by Norbert Doulanni | May 23, 2025 | Evangelium
Blessed Louis-Zépherin Moreau
(1824 – 1901)
Psalter: Week I
White
He was bishop of the St Hyacinthe diocese in Quebec for 25 years, from 1876 until his death.
Entrance Antiphon : Col 2: 12
You have been buried with Christ in Baptism, through which you also rose again by faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead, alleluia.
Collect
Almighty and eternal God, who, through the regenerating power of Baptism, have been pleased to confer on us heavenly life, grant, we pray, that those you render capable of immortality by justifying them may by your guidance attain the fullness of 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 : Acts 16:1-10
From Cilicia Paul went to Derbe, and then on to Lystra. Here there was a disciple called Timothy, whose mother was a Jewess who had become a believer; but his father was a Greek. The brothers at Lystra and Iconium spoke well of Timothy, and Paul, who wanted to have him as a travelling companion, had him circumcised. This was on account of the Jews in the locality where everyone knew his father was a Greek. As they visited one town after another, they passed on the decisions reached by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem, with instructions to respect them. So the Churches grew strong in the faith, as well as growing daily in numbers. They travelled through Phrygia and the Galatian country, having been told by the Holy Spirit not to preach the word in Asia. When they reached the frontier of Mysia they thought to cross it into Bithynia, but as the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them, they went through Mysia and came down to Troas. One night Paul had a vision: a Macedonian appeared and appealed to him in these words, ‘Come across to Macedonia and help us.’ Once he had seen this vision we lost no time in arranging a passage to Macedonia, convinced that God had called us to bring them the Good News.
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 99:1-3,5
R/ Cry out with joy to the Lord, all the earth.
Cry out with joy to the Lord, all the earth. Serve the Lord with gladness. Come before him, singing for joy.
Know that he, the Lord, is God. He made us, we belong to him, we are his people, the sheep of his flock.
Indeed, how good is the Lord, eternal his merciful love. He is faithful from age to age.
Gospel Acclamation : Jn10:14
Alleluia, alleluia! The Lord, who hung for us upon the tree, has risen from the tomb. Alleluia!
Gospel : John 15:18-21
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘If the world hates you, remember that it hated me before you. If you belonged to the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you do not belong to the world, because my choice withdrew you from the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the words I said to you: A servant is not greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will persecute you too; if they kept my word, they will keep yours as well. But it will be on my account that they will do all this, because they do not know the one who sent me.’
Prayer over the Offerings
Accept in compassion, Lord, we pray, the offerings of your family, that under your protective care, they may never lose what they have received, but attain the gifts that are eternal. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon : Jn 17: 20-21
Father, I pray for them, that they may be one in us, so that the world may believe it was you who sent me, says the Lord, alleluia.
Prayer after Communion
Keep safe, O Lord, we pray, those whom you have saved by your kindness, that, redeemed by the Passion of your Son, they may rejoice in his Resurrection. Who lives and reigns for ever and ever.
Meditation
“A servant is not greater than his master”. In society today, the traditional servant-master relationship is still very much alive. It may not be in the ancient sense where masters owned slaves, who were at their service. This employer-employee relationship has not stopped, it has merely changed form. This is evident in various fields where individuals either have a boss or are bosses to others. The success of this professional relationship depends on the quality of the interactions between both parties. Do those in a servant role show respect to their masters and render their services with love? How do those in positions of responsibility treat those who work under their authority? Is it with love, compassion, and fairness, or is there mistreatment and even abuse? Let us seek the grace to emulate the servant leadership of Jesus, who came to serve rather than to be served, thus fostering a workplace environment that is characterised by service and love.
by Norbert Doulanni | May 22, 2025 | Evangelium
Saint John Baptist de Rossi
Psalter: Week I
White
He became a priest in the 1720s and worked tirelessly in Rome on behalf of homeless women, the sick, prisoners and workers, becoming a very popular confessor. Owing to his selfless desire to assist the needy and downtrodden, he eventually succumbed to illness and died on May 23, 1764.
Entrance Antiphon : Rv 5: 12
Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.
Collect
Grant us, Lord, we pray, that, being rightly conformed to the paschal mysteries, what we celebrate in joy may protect and save us with perpetual power. 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 15:22-31
The apostles and elders decided to choose delegates to send to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; the whole Church concurred with this. They chose Judas known as Barsabbas and Silas, both leading men in the brotherhood, and gave them this letter to take with them: ‘The apostles and elders, your brothers, send greetings to the brothers of pagan birth in Antioch, Syria and Cilicia. We hear that some of our members have disturbed you with their demands and have unsettled your minds. They acted without any authority from us; and so we have decided unanimously to elect delegates and to send them to you with Barnabas and Paul, men we highly respect who have dedicated their lives to the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Accordingly we are sending you Judas and Silas, who will confirm by word of mouth what we have written in this letter. It has been decided by the Holy Spirit and by ourselves not to saddle you with any burden beyond these essentials: you are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols; from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from fornication. Avoid these, and you will do what is right. Farewell.’ The party left and went down to Antioch, where they summoned the whole community and delivered the letter. The community read it and were delighted with the encouragement it gave them.
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 56:8-12
R/ I will thank you, Lord, among the peoples.
My heart is ready, O God, my heart is ready. I will sing, I will sing your praise. Awake, my soul, awake, lyre and harp, I will awake the dawn.
I will thank you, Lord, among the peoples, among the nations I will praise you, for your love reaches to the heavens and your truth to the skies. O God, arise above the heavens; may your glory shine on earth!
Gospel Acclamation : Jn10:27
Alleluia, alleluia! The sheep that belong to me listen to my voice, says the Lord, I know them and they follow me. Alleluia!
Gospel : John 15:12-17
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘This is my commandment: love one another, as I have loved you. A man can have no greater love than to lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends, if you do what I command you. I shall not call you servants any more, because a servant does not know his master’s business; I call you friends, because I have made known to you everything I have learnt from my Father. You did not choose me: no, I chose you; and I commissioned you to go out and to bear fruit, fruit that will last; and then the Father will give you anything you ask him in my name. What I command you is to love one another.’
Prayer over the Offerings
Graciously sanctify these gifts, O Lord, we pray, and, accepting the oblation of this spiritual sacrifice, make of us an eternal offering to you. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon
The Crucified is risen from the dead and has redeemed us, alleluia.
Prayer after Communion
We have partaken of the gifts of this sacred mystery, humbly imploring, O Lord, that what your Son commanded us to do in memory of him may bring us growth in charity. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
The core of all Jesus’ teachings is embedded in the principle of love, as He instructs us today to love one another. When we look at our society, with its alarming rates of killing, kidnapping, conflicts, and other social ills, we cannot help but wonder, “Where is the love?” The world would undoubtedly be a better place if Christians could wholeheartedly embrace this commandment of love. If I truly love you, I will not speak ill of you. True love requires that we, who occupy positions of responsibility, refrain from embezzling public funds meant for the good of all. The root cause of all the social ills our society is suffering from lies in the absence of love. Love puts the interests of others first and operates without selfish motives. As a Christian, do I actively strive every day not to demonstrate our commitment to the commandment of love, not just in words but through our actions?
by Norbert Doulanni | May 21, 2025 | Evangelium
Saint Rita of Cascia (1377 – 1447)
Psalter: Week I
White
She was born in Italy. She was married at the age of 12 but became a nun at the dead of her husband. She is widely honoured as a patron saint of impossible or lost causes.
Entrance Antiphon : Cf. Ex 15: 1-2
Let us sing to the Lord, for he has gloriously triumphed. The Lord is my strength and my might; he has become my salvation, alleluia.
Collect
O God, by whose grace, though sinners, we are made just and, though pitiable, made blessed, stand, we pray, by your works, stand by your gifts, that those justified by faith may not lack the courage of perseverance. 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 15:7-21
After the discussion had gone on a long time, Peter stood up and addressed the apostles and the elders. ‘My brothers,’ he said ‘you know perfectly well that in the early days God made his choice among you: the pagans were to learn the Good News from me and so become believers. In fact God, who can read everyone’s heart, showed his approval of them by giving the Holy Spirit to them just as he had to us. God made no distinction between them and us, since he purified their hearts by faith. It would only provoke God’s anger now, surely, if you imposed on the disciples the very burden that neither we nor our ancestors were strong enough to support? Remember, we believe that we are saved in the same way as they are: through the grace of the Lord Jesus.’ This silenced the entire assembly, and they listened to Barnabas and Paul describing the signs and wonders God had worked through them among the pagans. When they had finished it was James who spoke. ‘My brothers,’ he said ‘listen to me. Simeon has described how God first arranged to enlist a people for his name out of the pagans. This is entirely in harmony with the words of the prophets, since the scriptures say: After that I shall return and rebuild the fallen House of David; I shall rebuild it from its ruins and restore it. Then the rest of mankind, all the pagans who are consecrated to my name, will look for the Lord, says the Lord who made this known so long ago. ‘I rule, then, that instead of making things more difficult for pagans who turn to God, we send them a letter telling them merely to abstain from anything polluted by idols, from fornication, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood. For Moses has always had his preachers in every town, and is read aloud in the synagogues every sabbath.’
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 95(96):1-3,10
R/ Proclaim the wonders of the Lord among all the peoples.
or
Alleluia!
O sing a new song to the Lord, sing to the Lord all the earth. O sing to the Lord, bless his name.
Proclaim his help day by day, tell among the nations his glory and his wonders among all the peoples.
Proclaim to the nations: ‘God is king.’ The world he made firm in its place; he will judge the peoples in fairness.
Gospel Acclamation : Jn10:27
Alleluia, alleluia! The sheep that belong to me listen to my voice, says the Lord, I know them and they follow me. Alleluia!
Gospel : John 15:9-11
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you. Remain in my love. If you keep my commandments you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my own joy may be in you and your joy be complete.’
Prayer over the Offerings
O God, who by the wonderful exchange effected in this sacrifice have made us partakers of the one supreme Godhead, grant, we pray, that, as we have come to know your truth, we may make it ours by a worthy way of life. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon
Christ died for all, that those who live may live no longer for themselves, but for him who died for them and is risen, alleluia..
Prayer after Communion
Graciously be present to your people, we pray, O Lord, and lead those you have imbued with heavenly mysteries to pass from former ways to newness of life. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
Joy is a universal desire, yet the ways people pursue it, or the places they search for it, vary from person to person. Some seek joy in alcohol, drugs, sex, luxury cars, houses, and more. Unfortunately, the “joy” derived from these pursuits is never sufficient to satiates the heart’s thirst. The more one seeks joy in alcohol, the more one drinks, leading to an alcohol dependency and a realisation that the emptiness that led to the alcohol abuse still persists. This pattern applies to all the other avenues mentioned above. Jesus stands as the only source of true joy. He is the only one in whom our joy can find fulfillment. The only path to complete and lasting joy is to seek the joy Christ bring us. That is why He says: “I have told you this so that my own joy may be in you and your joy be complete”. Let us earnestly seek the grace to be filled with the joy of Christ, transforming us into wholly joyful children of God.
by Norbert Doulanni | May 19, 2025 | Evangelium
Saint Bernardino of Siena (1380 – 1444)
Psalter: Week I
White
Bernardino (“Little Bernard”) was born in Tuscany. Inspired by St Vincent Ferrer, he was an energetic and popular preacher. He denounced usury, promoted peace, worked hard for the reform and discipline of the Franciscan order, and for church unity.
Entrance Antiphon : Rv 19: 5; 12: 10
Sing praise to our God, all you who fear God, both small and great, for now salvation and strength have come, and the power of his Christ, alleluia.
Collect
O God, who restore us to eternal life in the Resurrection of Christ, grant your people constancy in faith and hope, that we may never doubt the promises of which we have learned from you. 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 14:19-28
Some Jews arrived from Antioch and Iconium, and turned the people against the apostles. They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the town, thinking he was dead. The disciples came crowding round him but, as they did so, he stood up and went back to the town. The next day he and Barnabas went off to Derbe. Having preached the Good News in that town and made a considerable number of disciples, they went back through Lystra and Iconium to Antioch. They put fresh heart into the disciples, encouraging them to persevere in the faith. ‘We all have to experience many hardships’ they said ‘before we enter the kingdom of God.’ In each of these Churches they appointed elders, and with prayer and fasting they commended them to the Lord in whom they had come to believe. They passed through Pisidia and reached Pamphylia. Then after proclaiming the word at Perga they went down to Attalia and from there sailed for Antioch, where they had originally been commended to the grace of God for the work they had now completed. On their arrival they assembled the Church and gave an account of all that God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith to the pagans. They stayed there with the disciples for some time.
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 144:10-13,21
R/ Your friends, O Lord, shall make known the glorious splendour of your reign.
All your creatures shall thank you, O Lord, and your friends shall repeat their blessing. They shall speak of the glory of your reign and declare your might, O God, to make known to men your mighty deeds and the glorious splendour of your reign.
Yours is an everlasting kingdom; your rule lasts from age to age.
Let me speak the praise of the Lord, let all mankind bless his holy name for ever, for ages unending.
Gospel Acclamation : cf.Lk24:46,26
Alleluia, alleluia! It was ordained that the Christ should suffer and rise from the dead, and so enter into his glory. Alleluia!
Gospel : John 14:27-31
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Peace I bequeath to you, my own peace I give you, a peace the world cannot give, this is my gift to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid. You heard me say: I am going away, and shall return. If you loved me you would have been glad to know that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. I have told you this now before it happens, so that when it does happen you may believe. I shall not talk with you any longer, because the prince of this world is on his way. He has no power over me, but the world must be brought to know that I love the Father and that I am doing exactly what the Father told me.’
Prayer over the Offerings
Receive, O Lord, we pray, these offerings of your exultant Church, and, as you have given her cause for such great gladness, grant also that the gifts we bring may bear fruit in perpetual happiness. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon : Rm 6: 8
If we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Christ, alleluia.
Prayer after Communion
Look with kindness upon your people, O Lord, and grant, we pray, that those you were pleased to renew by eternal mysteries may attain in their flesh the incorruptible glory of the resurrection. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
“Peace I leave you, my peace I give you” is a phrase that is often recited at Mass, where the Lord continually renews his promise of peace to us. However, He distinguishes His peace from that offered by the world. In conflicts between nations, international bodies usually intervene to propose ceasefires and negotiation strategies as peace solutions. Unfortunately, these solutions often depend on clauses that, once broken by one of the parties, conflicts can reignite. Such peace is temporary. In contrast, the peace that Christ, the “Prince of Peace,” brings is lasting. Let us daily ask Him , much like Saint Francis of Assisi, to make us “instruments of his peace”.
by Norbert Doulanni | May 18, 2025 | Evangelium
Saint Dunstan (909 – 988)
Psalter: Week I
White
He was born near Glastonbury, a member of a noble family. He became a monk of Glastonbury, where he later became abbot. He was the principal agent in the restoration of English monasticism following the devastation of the Viking invasions.
Entrance Antiphon
The Good Shepherd has risen, who laid down his life for his sheep and willingly died for his flock, alleluia.
Collect
May your right hand, O Lord, we pray, encompass your family with perpetual help, so that, defended from all wickedness by the Resurrection of your Only Begotten Son, we may make our way by means of your heavenly gifts. 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 14:5-18
Eventually with the connivance of the authorities a move was made by pagans as well as Jews to make attacks on the apostles and to stone them. When the apostles came to hear of this, they went off for safety to Lycaonia where, in the towns of Lystra and Derbe and in the surrounding country, they preached the Good News. A man sat there who had never walked in his life, because his feet were crippled from birth; and as he listened to Paul preaching, he managed to catch his eye. Seeing that the man had the faith to be cured, Paul said in a loud voice, ‘Get to your feet – stand up’, and the cripple jumped up and began to walk. When the crowd saw what Paul had done they shouted in the language of Lycaonia, ‘These people are gods who have come down to us disguised as men.’ They addressed Barnabas as Zeus, and since Paul was the principal speaker they called him Hermes. The priests of Zeus-outside-the-Gate, proposing that all the people should offer sacrifice with them, brought garlanded oxen to the gates. When the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard what was happening they tore their clothes, and rushed into the crowd, shouting, ‘Friends, what do you think you are doing? We are only human beings like you. We have come with good news to make you turn from these empty idols to the living God who made heaven and earth and the sea and all that these hold. In the past he allowed each nation to go its own way; but even then he did not leave you without evidence of himself in the good things he does for you: he sends you rain from heaven, he makes your crops grow when they should, he gives you food and makes you happy.’ Even this speech, however, was scarcely enough to stop the crowd offering them sacrifice.
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 113B:1-4,15-16
R/ Not to us, Lord, but to your name give the glory.
Not to us, Lord, not to us, but to your name give the glory for the sake of your love and your truth, lest the heathen say: ‘Where is their God?’
But our God is in the heavens; he does whatever he wills. Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands.
May you be blessed by the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth. The heavens belong to the Lord but the earth he has given to men.
Gospel Acclamation : Col3:1
Alleluia, alleluia! Christ has risen and shone upon us whom he redeemed with his blood. Alleluia!
Gospel : John 14:21-26
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Anybody who receives my commandments and keeps them will be one who loves me; and anybody who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I shall love him and show myself to him. Judas – this was not Judas Iscariot – said to him, ‘Lord, what is all this about? Do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?’ Jesus replied: ‘If anyone loves me he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we shall come to him and make our home with him. Those who do not love me do not keep my words. And my word is not my own: it is the word of the one who sent me. I have said these things to you while still with you; but the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and remind you of all I have said to you.’
Prayer over the Offerings
May our prayers rise up to you, O Lord, together with the sacrificial offerings, so that, purified by your graciousness, we may be conformed to the mysteries of your mighty love. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon : Jn 14: 27
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you, says the Lord, alleluia.
Prayer after Communion
Almighty ever-living God, who restore us to eternal life in the Resurrection of Christ, increase in us, we pray, the fruits of this paschal Sacrament, and pour into our hearts the strength of this saving food. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
Jesus imparts a beautiful promise to his disciples as He prepares to go the Father. Although He is already leaving His disciples, He assures them that he will be sending them an Advocate, the Holy Spirit. Christ’s intention is to prevent His disciples from going astray; that is why He sends the Holy Spirit to fortify their faith, and ensure that they do not forget what He has taught them. An advocate is the person who defends you and speaks on your behalf. Unfortunately, many Christians live as if they are not aware of the presence of this defender. As a child of God, do I invoke the Holy Spirit to enlighten me in everyday situations?
by Norbert Doulanni | May 17, 2025 | Evangelium
5th Sunday of Easter
Pope St John I (- 526)
Psalter: Week I
White
Entrance Antiphon : Cf. Ps 97: 1-2
O sing a new song to the Lord, for he has worked wonders; in the sight of the nations he has shown his deliverance, alleluia.
Collect
Almighty ever-living God, constantly accomplish the Paschal Mystery within us, that those you were pleased to make new in Holy Baptism may, under your protective care, bear much fruit and come to the joys of life eternal. 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 14:21-27
Paul and Barnabas went back through Lystra and Iconium to Antioch. They put fresh heart into the disciples, encouraging them to persevere in the faith. ‘We all have to experience many hardships’ they said ‘before we enter the kingdom of God.’ In each of these churches they appointed elders, and with prayer and fasting they commended them to the Lord in whom they had come to believe. They passed through Pisidia and reached Pamphylia. Then after proclaiming the word at Perga they went down to Attalia and from there sailed for Antioch, where they had originally been commended to the grace of God for the work they had now completed. On their arrival they assembled the church and gave an account of all that God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith to the pagans.
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 144(145):8-13a
R/ I will bless your name for ever, O God my King.
The Lord is kind and full of compassion, slow to anger, abounding in love. How good is the Lord to all, compassionate to all his creatures.
All your creatures shall thank you, O Lord, and your friends shall repeat their blessing. They shall speak of the glory of your reign and declare your might, O God, to make known to men your mighty deeds and the glorious splendour of your reign.
Yours is an everlasting kingdom; your rule lasts from age to age.
Second reading : Apocalypse 21:1-5
I, John, saw a new heaven and a new earth; the first heaven and the first earth had disappeared now, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the holy city, and the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, as beautiful as a bride all dressed for her husband. Then I heard a loud voice call from the throne, ‘You see this city? Here God lives among men. He will make his home among them; they shall be his people, and he will be their God; his name is God-with-them. He will wipe away all tears from their eyes; there will be no more death, and no more mourning or sadness. The world of the past has gone.’ Then the One sitting on the throne spoke: ‘Now I am making the whole of creation new.’
Gospel Acclamation : Jn13:34
Alleluia, alleluia! I give you a new commandment: love one another just as I have loved you, says the Lord. Alleluia!
Gospel : John 13:31-33,34-35
When Judas had gone Jesus said: ‘Now has the Son of Man been glorified, and in him God has been glorified. If God has been glorified in him, God will in turn glorify him in himself, and will glorify him very soon. ‘My little children, I shall not be with you much longer. I give you a new commandment: love one another; just as I have loved you, you also must love one another. By this love you have for one another, everyone will know that you are my disciples.’
Prayer over the Offerings
O God, who by the wonderful exchange effected in this sacrifice have made us partakers of the one supreme Godhead, grant, we pray, that, as we have come to know your truth, we may make it ours by a worthy way of life. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon : Cf. Jn 15: 1, 5
I am the true vine and you are the branches, says the Lord. Whoever remains in me, and I in him, bears fruit in plenty, alleluia.
Prayer after Communion
Graciously be present to your people, we pray, O Lord, and lead those you have imbued with heavenly mysteries to pass from former ways to newness of life. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
Love is the hallmark of Christians, as Jesus emphasises when tells us that we shall be identified as His disciples through our love for one another. But then, how do I show that I love my brother? Demonstrating love for our brothers and sisters is evident in the small gestures we make – the kind words we say, and the attentive ear we lend to those in need. Unfortunately, some Christians have drifted away from the church due to a lack of support during challenging times. To be true Christians and exhibit love for one another, we must actively show that we care. This involves seeking out our neighbours if they are absent from church, and providing support, especially in times of difficulty. Let us earnestly seek the grace to live in love — both love of God and love of our neighbours.
