†Quote of the Day
""Crosses release us from this world and by doing so bind us to God."
–Blessed Charles de Foucauld †Today's Meditation
"In giving us this regular hunger for food, we are also given opportunity to sacrifice for each other and for God and to discipline our appetites. Always cognizant of our nature, the liturgical year is rife with periods of both fasting and feast. In order to feast, we must also know sacrifice; in fact, it's only in sacrifice that we understand what a feast really is. Our lives can contain an ever-repeating rhythm of each in its proper time. In the same way that it would be profane to feast on Good Friday, so would it be improper to fast on Easter. This rhythm is a reminder of both a need to be filled as well as a need to strengthen our resolve so that we might long first and foremost for the feast that has no end."
–Carrie Gress and Noelle Mering, p. 88 †Daily Verse
"So submit yourselves to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you of two minds. Begin to lament, to mourn, to weep. Let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy into dejection. Humble yourselves before the Lord and he will exalt you."
–James 4:7-10 | St. Columbanus St. Columbanus (543 – 615 A.D.) was born in West Leinster, Ireland. He was a noble, well-educated, and handsome man who was pursued by many women. He sought the advice of a pious religious woman who advised him to flee from his temptations for the sake of his soul, which he did, leaving the world to become a monk against the wishes of his family. He embraced the monastic life and excelled in virtue before being called by God to be a preacher in foreign lands. At the age of 40 he left his monastery with a band of twelve fellow monks on an apostolic mission to spread the Gospel throughout Europe. The holiness and zeal of Columbanus and his companions combatted the laxity of the clergy and the negative influence of the barbarian invaders. Columbanus preferred the solitude of nature and would often live withdrawn from others in a nearby cave, which attracted followers to imitate his lifestyle. He founded and served as abbot of several monasteries known for their strictness, writing a monastic rule governing their life which emphasized obedience, silence, poverty, humility, and chastity. The Rule of St. Columbanus was approved by the Council of Mâcon in 627 A.D., but was later superseded by the Rule of St. Benedict. His feast day is celebrated on November 24th. | Memorial of Saint Andrew Dung-Lac, Priest, and Companions, Martyrs
Readings for the Memorial of Saint Andrew Dũng-Lạc, Priest, and Companions, Martyrs Reading 1 1 Mc 4:36-37, 52-59 Judas and his brothers said,
"Now that our enemies have been crushed,
let us go up to purify the sanctuary and rededicate it."
So the whole army assembled, and went up to Mount Zion. Early in the morning on the twenty-fifth day of the ninth month,
that is, the month of Chislev,
in the year one hundred and forty-eight,
they arose and offered sacrifice according to the law
on the new altar of burnt offerings that they had made.
On the anniversary of the day on which the Gentiles had defiled it,
on that very day it was reconsecrated
with songs, harps, flutes, and cymbals.
All the people prostrated themselves and adored and praised Heaven,
who had given them success. For eight days they celebrated the dedication of the altar
and joyfully offered burnt offerings and sacrifices
of deliverance and praise.
They ornamented the facade of the temple with gold crowns and shields;
they repaired the gates and the priests' chambers
and furnished them with doors.
There was great joy among the people
now that the disgrace of the Gentiles was removed.
Then Judas and his brothers and the entire congregation of Israel
decreed that the days of the dedication of the altar
should be observed with joy and gladness
on the anniversary every year for eight days,
from the twenty-fifth day of the month Chislev. Responsorial Psalm 1 Chr 29:10bcd, 11abc, 11d-12a, 12bcd R. (13b) We praise your glorious name, O mighty God.
"Blessed may you be, O LORD,
God of Israel our father,
from eternity to eternity."
R. We praise your glorious name, O mighty God.
"Yours, O LORD, are grandeur and power,
majesty, splendor, and glory.
For all in heaven and on earth is yours."
R. We praise your glorious name, O mighty God.
"Yours, O LORD, is the sovereignty;
you are exalted as head over all.
Riches and honor are from you."
R. We praise your glorious name, O mighty God.
"You have dominion over all,
In your hand are power and might;
it is yours to give grandeur and strength to all."
R. We praise your glorious name, O mighty God. Alleluia Jn 10:27 R. Alleluia, alleluia.
My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord;
I know them, and they follow me.
R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Lk 19:45-48 Jesus entered the temple area and proceeded to drive out
those who were selling things, saying to them,
"It is written, My house shall be a house of prayer,
but you have made it a den of thieves."
And every day he was teaching in the temple area.
The chief priests, the scribes, and the leaders of the people, meanwhile,
were seeking to put him to death,
but they could find no way to accomplish their purpose
because all the people were hanging on his words.
| DAILY MEDITATION: LUKE 19:45-48
All the people were hanging on his words. (Luke 19:48) Jesus always seemed to draw crowds. Sure, some people hungered for his teaching and wanted to please God, but others came for less noble reasons. So when Jesus cleansed the Temple, some found it exciting to hear animals bleating and merchants swearing as their coins rolled all over the floor (Luke 19:45-46). They might not initially have understood what this had to do with Jesus' concern for worship that would please God. They simply crowded around to get a closer look at this troublemaker. But Jesus didn't discourage anyone who came to him. He knew that their motives may not have been the most pure, but he wanted his word to penetrate their hearts, so he welcomed them. As a result, "all the people were hanging on" to all he said (Luke 19:48). There was something about Jesus that made his words memorable. He spoke from an intimacy with God that drew them to desire a closer relationship with the Lord. Not only did Jesus call people to turn away from sins like hypocrisy, pride, or unbelief, but he also stirred a sense of hope that they could be delivered from those sins. Jesus' words can stir our hearts the same way they did for those people so long ago. We might come to him for a variety of reasons: maybe we're curious or maybe we're skeptical. Maybe we're looking for a deeper relationship with him, or maybe it's just something we do because of the way we were raised. But whatever our motive, Jesus can still work in us. As we listen to his words, we'll find something stirring in our hearts. Our hope might surge as we begin to understand that God is a heavenly Father who loves us and wants a relationship with us. As his unmerited love inspires us, we might start to long for a holier life. Maybe we'll even feel led to tell other people about the ways Jesus' words are changing our lives. Like those people in the Temple, let's come to Jesus and hang onto his words. Let's listen to him and linger with him. Because Jesus' words are meant to well up in our hearts and change us. "Lord, you have the words of everlasting life. Touch my heart today." 1 Maccabees 4:36-37, 52-59
(Psalm) 1 Chronicles 29:10-12 |  click to hear 2cents | Reflections with Brother Adrian:Audio Link | From today's 1st Holy Scripture:
"Now that our enemies have been crushed,
let us go up to purify the sanctuary and rededicate it...."_ end of verse.
. . .
Have you ever thought about purifying your temple and rededicating it?
What's keeping us from doing so?
I've been working on upgrading our church. The externals...the physical...but have I been working on the interior?
I'd say it's been simultaneously working. We can make the physical express the interior....the very meaning of a Holy Sacrament...an outward expression of an inward reality.
We arr manifesting the interior life by the greater life are living. | We pray today:
"We praise your glorious name, O mighty God.
"Blessed may you be, O LORD,
God of Israel our father,
from eternity to eternity."
We praise your glorious name, O mighty God...." end of psalm. | In the Gospel today we heard our Lord:
"Jesus entered the temple area and proceeded to drive out
those who were selling things, saying to them,
"It is written, My house shall be a house of prayer,
but you have made it a den of thieves........" end of Gospel verse. | From Bishop Barron today:
"Friends, in today's Gospel, Jesus cleanses the temple. The temple was the economic, political, and religious center of life. And it was seen as the very dwelling place of God on earth. It was the place where heaven and earth met, where the harmony between divinity and humanity was achieved—at least in principle. For the prophets remind the nation constantly that the temple and its rituals have been perverted. One of the messianic expectations was that the anointed one would purify the temple. This is exactly what Jesus is doing. He is the Messiah who is trying to turn the temple once more into a place of prayer. Keep this image of Jesus clearly in your mind as we take a further step. St. Paul said that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit. So the true dwelling place of God is now in the very bodies of the followers of Jesus. Bring this insight together with the image of Jesus cleansing the temple. You—your life, your body, your self—are meant to be a temple where God is praised. Every aspect of your life is meant to be turned to the Lord, dedicated to him. ." end quote Bishop Barron.
Pray with me:
Lord, drive out all that is not in accordance with your Holy Will out of my temple...my body...my soul...my life You gave me." |  Click To Hear | Random Bible verse Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.
Ephesians 6:13 | If one day you don't receive these, just visit Going4th.com
God Bless You! Peace | | |
