Liturgical Colour : White
Psalm 86 : 1-2, 3 and 5, 6-7
He Himself has built it in His holy mountain; YHVH prefers the gates of Zion to all of Jacob’s towns.
Great things have been foretold of you, o city of God. But of Zion, it shall be said, “More and more are being born in her.” For the Most High Himself has founded her.
And YHVH notes in the people’s register : “All these were also born in Zion.” And all will dance and sing joyfully for you.
Liturgical Colour : White
Genesis 3 : 9-15, 20
YHVH God called the man saying to him, “Where are you?” He said, “I heard Your voice in the garden and I was afraid because I was naked, so I hid.” God said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree I ordered you not to eat?”
The man answered, “The woman You put with me gave me fruit from the tree and I ate it.” God said to the woman, “What have you done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me and I ate.”
YHVH God said to the serpent, “Since you have done that, be cursed among all the cattle and wild beasts! You will crawl on your belly and eat dust all the days of your life. I will make you enemies, you and the woman, your offspring and her offspring. He will crush your head and you will strike his heel.”
The man called his wife by the name of Eve, because she was the mother of all the living.
Alternative reading
Acts 1 : 12-14
Then they returned to Jerusalem from the Mount called Olives, which is a fifteen minute walk away. On entering the city they went to the room upstairs where they were staying. Present there were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James, son of Alpheus; Simon the Zealot and Judas son of James.
All of these, together, gave themselves to constant prayer. With them were some women, and also Mary, the mother of Jesus, and His brothers.
Liturgical Colour : White
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today the Church celebrates the Feast of Our Lady of Fatima, commemorating the Apparitions of the Blessed Mother of God, Mary most Holy at the site of Cova da Iria near the small town of Fatima in Portugal, over a century ago to young children-shepherds, namely St. Francisco Marto and St. Jacinta Marto who were siblings, and their cousin, the Venerable Lucia dos Santos. They had actually begun experiencing the Apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Our Lady of Fatima from the previous year, 1916. Historically, it was known that Mary, the Mother of God had made appearances during times and moments when wars and conflicts happened in the world, where a lot of hardships, sufferings and trials were faced by the people, and a lot of wickedness and evils were present all around everyone.
At that time, the First World War or World War I, then known as the Great War was raging throughout the world, but was particularly terrifying and devastating in Europe. While Portugal itself was not directly affected by the war, but it was at the year 1916 that Portugal entered into the Great War on the side of the Entente or the Allies against the Central Powers led by Germany. By that time, the Great War had been raging for over two years and millions had perished due to the continuing warfare and conflicts, while many millions more people were suffering because of the effects of the disruptions to their daily livelihood, the hunger and famine due to the entire national resources of many states being pooled and focused for the war efforts. It was at this tumultuous time that the Mother of God, as Our Lady of Fatima, chose to make her appearance to us all.
Initially, people were skeptical of what the three children-shepherds were experiencing and telling to them, about the apparition of a Woman at the site of Cova da Iria, which they associated with Mary, the Mother of God. The Lady in the Apparition told the three children of many things, including the prayer to end the Great War, and the call to return to peace, and for mankind to abandon all the wicked and evil deeds which they had committed through the War and many other things which had indeed angered the Lord greatly. Mary appeared to the three of them calling on them to pass on the messages and the words that she had brought with her to everyone, so that more and more people would come to turn their hearts and minds back towards the Lord, and away from the evils and wickedness which many of them had committed and led them to sin against God.
On this date of the thirteenth of May in the Year of Our Lord 1917, Mary appeared to the three children again, as she showed herself to them as a great Woman, appearing brighter than the Sun, and with light clearer and stronger than a crystal goblet filled with the clearest water, in the words of the witnesses themselves. The appearance of this Woman, who wore a white and gold-trimmed mantle, with the holy rosary upon her hands would become the inspiration of the images and statues now commonly known and venerated widely all around Christendom as Our Lady of Fatima. The Apparition told the three witnesses to tell everyone to commit themselves to the Lord, the Holy Trinity more and more, and to pray the Rosary everyday to bring an end to the war and return to peace. All those things which the Blessed Virgin had mentioned, eventually came to be, just over a year later.
There were many other things and miraculous signs and wonders which Mary as Our Lady of Fatima had shown to the three children and to many other witnesses in her series of Apparitions, as her messages and words brought upon everyone a message and reminder for them to return once again to God’s love and grace, abandoning the evils and wickedness of the world, to sin no more and to embrace wholeheartedly God’s loving and compassionate mercy, which He has always readily given to us, but yet, our stubbornness and wickedness had often prevented us from being able to receive the fullness of God’s grace, forgiveness and love. And while the messages and the words of Our Lady of Fatima, and the whole Apparition would be approved by the Church authorities, and became one of the most popular and enduring Marian devotions up to this day, but at that time, many were skeptical of the veracity and authenticity of what the three children and witnesses had seen.
That was why those three witnesses had to face scrutiny, objections and obstacles from the secular and religious authorities at that time, who questioned them and doubted them, and some did not believe that the Apparition was real or legitimate. But, through the repeated Apparitions, the many signs and miracles which Our Lady of Fatima had shown, eventually, many were convinced of the truth and authenticity of Our Lady’s appearance, that Mary had indeed appeared to the three shepherd children and through them to many others, who were therefore touched and called to propagate her words and reminders, which were all ultimately meant to direct mankind to return once again to righteousness and virtues in God. Our Lady of Fatima, as our loving adoptive Mother, has always been concerned about us, many of whom are always in the danger of losing in the battle for our souls to those who seek our destruction and downfall.
Brothers and sisters in Christ, as we commemorate this Feast of Our Lady of Fatima today, let us always keep in mind what the Lord Himself told to everyone in our Gospel passage today, ‘Truly blessed are those who hear the word of God, and keep it as well.’, which indirectly showed the perfect example of this faith and commitment in His own Mother Mary, who had obeyed the Lord’s will and committed herself thoroughly to whatever God had entrusted to her, that through her, many great things had been done for our salvation, by the coming of Our Lord and Saviour, incarnate in the flesh through Mary’s acceptance of her role to be the Mother of God, Our Lord and Saviour. Not only that, but Mary had dedicated herself to love her Son, and to care for everyone whom He had entrusted to her, which He did from His Cross, at the moment of His Passion and death.
Yes, brothers and sisters in Christ, Our Lord had entrusted to us His own Mother to be our Mother, to care and love for us, at all times. At the same time, we have also been adopted by her to be like her own children. That is why it is really not surprising why she had made her many appearances all throughout history, especially during the moments and times like conflicts, wars and hardships facing the people of God, her own adopted children, who were in danger of falling into the wrong paths in life, and who were afflicted by a lot of uncertainties and hardships. Which mother would not care for her sons and daughters hence? Which mother would pretend not to know or to ignore the plight of those whom she loved? That was why Mary, as Our Lady of Fatima and her many other Apparitions, had done so much for our sake, to lead us all once again towards her Son, Our Lord and Saviour.
Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore renew our commitment to the Lord through His Blessed Mother, Mary, ever Virgin, Our Lady of Fatima. Let us all ask her to constantly intercede for us, and to help and guide us in our journey through life, so that amidst all the challenges, trials, hardships and dangers that we may have to face in this life, as the disciples and followers of Christ, we will continue to proceed onward ever more faithfully, and be directed towards Our Lord and His salvation, by following the great examples and faith as shown by Mary herself, who has always guided us all towards her Son, Our Lord and Saviour. Let us all as Christians strive to be ever always worthy of God, and fill our whole lives with prayer and love for both God and for our fellow brothers and sisters all around us.
May the Holy Mother of God, Our Lady of Fatima, our loving Mother and intercessor, continue to pray for us and to guide us patiently as she has always done all these while. May we continue to seek the Lord, by focusing our attention Him through gazing upon the loving face of our beloved Mother, who has shown us the path forward in life as disciples and followers of Our Lord. Holy Mary, Mother of God, Our Lady of Fatima, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
Liturgical Colour : White
John 16 : 29-33
At that time, the disciples said to Jesus, “Now You are speaking plainly and not in veiled language! Now we see that You know all things, even before we question You. Because of this we believe that You came from God.”
Jesus answered them, “You say that you believe? The hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, each one to his home, and you will leave Me alone. Yet I am not alone, for the Father is with Me. I have told you all this, so that in Me you may have peace. You will have trouble in the world; but courage! I have overcome the world.”
Alternative reading (Mass of Our Lady of Fatima)
Luke 11 : 27-28
At that time, as Jesus was speaking, a woman spoke from the crowd and said to Him, “Blessed is the one who gave You birth and nursed You!”
Jesus replied, “Truly blessed are those who hear the word of God, and keep it as well.”
Liturgical Colour : White
Psalm 67 : 2-3, 4-5ac, 6-7ab
Arise, o God, scatter Your enemies; let Your foes flee before You. As smoke is blown by the wind, so blow them away; as wax melts before the fire, so let the wicked perish before You.
But let the righteous be glad and exult before God; let them sing to God and shout for joy. Sing to God, sing praises to His Name; the Lord is His Name. Rejoice in His presence.
Father of orphans and Protector of widows – such is our God is His holy dwelling. He gives shelter to the homeless, sets the prisoners free.
Alternative reading (Mass of Our Lady of Fatima)
Psalm 44 : 11-12, 14-15, 16-17
Listen, o daughter, pay attention; forget your father’s house and your nation, and your beauty will charm the King, for He is your Lord.
All glorious as she enters is the princess in her gold-woven robes. She is led in royal attire to the King, following behind is her train of virgins.
Amid cheers and general rejoicing, they enter the palace of the King. Forget your fathers and think of your sons, you will make them princes throughout the land.
Liturgical Colour : White
Acts 19 : 1-8
While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul travelled through the interior of the country and came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples whom he asked, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?” They answered, “We have not even heard that anyone may receive the Holy Spirit.” Paul then asked, “What kind of baptism have you received?” And they answered, “The baptism of John.”
Paul then explained, “John’s baptism was for conversion, but he himself said they should believe in the One Who was to come, and that One is Jesus.” Upon hearing this, they were baptised in the Name of the Lord Jesus. Then Paul laid his hands on them and the Holy Spirit came down upon them; and they began to speak in tongues and to prophesy. There were about twelve of them in all.
Paul went into the synagogue and for three months he preached and discussed there boldly, trying to convince them about the Kingdom of God.
Alternative reading (Mass of Our Lady of Fatima)
Isaiah 61 : 9-11
Their 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.
Liturgical Colour : White
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today on New Year’s Day of this Year of Our Lord 2024, we also mark the occasion of the Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God, in Greek known as ‘Theotokos’ or ‘God-bearer’. This is a title of the Blessed Virgin Mary which had originated from early in the history of the Church, as since the days of the Apostles, the Church and the faithful had consistently treated Mary with the greatest respect among all of mankind and of all the members of the Church because of her unique role in the history of salvation of mankind. By her other titles that we celebrate in the liturgical year, especially that of the Mother of the Church after Pentecost Sunday, Mary is also the Mother of the Church and the Mother of us all, because the Lord Himself has entrusted her to us to be our own loving Mother.
As the Mother of God, Mary is respected above all other saints and all the created beings, living or dead, because this is a truly unique role surpassing anything that any saints by their lives and deeds had done. After all, no one else can be the one to bear the Lord Himself like Mary had done in her blessed womb for a whole period of nine months. Mary was told by the Archangel Gabriel that she would become the one to bear the Saviour of the world, the Son of God Most High Himself. And this belief that Mary as the Mother of God has a much deeper meaning, symbolism and importance to our faith than what it may appear at a glance. Why is that so, brothers and sisters in Christ? This is because the nature of Mary as the ‘Mother of God’ is inextricably linked to the nature of her Son, Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
There was a time in the early Church when there were varying beliefs and schools of thought regarding the nature of Our Lord Jesus, as while the Apostles had taught and most of the Church fathers had preserved the teachings that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and Son of Man at the same time, co-equal and co-eternal with the Father and the Holy Spirit, with distinct yet indivisible Divine and Human natures, united in the Person of Jesus Christ, there were some who considered that Jesus Christ as born of the Blessed Virgin Mary was merely a Man, and has separate nature from His Divine nature. This stemmed from a belief that Mary could not have been the Mother of God as how could God be contained in the womb of a woman like Mary?
However, this contradicted everything that the Church had always taught and believed from the beginning about Mary, whom the Church had always believed to be holy and full of grace, according to the words of the Archangel Gabriel himself. When Archangel Gabriel mentioned to Mary, ‘Hail Mary, full of grace!’ as we also repeat every time when we pray the Ave Maria or Hail Mary prayer, he was in fact referring to the fact that Mary is truly full of God’s grace, and if we understand better what grace is, it means that one’s actions and life are aligned with God, and fullness of grace means that Mary is perfectly attuned to the Lord, and hence, was not tainted by the taint and corruption of sin at all throughout her whole life.
And that is what we all believe in Mary’s special role in delivering unto us the Saviour of the world, the Divine Word of God Incarnate, that she, by the singular grace of God, had been protected and spared from any taint of sin, in the Dogma of the Immaculate Conception, which while it was only formally codified and defined over a hundred and fifty years ago by the Church, it had been part of the Church teachings and beliefs since the very beginning of the Church. And this is inextricably linked to the Dogma of the Divine Motherhood, which the Church celebrates today, as the fact that Mary was hallowed and made perfect highlighted that the One Whom she bore in her womb was none other than the Lord Himself, fully Divine and fully Man.
This is because like the old Ark of the Covenant, which God had hallowed and blessed, to bear His Holy Presence coming down among His people, thus, Mary, as the New Ark of the New Covenant of God, had been made not by human hands but by the Lord Himself, hallowed and blessed, to be the worthy vessel to bear the Son of God, the Divine being contained in the flesh, in the Person of Our Lord and Saviour. This would not have been necessary if Mary was merely the mother of Jesus Christ, the Man, and not the Mother of God as well. Some of those who held on to false and heretical beliefs back then argued that Mary was merely the Mother of Christ, or Christotokos, and not Theotokos, or the Mother of God as the Church has always upheld.
All of these disagreements and differences were resolved at the Ecumenical Council of Ephesus where those who adhered to the heresy of Nestorianism were condemned, and the Church officially declared Mary as the Mother of God, or Theotokos. Nestorianism was a heresy championed by the then Archbishop of the See of Constantinople, Nestorius, who propagated the extreme dyophysite idea that the Divine nature and the Human nature of Christ were separate and distinct, and not united in the Person of Jesus Christ. As such, significant numbers of the Nestorians also believed that Mary was only the Mother of Jesus Christ in His human nature, not in His Divine nature, hence rejecting the title of Mother of God for her.
The Ecumenical Council of Ephesus resoundingly rejected that view and idea, and reaffirmed the Church’s beliefs that Jesus Christ is truly Divine and Human, and His two natures, while distinct, are united indivisibly and cannot be separated, united perfectly in a hypostatic union in His Person. Because of that, Mary is not merely just the Mother of Jesus Christ, the Son of Man, but also the Mother of God the Son, hence being the Mother of God. And it is this great position and honour that Mary has, which made her to be esteemed and honoured above all the other saints and holy men and women of God. But all of us as Christians also honour her ultimately because of her great faith, obedience to God and commitment to Him.
Brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we all celebrate the Divine Motherhood of Mary, the Holy Mother of God, let us all remember that she is also our mother as well, for the Lord has entrusted her to us, and all of us to her vice versa. Not only that, but by sharing in our humanity, the Lord has brought us all under His mother’s loving care and attention. Mary has always been loving and attentive towards us all, whom she has treated as her own beloved children. This is why she has always interceded for us, and appeared many times to remind us and to chastise us for our sinful ways and wickedness, through time and history. As our mother, she has always looked upon us with love and pity, seeing how we are all still shackled by the many bonds and entanglements of sin and worldly desires.
Let us all therefore today strive to change our ways for the better, heeding our loving Mother’s call, for us to repent and turn back towards her Son, Our Lord and Saviour. Let us all be thankful that the Mother of God herself has always loved us and cared for us, and has shown us the surest and best path towards salvation in her Son. Let us all hence do our part so that our new year may begin in the right manner, free from the corruption of sin and evil, and let us all do our best so that our lives may truly be exemplary and holy, following the examples of Mary herself, the Mother of God, our loving Mother. Let us all follow her examples so that we may also be filled with God’s grace, and be freed from the attachments we had to sin and evils all around us.
Today, the Church also commemorates the World Day of Peace or the World Day of Prayer for Peace. Therefore, on this particular occasion, and keeping in mind how conflicts are still raging all around the world, particularly in Ukraine and in the Holy Land, let us all ask the Blessed Mother of God to intercede for us, and let us all also pray together as one people, seeking and desiring for peace in our world today. Let us all do whatever we can to promote peace and to work against misinformations and efforts by some to stir hatred and anger amongst us, so that we may indeed all work together towards genuine peace in our world. Let us all pray and support all of our leaders and everyone involved in negotiating the peace process.
May the Blessed Mother of God, Theotokos, continue to guide us as always, towards her Son, our Lord and Saviour, and may she always direct us and our attention towards Him, and no longer towards all the temptations of this world. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now, and at the hour of our death. Amen.
Liturgical Colour : White
Luke 2 : 16-21
So the shepherds came hurriedly, and found Mary and Joseph, and the Baby lying in the manger. On seeing Him, they related what they had been told about the Child, and all were astonished on hearing the shepherds.
As for Mary, she treasured all these words, and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds then returned, giving glory and praise to God for all they had heard and seen, just as the Angels had told them.
On the eighth day the circumcision of the Baby had to be performed; He was named Jesus, the Name the Angel had given Him before He was conceived.
Liturgical Colour : White
Galatians 4 : 4-7
But when the fullness of time came, God sent His Son. He came born of woman and subject to the Law, in order to redeem the subjects of the Law, that we might receive adoption as children of God.
And because you are children, God has sent into your hearts the Spirit of His Son which cries out : Abba! That is, Father! You yourself are no longer a slave but a son or daughter, and yours is the inheritance by God’s grace.
Liturgical Colour : White
Psalm 66 : 2-3, 5, 6 and 8
May God be gracious and bless us; may He let His face shine upon us, that Your way be known on earth and Your salvation among the nations.
May the countries be glad and sing for joy, for You rule the peoples with justice and guide the nations of the world.
May the peoples praise You, o God, may all the peoples praise You! May God bless us and be revered, to the very ends of the earth.
petercanisiusmichaeldavidkang 