Memorial of Saint Cecilia, Virgin and Martyr
Lectionary: 499



Reading 1 (2 Mc 7:1, 20-31)

It happened that seven brothers with their mother were arrested
and tortured with whips and scourges by the king,
to force them to eat pork in violation of God's law.

Most admirable and worthy of everlasting remembrance was the mother,
who saw her seven sons perish in a single day,
yet bore it courageously because of her hope in the Lord.
Filled with a noble spirit that stirred her womanly heart with manly courage,
she exhorted each of them
in the language of their ancestors with these words:
"I do not know how you came into existence in my womb;
it was not I who gave you the breath of life,
nor was it I who set in order
the elements of which each of you is composed.
Therefore, since it is the Creator of the universe
who shapes each man's beginning,
as he brings about the origin of everything,
he, in his mercy,
will give you back both breath and life,
because you now disregard yourselves for the sake of his law."

Antiochus, suspecting insult in her words,
thought he was being ridiculed.
As the youngest brother was still alive, the king appealed to him,
not with mere words, but with promises on oath,
to make him rich and happy if he would abandon his ancestral customs:
he would make him his Friend
and entrust him with high office.
When the youth paid no attention to him at all,
the king appealed to the mother,
urging her to advise her boy to save his life.
After he had urged her for a long time,
she went through the motions of persuading her son.
In derision of the cruel tyrant,
she leaned over close to her son and said in their native language:
"Son, have pity on me, who carried you in my womb for nine months,
nursed you for three years, brought you up,
educated and supported you to your present age.
I beg you, child, to look at the heavens and the earth
and see all that is in them;
then you will know that God did not make them out of existing things;
and in the same way the human race came into existence.
Do not be afraid of this executioner,
but be worthy of your brothers and accept death,
so that in the time of mercy I may receive you again with them."

She had scarcely finished speaking when the youth said:
"What are you waiting for?
I will not obey the king's command.
I obey the command of the law given to our fathers through Moses.
But you, who have contrived every kind of affliction for the Hebrews,
will not escape the hands of God."

Responsorial Psalm (Ps 17:1bcd, 5-6, 8b and 15)

R. Lord, when your glory appears, my joy will be full.

Hear, O LORD, a just suit;
attend to my outcry;
hearken to my prayer from lips without deceit.
R. Lord, when your glory appears, my joy will be full.

My steps have been steadfast in your paths,
my feet have not faltered.
I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God;
incline your ear to me; hear my word.
R. Lord, when your glory appears, my joy will be full.

Keep me as the apple of your eye;
hide me in the shadow of your wings.
But I in justice shall behold your face;
on waking, I shall be content in your presence.
R. Lord, when your glory appears, my joy will be full.

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.



REFLECTIONS: WORD Today



Today's parable in the Gospel is about the use of the gifts of time, treasure and talents God entrusted us His servants to invest in His Kingdom. Jesus describes three kinds of servants...

1. The Rebel:
He rejects the Kingship of God (Lk 19:14), using his gifts only for his own satisfaction, or maybe to build up his own glory. He may claim to believe in God, but not the God who reveals Himself through the Bible and through His prophet the Church. The Rebel constructs a god made in his own image. He will be judged severely and terribly when Jesus returns (verse 27).

2. The Timid Believer:
He is God-fearing and devout in prayer, but he is afraid and ashamed to do anything else (v 20-21), unsure of God's gifts and guidance. When his little talents fade away, and his resources run out, no more is given to him and be wasted (v 26).

3. The Productive Faithful:
Firmly believing in God's promises, this servant boldly invests his talents and energies to make God's Kingdom a better place to live in (v. 16-19). He does not mind making mistakes and being shamed while serving his Master. To him, God constantly adds more grace...

God expects us to use our gifts to bring others to Him and expand His Kingdom. But why does He want us to do this when He can surely do it on His own with His infinite powers?

Because He loves us and wants us to share the fullness of life with His Perfect Son Jesus Christ. Busy with Jesus, we don't have time for vice and sin. Serving the Lord keeps us healthy, holy and happy.

I'VE GOT THE JOY DOWN IN MY HEART


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WHY DO WE CELEBRATE CHRIST THE KING SUNDAY?

This celebration, officially known as the 'Solemnity of Jesus Christ, King of the Universe,' was instituted by Pope Pius XI in 1925 in response to the rapidly growing secularization of the world. The times we live in is undoubtedly marked by growing disbelief in the presence of God, much less in the salvation needed by men and brought about by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

At first, Christ the King was celebrated on the last Sunday of October, but we now observe it on the last Sunday in Ordinary Time (this year, on November 26). It is only fitting that the liturgical calendar begins and ends with the celebration of the eternal Kingship of the Son of God. Jesus Christ, after all, is our first beginning and last end --the Alpha and the Omega.

Indeed, many of the Church's celebrations are intended to always remind us of the eternal and supreme kingship of Jesus Christ. This kingship is not nominal or ceremonial, like the constitutional monarchs of today, but a real and powerful imperium. He first came as the merciful savior; we prepare for His second coming to judge the living and the dead.

This particular solemnity celebrates Jesus' supremacy over all kingdoms, governments, and powers on earth. It reminds us that no matter how powerful human beings and institutions can be, they will always be subject to decay and destruction. Only the crown of Jesus Christ will last forever. Only in Him do we find salvation, only in Him do we find life and true happiness everlasting.

"My Kingdom is not of this world," Jesus declared before Pilate (cf. John 18:36). To whom, then, do we give our allegiance? To this world or to Christ?

The choice is yours to make.

CHRIST THE KING, MAY YOUR KINGDOM COME!



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For 2018, uses missal Year 'B'

This post has been edited by khool: Nov 24 2017, 01:56 PM

Memorial of Saint Andrew Dung-Lac, Priest, and Companions, Martyrs
Lectionary: 501



Reading 1 (1 Mc 4:36-37, 52-59)

Judas and his brothers said,
"Now that our enemies have been crushed,
let us go up to purify the sanctuary and rededicate it."
So the whole army assembled, and went up to Mount Zion.

Early in the morning on the twenty-fifth day of the ninth month,
that is, the month of Chislev,
in the year one hundred and forty-eight,
they arose and offered sacrifice according to the law
on the new altar of burnt offerings that they had made.
On the anniversary of the day on which the Gentiles had defiled it,
on that very day it was reconsecrated
with songs, harps, flutes, and cymbals.
All the people prostrated themselves and adored and praised Heaven,
who had given them success.

For eight days they celebrated the dedication of the altar
and joyfully offered burnt offerings and sacrifices
of deliverance and praise.
They ornamented the facade of the temple with gold crowns and shields;
they repaired the gates and the priests' chambers
and furnished them with doors.
There was great joy among the people
now that the disgrace of the Gentiles was removed.
Then Judas and his brothers and the entire congregation of Israel
decreed that the days of the dedication of the altar
should be observed with joy and gladness
on the anniversary every year for eight days,
from the twenty-fifth day of the month Chislev.

Responsorial Psalm (1 Chr 29:10bcd, 11abc, 11d-12a, 12bcd)

R. We praise your glorious name, O mighty God.

"Blessed may you be, O LORD,
God of Israel our father,
from eternity to eternity."
R. We praise your glorious name, O mighty God.

"Yours, O LORD, are grandeur and power,
majesty, splendor, and glory.
For all in heaven and on earth is yours."
R. We praise your glorious name, O mighty God.

"Yours, O LORD, is the sovereignty;
you are exalted as head over all.
Riches and honor are from you."
R. We praise your glorious name, O mighty God.

"You have dominion over all,
In your hand are power and might;
it is yours to give grandeur and strength to all."
R. We praise your glorious name, O mighty God.

Alleluia (Jn 10:27)

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord;
I know them, and they follow me.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel (Lk 19:45-48)

Jesus entered the temple area and proceeded to drive out
those who were selling things, saying to them,
"It is written, My house shall be a house of prayer,
but you have made it a den of thieves."
And every day he was teaching in the temple area.
The chief priests, the scribes, and the leaders of the people, meanwhile,
were seeking to put him to death,
but they could find no way to accomplish their purpose
because all the people were hanging on his words.



REFLECTIONS:



Why did Jesus drive out the money changers in the temple at Jerusalem? Was he upset with their greediness? This is the only incident in the Gospels where we see Jesus using physical force. Jesus went to Jerusalem, knowing he would meet certain death on the cross, but victory as well for our sake. His act of judgment in the temple is meant to be a prophetic sign and warning to the people that God takes our worship very seriously.

Jesus honors the Father's house of prayer by cleansing it of unholy practices

In this incident we see Jesus' startling and swift action in cleansing the temple of those who were using it to exploit the worshipers of God. The money changers took advantage of the poor and forced them to pay many times more than was right - in the house of God no less! Their robbery of the poor was not only dishonoring to God but unjust toward their neighbor.

The people were hungry for the word of God

In justification for his audacious action Jesus quotes from the prophets Isaiah (Isaiah 56:7) and Jeremiah (Jeremiah 7:11). His act of judgment aims to purify the worship of God's people and to discipline their erring ways. Despite the objections of the religious leaders, no doubt because Jesus was usurping their authority in the house of God, the people who listened to Jesus teaching daily in the temple regarded him with great awe and respect. Luke tells us that "they hung upon Jesus' words" (Luke 19:48). How hungry are you for God's word?

The Lord wants to share his holiness with us

If we approach God's word with a humble attentive heart and with a willingness to be taught by the Lord, then we are in a good place to allow God's word to change and transform us in the likeness of Christ. The Lord wants to teach us his ways so that we may grow in holiness. The Lord both instructs and disciplines us in love to lead us from the error of our sinful ways to his truth and justice. "God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness" (Hebrews 12:10). The Lord calls us to be a holy people who worship him with reverence and gratitude for his great mercy and kindness towards us. Do you allow God's word to transform you in his way of love and holiness?

"Lord Jesus, you open wide the door of your house and you bid us to enter confidently that we may worship you in spirit and truth. Help me to draw near to you with gratitude and joy for your great mercy. May I always revere your word and give you acceptable praise and worship."

Daily Quote from the early church fathers: The home of sanctity, by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.

(excerpt from EXPOSITION OF THE GOSPEL OF LUKE 9.17–18)

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Monday of the Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 503



Reading 1 (Dn 1:1-6, 8-20)

In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim, king of Judah,
King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came
and laid siege to Jerusalem.
The Lord handed over to him Jehoiakim, king of Judah,
and some of the vessels of the temple of God;
he carried them off to the land of Shinar,
and placed the vessels in the temple treasury of his god.

The king told Ashpenaz, his chief chamberlain,
to bring in some of the children of Israel of royal blood
and of the nobility, young men without any defect,
handsome, intelligent and wise,
quick to learn, and prudent in judgment,
such as could take their place in the king's palace;
they were to be taught the language and literature of the Chaldeans;
after three years' training they were to enter the king's service.
The king allotted them a daily portion of food and wine
from the royal table.
Among these were men of Judah: Daniel, Hananiah,
Mishael, and Azariah.

But Daniel was resolved not to defile himself
with the king's food or wine;
so he begged the chief chamberlain to spare him this defilement.
Though God had given Daniel the favor and sympathy
of the chief chamberlain, he nevertheless said to Daniel,
"I am afraid of my lord the king;
it is he who allotted your food and drink.
If he sees that you look wretched
by comparison with the other young men of your age,
you will endanger my life with the king."
Then Daniel said to the steward whom the chief chamberlain
had put in charge of Daniel, Hananiah,
Mishael, and Azariah,
"Please test your servants for ten days.
Give us vegetables to eat and water to drink.
Then see how we look in comparison with the other young men
who eat from the royal table,
and treat your servants according to what you see."
He acceded to this request, and tested them for ten days;
after ten days they looked healthier and better fed
than any of the young men who ate from the royal table.
So the steward continued to take away
the food and wine they were to receive, and gave them vegetables.
To these four young men God gave knowledge and proficiency
in all literature and science,
and to Daniel the understanding of all visions and dreams.
At the end of the time the king had specified for their preparation,
the chief chamberlain brought them before Nebuchadnezzar.
When the king had spoken with all of them,
none was found equal to Daniel, Hananiah,
Mishael, and Azariah;
and so they entered the king's service.
In any question of wisdom or prudence which the king put to them,
he found them ten times better
than all the magicians and enchanters in his kingdom.

Responsorial Psalm (Dn 3:52, 53, 54, 55, 56)

R. Glory and praise for ever!

"Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of our fathers,
praiseworthy and exalted above all forever;
And blessed is your holy and glorious name,
praiseworthy and exalted above all for all ages."
R. Glory and praise for ever!

"Blessed are you in the temple of your holy glory,
praiseworthy and glorious above all forever."
R. Glory and praise for ever!

"Blessed are you on the throne of your Kingdom,
praiseworthy and exalted above all forever."
R. Glory and praise for ever!

"Blessed are you who look into the depths
from your throne upon the cherubim,
praiseworthy and exalted above all forever."
R. Glory and praise for ever!

"Blessed are you in the firmament of heaven,
praiseworthy and glorious forever."
R. Glory and praise for ever!

Alleluia (Mt 24:42a, 44)

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Stay awake!
For you do not know when the Son of Man will come.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel (Lk 21:1-4)

When Jesus looked up he saw some wealthy people
putting their offerings into the treasury
and he noticed a poor widow putting in two small coins.
He said, "I tell you truly,
this poor widow put in more than all the rest;
for those others have all made offerings from their surplus wealth,
but she, from her poverty, has offered her whole livelihood."



REFLECTIONS: WORD Today



We celebrated Christ the King yesterday, the last Sunday of the church year. But looking at the calendar, we see that Sunday is the first day of the week and that there are still six days left to the church year. In this last week, we continue to reflect on the Kingship of Christ in our lives.

In the First Reading, four Jews are in a foreign kingdom and they are being considered and trained for top positions in the king's court. But they risk their careers and their future by refusing to comply with a government mandate that was forbidden by their faith. In the end, God rewards them with better health, greater wisdom and higher promotions than the other Jews who were unfaithful to the religion of their homeland.

In the Gospel, Jesus watches people donating in the Temple collection box. He sees many who donated big but painless pocket change from their abundance. He is not impressed. Then He greatly admires a dirt-poor widow who gave away her very last 2 coins into the box. For in the next few days, He himself would be donating from the cross the last 2 drops of His blood, for you and for me.

Jesus watches over everything we do. He sees our faithfulness to the commandments of our Father even in difficult times. He knows what percent He is King over our lives. 10%, 50%, 90%, or Love% - all of our heart, mind and soul.

TWO HANDS, ONE HEART


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TUESDAY of the 34th Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 504



Reading 1 (Dn 2:31-45)

Daniel said to Nebuchadnezzar:
"In your vision, O king, you saw a statue,
very large and exceedingly bright,
terrifying in appearance as it stood before you.
The head of the statue was pure gold,
its chest and arms were silver,
its belly and thighs bronze, the legs iron,
its feet partly iron and partly tile.
While you looked at the statue,
a stone which was hewn from a mountain
without a hand being put to it,
struck its iron and tile feet, breaking them in pieces.
The iron, tile, bronze, silver, and gold all crumbled at once,
fine as the chaff on the threshing floor in summer,
and the wind blew them away without leaving a trace.
But the stone that struck the statue became a great mountain
and filled the whole earth.

"This was the dream;
the interpretation we shall also give in the king's presence.
You, O king, are the king of kings;
to you the God of heaven
has given dominion and strength, power and glory;
men, wild beasts, and birds of the air, wherever they may dwell,
he has handed over to you, making you ruler over them all;
you are the head of gold.
Another kingdom shall take your place, inferior to yours,
then a third kingdom, of bronze,
which shall rule over the whole earth.
There shall be a fourth kingdom, strong as iron;
it shall break into pieces and subdue all these others,
just as iron breaks into pieces and crushes everything else.
The feet and toes you saw, partly of potter's tile and partly of iron,
mean that it shall be a divided kingdom,
but yet have some of the hardness of iron.
As you saw the iron mixed with clay tile,
and the toes partly iron and partly tile,
the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly fragile.
The iron mixed with clay tile
means that they shall seal their alliances by intermarriage,
but they shall not stay united, any more than iron mixes with clay.
In the lifetime of those kings
the God of heaven will set up a kingdom
that shall never be destroyed or delivered up to another people;
rather, it shall break into pieces all these kingdoms
and put an end to them, and it shall stand forever.
That is the meaning of the stone you saw hewn from the mountain
without a hand being put to it,
which broke in pieces the tile, iron, bronze, silver, and gold.
The great God has revealed to the king what shall be in the future;
this is exactly what you dreamed, and its meaning is sure."

Responsorial Psalm (Dn 3:57, 58, 59, 60, 61)

R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.

"Bless the Lord, all you works of the Lord,
praise and exalt him above all forever."
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.

"Angels of the Lord, bless the Lord,
praise and exalt him above all forever."
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.

"You heavens, bless the Lord,
praise and exalt him above all forever."
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.

"All you waters above the heavens, bless the Lord,
praise and exalt him above all forever."
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.

"All you hosts of the Lord, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever."
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.

Alleluia (Rev 2:10c)

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Remain faithful until death,
And I will give you the crown of life.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel (Lk 21:5-11)

While some people were speaking about
how the temple was adorned with costly stones and votive offerings,
Jesus said, "All that you see here–
the days will come when there will not be left
a stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down."

Then they asked him,
"Teacher, when will this happen?
And what sign will there be when all these things are about to happen?"
He answered,
"See that you not be deceived,
for many will come in my name, saying,
'I am he,' and 'The time has come.'
Do not follow them!
When you hear of wars and insurrections,
do not be terrified; for such things must happen first,
but it will not immediately be the end."
Then he said to them,
"Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.
There will be powerful earthquakes, famines, and plagues
from place to place;
and awesome sights and mighty signs will come from the sky."



REFLECTIONS: WORD Today



The First Reading and the Gospel say - and history confirms - that no earthly empire, kingdom, nation, ideology, corporation or manmade structure lasts forever.

Modern astronomy too says that the whole universe will be stretched and torn into sub-atomic bits in a google years (a 1 followed by a hundred zeroes). With no distance and events to record, space and time will be no more.

But Jesus says, "Heaven and earth will pass away, but My Words will never pass away." (Matthew 25:34)

Jesus is the Word of God. From the timeless beginning, He existed with the Father and the Holy Spirit - and He was God. Through Him everything was made (John 1:1-3). And when everything is gone, He will continue into timeless eternity. Let us then follow Him.

Heavenly Father, decrease my desire for passing things. Increase rather my faith in Your Word, and my hunger for communion with Christ my King.

ETERNAL LOVE OF GOD


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Matthew 19:24-26 (NRSV CE)



Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astounded and said, “Then who can be saved?” But Jesus looked at them and said, “For mortals it is impossible, but for God all things are possible.”

Wednesday of the Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 505



Reading 1 (Dn 5:1-6, 13-14, 16-17, 23-28)

King Belshazzar gave a great banquet for a thousand of his lords,
with whom he drank.
Under the influence of the wine,
he ordered the gold and silver vessels
which Nebuchadnezzar, his father,
had taken from the temple in Jerusalem,
to be brought in so that the king, his lords,
his wives and his entertainers might drink from them.
When the gold and silver vessels
taken from the house of God in Jerusalem had been brought in,
and while the king, his lords, his wives and his entertainers
were drinking wine from them,
they praised their gods of gold and silver,
bronze and iron, wood and stone.

Suddenly, opposite the lampstand,
the fingers of a human hand appeared,
writing on the plaster of the wall in the king's palace.
When the king saw the wrist and hand that wrote, his face blanched;
his thoughts terrified him, his hip joints shook,
and his knees knocked.

Then Daniel was brought into the presence of the king.
The king asked him, "Are you the Daniel, the Jewish exile,
whom my father, the king, brought from Judah?
I have heard that the Spirit of God is in you,
that you possess brilliant knowledge and extraordinary wisdom.
I have heard that you can interpret dreams and solve difficulties;
if you are able to read the writing and tell me what it means,
you shall be clothed in purple,
wear a gold collar about your neck,
and be third in the government of the kingdom."

Daniel answered the king:
"You may keep your gifts, or give your presents to someone else;
but the writing I will read for you, O king,
and tell you what it means.
You have rebelled against the Lord of heaven.
You had the vessels of his temple brought before you,
so that you and your nobles, your wives and your entertainers,
might drink wine from them;
and you praised the gods of silver and gold,
bronze and iron, wood and stone,
that neither see nor hear nor have intelligence.
But the God in whose hand is your life breath
and the whole course of your life, you did not glorify.
By him were the wrist and hand sent, and the writing set down.

"This is the writing that was inscribed:
MENE, TEKEL, and PERES.
These words mean:
MENE, God has numbered your kingdom and put an end to it;
TEKEL, you have been weighed on the scales and found wanting;
PERES, your kingdom has been divided and given to the Medes and Persians."

Responsorial Psalm (Dn 3:62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67)

R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.

"Sun and moon, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever."
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.

"Stars of heaven, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever."
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.

"Every shower and dew, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever."
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.

"All you winds, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever."
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.

"Fire and heat, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever."
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.

"Cold and chill, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever."
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.

Alleluia (Rev 2:10c)

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Remain faithful until death,
And I will give you the crown of life.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel (Lk 21:12-19)

Jesus said to the crowd:
"They will seize and persecute you,
they will hand you over to the synagogues and to prisons,
and they will have you led before kings and governors
because of my name.
It will lead to your giving testimony.
Remember, you are not to prepare your defense beforehand,
for I myself shall give you a wisdom in speaking
that all your adversaries will be powerless to resist or refute.
You will even be handed over by parents,
brothers, relatives, and friends,
and they will put some of you to death.
You will be hated by all because of my name,
but not a hair on your head will be destroyed.
By your perseverance you will secure your lives."



REFLECTIONS: WORD Today



Today's First Reading is the source of the famous phrase "the writing is on the wall." It means that the dire consequence of a bad action is very clear and will surely follow.

The distant kingdom of Babylon has a new king and he holds a great party for a thousand nobles. There he arrogantly ridicules and blasphemes God by using the sacred cups and vessels taken from the Temple of God in Jerusalem, then praising his gold and stone idols.

Suddenly ghostly hand appeared floating in the air and wrote on the wall the punishment that was coming to the king for his sin. But no one could read it so they brought in God's prophet Daniel the Jew.

Daniel risked arousing the king's anger and losing his high position at the king's court and even a promised reward. He was the king's good servant, but he was God's first. So he courageously and truthfully told the king of God's coming punishment...

In the Gospel, Jesus tells His disciples, "You will be dragged into synagogues and prisons, and you will stand trial before kings and governors because you are my followers. But this will be your opportunity to tell them about me." (Luke 21:12-13 NLT)

The same opportunity is given to us modern-day disciples. "Martyr" is the Greek word for "witness" but not necessarily to die. Jesus asks to stand up for the Gospel amidst theft and corruption in the workplace, vice among friends and family, and whenever the values of Jesus are ridiculed - we risk death by humiliation.

The kings and rulers of this world tell us to practice our faith privately, to just live and let live. This is a direct contradiction of what our Lord commands us, to tell the Good News to the ends of the earth. Following Jesus is not a private affair but a public and courageous declaration that He is Christ our King.

STAND UP FOR JESUS


Source: https://www.facebook.com/CatholicMassReflec...805852246379199



This post has been edited by khool: Nov 29 2017, 11:59 AM

He lived a simple life running a corner grocery store—and left $13 million to a Catholic school



A spectacular act of generosity:

In life, Leonard Gigowski ran a corner grocery store. The bachelor loved ballroom dancing and pigeon racing. In death, he found a way to help generations of students pay their tuition at St. Thomas More High School, his own alma mater back when it was called St. Francis Minor Seminary.

This quiet and frugal man left $13 million in a scholarship fund that covers up to half the tuition for needy students who don’t qualify for the private school choice program and its state aid payments.

“He lived a very simple life, nothing extravagant whatsoever in his lifestyle. For the most part, he saved his money and wanted to provide a legacy, which he did,” said Larry Haskin, Leonard’s lawyer and friend who helped him set up the Leonard Gigowski Catholic Education Foundation.

Leonard was 90 and still in his New Berlin home when he died of cancer on July 21, 2015. He never married or had children. All but one sibling preceded him in death. He made a few small bequests to individuals and family members, but the vast majority of his estate went toward the scholarships, as he wished.

Mary McIntosh, president of Thomas More on Milwaukee’s south side, recalls meeting Haskin for coffee and learning of the foundation. “He told me the size of Leonard’s gift, and I almost fell off my chair,” she said.

This school year, a total of $489,000 was awarded to 131 students to cover either one-half ($5,400) or one-third ($3,600) of the annual tuition, which is $10,800. The goal is to distribute 5% of the fund balance each year, thus keeping it going into perpetuity. Students can renew the scholarship each year as long as they keep their grades up.

All of that is a pretty good reason for the school to feel grateful, especially in this week devoted to giving thanks. “It’s a fantastic recruiting tool to be able to reduce tuition, and to make it a bit more affordable for the families,” said Haskin, a graduate of Pio Nono High School, also a predecessor of Thomas More.

Source: https://aleteia.org/blogs/deacon-greg-kandr...atholic-school/

Advent reflections

Light a candle each week. Pray for the coming of Christ in our work, in our studies, in our family, in our country, in our mission and in our broken world. Pray for his presence in our lives and for His second coming. Maranatha!!

Monday of the First Week of Advent
Lectionary: 175



Reading 1 (Is 2:1-5)

This is what Isaiah, son of Amoz,
saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.

In days to come,
The mountain of the LORD's house
shall be established as the highest mountain
and raised above the hills.
All nations shall stream toward it;
many peoples shall come and say:
"Come, let us climb the LORD's mountain,
to the house of the God of Jacob,
That he may instruct us in his ways,
and we may walk in his paths."
For from Zion shall go forth instruction,
and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
He shall judge between the nations,
and impose terms on many peoples.
They shall beat their swords into plowshares
and their spears into pruning hooks;
One nation shall not raise the sword against another,
nor shall they train for war again.

O house of Jacob, come,
let us walk in the light of the LORD!

Responsorial Psalm (Ps 122:1-2, 3-4b, 4cd-5, 6-7, 8-9)

R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.

I rejoiced because they said to me,
"We will go up to the house of the LORD."
And now we have set foot
within your gates, O Jerusalem.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.

Jerusalem, built as a city
with compact unity.
To it the tribes go up,
the tribes of the LORD.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.

According to the decree for Israel,
to give thanks to the name of the LORD.
In it are set up judgment seats,
seats for the house of David.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem!
May those who love you prosper!
May peace be within your walls,
prosperity in your buildings.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.

Because of my relatives and friends
I will say, "Peace be within you!"
Because of the house of the LORD, our God,
I will pray for your good.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.

Alleluia (See Ps 80:4)

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Come and save us, LORD our God;
Let your face shine upon us, that we may be saved.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel (Mt 8:5-11)

When Jesus entered Capernaum,
a centurion approached him and appealed to him, saying,
"Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, suffering dreadfully."
He said to him, "I will come and cure him."
The centurion said in reply,
"Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof;
only say the word and my servant will be healed.
For I too am a man subject to authority,
with soldiers subject to me.
And I say to one, 'Go,' and he goes;
and to another, 'Come here,' and he comes;
and to my slave, 'Do this,' and he does it."
When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him,
"Amen, I say to you, in no one in Israel have I found such faith.
I say to you, many will come from the east and the west,
and will recline with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob
at the banquet in the Kingdom of heaven."



REFLECTIONS: WORD Today



"Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord." (Responsorial Psalm)

Advent Season invites us to come home. Isaiah in the First Reading invites us to come "to the house of the God of Jacob that he may instruct us in his ways, and we may walk in his path." (Isaiah 2:3).

And Jesus in the Gospel says that "many will come from the east and the west, and will sit with Abraham, Isaac,and Jacob at the banquet in the Kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 8:11)

But there are so many other invitations for us to come. Entertainment and store sales persistently call us to come to them. Friends and relatives want us to come to their parties. If we do not make a firm commitment to come to the Lord this Advent, Satan will use the noise of worldly X-mas to drown out the true joy of Christmas.

Let us come daily to the Lord's Banquet, the Holy Mass. At every Mass, we sit with all the Saints from the east and the west, including Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

O come all ye faithful, O come let us adore Him!

O COME, O COME EMMANUEL


Source: https://www.facebook.com/CatholicMassReflec...?type=1&theater