Penang State-Level Christmas 2013 Open House

Feast of St. Andrew, Apostle ~ 2013

Andrew, son of Zebedee and the brother of Simon Peter, was one of the first called by Jesus to follow him as his disciple. St. Andrew was known for starting the Eastern Catholic Churches. Andrew is patron of Russia.

Andrew in tradition is believed to have died by crucifixion at Patras, Achaia in southern Greece where he was bound, not nailed, to an X-shaped cross, which came to be known as the Cross of St Andrew. It was done at his own request as he felt not worthy to be crucified on a cross like Jesus.

Novena to St. Andrew

Hail and blessed be the hour and moment in which the Son of God was born of the most pure Virgin Mary, at midnight, in Bethlehem, in piercing cold. In that hour, vouchsafe, O my God! to hear my prayer and grant my desires, through the merits of Our Saviour Jesus Christ, and of His Blessed Mother. Amen.

(It is piously believed that whoever recites the above prayer fifteen times a day from the feast of St. Andrew (30 November) until Christmas will obtain what is asked.)

Saturday, 30 November, 2013
St. Andrew, Apostle (Feast)

Reading

Romans 10: 9 - 18
9	because, if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
10	For man believes with his heart and so is justified, and he confesses with his lips and so is saved.
11	The scripture says, "No one who believes in him will be put to shame."
12	For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all and bestows his riches upon all who call upon him.
13	For, "every one who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved."
14	But how are men to call upon him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without a preacher?
15	And how can men preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach good news!"
16	But they have not all obeyed the gospel; for Isaiah says, "Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?"
17	So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes by the preaching of Christ.
18	But I ask, have they not heard? Indeed they have; for "Their voice has gone out to all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world."

Psalm

Psalms 19: 8 - 11
8	the precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes;
9	the fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever; the ordinances of the LORD are true, and righteous altogether.
10	More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb.
11	Moreover by them is thy servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.

Gospel

Matthew 4: 18 - 22
18	As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon who is called Peter and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen.
19	And he said to them, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men."
20	Immediately they left their nets and followed him.
21	And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zeb'edee and John his brother, in the boat with Zeb'edee their father, mending their nets, and he called them.
22	Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed him.

Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe 2013, Puchong, Selangor, Malaysia

6 December 2013 ~ 14 December 2013

Theme: Prayer as Communion with God and One Another

Renewal in the Spirit Seminar 2013, St. Ignatius Church, Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia.

Prayer intentions of Pope Francis for April 2013

Pope Francis prayer intentions announced by the Vatican Information Services on 30 March 2013, being the first of his pontificate.

General intention, April 2013

"That the public, prayerful celebration of faith may give life to the faithful."

Missionary intention, April 2013

"That mission churches may be signs and instruments of hope and resurrection.�

The Annunciation of the Lord (Solemnity) 2013

Celebrates the Angel Gabriel's appearance to the Virgin Mary, announcing that she had been chosen to be the Mother of God. Normally, Annunciation would fall on 25 March, however the celebration of Annunciation 2013 is transferred to the day after Divine Mercy Sunday 2013 (the octave of Easter 2013), which is Monday, April 8, 2013 due to 25 March 2013 fell on the Monday of Holy Week 2013.

http://resource4christians.blogspot.com/2013/02/solemnity-of-annunciation-of-lord.html

Monday, April 08, 2013
The Annunciation of the Lord (Solemnity)

First Reading

Isaiah 7: 10 - 14
10	Again the LORD spoke to Ahaz,
11	"Ask a sign of the LORD your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven."
12	But Ahaz said, "I will not ask, and I will not put the LORD to the test."
13	And he said, "Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary men, that you weary my God also?
14	Therefore the Lord himself will give you this sign: the virgin shall be with child, and bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel.

Isaiah 8: 10
10	Take counsel together, but it will come to nought; speak a word, but it will not stand, for God is with us.

Psalm

Psalms 40: 7 - 11
7	Then I said, "Lo, I come; in the roll of the book it is written of me;
8	I delight to do thy will, O my God; thy law is within my heart."
9	I have told the glad news of deliverance in the great congregation; lo, I have not restrained my lips, as thou knowest, O LORD.
10	I have not hid thy saving help within my heart, I have spoken of thy faithfulness and thy salvation; I have not concealed thy steadfast love and thy faithfulness from the great congregation.
11	Do not thou, O LORD, withhold thy mercy from me, let thy steadfast love and thy faithfulness ever preserve me!

Second Reading

Hebrews 10: 4 - 10
4	For it is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins.
5	Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said, "Sacrifices and offerings thou hast not desired, but a body hast thou prepared for me;
6	in burnt offerings and sin offerings thou hast taken no pleasure.
7	Then I said, `Lo, I have come to do thy will, O God, 'as it is written of me in the roll of the book."
8	When he said above, "Thou hast neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings" (these are offered according to the law),
9	then he added, "Lo, I have come to do thy will." He abolishes the first in order to establish the second.
10	And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Gospel

Luke 1: 26 - 38
26	In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth,
27	to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.
28	And he came to her and said, "Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you!"
29	But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered in her mind what sort of greeting this might be.
30	And the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.
31	And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.
32	He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David,
33	and he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there will be no end."
34	And Mary said to the angel, "How shall this be, since I have no husband?"
35	And the angel said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God.
36	And behold, your kinswoman Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren.
37	For with God nothing will be impossible."
38	And Mary said, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her.