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Catholic Caucus: Daily Mass Readings, 11-02-10, Commemoration of the Faithful Departed (All Souls)
USCCB.org/New American Bible ^ | 11-02-10 | New American Bible

Posted on 11/01/2010 11:51:06 PM PDT by Salvation

November 2, 2010


The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (All Souls)

 

Reading 1
Responsorial Psalm
Reading 2
Gospel


Reading 1

Wis 3:1-9

The souls of the just are in the hand of God,
and no torment shall touch them.
They seemed, in the view of the foolish, to be dead;
and their passing away was thought an affliction
and their going forth from us, utter destruction.
But they are in peace.
For if before men, indeed, they be punished,
yet is their hope full of immortality;
chastised a little, they shall be greatly blessed,
because God tried them
and found them worthy of himself.
As gold in the furnace, he proved them,
and as sacrificial offerings he took them to himself.
In the time of their visitation they shall shine,
and shall dart about as sparks through stubble;
they shall judge nations and rule over peoples,
and the Lord shall be their King forever.
Those who trust in him shall understand truth,
and the faithful shall abide with him in love:
because grace and mercy are with his holy ones,
and his care is with his elect.

 
Responsorial Psalm

R. (1) The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
or:
R. Though I walk in the valley of darkness, I fear no evil, for you are with me.
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
In verdant pastures he gives me repose;
beside restful waters he leads me;
he refreshes my soul.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
or:
R. Though I walk in the valley of darkness, I fear no evil, for you are with me.
He guides me in right paths
for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk in the dark valley
I fear no evil; for you are at my side
with your rod and your staff
that give me courage.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
or:
R. Though I walk in the valley of darkness, I fear no evil, for you are with me.
You spread the table before me
in the sight of my foes;
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
or:
R. Though I walk in the valley of darkness, I fear no evil, for you are with me.
Only goodness and kindness follow me
all the days of my life;
and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD
for years to come.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
or:
R. Though I walk in the valley of darkness, I fear no evil, for you are with me.

 
Reading 2

Brothers and sisters:
Hope does not disappoint,
because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts
through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.
For Christ, while we were still helpless,
died at the appointed time for the ungodly.
Indeed, only with difficulty does one die for a just person,
though perhaps for a good person
one might even find courage to die.
But God proves his love for us
in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.
How much more then, since we are now justified by his Blood,
will we be saved through him from the wrath.
Indeed, if, while we were enemies,
we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son,
how much more, once reconciled,
will we be saved by his life.
Not only that,
but we also boast of God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
through whom we have now received reconciliation.

or

Brothers and sisters:
Are you unaware that we who were baptized into Christ Jesus
were baptized into his death?
We were indeed buried with him through baptism into death,
so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead
by the glory of the Father,
we too might live in newness of life.

For if we have grown into union with him through a death like his,
we shall also be united with him in the resurrection.
We know that our old self was crucified with him,
so that our sinful body might be done away with,
that we might no longer be in slavery to sin.
For a dead person has been absolved from sin.
If, then, we have died with Christ,
we believe that we shall also live with him.
We know that Christ, raised from the dead, dies no more;
death no longer has power over him.

 
Gospel

Jesus said to the crowds:
“Everything that the Father gives me will come to me,
and I will not reject anyone who comes to me,
because I came down from heaven not to do my own will
but the will of the one who sent me.
And this is the will of the one who sent me,
that I should not lose anything of what he gave me,
but that I should raise it on the last day.
For this is the will of my Father,
that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him
may have eternal life,
and I shall raise him on the last day.”



TOPICS: Catholic; General Discusssion; Prayer; Worship
KEYWORDS: catholic; catholiclist; ordinarytime; purgatory
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To: All

Were you aware of these statistics?

Deaths in America per year
1,400,000 people die from abortion
650,000 people die of heart disease
560,000 people die of cancer
143,000 people die of stroke
75,000 people die of diabetes

Another perspective:
18,000 - Deaths by death penalty in American history (all the way back to the 1600s).
1,315,000 - Deaths in all American wars combined.
50,000,000 - Deaths by abortion since Roe v Wade

 

Pray for an end to abortion in the United States of America.


21 posted on 11/02/2010 12:45:34 AM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: Salvation; annie49
Thanks for posting those statistics. Although I've posted this previously, I'll post again for those who haven't seen what Fr. John A. Hardon says regarding the end of abortion:
There is no stopping abortion without an ocean of grace from Jesus Christ. No way will human means stop abortion. The principal source of this grace is the Holy Eucharist.
On this All Souls Day, I'd like to pray for Irisshlass, my FReeper friend who suggested we start up "The 3:30 Beads." May she rest in comfort in the arms of Jesus and in the love of Mary, the angels and saints. I also pray for my friends, Janet and Nick, who both passed away recently from cancer (they were in their 50s), and my old patriotic neighbor Vic who passed away on 9-11 by way of a heart attack. Also, continued prayers for my mother, "Murph."
22 posted on 11/02/2010 7:27:21 AM PDT by mlizzy (Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee ...)
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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.


Introduction
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.

Hymn
O light of light, O Dayspring bright,
Co-equal in thy Father’s light:
Assist us, as with prayer and psalm
Thy servants break the nightly calm.
All darkness from our minds dispel,
And turn to flight the hosts of hell:
Bid sleepfulness our eyelids fly,
Lest overwhelmed in sloth we lie.
Jesu, thy pardon, kind and free,
Bestow on us who trust in thee:
And as thy praises we declare,
O with acceptance hear our prayer.
O Father, that we ask be done,
Through Jesus Christ, thine only Son,
Who, with the Holy Ghost and thee,
Doth live and reign eternally.

Psalm 39 (40)
Thanksgiving and a prayer for help
You formed me from the earth and clothed me in flesh. Raise me up on the last day, O Lord, my Redeemer.
I waited, I waited for the Lord;
  and he heard me.
He heard my voice when I cried,
  he led me from the pit of misery,
  he led me from the mire of filth.
He set my feet on firm rock,
  he steadied my footsteps.
He filled my being with a new song,
  a song to the Lord.
Many shall see what has happened, and trust,
  and honour the Lord.
Happy the man who puts his trust in the Lord,
  who pays no heed to the proud,
  who pays no heed to liars.
Many are your wonders, O Lord my God,
  and great is your care for us:
  there is no-one like you.
If I wanted to tell the things you have done for us –
  they are too many to count.
You have refused sacrifice and oblation,
  but you have opened your ears to me.
You have refused burnt-offerings, even for sin –
  so I said “I am coming.
The books of scripture have written of me.
It is your will, my God, that I wish to perform:
  your law is next to my heart.”
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.
You formed me from the earth and clothed me in flesh. Raise me up on the last day, O Lord, my Redeemer.

Psalm 39 (40)
Lord, may it please you to come to my rescue; Lord, come to my aid.
I have proclaimed your judgement in the great assembly:
  I will not close my lips – Lord, you know it.
I have not hidden your judgements away in my heart;
  I have not hidden your faithfulness from the assembly of the people.
But you, Lord, do not keep your mercy from me:
  let your kindness and faithfulness always sustain me.
For evils besiege me, uncountable evils;
  my transgressions surround me, and I cannot see.
They are more than the hairs of my head,
  and my heart has failed me.
Make it your will, Lord, to rescue me:
  Lord, hurry to help me.
Let all who seek you rejoice in you:
  let them say always, “Great is the Lord,”
  all who delight in your salvation.
Though I am poor and destitute,
  the Lord takes thought for me.
You are my help and my liberator:
  my God, do not delay.
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.
Lord, may it please you to come to my rescue; Lord, come to my aid.

Psalm 41 (42)
Longing for the Lord and his temple
My soul is thirsting for the living God. When shall I come before God and see his face?
Like a deer that longs for springs of water,
  so my soul longs for you, O God.
My soul thirsts for God, the living God:
  when shall I come and stand before the face of God?
My tears are my food, by day and by night,
  and everyone asks, “where is your God?.”
I remember how I went up to your glorious dwelling-place
  and into the house of God:
  the memory melts my soul.
The sound of joy and thanksgiving,
  the crowds at the festival.
Why are you so sad, my soul,
  and anxious within me?
Put your hope in the Lord, I will praise him still,
  my saviour and my God.
My soul is sad within me,
  and so I will remember you
  in the lands of Jordan and Hermon,
  on the mountain of Mizar.
Deep calls to deep
  in your rushing waters:
and all your torrents, all your waves
  have flowed over me.
By day the Lord sends his kindness upon me;
  by night his song is with me,
  a prayer to the God of my life.
I will say to God:
  “You are my support, why have you forgotten me?
  Why must I go in mourning, while the enemy persecutes me?.”
As my bones break,
  my persecutors deride me,
  all the time saying “where is your God?.”
Why are you so sad, my soul,
  and anxious within me?
Put your hope in the Lord, I will praise him still,
  my saviour and my God.
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.
My soul is thirsting for the living God. When shall I come before God and see his face?

Many are your mercies, O Lord:
according to your promise, give me life.

Reading 1 Corinthians 15:12-34 ©
Now if Christ raised from the dead is what has been preached, how can some of you be saying that there is no resurrection of the dead? If there is no resurrection of the dead, Christ himself cannot have been raised, and if Christ has not been raised then our preaching is useless and your believing it is useless; indeed, we are shown up as witnesses who have committed perjury before God, because we swore in evidence before God that he had raised Christ to life. For if the dead are not raised, Christ has not been raised, and if Christ has not been raised, you are still in your sins. And what is more serious, all who have died in Christ have perished. If our hope in Christ has been for this life only, we are the most unfortunate of all people.
  But Christ has in fact been raised from the dead, the first-fruits of all who have fallen asleep. Death came through one man and in the same way the resurrection of the dead has come through one man. Just as all men die in Adam, so all men will be brought to life in Christ; but all of them in their proper order: Christ as the first-fruits and then, after the coming of Christ, those who belong to him. After that will come the end, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father, having done away with every sovereignty, authority and power. For he must be king until he has put all his enemies under his feet and the last of the enemies to be destroyed is death, for everything is to be put under his feet. – Though when it is said that everything is subjected, this clearly cannot include the One who subjected everything to him. And when everything is subjected to him, then the Son himself will be subject in his turn to the One who subjected all things to him, so that God may be all in all.
  If this were not true, what do people hope to gain by being baptised for the dead? If the dead are not ever going to be raised, why be baptised on their behalf? What about ourselves? Why are we living under a constant threat? I face death every day, brothers, and I can swear it by the pride that I take in you in Christ Jesus our Lord. If my motives were only human ones, what good would it do me to fight the wild animals at Ephesus? You say: Let us eat and drink today; tomorrow we shall be dead. You must stop being led astray: ‘Bad friends ruin the noblest people.’ Come to your senses, behave properly, and leave sin alone; there are some of you who seem not to know God at all; you should be ashamed.
Responsory
Christ must be king until God has put all his enemies under his feet, and the last of the enemies to be destroyed is death.
Death and Hades will give up their dead, and then they will be flung in to the lake of fire, and the last of the enemies to be destroyed is death.

Reading St Ambrose, a book on the death of his brother Satyrus
Let us die with Christ, to live with Christ
We see that death is gain, life is loss. Paul says: For me life is Christ, and death a gain. What does “Christ” mean but to die in the body, and receive the breath of life? Let us then die with Christ, to live with Christ. We should have a daily familiarity with death, a daily desire for death. By this kind of detachment our soul must learn to free itself from the desires of the body. It must soar above earthly lusts to a place where they cannot come near, to hold it fast. It must take on the likeness of death, to avoid the punishment of death. The law of our fallen nature is at war with the law of our reason and subjects the law of reason to the law of error. What is the remedy? Who will set me free from this body of death? The grace of God, through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
  We have a doctor to heal us; let us use the remedy he prescribes. The remedy is the grace of Christ, the dead body our own. Let us then be exiles from our body, so as not to be exiles from Christ. Though we are still in the body, let us not give ourselves to the things of the body. We must not reject the natural rights of the body, but we must desire before all else the gifts of grace.
  What more need be said? It was by the death of one man that the world was redeemed. Christ did not need to die if he did not want to, but he did not look on death as something to be despised, something to be avoided, and he could have found no better means to save us than by dying. Thus his death is life for all. We are sealed with the sign of his death; when we pray we preach his death; when we offer sacrifice we proclaim his death. His death is victory; his death is a sacred sign; each year his death is celebrated with solemnity by the whole world.
  What more should we say about his death since we use this divine example to prove that it was death alone that won freedom from death, and death itself was its own redeemer? Death is then no cause for mourning, for it is the cause of mankind’s salvation. Death is not something to be avoided, for the Son of God did not think it beneath his dignity, nor did he seek to escape it.
  Death was not part of nature; it became part of nature. God did not decree death from the beginning; he prescribed it as a remedy. Human life was condemned because of sin to unremitting labour and unbearable sorrow and so began to experience the burden of wretchedness. There had to be a limit to its evils; death had to restore what life had forfeited. Without the assistance of grace, immortality is more of a burden than a blessing.
  The soul has to turn away from the aimless paths of this life, from the defilement of an earthly body; it must reach out to those assemblies in heaven (though it is given only to the saints to be admitted to them) to sing the praises of God. We learn from Scripture how God’s praise is sung to the music of the harp: Great and wonderful are your deeds, Lord God Almighty; just and true are your ways, King of the nations. Who will not revere and glorify your nature? You alone are holy; all nations will come and worship before you. The soul must also desire to witness your nuptials, Jesus, and to see your bride escorted from earthly to heavenly realities, as all rejoice and sing: All flesh will come before you. No longer will the bride be held in subjection to this passing world but will be made one with the spirit.
  Above all else, holy David prayed that he might see and gaze on this: One thing I have asked of the Lord, this I shall pray for: to dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, and to see how gracious is the Lord.
Responsory
There are those who have fallen asleep in godliness: they will have a splendid reward laid up for them.
The virtuous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their fathers: they will have a splendid reward laid up for them.

Let us pray.
Lord, in your kindness accept our prayers:
  as our faith looks up to your Son, risen from the dead,
  so may we receive a more solid hope
  of the future resurrection of your servants.
[We make our prayer] 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.

23 posted on 11/02/2010 7:39:27 AM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: mlizzy

There’s a good reflection on death by St. Ambrose in the Office of Readings.


24 posted on 11/02/2010 7:40:02 AM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: All
The Commemoration of all the Faithful Departed (All Souls)

The Commemoration of all the Faithful Departed (All Souls)
Commemoration
November 2nd


Aladar Korosfoi-Kriesch
All Souls' Day --1910 Oil on canvas, 51,5 x 72,5 cm
Hungarian National Gallery, Budapest
(It is a Hungarian tradition to go to cemeteries to honor the dead)

Collect | Why we pray for the dead | Family Activities

All Souls - Prayers for the dead
From the beginning, Christians have prayed for the dead and have undertaken works of penance on their behalf. There is scriptural basis for this intercessory prayer for the sins of others and for the dead in the Old Testament. Job's sacrifices purified his sons (Job 1:5); and Judas Maccabeus "made atonement for the dead that they be delivered from their sin" (II Macc 12:46).

The tradition in the Church of having Masses said for the dead began in the earliest times. The pre-Christian Roman religion, which held that some form of life continued after death, gave votive offerings to the gods for the dead at three specified times: the third, seventh and thirtieth day after death. This practice of praying for the departed on these same days was adopted ("inculturated") by the early Christians -- and continued in the Church for nearly 2000 years: the Church offered Masses for the deceased person on the third, seventh and thirtieth day after death.

Beginning in the year 998, All souls -- the "faithful departed" -- were officially remembered in the Church's prayers on the evening of November 1, and with Requiem Masses, Masses for the dead, on November 2. All Souls Day is now a feast of the universal Church. (The word "requiem" is Latin for "rest".) Following the Second Vatican Council, all Masses celebrated on All Saints day observe that feast, not "All souls". Three Masses may still be said on All Souls Day. The first two are Masses for Burial, and the third is a Mass for the Dead. Black vestments may be worn on this day.

We pray for the faithful departed, those who have been baptized, but who need to be completely purified of all stain of sin before they come into full union with God in Heaven. In other words, most of us. The Church's teaching about Purgatory, the place of purification, is explained in the Catechism of the Catholic Church (§1030-1032):

"All who die in god's grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they undergo purification so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter heaven.

"The Church gives the name Purgatory to this final purification of the elect, which is entirely different from the punishment of the damned. The Church formulated her doctrine of faith on Purgatory especially at the Councils of Florence and Trent. The tradition of the Church, by reference to certain texts of Scripture, speaks of a cleansing fire:

"As for certain lesser faults, we must believe that, before the Final Judgment, there is a purifying fire. He who is truth says that whoever utters blasphemy against the Holy spirit will be pardoned neither in this age nor in the age to come. From this sentence we understand that certain offenses can be forgiven in this age, but certain others in the age to come.

"This teaching is also based on the practice of prayer for the dead, already mentioned in Sacred Scripture: 'Therefore [Judas Maccabeus' made atonement for the dead, that they might be delivered from their sin.' From the beginning the Church has honored the memory of the dead and offered prayers in suffrage for them, above all the Eucharistic sacrifice, so that, thus purified, they may attain the beatific vision of God. The Church also commends almogiving, indulgences, and works of penance undertaken on behalf of the dead:

"Let us help and commemorate them. If Job's sons were purified by their father's sacrifice, why would we doubt that our offerings for the dead bring them some consolation? Let us not hesitate to help those who have died and to offer our prayers for them." [Saint John Chrysostom - 4th century]

Collect (from Masses for the Dead):
[for all our departed brothers and sisters]

Merciful Father,
hear our prayer 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


Why We Pray for the Dead

We say prayers, not only for those whom we knew and loved, but also for the "poor souls". Explain to your children about praying for the "poor souls" who may have no one else -- no families, no children or grand-children -- to pray for them. This is an act of charity that we can perform for them.

Be sure to mention that that respect for the dead is part of respect for all human life which comes from God. Our heavenly Father gave us life, and we are all infinitely precious to Him, and he wants us all to be with him in heaven forever. We can see, then, how a denial of death, or a refusal to accept pain, sorrow, and suffering as part of life, is really a denial of the value of life and love.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church secton on Purgatory (1030-1032) explains that "All who die in God's grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven" (1030).

The Catechism states that "From the beginning the Church has honored the memory of the dead and offered prayers in suffrage for them, above all the Eucharistic sacrifice... The Church also commends almsgiving, indulgences, and works of penance undertaken on behalf of the dead" (1032).

The feast of All Souls is a reminder to pray for the "faithful departed". Although they are members of the Communion of Saints, have been saved and will one day be in heaven, they need to be perfected before they can go to Heaven, that is, to come into full unity with the perfection that is God.

We hope your school-age children have an opportunity to attend Mass on All Souls day. (If this is already not on your parish school's schedule, do suggest that it be added!)

Family activities:

Heavenly Father, You sent Christ Jesus your Son to wash away the sins of all mankind through His perfect sacrifice,
and you cleansed our departed brothers and sisters in the waters of baptism.
May His perfect sacrifice free them from the power of death and give them eternal life.
In your mercy, O Lord, grant them eternal rest,
and may perpetual light shine on them forever. + Amen.

***

Eternal Rest

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord,
and let perpetual light shine upon them.
May they rest in peace. Amen.

Requiem Æternam

Réquiem ætérnam dona eis, Dómine,
et lux perpétua lúceat eis.
Requiéscant in pace. Amen.


25 posted on 11/02/2010 7:54:56 AM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: Salvation
Thank you, Salvation. By the way, I've been going to Adoration almost daily now (wasn't it you that was encouraging me to do so?) and I saw there a card about the Devotion to the Seven Sorrows of Mary. So beautiful. Do you have in your links a post on that? It says if we focus on her seven sorrows daily while saying a Hail Mary for each one, that we will have peace in our families and we will see the face of our Mother the moment before our death. Doesn't get any better than that! There are five other graces as well.

I love Adoration, but wish there were easy-chairs in there. I keep nodding off (not out of disrespect, but because it is so ultra-ultra peaceful with Jesus) and I'm afraid I'll tip over and cause a small scene. And you should read the prayers of intention. They are so similar. Almost all of us are praying for our lost children/spouses/relatives.
26 posted on 11/02/2010 8:05:54 AM PDT by mlizzy (Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee ...)
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To: mlizzy
 

September Devotion: Our Lady of Sorrows

Since the 16th century Catholic piety has assigned entire months to special devotions. Due to her feast day on September 15, the month of September has traditionally been set aside to honor Our Lady of Sorrows. All the sorrows of Mary (the prophecy of Simeon, the three days' loss, etc.) are merged in the supreme suffering at the Passion. In the Passion, Mary suffered a martyrdom of the heart because of Our Lord's torments and the greatness of her love for Him. "She it was," says Pope Pius XII, "who immune from all sin, personal or inherited, and ever more closely united with her Son, offered Him on Golgotha to the Eternal Father together with the holocaust of her maternal rights and motherly love. As a new Eve, she made this offering for all the children of Adam contaminated through his unhappy fall. Thus she, who was the mother of our Head according to the flesh, became by a new title of sorrow and glory the spiritual mother of all His members."

INVOCATIONS
Mary most sorrowful, Mother of Christians, pray for us.
Virgin most sorrowful, pray for us.

TO THE QUEEN OF MARTYRS
Mary, most holy Virgin and Queen of Martyrs, accept the sincere homage of my filial affection. Into thy heart, pierced by so many swords, do thou welcome my poor soul. Receive it as the companion of thy sorrows at the foot of the Cross, on which Jesus died for the redemption of the world. With thee, O sorrowful Virgin, I will gladly suffer all the trials, contradictions, and infirmities which it shall please our Lord to send me. I offer them all to thee in memory of thy sorrows, so that every thought of my mind, and every beat of my heart may be an act of compassion and of love for thee. And do thou, sweet Mother, have pity on me, reconcile me to thy divine Son Jesus, keep me in His grace, and assist me in my last agony, so that I may be able to meet thee in heaven and sing thy glories. Amen.

TO THE MOTHER OF SORROWS
Most holy Virgin. and Mother, whose soul was pierced by a sword of sorrow in the Passion of thy divine Son, and who in His glorious Resurrection wast filled with never-ending joy at His triumph; obtain for us who call upon thee, so to be partakers in the adversities of Holy Church and the sorrows of the Sovereign Pontiff, as to be found worthy to rejoice with them in the consolations for which we pray, in the charity and peace of the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

IN HONOR OF THE SORROWS OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY
O most holy and afflicted Virgin! Queen of Martyrs! thou who didst stand motionless beneath the Cross, witnessing the agony of thy expiring Son--through the unceasing sufferings of thy life of sorrow, and the bliss which now more than amply repays thee for thy past trials, look down with a mother's tenderness and pity on me, who kneel before thee to venerate thy dolors, and place my requests, with filial confidence, in the sanctuary of thy wounded heart; present them, I beseech thee, on my behalf, to Jesus Christ, through the merits of His own most sacred death and passion, together with thy sufferings at the foot of the cross, and through the united efficacy of both obtain the grant of my present petition. To whom shall I resort in my wants and miseries if not to thee, O Mother of Mercy, who, having so deeply drunk of the chalice of thy Son, canst compassionate the woes of those who still sigh in the land of exile? Offer for me to my Savior one drop of the Blood which flowed from His sacred veins, one of the tears which trickled from His divine eyes, one of the sighs which rent His adorable Heart. O refuge of the universe and hope of the whole world, do not reject my humble prayer, but graciously obtain the grant of my petition.

TO OUR LADY OF SORROWS
O most holy Virgin, Mother of our Lord Jesus Christ: by the overwhelming grief you experienced when you witnessed the martyrdom, the crucifixion, and the death of your divine Son, look upon me with eyes of compassion, and awaken in my heart a tender commiseration for those sufferings, as well as a sincere detestation of my sins, in order that, being disengaged from all undue affection for the passing joys of this earth, I may sigh after the eternal Jerusalem, and that henceforward all my thoughts and all my actions may be directed towards this one most desirable object. Honor, glory, and love to our divine Lord Jesus, and to the holy and immaculate Mother of God. Amen.    --Saint Bonaventure

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

The Seven Sorrows of Our Lady

1. The Prophecy of Simeon 
2. The Flight into Egypt .
3. The Loss of Jesus in the Temple 
4. Mary meets Jesus Carrying the Cross 
5. The Crucifixion
6. Mary Receives the Dead Body of Her Son
7. The Burial of Her Son and Closing of the Tomb.
Consecration to Our Lady of Sorrows

Most holy Virgin and Queen of Martyrs, Mary, would that I could be in Heaven, there to contemplate the honors rendered to thee by the Most Holy Trinity and by the whole Heavenly Court! But since I am still a pilgrim in this vale of tears, receive from me, thy unworthy servant and a poor sinner, the most sincere homage and the most perfect act of vassalage a human creature can offer thee. 
In thy Immaculate Heart, pierced with so many swords of sorrow, I place today my poor soul forever; receive me as a partaker in thy dolors, and never suffer that I should depart from that Cross on which thy only begotten Son expired for me. 
With thee, O Mary, I will endure all the sufferings, contradictions, infirmities, with which it will please thy Divine Son to visit me in this life. All of them I offer to thee, in memory of the Dolors which thou didst suffer during thy life, that every thought of my mind, every beating of my heart may henceforward be an act of compassion to thy Sorrows, and of complacency for the glory thou now enjoyest in Heaven. 
Since then, O Dear Mother, I now compassionate thy Dolors, and rejoice in seeing thee glorified, do thou also have compassion on me, and reconcile me to thy Son Jesus, that I may become thy true and loyal son (daughter); come on my last day and assist me in my last agony, even as thou wert present at the Agony of thy Divine Son Jesus, that from this painful exile I may go to Heaven, there to be made partaker of thy glory.
Amen.


 

Our Lady of Sorrows: Sorrowful Mother


to At the Cross Her Station Keeping

The Rosary of the Seven Sorrows

The Rosary of the Seven Sorrows consists of 7 groups of 7 beads, with 3 additional beads and a Crucifix.  Say each of the sorrow below followed by 7 Hail Mary's. The 7 groups of 7 Hail Mary's are recited in remembrance of
the 7 Sorrows of Mary:

1. The prophecy of Simeon.
2. The flight into Egypt.
3. The loss of the Child Jesus in the Temple.
4. Mary meets Jesus carrying His cross.
5. The Crucifixion
6. Mary received the Body of Jesus from the cross
7. The Body of Jesus is placed in a tomb.

3 Hail Mary's are added in remembrance of the tears Mary shed because of the suffering of her Divine Son. These are said to obtain true sorrow for our sins.
The concluding prayer follows:

V/. Pray for us, O most sorrowful Virgin.
R/. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray:
Lord Jesus, we now implore, both for the present and for the hour of our death, the intercession of the most Blessed Virgin Mary, Thy Mother, whose holy soul was pierced at the time of Thy passion by a sword of grief.  Grant us this favor, O Saviour of the world, Who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Spirit, forever and ever. Amen.

The Blessed Virgin Mary grants 7 special graces to the souls who honor her daily by saying 7 Hail Mary's
and meditating on her tears and dolors. This devotion was passed on by St. Bridget of Sweden.

Here are the 7 special graces:

1. I will grant peace to their families.
2. They will be enlightened about the divine mysteries.
3. I will console them in their pains, and I will accompany them in their work.
4. I will give them as much as they ask for as long as it does not oppose the adorable will of my divine Son or the sanctification of their souls.
5. I will defend them in their spiritual battles with the infernal enemy, and I will protect them at every instant of their lives.
6. I will visibly help them at the moment of their death; they will see the face of their mother.
7. I have obtained (this grace) from my divine Son, that those who propagate this devotion to my tears and dolors, will be taken directly from this earthly life to eternal happiness since all their sins will be forgiven and my Son and I will be their eternal consolation and joy.

The Chaplet to Our Lady of Sorrows

(Jesus said, "The Chaplet is to be a Devotion for the Time of Darkness, and is being given
as a spiritual weapon against the Seven deadly sins.")

First Sorrow of Mary, the Prophecy of Simeon:
"This was My Mother's 'Agony in the Garden' in which She said yes to the coming pain that acceptance of the Divine Will of God would bring."

PRAYER: "I pray for the gift of surrender to the will of God to overcome the temptation to envy."
Pray 1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary, 1 Glory Be and the following Litany:

Litany

Our Lady of the Seven Sorrows, pray for us.
Our Lady of Perpetual Help, pray for us.
Mother of the Sorrowful Heart, pray for us.
Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us.
Maria, Rosa Mystica, pray for us.
House of God, pray for us.
Queen of Peace, pray for us.
Our Lady of Guadalupe, pray for us.
Our Lady of Fatima, pray for us.
Our Lady of the Roses, pray for us.
Queen of Mercy, pray for us.
Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament, pray for us.

Second Sorrow of Mary, The Flight Into Egypt:
"The hatred and fear which led to the slaughter of the innocents was on of the most painful aspects of this sorrow. My Mother and I continue to weep today over the slaughter of innocents in the womb caused by the hatred and fear which still fills the hearts of mankind."

PRAYER: "I pray for the gift of respect for life to overcome the temptation to anger."
Pray 1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary, 1 Glory Be, and the Litany

Third Sorrow of Mary, The Loss of Jesus in the Temple:
"My Mother did not look in the Temple for Me, and so lost Me for three days (like My three days in the tomb). My Priests are failing today to look for Me in the 'Temple,' in obedience to My Pope and to the authority I have placed in My Church. My Church is in its THREE DAYS OF DARKNESS and has much to suffer for its disobedience. Offer the pain in My Mother's Hearts that My priests might return to MY TEMPLE and find me again." (There was an interior Knowledge that Jesus was Not saying this was true of all His priests, but rather He was mourning over those priests who were doing this, plus asking for prayer for them.)

PRAYER: "I pray for the gift of obedience to overcome the temptation to Pride."
Pray 1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary, 1 Glory Be, and the Litany

Fourth Sorrow of Mary, Mary Meets Jesus on the Road to Calvary:
"My priests will no longer accept the pain of the WAY OF THE CROSS. They no longer walk with Me as My Mother did. They especially refuse the pain and sacrifice of their vow of celibacy. Sexual sins are destroying My Church." (Again, as above, Jesus was not saying this was true of all priests, but was grieving over those who were doing this.)

PRAYER: "I pray for the gift of chastity to overcome the temptation to lust."
Pray 1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary, 1 Glory Be, and the Litany

Fifth Sorrow of Mary,Jesus is Nailed to the Cross:
"Offer your pain as Mary did, in union with My Cross. All pain, united to My Pasion, has power to redeem. My Church, more than ever, has need of sacrificial offerings."

PRAYER: "I pray for the gift of sacrifice to overcome the temptation to gluttony."
Pray 1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary, 1 Glory Be, and the Litany

Sixth Sorrow of Mary, Jesus is Taken Down from the Cross and Laid in His Mother's Arms:
"My priests and My people are no longer willing to hold My broken body. They will not minister to the brokenness they see around them. They will not help Me bring salvation to those in need. They will not let Me put in their hearts the gift I would give them of a thirst for souls. Pray that they will return to a willingness to do penance and offer sacrifices for their brothers and sisters in need, who still constitute My broken body."

PRAYER: "I pray for the gift of compassion to overcome the temptation to sloth.
Pray 1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary, 1 Glory Be, and the Litany

Seventh Sorrow of Mary, Jesus is Laid in the Tomb:
"My Church, My chosen ones, must lay all attachments in the TOMB, especially the attachment to their own way, their will, their plans. They must die and accept the death of al lthey would hold dear to allow God's Will and His Plan to replace their own."

PRAYER: "I pray for the gift of detachment to overcome the temptation to greed."
Pray 1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary, 1 Glory Be, and the Litany

Prayer To Our Lady of Sorrows

I compassionate thee, O most sorrowful Mother! Thy heart was pierced with a sword of grief when Simeon foretold to thee in the Temple the ignominious death and the desolation of thy divine and most dear Son, which thou west destined one day to witness. By the great anguish of thy suffering heart, O gracious Queen of the universe, impress upon my mind, in life and in death, the sacred Passion of Jesus and shine own sorrows. Amen.

~~ by Saint Alphonsus Maria de Liguori

Most holy and afflicted Virgin, Queen of Martyrs, you stood beneath the cross, witnessing the agony of your dying Son. Look with a mother's tenderness and pity on me, who kneel before you. I venerate your sorrows and I place my requests with filial confidence in the sanctuary of your wounded heart.

Present them, I beseech you, on my behalf to Jesus Christ, through the merits of His own most sacred passion and death, together with your sufferings at the foot of the cross. Through the united efficacy of both, obtain the granting of my petition. To whom shall I have recourse in my wants and miseries if not to you, Mother of Mercy? You have drunk so deeply of the chalice of your Son, you can compassionate our sorrows.

Holy Mary, your soul was pierced by a sword of sorrow at the sight of the passion of your divine Son. Intercede for me and obtain for me from Jesus (mention your petition) if it be for His honor and glory and for my good. Amen.

Lenten Prayer to the Sorrowful Mother

Remember, O Virgin Mother of God, when you stand in the sight of the Lord, to speak good things for us and to turn away His indignation from us.

Holy Mother, pierce me through,
In my heart each wound renew,
Of my Savior crucified.
Let me to my latest breath,
In my body bear the death,
Of that dying Son of thine.
Be to me, O Virgin, nigh
Lest in flames I burn and die.
In that awful judgment day.
Christ, when Thou shall call me hence,
Be Thy Mother my defense.
Be Thy Cross my victory.
While my body here decays,
May my soul Thy goodness praise,
Safe in paradise with Thee. Amen.

V. Pray for us, O most sorrowful Virgin,
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray: Let intercession be made for us, we beseech You, O Lord Jesus Christ, now and at the hour of our death, before the throne of Your mercy, by the Blessed Virgin Mary, Your Mother, whose most holy soul was pierced by a sword of sorrow, in the hour of Your bitter Passion. Through You, Jesus Christ, Savior of the world, Who lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, world without end. Amen.

Our Lady of a happy Death, pray for us.
Saint Joseph, pray for us.

Most holy Mother of Sorrows, by that soul-piercing martyrdom that you experienced at the foot of the Cross during the three hours of agony of your Son, Jesus, assist me in my time of need. I am a a child of sorrows and when I am faced with my agony, intercede on my behalf so that I may be found worthy to pass from my deathbed to the blessed paradise of the Kingdom of God. Amen.

V. >From a sudden and unprovided death,
R. Deliver me, O Lord.
V. >From the snares of the devil,
R. Deliver me, O Lord.
V. From everlasting death,
R. Deliver me, O Lord.

The Sorrowful Hail Mary

Hail Mary, full of sorrows, the Crucified is with thee; thou art pitiable amongst women, and pitiable is the Fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of the Crucified, implore for us, the crucifiers of thy Son, tears of contrition, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

~~approved by Pope Pius IX in 1847

Stabat Mater

At the cross her station keeping, stood the mournful Mother weeping, close to Jesus to the last.
Through her heart, His sorrow sharing, all His bitter anguish bearing, now at length the sword had passed.
Oh, how sad and sore distressed was that Mother highly blest, of the sole begotten One!
Christ above in torment hangs; she beneath beholds the pangs of her dying, glorious Son.
Is there one who would not weep, 'whelmed in miseries so deep Christ's dear Mother to behold?
Can the human heart refrain from partaking in her pain, in that Mother's pain untold?
Bruised, derided, cursed, defiled, she beheld her tender Child all with bloody scourges rent;
For the sins of His own nation saw Him hang in desolation, till His Spirit forth He sent.
O thou Mother, fount of love! Touch my spirit from above, make my heart with thine accord;
Make me feel as thou hast felt; make my soul to glow and melt with the love of Christ, my Lord.
Holy Mother! Pierce me through, in my heart each wound renew of my Saviour Crucified;
Let me share with thee His pain, Who for all my sins was slain, Who for me in torments died.
Let me mingle tears with thee, mourning Him Who mourned for me, all the days that I may live.
By the Cross with thee to stay, there with thee to weep and pray, is all I ask of thee to give.
Virgin of all virgins blest! Listen to my fond request: Let me share thy grief divine;
Let me to my latest breath, in my body bear the death of that dying Son of thine.
Be to me, O Virgin, nigh, lest in flames I burn and die, in His awful Judgment Day.
Christ, when Thou shalt call me hence, be Thy Mother my defense, be Thy Cross my victory;
While my body here decays, may my soul Thy goodness praise, safe in paradise with Thee. Amen.

~(Cf Raccolta, No. 378)  

Offering

Eternal Father, we offer Thee the Blood, the Passion, and the Death of Jesus Christ, the sorrows of Mary most holy, and of St. Joseph, in satisfaction for our sins, in aid of the holy souls in Purgatory, for the needs of holy Mother Church, and for the conversion of sinners.

Virgin most sorrowful, pray for us!

Prayer Before an Image of the Mother of Sorrows

O most compassionate Mother, what bitterness filled thy heart when thou didst embrace the lacerated Body of thy Son with thy virginal arms, press Him lovingly to thy maternal heart, and cover Him with tenderest kisses. I remind thee of this inexpressible bitterness, in virtue of which I beseech thee to obtain for me forgiveness of my sins.

O Mary, pray for me, a poor sinner, to thy Jesus Whom thou didst hold in thy arms. Take the wounded Body of thy Son into thy maternal arms, and offer Him in this condition to the Heavenly Father for me. Offer His pierced Heart, His Passion and Death, and all thy own immeasurable sorrows to obtain grace and mercy for me, particularly (mention the favor you desire here). Amen.

Holy Mother, pierce me though; in my heart each wound renew of my Saviour Crucified.

O Mary, our hope, have pity on us!

A Precious Offering

O Mary, Mother of Sorrows, I beseech thee, by the inexpressible tortures thou didst endure at the death of thy Son, offer to the Eternal Father, in my stead, thy beloved Son all covered with Blood and Wounds, for the grace of (mention your intention). Amen.

~ St. John Vianney, the Curé of Ars

Prayer to Our Lady, Comforter of the Afflicted

Immaculate Virgin Mary, Mother of God and our most compassionate Mother, we present ourselves in thy sight in all humility, and with full confidence we implore thee for thy maternal patronage.

Thou hast been proclaimed by Holy Church the Comforter of the Afflicted, and to thee constant recourse is had by the sorrowful in their afflictions, the sick in their maladies, the dying in their agony, the poor in their straitened circumstances, those who stand in all manner of need in both public and private calamities; and from thee they all receive consolation and strength.

Our dearest Mother, turn upon us also, wretched sinners that we are, thy merciful eyes, and graciously accept our humble and confident prayers. Aid us in all our spiritual and temporal necessities; deliver us from all evil, and especially from sin, which is the greatest evil, and from all danger of falling into it; obtain for us from thy Son Jesus every blessing of which thou seest we stand in need, both in soul and in body, and especially the greatest blessing of all, which is Divine grace. Comfort our spirits, troubled and afflicted in the midst of the many dangers that threaten us and in the countless miseries and misfortunes that beset us on every side. This we ask through that immense joy which filled thy pure soul in the glorious Resurrection of thy Divine Son.

Obtain tranquility for Holy Church, help and comfort for her visible Head, the Roman Pontiff, peace for Christian princes, refreshment in their pains for the Holy Souls in Purgatory; for sinners, the forgiveness of their sins, and for the just, perseverance in well-doing. Receive us all, our most tender Mother, under thy loving and mighty protection, that we may be enabled to live virtuously, die holily and attain to everlasting happiness in heaven. Amen.

~~ (Rac., No. 419)

Prayer to the Mother of Sorrow

O Mother of Sorrows, by the anguish and love with which thou didst stand at the cross of Jesus, stand by me in my last agony. To thy maternal heart I commend the last three hours of my life. Offer these hours to the Eternal Father in union with the agony of our dearest Lord in atonement for my sins. Offer to the Eternal Father the most Precious Blood of Jesus, mingled with your tears on Calvary, that I may obtain the grace of receiving Holy Communion with the most perfect love and contrition before my death, and that I may breathe forth my soul in the adorable Presence of Jesus.

Dearest Mother, when the moment of my death has at length come, present me as your child to Jesus. Ask Him to forgive me for having offended Him for I know not what I did. Beg Him to receive me into His kingdom of glory to be united with Him forever. Amen.

Prayer to Our Lady of Sorrows, by St. Bridget

O Blessed Virgin Mary, Immaculate Mother of God, who didst endure a martyrdom of love and grief beholding the sufferings and sorrows of Jesus! Thou didst cooperate in the benefit of my redemption by thine innumerable afflictions and by offering to the Eternal Father His only begotten Son as a holocaust and victim of propitiation for my sins. I thank thee for the unspeakable love which led thee to deprive thyself of the Fruit of thy womb, Jesus, true God and true Man, to save me, a sinner. Oh, make use of the unfailing intercession of thy sorrows with the Father and the Son, that I may steadfastly amend my life and never again crucify my loving Redeemer by new sins, and that, persevering till death in His grace. I may obtain eternal life through the merits of His Cross and Passion. Amen.

Mother of love, of sorrow and of mercy, pray for us.  

PRAYER TO OUR SORROWFUL MOTHER

O Mother of Sorrows, thou, who beneath the Cross of Jesus were given to us as our Mother, look down with pity on us, thy children, who weep and mourn in this valley of tears. By that sword of sorrow which pierced thy Heart when thou looked upon the Face of thy dead Son, obtain for us that comfort we so sorely need in our sufferings.

Thou were given to us our Mother in the hour of thy greatest grief that thou might be mindful of our frailty and the evils that press upon us. Without thy aid, O Sorrowful Mother, we cannot gain the victory in this struggle against flesh and blood. Therefore, we seek thy help, O Queen of Sorrows, lest we fall prey to the wiles of the enemy. We are orphans in need of the guiding hand of our Mother amid the dangers that threaten our destruction. Thou whose grief was boundless as the sea, grant us by the memory of those sorrows the strength to be victorious.

Intercede further, O Mother of Sorrows, for us and all who are near and dear to us, that we may ever do the Will of thy Son, and may direct all our actions to His honor, and to the furtherance of devotion to thy sorrows. Amen.

Virgin Most Sorrowful, pray for us.

Pray 1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary, 1 Glory Be....

Mary, most holy Virgin and Queen of Martyrs, accept the sincere homage of my filial affection. Into thy Heart, pierced by so many swords, do thou welcome my poor soul. Receive it as the companion of thy sorrows at the foot of the Cross, on which Jesus died for the redemption of the world. With thee, O sorrowful Virgin, I will gladly suffer all the trials, contradictions, and infirmities which it shall please Our Lord to send me. I offer them all to thee in memory of thy sorrows, so that: every thought of my mind and every beat of my heart may be an act of compassion and of love for thee. And do thou, sweet Mother, have pity on me, reconcile me to thy Divine Son, Jesus; keep me in His grace and assist me in my last agony, so that I may be able to meet thee in Heaven and sing thy glories.

Most holy Virgin and Mother, whose soul was pierced by a sword of sorrow in the Passion of thy Divine Son, and who in His glorious Resurrection wast filled with never ending joy at His triumph, obtain for us who call upon thee, so to be partakers in the adversities of Holy Church and the Sorrows of the Sovereign Pontiff, as to be found worthy to rejoice with them in the consolations for which we pray, in the charity and peace of the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

Daily Recommendation:

Pray 1 Hail Mary for each of the 7 Sorrows Our Lady experienced. This is easy and can be done anywhere, anytime, without having to have your prayerbook with you. You just have to memorize the 7 Sorrows, and you're set! This will at least show Our Lady that you acknowledge her sorrows, and remember them in appreciation. I'm sure she will be happy with you, and shower you with her special blessings.

[CATHOLIC/ORTHODOX CAUCUS] Spirituality: Our Lady of Sorrows
The Seven Swords Rosary Of Our Lady Of Sorrows [Catholic Caucus] Prayer and Meditation
The Rosary of the Seven Sorrows [Catholic Caucus] Prayer/Devotion

Our Lady of Sorrows, part I: "Her Martyrdom was longer and greater than that of all the martyrs"
The Seven Dolors (Sorrows) of Mary [Catholic/Orthodox Devotional]
Apparition in Africa: Our Lady of Sorrows [Catholic/Orthodox Caucus]
Feast of the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary [Catholic Caucus Devotional]
Feast of Our Lady/Mother of Sorrows
Homilies on Our Lady of Sorrows
Starkenburg:Pilgrimage to Our Lady of Sorrows Shrine
Our Mother of Sorrows
ST. ALPHONSUS LIGUORI, OF THE DOLOURS OF MARY, The Glories [Sorrows] of Mary
Our Lady of Sorrows - Sep 15


27 posted on 11/02/2010 3:13:36 PM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: All

Spiritual Bouquet - Meditations by Pade Pio

Spiritual Bouquet
A different meditation each time you click.

 
Meditations by Padre Pio

The soul that tends more and more to abase and humble itself before its Lord and at the same time is induced to suffer and bear all things with a view to winning the approval of its heavenly Spouse, cannot fail to recognise what comes from God.


28 posted on 11/02/2010 3:51:55 PM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: All
Catholic Culture

Daily Readings for: November 02, 2010
(Readings on USCCB website)

Collect: 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.

Ordinary Time: November 2nd

  The Commemoration of all the Faithful Departed (All Souls) Old Calendar: Commemoration of all the Faithful Departed

"On this day is observed the commemoration of the faithful departed, in which our common and pious Mother the Church, immediately after having endeavored to celebrate by worthy praise all her children who already rejoice in heaven, strives to aid by her powerful intercession with Christ, her Lord and Spouse, all those who still groan in purgatory, so that they may join as soon as possible the inhabitants of the heavenly city." — Roman Martyrology

Every priest is permitted to say three Masses on this day and it would be a good practice for the laity to attend three Masses and offer them for the Poor Souls.

All Souls Indulgences
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.


All Souls Day
The Church, after rejoicing yesterday with those of her children who have entered the glory of heaven, today prays for all those who, in the purifying suffering of purgatory await the day when they will be joined to the company of saints. At no place in the liturgy is stated in more striking fashion the mysterious union between the Church triumphant, the Church militant and the Church suffering; at no time is there accomplished in clearer fashion the twofold duty of charity and justice deriving for every Christian from the fact of his incorporation in the mystical Body of Christ. By virtue of the consoling doctrine of the communion of saints the merits and prayers of each one are able to help all; and the Church is able to join her prayer with that of the saints in heaven and supply what is wanting to the souls in purgatory by means of the Mass, indulgences and the alms and sacrifices of her children.

The celebration of Mass, the sacrifice of Calvary continued on our altars, has ever been for the Church the principal means of fulfilling towards the dead the great commandment of charity. Masses for the dead are found in the fifth century. But it was St. Odilo, fourth abbot of Cluny, who was responsible for the institution of the general commemoration of all the faithful departed; he instituted it and fixed its celebration on November 2, the day after All Saints. The practice spread to the rest of Christendom.

Daily in a special Memento in the Canon of the Mass, at which the priest remembers all those who have fallen asleep in the Lord, the priest implores God to grant them a place of happiness, light and peace. Thus there is no Mass in which the Church does not pray for the faithful departed; but today her thoughts are directed towards them in a particular fashion, with the maternal preoccupation of leaving no soul in purgatory without spiritual aid and of grouping them all together in her intercession. By a privilege that Benedict XV's decree has extended to the whole world every priest can today celebrate three Masses; for the liberation of the souls in purgatory the Church multiplies the offering of the sacrifice of Christ, from which she draws forever on behalf of all her children, infinite fruits of redemption.

Things to Do:

  • Do pious practices to help the Poor Souls: attend three Masses for the Poor Souls on this day; remember your family and friends who are deceased and make an extra sacrifice for them; pray the rosary for the most forgotten soul in purgatory.

  • The faithful who visit a cemetery to pray for the faithful departed, saying the Lord's Prayer and the Creed (even if only mentally), may gain a plenary indulgence once only under the usual conditions: sacramental confession (eight days before or after the act), Eucharistic Communion on that day, and prayer for the Pope's intentions (usually one Our Father and Hail Mary as minimum). Each day between November 1 and November 8, this gains a plenary indulgence that can only be applied to the poor souls in purgatory. Any other time of year this gains a partial indulgence. See Praying for the Dead and Gaining Indulgences During November for more information about indulgences for the Poor Souls.

  • There is also solemn commemoration to be used on All Souls. See Visiting a Cemetery on All Souls Day, Memorial Day, or on the Anniversary of Death or Burial.

  • Make a nice poster listing all the family and friends departed. Put this on display where the members of the family can be reminded to pray for the loved ones throughout November. Remind family members to offer extra prayers and sacrifices for the poor souls in purgatory. Of course this shouldn't be the only motivation, but do include the fact that after these souls reach heaven, they will intercede on your behalf.

  • Read the Directory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy and the section entitled "The Memorial of the Dead in Popular Piety." Of particular note:
    The Christian, who must be conscious of and familiar with the idea of death, cannot interiorly accept the phenomenon of the "intolerance of the dead," which deprives the dead of all acceptance in the city of the living. Neither can he refuse to acknowledge the signs of death, especially when intolerance and rejection encourage a flight from reality, or a materialist cosmology, devoid of hope and alien to belief in the death and resurrection of Christ.
    Some suggested devotions from the Directory
    In accordance with time, place and tradition, popular devotions to the dead take on a multitude of forms:

    • the novena for the dead in preparation for 2 November, and the octave prolonging it, should be celebrated in accordance with liturgical norms;

    • visits to the cemetery; in some places this is done in a community manner on 2 November, at the end of the parochial mission, when the parish priest takes possession of the parish; visiting the cemetery can also be done privately, when the faithful go to the graves of their own families to maintain them or decorate them with flowers and lamps. Such visits should be seen as deriving from the bonds existing between the living and the dead and not from any form of obligation, non-fulfilment of which involves a superstitious fear;

    • membership in a confraternity or other pious association whose objects include "burial of the dead" in the light of the Christian vision of death, praying for the dead, and providing support for the relatives of the dead;

    • suffrage for the dead through alms deeds, works of mercy, fasting, applying indulgences, and especially prayers, such as the De profundis, and the formula Requiem aeternam [Eternal Rest], which often accompanies the recitation of the Angelus, the rosary, and at prayers before and after meals.
  • Have family discussions about death, preparing for death, funerals, and the Sacrament of the Sick. Visit the cemetery with children. Visits to the cemetery should be uplifting, calm and peaceful, not a scary event.

  • From the Catholic Culture library:
    For many more documents search the library for "purgatory."

  • Read this article: We Celebrate All Souls Day from the Basilian Fathers.

  • In many places this day centers around the family departed and the cemetery. Families go to gravesites, clean them, decorate them, add candles. This can be an all day affair, with picnics and celebration. Of particular note is the Dia de los Muertos or the Day of the Dead, celebration in Mexico on November 2. One could say this is the "Mexican Halloween." For more information on this Catholic holiday, see Mexico Connect for a variety of links for information. Please note that as with many holidays, there is much commercialism and secularism. Read Directory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy to understand the harmony that piety and devotions must have with the Liturgy.
    Deeply rooted cultural elements connoting particular anthropological concepts are to be found among the customs and usages connected with the "cult of the dead" among some peoples. These often spring from a desire to prolong family and social links with the departed. Great caution must be used in examining and evaluating these customs. Care should be taken to ensure that they are not contrary to the Gospel. Likewise, care should be taken to ensure that they cannot be interpreted as pagan residues.
    Ann Ball elaborates on Day of the Dead.

  • To make sugar skulls for the Day of the Dead, see Mexican Sugar Skull and Hearthsong.

  • See the drop down recipe section at the top for the many recipes connected to this day. Of particular note is the English "Soul Cakes," the Italian "Eggs in Purgatory" and Fave dei Morti (Beans of the Dead), "Bread of the Dead" from Mexico, and "Dry Bones Cookies" from Switzerland.

29 posted on 11/02/2010 4:00:38 PM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: All

Morning Prayer (Lauds)

If this is the first Hour that you are reciting today, you should precede it with the Invitatory Psalm.


Introduction
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.

Hymn
The wingèd herald of the day
Proclaims the morn’s approaching ray:
And Christ the Lord our souls excites,
And so to endless life invites.
‘Take up thy bed,’ to each he cries
Who sick, or wrapped in slumber lies:
‘And chaste, and just, and sober stand
And watch; my coming is at hand.’
With earnest cry, with tearful care,
Call we the Lord to hear our prayer:
While supplications, pure and deep,
Forbid each chastened heart to sleep.
Do thou, O Christ, our slumbers wake;
Do thou the chains of darkness break:
Purge thou our former sins away,
And in our souls new light display.
All laud to God the Father be;
All praise, eternal Son, to thee;
All glory, as is ever meet,
To God the Holy Paraclete.

Psalm 50 (51)
God, have mercy on me
Even bones crushed into the ground will rejoice in the Lord.
Take pity on me, Lord, in your mercy;
  in your abundance of mercy wipe out my guilt.
Wash me ever more from my guilt
  and cleanse me from my sin.
For I know how guilty I am:
  my sin is always before me.
Against you, you alone have I sinned,
  and I have done evil in your sight.
Know this, so that you may give just sentence
  and an unbiased judgement.
See, I was conceived in guilt,
  in sin my mother conceived me;
but you love truth in the heart,
  and deep within me you have shown me your wisdom.
You will sprinkle me with hyssop, and I will be made clean;
  you will wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
You will make me hear the sound of joy and gladness;
  the bones you have crushed will rejoice.
Turn your face away from my sins
  and wipe out all my transgressions;
create a pure heart in me, God,
  put a steadfast spirit into me.
Do not send me away from your presence,
  or withdraw your holy spirit from me;
give me again the joy of your salvation,
  and be ready to strengthen me with your spirit.
I will teach the unjust your ways,
  and the impious will return to you.
Free me from the guilt of bloodshed, God, God my saviour,
  and my voice will glory in your justice.
Open my lips, Lord,
  and my mouth will proclaim your praise;
for you do not delight in sacrifices:
  if I offered you a burnt offering, it would not please you.
The true sacrifice is a broken spirit:
  a contrite and humble heart, O God, you will not refuse.
Be pleased, Lord, to look kindly on Zion,
  so that the walls of Jerusalem can be rebuilt,
Then indeed you will accept the proper sacrifices, gifts and burnt offerings;
  then indeed will bullocks be laid upon your altar.
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.
Even bones crushed into the ground will rejoice in the Lord.

Canticle Isaiah 38
The psalm of Hezekiah on recovering from sickness
Lord, rescue my soul from the gates of the underworld.
I said, in the middle of my days
  I am going to the gates of the underworld.
  Where shall I find the remainder of my years?
I said, I will not see the Lord God in the land of the living,
  I will never see another of the inhabitants of the earth.
My dwelling-place is taken away, taken far away from me,
  like the tent of a shepherd.
Like a weaver, he has rolled up my life
  and cut it off from the loom.
From morning to night,
  you have made an end of me.
I cried for help till daybreak;
  like a lion, he has crushed all my bones.
From morning to night,
  you have made an end of me.
I twitter like a fledgling sparrow,
  make noises like a dove.
My eyes are weak
  from looking upward.
But you have pulled my soul out of the pit of destruction,
  you have put all my sins behind you.
For after all, the underworld will not proclaim you,
  nor death praise you;
those who go down there
  do not wait in hope for your faithfulness.
It is the living, the living who will proclaim you,
  as I do today.
Fathers will pass on to their children
  the truth of your faithfulness.
Save me, Lord,
  and to the sound of the harp we will sing to you,
all the days of our life,
  in the house of the Lord.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
  as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
  world without end.
Amen.
Lord, rescue my soul from the gates of the underworld.

Psalm 150
Praise the Lord
Let every living thing praise the Lord.
Praise the Lord in his sanctuary,
  praise him in his mighty firmament.
Praise him for his mighty deeds,
  praise him for all his greatness.
Praise him with trumpet-blasts,
  praise him with the harp and lyre,
praise him with timbrel and dance,
  praise him with strings and pipes,
praise him with cymbals resounding,
  praise him with cymbals of jubilation.
All that breathes, praise the Lord!
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
  as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
  world without end.
Amen.
Let every living thing praise the Lord.

Short reading 1 Thessalonians 4:14 ©
We believe that Jesus died and rose again, and that it will be the same for those who have died in Jesus: God will bring them with him.

Short Responsory
I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.
I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.
You have turned my weeping into rejoicing.
I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.

Canticle Benedictus
The Messiah and his forerunner
I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, even if he is dead, will live; anyone who lives and believes in me will never die.
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.
I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, even if he is dead, will live; anyone who lives and believes in me will never die.

Prayers and Intercessions
Let us cry out to God the almighty Father, who raised Christ from the dead and will bring life to our own mortal bodies:
Lord, bring us to life in Christ.
Holy Father, in baptism we have died and been buried in Christ and shared his resurrection. Bestow on us the gift of living a new life –
  so that even when we die, we may live forever with Christ.
Lord, bring us to life in Christ.
Most provident Father, you have given us the living bread that comes down from heaven to be our constant holy food:
  make us have eternal life and be raised up on the last day.
Lord, bring us to life in Christ.
Lord, you sent an angel to give your Son strength in his agony:
  as we are dying, bring us your gentle consolation.
Lord, bring us to life in Christ.
You rescued the three young men from the burning fiery furnace:
  free the souls of the departed from the penalties deserved by their sins.
Lord, bring us to life in Christ.
God of the living and the dead, you raised Jesus from the dead:
  raise up the dead, and bring us as well as them to eternal glory.
Lord, bring us to life in Christ.

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.

Lord, in your kindness accept our prayers:
  as our faith looks up to your Son, risen from the dead,
  so may we receive a more solid hope
  of the future resurrection of your servants.
[We make our prayer] 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.

AMEN


30 posted on 11/02/2010 4:08:23 PM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: Salvation
Absolutely awesome, Salvation. Do you have a Catholic link library Web site, perchance? If you do, let me know; I'll link to it. If not, you sure should. :)

Kisses to you in the form of roses, my dear sweet Mother Mary.
31 posted on 11/02/2010 4:29:05 PM PDT by mlizzy (Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee ...)
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To: All
The Word Among Us

Meditation: Wisdom 3:1-9

All Souls

The souls of the just are in the hand of God, and no torment shall touch them. (Wisdom 3:1)

On this day of commemoration, God asks us to turn our attention to all those who have entered into everlasting life before us marked with the sign of faith. The feast of All Souls is a day to honor all those we knew and loved, and countless others—those whose Christian lives were exemplary and those whose faith is known to God alone. As unique a path as each of them has traveled, they all had one thing in common: They all faced affliction during their lives. After all, it’s the one thing that all humans share!

Understandably, most of us have a negative view of affliction. But today’s first reading offers us some perspective. It tells us that the foolish see death as the ultimate tragedy, while the wise understand that those who die are in God’s hands; their lives are just beginning.

We all know people whose hearts and hopes have been narrowed by suffering and the challenges of life. Perhaps they have become bitter and angry. Maybe they feel swallowed up by blame or regret. Some remain stuck in “if only,” unable to move forward because they see a future devoid of hope and separated from the merciful hand of God.

And yet, many are the believers who have let their suffering deepen their love for God and strengthen their trust in him. Putting aside anxiety and dejection, they have fixed their hearts on God’s love and his presence with them in every circumstance. They are full of gratitude for every goodness in their lives, and they readily reach beyond their own challenges to offer comfort to the people around them.

How will you respond when affliction enters your life? Or, more appropriately, how are you responding to the challenges you are facing right now? Don’t let them beat you down or shut you in on yourself! Instead, let them become opportunities to turn your heart more fully to the Lord who loves you and makes all things work for good for those who love him (Romans 8:28). Remember: No matter how confining your circumstances may seem, you are always free to love the Lord and to receive his love.

“Lord Jesus, you are my good shepherd. I trust that you are with me, even when I am in a dark valley.”

Wisdom 3:1-9; Psalm 23:1-6; John 6:37-40


32 posted on 11/02/2010 5:17:03 PM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: Salvation
John
  English: Douay-Rheims Latin: Vulgata Clementina Greek NT: Byzantine/Majority Text (2000)
  John 6
37 All that the Father giveth to me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me, I will not cast out. Omne quod dat mihi Pater, ad me veniet : et eum qui venit ad me, non ejiciam foras : παν ο διδωσιν μοι ο πατηρ προς εμε ηξει και τον ερχομενον προς με ου μη εκβαλω εξω
38 Because I came down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him that sent me. quia descendi de cælo, non ut faciam voluntatem meam, sed voluntatem ejus qui misit me. οτι καταβεβηκα εκ του ουρανου ουχ ινα ποιω το θελημα το εμον αλλα το θελημα του πεμψαντος με
39 Now this is the will of the Father who sent me: that of all that he hath given me, I should lose nothing; but should raise it up again in the last day. Hæc est autem voluntas ejus qui misit me, Patris : ut omne quod dedit mihi, non perdam ex eo, sed resuscitem illud in novissimo die. τουτο δε εστιν το θελημα του πεμψαντος με πατρος ινα παν ο δεδωκεν μοι μη απολεσω εξ αυτου αλλα αναστησω αυτο [εν] τη εσχατη ημερα
40 And this is the will of my Father that sent me: that every one who seeth the Son, and believeth in him, may have life everlasting, and I will raise him up in the last day. Hæc est autem voluntas Patris mei, qui misit me : ut omnis qui videt Filium et credit in eum, habeat vitam æternam, et ego resuscitabo eum in novissimo die. τουτο δε εστιν το θελημα του πεμψαντος με ινα πας ο θεωρων τον υιον και πιστευων εις αυτον εχη ζωην αιωνιον και αναστησω αυτον εγω τη εσχατη ημερα

33 posted on 11/02/2010 5:17:15 PM PDT by annalex (http://www.catecheticsonline.com/CatenaAurea.php)
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To: annalex
37. All that the Father gives me shall come to me; and him that comes to me I will in no wise cast out.
38. For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.
39. And this is the Father's will which has sent me, that of all which he has given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.
40. And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which sees the Son, and believes in him may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

AUG. But, because you have seen Me, and believed not, I have not therefore lost the people of God: All that the Father gives Me, shall come to Me; and him that comes to Me, I will in no wise cast out.

BEDE. All, He said, absolutely, to show the fullness of the number who should believe. These are they which the Father gives the Son, when, by His secret inspiration, He makes them believe in the Son.

ALCUIN. Whomsoever therefore the Father draws to belief in Me, he, by faith, shall come to Me, that he may be joined to Me. And those, who in the steps of faith and good works, shall come to Me, I will in no wise cast out; i.e. in the secret habitation of a pure conscience, he shall dwell with Me, and at the last I will receive him to everlasting felicity.

AUG. That inner place, whence there is no casting out, is a great sanctuary, a secret chamber, where is neither weariness, or the bitterness of evil thoughts, or the cross of pain and temptation: of which it is said, Enter you into the joy of your Lord.

CHRYS. The expression, that the Father gives Me, shows that it is no accident whether a man believes or not, and that belief is not the work of human cogitation, but requires a revelation from on high, and a mind devout enough to receive the revelation. Not that they are free from blame, whom the Father does not give, for they are deficient even in that which lies in their own power, the will to believe. This is a virtual rebuke to their unbelief, as it shows that whoever does not believe in Him, transgresses the Father's will. Paul, however, says, that He gives them up to the Father: When He shall have given up the kingdom to God, even the Father. But as the Father, in giving, does not take from Himself, so neither does the Son when He gives up. The Son is said to give up to the Father, because we are brought to the Father by Him. And of the Father at the same time we read, By Whom you were called to the fellowship of His Son. Whoever then, our Lord says, comes to Me, shall be saved, for to save such I took up flesh: For I came down from heaven not to do Mine own will, but the will of Him that sent Me. But what? Have you one will, He another? No, certainly. Mark what He says afterwards; And this is the will of Him that sent Me, that every one which sees the Son, and believes in Him, should have everlasting life. And this is the Son's will too; For the Son quickens whom He will. He says then, I came to do nothing but what the Father wills, for I have no will distinct from My Father's: all things that the Father has are Mine. But this not now: He reserves these higher truths for the end of His ministry.

AUG. This is the reason why He does not cast out those who come to Him. For I came down from, heaven not to do Mine own will, but the will of Him that sent Me. The soul departed from God, because it was proud. Pride casts us out, humility restores us. When a physician in the treatment of a disease, cures certain outward symptoms, but not the cause which produces them, his cure is only temporary. So long as the cause remains, the disease may return. That the cause then of all diseases, i.e. pride, might be eradicated, the Son of God humbled Himself. Why are you proud, O man? The Son of God humbled Himself for you. It might shame you, perhaps, to imitate a humble man; but imitate at least a humble God. And this is the proof of His humility: I came not to do Mine own will, but the will of Him that sent Me. Pride does its own will; humility the will of God.

HILARY. Not that He does what He does not wish. He fulfills obediently His Father's will, wishing also Himself to fulfill that will.

AUG. For this very reason therefore, I will not cast out Him that comes to Me; because I came not to do Mine own will. I came to teach humility, by being humble Myself. He that comes to Me, is made a member of Me, and necessarily humble, because He will not do His own will, but the will of God; and therefore is not cast out. He was cast out, as proud; he returns to Me humble, he is not sent away, except for pride again; he who keeps his humility, fails not from the truth. And further, that He does not cast out such, because He came not to do His will, He shows when He says, And this is the Father's will which has sent Me, that of all which He has given Me, I should lose nothing. Every one of an humble mind is given to Him: It is not the will of your Fatter, that one of these little ones should perish. The swelling ones may perish; of the little ones none can; for except you be as a little child, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

AUG. They therefore who by God s unerring providence are foreknown, and predestined, called, justified, glorified, even before their new birth, or before they are born at all, are already the sons of God, and cannot possibly perish; these are they who truly come to Christ. By Him there is given also perseverance in good to the end; which is given only to those who will not perish. Those who do not persevere will perish.

CHRYS. I should lose nothing; He lets them know, he does not desire his own honor, but their salvation. After these declarations, I will in no wise cast out, and I should lose nothing, He adds, But should raise it up at the last day. In the general resurrection the wicked will be cast out, according to Matthew, Take him, and cast him into outer darkness. And, Who is able to cast both soul and body into hell. He often brings in mention of the resurrection for this purpose: viz. to warn men not to judge of God's providence from present events, but to carry on their ideas to another world.

AUG. See how the twofold resurrection is expressed here. He who comes to Me, shall forthwith rise again; by becoming humble, and a member of Me. But then He proceeds; But I will raise him up at the last day. To explain the words, All that the Father has given Me, and, I should lose nothing, He adds; And this is the will of Him that has' sent Me, that every one which sees the Son, and believes in Him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up on the last day. Above He said, Whoso hears My word, and believes in Him that sent Me: now it is, Every one which sees the Son, and believes in Him. He does not say, believe in the Father, because it is the same thing to believe in the Father, and in the Son; for us the Father has life in Himself, even so has He given to the Son to have life in Himself, and again, That whoso sees the Son and believes on Him, should hare everlasting life; i.e. by believing, by passing over to life, as at the first resurrection. But this is only the first resurrection, He alludes to the second when He says, And I will raise him up at the last day.

Catena Aurea John 6
34 posted on 11/02/2010 5:17:47 PM PDT by annalex (http://www.catecheticsonline.com/CatenaAurea.php)
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To: annalex


The Resurrection of Christ

1675-1700
Tempera on linen and wood, 24 x 18 cm
Pinacoteca, Vatican

35 posted on 11/02/2010 5:18:51 PM PDT by annalex (http://www.catecheticsonline.com/CatenaAurea.php)
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To: All
 
Marriage = One Man and One Woman

Daily Marriage Tip for November 2, 2010:

(All Soul’s Day) On All Soul’s Day we remember those who have died. Spend a moment today praying together for your relatives and friends who have passed on.

36 posted on 11/02/2010 5:23:39 PM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: All
Secret Harbor ~ Portus Secretioris

02 November 2010

What Must Be Done

In the Carthusian Order, the Office of the Dead is not only prayed on the Commemoration of All Souls, 2 November, which is today, but also on 13 November, which is when the Order prays for all their dearly departed monks or nuns, their families and relatives. Along with the daily praying of the Canonical Office, and the daily offering of the Office of Our Lady, the Office of the Dead is prayed weekly by the Carthusian Fathers in the solitude of their cells, praying for all the departed. On 2 and 13 November and when a member of their monastic community dies, however, the Office of the Dead is prayed in choir in the church. When a relative or family member of a monk or nun dies, the entire community prays Vespers of the Dead for the whole week in the solitude of the cell. The Carthusian Office of the Dead is known as the Agenda which translates as, “what must be done.”


Death in the Carthusian Order maintains the same hiddenness as did life on earth. When a monk or nun dies, he or she is buried on the grounds of the monastery. The grave is marked by a simple wooden cross in the ground without the name of the monk or nun buried there, maintaining their anonymity.
 

37 posted on 11/02/2010 9:11:09 PM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: All
Vespers -- Evening Prayer

Vespers (Evening Prayer)


Introduction
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.

Hymn
O God, Creator of the world,
And King of heaven, sending light
Most beautiful to clothe the day,
And grace of sleep to come by night.
That so in rest our slackened limbs
Grow strong for work as dawns the day,
And wearied minds be fresh again,
As light drives anxious care away.
With bounden thanks, with offered vows,
With prayers and hymns our debt we pay,
Beseeching thee to keep us safe
As night draws nigh, as ends the day.

Psalm 120 (121)
The guardian of the people
The Lord will guard you from every evil. May the Lord guard your soul.
I shall lift my eyes to the hills:
  where is my help to come from?
My help will come from the Lord,
  who made heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot slip:
  he will not doze, your guardian.
Behold, he will not doze or sleep,
  the guardian of Israel.
The Lord is your guardian, the Lord is your shade;
  he is at your right hand.
By day the sun will not strike you;
  nor the moon by night.
The Lord will guard you from all harm;
  the Lord will guard your life.
The Lord will guard your coming and your going
  both now and 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.
The Lord will guard you from every evil. May the Lord guard your soul.

Psalm 129 (130)
Out of the depths
If you took notice of our wickedness, Lord – Lord, who, would survive?
Out of the depths I have cried to you, Lord:
  Lord, hear my voice.
Let your ears listen out
  for the voice of my pleading.
If you took notice of our transgressions, Lord –
  Lord, who would be left?
But with you is forgiveness,
  and for this we revere you.
I rely on you, Lord,
  my spirit relies on your promise;
my soul hopes in the Lord,
  more than the watchman for daybreak.
More than the watchman for daybreak,
  let Israel hope in the Lord:
for with the Lord there is kindness
  and abundant redemption.
He himself will redeem Israel
  from all its transgressions.
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.
If you took notice of our wickedness, Lord – Lord, who, would survive?

Canticle Philippians 2
Christ, God's servant
Just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so the Son, too, gives life to whom he will.
Jesus Christ, although he shared God’s nature,
  did not try to seize equality with God for himself;
but emptied himself, took on the form of a slave,
  and became like a man:
not in appearance only,
  for he humbled himself by accepting death,
  even death on a cross.
For this, God has raised him high,
  and given him the name that is above every name,
so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bend,
  in heaven, on earth, and under the earth,
and every tongue will proclaim
  “Jesus Christ is Lord,”
  to the glory of God the Father.
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.
Just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so the Son, too, gives life to whom he will.

Short reading 1 Corinthians 15:55-57 ©
Death, where is your victory? Death, where is your sting? Now the sting of death is sin, and sin gets its power from the Law. So let us thank God for giving us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Short Responsory
In your loving kindness, Lord, give them rest.
In your loving kindness, Lord, give them rest.
You will come to judge both the living and the dead.
In your loving kindness, Lord, give them rest.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
In your loving kindness, Lord, give them rest.

Canticle Magnificat
My soul rejoices in the Lord
All that the Father has given into my care will come to me. Whoever comes to me, I will not throw him out.
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.
All that the Father has given into my care will come to me. Whoever comes to me, I will not throw him out.

Prayers and Intercessions
Christ the Lord gives us the hope that our lowly bodies will take on the form of his body of light. And so let us acclaim him:
Lord, you are our life and our resurrection.
Christ, Son of the living God, you raised your friend Lazarus from the dead:
  raise the dead to life and glory, for you have redeemed them by your precious blood.
Lord, you are our life and our resurrection.
Christ, consoler of those who mourn, you wiped away the tears of Lazarus’ family, of Jairus and the widow of Naim:
  bring consolation and comfort to all who mourn their dead.
Lord, you are our life and our resurrection.
Christ, our saviour, dethrone sin from ruling over our mortal bodies, so that just as we have deserved death as the wages of sin,
  we may receive the reward of eternal life in you.
Lord, you are our life and our resurrection.
Christ, our redeemer, look upon those who have no hope because they do not know you:
  make them believe in the resurrection and the life of the world to come.
Lord, you are our life and our resurrection.
You gave the blind man the gift of seeing light, and abundant sight of you:
  show your face to the dead who have not so far seen your light.
Lord, you are our life and our resurrection.
At length you will permit our earthly home itself to disappear:
  grant us an eternal home in heaven, one not made by human hands.
Lord, you are our life and our resurrection.

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.

Lord, in your kindness accept our prayers:
  as our faith looks up to your Son, risen from the dead,
  so may we receive a more solid hope
  of the future resurrection of your servants.
[We make our prayer] 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.

AMEN


38 posted on 11/02/2010 10:57:39 PM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: All
Regnum Christi

I Hold the Keys to the Gates of Purgatory
INTERNATIONAL | SPIRITUAL LIFE | SPIRITUALITY
Tuesday, 31st Week in Ordinary Time (Nov. 2, 2010)

November 2, 2010
The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (All Souls Day)
Father James Swanson, LC

John 11:17-27

When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, only about two miles away. And many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them about their brother. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him; but Mary sat at home. Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give you." Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise." Martha said to him, "I know he will rise, in the resurrection on the last day." Jesus told her, "I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?" She said to him, "Yes, Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world."

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 to take seriously the gravity of purgatory and the plight of those who end up there.

1. Even God Weeps for those who Have Died  Today we remember our loved ones who have passed away, just as Mary and Martha remember their brother Lazarus in this passage from the Gospel. It is a good and holy thing to be sad when a loved one dies. Some think that it is a lack of faith to be sad when someone dies, but in the passage, Jesus does not rebuke Mary and Martha for being sad, but tries to console them. Later, when he comes to the tomb himself, Jesus weeps for Lazarus (John 11:35). What a terrible thing death must be for Jesus to weep for Lazarus even though he knows that in a few moments he will raise Lazarus from the dead. Clearly, we don’t appreciate the true tragedy of death, that God himself would weep for a friend who is dead while knowing he has power over death.

2. You Don’t Want to Go There   We are quick to put people in heaven, probably a little too quick. We are not doing them a favor. Many of us, even the best of us, will not go straight to heaven, but will have to spend some time in purgatory, to be cleansed of our attachments and desires toward sinfulness as well as for any sins for which we have not done sufficient penance. We tend to underestimate purgatory as well, maybe because people there are assured of getting into heaven. While it is true that people in purgatory probably experience a joy beyond anything we will experience in this life, they also experience more intense suffering than anything we have experienced in this life. The suffering of purgatory is similar to the suffering of hell, and we know we don’t want to experience that.  Purgatory is nothing I want my loved ones to experience if I can help it, nor do I want to go there myself, if I can help it. The great thing is, I can help it.

3. Only the Living Hold the Keys to Purgatory  What am I willing to do to avoid purgatory? Up until now, have I even thought of it as something to be avoided? Do I realize that all the sacrifices I can make in this life to avoid purgatory do not add up to what it will be like to suffer in purgatory? Do I ever remember that my loved ones may be there now? Perhaps while they were in this life, they suffered greatly and I was relieved by their deaths because now their “suffering was over.” Am I an “out of sight, out of mind” kind of person? Do I think there is nothing more I can do for them? Or am I genuinely concerned about the likelihood that they may be in purgatory? Do I realize that my prayers and sacrifices represent the key to release them and that I can use it if I want to? Do I care about using it?   On this day when we remember the souls in purgatory, it would be good to do something for those who are there, especially for the ones I love the most.

Conversation with Christ:  Dear Jesus,    help me to remember those I love and offer up sacrifices, prayers and masses for them frequently, so they may be with you as soon as possible. Help me to make the choices I need to make in this life so I can avoid purgatory as much as possible.

Resolution:  Today I will make a sacrifice for my loved ones in purgatory, remembering that for God, the size of the sacrifice does not count as much as the love with which it is made.


39 posted on 11/02/2010 11:18:09 PM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: All

God Will Help Us Finish, If We Let Him

November 2nd, 2010 by Monsignor Dennis Clark, Ph.D.

Wis 3:1-9 / Rom 5:-11 or Jn 6:3-9 / Jn 6:37-40

Sooner or later most of us have the experience of watching a loved one move through his or her final days and then pass from this earth.  It can be a tremendously sad process for those who are about to be left behind and who know in advance the loneliness that will be theirs.  But in most cases there’s a marvelous and touching aspect of the process as well, and that is watching our dying friend progressively letting go of all sorts of things that don’t count, old baggage in the form of grievances, fears, doubts, and so much more.  It’s a grace for the bystanders to watch that happen, and it presses us to let go of our own baggage sooner rather than later.

Yet, even the best of us, even the saints, leave this life with at least a little bit of unfinished business and a bit of left over baggage.  And that’s why we Catholics pray for the dead.  Our prayers are not aimed at changing God’s mind about our departed friends.  God’s mind doesn’t need any changing.  His love for us is unchanging, and he’s always ready and waiting to welcome home even the worst of us.

No, our prayers are for the deceased themselves, that they will relax in the Lord and let the Lord help them let go of what remains of their old baggage, and help them finish what is unfinished in them.  For those whose hearts are loving and trusting of the Lord, it will come naturally to open their hearts and let the Lord in.  For those of us whose hearts are more ambivalent and in the habit of withholding trust, the work will be more difficult.

So hold in prayer all the deceased whom you love, and look to your own heart, that it may be open and welcoming to each of God’s people now.  This day and every day are dress rehearsals for that final day when you will give back your heart to the One who gave it to you.

May your heart be true and open and ready this day and always.


40 posted on 11/02/2010 11:21:40 PM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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