Posted on 11/21/2006 9:52:59 PM PST by Salvation
Memorial of Saint Ceilia, virgin and martyr
Reading 1
Rev 4:1-11
I, John, had a vision of an open door to heaven,
and I heard the trumpetlike voice
that had spoken to me before, saying,
“Come up here and I will show you what must happen afterwards.”
At once I was caught up in spirit.
A throne was there in heaven, and on the throne sat one
whose appearance sparkled like jasper and carnelian.
Around the throne was a halo as brilliant as an emerald.
Surrounding the throne I saw twenty-four other thrones
on which twenty-four elders sat,
dressed in white garments and with gold crowns on their heads.
From the throne came flashes of lightning,
rumblings, and peals of thunder.
Seven flaming torches burned in front of the throne,
which are the seven spirits of God.
In front of the throne was something that resembled
a sea of glass like crystal.
In the center and around the throne,
there were four living creatures
covered with eyes in front and in back.
The first creature resembled a lion, the second was like a calf,
the third had a face like that of a man,
and the fourth looked like an eagle in flight.
The four living creatures, each of them with six wings,
were covered with eyes inside and out.
Day and night they do not stop exclaiming:
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God almighty,
who was, and who is, and who is to come.”
Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks
to the one who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever,
the twenty-four elders fall down
before the one who sits on the throne
and worship him, who lives forever and ever.
They throw down their crowns before the throne, exclaiming:
“Worthy are you, Lord our God,
to receive glory and honor and power,
for you created all things;
because of your will they came to be and were created.”
Responsorial Psalm
Ps 150:1b-2, 3-4, 5-6
R. (1b) Holy, holy, holy Lord, mighty God!
Praise the LORD in his sanctuary,
praise him in the firmament of his strength.
Praise him for his mighty deeds,
praise him for his sovereign majesty.
R. Holy, holy, holy Lord, mighty God!
Praise him with the blast of the trumpet,
praise him with lyre and harp,
Praise him with timbrel and dance,
praise him with strings and pipe.
R. Holy, holy, holy Lord, mighty God!
Praise him with sounding cymbals,
praise him with clanging cymbals.
Let everything that has breath
praise the LORD! Alleluia.
R. Holy, holy, holy Lord, mighty God!
Gospel
Lk 19:11-28
While people were listening to Jesus speak,
he proceeded to tell a parable because he was near Jerusalem
and they thought that the Kingdom of God
would appear there immediately.
So he said,
“A nobleman went off to a distant country
to obtain the kingship for himself and then to return.
He called ten of his servants and gave them ten gold coins
and told them, ‘Engage in trade with these until I return.’
His fellow citizens, however, despised him
and sent a delegation after him to announce,
‘We do not want this man to be our king.’
But when he returned after obtaining the kingship,
he had the servants called, to whom he had given the money,
to learn what they had gained by trading.
The first came forward and said,
‘Sir, your gold coin has earned ten additional ones.’
He replied, ‘Well done, good servant!
You have been faithful in this very small matter;
take charge of ten cities.’
Then the second came and reported,
‘Your gold coin, sir, has earned five more.’
And to this servant too he said,
‘You, take charge of five cities.’
Then the other servant came and said,
‘Sir, here is your gold coin;
I kept it stored away in a handkerchief,
for I was afraid of you, because you are a demanding man;
you take up what you did not lay down
and you harvest what you did not plant.’
He said to him,
‘With your own words I shall condemn you,
you wicked servant.
You knew I was a demanding man,
taking up what I did not lay down
and harvesting what I did not plant;
why did you not put my money in a bank?
Then on my return I would have collected it with interest.’
And to those standing by he said,
‘Take the gold coin from him
and give it to the servant who has ten.’
But they said to him,
‘Sir, he has ten gold coins.’
He replied, ‘I tell you,
to everyone who has, more will be given,
but from the one who has not,
even what he has will be taken away.
Now as for those enemies of mine who did not want me as their king,
bring them here and slay them before me.’”
After he had said this,
he proceeded on his journey up to Jerusalem.
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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
From: Revelation 4:1-11
God in Majesty
From: Luke 19:11-28
Parable of the Pounds
We do a huge Thanksgiving meal for people in the community -- delivered or had sit down meals for 1200 last year.
I am answering the telephone at church because the number of calls gets to be so high that the secretary can't get her regular work done. So I am going to be posting the Mass threads in the evening.
I'll add things in the morning.
| Wednesday, November 22, 2006 St. Cecilia, Virgin, Martyr (Memorial) |
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Amen!
| First reading | Apocalypse 4:1 - 11 © |
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| Then, in my vision, I saw a door open in heaven and heard the same voice speaking to me, the voice like a trumpet, saying, ‘Come up here: I will show you what is to come in the future’. With that, the Spirit possessed me and I saw a throne standing in heaven, and the One who was sitting on the throne, and the Person sitting there looked like a diamond and a ruby. There was a rainbow encircling the throne, and this looked like an emerald. Round the throne in a circle were twenty-four thrones, and on them I saw twenty-four elders sitting, dressed in white robes with golden crowns on their heads. Flashes of lightning were coming from the throne, and the sound of peals of thunder, and in front of the throne there were seven flaming lamps burning, the seven Spirits of God. Between the throne and myself was a sea that seemed to be made of glass, like crystal. In the centre, grouped round the throne itself, were four animals with many eyes, in front and behind. The first animal was like a lion, the second like a bull, the third animal had a human face, and the fourth animal was like a flying eagle. Each of the four animals had six wings and had eyes all the way round as well as inside; and day and night they never stopped singing: ‘Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God, the Almighty; he was, he is and he is to come’. Every time the animals glorified and honoured and gave thanks to the One sitting on the throne, who lives for ever and ever, the twenty-four elders prostrated themselves before him to worship the One who lives for ever and ever, and threw down their crowns in front of the throne, saying, ‘You are our Lord and our God, you are worthy of glory and honour and power, because you made all the universe and it was only by your will that everything was made and exists’. |
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| Psalm or canticle | Psalm 150 |
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| Praise the Lord | |
| Praise the Lord in his sanctuary, praise him in his mighty firmament. Praise him for his mighty deeds, praise him for all his greatness. Praise him with trumpet-blasts, praise him with the harp and lyre, praise him with timbrel and dance, praise him with strings and pipes, praise him with cymbals resounding, praise him with cymbals of jubilation. All that breathes, praise the Lord! |
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| Gospel | Luke 19:11 - 28 © |
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| While the people were listening to this Jesus went on to tell a parable, because he was near Jerusalem and they imagined that the kingdom of God was going to show itself then and there. Accordingly he said, ‘A man of noble birth went to a distant country to be appointed king and afterwards return. He summoned ten of his servants and gave them ten pounds. “Do business with these” he told them “until I get back.” But his compatriots detested him and sent a delegation to follow him with this message, “We do not want this man to be our king”. Now on his return, having received his appointment as king, he sent for those servants to whom he had given the money, to find out what profit each had made. The first came in and said, “Sir, your one pound has brought in ten”. “Well done, my good servant!” he replied “Since you have proved yourself faithful in a very small thing, you shall have the government of ten cities.”. Then came the second and said, “Sir, your one pound has made five”. To this one also he said, “And you shall be in charge of five cities”. Next came the other and said, “Sir, here is your pound. I put it away safely in a piece of linen because I was afraid of you; for you are an exacting man: you pick up what you have not put down and reap what you have not sown.” “You wicked servant!” he said “Out of your own mouth I condemn you. So you knew I was an exacting man, picking up what I have not put down and reaping what I have not sown? Then why did you not put my money in the bank? On my return I could have drawn it out with interest.” And he said to those standing by, “Take the pound from him and give it to the man who has ten pounds”. And they said to him, “But, sir, he has ten pounds . . .” “I tell you, to everyone who has will be given more; but from the man who has not, even what he has will be taken away. “But as for my enemies who did not want me for their king, bring them here and execute them in my presence.”’ When he had said this he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem |
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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 17 (18) |
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| Thanksgiving for salvation and victory |
| I will love you, Lord, my strength: Lord, you are my foundation and my refuge, you set me free. My God is my help: I will put my hope in him, my protector, my sign of salvation, the one who raises me up. I will call on the Lord – praise be to his name – and I will be saved from my enemies. The waves of death flooded round me, the torrents of Belial tossed me about, the cords of the underworld wound round me, death’s traps opened before me. In my distress I called on the Lord, I cried out to my God: from his temple he heard my voice, my cry to him came to his ears. 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 17 (18) |
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| The earth moved and shook, at the coming of his anger the roots of the mountains rocked and were shaken. Smoke rose from his nostrils, consuming fire came from his mouth, from it came forth flaming coals. He bowed down the heavens and descended, storm clouds were at his feet. He rode on the cherubim and flew, he travelled on the wings of the wind. He made dark clouds his covering; his dwelling-place, dark waters and clouds of the air. The cloud-masses were split by his lightnings, hail fell, hail and coals of fire. The Lord thundered from the heavens, the Most High let his voice be heard, with hail and coals of fire. He shot his arrows and scattered them, hurled thunderbolts and threw them into confusion. The depths of the oceans were laid bare, the foundations of the globe were revealed, at the sound of your anger, O Lord, at the onset of the gale of your wrath. He reached from on high and took me up, lifted me from the many waters. He snatched me from my powerful enemies, from those who hate me, for they were too strong for me. They attacked me in my time of trouble, but the Lord was my support. He led me to the open spaces, he was my deliverance, for he held me in favour. 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 17 (18) |
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| The Lord rewards me according to my uprightness, he repays me according to the purity of my hands, for I have kept to the paths of the Lord and have not departed wickedly from my God. For I keep all his decrees in my sight, and I will not reject his judgements; I am stainless before him, I have kept myself away from evil. And so the Lord has rewarded me according to my uprightness, according to the purity of my hands in his sight. You will be holy with the holy, kind with the kind, with the chosen you will be chosen, but with the crooked you will show your cunning. For you will bring salvation to a lowly people but make the proud ashamed. For you light my lamp, Lord; my God illuminates my path. For with you I will attack the enemy’s squadrons; with my God I will leap over their wall. 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 | Zechariah 10:3 - 11:3 © |
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| ‘My anger burns against the shepherds, and I mean to punish the he-goats.’ Yes, the Lord (of Hosts) will take care of his flock (the House of Judah), he will make it his proud steed (in battle). From him will issue Cornerstone and Tent-peg, from him the Bow of battle, from him all the Leaders. Together they will be like heroes trampling the dirt of the streets (in battle); they will fight, since the Lord is with them, and the riders of horses will be thrown into confusion. And I will make the House of Judah mighty, and the House of Joseph victorious. I am going to restore them, because I have taken pity on them, and they shall be as though I had never cast them off (for I am the Lord their God and I mean to answer their prayer). Ephraim will be like a hero. Their hearts will be cheered as though by wine. Their sons will look on this in gladness, their hearts will exult in the Lord. I am going to whistle to them and gather them in (for I have redeemed them); they will be as numerous as they used to be. I have scattered them among the peoples but from far away they will remember me (they will teach their sons, and these will return). I mean to bring them back from the land of Egypt, and gather them from Assyria; I shall lead them into the land of Gilead (and Lebanon), and even that will not be large enough for them. They will pass through the sea of Egypt (and he will strike the waves on the sea); all the depths of the Nile will be dried up. The arrogance of Assyria will be cast down and the sceptre of Egypt be taken away. Their strength will be in the Lord; in his name they will glory: it is the Lord who speaks. Open your gateways, Lebanon, and let the fire burn down your cedars. (Wail, cypress, for felled is the cedar, the mighty ones have been brought low!) Wail, oaks of Bashan, for the impenetrable forest has been felled! The wailing of the shepherds is heard; their glorious pastures have been ruined. The roaring of the young lions is heard; the thickets of the Jordan have been laid waste. |
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| Reading | A commentary of St Augustine on Psalm 32 |
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| Sing to God in jubilation | |
| Praise the Lord with the lyre, make melody to him with the harp of ten strings! Sing to him a new song. Rid yourself of what is old and worn out, for you know a new song. A new man, a new covenant; a new song. This new song does not belong to the old man. Only the new man learns it: the man restored from his fallen condition through the grace of God, and now sharing in the new covenant, that is, the kingdom of heaven. To it all our love now aspires and sings a new song. Let us sing a new song not with our lips but with our lives. Sing to him a new song, sing to him with joyful melody. Every one of us tries to discover how to sing to God. You must sing to him, but you must sing well. He does not want your voice to come harshly to his ears, so sing well, brothers! If you were asked, “Sing to please this musician”, you would not like to do so without having taken some instruction in music, because you would not like to offend an expert in the art. An untrained listener does not notice the faults a musician would point out to you. Who, then, will offer to sing well for God, the great artist whose discrimination is faultless, whose attention is on the minutest detail, whose ear nothing escapes? When will you be able to offer him a perfect performance that you will in no way displease such a supremely discerning listener? See how he himself provides you with a way of singing. Do not search for words, as if you could find a lyric which would give God pleasure. Sing to him “with songs of joy”. This is singing well to God, just singing with songs of joy. But how is this done? You must first understand that words cannot express the things that are sung by the heart. Take the case of people singing while harvesting in the fields or in the vineyards or when any other strenuous work is in progress. Although they begin by giving expression to their happiness in sung words, yet shortly there is a change. As if so happy that words can no longer express what they feel, they discard the restricting syllables. They burst out into a simple sound of joy, of jubilation. Such a cry of joy is a sound signifying that the heart is bringing to birth what it cannot utter in words. Now, who is more worthy of such a cry of jubilation than God himself, whom all words fail to describe? If words will not serve, and yet you must not remain silent, what else can you do but cry out for joy? Your heart must rejoice beyond words, soaring into an immensity of gladness, unrestrained by syllabic bonds. Sing to him with jubilation. |
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| A concluding prayer may follow here. |
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God calls each one of us to be a saint.
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November 22, 2006
St. Cecilia
(3rd century)
Although Cecilia is one of the most famous of the Roman martyrs, the familiar stories about her are apparently not founded on authentic material. There is no trace of honor being paid her in early times. A fragmentary inscription of the late fourth century refers to a church named after her, and her feast was celebrated at least in 545.
According to legend, Cecilia was a young Christian of high rank betrothed to a Roman named Valerian. Through her influence Valerian was converted, and was martyred along with his brother. The legend about Cecilia’s death says that after being struck three times on the neck with a sword, she lived for three days, and asked the pope to convert her home into a church. Since the time of the Renaissance she has usually been portrayed with a viola or a small organ. Quote:
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November 22, 2006    Memorial of St. Cecilia, virgin and martyr Old Calendar: St. Cecilia
St. Cecilia Cecilia was so highly venerated by the ancient Roman Church that her name was placed in the Canon of the Mass. Already in the fourth century there was a church of St. Cecilia in Trastevere, erected on the site where her home had stood. Her martyrdom probably occurred during the reign of Emperor Alexander Severus, about the year 230. In 1599 her grave was opened and her body found in a coffin of cypress wood. It lay incorrupt, as if she had just breathed forth her soul. Stephen Maderna, who often saw the body, chiseled a statue that resembled the body as closely as possible. Since the Middle Ages, Cecilia has been honored as patroness of Church music, a practice having its source in a false application of a passage from the Office (cantantibus organis). Apart from the fact of her martyrdom, we know practically nothing about her that is historically genuine. Among other details the breviary offers the following: Cecilia led a life of prayer and meditation and had vowed lifelong virginity, but a youth by the name of Valerian, relying upon the approval of her parents, hoped to marry her. When the wedding night arrived, she confided to Valerian, "There is a secret, Valerian, I wish to tell you. I have as a lover an angel of God who jealously guards my body." Valerian promised to believe in Christ if he would be enabled to see that angel. Cecilia explained how such was impossible without baptism, and Valerian consented to be baptized. After he was baptized by Pope Urban and had returned "He found Cecilia in her little room lost in prayer, and next to her the angel of the Lord was standing. When Valerian saw the angel, he was seized with great terror." The angel handed to them a bouquet of fiery red roses and snow-white lilies as a reward for Cecilia's love of chastity, a bouquet that would not wither, yet would be visible only to those who love chastity. As a further favor Valerian besought the conversion of his brother Tiburtius.
At dawn Cecilia roused the two brothers to struggle heroically for Christ, as the glow of morning disappeared, Cecilia called: "Arise, soldiers of Christ, throw away the works of darkness and put on the armor of light." Cecilia pursued her victory as the soldiers willingly listened, "We believe that Christ is the true Son of God, who has chosen such a servant." Led before the prefect, she professed her faith in Christ, "We profess His holy Name and we will not deny Him." In order to avoid further show, the prefect commanded her to be suffocated in the baths. She remained unharmed and prayed, "I thank You, Father of my Lord Jesus Christ, that through Your Son the fire was extinguished at my side." Beheading was next in order. The executioner made three attempts (the law prohibited more) and let her lie in her blood. She lived for three days, encouraging the poor and dedicating her home into a church. Excerpted from The Church's Year of Grace, Pius Parsch. Patron: Albi, France; composers; martyrs; music; musicians; musical instrument makers; archdiocese of Omaha, Nebraska; poets; singers. Symbols: Holding a lute; playing the organ; holding roses. Things to Do:
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**Patron: Albi, France; composers; martyrs; music; musicians; musical instrument makers; archdiocese of Omaha, Nebraska; poets; singers.**
Pinging all musicians, instrument makers, choir members, poets, vocal soloists! I know we have a lot of you here.
Let us know who you are!
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Paying God Back
Luke 19:11-28 Introductory Prayer:Lord Jesus, help me to use well this time of prayer. Open my heart to your divine truths and speak to my soul your words of life. Increase my faith to see your hand in every moment of my day. Petition:Lord, may I use well the gifts that you have given to me. 1. Giving. God is generous. Sometimes we question this. Why do some people have more and others less? When we think of what we have, we tend to think of material possessions. But here the Lord uses a parable to speak of all the gifts that God has given to each one. Many times there are gifts we take for granted: our faith, the gift of life, our health, our family, etc. Yet, these are the coins that God gives us on our journey towards heaven, gifts that we are to use for his glory. 2. Demanding. God asks for results. Good fathers want to see the gifts they give put to good use. He does not just let things slide. Yet he still shows us mercy for our failings as long as we are giving all we have. We frequently value gifts more when we have to work for them. Recall those things in our own life that our parents made us work for, as well as those things we took for granted. In the end, God is going to demand an account for all the gifts he has given us. 3. Paying Back. Jesus wants us to double our spiritual assets. In other words, all that is given to us he wants us to use to the full. Christ will not accept measured-out responses. He wants all of our heart, all of our will, all of our mind – he wants us fully committed. The real winner is the one who gives the best possible effort in every moment of the day. Dialogue with Christ: Lord Jesus, help me to give all of myself to loving and serving you. May everyday be a day of complete service to you and to those in need. Help me to forget myself and use all of my talents for your glory. Resolution: I will show Christ my love for him by seeking to conquer my tendency to laziness and mediocrity. |
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 35 (36) |
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| The sinner's wickedness; God's goodness |
| Evil whispers to the sinner in the depths of his heart: the fear of God does not stand before his eyes. Evil’s flattering light disguises his wickedness, so that he does not hate it. His words are false and deceitful, he no longer considers how to do good. Even when in bed he plots mischief; he follows the wrong path; he does not hate malice. Lord, your mercy fills the heavens, your faithfulness rises to the sky. Your justice is like the mountains of God, your judgements are like the deeps of the sea. Lord, you protect both men and beasts. How precious is your kindness, O God! The sons of men will take shelter under your wings; they will eat their fill from the riches of your house, drink all they want from the stream of your joy. For with you is the spring of life-giving water, in your light we see true light. Hold out your mercy to those who know you, offer your justice to the upright in heart. Let me not be crushed under the heels of the proud, nor dispossessed by the hands of sinners. The doers of evil have fallen where they stood, they are cast down and cannot rise. 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 | Judith 16 |
|---|---|
| The Lord, creator of the world, protects his people | |
| Make music to my God with drums, sing to my Lord with cymbals. Begin a new song to him, extol and call upon his name. You are the God who crushes battle-lines, you set up your camp among your people, you save me from the grip of my persecutors. I will sing a new song to God: Lord, you are great and glorious, wonderful in your unconquerable power. Let all your creatures serve you, for you spoke and they were made, you sent forth your spirit, and they were created: there is no-one who can resist your command. For the mountains will be shaken to their roots, the seas will be stirred up, at your sight the rocks will melt like wax – but to those who fear you, you will show your loving kindness. 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 46 (47) |
|---|
| The Lord is King |
| All nations, clap your hands; cry out to God in exultation, for the Lord, the Most High, is greatly to be feared, and King over all the earth. He has made whole peoples our subjects, put nations beneath our feet. He has chosen our inheritance for us, the pride of Jacob, whom he loved. God ascends amid rejoicing, the Lord goes up with trumpet blast. Sing to God, sing praise. Sing to our king, sing praise. God is king over the whole earth: sing to him with all your skill. God reigns over the nations; God sits on his holy throne. The nobles of the peoples join together with the people of the God of Abraham, for to God belong the armies of the earth; he is high above all things. 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 | Tobias 4:14 - 19 © |
|---|---|
| Be careful, my child, in all you do, well-disciplined in all your behaviour. Do to no one what you would not want done to you. Give your bread to those who are hungry, and your clothes to those who are naked. Whatever you own in plenty, devote a proportion to almsgiving. Bless the Lord God in everything; beg him to guide your ways and bring your paths and purposes to their end. | |
| 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. |
|
| 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 |
|
Rv 4:1-11 / Lk 19:11-28 One of the phenomena in our society that never ceases to amaze us is the conduct of abused spouses. A woman may find herself beaten so badly as to require emergency care, her children may be beaten as well and near starvation, and countless other atrocities may be perpetrated upon her — and still she makes no move to leave and refuses all offers of assistance. “It’s crazy,” we say. And we have the same reaction to the man in today’s Gospel story who just buried the money entrusted to him instead of investing it. In both cases our amazement is right-headed, but before we rush into all sorts of moral judgments, we’d do well to look in the mirror. Inertia and paralysis are no strangers to most of us. There’s something bizarre about the fact that we tend to manage the least important parts of life reasonably well, but are victims of inertia or inattention when it comes to core issues. Our mortgages and insurance policies get paid on time, our cars get serviced and our haircuts happen on schedule, but what about our marriages, our kids, our spirituality...? The list goes on. In today’s parable the man who froze in place got his punishment from an angry king. For us it will be different. We shall have to live with the “monsters” we have created by our inattention and neglect. Why let that happen? Choose a happy future by attending to what counts in the present! |
>>>St. Cecilia's body was found to be incorrupt in the Catacombs of Saint Callistus. Her body was later moved to St Cecilia in Trastevere.
The statue and the story of how her body was found are beautiful.
from http://www.catacombe.roma.it/en/cecilia.html
Along the left wall is a great niche where was placed the sarcophagus containing the body of St. Cecilia. It remained there until the year 821, when pope Paschal I had her remains transferred to Trastevere, in the basilica dedicated to the Saint.
Foto della cripta di santa Cecilia
© Pontificia Commissione di Archeologia Sacra
The statue is a copy of the famous work by Stefano Maderno (1566-1636), carried out in 1599, when there took place the recognition of her relics. The body was found in the position represented by the sculptor.
He brought out into relieft the cut of the sword on her neck and the position of her fingers: three fingers open on the right hand and one on the left. According to tradition, the saint wished to show her faith in the Trinity and in the Unity of God.
The crypt was covered with mosaics and frescoes, which eventually wore away. Of the last ones there remain some figures. On the left wall near the statue there are two pictures in Byzantine style, which date to the end of the 8th C. and the beginning of the 9th. In the small niche below there is the image of Christ "pantocràtor" (omnipotent) holding a Gospel. Above the niche there is the figure of St. Cecilia as an "Orante". Below, to the right, is the figure of St. Urban I, pope and martyr, united in the martyr's Passio. On the wall of the skykight we can see a cross between two lambs and the three martyrs Polycamus, Sebastian and Quirinus.
Some inscriptions are preserved in the crypt. The most important one refers to a certain Septimius Fronton of senatorial rank. It is written in Greek and dates back to the end of the 3rd century. It reads:
"I, Septimius Fronton, Pretextatus Licinianus
servant of God, repose here .
I shall have no regret for having lived an honest life.
I will serve you also in heaven ( o Lord)
and will praise your Name (for ever).
I gave back my soul to God at the age of
33 years and 6 months".
Happy Thanksgiving to everyone reading this thread!
Thanks for that addition to this thread.
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Upon arriving to congratulate the newlyweds, Tiburtius was astounded by the unspeakably beautiful roses and lilies. As soon as he was informed regarding their origin, he too asked for the waters of baptism. "St. Cecilia said to Tiburtius: Today I acknowledge you as a brother-in-law, because the love of God has made you despise the idols. Just as the love of God gave me your brother as a spouse, so it has given you to me as a brother in-law." When Almachius, the prefect, heard of the conversions, he ordered Maximus, his officer, to arrest and imprison all of them. Before being put to death, they instructed Maximus and his family, and baptized them during the night preceding execution. 