Saints

by

(Usus Antiquior) Feast of All Saints (Double I Classis) – Friday, 1 November 2024 : Epistle

Liturgical Colour : White

Lectio Libri Apocalypsis Beati Joannis Apostoli – Lesson from the Book of the Apocalypse of Blessed John the Apostle

Apocalypse 7 : 2-12

In diebus illis : Ecce, ego Joannes vidi alterum Angelum ascendentem ab ortu solis, habentem signum Dei vivi : et clamavit voce magna quatuor Angelis, quibus datum est nocere terrae et mari, dicens : Nolite nocere terrae et mari neque arboribus, quoadusque signemus servos Dei nostri in frontibus eorum.

Et audivi numerum signatorum, centum quadraginta quatuor milia signati, ex omni tribu filiorum Israel. Ex tribu Juda duodecim milia signati. Ex tribu Ruben duodecim milia signati. Ex tribu Gad duodecim milia signati. Ex tribu Aser duodecim milia signati.

Ex tribu Nephthali duodecim milia signati. Ex tribu Manasse duodecim milia signati. Ex tribu Simeon duodecim milia signati. Ex tribu Levi duodecim milia signati. Ex tribu Issachar duodecim milia signati. Ex tribu Zabulon duodecim milia signati. Ex tribu Joseph duodecim milia signati. Ex tribu Benjamin duodecim milia signati.

Post haec vidi turbam magnam, quam dinumerare nemo poterat, ex omnibus gentibus et tribubus et populis et linguis : stantes ante Thronum et in conspectu Agni, amicti stolis albis, et palmae in manibus eorum : et clamabant voce magna, dicentes : Salus Deo nostro, qui sedet super thronum, et Agno.

Et omnes Angeli stabant in circuitu Throni et Seniorum et quatuor Animalium : et ceciderunt in conspectu Throni in facies suas et adoraverunt Deum, dicentes : Amen. Benedictio et claritas et sapientia et gratiarum actio, honor et virtus et fortitudo Deo nostro in saecula saeculorum. Amen.

English translation

In those days, behold, I, John, saw another Angel ascending from the rising of the sun, having the sign of the living God. And he cried with a loud voice to the four Angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, saying, “Hurt not the earth, nor the sea, nor the trees, till we sign the servants of our God in their foreheads.”

And I heard the number of those who were signed, a hundred and forty-four thousand were signed out of every tribe of the children of Israel. Of the tribe of Judah were twelve thousand signed. Of the tribe of Ruben twelve thousand signed. Of the tribe of Gad twelve thousand signed. Of the tribe of Asher twelve thousand signed.

Of the tribe of Naphtali twelve thousand signed. Of the tribe of Manasseh twelve thousand signed. Of the tribe of Simeon twelve thousand signed. Of the tribe of Levi twelve thousand signed. Of the tribe of Issachar twelve thousand signed. Of the tribe of Zebulon twelve thousand signed. Of the tribe of Joseph twelve thousand signed. Of the tribe of Benjamin twelve thousand signed.

After this, I saw a great multitude which no man could number, of all nations, and tribes, and peoples, and tongues, standing before the Throne and in the sight of the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands, and they cried with a loud voice saying, “Salvation to our God who sits upon the Throne, and to the Lamb.”

And all the Angels stood round about the Throne, and the Elders, and the four living creatures, and they fell down before the Throne upon their faces, and adored God, saying, “Amen. Benediction, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, honour, and power, and strength to our God forever and ever. Amen.”

by

(Usus Antiquior) Feast of All Saints (Double I Classis) – Friday, 1 November 2024 : Introit and Collect

Liturgical Colour : White

Introit

Tradition of the Faith and Psalm 32 : 1

Gaudeamus omnes in Domino, diem festum celebrantes sub honore Sanctorum omnium : de quorum sollemnitate gaudent Angeli et collaudant Filium Dei.

Exsultate, justi, in Domino : rectos decet collaudatio.

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

English translation

Let us all rejoice in the Lord celebrating a festival day in honour of all the Saints, at whose solemnity the Angels rejoice, and give praise to the Son of God.

Rejoice in the Lord, you who are just; praise is becoming of the upright.

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

Omnipotens sempiterne Deus, qui nos omnium Sanctorum Tuorum merita sub una tribuisti celebritate venerari : quaesumus; ut desideratam nobis Tuae propitiationis abundantiam, multiplicatis intercessoribus, largiaris. Per Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum Filium Tuum, qui Tecum vivit et regnat in unitate Spiritus Sancti Deus, per omnia saecula saeculorum. Amen.

English translation

Almighty and Everlasting God, Who had given us in one feast to venerate the merits of all Your saints, we beseech You through the multitude of intercessors to grant us the desired abundance of Your mercy. 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.

by

Monday, 28 October 2024 : Feast of St. Simon and St. Jude, Apostles (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today the Church celebrates the great Feast of not just one but two of the Lord’s Twelve Holy Apostles, namely that of St. Simon the Apostle and also St. Jude the Apostle. St. Simon the Apostle was also known as Simon the Zealot, and was a member of the radical Zealots who were very much opposed to the Romans and their rule and occupation of the lands of the Jewish people at the time. Meanwhile, St. Jude the Apostle should not be confused with the traitor Judas Iscariot, as he is also known as Judas Thaddeus or Jude Thaddeus. Sometimes this St. Jude the Apostle is also identified by some Church historians and scholars with Jude, one of the relatives of the Lord. Both of these Apostles had extensive work and ministry after the Lord commissioned and sent them during His Resurrection and Ascension into Heaven.

First of all, let us all look through the Scripture passages which we have heard and receive today, reflecting and pondering upon the messages and words that the Lord wants to remind us all as His followers and disciples. In our first reading today, taken from the Epistle of St. Paul the Apostle to the Church and the faithful in Ephesus, we heard of the Apostle telling the faithful there about how they have all been made parts of the Church of God, becoming God’s holy people, having been called and chosen from the world to be truly beloved and holy in Him, and tofo share together the mission that God has entrusted to His Church, because all of them are part of this same one Church of God, as we all are as well. Too us all of us, God has entrusted the same missions which He has entrusted to His Apostles and His Church.

In this Epistle, all of us as the disciples and followers of the Lord, we are all reminded that we are all as parts of the one Church of God have been made to be the Temples and Houses of God’s Holy Presence, as the Lord Himself has come into our midst, dwelling in us and giving us all the gift of His Holy Spirit, and through Him coming into us and dwelling within us, each and every one of us should always remember to keep ourselves truly holy and worthy of God by our actions and deeds, our contributions and efforts that mark as truly as those whom God had called and chosen. If we are idle in living our lives as Christians and if we do not do what we can do in order to follow the Lord and obey His commandments, then how can we be worthy part of the Temple of God, this one Church of God that is His Body?

Then, in our Gospel passage today taken from the Gospel according to St. Luke, we heard of the Lord calling His Apostles, choosing the Twelve of them from among all of His disciples, and which St. Luke introduced each by their names, including that of St. Simon and St. Jude whose feasts we are celebrating today. We heard how the Lord chose them to continue His works and to extend whatever He has been doing in our midst, reaching out to the people of God, healing those who are sick and troubled, proclaiming the Good News of God to those who have not yet heard them, and to prepare the way for the Lord, to reach out to the people and to bring them to God. And through these actions that the Lord Himself had done, He has shown by His own examples, what each and every one of us as Christians should be doing in our own lives.

Linking to what we have heard and discussed earlier today in our first reading from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Ephesians, this is therefore what each and every one of us as Christians need to do in order for us to do what God had entrusted to us to do, to commit ourselves wholeheartedly and to do His will, to show His love, compassion and kindness manifested through our own exemplary lives and actions, by each and every one of our loving actions towards our fellow brothers and sisters around us. All of us as Christians must always practice and show the love of God and embody His Good News and truth in everything that we say and do, in every opportunities and occasions, and that is how we take part in the efforts and works of the Church, which the Apostles had begun and which all of us ought to continue and carry on.

And now, after having discussed and discerned on the readings of the Sacred Scriptures, let us all discuss further about the lives of the two Apostles whose feast we all celebrate today. St. Simon the Apostle as mentioned was a member of the radical Zealots who often attacked and sabotaged the Roman rule in Judea and Galilee, and he was likely part of this efforts and uprisings before he came to know of the Lord and became His follower. After he followed the Lord, it was likely that he was no longer involved in the activities of the Zealots, and gave himself wholly to the service and cause of the Lord, and after the Lord has risen from the dead and ascended into Heaven, he together with the other Apostles, strengthened and empowered by the Holy Spirit, went to proclaim the Lord in many places and regions.

St. Simon the Apostle according to Church history and tradition went to various places all around Judea and Galilee in the Holy Land, as well as further regions like Lebanon and Armenia, Egypt and Ethiopia, as well as traditions that showed that he was also involved in ministry and evangelisation in areas even further like Africa and Britain, where he likely encountered many people who have not yet known the Lord in very distant places, and he brought the seeds of Christian faith to all those people, telling them of the salvation and eternal life that Christ has offered and reassured them with, and which St. Simon himself had heard and witnessed. Eventually, like most of the other Apostles and the early disciples of the Lord, he was persecuted and martyred in Georgia in the Caucasus, during one of his missionary trips.

Meanwhile, St. Jude the Apostle, also known as St. Jude Thaddeus as mentioned, had different stories and legends depending on who he was associated with in history. He was known either as St. Jude of James or son of James in the Gospel of St. Luke today and in the Acts of the Apostles also written by St. Luke, or as the brother or relative of the Lord as mentioned. Nonetheless, regardless of the actual identity of the St. Jude we honour and celebrate today, he went to many regions to proclaim the Lord and His Good News, travelling all throughout the regions of Judea, Samaria and Idumaea around Jerusalem, preaching among the Jews and Gentiles alike, and also further afield in Syria, Mesopotamia and Libya, travelling to those places and bringing the Good News of God to many people.

St. Jude was credited as one of the first missionaries to bring the Christian faith and teachings to the region now known as Armenia, where he revealed the Good News of Christ to many of the people in the region, many centuries before Armenia was to become the first state in the world to adopt Christianity as the official faith. Eventually, like St. Simon the Apostle and the many other Apostles and disciples of his time, St. Jude the Apostle was persecuted and eventually martyred in the region of Beirut in what is today part of Lebanon. According to one tradition, it was also where St. Simon the Apostle was martyred, and why they were usually celebrated together. Regardless, the commitment and dedication that St. Jude the Apostle showed, with that of St. Simon the Apostle should serve as good example and inspiration for all of us to follow in our own life as Christians.should serve as great inspiration for all of us to follow in our own lives as Christians.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, as we all have listened through the life and examples of St. Simon the Apostle and St. Jude the Apostle, their commitments to God and their dedication in proclaiming His Good News and truth, let us all realise that we are all also part of this same Church of God, entrusted with the same mission to do God’s will and to proclaim Him faithfully at all times, in our various groups and communities and among everyone that we have encountered daily in our lives. May all of us continue to exhibit the strong faith, dedication and commitment like what St. Simon and St. Jude, holy Apostles of the Lord have shown us. And may the Lord continue to bless us in our every good and faithful works, endeavours and efforts, all for His greater glory. Amen.

by

Monday, 28 October 2024 : 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.

by

Monday, 28 October 2024 : 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.

by

Monday, 28 October 2024 : 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.

by

Thursday, 24 October 2024 : 29th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Anthony Mary Claret, Bishop (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Bishops)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we all listened to the words of the Lord contained in the Words of the Scriptures, we are all called to keep in mind our faith in the Lord and how our lives all should be focused and centred on Him, and in everything that He has presented to us, in the love and generosity, all the kindness and mercy that He has always shown us, and at the same time we are also reminded of the kind of challenges and obstacles that we may encounter in our path as faithful Christians, because of the opposition that may arise from all those who refuse to listen to the Lord and acknowledge Him, which may lead to friction and conflict in our lives, and yet, we should not give up our faith easily because of all those.

In our first reading today, taken from the continuation of the Epistle of St. Paul to the Church and the faithful in the city and region of Ephesus we have been listening to for much of this week, in which the Apostle kept on reminding the faithful there of the love of God and how all these have been manifested through Christ, His Son, Our Lord and Saviour. God has never given up on us despite everything that we have done in disobeying Him and being stubborn in our attitude and constant refusal to follow His path. God has always been patient in reaching out to us and in attempting to help us, guiding us so that we may find the right path towards Him. And through His Son, He has shown us all the sure path to eternal life, by His perfect obedience to His Father’s will and by His love for us.

St. Paul reminded all of the faithful that through the ever enduring and patient love that God has always had for each and every one of us, we have been truly fortunate to receive the great grace of His love and blessings, His strength and power through the gift of the Holy Spirit that He has bestowed upon us, the gift of life and all the opportunities and other wonderful things and opportunities that we have been given. Therefore, it is important that each and every one of us, as God’s holy and beloved people, we must be truly appreciative of this fact, and be grateful for all of those things we have received, and then strive to be good and worthy of God, to be truly faithful as Christians, to be full of love both for God and for our fellow brothers and sisters around us, as we all should be.

Then, in our Gospel passage from the Gospel according to St. Luke, we heard the Lord speaking to His disciples telling them all that His coming into this world would bring about divisions, strifes and conflicts, disagreements and conflicts within their families, relatives and circles of friends, and how they would have to contend with these divisions, challenges and trials, which were likely contrary to what those disciples had been expecting. As at that time, many of the Jewish people were expecting the coming of the Messiah or the Saviour, the Son of David, Who was prophesied to be the One to deliver them from their troubles and enemies, and many among the people had likely expected Him to come to reestablish the great Kingdom of Israel.

Thus, it must have been a surprise for many among the Lord’s disciples to hear Him saying all that, as they must have expected Him to be that great, conquering King, Who would lead them all in the victory and triumph against the Romans, and then ushering an era of peace and harmony for everyone. But the Lord was speaking the truth and He gave them all a premonition of things to come. The reality is that many in the world were not welcoming of what the Lord Himself has come into this world to deliver to us, His truth and Good News. Many of them had hardened their hearts and minds against the Lord, and resisted Him, and their opposition would translate into all these hardships, conflicts, strife and all the trials facing those who follow the Lord and His teachings.

But this should not then discourage us from following the Lord ever more faithfully, as we are all aware of these trials, tribulations, challenges and difficulties that we may have to face, and we must remain focused on the Lord and His love, and keeping in mind that God’s love for us will make all things possible for us. We must never be afraid and hesitant to commit ourselves more to the Lord, despite the opposition, disagreements and challenges we may have to face, even from all those who are close and dear to us. History has shown how many of our holy predecessors had faced opposition, challenges, and even persecution from their own family members and friends, but they remained firmly in faith to the Lord. And most importantly, we must always remember not to retaliate or hate those who persecute us.

On the contrary, just as the Lord Himself has told us, we should pray for those who hated and persecuted us, and forgive them, and the Lord Himself has done so as well. After all, has He not forgiven us all many times, all of us who have often tested His patience and continued to disobey and disregard His love and compassion? He forgave those who persecuted them from His Cross, prayed for them and shed His Most Precious Blood, and broke His Most Precious Body for all of them as well. If God Himself has shown His love and forgiveness in that way, then we too, as Christians, should follow in His footsteps and examples, and be the good examples of love and forgiveness, compassion and kindness in the midst of our communities, amidst our family, relatives and friends, at all times.

Today, the Church celebrates the Feast of St. Anthony Mary Claret, the Founder of the congregation of the Missionary Sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, also known commonly as Claretians as homage to their founder. This great and holy man of God was a dedicated servant of the Lord who devoted his life for the good of many of the faithful entrusted under his care in his various capacities and responsibilities throughout his life, spending a lot of time and effort to reach out to many people especially those who were marginalised and less fortunate, showing God’s love and care for them. He was born in Spain, and grew in a large family of weavers, and after a career as weaver and programmer, he eventually felt the call to religious life and becoming a priest after a period of preparation, being sent as a missionary to many places.

He went from place to place, carrying out his mission faithfully and with great patience and love for those whom he had ministered to, and many came to listen to his preachings and works, touching the hearts of countless people throughout his missions. After establishing the Claretians, God would call him into an even greater mission with the responsibility of being the Metropolitan Archbishop of Santiago de Cuba in what was then Spanish colony of Cuba in the Americas, where he was involved in a thorough reform of the Archdiocese, its seminaries and institutions, strengthening the discipline and spirituality among the clergy and the faithful alike, and through his works and ministry, which according to eyewitnesses and evidence, involved even miraculous occasions, St. Anthony Mary Claret inspired so many people to come closer to God.

Throughout his later missions and works, when he returned to Spain as the confessor to the Queen of Spain, Queen Isabella II, and his many other works and ministry, St. Anthony Mary Claret continued to inspire many people, and touched the lives of many as he continued to minister faithfully to them and to bring more and more people closer to God. His inspiration and examples, his dedication to God which he carried on until the end of his life should inspire us all as well, in how we should live our lives faithfully and with faith, so that our own lives and examples may truly be good and worthy of those whom God had called and chosen, to be called as Christians, as God’s holy and beloved people.

Therefore, brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all hence let us all continue to centre and focus our lives on the Lord, and let us continue to do our best so that our whole lives may truly proclaim the Lord, His truth and love, His Good News and truth, by our every actions, just as St. Anthony Mary Claret and our many other holy predecessors had done. May the Lord continue to strengthen our faith and love for Him, and help us to persevere through the many challenges and trials, obstacles and persecutions that we may have to face in the midst of our faithful journey towards Him. May God bless us always, now and forevermore. Amen.

by

Thursday, 24 October 2024 : 29th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Anthony Mary Claret, Bishop (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Bishops)

Luke 12 : 49-53

At that time, Jesus said to the people, “I have come to bring fire upon the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! But I have a baptism to undergo, and what anguish I feel until it is finished! Do you think that I have come to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. From now on, in one house five will be divided : three against two, and two against three.”

“They will be divided, father against son and son against father; mother against daughter and daughter against mother; mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law, and daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.”

by

Thursday, 24 October 2024 : 29th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Anthony Mary Claret, Bishop (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Bishops)

Psalm 32 : 1-2, 4-5, 11-12, 18-19

Rejoice in the Lord, you who are just, praise is fitting for the upright. Give thanks to Him on the harp and lyre, making melody and chanting praises.

For upright is the Lord’s word and worthy of trust is His work. The Lord loves justice and righteousness; the earth is full of His kindness.

But His plan stands forever, and His heart’s design, through all generations. Blessed is the nation whose God is YHVH – the people He has chosen for His inheritance.

But the Lord’s eyes are upon those who fear Him, upon those who trust in His loving-kindness to deliver them from death and preserve them from famine.

by

Thursday, 24 October 2024 : 29th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Anthony Mary Claret, Bishop (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Bishops)

Ephesians 3 : 14-21

And, now, I kneel in the presence of the Father, from Whom, every family in heaven and on earth has received its name. May He strengthen in you, the inner self, through His Spirit, according to the riches of His glory; may Christ dwell in your hearts, through faith; may you be rooted and founded in love.

All of this, so that you may understand, with all the holy ones, the width, the length, the height and the depth – in a word, that you may know the love of Christ, that surpasses all knowledge, that you may be filled, and reach the fullness of God.

Glory to God, Who shows His power in us, and can do much more than we could ask or imagine; glory to Him, in the Church, and in Christ Jesus, through all generations, forever and ever. Amen.