Catholic Caucus: Daily Mass Readings, 11-25-04, Optional, St. Catherine of Alexandria

November 25, 2004
Thursday of the Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time

Reading I
Rev 18:1-2, 21-23; 19:1-3, 9a

I, John, saw another angel coming down from heaven,
having great authority,
and the earth became illumined by his splendor.
He cried out in a mighty voice:

"Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great.
She has become a haunt for demons.
She is a cage for every unclean spirit,
a cage for every unclean bird,
a cage for every unclean and disgusting beast."

A mighty angel picked up a stone like a huge millstone
and threw it into the sea and said:

"With such force will Babylon the great city be thrown down,
and will never be found again.
No melodies of harpists and musicians,
flutists and trumpeters,
will ever be heard in you again.
No craftsmen in any trade
will ever be found in you again.
No sound of the millstone
will ever be heard in you again.
No light from a lamp
will ever be seen in you again.
No voices of bride and groom
will ever be heard in you again.
Because your merchants were the great ones of the world,
all nations were led astray by your magic potion."

After this I heard what sounded like
the loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying:

"Alleluia!
Salvation, glory, and might belong to our God,
for true and just are his judgments.
He has condemned the great harlot
who corrupted the earth with her harlotry.
He has avenged on her the blood of his servants."

They said a second time:

"Alleluia! Smoke will rise from her forever and ever."

Then the angel said to me, "Write this:
Blessed are those who have been called
to the wedding feast of the Lamb."

Responsorial Psalm
100:1b-2, 3, 4, 5

R (Rev. 19: 9a) Blessed are they who are called to the wedding feast of the Lamb.
Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands;
serve the LORD with gladness;
come before him with joyful song.
R Blessed are they who are called to the wedding feast of the Lamb.
Know that the LORD is God;
he made us, his we are;
his people, the flock he tends.
R Blessed are they who are called to the wedding feast of the Lamb.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
his courts with praise;
Give thanks to him; bless his name.
R Blessed are they who are called to the wedding feast of the Lamb.
For he is good:
the LORD, whose kindness endures forever,
and his faithfulness, to all generations.
R Blessed are they who are called to the wedding feast of the Lamb.

Gospel
Lk 21:20-28

Jesus said to his disciples:
"When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies,
know that its desolation is at hand.
Then those in Judea must flee to the mountains.
Let those within the city escape from it,
and let those in the countryside not enter the city,
for these days are the time of punishment
when all the Scriptures are fulfilled.
Woe to pregnant women and nursing mothers in those days,
for a terrible calamity will come upon the earth
and a wrathful judgment upon this people.
They will fall by the edge of the sword
and be taken as captives to all the Gentiles;
and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles
until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

"There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars,
and on earth nations will be in dismay,
perplexed by the roaring of the sea and the waves.
People will die of fright
in anticipation of what is coming upon the world,
for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
And then they will see the Son of Man
coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
But when these signs begin to happen,
stand erect and raise your heads
because your redemption is at hand."

From: Revelation 18:1-2, 21-23; 19:1-3, 9a

The Fall of Babylon Proclaimed

[1] After this I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great
authority; and the earth was made bright with his splendor. [2] And he
called out with a mighty voice, "Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! It
has become a dwelling place of demons, a haunt for every foul spirit, a
haunt of every foul and hateful bird.

[21] Then a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it
into the sea, saying, "So shall Babylon the great city be thrown down with
violence, and shall be found no more; [22] and the sound of harpers and
minstrels, of flute players and trumpeters, shall be heard in thee no more;
and a craftsman of any craft shall be found in thee no more; and the sound
of the millstone shall be heard in thee" more; [23] and the light of a lamp
shall shine in thee no more; and the voice of bridegroom and bride shall be
heard in thee no more; for thy merchants were the great men of the earth,
and all nations were deceived by thy sorcery.

Songs of Victory in Heaven

[1] After this I heard what seemed to be the mighty voice of a great
multitude in heaven, crying, "Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power
belong to our God, [2] for his judgments are true and just; he has judged
the great harlot who corrupted the earth with her fornication, and he has
avenged on her the blood of his servants." [3] Once more they cried,
"Hallelujah! The smoke from her goes up for ever and ever."

[9a] And the angel said to me, "Write this: Blessed are those who are
invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb."

Commentary:

1-3. These verses describing the downfall of Rome follow the prophetical
style of foretelling a future event by reporting it as something that has
already happened. First the fall of the city is proclaimed (vv. 1-3). Then
the people of God are exhorted to leave the city and escape the terrible
punishment soon to befall it (vv. 4-8). This is followed by the lament of
the kings who were allied to Rome (vv. 9-10), of the merchants who prospered
by trading with her (v. 11-17a) and of the sailors (17b-19). Finally we are
shown the joy of those who suffered under her yoke and now see justice done.

In words reminiscent of Old Testament passages foretelling the destruction
of hostile cities (cf. Is 13:21-22; 21:9; Jer 50:30; Ezek 43:3-5), St John
describes the fate of Rome in the last days before its desolation. Among the
sins whi ch have brought about its ruin is unbridled sexual indulgence (cf.
also vv. 7 and 12-14). Such behavior leads to the degradation and
self-destruction of society, as witness the history of civilization and
contemporary experience. Consumerism, self-indulgence and greed for
possessions, clearly feature of our time, were denounced by Pius XI when he
said that "the disease of the modern age, and the main source of the evils
we all deplore, is that lack of reflection, that continuous and quite
feverish pursuit of external things, that immoderate desire for wealth and
pleasure, which gradually causes the heart to lose sight of its nobler
ideals, drowning them in a sea of impermanent, earthly things, and
preventing them from contemplating higher, eternal things" ("Mens Nostra", 6).

20-24. In sharp contrast with the previous lamentation is this invitation to
rejoice--the reply to which comes in 19:1-8, where we are told that the
elect j oyfully intone songs in praise of God almighty. The throwing of the
millstone into the sea is an instance of "prophetic action"; it comes from
Jeremiah 51:60-64, which uses this device to prophesy the total downfall of
Babylon. The millstone also appears is Luke 17:2 and par, as a symbol of disgrace and shame.

The sepulchral silence and darkness of the city are described in detail. The
reason for this terrible punishment was its opulence, its idolatry and the
fact that it was where the Christian martyrs were tortured and put to death.
Like Jerusalem it is called "city of blood" (cf, Ezek 24:6). and just as the
ancient capital of Israel was accused by Jesus of murdering the prophets and
messengers of God and was told that all the blood it had spilt would come
back upon it (cf. Mt 23:35), so will Rome be punished for martyring the
saints.

1-4. The righteous rejoice to see their enemy overwhelmed; the praises they
sing of God end in three loud "Hallelujahs". In the following passage (vv.
64), they welcome the establishment of the Kingdom of God and the imminent
marriage of the Lamb.

This is the first and only time the word "Hallelujah" appears in the New
Testament. It is a Hebrew term ("hallelu-yah") meaning "Praise Yahweh" used
especially in the psalms (cf., e.g., Ps 111; 114; 115). The Church uses it,
unchanged, usually to express to God its joy and praise at the resurrection
of Christ. It is used particularly at Eastertide and also on many other
days, both in the divine office and in the celebration of the Eucharist.

These shouts of praise are motivated by the salvation which comes from God
and by the rightness of his judgments as evidenced by the punishment
inflicted on the great harlot who is turned into a fire which burns forever.

9. On the instructions of the angel who is explaining the vision to him (cf.
17:1), St John tells Christians to count themselves blessed (v.9); God
guarantees the truth of this assurance. At Mass the priest makes a similar
proclamation just before distributing Holy Communion: "Happy are those who
are called to his (the Lord's] supper." This shows that the Eucharist truly
is "a pledge of future glory".

Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries". Biblical text
taken from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries
made by members of the Faculty of Theology of the University of
Navarre, Spain. Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock,
Co. Dublin, Ireland.

From: Luke 21:20-28

Discourse on the Destruction of Jerusalem
and the End of the World (Continuation)

(Jesus said to his disciples), [20] "But when you see Jerusalem surrounded
by armies, then know that its desolation has come near. [21] Then let those
who are in Judea flee to the mountains, and let those who are inside the
city depart, and let not those who are out in the country enter it; [22]
for these are days of vengeance, to fulfill all that is written. [23] Alas
for those who are with child and for those who give suck in those days! For
great distress shall be upon the earth and wrath upon this people; [24] they
shall be upon the earth and wrath upon this people; [24] they will fall by
the edge of the sword, and be led captive amo ng all nations; and Jerusalem
will be trodden down by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are
fulfilled.

[25] "And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and upon the earth
distress of nations in perplexity at the roaring of the sea and the waves,
[26] men fainting with fear and foreboding of what is coming on the world;
for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. [27] And then they will see
the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. [28] Now when
these things begin to take place, look up and raise your heads, because your
redemption is drawing near.

Commentary:

20-24. Jesus gives quite a detailed prophecy of the destruction of the Holy
City. When the Christians living there saw the armies getting closer, they
remembered this prophecy and fled to Transjordan (cf. Eusebius,
"Ecclesiastical History," III, 5) . Christ had advised them to flee as soon
as possible because this is the time when God would punish Jerusalem for its
sins, as the Old Testament predicted (Is 5:5-6).

Catholic tradition sees Israel as symbolizing the Church. In fact, in the
Book of Revelation the Church triumphant is called the heavenly Jerusalem
(cf. Rev 21:2). Therefore, by applying this passage to the Church, the
sufferings the Holy City experiences can symbolize the contradictions the
pilgrim Church will experience due to the sins of men, for "she herself
takes her place among the creatures which groan and travail yet and await
the revelation of the children of God" (Vatican II, "Lumen Gentium", 48).

24. "The times of the Gentiles" means the period in which the Gentiles, who
do not belong to the Jewish people, will become menbers of the new people of
God, the Church, until the Jews themselves are converted at the end of the
world (cf. Rom 11:11-32).

25-26. Jesus refers to the dramatic changes in natural elements when
the world is coming to an end. "The powers of the heavens will be
shaken"; that is to say, the whole universe will tremble at the Lord's
coming in power and glory.

27-28. Applying to himself the prophecy of Daniel (7:13-14), our Lord
speaks of his coming in glory at the end of time. Mankind will see the
power and glory of the Son of man, coming to judge the living and the
dead. Christ will deliver this judgment in his human capacity. Sacred
Scripture describes the solemnity of this event, when the sentence
passed on each person in the particular judgment will be confirmed, and
God's justice and mercy to men throughout history will shine out for
all to see. "It was necessary not only that rewards should await the
just and punishments the wicked, in the life to come, but that they
should be awarded by a public and general judgment. Thus they will
become better known and will be rendered more conspicuous to all, and a
tribute of praise will be offered by all to the justice and providence
of God" ("St Pius V Catechism", I, 8, 4).

This coming of the Lord is, then, a day of terror for evildoers and of
joy for those who have remained faithful. The disciples should hold
their heads high because their redemption is at hand. It is the day
they will receive their reward. The victory won by Christ on the
cross--victory over sin, over the devil and over death--will now be
seen clearly, with all its implications. Therefore St Paul recommends
that we be "awaiting our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of
our great God and Savior Jesus Christ" (Tit 2:13).

"He [Christ] ascended into heaven whence he will come again to judge
the living and the dead, each according to his merits. Those who have
responded to the love and compassion of God will go into eternal life.
Those who have refuse d them to the end will be consigned to the fire
that is never extinguished" (Paul VI, "Creed of the People of God",
12).

FEAST OF THE DAY

St. Catherine was a noble woman of Alexandria who lived in the
fourth century. Catherine was an well-educated Christian, She was
well known throughout the region for her intelligence and the way
she lived a Christian lifestyle. Catherine's position in society brought
her to the attention of the king and she was arrested for being her
Faith. Since Catherine was such a prominent and well known
member of society, the king decided to make an example of her and
publicly put her on trial. He hoped that this would prove the
weakness of Catherine's faith and of Christianity in general, and
discourage the spread of Christianity throughout his realm.

Before her trial, Catherine faced many hardships and obstacles but
never wavered in her practice or proclamation of the faith. Once she
reached trial, Catherine faced a group of philosophers who were
supposed to show her the errors of her beliefs, but instead they were
converted by her arguments against them. The public failure of his
plans enraged the king and he ordered various tortures to be
performed on Catherine to persuade her from practicing the faith.
Catherine was unwounded by some of the tortures but eventually
they took a severe toll on her body. Finally, the king ordered
Catherine to be beheaded. Ultimately, the king's persecution of
Catherine was unsuccessful. It encouraged the spread of Christianity
instead of discouraging it. St. Catherine is the patron of maidens,
mechanics, and philosophers.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

You must ask God to give you power to fight against the sin of pride
which is your greatest enemy - the root of all that is evil, and the
failure of all that is good. For God resists the proud. -St. Vincent de Paul

TODAY IN HISTORY

1766 Pope Clement XIII writes about the dangers of anti-Christian
writings
1963 John F. Kennedy laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery

TODAY'S TIDBIT

Free will is the faculty or capability of making a reasonable choice
among several alternatives. Freedom of will underlies the possibility
and fact of moral responsibility.

INTENTION FOR THE DAY

IN the United States, today is Thanksgiving Day. Please pray in thanksgiving
for all the blessings that God has bestowed on each one of us and the world.

The Word Among Us

Thursday, November 25, 2004

Meditation
Luke 21:20-28

When these signs begin to happen . . . raise your heads.
(Luke 21:28)

Is it possible Jesus was just kidding when he said this? After all, he had just finished painting a picture of all the hardship, catastrophe, and destruction that will accompany the Second Coming. And yet in the midst of such calamities, he is expecting his disciples—that’s us—to stand tall and lift up their heads in joyful expectation. How can this possibly be?

No, he wasn’t kidding. Jesus knows we really can lift up our heads because he himself has an immense love for—and commitment to—us. He knows that no evil, no destruction, no calamity can separate us from his love. And that’s why we can be at peace, and even be filled with joy, in the midst of great upheaval. We can trust that everything that happens in our lives is under the providential care of God.

As we live under the mercy and in the peace of Christ year after year, we can be confident that, as the day of the Second Coming draws near, we will be safe in our Father’s arms. Jesus’ love for us, combined with our trust and obedience to his commands, will protect us from harm and usher us safely into his kingdom where we will live forever in his embrace.

But that’s not all. As we live in this world, we can become instruments of Jesus’ mercy and love to everyone around us. We can help bring them comfort and peace and show them how to rise above the fears that are common to people rooted only in this world.

As a “practice run,” why not try an experiment this week? As you wake up each morning and get out of bed, stand up tall and lift up your head! Lift up your arms in praise, too, rejoicing that Jesus loves you and that one day you will finally get to see him face-to-face. Lift up your head and be glad that he has redeemed you and now calls you to let this joy of yours radiate to others throughout the day!

“Jesus, I rejoice in you and I praise you for redeeming me. May I be your faithful witness to others this day and spread your light among all whom I meet.”

One Bread, One Body

<< Thursday, November 25, 2004 >>

Revelation 18:1-2, 21-23; 19:1-3, 9

Psalm 100

Luke 21:20-28

View Readings

THE END IS NEAR!

“Babylon the great city shall be cast down.” —Revelation 18:21

The book of Revelation was written near the end of the first century. Its message gave consolation and encouragement to Christians suffering terrible persecution from Roman emperors. In today’s first reading, an angel from heaven announces the fall of Rome. God encouraged His first century Christians by telling them there will be an end to injustice, wickedness, and persecution (Rv 18:20). If you are trapped in an oppressive situation, the announcement of the end of your plight is sweet news indeed.

Maybe you are so trapped in sin, addiction, a difficult marriage, spiraling financial woes, raising a wayward child, social injustice, or a dead-end job that you can’t see the light at the end of your tunnel. Perhaps you don’t even know there is an end to the tunnel. When there’s no end in sight, it might be that the end is near. Because the one “who holds out to the end” will be saved (Mt 24:13), Satan certainly wants us to believe that there is no end in sight. If he can tempt us into believing our situation is beyond hope and without end, he knows we can more readily fall into despair and abandon God.

Jesus can change any situation “in an instant, in the twinkling of an eye” (1 Cor 15:52). He is our Hope. In fact, Jesus is “the End” (Rv 22:13), and “the End” is near, “with [us] always, until the end” (Mt 28:20). Therefore, never give up hope. “Those who hope in [the Lord] shall never be disappointed” (Is 49:23).

Prayer: Father, on this Thanksgiving Day, “I will give thanks to You, O Lord, with all my heart” (Ps 138:1) for inviting me to Your heavenly feast (Rv 19:9).

Promise: “Know that the Lord is God; He made us, His we are; His people, the flock He tends.” —Ps 100:3

Praise: In the last few weeks of his life, John returned to the Church and thus returned to his Lord.

American Cathlic's Saint of the Day

November 25, 2004

St. Catherine of Alexandria

(c. 310)

According to the Legend of St. Catherine, this young woman converted to Christianity after receiving a vision. At the age of 18, she debated 50 pagan philosophers. Amazed at her wisdom and debating skills, they became Christians—as did about 200 soldiers and members of the emperor’s family. All of them were martyred.

Sentenced to be executed on a spiked wheel, Catherine touched the wheel and it shattered. She was beheaded. Centuries later, angels are said to have carried the body of St. Catherine to a monastery at the foot of Mt. Sinai.

Devotion to her spread as a result of the Crusades. She was invoked as the patroness of students, teachers, librarians and lawyers. Catherine is one of the 14 Holy Helpers, venerated especially in Germany and Hungary.

Comment:

The pursuit of God's wisdom may not lead to riches or earthly honors. In Catherine's case, this pursuit contributed to her martyrdom. She was not, however, foolish in preferring to die for Jesus rather than live only by denying him. All the rewards that her tormenters offered her would rust, lose their beauty or in some other way become a poor exchange for Catherine's honesty and integrity in following Jesus Christ.

Quote:

“Therefore I [King Solomon] prayed, and prudence was given me; I pleaded, and the spirit of Wisdom came to me. I preferred her to scepter and throne, and deemed riches nothing in comparison with her, nor did I liken any priceless gem to her;/ Because all gold, in view of her, is a little sand, and before her, silver is to be accounted mire. Beyond health and comeliness I loved her, and I chose to have her rather than the light, because the splendor of her never yields to sleep. Yet all good things together came to me in her company, and countless riches at her hands; and I rejoiced in them all, because Wisdom is their leader, though I had not known that she is the mother of these” (Wisdom 7:7-12).

Lk 21:20-28
#	Douay-Rheims	Vulgate
20	And when you shall see Jerusalem compassed about with an army, then know that the desolation thereof is at hand.	cum autem videritis circumdari ab exercitu Hierusalem tunc scitote quia adpropinquavit desolatio eius
21	Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains: and those who are in the midst thereof depart out: and those who are in the countries not enter into it.	tunc qui in Iudaea sunt fugiant in montes et qui in medio eius discedant et qui in regionibus non intrent in eam
22	For these are the days of vengeance, that all things may be fulfilled, that are written.	quia dies ultionis hii sunt ut impleantur omnia quae scripta sunt
23	But woe to them that are with child and give suck in those days: for there shall be great distress in the land and wrath upon this people.	vae autem praegnatibus et nutrientibus in illis diebus erit enim pressura magna supra terram et ira populo huic
24	And they shall fall by the edge of the sword and shall be led away captives into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down by the Gentiles till the times of the nations be fulfilled.	et cadent in ore gladii et captivi ducentur in omnes gentes et Hierusalem calcabitur a gentibus donec impleantur tempora nationum
25	And there shall be signs in the sun and in the moon and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, by reason of the confusion of the roaring of the sea, and of the waves:	et erunt signa in sole et luna et stellis et in terris pressura gentium prae confusione sonitus maris et fluctuum
26	Men withering away for fear and expectation of what shall come upon the whole world. For the powers of heaven shall be moved.	arescentibus hominibus prae timore et expectatione quae supervenient universo orbi nam virtutes caelorum movebuntur
27	And then they shall see the Son of man coming in a cloud, with great power and majesty.	et tunc videbunt Filium hominis venientem in nube cum potestate magna et maiestate
28	But when these things begin to come to pass, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is at hand.	his autem fieri incipientibus respicite et levate capita vestra quoniam adpropinquat redemptio vestra

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