Popes

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(Usus Antiquior) Feast of the Holy Apostles, St. Peter and St. Paul (I Classis) – Saturday, 29 June 2024 : Holy Gospel

Liturgical Colour : Red

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

Matthew 16 : 13-19

In illo tempore : Venit Jesus in partes Caesarea Philippi, et interrogabat discipulos Suos, dicens : Quem dicunt homines esse Filium Hominis? At illi dixerunt : Alii Joannem Baptistam, alii autem Eliam, alii vero Jeremiam aut unum ex Prophetis.

Dicit illis Jesus : Vos autem quem Me esse dicitis? Respondens Simon Petrus, dixit : Tu es Christus, Filius Dei vivi. Respondens autem Jesus, dixit ei : Beatus es, Simon Bar Jona : quia caro et sanguis non revelavit tibi, sed Pater Meus, qui in caelis est.

Et Ego dico tibi, quia tu es Petrus, et super hanc petram aedificabo Ecclesiam Meam, et portae inferi non praevalebunt adversus eam. Et tibi dabo claves regni caelorum. Et quodcumque ligaveris super terram, erit ligatum et in caelis : et quodcumque solveris super terram, erit solutum et in caelis.

English translation

At that time, Jesus came into the quarters of Caesarea Philippi, and He asked His disciples, saying, “Whom do men say that the Son of Man is?” But they said, “Some, John the Baptist, and some others Elijah, and others Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.”

Jesus said to them, “But whom do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are Christ, the Son of the Living God.” And Jesus answering said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon son of John, because flesh and blood had not revealed it to you, bur My Father, Who is in Heaven.”

“And I say to you, that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it, and to you I will give the keys of the kingdom of Heaven, and whosoever you shall bind upon the earth, it shall be bound also in Heaven, and whatsoever you shall loosen on earth, it shall also be loosened in Heaven.”

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(Usus Antiquior) Feast of the Holy Apostles, St. Peter and St. Paul (I Classis) – Saturday, 29 June 2024 : Gradual and Alleluia

Liturgical Colour : Red

Psalm 44 : 17-18 and Matthew 16 : 18

Constitues eos principes super omnem terram : memores erunt Nominis Tui, Domine.

Response : Pro patribus suis nati sunt tibi filii : proptera populi confitebuntur tibi.

Alleluja, Alleluja.

Response : Tu es Petrus, et super hanc petram aedificabo Ecclesiam Meam. Alleluja.

English translation

You shall make them princes over all the earth, they shall remember Your Name, o Lord.

Response : Instead of your fathers, sons are born to you, therefore shall people praise You.

Alleluia, Alleluia.

Response : You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My Church. Alleluia.

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(Usus Antiquior) Feast of the Holy Apostles, St. Peter and St. Paul (I Classis) – Saturday, 29 June 2024 : Epistle

Liturgical Colour : Red

Lectio Actuum Apostolorum – Lesson from the Acts of the Apostles

Acts 12 : 1-11

In diebus illis : Misit Herodes rex manus, ut affligeret quosdam de Ecclesia. Occidit autem Jacobum fratrem Joannis gladio. Videns autem, quia placeret Judaeis, apposuit, ut apprehenderet et Petrum. Erant autem dies azymorum. Quem cum apprehendisset, misit in carcerem, tradens quatuor quaternionibus militum custodiendum, volens post Pascha producere eum populo.

Et Petrus quidem servabatur in carcere. Oratio autem fiebat sine intermissione ab Ecclesia ad Deum pro eo. Cum autem producturus eum esset Herodes, in ipsa nocte erat Petrus dormiens inter duos milites, vinctus catenis duabus : et custodes ante ostium custodiebant carcerem.

Et ecce, Angelus Domini astitit : et lumen refulsit in habitaculo : percussoque latere Petri, excitavit eum, dicens : Surge velociter. Et ceciderunt catenae de manibus ejus. Dixit autem Angelus ad eum : Praecingere, et calcea te caligas tuas. Et fecit sic. Et dixit illi : Circumda tibi vestimentum tuum, et sequere me. Et exiens sequebatur eum, et nesciebat quia verum est, quod fiebat per Angelum : existimabat autem se visum videre.

Transeuntes autem primam et secundam custodiam, venerunt ad portam ferream, quae ducit ad civitatem : quae ultro aperta est eis. Et exeuntes processerunt vicum unum : et continuo discessit Angelus ab eo. Et Petrus ad se reversus, dixit : Nunc scio vere, quia misit Dominus Angelum suum, et eripuit me de manu Herodis et de omni exspectatione plebis Judaeorum.

English translation

In those days, Herod the king stretched forth his hands to afflict some of the Church, and he killed James, the brother of John, with the sword, and seeing that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to take up Peter also. Now it was in the days of the Azymes, and when he had apprehended him, he cast him into prison, delivering him to four files of soldiers to be kept, intending after the Passover to bring him forth to the people.

Peter therefore was kept in prison, but prayer was made without ceasing by the Church unto God for him. And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and the keepers before the door kept the prison.

And behold an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the room and he struck Peter on the side, raised him up saying, “Arise quickly!” And the chains fell off from his hands, and the angel said to him, “Gird yourself and put on your sandals,” and he did so, and he said to him, “Cast your garment about you and follow me.” And going out he followed him, and he did not know that it was true and real what was done by the angel, as he thought that he saw a vision.

And passing through the first and the second ward, they came to the iron gate that led to the city, which by itself was opened to them, and going out, they passed on through one street, and immediately the angel departed from him. And Peter coming to himself, said, “Now I know in very deed that the Lord had sent His angel and had delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews.”

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(Usus Antiquior) Feast of the Holy Apostles, St. Peter and St. Paul (I Classis) – Saturday, 29 June 2024 : Introit and Collect

Liturgical Colour : Red

Introit

Acts 12 : 11 and Psalm 138 : 1-2

Nunc scio vere, quia misit Dominus Angelum Suum : et eripuit me de manu Herodis et de omni exspectatione plebis Judaeorum.

Domine; probasti me et cognovisti me : Tu cognovisti sessionem meam et resurrectionem meam.

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

English translation

Now I know in very deed, that the Lord had sent His angel, and had delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews.

Lord, You have proved me, and known me. You have known my sitting down and my rising up.

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, qui hodiernam diem Apostolorum Tuorum Petri et Pauli martyrio consecrasti : da Ecclesiae Tuae, eorum in omnibus sequi praeceptum; per quos religionis sumpsit exordium. Per Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum Filium Tuum, qui Tecum vivit et regnat in unitate Spiritus Sancti Deus, per omnia saecula saeculorum. Amen.

English translation

O God, You Who have consecrated this day to the martyrdom of Your Apostles Peter and Paul, grant to Your Church in all things to follow their teaching from whom it received the right ordering of religion in the beginning. 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, 29 June 2024 : Vigil Mass of the Solemnity of St. Peter and St. Paul, Apostles (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Red

John 21 : 15-19

At that time, after Jesus and His disciples had finished breakfast, He said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these do?” He answered, “Yes, Lord, You know that I love You.” And Jesus said, “Feed My lambs.”

A second time Jesus said to him, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” And Peter answered, “Yes, Lord, You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Look after My sheep.” And a third time He said to him, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?”

Peter was saddened because Jesus asked him a third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said, “Lord, You know everything; You know that I love You.” Jesus then said, “Feed My sheep! Truly, I say to you, when you were young, you put on your belt and walked where you liked. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will put a belt around you, and lead you where you do not wish to go.”

Jesus said this to make known the kind of death by which Peter was to glorify God. And He added, “Follow Me!”

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Saturday, 29 June 2024 : Vigil Mass of the Solemnity of St. Peter and St. Paul, Apostles (Second Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Galatians 1 : 11-20

Let me remind you, brothers and sisters, that the Gospel we preached to you is not a human message, nor did I receive it from anyone, I was not taught of it; but it came to me, as a revelation from Christ Jesus. You have heard of my previous activity in the Jewish community; I furiously persecuted the Church of God and tried to destroy it. For I was more devoted to the Jewish religion than many fellow Jews of my age, and I defended the traditions of my ancestors more fanatically.

But one day, God called me, out of His great love, He, Who had chosen me from my mother’s womb; and he was pleased to reveal, in me, His Son, that I might make Him known among the pagan nations. Then, I did not seek human advice nor did I go up to Jerusalem, to those who were Apostles before me. I immediately went to Arabia, and from there, I returned, again, to Damascus.

Later, after three years, I went up to Jerusalem to meet Cephas, and I stayed with him for fifteen days. But I did not see any other Apostle except James, the Lord’s brother. On writing this to you, I affirm before God that I am not lying.

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Saturday, 29 June 2024 : Vigil Mass of the Solemnity of St. Peter and St. Paul, 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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Saturday, 29 June 2024 : Vigil Mass of the Solemnity of St. Peter and St. Paul, Apostles (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Acts 3 : 1-10

Once when Peter and John were going up to the Temple at three in the afternoon, the hour for prayer, a man crippled from birth was being carried in. Every day they would bring him and put him at the Temple gate called “Beautiful”; there he begged from those who entered the Temple.

When he saw Peter and John on their way into the Temple, he asked for alms. Then Peter with John at his side looked straight at him and said, “Look at us.” So he looked at them, expecting to receive something from them. But Peter said, “I have neither silver nor gold, but what I have I give you : In the Name of Jesus of Nazareth, the Messiah, walk!”

Then he took the beggar by his right hand and helped him up. At once his feet and ankles became firm, and jumping up he stood on his feet and began to walk. And he went with them into the Temple walking and leaping and praising God. All the people saw him walking and praising God; they recognised him as the one who used to sit begging at the Beautiful Gate of the Temple, and they were all astonished and amazed at what had happened to him.

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The Bishop of Rome – Primacy and Synodality in the Ecumenical Dialogues and in the Responses to the Encyclical Ut Unum Sint

http://www.christianunity.va/content/dam/unitacristiani/Collezione_Ut_unum_sint/The_Bishop_of_Rome/The%20Bishop%20of%20Rome.pdf

The new document just released today by the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity titled ‘The Bishop of Rome – Primacy and Synodality in the Ecumenical Dialogues and in the Responses to the Encyclical Ut Unum Sint’

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Wednesday, 29 May 2024 : 8th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of Pope St. Paul VI, Pope (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Popes)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today the Sacred Scriptures presented us with the words of God’s truth and reminders for us to seek not worldly glory and ambitions in the midst of our Christian living and faith in the Lord, that our lives and actions should not be based on our wants and desires for worldly matters and glory, joy and satisfaction, for any attachments of worldly nature, all of which are truly meaningless and immaterial in the end. As Christians, each and every one of us are called to forgo all these kind of ambitions and desires, unhealthy attachments to the temptations of the world all around us. We are reminded to love the Lord our God, in Whom alone is our sole hope and the only source of our true happiness, as the world cannot provide us all with true happiness that last.

In our first reading today, taken from the Epistle of St. Peter, we heard of the words of the Apostle St. Peter, continuing from what we have heard in the past few days of his exhortations to the faithful people of God, as he spoke to them all about the matter of believing in God and His salvation, in everything that He had done for our sake. St. Peter told the faithful that it is not by our gold and silver that we have been saved, or by any worldly means, but rather through the great love and sacrifice which the Lord, our most loving God has shown us, through His Son, Jesus Christ Our Lord and Saviour, Whom He had sent into our midst that we may witness and experience directly the fullness of His love. This was why St. Peter told all the people of God that they must remember how it was through Christ that they had all been saved.

He exhorted all the faithful to achieve an internal purification and realignment with God, so that their whole lives may indeed be orientated and focused towards Him. In this world, there are indeed a lot of temptations and pleasures of the flesh that can easily mislead us down the wrong path towards our downfall and destruction. We must not allow all those from corrupting us and leading us astray from God’s path and righteousness. That is why as Christians we must always strive to keep our focus in the Lord and not on worldly things and matters. Unfortunately, the reality is such that many people are ensnared in their endless desires for material goods and wealth, for the glory of the world and for other worldly attachments that kept us from truly being able to commit ourselves wholly to the Lord.

Then, in our Gospel passage today from the Gospel of St. Mark, we heard of the moment when the two sons of Zebedee, who were both members of the Twelve, the closest inner circle among the Lord’s disciples, namely St. James and St. John, came together with their mother who asked the Lord to give special preference and treatment to her sons. The mother of St. James and St. John asked if the Lord could grant them a seat at His left and right side when He accomplished His mission, which was then commonly interpreted as the reestablishment of the Kingdom of Israel. As such, they were trying to gain favour from the Lord and gain earthly renown, glory and prestige, as to sit at the sides of the King was truly a very honourable position indeed.

This immediately brought about the ire of the other disciples who resented the two disciples’ efforts to climb over all of them. Contextually, the disciples of the Lord had been competing with each other, debating, quarrelling and grumbling among themselves on who was the most important and the most esteemed one among them. The Lord therefore made it clear to all of them that becoming His disciples and followers is not about chasing after worldly glory, pleasures and ambitions. Those who seek worldly glory and honour, ambitions and power are not worthy to be His disciples, as for the Lord, to follow Him means that they must always be focused on the Lord, and be ready even to suffer for the Lord’s sake, even to the point of losing everything, even their lives.

This is why as Christians, again we are all reminded not to allow ourselves to be easily swayed by the temptations of worldly glory, pleasures and ambitions. We must always focus ourselves on the Lord and His truth, and guard ourselves from the excesses of materialistic lifestyle and all the tempting things which the world has always offered us. The evil one and all of his forces are always ready at hand to strike at us, making use of all these temptations and things to turn us away from the Lord and drag us down the path towards our downfall and destruction. We must always strive to do what is good and right according to God’s will.

Today, the Church also celebrates the Feast of Pope St. Paul VI, one of the recent Popes who reigned beginning from the time of the Second Vatican Council about sixty years ago, and the predecessor of the much beloved Pope St. John Paul II. Pope St. Paul VI was born as Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini or more commonly known as Giovanni Battista Montini, into a family of rural nobility at the turn of the nineteenth to the twentieth centuries. He was born in what is today part of northern Italy, and entered the seminary at a young age, ordained as priest and beginning a long career afterwards in the diplomatic service of the Holy See and the Roman Curia. He was known for his great organisational skills and he eventually became an acquaintance and assistant to Cardinal Eugenio Pacelli, who would become Pope Pius XII.

The then Monsignor Montini worked in the Secretariat of State together with Archbishop Domenico Tardini as close confidants of Pope Pius XII during the years of the Second World War and its aftermath. He helped to reply the letters to the Pope from various parts of the world in his capacity as an assistant and secretary, as the Pro-Secretary of State of the Holy See, managing the often difficult diplomatic situations at the time, as well as the problems with refugees and food shortage in Rome and its vicinity. And then, afterwards, after the war, Pope Pius XII eventually appointed Archbishop Montini to be the Archbishop of Milan after the death of the previous Archbishop. As Archbishop of Milan, Archbishop Montini, the future Pope continued to work diligently for the sake of his flock, and he was noted for his closeness to the workers and the less privileged.

When Pope St. John XXIII succeeded Pope Pius XII, he made Archbishop Montini as a Cardinal, and in the later preparations for the Second Vatican Council, Cardinal Montini was often involved in its many preparatory sessions. When Pope St. John XXIII passed away early in the sessions of the Second Vatican Council, Cardinal Montini was the clear favourite to succeed him, and he was indeed elected as Pope in the Year of Our Lord 1963, where he continued the good works of his predecessors, reforming the Church through the successful completion and conclusion of the Second Vatican Council, together with other series of reforms to the pastoral approach and governance of the Church.

Through his many efforts in reaching out to the marginalised and in reforming the approaches of the Church in evangelisation and in the interactions between the Church and the world, Pope St. Paul VI helped to bring the Church to more and more people, proclaiming the faith to more of those who have not yet known the Lord, and at the same time also help the world to understand the Church and the Christian faith, its teachings and all the precepts of the Christian faith more clearly. Pope St. Paul VI continued to work hard and to do lots of wonderful deeds throughout his Pontificate, inspiring many of the faithful even to this day through his good examples and commitment to God. He showed us all how we should live our lives as Christians, ever centred on God and not on the many worldly temptations around us.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore commit ourselves anew to the Lord in the same way, following the good examples of Pope St. Paul VI and the many other great saints, holy men and women of God, in their lives and examples so that our own lives may truly shine forth, proclaiming God’s truth and salvation to more and more people. May all of us continue to do our part in our own respective ways, in our various callings and missions, to do what the Lord had entrusted to us to do, for His greater glory, and not for our own personal ambitions or worldly fame, satisfaction or pleasures. Let us all shun all the worldly ambitions, our ego and pride, and do our best so that our lives may truly be holy and worthy of God, at all times. Amen.