4th Sunday of Lent - Year B - March 10, 2024

 
We are now on the 4^th Sunday of Lent, still thanking you dear brothers and sisters for visiting us here.
 
The readings for the 4th Sunday of Lent Year B focus on God's faithfulness in drawing us closer to him. The first reading tells how God inspired Cyrus to allow the chosen people to worship once again in Jerusalem. And in the gospel we hear of Jesus' conversation with Nicodemus, where Jesus explains that he was sent to us out of the boundless love of God.
 
The 4th Sunday of Lent Year B presents a profound reflection on themes of longing for restoration, God's mercy and grace, the dichotomy between light and darkness, and God's unwavering love for humanity. These readings invite us to contemplate our own lives considering God's enduring patience and willingness to forgive. They challenge us to recognize our transgressions yet reassure us of the possibility of repentance and returning to God's grace. Through the narrative of the Babylonian exile and the words of Jesus in John 3, we are reminded of the transformative power of belief and the hope that lies in restoration.

• Longing for restoration - Despite the reality of judgment and punishment, the readings for the 4th Sunday of Lent Year B also emphasize the possibility of repentance and restoration. In 2 Chronicles 36, the Babylonian exile is seen as a time of purging and purification, and God later allows the people to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple. In John 3, Jesus speaks of the possibility of eternal life through belief in him.

• God's mercy and grace - The readings also emphasize God's mercy and grace towards humanity, despite our sinfulness. In the first reading, God is patient and long-suffering towards the people, giving them many chances to repent and turn back to him. In the gospel, Jesus speaks of God's love for the world, and his willingness to give his only son as a sacrifice for our sins.

• Light and darkness - In John 3, Jesus speaks of the contrast between light and darkness, using light as a metaphor for truth and righteousness, and darkness as a metaphor for sin and ignorance.

• God's love for humanity - The readings for the 4th Sunday of Lent Year B also emphasize God's love for humanity, despite our sinfulness. In 2 Chronicles 36, God is patient towards the people, even as they rebel against him. In John 3, Jesus speaks of God's love for the world, and his willingness to give his only son as a sacrifice for our sins.

So the readings for the 4th Sunday of Lent Year B offer a deep exploration of God's relationship with humanity, characterized by both justice and immense love. Despite the harsh reality of judgment, there is always a path back to God through repentance, illuminated by the light of Christ. These themes encourage us to embrace the light, acknowledge God's sacrificial love, and move towards a future where our actions are aligned with God's will. As we journey through Lent, let us hold fast to the promise of restoration and the gift of God's mercy, celebrating the profound love He has for each of us, manifested through the giving of His only Son.
 
Entrance:
1.      Tun-I Kami Ginoo
2.      Mag-awit Kita
3.      Dios Namo sa Kalooy
4.      Buksan ang Aming Puso (Tinio, Hontiveros)
5.      Blest be the Lord
6.      Seek the Lord (O’Connor)
 
Readings:

• First Reading - 2 Chronicles 36:14-16, 19-23: Judah's betrayal of faith led to their exile as Babylon destroyed Jerusalem and the temple. God's warnings were ignored, resulting in captivity. Fulfilling Jeremiah's prophecy, the exile lasted until Cyrus of Persia decreed the rebuilding of the temple, marking the beginning of the return.

• Responsorial Psalm - Psalm 137:  The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

• In Babylon's captivity, we wept for Zion, unable to sing our sacred songs in a foreign land. Forgetting Jerusalem would be my greatest loss, my joy silenced without its memory.

• Second Reading - Ephesians 2:4-10: God, in His mercy, made us alive with Christ, saving us by grace through faith, not by our deeds, to display His grace in Christ. We are created for good works, predestined by God.

• Gospel - John 3:14-21: Jesus has a conversation with Nicodemus and references Moses lifting up the serpent in the wilderness as a foreshadowing of his own crucifixion and the salvation that it would bring. Jesus emphasizes the importance of believing in him as the Son of God in order to receive eternal life, and highlights the judgment that will come to those who do not believe.

 
Offertory:
1.      O Dios Dawata
2.      Aniang among Halad
3.      Diyutay Lang Kini
4.      Sumasamo Kami (Judan)
5.      Panginoon Narito Ako
6.      Unang Alay (modified version)
7.      Now We Remain (Haas)
8.      Take Our Bread (Wise)
 
 
Communion:
1.      Kini Maong Akong Lawas
2.      Kinabuhi mo Kinabuhi Ko
3.      Ako ang Kahayag
4.      Balaan nga Gugma
5.      Dios Namo sa Kalooy
6.      Awit ng Paghilom (Aquino)
7.      Maging akin Muli (Aquino)
8.      Dakilang Pag-ibig (Pangilinan, Hontiveros) Prioritize Stanza 2. Swak sa 2R.
9.      Likhain mong Muli (Alejo, Francisco)
10.  God of Silence (Francisco)
11.  Empty Space (Go, Francisco)
 
Recessional:
1.      Kinsa?
2.      Ang Atong Tulubagon
3.      Alay sa Kapwa (Esteban, Hontiveros) Prioritize Stanza 3.
4.      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