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Catholic Caucus: Daily Mass Readings, 11-06-07
USCCB.org/New American Bible ^ | 11-06-07 | New American Bible

Posted on 11/06/2007 7:15:15 AM PST by Salvation

November 6, 2007

                                    Tuesday of the Thirty-first Week
                                        in Ordinary Time

Psalm: Tuesday 40

 
 
 
Reading 1
Responsorial Psalm
Gospel

Reading 1
Rom 12:5-16ab

Brothers and sisters:
We, though many, are one Body in Christ
and individually parts of one another.
Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us,
let us exercise them:
if prophecy, in proportion to the faith;
if ministry, in ministering;
if one is a teacher, in teaching;
if one exhorts, in exhortation;
if one contributes, in generosity;
if one is over others, with diligence;
if one does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.

Let love be sincere;
hate what is evil,
hold on to what is good;
love one another with mutual affection;
anticipate one another in showing honor.
Do not grow slack in zeal,
be fervent in spirit,
serve the Lord.
Rejoice in hope,
endure in affliction,
persevere in prayer.
Contribute to the needs of the holy ones,
exercise hospitality.
Bless those who persecute you,
bless and do not curse them.
Rejoice with those who rejoice,
weep with those who weep.
Have the same regard for one another;
do not be haughty but associate with the lowly.

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 131:1bcde, 2, 3

R. In you, O Lord, I have found my peace.
O LORD, my heart is not proud,
nor are my eyes haughty;
I busy not myself with great things,
nor with things too sublime for me.
R. In you, O Lord, I have found my peace.
Nay rather, I have stilled and quieted
my soul like a weaned child.
Like a weaned child on its mother’s lap,
so is my soul within me.
R. In you, O Lord, I have found my peace.
O Israel, hope in the LORD,
both now and forever.
R. In you, O Lord, I have found my peace.

Gospel
Lk 14:15-24

One of those at table with Jesus said to him,
“Blessed is the one who will dine in the Kingdom of God.”
He replied to him,
“A man gave a great dinner to which he invited many.
When the time for the dinner came,
he dispatched his servant to say to those invited,
‘Come, everything is now ready.’
But one by one, they all began to excuse themselves.
The first said to him,
‘I have purchased a field and must go to examine it;
I ask you, consider me excused.’
And another said, ‘I have purchased five yoke of oxen
and am on my way to evaluate them;
I ask you, consider me excused.’
And another said, ‘I have just married a woman,
and therefore I cannot come.’
The servant went and reported this to his master.
Then the master of the house in a rage commanded his servant,
‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town
and bring in here the poor and the crippled,
the blind and the lame.’
The servant reported, ‘Sir, your orders have been carried out
and still there is room.’
The master then ordered the servant,
‘Go out to the highways and hedgerows

and make people come in that my home may be filled.
For, I tell you, none of those men who were invited will taste my dinner.’”




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1 posted on 11/06/2007 7:15:17 AM PST by Salvation
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To: nickcarraway; sandyeggo; Lady In Blue; NYer; ELS; Pyro7480; livius; Catholicguy; RobbyS; ...
Alleluia Ping!

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2 posted on 11/06/2007 7:16:36 AM PST by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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To: All
November Devotion: The Holy Souls in Purgatory


Since the 16th century Catholic piety has assigned entire months to special devotions. As a reminder of our duty to pray for the suffering faithful in Purgatory, the Church has dedicated the month of November to the Holy Souls. The Holy Souls are those who have died in the state of grace but who are not yet free from all punishment due to their unforgiven venial sins and all other sins already forgiven for which satisfaction is still to be made. They are certain of entering Heaven, but first they must suffer in Purgatory. The Holy Souls cannot help themselves because for them the night has come, when no man can work (John 9:4). It is our great privilege of brotherhood that we can shorten their time of separation from God by our prayers, good works, and, especially, the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

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

FOR THE SOULS IN PURGATORY
My Jesus, by the sorrows Thou didst suffer in Thine agony in the Garden, in Thy scourging and crowning with thorns, in the way to Calvary, in Thy crucifixion and death, have mercy on the souls in purgatory, and especially on those that are most forsaken; do Thou deliver them from the dire torments they endure; call them and admit them to Thy most sweet embrace in paradise.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Eternal rest, etc.

FOR ALL THE DECEASED
By Thy resurrection from the dead, O Christ, death no longer hath dominion over those who die in holiness. So, we beseech Thee, give rest to Thy servants in Thy sanctuary and in Abraham's bosom. Grant it to those, who from Adam until now have adored Thee with purity, to our fathers and brothers, to our kinsmen and friends, to all men who have lived by faith and passed on their road to Thee, by a thousand ways, and in all conditions, and make them worthy of the heavenly kingdom.
Byzantine Liturgy

DE PROFUNDIS
The psalmist is crying out here from the depression that grips him because of his sense of sin. He tells God that no man could be forgiven should strict justice be demanded; but, since God is forgiving and merciful, the psalmist (Israel) will hope for redemption from iniquities. We, who know the mercy of God far better than the g Israelites, may pray this psalm with even greater trust in God.
The Church uses this psalm in the liturgy as her official prayer for the souls in Purgatory.

Out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord; Lord, hear my, voice!
Let Your ears be attentive to my voice in supplication:
If You, O Lord, mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand?
But with You is forgiveness, that You may be revered.
I trust in the Lord; my soul trusts in His word.
My soul waits for the Lord more than sentinels wait for the dawn.
More than sentinels wait for the dawn, let Israel wait for the Lord,
For with the Lord is kindness and with Him is plenteous redemption;
And He will redeem Israel from all their iniquities.
Psalm 130

THE MISERERE
This psalm is a marvelous act of contrition, confession, and supplication by a repentant sinner. It was composed by David after his sin with Bethsabee. In reparation David promises to lead others back to God by telling them of the ways of divine justice. Instead of offering God an external sacrifice which he knows He will not accept, he offers instead the sacrifice of a contrite and humble heart, a sacrifice that will always be most pleasing in the eyes of God.
Have mercy on me, 0 God, in Your goodness; in the greatness of Your compassion wipe out my offense.
Thoroughly wash me from my guilt and of my sin cleanse me.
For I acknowledge my offense, and my sin is before me always:
"Against You only have I sinned, and done what is evil in Your sight"--
That You may be justified in Your sentence, vindicated when You condemn.
Indeed, in guilt was I born, and in sin my mother conceived me;
Behold, You are pleased with sincerity of heart, and in my inmost being You teach me wisdom.
Cleanse me of sin with hyssop, that I may be purified; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Let me hear the sounds of joy and gladness; the bones You have crushed shall rejoice.
Turn away Your face from my sins, and blot out all my guilt.
A clean heart create for me, 0 God, and a steadfast spirit renew within me.
Cast me not out from Your presence, and Your holy spirit take not from me.
Give me back the joy of Your salvation, and a willing spirit sustain in me.
I will teach transgressors Your ways, and sinners shall return to You.
Free me from blood guilt, 0 God, my saving God; then my tongue shall revel in Your justice.
O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall proclaim Your praise.
For You are not pleased with sacrifices; should I offer a holocaust, You would not accept it.
My sacrifice, O God, is a contrite spirit; a heart contrite and humbled, 0 God, You will not spurn.
Be bountiful, O Lord, to Sion in Your kindness by rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem;
Then shall You be pleased with due sacrifices, burnt offerings and holocausts; then shall they offer up bullocks on Your altar.
Psalm 50

FOR THE SOULS IN PURGATORY
O Lord, who art ever merciful and bounteous with Thy gifts, look down upon the suffering souls in purgatory. Remember not their offenses and negligences, but be mindful of Thy loving mercy, which is from all eternity. Cleanse them of their sins and fulfill their ardent desires that they may be made worthy to behold Thee face to face in Thy glory. May they soon be united with Thee and hear those blessed words which will call them to their heavenly home: "Come, blessed of My Father, take possession of the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world."

Prayer Source: Prayer Book, The by Reverend John P. O'Connell, M.A., S.T.D. and Jex Martin, M.A., The Catholic Press, Inc., Chicago, Illinois, 1954

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Little Litany of the Holy Souls

This litany was written by Dr. Blanche Jennings Thompson, Franciscan Tertiary. It is approved for private use and bears the imprimatur of Most Rev. Samuel Stritch, former Archbishop of Milwaukee.

Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.

Holy Souls, Pray for us.
For the souls of our families We pray Thee, O God.
For the souls of our friends, We pray Thee, O God.
For the souls of our enemies, We pray Thee, O God.
For the souls of all pagans, We pray Thee, O God.
For the souls of all priests, We pray Thee, O God.
For the souls of all religious, We pray Thee, O God.
For the souls of the just, We pray Thee, O God.
For the souls of all sinners, We pray Thee, O God.
For the Holy Souls in Purgatory, We pray Thee, O God.
For those who have none to pray for them, We pray Thee, O God.

O almighty and eternal God, we beg Thee to have mercy on the Holy Souls in Purgatory, especially those for whom we are bound to pray; and we ask Thee also to listen to the prayers of the Blessed Souls in our behalf. Amen.

Prayer Source: Kyrie Eleison — Two Hundred Litanies by Benjamin Francis Musser O.F.M., The Magnificat Press, 1944

The Doctrine of Purgatory

Required for entrance to Purgatory? Personal question for Cathloic Freepers.

Straight Answers: What Is Purgatory Like?

Do Catholics Believe in Purgatory?

Purgatory, Indulgences, and the Work of Jesus Christ (Discussion)

Prayer to Release the Souls of Purgatory

The Forgotten Souls in Purgatory

Praying for the dead [Purgatory]

3 posted on 11/06/2007 7:17:56 AM PST by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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To: All
Repeat these prayers every seven days during the month of November for the Poor Souls in Purgatory


SUNDAY

O Lord God omnipotent, I beseech You by the Precious Blood, which Your divine Son Jesus shed in the Garden, deliver the souls in purgatory, and especially that one which is the most forsaken of all, and bring it into Your glory, where it may praise and bless You for ever.    Amen.
Say here:  one Our Father and one Hail Mary

CONCLUDING PRAYERS

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

Merciful Father, hear our prayers and console us.   As we renew our faith in Your Son, whom You raised from the dead, strengthen our hope that all our departed brothers and sisters will share in His resurrection, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.    Amen.



 

MONDAY

O Lord God omnipotent, I beseech You by the Precious Blood, which Your divine Son Jesus shed in His cruel scourging, deliver the souls in purgatory, and among them all, especially that soul which is nearest to its entrance into Your glory, that it may soon begin to praise You and bless You for ever.    Amen.
Say here:  one Our Father and one Hail Mary

CONCLUDING PRAYERS

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

Merciful Father, hear our prayers and console us.   As we renew our faith in Your Son, whom You raised from the dead, strengthen our hope that all our departed brothers and sisters will share in His resurrection, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.    Amen.



 

TUESDAY

O Lord God omnipotent, I beseech You by the Precious Blood of Your divine Son Jesus that was shed in His bitter crowning with thorns, deliver the souls in purgatory, and among them all, particularly that soul which is in the greatest need of our prayers, in order that it may not long be delayed in praising You in Your glory and blessing You for ever.    Amen.
Say here:  one Our Father and one Hail Mary

CONCLUDING PRAYERS

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

Merciful Father, hear our prayers and console us.   As we renew our faith in Your Son, whom You raised from the dead, strengthen our hope that all our departed brothers and sisters will share in His resurrection, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.    Amen.


 

WEDNESDAY

O Lord God omnipotent, I beseech You by the Precious Blood of Your divine Son Jesus that was shed in the streets of Jerusalem while He carried on His sacred shoulders the heavy burden of the Cross, deliver the souls in purgatory and especially that one which is richest in merits in Your sight, so that, having soon attained the high place in glory to which it is destined, it may praise You triumphantly and bless You for ever.    Amen
Say here:  one Our Father and one Hail Mary

CONCLUDING PRAYERS

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

Merciful Father, hear our prayers and console us.   As we renew our faith in Your Son, whom You raised from the dead, strengthen our hope that all our departed brothers and sisters will share in His resurrection, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.    Amen.



 

THURSDAY

O Lord God omnipotent, I beseech You by the Precious Body and Blood of Your divine Son Jesus, which He Himself on the night before His Passion gave as meat and drink to His beloved Apostles and bequeathed to His Holy Church to be the perpetual Sacrifice and life-giving nourishment of His faithful people, deliver the souls in purgatory, but most of all, that soul which was most devoted to this Mystery of infinite love, in order that it may praise You therefore, together with Your divine Son and the Holy Spirit in Your glory for ever.    Amen.
Say here:  one Our Father and one Hail Mary

CONCLUDING PRAYERS

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

Merciful Father, hear our prayers and console us.   As we renew our faith in Your Son, whom You raised from the dead, strengthen our hope that all our departed brothers and sisters will share in His resurrection, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.    Amen.


 

FRIDAY

O Lord God omnipotent,
I beseech You by the Precious Blood which Jesus Your divine Son did shed this day upon the tree of the Cross, especially from His sacred Hands and Feet, deliver the souls in purgatory, and particularly that soul for whom I am most bound to pray, in order that I may not be the cause which hinders You from admitting it quickly to the possession of Your glory where it may praise You and bless You for evermore.    Amen
Say here:  one Our Father and one Hail Mary

CONCLUDING PRAYERS

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

Merciful Father, hear our prayers and console us.   As we renew our faith in Your Son, whom You raised from the dead, strengthen our hope that all our departed brothers and sisters will share in His resurrection, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.    Amen.
 
 
 

SATURDAY

O Lord God omnipotent, I beseech You by the Precious Blood which gushed forth from the sacred Side of Your divine Son Jesus in the presence and to the great sorrow of His most holy Mother, deliver the souls in purgatory and among them all especially that soul which has been most devout to this noble Lady, that it may come quickly into Your glory, there to praise You in her, and her in You through all the ages.    Amen.
Say here:  one Our Father and one Hail Mary

CONCLUDING PRAYERS

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

Merciful Father, hear our prayers and console us.   As we renew our faith in Your Son, whom You raised from the dead, strengthen our hope that all our departed brothers and sisters will share in His resurrection, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.    Amen.





 

4 posted on 11/06/2007 7:19:01 AM PST by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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To: All
Prayer Intentions for Pope Benedict XVI

NOVEMBER 2007

General:
That those dedicated to medical research and all those engaged in legislative activity may always have deep respect for human life, from. its beginning to its natural conclusion.

Mission: That in the Korean Peninsula the spirit of reconciliation and peace may grow.

5 posted on 11/06/2007 7:35:17 AM PST by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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To: All

From: Luke 14:15-24

Parable of the Invited Guests


[15] When one of those who sat at table with Him (Jesus) heard this,
he said to Him, “Blessed is he who shall eat bread in the Kingdom of
God!” [16] But He said to him, “A man once gave a great banquet,
and invited many; [17] and at the time for the banquet he sent his ser-
vant to say to those who had been invited, `Come; for all is now ready.’
[18] But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him,
`I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it; I pray you, have
me excused.’ [19] And another said, `I have bought five yoke of oxen,
and I go to examine them; I pray you, have me excused.’ [20] And
another said, `I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’
[21] So the servant came and reported this to his master. Then the
householder in anger said to his servant, `Go out quickly to the streets
and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and maimed and blind and
lame.’ [22] And the servant said, `Sir, what you commanded has been
done, and still there is room.’ [23] And the master said to the servant,
`Go out to the highways and hedges, and compel people to come in,
that my house may be filled. [24] For I tell you, none of those who
were invited shall taste my banquet.’”


Commentary:

15. In biblical language the expression “to eat bread in the Kingdom of
God” means sharing in eternal beatitude, of which this great banquet is
a symbol (cf. Isaiah 25:6; Matthew 22:1-4).

16-24. If God invites someone to know Him in faith, he should sacrifice
any human interest which gets in the way of replying to God’s call, no
matter how lawful and noble it be. The objections we tend to put for-
ward, the duties we appeal to, are really just excuses. This is why the
ungrateful invitees are blameworthy.

“Compel people to come in”: it is not a matter of forcing anyone’s free-
dom — God does not want us to love Him under duress—but of helping
a person to make right decisions, to shrug off any human respect, to
avoid occasions of sin, to do what he can to discover the truth.... A
person is “compelled to come in” through prayer, the example of a
Christian life, friendship—in a word, apostolate. “If in order to save an
earthly life it is praiseworthy to use force to stop a man from commit-
ting suicide, are we not to be allowed use of the same force—holy
coercion — to save the Life (with a capital) of many who are stupidly
bent on killing their souls?” ([St] J. Escriva, “The Way”, 399).


Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”.
Biblical text from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate.
Commentaries by members of the Faculty of Theology, University
of Navarre, Spain.

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin,
Ireland.
Reprinted with permission from from Four Courts Press and Scepter
Publishers, the U.S. publishers.


6 posted on 11/06/2007 7:39:44 AM PST by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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To: All
Scripture readings taken from the Jerusalem Bible, published and copyright © 1966, 1967 and 1968 by Darton, Longman & Todd

Mass Readings

First reading Romans 12:5 - 16 ©
All of us, in union with Christ, form one body, and as parts of it we belong to each other. Our gifts differ according to the grace given us. If your gift is prophecy, then use it as your faith suggests; if administration, then use it for administration; if teaching, then use it for teaching. Let the preachers deliver sermons, the almsgivers give freely, the officials be diligent, and those who do works of mercy do them cheerfully.
Do not let your love be a pretence, but sincerely prefer good to evil. Love each other as much as brothers should, and have a profound respect for each other. Work for the Lord with untiring effort and with great earnestness of spirit. If you have hope, this will make you cheerful. Do not give up if trials come; and keep on praying. If any of the saints are in need you must share with them; and you should make hospitality your special care.
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. Do not allow yourself to become self-satisfied.
Psalm or canticle Psalm 130 (131)
Childlike trust in God
Lord, I do not puff myself up or stare about,
or walk among the great or seek wonders beyond me.

Truly calm and quiet I have made my spirit:
quiet as a weaned child in its mother’s arms –
like an infant is my soul.

Let Israel hope in the Lord, now and for all time.
Gospel Luke 14:15 - 24 ©
On hearing this, one of those gathered round the table said to him, ‘Happy the man who will be at the feast in the kingdom of God!’ But he said to him, ‘There was a man who gave a great banquet, and he invited a large number of people. When the time for the banquet came, he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, “Come along: everything is ready now”. But all alike started to make excuses. The first said, “I have bought a piece of land and must go and see it. Please accept my apologies.” Another said, “I have bought five yoke of oxen and am on my way to try them out. Please accept my apologies.” Yet another said, “I have just got married and so am unable to come”.
‘The servant returned and reported this to his master. Then the householder, in a rage, said to his servant, “Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in here the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame”. “Sir” said the servant “your orders have been carried out and there is still room.” Then the master said to his servant, “Go to the open roads and the hedgerows and force people to come in to make sure my house is full; because, I tell you, not one of those who were invited shall have a taste of my banquet”.’

7 posted on 11/06/2007 7:42:06 AM PST by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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To: All
Office of Readings and Invitatory Prayer

Office of Readings

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

O God, come to my aid.
O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
 as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
 world without end.
Amen. Alleluia.


A suitable hymn may be inserted at this point.

Psalm 67 (68)
The Lord's triumphal journey
God arises and his enemies are scattered:
 those who hate him flee from his sight.
You blow them away like wisps of smoke;
 as wax melts in front of a fire,
 so the wicked melt away before God.
The righteous are glad and exult in God’s sight;
 they rejoice in their gladness.

Sing to the Lord and celebrate his name!
Make a road for him who rides upon the clouds –
 “The Lord” is his name.
Rejoice in his sight,
 the father of orphans, defender of widows,
 God in his holy dwelling-place,
God, who gives the lonely a house to dwell in,
 God, who leads captives out into prosperity;
 but the rebellious shall live in a desert land.

God, when you set out in the sight of your people,
 when you crossed the wilderness – the earth shook.
The heavens sent down dew at your coming –
 the God of Sinai, the God of Israel.
At your bidding the rains came, O God,
 your inheritance was worn out but you refreshed it.
All your creatures took up residence there,
 in your goodness you made a place for the needy.

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.

Psalm 67 (68)
The Lord gives out the word,
 and a great army of maidens brings the news:
“The kings of the armies are fleeing, they are fleeing,
 and the fair one at home is dividing the spoils.
While you sleep among the sheepfolds,
 the wings of the dove shine with silver,
 her feathers glow with green gold.
Through her the Almighty scatters the kings,
 and the mountain of Salmon is white with snow.

The mountain of Bashan is God’s mountain;
 the mountain of God is a high-peaked mountain.
Why do you envy it, you high-peaked mountains,
 envy the mountain that God has chosen?
 The Lord will dwell there for ever.
The chariots of God are ten thousand thousand:
 the Lord has come from Sinai to his holy sanctuary.
You have scaled the heights, you have taken captives,
 you have received men as gifts
 so that even the rebels live with the Lord God.

Blessings on the Lord, day after day!
 God will carry us, God our saviour.
Our God is a God of salvation,
 our Lord is a Lord who rescues from death.
Truly God will break the heads of his enemies,
 take the scalps of those who tread the path of crime.

The Lord has spoken:
 “I shall bring them back from Bashan,
 I shall bring them back from the depths of the sea,
so that your feet may be dipped in blood
 and the tongues of your dogs receive food from your enemies”.

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.

Psalm 67 (68)
They have seen your processions, O God,
 the processions of God, my king, to his sanctuary.
First came the singers, last the musicians,
 between them the maidens playing their drums.
“Bless God in the assemblies:
 bless the Lord, you who spring from Israel!”
There was young Benjamin, leading them,
 the princes of Judah in their rich robes,
 the princes of Zebulun, the princes of Naphtali.

O God, command in your strength;
 make firm what you have achieved in us.
From your temple in Jerusalem,
 kings shall bring you tribute.
Rebuke the wild beast of the reeds,
 the herd of bulls, the lords of peoples.
 Let them lie prostrate before you with tribute of silver.
Scatter the peoples that delight in war.
 Nobles will come from Egypt,
 Ethiopia will stretch out its hands to God.

Kingdoms of the earth, sing to God;
 celebrate the Lord.
Sing to God who rides on the highest heavens,
 at the origin of all things.
Listen! – he speaks, a voice of power.

Acknowledge the strength of the Lord:
 his majesty is over Israel,
 his strength is in the clouds.
God inspires awe in his holy place;
 he, the God of Israel, gives power to his people;
 he gives them strength.
Blessed be 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.

Reading 1 Maccabees 2:1 - 70 ©
In those days Mattathias son of John, son of Simeon, a priest of the line of Joarib, left Jerusalem and settled in Modein.
The king’s commissioners who were enforcing the apostasy came to the town of Modein to make them sacrifice. Many Israelites gathered round them, but Mattathias and his sons drew apart. The king’s commissioners then addressed Mattathias as follows, ‘You are a respected leader, a great man in this town; you have sons and brothers to support you. Be the first to step forward and conform to the king’s decree, as all the nations have done, and the leaders of Judah and the survivors in Jerusalem; you and your sons shall be reckoned among the Friends of the King, you and your sons shall be honoured with gold and silver and many presents.’ Raising his voice, Mattathias retorted, ‘Even if every nation living in the king’s dominions obeys him, each forsaking its ancestral religion to conform to his decrees, I, my sons and my brothers will still follow the covenant of our ancestors. Heaven preserve us from forsaking the Law and its observances. As for the king’s orders, we will not follow them: we will not swerve from our own religion either to right or to left.’ As he finished speaking, a Jew came forward in the sight of all to offer sacrifice on the altar in Modein as the royal edict required. When Mattathias saw this, he was fired with zeal; stirred to the depth of his being, he gave vent to his legitimate anger, threw himself on the man and slaughtered him on the altar. At the same time he killed the king’s commissioner who was there to enforce the sacrifice, and tore down the altar. In his zeal for the Law he acted as Phinehas did against Zimri son of Salu. Then Mattathias went through the town, shouting at the top of his voice, ‘Let everyone who has a fervour for the Law and takes his stand on the covenant come out and follow me’. Then he fled with his sons into the hills, leaving all their possessions behind in the town.
Soon they were joined by a community of Hasidaeans, stout fighting men of Israel, each one a volunteer on the side of the Law. All the refugees from the persecution rallied to them, giving them added support. They organised themselves into an armed force, striking down the sinners in their anger, and the renegades in their fury, and those who escaped them fled to the pagans for safety. Mattathias and his friends made a tour, overthrowing the altars and forcibly circumcising all the boys they found uncircumcised in the territories of Israel. They hunted down the upstarts, and managed their campaign to good effect. They wrested the Law out of the control of the pagans and the kings, and robbed sinful men of their advantage.
As the days of Mattathias were drawing to a close, he said to his sons, ‘Arrogance and outrage are now in the ascendant; it is a period of turmoil and bitter hatred. This is the time, my children, for you to have a burning fervour for the Law and to give your lives for the covenant of our ancestors. Here is your brother Simeon, I know he is a man of sound judgement. Listen to him all your lives; let him take your father’s place. Judas Maccabaeus, strong and brave from his youth, let him be your general and conduct the war against the pagans. The rest of you are to enrol in your ranks all those who keep the Law, and to exact vengeance for your people. Pay back the pagans to the full, and hold fast to the ordinance of the Law.’ Then he blessed them and was laid with his ancestors. He died in the year one hundred and forty-six and was buried in his ancestral tomb at Modein, and all Israel mourned him deeply.

Reading From the Second Vatican Council's pastoral constitution "Gaudium et spes" on the Church in the modern world
The duty of Christians to build peace
Christians should co-operate, willingly and wholeheartedly, in building an international order based on genuine respect for legitimate freedom and on a brotherhood of universal friendship. This is all the more urgent because the greater part of the world still experiences such poverty that in the voices of the poor Christ himself can be heard, crying out for charity from his followers. There are nations, many of them with a Christian majority, which enjoy an abundance of goods, while others are deprived of the necessities of life, and suffer from hunger, disease and all kinds of afflictions. This scandal must be removed from among men, for the glory of Christ’s Church and its testimony to the world are the spirit of poverty and the spirit of love.
Christians, especially young Christians, deserve praise and support when they offer themselves voluntarily in the service of other people and other nations. Indeed, it is the duty of all God’s people, with bishops giving a lead by word and example, to do all in their power to relieve the sufferings of our times, following the age-old custom of the Church in giving not only what they can spare but also what they need for themselves.
Without being uniform or inflexible, a method of collecting and distributing contributions should be established in each diocese and nation and on a world-wide level. Wherever it seems appropriate, there should be joint action between Catholics and other Christians. The spirit of charity, far from forbidding prudence and orderliness in social and charitable action, in fact demands them. Those intending to serve the developing countries must therefore undergo appropriate and systematic training.
In order to foster and encourage cooperation among men, the Church must be present and active in the community of nations. It must work through its own public organisations with the full and sincere cooperation of all Christians in their one desire to serve all mankind.
This end will be more effectively achieved if the faithful are themselves conscious of their human and Christian responsibilities and seek to awaken among those in their own walk of life a readiness to co-operate with the international community. Special care should be taken to give this kind of formation to young people in their religious and secular education.
Finally, it is to be hoped that, in carrying out their responsibilities in the international community, Catholics will seek to co-operate actively and constructively with other Christians, who profess the same Gospel of love, and with all men who hunger and thirst for true peace.

Concluding Prayer
Almighty and compassionate God, it is by your gift that your faithful are able to serve you as they ought.
 Grant that we may hasten towards the joys you have promised
 and not stumble or sin on the way.

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.

8 posted on 11/06/2007 7:44:39 AM PST by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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To: All
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Feria
First Reading:
Psalm:
Gospel:
Romans 12:5-16
Psalm 131:1-3
Luke 14:15-24

If I love Jesus, I ought to resemble Him; If I love Jesus, I ought to love what He loves, what He does, what He prefers to all else: humility. How may we acquire this virtue? Neither logic or reflection will help us any; thinking nice thoughts about it or taking heroic resolutions would lead us to believe we had already acquired it, and we would content oueselves with that. We must examine our actions to see if we not sought our own interest in them. Let us repeat often, " Jesus, so humble of heart, make our hearts like unto thine."

-- St. Peter Eymard


9 posted on 11/06/2007 7:49:54 AM PST by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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To: All
Catholic Culture

Daily Readings (on USCCB site):
» November 06, 2007
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Collect: God of power and mercy, only with your help can we offer you fitting service and praise. May we live the faith we profess and trust your promise of eternal life. Grant 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.

Month Year Season
« November 06, 2007 »

Tuesday of the Thirty-First Week of Ordinary Time

 
Since we are so closely associated with the Church Suffering in the communion of saints, fraternal charity demands that we pray fervently for those who have preceded us with the sign of faith and who rest in the sleep of peace. This thought is repeatedly inculcated in every Mass for the dead.


The Meaning of Suffrage
The just encounter God in death. He calls them to himself so as to share eternal life with them. No one, however, can be received into God's friendship and intimacy without having been purified of the consequences of personal sin. "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".

Hence derives the pious custom of suffrage for the souls of the faithful departed, which is an urgent supplication of God to have mercy on the souls of the dead, to purify them by the fire of His charity, and to bring them to His kingdom of light and life. This suffrage is a cultic expression of faith in the communion of saints. Indeed, "the Church in its pilgrim members, from the very earliest days of the Christian religion, has honoured with great respect the memory of the dead; and 'because it is a holy and a wholesome thought to pray for the dead that they may be loosed from their sins' (2 Mac 12, 46) she offers her suffrages for them." These consist, primarily, in the celebration of the holy sacrifice of the Eucharist, and in other pious exercises, such as prayers for the dead, alms deeds, works of mercy, and the application of indulgences to the souls of the faithful departed.

Directory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy


10 posted on 11/06/2007 7:52:55 AM PST by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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To: All
Lauds -- Morning Prayer

Morning Prayer (Lauds)

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

O God, come to my aid.
O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
 as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
 world without end.
Amen. Alleluia.


A suitable hymn may be inserted at this point.

Psalm 84 (85)
Our salvation is very near
You looked kindly, O Lord, on your land:
 you ended the captivity of Jacob.
You forgave your people’s unrighteousness
 and covered over their sins.
You reined back all of your anger
 and renounced your indignant fury.

Rescue us, God, our saviour,
 and turn your anger away from us.
Do not be angry for ever
 – or will you let your wrath last from one generation to the next?
Surely you will turn round and give us life
 – so that your people can rejoice in you?
Show us, Lord, your kindness
 and give us your salvation.

I will listen to whatever the Lord God tells me,
 for he will speak peace to his people and his chosen ones,
 and to those who repent in their hearts.
Truly his salvation is close to those who fear him,
 so that glory may dwell in our land.
Kindness and faithfulness have met together,
 justice and peace have kissed.
Faithfulness has sprung from the earth,
 and justice has looked down from heaven.

Truly the Lord will give generously,
 and our land will be fruitful.
Justice will walk before him
 and place its footsteps on his path.

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.

Canticle Isaiah 26
Thanksgiving for victory
The city is ours,
 with its walls and ramparts,
 a refuge and stronghold.
Open the gates, let the just people enter,
 the nation that keeps faith.

The agreement is made: you will keep peace,
 for peace is entrusted to you.
Trust in the Lord for all ages,
 for the Lord is your strength for ever.

The way of the just is straight;
 you smooth the straight path of the just.
As we follow the path of your judgements,
 we put all our trust in you, Lord.
Our soul’s one desire
 is your name and your memory.
My soul longs for you at night,
 my desire for you leaves me breathless.
When your judgements shine out on the earth –
 then the peoples of the world will know your justice.

Lord, you will give us peace,
 for all you have done, you did for us.

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.

Psalm 66 (67)
All peoples, praise the Lord
O God, take pity on us and bless us, and let your face shine upon us,
so that your ways may be known across the world, and all nations learn of your salvation.

Let the peoples praise you, O God, let all the peoples praise you.
Let the nations be glad and rejoice, for you judge the peoples with fairness and you guide the nations of the earth.

Let the peoples praise you, O God, let all the peoples praise you.
The earth has produced its harvest: may God, our God, bless us.
May God bless us, may the whole world revere 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.

Short reading 1 John 4:14 - 15 ©
We ourselves saw and we testify that the Father sent his Son as saviour of the world. If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him, and he in God.

Canticle Benedictus
The Messiah and his forerunner
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.

Prayers and Intercessions ?
Christ, by pouring out his blood, has won for himself a new people. Let us worship him and humbly ask:
Lord, remember your people.
Our King and Redeemer, listen to your Church as she sings your praises at the start of the day:
teach her to give unceasing glory to your greatness.
You are our hope and our strength: we put our trust in you.
Let us never be put to shame.
Take pity on our weakness. Hurry to help us,
for without you there is nothing we can do.
Remember the poor and forgotten. Let this day not be a burden to them,
but a joy and a consolation.
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 that trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
 but deliver us from evil.

Almighty God, creator of a good and beautiful world,
 may we joyfully set out on this day in your name,
 and fill it with acts of love for you and our brethren.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
 who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
 God for ever and ever.
Amen.

May the Lord bless us and keep us from all harm; and may he lead us to eternal life.
A M E N

11 posted on 11/06/2007 7:55:19 AM PST by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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To: All

I’m off to teach/facilitate a Bible Study sesson on Matthew, Chapters 20-22.

I’ll catch up with you all later in early evening.


12 posted on 11/06/2007 7:57:17 AM PST by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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To: Salvation

Thank you and God Bless!

Anna


13 posted on 11/06/2007 8:34:31 AM PST by mckenzie7 (Lib NO MORE!)
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To: Salvation
Lk 14:15-24
# Douay-Rheims Vulgate
15 When one of them that sat at table with him, had heard these things, he said to him: Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God. haec cum audisset quidam de simul discumbentibus dixit illi beatus qui manducabit panem in regno Dei
16 But he said to him: A certain man made a great supper, and invited many. at ipse dixit ei homo quidam fecit cenam magnam et vocavit multos
17 And he sent his servant at the hour of supper to say to them that were invited, that they should come, for now all things are ready. et misit servum suum hora cenae dicere invitatis ut venirent quia iam parata sunt omnia
18 And they began all at once to make excuse. The first said to him: I have bought a farm, and I must needs go out and see it: I pray thee, hold me excused. et coeperunt simul omnes excusare primus dixit ei villam emi et necesse habeo exire et videre illam rogo te habe me excusatum
19 And another said: I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to try them: I pray thee, hold me excused. et alter dixit iuga boum emi quinque et eo probare illa rogo te habe me excusatum
20 And another said: I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come. et alius dixit uxorem duxi et ideo non possum venire
21 And the servant returning, told these things to his lord. Then the master of the house, being angry, said to his servant: Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the feeble, and the blind, and the lame. et reversus servus nuntiavit haec domino suo tunc iratus pater familias dixit servo suo exi cito in plateas et vicos civitatis et pauperes ac debiles et caecos et claudos introduc huc
22 And the servant said: Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room. et ait servus domine factum est ut imperasti et adhuc locus est
23 And the Lord said to the servant: Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. et ait dominus servo exi in vias et sepes et conpelle intrare ut impleatur domus mea
24 But I say unto you, that none of those men that were invited, shall taste of my supper. dico autem vobis quod nemo virorum illorum qui vocati sunt gustabit cenam meam

14 posted on 11/06/2007 1:42:02 PM PST by annalex (http://www.catecheticsonline.com/CatenaAurea-Luke14.php)
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To: annalex

15. And when one of them that sat at meat with him heard these things, he said to him, Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God.
16. Then said he to him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many:
17. And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready.
18. And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said to him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray you have me excused.
19. And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray you have me excused.
20. And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.
21. So that servant came, and showed his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind.
22. And the servant said, Lord, it is done as you have commanded, and yet there is room.
23. And the lord said to the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.
24. For I say to you, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper.

EUSEB. Our Lord had just before taught us to prepare our feasts for those who cannot repay, seeing that we shall have our reward at the resurrection of the just. Some one then, supposing the resurrection of the just to be one and the same with the kingdom of God, commends the above-mentioned recompense; for it follows, When one of them that sat at meat with him heard these things, he said to him, Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God.

CYRIL; That man was carnal, and a careless hearer of the things which Christ delivered, for he thought the reward of the saints was to be bodily.

AUG. Or because he sighed for something afar off, and that bread which he desired lay before him. For who is that Bread of the kingdom of God but He who says, I am the living bread which came down from heaven? Open not your mouth, but your heart.

BEDE; But because some receive this bread by faith merely, as if by smelling, but its sweetness they loathe to really touch with their mouths, our Lord by the following parable condemns the dullness of those men to be unworthy of the heavenly banquet. For it follows, But he said to him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many.

CYRIL; This man represents God the Father just as images are formed to give the resemblance of power. For as often as God wishes to declare His avenging power, He is called by the names of bear, leopard, lion, and others of the same kind; but when He wishes to express mercy, by the name of man. The Maker of all things, therefore, and Father of Glory, or the Lord, prepared the great supper which was finished in Christ.

For in these latter times, and as it were the setting of our world, the Son of God has shone upon us, and enduring death for our sakes, has given us His own body to eat. Hence also the lamb was sacrificed in the evening according to the Mosaic law. Rightly then was the banquet which was prepared in Christ called a supper.

GREG. Or he made a great supper, as having prepared for us the full enjoyment of eternal sweetness. He bade many, but few came, because sometimes they who themselves are subject to him by faith, by their lives oppose his eternal banquet. And this is generally the difference between the delights of the body and the soul, that fleshly delights when not possessed provoke a longing desire for them, but when possessed and devoured, the eater soon turns from satiety to loathing; spiritual delights, on the other hand, when not possessed are loathed, when possessed the more desired. But heavenly mercy recalls those despised delights to the eyes of our memory, and in order that we should drive away our disgust, bids us to the feast. Hence it follows, And he sent his servant, &c.

CYRIL; That servant who was sent is Christ Himself, who being by nature God and the true Son of God, emptied Himself, and took upon Him the form of a servant. But He was sent at supper time. For not in the beginning did the Word take upon Him our nature, but in the last time; and he adds, For all things are ready. For the Father prepared in Christ the good things bestowed upon the world through Him, the removal of sins, the participation of the Holy Spirit, the glory of adoption. To these Christ bade men by the teaching of the Gospel.

AUG. Or else, the Man is the Mediator between God and man, Christ Jesus; He sent that they who were bidden might come, i.e. those who were called by the prophets whom He had sent; who in the former times invited to the supper of Christ, were often sent to the people of Israel, often bade them to come at supper time. They received the inviters, refused the supper. They received the prophets and killed Christ, and thus ignorantly prepared for us the supper. The supper being now ready, i.e. Christ being sacrificed, the Apostles were sent to those, to whom prophets had been sent before.

GREG. By this servant then who is sent by the master of the family to bid to supper, the order of preachers is signified. But it is often the case that a powerful person has a despised servant, and when his Lord orders any thing through him, the servant speaking is not despised, because respect for the master who sends him is still kept up in the heart. Our Lord then offers what he ought to be asked for, not ask others to receive. He wishes to give what could scarcely be hoped for; yet all begin at once to make excuse, for it follows, And they all began with one consent to make excuse. Behold a rich man invites, and the poor hasten to come. We are invited to the banquet of God, and we make excuse.

AUG. Now there were three excuses, of which it is added, The first said to him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it. The bought piece of ground denotes government. Therefore pride is the first vice reproved. For the first man wished to rule, not willing to have a master.

GREG. Or by the piece of ground is meant worldly substance. Therefore he goes out to see it who thinks only of outward things for the sake of his living.

AMBROSE; Thus it is that the worn out soldier is appointed to serve degraded offices, as he who intent upon things below buys for himself earthly possessions, can not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Our Lord says, Sell all that you have, and follow me.

It follows, And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them.

AUG. The five yoke of oxen are taken to be the five senses of the flesh; in the eyes sight, in the ears hearing, in the nostrils smelling, in the mouth taste, in all the members touch. But the yoke is more easily apparent in the three first senses; two eyes, two ears, two nostrils. Here are three yoke. And in the mouth is the sense of taste which is forma to be a kind of double, in that nothing is sensible to the taste, which is not touched both by the tongue and palate. The pleasure of the flesh which belongs to the touch is secretly doubled. It is both outward and inward. But they are called yoke of oxen, because through those senses of the flesh earthly things are pursued. For the oxen till the ground, but men at a distance from faith, given up to earthly things, refuse to believe in any thing, but what they arrive at by means of the five-fold sense of the body. “I believe nothing but what I see.” If such were our thoughts, we should be hindered from the supper by those five yoke of oxen. But that you may understand that it is not the delight of the five senses which charms and conveys pleasure, but that a certain curiosity is denoted, he says not, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and go to feed them, but go to prove them.

GREG. By the bodily senses also because they cannot comprehend things within, but take cognizance only of what is without, curiosity is rightly represented, which while it seeks to shake off a life which is strange to it, not knowing its own secret life, desires to dwell upon things without. But we must observe, that the one who for his farm, and the other who to prove his five yoke of oxen, excuse themselves from the supper of their Inviter, mix up with their excuse the words of humility. For when they say, I pray you, and then disdain to come, the word sounds of humility, but the action is pride. It follows, And this said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.

AUG. That is the delight of the flesh which hinders many, I wish it were outward and not inward. For he who said, I have married a wife, taking pleasure in the delights of the flesh, excuses himself from the supper; let such a one take heed lest he die from inward hunger.

BASIL; But he says, I cannot come, because that the human mind when it is degenerating to worldly pleasures, is feeble in attending to the things of God.

GREG. But although marriage is good, and appointed by Divine Providence for the propagation of children, some seek therein not fruitfulness of offspring, but the lust of pleasure. And so by means of a righteous thing may not unfitly an unrighteous thing be represented.

AMBROSE; Or marriage is not blamed; but purity is held up to greater honor, since the unmarried woman cares for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy in body and spirit, but she that is married cares for the things of the world.

AUG. Now John when he said, all that is in the world is the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, began from the point where the Gospel ended. The lust of the flesh, I have married a wife; the lust of the eyes, I have bought five yoke of oxen; the pride of life, I have bought a farm. But proceeding from a part to the whole, the five senses have been spoken of under the eyes alone, which hold the chief place among the five senses. Because though properly the sight belongs to the eyes, we are in the habit of ascribing the act of seeing to all the five senses.

CYRIL; But whom can we suppose these to be who refused to come for the reason just mentioned, but the rulers of the Jews, whom throughout the sacred history we find to have been often reproved for these things?

ORIGEN; Or else, they who have bought a piece of ground and reject or refuse the supper, are they who have taken other doctrines of divinity, but have despised the word which they possessed. But he who has bought five yoke of oxen is he who neglects his intellectual nature, and follows the things of sense, therefore he cannot comprehend a spiritual nature. But he who has married a wife is he who is joined to the flesh, a lover of pleasure rather than of God.

AMBROSE; Or let us suppose that three classes of men are excluded from partaking of that supper, Gentiles, Jews, Heretics. The Jews by their fleshly service impose upon themselves the yoke of the law, for the five yoke are the yoke of the Ten Commandments, of which it is said, And he declared to you his covenant, which he commanded you to perform, even ten commandments; and he wrote them upon two tables of stone. That is, the commands of the Decalogue. Or the five yoke are the five books of the old law. But heresy indeed, like Eve with a woman’s obstinacy, tries the affection of faith. And the Apostle says that we must flee from covetousness, lest entangled in the customs of the Gentiles we be unable to come to the kingdom of Christ. Therefore both he who has bought a farm is a stranger to the kingdom, and he who has chosen the yoke of the law rather than the gift of grace, and he also who excuses himself because he has married a wife.

It follows, And the servant returned, and told these things to his Lord.

AUG. Not for the sake of knowing inferior beings does God require messengers, as though He gained aught from them, for He knows all things steadfastly and unchangeably. But he has messengers for our sakes and their own, because to be present with God, and stand before Him so as to consult Him about His subjects, and obey His heavenly commandments, is good for them in the order of their own nature.

CYRIL; But with the rulers of the Jews who refused their call, as they themselves confessed, Have any of the rulers believed on him? the Master of the household was wroth, as with them that deserved His indignation and anger; whence it follows, Then the master of the house being angry, &c.

PSEUDO-BASIL; Not that the passion of anger belongs to the Divine substance, but an operation such as in us is caused by anger, is called the anger and indignation of God.

CYRIL; Thus it was that the master of the house is said to have been enraged with the chiefs of the Jews, and in their stead were called men taken from out of the Jewish multitude, and of weak and impotent minds. For at Peter’s preaching, first indeed three thousand, then five thousand believed, and afterwards much people; whence it follows, He said to his servant, Go out straightway into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind.

AMBROSE; He invites the poor, the weak, and the blind, to show that weakness of body shuts out no one from the kingdom of heaven, and that he is guilty of fewer sins who lacks the incitement to sin; or that the infirmities of sin are forgiven through the mercy of God. Therefore he sends to the streets, that from the broader ways they may come to the narrow way.

Because then the proud refuse to come, the poor are chosen, since they are called weak and poor who are weak in their own judgment of themselves, for there are poor, and yet as it were strong, who though lying in poverty are proud, the blind are they who have no brightness of understanding; the lame are they who have walked not uprightly in their works. But since the faults of these are expressed in the weakness of their members, as those were sinners who when bidden refused to come, so also are these who are invited and come; but the proud sinners are rejected, the humble are chosen. God then chooses those whom the world despises, because for the most part the very act of contempt recalls a man to himself. And men so much the sooner hear the voice of God, as they have nothing in this world to take pleasure in. When then the Lord calls certain from the streets and lanes to supper, He denotes that people who had learnt to observe in the city the constant practice of the law. But the multitude who believed of the people of Israel did not fill the places of the upper feast room.

Hence it follows, And the servant said, Lord, it is done as you have commanded, and yet there is room. For already had great numbers of the Jews entered, but yet there was room in the kingdom for the abundance of the Gentiles to be received.

Therefore it is added, And the Lord said to the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. When He commanded His guests to be collected from the wayside and the hedges, He sought for a rural people, that is, the Gentiles.

AMBROSE; Or, He sends to the highways and about the hedges, because they are fit for the kingdom of God, who, not absorbed in the desire for present goods, are hastening on to the future, set in a certain fixed path of good will. And who like a hedge which separates the cultivated ground from the uncultivated, and keeps off the incursion of the cattle, know how to distinguish good and evil, and to hold up the shield of faith against the temptations of spiritual wickedness.

AUG. The Gentiles came from the streets and lanes, the heretics come from the hedges. For they who make a hedge seek for a division; let them be drawn away from the hedges, plucked asunder from the thorns. But they are unwilling to be compelled. By our own will, say they, will we enter. Compel them to enter, He says. Let necessity be used from without, thence arises a will.

GREG. They then who, broken down by the calamities of this world, return to the love of God, are compelled to enter. But very terrible is the sentence which comes next. For I say to you, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper. Let no one then despise the call, lest if when bidden he make excuse, when he wishes to enter he shall not be able.


15 posted on 11/06/2007 1:46:43 PM PST by annalex (http://www.catecheticsonline.com/CatenaAurea-Luke14.php)
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To: annalex


Communion of the Apostles

Fra Angelico

c. 1450
Tempera on wood, 38,5 x 37 cm
Museo di San Marco, Florence


16 posted on 11/06/2007 1:47:49 PM PST by annalex (http://www.catecheticsonline.com/CatenaAurea-Luke14.php)
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To: mckenzie7

Thank YOU for the blessing. I got a lot accomplished today!


17 posted on 11/06/2007 7:51:41 PM PST by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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To: All
Regnum Christi

 

RSVPing the Lord!
November 6, 2007


The House Will Be Filled!



Tuesday of the Thirty-First Week in Ordinary Time
Father Steven Reilly, LC

Luke 14: 15-24
One of those at table with Jesus said to him, "Blessed is the one who will dine in the Kingdom of God." He replied to him, "A man gave a great dinner to which he invited many. When the time for the dinner came, he dispatched his servant to say to those invited, ´Come, everything is now ready.´ But one by one, they all began to excuse themselves. The first said to him, ´I have purchased a field and must go to examine it; I ask you, consider me excused.´ And another said, ´I have purchased five yoke of oxen and am on my way to evaluate them; I ask you, consider me excused.´ And another said, ´I have just married a woman, and therefore I cannot come.´ The servant went and reported this to his master. Then the master of the house in a rage commanded his servant, ´Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in here the poor and the crippled, the blind and the lame.´ The servant reported, ´Sir, your orders have been carried out and still there is room.´ The master then ordered the servant, ´Go out to the highways and hedgerows and make people come in that my home may be filled. For, I tell you, none of those men who were invited will taste my dinner.´"


Introductory Prayer:Oh God, thank you for allowing me to come into your presence. Your love enlarges my soul. I long to see your face!

Petition:Lord, help me to put aside all excuses when invited to your banquet.

1. Valuing the Invitation    Some of the happiest moments of our lives are spent around a banquet table. Milestones are celebrated there, friendships grow deeper, and relationships are renewed. Could this be why Jesus so frequently used this image to describe heaven? Let’s spend a moment thinking about the joy of heaven — of this never-ending feast. We cannot fathom what it will be like to see God and the inexhaustible beauty of his Triune majesty. And the company will be great! In the heavenly banquet it doesn’t matter where you sit: You’ll be next to a saint, and the conversation will be wonderful!

2. Legitimate RSVP?    Going to a banquet takes some effort. You need to get a babysitter, pick out something to wear and possibly alter previous plans. If the invitation isn’t valued, that effort won’t be forthcoming; instead, you will make excuses. They may express a reality — those oxen are ready to go! — but they camouflage the real issue: That particular banquet doesn’t seem worth it. This should make us reflect on the excuses we have about our spiritual lives. Do they mask a growing spiritual mediocrity?

3. The House Will Be Filled!    The master of the house is upset because the people that should have been the first to accept his invitation turn him down. But everything is purchased, and the party is ready to go. Someone will have a chance to enjoy it. Here perhaps is another angle for reflection: We are that master’s servants. He wants his house to be filled, and he needs us to make it happen. The servants are quick and agile, and they understand what the master wants: “There’s still room!” So too, let’s ask the Lord to give us apostolic hearts that won’t rest until the house is full. What a feast that will be!

Conversation with Christ: Lord Jesus, I am looking forward to the day when we will be with you at the feast of the Kingdom of Heaven. Help me to understand that the joy and happiness of that banquet are worth the sacrifice of any worldly priority. So often I have excuses. Give me strength never to be pulled away from you.

Resolution: I will accept God’s invitation and not put anything in front of my prayer life today.


18 posted on 11/06/2007 7:56:12 PM PST by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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To: All
Homily of the Day

Homily of the Day
Monsignor Dennis Clark, Ph. D. e
Other Articles by Monsignor Dennis Clark, Ph. D.
Printer Friendly Version
 
The Decline of Civility Is Real, But Can Be Fixed

November 6, 2007

Rom 12:5-16 / Lk 14:15-24

For quite a few years now, a familiar theme in more thoughtful publications has been what is described as "the decline of civility." It touches upon every aspect of life, whether it be on the highway or on television or in debates in the halls of congress. In word and deed, people are oft times stunningly aggressive, outrageously insulting, and incomprehensibly insensitive to the feelings and needs of others. It's not the whole story of our early twenty-first century society, but it's a major strand that ought not to be ignored.

Jesus summed up a radically different vision of what society should be in his Golden Rule: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." And St. Paul, in today's first reading, fleshes out a particularly pertinent element of this: "Anticipate each other in showing respect." That idea of anticipating others' needs certainly turns the table from the "grab what you can" model of living. And there's a kind of pleasure in escaping the prison of one's self and one's hasty dash to the next whatever.

Take the time, usually just a few seconds are needed, to anticipate your neighbor's need of the moment, which is mainly just to be treated like a valuable human being, and respond as your heart dictates. It's remarkable how something so simple can change a day and a life.


19 posted on 11/06/2007 8:11:58 PM PST by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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To: All
Word Among Us


Tuesday, November 06, 2007

Meditation
Romans 12:5-16



"So we, though many, are one body in Christ and individually parts of one another." (Romans 12:5)

As members of the body of Christ, we should be aware that we are part of a bigger whole: Each of us has a unique role to play in supporting that body. But Paul reminds us here that on a smaller scale, we are called to relate to one another individually as well. How often do I think about the people in my parish, prayer group, or faith community? Each may have something special to offer me. One person may bring out a sense of humor I didn’t know I had, so that together we can laugh at life’s ups and downs. Another may honor me by pointing to the wisdom or patience I have learned over the years. I may not be aware of such gifts unless someone else mentions them, especially if I tend to focus only on my weaknesses and not my strengths.

It is also true that I have something to give other believers. If I approach each person with profound respect and openness, I may be able to see how God is calling someone forward or equipping them for a new challenge. Another person may draw out my compassion, leading me to pray for what he or she needs at this exact moment. As I look at my brothers and sisters with the eyes of Christ, I can help them develop the goodness I see unfolding within them.

The spiritual gifts Paul mentions—ministry, teaching, exhortation, generosity, leadership, acts of mercy—are most effective when they are nurtured by other Christians. It’s hard to exercise any gift without at least some kind of encouragement. Perhaps that’s why Paul advises us to be sincere and affectionate in our dealings with each other, and to “anticipate one another in showing honor” (Romans 12:9-10).

Which brothers and sisters will you encounter today? Who has meant a lot to you and encouraged you in the past? Have you thanked that person? Whom do you find challenging to love? May the Lord open our eyes to see each person’s unique gifts, and to honor every member of his body on earth.

“Lord, thank you for every person you have given me in your body. Show us all how to be a blessing to each other today.”

  Psalm 131:1-3; Luke 14:15-24



20 posted on 11/06/2007 8:17:35 PM PST by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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