Catholic Caucus:Daily Mass Readings,11-18-14, OM,Ded. St.Peter& St.Paul Basilicas,St. Rose Duchesne

USCCB.org/RNAB ^ | 11-18-14 | Revised New American Bible

[Salvation]

November 18, 2014

Tuesday of the Thirty-third Week in Ordinary Time

 

 

Reading 1 Rv 3:1-6, 14-22

I, John, heard the Lord saying to me:
“To the angel of the Church in Sardis, write this:

“‘The one who has the seven spirits of God
and the seven stars says this: “I know your works,
that you have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead.
Be watchful and strengthen what is left, which is going to die,
for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God.
Remember then how you accepted and heard; keep it, and repent.
If you are not watchful, I will come like a thief,
and you will never know at what hour I will come upon you.
However, you have a few people in Sardis
who have not soiled their garments;
they will walk with me dressed in white,
because they are worthy.

“‘The victor will thus be dressed in white,
and I will never erase his name from the book of life
but will acknowledge his name in the presence of my Father
and of his angels.

“‘Whoever has ears ought to hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’”

“To the angel of the Church in Laodicea, write this:

“‘The Amen, the faithful and true witness,
the source of God’s creation, says this:
“I know your works;
I know that you are neither cold nor hot.
I wish you were either cold or hot.
So, because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold,
I will spit you out of my mouth.
For you say, ‘I am rich and affluent and have no need of anything,’
and yet do not realize that you are wretched,
pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.
I advise you to buy from me gold refined by fire so that you may be rich,
and white garments to put on
so that your shameful nakedness may not be exposed,
and buy ointment to smear on your eyes so that you may see.
Those whom I love, I reprove and chastise.
Be earnest, therefore, and repent.

“‘Behold, I stand at the door and knock.
If anyone hears my voice and opens the door,
then I will enter his house and dine with him,
and he with me.
I will give the victor the right to sit with me on my throne,
as I myself first won the victory
and sit with my Father on his throne.

“‘Whoever has ears ought to hear
what the Spirit says to the churches.’”

Responsorial Psalm Ps 15:2-3a, 3bc-4ab, 5

R. (Rev. 3: 21) I will seat the victor beside me on my throne.
He who walks blamelessly and does justice;
who thinks the truth in his heart
and slanders not with his tongue.
R. I will seat the victor beside me on my throne.
Who harms not his fellow man,
nor takes up a reproach against his neighbor;
By whom the reprobate is despised,
while he honors those who fear the LORD.
R. I will seat the victor beside me on my throne.
Who lends not his money at usury
and accepts no bribe against the innocent.
He who does these things
shall never be disturbed.
R. I will seat the victor beside me on my throne.

Gospel Lk 19:1-10

At that time Jesus came to Jericho and intended to pass through the town.
Now a man there named Zacchaeus,
who was a chief tax collector and also a wealthy man,
was seeking to see who Jesus was;
but he could not see him because of the crowd,
for he was short in stature.
So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree in order to see Jesus,
who was about to pass that way.
When he reached the place, Jesus looked up and said,
“Zacchaeus, come down quickly,
for today I must stay at your house.”
And he came down quickly and received him with joy.
When they saw this, they began to grumble, saying,
“He has gone to stay at the house of a sinner.”
But Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord,
“Behold, half of my possessions, Lord, I shall give to the poor,
and if I have extorted anything from anyone
I shall repay it four times over.”
And Jesus said to him,
“Today salvation has come to this house
because this man too is a descendant of Abraham.
For the Son of Man has come to seek
and to save what was lost.”

[Salvation]

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From: Revelation 3:1-6, 14-22

Letter to the Church of Sardis

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[1] “And to the angel of the church in Sardis write: ‘The words of him who has
the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. “’I know your works; you have the
name of being alive, and you are dead. [2] Awake, and strengthen what remains
and is on the point of death, for I have not found your works perfect in the sight
of my God. [3] Remember then what you received and heard; keep that, and re-
pent. If you will not awake, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what
hour I will come upon you. [4] Yet you have still a few names in Sardis, people
who have not soiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white, for
they are worthy. [5] He who conquers shall be clad thus in white garments, and
I will not blot his name out of the book of life; I will confess his name before my
Father and before his angels. [6] He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit
says to the churches.’

Letter to the Church of Laodicea

---

[14] “And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: ‘The words of the Amen,
the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s creation.

[15] “’I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were cold
or hot! [16] So, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew
you out of my mouth. [17] For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need
nothing; not knowing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.
[18] Therefore I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, that you may
be rich, and white garments to clothe you and to keep the shame of your na-
kedness from being seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, that you may see.
[19] Those whom I love, I reprove and chasten; so be zealous and repent. [20]
Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if any one hears my voice and opens
the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. [21] He who
conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I myself conquered
and sat down with my Father on his throne. [22] He who has an ear, let him
hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’”

*********************************************************************************************
Commentary:

1. Sardis, about 50 kilometers (30 miles) south-east of Thyatira, was an impor-
tant hub in the highway system; it was also famous for its acropolis, which was
located in an unassailable position. Herodotus describes its inhabitants as im-
moral, licentious people (cf. “History”, 1, 55). The Christians of the city were
probably somewhat infected by the general atmosphere.

Christ is now depicted as possessing the fullness of the Spirit, with the power to
effect radical change by sanctifying the churches from within (cf. note on 1:4).
He is also portrayed as the sovereign Lord of the universal Church (cf. note on
2:1), ever ready to imbue it with new life.

The church of Sardis is accused of seeming to be alive but in fact being dead:
in other words, although its external practice of religion makes it look Christian,
most of its members (not all: cf. v. 4) are estranged from Christ, devoid of interior
life, in a sinful condition. Anyone who lives like that is dead. Our Lord himself de-
scribed the situation of the prodigal son as being a kind of death: “my son was
dead, and is alive again”, the father exclaims in the parable (Lk 15: 24); and St
Paul invites Christians to offer themselves to God “as men who have been
brought from death to life” (Rom 6:13). Now, in this passage of Revelation, we
are told that the cause of this spiritual, but real, death is the fact that the works
of this church are imperfect in the sight of God (v. 2); they were works which led
to spiritual death, that is, what we would term mortal sins. “With the whole tradi-
tion of the Church”, John Paul II says, “we call ‘mortal sin’ the act by which man
freely and consciously rejects God, his law, the covenant of love that God offers,
preferring to turn in on himself or to some created and finite reality, something
contrary to the divine will (”conversio ad creaturam”) [...]. Man perceives that this
disobedience to God destroys the bond that unites him with his life-principle: it
is a mortal sin, that is, an act which gravely offends God and ends in turning
against man himself with a dark and powerful force of destruction” (”Reconci-
liatio Et Paenitentia”, 17).

2-3. Vigilance is always necessary, particularly in certain situations like that of
Sardis where there was a number of people who had not fallen victim to sin. In
this kind of peril, Christians need to be alerted and confirmed in the faith. They
need to remember what they learned at the beginning, when they were instructed
in the faith, and try to bring their lives into line with that teaching. And so they are
not simply exhorted to conversion but told how to go about it — by comparing their
lives with the Word of God and making the necessary changes: “no one is safe if
he ceases to strive against himself. Nobody can save himself by his own efforts.
Everyone in the Church needs specific means to strengthen himself — humility,
which disposes us to accept help and advice; mortifications, which temper the
heart and allow Christ to reign in it; the study of abiding, sound doctrine, which
leads us to conserve and spread our faith” (St. J. Escriva, “Christ Is Passing
By”, 81).

“I will come like a thief”: an image also found elsewhere in the New Testament
(cf. Mt 24:42-51, Mk 13:36; Lk 12:39ff; 1 Thess 5:2; 2 Pet 3: 10). This does not
mean that our Lord is lying in wait, ready to pounce on man when he is una-
wares, like a hunter waiting for his prey. It is simply a warning to us to live in the
grace of God and be ready to render our account to him. If we do that we will not
run the risk of being found empty-handed at the moment of death. “That day will
come for us. It will be our last day, but we are not afraid of it. Trusting firmly in
God’s grace, we are ready from this very moment to be generous and coura-
geous, and take loving care of little things: we are ready to go and meet our
Lord, with our lamps burning brightly. For the feast of feasts awaits us in hea-
ven” (St. J. Escriva, “Friends of God”, 40).

4-5. Despite the corrupt environment in which they were living, there were some
Christians who had not been contaminated by the immoral cults and lifestyles of
the pagans: their loyalty is symbolized by white garments. In the course of nar-
rating his visions St John mentions white garments a number of times (cf. 7:9,
13; 15:6; 19:14); this color symbolizes purity and also the joy of victory.

The symbol of the “book of life”, which occurs often in the Apocalypse (cf. 13:8;
17:8; 20:12, 15; 21:27; etc.), is taken from the Old Testament, where those who
belong to the people of Israel are described as enrolled in the “book of the living”,
which is also referred to as the book of the Lord (cf. Ps 69:28; Ex 32:32ff). Those
whose names are in the book will share in the promises of salvation (cf. Is 4:3),
whereas those who are unfaithful to the Law will be excluded from the people of
God and their names blotted out of the “book of the living”. Other New Testa-
ment texts use the same image (cf., e.g., Lk 10:20; Phil 4:3).

The names of the victors will stay in the “book of life” which lists those who have
proved loyal to Christ, as well as those who belonged to the people of Israel.

Finally, on Judgment Day, those Christians who have kept the faith, will be spo-
ken for by Christ (cf. Mt 10:32; Lk 12:8).

14. Laodicea was a city on the border of Phrygia, about 75 kilometers (45 miles)
south-west of Philadelphia. It is also mentioned by St Paul when he suggests to
the Colossians that they exchange his letter to them for the one he sent the
Laodiceans (cf. Col 4:16).

Jesus Christ is given the title of “the Amen”; a similar description is applied to
Christ in 2 Corinthians 1:20. Both texts are instances of a divine name being ap-
plied to Christ, thereby asserting his divinity. “Amen”, so be it, is an assertion
of truth and veracity and connects with the title of “the true one” in the previous
letter. It highlights the fact that our Lord is strong, dependable and unchangeable;
the words that follow, “faithful and true witness”, spell out the full meaning of the
“Amen” title (cf. 1:5).

The most satisfactory interpretation of the phrase “the beginning of God’s crea-
tion” is in terms of Jesus Christ’s role in creation: for “all things were made
through him” (Jn 1:3) and therefore he, along with the Father and the Holy Spirit,
is the Creator of heaven and earth.

15-16. The prosperity Laodicea enjoyed may have contributed to the laxity and
lukewarmness the church is accused of here (Israel tended to take the same di-
rection when living was easy: the people would become forgetful of Yahweh and
adopt an easy-going lifestyle: cf., e.g., Deut 31:20; 32:15; Hos 13:6; Jer 5:7).

The presence of hot springs close to the city explains the language used in this
passage, which amounts to a severe indictment of lukewarmness. It shows God’s
repugnance for mediocrity and bourgeois living. As observed by Cassian, one of
the founders of Western monasticism, lukewarmness is something that needs to
be nipped in the bud: “No one should attribute his going astray to any sudden col-
lapse, but rather [...] to his having moved away from virtue little by little, through
prolonged mental laziness. That is the way bad habits gain round without one’s
even noticing it, and eventually lead to a sudden collapse. ‘Pride goes before de-
struction, and a haughty spirit before a fall’ (Prov 16:18). The same thing happens
with a house: it collapses one fine day due to some ancient defect in its founda-
tion or long neglect by the occupiers” (”Collationes”, VI, 17).

Spiritual lukewarmness and mediocrity are very closely related: neither is the
route Christian life should take. As St. Escriva puts it, “’In medio virtus’.... Virtue
is to be found in the middle, so the saying goes, warning us against extremism.
But do not make the mistake of turning that advice into a euphemism to disguise
your own comfort, calculation, lukewarmness, easygoingness, lack of idealism
and mediocrity.

“Meditate on these words of Sacred Scripture: ‘Would that you were cold or hot.
So, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew you out of
my mouth”’ (”Furrow”, 541).

17-19. The Christians of Laodicea did not realize how precarious their spiritual
situation was. The city’s flourishing trade and industry, and the fact that the
church was not being persecuted in any way, made them feel prosperous and
content: they were proud as well as lukewarm. They had fallen victim to that self-
conceit the wealthy are always inclined to feel and which moved our Lord to say
that rich people enter heaven only with difficulty (cf. Mt 19:23); he often pointed
to the dangers of becoming attached to material things (cf. Lk 1:53; 6:24; 12:21;
16:19-31; 18:23-25). The Laodiceans had become proud in their prosperity and
did not see the need for divine grace (which is worth more than all the wealth in
the world). As St Paul says in one of his letters: “Whatever gain I had, I counted
as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed I count everything as loss because of the
surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered
the loss of all things, and count them as refuse, in order that I may gain Christ”
(Phil 3:7-8).

There was an important textile industry in Laodicea which specialized in the
manufacture of black woolen cloth. Instead of wearing that material, the Laodi-
ceans must dress in garments which only our Lord can provide and which are
the mark of the elect (cf., e.g., Mt 17:2 and par; Rev 3:4-5; 7:9). The city was
also famous for its oculists, like Zeuxis and Philetos, who had developed a very
effective ointment for the eyes. Jesus offers an even better ointment — one which
will show them the dangerous state they are in. This dire warning comes from
God’s love, not his anger: it is his affection that leads him to reprove and correct
his people: ‘the Lord reproves whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he
delights” (Prov 3:12). After quoting these same words the Epistle to the Hebrews
adds: “It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons;
for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? If you are left without
discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and
not sons” (12:7-8).

“Be zealous”: stop being lukewarm and enter the fervor of charity, have an ardent
zeal for the glory of God.

20-21. Christ knocking on the door is one of the most touching images in the Bi-
ble. It is reminiscent of the Song of Songs, where the bridegroom says, “Open to
me, my sister, my dove, my perfect one; for my head is wet with dew, my locks
with the drops of the might” (Song 5:2). It is a way of describing God’s love for us,
inviting us to greater intimacy with him, as happens in a thousand ways in the
course of our life. We should be listening for his knock, ready to open the door
to Christ. A writer from the Golden Age of Spanish literature evokes this scene in
poetry: “How many times the angel spoke to me:/’Look out of your window now,
/you’ll see how lovingly he calls and calls.’/Yet, sovereign beauty, how often/I re-
plied, ‘We’ll open for you tomorrow’,/ to reply the same when the morrow came”
(Lope de Vega, “Rimas Sacras”, Sonnet 18).

Our Lord awaits our response to his call, and when we make the effort to revive
our interior life we experience the indescribable joy of intimacy with him. “At first
it will be a bit difficult. You must make an effort to seek out the Lord, to thank
him for his fatherly and practical concern for us. Although it is not really a matter
of feeling, little by little the love of God makes itself felt like a rustle in the soul.
It is Christ who pursues us lovingly: ‘Behold, I stand at the door and knock’ (Rev
3:20). How is your life of prayer going? At times during the day don’t you feel the
impulse to have a longer talk with him? Don’t you then whisper to him that you
will tell him about it later, in a heart-to-heart conversation [...]. Prayer then be-
comes continuous, like the beating of our heart, like our pulse. Without this pre-
sence of God, there is no contemplative life; and without contemplative life, our
working for Christ is worth very little, for vain is the builder’s toil if the house is
not of the Lord’s building (cf. Ps 126:1)” (St. J. Escriva, “Christ Is Passing By”,
8).

Jesus promises that those who conquer will sit beside him on his throne. He
gave a similar promise to St Peter about how the Apostles would sit on twelve
thrones to Judge the twelve tribes of Israel (cf. Mt 19:28; 20:20ff). The “throne” is
a reference to the sovereign authority Christ has received from the Father. There-
fore, the promise of a seat beside him is a way of saying that those who stay
faithful will share in Christ’s victory and kingship (cf. 1 Cor 6:2-3).

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

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.

[Salvation]

From: Luke 19:1-10

The Conversion of Zacchaeus

---

[1] He (Jesus) entered Jericho and was passing through. [2] And there was a rich
man named Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector, and rich. [3] And he sought
to see who Jesus was, but could not, on account of the crowd, because he was
small of stature. [4] So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to
see Him, for He was to pass that way. [5] And when Jesus came to the place,
He looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, make haste and come down; for I
must stay at your house today.” [6] So he made haste and came down, and re-
ceived Him joyfully. [7] And when they saw it they all murmured, “He has gone in
to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.” [8] And Zacchaeus stood and said to
the Lord, “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have de-
frauded any one of anything, I restore it fourfold.” [9] And Jesus said to him, “To-
day salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. [10]
For the Son of Man came to seek and save the lost.”

*********************************************************************************************
Commentary:

1-10. Jesus Christ is the Savior of mankind; He has healed many sick people,
has raised the dead to life and, particularly, has brought forgiveness of sin and
the gift of grace to those who approach Him in faith. As in the case of the sinful
woman (cf. Luke 7:36-50), here He brings salvation to Zacchaeus, for the mis-
sion of the Son of Man is to save that which was lost.

Zacchaeus was a tax collector and, as such, was hated by the people, because
the tax collectors were collaborators of the Roman authorities and were often
guilty of abuses. The Gospel implies that this man also had things to seek for-
giveness for (cf. verses 7-10). Certainly he was very keen to see Jesus (no doubt
moved by grace) and he did everything he could to do so. Jesus rewards his ef-
forts by staying as a guest in his house. Moved by our Lord’s presence Zac-
chaeus begins to lead a new life.

The crowd begin to grumble against Jesus for showing affection to a man they
consider to be an evildoer. Our Lord makes no excuses for his behavior: He ex-
plains that this is exactly why He has come—to seek out sinners. He is putting
into practice the parable of the lost sheep (cf. Luke 15:4-7), which was already
prophesied in Ezekiel: “I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed,
and I will bind up the crippled, and I will strengthen the weak” (34:16).

4. Zacchaeus wants to see Jesus, and to do so he has to go out and mix with
the crowd. Like the blind man of Jericho he has to shed any kind of human re-
spect. In our own search for God we should not let false shame or fear of ridi-
cule prevent us from using the resources available to us to meet our Lord. “Con-
vince yourself that there is no such thing as ridicule for whoever is doing what is
best” (St. J. Escriva, “The Way”, 392).

5-6. This is a very good example of the way God acts to save men. Jesus calls
Zacchaeus personally, using his name, suggesting he invite Him home. The Gos-
pel states that Zacchaeus does so promptly and joyfully. This is how we should
respond when God calls us by means of grace.

8. Responding immediately to grace, Zacchaeus makes it known that he will re-
store fourfold anything he obtained unjustly—thereby going beyond what is laid
down in the Law of Moses (cf. Exodus 21:37f). And in generous compensation
he gives half his wealth to the poor.” Let the rich learn”, St. Ambrose comments,
“that evil does not consist in having wealth, but in not putting it to good use; for
just as riches are an obstacle to evil people, they are also a means of virtue for
good people” (”Expositio Evangelii Sec. Lucam, in loc.”). Cf. note on Luke 16:
9-11).

10. Jesus’ ardent desire to seek out a sinner to save him fills us with hope of
attaining eternal salvation. “He chooses a chief tax collector: who can despair
when such a man obtains grace?” (St. Ambrose, “Expositio Evangelii Sec.
Lucam, in loc.”).

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

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.

[Salvation]

Scripture readings taken from the Jerusalem Bible, published and copyright © 1966, 1967 and 1968 by Darton, Longman & Todd

Readings at Mass

---

First reading

Apocalypse 3:1-6,14-22 ©

I, John, heard the Lord saying to me: ‘Write to the angel of the church in Sardis and say, “Here is the message of the one who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars: I know all about you: how you are reputed to be alive and yet are dead. Wake up; revive what little you have left: it is dying fast. So far I have failed to notice anything in the way you live that my God could possibly call perfect, and yet do you remember how eager you were. when you first heard the message? Hold on to that. Repent. If you do not wake up, I shall come to you like a thief, without telling you at what hour to expect me. There are a few in Sardis, it is true, who have kept their robes from being dirtied, and they are fit to come with me, dressed in white. Those who prove victorious will be dressed, like these, in white robes; I shall not blot their names out of the book of life, but acknowledge their names in the presence of my Father and his angels. If anyone has ears to hear, let him listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches.”

  ‘Write to the angel of the church in Laodicea and say, “Here is the message of the Amen, the faithful, the true witness, the ultimate source of God’s creation: I know all about you: how you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were one or the other, but since you are neither, but only lukewarm, I will spit you out of my mouth. You say to yourself, ‘I am rich, I have made a fortune, and have everything I want’, never realising that you are wretchedly and pitiably poor, and blind and naked too. I warn you, buy from me the gold that has been tested in the fire to make you really rich, and white robes to clothe you and cover your shameful nakedness, and eye ointment to put on your eyes so that you are able to see. I am the one who reproves and disciplines all those he loves: so repent in real earnest. Look, I am standing at the door, knocking. If one of you hears me calling and opens the door, I will come in to share his meal, side by side with him. Those who prove victorious I will allow to share my throne, just as I was victorious myself and took my place with my Father on his throne. If anyone has ears to hear, let him listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches.”’

---

Psalm

Psalm 14:2-5 ©

Those who prove victorious I will allow to share my throne.

Lord, who shall dwell on your holy mountain?

He who walks without fault;

he who acts with justice

and speaks the truth from his heart;

he who does not slander with his tongue.

Those who prove victorious I will allow to share my throne.

He who does no wrong to his brother,

who casts no slur on his neighbour,

who holds the godless in disdain,

but honours those who fear the Lord.

Those who prove victorious I will allow to share my throne.

He who keeps his pledge, come what may;

who takes no interest on a loan

and accepts no bribes against the innocent.

Such a man will stand firm for ever.

Those who prove victorious I will allow to share my throne.

---

Gospel Acclamation

cf.Ps129:5

Alleluia, alleluia!

My soul is waiting for the Lord,

I count on his word.

Alleluia!

Or

1Jn4:10

Alleluia, alleluia!

God so loved us that he sent his Son

to be the sacrifice that takes our sins away.

Alleluia!

---

Gospel

Luke 19:1-10 ©

Jesus entered Jericho and was going through the town when a man whose name was Zacchaeus made his appearance: he was one of the senior tax collectors and a wealthy man. He was anxious to see what kind of man Jesus was, but he was too short and could not see him for the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to catch a glimpse of Jesus who was to pass that way. When Jesus reached the spot he looked up and spoke to him: ‘Zacchaeus, come down. Hurry, because I must stay at your house today.’ And he hurried down and welcomed him joyfully. They all complained when they saw what was happening. ‘He has gone to stay at a sinner’s house’ they said. But Zacchaeus stood his ground and said to the Lord, ‘Look, sir, I am going to give half my property to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody I will pay him back four times the amount.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Today salvation has come to this house, because this man too is a son of Abraham; for the Son of Man has come to seek out and save what was lost.’

[Salvation]

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[Salvation]

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[Salvation]

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[Salvation]

 

Jesus, High Priest

 

We thank you, God our Father, for those who have responded to your call to priestly ministry.

Accept this prayer we offer on their behalf: Fill your priests with the sure knowledge of your love.

Open their hearts to the power and consolation of the Holy Spirit.

Lead them to new depths of union with your Son.

Increase in them profound faith in the Sacraments they celebrate as they nourish, strengthen and heal us.

Lord Jesus Christ, grant that these, your priests, may inspire us to strive for holiness by the power of their example, as men of prayer who ponder your word and follow your will.

O Mary, Mother of Christ and our mother, guard with your maternal care these chosen ones, so dear to the Heart of your Son.

Intercede for our priests, that offering the Sacrifice of your Son, they may be conformed more each day to the image of your Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Saint John Vianney, universal patron of priests, pray for us and our priests

This icon shows Jesus Christ, our eternal high priest.

The gold pelican over His heart represents self-sacrifice.

The border contains an altar and grapevines, representing the Mass, and icons of Melchizedek and St. Jean-Baptiste Vianney.

Melchizedek: king of righteousness (left icon) was priest and king of Jerusalem.  He blessed Abraham and has been considered an ideal priest-king.

St. Jean-Baptiste Vianney is the patron saint of parish priests.

[Salvation]

Pray a Rosary each day for our nation.

1.  Sign of the Cross:  In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

2.  The Apostles Creed:  II BELIEVE in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell; on the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty; from there He shall come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

3.  The Lord's Prayer:  OUR Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.

4. (3) Hail Mary:  HAIL Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now, and in the hour of our death. Amen. (Three times)

5. Glory Be:  GLORY be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Fatima Prayer: Oh, my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all souls to heaven, especially those in most need of your mercy.

Announce each mystery, then say 1 Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, 1 Glory Be and 1 Fatima prayer.  Repeat the process with each mystery.

End with the Hail Holy Queen:

Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope! To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve! To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this vale of tears! Turn then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy towards us; and after this, our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus!

O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary! Pray for us, O holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Final step -- The Sign of the Cross

 

The Mysteries of the Rosary

By tradition, Catholics meditate on these Mysteries during prayers of the Rosary.
The biblical references follow each of the Mysteries below.

The Sorrowful Mysteries
(Tuesdays and Fridays)
1. The Agony in the Garden (Matthew 26:36-46, Luke 22:39-46) [Spiritual fruit - God's will be done]
2. The Scourging at the Pillar (Matthew 27:26, Mark 15:15, John 19:1) [Spiritual fruit - Mortification of the senses]
3. The Crowning with Thorns (Matthew 27:27-30, Mark 15:16-20, John 19:2) [Spiritual fruit - Reign of Christ in our heart]
4. The Carrying of the Cross (Matthew 27:31-32, Mark 15:21, Luke 23:26-32, John 19:17) [Spiritual fruit - Patient bearing of trials]
5. The Crucifixion (Matthew 27:33-56, Mark 15:22-39, Luke 23:33-49, John 19:17-37) [Spiritual fruit - Pardoning of Injuries]

[Salvation]

~ PRAYER ~

St. Michael, the Archangel, defend us in battle
 Be our protection against the wickedness
and snares of the devil;
May God rebuke him, we  humbly pray,
 and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly host,
 by the power of God,
 Cast into hell Satan and all the evil spirits
who prowl through the world seeking the ruin of souls.
 Amen
+

[Salvation]

A Prayer for our Free Nation Under God
God Save Our Country web site (prayer warriors)
Prayer Chain Request for the United States of America
Pray for Nancy Pelosi
Prayer and fasting will help defeat health care reform (Freeper Prayer Thread)
Prayer Campaign Started to Convert Pro-Abortion Catholic Politicians to Pro-Life
[Catholic Caucus] One Million Rosaries
Non-stop Rosary vigil to defeat ObamaCare

From an Obama bumper sticker on a car:

"Pray for Obama.  Psalm 109:8"

   

PLEASE JOIN US -

Evening Prayer
Someone has said that if people really understood the full extent of the power we have available through prayer, we might be speechless.
Did you know that during WWII there was an advisor to Churchill who organized a group of people who dropped what they were doing every day at a prescribed hour for one minute to collectively pray for the safety of England, its people and peace?  

There is now a group of people organizing the same thing here in America. If you would like to participate: Every evening at 9:00 PM Eastern Time (8:00 PM Central) (7:00 PM Mountain) (6:00 PM Pacific), stop whatever you are doing and spend one minute praying for the safety of the United States, our troops, our citizens, and for a return to a Godly nation. If you know anyone else who would like to participate, please pass this along. Our prayers are the most powerful asset we have.    Please forward this to your praying friends.

[Salvation]

(For if he had not hoped that they that were slain should rise again, it would have seemed superfluous and vain to pray for the dead,) And because he considered that they who had fallen asleep with godliness, had great grace laid up for them. It is therefore a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead, that they may be loosed from sins." II Maccabees 12

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.

To Help the Holy Souls in Purgatory:

1. Have the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass offered up for them.

2. Pray the Rosary and or the Chaplet of Divine Marcy for them, or both.

3. Pray the Stations of the Cross.

4. Offer up little sacrifices and fasting.

5. Spread devotion to them, so that others may pray for them.

6. Attend Eucharistic Adoration and pray for them.

7. Gain all the indulgences you can, and apply them to the Holy Souls

8. Visit to a Cemetery

 

Litany for the Holy Souls in Purgatory

The just shall be in everlasting remembrance; 

He shall not fear the evil hearing.

V. Absolve, O Lord, the souls of the faithful departed 

from every bond of sin, 

R. And by the help of Thy grace

may they be enabled to escape the avenging judgment, 

and to enjoy the happiness of eternal life. 

Because in Thy mercy are deposited the souls that departed 

in an inferior degree of grace,

Lord, have mercy.

Because their present suffering is greatest 

in the knowledge of the pain that their separation from Thee is causing Thee,

Lord, have mercy. 

Because of their present inability to add to Thy accidental glory, 

Lord, have mercy.

Not for our consolation, O Lord; 

not for their release from purgative pain, O God; 

but for Thy joy 

and the greater accidental honour of Thy throne, O Christ the King,

Lord, have mercy.

For the souls of our departed friends, relations and benefactors, 

grant light and peace, O Lord.  

For those of our family who have fallen asleep in Thy bosom, O Jesus, 

grant light and peace, O Lord.  

For those who have gone to prepare our place,

grant light and peace, O Lord.  

(For those who were our brothers [or sisters] in Religion,)

grant light and peace, O Lord.  

For priests who were our spiritual directors,

grant light and peace, O Lord.  

For men or women who were our teachers in school,

grant light and peace, O Lord.  

For those who were our employers (or employees),

grant light and peace, O Lord.  

For those who were our associates in daily toil,

grant light and peace, O Lord.  

For any soul whom we ever offended,

grant light and peace, O Lord.  

For our enemies now departed,

grant light and peace, O Lord.  

For those souls who have none to pray for them,

grant light and peace, O Lord.  

For those forgotten by their friends and kin,

grant light and peace, O Lord.  

For those now suffering the most,

grant light and peace, O Lord.  

For those who have acquired the most merit,

grant light and peace, O Lord.  

For the souls next to be released from Purgatory,

grant light and peace, O Lord.  

For those who, while on earth, 

were most devoted to God the Holy Ghost, 

to Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament, 

to the holy Mother of God,

grant light and peace, O Lord.  

For all deceased popes and prelates,

grant light and peace, O Lord.  

For all deceased priests, seminarians and religious, 

grant light and peace, O Lord.  

For all our brethren in the Faith everywhere, 

grant light and peace, O Lord.  

For all our separated brethren who deeply loved Thee, 

and would have come into Thy household had they known the truth,

grant light and peace, O Lord.  

For those souls who need, or in life asked, our prayers,

grant light and peace, O Lord.  

For those, closer to Thee than we are, whose prayers we need,

grant light and peace, O Lord.  

That those may be happy with Thee forever, 

who on earth were true exemplars of the Catholic Faith, 

grant them eternal rest, O Lord.

That those may be admitted to Thine unveiled Presence, 

who as far as we know never committed mortal sin,     

grant them eternal rest, O Lord.  

That those may be housed in glory, 

who lived always in recollection and prayer,

grant them eternal rest, O Lord.  

That those may be given the celestial joy of beholding Thee, 

who lived lives of mortification and self-denial and penance,

grant them eternal rest, O Lord.  

That those may be flooded with Thy love, 

who denied themselves even Thy favours of indulgence 

and who made the heroic act 

for the souls who had gone before them,

grant them eternal rest, O Lord.  

That those may be drawn up to the Beatific Vision, 

who never put obstacles in the way of sanctifying grace 

and who ever drew closer in mystical union with Thee,

grant them eternal rest, O Lord.  

V. Eternal rest give unto them, O Lord, 

R. And let perpetual light shine upon them. 

Let Us Pray 

Be mindful, O Lord, 

of Thy servants and handmaids, 

N. and N., 

who are gone before us 

with the sign of faith 

and repose in the sleep of grace.  

To these, O Lord, 

and to all who rest in Christ, 

grant, we beseech Thee, 

a place of refreshment, 

light and peace, 

through the same Christ Our Lord.

Amen

Halloween and All Saints Day
All Saints or All Souls? Differences should be black and white
All Souls' Day [Catholic Caucus]
Why I Am Catholic: For Purgatory, Thank Heavens (Ecumenical)
Q and A: Why Pray for the Dead? [Ecumenical]
“….and Death is Gain” – A Meditation on the Christian View of Death [Catholic Caucus]
99 & 1/2 Won’t Do – A Meditation on Purgatory
The Month of November: Thoughts on the "Last Things"
To Trace All Souls Day.........

November 2 -- All Souls Day
On November: All Souls and the "Permanent Things"
"From the Pastor" ALL SAINTS & ALL SOULS
Praying for the Dead [All Souls Day] (Catholic/Orthodox Caucus)
To Trace All Souls Day [Ecumenical]
All Souls Day [Catholic/Orthodox Caucus]
The Roots of All Souls Day
The Commemoration of all the Faithful Departed (All Souls)
During Month of Souls, Recall Mystic, St. Gertrude the Great
All Saints and All Souls

[Salvation]

November 2014 Year A

Pope's Intentions

Universal: That all who suffer loneliness may experience the closeness of God and the support of others.

For Evangelization: That young seminarians and religious may have wise and well-formed mentors.

[Salvation]

Daily Gospel Commentary

Tuesday of the Thirty-third week in Ordinary Time

Commentary of the day
Saint John-Mary Vianney (1786-1859), priest, curé of Ars
Sermon for the 3rd Sunday after Pentecost

"The Son of Man has come to seek and to save what was lost"

Not content with calling us by his grace and providing us with every means for our sanctification, see how Jesus Christ runs after his straying sheep ; see how he goes through town and countryside in search of them and brings them back to the place of his mercy. See how he leaves behind his apostles so as to go and wait for the Samaritan woman beside Jacob’s well, where he knew she would come (Jn 4,6f.)… See him in the house of Simon the Leper: it wasn’t to have a meal there that he went, but he knew a sinful Magdalen would come (Mk 14,3f)… See him follow the road to Capernaum so as to go and find another sinner in his office: this was Saint Matthew; it was to make a zealous apostle of him (Mt 9,9).

Ask him why he takes the road to Jericho : he will tell you there is a man called Zacchaeus who passes for a public sinner and he wants to go to see if he will be able to save him. In order to make a perfect penitent of him, he acts like a good father who has lost his child: he calls him. “Zacchaeus!” he cries, “come down, for it is at your house I must stay today. I am coming to grant you your grace.” As though he were to say: “Zacchaeus, leave this pride and attachment to worldly goods; come down” – that is to say, choose humility and poverty. So as to make it well understood, he said to all those with him: “Salvation has come to this house today.” O my God! How great is your mercy for sinners!...

After everything we’ve seen Jesus Christ to have done to save us, how can we despair of his mercy since his greatest pleasure is to forgive us ? In such a way that, however many our sins are, if we want to forsake them and repent of them, we are sure of our pardon.

[Salvation]

He will never let the trial surpass the strength He gives you, and at the very moment you think yourself overwhelmed by sorrow, He will lift you up and give you peace.

-- Saint Rose Philippine Duchesne

[Salvation]

Just A Minute (Listen) Some of EWTN's most popular hosts and guests in a collection of one minute inspirational messages. A different message each time you click.

[Salvation]

The Angelus 

The Angel of the Lord declared to Mary: 
And she conceived of the Holy Spirit. 

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen. 

Behold the handmaid of the Lord: Be it done unto me according to Thy word. 

Hail Mary . . . 

And the Word was made Flesh: And dwelt among us. 

Hail Mary . . . 

Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. 

Let us pray: 

Pour forth, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy grace into our hearts; that we, to whom the incarnation of Christ, Thy Son, was made known by the message of an angel, may by His Passion and Cross be brought to the glory of His Resurrection, through the same Christ Our Lord.

Amen. 

[Salvation]

Dedication of the Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles

Dedication of the Basilica
of Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles
Optional Memorial
November 18th

The dedication of these basilicsa were celebrated annually as early as the twelfth century. Both were completed in the fourth century. St. Peter's Basilica was built over the tomb of St. Peter was rebuilt in the seventeenth century. St. Paul's Basilica, on the Ostian Way, was likewise built over St. Paul's tomb and was rebuilt in the nineteenth century.

Source: Daily Roman Missal, Edited by Rev. James Socías, Midwest Theological Forum, Chicago, Illinois ©2003

Collect:
Defend your Church, O Lord,
by the protection of the holy Apostles,
that, as she received from them
the beginnings of her knowledge of things divine,
so through them she may receive,
even to the end of the world,
an increase in heavenly grace.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. +Amen.

First Reading: Acts of the apostles: 28:11-16, 30-31
After three months we set sail in a ship which had wintered in the island, a ship of Alexandria, with the Twin Brothers as figurehead. Putting in at Syracuse, we stayed there for three days. And from there we made a circuit and arrived at Rhegium; and after one day a south wind sprang up, and on the second day we came to Puteoli. There we found brethren, and were invited to stay with them for seven days. And so we came to Rome. And the brethren there, when they heard of us, came as far as the Forum of Appius and Three Taverns to meet us. On seeing them Paul thanked God and took courage. And when we came into Rome, Paul was allowed to stay by himself, with the soldier that guarded him.

Gospel: Matthew 14:22-33
Then He made the disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He dismissed the crowds. And after He had dismissed the crowds, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. When evening came, He was there alone, but the boat by this time was many furlongs distant from the land, beaten by the waves; for the wind was against them. And in the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea. But when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were terrified, saying, "It is a ghost!" And they cried out for fear. But immediately He spoke to them, saying, "Take heart, it is I; have no fear." And Peter answered Him, "Lord, if it is you, bid me come to you on the water." He said, "Come." So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus; but when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, "Lord, save me." Jesus immediately reached out His hand and caught Him, saying to him, "O man of little faith, why did you doubt?" And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshipped Him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God."

[Salvation]

Saint Rose Philippine Duchesne, Virgin

Saint Rose Philippine Duchesne, Virgin
Optional Memorial
November 18th
[In the Diocese of the United States]

Vatican Website

1769-1852 She founded a boarding school for daughters of pioneers near St. Louis and opened the first free school west of the Missouri. At seventy-one she began a school for Native Americans. In her life she showed great courage in frontier conditions and a single-mindedness in pursuing her dream of serving Native Americans.

Source: Daily Roman Missal, Edited by Rev. James Socías, Midwest Theological Forum, Chicago, Illinois ©2003

  

Collect:
Almighty God, who filled the hearts of Saint Rose Philippine Duchesne
with charity and missionary zeal,
and gave her the desire
to make you known among all peoples,
grant us to follow her way
and fill us with that same love and zeal
to extend your Kingdom to the ends of the earth.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. +Amen.

Readings are taken from the Common of virgins