Posted on 11/18/2006 2:35:21 PM PST by Salvation
Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time
Reading 1
Dn 12:1-3
In those days, I Daniel,
heard this word of the Lord:
"At that time there shall arise
Michael, the great prince,
guardian of your people;
it shall be a time unsurpassed in distress
since nations began until that time.
At that time your people shall escape,
everyone who is found written in the book.
“Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake;
some shall live forever,
others shall be an everlasting horror and disgrace.
“But the wise shall shine brightly
like the splendor of the firmament,
and those who lead the many to justice
shall be like the stars forever."
Responsorial Psalm
Ps 16:5, 8, 9-10, 11
R. (1) You are my inheritance, O Lord!
O LORD, my allotted portion and my cup,
you it is who hold fast my lot.
I set the LORD ever before me;
with him at my right hand I shall not be disturbed.
R. You are my inheritance, O Lord!
Therefore my heart is glad and my soul rejoices,
my body, too, abides in confidence;
because you will not abandon my soul to the netherworld,
nor will you suffer your faithful one to undergo corruption.
R. You are my inheritance, O Lord!
You will show me the path to life,
fullness of joys in your presence,
the delights at your right hand forever.
R. You are my inheritance, O Lord!
Reading II
Heb 10:11-14, 18
Brothers and sisters:
Every priest stands daily at his ministry,
offering frequently those same sacrifices
that can never take away sins.
But this one offered one sacrifice for sins,
and took his seat forever at the right hand of God;
now he waits until his enemies are made his footstool.
For by one offering
he has made perfect forever those who are being consecrated.
Where there is forgiveness of these,
there is no longer offering for sin.
Gospel
Mk 13:24-32
Jesus said to his disciples:
"In those days after that tribulation
the sun will be darkened,
and the moon will not give its light,
and the stars will be falling from the sky,
and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.
"And then they will see 'the Son of Man coming in the clouds'
with great power and glory,
and then he will send out the angels
and gather his elect from the four winds,
from the end of the earth to the end of the sky.
"Learn a lesson from the fig tree.
When its branch becomes tender and sprouts leaves,
you know that summer is near.
In the same way, when you see these things happening,
know that he is near, at the gates.
Amen, I say to you,
this generation will not pass away
until all these things have taken place.
Heaven and earth will pass away,
but my words will not pass away.
"But of that day or hour, no one knows,
neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father."
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| Sunday, November 19, 2006 Thirty-Third Sunday in Ordinary time |
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| Last Things First |
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| 11/18/06 |
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We have all probably heard the expression “first things first.” It is a characteristically American phrase, summarizing our “can-do,” practical mentality. When we turn to the most important matters, however, to matters of faith, salvation, and eternity, we should use a different expression: “Last things first.” |
Yes, Fr. Paul Scalia is Supreme Court Justice, Antonin Scalia's son!
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INVOCATION
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord; and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen.
FOR THE SOULS IN PURGATORY
My Jesus, by the sorrows Thou didst suffer in Thine agony in the Garden, in Thy scourging and crowning with thorns, in the way to Calvary, in Thy crucifixion and death, have mercy on the souls in purgatory, and especially on those that are most forsaken; do Thou deliver them from the dire torments they endure; call them and admit them to Thy most sweet embrace in paradise.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Eternal rest, etc.
FOR ALL THE DECEASED
By Thy resurrection from the dead, O Christ, death no longer hath dominion over those who die in holiness. So, we beseech Thee, give rest to Thy servants in Thy sanctuary and in Abraham's bosom. Grant it to those, who from Adam until now have adored Thee with purity, to our fathers and brothers, to our kinsmen and friends, to all men who have lived by faith and passed on their road to Thee, by a thousand ways, and in all conditions, and make them worthy of the heavenly kingdom.
Byzantine Liturgy
DE PROFUNDIS
The psalmist is crying out here from the depression that grips him because of his sense of sin. He tells God that no man could be forgiven should strict justice be demanded; but, since God is forgiving and merciful, the psalmist (Israel) will hope for redemption from iniquities. We, who know the mercy of God far better than the g Israelites, may pray this psalm with even greater trust in God.
The Church uses this psalm in the liturgy as her official prayer for the souls in Purgatory.
Out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord; Lord, hear my, voice!
Let Your ears be attentive to my voice in supplication:
If You, O Lord, mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand?
But with You is forgiveness, that You may be revered.
I trust in the Lord; my soul trusts in His word.
My soul waits for the Lord more than sentinels wait for the dawn.
More than sentinels wait for the dawn, let Israel wait for the Lord,
For with the Lord is kindness and with Him is plenteous redemption;
And He will redeem Israel from all their iniquities.
Psalm 130
THE MISERERE
This psalm is a marvelous act of contrition, confession, and supplication by a repentant sinner. It was composed by David after his sin with Bethsabee. In reparation David promises to lead others back to God by telling them of the ways of divine justice. Instead of offering God an external sacrifice which he knows He will not accept, he offers instead the sacrifice of a contrite and humble heart, a sacrifice that will always be most pleasing in the eyes of God.
Have mercy on me, 0 God, in Your goodness; in the greatness of Your compassion wipe out my offense.
Thoroughly wash me from my guilt and of my sin cleanse me.
For I acknowledge my offense, and my sin is before me always:
"Against You only have I sinned, and done what is evil in Your sight"--
That You may be justified in Your sentence, vindicated when You condemn.
Indeed, in guilt was I born, and in sin my mother conceived me;
Behold, You are pleased with sincerity of heart, and in my inmost being You teach me wisdom.
Cleanse me of sin with hyssop, that I may be purified; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Let me hear the sounds of joy and gladness; the bones You have crushed shall rejoice.
Turn away Your face from my sins, and blot out all my guilt.
A clean heart create for me, 0 God, and a steadfast spirit renew within me.
Cast me not out from Your presence, and Your holy spirit take not from me.
Give me back the joy of Your salvation, and a willing spirit sustain in me.
I will teach transgressors Your ways, and sinners shall return to You.
Free me from blood guilt, 0 God, my saving God; then my tongue shall revel in Your justice.
O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall proclaim Your praise.
For You are not pleased with sacrifices; should I offer a holocaust, You would not accept it.
My sacrifice, O God, is a contrite spirit; a heart contrite and humbled, 0 God, You will not spurn.
Be bountiful, O Lord, to Sion in Your kindness by rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem;
Then shall You be pleased with due sacrifices, burnt offerings and holocausts; then shall they offer up bullocks on Your altar.
Psalm 50
FOR THE SOULS IN PURGATORY
O Lord, who art ever merciful and bounteous with Thy gifts, look down upon the suffering souls in purgatory. Remember not their offenses and negligences, but be mindful of Thy loving mercy, which is from all eternity. Cleanse them of their sins and fulfill their ardent desires that they may be made worthy to behold Thee face to face in Thy glory. May they soon be united with Thee and hear those blessed words which will call them to their heavenly home: "Come, blessed of My Father, take possession of the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world."
Prayer Source: Prayer Book, The by Reverend John P. O'Connell, M.A., S.T.D. and Jex Martin, M.A., The Catholic Press, Inc., Chicago, Illinois, 1954
This litany was written by Dr. Blanche Jennings Thompson, Franciscan Tertiary. It is approved for private use and bears the imprimatur of Most Rev. Samuel Stritch, former Archbishop of Milwaukee.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Holy Souls, Pray for us.
For the souls of our families We pray Thee, O God.
For the souls of our friends, We pray Thee, O God.
For the souls of our enemies, We pray Thee, O God.
For the souls of all pagans, We pray Thee, O God.
For the souls of all priests, We pray Thee, O God.
For the souls of all religious, We pray Thee, O God.
For the souls of the just, We pray Thee, O God.
For the souls of all sinners, We pray Thee, O God.
For the Holy Souls in Purgatory, We pray Thee, O God.
For those who have none to pray for them, We pray Thee, O God.
O almighty and eternal God, we beg Thee to have mercy on the Holy Souls in Purgatory, especially those for whom we are bound to pray; and we ask Thee also to listen to the prayers of the Blessed Souls in our behalf. Amen.
Prayer Source: Kyrie Eleison — Two Hundred Litanies by Benjamin Francis Musser O.F.M., The Magnificat Press, 1944
Year B- 33th Sunday in ordinary time
Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my word shall not pass away. Mark 13:24-3224 But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light. |
Matter is temporal, but the spirit is eternal. God has created the world for a purpose. Just as the farmer waits for the day of harvest, the day will come when I will come to collect the fruit of my vineyard. Author: Joseph of Jesus and Mary
Faith-sharing bump.
Here's wishing everyone a blessed Sunday.
Good morning to you, too!
| First reading | Daniel 12:1 - 3 © |
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| At that time Michael will stand up, the great prince who mounts guard over your people. There is going to be a time of great distress, unparalleled since nations first came into existence. When that time comes, your own people will be spared, all those whose names are found written in the Book. Of those who lie sleeping in the dust of the earth many will awake, some to everlasting life, some to shame and everlasting disgrace. The learned will shine as brightly as the vault of heaven, and those who have instructed many in virtue, as bright as stars for all eternity. | |
| Psalm or canticle: Psalm 15 |
| Second reading | Hebrews 10:11 - 18 © |
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| All the priests stand at their duties every day, offering over and over again the same sacrifices which are quite incapable of taking sins away. He, on the other hand, has offered one single sacrifice for sins, and then taken his place forever, at the right hand of God, where he is now waiting until his enemies are made into a footstool for him. By virtue of that one single offering, he has achieved the eternal perfection of all whom he is sanctifying. When all sins have been forgiven, there can be no more sin offerings. | |
| Gospel | Mark 13:24 - 32 © |
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| Jesus said, ‘In those days, after that time of distress, the sun will be darkened, the moon will lose its brightness, the stars will come falling from heaven and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory; then too he will send the angels to gather his chosen from the four winds, from the ends of the world to the ends of heaven. ‘Take the fig tree as a parable: as soon as its twigs grow supple and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. So with you when you see these things happening: know that he is near, at the very gates. I tell you solemnly, before this generation has passed away all these things will have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. ‘But as for that day or hour, nobody knows it, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son; no one but the Father.’ |
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O God, come to my aid.
O Lord, make haste to help me.
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. Alleluia.
A suitable hymn may be inserted at this point.
| Psalm 1 |
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| The two paths |
| Blessed the one who does not follow the counsels of the wicked, or stand in the paths that sinners use, or sit in the gatherings of those who mock: his delight is the law of the Lord, he ponders his law day and night. He is like a tree planted by flowing waters, that will give its fruit in due time, whose leaves will not fade. All that he does will prosper. Not thus are the wicked, not thus. They are like the dust blown by the wind. At the time of judgement the wicked will not stand, nor sinners in the council of the just. For the Lord knows the path of the just; but the way of the wicked leads to destruction. 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. |
| Psalm 2 |
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| The Messiah, king and victor |
| Why are the nations in a ferment? Why do the people make their vain plans? The kings of the earth have risen up; the leaders have united against the Lord, against his anointed. “Let us break their chains, that bind us; let us throw off their yoke from our shoulders!” The Lord laughs at them, he who lives in the heavens derides them. Then he speaks to them in his anger; in his fury he throws them into confusion: “But I – I have set up my king on Sion, my holy mountain”. I will proclaim the Lord’s decrees. The Lord has said to me: “You are my son: today I have begotten you. Ask me, and I will give you the nations for your inheritance, the ends of the earth for you to possess. You will rule them with a rod of iron, break them in pieces like an earthen pot”. So now, kings, listen: understand, you who rule the land. Serve the Lord in fear, tremble even as you praise him. Learn his teaching, lest he take anger, lest you perish when his anger bursts into flame. Blessed are all who put their trust in the Lord. 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. |
| Psalm 3 |
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| The Lord is my protector |
| Lord, how many they are, my attackers! So many rise up against me, so many of them say: “He can hope for no help from the Lord”. But you, Lord, are my protector, my glory: you raise up my head. I called to the Lord, and from his holy mountain he heard my voice. I fell asleep, and slept; but I rose, for the Lord raised me up. I will not fear when the people surround me in their thousands. Rise up, Lord; bring me to safety, my God. Those who attacked me – you struck them on the jaw, you shattered their teeth. Salvation comes from the Lord: Lord, your blessing is upon your people. 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. |
| Reading | Joel 2:21 - 32 © |
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| O soil, do not be afraid; be glad, rejoice, for the Lord has done great things. Beasts of the field, do not be afraid; the pastures on the heath are green again, the trees bear fruit, vine and fig tree yield abundantly. Sons of Zion, be glad, rejoice in the Lord your God; for he has given you the autumn rain, since he is just, and has poured the rains down for you, the autumn and spring rain as before. The threshing-floors will be full of grain, the vats overflow with wine and oil. ‘I will make up to you for the years devoured by grown locust and hopper by shearer and young locust, my great army which I sent to invade you.’ You will eat to your heart’s content, will eat your fill, and praise the name of the Lord your God who has treated you so wonderfully. (My people will not be disappointed any more.) And you will know that I am in the midst of Israel, that I am the Lord your God, with none to equal me. My people will not be disappointed any more. ‘After this I will pour out my spirit on all mankind. Your sons and daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men see visions. Even on the slaves, men and women, will I pour out my spirit in those days. I will display portents in heaven and on earth, blood and fire and columns of smoke.’ The sun will be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the day of the Lord dawns, that great and terrible day. All who call on the name of the Lord will be saved, for on Mount Zion there will be some who have escaped, as the Lord has said, and in Jerusalem some survivors whom the Lord will call. |
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| Reading | A commentary of St Augustine on Psalm 95 |
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| Let us not resist the first advent, and the second will not terrify us | |
| Then all the trees of the forest will exult before the face of the Lord, for he has come, he has come to judge the earth. He has come the first time, and he will come again. At his first coming, his own voice declared in the gospel: Hereafter you shall see the Son of Man coming upon the clouds. What does he mean by hereafter? Does he not mean that the Lord will come at a future time when all the nations of the earth will be striking their breasts in grief? Previously he came through his preachers, and he filled the whole world. Let us not resist his first coming, so that we may not dread the second. What then should the Christian do? He ought to use the world, not become its slave. And what does this mean? It means having, as though not having. So says the Apostle: My brethren, the appointed time is short: from now on let those who have wives live as though they had none; and those who mourn as though they were not mourning; and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing; and those who buy as though they had no goods; and those who deal with this world as though they had no dealings with it. For the form of this world is passing away. But I wish you to be without anxiety. He who is without anxiety waits without fear until his Lord comes. For what sort of love of Christ is it to fear his coming? Brothers, do we not have to blush for shame? We love him, yet we fear his coming. Are we really certain that we love him? Or do we love our sins more? Therefore let us hate our sins and love him who will exact punishment for them. He will come whether we wish it or not. Do not think that because he is not coming just now, he will not come at all. He will come, you know not when; and provided he finds you prepared, your ignorance of the time of his coming will not be held against you. All the trees of the forest will exult. He has come the first time, and he will come again to judge the earth; he will find those rejoicing who believed in his first coming, for he has come. He will judge the world with equity and the peoples in his truth. What are equity and truth? He will gather together with him for the judgement his chosen ones, but the others he will set apart; for he will place some on his right, others on his left. What is more equitable, what more true than that they should not themselves expect mercy from the judge, who themselves were unwilling to show mercy before the judge’s coming. Those, however, who were willing to show mercy will be judged with mercy. For it will be said to those placed on his right: Come, blessed of my Father, take possession of the kingdom which has been prepared for you from the beginning of the world. And he reckons to their account their works of mercy: For I was hungry and you gave me food to eat; I was thirsty and you gave me drink. What is imputed to those placed on his left side? That they refused to show mercy. And where will they go? Depart into the everlasting fire. The hearing of this condemnation will cause much wailing. But what has another psalm said? The just man will be held in everlasting remembrance; he will not fear the evil report. What is the evil report? Depart into the everlasting fire, which was prepared for the devil and his angels. Whoever rejoices to hear the good report will not fear the bad. This is equity, this is truth. Or do you, because you are unjust, expect the judge not to be just? Or because you are a liar, will the truthful one not be true? Rather, if you wish to receive mercy, be merciful before he comes; forgive whatever has been done against you; give of your abundance. Of whose possessions do you give, if not from his? If you were to give of your own, it would be largess; but since you give of his, it is restitution. For what do you have, that you have not received? These are the sacrifices most pleasing to God: mercy, humility, praise, peace, charity. Such as these, then, let us bring and, free from fear, we shall await the coming of the judge who will judge the world in equity and the peoples in his truth. |
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| Canticle | Te Deum |
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| God, we praise you; Lord, we proclaim you! You, the Father, the eternal – all the earth venerates you. All the angels, all the heavens, every power – The cherubim, the seraphim – unceasingly, they cry: “Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Hosts: heaven and earth are full of the majesty of your glory!” The glorious choir of Apostles – The noble ranks of prophets – The shining army of martyrs – all praise you. Throughout the world your holy Church proclaims you. – Father of immeasurable majesty, – True Son, only-begotten, worthy of worship, – Holy Spirit, our Advocate. You, Christ: – You are the king of glory. – You are the Father’s eternal Son. – You, to free mankind, did not disdain a Virgin’s womb. – You defeated the sharp spear of Death, and opened the kingdom of heaven to those who believe in you. – You sit at God’s right hand, in the glory of the Father. – You will come, so we believe, as our Judge. And so we ask of you: give help to your servants, whom you set free at the price of your precious blood. Number them among your chosen ones in eternal glory. Bring your people to safety, Lord, and bless those who are your inheritance. Rule them and lift them high for ever. Day by day we bless you, Lord: we praise you for ever and for ever. Of your goodness, Lord, keep us without sin for today. Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy on us. Let your pity, Lord, be upon us, as much as we trust in you. In you, Lord, I trust: let me never be put to shame. 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. |
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| A concluding prayer may follow here. |
Activities:
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November 19, 2006    Thirty-Third Sunday of Ordinary Time Jesus said to his disciples: "In those days after that tribulation the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from the sky, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see 'the Son of Man coming in the clouds' with great power and glory, and then he will send out the angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the end of the earth to the end of the sky (Mk 13:24-27)."
Waiting in Joyful Hope for the Lord's Coming Dan 12:1-3; Heb 10:11-14, 18; Mk 13:24-32 It is very common for the passages from Sacred Scripture that we have at Mass to begin, “at that time,” or “in those days” as the first reading and the Gospel do today. But on other Sundays, we’re almost always talking about the PAST — e.g., “at that time, Jesus came to Capernaum in Galilee.” Today, however, we’re speaking not about the past, but about the future: the end of the world, when the Archangel Michael will arise (first reading) and Jesus, the Son of Man, will “come on the clouds with great power and glory” along with his angels (Gospel). “Those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake,” the first reading tell us, “some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.” When this will occur, “no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” Many people, when they hear this truth that we proclaim every Sunday during the praying of the Creed — “he will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead" — look at it with a certain fear and dread, but that is not the reaction Jesus wants from us. To determine what your attitude is toward Jesus’ second coming: if the end of the world were to come by noon today, what would your attitude be? When the early Christians reflected on this reality of Jesus’ second coming, they used to cry out “Marana tha,” “Come, Lord Jesus!” They LOOKED FORWARD to this event with great expectation, because it would lead to their full unity in love with the Lord forever. Our attitude is supposed to be similar. We pray in every Mass, after the Our Father, “In your mercy, keep us free from sin … as we wait in joyful hope for the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ!” The attitude we’re called to have versus Jesus’s second coming is “joyful hope.” Last weekend, when I was preaching a retreat in Los Angeles, one of the more senior retreatants came to see me with a question. “Father, is it wrong and sinful for me to look forward to my death so that I can, God-willing, be with Jesus forever in heaven?” I said to her an emphatic and tender “no!” Then she said to me, “Then why doesn’t anyone else in the Church seem to have this longing?” That’s a good question. The reason, I think, has everything to do with the first part of that prayer from the Mass, and our linking our being “free from sin” with our ability to wait in “joyful hope” for the coming of the Lord. When I was a young boy, most days I would wait with eager expectation for the return of my father from work. It would take place about 4:35 pm. At about quarter-past-four, our dog would start pacing around the house with its tail wagging. Each of the four kids would take regular glances at the clock. Eventually we would hear the shutting of the heavy steel door of my father’s van and we would all hustle toward the back door through which he would come and hug each of us as our dog was jumping up and down between and around us. They were very joyous and beautiful moments. We loved our dad and couldn’t wait for him to return so that we could be with him. But I said that “MOST days” I would wait with this eager expectation. Some days I would actually dread his return — precisely on those days when I had done something WRONG and I knew that my mother would soon tell him of my malefactions and I would suffer the just consequences of my misdeeds. I think that experience at home is a parable for our disposition in front of the returning of the Lord. If we really love our Lord, we should be impatient for his return, so that we can be with him. If we’re ready to greet him, it is a time of “joyful hope” and “expectation.” For those of us who have “done something wrong,” however, who have not been “free from sin,” who haven’t been doing what we ought to have been doing with the gift of life from the Lord, then it’s something to which we do not look forward — something even that we can dread. How do those of us who do dread the coming of the Lord — either at the end of time, or at the end of our lives, whichever comes first (and either may come in a matter of minutes) — become those who can await his coming with “joyful hope”? The great saints have told us the secret to this transition: it’s by living each moment as if it is our last, by being ready at all times to meet the Lord so that we will never really be caught off guard when he comes. Jesus uses the parable of the ten virgins to illustrate the point. Five have enough oil in their lamps as they await the Bridegroom’s arrival no matter what time he comes in the middle of the night. The five “foolish” virgins have let the oil in their lamps run dry and hence fear his arrival for they will not be ready. We’re called to be like those “wise virgins,” with the lamps of our hearts perpetually burning the oil of love in expectation for the Lord. The light that is lit symbolically for us in our baptism — when our baptismal candle is lit from the Paschal or Easter candle symbolizing Christ the Light of the World — is meant to be “kept burning brightly” like a tabernacle lamp for the Lord. How we do keep it burning? The Church gives us two common ways which are in fact extraordinary that some of us can take for granted. The first way we maintain the flame is by preventing its being extinguished by sin. And if we know that the Lord’s coming may always be imminent — even in a matter of minutes — it will help us to avoid sin, because few of us, thanks be to God, would choose to sin if we were conscious that the Lord were about to appear and catch us “in the act.” The saints have taught and shown us by their example that if we keep the oil of love in the tabernacle lamp of our heart fully stocked in vigilant, longing expectation, it is much harder for the flame to be extinguished. But if IS blown out by sin, the way we get it lit again is by the sacrament of confession. The Catechism says that the sacrament of confession is like an anticipated “second coming of the Lord: “In this sacrament, the sinner, placing himself before the merciful judgment of God, ANTICIPATES in a certain way the judgment to which he will be subjected at the end of his earthly life. For it is now, in this life, that we are offered the choice between life and death, and it is only by the road of conversion that we can enter the Kingdom, from which one is excluded by grave sin. In converting to Christ through penance and faith, the sinner PASSES FROM DEATH TO LIFE [in THIS life] and "does not come into judgment.” By going to be forgiven now in the tribunal of God’s mercy, we have nothing to fear later in the tribunal of God’s justice. The second means we keep the oil in our lamp burning and prepare for Jesus’ coming with “joyful hope” is to LIVE the Mass. In the Mass, we meet the Lord Jesus who comes for us in his word and in his body, blood, soul and divinity. The better we prepare for Mass, the more we look forward with eager expectation to it, the more we arrive at Mass “free from sin” through the sacrament of confession, the better our preparation for meeting Christ at the end of time, for it is the same Christ who will come on the clouds surrounded by all his angels. Meeting the Lord Jesus in the Mass is the best preparation of all for meeting him at the end of time or the end of our lives. As we pray in the various options for the “mystery of faith”: “When we eat this bread and drink this cup we proclaim your death, Lord Jesus, UNTIL YOU COME IN GLORY”; “Dying you destroyed our death; rising your restored our life, LORD, JESUS, COME IN GLORY!” In the Mass, we explicitly connect our receiving Jesus in Communion with our being ready and expectant for his return. The Mass IS the prayer of “Marana tha,” “Come, Lord Jesus!,” enveloping us within the Christ’s sacrifice for our salvation. So we’re called to develop a real hunger for the Mass and to come to meet Christ here with the same dispositions with which we hope to meet him when he comes at the end of time or at the end of our lives. The second reading tells us about the importance of the Mass and implies something crucial about our own preparation for it. It says that Christ “offered once and for all a single sacrifice for sins.” Christ does not offer himself again and again and again through his priests, at 7 am, 9 am and 11 am. Christ offered himself once, when he said during the Last Supper “this is my body… given for you,” “this is the cup of my blood, … to be shed for you,” and finished it when he said, “It is finished!,” as he gave his beaten body to the Cross from which he dripped the same blood we consume in the chalice at Mass. Every Mass is the participation in that ONE sacrifice that happened in Jerusalem about 1974 years ago, which is “re-presented” to us in each Mass. Because Christ’s sacrifice was eternal, we can enter it in time. But what makes this Mass different from the Mass you attended last week or the Masses that will be celebrated later today? It’s the sacrifice WE unite to Christ’s one eternal sacrifice. The priest prays right before the preface to the Eucharistic prayer, “Pray, brothers and sisters, that this sacrifice, mine [meaning Christ’s] and yours, may be acceptable to God, the Almighty Father,” because we’re called to unite our own sacrifice to the eternal offering of Christ re-presented in time for us through the ministration of Christ’s priest. Each Mass, we’re called not just to be uniting our gifts (that’s why the collection is taken during the offertory) with Christ’s sacrifice, but our very selves, saying, in effect, “Jesus, this is my body, my life, given for you” and putting our hearts on the altar, to be united with Christ’s and offered to the Father. The more we do this, and the better we do this, the better we prepare for Christ’s second coming. The more we enter in our own lives into the mystery of self-giving love we receive in the Mass, the better prepared we will be to meet Christ we he comes, the more joyful our hope will be, and the more joyful our lives will be. During the Last Supper in which we’re about to enter, Jesus said, ““Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me. In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also.” Jesus has promised us that he has gone to prepare a place for us so that where he is, we always may be, and that he will come back to take us to where he is. This is great news. But he gave us this great news during the Last Supper, as he was preparing to celebrate the First Mass, the one Mass, in which we share each time we come to Mass. As we prepare to receive him in this Mass, and to offer our lives to him on this altar, let us ask him for the grace so that we may love this great sacrificial banquet and live it, so that we may have the chance to share forever in the eternal banquet, in that place he has gone to prepare for us. Come, Lord Jesus! — Fr. Roger J. Landry
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Towards Heaven
Mark 13:24-32 Introductory Prayer: Lord, I turn to you today with faith, knowing that you are the Lord of life and history. Aware of my weaknesses and failures, I set my hopes in you, for you always fulfill your promises. As I contemplate your love that becomes fidelity, I too desire to repay you with my fidelity. I am here before you to listen and thus discover your will for me today. Petition:Lord, may my intelligence be enlightened with the theological virtue of hope. 1. Promise Keeper. Christ promised and delivered. His words brought about a change of spirit: the way we understand the world around us, the way we desire, and the way we choose. All that he did had results, positive results. Many times throughout his preaching he promised us heaven, and through his death he made the possibility of everlasting life possible for us, even though the price was his own life. When we promise someone something, do we keep that promise, no matter what the personal cost? 2. Solid Ground. Fear stalks us daily. The world in which we live can undermine our trust in God. It is easy to become attached to things of this world, even though they pass away, disappear, vanish, and give us only a fleeting pleasure or a temporary security. Since our heart is made for God, for the infinite, when we become attached to something not of God, the result is fear. This is a fear of the future, and a fear of the unknown. But with God, we know the ending, and we know what awaits us. Listen to those words: “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.” All that we see and enjoy around us will pass away, but not Christ’s promises, namely the promises of eternal life -- of paradise. Be not afraid to hope in God. 3. Learn a Lesson from the Fig Tree. The grace of God ripens us. The moment we are baptized, we are made ready to see God. But there is a lesson, and it might be a bit scary. When Jesus spoke about the fig tree in today’s Gospel, he may have thought of another fig tree -- the one that bore no fruit, withered, dried up, and died. Christ shocked them that time. We don’t know when Christ will pass by the fig tree of our life, looking to pick the fruit of our virtues. However, we can be assured of this: The time will come. Our baptism has made our lifetime a time of harvest. You have all eternity to rest in the house of the Father. The lesson: Bear fruit now; live virtue now. Christ came to give life and give it abundantly (see John 10:10). Dialogue with Christ: Lord, Jesus, may I live a life of virtue knowing that my life moves forward towards eternity. Help me to overcome my fears by placing all of them in your hands knowing that you hold the solution. Help me to live my baptism faithfully and place all of my hope in your promises. Resolution: I will live this day with special intensity offering all for the conversion of souls. |
O God, come to my aid.
O Lord, make haste to help me.
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. Alleluia.
A suitable hymn may be inserted at this point.
| Psalm 62 (63) |
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| Thirsting for God |
| O God, you are my God, I wait for you from the dawn. My soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you. I came to your sanctuary, as one in a parched and waterless land, so that I could see your might and your glory. My lips will praise you, for your mercy is better than life itself. Thus I will bless you throughout my life, and raise my hands in prayer to your name; my soul will be filled as if by rich food, and my mouth will sing your praises and rejoice. I will remember you as I lie in bed, I will think of you in the morning, for you have been my helper, and I will take joy in the protection of your wings. My soul clings to you; your right hand raises me up. 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. |
| Canticle | Daniel 3 |
|---|---|
| All creatures, bless the Lord | |
| Bless the Lord, all his works, praise and exalt him for ever. Bless the Lord, you heavens; all his angels, bless the Lord. Bless the Lord, you waters above the heavens; all his powers, bless the Lord. Bless the Lord, sun and moon; all stars of the sky, bless the Lord. Bless the Lord, rain and dew; all you winds, bless the Lord. Bless the Lord, fire and heat; cold and warmth, bless the Lord. Bless the Lord, dew and frost; ice and cold, bless the Lord. Bless the Lord, ice and snow; day and night, bless the Lord. Bless the Lord, light and darkness; lightning and storm-clouds, bless the Lord. Bless the Lord, all the earth, praise and exalt him for ever. Bless the Lord, mountains and hills; all growing things, bless the Lord. Bless the Lord, seas and rivers; springs and fountains, bless the Lord. Bless the Lord, whales and fish; birds of the air, bless the Lord. Bless the Lord, wild beasts and tame; sons of men, bless the Lord. Bless the Lord, O Israel, praise and exalt him for ever. Bless the Lord, his priests; all his servants, bless the Lord. Bless the Lord, spirits of the just; all who are holy and humble, bless the Lord. Ananias, Azarias, Mishael, bless the Lord, praise and exalt him for ever. Let us bless Father, Son and Holy Spirit, praise and exalt them for ever. Bless the Lord in the firmament of heaven, praise and glorify him for ever. |
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| Psalm 149 |
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| The saints rejoice |
| Sing a new song to the Lord, his praise in the assembly of the faithful. Let Israel rejoice in its maker, and the sons of Sion delight in their king. Let them praise his name with dancing, sing to him with timbrel and lyre, for the Lord’s favour is upon his people, and he will honour the humble with victory. Let the faithful celebrate his glory, rejoice even in their beds, the praise of God in their throats; and swords ready in their hands, to exact vengeance upon the nations, impose punishment on the peoples, to bind their kings in fetters and their nobles in manacles of iron, to carry out the sentence that has been passed: this is the glory prepared for all his faithful. 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. |
| Short reading | Apocalypse 7:10 - 12 © |
|---|---|
| Victory to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!’ Praise and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honour and power and strength to our God for ever and ever. Amen. | |
| Canticle | Benedictus |
|---|---|
| The Messiah and his forerunner | |
| Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, for he has come to his people and brought about their redemption. He has raised up the sign of salvation in the house of his servant David, as he promised through the mouth of the holy ones, his prophets through the ages: to rescue us from our enemies and all who hate us, to take pity on our fathers, to remember his holy covenant and the oath he swore to Abraham our father, that he would give himself to us, that we could serve him without fear – freed from the hands of our enemies – in uprightness and holiness before him, for all of our days. And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High: for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare his path, to let his people know their salvation, so that their sins may be forgiven. Through the bottomless mercy of our God, one born on high will visit us to give light to those who walk in darkness, who live in the shadow of death; to lead our feet in the path of peace. 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. |
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| Some short prayers may follow here, to offer up the day's work to God. |
| 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 that trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. |
| A concluding prayer may follow here. |
| May the Lord bless us and keep us from all harm; and may he lead us to eternal life. |
| A M E N |
Praise God.
End times readings. Our priest preached on it.
From: Hebrews 10:11-14, 18
Christ's Offering of Himself Has Infinite Value (Continuation)
From: Mark 13:24-32
Signs of the End of the Word and the Coming of the Son of Man
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