Jesus' First Disciples

NOVEMBER 30, 2021, TUESDAY
Feast of Saint Andrew, Apostle (Red)
CYCLE C - YEAR II
Lectionary: 684

Reading I
Rom 10:9-18

Brothers and sisters:

If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord

and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead,

you will be saved.

For one believes with the heart and so is justified,

and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved.

The Scripture says,

No one who believes in him will be put to shame.

There is no distinction between Jew and Greek;

the same Lord is Lord of all,

enriching all who call upon him.

For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

But how can they call on him in whom they have not believed?

And how can they believe in him of whom they have not heard?

And how can they hear without someone to preach?

And how can people preach unless they are sent?

As it is written,

How beautiful are the feet of those who bring the good news!

But not everyone has heeded the good news;

for Isaiah says, Lord, who has believed what was heard from us?

Thus faith comes from what is heard,

and what is heard comes through the word of Christ.

But I ask, did they not hear?

Certainly they did; for

    Their voice has gone forth to all the earth,

        and their words to the ends of the world.

Responsorial Psalm
19:8, 9, 10, 11

R.    (10)  The judgments of the Lord are true, and all of them are just.

or:

R.    (John 6:63)  Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.

The law of the LORD is perfect,

    refreshing the soul;

The decree of the LORD is trustworthy,

    giving wisdom to the simple.

R.    The judgments of the Lord are true, and all of them are just.

or:

R.    Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.

The precepts of the LORD are right,

    rejoicing the heart;

The command of the LORD is clear,

    enlightening the eye.

R.    The judgments of the Lord are true, and all of them are just.

or:

R.    Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.

The fear of the LORD is pure,

    enduring forever;

The ordinances of the LORD are true,

    all of them just.

R.    The judgments of the Lord are true, and all of them are just.

or:

R.    Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.

They are more precious than gold,

    than a heap of purest gold;

Sweeter also than syrup

    or honey from the comb.

R.    The judgments of the Lord are true, and all of them are just.

or:

R.    Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.

Alleluia
Mt 4:19

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Come after me, says the Lord,

and I will make you fishers of men.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel
Mt 4:18-22

As Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers,

Simon who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew,

casting a net into the sea; they were fishermen.

He said to them,

“Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.”

At once they left their nets and followed him.

He walked along from there and saw two other brothers,

James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John.

They were in a boat, with their father Zebedee, mending their nets.

He called them, and immediately they left their boat and their father 

and followed him.

REFLECTION:

Andrew, together with his more famous brother Peter, is the first to be called by Jesus to follow him. This humble fisherman must have seen something very special in this man to make him immediately leave his nets, his livelihood, and follow him. What is Jesus’ call to me in this period of my life? I pray for the grace not to be deaf to his call but prompt and generous in my response to it.

Andrew was a member of that small yet amazing group of men who were ready to trust Jesus fully and obey his incredible command to take the Gospel to all nations. It is thanks to Andrew and his companions that we, and hundreds of millions like us, believe in Jesus. I stand in awe and thanksgiving before this man and his Master.

In their everyday tasks, the apostles saw metaphors for how they would be as disciples of Jesus. Are there ways God speaks to me in my ordinary chores? How might God address me in the language of my everyday?

PRAYER:

Your words are spirit Lord and they are life. Lord, teach us your ways, Lord you called those to come follow you just as they were, and leaving everything they did just that. Jesus you do not ask that we leave everything but just that we follow you in our daily walk through life, and with you to guide us how can we fail

Centurion's Faith

NOVEMBER 29, 2021, MONDAY
Monday of the First Week of Advent (Violet)
CYCLE C - YEAR II
Lectionary: 175

Reading I
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
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.”

REFLECTION:

Not many people could amaze Jesus, but this man does: he believes that Jesus can speak a word of healing, and that will be enough to cure his servant. Like the centurion, I may be used to giving and receiving instructions. Do I ever amaze Jesus with my faith?

‘Lord, I am not worthy.’ Do I ever feel that way? Do I ever feel I am getting more than I deserve? We live in a culture of entitlement, thinking we deserve to get everything on offer. How about me?

PRAYER:

Lord, so much of my life is structured by social conventions and barriers. Give me the grace to listen to my heart and reach out to those that I can help.

Be Watchful! (FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT - YEAR C)

NOVEMBER 28, 2021, SUNDAY
First Sunday of Advent (Violet)
FIRST DAY OF THE NEW LITURGICAL CALENDAR YEAR:
CYCLE C - YEAR II
Lectionary: 3

Reading I
Jer 33:14-16

The days are coming, says the LORD, 

    when I will fulfill the promise 

    I made to the house of Israel and Judah.

In those days, in that time, 

    I will raise up for David a just shoot ; 

    he shall do what is right and just in the land.

In those days Judah shall be safe 

    and Jerusalem shall dwell secure; 

    this is what they shall call her: 

    “The LORD our justice.”

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 25:4-5, 8-9, 10, 14

R. (1b)  To you, O Lord, I lift my soul.

Your ways, O LORD, make known to me;

   teach me your paths,

Guide me in your truth and teach me,

   for you are God my savior,

   and for you I wait all the day. 

R. To you, O Lord, I lift my soul.

Good and upright is the LORD;

   thus he shows sinners the way.

He guides the humble to justice,

   and teaches the humble his way. 

R. To you, O Lord, I lift my soul.

All the paths of the LORD are kindness and constancy

   toward those who keep his covenant and his decrees.

The friendship of the LORD is with those who fear him,

   and his covenant, for their instruction. 

R. To you, O Lord, I lift my soul.

Reading II
1 Thes 3:12—4:2

Brothers and sisters:

May the Lord make you increase and abound in love

for one another and for all,

just as we have for you, 

so as to strengthen your hearts, 

to be blameless in holiness before our God and Father 

at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his holy ones.  Amen.

Finally, brothers and sisters, 

we earnestly ask and exhort you in the Lord Jesus that,

as you received from us 

how you should conduct yourselves to please God

and as you are conducting yourselves

you do so even more.

For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus.

Alleluia
Ps 85:8

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Show us, Lord, your love;

and grant us your salvation.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel
Lk 21:25-28, 34-36

Jesus said to his disciples:

“There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, 

and on earth nations will be in dismay, 

perplexed by the roaring of the sea and the waves.

People will die of fright 

in anticipation of what is coming upon the world, 

for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.

And then they will see the Son of Man 

coming in a cloud with power and great glory.

But when these signs begin to happen, 

stand erect and raise your heads 

because your redemption is at hand.

“Beware that your hearts do not become drowsy 

from carousing and drunkenness 

and the anxieties of daily life, 

and that day catch you by surprise like a trap.

For that day will assault everyone

who lives on the face of the earth.

Be vigilant at all times 

and pray that you have the strength 

to escape the tribulations that are imminent 

and to stand before the Son of Man.”

REFLECTION:

Advent is a season of hope and expectation. We are invited to prepare joyfully for the coming of Christ. He comes in history (his conception and birth), in mystery (through the sacraments, and especially the Eucharist), and in majesty (at the Last Day). In the first weeks of Advent the stress is on this third coming in majesty. Hence today's gospel which we have already prayed with in recent days. The old liturgical year ended, and the new one has begun, with our calling to mind the Lord's final coming at the end of time. We look forward to it with happy anticipation, not with fear.

How do the three comings of Christ impinge on my life? Do I want to deepen my awareness of them as I move through Advent? How firm is my hope?

PRAYER:

Lord, may your coming be a glorious and redemptive event. May I so live that, in the words of the hymn, “when you come, with shout of acclamation and take me home, what joy shall fill my heart!”

Be Vigilant At All Times (LAST DAY OF THE LITURGICAL CALENDAR YEAR: CYCLE -B - YEAR I)

NOVEMBER 27, 2021, SATURDAY
Saturday of the Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time (Green)
LAST DAY OF THE LITURGICAL CALENDAR YEAR:
CYCLE B - YEAR I
Lectionary: 508

Reading I
Dn 7:15-27

I, Daniel, found my spirit anguished within its covering of flesh,
and I was terrified by the visions of my mind.
I approached one of those present
and asked him what all this meant in truth;
in answer, he made known to me the meaning of the things:
“These four great beasts stand for four kingdoms
which shall arise on the earth.
But the holy ones of the Most High shall receive the kingship,
to possess it forever and ever.”
But I wished to make certain about the fourth beast,
so very terrible and different from the others,
devouring and crushing with its iron teeth and bronze claws,
and trampling with its feet what was left;
about the ten horns on its head, and the other one that sprang up,
before which three horns fell;
about the horn with the eyes and the mouth that spoke arrogantly,
which appeared greater than its fellows.
For, as I watched, that horn made war against the holy ones
and was victorious until the Ancient One arrived;
judgment was pronounced in favor of the holy ones of the Most High,
and the time came when the holy ones possessed the kingdom.
He answered me thus:
“The fourth beast shall be a fourth kingdom on earth
different from all the others;
It shall devour the whole earth,
beat it down, and crush it.
The ten horns shall be ten kings
rising out of that kingdom;
another shall rise up after them,
Different from those before him,
who shall lay low three kings.
He shall speak against the Most High
and oppress the holy ones of the Most High,
thinking to change the feast days and the law.
They shall be handed over to him
for a year, two years, and a half-year.
But when the court is convened,
and his power is taken away
by final and absolute destruction,
Then the kingship and dominion and majesty
of all the kingdoms under the heavens
shall be given to the holy people of the Most High,
Whose Kingdom shall be everlasting:
all dominions shall serve and obey him.”

Responsorial Psalm
Daniel 3:82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87

R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.

“You sons of men, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.”

R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.

“O Israel, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.”

R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.

“Priests of the Lord, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.”

R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.

“Servants of the Lord, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.”

R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.

“Spirits and souls of the just, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.”

R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.

“Holy men of humble heart, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.”

R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.

Alleluia
Lk 21:36

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Be vigilant at all times and pray
That you may have the strength to stand before the Son of Man.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

GOSPEL
Lk 21:34-36

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Beware that your hearts do not become drowsy
from carousing and drunkenness
and the anxieties of daily life,
and that day catch you by surprise like a trap.
For that day will assault everyone
who lives on the face of the earth.
Be vigilant at all times
and pray that you have the strength
to escape the tribulations that are imminent
and to stand before the Son of Man.”

REFLECTION:

Today is the last day of the liturgical year – tomorrow being the first Sunday of Advent. And the cycle of the liturgical year begins again. In this text Jesus reminds us of the passing aspect of life. In this way he urges us not to be caught unawares and to pay attention to fulfilling our desires for good.

Supervision is important when we have responsibilities to meet. A good supervisor helps to keep us up to the mark. God is the ultimate supervisor who wants only what is best for us. Let us stay awake to welcome him when He comes.

Amid the worries of my daily life, 'eternal truths' can seem irrelevant or unreal. But Jesus reminds me here not to be weighed down and completely preoccupied by the immediate, concrete, here-and-now part of reality. A good question to focus my mind on is: "What do I want to be remembered for when I die?"

PRAYER:

Dearest Lord, let me not be distracted by the things of this Earth. Enable me to always be prepared to meet You face to face. We're ready for Your second coming.

Jesus' Words Will Never Pass Away

NOVEMBER 26, 2021, FRIDAY
Friday of the Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time (Green)
CYCLE B - YEAR I
Lectionary: 507

Reading I
Dn 7:2-14

In a vision I, Daniel, saw during the night,
the four winds of heaven stirred up the great sea,
from which emerged four immense beasts,
each different from the others.
The first was like a lion, but with eagle’s wings.
While I watched, the wings were plucked;
it was raised from the ground to stand on two feet
like a man, and given a human mind. 
The second was like a bear; it was raised up on one side,
and among the teeth in its mouth were three tusks.
It was given the order, “Up, devour much flesh.” 
After this I looked and saw another beast, like a leopard;
on its back were four wings like those of a bird,
and it had four heads.
To this beast dominion was given.
After this, in the visions of the night I saw the fourth beast,
different from all the others,
terrifying, horrible, and of extraordinary strength;
it had great iron teeth with which it devoured and crushed,
and what was left it trampled with its feet.
I was considering the ten horns it had,
when suddenly another, a little horn, sprang out of their midst,
and three of the previous horns were torn away to make room for it.
This horn had eyes like a man,
and a mouth that spoke arrogantly.
As I watched,
    Thrones were set up 
        and the Ancient One took his throne.
    His clothing was snow bright,
        and the hair on his head as white as wool;
    His throne was flames of fire,
        with wheels of burning fire.
    A surging stream of fire
        flowed out from where he sat;
    Thousands upon thousands were ministering to him,
        and myriads upon myriads attended him.
The court was convened, and the books were opened.
I watched, then, from the first of the arrogant words
which the horn spoke, until the beast was slain
and its body thrown into the fire to be burnt up.
The other beasts, which also lost their dominion,
were granted a prolongation of life for a time and a season.
As the visions during the night continued, I saw
    One like a son of man coming,
        on the clouds of heaven;
    When he reached the Ancient One
        and was presented before him,
    He received dominion, glory, and kingship;
        nations and peoples of every language serve him.
    His dominion is an everlasting dominion
        that shall not be taken away,
    his kingship shall not be destroyed.

Responsorial Psalm
Daniel 3:75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81

R.    Give glory and eternal praise to him!

“Mountains and hills, bless the Lord;
    praise and exalt him above all forever.”

R.    Give glory and eternal praise to him!

“Everything growing from the earth, bless the Lord;
    praise and exalt him above all forever.

R.    Give glory and eternal praise to him!”

“You springs, bless the Lord;
    praise and exalt him above all forever.”

R.    Give glory and eternal praise to him!

“Seas and rivers, bless the Lord;
    praise and exalt him above all forever.”

R.    Give glory and eternal praise to him!

“You dolphins and all water creatures, bless the Lord;
    praise and exalt him above all forever.”

R.    Give glory and eternal praise to him!

“All you birds of the air, bless the Lord;
    praise and exalt him above all forever.”

R.    Give glory and eternal praise to him!

“All you beasts, wild and tame, bless the Lord;
    praise and exalt him above all forever.”

R.    Give glory and eternal praise to him!

Alleluia
Lk 21:28

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Stand erect and raise your heads
because your redemption is at hand.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

GOSPEL
Lk 21:29-33

Jesus told his disciples a parable.
“Consider the fig tree and all the other trees.
When their buds burst open,
you see for yourselves and know that summer is now near;
in the same way, when you see these things happening,
know that the Kingdom of God is near.
Amen, I say to you, this generation will not pass away
until all these things have taken place.
Heaven and earth will pass away, 
but my words will not pass away.”

REFLECTION:

As the liturgical year ends is there anything in my life that I need to discern? If so, I pray that I may recognize the signs and interpret them correctly.

PRAYER:

Jesus, you seem to have learnt so much from nature! Grant me the same awareness so that I may learn the presence, action and care of God in my life.

Redemption Is At Hand

NOVEMBER 25, 2021, THURSDAY
Thursday of the Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time (Green)
FEAST OF SAINT CATHERINE OF ALEXANDRIA, VIRGIN AND MARTYR (RED)
CYCLE B - YEAR I
Lectionary: 506

Reading I
Dn 6:12-28

Some men rushed into the upper chamber of Daniel’s home
and found him praying and pleading before his God.
Then they went to remind the king about the prohibition:
“Did you not decree, O king,
that no one is to address a petition to god or man
for thirty days, except to you, O king;
otherwise he shall be cast into a den of lions?”
The king answered them, “The decree is absolute,
irrevocable under the Mede and Persian law.”
To this they replied, “Daniel, the Jewish exile,
has paid no attention to you, O king,
or to the decree you issued;
three times a day he offers his prayer.”
The king was deeply grieved at this news
and he made up his mind to save Daniel;
he worked till sunset to rescue him.
But these men insisted.
They said, “Keep in mind, O king,
that under the Mede and Persian law
every royal prohibition or decree is irrevocable.”
So the king ordered Daniel to be brought and cast into the lions’ den.
To Daniel he said,
“May your God, whom you serve so constantly, save you.”
To forestall any tampering,
the king sealed with his own ring and the rings of the lords
the stone that had been brought to block the opening of the den.
Then the king returned to his palace for the night;
he refused to eat and he dismissed the entertainers.
Since sleep was impossible for him,
the king rose very early the next morning
and hastened to the lions’ den.
As he drew near, he cried out to Daniel sorrowfully,
“O Daniel, servant of the living God,
has the God whom you serve so constantly
been able to save you from the lions?”
Daniel answered the king: “O king, live forever! 
My God has sent his angel and closed the lions’ mouths
so that they have not hurt me.
For I have been found innocent before him;
neither to you have I done any harm, O king!”
This gave the king great joy.
At his order Daniel was removed from the den,
unhurt because he trusted in his God.
The king then ordered the men who had accused Daniel,
along with their children and their wives,
to be cast into the lions’ den.
Before they reached the bottom of the den,
the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones.
Then King Darius wrote to the nations and peoples of every language,
wherever they dwell on the earth:  “All peace to you!
I decree that throughout my royal domain
the God of Daniel is to be reverenced and feared:
    “For he is the living God, enduring forever;
        his Kingdom shall not be destroyed, 
        and his dominion shall be without end.
    He is a deliverer and savior,
        working signs and wonders in heaven and on earth,
        and he delivered Daniel from the lions’ power.”

Responsorial Psalm
Daniel 3:68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74

R.    (59b) Give glory and eternal praise to him.

“Dew and rain, bless the Lord;
    praise and exalt him above all forever.”

R.    Give glory and eternal praise to him.

“Frost and chill, bless the Lord;
    praise and exalt him above all forever.”

R.    Give glory and eternal praise to him.

“Ice and snow, bless the Lord;
    praise and exalt him above all forever.”

R.    Give glory and eternal praise to him.

“Nights and days, bless the Lord;
    praise and exalt him above all forever.”

R.    Give glory and eternal praise to him.

“Light and darkness, bless the Lord;
    praise and exalt him above all forever.”

R.    Give glory and eternal praise to him.

“Lightnings and clouds, bless the Lord;
    praise and exalt him above all forever.”

R.    Give glory and eternal praise to him.

“Let the earth bless the Lord,
    praise and exalt him above all forever.”

R.    Give glory and eternal praise to him.

Alleluia
Lk 21:28

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Stand erect and raise your heads
because your redemption is at hand.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

GOSPEL
Lk 21:20-28

Jesus said to his disciples:
“When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies,
know that its desolation is at hand.
Then those in Judea must flee to the mountains.
Let those within the city escape from it,
and let those in the countryside not enter the city,
for these days are the time of punishment
when all the Scriptures are fulfilled.
Woe to pregnant women and nursing mothers in those days,
for a terrible calamity will come upon the earth
and a wrathful judgment upon this people.
They will fall by the edge of the sword
and be taken as captives to all the Gentiles;
and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles
until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.
“There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars,
and on earth nations will be in dismay,
perplexed by the roaring of the sea and the waves.
People will die of fright
in anticipation of what is coming upon the world,
for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
And then they will see the Son of Man
coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
But when these signs begin to happen,
stand erect and raise your heads
because your redemption is at hand.”

REFLECTION:

As Advent approaches, Pope Francis reminds us that in the next four weeks ‘we do not just live in anticipation of Christmas; we are also called to rekindle the anticipation of the glorious return of Christ — when he will return at the end of time — preparing ourselves, with consistent and courageous choices, for the final encounter with him. We remember Christmas, we await the glorious return of Christ, and also our personal encounter: the day in which the Lord will call.’

PRAYER:

Lord, how we need the gift of your peace in our world today. All around us wars are raging and your people are suffering. Help us join in the search for peace, help us remember those suffering now and show us Lord how to be of service to them. 

They Will Seize and Persecute You

NOVEMBER 24, 2021, WEDNESDAY
Memorial of Saint Andrew Dŭng-Ląc, Priest, and Companions, Martyrs (Red)
CYCLE B - YEAR I
Lectionary: 505

Reading I
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
Daniel 3:62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67

R.    (59b) 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
Rv 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.”

REFLECTION:

These words of Jesus continue what he was saying in yesterday’s scripture about future events. He speaks of great suffering for those who follow Him. This was especially fulfilled in the early years of the Church when there were so many martyrs.

Many today are suffering because of lack of freedom to live their beliefs. For many it can be difficult today to openly profess one’s faith. It is important to pray for the Church and also for those who find it difficult to believe in a God of love.

PRAYER:

Jesus, help us to live in the here and now, to bear witness to you wherever we can. Not to fear but to trust in your loving care for us, and to stand up and be counted as followers of the Way. 

The Temple was Adorned

NOVEMBER 23, 2021, TUESDAY
Tuesday of the Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time (Green)
(Opt. Mem) Blessed Miguel Agustín Pro, Priest and Martyr (Red)
(Opt. Mem) Saint Columban, Abbot (White)
(Opt. Mem) Saint Clement I, Pope and Martyr (Red)
CYCLE B - YEAR I
Lectionary: 504

Reading I
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 in pieces and subdue all these others,
just as iron breaks in 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 in 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
Daniel 3:57, 58, 59, 60, 61

R.    (59b) 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
Rv 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.”

REFLECTION:

Endings are sometimes welcomed, sometimes feared. Now that we are coming to the end of the Liturgical Year (Advent begins next Sunday) our gospels will be focusing on the end times. Jesus begins by foretelling the end of the temple in Jerusalem (destroyed in 70 A.D.).Given the significance of the temple for Jewish religion and culture this could be seen as symbolizing the end of their messianic hopes. It certainly led to the Jewish diaspora and to the Rabbinic Judaism that we know today. Nothing could ever be the same again.

Jesus tells us to be prepared, to remain firm in faith. He calls us to be rooted and stable while also being ready to shed everything. He reminds us that without him as the center of our lives, we will be lost.

PRAYER:

I pray: ‘Jesus, you care about the whole world. Even though the human story seems to be full of disasters, you are laboring so that it may end in triumph. Give me courage and energy to play my little part, so that at the end I may rejoice with you.’

The Widows Offering

NOVEMBER 22, 2021, MONDAY
MEMORIAL OF SAINT CECILIA, VIRGIN AND MARTYR (Red)
(FINALE WEEK of the LITURGICAL CALENDAR YEAR:
CYCLE B - YEAR I)
Lectionary: 503

Reading I
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
Daniel 3:52, 53, 54, 55, 56

R.    (52b) 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.”

REFLECTION:

The amount of what I do is not that important for God, for what matters is my generosity, what lies in my heart. I ask God for an open heart, ready to give all as this poor widow of the Gospel.

Generosity is all relative, of course. Solomon prayed: Keep me from sacrifices that cost me nothing. Teach me true large-heartedness like that of the poor widow, a generosity that gives in secret, left hand not knowing what right hand is doing, and that gives until it hurts. Lord it does not matter what others see of my actions or neglect. You see into my heart and know my generosity or selfishness. Save me, Lord, from sacrifices that cost me nothing. True generosity is not so much giving what I can easily spare as giving what I can't easily do without.

PRAYER:

Lord, help us to be generous and share the many gifts you have bestowed on us. Help us to help those who cannot help themselves, teach us how to give and not count the cost.