Reading 1 Rv 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!

Alleluia See Jn 15:16

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I chose you from the world,
to go and bear fruit that will last, says the Lord.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

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.

From: Revelation 4:1-11

God in Majesty

[1] After this I looked, and lo, in heaven an open door! And the first voice, which I
had heard speaking to me like a trumpet, said, “Come up hither, and I will show
you what must take place after this.” [2] At once I was in the Spirit, and lo, a
throne stood in heaven, with one seated on the throne! [3] And he who sat there
appeared like jasper and carnelian, and round the throne was a rainbow that loo-
ked like an emerald. [4] Round the throne were twenty-four thrones, and seated
on the thrones were twenty-four elders, clad in white garments, with golden
crowns upon their heads. [5] From the throne issue flashes of lighting, and voi-
ces and peals of thunders and before the throne burn seven torches of fire, which
are the seven spirits of God; [6] and before the throne there is as it were a sea of
glass, like crystal.

And round the throne, on each side of the throne, are four living creatures, full of
eyes in front and behind: [7] the first living creature like a lion, the second living
creature like an ox, the third living creature with the face of a man, and the fourth
living creature like a flying eagle. [8] And the four living creatures, each of them
with six wings, are full of eyes all round and within, and day and night they never
cease to sing, “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and
is to come!”

[9] And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to him who
is seated on the throne, who lives for ever and ever, [10] the twenty-four elders fall
down before him who is seated on the throne and worship him who lives for ever
and ever; they cast their crowns before the throne, singing, [11] “Worthy art thou,
our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for thou didst create all
things, and by thy will they existed and were created.”

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Commentary:

1. The second part of the Apocalypse begins at this point and extends to the
start of the Epilogue. The author describes visions concerning the future of man-
kind, particularly the ultimate outcome of history when our Lord Jesus Christ will
obtain the final victory, at his second coming. It begins with a formal introduction
(chaps. 4-5); this is followed by a first section as it were (6:11-11:14) covering the
visions of the seven seals and the first six trumpets, which describes the event
prior to the final battle. The war begins with the sound of the seventh trumpet and
it goes on (this is the second section 11:15-22:5) until the beast is completely
routed and the Kingdom of God is definitively established in the heavenly Jerusa-
lem.

This introductory vision (chaps 4-5) begins with God in heaven in all his glory be-
ing worshipped and celebrated by all creation (chap. 4). He alone controls the
destiny of the world and the Church.

Only Jesus knows God’s salvific plans, and he, through his death and resurrec-
tion, reveals them to us. All this is expressed in chapter 4 by the image of the
Lamb who is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.

1-3. The risen and glorified Christ, who spoke to St John previously (cf. 1:10-13),
now invites him, in a new vision, to go up into heaven to be told God’s plan for
the world. “I looked,” “I was in the Spirit,” “I went up to heaven” all describe the
same phenomenon — God revealing something to the writer. Because the things
he is being told are things man could not possibly discover for himself, the writer
speaks about going up to heaven: this enables him to contemplate heavenly
things, that is, God. Going up to heaven is the same as being in ecstasy, “being
in the Spirit”, being taken over by the Holy Spirit so as to be able to understand
what God wants to reveal to him (cf. note on 1:10).

He is going to be shown “what must take place after this”; it is something which
has already begun to happen in the writer’s own time but it will not reach its cli-
max until the end of the world. The revelation he is given shows him the ultimate
meaning of contemporary events, the outcome of which is guaranteed by the au-
thority of the revealer, Jesus Christ.

The description given here of heaven stresses the majesty and power of God.
Heaven is depicted with a throne at its center, an image taken from Isaiah (cf.
Is 6:1) and Ezekiel (cf. Ezek 1:26-28; 10:1). God’s appearance is described in
terms of the vivid coloring of precious stones; this avoids the danger of defining
God in human terms (an inversion of values). The rainbow round the throne fur-
ther emphasizes the sublimity of God and is also a reminder (cf. Gen 9:12-17)
of God’s merciful promise never to destroy mankind.

4. God’s sovereignty over the world — as symbolized by the throne — is shared in
by others whom the vision also portrays as seated on thrones. They are symbo-
lically described as twenty-four elders who act as a kind of heavenly council or
senate. These elders appear frequently in the course of the book, always posi-
tioned beside God, rendering him tribute of glory and worship (cf. 4:10; 5:9; 19:
4), offering him the prayers of the faithful (cf. 5:8) or explaining events to the seer
(cf. 5:5; 7:13). It is not clear whether they stand for angels or saints; the Fathers
and recent commentators offer both interpretations.

The symbolic number (twenty-four) and the way they are described suggest that
they stand for saints in the glory of heaven. They are twenty-four — twelve plus
twelve, that is, the number of the tribes of Israel plus that of the Apostles. Our
Lord in fact promised the latter that they would sit on thrones (cf. Mt 19:28). The
twenty-four elders, then, would represent the heavenly Church, which includes
the old and the new Israel and which, in heaven, renders God the tribute of per-
fect praise and intercedes for the Church on earth. The number twenty-four has
also been seen as reflecting the twenty-four priestly classes of Judaism, there-
by emphasizing the liturgical dimension of heaven (cf. 1 Chron 24: 7-18; 25:1, 9-
13). Whichever is the case, the white garments indicate that they have achieved
everlasting salvation (cf. 3:5); and the golden crowns stand for the reward they
have earned (cf. 2:10), or the prominence among Christians, who have been pro-
mised that, if they come out victorious, they will sit on Christ’s throne (cf. 3:21).

Through these visions laden with symbolism the Apocalypse shows the solida-
rity that exists between the Church triumphant and the Church militant — specifi-
cally, the connection between the praise that is rendered God in heaven and that
which we offer him on earth, in the liturgy. The Second Vatican Council refers to
this: “In the earthly liturgy we take part in the foretaste of that heavenly liturgy
which is celebrated in the Holy City of Jerusalem toward which we journey as pil-
grims, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God [...]. With all the warriors of
the heavenly army we sing a hymn of glory to the Lord; venerating the memory of
the saints, we hope for some part and fellowship with them; we eagerly await the
Savior, our Lord Jesus Christ, until he our life shall appear and we too will appear
with him in glory” (”Sancrosanctum Concilium”, 8).

5. This vision is similar to the Old Testament theophanies, especially that of Si-
nai. There too the Lord’s presence was revealed with thunder and lightning (cf.
Ex 19:16). Storms are frequently used to symbolize the salvific power and majes-
ty of God at the moment of revelation (cf. Ps 18:14; 50:3; etc.). Further on, the
author will again describe, in more detail, the signs accompanying God’s self-re-
vealing; this gives the book a sense of on-going revelation with an increasing tem-
po (cf. Rev 8:5; 11:19; 16:18; etc.). It is generally accepted Church tradition to in-
terpret fire as a manifestation of the Spirit of God. On the seven spirits, see the
note on 1:4.

6-7. To describe the majesty of God, St John uses symbols which are some-
times quite difficult to interpret. This is the case with the sea as transparent as
glass, and the four living creatures round the throne and on each side of it. The
scene may be a kind of heavenly replica of the arrangements in Solomon’s tem-
ple where there stood in front of the Holy of Holies a huge water container called
the “molten sea” supported by figures of oxen, twelve in number (cf. 1 Kings 7:
23-26; 2 Chron 4:2-5). This similarity between heaven and the temple would be
a way of expressing the connection between liturgy on earth and worship of God
in heaven.

The crystal sea may also be an allusion to God’s absolute dominion over all
forms of authority on earth. In biblical tradition the sea is often used as a symbol
for the powers of darkness (cf. Rev 13:1; 21:1). To God, however, the sea is crys-
tal-clear, that is, he is its master; cf. the way the spirit of God moved over the
surface of the waters in Genesis 1:2.

Elsewhere in the Apocalypse (15:2) it speaks of the sea of glass supporting the
blessed while they praise God: just as the Israelites passed through the Red
Sea, so those who have conquered the beast will cross this solid sea to make
their way to God.

The author of the Book of Revelation avails of images used by the prophets to de-
scribe the glory of Yahweh. The four living creatures are very like those in the pro-
phet Ezekiel’s vision of the chariot of the Lord drawn by four angels representing
intelligence, nobility, strength and agility (cf. Ezek 1:10; 10:12; Is 6:2).

Christian tradition going back as far as St Irenaeus has interpreted these four
creatures as standing for the four evangelists because they “carry” Jesus Christ
to men. The one with the face of a man is St Matthew, who starts his book with
the human genealogy of Christ; the lion stands for St Mark: his Gospel begins
with the voice crying in the wilderness (which is where the lion’s roar can be
heard); the ox is a reference to the sacrifices in the temple of Jerusalem, which
is where St Luke begins his account of Christ’s life, and the eagle represents St
John, who soars to the heights to contemplate the divinity of the Word.

8-11. The chant of the four living creatures is virtually the same as that which the
prophet Isaiah heard the six-winged seraphim sing in his vision of God in the tem-
ple of Jerusalem (cf. Is 6: 1-3). St John changes the ending by bringing in the
new name of God which is an elaboration of the name “Yahweh” (cf. note on Rev
1:4). The four creatures (who, because there are four of them stand for govern-
ment of the entire universe) take the lead in worshipping and praising God; but
they are joined by all the people of God, as represented by the twenty-four elders,
that is, the Church victorious in heaven. They throw down their crowns to show
that they realize their victory is due to God, and that all power belongs to him.
Essentially what they are praising here is God as creator. By reporting this vi-
sion the author of the Apocalypse is inviting the pilgrim Church on earth to asso-
ciate with the worship and praise offered God the creator in heaven.

The Church uses these words of praise in its eucharistic liturgy: at the end of the
Preface, it chants the angelic Sanctus in preparation for the Canon. This angelic
chant, performed as it is in heaven and on earth, reminds us of the sublimity of
the Mass, where the worship of God crosses the frontiers of time and space and
has a positive influence on the entire world, for, “through the communion of the
saints, all Christians receive grace from every Mass that is celebrated, regard-
less of whether there is an attendance of thousands or whether it is only a boy
with his mind on other things who is there to serve. In either case, heaven and
earth join with the angels of the Lord to sing: “Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus ...”
(St. J. Escriva, “Christ Is Passing By”, 88). The saintly Cure of Ars refers to this
intercommunion of praise and thanksgiving, of grace and forgiveness: “The Holy
Mass is a source of joy to all the heavenly court; it alleviates the poor souls in
purgatory; it draws down to earth all kinds of blessings; and it gives more glory
to God than all the sufferings of all the martyrs taken together, than all the penan-
ces of all the hermits, than all the tears shed for them [the holy souls] since time
began and all that will be shed from now till the end of time” (”Selected Sermons”,
second Sunday after Pentecost).

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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, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.

From: Luke 19:11-28

Parable of the Pounds

[11] As they heard these things, [Jesus] proceeded to tell a parable, because
He was near to Jerusalem, and because they supposed that the Kingdom of God
was to appear immediately. [12] He said therefore, “A nobleman went into a far
country to receive kingly power and then return. [13] Calling ten of his servants,
he gave them ten pounds, and said to them, ‘Trade with these till I come.’ [14]
But his citizens hated him and sent an embassy after him saying, ‘We do not
want this man to reign over us.’ [15] When he returned, having received the king-
ly power, he commanded these servants, to whom he had given the money, to
be called to him, that he might know what they had gained by trading. [16] The
first came before him, saying, ‘Lord, your pound has made ten pounds more.’
[17] And he said to him, ‘Well done, good servant! Because you have been faith-
ful in a very little, you shall have authority over ten cities.’ [18] And the second
came, saying, ‘Lord, your pound has made five pounds.’ [19] And he said to him,
‘And you are to be over five cities.’

[20] Then another came, saying, ‘Lord, here is your pound, which I kept laid a-
way in a napkin; [21] for I was afraid of you, because you are a severe man; you
take up what you did not lay down, and reap what you did not sow.’ [22] He said
to him, ‘I will condemn you out of your own mouth, you wicked servant! You knew
that I was a severe man, taking up what I did not lay down and reaping what I did
not sow? [23] Why then did you not put my money into the bank, and at my co-
ming I should have collected it with interest?’ [24] And he said to those who stood
by, ‘Take the pound from him, and give it to him who has the ten pounds.’ [25]
(And they said to him, ‘Lord, he has ten pounds!’) [26] ‘I tell you, that to every one
who has will more be given; but from him who has not, even what he has will be
taken away. [27] But as for these enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign
over them, bring them here and slay them before me.’”

The Messiah Enters the Holy City

[28] And when He had said this, He went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem.

*********************************************************************************************
Commentary:

11. The disciples had a wrong concept of the Kingdom of Heaven: they thought it
was about to happen and they saw it in earthly terms: they envisaged Jesus con-
quering the Roman tyrant and immediately establishing the Kingdom in the holy
city of Jerusalem, and that when that happened they would hold privileged posi-
tions in the Kingdom. There is always a danger of Christians failing to grasp the
transcendent, supernatural character of the Kingdom of God in this world, that
is, the Church, which “has but one sole purpose—that the Kingdom of God may
come and the salvation of the human race may be accomplished.” (Vatican II,
“Gaudium Et Spes”, 45).

Through this parable our Lord teaches us that, although His reign has begun, it
will only be fully manifested later on. In the time left to us we should use all the
resources and graces God gives us, in order to merit the reward.

13. The “mina”, here translated as “pound”, was worth about 35 grams of gold.
This parable is very like the parable of the talents reported in St. Matthew (cf.
25:14-30).

14. The last part of this verse, although it has a very specific context, reflects
the attitude of many people who do not want to bear the sweet yoke of our Lord
and who reject Him as king. “There are millions of people in the world who reject
Jesus Christ in this way; or rather they reject His shadow, for they do not know
Christ. They have not seen the beauty of His face; they do not realize how won-
derful His teaching is. This sad state of affairs makes me want to atone to our
Lord. When I hear that endless clamor—expressed more in ignoble actions than
in words—I feel the need to cry out, ‘He must reign!’ (1 Corinthians 15:25)” (St. J.
Escriva, “Christ Is Passing By”, 179).

17. God counts on our fidelity in little things, and the greater our effort in this re-
gard the greater the reward we will receive: “Because you have been ‘in pauca
fidelis’, faithful in small things, come and join in your Master’s happiness. The
words are Christ’s. ‘In pauca fidelis!...Now will you neglect little things, if Heaven
itself is promised to those who mind them?” (St. J. Escriva, “The Way”, 819).

24-26. God expects us to strive to put to good use the gifts we have received —
and He lavishly rewards those who respond to His grace. The king in the parable
is shown to be very generous towards his servants—and generous in rewarding
those who managed to increase the money they were given. But he is very se-
vere towards the lazy servant who was also the recipient of a gift from his Lord,
who did not let it erode but guarded it carefully—and for this his king criticizes
him: he failed to fulfill the just command the king gave him when he gave him
the money: “Trade till I come.” If we appreciate the treasures the Lord has given
us — life, the gift of faith, grace — we will make a special effort to make them bear
fruit — by fulfilling our duties, working hard and doing apostolate. “Don’t let your
life be barren. Be useful. Make yourself felt. Shine forth with the torch of your
faith and your love. With your apostolic life, wipe out the trail of filth and slime left
by the corrupt sowers of hatred. And set aflame all the ways of the earth with the
fire of Christ that you bear in your heart” (St. J. Escriva, “The Way”, 1).

28. Normally in the Gospels when there is mention of going to the Holy City it is
in terms of “going up” to Jerusalem (cf. Matthew 20:18; John 7:8), probably be-
cause geographically the city is located on Mount Zion. Besides, since the tem-
ple was the religious and political center, going up to Jerusalem had also a sa-
cred meaning of ascending to the holy place, where sacrifices were offered to
God.

Particularly in the Gospel of St. Luke, our Lord’s whole life is seen in terms of a
continuous ascent towards Jerusalem, where His self-surrender reaches its high
point in the redemptive sacrifice of the Cross. Here Jesus is on the point of ente-
ring the city, conscious of the fact that His passion and death are imminent.

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.

Scripture readings from the Jerusalem Bible by Darton, Longman & Todd

Readings at Mass

Liturgical Colour: Green.

First reading
Apocalypse 4:1-11 ©

In my vision, I, John, 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.’

Responsorial Psalm	Psalm 150 ©

Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God, the Almighty.

Alleluia!

Praise God in his holy place,

praise him in his mighty heavens.

Praise him for his powerful deeds,

praise his surpassing greatness.

Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God, the Almighty.

Alleluia!

O praise him with sound of trumpet,

praise him with lute and harp.

Praise him with timbrel and dance,

praise him with strings and pipes.

Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God, the Almighty.

Alleluia!

O praise him with resounding cymbals,

praise him with clashing of cymbals.

Let everything that lives and that breathes

give praise to the Lord.

Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God, the Almighty.

Alleluia!

Gospel Acclamation	1Jn2:5

Alleluia, alleluia!

Whenever anyone obeys what Christ has said,

God’s love comes to perfection in him.

Alleluia!

Or	cf.Jn15:16

Alleluia, alleluia!

I chose you from the world

to go out and bear fruit,

fruit that will last,

says the Lord.

Alleluia!

Gospel	Luke 19:11-28 ©

While the people were listening, 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.

Saint Margaret of Scotland

Saint Margaret of Scotland
Optional Memorial
November 16th

unknown source

History | Collect& Readings
Saint Margaret - Patroness of Scotland
Margaret Atheling, though by birth a Saxon princess, was born in Hungary around 1045, where her father, Edward Atheling ("the Exile"), had been sent in infancy for protection in the court of King (Saint) Stephen of Hungary, following the death of his father, King Edmund, and the invasion of the Danish Canute. Edward married a niece of St. Stephen, Agatha, and they had three children, Edgar, Margaret and Christina. Canute died in 1035, and his sons reigned for seven more years before Edward the Confessor returned from exile in Normandy to re-establish the Anglo-Saxon throne from the Danes' rule.
When Margaret was about ten years old, the saintly King Edward, who never married, brought the exiled family back to England, probably in order to secure the succession; however her father died as soon as they arrived, so her brother Edgar became heir-apparent.
Edward had also sheltered another prince in his court, Malcolm III of Scotland. After Macbeth murdered his father, Duncan, Malcolm was sent to Edward for safety, where he remained for fourteen years, and there surely met Margaret, who would later become his Queen.
The young princess had been educated by the Benedictines in Hungary, and could read Latin at an early age. In England Margaret (whose name derives from margon, "pearl") became known for her devout faith and the beauty of her nature. Her biographer and confessor, Turgot, wrote, "Many have got their name from a quality of their mind. The same was true of this virtuous woman, for the fairness pre-shadowed in her name was eclipsed in the surpassing of her soul". (This biography by her confessor Turgot, a monk of Durham who later became Bishop of St. Andrews, was written at the request of Margaret's daughter Matilda, who married Henry I of England, son of William the Conquerer.)
After the saintly King Edward's death in 1066 he was buried in Westminster Abbey, which he had built. His successor, Harold, was soon defeated at the Battle of Hastings by William of Normandy "the Conquerer".
Margaret and her family were again in danger, and intended to return to Hungary; however, their boat was carried by North Sea winds to Scotland, where they found refuge in the court of Malcolm. Though Margaret originally wished to become a nun (her sister, Christina did enter a convent), Malcolm persuaded her to marry him (in 1097), and through her influence the kingdom was transformed from a remote and barbaric outpost to a beacon of Christian culture. Her charity to the poor, perticularly to children and the elderly, was unparalleled. (Not only did she feed and clothe the many beggars who presented themselves, but she and Malcolm personally washed the feet of these impoverished visitors.)
Malcolm and Margaret had eight children, who were carefully educated and instructed in the Christian faith, and who never wavered in their own fidelity to the Catholic Church. Her sons and grandsons would rule Scotland for 200 years. One son, David, is also a saint especially revered in Scotland. It was he who built a tiny stone chapel for his mother at Edinburgh Castle, where she heard Mass on the day she died. (Completely restored in the 19th century, the little chapel is a gem of Romanesque architecture, and is used today mostly for weddings.)
She initiated an authentic reform of the Scottish Church, which had been in decline and corrupted by abuses of the celebration of Mass and bad leaders, rebuilt and re-established decayed monasteries at Iona and Dumferline, embellished churches with beautiful artifacts -- including embroidered vestments in a style she learned from Hungary (many of which she embrodered herself). She spent many hours in prayer, said the Divine Office daily, using beautifully illuminated books which Malcolm (who couldn't read himself) gave her. In sum, she fostered a renaissance of Catholic belief, learning and culture in Scotland.
Already gravely ill, Margaret died after learning that her beloved husband, Malcolm, and son Edgar had been killed in battle -- on November 16, 1093. She was buried at Dumferline, which instantly became a pilgimage site. Later a shrine was built in the church at Dumferline, and she was officially canonized by Pope Innocent IV in 1249. Her feast day was establshed as June 10 on the Roman calender of saints, though it has always been celebrated in Scotland on November 16. Only the base of the shrine remains today, however. The abbey at Dumferline was destroyed by Reformers in the sixteenth century. The monks had had her and Malcolm's remains removed to Douay, France.

Collect:
O God, who made Saint Margaret of Scotland wonderful
in her outstanding charity towards the poor,
grant that through her intercession and example
we may reflect among all humanity
the image of your divine goodness.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. +Amen.
First Reading: Isaiah 58:6-11
"Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh? Then shall your light break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up speedily; your righteousness shall go before you, the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard. Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; you shall cry, and He will say, Here I am. "If you take away from the midst of you the yoke, the pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness, if you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday. And the Lord will guide you continually, and satisfy your desire with good things, and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.
Gospel: John 15:9-17
As the Father has loved Me, so have I loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. "This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. You are My friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide; so that whatever you ask the Father in My name, He may give it to you. This I command you, to love one another.

Pray a Rosary each day for our nation.

1. Sign of the Cross: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

2. The Apostles Creed: I BELIEVE in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell; on the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty; from there 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.

3. 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.

4. (3) 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)

5. 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 ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

6. Fatima Prayer: Oh, my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all souls to heaven, especially those in most need of your mercy.

Announce each mystery, then say 1 Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, 1 Glory Be and 1 Fatima prayer. Repeat the process with each mystery.

End with the Hail Holy Queen:
Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope! To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve! To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this vale of tears! Turn then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy towards us; and after this, our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus!

O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary! Pray for us, O holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Final step -- The Sign of the Cross

The Mysteries of the Rosary By tradition, Catholics meditate on these Mysteries during prayers of the Rosary. The biblical references follow each of the Mysteries below.

The Glorious Mysteries
(Wednesdays and Sundays)
1.The Resurrection (Matthew 28:1-8, Mark 16:1-18, Luke 24:1-12, John 20:1-29) [Spiritual fruit - Faith]
2. The Ascension (Mark 16:19-20, Luke 24:50-53, Acts 1:6-11) [Spiritual fruit - Christian Hope]
3. The Descent of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1-13) [Spiritual fruit - Gifts of the Holy Spirit]
4. The Assumption [Spiritual fruit - To Jesus through Mary]
5. The Coronation [Spiritual fruit - Grace of Final Perseverance]

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November 16, 2016

Wednesday of the Thirty-third Week in Ordinary Time

Reading 1 Rv 4:1-11

Responsorial Psalm Ps 150:1b-2, 3-4, 5-6

Alleluia See Jn 15:16

Gospel Lk 19:11-28

Readings at Mass