FOURTH SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME (YEAR C) – JANUARY 31, 2016

Saturday, January 30, 2016

Fourth Sunday of Ordinary Time – Year C

5:00 pm  Novena to Our Lady

5:30 pm  Sunset Mass in English

First Reading

Jeremiah 1:4-5, 17-19

4 The word of Yahweh came to me, saying:

5 'Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you came to birth I consecrated you; I appointed you as prophet to the nations.'

17 'As for you, prepare yourself for action. Stand up and tell them all I command you. Have no fear of them and in their presence I will make you fearless.

18 For look, today I have made you into a fortified city, a pillar of iron, a wall of bronze to stand against the whole country: the kings of Judah, its princes, its priests and the people of the country.

19 They will fight against you but will not overcome you, for I am with you, Yahweh declares, to rescue you.'

“The Word of the Lord”

PSALMS  71:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 15-17

1 In you, Yahweh, I take refuge, I shall never be put to shame.

2 In your saving justice rescue me, deliver me, listen to me and save me.

3 Be a sheltering rock for me, always accessible; you have determined to save me, for you are my rock, my fortress.

4 My God, rescue me from the clutches of the wicked, from the grasp of the rogue and the ruthless.

5 For you are my hope, Lord, my trust, Yahweh, since boyhood.

6 On you I have relied since my birth, since my mother's womb you have been my portion, the constant theme of my praise.

15 My lips shall proclaim your saving justice, your saving power all day long.

16 I will come in the power of Yahweh to tell of your justice, yours alone.

17 God, you have taught me from boyhood, and I am still proclaiming your marvels.

Second Reading

First Corinthians 12:31, 13:13,

31 Set your mind on the higher gifts. And now I am going to put before you the best way of all.

13 As it is, these remain: faith, hope and love, the three of them; and the greatest of them is love.

“The Word of the Lord”

Gospel Reading

Luke 4:21-30

21 Then he began to speak to them, 'This text is being fulfilled today even while you are listening.'

22 And he won the approval of all, and they were astonished by the gracious words that came from his lips. They said, 'This is Joseph's son, surely?'

23 But he replied, 'No doubt you will quote me the saying, "Physician, heal yourself," and tell me, "We have heard all that happened in Capernaum, do the same here in your own country." '

24 And he went on, 'In truth I tell you, no prophet is ever accepted in his own country.

25 'There were many widows in Israel, I can assure you, in Elijah's day, when heaven remained shut for three years and six months and a great famine raged throughout the land,

26 but Elijah was not sent to any one of these: he was sent to a widow at Zarephath, a town in Sidonia.

27 And in the prophet Elisha's time there were many suffering from virulent skin-diseases in Israel, but none of these was cured -- only Naaman the Syrian.'

28 When they heard this everyone in the synagogue was enraged.

29 They sprang to their feet and hustled him out of the town; and they took him up to the brow of the hill their town was built on, intending to throw him off the cliff,

30 but he passed straight through the crowd and walked away.

“The Gospel of the Lord”

THIRD SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME (YEAR C) – JANUARY 24, 2016

Saturday, January 23, 2016

Third Sunday of Ordinary Time – Year C

5:00 pm  Novena to Our Lady

5:30 pm  Sunset Mass in English

First Reading

Nehemiah 8:2-4, 5-6, 8-10

2 Accordingly, on the first day of the seventh month, the priest Ezra brought the Law before the assembly, consisting of men, women and all those old enough to understand.

3 In the square in front of the Water Gate, in the presence of the men and women, and of those old enough to understand, he read from the book from dawn till noon; all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law.

4 The scribe Ezra stood on a wooden dais erected for the purpose; beside him stood, on his right, Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah and Maaseiah; on his left, Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam.

5 In full view of all the people -- since he stood higher than them all -- Ezra opened the book; and when he opened it, all the people stood up.

6 Then Ezra blessed Yahweh, the great God, and all the people raised their hands and answered, 'Amen! Amen!'; then they bowed down and, face to the ground, prostrated themselves before Yahweh.

8 Ezra read from the book of the Law of God, translating and giving the sense; so the reading was understood.

9 Then His Excellency Nehemiah and the priest-scribe Ezra and the Levites who were instructing the people said to all the people, 'Today is sacred to Yahweh your God. Do not be mournful, do not weep.' For the people were all in tears as they listened to the words of the Law.

10 He then said, 'You may go; eat what is rich, drink what is sweet and send a helping to the man who has nothing prepared. For today is sacred to our Lord. Do not be sad: the joy of Yahweh is your stronghold.'

“The Word of the Lord”

PSALMS 19:8, 9, 10, 15

8 The precepts of Yahweh are honest, joy for the heart; the commandment of Yahweh is pure, light for the eyes.

9 The fear of Yahweh is pure, lasting for ever; the judgements of Yahweh are true, upright, every one,

10 more desirable than gold, even than the finest gold; his words are sweeter than honey, that drips from the comb.

Second Reading

First Corinthians 12:12-30

12 For as with the human body which is a unity although it has many parts -- all the parts of the body, though many, still making up one single body -- so it is with Christ.

13 We were baptised into one body in a single Spirit, Jews as well as Greeks, slaves as well as free men, and we were all given the same Spirit to drink.

14 And indeed the body consists not of one member but of many.

15 If the foot were to say, 'I am not a hand and so I do not belong to the body,' it does not belong to the body any the less for that.

16 Or if the ear were to say, 'I am not an eye, and so I do not belong to the body,' that would not stop its belonging to the body.

17 If the whole body were just an eye, how would there be any hearing? If the whole body were hearing, how would there be any smelling?

18 As it is, God has put all the separate parts into the body as he chose.

19 If they were all the same part, how could it be a body?

20 As it is, the parts are many but the body is one.

21 The eye cannot say to the hand, 'I have no need of you,' and nor can the head say to the feet, 'I have no need of you.'

22 What is more, it is precisely the parts of the body that seem to be the weakest which are the indispensable ones.

23 It is the parts of the body which we consider least dignified that we surround with the greatest dignity; and our less presentable parts are given greater presentability

24 which our presentable parts do not need. God has composed the body so that greater dignity is given to the parts which were without it,

25 and so that there may not be disagreements inside the body but each part may be equally concerned for all the others.

26 If one part is hurt, all the parts share its pain. And if one part is honoured, all the parts share its joy.

27 Now Christ's body is yourselves, each of you with a part to play in the whole.

28 And those whom God has appointed in the Church are, first apostles, secondly prophets, thirdly teachers; after them, miraculous powers, then gifts of healing, helpful acts, guidance, various kinds of tongues.

29 Are all of them apostles? Or all prophets? Or all teachers? Or all miracle-workers?

30 Do all have the gifts of healing? Do all of them speak in tongues and all interpret them?

“The Word of the Lord”

Gospel Reading

Luke 1:1-4, 4:14-21

1 Seeing that many others have undertaken to draw up accounts of the events that have reached their fulfilment among us,

2 as these were handed down to us by those who from the outset were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word,

3 I in my turn, after carefully going over the whole story from the beginning, have decided to write an ordered account for you, Theophilus,

4 so that your Excellency may learn how well founded the teaching is that you have received.

14 Jesus, with the power of the Spirit in him, returned to Galilee; and his reputation spread throughout the countryside.

15 He taught in their synagogues and everyone glorified him.

16 He came to Nazara, where he had been brought up, and went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day as he usually did. He stood up to read,

17 and they handed him the scroll of the prophet Isaiah. Unrolling the scroll he found the place where it is written:

18 The spirit of the Lord is on me, for he has anointed me to bring the good news to the afflicted. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives, sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free,

19 to proclaim a year of favour from the Lord.

20 He then rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the assistant and sat down. And all eyes in the synagogue were fixed on him.

21 Then he began to speak to them, 'This text is being fulfilled today even while you are listening.'

“The Gospel of the Lord”

SECOND SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME (YEAR C) – JANUARY 17, 2016

Saturday, January 16, 2016

Second Sunday of Ordinary Time – Year C

5:00 pm  Novena to Our Lady

5:30 pm  Sunset Mass in English

First Reading

ISAIAH 62:1-5

1 About Zion I will not be silent, about Jerusalem I shall not rest until saving justice dawns for her like a bright light and her salvation like a blazing torch.

2 The nations will then see your saving justice, and all kings your glory, and you will be called a new name which Yahweh's mouth will reveal.

3 You will be a crown of splendour in Yahweh's hand, a princely diadem in the hand of your God.

4 No more will you be known as 'Forsaken' or your country be known as 'Desolation'; instead, you will be called 'My Delight is in her' and your country 'The Wedded'; for Yahweh will take delight in you and your country will have its wedding.

5 Like a young man marrying a virgin, your rebuilder will wed you, and as the bridegroom rejoices in his bride, so will your God rejoice in you.

“The Word of the Lord”

PSALMS 96:1-2, 2-3, 7-8, 9-10

1 Sing a new song to Yahweh! Sing to Yahweh, all the earth!

2 Sing to Yahweh, bless his name! Proclaim his salvation day after day,

3 declare his glory among the nations, his marvels to every people!

7 Give to Yahweh, families of nations, give to Yahweh glory and power,

8 give to Yahweh the glory due to his name! Bring an offering and enter his courts,

9 adore Yahweh in the splendour of his holiness. Tremble before him, all the earth.

10 Say among the nations, 'Yahweh is king.' The world is set firm, it cannot be moved. He will judge the nations with justice.

Second Reading

First Corinthians 12:4-11

4 There are many different gifts, but it is always the same Spirit;

5 there are many different ways of serving, but it is always the same Lord.

6 There are many different forms of activity, but in everybody it is the same God who is at work in them all.

7 The particular manifestation of the Spirit granted to each one is to be used for the general good.

8 To one is given from the Spirit the gift of utterance expressing wisdom; to another the gift of utterance expressing knowledge, in accordance with the same Spirit;

9 to another, faith, from the same Spirit; and to another, the gifts of healing, through this one Spirit;

10 to another, the working of miracles; to another, prophecy; to another, the power of distinguishing spirits; to one, the gift of different tongues and to another, the interpretation of tongues.

11 But at work in all these is one and the same Spirit, distributing them at will to each individual.

“The Word of the Lord”

Gospel Reading

John 2:1-12

1 On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee. The mother of Jesus was there,

2 and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited.

3 And they ran out of wine, since the wine provided for the feast had all been used, and the mother of Jesus said to him, 'They have no wine.'

4 Jesus said, 'Woman, what do you want from me? My hour has not come yet.'

5 His mother said to the servants, 'Do whatever he tells you.'

6 There were six stone water jars standing there, meant for the ablutions that are customary among the Jews: each could hold twenty or thirty gallons.

7 Jesus said to the servants, 'Fill the jars with water,' and they filled them to the brim.

8 Then he said to them, 'Draw some out now and take it to the president of the feast.'

9 They did this; the president tasted the water, and it had turned into wine. Having no idea where it came from -- though the servants who had drawn the water knew -- the president of the feast called the bridegroom

10 and said, 'Everyone serves good wine first and the worse wine when the guests are well wined; but you have kept the best wine till now.'

11 This was the first of Jesus' signs: it was at Cana in Galilee. He revealed his glory, and his disciples believed in him.

12 After this he went down to Capernaum with his mother and his brothers and his disciples, but they stayed there only a few days.

“The Gospel of the Lord”

SOLEMNITY OF THE BAPTISM OF OUR LORD – JANUARY 10, 2016

Saturday, January 09, 2016

Solemnity of the Baptism of Our LORD

5:00 pm  Novena to Our Lady

5:30 pm  Sunset Mass in English

First Reading

Isaiah 42:1-4, 6-7

1 Here is my servant whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom my soul delights. I have sent my spirit upon him, he will bring fair judgement to the nations.

2 He does not cry out or raise his voice, his voice is not heard in the street;

3 he does not break the crushed reed or snuff the faltering wick. Faithfully he presents fair judgement;

4 he will not grow faint, he will not be crushed until he has established fair judgement on earth, and the coasts and islands are waiting for his instruction.

6 I, Yahweh, have called you in saving justice, I have grasped you by the hand and shaped you; I have made you a covenant of the people and light to the nations,

7 to open the eyes of the blind, to free captives from prison, and those who live in darkness from the dungeon.

“The Word of the Lord”

PSALMS 29:1-2, 3-4, 3, 9-10

1 [Psalm Of David] Give Yahweh his due, sons of God, give Yahweh his due of glory and strength,

2 give Yahweh the glory due to his name, adore Yahweh in the splendour of holiness.

3 Yahweh's voice over the waters, the God of glory thunders; Yahweh over countless waters,

4 Yahweh's voice in power, Yahweh's voice in splendour;

9 Yahweh's voice convulses terebinths, strips forests bare. In his palace all cry, 'Glory!'

10 Yahweh was enthroned for the flood, Yahweh is enthroned as king for ever.

Second Reading

Acts of the Apostles 10:34-38

34 Then Peter addressed them, 'I now really understand', he said, 'that God has no favourites,

35 but that anybody of any nationality who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.

36 'God sent his word to the people of Israel, and it was to them that the good news of peace was brought by Jesus Christ -- he is the Lord of all.

37 You know what happened all over Judaea, how Jesus of Nazareth began in Galilee, after John had been preaching baptism.

38 God had anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and because God was with him, Jesus went about doing good and curing all who had fallen into the power of the devil.

“The Word of the Lord”

Gospel Reading

Luke 3:15-16, 21-22

15 A feeling of expectancy had grown among the people, who were beginning to wonder whether John might be the Christ,

16 so John declared before them all, 'I baptise you with water, but someone is coming, who is more powerful than me, and I am not fit to undo the strap of his sandals; he will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

21 Now it happened that when all the people had been baptised and while Jesus after his own baptism was at prayer, heaven opened

22 and the Holy Spirit descended on him in a physical form, like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, 'You are my Son; today have I fathered you.'

“The Gospel of the Lord”

EPIPHANY OF THE LORD – JANUARY 03, 2016

Saturday, January 02, 2016

EPIPHANY OF THE LORD

5:00 pm  Novena to Our Lady

5:30 pm  Sunset Mass in English

First Reading

ISAIAH 60:1-6

1 Arise, shine out, for your light has come, and the glory of Yahweh has risen on you.

2 Look! though night still covers the earth and darkness the peoples, on you Yahweh is rising and over you his glory can be seen.

3 The nations will come to your light and kings to your dawning brightness.

4 Lift up your eyes and look around: all are assembling and coming towards you, your sons coming from far away and your daughters being carried on the hip.

5 At this sight you will grow radiant, your heart will throb and dilate, since the riches of the sea will flow to you, the wealth of the nations come to you;

6 camels in throngs will fill your streets, the young camels of Midian and Ephah; everyone in Saba will come, bringing gold and incense and proclaiming Yahweh's praises.

“The Word of the Lord”

PSALMS 71:2, 7-8, 10-13

2 In your saving justice rescue me, deliver me, listen to me and save me.

7 Many were bewildered at me, but you are my sure refuge.

8 My mouth is full of your praises, filled with your splendour all day long.

10 for my enemies are discussing me, those with designs on my life are plotting together.

11 'Hound him down, for God has deserted him! Seize him, there is no one to rescue him.'

12 God, do not stand aloof, my God, come quickly to help me.

13 Shame and ruin on those who slander me, may those intent on harming me be covered with insult and infamy.

 Second Reading

EPHESIANS 3:2-3, 5-6

2 You have surely heard the way in which God entrusted me with the grace he gave me for your sake;

3 he made known to me by a revelation the mystery I have just described briefly-

5 This mystery, as it is now revealed in the Spirit to his holy apostles and prophets, was unknown to humanity in previous generations:

6 that the gentiles now have the same inheritance and form the same Body and enjoy the same promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.

“The Word of the Lord”

Gospel Reading

MATTHEW 2:1-12

1 After Jesus had been born at Bethlehem in Judaea during the reign of King Herod, suddenly some wise men came to Jerusalem from the east

2 asking, 'Where is the infant king of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose and have come to do him homage.'

3 When King Herod heard this he was perturbed, and so was the whole of Jerusalem.

4 He called together all the chief priests and the scribes of the people, and enquired of them where the Christ was to be born.

5 They told him, 'At Bethlehem in Judaea, for this is what the prophet wrote:

6 And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, you are by no means the least among the leaders of Judah, for from you will come a leader who will shepherd my people Israel.'

7 Then Herod summoned the wise men to see him privately. He asked them the exact date on which the star had appeared

8 and sent them on to Bethlehem with the words, 'Go and find out all about the child, and when you have found him, let me know, so that I too may go and do him homage.'

9 Having listened to what the king had to say, they set out. And suddenly the star they had seen rising went forward and halted over the place where the child was.

10 The sight of the star filled them with delight,

11 and going into the house they saw the child with his mother Mary, and falling to their knees they did him homage. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh.

12 But they were given a warning in a dream not to go back to Herod, and returned to their own country by a different way.

“The Gospel of the Lord”

SOLEMNITY OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, MOTHER OF GOD – JANUARY 01, 2016

Friday, January 01, 2016

Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary,

Mother of God

8:00 pm  Mass in Multilingual

O God, who through the fruitful virginity of Blessed Mary bestowed on the human race the grace of eternal salvation, grant, we pray, that we may experience the intercession of her, through whom we were found worthy to receive the author of life, our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

First Reading

NUMBERS 6:22-27

22 Yahweh spoke to Moses and said,

23 'Speak to Aaron and his sons and say: "This is how you must bless the Israelites. You will say:

24 May Yahweh bless you and keep you.

25 May Yahweh let his face shine on you and be gracious to you.

26 May Yahweh show you his face and bring you peace."

27 This is how they must call down my name on the Israelites, and then I shall bless them.'

“The Word of the Lord”

PSALMS 67: 2-3, 5, 6, 8

2 Then the earth will acknowledge your ways, and all nations your power to save.

3 Let the nations praise you, God, let all the nations praise you.

4 Let the nations rejoice and sing for joy, for you judge the world with justice, you judge the peoples with fairness, you guide the nations on earth.Pause

5 Let the nations praise you, God, let all the nations praise you.

6 The earth has yielded its produce; God, our God has blessed us.

7 May God continue to bless us, and be revered by the whole wide world.

Second Reading

GALATIANS 4:4-7

4 but when the completion of the time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born a subject of the Law,

5 to redeem the subjects of the Law, so that we could receive adoption as sons.

6 As you are sons, God has sent into our hearts the Spirit of his Son crying, 'Abba, Father';

7 and so you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir, by God's own act.

“The Word of the Lord”

Gospel Reading

LUKE 2:16-21

16 So they hurried away and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in the manger.

17 When they saw the child they repeated what they had been told about him,

18 and everyone who heard it was astonished at what the shepherds said to them.

19 As for Mary, she treasured all these things and pondered them in her heart.

20 And the shepherds went back glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, just as they had been told.

21 When the eighth day came and the child was to be circumcised, they gave him the name Jesus, the name the angel had given him before his conception.

“The Gospel of the Lord”