Month: March 2015

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Tuesday, 31 March 2015 : Tuesday of the Holy Week (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet

Psalm 70 : 1-2, 3-4a, 5-6ab, 15ab and 17

In You, o Lord, I seek refuge; let me not be disgraced. In Your justice help me and deliver me, turn Your ear to me and save me!

Be my Rock of refuge, a stronghold to give me safety, for You are my Rock and my Fortress. Rescue me, o my God, from the hand of the wicked.

For You, o Lord, have been my hope, my trust, o God, from my youth. I have relied on You from birth : from my mother’s womb You brought me forth.

My lips will proclaim Your intervention and tell of Your salvation all day. You have taught me from my youth and until now I proclaim Your marvels.

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Tuesday, 31 March 2015 : Tuesday of the Holy Week (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet

Isaiah 49 : 1-6

Listen to Me, o islands, pay attention, peoples from distant lands. YHVH called Me from My mother’s womb; He pronounced My Name before I was born. He made My mouth like a sharpened sword. He hid Me in the shadow of His hand. He made Me into a polished arrow set apart in His quiver.

He said to Me, “You are Israel, My servant, through You I will be known.” “I have laboured in vain,” I thought, and spent My strength for nothing. Yet what is due Me was in the hand of YHVH, and My reward was with My God. I am important in the sight of YHVH, and My God is My strength.

And now YHVH has spoken, He who formed Me in the womb to be His servant, to bring Jacob back to Him, to gather Israel to Him. He said : “It is not enough that You be My servant, to restore the tribes of Jacob, to bring back the remnant of Israel. I will make You the Light of the nations, that My salvation will reach to the ends of the earth.”

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Monday, 30 March 2015 : Monday of the Holy Week (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today we continue to proceed into the Holy Week, and in a few days’ time we shall be commemorating the three days of Easter Triduum, the heart of our faith, when we commemorate the time when our Lord instituted the Eucharist, and giving up His Body and Blood, He suffered and died for us, so that by His resurrection from the dead, He gave us a new life and a new hope that sin and death can be overcome.

Today we heard the hypocrisy of Judas, who criticised Mary, the sister of Lazarus, who had poured a whole jar of very expensive perfume made of pure spikenard on the feet of Jesus and wiped it dry with her hair. In another account, the woman who anointed Jesus with perfume also anointed His head with the same perfume, and she was criticised all the same.

As mentioned, Judas did not do so because he cared for the poor in any way, and he did it because he was a thief and a cheater, who stole the money from the common fund of the Apostles, which was meant for the poor and the needy. Thus, he spoke a lie and brought about calumny and injustice to another. His inability to resist the temptation of money, desire and the impurities in his heart led him to do what he had done, that is to betray his own Lord and Master, for a mere thirty pieces of silver.

Just for your knowledge, that when Joseph, the son of Jacob was sold by his brothers out of jealousy into slavery, he was priced at about the same price. And at that price, they were valued at even lower than animals. A good quality animal would have fetched far higher prices than those which Judas received for betraying his Lord and which the brothers sold Joseph with.

Thus we value so low the Lord who had loved us all completely and sincerely with all of His heart, we looked down on He who was tortured, mocked and rejected for our sake, who died for us on the cross, so that we might be saved. We did not appreciate the things which He had done for us, and all the hard works which He had undertaken for our own good.

We are often tempted and our minds and hearts clouded with worldly things such as greed, pride, pleasures of the flesh and many others. The Pharisees, the elders and the chief priests were all infected with the disease of greed and jealousy, as well as fear and insecurity. They were all concerned only with preserving themselves and their own livelihoods. This is why, even though they were supposed to be the ones with wisdom and knowledge of the Scriptures, they refused to believe in Jesus and instead trying to undermine His works by plotting against Lazarus whom Jesus had resurrected from the dead.

They were manipulated by the wickedness and malice that Satan had planted in their hearts, which also exist in all of us. They were afraid of losing their position of honour and the respect which they have been accorded with by the society. They did not want to take a risk with the Romans, whom they were afraid that they would destroy all of their livelihood. And similarly with Judas, Satan manipulated his greed and desire for money, and in the end they destroyed and condemned only themselves.

It is a lesson for all of us that we cannot be hypocrites in our faith. Instead, we truly have to live out our faith, through our own actions. And we cannot be divided in our faith, just as we cannot have two masters. We cannot both serve God and worldly things, and as Jesus mentioned, that we will either despise one and love the other or we will not be sincere in our faith as a whole.

Therefore, let us all reflect on this occasion, and take steps to change our lives for the better. We can make a difference by committing ourselves more and more to the cause of the Lord. Now the choice is in our hands to make that difference. Let us therefore emerge from this Lenten observation, a better, more dedicated and more faithful servant of God. God bless us all. Amen.

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Monday, 30 March 2015 : Monday of the Holy Week (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet

John 12 : 1-11

At that time, six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where He had raised Lazarus, the dead man, to life. Now they gave a dinner for Him, and while Martha waited on them, Lazarus sat at the table with Jesus.

Then Mary took a pound of costly perfume, made from genuine spikenard and anointed the feet of Jesus, wiping them with her hair. And the whole house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.

Judas Iscariot – the disciple who was to betray Jesus – remarked, “This perfume could have been sold for three hundred silver coins, and the money given to the poor.” Judas, indeed, had no concern for the poor; he was a thief, and as he held the common purse, he used to help himself to the funds.

But Jesus spoke up, “Leave her alone. Was she not keeping it for the day of My burial? The poor you always have with you, but you will not always have Me.”

Many Jews heard that Jesus was there and they came, not only because of Jesus, but also to see Lazarus whom He had raised from the dead. So the chief priests thought about killing Lazarus as well, for many of the Jews were drifting away because of Him, and believing in Jesus.

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Monday, 30 March 2015 : Monday of the Holy Week (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet

Psalm 26 : 1, 2, 3, 13-14

The Lord is my Light and my Salvation – whom shall I fear? The Lord is the Rampart of my life; I will not be afraid.

When the wicked rush at me to devour my flesh, it is my foes who stumble, my enemies fall.

Though an army encamp against me, my heart will not fail; though war break out against me, I will still be confident.

I hope, I am sure, that I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Trust in the Lord, be strong and courageous. Yes, put your hope in the Lord!

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Monday, 30 March 2015 : Monday of the Holy Week (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet

Isaiah 42 : 1-7

YHVH said, “Here is My Servant whom I uphold, My Chosen One in whom I delight. I have put My Spirit upon Him, and He will bring justice to the nations. He does not shout or raise His voice. Proclamations are not heard in the streets.”

“A broken reed He will not crush, nor will He snuff out the light of the wavering wick. He will make justice appear in truth. He will not waver or be broken until He has established justice on earth; the islands are waiting for His Law.”

Thus says God, YHVH, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread the earth and all that comes from it, who gives life and breath to those who walk on it : “I, YHVH, have called You for the sake of justice; I will hold Your hand to make You firm; I will make You as a Covenant to the people, and as a Light to the nations, to open eyes that do not see, to free captives from prison, to bring out to light those who sit in darkness.”

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(Usus Antiquior) Palm Sunday (I Classis) – Sunday, 29 March 2015 : Gradual and Tract

Liturgical Colour : Violet

Gradual

Psalm 72 : 24, 1-3

Tenuisti manum dexteram meam : et in voluntate Tua deduxisti me : et cum gloria assumpsisti me.

Priest : Quam bonus Israel Deus rectis corde! Mei autem paene moti sunt pedes : paene effusi sunt gressus mei : quia zelavi in peccatoribus, pacem peccatorum videns.


English translation

You have held me in Your right hand, and by Your will You have conducted me, and with glory You have assumed me.

Priest : How good is God to Israel, to those who are of a right heart! But my feet were almost moved, my steps had well nigh slipped, because I had a zeal on occasion of sinners, seeing the peace of sinners.


Tract

Psalm 21 : 2-9, 18, 19, 22, 24, 32

Deus, Deus meus, respice in me : quare me dereliquisti?

Longe a salute mea verba delictorum meorum.

Deus meus, clamabo per diem, nec exaudies : in nocte, et non ad insipientiam mihi.

Tu autem in sancto habitas, laus Israel.

In Te speraverunt patres nostri : speraverunt, et liberasti eos.

Ad Te clamaverunt, et salvi facti sunt : in Te speraverunt, et non sunt confusi.

Ego autem sum vermis, et non homo : opprobrium hominum et abjectio plebis.

Omnes, qui videbant me, aspernabantur me : locuti sunt labiis et moverunt caput.

Speravit in Domino, eripiat eum : salvum faciat eum, quoniam vult eum.

Ipsi vero consideraverunt et conspexerunt me : diviserunt sibi vestimenta mea, et super vestem meam miserunt mortem.

Libera me de ore leonis : et a cornibus unicornium humilitatem meam.

Qui timetis Dominum, laudate eum : universum semen Jacob, magnificate eum.

Annuntiabitur Domino generatio ventura : et annuntiabunt caeli justitiam ejus.

Populo, qui nascetur, quem fecit Dominus.


English translation

O God, my God, look upon me, why have You forsaken me?

Far from my salvation are the words of my sins.

O my God, I shall cry by day, and You will not hear, and by night, and it shall not be reputed as folly in Me.

But You dwell in the holy place, the praise of Israel.

In You our fathers have hoped, and You have delivered them.

They cried to You and they were saved, they trusted in You and they were not confounded.

But I am a worm and no man, the reproach of men, and the outcast of the people.

All they who saw Me have laughed Me to scorn, they have spoken with the lips and wagged the head.

He hoped in the Lord, let Him deliver Him, let Him save Him, seeing that He delights in Him.

But they have looked and stared upon Me, they parted My garments among them, and upon My vesture they cast lots.

Deliver Me from the lion’s mouth, and My lowness from the horns of the unicorns.

You who fear the Lord, praise Him. Praise Him all you seed of Jacob, glorify Him.

There shall be declared to the Lord a generation to come and the heavens shall show forth His justice.

To a people that shall be born, which the Lord had made.

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(Usus Antiquior) Palm Sunday (I Classis) – Sunday, 29 March 2015 : Epistle

Liturgical Colour : Violet

Lectio Epistolae Beati Pauli Apostoli ad Philippenses – Lesson from the Epistle of Blessed Paul the Apostle to the Philippians

Philippians 2 : 5-11

Fratres : Hoc enim sentite in vobis, quod et in Christo Jesu : qui, cum in forma Dei esset, non rapinam arbitratus est esse se aequalem Deo : sed semetipsum exinanivit, formam servi accipiens, in similitudinem hominum factus, et habitu inventus ut homo. Humiliavit semetipsum, factus oboediens usque ad mortem, mortem autem crucis. Propter quod et Deus exaltavit illum : ei donavit illi Nomen, quod est super omne nomen :

(Genuflect)

Ut in Nomine Jesu omne genu flectatur caelestium, terrestrium, et infernorum : et omnis lingua confiteatur, quia Dominus Jesus Christus in gloria est Dei Patris.


English translation

Brethren, let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus, who being in the form of God, does not thought it right to boast in His equality with God, but made Himself as nothing, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men, and in habit found as a Man. He humbled Himself, becoming obedient unto death, even death on the cross. For which cause God had also exalted Him, and had given Him a Name which is above all names,

(Genuflect)

That in the Name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those that are in heaven, on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that the Lord Jesus Christ is in the glory of God the Father.

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(Usus Antiquior) Palm Sunday (I Classis) – Sunday, 29 March 2015 : Introit and Collect

Liturgical Colour : Violet

Introit

Psalm 21 : 20, 22 and 2

Domine, ne longe facias auxilium tuum a me, ad defensionem meam aspice : libera me de ore leonis, et a cornibus unicornium humilitatem meam.

Deus, Deus meus, respice in me : quare me dereliquisti? Longe a salute mea verba delictorum meorum.

Response : Domine, ne longe facias auxilium tuum a me, ad defensionem meam aspice : libera me de ore leonis, et a cornibus unicornium humilitatem meam.


English translation

O Lord, do not remove Your help to a distance from me, look toward my defense, deliver me from the lion’s mouth, and my lowness from the horns of the unicorns.

O God, my God, look upon me, why have You forsaken me? Far from my salvation are the words of my sins.

Response : O Lord, do not remove Your help to a distance from me, look toward my defense, deliver me from the lion’s mouth, and my lowness from the horns of the unicorns.


Collect

Omnipotens sempiterne Deus, qui humano generi, ad imitandum humilitatis exemplum, Salvatorem nostrum carnem sumere et crucem subire fecisti : concede propitius; ut et patientiae ipsius habere documenta et resurrectionis consortia mereamur. Per eumdem Dominum Jesum Christum Filium Tuum, Qui Tecum vivis et regnas in unitate Spiritus Sancti Deus, per omnia saecula saeculorum. Amen.


English translation

Almighty and eternal God, who in order to give mankind an example of humility, did will that our Saviour should assume our flesh and suffer on the cross, grant in Your mercy that we are found worthy of the heritage of His patience and the fellowship of His resurrection. Through the same Lord Jesus Christ Your Son, who with You lives and reigns in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, world without end. Amen.

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(Usus Antiquior) Palm Sunday (I Classis) – Sunday, 29 March 2015 : Entry into the Church

Liturgical Colour : Red

Responsory

Ingredente Domino in sanctam civitatem, Hebraeorum pueri resurrectionem vitae pronuntiantes, Cum ramis palmarum : Hosanna, clamabant, in excelsis.

Priest : Cumque audisset populus, quod Jesus veniret Jerosolymam, exierunt obviam ei. Cum ramis palmarum : Hosanna, clamabant, in excelsis.

Priest : Dominus vobiscum.

Response : Et cum spiritu tuo.

Oremus.

Domine Jesu Christe, Rex ac Redemptor noster, in cujus honorem, hos ramos gestantes, solemnes laudes decantavimus : concede propitius : ut, quocumque hi rami deportati fuerint, ibi tuae benedictionis gratia descendat, et, quavis daemonum iniquitate vel illusione profligata, dextera tua protegat, quos redemit. Qui vivis et regnas cum Deo Patre in unitate Spiritus Sancti Deus, per omnia saecula saeculorum. Amen.


English translation

Responsory

As our Lord entered the holy city, the Hebrew children, declaring the resurrection of life, with palm branches cried out, “Hosanna in the highest!”

Priest : When the people heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, they went forth to meet Him, with palm branches cried out, “Hosanna in the highest!”

Priest : The Lord be with you.

Response : And with your spirit.

Let us pray.

O Lord Jesus Christ, our King and Redeemer, in whose honour we have borne these palms and gone on praising You with song and solemnity, mercifully grant that wherever that these palms are taken, there the grace of Your blessing may descend. May every wickedness and trick of the demons be frustrated, and may Your right hand protect those it had redeemed. You who lives and reigns with God the Father, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, world without end. Amen.