feast of the Lord

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(Usus Antiquior) Twenty-Second Sunday after Pentecost (II Classis) – Sunday, 20 October 2024 : Gradual and Alleluia

Liturgical Colour : Green

Psalm 132 : 1-2 and Psalm 113 : 11

Ecce, quam bonum et quam jucundum, habitare fratres in unum!

Response : Sicut unguentum in capite, quod descendit in barbam, barbam Aaron.

Alleluja, Alleluja.

Response : Qui timent Dominum sperent in eo : adjutor et protector eorum est. Alleluja.

English translation

Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity.

Response : It is like the precious ointment on the head, that ran down upon the beard, the beard of Aaron.

Alleluia, Alleluia.

Response : They that fear the Lord, let them hope in Him. He is their Helper and Protector. Alleluia.

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(Usus Antiquior) Twenty-Second Sunday after Pentecost (II Classis) – Sunday, 20 October 2024 : Epistle

Liturgical Colour : Green

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

Philippians 1 : 6-11

Fratres : Confidimus in Domino Jesu, quia, qui coepit in vobis opus bonum, perficiet usque in diem Christi Jesu. Sicut est mihi justum hoc sentire pro omnibus vobis : eo quos habeam vos in corde, et in vinculis meis, et in defensione, et confirmatione Evangelii, socios gaudii mei omnes vos esse. Testis enjm mihi est Deus, quomodo cupiam omnes vos in visceribus Jesu Christi.

Et hoc oro, ut caritas vestris magis ac magis abundet in scientia et in omni sensu : ut probetis potiora, ut sitis sinceri et sine offensa in diem Christi, repleti fructu justitiae per Jesum Christum, in gloriam et laudem Dei.

English translation

Brethren, we are confident in the Lord Jesus, that He Who had begun a good work in you, will perfect it unto the day of Christ Jesus. As it is meet for me to think this for you all, for that I have you in my bands, and in the defence and confirmation of the Gospel you are all partakers of my joy. For God is my witness, how I long after you in the bowels of Jesus Christ.

And this I pray, that your charity may more and more abound in knowledge and in all understanding, that you may approve the better things, that you may be sincere and without offence unto the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of justice, through Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.

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(Usus Antiquior) Twenty-Second Sunday after Pentecost (II Classis) – Sunday, 20 October 2024 : Introit and Collect

Liturgical Colour : Green

Introit

Psalm 129 : 3-4 and 1-2

Si iniquitates observaveris, Domine : Domine, quis sustinebit? Quia apud Te propitiatio est. Deus Israel.

De profundis clamavi ad Te, Domine : Domine, exaudi vocem meam.

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

English translation

If You shall observe iniquities, o Lord, Lord, who shall endure it? For with You is propitiation, o God of Israel.

From the depths I have cried to You, o Lord. Lord, hear my voice.

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, refugium nostrum et virtus : adesto piis Ecclesiae Tuae precibus, auctor ipse pietatis, et praesta; ut, quod fideliter petimus, efficaciter consequamur. Per Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum Filium Tuum, qui Tecum vivit et regnat in unitate Spiritus Sancti Dei, per omnia saecula saeculorum. Amen.

English translation

O God, our Refuge and our Strength, the very Author of piety, be present to the devout supplications of Your Church, and grant that what we seek in faith we may effectively arrive at. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, Who with You lives and reigns in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, forever and ever. Amen.

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Sunday, 13 October 2024 : Twenty-Eighth Sunday of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, this Sunday all of us are reminded constantly as we have always been on the virtue of entrusting ourselves to the Wisdom of God and to follow Him in all things and in all circumstances in our lives so that we may not end up falling away from the path towards righteousness and justification in Him. All of us should continue to entrust ourselves to the Lord and walk ever more faithfully in His Presence and being guided with Him, and we should not easily be tempted by all sorts of worldly temptations and evils all around us, so that by our dedication and commitment to God, the Lord will make us worthy and truly blessed and strengthened by His love and wisdom, blessed by the grace of His compassionate care and attention to us.

In our first reading this Sunday, we heard from the Book of Wisdom, also known as the Wisdom of Solomon, which is a compilation on the many works regarding the central theme of Wisdom, especially referring to the Wisdom of God, the Divine Wisdom which has come to dwell in our midst and which had come upon us to bestow upon us the virtues and the guidance for all of us to follow in our journey throughout our lives. The author of the Book of Wisdom spoke of the Wisdom of God and how this Wisdom is far greater than anything of value in this world, and how incomparable God’s Wisdom and ways are compared to whatever good and wonderful things this world can offer us, and how we ought to seek this Wisdom above all else so that we may be able to find our way in this journey we all have towards the Lord, our God and Saviour.

Then in our second reading, taken from the Epistle to the Hebrews we heard of the reminder from the author of this Epistle to all of us about the power of the Word of God, that had come from God Himself and coming upon all the whole people of God, penetrating through all things and having power and dominion over all. It is a reminder to us of the great power and infinite nature of the Wisdom of God that transcended over all other things, and how mighty the Lord is compared to our own human limitations and shortcomings. We are reminded that we must always have faith and trust in the Lord, and we must continue to obey His Law and commandments, doing whatever we can to listen to His words and walk in His path rather than following the whim of our own desires.

Our Gospel passage this Sunday then reminds us all about the matter of how we ought to follow the Lord and commit ourselves to His cause, to resist the temptations of worldly pleasures and glory, and all the things which often separated us from the love and grace of God. All of us have often faced the difficult choice between truly embracing God and His ways genuinely against following the trends and whim of this world, and we are reminded that as Christians, we have to do our part in living lives that are truly holy and worthy of God, distancing ourselves from all the temptations and attachments found all around us in this world which can easily distract and lead us away from the path towards God and His salvation. We should not allow all of those things to be stumbling blocks keeping us away from God.

In that same passage we heard how a rich man came to the Lord asking how he could gain access into the kingdom of God after he had obeyed all the Law, the commandments, precepts and rules of that Law according to how the people of God lived them at the time, which was responded by the Lord with the call for him to sell everything that he had and then follow the Lord wholeheartedly, which was then met with a sad disappointment and a kind of tacit disagreement from the rich man, who then left the Lord in sorrow, as he was a man of truly great wealth, and it was likely that he could not bear to be parted from all of his great amount of wealth and possessions, and he could not commit himself in the manner that the Lord had told him to do.

When we read this Gospel passage and account of this event, we must understand that the Lord was not against the rich and all those who have great wealth, as wealth and possessions themselves are not inherently evil and wicked. Those things can indeed be used for great and noble uses and causes, and many people who were rich had been great philantrophists, generous donors and patrons of many organisations and causes that had helped many people who were poor, less privileged and suffering in all parts of the world throughout all history. What the Lord was in fact reminding and warning us against is our own desires and attachments for those worldly wealth, matter and possessions, which can blind us to the true path that He has shown us.

Many of our predecessors had been undone by their inability to resist the temptations of those worldly attachments and desires, which had led them into the slippery slope and downfall into sin and darkness. Their great wealth and possessions, and their insatiable desire and attachments to those things were exactly the obstacles and barriers preventing them from coming closer towards the Lord and His salvation. They put their faith and trust more in what they possess, in all the worldly wealth and glory that they had, rather than trusting in the Wisdom of God, and in this, echoing what we had earlier in the other parts of the Scriptures today, we are hence reminded to stay away from those temptations and resist those desires so that we will not end up falling ever deeper into the wrong path in life.

May the Lord, our ever loving and merciful God continue to help and guide us all through His infinite Wisdom, giving us the strength and courage to live our lives henceforth with great commitment and fidelity, focusing ever always on His truth and Good News, His teachings, love and Wisdom, and distancing ourselves from all the temptations and worldly pleasures, all the desires and ambitions that can easily lead us into our downfall. May God be with us all, in all of our journey through this life, that through His Wisdom, we may draw ever closer to Him and His grace. Amen.

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Sunday, 13 October 2024 : Twenty-Eighth Sunday of Ordinary Time (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Mark 10 : 17-30

At that time, just as Jesus was setting out on His journey again, a man ran up, knelt before Him and asked, “Good Master, what must I do to have eternal life?”

Jesus answered, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but God alone. You know the commandments : Do not kill, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not bear false witness, do not cheat, honour your father and mother.” The man replied, “I have obeyed all these commandments since my childhood.”

Then Jesus looked steadily at him and loved him and He said, “For you, one thing is lacking. Go, sell what you have and give the money to the poor, and you will have riches in heaven. Then come and follow Me.” On hearing these words, his face fell and he went away sorrowful, for he was a man of great wealth.

Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, “How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God” The disciples were shocked at these words, but Jesus insisted, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”

They were more astonished than ever and wondered, “Who, then, can be saved?” Jesus looked steadily at them and said, “For human beings it is impossible, but not for God; all things are possible with God.”

Peter spoke up and said, “We have given up everything to follow You.” Jesus answered, “Truly, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters, or father or mother, or children, or lands, for My sake and for the Gospel, who will not receive his reward.”

“I say to you : even in the midst of persecution, he will receive a hundred times as many houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and lands in the present time, and in the world to come eternal life.”

Alternative reading (shorter version)

Mark 10 : 17-27

At that time, just as Jesus was setting out on His journey again, a man ran up, knelt before Him and asked, “Good Master, what must I do to have eternal life?”

Jesus answered, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but God alone. You know the commandments : Do not kill, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not bear false witness, do not cheat, honour your father and mother.” The man replied, “I have obeyed all these commandments since my childhood.”

Then Jesus looked steadily at him and loved him and He said, “For you, one thing is lacking. Go, sell what you have and give the money to the poor, and you will have riches in heaven. Then come and follow Me.” On hearing these words, his face fell and he went away sorrowful, for he was a man of great wealth.

Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, “How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God” The disciples were shocked at these words, but Jesus insisted, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”

They were more astonished than ever and wondered, “Who, then, can be saved?” Jesus looked steadily at them and said, “For human beings it is impossible, but not for God; all things are possible with God.”

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Sunday, 13 October 2024 : Twenty-Eighth Sunday of Ordinary Time (Second Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Hebrews 4 : 12-13

For the Word of God is living and effective, sharper than any two-edged sword. It pierces, to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow, and judges the intentions and thoughts of the heart.

All creation is transparent to Him; everything is uncovered and laid bare, to the eyes of Him, to Whom we render account.

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Sunday, 13 October 2024 : Twenty-Eighth Sunday of Ordinary Time (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Psalm 89 : 12-13, 14-15, 16-17

So make us know the shortness of our life, that we may gain wisdom of heart. How long will You be angry, o YHVH? Have mercy on Your servant.

Fill us at daybreak with Your goodness, that we may be glad all our days. Make joy endure, as the misery did, and the years in which we were afflicted.

Let Your work be seen by Your servants and Your glorious power by their children. May the sweetness of YHVH be upon us; may He prosper the work of our hands.

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Sunday, 13 October 2024 : Twenty-Eighth Sunday of Ordinary Time (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Wisdom 7 : 7-11

I prayed and understanding was given to me; I asked earnestly and the Spirit of Wisdom came to me. I preferred her to sceptres and thrones and I considered wealth as nothing compared with her.

I preferred her to any jewel of inestimable value, since gold beside her is nothing but a few grains of sand, and silver but mud. I loved her more than wealth and beauty and even preferred her to light, because her radiance never dies.

She brought with her all other good things, untold riches in her hands.

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(Usus Antiquior) Twenty-First Sunday after Pentecost (II Classis) – Sunday, 13 October 2024 : 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, 13 October 2024 : 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.”