flesh and blood of Christ

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(Usus Antiquior) Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed, All Souls’ Day (Feria II Classis) – Monday, 3 November 2014 : Holy Gospel

Gospel for the First Mass

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

John 5 : 25-29

In illo tempore : Dixit Jesus turbis Judaeorum : Amen, amen, dico vobis, quia venit hora, et nunc est, quando mortui audient vocem Filii Dei : et qui audierint, vivent. Sicut enim Pater habet vitam in semetipso, sic dedit et Filio habere vitam in semetipso : et potestatem dedit ei judicium facere, quia Filius hominis est.

Nolite mirari hoc, quia venit hora, in qua omnes, qui in monumentis sunt, audient vocem Filii Dei : et procedent, qui bona fecerunt, in resurrectionem vitae : qui vero mala egerunt, in resurrectionem judicii.

English translation

At that time, Jesus said to the multitudes of the Jews, “Amen, amen, I say unto you, that the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear shall live. For as the Father had live in Himself, so He had given to the Son to also have life in Himself, and He had given Him power to do judgment, because He is the Son of Man.

Do not wonder at this, for the hour is coming where all who are in the graves shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who have done good things shall come forth unto the resurrection of life, but those who have done evil, unto the resurrection of judgment.

Gospel for the Second Mass

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

John 6 : 37-40

In illo tempore : Dixit Jesus turbis Judaeorum : Omne, quod dat mihi Pater, ad me veniet : et eum, qui venit ad me, non ejiciam foras : quia descendi de caelo, non ut faciam voluntatem meam, sed voluntatem ejus, qui misit me.

Haec est autem voluntas ejus, qui misit me, Patris : ut omne, quod dedit mihi, non perdam ex eo, sed resuscitem illud in novissimo die. Haec est autem voluntas Patris mei, qui misit me : ut omnis, qui videt Filium et credit in eum, habeat vitam aeternam, et ego resuscitabo eum in novissimo die.

English translation

At that time, Jesus said to the multitudes of the Jews, “All who the Father gave Me shall come to Me, and he who comes to Me I will not cast out, because I came down from heaven not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.”

“Now this is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all those whom He had given Me, I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again in the last day; and this is the will of My Father who sent Me, that everyone who see the Son, and believe in Him, may have life everlasting, and I will raise him up on the last day.”

Gospel for the Third Mass

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

John 6 : 51-55

In illo tempore : Dixit Jesus turbis Judaeorum : Ego sum panis vivus, qui de caelo descendi. Si quis manducaverit ex hoc pane, vivet in aeternum : et panis, quem ego dabo, caro mea est pro mundi vita.

Litigabant ergo Judaei ad invicem, dicentes : Quomodo potest hic nobis carnem suam dare ad manducandum? Dixit ergo eis Jesus : Amen, amen, dico vobis : nisi manducaveritis carnem Filii hominis et biberitis ejus sanguinem, non habebitis vitam in vobis.

Qui manducat meam carnem et bibit meum sanguinem, habet vitam aeternam : et ego resuscitabo eum in novissimo die.

English translation

At that time, Jesus said to the multitudes of the Jews, “I am the living Bread, who came down from heaven. If any man eat of this bread he shall live forever, and the Bread that I will give is My Flesh for the life of the world.”

The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, “How can this Man give us His Flesh to eat?” Then Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say unto you, except you eat the Flesh of the Son of Man, and drink His Blood, you shall not have life in you.”

“He who eats My Flesh and drinks My Blood, has everlasting life, and I will raise him up in the last day.”

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Sunday, 22 June 2014 : Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of the Lord, Corpus Christi (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

John 6 : 51-58

Jesus said, “I am the Living Bread which has come from heaven; whoever eats of this bread will live forever. The bread I shall give is My flesh, and I will give it for the life of the world.”

The Jews were arguing among themselves, “How can this Man give us flesh to eat?” So Jesus replied, “Truly, I say to you, if you do not eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. The one who eats My flesh and drinks My blood lives eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”

“My flesh is really food, and My blood is truly drink. Those who eat My flesh and drink My blood, live in Me, and I in them. Just as the Father, who is Life, sent Me, and I have life from the Father, so whoever eats Me will have life from Me.”

“This is the Bread which came from heaven; not like that of your ancestors, who ate and later died. Those who eat this Bread will live forever.”

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Thursday, 8 May 2014 : 3rd Week of Easter (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

John 6 : 44-51

No one can come to Me unless he is drawn by the Father who sent Me; and I will raise him up on the last day. It has been written in the Prophets : ‘They shall all be taught by God.’ So whoever listens and learns from the Father comes to Me.

For no one has seen the Father except the One who comes from God; He has seen the Father. Truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life. I am the bread of life. Though your ancestors ate the manna in the desert, they died. But here you have the bread which comes from heaven, so that you may eat of it, and not die.

I am the living bread which has come from heaven; whoever eats of this bread will live forever. The bread I shall give is My flesh, and I will give it for the life of the world.

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Tuesday, 6 May 2014 : 3rd Week of Easter (Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Continuing from yesterday’s catechesis, again I have to emphasize, brothers and sisters, that we have to stand firm to the faith, and keep this faith we have in our Lord up and strong. The living God, who gave us His life that we may live, who suffered for our sins that we who believe will not suffer the consequences of our sins, and finally, the One who gave us the promise of eternal life, in all of us who receive Him and His ultimate gifts, which is none other than His own Precious Body and Blood.

Yes, in the Eucharist we receive the very essence of our Lord, which He gave to us as the bread of life and the wine of eternal salvation, that all of us who partake on Him will receive life in us, and as long as we remain bound in faith and truth to Him, we shall live and not die an eternal death, that is the eternal damnation of our souls to hell. In the Eucharist we have the promise of eternal life and eternal providence by our Lord and loving God.

We have to open the doors of our heart wide for Christ to come into our hearts and transform it profoundly, that He may also transform our whole beings, from beings of darkness and apathy into beings of light and love. Allow Christ to come into us, unworthy as we are, that He may help us to root ourselves in the way of truth that we may not fall into the eternal darkness and damnation.

Do not be like those who persistently refused to listen to the Lord, who persecuted Stephen the holy disciple, who persisted in his teachings and testimonies of the living God. Do not be like them who kept their ears shut against the words of truth, and kept their hearts closed against the Lord who ceaselessly tried to knock at the doors, to allow them to open those doors for the Lord to come in.

As Pope St. John Paul II had said, let us not be afraid, but open wide the doors, the doors of our hearts to the Lord. Do not close it and allow the Lord to come into us and transform us into beings of light and love, that we may be found worthy, and not only that, we may also be examples and role models for others who see us and therefore also believe in God. Let us keep our faith in God ever strong and living. We cannot have a static faith, but we must have one that is always based on love.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, remember always that Christ our Lord died for us and gave us His own flesh and blood, which He shed as He walked down that path to the cross, and hung upon the cross unto death. He suffered all those grievous wounds and sufferings for our sake. We are all condemned to die ever since our first ancestors first disobeyed the Lord. And that disobedience turned into sins, which corrupted us severely even until today.

This corruption mars our soul and destroys us even as we speak. However, as I had mentioned, all is not lost because Christ gave His all for us. He brought us from the depth of darkness, lift us up back into the light. And those of us who believes in Him, died to our past and old lives, and then, through the resurrection of our Lord, we also were brought up from the depths into a new life filled with love and the light of God.

We have to walk always in the light, and show our faith in God through all of our words, actions and deeds. Let us all use the opportunities we have to be the bearers of God’s truth that had been revealed to us. Be like Stephen who was courageous and faithful even unto the end. But remember, in charity and mercy, let us also follow his footsteps. Forgive those who persecute us and keep showering them with love.

May the Lord continue to guide us as we walk through this life, that our lives may ever be a reflection of the Lord. May God protect us and shield us from harm, and keep us always in His grace, and brings more souls to Himself. Amen.