Ordinary Time 2024

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Sunday, 16 June 2024 : Eleventh Sunday of Ordinary Time (Second Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

2 Corinthians 5 : 6-10

So we feel confident always. We know, that, while living in the body, we are exiled from the Lord, living by faith, without seeing; but we dare to think, that we would rather be away from the body, to go and live with the Lord. So, whatever we have to keep this house or lose it, we only wish to please the Lord.

Anyway, we all have to appear before the tribunal of Christ, for each one to receive what he deserves, for his good or evil deeds in the present life.

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Sunday, 16 June 2024 : Eleventh Sunday of Ordinary Time (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Psalm 91 : 2-3, 13-14, 15-16

It is good to give thanks to YHVH, to sing praise to Your Name, o Most High, to proclaim Your grace in the morning, to declare Your faithfulness at night.

The virtuous will flourish, like palm trees, they will thrive, like the cedars of Lebanon. Planted in the house of YHVH, they will prosper, in the courts of our God.

In old age, they will still bear fruit; they will stay fresh and green, to proclaim that YHVH is upright, “He is my Rock,” they say, “He never fails.”

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Sunday, 16 June 2024 : Eleventh Sunday of Ordinary Time (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Ezekiel 17 : 22-24

Thus says YHVH : “At the top of the cedar, I will take one of its uppermost branches, a tender twig, and plant it. On a lofty, massive mountain, on a high mountain of Israel I will plant it. It will produce branches and bear fruit and become a magnificent cedar. Birds of all kinds will nest in it and find shelter in its branches.”

“And all the trees of the field shall know that I am YHVH : I, Who bring down the lofty tree and make the lowly tree tall. I will make the tree that is full of sap, wither, and the dry tree, bloom. I, YHVH, have spoken and this will I do.”

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(Usus Antiquior) Fourth Sunday after Pentecost (II Classis) – Sunday, 16 June 2024 : Offertory, Secret Prayer of the Priest, Communion and Post-Communion Prayer

Liturgical Colour : Green

Offertory

Psalm 12 : 4-5

Illumina oculos meos, ne umquam obdormiam in morte : ne quando dicat inimicus meus : Praevalui adversus eum.

English translation

Enlighten my eyes, that I never sleep in death, lest at any time my enemy say, I have prevailed against him.

Secret Prayer of the Priest

Oblationibus nostris, quaesumus, Domine, placare susceptis : et ad Te nostras etiam rebelles compelle propitius voluntates. Per Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum Filium Tuum, qui Tecum vivit et regnat in unitate Spiritus Sancti Deus, per omnia saecula saeculorum. Amen.

English translation

Receiving our oblations, be appeased, we pray to You, o Lord, and in Your kindness constrain our wills toward You, even when resisting. 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 17 : 3

Dominus firmamentum meum, et refugium meum, et liberator meus : Deus meus, adjutor meus.

English translation

The Lord is my firmament, and my refuge, and my deliverer, my God is my helper.

Post-Communion Prayer

Mysteria nos, Domine, quaesumus, sumpta purificent : et suo munere tueantur. 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 the mysteries we have received purify us, we beseech You, o Lord, and by their virtue protect us. 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) Fourth Sunday after Pentecost (II Classis) – Sunday, 16 June 2024 : Holy Gospel

Liturgical Colour : Green

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

Luke 5 : 1-11

In illo tempore : Cum turbae irruerent in Jesum, ut audirent verbum Dei, et ipse stabat secus stagnum Genesareth. Et vidit duas naves stantes secus stagnum : piscatores autem descenderant et lavabant retia. Ascendens autem in unam navim, quae erat Simonis, rogavit eum a terra reducere pusillum. Et sedens docebat de navicula turbas.

Ut cessavit autem loqui, dixit ad Simonem : Duc in altum, et laxate retia vestra in capturam. Et respondens Simon, dixit illi : Praeceptor, per totam noctem laborantes, nihil cepimus : in verbo autem tuo laxabo rete.

Et cum hoc fecissent, concluserunt piscium multitudinem copiosam : rumpebatur autem rete eorum. Et annuerunt sociis, qui erant in alia navi, ut venirent et adjuvarent eos. Et venerunt, et impleverunt ambas naviculas, ita ut paene mergerentur.

Quod cum videret Simon Petrus, procidit ad genua Jesu, dicens : Exi a me, quia homo peccator sum, Domine. Stupor enim circumdederat eum et omnes, qui cum illo erant, in captura piscium, quam ceperant : similiter autem Jacobum et Joannem, filios Zebedaei, qui erant socii Simonis. Et ait ad Simonem Jesus : Noli timere : ex hoc jam homines eris capiens. Et subductis ad terram navibus, relictis omnibus, secuti sunt eum.

English translation

At that time, when the multitude pressed upon Jesus to hear the word of God. He stood by the lake of Gennesaret. And He saw two ships standing by the lake, but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their nets and going up into one of the ships that was Simon’s. He desired him to draw back a little from the land, and sitting down, He taught the multitudes out of the ship.

Now when He had ceased to speak, He said to Simon, “Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught. And Simon, answering, said to Him, “Master, we have laboured all the night, and have taken nothing. But at Your word I will let down the net.”

And when they had done this, they enclosed a very great multitude of fishes, and their net broke, and they beckoned to their partners that were in the other ship, that they should come and help them; and they came, and filled both the ships, so that they were almost sinking.

Which when Simon Peter saw, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, o Lord.” For he was wholly astonished, and all who were with Him, at the draught of fishes which they had taken, and so were also James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were Simon’s partners. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not fear, from henceforth you shall catch men.” And having brought their ships to land, leaving all things they followed Him.

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(Usus Antiquior) Fourth Sunday after Pentecost (II Classis) – Sunday, 16 June 2024 : Gradual and Alleluia

Liturgical Colour : Green

Psalm 78 : 9, 10 and Psalm 9 : 5, 10

Propitius esto, Domine, peccatis nostris : ne quando dicant gentes : Ubi est Deus eorum?

Response : Adjuva nos, Deus, salutaris noster : et propter hominem Nominis Tui, Domine libera nos.

Alleluja, Alleluja.

Response : Deus, qui sedes super thronum, et judicas aequitatem : esto refugium pauperum in tribulatione. Alleluja.

English translation

Forgive us our sins, o Lord, lest the Gentiles should at any time say, “Where is their God?”

Response : Help us, o God our Saviour, and for the honour of Your Name, o Lord, deliver us.

Alleluia, Alleluia.

Response : O God, You who sits upon the throne, and judges justice, may You be the refuge of the poor in tribulation. Alleluia.

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(Usus Antiquior) Fourth Sunday after Pentecost (II Classis) – Sunday, 16 June 2024 : Epistle

Liturgical Colour : Green

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

Romans 8 : 18-23

Fratres : Existimo, quod non sunt condignae passionis hujus temporis ad futuram gloriam, quae revelabitur in nobis. Nam exspectatio creaturae revelationem filiorum Dei exspectat Vanitati enim creatura subjecta est, non volens, sed propter eum, qui subjecit eam in spe : quia et ipsa creatura liberabitur a servitute corruptionis, in libertatem gloriae filiorum Dei.

Scimus enim, quod omnis creatura ingemiscit et parturit usque adhuc. Non solum autem illa, sed et nos ipsi primitias spiritus habentes : et ipsi intra nos gemimus, adoptionem filiorum Dei exspectantes, redemptionem corporis nostri : in Christo Jesu, Domino nostro.

English translation

Brethren, I reckon that the sufferings of this time are not worthy to be compared with the glory to come, that shall be revealed in us. For the expectation of the creature waited for the revelation of the sons of God. For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of Him that made it subject in hope, because the creature also itself shall be delivered from the servitude of corruption, into the liberty of the glory of the children of God.

For we know that every creature groans and travails in pain, even till now, and not only it, but ourselves also, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves, groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption of the sons of God, the redemption of our body, in Christ Jesus our Lord.

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(Usus Antiquior) Fourth Sunday after Pentecost (II Classis) – Sunday, 16 June 2024 : Introit and Collect

Liturgical Colour : Green

Introit

Psalm 26 : 1, 2, 3

Dominus illuminatio mea et salus mea, quem timebo? Dominus defensor vitae meae, a quo trepidabo? Qui tribulant me inimici mei, ipsi infirmati sunt, et ceciderunt.

Si consistant adversum me castra : non timebit cor meum.

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 is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear? The Lord is the protector of my life of whom shall I be afraid? My enemies that trouble me have themselves been weakened and have fallen.

If armies in camp should stand together against me, my heart shall not fear.

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

Da nobis, quaesumus, Domine : ut et mundi cursus pacifice nobis Tuo ordine dirigatur; et Ecclesia Tua tranquilla devotione laetetur. 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 the course of the world may be directed for us, and that Your Church may rejoice in peace. 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, 15 June 2024 : 10th Week of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Saturday Mass of Our Lady)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we listened to the words of the Sacred Scriptures, we are all reminded through them to be truly faithful and obedient to the Lord in all things, and to be His committed disciples, giving our very best in all things so that by our every words, actions and deeds, we will continue to do what is necessary to be ever committed to God. We have all been called so that our whole lives may be pleasing to the Lord and to be exemplary to every one who witness our ways of living our lives and our interactions with one another. Unless we are truly faithful to the Lord and are obedient to Him, to His Law and commandments, how can we then call or consider ourselves as Christians, as His beloved disciples and followers?

In our first reading today, we heard from the Book of Kings of Israel and Judah in which the prophet Elijah went to find the man whom God had identified to be his successor in the mission and ministry to the Israelites, namely that of Elisha. Elisha was to be the one to continue the great works and the ministry which Elijah had pioneered among the Israelites, to continue to shepherd, guide and help the people of Israel in their journey to find salvation and righteousness in God. The Israelites back then were rather stubborn, refusing to listen to the Lord and His messengers, and even persecuting all those whom the Lord had sent to them to help and remind them, like that of Elijah himself. And Elijah had indeed gone through a lot and suffered.

These were then the challenges and sufferings which anyone who were to succeed Elijah would have to bear with them, but Elisha obeyed the Lord’s commands, and put his trust completely in Him. He left behind everything he had, all of his works and things, following Elijah and becoming God’s prophet and messenger to the people of Israel. Elisha dedicated himself henceforth to the Lord’s missions, just as Elijah had done before him. He committed himself to the shepherding of the people of God despite the challenges and stubbornness that he had to endure amidst the missions, and the Lord indeed did many great things through Elisha just as He had done earlier on through the prophet Elijah.

In our Gospel passage today, we heard of the words of the Lord to His disciples as recorded by the Gospel of St. Matthew. In that occasion, the Lord told His disciples not to swear or make oaths, to make promises by any means or on anything that is sacred and holy, and He told them instead that they should always strive to be truthful, virtuous, good and worthy in all of their words, actions and deeds. Unless they do this, they were really nothing better than hypocrites and unbelievers. Those who truly believe in the Lord would do their best to obey His commands, trusting in Him and doing whatever He had entrusted and told to them to do, just as the prophets Elijah and Elisha, and many others of the holy men and women had done.

On the other hand, at the time of the Lord Jesus, He particularly warned of this to His disciples and followers because there were those at the time who made great and significant gestures, lots of words and promises, and yet, ultimately all those things were merely empty gestures and not truly filled with true love and commitment towards God. This was a reference to many among the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law, who professed to believe in God and were preservers of God’s Law and commandments, and yet, their lack of faith and behaviour all showed that they tend to love the world, all its fame, glory and attractions more than they loved the Lord, their God and Master.

This was why while they supposedly obeyed the Lord’s Law and commandments, the entirety of the massive six hundred and thirteen sets of laws and rules, but the Lord criticised them rightly as hypocrites because many of them did not do so for their love of God and for their commitment to Him. Instead, many of those Pharisees and the teachers of the Law praised themselves and were proud of their way of living and achievements, making a show of their piety and faith so that they could receive more praise and fame from the people of God. Essentially, their hearts and minds were not focused on the right intentions, and not on the Lord, but on their own ego, pride and greed, their attachments to worldly things and matters.

That is why the Lord reminded His disciples that they should be genuine and sincere in their faith in God, and not to make flashy or great shows of their commitment, when they were not truly able to do so. They should just carry out their whole lives and actions with the genuine desire to follow the Lord faithfully in each and every moments of their lives. Anything more than that truly can deceive and mislead us to the path of evil just as the Lord had said it. It is also a reminder for us that we should not overthink things, and when the Lord calls, we should discern things carefully but put our faith and trust in Him without being weighed or bogged down by too many considerations and preoccupations with our many attachments in life. Like the prophet Elisha, who left everything behind to follow the Lord and trusted in Him wholeheartedly, we all should also do the same.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore renew our commitment and desire to love the Lord our God ever more wholeheartedly, and let us dedicate all of our time and efforts to follow the Lord in all of His will, His Law and commandments like that of the prophets Elijah and Elisha, and the many saints, holy men and women who had gone before us. May the Lord continue to strengthen and empower us all in our lives and endeavours, so that we may continue to walk ever more faithfully in our Christian living and in everything that we do, all for the greater glory of God. May God bless us in our every works and efforts, now and always. Amen.

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Saturday, 15 June 2024 : 10th Week of Ordinary Time (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Saturday Mass of Our Lady)

Matthew 5 : 33-37

At that time, Jesus said to His disciples, “You have also heard that people were told in the past : Do not break your oath; an oath sworn to the Lord must be kept. But I tell you this : do not take oaths. Do not swear by the heavens, for they are God’s throne; nor by the earth, because it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, because it is the city of the great King.”

“Do not even swear by your head, because you cannot make a single hair white of black. Let your ‘Yes’ mean ‘Yes’ and your ‘No’ mean ‘No.’ Anything else you say comes from the evil one.”