesus. He abolished death, and he has proclaimed life and immortality through the Good News.
Gospel Acclamation: Mt 17:5
Glory and praise to you, O Christ! From the bright cloud the Father’s voice was heard: ‘This is my Son, the Beloved. Listen to him.’ Glory and praise to you, O Christ!
Gospel: Matthew 17:1-9
Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John and led them up a high mountain where they could be alone. There in their presence he was transfigured: his face shone like the sun and his clothes became as white as the light. Suddenly Moses and Elijah appeared to them; they were talking with him. Then Peter spoke to Jesus. ‘Lord,’ he said ‘it is wonderful for us to be here; if you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.’ He was still speaking when suddenly a bright cloud covered them with shadow, and from the cloud there came a voice which said, ‘This is my Son, the Beloved; he enjoys my favour. Listen to him.’ When they heard this the disciples fell on their faces overcome with fear. But Jesus came up and touched them. ‘Stand up,’ he said ‘do not be afraid.’ And when they raised their eyes they saw no one but only Jesus. As they came down from the mountain Jesus gave them this order, ‘Tell no one about the vision until the Son of Man has risen from the dead.’
Prayer over the Offerings
May this sacrifice, O Lord, we pray, cleanse us of our faults and sanctify your faithful in body and mind for the celebration of the paschal festivities. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon: Mt 17: 5
This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.
Prayer after Communion
As we receive these glorious mysteries, we make thanksgiving to you, O Lord, for allowing us while still on earth to be partakers even now of the things of heaven. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
Jesus today reveals himself to three of his disciples; Peter, James and John. While James and John stayed calm in fear, Peter expressed his fear in more confusing terms. As the wisdom writer will say, “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom”. When the disciples hear the voice revealing the divinity of Jesus they know that they are in the presence of God. In the Church today, Jesus reveals himself in the blessed Eucharist, but we lack reverence and faith to hear Jesus when He says, “Stand up, Do not be afraid”. Christ is revealing himself to us today, let us open our hearts to receive him so that we may be saved from our earthly fears.
by Jude Thaddeus Langeh Basebang | Mar 6, 2020 | Evangelium
saturday 07 March 2020
Sts Perpetua and Felicity (- 203)
They were martyred at Carthage in 203 during the persecution of Septimius Severus. Devotion to them spread rapidly and they are mentioned in the Roman Canon of the Mass.
Violet
Entrance Antiphon: Ps 18: 8
The law of the Lord is perfect; it revives the soul. The decrees of the Lord are steadfast; they give wisdom to the simple.
Collect
Turn our hearts to you, eternal Father, and grant that, seeking always the one thing necessary and carrying out works of charity, we may be dedicated to your worship. 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 : Deuteronomy 26:16-19
Moses said to the people: ‘The Lord your God today commands you to observe these laws and customs; you must keep and observe them with all your heart and with all your soul. ‘You have today made this declaration about the Lord: that he will be your God, but only if you follow his ways, keep his statutes, his commandments, his ordinances, and listen to his voice. And the Lord has today made this declaration about you: that you will be his very own people as he promised you, but only if you keep all his commandments; then for praise and renown and honour he will set you high above all the nations he has made, and you will be a people consecrated to the Lord, as he promised.’
Psalm 118 (119): 1-2,4-5,7-8
R/ They are happy who follow God’s law!
- They are happy whose life is blameless, who follow God’s law! They are happy who do his will, seeking him with all their hearts.
- You have laid down your precepts to be obeyed with care. May my footsteps be firm to obey your statutes.
- I will thank you with an upright heart as I learn your decrees. I will obey your statutes; do not forsake me.
Gospel Acclamation: cf. Lk 8: 15
Praise and honour to you, Lord Jesus! Blessed are those who, with a noble and generous heart, take the word of God to themselves and yield a harvest through their perseverance. Praise and honour to you, Lord Jesus!
Gospel: Matthew 5: 43-48
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘You have learnt how it was said: You must love your neighbour and hate your enemy. But I say this to you: love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you; in this way you will be sons of your Father in heaven, for he causes his sun to rise on bad men as well as good, and his rain to fall on honest and dishonest men alike. For if you love those who love you, what right have you to claim any credit? Even the tax collectors do as much, do they not? And if you save your greetings for your brothers, are you doing anything exceptional? Even the pagans do as much, do they not? You must therefore be perfect just as your heavenly Father is perfect.’
Prayer over the Offerings
May these blessed mysteries by which we are restored, O Lord, we pray, make us worthy of the gift they bestow. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon: Mt 5: 48
Be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect, says the Lord.
Prayer after Communion
Show unceasing favour, O Lord, to those you refresh with this divine mystery, and accompany with salutary consolations those you have imbued with heavenly teaching. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
True happiness comes only when we seek to observe the commandments of God in spirit and in truth. Everyone seeks to have peace of mind, but what peace of mind can a sinner have? A wicked person and people who have lost faith in God can never have peace of mind. As St. Augustine will say, “our souls are restless until they rest in God”. Until a sinner repents, his earthly burden will continue to block his blessings.
by Jude Thaddeus Langeh Basebang | Mar 5, 2020 | Evangelium
friday 06 March 2020
St. Colette
Born on January 13, she was orphaned at seventeen. She distributed her inheritance to the poor and became a Franciscan sister. She was renowned for her sanctity, ecstacies, and visions of the Passion.
Violet
Entrance Antiphon: Ps 24: 17-18
Set me free from my distress, O Lord. See my lowliness and suffering, and take away all my sins.
Collect
Grant that your faithful, O Lord, we pray, may be so conformed to the paschal observances, that the bodily discipline now solemnly begun may bear fruit in the souls of all. 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: Ezekiel 18:21-28
Thus says the Lord: ‘If the wicked man renounces all the sins he has committed, respects my laws and is law-abiding and honest, he will certainly live; he will not die. All the sins he committed will be forgotten from then on; he shall live because of the integrity he has practised. What! Am I likely to take pleasure in the death of a wicked man – it is the Lord who speaks – and not prefer to see him renounce his wickedness and live? ‘But if the upright man renounces his integrity, commits sin, copies the wicked man and practises every kind of filth, is he to live? All the integrity he has practised shall be forgotten from then on; but this is because he himself has broken faith and committed sin, and for this he shall die. But you object, “What the Lord does is unjust.” Listen, you House of Israel: is what I do unjust? Is it not what you do that is unjust? When the upright man renounces his integrity to commit sin and dies because of this, he dies because of the evil that he himself has committed. When the sinner renounces sin to become law-abiding and honest, he deserves to live. He has chosen to renounce all his previous sins; he shall certainly live; he shall not die.’
Psalm 129 (130)
R/ If you, O Lord, should mark our guilt, Lord, who would survive?
- Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord, Lord, hear my voice! O let your ears be attentive to the voice of my pleading.
- If you, O Lord, should mark our guilt, Lord, who would survive? But with you is found forgiveness: for this we revere you.
- My soul is waiting for the Lord. I count on his word. My soul is longing for the Lord more than watchman for daybreak. (Let the watchman count on daybreak and Israel on the Lord.)
- Because with the Lord there is mercy and fullness of redemption, Israel indeed he will redeem from all its iniquity.
Gospel Acclamation: cf. Amos 5: 14
Praise to you, O Christ, king of eternal glory! Seek good and not evil so that you may live, and that the Lord God of hosts may really be with you. Praise to you, O Christ, king of eternal glory!
Gospel: Matthew 5: 20-26
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘If your virtue goes no deeper than that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never get into the kingdom of heaven. ‘You have learnt how it was said to our ancestors: You must not kill; and if anyone does kill he must answer for it before the court. But I say this to you: anyone who is angry with his brother will answer for it before the court; if a man calls his brother “Fool” he will answer for it before the Sanhedrin; and if a man calls him “Renegade” he will answer for it in hell fire. So then, if you are bringing your offering to the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar, go and be reconciled with your brother first, and then come back and present your offering. Come to terms with your opponent in good time while you are still on the way to the court with him, or he may hand you over to the judge and the judge to the officer, and you will be thrown into prison. I tell you solemnly, you will not get out till you have paid the last penny.’
Prayer over the Offerings
Accept the sacrificial offerings, O Lord, by which, in your power and kindness, you willed us to be reconciled to yourself and our salvation to be restored. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon: Ez 33: 11
As I live, says the Lord, I do not desire the death of the sinner, but rather that he turn back and live.
Prayer after Communion
May the holy refreshment of your Sacrament restore us anew, O Lord, and, cleansing us of old ways, take us up into the mystery of salvation. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
The commandments of God does not end just in the letters of the law but in the love of God. One can not love God without loving God’s creatures. We all in the world seek to be like God and in so doing we acknowledge our unworthiness. No one is perfect but in love we perfect each other. No one is above mistakes, but in love we correct each other. If we truly, understand the love of God, then there will be no enemies for the only enemy we should have is the devil and the only thing we should despise is sin. Love is the key to God’s grace
