Vigil Mass

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Wednesday, 24 June 2026 : Vigil Mass of the Solemnity of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, this evening all of us come together to celebrate the Vigil of the great Solemnity in honour of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist, the one whom the Lord had sent to be His own Herald, in proclaiming His coming into this world, and to prepare the path and everything for His entry and appearance in our midst. On this evening, we truly give thanks to God for His gift of St. John the Baptist, the holy servant whom He had sent to be in our midst, to call us from our slumber in the darkness so that by his efforts and works, many would be stirred and come to seek the Lord and His forgiveness, that more and more might be saved, and be prepared to welcome the Lord Himself, coming into our midst.

St. John the Baptist was born not long before the Lord Himself, as there was a short period of time when both him and our Lord and Saviour were both in their mothers’ wombs. At the time when Mary, the Mother of God visited Elizabeth, the mother of St. John the Baptist, not long before the latter’s birth, both of them were still in the womb, and it was then that St. John the Baptist recognised the coming of his Lord and Master, Who was in the womb of Mary, Elizabeth’s own relative and cousin. And like that of our Lord Himself, the pregnancy that gave rise to the birth and coming of St. John the Baptist was also miraculous, in that his mother Elizabeth was already very old and way past child-bearing age.

Yet, the Lord chose Elizabeth to bear the child who would become the Herald of the Messiah, revealing the news to Zechariah, his father, at the Temple through His Archangel, which according to the Church and Apostolic traditions, was the Archangel Gabriel, the same one who would then go on to visit Mary to tell her of the even greater Good News of the coming of the Saviour of the world. Through these two good news delivered by the Archangel to both Elizabeth and Mary therefore, the world has finally come to see the Light of God’s salvation, which He has long promised to us all, to His beloved ones, who have long been suffering under the dominion and the tyranny of sin.

St. John the Baptist was born into his family and into this world as an occasion of great joy, both for his family who had not been able to have any children at all, and then for the world because through St. John the Baptist, the Lord would finally reveal the last parts of His long prepared plan of salvation for each and every one of us. St. John the Baptist, as we all should know, would go on to do great deeds among God’s people, becoming known as the Baptist or the Baptiser because he called a great throng of countless thousands or more, to come to the Lord and to commit themselves once again to His cause, with the baptism at the River Jordan as the symbolic and tangible commitment of the people’s desire to return to God with repentance.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, what is the significance of this Solemnity of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist is to us? This Solemnity is a reminder for all of us of everything that God had done for us, and in how He has always fulfilled everything that he has promised us, in showing us His ever tender mercy, love and compassion. That He sent us all His servants, repeatedly from time to time, and gave us guidance through His messengers and through His Church, and by giving us all His own beloved Son, Jesus Christ, the Divine Word Incarnate and Son of God, to be our Saviour, by suffering and dying for our sake, God wants us all to know that He truly loves us all, and He wants us to embrace the salvation that He has so freely offered to us.

As Christians, all of us should be inspired by the great examples set by St. John the Baptist, whose contributions are not limited only just by what he had done in baptising the countless thousands and more at the River Jordan. It was his faithfulness and his dedication to the Lord which should inspire us all to follow his good examples and faith as well. Not only that, but St. John the Baptist also showed us great courage and steadfastness in faith, in courageously opposing even the powerful ones at his time, the teachers of the Law and the chief priests, whom he scolded and criticised as the band of vipers for their lack of faith, hypocrisy and mismanagement of the people, and also King Herod, whom St. John the Baptist criticised for his immoral and adulterous behaviour with his brother’s wife, Herodias.

St. John the Baptist, who did not fear persecution and oppression, and who gave his whole life and efforts to the service of God, is a paragon of virtue and Christian discipleship, and all of us as Christians should be inspired to walk in the same path that St. John the Baptist had traversed, and be inspired by his great courage and commitment to God. He is a great role model for us all, in how each and every one of us should be living our lives as well, with great virtue and commitment to God, and in doing whatever it is that we have been entrusted by God to do with our lives, in our respective areas of responsibilities, and in our various vocations in the Church and in this world, in doing our best to glorify God by our lives.

May St. John the Baptist, Holy Herald of the Lord and His faithful servant, continue to pray and intercede for us all, that God may continue to guide and strengthen each and every one of us in our lives and in our works, so that we may truly be worthy of Him, and be committed in living our lives most worthily and faithfully in all things, in our every words, actions and deeds, at all times. May God bless us all, in our every efforts and endeavours, now and always, forevermore. Amen.

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Wednesday, 24 June 2026 : Vigil Mass of the Solemnity of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Luke 1 : 5-17

In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there lived a priest named Zechariah, belonging to the priestly clan of Abiah. Elizabeth, Zechariah’s wife also belonged to a priestly family. Both of them were upright in the eyes of God, and lived blamelessly, in accordance with all the laws and commands of the Lord, but they had no child. Elizabeth could not have any and now they were both very old.

Now, while Zechariah and those with him were fulfilling their office, it fell to him by lot, according to the custom of the priests, to enter the Sanctuary of the Lord and burn incense. At the time of offering incense, all the people were praying outside; it was then, that an Angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense. On seeing the Angel, Zechariah was deeply troubled and fear took hold of him.

But the Angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, be assured that your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son and you shall name him John. He will bring joy and gladness to you, and many will rejoice at his birth. This son of yours will be great in the eyes of the Lord. Listen : he shall never drink wine or strong drink; but he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb.”

“Through him, many of the people of Israel will turn to the Lord their God. He, himself, will open the way to the Lord, with the spirit and power of the prophet Elijah; he will reconcile fathers and children; and lead the disobedient to wisdom and righteousness, in order to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

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Wednesday, 24 June 2026 : Vigil Mass of the Solemnity of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist (Second Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

1 Peter 1 : 8-12

You have not, yet, seen Him, and, yet, you love Him; even without seeing Him, you believe in Him, and experience a heavenly joy beyond all words, for you are reaching the goal of your faith : the salvation of your souls.

This was the salvation for which the prophets so eagerly looked when, in days past, they foretold the favour of God, with regard to you. But they could only investigate when the Spirit of Christ present within them, pointed out the time and the circumstances, of this – the sufferings of Christ, and the glories which would follow.

It was revealed to them, that they were working, not for themselves, but for you. Thus, in these days, after the Holy Spirit has been sent from heaven, the Gospel’s preachers have taught you these mysteries, which even the Angels long to see.

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Wednesday, 24 June 2026 : Vigil Mass of the Solemnity of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : White

Psalm 70 : 1-2, 3-4a, 5-6ab, 15ab and 17

In You, o Lord, I seek refuge; let me not be disgraced. In Your justice help me and deliver me, turn Your ear to me and save me!

Be my Rock of refuge, a Stronghold to give me safety, for You are my Rock and my Fortress. Rescue me, o my God, from the hand of the wicked.

For You, o Lord, have been my Hope, my Trust, o God, from my youth. I have relied on You from birth : from my mother’s womb You brought me forth.

My lips will proclaim Your intervention and tell of Your salvation all day, little though it is what I can understand. You have taught me from my youth and until now I proclaim Your marvels.

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Wednesday, 24 June 2026 : Vigil Mass of the Solemnity of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Jeremiah 1 : 4-10

A word of YHVH came to me, “Even before I formed you in the womb I have known you; even before you were born I had set you apart, and appointed you a prophet to the nations!”

I said, “Ah, Lord YHVH! I do not know how to speak; I am still young!” But YHVH replied, “Do not say; ‘I am still young’, for now you will go, whatever be the mission I am entrusting to you, and you will speak of whatever I command you to say. Do not be afraid of them, for I will be with you to protect you – it is YHVH Who speaks!”

Then YHVH stretched out His hand and touched my mouth and said to me, “Now I have put My words in your mouth. See! Today I give you authority over nations and over kingdoms to uproot and to pull down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant.”

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Sunday, 8 June 2025 : Vigil Mass of the Solemnity of Pentecost Sunday (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, in this evening we celebrate the Vigil of the great Solemnity and Feast of Pentecost Sunday, marking the fiftieth day since the celebration of the Day of the Lord’s glorious Resurrection from the dead, that is Easter Sunday. This Solemnity of the Pentecost Sunday, one of the greatest feasts and celebrations of the Church, together with Easter and Christmas had its roots from the ancient Jewish and Israelite Festival of the Pentecost, which means ‘fifty’, marking fifty days from the time of the Passover. And since Easter is truly the New, Christian and Eternal Passover which the Lord Jesus, Our Lord, God and Saviour had sealed and made with all of us, therefore, this Pentecost is the celebration of the renewed Pentecost of the ancient past.

On this Sunday’s celebration, we remember the moment when the Lord’s promised Advocate or Helper, the Holy Third of the Holy Trinity, the Holy Spirit, came down upon the Apostles and the disciples of the Lord, marking the moment when the Church was revealed to the whole world. This day of the Pentecost was often mistaken as the ‘birthday of the Church’ as it is understandable that many would have seen it that way. After all, it was the moment when the Church was manifested and became real to the world, as the Apostles and the other disciples, traditionally numbering a hundred and twenty of them all according to Apostolic traditions, went forth from their hiding place to go public and courageously proclaiming the Good News of God, gaining three thousand converts that day, and hence laying the foundation for the visible Body of Christ, the Church.

However, the true birthday of the Church actually happened on the Good Friday according to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, as the Church of God came forth from the side of the Lord, His pierced side that gave the outpoured Precious Blood and water, coming forth into this world after He has proclaimed it before the disciples, the Church of God, the Body that the Lord Himself has broken and shared with us all, so that by His gift of His Most Precious Body and Blood, all of us become sharers and partakers in the same Eucharist, the Real Presence of Our Lord, and thus becoming united as one Body of Christian believers, and hence, the Church of God. Nevertheless, this does not mean that what happened at Pentecost was less important in any way, as up to the Descent of the Holy Spirit, the Church was hidden from the world, hiding in fear and uncertainty.

In this Pentecost Vigil’s many readings, which stemmed from the ancient practice and tradition that Pentecost Vigil in fact mirrored that of Easter Vigil with its multiple readings from the Old Testament, with the most solemn and greatest of solemn celebrations, symbolising the fulfilment of God’s plan of salvation, and also the fulfilment of everything that the Lord Himself has promised, in promising to send the Holy Spirit, the Holy Advocate and Helper to strengthen, guide and encourage all the disciples and the others whom He has called and chosen to be part of His Church, the members of His Body. We heard of the many occurrences and instances in the past when the Holy Spirit had been at work and highlighting to us what the nature of the Holy Spirit is all about, in all of His works among us mankind.

In the first one from the Book of Genesis we heard of the time after the Great Flood, the Flood that had destroyed most of mankind except that of Noah and his immediate family, and we heard how at that time the whole earth still spoke in one same language. And at that time, the people grew proud and haughty in their achievements and abilities, boasting that they could build a tower that reached to the Heaven itself, known as the Tower of Babel, building ever higher and seeking to be like God’s equal. And hence, in their moment of pride and arrogance, they had sinned against God and the Lord then withdrew the gift of His Spirit, the gift of understanding and unity, and hence, bringing about divisions and lack of understanding, as the people became unable to comprehend each other, and henceforth, stopped the project that they had pridefully undertaken.

Then, in the next reading from the Book of Exodus, we heard of the moment when the Israelites were encamped at Mount Sinai, the Mountain of God, at the time when the Lord was to establish a Covenant with all of them through Moses. God called all of His people to Himself, gathering them there and revealing His great glory before all of them, The Lord’s Holy Presence descended on the Mountain itself, and He spoke to them all with the voices that sounded like great thunder and roll of trumpets. And this is a very significant event, when compared to what happened at the actual Pentecost Sunday itself, two millennia ago, together with the earlier reading from the Book of Genesis. For we can see clear parallel and contrast between those events and that of the Coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.

First of all, God made His Covenant with His people at Mount Sinai and wanted to establish it with them, and yet, as we all should also know, at that time, after waiting for many days, the Israelites grew restless and chose to act in a manner that displeased the Lord, in making a golden calf idol over themselves and calling it their god who saved them from Egypt. As a result, if we read on, three thousand people were destroyed and punished because of their rebellions and sins afterwards, and we can see the contrast with the three thousand people who accepted the Lord as their Saviour at the time of the Pentecost, where the Covenant of God was affirmed to His people, restoring the unity that was lost between God and us mankind.

Not only that, but the confusion of languages that happened at the Tower of Babel was also reversed as the Apostles and disciples also received the gift of languages and tongues at Pentecost, speaking in various languages understandable to the many people that gathered at that time in Jerusalem, that they all understood the message of God’s truth and Good News through the words spoken by those faithful servants of God. We can see how the Holy Spirit carried out His works, restoring the unity and the wisdom that had been lost to us mankind because of our rebelliousness, our pride and arrogance, our haughtiness and wickedness. Thus, through the Holy Spirit, God restored unto us the grace and the gifts which He has always intended for us from the beginning of time.

From the Book of the prophet Ezekiel, the other one of the Old Testament readings we heard of his vision of a great valley that was filled with vast multitudes of dry bones, which represented the people of God, that had been laid to waste by the darkness of sin and the corruption of evil. But then Ezekiel saw the Spirit of God came from the Lord and then gradually restoring those dry bones, bone by bone, sinew by sinew, flesh by flesh, reconstructing and rejuvenating what was once there, the life that had been lost from them. This highlighted to us what we believe in the Holy Spirit as we always say in the Nicene Creed, ‘I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of Life.’ And we also heard of God giving us all life and created the whole world by His Spirit, present in all.

Then lastly from the Book of the prophet Joel, we heard of the words of reassurance from the Lord telling the people, all of us that His Spirit will come in due time, to strengthen all of us and to be strong amidst the challenges and trials that we had to face in this world. And His salvation and grace would come upon us all, as He has indeed promised and fulfilled by the sending and arrival of His Son, Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Saviour, and by the outpouring of the Holy Spirit that had come upon us all, His Church. This is also echoed by St. Paul in his Epistle to the Romans, in our second reading this Vigil Mass, which spoke about the coming of the Holy Spirit upon us, which we have all received, and how salvation has been reassured to us and strengthening us with His hope and love, that we may have the courage and strength to fulfil everything that God had entrusted to us.

Therefore, brothers and sisters in Christ, as we have reflected well upon these words from the Sacred Scriptures and reminded of what the Lord Himself had told His disciples in our Gospel passage today, ‘Let anyone who is thirsty come to Me, and let the one who believes in Me drink, for the Scripture says : Out of the believer’s heart shall flow rivers of living water’, referring to the Holy Spirit that we have all received through Baptism, and which is then further strengthened and confirmed with us with the Sacrament of Confirmation, therefore, let us all as Christians joyfully proclaim the Lord at all times, all of His goodness and graces, through our works and actions, through everything we do, our every interactions with one another, filled ever more wonderfully by the gifts of the Holy Spirit within us, so that we may truly bear rich fruits of the Holy Spirit.

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of the faithful and enkindle in all of us the fire of Your love. Lord, send forth Your Holy Spirit upon us and this world, and renew the face of the earth. May all of us be the loving examples and inspirations to one another, the perfect manifestation of the Love of God and the works of the Holy Spirit in our world today, now and always. Amen.

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Sunday, 8 June 2025 : Vigil Mass of the Solemnity of Pentecost Sunday (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Red

John 7 : 37-39

At that time, on the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood up and proclaimed, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to Me; and let the one who believes in Me drink, for the Scripture says : Out of the believer’s heart shall flow rivers of living water.”

Jesus was referring to the Spirit, which those who believe in Him were to receive; the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet entered into His glory.

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Sunday, 8 June 2025 : Vigil Mass of the Solemnity of Pentecost Sunday (Second Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Romans 8 : 22-27

We know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pangs of birth. Not creation alone, but even ourselves, although the Spirit was given to us as a foretaste of what we are to receive, we groan in our innermost being, eagerly awaiting the day when God will give us full rights and rescue our bodies as well.

In hope we already have salvation. But if we saw what we hoped for, there would no longer be hope; how can you hope for what is already seen? So we hope for what we do not see and we will receive it through patient hope. We are weak, but the Spirit comes to help us. How to ask? And what shall we ask for?

We do not know, but the Spirit intercedes for us without words, as if with groans. And He Who sees inner secrets knows the desires of the Spirit, for He asks for the holy ones what is pleasing to God.

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Sunday, 8 June 2025 : Vigil Mass of the Solemnity of Pentecost Sunday (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Psalm 103 : 1-2a, 24 and 35c, 27-28, 29bc-30

Bless the Lord, my soul! Clothed in majesty and splendour; o Lord, my God, how great You are! You are wrapped in light as with a garment.

How varied o Lord, are Your works! In wisdom You have made them all – the earth full of Your creatures. Bless the Lord, my soul!

They all look to You for their food in due time. You give it to them, and they gather it up; You open Your hand, they are filled with good things.

You take away their breath, they expire and return to dust. When You send forth Your Spirit, they are created, and the face of the earth is renewed.

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Sunday, 8 June 2025 : Vigil Mass of the Solemnity of Pentecost Sunday (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Genesis 11 : 1-9

The whole world had one language and a common speech. As people moved from east, they found a plain in the country of Shinar where they settled. They said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks and bake them in fire.” They used brick for stone and bitumen for mortar. They said also, “Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top reaching heaven; so that we may become a great people and not be scattered over the face of the earth!”

YHVH came down to see the city and the tower that the sons of man were building, and YHVH said, “They are one people and they have one language. If they carry this through, nothing they decide to do from now on will be impossible. Come! Let Us go down and confuse their language so that they will no longer understand each other.”

So YHVH scattered them over all the earth and they stopped building the city. That is why it was called Babel, because there YHVH confused the language of the whole earth and from there YHVH scattered them over the whole face of the earth.

Alternative reading

Exodus 19 : 3-8a, 16-20b

The Israelites camped there in front of the mountain, but Moses went up to God and YHVH called to him from the mountain, saying, “This is what you are to say and to explain to the Israelites : You have seen what I did to the Egyptians and how I carried you on eagle’s wings and brought you to Myself.”

“Now if you listen to Me and keep My covenant, you shall be My very own possession among all the nations. For all the earth is Mine, but you will be for Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” And He added, “This is what you are to say to the people of Israel.”

So Moses went and summoned all the elders of the people and related to them all that YHVH had commanded him to say. All the people responded with one voice, “All that YHVH has said, we will do.”

On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning and a dense cloud over the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast was heard. All the people in the camp trembled. Moses then made the people leave the camp to meet God and stand at the foot of the mountain.

Mount Sinai was completely covered in smoke because YHVH had come down in fire, and the smoke rose as from a furnace. The whole mountain shook violently, while the blast of the trumpet became louder and louder. Moses spoke and God replied in thunder. When YHVH had come down to the summit of Mount Sinai, God called Moses who went to the summit.

Alternative reading

Ezekiel 37 : 1-14

The hand of YHVH was upon me. He brought me out and led me in spirit to the middle of the valley which was full of bones. He made me walk to and fro among them and I could see there was a great number of them on the ground all along the valley and that they were very dry.

YHVH said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live again?” I said, “Lord YHVH, only You know that.” He then said, “Speak on My behalf concerning these bones; say to them : Dry bones, hear the word of YHVH! YHVH says : I am going to put spirit in you and make you live. I shall put sinews on you and make flesh grow on you; I shall cover you with skin and give you My Spirit, that you may live. And you will know that I am YHVH.”

“I prophesied as I had been commanded and then there was a noise and commotion; the bones joined together. I looked and saw that they had sinews, that flesh was growing on them and that He was covering them with skin. But there was no spirit in them.”

So YHVH said to me, “Speak on My behalf and call on the Spirit, son of man! Say to the Spirit : This is the word of YHVH : Spirit, come from the four winds. Breathe into these dead bones and let them live!” I prophesied as He had commanded me and breath entered them; they came alive, standing on their feet – a great, immense army!

He then said to me, “Son of man, these bones are all Israel. They keep saying : ‘Our bones are dry, hope has gone, it is the end of us.’ So prophesy! Say to them : This is what YHVH says : I am going to open your tombs, I shall bring you out of your tombs, My people, and lead you back to the land of Israel.”

“You will know that I am YHVH, o My people! When I open your graves and bring you out of your graves, when I put My Spirit in you and you live. I shall settle you in your land and you will know that I, YHVH, have done what I said I would do.”

Alternative reading

Joel 3 : 1-5

In the last days, I will pour out My Spirit on every mortal. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. Even upon My servants and maidens, I will pour out My Spirit on that day.

I will show wonders in the heavens, and on earth blood and fire and columns of smoke. The sun will darken and the moon turn to blood, at the approach of the great and dreadful day of God.

Then all who call upon the Name of YHVH will be saved. For on Mount Zion there will be a remnant, as YHVH has said; in Jerusalem some will be saved – those whom YHVH will call.