29 May 2025 (Thursday) / Thursday before Ascension Sunday or Saint Paul VI, Pope / Easter Weekday

29 May 2025 (Thursday)

Thursday before Ascension Sunday or Saint Paul VI, Pope.

Easter Weekday.

Readings from the Bible of the Roman Catholic Church:

First Reading: Acts 18: 1-8

Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 98: 1, 2-3ab, 3cd-4

Alleluia: John 14: 18

Gospel: John 16: 16-20

First Reading : Acts 18:1‐8

Paul left Athens and went to Corinth, where he met a Jew called Aquila whose family came from Pontus. He and his wife Priscilla had recently left Italy because an edict of Claudius had expelled all the Jews from Rome. Paul went to visit them, and when he found they were tentmakers, of the same trade as himself, he lodged with them, and they worked together. Every sabbath he used to hold debates in the synagogues, trying to convert Jews as well as Greeks. After Silas and Timothy had arrived from Macedonia, Paul devoted all his time to preaching, declaring to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ. When they turned against him and started to insult him, he took his cloak and shook it out in front of them, saying, ‘Your blood be on your own heads; from now on I can go to the pagans with a clear conscience.’ Then he left the synagogue and moved to the house next door that belonged to a worshipper of God called Justus. Crispus, president of the synagogue, and his whole household, all became believers in the Lord. A great many Corinthians who had heard him became believers and were baptised.

Responsive Psalm : Psalm 97(98):1‐4

The Lord has shown his salvation to the nations.

or

Alleluia!

Sing a new song to the Lord for he has worked wonders. His right hand and his holy arm have brought salvation.

The Lord has shown his salvation to the nations.

or

Alleluia!

The Lord has made known his salvation; has shown his justice to the nations. He has remembered his truth and love for the house of Israel.

The Lord has shown his salvation to the nations.

or

Alleluia!

All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. Shout to the Lord, all the earth, ring out your joy.

The Lord has shown his salvation to the nations.

or

Alleluia!

Alleluia: John 14: 18

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

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

(18. I shall not leave you orphans; I shall come to you).

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel : John 16:16‐20

Jesus said to his disciples:

‘In a short time you will no longer see me, and then a short time later you will see me again.’ Then some of his disciples said to one another, ‘What does he mean, “In a short time you will no longer see me, and then a short time later you will see me again” and, “I am going to the Father”? What is this “short time”? We do not know what he means.’ Jesus knew that they wanted to question him, so he said, ‘You are asking one another what I meant by saying: In a short time you will no longer see me, and then a short time later you will see me again. ‘I tell you most solemnly, you will be weeping and wailing while the world will rejoice; you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn to joy.’

For our reflection today:

On the Cross, the “Gospel of suffering” was revealed to Christians (John Paul II, Salvifici doloris, 25). Jesus recognized in His sacrifice the path established by the Father for the redemption of humanity, and He followed this path. It is certainly not easy to discover in suffering the authentic divine love, which wants, through accepted suffering, to raise human life to the level of the saving love of Christ. Faith, however, makes us adhere to this mystery and puts peace and joy in the soul of those who suffer, despite everything: sometimes we go so far as to say, with Saint Paul: “I am filled with consolation, I am filled with joy in all our tribulation”. (Pope John Paul II, General Audience, 27 April 1994)

Jonathan Fabian Ginunggil,

Most High Servant,

Jesus, Mary, Joseph Ministry of Love (Blessed and Saints and the Nine Choirs of Angels)

28 Mei 2025 (Rabu) / Hari biasa Pekan VI Paskah

28 Mei 2025 (Rabu)

Hari biasa Pekan VI Paskah.

Pembacaan dari Alkitab Gereja Katolik Roma:

Pembacaan Pertama: Kis. 17:15,22 - 18:1; 

Pembacaan Mazmur: Mzm. 148:1-2,11-12ab,12c-14a,14bcd; 

Pembacaan dari Injil Santo Yohanes: Yoh. 16:12-15

Warna Liturgi Putih.

Pembacaan Pertama:

Kis 17:15 Orang-orang yang mengiringi Paulus menemaninya sampai di Atena, lalu kembali dengan pesan kepada Silas dan Timotius, supaya mereka selekas mungkin datang kepadanya.

Kis 17:22 Paulus pergi berdiri di atas Areopagus dan berkata: "Hai orang-orang Atena, aku lihat, bahwa dalam segala hal kamu sangat beribadah kepada dewa-dewa.

Kis 17:23 Sebab ketika aku berjalan-jalan di kotamu dan melihat-lihat barang-barang pujaanmu, aku menjumpai juga sebuah mezbah dengan tulisan: Kepada Allah yang tidak dikenal. Apa yang kamu sembah tanpa mengenalnya, itulah yang kuberitakan kepada kamu.

Kis 17:24 Allah yang telah menjadikan bumi dan segala isinya, Ia, yang adalah Tuhan atas langit dan bumi, tidak diam dalam kuil-kuil buatan tangan manusia,

Kis 17:25 dan juga tidak dilayani oleh tangan manusia, seolah-olah Ia kekurangan apa-apa, karena Dialah yang memberikan hidup dan nafas dan segala sesuatu kepada semua orang.

Kis 17:26 Dari satu orang saja Ia telah menjadikan semua bangsa dan umat manusia untuk mendiami seluruh muka bumi dan Ia telah menentukan musim-musim bagi mereka dan batas-batas kediaman mereka,

Kis 17:27 supaya mereka mencari Dia dan mudah-mudahan menjamah dan menemukan Dia, walaupun Ia tidak jauh dari kita masing-masing.

Kis 17:28 Sebab di dalam Dia kita hidup, kita bergerak, kita ada, seperti yang telah juga dikatakan oleh pujangga-pujanggamu: Sebab kita ini dari keturunan Allah juga.

Kis 17:29 Karena kita berasal dari keturunan Allah, kita tidak boleh berpikir, bahwa keadaan ilahi sama seperti emas atau perak atau batu, ciptaan kesenian dan keahlian manusia.

Kis 17:30 Dengan tidak memandang lagi zaman kebodohan, maka sekarang Allah memberitakan kepada manusia, bahwa di mana-mana semua mereka harus bertobat.

Kis 17:31 Karena Ia telah menetapkan suatu hari, pada waktu mana Ia dengan adil akan menghakimi dunia oleh seorang yang telah ditentukan-Nya, sesudah Ia memberikan kepada semua orang suatu bukti tentang hal itu dengan membangkitkan Dia dari antara orang mati."

Kis 17:32 Ketika mereka mendengar tentang kebangkitan orang mati, maka ada yang mengejek, dan yang lain berkata: "Lain kali saja kami mendengar engkau berbicara tentang hal itu."

Kis 17:33 Lalu Paulus pergi meninggalkan mereka.

Kis 17:34 Tetapi beberapa orang laki-laki menggabungkan diri dengan dia dan menjadi percaya, di antaranya juga Dionisius, anggota majelis Areopagus, dan seorang perempuan bernama Damaris, dan juga orang-orang lain bersama-sama dengan mereka.

Kis 18:1 Kemudian Paulus meninggalkan Atena, lalu pergi ke Korintus.

Pembacaan Mazmur:

Mzm 148:1 Haleluya! Pujilah TUHAN di sorga, pujilah Dia di tempat tinggi!

Mzm 148:2 Pujilah Dia, hai segala malaikat-Nya, pujilah Dia, hai segala tentara-Nya!

Mzm 148:11 hai raja-raja di bumi dan segala bangsa, pembesar-pembesar dan semua pemerintah dunia;

Mzm 148:12 hai teruna dan anak-anak dara, orang tua dan orang muda!

Mzm 148:12 hai teruna dan anak-anak dara, orang tua dan orang muda!

Mzm 148:13 Biarlah semuanya memuji-muji TUHAN, sebab hanya nama-Nya saja yang tinggi luhur, keagungan-Nya mengatasi bumi dan langit.

Mzm 148:14 Ia telah meninggikan tanduk umat-Nya, menjadi puji-pujian bagi semua orang yang dikasihi-Nya, bagi orang Israel, umat yang dekat pada-Nya. Haleluya!

Mzm 148:14 Ia telah meninggikan tanduk umat-Nya, menjadi puji-pujian bagi semua orang yang dikasihi-Nya, bagi orang Israel, umat yang dekat pada-Nya. Haleluya!

Pembacaan dari Injil Santo Yohanes:

Yoh 16:12 Masih banyak hal yang harus Kukatakan kepadamu, tetapi sekarang kamu belum dapat menanggungnya.

Yoh 16:13 Tetapi apabila Ia datang, yaitu Roh Kebenaran, Ia akan memimpin kamu ke dalam seluruh kebenaran; sebab Ia tidak akan berkata-kata dari diri-Nya sendiri, tetapi segala sesuatu yang didengar-Nya itulah yang akan dikatakan-Nya dan Ia akan memberitakan kepadamu hal-hal yang akan datang.

Yoh 16:14 Ia akan memuliakan Aku, sebab Ia akan memberitakan kepadamu apa yang diterimanya dari pada-Ku.

Yoh 16:15 Segala sesuatu yang Bapa punya, adalah Aku punya; sebab itu Aku berkata: Ia akan memberitakan kepadamu apa yang diterimanya dari pada-Ku."

Jonathan Fabian Ginunggil,

Pelayan Atasan Tertinggi,

Yesus, Maria, Yusuf Pelayanan Kasih (Blessed and Saints and the Nine Choirs of Angels)

27 Mei 2025 (Selasa) / Santo Agustinus dari Canterbury

27 Mei 2025 (Selasa)

Santo Agustinus dari Canterbury.

Pembacaan dari Alkitab Gereja Katolik Roma:

Pembacaan Pertama: Kis. 16:22-34; 

Pembacaan Mazmur: Mzm. 138:1-2a,2bc-3,7c-8; 

Pembacaan dari Injil Santo Yohanes: Yoh. 16:5-11

Warna Liturgi Putih.

Pembacaan Pertama:

Kis 16:22 Juga orang banyak bangkit menentang mereka. Lalu pembesar-pembesar kota itu menyuruh mengoyakkan pakaian dari tubuh mereka dan mendera mereka.

Kis 16:23 Setelah mereka berkali-kali didera, mereka dilemparkan ke dalam penjara. Kepala penjara diperintahkan untuk menjaga mereka dengan sungguh-sungguh.

Kis 16:24 Sesuai dengan perintah itu, kepala penjara memasukkan mereka ke ruang penjara yang paling tengah dan membelenggu kaki mereka dalam pasungan yang kuat.

Kis 16:25 Tetapi kira-kira tengah malam Paulus dan Silas berdoa dan menyanyikan puji-pujian kepada Allah dan orang-orang hukuman lain mendengarkan mereka.

Kis 16:26 Akan tetapi terjadilah gempa bumi yang hebat, sehingga sendi-sendi penjara itu goyah; dan seketika itu juga terbukalah semua pintu dan terlepaslah belenggu mereka semua.

Kis 16:27 Ketika kepala penjara itu terjaga dari tidurnya dan melihat pintu-pintu penjara terbuka, ia menghunus pedangnya hendak membunuh diri, karena ia menyangka, bahwa orang-orang hukuman itu telah melarikan diri.

Kis 16:28 Tetapi Paulus berseru dengan suara nyaring, katanya: "Jangan celakakan dirimu, sebab kami semuanya masih ada di sini!"

Kis 16:29 Kepala penjara itu menyuruh membawa suluh, lalu berlari masuk dan dengan gemetar tersungkurlah ia di depan Paulus dan Silas.

Kis 16:30 Ia mengantar mereka ke luar, sambil berkata: "Tuan-tuan, apakah yang harus aku perbuat, supaya aku selamat?"

Kis 16:31 Jawab mereka: "Percayalah kepada Tuhan Yesus Kristus dan engkau akan selamat, engkau dan seisi rumahmu."

Kis 16:32 Lalu mereka memberitakan firman Tuhan kepadanya dan kepada semua orang yang ada di rumahnya.

Kis 16:33 Pada jam itu juga kepala penjara itu membawa mereka dan membasuh bilur mereka. Seketika itu juga ia dan keluarganya memberi diri dibaptis.

Kis 16:34 Lalu ia membawa mereka ke rumahnya dan menghidangkan makanan kepada mereka. Dan ia sangat bergembira, bahwa ia dan seisi rumahnya telah menjadi percaya kepada Allah.

Pembacaan Mazmur:

Mzm 138:1 Dari Daud. Aku hendak bersyukur kepada-Mu dengan segenap hatiku, di hadapan para allah aku akan bermazmur bagi-Mu.

Mzm 138:2 Aku hendak sujud ke arah bait-Mu yang kudus dan memuji nama-Mu, oleh karena kasih-Mu dan oleh karena setia-Mu; sebab Kaubuat nama-Mu dan janji-Mu melebihi segala sesuatu.

Mzm 138:2 Aku hendak sujud ke arah bait-Mu yang kudus dan memuji nama-Mu, oleh karena kasih-Mu dan oleh karena setia-Mu; sebab Kaubuat nama-Mu dan janji-Mu melebihi segala sesuatu.

Mzm 138:3 Pada hari aku berseru, Engkaupun menjawab aku, Engkau menambahkan kekuatan dalam jiwaku.

Mzm 138:7 Jika aku berada dalam kesesakan, Engkau mempertahankan hidupku; terhadap amarah musuhku Engkau mengulurkan tangan-Mu, dan tangan kanan-Mu menyelamatkan aku.

Mzm 138:8 TUHAN akan menyelesaikannya bagiku! Ya TUHAN, kasih setia-Mu untuk selama-lamanya; janganlah Kautinggalkan perbuatan tangan-Mu!

Pembacaan dari Injil Santo Yohanes:

Yoh 16:5 Tetapi sekarang Aku pergi kepada Dia yang telah mengutus Aku, dan tiada seorangpun di antara kamu yang bertanya kepada-Ku: Ke mana Engkau pergi?

Yoh 16:6 Tetapi karena Aku mengatakan hal itu kepadamu, sebab itu hatimu berdukacita.

Yoh 16:7 Namun benar yang Kukatakan ini kepadamu: Adalah lebih berguna bagi kamu, jika Aku pergi. Sebab jikalau Aku tidak pergi, Penghibur itu tidak akan datang kepadamu, tetapi jikalau Aku pergi, Aku akan mengutus Dia kepadamu.

Yoh 16:8 Dan kalau Ia datang, Ia akan menginsafkan dunia akan dosa, kebenaran dan penghakiman;

Yoh 16:9 akan dosa, karena mereka tetap tidak percaya kepada-Ku;

Yoh 16:10 akan kebenaran, karena Aku pergi kepada Bapa dan kamu tidak melihat Aku lagi;

Yoh 16:11 akan penghakiman, karena penguasa dunia ini telah dihukum.

Jonathan Fabian Ginunggil,

Pelayan Atasan Tertinggi,

Yesus, Maria, Yusuf Pelayanan Kasih (Blessed and Saints and the Nine Choirs of Angels)

Saint Augustine of Canterbury

St. Augustine was born in the early sixth century in Rome. Augustine was the prior of the Benedictine monastery of St. Andrew on the Coelian Hill in Rome. In 596, Pope Gregory the Great assigned St. Augustine and 40 other monks to spread Christianity in England. Disturbed by rumors of the brutality of the locals, the missionaries considered returning mid-way. However, Pope Gregory encouraged them to carry out their mission. They were received hospitably by King Ethelbert of Kent and invited to live at Canterbury. Entering in solemn procession with an image of Our Lord and a Cross, and chanting an ancient litany, they immediately established their Benedictine routine alongside their preaching mission. The King, who had married the Frankish Princess Bertha, a Catholic, was deeply impressed by Augustine's spiritual message and personal sanctity and asked for baptism at Pentecost. More than 10,000 of his subjects were baptized the day following Christmas. 

In the following autumn, St Augustine was consecrated as Archbishop of Canterbury by St Virgilius, Archbishop of Arles. He had jurisdiction over all the southern British dioceses that were being established. However, he faced difficulties in convincing the Celtic Bishops of Wales to support the evangelization of the Anglo-Saxon conquerors and follow the Roman practice of determining the Easter date. Despite this, Augustine persisted with patience and laid the foundations for others to continue his work. He is recognized as the "Apostle to the English" and a significant figure in establishing the Church of England. After seven years in England, St Augustine passed away on May 26, 605, leaving behind a legacy of 12 new dioceses. 

St Augustine of Canterbury, obtain for us the courage and dedication to spread the Good News to everyone we encounter.

Jonathan Fabian Ginunggil,

Most High Servant,

Jesus, Mary, Joseph Ministry of Love (Blessed and Saints and the Nine Choirs of Angels)

St. Mary Ann of Jesus of Paredes

St. Mary Ann of Jesus of Paredes, known as the Lily of Quito, was born on October 31, 1618, in Quito, a part of the Spanish Empire. The daughter of noble parents, she showed an early inclination towards prayer, penance, and charity, inspired by the lives of saints. Defying societal expectations, she rejected numerous marriage proposals to dedicate her life to God.

During her life, Quito faced many adversities such as earthquakes, epidemics, and volcanic eruptions. Mary Ann became known for her charity and fervent prayers, believed to have spared the city from further calamities. She practiced severe fasting and rigorous self-discipline in her quest for spiritual purity. Her profound dedication to the Eucharist led her to spend long hours in adoration before the Blessed Sacrament, experiencing mystical encounters that deepened her commitment to salvation for others.

Choosing not to enter a convent, Mary Ann lived a secluded life at home, turning it into a center of prayer and community service. She cared for the sick, poor, and needy, often inviting them into her space for support. Mary Ann passed away on May 26, 1645, at the age of 26. Following her death, her holiness was recognized, with miracles reported through her intercession, garnering a devoted following. Beatified by Pope Pius IX in 1853 and canonized by Pope Pius XII in 1950, she became the first canonized saint from what is now Ecuador and is venerated as the country's patroness. Her life continues to inspire many for her unwavering faith, compassion, and complete dedication to God's will.

St. Mary Ann of Jesus, pray that we may love and serve God with all our heart, mind, and strength.

Jonathan Fabian Ginunggil,

Most High Servant,

Jesus, Mary, Joseph Ministry of Love (Blessed and Saints and the Nine Choirs of Angels)

28 May 2025 (Wednesday) / Wednesday of the 6th week of Eastertide / Easter Weekday

28 May 2025 (Wednesday)

Wednesday of the 6th week of Eastertide.

Easter Weekday.

Readings from the Bible of the Roman Catholic Church:

First Reading: Acts 17: 15, 22 – 18: 1

Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 148: 1-2, 11-12, 13, 14

Alleluia: John 14: 16

Gospel: John 16: 12-15

First Reading : Acts 17:15,22‐18:1

Paul’s escort took him as far as Athens, and went back with instructions for Silas and Timothy to rejoin Paul as soon as they could. So Paul stood before the whole Council of the Areopagus and made this speech: ‘Men of Athens, I have seen for myself how extremely scrupulous you are in all religious matters, because I noticed, as I strolled round admiring your sacred monuments, that you had an altar inscribed: To An Unknown God. Well, the God whom I proclaim is in fact the one whom you already worship without knowing it. ‘Since the God who made the world and everything in it is himself Lord of heaven and earth, he does not make his home in shrines made by human hands. Nor is he dependent on anything that human hands can do for him, since he can never be in need of anything; on the contrary, it is he who gives everything – including life and breath – to everyone. From one single stock he not only created the whole human race so that they could occupy the entire earth, but he decreed how long each nation should flourish and what the boundaries of its territory should be. And he did this so that all nations might seek the deity and, by feeling their way towards him, succeed in finding him. Yet in fact he is not far from any of us, since it is in him that we live, and move, and exist, as indeed some of your own writers have said: “We are all his children.” ‘Since we are the children of God, we have no excuse for thinking that the deity looks like anything in gold, silver or stone that has been carved and designed by a man. ‘God overlooked that sort of thing when men were ignorant, but now he is telling everyone everywhere that they must repent, because he has fixed a day when the whole world will be judged, and judged in righteousness, and he has appointed a man to be the judge. And God has publicly proved this by raising this man from the dead.’ At this mention of rising from the dead, some of them burst out laughing; others said, ‘We would like to hear you talk about this again.’ After that Paul left them, but there were some who attached themselves to him and became believers, among them Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman called Damaris, and others besides. After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth.

Responsive Psalm : Psalm 148:1‐2,11‐14

Your glory fills all heaven and earth.

or

Alleluia!

Praise the Lord from the heavens, praise him in the heights. Praise him, all his angels, praise him, all his host.

Your glory fills all heaven and earth.

or

Alleluia!

All earth’s kings and peoples, earth’s princes and rulers, young men and maidens, old men together with children.

Your glory fills all heaven and earth.

or

Alleluia!

Let them praise the name of the Lord for he alone is exalted. The splendour of his name reaches beyond heaven and earth.

Your glory fills all heaven and earth.

or

Alleluia!

He exalts the strength of his people. He is the praise of all his saints, of the sons of Israel, of the people to whom he comes close.

Your glory fills all heaven and earth.

or

Alleluia!

Gospel : John 16:12‐15

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘I still have many things to say to you but they would be too much for you now. But when the Spirit of truth comes

he will lead you to the complete truth, since he will not be speaking as from himself but will say only what he has learnt; and he will tell you of the things to come. He will glorify me, since all he tells you will be taken from what is mine. Everything the Father has is mine; that is why I said: All he tells youwill be taken from what is mine.’

For our reflection today:

The Holy Spirit guides us “into all the truth” (Jn 16:13); not only does he guide us to the encounter with Jesus, the fullness of the Truth, but he also guides us “into” the Truth, that is, he makes us enter into an ever deeper communion with Jesus, giving us knowledge of all the things of God. And we cannot achieve this by our own efforts. Unless God enlightens us from within, our Christian existence will be superficial. Let us try asking ourselves: am I open to the action of the Holy Spirit? Do I pray to him to give me illumination, to make me more sensitive to God’s things? This is a prayer we must pray every day: “Holy Spirit, make my heart open to the word of God, make my heart open to goodness, make my heart open to the beauty of God every day”. (Pope Francis, General Audience, 15 May 2013)

Jonathan Fabian Ginunggil,

Most High Servant,

Jesus, Mary, Joseph Ministry of Love (Blessed and Saints and the Nine Choirs of Angels)

27 May 2025 (Tuesday) / Tuesday of the 6th week of Eastertide or Saint Augustine of Canterbury, Bishop / Easter Weekday/ Saint Augustine of Canterbury, Bishop, Religious, Missionary

27 May 2025 (Tuesday)

Tuesday of the 6th week of Eastertide or Saint Augustine of Canterbury, Bishop.

Easter Weekday/ Saint Augustine of Canterbury, Bishop, Religious, Missionary.

Readings from the Bible of the Roman Catholic Church:

First Reading: Acts 16: 22-34

Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 138: 1-2ab, 2cde-3, 7c-8

Alleluia: John 16: 7, 13

Gospel: John 16: 5-11

First Reading : Acts 16:22‐34

The crowd joined in and showed their hostility to Paul and Silas, so the magistrates had them stripped and ordered them to be flogged. They were given many lashes and then thrown into prison, and the gaoler was told to keep a close watch on them. So, following his instructions, he threw them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks. Late that night Paul and Silas were praying and singing God’s praises, while the other prisoners listened. Suddenly there was an earthquake that shook the prison to its foundations. All the doors flew open and the chains fell from all the prisoners. When the gaoler woke and saw the doors wide open he drew his sword and was about to commit suicide, presuming that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul shouted at the top of his voice, ‘Don’t do yourself any harm; we are all here.’ The gaoler called for lights, then rushed in, threw himself trembling at the feet of Paul and Silas, and escorted them out, saying, ‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?’ They told him, ‘Become a believer in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, and your household too.’ Then they preached the word of the Lord to him and to all his family. Late as it was, he took them to wash their wounds, and was baptised then and there with all his household. Afterwards he took them home and gave them a meal, and the whole family celebrated their conversion to belief in God.

Responsive Psalm : Psalm 137(138):1‐3,7‐8

You stretch out your hand and save me, O Lord.

or

Alleluia!

I thank you, Lord, with all my heart: you have heard the words of my mouth. In the presence of the angels I will bless you. I will adore before your holy temple.

You stretch out your hand and save me, O Lord.

or

Alleluia!

I thank you for your faithfulness and love, which excel all we ever knew of you. On the day I called, you answered; you increased the strength of my soul.

You stretch out your hand and save me, O Lord.

or

Alleluia!

You stretch out your hand and save me, your hand will do all things for me. Your love, O Lord, is eternal, discard not the work of your hands.

You stretch out your hand and save me, O Lord.

or

Alleluia!

Alleluia: John 16: 7, 13

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

7, 13 I will send to you the Spirit of truth, says the Lord; he will guide you to all truth.

(7. Still, I am telling you the truth: it is for your own good that I am going, because unless I go, the Paraclete will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.

13. However, when the Spirit of truth comes he will lead you to the complete truth, since he will not be speaking of his own accord, but will say only what he has been told; and he will reveal to you the things to come).

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel : John 16:5‐11

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Now I am going to the one who sent me. Not one of you has asked, “Where are you going?” Yet you are sad at heart because I have told you this. Still, I must tell you the truth: it is for your own good that I am going

because unless I go, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I do go, I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will show the world how wrong it was, about sin, and about who was in the right, and about judgement: about sin: proved by their refusal to believe in me; about who was in the right: proved by my going to the Father and your seeing me no more; about judgement: proved by the prince of this world being already condemned.’

For our reflection today:

In this context "judgment" means that the Spirit of truth will demonstrate the guilt of the world in rejecting Christ, or more generally, in turning its back upon God. Because Christ did not come into the world to judge and condemn it but to save it, then in actual fact that "convincing the world of sin" on the part of the Spirit of truth must be understood as an intervention directed to the salvation of the world, to the ultimate good of humanity. "Judgment" refers particularly to the "prince of this world," namely, Satan. From the very beginning he tried to turn the work of creation against the covenant and union of man with God: knowingly he opposes salvation. Therefore, he "is already judged" from the beginning, as I explained in the encyclical Dominum et Vivificantem (n. 27). If the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete, is to convince the world precisely of this "judgment," undoubtedly he does so to continue Christ's work aimed at universal salvation. We can therefore conclude that in bearing witness to Christ, the Paraclete is an assiduous (though invisible) advocate and defender of the work of salvation, and of all those engaged in this work. He is also the guarantor of the definitive triumph over sin and over the world subjected to sin, in order to free it from sin and introduce it into the way of salvation. (John Paul II, General audience, 24 may 1989)

Jonathan Fabian Ginunggil,

Most High Servant,

Jesus, Mary, Joseph Ministry of Love (Blessed and Saints and the Nine Choirs of Angels)

Kasih Allah yang memberikan kita kehidupan kekal di Syurga

    Sebagai pengikut Tuhan Yesus Kristus, kita perlu tahu apakah itu Misa Kudus serta kepentingan setiap Sakramen-sakramen yang kita terima termasuklah doa-doa yang telah dilakukan. Kehidupan manusia di dunia ini akan dipenuhi jikalau kita meneliti bentuk doa yang kita rayakan bersama melalui Sakramen-sakramen tersebut. Itulah tujuan untuk hidup dalam kebajikan moral dan akan membentuk sikap rendah hati serta tanggungjawab kita untuk diri kita sendiri, keluarga, komuniti serta untuk seluruh umat Allah. Saya mahu agar kita semua memulakan doa dan renungan di sini mengikut kesesuaian dan keperluan kita masing-masing. Dan jika perlu ulangi pembacaan khususnya Alkitab Katolik yang anda pelajari di sini. Berdoalah kepada Roh Kudus untuk membimbing dan menuntun jalan hidup anda semua setiap hari. 

    Untuk renungan yang singkat ini, saya menggunakan bahasa yang sederhana dan kampungan style punya (seperti perkongsian saya sebelum ini) agar dapat membantu kepada golongan bagi mereka yang lemah dan tidak terpelajar untuk memahani pesan Tuhan melalui Firman-Nya yang kita baca, renungkan dan doakan setiap hari khususnya pada hari ini di Misa Kudus. Renungan singkat hanya untuk di kalangan umat Gereja Roman Katolik sahaja.

    Pembacaan pada Hari Minggu Biasa Ke-13 ini berkait rapat dengan iman kepercayaan kita terhadap Tuhan Yesus Kristus, doa kita di Ekaristi serta persiapan tentang kehidupan kita di dunia ini dan untuk berhadapan dengan pengadilan terakhir. Oleh itu kita tidak perlu takut kepada soal kematian lagi. Kita patut bersyukur kerana Gereja kita yang Satu, Kudus, Katolik dan Apostolik mengajarkan bahawa, “Gereja Roma yang suci percaya teguh dan menjelaskan dengan tegas bahawa pada hari pengadilan semua manusia akan tampil dalam tubuhnya di depan taktha pengadilan Kristus, supaya mempertanggungjawabkan perbuatan mereka” (DS 859). Ini bererti kita harus bersiap sedia sambil menantikan kedatangan Tuhan Yesus Kristus dengan penuh pengharapan dan percaya bahawa di mana ada Kristus, di sana dengan sendirinya ada kehidupan, di sana ada Kerajaaan Allah dan kehidupan kekal. Jangan lagi kita disesatkan oleh bermacam-macam ajaran sesat yang cuba mengelirukan iman katolik kita. Percayalah akan kasih Allah kerana “Pada malam kehidupan kita, kita akan diadili sesuai dengan cinta kita” (Santo Yohanes dari Salib). Cukup jelas sekali bahawa semakin kita berbuah kasih, kita akan tetap berada di dalam kasih Allah (1 Yoh 4: 16). Kita mohon kebijaksanaan daripada Tuhan agar membantu kita untuk merenungkan bagaimana pembacaan pertama hari ini menjelaskan keadaan manusia dan membandingkan satu sama lain keadaan orang-orang benar dan orang-orang fasik, baik yang hidup sekarang ini mahupun sesudah kematian (Keb 1: 13-15, 2: 23-24).

    Tuhan kita bukanlah seperti tuhan-tuhan yang ada di dunia ini seperti yang diceritakan dan terjadi di dalam perjanjian lama yang sering kali dikatakan tentang penyembahan berhala, amalan nekromansi serta beribadah kepada berhala-berhala. Dan menurut ajaran Tradisi Suci dan Gereja Katolik kita, Tuhan kita tidak boleh disamakan dengan cara pemikiran dan tafsiran dari beberapa pihak tertentu. Cara seperti ini boleh membawa kepada perpecahan gereja. Dan kita sebagai umat Allah perlu tahu tentang hal ini. Yesus Kristus adalah sungguh-sungguh manusia dan sungguh-sungguh Allah. Yesus juga adalah Putera Allah, setaraf dengan Allah Bapa yang dilahirkan oleh Roh Kudus dan bukan diciptakan. Yesus juga adalah satu peribadi dengan dua sifat iaitu sebagai Tuhan dan juga sebagai manusia (sungguh-sungguh manusia dan sungguh-sungguh Allah). Inilah yang dipertahankan oleh Gereja Katolik kita sejak dari Konsili Nicea (325 Masihi), Konsili Konstantinopel 1 (381 Masihi), Konsili Efesus (431 Masihi), Konsili Khalsedon (451 Masihi), Konsili Konstantinopel II (553 Masihi), Konsili Konstantinopel III (680-681 Masihi) dan juga Konsili Nicea II (787 Masihi).

    Yesus Kristus yang telah datang ke dunia adalah untuk menyelamatkan kita secara total, baik dari segi fizikal, jasmani mahupun rohani.  Yesus menyembuhkan banyak orang yang menderita bermacam-macam penyakit dan mengusir banyak setan. Ini bererti kita diselamatkan dari dosa, kejahatan dan kematian, disembuhkan dari sakit-penyakit kita, dipulihkan semula hubungan kita dengan Allah Bapa, dan kemudian akan masuk ke Syurga tanpa dosa dan kejahatan. Segala peristiwa yang Yesus telah lakukan ini secara ringkasnya kita boleh baca semula dan renungkan kembali apa yang tercatat di dalam Injil Santo Markus. Melalui pembacaan Injil Markus hari ini, kita diingatkan semula bahawa kematian yang di bawa oleh Iblis ialah kematian rohani yang juga termasuk kematian fizikal.

    Yesus mahu kita percaya kepada-Nya dan mengharapkan belaskasihan-Nya (Mrk 5: 21-24). Kita perlu dekat dengan Tuhan di Ekaristi ini. Yesus akan menjamah kita dan menyembuhkan kita semula (Mark 5: 25-30). Yang perlu kita lakukan adalah jangan takut dan gementar. Iman kita akan menyelamatkan kita semua dan Yesus pasti akan memberikan kesembuhan apa yang kita perlukan pada saat ini di Ekaristi (Mrk 5: 31-34). Jangan kita takut untuk datang kepada Yesus jika pada masa lalu kita tidak tahu macam mana caranya kita perlu melakukan kehendak Tuhan. Yesus telah berkata, “Jangan takut, percaya saja” (Mrk 5: 36). Yesus tahu segala kesedihan, ketakutan, kerisauan dan juga doa kita pada hari ini kerana Dialah Tuhan kita sebenarnya yang telah membangkitkan anak Yairus dan menyembuhkan seorang perempuan yang sakit pendarahan (Mrk 5: 21-43). Tuhan tidak akan membiarkan kita binasa tetapi melalui Gereja-Nya kita boleh percaya akan pengadilan-Nya dan apakah yang seharusnya kita lakukan sekarang. Santo Gregorius Agung telah mengatakan, “Kita harus percaya bahawa sebelum pengadilan masih ada api penyucian untuk dosa-dosa ringan tertentu, kerana kebenaran abadi mengatakan bahawa, kalau seseorang menentang Roh Kudus, ia tidak akan diampuni, ‘di dunia ini tidak, dan di dunia yang akan datang pun tidak’ (Mat 12: 32). Dari ungkapan ini nyatalah bahawa beberapa dosa dapat diampuni di dunia ini, yang lain di dunia lain”. Marilah kita terus berjaga-jaga kerana kita tidak mengetahui hari atau masanya untuk kita mengakhiri perjalanan hidup kita masing-masing. Hidup di dunia ini hanya satu kali sahaja. Dan untuk masuk ke Syurga dan layak digolongkan sebagai anak-anak Allah Bapa yang diberkati, janganlah kita menjadi seperti hamba yang jahat dan malas, yang akan diperintahkan masuk ke dalam api yang kekal, ke dalam kegelapan di luar, tempat ratapan dan kertakan gigi (Mat 25: 31-46).

    Di dalam Misa kudus pada hari ini, marilah kita memuji Tuhan kerana telah menyelamatkan kita semua dari bahaya. Percayalah Tuhan akan mengangkat kita dari dunia orang mati dan akan menghidupkan kita semula apabila saatnya tiba. Tuhan tidak murka kepada kita. Yesus yang hadir di Ekaristi ini adalah Tuhan yang murah hati yang memberikan Tubuh dan Darah-Nya untuk kita semua. Nyanyikanlah mazmur bagi Tuhan dan bersyukurlah kepada kebaikan-Nya selama ini. Inilah tujuan kita datang merayakan perayaan Ekaristi setiap hari (Maz 30: 2, 4-6, 11-13). Kita mohon belas kasihan Tuhan untuk menyertai segala aktiviti yang kita rancangkan demi membangun Kerajaan Allah di tengah-tengah kita. Kesungguhan untuk membantu, dalam kasih kita terhadap sesama, dan saling mendorong untuk melakukan kehendak Tuhan adalah buah dari Roh Kudus serta dari pelayanan kita (2 Kor 8: 7, 9, 13-15). Tetaplah rendah hati “kerana kamu telah mengenal kasih karunia Tuhan kita Yesus Kristus, bahawa Ia, yang oleh kerana kamu menjadi miskin, sekalipun Ia kaya, supaya kamu menjadi kaya oleh kerana kemiskinan-Nya (2 Kor 8: 9).

    Bersama dengan Persekutuan Para Kudus, marilah kita menyerahkan orang-orang mati kepada belas kasihan Allah dan berdoa untuk mereka, terutama mempersembahkan kurban Ekaristi suci ini. Kerana Santo Yohanes Krisostomus telah mengatakan, “Jangan kita bimbang untuk membantu orang-orang mati dan mempersembahkan doa untuk mereka”. Di dalam perayaan Ekaristi ini marilah kita berdoa kepada Yesus Kristus sesuai dengan rumusan doa ini “Terimalah dengan rela persembahan umat-Mu. Bimbinglah jalan hidup kami dan selamatkanlah kami dari hukuman abadi agar tetap menjadi umat kesayangan-Mu” (MR, Doa Syukur Agung Romawi 88). Pilihan hidup kita adalah jawapan untuk mendengarkan suara Tuhan dan melakukan kehendakNya. Semoga dalam masa "The Year of Prayer 2024 and The Jubilee Year 2025" kita memperolehi sesuatu tanda-tanda zaman yang dapat mendorong kita untuk setia dan percaya kepada kehadiran Yesus di Ekaristi dan TabernakelNya. 

Jonathan Fabian Ginunggil,

Pelayan Atasan Tertinggi,

Yesus, Maria, Yusuf Pelayanan Kasih

(Blessed and Saints and the Nine Choirs of Angels)

Pengertian tentang Hari Raya Tubuh dan Darah Yesus Kristus

    Saya ingin memberikan beberapa penjelasan mengenai iman kepercayaan kita terhadap Gereja Katolik Roma. Kita yang percaya kepada kehadiran Yesus Kristus di Ekaristi perlulah memahami ajaran-ajaran tertentu mengenai mukjizat Ekaristi dan mengapa kejadian tersebut diakui oleh Bapa Suci Kita Sri Paus di Vatican. Oleh itu saya menyediakan bahan bacaan rohani di sini agar kita yang ingin melakukan renungan dan doa boleh melakukan tindakan dan perbuatan kita masing-masing sesuai dengan apa yang telah kita baca di sini.

     "Tujuan kehidupan yang berkebajikan ialah menjadi serupa dengan Allah" (Santo Gregorius Nisa, beat. l) atau dalam bahasa terjemahan English "The goal of a virtuous life is to become like God". Di dalam konteks agama, kerendahan hati ialah sifat merendah diri. Dan pada Hari Minggu Tubuh dan Darah Kristus ini, marilah kita merenungkan kembali cara dan bagaimana Allah menyatakan DiriNya kepada kita semua khususnya di dalam kehidupan seharian kita. Rekoleksi, retreat, doa kelompok baik secara individu dan komuniti, pertemuan minggu gembira serta persiapan rohani kita merupakan jalan spiritualiti kerohanian Katolik yang baik untuk memahami dan mendengarkan suara Tuhan serta melakukan kehendakNya. Cara sedemikian dapat kita teliti kembali di dalam pembacaan pertama hari ini bagaimana Allah hadir kepada Musa dengan Harun, Nadab dan Abihu dan tujuh puluh orang dari para tua-tua Israel. Renungkan sejenak cara dan bagaimana Allah menyatakan DiriNya kepada kita semua dengan kakiNya berjejak pada sesuatu yang buatannya seperti lantai dari batu nilam dan yang terangnya seperti langit yang cerah. Yang jelas sekali mereka melihat Allah Israel. Dan petikan salah satu dari Mzm 116:12 "Bagaimana akan kubalas kepada TUHAN segala kebajikan-Nya kepadaku"? merupakan doa renungan dan peribadi juga kerana Tuhan tahu segala perbuatan dan cara hidup kita masing-masing yang baik mahupun yang jahat. Dapatkah kita membalas kebaikan Tuhan kepada kita semua selama ini yang sentiasa hadir di Ekaristi? (Mrk. 14:12-16,22-26). Orang yang rendah hati itu akan memahami akan perkataan Yesus ini "Aku haus" di kayu salib. Sebelum kita disesatkan oleh kejahatan dan dosa, marilah kita datang ke hadirat Tuhan untuk memohon pengampunan dan belaskasihanNya. Ingatlah, Yesus adalah Pengantara dari suatu perjanjian yang baru, supaya mereka yang telah terpanggil dapat menerima bagian kekal yang dijanjikan, sebab Yesus telah mati untuk menebus pelanggaran-pelanggaran yang telah dilakukan selama perjanjian yang pertama. Oleh itu kebajikan adalah suatu kecenderungan yang tetap dan teguh untuk melakukan yang baik. Ia memungkinkan manusia bukan hanya untuk melakukan perbuatan baik, melainkan juga untuk menghasilkan yang terbaik seturut kemampuannya. Dengan segala kekuatan moral dan rohani, manusia yang berkebajikan berusaha untuk melakukan yang baik. Ia berusaha untuk mencapainya dan memilihnya dalam tindakannya yang konkret (Ibr. 9:11-15). Pilihan hidup kita adalah jawapan untuk mendengarkan suara Tuhan dan melakukan kehendakNya. Semoga dalam masa "The Year of Prayer 2024 and The Jubilee Year 2025" kita memperolehi sesuatu tanda-tanda zaman yang dapat mendorong kita untuk setia dan percaya kepada kehadiran Yesus di Ekaristi dan TabernakelNya.

Jonathan Fabian Ginunggil,

Pelayan Atasan Tertinggi,

Yesus, Maria, Yusuf Pelayanan Kasih

(Blessed and Saints and the Nine Choirs of Angels)

Saint Philip Neri

St. Philip Neri was a Christian missionary and founder of the Congregation of the Oratory. Born in Florence on July 21, 1515, he was one of four children and was known for his cheerful nature from a young age. At 18, he moved to San Germano to assist a wealthy relative but experienced a mystical vision that marked his Christian conversion. This profound encounter led him to lose interest in business and property, prompting him to travel to Rome to serve the Lord and His Church.

During his first two years in Rome, Philip led a solitary and ascetic life, dedicating much time to prayer and subsisting on small meals of bread, water, and vegetables. In 1535, he began studying theology and philosophy at the Sapienza and St. Augustine's monastery. Although he was seen as a promising scholar, he ultimately decided not to pursue ordination and instead focused on helping the poor and re-evangelizing a city that had lost its Christian values.

Philip engaged with people in public spaces, fostering conversations that encouraged a new way of life. Known for his warm personality and humor, he gathered groups for discussions, prayer, and music, often asking, "Well, brothers, when shall we begin to do good?" He directed his followers to serve at hospitals and pray in the church, living as an evangelist who loved sharing the Gospel.

His days were for helping others, while nights were reserved for solitary prayer. In 1544, on Pentecost, he experienced a vision of fire that filled him with divine love. In 1548, he founded the Confraternity of the Most Holy Trinity with the help of his confessor, Father Persiano Rossa. Philip's charm and kindness earned him friendships with notable figures, including Ignatius of Loyola and Charles Borromeo.

At 34 years old, Philip had already accomplished so much, but his confessor was determined that his work would be more effective as a priest. Finally convinced, Philip was ordained to the diaconate and then to the priesthood on May 23, 1551. Philip lived with Father Rossa and other priests at San Girolamo, focusing his mission primarily through the confessional. He spent hours listening to people of all ages and often engaged in informal discussions to help them improve their lives. As the number of pilgrims grew, a larger room was built above the church, and Philip and the priests became known as the "Oratorians," ringing a bell to call the faithful to their "oratory."

Years later, the Congregation of the Priests of the Oratory was established, encouraging deeper faith without binding members to vows or renouncing property. Pope Gregory XIII officially approved the Congregation in 1575. Beloved in Rome, Philip was a trusted advisor to many, advocating for reform in the Catholic Church with kindness rather than criticism. He earned the title "Apostle of Rome." On May 25, 1595, he learned of his poor health but stated, "Last of all, we must die." He passed away on May 26, 1595, at 80 years old. Beatified by Pope Paul V in 1615 and canonized by Pope Gregory XV in 1622, he is the patron saint of Rome, US Special Forces, humor, and joy.

St. Philip Neri, you preached the Gospel with courage and perseverance; obtain for us a fiery zeal for the Kingdom of God.

Jonathan Fabian Ginunggil,

Most High Servant,

Jesus, Mary, Joseph Ministry of Love (Blessed and Saints and the Nine Choirs of Angels)

26 Mei 2025 (Isnin) / Peringatan Wajib Santo Filipus Neri

26 Mei 2025 (Isnin)

Peringatan Wajib Santo Filipus Neri.

Pembacaan dari Alkitab Gereja Katolik Roma:

Pembacaan Pertama: Kis. 16:11-15; 

Pembacaan Mazmur: Mzm. 149:1-2,3-4,5-6a,9b; 

Pembacaan dari Injil Santo Yohanes: Yoh. 15:26-16:4a;

Warna Liturgi Putih.

Pembacaan Pertama:

Kis 16:11 Lalu kami bertolak dari Troas dan langsung berlayar ke Samotrake, dan keesokan harinya tibalah kami di Neapolis;

Kis 16:12 dari situ kami ke Filipi, kota pertama di bagian Makedonia ini, suatu kota perantauan orang Roma. Di kota itu kami tinggal beberapa hari.

Kis 16:13 Pada hari Sabat kami ke luar pintu gerbang kota. Kami menyusur tepi sungai dan menemukan tempat sembahyang Yahudi, yang sudah kami duga ada di situ; setelah duduk, kami berbicara kepada perempuan-perempuan yang ada berkumpul di situ.

Kis 16:14 Seorang dari perempuan-perempuan itu yang bernama Lidia turut mendengarkan. Ia seorang penjual kain ungu dari kota Tiatira, yang beribadah kepada Allah. Tuhan membuka hatinya, sehingga ia memperhatikan apa yang dikatakan oleh Paulus.

Kis 16:15 Sesudah ia dibaptis bersama-sama dengan seisi rumahnya, ia mengajak kami, katanya: "Jika kamu berpendapat, bahwa aku sungguh-sungguh percaya kepada Tuhan, marilah menumpang di rumahku." Ia mendesak sampai kami menerimanya.

Pembacaan Mazmur:

Mzm 149:1 Haleluya! Nyanyikanlah bagi TUHAN nyanyian baru! Pujilah Dia dalam jemaah orang-orang saleh.

Mzm 149:2 Biarlah Israel bersukacita atas Yang menjadikannya, biarlah bani Sion bersorak-sorak atas raja mereka!

Mzm 149:3 Biarlah mereka memuji-muji nama-Nya dengan tari-tarian, biarlah mereka bermazmur kepada-Nya dengan rebana dan kecapi!

Mzm 149:4 Sebab TUHAN berkenan kepada umat-Nya, Ia memahkotai orang-orang yang rendah hati dengan keselamatan.

Mzm 149:5 Biarlah orang-orang saleh beria-ria dalam kemuliaan, biarlah mereka bersorak-sorai di atas tempat tidur mereka!

Mzm 149:6 Biarlah pujian pengagungan Allah ada dalam kerongkongan mereka, dan pedang bermata dua di tangan mereka,

Mzm 149:9 untuk melaksanakan terhadap mereka hukuman seperti yang tertulis. Itulah semarak bagi semua orang yang dikasihi-Nya. Haleluya!

Pembacaan dari Injil Santo Yohanes:

Yoh 15:26 Jikalau Penghibur yang akan Kuutus dari Bapa datang, yaitu Roh Kebenaran yang keluar dari Bapa, Ia akan bersaksi tentang Aku.

Yoh 15:27 Tetapi kamu juga harus bersaksi, karena kamu dari semula bersama-sama dengan Aku."

Yoh 16:1 "Semuanya ini Kukatakan kepadamu, supaya kamu jangan kecewa dan menolak Aku.

Yoh 16:2 Kamu akan dikucilkan, bahkan akan datang saatnya bahwa setiap orang yang membunuh kamu akan menyangka bahwa ia berbuat bakti bagi Allah.

Yoh 16:3 Mereka akan berbuat demikian, karena mereka tidak mengenal baik Bapa maupun Aku.

Yoh 16:4 Tetapi semuanya ini Kukatakan kepadamu, supaya apabila datang saatnya kamu ingat, bahwa Aku telah mengatakannya kepadamu." (16-4b) "Hal ini tidak Kukatakan kepadamu dari semula, karena selama ini Aku masih bersama-sama dengan kamu.

Jonathan Fabian Ginunggil,

Pelayan Atasan Tertinggi,

Yesus, Maria, Yusuf Pelayanan Kasih (Blessed and Saints and the Nine Choirs of Angels)

26 May 2025 (Monday) / Saint Philip Neri, Priest on Monday of the 6th week of Eastertide / Saint Philip Neri, Priest Obligatory Memorial

26 May 2025 (Monday)

Saint Philip Neri, Priest on Monday of the 6th week of Eastertide.

Saint Philip Neri, Priest Obligatory Memorial.

Readings from the Bible of the Roman Catholic Church:

First Reading: Acts 16: 11-15

Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 149: 1b-2, 3-4, 5-6a and 9b

Alleluia: John 15: 26b, 27a

Gospel: John 15: 26 – 16: 4

First Reading : Acts 16:11‐15

Sailing from Troas we made a straight run for Samothrace; the next day for Neapolis, and from there for Philippi, a Roman colony and the principal city of that particular district of Macedonia. After a few days in this city we went along the river outside the gates as it was the sabbath and this was a customary place for prayer. We sat down and preached to the women who had come to the meeting. One of these women was called Lydia, a devout woman from the town of Thyatira who was in the purple‐dye trade. She listened to us, and the Lord opened her heart to accept what Paul was saying. After she and her household had been baptised she sent us an invitation: ‘If you really think me a true believer in the Lord,’ she said ‘come and stay with us’; and she would take no refusal.

Responsive Psalm : Psalm 149:1‐6,9

The Lord takes delight in his people.

or

Alleluia!

Sing a new song to the Lord, his praise in the assembly of the faithful. Let Israel rejoice in its Maker, let Zion’s sons exult in their king.

The Lord takes delight in his people.

or

Alleluia!

Let them praise his name with dancing and make music with timbrel and harp. For the Lord takes delight in his people. He crowns the poor with salvation.

The Lord takes delight in his people.

or

Alleluia!

Let the faithful rejoice in their glory, shout for joy and take their rest. Let the praise of God be on their lips: this honour is for all his faithful.

The Lord takes delight in his people.

or

Alleluia!

Alleluia: John 15: 26b, 27a

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

26b, 27a The Spirit of truth will testify to me, says the Lord, and you also will testify.

(26. When the Paraclete comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who issues from the Father, he will be my witness.

27. And you too will be witnesses, because you have been with me from the beginning).

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel : John 15:26‐16:4

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘When the Advocate comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father,

the Spirit of truth who issues from the Father,

he will be my witness. And you too will be witnesses, because you have been with me from the outset. ‘I have told you all this that your faith may not be shaken. They will expel you from the synagogues, and indeed the hour is coming

when anyone who kills you will think he is doing a holy duty for God. They will do these things because they have never known either the Father or myself. But I have told you all this, so that when the time for it comes you may remember that I told you.’

For our reflection today:

The Holy Spirit-Paraclete will be the advocate-defender of the apostles, and of all those down through the centuries in the Church who will be the heirs of their witness and apostolate. This is especially so in difficult moments when they are tested to the point of heroism. This was Jesus' prophecy and promise: "They will deliver you up to councils...you will be dragged before governors and kings. When they deliver you up, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you". Especially during persecutions in all ages, those words of Jesus in the upper room are verified: "When the Paraclete comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, he will bear witness to me; and you also are witnesses, because you have been with me from the beginning" (Jn 15:26-27). (John Paul II, General audience, 24 May 1989)

Jonathan Fabian Ginunggil,

Most High Servant,

Jesus, Mary, Joseph Ministry of Love (Blessed and Saints and the Nine Choirs of Angels)

Saint Mary Magdalene de Pazzi,

Catherine dei Pazzi, the only daughter of a noble Florentine Couple, Camillo and Maria, was born on 2 April 1566. She felt an intense devotion to the Blessed Sacrament very early in her childhood. She received her First Holy Communion by age ten and began experiencing mystical ecstasies. Soon after her first ecstasy and intimately encountering her Beloved, she made a private vow of virginity to the Lord. At 16, she entered St Mary of the Angels, a strict Carmelite convent in Florence, and took the name of Mary Magdalen. 

She was professed two years later, on Trinity Sunday, when her death seemed near. However, after the ceremony, she was found to have been miraculously cured, and she fell into a 2-hour ecstasy, which repeated itself on 40 consecutive mornings as soon as she had received Holy Communion. Months later, began her "dark night of the soul," when God allowed her to suffer diabolical physical attacks and temptations and to feel spiritually abandoned by him. However, her ardent prayers, the frequent renewal of her religious vows, severe self-discipline, and utter humility saw her safely through these five years of purification. Peace was finally restored to her, and her visions and ecstasies became more frequent and longer. She also received the sacred Stigmata. 

It was during these ecstasies that she uttered those wonderful maxims of divine love and counsels of spiritual perfection which have come down to us in five large volumes. Mary Magdalen could read the thoughts of others and predict future events. During the last three years of her life, headaches and paralysis confined her to bed. St Mary Magdalen died at 41, having learned the value of suffering for God's love and the souls' salvation. Pope Clement IX canonized her on 28 April 1669. She is the Patron Saint of illnesses and temptations. 

St. Mary Magdalene de Pazzi, obtain for us the strength to faithfully uphold our calling and walk in the footsteps of Jesus amidst challenges and temptations. 

Jonathan Fabian Ginunggil,

Most High Servant,

Jesus, Mary, Joseph Ministry of Love (Blessed and Saints and the Nine Choirs of Angels)

Mary, Help of Christians

Since the Apostolic Age, Christians have turned with great confidence to the Blessed Virgin Mary for spiritual and temporal help. Our Lady's solicitude at the Wedding Feast at Cana manifests this maternal trait of anticipating the needs of her children. Mary notices that the young couple has run out of wine at their wedding feast. No one had said a word about it to her, yet she mentions the plight of the married couple with tact and delicacy to her Son. And our Lord hears and answers her prayer! 

The tradition of this advocation goes back to 1571, when the whole of Christendom was saved by Mary, Help of Christians when Catholics throughout Europe prayed the Rosary. Pope St. Pius V inserted the title of Help of Christians in the litany of Loreto in 1571 in thanksgiving to Our Lady for the victory of the inferior Christian fleet over the Muslim Turks at the Battle of Lepanto. Centuries later, Pope Pius VII was imprisoned by Napoleon in 1808, but after the battle of Leipzig, the 74-year-old Pontiff was once more set free, and in 1814 he returned to Rome in triumph. After Napoleon's "Hundred Days" had been brought to an end in 1815 by the allied victory at Waterloo, Pius VII instituted the Feast of Mary, Help of Christians in thanksgiving to God and the Blessed Virgin, and to commemorate the anniversary of his return from Napoleonic captivity. 

The church has traditionally focused on two aspects of Our Lady's help on this feast day. Firstly, the church focuses in this feast on the role of Our Lady's intercession in the fight against sin in the life of a believer. Secondly, the church focuses on Our Lady as one who assists Christians as a community, through her intercession, in fighting against anti-Christian forces. St. John Chrysostom was the first person to use the Marian title: Mary, the Help of Christians, in 345 AD. 

The devotion to Mary under this title was later fostered and popularized by St. Don Bosco, who had a very deep devotion to Mary, Help of Christians. He even erected a Basilica in her honor under that title in Turin in 1868. Later, in 1872, he founded the Salesian Sisters under her patronage, namely the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians. St. John Bosco said, "May the Blessed Virgin help us to be faithful to the teachings of the Church and obtain for us the grace of perseverance in serving God on this earth, so as to join her one day in the kingdom of heavenly glory." At the foot of the cross, Mary was formally commissioned by Our Lord himself to take care of all the redeemed. "Woman, behold thy son" (Jn 19:26). St. Bridget once heard our Lord say to his Immaculate Mother, Mary, "I promise to hear graciously all who ask a favour of me in your name, even if they are sinners, provided that they have the will to amend their ways." 

Mary, Help of Christians, throughout history, you have aided in defending the Christian faith. We humbly seek your intercession, asking for deliverance from infidelity and the fortitude to persevere in living an authentically Christian life free from sin.

Jonathan Fabian Ginunggil,

Most High Servant,

Jesus, Mary, Joseph Ministry of Love (Blessed and Saints and the Nine Choirs of Angels)

24 Mei 2025 (Sabtu) / Hari biasa Pekan V Paskah

24 Mei 2025 (Sabtu)

Hari biasa Pekan V Paskah.

Pembacaan dari Alkitab Gereja Katolik Roma:

Pembacaan Pertama: Kis. 16:1-10; 

Pembacaan Mazmur: Mzm. 100:1-2,3,5; 

Pembacaan dari Injil Santo Yohanes: Yoh. 15:18-21

Warna Liturgi Putih.

Pembacaan Pertama:

Kis 16:1 Paulus datang juga ke Derbe dan ke Listra. Di situ ada seorang murid bernama Timotius; ibunya adalah seorang Yahudi dan telah menjadi percaya, sedangkan ayahnya seorang Yunani.

Kis 16:2 Timotius ini dikenal baik oleh saudara-saudara di Listra dan di Ikonium,

Kis 16:3 dan Paulus mau, supaya dia menyertainya dalam perjalanan. Paulus menyuruh menyunatkan dia karena orang-orang Yahudi di daerah itu, sebab setiap orang tahu bahwa bapanya adalah orang Yunani.

Kis 16:4 Dalam perjalanan keliling dari kota ke kota Paulus dan Silas menyampaikan keputusan-keputusan yang diambil para rasul dan para penatua di Yerusalem dengan pesan, supaya jemaat-jemaat menurutinya.

Kis 16:5 Demikianlah jemaat-jemaat diteguhkan dalam iman dan makin lama makin bertambah besar jumlahnya.

Kis 16:6 Mereka melintasi tanah Frigia dan tanah Galatia, karena Roh Kudus mencegah mereka untuk memberitakan Injil di Asia.

Kis 16:7 Dan setibanya di Misia mereka mencoba masuk ke daerah Bitinia, tetapi Roh Yesus tidak mengizinkan mereka.

Kis 16:8 Setelah melintasi Misia, mereka sampai di Troas.

Kis 16:9 Pada malam harinya tampaklah oleh Paulus suatu penglihatan: ada seorang Makedonia berdiri di situ dan berseru kepadanya, katanya: "Menyeberanglah ke mari dan tolonglah kami!"

Kis 16:10 Setelah Paulus melihat penglihatan itu, segeralah kami mencari kesempatan untuk berangkat ke Makedonia, karena dari penglihatan itu kami menarik kesimpulan, bahwa Allah telah memanggil kami untuk memberitakan Injil kepada orang-orang di sana.

Pembacaan Mazmur:

Mzm 100:1 Mazmur untuk korban syukur. Bersorak-soraklah bagi TUHAN, hai seluruh bumi!

Mzm 100:2 Beribadahlah kepada TUHAN dengan sukacita, datanglah ke hadapan-Nya dengan sorak-sorai!

Mzm 100:3 Ketahuilah, bahwa Tuhanlah Allah; Dialah yang menjadikan kita dan punya Dialah kita, umat-Nya dan kawanan domba gembalaan-Nya.

Mzm 100:5 Sebab TUHAN itu baik, kasih setia-Nya untuk selama-lamanya, dan kesetiaan-Nya tetap turun-temurun.

Pembacaan dari Injil Santo Yohanes:

Yoh 15:18 "Jikalau dunia membenci kamu, ingatlah bahwa ia telah lebih dahulu membenci Aku dari pada kamu.

Yoh 15:19 Sekiranya kamu dari dunia, tentulah dunia mengasihi kamu sebagai miliknya. Tetapi karena kamu bukan dari dunia, melainkan Aku telah memilih kamu dari dunia, sebab itulah dunia membenci kamu.

Yoh 15:20 Ingatlah apa yang telah Kukatakan kepadamu: Seorang hamba tidaklah lebih tinggi dari pada tuannya. Jikalau mereka telah menganiaya Aku, mereka juga akan menganiaya kamu; jikalau mereka telah menuruti firman-Ku, mereka juga akan menuruti perkataanmu.

Yoh 15:21 Tetapi semuanya itu akan mereka lakukan terhadap kamu karena nama-Ku, sebab mereka tidak mengenal Dia, yang telah mengutus Aku.

Jonathan Fabian Ginunggil,

Pelayan Atasan Tertinggi,

Yesus, Maria, Yusuf Pelayanan Kasih (Blessed and Saints and the Nine Choirs of Angels)

24 May 2025 (Saturday) / Saturday of the 5th week of Eastertide / Easter Weekday

24 May 2025 (Saturday)

Saturday of the 5th week of Eastertide.

Easter Weekday.

Readings from the Bible of the Roman Catholic Church:

First Reading: Acts 16: 1-10

Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 100: 2, 3, 5

Alleluia: Colossians 3: 1

Gospel: John 15: 18-21

First Reading : Acts 16:1‐10

From Cilicia Paul went to Derbe, and then on to Lystra. Here there was a disciple called Timothy, whose mother was a Jewess who had become a believer; but his father was a Greek. The brothers at Lystra and Iconium spoke well of Timothy, and Paul, who wanted to have him as a travelling companion, had him circumcised. This was on account of the Jews in the locality where everyone knew his father was a Greek. As they visited one town after another, they passed on the decisions reached by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem, with instructions to respect them. So the churches grew strong in the faith, as well as growing daily in numbers. They travelled through Phrygia and the Galatian country, having been told by the Holy Spirit not to preach the word in Asia. When they reached the frontier of Mysia they thought to cross it into Bithynia, but as the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them, they went through Mysia and came down to Troas. One night Paul had a vision: a Macedonian appeared and appealed to him in these words, ‘Come across to Macedonia and help us.’ Once he had seen this vision we lost no time in arranging a passage to Macedonia, convinced that God had called us to bring them the Good News.

Responsive Psalm : Psalm 99(100):1‐3,5

Cry out with joy to the Lord, all the earth.

or

Alleluia!

Cry out with joy to the Lord, all the earth. Serve the Lord with gladness. Come before him, singing for joy.

Cry out with joy to the Lord, all the earth.

or

Alleluia!

Know that he, the Lord, is God. He made us, we belong to him, we are his people, the sheep of his flock.

Cry out with joy to the Lord, all the earth.

or

Alleluia!

Indeed, how good is the Lord, eternal his merciful love. He is faithful from age to age.

Cry out with joy to the Lord, all the earth.

or

Alleluia!

Alleluia: Colossians 3: 1

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

1 If then you were raised with Christ, seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.

(1. Since you have been raised up to be with Christ, you must look for the things that are above, where Christ is, sitting at God's right hand).

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel : John 15:18‐21

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘If the world hates you, remember that it hated me before you. If you belonged to the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you do not belong to the world, because my choice withdrew you from the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the words I said to you: A servant is not greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will persecute you too; if they kept my word, they will keep yours as well. But it will be on my account that they will do all this, because they do not know the one who sent me.’

For our reflection today:

Even today, there are many settings in which the Christian faith is considered absurd, meant for the weak and unintelligent. Settings where other securities are preferred, like technology, money, success, power, or pleasure. These are contexts where it is not easy to preach the Gospel and bear witness to its truth, where believers are mocked, opposed, despised or at best tolerated and pitied. Yet, precisely for this reason, they are the places where our missionary outreach is desperately needed. A lack of faith is often tragically accompanied by the loss of meaning in life, the neglect of mercy, appalling violations of human dignity, the crisis of the family and so many other wounds that afflict our society. Today, too, there are many settings in which Jesus, although appreciated as a man, is reduced to a kind of charismatic leader or superman. This is true not only among non-believers but also among many baptized Christians, who thus end up living, at this level, in a state of practical atheism. This is the world that has been entrusted to us, a world in which, as Pope Francis taught us so many times, we are called to bear witness to our joyful faith in Jesus the Saviour. Therefore, it is essential that we too repeat, with Peter: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Mt 16:16). It is essential to do this, first of all, in our personal relationship with the Lord, in our commitment to a daily journey of conversion. Then, to do so as a Church, experiencing together our fidelity to the Lord and bringing the Good News to all (cf. Lumen Gentium, 1). (Pope Leo XIV, Homily Sistine Chapel, 9 May 2025)

Jonathan Fabian Ginunggil,

Most High Servant,

Jesus, Mary, Joseph Ministry of Love (Blessed and Saints and the Nine Choirs of Angels)

Saint John Baptist De Rossi

St. John Baptist De Rossi was born in 1698 into an impoverished family in Voltaggio, Italy. Though John's family was poor, they were rich in faith. Through their guidance and exceptional education, John developed a remarkable proficiency in his faith, cultivating deep piety and embodying a gentle spirit. In 1711, John's cousin, Lorenzo de Rossi, who was a canon at St. Mary in Cosmedin in Rome, called him to the city. 

Lorenzo suggested that John complete his studies at the Collegium Romanum under the guidance of the Jesuits. He then studied philosophy and theology under the Dominicans at the Dominican College of Saint Thomas. During this time, John joined the Sodality of the Blessed Virgin and the Ristretto of the Twelve Apostles. John was ordained to the priesthood on 8 March 1721. He never dared to hear confessions himself. However, while convalescing in Civita Castellana in 1738, the local bishop insisted on taking up that pastoral ministry too, and in this, he proved himself so effective that he was given the unusual faculty of hearing confessions in any church in Rome. Thenceforth, he spent many hours a day hearing confessions, particularly of prisoners, the poor, and the illiterate in the hospitals or their homes. 

John was attracted especially to the apostolate among the herdsmen and labourers of the Roman Campagna and would preach to them in the early morning or late evening when they assembled in the Campo Vaccino. The remainder of the day, he spent visiting the sick and the poor in the hospital of St. Galla, and near it, in 1731, he established a refuge for the unfortunate who wandered the streets by night. John Baptist de Rossi, himself worn out by his unselfish service, suffered a stroke in 1763 and died a year later on 23 May 1764. Pope Leo XIII canonized him on 8 December 1881.   

St. John Baptist De Rossi, obtain for us the grace to grow into devoted and faithful servants of Our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Jonathan Fabian Ginunggil,

Most High Servant,

Jesus, Mary, Joseph Ministry of Love (Blessed and Saints and the Nine Choirs of Angels)

25 Mei 2025 (Ahad) / HARI MINGGU PASKAH VI

25 Mei 2025 (Ahad)

HARI MINGGU PASKAH VI.

Pembacaan dari Alkitab Gereja Katolik Roma:

Pembacaan Pertama: Kis. 15:1-2,22-29; 

Pembacaan Mazmur: Mzm. 67:2-3,5,6,8; 

Pembacaan Kedua: Why. 21:10-14.22-23; 

Pembacaan dari Injil Santo Yohanes: Yoh. 14:23-29

Warna Liturgi Putih.

Pembacaan Pertama:

Kis 15:1 Beberapa orang datang dari Yudea ke Antiokhia dan mengajarkan kepada saudara-saudara di situ: "Jikalau kamu tidak disunat menurut adat istiadat yang diwariskan oleh Musa, kamu tidak dapat diselamatkan."

Kis 15:2 Tetapi Paulus dan Barnabas dengan keras melawan dan membantah pendapat mereka itu. Akhirnya ditetapkan, supaya Paulus dan Barnabas serta beberapa orang lain dari jemaat itu pergi kepada rasul-rasul dan penatua-penatua di Yerusalem untuk membicarakan soal itu.

Kis 15:22 Maka rasul-rasul dan penatua-penatua beserta seluruh jemaat itu mengambil keputusan untuk memilih dari antara mereka beberapa orang yang akan diutus ke Antiokhia bersama-sama dengan Paulus dan Barnabas, yaitu Yudas yang disebut Barsabas dan Silas. Keduanya adalah orang terpandang di antara saudara-saudara itu.

Kis 15:23 Kepada mereka diserahkan surat yang bunyinya: "Salam dari rasul-rasul dan penatua-penatua, dari saudara-saudaramu kepada saudara-saudara di Antiokhia, Siria dan Kilikia yang berasal dari bangsa-bangsa lain.

Kis 15:24 Kami telah mendengar, bahwa ada beberapa orang di antara kami, yang tiada mendapat pesan dari kami, telah menggelisahkan dan menggoyangkan hatimu dengan ajaran mereka.

Kis 15:25 Sebab itu dengan bulat hati kami telah memutuskan untuk memilih dan mengutus beberapa orang kepada kamu bersama-sama dengan Barnabas dan Paulus yang kami kasihi,

Kis 15:26 iaitu dua orang yang telah mempertaruhkan nyawanya karena nama Tuhan kita Yesus Kristus.

Kis 15:27 Maka kami telah mengutus Yudas dan Silas, yang dengan lisan akan menyampaikan pesan yang tertulis ini juga kepada kamu.

Kis 15:28 Sebab adalah keputusan Roh Kudus dan keputusan kami, supaya kepada kamu jangan ditanggungkan lebih banyak beban dari pada yang perlu ini:

Kis 15:29 kamu harus menjauhkan diri dari makanan yang dipersembahkan kepada berhala, dari darah, dari daging binatang yang mati dicekik dan dari percabulan. Jikalau kamu memelihara diri dari hal-hal ini, kamu berbuat baik. Sekianlah, selamat."

Pembacaan Mazmur:

Mzm 67:2 (67-3) supaya jalan-Mu dikenal di bumi, dan keselamatan-Mu di antara segala bangsa.

Mzm 67:3 (67-4) Kiranya bangsa-bangsa bersyukur kepada-Mu, ya Allah; kiranya bangsa-bangsa semuanya bersyukur kepada-Mu.

Mzm 67:5 (67-6) Kiranya bangsa-bangsa bersyukur kepada-Mu, ya Allah, kiranya bangsa-bangsa semuanya bersyukur kepada-Mu.

Mzm 67:6 (67-7) Tanah telah memberi hasilnya; Allah, Allah kita, memberkati kita.

Pembacaan Kedua:

Why 21:10 Lalu, di dalam roh ia membawa aku ke atas sebuah gunung yang besar lagi tinggi dan ia menunjukkan kepadaku kota yang kudus itu, Yerusalem, turun dari sorga, dari Allah.

Why 21:11 Kota itu penuh dengan kemuliaan Allah dan cahayanya sama seperti permata yang paling indah, bagaikan permata yaspis, jernih seperti kristal.

Why 21:12 Dan temboknya besar lagi tinggi dan pintu gerbangnya dua belas buah; dan di atas pintu-pintu gerbang itu ada dua belas malaikat dan di atasnya tertulis nama kedua belas suku Israel.

Why 21:13 Di sebelah timur terdapat tiga pintu gerbang dan di sebelah utara tiga pintu gerbang dan di sebelah selatan tiga pintu gerbang dan di sebelah barat tiga pintu gerbang.

Why 21:14 Dan tembok kota itu mempunyai dua belas batu dasar dan di atasnya tertulis kedua belas nama kedua belas rasul Anak Domba itu.

Why 21:22 Dan aku tidak melihat Bait Suci di dalamnya; sebab Allah, Tuhan Yang Mahakuasa, adalah Bait Sucinya, demikian juga Anak Domba itu.

Why 21:23 Dan kota itu tidak memerlukan matahari dan bulan untuk menyinarinya, sebab kemuliaan Allah meneranginya dan Anak Domba itu adalah lampunya.

Pembacaan dari Injil Santo Yohanes:

Yoh 14:23 Jawab Yesus: "Jika seorang mengasihi Aku, ia akan menuruti firman-Ku dan Bapa-Ku akan mengasihi dia dan Kami akan datang kepadanya dan diam bersama-sama dengan dia.

Yoh 14:24 Barangsiapa tidak mengasihi Aku, ia tidak menuruti firman-Ku; dan firman yang kamu dengar itu bukanlah dari pada-Ku, melainkan dari Bapa yang mengutus Aku.

Yoh 14:25 Semuanya itu Kukatakan kepadamu, selagi Aku berada bersama-sama dengan kamu;

Yoh 14:26 tetapi Penghibur, yaitu Roh Kudus, yang akan diutus oleh Bapa dalam nama-Ku, Dialah yang akan mengajarkan segala sesuatu kepadamu dan akan mengingatkan kamu akan semua yang telah Kukatakan kepadamu.

Yoh 14:27 Damai sejahtera Kutinggalkan bagimu. Damai sejahtera-Ku Kuberikan kepadamu, dan apa yang Kuberikan tidak seperti yang diberikan oleh dunia kepadamu. Janganlah gelisah dan gentar hatimu.

Yoh 14:28 Kamu telah mendengar, bahwa Aku telah berkata kepadamu: Aku pergi, tetapi Aku datang kembali kepadamu. Sekiranya kamu mengasihi Aku, kamu tentu akan bersukacita karena Aku pergi kepada Bapa-Ku, sebab Bapa lebih besar dari pada Aku.

Yoh 14:29 Dan sekarang juga Aku mengatakannya kepadamu sebelum hal itu terjadi, supaya kamu percaya, apabila hal itu terjadi.

Jonathan Fabian Ginunggil,

Pelayan Atasan Tertinggi,

Yesus, Maria, Yusuf Pelayanan Kasih (Blessed and Saints and the Nine Choirs of Angels)

25 May 2025 (Sunday) / 6th Sunday of Easter / Sixth Sunday of Easter

25 May 2025 (Sunday)

6th Sunday of Easter.

Sixth Sunday of Easter.

Readings from the Bible of the Roman Catholic Church:

First Reading: Acts 15: 1-2, 22-29

Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 67: 2-3, 5, 6 and 8

Second Reading: Revelation 21: 10-14, 22-23

Alleluia: John 14: 23

Gospel: John 14: 23-29

First Reading : Acts 15:1‐2,22‐29

Some men came down from Judaea and taught the brothers, ‘Unless you have yourselves circumcised in the tradition of Moses you cannot be saved.’ This led to disagreement, and after Paul and Barnabas had had a long argument with these men it was arranged that Paul and Barnabas and others of the church should go up to Jerusalem and discuss the problem with the apostles and elders. Then the apostles and elders decided to choose delegates to send to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; the whole church concurred with this. They chose Judas known as Barsabbas and Silas, both leading men in the brotherhood, and gave them this letter to take with them: ‘The apostles and elders, your brothers, send greetings to the brothers of pagan birth in Antioch, Syria and Cilicia. We hear that some of our members have disturbed you with their demands and have unsettled your minds. They acted without any authority from us; and so we have decided unanimously to elect delegates and to send them to you with Barnabas and Paul, men we highly respect who have dedicated their lives to the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Accordingly we are sending you Judas and Silas, who will confirm by word of mouth what we have written in this letter. It has been decided by the Holy Spirit and by ourselves not to saddle you with any burden beyond these essentials: you are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols; from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from fornication. Avoid these, and you will do what is right. Farewell.’

Responsive Psalm : Psalm 66(67):2‐3,5‐6,8

Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you.

or

Alleluia!

O God, be gracious and bless us and let your face shed its light upon us. So will your ways be known upon earth and all nations learn your saving help.

Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you.

or

Alleluia!

Let the nations be glad and exult for you rule the world with justice. With fairness you rule the peoples, you guide the nations on earth.

Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you.

or

Alleluia!

Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you. May God still give us his blessing till the ends of the earth revere him.

Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you.

or

Alleluia!

Second Reading : Apocalypse 21:10‐14,22‐23

In the spirit, the angel took me to the top of an enormous high mountain and showed me Jerusalem, the holy city, coming down from God out of heaven. It had all the radiant glory of God and glittered like some precious jewel of crystal‐clear diamond. The walls of it were of a great height, and had twelve gates; at each of the twelve gates there was an angel, and over the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel; on the east there were three gates, on the north three gates, on the south three gates, and on the west three gates. The city walls stood on twelve foundation stones, each one of which bore the name of one of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. I saw that there was no temple in the city since the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb were themselves the temple, and the city did not need the sun or the moon for light, since it was lit by the radiant glory of God and the Lamb was a lighted torch for it.

Alleluia: John 14: 23

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

23 Whoever loves me will keep my word, says the Lord, and my Father will love him and we will come to him.

(23. Jesus replied: Anyone who loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we shall come to him and make a home in him).

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel : John 14:23‐29

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘If anyone loves me he will keep my word, and my Father will love him,

and we shall come to him and make our home with him. Those who do not love me do not keep my words. And my word is not my own: it is the word of the one who sent me. I have said these things to you while still with you; but the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and remind you of all I have said to you. Peace I bequeath to you, my own peace I give you, a peace the world cannot give, this is my gift to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid. You heard me say: I am going away, and shall return. If you loved me you would have been glad to know that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. I have told you this now before it happens, so that when it does happen you may believe.’

For our reflection today:

The peace that Jesus brings is the gift of salvation that he had promised in his farewell discourses: “peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid” (Jn 14:27). On this day of the Resurrection he gives it in fullness and for the community it becomes a source of joy, the certainty of victory, and security in relying on God. “Let not your hearts be troubled”, (Jn 14:1), do not be afraid, he also says to us. After this greeting, Jesus shows the disciples the wounds in his hands and in his side (cf. Jn 20:20), signs of what has occurred and will never be cancelled: his glorious humanity remains “wounded”. The purpose of this act is to confirm the new reality of the Resurrection: Christ, now among his own, is a real person, the same Jesus who three days earlier was nailed to the cross. And it is in this way that in the dazzling light of Easter, in the encounter with the Risen One, the disciples perceive the salvific meaning of his passion and his death. Then sorrow and fear turn into full joy. The sorrow and the wounds themselves become a source of joy. The joy that is born in their hearts derives from “(having seen) the Lord” (Jn 20:20). He repeats to them: “Peace be with you” (v. 21). By then it was obvious that it was not only a greeting. It was a gift, the gift that the Risen One wants to offer his friends, but at the same time it is a consignment. This peace, which Christ purchased with his blood, is for them but also for all, the disciples must pass on to the whole world. (Pope Benedict XVI, General Audience, 11 April 2012)

Jonathan Fabian Ginunggil,

Most High Servant,

Jesus, Mary, Joseph Ministry of Love (Blessed and Saints and the Nine Choirs of Angels)