Catholic Caucus: Daily Mass Readings, 12-16-04

Raise a glad cry, you barren one who did not bear, Break forth in jubilant song, you who were not in labor, For more numerous are the children of the deserted wife than the children of her who has a husband, says the LORD. Enlarge the space for your tent, spread out your tent cloths unsparingly; lengthen your ropes and make firm your stakes. For you shall spread abroad to the right and to the left; your descendants shall dispossess the nations and shall people the desolate cities.

Fear not, you shall not be put to shame; you need not blush, for you shall not be disgraced. The shame of your youth you shall forget, the reproach of your widowhood no longer remember. For he who has become your husband is your Maker; his name is the LORD of hosts; Your redeemer is the Holy One of Israel, called God of all the earth. The LORD calls you back, like a wife forsaken and grieved in spirit, A wife married in youth and then cast off, says your God. For a brief moment I abandoned you, but with great tenderness I will take you back. In an outburst of wrath, for a moment I hid my face from you; But with enduring love I take pity on you, says the LORD, your redeemer.

This is for me like the days of Noah, when I swore that the waters of Noah should never again deluge the earth; So I have sworn not to be angry with you, or to rebuke you. Though the mountains leave their place and the hills be shaken, My love shall never leave you nor my covenant of peace be shaken, says the LORD, who has mercy on you.

R (2a) I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me. I will extol you, O LORD, for you drew me clear and did not let my enemies rejoice over me. O LORD, you brought me up from the nether world; you preserved me from among those going down into the pit. R I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me. Sing praise to the LORD, you his faithful ones, and give thanks to his holy name. For his anger lasts but a moment; a lifetime, his good will. At nightfall, weeping enters in, but with the dawn, rejoicing. R I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me. "Hear, O LORD, and have pity on me; O LORD, be my helper." You changed my mourning into dancing; O LORD, my God, forever will I give you thanks. R I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.

When the messengers of John the Baptist had left, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John. "What did you go out to the desert to see – a reed swayed by the wind? Then what did you go out to see? Someone dressed in fine garments? Those who dress luxuriously and live sumptuously are found in royal palaces. Then what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is the one about whom Scripture says:

Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, he will prepare your way before you.

I tell you, among those born of women, no one is greater than John; yet the least in the Kingdom of God is greater than he." (All the people who listened, including the tax collectors, who were baptized with the baptism of John, acknowledged the righteousness of God; but the Pharisees and scholars of the law, who were not baptized by him, rejected the plan of God for themselves.)

From: Luke 7:24-30

The Mission of John the Baptist (Continuation)

[24] When the messengers of John had gone, He (Jesus) began to speak to
the crowds concerning John: "What did you go out into the wilderness to
behold? A reed shaken by the wind? [25] What then did you go out to
see? A man clothed in soft raiment? Behold, those who are gorgeously
appareled and live in luxury are in kings' courts. [26] What then did
you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a
prophet. [27] This is he of whom it is written, `Behold, I send My
messenger before Thy face, who shall prepare Thy way before Thee.' [28]
I tell you, among those born of women none is greater than John; yet he
who is least in the Kingdom of God is greater than he." [29] (When they
heard this all the people and the tax collectors justified God, having
been baptized with the baptism of John; [30] but the Pharisees and the
lawyers rejected the purpose of God for themselves, not having been
baptized by him.)

Commentary:

28. St. John the Baptist is the greatest of the prophets of the Old
Testament because he was nearest to Christ and received the unique
mission of actually pointing out the Messiah. Still, he belongs to the
time of the promise (the Old Testament), when the work of redemption
lay in the future. Once Christ did that work (the New Testament),
those who faithfully accept God's gift of grace are incomparably
greater than the righteous of the Old Covenant who were given, not this
grace, but only the promise of it. Once the work of redemption was
accomplished God's grace also reached the righteous of the Old
Testament, who were waiting for Christ to open Heaven and let them,
too, enter.

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.

DAILY SODALITY

December 16

THE IDEAL IN MY LIFE

Presence of God.

Grace I Ask:
To understand how important it is for me to have a clear ideal and grace to follow it.

The Idea:
Everybody has an ideal … something to aim at. Living is progress – I'm going somewhere – I'm becoming somebody – and whether I realize it or not, I'm becoming somebody like my ideal. Maybe my ideal is very clear – my mother, my father, a lawyer, a nurse, a movie star, a ball player. Maybe my ideal is vague – the "man of distinction," the "perfect wife." In any case, I have an ideal. Without one, I just stop – just stop becoming anything. I must have something to live for, somebody to die for. My ideal draws me on to my goal, on to what I want to be. The closer I follow the pattern, the ideal, the closer I come to my goal.

My Personal Application:
Is my ideal just the goal of part of my life? If it is, then it is not the right, the full ideal. Who should be my ideal? Something to live for – what grater cause could there be than that of saving souls! Somebody to die for – what man or woman could be more worthy to give my life for than Christ, my King! Could there, is there, will there be anyone great than He?

I Speak to Christ:
My King, it is so hard for me to understand this – to really realize this. I want to become what I said I would in my consecration. I know I can't do it without help from you. Please help me to carry out my dedication.

Thought for Today:
"Something to live for – somebody to die for."

We originated from apes, so let us all love each other. --- Vladimir Soloviev

Many are the children of the desolate, more than of her that hath a husband

-----------------†JMJ†-----------------
Thursday, 3rd Week in the Season of Advent
---------------†AMDG†---------------

ENTRANCE ANTIPHON --- Ps 118:151-152
Prope es tu, Dómine, et omnes viæ tuæ véritas;
inítio cognóvi de testimóniis tuis, quia in æternum tu es.
Lord you are near, and all your commandements are just;
long have I know that you decreed them forever.
151 Thou art near, O Lord: and all thy ways are truth. 152 I have known from the beginning concerning thy testimonies: that thou hast founded them for ever.

OPENING PRAYER
Lord, our sins bring us unhappiness.
Hear our prayer for courage and strength.
May the coming of yoru Son
bring us the joy of salvation.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son …

I confess to almighty God,
and to you, my brothers and sisters,
that I have sinned through my own fault
--strike the breast--
in my thoughts and in my words
in what I have done,
and in what I have failed to do;
and I ask blessed Mary, ever virgin,
all the angels and saints,
and you, my brothers and sisters,
to pray for me to the Lord our God.

FIRST READING – Is 54:1-10
Like a forsaken wife, the Lord has callen you back.

Give praise, O thou barren, that bearest not:
sing forth praise, and make a joyful noise,
thou that didst not travail with child:
for many are the children of the desolate,
more than of her that hath a husband, saith the Lord.

Enlarge the place of thy tent,
and stretch out the skins of thy tabernacles, spare not:
lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes.
For thou shalt pass on to the right hand, and to the left:
and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles,
and shall inhabit the desolate cities.

Fear not, for thou shalt not be confounded, nor blush:
for thou shalt not be put to shame,
because thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth,
and shalt remember no more the reproach of thy widowhood.
For he that made thee shall rule over thee,
the Lord of hosts is his name: and thy Redeemer,
the Holy One of Israel, shall be called the God of all the earth.

For the Lord hath called thee as woman forsaken
and mourning in spirit, and as a wife cast off from her youth,
said thy God. For a, small moment have I forsaken thee,
but with great mercies will I gather thee.
In a moment of indignation
have I hid my face a little while from thee,
but with everlasting kindness have I had mercy on thee,
said the Lord thy Redeemer.

This thing is to me as in the days of Noe, to whom I swore,
that I would no more bring in the waters of Noe upon the earth:
so have I sworn not to be angry with thee,
and not to rebuke thee. For the mountains shall be moved,
and the hills shall tremble;
but my mercy shall not depart from thee,
and the covenant of my peace shall not be moved:
said the Lord that hath mercy on thee.

RESPONSORIAL PSALM – Ps 30:2 4, 5-6, 11-12a and 13b
Exaltábo te, Dómine, quóniam extraxísti me.
(2a) I will extol thee, O Lord, for thou hast upheld me

I will extol thee, O Lord,
for thou hast upheld me:
and hast not made my enemies to rejoice over me.

3 O Lord my God, I have cried to thee, and then hast healed me.

Thou hast brought forth, O Lord,
my soul from hell:
thou hast saved me from them
that go down into the pit.

Sing to the Lord, O ye his saints:
and give praise to the memory of his holiness.
For wrath is in his indignation;
and life in his good will.
In the evening weeping shall have place,
and in the morning gladness.

7 And in my abundance I said: I shall never be moved. 8 O Lord, in thy favour, thou gavest strength to my beauty. Thou turnedst away thy face from me, and I became troubled. 9 To thee, O Lord, will I cry: and I will make supplication to my God. 10 What profit is there in my blood, whilst I go down to corruption? Shall dust confess to thee, or declare thy truth?

The Lord hath heard,
and hath had mercy on me:
the Lord became my helper.
Thou hast turned for me my mourning into joy:
thou hast cut my sackcloth,
and hast compassed me with gladness:

To the end that my glory may sing to thee, and I may not regret:
O Lord my God, I will give praise to thee for ever.

ALLELUIA – See Lk 3:4, 6
Paráte viam Dómini, rectas fite sémias eeius; vidébit omnis caro
salutáre Dei.
Alleluia, alleluia
Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths:
All flesh shall see the salvation of the Lord.
Alleluia, alleluia.
As it was written in the book of the sayings of Isaias the prophet: A voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight his paths. 5 Every valley shall be filled; and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight; and the rough ways plain; 6 And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.

GOSPEL – Lk 7:24-30
John is the messsenger who prepares the way of the Lord.

And when the messengers of John were departed,
he began to speak to the multitudes concerning John.
What went ye out into the desert to see? a reed shaken with the wind?
But what went you out to see? a man clothed in soft garments?
Behold they that are in costly apparel
and live delicately, are in the houses of kings.

But what went you out to see? a prophet?
Yea, I say to you, and more than a prophet.
This is he of whom it is written:
Behold I send my angel before thy face,
who shall prepare thy way before thee.

For I say to you:
Amongst those that are born of women,
there is not a greater prophet that John the Baptist.
But he that is the lesser in the kingdom of God, is greater than he.

And all the people hearing, and the publicans, justified God,
being baptized with John's baptism.
But the Pharisees and the lawyers
despised the counsel of God against themselves,
being not baptized by him.
____________________________________________________
29 "Justified God"... that is, praised the justice of God, feared and worshipped God, as just and merciful.

PRAYER OVER THE GIFTS
Father, from all you give us
we present this bread and wine.
As we serve you now,
accept our offering
and sustain us with your promise of eternal life.
Grant this through Christ our Lord.

COMMUNION ANTIPHON – See Ti 2:12-13
Iuste et pie vivámus in hoc sæculo, expectántes beátam spem et
advéntum glóriæ magni Dei.
Let our lives be honest and holy in this present age,
as we wait for the happiness to come when our great God
reveals himself in glory.
12 Instructing us, that, denying ungodliness and worldly desires, we should live soberly, and justly, and godly in this world, 13 Looking for the blessed hope and coming of the glory of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ,

PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION
Father,
may our communion
teach us to love heaven.
May its promise and hope
guide our way on earth.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.

Lk 7:24-30
#	Douay-Rheims	Vulgate
24	And when the messengers of John were departed, he began to speak to the multitudes concerning John. What went ye out into the desert to see? A reed shaken with the wind?	et cum discessissent nuntii Iohannis coepit dicere de Iohanne ad turbas quid existis in desertum videre harundinem vento moveri
25	But what went you out to see? A man clothed in soft garments? Behold they that are in costly apparel and live delicately are in the houses of kings.	sed quid existis videre hominem mollibus vestimentis indutum ecce qui in veste pretiosa sunt et deliciis in domibus regum sunt
26	But what went you out to see? A prophet? Yea, I say to you, and more than a prophet.	sed quid existis videre prophetam utique dico vobis et plus quam prophetam
27	This is he of whom it is written: Behold I send my angel before thy face, who shall prepare thy way before thee.	hic est de quo scriptum est ecce mitto angelum meum ante faciem tuam qui praeparabit viam tuam ante te
28	For I say to you: Amongst those that are born of men, there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist. But he that is the lesser in the kingdom of God is greater than he.	dico enim vobis maior inter natos mulierum propheta Iohanne Baptista nemo est qui autem minor est in regno Dei maior est illo
29	And all the people hearing, and the publicans, justified God, being baptized with John's baptism.	et omnis populus audiens et publicani iustificaverunt Deum baptizati baptismo Iohannis
30	But the Pharisees and the lawyers despised the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized by him.	Pharisaei autem et legis periti consilium Dei spreverunt in semet ipsos non baptizati ab eo

FEAST OF THE DAY

Mary Fontanella was born at Baldinero, Italy in 1661. She was
one of twelve children in the family and at the age of twelve went
to join the Cistercians at Saluzza. Unfortunately, Mary's father
died soon after and Mary was asked to return home to help care
for the family. Four years after returning home, Mary joined the
Carmelites in Turin with protests from her family.

When she joined the monastery, she was met with attacks from
Satan, but she persevered in her faith and soon the attacks ended
and God blessed her with mystical experiences. In 1694, Mary
was chosen to be novice mistress, and she later was sent to
found another monastery at Moncaglieri. Mary died in 1717 and
was beatified in 1865 by Pope Pius IX.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

There is something in humility that strangely exalts the heart. -St.
Augustine

TODAY IN HISTORY

882 Pope John VIII dies
882 Pope Marinus I begins his reign

TODAY'S TIDBIT

Tomorrow begins the final step in preparation for Christmas. One of
the ways this is shown is by the "O Antiphons" which are used for the
Canticle of Mary at Evening Prayer. These antiphons are used
during the last week in preparation for Christmas and are named "O
Antiphons" because they all start with an exclamation "O". These
antiphons were put into text form during the sixth and seventh
centuries and are based on symbolism and texts from the bible. Most
people are familiar with the "O Antiphons" as they are represented in
the song "O Come, O Come Emmanuel."

INTENTION FOR THE DAY

Please pray for all people struggling against substance abuse.

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