Liturgical Colour : White
Psalm 22 : 1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6
The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside the still waters, He restores my soul. He guides me through the right paths for His Name’s sake.
You spread a table before me in the presence of my foes. You anoint my head with oil; my cup is overflowing.
Goodness and kindness will follow me all the days of my life, I shall dwell in the house of the Lord as long as I live.
Liturgical Colour : White
Ezekiel 34 : 11-12, 15-17
Indeed YHVH says this : I, Myself, will care for My sheep and watch over them. As the shepherd looks after his flock when he finds them scattered, so will I watch over My sheep; and gather them from all the places where they were scattered in a time of cloud and fog.
I, Myself, will tend My sheep and let them rest, word of YHVH. I will search for the lost and lead back the strays. I will bind up the injured and strengthen the weak; but the fat and strong will be eliminated. I will shepherd My flock with justice.
As for you, My flock – says YHVH – I will distinguish between one sheep and another, and set apart rams and goats.
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.
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.”
Liturgical Colour : Green
Psalm 43 : 8-9 and Psalm 129 : 1-2
Liberasti nos, Domine, ex affligentibus nos : et eos, qui nos oderunt, confudisti.
Priest : In Deo laudabimur tota die, et in Nomine Tuo confitebimur in saecula.
Alleluja, Alleluja.
Priest : 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.
Priest : In God we will glory all the day, and in Your Name we will give praise forever.
Alleluia, Alleluia.
Priest : From the depths I have cried to You, o Lord. Lord, hear my prayer. Alleluia.
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.
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.
Priest : 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.
Priest : 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.
Liturgical Colour : Green
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, this Sunday all of us are reminded on this second last Sunday before the end of the current liturgical year, of the need for all of us as Christians to be truly faithful to God and to do what the Lord has taught, shown and commanded us all to do in our lives. All of us as Christians are encouraged and reminded of everything that we should carry out in our current livelihood, in reaching out to our fellow men, brothers and sisters, in caring and loving them, so that by our lives, actions and everything we say and do, we may truly proclaim the Lord in all of His love, truth and wonders to all the whole world. This is what we are all expected to do, brothers and sisters, in living our lives at the moment, in whatever opportunities that we have been given, to be ever more faithful and worthy of God in all things.
In our first reading today, taken from the Book of Proverbs, we heard from the author of this Book, the description of a righteous, virtuous and good woman, who is truly good and just in all of her works, actions and deeds. This description of a virtuous and righteous woman, who is respected and honoured by everyone is actually not just limited to that of a woman, but is a way for the Lord to tell all of us that the same attitude and behaviours are also expected of every one of us, regardless of gender, age or by whatever other parameters we tended to categorise ourselves into. Each and every one of us as Christians are expected to do what is right, virtuous, good and just in the eyes of the Lord, in doing His will and obeying every one of His Law and commandments, which He has revealed, taught and passed down to us.
This is especially important in our world today, where these virtues for either men and women had become diluted and even lost, amidst the many competing ideologies and distractions, from the secular and godless world, where many of us are accustomed to so many kinds of wickedness, evils, temptations and other attitudes that put emphasis on our own selfish wants and desires, and in all the exposure to the various paths and behaviours that directly contradict the Lord and His teachings and truth. We all live in a world where we are accustomed to these kind of thinking, behaviours and attitudes from early on in our lives. That is why we must always remind ourselves that we should not allow these corruptions and wrong ideas to distract and mislead us from the right path that God has shown and taught us.
In our second reading today, we heard from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Thessalonians in which the Apostle spoke about how the Lord’s second coming or parousia will happen at the time when we least expect it, and hence, we have to be always prepared and ready to welcome the Lord when He comes again, with a worthy attitude and life. We must not be complacent or ignorant of what is expected of us as Christians, in how we all should live our lives. That is because every one of us will be held accountable for whatever we have said, done and acted in our lives, and also for whatever it is that we have not done and acted, when we have been given the opportunities and the abilities to do so, in caring for our fellow brothers and sisters all around us, and in living our lives worthily as Christians.
In our Gospel passage today, the same theme appears again as we heard of the parable which the Lord told to His disciples and followers, on the parable of the silver talents. In that parable, we heard of the actions of the three servants to whom their master bestowed each of them with five, two and one silver talents respectively. In that parable, we heard how the ones who were entrusted with five and two silver talents made good use of their silver talents when the master was away, invested them properly and did good with them such that when the master returned, their silver talents had doubled in amount. Meanwhile, the one who had been entrusted with one silver talent hid his silver talent until his master returned, and returned the silver talent to his master as it was.
We heard how the two servants who have done well in investing their silver talents were greatly rewarded by the master, while the servant who was lazy and did nothing to the silver talent was punished. This parable is a classic reminder for all of us that we cannot be idle in living our Christian lives, in doing what we can to follow God and His will, in obeying His Law and commandments to the best of our abilities. Those silver talents, regardless of the amounts, represent the talents, blessings, abilities, opportunities and other things that we have received from God, and which we are therefore expected to make good use of, in each and every one of our actions and deeds, in all of our interactions and dealings with one another. We should always do our part to glorify God by our lives, and to show His love and kindness to everyone, through our own lives and actions.
Therefore, brothers and sisters in Christ, as we have heard from our Scripture passages today, we are all reminded that as Christians, we have to be always prepared for all things, and we must always strive to be exemplary and virtuous in all of our words, actions and deeds, so that we truly become responsible, good and faithful stewards of God’s Creation, and over whatever it is that God has entrusted to us, be it opportunities and talents, abilities and other things in life. We must always strive to do God’s will in all things and at all times because in the end, we shall be asked to account for our lives and how we have lived them. If we have neglected our responsibilities and all that we have been entrusted to do, then we may end up like the lazy servant, who failed to utilise his entrusted silver talent for good use, and we may have to answer for that with condemnation for eternity.
Today, the Church also commemorates the occasion of the World Day of the Poor, instituted by our current reigning Pope, Pope Francis, in reminding us that all of us have responsibilities and obligations to care for one another, especially for the less fortunate among us. We have been given different blessings, opportunities and talents, and for those who have been given more, as the Lord highlighted in that same parable, more would have been expected. Those of us who have been blessed with more good things in life, let us all spare some of these with love, with those who have little or none, those who struggle to make ends meet, and those who have been ostracised, rejected and shunned by the community. The poor are parts of the Church as well, and they are our brothers and sisters, all the same.
Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore strive to live our lives ever more faithfully as Christians, in doing what God has commanded us all to do. Let us all turn towards God with our whole heart and mind, in devoting ourselves as God’s beloved people, His faithful followers and disciples, now and always. Let our lives be truly filled with God’s grace and love, and let us all follow Him from now on with ever greater commitment, dedication and love, in being generous with our love and attention especially for the less fortunate ones around us. May God bless us all and may He empower each and every one of us to live our lives in His path, now and always. Amen.
Liturgical Colour : Green
Matthew 25 : 14-30
At that time, Jesus said to His disciples, “Imagine someone who, before going abroad, summoned his servants to entrust his property to them. He gave five talents of silver to one servant, two talents to another servant, and one talent to a third, to each, according to his ability; and he went away.”
“He who received five talents went at once to do business with the talents, and gained another five. The one who received two talents did the same, and gained another two. But the one who received one talent dug a hole in the ground, and hid his master’s money.”
“After a long time, the master of those servants returned and asked for a reckoning. The one who had received five talents came with another five talents, saying, ‘Lord, you entrusted me with five talents, but see, I have gained five more.’ The master answered, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant, since you have been faithful in a few things, I will entrust you in charge of many things. Come and share the joy of your master.'”
“Then the one who had received two talents came and said, ‘Lord, you entrusted me with two talents; with them I have gained two more.’ The master said, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant, since you have been faithful in little things, I will entrust you in charge of many things. Come and share the joy of your master.'”
“Finally, the one who had received one talent came and said, ‘Master, I know that you are a hard man. You reap what you have not sown, and gather what you have not scattered. I was afraid, so I hid your money in the ground. Here, take what is yours!’ But his master replied, ‘Wicked and worthless servant, you know that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered. You should have deposited my money in the bank, and given it back to me with interest on my return.'”
“Therefore, take the talent from him, and give it to the one who has ten. For to all those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance; but from those who are unproductive, even what they have will be taken from them. As for that useless servant, thrown him out into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
Alternative reading (shorter version)
Matthew 25 : 14-15, 19-21
At that time, Jesus said to His disciples, “Imagine someone who, before going abroad, summoned his servants to entrust his property to them. He gave five talents of silver to one servant, two talents to another servant, and one talent to a third, to each, according to his ability; and he went away.”
“After a long time, the master of those servants returned and asked for a reckoning. The one who had received five talents came with another five talents, saying, ‘Lord, you entrusted me with five talents, but see, I have gained five more.’ The master answered, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant, since you have been faithful in a few things, I will entrust you in charge of many things. Come and share the joy of your master.'”
Liturgical Colour : Green
1 Thessalonians 5 : 1-6
You do not need anyone to write to you about the delay, and the appointed time for these events. You know, that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. When people feel secure, and at peace, the disaster will suddenly come upon them, as the birth pangs of a woman in labour, and they will not escape.
But you, beloved, are not in darkness; so that day will not surprise you like a thief. All of you are citizens of the light and the day; we do not belong to night and darkness. Let us not, therefore, sleep as others do, but remain alert and sober.
petercanisiusmichaeldavidkang 