Catholic Caucus: Daily Mass Readings, 11-29-04

USCC.org/New American Bible ^ | 11-29-04 | New American Bible

[Salvation]

November 29, 2004
Monday of the First Week of Advent

Reading I
Is 4:2-6

On that day,
The branch of the LORD will be luster and glory,
and the fruit of the earth will be honor and splendor
for the survivors of Israel.
He who remains in Zion
and he who is left in Jerusalem
Will be called holy:
every one marked down for life in Jerusalem.
When the LORD washes away
the filth of the daughters of Zion,
And purges Jerusalem's blood from her midst
with a blast of searing judgment,
Then will the LORD create,
over the whole site of Mount Zion
and over her place of assembly,
A smoking cloud by day
and a light of flaming fire by night.
For over all, the LORD's glory will be shelter and protection:
shade from the parching heat of day,
refuge and cover from storm and rain.


Responsorial Psalm
122:1-2, 3-4b, 4cd-5, 6-7, 8-9

R Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
I rejoiced because they said to me,
"We will go up to the house of the LORD."
And now we have set foot
within your gates, O Jerusalem.
R Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
Jerusalem, built as a city
with compact unity.
To it the tribes go up,
the tribes of the LORD.
R Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
According to the decree for Israel,
to give thanks to the name of the LORD.
In it are set up judgment seats,
seats for the house of David.
R Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem!
May those who love you prosper!
May peace be within your walls,
prosperity in your buildings.
R Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
Because of my relatives and friends
I will say, "Peace be within you!"
Because of the house of the LORD, our God,
I will pray for your good.
R Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.


Gospel
Mt 8:5-11

When Jesus entered Capernaum,
a centurion approached him and appealed to him, saying,
"Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, suffering dreadfully."
He said to him, "I will come and cure him."
The centurion said in reply,
"Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof;
only say the word and my servant will be healed.
For I too am a man subject to authority,
with soldiers subject to me.
And I say to one, ‘Go,' and he goes;
and to another, ‘Come here,' and he comes;
and to my slave, ‘Do this,' and he does it."
When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him,
"Amen, I say to you, in no one in Israel have I found such faith.
I say to you, many will come from the east and the west,
and will recline with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob
at the banquet in the Kingdom of heaven."

[Salvation]

For your reading, reflection, faith-sharing, comments, questions, discussion.

[Salvation]

Alleluia Ping!

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[Knitting A Conundrum]

Prayer ping


O Child of promise,
given to us
by the word of the Father,
whose coming
we contemplate with joy, perhaps,
with trepidation, perhaps,
Immanuel,
God with us,
you who leaving the father
to make yourself nothing,
a servant
obedient even unto death,
you whom we call
wonderful,
counsellor,
God almighty,
Prince of peace,
teach us to realize
the wonder of your incarnation
as we contemplate
what it means
to have God with us,
to walk with us,
weep with us,
die for us,
save us.

Amen.

[Smartass]

A dog had followed his owner to school.

His owner was a fourth grader at a public elementary school.

However, when the bell rang, the dog slid inside the building
and made it all the way to the child's classroom before a teacher
noticed and shooed him outside, closing the door behind him.

The dog sat down, whimpered and stared at the closed doors.

Then God appeared beside the dog, patted his head, and said,
"Don't feel bad fella'....they won't let ME in either."

[Jaded]

Amen

[Salvation]

From: Matthew 8:5-11


The Centurion's Faith

---

[5] As He (Jesus) entered Capernaum, a centurion came forward to Him,
beseeching Him [6] and saying, "Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at
home, in terrible distress." [7] And He said to him, "I will come and
heal him." [8] But the centurion answered Him, "Lord, I am not worthy
to have You come under my roof; but only say the word, and my servant
will be healed. [9] For I am a man under authority, with soldiers
under me; and I say to one, `Go,' and he goes, and to another, `Come,'
and he comes, and to my slave, `Do this,' and he does it." [10] When
Jesus heard him, He marvelled, and said to those who followed Him,
"Truly, I say to you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.
[11] I tell you, many will come from east and west and sit at table
with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the Kingdom of Heaven."

---

Commentary:


5-11. "Centurion": an officer of the Roman army in control of one
hundred men. This man's faith is still an example to us. At the
solemn moment when a Christian is about to receive Jesus in the Blessed
Sacrament, the Church's liturgy places on his lips and in his heart
these words of the centurion, to enliven his faith: Lord, I am not
worthy...".


The Jews of this time regarded any Jew who entered a Gentile's house as
contracting legal impurity (cf. John 19:28; Acts 11:2-3). This
centurion has the deference not to place Jesus in an embarrassing
position in the eyes of His fellow Israelites. He shows that he is
convinced that Jesus has the power over disease and illness; he
suggests that if Jesus just says the word, He will do what is needed
without having actually to visit the house; he is reasoning, in a
simple, logical way, on the basis of his own professional experience.
Jesus avails of this meeting with a Gentile believer to make a solemn
prophecy to the effect that His Gospel is addressed to the world at
large; all men, of every nation and race, of every age and condition,
are called to follow Christ.

---

Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries". Biblical text
taken from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries
made by members of the Faculty of Theology of the University of
Navarre, Spain. Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock,
Co. Dublin, Ireland.

[Salvation]

Monday, November 29, 2004
All Saints of the Seraphic Order (Feast)

First Reading: Psalm: Gospel:

Sirach 44:1-1, 10-15 Psalm 24:1-6 Mark 10:17-21 The everlasting God has in His wisdom, foreseen from eternity the cross that He now presents to you as a gift from His inmost heart. This cross He now sends you, He has considered with His all-knowing eyes, understood with His Divine mind, tested with His wise justice, warmed with His loving arms and weighed with His own hands, to see that it be not one inch too large and not one ounce too heavy for you. He has blessed it with His holy Name, anointed it with His grace, perfumed it with His consolation, taken one last glance at you and your courage, and then sent it to you from heaven, a special greeting from God to you, an alms of the all-merciful love of God. Our business is to love what would have done. He wills our vocation as it is. Let us love that and not trifle away our time hankering after other people's vocations.  -- St. Francis de Sales

[Salvation]

Homily of the Day

Homily of the Day

Title:	No Strangers, Only Brothers and Sisters
Author:	Monsignor Dennis Clark, Ph.D.
Date:	Monday, November 29, 2004

Isaiah 4:2-6; Matthew 8:5-11

With each passing year, we find ourselves confronted with abundant new evidence of our human inclination to fragment into in-groups and out-groups. Whether on the international scale or in our own neighborhoods, schools, and parishes, we see it happening over and over, one group declaring another to be outsiders, strangers, inferiors, not one of “us.” The division is always arbitrary and usually quite superficial in origin, but that doesn’t lessen the intensity with which it is felt and enforced, sometimes even with threats of death.

Nothing could be further from the big family, the communion, which our hearts yearn for. Isaiah tells us in today’s Old Testament reading that God has a very different vision of our future. “The mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established as the highest mountain and...all nations shall stream toward it.” In God’s vision, there is no “they," only “we”; no strangers, only brothers and sisters.

So how are we doing at making God’s plan come true? Are we leaving anyone or any group outside the circle of our love and concern? Isn’t it time to bring everyone inside?

 

[Salvation]

The Word Among Us

Monday, November 29, 2004 Meditation Isaiah 4:2-6 “Power tends to corrupt; absolute power corrupts absolutely.” So wrote Lord Acton, a British historian from the late-nineteenth century. No matter what your situation, the more authority and power you have, the more tempted you will be to abuse that power. Lord Acton’s words—while probably too cynical and pessimistic overall—were often played out in first-century Palestine as the Roman occupying force exerted quite a bit of power over the Jews in the land. A Roman centurion, for instance, usually commanded a great deal of respect—or at least fear—among the people, and it’s easy to imagine how someone in this position might become quite prideful and arrogant. Yet the centurion who came to Jesus seemed to be immune to the temptations of power. He didn’t just come with faith in Jesus. He came with great humility as well. He didn’t even consider himself worthy to have Jesus enter his house. How could Jesus resist so humble and trusting an attitude? This man’s humility and openness to Jesus were the keys to experiencing Jesus’ healing power. And this man was not alone. In story after story in the gospels, humility and lowliness before the Lord seem to tug at his heart, opening his love and mercy. By contrast, pride and arrogance block the flow of his grace, since they tend to keep the hard of heart at a distance. And it makes sense, doesn’t it? Because Jesus himself is meek and humble of heart, those who seek to be like him naturally make themselves open to the same grace from heaven that moved so powerfully in him. This Advent, why not make it your goal to grow in humility and openness to the Lord? If you’ve been away from the Sacrament of Reconciliation, confess your sins. Is there some way you can reach out to the hurting in your community? Or maybe you could work at breaking down any barriers that might exist between yourself and someone close to you. Whatever you do this month, know that Jesus loves you immensely and has the power to change your life and the lives of those around you. “Lord Jesus, I really am not worthy to have you in my presence, but I trust in your love and mercy to come to me and to make me more like you.”

[Salvation]

One Bread, One Body

One Bread, One Body

 

<< Monday, November 29, 2004 >>

Isaiah 4:2-6

Psalm 122

Matthew 8:5-11

View Readings

CAN YOU BELIEVE THIS?

“The fruit of the earth will be honor...when the Lord...purges Jerusalem’s blood from her midst.” —Isaiah 4:2, 4

As we begin Advent, the Church presents us with a series of mind-boggling prophecies from the prophet Isaiah. These pro­phecies paint a picture of restoration more glorious than anything we could ask for or imagine (Eph 3:20), a restoration fashioned by the coming Messiah, the Branch of the Lord (Is 4:2).

As this is being written, Jerusalem is bloody with the aftermath of a series of suicide bombers in the marketplaces and terror in its homes. Yet the Lord, through the Messiah, wants to purge “Jerusalem’s blood from her midst” (Is 4:4). He wants to so transform Jerusalem that “instruction, and the word of the Lord” will go forth from her instead of conflict (Is 2:3). Isaiah proclaims a Messiah so powerful that He can cause Israel and the Palestinians to cash in their weapons to buy seed and tractors, since they no longer have interest in fighting each other over the land (Is 2:4).

Jesus, the Messiah, has awesome power. He has fantastic plans for good (see Jer 29:11), plans which include us (Heb 11:40). Nearly everyone missed the Messiah’s first Christmas coming, even after centuries of announcements from Isaiah and other prophets. Now the Church in her Advent readings tells us to get ready for Jesus’ coming this Christmas. Will we, disbelieving, shrug off the fantastic prophecies as too good to be true and miss His coming again? Jesus is looking for faith (see Mt 8:10) — in Him and in His promises. This Christmas, when Jesus “comes, will He find any faith on the earth?” (Lk 18:8)

Prayer: “Lord, I am not worthy to receive You. Speak but the word and my soul shall be healed” (see Mt 8:8).

Promise: “His glory will be shelter and protection.” —Is 4:6

Praise: Linda accepted the Holy Spirit’s gift of prophecy, and now uses it to lead others to intercede for the world.

[Salvation]

Advent 2004: Symbols, Meanings, Facts, Calendar

Reflections for Advent and Christmas, [November 28, 2004 - January 9, 2005]

[annalex]

Mt 8:5-11
#	Douay-Rheims	Vulgate
5	And when he had entered into Capharnaum, there came to him a centurion, beseeching him,	cum autem introisset Capharnaum accessit ad eum centurio rogans eum
6	And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, and is grievously tormented.	et dicens Domine puer meus iacet in domo paralyticus et male torquetur
7	And Jesus saith to him: I will come and heal him.	et ait illi Iesus ego veniam et curabo eum
8	And the centurion, making answer, said: Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldst enter under my roof; but only say the word, and my servant shall be healed.	et respondens centurio ait Domine non sum dignus ut intres sub tectum meum sed tantum dic verbo et sanabitur puer meus
9	For I also am a man subject to authority, having under me soldiers; and I say to this, Go, and he goeth, and to another Come, and he cometh, and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.	nam et ego homo sum sub potestate habens sub me milites et dico huic vade et vadit et alio veni et venit et servo meo fac hoc et facit
10	And Jesus hearing this, marvelled; and said to them that followed him. Amen I say to you, I have not found so great faith in Israel.	audiens autem Iesus miratus est et sequentibus se dixit amen dico vobis non inveni tantam fidem in Israhel
11	And I say to you that many shall come from the east and the west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven:	dico autem vobis quod multi ab oriente et occidente venient et recumbent cum Abraham et Isaac et Iacob in regno caelorum

[Askel5]

ROMAN MISSAL | DOUAY RHEIMS TEXTS

---

Dómine, non sum dignus ut intres sub tectum meum:
sed tantum dic verbo, et sanábitur ánima mea.

Dómine, non sum dignus ut intres sub tectum meum:
sed tantum dic verbo, et sanábitur ánima mea.

Dómine, non sum dignus ut intres sub tectum meum:
sed tantum dic verbo, et sanábitur ánima mea.




-----------------†JMJ†-----------------
Monday, 1st Week in Advent
---------------†AMDG†---------------

ENTRANCE ANTIPHON
See Jer 31:10 and Is 35:4
Audíte verbum Dómini, gentes, et annuntiáte illud in fínibus terræ
Ecce Salvátor noster advéniet, et íam nolíte timére.
Hear the word of the Lord, O ye nations,
and declare it in the islands that are afar off
Say to the fainthearted: Take courage, and fear not:
God himself will come.

OPENING PRAYER
Lord our Godl
help us to prepare
for the coming of Christ your Son.
May he find us waiting eager in joyful prayer.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son.

I confess to almighty God,
and to you, my brothers and sisters,
that I have sinned through my own fault
--strike the breast--
in my thoughts and in my words
in what I have done,
and in what I have failed to do;
and I ask blessed Mary, ever virgin,
all the angels and saints,
and you, my brothers and sisters,
to pray for me to the Lord our God.

FIRST READING – Is 4:2-6
They sang the song of Moses and the song of the Lamb.

And in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying:
We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel:
only let us be called by thy name, take away our reproach.

In that day the bud of the Lord shall be in magnificence and glory,
and the fruit of the earth shall be high,
and a great joy to them that shall have escaped of Israel.

And it shall come to pass, that every one that shall be left in Sion,
and that shall remain in Jerusalem, shall be called holy,
every one that is written in life in Jerusalem.

If the Lord shall wash away the filth of the daughters of Sion,
and shall wash away the blood of Jerusalem out of the midst thereof,
by the spirit of judgment, and by the spirit of burning.

And the Lord will create upon every place of mount Sion,

and where he is called upon, a cloud by day,
and a smoke and the brightness of a flaming fire in the night:
for over all the glory shall be a protection.

And there shall be a tabernacle
for a shade in the daytime from the heat,
and for a security and covert from the whirlwind,
and from rain.
__________________________________________________
2 "The bud of the Lord"... That is, Christ.


RESPONSORIAL PSALM – Ps 121:1-9
In domum Dómini lætántes ibimus.
(NAB: Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.

I rejoiced at the things that were said to me:
We shall go into the house of the Lord.
Our feet were standing in thy courts, O Jerusalem.
Jerusalem, which is built as a city,
which is compact together.

For thither did the tribes go up,
the tribes of the Lord:
the testimony of Israel,
to praise the name of the Lord.
Because their seats have sat in judgment,
seats upon the house of David.

Pray ye for the things that are for the peace of Jerusalem:
and abundance for them that love thee.
Let peace be in thy strength: and abundance in thy towers.

For the sake of my brethren, and of my neighbours,
I spoke peace of thee.

Because of the house of the Lord our God,
I have sought good things for thee.


ALLELUIA – Ps 79:4
Veni ad liberándum nos, Dómine deus noster;
osténde fáciem tuam, et salvi érimus.
Alleluia, alleluia
Convert us, O God: and shew us thy face, and we shall be saved.
Alleluia, alleluia.

(NAB: Come and save us, Lord or God,
let your face shine upon us that we may be saved.)


GOSPEL – Mt 8:5-11
Many will come from the east and the west into the Kingdom of heaven.

And when he had entered into Capharnaum,
there came to him a centurion, beseeching him,
And saying,
Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy,
and is grieviously tormented.

And Jesus saith to him:
I will come and heal him.
And the centurion making answer, said:
Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldst enter under my roof:
but only say the word, and my servant shall be healed.
For I also am a man subject to authority,
having under me soldiers; and I say to this,
Go, and he goeth, and to another,
Come, and he cometh, and to my servant,
Do this, and he doeth it.

And Jesus hearing this, marvelled;
\and said to them that followed him:
Amen I say to you,
I have not found so great faith in Israel.

And I say to you that many shall come from the east and the west,
and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac,
and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven:

But the children of the kingdom
shall be cast out into the exterior darkness:
there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
And Jesus said to the centurion:
Go, and as thou hast believed, so be it done to thee.
And the servant was healed at the same hour.

---

[Askel5]

Found an odd little book on my grandparents' shelves this weekend. Part of the cache of which I've taken temporary custody for now during their move back home closer to family.

Daily prayers for the Lay Apostolate. I'll try to be religious about posting them as well. Hope it proves a good addition to your thread.

[fatima]

please pray for my granddaughter Baby Sara in the hospital tonight with suspected meningitis ,2 weeks old.

[Askel5]

ROMAN MISSAL | DOUAY RHEIMS TEXTS

---

November 29, 2004

---

Presence of God

Grace I Ask:
Lord, give me the realization of my need for this weapon in my battle as a Christian and a Sodalist.

The Idea
This meditation and the two following bring to a close the first main division of the battle, dislodging the enemy. We have taken a long look at sin. We have seen its results. And now we are sure we want no part of it.

Our work, then, is cut out for us: rooting out our habits of sin, planting habits of virtue. And here we get a sure-fire weapon--The Particular Examination--with its double action, offensive and defensive. We'll use it at night during our general examination of conscience.

First, its defensive action. The target is one sinful habit strangling our soul. Aim at a particular one, and only one. Work on the exterior habits first, the ones that other notice. Each night we write down how often this habit has mastered us during that day. Notice where, when, with whom. Make plans against these weak spots.

In preparing for weekly confession, concentrate on this particular fault. Under such concentrated fire, no evil habit can last long. Target remains the same until demolished.

On the offensive, we'll use the Particular Examination to gain a good habit, for instance, recalling to mind that God is here and now present within me. Again, just one at a time. Each night we'll check up: how often did I recall God's presence today?

Concentrate. It will grow.

I Speak to God:
Oh my God, this is just the strategy I need. It is going to call for some real soul power to stick to it day after day. But I know it will work. Others, like Francis of Assisi and Mother Cabrini have used it toward becoming saints. Often I will be tempted to forget about it, give it up.

That's when I"ll need and extra push from you. With you, I know I can succeed. What fault should I start with?

Thought for the Day:
"My God, show me where I should begin?

---

MENTAL PRAYER: Challenge to the Lay Apostle
Theologians Sodality Academy (St. Marys, KS; 1958)

---

[Askel5]

I must admit, when the Missal leaves out the close for what seems the only possibly purpose that is sidestepping a loaded line like this below, I have to wonder ...


But the children of the kingdom
shall be cast out into the exterior darkness:
there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
And Jesus said to the centurion:
Go, and as thou hast believed, so be it done to thee.
And the servant was healed at the same hour.

[Salvation]

Prayers are on the way.

[fatima]

Thanks Salvation.

[fatima]

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