Month: May 2023

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Sunday, 28 May 2023 : Vigil Mass of the Solemnity of Pentecost Sunday (Second Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Romans 8 : 22-27

We know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pangs of birth. Not creation alone, but even ourselves, although the Spirit was given to us as a foretaste of what we are to receive, we groan in our innermost being, eagerly awaiting the day when God will give us full rights and rescue our bodies as well.

In hope we already have salvation. But if we saw what we hoped for, there would no longer be hope; how can you hope for what is already seen? So we hope for what we do not see and we will receive it through patient hope. We are weak, but the Spirit comes to help us. How to ask? And what shall we ask for?

We do not know, but the Spirit intercedes for us without words, as if with groans. And He Who sees inner secrets knows the desires of the Spirit, for He asks for the holy ones what is pleasing to God.

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Sunday, 28 May 2023 : Vigil Mass of the Solemnity of Pentecost Sunday (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Psalm 103 : 1-2a, 24 and 35c, 27-28, 29bc-30

Bless the Lord, my soul! Clothed in majesty and splendour; o Lord, my God, how great You are! You are wrapped in light as with a garment.

How varied o Lord, are Your works! In wisdom You have made them all – the earth full of Your creatures. Bless the Lord, my soul!

They all look to You for their food in due time. You give it to them, and they gather it up; You open Your hand, they are filled with good things.

You take away their breath, they expire and return to dust. When You send forth Your Spirit, they are created, and the face of the earth is renewed.

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Sunday, 28 May 2023 : Vigil Mass of the Solemnity of Pentecost Sunday (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Genesis 11 : 1-9

The whole world had one language and a common speech. As people moved from east, they found a plain in the country of Shinar where they settled. They said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks and bake them in fire.” They used brick for stone and bitumen for mortar. They said also, “Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top reaching heaven; so that we may become a great people and not be scattered over the face of the earth!”

YHVH came down to see the city and the tower that the sons of man were building, and YHVH said, “They are one people and they have one language. If they carry this through, nothing they decide to do from now on will be impossible. Come! Let Us go down and confuse their language so that they will no longer understand each other.”

So YHVH scattered them over all the earth and they stopped building the city. That is why it was called Babel, because there YHVH confused the language of the whole earth and from there YHVH scattered them over the whole face of the earth.

Alternative reading

Exodus 19 : 3-8a, 16-20b

The Israelites camped there in front of the mountain, but Moses went up to God and YHVH called to him from the mountain, saying, “This is what you are to say and to explain to the Israelites : You have seen what I did to the Egyptians and how I carried you on eagle’s wings and brought you to Myself.”

“Now if you listen to Me and keep My covenant, you shall be My very own possession among all the nations. For all the earth is Mine, but you will be for Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” And He added, “This is what you are to say to the people of Israel.”

So Moses went and summoned all the elders of the people and related to them all that YHVH had commanded him to say. All the people responded with one voice, “All that YHVH has said, we will do.”

On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning and a dense cloud over the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast was heard. All the people in the camp trembled. Moses then made the people leave the camp to meet God and stand at the foot of the mountain.

Mount Sinai was completely covered in smoke because YHVH had come down in fire, and the smoke rose as from a furnace. The whole mountain shook violently, while the blast of the trumpet became louder and louder. Moses spoke and God replied in thunder. When YHVH had come down to the summit of Mount Sinai, God called Moses who went to the summit.

Alternative reading

Ezekiel 37 : 1-14

The hand of YHVH was upon me. He brought me out and led me in spirit to the middle of the valley which was full of bones. He made me walk to and fro among them and I could see there was a great number of them on the ground all along the valley and that they were very dry.

YHVH said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live again?” I said, “Lord YHVH, only You know that.” He then said, “Speak on My behalf concerning these bones; say to them : Dry bones, hear the word of YHVH! YHVH says : I am going to put spirit in you and make you live. I shall put sinews on you and make flesh grow on you; I shall cover you with skin and give you My Spirit, that you may live. And you will know that I am YHVH.”

“I prophesied as I had been commanded and then there was a noise and commotion; the bones joined together. I looked and saw that they had sinews, that flesh was growing on them and that He was covering them with skin. But there was no spirit in them.”

So YHVH said to me, “Speak on My behalf and call on the Spirit, son of man! Say to the Spirit : This is the word of YHVH : Spirit, come from the four winds. Breathe into these dead bones and let them live!” I prophesied as He had commanded me and breath entered them; they came alive, standing on their feet – a great, immense army!

He then said to me, “Son of man, these bones are all Israel. They keep saying : ‘Our bones are dry, hope has gone, it is the end of us.’ So prophesy! Say to them : This is what YHVH says : I am going to open your tombs, I shall bring you out of your tombs, My people, and lead you back to the land of Israel.”

“You will know that I am YHVH, o My people! When I open your graves and bring you out of your graves, when I put My Spirit in you and you live. I shall settle you in your land and you will know that I, YHVH, have done what I said I would do.”

Alternative reading

Joel 3 : 1-5

In the last days, I will pour out My Spirit on every mortal. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. Even upon My servants and maidens, I will pour out My Spirit on that day.

I will show wonders in the heavens, and on earth blood and fire and columns of smoke. The sun will darken and the moon turn to blood, at the approach of the great and dreadful day of God.

Then all who call upon the Name of YHVH will be saved. For on Mount Zion there will be a remnant, as YHVH has said; in Jerusalem some will be saved – those whom YHVH will call.

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(Usus Antiquior) Pentecost Sunday (I Classis) – Sunday, 28 May 2023 : Offertory, Secret Prayer of the Priest, Preface, Communion and Post-Communion Prayer

Liturgical Colour : Red

Offertory

Psalm 67 : 29-30

Confirma hoc, Deus, quod operatus es in nobis : a templo Tuo, quod est in Jerusalem, Tibi offerent reges munera, Alleluja.

English translation

Confirm this, o God, which You have wrought in us, from Your Temple, which is in Jerusalem, kings shall offer presents to You, Alleluia.

Secret Prayer of the Priest

Munera, quaesumus, Domine, oblata sanctifica : et corda nostra Sancti Spiritus illustratione emunda. Per Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum Filium Tuum, qui Tecum vivit et regnat in unitate ejusdem Spiritus Sancti Deus, per omnia saecula saeculorum. Amen.

English translation

Sanctify, we beseech You, o Lord, the gifts offered, and cleanse our hearts with the light of the Holy Spirit. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who with You lives and reigns in the unity of the same Holy Spirit, God, world without end. Amen.

Preface of Pentecost

Vere dignum et justum est, aequum et salutare, nos Tibi semper et ubique gratias agere : Domine, Sancte Pater omnipotens, aeterne Deus : per Christum, Dominum nostrum. Qui, ascendens super omnes caelos sedensque ad dexteram Tuam, promissum Spiritum Sanctum (hodierna die) in filios adoptionis effudit. Quapropter profusis gaudiis totus in orbe terrarum mundus exsultat. Sed et supernae Virtutes atque angelicae Potestates hymnum gloriae Tuae concinunt, sine fine dicentes :

English translation

It is truly meet and just, right and available to salvation, that we should always and in all places give thanks to You, o Holy Lord, Father Almighty, eternal God, through Christ our Lord, who ascending over all the heavens and sitting at Your right hand, had (this day) according to His word, send down the Holy Spirit upon the children of His adoption. Wherefore all peoples upon this earth rejoice with exceeding great joy, the heavenly virtues likewise and the angelic powers sing a hymn to Your glory and unceasingly repeat :

Communion

Acts 2 : 2, 4

Factus est repente da caelo sonus, tamquam advenientis Spiritus vehementis, ubi erant sedentes, Alleluja : et repleti sunt omnes Spiritu Sancto, loquentes magnalia Dei, Alleluja, Alleluja.

English translation

There came suddenly a sound from heaven as of a mighty wind coming, where they were sitting, Alleluia. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, speaking the wonderful works of God, Alleluia, Alleluia.

Post-Communion Prayer

Sancti Spiritus, Domine, corda nostra mundet infusio : et sui roris intima aspersione fecundet. Per Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum Filium Tuum, qui Tecum vivit et regnat in unitate ejusdem Spiritus Sancti Deus, per omnia saecula saeculorum. Amen.

English translation

May our hearts be cleansed, o Lord, by the inpouring of the Holy Spirit, may He render them fruitful by watering them with His heavenly dew. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who with You lives and reigns in the unity of the same Holy Spirit, God, world without end. Amen.

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(Usus Antiquior) Pentecost Sunday (I Classis) – Sunday, 28 May 2023 : Holy Gospel

Liturgical Colour : Red

Sequentia Sancti Evangelii secundum Joannem – Continuation of the Holy Gospel according to St. John

John 14 : 23-31

In illo tempore : Dixit Jesus discipulis Suis : Si quis diligit Me, sermonem Meum servabit, et Pater Meus diliget eum, et ad eum veniemus et mansionem apud eum faciemus : qui non diligit Me, sermones Meos non servat. Et sermonem quem audistis, non est Meus : sed ejus, qui misit Me, Patris.

Haec locutus sum vobis, apud vos manens. Paraclitus autem Spiritus Sanctus, quem mittet Pater in Nomine Meo, ille vos docebit omnia et suggeret vobis omnia, quaecumque dixero vobis.

Pacem relinquo vobis, pacem Meam do vobis : non quomodo mundus dat, ego do vobis. Non turbetur cor vestrum neque formidet. Audistis, quia ego dixi vobis. Vado et venio ad vos. Si diligeritis Me, gauderitis utique, quia vado ad Patrem : quia Pater major Me est.

Et nunc dixi vobis, priusquam fiat : ut, cum factum fuerit, credatis. Jam non multa loquar vobiscum. Venit enim princeps mundi hujus, et in Me non habet quidquam. Sed ut cognoscat mundus, quia diligo Patrem, et sicut mandatum dedit mihi Pater, sic facio.

English translation

At that time, Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone lives Me, he will keep My word, and My Father will love him, and We will come to him, and will make Our abode with him. He who does not love Me, does not keep My words, and the word which you have heard is not Mine, but the Father’s, He who sent Me.”

“These things I have spoken to you, abiding with you, but the Paraclete, the Holy Spirit, He whom the Father will send in My Name, and He will teach you all things, and bring all things to your mind, whatsoever I have said to you.”

“Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you. Not as the world gives, I have given unto you. Let your heart not be troubled, nor let it be afraid. You have heard that I said to you, I go away, and I come unto you. If you loved Me, you would indeed be glad, because I go to the Father, for the Father is greater than I.”

“And now I have told you before it came to pass, that when it shall come to pass you may believe. I will not now speak many things with you; for the prince of this world comes, and in Me he does not have anything. But that the world may know that I love the Father, and as the Father had given Me commandment, so do I.”

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(Usus Antiquior) Pentecost Sunday (I Classis) – Sunday, 28 May 2023 : Sequence

Liturgical Colour : Red

Veni, Sancte Spiritus, Et emitte caelitus, Lucis Tuae radium.

Veni, Pater pauperum, Veni, dator munerum, Veni, lumen cordium.

Consolator optime, Dulcis hospes animae, Dulce refrigerium.

In labore requies, In aestu temperies, In fletu solatium.

O Lux beatissima, Reple cordis intima, Tuorum fidelium.

Sine Tuo numine, Nihil est in homine, Nihil est innoxium.

Lava quod est sordidum, Riga quod est aridum, Sana quod est saucium.

Flecte quod est rigidum, Fove quod est frigidum, Rege quod est devium.

Da Tuis fidelibus, In Te confidentibus, Sacrum septenarium.

Da virtutis meritum, Da salutis exitum, Da perenne gaudium. Amen. Alleluja.

English translation

Come, Holy Spirit, and send forth from heaven the ray of Your light.

Come, Father of the poor. Come, Giver of gifts. Come, light of hearts.

You are the best consoler, sweet guest of the soul, sweet coolness.

In labour, rest. In heat, refreshment. In tears, solace.

O most blessed Light, may You fill the innermost recesses of the hearts of Your faithful!

Without Your divine assistance, there is nothing in man, nothing harmless.

Cleanse what is base, bedew what is parched, and heal what is wounded.

Bend what is rigid, warm what is chilled, guide what is astray.

Give to Your faithful confiding in You, Your sevenfold gifts.

Give them the reward of virtue, give them a happy death, give them eternal joy. Amen. Alleluia.

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(Usus Antiquior) Pentecost Sunday (I Classis) – Sunday, 28 May 2023 : Alleluia

Liturgical Colour : Red

Psalm 103 : 30 and Tradition of the Faith

Alleluja, Alleluja.

Response : Emitte Spiritum Tuum, et creabuntur, et renovabis faciem terrae. Alleluja.

(Hic genuflectur)

Response : Veni, Sancte Spiritus, reple tuorum corda fidelium : et Tui amoris in eis ignem accende.

English translation

Alleluia, Alleluia.

Response : Send forth Your Spirit, and they shall be created, and You shall renew the face of the earth. Alleluia.

(Here all kneel)

Response : Come, o Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Your faithful, and kindle in them the fire of Your love.

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(Usus Antiquior) Pentecost Sunday (I Classis) – Sunday, 28 May 2023 : Epistle

Liturgical Colour : Red

Lectio Actuum Apostolorum – Lesson from the Acts of the Apostles

Acts 2 : 1-11

Cum complerentur dies Pentecostes, erant omnes discipuli pariter in eodem loco : et factus est repente de caelo sonus, tamquam advenientis Spiritus vehementis : et replevit totam domum, ubi erant sedentes. Et apparuerunt illis dispertitae linguae tamquam ignis, seditque supra singulos eorum : et repleti sunt omnes Spiritu Sancto, et caeperunt loqui variis linguis, prout Spiritus Sanctus dabat eloqui illis.

Erant autem in Jerusalem habitantes Judaei, viri religiosi ex omni natione, quae sub caelo est. Facta autem hac voce, convenit multitudo, et mente confusa est, quoniam audiebat unusquisque lingua sua illos loquentes. Stupebant autem omnes et mirabantur, dicentes : Nonne ecce omnes isti, qui loquuntur, Galilaei sunt? Et quomodo nos audivimus unusquisque linguam nostram, in qua nati sumus?

Parthi et Medi et Aelamitae et qui habitant Mesopotamiam, Judaeam et Cappadociam, Pontum et Asiam, Phrygiam et Pamphyliam, Aegyptum et partes Libyae, quae est circa Cyrenen, et advenae Romani, Judaei quoque et Proselyti, Cretes et Arabes : audivimus eos loquentes nostris linguis magnalia Dei.

English translation

When the days of Pentecost were accomplished, they were all together in one place; and suddenly there came a sound from Heaven, as of a mighty wind coming, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them parted tongues as if it were of fire, and it sat upon every one of them, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they began to speak with diverse tongues, according to the Holy Spirit who gave them to speak.

Now there were dwelling at Jerusalem, Jews, devout men of every nation under heaven. And when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded in mind, because that every man heard them speak in his own tongue, and they were all amazed, and wondered, saying, “Behold, are not all these who speak Galileans? And how have we heard every man in our own tongue wherein we were born?”

“Parthians and Medes, and Elamites, and the inhabitants of Mesopotamia, Judea, and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and the strangers of Rome, Jews and also Proselytes, Cretans and Arabians, we have heard them speak in our own tongues the wonderful works of God.”

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(Usus Antiquior) Pentecost Sunday (I Classis) – Sunday, 28 May 2023 : Introit and Collect

Liturgical Colour : Red

Introit

Wisdom 1 : 7 and Psalm 67 : 2

Spiritus Domini replevit orbem terrarum, Alleluja : et hoc quod continet omnia, scientiam habet vocis, Alleluja, Alleluja, Alleluja.

Exsurgat Deus, et dissipentur inimici Ejus : et fugiant, qui oderunt eum, a facie Ejus.

Response : Gloria Patri et Filio et Spiritui Sancto, sicut erat in principio, et nunc, et semper : et in saecula saeculorum. Amen.

English translation

The Spirit of the Lord had filled the whole earth, Alleluia, and that which contains all things had knowledge of the voice, Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia.

Let God arise, and His enemies be scattered, and let those who hate Him fly before His face.

Response : 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

Deus, qui hodierna die corda fidelium Sancti Spiritus illustratione docuisti : da nobis in eodem Spiritu recta sapere; et de ejus semper consolatione gaudere. Per Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum Filium Tuum, qui Tecum vivit et regnat in unitate ejusdem Spiritus Sancti Deus, per omnia saecula saeculorum. Amen.

English translation

O God, You who on this day had instructed the hearts of the faithful by the light of the Holy Spirit, grant us, by the same Spirit, to relish what is right and ever to rejoice in His consolation. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who with You lives and reigns in the unity of the same Holy Spirit, God, world without end. Amen.

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Saturday, 27 May 2023 : 7th Week of Easter, Memorial of St. Augustine of Canterbury, Bishop (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we listened to the words of the Scriptures, all of us are reminded of the need for all of us to continue living our lives faithfully as Christians at all times, in carrying out the will of God and in doing what we can to proclaim His truth and Good News in all possible opportunities that God has provided to us, following the good examples that the Apostles and many other saints and holy people of God, our holy predecessors had done. Each one of us have been called and sent to do whatever the Lord has willed for us to do, in our respective various areas of responsibility, and in whichever places and communities that God has desired us to be, all according to His will.

In our first reading today, we heard of the ministry of St. Paul the Apostle who had come to Rome at the end of his long travel from Jerusalem and after enduring a shipwreck that brought him to the island of Malta and gave him the opportunity to evangelise to the people there. St. Paul went to Rome upon answering God’s call, as He told St. Paul of everything that he would do for His glory, in fulfilling His wishes, that St. Paul ought to proclaim the Good News to the faithful at the very heart and centre of the Roman Empire. The Lord has sent St. Paul to perform His good works among His people, and through the Apostle, He laid the firm foundation of His Church, strengthened by the faith and the dedication of His Apostles like St. Paul, St. Peter and others.

As we heard in our Gospel passage today, we listened to the conversation between the Lord Jesus and His disciples, in which St. Peter asked the Lord about the saying that one of them, the youngest among them, St. John the Apostle, to whom the Lord had entrusted His own mother Mary, would not die till the day the Lord comes again. The Lord then told St. Peter that if He wanted St. John or anyone to live till the day He comes, that is His decision and His prerogative alone, and everything will indeed happen as He desires it to be. In a way, this would be fulfilled as St. John was the one to whom the Lord showed the heavenly and otherworldly vision of the end of time, which he recorded and wrote in the Book of Revelations.

Thus, in a way, St. John indeed did not die before he saw the coming of the Lord, as in his visions, St. John did indeed see the triumphant Second Coming of the Lord, and wrote about it in his Book so that all of us, the faithful people of God may remain firm in our faith and know what is coming ahead for us. All of us are reminded that each and every one of us as God’s followers are called to carry on with our mission, in our respective areas of responsibility and calling, in our own communities and in wherever the Lord has called and sent us to, just like how He has called and sent His Apostles. Each and every one of us are members and parts of the same Church of God, and hence, we are part of the ever growing efforts and works of the Church to reach out to more and more souls out there.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, on this day, at the penultimate day of the season of Easter, with the Solemnity of the Pentecost Sunday happening just tomorrow, all of us are therefore reminded that we are all part of the Church’s important evangelising mission and works, in reaching out to all those who are still not yet aware of the Lord, His truth and Good News, and everything that He has done for us. All of us are parts of this missionary work, the same mission which He Himself has entrusted and commanded to His disciples, that is to go forth to all the people of all the nations, and to baptise them all in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

All of us are strengthened and encouraged with the hope that the Lord has given us, and through the Holy Spirit that He has bestowed upon us, His Church. Through the guidance and strength that we have been provided with, we have gone truly very far in our journey of faith and work, and we have already grown ever stronger in our efforts and works to glorify Him and in doing whatever it is that the Lord has taught us to do. And each of our actions and contributions do matter, and we should not be disheartened if we think that we have not done a lot for the Lord. After all, each and every one of our actions are part of the greater works of the Church, and we must realise that no one can do all those great works all by themselves. All of us have to help and assist each other, and help one another in fulfilling what the Lord has called us all to do, and strengthen one another that we may always be firm in our faith and dedication.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all hence renew our commitment and desire to serve and follow the Lord, to do His will and to proclaim His Good News just as the Apostles and our other holy predecessors had done in the past. All of us have been given the various talents, abilities and gifts in order to do God’s will and to carry out our missions in life. Each and every one of us should do whatever we can so that we may inspire more and more souls to come closer towards God and His grace and love. We must also realise that eachh one of us are capable of doing just so many great and wonderful things if we put our heart into our efforts, and do whatever we can to obey the Lord and His commandments, and to do what we can to serve the Lord at all times.

St. Augustine of Canterbury, whose feast we celebrate today, can inspire all of us in our actions and works as well, since this great saint and man of God had given his whole life to the service and the glory of God. He was a monk who was entrusted with the mission to proclaim the Christian faith in the British Isles, to proclaim the truth of God to those who have lost their path and to those who have not yet heard or known about the Christian faith and truth, the Good News of God. He was sent by Pope St. Gregory the Great to evangelise to the people of the British Isles, especially to England, where he ministered faithfully for many years, as the first Archbishop of Canterbury, establishing the first firm foundation for the Church in England. His courage and dedication should serve as inspiration to all of us as Christians.

May the Risen Lord, through His faithful Apostles and disciples, St. Paul the Apostle, St. Peter and St. John, among many others, including that of St. Augustine of Canterbury, continue to strengthen all of us in our faith. May the Lord continue to empower us all and give us the strength and courage to walk ever more faithfully in the path that He has shown us and led us to. Through the Holy Spirit, may He continue to inflame in us the spirit and the passion to do His will, as always. May the Lord be with us always and bless our every good works and endeavours, now and always. Amen.