Friday June 27, 2025

Sacred Heart of Jesus (Solemnity)

Office: Prop., Te Deum

Mass Proper; Gloria. Creed.

Preface of Sacred Heart

Vestment: White

Today’s Rosary: Sorrowful Mystery

Vespers II of the Most Sacred Heart

World day of prayer for the sanctification of priests.

-FIRST READING-

A reading from the Book of the Prophet Ezekiel (Ezekiel 34:11—16)

“I will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I will make them lie down.”

“Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I, I myself will search for my sheep, and will seek them out. As a shepherd seeks out his flock when some of his sheep have been scattered abroad, so will I seek out my sheep; and I will rescue them from all places where they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness. And I will bring them out from the peoples, and gather them from the countries, and will bring them into their own land; and I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the fountains, and in all the inhabited places of the country. I will feed them with good pasture, and upon the mountain heights of Israel shall be their pasture; there they shall lie down in good grazing land, and on fat pasture they shall feed on the mountains of Israel. I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I will make them lie down, says the Lord GOD. I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the crippled, and I will strengthen the weak, and the fat and the strong I will watch over; I will feed them in justice.”

The word of the Lord.

RESPONSORIAL PSALM Psalm 23:1-3a.3b-4.5.6 (R. 1)

R/. The Lord is my shepherd, there is nothing I shall want.

The Lord is my shepherd;
there is nothing I shall want.
Fresh and green are the pastures
where he gives me repose.
Near restful waters he leads me;
he revives my soul. R/.

He guides me along the right path,
for the sake of his name.
Though I should walk in the valley of the shadow of death,
no evil would I fear, for you are with me.
Your crook and your staff will give me comfort. R/.

R/. The Lord is my shepherd, there is nothing I shall want.

You have prepared a table before me
in the sight of my foes.
My head you have anointed with oil;
my cup is overflowing. R/.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life.
In the Lord’s own house shall I dwell
for length of days unending. R/.

-SECOND READING-

A reading from the Letter of Saint Paul to the Romans (Romans 5:5b- 11)

“God shows his love for us.

Brethren: God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. While we were yet helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. Why, one will hardly die for a righteous man — though perhaps for a good man one will dare even to die. But God shows his love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we are now justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. Not only so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received our reconciliation.

The word of the Lord.

ALLELUIA Matthew 11:29ab

Alleluia. Take my yoke upon you, says the Lord, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart. Alleluia.

Or the following: John 10:14

Alleluia. I am the good shepherd, says the Lord; I know my own, and my own know me. Alleluia.

-GOSPEL-

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke (Luke 15:3-7)

Share my joy. I have found my lost sheep.

At that time: Jesus told the Pharisees and the scribes this parable: “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost, until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbours, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost. ’ Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

PRAYER OF THE FAITHFUL

Celebrant:

Gathered as one body of Christ on this solemnity of the sacred heart of Jesus, let us pray that our hearts may be filled with a sincere love for God and one another.

FOR THE LEADERS OF THE CHURCH: That they, aware of their missionary identity, may strive to follow Christ faithfully and to proclaim his gospel to all peoples. Let us pray to the lord.

FOR CIVIL LEADERS: that they may strive towards building a nation in which the freedom of each person to worship according to the dictates of his or her conscience is guaranteed. Let us pray to the Lord.

FOR THOSE WHO HAVE LOST FAITH CHRIST: that they, like the lost sheep, may be redirected to the heart of Jesus, where they will dwell forever. Let us pray to the Lord.

FOR OUR CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY: that we may hunger and thirst for Jesus in the most holy Eucharist and be fed and nourished by him. Let us pray to the Lord.

FOR OTHER INTENTIONS: (the sick, church projects or other activities).

FOR THE DEAD, ESPECIALLY THOSE OF OUR PARISH COMMUNITY AND FAMILY MEMBERS: that they may find eternal rest with the Lord. We pray O Lord.

We pray in silence for our private intentions.

Celebrant:

God our Father, you are king and most high over all the earth. Graciously hear the prayers we offer to you and grant that we may always enjoy the inexhaustible graces that flow from the sacred heart of Jesus. Through Christ our Lord.

R/. Amen.


TODAY’S REFLECTION

In today’s Gospel, the good shepherd goes in search of the lost sheep, and, after finding it, rejoices with his neighbours. Through this parable, Jesus reveals his compassionate love towards those who go astray.

The Sacred Heart of Jesus is also a symbol of God’s tender love, compassion and mercy. Although we claim to have faith in the Sacred Heart, we sometimes hold the mistaken belief that God is like a policeman, watching our every move and punishing us when we fail.

Our devotion to the sacred Heart of Jesus should lead us rather to trust more in the love and forgiveness of God, who desires our salvation and well- being. As disciples of Christ, we should also make an effort to become more compassionate and forgiving towards those who go astray.

PERSONAL DEVOTIONAL

“But because of our sins he was wounded, beaten because of the evil we did. We are healed by the punishment he suffered, made whole by the blows he received.” Isaiah 53:5

- Pray for God to give you the grace to accept the reality of persecution in Christian faith.

- Father, destroy every spirit of fear in my life.

- O Lord Jesus, banish every ignorance and sentiments within me that makes me to get discouraged when persecution comes.

Dear Lord, do not let me be separated from you because of hardship, persecution, hunger, poverty, danger or death. Help me to remain faithful to you. (Pray seriously).

Let Us Pray,

O Christ Jesus, when all is darkness, and we feel our weakness and helplessness, give us to have perfect trust in your protecting love and strengthening power, so that nothing may frighten or worry us, for, living close to you, we shall see your hand, your purpose, your will through all things.

Appreciation
God Bless you
Financial appeal
We appreciate your support and contributions for the propagation of God's word
You can also support us to evangelize by donating to this mission. God bless you.

Account Name: OBTech Missal
Account No. 5404019432 PROVIDUS BANK (NGN)
Account No. 5404033159 PROVIDUS BANK (USD). Swift Code: UMPLNGLA

Or donate directly here

Email Address

Amount

Naira (NGN)

PRAYER FOR NIGERIA IN DISTRESS

All powerful and merciful Father,
You are the God of justice, love and peace.
You rule over the nations of the earth.
Power and might are in your hands and no one can withstand you.
We present our country Nigeria before you.
We praise and thank you for you are the source of all we have and are.
We are sorry for all the sins we have committed
and for the good deeds we have failed to do.
In your loving forgiveness,
keep us safe from the punishment we deserve.
Lord, we are weighed down not only by uncertainties,
but also by moral, economic and political problems.
Listen to the cries of your people who confidently turn to you,
Our God of infinite goodness,
our strength in adversity,
our health in weakness,
our comfort in sorrow;
be merciful to us your people.
Spare this nation Nigeria from chaos, anarchy and doom.
Bless us with your kingdom of justice, love and peace.
We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

An evil person is like a dirty window, they never let the light shine through.

Jehovah the God almighty will always show mercy to those who show mercy to others.
Let learn to be kind and show mercy to others.

While I was heading somewhere earlier today, I reached where I'm supposed to cross to the other side of the road, and there are two lanes but something skeptical happened, while I was standing waiting for the road to clear you know a little bit, and then there was this man who also wanted to cross to the other side of the road but he noticed how I've been standing and confused about my crossing, guess what he did?

He offered to help me cross by stretching out his hand for me to slip mine into his so we could cross together and immediately I offered my hands and before I knew it, we'd both crossed the two lanes down to the other side of the road.

I thanked him and we both parted ways.

This whole scenario got me thinking about something and here it is;

These made me realize how God has been stretching out his hands to help us in our most difficult times but sometimes we felt overwhelmed about the whole situation and couldn't see His hand stretched out.

We feel like we can do it on our own without the help of our father.

It also made me realize how God has been stretching out his strong arm to help us cross the storm or see us through but we couldn't trust him enough to let him hold our hands.

We don't trust him enough to help us through the situation.

But the good thing is this, God is still stretching forth his hand to help you: will you recognize him and trust him enough to help you through the storm or will you rather “cross the road on your own “?

```Your Future Awaits, Your Past Is Done
This powerful statement should be a reminder to you that your primary focus should always be on what lies ahead, not what's already happened. Your future needs you, your decisions, and your actions to be shaped. It's a blank canvas waiting for you to create. In contrast, your past doesn't need anything from you; it's unchangeable and complete. Dwelling on it won't alter what's already occurred. Instead, direct your efforts and attention to building what you desire.```

Come let us make money on gada

```If you're dealing with someone consumed by hatred towards you, I'd suggest letting them waste their energy on their negative emotions. Perhaps they can spend their days festering in their own resentment, and as the years go by, they'll wither away in their own bitterness. May their life be a testament to the destructive power of hate, and may they ultimately succumb to the very negativity they've cultivated. Their existence can be a cautionary tale of how letting hatred dominate one's life can lead to ruin. As they waste away, perhaps they'll realize too late that their life could have been spent on more meaningful pursuits, but by then, it might be too late."```

Let's celebrate our legend

'Let's Give Igbo A Chance'— Obasanjo’s Shocking Massage Over Nigerian Presidency

In the quiet of his Abeokuta residence, former President Olusegun Obasanjo sat with a delegation of southern leaders from the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), their voices mingling with the weight of a nation’s struggles. The air was heavy with purpose as Obasanjo, a elder statesman whose words still carry the resonance of decades in Nigeria’s political arena, delivered a sobering diagnosis: Nigeria, under President Bola Tinubu, remains a nation in bondage, shackled by insecurity, economic turmoil, and the divisive grip of ethnic-based politics.

His voice, steady yet laced with urgency, painted a vivid picture of a country adrift. “We have had Fulani Nigerian presidents, Hausa Nigerian presidents, Yoruba Nigerian presidents,” Obasanjo said, pausing for emphasis, “but we have not yet experienced a genuine Nigerian president—one who represents everyone, not just their ethnic group.” The room fell silent, the gravity of his words settling over the visitors, who had come seeking counsel ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Obasanjo’s message was clear: Nigeria’s challenges—banditry ravaging communities, an economy teetering on the edge, and tribalism fueling division—persist because its leaders have too often prioritized personal gain over national unity. “Our problems will persist until we take action,” he warned, his tone a blend of frustration and resolve. He spoke of a nation not only failing its own people but also falling short of the world’s expectations, its potential stifled by a cycle of ineffective leadership.

The former president’s call to action was both a plea and a challenge. He urged Nigerians to remain vigilant, to stay engaged in the political process, and to hold fast to hope despite the hardships. “We cannot advance if we continue to cycle leadership based on ethnic divisions,” he said, his words cutting through the room like a clarion call. Nigeria, he insisted, needs a leader who transcends tribal loyalties, one who embodies the collective aspirations of its diverse people.

As the NNPP leaders listened, Obasanjo’s vision for a united Nigeria unfolded. He spoke of immediate measures to tackle insecurity and revitalize the economy, warning that without such steps, the nation would remain trapped in a pattern of stagnation. “The majority of political leaders today are not genuine nationalists,” he declared, accusing them of chasing power for personal gain rather than the nation’s welfare.

The meeting in Abeokuta was more than a political consultation; it was a moment of reckoning. Obasanjo’s words, delivered with the conviction of a man who has seen Nigeria through its triumphs and trials, left no doubt: the country stands at a crossroads. As the rain-soaked streets outside his home buzzed with the rhythm of daily life, his message lingered—a call for a collective spirit, genuine intentions, and a leader who can finally unshackle Nigeria from its burdens and lead it toward a future worthy of its promise.

Follow Kenneth for Getting More Updates!

My fellow Gada chat you see this thing called money we must pack it in this in this gada chat oooo in Jesus name please let me see your Amen please.