5th Sunday of Lent - Year B - March 17, 2024

 
The readings for the 5th Sunday of Lent for Year B focus on God's covenant with us, even though we are often unfaithful. The first reading speaks of a new covenant. The second reading speaks of the obedience of Jesus Christ brought about our salvation. And in the gospel Jesus foretells his death and explains that those who follow him will find eternal life.
The Mass readings for the 5th Sunday of Lent Year B revolve around several interconnected themes that highlight the transformative nature of faith, the fulfillment of God's promises, and the path to eternal life through sacrifice and obedience. Here are the main themes:

• New Covenant and Inner Transformation: The first reading from Jeremiah speaks of a new covenant that God will establish with His people. Unlike the old covenant, which was external and often broken, this new covenant will be written on their hearts, symbolizing an intimate and unbreakable relationship with God. It emphasizes God's mercy and the transformative power of His law within us.

• Obedience Through Suffering: The second reading from Hebrews presents Jesus as the model of obedience and submission to God's will, even in the face of suffering. It highlights the idea that true obedience to God can involve hardship and pain but leads to greater wisdom and fulfillment of God's plan for salvation.

• Death and Resurrection: The Gospel according to John introduces the metaphor of a grain of wheat that must die to produce life, illustrating the necessary passage through death to reach the fullness of life. This theme is central to the Lenten journey, pointing towards Jesus' death and resurrection as the path to new life for all believers.

• Self-Denial and Service: Jesus' teachings on self-denial and the importance of serving others are key themes in the Gospel. He emphasizes that following Him requires a willingness to let go of personal desires and ambitions in favor of a life dedicated to serving God and others.

• Universal Salvation: Jesus' statement about drawing all people to Himself upon being lifted up from the earth speaks to the universal nature of His mission. His death and resurrection are not just for a select few but offer salvation to all who believe in Him, transcending cultural and religious boundaries.

• Divine Assurance and Human Response: The divine voice affirming Jesus' mission and the varied responses from the crowd illustrate the theme of faith and doubt. It highlights the challenges believers face in understanding and accepting the mysteries of faith, as well as the assurance that God's plan is being fulfilled through Jesus.

These themes for the 5th Sunday of Lent Year B guide the faithful towards a deeper understanding of God's love and salvation plan, encouraging a personal and communal transformation that aligns with the heart of the Lenten season.
 
Entrance:
1.      Tun-I Kami Ginoo
2.      Mag-awit Kita
3.      Dios Namo sa Kalooy
4.      Buksan ang aming puso (Tinio, Hontiveros) 
5.      Sa Piging ng Panginoon (Tabuena, Hontiveros). “Buhay ay inialay N’ya sa dakilang Diyos Ama. Upang atin nang makamtan buhay na walang hanggan.”
6.      Hosea (Norbet)
7.      Blest Be the Lord (Schutte)
 
Readings:

• First Reading - Jeremiah 31:31-34: God promises a new covenant with Israel and Judah, different from the old. He will write His laws in their hearts, be their God, and they, His people. All will know Him and be forgiven.

• Responsorial Psalm - Psalm 51: Create a clean heart in me, O God.

I ask God for mercy and cleansing from my sins. May He create a pure heart in me, not casting me away, and restore the joy of salvation to guide others.

• Second Reading - Hebrews 5:7-9: Jesus Christ, during His time on earth, earnestly prayed to the Father, and was heard for His deep reverence. Through suffering, He learned obedience, becoming the source of eternal salvation for His followers.

• Gospel -John 12:20-33: When some Greeks sought Jesus during Passover, He spoke of His impending death, likening it to a grain of wheat that must die to produce many seeds. He emphasized self-denial for eternal life and the honor given to those who serve Him. Jesus, troubled, chose to glorify God's name over seeking rescue. A divine voice affirmed this, leading to varied interpretations among the crowd. Jesus explained His crucifixion would judge the world and draw all to Himself, revealing the nature of His death.

 
 
Offertory:
1.      Dios Nia Ko
2.      Ania Among Halad
3.      O Dios Dawata
4.      Kung ‘Yong Nanaisin (Francisco)
5.      Narito Ako, Panginoon (Que)
6.      Panginoon, Narito Ako (Isidro, Que) 
7.      Dwelling Place (Foley) 
8.      Prayer of Rupert Mayer (Francisco)
 
Communion:
1.      Ako ang Kahayag
2.      Anino
3.      Balaan nga Gugma
4.      Himig Heswita Medley (you can see it on youtube.com)
5.      Pagkakaibigan (Cenzon, Abad Santos)
6.      Awit ng Paghilom (Aquino)
7.      Dakilang Pag-ibig (Pangilinan, Hontiveros)
8.      Diyos ay Pag-ibig
9.      Huwag Kang Mangamba (Pagsanghan, Francisco)
10.  Likhain Mong Muli (Alejo, Francisco)
11.  Maging Akin Muli (Aquino)
12.  O Hesus, Hilumin Mo (Francisco)
13.  Anima Christi (Arboleda)
14.  Behold the Wood (Schutte)
15.  Come to Me (Francisco)
16.  Come to Me All Who Are Weary (Schutte)
17.  Come With Me Into The Fields (Schutte)
18.  Empty Space (Go, Francisco)
19.  Father, Mercy (Dufford)
20.  Holy Darkness (Schutte)
21.  If I Could Touch You (Francisco)
22.  Jesus on the Cross (Go, Francisco)
23.  Now We Remain (Haas) 
24.  Only This I Want (Schutte)
25.  Out of Roads (Go, Aquino)
26.  You Are Mine (Haas)
27.  Your Heart Today (Francisco)
 
Recessional:
1.      Kinsa?
2.      Ang Atong Tulubagon
3.      Maliban na Mahulog sa Lupa
4.      Pananagutan (Hontiveros)
5.      Seek the Lord (O’Connor)
6.      Save Us, O Lord (Dufford)
 

3rd Sunday of Lent - Year B - March 3, 2024

 We are very sorry for not having any updates since last week because of some problems.

The readings for the 3rd Sunday of Lent Year B help us understand that we must follow God’s commandments and truly live them in our hearts to find life. The first reading gives us the ten commandments. The second reading reminds us that God’s wisdom is not like human wisdom. And the gospel tells of Jesus cleansing the temple of the money changers who put their own desires above serving the Father.

The themes are as follows:

• The reverence for the temple: The temple was a sacred space for the Jewish people, and it was meant to be a place of worship and prayer. Jesus' actions demonstrate the importance of maintaining the sanctity of the temple and not allowing it to become a marketplace. The importance of worshiping and serving God alone is also emphasized in the first reading for the 3rd Sunday of Lent Year B. In both cases, there is a focus on the centrality of God in our worship and church practices.

• The zeal for God's house: Jesus' zeal for God's house is evident in his actions in the temple. As believers, we are called to have a similar zeal for God's house and to prioritize our relationship with God above all else.

• The purity of heart: Jesus' cleansing of the temple is also a symbol of the purification of the heart. As believers, we are called to strive for purity of heart, which means being mindful of our thoughts, words, and actions, and ensuring that they are aligned with God's will.

• The significance of the Eucharist: The temple in Jerusalem was a foreshadowing of the true temple, which is the body of Christ. As Catholics, we believe that Jesus is present in the Eucharist, and that every time we participate in Mass, we are entering into the presence of God. The Gospel reading reminds us of the significance of the Eucharist and the importance of approaching it with reverence and awe. This also ties in with the first reading for the 3rd Sunday of Lent Year B, which reminds us to keep the Sabbath holy.

SHORT CATECHESIS
1. The word Lent means spring. It is from the Old English ‘lencten’ which means spring. It used to describe the lengthening of days that marks the coming of spring. Di ba kapag winter, medyo mahaba ang gabi, at maikli ang day. The original period of Lent was 40 hours. People back then spent the time fasting to commemorate the suffering of Jesus Christ, and the “40 hours” He spent in the tomb. In the early 3rd century, Lent was lengthened to 6 days. About 800 AD, it was changed to 40 days.
2. Now it is a 40-day long season of preparation before Easter. Because Jesus Christ rose on a Sunday, Sundays in Lent should therefore not be counted. Lent is a reminder of the 40 days and 40 nights of Jesus’ fasting in the desert. It is a great spiritual retreat lasting 40 days. It is an extraordinary time of repentance and reconciliation. It is an opportune time to turn away from sin, and turn toward the Lord Jesus. It is a call to conversion.
3. Conversion involves a new discovery of God. Conversion is an intimate encounter with God Himself.
4. The key penitential practices of Lent involve increased prayer, increased almsgiving, increased fasting, and increased self-denial.
a. Ang panalangin ang tapat at matiyagang pagsisikap ng ating sarili na makipag-ugnay sa Panginoon.
b. Almsgiving represents a specific way to assist those in need. It is an exercise to free us from attachment to worldly goods. We can apply this concretely through doing the corporal works of mercy: feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, clothe the naked, shelter the homeless, visit the sick, visit the imprisoned, and bury the dead.
c. Fasting detoxifies us from the pollution of sin and evil. We are required to fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, and are encouraged to fast on Fridays of Lent. (In fact, some even eat mongo only on Fridays, even if it’s not Lent.) But the heart of the precept involves fasting from sin and from “luxuries”. Baka pwedeng mag-fasting tayo sa pakikipag-away sa mga taga-ibang choir, o taga-ibang ministry, or tsismisan tungkol sa kanila.
d. Self-denial means giving up things this Lent. Palagi akong may line-up sa mga estudyante ko about things that they can sacrifice during Lent: Internet, social networking sites like FaceBook, Twitter, coffee, alcoholic drinks, television, chocolate, soda, swearing/cussing, smoking, sugar, porn, red meat, fast food, beer, sweets, French fries, Starbucks, cookies, ice cream, shopping, nagging, rumor-mongering, gambling, bacon, lying, teasing fellow classmates, fighting with others, being disrespectful to their parents or teachers, texting, DOTA, Internet gaming, designer clothes and bags, the latest gadgets, etc. I explain to them that sacrifices help each of us to be spiritually mindful that our Lord suffered and died for our sins.
5. Walang Gloria in Excelsis Deo. Holy Thursday na ulit maririnig ang Gloria. Magfafasting tayo from the mirth of the angels when they sang Glory to God in the highest.
6. Walang Alleluia.
7. Walang flowers sa altar.
8. Turn down the volume. Minimize the musical instruments to be used. Musical instruments during Lent should give only the bare minimum, or just the necessary support to the singing. Sustenance lang. Baka nga mas maganda pa ang kalabasan kung mag-a capella tayo. Kailangan maramdaman and ma-realize ng mga taong assembled that this season is very distinct from other liturgical seasons, most especially Easter, and one way of doing that is ibang style ng ating pagiging liturgical music leader.
9. Instrumental solos are bawal kapag Lent. When movement of people ends (such as in the processional songs in entrance, preparation of the gifts, communion), immediately find an ending for the processional song. Halimbawa, sa communion, wala na namang taong nakapila para tumanggap ng communion. Huwag nang kumanta. Find an end. Tumahimik. Give the congregation an opportunity for silent reflection. Yung ibang parishes nga, tinitigil talaga yung kanta, no matter what part they are in, when movement of people ceases. Huwag nang maglagay ng 2nd communion song. People should be made aware to reflect so they won’t chit-chat. Silence is far better during the season of Lent.
10. During service songs, if you can apply these to the tune of pasyon, the congregation will surely notice, and thereby realize that this is a distinct season altogether. For example, if you can sing si Kristo ay namatay into the tune of pasyon...ginawa yan minsan sa parish. Also, you're encouraging enculturation.

ENTRANCE:
1.    Tun-I Kami Ginoo
2.    Himaya ug Pagdayeg
3.    Ang Tawag N’ya (Ofrasio, Hontiveros)
4.    Buksan ang Aming Puso (Tinio, Hontiveros)Dinggin Mo (Esteban, Hontiveros)
5.    Minamahal Mo ang Lahat (Reginio)
6.    Pagbabalik-loob (Ofrasio, Hontiveros)
7.    Pagbabalik-loob (Macalinao, Hontiveros)
8.    Panginoon ay Dinggin (Bautista)
9.    Bless the Lord, My Soul (Berthier)
10. God of Mercy and Compassion (Vaughn)
11. Hosea (Norbet)
12. Save Us, O Lord (Dufford)
13. Way of the Cross (Francisco). Prioritize Stanzas 2, 5, and 13.
 
READINGS: If your parish is doing the RCIA scrutinies, use the readings for Year A instead.

• First Reading – Exodus 20:1-17: God delivers the Ten Commandments: worship only Him, avoid idolatry, respect His name, observe the Sabbath, honor parents, and refrain from murder, adultery, theft, lying, and coveting.

• Responsorial Psalm – Psalm 19: If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

• Your perfect laws energize and awaken us, Lord. Your principles and commands guide us in truth, showing the way. Your eternal statutes bring justice and enrich our lives.

• Second Reading – 1 Corinthians 1:22-25: We proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles. Yet, to the called, He embodies God's power and wisdom, surpassing human understanding and strength.

• Gospel – John 2:13-25: At Passover, Jesus went to Jerusalem and found the temple commercialized. He cleared it, rebuking those who made it a marketplace, fulfilling a prophecy of zeal for God's house. Challenged by Jewish leaders, he spoke of destroying and raising the temple in three days, signifying his resurrection. Many believed in him, but Jesus remained cautious of human nature.

 

OFFERTORY:
1.    O Dios Dawata (Koro Viannista)
2.    Kini Mao Akong Lawas
3.    Kung ‘Yong Nanaisin (Francisco) Alay-Kapwa (Tinio, Hontiveros)
4.    Nang Buo Kong Buhay (Alejo, Hontiveros)
5.    Pag-aalay (Pangilinan, Hontiveros)
6.    Sumasamba, Sumasamo (Dionisio)
7.    Sumasamo Kami Sa ‘Yo (Judan)
8.    Prayer of Rupert Mayer (Francisco)
9.    Take Our Bread (Wise) Stanza 2 ang priority. "Your blood"
10. To Be Your Bread (Haas) Stanza 3 ang priority. Best choice.
11. To You, O Lord (Haugen)
 
COMMUNION:
1.    Misyon sa Tawo
2.    Ang Atong Tulubagon
3.    Ang Tawo Niining kalibutan
4.    Krus Kaluwasan
5.    Ama, Kaawaan Ako (Isidro, Ramirez)
6.    Ang Biyaya ng Diyos (Judan, Hontiveros)
7.    Ang Kaluluwa Ko’y Nauuhaw (Isidro, Que) Best choice.
8.    Awit ng Paghahangad (Cenzon) “Nauuhaw akong”
9.    Dunong ng Puso (Labendia, Villaroman)
10. Hesus na Hain ng Diyos (Tinio, Hontiveros)
11. Huwag Mabalisa (Aquino)
12. Likhain Mong Muli (Alejo, Hontiveros, Francisco)
13. Pag-ibig Ko (Cenzon)
14. Pag-ibig, Patawad (Valcos)
15. Pananalig (Borres, Francisco)
16. Sa Piling Mo (Borres, Que)
17. Sa Iyong Mga Yapak (Cerino, Samuel)
18. Saan Kami Tutungo (Macalinao, Hontiveros)
19. Anima Christi (Arboleda) “Water from the side of Christ”
20. Change Our Hearts (Coney)
21. Deep Within (Haas)
22. Eat This Bread (Berthier)
23. Empty Space (Go & Francisco)
24. Father, Mercy (Dufford)
25. God of Silence (Francisco)
26. I Seek You For I Thirst (Valdellon) Best choice.
27. Lord Jesus, Sun of Righteousness (Consolacion)
28. Only This I Want (Schutte)
29. Turn to Me (Foley) 
 
RECESSIONAL:
1.    Asin ug Kahayag
2.    Kinsa?
3.    Ang Tawag ng Panahon (Tinio, Hontiveros)
4.    Pagkatao (Hontiveros)
5.    Pinapawi Mo Ang Tao (Reginoo)
6.    Time to Change

1st Sunday of Lent - Year B - February 18, 2024

 
We are very sorry for not posting anything last week for a very important reason. We are now on the First Sunday of Lent.
 
LENT is a short season of six weeks intended to prepare us for the great celebrations of Easter. The word Lent comes from the old Anglo-Saxon and Old German words for spring marked by days that lengthen. The idea of penitence and fasting during Lent may have begun in earlier, hungrier times as a means of spiritualizing real shortages of food at this time of year.
 
Reminders:
1. Walang Gloria in Excelsis Deo. Holy Thursday na ulit maririnig ang Gloria. Magfa-fasting tayo from the mirth of the angels when they sang Glory to God in the highest.
2. Walang Alleluia.
3. Walang flowers sa altar.
4. Turn down the volume. Minimize the musical instruments to be used. Musical instruments during Lent should give only the bare minimum, or just the necessary support to the singing. Sustenance lang. Baka nga mas maganda pa ang kalabasan kung mag-a capella tayo. Kailangan maramdaman and ma-realize ng mga taong assembled that this season is very distinct from other liturgical seasons, most especially Easter, and one way of doing that is ibang style ng ating pagiging liturgical music leader.
5. Instrumental solos are bawal kapag Lent. When movement of people ends (such as in the processional songs in entrance, preparation of the gifts, communion), immediately find an ending for the processional song. Halimbawa, sa communion, wala na namang taong nakapila para tumanggap ng communion. Huwag nang kumanta. Find an end. Tumahimik. Give the congregation an opportunity for silent reflection. Yung ibang parishes nga, tinitigil talaga yung kanta, no matter what part they are in, when movement of people ceases. Huwag nang maglagay ng 2nd communion song. People should be made aware to reflect so they won’t chit-chat. Silence is far better during the season of Lent.
6. During service songs, if you can apply these to the tune of pasyon, the congregation will surely notice, and thereby realize that this is a distinct season altogether. For example, if you can sing si Kristo ay namatay into the tune of pasyon...ginawa yan minsan sa parish. Also, you're encouraging enculturation.
 
The readings for the 1st Sunday of Lent Year B get us thinking how God is faithful even when we wander away from him. The first reading is the story of Noah's Ark. The psalm reminds us to be faithful. The second reading explains that the great flood in the time of Noah preceded our baptisms. And the gospel tells us that Jesus spent 40 days (like the 40 days of the flood) fasting in the desert and returned ready to spread his message.
 
The readings for the 1st Sunday of Lent Year B are rich in themes that delve into the essence of Lent as a period of renewal, repentance, and preparation for Easter. Here are some key themes drawn from these readings:
 

• Covenant and Promise: The first reading from Genesis highlights God's covenant with Noah, symbolizing a universal promise of salvation and a new beginning for humanity and all creation. This theme of covenant is foundational, reminding us of God's faithfulness and the enduring nature of His promises.

• Salvation and Baptism: The second reading from 1 Peter connects the story of Noah to the sacrament of Baptism. It emphasizes Christ's suffering, death, and resurrection as the ultimate act of reconciliation between humanity and God. Baptism is presented not merely as a ritual cleansing but as a profound commitment to live in accordance with God's will, empowered by Christ's victory over death.

• Temptation and Victory: The Gospel from Mark describes Jesus' temptation in the wilderness, reflecting the trials and temptations that believers face. Jesus' victory over these temptations, supported by angels and in the presence of wild beasts, symbolizes His divinity and human strength, offering hope and encouragement for followers to overcome their own temptations.

• Repentance and the Kingdom of God: Jesus' message after His time in the wilderness focuses on the call to repentance and the urgent announcement of the Kingdom of God. This theme is central to the Lenten journey, urging believers to reflect, turn away from sin, and embrace the Gospel message with renewed commitment.

• New Beginnings and Preparation: Lent is a season of preparation, mirroring Jesus' 40 days in the wilderness. This time is an invitation for personal and communal reflection, repentance, and preparation for the celebration of Easter, symbolizing the new life and hope that comes from Jesus' resurrection.

• Divine Protection and Support: The readings convey a sense of divine protection and support through God's promises, Christ's victory over temptation, and the guiding presence of angels. This reassurance is a source of strength and comfort for believers as they navigate their Lenten journey.

Entrance:
1.       Tun-I Kami Ginoo
2.       Pasaylo, Ginoo
3.       Alay sa Kapwa (Esteban & Hontiveros) 
4.       Buksan ang aming puso (Tinio & Hontiveros)
5.       Save us, O Lord (Dufford)
6.       Though the mountains may fall (Schutte)

Kyrie:
1.      Kaloy-I Kami Ginoo
2.      Panginoon Maawa Ka (Francisco)
3.      As we Prepare
 
No Gloria
 
READINGS:

• First Reading: Genesis 9:8-15: God establishes a covenant with Noah, his descendants, and every living creature, promising no future floods will destroy all life. The rainbow, set in the clouds, symbolizes this perpetual covenant, a reminder to God and humanity of this promise.

• Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 25: Your ways, O Lord, are love and truth to those who keep your covenant.

I ask the Lord to teach me His ways, trusting in His salvation. Remembering His mercy and love, He guides the humble, showing the paths of righteousness to those who follow His covenant.

• Second Reading: 1 Peter 3:18-22: Christ suffered for our sins to reconcile us with God, resurrected in spirit. He preached to spirits from Noah's time, paralleling baptism that saves us—not by physical cleansing but as a commitment to God, empowered by Christ's resurrection and heavenly reign.

• Gospel: Mark 1:12-15: After a period of forty days in the wilderness, facing Satan's temptations among wild beasts and aided by angels, Jesus commenced his public ministry in Galilee. He proclaimed the nearness of God's kingdom, urging repentance and acceptance of the gospel, especially following John's arrest, marking a pivotal moment in his mission.
• 
  
  

Offertory:
1.      O Dios Dawata (Koro Viannista)
2.      Kini Mao Akong Lawas
3.      Alay Kapwa (Tinio & Hontiveros) 
4.      Kung ‘Yong nanaisin (Francisco) 
5.      Take and Receive
6.      Prayer of Rupert Mayer 
 
Sanctus:
1.     Santos (Mass 4 Villanueva)
2.     Santos (Bukas Palad)
3.     Sanctus (pwede yung latin chant or yung English translation)
 
Acclamation:
1.      Manluluwas sa Kalibutan
2.      Si Kristo’y Namatay (Hontiveros)
3.      Dying
 
Amen:
1.      Amen (chord of A D)
2.      Amen (Francisco, Arboleda, Reyes, Torres)
 
Pater Noster:
At your choice… If the congregation can participate to sing this, that would be better.
 
Doxology:
1.      Kay Imo Man (Chord of Am)
2.      Sapagkat
3.      For the Kingdom
 
Agnus Dei:
1.      Kordero sa Dios IV (chord of Dm-B)
2.      Kordero ng Dios (Que)
3.      Lamb of God (Folk)
 
Communion:
1.      Misyon sa Tawo
2.      Ang Atong Tulubagon
3.      Ang Tawo Niining kalibutan
4.      O Krus Kaluwasan
5.      Awit ng Paghilom
6.      Halina’t Lumapit sa Akin 
7.      Maging Akin Muli (Aquino)
8.      Pagkabighani 
9.      Sa Dapit Hapon (Tabuena and Hontiveros)
10.  Manatili Ka (Francisco)
11.      Now we remain (Haas) 
12.      God of silence (Francisco) 
13.      Holy Darkness (Schute) 
14.  Anima Christi (Arboleda) 
 
Recessional:
1.      Asin ug Kahayag
2.      Kinsa?
3.      Sinong Makapaghihiwalay (Anunciata)
4.      Maliban sa Mahulog sa Lupa
5.      (See entrance song)
 
 

5th Sunday of Lent - Year A - March 26, 2023

 Sa nagsend po ng 50 sa GCASH thank you po at nakapagload sa wifi. Anyway, thanks to you our dear brothers and sisters for always supporting us here sa blog.

The readings for the 5th Sunday of Lent are about how God can take us from death to new life. The first reading tells us of God’s desire to bring us back to life. The second reading tells us if Christ dwells in us, we will have new life as He does. And the gospel tells how Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. Some possible themes for this weekend are:

• New life and resurrection: God’s power to bring life out of death and hope out of despair, as demonstrated in the raising of Lazarus from the dead.
• Faith: The importance of faith in Jesus Christ, as exemplified by Martha’s confession that Jesus is the Messiah and the Son of God.
• Repentance: The call to repentance and conversion, as expressed in Paul’s letter to the Romans, and the need to live according to the Spirit and not the flesh.
• Trust in God’s mercy: The promise of God’s mercy and forgiveness, as expressed in the Responsorial Psalm, and the need to trust in God’s loving kindness and plenteous redemption.
• The Pascal Mystery: Through the raising of Lazarus from the dead, Jesus demonstrates his power over death and foreshadows his own resurrection. This event is a sign of hope for believers, as it points to the victory of life over death.
• Grief and suffering: The gospel illustrate the reality of human suffering and the pain that comes with loss, as well as the compassion and empathy that Jesus shows towards those who are grieving.

 

Entrance:

1.      Tun-I Kami Ginoo

2.      Mag-awit Kita

3.      Dios Namo sa Kalooy

4.      Buksan ang aming puso (Tinio, Hontiveros) 

5.      Sa Piging ng Panginoon (Tabuena, Hontiveros). “

6.      Hosea (Norbet)

7.      Blest Be the Lord (Schutte)

 

Reading I                                    Ez 37:12-14

Thus says the Lord GOD: 
O my people, I will open your graves 
and have you rise from them, 
and bring you back to the land of Israel.
Then you shall know that I am the LORD, 
when I open your graves and have you rise from them, 
O my people!
I will put my spirit in you that you may live, 
and I will settle you upon your land; 
thus you shall know that I am the LORD.
I have promised, and I will do it, says the LORD.

Responsorial Psalm                            130:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8

R. (7) With the Lord there is mercy and fullness of redemption.
Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD;
    LORD, hear my voice!
Let your ears be attentive
    to my voice in supplication. 
R. With the Lord there is mercy and fullness of redemption.
If you, O LORD, mark iniquities,
    LORD, who can stand?
But with you is forgiveness,
    that you may be revered. 
R. With the Lord there is mercy and fullness of redemption.
I trust in the LORD;
    my soul trusts in his word.
More than sentinels wait for the dawn,
    let Israel wait for the LORD.
R. With the Lord there is mercy and fullness of redemption.
For with the LORD is kindness
    and with him is plenteous redemption;
And he will redeem Israel
    from all their iniquities.
R. With the Lord there is mercy and fullness of redemption.

 

Reading II                                   Rom 8:8-11

Brothers and sisters:
Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
But you are not in the flesh; 
on the contrary, you are in the spirit, 
if only the Spirit of God dwells in you.
Whoever does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.
But if Christ is in you, 
although the body is dead because of sin, 
the spirit is alive because of righteousness.
If the Spirit of the one who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, 
the one who raised Christ from the dead 
will give life to your mortal bodies also, 
through his Spirit dwelling in you.

 

Verse Before the Gospel                    Jn 11:25a, 26

I am the resurrection and the life, says the Lord;
whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will never die.

 

Gospel                                                     Jn 11:1-45

Now a man was ill, Lazarus from Bethany, 
the village of Mary and her sister Martha.
Mary was the one who had anointed the Lord with perfumed oil 
and dried his feet with her hair; 
it was her brother Lazarus who was ill.
So the sisters sent word to him saying, 
“Master, the one you love is ill.”
When Jesus heard this he said,
“This illness is not to end in death, 
but is for the glory of God, 
that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”
Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.
So when he heard that he was ill, 
he remained for two days in the place where he was.
Then after this he said to his disciples, 
“Let us go back to Judea.”
The disciples said to him, 
“Rabbi, the Jews were just trying to stone you, 
and you want to go back there?”
Jesus answered,

“Are there not twelve hours in a day?
If one walks during the day, he does not stumble, 
because he sees the light of this world.
But if one walks at night, he stumbles, 
because the light is not in him.” 
He said this, and then told them,
“Our friend Lazarus is asleep,
but I am going to awaken him.”
So the disciples said to him,
“Master, if he is asleep, he will be saved.”
But Jesus was talking about his death, 
while they thought that he meant ordinary sleep. 
So then Jesus said to them clearly,
“Lazarus has died.
And I am glad for you that I was not there,
that you may believe. 
Let us go to him.”
So Thomas, called Didymus, said to his fellow disciples, 
“Let us also go to die with him.”

When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus 
had already been in the tomb for four days.
Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, only about two miles away.
And many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary 
to comfort them about their brother.
When Martha heard that Jesus was coming,
she went to meet him;
but Mary sat at home.
Martha said to Jesus, 
“Lord, if you had been here,
my brother would not have died.
But even now I know that whatever you ask of God,
God will give you.”
Jesus said to her,
“Your brother will rise.”
Martha said to him,
“I know he will rise,
in the resurrection on the last day.”
Jesus told her,
“I am the resurrection and the life; 
whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, 
and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die.
Do you believe this?”
She said to him, “Yes, Lord.
I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God,
the one who is coming into the world.”

When she had said this, 
she went and called her sister Mary secretly, saying, 
“The teacher is here and is asking for you.”
As soon as she heard this,
she rose quickly and went to him.
For Jesus had not yet come into the village, 
but was still where Martha had met him.
So when the Jews who were with her in the house comforting her 
saw Mary get up quickly and go out,
they followed her, 
presuming that she was going to the tomb to weep there.
When Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, 
she fell at his feet and said to him, 
“Lord, if you had been here,
my brother would not have died.”
When Jesus saw her weeping and the Jews who had come with her weeping, 
he became perturbed and deeply troubled, and said, 
“Where have you laid him?”
They said to him, “Sir, come and see.”
And Jesus wept.
So the Jews said, “See how he loved him.”
But some of them said, 
“Could not the one who opened the eyes of the blind man 
have done something so that this man would not have died?”

So Jesus, perturbed again, came to the tomb.
It was a cave, and a stone lay across it.
Jesus said, “Take away the stone.”
Martha, the dead man’s sister, said to him, 
“Lord, by now there will be a stench; 
he has been dead for four days.”
Jesus said to her,
“Did I not tell you that if you believe 
you will see the glory of God?”
So they took away the stone.
And Jesus raised his eyes and said,
“Father, I thank you for hearing me.
I know that you always hear me; 
but because of the crowd here I have said this, 
that they may believe that you sent me.”
And when he had said this,
He cried out in a loud voice, 
“Lazarus, come out!”
The dead man came out,
tied hand and foot with burial bands, 
and his face was wrapped in a cloth.
So Jesus said to them,
“Untie him and let him go.”

Now many of the Jews who had come to Mary
and seen what he had done began to believe in him.

 

OR: 

Jn 11:3-7, 17, 20-27, 33b-45

The sisters of Lazarus sent word to Jesus, saying, 
“Master, the one you love is ill.”
When Jesus heard this he said,
“This illness is not to end in death, 
but is for the glory of God, 
that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”
Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.
So when he heard that he was ill, 
he remained for two days in the place where he was.
Then after this he said to his disciples, 
"Let us go back to Judea.”

When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus 
had already been in the tomb for four days.
When Martha heard that Jesus was coming,
she went to meet him; 
but Mary sat at home.
Martha said to Jesus, 
“Lord, if you had been here,
my brother would not have died.
But even now I know that whatever you ask of God,
God will give you.”
Jesus said to her,
“Your brother will rise.”
Martha said,
“I know he will rise,
in the resurrection on the last day.”
Jesus told her,
“I am the resurrection and the life; 
whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, 
and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die.
Do you believe this?”
She said to him, “Yes, Lord.
I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God,
the one who is coming into the world.”

He became perturbed and deeply troubled, and said, 
“Where have you laid him?”
They said to him, “Sir, come and see.”
And Jesus wept.
So the Jews said, “See how he loved him.”
But some of them said, 
“Could not the one who opened the eyes of the blind man 
have done something so that this man would not have died?”

So Jesus, perturbed again, came to the tomb.
It was a cave, and a stone lay across it.
Jesus said, “Take away the stone.”
Martha, the dead man’s sister, said to him, 
“Lord, by now there will be a stench; 
he has been dead for four days.”
Jesus said to her,
“Did I not tell you that if you believe 
you will see the glory of God?”
So they took away the stone.
And Jesus raised his eyes and said, 
“Father, I thank you for hearing me.
I know that you always hear me; 
but because of the crowd here I have said this, 
that they may believe that you sent me.”
And when he had said this,
He cried out in a loud voice, 
“Lazarus, come out!”
The dead man came out,
tied hand and foot with burial bands, 
and his face was wrapped in a cloth.
So Jesus said to them,
“Untie him and let him go.”

Now many of the Jews who had come to Mary
and seen what he had done began to believe in him.

 

Offertory:

1.      Dios Nia Ko

2.      Ania Among Halad

3.      O Dios Dawata

4.      Kung ‘Yong Nanaisin (Francisco)

5.      Narito Ako, Panginoon (Que)

6.      Panginoon, Narito Ako (Isidro, Que) 

7.      Dwelling Place (Foley) 

8.      Prayer of Rupert Mayer (Francisco)

 

Communion:

1.      Ako ang Kahayag

2.      Anino

3.      Balaan nga Gugma

4.      Himig Heswita Medley (you can see it on youtube.com)

5.      Pagkakaibigan (Cenzon, Abad Santos)

6.      Awit ng Paghilom (Aquino)

7.      Dakilang Pag-ibig (Pangilinan, Hontiveros)

8.      Diyos ay Pag-ibig

9.      Huwag Kang Mangamba (Pagsanghan, Francisco)

10.  Likhain Mong Muli (Alejo, Francisco)

11.  Maging Akin Muli (Aquino)

12.  O Hesus, Hilumin Mo (Francisco)

13.  Anima Christi (Arboleda)

14.  Behold the Wood (Schutte)

15.  Come to Me (Francisco)

16.  Come to Me All Who Are Weary (Schutte)

17.  Come With Me Into The Fields (Schutte)

18.  Empty Space (Go, Francisco)

19.  Father, Mercy (Dufford)

20.  Holy Darkness (Schutte)

21.  If I Could Touch You (Francisco)

22.  Jesus on the Cross (Go, Francisco)

23.  Now We Remain (Haas) 

24.  Only This I Want (Schutte)

25.  Out of Roads (Go, Aquino)

26.  You Are Mine (Haas)

27.  Your Heart Today (Francisco)

 

Recessional:

1.      Kinsa?

2.      Ang Atong Tulubagon

3.      Maliban na Mahulog sa Lupa

4.      Pananagutan (Hontiveros)

5.      Seek the Lord (O’Connor)

6.      Save Us, O Lord (Dufford)

3rd Sunday of Lent - Year A - March 12, 2023

Good day dear brother and sisters. We are now on the 3^rd Sunday of Lent. We are hoping that you are doing well and this blog helps you a lot in terms of guiding you to make your line-up of songs for the mass every Sunday. Please continue visiting every week and please click our ads before you leave. We are still needing your support enable for us to continue making this blog weekly. Thank you and May God Bless Us all.
 
The readings for the 3rd Sunday of Lent Year A help us think about our true desires The first reading tells of how God satisfied the thirst of the Chosen People in the desert. The psalm reminds us to let God open our hearts and flow through them. The second reading tells us again that God pours himself into our hearts
 
The gospel is the story of the woman at the well, whom Jesus brings to new life through his mercy and compassion. It is worth noting Jesus chose to interact with a Samaritan (an outsider) and a woman. So this is also a good time to discuss how we treat outsiders. And it could also lead to a discussion of the role of women in the Catholic Church.
 
Theme:
·         Change of heart
·         Baptism
·         Racism
·         Immigration
·         Evangelization
·         Leadership roles for women in the Church
 
Entrance:
1.      Tun-I Kami Ginoo
2.      Pasaylo, Ginoo
3.      Alay sa Kapwa (Esteban, Hontiveros) 
4.      Buksan ang aming puso (Tinio, Hontiveros) 
5.      Dinggin Mo (Esteban, Hontiveros)
6.      Hosea (Norbet)
 
Reading I                              Ex 17:3-7
In those days, in their thirst for water,
the people grumbled against Moses,
saying, “Why did you ever make us leave Egypt?
Was it just to have us die here of thirst
with our children and our livestock?”
So Moses cried out to the LORD,
“What shall I do with this people?
a little more and they will stone me!”
The LORD answered Moses,
“Go over there in front of the people,
along with some of the elders of Israel,
holding in your hand, as you go,
the staff with which you struck the river.
I will be standing there in front of you on the rock in Horeb.
Strike the rock, and the water will flow from it
for the people to drink.”
This Moses did, in the presence of the elders of Israel.
The place was called Massah and Meribah,
because the Israelites quarreled there
and tested the LORD, saying,
“Is the LORD in our midst or not?”
 
Responsorial Psalm                                              95:1-2, 6-7, 8-9
R. (8)  If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
Come, let us sing joyfully to the LORD;
    let us acclaim the Rock of our salvation.
Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;
    let us joyfully sing psalms to him.
R. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
Come, let us bow down in worship;
    let us kneel before the LORD who made us.
For he is our God,
    and we are the people he shepherds, the flock he guides.
R. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
Oh, that today you would hear his voice:
    “Harden not your hearts as at Meribah,
    as in the day of Massah in the desert,
Where your fathers tempted me;
    they tested me though they had seen my works.”
R. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
 
Reading II                                                     Rom 5:1-2, 5-8
Brothers and sisters:
Since we have been justified by faith,
we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
through whom we have gained access by faith
to this grace in which we stand,
and we boast in hope of the glory of God.
 
And hope does not disappoint,
because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts
through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
For Christ, while we were still helpless,
died at the appointed time for the ungodly.
Indeed, only with difficulty does one die for a just person,
though perhaps for a good person one might even find courage to die.
But God proves his love for us
in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.
 
Verse Before the Gospel
Cf. Jn 4:42, 15
Lord, you are truly the Savior of the world;
give me living water, that I may never thirst again.
 
Gospel                                                           Jn 4:5-42
Jesus came to a town of Samaria called Sychar,
near the plot of land that Jacob had given to his son Joseph.
Jacob’s well was there.
Jesus, tired from his journey, sat down there at the well.
It was about noon.
 
A woman of Samaria came to draw water.
Jesus said to her,
“Give me a drink.”
His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.
The Samaritan woman said to him,
“How can you, a Jew, ask me, a Samaritan woman, for a drink?”
—For Jews use nothing in common with Samaritans.—
Jesus answered and said to her,
“If you knew the gift of God
and who is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink, ‘
you would have asked him
and he would have given you living water.”
The woman said to him,
“Sir, you do not even have a bucket and the cistern is deep;
where then can you get this living water?
Are you greater than our father Jacob,
who gave us this cistern and drank from it himself
with his children and his flocks?”
Jesus answered and said to her,
“Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again;
but whoever drinks the water I shall give will never thirst;
the water I shall give will become in him
a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
The woman said to him,
“Sir, give me this water, so that I may not be thirsty
or have to keep coming here to draw water.”
 

Jesus said to her,
“Go call your husband and come back.”
The woman answered and said to him,
“I do not have a husband.”
Jesus answered her,
“You are right in saying, ‘I do not have a husband.’
For you have had five husbands,
and the one you have now is not your husband.
What you have said is true.”
The woman said to him,
“Sir, I can see that you are a prophet.
Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain;
but you people say that the place to worship is in Jerusalem.”
Jesus said to her,
“Believe me, woman, the hour is coming
when you will worship the Father
neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem.
You people worship what you do not understand;
we worship what we understand,
because salvation is from the Jews.
But the hour is coming, and is now here,
when true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and truth;
and indeed the Father seeks such people to worship him.
God is Spirit, and those who worship him
must worship in Spirit and truth.”
The woman said to him,
“I know that the Messiah is coming, the one called the Christ;
when he comes, he will tell us everything.”
Jesus said to her,
“I am he, the one speaking with you.”
 
At that moment his disciples returned,
and were amazed that he was talking with a woman,
but still no one said, “What are you looking for?”
or “Why are you talking with her?”
The woman left her water jar
and went into the town and said to the people,
“Come see a man who told me everything I have done.
Could he possibly be the Christ?”
They went out of the town and came to him.
Meanwhile, the disciples urged him, “Rabbi, eat.”
But he said to them,
“I have food to eat of which you do not know.”
So the disciples said to one another,
“Could someone have brought him something to eat?”
Jesus said to them,
“My food is to do the will of the one who sent me
and to finish his work.
Do you not say, ‘In four months the harvest will be here’?
I tell you, look up and see the fields ripe for the harvest.
The reaper is already receiving payment
and gathering crops for eternal life,
so that the sower and reaper can rejoice together.
For here the saying is verified that ‘One sows and another reaps.’
I sent you to reap what you have not worked for;
others have done the work,
and you are sharing the fruits of their work.”
 
Many of the Samaritans of that town began to believe in him
because of the word of the woman who testified,
“He told me everything I have done.”
When the Samaritans came to him,
 
they invited him to stay with them;
and he stayed there two days.
Many more began to believe in him because of his word,
and they said to the woman,
“We no longer believe because of your word;
for we have heard for ourselves,
and we know that this is truly the savior of the world.”
 
OR:
 
Jn 4:5-15, 19b-26, 39a, 40-42
 
Jesus came to a town of Samaria called Sychar,
near the plot of land that Jacob had given to his son Joseph.
Jacob’s well was there.
Jesus, tired from his journey, sat down there at the well.
It was about noon.
 
A woman of Samaria came to draw water.
Jesus said to her,
“Give me a drink.”
His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.
The Samaritan woman said to him,
“How can you, a Jew, ask me, a Samaritan woman, for a drink?”
—For Jews use nothing in common with Samaritans.—
Jesus answered and said to her,
“If you knew the gift of God
and who is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink, ‘
you would have asked him
and he would have given you living water.”
The woman said to him,
“Sir, you do not even have a bucket and the cistern is deep;
where then can you get this living water?
Are you greater than our father Jacob,
who gave us this cistern and drank from it himself
with his children and his flocks?”
Jesus answered and said to her,
“Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again;
but whoever drinks the water I shall give will never thirst;
the water I shall give will become in him
a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
The woman said to him,
“Sir, give me this water, so that I may not be thirsty
 
or have to keep coming here to draw water.
 
“I can see that you are a prophet.
Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain;
but you people say that the place to worship is in Jerusalem.”
Jesus said to her,
“Believe me, woman, the hour is coming
when you will worship the Father
neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem.
You people worship what you do not understand;
we worship what we understand,
because salvation is from the Jews.
But the hour is coming, and is now here,
when true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and truth;
and indeed the Father seeks such people to worship him.
God is Spirit, and those who worship him
must worship in Spirit and truth.”
The woman said to him,
“I know that the Messiah is coming, the one called the Christ;
when he comes, he will tell us everything.”
Jesus said to her,
“I am he, the one who is speaking with you.”
 
Many of the Samaritans of that town began to believe in him.
When the Samaritans came to him,
they invited him to stay with them;
and he stayed there two days.
Many more began to believe in him because of his word,
and they said to the woman,
“We no longer believe because of your word;
for we have heard for ourselves,
and we know that this is truly the savior of the world.”
 
Offertory:
1.      O Dios Dawata (Koro Viannista)
2.      Kini Mao Akong Lawas
3.      Alay Kapwa (Tinio & Hontiveros)
4.      Kung ‘Yong nanaisin (Francisco)
5.      Take and Receive
6.      Prayer of Rupert Mayer
7.      One Bread, One Body
 
Communion:
1.      Balaan nga Gugma
2.      Dios Namo sa Kalooy
3.      Tubig ng Buhay
4.      Bawat Sandali
5.      Dakilang Pag-ibig
6.      Kaibigan, Kapanalig
7.      Anima Christi
8.      God of Silence
 
Recessional:
1.      Kinsa?
2.      Mag-awit Kita
3.      Natapos Na
4.      Pagbabasbas
5.      Pagmamahal sa Panginoon
6.      I am the Bread of Life (Toolan)
 
Have a nice and productive week everyone 😊