Friar’s Corner #756: 11/15/15: Thirty-Third of OT; 1st Week of Christian Prayer.
Sunday, November15: Thirty-Third of OT: Daniel 12:1-3 (At that time your people shall escape.); Ps 16:5, 9-11 (you are my inheritance, O Lord!); Heb 10:11-14, 18 (By one offering He has made perfect forever those who are being consecrated.); Alleluia, alleluia! Be vigilant at all times and pray that you have the strength to stand before the Son of Man. Alleluia, alleluia! Mark 13:24-32 (He will gather His elect from the four winds.)
Theme: Jesus’ faithful disciples will reign with Him in glory.
We only have one more Sunday before the end of our liturgical year. November thinks and prays for those family friends who have passed from this life and may not yet be in heavenly glory. This week focuses us on the defeat of satan and all of his forces and the eternal reign of Jesus Christ, Lord of all the living. The term used to describe these events as found in the book of Daniel in the Old Testament, at the end of the synoptic gospels and the book of Revelation, is Apocalyptic or end-time writings. It is very difficult to interpret. And endless speculation about the sequence of events is a waste of time, energy, emotion and anxiety.
The early disciples of Jesus were hoping to reign with Jesus in His new kingdom in Israel. Christ’s death ended that speculation. Yet His resurrection rekindles some of those hopes. However, with His post-Easter teaching and ascension they were not clear about the future until Pentecost. And then things were a little clearer. They expected Jesus to return within their lifetime for the new world against its pagan culture. That did not happen. And here we are 2,000 years later still waiting. Some of us, seeing the world events, are earnestly hoping and praying that Jesus will return in glory as soon as possible.
What is our personal hope? Jesus told us in the great commandment: to love God with our whole mind, heart and strength and to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. OK! How do we do that? How do we become the true disciples (students) Jesus wants us to be? How do we get closer to Jesus each day amidst the culture around us? How do we do that in our own personal responsibilities to family and earning a viable living?
We can pray 24/7. We need to spend a little time of our 24 daily hours in prayer loving and thanking God for all He has given us and asking Him what He is empowering us to do here on earth. Then we can prioritize our work and responsibilities and do the most important things first. We can’t change the world or most of those around us but we can try to be the love of Jesus help do what He wants of us.
If we can do those things, which are not so simple, we shall be more ready when Jesus comes to end our own time here on earth. Our own end of life on earth will happen before the end of the world. What do we have to show God when we meet him for our own personal judgment, a few minutes after our soul leaves our body at death?
I want to be in heavenly glory with all the angels and saints around the presence of God. I want to be completely happy. Ps 16 speaks about that today. We set our Lord ever before us and try to follow His ways. Then our heart will be glad and our soul rejoice. God will not abandon us to the netherworld, hell. The Holy Spirit will show us the path to life, fullness of joys in God’s presence, the delights in His glory. Amen!
Daily Mass is our most important prayer if our work allows us that time. Christmas is every day all over the world. It is Christ-Mass. There are obviously many others forms of prayer. To beg and plead with God to help convert those doing so many evil things each day, we can claim the blessings Jesus told to St. Faustina in the 1930s in Poland by praying the Chaplet of Divine Mercy and if possible during the 3 pm hour daily, the hour He died for our sins on the cross. We can’t reason with the terrorists but Jesus can directly appear to them, showing them the evils of their ways. They will not get to heaven killing other children of God. Jesus is appearing to many of them around the world. We can beg Him to do more of that. Amen! Please help us Jesus.
Let today and this week be new for us, living in the radiant light of our risen savior, Jesus Christ. Have a blessed and hope-filled week. Keep shining with the love of Jesus. + Fr. Bob Hilz.
Monday, Nov 16: (optional memorial of St. Margaret of Scotland, Queen, 1046-1093. Margaret was born in Hungary and married King Malcolm III of Scotland. They had eight children. She was a woman of sincere piety and became known for her concern for the poor, her patronage of the arts and sciences and her support of synods that reformed abuses prevalent at that time. In 1673 she was declared patroness of Scotland.)
OR (optional memorial of Gertrude, Virgin, 1256-1302. She was born in Thuringia and educated by the Cistercian nuns of Helfta where she was eventually professed. At 26 she began receiving revelations for which she is famous. She was extremely devoted to the mystery of the Incarnation, expressed in the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Holy Eucharist. She promoting frequent Communion and authored several volumes of spiritual works, which were lost until 1536. In France, two hundred years later, these devotions were spread by St. John Eudes and Margaret Mary Alacoque.) 1 Maccabees 1:10-15, 41-43, 54-57, 62-67 (Terrible affliction was upon Israel.), Ps 119:53, 61, 134, 150, 155, 158 (Give me life, O Lord, and I will do Your commands.), Lk 18:35-43 (What do you want Me to do for you? Lord, please let me see.)
Tuesday, Nov 17: (optional memorial of St. Elizabeth of Hungary, Queen and co-patron of the Lay Franciscan Order and the Third Order Regular along with St. Louis IX of France, 1207-1231. She was the daughter of King Andrew II of Hungary and married Louis IV Landgrave of Thuringia at age 14. Her husband died during a Crusade when she was 20. She left the castle and dedicated the rest of her life to extraordinary works of charity. Elizabeth founded a hospital dedicated to St. Francis of Assisi and worked there herself until she dyed at age 24.) 2 Mac 6:18-31 (I will leave to the young a noble example of how to die willingly and generously for the revered and holy laws.), Ps 3:2-7 (The Lord upholds me.), Lk 19:1-10 (The Son of Man has come to seek and to save what was lost.)
Wednesday, Nov 18: (In the United States, memorial of St. Rose Philippine Duchesne, Virgin, 1769-1852. She was born in Grenoble, France. Rose entered the Visitation nuns but the Reign of Terror forced them out. Later she was professed in the Sacred Heart of Jesus community and sent to the US to teach. Rose founded the first American free school west of the Mississippi. She helped make her community international and was canonized by Pope John Paul II in 1988.) 2 Mc 7:1, 20-31 (the creator of the universe will give you back both breath and life.), Ps 17:1bcd, 5-6, 8b, 15 (Lord, when Your glory appears, my joy will be full.), Lk 19:11-28 (Why did you not put my money in a bank?)
(If this memorial is used it is nice to know a little of their history. Memorial of the Dedication of the Churches of Ss. Peter, <350> and Paul <390>, apostles in Rome. This celebration remembers the original consecration of the basilicas built over the tombs of these great apostles. Emperor Constantine granted freedom of religious worship to all in the Roman Empire by the Edict of Milan in 313. He gave his Lateran Palace to the pope as his residence. Constantine also began to build a wooden basilica over Peter’s tomb, which his son finished. Constantine began a process of helping Christianize the Roman Empire. Sunday was set aside as a non-work day of rest. Roman laws were changed to reflect Christian principles. Yet Constantine was not baptized until shortly before his death. The old wooden St. Peter's was torn down and the present church dedicated November 18, 1626.
For St. Paul, a small church was built over the spot where he was beheaded outside the walls of Rome. It was illegal for a Roman citizen to be crucified. Paul’s head bounced 3 times and 3 fountains sprang up. It is certain Emperors Theodosius, Valentinian II and Arcadius constructed a huge basilica on the site. The Benedictine Monks have had charge of this church since the 8th century. An earthquake had damaged the church in 1823 and when it was being restored a workman's fire near the wooden roof set it on fire and the basilica was burned to the ground. It was re-built and consecrated December 10, 1854. For more information go to: www.vatican.va/various/basiliche.)
Thursday, Nov 19: (1 Mc 2:15-29 (We will keep to the covenant of our ancestors.), Ps 50:1b-2, 5-6, 14-15 (To the upright I will show the saving power of God.), Lk 19:41-44 (If you only knew what makes for peace.) (Franciscan optional memorial of St. Agnes of Assisi, Virgin, Poor Clare, sister of St. Clare, Poor Clare Nun, 1197-1253. She was born in Assisi and joined her sister Clare two weeks after Clare formed the Second Franciscan Order for women following the poverty of St. Francis. Agnes was later sent by Francis to a Benedictine Convent near Florence to bring them into the Poor Clare group. She also guided other new groups in Northern Italy and was recalled to Assisi shortly before St. Clare died. Agnes followed Clare in death a few weeks later in 1253 and is buried near her sister along with four other early members of her order.)
Friday, Nov 20: 1 Mc 4:36-37, 52-59 (They celebrated the dedication of the altar and joyfully offered burnt offerings.), Responsory: 1 Chronicles 29:10bcd, 11-12 (We praise Your glorious Name, O mighty God.), Lk 19:45-48 (You have made it a den of thieves.)
Saturday, Nov 21: (memorial of The Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This feast remembers Mary being presented in the Temple as a small child. It dates from 1372 in the Latin Rite yet in the Eastern Church it began in 543 in connection with a basilica built to honor Mary in Jerusalem, which the Persians destroyed in 614 A.D. This celebration recalls Mary’s total dedication to God’s service and her obedience to God’s plans. We, too, are called to serve God joyfully and without seeking any human glory in return) 1 Mac 6:1-13 (On account of the evils I did in Jerusalem, I’m dying in bitter grief.), Ps 9:2-4, 6, 16, 19 (I will rejoice in Your salvation, O Lord.), Lk 20:27-40 (He is the God of the living and not the dead.)
Sunday, Nov 22: Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe. Gloria & Creed: Daniel 7:13-14 (His dominion is an everlasting dominion.); Ps 93:1-2, 5 (The Lord is king; He is robed in majesty.); Revelation 1:5-8 (The ruler of the kings of the earth has made us into a kingdom of priests for His God and Father.); Alleluia, alleluia! Blessed is He Who comes in the Name of the Lord! Alleluia, alleluia! John 18:33b-37 (You say I am a king.)
Nancy Ward: www.JoyAlive.net