Catholic Caucus: Daily Mass Readings, 11-15-19, OM, St. Albert the Great, Bishop & Doctor/Church

USCCB.org/RNAB ^ | 11-15-19 | Revised New American Bible

[Salvation]

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 Sorrowful Mysteries

(Tuesdays and Fridays)

1. The Agony in the Garden (Matthew 26:36-46, Luke 22:39-46) [Spiritual fruit - God's will be done]
2. The Scourging at the Pillar (Matthew 27:26, Mark 15:15, John 19:1) [Spiritual fruit - Mortification of the senses]
3. The Crowning with Thorns (Matthew 27:27-30, Mark 15:16-20, John 19:2) [Spiritual fruit - Reign of Christ in our heart]
4. The Carrying of the Cross (Matthew 27:31-32, Mark 15:21, Luke 23:26-32, John 19:17) [Spiritual fruit - Patient bearing of trials]
5. The Crucifixion (Matthew 27:33-56, Mark 15:22-39, Luke 23:33-49, John 19:17-37) [Spiritual fruit - Pardoning of Injuries]

[Salvation]

St. Michael the Archangel

~ PRAYER ~

St. Michael, the Archangel, defend us in battle
Be our protection against the wickedness
and snares of the devil;
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray,
and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly host,
by the power of God,
Cast into hell Satan and all the evil spirits
who prowl through the world seeking the ruin of souls.
Amen
+

St. Michael the Archangel

~ PRAYER ~

St. Michael, the Archangel, defend us in battle
Be our protection against the wickedness
and snares of the devil;
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray,
and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly host,
by the power of God,
Cast into hell Satan and all the evil spirits
who prowl through the world seeking the ruin of souls.
Amen
+

[Salvation]

(For if he had not hoped that they that were slain should rise again, it would have seemed superfluous and vain to pray for the dead,) And because he considered that they who had fallen asleep with godliness, had great grace laid up for them. It is therefore a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead, that they may be loosed from sins." II Maccabees 12

 

November Devotion: The Holy Souls in Purgatory

Since the 16th century Catholic piety has assigned entire months to special devotions. As a reminder of our duty to pray for the suffering faithful in Purgatory, the Church has dedicated the month of November to the Holy Souls. The Holy Souls are those who have died in the state of grace but who are not yet free from all punishment due to their unforgiven venial sins and all other sins already forgiven for which satisfaction is still to be made. They are certain of entering Heaven, but first they must suffer in Purgatory. The Holy Souls cannot help themselves because for them the night has come, when no man can work (John 9:4). It is our great privilege of brotherhood that we can shorten their time of separation from God by our prayers, good works, and, especially, the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

To Help the Holy Souls in Purgatory:

1. Have the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass offered up for them.

2. Pray the Rosary and or the Chaplet of Divine Marcy for them, or both.

3. Pray the Stations of the Cross.

4. Offer up little sacrifices and fasting.

5. Spread devotion to them, so that others may pray for them.

6. Attend Eucharistic Adoration and pray for them.

7. Gain all the indulgences you can, and apply them to the Holy Souls

8. Visit to a Cemetery

 

Litany for the Holy Souls in Purgatory

The just shall be in everlasting remembrance; 

He shall not fear the evil hearing.

V. Absolve, O Lord, the souls of the faithful departed 

from every bond of sin, 

R. And by the help of Thy grace

may they be enabled to escape the avenging judgment, 

and to enjoy the happiness of eternal life. 

Because in Thy mercy are deposited the souls that departed 

in an inferior degree of grace,

Lord, have mercy.

Because their present suffering is greatest 

in the knowledge of the pain that their separation from Thee is causing Thee,

Lord, have mercy. 

Because of their present inability to add to Thy accidental glory, 

Lord, have mercy.

Not for our consolation, O Lord; 

not for their release from purgative pain, O God; 

but for Thy joy 

and the greater accidental honour of Thy throne, O Christ the King,

Lord, have mercy.

For the souls of our departed friends, relations and benefactors, 

grant light and peace, O Lord.  

For those of our family who have fallen asleep in Thy bosom, O Jesus, 

grant light and peace, O Lord.  

For those who have gone to prepare our place,

grant light and peace, O Lord.  

(For those who were our brothers [or sisters] in Religion,)

grant light and peace, O Lord.  

For priests who were our spiritual directors,

grant light and peace, O Lord.  

For men or women who were our teachers in school,

grant light and peace, O Lord.  

For those who were our employers (or employees),

grant light and peace, O Lord.  

For those who were our associates in daily toil,

grant light and peace, O Lord.  

For any soul whom we ever offended,

grant light and peace, O Lord.  

For our enemies now departed,

grant light and peace, O Lord.  

For those souls who have none to pray for them,

grant light and peace, O Lord.  

For those forgotten by their friends and kin,

grant light and peace, O Lord.  

For those now suffering the most,

grant light and peace, O Lord.  

For those who have acquired the most merit,

grant light and peace, O Lord.  

For the souls next to be released from Purgatory,

grant light and peace, O Lord.  

For those who, while on earth, 

were most devoted to God the Holy Ghost, 

to Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament, 

to the holy Mother of God,

grant light and peace, O Lord.  

For all deceased popes and prelates,

grant light and peace, O Lord.  

For all deceased priests, seminarians and religious, 

grant light and peace, O Lord.  

For all our brethren in the Faith everywhere, 

grant light and peace, O Lord.  

For all our separated brethren who deeply loved Thee, 

and would have come into Thy household had they known the truth,

grant light and peace, O Lord.  

For those souls who need, or in life asked, our prayers,

grant light and peace, O Lord.  

For those, closer to Thee than we are, whose prayers we need,

grant light and peace, O Lord.  

That those may be happy with Thee forever, 

who on earth were true exemplars of the Catholic Faith, 

grant them eternal rest, O Lord.

That those may be admitted to Thine unveiled Presence, 

who as far as we know never committed mortal sin,     

grant them eternal rest, O Lord.  

That those may be housed in glory, 

who lived always in recollection and prayer,

grant them eternal rest, O Lord.  

That those may be given the celestial joy of beholding Thee, 

who lived lives of mortification and self-denial and penance,

grant them eternal rest, O Lord.  

That those may be flooded with Thy love, 

who denied themselves even Thy favours of indulgence 

and who made the heroic act 

for the souls who had gone before them,

grant them eternal rest, O Lord.  

That those may be drawn up to the Beatific Vision, 

who never put obstacles in the way of sanctifying grace 

and who ever drew closer in mystical union with Thee,

grant them eternal rest, O Lord.  

V. Eternal rest give unto them, O Lord, 

R. And let perpetual light shine upon them. 

Let Us Pray 

Be mindful, O Lord, 

of Thy servants and handmaids, 

N. and N., 

who are gone before us 

with the sign of faith 

and repose in the sleep of grace.  

To these, O Lord, 

and to all who rest in Christ, 

grant, we beseech Thee, 

a place of refreshment, 

light and peace, 

through the same Christ Our Lord.

Amen

Bringing back the dead… Catholic style
All Souls, Purgatory and the Bible

Letter #95: Remembering the Dead
Hungry Souls (a bit of a [Book] review) Catholic/Orthodox Caucus
What Is All Souls Day (Commemoration of the Faithful Departed)?
All Saints or All Souls? Differences should be black and white
All Souls' Day [Catholic Caucus]
Why I Am Catholic: For Purgatory, Thank Heavens (Ecumenical)
Q and A: Why Pray for the Dead? [Ecumenical]
“….and Death is Gain” – A Meditation on the Christian View of Death [Catholic Caucus]
99 & 1/2 Won’t Do – A Meditation on Purgatory
The Month of November: Thoughts on the "Last Things"
To Trace All Souls Day

November 2 -- All Souls Day
On November: All Souls and the "Permanent Things"
"From the Pastor" ALL SAINTS & ALL SOULS
Praying for the Dead [All Souls Day] (Catholic/Orthodox Caucus)
To Trace All Souls Day [Ecumenical]
All Souls Day [Catholic/Orthodox Caucus]
The Roots of All Souls Day
The Commemoration of all the Faithful Departed (All Souls)
During Month of Souls, Recall Mystic, St. Gertrude the Great
All Saints and All Souls

(For if he had not hoped that they that were slain should rise again, it would have seemed superfluous and vain to pray for the dead,) And because he considered that they who had fallen asleep with godliness, had great grace laid up for them. It is therefore a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead, that they may be loosed from sins." II Maccabees 12

 

November Devotion: The Holy Souls in Purgatory

Since the 16th century Catholic piety has assigned entire months to special devotions. As a reminder of our duty to pray for the suffering faithful in Purgatory, the Church has dedicated the month of November to the Holy Souls. The Holy Souls are those who have died in the state of grace but who are not yet free from all punishment due to their unforgiven venial sins and all other sins already forgiven for which satisfaction is still to be made. They are certain of entering Heaven, but first they must suffer in Purgatory. The Holy Souls cannot help themselves because for them the night has come, when no man can work (John 9:4). It is our great privilege of brotherhood that we can shorten their time of separation from God by our prayers, good works, and, especially, the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

To Help the Holy Souls in Purgatory:

1. Have the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass offered up for them.

2. Pray the Rosary and or the Chaplet of Divine Marcy for them, or both.

3. Pray the Stations of the Cross.

4. Offer up little sacrifices and fasting.

5. Spread devotion to them, so that others may pray for them.

6. Attend Eucharistic Adoration and pray for them.

7. Gain all the indulgences you can, and apply them to the Holy Souls

8. Visit to a Cemetery

 

Litany for the Holy Souls in Purgatory

The just shall be in everlasting remembrance; 

He shall not fear the evil hearing.

V. Absolve, O Lord, the souls of the faithful departed 

from every bond of sin, 

R. And by the help of Thy grace

may they be enabled to escape the avenging judgment, 

and to enjoy the happiness of eternal life. 

Because in Thy mercy are deposited the souls that departed 

in an inferior degree of grace,

Lord, have mercy.

Because their present suffering is greatest 

in the knowledge of the pain that their separation from Thee is causing Thee,

Lord, have mercy. 

Because of their present inability to add to Thy accidental glory, 

Lord, have mercy.

Not for our consolation, O Lord; 

not for their release from purgative pain, O God; 

but for Thy joy 

and the greater accidental honour of Thy throne, O Christ the King,

Lord, have mercy.

For the souls of our departed friends, relations and benefactors, 

grant light and peace, O Lord.  

For those of our family who have fallen asleep in Thy bosom, O Jesus, 

grant light and peace, O Lord.  

For those who have gone to prepare our place,

grant light and peace, O Lord.  

(For those who were our brothers [or sisters] in Religion,)

grant light and peace, O Lord.  

For priests who were our spiritual directors,

grant light and peace, O Lord.  

For men or women who were our teachers in school,

grant light and peace, O Lord.  

For those who were our employers (or employees),

grant light and peace, O Lord.  

For those who were our associates in daily toil,

grant light and peace, O Lord.  

For any soul whom we ever offended,

grant light and peace, O Lord.  

For our enemies now departed,

grant light and peace, O Lord.  

For those souls who have none to pray for them,

grant light and peace, O Lord.  

For those forgotten by their friends and kin,

grant light and peace, O Lord.  

For those now suffering the most,

grant light and peace, O Lord.  

For those who have acquired the most merit,

grant light and peace, O Lord.  

For the souls next to be released from Purgatory,

grant light and peace, O Lord.  

For those who, while on earth, 

were most devoted to God the Holy Ghost, 

to Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament, 

to the holy Mother of God,

grant light and peace, O Lord.  

For all deceased popes and prelates,

grant light and peace, O Lord.  

For all deceased priests, seminarians and religious, 

grant light and peace, O Lord.  

For all our brethren in the Faith everywhere, 

grant light and peace, O Lord.  

For all our separated brethren who deeply loved Thee, 

and would have come into Thy household had they known the truth,

grant light and peace, O Lord.  

For those souls who need, or in life asked, our prayers,

grant light and peace, O Lord.  

For those, closer to Thee than we are, whose prayers we need,

grant light and peace, O Lord.  

That those may be happy with Thee forever, 

who on earth were true exemplars of the Catholic Faith, 

grant them eternal rest, O Lord.

That those may be admitted to Thine unveiled Presence, 

who as far as we know never committed mortal sin,     

grant them eternal rest, O Lord.  

That those may be housed in glory, 

who lived always in recollection and prayer,

grant them eternal rest, O Lord.  

That those may be given the celestial joy of beholding Thee, 

who lived lives of mortification and self-denial and penance,

grant them eternal rest, O Lord.  

That those may be flooded with Thy love, 

who denied themselves even Thy favours of indulgence 

and who made the heroic act 

for the souls who had gone before them,

grant them eternal rest, O Lord.  

That those may be drawn up to the Beatific Vision, 

who never put obstacles in the way of sanctifying grace 

and who ever drew closer in mystical union with Thee,

grant them eternal rest, O Lord.  

V. Eternal rest give unto them, O Lord, 

R. And let perpetual light shine upon them. 

Let Us Pray 

Be mindful, O Lord, 

of Thy servants and handmaids, 

N. and N., 

who are gone before us 

with the sign of faith 

and repose in the sleep of grace.  

To these, O Lord, 

and to all who rest in Christ, 

grant, we beseech Thee, 

a place of refreshment, 

light and peace, 

through the same Christ Our Lord.

Amen

Bringing back the dead… Catholic style
All Souls, Purgatory and the Bible

Letter #95: Remembering the Dead
Hungry Souls (a bit of a [Book] review) Catholic/Orthodox Caucus
What Is All Souls Day (Commemoration of the Faithful Departed)?
All Saints or All Souls? Differences should be black and white
All Souls' Day [Catholic Caucus]
Why I Am Catholic: For Purgatory, Thank Heavens (Ecumenical)
Q and A: Why Pray for the Dead? [Ecumenical]
“….and Death is Gain” – A Meditation on the Christian View of Death [Catholic Caucus]
99 & 1/2 Won’t Do – A Meditation on Purgatory
The Month of November: Thoughts on the "Last Things"
To Trace All Souls Day

November 2 -- All Souls Day
On November: All Souls and the "Permanent Things"
"From the Pastor" ALL SAINTS & ALL SOULS
Praying for the Dead [All Souls Day] (Catholic/Orthodox Caucus)
To Trace All Souls Day [Ecumenical]
All Souls Day [Catholic/Orthodox Caucus]
The Roots of All Souls Day
The Commemoration of all the Faithful Departed (All Souls)
During Month of Souls, Recall Mystic, St. Gertrude the Great
All Saints and All Souls

[Salvation]

Pope’s Intention for November

Dialogue and Reconciliation in the Near East

That a spirit of dialogue, encounter, and reconciliation emerge in the Near East, where diverse religious communities share their lives together.

[Salvation]

Give me ten truly detached men. and I will convert the world with them.

St. Philip Neri

[Salvation]

The Angelus

The Angel of the Lord declared to Mary: 
And she conceived of the Holy Spirit. 

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of
our death. Amen. 

Behold the handmaid of the Lord: Be it done unto me according to Thy word. 

Hail Mary . . . 

And the Word was made Flesh: And dwelt among us. 

Hail Mary . . . 

Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. 

Let us pray: 

Pour forth, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy grace into our hearts; that we, to whom the incarnation of Christ, Thy Son, was made known by the message of an angel, may by His Passion and Cross be brought to the glory of His Resurrection, through the same Christ Our Lord.

Amen. 

---

"Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you" (Lk 1:28) 

 "Blessed are you among women,
 and blessed is the fruit of your womb"
(Lk 1:42). 

[ebb tide]

Pope’s Intention for November

Dialogue and Reconciliation in the Near East

I'll defer and instead pray for the Holy Souls in Purgatory this month.

I'm sick of Bergoglio's "dialogue".

[Salvation]

St. Albert the Great

[Salvation]

Catholic Culture

Ordinary Time: November 15th

Friday of the Thirty-Second Week of Ordinary Time; Optional Memorial of St. Albert the Great, bishop, confessor and doctor

MASS READINGS

November 15, 2019 (Readings on USCCB website)

COLLECT PRAYER

O God, who made the Bishop Saint Albert great by his joining of human wisdom to divine faith, grant, we pray, that we may so adhere to the truths he taught, that through progress in learning we may come to a deeper knowledge and love of you. 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.

---

Almighty and merciful God, graciously keep from us all adversity, so that, unhindered in mind and body alike, we may pursue in freedom of heart the things that are yours. 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.

show

Recipes (7)

• Austrian Goulash
• Gulyas
• Hungarian Goulash
• Nockerln
• Nockerln
• Veal Goulash
• Genoise Book Cake

show

Activities (4)

• Anointing of the Sick
• Namedays
• Prepare for Death
• Preparing for Heaven

show

Prayers (5)

• November Devotion: The Holy Souls in Purgatory
• Little Litany of the Holy Souls
• Prayer for a Happy Death
• Daily Acceptance of Death
• Litany of Saint Albert the Great

show

Library (2)

• Saint Albert the Great | Pope Benedict XVI
• The New Age And Albertus Magnus | Edward O'Brien Jr.

» Enjoy our Liturgical Seasons series of e-books!

Old Calendar: St. Albert the Great; St. Leopold of Austria (Hist)

Today the Church celebrates the optional memorial of St. Albert the Great, son of a German nobleman, who was studying at Padua when the Master General of the Dominicans, Jordan of Saxony, succeeded in attracting him to that Order. He was to become one of its greatest glories. After taking his degrees at the University of Paris he taught philosophy and theology at Paris and then in Cologne. St. Thomas Aquinas was among his pupils. His knowledge was encyclopedic. In 1260 he was named Bishop of Ratisbon and devoted himself zealously to the duties of his office. But soon resigned in order to continue his teaching and research. St. Albert died in Cologne on November 15, 1280.

St. Leopold of Austria is not on the Universal Roman Calendar but is included in the Roman Martyrology. He was born at Melk in Austria, a grandson of emperor Henry III. In 1096 he succeeded his father as fourth margrave of Austria. He married Agnes, daughter of Henry IV, by whom he had eighteen children. He ruled firmly and successfully for forty years, and was especially interested in the spread of religious institutions. He was the founder of Mariazell (Benedictine), Heiligenkreuz (Cistercian) and Klosternenburg (Augustinian). He was buried in the last mentioned monastery.

---

St. Albert the Great
Albert, the "light of Germany," called the Great because of his encyclopedic knowledge, was born in 1193 at Lauingen, Donau. He studied at Padua, where under the influence of the second Dominican general, he joined the newly-founded Order of Preachers (1223). Soon he was sent to Germany, taught in various cities, particularly Cologne; Thomas Aquinas was his student. In 1248 he received the honor of Master in Sacred Theology at Paris. Throngs attended his lectures.

In 1254 Albert was chosen provincial of his Order in Germany. For a time he lived at the court of Pope Alexander II, who in 1260 made him bishop of Regensburg; two years later, however, he returned to his community at Cologne. There he acted as counselor, peacemaker, and shepherd of souls with great success. He died at the age of eighty-seven. Pope Pius XI numbered him among the ranks of the saints on December 16, 1931, and declared him a doctor of the Church. Much of his life was given to writing. His twenty-one folio volumes are devoted to commentaries on Aristotle (whose works were just then becoming known in the West) and the Bible. Legend credits him with drawing the ground plans for the cathedral at Cologne. Albert, the greatest German scholar of the Middle Ages, was outstanding in the fields of natural science, theology, and philosophy.

—Excerpted from The Church's Year of Grace, Pius Parsch

Albert is named "Doctor Universalis" because of his vast knowledge and writings.

Patron: Archdiocese of Cincinnati, Ohio; medical technicians; natural sciences; philosophers; schoolchildren; scientists; students; students of theology.

Symbols: crosier of a bishop; cap of the teacher; large book; cross over the sun, the moon and the earth (symbolizing his theological wisdom and knowledge of nature); Man dressed as a Dominican bishop lecturing from a pulpit; man arguing with Saint Thomas Aquinas; Dominican holding a globe, lecturing from a pulpit, or studying.

Things to Do:

• Learn more about St. Albert from the Catholic Encyclopedia, Dominicans.

• St. Albert is an especially apt patron for scientists because he made his love of truth about nature into an instrument of his love of Christ;

• Read what Pope Benedict XVI wrote about science and faith.

---

St. Leopold of Austria
Born at Melk, Austria, he was educated by Bishop Altman of Passau and succeeded his father as margrave of Austria when he was twenty-three. He married the daughter of Emperor Henry IV, by whom he had eighteen children, in 1106, founded the monasteries of Heiligenkreuz in the Wienerwald, Klosterneuburg, near Vienriazell in Styria, and was known for his piety and charity. He refused the imperial crown when his brother-in-law Henry V died in 1125. Leopold died after reigning as margrave for forty years at Klosterneuburg. He was surnamed "the Good" by his people and was canonized in 1486.

—Excerpted from the Dictionary of Saints, John J. Delaney

St. Leopold is the patron saint of Austria. This day is called Goose Day in Austria, another harvest festival that includes traditional menus of roast goose and the drinking of the new wine.

Patron: Austria (so named in 1663); death of children; large families; Lower Austria; step-parents; Upper Austria.

Symbols: Armed count with a cross on his coronet, a banner with three eagles, and a model of the church of Heiligenkreuz in his hand; before the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint Anne; hunting with his courtiers, and finding his wife's veil near the monastery of Klosterneuburg; with Saint Jerome; with his building Klosterneuburg; with the Blessed Virgin Mary appearing to him while hunting and the veil nearby.

Things to Do:

• Prepare a dinner of Austrian Goulash or some other Austrian dish in honor of St. Leopold, or follow Austrian customs of roasting a goose and drinking new wine. See recipes for Martinmas (November 11) and Michaelmas (September 29).

• Learn more about Klosterneuburg Abbey that St. Leopold founded and the Canons Regular of Saint Augustine.

[Salvation]

The Word Among Us

Meditation: Luke 17:26-37

Saint Albert the Great, Bishop and Doctor of the Church (Optional Memorial)

Whoever loses his life will save it. (Luke 17:33)

What’s the best thing you could do if you’re ever caught in quicksand? Relax! It may sound illogical, but the last thing you want to do is fight frantically to get out. Because the more you struggle, the deeper you will sink. The key is to loosen up, lean back, and allow your body to float. Your legs will slowly rise to the surface, and you’ll be able to gently pull yourself out and roll away. You just have to go against your instincts!

Fear and worry about the future can affect us in a way that’s similar to quicksand. Listening to reports of bad news, worrying about what might go wrong in our families, fear for our health—all those things can pull us down into a swamp of worry and apprehension. The more we focus on our anxious thoughts, the deeper we can sink.

Jesus’ approach to these chaotic thoughts might surprise you: don’t panic. Use the quicksand strategy instead. Instead of fretting about the future, focus on the present reality: he is already here. Try to stay calm and surrender to him so that you won’t sink.

Take today’s Gospel as a prime example. Jesus makes it clear that he doesn’t want his followers to get stuck in the fear of wondering when the Second Coming will happen or what it will look like. He doesn’t want them to fight in order to “save” their lives, especially in the face of fears about the future. He wants them to “lose” their lives by loosening their grip on anxiety.

How about you? Where do you see anxiety dragging you down? The next time you feel like you’re drowning in the quicksand of worry, try to relax and focus on Jesus and his plans for you today. His first coming launched a revolution of love and mercy. It built a solid foundation that can keep you from drowning. What’s even better, this solid foundation will grow ever stronger with every act of faith and trust you make.

So lean back into the Lord and let him draw you onto solid ground.

“Lord, help me to rest in your presence today. I want to let go of fear and doubt.”

Wisdom 13:1-9
Psalm 19:2-5

[Salvation]

He who desires anything but God deceives himself, and he who loves anything but God errs miserably.

St. Philip Neri

[Salvation]

Marriage = One Man and One Woman Until Death Do Us Part

Daily Marriage Tip for November 15, 2019:

Do the chores you’ve been avoiding – the laundry that’s been piling up or the windows that need cleaning – together. Chores are always more fun when you’re not doing them alone.

[Salvation]

Regnum Christi

November 15, 2019 – Living My Encounter with Christ

15 Nov 2019

Friday of the Thirty-second Week in Ordinary Time

Father Edward Hopkins, LC

Luke 17:26-37

Jesus said to his disciples: “As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be in the days of the Son of Man; they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage up to the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. Similarly, as it was in the days of Lot: they were eating, drinking, buying, selling, planting, building; on the day when Lot left Sodom, fire and brimstone rained from the sky to destroy them all. So, it will be on the day the Son of Man is revealed. On that day, a person who is on the housetop and whose belongings are in the house must not go down to get them, and likewise a person in the field must not return to what was left behind. Remember the wife of Lot. Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses it will save it. I tell you, on that night there will be two people in one bed; one will be taken, the other left. And there will be two women grinding meal together; one will be taken, the other left.” They said to him in reply, “Where, Lord?” He said to them, “Where the body is, there also the vultures will gather.”

Introductory Prayer: I believe in you, Lord, my companion and strength. I believe that you come out to meet me each day, asking me to depend more on you and less on creatures. I hope in you, Lord, as the one who fills my longing to love and be loved. I love you here and now with my prayer and with my desire to be faithful and generous in the little things you ask of me.

Petition: Lord, help me to put you first in my life.

1. They Were Eating and Drinking: In the time of Noah and of Lot, God’s judgment was said to come down upon man. Yet the real moment of judgment for each one of us comes immediately upon our own death. It is then that the kingdom will be fully revealed to us, and it will be decided whether we will be part of it or not. But it is in the course of my own life that my option for being received into the kingdom is decided. God comes to me today. How will I respond? My response now and each day determines my eternal place in the kingdom.
2. Do Not Return to What Was Left Behind: In most disasters people have little chance to collect belongings; those who try are often lost as a result. The same will be true of the Final Judgment – or at our own death; when Jesus comes, will I be ready? What do I most cherish? What I must hold on to is my relationship with Christ. And this implies in so many ways losing “my life” here. Do I live with the attitude of losing my life a little more each day, detaching myself from things, activities and people, so as to be freer to love, serve and be with Christ?
3. Where the Body Is? “Where Lord?” the disciples ask; where will the day of the Son of man take place? It will take place, says Jesus, wherever you are. Whether we die and encounter Christ in a personal judgment or are alive to encounter the Lord at his Second Coming and the Final Judgment, the reality is the same. Standing next to a saint or a sinner will not alter our fate. Who we know or what contacts we have will do little. Where we are in our relationship with Christ will be the only real determining factor. Where am I, Lord, today, in relationship with you? May this be my only concern!

Conversation with Christ: Lord Jesus, increase my desire to live my life in close relation with you. Order all my activities according to your will, and my relationships according to your heart. “I want whatever you want, because you want it, the way you want it, as long as you want it” (Prayer of Pope Clement XI).

Resolution: I will give priority to my relationship with Christ. I will make prayer my first act today before every meal.

[Salvation]

Homily of the Day

November 15, 2019

In the first reading we are encouraged to see the grandeur and power of God as Creator of the universe.

In the Gospel reading Jesus speaks of his coming at the end of time. Jesus urges us to be vigilant and ready, because his coming will occur when we least expect it. Waiting plays a big part in our lives, and so it is important to learn how to wait. As human beings we always wait because our lives are never complete in themselves.. There is always more to come.

Today’s Gospel instructs us how to recognize our Lord’s coming even in everyday things, in the duties we perform, in the events that occur around us, or in the people that we meet. It is not only at the time of death or at the end of the world that we will meet the Lord. We meet him when we least expect it, while we are waiting in a doctor’s office for an appointment, in a cashier’s line at the supermarket, or even at a bus stop.

Let us learn to see Christ in everyone, in everything and in every situation. Doing so, our waiting will not be one of endless frustration, but rather become one of constructive readiness and anticipation.

[Salvation]

One Bread, One Body

One Bread, One Body

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St. Albert the Great

Wisdom 13:1-9
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Psalm 19:2-5

Luke 17:26-37
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THE WORST SURPRISE

"It was much the same in the days of Lot; they ate and drank, they bought and sold, they built and planted. But on the day Lot left Sodom, fire and brimstone rained down from heaven and destroyed them all. It will be like that on the day the Son of Man is revealed." �Luke 17:28-30

Jesus' second coming and the end of the world through fire is certain. However, the exact time of these events is uncertain. Jesus said that no one knows the day or the hour (Mk 13:32; Mt 25:13).

Nonetheless, Jesus has revealed to us in the Scriptures many of the happenings which will precede the day of the Lord. He has done this so that we can approximate His final coming and the end of the world. This helps us be better prepared and to help others be prepared.

However, Jesus has revealed in the Scriptures that many people will disregard or be ignorant of the Scriptural revelation about the end of the world. Thus, they will be clueless on the final day even though the magnitude and speed of the world's destruction makes foreknowledge of the event even more critical. It will be "business as usual" up to the very end, as was the case before Noah's flood and the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah (Lk 17:26ff). Those people well on their way to hell will be surprised at the world's end. That's why Jesus revealed so much about the end � to keep us from being surprised by the greatest catastrophe in history.

Don't repeat the mistakes of the past. "Search the Scriptures" (Jn 5:39). Get ready for the great and terrible day. Come, Lord Jesus! (Rv 22:20)

Prayer: Father, I want to be ready and help as many as possible to also be ready.

Promise: "Whoever tries to preserve his life will lose it; whoever loses it will keep it." —Lk 17:33

Praise: St. Albert had a profound impact on his student, St. Thomas Aquinas. Albert laid the groundwork for Thomas' synthesis of Greek wisdom and Christian theology.

[Salvation]