Catholic Caucus: Daily Mass Readings, 11-24-15, M, Andrew Dung Lac, Priest/Companions, Martyrs

USCCB.org/RNAB ^ | 11-24-15 | Revised New American Bible

[Salvation]

November 24, 2015

Memorial of Saint Andrew Dung Lac, Priest, and Companions, Martyrs

Reading 1 Dn 2:31-45

Daniel said to Nebuchadnezzar:
"In your vision, O king, you saw a statue,
very large and exceedingly bright,
terrifying in appearance as it stood before you.
The head of the statue was pure gold,
its chest and arms were silver,
its belly and thighs bronze, the legs iron,
its feet partly iron and partly tile.
While you looked at the statue,
a stone which was hewn from a mountain
without a hand being put to it,
struck its iron and tile feet, breaking them in pieces.
The iron, tile, bronze, silver, and gold all crumbled at once,
fine as the chaff on the threshing floor in summer,
and the wind blew them away without leaving a trace.
But the stone that struck the statue became a great mountain
and filled the whole earth.

"This was the dream;
the interpretation we shall also give in the king's presence.
You, O king, are the king of kings;
to you the God of heaven
has given dominion and strength, power and glory;
men, wild beasts, and birds of the air, wherever they may dwell,
he has handed over to you, making you ruler over them all;
you are the head of gold.
Another kingdom shall take your place, inferior to yours,
then a third kingdom, of bronze,
which shall rule over the whole earth.
There shall be a fourth kingdom, strong as iron;
it shall break in pieces and subdue all these others,
just as iron breaks in pieces and crushes everything else.
The feet and toes you saw, partly of potter's tile and partly of iron,
mean that it shall be a divided kingdom,
but yet have some of the hardness of iron.
As you saw the iron mixed with clay tile,
and the toes partly iron and partly tile,
the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly fragile.
The iron mixed with clay tile
means that they shall seal their alliances by intermarriage,
but they shall not stay united, any more than iron mixes with clay.
In the lifetime of those kings
the God of heaven will set up a kingdom
that shall never be destroyed or delivered up to another people;
rather, it shall break in pieces all these kingdoms
and put an end to them, and it shall stand forever.
That is the meaning of the stone you saw hewn from the mountain
without a hand being put to it,
which broke in pieces the tile, iron, bronze, silver, and gold.
The great God has revealed to the king what shall be in the future;
this is exactly what you dreamed, and its meaning is sure.”

Responsorial Psalm Daniel 3:57, 58, 59, 60, 61

R. (59b) Give glory and eternal praise to him.
"Bless the Lord, all you works of the Lord,
praise and exalt him above all forever."
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.
"Angels of the Lord, bless the Lord,
praise and exalt him above all forever."
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.
"You heavens, bless the Lord,
praise and exalt him above all forever."
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.
"All you waters above the heavens, bless the Lord,
praise and exalt him above all forever."
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.
"All you hosts of the Lord, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever."
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.

Alleluia Rv 2:10c

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Remain faithful until death,
and I will give you the crown of life.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Lk 21:5-11

While some people were speaking about
how the temple was adorned with costly stones and votive offerings,
Jesus said, "All that you see here–
the days will come when there will not be left
a stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down."

Then they asked him,
"Teacher, when will this happen?
And what sign will there be when all these things are about to happen?"
He answered,
"See that you not be deceived,
for many will come in my name, saying,
'I am he,' and 'The time has come.'
Do not follow them!
When you hear of wars and insurrections,
do not be terrified; for such things must happen first,
but it will not immediately be the end."
Then he said to them,
"Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.
There will be powerful earthquakes, famines, and plagues
from place to place;
and awesome sights and mighty signs will come from the sky."

[Salvation]

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

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From: Daniel 2:31-45

Daniel Describes the King’s Dream (Continuation)

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(Daniel said to Nebuchadnezzar,) [31] “You saw, O king, and behold, a great
image. This image, mighty and of exceeding brightness, stood before you, and
its appearance was frightening. [32] The head of this image was of fine gold, its
breast and arms of silver, its belly and thighs of bronze, [33] its legs of iron, its
feet partly of iron and partly of clay. [34] As you looked, a stone was cut out by
no human hand, and it smote the image on its feet of iron and clay, and broke
them in pieces; [35] then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold,
all together were broken in pieces, and became like the chaff of the summer
threshing floors; and the wind carried them away, so that not a trace of them
could be found. But the stone that struck the image became a great mountain
and filled the whole earth.

Daniel Interprets the King’s Dream

---

[36] “This was the dream; now we will tell the king its interpretation. [37] You,
O king, the king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom,
the power, and the might, and the glory, [38] and into whose hand he has given,
wherever they dwell, the sons of men, the beasts of the field, and the birds of the
air, making you rule over them all—you are the head of gold. [39] After you shall
arise another kingdom inferior to you, and yet a third kingdom of bronze, which
shall rule over all the earth. [40] And there shall be a fourth kingdom, strong as ir-
on, because iron breaks to pieces and shatters all things; and like iron which cru-
shes, it shall break and crush all these. [41] And as you saw the feet and toes
partly of potter’s clay and partly of iron, it shall be a divided kingdom; but some
of the firmness of iron shall be in it, just as you saw iron mixed with the miry clay.
[42] And as the toes of the feet were partly iron and partly clay, so the kingdom
shall be partly strong and partly brittle. [43] As you saw the iron mixed with miry
clay, so they will mix with one another in marriage, but they will not hold toge-
ther, just as iron does not mix with clay. And in the days of those kings the God
of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed, nor shall its sove-
reignty be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and
bring them to an end, and it shall stand for ever; [45] just as you saw that a
stone was cut from a mountain by no human hand, and that it broke in pieces
the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold. A great God has made
known to the king what shall be hereafter. The dream is certain, and its interpre-
tation sure.”

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

2:25-35. Daniel claims no personal credit for knowing the content of the king’s
dream; he makes it plain that God revealed the Secret to him; only God knows
what will happen in the “latter times” (vv. 27-28). We have entered the area of
divine revelation, which is what this book is all about — the world of the End time,
which as yet exists only in the mind of God. Our Lord himself will say that “of
that day and hour no one knows...” (Mt 24:36).

Daniel uses the opportunity to lead the king to the true God, the God of heaven,
who knows all mysteries.

In line with the thread of the story, Daniel first tells the king about the content of
his dream (2:31-35) and then interprets it (3:13-22). The king’s vision is full of sym-
bolism. In the Bible, statues connote idolatry, insofar as they are graven images
(cf Ex 32), even though the passage does not expressly say that the image is an
idol. As one moves from head to feet, the metals used in the statue decrease in
value. In contrast with the materials of the statue are the stone and the mountain,
symbols of solidity and stability. The interpretation reads the metals as represen-
tative of the various kingdoms. This is a classical symbolic image: Hesiod, a
Greek historian of the eighth-to-seventh century BC, in his book “Works and
Days”, 199-201, had used the very same metals and in the same order to signify
periods of history; something similar is to be found in Polybius (”Historia”, 38, 22)
and other classical authors. Now, in Daniel’s vision, the four metals all appear to-
gether, at the same time, so to speak—a sign that, for God, history is all of a
piece.

The image with “feet of clay” (vv. 32-33) is often taken as a reminder that human
nature is frail and that nevertheless it is endowed with precious gifts from God:
“Our Lord and our God: how great you are! It is you who give our life supernatural
meaning and divine vitality. For love of your Son, you cause us to say with all our
being, with our body and soul: ‘He must reign!’ And this we do against the back-
ground of our weakness, for you know that we are creatures made of clay — and
what creatures! Not just feet of clay, but heart and head too” (St. Josemaria Es-
crivá, “Christ Is Passing By”, 181).

2:36-45. Daniel is not being sycophantic by addressing the king as he does in
vv. 37-38; he is simply saying that the king has an impressive empire because
he has been given it by God, who rules over all things; he wants the king to see
that the power and glory that he enjoys are part of God’s plans. The other metals
(silver, bronze, iron), as one can deduce from the rest of the book, stand for the
empires of the Medes, Persians and Greeks, though that interpretation is not
perfectly clear because the silver could stand for the empire of the Medes and
Persians together. The divided kingdom made of clay and iron is a reference to
the Greek empire after the death of Alexander the Great (cf. 11:4) and to the po-
litical marriages made between the Seleucid and Lagid Greeks (Antiochus II
marrying Bernice; Ptolemy V marrying Cleopatra: cf. 11:6, 17) that failed to bring
about unity or union. This passage would have been composed when the Seleu-
cids and Lagids were at loggerheads, and it was against the same background
that the prophecy about the end of time seeing the establishment by God of an
everlasting kingdom was made (God’s action is symbolized by the stone that
strikes the image; there is no sign of any human power at work). It does not say
here who will be given the kingdom, but in the light of 7:26 and the fact that it
says that the kingdom will not be left to another people (v. 44), the implication
is that it will be given to faithful Israelites.

The symbol of the stone has a messianic dimension insofar as it is the means
by which the everlasting kingdom will be established and the previous kingdoms
destroyed. There are echoes here of images in other prophetical works and in
the psalms. Isaiah speaks of God as a “stone of offense”, a stumbling-block for
Israel (cf. Is 8:14) and in Psalm 118:22 the people of God are compared to a
stone which the builders have rejected and which has become the cornerstone.
In the New Testament that stone is Christ, and the kingdom which he ushers
in is the Kingdom of God which will be taken from Israel, to be given to another
people that will produce fruit (cf. Mt 21:42-43); Christ also says that anyone who
falls on that stone will be broken to pieces (cf. Lk 20:17-18). Using this Christo-
logical interpretation of the stone, some Fathers interpret the mountain from
which the stone comes as being the Blessed Virgin, and the stone cut off “by
no human hand” as an image of the conception of Jesus in the Virgin’s womb
without the involvement of a man: “When Daniel says that the one who inherits
the eternal kingdom is like a son of man, who can he mean, if not the Lord him-
self? For he was born of a woman, like a son of man, but he showed that his
life and power were not of human origin. To say that he is a stone that moves
under no external force is a mysterious description: it means that Christ is not
the fruit of the work and will of men; he is the fruit of the providence of God, the
Father of the universe” (St Justin, “Dialogus Cum Tryphone”, 76, 1).

The interpretation of the dream, the message it contains, would interest the rea-
der of the book—but not Nebuchadnezzar, who died centuries earlier. It describes
how, after the kingdoms of this world which succeed one another over the course
of history, an everlasting kingdom will be established by God himself — a kingdom
surpassing any that man could create. A Christian will read this as heralding the
Kingdom of Christ, although that will not be an earthly, political kingdom, but a
spiritual one, as Jesus will tell Pilate at his trial: “My kingship is not of this world”
(Jn 18:36).

*********************************************************************************************
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 21:5-11

Discourse on the Destruction of Jerusalem and the End of the World

---

[5] And as some spoke of the temple, how it was adorned with noble stones and
offerings, He (Jesus) said, [6] “As for these things which you see, the days will
come when there shall not be left here one stone upon another that will not be
thrown down.” [7] And they asked Him, “Teacher, when will this be, and what
will be the sign when this is about to take place?” [8] And He said, “Take heed
that you are not led astray; for many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He!’
and, ‘The time is at hand!’ Do not go after them. [9] And when you hear of wars
and tumults, do not be terrified; for this must first take place, but the end will not
be at once.”

[10] Then He said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against
kingdom; [11] there will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and
pestilences; and there will be terrors and great signs from heaven.”

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

5-36. The disciples are in awe of the magnificence of the temple, and Jesus uses
the occasion to give a long discourse, known as the “eschatological discourse”
because it has to do with the last days of the world. The account given here is
very similar to those in the other Synoptic Gospels (cf. Mt 24:1-51; Mk 13:1-37).
The discourse deals with three inter-connected subjects — the destruction of Je-
rusalem (which took place some forty years later), the end of the world, and the
second coming of Christ in glory and majesty. Jesus, who also predicts here the
persecution the Church will experience, exhorts His disciples to be patient, to
pray and be watchful.

Our Lord speaks here in the style and language of prophecy, using images taken
from the Old Testament; also, in this discourse prophecies which are going to be
fulfilled very soon are mixed in with others which have to do with the end of the
world. It is not our Lord’s intention to satisfy people’s curiosity about future events,
but to protect them from being discouraged and scandalized about what is going
to happen in the days immediately ahead. This explains why He exhorts them:
“Take heed that you are not led astray” (v. 8); “do not be terrified” (v. 9); “watch
at all times” (v. 36).

8. On hearing that Jerusalem is going to be destroyed, the disciples ask what
sign will be given as a warning of these events (vv. 5-7). Jesus answers by telling
them “not to be led astray,” that is to say, not to expect any warning; not to be
misled by false prophets; to stay faithful to Him. These false prophets will come
along claiming to be the Messiah (”I am He!”). Our Lord’s reply in fact refers to
two events which in the Jewish mind were interrelated — the destruction of the
Holy City and the end of the world. This is why He goes on to speak of both
events and implies that there will be a long gap between the two; the destruction
of the temple and of Jerusalem are a kind of sign or symbol of the catastrophes
which will mark the end of the world.

9-11. Our Lord does not want His disciples to confuse just any catastrophe —
famine, earthquake, war — or even persecution with the signals of the end of the
world. He exhorts them quite clearly: “Do not be terrified,” because although all
these has to happen, “the end will not be at once;” in spite of difficulties of all
kinds the Gospel will spread to the ends of the earth. Difficulties should not pa-
ralyze the preaching of the faith.

*********************************************************************************************
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 from the Jerusalem Bible are published and copyright © 1966, 1967 and 1968 by Darton, Longman &Todd

Readings at Mass

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First reading	Daniel 2:31-45 ©

Daniel said to Nebuchadnezzar, ‘You have had a vision, O king; this is what you saw: a statue, a great statue of extreme brightness, stood before you, terrible to see. The head of this statue was of fine gold, its chest and arms were of silver, its belly and thighs of bronze, its legs of iron, its feet part iron, part earthenware. While you were gazing, a stone broke away, untouched by any hand, and struck the statue, struck its feet of iron and earthenware and shattered them. And then, iron and earthenware, bronze, silver, gold all broke into small pieces as fine as chaff on the threshing-floor in summer. The wind blew them away, leaving not a trace behind. And the stone that had struck the statue grew into a great mountain, filling the whole earth. This was the dream; now we will explain to the king what it means.

  ‘You, O king, king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given sovereignty, power, strength and glory – the sons of men, the beasts of the field, the birds of heaven, wherever they live, he has entrusted to your rule, making you king of them all – you are the golden head. And after you another kingdom will rise, not so great as you, and then a third, of bronze, which will rule the whole world. There will be a fourth kingdom, hard as iron, as iron that shatters and crushes all. Like iron that breaks everything to pieces, it will crush and break all the earlier kingdoms. The feet you saw, part earthenware, part iron, are a kingdom which will be split in two, but which will retain something of the strength of iron, just as you saw the iron and the clay of the earthenware mixed together. The feet were part iron, part earthenware: the kingdom will be partly strong and partly weak. And just as you saw the iron and the clay of the earthenware mixed together, so the two will be mixed together in the seed of man; but they will not hold together any more than iron will blend with earthenware. In the time of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed, and this kingdom will not pass into the hands of another race: it will shatter and absorb all the previous kingdoms, and itself last for ever – just as you saw the stone untouched by hand break from the mountain and shatter iron, bronze, earthenware, silver and gold. The great God has shown the king what is to take place. The dream is true, the interpretation exact.’

---

Canticle	Daniel 3:57-61 ©

All things the Lord has made, bless the Lord.

  Give glory and eternal praise to him!

Angels of the Lord! all bless the Lord.

  Give glory and eternal praise to him!

Heavens! bless the Lord.

  Give glory and eternal praise to him!

Waters above the heavens! bless the Lord.

  Give glory and eternal praise to him!

Powers of the Lord! all bless the Lord.

  Give glory and eternal praise to him!

---

Gospel Acclamation	Lk21:28

Alleluia, alleluia!

Stand erect, hold your heads high,

because your liberation is near at hand.

Alleluia!

Or	Rv2:10

Alleluia, alleluia!

Even if you have to die, says the Lord,

keep faithful, and I will give you

the crown of life.

Alleluia!

---

Gospel	Luke 21:5-11 ©

When some were talking about the Temple, remarking how it was adorned with fine stonework and votive offerings, Jesus said, ‘All these things you are staring at now – the time will come when not a single stone will be left on another: everything will be destroyed.’ And they put to him this question: ‘Master,’ they said ‘when will this happen, then, and what sign will there be that this is about to take place?’

  ‘Take care not to be deceived,’ he said ‘because many will come using my name and saying, “I am he” and, “The time is near at hand.” Refuse to join them. And when you hear of wars and revolutions, do not be frightened, for this is something that must happen but the end is not so soon.’ Then he said to them, ‘Nation will fight against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes and plagues and famines here and there; there will be fearful sights and great signs from heaven.’

[Salvation]

Pray for Pope Francis and

It's time to kneel down and pray for our nation (Sacramental Marriage)

[Salvation]

Perpetual Novena for the Nation (Ecumenical)

[Salvation]

Prayers for The Religion Forum (Ecumenical)

[Salvation]

7 Powerful Ways to Pray for Christians Suffering in the Middle East

[Salvation]

Pray the Rosary!

Why Boko Haram and ISIS Target Women
Report reveals scale of Boko Haram violence inflicted on Nigerian Catholics
Military evacuating girls, women rescued from Boko Haram
Echos of Lepanto Nigerian bishop says rosary will bring down Boko Harm
After vision of Christ, Nigerian bishop says rosary will bring down Boko Haram (Catholic Caucus)
Nigerian Bishop Says Christ Showed Him How to Beat Islamic Terror Group

[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]

Celebrating the Year of Consecrated Life
Cardinal Francis Arinze on Radical Discipleship and the Consecrated Life
Pope Francis' Message for the Year of Consecrated Life
Consecrated Life Is Of Benefit To The Whole Church [Catholic Caucus]
Bishops Launch ... Website To Promote Vocations To Priesthood & Consecrated Life (Catholic Caucus)
A consecrated virgin captures her life in a blog [Catholic Caucus]

[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: I 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.

6. 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]

St. Michael the Archangel

~ 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]

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....... Catholics)

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 2015

Pope's Intentions

Universal, Dialogue: That we may be open to personal encounter and dialogue with all, even those whose convictions differ from our own.

Evangelization, Pastors: That pastors of the Church, with profound love for their flocks, may accompany them and enliven their hope.

[Salvation]

Daily Gospel Commentary

Tuesday of the Thirty-fourth week in Ordinary Time

Commentary of the day
Origen (c.185-253), priest and theologian
Commentary on Saint John;s Gospel, 10, 226s ; PG 14, 369f.

The sign of the Temple

Destroy this Temple and in three days I will raise it up again.

To be sure, the Savior was capable of showing thousands of other signs, but to show "why he was acting like this" none other was possible. That is why, very appropriately, his answer concerned the Temple rather than other signs without any connection to it. Nevertheless, it seems to me that the Temple and the body of Jesus should be interpreted as a symbol of the Church since the latter is built with “living stones, a spiritual building for a holy priesthood.” It is built “upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets with Christ Jesus as the cornerstone,” the true temple.

Since you are Christ's body and individually parts of it", even if we witness the stones of the temple, strongly compact, destroyed and, as it is written in Psalm 21[22], we see all Christ's bones racked under the assault of his trials and tribulations. . . and the persecutions that come together against the temple's unity, yet the temple will be raised up and the body will rise again on the third day after the day of iniquity, which would have destroyed it, and after the day of fulfilment that is to follow. For there will be a third day in a new heaven and new earth when the dry bones. . . will stand up on the Day of the Lord following his victory over death. Christ's resurrection, following his Passion and his cross, embraces the whole mystery of the resurrection of Christ's Body.

(Biblical references: Jn 2,18-19; 1P 2,5; Ep 2,20; 1Co 12,27; Ps 21,15; 2P 3,3-10.13; Ez 37,11)

[Salvation]

The school of Christ is the school of charity. On the last day, when the general examination takes place, there will be no question at all on the text of Aristotle, the aphorisms of Hippocrates, or the paragraphs of Justinian. Charity will be the whole syllabus.

St. Robert Bellermine

[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.  "Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you" (Lk 1:28)   "Blessed are you among women,  and blessed is the fruit of your womb" (Lk 1:42).