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Selasa, 27 Oktober 2015

Feast of Sts.Simon and Jude, Apostles ~ 28 October 2015

 
Sts.Simon and Jude intercede for us


The apostles Simon the Zealot and Jude Thaddeus son of James, shares the feast day because it is believed both were sent to Persia where they were martyred for the faith in the first century. St.Simon, a Zealot, a fighter for the freedom for the Jews from the Roman rule, to achieve a physical liberation from the tyranny and oppression of the Romans against the Jews. However, he left all that, when he followed Jesus, to be one of His chief disciples, the Apostles, and instead of fighting for the liberation of the body only and the Jews only, he became the agent of salvation for all mankind, and also for the salvation of both body and soul from sin and death. Meanwhile, St.Jude or St.Jude Thaddeus was also another Apostle of Jesus, often confused with Judas Iscariot the traitor of Jesus. However, while that Judas was unfaithful and got what he deserved, St. Jude or Judas Thaddeus remained faithful to the Lord, and he continued to preach the Good News together with St.Simon the Zealot. The 'Epistle of Jude' in the New Testament was written by St.Jude.

St.Simon is especially called upon when we face difficulty and contempt for our religious beliefs or the practice of our religion.
St.Jude is known around the world as the patron of causes despaired of� when everything seems hopeless, his prayers are often sought.


O God, who by the blessed Apostles have brought us to acknowledge your name, graciously grant, through the intercession of Saints Simon and Jude, that the Church may constantly grow by increase of the peoples who believe in you. Through 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. Amen.


Reading 1
Ephesians 2:19-22
Brothers and sisters:
You are no longer strangers and sojourners,
but you are fellow citizens with the holy ones
and members of the household of God,
built upon the foundation of the Apostles and prophets,
with Christ Jesus himself as the capstone.
Through him the whole structure is held together
and grows into a temple sacred in the Lord;
in him you also are being built together
into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.



Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 19:2-3, 4-5
R. Their message goes out through all the earth.
The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the firmament proclaims his handiwork.
Day pours out the word to day,
and night to night imparts knowledge.
R. Their message goes out through all the earth.
Not a word nor a discourse
whose voice is not heard;
Through all the earth their voice resounds,
and to the ends of the world, their message.
R. Their message goes out through all the earth.


R. Alleluia, alleluia.
We praise you, O God,
we acclaim you as Lord;
the glorious company of Apostles praise you.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.



Gospel
Luke 6:12-16
Jesus went up to the mountain to pray,
and he spent the night in prayer to God.
When day came, he called his disciples to himself,
and from them he chose Twelve, whom he also named Apostles:
Simon, whom he named Peter, and his brother Andrew,
James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew,
Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus,
Simon who was called a Zealot,
and Judas the son of James,
and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.

Kamis, 18 Juni 2015

Feast of Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles ~ 29 June 2015 (Solemnity)

 


The feast commemorates a solemn celebration in honour of Saints Peter and Paul, two of the great apostles and the principal Patrons of the Church of Rome. Peter, was one of the earliest of twelve apostles chosen by Jesus, and he also was our first pope. Saint Paul never met Jesus prior to Jesus� death and resurrection, but had a conversion experience with the risen Christ while on the road to Damascus which converted him from a persecutor of Christians to become �Apostle to the Gentiles.� Peter, preached of the Gospel among the Jewish people and Paul, the mission among the Gentiles. We celebrate this day made holy for us by the apostles� blood. Let us embrace what they believed, their life, their labors, their sufferings, their preaching, and their confession of faith.

Peter, prior to Jesus calling was known as Simon, a fisherman by trade. Jesus called Peter, along with his brother Andrew, James, and John, to leave everything behind to become His followers, �Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men�(Matthew 4:19). Paul, prior to Jesus calling was known as Saul, an educated Jew and a member of the Pharisee, as well as being a Roman citizen. Saul persecuted the Christians savagely, but was converted by the risen Christ the one that he had been persecuting after seeing Jesus in a vision on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:4). Peter being martyred in 64 AD, by crucifixion upside down because he said he was not worthy to be sacrificed in the same manner as Christ. Peter was martyred in 67 AD, he was beheaded. Like St.Paul, we must always be on fire for the Lord, and proclaim Him to everyone and in every situation, no matter how difficult it can sometimes be to do so. St. Peter demonstrates to us how difficult discipleship can truly be, but is also an example of the Lord choosing the weak and making them strong in bearing witness to Him. 

Faith in Christ is the light of our life as Christians and as ministers in the Church. Let yourselves be consumed by love for Christ and his Gospel, to become all things to everyone. It is your task to hold nothing back, to go outside of yourselves in the service of the faithful and holy people of God.

The words in the passage from the Gospel of Matthew 16:13-23 below, shows us the confirmation of faith made by Peter in Christ, and the words from the reading from 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 17-18, reveals to us Paul's confirmation of love in Christ.

Matthew 16:13-23
Peter�s Declaration about Jesus
Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesare'a Philippi, he asked his disciples, �Who do men say that the Son of man is?� And they said, �Some say John the Baptist, others say Eli'jah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.� He said to them, �But who do you say that I am?� Simon Peter replied, �You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.� And Jesus answered him, �Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jona! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the powers of death shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.� Then he strictly charged the disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ.

Jesus Foretells His Death and Resurrection
From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. And Peter took him and began to rebuke him, saying, �God forbid, Lord! This shall never happen to you.� But he turned and said to Peter, �Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me; for you are not on the side of God, but of men.�


Grant, we pray, O Lord our God, that we may be sustained by the intercession of the blessed Apostles Peter and Paul, that, as through them you gave your Church the foundations of her heavenly office, so through them you may help her to eternal salvation. Through 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. Amen.

Reading 1
Acts 12:1-11
In those days, King Herod laid hands upon some members of the Church to harm them.
He had James, the brother of John, killed by the sword,
and when he saw that this was pleasing to the Jews
he proceeded to arrest Peter also.
�It was the feast of Unleavened Bread.�
He had him taken into custody and put in prison
under the guard of four squads of four soldiers each.
He intended to bring him before the people after Passover.
Peter thus was being kept in prison,
but prayer by the Church was fervently being made
to God on his behalf.

On the very night before Herod was to bring him to trial,
Peter, secured by double chains,
was sleeping between two soldiers,
while outside the door guards kept watch on the prison.
Suddenly the angel of the Lord stood by him
and a light shone in the cell.
He tapped Peter on the side and awakened him, saying,
�Get up quickly.�
The chains fell from his wrists.
The angel said to him, �Put on your belt and your sandals.�
He did so.
Then he said to him, �Put on your cloak and follow me.�
So he followed him out,
not realizing that what was happening through the angel was real;
he thought he was seeing a vision.
They passed the first guard, then the second,
and came to the iron gate leading out to the city,
which opened for them by itself.
They emerged and made their way down an alley,
and suddenly the angel left him.
Then Peter recovered his senses and said,
�Now I know for certain
that the Lord sent his angel
and rescued me from the hand of Herod
and from all that the Jewish people had been expecting.�


Reading 2
2 Timothy 4:6-8, 17-18
I, Paul, am already being poured out like a libation,
and the time of my departure is at hand.
I have competed well; I have finished the race;
I have kept the faith.
From now on the crown of righteousness awaits me,
which the Lord, the just judge,
will award to me on that day, and not only to me,
but to all who have longed for his appearance.

The Lord stood by me and gave me strength,
so that through me the proclamation might be completed
and all the Gentiles might hear it.
And I was rescued from the lion�s mouth.
The Lord will rescue me from every evil threat
and will bring me safe to his heavenly Kingdom.
To him be glory forever and ever. Amen.


Gospel
Matthew 16:13-19
When Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi
he asked his disciples,
�Who do people say that the Son of Man is?�
They replied, �Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah,
still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.�
He said to them, �But who do you say that I am?�
Simon Peter said in reply,
�You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.�
Jesus said to him in reply, �Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah.
For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father.
And so I say to you, you are Peter,
and upon this rock I will build my Church,
and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.
I will give you the keys to the Kingdom of heaven.
Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven;
and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.�

Jumat, 25 Oktober 2013

Saints Simon and Jude, Apostles (Feast)

 

Simon is called the Zealot or the Canaanite, he was also known as Simon the Lesser, which distinguish him from Simon Peter. Jude is is known as Judas, son of James and has gain the reputation as Saint Jude Thaddeus the patron saint of hopeless causes. Jude is the brother of Saint James the Less. Saint Simon the Zealot, shares the feast with Saint Jude Thaddeus on 28 October, and both of them were among the disciples whom Jesus chose twelve to be be his apostles (Luke 6:12-16). Jude also had special gifts of the Holy Spirit which includes ordering the demons to leave the pagan idols in the temples he visited. Once they were gone, the idol images toppled and smashed to pieces, and this was a sign to all that Jude's God was the One True God. After Jesus' Ascension, Simon set for Egypt where he preached the Good News and then went on to Carthage, then into Spain and even into Britain. Upon his he returned to Jerusalem where he joined Jude on missionary journeys east to Syria, Mesopotamia and into Persia, today known as Iran.


O God, You made Your Name known to
us through the Apostles. 
By the intercession of Saint Simon and Saint Jude, 
let Your Church continue to grow with an
increased number of believers. 
Grant this through Christ our Lord.
Amen


Monday, 28 October, 2013
Saints Simon and Jude, Apostles (Feast)


Reading
Ephesians 2: 19 - 22

19So then you are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,
20built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone,
21in whom the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord;
22in whom you also are built into it for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

Psalm
Psalms 19: 2 - 5

2Day to day pours forth speech, and night to night declares knowledge.
3There is no speech, nor are there words; their voice is not heard;
4yet their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them he has set a tent for the sun,
5which comes forth like a bridegroom leaving his chamber, and like a strong man runs its course with joy.

Gospel
Luke 6: 12 - 16

12In these days he went out to the mountain to pray; and all night he continued in prayer to God.
13And when it was day, he called his disciples, and chose from them twelve, whom he named apostles;
14Simon, whom he named Peter, and Andrew his brother, and James and John, and Philip, and Bartholomew,
15and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon who was called the Zealot,
16and Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.