Day: May 14, 2024

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(Usus Antiquior) Pentecost Sunday (I Classis) – Sunday, 19 May 2024 : 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, 19 May 2024 : 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, 19 May 2024 : 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, 19 May 2024 : 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, 19 May 2024 : 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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Sunday, 19 May 2024 : Vigil Mass of the Solemnity of Pentecost Sunday (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, this evening as we all gather together on this Great Vigil of the Solemnity of Pentecost Sunday at the very end of the glorious season of Easter, we recall the fullness of joy and great celebrations that we have done in the past glorious and most joyful fifty days of Easter since that of Easter Vigil. This celebration of the Pentecost Vigil is truly ancient and has a lot of parallel and similarities to that of Easter Vigil which marks the beginning of the Easter season, as historically, Pentecost ranks as one of the greatest Feasts and Solemnities of the Church in its whole entire liturgical year, second only after Easter itself. While Easter Vigil and Easter Sunday itself marks the commemoration of the glorious and triumphant victory that the Risen Christ, Our Lord had won over evil, sin and death through His Resurrection, Pentecost celebrates the coming and descent of the Holy Spirit from God upon His Church, to all the disciples and followers of Christ.

This celebration of the Vigil of the Pentecost Sunday or Pentecost Vigil is truly steeped in history and tradition, as just like that of Easter Vigil, there are multiple Old Testament readings that are to be read, historically seven just like that of the Easter Vigil. While the readings of the Easter Vigil focused on the history of salvation and how God had finally fulfilled and accomplished everything that He had promised to His people through His prophets, sending His Saviour into this world, the readings of the Pentecost Vigil that we have heard today in their various forms and richness highlighted the role that the Holy Spirit played in the Church, in our lives as Christians and how God had guided us all through the same Holy Spirit. Not only that but just like Easter Vigil when usually the catechumens are baptised and received into the Church, during this Pentecost Vigil, traditionally may also involve initiation of catechumens into the Church.

This important day and celebration is a reminder for all of us that through the coming and descent of the Holy Spirit to all of us, we have received once again the grace of God that had been separated from us due to our sins and wickedness, and through the Holy Spirit, God had shown that He is always ever present with His Church and faithful ones, having guided us all throughout these past two millennia of history, from the very beginning of the Church and up to this very day, through all the challenges and trials facing the Church and all the Christian faithful. The Holy Spirit had guided the Church fathers and leaders in walking down the path of the Lord, that while at times the Church and many among the faithful had fallen into the wrong paths, through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, eventually the Church is moving ahead again in the right path.

Many people often wrongly associate Pentecost with the so-called ‘Birthday of the Church’ and it does not help that in some places, popular practices related to this birthday celebration of the Church are commonplace. The Church according to the Church fathers and Apostolic tradition, as written in the Catechism of the Catholic Church was ‘born’ and established from the side of the Lord, from the outpouring of the Blood and water that came from the Lord’s Body, lay broken and crushed on Good Friday, at the end of His Passion, His suffering and death. Through His earlier institution of the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist and the Ministerial Priesthood at the Last Supper, and through His completion of the perfect offering and sacrifice of the New and Eternal Passover, the New and Eternal Covenant, Christ has formed the Church that is His Body, uniting all of the believers with Himself.

What the Pentecost is more accurately associated with is the moment when the Church is ‘revealed’ to the world, with an analogy and comparison similar to that of Christmas and Epiphany. While Christmas marks the moment when the Lord Jesus, Our Saviour was born into this world, it is at Epiphany that He is revealed and manifested to the whole world through the representation of the Three Magi or the Three Wise Men. Thus, the Church that is born on Good Friday and the Paschal Triduum, was also revealed to the whole world at the moment of the Pentecost, at the time when there was a very major shift in the attitude of the Apostles and disciples of the Lord, who began to actively proclaim the Word of God and His Good News to everyone when previously they had been hiding in fear.

In our Scripture readings this Pentecost Vigil, from the Book of Genesis we heard of the story of the Tower of Babel and how mankind in their hubris and pride tried to build a tower that was so high that it could reach up to Heaven itself, or so they thought. God saw all their wicked plans and ambitions, their pride and evils and confused their languages and speeches. Prior to this moment, everyone was able to understand each other languages and speeches, but after the rebellion of the Tower of Babel, mankind was scattered all over the world, unable to comprehend one another. This was because of the withdrawal of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, which was contrasted with the gift of tongues which the Apostles and the other disciples of the Lord received on the day of Pentecost, when they speak in tongues and everyone were able to comprehend what the disciples of the Lord were speaking about.

Meanwhile, from another reading from the Old Testament, taken from the Book of Exodus, we heard of the moment when the Lord made His Covenant with His people, the Israelites, at the holy Mountain of God at Sinai. We heard how at that place Moses, who lead the people of Israel gathered all the elders and all the people, and told them of what the Lord wanted to make with them, to establish a Covenant with them anew just as He had done with their ancestors. It was at that moment which the Lord made known His Presence through loud sounds and fire, just as what happened on the day of Pentecost, when the tongues of flames of the Holy Spirit descended upon the Lord’s disciples hidden in the upper room, together with the loud sound just like that at Mount Sinai.

Not only that, but it was during this moment at Mount Sinai when the Israelites themselves also rebelled against God, by making a golden calf idol and worshipping it, which resulted in them being punished, with three thousand people being condemned and killed for their rebellion. This is contrasted to what we heard from the account of the events of the Pentecost, as the works of the Lord’s disciples proclaiming God’s Good News and salvation touched the hearts and minds of so many people that three thousand people chose to be baptised and become part of the Church of God, as a clear parallel and antithesis of what happened back at Mount Sinai, again just like the Tower of Babel story, showing how the Lord through His Holy Spirit had restored to the world and to us mankind the order and sanctity that had been lost through our rebellion against God and sin.

In another Old Testament reading from the Book of the prophet Ezekiel, we then heard of the story of the valley filled with vast number of dry bones, which represented the rebellion of mankind and their sins, particularly the Israelites, whom by the time of the prophet Ezekiel had committed a great number of sins and mistakes, and had suffered the consequences of those sins and faults. Sin lead to destruction and death, and that was what the vision of the valley of dry bones showed to the prophet Ezekiel and all of us. But through the Spirit of God, referring to the Holy Spirit, which in the Nicene Creed we refer to as the Lord, the Giver of Life, proceeding from the Father and Son to us all, just as at the moment of Creation, when God created all things from nothingness, God restored life to all those dry bones and Ezekiel saw a huge nation of all the peoples assembled, referring to the restoration of God’s people into the state of grace before their downfall into sin.

And this is what the Holy Spirit has done to us, as we recall this great gift from God, the gift of the Holy Spirit that He has given to His Church, to fill us all with His love and wisdom, to restore unto us the life, grace and unity with God which we have lost through our rebelliousness and sins. St. Paul in his Epistle to the Church and the faithful in Rome in our second reading passage today spoke about the Holy Spirit that we have received, which gave us a foretaste of things that is to come. This means that through the gift of the Holy Spirit, all of us have received the gift of new life and existence which happened and is possible because of the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives, guiding and strengthening us in each and every moments of our existence.

The Holy Spirit has shown us the path towards the Lord, and as the Lord Jesus Himself made it clear to us through our Gospel passage today, that the Presence of the Holy Spirit in us is like that of a life-giving water and spring welling up in us, filling us with God’s grace and love, empowering and strengthening us in the manner how the Lord’s disciples and followers have been guided and strengthened by the same Holy Spirit throughout all the things that they had done, in proclaiming the Lord’s Good News and salvation to the people of all the nations. They have joyfully borne the responsibilities and the commitments to be the bearers of God’s truth, and by the wisdom imparted to them through the Spirit of God, they therefore bore rich fruits of the Holy Spirit and resulted in many great conversions and many souls embracing God’s saving grace.

As we all reflect upon the messages of God’s truth and love as contained within the Sacred Scriptures and what we have discussed regarding the Holy Spirit and how God has empowered us all with the strength and the new life and opportunities to do His will through the Holy Spirit, let us all therefore allow Him to guide us all and turn away from all sorts of wickedness and evils that had caused us to not be able to follow the Lord wholeheartedly. As one united Church of God, revealed to all on this great Solemnity of Pentecost, let us all continue to carry on the missions entrusted to us, to be ever full of the Holy Spirit and allow the Spirit to guide us in our respective vocations and missions in life, that through us and our faithful living and testimony, our every actions and deeds, we may always be fruitful in all things.

Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of all the faithful and strengthen us with the warmth of God’s most wonderful love. Come and renew the whole world and all of us mankind, and enkindle in us the great passionate fires of Your love. Come Holy Spirit, come and be with us all, the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church of God. Amen.

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Sunday, 19 May 2024 : Vigil Mass of the Solemnity of Pentecost Sunday (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Red

John 7 : 37-39

At that time, on the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood up and proclaimed, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to Me; and let the one who believes in Me drink, for the Scripture says : Out of the believer’s heart shall flow rivers of living water.”

Jesus was referring to the Spirit, which those who believe in Him were to receive; the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet entered into His glory.

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Sunday, 19 May 2024 : 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, 19 May 2024 : 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, 19 May 2024 : 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.