by Norbert Doulanni | Jan 12, 2026 | Evangelium
SAINT HILARY
BISHOP AND DOCTOR
Psalter I
GREEN//WHITE
Hilary was born at the beginning of the fourth century. He was elected Bishop of Poitiers in 350. He fought strongly against Arianism and was exiled by the Emperor Constantius. His works are full of wisdom and learning, directed to the strengthening of the Catholic faith and the right interpretation of Scripture. He died in 367. He was declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope Pius IX in 1851.
Entrance Antiphon
Upon a lofty throne, I saw a man seated, whom a host of angels adore, singing in unison: Behold him, the name of whose empire is eternal.
Collect
Attend to the pleas of your people with heavenly care, O Lord, we pray, that they may see what must be done and gain strength to do what they have seen. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.
First Reading: 1 Samuel 1:9-20
Hannah rose after a meal at Shiloh, and presented herself before the Lord; at the time, Eli the priest was sitting on a chair near the doorpost of the Lord’s temple. In her bitterness she prayed to the Lord, weeping copiously, and she made a vow, promising: “O Lord of hosts, if you look with pity on the misery of your handmaid, if you remember me and do not forget me, if you give your handmaid a male child, I will give him to the Lord for as long as he lives; neither wine nor liquor shall he drink, and no razor shall ever touch his head.” As she remained long at prayer before the Lord, Eli watched her mouth, for Hannah was praying silently; though her lips were moving, her voice could not be heard. Eli, thinking her drunk, said to her, “How long will you make a drunken show of yourself? Sober up from your wine!” “It isn’t that, my lord,” Hannah answered. “I am an unhappy woman. I have had neither wine nor liquor; I was only pouring out my troubles to the Lord. Do not think your handmaid a ne’er-do-well; my prayer has been prompted by my deep sorrow and misery.” Eli said, “Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him.” She replied, “Think kindly of your maidservant,” and left. She went to her quarters, ate and drank with her husband, and no longer appeared downcast. Early the next morning they worshiped before the Lord, and then returned to their home in Ramah. When Elkanah had relations with his wife Hannah, the Lord remembered her. She conceived, and at the end of her term bore a son whom she called Samuel, since she had asked the Lord for him.
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 1 Samuel 2:1, 4-5, 6-7, 8abcd
R/ My heart exults in the Lord, my Savior.
- My heart exults in the Lord, my horn is exalted in my God. I have swallowed up my enemies; I rejoice in my victory.”
- The bows of the mighty are broken, while the tottering gird on strength. The well-fed hire themselves out for bread, while the hungry batten on spoil. The barren wife bears seven sons, while the mother of many languishes.”
- The Lord puts to death and gives life; he casts down to the nether world; he raises up again. The Lord makes poor and makes rich; he humbles, he also exalts.”
- He raises the needy from the dust; from the dung heap he lifts up the poor, To seat them with nobles and make a glorious throne their heritage.”
Gospel Acclamation: 1 Thessalonians 2:13
Alleluia, alleluia. Receive the word of God, not as the word of men, but as it truly is, the word of God. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel: Mark 1:21-28
Jesus came to Capernaum with his followers, and on the sabbath he entered the synagogue and taught. The people were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes. In their synagogue was a man with an unclean spirit; he cried out, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are–the Holy One of God!” Jesus rebuked him and said, “Quiet! Come out of him!” The unclean spirit convulsed him and with a loud cry came out of him. All were amazed and asked one another, “What is this? A new teaching with authority. He commands even the unclean spirits and they obey him.” His fame spread everywhere throughout the whole region of Galilee.
Prayer over the Offerings
May your people’s oblation, O Lord, find favour with you, we pray, that it may restore them to holiness and obtain what they devoutly entreat. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon: Ps 35: 10
With you, O Lord, is the fountain of life, and in your light we see light.
Prayer after Communion
Humbly we ask you, almighty God, be graciously pleased to grant that those you renew with your Sacraments may also serve with lives pleasing to you. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
“I was pouring out my soul before the Lord.” For many of us, prayer is a mechanical and routine act. We recite an Our Father and a Hail Mary, or we sit through mass on Sunday, and it means little to us. We pray with our lips and not with our hearts. In the First Reading, we see an example of true prayer; Hannah poured out her soul before God. When we pray, we should speak to God from our hearts; we should tell him how we feel and what we desire; we should express our hopes, worries, and fears, as well as our joys and sorrows. We should say what we mean and mean what we say. This also applies to prayers with fixed words and patterns, like the Our Father, the Hail Mary, the Rosary or the Mass. We should not simply recite them; rather, we should make the words our own and pronounce them as if they came from us. It is this type of prayer that touches the heart of God. It is in response to such a prayer that Jesus will visit us and expel from our hearts, families and lives every demon that may be tormenting us.
by Norbert Doulanni | Jan 11, 2026 | Evangelium
SAINTE TATIANA OF ROME
MARTYR
Psalter I
GREEN
Known for her steadfast faith and devotion to Christ. Born into a Roman family where her father was a secret Christian, she chose a life of virginity and service to God as a deaconess. During the persecution of Christians under Emperor Severus Alexander, she was arrested and tortured for refusing to renounce her faith. Miraculously, her prayers are said to have caused an earthquake that destroyed an idol and part of a temple. She was eventually beheaded on January 12th, and is revered as a patron saint of students and victims of slander.
Entrance Antiphon
Upon a lofty throne, I saw a man seated, whom a host of angels adore, singing in unison: Behold him, the name of whose empire is eternal.
Collect
Attend to the pleas of your people with heavenly care, O Lord, we pray, that they may see what must be done and gain strength to do what they have seen. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.
First Reading: 1 Samuel 1:1-8
There was a certain man from Ramathaim, Elkanah by name, a Zuphite from the hill country of Ephraim. He was the son of Jeroham, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. He had two wives, one named Hannah, the other Peninnah; Peninnah had children, but Hannah was childless. This man regularly went on pilgrimage from his city to worship the Lord of hosts and to sacrifice to him at Shiloh, where the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were ministering as priests of the Lord. When the day came for Elkanah to offer sacrifice, he used to give a portion each to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters, but a double portion to Hannah because he loved her, though the Lord had made her barren. Her rival, to upset her, turned it into a constant reproach to her that the Lord had left her barren. This went on year after year; each time they made their pilgrimage to the sanctuary of the Lord, Peninnah would approach her, and Hannah would weep and refuse to eat. Her husband Elkanah used to ask her: “Hannah, why do you weep, and why do you refuse to eat? Why do you grieve? Am I not more to you than ten sons?”
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 116:12-13, 14-17, 18-19
R/ To you, Lord, I will offer a sacrifice of praise.
- How shall I make a return to the Lord for all the good he has done for me? The cup of salvation I will take up, and I will call upon the name of the Lord.
- My vows to the Lord I will pay in the presence of all his people. Precious in the eyes of the Lord is the death of his faithful ones.
- O Lord, I am your servant; I am your servant, the son of your handmaid; you have loosed my bonds.
- My vows to the Lord I will pay in the presence of all his people, In the courts of the house of the Lord, in your midst, O Jerusalem.
Gospel Acclamation: Mark 1:15
Alleluia, alleluia. The Kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the Gospel. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel: Mark 1:14-20
After John had been arrested, Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the Gospel of God: “This is the time of fulfillment. The Kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the Gospel.” As he passed by the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting their nets into the sea; they were fishermen. Jesus said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Then they left their nets and followed him. He walked along a little farther and saw James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They too were in a boat mending their nets. Then he called them. So they left their father Zebedee in the boat along with the hired men and followed him.
Prayer over the Offerings
May your people’s oblation, O Lord, find favour with you, we pray, that it may restore them to holiness and obtain what they devoutly entreat. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon: Ps 35: 10
With you, O Lord, is the fountain of life, and in your light we see light.
Prayer after Communion
Humbly we ask you, almighty God, be graciously pleased to grant that those you renew with your Sacraments may also serve with lives pleasing to you. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
“Repent and believe the Good News.” This phrase could be considered as a summary of the Christian message. It contains two key things Jesus requires us to do as Christians. First, we must repent; in other words, we must change our ways. We must abandon one way of life in favour of another. Just as Simon, Andrew, James and John left their families and boats to follow him, we have to leave behind every aspect of our lives that contradicts the Christian ideal. We have to abandon dishonesty, duplicity, injustice, laziness, sexual impurity, and every other character trait that goes against the message of Christ. Secondly, we have to believe. To believe the Good News is to accept the message of Christ as true and to live according to it. To believe is to accept Jesus as our Lord and our God and to allow him to reign in our lives. To believe is to have the conviction that whatever pain, difficulty or trial we may go through, we have a God who will never let us down. May these two words remain imprinted in our hearts: repent and believe.
by Norbert Doulanni | Jan 10, 2026 | Evangelium
THE BAPTISM OF THE LORD
SOLEMNITY
Psalter PROPER
WHITE
Entrance Antiphon: Cf. Mt 3: 16-17
After the Lord was baptized, the heavens were opened, and the Spirit descended upon him like a dove, and the voice of the Father thundered: This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.
Collect
Almighty ever-living God, who, when Christ had been baptized in the River Jordan and as the Holy Spirit descended upon him, solemnly declared him your beloved Son, grant that your children by adoption, reborn of water and the Holy Spirit, may always be well pleasing to you. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.
First Reading: Isaiah 42:1–4, 6–7
Thus says the Lord: Here is my servant whom I uphold, my chosen one with whom I am pleased, upon whom I have put my spirit; he shall bring forth justice to the nations, not crying out, not shouting, not making his voice heard in the street. A bruised reed he shall not break, and a smoldering wick he shall not quench, until he establishes justice on the earth; the coastlands will wait for his teaching. I, the Lord, have called you for the victory of justice, I have grasped you by the hand; I formed you, and set you as a covenant of the people, a light for the nations, to open the eyes of the blind, to bring out prisoners from confinement, and from the dungeon, those who live in darkness.
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 29:1–2, 3–4, 3, 9–10
R/ The Lord will bless his people with peace.
- Give to the Lord, you sons of God, give to the Lord glory and praise, Give to the Lord the glory due his name; adore the Lord in holy attire.
- The voice of the Lord is over the waters, the Lord, over vast waters. The voice of the Lord is mighty; the voice of the Lord is majestic.
- The God of glory thunders, and in his temple all say, “Glory!” The Lord is enthroned above the flood; the Lord is enthroned as king forever.
Second Reading: Acts 10:34–38
Peter proceeded to speak to those gathered in the house of Cornelius, saying: “In truth, I see that God shows no partiality. Rather, in every nation whoever fears him and acts uprightly is acceptable to him. You know the word that he sent to the Israelites as he proclaimed peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all, what has happened all over Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached, how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power. He went about doing good and healing all those oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.”
Gospel Acclamation: Mark 9:7
Alleluia, alleluia. The heavens were opened and the voice of the Father thundered: This is my beloved Son, listen to him. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel: Matthew 3:13–17
Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. John tried to prevent him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and yet you are coming to me?” Jesus said to him in reply, “Allow it now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed him. After Jesus was baptized, he came up from the water and behold, the heavens were opened for him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming upon him. And a voice came from the heavens, saying, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”
Prayer over the Offerings
Accept, O Lord, the offerings we have brought to honour the revealing of your beloved Son, so that the oblation of your faithful may be transformed into the sacrifice of him who willed in his compassion to wash away the sins of the world. Who lives and reigns for ever and ever.
Communion Antiphon: Jn 1: 32, 34
Behold the One of whom John said: I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God.
Prayer after Communion
Nourished with these sacred gifts, we humbly entreat your mercy, O Lord, that, faithfully listening to your Only Begotten Son, we may be your children in name and in truth. Through Christ our Lord.Meditation
“This is my Son, the Beloved.” When Jesus was baptised, the Holy Spirit descended on him and the Father acknowledged him as his beloved Son. When we are baptised, we too receive the Holy Spirit and we become children of God. Jesus, filled with the Holy Spirit, went about doing good and curing those who had fallen into the power of the devil. We too are filled with the Holy Spirit, and we should be agents of righteousness in this world. Our baptism has made us priests, prophets and kings: as priests, we should sanctify the world by our prayers and works of mercy; as prophets, we should stand for the truth and denounce the ills of society; as kings, we should ensure that wherever we have authority and influence (in our homes, our workplaces and our social or religious gatherings), we contribute to positive change by promoting justice and fairness. In these ways, we shall truly be the servants of God, his chosen ones in whom his soul delights. Let us renew our baptismal vows today and ask Jesus for the grace to be faithful to
by Norbert Doulanni | Jan 10, 2026 | Evangelium
SAINT PETER ORSEOLO
MONK
Psalter II
WHITE
A Venetian ruler who later became a Benedictine monk. Born into a powerful family, he rose through the ranks, serving as commander of the Venetian fleet and eventually becoming Doge (duke) of Venice. He later renounced worldly power to live a life of solitude and prayer, eventually becoming a saint.
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 through your Only Begotten Son have made us a new creation for yourself, grant, we pray, that by your grace we may be found in the likeness of him, in whom our nature is united to you. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.
First Reading: First John 5: 14-21
And this is the confidence which we have towards him: That, whatsoever we shall ask according to his will, he heareth us. And we know that he heareth us whatsoever we ask: we know that we have the petitions which we request of him. He that knoweth his brother to sin a sin which is not to death, let him ask, and life shall be given to him, who sinneth not to death. There is a sin unto death: for that I say not that any man ask. All iniquity is sin. And there is a sin unto death. We know that whosoever is born of God, sinneth not: but the generation of God preserveth him, and the wicked one toucheth him not. We know that we are of God, and the whole world is seated in wickedness. And we know that the Son of God is come: and he hath given us understanding that we may know the true God, and may be in his true Son. This is the true God and life eternal. Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.
Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 149: 1-2, 3-4, 5 and 6a and 9b
R. (4a) The Lord takes delight in his people.
- Sing ye to the Lord a new canticle: let his praise be in the church of the saints.
- Let Israel rejoice in him that made him: and let the children of Sion be joyful in their king.
- Let them praise his name in choir: let them sing to him with the timbrel and the psaltery.
- For the Lord is well pleased with his people: and he will exalt the meek unto salvation.
- The saints shall rejoice in glory: they shall be joyful in their beds.
- The high praise of God shall be in their mouth. This glory is to all his saints. Alleluia.
Gospel Acclamation: Matthew 4: 16
Alleluia, alleluia. The people who sit in darkness have seen a great light, on those dwelling in a land overshadowed by death light has arisen. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel: John 3: 22-30
After these things Jesus and his disciples came into the land of Judea: and there he abode with them, and baptized. And John also was baptizing in Ennon near Salim; because there was much water there; and they came and were baptized. For John was not yet cast into prison. And there arose a question between some of John’s disciples and the Jews concerning purification: And they came to John, and said to him: Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond the Jordan, to whom thou gavest testimony, behold he baptizeth, and all men come to him. John answered, and said: A man cannot receive any thing, unless it be given him from heaven. You yourselves do bear me witness, that I said, I am not Christ, but that I am sent before him. He that hath the bride, is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, who standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth with joy because of the bridegroom’s voice. This my joy therefore is fulfilled. He must increase, but I must decrease.
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
“He must grow greater, I must grow smaller.” St. John teaches us in the First Reading that we will receive from God whatever we ask him if it is in accordance with his will. Armed with this assurance, let us pray today for the humility to avoid drawing attention to ourselves and to rather lead people to God. John the Baptist is a model of the true prophet; he points people to Jesus, and once people have encountered Jesus, he disappears from the scene. We are prophets by virtue of our baptism, and we too should lead people to God. But sometimes we get carried away by the admiration people have for us and our efforts to do what is right. We are tempted to think that the good things we accomplish are the work of our hands. These feelings stem from the root of pride, and we must uproot it from our hearts. We should teach people to turn to Christ and not try to make them depend on us. We should accept the fact that people can be better than us in one thing or the other. Finally, we should always remind ourselves that it is by God’s grace, and not by our power, that we do the things we do.
by Norbert Doulanni | Dec 30, 2025 | Evangelium
Pope Saint Silvester I (335)
Psalter: Proper
White
He was made Pope in 314 and ruled the Church during the reign of the newly-converted Emperor Constantine. His life has been so accredited with pious legends that very little else is known about him for certain, but his reign as Pope is the eighth longest on record.
Entrance Antiphon : Is 9: 5
A child is born for us, and a son is given to us; his sceptre of power rests upon his shoulder, and his name will be called Messenger of great counsel.
Collect
Almighty ever-living God, who in the Nativity of your Son established the beginning and fulfilment of all religion, grant, we pray, that we may be numbered among those who belong to him, in whom is the fullness of human salvation. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
First reading : 1 John 2:18-21
Children, these are the last days; you were told that an Antichrist must come, and now several antichrists have already appeared; we know from this that these are the last days. Those rivals of Christ came out of our own number, but they had never really belonged; if they had belonged, they would have stayed with us; but they left us, to prove that not one of them ever belonged to us. But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and have all received the knowledge. It is not because you do not know the truth that I am writing to you but rather because you know it already and know that no lie can come from the truth.
Responsorial Psalm : Psalm 95(96):1-2,11-13
R/ Let the heavens rejoice and earth be glad.
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,
Let the heavens rejoice and earth be glad, let the sea and all within it thunder praise, let the land and all it bears rejoice, all the trees of the wood shout for joy at the presence of the Lord for he comes, he comes to rule the earth.
With justice he will rule the world, he will judge the peoples with his truth.
Gospel Acclamation
Alleluia, alleluia! A hallowed day has dawned upon us. Come, you nations, worship the Lord, for today a great light has shone down upon the earth. Alleluia!
Gospel : John 1:1-18
In the beginning was the Word: and the Word was with God and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things came to be, not one thing had its being but through him. All that came to be had life in him and that life was the light of men, a light that shines in the dark, a light that darkness could not overpower. A man came, sent by God. His name was John. He came as a witness, as a witness to speak for the light, so that everyone might believe through him. He was not the light, only a witness to speak for the light. The Word was the true light that enlightens all men; and he was coming into the world. He was in the world that had its being through him, and the world did not know him. He came to his own domain and his own people did not accept him. But to all who did accept him he gave power to become children of God, to all who believe in the name of him who was born not out of human stock or urge of the flesh or will of man but of God himself. The Word was made flesh, he lived among us, and we saw his glory, the glory that is his as the only Son of the Father, full of grace and truth. John appears as his witness. He proclaims: ‘This is the one of whom I said: He who comes after me ranks before me because he existed before me.’ Indeed, from his fullness we have, all of us, received – yes, grace in return for grace, since, though the Law was given through Moses, grace and truth have come through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God; it is the only Son, who is nearest to the Father’s heart, who has made him known.
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 4: 9
God sent his Only Begotten Son into the world, so that we might have life through him.
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
Today is the last day of the year and, as it unfolds, many individuals have likely crafted their new year resolutions, prepared midnight prayers, and readied delicious dishes for celebration. However, today’s gospel brings forth the profound message of Jesus Christ, the eternal God, who is the source of life itself. Jesus, in his humility, provides us with a model to emulate, urging us to embody that same humility in our lives. Moreover, Jesus is described as the light, who has come to illumine the darkness within our lives, and the darkness of sin, which encompasses traits such as pride, lies, and immorality. As Christians, our guiding principle to pleasing Christ lies in our attachment to Him as the “Word” of “Life” and our “Light”. Amidst the festivities and resolutions, the gospel encourages us to reflect on the eternal nature of Jesus, the embodiment of life and light. By imitating His humility and embracing His teachings, we can move into the new year with a deeper connection to the source of life and light, fostering spiritual growth and illumination in our lives.
by Norbert Doulanni | Dec 29, 2025 | Evangelium
Saint Anysia
Psalter: Proper
White
Martyr of Greece. She was a wealthy woman of Salonika, in Thessaly, who used her personal funds to aid the poor. A soldier accosted her in the street and tried to drag her to a pagan sacrifice. Anysia resisted and was killed when the soldier attacked her with his sword.
Entrance Antiphon : Wis 18: 14-15
When a profound silence covered all things and night was in the middle of its course, your all-powerful Word, O Lord, bounded from heaven’s royal throne.
Collect
Grant, we pray, almighty God, that the newness of the Nativity in the flesh of your Only Begotten Son may set us free, for ancient servitude holds us bound beneath the yoke of sin. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
First reading :1 John 2:12-17
I am writing to you, my own children, whose sins have already been forgiven through his name; I am writing to you, fathers, who have come to know the one who has existed since the beginning; I am writing to you, young men, who have already overcome the Evil One; I have written to you, children, because you already know the Father; I have written to you, fathers, because you have come to know the one who has existed since the beginning; I have written to you, young men, because you are strong and God’s word has made its home in you, and you have overcome the Evil One. You must not love this passing world or anything that is in the world. The love of the Father cannot be in any man who loves the world, because nothing the world has to offer – the sensual body, the lustful eye, pride in possessions – could ever come from the Father but only from the world; and the world, with all it craves for, is coming to an end; but anyone who does the will of God remains for ever.
Responsorial Psalm : Psalm 95(96):7-10
R/ Let the heavens rejoice and earth be glad.
Give the Lord, you families of peoples, give the Lord glory and power; give the Lord the glory of his name.
Bring an offering and enter his courts, worship the Lord in his temple. O earth, tremble before him.
Proclaim to the nations: ‘God is king.’ The world he made firm in its place; he will judge the peoples in fairness.
Gospel Acclamation : Heb1:1-2
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 : Luke 2:36-40
There was a prophetess, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was well on in years. Her days of girlhood over, she had been married for seven years before becoming a widow. She was now eighty-four years old and never left the Temple, serving God night and day with fasting and prayer. She came by just at that moment and began to praise God; and she spoke of the child to all who looked forward to the deliverance of Jerusalem. When they had done everything the Law of the Lord required, they went back to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. Meanwhile the child grew to maturity, and he was filled with wisdom; and God’s favour was with him.
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 : Jn 1: 16
From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.
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 gospel passage introduces Anna, an elderly and active prophetess in the temple. Despite her advanced age, she remains dedicated to her religious duties, undeterred by the challenges of widowhood. Her spirit is not embittered or depressed, and she never loses hope in God. This stands in sharp contrast to the common experience where old age is often accompanied by bitterness, apprehension, and regrets over perceived unfulfilled lives. Anna’s example challenges us to shift our perspective. Instead of dwelling on complaints and excuses, we are urged to follow her lead by maintaining an attitude of worship and prayer, acknowledging the numerous blessings received from God. Anna’s unwavering commitment results in the reward of witnessing the long-awaited Messiah. In essence, the lesson from Anna’s life encourages us to be productive and faithful in our devotion to God, regardless of age or circumstances. Rather than allowing negativity to dominate us, we are inspired to approach life with gratitude and hope, recognising the potential for divine rewards even in our later years.
