Month: April 2025

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Sunday, 27 April 2025 : Second Sunday of Easter, Divine Mercy Sunday (Second Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Revelations 1 : 9-11a, 12-13, 17-19

I, John, your brother, who shares with you, in Jesus, the sufferings, the kingdom and the patient endurance, was on the island of Patmos, because of the word of God and witnessing to Jesus. On the Lord’s day, the Spirit took possession of me and I heard a voice behind me, which sounded like a trumpet, “Write down all that you see, in a book, and send it to the seven churches.”

I turned to see who was speaking to me; behind me were seven golden lamp stands and, in the middle of these, I saw Someone, like a Son of Man, dressed in a long robe, tied with a golden girdle. Seeing Him, I fell at His feet, like one dead; but He touched me with His right hand and said, “Do not be afraid. It is I, the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead; and now I am alive, for ever and ever; and Mine are the keys of death and the netherworld.”

“Now write what you have seen, both what it is and what is yet to come.”

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Sunday, 27 April 2025 : Second Sunday of Easter, Divine Mercy Sunday (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : White

Psalm 117 : 2-4, 22-24, 25-27a

Let Israel say, “His loving kindness endures forever.” Let the house of Aaron say, “His loving kindness endures forever.” Let those who fear YHVH say, “His loving kindness endures forever.”

The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone. This was YHVH’s doing and we marvel at it. This is the day YHVH has made; so let us rejoice and be glad.

Save us, o YHVH, deliver us, o YHVH! Blessed is He who comes in YHVH’s Name! We praise You from the house of YHVH. YHVH is God; may His light shine upon us.

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Sunday, 27 April 2025 : Second Sunday of Easter, Divine Mercy Sunday (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Acts 5 : 12-16

Many miraculous signs and wonders were done among the people, through the hands of the Apostles. The believers, of one accord, used to meet in Solomon’s Porch. None of the others dared to join them, but the people held them in high esteem. So, and ever-increasing number of men and women, believed in the Lord.

The people carried the sick into the streets, and laid them on cots and on mats, so, that, when Peter passed by, at least his shadow might fall on some of them. The people gathered from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those who were troubled by unclean spirits; and all of them were healed.

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(Usus Antiquior) Low Sunday (I Classis) – Sunday, 27 April 2025 : Offertory, Secret Prayer of the Priest, Preface, Communion and Post-Communion Prayer

Liturgical Colour : White

Offertory

Matthew 28 : 2, 5, 6

Angelus Domini descendit de caelo, et dixit mulieribus : Quem quaeritis, surrexit, sicut dixit, Alleluja.

English translation

An angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and said to the women, “He whom you seek is risen as He said.” Alleluia.

Secret Prayer of the Priest

Suscipe munera, Domine, quaesumus, exsultantis Ecclesiae : et, cui causam tanti gaudii praestitisti, perpetuae fructum concede laetitiae. Per Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum Filium Tuum, qui Tecum vivit et regnat in unitate Spiritus Sancti Deus, per omnia saecula saeculorum. Amen.

English translation

Receive, we pray to You, o Lord, the gifts of Your exultant Church, and as You have afforded her cause for such great joy, grant her the fruit of unending gladness. 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.

Preface of Easter

Vere dignum et justum est, aequum et salutare : Te quidem, Domine, omni tempore, sed in hac potissimum die (in hoc potissimum) gloriosus praedicare, cum Pascha nostrum immolatus est Christus. Ipse enim verus est Agnus, qui abstulit peccata mundi. Qui mortem nostram moriendo destruxit et vitam resurgendo reparavit. Et ideo cum Angelis et Archangelis, cum Thronis et Dominationibus cumque omni militiae caelestis exercitus hymnum gloriae Tuae canimus, sine fine dicentes :

English translation

It is truly meet and just, right and profitable, to extol You indeed at all times, o Lord, but chiefly with highest praise to magnify You on this day (in these days) on which for us Christ, our Paschal Lamb, was sacrificed. For He is the true Lamb who had taken away the sins of the world, who by dying Himself had destroyed our death, and by rising again had bestowed a new life on us. And therefore with the Angels and Archangels, with the Thrones and Dominions, and with all the array of the heavenly host we sing a hymn to Your glory and unceasingly repeat.

Communion

John 20 : 27

Mitte manum Tuam, et cognosce loca clavorum, Alleluja : et noli esse incredulus, sed fidelis, Alleluja, Alleluja.

English translation

Put in your hand and know the place of the nails, Alleluia. And be not incredulous but believe! Alleluia, Alleluia.

Post-Communion Prayer

Quaesumus, Domine, Deus noster : ut sacrosancta mysteria, quae pro reparationis nostrae munimine contulisti; et praesens nobis remedium esse facias et futurum. Per Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum Filium Tuum, qui Tecum vivit et regnat in unitate Spiritus Sancti Deus, per omnia saecula saeculorum. Amen.

English translation

We beseech You, o Lord, our God, that You make the sacred mysteries which You have given for the bulwark of our redemption, to be unto us a healing both in the present and in the future. 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) Low Sunday (I Classis) – Sunday, 27 April 2025 : Holy Gospel

Liturgical Colour : White

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

John 20 : 19-31

In illo tempore : Cum sero esset die illo, una sabbatorum, et fores essent clausae, ubi erant discipuli congregati propter metum Judaeorum : venit Jesus, et stetit in medio, et dixit eis : Pax vobis. Et cum hoc dixisset, ostendit eis manus et latus. Gavisi sunt ergo discipuli, viso Domino.

Dixit ergo eis iterum : Pax vobis. Sicut misit me Pater, et ego mitto vos. Haec cum dixisset, insufflavit, et dixit eis : Accipite Spiritum Sanctum : quorum remiseritis peccata : remittuntur eis; et quorum retinueritis, retenta sunt.

Thomas autem unus ex duodecim, qui dicitur Didymus, non erat cum eis quando venit Jesus. Dixerunt ergo et alii discipuli : Vidimus Dominum. Ille autem dixit eis : Nisi videro in manibus ejus fixuram clavorum, et mittam digitum meum in locum clavorum, et mittam manum meam in latus ejus, non credam.

Et post dies octo, iterum erant discipuli ejus intus, et Thomas cum eis. Venit Jesus, januis clausis, et stetit in medio, et dixit : Pax vobis. Deinde dicit Thomae : Infer digitum tuum huc et vide manus meas, et affer manum tuam et mitte in latus meum : et noli esse incredulus, sed fidelis.

Respondit Thomas et dixit ei : Dominus meus et Deus meus. Dixit ei Jesus : Quia vidisti me, Thoma, credidisti : beati, qui non viderunt, et crediderunt. Multa quidem et alia signa fecit Jesus in conspectu discipulorum suorum, quae non sunt scripta in libro hoc. Haec autem scripta sunt, ut credatis, quia Jesus est Christus, Filius Dei : et ut credentes vitam habeatis in Nomine Ejus.

English translation

At that time, when it was late that same day, the first day of the week, and the doors were shut where the disciples were gathered together, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, “Peace be to you.” And when He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. The disciples therefore were glad, when they saw the Lord.

He said therefore to them again, “Peace be to you, as the Father had sent Me, I also send you.” When He had said this, He breathed on them and He said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit, those whose sins you shall forgive, they shall be forgiven, and those whose sins you shall retain, their sins shall be retained.”

Now Thomas, one of the Twelve, who is called the Twin or Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said to him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Except that I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.”

And after eight days, again His disciples were within a room, and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be to you.” Then He said to Thomas, “Put your finger in here, and see My hands, and bring your hands here, and put it into My side, and do not be faithless but believe!”

Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God.” Jesus said to him, “Because you have seen Me, Thomas, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen, and yet believed.” Many other signs Jesus had also done in the sight of His disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written, so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing, you may have life in His Name.

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(Usus Antiquior) Low Sunday (I Classis) – Sunday, 27 April 2025 : Alleluia

Liturgical Colour : White

Matthew 28 : 7 and John 20 : 26

Alleluja, Alleluja.

Response : In die resurrectionis meae, dicit Dominus, praecedam vos in Galilaeam.

Alleluja.

Response : Post dies octo, januis clausis, stetit Jesus in medio discipulorum suorum, et dixit : Pax vobis. Alleluja.

English translation

Alleluia, Alleluia.

Response : In the day of My resurrection, I will go before you into Galilee.

Alleluia.

Response : Eight days after, the doors being shut, Jesus stood in the midst of His disciples, and said, “Peace be unto you.” Alleluia.

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(Usus Antiquior) Low Sunday (I Classis) – Sunday, 27 April 2025 : Epistle

Liturgical Colour : White

Lectio Epistolae Beati Joannis Apostoli – Lesson from the Epistle of Blessed John the Apostle

1 John 5 : 4-10

Carissimi : Omne, quod natum est ex Deo, vincit mundum : et haec est victoria, quae vincit mundum, fides nostra. Quis est, qui vincit mundum, nisi qui credit, quoniam Jesus est Filius Dei? Hic est, qui venit per aquam et sanguinem, Jesus Christus : non in aqua solum, sed in aqua et sanguine.

Et Spiritus est, qui testificatur, quoniam Christus est veritas. Quoniam tres sunt, qui testimonium dant in caelo : Pater, Verbum, et Spiritus Sanctus : et hi tres unum sunt. Et tres sunt, qui testimonium dant in terra : Spiritus, et aqua, et sanguis : et hi tres unum sunt.

Si testimonium hominum accipimus, testimonium Dei majus est : quoniam hoc est testimonium Dei, quod majus est : quoniam testificatus est de Filio suo. Qui credit in Filium Dei, habet testimonium Dei in se.

English translation

Dearly beloved, whatsoever is born of God overcomes the world, and that is the victory which overcomes the world, that is our faith. Who is he that overcame the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? This is He who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ; not by water only but by water and blood.

And it is the Spirit which testifies that Christ is the truth. And there are three who give testimony in heaven, that is the Father, the Word and the Holy Spirit, and these three are One. And there are three that give testimony on earth, that is the Spirit, the water and the blood, and these three are one.

If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater, for this is the testimony of God which is greater, because He had testified of His Son. He who believes in the Son of God has the testimony of God in himself.

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(Usus Antiquior) Low Sunday (I Classis) – Sunday, 27 April 2025 : Introit and Collect

Liturgical Colour : White

Introit

1 Peter 2 : 2 and Psalm 80 : 2

Quasi modo geniti infantes, Alleluja : rationabile, sine dolo lac concupiscite, Alleluja, Alleluja, Alleluja.

Exsultate Deo, adjutori nostro : jubilate Deo Jacob.

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

English translation

As newborn babes, Alleluia, desire the rational milk without guile, Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia.

Rejoice to God our Helper, sing aloud to God of Jacob.

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

Praesta, quaesumus, omnipotens Deus : ut, qui Paschalia festa peregimus, haec, Te largiente, moribus et vita teneamus. 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 Almighty God, that we who have completed the observance of the Paschal festival, may keep it, by Your bounty, in our life and behaviour. 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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Funeral of Pope Francis – St. Peter’s Square on Saturday, 26 April 2025 at 10 am Rome Time

Pope Francis, the 266th Pope and Vicar of Christ passed away on Monday, 21 April 2025.

The Papal Funeral Mass will be on Saturday, 26 April 2025, 10 am Rome Time (CET) – St. Peter’s Square.

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Saturday, 26 April 2025 : Saturday within Easter Octave (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we listened to the words of the Sacred Scriptures and as we continue to journey through this blessed and most joyful season of Easter, we are all reminded again of the great love of God manifested to us through His Most Beloved Son, Our Saviour, Who has embraced death itself to save us all mankind from certain destruction due to our many sins and wickedness. Through His loving sacrifice on the Cross at Calvary, and by His selfless giving of Himself, Christ our Risen Lord has shown us all the ultimate love of God and His ever strong desire to be reunited and reconciled with us sinners. By His Resurrection, the Lord showed all of us that nothing can separate us all from His love, not even death itself. And this is something that should restore hope to our hearts and minds.

In our first reading today, we heard of the continuation of the discourse from the Acts of the Apostles in which the Apostle St. Peter and St. John had been defending their actions before the members of the Sanhedrin or the Jewish High Council after the latter arrested them in conjunction to their works at the Temple of Jerusalem, where a crippled man had been healed by them in the Name of Jesus. Those chief priests and other elders among the Sanhedrin had declared that it was forbidden for anyone to teach or to perform any miracles or works in the Name of Jesus Christ, the One Whom they had just condemned and accused falsely of blasphemy and treason, and sent to the Romans to be killed by crucifixion. And yet, not even all those things could stop the Lord, as news came soon of the Resurrection of Jesus from the dead, how He was seen by His disciples after He had risen.

And despite their best efforts to keep these things hidden by forbidding the Lord’s disciples from speaking of it and oppressing them harshly with threats and punishments, they could not keep the truth forever. Then, despite the falsehoods they attempted to spread by paying off the guards of the Tomb of Jesus to tell their version of story that the disciples had come to steal the Body of the Lord, and claiming that the Lord had risen, all these were easily dispelled by the two disciples of the Lord performing wonderful miracles in His Name. If the Lord Jesus had indeed been a fraud and if His Resurrection had indeed been a lie, then none of those miracles should have happened, and the works of the Apostles should not have been possible for they were calling upon a False Messiah, if what the chief priests had been saying was true.

On the contrary, the Resurrection and its proofs, the witnesses by so many people who had seen the Risen Lord and also the many signs, miracles and wonders that accompanied those people who have testified for the Resurrection, all pointed to the fact that everything which they had proclaimed and professed have been all true and authentic. And the disciples were strengthened and encouraged by the Lord through the Holy Spirit so that they might be firm enough in their resolve to stand up for their faith and for the truth and beliefs that they uphold, in entrusting themselves to the Lord and His providence. Not even the threats of sufferings and persecutions by the chief priests and the other members of the Sanhedrin could dissuade the Apostles and all the others who have witnessed the Resurrection to remain silent and not to share their joy to others.

Then, in our Gospel reading today taken from the Gospel of St. Mark the Evangelist, we heard of the account of the occasions when the Risen Lord appeared to His disciples, to St. Mary Magdalene, who was first to bring the news of the Resurrection to the other disciples, and also the other two disciples who met the Risen Lord on their way to the village of Emmaus. All these accounts and evidences summarised what we have listened to in these past few days of the events of the Resurrection of the Lord and how there were truly many witnesses who had seen the Lord after He had risen from the dead, the same ones who had witnessed His death on the Cross. Hence, again, it is a reminder for all of us that what we believe in our faith about the Lord Jesus Who has suffered and died on His Cross, and rose gloriously from the dead is not just a fairytale and myth, but was rather a real and genuine occurrence.

That was how so many of the early Christians in particular were willing to suffer and die in defending their faith, with many of the Lord’s disciples facing persecutions and hardships, trials and oppressions, enduring martyrdom, as how most of the Apostles except for St. John the Apostle were martyred for theirri faith. They would not have been willing to suffer or endure such great tribulations had their faith not been backed up by genuine evidence and experience, and their faith have inspired many others around them who witnessed their great faith, and becoming therefore the ones to strengthen the faith of the next generations of the faithful. And this faith had been transmitted in this manner, again and again, down throughout history and through the generations, one after another, all the way to us living here today in this world.

This is therefore a reminder for all of us that as Christians, each and every one of us are called to be active and faithful missionaries and bearers of our faith to the nations, just as the Apostles and the other disciples of the Lord had done, and as how our many predecessors, the holy saints and blesseds had done throughout the whole history of the Church. Just as many of them are our inspirations in life and in what they had done, therefore all of us should also be likewise and similar in the manner how we carry ourselves in our everyday moments. We must not be idle in the living of our faith, in how we live each day in accordance to the Lord’s commandments and precepts, in showing love first and foremost to the Lord, Who should be at the very centre of our lives and existence, and also in loving one another as God Himself has taught us all.

May the Risen Lord continue to bless us always and guide us in everything that we do, so that by each and every one of our commitment, our dedication to serve Him and to proclaim Him in our daily living, we may be good role models, inspirations and the worthy bearers of God’s Light and Good News to the world, and to more and more of those whom God had called and chosen to be His own. Let us all truly be a most joyful and courageous group of missionaries in doing our best each day in living our lives worthily in the Lord as much as we are able to. May God bless our every efforts and good works, and be with us, throughout this journey of faith and life. Amen.