Year 34 No.

46 First Sunday of Lent (B) — Violet February 21, 2021

National Migrants’ Sunday

T here is a kind of evolution

in how God deals with
sin, starting from the time of
appointed for them. The nation
they left, Egypt, was visited by
ten terrible plagues.
our first parents. When they In many cases of the Old
disobeyed God by eating the Testament God shows himself
fruit of a forbidden tree, he to be both just and merciful.
became angry because of He always hates the sin but
their disobedience. The two forgives the sinner. He gives
received many favors from time to amend.
him, but they forgot him when In the New Testment,
the serpent said: “No, you will Christ gave new light to
not die eating the fruit. Rather, everything. As Son of the
you will be like gods, knowing Father, Jesus has all his
both good and evil...” The Lord characteristics: holiness
penalized them by driving and hatred for sin,
them out of Paradise, but he forgiveness and mercy.
also promised redemption. Divine mercy in the New
D u r i n g N o a h ’s t i m e , Testament is awesome. It
humanity became steeped in is a forgiving love and life-
iniquity except Noah and his restoring. In the name of
family. The Bible says that God the Father, Christ offered his
repented of having created
man and decided to wipe him
from the earth through a flood.
He told Noah to build a big
MERCY dignity and life to restore our
dignity and life. He accepted
the fate of a sinner to render us
sinless. We can never fathom
boat to save him and his family.
This was how he punished
How God Deals the depths of divine love
and forgiveness. It is beyond
humanity then, but he left a
remnant through Noah.
with Our Sin imagination.
The “Exsultet” which the
In Israel’s case in Egypt, deacon sings during the Easter
God also showed providence, Vigil Mass encapsulates Christ’s
although not all Israel was by Fr. Arthur J. Palisada, SSP saving act perfectly: “O happy
righteous. At times some fault, that earned so great, so
disobeyed Moses, the guide glorious a Redeemer!”

PASTORAL CATECHESIS FOR THE YEAR OF MISSION AD GENTES

War and Recovery Efforts Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) can be traced
Fr. James H. Kroeger, MM back to February 1945 when Apostolic Delegate William Piani,
even as the war was still raging, appointed John Hurley, SJ, to
In our survey of the 500-year journey of Christianity in the take charge of relief work and created the Catholic Welfare
Philippines, we recall that Japanese forces invaded the islands Organization (CWO). The primary purpose of the CWO was
in December 1941. Allied forces under General MacArthur to assist in alleviating the immediate suffering and destruction
returned in 1944, but severe fighting continued until the brought on by the war.
Japanese surrender in August 1945. The war inflicted heavy On July 17, 1945 all the bishops met in Manila for their
damage; 257 priests and religious lost their lives, and losses in first meeting after the Japanese Occupation; they requested that
ecclesiastical property and equipment were estimated at 250 the CWO become the official organization of the Hierarchy of
million pesos (U.S.$ 125 million). Priests, brothers, sisters, the Philippines. In subsequent years, the CWO continued to
and dedicated Catholic women and men exhibited great faith be largely engaged in relief services and the rehabilitation of
and heroism during the war; many suffered imprisonment. Church institutions. Officially, the CWO became the CBCP in
The origins of what is known today as the Catholic 1968, implementing the renewal fostered by Vatican II.
 THE INTRODUCTORY RITES P — M ay a l m i g h t y G o d you and every living creature
have mercy on us, forgive with you: I set my bow in the
Entrance Antiphon us our sins, and bring us to clouds to serve as a sign of
(Cf. Ps 91[90]:15–16) everlasting life. the covenant between me
(Recited when there is no opening song) All — Amen. and the earth. When I bring
clouds over the earth, and the
When he calls on me, I will P — Lord, have mercy.
bow appears in the clouds,
answer him; I will deliver him All — Lord, have mercy.
I will recall the covenant I
and give him glory, I will grant P — Christ, have mercy. have made between me and
him length of days. All — Christ, have mercy. you and all living beings, so
P — Lord, have mercy. that the waters shall never
Greeting All — Lord, have mercy.
(The sign of the cross is made here) again become a flood to
(The Gloria is omitted.) destroy all mortal beings.”
P — Grace to you and peace
from God our Father and the Collect — The word of the Lord.
All — Thanks be to God.
Lord Jesus Christ. P — Let us pray. (Pause)
All — And with your spirit. G ra n t , a l m i g h t y G o d , Responsorial Psalm (Ps 25)
Introduction through the yearly observances
(These [or similar words] may be of holy Lent, that we may grow R — Your ways, O Lord, are
used to address the assembly.) in understanding of the riches love and truth to those who
hidden in Christ and by worthy keep your covenant.
P — For the Church in the conduct pursue their effects. Sr. M. C. A. Parco, FSP
Philippines, the first Sunday of Through our Lord Jesus G Em

 
Lent is also National Migrants’ Christ, your Son, who lives and  
Day. Jesus’ cross portrays very reigns with you in the unity of 
well their sacrifices and their the Holy Spirit, one God, for
Your ways, O Lord,

fortitude just to provide for ever and ever. D7

 
their families. Inspired by the 2
All — Amen.
   
liturgy, let us pray for and
reflect on the plight of millions THE Liturgy are love and truth

of overseas Filipino workers, of the word Am

migrants, and their families.
 
3

Let us pray for all people on First Reading (Gn 9:8–15) (Sit)    
the move so that they will not God promises that never again
to those who keep

succumb to the temptation of shall living creatures be destroyed G D7 G

 
pleasure and material gains but
  
4

be instruments of the Good

by the waters of a flood. The   
rainbow is a sign of this covenant
your co ve nant
News through their humble between God and his creatures.
and selfless service to God 1. Your ways, O LORD, make
A reading from the Book of known to me;/ teach me your
and people. Genesis
paths./ Guide me in your truth
Penitential Act GOD SAID to Noah and and teach me,/ for you are God
P — Brethren (brothers and to his sons with him: “See, my savior. (R)
sisters), let us acknowledge I am now establishing my
2. Remember that your com-
our sins, and so prepare covenant with you and your
passion, O LORD,/ and your
ourselves to celebrate the descendants after you and
sacred mysteries. (Pause) love are from of old./ In your
with every living creature that
kindness remember me,/
All — I confess to almighty was with you: all the birds,
because of your goodness, O
God and to you, my brothers and the various tame and
and sisters, that I have greatly LORD. (R)
wild animals that were with
sinned, in my thoughts and you and came out of the ark. 3. Good and upright is the
in my words, in what I have I will establish my covenant LORD,/ thus he shows sinners
done and in what I have with you, that never again the way. / He guides the humble
failed to do, (strike your breast) shall all bodily creatures be to justice,/ and he teaches the
through my fault, through humble his way. (R)
my fault, through my most destroyed by the waters of
grievous fault; therefore, I a flood; there shall not be Second Reading (1 Pt 3:18–22)
ask blessed Mary ever- Virgin, another flood to devastate
all the Angels and Saints, and the earth.” God added: “This Peter writes that just as Noah and
you, my brothers and sisters, is the sign that I am giving his family were saved in the ark,
to pray for me to the Lord for all ages to come, of the Christians are saved by baptism
our God. co- venant between me and through which they share in the
death and resurrection of Jesus. Homily (Sit) C — That the young lessen the
burden of age carried by the
A reading from the first Letter
Profession of Faith (Stand) elderly and bring them joy by
of Saint Peter
their respect, care, patience,
All — I believe in God, the and love, we pray: (R)
BELOVED: Christ suffered for
Father Almighty, Creator of
sins once, the righteous for the heaven and earth, and in Jesus C — That grieving families,
sake of the unrighteous, that Christ, his only Son, our Lord, left behind by the demise of
he might lead you to God. Put who was conceived by the Holy overseas workers find comfort
to death in the flesh, he was Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, in the assurance that their loved
brought to life in the Spirit. In suffered under Pontius Pilate, ones are now peacefully in
it he also went to preach to the was crucified, died and was God’s kingdom, we pray: (R)
spirits in prison, who had once buried; he descended into hell;
been disobedient while God on the third day, he rose again C — Let us pray for the urgent
patiently waited in the days of from the dead; he ascended into concerns of our community
Noah during the building of the heaven, and is seated at the and our personal intentions
ark, in which a few persons, right hand of God the Father (pause). We pray: (R)
eight in all, were saved through almighty; from there he will P — Almighty Father, may you
water. This prefigured baptism, come again to judge the living pour upon us all the graces we
which saves you now. It is not and the dead. most need, especially for our
a removal of dirt from the body I believe in the Holy Spirit,
migrant brothers and sisters
the holy catholic Church,
but an appeal to God for a who continue to seek your
the communion of saints,
clear conscience, through the the forgiveness of sins, the comfort and love.
resurrection of Jesus Christ, resurrection of the body, and We ask this through Christ
who has gone into heaven and life everlasting. Amen. our Lord.
is at the right hand of God, All — Amen.
with angels, authorities, and Prayer of the Faithful
powers subject to him.
P — Like Jesus, who was
THE Liturgy of
— The word of the Lord. tempted in the desert, let us the eucharist
All — Thanks be to God. ask the Father to accompany
us in the temptations in life so Presentation of the Gifts (Stand)
Verse before the Gospel
(Mt 4:4b) (Stand) that we will always overcome P — Pray, brethren…
them. In a special way we All — May the Lord accept the
All — One does not live on lift up to God the needs and sacrifice at your hands for the
bread alone, but on every petitions of Filipino migrants praise and glory of his name,
word that comes forth from everywhere. With confidence for our good and the good of
in his grace, we pray: all his holy Church.
the mouth of God.
R — Listen to our prayer, O
Gospel (Mk 1:12–15) Lord. Prayer over the Offerings

P — A reading from the holy C — That our Church leaders P — Give us the right
Gospel according to Mark continue to be committed in disposition, O Lord, we pray,
All — Glory to you, O Lord. their concern for the poor, to make these offerings, for
especially among the migrants with them we celebrate the
THE Spirit drove Jesus out into and their families, we pray: (R) beginning of this venerable
the desert, and he remained and sacred time.
in the desert for forty days, C — That our civil leaders do
their best to serve the people Through Christ our Lord.
tempted by Satan. He was All — Amen.
among wild beasts, and the entrusted to them, mindful also
angels ministered to him. of their responsibility to take Preface
After John had been care of the migrants and their (The Temptation of the Lord)
arrested, Jesus came to Galilee families, we pray: (R)
proclaiming the gospel of God: C — That overseas Filipino P — The Lord be with you.
“This is the time of fulfillment. workers be continually All — And with your spirit.
The kingdom of God is at accompanied by God as P — Lift up your hearts.
hand. Repent, and believe in they work and live in foreign All — We lift them up to the
the gospel.” lands especially in moments Lord.
— The Gospel of the Lord. of temptation to abandon their P — Let us give thanks to the
All — Praise to you, Lord Jesus religious and cultural values, Lord our God.
Christ. we pray: (R) All — It is right and just.
P — It is truly right and just,
our duty and our salvation,
always and everywhere to
give you thanks, Lord, holy
Father, almighty and eternal
God, through Christ our Lord.
By abstaining forty long
d ay s f r o m e a r t h l y f o o d ,
h e c o n s e c ra t e d t h r o u g h
his fast the pattern of our
Lenten observance and, by
overturning all the snares of
the ancient serpent, taught
us to cast out the leaven of
malice, so that, celebrating
worthily the Paschal Mystery,
we might pass over at last to
the eternal paschal feast.
And so, with the company
of Angels and Saints, as we
sing the hymn of your praise,
without end we acclaim:
All — Holy, Holy, Holy Lord The Lord will conceal you All — Amen.
God of hosts. Heaven and earth with his pinions, and under
are full of your glory. Hosanna P — And may the blessing
his wings you will trust. of almighty God, the Father,
in the highest. Blessed is he who
comes in the name of the Lord. Prayer after Communion and the Son, (†) and the Holy
Hosanna in the highest. (Kneel) (Stand) Spirit, come down on you
and remain with you for ever.
Acclamation (Stand) P — Let us pray. (Pause) All — Amen.
Renewed now with
All — When we eat this Bread heavenly bread, by which faith Dismissal
and drink this Cup, we proclaim is nourished, hope increased,
your Death, O Lord, until you P — Go in peace, glorifying
and charity strengthened, we
come again. the Lord by your life.
pray, O Lord, that we may All — Thanks be to God.
learn to hunger for Christ,
THE communion rite the true and living Bread,
The Lord’s Prayer and strive to live by every BE A PRIEST OR
word which proceeds from A BROTHER OF
All — Our Father… your mouth.
 MASS MEDIA
P — Deliver us, Lord… Through Christ our Lord.
All — For the kingdom, the All — Amen.
If you are a Grade
power and the glory are yours
12 student, a college
now and forever.
THE concluding rites student, or a young
Invitation to Peace professional, male,
P — The Lord be with you. single, and interested
Invitation to Communion All — And with your spirit. to become a priest or
(Kneel) a brother involved in
Solemn Blessing the apostolate of social
P — Behold the Lamb of God, communication, we
behold him who takes away P — Bow down for the blessing. invite you to journey
the sins of the world. Blessed (Pause) with us.
are those called to the supper
of the Lamb. May bountiful blessing, O Visit our websites:
All — Lord, I am not worthy Lord, we pray, come down ssp.ph or stpauls.ph
that you should enter under upon your people, that hope
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(Cf. Ps 91[90]:4) Through Christ our Lord. (02) 8895-9701