by Norbert Doulanni | Nov 19, 2025 | Evangelium
Saint Edmund (d.869)
Psalter: Week I
Green
He was king of the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of East Anglia. Edmund was captured and killed by the Danish Great Heathen Army, which invaded England in 869, and the tradition is that he died the death of a Christian martyr.
Entrance Antiphon : Jer 29: 11, 12, 14
The Lord said: I think thoughts of peace and not of affliction. You will call upon me, and I will answer you, and I will lead back your captives from every place.
Collect
Grant us, we pray, O Lord our God, the constant gladness of being devoted to you, for it is full and lasting happiness to serve with constancy the author of all that is good. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
First reading : 1 Maccabees 2:15-29
The commissioners of King Antiochus who were enforcing the apostasy came to the town of Modein to make them sacrifice. Many Israelites gathered round them, but Mattathias and his sons drew apart. The king’s commissioners then addressed Mattathias as follows, ‘You are a respected leader, a great man in this town; you have sons and brothers to support you. Be the first to step forward and conform to the king’s decree, as all the nations have done, and the leaders of Judah and the survivors in Jerusalem; you and your sons shall be reckoned among the Friends of the King, you and your sons shall be honoured with gold and silver and many presents.’ Raising his voice, Mattathias retorted, ‘Even if every nation living in the king’s dominions obeys him, each forsaking its ancestral religion to conform to his decrees, I, my sons and my brothers will still follow the covenant of our ancestors. Heaven preserve us from forsaking the Law and its observances. As for the king’s orders, we will not follow them: we will not swerve from our own religion either to right or to left.’ As he finished speaking, a Jew came forward in the sight of all to offer sacrifice on the altar in Modein as the royal edict required. When Mattathias saw this, he was fired with zeal; stirred to the depth of his being, he gave vent to his legitimate anger, threw himself on the man and slaughtered him on the altar. At the same time he killed the king’s commissioner who was there to enforce the sacrifice, and tore down the altar. In his zeal for the Law he acted as Phinehas did against Zimri son of Salu. Then Mattathias went through the town, shouting at the top of his voice, ‘Let everyone who has a fervour for the Law and takes his stand on the covenant come out and follow me.’ Then he fled with his sons into the hills, leaving all their possessions behind in the town. At this, many who were concerned for virtue and justice went down to the desert and stayed there.
Responsorial Psalm : Psalm 49(50):1-2,5-6,14-15
R/ I will show God’s salvation to the upright.
The God of gods, the Lord, has spoken and summoned the earth, from the rising of the sun to its setting. Out of Zion’s perfect beauty he shines.
‘Summon before me my people who made covenant with me by sacrifice.’ The heavens proclaim his justice, for he, God, is the judge.
Pay your sacrifice of thanksgiving to God and render him your votive offerings. Call on me in the day of distress. I will free you and you shall honour me.’
Gospel Acclamation : Ps118:135
Alleluia, alleluia! Let your face shine on your servant, and teach me your decrees. Alleluia!
Gospel : Luke 19:41-44
As Jesus drew near Jerusalem and came in sight of the city he shed tears over it and said, ‘If you in your turn had only understood on this day the message of peace! But, alas, it is hidden from your eyes! Yes, a time is coming when your enemies will raise fortifications all round you, when they will encircle you and hem you in on every side; they will dash you and the children inside your walls to the ground; they will leave not one stone standing on another within you – and all because you did not recognise your opportunity when God offered it!’
Prayer over the Offerings
Grant, O Lord, we pray,
that what we offer in the sight of your majesty may obtain for us the grace of being devoted to you and gain us the prize of everlasting happiness. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon : Ps 72: 28
To be near God is my happiness, to place my hope in God the Lord.
Prayer after Communion
We have partaken of the gifts of this sacred mystery, humbly imploring, O Lord, that what your Son commanded us to do in memory of him may bring us growth in charity. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
Jesus wept over the city of Jerusalem, expressing profound sorrow and lamentation as He foresees the impending destruction that would befall Jerusalem and its inhabitants due to their failure to recognise the time of their divine visitation. His tears unveil the depth of love and compassion He held for the people, yearning for them to embrace the path to peace and salvation. Despite being the centre of religious life and devotion, the inhabitants of Jerusalem remain oblivious to the opportunity for reconciliation and redemption that stood before them. Jesus’ weeping over Jerusalem highlights the crucial importance of recognising moments of grace and divine presence. The city’s preoccupation with rituals and routines caused them to overlook the very presence of God among them. This poignant scene prompts reflection on our own lives. How often do we become entangled in life’s routines, missing the moments of grace and the presence of God in our lives? How frequently do we overlook opportunities for reconciliation, hindering the deepening of our relationship with God and others?
by Norbert Doulanni | Nov 18, 2025 | Evangelium
Saint Nerses the Great
Psalter: Week I
White
Bishop and martyr, in 353 he was made Catholicos of the Armenians. Nerses devoted much effort to reforming the Armenian Church, founding hospitals and monasteries. His reforms and denunciation of King Arshak’s murder of the queen led to his exile and assassination.
Entrance Antiphon : Jer 29: 11, 12, 14
The Lord said: I think thoughts of peace and not of affliction. You will call upon me, and I will answer you, and I will lead back your captives from every place.
Collect
Grant us, we pray, O Lord our God, the constant gladness of being devoted to you, for it is full and lasting happiness to serve with constancy the author of all that is good. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
First reading : 2 Maccabees 7:1,20-31
There were seven brothers who were arrested with their mother. The king tried to force them to taste pig’s flesh, which the Law forbids, by torturing them with whips and scourges. But the mother was especially admirable and worthy of honourable remembrance, for she watched the death of seven sons in the course of a single day, and endured it resolutely because of her hopes in the Lord. Indeed she encouraged each of them in the language of their ancestors; filled with noble conviction, she reinforced her womanly argument with manly courage, saying to them, ‘I do not know how you appeared in my womb; it was not I who endowed you with breath and life, I had not the shaping of your every part. It is the creator of the world, ordaining the process of man’s birth and presiding over the origin of all things, who in his mercy will most surely give you back both breath and life, seeing that you now despise your own existence for the sake of his laws.’ Antiochus thought he was being ridiculed, suspecting insult in the tone of her voice; and as the youngest was still alive he appealed to him not with mere words but with promises on oath to make him both rich and happy if he would abandon the traditions of his ancestors; he would make him his Friend and entrust him with public office. The young man took no notice at all, and so the king then appealed to the mother, urging her to advise the youth to save his life. After a great deal of urging on his part she agreed to try persuasion on her son. Bending over him, she fooled the cruel tyrant with these words, uttered in the language of their ancestors, ‘My son, have pity on me; I carried you nine months in my womb and suckled you three years, fed you and reared you to the age you are now (and cherished you). I implore you, my child, observe heaven and earth, consider all that is in them, and acknowledge that God made them out of what did not exist, and that mankind comes into being in the same way. Do not fear this executioner, but prove yourself worthy of your brothers, and make death welcome, so that in the day of mercy I may receive you back in your brothers’ company.’ She had scarcely ended when the young man said, ‘What are you all waiting for? I will not comply with the king’s ordinance; I obey the ordinance of the Law given to our ancestors through Moses. As for you, sir, who have contrived every kind of evil against the Hebrews, you will certainly not escape the hands of God.’
Responsorial Psalm : Psalm 16(17):1,5-6,8,15
R/ I shall be filled, when I awake, with the sight of your glory, O Lord.
Lord, hear a cause that is just, pay heed to my cry. Turn your ear to my prayer: no deceit is on my lips.
I kept my feet firmly in your paths; there was no faltering in my steps. I am here and I call, you will hear me, O God. Turn your ear to me; hear my words.
Guard me as the apple of your eye. Hide me in the shadow of your wings As for me, in my justice I shall see your face and be filled, when I awake, with the sight of your glory.
Gospel Acclamation : 1Jn2:5
Alleluia, alleluia! Whenever anyone obeys what Christ has said, God’s love comes to perfection in him. Alleluia!
Gospel : Luke 19:11-28
While the people were listening, Jesus went on to tell a parable, because he was near Jerusalem and they imagined that the kingdom of God was going to show itself then and there. Accordingly he said, ‘A man of noble birth went to a distant country to be appointed king and afterwards return. He summoned ten of his servants and gave them ten pounds. “Do business with these” he told them “until I get back.” But his compatriots detested him and sent a delegation to follow him with this message, “We do not want this man to be our king.” ‘Now on his return, having received his appointment as king, he sent for those servants to whom he had given the money, to find out what profit each had made. The first came in and said, “Sir, your one pound has brought in ten.” “Well done, my good servant!” he replied “Since you have proved yourself faithful in a very small thing, you shall have the government of ten cities.” Then came the second and said, “Sir, your one pound has made five.” To this one also he said, “And you shall be in charge of five cities.” Next came the other and said, “Sir, here is your pound. I put it away safely in a piece of linen because I was afraid of you; for you are an exacting man: you pick up what you have not put down and reap what you have not sown.” “You wicked servant!” he said “Out of your own mouth I condemn you. So you knew I was an exacting man, picking up what I have not put down and reaping what I have not sown? Then why did you not put my money in the bank? On my return I could have drawn it out with interest.” And he said to those standing by, “Take the pound from him and give it to the man who has ten pounds.” And they said to him, “But, sir, he has ten pounds…”. “I tell you, to everyone who has will be given more; but from the man who has not, even what he has will be taken away. ‘“But as for my enemies who did not want me for their king, bring them here and execute them in my presence.”’ When he had said this he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem.
Prayer over the Offerings
Grant, O Lord, we pray, that what we offer in the sight of your majesty may obtain for us the grace of being devoted to you and gain us the prize of everlasting happiness. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon : Ps 72: 28
To be near God is my happiness, to place my hope in God the Lord.
Prayer after Communion
We have partaken of the gifts of this sacred mystery, humbly imploring, O Lord, that what your Son commanded us to do in memory of him may bring us growth in charity. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
The parable in today’s Gospel teaches us a lesson on the prudent use of our time, talents, and resources in the Kingdom of God. It emphasises the need to actively engage and multiply the gifts God bestows upon us. He discourages us from burying them in the ground. Each of us has received various gifts from God, including the gift of life, intelligence, faith, and more. These gifts should not be hoarded but employed in the service of God to build his Kingdom. Investing in the Kingdom of God takes various forms. We can volunteer our time to assist others, and contribute financially to charitable causes. We can offer prayers for those in need, and share our faith with others. Regardless of how modest our gifts may appear, they hold the potential to make a significant impact in the Kingdom of God. Let us pray for the courage and conviction to invest our time, talents, and resources in the advancement of God’s Kingdom.
by Norbert Doulanni | Nov 17, 2025 | Evangelium
Dedication of the Basilicas of Saints
Peter and Paul, Apostles
Psalter: Week I
White
The Basilica of St Peter, today known as the Vatican Basilica is the seat of Catholicity and built over the tomb of St Peter the first Pope. Over Paul’s grave is built another magnificent Catholic Basilica of St Paul’s Outside the Walls.
Entrance Antiphon : Jer 29: 11, 12, 14
The Lord said: I think thoughts of peace and not of affliction. You will call upon me, and I will answer you, and I will lead back your captives from every place.
Collect
Grant us, we pray, O Lord our God, the constant gladness of being devoted to you, for it is full and lasting happiness to serve with constancy the author of all that is good. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
First reading : 2 Maccabees 6:18-31
Eleazar, one of the foremost teachers of the Law, a man already advanced in years and of most noble appearance, was being forced to open his mouth wide to swallow pig’s flesh. But he, resolving to die with honour rather than to live disgraced, went to the block of his own accord, spitting the stuff out, the plain duty of anyone with the courage to reject what it is not lawful to taste, even from a natural tenderness for his own life. Those in charge of the impious banquet, because of their long-standing friendship with him, took him aside and privately urged him to have meat brought of a kind he could properly use, prepared by himself, and only pretend to eat the portions of sacrificial meat as prescribed by the king; this action would enable him to escape death, by availing himself of an act of kindness prompted by their long friendship. But having taken a noble decision worthy of his years and the dignity of his great age and the well earned distinction of his grey hairs, worthy too of his impeccable conduct from boyhood, and above all of the holy legislation established by God himself, he publicly stated his convictions, telling them to send him at once to Hades. ‘Such pretence’ he said ‘does not square with our time of life; many young people would suppose that Eleazar at the age of ninety had conformed to the foreigners’ way of life, and because I had played this part for the sake of a paltry brief spell of life might themselves be led astray on my account; I should only bring defilement and disgrace on my old age. Even though for the moment I avoid execution by man, I can never, living or dead, elude the grasp of the Almighty. Therefore if I am man enough to quit this life here and now I shall prove myself worthy of my old age, and I shall have left the young a noble example of how to make a good death, eagerly and generously, for the venerable and holy laws.’ With these words he went straight to the block. His escorts, so recently well disposed towards him, turned against him after this declaration, which they regarded as sheer madness. Just before he died under the blows, he groaned aloud and said, ‘The Lord whose knowledge is holy sees clearly that, though I might have escaped death, whatever agonies of body I now endure under this bludgeoning, in my soul I am glad to suffer, because of the awe which he inspires in me.’ This was how he died, leaving his death as an example of nobility and a record of virtue not only for the young but for the great majority of the nation.
Responsorial Psalm : Psalm 3:2-7
R/ The Lord upholds me.
How many are my foes, O Lord!How many are rising up against me! How many are saying about me: ‘There is no help for him in God.’
But you, Lord, are a shield about me, my glory, who lift up my head. I cry aloud to the Lord. He answers from his holy mountain.
I lie down to rest and I sleep. I wake, for the Lord upholds me. I will not fear even thousands of people who are ranged on every side against me.
Gospel Acclamation : Ps129:5
Alleluia, alleluia! My soul is waiting for the Lord, I count on his word. Alleluia!
Gospel : Luke 19:1-10
Jesus entered Jericho and was going through the town when a man whose name was Zacchaeus made his appearance: he was one of the senior tax collectors and a wealthy man. He was anxious to see what kind of man Jesus was, but he was too short and could not see him for the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to catch a glimpse of Jesus who was to pass that way. When Jesus reached the spot he looked up and spoke to him: ‘Zacchaeus, come down. Hurry, because I must stay at your house today.’ And he hurried down and welcomed him joyfully. They all complained when they saw what was happening. ‘He has gone to stay at a sinner’s house’ they said. But Zacchaeus stood his ground and said to the Lord, ‘Look, sir, I am going to give half my property to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody I will pay him back four times the amount.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Today salvation has come to this house, because this man too is a son of Abraham; for the Son of Man has come to seek out and save what was lost.’
Prayer over the Offerings
Grant, O Lord, we pray, that what we offer in the sight of your majesty may obtain for us the grace of being devoted to you and gain us the prize of everlasting happiness. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon : Ps 72: 28
To be near God is my happiness, to place my hope in God the Lord.
Prayer after Communion
We have partaken of the gifts of this sacred mystery, humbly imploring, O Lord, that what your Son commanded us to do in memory of him may bring us growth in charity. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
Zacchaeus serves as a compelling example of someone who experiences God’s merciful love. Even though Zacchaeus is a sinner, Jesus still extends love towards him, prompting the sinful man to repent of his sins and change his life. This passage teaches us about the profound nature of God’s merciful love, which reaches everyone, even sinners and outcasts. God desires that everyone, regardless of their past, should experience His salvation. The passage emphasises the universal call to experience God’s merciful love. Despite our sinful nature, Jesus loves us unconditionally and seeks to forgive our sins and give us a new lease of life. Like Zacchaeus, if we are willing to open our hearts to Jesus, we can undergo remarkable transformation. Jesus stands ever ready to renew us and empower us to lead lives of holiness and righteousness.
by Norbert Doulanni | Nov 16, 2025 | Evangelium
Saint Elizabeth of Hungary (1207 – 1231)
Psalter: Week I
White
She was a daughter of the King of Hungary. She was given in marriage and she had three children. She frequently meditated on heavenly things and when her husband died she embraced poverty and built a hospice in which she cared for the sick herself.
Entrance Antiphon: Cf. Ps 51:10
I am like a growing olive tree in the house of God. I trust in the mercy of God, for ever and ever.
Collect
O God, by whose gift Saint Elizabeth of Hungary recognized and revered Christ in the poor, grant, through her intercession, that we may serve with unfailing charity the needy and those afflicted. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
First reading : 1 Maccabees 1:10-15,41-43,54-57,62-64
There grew a sinful offshoot, Antiochus Epiphanes, son of King Antiochus; once a hostage in Rome, he became king in the one hundred and thirty-seventh year of the kingdom of the Greeks. It was then that there emerged from Israel a set of renegades who led many people astray. ‘Come,’ they said ‘let us reach an understanding with the pagans surrounding us, for since we separated ourselves from them many misfortunes have overtaken us.’ This proposal proved acceptable, and a number of the people eagerly approached the king, who authorised them to practise the pagan observances. So they built a gymnasium in Jerusalem, such as the pagans have, disguised their circumcision, and abandoned the holy covenant, submitting to the heathen rule as willing slaves of impiety. Then the king issued a proclamation to his whole kingdom that all were to become a single people, each renouncing his particular customs. All the pagans conformed to the king’s decree, and many Israelites chose to accept his religion, sacrificing to idols and profaning the sabbath. The king erected the abomination of desolation above the altar; and altars were built in the surrounding towns of Judah and incense offered at the doors of houses and in the streets. Any books of the Law that came to light were torn up and burned. Whenever anyone was discovered possessing a copy of the covenant or practising the Law, the king’s decree sentenced him to death. Yet there were many in Israel who stood firm and found the courage to refuse unclean food. They chose death rather than contamination by such fare or profanation of the holy covenant, and they were executed. It was a dreadful wrath that visited Israel.
Responsorial Psal118(119):53,61,134,150,155,158
R/ Give me life, O Lord, and I will do your will.
I am seized with indignation at the wicked who forsake your law. Though the nets of the wicked ensnared me I remembered your law.
Redeem me from man’s oppression and I will keep your precepts. Those who harm me unjustly draw near; they are far from your law.
Salvation is far from the wicked who are heedless of your statutes. I look at the faithless with disgust; they ignore your promise.
Gospel Acclamation : Jn8:12
Alleluia, alleluia! I am the light of the world, says the Lord; anyone who follows me will have the light of life. Alleluia!
Gospel : Luke 18:35-43
As Jesus drew near to Jericho there was a blind man sitting at the side of the road begging. When he heard the crowd going past he asked what it was all about, and they told him that Jesus the Nazarene was passing by. So he called out, ‘Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me.’ The people in front scolded him and told him to keep quiet, but he shouted all the louder, ‘Son of David, have pity on me.’ Jesus stopped and ordered them to bring the man to him, and when he came up, asked him, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ ‘Sir,’ he replied ‘let me see again.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Receive your sight. Your faith has saved you.’ And instantly his sight returned and he followed him praising God, and all the people who saw it gave praise to God for what had happened.
Prayer over the Offerings
We bring the offerings of our devotion to be consecrated by you, O Lord, in commemoration of Saint Elizabeth of Hungary, for by the consolation you give us in this life you show that we should not lose hope of what is promised for eternity. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon: Ps 44:2
My heart overflows with noble words. To the king I address the song I have made.
Prayer after Communion
Renewed, O Lord, at the wellsprings of salvation, we humbly entreat you that through the intercession of Saint Elizabeth of Hungary, holding more closely day by day to Christ, we may merit to be co-heirs in his Kingdom of grace. Who lives and reigns for ever and ever.
Meditation
The poignant words of the blind man, “Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me,” find a responsive chord in Jesus’s compassionate heart, prompting Him to stop and engage with the man. Inquiring about the blind man’s desire, He receives the plea, “Let me see again.” Jesus, always ready to heal those who approach Him in faith, restores the blind man’s sight, who then immediately becomes His follower. This incident reaffirms Jesus’ willingness to heal those who come to Him in faith. He does not discriminate based on wealth, health, righteousness, or sinfulness. When we come to Jesus with our needs, we can be assured that He will hear our cries and extend mercy to us. Additionally, this passage imparts a valuable lesson on the importance of perseverance. Despite the discouragement fom the crowd, the blind man persists in calling out to Jesus, and his tenacity is rewarded with healing. Let us pray for the gift of perseverance in prayers, allowing us to experience Jesus’ healing and merciful love.
by Norbert Doulanni | Nov 15, 2025 | Evangelium
3th SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
Psalter: Week I
Green
Entrance Antiphon : Jer 29: 11, 12, 14
The Lord said: I think thoughts of peace and not of affliction. You will call upon me, and I will answer you, and I will lead back your captives from every place.
Collect
Grant us, we pray, O Lord our God, the constant gladness of being devoted to you, for it is full and lasting happiness to serve with constancy the author of all that is good. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
First reading : Malachi 3:19-20
The day is coming now, burning like a furnace; and all the arrogant and the evil-doers will be like stubble. The day that is coming is going to burn them up, says the Lord of Hosts, leaving them neither root nor stalk. But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness will shine out with healing in its rays.
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 97(98):5-9
R/ The Lord comes to rule the peoples with fairness.
Sing psalms to the Lord with the harp with the sound of music. With trumpets and the sound of the horn acclaim the King, the Lord.
Let the sea and all within it, thunder; the world, and all its peoples. Let the rivers clap their hands and the hills ring out their joy at the presence of the Lord.
For the Lord comes, he comes to rule the earth. He will rule the world with justice and the peoples with fairness.
Second reading : 2 Thessalonians 3:7-12
You know how you are supposed to imitate us: now we were not idle when we were with you, nor did we ever have our meals at anyone’s table without paying for them; no, we worked night and day, slaving and straining, so as not to be a burden on any of you. This was not because we had no right to be, but in order to make ourselves an example for you to follow. We gave you a rule when we were with you: do not let anyone have any food if he refuses to do any work. Now we hear that there are some of you who are living in idleness, doing no work themselves but interfering with everyone else’s. In the Lord Jesus Christ, we order and call on people of this kind to go on quietly working and earning the food that they eat.
Gospel Acclamation : Lk21:36
Alleluia, alleluia! Stay awake, praying at all times for the strength to stand with confidence before the Son of Man. Alleluia!
Gospel : Luke 21:5-19
When some were talking about the Temple, remarking how it was adorned with fine stonework and votive offerings, Jesus said, ‘All these things you are staring at now – the time will come when not a single stone will be left on another: everything will be destroyed.’ And they put to him this question: ‘Master,’ they said ‘when will this happen, then, and what sign will there be that this is about to take place?’ ‘Take care not to be deceived,’ he said ‘because many will come using my name and saying, “I am he” and, “The time is near at hand.” Refuse to join them. And when you hear of wars and revolutions, do not be frightened, for this is something that must happen but the end is not so soon.’ Then he said to them, ‘Nation will fight against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes and plagues and famines here and there; there will be fearful sights and great signs from heaven. ‘But before all this happens, men will seize you and persecute you; they will hand you over to the synagogues and to imprisonment, and bring you before kings and governors because of my name – and that will be your opportunity to bear witness. Keep this carefully in mind: you are not to prepare your defence, because I myself shall give you an eloquence and a wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to resist or contradict. You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, relations and friends; and some of you will be put to death. You will be hated by all men on account of my name, but not a hair of your head will be lost. Your endurance will win you your lives.’
Prayer over the Offerings
Grant, O Lord, we pray, that what we offer in the sight of your majesty may obtain for us the grace of being devoted to you and gain us the prize of everlasting happiness. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon : Ps 72: 28
To be near God is my happiness, to place my hope in God the Lord.
Prayer after Communion
We have partaken of the gifts of this sacred mystery, humbly imploring, O Lord, that what your Son commanded us to do in memory of him may bring us growth in charity. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
Some say that persecution serves as the best fertiliser for Christianity. Tertullian, one of the prominent Early Church Fathers of the second century, put it this way: “The blood of martyrs is the seed of the Church.” In today’s Gospel passage, Jesus forewarns his disciples about the persecution that they will encounter. He says that this persecution, challenging at it may be, provides an opportunity for them to testify to their faith. This persecution will come from both within and outside the Church. When faced with persecution, the disciples can share their faith with others and show the world Christ’s love. Essentially, Jesus assures them that they will find salvation through perseverance in the face of persecution. Let us pray for the strength to endure persecution, remaining faithful witnesses to Christ, even while suffering.
by Norbert Doulanni | Nov 14, 2025 | Evangelium
Saturday memorial of the Blessed
Virgin Mary
Saint Albert the Great, Bishop, Doctor
Psalter: Week IV
Green
He was born in Germany and joined the Dominican Order. He taught in a number of places including the University of Paris, where St Thomas Aquinas studied under him. He was one of the greatest philosophers of the Middle Ages. He made great efforts to secure peace between people and between cities. He died at Cologne in 1280.
Entrance Antiphon : Ps 87: 3
Let my prayer come into your presence. Incline your ear to my cry for help, O Lord.
Collect
Almighty and merciful God, graciously keep from us all adversity, so that, unhindered in mind and body alike, we may pursue in freedom of heart the things that are yours. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
First reading : Wisdom 18:14-16,19:6-9
When peaceful silence lay over all, and night had run the half of her swift course, down from the heavens, from the royal throne, leapt your all-powerful Word; into the heart of a doomed land the stern warrior leapt. Carrying your unambiguous command like a sharp sword, he stood, and filled the universe with death; he touched the sky, yet trod the earth. For, to keep your children from all harm, the whole creation, obedient to your commands, was once more, and newly, fashioned in its nature. Overshadowing the camp there was the cloud, where water had been, dry land was seen to rise, the Red Sea became an unimpeded way, the tempestuous flood a green plain; sheltered by your hand, the whole nation passed across, gazing at these amazing miracles. They were like horses at pasture, they skipped like lambs, singing your praises, Lord, their deliverer.
Responsorial Psalm : Psalm 104(105):2-3,36-37,42-43
R/ Remember the wonders the Lord has done.
O sing to him, sing his praise; tell all his wonderful works! Be proud of his holy name, let the hearts that seek the Lord rejoice.
He struck all the first-born in their land, the finest flower of their sons. He led out Israel with silver and gold. In his tribes were none who fell behind.
For he remembered his holy word, which he gave to Abraham his servant. So he brought out his people with joy, his chosen ones with shouts of rejoicing.
Gospel Acclamation : Jm1:21
Alleluia, alleluia! Accept and submit to the word which has been planted in you and can save your souls. Alleluia!
Gospel : Luke 18:1-8
Jesus told his disciples a parable about the need to pray continually and never lose heart. ‘There was a judge in a certain town’ he said ‘who had neither fear of God nor respect for man. In the same town there was a widow who kept on coming to him and saying, “I want justice from you against my enemy!” For a long time he refused, but at last he said to himself, “Maybe I have neither fear of God nor respect for man, but since she keeps pestering me I must give this widow her just rights, or she will persist in coming and worry me to death.”’ And the Lord said ‘You notice what the unjust judge has to say? Now will not God see justice done to his chosen who cry to him day and night even when he delays to help them? I promise you, he will see justice done to them, and done speedily. But when the Son of Man comes, will he find any faith on earth?’
Prayer over the Offerings
Look with favour, we pray, O Lord, upon the sacrificial gifts offered here, that, celebrating in mystery the Passion of your Son, we may honour it with loving devotion. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon : Ps 22: 1-2
The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want. Fresh and green are the pastures where he gives me repose, near restful waters he leads me.
Prayer after Communion
Nourished by this sacred gift, O Lord, we give you thanks and beseech your mercy, that, by the pouring forth of your Spirit, the grace of integrity may endure in those your heavenly power has entered. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
Through the parable of the widow and the unjust judge in today’s Gospel, Jesus teaches us a profound lesson on the significance of persistent prayer. He emphasises the importance of never giving up, even when there is no immediate answer. God, being loving and merciful, wants to answer our prayers. However, there are times when He delays to test our faith and teach us patience. Persistent prayer means praying without ceasing while applying the PUSH Formula (Pray Until Something Happens). God is always ready to answer our prayers. This approach is not about pressuring God but it is about immersing oneself in God. It urges us to avoid treating God like a quick fix. It is not praying for the sake of praying. We are confident in his words: “Call on me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you…” (Psalm 50:15); “Call to me, and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know” (Jeremiah 33:3). The parable illustrates that if a widow can receive justice from a wicked judge through her persistence, how much more can we expect blessings of mercy and grace from our loving Father? Let us not lose heart. Galatians 6:9 encourages us: “…for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Persistent prayer entails keeping our requests before God as we live for Him daily, believing that He will answer.
