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(Usus Antiquior) Pentecost Sunday (I Classis) – Sunday, 4 June 2017 : Holy Gospel

Liturgical Colour : Red

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

John 14 : 23-31

In illo tempore : Dixit Jesus discipulis Suis : Si quis diligit Me, sermonem Meum servabit, et Pater Meus diliget eum, et ad eum veniemus et mansionem apud eum faciemus : qui non diligit Me, sermones Meos non servat. Et sermonem quem audistis, non est Meus : sed ejus, qui misit Me, Patris.

Haec locutus sum vobis, apud vos manens. Paraclitus autem Spiritus Sanctus, quem mittet Pater in Nomine Meo, ille vos docebit omnia et suggeret vobis omnia, quaecumque dixero vobis.

Pacem relinquo vobis, pacem Meam do vobis : non quomodo mundus dat, ego do vobis. Non turbetur cor vestrum neque formidet. Audistis, quia ego dixi vobis. Vado et venio ad vos. Si diligeritis Me, gauderitis utique, quia vado ad Patrem : quia Pater major Me est.

Et nunc dixi vobis, priusquam fiat : ut, cum factum fuerit, credatis. Jam non multa loquar vobiscum. Venit enim princeps mundi hujus, et in Me non habet quidquam. Sed ut cognoscat mundus, quia diligo Patrem, et sicut mandatum dedit mihi Pater, sic facio.

 

English translation

At that time, Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone lives Me, he will keep My word, and My Father will love him, and We will come to him, and will make Our abode with him. He who does not love Me, does not keep My words, and the word which you have heard is not Mine, but the Father’s, He who sent Me.”

“These things I have spoken to you, abiding with you, but the Paraclete, the Holy Spirit, He whom the Father will send in My Name, and He will teach you all things, and bring all things to your mind, whatsoever I have said to you.”

“Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you. Not as the world gives, I have given unto you. Let your heart not be troubled, nor let it be afraid. You have heard that I said to you, I go away, and I come unto you. If you loved Me, you would indeed be glad, because I go to the Father, for the Father is greater than I.”

“And now I have told you before it came to pass, that when it shall come to pass you may believe. I will not now speak many things with you; for the prince of this world comes, and in Me he does not have anything. But that the world may know that I love the Father, and as the Father had given Me commandment, so do I.”

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(Usus Antiquior) Pentecost Sunday (I Classis) – Sunday, 4 June 2017 : Sequence

Liturgical Colour : Red

Veni, Sancte Spiritus, Et emitte caelitus, Lucis Tuae radium.

Veni, Pater pauperum, Veni, dator munerum, Veni, lumen cordium.

Consolator optime, Dulcis hospes animae, Dulce refrigerium.

In labore requies, In aestu temperies, In fletu solatium.

O Lux beatissima, Reple cordis intima, Tuorum fidelium.

Sine Tuo numine, Nihil est in homine, Nihil est innoxium.

Lava quod est sordidum, Riga quod est aridum, Sana quod est saucium.

Flecte quod est rigidum, Fove quod est frigidum, Rege quod est devium.

Da Tuis fidelibus, In Te confidentibus, Sacrum septenarium.

Da virtutis meritum, Da salutis exitum, Da perenne gaudium. Amen. Alleluja.

 

English translation

Come, Holy Spirit, and send forth from heaven the ray of Your light.

Come, Father of the poor. Come, Giver of gifts. Come, light of hearts.

You are the best consoler, sweet guest of the soul, sweet coolness.

In labour, rest. In heat, refreshment. In tears, solace.

O most blessed Light, may You fill the innermost recesses of the hearts of Your faithful!

Without Your divine assistance, there is nothing in man, nothing harmless.

Cleanse what is base, bedew what is parched, and heal what is wounded.

Bend what is rigid, warm what is chilled, guide what is astray.

Give to Your faithful confiding in You, Your sevenfold gifts.

Give them the reward of virtue, give them a happy death, give them eternal joy. Amen. Alleluia.

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(Usus Antiquior) Pentecost Sunday (I Classis) – Sunday, 4 June 2017 : Alleluia

Liturgical Colour : Red

Psalm 103 : 30 and Tradition of the Faith

Alleluja, Alleluja.

Response : Emitte Spiritum Tuum, et creabuntur, et renovabis faciem terrae. Alleluja.

(Hic genuflectur)

Response : Veni, Sancte Spiritus, reple tuorum corda fidelium : et Tui amoris in eis ignem accende.

 

English translation

Alleluia, Alleluia.

Response : Send forth Your Spirit, and they shall be created, and You shall renew the face of the earth. Alleluia.

(Here all kneel)

Response : Come, o Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Your faithful, and kindle in them the fire of Your love.

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(Usus Antiquior) Pentecost Sunday (I Classis) – Sunday, 4 June 2017 : Epistle

Liturgical Colour : Red

Lectio Actuum Apostolorum – Lesson from the Acts of the Apostles

Acts 2 : 1-11

Cum complerentur dies Pentecostes, erant omnes discipuli pariter in eodem loco : et factus est repente de caelo sonus, tamquam advenientis Spiritus vehementis : et replevit totam domum, ubi erant sedentes. Et apparuerunt illis dispertitae linguae tamquam ignis, seditque supra singulos eorum : et repleti sunt omnes Spiritu Sancto, et caeperunt loqui variis linguis, prout Spiritus Sanctus dabat eloqui illis.

Erant autem in Jerusalem habitantes Judaei, viri religiosi ex omni natione, quae sub caelo est. Facta autem hac voce, convenit multitudo, et mente confusa est, quoniam audiebat unusquisque lingua sua illos loquentes. Stupebant autem omnes et mirabantur, dicentes : Nonne ecce omnes isti, qui loquuntur, Galilaei sunt? Et quomodo nos audivimus unusquisque linguam nostram, in qua nati sumus?

Parthi et Medi et Aelamitae et qui habitant Mesopotamiam, Judaeam et Cappadociam, Pontum et Asiam, Phrygiam et Pamphyliam, Aegyptum et partes Libyae, quae est circa Cyrenen, et advenae Romani, Judaei quoque et Proselyti, Cretes et Arabes : audivimus eos loquentes nostris linguis magnalia Dei.

 

English translation

When the days of Pentecost were accomplished, they were all together in one place; and suddenly there came a sound from Heaven, as of a mighty wind coming, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them parted tongues as if it were of fire, and it sat upon every one of them, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they began to speak with diverse tongues, according to the Holy Spirit who gave them to speak.

Now there were dwelling at Jerusalem, Jews, devout men of every nation under heaven. And when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded in mind, because that every man heard them speak in his own tongue, and they were all amazed, and wondered, saying, “Behold, are not all these who speak Galileans? And how have we heard every man in our own tongue wherein we were born?”

“Parthians and Medes, and Elamites, and the inhabitants of Mesopotamia, Judea, and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and the strangers of Rome, Jews and also Proselytes, Cretans and Arabians, we have heard them speak in our own tongues the wonderful works of God.”

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(Usus Antiquior) Pentecost Sunday (I Classis) – Sunday, 4 June 2017 : Introit and Collect

Liturgical Colour : Red

Introit

Wisdom 1 : 7 and Psalm 67 : 2

Spiritus Domini replevit orbem terrarum, Alleluja : et hoc quod continet omnia, scientiam habet vocis, Alleluja, Alleluja, Alleluja.

Exsurgat Deus, et dissipentur inimici Ejus : et fugiant, qui oderunt eum, a facie Ejus.

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

 

English translation

The Spirit of the Lord had filled the whole earth, Alleluia, and that which contains all things had knowledge of the voice, Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia.

Let God arise, and His enemies be scattered, and let those who hate Him fly before His face.

Response : Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

 

Collect

Deus, qui hodierna die corda fidelium Sancti Spiritus illustratione docuisti : da nobis in eodem Spiritu recta sapere; et de ejus semper consolatione gaudere. Per Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum Filium Tuum, qui Tecum vivit et regnat in unitate ejusdem Spiritus Sancti Deus, per omnia saecula saeculorum. Amen.

 

English translation

O God, You who on this day had instructed the hearts of the faithful by the light of the Holy Spirit, grant us, by the same Spirit, to relish what is right and ever to rejoice in His consolation. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who with You lives and reigns in the unity of the same Holy Spirit, God, world without end. Amen.

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Saturday, 3 June 2017 : Vigil Mass of the Solemnity of Pentecost Sunday (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Red
John 7 : 37-39

At that time, on the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood up and proclaimed, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to Me; and let the one who believes in Me drink, for the Scripture says : Out of the believer’s heart shall flow rivers of living water.”

Jesus was referring to the Spirit, which those who believe in Him were to receive; the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet entered into His glory.

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Saturday, 3 June 2017 : Vigil Mass of the Solemnity of Pentecost Sunday (Second Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Red
Romans 8 : 22-27

We know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pangs of birth. Not creation alone, but even ourselves, although the Spirit was given to us as a foretaste of what we are to receive, we groan in our innermost being, eagerly awaiting the day when God will give us full rights and rescue our bodies as well.

In hope we already have salvation. But if we saw what we hoped for, there would no longer be hope; how can you hope for what is already seen? So we hope for what we do not see and we will receive it through patient hope. We are weak, but the Spirit comes to help us. How to ask? And what shall we ask for?

We do not know, but the Spirit intercedes for us without words, as if with groans. And He Who sees inner secrets knows the desires of the Spirit, for He asks for the holy ones what is pleasing to God.

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Saturday, 3 June 2017 : Vigil Mass of the Solemnity of Pentecost Sunday (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Red
Psalm 103 : 1-2a, 24 and 35c, 27-28, 29bc-30

Bless the Lord, my soul! Clothed in majesty and splendour; o Lord, my God, how great You are! You are wrapped in light as with a garment.

How varied o Lord, are Your works! In wisdom You have made them all – the earth full of Your creatures. Bless the Lord, my soul!

They all look to You for their food in due time. You give it to them, and they gather it up; You open Your hand, they are filled with good things.

You take away their breath, they expire and return to dust. When You send forth Your Spirit, they are created, and the face of the earth is renewed.

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Saturday, 3 June 2017 : Vigil Mass of the Solemnity of Pentecost Sunday (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Red
Genesis 11 : 1-9

The whole world had one language and a common speech. As people moved from east, they found a plain in the country of Shinar where they settled. They said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks and bake them in fire.” They used brick for stone and bitumen for mortar. They said also, “Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top reaching heaven; so that we may become a great people and not be scattered over the face of the earth!”

YHVH came down to see the city and the tower that the sons of man were building, and YHVH said, “They are one people and they have one language. If they carry this through, nothing they decide to do from now on will be impossible. Come! Let Us go down and confuse their language so that they will no longer understand each other.”

So YHVH scattered them over all the earth and they stopped building the city. That is why it was called Babel, because there YHVH confused the language of the whole earth and from there YHVH scattered them over the whole face of the earth.

Alternative reading
Exodus 19 : 3-8a, 16-20b

The Israelites camped there in front of the mountain, but Moses went up to God and YHVH called to him from the mountain, saying, “This is what you are to say and to explain to the Israelites : You have seen what I did to the Egyptians and how I carried you on eagle’s wings and brought you to Myself.”

“Now if you listen to Me and keep My covenant, you shall be My very own possession among all the nations. For all the earth is Mine, but you will be for Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” And He added, “This is what you are to say to the people of Israel.”

So Moses went and summoned all the elders of the people and related to them all that YHVH had commanded him to say. All the people responded with one voice, “All that YHVH has said, we will do.”

On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning and a dense cloud over the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast was heard. All the people in the camp trembled. Moses then made the people leave the camp to meet God and stand at the foot of the mountain.

Mount Sinai was completely covered in smoke because YHVH had come down in fire, and the smoke rose as from a furnace. The whole mountain shook violently, while the blast of the trumpet became louder and louder. Moses spoke and God replied in thunder. When YHVH had come down to the summit of Mount Sinai, God called Moses who went to the summit.

Alternative reading
Ezekiel 37 : 1-14

The hand of YHVH was upon me. He brought me out and led me in spirit to the middle of the valley which was full of bones. He made me walk to and fro among them and I could see there was a great number of them on the ground all along the valley and that they were very dry.

YHVH said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live again?” I said, “Lord YHVH, only You know that.” He then said, “Speak on My behalf concerning these bones; say to them : Dry bones, hear the word of YHVH! YHVH says : I am going to put spirit in you and make you live. I shall put sinews on you and make flesh grow on you; I shall cover you with skin and give you My Spirit, that you may live. And you will know that I am YHVH.”

“I prophesied as I had been commanded and then there was a noise and commotion; the bones joined together. I looked and saw that they had sinews, that flesh was growing on them and that He was covering them with skin. But there was no spirit in them.”

So YHVH said to me, “Speak on My behalf and call on the Spirit, son of man! Say to the Spirit : This is the word of YHVH : Spirit, come from the four winds. Breathe into these dead bones and let them live!” I prophesied as He had commanded me and breath entered them; they came alive, standing on their feet – a great, immense army!

He then said to me, “Son of man, these bones are all Israel. They keep saying : ‘Our bones are dry, hope has gone, it is the end of us.’ So prophesy! Say to them : This is what YHVH says : I am going to open your tombs, I shall bring you out of your tombs, My people, and lead you back to the land of Israel.”

“You will know that I am YHVH, o My people! When I open your graves and bring you out of your graves, when I put My Spirit in you and you live. I shall settle you in your land and you will know that I, YHVH, have done what I said I would do.”

Alternative reading
Joel 3 : 1-5

In the last days, I will pour out My Spirit on every mortal. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. Even upon My servants and maidens, I will pour out My Spirit on that day.

I will show wonders in the heavens, and on earth blood and fire and columns of smoke. The sun will darken and the moon turn to blood, at the approach of the great and dreadful day of God.

Then all who call upon the Name of YHVH will be saved. For on Mount Zion there will be a remnant, as YHVH has said; in Jerusalem some will be saved – those whom YHVH will call.

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Saturday, 3 June 2017 : 7th Week of Easter, Memorial of St. Charles Lwanga and Companions, Martyrs (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Red
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today is the penultimate day of the Easter season, as tomorrow we will together as the whole Church celebrate the great Solemnity of the Pentecost, the birth time of the Church at the time when the Lord sent His Holy Spirit to all of His Apostles and disciples, sending them forth to all the nations and to all the peoples to preach His Good News and truth.

Yet, at the same time, we must also keep in mind, that to become a disciple of the Lord is not something that is very simple or safe. As the reality is that, as disciples of the Lord, there will always be challenges, difficulties, and times when we may feel to be alone amidst all those who are up against us, as what the Apostles and the disciples themselves had experienced.

As we heard in the readings today, the first reading taken from the Acts of the Apostles spoke of the life which St. Paul had in Rome during the last years of his life and ministry, a relatively peaceful time before what was told to be the first major official persecution of the Christian faith by the Roman Empire, when the city of Rome was engulfed in a massive firestorm, and blame quickly were laid on the Christian communities. It was told that St. Paul met his martyrdom by beheading at that time, the year of our Lord sixty-four.

Many Christians became victims of the persecutions, be it by the Jewish authorities, the chief priests and the Pharisees in the earliest days of the Church, or by the opposition and persecutions by the Roman authorities, including the one which I had just mentioned. And there were also resistance by those pagan priests and philosophers, who refused to see their old and traditional pagan worship to be replaced by the Christian faith.

But, at the same time, there were also many people, Jews and Gentiles alike, who were willing to receive the words of truth, and to accept the Lord Jesus as their Lord and Saviour. These people were willing to turn away from their past sinful ways, and become Christians, and thus strengthening the foundations of the early Church. Many of them eventually also met persecution, suffering and even martyrdom because of their faith, and also refusal to apostasise from their faith.

If not for their courage, the bravery and devotion of the Apostles, disciples, saints and martyrs who have laboured hard for the sake of the Lord and His Church, many souls would not have been saved, and many would have been lost to damnation in hell. We too, would not have received the faith we now have, if not for the hard work of all those who have passed down the faith to us, just as the Apostles passed down the teachings of the Lord to their successors.

Today, we remember the memory of St. Charles Lwanga and his companions, who were Christian converts in the country now known as Uganda. They became Christians after missionaries came to their area, bearing the word of God’s truth, and they converted to the faith, leaving their pagan and sinful ways behind them. However, this met with a great resistance by the king, who wanted to eradicate all traces of Christianity in his domain.

Therefore, the king ordered the arrest, persecution and also killing of many of the. Christian converts and missionaries, who suffered terribly under the great persecution. Yet, St. Charles Lwanga and many others who had been sentenced to death because of their faith refused to renounce the Lord and their newfound faith. They remained true to their devotion and as a result were executed. St. Charles Lwanga himself met his martyrdom by being burnt alive on a stake.

But their martyrdom inspired many more Christians to persist in their faith, and it was told that many of their persecutors eventually became Christians themselves, and including even the king. Through all these examples, all of us as Christians living in our world today must realise that, first of all, there are a lot of things that we still need to do, in order to bring the testimony of our faith to all those who have not yet known or even have rejected the Lord.

And then, we must remember that when we face difficulties and persecutions from the world, we have to stay firm and resolute amidst those challenges. If we give up or allow ourselves to be distracted by temptations of the world, then our failure to act will cause not just ourselves but also potentially many others to fall as well, and their damnation will be on our own, and we are the ones to be blamed for that.

Therefore, brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all continue to strive to lead a holy and righteous life, by doing what the Lord had taught us to do, and by devoting ourselves completely, heart, body, mind and soul to Him, keeping in mind the zeal and the courage which the Holy Apostles, saints, and martyrs, including St. Charles Lwanga and his companions had shown in their respective lives. May the Lord be with us all, and may He bless all of our works and endeavours, now and always. Amen.