Cebu Inspirations

     Arise, shine out, Jerusalem, for your light has come,

the glory of the Lord is rising on you,

though night still covers the earth

and darkness the peoples.

Above you the Lord now rises

and above you his glory appears.

The nations come to your light

and kings to your dawning brightness.

Lift up your eyes and look round:

all are assembling and coming towards you,

your sons from far away

and your daughters being tenderly carried.

At this sight you will grow radiant,

your heart throbbing and full;

since the riches of the sea will flow to you,

the wealth of the nations come to you;

camels in throngs will cover you,

and dromedaries of Midian and Ephah;

everyone in Sheba will come,

bringing gold and incense

and singing the praise of the Lord.
  

(        Isaiah 60:1-6     )

  R.          All nations shall fall prostrate before you, O Lord.
   

   O God, give your judgement to the king,

  to a king’s son your justice,

that he may judge your people in justice

  and your poor in right judgement.

 R.           All nations shall fall prostrate before you, O Lord.
     

      In his days justice shall flourish

  and peace till the moon fails.

He shall rule from sea to sea,

  from the Great River to earth’s bounds.

 R.          All nations shall fall prostrate before you, O Lord.
  

    The kings of Tarshish and the sea coasts

  shall pay him tribute.

The kings of Sheba and Seba

  shall bring him gifts.

Before him all kings shall fall prostrate,

  all nations shall serve him.

 R.           All nations shall fall prostrate before you, O Lord.
 

 For he shall save the poor when they cry

  and the needy who are helpless.

He will have pity on the weak

  and save the lives of the poor.

R.           All nations shall fall prostrate before you, O Lord. 

(   Psalm 71(72):1-2,7-8,10-13   ) 

    You have probably heard how I have been entrusted by God with the grace he meant for you, and that it was by a revelation that I was given the knowledge of the mystery. This mystery that has now been revealed through the Spirit to his holy apostles and prophets was unknown to any men in past generations; it means that pagans now share the same inheritance, that they are parts of the same body, and that the same promise has been made to them, in Jesus Christ, through the gospel. 

     (     Ephesians 3:2-3,5-6     )      

  After Jesus had been born at Bethlehem in Judaea during the reign of King Herod, some wise men came to Jerusalem from the east. ‘Where is the infant king of the Jews?’ they asked. ‘We saw his star as it rose and have come to do him homage.’ When King Herod heard this he was perturbed, and so was the whole of Jerusalem. He called together all the chief priests and the scribes of the people, and enquired of them where the Christ was to be born. ‘At Bethlehem in Judaea,’ they told him ‘for this is what the prophet wrote:

And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,

you are by no means least among the leaders of Judah,

for out of you will come a leader

who will shepherd my people Israel.’

Then Herod summoned the wise men to see him privately. He asked them the exact date on which the star had appeared, and sent them on to Bethlehem. ‘Go and find out all about the child,’ he said ‘and when you have found him, let me know, so that I too may go and do him homage.’ Having listened to what the king had to say, they set out. And there in front of them was the star they had seen rising; it went forward, and halted over the place where the child was. The sight of the star filled them with delight, and going into the house they saw the child with his mother Mary, and falling to their knees they did him homage. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh. But they were warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, and returned to their own country by a different way.

(            Matthew 2:1-12        )    

      Lyrics:  

Salve, Regina, Mater misericordiæ, 

vita, dulcedo, et spes nostra, salve 

Ad te clamamus exsules filii Hevæ 

Ad te suspiramus, gementes et flentes 

in hac lacrimarum valle.  

Eia, ergo, advocata nostra, illos tuos misericordes oculos ad nos converte; 

Et Iesum, benedictum fructum ventris tui, 

nobis post hoc exsilium ostende. 

O clemens, O pia, O dulcis Virgo Maria.  

Hail, holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, 

Hail our life, our sweetness and our hope. 

To thee do we cry, Poor banished children of Eve; 

To thee do we send up our sighs, Mourning and weeping in this valley of tears.  

Turn then, most gracious advocate, Thine eyes of mercy toward us; 

And after this our exile, 

Show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus. 

O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary. 

 Song Title: Salve Regina Artist(s): Anonymous Publisher: Public Domain  

     My Peace I Give Unto You 

It’s A Peace That The World Cannot Give

It’s A Peace That The World Cannot Understand 

Peace To Know Peace To Live

My Peace I give unto you.

My Joy I Give Unto You 

It’s A Joy That The World Cannot Give

It’s A Joy That The World Cannot Understand 

Joy To Know Joy To Live

My Joy I give unto you.

My Love I Give Unto You 

It’s A Love That The World Cannot Give

It’s A Love That The World Cannot Understand 

Love To Know Love To Live

My Love I give unto you.

Composer:  Keith Routledge

      How to pray the Chaplet of The Divine Mercy: 

1. Begin with the Sign of the Cross, 1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary, and The Apostles Creed. 

2. Then on the Our Father Beads say the following: Eternal Father, I offer You the Body and the Blood, Soul and Divinity of Your dearly beloved Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world. 

3. On the 10 Hail Mary Beads say the following: For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world. (Repeat step 2 and 3 for all five decades). 

4. Conclude with (three times): Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world.  Optional Closing Prayer: Eternal God, in whom mercy is endless and the treasury of compassion — inexhaustible, look kindly upon us and increase Your mercy in us, that in difficult moments we might not despair nor become despondent, but with great confidence submit ourselves to Your holy will, which is Love and Mercy itself. 

 Jesus' Words to Sister Faustina, as recorded in The Diary of St. Faustina: "Say unceasingly this chaplet that I have taught you. Anyone who says it will receive great Mercy at the hour of death. Priests will recommend it to sinners as the last hope. Even the most hardened sinner, if he recites this Chaplet even once, will receive grace from My Infinite Mercy. I want the whole world to know My Infinite Mercy. I want to give unimaginable graces to those who trust in My Mercy...." 

(Click here for Chaplet video: <https://youtu.be/HKlOLyYs3Os>)

 The people that walked in darkness

has seen a great light;

on those who live in a land of deep shadow

a light has shone.

You have made their gladness greater,

you have made their joy increase;

they rejoice in your presence

as men rejoice at harvest time,

as men are happy when they are dividing the spoils.

For the yoke that was weighing on him,

the bar across his shoulders,

the rod of his oppressor,

these you break as on the day of Midian.

For all the footgear of battle,

every cloak rolled in blood,

is burnt,

and consumed by fire.

For there is a child born for us,

a son given to us

and dominion is laid on his shoulders;

and this is the name they give him:

Wonder-Counsellor, Mighty-God,

Eternal-Father, Prince-of-Peace.

Wide is his dominion

in a peace that has no end,

for the throne of David

and for his royal power,

which he establishes and makes secure

in justice and integrity.

From this time onwards and for ever,

the jealous love of the Lord of Hosts will do this.

(   Isaiah 9:1-7 )

R.   Today a saviour has been born to us: he is Christ the Lord. 

 O sing a new song to the Lord,

  sing to the Lord all the earth.

  O sing to the Lord, bless his name.

R.   Today a saviour has been born to us: he is Christ the Lord. 

Proclaim his help day by day,

  tell among the nations his glory

  and his wonders among all the peoples.

R.   Today a saviour has been born to us: he is Christ the Lord. 

 Let the heavens rejoice and earth be glad,

  let the sea and all within it thunder praise,

let the land and all it bears rejoice,

  all the trees of the wood shout for joy

at the presence of the Lord for he comes,

  he comes to rule the earth.

R.   Today a saviour has been born to us: he is Christ the Lord. 

With justice he will rule the world,

  he will judge the peoples with his truth.

R.   Today a saviour has been born to us: he is Christ the Lord.

(  Psalm 95(96):1-3,11-13 )

 God’s grace has been revealed, and it has made salvation possible for the whole human race and taught us that what we have to do is to give up everything that does not lead to God, and all our worldly ambitions; we must be self-restrained and live good and religious lives here in this present world, while we are waiting in hope for the blessing which will come with the Appearing of the glory of our great God and saviour Christ Jesus. He sacrificed himself for us in order to set us free from all wickedness and to purify a people so that it could be his very own and would have no ambition except to do good. 

(   Titus 2:11-14  )

   Caesar Augustus issued a decree for a census of the whole world to be taken. This census – the first – took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria, and everyone went to his own town to be registered. So Joseph set out from the town of Nazareth in Galilee and travelled up to Judaea, to the town of David called Bethlehem, since he was of David’s House and line, in order to be registered together with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. While they were there the time came for her to have her child, and she gave birth to a son, her first born. She wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger because there was no room for them at the inn.

  In the countryside close by there were shepherds who lived in the fields and took it in turns to watch their flocks during the night. The angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone round them. They were terrified, but the angel said, ‘Do not be afraid. Listen, I bring you news of great joy, a joy to be shared by the whole people. Today in the town of David a saviour has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. And here is a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.’ And suddenly with the angel there was a great throng of the heavenly host, praising God and singing:

‘Glory to God in the highest heaven,

and peace to men who enjoy his favour.’

(     Luke 2:1-14    )