Lord God

by

(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.

by

(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…

by

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

Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Popes)

Ephesians 3 : 2-12

You may have heard of the graces God bestowed on me for your sake. By a revelation He gave me the knowledge of His mysterious design, as I have explained in a few words. On reading them you will have some idea of how I understand the mystery of Christ.

This mystery was not made known to past generations but only now, through revelations given to holy Apostles and prophets. Now the non-Jewish people share the inheritance; in Christ Jesus the non-Jews are incorporated and are to enjoy the Promise.

This is the Good News of which I have become minister by a gift of God, a grace He gave me, when His power worked in me. This grace was given to me, the least among all the holy ones : to announce to the pagan nations the immeasurable riches of Christ and to make clear to all how the mystery, hidden from the beginning in God, the Creator of all things, is to be fulfilled.

Even the heavenly forces and powers will now discover through the Church the wisdom of God in its manifold expression, as the plan is being fulfilled which God designed from the beginning in Christ Jesus, our Lord. In Him we receive boldness and confidence to approach God.

 

Alternative reading (Mass for Popes)

Isaiah 52 : 7-10

How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who herald peace and happiness, who proclaim salvation and announce to Zion : “Your God is King!”

Together your watchmen raise their voices in praise and song; they see YHVH face to face returning to Zion. Break into shouts of joy, o ruins of Jerusalem, for YHVH consoles His people and redeems Jerusalem.

YHVH has bared His holy arm in the eyes of the nations; all the ends of the earth, in alarm, will witness God’s salvation.

by

Tuesday, 21 October 2014 : 29th Week of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today we are presented with this clear message from the Scriptures, on whether we are ready to stand up for our faith and show a genuine, living faith to God, where it is founded on love and true devotion to God and not just mere lip service. And it was also highlighted the importance for us to be ever ready and be prepared, so that we may not lapse in the observation of our faith.

We know and we believe that our Lord Jesus Christ will come again at the end of time, at the time of His choosing, to judge all the living and the dead, in short to judge over all creations, whether they deserve eternal life and salvation, or whether they should be cast away into hell and eternal suffering. He has warned us of His coming, which will be completely unexpected for us, like a thief breaking into a house, and like a master of the house returning to the house without the knowledge of the stewards.

We have been given this world under trust from God, so that all of us are indeed stewards of creations and stewards of this world. We have been entrusted with the care of the living things and also things of the world around us, so that we may guard with care and love all the precious creations of God, and as we often forget, that we too have been appointed stewards and guardians of each one of us, our own brothers and sisters.

Yes, this means that we have to show love to one another, care for one another, and avoid all forms of vices or any acts that cause harm or disadvantage on others. We who have accepted Christ as our Lord and Saviour, and have been accepted into His Church by baptism, has indeed been made stewards, to take charge over this world and all its inhabitants, not by power but through love and through zealous conversion of those who still live in darkness.

The truth has been revealed to us through Christ, and therefore, just like the Apostles and disciples of Christ, we ought to become living witnesses of Christ to the world, and not just by showing an empty and superficial kind of faith, but faith that is lived through our loving actions, when we practice the faith taught to us from Jesus, and how we should carry ourselves in life, so that all who see us will immediately and instantly know that we belong to God.

And so that all who see our actions may also follow in our footsteps and examples, thus walking down together with us on the same path towards salvation. Do take note that our actions have great impact on others who are watching our behaviours and actions, as who will follow the Lord if the world is to see the wayward actions of those who professed to believe in Him?

That was also why Jesus was so critical on the actions and deeds of the Pharisees, scribes and the teachers of the Law, the supposedly educated and pious ones, the so-called leaders and teachers of the faithful in the matters of the faith, but they did not practice what they preached. They had empty faith and superficial faith, the kind which I have warned against just now, which is empty and meaningless, and does not bring about salvation, not just for ourselves but also for others around us.

The Pharisees imposed heavy and burdensome sets of laws upon the people of God, but the observations of such laws became merely ritualistic and empty, devoid of the original meaning of the laws, and in their actions, the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law contradicted their own teachings and faith. They preferred human praise and fame, as well as maintaining their own earthly authority and power over the maintenance of the love of God. Indeed, the purpose of the Law is love.

Now, what we need to do is to ask ourselves sincerely, and look deep into our hearts and minds. Have our actions and deeds represent the actions of a faithful and devoted servant and steward of the Lord’s creations? Are we acting in a way that we are serving God and His people with fullness of faith and love? Or do we instead serve ourselves and succumb to our own human desires and greed, such as what the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law had done?

Remember always, brothers and sisters in Christ, that we must always be ready for the Lord when He comes again. As I have mentioned, the time of His coming is known to Him alone, and no one will expect it when He suddenly comes again in His glory. Do we want to be counted among the unfaithful and the condemned just because we are not prepared, or that because we always like to postpone and delay things till the end, thinking that we still have time?

Of course we do not want such fate to happen to us, and therefore, brethren, if we have done what is just and righteous in the sight of God, then we should continue it faithfully and try to do even more, becoming even inspiration where possible, to inspire and lead others to also believe in the Lord and act as what we have done, that all may eventually be justified by their living faith.

If we have not begun to do what the Lord had asked from us to do, then there is no better time to start than now. Now is the time to begin, and do not wait! For the time is not infinite, and our time may be counted by days even now, by the Lord who is Lord over life and death. Never hesitate to begin now and change our lives for the better, for I can assure you that regret will indeed come too late to save us from our fate of destruction and damnation, if we do not change.

Let us ask our Father and loving God, the Almighty God to bless us and empower us, and to awaken within our hearts the love we ought to offer Him with all of our hearts, souls, minds and indeed with our entire beings. Let us prepare ourselves entirely, heart, mind and soul, to offer ourselves completely to the Lord, that He who sees our devotion may justify us in Himself and bring us into eternal salvation and life. Amen.

by

Monday, 20 October 2014 : 29th Week of Ordinary Time (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Luke 12 : 13-21

At that time, someone in the crowd spoke to Jesus, “Master, tell my brother to share with me the family inheritance.” He replied, “My friend, who has appointed Me as your Judge or your Attorney?”

Then Jesus said to the people, “Be on your guard and avoid every kind of greed, for even though you have many possessions, it is not that which gives you life.” And Jesus continued with this story, “There was a rich man, and his land had produced a good harvest. He thought, ‘What shall I do, for I am short of room to store my harvest?'”

“‘Alright, I know what I shall do : I will pull down my barns and I will build bigger ones, to store all this grain, which is my wealth. Then I will say to myself : My friend, you have a lot of good things put by for many years. Rest, eat, drink and enjoy yourself.’ But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be taken from you. Tell me who shall get all you have put aside?'”

“This is the lot of the one who stores up riches for himself and is not wealthy in the eyes of God.”

by

(Usus Antiquior) Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost (II Classis) – Sunday, 19 October 2014 : Homily and Scripture Reflections

Dear brothers and sisters, all the beloved ones in our Lord Jesus Christ, today we reflect together on the words of our Lord Jesus, when He told us the parable or the story about the banquet prepared by a king for his subjects, their rebelliousness and disobedience, as well as the welcoming of other guests deemed more worthy of the banquet of the king, and how a man without the proper wedding garment was cast out of the banquet into suffering and darkness.

St. Paul in his letter to the faithful and the Church in Ephesus, reminded them to keep strongly the faith in God, and how they should avoid all sorts of iniquities and evils, anger and wickedness, hatred and violence, and many other negativities often occurring in our own selves. Why is this so important? That is because what Jesus had told us in the parable of the banquet of the king refers to none other than our own lives and how we relate to the Lord our God, who is the King and Lord over all creations.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, the king in the parable refers to the Lord our God, who prepared a great banquet for all of His subjects, and if we follow the story, these subjects refer to none other than mankind, that is all of us. We are the subjects of the Lord, and all of us are freely invited to take part in the banquet that the Lord had prepared for us. Great joy and happiness indeed await us in that great celebration we ought to have together with God, our King.

But as we can see, from how the invited guests treated the invitation from the king, and also how they treated the servants of the king who went to invite them to the feast, torturing and persecuting them, that this truly represent the sad truth about us mankind, and how we often act in life, in response to the loving kindness of our God, who has loved us so much, and yet who was repaid with much indifference if not outright hostility from His beloved children.

Let us first look at what the invited guests did, when they heard about the king inviting them to the feast and banquet. What did they do? Some of them went on with their daily business and routine, tending their farms and merchant businesses. They disregarded the call of the king, and some even violently treated the servants of the king sent to call on them. What did the servants do, to merit such a treatment? Nothing! It was the guests’ own selfishness and self-preservation attitudes that keep them from doing what is right and rational.

If we do not look at this carefully, we may simply dismiss this parable as a mere story and an imagination, nice to hear and to be listened to, but nothing more than that. That is the real danger of our indifference to the status of our own life and actions. Why is this so? That is because the parable refer to our own attitude when we deal with our Lord and God, as I have mentioned.

Can we ask ourselves and look deep into ourselves at the same time, on how many times that we have been called by the Lord to do something that is good, according to His laws and desires, and yet we dragged our feet and refused to listen and obey? How many of us also complained either openly or deep within our hearts, on the obligations we ought to fulfill as the part of the Church of God? Certainly, if we look at all these, our behaviour often mirror that of the invited guests in the parable.

But as we see again in the readings, that God is patient and ever-loving, and He is also wholly committed to those whom He loves. That is why He continues to send helper after helper, and servants after servants, to help us to get back on track, despite of our sinfulness and disobedience against His will, because the desire of the Lord is to have us all back towards Himself and be purified from our iniquities.

Unfortunately, many of us continued in our disobedience and rebellion, making it difficult for even these servants of God, and throughout history, challenges and difficulties often faced these faithful servants who devoted themselves to serve God. They persevered nonetheless, and despite facing suffering or even death, they continued to do their part to bring as many souls as possible back towards the Lord.

It is a clear and stern reminder for us brethren, that all of us good or bad, be it rich or poor, or whether we have committed things good or evil in our lives, we are welcome to come to the feast and banquet of our King, but then if we are not capable of changing our ways in accordance to what the Lord desires from us, then we will likely end up like those rebellious guests, who received destruction and death as their just reward. Thus, the same fate awaits us, if we are not vigilant and be careful with our actions.

And indeed, if we come to the banquet of the Lord, we must be properly prepared and attired, as all the guests ought to wear a suitable attire to attend such a lavish and wonderful occasion of celebration. Obviously no one would wear a dirty and unclean clothes to such an occasion, nor would anyone even wear their ordinary daily wear or sleeping wear to such an event. A proper ‘attire’ therefore is required, or else, the fate that the man without the proper wedding garment, will be ours as well.

This attire refers not just to the attire and the clothes that we wear on our externals, our suits and garments. Indeed, we have to wear the proper garment as we come to the banquet of the Lord. What is this banquet of the Lord itself? It is the Holy Mass! For the Holy Mass is the celebration of the Holy Sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ on the cross, when He offered Himself in perfect obedience and humility, and love for us all, to be our redemption and salvation from our sins, the Lamb of God.

And remember when Jesus said that all those who eat the Bread of Life and drink from the Blood that brings salvation, they will no longer die but live eternally? That promise which Jesus had made was fulfilled in this holy sacrifice. That is because the Lord gave His own Body and Blood to all those who believe in Him, and we who have been baptised in His Name, share together the Precious Body and Blood of our Lord, in the banquet of the Lord, that is the Holy Mass.

And when we come to the celebration of the Holy Mass, as I have mentioned, of course our external appearance and preparation must be immaculate. But it cannot be just that we dress neatly and properly for the celebration of the Mass, as it is not just the garment of our body that we have to prepare, but also the garment of our heart and soul.

Therefore, let us look deep into ourselves, and how we usually act and do during the celebration of the Holy Mass, the banquet of our King. Are we really present in the celebration of the Holy Mass and are we in the church to focus ourselves to the love of God which He had shown by the shedding of His own Body and Blood? Should we not honour our Lord and King who had given so much for our sake?

Let us all remember these questions and facts, whenever we are tempted to do what is not right, and whenever we are tempted to talk among ourselves and among our friends, to use our phones and to play games instead of being really present in the Holy Mass. And let us also be reminded of this, whenever in our lives we are tempted to forsake our tenets of faith, and all of its principles for the sake of convenience and acceptance by the world.

Hence, brothers and sisters in Christ, let us ask our Almighty Father, to be with us at all times, empowering us with His love and presence, that we may be awakened even more strongly to His love and devotion, so that we may no longer follow the path of sin and debauchery, but in humility and true devotion, seek His mercy and loving embrace. Let us together worship our Lord and King, and partake together with full preparedness, of body and heart and soul, the banquet of our Lord! Amen.

by

(Usus Antiquior) Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost (II Classis) – Sunday, 19 October 2014 : Offertory, Secret Prayer of the Priest, Communion and Post-Communion Prayer

Offertory

Psalm 137 : 7

Si ambulavero in medio tribulationis, vivificabis me, Domine : et super iram inimicorum meorum extendes manum Tuam, et salvum me faciet dextera Tua.

English translation

If I shall walk in the midst of tribulation. You will quicken me, o Lord, and You will stretch forth Your hand against the wrath of my enemies, and Your right hand shall save me.

Secret Prayer of the Priest

Haec munera, quaesumus, Domine, quae oculis Tuae majestatis offerimus, salutaria nobis esse concede. Per Dominum…

English translation

Grant, we beseech You, o Lord, that these gifts, which we offer up in the sight of Your majesty, may be salutary unto us. Through our Lord…

Communion

Psalm 118 : 4, 5

Tu mandasti mandata Tua custodiri nimis : utinam dirigantur viae meae, ad custodiendas justificationes Tuas.

English translation

You had commanded Your commandments to be kept most diligently. O that my ways may be directed to keep Your justifications.

Post-Communion Prayer

Tua nos, Domine, medicinalis operatio, et a nostris perversitatibus clementer expediat, et Tuis semper faciat inhaerare mandatis. Per Dominum…

English translation

Let Your healing power, o Lord, in mercy deliver us from our waywardness and cause us ever to cleave to Your commandments. Through our Lord…

by

(Usus Antiquior) Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost (II Classis) – Sunday, 19 October 2014 : Holy Gospel

Sequentia Sancti Evangelii secundum Matthaeum – Continuation of the Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew

Matthew 22 : 1-14

In illo tempore : Loquebatur Jesus principibus sacerdotum et pharisaeis in parabolis, dicens : Simile factum est regnum caelorum homini regi, qui fecit nuptias filio suo. Et misit servos suos vocare invitatos ad nuptias, et nolebant venire.

Iterum misit alios servos, dicens : Dicite invitatis : Ecce, prandium meum paravi, tauri mei et altilia occisa sunt, et omnia parata : venite ad nuptias.

Illi autem neglexerunt : et abierunt, alius in villam suam, alius vero ad negotiationem suam : reliqui vero tenuerunt servos ejus, et contumeliis affectos occiderunt. Rex autem cum audisset, iratus est : et, missis exercitibus suis, perdidit homicidas illos et civitatem illorum succendit.

Tunc ait servis suis : Nuptiae quidem paratae sunt, sed, qui invitati erant, non fuerunt digni. Ite ergo ad exitus viarum et, quoscumque inveneritis, vocate ad nuptias. Et egressi servis ejus in vias, congregaverunt omnes, quos invenerunt, malos et bonos : et impletae sunt nuptiae discumbentium.

Intravit autem rex, ut videret discumbentes, et vidit ibi hominem non vestitum veste nuptiali. Et ait illi : Amice, quomodo huc intrasti non habens vestem nuptialem? At ille obmutuit. Tunc dixit rex ministris : Ligatis manibus et pedibus ejus, mittite eum in tenebras exteriores : ibi erit fletus et stridor dentium.

Multi enim sunt vocati, pauci vero electi.

English translation

At that time, Jesus spoke to the chief priests and the Pharisees in parables, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is likened to a king, who made a marriage for his son, and he sent his servants, to call those who were invited to the marriage, and they would not come.”

“Again he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell them that they were invited. Behold, I have prepared my dinner; my cows and fatlings are killed, and all things are ready, all of you come to the marriage.”

“But they neglected, and went their ways, one to his farm, and another to his merchandise, and the rest laid hands on his servants, and having treated them with contempt, put them to death. But when the king had heard of it, he was angry, and sending his armies, he destroyed those murderers, and burnt the city.”

“Then he said to his servants, ‘The marriage indeed is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. Therefore, go to the highways and find as many as you can find, and call them to the marriage.’ And his servants going forth into the ways, gathered together all who they found, both bad and good, and the marriage was filled with guests.”

“And the king went in to see the guests, and he saw there a man who had not worn a wedding garment, and he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in, not having a wedding garment?’ But he was silent. Then the king said to the waiters, ‘Bind his hands and feet, and cast him into the exterior darkness, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

“For many are called, but few are chosen.”

by

(Usus Antiquior) Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost (II Classis) – Sunday, 19 October 2014 : Gradual and Alleluia

Psalm 140 : 2 and Psalm 104 : 1

Dirigatur oratio mea, sicut incensum in conspectu Tuo, Domine.

Response : Elevatio manuum mearum sacrificium vespertinum.

Alleluja, alleluja.

Response : Confitemini Domini, et invocate Nomen ejus : annuntiate inter gentes opera ejus. Alleluja.

English translation

Let my prayer be directed as incense in Your sight, o Lord.

Response : The lifting up of my hands as evening sacrifice.

Alleluia, alleluia.

Response : Give glory to the Lord, and call upon His Name. Declare His deeds among the Gentiles. Alleluia.

by

(Usus Antiquior) Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost (II Classis) – Sunday, 19 October 2014 : Epistle

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

Ephesians 4 : 23-28

Fratres : Renovamini spiritu mentis vestrae, et induite novum hominem, qui secundum Deum creatus est in justitia et sanctitate veritatis. Propter quod deponentes mendacium, loquimini veritatem unusquisque cum proximo suo : quoniam sumus invicem membra.

Irascimini, et nolite peccare : sol non occidat super iracundiam vestram. Nolite locum dare diabolo : qui furabatur, jam non furetur; magis autem laboret, operando manibus suis, quod bonum est, ut habeat, unde tribuat necessitatem patienti.

English translation

Brethren, may you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new man, who according to God is created in justice and holiness of truth. Wherefore, putting away lies, may you speak the truth to every man with his neighbour, for we are members to one another.

Be angry, and do not sin. Do not let the sun to go down upon your anger. Do not give place to the devil. He who stole, let him now steal no more; but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have something to give to him that all who suffered need.