Jesus Calls His First Disciples

NOVEMBER 30, 2022, WEDNESDAY
FEAST OF SAINT ANDREW, APOSTLE (Red)
CYCLE A - YEAR I
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.    The judgments of the Lord are true, and all of them are just.

or:

R.    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.

GOSPEL 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...

Blessed Are The Eyes That See What You See

NOVEMBER 29, 2022, TUESDAY
Tuesday of the First Week of Advent (Violet)
CYCLE A - YEAR I
Lectionary: 176

Reading 1
IS 11:1-10

On that day,

A shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse,

and from his roots a bud shall blossom.

The Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him:

a Spirit of wisdom and of understanding,

A Spirit of counsel and of strength,

a Spirit of knowledge and of fear of the LORD,

and his delight shall be the fear of the LORD.

Not by appearance shall he judge,

nor by hearsay shall he decide,

But he shall judge the poor with justice,

and decide aright for the land’s afflicted.

He shall strike the ruthless with the rod of his mouth,

and with the breath of his lips he shall slay the wicked.

Justice shall be the band around his waist,

and faithfulness a belt upon his hips.

Then the wolf shall be a guest of the lamb,

and the leopard shall lie down with the kid;

The calf and the young lion shall browse together,

with a little child to guide them.

The cow and the bear shall be neighbors,

together their young shall rest;

the lion shall eat hay like the ox.

The baby shall play by the cobra’s den,

and the child lay his hand on the adder’s lair.

There shall be no harm or ruin on all my holy mountain;

for the earth shall be filled with knowledge of the LORD,

as water covers the sea.

On that day,

The root of Jesse,

set up as a signal for the nations,

The Gentiles shall seek out,

for his dwelling shall be glorious.

Responsorial Psalm
PS 72:1-2, 7-8, 12-13, 17

R. (see 7)  Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.

O God, with your judgment endow the king,

and with your justice, the king’s son;

He shall govern your people with justice

and your afflicted ones with judgment. 

R. Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.

Justice shall flower in his days,

and profound peace, till the moon be no more.

May he rule from sea to sea,

and from the River to the ends of the earth.

R. Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.

He shall rescue the poor when he cries out,

and the afflicted when he has no one to help him.

He shall have pity for the lowly and the poor;

the lives of the poor he shall save. 

R. Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.

May his name be blessed forever;

as long as the sun his name shall remain.

In him shall all the tribes of the earth be blessed;

all the nations shall proclaim his happiness.

R. Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.

 

Alleluia 

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Behold, our Lord shall come with power;

he will enlighten the eyes of his servants.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel
LK 10:21-24

Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said,

“I give you praise, Father, Lord of heaven and earth,

for although you have hidden these things

from the wise and the learned

you have revealed them to the childlike. 

Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will. 

All things have been handed over to me by my Father. 

No one knows who the Son is except the Father,

and who the Father is except the Son

and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him.”

Turning to the disciples in private he said,

“Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. 

For I say to you,

many prophets and kings desired to see what you see,

but did not see it,

and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it.”

GOSPEL REFLECTION:

Jesus seems here to be rejoicing in his disciples, happy that they are with him. He is happy too in what God his Father has given to his followers. He rejoices in us as friends rejoice together, as parents rejoice in the talents and gifts of their children. Maybe we can rejoice in each other? In prayer we can allow ourselves be grateful for the goodness, gifts and faith of others, especially people who are significant in our lives.

This lovely prayer of Jesus tells us something of the relationship he treasured with his father through the Holy Spirit. It is his prayer of thanksgiving for the successful mission of his disciples whom he had sent out to preach. Jesus then tells them that they are indeed blessed to have accepted the good news and to be building their lives on their relationship with God.

PRAYER:

Jesus, you are the icon of the Father. You come among us not in greatness but as a ‘little one’ in lowliness and humility. As you reveal yourself to us each day, help me to play my part in sharing the joy of the Gospel. 

Faith Of The Centurion

NOVEMBER 28, 2022, MONDAY
Monday of the First Week of Advent (Violet)
CYCLE A - YEAR I
Lectionary: 175

Reading 1
Is 4:2-6

On that day,

The branch of the LORD will be luster and glory,

and the fruit of the earth will be honor and splendor

for the survivors of Israel.

He who remains in Zion

and he who is left in Jerusalem

Will be called holy:

every one marked down for life in Jerusalem.

When the LORD washes away

the filth of the daughters of Zion,

And purges Jerusalem's blood from her midst

with a blast of searing judgment,

Then will the LORD create,

over the whole site of Mount Zion

and over her place of assembly,

A smoking cloud by day

and a light of flaming fire by night.

For over all, the LORD's glory will be shelter and protection:

shade from the parching heat of day,

refuge and cover from storm and rain.

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."

GOSPEL 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.

The Son of Man Will Come (FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT - YEAR A)

NOVEMBER 27, 2022, SUNDAY
FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT (VIOLET)
NEW LITURGICAL CALENDAR YEAR: CYCLE A - YEAR I
Lectionary: 1

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, 3-4, 4-5, 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 brothers 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.

Reading 2
Rom 13:11-14

Brothers and sisters:

You know the time;

it is the hour now for you to awake from sleep.

For our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed;

the night is advanced, the day is at hand.

Let us then throw off the works of darkness

and put on the armor of light;

let us conduct ourselves properly as in the day,

not in orgies and drunkenness,

not in promiscuity and lust,

not in rivalry and jealousy.

But put on the Lord Jesus Christ,

and make no provision for the desires of the flesh.

Alleluia
Cf. Ps 85:8

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Show us Lord, your love;

and grant us your salvation.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel
Mt 24:37-44

Jesus said to his disciples:

"As it was in the days of Noah,

so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.

In those days before the flood,

they were eating and drinking,

marrying and giving in marriage,

up to the day that Noah entered the ark.

They did not know until the flood came and carried them all away.

So will it be also at the coming of the Son of Man.

Two men will be out in the field;

one will be taken, and one will be left.

Two women will be grinding at the mill;

one will be taken, and one will be left.

Therefore, stay awake!

For you do not know on which day your Lord will come.

Be sure of this: if the master of the house

had known the hour of night when the thief was coming,

he would have stayed awake

and not let his house be broken into.

So too, you also must be prepared,

for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come."

GOSPEL REFLECTION:

As we begin our new church year in Advent we are reminded of our main purpose in life – to be ready and looking forward to our eventual home with the Lord. This call can come suddenly upon us. But the Lord wishes us to be his friend when he calls us and offers this friendship to us throughout our lives.

Develop your own personal friendship with the Lord – as you are now doing while you spend this time in prayer.

PRAYER:

Teach me, Lord, to recognize your face wherever I encounter you.

“Behold, I am coming soon”

NOVEMBER 26, 2022, SATURDAY
Saturday of the Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time (Green)
LAST DAY OF THE LITURGICAL YEAR 2022: CYCLE C - YEAR II
Lectionary: 508

Reading 1
RV 22:1-7

John said:

An angel showed me the river of life-giving water,

sparkling like crystal, flowing from the throne of God

and of the Lamb down the middle of the street,

On either side of the river grew the tree of life

that produces fruit twelve times a year, once each month;

the leaves of the trees serve as medicine for the nations.

Nothing accursed will be found anymore.

The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it,

and his servants will worship him.

They will look upon his face, and his name will be on their foreheads.

Night will be no more, nor will they need light from lamp or sun,

for the Lord God shall give them light,

and they shall reign forever and ever.

And he said to me,

“These words are trustworthy and true, 

and the Lord, the God of prophetic spirits,

sent his angel to show his servants what must happen soon.”

“Behold, I am coming soon.”

Blessed is the one who keeps the prophetic message of this book.

Responsorial Psalm
PS 95:1-2, 3-5, 6-7AB

R. (1 Cor 16: 22b, see Rev. 22: 20c) Marana tha! Come, Lord Jesus!

Come, let us sing joyfully to the LORD;

let us acclaim the Rock of our salvation.

Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;

let us joyfully sing psalms to him.

R. Marana tha! Come, Lord Jesus!

For the LORD is a great God,

and a great king above all gods;

In his hands are the depths of the earth,

and the tops of the mountains are his.

His is the sea, for he has made it,

and the dry land, which his hands have formed.

R. Marana tha! Come, Lord Jesus!

Come, let us bow down in worship;

let us kneel before the LORD who made us.

For he is our God,

and we are the people he shepherds, the flock he guides.

R. Marana tha! Come, Lord Jesus!

 

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.”

GOSPEL 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.

My Words Will Not Pass Away

NOVEMBER 25, 2022, FRIDAY
Friday of the Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time (Green)
Optional Memorial of Saint Catherine of Alexandria, Virgin and Martyr (Red)
CYCLE C - YEAR II
Lectionary: 507

Reading 1
RV 20:1-4, 11—21:2

I, John, saw an angel come down from heaven,

holding in his hand the key to the abyss and a heavy chain.

He seized the dragon, the ancient serpent,

which is the Devil or Satan,

and tied it up for a thousand years and threw it into the abyss,

which he locked over it and sealed,

so that it could no longer lead the nations astray

until the thousand years are completed.

After this, it is to be released for a short time.

Then I saw thrones; those who sat on them were entrusted with judgment.

I also saw the souls of those who had been beheaded

for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God,

and who had not worshiped the beast or its image

nor had accepted its mark on their foreheads or hands.

They came to life and they reigned with Christ for a thousand years.

Next I saw a large white throne and the one who was sitting on it.

The earth and the sky fled from his presence

and there was no place for them.

I saw the dead, the great and the lowly, standing before the throne,

and scrolls were opened.

Then another scroll was opened, the book of life.

The dead were judged according to their deeds,

by what was written in the scrolls.

The sea gave up its dead;

then Death and Hades gave up their dead.

All the dead were judged according to their deeds.

Then Death and Hades were thrown into the pool of fire.

(This pool of fire is the second death.)

Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life

was thrown into the pool of fire.

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth.

The former heaven and the former earth had passed away,

and the sea was no more.

I also saw the holy city, a new Jerusalem,

coming down out of heaven from God,

prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

 

Responsorial Psalm
PS 84:3, 4, 5-6A AND 8A

R. (Rev. 21:3b) Here God lives among his people.

My soul yearns and pines 

for the courts of the LORD.

My heart and my flesh

cry out for the living God.

R. Here God lives among his people.

Even the sparrow finds a home,

and the swallow a nest

in which she puts her young–

Your altars, O LORD of hosts,

my king and my God!

R. Here God lives among his people.

Blessed they who dwell in your house!

continually they praise you.

Blessed the men whose strength you are!

They go from strength to strength.

R. Here God lives among his people.

 

 

Alleluia
LUKE 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.”

GOSPEL REFLECTION:

As the liturgical year ends is there anything in my life that I need to discern? If so, I pray that I may recognise 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.

Jesus Heals Ten Lepers

NOVEMBER 24, 2022, THURSDAY

Memorial of Saint Andrew Dũng-Lạc, Priest, and Companions, Martyrs (White)

THANKSGIVING DAY

CYCLE C - YEAR II

Lectionary: 943-947

The following are a selection of the readings that may be chosen for this day.

Reading I

Sir 50:22-24

And now, bless the God of all,

    who has done wondrous things on earth;

Who fosters people’s growth from their mother’s womb,

    and fashions them according to his will!

May he grant you joy of heart

    and may peace abide among you;

May his goodness toward us endure in Israel

    to deliver us in our days.

Responsorial Psalm

145:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9, 10-11

R. (see 1) I will praise your name for ever, Lord.

Every day will I bless you,

    and I will praise your name forever and ever.

Great is the LORD and highly to be praised;

    his greatness is unsearchable. 

R. I will praise your name for ever, Lord.

Generation after generation praises your works

    and proclaims your might.

They speak of the splendor of your glorious majesty

    and tell of your wondrous works. 

R. I will praise your name for ever, Lord.

They discourse of the power of your terrible deeds

    and declare your greatness.

They publish the fame of your abundant goodness

    and joyfully sing of your justice.

R. I will praise your name for ever, Lord.

The LORD is gracious and merciful,

    slow to anger and of great kindness.

The LORD is good to all

    and compassionate toward all his works.

R. I will praise your name for ever, Lord.

Let all your works give you thanks, O LORD,

    and let your faithful ones bless you.

Let them discourse of the glory of your Kingdom

    and speak of your might.

R. I will praise your name for ever, Lord 

Reading II

1 Cor 1:3-9

Brothers and sisters:

Grace to you and peace from God our Father

and the Lord Jesus Christ.

I give thanks to my God always on your account

for the grace of God bestowed on you in Christ Jesus,

that in him you were enriched in every way,

with all discourse and all knowledge,

as the testimony to Christ was confirmed among you,

so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift

as you wait for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ.

He will keep you firm to the end,

irreproachable on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

God is faithful,

and by him you were called to fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Alleluia

1 Thes 5:18

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

In all circumstances, give thanks,

for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

Lk 17:11-19

As Jesus continued his journey to Jerusalem,

he traveled through Samaria and Galilee.

As he was entering a village, ten persons with leprosy met him.

They stood at a distance from him and raised their voices, saying,

“Jesus, Master! Have pity on us!”

And when he saw them, he said, 

“Go show yourselves to the priests.”

As they were going they were cleansed. 

And one of them, realizing he had been healed,

returned, glorifying God in a loud voice;

and he fell at the feet of Jesus and thanked him. 

He was a Samaritan.

Jesus said in reply,

“Ten were cleansed, were they not?

Where are the other nine? 

Has none but this foreigner returned to give thanks to God?” 

Then he said to him, “Stand up and go;

your faith has saved you.”

GOSPEL REFLECTION:

The men who were healed all realized their good fortune and rejoiced in it, recognizing where it came from. Only one took time to address himself to Jesus. Prayer is good when it consists of asking, receiving it, recognizing and appreciating but something is missing when it does not involve a humble return to Jesus to give thanks.

PRAYER:

Thank you, Lord, that I am alive, and able to speak to you; 

Our faith proves our never unfailing love with You. l May I always count my blessings.

The Disciples Will Be Persecuted

NOVEMBER 23, 2022, WEDNESDAY

Wednesday of the Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time (Green)

CYCLE C - YEAR II

Lectionary: 505

Reading 1

RV 15:1-4

I, John, saw in heaven another sign, great and awe-inspiring:

seven angels with the seven last plagues,

for through them God’s fury is accomplished.

Then I saw something like a sea of glass mingled with fire.

On the sea of glass were standing those

who had won the victory over the beast

and its image and the number that signified its name.

They were holding God’s harps,

and they sang the song of Moses, the servant of God,

and the song of the Lamb:

“Great and wonderful are your works,

Lord God almighty.

Just and true are your ways,

O king of the nations.

Who will not fear you, Lord,

or glorify your name?

For you alone are holy.

All the nations will come

and worship before you,

for your righteous acts have been revealed.”

 

Responsorial Psalm

PS 98:1, 2-3AB, 7-8, 9

R. (Rev. 15: 3b) Great and wonderful are all your works, Lord, mighty God!

Sing to the LORD a new song,

for he has done wondrous deeds;

His right hand has won victory for him,

his holy arm.

R. Great and wonderful are all your works, Lord, mighty God!

The LORD has made his salvation known:

in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice.

He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulness

toward the house of Israel.

R. Great and wonderful are all your works, Lord, mighty God!

Let the sea and what fills it resound,

the world and those who dwell in it;

Let the rivers clap their hands,

the mountains shout with them for joy.

R. Great and wonderful are all your works, Lord, mighty God!

Before the LORD, for he comes,

for he comes to rule the earth;

He will rule the world with justice

and the peoples with equity.

R. Great and wonderful are all your works, Lord, mighty God!

 

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.”

GOSPEL 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 22, 2022, TUESDAY

MEMORIAL OF SAINT CECILIA, VIRGIN AND MARTYR (Red)

CYCLE C - YEAR II

Lectionary: 504

Reading 1

RV 14:14-19

I, John, looked and there was a white cloud,

and sitting on the cloud one who looked like a son of man,

with a gold crown on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand.

Another angel came out of the temple,

crying out in a loud voice to the one sitting on the cloud,

“Use your sickle and reap the harvest,

for the time to reap has come,

because the earth’s harvest is fully ripe.”

So the one who was sitting on the cloud swung his sickle over the earth,

and the earth was harvested.

Then another angel came out of the temple in heaven

who also had a sharp sickle.

Then another angel came from the altar, who was in charge of the fire,

and cried out in a loud voice

to the one who had the sharp sickle,

“Use your sharp sickle and cut the clusters from the earth’s vines,

for its grapes are ripe.”

So the angel swung his sickle over the earth and cut the earth’s vintage.

He threw it into the great wine press of God’s fury.

 

Responsorial Psalm

96:10, 11-12, 13

R. (13b) The Lord comes to judge the earth.

Say among the nations: The LORD is king.

He has made the world firm, not to be moved;

he governs the peoples with equity.

R. The Lord comes to judge the earth.

Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice;

let the sea and what fills it resound;

let the plains be joyful and all that is in them!

Then shall all the trees of the forest exult.

R. The Lord comes to judge the earth.

Before the LORD, for he comes;

for he comes to rule the earth.

He shall rule the world with justice 

and the peoples with his constancy.

R. The Lord comes to judge the earth.

 

 

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.”  

GOSPEL 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 focussing 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 symbolising 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 centre 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 labouring 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 21, 2022, MONDAY

Memorial of The Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (White)

(FINAL WEEK of the LITURGICAL CALENDAR YEAR

CYCLE C - YEAR II)

Lectionary: 503

Reading 1

Rv 14:1-3, 4b-5

I, John, looked and there was the Lamb standing on Mount Zion,

and with him a hundred and forty-four thousand

who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads.

I heard a sound from heaven

like the sound of rushing water or a loud peal of thunder.

The sound I heard was like that of harpists playing their harps.

They were singing what seemed to be a new hymn before the throne,

before the four living creatures and the elders.

No one could learn this hymn except the hundred and forty-four thousand

who had been ransomed from the earth.

These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever he goes.

They have been ransomed as the first fruits

of the human race for God and the Lamb.

On their lips no deceit has been found; they are unblemished.

Responsorial Psalm

Ps 24:1bc-2, 3-4ab, 5-6

R.        (see 6) Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.

The LORD’s are the earth and its fullness;

the world and those who dwell in it.

For he founded it upon the seas

and established it upon the rivers.

R.        Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.

Who can ascend the mountain of the LORD?

or who may stand in his holy place?

He whose hands are sinless, whose heart is clean,

who desires not what is vain.

R.        Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.

He shall receive a blessing from the LORD,

a reward from God his savior.

Such is the race that seeks for him,

that seeks the face of the God of Jacob.

R.        Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.

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.”

GOSPEL 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.

Today You Will Be With Me In Paradise (SOLEMNITY OF CHRIST THE KING - C)

NOVEMBER 20, 2022, SUNDAY

THE SOLEMNITY OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, KING OF THE UNIVERSE (White)

CYCLE C - YEAR II

Lectionary: 162

Reading 1

2 Sm 5:1-3

In those days, all the tribes of Israel came to David in Hebron and said:

"Here we are, your bone and your flesh.

In days past, when Saul was our king,

it was you who led the Israelites out and brought them back.

And the LORD said to you,

'You shall shepherd my people Israel

and shall be commander of Israel.'"

When all the elders of Israel came to David in Hebron,

King David made an agreement with them there before the LORD,

and they anointed him king of Israel.

Responsorial Psalm

Ps 122:1-2, 3-4, 4-5

R. (cf. 1) 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.

Reading 2

Col 1:12-20

Brothers and sisters:

Let us give thanks to the Father,

who has made you fit to share

in the inheritance of the holy ones in light.

He delivered us from the power of darkness

and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son,

in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

He is the image of the invisible God,

the firstborn of all creation.

For in him were created all things in heaven and on earth,

the visible and the invisible,

whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers;

all things were created through him and for him.

He is before all things,

and in him all things hold together.

He is the head of the body, the church.

He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead,

that in all things he himself might be preeminent.

For in him all the fullness was pleased to dwell,

and through him to reconcile all things for him,

making peace by the blood of his cross

through him, whether those on earth or those in heaven.

Alleluia

Mk 11:9, 10

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!

Blessed is the kingdom of our father David that is to come!

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

Lk 23:35-43

The rulers sneered at Jesus and said,

"He saved others, let him save himself

if he is the chosen one, the Christ of God."

Even the soldiers jeered at him.

As they approached to offer him wine they called out,

"If you are King of the Jews, save yourself."

Above him there was an inscription that read,

"This is the King of the Jews."

Now one of the criminals hanging there reviled Jesus, saying,

"Are you not the Christ?

Save yourself and us."

The other, however, rebuking him, said in reply,

"Have you no fear of God,

for you are subject to the same condemnation?

And indeed, we have been condemned justly,

for the sentence we received corresponds to our crimes,

but this man has done nothing criminal."

Then he said,

"Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom."

He replied to him,

"Amen, I say to you,

today you will be with me in Paradise."

GOSPEL REFLECTION:

The central message of Jesus, eager to free us from our sins and grant us the gift of everlasting life, brings out the deep meaning of the feast of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, which we celebrate today.

PRAYER:

The ‘good thief’ saw things as they were: he knew his own sinfulness; he recognized & Jesus’ character; he asked for little yet was rewarded for his honesty. Humility brings a true perspective and is the ground for meeting God. I pray for humility.

Resurrection And Marriage

NOVEMBER 19, 2022, SATURDAY
Saturday of the Thirty-third Week in Ordinary Time (Green)
CYCLE C - YEAR II
Lectionary: 502

Reading 1
Rv 11:4-12

I, John, heard a voice from heaven speak to me:

Here are my two witnesses:

These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands

that stand before the Lord of the earth.

If anyone wants to harm them, fire comes out of their mouths

and devours their enemies.

In this way, anyone wanting to harm them is sure to be slain.

They have the power to close up the sky

so that no rain can fall during the time of their prophesying.

They also have power to turn water into blood

and to afflict the earth with any plague as often as they wish.

When they have finished their testimony,

the beast that comes up from the abyss

will wage war against them and conquer them and kill them.

Their corpses will lie in the main street of the great city,

which has the symbolic names “Sodom” and “Egypt,”

where indeed their Lord was crucified.

Those from every people, tribe, tongue, and nation

will gaze on their corpses for three and a half days,

and they will not allow their corpses to be buried.

The inhabitants of the earth will gloat over them

and be glad and exchange gifts

because these two prophets tormented the inhabitants of the earth.

But after the three and a half days,

a breath of life from God entered them.

When they stood on their feet, great fear fell on those who saw them.

Then they heard a loud voice from heaven say to them, “Come up here.”

So they went up to heaven in a cloud as their enemies looked on.

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 144:1, 2, 9-10

R.    (1b) Blessed be the Lord, my Rock!

Blessed be the LORD, my rock,

who trains my hands for battle, my fingers for war.

R.    Blessed be the Lord, my Rock!

My mercy and my fortress,

my stronghold, my deliverer,

My shield, in whom I trust,

who subdues my people under me.

R.    Blessed be the Lord, my Rock!

O God, I will sing a new song to you;

with a ten stringed lyre I will chant your praise,

You who give victory to kings,

and deliver David, your servant from the evil sword.

R.    Blessed be the Lord, my Rock!

 

Alleluia
See 2 Tm 1:10

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Our Savior Jesus Christ has destroyed death

and brought life to light through the Gospel.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel
Lk 20:27-40

Some Sadducees, those who deny that there is a resurrection,

came forward and put this question to Jesus, saying,

“Teacher, Moses wrote for us,

If someone’s brother dies leaving a wife but no child,

his brother must take the wife

and raise up descendants for his brother.

Now there were seven brothers;

the first married a woman but died childless.

Then the second and the third married her,

and likewise all the seven died childless.

Finally the woman also died.

Now at the resurrection whose wife will that woman be?

For all seven had been married to her.”

Jesus said to them,

“The children of this age marry and remarry;

but those who are deemed worthy to attain to the coming age

and to the resurrection of the dead

neither marry nor are given in marriage.

They can no longer die,

for they are like angels;

and they are the children of God

because they are the ones who will rise.

That the dead will rise

even Moses made known in the passage about the bush,

when he called  ‘Lord’

the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob;

and he is not God of the dead, but of the living,

for to him all are alive.”

Some of the scribes said in reply,

“Teacher, you have answered well.”

And they no longer dared to ask him anything.

GOSPEL REFLECTION:

Jesus invites the Sadducees to see beyond the confines of their logical, narrow limits. I allow Jesus to speak to my presumptions, asking him to soften my heart and loosen my grip on any limited thinking I have come to rely on. I watch as Jesus tries to raise the minds of his questioners to a higher level, to the level from which God sees. I ask him to share his vision so I may see something of God's beautiful plans for us all.

PRAYER:

I pray: ‘Dear God, you are God of the living. In death, you meet us and make us live eternally. Help me to believe that there are no ‘dead’ people, only people who have passed through death and are now fully alive, children of the resurrection.’