by L'équipe de publication | 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 L'équipe de publication | 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 L'équipe de publication | 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.
by L'équipe de publication | Dec 28, 2025 | Evangelium
Saint Thomas Becket (1118 – 1170)
Psalter: Proper
White
He was born in London and became a close friend of King Henry II. When he was ordained as archbishop of Canterbury, he underwent an abrupt conversion of life and began to defend the Church’s rights against the king. This led to his assassination in his cathedral on 29 December 1170.
Entrance Antiphon : Jn 3: 16
God so loved the world that he gave his Only Begotten Son, so that all who believe in him may not perish, but may have eternal life.
Collect
Almighty and invisible God, who dispersed the darkness of this world by the coming of your light, look, we pray, with serene countenance upon us, that we may acclaim with fitting praise, the greatness of the Nativity of your Only Begotten Son. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
First reading : 1John 2:3-11
We can be sure that we know Jesus only by keeping his commandments. Anyone who says, ‘I know him’, and does not keep his commandments, is a liar, refusing to admit the truth. But when anyone does obey what he has said, God’s love comes to perfection in him. We can be sure that we are in God only when the one who claims to be living in him is living the same kind of life as Christ lived. My dear people, this is not a new commandment that I am writing to tell you, but an old commandment that you were given from the beginning, the original commandment which was the message brought to you. Yet in another way, what I am writing to you, and what is being carried out in your lives as it was in his, is a new commandment; because the night is over and the real light is already shining. Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in the dark. But anyone who loves his brother is living in the light and need not be afraid of stumbling; unlike the man who hates his brother and is in the darkness, not knowing where he is going, because it is too dark to see.
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 96
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, tell among the nations his glory and his wonders among all the peoples.
It was the Lord who made the heavens, his are majesty and state and power and splendour in his holy place.
Gospel Acclamation
Alleluia, alleluia! A light to enlighten the pagans and the glory of your people Israel. Alleluia!
Gospel : Luke 2:22-35
When the day came for them to be purified as laid down by the Law of Moses, the parents of Jesus took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord – observing what stands written in the Law of the Lord: Every first-born male must be consecrated to the Lord – and also to offer in sacrifice, in accordance with what is said in the Law of the Lord, a pair of turtle doves or two young pigeons. Now in Jerusalem there was a man called Simeon. He was an upright and devout man; he looked forward to Israel’s comforting and the Holy Spirit rested on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death until he had set eyes on the Christ of the Lord. Prompted by the Spirit he came to the Temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the Law required, he took him into his arms and blessed God; and he said: ‘Now, Master, you can let your servant go in peace, just as you promised; because my eyes have seen the salvation which you have prepared for all the nations to see, a light to enlighten the pagans and the glory of your people Israel.’ As the child’s father and mother stood there wondering at the things that were being said about him, Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, ‘You see this child: he is destined for the fall and for the rising of many in Israel, destined to be a sign that is rejected – and a sword will pierce your own soul too – so that the secret thoughts of many may be laid bare.’
Prayer over the Offerings
Receive our oblation, O Lord, by which is brought about a glorious exchange, that, by offering what you have given, we may merit to receive your very self. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon : Lk 1: 78
Through the tender mercy of our God, the Dawn from on high will visit us.
Prayer after Communion
Grant, we pray, almighty God, that by the power of these holy mysteries, our life may be constantly sustained. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
Today’s gospel recounts the presentation of the Lord in the temple, where Joseph and Mary faithfully adhere to Jewish law through Mary’s purification and the presentation of Jesus in the temple. A notable lesson from this narrative is the Holy Family’s diligent obedience of the laws, despite Jesus’ unique status as the Son of God who does not need to be presented to His Father’s own house, the temple, through the offering of sacrifices. This prompts reflection on our own obedience of the laws of God, the Church, and civil society. The parallel reminder is that, like Jesus, we are called to be signs of contradiction, implying that our ways should not necessarily conform to the norms of the world we live in. The crucial question becomes: Are we aligned with Jesus, embracing His values, or are we in opposition to Him? This challenges us to evaluate our actions and attitudes to ensure they align with the teachings of Christ, even when they may seem contradictory to the prevailing norms of the world.
by L'équipe de publication | Dec 27, 2025 | Evangelium
The Holy Family
Psalter: Proper
White
Entrance Antiphon: Lk 2: 16
The shepherds went in haste, and found Mary and Joseph and the Infant lying in a manger.
Collect
O God, who were pleased to give us the shining example of the Holy Family, graciously grant that we may imitate them in practising the virtues of family life and in the bonds of charity, and so, in the joy of your house, delight one day in eternal rewards. 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 : Ecclesiasticus 3:3-7,14-17
The Lord honours the father in his children, and upholds the rights of a mother over her sons. Whoever respects his father is atoning for his sins, he who honours his mother is like someone amassing a fortune. Whoever respects his father will be happy with children of his own, he shall be heard on the day when he prays. Long life comes to him who honours his father, he who sets his mother at ease is showing obedience to the Lord. My son, support your father in his old age, do not grieve him during his life. Even if his mind should fail, show him sympathy, do not despise him in your health and strength; for kindness to a father shall not be forgotten but will serve as reparation for your sins.
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 127:1-5
R/ O blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways!
O blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways! By the labour of your hands you shall eat. You will be happy and prosper.
Your wife like a fruitful vine in the heart of your house; your children like shoots of the olive, around your table.
Indeed thus shall be blessed the man who fears the Lord. May the Lord bless you from Zion all the days of your life!
Gospel Acclamation : Col3:15,16
Alleluia, alleluia! May the peace of Christ reign in your hearts; let the message of Christ find a home with you. Alleluia!
Gospel : Matthew 2:13-15,19-23
After the wise men had left, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, ‘Get up, take the child and his mother with you, and escape into Egypt, and stay there until I tell you, because Herod intends to search for the child and do away with him.’ So Joseph got up and, taking the child and his mother with him, left that night for Egypt, where he stayed until Herod was dead. This was to fulfil what the Lord had spoken through the prophet: I called my son out of Egypt. After Herod’s death, the angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, ‘Get up, take the child and his mother with you and go back to the land of Israel, for those who wanted to kill the child are dead.’ So Joseph got up and, taking the child and his mother with him, went back to the land of Israel. But when he learnt that Archelaus had succeeded his father Herod as ruler of Judaea he was afraid to go there, and being warned in a dream he left for the region of Galilee. There he settled in a town called Nazareth. In this way the words spoken through the prophets were to be fulfilled: ‘He will be called a Nazarene.’
Prayer over the Offerings
We offer you, Lord, the sacrifice of conciliation, humbly asking that, through the intercession of the Virgin Mother of God and Saint Joseph, you may establish our families firmly in your grace and your peace.Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon : Bar 3: 38
Our God has appeared on the earth, and lived among us.
Prayer after Communion
Bring those you refresh with this heavenly Sacrament, most merciful Father, to imitate constantly the example of the Holy Family, so that, after the trials of this world, we may share their company for ever. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
The family is the basic unit of every society, established by God with inherent religious significance. Every first Sunday after Christmas is dedicated to the Feast of the Holy Family – Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. This family becomes exemplary for all families on earth. No wonder Father Patrick Payton succinctly captures this essence by stating that; “The family that prays together stays together.” In the Holy Family, which is the model of all families, love takes centre stage, with each member committed to diligently fulfilling their responsibilities. Acts of kindness, forgiveness, mutual respect, and other virtues are evident. Despite the challenges some families may face, inviting Jesus into their lives can lead to restoration and healing. The Feast of the Holy Family of Nazareth encourages reflection on the divine model of familial love and the potential for grace to bring harmony to households in need.
