The Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity (Trinity Sunday) ~ 31 May, 2015

"O Most Holy Trinity, I adore You! 

My God, my God, I love You 

in the Most Blessed Sacrament!"

Prayer taught to Lucia, Jacinta, and Francesco 

by the Angel of Peace at Fatima

.... the mystery of the Holy Trinity renews the Christian mission 

of living in communion with God and others ....... and 

the Church is called to build an ecclesial community 

�that is more and more a family.�

He called on the faithful 

to entrust themselves to the Blessed Virgin Mary, 

�who more than any other creature has known, adored, and loved 

the mystery of the Most Holy Trinity.�

~*~ Pope Francis ~*~

Shine, Jesus, shine,

fill this land with the Father�s glory.

Blaze, Spirit, blaze,

set out hearts on fire.

A week after the Descend of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost Sunday, we now honour the Holy Trinity, the three persons of God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit who are all equally God, and cannot be divided. The Holy Trinity is the most fundamental belief of Christians. The Father is the first Divine Person, the Son is the second Divine Person, begotten from the nature of the Father from eternity, and the Holy Spirit is the third Divine Person, proceeding from the Father and the Son.

God is a Triune God.

God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

All three are One Person 

and Completely God.

All three is of the same nature, same substance, 

and same being.

The mystery of the Most Holy Trinity is the central mystery of the Christian faith and of Christian life. God alone can make it known to us by revealing himself as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. ~ ccc 261

"Now this is the Catholic faith: We worship one God in the Trinity and the Trinity in unity, without either confusing the persons or dividing the substance; for the person of the Father is one, the Son's is another, the Holy Spirit's another; but the Godhead of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit is one, their glory equal, their majesty coeternal" (Athanasian Creed: DS 75; ND 16). ~ ccc 266

When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father�the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father�he will testify about me. ~ John 15:26

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. ~ 2 Corinthians 13:14

God our Father, who by sending into the world the Word of truth and the Spirit of sanctification made known to the human race your wondrous mystery, grant us, we pray, that in profession the true faith, we may acknowledge the Trinity of eternal glory and adore your Unity, powerful in majesty. 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

Deuteronomy 4:32-34, 39-40
Moses said to the people:
"Ask now of the days of old, before your time,
ever since God created man upon the earth;
ask from one end of the sky to the other:
Did anything so great ever happen before?
Was it ever heard of?
Did a people ever hear the voice of God
speaking from the midst of fire, as you did, and live?
Or did any god venture to go and take a nation for himself
from the midst of another nation,
by testings, by signs and wonders, by war,
with strong hand and outstretched arm, and by great terrors,
all of which the LORD, your God,
did for you in Egypt before your very eyes?
This is why you must now know,
and fix in your heart, that the LORD is God
in the heavens above and on earth below,
and that there is no other.
You must keep his statutes and commandments that I enjoin on you today,
that you and your children after you may prosper,
and that you may have long life on the land
which the LORD, your God, is giving you forever."


Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 33:4-5, 6, 9, 18-19, 20, 22
R. Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.
Upright is the word of the LORD,
and all his works are trustworthy.
He loves justice and right;
of the kindness of the Lord the earth is full.
R. Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.
By the word of the LORD the heavens were made;
by the breath of his mouth all their host.
For he spoke, and it was made;
he commanded, and it stood forth.
R. Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.
See, the eyes of the LORD are upon those who fear him,
upon those who hope for his kindness,
To deliver them from death
and preserve them in spite of famine.
R. Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.
Our soul waits for the LORD,
who is our help and our shield.
May your kindness, O LORD, be upon us
who have put our hope in you.
R. Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.


Reading 2

Romans 8:14-17
Brothers and sisters:
For those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.
For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear,
but you received a Spirit of adoption,
through whom we cry, �Abba, Father!�
The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit
that we are children of God,
and if children, then heirs,
heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ,
if only we suffer with him
so that we may also be glorified with him.

Alleluia

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Glory to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit;
to God who is, who was, and who is to come.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

Matthew 28:16-20

The eleven disciples went to Galilee,
to the mountain to which Jesus had ordered them.
When they all saw him, they worshiped, but they doubted.
Then Jesus approached and said to them,
"All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father,
and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,
teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.
And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age."

The Nativity of the Lord - Christmas (Solemnity) ~ 25 December

JESUS CHRIST is born,

GLORIFY Him.

Let the earth rejoice! The Nativity of the Lord, Christmas is a day of great joy for the church. At the feast of the Annunciation of the Lord (25 March), angel Gabriel appeared to the Virgin Mary (Luke 1:26-38), and announce to Mary, the Blessed Virgin that she had been chosen to be the Mother of Our Lord, and Mary's fiat was her willing acceptance of God's holy plan and exactly nine months later comes the Nativity of the Lord, (Christmas, 25 December). Christmas is more than a the birth of Christ Jesus, far more important Christmas acclaims the Incarnation. God chose to become a human being in the person of Jesus,. the advent of messianic salvation. Christ was sent among us in order to save us. Therefore at Christmas day, what we celebrate is that of the ultimate fulfilment of God�s saving purpose begins with the birth of Jesus (the word became flesh), the messianic Saviour. At sundown on 24 December, Advent ends and we begin the Christmas Season, the period between 25 December (Christmas day) and 6 January (Epiphany) has become an occasion for the church to celebrate and give thanks for the arrival of God�s Word made flesh, Jesus the Emmanuel, �God with us" who is the light of God that has come into the world, the light that even death could not extinguish.

The main liturgical colour for the Christmas Season is white, which expresses joy and glory. Gold, which expresses honor and praise, and is sometimes used in place of white. The Catholic church will celebrate five important feast during the Christmas Season which are as follows:

1. The Nativity of the Lord, 25 December is the of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
2. The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, on the first Sunday after Christmas dedicated to each member of the Holy Family, Jesus, Mary, and Joseph of their life together and the celebration focuses on religious family life.
3. Mary, the Holy Mother of God, 1 January is the Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God. It is a Holy Day of Obligation. However, when it falls on a Saturday or a Monday, the obligation to attend Mass is abrogated (temporarily waive).
4. The Epiphany of the Lord, 6 January celebrates the visit of the three wise men to the Christ Child, signifying the extension of salvation to the Gentiles.
5. The Baptism of the Lord, the Sunday after 6 January commemorates Christ's Baptism by St. John the Baptist.

Wednesday, 25 December, 2013
The Nativity of the Lord - Christmas (Solemnity)

Midnight Mass
Reading 1

Isaiah 9: 1 - 6
1	But there will be no gloom for her that was in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zeb'ulun and the land of Naph'tali, but in the latter time he will make glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations.
2	The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shined.
3	Thou hast multiplied the nation, thou hast increased its joy; they rejoice before thee as with joy at the harvest, as men rejoice when they divide the spoil.
4	For the yoke of his burden, and the staff for his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, thou hast broken as on the day of Mid'ian.
5	For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult and every garment rolled in blood will be burned as fuel for the fire.
6	For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government will be upon his shoulder, and his name will be called "Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."

Psalm

Psalms 96: 1 - 3, 11 - 13
1	O sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth!
2	Sing to the LORD, bless his name; tell of his salvation from day to day.
3	Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples!
11	Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; let the sea roar, and all that fills it;
12	let the field exult, and everything in it! Then shall all the trees of the wood sing for joy
13	before the LORD, for he comes, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with his truth.

Reading 2

Titus 2: 11 - 14
11	For the grace of God has appeared for the salvation of all men,
12	training us to renounce irreligion and worldly passions, and to live sober, upright, and godly lives in this world,
13	awaiting our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,
14	who gave himself for us to redeem us from all iniquity and to purify for himself a people of his own who are zealous for good deeds.

Gospel

Luke 2: 1 - 14
1	In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be enrolled.
2	This was the first enrollment, when Quirin'i-us was governor of Syria.
3	And all went to be enrolled, each to his own city.
4	And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David,
5	to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.
6	And while they were there, the time came for her to be delivered.
7	And she gave birth to her first-born son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.
8	And in that region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
9	And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear.
10	And the angel said to them, "Be not afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which will come to all the people;
11	for to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
12	And this will be a sign for you: you will find a babe wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger."
13	And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
14	"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom he is pleased!"

Morning Mass
Reading 1

Isaiah 62: 11 - 12
11	Behold, the LORD has proclaimed to the end of the earth: Say to the daughter of Zion, "Behold, your salvation comes; behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him."
12	And they shall be called The holy people, The redeemed of the LORD; and you shall be called Sought out, a city not forsaken.

Psalm

Psalms 97: 1, 6, 11 - 12
1	The LORD reigns; let the earth rejoice; let the many coastlands be glad!
6	The heavens proclaim his righteousness; and all the peoples behold his glory.
11	Light dawns for the righteous, and joy for the upright in heart.
12	Rejoice in the LORD, O you righteous, and give thanks to his holy name!

Reading 2

Titus 3: 4 - 7
4	but when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared,
5	he saved us, not because of deeds done by us in righteousness, but in virtue of his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal in the Holy Spirit,
6	which he poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior,
7	so that we might be justified by his grace and become heirs in hope of eternal life.

Gospel

Luke 2: 15 - 20
15	When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us."
16	And they went with haste, and found Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.
17	And when they saw it they made known the saying which had been told them concerning this child;
18	and all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them.
19	But Mary kept all these things, pondering them in her heart.
20	And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

Day Mass

Reading 1

Isaiah 52: 7 - 10
7	How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good tidings, who publishes peace, who brings good tidings of good, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, "Your God reigns."
8	Hark, your watchmen lift up their voice, together they sing for joy; for eye to eye they see the return of the LORD to Zion.
9	Break forth together into singing, you waste places of Jerusalem; for the LORD has comforted his people, he has redeemed Jerusalem.
10	The LORD has bared his holy arm before the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.

Psalm

Psalms 98: 1 - 6
1	O sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done marvelous things! His right hand and his holy arm have gotten him victory.
2	The LORD has made known his victory, he has revealed his vindication in the sight of the nations.
3	He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness to the house of Israel. All the ends of the earth have seen the victory of our God.
4	Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth; break forth into joyous song and sing praises!
5	Sing praises to the LORD with the lyre, with the lyre and the sound of melody!
6	With trumpets and the sound of the horn make a joyful noise before the King, the LORD!

Reading 2

Hebrews 1: 1 - 6
1	In many and various ways God spoke of old to our fathers by the prophets;
2	but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.
3	He reflects the glory of God and bears the very stamp of his nature, upholding the universe by his word of power. When he had made purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,
4	having become as much superior to angels as the name he has obtained is more excellent than theirs.
5	For to what angel did God ever say, "Thou art my Son, today I have begotten thee"? Or again, "I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son"?
6	And again, when he brings the first-born into the world, he says, "Let all God's angels worship him."

Gospel

John 1: 1 - 18
1	In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2	He was in the beginning with God;
3	all things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made.
4	In him was life, and the life was the light of men.
5	The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
6	There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
7	He came for testimony, to bear witness to the light, that all might believe through him.
8	He was not the light, but came to bear witness to the light.
9	The true light that enlightens every man was coming into the world.
10	He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world knew him not.
11	He came to his own home, and his own people received him not.
12	But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God;
13	who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
14	And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth; we have beheld his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father.
15	(John bore witness to him, and cried, "This was he of whom I said, `He who comes after me ranks before me, for he was before me.'")
16	And from his fulness have we all received, grace upon grace.
17	For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
18	No one has ever seen God; the only Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he has made him known.

OR

John 1: 1 - 5, 9 - 14
1	In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2	He was in the beginning with God;
3	all things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made.
4	In him was life, and the life was the light of men.
5	The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
9	The true light that enlightens every man was coming into the world.
10	He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world knew him not.
11	He came to his own home, and his own people received him not.
12	But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God;
13	who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
14	And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth; we have beheld his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father.

The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Solemnity)

The Feast of the Immaculate Conception celebrates the belief in the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary and is universally celebrated on 8 December, nine months before the feast of the Nativity of Mary, which is celebrated on 8 September. Mary herself, who is the Immaculate Conception, this day does not refer to Mary's conceiving Jesus by the Holy Spirit, but to the conception of Mary in the womb of her mother, St. Anne, by Mary's father, St. Joachim.

On December 8, 1854, Pope Pius IX officially declared the Immaculate Conception a dogma of the Church, which means that all Christians are bound to accept it as true. As the Holy Father wrote in the Apostolic Constitution Ineffabilis Deus, "We declare, pronounce, and define that the doctrine which holds that the most Blessed Virgin Mary, in the first instance of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege granted by Almighty God, in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the human race, was preserved free from all stain of original sin, is a doctrine revealed by God and therefore to be believed firmly and constantly by all the faithful."

Why is the solemnity celebrated on the 9 December in 2013? This is due to that the feast of the Immaculate Conception falls on Sunday, December 8, 2013 which is the Second Sunday in Advent, therefore the celebration of the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception is transferred to the following day, Monday, December 9, 2013.

Mary is the All Holy, and it had to be this way: Christ took from her His very Flesh and Blood, the Flesh that was scourged for us, the Blood that was spilt for us, the Bread of Life that saves us! 

Monday, 9 December, 2013
The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Solemnity)

Reading 1
Genesis 3:9-15, 20

After the man, Adam, had eaten of the tree,
the LORD God called to the man and asked him, �Where are you?�
He answered, �I heard you in the garden;
but I was afraid, because I was naked,
so I hid myself.�
Then he asked, �Who told you that you were naked?
You have eaten, then,
from the tree of which I had forbidden you to eat!�
The man replied, �The woman whom you put here with meC
she gave me fruit from the tree, and so I ate it.�
The LORD God then asked the woman,
�Why did you do such a thing?�
The woman answered, �The serpent tricked me into it, so I ate it.�

Then the LORD God said to the serpent:
�Because you have done this, you shall be banned
from all the animals
and from all the wild creatures;
on your belly shall you crawl,
and dirt shall you eat
all the days of your life.
I will put enmity between you and the woman,
and between your offspring and hers;
he will strike at your head,
while you strike at his heel.�

The man called his wife Eve,
because she became the mother of all the living.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm  98:1, 2-3AB, 3CD-4

R. (1) Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous deeds.
Sing to the LORD a new song,
for he has done wondrous deeds;
His right hand has won victory for him,
his holy arm.
R. Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous deeds.
The LORD has made his salvation known:
in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice.
He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulness
toward the house of Israel.
R. Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous deeds.
All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation by our God.
Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands;
break into song; sing praise.
R. Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous deeds.

Reading 2

Ephesians 1:3-6, 11-12

Brothers and sisters:

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who has blessed us in Christ
with every spiritual blessing in the heavens,
as he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world,
to be holy and without blemish before him.
In love he destined us for adoption to himself through Jesus Christ,
in accord with the favor of his will,
for the praise of the glory of his grace
that he granted us in the beloved.

In him we were also chosen,
destined in accord with the purpose of the One
who accomplishes all things according to the intention of his will,
so that we might exist for the praise of his glory,
we who first hoped in Christ.

Gospel

Luke 1:26-38

The angel Gabriel was sent from God
to a town of Galilee called Nazareth,
to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph,
of the house of David,
and the virgin�s name was Mary.
And coming to her, he said,
�Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.�
But she was greatly troubled at what was said
and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.
Then the angel said to her,
�Do not be afraid, Mary,
for you have found favor with God.
Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son,
and you shall name him Jesus.
He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High,
and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father,
and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever,
and of his Kingdom there will be no end.�
But Mary said to the angel,
�How can this be,
since I have no relations with a man?�
And the angel said to her in reply,
�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.
And behold, Elizabeth, your relative,
has also conceived a son in her old age,
and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren;
for nothing will be impossible for God.�
Mary said, �Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.
May it be done to me according to your word.�
Then the angel departed from her.

Feast Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe (Solemnity) ~ 2013

The Feast of Christ the King is a moveable feast. It is celebrated on the final Sunday of the liturgical year, which is the last Sunday before Advent starts. This feast was instituted by Pope Pius XI in 1925. This solemnity comes at the end of the liturgical year and brings together the mystery of Jesus firstborn from the dead and ruler of the kings of the earth. It is celebrated in the Roman Catholic church in honour of Jesus Christ as lord over all creation and it is also observed in Lutheran, Anglican, and other Protestant churches. During every Advent season, we the faithful await the "coming King", the King of peace and the light of hope that takes away the darkness forever at the Nativity of our Lord Jesus and also for the second coming of the Lord as which marks the end of times. Jesus was born of Judah tribe of Kings, came to serve all and his kingdom is divine. Today we are honouring Jesus the King who humbled himself in order to raise us up to the status of the Sons of God, a king who suffered the cruellest of deaths as a sacrificial Lamb of God so that we could have an unending life of happiness when we leave this earth at end of times when Jesus will come as the Lion of Judah, the righteous King and Judge.

Philippians 2:10-11

At the name of Jesus every knee should bow,

in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 

and every tongue acknowledge 

that Jesus Christ is Lord,

to the glory of God the Father.

Almighty ever-living God, whose will is to restore all things in your beloved Son, the King of the universe, grant, we pray, that the whole creation, set free from slavery, may render your majesty service and ceaselessly proclaim your praise. 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.

Sunday, November 24, 2013
Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe (Solemnity)

Reading 1

2 Samuel 5: 1 - 3
1	Then all the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron, and said, "Behold, we are your bone and flesh.
2	In times past, when Saul was king over us, it was you that led out and brought in Israel; and the LORD said to you, `You shall be shepherd of my people Israel, and you shall be prince over Israel.'"
3	So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron; and King David made a covenant with them at Hebron before the LORD, and they anointed David king over Israel.

Psalm

Psalms 122: 1 - 5
1	I was glad when they said to me, "Let us go to the house of the LORD!"
2	Our feet have been standing within your gates, O Jerusalem!
3	Jerusalem, built as a city which is bound firmly together,
4	to which the tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD, as was decreed for Israel, to give thanks to the name of the LORD.
5	There thrones for judgment were set, the thrones of the house of David.

Reading 2

Colossians 1: 12 - 20
12	giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.
13	He has delivered us from the dominion of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son,
14	in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
15	He is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of all creation;
16	for in him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or authorities -- all things were created through him and for him.
17	He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
18	He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the first-born from the dead, that in everything he might be pre-eminent.
19	For in him all the fulness of God was pleased to dwell,
20	and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.

Gospel

Luke 23: 35 - 43
35	And the people stood by, watching; but the rulers scoffed at him, saying, "He saved others; let him save himself, if he is the Christ of God, his Chosen One!"
36	The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him vinegar,
37	and saying, "If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!"
38	There was also an inscription over him, "This is the King of the Jews."
39	One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, "Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!"
40	But the other rebuked him, saying, "Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation?
41	And we indeed justly; for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong."
42	And he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom."
43	And he said to him, "Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise."

Prayer to Christ the King

O Christ Jesus, I acknowledge Thee to be the King of the universe: all that has been made is created for Thee. Exercise over me all Thy sovereign rights. I hereby renew the promises of my Baptism, renouncing Satan and all his works and pomps, and I engage myself to lead henceforth a truly Christian life. And in an especial manner do I undertake to bring about the triumph of the rights of God and Thy Church, so far as in me lies. Divine Heart of Jesus, I offer Thee my poor actions to obtain the acknowledgment by every heart of Thy sacred Kingly power. In such wise may the kingdom of Thy peace be firmly established throughout all the earth. Amen.

Prayer Source: How to Make Your House a Home by Rev. Bernard Stokes, O.F.M., Family Life Bureau, Washington D.C., 1955

Ascension of the Lord (Solemnity)

The Solemnity of the Ascension falls on Thursday, 9 May 2013 (it may be transferred to Sunday, 12 May 2013 in some countries). The celebration marks Christ Jesus's bodily ascension into heaven after 40 days from Easter Sunday, when He rose from the dead.  Christ Jesus, takes his place at God�s right hand so that he can pour out the promise of the Father, the Holy Spirit, upon his disciples. The 40th day after Easter Sunday always fall on a Thursday.

Go and Teach All Nations, 

Says the Lord; 

I Am with You Always, 

until the End of the World.

Ephesians 4:10

10 He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.

Mark 16:14-20

14 Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating; he rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen.

15 He said to them, �Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18 they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.�

19 After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God. 20 Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it.

Luke 24:50-53

The Ascension of Jesus

50 When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. 51 While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. 52 Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. 53 And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God.

Acts 1:1-11

Jesus Taken Up Into Heaven

1 In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach 2 until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. 3 After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. 4 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: �Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5 For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.�

6 Then they gathered around him and asked him, �Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?�

7 He said to them: �It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.�

9 After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.

10 They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. 11 �Men of Galilee,� they said, �why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.�

"Today our Lord Jesus Christ ascended into heaven; let our hearts ascend with him. Listen to the words of the Apostle: If you have risen with Christ, set your hearts on the things that are above where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God; seek the things that are above, not the things that are on earth. For just as he remained with us even after his ascension, so we too are already in heaven with him, even though what is promised us has not yet been fulfilled in our bodies."

~ The great western Bishop Augustine ~

Philippians 2:6-11

6 Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
7 rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death�
even death on a cross!9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.


Galatians 2:19, 20

For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God. I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

John 15:4

Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.