Posted on 06/03/2006 8:15:43 AM PDT by Salvation
Memorial of Saint Charles Lwanga and his companions, martyrs
Reading 1
Acts 28:16-20, 30-31
When he entered Rome, Paul was allowed to live by himself,
with the soldier who was guarding him.
Three days later he called together the leaders of the Jews.
When they had gathered he said to them, “My brothers,
although I had done nothing against our people
or our ancestral customs,
I was handed over to the Romans as a prisoner from Jerusalem.
After trying my case the Romans wanted to release me,
because they found nothing against me deserving the death penalty.
But when the Jews objected, I was obliged to appeal to Caesar,
even though I had no accusation to make against my own nation.
This is the reason, then, I have requested to see you
and to speak with you, for it is on account of the hope of Israel
that I wear these chains.”
He remained for two full years in his lodgings.
He received all who came to him, and with complete assurance
and without hindrance he proclaimed the Kingdom of God
and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ.
Responsorial Psalm
Ps 11:4, 5 and 7
R. (see 7b) The just will gaze on your face, O Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The LORD is in his holy temple;
the LORD’s throne is in heaven.
His eyes behold,
his searching glance is on mankind.
R. The just will gaze on your face, O Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The LORD searches the just and the wicked;
the lover of violence he hates.
For the LORD is just, he loves just deeds;
the upright shall see his face.
R. The just will gaze on your face, O Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Gospel
Jn 21:20-25
Peter turned and saw the disciple following whom Jesus loved,
the one who had also reclined upon his chest during the supper
and had said, “Master, who is the one who will betray you?”
When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about him?”
Jesus said to him, “What if I want him to remain until I come?
What concern is it of yours?
You follow me.”
So the word spread among the brothers that that disciple would not die.
But Jesus had not told him that he would not die,
just “What if I want him to remain until I come?
What concern is it of yours?”
It is this disciple who testifies to these things
and has written them, and we know that his testimony is true.
There are also many other things that Jesus did,
but if these were to be described individually,
I do not think the whole world would contain the books
that would be written.
Please notify me via FReepmail if you would like to be added to or taken off the Alleluia Ping List.
From: Acts 28:16-20, 30-31
Arrival in Rome (Continuation)
I am going on a pilgrimage to Eastern Europe and will be gone beginning June 12th and returning June 25th, so I will need to have someone post the Daily Readings. Several of you have done it in the past, so perhaps you can split the two weeks I will be gone.
Please FReepmail me if you can help with posting the Daily Readings.
From: John 21:20-25
Peter's Primacy (Continuation)
| First reading | Acts 28:16 - 31 © |
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| On our arrival in Rome Paul was allowed to stay in lodgings of his own with the soldier who guarded him. After three days he called together the leading Jews. When they had assembled, he said to them, ‘Brothers, although I have done nothing against our people or the customs of our ancestors, I was arrested in Jerusalem and handed over to the Romans. They examined me and would have set me free, since they found me guilty of nothing involving the death penalty; but the Jews lodged an objection, and I was forced to appeal to Caesar, not that I had any accusation to make against my own nation. That is why I have asked to see you and talk to you, for it is on account of the hope of Israel that I wear this chain.’ Paul spent the whole of the two years in his own rented lodging. He welcomed all who came to visit him, proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching the truth about the Lord Jesus Christ with complete freedom and without hindrance from anyone. |
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| Psalm or canticle: Psalm 10 |
| Gospel | John 21:20 - 25 © |
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| Peter turned and saw the disciple Jesus loved following them – the one who had leaned on his breast at the supper and had said to him, ‘Lord, who is it that will betray you?’ Seeing him, Peter said to Jesus, ‘What about him, Lord?’ Jesus answered, ‘If I want him to stay behind till I come, what does it matter to you? You are to follow me.’ The rumour then went out among the brothers that this disciple would not die. Yet Jesus had not said to Peter, ‘He will not die’, but, ‘If I want him to stay behind till I come’. This disciple is the one who vouches for these things and has written them down, and we know that his testimony is true. There were many other things that Jesus did; if all were written down, the world itself, I suppose, would not hold all the books that would have to be written. |
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O God, come to my aid.
O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen. Alleluia.
A suitable hymn may be inserted at this point.
| Psalm 106 (107) |
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| Thanksgiving after rescue |
| Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his kindness is for ever. Let them say this, the people the Lord has redeemed, those whom he rescued from their enemies whom he gathered together from all lands, from east and west, from the north and the south. They wandered through desert and wilderness, they could find no way to a city they could dwell in. Their souls were weary within them, weary from hunger and thirst. They cried to the Lord in their trouble and he rescued them from their distress. He set them on the right path towards a city they could dwell in. Let them give thanks to the Lord for his kindness, for the wonders he works for men: the Lord, who feeds hungry creatures and gives water to the thirsty to drink. They sat in the darkness and shadow of death, imprisoned in chains and in misery, because they had rebelled against the words of God and spurned the counsels of the Most High. He wore out their hearts with labour: they were weak, there was no-one to help. They cried to the Lord in their trouble and he rescued them from their distress. He led them out of the darkness and shadow of death, he shattered their chains. Let them give thanks to the Lord for his kindness, for the wonders he works for men: the Lord, who shatters doors of bronze, who breaks bars of iron. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
| Psalm 106 (107) |
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| The people were sick because they transgressed, afflicted because of their sins. All food was distasteful to them, they were on the verge of death. They cried to the Lord in their trouble and he rescued them from their distress. He sent forth his word and healed them, delivered them from their ruin. Let them give thanks to the Lord for his kindness, for the wonders he works for men: Let them offer a sacrifice of praise and proclaim his works with rejoicing. Those who go down to the sea in ships, those who trade across the great waters – they have seen the works of the Lord, the wonders he performs in the deep. He spoke, and a storm arose, and the waves of the sea rose up. They rose up as far as the heavens and descended down to the depths: the sailors’ hearts melted from fear, they staggered and reeled like drunkards, terror drove them out of their minds. But they cried to the Lord in their trouble and he rescued them from their distress. He turned the storm into a breeze and silenced the waves. They rejoiced at the ending of the storm and he led them to the port that they wanted. Let them give thanks to the Lord for his kindness, for the wonders he works for men: let them exalt him in the assembly of the people, give him praise in the council of the elders. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
| Psalm 106 (107) |
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| The Lord has turned rivers into wilderness, he has made well-watered lands into desert, fruitful ground into salty waste because of the evil of those who dwelt there. But he has made wilderness into ponds, deserts into the sources of rivers, he has called together the hungry and they have founded a city to dwell in. They have sowed the fields, planted the vines; they grow and harvest their produce. He has blessed them and they have multiplied; he does not let their cattle decrease. But those others became few and oppressed through trouble, evil, and sorrow. He poured his contempt on their princes and set them to wander the trackless waste. But the poor he has saved from their poverty and their families grow numerous as sheep. The upright shall see, and be glad, and all wickedness shall block up its mouth. Whoever is wise will remember these things and understand the mercies of the Lord. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
| Reading | 3 John 1:1 - 15 © |
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| From the Elder: greetings to my dear friend Gaius, whom I love in the truth. My dear friend, I hope everything is going happily with you and that you are as well physically as you are spiritually. It was a great joy to me when some brothers came and told of your faithfulness to the truth, and of your life in the truth. It is always my greatest joy to hear that my children are living according to the truth. My friend, you have done faithful work in looking after these brothers, even though they were complete strangers to you. They are a proof to the whole Church of your charity and it would be a very good thing if you could help them on their journey in a way that God would approve. It was entirely for the sake of the name that they set out, without depending on the pagans for anything; it is our duty to welcome men of this sort and contribute our share to their work for the truth. I have written a note for the members of the church, but Diotrephes, who seems to enjoy being in charge of it, refuses to accept us. So if I come, I shall tell everyone how he has behaved, and about the wicked accusations he has been circulating against us. As if that were not enough, he not only refuses to welcome our brothers, but prevents the other people who would have liked to from doing it, and expels them from the church. My dear friend, never follow such a bad example, but keep following the good one; anyone who does what is right is a child of God, but the person who does what is wrong has never seen God. Demetrius has been approved by everyone, and indeed by the truth itself. We too will vouch for him and you know that our testimony is true. There were several things I had to tell you but I would rather not trust them to pen and ink. However, I hope to see you soon and talk to you personally. Peace be with you; greetings from your friends; greet each of our friends by name. |
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| Reading | A sermon by Pope Paul VI |
|---|---|
| The glory of the martyrs - a sign of rebirth | |
| The African martyrs add another page to the martyrology – the Church’s roll of honour – an occasion both of mourning and of joy. This is a page worthy in every way to be added to the annals of that Africa of earlier which we, living in this era and being men of little faith, never expected to be repeated. In earlier times there occurred those famous deeds, so moving to the spirit, of the martyrs of Scilli, of Carthage, and of that “white robed army” of Utica commemorated by Saint Augustine and Prudentius; of the martyrs of Egypt so highly praised by Saint John Chrysostom, and of the martyrs of the Vandal persecution. Who would have thought that in our days we should have witnessed events as heroic and glorious? Who could have predicted to the famous African confessors and martyrs such as Cyprian, Felicity, Perpetua and – the greatest of all – Augustine, that we would one day add names so dear to us as Charles Lwanga and Matthias Mulumba Kalemba and their 20 companions? Nor must we forget those members of the Anglican Church who also died for the name of Christ. These African martyrs herald the dawn of a new age. If only the mind of man might be directed not toward persecutions and religious conflicts but toward a rebirth of Christianity and civilisation! Africa has been washed by the blood of these latest martyrs, the first of this new age (and, God willing, let them be the last, although such a holocaust is precious indeed). Africa is reborn free and independent. The infamous crime by which these young men were put to death was so unspeakable and so expressive of the times. It shows us clearly that a new people needs a moral foundation, needs new spiritual customs firmly planted, to be handed down to posterity. Symbolically, this crime also reveals that a simple and rough way of life – enriched by many fine human qualities yet enslaved by its own weakness and corruption – must give way to a more civilised life wherein the higher expressions of the mind and better social conditions prevail. |
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| A concluding prayer may follow here. |
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June 3, 2006
Charles Lwanga and Companions
(d. 1886)
One of 22 Ugandan martyrs, Charles Lwanga is the patron of youth and Catholic action in most of tropical Africa. He protected his fellow pages (aged 13 to 30) from the homosexual demands of the Bagandan ruler, Mwanga, and encouraged and instructed them in the Catholic faith during their imprisonment for refusing the ruler’s demands. For his own unwillingness to submit to the immoral acts and his efforts to safeguard the faith of his friends, Charles was burned to death at Namugongo on June 3, 1886, by Mwanga’s order. Charles first learned of Christ’s teachings from two retainers in the court of Chief Mawulugungu. While a catechumen, he entered the royal household as assistant to Joseph Mukaso, head of the court pages. On the night of Mukaso’s martyrdom for encouraging the African youths to resist Mwanga, Charles requested and received Baptism. Imprisoned with his friends, Charles’s courage and belief in God inspired them to remain chaste and faithful. When Pope Paul VI canonized these 22 martyrs on October 18, 1964, he referred to the Anglican pages martyred for the same reason. Quote:
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| Saturday, June 3, 2006 Sts. Charles Lwanga and Companions, Martyrs (Memorial) |
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Recipes:
Activities:
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June 03, 2006    Memorial of St. Charles Lwanga and Companions, martyrs "I promise you in the excessive mercy of my Heart that my all-powerful love will grant to all those who receive Holy Communion on the First Fridays in nine consecutive months the grace of final perseverance; they shall not die in my disgrace, nor without receiving their sacraments. My divine Heart shall be their safe refuge in this last moment" (Jesus to St. Margaret Mary). Sixteenth century Calvinism and seventeenth Jansenism preached a distorted Christianity that substituted for God's love and sacrifice of His Son for all men the fearful idea that a whole section of humanity was inexorably damned. The Church always countered this view with the infinite love of our Savior who died on the cross for all men. The institution of the feast of the Sacred Heart was soon to contribute to the creation among the faithful of a powerful current of devotion which since then has grown steadily stronger. The first Office and Mass of the Sacred Heart were composed by St. John Eudes, but the institution of the feast was a result of the appearances of our Lord to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque in 1675. The celebration of the feast was extended to the general calendar of the Church by Pius IX in 1856.
St. Charles Lwanga and Companions Charles was one of twenty-two Ugandan martyrs who converted from paganism. He was baptized November 1885, a year before his death, and became a moral leader. He was the chief of the royal pages and was considered the strongest athlete of the court. He was also known as "the most handsome man of the Kingdom of the Uganda." He instructed his friends in the Catholic Faith and he personally baptized boy pages. He inspired and encouraged his companions to remain chaste and faithful. He protected his companions, ages 13-30, from the immoral acts and homosexual demands of the Babandan ruler, Mwanga.
When Charles was sentenced to death, he seemed very peaceful, one might even say, cheerful. He was to be executed by being burnt to death. While the pyre was being prepared, he asked to be untied so that he could arrange the sticks. He then lay down upon them. When the executioner said that Charles would be burned slowly so death, Charles replied by saying that he was very glad to be dying for the True Faith. He made no cry of pain but just twisted and moaned, "Kotanda! (O my God!)." He was burned to death by Mwanga's order on June 3, 1886. Pope Paul VI canonized Charles Lwanga and his companions on June 22,1964. We celebrate his memorial on June 3rd of the Roman Calendar. Charles is the Patron of the African Youth of Catholic Action. — www.Savior.org Patron: African Catholic Youth Action; Catholic youth; converts; torture victims. Things to Do:
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O God, come to my aid.
O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen. Alleluia.
A suitable hymn may be inserted at this point.
| Psalm 118 (119): 145-152 |
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| I call on you with all my heart – answer me, Lord. I will obey your laws. I call on you, save me so that I can keep your decrees. At dawn I cry to you, I put all my hope in your word. In the night I keep watch, pondering your sayings. In your mercy, Lord, hear my voice; in your justice, give me life. My persecutors come to do me harm: they are far from your law. But you, Lord, are near to me, and you are trustworthy in all your precepts. From the beginning I have known your decrees, how you have made them to last for ever. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
| Canticle | Wisdom 9 |
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| Lord, give me wisdom | |
| God of my fathers and Lord of mercy, who made all things by your word; who in your wisdom set man to rule over all that you created – to arrange the world in holiness and justice – to make right judgements according to the guidance of his heart: give me Wisdom, who stands by your throne, and let me not be unworthy to be your servant. For I am your slave and the son of your servant-girl, a man, weak, short-lived, slow to understand your judgements and laws. Even the highest of the children of men – if your wisdom is absent – counts for nothing. With you abides Wisdom, who knows your works. She was with you when you made the world. She knew what was pleasing to your eyes. She saw what was right according to your precepts. Send your Wisdom from the highest heaven; send her from the throne of your greatness; that she may abide with me and work with me, so that I may know what it is that pleases you. For Wisdom knows everything, and understands; she will lead me wisely in what I do, and protect me in her glory. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
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| Psalm 116 (117) |
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| Praise of the merciful Lord |
| Praise the Lord, all nations; all peoples, praise him. For his mercy is strong over us and his faithfulness is for ever. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
| A short Bible reading and responsory may follow here. |
| Canticle | Benedictus |
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| The Messiah and his forerunner | |
| Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, for he has come to his people and brought about their redemption. He has raised up the sign of salvation in the house of his servant David, as he promised through the mouth of the holy ones, his prophets through the ages: to rescue us from our enemies and all who hate us, to take pity on our fathers, to remember his holy covenant and the oath he swore to Abraham our father, that he would give himself to us, that we could serve him without fear – freed from the hands of our enemies – in uprightness and holiness before him, for all of our days. And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High: for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare his path, to let his people know their salvation, so that their sins may be forgiven. Through the bottomless mercy of our God, one born on high will visit us to give light to those who walk in darkness, who live in the shadow of death; to lead our feet in the path of peace. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
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| Some short prayers may follow here, to offer up the day's work to God. |
| Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those that trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. |
| A concluding prayer may follow here. |
| May the Lord bless us and keep us from all harm; and may he lead us to eternal life. |
| A M E N |
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The Eve of Pentecost Saint Charles Lwanga and his companions, martyrs John 21:20-25 Introductory Prayer: Mary, help me on this eve of Pentecost to open my heart to receive the Holy Spirit, just as you joined the first apostles in prayer in the Upper Room. Help me to respond anew to Christ’s call, “Follow me.” Petition: Holy Spirit, gentle guest and consoler of my soul, help me to penetrate more deeply into the limitless riches of Christ so that I may give myself to him with greater love and be an instrument for the New Springtime of Christianity. 1. “Follow Me.” We contemplate this Gospel scene on the eve of Pentecost, as Pope Benedict XVI prepares to encounter members of ecclesial movements from all over the world in St Peter’s Square. In the Gospel, Christ renews his call to Peter, “Follow me.” Through ecclesial movements, hundreds of thousands of people have heard anew and responded to Christ’s call to follow him with their whole lives. The Holy Spirit, Christ’s own Spirit, is bringing about a “New Springtime” in the life of the Church. In the 1998 Pentecost encounter of movement members with John Paul II, the then Cardinal Ratzinger commented: “For me personally it was a marvelous event when at the beginning of the seventies I first came into contact with movements … and thus experienced the enthusiasm and verve with which they lived out their faith and felt bound to share with others, from out of the joy of their faith, what was vouchsafed to them” (Pilgrim Fellowship of Faith, pg. 176). Cardinal Ratzinger is now Pope Benedict XVI. 2. The Limitless Riches of Christ. What does the Holy Spirit call us to discover above all in our Christian lives? First and foremost, he enables us to penetrate more deeply into the limitless riches of Christ. St John concludes his Gospel by affirming that all the books in the world could not contain these riches. Pope Paul VI has meditated on this conclusion of John’s Gospel: “Once one begins to be interested in Christ, one’s interest can never cease. There is always something more to be known, to be said — infinitely more. St John the Evangelist ends his Gospel making this very point. Everything to do with Christ is so rich, there are such depths for us to explore; such light, strength, joy, desire have their source in him … that it is unseemly, unscientific and irreverent ever to think we need not and cannot advance further in the contemplation of Jesus Christ” (Pope Paul VI, General Audience, February 20, 1974). 3. “Come Holy Spirit!” Legionary of Christ founder Father Marcial Maciel has remarked that the Church’s hymns to the Holy Spirit shed a torrent of light on the Spirit’s role in our lives as Christians. On this eve of Pentecost, let us ponder and make our own some verses from the ancient hymn, Veni Creator Spiritus. Creating Spirit, mighty Lord Alert our senses, touch our hearts,
Resolution: I will ask the Holy Spirit to prepare my heart to receive him throughout the day. I will offer up everything I do for the fruits of the Pentecost event in St Peter’s Square. |
Pentecost: The Descent of the Holy Spirit
CATECHISM CC - Pt. 1 - Chap. 3 - I BELIEVE IN THE HOLY SPIRIT
CATECHISM CC - Pt 1, Chap 3, ARTICLE 8 "I BELIEVE IN THE HOLY SPIRIT"
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Pray for A Voice in the Desert |
Novena to the Holy Spirit Prayers for the Ninth Day
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Most Reverend Harry J. Flynn Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA This action of the Archbishop is not related to any scandal We regret any inconvenience and humbly ask for your prayers. Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis Most Reverend Harry J. Flynn |
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Saturday, June 03, 2006 Meditation John 21:20-25 Do you know what a “pitfall” is? It’s a deep hole dug in the ground and covered over with brush to conceal it. Hunters make pitfalls to capture wild animals, but occasionally people walking through the jungle don’t notice these cleverly constructed traps and fall into them, too. Similarly, spiritual pitfalls can ensnare us in hidden danger. Just look at Peter as he compared himself with John, trying to second-guess Jesus’ plans. Though he didn’t even realize it, Peter was precariously close to the edge of a dangerous pitfall when he asked the question “Lord, what about this man?” (John 21:21). How often we ask questions like Peter’s! “What about me, Lord? I’d sure like that great gift you gave to Joe.” Comparisons, seemingly so harmless, begin to entrap us. Measuring ourselves against others, we become jealous of their talents or aggressively competitive. Or perhaps we’re dissatisfied with our own circumstances and look enviously at what we think is greener grass on Susan’s side of the fence. Discontented, we’re soon caught up in complaining—or even criticizing God and his purposes for us. Finally, snared by these attitudes, we find ourselves trapped in sin, just like those who can’t escape a hunter’s pitfall. St. Paul vividly described this slippery process: “Those who desire to be rich” (we could easily insert “desire to be just like Bill” here instead!) “fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and hurtful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction” (1 Timothy 6:9). Looking to Jesus is the way to avoid spiritual pitfalls. Jesus himself wants to be our true contentment. He wants to fill our greatest needs and satisfy our deepest desires. Jesus asks us, “Am I not enough for you? Is my love not sufficient? Is my provision not sweet? Are the gifts and talents I’ve given you not a treasure?” It’s not a matter of resigning ourselves to less but of letting the Lord open our eyes to who he is and to all that he has given us. As we do, we’ll find the Spirit leading us into a life of fulfillment and fruitfulness so amazing that we’ll have neither the desire nor the time to compare ourselves to anyone else! “You are my portion, Lord! Teach me to be content in you and in whatever you choose for me, for in you is the fullness of joy.” Acts 28:16-20,30-31; Psalm 11:4-5,7 |
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O God, come to my aid.
O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen. Alleluia.
A suitable hymn may be inserted at this point.
| Psalm 112 (113) |
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| Praise of the Lord's name |
| Praise, servants of the Lord, praise the name of the Lord. Let the Lord’s name be blessed, now and for ever. From the sun’s rising to its setting, the Lord’s name is to be praised. The Lord is high over all peoples, his glory is above the heavens. Who is like the Lord our God, who lives on high, who bends down to watch over heaven and earth? He raises the weak from the ground, the poor from the dunghill, raises them among the princes, the princes of his people. He gives the barren woman a household, makes her the happy mother of children. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
| Psalm 146 (147A) |
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| The Lord's goodness and power |
| Praise the Lord! It is good to sing praise to our God; it is a joy to sing his praises. The Lord rebuilds Jerusalem: he will call back Israel from exile. He heals broken hearts and binds up their wounds. He counts all the stars; he calls each of them by name. Our God is great and great is his strength, his wisdom is not to be measured. The Lord supports the needy, but crushes the wicked to the ground. Sing out to the Lord in thanksgiving, sing praise to our God on the harp. He covers the sky with his clouds, he makes rain to refresh the earth. He makes grass grow on the hills, and plants for the service of man. He gives food to grazing animals, and feeds the young ravens that call on him. He takes no delight in the strength of the horse, no pleasure in the strength of a man. The Lord is pleased by those who honour him, by those who trust in his kindness. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
| Canticle | Apocalypse 15 |
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| A hymn of adoration | |
| Great and wonderful are your works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are your ways, King of all nations! Who, Lord, will not revere and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship in your presence, for your judgements have been seen by all. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
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| A short Bible reading and responsory may follow here. |
| Canticle | Magnificat |
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| My soul rejoices in the Lord | |
| My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God, my salvation. For he has shown me such favour – me, his lowly handmaiden. Now all generations will call me blessed, because the mighty one has done great things for me. His name is holy, his mercy lasts for generation after generation for those who revere him. He has put forth his strength: he has scattered the proud and conceited, torn princes from their thrones; but lifted up the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things; the rich he has sent away empty. He has come to the help of his servant Israel, he has remembered his mercy as he promised to our fathers, to Abraham and his children for ever. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
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| Some short prayers may follow here, to offer up the day's work to God. |
| Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those that trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. |
| A concluding prayer may follow here. |
| May the Lord bless us and keep us from all harm; and may he lead us to eternal life. |
| A M E N |
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Mwanga was a superstitious pagan king who originally was tolerant of Catholicism. However, his chief assistant, Katikiro, slowly convinced him that Christians were a threat to his rule. The premise was if these Christians would not bow to him, nor make sacrifices to their pagan god, nor pillage, massacre, nor make war, what would happen if his whole kingdom converted to Catholicism? 
Where Heresy and Dissent Abound
