Posted on 10/20/2007 11:47:15 AM PDT by Salvation
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Saturday of the Twenty-eighth Week
in Ordinary Time
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Reading 1
Rom 4:13, 16-18
Brothers and sisters:
It was not through the law
that the promise was made to Abraham and his descendants
that he would inherit the world,
but through the righteousness that comes from faith.
For this reason, it depends on faith,
so that it may be a gift,
and the promise may be guaranteed to all his descendants,
not to those who only adhere to the law
but to those who follow the faith of Abraham,
who is the father of all of us, as it is written,
I have made you father of many nations.
He is our father in the sight of God,
in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead
and calls into being what does not exist.
He believed, hoping against hope,
that he would become the father of many nations,
according to what was said, Thus shall your descendants be.
Responsorial Psalm
Ps 105:6-7, 8-9, 42-43
R. (8a) The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
You descendants of Abraham, his servants,
sons of Jacob, his chosen ones!
He, the LORD, is our God;
throughout the earth his judgments prevail.
R. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
He remembers forever his covenant
which he made binding for a thousand generations –
Which he entered into with Abraham
and by his oath to Isaac.
R. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
For he remembered his holy word
to his servant Abraham.
And he led forth his people with joy;
with shouts of joy, his chosen ones.
R. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
Gospel
Lk 12:8-12
Jesus said to his disciples:
“I tell you,
everyone who acknowledges me before others
the Son of Man will acknowledge before the angels of God.
But whoever denies me before others
will be denied before the angels of God.
“Everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven,
but the one who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit
will not be forgiven.
When they take you before synagogues and before rulers and authorities,
do not worry about how or what your defense will be
or about what you are to say.
For the Holy Spirit will teach you at that moment what you should say.”
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Feasts:
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October Devotion: The Holy Rosary
Since the 16th century Catholic piety has assigned entire months to special devotions. Pope Leo XIII personally started the practice of devoting October to the Rosary devotion. In a letter of September 1, 1883, mindful of the Rosary's power to strengthen faith and foster a life of virtue, he outlined the triumphs of the Rosary in past times and admonished the faithful to dedicate the month of October to the Blessed Virgin through the daily recitation of her Rosary in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament, in order to obtain through her intercession the grace that God would console and defend His Church in her sufferings. We highly recommend that you read Pope John Paul II's Apostolic Letter Rosarium Virginis Mariae, or "On the Most Holy Rosary." It explains even further this wonderful devotion, and introduces the optional mysteries of light, or Luminous mysteries. |
INVOCATION
Queen of the most holy Rosary, pray for us.
TO THE QUEEN OF THE HOLY ROSARY
Queen of the most holy Rosary, in these times of such brazen impiety, manifest thy power with the signs of thine ancient victories, and from thy throne, whence thou dost dispense pardon and graces, mercifully regard the Church of thy Son, His Vicar on earth, and every order of clergy and laity, who are sore oppressed in the mighty conflict. Do thou, who art the powerful vanquisher of all heresies, hasten the hour of mercy, even though the hour of God's justice is every day provoked by the countless sins of men. For me who am the least of men, kneeling before thee in supplication, do thou obtain the grace I need to live righteously upon earth and to reign among the just in heaven, the while in company with all faithful Christians throughout the world, I salute thee and acclaim thee as Queen of the most holy Rosary:
Queen of the most holy Rosary, pray for us.
TO OUR LADY OF THE ROSARY
O Virgin Mary, grant that the recitation of thy Rosary may be for me each day, in the midst of my manifold duties, a bond of unity in my actions, a tribute of filial piety, a sweet refreshment, an encouragement to walk joyfully along the path of duty. Grant, above all, O Virgin Mary, that the study of thy fifteen mysteries may form in my soul, little by little, a luminous atmosphere, pure, strengthening, and fragrant, which may penetrate my understanding, my will, my heart, my memory, my imagination, my whole being. So shall I acquire the habit of praying while I work, without the aid of formal prayers, by interior acts of admiration and of supplication, or by aspirations of love. I ask this of thee, O Queen of the holy Rosary, through Saint Dominic, thy son of predilection, the renowned preacher of thy mysteries, and the faithful imitator of thy virtues. Amen.
FOR THE CRUSADE OF THE FAMILY ROSARY
The Family Rosary Crusade, organized and directed by Father Patrick Peyton, C.S.C., sought to revive the practice of families reciting the Rosary daily within their homes. The Crusade has the encouragement and support of Pope Pius XII and it is succeeding admirably in realizing the desire of the Pope that no family would allow a day to pass without the recitation of the Rosary. This prayer was composed by Cardinal Spellman when the Crusade visited his Archdiocese.
O Queen of the most holy Rosary: with hearts full of confidence we earnestly beseech you to bless the Crusade of the Family Rosary. From you came the grace to begin it. >From you must come the grace to win souls to it. We beg you to bless this Crusade so that from every home the incense of this prayer will daily rise before you, O admirable Mother.
O Queen of Homes: by the power of the Rosary we beseech you to embrace all the members of our family in the love of your Immaculate Heart. May you abide with us and we with you, praying to you while you pray for us. May you preside in our homes as once you did at Nazareth with Jesus and Joseph, filling them with the holiness of your presence and inspiration.
O Queen of Peace: it is you who have placed the Rosary in our hands. It is you who bid us to recite it daily. By the power of the Family Rosary we beseech you to obtain peace for uspeace within our hearts, our homes, our country and throughout the world. Through the daily recitation of the Family Rosary we beg you to keep sin from our souls, enmities from our hearts and war from our shores. By the graces received from the devotion of the Family Rosary we pray to be made helpful to one another in following the paths of virtue so that we may be found worthy to be called children of your family, children of your home. Amen.
Cardinal Spellman
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
Sign of the Cross: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
The Apostles Creed: I BELIEVE in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day He rose again. He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty. >From thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
The Lord's Prayer: 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 who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.
Hail Mary: HAIL Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now, and in the hour of our death. Amen. (Three times)
Glory Be: GLORY be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Tips on Praying a Family Rosary
SRI LANKA CATHOLICS START ROSARY CHAIN FOR PEACE
Rosary Aids Spiritual Growth, Says Pope
Rosary to Mark St. Martha's Feast
Estimated 50,000 recite rosary in event at Rose Bowl
Father Benedict Groeschel on the Rosary
Catholic Caucus: The Holy Rosary
The Power of the Rosary - A Weapon Against Terrorism
Rosary May Contribute to Unity Says Protestant Theologian
Papal Address on the Rosary as a Weapon of Peace
From: Luke 12:8-12
Various Teachings of Jesus (Continuation)
(Jesus said to His disciples,) [8] “And I tell you, every one who
acknowledges Me before men, the Son of Man also will acknowledge
before the angels of God; [9] but he who denies Me before men will be
denied before the angels of God. [10] And every one who speaks a
word against the Son of Man will be forgiven; but he who blasphemes
against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. [11] And when they bring
you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not
be anxious how or what you are to answer or what you are to say;
[12] for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought
to say.”
Commentary:
8-9. This follows logically from Christ’s previous teaching: worse than
physical evils, worse even than death, are evils of the soul, that is,
sin. Those who out of fear of temporal suffering deny our Lord and
are unfaithful to the demands of the faith will fall into a greater evil
still: they will be denied by Christ Himself on the Day of Judgment;
whereas those who are penalized in this life because of their faithful-
ness to Christ will receive the eternal reward of being recognized by
Him and will come to share His glory.
10. Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit consists in maliciously
attributing to the devil actions which have God as their origin. A
person who does that prevents God’s pardon from reaching him: that
is why he cannot obtain forgiveness (cf. Matthew 12:31; Mark 3:28-30).
Jesus understands and excuses the weakness of a person who makes
a moral mistake, but He is not similarly indulgent to someone who
shuts his eyes and his heart to the wonderful things the Spirit does;
that was the way these Pharisees acted who accused Jesus of casting
out demons in the name of Beelzebul; it is the way unbelieving people
act who refuse to see in Christ’s work a sign of the goodness of God,
who reject the invitation God offers them and who thereby put them-
selves outside the reach of salvation (cf. Hebrews 6:4-6; 10:26-31).
See the note on Mark 3:28-30.
[The note on Mark 3:28-30 states:
28-30. Jesus has just worked a miracle but the scribes refuse to
recognize it “for they had said `He has an unclean spirit’” (verse
30). They do not want to admit that God is the author of the miracle.
In this attitude lies the special gravity of blasphemy against the Holy
Spirit—attributing to the prince of evil, to Satan, the good works per-
formed by God Himself. Anyone acting in this way will become like
the sick person who has so lost confidence in the doctor that he
rejects him as if an enemy and regards as poison the medicine that
can save his life. That is why our Lord says that he who blasphemes
against the Holy Spirit will not forgiven: not because God cannot for-
give all sins, but because that person, in his blindness towards God,
rejects Jesus Christ, His teaching and His miracles, and despises the
graces of the Holy Spirit as if they were designed to trap him (cf. “St.
Pius V Catechism”, II, 5, 19; St. Thomas Aquinas, “Summa Theolo-
giae”, II-II, q. 14, a. 3).]
Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”.
Biblical text from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate.
Commentaries by members of the Faculty of Theology, University
of Navarre, Spain.
Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin,
Ireland.
Reprinted with permission from from Four Courts Press and Scepter
Publishers, the U.S. publishers.
John Paul II Makes a Rosary Appeal [Our Lady of the Rosary]
October: Month of the Holy Rosary
Archbishop Sheen Today! -- Praying the Rosary
THE ORIGIN OF THE ROSARY _______________________________ Tradition has long connected Saint Dominic and his Order with the preaching of the Rosary. Dominic’s followers have been called the “Friars of Mary.” The fifteen-decade Rosary adorns their habit with the frequent reminder that they are united to the Son of God in the living presence of our Blessed Mother.
| First reading | Romans 4:13 - 18 © |
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| The promise of inheriting the world was not made to Abraham and his descendants on account of any law but on account of the righteousness which consists in faith. That is why what fulfils the promise depends on faith, so that it may be a free gift and be available to all of Abraham’s descendants, not only those who belong to the Law but also those who belong to the faith of Abraham who is the father of all of us. As scripture says: I have made you the ancestor of many nations – Abraham is our father in the eyes of God, in whom he put his faith, and who brings the dead to life and calls into being what does not exist. Though it seemed Abraham’s hope could not be fulfilled, he hoped and he believed, and through doing so he did become the father of many nations exactly as he had been promised: Your descendants will be as many as the stars. |
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| Psalm or canticle: Psalm 104 |
| Gospel | Luke 12:9 - 12 © |
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| Jesus said: ‘The man who disowns me in the presence of men will be disowned in the presence of God’s angels. ‘Everyone who says a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. ‘When they take you before synagogues and magistrates and authorities, do not worry about how to defend yourselves or what to say, because when the time comes, the Holy Spirit will teach you what you must say.’ |
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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 49 (50) |
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| True reverence for the Lord |
| The Lord, the God of gods has spoken; he has summoned the whole earth, from east to west. God has shone forth from Sion in her great beauty. Our God will come, and he will not be silent. Before him, a devouring fire; around him, a tempest rages. He will call upon the heavens above, and on the earth, to judge his people. “Bring together before me my chosen ones, who have sealed my covenant with sacrifice”. The heavens will proclaim his justice; for God is the true judge. 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 49 (50) |
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| Listen, my people, and I will speak; Israel, I will testify against you. I am God, your God. I will not reproach you with your sacrifices, for your burnt offerings are always before me. But I will not accept calves from your houses, nor goats from your flocks. For all the beasts of the forests are mine, and in the hills, a thousand animals. All the birds of the air – I know them. Whatever moves in the fields – it is mine. If I am hungry, I will not tell you; for the whole world is mine, and all that is in it. Am I to eat the flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats? Offer a sacrifice to God – a sacrifice of praise; to the Most High, fulfil your vows. Then you may call upon me in the time of trouble: I will rescue you, and you will honour 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. |
| Psalm 49 (50) |
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| To the sinner, God has said this: Why do you recite my statutes? Why do you dare to speak my covenant? For you hate what I teach you, and reject what I tell you. The moment you saw a thief, you joined him; you threw in your lot with adulterers. You spoke evil with your mouth, and your tongue made plans to deceive. Solemnly seated, you denounced your own brother; you poured forth hatred against your own mother’s son. All this you did, and I was silent; so you thought that I was just like you. But I will reprove you – I will confront you with all you have done. Understand this, you who forget God; lest I tear you apart, with no-one there to save you. Whoever offers up a sacrifice of praise gives me true honour; whoever follows a sinless path in life will be shown the salvation of God. 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 | Malachi 3:1 - 24 © |
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| Look, I am going to send my messenger to prepare a way before me. And the Lord you are seeking will suddenly enter his Temple; and the angel of the covenant whom you are longing for, yes, he is coming, says the Lord of Hosts. Who will be able to resist the day of his coming? Who will remain standing when he appears? For he is like the refiner’s fire and the fullers’ alkali. He will take his seat as refiner and purifier; he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and then they will make the offering to the Lord as it should be made. The offering of Judah and Jerusalem will then be welcomed by the Lord as in former days, as in the years of old. I mean to visit you for the judgement and I am going to be a ready witness against sorcerer, adulterer and perjurer, against those who oppress the wage-earner, the widow and the orphan, and who rob the settler of his rights – no need for you to be afraid of me, says the Lord of Hosts. No; I, the Lord, do not change; and you, sons of Jacob, you are not ruined yet! Since the days of your ancestors you have evaded my statutes and not observed them. Return to me and I will return to you, says the Lord of Hosts. You ask, ‘How are we to return? Can a man cheat God?’ Yet you are cheating me. You ask, ‘How are we cheating you?’ In the matter of tithes and dues. The curse lies on you because you, yes you the whole nation, are cheating me. Bring the full tithes and dues to the storehouse so that there may be food in my house, and then see if I do not open the floodgates of heaven for you and pour out blessing for you in abundance. For your sake I will lay a strict injunction on the locust not to destroy the fruits of your soil nor to make the vine in your fields barren, says the Lord of Hosts. All the nations will call you blessed, for you will be a land of delights, says the Lord of Hosts. You say harsh things about me, says the Lord. You ask, ‘What have we said against you?’ You say, ‘It is useless to serve God; what is the good of keeping his commands or of walking mournfully before the Lord of Hosts? Now we have reached the point when we call the arrogant blessed; yes, they prosper, these evil-doers; they try God’s patience and yet go free.’ This is what those who fear the Lord used to say to one another. But the Lord took note and heard them: a book of remembrance was written in his presence recording those who fear him and take refuge in his name. On the day which I am preparing, says the Lord of Hosts, they are going to be my own special possession. I will make allowances for them as a man makes allowances for the son who obeys him. Then once again you will see the difference between an upright man and a wicked one, between the one who serves God and the one who does not serve him. For the day is coming now, burning like a furnace; and all the arrogant and the evil-doers will be like stubble. The day that is coming is going to burn them up, says the Lord of Hosts, leaving them neither root nor stalk. But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness will shine out with healing in its rays; you will leap like calves going out to pasture. You will trample on the wicked, who will be like ashes under your feet on the day I am preparing, says the Lord of Hosts. Remember the Law of my servant Moses to whom at Horeb I prescribed laws and customs for the whole of Israel. Know that I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before my day comes, that great and terrible day. He shall turn the hearts of fathers towards their children and the hearts of children towards their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a curse. |
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| Reading | Vatican II, "Gaudium et Spes" |
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| I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last | |
| Only by faith can it be seen how the earthly and heavenly city exist together and interpenetrate each other. This is a mystery at the heart of human history – a history that will continue to be disturbed by sin until the splendour of the children of God is fully revealed. The Church pursues her own purpose, which is salvation, and communicates the divine life to mankind. In a sense, she also takes the light that comes from that life and reflects and refracts it so that it shines onto every part of the earth. Most of all, she does this by healing and uplifting the dignity of the human person, by strengthening the bonds that hold human society together and by imbuing daily human activity with a deeper meaning and importance. Thus the Church believes that through her individual members and by her community as a whole she can give great gifts to the family of man and make its history more human. While the Church gives help to the world and receives much from the world, she has only one end in view: that the kingdom of God may come and that the salvation of all mankind may be accomplished. Whatever good the pilgrim people of God has been able to give to the human race during its sojourn on earth, that good comes from the fact that the Church herself is the universal sacrament of salvation; she both manifests the mystery of God’s love for man and puts it into action. For the word of God, through whom all things were made, became flesh himself so that, being a perfect man, he could save mankind and sum up all things in himself. The Lord is the end towards which human history is heading, a single point at which the yearnings of history and civilisation converge, a single point that is the centre of the human race, the fulfilment of all joys and all desires. He is the one whom the Father has raised from the dead, lifted up and seated at his right hand, making him the judge of the living and the dead. United and given life in his Spirit we journey on our pilgrimage towards the consummation of human history and fulfilment of the plan of God’s love, to bring everything together under Christ, as head, everything in the heavens and everything on earth. The Lord himself has said: Very soon now, I shall be with you again, bringing the reward to be given to every man according to what he deserves. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. |
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| Concluding Prayer |
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| Lord, may your grace go always before us and behind us: may it make us constantly eager to do good works. 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. |
The Story of our fouder: preacher and mystic
He was nineteen. His father wanted him to become a merchant like himself. His priest-uncle advised him to become a priest. A young lady from one of the better families hoped to to be his wife.
But Paul Francis Daneo, born on January 3, 1694, in Ovada, Italy, had a different vision for his life. During his teens years he felt inwardly inspired and captivated by the Cross of Christ. Paul discerned God’s love for all people in the passion and death of Jesus Christ. Realizing all that Jesus had suffered in love for us, Paul wanted to love Jesus in return through prayer and preaching. This vision was hindered because Paul was the eldest son of a large family and, therefore, obligated to remain home and assist his father in supporting his younger brothers and sisters.
When Paul was 21 years old, he joined a crusade against the Turks, thinking this was the way God wanted him to serve. But after experiencing the violence and ruthlessness of war, Paul abandoned this way. He had an inner conviction that God would fulfill the vision by a crusade of a much different nature.
Returning to his hometown, Paul helped his family and dedicated himself to prayer and penance. In 1720 he talked with the local bishop, asking to be allowed to serve the Church as a hermit, a "holy man." The bishop allowed Paul live in one of the town’s churches. Paul, wearing a long black robe as a sign of his commitment, took care of the church property and prepared the altar before the daily celebration of Mass. He was invited to teach religion to the children. Adults, recognizing in Paul the qualities of wisdom and holiness, came to him for advice. At times he was given permission to preach.
During this period Paul kept a diary and wrote a Rule, which contained his vision of how he would live his life. The Rule contained directives about prayer, fasting, exercise, spiritual disciplines, penances, charity, and many other qualities and activities Paul felt were important in living out a dedicated life. In 1721 Paul brought the Rule to the Vatican in Rome for the Pope’s approval. The guards, thinking him a beggar, turned him away. Paul, severely disappointed, rededicated himself to the vision God had given him. Returning to north of Rome, Paul invited others to join him. Paul did not receive definitive approval for the Rule until 1769
| Saturday, October 20, 2007 Saturday Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary |
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| Lk 12:8-12 | ||
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| # | Douay-Rheims | Vulgate |
| 8 | And I say to you: Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God. | dico autem vobis omnis quicumque confessus fuerit in me coram hominibus et Filius hominis confitebitur in illo coram angelis Dei |
| 9 | But he that shall deny me before men shall be denied before the angels of God. | qui autem negaverit me coram hominibus denegabitur coram angelis Dei |
| 10 | And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but to him that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven. | et omnis qui dicit verbum in Filium hominis remittetur illi ei autem qui in Spiritum Sanctum blasphemaverit non remittetur |
| 11 | And when they shall bring you into the synagogues and to magistrates and powers, be not solicitous how or what you shall answer, or what you shall say. | cum autem inducent vos in synagogas et ad magistratus et potestates nolite solliciti esse qualiter aut quid respondeatis aut quid dicatis |
| 12 | For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what you must say. | Spiritus enim Sanctus docebit vos in ipsa hora quae oporteat dicere |
Kudos to all the volunteers who set up the fall craft fairs and Oktoberfests in our churches. May their fundraisers be successful and a blessing to those who attend.
We had an Oktoberfest booth at Mount Angel and made over $10,000 net on our Berliner sandwich booth. Really fun to work in it.
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 91 (92) |
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| Praise of God, the Creator |
| It is good to praise the Lord, and to sing psalms to your name, O Most High, to proclaim your mercy in the morning and your faithfulness by night; on the ten-stringed lyre and the harp, with songs upon the lyre. For you give me joy, Lord, in your creation: I rejoice in the work of your hands. How great are your works, O Lord, how immeasurably deep your thoughts. The fool does not hear, the slow-witted do not understand. When the wicked sprout up like grass, and the doers of evil are in full bloom, it will come to nothing, for they will perish for ever and ever; but you, Lord, are the Highest eternally. For behold, Lord, your enemies, how your enemies will perish, how wrongdoers will be scattered. You will give me strength as the wild oxen have; I have been anointed with the purest oil. I will look down upon my enemies, and hear the plans of those who plot evil against me. The just will flourish like the palm tree, grow tall like the cedar of Lebanon. They will be planted in the house of the Lord; in the courts of our God they will flourish. They will bear fruit even when old, fresh and luxuriant through all their days. They will proclaim how just is the Lord, my refuge, for in him there is no unrighteousness. 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 | Ezekiel 36 |
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| The Lord will renew his people | |
| I will take you from among the Gentiles, I will bring you together from all the earth, I will lead you into your own land. I will pour clean water on you, and you will be cleansed from your filth: from all your worship of idols I will cleanse you. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you. I will take the stone heart from your breast and put a heart of flesh in its place. I will put my spirit among you, so that you will walk in the paths of my law, keep my judgements and obey them. You shall live in the land I gave to your fathers. You shall be a people for me, and I will be your God. 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 8 |
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| The greatness of God, the dignity of man |
| How wonderful is your name over all the earth, O Lord, our Lord! How exalted is your glory above the sky! Out of the mouths of children and infants you have brought praise, to confound your enemies, to destroy your vengeful foes. When I see the heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and stars, which you set in their place – what is man, that you should take thought for him? what is the son of man, that you should look after him? You have made him but one step lower than the angels; you have crowned him with glory and honour; you have set him over the works of your hands. You have put everything beneath his feet, cattle and sheep and the beasts of the field, the birds in the air and the fish in the sea, whatever passes along the paths of the waters. How wonderful is your name above all the earth, O Lord, our 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. |
| Short reading | 2 Peter 3:13 - 15 © |
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| What we are waiting for is what he promised: the new heavens and new earth, the place where righteousness will be at home. So then, my friends, while you are waiting, do your best to live lives without spot or stain so that he will find you at peace. Think of our Lord’s patience as your opportunity to be saved. | |
| 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. |
| Almighty and eternal God, you are true light and never-ending day. As morning comes round once more, may the glory of your coming shatter the night of sin and fill our minds with light. 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. |
| A M E N |
Collect: Almighty and ever-living God, our source of power and inspiration, give us strength and joy in serving you as followers of Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Optional Memorial of St. Paul of the Cross, priest
Old Calendar: St. John Cantius (Kanty), priest
St. Paul of the Cross devoted himself to the service of the poor and the sick. He is best known for his apostolic zeal and his great penances. He founded the congregation of the Passionists.
Before the reform of the calendar this was also the memorial of St. John Cantius (or Kanty), one of the patrons of Poland. In the present calendar, St. John's feast has been moved to December 23, and is an optional memorial.
St. Paul of the Cross was born at Ovada in the Republic of Genoa on January 3, 1694. His infancy and youth were spent in great innocence and piety. He was inspired to found a congregation, having while in ecstasy beheld the habit which he and his companions were to wear. After consulting his director, Bishop Gastinara of Alexandria in Piedmont, he reached the conclusion that God wished him to establish a congregation in honor of the Passion of Jesus Christ. On November 22, 1720, the Bishop vested him with the habit that had been shown to him in a vision, the same that the Passionists wear at the present time. From that moment the saint applied himself to prepare the Rules of his institute, and in 1721 he went to Rome to obtain the approbation of the Holy See. At first he failed, but finally succeeded when Benedict XIV approved the Rules in 1741 and 1746. Meanwhile St. Paul built his first monastery near Obitello. Some time later he established a larger community at the Church of Sts. John and Paul in Rome.
For fifty years St. Paul remained the indefatigable missionary of Italy. God lavished upon him the greatest gifts in the supernatural order, but he treated himself with the greatest rigor, and believed that he was a useless servant and a great sinner. His saintly death occurred at Rome in the year 1775, at the age of eighty-one. He was canonized by Pope Pius IX in 1867.
Patron: Passionist order.
Symbols: Man in Passionist habit, black tunic and mantle, leather belt and rosary with emblem over the heart; cross; book with cross; heart emblem of Passionist order.
Things to Do:
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Defending and Promoting the Faith
Luke 12:8-12
Petition:O Spirit of Truth, teach me both what I should say and leave unsaid. 1. Acknowledging Christ Before Others Christ our Lord is the first to realize how tough it might be at times to give bold witness to his name and to his way, not least of all in a world as materialistic and religiously indifferent as today’s is in many places. That is why he is prompt in giving us real motivations to stand firm and not waver: “Everyone who acknowledges me before others the Son of Man will acknowledge before the angels of God.” Even if, perchance, a Christian were to blaspheme or go to the extreme of apostasy, Christ would forgive and forget the offense as long as the person were sincerely repentant: “Everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven.” However, what can God do to help a person who stubbornly refuses to repent up until death? All God can do is respect that person’s freedom. 2. Not Worrying About Your Defense This Gospel passage was addressed to the disciples who lived in the first decades of Christianity, in times of trial and persecution. Back then, the expectation was sometimes physical punishment, if not bloody martyrdom. Nevertheless, the exhortation to have no fear and not to worry about one’s defense also applies to our world today. In the twenty-first century, we know that there is such thing as a spiritual martyrdom, especially the challenge of opposition that could hurt us on the inside: criticism, attacks on one’s good name and honor, insults, etc. But even in this case, we should not be too concerned about our defense. The message of Christ is to prepare ourselves serenely to defend, as well as promote, our faith and look for assistance from the Holy Spirit when the moment comes to make a stand. 3. The Holy Spirit Will Teach You In truth, the Holy Spirit will never abandon us in our quest to follow Christ faithfully in the world, come what may. He is the first one interested to give us words of both prudence and boldness for challenging situations, for example, public defense of the faith or antagonistic situations with family members and colleagues opposed to our faith. Anyone who truly wants to be firm but prudent will find the right words by calling for the Holy Spirit’s assistance. The secret is to be steadfast in the truth as well as making the truth prevail by using the best means possible. That is why it is so wise to ask the Holy Spirit to guide us in what ought to be said and what ought to be left unsaid. Dialogue with Christ: Lord Jesus, thank you for such an inspiring meditation. May I now realize that it is not just I who act, but you who live and act in me through the Holy Spirit you have sent to teach me. Resolution: I will read at least fifteen selected numbers of the Catechism of the Catholic Church as an initial tool to know and defend my faith more.
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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 140 (141) |
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| Prayer in time of danger |
| O Lord, I call on you, hurry to my help: listen to my voice when I call. When I make my prayer, let it rise like incense before you; when I raise my hands, let it be like the evening sacrifice. Set a guard on my mouth, Lord, a watch upon my lips. Do not let my heart turn to evil thoughts, to the planning of wicked deeds, to alliance with wrongdoers. Let me not share in their delights. Let the just man strike and rebuke me out of kindness; but sinners shall never anoint me with oil, or I would be an ally in their plans. When they fall into the hands of harsh judges, they will see how kind my words were. Like fragments of spoil after digging, their bones will lie scattered round the mouth of the underworld. To you, Lord, to you my eyes are turned. I take refuge in you – preserve my life. Protect me from the trap they have laid for me, save me from the snares of the wicked. Let them be caught in their own nets, all of them, while I pass by in safety. 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 141 (142) |
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| You are my refuge |
| My voice cries out to the Lord; my voice cries out its entreaty. I pour out lamentation in his sight, I proclaim my troubles before him. When my spirit is failing within me, still, Lord, you know my paths. On the road I was travelling, they set up a trap for me. I looked about me and saw there was no-one beside me to help. I have nowhere to flee; and no-one will miss me. I have cried to you Lord, I have said: “you are my refuge, my share in the land of the living. Listen to my call for help, for I am crushed down”. “Lead my spirit from prison, so that I may praise your name. The upright will gather around me, because you have restored 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. |
| Canticle | Philippians 2 |
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| Christ, God's servant | |
| Jesus Christ, although he shared God’s nature, did not try to seize equality with God for himself; but emptied himself, took on the form of a slave, and became like a man – not in appearance only, for he humbled himself by accepting death – even death on a cross. For this, God has raised him high, and given him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bend, in heaven, on earth, and under the earth, and every tongue will proclaim “Jesus Christ is Lord”, to the glory of God the Father. 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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| Short reading | Romans 11:33 - 36 © |
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| How rich are the depths of God – how deep his wisdom and knowledge – and how impossible to penetrate his motives or understand his methods! Who could ever know the mind of the Lord? Who could ever be his counsellor? Who could ever give him anything or lend him anything? All that exists comes from him; all is by him and for him. To him be glory for ever! Amen. | |
| Canticle | Magnificat |
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| My soul rejoices in the Lord | |
| My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God, my salvation. For he has shown me such favour – me, his lowly handmaiden. Now all generations will call me blessed, because the mighty one has done great things for me. His name is holy, his mercy lasts for generation after generation for those who revere him. He has put forth his strength: he has scattered the proud and conceited, torn princes from their thrones; but lifted up the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things; the rich he has sent away empty. He has come to the help of his servant Israel, he has remembered his mercy as he promised to our fathers, to Abraham and his children 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. |
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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. |
| Almighty and ever-living God, make us devoted to doing your will and serving you in your majesty with sincere hearts. 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. |
| A M E N |
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