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Sunday, 20 January 2019 : Second Sunday of Ordinary Time, Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Isaiah 62 : 1-5

For Zion’s sake I will not hold My peace, for Jerusalem I will not keep silent, until her holiness shines like the dawn and her salvation flames like a burning torch. The nations will see your holiness and all the kings your glory. You will be called by a new name which the mouth of YHVH will reveal.

You will be a crown of glory in the hand of YHVH, a royal diadem in the hand of your God. No longer will you be named Forsaken; no longer will your land be called Abandoned; but you will be called My Delight and your land Espoused. For YHVH delights in you and will make your land His spouse.

As a young man marries a virgin, so will your Builder marry you; and as a bridegroom rejoices in his bride, so will your God rejoice in you.

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(Usus Antiquior) Second Sunday after Epiphany (II Classis) – Sunday, 20 January 2019 : Offertory, Secret Prayer of the Priest, Communion and Post-Communion Prayer

Liturgical Colour : White

Offertory

Psalm 65 : 1-2, 16

Jubilate Deo, universa terra : psalmum dicite Nomini Ejus : venite et audite, et narrabo vobis, omnes qui timetis Deum, quanta fecit Dominus animae meae, Alleluja.

 

English translation

Shout with joy to God, all the earth, sing all of you a psalm to His Name. Come and hear, and I will tell you, all who fear God, what great things the Lord had done for my soul. Alleluia.

 

Secret Prayer of the Priest

Oblata, Domine, munera sanctifica : nosque a peccatorum nostrorum maculis emunda. Per Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum Filium Tuum, qui Tecum vivit et regnat in unitate Spiritus Sancti Deus, per omnia saecula saeculorum. Amen.

 

English translation

Sanctify, o Lord, the gifts we offer, and purify us from the stains of our sins. 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

John 2 : 7, 8, 9, 10-11

Dicit Dominus : Implete hydrias aqua et ferte architriclino. Cum gustasset architriclinus aquam vinum factam, dicit sponso : Servasti bonum vinum usque adhuc. Hoc signum fecit Jesus primum coram discipulis Suis.

 

English translation

The Lord said, “Fill the waterpots with water, and carry to the chief steward of the feast.” When the chief steward had tasted the water made wine, he said to the bridegroom, “You have kept the good wine until now.” This first miracle Jesus had done before His disciples.

 

Post-Communion Prayer

Augeatur in nobis, quaesumus, Domine, Tuae virtutis operatio : ut divinis vegetati sacramentis, ad eorum promissa capienda, Tuo munere praeparemur. Per Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum Filium Tuum, qui Tecum vivit et regnat in unitate Spiritus Sancti Deus, per omnia saecula saeculorum. Amen.

 

English translation

May the working of Your power, we beg You, o Lord, be increased in us, that, being nourished by divine sacraments, we may by Your grace be prepared to obtain that which they promise. 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) Second Sunday after Epiphany (II Classis) – Sunday, 20 January 2019 : Holy Gospel

Liturgical Colour : White

Sequentia Sancti Evangelii secundum Joannem – Continuation of the Holy Gospel according to St. John

John 2 : 1-11

In illo tempore : Nuptiae factae sunt in Cana Galilaeae : et erat Mater Jesu ini. Vocatus est autem et Jesus, et discipuli Ejus ad nuptias. Et deficiente vino, dicit Mater Jesu ad eum : Vinum non habent.

Et dicit ei Jesus : Quid mihi et Tibi est, mulier? Nondum venit hora Mea. Dicit Mater Ejus ministris : Quodcumque dixerit vobis, facite. Erant autem ibi lapidae hydriae sex positae secundum purificationem Judaeorum, capientes singulae metretas binas vel ternas.

Dicit eis Jesus : Implete hydrias aqua. Et impleverunt eas usque ad summum. Et dicit eis Jesus : Haurite nunc, et ferte architriclino. Et tulerunt. Ut autem gustavit architriclinus aquam vinum favtam, et non sciebat unde esset, ministri autem sciebant, qui hauserant aquam : vocat sponsum architriclinus, et dicit ei : Omnis homo primum bonum vinum ponit : et cum inebriati fuerint, tunc id, quod deterius est. Tu autem servasti bonum vinum usque adhuc.

Hoc fecit initium signorum Jesus in Cana Galilaeae : et manifestavit gloriam suam, et crediderunt in eum discipuli Ejus.

 

English translation

At that time, there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. And Jesus was also invited, and His disciples as well, to the marriage. And the wine failing, the mother of Jesus said to Him, “They have no wine.”

And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what is it to Me and to you? My hour has not yet come.” His mother said to the waiters, “Whatsoever He shall say to you, all of you do it.” Now there were set there six waterpots of stone, according to the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three measures apiece.

Jesus said to them, “Fill the waterpots with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. And Jesus said to them, “Draw out now, and carry to the chief steward of the feast.” And they carried it. And when the chief steward had tasted the water made wine, and knew not whence it was, but the waiters knew who had drawn the water. The chief steward called the bridegroom, and said to him, “Every man at first set forth good wine, and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse. But you have kept the good wine until now.”

This is the beginning of miracles that Jesus had done in Cana of Galilee, and He manifested His glory, and His disciples believed in Him.

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(Usus Antiquior) Second Sunday after Epiphany (II Classis) – Sunday, 20 January 2019 : Gradual and Alleluia

Liturgical Colour : White

Psalm 106 : 20-21 and Psalm 148 : 2

Misit Dominus verbum suum, et sanavit eos : et eripuit eos de interitu eorum.

Response : Confiteantur Domino misericordiae Ejus : et mirabilia Ejus filiis hominum.

Alleluja, Alleluja.

Response : Laudate Dominum, omnes Angeli Ejus : laudate eum, omnes virtutes Ejus. Alleluja.

 

English translation

The Lord sent His word, and healed them, and delivered them out of their distresses.

Response : Let the mercies of the Lord give glory to Him, and His wonderful works to the children of men.

Alleluia, Alleluia.

Response : Praise all of you the Lord, all His Angels, praise all of you, Him, all of His hosts. Alleluia.

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(Usus Antiquior) Second Sunday after Epiphany (II Classis) – Sunday, 20 January 2019 : Epistle

Liturgical Colour : White

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

Romans 12 : 6-16

Fratres : Habentes donationes secundum gratiam, quae data est nobis, differentes : sive prophetiam secundum rationem fidei, sive ministerium in ministrando, sive qui docet in doctrina, qui exhortatur in exhortando, qui tribuit in simplicitate, qui praeest in sollicitudine, qui miseretur in hilaritate.

Dilectio sine simulatione. Odientes malum, adhaerentes bono : Caritate fraternitatis invicem diligentes : Honore invicem praevenientes : Sollicitudine non pigri : Spiritu ferventes : Domino servientes : Spe gaudentes : In tribulatione patientes : Oratione instantes : Necessitatibus sanctorum communicantes : Hospitalitatem sectantes.

Benedicite persequentibus vos : benedicite, et nolite maledicere. Gaudere cum gaudentibus, flere cum flentibus : Idipsum invicem sentientes : Non alta sapientes, sed humilibus consentientes.

 

English translation

Brethren, having different gifts, according to the grace that is given to us, either prophecy, to be used according to the rule of faith, or ministry, in ministering, or he who teaches in doctrine, he who exhorts in exhorting, he who gives with simplicity, he who rules with carefulness, he who shows mercy with cheerfulness.

Let love be without dissimulation. Hating that which is evil, cleaving to that which is good. Loving one another with the charity of brotherhood, in honour preventing one another. In carefulness, not slothful, in spirit fervent, serving the Lord, rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, instant in prayer, communicating to the necessities of the saints, pursuing hospitality.

Bless those who persecute you, bless, and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Being of one mind one towards another, not minding high things, but consenting to the humble.

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(Usus Antiquior) Second Sunday after Epiphany (II Classis) – Sunday, 20 January 2019 : Introit and Collect

Liturgical Colour : White

Introit

Psalm 65 : 4 and 1-2

Omnis terra adoret Te, Deus, et psallat Tibi : psalmum dicat Nomini Tuo, Altissime.

Jubilate Deo, omnis terra, psalmum dicite Nomini Ejus : date gloriam laudi Ejus.

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

 

English translation

Let all the earth adore You, o God, and sing to You. Let it sing a psalm to Your Name, o You Most High.

Shout with joy to God all the earth, sing all of you a psalm to His Name, give glory to His praise.

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 caelestia simul et terrena moderaris : supplicationes populi Tui clementer exaudi; et pacem Tuam nostris concede temporibus. 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, Eternal God, Who had governed all things in heaven and on earth, of Your mercy hear the supplications of Your people, and grant Your peace in our times. 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, 19 January 2019 : 1st Week of Ordinary Time, Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

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

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today the Scripture passages reminded us of this great Lord, Master and High Priest that we have in our midst, that is Our Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God Most High, Who has come into our world, born of His mother Mary, to be our Saviour, bringing God’s truth and salvation to all of us, His beloved people. And it is His desire that all of us mankind, sinners who have been separated from Him, should be liberated from those sins and be saved.

Today, in the Gospel passage we heard of the moment when Levi, the tax collector, was called by the Lord to follow Him. Levi listened to the Lord, and left everything behind, following Him to be His disciple. The conversion of Levi was a significant event, as it revealed even more of God’s intentions for us, His mercy and loving compassion for each and every one of us. God wants us to be forgiven from our sins, and to turn away from our own sinfulness and embrace His love.

At that time, among the Jewish people, the tax collectors were considered and regarded as the worst of the worst among them, as they were viewed with contempt for their actions and relationships with the Romans, who were the overlords of the Jewish community of the time. The tax collectors were viewed as racial and national traitors, for having collaborated with the Romans and helping in the oppression of the people of God.

The taxes imposed by the Romans on the Jewish populace were highly unpopular, and they caused the tax collectors like Levi to be hated even more. But the Lord came to this supposedly most unworthy and most unlikely of those whom the Lord had called to be His disciples and followers. That was why the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law balked at Him when He called Levi to be His follower, and not only that, He even went to his house to have a meal with him and his fellow tax collectors.

And then the Lord revealed the very truth about His mission on earth, and that is to call on sinners and those who have fallen away from the grace of God, to reconcile all those who are still living in the darkness of sin, and who are still enslaved by the power of the devil and by the many temptations of this world. He does not want anyone to fall into damnation, as long as He is able to prevent it by calling on His people to repent from their sins.

And He does this, by completing the mission which His heavenly Father has given Him, that is to bear the combined burden and weight of humanity’s many sins, to be the High Priest of all of us mankind, the One and true High Priest, Who by the offering of His Most Precious Body and Blood on the altar of the cross, become for us the source of our everlasting life and glory, of our salvation and liberation from the tyranny and power of sin.

The Lord has willingly done all of these, because of His great and enduring love for each and every one of us, of His care and compassion for us, despite our rebelliousness and stubbornness. All of these are caused by His commitment to the Covenant which He had established with each and every one of us, and He saw the potential and the hope that is present within each and every one of us, even in the greatest sinners.

And we saw the result of that in none other than the calling of Levi, a tax collector who turned into a faithful disciple of the Lord, making use of his many talents to serve the Lord with all of his strength. He became a great Apostle, one of the four people who wrote the Holy Gospels, and travelled to many places in the service of God, spreading the truth that He had brought into the world, and most importantly, calling even many more sinners to the forgiveness of God.

Now, brothers and sisters in Christ, are we convinced yet of the great love and compassion of God? God has been so gracious in His love and mercy wants us to be reconciled with Him, and to receive the fullness of His grace. And then, we are also called to serve the Lord and follow Him as Levi had done. Let us all continue the good works of the Apostles and disciples of the Lord, calling even more people to the Lord, by our own righteous, virtuous and faithful life.

May God bless us all, His beloved children, and may He grant each and every one of us, the courage and the strength to love Him and to seek His mercy, from now on. Amen.

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Saturday, 19 January 2019 : 1st Week of Ordinary Time, Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (Gospel Reading)

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

Mark 2 : 13-17

At that time, when Jesus went out again beside the lake, a crowd came to Him, and He taught them. As He walked along, He saw a tax collector sitting in his office. This was Levi, the son of Alpheus. Jesus said to him, “Follow Me!” And Levi got up and followed Him.

And it so happened that when Jesus was eating in Levi’s house, tax collectors and sinners sat with Him and His disciples; there were a lot of them, and they used to follow Jesus. But Pharisees, men educated in the Law, when they saw Jesus eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to His disciples, “Why does your Master eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?”

Jesus heard them, and answered, “Healthy people do not need a doctor, but sick people do. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

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Saturday, 19 January 2019 : 1st Week of Ordinary Time, Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (Psalm)

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

Psalm 18 : 8, 9, 10, 15

The Law of the Lord is perfect : it gives life to the soul. The word of the Lord is trustworthy : it gives wisdom to the simple.

The precepts of the Lord are right : they give joy to the heart. The commandments of the Lord are clear : they enlighten the eyes.

The fear of the Lord is pure, it endures forever; the judgements of the Lord are true, all of them just and right.

May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart find favour in Your sight, o Lord – my Redeemer, my Rock!

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Saturday, 19 January 2019 : 1st Week of Ordinary Time, Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (First Reading)

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

Hebrews 4 : 12-16

For the word of God is living and effective, sharper than any two-edged sword. It pierces to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow, and judges the intentions and thoughts of the heart. All creation is transparent to Him; everything is uncovered and laid bare to the eyes of Him to Whom we render account.

We have a great High Priest, Jesus, the Son of God, Who has entered heaven. Let us, then, hold fast to the faith we profess. Our High Priest is not indifferent to our weaknesses, for He was tempted in every way just as we are, yet without sinning. Let us, then, with confidence approach the throne of grace; we will obtain mercy and, through His favour, help in due time.