A SERVANT OF GOD FOR HIS PEOPLE
Entrance Antiphon
Your priests, O Lord, shall be clothed with justice; your holy ones shall ring out their joy.
Collect
O God, in the priest Blessed Cyprian Michael Iwene Tansi you joined the apostolic
zeal of a pastor to the way of life of a monk. Grant us by his intercession that
persevering in prayer, we seek untiringly the coming of your kingdom. Through
our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son and our elder brother, who lives and reigns with
you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen!
First reading Philippians 2:1-11
Brethren: If there is any encouragement in Christ, any incentive of love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfishness or conceit, but in humility count others better than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Responsorial Psalm Isaiah 12:2-6(R.1de)
R. Your anger turned away and you comforted me.
“Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the Lord God is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.” With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. R.
Give thanks to the Lord, call upon his name; make known his deeds among the nations, proclaim that his name is exalted. R.
“Sing praises to the Lord, for he has done gloriously; let this be known[a] in all the earth. Shout, and sing for joy, O inhabitant of Zion, for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.” R.
Gospel Acclamation2Corintians 5:19
Alleluia, alleluia!
God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Alleluia, alleluia!
Gospel Matthew 13:44-46
At that time: Jesus said to the crowds, “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.
Intercessions:
– That people everywhere may be given the time to rest and recover from the pressure of their work, and be given the opportunity to worship God and help people, we pray:
– That the faithful who go to Mass on Sundays will also live according to the Gospel on weekdays, we pray:
– That the Eucharistic celebration on Sundays may be to all Christian communities a source of great joy as we deeply encounter the Lord and receive the strength to follow him on his ways, we pray:
Prayer over the Offerings
Receive, O Lord, we pray, the offerings made for the salvation of your people,
so that through the intercession of blessed Cyprian Michael we may flee the enticements of sin and draw near to the company of heaven. Through Christ our Lord. Amen!
Communion antiphon: cf. Mt 24:46-47
Blessed is the servant whom the Lord finds watching when he comes. Amen I say to you, he will put that servant incharge of all his property.
Prayer after Communion
Grant our request, we pray, O Lord our God, that, defended by the protection of blessed Cyprian Michael, we may live by this Sacrament of your wisdom in serenity and moderation. Through Christ our Lord. Amen!
Reflection
A faithful Christian should be holy for our God is holy. There are three categories of saints. The first grade of saints are the faithful living in the state of grace in this world. The second category are those who have been proven in excellent Christian living and attested to by the authorities of the Church after their passing from this life. Those are the ones we celebrate like Blessed Michael Iwene Tansi today. The third grade are those known to the loving mercy of God alone. All Christians have the opportunity to attain sainthood by striving to remain in the state of grace and known for some exceeding spirituality. With our own brother St. Michael Iwene Tansi in heaven, his prayers will aid us to attain eternal bliss.
Blessed Michael Iwene Tansi – Pray for Us!