Mass Reflection: Sunday, 27th December 2020

SIR 3:2-6, 12-14; PS 128:1-2, 3, 4-5; COL 3:12-21; LK 2:22-40

Today we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph. They are a model for all families! And just as the Holy Family is holy, our families, too, are called to be holy. This may seem like a daunting task at times! Yet, as Christian stewards we know that this holiness is achievable by living as disciples of Christ.    

Our First Reading, from the book of Sirach, teaches us about reverence and honor of the members of our family, particularly the elders. “My son, take care of your father when he is old… even if his mind fail, be considerate of him.” No matter our age, we are called to serve and honor our family members. Sometimes loving and serving those closest to us can be the hardest. But we have to remember that our families are a gift from God, and it is in serving them that we show our gratitude for this gift. 

What more can we do to honor the blessing of family? St. Paul shares in our Second Reading a word of advice on how we can do just that. He calls us to put on “heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another… as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do.” This is how we ought to treat our family — with the love, compassion and mercy that God gives to us. If God can see every thought in our mind and every action we commit, good and bad, and never change His love for us, can we not share that same love and mercy with our family members? God has been so generous to us, so let us “[give] thanks to God the Father” by being good stewards of His love and mercy in our homes, and to our family members both near and far.  

Our Gospel today says a great deal about trust and surrender to our Lord — two trademark words of a steward. As the Holy Family brought the Infant Jesus to the temple, they encountered two key individuals, Simeon and Anna. Upon seeing the Infant, both praised the Lord, rejoiced in the coming of their Savior and prophesized about what was to come. It says, “the child’s father and mother were amazed at what was said about him.” We can imagine that two parents would be taken back by these words! Yet, through all this, the Holy Family surrendered their lives to God and had unwavering faith and trust in His plan. Thankfully, they did, because the fulfillment of this plan meant salvation for man!

Believe it or not, God has a plan for our lives, too. Oftentimes, we get in the way of what He has in store for us. Although our plan might be “good,” God’s plan is great and will fulfill our hearts more than we could have ever imagined. Like the Holy Family, we just need to trust, surrender and be attentive to God’s voice. 

As we celebrate this Christmas season with joy and gladness for our Savior, let us deepen our commitment to Him through the love and service we give our family members, and the trust and surrender we place in God to take care of us each day.  

Mass Readings: Sunday, 27th December 2020

FIRST READING

A reading from the book of Genesis 15:1-6, 21:1-3

Your heir shall be your own flesh and blood.

It happened some time later that the word of the Lord was spoken to

Abram in a vision, ‘Have no fear, Abram, I am your shield; your reward

will be very great.’

‘My Lord,’ Abram replied ‘what do you intend to give me? I go

childless…’ Then Abram said, ‘See, you have given me no

descendants; some man of my household will be my heir’. And then this

word of the Lord was spoken to him, ‘He shall not be your heir; your heir

shall be of your own flesh and blood’. Then taking him outside he said,

‘Look up to heaven and count the stars if you can. Such will be your

descendants’ he told him. Abram put his faith in the Lord, who counted

this as making him justified.

The Lord dealt kindly with Sarah as he had said, and did what he had

promised her. So Sarah conceived and bore a son to Abraham in his old

age, at the time God had promised.

The Word of the Lord.

Responsorial Psalm 127:1-5 R/v 1

Response:  O blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways!

1. O blessed are those who fear the Lord

and walk in his ways!

By the labour of your hands you shall eat

You will be happy and prosper.

2. Your wife like a fruitful vine

in the heart of your house;

your children like shoots of the olive

around your table.

3. Indeed thus shall be blessed

the man who fears the Lord

May the Lord bless you from Zion

all the days of your life.

SECOND READING

A reading from the letter of St Paul to the Colossians 3:12-21

Family life in the Lord

You are God’s chosen race, his saints; he loves you, and you should be

clothed in sincere compassion, in kindness and humility, gentleness and

patience. Bear with one another; forgive each other as soon as a quarrel

begins. The Lord has forgiven you; now you must do the same. Over all

these clothes, to keep them together and complete them, put on love.

And may the peace of Christ reign in your hearts, because it is for this

that you were called together as parts of one body. Always be thankful.

Let the message of Christ, in all its richness, find a home with you.

Teach each other, and advise each other, in all wisdom. With gratitude in

your hearts sing psalms and hymns and inspired songs to God; and

never say or do anything except in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving

thanks to God the Father through him.

Wives, give way to your husbands, as you should in the Lord. Husbands,

love your wives and treat them with gentleness. Children, be obedient to

your parents always, because that is what will please the Lord. Parents,

never drive your children to resentment or you will make them feel

frustrated.

The Word of the Lord

Gospel Acclamation Col 3:15-16

Alleluia, alleluia!

May the peace of Christ reign in your hearts;

let the message of Christ find a home in you.

Alleluia!

GOSPEL

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke 2:22-40

The child grew, filled with wisdom.

When the day came for them to be purified as laid down by the Law of

Moses, the parents of Jesus took him up to Jerusalem to present him to

the Lord — observing what stands written in the Law of the Lord: Every

first-born male must be consecrated to the Lord — and also to offer in

sacrifice, in accordance with what is said in the Law of the Lord, a pair of

turtledoves or two young pigeons. Now in Jerusalem there was a man

named Simeon. He was an upright and devout man; he looked forward

to Israel’s comforting and the Holy Spirit rested on him. It had been

revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death until he

had set eyes on the Christ of the Lord. Prompted by the Spirit he came

to the Temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for

him what the Law required, he took him into his arms and blessed God;

and he said:

‘Now, Master, you can let your servant go in peace,

just as you promised;

because my eyes have seen the salvation

which you have prepared for all the nations to see,

a light to enlighten the pagans

and the glory of your people Israel.’

As the child’s father and mother stood there wondering at the things that

were being said about him, Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his

mother, ‘You see this child: he is destined for the fall and for the rising of

many in Israel, destined to be a sign that is rejected — and a sword will

pierce your own soul too — so that the secret thoughts of many may be

laid bare.’

There was a prophetess also, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe

of Asher. She was well on in years. Her days of girlhood over, she had

been married for seven years before becoming a widow. She was now

eighty-four years old and never left the Temple, serving God night and

day with fasting and prayer. She came by just at that moment and began

to praise God; and she spoke of the child to all who looked forward to the

deliverance of Jerusalem.

When they had done everything the Law of the Lord required, they went

back to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. Meanwhile the child grew

to maturity, and he was filled with wisdom; and God’s favour was with

him.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Mass Reflection: Sunday, 20th December 2020

2 SM 7:1-5, 8B-12, 14A, 16; PS 89:2-5, 27, 29; ROM 16:25-27; LK 1:26-38

As any harried parent or excited child can tell you, there are just five days left until the celebration of Christmas begins. As Christian stewards, let’s live these last days of Advent well.

Our First Reading, from 2 Samuel, features King David, who has resolved to do God a favor by building Him a house in which to dwell. But God reminds David Who is truly in charge. “It was I who took you from the pasture and from the care of the flock to be commander of my people Israel. I have been with you wherever you went and I have destroyed your enemies before you.” What is true of David’s position before God is true for all of us. Our God is mighty, all-powerful and Love itself. The only proper response is to worship Him and live our lives as a grateful gift for all His goodness to us.

How can we possibly live up to this task? Only by relying on God, as St. Paul tells us in the Second Reading, from his letter to the Romans. Paul instructs us to go to “him who can strengthen you… Jesus Christ.” The truth is, once we recognize that all we have is gift from God, the next step is to acknowledge that we need God’s strength and wisdom to guide us in the best use of those gifts for the building of His Kingdom. Hopefully, we are making time during Advent to go to God in prayer and through the sacraments to obtain the strength we need to live as His disciples and the guidance to know we are indeed following His will with the gifts He has entrusted to us.

In fact, our aim should be to make the words of our Blessed Mother our own. We read in today’s Gospel passage from Luke the wonderful words of her “fiat,” her “yes” to God’s plan. “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” These are among the most beloved words in the Gospel. But the next sentence is also important for the Christian steward. 

After Mary’s fiat, we read, “Then the angel departed from her.” Our Blessed Mother was left with a lot of unexplained details about God’s plan for her! Yet, she followed God’s will perfectly. She gave herself and her life fully to God as a gift. She trusted in her Heavenly Father to guide her at each step, and He did. She was the first disciple. We are called to follow her example as disciples today.

This Christmas, let us resolve to make our whole life a gift to the One Who has given us every-thing. It is the work of a lifetime. But He will give us all the help and strength we need to do it.

Mass Reading: Sunday, 20th December 2020

FIRST READING
A reading from the second book of Samuel 7:1-5. 8-12. 14. 16
The kingdom of David will always stand secure before the Lord

Once David had settled into his house and the Lord had given him rest
from all the enemies surrounding him, the king said to the prophet
Nathan, ‘Look, I am living in a house of cedar while the ark of God dwells
in a tent’. Nathan said to the king, ‘Go and do all that is in your mind, for
the Lord is with you’. But that very night the word of the Lord came to
Nathan: ‘Go and tell my servant David, “Thus the Lord speaks: Are you
the man to build me a house to dwell in? This is what you must say to
my servant David,” the Lord Sabaoth says this: I took you from the
pasture, from following the sheep, to be leader of my people Israel; I
have been with you on all your expeditions; I have cut off all your
enemies before you. I will give you fame as great as the fame of the
greatest on earth. I will provide a place for my people Israel; I will plant
them there and they shall dwell in that place and never be disturbed
again; nor shall the wicked continue to oppress them as they did, in the
days when I appointed judges over my people Israel; I will give them rest
from all their enemies. the Lord will make you great; the Lord will make
you a House. And when your days are ended and you are laid to rest
with your ancestors, I will preserve the offspring of your body after you
and make his sovereignty secure. I will be a father to him and he a son
to me; if he does evil, I will punish him with the rod such as men use,
with strokes such as mankind gives. Your House and your sovereignty
will always stand secure before me and your throne be established for
ever.”

The Word of the Lord.

Responsorial Psalm   Ps 88: 2-5. 27.29 Rv: 2

Response:  I will sing for ever of your love, O Lord.

1. I will sing for ever of your love, O Lord;
through all ages my mouth will proclaim your truth.
Of this I am sure, that your love lasts for ever,
that your truth is firmly established as the heavens.

2. ‘I have made a covenant with my chosen one;
I have sworn to David my servant:
I will establish your dynasty for ever
and set up your throne through all ages.’

3. He will say to me: ‘You are my father,
my God, the rock who saves me.’
I will keep my love for him always;
for him my covenant shall endure.

SECOND READING
A reading from the letter of St Paul to the Romans 16:25-2
The mystery kept secret for endless ages, is now made clear.

Glory to him who is able to give you the strength to live according to the
Good News I preach, and in which I proclaim Jesus Christ, the revelation
of a mystery kept secret for endless ages, but now so clear that it must
be broadcast to pagans everywhere to bring them to the obedience of
faith. This is only what scripture has predicted, and it is all part of the
way the eternal God wants things to be. He alone is wisdom; give glory
therefore to him through Jesus Christ for ever and ever. Amen.

The Word of the Lord.

Gospel Acclamation   Lk 1: 38

Alleluia, alleluia!
‘I am the handmaid of the Lord,’
‘let what you have said be done to me.’
Alleluia!

GOSPEL
A reading from the Gospel according to Luke 1:26-38
Listen! You are to conceive and bear a son

The angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth,
to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the House of David; and
the virgin’s name was Mary. He went in and said to her,
‘Rejoice, so highly favoured! The Lord is with you.’ She was deeply
disturbed by these words and asked herself what this greeting could
mean, but the angel said to her, ‘Mary, do not be afraid; you have won
God’s favour. Listen! You are to conceive and bear a son, and you must
name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most
High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David; he will
rule over the House of Jacob for ever and his reign will have no end.’
Mary said to the angel, ‘But how can this come about, since I am a
virgin?’ ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you’ the angel answered ‘and the
power of the Most High will cover you with its shadow. And so the child
will be holy and will be called Son of God. Know this too: your
kinswoman Elizabeth has, in her old age, herself conceived a son, and
she whom people called barren is now in her sixth month, for nothing is
impossible to God’ ‘I am the handmaid of the Lord,’ said Mary ‘let what
you have said be done to me.’ And the angel left her.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Mass Reading: Sunday, 13th December 2020

FIRST READING
A reading from the prophet Isaiah 61:1-2. 10-11
I exult for joy in the Lord.

The spirit of the Lord has been given to me,
for the Lord has anointed me.
He has sent me to bring good news to the poor,
to bind up hearts that are broken;
to proclaim liberty to captives,
freedom to those in prison;
to proclaim a year of favour from the Lord,
‘I exult for joy in the Lord,
my soul rejoices in my God,
for he has clothed me in the garments of salvation,
he has wrapped me in the cloak of integrity,
like a bridegroom wearing his wreath,
like a bride adorned in her jewels.
‘For as the earth makes fresh things grow,
as a garden makes seeds spring up,
so will the Lord the Lord make both integrity and praise
spring up in the sight of the nations.’

The Word of the Lord.

Responsorial Psalm  Lk 1:46-50, 53-54 R Is 61:10

Response:  My soul rejoices in my God.

1. My soul glorifies the Lord,

my spirit rejoices in God, my Saviour.

He looks on his servant in her nothingness;

henceforth all ages will call me blessed.

2. The Almighty works marvels for me.

Holy his name!

His mercy is from age to age,

on those who fear him.

3. He fills the starving with good things,

sends the rich away empty.

He protects Israel, his servant,

remembering his mercy.

SECOND READING

A reading from the first letter of St Paul to the Thessalonians 5:16-24

May you all be kept safe and blameless, spirit, soul and body, for the

coming of our Lord

Be happy at all times; pray constantly; and for all things give thanks to

God, because this is what God expects you to do in Christ Jesus.

Never try to suppress the Spirit or treat the gift of prophecy with

contempt; think before you do anything – hold on to what is good and

avoid every form of evil.

May the God of peace make you perfect and holy; and may you all be

kept safe and blameless, spirit, soul and body, for the coming of our Lord

Jesus Christ. God has called you and he will not fail you.

The Word of the Lord.

Gospel Acclamation Is 61:1

Alleluia, alleluia!

The Spirit of the Lord has been given to me.

He has sent me to bring good news to the poor

Alleluia!

GOSPEL

A reading from the holy Gospel according to John 1:6-8. 19 -28

There stands among you – unknown to you – the one who is coming

after me.

A man came, sent by God.

His name was John.

He came as a witness,

as a witness to speak for the light,

so that everyone might believe through him.

He was not the light,

only a witness to speak for the light.

This is how John appeared as a witness. When the Jews sent priests

and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, ‘Who are you?’ he not only

declared, but he declared quite openly, ‘I am not the Christ’. ‘Well then,’

they asked ‘are you Elijah?’ ‘I am not’ he said. ‘Are you the Prophet?’ He

answered, ‘No’. So they said to him, ‘Who are you? We must take back

an answer to those who sent us. What have you to say about yourself?’

So John said, ‘I am, as Isaiah prophesied:

a voice that cries in the wilderness:

Make a straight way for the Lord’.

Now these men had been sent by the Pharisees, and they put this

further question to him, ‘Why are you baptising if you are not the Christ,

and not Elijah, and not the prophet?’ John replied, ‘I baptise with water;

but there stands among you – unknown to you – the one who is coming

after me; and I am not fit to undo his sandal-strap’. This happened at

Bethany, on the far side of the Jordan, where John was baptising.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Mass Reflection: Sunday, 13th December 2020

 IS 61:1-2A, 10-11; LK 1:46-50, 53-54; 1 THES 5:16-24; JN 1:6-8, 19-28

Today we celebrate the Third Sunday of Advent, Gaudete Sunday. “Gaudete” is a Latin word, meaning “rejoice.” The Christian steward should be characterized by a spirit of rejoicing. The more we embrace the stewardship way of life, the more we will be filled with joy. 

Today as Advent winds down and Christmas approaches, we should ask ourselves who and what we rejoice in.

Our First Reading, from Isaiah, expresses a fitting motto for the Christian steward. “I rejoice heartily in the Lord, in my God is the joy of my soul.” It is God Who is the source of our joy and contentment — not things or achievements or comfort, but our relationship with God. This is why stewards can share so freely of their time, talents, and material possessions — because ultimately we are not attached to these things. We recognize them as good gifts from our loving Father, but we are attached to the Giver of the gifts, not the gifts themselves. This allows for great freedom in life and the capacity for great joy in the Lord.

This freedom in the Lord is also the reason we can do as St. Paul instructs in his letter to the Thessalonians, in today's Second Reading. He tells us to, “Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. In all circumstances give thanks, for this is the will of God.” As Christian stewards, we know that no matter what the ups and downs of life bring, our life is not our own — it is a gift from the Lord, and we can rest in full confidence that He will take care of us. When we offer every aspect of our life back to Him in grateful trust, every action we take, no matter how small, becomes a prayer. Our very lives become a testimony to the goodness of God.

We can become like John the Baptist, in today's Gospel passage from the Book of John. We read this description of the prophet: “A man named John was sent from God. He came for testimony, to testify to the light... He was not the light, but came to testify to the light.” This is our calling, too, to testify to the Light, our wonderful Savior by the way we make use of the time, talent, and treasure He has entrusted to our care. Our actions and our priorities themselves give testimony to all that God has done in our lives. What a privilege! 

When God Himself is the source of our joy, it cannot be taken away from us. There is still time, this Advent season, to clear away any “clutter” in our lives that may take our focus away from Him. Let us strive to detach from any of these things so that we can be free to truly rejoice in God on Christmas Day.

Mass Reflection: Sunday, 06th December 2020

 IS 40:1-5, 9-11; PS 85:9-14; 2 PT 3:8-14; MK 1:1-8

Today’s readings on this Second Sunday of Advent can be summed up as equal parts comfort and warning for the Christian steward. We serve a merciful and patient God — in His kindness, He warns us that we will be called to make an account one day for the way in which we made use of the gifts He has given us. 

The most precious gift He has given us is His own Son, Whose birth we are preparing to celebrate.

Our First Reading from Isaiah is filled with messages and images of the Father’s tender love for us. “Comfort, give comfort to my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her service is at an end.” In other words, Israel’s time of exile and captivity is over and freedom is coming. Our freedom from the captivity of sin has come as well, through the saving power of Jesus. 

In this passage we also read this description of the Father. “Like a shepherd he feeds his flock; in his arms he gathers the lambs, carrying them in his bosom, and leading the ewes with care.” What tender love He has for us. And it is out of this love that we are told to “prepare the way of the Lord. Make straight in the wasteland a highway for our God!”

St. Peter reiterates the loving kindness of the Father in our Second Reading today. He says that God “is patient with you, not wishing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” Yet, in the same passage we receive this warning: “The Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a mighty roar... and the earth and everything on it will be found out.”

How are we to assimilate these two truths — the merciful love of God and the responsibility that comes with the privilege of living as His disciple? St. Peter tells us we should conduct ourselves “in holiness and devotion” and that we should be “eager to be found without spot or blemish before him, at peace.” Indeed, this is the goal of our Advent “reset” — to return to (or intensify) living lives focused on Christ, in gratitude for all He has done for us. 

Our Gospel passage from Mark takes up the cry of Isaiah from the First Reading, this time through the prophet John the Baptist. John instructs us just as Isaiah did to “prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths.” In practical terms, this means that we Christian stewards must make good use of the gift of time we have been given this Advent season. Let’s be sure to get to Confession, prioritize a daily reading the of Scriptures, and reach out to someone in need with a word of comfort or an act of service. 

In this way, we will honor both the mercy and justice of our God, and we will be prepared to celebrate the birth of Christ and give account for all His gifts to us.

Mass Reading: Sunday, 06th December 2020

FIRST READING

A reading from the prophet Isaiah 40:1-5. 9-11

Prepare a way for the Lord.

‘Console my people, console them’

says your God.

‘Speak to the heart of Jerusalem

and call to her that her time of service is ended,

that her sin is atoned for,

that she has received from the hand of the Lord

double punishment for all her crimes.’

A voice cries,

‘Prepare in the wilderness a way for the Lord.

Make a straight highway for our God

across the desert.

Let every valley be filled in,

every mountain and hill be laid low,

let every cliff become a plain,

and the ridges a valley;

then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed

and all mankind shall see it;

for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.’

Go up on a high mountain,

joyful messenger to Zion.

Shout with a loud voice,

joyful messenger to Jerusalem.

Shout without fear, say to the towns of Judah,

‘Here is your God’.

Here is the Lord

the Lord coming with power,

his arm subduing all things to him.

The prize of his victory is with him,

his trophies all go before him.

He is like a shepherd feeding his flock,

gathering lambs in his arms,

holding them against his breast

and leading to their rest the mother ewe.

The Word of the Lord.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 84

Response:  Let us see, O Lord, your mercy
and give us your saving help.

1. I will hear what the Lord God has to say,
a voice that speaks of peace,
peace for his people.
His help is near for those who fear him
and his glory will dwell in our land.

2. Mercy and faithfulness have met;
justice and peace have embraced.
Faithfulness shall spring from the earth
and justice look down from heaven.

3. The Lord will make us prosper

and our earth shall yield its fruit.
Justice shall march before him
and peace shall follow his steps.

SECOND READING
A reading from the second letter of St Peter 3:8-14
We are waiting for the new heavens and new earth.

There is one thing, my friends, that you must never forget: that with the
Lord, ‘a day’ can mean a thousand years, and a thousand years is like a
day. The Lord is not being slow to carry out his promises, as anybody
else might be called slow; but he is being patient with you all, wanting
nobody to be lost and everybody to be brought to change his ways. The
Day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then with a roar the sky will
vanish, the elements will catch fire and fall apart, the earth and all that it
contains will be burnt up.
Since everything is coming to an end like this, you should be living holy
and saintly lives while you wait and long for the Day of God to come,
when the sky will dissolve in flames and the elements melt in the heat.
What we are waiting for is what he promised: the new heavens and new
earth, the place where righteousness will be at home. So then, my
friends, while you are waiting, do your best to live lives without spot or
stain so that he will find you at peace.

The Word of the Lord.

Gospel Acclamation Lk 3:4.6

Alleluia, alleluia!

Prepare a way for the Lord,

make his paths straight..

and all mankind shall see the salvation of God

Alleluia!

GOSPEL
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark 1:1-8
Make his paths straight.

The beginning of the Good News about Jesus Christ, the Son of God. It

is written in the book of the prophet Isaiah:

Look, I am going to send my messenger before you;

he will prepare your way.

A voice cries in the wilderness:

Prepare a way for the Lord,

make his paths straight.

and so it was that John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness,

proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. All

Judaea and all the people of Jerusalem made their way to him, and as

they were baptised by him in the river Jordan they confessed their sins.

John wore a garment of camel-skin, and he lived on locusts and wild

honey. In the course of his preaching he said, ‘Someone is following me,

someone who is more powerful than I am, and I am not fit to kneel down

and undo the strap of his sandals. I have baptised you with water, but he

will baptise you with the Holy Spirit.’

The Gospel of the Lord.