Day: October 18, 2023

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Sunday, 22 October 2023 : Twenty-Ninth Sunday of Ordinary Time (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Matthew 22 : 15-21

At that time, the Pharisees went away, considering how they could trap Jesus by His own words. They sent to Him their disciples, along with members of Herod’s party, saying, “Master, we know that You are an honest Man; and truly teach God’s way. You are not influenced by others, nor are You afraid of anyone. So tell us what You think : is it against the Law to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”

But Jesus understood their evil intentions, and said to them, “Hypocrites, why are you trying to trap Me? Show me the coin with which you pay taxes.” They showed Him a silver coin, and Jesus said to them, “Whose head is this, and whose name?” They answered, “Caesar’s.” Then Jesus replied, “So give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and give to God what is God’s.”

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Sunday, 22 October 2023 : Twenty-Ninth Sunday of Ordinary Time (Second Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

1 Thessalonians 1 : 1-5b

From Paul, Sylvanus and Timothy, to the Church of Thessalonica, which is in God, the Father, and in Christ Jesus, the Lord. May the peace and grace of God be with you. We give thanks to God, at all times, for you, and remember you in our prayers. We constantly recall, before God, our Father, the work of your faith, the labours of your love, and your endurance, in waiting for Christ Jesus our Lord.

We remember, brothers and sisters, the circumstances of your being called. The Gospel we brought you was such, not only in words. Miracles, the Holy Spirit, and plenty of everything, were given to you.

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Sunday, 22 October 2023 : Twenty-Ninth Sunday of Ordinary Time (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Psalm 95 : 1 and 3, 4-5, 7-8, 9-10a and 10c

Sing to YHVH a new song, sing to YHVH, all the earth! Recall His glory among the nations, tell all the peoples His wonderful deeds.

How great is YHVH and worthy of praise! Above all gods, He is to be feared. For all other gods are worthless idols, but YHVH is the One Who made the heavens.

Give to YHVH, you families of nations, give to YHVH glory and strength. Give to YHVH the glory due His Name; bring gifts and enter His courts.

Worship YHVH with holy celebrations; stand in awe of Him, all the earth. Say among the nations, “He will judge the peoples with justice.”

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Sunday, 22 October 2023 : Twenty-Ninth Sunday of Ordinary Time (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Isaiah 45 : 1, 4-6

Thus says YHVH to His anointed, to Cyrus : “I have taken you by the right hand to subdue nations before you and strip kings of their armour, to open the gateways before you so that they will be closed no more.”

“For the sake of Jacob My servant, of Israel My chosen one, I have called you by your name and given you your mission although you do not know Me. I am YHVH, and there is no other; there is no God besides Me. I armed you when you did not know Me, so that, from the rising to the setting of the sun, all may know that there is no one besides Me; I am YHVH, and there is no other.”

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(Usus Antiquior) Twenty-First Sunday after Pentecost (II Classis) – Sunday, 22 October 2023 : Offertory, Secret Prayer of the Priest, Communion and Post-Communion Prayer

Liturgical Colour : Green

Offertory

Job 1

Vir erat in terra Hus, nomine Job : simplex et rectus ac timens Deum : quem Satan petiit ut tentaret : et data est ei potestas a Domino in facultates et in carnem ejus : perdiditque omnem substantiam ipsius et filios : carnem quoque ejus gravi ulcere vulneravit.

English translation

There was a man in the land of Hus, whose name was Job, simple and upright, and fearing God, whom Satan besought that he might tempt him, and power was given him from the Lord over his possessions and his flesh, and he destroyed all his substance and his children, and wounded his flesh also with a grievous ulcer.

Secret Prayer of the Priest

Suscipe, Domine, propitius hostias : quibus et Te placari voluisti, et nobis salutem potenti pietate restitui. Per Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum Filium Tuum, qui Tecum vivit et regnat in unitate Spiritus Sancti Deus, per omnia saecula saeculorum. Amen.

English translation

Graciously receive, o Lord, the sacrifices with which You have willed that You should be appeased and our salvation, by Your mighty love, restored. 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 : 81, 84, 86

In salutari Tuo anima mea, et in verbum Tuum speravi : quando facies de persequentibus me judicium? Iniqui persecuti sunt me, adjuva me, Domine, Deus meus.

English translation

My soul is in Your salvation, and in Your word have I hoped, when will You execute judgment on those who persecute me? The wicked have persecuted me, help me, o Lord my God.

Post-Communion Prayer

Immortalitatis alimoniam consecuti, quaesumus, Domine : ut, quod ore percepimus, pura mente sectemur. Per Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum Filium Tuum, qui Tecum vivit et regnat in unitate Spiritus Sancti Deus, per omnia saecula saeculorum. Amen.

English translation

Having obtained the nourishment of immortality, we beseech You, o Lord, that what has passed our lips we may embrace with a pure mind. 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) Twenty-First Sunday after Pentecost (II Classis) – Sunday, 22 October 2023 : Holy Gospel

Liturgical Colour : Green

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

Matthew 18 : 23-35

In illo tempore : Dixit Jesus discipulis Suis parabolam hanc : Assimilatum est regnum caelorum homini regi, qui voluit rationem ponere cum servis Suis. Et cum coepisset rationem ponere, oblatus est ei unus, qui debebat ei decem milia talenta. Cum autem non haberet, unde redderet, jussit eum dominus ejus venumdari et uxorem ejus et filios et omnia, quae habebat, et reddi.

Procidens autem servus ille, orabat eum, dicens : Patientiam habe in me, et omnia reddam tibi. Misertus autem dominus servi illius, dimisit eum et debitum dimisit ei. Egressus autem servus ille, invenit unum de conservis suis, qui debebat ei centum denarios : et tenens suffocabat eum, dicens : Redde, quod debes.

Et procidens conservus ejus, rogabat eum, dicens : Patientiam habe in me, et omnia reddam tibi. Ille autem noluit : sed abiit, et misit eum in carcerem, donec redderet debitum.

Videntes autem conservi ejus, quae fiebant, contristati sunt valde : et venerunt et narraverunt domino suo omnia, quae facta fuerant. Tunc vocavit illum dominus suus : et ait illi : Serve nequam, omne debitum dimisi tibi, quoniam rogasti me : nonne ergo oportuit et te misereri conservi tui, sicut et ego tui misertus sum?

Et iratus dominus ejus, tradidit eum tortoribus, quoadusque redderet universum debitum. Sic et Pater meus caelestis faciet vobis, si non remiseritis unusquisque fratri suo de cordibus vestris.

English translation

At that time, Jesus spoke to His disciples this parable, “The Kingdom of Heaven is likened to a king, who would take an account of his servants. And when he had begun to take the account, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents, and as he had not wherewith to pay it, his lord commanded that he should be sold, and his wife and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.”

“But that servant falling down, besought him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’ And the lord of that servant, being moved with pity, let him go, and forgave him the debt. But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred pence, and laying hold of him, he throttled him, saying, ‘Pay what you owed me.'”

“And his fellow servant falling down besought him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’ And he would not listen, but went and cast him into prison till he paid the debt.”

“Now his fellow servants, seeing what was done, were very much grieved, and they came and told their lord all that was done. Then his lord called him, and said to him, ‘You wicked servant, I forgave you all the debt, because you besought me, should you then have had compassion also on your fellow servant, even as I had compassion on you?'”

“And his lord being angry, delivered him to the tortures until he paid all the debt. So also shall My heavenly Father do to you, if you do not forgive every one of his brother from your hearts.”

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(Usus Antiquior) Twenty-First Sunday after Pentecost (II Classis) – Sunday, 22 October 2023 : Gradual and Alleluia

Liturgical Colour : Green

Psalm 89 : 1-2 and Psalm 113 : 1

Domine, refugium factus es nobis, a generatione et progenie.

Response : Priusquam montes fierent aut formaretur terra et orbis : a saeculo et usque in saeculum Tu es, Deus.

Alleluja, Alleluja.

Response : In exitu Israel de Aegypto, domus Jacob de populo barbaro. Alleluja.

English translation

Lord, You have been our refuge, from generation to generation.

Response : Before the mountains were made, or the earth and the world was formed, from eternity and to eternity You are God.

Alleluia, Alleluia.

Response : When Israel went out of Egypt, the house of Jacob from a barbarous people. Alleluia.

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(Usus Antiquior) Twenty-First Sunday after Pentecost (II Classis) – Sunday, 22 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 6 : 10-17

Fratres : Confortamini in Domino et in potentia virtutis Ejus. Induite vos armaturam Dei, ut possitis stare adversus insidias diaboli. Quoniam non est nobis colluctatio adversus carnem et sanguinem : sed adversus principes et potestates, adversus mundi rectores tenebrarum harum, contra spiritualia nequitiae, in caelestibus.

Propterea accipite armaturam Dei, ut possitis resistere in die malo et in omnibus perfecti stare. State ergo succincti lumbos vestros in veritate, et induti loricam justitiae, et calceati pedes in praeparatione. Evangelii pacis : in omnibus sumentes scutum fidei, in quo possitis omnia tela nequissimi ignea exstinguere : et galeam salutis assumite : et gladium spiritus, quod est verbum Dei.

English translation

Brethren, be strengthened in the Lord, and in the might of His power. Put you on the armour of God, that you may be able to stand against the deceits of the devil. For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against Principalities and Powers, against the rulers of the world of this darkness, against the spirits of wickedness in the high places.

Therefore, take unto you the armour of God, that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and to stand in all things perfect. Stand therefore having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of justice, and your feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace, in all things taking the shield of faith, wherewith you may be able to extinguish all the fiery darts of the most wicked one. And take unto you the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God.

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(Usus Antiquior) Twenty-First Sunday after Pentecost (II Classis) – Sunday, 22 October 2023 : Introit and Collect

Liturgical Colour : Green

Introit

Esther 13 : 9, 10-11 and Psalm 118 : 1

In voluntate Tua, Domine, universa sunt posita, et non est, qui possit resistere voluntati Tuae : Tu enim fecisti omnia, caelum et terram et universa, quae caeli ambitu continentur : Dominus universorum Tu es.

Beati immaculati in via : qui ambulant in lege Domini.

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

English translation

All things are in Your will, o Lord, and there is none that can resist Your will, for You have made all things, heaven and earth, and all things that are under the cope of heaven, You are Lord of all.

Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the Law of the Lord.

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

Familiam Tuam, quaesumus, Domine, continua pietate custodi : ut a cunctis adversitatibus, Te protegente, sit libera, et in bonis actibus Tuo Nomini sit devota. Per Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum Filium Tuum, qui Tecum vivit et regnat in unitate Spiritus Sancti Deus, per omnia saecula saeculorum. Amen.

English translation

Keep Your household, we beseech You, o Lord, with continual loving kindness, that by Your protection it may be free from all adversities and devoted to Your Name in well-doing. 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, 21 October 2023 : 28th Week of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Saturday Mass of Our Lady)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, as we listened to the words of the Scriptures today, and we reflect on their messages and meaning, importance and significance for us, we are all reminded that each and every one of us as Christians must always have faith and trust in the Lord, and we must dedicate ourselves and commit ourselves to His cause at all times. Unless we have true, genuine and living faith in the Lord, then we may not be able to follow Him wholeheartedly or commit ourselves thoroughly as we should have, in our way of life, in our every words, actions and deeds as we all should have done. We must always trust in the Lord and we must always believe that in Him alone there is hope and the path to eternal life, true joy and happiness for us.

In our first reading today, taken from the Epistle of St. Paul the Apostle to the Church and the faithful in the city of Rome, we heard of the words that the Apostle spoke to the faithful people of God there regarding the faith which Abraham had in the Lord, and this was directed both at the Jews and Gentiles alike among the people of God in Rome. For the Gentiles, he meant to show the example of what true and genuine faith is all about, and how one can be truly devoted and truly faithful to God in all things. And then for the Jews, the descendants of the Israelites and the descendants of Abraham, it was a reminder for all of them that whatever it is that the Lord has taught and revealed to them were compatible with the belief which Abraham himself once had in the Lord.

This must be understood by the context of that time, because back then many among the Jewish community subscribed to the ideology and the way of thinking of the Pharisees, who saw the Lord Jesus and His teachings as being not in tandem or not conforming to the Law of God as revealed through Moses. The Pharisees and the teachers of the Law in particular had a very strict interpretation of the Law of God and had a very rigid application of the Law of God, enforcing it upon all of the people, and persecuting all those who have not followed the Law of God in the same manner as they themselves had done. In the diaspora, such as the one in Rome, the community of the Jewish people were also equally divided, with some of them siding with the Pharisees on this regard.

Hence, St. Paul wanted to engage them and remind them that in the end, what matters for the Lord is not obedience to the Law, but rather, in the end, is for one to have faith and trust in God, to be genuine in their love and commitment to God as they all should have done. This is because it is perfectly possible for one to have no faith or trust in God and yet obey the tenets, precepts and details of the Law, in which case it would be tantamount to hypocrisy and blind obedience, as well as meaningless and superficial faith, as unfortunately shown by some of the Pharisees themselves. Those same Pharisees and teachers of the Law were criticised and rebuked by the Lord Himself for their lack of faith, their arrogance and ambitions, and their mistaken way of living and obeying the Law of God.

Then, in the Gospel passage today, we also heard of the Lord speaking to His disciples with regard to enduring persecutions, challenges and oppositions, and how they all should not lose their faith in God, but in fact they should continue to strive to be faithful to God. They must not lose faith just because of all those persecutions, but they should all hold fast and strong, resisting the temptations to give up their faith in God. Linking to what we have just discussed in our first reading earlier today, it is truly imperative for all of us to follow the Lord wholeheartedly and to hold on to this belief in the Lord, regardless of the opposition that we all may have to endure for the sake of the Lord, His teachings and truth, which is our Christian faith and way of life.

Earlier on the Lord also rebuked again all those who have slandered and opposed Him because of their stubbornness and lack of faith, and because of their pride, ego and greed, all of which led them to stubbornly resist the Lord and His love, kindness and grace. He was obviously referring to the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law, about whom the Lord had warned the people against, to be careful not to make the same mistakes as those people had done, in disobeying the Law and commandments of God, by making show of their faith and by not having true and genuine commitment to God. Not only that, but as mentioned, they even slandered against the Lord and accused Him of blasphemy, collusions with the demons like Beelzebul among other things, which were truly sinful against God.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, therefore, as all of us have been reminded as such by the Lord, through what we have received in the Scriptures today, let us all hence do our very best so that we all may follow the Lord worthily and be full of faith and trust in Him. Let us all embark and continue on with the journey of our lives, with faith and devotion to God, and have all of our actions, words and deeds be filled with the sincerity to love and serve the Lord at all times. Each and every one of us have been entrusted by the Lord with various gifts, abilities, talents and opportunities, all of which should inspire and strengthen us in our resolve to follow and serve Him ever more courageously in each and every moments of our lives.

May the Lord be with us always, His beloved people, and may He empower and encourage all of us so that despite all the trials and challenges that we may face in this journey, we will always ever be faithful to Him in all things. May God bless us all and every one of our good efforts and endeavours, now and always, forevermore. Amen.