Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity (Trinity Sunday) ~ 11 June 2017

In the Catholic faith, we believe and worship One God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity. are baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

Glory be to the Father, 

and to the Son, 

and to the Holy Spirit.

The Father is made of no one, neither created nor begotten.

The Son is from the Father alone, not made, nor created, but begotten.

The Holy Spirit is from the Father and the Son, not made, nor created, nor begotten, but proceeding.

The Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity is celebrated on the first Sunday after Pentecost. We celebrate the presence of the Triune God within us, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. The mystery of the Holy Trinity, a doctrine enunciated by the ecumenical councils of Nicaea and Constantinople, is one of the fundamental doctrines of Christianity and the greatest mystery of our Faith, namely, that there are Three Divine Persons, sharing the same Divine nature in one God. �There is one God, who has three Persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Each Person is God, yet there is still only one God� (CCC #234, #253-256). This is the mystery we profess each week when we affirm our belief in the Son of God, who is "consubstantial [one in Being] with the Father, God from God, light from light true God from true God" and in the Holy Spirit, who "with the Father and the Son is worshipped and glorified." The inner relationship of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit is such that each of them is fully God, yet They are not three Gods but One. This is not comprehendible by the human mind.

O my God, 

Trinity Whom I adore

Grant my soul peace.

Make it Your Heaven,

Your beloved dwelling, 

and the place of Your rest.

May I never abandon You there,

but may I be there,

whole and entire.

Completely vigilant in my faith,

entirely adoring, 

and wholly given over 

to Your creative action.

~ Blessed Elizabeth of the Trinity ~ 

Liturgy

Reading 1

Exodus 34:4b-6, 8-9

Early in the morning Moses went up Mount Sinai
as the LORD had commanded him,
taking along the two stone tablets.

Having come down in a cloud, the LORD stood with Moses there
and proclaimed his name, "LORD."
Thus the LORD passed before him and cried out,
"The LORD, the LORD, a merciful and gracious God,
slow to anger and rich in kindness and fidelity."
Moses at once bowed down to the ground in worship.
Then he said, "If I find favor with you, O Lord,
do come along in our company.
This is indeed a stiff-necked people; yet pardon our wickedness and sins,
and receive us as your own."

Responsorial Psalm

Daniel 3:52, 53, 54, 55, 56

R. Glory and praise for ever!
Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of our fathers,
praiseworthy and exalted above all forever;
And blessed is your holy and glorious name,
praiseworthy and exalted above all for all ages.
R. Glory and praise for ever!
Blessed are you in the temple of your holy glory,
praiseworthy and glorious above all forever.
R. Glory and praise for ever!
Blessed are you on the throne of your kingdom,
praiseworthy and exalted above all forever.
R. Glory and praise for ever!
Blessed are you who look into the depths
from your throne upon the cherubim,
praiseworthy and exalted above all forever.
R. Glory and praise for ever!


Reading 2

2 Corinthians 13:11-13

Brothers and sisters, rejoice.
Mend your ways, encourage one another,
agree with one another, live in peace,
and the God of love and peace will be with you.
Greet one another with a holy kiss.
All the holy ones greet you.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ
and the love of God
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with all of you.

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

John 3:16-18

God so loved the world that he gave his only Son,
so that everyone who believes in him might not perish
but might have eternal life.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world,
but that the world might be saved through him.
Whoever believes in him will not be condemned,
but whoever does not believe has already been condemned,
because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe ~ 12 December 2015

12 December commemorates her apparition to Saint Juan Diego, a poor, 57 year old Aztec Indian on his way to mass in the hills of Tepeyac, Mexico in 1531. She asked him to go to the bishop and tell him that the Ever Virgin Mary, Mother of God sent him to ask for a church to be built atop Tepeyac hill.

Honouring Our Lady's 

message of hope, 

we open our hearts and

offer our prayers for all

who are in special need

of her help and care this day.

"Hear me and understand well, my son the least, that nothing should frighten or grieve you. Let not your heart be disturbed. Do not fear that sickness, nor any other sickness or anguish. Am I not here, who is your Mother? Are you not under my protection? Am I not your health? Are you not happily within my fold? What else do you wish? Do not grieve nor be disturbed by anything." 

~ * ~  Our Lady of Guadalupe to Juan Diego ~ * ~

O God, Father of mercies, who placed your people under the singular protection of your Son's most holy Mother, grant that all who invoke the Blessed Virgin of Guadalupe, may seek with ever more lively faith the progress of peoples in the ways of justice and of peace. 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

Zechariah 2:14-17
Sing and rejoice, O daughter Zion!
See, I am coming to dwell among you, says the LORD.
Many nations shall join themselves to the LORD on that day,
and they shall be his people,
and he will dwell among you,
and you shall know that the LORD of hosts has sent me to you.
The LORD will possess Judah as his portion in the holy land,
and he will again choose Jerusalem.
Silence, all mankind, in the presence of the LORD!
For he stirs forth from his holy dwelling.
Or

Revelation 11:19a; 12:1-6a, 10ab
God�s temple in heaven was opened,
and the ark of his covenant could be seen in the temple.

A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun,
with the moon under her feet,
and on her head a crown of twelve stars.
She was with child and wailed aloud in pain as she labored to give birth.
Then another sign appeared in the sky;
it was a huge red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns,
and on its heads were seven diadems.
Its tail swept away a third of the stars in the sky
and hurled them down to the earth.
Then the dragon stood before the woman about to give birth,
to devour her child when she gave birth.
She gave birth to a son, a male child,
destined to rule all the nations with an iron rod.
Her child was caught up to God and his throne.
The woman herself fled into the desert
where she had a place prepared by God.

Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say:
�Now have salvation and power come,
and the Kingdom of our God
and the authority of his Anointed.�


Responsorial Psalm

Judith 13:18bcde, 19

R. You are the highest honour of our race.
Blessed are you, daughter, by the Most High God,
above all the women on earth;
and blessed be the LORD God,
the creator of heaven and earth.
R. You are the highest honour of our race.
Your deed of hope will never be forgotten
by those who tell of the might of God.
R. You are the highest honour of our race.

Alleluia 

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed are you, holy Virgin Mary, deserving of all praise;
from you rose the sun of justice, Christ our God.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

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 favour 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.
Or

Luke 1:39-47

Mary set out
and traveled to the hill country in haste
to a town of Judah,
where she entered the house of Zechariah
and greeted Elizabeth.
When Elizabeth heard Mary�s greeting,
the infant leaped in her womb,
and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit,
cried out in a loud voice and said,
�Most blessed are you among women,
and blessed is the fruit of your womb.
And how does this happen to me,
that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears,
the infant in my womb leaped for joy.
Blessed are you who believed
that what was spoken to you by the Lord
would be fulfilled.�
And Mary said:
�My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord;
my spirit rejoices in God my saviour.�

Feast of Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary ~ Novena & Mass ~ 8 December 2015 ~ Ladang Sungai Batu, Bedong, Sungai Petani, Kedah, Malaysia

Novena / Mass

4 December 2015 ~ 13 December 2015

History of the chapel with image of the Chapel back then.

The chapel today with a large compound.

Please click for Location Map.

Please click to view First-hand Testimonies.

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.

Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary ~ 8 Sept 2015

Let us celebrate with joyful hearts 

the birth of the Virgin Mary, 

of whom was born the Sun of Justice, 

Christ our Lord.

Happy Birthday, Mother Mary.

The birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary is celebrated on the 8 September annually, which is nine months after celebration of her Immaculate Conception as the child of Saints Joachim and Anne on the 8 December. In the birth of Our Lady, we see the Father�s plan for the world�s redemption in action. Our Lady, Mother Mary, who was conceived without original sin and, consequently, born without original sin. God chosen and sent her into the world so that we, too, could have life through her Son, our Lord, Saviour and Redeemer, Jesus Christ. She was not doing extraordinary things from the time she was born. But like her Son she lived a very ordinary life in the most extraordinary manner, in complete union with God in the seclusion of her heart.

The birth and early life of the Virgin Mary is not recorded in the books or Gospels of the Bible but this information can be referenced in the Book of James or Protoevangelium of James, written in the second century. Her nativity is a cause for great joy as it is considered the" dawn of our salvation" (birth of salvation) as Pope Paul VI wrote in the document, Marialis Cultus in 1972.

Let us live without sin, 

imitating our mother, 

and giving greater glory to her Son, 

our Lord Jesus Christ.

Impart to your servants, we pray, O Lord, the gift of heavenly grace, that the feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin may bring deeper peace to those for whom the birth of her Son was the dawning of 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

Micah 5:1-4aThe LORD says:
You, Bethlehem-Ephrathah,
too small to be among the clans of Judah,
From you shall come forth for me
one who is to be ruler in Israel;
Whose origin is from of old,
from ancient times.
(Therefore the Lord will give them up, until the time
when she who is to give birth has borne,
And the rest of his brethren shall return
to the children of Israel.)
He shall stand firm and shepherd his flock
by the strength of the LORD,
in the majestic name of the LORD, his God;
And they shall remain, for now his greatness
shall reach to the ends of the earth;
he shall be peace.

Or

Romans 8:28-30

Brothers and sisters:
We know that all things work for good for those who love God,
who are called according to his purpose.
For those he foreknew he also predestined
to be conformed to the image of his Son,
so that he might be the firstborn
among many brothers.
And those he predestined he also called;
and those he called he also justified;
and those he justified he also glorified.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 13:6ab, 6c

R. With delight I rejoice in the Lord.
Though I trusted in your mercy,
let my heart rejoice in your salvation.
R. With delight I rejoice in the Lord.
Let me sing of the LORD, �He has been good to me.�
R. With delight I rejoice in the Lord.

Alleluia

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed are you, holy Virgin Mary, deserving of all praise;
from you rose the sun of justice, Christ our God.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

Matthew 1:1-16, 18-23
The Book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ,
the son of David, the son of Abraham.

Abraham became the father of Isaac,
Isaac the father of Jacob,
Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers.
Judah became the father of Perez and Zerah,
whose mother was Tamar.
Perez became the father of Hezron,
Hezron the father of Ram,
Ram the father of Amminadab.
Amminadab became the father of Nahshon,
Nahshon the father of Salmon,
Salmon the father of Boaz,
whose mother was Rahab.
Boaz became the father of Obed,
whose mother was Ruth.
Obed became the father of Jesse,
Jesse the father of David the king.

David became the father of Solomon,
whose mother had been the wife of Uriah.
Solomon became the father of Rehoboam,
Rehoboam the father of Abijah,
Abijah the father of Asaph.
Asaph became the father of Jehoshaphat,
Jehoshaphat the father of Joram,
Joram the father of Uzziah.
Uzziah became the father of Jotham,
Jotham the father of Ahaz,
Ahaz the father of Hezekiah.
Hezekiah became the father of Manasseh,
Manasseh the father of Amos,
Amos the father of Josiah.
Josiah became the father of Jechoniah and his brothers
at the time of the Babylonian exile.

After the Babylonian exile,
Jechoniah became the father of Shealtiel,
Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel,
Zerubbabel the father of Abiud.
Abiud became the father of Eliakim,
Eliakim the father of Azor,
Azor the father of Zadok.
Zadok became the father of Achim,
Achim the father of Eliud,
Eliud the father of Eleazar.
Eleazar became the father of Matthan,
Matthan the father of Jacob,
Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary.
Of her was born Jesus who is called the Christ.

Now this is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about.
When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph,
but before they lived together,
she was found with child through the Holy Spirit.
Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man,
yet unwilling to expose her to shame,
decided to divorce her quietly.
Such was his intention when, behold,
the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said,
�Joseph, son of David,
do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home.
For it is through the Holy Spirit
that this child has been conceived in her.
She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus,
because he will save his people from their sins.�
All this took place to fulfill
what the Lord had said through the prophet:

Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son,
and they shall name him Emmanuel,

which means �God is with us.�

Or

Matthew 1:18-23

This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about.
When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph,
but before they lived together,
she was found with child through the Holy Spirit.
Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man,
yet unwilling to expose her to shame,
decided to divorce her quietly.
Such was his intention when, behold,
the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said,
�Joseph, son of David,
do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home.
For it is through the Holy Spirit
that this child has been conceived in her.
She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus,
because he will save his people from their sins.�
All this took place to fulfill
what the Lord had said through the prophet:

Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son,
and they shall name him Emmanuel,

which means �God is with us.�

Feast of Saint Bartholomew, Apostle ~ 24 August 2015

Saint Bartholomew, is one of the least known of the 12 apostles of Jesus. Bartholomew in the first three gospels is the same as the one referred to as Nathaniel who is portrayed as Philip�s friend in John gospel. Bartholomew was a man �in whom there was no guile,� his mind was open to the truth. He went willingly with Philip to see Christ, and recognized the Savior immediately as the Son of God. After the Resurrection, he is believed to have preached in India and with his fellow apostle Jude Thaddeus preached to Armenia. Bartholomew martyred in Albanopolis in Armenia by popular tradition holds that he was flayed alive and crucified, head downward. Therefore, Bartholomew is portrayed as flayed and holding in his hand his own skin.

Strengthen in us, O Lord, the faith, by which the blessed Apostle Bartholomew clung wholeheartedly to your Son, and grant that through the help of his prayers your Church may become for all the nations the sacrament of 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

Revelation 21:9b-14
The angel spoke to me, saying,
�Come here.
I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.�
He took me in spirit to a great, high mountain
and showed me the holy city Jerusalem
coming down out of heaven from God.
It gleamed with the splendour of God.
Its radiance was like that of a precious stone,
like jasper, clear as crystal.
It had a massive, high wall,
with twelve gates where twelve angels were stationed
and on which names were inscribed,
the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel.
There were three gates facing east,
three north, three south, and three west.
The wall of the city had twelve courses of stones as its foundation,
on which were inscribed the twelve names
of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 145:10-11, 12-13, 17-18
R. Your friends make known, O Lord, the glorious splendour of your Kingdom.

Let all your works give you thanks, O LORD,
and let your faithful ones bless you.
Let them discourse of the glory of your Kingdom
and speak of your might.
R. Your friends make known, O Lord, 

the glorious splendour of your Kingdom.
Making known to men your might
and the glorious splendour of your Kingdom.
Your Kingdom is a Kingdom for all ages,
and your dominion endures through all generations.
R. Your friends make known, O Lord, 

the glorious splendour of your Kingdom.
The LORD is just in all his ways
and holy in all his works.
The LORD is near to all who call upon him,
to all who call upon him in truth.
R. Your friends make known, O Lord, 

the glorious splendour of your Kingdom.

Alleluia

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Rabbi, you are the Son of God;
you are the King of Israel.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

John 1:45-51
Philip found Nathanael and told him,
�We have found the one about whom Moses wrote in the law,
and also the prophets, Jesus son of Joseph, from Nazareth.�
But Nathanael said to him,
�Can anything good come from Nazareth?�
Philip said to him, �Come and see.�
Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him,
�Here is a true child of Israel.
There is no duplicity in him.�
Nathanael said to him, �How do you know me?�
Jesus answered and said to him,
�Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree.�
Nathanael answered him,
�Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel.�
Jesus answered and said to him,
�Do you believe
because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree?
You will see greater things than this.�
And he said to him, �Amen, amen, I say to you,
you will see heaven opened and the angels of God
ascending and descending on the Son of Man.�

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.�

Memorial of St. Joseph the Worker ~ 1 May 2015

Saint Joseph was a carpenter, as we know from Matthew 13:55, "Is not this the carpenter's son? Is not his mother called Mary? ....". He was a faithful and righteous man who went about doing his day-to-day work without complaining. He was a man who just put total trust in God, and did what he was required to do in order to care for his family. In order to Christianise the concept of labour and give to all workmen a model and a protector, Pope Pius XII instituted the feast of Saint Joseph the Worker in 1955, therefore Saint Joseph is the Church the patron saint of workers and craftsmen. In some countries around the world 1 May is observed as a public holiday to commemorate Labour Day aka May Day, a day of celebration in honour of workers labour. 

In normal times, Catholics traditionally honour Saint Joseph every Wednesday. The Solemnity of Saint Joseph, Husband of Mary and the foster father of Jesus will be celebrated on 19 March. Except for Mary, no other saint has more than one feast day.

"I know by experience that 

the glorious St. Joseph 

assists us generally in all necessities. 

I never asked him for anything 

which he did not obtain for me."

~ * ~ St. Teresa of Avila ~ * ~

St. Joseph the Worker, Pray for us!

St. Joseph faithfully practiced the carpenter's trade. 

He is a shining example for all workers.

~ * ~ Canticle of Zechariah ~ * ~

O God, Creator of all things, who laid down for the human race the law of work, graciously grant that by the example of Saint Joseph and under his patronage we may complete the works you set us to do and attain the rewards you promise. 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.

Prayer to Saint Joseph for Fidelity to Work

Glorious St. Joseph, 

model of all who are devoted to labour, 

obtain for me the grace to work conscientiously, 

putting the call of duty above my natural inclinations; 

to work with gratitude and joy, 

considering it an honour to employ and develop, 

by means of labour, the gifts received from God, 

disregarding difficulties and weariness; 

to work, above all, with purity 

of intention and with detachment from self, 

having always before my eyes death, 

and the account which I must render of time lost, 

of talents wasted, of good omitted, of vain complacency in success, 

so fatal to the work of God. 

All for Jesus, all for Mary, 

all after your example, patriarch Joseph. 

This will be my watchword in life and in death. 

Amen.