by L'équipe de publication | Dec 3, 2024 | Evangelium
Saint John Damascene, Priest, Doctor
Purple
He was born of a Christian family in Damascus in the second half of the seventh century. He wrote many theological treatises in a dangerously clear and accessible style. Sometimes known as “the last of the Church Fathers,” he was declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope Leo XIII in 1883.
Entrance Antiphon: Cf. Hab 2: 3; 1 Cor 4: 5
The Lord will come and he will not delay. He will illumine what is hidden in darkness and reveal himself to all the nations.
Collect
Prepare our hearts, we pray, O Lord our God, by your divine power, so that at the coming of Christ your Son we may be found worthy of the banquet of eternal life and merit to receive heavenly nourishment from his hands. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
First reading: Isaiah 25:6-10
On this mountain, the Lord of hosts will prepare for all peoples a banquet of rich food, a banquet of fine wines, of food rich and juicy, of fine strained wines. On this mountain he will remove the mourning veil covering all peoples, and the shroud enwrapping all nations, he will destroy Death for ever. The Lord will wipe away the tears from every cheek; he will take away his people’s shame everywhere on earth, for the Lord has said so. That day, it will be said: See, this is our God in whom we hoped for salvation; the Lord is the one in whom we hoped. We exult and we rejoice that he has saved us; for the hand of the Lord rests on this mountain.
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 22(23)
R/ In the Lord’s own house shall I dwell for ever and ever.
The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want. Fresh and green are the pastures where he gives me repose. Near restful waters he leads me, to revive my drooping spirit.
He guides me along the right path; he is true to his name. If I should walk in the valley of darkness no evil would I fear. You are there with your crook and your staff; with these you give me comfort.
You have prepared a banquet for me in the sight of my foes. My head you have anointed with oil; my cup is overflowing.
Surely goodness and kindness shall follow me all the days of my life. In the Lord’s own house shall I dwell for ever and ever.
Gospel Acclamation: Is33:22
Alleluia, alleluia! The Lord is our judge, the Lord our lawgiver, the Lord our king and our saviour. Alleluia!
Gospel: Matthew 15:29-37
Jesus reached the shores of the Sea of Galilee, and he went up into the hills. He sat there, and large crowds came to him bringing the lame, the crippled, the blind, the dumb and many others; these they put down at his feet, and he cured them. The crowds were astonished to see the dumb speaking, the cripples whole again, the lame walking and the blind with their sight, and they praised the God of Israel. But Jesus called his disciples to him and said, ‘I feel sorry for all these people; they have been with me for three days now and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them off hungry, they might collapse on the way.’ The disciples said to him, ‘Where could we get enough bread in this deserted place to feed such a crowd?’ Jesus said to them, ‘How many loaves have you?’ ‘Seven’ they said ‘and a few small fish.’ Then he instructed the crowd to sit down on the ground, and he took the seven loaves and the fish, and he gave thanks and broke them and handed them to the disciples, who gave them to the crowds. They all ate as much as they wanted, and they collected what was left of the scraps, seven baskets full.
Prayer over the Offerings
May the sacrifice of our worship, Lord, we pray, be offered to you unceasingly, to complete what was begun in sacred mystery and powerfully accomplish for us your saving work. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon: Cf. Is 40: 10; 35: 5
Behold, our Lord will come with power and will enlighten the eyes of his servants.
Prayer after Communion
We implore your mercy, Lord, that this divine sustenance may cleanse us of our faults and prepare us for the coming feasts. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
It may not seem like miracles happen in the world of today. We know the likelihood of a severe illness or condition being cured is slim. However, if we grasp this and have faith, we can witness the miracles in our day-to-day lives to prove that we experience more joys than sorrows. Even if the blessings are modest or large, they are still lovely presents we might get. Every one of us is sick or disabled somehow, and we all want Jesus to heal us. However, we must thank God for all the blessings he has given us.
by L'équipe de publication | Dec 3, 2024 | Evangelium
Saint Francis Xavier, Priest – Feast (1506 – 1552)
White
He was born in Spain, 1506 and ordained priest in 1537. In 1541 the Pope sent him as part of a mission to India, and he spent the rest of his life in the East. He died of fever and exhaustion on the Chinese island of Shangchwan in 1552.
Entrance Antiphon : Ps 17: 50; 21: 23
I will praise you, Lord, among the nations; I will tell of your name to my kin.
Collect
O God, who through the preaching of Saint Francis Xavier won many peoples to yourself, grant that the hearts of the faithful may burn with the same zeal for the faith and that Holy Church may everywhere rejoice in an abundance of offspring. 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 11:1-10
A shoot springs from the stock of Jesse, a scion thrusts from his roots: on him the spirit of the Lord rests, a spirit of wisdom and insight, a spirit of counsel and power, a spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord. (The fear of the Lord is his breath.) He does not judge by appearances, he gives no verdict on hearsay, but judges the wretched with integrity, and with equity gives a verdict for the poor of the land. His word is a rod that strikes the ruthless, his sentences bring death to the wicked. Integrity is the loincloth round his waist, faithfulness the belt about his hips. The wolf lives with the lamb, the panther lies down with the kid, calf and lion cub feed together with a little boy to lead them. The cow and the bear make friends, their young lie down together. The lion eats straw like the ox. The infant plays over the cobra’s hole; into the viper’s lair the young child puts his hand. They do no hurt, no harm, on all my holy mountain, for the country is filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters swell the sea. That day, the root of Jesse shall stand as a signal to the peoples. It will be sought out by the nations and its home will be glorious.
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm
71(72):1-2,7-8,12-13,17
R/ In his days justice shall flourish and peace till the moon fails.
O God, give your judgment to the king, to a king’s son your justice, that he may judge your people in justice and your poor in right judgment.
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.
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.
May his name be blessed for ever and endure like the sun. Every tribe shall be blessed in him, all nations bless his name.
Gospel Acclamation : Ps 84:8
Alleluia, alleluia! Let us see, O Lord, your mercy and give us your saving help. Alleluia!
Gospel : Luke 10:21-24
Filled with joy by the Holy Spirit, Jesus said, ‘I bless you, Father, Lord of heaven and of earth, for hiding these things from the learned and the clever and revealing them to mere children. Yes, Father, for that is what it pleased you to do. Everything has been entrusted to me by my Father; and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.’ Then turning to his disciples he spoke to them in private, ‘Happy the eyes that see what you see, for I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see, and never saw it; to hear what you hear, and never heard it.’
Prayer over the Offerings
Receive, O Lord, these offerings we bring you in commemoration of Saint Francis Xavier, and grant that, as he journeyed to distant lands out of longing for the salvation of souls, so we, too, bearing effective witness to the Gospel, may, with our brothers and sisters, eagerly hasten towards you. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon : Mt 10: 27
What I say to you in the darkness speak in the light, says the Lord, what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops.
Prayer after Communion
May your mysteries, O God, kindle in us that fire of charity with which Saint Francis Xavier burned for the salvation of souls, so that, walking ever more worthily in our vocation, we may obtain with him the reward you promise to those who labour well in your harvest. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
Wisdom and knowledge are two different things. That one has academic degrees is not a guarantee that he is wise. Jesus opposes those who are, in his word, “the learned and the clever” who were ignorant of God’s secrets to those he calls “mere children” who have received the greatest of all privileges, the knowledge of God’s secrets. Jesus reveals these secrets, and the discovery of God in the person of Jesus is the greatest discovery which will bring our restless souls to rest. Advent should remind us of the promises made by God, who is faithful to his promises.
by L'équipe de publication | Dec 1, 2024 | Evangelium
Saint Bibiana
Blessed Clementine Anuarite
Purple
Her parents were martyred in the persecution of Julian the Apostate, and Bibiana and her sister Demetria were turned over to a woman named Rufina who tried to force her into prostitution. Upon her continued refusal, Bibiana was imprisoned in a mad house, and then flogged to death.
Entrance Antiphon : Cf. Jer 31: 10; Is 35: 4
Hear the word of the Lord, O nations; declare it to the distant lands: Behold, our Saviour will come; you need no longer fear.
Collect
Keep us alert, we pray, O Lord our God, as we await the advent of Christ your Son, so that, when he comes and knocks, he may find us watchful in prayer and exultant in his praise. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
First reading: Isaiah 2:1-5
The vision of Isaiah son of Amoz, concerning Judah and Jerusalem. In the days to come the mountain of the Temple of the Lord shall tower above the mountains and be lifted higher than the hills. All the nations will stream to it, peoples without number will come to it; and they will say: ‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the Temple of the God of Jacob that he may teach us his ways so that we may walk in his paths; since the Law will go out from Zion, and the oracle of the Lord from Jerusalem.’ He will wield authority over the nations and adjudicate between many peoples; these will hammer their swords into ploughshares, their spears into sickles. Nation will not lift sword against nation, there will be no more training for war. O House of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the Lord.
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 121(122):1-2,4-5,6-9
R/ I rejoiced when I heard them say: ‘Let us go to God’s house.’
I rejoiced when I heard them say: ‘Let us go to God’s house.’ And now our feet are standing within your gates, O Jerusalem.
It is there that the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord. For Israel’s law it is, there to praise the Lord’s name. There were set the thrones of judgement of the house of David.
For the peace of Jerusalem pray: ‘Peace be to your homes! May peace reign in your walls, in your palaces, peace!’
For love of my brethren and friends I say: ‘Peace upon you!’ For love of the house of the Lord I will ask for your good.
Gospel Acclamation: cf.Ps79:4
Alleluia, alleluia! God of hosts, bring us back: let your face shine on us and we shall be saved. Alleluia!
Gospel: Matthew 8:5-11
When Jesus went into Capernaum a centurion came up and pleaded with him. ‘Sir,’ he said ‘my servant is lying at home paralysed, and in great pain.’ ‘I will come myself and cure him’ said Jesus. The centurion replied, ‘Sir, I am not worthy to have you under my roof; just give the word and my servant will be cured. For I am under authority myself, and have soldiers under me; and I say to one man: Go, and he goes; to another: Come here, and he comes; to my servant: Do this, and he does it.’ When Jesus heard this he was astonished and said to those following him, ‘I tell you solemnly, nowhere in Israel have I found faith like this. And I tell you that many will come from east and west to take their places with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob at the feast in the kingdom of heaven.’
Prayer over the Offerings
Accept, we pray, O Lord, these offerings we make, gathered from among your gifts to us, and may what you grant us to celebrate devoutly here below gain for us the prize of eternal redemption. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon : Cf. Ps 105: 4-5; Is 38: 3
Come, O Lord, visit us in peace, that we may rejoice before you with a blameless heart.
Prayer after Communion
May these mysteries, O Lord, in which we have participated, profit us, we pray, for even now, as we walk amid passing things, you teach us by them to love the things of heaven and hold fast to what endures. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
Advent is here again, a time to recall Christ’s first coming in Bethlehem and for the Church to look forward to Christ’s second coming in majesty, which will be glorious. It is also a time for us to be ready for Christ’s multiple coming into our lives here and now. As Christians, we pray and hope for the future, which is nothing but the Messiah revealing himself as king and welcoming everybody to his Father’s kingdom. This centurion in the gospel represents humanity that desires to heal for peace and unity. Jesus told him, I will come and cure him. In our sorrows, emptiness, pains, troubles, sickness, frustrations and sin, Jesus also wants to come and cure us.
by L'équipe de publication | Dec 1, 2024 | Evangelium
1st Sunday of Advent
Psalter: Week 1
Blessed Clementine Anuarite
Purple
Entrance Antiphon: Cf. Ps 24: 1-3
To you, I lift up my soul, O my God. In you, I have trusted; let me not be put to shame. Nor let my enemies exult over me; and let none who hope in you be put to shame.
Collect
Grant your faithful, we pray, almighty God, the resolve to run forth to meet your Christ with righteous deeds at his coming, so that, gathered at his right hand, they may be worthy to possess the heavenly kingdom. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
First reading: Jeremiah 33:14-16
See, the days are coming – it is the Lord who speaks – when I am going to fulfil the promise I made to the House of Israel and the House of Judah: ‘In those days and at that time, I will make a virtuous Branch grow for David, who shall practise honesty and integrity in the land. In those days Judah shall be saved and Israel shall dwell in confidence. And this is the name the city will be called: The-Lord-our-integrity.’
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm
24(25):4-5,8-9,10,14
R/ To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
Lord, make me know your ways. Lord, teach me your paths. Make me walk in your truth, and teach me: for you are God my saviour.
The Lord is good and upright. He shows the path to those who stray, He guides the humble in the right path, He teaches his way to the poor.
His ways are faithfulness and love for those who keep his covenant and law. The Lord’s friendship is for those who revere him; to them he reveals his covenant.
Second reading: 1 Thessalonians 3:12-4:2
May the Lord be generous in increasing your love and make you love one another and the whole human race as much as we love you. And may he so confirm your hearts in holiness that you may be blameless in the sight of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus Christ comes with all his saints. Finally, brothers, we urge you and appeal to you in the Lord Jesus to make more and more progress in the kind of life that you are meant to live: the life that God wants, as you learnt from us, and as you are already living it. You have not forgotten the instructions we gave you on the authority of the Lord Jesus.
Gospel Acclamation: Ps84:8
Alleluia, alleluia! Let us see, O Lord, your mercy and give us your saving help. Alleluia!
Gospel: Luke 21:25-28,34-36
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘There will be signs in the sun and moon and stars; on earth nations in agony, bewildered by the clamour of the ocean and its waves; men dying of fear as they await what menaces the world, for the powers of heaven will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. When these things begin to take place, stand erect, hold your heads high, because your liberation is near at hand. ‘Watch yourselves, or your hearts will be coarsened with debauchery and drunkenness and the cares of life, and that day will be sprung on you suddenly, like a trap. For it will come down on every living man on the face of the earth. Stay awake, praying at all times for the strength to survive all that is going to happen, and to stand with confidence before the Son of Man.’
Prayer over the Offerings
Accept, we pray, O Lord, these offerings we make, gathered from among your gifts to us, and may what you grant us to celebrate devoutly here below gain for us the prize of eternal redemption. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon: Ps 84: 13
The Lord will bestow his bounty, and our earth shall yield its increase.
Prayer after Communion
May these mysteries, O Lord, in which we have participated, profit us, we pray, for even now, as we walk amid passing things, you teach us by them to love the things of heaven and hold fast to what endures. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
Jesus tells us how simple it is to get lost in the hectic December events in today’s gospel from Luke. He cautions us that our hearts do not grow heavy with revelry, intoxication, and the cares of daily life and that day catch us by surprise like a trap. It is very easy to feel as though the days leading up to Christmas are passing by at a frenzied pace during Advent without engaging in prayer and intentional solitude. The faithful of Christ continuously learns to stand up and raise his/her head by being sure of the coming of the “Best” (Jesus) in his/her life. Christ is the one who comes to make everything better for us. He directs us towards a greater understanding of the events we live in, thus making us serene and undisturbed. Nothing should twist the confidence of the faithful in Jesus Christ, knowing that our God has the best solution to our problems.
by L'équipe de publication | Nov 29, 2024 | Evangelium
Saint Andrew, Apostle – Feast
Red
He was born in Bethsaida, in Galilee, and worked as a fisherman. He became one of the first to follow Jesus and introduced his brother, Simon Peter, to him. He became patron saint of Scotland because according to legend some of his bones were brought and buried at the place where the town of St Andrew’s now stands.
Entrance Antiphon : Cf. Mt 4: 18-19
Beside the Sea of Galilee, the Lord saw two brothers, Peter and Andrew, and he said to them: Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.
Collect
We humbly implore your majesty, O Lord, that, just as the blessed Apostle, Andrew, was, for your Church, a preacher and pastor, so he may be for us a constant intercessor before 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 : Romans 10 : 9-18
If your lips confess that Jesus is Lord, and if you believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, then you will be saved. By believing from the heart you are made righteous; by confessing with your lips you are saved. When Scripture says: those who believe in him will have no cause for shame, it makes no distinction between Jew and Greek: all belong to the same Lord, who is rich enough however many ask his help, for everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. But they will not ask his help unless they believe in him, and they will not believe in him unless they have heard of him, and they will not hear of him unless they get a preacher, and they will never have a preacher unless one is sent, but as Scripture says: The footsteps of those who bring Good News are a welcome sound. Not everyone, of course, listens to the Good News. As Isaiah says: Lord, how many believed what we proclaimed? So faith comes from what is preached, and what is preached comes from the word of Christ. Let me put the question: is it possible that they did not hear? Indeed they did; in the words of the psalm, their voice has gone out through all the earth, and their message to the ends of the world.
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 18 : 2-5
R/ Their word goes forth through all the earth.
The heavens proclaim the glory of God and the firmament shows forth the work of his hands. Day unto day takes up the story and night unto night makes known the message.
No speech, no word, no voice is heard yet their span goes forth through all the earth, their words to the utmost bounds of the world.
Gospel Acclamation : Mt 4:19
Alleluia, alleluia! Follow me, says the Lord, and I will make you into fishers of men. Alleluia!
Gospel : Matthew 4:18-22
As Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee he saw two brothers, Simon, who was called Peter, and his brother Andrew; they were making a cast in the lake with their net, for they were fishermen. And he said to them, ‘Follow me and I will make you fishers of men.’ And they left their nets at once and followed him. Going on from there he saw another pair of brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John; they were in their boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them. At once; leaving the boat and their father, they followed him.
Prayer over the Offerings
Grant us, almighty God, that through these offerings, which we bring on the feast day of Saint Andrew, we may please you by what we have brought and be given life by what you have accepted. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon : Cf. Jn 1: 41-42
Andrew told his brother Simon: We have found the Messiah, the Christ, and he brought him to Jesus.
Prayer after Communion
May communion in your Sacrament strengthen us, O Lord, so that by the example of the blessed Apostle, Andrew, we, who carry in our body the Death of Christ, may merit to live with him in glory. Who lives and reigns for ever and ever.
Meditation
Andrew plays the role of intermediary or mediator. Before becoming the disciple of Jesus, Andrew started by being a disciple of John the Baptist (Jn 1:35.40) as a sign of his eagerness for the things of God. He is the first disciple to declare that Jesus is the Messiah (Jn 1:41) and the one who introduced Peter to Jesus. He informed Jesus about the boy with bread and fish (Jn 6:9). Andrew is called from being a fisherman to a fisher of men. His response is prompt and immediate – he leaves his boat and nets and follows the Lord. Discipleship is a ‘sequela Christi’ – a following of Christ. Discipleship entails radicalism – a turning away from all that hinders one from entirely committing oneself to the services of the kingdom. Each of us is called to be a disciple of Christ. The only barrier to our response is attachment to material things. The Apostle Andrew is a shining example of a life committed to God, even to the point of martyrdom. He preached the Good News with faith and conviction. Both his work and life showed the fruits of his missionary passion.
by L'équipe de publication | Nov 28, 2024 | Evangelium
Saint Saturninus
Green
St. Saturninus was bishop of Toulouse and Martyr. He converted a great number of idolaters by his preaching and miracles. This is all the account we have of him till the time of his holy martyrdom. The martyrdom of this saint probably happened m the reign of Valerian in 257.
Entrance Antiphon : Cf. Ps 84: 9
The Lord speaks of peace to his people and his holy ones and to those who turn to him.
Collect
Stir up the will of your faithful, we pray, O Lord, that, striving more eagerly to bring your divine work to fruitful completion, they may receive in greater measure the healing remedies your kindness bestows. 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 : Apocalypse 20:1-4,11-21:2
I, John, saw an angel come down from heaven with the key of the Abyss in his hand and an enormous chain. He overpowered the dragon, that primeval serpent which is the devil and Satan, and chained him up for a thousand years. He threw him into the Abyss, and shut the entrance and sealed it over him, to make sure he would not deceive the nations again until the thousand years had passed. At the end of that time he must be released, but only for a short while. Then I saw some thrones, and I saw those who are given the power to be judges take their seats on them. I saw the souls of all who had been beheaded for having witnessed for Jesus and for having preached God’s word, and those who refused to worship the beast or his statue and would not have the brand-mark on their foreheads or hands; they came to life, and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. Then I saw a great white throne and the One who was sitting on it. In his presence, earth and sky vanished, leaving no trace. I saw the dead, both great and small, standing in front of his throne, while the book of life was opened, and other books opened which were the record of what they had done in their lives, by which the dead were judged. The sea gave up all the dead who were in it; Death and Hades were emptied of the dead that were in them; and every one was judged according to the way in which he had lived. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the burning lake. This burning lake is the second death; and anybody whose name could not be found written in the book of life was thrown into the burning lake. Then I 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.
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm
83(84):3-6,8
R/ Here God lives among men.
My soul is longing and yearning, is yearning for the courts of the Lord. My heart and my soul ring out their joy to God, the living God.
The sparrow herself finds a home and the swallow a nest for her brood; she lays her young by your altars, Lord of hosts, my king and my God.
They are happy, who dwell in your house, for ever singing your praise. They are happy, whose strength is in you: they walk with ever-growing strength.
Gospel Acclamation: Lk21:28
Alleluia, alleluia! Stand erect, hold your heads high, because your liberation is near at hand. Alleluia!
Gospel : Luke 21:29-33
Jesus told his disciples a parable: ‘Think of the fig tree and indeed every tree. As soon as you see them bud, you know that summer is now near. So with you when you see these things happening: know that the kingdom of God is near. I tell you solemnly, before this generation has passed away all will have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.’
Prayer over the Offerings
Accept, O Lord, the sacred offerings which at your bidding we dedicate to your name and, in order that through these gifts we may become worthy of your love, grant us unfailing obedience to your commands. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon : Ps 116: 1, 2
O praise the Lord, all you nations, for his merciful love towards us is great.
Prayer after Communion
We pray, almighty God, that those to whom you give the joy of participating in divine mysteries may never be parted from you. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
We have a great deal to learn from nature and the seasonal changes in nature. We can make certain predictions based on these changes. We can decipher when life comes into being through the sprouting of the buds and the dying process through the withering of the leaves. In the same vein, the signs of the times are indicators of the imminence of the kingdom of God. The only thing that remains constant amid the changes is the Word of God which expresses God’s fidelity to his creatures. Do you recognise the signs of God’s presence and action in your life and the world today? Jesus uses the image of a fig tree to teach his disciples an important lesson about reading the “signs of the times.”
