Holy City of Jerusalem

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Tuesday, 24 November 2015 : 34th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Andrew Dung-Lac, Priest and Companions, Martyrs (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Luke 21 : 5-11

At that time, while some people were talking about the Temple, remarking that it was adorned with fine stonework and rich gifts, Jesus said to them, “The days will come when there shall not be left one stone upon another of all that you now admire, all will be torn down.”

And they asked Him, “Master, when will this be, and what will be the sign that this is about to take place?” Jesus then said, “Take care not to be deceived, for many will come claiming My title and saying, ‘I am He, the Messiah; the time is at hand!’ Do not follow them. When you hear of wars and troubled times, do not be frightened; for all these things must happen first, even though the end is not so soon.”

And Jesus said, “Nations will fight each other and kingdom will oppose kingdom. There will be great earthquakes, famines and plagues; in many places strange and terrifying signs from Heaven will be seen.”

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Friday, 30 October 2015 : 30th Week of Ordinary Time (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Psalm 147 : 12-13, 14-15, 19-20

Exalt the Lord, o Jerusalem; praise your God, o Zion! For He strengthens the bars of your gates and blesses your children within you.

He grants peace on your borders and feeds you with the finest grain. He sends His command to the earth and swiftly runs His word.

It is He who tells Jacob His words, His Laws and decrees to Israel. This He has not done for other nations, so His Laws remain unknown to them. Alleluia!

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Thursday, 29 October 2015 : 30th Week of Ordinary Time (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Luke 13 : 31-35

At that time, some Pharisees came to Jesus and gave Him this warning, “Leave this place and go on Your way, for Herod wants to kill You.”

Jesus said to them, “Go and give that fox My answer : ‘I drive out demons, and I heal today and tomorrow, and on the third day I finish My course!’ Nevertheless, I must go on My way today, and tomorrow, and for a little longer; for it would not be fitting for a Prophet to be killed outside Jerusalem.”

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you slay the prophets and stone those who are sent to you! How often have I tried to bring together your children, as a bird gathers her young under her wings, but you refused! From now on, you will be left with your Temple, and you will no longer see Me, until the time when you will say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord.'”

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Thursday, 1 October 2015 : 26th Week of Ordinary Time, Feast of St. Therese of the Child Jesus, Virgin and Doctor of the Church, Patroness of Missions (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Isaiah 66 : 10-14

Rejoice for Jerusalem and be glad for her, all you who love her. Be glad with her, rejoice with her, all you who were in grief over her, that you may suck of the milk from her comforting breasts, that you may drink deeply from the abundance of her glory.

For this is what YHVH says : I will send her peace, overflowing like a river; and the nations’ wealth, rushing like a torrent towards her. And you will be nursed and carried in her arms and fondled upon her lap. As a son comforted by his mother, so will I comfort you.

At the sight of this, your heart will rejoice; like grass, your bones will flourish. For it shall be known that YHVH’s hand is with His servant, but His fury is upon His enemy.

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Monday, 28 September 2015 : 26th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Wenceslaus, Martyr and St. Lawrence Ruiz and Companions, Martyrs (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green or Red (Martyrs)

Zechariah 8 : 1-8

The word of YHVH, the God of hosts was directed to me in this way, “I am intensely jealous for Zion, stirred by a burning anger for her sake. YHVH says : I will return to Zion and live in her midst. Jerusalem shall be called City of faithfulness and the Mountain of YHVH of hosts, the Mountain of holiness.”

YHVH, the God of hosts speaks, “Old men and women will again sit in the squares, each with a stick in hand on account of their great age. The squares of the city will be filled with girls and boys playing.”

YHVH, God of hosts declares, “If that seems impossible in the eyes of those who have returned from exile, will it be impossible for Me as well?” – word of YHVH. YHVH, God of hosts says, “See, I am going to save My people, bringing them from the east and from the west and they will live in Jerusalem. They will be My people and I shall be their God in truth and in justice.”

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Tuesday, 22 September 2015 : 25th Week of Ordinary Time (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Psalm 121 : 1-2, 3-4a, 4b-5

I rejoiced with those who said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord!” And now we have set foot within your gates, o Jerusalem!

Jerusalem, just like a city, where everything falls into place! There the tribes go up.

The tribes of the Lord, the assembly of Israel, to give thanks to the Lord’s Name. There stand the courts of justice, the offices of the house of David.

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Monday, 24 August 2015 : Feast of St. Bartholomew, Apostle (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Revelations 21 : 9b-14

And one of the seven angels said, “Come, I am going to show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.” He took me up in a spiritual vision to a very high mountain and he showed me the holy city Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God. It shines with the glory of God, like a precious jewel with the colour of crystal-clear jasper.

Its wall, large and high, has twelve gates; stationed at them are twelve angels. Over the gates are written the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel. Three gates face the east; three gates face the north; three gates face the south and three face the west.

The city wall stands on twelve foundation stones on which are written the names of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb.

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Sunday, 29 March 2015 : Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord (Gospel Reading for the Procession of Palms)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Mark 11 : 1-10

At that time, when Jesus and His disciples drew near to Jerusalem and arrived at Bethpage and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of His disciples with these instructions, “Go to the village on the other side and, as you enter it, you will find there a colt tied up that no one has ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone says to you, ‘What are you doing?’ give this answer, ‘The Lord needs it, but He will send it back immediately.'”

They went off and found the colt, out in the street, tied at the door. As they were untying it, some of the bystanders asked, “Why are you untying that colt?” They answered as Jesus had told them, and the people allowed them to continue. They brought the colt to Jesus, threw their cloaks on its back, and Jesus sat upon it.

Many people also spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread leafy branches from the fields. Then the people who walked ahead, and those who followed behind Jesus, began to shout, “Hosannah! Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord! Blessed is the kingdom of our father David which comes! Hosannah in the highest!”


Alternative reading

John 12 : 12-16

At that time, many people who had come for the festival heard that Jesus was to enter Jerusalem. So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him. And they cried out, “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord! Blessed is the King of Israel!”

Jesus found a donkey and sat upon it, as Scripture says : ‘Do not fear, city of Zion! See, your King is coming, sitting on the colt of a donkey!’ The disciples were not aware of this at first, but after Jesus was glorified, they realised that this had been written about Him, and that this was what had happened to Him.

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(Usus Antiquior) Feast of the Holy Family (II Classis) – Sunday, 11 January 2015 : Holy Gospel

Liturgical Colour : White

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

Luke 2 : 42-52

Cum factus esset Jesus annorum duodecim, ascendentibus illis Jerosolymam secundum consuetudinem diei festi, consummatisque diebus, cum redirent, remansit puer Jesus in Jerusalem, et non cognoverunt parentes ejus. Existimantes autem illum esse in comitatu, venerunt iter diei, et requirebant eum inter cognatos et notos.

Et non invenientes, regressi sunt in Jerusalem, requirentes eum. Et factum est, post triduum invenerunt illum in templo sedentem in medio doctorum, audientem illos et interrogantem eos. Stupebant autem omnes, qui eum audiebant, super prudentia et responsis ejus.

Et videntes admirati sunt. Et dixit Mater ejus ad illum : Fili, quid fecisti nobis sic? Ecce, pater tuus et ego dolentes quaerebamus te. Et ait ad illos : Quid est, quod me quaerebatis? Nesciebatis, quia in his, quae Patris mei sunt, oportet me esse? Et ipsi non intellexerunt verbum, quod locutus est ad eos.

Et descendit cum eis, et venit Nazareth : et erat subditus illis. Et Mater ejus conservabat omnia verba haec in corde suo. Et Jesus proficiebat sapientia et aetate et gratia apud Deum et homines.

 

English translation

And when Jesus was twelve years old, they go up into Jerusalem according to the custom of the feast, and having fulfilled the days, when they returned, the Child Jesus remained in Jerusalem, and His parents did not know it. And thinking that He was in the company, they came through a day’s journey, and sought Him amongst their kinsfolk and acquaintance.

And not finding Him, they returned to Jerusalem seeking for Him. And it came to pass, that after three days they found Him in the Temple sitting in the midst of the doctors, hearing them and asking them questions. And all those who heard Him were astonished at His wisdom and His answers.

And seeing Him, they wondered. And His Mother said to Him, “Son, why have You done this to us? Behold Your father and I have sought You with sorrow.” And He said to them, “How is it that you sought Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?” And they did not understand the word that He spoke unto them.

And He went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject to them. And His mother kept all these words in her heart. And Jesus advanced in wisdom, and age, and grace with God and man.

 

Homily and Reflection :

https://petercanisiusmichaeldavidkang.com/2014/12/26/sunday-28-december-2014-feast-of-the-holy-family-of-jesus-mary-and-joseph-and-feast-of-the-holy-innocents-martyrs-homily-and-scripture-reflections/

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Tuesday, 30 December 2014 : Sixth Day within the Octave of Christmas (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Luke 2 : 36-40

There was also a prophetess named Anna, daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. After leaving her father’s home, she had been seven years with her husband, and since then she had been continually about the Temple, serving God as a widow night and day in fasting and prayer. She was now eighty-four. Coming up at that time, she gave praise to God, and spoke of the Child to all who looked forward to the deliverance of Jerusalem.

When the parents had fulfilled all that was required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to their town, Nazareth in Galilee. There the Child grew in stature and strength, and was filled with wisdom : the grace of God was upon Him.

Homily and Reflection :
https://petercanisiusmichaeldavidkang.com/2014/12/29/tuesday-30-december-2014-sixth-day-within-the-octave-of-christmas-homily-and-scripture-reflections/