Catholic Caucus: Daily Mass Readings, 11-26-05

November 26, 2005
Saturday of the Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time

Psalm: Saturday 50

Reading I
Dn 7:15-27

I, Daniel, found my spirit anguished within its covering of flesh,
and I was terrified by the visions of my mind.
I approached one of those present
and asked him what all this meant in truth;
in answer, he made known to me the meaning of the things:
“These four great beasts stand for four kingdoms
which shall arise on the earth.
But the holy ones of the Most High shall receive the kingship,
to possess it forever and ever.”

But I wished to make certain about the fourth beast,
so very terrible and different from the others,
devouring and crushing with its iron teeth and bronze claws,
and trampling with its feet what was left;
about the ten horns on its head, and the other one that sprang up,
before which three horns fell;
about the horn with the eyes and the mouth that spoke arrogantly,
which appeared greater than its fellows.
For, as I watched, that horn made war against the holy ones
and was victorious until the Ancient One arrived;
judgment was pronounced in favor of the holy ones of the Most High,
and the time came when the holy ones possessed the kingdom.
He answered me thus:

“The fourth beast shall be a fourth kingdom on earth
different from all the others;
It shall devour the whole earth,
beat it down, and crush it.
The ten horns shall be ten kings
rising out of that kingdom;
another shall rise up after them,
Different from those before him,
who shall lay low three kings.
He shall speak against the Most High
and oppress the holy ones of the Most High,
thinking to change the feast days and the law.
They shall be handed over to him
for a year, two years, and a half-year.
But when the court is convened,
and his power is taken away
by final and absolute destruction,
Then the kingship and dominion and majesty
of all the kingdoms under the heavens
shall be given to the holy people of the Most High,
Whose Kingdom shall be everlasting:
all dominions shall serve and obey him.”

Responsorial Psalm
Daniel 3:82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87

R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.
“You sons of men, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.”
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.
“O Israel, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.”
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.
“Priests of the Lord, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.”
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.
“Servants of the Lord, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.”
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.
“Spirits and souls of the just, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.”
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.
“Holy men of humble heart, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.”
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.

Gospel
Lk 21:34-36

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Beware that your hearts do not become drowsy
from carousing and drunkenness
and the anxieties of daily life,
and that day catch you by surprise like a trap.
For that day will assault everyone
who lives on the face of the earth.
Be vigilant at all times
and pray that you have the strength
to escape the tribulations that are imminent
and to stand before the Son of Man.”

From: Daniel 7:15-27

The Vision Interpreted

[15] “As for me, Daniel, my spirit within me was anxious and the
visions of my head alarmed me. [16] I approached one of those who
stood there and asked him the truth concerning all this. So he told
me, and made known to me the interpretation of the things. [17] ’These
four great beasts are four kings who shall arise out of the earth.
[18] But the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom, and
possess the kingdom for ever, for ever and ever.’

[19] ”Then I desired to know the truth concerning the fourth beast
which was different from all the rest, exceedingly terrible, with its
teeth of iron and claws of bronze; and which devoured and broke in
pieces and stamped the residue with its feet, [20] and concerning the
ten horns that were on its head and the other horn which came up and
before which three of them fell, the horn which had eyes and a mouth
that spoke great things, and which seemed greater than its fellows.
[21] As I looked, this horn made war with the saints and prevailed
over them [22] until the Ancient of Days came, and judgment was given
for the saints of the Most High and the time came when the saints
received the kingdom

[23] "Thus he said: 'As for the fourth beast, there shall be a fourth
kingdom on earth, which shall be different from all the kingdoms, and it
shall devour the whole earth, and trample it down, and break it to pieces.
[24] As for the ten horns, out of this kingdom ten kings shall arise, and
another shall arise after them; he shall be different from the former ones,
and shall put down three kings. [25] He shall speak words against the
Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High, and shall
think to change the times and the law and they shall be given into his
hand for a time, two times, and half a time. [26] But the court shall sit in
judgment, and his dominion shall be taken away, to be consumed and
destroyed to the end. [27] And the kingdom and the dominion and the
greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven shall be given to the
people of the saints of the Most High, their kingdom shall be an
everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey them.'"

Commentary:

7:15-28. The interpretation focuses on the protagonists in the period
when the book of Daniel was written--those to whom the kingdom will be
given, that is, faithful Jews or “saints of the Most High” (vv. 18,
27); and the horn that grows from the fourth beast, Antiochus IV, who
blasphemes against God, persecutes those who keep the Law and
suppresses sabbaths and feasts (v. 25; cf. 1 Mac 1:41-52). But the
persecution will only go on for a certain time--three and a half
“times”, that is, half seven, which symbolizes completeness. The
vision and its interpretation alarm Daniel on account of the
sufferings that his people are undergoing and will undergo in the
future; but he also says that “I kept the matter in my mind” (v. 28):
his faith and hope are not affected.

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 21:34-36

The Need for Vigilance

(Jesus said to His disciples), [34] "But take heed to yourselves lest
your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares
of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a snare; [35]
for it will come upon all who dwell upon the face of the whole earth.
[36] But watch at all times, praying that you may have strength to
escape all these things that will take place, and to stand before the
Son of Man."

Commentary:

34-36. At the end of His discourse Jesus emphasizes that every
Christian needs to be vigilant: we do not know the day nor the hour in
which He will ask us to render an account of our lives. Therefore, we
must at all times be trying to do God's will, so that death, whenever
it comes, will find us ready. For those who act in this way, sudden
death never takes them by surprise. As St. Paul recommends: "You are
not in darkness, brethren, for that day to surprise you like a thief"
(1 Thessalonians 5:4). Vigilance consists in making a constant effort
not to be attached to the things of this world (the concupiscence of
the flesh, the concupiscence of the eyes and pride of life: cf. John
2:16) and in being assiduous in prayer, which keeps us close to God.
If we live in this way, the day we die will be a day of joy and not of
terror, for with God's help our vigilance will mean that our souls are
ready to receive the visit of our Lord; they are in the state of grace:
in meeting Christ we will not be meeting a judge who will find us
guilty; instead He will embrace us and lead us into the house of His
Father to remain there forever. "Does your soul not burn with the
desire to make your Father-God happy when He has to judge you?"
([St] J. Escriva, "The Way", 746).

Catholic Culture

Collect:
Lord, increase our eagerness to do your will and help us to know the saving power of your love. Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

Activities:

less

Prayers:

» Novena to St. Francis Xavier - The Novena of Grace

less

November 26, 2005

Saturday of the Thirty-Fourth Week of Ordinary Time

Old Calendar: St. Sylvester, abbot; St. Peter of Alexandria, bishop and martyr; St. John Berchmans, priest RM

Before the reform of the Roman Calendar in 1969, today was the feast of St. Sylvester. He was the son of a lawyer and had also studied law before becoming a canon in his native town of Osimo. He was a zealous and fervent priest. His determination to retire into solitude was caused by the sight of the decomposing corpse of a friend. He at first lived as a hermit at Grotta Fucile, and then on Monte Fano where followers came to join him. He gave them the habit and Rule of St. Benedict together with certain other customs which reflect his own aspirations and the devotional tendencies of his day. He died in 1267 at the age of ninety.

It was also the commemoration of St. Peter, Bishop of Alexandria, who was beheaded on November 25, 311, during Maximinus Daia's persecution. He was a great bishop, famous for wisdom and holiness; "a model of charity and zeal, severe towards himself, merciful to sinners, a divine model of the Christian teacher," says Eusebius.

St. Sylvester
Abbot Sylvester founded the Sylvestrine Order, a reform congregation of the Order of St. Benedict, in 1231. Upon seeing the corpse of an aristocrat relative, who had been very handsome, in the coffin, he cried out, "I am what this man was, I will be what this man is!" After the funeral services the words of our Lord kept ringing in his ears, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me" (Matt. 16:24). He betook himself to a hermitage, led a life of perfection, and died at the age of ninety in 1267.

The members of his Order wear a Benedictine habit, Turkish blue in color. Today there remain seven Sylvestrine monasteries in Italy and several mission houses in Ceylon and in the United States.

Excerpted from The Church's Year of Grace, Pius Parsch.

Things to Do:

By meditating at an open coffin St. Sylvester saw the vanity of this world and began a life of solitude. The thought of death is very appropriate at the end of the liturgical year. Glance back over the year and see how vain the world appears with its TV standard of living.
Read Pope John Paul II's Address to the Sylvestrine Benedictines and learn more about their order.

St. Peter of Alexandria

St. Peter, bishop of Alexandria, was beheaded on November 25, 311, during Maximinus Daia's persecution. He was a great bishop, famous for wisdom and holiness; "a model of charity and zeal, severe towards himself, merciful to sinners, a divine model of the Christian teacher," says Eusebius.

While in prison some priests pleaded for him with Arius, whom he had condemned. The action was reported to Peter; he replied that Jesus had appeared to him that very night with a torn garment, and when he sought an explanation, the Lord answered, "Arius has torn asunder My garment which is My Church." Peter's foremost virtue was perseverance; once he had made a decision he never vacillated. He is known as "the last martyr" of the Diocletian persecution.

Excerpted from The Church's Year of Grace, Pius Parsch.

Things to Do:

Read this account of the life of St. Peter taken from the St. Pachomius Orthodox Library.

St. John Berchmans

This young saint of the Society of Jesus was born in Flanders, the oldest of five children. He grew up in an atmosphere of political turmoil caused by a religious war between the Catholic and Protestant sections of the Netherlands. He studied at the Gymnasium at Diest and worked as a servant in the household of Canon John Froymont at Malines in order to continue his studies.
In 1615, the Jesuits opened a college at Malines, and St. John Berchmans was one of the first to enter. He was an energetic student and was a leader among the students. In 1616, he entered the Jesuit novitiate at Malines and came under the influence of Father Antoine Sucquet. The young Berchmans developed a strong and deep spirituality based on the loving practice of fidelity. St. Aloysius of Gonzaga was his spiritual model, and he was influenced as well by the example of the Jesuit English martyrs.

It was his realistic appreciation for the value of ordinary things, a characteristic of the Flemish mystical tradition, that constituted his holiness. He was affable, kind, and endowed with an outgoing personality that endeared him to everyone. In 1618, he was sent to Rome to study philosophy and was an exceptional student. He requested after ordination to become a chaplain in the army, hoping to be martyred on the battlefield.

In the summer of 1619, the intense heat of Rome started to affect his health and he began progressively to get weaker. The doctors could not determine what was wrong, and for two years he was continually sick, requiring medical care, and as the summer of 1621 came, it was clear that he would not last long. He died peacefully on August 13, 1621, and numerous miracles were attributed to him at the time of his funeral.

He was beatified by Pope Pius IX in 1865 and canonized by Pope Leo XIII in 1888. His body lies in the church of St. Ignatius in Rome, where Aloysius of Gonzaga is also buried.

Excerpted from The One Year Book of Saints by Rev. Clifford Stevens

Patron: Altar boys; altar servers; Oblate novices; young people.

Symbols: Standing with hands clasped, holding his crucifix, his book of rules, and his rosary.

Things to Do:

Like St. Therese of Lisieux, St. John Berchmans was not noted for anything extraordinary. He made kindness and courtesy as well as constant fidelity an important part of his holiness. The path to holiness lies in the ordinary rather than the extraordinary. That is a lesson that some learn only late in life. Read more about St. John Berchmans' life and spirituality.

The Word Among Us

Saturday, November 26, 2005

Meditation
Luke 21:34-36

Jesus urged his disciples not to get weighed down with the cares of the world or with overindulgence but to watch and pray (Luke 21:36). He knew they would need to be alert and full of the Holy Spirit in order to be ready for what was to come. He knew that the ordinary responsibilities of daily life can dull us to spiritual realities. And he knew that when the pressure builds in our lives, we might be tempted to find unhealthy ways to “blow off steam.”

How timely is Jesus’ admonition on this last day of the church year! Although Jesus’ caution was about his Second Coming, it is also appropriate for us as we approach the Advent season. The church has ordained Advent as a time for us to prepare to celebrate Christ’s birth. And the same cautions apply: watch and pray; stay alert and sober. We want to arrive at Christmas filled with the Spirit, with truth and with the love of God that Jesus’ birth brings to us.

Today is the day to launch your plans for Advent so that you will be ready to start right in tomorrow. So today ask the Holy Spirit to show you how best to prepare for Christmas. Unearth the Advent wreath, the Jesse tree, or your special prayers for mealtimes. Make a plan for personal and family prayer times. Set an early schedule for shopping, baking, writing Christmas cards, and decorating. Think about what hinders your spiritual preparation or disrupts your peace during this season and decide how to moderate them so that you can remain tranquil throughout the next four weeks.

Jesus is warning us of what is ahead: busyness, anxieties, and activities that can dull us to what he wants to do in our hearts. Forewarned by him, we can spend time in prayer, asking him to reveal himself to us. We can see his glory and be changed. This Advent, be vigilant. Make yourself available to Jesus, and you will find yourself filled with the Holy Spirit on Christmas.

“Jesus, fill me with your life today. Help me to watch and pray. Give me wisdom and energy to prepare so that when Advent starts, I will be ready to spend time with you and receive what you want to show me.”

Daniel 7:15-27; (Psalm) Daniel 3:82-87

Lk 21:34-36
#	Douay-Rheims	Vulgate
34	And take heed to yourselves, lest perhaps your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness, and the cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly.	adtendite autem vobis ne forte graventur corda vestra in crapula et ebrietate et curis huius vitae et superveniat in vos repentina dies illa
	35 For as a snare shall it come upon all that sit upon the face of the whole earth.	tamquam laqueus enim superveniet in omnes qui sedent super faciem omnis terrae
36	Watch ye, therefore, praying at all times, that you may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that are to come, and to stand before the Son of man.	vigilate itaque omni tempore orantes ut digni habeamini fugere ista omnia quae futura sunt et stare ante Filium hominis

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.