Daily Mass . March 21
from St. Thomas Aquinas Church
(Sorry for the delayed post. Youtube video processing delayed because of high volume.)
The prayer from Father Joel's homily . . .
Oh God be merciful to me, a sinner.
- Prepare an altar with a candle lit to help set the tone. Dispose yourself properly before beginning. Take three mindful breaths.
- Dress up properly even if you are just at home.
- Remove distractions (silence phones and gadgets)
- Instead of actual communion, pray the act of spiritual communion from the heart, dwell on what the words mean.
- Pray the Oratio Imperata, within the Mass if it is part of it or soon after if not part. Pray for our Mother Mary’s intercession. Pray also for our frontliners.
- Reflect on how God is teaching us to love ‘in this time of corona’and how we may have fallen short because of our own selfishness.
Oftentimes, we realize the value of something only when we are deprived of it. May this also help us cultivate the yearning to actually receive Jesus in physical communion soon. (excerpted from CoolCatholics.org)
Reading 1 (HOS 6:1-6)
“Come, let us return to the LORD,
it is he who has rent, but he will heal us;
he has struck us, but he will bind our wounds.
He will revive us after two days;
on the third day he will raise us up,
to live in his presence.
Let us know, let us strive to know the LORD;
as certain as the dawn is his coming,
and his judgment shines forth like the light of day!
He will come to us like the rain,
like spring rain that waters the earth.”
What can I do with you, Ephraim?
What can I do with you, Judah?
Your piety is like a morning cloud,
like the dew that early passes away.
For this reason I smote them through the prophets,
I slew them by the words of my mouth;
For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice,
and knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.
Responsorial Psalm (51:3-4, 18-19, 20-21AB)
R. It is mercy I desire, and not sacrifice.
Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness;
in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense.
Thoroughly wash me from my guilt
and of my sin cleanse me.
R. It is mercy I desire, and not sacrifice.
For you are not pleased with sacrifices;
should I offer a burnt offering, you would not accept it.
My sacrifice, O God, is a contrite spirit;
a heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.
R. It is mercy I desire, and not sacrifice.
Be bountiful, O LORD, to Zion in your kindness
by rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem;
Then shall you be pleased with due sacrifices,
burnt offerings and holocausts.
R. It is mercy I desire, and not sacrifice.
Verse Before The Gospel (MT 4:17)
If today you hear his voice,
harden not your hearts.
Gospel (LK 18:9-14)
Jesus addressed this parable
to those who were convinced of their own righteousness
and despised everyone else.
“Two people went up to the temple area to pray;
one was a Pharisee and the other was a tax collector.
The Pharisee took up his position and spoke this prayer to himself,
‘O God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of humanity —
greedy, dishonest, adulterous — or even like this tax collector.
I fast twice a week,
and I pay tithes on my whole income.’
But the tax collector stood off at a distance
and would not even raise his eyes to heaven
but beat his breast and prayed,
‘O God, be merciful to me a sinner.’
I tell you, the latter went home justified, not the former;
for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled,
and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
Prayer of Humility
O Jesus, meek and humble of heart, Hear me.
From the desire of being esteemed,
Deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being loved,
Deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being extolled,
Deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being honored,
Deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being praised,
Deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being preferred to others,
Deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being consulted,
Deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being approved,
Deliver me, O Jesus.
From the fear of being humiliated,
Deliver me, O Jesus.
From the fear of being despised,
Deliver me, O Jesus.
From the fear of suffering rebukes,
Deliver me, O Jesus.
From the fear of being calumniated,
Deliver me, O Jesus.
From the fear of being forgotten,
Deliver me, O Jesus.
From the fear of being ridiculed,
Deliver me, O Jesus.
From the fear of being wronged,
Deliver me, O Jesus.
From the fear of being suspected,
Deliver me, O Jesus.
That others may be loved more than I,
Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be esteemed more than I,
Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That, in the opinion of the world, others may increase and I may decrease,
Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be chosen and I set aside,
Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be praised and I go unnoticed,
Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be preferred to me in everything,
Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may become holier than I, provided that I may become as holy as I should,
Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That I might imitate the patience and obedience of Your mother, Mary.
Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
Amen.
An Act of Spiritual Communion
My Jesus,
I believe that You
are present in the Most Holy Sacrament.
I love You above all things,
and I desire to receive You into my soul.
Since I cannot at this moment
receive You sacramentally,
come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if You were already there and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You.
Amen.
- Our goal will be to have each Mass posted by 10am or sooner each day. The weekend Mass will be posted by 5pm on Saturday so it is available to you for Saturday evening and Sunday morning.
- Remember that Adoration in Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament Chapel is available from 9am-9pm. Fr. Ken and Fr. Joel will also be available for confession at our scheduled times.
- Please share this information with all those you know who will want to celebrate along with us.
From Fr. Joel . . .
Amidst all fears and anxieties remember what Jesus said, “Do not be afraid” - “Huwag kang mangamba”. Pray with me as we ask dear Lord to vanish the fear in our hearts and replace it with PEACE.