joy in God

by

Monday, 17 April 2017 : Monday within Easter Octave (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : White
Psalm 15 : 1-2a and 5, 7-8, 9-10, 11

Keep me safe, o God, for in You I take refuge. I say to the Lord, “O Lord, my inheritance and my cup, my chosen portion – hold secure my lot.”

I bless the Lord Who counsels me; even at night my inmost self instructs me. I keep the Lord always before me; for with Him at my right hand, I will never be shaken.

My heart, therefore, exults, my soul rejoices; my body too will rest assured. For You will not abandon my soul to the grave, nor will You suffer Your Holy One to see decay in the land of the dead.

You will show me the path of life, in Your presence the fullness of joy, at Your right hand happiness forever.

by

Saturday, 19 November 2016 : 33rd Week of Ordinary Time (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Green
Psalm 143 : 1, 2, 9-10

Blessed be the Lord, my Rock, Who trains my hands for war and my fingers for battle.

My loving God, my Fortress; my Protector and Deliverer, my Shield where I take refuge, Who conquers nations and subjects them to my rule.

I will sing a new song to You, o God, I will make music on the ten-stringed harp, for You Who give victory to kings and deliver David, Your servant.

by

Tuesday, 7 June 2016 : 10th Week of Ordinary Time (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Psalm 4 : 2-3, 4-5, 7-8

Answer when I call, o God, my justice! When I was in distress, You gave me solace. Have compassion on me and hear my plea. And you people, how long will you harden your hearts? How long will you delight in deceit and go in search of falsehood?

But you must know that the Lord has shown His kindness to me. When I call to Him, He hears me. Be angry, but do not offend. Keep your words to yourself, when you are in bed, and be still.

Many ask, “Who will give us a happy time? Would that His favour shine upon us!” You, o Lord, have put joy in my heart; more than by giving me wine and food.

by

Friday, 18 March 2016 : 5th Week of Lent, Memorial of St. Cyril of Jerusalem, Bishop and Doctor of the Church (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet

Psalm 17 : 2-3a, 3bc-4, 5-6, 7

I love You, o Lord, my Strength. The Lord is my Rock, my Fortress, my Deliverer and my God.

He is the Rock in Whom I take refuge. He is my Shield, my powerful Saviour, my Stronghold. I call on the Lord, Who is worthy of praise : He saves me from my enemies!

A deadly flood surrounded me, devilish torrents rushed at me; caught by the cords of the grave, I was brought to the snares of death.

But I called upon the Lord in my distress, I cried to my God for help; and from His Temple He heard my voice, my cry of grief reached His ears.

by

(Usus Antiquior) Third Sunday of Advent, Gaudete Sunday (I Classis) – Sunday, 14 December 2014 : Epistle

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet or Rose (Gaudete Sunday)

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

Philippians 4 : 4-7

Fratres : Gaudete in Domino semper : iterum dico, gaudete. Modestia vestra nota sit omnibus hominibus : Dominus prope est. Nihil solliciti sitis : sed in omni oratione et obsecratione, cum gratiarum actione, petitiones vestrae innotescant apud Deum.

Et pax Dei, quae exsuperat omnem sensum, custodiat corda vestra et intellegentias vestras, in Christo Jesu, Domino nostro.

 

English translation

Brethren, rejoice in the Lord always, again I say, rejoice. Let your modesty be known to all men. The Lord is nigh. Be nothing solicitous, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus our Lord.

 

Homily and Reflection :

https://petercanisiusmichaeldavidkang.com/2014/12/13/sunday-14-december-2014-third-sunday-of-advent-gaudete-sunday-memorial-of-st-john-of-the-cross-priest-and-doctor-of-the-church-homily-and-scripture-reflections/

by

Wednesday, 22 October 2014 : 29th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of Pope St. John Paul II, Pope (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Popes)

Isaiah 12 : 2-3, 4bcd, 5-6

He is the God of my salvation; in Him I trust and am not afraid, YHVH is my strength : Him I will praise, the One who saved me. You will draw water with joy from the very fountain of salvation.

Praise to the Lord, break into songs of joy for Him, proclaim His marvellous deeds among the nations and exalt His Name.

Sing to the Lord : wonders He has done, let these be known all over the earth. Sing for joy, o people of Zion, for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.

 

Alternative reading (Mass for Popes)

Psalm 95 : 1-2a, 2b-3, 7-8a, 10

Sing to the Lord a new song, sing to the Lord, all the earth! Sing to the Lord, bless His Name.

Proclaim His salvation day after day. Recall His glory among the nations, tell all the peoples His wonderful deeds.

Give to the Lord, you families of nations, give to the Lord glory and strength. Give to the Lord the glory due His Name.

Say among the nations, “The Lord reigns!” He will judge the peoples with justice.

by

Wednesday, 25 June 2014 : 12th Week of Ordinary Time (Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Brothers and sisters in Christ, today we are reminded by the Lord to be cautious, of the false prophets and leads in our lives, many of which may detract us and distract us from our true goal in life, that is to be faithful and loving disciples and children of God. Falsehoods and lies of the devil are ever present around us, and if we are not careful, they may lead us further from salvation in God.

If you are to compare between the offers of the Lord and the offer of Satan, it is quite obvious that Satan is using all of his power to subvert us to his cause, offering whatever pleasures this world can offer to us, so that we may follow in his rebellion against God and walking ever further and further away from the Lord into damnation prepared for the devil and his fellow fallen angels.

Satan himself will be the false prophet, and he will turn the hearts of many against God and His people. Already in this world today we live in a time where Satan grow ever stronger in power and dominion. And he had made the people to sin, just as the people of Israel and Judah had done earlier on throughout the history of salvation. Mankind rebelled constantly against God, and they continued to commit blasphemous things before the Lord.

Remember, brethren, I know that we recognise God as a loving and merciful God who cares for all of us, and who seeks to reunite us to Himself and reconcile us by overcoming our sins and faults. Nevertheless, we cannot forget, and indeed we cannot deny, that the Lord our God is also a vengeful and angry God, One who does not take sin and rebellion against His will lightly.

God is perfect and He is perfectly good. Sin and evil has no place in His presence, just like darkness has no place before light that penetrates everything. And God knows it all. He knows all the secrets and the things within our heart, no matter how well we try to conceal them from Him. And the more we sin, the more we depart from the grace of God and towards damnation.

We have to be like King Josiah of Judah, who, immediately after he found out about the Book of the Law in the Temple and its contents, lowered and humbled himself, and led the whole people in a concrete act of penitence and seeking the forgiveness of the Lord, promising to cast away unworthiness and sin from their lives and from the society.

We have to be like him in his zeal and dedication to the Lord. Cast far, far away our wicked lifestyle and from now on, do only things that are favourable and in the grace of God. We cannot dwell any longer in this pit of sin, or else we will likely fall into the eternal damnation and death. God does not want this to happen to us, but if we persist in our obstinate behaviour, we seal our own fate and end.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us renew our faith and devotion to the Lord, that we will no longer dwell in the darkness, but instead move towards the light, that is the true light, our Lord Jesus Christ. May God be with us all, and lead us on our way to Him, into our eternal joy and redemption. Amen.

by

Monday, 12 May 2014 : 4th Week of Easter, Memorial of Sts. Nereus and Achilleus, Martyrs, and St. Pancras, Martyr (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : White or Red (Martyrs)

Psalm 41 : 2-3 and Psalm 42 : 3, 4

As a deer longs for flowing streams, so my soul longs for You, o God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I go and see the face of God?

Send forth Your light and Your truth; let them be my guide, let them take me to Your holy mountain, to the place where You reside.

Then will I go to the altar of God, to God, my gladness and delight. I will praise You with the lyre and harp, o God, my God.