Catholic Sunday Mass Reading, 29 May 2022

FIRST READING

“I see the Son of man standing at the right hand of God. ”

A reading from the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 17:55-60)

In those days: Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God; and he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing at the right hand of God.” But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together upon him. Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him; and the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. And as they were stoning Stephen, he prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” And he knelt down and cried with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

The word of the Lord.

RESPONSORIAL PSALM Ps 97:1 and 2b.6 and 7c.9 (R. cf. la.9a)

R/. The Lord is king, the most high above all the earth.

Or: Alleluia.

The Lord is king, let earth rejoice;

let the many islands be glad.

Justice and right are the foundation of his throne. R/.

The skies proclaim his justice;

all peoples see his glory.

All you angels, worship him. R/.

R/. The Lord is king, the most high above all the earth.

Or: Alleluia.

For you indeed are the Lord

most high above all the earth,

exalted far above all gods. R/.

SECOND READING

“Come, Lord Jesus! ”

A reading from the Book of Revelation (Revelation 22: 12- 14.16 – 17, 20)

I, John, heard a voice saying to me, “Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense, to repay every one for what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates. “I Jesus have sent my angel to you with this testimony for the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, the bright morning star.” The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let him who hears say, “Come.” And let him who is thirsty come, let him who desires take the water of life without price. He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!

The word of the Lord

ALLELUIA John 14:18

Alleluia. I will not leave you orphans, says the Lord; I will come back to you, and your hearts will rejoice. Alleluia.

GOSPEL

“May they become perfectly one! ”

A reading from the holy Gospel according to John (John 17:20-26

At that time: [Lifting up his eyes to heaven, Jesus prayed, saying, Holy Father,] “I do not pray for these only, but also for those who believe in me through their word, that they may all be one; even as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory which you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to behold my glory which you have given me in your love for me before the foundation of the world. O righteous Father, the world has not known you, but I have known you; and these know that you have sent me. I made known to them your name, and I will make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

THE CREED (I Believe)

I believe in one God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible. I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God, born of the Father before all ages. God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father; through him all things were made. For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven, and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate, he suffered death and was buried, and rose again on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead and his kingdom will have no end. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets. I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church. I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen.

PRAYER OF THE FAITHFUL

Come, Lord Jesus!

PRIEST: My brothers and sisters, as we wait for the Second Coming of Christ, we make our prayers to God our Father, trusting that he will answer our petitions.

READER: FOR THE CHURCH, THE BRIDE OF CHRIST, AS SHE WAITS FOR HER LORD’S SECOND COMING, (pause) may she show forth to the world her unity with Christ her Lord, and by her life of prayer and action, may she hasten his Second Coming (pause) Father, hear us, we pray; come, Lord Jesus, come we pray Oh Lord.

FOR CHRISTIAN LEADERS IN OUR SOCIETY, (pause) may they, like St. Stephen, be filled with the Holy Spirit, so that their public service as witness to all of their total commitment to Jesus Christ. (pause) Father, hear us, we pray; come, Lord Jesus, come we pray Oh Lord.

FOR THOSE HOSE FAITH IS MISUNDERSTOOD BY MEMBERS OF THEIR OWN FAMILY, (pause) may they continue in patient endurance to be loving towards those nearest and dearest to them, who are critical and hostile to their Christian belief. (pause) Father, hear us, we pray; come, Lord Jesus, come we pray Oh Lord.

FOR UNITY IN OUR COMMUNITY, (pause) may we realize, through our union with the Risen Lord, that what divides us on purely human terms is of little consequence compared to our common faith and hope. (pause) Father, hear us, we pray; come, Lord Jesus, come we pray Oh Lord.

We make our private petitions in silence to God, who knows what is in our heart.

PRIEST: Father, by our union with you, may your kingdom come.

Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

TODAY’S REFLECTION

Stephen, during his execution, sees “the heavens opened, and the son of man standing at the right hand of God.” He was so closely untied to his master and Lord that one cannot fail to notice the striking parallel between his death and that of Jesus Christ. Both prayed that their executioners be pardoned for their ignorance. Both of them surrendered their spirits to the heavenly father as acts of supreme sacrifice and in obedience to the father’s will. In Stephen, the first martyr, the revelation of john finds its fulfillment: “Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates.” And the prayer of Jesus for the ultimate unity is being fulfilled too: “Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to behold my glory which you have given me in your love for me before the foundation of the world.” Like Stephen, we are also called to live for Christ, bear witness to our faith in him, and if needed, lay down our life for him in imitation of his own supreme sacrifice so that we too may be counted among those who have the right to the tree of life and enter the city by the gates, that we too may be where Jesus is to behold his glory. Heaven is our ultimate goal. The sufferings and struggles of this present life, even torture and death to our bodies, are nothing compared to the glory that awaits us. Are we willing to live for Christ and if necessary even lay down our lives for him in supreme sacrifice?

TODAY’S SAINT AND QUOTE: St Ursula Ledochowska – May 29th

You must never ask Jesus to wait.

PERSONAL DEVOTIONAL:

Day 29 May Devotion

If one is not ready to bear the pain that comes with discipleship, he or she will never be counted among the greats in the sight of the Lord.

Our Mother Mary by saying yes to God accepted all the pain that has to come her way. She never jumped the ship when the going got tough, instead, she soaked it in and remained steadfast and today she is in heaven interceding for us. We must learn from her to accept the separation and pain that will come to us by following Jesus so that in the end we will find eternal life.

MEDITATION: Mark 1: 10-16

Let us Pray,

Heavenly Father, give me the grace to follow you without looking back and may I stay committed to you till the end of my life as our Mother Mary did. Amen. And May the Almighty God bless you: the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

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9-DAYS NOVENA WITH FASTING AND PRAYERS TO THE HOLY SPIRIT

IN PREPARATION FOR PENTECOST

DAY 3: THE NAME, TITLES SYMBOLS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

INTRODUCTION:

The Church has received the name Holy Spirit from ‘GOD” – ‘breath of God’ and professes it in Baptism – “baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit”. The name Spirit means breath, air, wind. This is the image Jesus used when speaking to Nicodemus: “Truly, truly, I say to You, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.” We all have been baptized and received a “share in the divine nature” (2 Peter 1:4), Still we fail to let this divine nature grow in us. Often we give way to the “works of the flesh”, described by St. Paul in Gals: 19-21. Being aware of our resistance to the “Breath of God”, the Holy Spirit, let us ask pardon:

PRAYER POINT:

Pray for those who have heard the word but have refused to repent; that God would open their hearts to the wisdom of the Gospel of light.

Pray for our brothers and sisters who are backsliding in the faith.

Pray for the strengthening of new converts to Christianity and for those facing persecutions because of their faith in Christ, especially Christians in most parts of the world.

1. OPENING (Hymn to the Holy Spirit)

Invocation of The Holy Spirit

Come, O Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of the faithful and enkindle in them the fire of your love.

V. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created

R. And you shall renew the face of the earth.

Let Us pray:

O God, who taught the hearts of the faithful by the light of the Holy Spirit, grant that by the gift of the same Spirit we may be always truly wise and ever rejoice in his consolation, Through Christ Our Lord.

R/. Amen

Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy Name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now, and at the hour of our death. Amen.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

2. ACT OF CONTRITION – O my God, I am sorry and beg pardon for all my sins, and detest them above all things, because they have crucified my loving Saviour Jesus Christ, and, most of all, because they offend your infinite goodness; and I firmly resolve, by the help of your grace, never to offend you again, and carefully to avoid the occasion of sin.

3. PRAYER FOR THE SEVEN GIFTS OF THE HOLY GHOST: (To be recited daily during the Novena)

O LORD JESUS CHRIST, Who before ascending into Heaven didst promise to send the Holy Ghost to finish Thy work in the souls of Thine Apostles and Disciples, deign to grant the same Holy Spirit to me, that He may perfect in my soul the work of Thy grace and Thy love. Grant me the Spirit of Wisdom, that I may despise the perishable things of this world and aspire only after the things that are eternal; the Spirit of Understanding, to enlighten my mind with the light of Thy Divine truth; the Spirit of Counsel, that I may ever choose the surest way of pleasing God and gaining Heaven; the Spirit of Fortitude, that I may bear my cross with Thee and that I may overcome with courage all the obstacles that oppose my salvation; the Spirit of Knowledge, that I may know God and know myself and grow perfect in the science of the Saints; the Spirit of Piety, that I may find the service of God sweet and amiable; the Spirit of Fear, that I may be filled with a loving reverence towards God and may dread in any way to displease Him. Mark me, Dear Lord, with the sign of Thy true disciples, and animate me in all things with Thy Spirit. Amen.

4. PRAYER TO THE HOLY SPIRIT:

Breathe into me Holy Spirit that my thoughts may all be holy.

Move in me, Holy Spirit that my work too, may be holy.

Attract my heart Holy Spirit that I may love only what is holy.

Strengthen me Holy Spirit that I may defend all that is holy.

Protect me, Holy Spirit that I may always be holy.

5. BIBLE READING: Romans 8: 6-11 and John 14: 16-17; 26-27

6. CONCLUDING PRAYER

LET US PRAY: (To be recited together by all)

Father, Son and Holy Spirit, I know that my body is Your Temple. I believe and trust that You are the source of life, Almighty God, our Creator. My whole body is filled with Your life and love. Lord Jesus, touch me with Your Precious Blood and wash away all my sins.

I ask Your forgiveness for every sin of mine. Heal me of all the hurts, anger, guilt feelings and all painful memories that linger in my deepest being. I have sinned, Lord, against You and against my neighbour. Jesus, You are present in the Eucharist. Lord, do come into my heart. While You are in my heart, I have nothing to fear, for You are the Son of God, and in my heart You are near.

In You is life, and in Your life, Lord Jesus, I find life. You touched the bleeding woman and healed her. Have mercy on me, Lord. It is You Who guide me with Your strength and make me righteous in Your presence. Lord, God, You are almighty. You are merciful. You have touched me and healed me of all my ailments of soul, mind and body. I thank You specially for bringing me closer to You, for loving and protecting me and for healing me completely. With deep faith in my heart, I adore You my loving Jesus Who with the Father and the Holy Spirit are God for ever and ever. Amen.

7. Closing / Concluding Hymn