Ordinary Time 2024

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(Usus Antiquior) Twenty-Seventh and Last Sunday after Pentecost (II Classis) – Sunday, 24 November 2024 : Offertory, Secret Prayer of the Priest, Communion and Post-Communion Prayer

Liturgical Colour : Green

Offertory

Psalm 129 : 1-2

De profundis clamavi ad Te, Domine : Domine, exaudi orationem meam : de profundis clamavi ad Te, Domine.

English translation

From the depths I have cried out to You, o Lord. Lord, hear my prayer, from the depths I have cried out to You, o Lord.

Secret Prayer of the Priest

Propitius esto, Domine, supplicationibus nostris : et, populi Tui oblationibus precibusque susceptis, omnium nostrum ad Te corda converte; ut, a terrenis cupiditatibus liberati, ad caelestia desideria transeamus. Per Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum Filium Tuum, qui Tecum vivit et regnat in unitate Spiritus Sancti Deus, per omnia saecula saeculorum. Amen.

English translation

Be propitious, o Lord, to our supplications, and accept the offerings and prayers of Your people. Turn all our hearts unto You, that, being delivered from earthly desires, we may pass on to the enjoyments of heaven. 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

Mark 11 : 24

Amen, dico vobis, quidquid orantes petitis, credite, quia accipietis, et fiet vobis.

English translation

Amen, I say to you, whatsoever you ask when you pray, believe that you shall receive, and it shall be done unto you.

Post-Communion Prayer

Concede nobis, quaesumus, Domine : ut per haec sacramenta quae sumpsimus, quidquid in nostra mente vitiosum est, ipsorum medicationis dono curetur. 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 us, we beseech You, o Lord, that, through this sacrament which we have received, whatever is evil in our hearts may be restored by its gift of healing. 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-Seventh and Last Sunday after Pentecost (II Classis) – Sunday, 24 November 2024 : Holy Gospel

Liturgical Colour : Green

Matthew 24 : 15-35

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

In illo tempore : Dixit Jesus discipulis Suis : Cum videritis abominationem desolationis, quae dicta est a Daniele Propheta, stantem in loco sancto : qui legit, intellegat : tunc qui in Judaea sunt, fugiant ad montes : et qui in tecto, non descendat tollere aliquid de domo sua : et qui in agro, non revertatur tollere tunicam suam.

Vae autem praegnantibus et nutrientibus in illis diebus. Orate autem, ut non fiat fuga vestra in hieme vel sabbato. Erit enim tunc tribulatio magna, qualis non fuit ab initio mundi usque modo, neque fiet. Et nisi breviati fuissent dies illi, non fieret salva omnis caro : sed propter electos breviabuntur dies illi.

Tunc si quis vobis dixerit : Ecce, hic est Christus, aut illic : nolite credere. Surgent enim pseudochristi et pseudoprophetae, et dabunt signa magna et prodigia, ita ut in errorem inducantur (si fieri potest) etiam electi.

Ecce, praedixi vobis. Si ergo dixerint vobis : Ecce, in deserto est, nolite exire : ecce, in penetralibus, nolite credere. Sicut enim fulgur exit ab Oriente et paret usque in Occidentem : ita erit et adventus Filii Hominis. Ubicumque fuerit corpus, illic congregabuntur et aquilae.

Statim autem post tribulationem dierum illorum sol obscurabitur, et luna non dabit lumen suum, et stellae cadent de caelo, et virtutes caelorum commovebuntur : et tunc parebit signum Filii Hominis in caelo : et tunc plangent omnes tribus terrae : et videbunt Filium Hominis venientem in nubibus caeli cum virtute multa et majestate.

Et mittet Angelos suos cum tuba et voce magna : et congregabunt electos ejus a quatuor ventis, a summis caelorum usque ad terminos eorum. Ab arbore autem fici discite parabolam : Dum jam ramus ejus tener tuerit et folia nata, scitis, quia prope est aestas : ita et vos cum videritis haec omnia, scitote, quia prope est in januis.

Amen, dico vobis, quia non praeteribit generatio haec, donec omnia haec fiant. Caelum et terra transibunt, verba autem mea non praeteribunt.

English translation

At that time, Jesus said to His disciples, “When you shall see the abomination of desolation, which was spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place, he who reads, let him understand, then they who are in Judea, let them flee to the mountains, and he who is on the housetop, let him not come down to take anything out of his house, and he who is in the field, let him not go back to take his coat.”

“And woe to those who are with child, and those who give suckle, in those days. But pray that your flight be not in the winter, or on the sabbath, for there shall be then great tribulation, such as has not been found since the beginning of the world until now, neither shall be, and unless those days had been shortened, no flesh should be saved, but for the sake of the elect, those days shall be shortened.”

“Then if any man shall say to you, ‘Lo, here is Christ, or there.’ do not believe him, for there shall arise false Christs and false prophets, and they shall show great signs and wonders, in so much as to deceive (if possible) even the elect.”

“Behold, I have told it to you beforehand, if they therefore shall say to you, ‘Behold, He is in the desert, do not go out; behold, He is in the closets, do not believe it. For as lightning comes out of the east, and appears even into the west, so shall also be the coming of the Son of Man. Wheresoever the body shall be, there shall the eagles also be gathered together.”

“And immediately after the tribulation of those days, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of heaven shall be moved, and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven with much power and majesty.”

“And He shall send His Angels with a trumpet and a great voice and they shall gather together His elects from the four winds, from the farthest part of the heavens to the utmost bounds of them. And from the fig tree learn a parable, when the branch thereof is now tender, and the leaves come forth, you know that summer is nigh. So you also, when you shall see all these things, may you know that it is nigh even at the doors.”

“Amen, I say to you, that this generation shall not pass until all these things be done. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My words shall not pass away.”

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(Usus Antiquior) Twenty-Seventh and Last Sunday after Pentecost (II Classis) – Sunday, 24 November 2024 : Gradual and Alleluia

Liturgical Colour : Green

Psalm 43 : 8-9 and Psalm 129 : 1-2

Liberasti nos, Domine, ex affligentibus nos : et eos, qui nos oderunt, confudisti.

Response : In Deo laudabimur tota die, et in Nomine Tuo confitebimur in saecula.

Alleluja, Alleluja.

Response : De profundis clamavi ad Te, Domine : Domine, exaudi orationem meam. Alleluja.

English translation

You have delivered us, o Lord, from those who afflicted us, and have put them to shame those who hated us.

Response : In God we will glory all the day, and in Your Name we will give praise forever.

Alleluia, Alleluia.

Response : From the depths I have cried to You, o Lord. Lord, hear my prayer. Alleluia.

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(Usus Antiquior) Twenty-Seventh and Last Sunday after Pentecost (II Classis) – Sunday, 24 November 2024 : Epistle

Liturgical Colour : Green

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

Colossians 1 : 9-14

Fratres : Non cessamus pro vobis orantes et postulantes, ut impleamini agnitione voluntatis Dei, in omni sapientia et intellectu spiritali : ut ambuletis digne Deo per omnia placentes : in omni opere bono fructificantes, et crescentes in scientia Dei : in omni virtute confortati secundum potentiam claritatis ejus in omni patientia, et longanimitate cum gaudio, gratias agentes Deo Patri, qui dignos nos fecit in partem sortis sanctorum in lumine : qui eripuit nos de potestate tenebrarum, et transtulit in regnum Filii dilectionis suae, in quo habemus redemptionem per sanguinem Ejus, remissionem peccatorum.

English translation

Brethren, we cease not to pray for you, and to beg that you may be filled with the knowledge of the will of God, in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, that you may walk worthy of God, in all things pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might according to the power of His glory, in all patience and long suffering with joy, giving thanks to God the Father, Who had made us worthy to be partakers of the lot of the saints in light, Who had delivered us from the power of darkness and had translated us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in Whom we have redemption through His Blood, the remission of sins.

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(Usus Antiquior) Twenty-Seventh and Last Sunday after Pentecost (II Classis) – Sunday, 24 November 2024 : Introit and Collect

Liturgical Colour : Green

Introit

Jeremiah 29 : 11, 12, 14 and Psalm 84 : 2

Dicit Dominus : Ego cogito cogitationes pacis, et non afflictionis : invocabitis me, et ego exaudiam vos : et reducam capitivitatem vestram de cunctis locis.

Benedixisti, Domine, terram Tuam : avertisti captivitatem Jacob.

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

English translation

The Lord said, “I think thoughts of peace, and not of affliction. You shall call upon Me and I will hear you, and I will bring back your captivity from all places.

Lord, You have blessed Your land, You have turned away the captivity 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

Excita, quaesumus, Domine, Tuorum fidelium voluntates : ut, divini operis fructum propensius exsequentes; pietatis Tuae remedia majora percipiant. Per Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum Filium Tuum, qui Tecum vivit et regnat in unitate Spiritus Sancti Deus, per omnia saecula saeculorum. Amen.

English translation

Stir up, we beseech You, o Lord, the wills of Your faithful, that, by more earnestly following after the fruit of the divine work, they may the more abundantly partake of Your mercies. 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, 23 November 2024 : 33rd Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of Pope St. Clement I, Pope and Martyr, and St. Columban, Abbot (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green or Red (Martyrs) or White (Abbots)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we all listened to the words of the Sacred Scriptures, each and every one of us are reminded of the coming of the end of times and the need for us to continue to have faith and trust in God, no matter what sufferings or hardships we may encounter in our respective paths in life. We must always trust that God will have our back and that we will not be disappointed if we put our faith in Him. At the end of time, we will be raised body and soul to be truly and fully reconciled with God 

In our first reading today, taken from the Book of Revelations of St. John, as we continue to hear the series of revelations received by St. John the Apostle during his exile and persecution in the Island of Patmos and in that vision, we heard of how the Lord will send to His people and to this world two great witnesses who then went on to proclaim the Word of God and His truth amongst the many people who have abandoned and rejected Him and His salvation, choosing instead to obey and follow the Devil, the one who is foretold to try to rise up against all of us at the end of time, persecuting all the ones who are faithful to the Lord. But God will not abandon us and through His servants, He will continue to show His love and encouragement.

Then, as we heard in what will happen next, those two servants are protected from all those who will seek to destroy them, up to the appointed time, when the forces of the evil one will come up and strike at those servants of God. And yet, in the end, the Lord raised them all up to His Presence, as His Spirit of Life descended upon them, striking fear against all those who have persecuted, oppressed and attacked them. It also showed how not even Satan, all sorts of evil forces, sin and death can triumph against God and His power. Ultimately, God will be triumphant against all those who are against Him, Satan and all his fellow fallen angels and demons, and all those who sided with them, while all those who are faithful to Him shall be vindicated and shall share His glorious triumph.

In our Gospel passage today then, taken from the Gospel according to St. Luke, we heard of the discussion between the Lord and some of the Sadducees who were there and wanted to question Him regarding the matter about the Resurrection from the dead. The Sadducees were one of the two most powerful and influential groups within the community of the Jewish people at the time of the Lord Jesus’ ministry, together with the Pharisees. The Sadducees were powerful and the ruling group of the Jews, those who were chosen as the High Priest and the other chief priests, the religious and secular elites of the community. And many of them were worldly in their views and beliefs, seeking to preserve their worldly influence and power above all else.

And hence, they were among those who refused to believe in the resurrection from the dead and any other spiritual matters and beliefs, as opposed to the Pharisees, who were intellectual elites and the teachers and preservers of the Law, who believed firmly in all things spiritual and the resurrection after death. Thus, as the Lord often spoke about life and existence transcending death, the Sadducees were strongly opposed to the Lord on this matter, and questioned Him about this belief in the resurrection. Their example quoting the seven brothers who shared a wife, as per the Law of Moses which dictated that the wife be taken care of by a man’s brothers should he die without a child, was an example of their lack of understanding and appreciation of the teachings and belief in the resurrection and life after death.

The Lord made it clear that life and existence after death should not be compared to our lives in this world, and it will be different from our lives here on earth which is full of desires and imperfections, corruptions and the temptations due to sin that has afflicted each and every one of us. Those who have passed on from this life to the world that is to come, and eventually after the Last Judgment, all of them, and all of us shall share in the fullness of God’s glory and rejoice together with Him in eternity of true happiness and bliss. We who will share in the joy of the Lord will no longer have desires for worldly matters, possessions, attachments and all the other things that those Sadducees and many among us may be desiring. That is what each and every one of us as Christians must realise as well.

Today, the Church celebrates the feast of two great saints, holy men of God, whose lives, faith and dedication to God should be great source of inspiration for all of us to follow in our own respective lives. They are Pope St. Clement I, a holy and dedicated Pope and Vicar of Christ, as well as St. Columban, a renowned Abbot and holy man. First of all, Pope St. Clement I was one of the first Bishops of Rome, the successors of St. Peter the Apostle who was the first Pope and Bishop of Rome. He is the fourth Bishop of Rome, succeeding St. Peter the Apostle, Pope St. Linus and Pope St. Anacletus. According to Apostolic tradition and Church history, Pope St. Clement I was the first among the Apostolic Fathers, the successors to the Apostles who continued their work and ministry among the people of God.

Pope St. Clement I was very active in his ministry as bishop and the leader of the Church, caring for the spiritual needs of the people of God, showing great leadership and governance of the flock of the Lord. He wrote many letters and epistles to the faithful, some of which survived in the writings of the early Church fathers, exhorting the faithful people of God to remain committed to Him despite all the challenges, trials and difficulties that they all had to face and endure amidst the persecutions and oppressions from the Roman state that was common at that time. He continued to work hard to the very end, eventually suffering prison and exile, and in the end, according to Apostolic tradition, like most of the other early Popes, died as a martyr of the Church.

Meanwhile, St. Columban, also known as St. Columbanus, was an Irish missionary priest who dedicated himself to the service of the Lord, in his missions in mainland Europe, in what is today parts of France and beyond. St. Columban spread the word of God to many of the people, and established schools and institutions that drew many people who seek to gain greater knowledge and understanding of their faith. However, despite the great and growing popularity of his schools, St. Columban preferred the solitude of the mountains, after many rounds of conflicts and disagreements with the bishops in France and Italy, eventually settling down in northern Italy on the land bestowed on him and others to establish a monastery, over which St. Columban became an abbot. He continued to dedicate himself to the Lord and His people to the very end of his earthly life.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, as we have all heard from our Scripture passages today, and also from the good examples and lives of Pope St. Clement I and St. Columban, we are all reminded that as Christians, we are all called to be truly obedient to God and to put our full trust and faith in Him at all times, striving at all times to do whatever is pleasing to Him, to obey Him, His Law and commandments. May the Lord, our most loving and compassionate God continue to help, strengthen and empower us all in our journey in life, and may He continue to bless us in all of our efforts and endeavours to glorify Him in each and every moments of our lives. Amen.

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Saturday, 23 November 2024 : 33rd Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of Pope St. Clement I, Pope and Martyr, and St. Columban, Abbot (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green or Red (Martyrs) or White (Abbots)

Luke 20 : 27-40

At that time, some Sadducees arrived. These people claim that there is no resurrection, and they asked Jesus this question, “Master, in the Law Moses told us, ‘If anyone dies leaving a wife but no children, his brother must take the wife, and any child born to them will be regarded as the child of the deceased.'”

“Now, there were seven brothers; the first married a wife, but he died without children; and the second and the third took the wife; in fact, all seven died leaving no children. Last of all the woman died. On the day of the resurrection, to which of them will the woman be a wife? For all seven had her as a wife.”

And Jesus replied, “Taking a husband or a wife is proper to people of this world, but for those who are considered worthy of the world to come, and of resurrection from the dead, there is no more marriage. Besides, they cannot die, for they are like the Angels. They are sons and daughters of God, because they are born of the resurrection.”

“Yes, the dead will be raised, as Moses revealed at the burning bush, when He called the Lord the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. For God is God of the living, and not of the dead, for to Him everyone is alive.”

Some teachers of the Law then agreed with Jesus, “Master, You have spoken well.” They did not dare to ask Him anything else.

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Saturday, 23 November 2024 : 33rd Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of Pope St. Clement I, Pope and Martyr, and St. Columban, Abbot (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Green or Red (Martyrs) or White (Abbots)

Psalm 143 : 1, 2, 9-10

Blessed be the Lord, my Rock, Who trains my hands for war and my fingers for battle.

My loving God, my Fortress; my Protector and Deliverer, my Shield where I take refuge, Who conquers nations and subjects them to my rule.

I will sing a new song to You, o God, I will make music on the ten-stringed harp, for You Who give victory to kings and deliver David, Your servant.

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Saturday, 23 November 2024 : 33rd Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of Pope St. Clement I, Pope and Martyr, and St. Columban, Abbot (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green or Red (Martyrs) or White (Abbots)

Revelations 11 : 4-12

These are the two olive trees and the two lamps which are before the Lord of the earth. If anyone intends to harm them, fire will come out of their mouths to devour their enemies : this is how whoever intends to harm them will perish. They have the power to close the sky and hold back the rain during the time of their prophetic mission; they also have the power to change water into blood, and punish the earth with a thousand plagues, any time they wish.

But when My witnesses have fulfilled their mission, the beast that comes up from the abyss will make war upon them, and will conquer and kill them. Their dead bodies will lie in the square of the Great City which the believers figuratively call Sodom or Egypt, where their Lord was crucified. And their dead bodies will be exposed for three days and a half to people of all tribes, races, languages and nations who will be ordered not to have them buried.

Then the inhabitants of the earth will rejoice, congratulate one another and exchange gifts among themselves because these two prophets were a torment to them. But after those three and a half days, a Spirit of life coming from God entered them. They them stood up, and those who looked at them were seized with great fear. A loud voice from heaven called them, “Come up here.” So they went up to heaven in the midst of the clouds in the sight of their enemies.

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Friday, 22 November 2024 : 33rd Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Cecilia, Virgin and Martyr (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we listened to the words of the Scriptures all of us are reminded through them of the need for each and every one of us to be truly faithful and committed to God, to follow the Lord in all of our ways and to embody our faith in each and every one of our actions so that we may truly be worthy of Him through our various efforts and contributions, in focusing ourselves upon God’s Law and commandments, in keeping ourselves free from the taint and corruption of evil and sin, all the things that can keep us away from the Lord and His salvation, and all the things that had brought us to the corruption that defiled the sanctity of the Temple of God that is our body, our mind, heart and soul, our very beings, which God has made to be His temple and House.

In our first reading today, taken from the Book of Revelations of St. John the Apostle, we heard of the continuation of the account of the heavenly vision of St. John that he received during his exile in the Island of Patmos about the end of times and the upcoming tribulations and challenges for the faithful people of God, and how God ultimately will redeem and deliver all of them to the ultimate triumph and victory with Him. In today’s part of the vision that has been told to us, we heard of the Angel of God giving the small book from his hand to St. John to eat as instructed by the Angel, and St. John tasted that this Book of the Word of God is truly sweet in the mouth and yet bitter in the stomach after he had swallowed it.

This is in fact a very good reminder for all of us that the truth and the Word of God is something that is very reassuring and a show of God’s love for us, which is represented by the sweetness of that book which St. John the Apostle consumed in his vision. Then, that bitterness in the stomach is a representation of the hardships and sufferings, the trials and challenges that those who are on the side of the Lord will have to endure to be truly living good and worthy Christian lives. This is a metaphor of what faithful Christians, holy and committed people of God would be going through in their journey, like what the Apostles and the many early Christians had endured and suffered from. Many of them were persecuted, and faced all kinds of martyrdom.

Then, in our Gospel passage today taken from the Gospel according to St. Luke, we heard of the account of the time and moment when the Lord Jesus angrily got rid of all the merchants, money changers and other businesses peddling their merchandise and products, services and other corrupt practices in the courtyard of the Temple of God in Jerusalem. At that time, many of the Jewish people were actually scattered in different places and countries, and many of them lived in places that were distant from their homeland in Jerusalem and Judea. There were many reasons for this, some of them being the destruction of the old kingdoms of Israel and Judah which scattered quite a number of the Israelites to various distant places, and they settled down in those places instead of returning to their homeland as some others had done.

And therefore, since these people came from various places which have distinct and different currencies, it is necessary for those businesses to be set up in the Temple courtyard, such as the selling of animals and other things needed for the ritual sacrifices required by the Law and commandments of God, as it was unlikely for the pilgrims to be bringing their own sacrifices all the way to Jerusalem. Similarly, there was also a rule and custom that the sacrificial offerings cannot be purchased using money that is unclean or improper, such that the ones produced by the Romans, with the Emperor’s face on them, and as the Emperor or the deities in the other coins are improper, hence, the money changers provided the service to exchange the money brought by the pilgrims with the silver coins issued by the Temple that can then be used for the purchase of the sacrificial offerings.

However, the issue that the Lord Jesus took great offense with and which angered Him very much was just how corrupt those who have carried out those businesses had been, in how they overcharged and profitted a lot from gaining money from all the transactions they did, in fooling those pilgrims and cheating them of their money. The chief priests and the Temple officials also turned a blind eye to all the injustice and wickedness, and that was likely because they also profitted from the proceeds and efforts of all those merchants and money changers, and hence, tacitly gave their quiet support for the continued wicked deeds by those who sought to profit above the sufferings of others. Hence, the Lord was truly angered by this, and He cast those wicked merchants and money changers all out, reminding everyone and all of us that God’s Temple is a House of Prayer, and not for such wicked things.

Now, we are then also reminded that as mentioned earlier, our own body, heart, mind and soul are also actually Temples of the Lord’s Holy Presence, the House of the Lord in which God Himself dwells. He is in us, dwelling in us and journeying with us as He has provided us all His own Most Precious Body and Blood, which we all partake through the Most Holy Eucharist, the Lord Himself, in His Body and Blood, His Real Presence, coming into us. And at the same time, God has also given us all His Holy Spirit, bestowed on us all through His Son, sending down the Spirit of Life and grace to us, as He has given to His Church ever since the Pentecost Sunday till this day. And hence, if the Lord Himself is present in us, should we all not then ensure that our bodies, minds, hearts and souls, our whole beings are truly worthy of Him?

Today, the Church also celebrates the Feast of St. Cecilia, the famous martyr and patron saint of music and musicians. St. Cecilia was born into a noble Roman family during the third century at a time of difficulty and persecution for the Christians in the early Church. She was born into possibly a Christian family who nonetheless forced her to marry a pagan nobleman named Valerius. Prior to this, St. Cecilia had dedicated herself in holy virginity to God and vowed not to get married as she dedicated her virginity to the Lord. Her association with music and musicians stemmed from the event that happened during her wedding when she sang passionately from her heart, dedicating the song to God. And she remained chaste afterwards, warning her husband not to touch or violate her virginity as an Angel of the Lord was standing by her side and protecting her.

When Valerius, the husband of St. Cecilia asked her to see the Angel of God, St. Cecilia told her husband that he would be able to see the Angel if he agreed to be baptised as a Christian and go to a specific place outside of Rome. Eventually after following St. Cecilia’s advice, her husband witnessed the Angel of God standing by the side of his wife, and therefore he believed. Eventually then, amidst all the persecutions and trials that happened at that time, all of them were martyred, St. Cecilia herself with her husband, Valerius and her husband’s brother. St. Cecilia herself was martyred by being struck by a sword on the neck, and to the very end, she remained ever faithful to the Lord and became great role model and example for many other Christians during her time and afterwards, right up to this very day. Her courage and example in faith should continue to inspire us all in how we ourselves ought to live our faith as Christians.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, as we have reflected from the passages of the Sacred Scriptures earlier on and from the life and examples shown by St. Cecilia, holy martyr and servant of God, let us all therefore commit ourselves to a renewed life in faith, doing whatever we can in order to live a life that is truly and wholly righteous, good and full of virtue, distancing ourselves from the taint and corruption of sin to the best of our abilities to do so. Let us all be good role models and inspirations for one another, to be the shining beacons of God’s light, hope and Good News in our world today. May God be with us always and may He always strengthen us in our faith. Amen.