Lord and Master of all

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Thursday, 28 May 2015 : 8th Week of Ordinary Time (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Sirach (Ecclesiastes) 42 : 15-25

Now I shall remind you of the works of the Lord and relate what I have seen. The Lord’s works depend on His word, and creation obeys His will. The sun shines on everything and the work of the Lord is filled with His glory. Not even to His holy ones has the Lord given full knowledge of all His marvellous works.

The Lord, Master of the universe, has ordained that all should stand firm in His glory. He penetrates both the depth of the abyss and the human heart and knows their secrets. For the Most High has full knowledge and ordains the signs of the heavens.

He knows the past and foretells the future and reveals the traces of the world’s mysteries. No thought escapes Him, no word is hidden from Him. He has ordered the marvellous works of His wisdom, from ever and forever. Nothing can be added, nothing can be taken away and He has no need of counsel.

All His works are beautiful, even to the smallest spark of light. All this lives and endures forever : all is useful and obedient to His will. All things are in pairs, one opposite the other, and nothing He makes is in any way deficient. One thing emphasises the excellence of the other; who could ever weary of admiring His glory?

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Wednesday, 13 May 2015 : 6th Week of Easter, Memorial of our Lady of Fatima (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Acts 17 : 15, 22 – Acts 18 : 1

Paul was taken as far as Athens by his escort, who then returned to Beroea with instructions for Silas and Timothy to come to him as soon as possible. Then Paul stood up in the Areopagus hall and said, “Athenian citizens, I note that in every way you are very religious. As I walked around looking at your shrines, I even discovered an altar with this inscription : ‘To an unknown God.'”

“Now, what you worship as unknown, I intend to make known to you. God, who made the world and all that is in it, does not dwell in sanctuaries made by human hands, being as He is Lord of heaven and earth. Nor does His worship depend on anything made by human hands, as if He were in need. Rather it is He who gives life and breath and everything else to everyone.”

“From one stock He created the whole human race to live throughout all the earth, and He fixed the time and the boundaries of each nation. He wanted them to seek Him by themselves, even if it were only by groping for Him, succeed in finding Him. Yet He is not far from any one of us. For in Him we live and move and have our being, as some of your poets have said : ‘For we too are His offspring.’ If we are indeed God’s offspring, we ought not to think of divinity as something like a statue of gold or silver or stone, a product of human art and imagination.”

“But now God prefers to overlook this time of ignorance and He calls on all people to change their ways. He has already set a day on which He will judge the world with justice through a Man He has appointed. And, so that all may believe it, He has just given a sign by raising this Man from the dead.”

When they heard Paul speak of a resurrection from death, some made fun of him, while others said, “We must hear you on this topic some other time.” At that point Paul left. But a few did join him, and believed. Among them were Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus court, a woman named Damaris, and some others.

After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth.


Alternative reading (Mass of our Lady of Fatima)

Isaiah 61 : 9-11

My people’s descendants shall be known among the nations and their offspring among the peoples. All who see them will acknowledge that they are a race YHVH has blessed.

I rejoice greatly in YHVH, my soul exults for joy in my God, for He has clothed me in the garments of His salvation, He has covered me with the robe of His righteousness, like a bridegroom wearing a garland, like a bride adorned with jewels.

For as the earth brings forth its growth, and as a garden makes seeds spring up, so will the Lord YHVH make justice and praise spring up in the sight of all nations.

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Saturday, 29 November 2014 : 34th Week of Ordinary Time (Psalm)

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

Psalm 94 : 1-2, 3-5, 6-7

Come, let us sing to the Lord, let us make a joyful sound to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before Him giving thanks, with music and songs of praise.

For the Lord is the great God, the great King above all gods. In His hand are the depths of the earth and the mountain heights. The sea is His, for He made it, and His hand shaped the dry land.

Come and worship; let us bow down, kneel before the Lord, our Maker. He is our God, and we His people; the flock He leads and pastures. Would that today you heard His voice!

 

Homily and Reflection :

https://petercanisiusmichaeldavidkang.com/2014/11/28/saturday-29-november-2014-34th-week-of-ordinary-time-homily-and-scripture-reflections/

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Sunday, 16 November 2014 : 33rd Sunday of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Margaret of Scotland and St. Gertrude, Virgin (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Matthew 25 : 14-30

At that time, Jesus said to His disciples, “Imagine someone who, before going abroad, summoned his servants to entrust his property to them. He gave five talents of silver to one servant, two talents to another servant, and one talent to a third, to each according to his ability; and he went away.”

“He who received five talents went at once to do business with the money, and gained another five. The one who received two talents did the same, and gained another two. But the one who received one talent dug a hole, and hid his master’s money.”

“After a long time, the master of those servants returned and asked for a reckoning. The one who had received five talents came with another five talents, saying, ‘Lord, you entrusted me with five talents, but see, I have gained five more.’ The master answered, ‘Very well, good and faithful servant, since you have been faithful in a few things, I will entrust you with much more. Come and share the joy of your master.”

“Then the one who had received two talents came and said, ‘Lord, you entrusted me with two talents; with them I have gained two more.’ The master said, ‘Well, good and faithful servant, since you have been faithful in little things, I will entrust you with much more. Come and share the joy of your master.'”

“Finally, the one who had received one talent came and said, ‘Master, I know that you are a hard man. You reap what you have not sown, and gather what you have not scattered. I was afraid, so I hid your money in the ground. Here, take what is yours!'”

“But his master replied, ‘Wicked and worthless servant, you know that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered; so you should have deposited my money in the bank, and on my return you would have given it back to me with interest.”

“Therefore, take the talent from him, and give it to the one who has ten. For to all those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance; but from those who are unproductive, even what they have will be taken from them. As for that useless servant, throw him out into the dark, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

 

Alternative reading (Shorter version)

Matthew 25 : 14-15, 19-21

At that time, Jesus said to His disciples, “Imagine someone who, before going abroad, summoned his servants to entrust his property to them. He gave five talents of silver to one servant, two talents to another servant, and one talent to a third, to each according to his ability; and he went away.”

“After a long time, the master of those servants returned and asked for a reckoning. The one who had received five talents came with another five talents, saying, ‘Lord, you entrusted me with five talents, but see, I have gained five more.’ The master answered, ‘Very well, good and faithful servant, since you have been faithful in a few things, I will entrust you with much more. Come and share the joy of your master.”

 

Homily and Reflection : 

https://petercanisiusmichaeldavidkang.com/2014/11/14/sunday-16-november-2014-33rd-sunday-of-ordinary-time-memorial-of-st-margaret-of-scotland-and-st-gertrude-virgin-homily-and-scripture-reflections/

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(Usus Antiquior) Feast of our Lord Jesus Christ the King, Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost (Double I Classis) – Sunday, 26 October 2014 : Homily and Scripture Reflections

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today we celebrate a great feast day of the Church as we come together to celebrate the kingship of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is indeed King, and King not just any other king, but the One True King, King over all of creation, and King over all of the universe. He is the King of kings, and the fount of true power and authority, from whom all the kings and rulers of this world eventually received their authority from.

Yes, for Jesus Christ our Lord is the Lord and God, and He is the Son of God, one of the Most Holy Trinity, One True God with Three distinct Aspects. And Jesus came into the world, taking up the form of a humble Man, a simple and poor Man, the son of a carpenter, born in a manger in a dirty and poor stable, even though He is a King, and the King above every other kings and rulers of the earth.

This is to show us all, and to show the world, that the kingdom of Jesus is the kingdom of God, which encompasses everything, and yet it is not of this world. It is not the same in nature as the kingdoms of this world, as the realms and countries of this world, and His kingship is also of a different nature, unlike that of the kings and rulers of the earth. Why is this so?

This is because, as Jesus said to Pontius Pilate, during the time when He was scourged before He went on to be crucified during His Passion, He is a King and His kingdom is the kingdom of truth, that is the truth of God, with true joy and true happiness that only God can give to mankind, who are His people, and whose King, the One True King is Christ Himself.

The kings and rulers of this world lives as the world has lived, and they lived in the way that the world had expected of them on how to live their lives and on how they ought to act. Many of these kings and rulers had power of the world and their dominion is in the world. And many of them become corrupted by the power and the authority they wielded, becoming tyrants and autocrats that oppressed the people for their own benefits.

Yes, many kings and rulers have plenty of wealth and riches of the world, and they have regular sumptuous banquets and meals with his subjects, especially the powerful and rich ones of the world who could afford to dine with the kings and the rulers. They often spend their money in various lavish things and used their possessions often without restraint. The rulers of the world indeed had been corrupted by the temptations which the world had provided.

Of course it does not mean that all of them were wicked, as there were also righteous and just rulers who used their power and authority, entrusted by God responsibly and with justice. But those who lived in the world and acted in accordance with the ways of the world are eventually bound to the rules and the ways of the world, and more likely than not, they committed things wicked in the sight of God.

Jesus reminded the world that His kingdom is not of the world, and thus unlike the rulers of the world, His power and authority does not depend on how much wealth and possessions that He possessed, and neither does He answer to the world and to its ways on all the things He has done. Whatever He has done, was done in the name of truth and the faith, in bringing about the kingdom of God.

Jesus always liked to say that the kingdom of God is near, and called the people to repentance to prepare themselves for the coming of that kingdom. And this call was also echoed by the prophets who came before Him, especially St. John the Baptist, who cleared the path for Him and straightened the way for the King. That is because the kingdom of Christ is the kingdom of truth, one that is to replace all falsehoods of the world, and to replace all the authorities and powers which the Lord had delegated to mankind.

Men had been entrusted to be the stewards of creation, that is to take care of the other things and creatures which God had created in this world. However, as time would tell, many of them fell short, and many misused their power to fulfill their own ego and desires. The lies of Satan and the temptations of the world overwhelmed them and made them to persecute those who have been trusted under them. And that is why we have so much sorrow in this world.

Kings fight with kings, rulers fight with kings and other rulers for various reasons, for the people, for wealth, for possessions, for women, for pleasures of the world, and for their own personal ambitions and ego. And often that the people suffered for their injustice and their ambitions, which they put above the welfare of the people entrusted under them.

How about Jesus? First we have already known that His kingship is not based on wealth or any properties of the world, but based on the truth of God solely, and that while the kings of the earth bicker over authority and over other things, Jesus the King was solely and completely obedient to the task which He came into the world for, that is the salvation of His people, the beloved ones of God.

And He who is King over all of us is also a caring and loving King, unlike some kings and rulers who loved themselves more, and who loved their money and possessions, and their titles and palaces more than they loved their people. They were the bad and evil shepherds who did not care for their sheep, entrusted to them by the Chief Shepherd, that is Jesus, King over all kings.

Jesus is the Good Shepherd, who truly knows His sheep, all and every one by name. He knows them and He guides them into the right paths, that is into His truth. And He did not even spare His own life to protect them and to ensure them the salvation which He had promised them. He is indeed the true King, the servant King, who served His people and devoted His entire being to help them and to love them tenderly and graciously.

Hence, brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we celebrate this great Feast of Jesus Christ the King, we do not just come to celebrate His great glory as the King of kings, but we also celebrate the love and dedication which He showed as King to all of His people, and all the works He had done with blood and sweat, suffering even death to purchase for us an eternal salvation with Him. Let us all also embrace the truth which He had brought into the world, for if we do not fully embrace that truth, that is our Faith in all of its fullness, then we cannot take part in the kingdom of Christ which is to come.

Thus, may Almighty God, our King of kings, the Master of all creations and of all the world be with us, and give us His awesome strength and power, that we may remain faithful to Him, our Good Shepherd, that we will not be led astray by the falsehoods of this world, which have brought down kings and rulers, betrayed by their own greed and ambition, and that all of us who have been entrusted with power and authority will emulate the example of the true Lord and King, Jesus Christ in all things.

Jesus our King and Lord, love us always and make us to be more like You, that the mightier one is, the humbler and the more dedicated one should become. Do not cast us away from Your kingdom, but help us when we fall, that we may be reunited with You in Your eternal kingdom and glory. Amen.

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(Usus Antiquior) Feast of our Lord Jesus Christ the King, Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost (Double I Classis) – Sunday, 26 October 2014 : Offertory, Secret Prayer of the Priest, Preface of Christ the King, Communion and Post-Communion Prayer

Offertory

Psalm 2 : 8

Postula a me, et dabo tibi gentes hereditatem tuam, et possessionem tuam terminos terrae.

English translation

Ask of Me, and I will give you the Gentiles for your inheritance, and the utmost parts of the earth for your possession.

Secret Prayer of the Priest

Hostiam Tibi, Domine, humanae reconciliationis offerimus : praests, quaesumus; ut, quem sacrificiis praesentibus immolamus, ipse cunctis gentibus unitatis et pacis dona concedat, Jesus Christus Filius Tuus, Dominus noster : Qui Tecum…

English translation

O Lord, we offer You this host for the reconciliation of humanity, grant, we beseech You, that Jesus Christ Your Son, our Lord, whom we immolate in this sacrifice, will bestow on all Gentiles the gifts of unity and peace. Who with You lives…

Preface of Christ the King

Vere dignum et justum est aequum et salutare, nos tibi semper et ubique gratias agere : Domine, sancte Pater omnipotens, aeterne Deus : Qui unigenitum Filius Tuum, Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum, Sacerdotem aeternum et universorum Regem, oleo exsultationis unxisti : ut, seipsum in ara crucis hostiam immaculatam et pacificam offerens.

Redemptionis humanae sacramenta perageret : et suo subjectis imperio omnibus creaturis, aeternum et universale regnum, immensae Tuae traderet Majestati. Regnum veritatis et vitae : regnum sanctitatis et gratiae : regnum justitiae, amoris et pacis.

Et ideo cum Angelis et Archangelis, cum Thronis et Dominationibus, cumque omni militia caelestis exercitus hymnum gloriae Tuae canimus, sine fine dicentes.

English translation

It is truly meet and just, right and profitable, for us, at all times, and in all places, to give thanks to You, o Lord, the Holy One, the Father Almighty, the everlasting God. You who anointed with the oil of gladness Your only Begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, eternal Priest and King of the universe that, offering Himself as a stainless peace-offering on the altar of the cross.

He might fulfill the pledges of man’s redemption, and, having all creatures subject to His power, might deliver to Your sublime majesty an eternal and universal kingdom, a kingdom of truth and life, a kingdom of holiness and grace, a kingdom of justice, love and peace.

And therefore with the angels and archangels, with the thrones and dominations, and with all the array of the heavenly host, we sing a hymn to Your glory and unceasingly repeat.

Communion

Psalm 28 : 10, 11

Sedebit Dominus Rex in aeternum : Dominus benedicet populo suo in pace.

English translation

The Lord shall sit as King forever. The Lord will bless His people with peace.

Post-Communion Prayer

Immortalitatis alimoniam consecuti, quaesumus, Domine : ut, qui sub Christi Regis vexillis militare gloriamur, cum ipso, in caelesti sede, jugiter regnae possimus : Qui Tecum…

English translation

Fed with this immortal nourishment, we beseech You, o Lord, that we who glory to fight under the standard of Christ the King, may forever reign with Him on the heavenly throne, who with You lives…

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(Usus Antiquior) Feast of our Lord Jesus Christ the King, Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost (Double I Classis) – Sunday, 26 October 2014 : Holy Gospel

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

John 18 : 33-37

In illo tempore : Dixit Pilatus ad Jesum : Tu es Rex Judaeorum? Respondit Jesus : A temetipso hoc dicis, an alii dixerunt tibi de me?

Respondit Pilatus : Numquid ego Judaeus sum? Gens tua et pontifices tradiderunt te mihi : quid fecisti? Respondit Jesus : Regnum meum non est de hoc mundo. Si ex hoc mundo esset regnum meum, ministri mei utique decertarent, ut non traderer Judaeis : nunc autem regnum meum non est hinc.

Dixit itaque ei Pilatus : Ergo Rex es Tu? Respondit Jesus : Tu dicis, quia Rex sum ego. Ego in hoc natus sum et ad hoc veni in mundum, ut testimonium perhibeam veritati : omnis, qui est ex veritate, audit vocem meam.

English translation

At that time, Pilate said to Jesus, “Are You the King of the Jews?” Jesus answered, “Did you say this thing of your own accord, or have others told it to you about Me?”

Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation, and the chief priests, have delivered You up to me, what have You done?” Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would certainly strive that I should not be delivered to the Jews, but now My kingdom is not from this world.”

Pilate therefore said to Him, “You are a King then?” Jesus answered, “You said that I am a King. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, that I should give testimony to the truth. Every one that is of the truth, hears My voice.”

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(Usus Antiquior) Feast of our Lord Jesus Christ the King, Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost (Double I Classis) – Sunday, 26 October 2014 : Gradual and Alleluia

Psalm 71 : 8, 11 and Daniel 7 : 14

Dominabitur a mari usque ad mare, et a flumine usque ad terminos orbis terrarum.

Response : Et adorabunt eum omnes reges terrae : omnes gentes servient ei.

Alleluja, alleluja.

Response : Potestas ejus, potestas aeterna, quae non auferetur : et regnum ejus, quod non corrumpetur. Alleluja.

English translation

He shall rule from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth.

Response : And all the kings of the earth shall adore Him, all nations shall serve Him.

Alleluia, alleluia.

Response : His power is an everlasting power that shall not be taken away, and His kingdom that shall not be destroyed. Alleluia.

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(Usus Antiquior) Feast of our Lord Jesus Christ the King, Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost (Double I Classis) – Sunday, 26 October 2014 : Epistle

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

Colossians 1 : 12-20

Fratres : Gratias agimus Deo Patri, qui dignos nos fecit in partem sortis sanctorum in lumine : qui eripuit nos de potestate tenebrarum, et transtulit in regnum Filii dilectionis suae, in quo habemus redemptionem per sanguinem ejus, remissionem peccatorum.

Qui est imago Dei invisibilis, primogenitus omnis creatura : quoniam in ipso condita sunt universa in caelis et in terra, visibilia et invisibilia, sive Throni, sive Dominationes, sive Principatus, sive Potestates : omnia per ipsum, et in ipso creata sunt : et ipse est ante omnes, et omnia in ipso constant.

Et ipse est Caput Corporis Ecclesiae, qui est principium, primogenitus ex mortuis : ut sit in omnibus ipse primatum tenens; quia in ipso complacuit omnem plenitudinem inhabitare; et per eum reconciliare omnia in ipsum, pacificans per sanguinem crucis ejus, sive quae in terris, sive quae in caelis sunt, in Christo Jesu Domino nostro.

English translation

Brethren, we give thanks to God the Father, who had made us worthy to be partakers of the lot of the saints in light. He who had delivered us from the power of darkness, and had translated us into the kingdom of the Son of His love. He in whom we have redemption through His blood, the remission of sins.

He who is the image of the invisible God, the Firstborn of every creature, for in Him were all things created in Heaven and on earth visible and invisible, whether Thrones, or Dominations, or Principalities, or Powers, all things were created by Him and in Him. And He is before all, and by Him all things consist.

And He is the Head of the Body, the Church, He who is the Beginning, the Firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may hold the primacy, because in Him it had well pleased the Father that all fullness should dwell, and through Him to reconcile all things unto Himself, making peace through the Blood of His cross, both as to the things that are on earth, and the things that are in Heaven, in Christ Jesus our Lord.

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(Usus Antiquior) Feast of our Lord Jesus Christ the King, Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost (Double I Classis) – Sunday, 26 October 2014 : Introit and Collect

Introit

Apocalypse 5 : 12, Apocalypse 1 : 6 and Psalm 71 : 1

Dignus est Agnus, qui occisus est, accipere virtutem, et divinitatem, et sapientiam, et fortitudinem, et honorem. Ipsi gloria et imperium in saecula saeculorum.

Deus, judicium Tuum Regi da : et justitiam Tuam Filio Regis.

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

English translation

The Lamb that was slain is worthy to receive the power and divinity and wisdom and strength and honour. To Him be glory and empire forever and ever.

Give to the King Your judgment, o God, and to the King’s Son Your justice.

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 in dilecto Filio Tuo, universorum Rege, omnia instaurare voluisti : concede propitius; ut cunctae familiae gentium, peccati vulnere disgregatae, ejus suavissimo subdantur imperio : Qui Tecum…

English translation

Almighty and eternal God, who has wished to restore all things through Your beloved Son, the King of the universe, graciously grant that all the families of the Gentiles separated by the wound of sin, may be subjected to His most loving dominion, who with You…