CHOIR MASS GUIDE

Suggested Mass Line-Up of Songs for February 26, 2012 (1st Sunday of Lent)

Sunday, February 26, 2012

1^st 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.

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

First Reading:

Genesis 9:8-15

"God said to Noah and to his sons with him, 'As for me, I am establishing my covenant with you and your descendants after you, and with every living creature that is with you, the birds, the domestic animals, and every animal of the earth with you, as many as came out of the ark. I establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of a flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.'

God said, 'This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations; I have set my bow in the clouds, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds, I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh.'"

Responsorial Psalm:

Psalm 25:4-9

Your ways, O Lord, are love and truth to those who keep Your covenant.

Second Reading:

1 Peter 3:18-22

"Beloved: Christ suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, in order to bring you to God. He was put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the Spirit, in which also he went and made a proclamation to the spirits in prison. In former times these did not obey, when God waited patiently in the days of Noah, during the building of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were saved through water.

Baptism, which this prefigured, now saves you - not as a removal of dirt from the body, but as an appeal to God for a good conscience through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, Authorities, and Powers made subject to him."

Gospel Acclamation:

1. Ang mga Pulong mo

2. Pagdayeg Alang Kanimo

3. Alalahanin mo Panginoon

4. Wika Mo

5. Glory and Praise

6. Words of Life

Gospel:

Mark 1:12-15

"After Jesus was baptized, the Spirit drove him out into the wilderness. He was in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan; and he was with the wild beasts; and the Angels waited on him.

Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, and saying, 'The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.”

Homily/Bible Reflection:

As I reviewed today's readings during the week in preparation for my sermon, I remembered that the Old Covenant of God goes far beyond the days of Abraham or Moses. The Old Covenant had its beginning in the days of Noah.

As we heard earlier, the rainbow in the clouds is the sign of God's Covenant with us! Nowadays, whenever we see a rainbow in the clouds, we should remember that it is God's prophetic sign of the triumph of Jesus over Satan who was the ruler of this world.

Today's message from the Word of God clearly speaks of this triumph. The triumph of Jesus is a perfect message during the Lenten Season. It tells us that because of the triumph of Jesus by His death on the Holy Cross, through Him and with Him, we can also be triumphant in our battle against evil.

In the days of Noah, the people throughout the world had become very evil, practicing all kinds of abominations that offended the Lord God. Because of this, God told Noah to build an ark and to gather his family and two of every kinds of animals. When the ark was completed, Noah and his family, eight persons in total, entered the ark with all the animals. Then, as we know from what the Holy Bible teaches us, God flooded the world.

When the days of the flooding were over and the ark had touched land, Noah, his family and all the animals left the ark. Then, God spoke to Noah and to his sons.

God promised to establish a Covenant with Noah and all his descendants. God promised that never again would He flood the entire world to destroy every living thing on the earth. As a sign of His promise, He gave the rainbow to the world for all to see in the sky.

Now, the flooding of the world is symbolic of the Sacrament of Baptism. Also, the flooding of the world was prophetic of our Baptism that was to come by the power of the Holy Spirit. This is especially noticeable by the Words of God when He said, 'never again' would He flood the world. The Words 'never again' are a sign that God is appeased through the Sacrament of Baptism. For through this Church Sacrament, we triumph over Satan by the grace of God the Father, the power of the Holy Spirit and our faith in the atoning sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ.

During the Second Reading from the First Letter of Peter, we heard Peter speaking to the believers. Peter was comparing the sufferings of the Gentiles who had become Christians versus the sufferings of Jesus. Peter was telling them that since Jesus had triumphed, they would also triumph. Their Baptism was the pledge of their triumph for it gave them a share in the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Just as Noah was saved by passing through the waters of the flood, so also, Christians receive their first installment towards salvation through faith in Jesus and their passage through the water of Baptism.

Peter told the Gentiles that Jesus suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, in order to bring us to God. The sacrifice of Jesus was not just for a few, but for all of us, from the beginning of time until the end of time. He who was sinless, took upon Himself the weight of our sins and allowed Himself to be crucified in our place so God the Father may be appeased. Christ died for us!

Having died on the cross, Jesus resurrected. He was raised to Heaven and glorified by God the Father above all living creations. Having been glorified, Jesus no longer enjoys a physical body. He has been made alive in the Spirit.

In His Spirit, Jesus went to make a proclamation to the spirits [1 Pet. 3:19] of those in prison. Jesus went and announced to them His glorious triumph over evil.

In the Gospel of Mark, when Jesus was accused of casting out demons by the power of Beelzebul, He spoke of this triumph. He said, "But not one can enter a strong man's house and plunder his property without first tying up the strong man; then indeed the house can be plundered." [Mk. 3:27]

In other words, Jesus was announcing that Satan would be tied down. The Kingdom of God would begin its growth on earth. We, God's baptized children, are living proof of the presence of the spiritual Kingdom of God on earth. Through the Holy Catholic Church, we as living stones, God's chosen people, a holy priesthood, are united as one in the Body of Christ.

But there will come a time when Satan will no longer be tied down. The Book of Revelations tells us that after Satan has been bound for an indefinite period of time, "he must be let out for a little while." [Rev. 20:2-3]

By that time, the Body of Christ will have grown so large, there being millions and millions of baptized children of God, that Satan will be powerless in his last days.

Through Baptism, the door to our salvation is opened. Through this Sacrament, we receive the seal of Christ and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit as our first instalment towards salvation. [2 Cor. 1:22]

The Sacrament of Baptism does not remove the dirt from our physical bodies for our bodies are called to die. But, it is an appeal to God for a good conscience through the resurrection of Jesus Christ who has completed His work on earth and who is now sitting at the right hand of the Father. There, all the angels, the authorities and the powers are subject to Him, He who has all authority over all of creation.

Jesus triumphed over disobedience, rebellion and persecution. Through His triumph, we can also be triumphant.

During today's Gospel, we heard how Jesus was triumphant over Satan. While in the wilderness for forty days (this being a symbolic number), Satan tempted Him. Jesus did not allow Himself to be seduced by Satan. He came on earth to overthrow the worldly kingdom of Satan that had its beginning when Adam disobeyed God in the Garden of Eden. Jesus came on earth to reclaim God's Kingdom that was rightfully His, but stolen by Satan through sin.

Today's Gospel Reading finished with Jesus announcing in Galilee, 'The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.'

As members of the Kingdom of God, during the Lenten Season, we are called to repent of our sins that offend God. We are called to frequently remember the triumph of Jesus. We are called to triumphantly live our faith in Christ as baptized children of God. We are called to go forward and shine by our obedience, our servitude, our charity towards others, through prayers, sacrifices, all in the love of God.

Doing so, we know that in the end, our triumph shall also be glorious through the salvation that we shall inherit as children of God.

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:

Santos (Mass 4 Villanueva)
Santos (Bukas Palad)
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)

1. Now we remain (Haas)

2. God of silence (Francisco)

3. Holy Darkness (Schute)

11. Anima Christi (Arboleda)

Recessional:

1. Asin ug Kahayag

2. Kinsa?

3. Sinong Makapaghihiwalay (Anunciata)

4. Maliban sa Mahulog sa Lupa

5. (See entrance song)

Suggested Mass Line-Up of Songs for Ash Wednesday, February 22, 2012

February 22, 2012

Ash Wednesday

Ash Wednesday, in the calendar of Western Christianity, is the first day of Lent and occurs 46 days before Easter. It is a moveable fast, falling on a different date each year because it is dependent on the date of Easter. It can occur as early as February 4 or as late as March 10.

According to the canonical gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke, Jesus spent forty days fasting in the desert before the beginning of his public ministry, during which he endured temptation by Satan. Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of this forty day liturgical period of prayer and fasting.

Ash Wednesday derives its name from the practice of placing ashes on the foreheads of adherents as a sign of mourning and repentance to God. The ashes used are typically gathered after the palms from the previous year's Palm Sunday are burned on the day before.

This practice is common in much of Christendom, being celebrated by Catholics, Anglicans, Lutherans, Methodists, Presbyterians, and some Baptist denominations.

Ash Wednesday is a day of repentance and it marks the beginning of Lent. Ashes were used in ancient times, according to the Bible, to express mourning. Dusting oneself with ashes was the penitent's way of expressing sorrow for sins and faults. An ancient example of one expressing one's penitence is found in Job 42:3–6. Job says to God: "I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee. The other eye wandereth of its own accord. Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes." (vv. 5–6, KJV) The prophet Jeremiah, for example, calls for repentance this way: "O daughter of my people, gird on sackcloth, roll in the ashes" (Jer 6:26).The prophet Daniel pleaded for God this way: "I turned to the Lord God, pleading in earnest prayer, with fasting, sackcloth and ashes" (Daniel 9:3). Just prior to the New Testament period, the rebels fighting for Jewish independence, the Maccabees, prepared for battle using ashes: "That day they fasted and wore sackcloth; they sprinkled ashes on their heads and tore their clothes" (1 Maccabees 3:47; see also 4:39).

Other examples are found in several other books of the Bible including, Numbers 19:9, 19:17, Jonah 3:6, Matthew 11:21, and Luke 10:13, and Hebrews 9:13. Ezekiel 9 also speaks of a linen-clad messenger marking the forehead of the city inhabitants that have sorrow over the sins of the people. All those without the mark are destroyed.

It marks the start of a 43-day period which is an allusion to the separation of Jesus in the desert to fast and pray. During this time he was tempted. Matthew 4:1–11, Mark 1:12–13, and Luke 4:1–13. While not specifically instituted in the Bible text, the 40-day period of repentance is also analogous to the 40 days during which Moses repented and fasted in response to the making of the Golden calf. (Jews today follow a 40-day period of repenting during the High Holy Days from Rosh Chodesh Elul to Yom Kippur.)

In Victorian England, theatres refrained from presenting costumed shows on Ash Wednesday, so they provided other entertainments.

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

First Reading:

Joel 2:12-18

"'Even now,' says the Lord, 'return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; rend your hearts and not your clothing.

Return to the Lord, your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and relents from punishing.'

Who knows whether the Lord will turn and relent, and leave a blessing behind him; a grain offering and a drink offering to be presented to the Lord, your God?

Blow the trumpet in Zion; sanctify a fast; call a solemn assembly; gather the people. Sanctify the congregation; assemble the aged; gather the children, even infants at the breast. Let the bridegroom leave his room, and the bride her canopy.

Between the vestibule and the altar let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep. Let them say, 'Spare your people, O Lord, and do not make your heritage a mockery, a byword among the nations. Why should it be said among the peoples, 'Where is their God?'

Then the Lord became jealous for his land, and had pity on his people."

Responsorial Psalm:

Psalm 51:3-23

“Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.”

Second Reading:

2 Corinthians 5:20-6:2

"Brothers and sisters: We are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us; we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake God made Christ to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Christ we might become the righteousness of God. As we work together with him, we urge you also not to accept the grace of God in vain. For the Lord says, 'At an acceptable time I have listened to you, and on a day of salvation I have helped you.' See, now is the acceptable time; see, now is the day of salvation!"

Gospel Acclamation:

1. Ang mga Pulong mo

2. Pagdayeg Alang Kanimo

3. Alalahanin mo Panginoon

4. Wika Mo

5. Glory and Praise

6. Words of Life

Gospel:

Matthew 6:1-18

Jesus said to the disciples, 'Beware of practising your piety before people in order to be seen by them; for then you have no reward from your Father in heaven.

So whenever you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be praised by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your alms may be done in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrite; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

And whenever you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces so as to show others that they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, put oil on our head and wash your face, so that your fasting may be seen not by others but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.'"

Important Concepts/Ideas:
1. Repentance/Penitence/Reconciliation/Confession/Penance
2. Abstinence/Fasting
3. Almsgiving
4. Praying
5. Repentance

Homily/Bible Reflection:

My brothers and sisters in Christ, today we are entering a new Season, one of penance and sacrifices. Together, we have gathered here to celebrate "Ash Wednesday," the first of forty days of the Lenten Season that precedes Easter.

On this special occasion, we are called to be reconciled to God. Through the sacramental of ashes that is symbolic of penance, we are reminded that we as sinners are but dust and ashes. [Gen. 18:27]

Today, in preparation for the joy of Easter that approaches, we call upon the mercy of the Lord Jesus, asking Him for His blessings and forgiveness. For the Heavenly Father does not want us to die but to live with the risen Christ who reigns forever and ever. As such, through the grace of God and the power of the Holy Spirit, we prepare ourselves to celebrate the death and glorious Resurrection of Christ our Saviour by being cleansed from our sins through a renewal of spirit.

The spiritual practice of applying ashes on oneself as a sign of sincere repentance goes back thousands of years. Frequently in the days of the Old and the new Testament, as we have heard from the readings of the Scriptures during the past year, when someone had sinned, he cloth his body with sackcloth and covered himself with ashes. [Jer. 6:26]

The sacramental that we are observing today arises from that custom, the spiritual practice of observing public penitence.

Church history tells us that the liturgical practice of applying ashes on one's forehead during the Lenten Season goes back as far as the eight century. This was accompanied by different forms of fasting, prayer, sacrifices, charity towards others, etc... The writings of St. Leo, around 461 A.D., tell us that during the Lenten Season, he exhorted the faithful to abstain from certain food to fulfill with their fasts the Apostolic institution of forty days.

As we heard during today's First Reading from the Book of Joel, the Lord God calls upon us to return to Him with all our hearts, with fasting, weeping and mourning. We are told to split apart our hearts, not our clothing.

In the days of the Old Testament, many tore their clothing as a sign of repentance. But, while some tore their clothing, this was an exterior sign; there was no true repentance. Their hearts of stone had not changed! They had not let go of their worldly ways to embrace holy ways. To practice sincere repentance, the Lord God tells us to change our hearts. We are called to examine our most inner self, those evil ways that we have to let go, once and for always.

We must always remember that the Lord God is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. He will not punish us if we are sincere and turn away from our sins. God is not a God of punishment but a God of love to those who strive earnestly to walk in His righteous ways.

As the first reading reminded us, our sanctification in the likeness of Christ is not for just a few people. It is for all those who have placed their faith in Christ on the day that they received the Sacrament of Baptism. We are told to assemble the aged, to gather the children, and even the breast fed infants. Let the bridegroom leave his room and the bride her canopy. This is a very powerful command that includes everyone, of all ages!

This is the time when the ministers of the Church beg the Lord, asking Him on behalf of the people, to show His mercy upon them. This is the time when the ministers of the Church remind the Lord of His promises made to Abraham, our spiritual father, that we will inherit the promised land, the eternal Kingdom of God. The practice of reminding the Lord God of His promises is to draw His pity upon us who are weak sinners. It is so He will not forget us. It is also to ensure that He will not be mocked by those who say, 'Where is your God?' For our Lord God keeps His promises. He will save those who walk in righteousness in daily communion with Him.

During today's Second Reading from the Second Letter to the Corinthians, we heard St. Paul appealing to us on behalf of Jesus to be reconciled to God.

God the Father sent His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to die for us on the cross. He who was without sin took our place and was treated as a sinner, so we might become righteous in the eyes of God. What a horrible death we deserved, a death that Christ endured for us in Divine love.

The Lord God reminds us that He heard our cries that were raised to Heaven. He has helped us to secure our salvation. Now is the time for us to show our appreciation to the Lord God by walking in His righteousness so we may inherit the salvation that we have asked of Him and which He is granting to us through His infinite love and mercy.

How do we walk in righteousness? Jesus answered that question during today's Reading from the Gospel of Matthew. It is not by continuing in our worldly ways. It is by embracing a spiritual mind so we may mature in Christ by the grace of God the Father and the power of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus warns us against hypocrisy, those who are pious so they may be seen by others. They have received their rewards through those who admired them and praised them for it. For them, there is no reward from God the Father in Heaven. During the Lenten Season, our piety must manifest private time between the Lord God and ourselves. We must experience a transformation of our whole being beyond going to Church. We must walk with Christ in our lives every minute of the day, from the time we rise in the morning until the time we go to bed at night.

Equally, when you sacrifice by giving to the Church or by reaching out to someone in need, your left hand must not know what your right hand is doing. Do it privately and then forget about it. If you give a larger contribution to the Church so you can receive a larger Tax Deductible Receipt at the end of the calendar year, then your right hand knows what your left hand is doing. Your right hand is giving and your left hand is waiting to receive its benefit.

If you decide to increase your time of prayer during the Lenten Season, do not do it at the Church during the busy hours so others will see you. In such a manner, you will receive your reward on earth by those who will praise you for your piety. Rather, go into your bedroom, close the door and pray to God the Father in private so the Heavenly Father may see you in private and reward you accordingly.

If you decide to fast, do not overdo it to the extent that you look weak and sick so the others will notice that you are fasting. Fast to the degree that you can manage, always being cheerful and looking healthy so no one but God will know that you are fasting. Then, God the Father will reward you.

Be reconciled to God! These are the guidelines that the Church has received from God so the faithful may experience true repentance in order to receive Divine mercy and forgiveness.

As you enter the Lenten Season, remember these words every day! Practise them! And I assure you that God shall reward you!

Distribution of Ashes (DA)

1. Dios Namo sa Kalooy (I’m not sure of this)

2. Hugasi Kami

3. Halina, Lumapit sa Akin (Isidro & Que)

4. Pagkabighani (Alejo & Francisco)

5. Pag-ibig ko (Cenzon)

6. Pintig ng Puso ko (Tagle & Hontiveros)

7. Now we remain (Haas)

8. God of silence (Francisco)

9. Holy Darkness (Schute)

10. Anima Christi (Arboleda)