Apostles

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Tuesday, 18 November 2025 : 33rd Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of the Dedication of the Basilica of St. Peter in Vatican and the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Green or Red (Dedication of the Basilicas of St. Peter and St. Paul)

Psalm 3 : 2-3, 4-5, 6-7

O YHVH, how great in number are my foes! How numerous are they who rise against me! How many are they who say of my soul : “There is no help for him in God!”

But You are my Shield, o YHVH, my Glory; You lift up my head. Aloud I cry to YHVH, and from His holy hill He answers me.

If I lie down to sleep, again I awake, for YHVH supports me; no fear of the thousands standing against me.

Alternative Psalm (Mass of the Dedication of the Basilicas of St. Peter and St. Paul)

Psalm 97 : 1, 2-3ab, 3cd-4, 5-6

Sing to YHVH a new song, for He has done wonders; His right hand, His holy arm, has won victory for Him.

YHVH has shown His salvation, revealing His justice to the nations. He has not forgotten His love, nor His faithfulness to Israel.

The farthest ends of the earth all have seen God’s saving power. All you, lands, make a joyful noise to YHVH, break into song and sing praise.

With melody of the lyre and with music of the harp. With trumpet blast and sound of the horn, rejoice before the King, YHVH!

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Tuesday, 18 November 2025 : 33rd Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of the Dedication of the Basilica of St. Peter in Vatican and the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green or Red (Dedication of the Basilicas of St. Peter and St. Paul)

2 Maccabees 6 : 18-31

Eleazar, one of the prominent teachers of the Law, already old and of noble appearance, was forced to open his mouth to eat the flesh of a pig. But he preferred to die honourably than to live in disgrace, and voluntarily came to the place where they beat him to death. He spat out bravely the piece of meat, as should be done by those who do not want to do things prohibited by the Law, even to save their life.

Those in charge of this impious banquet took him aside, since they had known him for a long time, and tried to convince him to pretend to be eating the meat, but in reality, to eat something allowed by the Law and prepared by himself. In this way, he could escape death, and be treated with humanity for the sake of their long-time friendship.

But he preferred to make a noble decision worthy of his age, of his noble years, of his shining white hair, and of the irreproachable life he had led from childhood. Above all, showing respect for the holy laws established by God, he answered that he would rather be sent to the place of the dead. And he added, “It would be unworthy to pretend at our age, and to lead many young people to suppose that I, at ninety years, have gone over to the pagan customs. If I led them astray for the sake of this short life I would bring disgrace to my old age.”

“Even if I could now be saved from mortals, I cannot – whether living or dead – escape from the hands of the Almighty. I prefer to bravely sacrifice my life now, as befits my old age. So I shall leave an excellent example to the young, dying voluntarily and valiantly for the sacred and holy laws.” Having said this, he gave himself over to death.

Those who escorted him considered his words foolishness, so their previous gentleness turned into harshness. When he was almost at the point of death, he said groaning, “The Holy Lord, Who sees all, knows that though I could have saved myself from death, I now endure terrible sufferings in my body. But in my soul, I suffer gladly because of the respect I have for Him.”

In his death, he left a noble example and a memorial of virtue and strength, not only to the young but to the whole nation.

Alternative reading (Mass of the Dedication of the Basilicas of St. Peter and St. Paul)

Acts 28 : 11-16, 30-31

After three months, we boarded a ship that had spent the winter at the island. It belonged to an Alexandrian company, and carried the figurehead of Castor and Pollux as insignia. We sailed for Syracuse, staying there for three days; and, after circling the coast, we arrived at Rhegium.

On the following day, a south wind began to blow, and, at the end of two days, we arrived at Puteoli, where we found some of our brothers, who invited us to stay with them for a week. And that was how we came to Rome. There, the brothers and sisters had been informed of our arrival, and came out to meet us as far as the Appian Forum and the Three Taverns.

When Paul saw them, he gave thanks to God and took courage. Upon our arrival in Rome, the captain turned the prisoners over to the military governor, but permitted Paul to lodge in a private house, with the soldier who guarded him.

Paul stayed for two whole years, in a house he, himself, rented, where he received, without any hindrance, all those who came to see him. He proclaimed the kingdom of God, and taught the truth about Jesus Christ, the Lord, quite openly and without any hindrance.

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Tuesday, 28 October 2025 : Feast of St. Simon and St. Jude, Apostles (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, on this day the whole Church celebrates the Feast of the Holy Apostles, St. Simon and St. Jude. Both of them are members of the Twelve Apostles, the innermost circle among all of the Lord’s followers and disciples, as those whom the Lord had called, chosen and appointed to be the principal assistants and supporters to His divine mission and works in this world. Both of them were ordinary men called by God to greatness, as they embarked on a new journey, mission and calling for then to be the ones through whom the Lord would be proclaimed and glorified. The Apostles St. Simon and St. Jude had dedicated themselves to the service of the Lord, and has done many great and wonderful things according to the various Apostolic traditions and histories, and they are truly our great role models and inspirations.

St. Simon the Apostle was also known as Simon the Zealot, as a member of the Zealots, which was then one of the political parties and forces present within the Jewish community. He was also sometimes known as Simon the Canaanite or Canaanean. As a former member of the Zealots, it was likely that he was involved in the sometimes violent struggles of the Zealots in opposing the occupation of Judea and Galilee by the Romans, who were then the rulers and overlords of the whole entire region. Previous rebellions and uprisings by the Zealots and other Messiah claimants had happened several times as they tried to liberate themselves from the Roman rule, and they waited and looked forward to the coming of the Messiah, the Son of David, Who was prophesied to be the leader of the Israelites, and Who would restore the old glorious Kingdom of Israel.

St. Simon the Apostle likely followed the Lord Jesus initially because he hoped that Jesus would be the Messiah that the people, especially the Zealots were awaiting for, and hoping that He would lead them in triumph in battle and struggle for freedom from the Romans. However, after having followed the Lord and remained as one of His closest disciples, as members of the Twelve, St. Simon eventually entrusted himself wholly in the Lord’s path and providence, and he spent his life in glorifying the Lord, and in doing whatever it is that God had sent and commissioned him to do, together with the other Apostles who had been sent out to proclaim the Good News and carry out His will and commandments. St. Simon went to evangelise in many places, such as Egypt and others, and eventually went to join St. Jude in his efforts in Persia and Armenia, where they were martyred together, that is why we celebrate their feasts together on this day.

Meanwhile, St. Jude the Apostle, also known as St. Jude Thaddeus or St. Judas Thaddeus, with the distinction from the traitor Judas Iscariot, was another one of the Twelve Apostles, called and chosen by the Lord to be the part of His innermost circle of disciples. St. Jude Thaddeus according to various traditions may refer to one of the ‘brothers’ of th Lord, possibly sons of St. Joseph from another marriage or relatives from His close family, or with the writer of the Epistle of St. Jude. Regardless of the details of his origins and background, it is certain that St. Jude Thaddeus was one of the Apostles and he carried out his mission and works with great zeal and commitment to God. He took up his duties and missions with great dedication, energy and perseverance, enduring a lot of challenges and trials during all of the efforts he had made for the sake and glory of the Lord.

St. Jude Thaddeus was also heavily involved in the works of evangelisation, spreading the Good News of the Gospels in the regions of Judea, Samaria and Idumea nearby Jerusalem, as well as further areas like Libya, Mesopotamia and others. Then, as mentioned, together with St. Simon the Apostle, St. Jude went to the regions of Persia and Armenia, continuing to proclaim the Good News of God to more and more people, attaining many great successes, believers and converts, but also plenty of opposition and challenges from those who refused to believe in God and His truth. In some tradition, he was martyred with St. Simon the Apostle in either the aforementioned Armenia or in what is today Beirut in Lebanon, with an axe that is often seen together with him. Regardless of the circumstances, both Apostles had shown their great faith and dedication to God, doing their best for His glory and sake, even to die for their faith.

As we have all heard from the examples and lives of St. Simon and St. Jude, Two of the Lord’s Holy Apostles, each and every one of us are reminded that we should always be courageous in proclaiming our faith and everything that the Lord has revealed to us, just as the Apostles themselves had done. And we do not have to do great and wonderful things, grandiose actions or works, and we do not need to worry that we are not capable of doing all the complicated works and the great efforts that the Apostles and the other Christian missionaries had done. God had given each and every one of us our own talents, abilities and opportunities, unique to our conditions and situations, and we should realise that anything that we do, no matter how small or how insignificant they may seem to be, they are still part of the great and wonderful works of God.

That is why all of us should continue to do our best in whatever things we do in life, and do them with great courage and confidence, knowing that in all of these, we can continue to serve the Lord faithfully even by living our lives well and faithfully, in how we interact with one another, in how we care for the world around us, our beloved and dearest ones, and all those who we encounter daily, in our workplaces, schools and even in the streets. Let us all be good role models and examples of our Christian faith in everything we say and do, becoming the good and worthy beacons of God’s Light, to be the bearers and examples of His love and compassion being manifested in our world, through our own actions and deeds in life.t

May the Lord continue to bless each and every one of us with His great guidance and blessings, His power and strength so that in each and every things that we do, in whatever we say and in our every interactions with one another, we will always keep in mind of what we can do for the greater glory of God and for the good of all those whom He has entrusted to us. May He continue to strengthen each and every one of us in our faith in Him, and continue to encourage us through the darkest and most difficult moments that we may encounter in our path and life. Amen.

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Tuesday, 28 October 2025 : Feast of St. Simon and St. Jude, Apostles (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Luke 6 : 12-19

At that time, Jesus went out into the hills to pray, spending the whole night in prayer with God. When day came, He called His disciples to Him, and chose Twelve of them, whom He called ‘Apostles’ : Simon, whom He named Peter, and his brother Andrew; James and John; Philip and Bartholomew; Matthew and Thomas; James son of Alpheus and Simon called the Zealot; Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who would be the traitor.

Coming down the hill with them, Jesus stood in an open plain. Many of His disciples were there, and a large crowd of people, who had come from all parts of Judea and Jerusalem, and from the coastal cities of Tyre and Sidon. They gathered to hear Him and to be healed of their diseases. And people troubled by unclean spirits were cured.

The entire crowd tried to touch Him, because of the power that went out from Him and healed them all.

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Tuesday, 28 October 2025 : Feast of St. Simon and St. Jude, Apostles (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Psalm 18 : 2-3, 4-5

The heavens declare the glory of God; the firmament proclaims the work of His hands. Day talks it over with day; night hands on the knowledge to night.

No speech, no words, no voice is heard – but the call goes on, throughout the universe, the message is felt to the ends of the earth.

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Tuesday, 28 October 2025 : Feast of St. Simon and St. Jude, Apostles (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Ephesians 2 : 19-22

Now, you are no longer strangers or guests, but fellow citizens of the holy people : you are of the household of God. You are the house, whose foundations are the Apostles and prophets, and whose cornerstone is Christ Jesus. In Him, the whole structure is joined together, and rises, to be a holy Temple, in the Lord.

In Him, you, too, are being built, to become the spiritual Sanctuary of God.

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(Usus Antiquior) Feast of St. Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist, Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost (Double II Classis) – Sunday, 21 September 2025 : Offertory, Secret Prayer of the Priest, Communion and Post-Communion Prayer

Liturgical Colour : Red

Offertory

Psalm 39 : 2, 3, 4

Exspectans exspectavi Dominum, et respexit me : et exaudivit deprecationem meam : et immisit in os meum canticum novum, hymnum Deo nostro.

English translation

With expectation I have waited for the Lord, and He had given His regard to me. And He heard my prayer, and He put a new canticle into my mouth, a song to our God.

Secret Prayer of the Priest

Tua nos, Domine, sacramenta custodiant : et contra diabolicos semper tueantur incursus. Per Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum Filium Tuum, qui Tecum vivit et regnat in unitate Spiritus Sancti Deus, per omnia saecula saeculorum. Amen.

English translation

May Your sacraments, o Lord, keep us and guard us always from the assaults of the devil. 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

John 6 : 52

Panis, quem ego dedero, caro mea est pro saeculi vita.

English translation

The bread that I will give is My flesh for the life of the world.

Post-Communion Prayer

Mentes nostras et corpora possideat, quaesumus, Domine, doni caelestis operatio : ut non noster sensus in nobis, sed jugiter ejus praeveniat effectus. 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 the operation of the heavenly gift, o Lord, possess our souls and bodies, that, its holy grace, not our own impulses, may continually be our guide. 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) Feast of St. Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist, Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost (Double II Classis) – Sunday, 21 September 2025 : Holy Gospel

Liturgical Colour : Red

Sequentia Sancti Evangelii secundum Lucam – Continuation of the Holy Gospel according to St. Luke

Luke 7 : 11-16

In illo tempore : Ibat Jesus in civitatem, quae vocatur Naim : et ibant cum eo discipuli Ejus et turba copiosa. Cum autem appropinquaret portae civitatis, ecce, defunctus efferebatur filius unicus matris suae : et haec vidua erat : et turba civitatis multa cum illa.

Quam cum vidisset Dominus, misericordia motus super eam, dixit illi : Noli flere. Et accessit et tetigit loculum. (Hi autem, qui portabant, steterunt.) Et ait : Adolescens, tibi dico, surge. Et resedit, qui erat mortuus, et coepit loqui. Et dedit illum matri suae. Accepit autem omnes timor : et magnificabant Deum, dicentes : Quia Propheta magnus surrexit in nobis : et quia Deus visitavit plebem Suam.

English translation

At that time, Jesus went into a city called Naim, and there went with Him His disciples, and a great multitude. And when He came nigh to the city, behold a dead man was carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow, and much people of the city were with her.

And when the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her, and said to her, “Do not weep.” And He came near, and touched the bier. And those who carried it stood still. And He said, “Young man, I say to you, Arise.” And he who was dead sat up, and began to speak, and He delivered him to his mother. And there came fear on all of them, and they glorified God, saying, “A great Prophet has risen up amongst us and God had visited His people.”

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(Usus Antiquior) Feast of St. Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist, Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost (Double II Classis) – Sunday, 21 September 2025 : Gradual and Alleluia

Liturgical Colour : Red

Psalm 91 : 2-3 and Psalm 94 : 3

Bonum est confiteri Domino : et psallere Nomini Tuo. Altissime.

Response : Ad annuntiandum mane misericordiam Tuam, et veritatem Tuam per noctem.

Alleluja, Alleluja.

Response : Quoniam Deus magnus Dominus, et Rex magnus super omnem terram. Alleluja.

English translation

It is good to give praise to the Lord, and to sing to Your Name, o Most High.

Response : To show forth Your mercy in the morning, and Your truth in the night.

Alleluia, Alleluia.

Response : For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all the earth. Alleluia.

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(Usus Antiquior) Feast of St. Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist, Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost (Double II Classis) – Sunday, 21 September 2025 : Epistle

Liturgical Colour : Red

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

Galatians 5 : 25-26 and Galatians 6 : 1-10

Fratres : Si spiritu vivimus, spiritu et ambulemus. Non efficiamur inanis gloriae cupidi, invicem provocantes, invicem invidentes. Fratres, et si praeoccupatus fuerit homo in aliquo delicto, vos, qui spirituales estis, hujusmodi instruite in spiritu lenitatis, considerans teipsum, ne et tu tenteris.

Alter alterius onera portate, et sic adimplebitis legem Christi. Nam si quis existimat se aliquid esse, cum nihil sit, ipse se seducit. Opus autem suum probet unusquisque, et sic in semetipso tantum gloriam habebit, et non in altero.

Unusquisque enim onus suum portabit. Communicet autem is, qui catechizatur verbo, ei, qui se catechizat, in omnibus bonis. Nolite errare : Deus non irridetur. Qui enim seminaverit homo, haec et metet. Quoniam qui seminat in carne sua, de carne et metet corruptionem : qui autem seminat in spiritu, de spiritu metet vitam aeternam.

Bonum autem facientes, non deficiamus : tempore enim suo metemus, non deficientes. Ergo, dum tempus habemus, operemur bonum ad omnes, maxime autem ad domesticos fidei.

English translation

Brethren, if we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be made desirous of vainglory, provoking one another, envying one another. Brethren, and if a man be overtaken in any fault, you, who are spiritual, instruct such a one in the spirit of meekness, considering yourself, lest you also be tempted.

Bear all of you one another’s burdens, and so you shall fulfil the Law of Christ. For if any man think himself to be something, whereas he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let every one prove his own work, and so he shall have glory in himself only, and not in another.

For every one shall bear his own burden. And let him who is instructed in the word, communicate to him who instructed him, in all good things. Do not be deceived, God is not mocked, for what things a man shall sow, those he shall also reap. For he who sowed in his flesh, of the flesh he shall also reap corruption, but he who sowed in the Spirit, of the Spirit shall reap life everlasting.

And in doing good, let us not fail, for in due time we shall reap, not failing. Therefore, while we have time, let us work good to all men, but especially to those who are of the household of the Faith.