Holy Family

SANCTIFYING THE FAMILY

Dear brothers and sisters, today we celebrate the feast of the Holy Family. We all belong to a family consisting of our parents, brothers and sisters and we are aware how much they care for us and how much we owe to our families. The Holy Family of Nazareth was also a well-knit unit. Each member of the Holy Family excelled in his/her own way each upholding the values of Family life to the maximum level possible and thereby providing a model for all families to imitate. There was perfect harmony, understanding and freedom in the holy Family. The Book of Genesis narrates very vividly that Adam felt lonely and his loneliness could be removed only when God created Eve. The family that God envisaged for his Son consisted of his mother Mary and foster father Joseph. Are our families suitable dwelling places for their members?

Liturgical materials for the Feast of the Holy Family.

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/11tc0YjbIGgHuA7KKfH1w_Sv-FRtiXsUd?usp=sharing

Response Hymn - https://youtu.be/ixEGWLtrfEg 

Christmas

GOD IS WITH US

Dear brothers and sisters, the birthday of Jesus for which we have been preparing has arrived. Tonight, we celebrate the Lord’s nativity. Jesus was born in Bethlehem, the city of David, because the census ordered by the emperor necessitated Joseph to travel to his ancestral city. He took along with him Mary, his betrothed. Though the Jewish people were eagerly waiting for their Messiah, they remained unaware of his birth. The shepherds in the field rushed to meet the child following the announcement of the angels who appeared to them. The birth of Jesus was a joyous event and the heavenly hosts in unison praised and glorified God for the magnificent event that took place on that night. Christmas continues to be a joyful event and the entire world rejoices at his birth. Let us approach the new-born child with grateful hearts and ask him for the graces we need to live our lives as his worthy disciples.

Christmas Liturgy for the Mid-Night & Day Mass.

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/12l_FAkVNaktcs3LXdokJFzwrYeRt_zyd?usp=sharing

Christmas Song - https://youtu.be/yIHSJ-f0bA0

Christmas Song - https://youtu.be/hMJWanWwioE

Advent 4th Sunday

“YES” TO GOD AS MARY DID

As we are approaching the Nativity of the Lord Jesus, the Gospel lays before us the scene of the annunciation. When the angel approaches Mary and announces to her that she will conceive a child, Mary’s reaction is to ask how the conception will take place for her marriage has not taken place. When the angel clarifies that the conception will take place through the power of the Holy Spirit Mary is convinced and gives her consent. Here we encounter a Divine-human partnership which lays the foundation for a new era in Salvation history. It is our faith and belief that Jesus is our Saviour and he will lead us to eternal life. In the First Reading we see David’s plan to build a temple for the Lord, but the Lord does not approve it, instead David receives an assurance about the continuation of his dynasty. In the Second Reading Paul says that through the preaching of the gospel a mystery which was kept secret for long ages has been made known to all nations. Let us recall to our mind our sins and short comings in order to celebrate this Eucharist worthily.

Liturgical materials for the Fourth Sunday of Advent.

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1myEr5WCit4Q2U9VaCunOkLRp4TEhq53_?usp=sharing

Response Hymn - https://youtu.be/CuaE8TzJpf4

Christmas Novena

COME LORD JESUS! MARANATHA!

We are now invited to enter into a very solemn part of our journey through Advent; it is a time to get ready, with minds and hearts open to the impending message. Catholics in many cultures have prayed the Christmas Novena (nine consecutive days of prayer) from December 16-24 as part of their Christmas preparation during the season of Advent.

How can one explain the greatest, most singular event in human history? How can the extraordinary event of God becoming man in a Child be described? How do we account for the fact that God revealed His love in Jesus Christ?

The Advent Liturgy invites us to prepare our hearts to welcome the gift of the Baby Jesus with the stupor that we express with the exclamation “O”. In fact, these invocations are enshrined in the so-called major antiphons, or O Antiphons that are celebrated during the 9 days that proceed the Solemnity of Christmas.

All these antiphons start with the emphatic expression “O” which is an expression which arises from a heart that is filled with stupor. They are a series of Messianic invocations which call out to the promised One of the Old Testament to come and save His people.

The historic origin of these invocations dates back to the time of Gregory the Great around the start of the seventh century A.D. Even today, they maintain all their original beauty. Studies have noted that there is an acrostic that is formed from the reverse order of the antiphons.

O Sapientia – Wisdom

O Adonai – Lord

O Radix – Root

O Clavis – Key

O Oriens – Morning Star

O Rex – King

O Emmanuel – Emmanuel

Starting from the last antiphon, the first letter of the Latin word used to describe the Messiah spells “ERO CRAS” which means “I will come tomorrow”. It is the comforting response of the Messiah who accepts the plea of mankind to come. Whilst we invoke Him, He is already responding to our invocation with the promise which concludes the Book of Apocalypse “I am indeed coming soon” (Ap 22:20). The O Antiphons forcefully underline the fact that the Child placed in the manger is truly the God that we have desired and awaited through the centuries. He is the Eternal Wisdom, Our Lord, the long-awaited Messiah, the Root from the tree of Jesse, the Morning Star, the God with us – the Emmanuel. He has brought to fulfilment the awaiting of His people with the Incarnation.

Over time, other invocations were added to the seven original ones to take the form of a Novena – the Christmas Novena. These nine days of invocation are a truly Christological compendium to prepare for the coming of the Messiah who is about to arrive.

“Come Lord Jesus.” This is our joyous cry of Advent! Come Lord Jesus! Maranatha!

Christmas Novena -

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1sHiOPN9oetW0qEL9RaZoKcT3poTvhGIB?usp=sharing

Advent 3rd Sunday

ILLUMINATING THE PATH

We are preparing for the Nativity of the Lord Jesus. With his birth the prophecy of Isaiah in the First Reading of today finds its fulfilment. According to Isaiah the future Messiah will bring good news to the poor and liberate people who are downtrodden and oppressed. The authorities in Jerusalem notice that there is a movement around John and set themselves on a fact-finding tour. They question John about what is happening around him. John says that he is merely preparing the way for the One who is much greater than him. He confesses his unworthiness to even untie the strap of the sandals of the One coming, who is Jesus the Messiah. The point is, if John can evoke such a response from the religious authorities, Jesus who is the Son of God can evoke even greater response. Hence let us prepare ourselves for his coming which is imminent. In the Second Reading St Paul exhorts the Thessalonians not to quench the Holy Spirit but to keep their bodies and souls blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Meanwhile they have to hold fast to what is good and abstain from every form of evil.

Liturgical materials for the Third Sunday of Advent.

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1vajopYZBDXNryP-hffsfwuoay5hseSh7?usp=sharing

Tamil Response Hymn - https://youtu.be/qz7EU_Zo53s

Advent 2nd Sunday

A TIME FOR BECOMING

Before Jesus begins his public ministry John the Baptist arrives to prepare the people to receive him. John impresses the people with his austere lifestyle and invites them to repentance and conversion. To this end he administers the baptism of repentance telling the people that when the Messiah arrives, he will baptize them with the Holy Spirit. In the First Reading Isaiah speaks tenderly to the Israelites who are captives in Babylon and promises them that their suffering will come to an end. In the Second Reading Peter writes that God is not slow about his promises but God’s way of reckoning time cannot be compared to ours. God wishes to save all and urges everyone to repent. Let us prepare ourselves to welcome the Lord as we place before the Lord our sins and short comings.

Liturgical materials for the Second Sunday of Advent.

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1tTgdoXC4Abz51OxKj8dGXIaqC8MdINt9?usp=sharing

Response Hymn - https://youtu.be/MQfap9u5BBI

Immaculate Conception

MARY, THE BEST OF US

Today we celebrate the feast of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This feast celebrates God's choice of Mary to be the mother of Jesus. God preserved Mary from the stain of original sin from the moment of her conception. Thus, Mary was the first to receive the benefit of the redemption that her Son would merit for all.

The Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception is a Catholic feast celebrating Mary's conception without sin. Even though this feast day occurs in the liturgical season of Advent, which prepares for the birth of Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Immaculate Conception refers to the conception of Mary in the womb of her mother, St. Anne. The dogma of the Immaculate Conception asserts that, "from the first moment of her conception, the Blessed Virgin Mary was, by the singular grace and privilege of Almighty God, and in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, Savior of Mankind, kept free from all stain of original sin."

The observance of this feast began with a Papal encyclical by Pope Pius IX, when he formally defined the dogma of the Immaculate Conception, INEFFABILIS DEUS, on December 8, 1854. Several years later, in 1858, the Blessed Mother gave her name to St. Bernadette at Lourdes stating, "I am the Immaculate Conception."

Mary is a model of discipleship for us because she said yes to God and cooperated with God's plan by becoming the mother of Jesus. We honor Mary because she is the Mother of Jesus and our Mother as well. We pray that we will be like Mary, open to God's call and willing to cooperate with whatever is God's plan for our lives.

Liturgy for the Feast -

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1To8Al5mURuyLALlrCIimfczE1DgNlXYa?usp=sharing

Amala Annai Song - https://youtu.be/r-ZTGw3kQNk

Advent 1st Sunday

FAITHFUL AND WATCHFUL

With the First Sunday of Advent, we begin a new Liturgical Year. Advent is a period of time to prepare ourselves for the coming of Christ. Jesus Christ was born two thousand years ago, and his parents were from a remote village in Northern Palestine. The Child born is the Son of God in whom we hope for salvation and eternal life. Jesus lived major part of his life among his people. His life ended abruptly at the prime of his youth. This indicates that we too should live our lives always keeping in mind our own encounter with Christ which is sure to take place but the timing of which we do not know. Hence the need for preparedness and vigilance as we live our lives. The First Reading contains the sincere confession of the Israelites returning from the Babylonian exile. In the Second Reading St Paul tells the Corinthians that they are enriched in every way. In the Gospel Jesus tells the parable of the man going on a journey after having entrusted his home to his servants to look after it and warned them of his unexpected return.

Liturgical materials for the First Sunday of Advent Year B.
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1_nBDsj3vElKw-VwG1US0nmr7ZPjdoedZ?usp=sharing

Response Hymn - https://youtu.be/uZTxQY2WBkE

Advent Season Liturgy

A SEASON OF WAITING

Beginning the Church's liturgical year, Advent (from, "ad-venire" in Latin or "to come to") is the season encompassing the four Sundays (and weekdays) leading up to the celebration of Christmas.

The Advent season is a time of preparation that directs our hearts and minds to Christ’s second coming at the end of time and to the anniversary of Our Lord’s birth on Christmas. From the earliest days of the Church, people have been fascinated by Jesus’ promise to come back. But the scripture readings during Advent tell us not to waste our time with predictions. Advent is not about speculation. Our Advent readings call us to be alert and ready, not weighted down and distracted by the cares of this world (Lk 21:34-36). Like Lent, the liturgical color for Advent is purple since both are seasons that prepare us for great feast days. Advent also includes an element of penance in the sense of preparing, quieting, and disciplining our hearts for the full joy of Christmas.

Liturgical collection fo the Advent season.

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1HHLoU-Z5k0RNa1drU0QIUjfA4Mfg14nU?usp=sharing