8TH SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME (YEAR A) – MARCH 02, 2014

Saturday, March 01, 2014 

8th Sunday of Ordinary Time – Year A

5:00 pm  Novena to Our Lady 

5:30 pm  Sunset Mass in English

First Reading 

ISAIAH 49:14-15

14 Zion was saying, 'Yahweh has abandoned me, the Lord has forgotten me.'

15 Can a woman forget her baby at the breast, feel no pity for the child she has borne? Even if these were to forget, I shall not forget you.

“The Word of the Lord”

PSALMS 62:2-3, 6-9

2 he alone is my rock, my safety, my stronghold so that I stand unshaken.

3 How much longer will you set on a victim, all together, intent on murder, like a rampart already leaning over, a wall already damaged?

6 He alone is my rock, my safety, my stronghold, so that I stand unwavering.

7 In God is my safety and my glory, the rock of my strength. In God is my refuge;

8 trust in him, you people, at all times. Pour out your hearts to him, God is a refuge for us.Pause

9 Ordinary people are a mere puff of wind, important people a delusion; set both on the scales together, and they are lighter than a puff of wind.

Second Reading

1 CORINTHIANS 4:1-5

1 People should think of us as Christ's servants, stewards entrusted with the mysteries of God.

2 In such a matter, what is expected of stewards is that each one should be found trustworthy.

3 It is of no importance to me how you or any other human court may judge me: I will not even be the judge of my own self.

4 It is true that my conscience does not reproach me, but that is not enough to justify me: it is the Lord who is my judge.

5 For that reason, do not judge anything before the due time, until the Lord comes; he will bring to light everything that is hidden in darkness and reveal the designs of all hearts. Then everyone will receive from God the appropriate commendation.

“The Word of the Lord”

Gospel Reading 

MATTHEW 6:24-34

24 'No one can be the slave of two masters: he will either hate the first and love the second, or be attached to the first and despise the second. You cannot be the slave both of God and of money.

25 'That is why I am telling you not to worry about your life and what you are to eat, nor about your body and what you are to wear. Surely life is more than food, and the body more than clothing!

26 Look at the birds in the sky. They do not sow or reap or gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they are?

27 Can any of you, however much you worry, add one single cubit to your span of life?

28 And why worry about clothing? Think of the flowers growing in the fields; they never have to work or spin;

29 yet I assure you that not even Solomon in all his royal robes was clothed like one of these.

30 Now if that is how God clothes the wild flowers growing in the field which are there today and thrown into the furnace tomorrow, will he not much more look after you, you who have so little faith?

31 So do not worry; do not say, "What are we to eat? What are we to drink? What are we to wear?"

32 It is the gentiles who set their hearts on all these things. Your heavenly Father knows you need them all.

33 Set your hearts on his kingdom first, and on God's saving justice, and all these other things will be given you as well.

34 So do not worry about tomorrow: tomorrow will take care of itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.'

“The Gospel of the Lord”

7TH SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME (YEAR A) – FEBRUARY 23, 2014

Saturday, February 22, 2014 

7th Sunday of Ordinary Time – Year A

5:00 pm  Novena to Our Lady 

5:30 pm  Sunset Mass in English

First Reading 

LEVITICUS 19:1-2, 17-18

1 Yahweh spoke to Moses and said:

2 'Speak to the whole community of Israelites and say: "Be holy, for I, Yahweh your God, am holy.

17 You will not harbour hatred for your brother. You will reprove your fellow-countryman firmly and thus avoid burdening yourself with a sin.

18 You will not exact vengeance on, or bear any sort of grudge against, the members of your race, but will love your neighbour as yourself. I am Yahweh.

“The Word of the Lord”

PSALMS 102:1-4, 8, 10, 12-13

1 [Prayer of someone afflicted, who in misfortune pours out sorrows before Yahweh] Yahweh, hear my prayer, let my cry for help reach you.

2 Do not turn away your face from me when I am in trouble; bend down and listen to me, when I call, be quick to answer me!

3 For my days are vanishing like smoke, my bones burning like an oven;

4 like grass struck by blight, my heart is withering, I forget to eat my meals.

8 All day long my enemies taunt me, those who once praised me now use me as a curse.

10 because of your fury and anger, since you have raised me up only to cast me away;

12 But you, Yahweh, are enthroned for ever, each generation in turn remembers you.

13 Rise up, take pity on Zion! the time has come to have mercy on her, the moment has come;

Second Reading 

1 CORINTHIANS 3:16-23

16 Do you not realise that you are a temple of God with the Spirit of God living in you?

17 If anybody should destroy the temple of God, God will destroy that person, because God's temple is holy; and you are that temple.

18 There is no room for self-delusion. Any one of you who thinks he is wise by worldly standards must learn to be a fool in order to be really wise.

19 For the wisdom of the world is folly to God. As scripture says: He traps the crafty in the snare of their own cunning

20 and again: The Lord knows the plans of the wise and how insipid they are.

21 So there is to be no boasting about human beings: everything belongs to you,

22 whether it is Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, the world, life or death, the present or the future -- all belong to you;

23 but you belong to Christ and Christ belongs to God.

“The Word of the Lord”

Gospel Reading 

MATTHEW 5:38-48

38 'You have heard how it was said: Eye for eye and tooth for tooth.

39 But I say this to you: offer no resistance to the wicked. On the contrary, if anyone hits you on the right cheek, offer him the other as well;

40 if someone wishes to go to law with you to get your tunic, let him have your cloak as well.

41 And if anyone requires you to go one mile, go two miles with him.

42 Give to anyone who asks you, and if anyone wants to borrow, do not turn away.

43 'You have heard how it was said, You will love your neighbour and hate your enemy.

44 But I say this to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you;

45 so that you may be children of your Father in heaven, for he causes his sun to rise on the bad as well as the good, and sends down rain to fall on the upright and the wicked alike.

46 For if you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Do not even the tax collectors do as much?

47 And if you save your greetings for your brothers, are you doing anything exceptional?

48 Do not even the gentiles do as much? You must therefore be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.'

“The Gospel of the Lord”

6TH SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME (YEAR A) – FEBRUARY 16, 2014

Saturday, February 15, 2014 

6^th Sunday of Ordinary Time – Year A

5:00 pm  Novena to Our Lady 

5:30 pm  Sunset Mass in English

First Reading 

SIRACH 15:15-20

15 If you choose, you will keep the commandments and so be faithful to his will.

16 He has set fire and water before you; put out your hand to whichever you prefer.

17 A human being has life and death before him; whichever he prefers will be given him.

18 For vast is the wisdom of the Lord; he is almighty and all-seeing.

19 His eyes are on those who fear him, he notes every human action.

20 He never commanded anyone to be godless, he has given no one permission to sin.

“The Word of the Lord”

PSALMS 119:1-2, 4-5, 17-18, 33-34

1 How blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the Law of Yahweh!

2 Blessed are those who observe his instructions, who seek him with all their hearts,

4 You lay down your precepts to be carefully kept.

5 May my ways be steady in doing your will.

17 Be generous to your servant and I shall live, and shall keep your words.

18 Open my eyes and I shall fix my gaze on the wonders of your Law.

33 Teach me, Yahweh, the way of your will, and I will observe it.

34 Give me understanding and I will observe your Law, and keep it wholeheartedly.

 Second Reading

1 CORINTHIANS 2:6-10

6 But still, to those who have reached maturity, we do talk of a wisdom, not, it is true, a philosophy of this age or of the rulers of this age, who will not last long now.

7 It is of the mysterious wisdom of God that we talk, the wisdom that was hidden, which God predestined to be for our glory before the ages began.

8 None of the rulers of the age recognised it; for if they had recognised it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory;

9 but it is as scripture says: What no eye has seen and no ear has heard, what the mind of man cannot visualise; all that God has prepared for those who love him;

10 to us, though, God has given revelation through the Spirit, for the Spirit explores the depths of everything, even the depths of God.

“The Word of the Lord”

Gospel Reading 

MATTHEW 5:17-37

17 'Do not imagine that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I have come not to abolish but to complete them.

18 In truth I tell you, till heaven and earth disappear, not one dot, not one little stroke, is to disappear from the Law until all its purpose is achieved.

19 Therefore, anyone who infringes even one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be considered the least in the kingdom of Heaven; but the person who keeps them and teaches them will be considered great in the kingdom of Heaven.

20 'For I tell you, if your uprightness does not surpass that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never get into the kingdom of Heaven.

21 'You have heard how it was said to our ancestors, You shall not kill; and if anyone does kill he must answer for it before the court.

22 But I say this to you, anyone who is angry with a brother will answer for it before the court; anyone who calls a brother "Fool" will answer for it before the Sanhedrin; and anyone who calls him "Traitor" will answer for it in hell fire.

23 So then, if you are bringing your offering to the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you,

24 leave your offering there before the altar, go and be reconciled with your brother first, and then come back and present your offering.

25 Come to terms with your opponent in good time while you are still on the way to the court with him, or he may hand you over to the judge and the judge to the officer, and you will be thrown into prison.

26 In truth I tell you, you will not get out till you have paid the last penny.

27 'You have heard how it was said, You shall not commit adultery.

28 But I say this to you, if a man looks at a woman lustfully, he has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

29 If your right eye should be your downfall, tear it out and throw it away; for it will do you less harm to lose one part of yourself than to have your whole body thrown into hell.

30 And if your right hand should be your downfall, cut it off and throw it away; for it will do you less harm to lose one part of yourself than to have your whole body go to hell.

31 'It has also been said, Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a writ of dismissal.

32 But I say this to you, everyone who divorces his wife, except for the case of an illicit marriage, makes her an adulteress; and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

33 'Again, you have heard how it was said to our ancestors, You must not break your oath, but must fulfil your oaths to the Lord.

34 But I say this to you, do not swear at all, either by heaven, since that is God's throne;

35 or by earth, since that is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, since that is the city of the great King.

36 Do not swear by your own head either, since you cannot turn a single hair white or black.

37 All you need say is "Yes" if you mean yes, "No" if you mean no; anything more than this comes from the Evil One.

“The Gospel of the Lord”