Day: October 4, 2023

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Sunday, 8 October 2023 : Twenty-Seventh Sunday of Ordinary Time (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Matthew 21 : 33-44

At that time, Jesus said to His disciples, “Listen to another example : There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He put a fence around it, dug a hole for the wine press, built a watchtower, leased the vineyard to tenants, and then, went to a distant country.”

“When harvest time came, the landowner sent his servants to the tenants to collect his share of the harvest. But the tenants seized his servants, beat one, killed another, and stoned a third. Again, the owner sent more servants; but they were treated in the same way.”

“Finally, he sent his son, thinking, ‘They will respect my son.’ But when the tenants saw the son, they thought, ‘This is the one who is to inherit the vineyard. Let us kill him, and his inheritance will be ours.’ So they seized him, threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.”

“Now, what will the owner of the vineyard do with the tenants when he comes?” They said to Him, “He will bring those evil men to an evil end, and lease the vineyard to others, who will pay him in due time.” And Jesus replied, “Have you never read what the Scriptures say? The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. This was the Lord’s doing, and we marvel at it.”

“Therefore I say to you : the kingdom of heaven will be taken from you, and given to a people who will produce its fruit. Whoever falls on this stone, he will be broken to pieces; on whomsoever this stone falls, he will be ground to dust.”

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Sunday, 8 October 2023 : Twenty-Seventh Sunday of Ordinary Time (Second Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Philippians 4 : 6-9

Do not be anxious about anything. In everything, resort to prayer and supplication, together, with thanksgiving, and bring your requests before God. Then, the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, brothers and sisters, fill your minds with whatever is truthful, holy, just, pure, lovely and noble. Be mindful of whatever deserves praise and admiration. Put into practice what you have learnt from me, what I passed on to you, what you heard from me or saw me doing, and the God of peace will be with you.

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Sunday, 8 October 2023 : Twenty-Seventh Sunday of Ordinary Time (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Psalm 79 : 9 and 12, 13-14, 15-16, 19-20

You had a vine You brought from Egypt. You drove nations out, to plant it in their land. Its branches reached out to the sea and its shoots to the River.

Why, then, have You broken down its walls, so that all who pass by pluck its fruits? The beasts of the forest ravage it and all creatures of the field feed on it.

Turn again, o YHVH of hosts, look down from heaven and see; care for this vine, and protect the stock Your hand has planted.

Then, we will never turn away from You; give us life, and we will call on Your Name. Restore us, o YHVH, God of hosts; make Your face shine on us, that we may be saved.

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Sunday, 8 October 2023 : Twenty-Seventh Sunday of Ordinary Time (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Isaiah 5 : 1-7

Let me sing for my Beloved, my love song about His vineyard. My Beloved had a vineyard on a fertile hillside. He dug it up, cleared the stones, and planted the choicest vines. He built there a watchtower and hewed out a wine press as well. The He looked for a crop of good grapes, but it yielded only wild grapes.

Now, inhabitants of Jerusalem and people of Judah, judge between Me and My vineyard. What more was there to do that I have not done for My vineyard? Good grapes was the yield I expected. Why did it yield only sour grapes?

Now I will let you know what I am going to do with My vineyard : I will remove its hedge and it will be burnt; I will break down its wall and it will be trampled on. I will make it a wasteland, I will neither prune nor hoe it, and briers and thorns will grow there. I command the clouds, as well, not to send rain on it.

The vineyard of YHVH Sabaoth is the people of Israel; and the people of Judah are His pleasant vine. He looked for justice, but found bloodshed; He looked for righteousness but heard cries of distress.

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(Usus Antiquior) Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost (II Classis) – Sunday, 8 October 2023 : Offertory, Secret Prayer of the Priest, Communion and Post-Communion Prayer

Liturgical Colour : Green

Offertory

Psalm 137 : 7

Si ambulavero in medio tribulationis, vivificabis me, Domine : et super iram inimicorum meorum extendes manum Tuam, et salvum me faciet dextera Tua.

English translation

If I shall walk in the midst of tribulation, You will quicken me, o Lord, and You will stretch forth Your hand against the wrath of my enemies, and Your right hand shall save me.

Secret Prayer of the Priest

Haec munera, quaesumus, Domine, quae oculis Tuae majestatis offerimus, salutaria nobis esse concede. 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, o Lord, that these gifts, which we offer up in the sight of Your majesty, may be salutary unto us. 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

Psalm 118 : 4-5

Tu mandasti mandata Tua custodiri nimis : utinam dirigantur viae meae, ad custodiendas justificationes Tuas.

English translation

You have commanded Your commandments to be kept most diligently. O, that my ways may be directed to keep Your justifications.

Post-Communion Prayer

Tua nos, Domine, medicinalis operatio, et a nostris perversitatibus clementer expediat, et Tuis semper faciat inhaerare mandatis. Per Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum Filium Tuum, qui Tecum vivit et regnat in unitate Spiritus Sancti Deus, per omnia saecula saeculorum. Amen.

English translation

Let Your healing power, o Lord, in mercy deliver us from our waywardness and cause us ever to cleave to Your commandments. 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.

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(Usus Antiquior) Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost (II Classis) – Sunday, 8 October 2023 : Holy Gospel

Liturgical Colour : Green

Sequentia Sancti Evangelii secundum Matthaeum – Continuation of the Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew

Matthew 22 : 1-14

In illo tempore : Loquebatur Jesus principibus sacerdotum et pharisaeis in parabolis, dicens : Simile factum est regnum caelorum homini regi, qui fecit nuptias filio suo. Et misit servos suos vocare invitatos ad nuptias, et nolebant venire.

Iterum misit alios servos, dicens : Dicite invitatis : Ecce, prandium meum paravi, tauri mei et altilia occisa sunt, et omnia parata : venite ad nuptias. Illi autem neglexerunt : et abierunt, alius in villam suam, alius vero ad negotiationem suam : reliqui vero tenuerunt servos ejus, et contumeliis affectos occiderunt.

Rex autem cum audisset, iratus est : et, missis exercitibus suis, perdidit homicidas illos et civitatem illorum succendit. Tunc ait servis suis : Nuptiae quidem paratae sunt, sed, qui invitati erant, non fuerunt digni. Ite ergo ad exitus viarum et, quoscumque inveneritis, vocate ad nuptias. Et egressi servi ejus in vias, congregaverunt omnes, quos invenerunt, malos et bonos : et impletae sunt nuptiae discumbentum.

Intravit autem rex, ut videret discumbentes, et vidit ibi hominem non vestitum veste nuptiali. Et ait illi : Amice, quomodo huc intrasti non habens vestem nuptialem? At ille obmutuit. Tunc dixit rex ministris : Ligatis manibus et pedibus ejus, mittite eum in tenebras exteriores : ibi erit fletus et stridor dentium. Multi enim sunt vocati, pauci vero electi.

English translation

At that time, Jesus spoke to the chief priests and the Pharisees in parables, saying, “The kingdom of Heaven is likened to a king, who made a marriage for his son, and he sent his servants, to call those who were invited to the marriage, and they would not come.

Again he sent other servants, saying, “Tell those who were invited, ‘Behold, I have prepared my dinner, my beeves and fatlings are killed, and all things are ready. Come all of you to the marriage.” But they neglected, and went their ways, one to his farm, and another to his merchandise, and the rest laid hands on his servants, and having treated them contumeliously, put them to death.

But when the king had heard of it, he was angry, and sending his armies, he destroyed those murderers, and burnt their city. Then he said to his servants, “The marriage indeed is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. Go all of you therefore into the highways, and call as many as you shall find to the marriage.” And his servants going forth into the ways, gathered together all that they found, both bad and good, and the marriage was filled with guests.

And the king went in to see the guests, and he saw there a man who did not put on a wedding garment, and he said to him, “Friend, how did you enter here, not having a wedding garment?” But he was silent. Then the king said to the waiters, “Bind his hands and feet, and cast him into the outer darkness, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. For many are called, but few are chosen.”

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(Usus Antiquior) Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost (II Classis) – Sunday, 8 October 2023 : Gradual and Alleluia

Liturgical Colour : Green

Psalm 140 : 2 and Psalm 104 : 1

Dirigatur oratio mea, sicut incensum in conspectu Tuo, Domine.

Response : Elevatio manuum mearum sacrificium vespertinum.

Alleluja, Alleluja.

Response : Confitemini Domino, et invocate Nomen Ejus : annuntiate inter gentes opera Ejus. Alleluja.

English translation

Let my prayer be directed as incense in Your sight, o Lord.

Response : The lifting up of my hands as evening sacrifice.

Alleluia, Alleluia.

Response : Give glory to the Lord, and call upon His Name : declare His deeds among the Gentiles. Alleluia.

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(Usus Antiquior) Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost (II Classis) – Sunday, 8 October 2023 : Epistle

Liturgical Colour : Green

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

Ephesians 4 : 23-28

Fratres : Renovamini spiritu mentis vestrae, et induite novum hominem, qui secundum Deum creatus est in justitia et sanctitate veritatis. Propter quod deponentes mendacium, loquimini veritatem unusquisque cum proximo suo : quoniam sumus invicem membra.

Irascimini, et nolite peccare : sol non occidat super iracundiam vestram. Nolite locum dare diabolo : qui furabatur, jam non furetur; magis autem laboret, operando manibus suis, quod bonum est, ut habeat, unde tribuat necessitatem patienti.

English translation

Brethren, may you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new man, who according to God is created in justice and holiness of truth. Wherefore, putting away lying, speak all of you the truth every man with his neighbour, for we are members one of another.

Be angry, and do not sin. Do not let the sun go down upon your anger. Do not give place to the devil. He who stole, let him now steal no more, bur rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have something to give to him who suffered need.

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(Usus Antiquior) Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost (II Classis) – Sunday, 8 October 2023 : Introit and Collect

Liturgical Colour : Green

Introit

Psalm 77 : 1

Salus populi ego sum, dicit Dominus : de quacumque tribulatione clamaverint ad Me, exaudiam eos : et ero illorum Dominus in perpetuum.

Attendite, popule Meus, legem Meam : inclinate aurem vestram in verba oris Mei.

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

English translation

“I am the salvation of the people,” says the Lord, “In whatever tribulation they shall cry to Me I will hear them, and I will be their Lord forever.”

Attend, o My people, to My Law, incline your ears to the words of My mouth.

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

Omnipotens et misericors Deus, universa nobis adversantia propitiatus exclude : ut mente et corpore pariter expediti, quae Tua sunt, liberis mentibus exsequamur. Per Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum Filium Tuum, qui Tecum vivit et regnat in unitate Spiritus Sancti Deus, per omnia saecula saeculorum. Amen.

English translation

Almighty and merciful God, in Your loving kindness You do keep us from all things that wage war against us, that, being unhampered alike in soul and in body, we may with free minds perform the works that are Yours. 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.

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Saturday, 7 October 2023 : 26th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today the Church celebrates the occasion of the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, in which we remember Mary, the Holy Mother of God, in her aspect of her gift to us in the rosary, the beads that we usually use in our prayers, composed usually of fifty beads that are interconnected together, and represent the chain of prayers that all of us have been given so that we may be able to find our path towards the Lord. Mary, Our Lady of the Rosary has always shown us God’s wonderful love, through her own compassionate and loving attention towards each and every one of us, God’s beloved people. God entrusted to His beloved mother, all of us to be His own children, so that we may be under her care and protection.

This event of the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary had its roots in the victory of the forces of the Lord at the great Battle of Lepanto, in which the combined forces of Christendom stood its ground against the mighty forces of the Ottoman Empire, which at that time, was greatly expansionist and aggressive, in trying to subjugate Christian realms and God’s people. Hence, after having suffered from many important setbacks, the forces of the Christian rulers were gathered and assembled under the leadership of the Pope, then Pope St. Pius V, who urged Christian rulers to gather their forces and stop the forces of the Ottomans, and hence, a mighty fleet came to meet the Ottoman fleet at the bay of Lepanto in what is today part of Greece.

Pope St. Pius V commanded all of Christendom and urged all Christians everywhere to pray for the success of the forces of the Christian nations, and advised everyone to pray the rosary, asking for the intercession of the Blessed Mother of God, the Angels and the saints, to help the forces of the Lord’s faithful against those of their enemies. In the end, during the great battle, which went miraculously for the forces of Christendom, ended up in a great and triumphant victory against the forces of the enemies of the people of God, their oppressors and all those who have refused to believe in the Lord. It was told according to tradition and eyewitnesses on both sides of the battle that during the battle, a heavenly vision of great army of Heaven, led by the Blessed Virgin Mary, Our Lady of the Rosary, the Angels and saints were fighting on the side of the faithful against the Ottomans.

Thus, upon the great victory, the Pope declared a great celebration and dedicated this victory to the Blessed Virgin Mary, with the title of Our Lady of Victory. However, soon after, this celebration and dedication was renamed after the title of Our Lady of the Rosary which we celebrate up to this day. This is also a reminder of the powerful nature of the rosary prayer, in invoking the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God, in helping us all to find our way towards the Lord and His salvation and grace. We must not underestimate the use and the power of the rosary, which had indeed helped countless souls in finding their way back towards God. The rosary has been instrumental in helping so many people to rediscover their faith and also prayer habits, and reconnecting many of them back to God, through His Blessed Mother, Our Lady of the Rosary.

The rosary itself, also sometimes known as the Dominican rosary, came to be in its present form from the practices of the Church fathers in praying over knotted prayer ropes, which our brethren in the Eastern Churches still used till this day. Initially, those ropes were used to say the Jesus prayer, or the entire a hundred and fifty chapters of the Book of Psalms, which then evolved into the rosary in its present form, in the prayers offered to God through His Blessed Mother, the Pater Noster or the Lord’s Prayer, the Ave Maria or Hail Mary, and the Gloria Patri or the Glory Be prayer. These were presented to St. Dominic, the founder of the Order of Preachers, the Dominicans, in a vision which the saint received from the Mother of God, who passed on to St. Dominic, the gift of the rosary.

Ever since then, the rosary has become a truly powerful spiritual weapon and sacramental, helping many of the people of God to remain firmly rooted in their faith in God. Back then, the practice of saying prayers like Ave Maria or Hail Mary had been commonplace, and the rosary helped to give this popular practice an anchor through which more and more people could practice this devotion and deepen their relationship with God through His Blessed Mother, Our Lady of the Rosary. Therefore, today, as we celebrate this great Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, let us all renew our devotion and commitment to God which we made through spending meaningful and good time in praying, in deepening our relationship with Him and in honouring His Blessed Mother at all times.

This is why today, we should renew our practice and make the good habit of praying to God, and especially through the use of the holy rosary. Through the rosary, each and every one of us have been led to the Lord via the patient and loving hands of our blessed Mother Mary, Our Lady of the Rosary. The rosary has helped us to redirect our attention and focus back towards the Lord, and away from all the distractions, evils and the temptations of the world, all of which threatened to lead us down the wrong path into our downfall and destruction. We should always strive to fulfil God’s will, as well as obeying His Law and commandments at all times. Through the faithful devotion and genuine prayer of the rosary, all of us should grow ever stronger in our faith and love for God. At the same time, we should also pray the rosary and other prayers with genuine attention and focus on the Lord, and not merely reciting the prayers without meaning or proper intention.

May Our Lady of the Rosary, the Most Holy Mother of God, our protectress, guide and inspiration continue to pray for all of us sinners, and may she, our loving Mother, continue to intercede for us, that we may be strengthened in our faith and lives by the Lord. May the Lord continue to bless each and every one of us, in all of our every efforts and endeavours, and in our every actions, so that we may indeed be good role models and inspirations to one another, and to all those whom we encounter in our daily lives. May God be with us always, now and forevermore, together with His Blessed Mother, Our Lady of the Rosary. Amen.