Liturgical Colour : Green
Psalm 127 : 1-2, 3, 4-5
Blessed are you who fear YHVH and walk in His ways. You will eat the fruit of your toil; you will be blessed and favoured.
Your wife, like a vine, will bear fruits in your home; your children, like olive shoots, will stand around your table.
Such are the blessings bestowed upon the man who fears YHVH. May YHVH praise you from Zion. May you see Jerusalem prosperous all the days of your life.
Liturgical Colour : Green
Proverbs 31 : 10-13, 19-20, 30-31
The woman of character, where is she to be found? She is more precious than any jewel. Her husband has complete confidence in her; she will be of great benefit to him. She brings him only good and not evil, all the days of her life. She has obtained wool and flax, and works them with skilful hands.
She puts her hand to the distaff and her fingers hold the spindle. She reaches out her hand to the helpless and gives to the poor. Charm is deceptive and beauty useless; the woman who is wise is the one to praise. May she enjoy the fruits of her labour and may all praise her for her works.
Liturgical Colour : Green
Offertory
Psalm 129 : 1–2
De profundis clamavi ad Te, Domine : Domine, exaudi orationem meam : de profundis clamavi ad Te, Domine.
English translation
From the depths I have cried out to You, o Lord. Lord, hear my prayer, from the depths I have cried out to You, o Lord.
Secret Prayer of the Priest
Haec nos oblatio, Deus, mundet, quaesumus, et renovet, gubernet et protegat. Per Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum Filium Tuum, qui Tecum vivit et regnat in unitate Spiritus Sancti Deus, per omnia saecula saeculorum. Amen.
English translation
May this oblation, o God, cleanse, renew, govern and protect us, we beseech You. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who with You lives and reigns in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, world without end. Amen.
Communion
Mark 11 : 24
Amen, dico vobis, quidquid orantes petitis, credite, quia accipietis, et fiet vobis.
English translation
Amen, I say to you, whatsoever you ask when you pray, believe that you shall receive, and it shall be done unto you.
Post-Communion Prayer
Caelestibus, Domine, pasti deliciis : quaesumus; ut semper eadem, per quae veraciter vivimus, appetamus. Per Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum Filium Tuum, qui Tecum vivit et regnat in unitate Spiritus Sancti Deus, per omnia saecula saeculorum. Amen.
English translation
Being fed with celestial delights, we beseech You, o Lord, that we may ever hunger after those things by which we truly live. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who with You lives and reigns in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, world without end. Amen.
Liturgical Colour : Green
Sequentia Sancti Evangelii secundum Matthaeum – Continuation of the Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew
Matthew 13 : 31-35
In illo tempore : Dixit Jesus turbis parabolam hanc : Simile est regnum caelorum grano sinapis, quod accipiens homo seminavit in agro suo : quod minimum quidem est omnibus seminibus : cum autem creverit, majus est omnibus oleribus, et fit arbor, ita ut volucres caeli veniant et habitent in ramis ejus.
Aliam parabolam locutus est eis : Simile est regnum caelorum fermento, quod acceptum mulier abscondit in farinae satis tribus, donec fermentatum est totum. Haec omnia locutus est Jesus in parabolis ad turbas : et sine parabolis non loquebatur eis : ut impleretur quod dictum erat per Prophetam dicentem : Aperiam in parabolis os meum, eructabo abscondita a constitutione mundi.
English translation
At that time, Jesus spoke this parable to the multitudes : “The kingdom of heaven is likened to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field : which is the least indeed of all seeds, but when it is grown up, it is greater than all herbs, and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come, and dwell in the branches thereof.”
Another parable He spoke to them, “The kingdom of heaven is likened to leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, until the whole was leavened.” All these things Jesus spoke in parables to the multitudes, and without parables He did not speak to them, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, “I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter things hidden from the foundation of the world.”
Liturgical Colour : Green
Psalm 43 : 8-9 and Psalm 129 : 1-2
Liberasti nos, Domine, ex affligentibus nos : et eos, qui nos oderunt, confudisti.
Priest : In Deo laudabimur tota die, et in Nomine Tuo confitebimur in saecula.
Alleluja, Alleluja.
Priest : De profundis clamavi ad Te, Domine : Domine, exaudi orationem meam. Alleluja.
English translation
You have delivered us, o Lord, from those who afflicted us, and had put them to shame that hate us.
Priest : In God we will glory all the day, and in Your Name we will give praise forever.
Alleluia, Alleluia.
Priest : From the depths I have cried to You, o Lord. Lord, hear my prayer. Alleluia.
Liturgical Colour : Green
Lectio Epistolae Beati Pauli Apostoli ad Thessalonicenses – Lesson from the Epistle of Blessed Paul the Apostle to the Thessalonians
1 Thessalonians 1 : 2-10
Fratres : Gratias agimus Deo semper pro omnibus vobis, memoriam vestri facientes in orationibus nostris sine intermissione, memores operis fidei vestrae, et laboris, et caritatis, et sustinentiae spei Domini nostri Jesu Christi, ante Deum et Patrem nostrum : scientes, fratres, dilecti a Deo, electionem vestram : quia Evangelium nostrum non fuit ad vos in sermone tantum, sed et in virtute, et in Spiritu Sancto, et in plenitudine multa, sicut scitis quales fuerimus in vobis propter vos.
Et vos imitatores nostri facti estis, et Domini, excipientes verbum in tribulatione multa, cum gaudio Spiritus Sancti : ita ut facti sitis forma omnibus credentibus in Macedonia et in Achaja. A vobis enim diffamatus est sermo Domini, non solum in Macedonia et in Achaja,sed et in omni loco fides vestra, quae est ad Deum, profecta est, ita ut non sit nobis necesse quidquam loqui.
Ipsi enim de nobis annuntiant, qualem introitum habuerimus ad vos : et quomodo conversi estis ad Deum a simulacris, servire Deo vivo et vero, et exspectare Filium Ejus de caelis (quem suscitavit ex mortuis) Jesum, qui eripuit nos ab ira ventura.
English translation
Brethren, we give thanks to God for you all, making a remembrance of you in our prayers without ceasing; being mindful of the work of your faith, and labour, and charity, and of the enduring of the hope of our Lord Jesus Christ before God and our Father, knowing, brethren, beloved of God, your election, for our Gospel had not been unto you in word only, but in power also, and in the Holy Spirit, and in much fullness, as you know what manner of men we have been among you for your sakes.
And you became followers of us and of the Lord, receiving the word in much tribulation, with joy of the Holy Spirit, so that you were made a pattern to all who believe, in Macedonia and in Achaia. For from you was spread abroad the word of the Lord, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place, your faith which is towards God, is gone forth, so that we do not need to speak anything.
For they themselves relate to us, what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how you turned to God from idols, to serve the living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven (Whom He raised from the dead), Jesus Who had delivered us from the wrath to come.
Liturgical Colour : Green
Introit
Jeremiah 29 : 11, 12, 14 and Psalm 84 : 2
Dicit Dominus : Ego cogito cogitationes pacis, et non afflictionis : invocabitis me, et ego exaudiam vos : et reducam capitivitatem vestram de cunctis locis.
Benedixisti, Domine, terram Tuam : avertisti captivitatem Jacob.
Priest : Gloria Patri et Filio et Spiritui Sancto, sicut erat in principio, et nunc, et semper : et in saecula saeculorum. Amen.
English translation
The Lord said, “I think thoughts of peace, and not of affliction. You shall call upon Me and I will hear you, and I will bring back your captivity from all places.
Lord, You have blessed Your land, You have turned away the captivity of Jacob.
Priest : Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Collect
Praesta, quaesumus, omnipotens Deus : ut semper rationabilia meditantes, quae Tibi sunt placita, et dictis exsequamur et factis. Per Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum Filium Tuum, qui Tecum vivit et regnat in unitate Spiritus Sancti Deus, per omnia saecula saeculorum. Amen.
English translation
Grant, we beseech You, Almighty God, that, ever fixing our thoughts on reasonable things, we may both in word and in deed do what is pleasing to You. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who with You lives and reigns in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, world without end. Amen.
Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Saturday Mass of Our Lady)
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today we heard from the Scriptures the words of the Lord reminding us of the great love of God that He has shown and bestowed upon us, as our loving Father and Creator. We can really trust in the Lord and have faith in Him because He alone truly cares for us so deeply, that He still patiently awaits us and reaches out to us from time to time, no matter how long it has been since we listened to Him and how we have constantly disobeyed Him from time to time again. The Lord wants each and every one of us to be once again reunited with Him, by our reconciliation with Him and our rediscovery of the path of righteousness that He has led us into.
In our first reading today, we heard from the Epistle of St. John the Apostle speaking to the faithful all around Christendom, calling on all of them to provide for one another with love and care, especially for the missionaries who went from places to places in spreading the Word of God and His Good News of salvation. At that time, early Christian missionaries travelled from place to place without much support and help, save that from God and His strength, and also from the kindness and generosity of the people whom they were visiting, including that from the local Christian communities that had by then been established. Without these support and help, the early Christian missionaries would have indeed found it difficult for them to carry out their mission efficiently.
For they were up against many difficulties and challenges, and also persecution by both the Jewish authorities, the Pharisees and elders, the chief priests, as well as the local governors and the Roman authorities among others. Yet, those missionaries carried out the will of God and continued to labour hard for the sake of their fellow brothers and sisters, because they embody the love of God and His kindness and mercy, just as He has shown us all earlier on. Thus, just as God has loved us all and showed us His love and kindness, thus, we too should be loving and kind, caring and helpful to one another. Those missionaries shared the love of God with their fellow brethren, to those who have not yet known God’s love, and especially those who have been lacking in love.
Therefore it is just right that we support them in whatever way we can, and not only that, but in our own lives and actions, in our every words, actions and deeds, we should show this same love to one another as well, or else we are no better than hypocrites, who profess to believe in God and yet do not act in the manner that is compatible to that belief, or even outrightly contradictory in nature in our way of living of our lives. Unless we make the conscious effort to live our lives in accordance with God’s will, and ask the Lord for His guidance and strength, then we will end up having a lot of challenges and difficulties in going through this journey of faith through life. Sometimes we also do not realise that all that we need, is actually just to ask God for help.
As we heard in our Gospel passage today, the Lord used a parable to highlight this to His disciples and to all of us. He spoke of an evil judge who was wicked, proud and arrogant, and feared no one, even God, and yet, that evil judge was bound and persuaded to give in to the persistent demands made by an old woman, who kept on looking for him and persistently sought him to settle her case and issues, and she was so persistent that despite the wicked judge fearing no one, even he was compelled to do as the old woman asked and desired, if only because by doing so, he would be spared from the woman’s ever continued and incessant demands on him to settle her case in court. By using that example, the Lord wanted to make it clear to us, that if the old woman could make the evil judge to turn towards her, all the more then the Lord, Who loves us dearly, will listen to us, if we call on Him.
However, many times we find that we do not call on Him, or seek Him, and for many reasons at that. Many among us do not know God well, and we do not have that close and intimate relationship with Him, and He is not the One we turn to first. Instead, we turn towards the many worldly means all around us. We end up depending on those things instead of on God, and some among us also feared God more than we love Him, because we are afraid that He will punish us for our sins. Again, all of these show that we do not truly know God well, as if only that we know Him well, then we will know and realise just how beloved and how fortunate each and every one of us have been, to be blessed as such with God and His love.
That is why, brothers and sisters in Christ, what is important for many of us is that we need to open our hearts and minds, our whole beings to God’s love. It is precisely because many of us have been so self-centred, selfish and proud, filled with ego and greed, giving in to the temptations all around us that we were unable to recognise the love of God present in our midst, and we are also therefore devoid of that love in our own lives and actions. If only we can learn to love the way that God has loved us all thus far, we will truly be transformed and changed, no longer the wicked creatures of our worldly attachments and desires, but truly becoming worthy people and children of God, a people filled with God’s love, light and hope.
That is why, brothers and sisters in Christ, all of us are reminded that we should always show love, care and attention in each and every one of our words and actions, doing our very best to serve the Lord our God ever more faithfully and genuinely, to live our lives with great sincerity and full of love and attention to everyone around us, especially all those who have been entrusted to our care and those to whom we are capable to touching their lives positively. Each and every one of us ought to bear witness faithfully and courageously to our Christian faith, and do so with utmost dedication in accordance to what we believe, our Christian faith and our genuine love for God and for one another. May God be with us always and may He continue to bless our every endeavours, for His greater glory, now and always. Amen.
Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Saturday Mass of Our Lady)
Luke 18 : 1-8
At that time, Jesus told His disciples a parable, to show them that they should pray continually, and not lose heart. He said, “In a certain town there was a judge, who neither feared God nor people. In the same town there was a widow, who kept coming to him, saying, ‘Defend my rights against my opponent!'”
“For a time he refused, but finally he thought, ‘Even though I neither fear God nor care about people, this widow bothers me so much, I will see that she gets justice; then she will stop coming and wearing me out.'”
And Jesus said, “Listen to what the evil judge says. Will God not do justice for His chosen ones, who cry to Him day and night, even if He delays in answering them? I tell you, He will speedily do them justice. But, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on earth?”
Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Saturday Mass of Our Lady)
Psalm 111 : 1-2, 3-4, 5-6
Alleluia! Blessed is the one who fears the Lord, who greatly delights in His commands. His children will be powerful on earth; the upright’s offspring will be blessed.
Wealth and riches are for his family, there his integrity will remain. He is for the righteous a light in darkness, he is kind, merciful and upright.
It will be well with him who lends freely, who leads a life of justice and honesty. For the righteous will never be moved; he will be remembered and loved forever.
