Monday 16th june

Saint Richard of Chichester

(1197 – 1253)

Psalter: Week III

Green

Richard Wych was, born at Droitwich (then known as Wych) in about 1197. In 1252 the Pope appointed Richard to preach the Crusade. He died on 3rd April 1253.  His body was brought back to Chichester, where he was immediately hailed as a saint.

Entrance Antiphon: Cf. Ps 26: 7, 9               

O Lord, hear my voice, for I have called to you; be my help. Do not abandon or forsake me, O God, my Saviour!

Collect

O God, strength of those who hope in you, graciously hear our pleas, and, since without you mortal frailty can do nothing, grant us always the help of your grace, that in following your commands we may please you by our resolve and our deeds. 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 Corinthians 6:1-10

As his fellow workers, we beg you once again not to neglect the grace of God that you have received. For he says: At the favourable time, I have listened to you; on the day of salvation I came to your help. Well, now is the favourable time; this is the day of salvation. We do nothing that people might object to, so as not to bring discredit on our function as God’s servants. Instead, we prove we are servants of God by great fortitude in times of suffering: in times of hardship and distress; when we are flogged, or sent to prison, or mobbed; labouring, sleepless, starving. We prove we are God’s servants by our purity, knowledge, patience and kindness; by a spirit of holiness, by a love free from affectation; by the word of truth and by the power of God; by being armed with the weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left, prepared for honour or disgrace, for blame or praise; taken for impostors while we are genuine; obscure yet famous; said to be dying and here are we alive; rumoured to be executed before we are sentenced; thought most miserable and yet we are always rejoicing; taken for paupers though we make others rich, for people having nothing though we have everything.

Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 97(98):1-4

R/ The Lord has made known his salvation.

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

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

Gospel Acclamation: Jn14:23    

Alleluia, alleluia! If anyone loves me he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we shall come to him. Alleluia!

Gospel: Matthew 5:38-42             

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘You have learnt how it was said: Eye for eye and tooth for tooth. But I say this to you: offer the wicked man no resistance. On the contrary, if anyone hits you on the right cheek, offer him the other as well; if a man takes you to law and would have your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone orders you to go one mile, go two miles with him. Give to anyone who asks, and if anyone wants to borrow, do not turn away.’

Prayer over the Offerings              

O God, who in the offerings presented here provide for the twofold needs of human nature, nourishing us with food and renewing us with your Sacrament,

grant, we pray, that the sustenance they provide may not fail us in body or in spirit. Through Christ our Lord.

Communion Antiphon: Ps 26: 4   

There is one thing I ask of the Lord, only this do I seek: to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.

Prayer after Communion              

As this reception of your Holy Communion, O Lord, foreshadows the union of the faithful in you, so may it bring about unity in your Church. Through Christ our Lord.

Meditation

Christianity extends beyond the reception of baptism and other sacraments. It also goes beyond attending church on Sundays, or participating in church groups. It is about adopting a distinctive way of life. Saint Paul sheds light on the components of this life, stressing that a genuine servant of God practises and promotes righteousness, maintains purity in thoughts, words, and actions. Such an individual demonstrates patience and kindness towards others;  standing firm in the face of troubles, difficulties, and challenges, and not giving in to despair but facing them head-on with trust in God. In harmony with Paul’s teachings, Jesus emphasises that a true servant of God does not return evil for evil.  For us, Christianity should transcend mere words and lip service, and become a way of life. Today, let us seek God’s grace to live as true servants, embodying the principles of patience, kindness, and overcoming evil with goodness.

Sunday 15th june

The Most Holy Trinity –

Solemnity

Blessed Peter Snow and Ralph Grimston

Psalter: Week III

White

Entrance Antiphon

Blest be God the Father, and the Only Begotten Son of God, and also the Holy Spirit, for he has shown us his merciful love.

Collect

God our Father, who by sending into the world the Word of truth and the Spirit of sanctification made known to the human race your wondrous mystery, grant us, we pray, that in professing the true faith, we may acknowledge the Trinity of eternal glory and adore your Unity, powerful in majesty. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

First reading : Proverbs 8:22-31

The Wisdom of God cries aloud: The Lord created me when his purpose first unfolded, before the oldest of his works. From everlasting I was firmly set, from the beginning, before earth came into being. The deep was not, when I was born, there were no springs to gush with water. Before the mountains were settled, before the hills, I came to birth; before he made the earth, the countryside, or the first grains of the world’s dust. When he fixed the heavens firm, I was there, when he drew a ring on the surface of the deep, when he thickened the clouds above, when he fixed fast the springs of the deep, when he assigned the sea its boundaries – and the waters will not invade the shore – when he laid down the foundations of the earth, I was by his side, a master craftsman, delighting him day after day, ever at play in his presence, at play everywhere in his world, delighting to be with the sons of men.

Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 8:4-9

R/  How great is your name, O Lord our God, through all the earth!

When I see the heavens, the work of your hands, the moon and the stars which you arranged, what is man that you should keep him in mind, mortal man that you care for him?

Yet you have made him little less than a god; with glory and honour you crowned him,gave him power over the works of your hand, put all things under his feet.

All of them, sheep and cattle, yes, even the savage beasts, birds of the air, and fish that make their way through the waters.

Second reading : Romans 5:1-5

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, by faith we are judged righteous and at peace with God, since it is by faith and through Jesus that we have entered this state of grace in which we can boast about looking forward to God’s glory. But that is not all we can boast about; we can boast about our sufferings. These sufferings bring patience, as we know, and patience brings perseverance, and perseverance brings hope, and this hope is not deceptive, because the love of God has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit which has been given us.

Gospel Acclamation : cf.Rv1:8

Alleluia, alleluia! Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; the God who is, who was, and who is to come. 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 you will be taken from what is mine.’

Prayer over the Offerings

Sanctify by the invocation of your name, we pray, O Lord our God, this oblation of our service, and by it make of us an eternal offering to you. Through Christ our Lord.

Communion Antiphon : Gal 4: 6

Since you are children of God, God has sent into your hearts the Spirit of his Son, the Spirit who cries out: Abba, Father.

Prayer after Communion

May receiving this Sacrament, O Lord our God, bring us health of body and soul, as we confess your eternal holy Trinity and undivided Unity. Through Christ our Lord.

Meditation

We believe in one God who is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Trinity is present everywhere in our liturgy and prayer, evident in baptism, blessings and prayers in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. This frequently used Trinitarian formula contains the core of our Christian faith. God the Father, Creator of all things, brought forth creation. He did so through His Son, the Word of God and the Wisdom of God. Through His Son, God redeemed us from sin and death, adopting us as His sons and daughters. In the sacrament of baptism, God imparts the Holy Spirit to us. In turn, the Holy Spirit bestows upon us the gifts of faith in God, hope in the promise of eternal life, and love for Him and our neighbours. Moreover, the Spirit also enables us to know and understand the truth about God as revealed in His Word. Our Christian existence is thus summarised in the Trinity. Each encounter with the Trinitarian formula serves as a reminder of who God is and what He has done and continues to do for us. Let us, therefore, regularly invoke the triune God, seeking His help in deepening our understanding of the truth about Him.

Saturday 14th june

Saturday memorial of the Blessed

Virgin Mary

Saint Davnet

Psalter: Week II

Green

She is the patron saint of the diocese of Clogher. Nothing is known about her for certain. She may have lived and died at Tydavnet in County Monaghan, possibly in the seventh century.

Entrance Antiphon: Cf. Ps 26: 1-2

The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; whom should I dread? When those who do evil draw near, they stumble and fall.

Collect

O God, from whom all good things come, grant that we, who call on you in our need, may at your prompting discern what is right, and by your guidance do it. 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 Corinthians 5:14-21

The love of Christ overwhelms us when we reflect that if one man has died for all, then all men should be dead; and the reason he died for all was so that living men should live no longer for themselves, but for him who died and was raised to life for them. From now onwards, therefore, we do not judge anyone by the standards of the flesh. Even if we did once know Christ in the flesh, that is not how we know him now. And for anyone who is in Christ, there is a new creation; the old creation has gone, and now the new one is here. It is all God’s work. It was God who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the work of handing on this reconciliation. In other words, God in Christ was reconciling the world to himself, not holding men’s faults against them, and he has entrusted to us the news that they are reconciled. So we are ambassadors for Christ; it is as though God were appealing through us, and the appeal that we make in Christ’s name is: be reconciled to God. For our sake God made the sinless one into sin, so that in him we might become the goodness of God.

Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 102(103):1-4,9-12

R/ The Lord is compassion and love, slow to anger and rich in mercy.

My soul, give thanks to the Lord all my being, bless his holy name. My soul, give thanks to the Lord and never forget all his blessings.

It is he who forgives all your guilt,  who heals every one of your ills, who redeems your life from the grave,  who crowns you with love and compassion.

His wrath will come to an end; he will not be angry for ever. He does not treat us according to our sins nor repay us according to our faults.

For as the heavens are high above the earth so strong is his love for those who fear him. As far as the east is from the west so far does he remove our sins.

Gospel Acclamation: Ps118:18  

Alleluia, alleluia! Open my eyes, O Lord, that I may consider the wonders of your law. Alleluia!

Gospel: Ps118:18             

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘You have learnt how it was said to our ancestors: You must not break your oath, but must fulfil your oaths to the Lord. But I say this to you: do not swear at all, either by heaven, since that is God’s throne; or by the earth, since that is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, since that is the city of the great king. Do not swear by your own head either, since you cannot turn a single hair white or black. All you need say is “Yes” if you mean yes, “No” if you mean no; anything more than this comes from the evil one.’

Prayer over the Offerings              

Look kindly upon our service, O Lord, we pray, that what we offer may be an acceptable oblation to you and lead us to grow in charity. Through Christ our Lord.

Communion Antiphon: Ps 17: 3   

The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer; my God is my saving strength.

Prayer after Communion              

May your healing work, O Lord, free us, we pray, from doing evil and lead us to what is right. Through Christ our Lord.

Meditation

“The Lord is compassion and love, slow to anger and rich in mercy.” God manifests his love for us through His mercy. Even though we deserve damnation for our sins, God does not judge us solely based on our faults. Instead, He has reconciled us to Himself through the death and resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ. Through this divine act, He has transformed us into a new creation, renewing us and adopting us as His sons and daughters. Reflection on this profound reality is a daily practice for Christians; being a Christian means acknowledging that God forgives our sins and adopts us as His beloved children. Take time today to express thanks to God for this act of love and mercy. Additionally, be mindful that God has appointed you as His ambassador, and entrusted you to carry this message of His love to those around you. Invite others to embrace God’s love and reconcile themselves to Him. As a new creation, live in accordance with God’s will, abstaining from all forms of sin. This includes being a person of integrity in your words. When you speak, say what you mean and mean what you say, embodying the principles of truthfulness and reliability.

Friday 13th june

Saint Antony of Padua (1195 – 1231)

Psalter: Week II

White

Saint Antony was first of all an Augustinian monk, and later a Franciscan. Illness prevented him going to Africa to preach. His sermons are full of gentleness, but he reproved the wicked with fearless severity – especially backsliding clergy and the oppressors of the weak.

Entrance Antiphon: Cf. Sir 15: 5   

In the midst of the Church he opened his mouth, and the Lord filled him with the spirit of wisdom and understanding and clothed him in a robe of glory.

Collect

Almighty ever-living God, who gave Saint Anthony of Padua to your people as an outstanding preacher and an intercessor in their need, grant that, with his assistance, as we follow the teachings of the Christian life, we may know your help in every trial. 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 Corinthians 4:7-15

We are only the earthenware jars that hold this treasure, to make it clear that such an overwhelming power comes from God and not from us. We are in difficulties on all sides, but never cornered; we see no answer to our problems, but never despair; we have been persecuted, but never deserted; knocked down, but never killed; always, wherever we may be, we carry with us in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus, too, may always be seen in our body. Indeed, while we are still alive, we are consigned to our death every day, for the sake of Jesus, so that in our mortal flesh the life of Jesus, too, may be openly shown. So death is at work in us, but life in you. But as we have the same spirit of faith that is mentioned in scripture – I believed, and therefore I spoke – we too believe and therefore we too speak, knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus to life will raise us with Jesus in our turn, and put us by his side and you with us. You see, all this is for your benefit, so that the more grace is multiplied among people, the more thanksgiving there will be, to the glory of God.

Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 115(116):10-11,15-18

R/ A thanksgiving sacrifice I make to you, O Lord.

I trusted, even when I said: ‘I am sorely afflicted,’ and when I said in my alarm: ‘No man can be trusted.’

O precious in the eyes of the Lord is the death of his faithful. Your servant, Lord, your servant am I;  you have loosened my bonds.

A thanksgiving sacrifice I make;  I will call on the Lord’s name. My vows to the Lord I will fulfill before all his people.

Gospel Acclamation: Jn10:27    

Alleluia, alleluia! The sheep that belong to me listen to my voice, says the Lord, I know them and they follow me. Alleluia!

Gospel: Matthew 5:27-32             

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘You have learnt how it was said: You must not commit adultery. But I say this to you: if a man looks at a woman lustfully, he has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye should cause you to sin, tear it out and throw it away; for it will do you less harm to lose one part of you than to have your whole body thrown into hell. And if your right hand should cause you to sin, cut it off and throw it away; for it will do you less harm to lose one part of you than to have your whole body go to hell. ‘It has also been said: Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a writ of dismissal. But I say this to you: everyone who divorces his wife, except for the case of fornication, makes her an adulteress; and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.’

Prayer over the Offerings              

May the sacrifice which we gladly present on the feast day of blessed N., be pleasing to you, O God, for, taught by him, we, too, give ourselves entirely to you in praise. Through Christ our Lord.

Communion Antiphon: Cf. Lk 12: 42           

Behold a faithful and prudent steward to give them their allowance of food at the proper time.

Prayer after Communion              

Through Christ the teacher, O Lord, instruct those you feed with Christ, the living Bread, that on the feast day of blessed N. they may learn your truth and express it in works of charity. Through Christ our Lord.

Meditation

“If your right eye should cause you to sin, tear it out and throw it away.” Jesus is not asking us to pluck out our eyes or cut off our hands, He is merely urging us to eliminate habits, attitudes, and even certain relationships that lead us down the path to sin. We all have aspects of our lives that need transformation – bad habits to break, places to avoid, certain  “friends” whose influence may not be conducive to our spiritual well-being. Developing intimacy with God entails pruning; just as we prune a branch to bear more fruit. We must cleanse ourselves of anything or anyone standing between us and God. This is a long and painful but necessary process. If we resolve to embark on this path, we can be assured that God will support us. Just as God stood by Saint Paul and his companions through the difficulties they faced in spreading the Gospel, He will guide us through the difficult task of purifying our thoughts, words, and deeds, provided we turn to Him for help.

Thursday 12th june

Saint Onuphrius (d. 400)

Psalter: Week II

Green

Onuphrius lived as a hermit in the desert for seventy years. In the desert he suffered much from privation of food and drink, and also from many temptations. He spent his life praying and working until his death at the age of ninety. It was about the year 400.

Entrance Antiphon: Cf. Ps 26: 1-2    

The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; whom should I dread? When those who do evil draw near, they stumble and fall.

Collect  

O God, from whom all good things come, grant that we, who call on you in our need, may at your prompting discern what is right, and by your guidance do it. 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 Corinthians 3:15-4:1,3-6

Even today, whenever Moses is read, the veil is over their minds. It will not be removed until they turn to the Lord. Now this Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, with our unveiled faces reflecting like mirrors the brightness of the Lord, all grow brighter and brighter as we are turned into the image that we reflect; this is the work of the Lord who is Spirit. Since we have by an act of mercy been entrusted with this work of administration, there is no weakening on our part. If our gospel does not penetrate the veil, then the veil is on those who are not on the way to salvation; the unbelievers whose minds the god of this world has blinded, to stop them seeing the light shed by the Good News of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For it is not ourselves that we are preaching, but Christ Jesus as the Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. It is the same God that said, ‘Let there be light shining out of darkness’, who has shone in our minds to radiate the light of the knowledge of God’s glory, the glory on the face of Christ.

Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 84(85):9-14(Thu10)

R/ The glory of the Lord will dwell in our land.

I will hear what the Lord God has to say,  a voice that speaks of peace. His help is near for those who fear him and his glory will dwell in our land.

Mercy and faithfulness have met;  justice and peace have embraced. Faithfulness shall spring from the earth  and justice look down from heaven.

The Lord will make us prosper  and our earth shall yield its fruit. Justice shall march before him  and peace shall follow his steps.

Gospel Acclamation: cf.1Th2:13      

Alleluia, alleluia! Accept God’s message for what it really is: God’s message, and not some human thinking. Alleluia!

Gospel: Matthew 5:20-26  

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘If your virtue goes no deeper than that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never get into the kingdom of heaven.  ‘You have learnt how it was said to our ancestors: You must not kill; and if anyone does kill he must answer for it before the court. But I say this to you: anyone who is angry with his brother will answer for it before the court; if a man calls his brother “Fool” he will answer for it before the Sanhedrin; and if a man calls him “Renegade” he will answer for it in hell fire. So then, if you are bringing your offering to the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar, go and be reconciled with your brother first, and then come back and present your offering. Come to terms with your opponent in good time while you are still on the way to the court with him, or he may hand you over to the judge and the judge to the officer, and you will be thrown into prison. I tell you solemnly, you will not get out till you have paid the last penny.’

Prayer over the Offerings  

Look kindly upon our service, O Lord, we pray, that what we offer may be an acceptable oblation to you and lead us to grow in charity. Through Christ our Lord.

Communion Antiphon: Ps 17: 3       

The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer; my God is my saving strength.

Prayer after Communion  

May your healing work, O Lord, free us, we pray, from doing evil and lead us to what is right. Through Christ our Lord.

Meditation

“If your virtue goes no deeper than that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never get into the kingdom of heaven.” Jesus regularly accuses the Pharisees for hypocrisy, that is, acting to attract attention whereas their hearts remain distant from God. To surpass the virtue of the Pharisees, our commitment must extend beyond mere words and actions. God’s Word must penetrate our very hearts, the source of all our words and actions. We must let Christ transform our hearts, so that our lives too will be transformed. It is not enough not to kill; we must rid our hearts of the anger and resentment that drive destructive words and actions towards others. As we often say of witchcraft in our society, the essence lies not only in manipulating mystical powers but in the jealousy and wickedness we harbour in our hearts that propel us to seek the means to harm others. Let us invite the Holy Spirit to purify our hearts and cleanse us of all evil intentions, so that Christ’s image may be imprinted forever in our lives.

Wednesday 11th june

Saint Barnabas the Apostle

Psalter: Week II

Red

Saint Barnabas was born in Cyprus. He accompanied Paul on his first missionary journey and later went to Cyprus with his cousin John Mark (Mark the evangelist) to preach the gospel there. He was probably martyred at Salamis in Cyprus, some time before the year 61.

Entrance Antiphon : Cf. Acts 11: 24

Blessed is this holy man, who was worthy to be numbered among the Apostles, for he was a good man, filled with the Holy Spirit and with faith.

Collect

O God, who decreed that Saint Barnabas, a man filled with faith and the Holy Spirit, should be set apart to convert the nations, grant that the Gospel of Christ, which he strenuously preached, may be faithfully proclaimed by word and by deed. 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 : Acts 11:21-26,13:1-3

A great number believed and were converted to the Lord. The Church in Jerusalem heard about this and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. There he could see for himself that God had given grace, and this pleased him, and he urged them all to remain faithful to the Lord with heartfelt devotion; for he was a good man, filled with the Holy Spirit and with faith. And a large number of people were won over to the Lord. Barnabas then left for Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he found him he brought him to Antioch. As things turned out they were to live together in that Church a whole year, instructing a large number of people. It was at Antioch that the disciples were first called ‘Christians.’ In the Church at Antioch the following were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen, who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. One day while they were offering worship to the Lord and keeping a fast, the Holy Spirit said, ‘I want Barnabas and Saul set apart for the work to which I have called them.’ So it was that after fasting and prayer they laid their hands on them and sent them off.

Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 97:1-6

R/  The Lord has shown his salvation to the nations.

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

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

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.

Gospel Acclamation: Ps118:27  

Alleluia, alleluia! Make me grasp the way of your precepts, and I will muse on your wonders. Alleluia!

Gospel: Matthew 5:17-19             

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Do not imagine that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I have come not to abolish but to complete them. I tell you solemnly, till heaven and earth disappear, not one dot, not one little stroke, shall disappear from the Law until its purpose is achieved. Therefore, the man who infringes even one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be considered the least in the kingdom of heaven; but the man who keeps them and teaches them will be considered great in the kingdom of heaven.’

Prayer over the Offerings

Sanctify with your blessing, we pray, O Lord, the offerings presented here, so that by your grace they may set us on fire with the flame of your love, by which Saint Barnabas brought the light of the Gospel to the nations. Through Christ our Lord.

Communion Antiphon : Cf. Jn 15: 15

I no longer call you slaves, because a slave does not know what his master is doing. But I have called you friends, because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father.

Prayer after Communion

As we receive the pledge of eternal life, we humbly implore you, Lord, that what we celebrate in sacramental signs on the Memorial of the blessed Apostle Barnabas we may one day behold unveiled. Through Christ our Lord.

Meditation

“He urged them all to remain faithful to the Lord with heartfelt devotion.”  Saint Barnabas, whom we honour today, extends this plea to us — a reminder that devotion to Christ is an ongoing endeavour. Believing in Jesus is not enough. We have to remain faithful to Him all the days of our lives. This is a challenging task amid the demands of daily life, where worldly concerns can easily overshadow our commitments to God. When we start skipping daily prayer, reducing the time allotted to Scripture and neglecting church activities, we gradually distance ourselves from divine grace, which renders us more vulnerable to the temptations of the devil. As followers of Christ, we must seek God’s face daily through prayer and meditation on His Word. We have to strive every day to obey His commandments and teach them to others. Through the intercession of Saint Barnabas, may God grant us the grace to remain faithful to Him today and all the days of our lives.