Sunday

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Sunday, 2 March 2025 : Eighth Sunday of Ordinary Time (Second Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

1 Corinthians 15 : 54-58

When our perishable being puts on imperishable life, when our mortal being puts on immortality, the word of Scripture will be fulfilled : Death has been swallowed up by victory. Death, where is your victory? Death, where is your sting?

Sin is the sting of death, to kill, and the Law is what gives force to sin. But give thanks to God, Who gives us the victory, through Christ Jesus, our Lord. So then, my dear brothers and sisters, be steadfast, and do not be moved. Improve constantly, in the work of the Lord, knowing that, with Him, your labour is not without fruit.

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Sunday, 2 March 2025 : Eighth 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, 2 March 2025 : Eighth Sunday of Ordinary Time (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Sirach 27 : 4-7

When a sieve is shaken the dirt falls through; so, too, the defects of a man are seen when he begins to speak. The kiln tests the potter’s handiwork; a man is tested by his conversation.

A well-tended tree is shown by its fruits, so a man’s feelings can be detected in what he says. Praise no one before he has spoken, since this is the acid test.

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(Usus Antiquior) Quinquagesima Sunday (II Classis) – Sunday, 2 March 2025 : Offertory, Secret Prayer of the Priest, Communion and Post-Communion Prayer

Liturgical Colour : Violet

Offertory

Psalm 118 : 12-13

Benedictus es, Domine, doce me justificationes Tuas : in labiis meis pronuntiavi omnia judicia oris Tui.

English translation

Blessed are You, o Lord. Teach me Your justifications. With my lips I have pronounced all the judgments of Your mouth.

Secret Prayer of the Priest

Haec hostia, Domine, quaesumus, emundet nostra delicta : et, ad sacrificium celebrandum, subditorum Tibi corpora mentesque sanctificet. 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 this offering, we beseech You, o Lord, cleanse away our sins, sanctify us in soul and body, and fit us, Your servants, for the celebration of the sacrifice. 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 77 : 29-30

Manducaverunt, et saturari sunt nimis, et desiderium eorum attulit eis Dominus : non sunt fraudati a desiderio suo.

English translation

They did eat, and were filled exceedingly, and the Lord gave them their desire. They were not defrauded of that which they craved.

Post-Communion Prayer

Quaesumus, omnipotens Deus : ut, qui caelestia alimenta percepimus, per haec contra omnia adversa muniamur. Per Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum Filium Tuum, qui Tecum vivit et regnat in unitate Spiritus Sancti Deus, per omnia saecula saeculorum. Amen.

English translation

We beseech You, o Almighty God, that we who have partaken of heavenly nourishment, may be fortified by it against all adversities. 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) Quinquagesima Sunday (II Classis) – Sunday, 2 March 2025 : Holy Gospel

Liturgical Colour : Violet

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

Luke 18 : 31-43

In illo tempore : Assumpsit Jesus duodecim, et ait illis : Ecce, ascendimus Jerosolymam, et consummabuntur omnia, quae scripta sunt per Prophetas de Filio Hominis. Tradetur enim Gentibus, et illudetur, et flagellabitur, et conspuetur : et postquam flagellaverint, occident eum, et tertia die resurget.

Et ipsi nihil horum intellexerunt, et erat verbum istud absconditum ab eis, et non intellegebant quae dicebantur. Factum est autem, cum appropinquaret Jericho, caecus quidam sedebat secus viam, mendicans. Et cum audiret turbam praetereuntem, interrogabat, quid hoc esset. Dixerunt autem ei, quod Jesus Nazarenus transiret.

Et clamavit, dicens : Jesu, Fili David, miserere mei. Et qui praeibant, increpabant eum, ut taceret. Ipse vero multo magis clamabat : Fili David, miserere mei. Stans autem Jesus, jussit illum adduci ad se. Et cum appropinquasset, interrogavit illum, dicens : Quid tibi vis faciam?

At ille dixit : Domine, ut videam. Et Jesus dixit illi : Respice, fides tua te salvum fecit. Et confestim vidit, et sequebatur illum, magnificans Deum. Et omnis plebs ut vidit, dedit laudem Deo.

English translation

At that time, Jesus took unto Him the Twelve, and said to them, “Behold we go up to Jerusalem, and all things shall be accomplished which were written by the prophets concerning the Son of Man. For He shall be delivered to the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, scourged, and spat upon, and after they have scourged Him, they will put Him to death, and on the third day He shall rise again.”

And they understood none of these things, and this word was hidden from them, and they did not understand the things that were said. Now it came to pass, when He drew nigh to Jericho, that a certain blind man sat by the wayside, begging. And when he heard the multitude passing by, he asked what this meant. And they told him that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by.

And he cried out, saying, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” And they who went before, rebuked him, that he should hold his peace. But he cried out much more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” And Jesus standing, commanded him to be brought to Him, and when he came near, He asked him saying, “What will you want that I do to you?”

But he said, “Lord, that I may see.” And Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight. Your faith had made you whole.” And immediately, he could see, and followed Him, glorifying God, and all the people when they saw it, gave praise to God.

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(Usus Antiquior) Quinquagesima Sunday (II Classis) – Sunday, 2 March 2025 : Gradual and Tract

Liturgical Colour : Violet

Gradual

Psalm 76 : 15, 16

Tu es Deus qui facis mirabilia solus : notam fecisti in gentibus virtutem Tuam.

Response : Liberasti in bracchio Tuo populum Tuum, filios Israel et Joseph.

English translation

You are the God Who alone does wonders. You have made Your power known among the nations.

Response : With Your arm You have redeemed Your people, the children of Israel and of Joseph.

Tract

Psalm 99 : 1-2

Jubilate Deo, omnis terra : servite Domino in laetitia.

Response : Intrate in conspectu Ejus in exsultatione : scitote, quod Dominus ipse est Deus.

Response : Ipse fecit nos, et non ipsi nos : nos autem populus Ejus, et oves pascuae Ejus.

English translation

Sing joyfully to God all the earth. Serve all of you the Lord with gladness.

Response : Come in before His presence with exceeding great joy. Know all of you that the Lord, He is God.

Response : He made us, and not we ourselves, but we are His people, and the sheep of His pasture.

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(Usus Antiquior) Quinquagesima Sunday (II Classis) – Sunday, 2 March 2025 : Epistle

Liturgical Colour : Violet

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

1 Corinthians 13 : 1-13

Fratres : Si linguis hominum loquar et Angelorum, caritatem autem non habeam, factus sum velut aes sonans aut cymbalum tinniens. Et si habuero prophetiam, et noverim mysteria omnia et omnem scientiam : et si habuero omnem fidem, ita ut montes transferam, caritatem autem non habuero, nihil sum.

Et si distribuero in cibos pauperum omnes facultates meas, et si tradidero corpus meum, ita ut ardeam, caritatem autem non habuero, nihil mihi prodest. Caritas patiens est, benigna est : caritas non aemulatur, non agit perperam, non inflatur, non est ambitiosa, non quaerit quae sua sunt, non irritatur, non cogitat malum, non gaudet super iniquitate, congaudet autem veritati : omnia suffert, omnia credit, omnia sperat, omnia sustinet.

Caritas numquam excidit : sive prophetiae evacuabuntur, sive linguae cessabunt, sive scientia destruetur. Ex parte enim cognoscimus, et ex parte prophetamus. Cum autem venerit quod perfectum est, evacuabitur quod ex parte est. Cum essem parvulus, loquebar ut parvulus, sapiebam ut parvulus, cogitabam ut parvulus. Quando autem factus sum vir, evacuavi quae erant parvuli.

Videmus nunc per speculum in aenigmate : tunc autem facie ad faciem. Nunc cognosco ex parte : tunc autem cognoscam, sicut et cognitus sum. Nunc autem manent fides, spes, caritas, tria haec : major autem horum est caritas.

English translation

Brethren, if I speak with the tongues of men, and of Angels, and does not have charity, I become like a sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal. And if I should have prophecy, and know all mysteries, and all knowledge, and if I should have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and does not have charity, I am nothing.

And if I should distribute all my goods to feed the poor, and if I should deliver my body to be burnt, and does not have charity, it does not profit me anything.

Charity is patient, is kind, charity does not envy, it does not deal perversely, it is not puffed up, it is not ambitious, it does not seek her own, it is not provoked to anger, it does not think any evil, it does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoiced in the truth, bears all things, believes in all things, hopes in all things, and endures all things.

Charity never falls away, whether prophecies shall be made void, or tongues shall cease or knowledge shall be destroyed. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect has come, that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child. But when I became a man, I put away the things of a child.

We see now through a glass in a dark manner, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know even as I am known. And now there remain faith, hope and charity. These three, but the greatest of these is charity.

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(Usus Antiquior) Quinquagesima Sunday (II Classis) – Sunday, 2 March 2025 : Introit and Collect

Liturgical Colour : Violet

Introit

Psalm 30 : 3-4 and 2

Esto mihi in Deum protectorem, et in locum refugii, ut salvum me facias : quoniam firmamentum meum et refugium meum es Tu : et propter Nomen Tuum dux mihi eris, et enutries me.

In Te, Domine, speravi, non confundar in aeternum : in justitia Tua libera me et eripe me.

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

English translation

Be You, unto me a God, a Protector, and a place of refuge, to save me. For You are my strength, and my refuge, and for Your Name’s sake You will be my Leader and will nourish me.

In You, o Lord, have I hoped, let me never be confounded. Deliver me in Your justice, and set me free.

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

Preces nostras, quaesumus, Domine, clementer exaudi : atque, a peccatorum vinculis absolutos, ab omni nos adversitate custodi. Per Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum Filium Tuum, qui Tecum vivit et regnat in unitate Spiritus Sancti Deus, per omnia saecula saeculorum. Amen.

English translation

Of Your clemency hearken to our prayers, o Lord, loosen us from the bonds of sin, and keep us from all adversity. 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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Sunday, 23 February 2025 : Seventh Sunday of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, this Sunday all of us are reminded of the need for all of us to embody in ourselves the most important virtue of love, one that denotes our Christian identity, because God Himself is Love, and as His people and children, it is imperative therefore that we have love in us, love that is truly genuine, generous and overflowing, just as God’s Love has always been shown towards us, without cease and without prejudice. God Himself has also shown us His love manifested perfectly in the flesh, in the person of Jesus Christ, His only Begotten Son, Our Lord and Saviour. Through Him and everything that we have heard in our Scripture passages this Sunday, we are all reminded to be generous in our love, first of all for the Lord, and then for our fellow brothers and sisters around us.

In our first reading this Sunday, we heard from the First Book of the prophet Samuel in which the moment when David, the chosen King of Israel, who was on the run from the efforts of Saul, his predecessor as King of Israel, had a great and perfect chance to destroy the latter and seize the kingship for himself. As we heard in that passage, David and Abishai, his commander encountered Saul and his entourage in his camp in deep sleep, and David could indeed have struck Saul down there and then, and then easily seize the kingship over all of Israel which God had promised to him as the chosen new King to replace Saul. But David refused to do such a thing, and he resisted the temptations and the pressure from his commander Abishai, who encouraged him to strike Saul down. David showed mercy and love towards Saul, and let him to go unharmed, and told Saul that he would not strike at him, even when Saul had repeatedly sought his death.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, this example of love which King David showed to all of us is one of selfless love and love that endures even through difficulties, challenges and temptations. David chose to love even his enemies, those who have made his life difficult, persecuting him and chasing him away from the comfort of his life in Israel, where he had to wander off in the wilderness as an outlaw with his supporters. And yet, David remained full of love, compassion and mercy to those who have wronged him and attacked him. And this is the exact same kind of love that Christ Himself has also shown us, which He alluded in our Gospel passage this Sunday, as He spoke of how all of us as Christians ought to show love to everyone and not just to those who have loved us back. Our love should be truly unconditional and generous, and be shown to everyone we encounter in our lives.

This is of course much easier said than done, and it is indeed difficult for us to love those who have made our lives difficult, those who despised us and hated us. But if we do not show the first step to love them, and grew to hate and despise them instead, then there will be no end to this cycle of hatred and evil, as our hatred will only lead to even more hatred and negativities, which then lead to even more hatred and so on. As Christians, we are all challenged to be loving, compassionate and caring even to those who ignored us, those who refused our love and hated us, those who considered us to be their enemies and those who did not see eye to eye with us. As the Lord Himself had said, that if we only love those who love us back, then what difference that would make us as compared to those unbelievers, and even those who are evil and wicked in their ways, as they also do the same as well in their own lives.

Instead, as Christians, we are all challenged to show selfless and universal love, to everyone around us without any exception, much as the Lord Himself had done in His own life and ministry. Christ Himself has shown love and mercy to all, forgiving those who have rejected and hurt Him, those who have persecuted and oppressed Him. Despite having been betrayed and rejected by the very people to whom He had been sent to save, He still carried the Cross willingly for their sake, and when He suffered and died on that same Cross at Calvary, He died to save everyone, including those who have wronged Him and punished Him. He did not mean for His salvation to be kept only for those who are on His side or those who have favoured Him back, but to everyone, especially the last, the lost and the least, and this included those who have made Him to suffer as well.

And through this most loving and selfless sacrifice, our Lord has become the perfect offering for the atonement of our sins, and just as St. Paul in our second reading this Sunday, from the Epistle that he wrote to the Church and the faithful in Corinth, Christ has become the New Adam that negated the old sins of the old Adam, the disobedience and sins that have corrupted our human nature and existence. By His own perfect obedience and perfect love, the most generous, selfless and exemplary love that He has shown especially through His sacrifice and offering on the Cross, by bearing all of our sins and their consequences upon Himself, shouldering the burden and punishments that should have been ours to suffer, so that by His suffering and death all of us may be assured of the eternal life and salvation that God has promised to us from the very beginning.

The devil wants us to hate one another and to be angry at our fellow brethren, because if we are divided amongst ourselves due to this, it will be easy for him to strike at us and to drag us down into the path towards damnation. He does not want us to be filled with love, because love will lead us away from this path of darkness, and instead, the evil one is always ever busy in trying to tempt us with all sorts of temptations of the world, with the greed, ego and pride, all of which are the very reasons why we tend to be angry and be at conflict with each other, due to our conflicting wants and desires, and if we do not manage this carefully, we may end up losing our struggle against evil and sin, and fall into the path towards damnation and destruction, away from God, His love and salvation.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore be good and loving Christians at all times, to be filled with great love and kindness, compassion and mercy towards our fellow brothers and sisters, much as the Lord Himself, King David and many others among our holy predecessors, the holy saints and martyrs had done in their own lives and examples. We too should be truly filled with love in all things, and be generous in sharing our blessings with each other. We should strive to love everyone around us, all whom we encounter in life in each and every moments so that truly by our love and examples, more will come to know the Lord, and also know that we are indeed Christians, by our deeds and actions filled with this same love that God has shown us all. Let us all as His beloved people, continue to love most generously, showing one another how we can be better disciples and followers of God, Who is Love.

May the Lord, our most loving God and Creator, our most loving and generous Father and Lord, continue to bless us all and remain with us, guiding us in our every journey and in our every steps. May He continue to empower and support us all so that we may be ever stronger in our faith in Him and that we will grow ever more worthy in our lives and actions, to be His holy and beloved people, to be those whom He has called and chosen to be His own. May God be with us always, and may He bless our every good efforts, works and endeavours, and fill them with His most wonderful love, now and forevermore. Amen.

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Sunday, 23 February 2025 : Seventh Sunday of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, this Sunday all of us are reminded of the need for all of us to embody in ourselves the most important virtue of love, one that denotes our Christian identity, because God Himself is Love, and as His people and children, it is imperative therefore that we have love in us, love that is truly genuine, generous and overflowing, just as God’s Love has always been shown towards us, without cease and without prejudice. God Himself has also shown us His love manifested perfectly in the flesh, in the person of Jesus Christ, His only Begotten Son, Our Lord and Saviour. Through Him and everything that we have heard in our Scripture passages this Sunday, we are all reminded to be generous in our love, first of all for the Lord, and then for our fellow brothers and sisters around us.

In our first reading this Sunday, we heard from the First Book of the prophet Samuel in which the moment when David, the chosen King of Israel, who was on the run from the efforts of Saul, his predecessor as King of Israel, had a great and perfect chance to destroy the latter and seize the kingship for himself. As we heard in that passage, David and Abishai, his commander encountered Saul and his entourage in his camp in deep sleep, and David could indeed have struck Saul down there and then, and then easily seize the kingship over all of Israel which God had promised to him as the chosen new King to replace Saul. But David refused to do such a thing, and he resisted the temptations and the pressure from his commander Abishai, who encouraged him to strike Saul down. David showed mercy and love towards Saul, and let him to go unharmed, and told Saul that he would not strike at him, even when Saul had repeatedly sought his death.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, this example of love which King David showed to all of us is one of selfless love and love that endures even through difficulties, challenges and temptations. David chose to love even his enemies, those who have made his life difficult, persecuting him and chasing him away from the comfort of his life in Israel, where he had to wander off in the wilderness as an outlaw with his supporters. And yet, David remained full of love, compassion and mercy to those who have wronged him and attacked him. And this is the exact same kind of love that Christ Himself has also shown us, which He alluded in our Gospel passage this Sunday, as He spoke of how all of us as Christians ought to show love to everyone and not just to those who have loved us back. Our love should be truly unconditional and generous, and be shown to everyone we encounter in our lives.

This is of course much easier said than done, and it is indeed difficult for us to love those who have made our lives difficult, those who despised us and hated us. But if we do not show the first step to love them, and grew to hate and despise them instead, then there will be no end to this cycle of hatred and evil, as our hatred will only lead to even more hatred and negativities, which then lead to even more hatred and so on. As Christians, we are all challenged to be loving, compassionate and caring even to those who ignored us, those who refused our love and hated us, those who considered us to be their enemies and those who did not see eye to eye with us. As the Lord Himself had said, that if we only love those who love us back, then what difference that would make us as compared to those unbelievers, and even those who are evil and wicked in their ways, as they also do the same as well in their own lives.

Instead, as Christians, we are all challenged to show selfless and universal love, to everyone around us without any exception, much as the Lord Himself had done in His own life and ministry. Christ Himself has shown love and mercy to all, forgiving those who have rejected and hurt Him, those who have persecuted and oppressed Him. Despite having been betrayed and rejected by the very people to whom He had been sent to save, He still carried the Cross willingly for their sake, and when He suffered and died on that same Cross at Calvary, He died to save everyone, including those who have wronged Him and punished Him. He did not mean for His salvation to be kept only for those who are on His side or those who have favoured Him back, but to everyone, especially the last, the lost and the least, and this included those who have made Him to suffer as well.

And through this most loving and selfless sacrifice, our Lord has become the perfect offering for the atonement of our sins, and just as St. Paul in our second reading this Sunday, from the Epistle that he wrote to the Church and the faithful in Corinth, Christ has become the New Adam that negated the old sins of the old Adam, the disobedience and sins that have corrupted our human nature and existence. By His own perfect obedience and perfect love, the most generous, selfless and exemplary love that He has shown especially through His sacrifice and offering on the Cross, by bearing all of our sins and their consequences upon Himself, shouldering the burden and punishments that should have been ours to suffer, so that by His suffering and death all of us may be assured of the eternal life and salvation that God has promised to us from the very beginning.

The devil wants us to hate one another and to be angry at our fellow brethren, because if we are divided amongst ourselves due to this, it will be easy for him to strike at us and to drag us down into the path towards damnation. He does not want us to be filled with love, because love will lead us away from this path of darkness, and instead, the evil one is always ever busy in trying to tempt us with all sorts of temptations of the world, with the greed, ego and pride, all of which are the very reasons why we tend to be angry and be at conflict with each other, due to our conflicting wants and desires, and if we do not manage this carefully, we may end up losing our struggle against evil and sin, and fall into the path towards damnation and destruction, away from God, His love and salvation.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore be good and loving Christians at all times, to be filled with great love and kindness, compassion and mercy towards our fellow brothers and sisters, much as the Lord Himself, King David and many others among our holy predecessors, the holy saints and martyrs had done in their own lives and examples. We too should be truly filled with love in all things, and be generous in sharing our blessings with each other. We should strive to love everyone around us, all whom we encounter in life in each and every moments so that truly by our love and examples, more will come to know the Lord, and also know that we are indeed Christians, by our deeds and actions filled with this same love that God has shown us all. Let us all as His beloved people, continue to love most generously, showing one another how we can be better disciples and followers of God, Who is Love.

May the Lord, our most loving God and Creator, our most loving and generous Father and Lord, continue to bless us all and remain with us, guiding us in our every journey and in our every steps. May He continue to empower and support us all so that we may be ever stronger in our faith in Him and that we will grow ever more worthy in our lives and actions, to be His holy and beloved people, to be those whom He has called and chosen to be His own. May God be with us always, and may He bless our every good efforts, works and endeavours, and fill them with His most wonderful love, now and forevermore. Amen.