Catholic Caucus: Daily Mass Readings, 11-29-17

USCCB.org/RNAB ^ | 11-29-17 | Revised New American Bible

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November 29, 2017

Wednesday of the Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time

Reading 1 Dn 5:1-6, 13-14, 16-17, 23-28

King Belshazzar gave a great banquet for a thousand of his lords,
with whom he drank.
Under the influence of the wine,
he ordered the gold and silver vessels
which Nebuchadnezzar, his father,
had taken from the temple in Jerusalem,
to be brought in so that the king, his lords,
his wives and his entertainers might drink from them.
When the gold and silver vessels
taken from the house of God in Jerusalem had been brought in,
and while the king, his lords, his wives and his entertainers
were drinking wine from them,
they praised their gods of gold and silver,
bronze and iron, wood and stone.

Suddenly, opposite the lampstand,
the fingers of a human hand appeared,
writing on the plaster of the wall in the king's palace.
When the king saw the wrist and hand that wrote, his face blanched;
his thoughts terrified him, his hip joints shook,
and his knees knocked.

Then Daniel was brought into the presence of the king.
The king asked him, "Are you the Daniel, the Jewish exile,
whom my father, the king, brought from Judah?
I have heard that the Spirit of God is in you,
that you possess brilliant knowledge and extraordinary wisdom.
I have heard that you can interpret dreams and solve difficulties;
if you are able to read the writing and tell me what it means,
you shall be clothed in purple,
wear a gold collar about your neck,
and be third in the government of the kingdom."

Daniel answered the king:
"You may keep your gifts, or give your presents to someone else;
but the writing I will read for you, O king,
and tell you what it means.
You have rebelled against the Lord of heaven.
You had the vessels of his temple brought before you,
so that you and your nobles, your wives and your entertainers,
might drink wine from them;
and you praised the gods of silver and gold,
bronze and iron, wood and stone,
that neither see nor hear nor have intelligence.
But the God in whose hand is your life breath
and the whole course of your life, you did not glorify.
By him were the wrist and hand sent, and the writing set down.

"This is the writing that was inscribed:
MENE, TEKEL, and PERES.
These words mean:
MENE, God has numbered your kingdom and put an end to it;
TEKEL, you have been weighed on the scales and found wanting;
PERES, your kingdom has been divided and given to the Medes and Persians."

Responsorial Psalm Dn 3:62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67

R. (59b) Give glory and eternal praise to him.
"Sun and moon, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever."
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.
"Stars of heaven, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever."
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.
"Every shower and dew, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever."
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.
"All you winds, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever."
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.
"Fire and heat, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever."
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.
"Cold and chill, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever."
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.

Alleluia Rev 2:10c

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

Gospel Lk 21:12-19

Jesus said to the crowd:
"They will seize and persecute you,
they will hand you over to the synagogues and to prisons,
and they will have you led before kings and governors
because of my name.
It will lead to your giving testimony.
Remember, you are not to prepare your defense beforehand,
for I myself shall give you a wisdom in speaking
that all your adversaries will be powerless to resist or refute.
You will even be handed over by parents,
brothers, relatives, and friends,
and they will put some of you to death.
You will be hated by all because of my name,
but not a hair on your head will be destroyed.
By your perseverance you will secure your lives."

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

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KEYWORDS: catholic; lk21; ordinarytime; prayer;

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From: Daniel 5:1-6, 13-14, 16-17, 23-28

The Hand Writing on the Wall

---

[1] King Belshazzar made a great feast for a thousand of his lords, and drank
wine in front of the thousand.

[2] Belshazzar, when he tasted the wine, commanded that the vessels of gold
and of silver which Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken out of the temple in Je-
rusalem be brought, that the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines
might drink from them. [3] Then they brought in the golden and silver vessels
which had been taken out of the temple, the house of God in Jerusalem; and
the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines drank from them. [4] They
drank wine, and praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze, iron, wood, and
stone.

[5] Immediately the fingers of a man’s hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of
the wall of the king’s palace, opposite the lampstand; and the king saw the hand
as it wrote. [6] Then the king’s color changed, and his thoughts alarmed him; his
limbs gave way, and his knees knocked together.

Daniel interprets the handwriting

---

[13] Then Daniel was brought in before the king. The king said to Daniel, “You
are that Daniel one of the exiles of Judah, whom the king my father brought from
Judah. [14] I have heard of you that the spirit of the holy gods is in you, and that
light and understanding and excellent wisdom are found in you. [16] But I have
heard that you can give interpretations and solve problems. Now if you can read
the writing and make known to me its interpretation, you shall be clothed with
purple, and have a chain of gold about your neck, and shall be the third ruler in
the kingdom.”

[17] Then Daniel answered before the king, “Let your gifts be for yourself, and
give your rewards to another; nevertheless I will read the writing to the king and
make known to him the interpretation. [...] [23] But you have lifted up yourself
against the Lord of heaven and the vessels of his house have been brought in
before you, and you and your lords, your wives and your concubines have drunk
wine from them; and you have praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron,
wood, and stone, which do not see or hear or know, but the God in whose hand
is your breath, and whose are all your ways, you have not honored.

[24] “Then from his presence the hand was sent and this writing was inscribed.
[25] And this is the writing that was inscribed: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, and PAR-
SIN. [26] This is the interpretation of the matter: MENE, God has numbered the
days of your kingdom and brought it to an end; [27] TEKEL, you have been
weighed in the balances and found wanting; [28] PERES, your kingdom is divi-
ded and given to the Medes and Persians.”

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Commentary:

5:1-30. The structure here is similar to that of chapters 1 and 2, which focused
on Daniel as an interpreter of dreams; here it is not a dream but a vision. First
comes an account of the king’s vision (vv. 1-12), then Daniel’s interpretation (vv.
13-28), and finally the king’s reaction, and the events that prove Daniel right. The
author uses considerable artistic licence in his references to the historical con-
text: Belshazzar was not Nebuchadnezzar’s son (v. 11), nor did Darius the Mede
succeed Belshazzar (6:1); cf. “Introduction”, pp. 794f, above. But by depicting
Belshazzar as Nebuchadnezzar’s son, the sacred writer creates a link with the
previous chapter and is able to explain the disappearance, by divine decree, of
the empire, that is, the statue’s golden head (cf. 2:38). The dependence of this
on the previous chapter, to which it refers (cf. 4:5 and 5:11-12, 18-21), suggests
that it is designed to round off the earlier one by showing Daniel’s connection
with the last king of Babylon (according to the book itself, that is—not in real life).
The story illustrates, also, what was said in 1:17—that Daniel “had understanding
in all visions and dreams”. It is a gift that he makes available to the sacrilegious
king, in the hope of changing his heart.

5:1-12. The sacrilege committed by the king and his court, and their idolatry, too,
make this Belshazzar a sort of symbol of Antiochus Epiphanes, the king who
sacked the temple and looted its sacred vessels (cf. 1 Mac 1:20-24; 2 Mac 5:11-
16). The hand that writes on the wall, a sign of the living God (vv. 4-5), is some-
thing quite different from the pagan idols, which are incapable of movement. It is
surprising that the king did not consult Daniel earlier (vv. 7-8), given that he was
the official chief astrologer (v. 11). However, the sacred writer tells the story as
he does, in order to highlight, once again, the superiority of Daniel’s wisdom over
that of all the wise men of Babylon and all their magic arts. Daniel’s gift is seen
by this polytheistic people as a spirit of a god which makes Daniel like the gods.

5:13-28. The king is ready to believe in Daniel’s supernatural powers, and offers
him great rewards to use them on his behalf (vv. 14-16); but Daniel makes it clear
that he never acts for personal gain. He is ready to interpret the writing on the wall,
but he wants the king to acknowledge the Most High God, as his father had to do
when misfortune overtook him (vv. 18-21). Therefore, he plainly tells the king what
his sin has been (vv. 22-23) and reveals to him the sentence that God has passed
— in other words, the meaning of the writing on the wall (vv. 24-28).

Four words were written by the mysterious hand according to the Masoretic text
(which repeats the first word). They are the names of Eastern measures and coins
— the mina, the shekel and the half-mina or “paras”. In his interpretation, Daniel
links them to three verbs that sound like them—the verb “manah”, meaning to mea-
sure; “saqal”, to weigh; and “paras”, to divide. The last of the words in the Maso-
retic text is the plural (”parsim”), so that it sounds like “Persians” in Aramaic.
And so, by this play on words, the end of the Babylonian empire and the arrival
of the Persians is announced.

This sentence is passed on Belshazzar not only because he failed to glorify the
God who gave him life (v. 23) but because he showed him disrespect through the
sacrilegious use of the sacred vessels. Theodoret of Cyrus, commenting on v. 23,
points out that Daniel “teaches them that they should worship the Lord God, not
the things that they can see. Therefore, he denounces the vanity of the king, and
tells him that the invisible God holds the high heavens in his sway. ‘You,’ he says
to the king, ‘you have not humbled your heart, nor seen the greatness of the heart
of heaven, who is God and Lord of everything that is. If you had not been blinded
by your pride, you would not have taken the vessels of the Lord from his temple’”
“Interpretatio in Danielem”, 5, 23).

*********************************************************************************************
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.

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From: Luke 21:12-19

Discourse on the End of the World

---

[12] But before all this they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, deli-
vering you up to the synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before
kings and governors for My name’s sake. [13] This will be a time for you to bear
testimony. [14] Settle it therefore in your minds, not to meditate beforehand how
to answer; [15] for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which none of your adver-
saries will be able to withstand or contradict. [16] You will be delivered up even
by parents and brothers and kinsmen and friends, and some of you they will put
to death; [17] you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. [18] But not a hair of
your head will perish. [19] By your endurance you will gain your lives.”

*********************************************************************************************
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 ve-
ry 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 of 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 tempted” (v. 9); “watch
at all times” (v. 34).

19. Jesus foretells all kinds of persecution. Persecution itself is something inevi-
table: “all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Ti-
mothy 3:12). His disciples will have need to remember the Lord’s warning at the
Last Supper: “A servant is not greater than his master. If they persecuted Me,
they will persecute you” (John 15:20). However, these persecutions are part of
God’s providence: they happen because He lets them happen, which He does in
order to draw greater good out of them. Persecution provides Christians with an
opportunity to bear witness to Christ; without it the blood of martyrs would not
adorn the Church. Moreover, our Lord promises to give special help to those who
suffer persecution, and He tells them not to be afraid: He will give them of His
own wisdom to enable them to defend themselves; He will not permit a hair of
their heads to perish, that is, even apparent misfortune and loss will be for them
a beginning of Heaven.

From Jesus’ words we can also deduce the obligation of every Christian to be
ready to lose life rather than offend God. Only those will attain salvation who per-
severe until the end in faithfulness to the Lord. The three Synoptic Gospels lo-
cate His exhortation to perseverance in this discourse (cf. Matthew 24:13; Mark
13:13) and St. Matthew gives it elsewhere (Matthew 10:22) as does St. Peter (1
Peter 5:9) — all of which underlines the importance for every Christian of this war-
ning from our Lord.

*********************************************************************************************
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.

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Scripture readings from the Jerusalem Bible by Darton, Longman & Todd

Readings at Mass

Liturgical Colour: Green.

---

First reading

Daniel 5:1-6,13-14,16-17,23-28 ©

King Belshazzar gave a great banquet for his noblemen; a thousand of them attended, and he drank wine in company with this thousand. As he sipped his wine, Belshazzar gave orders for the gold and silver vessels to be brought which his father Nebuchadnezzar had looted from the sanctuary in Jerusalem, so that the king, his noblemen, his wives and his singing women could drink out of them. The gold and silver vessels looted from the sanctuary of the Temple of God in Jerusalem were brought in, and the king, his noblemen, his wives and his singing women drank out of them. They drank their wine and praised their gods of gold and silver, of bronze and iron, of wood and stone. Suddenly the fingers of a human hand appeared, and began to write on the plaster of the palace wall, directly behind the lamp-stand; and the king could see the hand as it wrote. The king turned pale with alarm: his thigh-joints went slack and his knees began to knock.

  Daniel was brought into the king’s presence; the king said to Daniel, ‘Are you the Daniel who was one of the Judaean exiles brought by my father the king from Judah? I am told that the spirit of God Most Holy lives in you, and that you are known for your perception, intelligence and marvellous wisdom. As I am told that you are able to give interpretations and to unravel difficult problems, if you can read the writing and tell me what it means, you shall be dressed in purple, and have a chain of gold put round your neck, and be third in rank in the kingdom.’

  Then Daniel spoke up in the presence of the king. ‘Keep your gifts for yourself,’ he said ‘and give your rewards to others. I will read the writing to the king without them, and tell him what it means. You have defied the Lord of heaven, you have had the vessels from his Temple brought to you, and you, your noblemen, your wives and your singing women have drunk your wine out of them. You have praised gods of gold and silver, of bronze and iron, of wood and stone, which cannot either see, hear or understand; but you have given no glory to the God who holds your breath and all your fortunes in his hands. That is why he has sent the hand which, by itself, has written these words. The writing reads: Mene, Mene, Tekel and Parsin. The meaning of the words is this: Mene: God has measured your sovereignty and put an end to it; Tekel: you have been weighed in the balance and found wanting; Parsin: your kingdom has been divided and given to the Medes and the Persians.’

---

Responsorial Psalm	Daniel 3:62-67 ©

Sun and moon! bless the Lord.

  Give glory and eternal praise to him!

Stars of heaven! bless the Lord.

  Give glory and eternal praise to him!

Showers and dews! all bless the Lord.

  Give glory and eternal praise to him!

Winds! all bless the Lord.

  Give glory and eternal praise to him!

Fire and heat! bless the Lord.

  Give glory and eternal praise to him!

Cold and heat! bless the Lord.

  Give glory and eternal praise to him!

---

Gospel Acclamation	Lk21:36

Alleluia, alleluia!

Stay awake, praying at all times

for the strength to stand with confidence

before the Son of Man.

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 21:12-19 ©

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Men will seize you and persecute you; they will hand you over to the synagogues and to imprisonment, and bring you before kings and governors because of my name – and that will be your opportunity to bear witness. Keep this carefully in mind: you are not to prepare your defence, because I myself shall give you an eloquence and a wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to resist or contradict. You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, relations and friends; and some of you will be put to death. You will be hated by all men on account of my name, but not a hair of your head will be lost. Your endurance will win you your lives.’

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Pray for Pope Francis.

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

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Perpetual Novena for the Nation (Ecumenical)

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Prayers for The Religion Forum (Ecumenical)

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

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Pray the Rosary!

Is This Bishop Right about the Rosary Conquering Boko Haram? [Catholic Caucus]
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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.

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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 Glorious Mysteries
(Wednesdays and Sundays)
1.The Resurrection (Matthew 28:1-8, Mark 16:1-18, Luke 24:1-12, John 20:1-29) [Spiritual fruit - Faith]
2. The Ascension (Mark 16:19-20, Luke 24:50-53, Acts 1:6-11) [Spiritual fruit - Christian Hope]
3. The Descent of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1-13) [Spiritual fruit - Gifts of the Holy Spirit]
4. The Assumption [Spiritual fruit - To Jesus through Mary]
5. The Coronation [Spiritual fruit - Grace of Final Perseverance]

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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
+

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(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

Bringing back the dead… Catholic style
All Souls, Purgatory and the Bible

Letter #95: Remembering the Dead
Hungry Souls (a bit of a [Book] review) Catholic/Orthodox Caucus
What Is All Souls Day (Commemoration of the Faithful Departed)?
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, 2017

Pope's Prayer Intention

---------- in Asia, That ----------- in Asia, bearing witness to the Gospel in word and deed, may promote dialogue, peace, and mutual understanding, especially with those of other religions.

[Salvation]

Daily Gospel Commentary

Wednesday of the Thirty-fourth week in Ordinary Time

Commentary of the day
Saint Augustine (354-430), Bishop of Hippo (North Africa) and Doctor of the Church
2nd Discourse on Psalm 26[27]

"Not a hair on your head will be destroyed. By your perseverance you will secure your lives"

      “Such as breathe out violence have risen up against me” (Ps 26[27]:12)… The psalmist struggles in the hands of those who pursue and attack him; he is breathless, struggling, but he holds firm; he is assured since God upholds him, God helps him, God leads him, God guides him. Both transported with joy by what he has been able to admire and sing, and struck with groanings by what he has had to suffer, in the end he breathes and cries out: “I believe that I shall see the bounty of the Lord in the land of the living” (v.13). Oh, how sweet is the Lord’s bounty, immortal, incomparable, eternal, unchanging! And when shall I see you, O bounty of the Lord? “I believe I shall see,” but not in the land of mortals but “in the land of the living.” The Lord will bring me out of the land of mortals who deigned for my sake to accept this land of mortals and die at the hands of mortals…

      May we listen also to the voice of the Lord which, from on high, exhorts and consoles us. Let us listen to the voice of him whom we have for father and mother (cf. v.10). For he has heard our groaning, he has seen our sighs, he has sounded the desires of our hearts for “the one thing we ask” (v.4). Thanks to Christ’s intercession, he has favorably received our one prayer, our one request. And while we are completing our pilgrimage in this world, even the road is a long one, he will not refuse what he has promised. He says to us: “Hope in the Lord.” He who has promised is all powerful, he is trustworthy, he is faithful. “Hope in the Lord, be stouthearted” (v.14 alt.). Therefore do not let yourself be troubled.

[Golden Eagle]

Thank you for that beautiful post, it was a wonderful end to my day. Good night and God Bless.

[Salvation]

'For even His chastisements and His punishments are the greatest part of His beneficence, the greatest form of His providence. Whenever therefore thou seest that famines have taken place, and pestilences, and drought and immoderate rains, and irregularities in the atmosphere, or any other of the things which chasten human nature, be not distressed, nor be despondent, but worship Him who caused them, marvel at Him for His tender care.'

St. John Chrysostom