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Category: Lent

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Fifth Week / Lent

LOOK UP WITH FAITH TO THE CRUCIFIED JESUS AND LIVE

⏰Tuesday of the Fifth Week of Lent (31 March 2020) 📕Num 21:4-9; Ps 102:1-2, 15-17, 18-20 (R.v.1); John 8:21-30 🎤LOOK UP WITH FAITH TO THE CRUCIFIED JESUS AND LIVE My dear, the Cross is a very important part of our Christian faith. The cross is the symbol of suffering in the life of Jesus and we cannot fully know Jesus without the cross. The impatience of the people of Israel towards God and Moses (Num 21:4-5) was an expression of distrust, and through that, the Israelites separated themselves from God who has been protecting them from dangers. So we must...

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Lent / Sundays / Third Week / Year C

“PUT OFF YOUR SHOES FROM YOUR FEET” (Exod 3:5)

⏰THIRD SUNDAY OF LENT (YEAR C) – First Scrutiny 📖Exod 3:1-8a, 13-15; Ps 103:1-2, 3-4, 6-7, 8 and 11 (R.v.8a); 1 Cor 10:1-6, 10-12; Luke 13:1-9 🎤”PUT OFF YOUR SHOES FROM YOUR FEET” (Exod 3:5) I welcome you this third Sunday of Lent. In the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA), which culminates in Baptism at Easter Vigil, this is the day in which we have what is called the First Scrutiny/Purification. The Second and Third Scrutiny would come up on the Fifth and Sixth Sundays of Lent respectively. The period of Scrutiny is a period of reflection and...

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Lent / Second Week / Sundays

CHOSEN BY GOD TO LIVE, SUFFER, DIE AND RISE IN HIM

⏰SECOND SUNDAY OF LENT (YEAR C) 📕Gen 15:5-12, 17-18; Ps 27:1, 7-8b, 8c-9abc, 13-14 (R.v.1a); Phil 3:20 – 4:1; Luke 9:28b-36 🎤CHOSEN BY GOD TO LIVE, SUFFER, DIE AND RISE IN HIM Do you realize that we are already about twelve days gone into this most holy season of lent? Have you been able to form for yourself an identity of Jesus, who is the reason for this season? That is a very important thing to do if we are able to remain focused on him. Hence, on this second Sunday of lent, the liturgy set out a plan to...

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First Week / Lent

“ASK AND YOU WILL RECEIVE” (Matt 7:7)

⏰Thursday of the First Week of Lent (14 March 2019) 📖Esther 14:1, 3-4, 11, 13-14; Ps 138:1-2a, 2bcd-3, 7d-8 (R.v.3a); Matt 7:7-12apaa 🎤”ASK AND YOU WILL RECEIVE” (Matt 7:7) Do you remember what we said two days ago, precisely on Tuesday, concerning the effectiveness of God’s word (cf. Isa 55:10-11)? With that, we encouraged ourselves to enter into a loving relationship with God where trust and mutual love reign. Queen Esther knew the value of being in such a relationship. Hence she took respite in God in the face of deep anxiety and asked God to save her and her...

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First Week / Lent / Sundays / Year C

“NO ONE WHO BELIEVES IN [JESUS] WILL BE PUT TO SHAME”

FIRST SUNDAY OF LENT (YEAR C) Deut 26:4-10; Ps 91:1-2, 10-11, 12-13, 14-15 (R.v.15b); Rom 10:8-13; Luke 4:1-13 “NO ONE WHO BELIEVES IN [JESUS] WILL BE PUT TO SHAME” It is already some days into this season of grace Lent. Today, being the first Sunday of lent, the Liturgy reminds us of the reason for the celebration and encourages us to hold firm in faith despite the challenges that might come our way in the process of expressing our faith in God. The Gospel stands as a big warning to us If the devil was not afraid to tempt the...

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Advent / Second Week / Sundays / Year C

“GOD WILL LEAD ISRAEL WITH JOY… WITH THE MERCY AND RIGHTEOUSNESS THAT COME FROM HIM” (Bar 5:9)

SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT (YEAR C) Bar 5:1-9; Ps 126:1-2ab, 2cd-3, 4-5, 6 (R.v.3); Phil 1:4-6, 8-11; Luke 3:1-6 As we celebrate the Second Sunday of Advent today, the three readings we have for today’s liturgy invite us to anticipate the mercy of God and to prepare ourselves to receive it. In the First Reading, the prophet Baruch, who was, historically, the Secretary of the prophet Jeremiah, encouraged the exiled Jews who were suffering in foreign lands that God is going to restore their joy and visit them with mercy and righteousness (cf. Bar 5:9). Today, I pray that God...

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Feasts and Solemnities / Sundays / Year B

“I AM WITH YOU ALWAYS, TO THE CLOSE OF THE AGE” (Matt 28:20)

⏰SOLEMNITY OF THE MOST HOLY TRINITY 📕Deut 4:32-34, 30-40; Ps 33:4-5, 6 and 9, 18-19, 20 and 22 (R.v12b); Rom 8:14-17; Matt 28:16-20 In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you. Amen (2Cor 13:14). The theology of the Holy Trinity remains a mystery which is beyond full human understandithree persons in one God spreads through the entire scriptures but it is more obvious in the New Testament. The first instance...

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Holy Week / Lent / Sundays / Year B

“BEHOLD THE POOREST KING THAT EVER LIVED…”

⏰Palm Sunday Year B 📕Isa 50:4-7; Psalm 22:8-9, 17-18a, 19-20, 23-24 (R.v.2a); Phil 2:6-11; Mark 14:1 15:47 The above statement comes from the Stations of the Cross at the station where Jesus was stripped of his clothes. What does being poor mean here? It definitely does not mean poverty because another statement follows, “…Possessing nothing, I own all.” Hence that must be pointing to something in the neighborhood of one of the beatitudes that says, “Blessed are the poor in spirit…” (Matt 5:3) So as we celebrate the triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, which is otherwise known as Palm...

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Lent / Sundays / Year B

“THE HOUR HAS COME FOR THE SON OF MAN TO BE GLORIFIED” (John 12:23)

⏰Fifth Sunday of Lent (Year B.) ????Jer 31:31-34; Ps 51:3-4, 12-12, 14-15 (R.v.12a); Heb 5:7-9; John 12:20-33 With the Holy Week just some days away, the readings of today try to expose us to the extent and meaning of the Passion of Christ. At the thought of this passion, Jesus was troubled at heart (John 12:27). Yet, it was for this that he came. And so, he declared, probably with a sigh of fulfilment, The hour has come (John 12:23). What hour is Jesus talking about? He made reference to that hour while he was replying his mothers plea for...

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Lent / Sundays

“FOR BY GRACE YOU HAVE BEEN SAVED THROUGH FAITH” (Eph 2:8)

⏰Fourth Sunday of Lent (Year B) ????2 Chron 36:14-16, 19-23; Ps 137:1-2, 3, 4-5, 6 (R.v.6ab); Eph 2:4-10; John 3:14-21 Today, being the Fourth Sunday of Lent, we celebrate the Second Scrutiny in the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) for the candidates who are preparing for Baptism at Easter Vigil. We pray to the Lord for them, that they may imbibe a true spirit of repentance and understanding of sin and for freedom from the powers of the evil one. Amen. The readings of today remind us of God’s faithfulness to his promises and the need for us...