Catholic Caucus: Daily Mass Readings, 11-27-10

USCCB.org/New American Bible ^ | 11-27-10 | New American Bible

[Salvation]

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.

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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.

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Hymn

Great God of boundless mercy, hear!

Thou Ruler of this earthly sphere;

In substance one, in Persons three,

Dread Trinity in Unity!

Do thou in love accept our lays

Of mingled penitence and praise;

And set our hearts from error free,

More fully to rejoice in thee.

Our reins and hearts in pity heal,

And with thy chastening fires anneal;

Gird thou our loins, each passion quell,

And every harmful lust expel.

Now as our anthems, upward borne,

Awake the silence of the morn,

Enrich us with thy gifts of grace,

From heaven, thy blissful dwelling place!

Hear thou our prayer, almighty King;

Hear thou our praises, while we sing,

Adoring with the heavenly host

The Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

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Psalm 135 (136)
A paschal hymn

The Lord alone has wrought marvellous works, for his love endures for ever.

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,

  for his love is for ever.

Give thanks to the God of gods,

  for his love is for ever.

Give thanks to the Lord of lords,

  for his love is for ever.

He alone works wonders,

  for his love is for ever.

In his wisdom he made the heavens,

  for his love is for ever.

He set the Earth upon the waters,

  for his love is for ever.

He created the great lights,

  for his love is for ever.

The sun, to rule over the day,

  for his love is for ever.

The moon and stars, to rule over the night,

  for his love is for ever.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,

  as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,

  world without end.

Amen.

The Lord alone has wrought marvellous works, for his love endures for ever.

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Psalm 135 (136)

He brought Israel out from Egypt, with arm outstretched, with power in his hand.

He struck down the first-born of Egypt,

  for his love is for ever.

He led Israel out from their midst,

  for his love is for ever.

With a strong hand and an outstretched arm,

  for his love is for ever.

He divided the Red Sea in two,

  for his love is for ever.

He led Israel out through the sea,

  for his love is for ever.

He overthrew Pharaoh and his army,

  for his love is for ever.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,

  as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,

  world without end.

Amen.

He brought Israel out from Egypt, with arm outstretched, with power in his hand.

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Psalm 135 (136)

To the Lord of heaven give thanks: he set us free from our foes.

He led his people through the wilderness,

  for his love is for ever.

He struck down great kings,

  for his love is for ever.

Sihon, king of the Amorites,

  for his love is for ever.

And Og, the king of Bashan,

  for his love is for ever.

He gave their land to his people,

  for his love is for ever.

A heritage for Israel his servant,

  for his love is for ever.

He remembered us in our affliction,

  for his love is for ever.

He rescued us from our enemies,

  for his love is for ever.

He gives food to all creatures that live,

  for his love is for ever.

Give thanks to the God of heaven,

  for his love is for ever.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,

  as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,

  world without end.

Amen.

To the Lord of heaven give thanks: he set us free from our foes.

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Lord, show me your ways,

– and teach me your paths.

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Reading	Jude 1:1-8,12-13,17-25 ©

From Jude, servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James; to those who are called, to those who are dear to God the Father and kept safe for Jesus Christ, wishing you all mercy and peace and love.

  My dear friends, at a time when I was eagerly looking forward to writing to you about the salvation that we all share, I have been forced to write to you now and appeal to you to fight hard for the faith which has been once and for all entrusted to the saints. Certain people have infiltrated among you, and they are the ones you had a warning about, in writing, long ago, when they were condemned for denying all religion, turning the grace of our God into immorality, and rejecting our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.

  I should like to remind you-though you have already learnt it once and for all-how the Lord rescued the nation from Egypt, but afterwards he still destroyed the men who did not trust him. Next let me remind you of the angels who had supreme authority but did not keep it and left their appointed sphere; he has kept them down in the dark, in spiritual chains, to be judged on the great day. The fornication of Sodom and Gomorrah and the other nearby towns was equally unnatural, and it is a warning to us that they are paying for their crimes in eternal fire.

  Nevertheless, these people are doing the same: in their delusions they not only defile their bodies and disregard authority, but abuse the glorious angels as well. They are a dangerous obstacle to your community meals, coming for the food and quite shamelessly only looking after themselves. They are like clouds blown about by the winds and bringing no rain, or like barren trees which are then uprooted in the winter and so are twice dead; like wild sea waves capped with shame as if with foam; or like shooting stars bound for an eternity of black darkness. But remember, my dear friends, what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ told you to expect. ‘At the end of time,’ they told you ‘there are going to be people who sneer at religion and follow nothing but their own desires for wickedness.’ These unspiritual and selfish people are nothing but mischief-makers.

  But you, my dear friends, must use your most holy faith as your foundation and build on that, praying in the Holy Spirit; keep yourselves within the love of God and wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to give you eternal life. When there are some who have doubts reassure them; when there are some to be saved from the fire, pull them out; but there are others to whom you must be kind with great caution, keeping your distance even from outside clothing which is contaminated by vice.

  Glory be to him who can keep you from falling and bring you safe to his glorious presence, innocent and happy. To God, the only God, who saves us through Jesus Christ our Lord, be the glory, majesty, authority and power, which he had before time began, now and for ever. Amen.

Responsory

Let us live sober, upright and godly lives in this world, as we await the blessed Day for which we hope, when the glory of our great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ, will appear.

Let us be concerned for one another, encouraging one another to show love and to do good, as we await the blessed Day for which we hope, when the glory of our great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ, will appear.

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Reading	From a sermon by Saint Augustine

Let us sing Alleluia to God, who is good and frees us from evil

Let us sing alleluia here on earth, while we are still anxious and worrying, so that we may one day be able to sing it there in heaven, without any worry or care. Why anxious and worrying here? You must want me to be anxious, Lord, when I read, Is not man’s life on earth a trial and a temptation? You must want me to worry when temptation is so plentiful that the Prayer itself tells us to worry, when we say, Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those that trespass against us. Every day we are petitioners, every day we are trespassers. Do you want me to throw care to the winds, Lord, when every day I am requesting pardon for sins and assistance against dangers? After all, when I have said, because of past sins, Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those that trespass against us, I must immediately go on to add, because of future dangers, Lead us not into temptation. And how can a people be in a good way, when they cry out with me, Deliver us from evil? And yet, my brethren, in this time that is still evil, let us sing alleluia to the good God, who does deliver us from evil.

  Even here, among the dangers, among the trials and temptations of this life, both by others and by ourselves let alleluia be sung. God is faithful, he says, and he will not permit you to be tempted beyond what you are able to endure. So even here let us sing alleluia. Man is still a defendant on trial, but God is faithful. He did not say “he will not permit you to be tempted” but he will not permit you to be tempted beyond what you are able to endure; and with the temptation he will also make a way out, so that you may be able to endure it. You have entered into temptation; but God will also make a way out so that you do not perish in the temptation; so that like a potter’s jar you may be shaped by the preaching and fired into strength by the tribulation. But when you enter the temptation, bear in mind the way out: because God is faithful, God will watch over you and guard your going in and your coming out.

  Furthermore, when this body has become immortal and imperishable, when all temptation has been done away with; because the body is dead – why is it dead? – Because of sin. But the spirit is life, because of justice. So do we leave the body dead, then? No, but listen: But if the Spirit of him who raised Christ from the dead dwells within you, then he who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies. So you see: now the body receives its life from the soul, but then it will receive it from the Spirit.

  O! what a happy alleluia there, how carefree, how safe from all opposition, where nobody will be an enemy, where no-one will ever cease to be a friend! God’s praises sung there, sung here – here, by the anxious; there, by the carefree – here, by those who will die; there, by those who will live for ever – here, in hope; there, in reality – here, on our journey; there, in our homeland.

  So now, my brethren, let us sing, not to delight our leisure, but to ease our toil. In the way that travellers are in the habit of singing, sing, but keep on walking. What does it mean, “keep on walking”? Go onward always – but go onward in goodness, for there are, according to the Apostle, some people who go ever onward from bad to worse. If you are going onward, you are walking; but always go onward in goodness, onward in the right faith, onward in good habits and behaviour. Sing, and walk onwards.

Responsory

Jerusalem, your streets shall be paved with pure gold and within your walls a song of gladness will be raised, and Alleluia will be on the lips of all who dwell in your homes.

You will shine with a very great splendour, and all the ends of the earth will revere you, and Alleluia will be on the lips of all who dwell in your homes.

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Let us pray.

Lord, inspire the wills of your faithful.

  May they be more eager to do good works

  and so receive more of your healing kindness.

[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.

[Salvation]

Spiritual Bouquet
A different meditation each time you click.

 

	Meditations by Padre Pio
	The ardent desire to be in eternal peace is good and holy. But it is necessary to moderate it by a complete resignation to the Divine Will. It is better to do the Divine Will on earth than to enjoy heaven. To suffer and not to die was the motto of St. Therese. Purgatory is sweet when one suffers for the love of God.

[Salvation]

Catholic Culture

Daily Readings for: November 27, 2010
(Readings on USCCB website)

Collect: Father all-powerful, your gifts of love are countless and your goodness infinite. On Thanksgiving Day we come before you with gratitude for your kindness: open our hearts to concern for our fellow men and women, so that we may share your gifts in loving service. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

RECIPES

• Cranberry Ice
• Creamed Onions
• Glazed Sweet Potatoes Florida
• Green Beans and Onions in Cream
• Indian Pudding
• Marlborough Pudding
• Oyster Stuffing
• Oysters Rockefeller
• Pointers for Perfect Coffee
• Pumpkin Tarts
• Roast Goose with Fruit Stuffing
• Roast Turkey
• Roast Turkey
• Thanksgiving Dinner Menus
• Tokay Grapes in Ginger Ale
• Wild Rice Stuffing

ACTIVITIES

• Death and Burial
• November and the Holy Souls
• Practical Suggestions for Christian Living (Anointing of the Sick)
• Praying for the Dead and Gaining Indulgences During November
• Prepare for Death
• Preparing for Heaven
• Religion in the Home for Elementary School: November
• Religion in the Home for Preschool: November
• Teaching About Death
• Teaching Children About Sickness and Death

PRAYERS

• November Devotion: The Holy Souls in Purgatory
• Little Litany of the Holy Souls
• Prayer for a Happy Death
• Daily Acceptance of Death
• Novena to St. Francis Xavier - The Novena of Grace

27th

  Saturday of the Thirty-Fourth Week of Ordinary Time

Today is the last day of the liturgical year. But the Church proposes no special liturgy to mark its close because already here on earth she lives an eternal life. One day follows another like the links of a chain; the end of one ecclesiastical year merges into the next like an endless circle. The feasts and seasons of the Church have no finale as they fade away into eternity.

As individuals, however, we may use the occasion to make a spiritual survey of the past and to plan for the future. Use this day to examine our sins, offenses and negligences, have contrition and go to confession. Spend some time thanking God for all the benefits we have received and look forward to the future asking for the grace to be faithful in the upcoming year.

What is man that You magnify him, and that You are concerned about him; that You examine him every morning and try him every moment? "Will You never turn Your gaze away from me, nor let me alone until I swallow my spittle?" Have I sinned? What have I done to You, O watcher of men? Why have You set me as Your target, so that I am a burden to myself? "Why then do You not pardon my transgression and take away my iniquity? For now I will lie down in the dust; and You will seek me, but I will not be."

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Caring for the Dead
All such things as embalming the body, selecting a fitting place for burial, and bearing the corpse thereto with due dignity, are comfort for the living, rather than help for the dead. Nevertheless, it doth not follow that the bodies of the departed are to be despised, or treated as naught, and specially in the case of just men and faithful; for the bodies of such men were used by their spirits in this life for godly purposes, that is, as organs and vessels of all good works. Hence, if a father's garment or ring, or any like thing, is dear to his bereaved family because of their natural affection, in no wise ought the dead body of the deceased to be held in dishonour. For man doth wear his body in more familiar and intimate wise than anything he putteth thereon. Furthermore, the body doth not belong to anything which is applied outwardly for its adornment or welfare. Rather the body belongeth to the very nature of man. Wherefore, as we know from the records of just men of old, funeral rites have been wont to be fulfilled as a matter of dutiful piety, and have been reverently celebrated, and decent graves provided. Yea, such men of old, whilst still alive, often charged their children, as a matter of filial duty, with directions concerning their burial, and even concerning the future translation of their bodies. — St. Augustine

[Salvation]

Lauds -- Morning Prayer

Morning Prayer (Lauds)

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

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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

Dawn sprinkles all the east with light;

Day o’er the earth is gliding bright;

Morn’s glittering rays their course begin;

Farewell to darkness and to sin.

Each phantom of the night depart,

Each thought of guilt forsake the heart:

Let every ill that darkness brought

Beneath its shade, now come to nought.

So that last morning, dread and great,

Which we with trembling hope await,

With blessed light for us shall glow

Who chant the song we sang below.

All laud to God the Father be;

All praise, eternal Son, to thee;

All glory, as is ever meet,

To God the Holy Paraclete.

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Psalm 91 (92)
Praise of God, the Creator

Lord, we proclaim your love in the morning and your truth in the watches of the night.

It is good to praise the Lord,

  and to sing psalms to your name, O Most High,

to proclaim your mercy in the morning

  and your faithfulness by night;

on the ten-stringed lyre and the harp,

  with songs upon the lyre.

For you give me joy, Lord, in your creation:

  I rejoice in the work of your hands.

How great are your works, O Lord,

  how immeasurably deep your thoughts.

The fool does not hear,

  the slow-witted do not understand.

When the wicked sprout up like grass,

  and the doers of evil are in full bloom,

it will come to nothing, for they will perish for ever and ever;

  but you, Lord, are the Highest eternally.

For behold, Lord, your enemies, how your enemies will perish,

  how wrongdoers will be scattered.

You will give me strength as the wild oxen have;

  I have been anointed with the purest oil.

I will look down upon my enemies,

  and hear the plans of those who plot evil against me.

The just will flourish like the palm tree,

  grow tall like the cedar of Lebanon.

They will be planted in the house of the Lord;

  in the courts of our God they will flourish.

They will bear fruit even when old,

  fresh and luxuriant through all their days.

They will proclaim how just is the Lord, my refuge,

  for in him there is no unrighteousness.

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, we proclaim your love in the morning and your truth in the watches of the night.

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Canticle	Deuteronomy 32

The things God has done for his people

Proclaim the greatness of our God.

Listen, heavens to what I say;

  earth, hear the words of my mouth!

Let my teaching fall like the rain,

  my speech descend like the dew,

  like a shower on the grass,

  like rain on the wheat.

For I shall call on the name of the Lord:

  give praise to the greatness of our God!

His works are like a rock: they are perfect,

  for all his ways are just.

God is faithful, he can do no wrong:

  he is just and upright.

They have sinned against him, they are no children of his –

  this filthy generation, wicked and perverse.

Is this how you repay the Lord,

  you foolish and witless people?

Is he not your father, who took charge of you,

  created you and made you exist?

Remember the days of old: think upon each generation.

Ask your father and he will tell you;

  ask your ancestors, and they will let you know.

When the Most High divided the peoples,

  when he was separating the children of Adam,

he laid down the boundaries of the people

  according to the number of the children of Israel:

the Lord’s own portion was his people,

  Jacob the measure of his inheritance.

He found him in a desert land, in a place of horror,

  in the howling wilderness.

He protected him, looked after him,

  guarded him as the apple of his eye.

Like an eagle teaching its chicks to fly, hovering close above them,

  he spread out his wings and lifted him up,

  carried him on his back.

The Lord alone led Jacob; no foreign god was with him.

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.

Proclaim the greatness of our God.

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Psalm 8
The greatness of God, the dignity of man

How great is your name, Lord, through all the earth.

How wonderful is your name over all the earth,

  O Lord, our Lord!

How exalted is your glory

  above the sky!

Out of the mouths of children and infants you have brought praise,

  to confound your enemies, to destroy your vengeful foes.

When I see the heavens, the work of your fingers,

  the moon and stars, which you set in their place –

what is man, that you should take thought for him?

  what is the son of man, that you should look after him?

You have made him but one step lower than the angels;

  you have crowned him with glory and honour;

  you have set him over the works of your hands.

You have put everything beneath his feet,

  cattle and sheep and the beasts of the field,

the birds in the air and the fish in the sea,

  whatever passes along the paths of the waters.

How wonderful is your name above all the earth,

  O Lord, our Lord!

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,

  as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,

  world without end.

Amen.

How great is your name, Lord, through all the earth.

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Short reading	Romans 12:14-16 ©

Bless those who persecute you: never curse them, bless them. Rejoice with those who rejoice and be sad with those in sorrow. Treat everyone with equal kindness; never be condescending but make real friends with the poor.

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Short Responsory

I will sing to you with joy upon my lips.

– I will sing to you with joy upon my lips.

I will reflect on the greatness of your justice.

– I will sing to you with joy upon my lips.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.

– I will sing to you with joy upon my lips.

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Canticle	Benedictus

The Messiah and his forerunner

Lord, lead our feet in the path of peace.

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.

Lord, lead our feet in the path of peace.

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Prayers and Intercessions

Let us celebrate Christ’s goodness and wisdom. We can see him in every one of our brethren, and love him; especially in those who are suffering. Let us pray to him urgently:

– Lord, make us perfect in love.

This morning we honour your resurrection once more,

  and wish for everyone the effects of your Redemption.

– Lord, make us perfect in love.

Lord, grant that we may bear witness to you today

  and through you offer a holy sacrifice acceptable to the Father.

– Lord, make us perfect in love.

Make us see your image in everyone we meet,

  and serve you by tending to their needs.

– Lord, make us perfect in love.

Christ, you are the true vine and we are your branches:

  grant that we may remain with you, bearing abundant fruit and giving glory to God the Father.

– Lord, make us perfect in love.

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Our Father, who art in heaven,

  hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom come.

  Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread,

  and forgive us our trespasses,

  as we forgive those who trespass against us,

and lead us not into temptation,

  but deliver us from evil.

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May our mouths praise you, O Lord. May our souls and our lives give you praise.

  It is by your gift that we have life:

  may the whole act of living be our gift to you.

[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

[Salvation]

The Word Among Us

Meditation: Luke 21:34-36

“Be vigilant at all times.” (Luke 21:36)

This past week many of the Gospel readings have included Jesus’ warnings about the coming day of the Lord. And many of the first readings have included visions from the Book of Revelation about the age to come. Together, these have been a pathway leading us to the season of Advent, which begins tomorrow. As we stand on the threshold of a new season and a new liturgical year, today’s Gospel calls us to be vigilant and to stand firm.

Perhaps you feel that you lose sight of the Lord as you go about your day. Life can be so demanding—and so distracting. Maybe your daily routine has created a false sense of security. Maybe the battle against temptations has become discouraging. Perhaps even the devil is trying to convince you to give up, saying that you probably won’t make it anyway. But no matter how many forces come against you, don’t give up the fight! Don’t let your heart grow drowsy (Luke 21:34). Keep on being watchful and vigilant!

Simeon (Luke 2:25-32) and Anna (2:36-38) are inspiring Advent models for us. Like sentries at the post waiting for the coming of the dawn, they kept looking for the Messiah. Neither their vision nor their hope dimmed as they patiently remained on the lookout. They waited for the fulfillment of God’s promises with perseverance. They stayed attentive to the Holy Spirit because they were so eager to see God’s salvation. All their prayerful pondering and steadfast watching enabled them to recognize that salvation when Mary and Joseph brought the infant Jesus to the Temple. God’s ways had become their ways, and his thoughts had become their thoughts.

Let’s greet this coming Advent season of grace with determination, confidence, and perseverance. Let’s remember that we are looking forward both to Jesus’ coming as an infant on Christmas and his final return at the end of time, when he will bring us fully into his kingdom. As Pope Benedict XVI has said: “Advent is par excellence the season of hope in which believers in Christ are invited to remain in watchful and active waiting, nourished by prayer and by the effective commitment to love.”

“Jesus, you are my Messiah and Savior! Give me the grace to keep my eyes and my heart fixed on you as I look for the day of your coming.”

Revelation 22:1-7; Psalm 95:1-7

[annalex]

Luke
	English: Douay-Rheims	Latin: Vulgata Clementina	Greek NT: Byzantine/Majority Text (2000)
	Luke 21
34.	And take heed to yourselves, lest perhaps your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness, and the cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly.	Attendite autem vobis, ne forte graventur corda vestra in crapula, et ebrietate, et curis hujus vitæ, et superveniat in vos repentina dies illa :	προσεχετε δε εαυτοις μηποτε βαρηθωσιν υμων αι καρδιαι εν κραιπαλη και μεθη και μεριμναις βιωτικαις και αιφνιδιος εφ υμας επιστη η ημερα εκεινη
35.	For as a snare shall it come upon all that sit upon the face of the whole earth.	tamquam laqueus enim superveniet in omnes qui sedent super faciem omnis terræ.	ως παγις γαρ επελευσεται επι παντας τους καθημενους επι προσωπον πασης της γης
36.	Watch ye, therefore, praying at all times, that you may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that are to come, and to stand before the Son of man.	Vigilate itaque, omni tempore orantes, ut digni habeamini fugere ista omnia quæ futura sunt, et stare ante Filium hominis.	αγρυπνειτε ουν εν παντι καιρω δεομενοι ινα καταξιωθητε εκφυγειν παντα τα μελλοντα γινεσθαι και σταθηναι εμπροσθεν του υιου του ανθρωπου

[annalex]

34. And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.
35. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.
36. Watch you therefore, and pray always, that you may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.

THEOPHYL. Our Lord declared above the fearful and sensible signs of the evils which should overtake sinners, against which the only remedy is watching and prayer, as it is said, And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time, &c.

BASIL; Every animal has within itself certain instincts which it has received from God, for the preservation of its own being. Wherefore Christ has also given us this warning, that what comes to them by nature, may be ours by the aid of reason and prudence: that we may flee from sin as the brute creatures shun deadly food, but that we seek after righteousness, as they wholesome herbs. Therefore said He, Take heed to yourselves, that is, that you may distinguish the noxious from the wholesome. But since there are two ways of taking heed to ourselves, the one with the bodily eyes, the other by the faculties of the soul, and the bodily eye does not reach to virtue; it remains that we speak of the operations of the soul. Take heed, that is, Look around you on all sides, keeping an ever watchful eye to the guardianship of your soul. He says not, Take heed to your own or to the things around, but to yourselves. For you are mind and spirit, your body is only of sense. Around you are riches, arts, and all the appendages of life, you must not mind these, but your soul, of which you must take especial care. The same admonition tends both to the healing of the sick, and the perfecting of those that are well, namely, such as are the guardians of the present, the providers of the future, not judging the actions of others, but strictly searching their own, not suffering the mind to be the slave of their passions but subduing the irrational part of the soul to the rational. But the reason why we should take heed He adds as follows, Lest at any time your hearts be overcharged, &c.

TIT. BOST. As if He says, Beware lest the eyes of your mind wax heavy. For the cares of this life, and surfeiting, and drunkenness, scare away prudence, shatter and make shipwreck of faith.

CLEM. ALEX. Drunkenness is an excessive use of wine; crapula is the uneasiness, and nausea attendant on drunkenness, a Greek word so called from the motion of the head. And a little below. As then we must partake of food lest we suffer hunger, so also of drink lest we thirst, but with still greater care to avoid falling into excess. For the indulgence of wine is deceitful, and the soul when free from wine will be the wisest and best, but steeped in the fumes of wine is lost as in a cloud.

BASIL; But carefulness, or the care of this life, although it seems to have nothing unlawful in it, nevertheless if it conduce not to religion, must be avoided. And the reason why He said this He shows by what comes next, And so that day come upon you unawares.

THEOPHYL. For that day will not come when men are expecting it, but unlooked for and by stealth, taking as a snare those who are unwary. For as a snare shall it come upon all them that sit upon the face of the earth. But this we may diligently keep far from us. For that day will take those that sit on the face of the earth, as the unthinking and slothful. But as many as are prompt and active in the way of good, not sitting and loitering on the ground, but rising from it, saying to themselves, Rise up, be gone, for here there is no rest for you. To such that day is not as a perilous snare, but a day of rejoicing.

EUSEB. He taught them therefore to take heed to the things we have just before mentioned, lest they fall into the indolence resulting therefrom. Hence it follows, Watch you therefore, and pray always, that you may be accounted worthy to escape all those things that shall come to pass.

THEOPHYL. Namely, hunger, pestilence, and such like, which for a time only threaten the elect and others, and those things also which are hereafter the lot of the guilty for ever. For these we can in no wise escape, save by watching and prayer.

AUG. This is supposed to be that flight which Matthew mentions; which must not be in the winter or on the sabbath day. To the winter belong the cares of this life, which are mournful as the winter, but to the sabbath surfeiting and drunkenness, which drowns and buries the heart in carnal luxury and delight, since on that day the Jews are immersed in worldly pleasure, while they are lost to a spiritual sabbath.

THEOPHYL. And because a Christian needs not only to flee evil, but to strive to obtain glory, He adds, And to stand before the Son of man. For this is the glory of angels, to stand before the Son of man, our God, and always to behold His face.

BEDE; Now supposing a physician should bid us beware of the juice of a certain herb, lest a sudden death overtake us, we should most earnestly attend to his command; but when our Savior warns us to shun drunkenness and surfeiting, and the cares of this world, men have no fear of being wounded and destroyed by them; for the faith which they put in the caution of the physician, they disdain to give to the words of God.

Catena Aurea Luke 21

[annalex]

Renunciation of Worldly Goods (Scenes from the Life of St Francis)

Benozzo Gozzoli

1452
Fresco, 270 x 220 cm
Apsidal chapel, San Francesco, Montefalco

... the Renunciation of Worldly Goods, the last of the scenes from the saint's youth. The scene takes place before the backdrop of a city.

The saint's father and his retinue take up two thirds of the foreground. On his left arm he carries his son's clothes, in the right he is holding his belt. A narrow space separates him from Francis, who is seen by the observer in a frontal view at prayer. A bishop is covering the saint with his pluvial, which indicates the religious nature of the scene, for it was worn by priests and bishops on ceremonial occasions other than Mass. The contrasting depiction of the father and son expresses the dramatic nature of their conflict, supported by the arrangement of two opposing groups of figures: the secular group is in movement, the religious one frozen. The explanatory inscription reads: QUALITER B. F. CORA(M) EPISCOPO ASISII REN(UNTIA)VIT PATRI HEREDITATEM PATERNAM ET O(M)NIA VESTIMENTA ET FEMORALIA PATRI REIECIT - "How St Francis renounces his father's inheritance before the bishop of Assisi and his father, and throws his upper garment and hose down before his father."

[Salvation]

 

Marriage = One Man and One Woman

Daily Marriage Tip for November 27, 2010:

When you use that wonderful communication tool of active listening (“I hear you saying…”) remember your goal is not necessarily to reach agreement, but rather to show your spouse you truly understand.

[Salvation]

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

On Jordan’s bank the Baptist’s cry

Announces that the Lord is nigh;

Come then and hearken, for he brings

Glad tidings from the King of kings.

Then cleansed be every Christian breast,

And furnished for so great a guest!

Yea, let us each his heart prepare

For Christ to come and enter there.

For thou art our salvation, Lord,

Our refuge and our great reward;

Without thy grace our souls must fade,

And wither like a flower decayed.

Stretch forth thine hand, to heal our sore,

And make us rise to fall no more;

Once more upon thy people shine,

And fill the world with love divine.

All praise, eternal Son, to thee,

Whose Advent sets thy people free,

Whom, with the Father, we adore,

And Holy Ghost, for evermore.

---

Psalm 140 (141)
Prayer in time of danger

Proclaim it, say to the peoples: Behold, God will come and save us.

O Lord, I call on you,

  hurry to my help:

  listen to my voice when I call.

When I make my prayer, let it rise like incense before you;

  when I raise my hands, let it be like the evening sacrifice.

Set a guard on my mouth, Lord,

  a watch upon my lips.

Do not let my heart turn to evil thoughts,

  to the planning of wicked deeds,

to alliance with wrongdoers.

  Let me not share in their delights.

Let the just man strike and rebuke me out of kindness;

  but sinners shall never anoint me with oil,

  or I would be an ally in their plans.

When they fall into the hands of harsh judges,

  they will see how kind my words were.

Like fragments of spoil after digging,

  their bones will lie scattered round the mouth of the underworld.

To you, Lord, to you my eyes are turned.

  I take refuge in you –

  preserve my life.

Protect me from the trap they have laid for me,

  save me from the snares of the wicked.

Let them be caught in their own nets, all of them,

  while I pass by in safety.

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.

Proclaim it, say to the peoples: Behold, God will come and save us.

---

Psalm 141 (142)
You are my refuge

Behold, the Lord will come, and all his holy ones with him. On that day a great light will appear. Alleluia.

My voice cries out to the Lord;

  my voice cries out its entreaty.

I pour out lamentation in his sight,

  I proclaim my troubles before him.

When my spirit is failing within me,

  still, Lord, you know my paths.

On the road I was travelling,

  they set up a trap for me.

I looked about me and saw

  there was no-one beside me to help.

I have nowhere to flee;

  and no-one will miss me.

I have cried to you, Lord,

  I have said: “you are my refuge, my share in the land of the living.

  Listen to my call for help, for I am crushed down.”

“Lead my spirit from prison, so that I may praise your name.

  The upright will gather around me, because you have restored 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.

Behold, the Lord will come, and all his holy ones with him. On that day a great light will appear. Alleluia.

---

Canticle	Philippians 2

Christ, God's servant

The Lord will come with great might and all flesh will see him.

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.

The Lord will come with great might and all flesh will see him.

---

Short reading	1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 ©

May the God of peace make you perfect and holy; and may you all be kept safe and blameless, spirit, soul and body, for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. God has called you and he will not fail you.

---

Short Responsory

Show us, Lord, your loving kindness.

– Show us, Lord, your loving kindness.

Send us your salvation.

– Show us, Lord, your loving kindness.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.

– Show us, Lord, your loving kindness.

---

Canticle	Magnificat

My soul rejoices in the Lord

‘So stay awake,’ says Jesus, ‘because you do not know when your master is coming.’

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.

‘So stay awake,’ says Jesus, ‘because you do not know when your master is coming.’

---

Prayers and Intercessions

Christ is the glory and triumph of all who await his coming. Let us call to him, saying

– Come, Lord; do not delay.

Let us rejoice as we wait for your coming.

  Come, Lord Jesus.

– Come, Lord; do not delay.

Before the world began, you were.

  Come to us in this world, and save us.

– Come, Lord; do not delay.

You created the world and all who live in it.

  Come to redeem the work of your hands.

– Come, Lord; do not delay.

You did not shun our mortal nature.

  Come and save us from the power of death.

– Come, Lord; do not delay.

You came so that we could have life overflowing.

  Come and give us your gift of eternal life.

– Come, Lord; do not delay.

You chose to unite all men in your kingdom.

  Come, bring together all who await the sight of your face.

– Come, Lord; do not delay.

---

Our Father, who art in heaven,

  hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom come.

  Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread,

  and forgive us our trespasses,

  as we forgive those who trespass against us,

and lead us not into temptation,

  but deliver us from evil.

---

Almighty God, grant this to your faithful:

  that when your Anointed comes we may greet him with a harvest of good works

  and be seated at his right hand and share in his heavenly kingdom.

[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

[Salvation]

Regnum Christi

Ready or Not?

| SPIRITUAL LIFE | SPIRITUALITY

Saturday, 34th week in OT (Nov. 27, 2010)

Father Edward Hopkins, LC

Luke 21:34-36

Jesus said to his disciples: "Beware that your hearts do not become drowsy from carousing and drunkenness and the anxieties of daily life, and that day catch you by surprise like a trap. For that day will assault everyone who lives on the face of the earth. Be vigilant at all times and pray that you have the strength to escape the tribulations that are imminent and to stand before the Son of Man."

Introductory Prayer: Dear Jesus, I believe in you and in the Kingdom you are building in and through me. I believe in the value of my sacrifice and struggles united to yours. I hope to arrive to heaven when you say it is time. I wish to spend myself for those I should love the most.

Petition: Rouse my heart, Lord, to live in you!

1. Drowsy Hearts Our life is a time of preparation, not only for an eternal friendship with God, but for the “assault” of the “tribulations” that must come first. The spiritual battle is real, whether or not we are aware of it, whether or not we want it. We fight each day and in many ways, but the battle is ultimately won in the depths of our hearts. All that puts our hearts to sleep and gives us a false sense of security must be avoided. I may not “carouse and get drunk” in the typical fashion, but do I wander about seeking satisfaction from the world? Am I superficial in my judgments? Do I become so engrossed and absorbed in material matters, works and worries that I am unable to pursue my spiritual life and vocation with a clear and focused attention?

2. That Day It seems that none of us will escape the trial of that last day. For some it will be sudden and painful, for others it will be prolonged and difficult. But we are all mortal creatures. The great saints all lived with their end in mind. Death was a healthy meditation that moved them to live the present day to the full. Death is the door to my real life. The anticipation of that day need not rob us of joy; rather, it must call us to love. How I live this day determines how I will live “that day” and the everlasting day of eternal life with God. How do I want to live that day?

3. Vigilance and Prayer This is how Jesus invited his closest friends, the apostles, to live “that day” of his Passion: “Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation” (Matthew 26:41). The final words of the Our Father must find resonance with how we live. Vigilance requires awareness not only of the enemies and threats that surround us, but also of the weaknesses within us. These elements are at work each day, and so we must be on guard each day to check their influence. This must be the simple and serene priority in our life. But it must always lead us to Christ, to stand before him sincerely and trustingly in prayer. Prayer and vigilance lead to each other. If we do not make prayer the air we breathe, we will suffocate in a polluted world. How much importance am I giving to my habits and life of prayer?

Conversation with Christ: Grant me, dear Jesus, a sense of urgency. Wake me up from any drowsiness or spiritual carelessness. Allow me to see both the threats and opportunities for my life of grace. Keep before my eyes the real meaning of my life and the limited time I have to conquer and grow in love.

Resolution:I will pray today for the soul in purgatory who was most distracted or least prepared for “that day” of his death.

[Salvation]

One Bread, One Body

One Bread, One Body

<< Saturday, November 27, 2010 >>

Saint of the Day

Revelation 22:1-7
View Readings

Psalm 95:1-7

Luke 21:34-36

LAST, BUT NOT LEAST

"Remember, I am coming soon! Happy the man who heeds the prophetic message of this book!" —Revelation 22:7

 

Today, on the last day of the Church's year, the Church proclaims to us the last chapter of the Bible. The Bible begins in an earthly paradise and ends in a heavenly paradise. The heavenly paradise is not only the restoration of the earthly paradise, but its fulfillment.

The heavenly paradise has a river of life-giving water flowing down the middle of its streets (Rv 22:1-2). On both sides of the river grow fruit-bearing trees of life (Rv 22:2). In the heavenly paradise, there are twelve growing seasons each year (Rv 22:2). There is no sin in heaven, for there God's servants faithfully serve Him (Rv 22:3). In heaven, we will see God face to face (Rv 22:4; 1 Cor 13:12). There, all light comes directly from the Lord, not from electricity or the sun (Rv 22:5). In heaven, we will reign forever (Rv 22:5). This all may sound too good to be true, but the Lord assures us through one of His angels: "These words are trustworthy and true" (Rv 22:6).

The Lord wants to end this Church year the way He started it — by telling us He loves us. He intends to show this love by giving us the perfect happiness of heaven. Let the Lord love you.

 

Prayer: Father, on this last day of the Church year, may I repent of all my sins and thus remove all obstacles to receiving Your love.

Promise: "Pray constantly for the strength to escape whatever is in prospect, and to stand secure before the Son of Man." —Lk 21:36

Praise: David repented and was baptized just weeks before he died.

[Salvation]

Compline -- Night Prayer

Compline (Night 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.

---

This is an excellent moment for an examination of conscience. In a communal celebration of Compline, one of the penitential acts given in the Missal may be recited.

---

Hymn

Christ, thou who art the light and day,

Who chasest nightly shades away,

Thyself the Light of Light confessed,

And promiser of radiance blest:

O holy Lord, we pray to thee,

Throughout the night our guardian be;

In thee vouchsafe us to repose,

All peaceful till the night shall close.

O let our eyes due slumber take,

Our hearts to thee forever wake:

And let thy right hand from above

Shield us who turn to thee in love.

O strong defender, hear our prayers,

Repel our foes and break their snares,

And govern thou thy servants here,

Those ransomed with thy life-blood dear.

Almighty Father, this accord

Through Jesus Christ, thy Son our Lord,

Who with the Holy Ghost and thee

Doth reign through all eternity.

---

Psalm 4
Thanksgiving

Lord, have mercy and hear me.

When I called out, he heard me, the God of my righteousness.

When I was in trouble, you gave me freedom:

  now, take pity on me and listen to my prayer.

Sons of men, how long will your hearts be heavy?

  Why do you seek for vain things?

  Why do you run after illusions?

Know that the Lord has done marvellous things

  for those he has chosen.

When I call upon the Lord, he will hear me.

Be vigorous, but do not sin:

  speak in the silence of your heart,

  in your bed, be at rest.

Offer righteousness as a sacrifice,

  and put your trust in the Lord.

Many are saying, Who will give us good things?

Let your face shine on us, Lord,

  let the light of your face be a sign.

You have given me a greater joy

  than the others receive

  from abundance of wheat and of wine.

In peace shall I sleep, Lord, in peace shall I rest:

  firm in the hope you have given 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.

Lord, have mercy and hear me.

---

Psalm 133 (134)
Evening prayer in the Temple

Bless the Lord through the night.

Come, bless the Lord,

  all you servants of the Lord

  who stand through the night in the house of the Lord!

Lift up your arms to the sanctuary

  and bless the Lord!

May the Lord bless you from Zion –

  the Lord, who made heaven and earth.

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.

Bless the Lord through the night.

---

Reading	Deuteronomy 6:4-7 ©

Listen, Israel: the Lord our God is the one Lord. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength. Let these words I urge on you today be written on your heart. You shall repeat them to your children and say them over to them whether at rest in your house or walking abroad, at your lying down or at your rising.

---

Short Responsory

Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.

– Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.

You have redeemed us, Lord, God of faithfulness.

– Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.

– Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.

---

Canticle	Nunc Dimittis

Keep us safe, Lord, while we are awake, and guard us as we sleep, so that we can keep watch with Christ and rest in peace.

Now, Master, you let your servant go in peace.

  You have fulfilled your promise.

My own eyes have seen your salvation,

  which you have prepared in the sight of all peoples.

A light to bring the Gentiles from darkness;

  the glory of your people Israel.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,

  as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,

  world without end.

Amen.

Keep us safe, Lord, while we are awake, and guard us as we sleep, so that we can keep watch with Christ and rest in peace.

---

Let us pray.

Come to us, Lord, this night, and give us the strength to rise at dawn rejoicing in the resurrection of your Anointed, who lives and reigns for ever and ever, Amen.

---

May the almighty Lord grant us a quiet night and a perfect end.

AMEN

---

	Salve Regina

Hail to you, O Queen, mother of loving kindness,

  our life, our happiness, our hope.

Hear us cry out to you,

  children of Eve in our exile.

Hear as we sigh, with groaning and weeping

  in this life, this valley of tears.

Come then, our Advocate, turn towards us

  the gaze of your kind and loving eyes.

And show us Jesus, the blessed fruit of your womb,

  when at last our exile here is ended.

O gentle, O loving, O sweet virgin Mary.

Salve, Regina, mater misericordiae;

vita, dulcedo et spes nostra, salve.

Ad te clamamus, exsules filii Hevae.

Ad te suspiramus, gementes et flentes

in hac lacrimarum valle.

Eia ergo, advocata nostra,

illos tuos misericordes oculos ad nos converte.

Et Iesum, benedictum fructum ventris tui,

nobis post hoc exsilium ostende.

O clemens, o pia, o dulcis Virgo Maria.