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Catholic Caucus: Sunday Mass Readings, 11-01-09, Solemnity of All Saints
USCCB.org/New American Bible ^
| 11-01-09
| New American Bible
Posted on 10/31/2009 9:09:45 PM PDT by Salvation
November 1, 2009
Rv 7:2-4, 9-14
I, John, saw another angel come up from the East,
holding the seal of the living God.
He cried out in a loud voice to the four angels
who were given power to damage the land and the sea,
“Do not damage the land or the sea or the trees
until we put the seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.”
I heard the number of those who had been marked with the seal,
one hundred and forty-four thousand marked
from every tribe of the children of Israel.
After this I had a vision of a great multitude,
which no one could count,
from every nation, race, people, and tongue.
They stood before the throne and before the Lamb,
wearing white robes and holding palm branches in their hands.
They cried out in a loud voice:
“Salvation comes from our God, who is seated on the throne,
and from the Lamb.”
All the angels stood around the throne
and around the elders and the four living creatures.
They prostrated themselves before the throne,
worshiped God, and exclaimed:
“Amen. Blessing and glory, wisdom and thanksgiving,
honor, power, and might
be to our God forever and ever. Amen.”
Then one of the elders spoke up and said to me,
“Who are these wearing white robes, and where did they come from?”
I said to him, “My lord, you are the one who knows.”
He said to me,
“These are the ones who have survived the time of great distress;
they have washed their robes
and made them white in the Blood of the Lamb.”
Ps 24:1bc-2, 3-4ab, 5-6
R. (see 6) Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.
The LORD’s are the earth and its fullness;
the world and those who dwell in it.
For he founded it upon the seas
and established it upon the rivers.
R. Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.
Who can ascend the mountain of the LORD?
or who may stand in his holy place?
One whose hands are sinless, whose heart is clean,
who desires not what is vain.
R. Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.
He shall receive a blessing from the LORD,
a reward from God his savior.
Such is the race that seeks him,
that seeks the face of the God of Jacob.
R. Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.
1 Jn 3:1-3
Beloved:
See what love the Father has bestowed on us
that we may be called the children of God.
Yet so we are.
The reason the world does not know us
is that it did not know him.
Beloved, we are God’s children now;
what we shall be has not yet been revealed.
We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him,
for we shall see him as he is.
Everyone who has this hope based on him makes himself pure,
as he is pure.
Mt 5:1-12a
When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain,
and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him.
He began to teach them, saying:
“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are they who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the land.
Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the clean of heart,
for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,
for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you
and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me.
Rejoice and be glad,
for your reward will be great in heaven.”
TOPICS: Catholic; General Discusssion; Prayer; Worship
KEYWORDS: catholic; catholiclist; ordinarytime; saints
For your reading, reflection, faith-sharing, comments, questions, discussion.
1
posted on
10/31/2009 9:09:47 PM PDT
by
Salvation
To: nickcarraway; Lady In Blue; NYer; ELS; Pyro7480; livius; Catholicguy; RobbyS; markomalley; ...
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2
posted on
10/31/2009 9:12:14 PM PDT
by
Salvation
("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
To: All
3
posted on
10/31/2009 9:12:47 PM PDT
by
Salvation
("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
To: All
4
posted on
10/31/2009 9:15:08 PM PDT
by
Salvation
("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
To: Salvation
5
posted on
10/31/2009 9:16:51 PM PDT
by
Salvation
("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
To: All
6
posted on
10/31/2009 9:27:57 PM PDT
by
Salvation
("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
To: All
Jesus. High Priest
The Year of the Priest
We thank you, God our Father, for those who have responded to your call to priestly ministry.
Accept this prayer we offer on their behalf: Fill your priests with the sure knowledge of your love.
Open their hearts to the power and consolation of the Holy Spirit.
Lead them to new depths of union with your Son.
Increase in them profound faith in the Sacraments they celebrate as they nourish, strengthen and heal us.
Lord Jesus Christ, grant that these, your priests, may inspire us to strive for holiness by the power of their example, as men of prayer who ponder your word and follow your will.
O Mary, Mother of Christ and our mother, guard with your maternal care these chosen ones, so dear to the Heart of your Son.
Intercede for our priests, that offering the Sacrifice of your Son, they may be conformed more each day to the image of your Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Saint John Vianney, universal patron of priests, pray for us and our priests
7
posted on
10/31/2009 9:29:47 PM PDT
by
Salvation
("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
To: All
Pray a Rosary each day for our nation.
1. Sign of the Cross: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
2. The Apostles Creed: I BELIEVE in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day He rose again. He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty. From thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
3. The Lord's Prayer: 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 who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.
4. (3) Hail Mary: HAIL Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now, and in the hour of our death. Amen. (Three times)
5. Glory Be: GLORY be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Fatima Prayer: Oh, my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all souls to heaven, especially those in most need of your mercy.
Announce each mystery, then say 1 Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, 1 Glory Be and 1 Fatima prayer. Repeat the process with each mystery.
End with the Hail Holy Queen:
Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, 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 vale of tears! Turn then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy towards us; and after this, our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus!
O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary! Pray for us, O holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Final step -- The Sign of the Cross
The Mysteries of the Rosary
By tradition, Catholics meditate on these Mysteries during prayers of the Rosary.
The biblical references follow each of the Mysteries below.
The Glorious Mysteries
(Wednesdays and Sundays)
1.The Resurrection (Matthew 28:1-8, Mark 16:1-18, Luke 24:1-12, John 20:1-29) [Spiritual fruit - Faith]
2. The Ascension (Mark 16:19-20, Luke 24:50-53, Acts 1:6-11) [Spiritual fruit - Christian Hope]
3. The Descent of the Holy Ghost (Acts 2:1-13) [Spiritual fruit - Gifts of the Holy Spirit]
4. The Assumption [Spiritual fruit - To Jesus through Mary]
5. The Coronation [Spiritual fruit - Grace of Final Perseverance]
8
posted on
10/31/2009 9:37:38 PM PDT
by
Salvation
("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
To: All
~ PRAYER ~
St. Michael, the Archangel, defend us in battle
Be our protection against the wickedness
and snares of the devil;
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray,
and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly host,
by the power of God,
Cast into hell Satan and all evil spirits
who prowl through the world seeking the ruin of souls.
Amen
+
9
posted on
10/31/2009 9:39:00 PM PDT
by
Salvation
("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
To: All
November Devotion: The Holy Souls in Purgatory
Since the 16th century Catholic piety has assigned entire months to special devotions. As a reminder of our duty to pray for the suffering faithful in Purgatory, the Church has dedicated the month of November to the Holy Souls. The Holy Souls are those who have died in the state of grace but who are not yet free from all punishment due to their unforgiven venial sins and all other sins already forgiven for which satisfaction is still to be made. They are certain of entering Heaven, but first they must suffer in Purgatory. The Holy Souls cannot help themselves because for them the night has come, when no man can work (John 9:4). It is our great privilege of brotherhood that we can shorten their time of separation from God by our prayers, good works, and, especially, the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.
INVOCATION Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord; and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen.
FOR THE SOULS IN PURGATORY My Jesus, by the sorrows Thou didst suffer in Thine agony in the Garden, in Thy scourging and crowning with thorns, in the way to Calvary, in Thy crucifixion and death, have mercy on the souls in purgatory, and especially on those that are most forsaken; do Thou deliver them from the dire torments they endure; call them and admit them to Thy most sweet embrace in paradise. Our Father, Hail Mary, Eternal rest, etc.
FOR ALL THE DECEASED By Thy resurrection from the dead, O Christ, death no longer hath dominion over those who die in holiness. So, we beseech Thee, give rest to Thy servants in Thy sanctuary and in Abraham's bosom. Grant it to those, who from Adam until now have adored Thee with purity, to our fathers and brothers, to our kinsmen and friends, to all men who have lived by faith and passed on their road to Thee, by a thousand ways, and in all conditions, and make them worthy of the heavenly kingdom. Byzantine Liturgy
DE PROFUNDIS The psalmist is crying out here from the depression that grips him because of his sense of sin. He tells God that no man could be forgiven should strict justice be demanded; but, since God is forgiving and merciful, the psalmist (Israel) will hope for redemption from iniquities. We, who know the mercy of God far better than the g Israelites, may pray this psalm with even greater trust in God. The Church uses this psalm in the liturgy as her official prayer for the souls in Purgatory. Out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord; Lord, hear my, voice! Let Your ears be attentive to my voice in supplication: If You, O Lord, mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand? But with You is forgiveness, that You may be revered. I trust in the Lord; my soul trusts in His word. My soul waits for the Lord more than sentinels wait for the dawn. More than sentinels wait for the dawn, let Israel wait for the Lord, For with the Lord is kindness and with Him is plenteous redemption; And He will redeem Israel from all their iniquities. Psalm 130
THE MISERERE This psalm is a marvelous act of contrition, confession, and supplication by a repentant sinner. It was composed by David after his sin with Bethsabee. In reparation David promises to lead others back to God by telling them of the ways of divine justice. Instead of offering God an external sacrifice which he knows He will not accept, he offers instead the sacrifice of a contrite and humble heart, a sacrifice that will always be most pleasing in the eyes of God. Have mercy on me, 0 God, in Your goodness; in the greatness of Your compassion wipe out my offense. Thoroughly wash me from my guilt and of my sin cleanse me. For I acknowledge my offense, and my sin is before me always: "Against You only have I sinned, and done what is evil in Your sight"-- That You may be justified in Your sentence, vindicated when You condemn. Indeed, in guilt was I born, and in sin my mother conceived me; Behold, You are pleased with sincerity of heart, and in my inmost being You teach me wisdom. Cleanse me of sin with hyssop, that I may be purified; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Let me hear the sounds of joy and gladness; the bones You have crushed shall rejoice. Turn away Your face from my sins, and blot out all my guilt. A clean heart create for me, 0 God, and a steadfast spirit renew within me. Cast me not out from Your presence, and Your holy spirit take not from me. Give me back the joy of Your salvation, and a willing spirit sustain in me. I will teach transgressors Your ways, and sinners shall return to You. Free me from blood guilt, 0 God, my saving God; then my tongue shall revel in Your justice. O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall proclaim Your praise. For You are not pleased with sacrifices; should I offer a holocaust, You would not accept it. My sacrifice, O God, is a contrite spirit; a heart contrite and humbled, 0 God, You will not spurn. Be bountiful, O Lord, to Sion in Your kindness by rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem; Then shall You be pleased with due sacrifices, burnt offerings and holocausts; then shall they offer up bullocks on Your altar. Psalm 50
FOR THE SOULS IN PURGATORY O Lord, who art ever merciful and bounteous with Thy gifts, look down upon the suffering souls in purgatory. Remember not their offenses and negligences, but be mindful of Thy loving mercy, which is from all eternity. Cleanse them of their sins and fulfill their ardent desires that they may be made worthy to behold Thee face to face in Thy glory. May they soon be united with Thee and hear those blessed words which will call them to their heavenly home: "Come, blessed of My Father, take possession of the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world."
Prayer Source: Prayer Book, The by Reverend John P. O'Connell, M.A., S.T.D. and Jex Martin, M.A., The Catholic Press, Inc., Chicago, Illinois, 1954
Repeat these prayers every seven days during the month of November for the Poor Souls in Purgatory
SUNDAY
| O Lord God omnipotent, I beseech You by the Precious Blood, which Your divine Son Jesus shed in the Garden, deliver the souls in purgatory, and especially that one which is the most forsaken of all, and bring it into Your glory, where it may praise and bless You for ever. Amen. |
 |
Say here: one Our Father and one Hail Mary
CONCLUDING PRAYERS
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord; and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen.
Merciful Father, hear our prayers and console us. As we renew our faith in Your Son, whom You raised from the dead, strengthen our hope that all our departed brothers and sisters will share in His resurrection, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. |
MONDAY
| O Lord God omnipotent, I beseech You by the Precious Blood, which Your divine Son Jesus shed in His cruel scourging, deliver the souls in purgatory, and among them all, especially that soul which is nearest to its entrance into Your glory, that it may soon begin to praise You and bless You for ever. Amen. |
 |
Say here: one Our Father and one Hail Mary
CONCLUDING PRAYERS
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord; and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen.
Merciful Father, hear our prayers and console us. As we renew our faith in Your Son, whom You raised from the dead, strengthen our hope that all our departed brothers and sisters will share in His resurrection, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. |
TUESDAY
| O Lord God omnipotent, I beseech You by the Precious Blood of Your divine Son Jesus that was shed in His bitter crowning with thorns, deliver the souls in purgatory, and among them all, particularly that soul which is in the greatest need of our prayers, in order that it may not long be delayed in praising You in Your glory and blessing You for ever. Amen. |
 |
Say here: one Our Father and one Hail Mary
CONCLUDING PRAYERS
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord; and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen.
Merciful Father, hear our prayers and console us. As we renew our faith in Your Son, whom You raised from the dead, strengthen our hope that all our departed brothers and sisters will share in His resurrection, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. |
WEDNESDAY
| O Lord God omnipotent, I beseech You by the Precious Blood of Your divine Son Jesus that was shed in the streets of Jerusalem while He carried on His sacred shoulders the heavy burden of the Cross, deliver the souls in purgatory and especially that one which is richest in merits in Your sight, so that, having soon attained the high place in glory to which it is destined, it may praise You triumphantly and bless You for ever. Amen |
 |
Say here: one Our Father and one Hail Mary
CONCLUDING PRAYERS
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord; and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen.
Merciful Father, hear our prayers and console us. As we renew our faith in Your Son, whom You raised from the dead, strengthen our hope that all our departed brothers and sisters will share in His resurrection, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. |
THURSDAY
| O Lord God omnipotent, I beseech You by the Precious Body and Blood of Your divine Son Jesus, which He Himself on the night before His Passion gave as meat and drink to His beloved Apostles and bequeathed to His Holy Church to be the perpetual Sacrifice and life-giving nourishment of His faithful people, deliver the souls in purgatory, but most of all, that soul which was most devoted to this Mystery of infinite love, in order that it may praise You therefore, together with Your divine Son and the Holy Spirit in Your glory for ever. Amen. |
 |
Say here: one Our Father and one Hail Mary
CONCLUDING PRAYERS
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord; and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen.
Merciful Father, hear our prayers and console us. As we renew our faith in Your Son, whom You raised from the dead, strengthen our hope that all our departed brothers and sisters will share in His resurrection, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. |
FRIDAY
O Lord God omnipotent,
I beseech You by the Precious Blood which Jesus Your divine Son did shed this day upon the tree of the Cross, especially from His sacred Hands and Feet, deliver the souls in purgatory, and particularly that soul for whom I am most bound to pray, in order that I may not be the cause which hinders You from admitting it quickly to the possession of Your glory where it may praise You and bless You for evermore. Amen |
 |
|
Say here: one Our Father and one Hail Mary
CONCLUDING PRAYERS
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord; and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen.
Merciful Father, hear our prayers and console us. As we renew our faith in Your Son, whom You raised from the dead, strengthen our hope that all our departed brothers and sisters will share in His resurrection, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
SATURDAY
| O Lord God omnipotent, I beseech You by the Precious Blood which gushed forth from the sacred Side of Your divine Son Jesus in the presence and to the great sorrow of His most holy Mother, deliver the souls in purgatory and among them all especially that soul which has been most devout to this noble Lady, that it may come quickly into Your glory, there to praise You in her, and her in You through all the ages. Amen. |
 |
Say here: one Our Father and one Hail Mary
CONCLUDING PRAYERS
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord; and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen.
Merciful Father, hear our prayers and console us. As we renew our faith in Your Son, whom You raised from the dead, strengthen our hope that all our departed brothers and sisters will share in His resurrection, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. |
|
All Souls Day [Catholic/Orthodox Caucus]
The Roots of All Souls Day
The Commemoration of all the Faithful Departed (All Souls)
During Month of Souls, Recall Mystic, St. Gertrude the Great
All Saints and All Souls
All Saints, All Souls and the Four Last Things
The Feast of All Saints - What are the origins of All Saints Day and All Souls Day?
All Saints and All Souls
All Souls Day and final destinations
Ideas for Sanctifying Halloween, All Saints Day and All Souls Day
10
posted on
10/31/2009 9:40:40 PM PDT
by
Salvation
("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
To: All
Holy Father's Prayer Intentions For November 2009
General: That all the men and women in the world, especially those who have responsibilities in the field of politics and economics, may never fail in their commitment to safeguard creation.
Mission: That believers in the different religions, through the testimony of their lives and fraternal dialogue, may clearly demonstrate that the name of God is a bearer of peace.
11
posted on
10/31/2009 9:46:24 PM PDT
by
Salvation
("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
To: All
12
posted on
10/31/2009 9:47:47 PM PDT
by
Salvation
("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
To: All
From: Revelation 7:2-4, 9-14
The Great Multitude of the Saved
[2] Then I (John) saw another angel ascend from the rising of the sun, with the
seal of the living God, and he called with a loud voice to the four angels who had
been given power to harm earth and sea, [3] saying, “Do not harm the earth or
the sea or the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God upon their fore-
heads.” [4] And I heard the number of the sealed, a hundred and forty-four thou-
sand sealed, out of every tribe of the sons of Israel.
[9] After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no man could number,
from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the
throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their
hands, [10] and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who
sits upon the throne, and to the Lamb!” [11] And all the angels stood round the
throne and round the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their
faces before the throne and worshipped God, [12] saying, “Amen! Blessing and
glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our
God for ever and ever! Amen.”
[13] Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, clothed in
white robes, and whence have they come?” [14] I said to him, “Sir, you know.”
And he said to me, “These are they who have come out of the great tribulation;
they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”
*********************************************************************************************
Commentary:
1-17. This chapter consists of two visions designed to illustrate God’s protection
of Christians and the happy circumstances of the martyrs. The victory of the
Church is depicted—of the entire Church, made up of people from the four points
of the compass (vv. 9-12). What is not so clear, however, is who the one hundred
and fort four thousand are, drawn from the twelve tribes of Israel, whom an angel
has marked with the seal of the living God (vv. 1-8). Some commentators inter-
pret them as all being Christians of Jewish background (Judaeo-Christians). O-
thers say that they are those who make up the new Israel which St Paul speaks
about in Galatians 6:17; that is, all the baptized viewed first as still engaged in
their battle (vv. 1-8) and then after they have won victory (vv. 9-17). The most plau-
sible interpretation is that the one hundred and forty four thousand stand for the
Jews converted to Christianity (as distinct from those not converted) —the ‘rem-
nant of Israel’ (cf. Is 4:2-4; Ezek 9; etc.). St Paul says that they prove the irrevo-
cable nature of God’s election (cf. Rom 1l:1-5) and are the first-fruits of the resto-
ration which will come about at the End (cf. Rom 11:25-32).
The hundred and forty-four thousand are included in the second vision; they would
be part of the great multitude “from all tribes and people and tongues”. Thus, the
vision in vv. 9-17 takes in the entire Church without any distinctions, whereas the
vision in vv. 1-8 can refer only to a part of the Church—those Jews who, by beco-
ming Christians, made up the original nucleus of the Church. The Church admits
these on the same basis as all those who become Christians later without having
had to pass through any stage of Jewish observance.
1-8. In Jewish tradition angels were divided into two groups—angels of the Pre-
sence and sanctification, and those charged with controlling the forces of nature.
Both kinds appear in this passage.
According to the custom of the time, when something bore the mark of a seal or
brand that meant that it belonged to the seal’s owner. This passage is saying
that the one hundred and forty four thousand belong to God and therefore will be
protected by him as his property. This fulfills what Ezekiel prophesied about the
inhabitants of Jerusalem (cf. Ezek 9:1-7): some would be sealed on the forehead
with a tax (the last letter of the Hebrew alphabet) and would therefore escape the
punishment to be inflicted on all the rest: this shows the special way God makes
provision for those who are his not only because he created them but also by a
new title.
The Fathers of the Church saw this mark as symbolizing the character Baptism
impresses on the souls of the faithful to show that they are destined for eternal
life. Thus, the persons preserved from harm are the Jews who were converts to
Christianity: their Baptism marked them out from those Jews who rejected Christ
and were not baptized.
The list of tribes is somewhat different from the usual list which keeps the order
of Genesis 29. The name of Judah is put first because the Messiah came from
that tribe, as St John recently mentioned (cf. 5:5); and there is no mention of the
ribe of Dan, presumably because it fell into idolatry (cf. Judg 17-18) and eventual-
ly disappeared. To make up the tally of twelve the tribe of Joseph is mentioned
twice—as that of Joseph and as that of Manasseh, his first-born.
The number of those sealed (12 x 12 x 1000) symbolizes completeness, totality
—in this instance, a huge multitude, depicted as the new Israel. Included in this
number are the descendants of Jacob who receive Baptism, irrespective of when
they do. Obviously this number is not meant to be taken literally, as if only one
hundred and forty-four thousand people will attain salvation. In this scene all
those of Gentile background who become Christians over the course of history
are explicitly not included. They will appear in the vision which follows.
9-17. Pope John Paul II has commented on this passage as follows: “The people
dressed in white robes whom John sees with his prophetic eye are the redeemed,
and they form a ‘great multitude’, which no one could count and which is made up
of people of the most varied backgrounds. The blood of the Lamb, who has been
offered in sacrifice for all, has exercised its universal and most effective redemp-
tive power in every corner of the earth, extending grace and salvation to that ‘great
multitude’. After undergoing the trials and being purified in the blood of Christ, they
—the redeemed—are now safe in the Kingdom of God, whom they praise and bless
for ever and ever” (”Homily”, 1 November 1981). This great crowd includes all the
saved and not just the martyrs, for it says that they washed their robes in the
blood of the Lamb, not in their own blood.
Everyone has to become associated with Christ’s passion through suffering, as
St Augustine explains, not without a certain humor: “Many are martyrs in their
beds. The Christian is lying on his couch, tormented by pain. He prays and his
prayers are not heard, or perhaps they are heard but he is being put to the test...
so that he may be received as a son. He becomes a martyr through illness and
is crowned by him who hung upon the Cross” (”Sermon” 286, 8).
“It is consoling and encouraging to know that those who attain heaven constitute
a huge multitude. The passages of Matthew 7:14 and Luke 13:24 which seem to
imply that very few will be saved should be interpreted in the light of this vision,
which shows that the infinite value of Christ’s blood makes God’s will be done:
“(God) desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth”
(1 Tim 2:4).
In vv 14-17 we see the blessed in two different situations—first, before the resur-
rection of the body (v. 14) and, then, after it, when body and soul have been reu-
nited (vv. 15-17). In this second situation the nature of risen bodies is highligh-
ted: they cannot suffer pain or inconvenience of any kind: they are out of harm’s
reach; they have the gift of “impassibility” (cf. “St Pius V Catechism”, I, 12, 13).
This consoling scene is included in the vision to encourage believers to imitate
those Christians who were like us and now find themselves in heaven because
they have come through victorious. The Church invites us to pray along similar
lines: “Father, you sanctified the Church of Rome with the blood of its first mar-
tyrs. May we find strength from their courage and rejoice in their triumph”
(”Roman Missal”, Feast of the First Martyrs of the Church of Rome, opening
prayer).
*********************************************************************************************
Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.
Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.
13
posted on
10/31/2009 9:57:11 PM PDT
by
Salvation
("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
To: All
From: 1 John 3:1-3
We are Children of God
[1] See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of
God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not
know him. [2] Beloved, we are God’s children now; it does not yet appear what we
shall be, but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, for we shall see
him as he is.
A Child of God Does Not Sin
[3] And every one who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.
*********************************************************************************************
Commentary:
1-24. This entire chapter shows how moved the Apostle is when he contemplates
the marvelous gift of divine filiation. The Holy Spirit, who is the author of all Sacred
Scripture, has desired John to pass on to us this unique revelation: we are chil-
dren of God (v. 1).
It is not easy to divide the chapter into sections, because the style is very cyclic
and colloquial and includes many repetitions and further thoughts which make for
great vividness and freshness. However, we can distinguish an opening proclama-
tion of the central message (vv. 1-2) and emphasis on two requirements of divine
filiation—rejection of sin in any shape or form (vv. 3-10), and brotherly love lived to
the full (vv. 11-24).
1. “We should be called children of God”: the original Hebrew expression, which
reads “we are called...”, is also used by our Lord in the Beatitudes (cf. Mt 5:9):
“to be called” means the same as “to be called by God”; and in the language of
the Bible, when God gives someone a name he is not simply conferring a title
but is causing the thing that the name indicates (cf., e.g., Gen 17:5), for the word
of God is efficacious, it does what it says it will do. Hence St John’s adding: “and
so we are”.
Therefore, it is not just a matter of a metaphorical title, or a legal fiction, or adop-
tion human-style: divine filiation is an essential feature of a Christian’s life, a mar-
velous fact whereby God gratuitously gives men a strictly supernatural dignity, an
intimacy with God whereby they are “domestici Dei”, “members of the household
of God” (Eph 2:19). This explains the tone of amazement and joy with which St
John passes on this revelation.
This sense of divine filiation is one of the central points in the spirituality of Opus
Dei. Its founder wrote: “We do not exist in order to pursue just any happiness.
We have been called to penetrate the intimacy of God’s own life, to know and
love God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, and to love also—in
that same love of the one God in three divine Persons—the angels and all men.
“This is the great boldness of the Christian faith—to proclaim the value and dignity
of human nature and to affirm that we have been created to obtain the dignity of
children of God, through the grace that raises us up to a supernatural level. An
incredible boldness it would be, were it not founded on the promise of salvation
given us by God the Father, confirmed by the blood of Christ, and reaffirmed and
made possible by the constant action of the Holy Spirit” (”Christ Is Passing By”,
133).
“The world does not know us, (because) it did not know him”: these words are
reminiscent of our Lord’s at the Last Supper: “the hour is coming when whoever
kills you will think he is offering service to God. And they will do this because
they have not known the Father, nor me” (Jn 16:2-3). Divine filiation brings with
it communion and a mysterious identification between Christ and the Christian.
2. The indescribable gift of divine filiation, which the world does not know (v. 1),
is not fully experienced by Christians, because the seeds of divine life which it
contains will only reach their full growth in eternal life, when we see him “as he
is”, “face to face” (1 Cor 13:12); “this is eternal life, that they know thee the on-
ly true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent” (Jn 17:3). In that direct
sight of God as he is, and of all things in God, the life of grace and divine filia-
tion achieve their full growth. Man is not naturally able to see God face to face;
he needs to be enlightened by a special light, which is given the technical theo-
logical name of “lumen gloriae”, light of glory. This does not allow him to “take
in” all God (no created thing could do that), but it does allow him to look at God
directly.
Commenting on this verse, the “St Pius V Catechism” explains that “beatitude
consists of two things—that we shall behold God such as he is in his own nature
and substance; and that we ourselves shall become, as it were, gods. For those
who enjoy God while they retain their own nature, assume a certain admirable
and almost divine form, so as to seem gods rather than men” (I, 13, 7).
“When he appears”: two interpretations are possible, given that in Greek the verb
has no subject: “when (what we shall be) is revealed we shall be as he is”; or, as
the New Vulgate translates it, “when he (Christ) is revealed we will be like him
(Christ)”. The second interpretation is the more likely.
3. “Purifies himself’: Christian hope, which is grounded on Christ, is something
active and it moves the Christian to “purify himself”. This verb is evocative of the
ritual purifications required of priests in the Old Testament prior to engaging in
divine service (cf. Ex 19:10; Num 8:21; Acts 21:24); here, and in other places
in the New Testament, it means interior purification from sins, that is, righteous-
ness, holiness (1 Pet 1:22; Jas 4:8). Our model is Jesus Christ, “as he is pure”;
he is the One who has never had sin, the Righteous One (1 Jn 2: 29; 3:7); a
Christian has no other model of holiness, as Jesus himself said: “Learn from
me” (Mt 11:29; cf. Jn 14:6). “We have to learn from him, from Jesus, who is our
only model. If you want to go forward without stumbling or wandering off the path,
then all you have to do is walk the road he walked, placing your feet in his foot-
prints and entering into his humble and patient Heart, there to drink from the
wellsprings of his commandments and of his love. In a word, you must identify
yourself with Jesus Christ and try to become really and truly another Christ
among your fellow men” (St. J. Escriva, “Friends of God”, 128).
*********************************************************************************************
Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.
Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.
14
posted on
10/31/2009 9:58:11 PM PDT
by
Salvation
("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
To: All
From: Matthew 5:1-12a
The Beatitudes
[1] Seeing the crowds, He (Jesus) went up on the mountain, and when He sat
down His disciples came to Him. [2] And He opened His mouth and taught
them, saying: [3] “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of
Heaven. [4] Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. [5]
Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. [6] Blessed are those
who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. [7] Bles-
sed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. [8] Blessed are the pure of
heart, for they shall see God. [9] Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall
be called children of God. [10] Blessed are those who are persecuted for righ-
teousness’ sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. [11] Blessed are you
when men revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you
falsely on My account. [12] Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in
Heaven.”
*********************************************************************************************
Commentary:
1. The Discourse, or Sermon, on the Mount takes up three full chapters of St.
Matthew’s Gospel—Chapters 5-7. It is the first of the five great discourses of
Jesus which appear in this Gospel and it contains a considerable amount of
our Lord’s teaching.
It is difficult to reduce this discourse to one single theme, but the various tea-
chings it contains could be said to deal with these five points: 1) the attitude a
person must have for entering the Kingdom of Heaven (the Beatitudes, the salt
of the earth, the light of the world, Jesus and His teaching, the fullness of the
Law); 2) uprightness of intention in religious practice (here the “Our Father”
would be included); 3) trust in God’s fatherly providence; 4) how God’s children
should behave towards one another (not judging one’s neighbor, respect for holy
things, the effectiveness of prayer, and the golden rule of charity); 5) the condi-
tions for entering the Kingdom (the narrow gate, false prophets and building
on rock).
“He taught them”: this refers both to the disciples and to the multitude, as can
be seen at the end of the Sermon (Matthew 7:28).
2. The Beatitudes (5:3-12) form, as it were, the gateway to the Sermon on the
Mount. In order to understand the Beatitudes properly, we should bear in mind
that they do not promise salvation only to the particular kinds of people listed
here: they cover everyone whose religious dispositions and moral conduct meet
the demands which Jesus lays down. In other words, the poor in spirit, the
meek, those who mourn, those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, the
merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers and those who suffer persecution
in their search for holiness—these are not different people or kinds of people but
different demands made on everyone who wants to be a disciple of Christ.
Similarly, salvation is not being promised to different groups in society but to
everyone, no matter what his or her position in life, who strives to follow the
spirit and to meet the demands contained in the Beatitudes.
All the Beatitudes have an eschatological meaning, that is, they promise us de-
finitive salvation not in this world, but in the next. But the spirit of the Beatitudes
does give us, in this life, peace in the midst of tribulation. The Beatitudes imply
a completely newapproach, quite at odds with the usual way man evaluates
things: they rule out any kind of pharisaical religiosity, which regards earthly
happiness as a blessing from God and a reward for good behavior, and unhap-
piness and misfortune as a form of punishment. In all ages the Beatitudes put
spiritual goods on a much higher plane than material possessions. The healthy
and the sick, the powerful and the weak, the rich and the poor—all are called, in-
dependently of their circumstances, to the deep happiness that is experienced
by those who live up to the Beatitudes which Jesus teaches.
The Beatitudes do not, of course, contain the entire teaching of the Gospel, but
they do contain, in embryo, the whole program of Christian perfection.
3. This text outlines the connection between poverty and the soul. This religious
concept of poverty was deeply rooted in the Old Testament (cf., e.g., Zephaniah
2:3ff). It was more to do with a religious attitude of neediness and of humility
towards God than with material poverty: that person is poor who has recourse to
God without relying on his own merits and who trusts in God’s mercy to be saved.
his religious attitude of poverty is closely related to what is called “spiritual child-
hood”. A Christian sees himself as a little child in the presence of God, a child
who owns nothing: everything he has comes from God and belongs to God. Cer-
tainly, spiritual poverty, that is, Christian poverty, means one must be detached
from material things and practice austerity in using them. God asks certain peo-
ple—religious—to be legally detached from ownership and thereby bear witness to
others of the transitoriness of earthly things.
4. “Those who mourn”: here our Lord is saying that those are blessed who suffer
from any kind of affliction—particularly those who are genuinely sorry for they sins,
or are pained by the offenses which others offer God, and who bear their suffering
with love and in a spirit of atonement.
“You are crying? Don’t be ashamed of it. Yes, cry: men also cry like you, when
they are alone and before God. Each night, says King David, I soak my bed with
tears. With those tears, those burning manly tears, you can purify your past and
supernaturalize your present life” (St. J. Escriva, “The Way”, 216).
The Spirit of God will console with peace and joy, even in this life, those who
weep for their sins, and later will give them a share in the fullness of happiness
and glory in Heaven: these are the blessed.
5. “The meek”: those who patiently suffer unjust persecution; those who remain
serene, humble and steadfast in adversity, and do not give way to resentment or
discouragement. The virtue of meekness is very necessary in the Christian life.
Usually irritableness, which is very common, stems from a lack of humility and
interior peace.
“The earth”: this is usually understood as meaning our Heavenly Fatherland.
6. The notion of righteousness (or justice) in Holy Scripture is an essentially reli-
gious one (cf. notes on Matthew 1:19 and 3:15; Romans 1:17; 1:18-32; 3:21-22
and 24). A righteous person is one who sincerely strives to do the Will of God,
which is discovered in the commandments, in one’s duties of state in life (social,
professional and family responsibilities) and through one’s life of prayer. Thus,
righteousness, in the language of the Bible, is the same as what nowadays is
usually called “holiness” (1 John 2:29; 3:7-10; Revelation 22:11; Genesis 15:6;
Deuteronomy 9:4).
As St. Jerome comments (”Comm. on Matthew”, 5, 6), in the fourth Beatitude
our Lord is asking us not simply to have a vague desire for righteousness: we
should hunger and thirst for it, that is, we should love and strive earnestly to seek
what makes a man righteous in God’s eyes. A person who genuinely wants to
attain Christian holiness should love the means which the Church, the universal
vehicle of salvation, offers all men and teaches them to use—frequent use of the
Sacraments, an intimate relationship with God in prayer, a valiant effort to meet
one’s social, professional and family responsibilities.
7. Mercy is not a just a matter of giving alms to the poor but also of being under-
standing towards other people’s defects, overlooking them, helping them cope
with them and loving them despite whatever defects they may have. Being mer-
ciful also means rejoicing and suffering with other people.
8. Christ teaches us that the source of the quality of human acts lies in the heart,
that is, in a man’s soul, in the depths of his spirit. “When we speak of a person’s
heart, we refer not just to his sentiments, but to the whole person in his loving
dealings with others. In order to help us understand divine things, Scripture uses
the expression ‘heart’ in its full human meaning, as the summary and source,
expression and ultimate basis, of one’s thoughts, words and actions. A man is
worth what his heart is worth” (St. J. Escriva, “Christ Is Passing By”, 164).
Cleanness of heart is a gift of God, which expresses itself in a capacity to love,
n having an upright and pure attitude to everything noble. As St. Paul says, “what-
ever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is
ovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy
of praise, think about these things” (Philippians 4:8). Helped by God’s grace, a
Christian should constantly strive to cleanse his heart and acquire this purity,
whose reward is the vision of God.
9. The translation “peacemakers” well convey the active meaning of the original
text—those who foster peace, in themselves and in others and, as a basis for
that, try to be reconciled and to reconcile others with God. Being at peace with
God is the cause and effect of every kind of peace. Any peace on earth not
based on this divine peace would be vain and misleading.
“They shall be called sons of God”: this is an Hebraicism often found in Sacred
Scripture; it is the same as saying “they will be sons of God”. St. John’s first
letter (3:1) provides a correct exegesis of this Beatitude: “See what love the
Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are”.
10. What this Beatitude means, then, is: blessed are those who are persecuted
because they are holy, or because they are striving to be holy, for theirs is the
Kingdom of Heaven.
Thus, blessed is he who suffers persecution for being true to Jesus Christ and
who does so not only patiently but joyfully. Circumstances arise in a Christian’s
life that call for heroism—where no compromise is admissible: either one stays
true to Jesus Christ whatever the cost in terms of reputation, life or possessions,
or one denies Him. St. Bernard (”Sermon on the Feast of All Saints”) says that
the eighth Beatitude is as it were the prerogative of Christian martyrs. Every
Christian who is faithful to Jesus’ teaching is in fact a “martyr” (a witness) who
reflects or acts according with this Beatitude, even if he does not undergo phy-
sical death.
11-12. The Beatitudes are the conditions Jesus lays down for entering the King-
dom of Heaven. This verse, in a way summing up the preceding ones, is an invi-
tation to everyone to put this teaching into practice. The Christian life, then, is
no easy matter, but it is worthwhile, given the reward that Jesus promises.
*********************************************************************************************
Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.
Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.
15
posted on
10/31/2009 9:59:17 PM PDT
by
Salvation
("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
To: All
16
posted on
10/31/2009 10:00:58 PM PDT
by
Salvation
("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
To: All
Scripture readings taken from the Jerusalem Bible, published and copyright © 1966, 1967 and 1968 by Darton, Longman & Todd
Mass Readings
| First reading |
Apocalypse 7:2-4,9-14 © |
|
I, John, saw another angel rising where the sun rises, carrying the seal of the living God; he called in a powerful voice to the four angels whose duty was to devastate land and sea, ‘Wait before you do any damage on land or at sea or to the trees, until we have put the seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.’ Then I heard how many were sealed: a hundred and forty-four thousand, out of all the tribes of Israel.
After that I saw a huge number, impossible to count, of people from every nation, race, tribe and language; they were standing in front of the throne and in front of the Lamb, dressed in white robes and holding palms in their hands. They shouted aloud, ‘Victory to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!’ And all the angels who were standing in a circle round the throne, surrounding the elders and the four animals, prostrated themselves before the throne, and touched the ground with their foreheads, worshipping God with these words, ‘Amen. Praise and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honour and power and strength to our God for ever and ever. Amen.’
One of the elders then spoke, and asked me, ‘Do you know who these people are, dressed in white robes, and where they have come from?’ I answered him, ‘You can tell me, my lord.’ Then he said, ‘These are the people who have been through the great persecution, and they have washed their robes white again in the blood of the Lamb.’
|
| Psalm or canticle: Psalm 23:1-6 |
| Second reading |
1 John 3:1-3 © |
|
Think of the love that the Father has lavished on us,
by letting us be called God’s children;
and that is what we are.
Because the world refused to acknowledge him,
therefore it does not acknowledge us.
My dear people, we are already the children of God
but what we are to be in the future has not yet been revealed;
all we know is, that when it is revealed
we shall be like him
because we shall see him as he really is.
Surely everyone who entertains this hope
must purify himself, must try to be as pure as Christ.
|
| Gospel |
Matthew 5:1-12 © |
|
Seeing the crowds, Jesus went up the hill. There he sat down and was joined by his disciples. Then he began to speak. This is what he taught them:
‘How happy are the poor in spirit;
theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Happy the gentle:
they shall have the earth for their heritage.
Happy those who mourn:
they shall be comforted.
Happy those who hunger and thirst for what is right:
they shall be satisfied.
Happy the merciful:
they shall have mercy shown them.
Happy the pure in heart:
they shall see God.
Happy the peacemakers:
they shall be called sons of God.
Happy those who are persecuted in the cause of right:
theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Happy are you when people abuse you and persecute you
and speak all kinds of calumny against you on my account.
Rejoice and be glad,
for your reward will be great in heaven.’
|
17
posted on
10/31/2009 10:03:23 PM PDT
by
Salvation
("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
To: All
Zenit: The Beatitudes: Blueprint for Holiness
The Beatitudes: Blueprint for Holiness
Biblical Reflection for Solemnity of All Saints
By Father Thomas Rosica, CSB
TORONTO, OCT. 28, 2009 (Zenit.org).- The words of Salesian Archbishop Angelo Amato, prefect of the Congregation for Saints' Causes, spoken during last year's Synod of Bishops on the Word of God, still resound in my mind and heart today on the solemnity of All Saints:
"Jesus says: 'Learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls" (Matthew 11:29). For more than 2,000 years, men and women, old and young, wise and ignorant, in the East as in the West, applied themselves to the school of the Lord Jesus, which caused this sublime commandment to echo in their hearts and minds: 'You must therefore be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect' (Matthew 5:48).
"Their library was largely composed of the life and the words of Jesus: blessed are the poor, blessed are those who mourn, blessed are the gentle, blessed are those who hunger and thirst for uprightness, blessed are the merciful, blessed are the pure in heart, blessed are the peacemakers, blessed are those who are persecuted. The saints, understanding that the beatitudes are the essence of the Gospel and the portrait of Christ Himself, became their imitators."
A new recipe
The beatitudes in Christ's Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:1-12) are a recipe for extreme holiness. As has been pointed out by many others in the past, though the Mount of the Beatitudes is a few dozen feet above sea level, it is the really the highest peak on earth!
On this holy mountain in Galilee, Jesus proclaimed the new law that was expression of Christ's holiness.
They are not an abstract code of behavior. Jesus is the poor in spirit, the meek, the persecuted, the peacemaker. He is the new "code of holiness" that must be imprinted on hearts, and that must be contemplated through the action of the Holy Spirit. His Passion and Death are the crowning of his holiness.
Holiness is a way of life that involves commitment and activity. It is not a passive endeavor, but rather a continuous choice to deepen one's relationship with God and to then allow this relationship to guide all of one's actions in the world. Holiness requires a radical change in mindset and attitude. The acceptance of the call to holiness places God as our final goal in every aspect of our lives.
Looking at Jesus, we see what it means to be poor in spirit, gentle and merciful, to mourn, to care for what is right, to be pure in heart, to make peace, to be persecuted. This is why he has the right to say to each of us, "Come, follow me!"
Jesus does not say simply, "Do what I say." He says, "Come, follow me!"
Taking stock
The saints and blesseds are travel companions along our journey, in joy and suffering. They are men and women who wrote a new page in their lives and in the lives of so many people. This was the core of Pope John Paul III's message to humanity: Holiness is not a gift reserved for a few.
We can all aspire to it, because it is a goal within our capacity -- a great lesson reaffirmed by the Second Vatican Council and its call to universal holiness ("Lumen Gentium").
Today's solemnity of All Saints is a wonderful opportunity for the whole Church to take stock once again of the way that the Servant of God, John Paul II, changed our way of viewing the saints and blessed. In nearly 27 years of his pontificate, John Paul II gave the Church 1,338 blessed and 482 saints.
The Polish Pontiff reminded us that the heroes and heroines the world offers to young people today are terribly flawed. They leave us so empty. The real "stars" of his pontificate are the saints and blessed who did not try to be regarded as heroes, or to shock or provoke.
To believe greatness is attainable, we need successful role models to emulate. There is a desperate need for real heroes and heroines, models and witnesses of faith and virtue that the world of sports, cinema, science and music cannot provide.
Standing at the radical center
Many think that sainthood is a privilege reserved only for the chosen few. Actually, to become a saint is the task of every Christian, and what's more, we could even say it's the task of everyone! How many times have we thought that the saints are merely "eccentrics" that the Church exalts for our imitation; people who were so unrepresentative of and out of touch with the human scene?
It is certainly true of all those men and women who were "eccentric" in its literal sense: they deviated from the center, from usual practice, the ordinary ways of doing things, the established methods. Another way of looking at the saints is that they stood at the "radical centre."
Saints of the new millennium
John Paul II spoke much to young people about the call to holiness and the vocation to be saints. In his message for World Youth Day 2000 in Rome, he wrote to his "dear young friends" throughout the world unforgettable words that became the rallying cry for the Jubilee's greatest celebration:
"Young people of every continent, do not be afraid to be the saints of the new millennium! Be contemplative, love prayer; be coherent with your faith and generous in the service of your brothers and sisters, be active members of the Church and builders of peace.
"To succeed in this demanding project of life, continue to listen to his word, draw strength from the sacraments, especially the Eucharist and penance. The Lord wants you to be intrepid apostles of his Gospel and builders of a new humanity."
Two years later for our World Youth Day 2002 in Canada, John Paul II took up once again the theme of holiness and saints in his message to us:
"Just as salt gives flavor to food and light illumines the darkness, so too holiness gives full meaning to life and makes it reflect God's glory.
"How many saints, especially young saints, can we count in the Church's history! In their love for God their heroic virtues shone before the world, and so they became models of life which the Church has held up for imitation by all. [...]
"Through the intercession of this great host of witnesses, may God make you too, dear young people, the saints of the third millennium!"
At the concluding World Youth Day Mass at Downsview Park in Toronto on July 28, 2002, John Paul II issued a stirring challenge:
"And if, in the depths of your hearts, you feel the same call to the priesthood or consecrated life, do not be afraid to follow Christ on the royal road of the Cross!
"At difficult moments in the Church's life, the pursuit of holiness becomes even more urgent. And holiness is not a question of age; it is a matter of living in the Holy Spirit, just as Kateri Tekakwitha did here in America and so many other young people have done."
True reformers
Benedict XVI continued the momentum of John Paul II's invitations and exhortations to holiness at World Youth Day 2005 in Cologne, Germany. At the opening ceremony on Aug. 18, 2005, Benedict XVI addressed the throng of young people from the entire world:
"Dear young people, the Church needs genuine witnesses for the new evangelization: men and women whose lives have been transformed by meeting with Jesus, men and women who are capable of communicating this experience to others. The Church needs saints.
"All are called to holiness, and holy people alone can renew humanity. Many have gone before us along this path of Gospel heroism, and I urge you to turn often to them to pray for their intercession."
Benedict XVI continued this theme at the great vigil on Saturday evening Aug. 20, 2005 at Marienfeld:
"It is the great multitude of the saints -- both known and unknown -- in whose lives the Lord has opened up the Gospel before us and turned over the pages; he has done this throughout history and he still does so today.
"In their lives, as if in a great picture book, the riches of the Gospel are revealed. They are the shining path which God himself has traced throughout history and is still tracing today."
Then Benedict XVI cried out in that great assembly of over one million young people gathered in prayer at Marienfeld in Cologne: "The saints [...] are the true reformers. Now I want to express this in an even more radical way: Only from the saints, only from God does true revolution come, the definitive way to change the world."
At the core
Every crisis that the Church faces, every crisis that the world faces, is a crisis of holiness and a crisis of saints. Holiness is crucial because it is the real face of the Church.
The core of the proclamation of the saints and blessed was always hope, even in the midst of the darkest moments of history. It's almost as if in those times of darkness the light of Christ shines ever more brightly. We are living through one of those times, and the Lord is still taking applications for his extreme form of holiness and sanctity.
Believers in Jesus and his message must allow themselves to be enticed and enchanted by his life and message contained in the beatitudes.
Today we must hold up the beatitudes as a mirror in which we examine our own lives and consciences. "Am I poor in spirit? Am I humble and merciful? Am I pure of heart? Do I bring peace? Am I 'blessed,' in other words, happy?"
Jesus not only gives us what he has, but also what he is. He is holy and makes us holy.
[The readings for the Solemnity of All Saints are Revelations 7:2-4, 9-14; 1 John 3:1-3; and Matthew 5:1-12a]
* * *
Basilian Father Thomas Rosica, chief executive officer of the Salt and Light Catholic Media Foundation and Television Network in Canada, is a consultor to the Pontifical Council for Social Communications.
18
posted on
10/31/2009 10:06:04 PM PDT
by
Salvation
("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
To: All
Matters of Life and Death
October 31st, 2009 by Fr. Paul Grankauskas
When I was growing up, my family lived close to a cemetery. I have to admit, I used to enjoy taking walks around the place. It was always so peaceful, and it made me wonder about the stories behind the names on the headstones. Ultimately, I found myself thinking about eternity.
Francis de Sales wrote in Introduction to the Devout Life, “Imagine yourself to be in an open field, alone with your guardian angel. … Imagine that he shows high heaven open before you with all its joys … and that he then shows you hell lying open beneath you with all its torments … Each of these lies open to receive you according to the choice you make … the choice of one or the other that we make will last eternally in the life to come. … God desires with an incomparable desire that you choose heaven.”
As the liturgical and calendar years draw near an end, the Church invites all of us to carefully reflect on what we call the four last things: death, judgment, heaven and hell. In the weeks to come, his is a theme that will feature prominently in some of the readings at Mass. It all begins, however, by going straight to the top.
It is with joy that we celebrate the feast of All Saints. In celebrating this feast, we give thanks to God for raising to the glories of heaven the souls of all His faithful ones. We also give thanks for the communion we share with the saints through Christ.
If we should wonder how such a communion is possible, we have only to listen to the words of Our Lord: “I am the vine, you are the branches.” He goes on to say that the branch which bears no fruit is pruned away and cast into the fire. Fruitful branches remain upon the vine.
In other words, in death and in life, faithful witnesses of Christ whose lives bear fruit in works of faith, hope and charity remain upon the vine and form one body in Christ. We remain in communion with the saints of heaven and they with us through Christ. To use the words of the Letter to the Hebrews, the saints of heaven make up the vast cloud of witnesses which surrounds us and spurs us on to victory. They have run the race, and they know that the race — with all its trials and tribulations — is worth running, the prize worth striving for.
The saints of heaven are the poor in spirit who have inherited the kingdom. They are the ones who once mourned with us in this valley of tears, yet now know peace and rest. They are the ones who showed mercy and forgiveness and through God’s mercy have obtained true pardon peace of their own. In other words, they are the ones who lived the Eight Beatitudes and desired to have the mind and heart of Christ. In the words of St. Bernard, “Calling the saints to mind inspires, or rather arouses in us, above all else, a longing to enjoy their company, so desirable in itself. We long to share in the citizenship of heaven, to dwell with the spirits of the blessed, to join the assembly of patriarchs, the ranks of the prophets, the council of apostles, the great host of martyrs, the noble company of confessors and the choir of virgins. … We must rise again with Christ, we must seek the world which is above and set our minds on the things of heaven.”
Of course, living the beatitudes is about as counter cultural as you can get. Sanctity involves being clean of heart, having no attachment or desire for sin. We live in a culture that seems to pride itself on its sinfulness. In fact, we want to deny the very reality of sin. That is no way to be a saint.
To be a saint means to be poor in spirit, desiring nothing more that what is pleasing to God and knowing that we are only passing guests in this world. We live in a culture that is rooted in self-indulgence. I want what I want when I want it. I want this world to be my paradise.
To be a saint means that we will be persecuted or insulted simply because, as disciples of Christ, we set ourselves against the ways of the world.
As Francis de Sales, Bernard — and every other saint would tell us — we do have a choice about who we aim to please above all. If being a saint means possibly bringing trouble on ourselves, perhaps it is not all that attractive a proposition. Considering the joys of all the saints in heaven, hopefully we will begin to realize that the race is worth running.
Fr. Paul Grankauskas is parochial vicar at St. Mary of Sorrows Parish in Fairfax, Virginia.
(This article courtesy of the Arlington Catholic Herald.)
19
posted on
10/31/2009 10:10:05 PM PDT
by
Salvation
("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
To: All
All Saints
One point must be made abundantly clear, as the Catechism of the Catholic Church says, “The Beatitudes depict the countenance of Jesus Christ and portray his charity” (1717). Therefore, the Beatitudes are another way of saying we must be like Christ. The Beatitudes are about imitating Christ, and it is in imitating Christ that we will be blessed in this life and in the life to come.
Jesus was poor in spirit, which means he was humble. For us, it means recognizing, in truth, our own spiritual condition. St. Paul speaks about Christ’s humility. He says, “Do nothing from selfishness or conceit, but in humility count others better than yourselves…Have this mind among yourselves, which was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be [exploited], but emptied himself, taking the form of a [slave], being born in the likeness of men” (Philippians 2:3, 5-7).
Jesus mourned over the spiritual condition of his people. Jesus cried out, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, killing the prophets and stoning those who are sent to you! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not!” (Matthew 23:37).
Jesus was indeed meek, which is not even close to meaning that he was weak. Meekness is strength controlled by God. Jesus tells us to, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am [meek] and [humble] in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:28-29).
Jesus hungered and thirsted for righteousness sake. At his baptism Jesus tells John the Baptist to baptize him because “it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness” (Matthew 3:15). Being righteous means doing the will of the Father, which Jesus would do from beginning to end. In the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus prays, “…not as I will, but as thou will” (Matthew 26:39).
Jesus was perfectly merciful. He tells his followers to be as merciful as the heavenly Father was merciful in the sending of his merciful son. The whole of Christ’s life was to bestow mercy upon everyone he met. This is obvious through his encounter with the lepers, the lame, the blind, etc. However, his mercy is based on truth. Mercy does not mean ignoring sinfulness, but calling the sinner to holiness. He was merciful even to the Pharisees by castigating them for their self-righteousness and hypocrisy.
Jesus was pure of heart. The pure of heart shall see God, and this Jesus did. John tells us, “No one has ever seen God; the only-begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he has made him known” (John 1:18). Jesus is the Word who was with God, and was God, in the beginning. Jesus contrasts a pure heart with a defiled heart in order to help us understand purity of heart. He says, “What comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a man. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, fornication, theft, false witness, slander” (Matthew 15:18-19).
Jesus was a peacemaker. St. Paul says, “He [Jesus] is our peace…And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near…” (Ephesians 2:14, 17). The Letter to the Hebrews tells us to “strive for peace with all men, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord” (Hebrews 12:14). So we don’t misunderstand peace, Fr. Servais Pinkaers, O.P. notes, “Those who have an inner love for peace are certainly most likely to spread peace around them; even to fight for it. The peaceful person is not necessarily a mild, timid creature who cannot take a stand” (The Pursuit of Happiness – God’s Way, p. 146). Jesus was a peacemaker who surely was not mild, timid, or unwilling to take a stand.
Jesus was persecuted and reviled. Peter tells us, “…Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps…when he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten; but he trusted to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on a tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness” (1 Peter 2:21b, 23-24a).
The Beatitudes “shed light on the actions and attitudes characteristic of the Christian life…they proclaim the blessings and rewards already secured, however dimly, for Christ’s disciples; they have begun in the lives of the Virgin Mary and all the saints” (CCC, 1717).
20
posted on
10/31/2009 10:21:54 PM PDT
by
Salvation
("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
To: All
Sunday, November 1, 2009
All Saints (Solemnity) |
First Reading:
Psalm:
Second Reading:
Gospel:
|
Revelation 7:2-4, 9-14
Psalm 24:1-6
1 John 3:1-3
Matthew 5:1-12
Eternal God, behold me prostrate before your immense majesty, humbly adoring you. I offer you all my thoughts, words, and actions of this day. I offer them all to be thought, spoken, and done entirely for love of you, for your glory, to fulfill your divine will, to serve you, to praise you, and bless you. I wish and intend to do everything in union with the most pure intentions of Jesus and Mary. -- St. John Leonardi |
|
21
posted on
10/31/2009 10:25:41 PM PDT
by
Salvation
("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
To: All
|
The Angelus
|
|
The Angel of the Lord declared to Mary:
And she conceived of the Holy Spirit.
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of
our death. Amen.
Behold the handmaid of the Lord: Be it done unto me according to Thy word.
Hail Mary . . .
And the Word was made Flesh: And dwelt among us.
Hail Mary . . .
Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us pray:
Pour forth, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy grace into our hearts; that we, to whom the incarnation of Christ, Thy Son, was made known by the message of an angel, may by His Passion and Cross be brought to the glory of His Resurrection, through the same Christ Our Lord.
Amen.
|
22
posted on
10/31/2009 10:27:49 PM PDT
by
Salvation
("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
To: All
23
posted on
10/31/2009 10:29:31 PM PDT
by
Salvation
("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
To: Salvation
24
posted on
11/01/2009 1:37:09 AM PDT
by
GOP Poet
(Obama is an OLYMPIC failure.)
To: Salvation
Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”
Are these commentary texts embedded in the Navarre Study Bible or do they come from a separate commentary ?
25
posted on
11/01/2009 5:12:04 AM PST
by
lucias_clay
(All We Weed Up !)
To: Salvation
All Saints Day, the 23rd anniversary of my grandmother’s passing.
26
posted on
11/01/2009 7:01:03 AM PST
by
tob2
(I would rather have a nuclear power plant in my backyard than Gitmo detainees.)
To: tob2
Praying for your grandmother.
27
posted on
11/01/2009 7:52:59 AM PST
by
Salvation
("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
To: lucias_clay
28
posted on
11/01/2009 7:57:06 AM PST
by
Salvation
("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
To: lucias_clay
29
posted on
11/01/2009 7:58:46 AM PST
by
Salvation
("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
Comment #30 Removed by Moderator
To: All
Office of Readings and Invitatory Psalm
Office of Readings
If this is the first Hour that you are reciting today, you should precede it with the Invitatory Psalm.
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 8 |
| The greatness of God, the dignity of man |
|
O Lord, your name is great, for you have crowned your saints with honour and glory and placed them above all the works of your hands.
|
|
How wonderful is your name over all the earth,
O Lord, our Lord!
How exalted is your glory
above the sky!
Out of the mouths of children and infants you have brought praise,
to confound your enemies, to destroy your vengeful foes.
When I see the heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and stars, which you set in their place –
what is man, that you should take thought for him?
what is the son of man, that you should look after him?
You have made him but one step lower than the angels;
you have crowned him with glory and honour;
you have set him over the works of your hands.
You have put everything beneath his feet,
cattle and sheep and the beasts of the field,
the birds in the air and the fish in the sea,
whatever passes along the paths of the waters.
How wonderful is your name above all the earth,
O Lord, our 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.
|
|
O Lord, your name is great, for you have crowned your saints with honour and glory and placed them above all the works of your hands.
|
| Psalm 14 (15) |
| Who is worthy to face the Lord? |
|
Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God.
|
|
Lord, who will live in your tent?
Who will dwell on your holy mountain?
Whoever comes there without stain,
acts rightly, speaks truth in his heart.
Whoever does not speak deceitfully,
or do harm to his neighbour, or slander him.
Whoever despises the evil-doer,
but reveres those who fear the Lord.
Whoever swears and keeps his word, come what may
– lends his money without usury –
takes no bribe to condemn the innocent.
Whoever lives like this
will stand firm 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.
|
|
Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God.
|
| Psalm 15 (16) |
| The Lord, my inheritance |
|
O Lord, you have made the way to life known to your saints, and you will fill them with happiness at the sight of your face.
|
|
Preserve me, Lord,
I put my hope in you.
I have said to the Lord
“You are my Lord,
in you alone is all my good.”
As for the holy and noble men of the land,
in them is all my delight.
But for those who run to alien gods,
their sorrows are many.
I will not share in their libations of blood.
I will not speak their names.
You, Lord, are my inheritance and my cup.
You control my destiny,
the lot marked out for me is of the best,
my inheritance is all I could ask for.
I will bless the Lord who gave me understanding;
even in the night my heart will teach me wisdom.
I will hold the Lord for ever in my sight:
with him at my side I can never be shaken.
Thus it is that my heart rejoices,
heart and soul together;
while my body rests in calm hope.
You will not leave my soul in the underworld.
You will not let your chosen one see decay.
You will show me the paths of life,
the fullness of joy before your face,
and delights at your right hand until the end of time.
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.
|
|
O Lord, you have made the way to life known to your saints, and you will fill them with happiness at the sight of your face.
|
|
Look at the Lord and be radiant:
– be ashamed no longer.
|
| Reading |
Apocalypse 5:1-14 © |
|
I saw that in the right hand of the One sitting on the throne there was a scroll that had writing on back and front and was sealed with seven seals. Then I saw a powerful angel who called with a loud voice, ‘Is there anyone worthy to open the scroll and break the seals of it?’ But there was no one, in heaven or on the earth or under the earth, who was able to open the scroll and read it. I wept bitterly because there was nobody fit to open the scroll and read it, but one of the elders said to me, ‘There is no need to cry: the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed, and he will open the scroll and the seven seals of it.’
Then I saw, standing between the throne with its four animals and the circle of the elders, a Lamb that seemed to have been sacrificed; it had seven horns, and it had seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits God has sent out all over the world. The Lamb came forward to take the scroll from the right hand of the One sitting on the throne, and when he took it, the four animals prostrated themselves before him and with them the twenty-four elders; each one of them was holding a harp and had a golden bowl full of incense made of the prayers of the saints. They sang a new hymn:
‘You are worthy to take the scroll
and break the seals of it,
because you were sacrificed, and with your blood
you bought men for God
of every race, language, people and nation
and made them a line of kings and priests,
to serve our God and to rule the world.’
In my vision, I heard the sound of an immense number of angels gathered round the throne and the animals and the elders; there were ten thousand times ten thousand of them and thousands upon thousands, shouting, ‘The Lamb that was sacrificed is worthy to be given power, riches, wisdom, strength, honour, glory and blessing.’ Then I heard all the living things in creation – everything that lives in the air, and on the ground, and under the ground, and in the sea, crying, ‘To the One who is sitting on the throne and to the Lamb, be all praise, honour, glory and power, for ever and ever.’ And the four animals said, ‘Amen’; and the elders prostrated themselves to worship.
|
| Reading |
A sermon by Saint Bernard, abbot. |
| Let us make haste to our brethren who are awaiting us |
|
Why should our praise and glorification, or even the celebration of this feast day mean anything to the saints? What do they care about earthly honours when their heavenly Father honours them by fulfilling the faithful promise of the Son? What does our commendation mean to them? The saints have no need of honour from us; neither does our devotion add the slightest thing to what is theirs. Clearly, if we venerate their memory, it serves us, not them. But I tell you, when I think of them, I feel myself inflamed by a tremendous yearning.
Calling the saints to mind inspires, or rather arouses in us, above all else, a longing to enjoy their company, so desirable in itself. We long to share in the citizenship of heaven, to dwell with the spirits of the blessed, to join the assembly of patriarchs, the ranks of the prophets, the council of apostles, the great host of martyrs, the noble company of confessors and the choir of virgins. In short, we long to be united in happiness with all the saints. But our dispositions change. The Church of all the first followers of Christ awaits us, but we do nothing about it. The saints want us to be with them, and we are indifferent. The souls of the just await us, and we ignore them.
Come, brothers, let us at length spur ourselves on. We must rise again with Christ, we must seek the world which is above and set our mind on the things of heaven. Let us long for those who are longing for us, hasten to those who are waiting for us, and ask those who look for our coming to intercede for us. We should not only want to be with the saints, we should also hope to possess their happiness. While we desire to be in their company, we must also earnestly seek to share in their glory. Do not imagine that there is anything harmful in such an ambition as this; there is no danger in setting our hearts on such glory.
When we commemorate the saints we are inflamed with another yearning: that Christ our life may also appear to us as he appeared to them and that we may one day share in his glory. Until then we see him, not as he is, but as he became for our sake. He is our head, crowned, not with glory, but with the thorns of our sins. As members of that head, crowned with thorns, we should be ashamed to live in luxury; his purple robes are a mockery rather than an honour. When Christ comes again, his death shall no longer be proclaimed, and we shall know that we also have died, and that our life is hidden with him. The glorious head of the Church will appear and his glorified members will shine in splendour with him, when he forms this lowly body anew into such glory as belongs to himself, its head.
Therefore, we should aim at attaining this glory with a wholehearted and prudent desire. That we may rightly hope and strive for such blessedness, we must above all seek the prayers of the saints. Thus, what is beyond our own powers to obtain will be granted through their intercession.
|
| Hymn |
Te Deum |
|
God, we praise you; Lord, we proclaim you!
You, the Father, the eternal –
all the earth venerates you.
All the angels, all the heavens, every power –
The cherubim, the seraphim –
unceasingly, they cry:
“Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Hosts:
heaven and earth are full of the majesty of your glory!”
The glorious choir of Apostles –
The noble ranks of prophets –
The shining army of martyrs –
all praise you.
Throughout the world your holy Church proclaims you.
– Father of immeasurable majesty,
– True Son, only-begotten, worthy of worship,
– Holy Spirit, our Advocate.
You, Christ:
– You are the king of glory.
– You are the Father’s eternal Son.
– You, to free mankind, did not disdain a Virgin’s womb.
– You defeated the sharp spear of Death, and opened the kingdom of heaven to those who believe in you.
– You sit at God’s right hand, in the glory of the Father.
– You will come, so we believe, as our Judge.
And so we ask of you: give help to your servants, whom you set free at the price of your precious blood.
Number them among your chosen ones in eternal glory.
Bring your people to safety, Lord, and bless those who are your inheritance.
Rule them and lift them high for ever.
Day by day we bless you, Lord: we praise you for ever and for ever.
Of your goodness, Lord, keep us without sin for today.
Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy on us.
Let your pity, Lord, be upon us, as much as we trust in you.
In you, Lord, I trust: let me never be put to shame.
|
| Concluding Prayer |
|
Almighty and ever-living God, you have allowed us to venerate the merits of all your saints in one single feast.
Grant us, through the intercession of them all,
the abundant kindness we seek from you.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God for ever and ever.
Amen.
|
31
posted on
11/01/2009 8:06:10 AM PST
by
Salvation
("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
To: All
All Saints -- Solemnity
All Saints
Solemnity
November 1
Christ Glorified in the Court of Heaven
Fra Angelico - 1428-30, Tempera on wood - National Gallery, London
"The glorious company of the apostles praise Thee.
The goodly fellowship of the prophets praise Thee.
The white-robed army of martyrs praise Thee.
All Thy saints and elect with one voice do acknowledge Thee,
O Blessed Trinity, one God!"
-- Feast of All Saints (November 1), Antiphon at Lauds. from the Te Deum
Prayers - Scripture Readings | Family Activities
Origin of All Saint's Day as a feast of the ChurchWhat makes this feast so important that the Church celebrates both the night before All Saints and the day after it?The Church has always honored those early witnesses to the Christian faith who have died in the Lord. (The Greek word for "witness" is martyr.) During the first three hundred years Christians were serverly persecuted, often suffering torture and bloody death -- because they were faithful . They refused to deny Christ, even when this denial might have saved their own lives, or the lives of their children and families.
The early history of the Church is filled with stories of the heroic faith of these of witnesses to Christ's truth. The stories of these saints -- these baptized Christians of all ages and all states in life, whose fidelity and courage led to their sanctity or holiness -- have provided models for every other Christian throughout history.
Many of those especially holy people whose names and stories were known, the Church later canonized (that is, the Church formally recognized that the life of that person was without any doubt holy, or sanctified -- a "saint" who is an example for us.) The Church's calendar contains many saint's days, which Catholics observe at Mass -- some with special festivities.
But there were thousands and thousands of early Christian martyrs, the majority of whose names are known only to God -- and throughout the history of the Church there have been countless others who really are saints, who are with God in heaven, even if their names are not on the list of canonized saints.
In order to honor the memory -- and our own debt -- to these unnamed saints, and to recall their example, the Church dedicated a special feast day -- a sort of "memorial day" -- so that all living Christians would celebrate at a special Mass the lives and witness of those "who have died and gone before us into the presence of the Lord".
This feast that we know as All Saint's Day originated as a feast of All Martyrs, sometime in the 4th century. At first it was celebrated on the first Sunday after Pentecost. It came to be observed on May 13 when Pope St. Boniface IV (608-615) restored and rebuilt for use as a Christian church an ancient Roman temple which pagan Rome had dedicated to "all gods", the Pantheon. The pope re-buried the bones of many martyrs there, and dedicated this Church to the Mother of God and all the Holy Martyrs on May 13, 610.
About a hundred years later, Pope Gregory III (731-741) consecrated a new chapel in the basilica of St. Peter to all saints (not just to the martyrs) on November 1, and he fixed the anniversary of this dedication as the date of the feast.
A century after that, Pope Gregory IV (827-844) extended the celebration of All Saints to November 1 for the entire Church.
The vigil of this important feast, All Saint's Eve, Hallowe'en, was apparently observed as early as the feast itself.
Ever since then -- for more than a millennium -- the entire Church has celebrated the feast of All Saints on November 1st, and, of course, Hallowe'en on October 31.
It is a principal feast of the Catholic Church. It is a holy day of obligation, which means that all Catholics are to attend Mass on that day.
Prayers, Scripture Readings for All SaintsCollect
[That the prayers of all the saints will bring us forgiveness for our sins]
Father, all-powerful and ever-living God,
today we rejoice in the holy men and women
of every time and place.
May their prayers bring us your forgiveness and love.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son,
who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
or
[We rejoice and keep festival in honor of all the saints]
God our Father, source of all holiness,
the work of Your hands is manifest in Your saints, the beauty of
Your truth is reflected in their faith.
May we who aspire to have part in their joy
be filled with the spirit that blessed their lives,
so that having shared their faith on earth
may we also know their peace in your kingdom.
Grant this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
First Reading: Revelation 7:2-4, 9-14
I, John, saw another angel ascend from the rising of the sun, with the seal of the living God, and he called with a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm earth and sea, saying, "Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God upon their foreheads." And I heard the number of the sealed, a hundred and forty-four thousand sealed, out of every tribe of the sons of Israel.
After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no man could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, "Salvation belongs to our God who sits upon the throne, and to the Lamb!" And all the angels stood round the throne and round the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying, "Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God for ever and ever! Amen."
Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, "Who are these, clothed in white robes, and whence have they come?" I said to him, "Sir, you know." And he said to me, "These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
Second Reading: 1 John 3:1-3
See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know Him. Beloved, we are God's children now; it does not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that when He appears we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And every one who thus hopes in Him purifies Himself as He is pure.
Gospel Reading:
When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain, and when He sat down His disciples came to Him. And He opened His mouth and taught them, saying: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
"Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on My account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven.
All Saints is a Holy Day of Obligation.
The principal activity for every Catholic family today is to go to Mass -- together, if possible. (Note Liturgical Calendar)Other family activities:
- After school, read (re-read) to your children Saint John's vision of the Resurrection of the Saints that we heard at Mass today. It is from the Book of Revelation (or the Apocalypse), chapter 7:2-4, 9-14.
- Have them draw pictures of the descriptions it contains. Michelangelo's famous painting of the Last Judgment in the Sistine Chapel was inspired by this scripture passage. Your refrigerator is not the Sistine Chapel, but it's a good place to display the kids' pictures!
- Talk (or read) to your children about the saints they are named for. If you don't already have a good "age-appropriate" book to read from, prepare in advance by looking up the saint on this web site, or by reading from, say, Butler's Lives of the Saints, and tell them the story in your own words.
- Have each child choose a favorite saint, and make a booklet of their own about the saint's life. See the saint pages on this web site.
- Help them focus on how this saint gave an example of unusual courage, or devotion, or dedication to others, and how we can learn from their example.
- Take the children to a religious goods shop and allow the children to look for a medal or small statue of their own patron saint, or another favorite saint, along with a prayer card for that saint to use for bed time prayers. Ask your parish priest to bless these images for the children. (They can give them to the priest themselves for the blessings.
- Teach children the great hymn For All the Saints (here from The Adoremus Hymnal).
Hallowe'en - a Christian holiday
All Souls Day - Prayers for the Dead
32
posted on
11/01/2009 8:09:34 AM PST
by
Salvation
("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
To: Salvation
33
posted on
11/01/2009 8:20:03 AM PST
by
Salvation
("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
To: All
Catholic Culture
Daily Readings for: November 01, 2009
(Readings on USCCB website)
Collect: God our Father, source of all holiness, the work of your hands is manifest in your saints, the beauty of your truth is reflected in their faith. May we who aspire to have part in their joy be filled with the Spirit that blessed their lives, so that having shared their faith on earth we may also know their peace in your kingdom. Grant this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
RECIPES
ACTIVITIES
PRAYERS
Ordinary Time: November 
1st
Solemnity of All Saints Old Calendar: Feast of All Saints
Today the Church celebrates all the saints: canonized or beatified, and the multitude of those who are in heaven enjoying the beatific vision that are only known to God. During the early centuries the Saints venerated by the Church were all martyrs. Later on the Popes set November 1 as the day for commemorating all the Saints. We all have this "universal call to holiness." What must we to do in order to join the company of the saints in heaven? We "must follow in His footsteps and conform [our]selves to His image seeking the will of the Father in all things. [We] must devote [our]selves with all [our] being to the glory of God and the service of [our] neighbor. In this way, the holiness of the People of God will grow into an abundant harvest of good, as is admirably shown by the life of so many saints in Church history" (Lumen Gentium, 40).
Don't forget to pray for the Poor Souls in Purgatory from November 1 to the 8th.
All Saints Day
During the year the Church celebrates one by one the feasts of the saints. Today she joins them all in one festival. In addition to those whose names she knows, she recalls in a magnificent vision all the others "of all nations and tribes standing before the throne and in sight of the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands, proclaiming Him who redeemed them in His Blood."
The feast of All Saints should inspire us with tremendous hope. Among the saints in heaven are some whom we have known. All lived on earth lives like our own. They were baptized, marked with the sign of faith, they were faithful to Christ's teaching and they have gone before us to the heavenly home whence they call on us to follow them. The Gospel of the Beatitudes, read today, while it shows their happiness, shows, too, the road that they followed; there is no other that will lead us whither they have gone.
"The Commemoration of All Saints" was first celebrated in the East. The feast is found in the West on different dates in the eighth century. The Roman Martyrology mentions that this date is a claim of fame for Gregory IV (827-844) and that he extended this observance to the whole of Christendom; it seems certain, however, that Gregory III (731-741) preceded him in this. At Rome, on the other hand, on May 13, there was the annual commemoration of the consecration of the basilica of St. Maria ad Martyres (or St. Mary and All Martyrs). This was the former Pantheon, the temple of Agrippa, dedicated to all the gods of paganism, to which Boniface IV had translated many relics from the catacombs. Gregory VII transferred the anniversary of this dedication to November 1.
Things to Do:
- Visiting a cemetery and praying for the dead during the Octave of All Saints' Day (November 1 through November 8) will gain a plenary indulgence that can be applied only to the souls in purgatory. On other days, this work gains a partial indulgence.
- Spend a little time after Mass thanking God for all the unnamed saints, some of whom could be our own relatives.
- Have a special meal and if you have young children have them dress up like saints and play games.
- Pray the Litany of the Saints -- you could make it really special by chanting it ("he who sings prays twice") and you could read an explanation of this litany, which is considered the model of all other litanies.
- From the Catholic Culture library:
Indulgences for All Souls Week
An indulgence, applicable only to the Souls in Purgatory, is granted to the faithful, who devoutly visit a cemetery and pray, even if only mentally, for the departed. The indulgence is plenary each day from the first to the eighth of November; on other days of the year it is partial.
A plenary indulgence, applicable only to the Souls in Purgatory, is granted to the faithful, who on the day dedicated to the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed [November 2 {as well as on the Sunday preceding or following, and on All Saints' Day}] piously visit a church. In visiting the church it is required that one Our Father and the Creed be recited.
To acquire a plenary indulgence it is necessary also to fulfill the following three conditions: sacramental Confession, Eucharistic communion, and prayer for the intention of the Holy Father. The three conditions may be fulfilled several days before or after the performance of the visit; it is, however, fitting that communion be received and the prayer for the intention of the Holy Father be said on the same day as the visit.
The condition of praying for the intention of the Holy Father is fully satisfied by reciting one Our Father and one Hail Mary. A plenary indulgence can be acquired only once in the course of the day.
34
posted on
11/01/2009 1:43:00 PM PST
by
Salvation
("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
To: All
Lauds -- Morning Prayer
Morning Prayer (Lauds)
If this is the first Hour that you are reciting today, you should precede it with the Invitatory Psalm.
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 62 (63) |
| Thirsting for God |
|
The home of the saints is in the kingdom of heaven, where they rest for all eternity. Alleluia.
|
|
O God, you are my God, I watch for you from the dawn.
My soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you.
I came to your sanctuary,
as one in a parched and waterless land,
so that I could see your might and your glory.
My lips will praise you, for your mercy is better than life itself.
Thus I will bless you throughout my life,
and raise my hands in prayer to your name;
my soul will be filled as if by rich food,
and my mouth will sing your praises and rejoice.
I will remember you as I lie in bed,
I will think of you in the morning,
for you have been my helper,
and I will take joy in the protection of your wings.
My soul clings to you; your right hand raises me up.
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.
|
|
The home of the saints is in the kingdom of heaven, where they rest for all eternity. Alleluia.
|
| Canticle |
Daniel 3 |
| All creatures, bless the Lord |
|
Saints of the Lord, bless the Lord for ever.
|
|
Bless the Lord, all his works,
praise and exalt him for ever.
Bless the Lord, you heavens;
all his angels, bless the Lord.
Bless the Lord, you waters above the heavens;
all his powers, bless the Lord.
Bless the Lord, sun and moon;
all stars of the sky, bless the Lord.
Bless the Lord, rain and dew;
all you winds, bless the Lord.
Bless the Lord, fire and heat;
cold and warmth, bless the Lord.
Bless the Lord, dew and frost;
ice and cold, bless the Lord.
Bless the Lord, ice and snow;
day and night, bless the Lord.
Bless the Lord, light and darkness;
lightning and storm-clouds, bless the Lord.
Bless the Lord, all the earth,
praise and exalt him for ever.
Bless the Lord, mountains and hills;
all growing things, bless the Lord.
Bless the Lord, seas and rivers;
springs and fountains, bless the Lord.
Bless the Lord, whales and fish;
birds of the air, bless the Lord.
Bless the Lord, wild beasts and tame;
sons of men, bless the Lord.
Bless the Lord, O Israel,
praise and exalt him for ever.
Bless the Lord, his priests;
all his servants, bless the Lord.
Bless the Lord, spirits and souls of the just;
all who are holy and humble, bless the Lord.
Ananias, Azarias, Mishael, bless the Lord,
praise and exalt him for ever.
Let us bless Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
praise and exalt them for ever.
Bless the Lord in the firmament of heaven,
praise and glorify him for ever.
|
|
Saints of the Lord, bless the Lord for ever.
|
| Psalm 149 |
| The saints rejoice |
|
His praise is sung by all his saints, by the children of Israel, by the peoples that come close to him. This glory belongs to all his saints.
|
|
Sing a new song to the Lord,
his praise in the assembly of the faithful.
Let Israel rejoice in its maker,
and the sons of Zion delight in their king.
Let them praise his name with dancing,
sing to him with timbrel and lyre,
for the Lord’s favour is upon his people,
and he will honour the humble with victory.
Let the faithful celebrate his glory,
rejoice even in their beds,
the praise of God in their throats;
and swords ready in their hands,
to exact vengeance upon the nations,
impose punishment on the peoples,
to bind their kings in fetters
and their nobles in manacles of iron,
to carry out the sentence that has been passed:
this is the glory prepared for all his faithful.
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.
|
|
His praise is sung by all his saints, by the children of Israel, by the peoples that come close to him. This glory belongs to all his saints.
|
| Short reading |
Ephesians 1:17-18 © |
|
May the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, give you a spirit of wisdom and perception of what is revealed, to bring you to full knowledge of him. May he enlighten the eyes of your mind so that you can see what hope his call holds for you, what rich glories he has promised the saints will inherit.
|
| Canticle |
Benedictus |
| The Messiah and his forerunner |
|
The righteous will shine, as brightly as the sun, in the kingdom of their Father. Alleluia.
|
|
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.
|
|
The righteous will shine, as brightly as the sun, in the kingdom of their Father. Alleluia.
|
| Prayers and Intercessions |
? |
|
O God, you are the crown of all the saints. With joy we bring you our prayers:
– Lord, bring us salvation through the intercession of the saints.
God, you are the source from which all holiness flows, and the dazzling glory of your grace shines out through the saints:
grant that we may celebrate your greatness revealed in them.
– Lord, bring us salvation through the intercession of the saints.
Eternally caring God, you have given us the saints as clearer reflections of your Son:
grant that through them we may move closer to union with Christ.
– Lord, bring us salvation through the intercession of the saints.
King of heaven, through these faithful adherents to Christ you encourage us to reach your eternal city:
make us learn from them the safest way to reach it.
– Lord, bring us salvation through the intercession of the saints.
O God, in the sacrifice of your Son’s body you join us more closely to those who live in heaven:
increase our devotion so that we may serve you as they do.
– Lord, bring us salvation through the intercession of the saints.
|
|
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 who trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
|
|
Almighty and ever-living God, you have allowed us to venerate the merits of all your saints in one single feast.
Grant us, through the intercession of them all,
the abundant kindness we seek from you.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God for ever and ever.
Amen.
|
|
May the Lord bless us and keep us from all harm; and may he lead us to eternal life.
|
| A M E N |
35
posted on
11/01/2009 1:49:21 PM PST
by
Salvation
("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
To: All
The Word Among Us
Meditation: Matthew 5:1-12
All Saints
Blessed are they … (Matthew 5:4)
It’s easy to read the beatitudes and see in them the lives of the saints. We could probably take a pencil and paper right now and make a quick list: poor in spirit—St. Francis; mourning—St. Monica; hungry for righteousness—St. Benedict; merciful—Mother Teresa; clean of heart—St. Maria Goretti.
This could be a fun activity to do, especially with our children. But we should also remember that All Saints Day is not just about “them.” This is our day, too! The promise of union with God in heaven is for each of us. Just think about the great multitude described in today’s second reading. They stand before the throne of the Lamb simply because God freely offered them his salvation, and they accepted it. Their constant song of joy and celebration underscores this important truth: “Salvation comes from our God, who is seated on the throne!” (Revelation 7:10).
Throughout the liturgical year, we have feast days for thousands of saints. But today is the feast of everyone else. It’s the day when we all rejoice in God’s gift of salvation and the hope of heaven. The beatitudes, lofty though they seem, are possible for us because it is God’s gift of grace that transforms us and builds his character in us. He makes saints of us as we follow him. In fact, every step we take to put aside self-centeredness, every choice to give of ourselves to others, every prayer time spent on our knees before the Lord moves us one step closer to our heavenly goal.
This is your day, so rejoice in it! Recognizing the example of holy men and women who have gone before you, follow their lead. Then, one day we will all celebrate with them before God’s heavenly throne.
“Father, I rejoice that you want to include me among the saints. I celebrate your salvation. Amazed by your generosity, I receive your grace today so that I can become holy. Thank you for opening heaven to me and inviting me in to your throne room!”
Revelation 7:2-4,9-14; Psalm 24:1-6; 1 John 3:1-3
36
posted on
11/01/2009 2:28:26 PM PST
by
Salvation
("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
To: All
Faith and Family
Halloweens and Beatitudes
by Tom and April Hoopes in
Faith on
Saturday, October 31, 2009 6:00 AM(In this weekly column, Tom and April Hoopes share family-friendly ways of observing the liturgical year and celebrating the Sunday readings.)
Halloween and All Souls
Last year, we attended our Connecticut parish’s “Holyween” party, where the kids dressed as saints and Dominican Father Bernard Confer guessed with astonishing accuracy who each was. This year we’re in Atchison, Kan., a town that has a cottage industry of promoting haunted houses.
Catholic parents often debate the merits of Halloween as it’s celebrated in America today. Is it too macabre? What message does it send?
We will remind the kids that “All Hallows Eve” — the vigil of All Saints’ Day — dates back to the time the Church took over the Pantheon in Rome in the 600s. The “gods” were removed from altars which were reconsecrated to the martyrs. So, on the first “All Hallows Eve,” the streets of Rome were literally lined with carts of bones — martyrs’ relics. Yes, other pagan practices have been mixed in, but we will focus on that first mix of skeletons and saints.
We’ll pray to the folks in heaven and celebrate their victory with fun and candy. And on All Souls’ Day, Nov. 2, we will round out the experience by visiting a cemetery to start the month of prayer for the dead.
Readings
Revelation 7:2-4, 9-14; Psalm 24:1-6; 1 John 3:1-3; Matthew 5:1-12
Our Take
The beatitudes — today’s Gospel — are more relevant than ever. Let us count the ways.
1. “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.”
Those who aren’t poor in spirit — those whose hopes are in wealth, health or material pleasures — have had a tough year. But those who look to spiritual realities for fulfillment needn’t be fundamentally disturbed by market crashes or tough times. Their investments are in good hands.
2. “Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted.”
In order to mourn, you have to be sensitive to the value of life. In a world with 42 million elective abortions each year, this beatitude is as needed as ever — and as powerful as ever. The most effective new voices in the pro-life movement are the mothers of aborted children.
3. “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.”
To be meek means to allow God’s will to dominate your own will. The meek don’t abuse the earth; and the meek don’t see mankind as a blight on the earth, either. The meek take God’s creation on God’s terms, and truly inherit the earth by appreciating the beauty of nature and the dignity of human life.
4. “Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.”
“Be nice” is a fine philosophy of life, as far as it goes, but it doesn’t go far enough. To “hunger and thirst for righteousness” means to refuse to tolerate the destruction of social values. Such a hunger won’t stand for the destruction of marriage and the family, pornography, embryo-killing research, or other intrinsic evils. However …
5. “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.”
“Not tolerating evil” can’t mean “rejecting those we disagree with.” Christ said, “Forgive them, for they know not what they do.” We can have that same merciful attitude toward sinners — especially since we’re sinners, too — and seek to better them, not just denounce them.
6. “Blessed are the pure of heart, for they will see God.”
Pope John Paul II said to be “pure of heart” is to see the true value of other people, and not make them objects. People describe how a glance from a John Paul or Mother Teresa made them feel like they were in the presence of something great. If we are pure of heart, we’ll see Christ in those we meet — and that will help them see God, too.
7. “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.”
Ours is an age where escalating violence is seen as an answer to problems. Though self-defense is sometimes necessary, Pope Benedict XVI and Pope John Paul II both pointed out that even that necessary and noble war, World War II, left Europe on a path to secularization and the culture of death. Solidarity, not war, is the path to peace.
8. “Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.”
There are today more persecuted Christians than ever before — Christians are being harassed and killed in India, Africa, the Philippines, China, Myanmar, Iraq, the Middle East, and on and on. We can pray for the persecuted — and pray to the martyrs of our time for the building of the Kingdom of heaven on earth.
—This article originally appeared in our sister publication, the National Catholic Register.
37
posted on
11/01/2009 2:37:48 PM PST
by
Salvation
("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
To: Salvation
Thanks. She was 91 when she died.
38
posted on
11/01/2009 3:05:10 PM PST
by
tob2
(I would rather have a nuclear power plant in my backyard than Gitmo detainees.)
To: Salvation
| Matthew |
| |
English: Douay-Rheims |
Latin: Vulgata Clementina |
Greek NT: Byzantine/Majority Text (2000) |
| |
Matthew 5
|
| 1. |
AND seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain, and when he was set down, his disciples came unto him. |
Videns autem Jesus turbas, ascendit in montem, et cum sedisset, accesserunt ad eum discipuli ejus, |
ιδων δε τους οχλους ανεβη εις το ορος και καθισαντος αυτου προσηλθον αυτω οι μαθηται αυτου |
| 2. |
And opening his mouth, he taught them, saying: |
et aperiens os suum docebat eos dicens : |
και ανοιξας το στομα αυτου εδιδασκεν αυτους λεγων |
| 3. |
Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. |
Beati pauperes spiritu : quoniam ipsorum est regnum cælorum. |
μακαριοι οι πτωχοι τω πνευματι οτι αυτων εστιν η βασιλεια των ουρανων |
| 4. |
Blessed are the meek: for they shall possess the land. |
Beati mites : quoniam ipsi possidebunt terram. |
μακαριοι οι πενθουντες οτι αυτοι παρακληθησονται |
| 5. |
Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. |
Beati qui lugent : quoniam ipsi consolabuntur. |
μακαριοι οι πραεις οτι αυτοι κληρονομησουσιν την γην |
| 6. |
Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after justice: for they shall have their fill. |
Beati qui esuriunt et sitiunt justitiam : quoniam ipsi saturabuntur. |
μακαριοι οι πεινωντες και διψωντες την δικαιοσυνην οτι αυτοι χορτασθησονται |
| 7. |
Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. |
Beati misericordes : quoniam ipsi misericordiam consequentur. |
μακαριοι οι ελεημονες οτι αυτοι ελεηθησονται |
| 8. |
Blessed are the clean of heart: for they shall see God. |
Beati mundo corde : quoniam ipsi Deum videbunt. |
μακαριοι οι καθαροι τη καρδια οτι αυτοι τον θεον οψονται |
| 9. |
Blesses are the peacemakers: for they shall be called children of God. |
Beati pacifici : quoniam filii Dei vocabuntur. |
μακαριοι οι ειρηνοποιοι οτι αυτοι υιοι θεου κληθησονται |
| 10. |
Blessed are they that suffer persecution for justice' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. |
Beati qui persecutionem patiuntur propter justitiam : quoniam ipsorum est regnum cælorum. |
μακαριοι οι δεδιωγμενοι ενεκεν δικαιοσυνης οτι αυτων εστιν η βασιλεια των ουρανων |
| 11. |
Blessed are ye when they shall revile you, and persecute you, and speak all that is evil against you, untruly, for my sake: |
Beati estis cum maledixerint vobis, et persecuti vos fuerint, et dixerint omne malum adversum vos mentientes, propter me : |
μακαριοι εστε οταν ονειδισωσιν υμας και διωξωσιν και ειπωσιν παν πονηρον ρημα καθ υμων ψευδομενοι ενεκεν εμου |
| 12. |
Be glad and rejoice, for your reward is very great in heaven. For so they persecuted the prophets that were before you. |
gaudete, et exsultate, quoniam merces vestra copiosa est in cælis. Sic enim persecuti sunt prophetas, qui fuerunt ante vos. |
χαιρετε και αγαλλιασθε οτι ο μισθος υμων πολυς εν τοις ουρανοις ουτως γαρ εδιωξαν τους προφητας τους προ υμων |
39
posted on
11/01/2009 5:44:32 PM PST
by
annalex
(http://www.catecheticsonline.com/CatenaAurea.php)
To: annalex
1. And seeing the multitudes, He went up into a mountain: and when he was set, His disciples came to Him.
2. And he opened His mouth, and taught them, saying,
3. Blessed are they the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
PSEUD-CHRYS. Every man in his own trade or profession rejoices when he sees an opportunity of exercising it; the carpenter if he sees a goodly tree desires to have it to cut down to employ his skill on, and the Priest when he sees a full Church, his heart rejoices, he is glad of the occasion to teach. So the Lord seeing a great congregation of people was stirred to teach them.
AUG. Or he may be thought to have sought to shun the thickest crowd, and to have ascended the mountain that He might speak to His disciples alone.
CHRYS. By not choosing his seat in the city, and the market place, but on a mountain in a desert, he has taught us to do nothing with ostentation, and to depart from crowds, above all when we are to be employed in philosophy, or in speaking of serious things.
REMIG. This should be known, that the Lord had three places of retirement that we read of, the ship, the mountain, and the desert; to one of these He was accustomed to withdraw whenever he was pressed by the multitude.
JEROME; Some of the less learned brethren suppose the Lord to have spoken what follows front the Mount of Olives, which is by no means the case; what went before and what follows fixes the place in Galilee. Mount Tabor. We may suppose, or any other high mountain.
CHRYS. He ascended a mountain, first, that He might fulfill the prophecy of Esaias, Get you up into a mountain; Secondly, to show that as well he who teaches, as he who hears the righteousness of God should stand on an high ground of spiritual virtues; for none can abide in the valley and speak from a mountain. If you stand on the earth, speak of the earth; if you speak of heaven, stand in heaven. Or, He ascended into the mountain to show that all who would learn the mysteries of the truth should go up into the Mount of the Church of which the Prophet speaks, The hill of God is a hill of fatness.
HILARY; Or, He ascends the mountain, because it is placed in the loftiness of His Father's Majesty that He gives commands of heavenly life.
AUG. Or, he ascends the mountain to show that the precepts of righteousness given by God through the Prophets to the Jews, who were yet under the bondage of fear, were the lesser commandments; but that at by His own Son were given the greater commandments to a people which he had determined to deliver by love.
JEROME; He spoke to them sitting and not standing, for they could not have understood Him had He appeared in His own Majesty.
AUG. Or, to teach sitting is the prerogative of the Master. His disciples came to him, that they who in spirit approached more nearly to keeping His commandments, should also approach Him nearest with their bodily presence.
RABANUS; Mystically, this sitting down of Christ is His incarnation; had He not taken flesh on Him, mankind could not have come to Him.
AUG. It causes a thought how it is that Matthew relates this sermon to have been delivered by the Lord sitting on the mountain; Luke, as he stood in the plain. This diversity in their accounts would lead us to think that the occasions were different. Why should not Christ repeat once more what He said before, or do once more what he had done before? Although another method of reconciling the two may occur to us; namely, that our Lord was first with His disciples alone on some more lofty peak of the mountain when he chose the twelve; that He then descended with them not from the mountain entirely, but from the top to some expanse of level ground in the side, capable of holding a great number of people; that he stood there while the crowd was gathering around Him, and after when He had sat down, then his disciples came near to Him, and so to them and in the presence of the rest of the multitude He spoke the same sermon on which Matthew and Luke give, in a different manner, but with equal truth of facts.
GREG. When time Lord on the mountain is about to utter His sublime precepts, it is said Opening his mouth he taught them, he who had before opened the mouth of the Prophets.
REMIG. Wherever it is said that the Lord opened His mouth, we may know how great things are to follow.
AUG. Or, the phrase is introductory of an address longer than ordinary.
CHRYS. Or, that we may understand that He sometimes teaches by opening His mouth in speech, sometimes by that voice which resounds from His works.
AUG. Whoever will take the trouble to examine with a pious and sober spirit, will find in this sermon a perfect code of the Christian life as far as relates to the conduct of daily life. Accordingly the Lord concludes it with the Every man who hears these words of mine and does them, I will liken him to a wise man, &c.
AUG. The chief good is the only motive of philosophical inquiry; but whatever confers blessedness, that is the chief good; therefore He begins, Blessed are the poor in spirit.
ID. Augmentation of 'spirit' generally implies insolence and pride. For in common speech the proud are said to have a great spirit, and rightly - for wind is a spirit, and who does not know that we say of proud men that they are 'swollen,' 'puffed up.' Here therefore by poor in spirit are rightly understood 'lowly,' 'fearing God,' not having a puffed up spirit. -
CHRYS. Or, He here calls all loftiness of soul and temper spirit; for as there are many humble against their will, constrained by their outward condition, they have no praise; the blessing is on those who humble themselves by their own choice. Thus He begins at once at the root, pulling up pride which is the root and source of all evil, setting up as its opposite humility as a firm foundation. If this be well laid, other virtues may be firmly built thereon; if that be sapped, whatever good you gather upon it perishes.
PSEUD-CHRYS. Blessed are the poor in spirit, or, according to the literal rendering of the Greek, 'they who beg,' that the humble may learn that they should be ever begging at God's almshouse. For there are many naturally humble and not of faith, who do not knock at God's almshouse; but they alone are humble who are so of faith.
CHRYS. Or, the poor in spirit may be those who fear and tremble at God's commandments, whom the Lord by the Prophet Isaiah commends. Though why more than simply humble? Of the humble there may be in this place but few, in that again an abundance.
AUG. The proud seek an earthly kingdom, of the humble only is the kingdom of Heaven.
PSEUD-CHRYS. For as all other vices, but chiefly pride, casts down to hell; so all other virtues, but chiefly humility, conduct to Heaven; it is proper that he that humbles himself should be exalted.
JEROME; The poor in spirit are those who embrace a voluntary poverty for the sake of the Holy Spirit.
AMBROSE; In the eye of Heaven blessedness begins there where misery begins in human estimation.
GLOSS. The riches of Heaven are suitably promised to those who at this present are in poverty.
4. Blessed are they that mourn; for they shall be comforted.
AMBROSE; When you have done thus much, attained both poverty and meekness remember that you are a sinner, mourn your sins, as he proceeds, Blessed are they that mourn. And it is suitable that the third blessing should be of those that mourn for sin, for it is the Trinity that forgives sin.
HILARY; Those that mourn, that is not loss of kindred, affronts, or losses, but who weep for past sins.
PSEUDO- CHRYS. And they who weep for their own sins are blessed, but much more so who weep for others' sins; so should all teachers do.
JEROME; For the mourning here meant is not for the dead by common course of nature, but for the dead in sins, and vices. Thus Samuel mourned for Saul, thus the Apostle Paul mourned for those who had not performed penance after uncleanness.
PSEUDO- CHRYS. The comfort of mourners is the ceasing of their mourning; they then who mourn their own sins shall be consoled when they have received remittance thereof.
CHRYS. And though it were enough for such to receive pardon, yet he rests not His mercy only there, but makes them partakers of many comforts both here and hereafter. God's mercies are always greater than our troubles.
PSEUDO-
CHRYS. But they also who mourn for others' sins shall be comforted, inasmuch as they shall own God's providence in that worldly generation, understanding that they who had perished were not of God, out of whose hand none can snatch. For these leaving to mourn, they shall be comforted in their own blessedness.
AUG. Otherwise; mourning is sorrow for the loss of what is dear; but those that are turned to God lose the things that they held dear in this world; and as they have now no longer any joy in such things as before they had joy in, their sorrow may not be healed till there is formed within them a love of eternal things. They shall then be comforted by the Holy Spirit, who is therefore chiefly called, The Paraclete, that is , 'Comforter;' so that for the loss of their temporal joys, they shall gain eternal joys.
GLOSS. Or, by mourning, two kinds of sorrow are intended; one for the miseries of this world, one for lack of heavenly things; so Caleb's daughter asked both the upper and the lower springs. This kind of mourning none have but the poor and the meek, who as not having the world acknowledge themselves miserable, and therefore desire heaven. Suitably, therefore, consolation is promised to them that mourn, that he who has sorrow at this present may have joy hereafter. But the reward of the mourner is greater than that of the poor or the meek, for to rejoice in the kingdom is more than to have it, or to possess it; for many things we possess in sorrow.
CHRYS. We may remark that this blessing is given most simply, but with great force and emphasis; it is most simply, 'who have grief,' but who mourn. And indeed this command is the sum of all philosophy. For if they who mourn for the death of children or kinsfolk, throughout all that season of their sorrow, are touched with no other desires, as of money, or honor, burn not with envy, feel not wrongs, nor are open to any other vicious passion, but are solely given up to their grief; much more ought they, who mourn their own sins in such manner as they ought to mourn for them, to show this higher philosophy.
5. Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
AMBROSE; When I have learned contentment in poverty, the next lesson is to govern my heart and temper. For what good is it to me to be without worldly things, unless I have besides a meek spirit? It suitably follows therefore, Blessed are the meek.
AUG. The meek are they who resist not wrongs, and give way to evil; but overcome evil of good.
AMBROSE; Soften therefore your temper that you be not angry, at least that you be angry, and sin not. It is a noble thing to govern passion by reason; nor is it a less virtue to check anger, than to be entirely without anger, since one is esteemed the sign of a weak, the other of a strong, mind.
AUG. Let the unyielding then wrangle and quarrel about earthly and temporal things, the meek are blessed, for they shall inherit the earth, and not be rooted out of it; that earth of which it is said in the Psalms, Your lot is in the land of the living, meaning the fixedness of a perpetual inheritance, in which the soul that has good dispositions rests as in its own place, as the body does in an earthly possession, it is fed by its own food, as the body by the earth; such is the rest and the life of the saints.
PSEUDO- CHRYS. This earth as some interpret, so long as it is in its present condition is the land of the dead, seeing it is subject to vanity; but when t is freed from corruption it becomes the land of the living, that the mortal may inherit an immortal country. I have read another exposition of it, as if the heaven in which the saints are to dwell is meant by the land of the living, because compared with the regions of death it is heaven, compared with the heaven above it is earth. Others again say, that this body as longs as it is subject to death is the land of the dead, when it shall be made like to Christ's glorious body, it will be the land of the living.
HILARY; Or, the Lord promises the inheritance of the earth to the meek, meaning of that Body, which Himself took on Him as his tabernacle; and as by the gentleness of our minds Christ dwells in us, we also shall be clothed with the glory of His renewed body.
CHRYS. Otherwise; Christ here has mixed things sensible with things spiritual. Because it is commonly supposed that he who is meek loses all that he possesses, Christ here gives a contrary promise, that he who is not forward shall possess his own in security, but that he of a contrary disposition many times loses his soul and his paternal inheritance. But because the Prophet had said, The meek shall inherit the earth, he used those well-known words in conveying His meaning
GLOSS. The meek, who have possessed themselves, shall possess hereafter the inheritance of the Father; to possess is more than to have, for we have many things which we lose immediately.
6. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
AMBROSE; As soon as I have wept for my sins, I begin to hunger and thirst after righteousness. He who is afflicted with any sore disease, has no hunger.
JEROME; it is not enough that we desire righteousness, unless were also suffer hunger for it, by what expression we may understand that we are never righteous enough, but always hunger after works of righteousness.
PSEUDO- CHRYS. All good which men do not from love of the good itself is unpleasing before God. He hungers after righteousness who desires to walk according to the righteousness of God; he thirsts after righteousness who desires to get the knowledge thereof.
CHRYS. He may mean either general righteousness, or that particular virtue which is the opposite of covetousness. As he was going out to speak of mercy, He shows beforehand of what kind our mercy should be, that it should not be of the gains of plunder or covetousness, hence he ascribes to righteousness that which is peculiar to avarice, namely, to hunger and thirst.
HILARY; The blessedness which He appropriates to those who hunger and thirst after righteousness shows that the deep longing of the saints for the doctrine of God shall receive perfect replenishment in heaven; then they shall be filled.
PSEUDO- CHRYS. Such; is the botany of a rewarding God, that at His gifts are greater than the desires of the saints.
AUG. Or he speaks of food with which they sat and he filled at this present; to wit, that food of which the Lord spoke, My food is to do the will of my Father, that is, righteousness, and that water of which whoever drinks it shall be in him a well of water springing up to life eternal.
CHRYS. Or, this is again a promise of a temporal reward; for as covetousness is thought to make many rich, He affirms on the contrary that righteousness rather makes rich, for he who loves righteousness possesses all things in safety.
7. Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
GLOSS. Justice and mercy are so united, that the one ought to be mingled with the other; justice without mercy is cruelty; mercy without justice, profusion - hence He goes on to the one from the other.
REMIG. The merciful is he who has a sad heart; he counts others' misery his own, and is sad at their grief as at his own.
JEROME; Mercy here is not said only of alms, but is in every sin of a brother, if we bear one another's burdens.
AUG. He pronounces those blessed who succor the wretched, because they are rewarded in being themselves delivered from all misery; as it follows, for they shall obtain mercy.
HILARY; So greatly is God pleased with our feelings of benevolence towards all men, that He will bestow His own mercy only on the merciful.
CHRYS. The reward here seems at first to be only an equal return; but indeed it is much more; for human mercy and divine mercy are not to be put on an equality.
GLOSS. Justly is mercy dealt out to the merciful, that they should receive more than they had deserved; and as he who has more than enough receives more than he who has only enough so the glory of mercy is greater than that of the things hitherto mentioned.
8. Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
AMBROSE; The merciful loses the benefit of his mercy unless he shows it from a pure heart; for if he seeks to have whereof to boast, he loses the fruit of his deeds; the next that follows therefore is, Blessed are the pure in heart.
GLOSS. Purity of heart comes properly in the sixth place, because on the sixth day man was created in the image of God, which image was shrouded by sin, but is formed anew in pure hearts by grace. It follows rightly the before - mentioned graces, because if they be not there, a clean heart is not created in a man.
CHRYS. By the pure are here meant those who possess a perfect goodness, conscious to themselves of no evil thoughts, or again those who live in such temperance as is mostly necessary to seeing God according to that of St. Paul, Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall all see God. For as there are many merciful, yet unchaste, to show that mercy alone is not enough, he adds this concerning purity.
JEROME; The pure is known by purity of heart for the temple of God cannot be impure.
PSEUDO- CHRYS. He who is in thought and deed fulfills all righteousness, sees God in his heart, for righteousness is an image of God, for God is righteousness. So far as any one has rescued himself from evil and works things that are good, so far does he see God either hardly, or fully, or sometimes, or always, according to the capabilities. of human nature. But in that world to come the pure in heart shall see God face to face not in a glass, and in enigma as here.
AUG. They are foolish who seek to see God with the bodily eye, seeing He is seen only by the heart, as it is elsewhere written, In singleness of heart seek you Him; the single heart is the same as is here called the pure heart. ID. But if spiritual eyes in the spiritual body shall be able only to see so much as they we now have can see, undoubtedly God will not be able to be seen of them. ID. This seeing God is the reward of faith; to which end our hearts are made pure by faith, as it is written, cleansing their hearts by faith; but the present verse proves this still more strongly. ID. No one seeing God can be alive with the life men have on earth or with these our bodily senses. Unless one die altogether out of this life, either by totally departing from the body, or so alienated from carnal lusts that he may truly say with the Apostle, whether in the body or out of the body, I cannot tell, he is not translated that he should see this vision.
GLOSS. The reward of these is greater than the reward of the first; being not merely to dine in the King's court, but further to see His face.
9. Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
AMBROSE; When you have made your inward parts clean from every spot of sin, that dissensions and contentions may not proceed from your temper, begin peace within yourself, that so you may extend it to others.
AUG. Peace is time fixedness of order; by order, I mean an arrangement of things like and unlike giving to each its own place. And as there is no man who would not willingly have joy, so is there no man who would not have peace; since even those who go to war desire nothing more than by war to come to a glorious peace.
JEROME; The peacemakers are pronounced blessed, they namely who make peace first within their own hearts, then between brethren at variance. For what avails it to make peace between others, while in your own heart are wars of rebellious vices.
AUG. The peacemakers within themselves are they who having stilled all disturbances of their spirits, having subjected them to reason, have overcome their carnal desires., and become the kingdom of God. There all things are so disposed, that that which is most chief and excellent in man, governs those parts. which we have in common with the brutes, though they struggle against it; nay even that in man which is excellent is subjected to a yet greater, namely, the very Truths, the Son of God. For it would not be able to govern what is inferior to it, if it were not subject to what is above it. And this is the peace which is given on earth to men of good will.
ID. No man can attain in this life that there be not in his members a law resisting the law of his mind. But the peacemakers attain thus fat by overcoming the lusts of the flesh, that in time they come to a most perfect peace.
PSEUDO- CHRYS. The peacemakers with others are not only those who reconcile enemies, but those who unmindful of wrongs cultivate peace. That peace only is blessed which is lodged in the heart, and does not consist only in words. And they who love peace, they are the sons of peace.
HILARY; The blessedness of the peacemakers is the reward of adoption, they shall be called the sons of God. For God is our communion parent, and no other way can we pass into His family than by living in brotherly love together.
CHRYS. Or, if the peacemakers are they who do not contend one with another, but reconcile those that are at strife, they are rightly called the sons of God, seeing that was the chief employment of the only begotten Son, to reconcile things separated, to give peace to things at war.
AUG. Or, because peace is then perfect when there is no where any opposition, the peacemakers are called the sons of God, because nothing resists God, and the children ought to bear the likeness of their Father.
GLOSS. The peacemakers have thus the place of highest honor, inasmuch as he who is called the king's son, is the highest in the king's house. This beatitude is placed the seventh in order, because in the sabbath shall be given the repose of true peace, time six ages being passed away.
10. Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
CHRYS; Blessed are they who suffer persecution for righteousness' sake, that is for virtue, for defending others, for piety, for all these things are spoken of under the title of righteousness. This follows the beatitude upon the peacemakers, that we may not be led to suppose that it is good to seek peace at all times.
AUG. When peace is once firmly established within, whatever persecutions he who has been cast without raises, or carries on, he increases that glory which is the sight of God.
JEROME; For righteousness' sake He adds expressly, for many suffer persecution for their sins, and are not therefore righteousness. Likewise consider how the eighth beatitude of the true circumcision is terminated by martyrdom.
PSEUDO- CHRYS. he said not, Blessed are they who suffers persecution of the Gentiles; that we may not suppose the blessing pronounced on those only who are persecuted for refusing to sacrifice to idols; yea, whoever suffers persecution of heretics because he will not forsake the truth is likewise blessed, seeing he suffers for righteousness. Moreover, if any of the great ones, who seem to be Christians, being corrected by you on account of his sins, shall persecute you, you are blessed with John the Baptist. For if the Prophets are truly martyrs when they are killed by their own countrymen, without a doubt he who suffers in the cause of God has the reward of martyrdom though he suffers from his own people. Scripture therefore does not mention the persons of the persecutors, but only the cause of the persecution, that you may learn to look, not by whom but why you suffer.
HILARY; Thus, lastly, He includes those in the beatitudes whose will is ready to suffer all things for Christ, who is our righteousness. For these then also is the kingdom preserved, for they are in the contempt of this world poor in spirit.
AUG. Or, the eighth beatitude, as it were, returns to the commencement, because it shows the perfect complete character. In the first then and the eighth, the kingdom of heaven is named, for the seven go to make the perfect man, the eighth manifests and proves his perfectness, that all may be conducted to perfection by these steps.
AMBROSE; Otherwise; the first kingdom of heaven was promised to the Saints, in deliverance from this body; the second, that after the resurrection they should be with Christ. For after your resurrection you should begin to possess the earth delivered from death, and in that possession shall find comfort. Pleasure follows comfort, and His divine mercy pleasure. But on whom God has mercy, him He calls, and he whom he calls, behold Him that called him. He who beholds God is adopted into the rights of divine birth, and then at length as the son of God is delighted with the riches of the heavenly kingdom. The first then begins, the last is perfected.
CHRYS. Wonder not if you do not hear the kingdom mentioned under each beatitude; for in saying shall be comforted, shall find mercy, and the rest, in all these the kingdom of heaven is tacitly understood, so that you must not look for any of the things of sense. For indeed he would not be blessed who was to be crowned with those things which depart with this life.
AUG. The number of these sentences should be carefully attended to; to these seven degrees of blessedness agree the operation of that seven - form Holy Spirit which Isaiah described. But as He began from the highest, so here he begins from the lowest; for there we are taught that the Son of God will descend to the lowest; here that man will ascend from the lowest to the likeness of God. Here the first place is given to fear, which is suitable for the humble, of whom it is said, Blessed are the poor in spirit, that is, those who think not high things, but who fear. The second is piety, which belongs to the meek; for he who seeks piously, reverences, does not find fault, does not resist; and this is to become meek. The third is knowledge, which belongs to those that mourn, who have learned to what evils they are enslaved which they once pursued as goods. The fourth, which is fortitude, rightly belongs to those who hunger and thirst, who are seeking joy in true goods, labor to turn away from earthly lusts. The fifth, counsel, is appropriate for the merciful, for there is one remedy to deliver form so great evils, viz. to give and to distribute to others. The sixth is understanding, and belongs to the pure in heart, who with purged eye can see what eye sees not. The seventh is wisdom, and may be assigned to the peacemakers, in whom is no rebellious motion, but they obey the Spirit. Thus the one reward, the kingdom of heaven, is put forth under various names. In the first, as was right, is placed the kingdom of heaven, which is the beginning of perfect wisdom; as if it should be said, The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. To the meek, an inheritance, as to those who with piety seek the execution of a father's ill. To those that mourn, comfort, as to persons who know what they had lost, and in what they were immersed. To the hungry, plenty, as a refreshment to those who labor for salvation. To the merciful, mercy, that to those who have followed the best counsel, that may be showed which they have showed to others. To the pure in heart the faculty of seeing God, as to men hearing a pure eye to understand the things of eternity. To the peacemakers, the likeness of God. And all these things we believe may be attained in this life, as we believe they were fulfilled in the Apostles; for as to the things after this life they cannot be expressed in any words.
11. Blessed are you, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for My sake.
12. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
RABANUS; The preceding blessings were general; he now begins to address His discourse to them that were present, foretelling them the persecutions which they should suffer for His name.
AUG. It may be asked, what difference there is between 'they shall revile you'; and 'shall speak all manner of evil of you;' to revile, it may be said, being but to speak evil of. But a reproach thrown with insult in the face of one present is a different thing from a slander cast on the character of the absent. To persecute includes both open violence and secret snares.
PSEUDO- CHRYS. But if it be true that he who offers a cup of water does not lose his reward, consequently he who has been wronged but by a single word of calumny, shall not be without a reward. But that the reviled may have a claim to this blessing, two things are necessary, it must be false, and it must he for God's sake; otherwise he has not the reward of this blessing; therefore he adds, falsely for my sake.
AUG. This I suppose was added because of those who wish to boast of persecutions and evil reports of their shame, and therefore claim to belong to Christ because many evil things are said of them; but either these are true, or when false yet they are not for Christ's sake.
GREG. What hurt can you receive when men detract from you, though you have no defense but only your own conscience? But as we ought not to stir up willfully the tongues of slanderers, lest they perish for their slander, yet when their own malice has instigated them, we should endure it with equanimity, that our merit may be added to. Rejoice, he says, and exult, for your reward is abundant in heaven,
GLOSS. Rejoice, that is, in mind, exult with the body, for your reward is not great only but abundant in heaven.
AUG. Do not suppose that by heaven here is meant the upper regions of the sky of this visible world, for your reward is not to be placed in things that are seen, but by in heaven understand the spiritual firmament, where everlasting righteousness dwells. Those then whose joy is in things spiritual will even here have some foretaste of that reward; but it will be unable perfect in every part when this mortal shall have put on immortality.
JEROME; This it is in the power of any one of us to attain, that when our good character is injured by calumny, we rejoice in the Lord. He only who seeks after empty glory cannot attain this. Let us then rejoice and exult, that our reward may be prepared for us in heaven.
PSEUDO- CHRYS. For by how much any is pleased with the praise of men, by so much is he grieved with their evil speaking. But if you seek your glory in heaven, you will not fear any slanders on earth.
GREG; Yet ought we sometimes to check our defamers, lest by spreading evil reports of us, they corrupt the innocent hearts of those who might hear good from us.
GLOSS. He invites them to patience not only by the prospect of reward, but by example, when He adds, for so persecuted they the Prophets who were before you.
REMIG. For a man in sorrow receives great comfort from the recollection of the sufferings of others, who are set before him as an example of patience; as if he had said, Remember that you are His Apostles, of whom also they were Prophets.
CHRYS. At the same time He signifies His equality in honor with His Father, as if He had said, As they suffered for my Father, so shall you suffer for me. And in saying, The Prophets who were before you, He teaches that they themselves are already become Prophets.
AUG. Persecuted He says generally, comprehending both reproaches and defamation of character.
Catena Aurea Matthew 5
40
posted on
11/01/2009 5:45:15 PM PST
by
annalex
(http://www.catecheticsonline.com/CatenaAurea.php)
To: annalex
Sermon on the Mount
Cosimo Rosselli
1481-82
Fresco, 349 x 570 cm
Cappella Sistina, Vatican
41
posted on
11/01/2009 5:45:37 PM PST
by
annalex
(http://www.catecheticsonline.com/CatenaAurea.php)
To: All
42
posted on
11/01/2009 6:11:53 PM PST
by
Salvation
("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
To: All
43
posted on
11/01/2009 6:17:45 PM PST
by
Salvation
("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
To: All
Saints, dead or alive, are models
Saints, dead or alive, are models
By Father Paul Turner
Catholic Key Scripture Columni
The Good News for the 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time, November 1, 1998 Revelation 7:2-4, 9-14
1 John 3:1-3
Matthew 5:1-12
A fascination with saints distinguishes Catholics from other religious bodies. Lose something? Pray to St. Anthony. Going on a trip? Pray to St. Christopher. Uncooperative children? Go to St. Monica. Can't sell your house? Buy a statue of St. Joseph and bury him upside down facing the street. But get it blessed by a priest first. Got a hopeless problem? Try St. Jude. Trouble with your eyes? Call on St. Lucy. Headache? St. Denis. We erect statues, wear medals, and stuff holy cards in our prayer books. The saints occupy middle management in the reign of God. Like the specialists whose offices line the corridor of a medical building, they're useful if you go to the right department.
All Saints Day seems like a natural for Catholics. It gives us an easy way to acknowledge the whole bunch of them at once, like Secretaries' Day.
The origins of All Saints Day go back to the fourth century. Churches in the east (like Syria, not like New Jersey) got the idea to celebrate all the martyrs on the first Sunday after Pentecost. Once they had celebrated the death and rising of Christ and the sending of the Holy Spirit, it seemed only natural to celebrate the witness of those who gave their lives to enjoy the eternal blessedness promised by Jesus in the Eucharist.
In Rome they picked a different day, but with a good reason. Pope Boniface IV had just received possession of one of the greatest pagan shrines in Rome, the Pantheon. Built in the first century in the shape of a circle, it boasts an enormous dome reaching up toward a circle at the top of the building, open to the sky. Today it is the oldest building intact in the city of Rome. This temple to all the gods (pan-theon) was rededicated on May 13, 609, to all the martyrs, and on that day the people brought the relics of the martyrs in procession from the catacombs into the Pantheon. They celebrated All Saints Day every year on May 13 to commemorate the event. But in 835 Pope Gregory IV moved the date to November 1, probably because it was near the end of the calendar year, when people naturally turned their thoughts toward death. It then became a feast on the calendar for the entire Roman Catholic Church. In the United States the eve of All Saints has become a secular holiday which gives hell a night before heaven gets its day. Practically speaking, Halloween simply opens the Christmas shopping season.
All Saints Day has had a confusing past and its present is swallowed up by secularism and devotionalism. The prayers of the Mass reinforce the idea that the saints are there to intercede for us, ever ready for contact, like websites. And we're only too happy to put them to work.
But the scriptures of All Saints Day tell another tale. They can help us get back in touch with the original importance of this day.
The first reading probably captures the vision best (Rev 7:2-4, 9-14). There we meet a huge crowd from every nation and language. They stand before the Lamb of God, holding palm branches, and they wear white robes. The Lamb of God is, of course, Jesus. The palm branches are a sign that these are martyrs who have won victory in the sports arena of life. The garments were made white, we learn a few verses later, when the martyrs washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb. Next Sunday's first reading envisions the saints giving praise to God, not helping us find lost car keys or choosing the right HMO. They may do that too, but their first business seems to be worshiping the Lamb of God.
Catholics often treat saints as if we expect something from them. All Saints Day shows us that we share something with them.
In life and in death the saints are our models. They lived single-minded in the service of God, and willfully shed their blood. Now they do what we should do. They praise God. When we were baptized we received a white garment, and we were instructed to bring it unstained to heaven (cf. Revelation 3:4-5). That white garment is an excellent symbol of All Saints Day, a day on which we look to the saints not just for intercession but for example, for help in keeping our garment clean, so that we may join them one day at the throne of the One who alone deserves our praise.
Father Paul Turner is pastor of St. John Francis Regis Parish, Kansas City.
44
posted on
11/01/2009 6:51:24 PM PST
by
Salvation
("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
To: All
Vespers -- Evening Prayer
Vespers (Evening Prayer)
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 109 (110) |
| The Messiah, king and priest |
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I saw a huge number, impossible to count, of people from every nation, standing before the throne.
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The Lord has said to my lord:
“Sit at my right hand
while I make your enemies your footstool.”
From Zion the Lord will give you a sceptre,
and you will rule in the midst of your foes.
Royal power is yours in the day of your strength,
among the sacred splendours.
Before the dawn, I begot you from the womb.
The Lord has sworn, and he will not repent:
“You are a priest for ever,
a priest of the priesthood of Melchisedech.”
The Lord is at your right hand,
and on the day of his anger he will shatter kings.
He will drink from the stream as he goes –
he will hold his head high.
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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I saw a huge number, impossible to count, of people from every nation, standing before the throne.
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| Psalm 115 (116B) |
| Thanksgiving in the Temple |
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God has put them to the test and proved them worthy to be with him; so they shall receive the royal crown of splendour from the hand of the Lord.
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Still I trusted, even when I said
“I am greatly afflicted,”
when I said in my terror,
“all men are liars.”
How shall I repay the Lord
for all he has done for me?
I will take up the cup of salvation
and call on the name of the Lord.
I will fulfil my vows to the Lord
before all his people.
Precious in the sight of the Lord
is the death of his faithful.
O Lord, I am your servant,
your maidservant’s son.
You have torn apart my chains:
I will make you a sacrifice of praise,
I will call on the name of the Lord.
I will fulfil my vows to the Lord
before all his people,
in the courts of the house of the Lord,
within your walls, Jerusalem.
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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God has put them to the test and proved them worthy to be with him; so they shall receive the royal crown of splendour from the hand of the Lord.
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| Canticle |
Apocalypse 4,5 |
| The song of the redeemed |
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You have redeemed us, Lord God, in your blood, from every nation, race, tribe and language, and have made us into a kingdom for our God.
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You are worthy, our Lord and our God,
to receive glory and honour and power;
for you made all things,
and it is by your will that they exist and were created.
You are worthy, Lord,
to receive the book and open its seals,
for you were killed,
and with your blood you have ransomed people
from every tribe and language and people and nation,
and made them rulers and priests for God;
and they will rule over the earth.
The Lamb is worthy, who was killed,
to receive power and riches and wisdom,
strength and honour, glory and blessing.
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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You have redeemed us, Lord God, in your blood, from every nation, race, tribe and language, and have made us into a kingdom for our God.
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| Short reading |
2 Corinthians 6:16,7:1 © |
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You are the temple of the living God. We have God’s word for it: I will make my home among them and live with them; I will be their God and they shall be my people. With promises like these made to us, dear brothers, let us wash off all that can soil either body or spirit, to reach perfection of holiness in the fear of God.
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| Canticle |
Magnificat |
| My soul rejoices in the Lord |
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How glorious is the kingdom in which the saints rejoice with Christ! Clothed in white robes they will follow the Lamb everywhere.
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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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How glorious is the kingdom in which the saints rejoice with Christ! Clothed in white robes they will follow the Lamb everywhere.
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| Prayers and Intercessions |
? |
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O God, you are the crown of all the saints. With joy we bring you our prayers:
– Lord, bring us salvation through the intercession of the saints.
God of all wisdom, through Christ you chose the apostles to be the foundation of your Church:
keep your people faithful to their teaching.
– Lord, bring us salvation through the intercession of the saints.
You gave the martyrs the strength to bear witness even if it meant shedding their blood:
make Christians faithful witnesses to your Son.
– Lord, bring us salvation through the intercession of the saints.
You have given consecrated virgins the special gift of imitating Christ’s virginity:
grant that they may recognise the virginity they have consecrated to you as a special sign of heavenly grace.
– Lord, bring us salvation through the intercession of the saints.
In all the saints you reveal your presence, your care and your teaching:
grant to the faithful who venerate them the sense of being closer to you.
– Lord, bring us salvation through the intercession of the saints.
Make the dead dwell forever with the blessed Virgin Mary, the blessed Joseph and all the saints:
through their intercession bestow us a place in their company in heaven.
– Lord, bring us salvation through the intercession of the saints.
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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 who trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
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Almighty and ever-living God, you have allowed us to venerate the merits of all your saints in one single feast.
Grant us, through the intercession of them all,
the abundant kindness we seek from you.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God for ever and ever.
Amen.
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May the Lord bless us and keep us from all harm; and may he lead us to eternal life.
|
| A M E N |
45
posted on
11/01/2009 7:04:37 PM PST
by
Salvation
("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
To: All
Regnum Christi
| Winning the Only Contest that Matters |
| | SPIRITUAL LIFE | SPIRITUALITY |
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Sunday, 31th week, OT
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Father James Swanson, LC
Matthew 5:1-12a
When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain, and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him. He began to teach them, saying: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land. Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven.
Introductory Prayer: Lord, I believe in you with a faith that never seeks to test you. I trust in you, hoping to learn to accept and follow your will, even when it does not make sense to the way that I see things. I love you, and I want to love you and those around me with a love similar to the love you have shown to me.
Petition: Lord, help me accept sacrifices and overcome difficulties in order to gain heaven.
1. The Beatitudes Don’t Make Sense As we celebrate the Solemnity of All Saints’ Day, the Church calls us to contemplate the promises Jesus makes to all those who follow him. At first, they don’t seem very attractive. Jesus lists a whole series of things that most people would probably avoid. They would see them as interfering with their wants and desires, Yet, Jesus says that we will be blessed if we have them in our lives. The word in the original Greek is “makarios”, which means “happy”. This doesn’t make sense. I am supposed to be happy when I am poor, mourning, meek, lacking righteousness, merciful, clean-hearted, a peacemaker, persecuted and insulted? That’s not what I see on TV, in the movies, on the Internet. It’s not what many of the people I know would advise me. So what is Jesus’ big idea telling me this? Is he out to make me miserable?
2. Sacrificing for Worldly Glory We can see that the whole picture isn’t gloomy. Jesus says that if we accept these difficult things, there will be rewards. And the rewards sound pretty good. In fact, they sound great: the Kingdom of Heaven, comfort, inheriting the land, satisfaction in seeing righteousness done, receiving mercy, seeing God, being a child of God, a great reward in heaven. Who wouldn’t want these things? Don’t people work a lot harder for a lot less? Don’t athletes train for years, giving up all kinds of pleasures, submitting themselves to intense suffering at times only for a brief moment of glory in some competition? Don’t businessmen work long hours, giving up pleasures and making immense sacrifices just to make a few more dollars? Isn’t what Jesus offers us much better than any of that? Better than a gold medal or even a million dollars?
3. But I Am Not Interested in Heavenly Things Anything worth having is worth making sacrifices for, and the more it is worth, the greater sacrifices we should be willing to make for it. Perhaps a gold medal is worth the sacrifices the athlete makes to win it. Perhaps a million dollars are worth the sacrifices that a businessman makes to gain them. If heaven is really all it is supposed to be, isn’t it worth all the sacrifices Jesus mentions here – and more? If people are willing to make such great sacrifices to gain things they cannot keep, shouldn’t I be willing to make even greater sacrifices to gain the eternal happiness of heaven? Of course, many people with the talent to do great things in this world never do them because they just aren’t that interested or motivated. Is that why I don’t do more to gain heaven? Just not that interested? What will it take to motivate me to really desire what Jesus offers?
Conversation with Christ: Dear Jesus, I don’t do much to make the Beatitudes come to life in me. Help me to give heaven its full value. Help me to desire it more each day. Help me to meditate on what heaven will be like so I will love it more and more and be willing to do anything – whatever it takes – to get there and help many others arrive as well.
Resolution: I will spend at least five minutes today imagining what heaven will be like. What would I like heaven to be like? Jesus is setting up a mansion there for me. He is going to put everything that he can in it to please me and make me happy. Spend some time imagining what he would put there to surprise and delight me. He will go far beyond my wildest imaginations, but by dedicating some time to this today, I will increase my desire for heaven and to make the sacrifices necessary to get there. |
46
posted on
11/01/2009 7:09:59 PM PST
by
Salvation
("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
To: All
October 31st, 2009 by Monsignor Dennis Clark, Ph.D.
Rev 7:2-4,9-14 / 1 Jn 3:1-3 / Mt 5:1-12
As we mark this Feast of All Saints, it’s fascinating to remember where some of the better known saints started out and how their lives proceeded. St. Matthew was a tax collector. St. Mary Magdalene practiced the oldest profession in the world. St. Peter was impetuous and something of a blowhard, and he had to press hard before he’d let gentiles become Christians unless they first became Jews! The whole lot of the apostles ran for the hills when Jesus was taken captive in the Garden of Gethsemane, and that was just a short while after their robust promise that they’d follow him anywhere and die with him if need be.
The list could go on and on, but the point is a simple one: none of these great saints started out as saints. Quite the contrary was true. They slowly and painstakingly evolved into holy men and women, with many starts and stops and numerous temporary reversals. And very often, as many of them have testified in their diaries, they suffered from deep discouragement at their lack of progress and their frequent mistakes. St. Paul spoke for them and for us all when he said in anguish, “The good that I would do, I do not.” Isn’t it the truth?
There’s a lesson in all this for us who are still struggling along our own roads: Growing up into God’s image and likeness takes a long time. It’s a lifetime work, and God understands that. After all, he’s the one who put us together.
So take heart. Rejoice in the little triumphs as they happen. Each one brings you a step closer to home. Each one brings you a step closer to the embrace of our Father.
47
posted on
11/01/2009 7:13:25 PM PST
by
Salvation
("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
To: All
One Bread, One BodyOne Bread, One Body
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Revelation 7:2-4, 9-14
1 John 3:1-3
View Readings |
Psalm 24:1-6
Matthew 5:1-12
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HEAVEN SOON
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"I saw before me a huge crowd which no one could count from every nation and race, people and tongue. They stood before the throne and the Lamb." —Revelation 7:9
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We know that later we shall be like Jesus. "We shall see Him as He is" (1 Jn 3:2). After surviving the great period of trial (Rv 7:14), we will stand "before the throne and the Lamb, dressed in long white robes and holding palm branches" in our hands (Rv 7:9). We shall celebrate the ultimate family reunion and be perfectly happy forever, for our "reward is great in heaven" (Mt 5:12). Already many have gone before us and share in the perfect happiness of heaven. It won't be very long before we join them. This sure hope of heavenly happiness is so overwhelmingly wonderful that we keep ourselves pure as Jesus is pure (1 Jn 3:3), live a life of total commitment to the Lord, "consider the sufferings of the present to be as nothing" (Rm 8:18), face death fearlessly, make disciples of all nations (Mt 28:19), have peace under any circumstances (see Phil 4:7), and rejoice in the Lord always (Phil 4:4). We are thrilled (to put it mildly) about the eternal happiness of heaven. We are even more excited about the One Who made it all possible, Jesus Christ. We cry out "in a loud voice, 'Salvation is from our God, Who is seated on the throne, and from the Lamb!' " (Rv 7:10) |
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Prayer: Father, make my life on earth of the highest quality. May I lead thousands of people to You and go to heaven as soon as possible.
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Promise: "They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb!" —Rv 7:14
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Praise: Praise the risen Jesus, Who has made it possible to make saints of us all!
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48
posted on
11/01/2009 7:21:33 PM PST
by
Salvation
("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
To: All
Compline -- Night Prayer
Compline (Night Prayer)
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.
This is an excellent moment for an examination of conscience. In a communal celebration of Compline, one of the penitential acts given in the Missal may be recited.
Now that the daylight dies away,
By all thy grace and love,
Thee, Maker of the world, we pray
To watch our bed above.
Let dreams depart and phantoms fly,
The offspring of the night,
Keep us, like shrines, beneath thine eye,
Pure in our foe’s despite.
This grace on thy redeemed confer,
Father, co-equal Son,
And Holy Ghost, the Comforter,
Eternal Three in One.
Psalm 90 (91)
The protection of the Most High |
He will shade you with his wings; you will not fear the terror of the night.
He who lives under the protection of the Most High
dwells under the shade of the Almighty.
He will say to the Lord:
“You are my shelter and my strength,
my God, in whom I trust.”
For he will free you from the hunter’s snare,
from the voice of the slanderer.
He will shade you with his wings,
you will hide underneath his wings.
His faithfulness will be your armour and your shield.
You will not fear the terror of the night,
nor the arrow that flies by day;
nor the plague that walks in the shadows,
nor the death that lays waste at noon.
A thousand will fall at your side,
at your right hand ten thousand will fall,
but you it will never come near.
You will look with your eyes
and see the reward of sinners.
For the Lord is your shelter and refuge;
you have made the Most High your dwelling-place.
Evil will not reach you,
harm cannot approach your tent;
for he has set his angels to guard you
and keep you safe in all your ways.
They will carry you in their arms
in case you hurt your foot on a stone.
You walk on the viper and cobra,
you will tread on the lion and the serpent.
Because he clung to me, I shall free him:
I shall lift him up because he knows my name.
He will call upon me and for my part, I will hear him:
I am with him in his time of trouble.
I shall rescue him and lead him to glory.
I shall fill him with length of days
and show him my salvation.
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.
He will shade you with his wings; you will not fear the terror of the night.
| Reading |
Apocalypse 22:4-5 |
They will see the face of the Lord, and his name will be marked on their foreheads. There will be no more night: they will not need sunlight or lamp-light, because the Lord God himself will shine upon them. And they will reign for ever and ever.
Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.
– Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.
You have redeemed us, Lord, God of faithfulness.
– Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
– Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.
Keep us safe, Lord, while we are awake, and guard us as we sleep, so that we can keep watch with Christ and rest in peace.
Now, Master, you let your servant go in peace.
You have fulfilled your promise.
My own eyes have seen your salvation,
which you have prepared in the sight of all peoples.
A light to bring the Gentiles from darkness;
the glory of your people Israel.
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.
Keep us safe, Lord, while we are awake, and guard us as we sleep, so that we can keep watch with Christ and rest in peace.
Let us pray.
Today we have celebrated the mystery of the Christ’s resurrection, and so now we humbly ask you, Lord, that we may rest in your peace, far from all harm, and rise rejoicing and giving praise to you.
Through Christ our Lord, Amen.
May the almighty Lord grant us a quiet night and a perfect end.
A M E N
Hail to you, O Queen, mother of loving kindness,
our life, our happiness, our hope.
Hear us cry out to you,
children of Eve in our exile.
Hear as we sigh, with groaning and weeping
in this life, this valley of tears.
Come then, our Advocate, turn towards us
the gaze of your kind and loving eyes.
And show us Jesus, the blessed fruit of your womb,
when at last our exile here is ended.
49
posted on
11/01/2009 7:27:50 PM PST
by
Salvation
("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
To: All
All Saints’ Day
Pastor’s Column
November 1, 2009After this I had a vision of a great multitude, which no one could count, from every nation, race, people, and tongue. They stood before the throne and before the Lamb, wearing white robes and holding palm branches in their hands.
Revelation 7
All Saints’ Day has always been one of my favorite feasts. Let’s face it: most of us are never going to be a canonized saint! But all of us have a deep calling and vocation to holiness.
Did you know that there is a picture of you in the Bible? The picture we are given from the first reading from the book of revelation speaks of a vast number whom no one could count wearing white garments and holding palm branches in their hands. This is a vision of the future: yours and mine! The Lord knows we are visual people: he wanted to give us a tangible image of the world to come.
Did you even have a filthy garment that would not clean up? The water is so hard over at the rectory that after 6 months, all my white things were turning orange! I had to find a better way to do things. Scripture makes a point to mention how white and clean the saints’ garments are. Their white robes represent the robes of baptism. But these people have not laundered their own garments. No, these are all forgiven sinners: they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the lamb. When we submit our sins to the Lord, he washes them in his blood. It’s the only way to get them clean!
For serious stains on our soul and particularly mortal sins, there is no washing machine quite like the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Our Lord gave this gift to the church after he rose from the dead, telling the apostles that whose sins you forgive are forgiven (John 20:22-23). We will want to take advantage of this sacrament regularly while on earth, so that we will be ready when the Lord calls us.
Going to confession requires that we have the humility to walk in the door, a healthy awareness of our sins and a sincere desire to get beyond the damage these sins have wrecked in our lives. Our Lord has promised not to remember our sins when we have confessed them!
Saints are not perfect, just forgiven! You and I are called to be saints of the everyday. Every circumstance of our lives is an opportunity to grow in holiness by the choices we make and how we interact with others. A saint is someone who gets up again after a fall, tells the Lord that they are sorry, and tries again. Saints rely, over and over, on our Lord’s great promise to forgive them and the great future which lies ahead of them!
Father Gary
50
posted on
11/02/2009 4:49:42 PM PST
by
Salvation
("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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