Posted on 12/09/2006 10:19:45 AM PST by Salvation
Saturday of the First Week of Advent
Reading 1
Is 30:19-21, 23-26
Thus says the Lord GOD,
the Holy One of Israel:
O people of Zion, who dwell in Jerusalem,
no more will you weep;
He will be gracious to you when you cry out,
as soon as he hears he will answer you.
The Lord will give you the bread you need
and the water for which you thirst.
No longer will your Teacher hide himself,
but with your own eyes you shall see your Teacher,
While from behind, a voice shall sound in your ears:
“This is the way; walk in it,”
when you would turn to the right or to the left.
He will give rain for the seed
that you sow in the ground,
And the wheat that the soil produces
will be rich and abundant.
On that day your flock will be given pasture
and the lamb will graze in spacious meadows;
The oxen and the asses that till the ground
will eat silage tossed to them
with shovel and pitchfork.
Upon every high mountain and lofty hill
there will be streams of running water.
On the day of the great slaughter,
when the towers fall,
The light of the moon will be like that of the sun
and the light of the sun will be seven times greater
like the light of seven days.
On the day the LORD binds up the wounds of his people,
he will heal the bruises left by his blows.
Responsorial Psalm
Ps 147:1-2, 3-4, 5-6
R. (see Isaiah 30:18d) Blessed are all who wait for the Lord.
Praise the LORD, for he is good;
sing praise to our God, for he is gracious;
it is fitting to praise him.
The LORD rebuilds Jerusalem;
the dispersed of Israel he gathers.
R. Blessed are all who wait for the Lord.
He heals the brokenhearted
and binds up their wounds.
He tells the number of the stars;
he calls each by name.
R. Blessed are all who wait for the Lord.
Great is our LORD and mighty in power:
to his wisdom there is no limit.
The LORD sustains the lowly;
the wicked he casts to the ground.
R. Blessed are all who wait for the Lord.
Gospel
Mt 9:35—10:1, 5a, 6-8
Jesus went around to all the towns and villages,
teaching in their synagogues,
proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom,
and curing every disease and illness.
At the sight of the crowds, his heart was moved with pity for them
because they were troubled and abandoned,
like sheep without a shepherd.
Then he said to his disciples,
“The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few;
so ask the master of the harvest
to send out laborers for his harvest.”
Then he summoned his Twelve disciples
and gave them authority over unclean spirits to drive them out
and to cure every disease and every illness.
Jesus sent out these Twelve after instructing them thus,
“Go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
As you go, make this proclamation: ‘The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.’
Cure the sick, raise the dead,
cleanse lepers, drive out demons.
Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give.”
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Why Juan Diego is an American Saint
Blessed Juan Diego: A Model of Humility
Mary was in need of redemption and she was indeed f redeemed by the Precious Blood of Jesus Christ. The manner of Mary's redemption, however, was unique. Instead of being freed from original sin after having contracted it, she was preserved from contracting it. This was a most fitting favor for the Mother of the Redeemer.
INVOCATION
O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.
TO THE VIRGIN IMMACULATE
O Virgin Immaculate, Mother of God and my Mother, from thy sublime height turn upon me thine eyes of pity. Filled with confidence in thy goodness and knowing full well thy power, I beseech thee to extend to. me thine assistance in the journey of life, which is so full of dangers for my soul. And in order that I may never be the slave of the devil through sin, , but may ever live with my heart humble and pure, I entrust myself wholly to thee. I consecrate my heart to thee for ever, my only desire being to love thy divine Son Jesus. Mary, none of thy devout servants has ever perished; may I too be saved. Amen.
PRAYER OF PRAISE
O pure and immaculate and likewise blessed Virgin, who art the sinless Mother of thy Son, the mighty Lord of the universe, thou who art inviolate and altogether holy, the hope of the hopeless and sinful, we sing thy praises. We bless thee, as full of every grace, thou who didst bear the God-Man: we all bow low before thee; we invoke thee and implore thine aid. Rescue us, 0 holy and inviolate Virgin, from every necessity that presses upon us and from all the temptations of the devil. Be our intercessor and advocate at the hour of death and judgment; deliver us from the fire that is not extinguished and from the outer darkness; make us worthy of the glory of thy Son, O dearest and most clement Virgin Mother. Thou indeed art our only hope, most sure and sacred in God's sight, to whom be honor and glory, majesty and dominion for ever and ever world without end. Amen.
Saint Ephrem the Syrian
PRAYER OF POPE PIUS XII
This prayer, dedicated to Mary Immaculate, was composed by the Pope for the Marian Year (December 8, 1953-December 8, 1954), which was proclaimed to mark the centenary of the definition of the dogma of the Immaculate Conception.
Enraptured by the splendor of your heavenly beauty, and impelled by the anxieties of the world, we cast ourselves into your arms, 0 Immacuate Mother of Jesus and our Mother, Mary, confident of finding in your most loving heart appeasement of our ardent desires, and a safe harbor from the tempests which beset us on every side.
Though degraded by our faults and overwhelmed by infinite misery, we admire and praise the peerless richness of sublime gifts with which God has filled you, above every other mere creature, from the first moment of your conception until the day on which, after your assumption into heaven, He crowned you Queen of the Universe.
O crystal fountain of faith, bathe our minds with the eternal truths! O fragrant Lily of all holiness, captivate our hearts with your heavenly perfume! 0 Conqueress of evil and death, inspire in us a deep horror of sin, which makes the soul detestable to God and a slave of hell!
O well-beloved of God, hear the ardent cry which rises up from every heart. Bend tenderly over our aching wounds. Convert the wicked, dry the tears of the afflicted and oppressed, comfort the poor and humble, quench hatreds, sweeten harshness, safeguard the flower of purity in youth, protect the holy Church, make all men feel the attraction of Christian goodness. In your name, resounding harmoniously in heaven, may they recognize that they are brothers, and that the nations are members of one family, upon which may there shine forth the sun of a universal and sincere peace.
Receive, O most sweet Mother, our humble supplications, and above all obtain for us that, one day, happy with you, we may repeat before your throne that hymn which today is sung on earth around your altars: You are all-beautiful, O Mary! You are the glory, you are the joy, you are the honor of our people! Amen.
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
< U.S. Catholic bishops to renew consecration of nation to Immaculate Conception
Catholic Meditation: To the Immaculate Conception on this Election Day
My visit to the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception
On Solemnity of Immaculate Conception - "In Mary Shines the Eternal Goodness of the Creator"
Pope makes pilgrimage to Mary statue in Rome, marking the feast of the Immaculate Conception
Pope: Mary the Immaculate Conception... (text of BXVI speech)
"Tota pulchra es, Maria, et macula originalis non est in te" (The Immaculate Conception)
The Immaculate Conception — Essential to the Faith
"Who Are You, Immaculate Conception?"
TURKEY Ephesus: The Feast of the Immaculate Conception at Mary’s House
Coming Dec 8th. Feast of the "Immaculate Conception"
Why the Immaculate Conception?
Catholic Encyclopedia: Immaculate Conception (The Doctrine and Its Roots)
The Immaculate Conception of Our Lady December 8
Mary's Immaculate Conception: A Memorable Anniversary
Ineffabilis Deus: 8 December 1854 (Dogma of the Immaculate Conception)
Why do we believe in the Immaculate Conception?
John Paul II goes to Lourdes; reflections on the Immaculate Conception
Your Praises We Sing--on the Dogma of the Proclamation of the Immaculate Conception, Dec. 8th
Eastern Christianity and the Immaculate Conception (Q&A From EWTN)
Advent: the Reason for the Season
Advent Activity - The Jesse Tree
That incredible shrinking Advent-Christmas season (Christmas should start, not end, Dec. 25)
Advent Thoughts: Some of the Church Fathers on the Divinity of Christ
The Relationship Between Advent and the Change in the Seasons (Dom Guéranger)
Thanks, lightman; I got distracted on you know what thread.
From: Isaiah 30:19-21, 23-26
Lamentation Over Rebellious Children (Continuation)
From: Matthew 9:35-10:1, 5a, 6-8
The Need for Good Shepherds
| First reading | Isaiah 30:19 - 26 © |
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| Yes, people of Zion, you will live in Jerusalem and weep no more. He will be gracious to you when he hears your cry; when he hears he will answer. When the Lord has given you the bread of suffering and the water of distress, he who is your teacher will hide no longer, and you will see your teacher with your own eyes. Whether you turn to right or left, your ears will hear these words behind you, ‘This is the way, follow it’. He will send rain for the seed you sow in the ground, and the bread that the ground provides will be rich and nourishing. Your cattle will graze, that day, in wide pastures. Oxen and donkeys that till the ground will eat a salted fodder, winnowed with shovel and fork. On every lofty mountain, on every high hill there will be streams and watercourses, on the day of the great slaughter when the strongholds fall. Then moonlight will be bright as sunlight and sunlight itself be seven times brighter – like the light of seven days in one – on the day the Lord dresses the wound of his people and heals the bruises his blows have left. | |
| Psalm or canticle: Psalm 146 |
| Gospel | Matthew 9:35 - 10:8 © |
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| Jesus made a tour through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Good News of the kingdom and curing all kinds of diseases and sickness. And when he saw the crowds he felt sorry for them because they were harassed and dejected, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is rich but the labourers are few, so ask the Lord of the harvest to send labourers to his harvest’. He summoned his twelve disciples, and gave them authority over unclean spirits with power to cast them out and to cure all kinds of diseases and sickness. ‘Go to the lost sheep of the House of Israel. And as you go, proclaim that the kingdom of heaven is close at hand. Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out devils. You received without charge, give without charge.’ |
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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 104 (105) |
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| The Lord is faithful to his promises |
| Give thanks to the Lord and call upon his name; proclaim his works among the peoples. Sing and make music to him and reflect on all the wonders he has performed. Glory in his holy name, let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice. Seek the Lord in his power, always seek his face. Remember the wonders he performed, his miracles and the judgements he has uttered. Seed of Abraham, his servants, children of Jacob, his chosen ones. The Lord himself is our God, his rule extends over the whole earth. He has always remembered his covenant, that he made to last a thousand generations, the agreement he made with Abraham, the oath he swore to Isaac. He made it a decree for Jacob, an eternal covenant for Israel, saying “I will give you Canaan and measure it out as your inheritance”. Although they were few in number, a handful of wanderers, although they were travelling from nation to nation, from one kingdom to another, he let no harm come to them, he rebuked kings in their defence: “do not touch my anointed ones, do no harm to my prophets”. 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 104 (105) |
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| The Lord called down famine upon the land, he ground away every stick of bread. He had sent a man to them, Joseph, and he was sold as a slave. They confined his feet in fetters and put a ring around his neck – until the Lord’s word came, the Lord spoke and justified him. The king sent for him and released him – the ruler of the peoples set him free. He set him to rule over his house, made him lord of all his possessions, so that he could make the princes as wise as himself and teach wisdom to the elders. 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 104 (105) |
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| And so Israel passed into Egypt and Jacob lived in the country of Ham. The Lord made his people grow enormously and strengthened them against their enemies. Then he turned the hearts of men against his chosen people, so that they hated them and made plots against them. He sent Moses, his servant, and Aaron, whom he had chosen. He made them prophesy the signs and prodigies he would work in the land of Ham. He sent shadows and darkness, but they would not listen to his words. He turned their rivers into blood, killing all the fish. Frogs ate up the earth, even in the secret gardens of the palaces. He summoned flies and insects throughout the land. He sent stones of hail and fire to devastate their land. He struck their vines and their fig-trees, broke down the trees of their country. He spoke, and locusts came, and worms without number: they ate all the grain of the land, consumed all of the fruit. He struck down the first-born of their land, the flower of all their strength. He led his people out with silver and gold; not a single one of them stumbled. Egypt rejoiced to see them go, to see the last of the people they feared. He sent a cloud to protect them, and fire to light up their nights. He led out his people in exultation, his chosen ones in gladness. He gave them the territory of the nations, the fruits of the labours of the peoples. All this he did so that they would keep his decrees and follow his laws. 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 | Isaiah 21:6 - 12 © |
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| For this is what the Lord has said to me, ‘Go and post the watchman, and let him report what he sees. ‘If he sees cavalry, horsemen two by two, men mounted on camels, let him observe, closely observe.’ The look-out shouts, ‘On a watchtower, Lord, I stand all day; and at my post I keep guard all night’. Look, here come the cavalry, horsemen two by two. They spoke to me; they said, ‘Fallen, fallen is Babylon, and all the images of her gods are shattered on the ground’. You who are threshed, you who are winnowed, what I have learnt from the Lord of Hosts, from the God of Israel, I am telling you now. Oracle on Edom: Someone shouts to me from Seir, ‘Watchman, what time of night? Watchman, what time of night?’ The watchman answers, ‘Morning is coming, then night again. If you want to, why not ask, turn round, come back?’ |
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| Reading | A treatise on the value of patience, by St Cyprian |
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| What we do not see, we hope for | |
| Patience is a precept for salvation given us by our Lord our teacher: Whoever endures to the end will be saved. And again: If you persevere in my word, you will truly be my disciples; you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. Dear brethren, we must endure and persevere if we are to attain the truth and freedom we have been allowed to hope for; faith and hope are the very meaning of our being Christians, but if faith and hope are to bear their fruit, patience is necessary. We do not seek glory now, in the present, but we look for future glory, as Saint Paul instructs us when he says: By hope we were saved. Now hope which is seen is not hope; how can a man hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it in patience. Patient waiting is necessary if we are to be perfected in what we have begun to be, and if we are to receive from God what we hope for and believe. In another place the same Apostle instructs and teaches the just, and those active in good works, and those who store up for themselves treasures in heaven through the reward God gives them. They are to be patient also, for he says: Therefore while we have time, let us do good to all, but especially to those who are of the household of the faith. But let us not grow weary in doing good, for we shall reap our reward in due season. Paul warns us not to grow weary in good works through impatience, not to be distracted or overcome by temptations and so give up in the midst of our pilgrimage of praise and glory, and allow our past good deeds to count for nothing because what was begun falls short of completion. Finally the Apostle, speaking of charity, unites it with endurance and patience. Charity, he says, is always patient and kind; it is not jealous, is not boastful, is not given to anger, does not think evil, loves all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. He shows that charity can be steadfast and persevering because it has learned how to endure all things. And in another place he says: Bear with one another lovingly, striving to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. He shows that neither unity nor peace can be maintained unless the brethren cherish each other with mutual forbearance and preserve the bond of harmony by means of patience. |
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| Concluding Prayer |
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| God, you sent your only Son into this world to rescue mankind from its sinful state. Give us, who faithfully wait for him, the grace of your righteousness so that we may gain the reward of true freedom. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever. Amen. |
| Saturday, December 9, 2006 St. Juan Diego, Hermit (Optional Memorial) |
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December 9, 2006
St. Juan Diego
(1474-1548)
Thousands of people gathered in the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe July 31, 2002, for the canonization of Juan Diego, to whom the Blessed Mother appeared in the 16th century. Pope John Paul II celebrated the ceremony at which the poor Indian peasant became the Church’s first saint indigenous to the Americas.
The Holy Father called the new saint “a simple, humble Indian” who accepted Christianity without giving up his identity as an Indian. “In praising the Indian Juan Diego, I want to express to all of you the closeness of the church and the pope, embracing you with love and encouraging you to overcome with hope the difficult times you are going through,” John Paul said. Among the thousands present for the event were members of Mexico’s 64 indigenous groups. First called Cuauhtlatohuac (“The eagle who speaks”), Juan Diego’s name is forever linked with Our Lady of Guadalupe because it was to him that she first appeared at Tepeyac hill on December 9, 1531. The most famous part of his story is told in connection with the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe (December 12). After the roses gathered in his tilma were transformed into the miraculous image of Our Lady of Guadalupe, however, little more is said about Juan Diego. In time he lived near the shrine constructed at Tepeyac, revered as a holy, unselfish and compassionate catechist who taught by word and especially by example. During his 1990 pastoral visit to Mexico, Pope John Paul II confirmed the long-standing liturgical cult in honor of Juan Diego, beatifying him. Twelve years later he was proclaimed a saint. Quote:
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December 09, 2006    Optional Memorial of St. Juan Diego (USA)
Little is known about the life of Juan Diego before his conversion, but tradition and archaelogical and iconographical sources, along with the most important and oldest indigenous document on the event of Guadalupe, "El Nican Mopohua" (written in Náhuatl with Latin characters, 1556, by the Indigenous writer Antonio Valeriano), give some information on the life of the saint and the apparitions. Juan Diego was born in 1474 with the name "Cuauhtlatoatzin" ("the talking eagle") in Cuautlitlán, today part of Mexico City, Mexico. He was a gifted member of the Chichimeca people, one of the more culturally advanced groups living in the Anáhuac Valley. When he was 50 years old he was baptized by a Franciscan priest, Fr. Peter da Gand, one of the first Franciscan missionaries. On December 9, 1531, when Juan Diego was on his way to morning Mass, the Blessed Mother appeared to him on Tepeyac Hill, the outskirts of what is now Mexico City. She asked him to go to the Bishop and to request in her name that a shrine be built at Tepeyac, where she promised to pour out her grace upon those who invoked her. The Bishop, who did not believe Juan Diego, asked for a sign to prove that the apparition was true. On December 12, Juan Diego returned to Tepeyac. Here, the Blessed Mother told him to climb the hill and to pick the flowers that he would find in bloom. He obeyed, and although it was winter time, he found roses blooming. He gathered the flowers and took them to Our Lady who carefully placed them in his mantle and told him to take them to the Bishop as "proof". When he opened his mantle, the flowers fell on the ground and there remained impressed, in place of the flowers, an image of the Blessed Mother, the apparition at Tepeyac.
Much deeper than the exterior grace of having been chosen as Our Lady's messenger, Juan Diego received the grace of interior enlightenment and from that moment, he began a life dedicated to prayer and the practice of virtue and boundless love of God and neighbour. He died in 1548 and was buried in the first chapel dedicated to the Virgin of Guadalupe. He was beatified on May 6, 1990 by Pope John Paul II in the Basilica of Santa Maria di Guadalupe, Mexico City. The miraculous image, which is preserved in the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, shows a woman with native features and dress. She is supported by an angel whose wings are reminiscent of one of the major gods of the traditional religion of that area. The moon is beneath her feet and her blue mantle is covered with gold stars. The black girdle about her waist signifies that she is pregnant. Thus, the image graphically depicts the fact that Christ is to be "born" again among the peoples of the New World, and is a message as relevant to the "New World" today as it was during the lifetime of Juan Diego. Patron: Mexico. Symbols: Pictured carrying a tilma full of roses. Things to Do:
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Working in the Lord’s Vineyard
Matthew 9:35—10:1, 5a, 6-8 Introductory Prayer:Lord Jesus, walk by the town of my heart today as you walked by the towns and villages of Palestine 2,000 years ago. I need you to heal me today of my sin so that I can work to spread your message to all I meet. Petition:Lord, make me a faithful laborer in your vineyard. 1. Plant the Seeds. Last Christmas you may recall holiday trees, holiday cards and happy holidays. Christ was taken out of Christmas. Jesus’ heart is surely moved with pity as he sees society “troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd.” But we hear no complaints or dispair come from his mouth. His answer is to work and pray, for “the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” With Christ there is always hope for an abundant harvest. 2. Water the Fields. What does Christ want us to do when we see spiritual hopelessness in our world? He longs to send us out, just as he sent the apostles. Imagine how excited Christ must have been to see his Twelve going to the nearby towns and bringing so much peace and attention to the troubled and abandoned. We see desolation in our world, but we also see many youthful, energetic groups going to towns and cities bringing Christ to them. Let’s decide to join them in their mission today. 3. Reap the Harvest. Three hundred and fifty years after Christ sent out the Twelve Apostles, Christianity had permeated much of the Roman culture. Those first Christians who were ready to give their life for their faith in Christ reaped an abundant harvest. Today more than ever we see that the harvest is abundant. With the advancement of technology and the means of communication we are able to spread Christ’s message more effectively than ever before. We have been called to be laborers in the harvest of the Third Millennium. Let’s spend our lives sowing and reaping. Dialogue with Christ: Lord, make my heart more like yours. Let my heart be moved with pity at the sight of so many souls far from you. Move my will to work hard for your Kingdom today while remaining close to you and giving example with a holy life. I want to be a faithful worker in your vineyard. Resolution: I will ask a young person if they have ever considered giving their life totally to Christ as a priest or a consecrated man or woman. |
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 118 (119): 145-152 |
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| I call on you with all my heart – answer me, Lord. I will obey your laws. I call on you, save me so that I can keep your decrees. At dawn I cry to you, I put all my hope in your word. In the night I keep watch, pondering your sayings. In your mercy, Lord, hear my voice; in your justice, give me life. My persecutors come to do me harm: they are far from your law. But you, Lord, are near to me, and you are trustworthy in all your precepts. From the beginning I have known your decrees, how you have made them to last for ever. 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 | Exodus 15 |
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| Hymn of victory after crossing the Red Sea | |
| I will sing to the Lord, for his triumph is glorious. Horse and rider he has cast into the sea. The Lord is my support and my strength, and he has saved me. This is my God, and I will give him glory This is my father’s God, and I will exalt him. The Lord is a warrior – Yahweh is his name! Pharaoh’s chariots and army he has thrown into the sea. Your storm raged, and the waters were piled high, the flowing waters were a rampart, the sea-bed was exposed. The enemy said: “I will follow and surround them; I will divide their spoils, have my fill of booty, draw my sword and kill them all”. Your wind blew, and the sea covered them, they sank like lead in the raging waters. What god is like you, O Lord? What god is like you, so great in your holiness, a worker of miracles, terrible and worthy of praise? You stretched out your hand and the earth swallowed them. In your mercy you led your people whom you had redeemed, in your strength you brought them to your dwelling-place. You will lead them in and establish them on the mountain that is your inheritance, your solid dwelling-place, which you made, Lord; your sanctuary, Lord, which your hands made firm. The Lord will reign, to eternity and beyond! 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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| Psalm 116 (117) |
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| Praise of the merciful Lord |
| Praise the Lord, all nations; all peoples, praise him. For his mercy is strong over us and his faithfulness is for ever. 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 | Isaiah 11:1 - 3 © |
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| A shoot springs from the stock of Jesse, a scion thrusts from his roots: on him the spirit of the Lord rests, a spirit of wisdom and insight, a spirit of counsel and power, a spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord. The fear of the Lord is his delight. | |
| Canticle | Benedictus |
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| 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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| 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. |
| God, you sent your only Son into this world to rescue mankind from its sinful state. Give us, who faithfully wait for him, the grace of your righteousness so that we may gain the reward of true freedom. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever. Amen. |
| May the Lord bless us and keep us from all harm; and may he lead us to eternal life. |
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Saturday, December 09, 2006 Meditation Matthew 9:35–10:1,5-8 ???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? You are looking at 100 question marks. Now let’s consider a few facts. First, if you were to repeat these one hundred question marks ten thousand times, you would be looking at one million question marks. Consider, too, that if you were to print a million average-sized words, you would need the equivalent of about thirty-eight issues of The Word Among Us. Finally, consider that approximately one million people are reading this meditation. What if all one million of us were to scatter a few of the seeds of the gospel today? Imagine the kind of harvest that could come forth! Sometimes when we feel the Spirit prompting us to step out in faith and share the good news, we fear the risk involved. It’s at these times that we should trust that no one is alone in the work of evangelization. We are supported by all those who have gone before us and have stepped out of their comfort zones for the sake of telling other people about new life in Jesus. As you encounter situations today that call for God’s presence, remember that God has sent you there and is calling you to sow seeds of encouragement, consolation, or peace. Don’t worry about making mistakes. God can take care of that. He has shown on many occasions that he can bless our imperfect efforts and produce wonderful results. We may not always gather the harvest of the seeds that we plant. Someone else may do that. But as members of the body of Christ, we can do our part to change the world. What do you have to lose as a worker in the Lord’s field? He has already given you both the field and the seed. With just a little effort you will be able to share in the wonder of seeing the harvest of redeemed brothers and sisters growing in the love God has for them. All you really need is a humble and sincere heart. So what do you think? Can we all make a difference today? Jesus, help me set aside concerns about what others may think of me. May I focus instead on your call to share the good news of your redeeming love. Lord, give me courage and boldness!
Isaiah 30:19-21,23-26; Psalm 147:1-6 |
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Advent joy bump.
| Mt 9:35-20:8 | ||
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| # | Douay-Rheims | Vulgate |
| 35 | And Jesus went about all the cities and towns, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease, and every infirmity. | et circumibat Iesus civitates omnes et castella docens in synagogis eorum et praedicans evangelium regni et curans omnem languorem et omnem infirmitatem |
| 36 | And seeing the multitudes, he had compassion on them: because they were distressed, and lying like sheep that have no shepherd. | videns autem turbas misertus est eis quia erant vexati et iacentes sicut oves non habentes pastorem |
| 37 | Then he saith to his disciples, The harvest indeed is great, but the labourers are few. | tunc dicit discipulis suis messis quidem multa operarii autem pauci |
| 38 | Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he send forth labourers into his harvest. | rogate ergo dominum messis ut eiciat operarios in messem suam |
| Chapter 10 | ||
| 1 | And having called his twelve disciples together, he gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of diseases, and all manner of infirmities. | et convocatis duodecim discipulis suis dedit illis potestatem spirituum inmundorum ut eicerent eos et curarent omnem languorem et omnem infirmitatem |
| 2 | And the names of the twelve Apostles are these: The first, Simon who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, | duodecim autem apostolorum nomina sunt haec primus Simon qui dicitur Petrus et Andreas frater eius |
| 3 | James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, Philip and Bartholomew, Thomas and Matthew the publican, and James the son of Alpheus, and Thaddeus, | Iacobus Zebedaei et Iohannes frater eius Philippus et Bartholomeus Thomas et Mattheus publicanus et Iacobus Alphei et Thaddeus |
| 4 | Simon the Cananean, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him. | Simon Cananeus et Iudas Scariotes qui et tradidit eum |
| 5 | These twelve Jesus sent: commanding them, saying: Go ye not into the way of the Gentiles, and into the city of the Samaritans enter ye not. | hos duodecim misit Iesus praecipiens eis et dicens in viam gentium ne abieritis et in civitates Samaritanorum ne intraveritis |
| 6 | But go ye rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. | sed potius ite ad oves quae perierunt domus Israhel |
| 7 | And going, preach, saying: The kingdom of heaven is at hand. | euntes autem praedicate dicentes quia adpropinquavit regnum caelorum |
| 8 | Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out devils: freely have you received, freely give. | infirmos curate mortuos suscitate leprosos mundate daemones eicite gratis accepistis gratis date |
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With the Bishop's permission, Juan Diego lived the rest of his life as a hermit in a small hut near the chapel where the miraculous image was placed for veneration. Here he cared for the church and the first pilgrims who came to pray to the Mother of Jesus.