Maurice was a native of Egypt. He was conscripted into the Roman army. The emperor ordered his soldiers to offer sacrifice to the Roman gods but the Theban Legion, headed by Maurice, refused. Their allegiance to Christ earned them the crown of martyrdom in the year 287.
Entrance Antiphon
I am the salvation of the people, says the Lord. Should they cry to me in any distress, I will hear them, and I will be their Lord for ever.
Collect
O God, who founded all the commands of your sacred Law upon love of you and of our neighbour, grant that, by keeping your precepts, we may merit to attain eternal life. 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 : Ecclesiastes 1:2-11
Vanity of vanities, the Preacher says. Vanity of vanities. Vanity of vanities. All is vanity! For all his toil, his toil under the sun, what does man gain by it? A generation goes, a generation comes, yet the earth stands firm for ever. The sun rises, the sun sets; then to its place it speeds and there it rises. Southward goes the wind, then turns to the north; it turns and turns again; back then to its circling goes the wind. Into the sea all the rivers go, and yet the sea is never filled, and still to their goal the rivers go. All things are wearisome. No man can say that eyes have not had enough of seeing, ears their fill of hearing. What was will be again; what has been done will be done again; and there is nothing new under the sun. Take anything of which it may be said, ‘Look now, this is new.’ Already, long before our time, it existed. Only no memory remains of earlier times, just as in times to come next year itself will not be remembered.
Psalm 89:3-6,12-14,17
R/ O Lord, you have been our refuge from one generation to the next.
You turn men back to dust and say: ‘Go back, sons of men.’ To your eyes a thousand years are like yesterday, come and gone, no more than a watch in the night.
You sweep men away like a dream, like the grass which springs up in the morning. In the morning it springs up and flowers: by evening it withers and fades.
Make us know the shortness of our life that we may gain wisdom of heart. Lord, relent! Is your anger for ever? Show pity to your servants.
In the morning, fill us with your love; we shall exult and rejoice all our days. Let the favour of the Lord be upon us: give success to the work of our hands.
Gospel Acclamation : Ps118:18
Alleluia, alleluia! Open my eyes, O Lord, that I may consider the wonders of your law. Alleluia!
Gospel : Luke 9:7-9
Herod the Tetrarch had heard about all that was being done by Jesus; and he was puzzled, because some people were saying that John had risen from the dead, others that Elijah had reappeared, still others that one of the ancient prophets had come back to life. But Herod said, ‘John? I beheaded him. So who is this I hear such reports about?’ And he was anxious to see Jesus.
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 : Ps 118: 4-5
You have laid down your precepts to be carefully kept; may my ways be firm in keeping your statutes.
Prayer after Communion
Graciously raise up, O Lord, those you renew with this Sacrament, that we may come to possess your redemption both in mystery and in the manner of our life. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
There are people who seek Jesus in different ways. Some seek Him because everybody talks about Him on radio, TV, various journals and magazines, on social media, in everyday discussions, etc. Others seek Him only when there are big occasions and feasts celebrated by the Church at different times (Christmas, Easter, Good Friday, etc). Others still seek Him only because it may be convenient at the time, because their spouse or children forced them to do so, because they want to obtain some favour, because they are facing some difficulty (financial constraint, illness, imprisonment, etc). Yet others seek Him because they realise who He is. Herod did not have the right reason for meeting Jesus – to tap from His wisdom. Why do you seek Jesus, if at all we do? And I hope we do. As we do so, our prayer must be: Day by day dear Lord, of you three things I ask; to know you more clearly, love you more dearly, follow you more nearly day by day, Amen.
Le père Hervé Martin Ndi Nkoumou , cmf vient d’être ordonné ce jour à l’esplanade du Noviciat Anton Probst d’ Ekali dans le Diocèse de Mbalmayo. C’était aucours de l’eucharistie que présidait S. E Mgr Joseph Marie Ndi Okalla évêque dudit diocèse .
” Le temps de Dieu !!!” vient de répéter par 15 occurrences, Mgr Joseph Marie Ndi Okalla , dans son homélie de circonstances , pour rendre grâce à Dieu pour son appel et la réponse fidele père Hervé Martin Ndi nkoumou, cmf à cet appel au sein de la Congrégation des Missionnaires Claretains . Une réponse imbibée de persévérance pour un itinéraire vocationnel de plus d’une vingtaine d’années . L’esplanade du noviciat Anton Probst d’Ekali qui a servi de site pour abriter l’événement a connu la participation très remarquée du peuple de Dieu de la localité et des contrées environnantes .
Ils sont aussi venus de Kumbo dans la province ecclésiastique de Bamenda pour entendre retentir à 11 h 02 minutes la litanie des saints après un dialogue entre l’évêque et le père Martin, suivi de l’imposition des mains non seulement de l’évêque mais aussi d’une cinquantaine de prêtre environ . Ils étaient là , religieux et religieuses des congrégations, prêtres et séminaristes de divers diocèses dont de Mbalmayo et Yaoundé, amis et âmes de bonne volonté pour soutenir Martin et par son entremise les Claretains .
Le Supérieur Majeur n’a pas manqué de faire chanter le Magnificat Claretain signe d’action de grâce à Dieu bâtisseur de la vocation , une action de grâce que l’élu du jour a réitéré dans son allocution.
Après les premières professions célébrées le 13 août dernier , Ekali a une fois de plus vibré ce jour au rythme du charisme Claretain désormais enraciné dans le Diocèse de Mbalmayo .
Matthieu, dont le nom juif était Lévi, exerçait une profession qui le faisait tenir par ses coreligionnaires pour un pécheur public : il levait les impôts. C’est à ce ‘’publicain’’ que Jésus fait entendre un appel auquel Matthieu répond avec élan. Devenu l’un des Douze, il recevra comme les autres la mission d’aller enseigner toutes les nations.
Antienne d’ouverture : Mt 28, 19-20
Allez, dit le Seigneur, de toutes les nations faites des disciples ; baptisez-les et apprenez-leur à garder tous les commandements que je vous ai donnés
Prière d’ouverture
Dans ta miséricorde inépuisable, Seigneur, tu as choisi le publicain Matthieu pour en faire un Apôtre; Donne-nous, par sa prière et à son exemple, de suivre le Christ et de nous attacher à lui fermement.
1ère lecture : Ep 4, 1-7.11-13
Frères, moi qui suis en prison à cause du Seigneur, je vous exhorte à vous conduire d’une manière digne de votre vocation : ayez beaucoup d’humilité, de douceur et de patience, supportez-vous les uns les autres avec amour ; ayez soin de garder l’unité dans l’Esprit par le lien de la paix. Comme votre vocation vous a tous appelés à une seule espérance, de même il y a un seul Corps et un seul Esprit. Il y a un seul Seigneur, une seule foi, un seul baptême, un seul Dieu et Père de tous, au-dessus de tous, par tous, et en tous. À chacun d’entre nous, la grâce a été donnée selon la mesure du don fait par le Christ. Et les dons qu’il a faits, ce sont les Apôtres, et aussi les prophètes, les évangélisateurs, les pasteurs et ceux qui enseignent. De cette manière, les fidèles sont organisés pour que les tâches du ministère soient accomplies et que se construise le corps du Christ, jusqu’à ce que nous parvenions tous ensemble à l’unité dans la foi et la pleine connaissance du Fils de Dieu, à l’état de l’Homme parfait, à la stature du Christ dans sa plénitude.
Psaume : 18 (19), 2-3, 4-5ab
R/ Par toute la terre s’en va leur message.
Les cieux proclament la gloire de Dieu, le firmament raconte l’ouvrage de ses mains. Le jour au jour en livre le récit et la nuit à la nuit en donne connaissance.
Pas de paroles dans ce récit, pas de voix qui s’entende; mais sur toute la terre en paraît le message et la nouvelle, aux limites du monde.
Acclamation
Alléluia. Alléluia.À toi, Dieu, notre louange ! Toi que les Apôtres glorifient, nous t’acclamons : tu es Seigneur ! Alléluia.
Évangile : Mt 9, 9-13
Jésus sortant de Capharnaüm et vit, en passant, un homme, du nom de Matthieu, assis à son bureau de collecteur d’impôts. Il lui dit : « Suis-moi. » L’homme se leva et le suivit. Comme Jésus était à table à la maison, voici que beaucoup de publicains (c’est-à-dire des collecteurs d’impôts) et beaucoup de pécheurs vinrent prendre place avec lui et ses disciples. Voyant cela, les pharisiens disaient à ses disciples : « Pourquoi votre maître mange-t-il avec les publicains et les pécheurs ? » Jésus, qui avait entendu, déclara : « Ce ne sont pas les gens bien portants qui ont besoin du médecin, mais les malades. Allez apprendre ce que signifie : Je veux la miséricorde, non le sacrifice. En effet, je ne suis pas venu appeler des justes, mais des pécheurs. »
Prière sur les offrandes
En ce jour où nous honorons la mémoire de Saint Matthieu, nous te présentons, Seigneur, nos offrandes, et nous te supplions humblement : regarde avec amour ton Eglise, elle qui puise sa foi dans la prédication des apôtres. Par Jésus.
Antienne de communion : Mt 9, 13 Le Seigneur a dit : «Je ne suis pas venu appeler les justes, mais les pécheurs ».
Prière après la communion
Seigneur, nous éprouvons la même joie que saint Matthieu, tout heureux d’accueillir le Sauveur dans sa maison ; donne-nous de pouvoir toujours refaire nos forces à la table de celui qui est venu appeler au salut non pas les justes, mais les pécheurs. Lui qui.
Méditation
Dans l’Evangile nous pouvons être étonnés de l’appel de Jésus et de la réponse du publicain. Les publicains n’étaient pas aimés par la population qui les considerait comme des voleurs et des collaborateurs de l’occupant Romain. Mais pour Jésus « ce ne sont pas les bien-portants qui ont bésoin du médécin mais les malades. » La mission principale de Jésus est de guérir et de sauver. Comme Matthieu qui a su répondre promptement à l’appel reçu, notre état de pécheur ne doit pas nous écarter de Jésus, mais au contraire nous encourager à aller vers lui qui, seul, peut nous guérir et nous sauver.
He was born in Capernaum, and was working as a tax-collector when Jesus called him. He wrote his gospel in Hebrew, and is said to have preached in the East.
Entrance Antiphon : Cf. Mt 28: 19-20
Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them and teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you, says the Lord.
Collect
O God, who with untold mercy were pleased to choose as an Apostle Saint Matthew, the tax collector, grant that, sustained by his example and intercession, we may merit to hold firm in following 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 : Ephesians 4:1-7,11-13
I, the prisoner in the Lord, implore you to lead a life worthy of your vocation. Bear with one another charitably, in complete selflessness, gentleness and patience. Do all you can to preserve the unity of the Spirit by the peace that binds you together. There is one Body, one Spirit, just as you were all called into one and the same hope when you were called. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God who is Father of all, over all, through all and within all. Each one of us, however, has been given his own share of grace, given as Christ allotted it. To some, his gift was that they should be apostles; to some, prophets; to some, evangelists; to some, pastors and teachers; so that the saints together make a unity in the work of service, building up the body of Christ. In this way we are all to come to unity in our faith and in our knowledge of the Son of God, until we become the perfect Man, fully mature with the fullness of Christ himself.
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 extends through all the earth, their words to the utmost bounds of the world.
Gospel Acclamation : cf.Te Deum
Alleluia, alleluia! We praise you, O God, we acknowledge you to be the Lord. The glorious company of the apostles praise you, O Lord.Alleluia!
Gospel : Matthew 9:9-13
As Jesus was walking on he saw a man named Matthew sitting by the customs house, and he said to him, ‘Follow me.’ And he got up and followed him. While he was at dinner in the house it happened that a number of tax collectors and sinners came to sit at the table with Jesus and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, ‘Why does your master eat with tax collectors and sinners?’ When he heard this he replied, ‘It is not the healthy who need the doctor, but the sick. Go and learn the meaning of the words: What I want is mercy, not sacrifice. And indeed I did not come to call the virtuous, but sinners.’
Prayer over the Offerings
As we celebrate anew the memory of Saint Matthew, we bring you sacrifices and prayers, O Lord, humbly imploring you to look kindly on your Church, whose faith you have nourished by the preaching of the Apostles. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon : Mt 9: 13
I did not come to call the just, but sinners, says the Lord.
Prayer after Communion
Sharing in that saving joy, O Lord, with which Saint Matthew welcomed the Saviour as a guest in his home, we pray: grant that we may always be renewed by the food we receive from Christ, who came to call not the just, but sinners to salvation. Who lives and reigns for ever and ever.
Meditation
The call of Matthew and his meeting with Matthew’s likes indicates that all professions can be sanctified. We must not give up on the possibility of staying on the rails if we can stay on them. It is quite true that some professions are more difficult than others because they provide more occasions for going off track, but let’s stick to why we were employed and the primary tasks we have. There are always ways and means of being upright even in very demanding jobs. Let us learn from Matthew and set things right. Matthew had to choose between salvation and continuing to serve Herod and be hated by his kinsmen. He accepted Jesus’ offer to join Him in His mission. In the end he became an Apostle and drew some in his profession to this higher form of life. We too are called to a higher form of life from our various duty posts, from the jobs we do and in our different states and positions in life.
17th century Korea fought to stop Christianity by executions. Andrew Kim Taegon, the first Korean priest, who secretly trained in Macao, was executed in 1846. A lay apostle, St Paul Chong Hasang, and many others perished at the same time.
Entrance Antiphon
The blood of the holy Martyrs was poured out for Christ upon the earth; therefore they have gained everlasting rewards.
Collect
O God, who have been pleased to increase your adopted children in all the world, and who made the blood of the Martyrs Saint Andrew Kim Tae-gon and his companions a most fruitful seed of Christians, grant that we may be defended by their help and profit always from their example. 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 : Proverbs 21:1-6,10-13
Like flowing water is the heart of the king in the hand of the Lord, who turns it where he pleases. A man’s conduct may strike him as upright, the Lord, however, weighs the heart. To act virtuously and with justice is more pleasing to the Lord than sacrifice. Haughty eye, proud heart, lamp of the wicked, nothing but sin. The hardworking man is thoughtful, and all is gain; too much haste, and all that comes of it is want. To make a fortune with the help of a lying tongue, such the idle fantasy of those who look for death. The wicked man’s soul is intent on evil, he looks on his neighbour with dislike. When a mocker is punished, the ignorant man grows wiser, when a wise man is instructed he acquires more knowledge. The Just One watches the house of the wicked: he hurls the wicked to destruction. He who shuts his ear to the poor man’s cry shall himself plead and not be heard.
Psalm 118:1,27,30,34-35,44
R/ Guide me, Lord, in the path of your commands.
They are happy whose life is blameless, who follow God’s law! Make me grasp the way of your precepts and I will muse on your wonders.
I have chosen the way of truth with your decrees before me. Train me to observe your law, to keep it with my heart.
Guide me in the path of your commands; for there is my delight. I shall always keep your law for ever and ever.
Gospel Acclamation : cf.Ps129:5
Alleluia, alleluia! My soul is waiting for the Lord, I count on his word. Alleluia!
Gospel : Luke 8:19-21
The mother and the brothers of Jesus came looking for him, but they could not get to him because of the crowd. He was told, ‘Your mother and brothers are standing outside and want to see you’ But he said in answer, ‘My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and put it into practice.’
Prayer over the Offerings
Look with favour, almighty God, on the offerings of your people and, through the intercession of the blessed Martyrs, grant that we ourselves may become a sacrifice acceptable to you for the salvation of all the world. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon : Mt 10: 32
Everyone who acknowledges me before others I will acknowledge before my heavenly Father, says the Lord.
Prayer after Communion
Nourished with the food of the valiant as we celebrate the blessed Martyrs, we humbly ask you, O Lord, that, clinging faithfully to Christ, we may labour in the Church for the salvation of all. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
Family is everything. No one fell from the sky; we are all from families and all have parents given to us by God. We therefore, we belong to natural families within the supernatural family of God. Every time we fall short of this knowledge, it leads us to sin. As much as Jesus supports the natural family and our inalienability in this institution, this supernatural dimension is equally what Jesus is pointing to by bringing out another level of relationship; He makes us understand that the deepest relationship of life is not merely a blood relationship. He pointed to another reality of spiritual kinship, that is, the family of God. Let us make our families a better place by loving and forgiving, reading the Word/Scriptures and sharing together, spending time with them, bringing joy and happiness to each one, dining together, getting to know how each and every one is doing, and much more.
