by Jude Thaddeus Langeh Basebang | Jan 8, 2019 | Evangelium
St Adrian of Canterbury (d. 710)
Feeling called to the monastic life, Adrian left his native North Africa and joined the Benedictines in Italy. Renowned for his scholarship and holiness, he was elected abbot of his monastery and later nominated archbishop of Canterbury. Out of humility he declined the appointment to archbishop, but volunteered to go to England as a missionary. He endured various trials and even imprisonment on his journey to Canterbury, since he was taken for a spy. Once in England, he was appointed abbot of the monastery of Sts Peter and Paul where he lived for 39 years, actively involved in preaching and education. He died in 710.
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Entrance Antiphon: Is 9:1
A people who walked in darkness has seen a great light; for those dwelling in a land of deep gloom, a light has shone.
Collect
O God, who bestow light on all the nations, grant your peoples the gladness of lasting peace and pour into our hearts that brilliant light by which you purified the minds of our fathers in faith. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
First reading: 1 John 4:11-18
My dear people, since God has loved us so much, we too should love one another. No one has ever seen God; but as long as we love one another God will live in us and his love will be complete in us. We can know that we are living in him and he is living in us because he lets us share his Spirit. We ourselves saw and we testify that the Father sent his Son as saviour of the world. If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him, and he in God. We ourselves have known and put our faith in God’s love towards ourselves. God is love and anyone who lives in love lives in God, and God lives in him. Love will come to its perfection in us when we can face the day of Judgement without fear; because even in this world we have become as he is. In love there can be no fear, but fear is driven out by perfect love: because to fear is to expect punishment, and anyone who is afraid is still imperfect in love.
Psalm 71 (72):1-2,10-13
R/ All nations shall fall prostrate before you, O Lord.
1. O God, give your judgement to the king, to a king’s son your justice, that he may judge your people in justice and your poor in right judgement.
2. The kings of Tarshish and the sea coasts shall pay him tribute. The kings of Sheba and Seba shall bring him gifts. Before him all kings shall fall prostrate, all nations shall serve him.
3. For he shall save the poor when they cry and the needy who are helpless. He will have pity on the weak and save the lives of the poor.
Gospel Acclamation: Lk4:17
Alleluia, alleluia!The Lord has sent me to bring the good news to the poor, to proclaim liberty to captives. Alleluia!
Gospel: Mark 6:45-52
After the five thousand had eaten and were filled, Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to Bethsaida, while he himself sent the crowd away. After saying goodbye to them he went off into the hills to pray. When evening came, the boat was far out on the lake, and he was alone on the land. He could see they were worn out with rowing, for the wind was against them; and about the fourth watch of the night he came towards them, walking on the lake. He was going to pass them by, but when they saw him walking on the lake they thought it was a ghost and cried out; for they had all seen him and were terrified. But he at once spoke to them, and said, ‘Courage! It is I! Do not be afraid.’ Then he got into the boat with them, and the wind dropped. They were utterly and completely dumbfounded, because they had not seen what the miracle of the loaves meant; their minds were closed.
Prayer over the Offerings
O God, who give us the gift of true prayer and of peace, graciously grant that, through this offering, we may do fitting homage to your divine majesty and, by partaking of the sacred mystery, we may be faithfully united in mind and heart. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon: 1 Jn 1: 2
That life which was with the Father became visible, and has appeared to us.
Prayer after Communion
May your people, O Lord, whom you guide and sustain in many ways, experience, both now and in the future, the remedies which you bestow, that, with the needed solace of things that pass away, they may strive with ever deepened trust for things eternal. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
For the Jews, the sea represented the world of evil and malefic forces. The struggle of the disciples against the wind and waves of Lake Galilee points to our own struggle against the adversities, difficulties and temptations of life. Life for a Christian is often like rowing against the wind. We suffer persecution because of our convictions, we get into conflict with people, we come up against injustice and oppression. In the midst of these storms, Jesus comes to us and tells us, “Courage! It is I! Do not be afraid”. If we let him into our lives, if we trust in him, he will calm the storms. He will give us the strength to move forward and overcome all our difficulties. If we acknowledge Jesus as the Son of God and we live in union with him, loving God and loving our neighbour, he will give us peace and calm in the storms and gales of our earthly life.
by Jude Thaddeus Langeh Basebang | Jan 7, 2019 | Evangelium
St John of God (1495 – 1550)
He was born to a poor but devout family in Portugal in 1495. After serving as a soldier, he founded a hospital in Granada and a circle of disciples formed round him, which later became the Order of Hospitallers.
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Entrance Antiphon: Ps 29: 11
The Lord heard and had mercy on me; the Lord became my helper.
Collect
Show gracious favour, O Lord, we pray, to the works of penance we have begun, that we may have strength to accomplish with sincerity the bodily observances we undertake. 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 58:1-9a
Thus says the Lord Shout for all you are worth, raise your voice like a trumpet. Proclaim their faults to my people, their sins to the House of Jacob. They seek me day after day, they long to know my ways, like a nation that wants to act with integrity and not ignore the law of its God. They ask me for laws that are just, they long for God to draw near: ‘Why should we fast if you never see it, why do penance if you never notice?’ Look, you do business on your fast-days, you oppress all your workmen; look, you quarrel and squabble when you fast and strike the poor man with your fist. Fasting like yours today will never make your voice heard on high. Is that the sort of fast that pleases me, a truly penitential day for men? Hanging your head like a reed, lying down on sackcloth and ashes? Is that what you call fasting, a day acceptable to the Lord? Is not this the sort of fast that pleases me – it is the Lord who speaks –to break unjust fetters and undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and break every yoke, to share your bread with the hungry, and shelter the homeless poor, to clothe the man you see to be naked and not turn from your own kin? Then will your light shine like the dawn and your wound be quickly healed over. Your integrity will go before you and the glory of the Lord behind you. Cry, and the Lord will answer; call, and he will say, ‘I am here.’
Psalm 50 (51):3-6, 18-19
R/ A humbled, contrite heart, O God, you will not spurn.
1)Have mercy on me, God, in your kindness. In your compassion blot out my offence. O wash me more and more from my guilt and cleanse me from my sin.
2) My offences truly I know them; my sin is always before me Against you, you alone, have I sinned; what is evil in your sight I have done.
3) For in sacrifice you take no delight, burnt offering from me you would refuse, my sacrifice, a contrite spirit. A humbled, contrite heart you will not spurn.
Gospel Acclamation: cf. Ps. 129:5, 7
Glory and praise to you, O Christ! My soul is waiting for the Lord, I count on his word, because with the Lord there is mercy and fullness of redemption. Glory and praise to you, O Christ!
Gospel: Matthew 9:14-15
John’s disciples came to Jesus and said, ‘Why is it that we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not?’ Jesus replied, ‘Surely the bridegroom’s attendants would never think of mourning as long as the bridegroom is still with them? But the time will come for the bridegroom to be taken away from them, and then they will fast.’
Prayer over the Offerings
We offer, O Lord, the sacrifice of our Lenten observance, praying that it may make our intentions acceptable to you and add to our powers of self-restraint. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon: Ps. 24: 4
O Lord, make me know your ways, teach me your paths.
Prayer after Communion
We pray, almighty God, that, through partaking of this mystery, we may be cleansed of all our misdeeds, and so be suited for the remedies of your compassion. Through Christ our Lord.
Prayer over the People
For your mighty deeds, O God of mercy, may your people offer endless thanks, and, by observing the age-old disciplines along their pilgrim journey, may they merit to come and behold you for ever. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Meditation
When this Gospel is read, one beautiful biblical text comes into mind: “Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding feast of the lamb” (Rev 19:9). Today’s Gospel distinguishes between two periods; that of joy which signifies the presence of bridegroom who is Jesus, and that of mourning which signifies his absence. Looking at these periods, the important one is the period of joy and excitement when the bridegroom is still mingling with the attendants in the wedding party. Who in his right mind can fast at a time like this? Anyone who would fast would be identified as someone’s else follower not a follower of Jesus, because in the eyes of the disciples of Jesus, just as joy has its time, mourning too has its time; but that time is not now!
by Jude Thaddeus Langeh Basebang | Jan 7, 2019 | Evangelium
St Peter Thomas (1305-1366)
Peter Thomas was born into a poor peasant family in southern Périgord region in France. His piety and skill as a teacher attracted the attention of the Carmelite prior of Bergérac, who invited him to join the Carmelite community there at age twenty-one. He taught in various houses of study until he was sent to University in Paris for advanced scholarship. While his studies were still in progress he was elected by the Order as its procurator general to the Papal Court at Avignon in 1345.
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Entrance Antiphon: Ps 117: 26-27
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord: The Lord is God and has given us light.
Collect
O God, whose Only Begotten Son has appeared in our very flesh, grant, we pray, that we may be inwardly transformed through him whom we recognize as outwardly like ourselves. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
First reading: 1 John 4:7-10
My dear people, let us love one another since love comes from God and everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God. Anyone who fails to love can never have known God, because God is love. God’s love for us was revealed when God sent into the world his only Son so that we could have life through him; this is the love I mean: not our love for God, but God’s love for us when he sent his Son to be the sacrifice that takes our sins away.
Psalm 71 (72):1-4,7-8
R/ All nations shall fall prostrate before you, O Lord.
1. O God, give your judgement to the king, to a king’s son your justice, that he may judge your people in justice and your poor in right judgement.
2. May the mountains bring forth peace for the people and the hills, justice. May he defend the poor of the people and save the children of the needy.
3. In his days justice shall flourish and peace till the moon fails. He shall rule from sea to sea, from the Great River to earth’s bounds.
Gospel Acclamation cf.: Mt4:23
Alleluia, alleluia!Jesus proclaimed the Good News of the kingdom and cured all kinds of diseases among the people. Alleluia!
Gospel: Mark 6:34-44
As Jesus stepped ashore he saw a large crowd; and he took pity on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd, and he set himself to teach them at some length. By now it was getting very late, and his disciples came up to him and said, ‘This is a lonely place and it is getting very late, So send them away, and they can go to the farms and villages round about, to buy themselves something to eat.’ He replied, ‘Give them something to eat yourselves.’ They answered, ‘Are we to go and spend two hundred denarii on bread for them to eat?’ How many loaves have you?’ he asked ‘Go and see.’ And when they had found out they said, ‘Five, and two fish.’ Then he ordered them to get all the people together in groups on the green grass, and they sat down on the ground in squares of hundreds and fifties. Then he took the five loaves and the two fish, raised his eyes to heaven and said the blessing; then he broke the loaves and handed them to his disciples to distribute among the people. He also shared out the two fish among them all. They all ate as much as they wanted. They collected twelve basketfuls of scraps of bread and pieces of fish. Those who had eaten the loaves numbered five thousand men.
Prayer over the Offerings
Receive with favour, O Lord, we pray, the offerings of your people, that what they profess with devotion and faith may be theirs through these heavenly mysteries. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon : Eph 2: 4; Rm 8: 3
Because of that great love of his with which God loved us, he sent his Son in the likeness of sinful flesh.
Prayer after Communion
O God, who touch us through our partaking of your Sacrament, work, we pray, the effects of its power in our hearts, that we may be made fit to receive your gift through this very gift itself. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
The First Letter of Saint John is a veritable hymn of love. In it we find the statement, “God is love”, which according to St. Augustine is the summary of all Scripture. To say that God is love is to say that God loved us to the point of giving his Son for us, and we should return that love by loving one another. In 1 Jn 3: 8, God tells us that our love should not be mere words, but should be expressed in concrete action. Jesus shows the example; moved by pity, he taught the crowd many things, and then he fed it. He thus performed a spiritual work of mercy (instructing the ignorant) and a corporal work of mercy (feeding the hungry). Let us show love through concrete actions in favour of those around us. The corporal and spiritual works of mercy can be guide for us to put love into practice.
by Jude Thaddeus Langeh Basebang | Jan 6, 2019 | Evangelium
St Raymond of Peñafort
(c.1175 – 1275)
Psalter Week II
St Raymond of Peñafort (c.1175 – 1275) was a Spanish Dominican friar in the 13th-century, who compiled a collection of canon laws that remained a major part of Church law until the 20th century. He is the patron saint of lawyers, especially canon lawyers.
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Entrance Antiphon
A holy day has dawned upon us: Come, you nations, and adore the Lord, for a great light has come down upon the earth.
Collect
O God, whose eternal Word adorns the face of the heavens yet accepted from the Virgin Mary the frailty of our flesh, grant, we pray, that he who appeared among us as the splendour of truth may go forth in the fullness of power for the redemption of the world. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
First reading: 1 John 3:22-4:6
Whatever we ask God, we shall receive, because we keep his commandments and live the kind of life that he wants. His commandments are these: that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and that we love one another as he told us to. Whoever keeps his commandments lives in God and God lives in him. We know that he lives in us by the Spirit that he has given us. It is not every spirit, my dear people, that you can trust; test them, to see if they come from God, there are many false prophets, now, in the world. You can tell the spirits that come from God by this: every spirit which acknowledges that Jesus the Christ has come in the flesh is from God; but any spirit which will not say this of Jesus is not from God, but is the spirit of Antichrist, whose coming you were warned about. Well, now he is here, in the world. Children, you have already overcome these false prophets, because you are from God and you have in you one who is greater than anyone in this world; as for them, they are of the world, and so they speak the language of the world and the world listens to them. But we are children of God, and those who know God listen to us; those who are not of God refuse to listen to us. This is how we can tell the spirit of truth from the spirit of falsehood.
Psalm 2:7-8,10-11
R/ I will give you the nations for your heritage.
1. The Lord said to me: ‘You are my Son. It is I who have begotten you this day. Ask and I shall bequeath you the nations, put the ends of the earth in your possession.’
2. Now, O kings, understand, take warning, rulers of the earth; serve the Lord with awe and trembling, pay him your homage.
Gospel Acclamation: Mt4:16
Alleluia, alleluia!The people that lived in darkness has seen a great light; on those who dwell in the land and shadow of death a light has dawned. Alleluia!
Gospel: Matthew 4:12-17,23-25
Hearing that John had been arrested, Jesus went back to Galilee, and leaving Nazareth he went and settled in Capernaum, a lakeside town on the borders of Zebulun and Naphtali. In this way the prophecy of Isaiah was to be fulfilled: ‘Land of Zebulun! Land of Naphtali! Way of the sea on the far side of Jordan, Galilee of the nations! The people that lived in darkness has seen a great light; on those who dwell in the land and shadow of death a light has dawned.’ From that moment Jesus began his preaching with the message, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is close at hand.’ He went round the whole of Galilee teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Good News of the kingdom and curing all kinds of diseases and sickness among the people. His fame spread throughout Syria, and those who were suffering from diseases and painful complaints of one kind or another, the possessed, epileptics, the paralysed, were all brought to him, and he cured them. Large crowds followed him, coming from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judaea and Transjordania.
Prayer over the Offerings
Receive our oblation, O Lord, by which is brought about a glorious exchange, that, by offering what you have given, we may merit to receive your very self. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon Jn. 1: 14
We have seen his glory, the glory of an only Son coming from the Father, filled with grace and truth.
Prayer after Communion
Grant, we pray, almighty God, that, by the power of these holy mysteries, our life may be constantly sustained. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
Why did Jesus not begin his ministry in Nazareth, his hometown? Charity begins at home, we often say. But he left his hometown. Moreover, he went to begin his ministry in Galilee, which was a Gentile town. He left his family, he left the Jews who were his fellow people and who were convinced that they were the Chosen People, and he went to those whom the Jews despised and rejected. Herein lies an important lesson; Jesus’ message of conversion concerns our attitudes towards the people we meet. Jesus wants us to change the way we look at and relate to the people we meet. He is inviting us to stop paying attention only to the people we get along with, who belong to the same social or professional milieu as us. He wants us to leave these comfort zones and to reach out, like him, to those whom society rejects, to those we would rather avoid. He invites us to reach out to these people, so that through us they too can experience his light.
by Jude Thaddeus Langeh Basebang | Jan 5, 2019 | Evangelium
EPIPHANY OF THE LORD Solemnity, PSALTER PROPER
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Entrance Antiphon : Cf. Mal 3: 1; 1 Chr 29:12
Behold, the Lord, the Mighty One, has come; and kingship is in his grasp, and power and dominion.
Collect
O God, who on this day revealed your Only Begotten Son to the nations by the guidance of a star, grant in your mercy, that we, who know you already by faith, may be brought to behold the beauty of your sublime 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: Isaiah 60:1-6
Arise, shine out, Jerusalem, for your light has come, the glory of the Lord is rising on you, though night still covers the earth and darkness the peoples. Above you the Lord now rises and above you his glory appears. The nations come to your light and kings to your dawning brightness. Lift up your eyes and look around: all are assembling and coming towards you, your sons from far away and your daughters being tenderly carried. At this sight you will grow radiant, your heart throbbing and full; since the riches of the sea will flow to you, the wealth of the nations come to you; camels in throngs will cover you, and dromedaries of Midian and Ephab; everyone in Sheba will come, bringing gold and incense and singing the praise of the Lord.
Psalm 71 (72) :1-2.7-8.10-13
R/ All the nations shall fall prostrate before you, O Lord.
1.O God, give your judgement to the king, to a king’s son your justice, that he may judge your people in justice, and your poor in tight judgement.
2.In his days justice shall flourish, and peace till the moon fails.
He shall rule from sea to sea, from the Great Sea to earth’s bounds.
3.The kings of Tarshish and the sea coasts, shall pay him tribute. The kings of Sheba and Seba, shall bring him gifts. Before him all kings shall fall prostrate, all nations shall serve him.
4.For he shall save the people when they cry, and the needy who are helpless. He will have pity on the weak, and save the lives of the poor.
Second Reading: Ephesians 3:2-3.5-6
You have probably heard how I have been entrusted by God with the grace he meant for you, and that it was by a revelation that I was given the knowledge of the mystery. This mystery that has now been revealed through the Spirit to his holy apostles and prophets was unknown to any men in past generations; it means that pagans now share the same inheritance, that they are parts of the same body, and that the same promise has been made to them, in Christ Jesus, through the gospel.
Gospel Acclamation: Mt 2:2
Alleluia, alleluia!We saw his star as it rose and have come to do the Lord homage. Alleluia!
Gospel: Matthew 2:1-12
After Jesus had been born at Bethlehem in Judaea during the reign of King Herod, some wise men came to Jerusalem from the east. ‘Where is the infant king of the Jews?’ they asked. ‘We saw his star as it rose and have come to do him homage.’ When King Herod heard this he was perturbed, and so was the whole of Jerusalem. He called together all the chief priests and the scribes of the people, and enquired of them where the Christ was to be born. ‘At Bethlehem in Judaea,’ they told him, ‘for this is what the prophet wrote: And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, you are by no means least among the leaders of Judah, for out of you will come a leader who will shepherd my people Israel. ‘Then Herod summoned the wise men to see him privately. He asked them the exact date on which the star had appeared, and sent them on to Bethlehem. ‘Go and find out all about the child,’ he said ‘and when you have found him, let me know, so that I too may go and do him homage.’ Having listened to what the king had to say, they set out. And there in front of them was the star they had seen rising; it went forward and halted over the place where the child was. The sight of the star filled them with delight, and going into the house they saw the child with his mother Mary, and falling to their knees they did him homage. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh. But they were warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, and returned to their own country by a different way.
Prayer over the Offerings
Look with favour, Lord, we pray, on these gifts of your Church, in which are offered now not gold or frankincense or myrrh, but he who by them is proclaimed, sacrificed and received, Jesus Christ. Who lives and reigns forever and ever.
Communion Antiphon: Cf. Mt 2: 2
We have seen his star in the East, and have come with gifts to adore the Lord.
Prayer after Communion
Go before us with heavenly light, O Lord, always and everywhere, that we may perceive with clear sight and revere with true affection the mystery in which you have willed us to participate. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
On Christmas Day, we celebrated the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem; today, we celebrate his manifestation to the world. On Christmas Day, we welcomed the one whose coming was predicted by the prophets to Israel; today, we learn that this Messiah did not come only for the Jews or any particular group of people, but for all of humanity. Isaiah tells the people of Jerusalem that the glory of the Lord will shine in their city and will attract people from every nation. This means that God’s glory is not reserved for the Israelites alone. Paul says the same thing to the Ephesians: the pagans have received the same promise of eternal life as the Jews. The pagans are represented by the three wise men, who are guided by the star to Jesus and who pay him homage. Jesus is the light of the world, and his light shines on everybody, regardless of race or origin. All those who believe in him will inherit the gifts he has brought for mankind. The light of the star which guided the wise men to him is the light of the Gospel; let us all follow this light and let it lead us to the Saviour of the world.
by Jude Thaddeus Langeh Basebang | Jan 4, 2019 | Evangelium
St. John Neumann,
This American saint was born in Bohemia in 1811. John was appointed bishop of Philadelphia in 1852. Fluent in many languages, he was dedicated to helping the poor and most abandoned. John died on January 5, 1860 at the age of 48.
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Entrance Antiphon: Gal 4: 4-5
God sent his Son, born of a woman, so that we might receive adoption as children.
Collect
Almighty ever-living God, who were pleased to shine forth with new light through the coming of your Only Begotten Son, grant, we pray, that, just as he was pleased to share our bodily form through the child-bearing of the Virgin Mary, so we, too, may one day merit to become companions in his kingdom of grace. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
First reading 1 John 3:11-21
This is the message as you heard it from the beginning: that we are to love one another; not to be like Cain, who belonged to the Evil One and cut his brother’s throat; cut his brother’s throat simply for this reason, that his own life was evil and his brother lived a good life. You must not be surprised, brothers, when the world hates you; we have passed out of death and into life, and of this we can be sure because we love our brothers. If you refuse to love, you must remain dead; to hate your brother is to be a murderer, and murderers, as you know, do not have eternal life in them. This has taught us love –that he gave up his life for us; and we, too, ought to give up our lives for our brothers. If a man who was rich enough in this world’s goods saw that one of his brothers was in need, but closed his heart to him, how could the love of God be living in him? My children, our love is not to be just words or mere talk, but something real and active; only by this can we be certain that we are children of the truth and be able to quieten our conscience in his presence, whatever accusations it may raise against us, because God is greater than our conscience and he knows everything. My dear people, if we cannot be condemned by our own conscience, we need not be afraid in God’s presence.
Psalm 99 100:1-5
R/ Cry out with joy to the Lord, all the earth.
1. Cry out with joy to the Lord, all the earth. Serve the Lord with gladness. Come before him, singing for joy.
2. Know that he, the Lord, is God. He made us, we belong to him, we are his people, the sheep of his flock.
3. Go within his gates, giving thanks. Enter his courts with songs of praise. Give thanks to him and bless his name.
4. Indeed, how good is the Lord, eternal his merciful love. He is faithful from age to age.
Gospel Acclamation: Heb 1:1-2
Alleluia, alleluia!At various times in the past and in various different ways, God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets; but in our own time, the last days, he has spoken to us through his Son. Alleluia!
Gospel: John 1:43-51
After Jesus had decided to leave for Galilee, he met Philip and said, ‘Follow me.’ Philip came from the same town, Bethsaida, as Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael and said to him, ‘We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, the one about whom the prophets wrote: he is Jesus son of Joseph, from Nazareth.’ ‘From Nazareth?’ said Nathanael ‘Can anything good come from that place?’ ‘Come and see’ replied Philip. When Jesus saw Nathanael coming he said of him, ‘There is an Israelite who deserves the name, incapable of deceit.’ ‘How do you know me?’ said Nathanael ‘Before Philip came to call you,’ said Jesus ‘I saw you under the fig tree.’ Nathanael answered, ‘Rabbi, you are the Son of God, you are the King of Israel.’ Jesus replied, ‘You believe that just because I said: I saw you under the fig tree. You will see greater things than that.’ And then he added ‘I tell you most solemnly, you will see heaven laid open and, above the Son of Man, the angels of God ascending and descending.’
Prayer over the Offerings
O God, who give us the gift of true prayer and of peace, graciously grant that, through this offering, we may do fitting homage to your divine majesty and, by partaking of the sacred mystery, we may be faithfully united in mind and heart. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon: Jn. 1: 16
From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.
Prayer after Communion
May your people, O Lord, whom you guide and sustain in many ways, experience, both now and in the future, the remedies which you bestow, that, with the needed solace of things that pass away, they may strive with ever deepened trust for things eternal. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
After Andrew and Simon, Philip and Nathanael are the next to become followers of Jesus. They respond to Jesus’ invitation: “Follow me.” They are able to see in Jesus something that they do not see in others. After meeting Jesus, Andrew told his brother Simon, “We have found the Messiah.” Philip realises that Jesus is the one Moses and the prophets wrote about. Nathanael recognises Jesus as the Son of God and the king of Israel. Jesus invites us, just as he invited them, to follow him. And following Jesus means taking on a new life, a life driven by love. When we hate, when we are jealous, when we exploit, we destroy our brothers, just like Cain killed his brother. However, when we love, when we show concern and sympathy, when we show mercy and seek justice, we give life, just as Jesus gave life to us. Let us become followers of Jesus; let us love one another.
