Feast of Visitation

BLESSED AMONG WOMEN

The feast of the Visitation recalls to us the following great truths and events: The visit of the Blessed Virgin Mary to her cousin Elizabeth shortly after the Annunciation; the cleansing of John the Baptist from original sin in the womb of his mother at the words of Our Lady's greeting; Elizabeth's proclaiming of Mary - under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost - as Mother of God and "blessed among women"; Mary's singing of the sublime hymn, Magnificat ("My soul doth magnify the Lord") which has become a part of the daily official prayer of the Church.

The Mass of today salutes her who in her womb bore the King of heaven and earth, the Creator of the world, the Son of the Eternal Father, the Sun of Justice. Hearing herself addressed by the most lofty title of "Mother of the Lord" and realizing what grace her visit had conferred on John, Mary broke out in that sublime canticle of praise proclaiming prophetically that henceforth she would be venerated down through the centuries.

Luke presents Mary as the Ark of the Covenant coming to Jerusalem to show that God is present among his people to bring them joy. This is why the child leaps in Elizabeth’s womb. With Christ, God comes to live not in a temple of stone but in the hearts of people. Through this Eucharist let us welcome the Lord into our hearts and sing the praises of the Lord like Mary did and ask the Lord to bless us and bestow his graces upon us.

Liturgy - https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1L4AhhJ8qbeBODKfwGuign9TgW8DbDLlo?usp=sharing

Holy Trinity Sunday

THE FULLNESS OF LOVE

Today we celebrate the feast of the Holy Trinity. The Christian faith is centred on the Holy Trinity. It is the source and summit of all the other mysteries of faith, and the goal towards which our life is directed. It gives us a sense and meaning to all that is and constitutes the final happiness towards which we struggle. At the time of his ascension, Jesus commands his disciples to make disciples of all nations and baptize them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. When we pray we begin and end the prayer by invoking the Holy Trinity. Devotion to the Holy Trinity ensures success and happiness in our undertakings. May the celebration of the feast of the Holy Trinity help us to achieve peace and harmony in our families.

Liturgical materials for the Solemnity of the Holy Trinity.

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1-WmTjKfcCuBBJgcDHmw3sxtjHQTTFkv1?usp=sharing

Tamil Response Hymn - https://youtu.be/WLuFC_P1giM

Pentecost Sunday

THE SPIRIT WHO BEARS FRUIT

The Jewish Feast of Pentecost was celebrated exactly fifty days after the Feast of the Passover. After the Passover festivities, the Jewish people would once again come to Jerusalem for the Pentecost. The Pentecost that came after Christ died was a memorable one in many ways: it led to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the apostles and marked the official birthday of the Church. Let us thank God for both these extraordinary events. The apostles, together with Blessed Mother, gathered in the upper room received the gift of the Holy Spirit in a spectacular way, and set out to proclaim the good news. Hitherto fear-stricken and sad, the power of the Holy Spirit changed them into courageous witnesses of the gospel. They preached that Christ who was crucified and killed was risen and alive and that he is the Lord and Saviour of the whole world. Pentecost Sunday reminds us that all of us are anointed with the Holy Spirit at our baptism and Confirmation. Like the apostles we too are empowered to witness to Christ and proclaim the good news.

Liturgical materials for the Pentecost Sunday.

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1PAWNEzSrEatEXSrwJAE52TF8As0aMUQi?usp=sharing

Holy Spirit Hymn - https://youtu.be/E_FuFOJ6bXw

Feast of Ascension

THE PROMISE AND THE POWER

The ascension celebrates the return of the Lord Jesus to heaven. With the ascension the earthly mission of Jesus is complete, and Jesus passes on the mantle to his disciples. The ascension taking place forty days after his resurrection is a tradition preserved by Luke in the Acts of the Apostles. Luke himself ends his Gospel with an account of the ascension taking place on the day of the resurrection itself. During the forty days Jesus appears repeatedly to his disciples to strengthen them in their faith and to motivate them for their future mission. Once strengthened by the Holy Spirit the disciples carry on with the task of proclaiming the Good News. This is the task that is entrusted also to us. Are we ready to be witnesses of the Lord Jesus?

Liturgical materials for the Feast of Ascension.

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1JIj_uv_53x7dvoIh5Opz_YKVkgVQr1-J?usp=sharing

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

Easter 6th Sunday

ABIDE IN HIS LOVE

Jesus almost becomes emotional as he continues to talk with his disciples. Love is the theme on which he speaks so extensively. Jesus transmits to his disciples the same love with which his Father loves him. Further, the distance between Jesus and his disciples is bridged for Jesus considers his disciples as his friends. As friends do not hide things from one another Jesus too shares everything with his disciples. In all this Jesus has just one desire, the disciples should love one another. We tend to think that we receive no gifts from God. Jesus says this is not the case for he tells us that God is willing to give us any gift that we ask Him. In the First Reading as Peter is speaking in the house of Cornelius, the Holy Spirit falls on all those who are present. Gentiles too are accepted in the community of believers. In the Second Reading Saint John exhorts the Christians to love one another for love is the condition for knowing God who is love.

Liturgical materials for the Sixth Sunday of Easter.

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1l-KHmFdSTBA4Zi0RLI7ip6X39trysexW?usp=sharing

St. Joseph the Worker

DIGNITY OF HUMAN WORK

The feast of St. Joseph the Worker was established by Pope Pius XII in 1955 in order to Christianize the concept of labour and give to all workmen a model and a protector. By the daily labour in his shop, offered to God with patience and joy, St. Joseph provided for the necessities of his holy spouse and of the Incarnate Son of God, and thus became an example to all labourers. "Workmen and all those labouring in conditions of poverty will have reasons to rejoice rather than grieve, since they have in common with the Holy Family daily preoccupations and cares"(Leo XIII). This silent saint, who was given the noble task of caring and watching over the Virgin Mary and Jesus, now cares for and watches over the Church and models for all the dignity of human work. As we celebrate the feast let us remember to pray for all the workers all around the world that all the work that they do will be dignified and they are respected and well paid. Let us also pray that we may become dignified irrespective of work we do.

Liturgy for the Feast of St. Joseph the Worker (May 1) -

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1bRLVbsQ690BGl0buhaet3ZOsvThYWAYd?usp=drive_link