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Catholic Caucus: Daily Mass Readings, 12-03-03, Memorial, St. Francis Xavier, priest
USCCB.org/New American Bible ^ | 12-03-03 | New American Bible

Posted on 12/03/2003 8:47:21 AM PST by Salvation

December 3, 2003
Memorial of Saint Francis Xavier, priest

Psalm: Wednesday 51 Reading I Responsorial Psalm Gospel

Reading I
Is 25:6-10a

On this mountain the LORD of hosts
will provide for all peoples
A feast of rich food and choice wines,
juicy, rich food and pure, choice wines.
On this mountain he will destroy
the veil that veils all peoples,
The web that is woven over all nations;
he will destroy death forever.
The Lord God will wipe away
the tears from all faces;
The reproach of his people he will remove
from the whole earth; for the LORD has spoken.

On that day it will be said:
"Behold our God, to whom we looked to save us!
This is the LORD for whom we looked;
let us rejoice and be glad that he has saved us!"
For the hand of the LORD will rest on this mountain.

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 23:1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6

R (6cd) I shall live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
In verdant pastures he gives me repose;
Beside restful waters he leads me;
he refreshes my soul.
R I shall live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.
He guides me in right paths
for his name's sake.
Even though I walk in the dark valley
I fear no evil; for you are at my side
With your rod and your staff
that give me courage.
R I shall live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.
You spread the table before me
in the sight of my foes;
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
R I shall live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.
Only goodness and kindness follow me
all the days of my life;
And I shall dwell in the house of the LORD
for years to come.
R I shall live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.

Gospel
Mt 15:29-37

At that time:
Jesus walked by the Sea of Galilee,
went up on the mountain, and sat down there.
Great crowds came to him,
having with them the lame, the blind, the deformed, the mute,
and many others.
They placed them at his feet, and he cured them.
The crowds were amazed when they saw the mute speaking,
the deformed made whole,
the lame walking,
and the blind able to see,
and they glorified the God of Israel.

Jesus summoned his disciples and said,
"My heart is moved with pity for the crowd,
for they have been with me now for three days
and have nothing to eat.
I do not want to send them away hungry,
for fear they may collapse on the way."
The disciples said to him,
"Where could we ever get enough bread in this deserted place
to satisfy such a crowd?"
Jesus said to them, "How many loaves do you have?"
"Seven," they replied, "and a few fish."
He ordered the crowd to sit down on the ground.
Then he took the seven loaves and the fish,
gave thanks, broke the loaves,
and gave them to the disciples, who in turn gave them to the crowds.
They all ate and were satisfied.
They picked up the fragments left over – seven baskets full.


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KEYWORDS: advent; catholiclist; dailymassreadings; stfrancisxavier
For your reading, reflection, faith-sharing, comments and discussion.
1 posted on 12/03/2003 8:47:23 AM PST by Salvation
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To: Salvation
Advent Reflections for All -- 2003 -- #21 and #22

The Advent Calendar -- #10

The Advent Wreath

The Jesse Tree

2 posted on 12/03/2003 8:50:23 AM PST by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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To: Salvation
thought for the Day

The more we pray, the more we wish to pray. Like a fish which at first swims on the surface of the water, and afterwards plunges down, and is always going deeper; the soul plunges, dives, and loses itself in the sweetness of conversing with God.

 -- St. John Vianney

3 posted on 12/03/2003 8:52:07 AM PST by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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To: All
FEAST OF THE DAY

St. Francis Xavier was born in Navarre around the year 1506. This
youngest son of Catholic parents was studious as a youngster and
entered the College of St. Barbara at the age of 18 to study
philosophy. In 1528, St. Francis Xavier met St. Ignatius of Loyola
and helped him in the founding and organization of the Jesuits, and
in 1537 he was ordained to the priesthood. In 1540, Francis was one
of a group of Jesuits who were sent to serve in Portugal. While
working in Portugal, he was given leave to sail to the East Asia and
spread the word of God.

While sailing to East Asia, Francis continued the work he began with
Ignatius. Among the five ships making the voyage, Francis cared for
the sick, settled disturbances, taught and preached regularly. When
the voyage ended, Francis began teaching, preaching and caring for
the sick as soon as he could. He started out by serving the European
colonists but soon set out to preach the word of God to those who
had never heard it before. In teaching the people, he often used
popular tunes with revised lyrics to teach the catechism. While
working among the people, he accomplished many miracles through
the power of God and converted many to Christianity. While working
in the East Indies, Francis met a man from Japan and was
successful in converting him to Christianity. After talking with the
man, Francis decided to make Japan his next place of labor.

Around the year 1550, Francis arrived in Japan and began
evangelizing. He met much success and many trials working in
Japan. Much of Francis' success came out of his preaching, first of
all, through his own example and then next with words. After
spending several years preaching throughout Japan, Francis
traveled to China to preach there.

At the time of Francis' preaching, China had very exclusive boarders
and foreigners found it difficult to travel in or even enter the country.
Francis made provisions to secretly enter the country, but while he
was carrying out his plan he fell deathly ill. After several weeks of
suffering, Francis died. His body was found to be incorruptible and
many miracles were wrought by God near it. Francis was beatified
two years after his death in 1554 and canonized in the year 1662. He
is the patron of foreign missions.


QUOTE OF THE DAY

It is not the actual physical exertion that counts toward a man's
progress, nor the nature of the task, but the spirit of faith with which it
is undertaken. -St. Francis Xavier


TODAY IN HISTORY

741 Pope St Zachary begins his reign


TODAY'S TIDBIT

The liturgical color for Advent is violet. This color is symbolic of
penance and reminds us of the need for preparing for the Second
Coming of Christ. A second theme of Advent, highlighted especially
in the final weeks of the season, is that of remembering the first
coming of Christ into the world.


INTENTION FOR THE DAY

Please pray for all women and men discerning a call to the religious life.

4 posted on 12/03/2003 8:53:36 AM PST by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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To: Salvation
St. Francis xavier

Lots of info and pictures here!

5 posted on 12/03/2003 8:58:43 AM PST by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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To: Salvation
St. Francis xavier

Lots of info and pictures here!

6 posted on 12/03/2003 8:58:45 AM PST by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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To: *Catholic_list; father_elijah; nickcarraway; SMEDLEYBUTLER; Siobhan; Lady In Blue; attagirl; ...
Alleluia Ping!

Please notify me via Freepmail if you would like to be added to or removed from the Alleluia Ping list.

7 posted on 12/03/2003 9:00:05 AM PST by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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To: All
The Word Among Us

Wednesday, December 03, 2003

Meditation
Matthew 15:29-37



Throngs of hurting, needy people traveled to the hill country looking for help and comfort. They had nowhere else to turn, so what could they lose by seeking out this miracle man? Showing neither discrimination nor exclusions, Jesus healed them all! They had come to him, aware of their desperate needs, and he didn’t let them down. Imagine the awe and wonder that must have filled them as they saw him almost effortlessly give sight to the blind, voice to the mute, and hope to the despairing. It didn’t matter what was missing in their lives; Jesus provided for their needs and made them whole.

Eight hundred years before these dramatic healings took place, the prophet Isaiah spoke of a time when God would heal his people and wipe away the tears from their faces. Isaiah spoke of how everyone, upon witnessing such miracles, would glorify God for his goodness (Isaiah 25:8).

Indeed, this is what happened on that mountain so long ago—but God’s goodness didn’t stop there. After spending three days receiving Jesus’ teaching and his healing power, it was time for the people to return to their homes. Once more, Jesus looked on them with compassion, knowing that they needed food for their journey. And once more he didn’t let them down. Taking seven loaves of bread and a few fish, he blessed his Father and fed them all. Clearly, there was no limit to his generosity that day.

But is this the end of the story? Do we look back with nostalgia to the “good old days” when prophets spoke and miracles occurred? Do we wonder whether we could ever hope to find God’s healing and love for our problems? The next time you receive the Eucharist, look around you. Look at the young and the old, the able and the broken, the hopeful and the doubtful. Then look to Jesus in the bread broken for us. At every Mass, he comes to us whole and entire, filled with the same desire and power to heal that moved him two thousand years ago. Let us come to the banquet of the Lord eager for him to wipe the tears from our faces and to heal us body and soul.

“Lord, we look to you and rejoice that you have saved us. Strengthen our faith so we see all the ways you care for us as we journey home to you.”


8 posted on 12/03/2003 9:03:38 AM PST by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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To: All
**But is this the end of the story?**

Excellent question!

Are the miracles of Jesus the end of the story?

Have there been miracles occur in my life? Why? Why not?
9 posted on 12/03/2003 9:05:28 AM PST by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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To: All
One Bread, One Body

One Bread, One Body


<< Wednesday, December 3, 2003 >> St. Francis Xavier
 
Isaiah 25:6-10 Psalm 23 Matthew 15:29-37
View Readings
 
AMAZING GRACE
 
“The result was great astonishment in the crowds.” —Matthew 15:31
 

My father’s funeral Mass was on Wednesday of the first week of Advent. The first reading for today’s Mass is Isaiah 25:6-10. I had read, prayed, preached, and taught this reading many times. But I will never forget preaching it at my dad’s Mass of the Resurrection. To proclaim that the Messiah “will destroy death forever” (Is 25:8) while standing a few feet from my father’s dead body made me realize much more how amazingly good the “good news” is. We should truly “rejoice and be glad that He has saved us” (Is 25:9).

For Advent to be a powerful preparation for Christ’s Christmas coming, we need to receive fresh, exciting joy at the saving truth of God’s grace and word. May we be like newborn Christians in our amazement at God’s love and power. After Jesus healed many sick people and before He multiplied loaves and fish, “the result was great astonishment in the crowds as they beheld the mute speaking, the deformed made sound, cripples walking about, and the blind seeing. They glorified the God of Israel” (Mt 15:31). May we also be amazed at our loving Lord and especially at the fact that He has chosen each of us to live in and with Him forever.

Have an amazing Advent leading to an even more amazing Christmas season, leading to the ultimate amazement of life with the Lord forever in heaven.

 
Prayer: Father, break through the boredom of my selfishness and lead me into the amazement of Your grace.
Promise: Jesus “took the seven loaves and the fish, and after giving thanks He broke them and gave them to the disciples, who in turn gave them to the crowds. All ate until they were full. When they gathered up the fragments left over, these filled seven hampers.” —Mt 15:36-37
Praise: St. Francis so identified with the poor to whom he preached the good news that he slept on the ground in a hut and ate mainly rice and water for the seven years he was with them.
 

10 posted on 12/03/2003 9:07:28 AM PST by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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To: All
CIN (Catholic Information Network) is still having difficulty posting the Navarre Commentaries on their site and in email.

I miss them!

(Maybe we should make a contribution to them??)
11 posted on 12/03/2003 9:10:26 AM PST by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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To: All
Homily of the Day


Homily of the Day

Title:   Don’t Be Afraid. He Won’t Drop You.
Author:   Monsignor Dennis Clark, Ph.D.
Date:   Wednesday, December 3, 2003
 


Is 25:6-10 / Mt 15:29-37

Death is not a topic that most of us are particularly happy talking about. Indeed, many people are so anxious about the thought of dying that they can’t bring themselves to do such simple things as writing a will, choosing a cemetery plot, or even visiting a dying friend. The reality of death for every human being, the mighty and the lowly, is as Isaiah says a “veil that veils all people and a web that is woven over all nations.” No one escapes this world alive.

By itself the inevitable prospect of dying could darken our days and cause us to ask why we should bother with anything - ultimately it’s all ashes. But death is not the end of the story, as Isaiah tells us and as the resurrection of Jesus confirms so powerfully. God didn’t make us to be discarded and disposed of as one would do with worn out shoes. He made us for eternity with himself, and he planted in our hearts a yearning that could be satisfied by nothing less than himself.

Trust his promise, trust that longing in your heart, and don’t let the prospect of dying steal your days and your joys. He holds you in the palm of his hand, and he’ll never drop you.

 

 
       

12 posted on 12/03/2003 9:13:07 AM PST by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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To: Salvation
Today's breviary prayer for the Memorial of St. Francis Xavier:

God our Father,
by the preaching of Francis Xavier
you brought many nations to yourself.
Give his zeal for the faith to all who believe in you,
that your Church may rejoice in continued growth
throughout the world.
Grant this through Our Lord Jesus Christ,
who lives and reigns with you
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
One God forever and ever, Amen.

13 posted on 12/03/2003 10:44:42 AM PST by COBOL2Java (If you can read this, thank a teacher. If you are reading this in English, thank a soldier.)
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To: Salvation
Have there been miracles occur in my life? Why? Why not?

I've been praying hard for a personal one.

Maybe, through the intercession of St. Francis Xavier, the Jesuits will be restored to Catholic orthodoxy! Maybe the restoration will come from the Far East!

14 posted on 12/03/2003 7:02:19 PM PST by TotusTuus
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To: TotusTuus
That would be a wonderful miracle!
15 posted on 12/04/2003 12:29:25 AM PST by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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