MARY STILL INTERCEDES FOR US NIGERIANS
Introduction
Today is the Independence Anniversary of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1960-2020. Without much knowledge in algebra, it means the country is 60 years today. The most populous black nation in the world. The assumed largest economy in Africa. Boasts of the highest number of religious groups in the world that parade peace and love as logos. Five times winner of the Fifa U-17 World Cup. These are facts that make countries grandiose. However, the truth is that today, we remember how we lowered the flag of the British colonial masters and their oppressive legislations and, with pride, raised the flag of neocolonial oppressors, Nigerian politicians, ten times worse than their English primogenitors. Nigeria has no serious threat from the Mother Nature in terms of catastrophes. The one tsunami the country has is politics and her brood of vipers: the Nigerian politicians.
The Nigerian Church, in her wisdom dedicates this day in honour of the Blessed Virgin Mary, believing, with filial devotion, on her intercessions as our Mother and Patroness. Yes, we believe. It shall be well.
Entrance Antiphon
Hail, Holy Mother, who gave birth to the King
who rules heaven and earth for ever.
Collect
Grant, Lord God, that we, your servants,
may rejoice in unfailing health of mind and body,
and, through the glorious intercession of Blessed Mary ever-Virgin,
may we be set free from present sorrow
and come to enjoy eternal happiness.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen!
First reading: Isaiah 11:1-10
On that day: There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots. And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, he spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. And his delight shall be in the fear of the Lord. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide by what his ears hear; but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall slay the wicked. Righteousness shall be the girdle of his waist, and faithfulness the girdle of his loins. The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid, and the calf and the lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them. The cow and the bear shall feed; their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. The sucking child shall play over the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder’s den. They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. In that day the root of Jesse shall stand as an ensign to the peoples; him shall the nations seek, and his dwellings shall be glorious.
Responsorial Psalm 72:1-2,7-8,12-13,17
R. (7) In his days justice shall flourish, and great peace forever.
O God, give your judgment to the king,
to a king’s son your justice,
that he may judge your people in justice,
and your poor in right judgment. R.
In his days shall justice flourish,
and great peace till the moon is no more.
He shall rule from sea to sea,
from the River to the bounds of the earth. R.
For he shall save the needy when they cry,
the poor, and those who are helpless.
He will have pity on the weak and the needy,
and save the lives of the needy. R.
May his name endure forever,
his name continue like the sun.
Every tribe shall be blest in him,
all nations shall call him blessed. R.
Second reading: Ephesians 2:13-22
Brethren: Now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near in the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who has made us both one, and has broken down the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law of commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby bringing the hostility to an end. And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near; for through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are built into it for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.
Gospel Acclamation Luke 1:38
Alleluia, alleluia!
Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word. Alleluia!
Gospel: Matthew 2:13-15,19-23
When the Wise Men had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there till I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.” And he rose and took the child and his mother by night, and departed to Egypt, and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfil what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, “Out of Egypt have I called my son.” But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child’s life are dead.” And he rose and took the child and his mother, and went to the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus reigned over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there, and being warned in a dream he withdrew to the district of Galilee. And he went and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled, “He shall be called a Nazarene.”
Commentary
Today is a very memorable day for us both as believers and as a nation, as we celebrate the solemnity of Our Lady Queen and Patroness of Nigeria as well as our 60th Independence Day anniversary as a sovereign country. Our political leaders are our number one problem. They are our own Tsunami. Prophet Isaiah foretells of an era of perfect peace, justice and equity during the reign of a righteous king from the line of Jesse. This was fulfilled with the coming of Jesus, who is our peace. However, there is still suffering, insecurity and all forms of injustices in our land amidst abundant human and natural resources. It was never easy even with Mary and Joseph but they believed in the word of God and found salvation. Let us pray for brighter future through the motherly intercession of our Lady Queen and Patroness of Nigeria while working for a just, equitable and peaceful society, in unity of mind and heart. May God save us from our corrupt politicians. Amen!
Prayer over the Offerings
Receive, O Lord, we ask, the prayers of your people
with the sacrificial offerings,
that, through the intercession of Blessed Mary,
the Mother of your Son,
no petition may go unanswered,
no request be made in vain.
Through Christ our Lord. Amen!
Communion Antiphon Cf. Luke 11: 27
Blessed is the womb of the Virgin Mary,
which bore the Son of the eternal Father.
Prayer after Communion
As we receive this heavenly Sacrament,
we beseech, O Lord, your mercy,
that we, who rejoice in commemorating the Blessed Virgin Mary,
may by imitating her
serve worthily the mystery of our redemption.
Through Christ our Lord. Amen!
Mary, Queen and Patroness of Nigeria – Pray for Us!