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Monday, November 30, 2020

⛪. I will Make You ⛪

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amin

St. Andrew: Pray for Us

He was among the first to be drawn to the young rabbi. Andrew and another of John the Baptist's disciples heard John refer to Jesus as "the Lamb of God," and began following him. At the end of a day with Jesus, Andrew did what many of us do when we make an amazing discovery. He went to his beloved brother to share the news of the Messiah. Andrew is regarded as part of the inner circle of apostles. It's believed that after the Resurrection, he preached in Eurasia until his own crucifixion. Based on Biblical accounts, Andrew doesn't seem to have been concerned about his place in the pecking order of Apostles. He just loved Jesus and wanted others to meet him. We can learn from that example of putting our own interests aside so that we may grow in grace. Spend some time today with a sibling, blood or of the heart, talking about how you can help each other on your spiritual journeys.

—from Brotherhood of Saints: Daily Guidance and Inspiration
by Melanie Rigney

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†Saint Quote
"We know certainly that our God calls us to a holy life. We know that he gives us every grace, every abundant grace; and though we are so weak of ourselves, this grace is able to carry us through every obstacle and difficulty."
— St. Elizabeth Ann Seton

†MEDITATION OF THE DAY
"Christ Himself taught humility of heart, and the heart must not remain idle, nor fail to product the necessary acts. And what acts of humility do you make before God? How often do you make them? When have you made them? How long is it since you made them? It would be absurd to hope for the reward which is promised to the humble without being humble, or at least making acts of humility; humility of heart without the heart's humbling itself—what folly! Are you foolish enough to believe that this can be done? ... it is necessary to humble ourselves when we approach God with prayer to obtain some grace, because God does not regard nor heed nor impart His grace except to the humble ... When, therefore, you come to ask God for some grace of the body or of the soul, do you always remember to practice this humility? When we pray, and especially when we say the 'Our Father', we are speaking to God; and how many times when you are saying your prayers, do you speak to God with less respect than if you were speaking to one of your fellow creatures? How often when you are in church, which is the house of God, do you listen to a sermon, which is the Word of God, and assist at the functions of the service without any reverence? Humility of heart, says St. Thomas, is accompanied by exterior reverence; and to be lacking in this is to lack humility and is therefore a sin of pride, 'which excludes reverence.'"
— Rev. Cajetan da Bergamo, p .138-140
AN EXCERPT FROM
Humility Of Heart

† VERSE OF THE DAY
"It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to thy name, O Most High; to declare thy steadfast love in the morning, and thy faithfulness by night, to the music of the lute and the harp, to the melody of the lyre. For thou, O Lord, hast made me glad by thy work; at the works of thy hands I sing for joy."
Psalm 92:1-4

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asaint.jpg

ST. ANDREW THE APOSTLE

St. Andrew (1st c.) was the first of the twelve Apostles to follow Jesus, after being a disciple of St. John the Baptist, the Precursor of Christ. St. Andrew was a fisherman by trade and the younger brother of St. Peter. Andrew recognized Jesus as the prophesied Messiah and left his fishing trade behind to follow Jesus, convincing his brother Simon Peter to do the same. After Jesus' ascension into heaven, Andrew preached the Gospel throughout the world as commanded by Christ. He ministered and preached in Asia Minor before finally being martyred by crucifixion in the city of Patras in Achaea, Greece. He was tied to an X-shaped cross by request, not deeming himself worthy to die on the same kind of cross as his Savior. Andrew suffered for two days before dying, while continuing to preach Christ from his cross. St. Andrew's feast day is November 30th.

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Feast of Saint Andrew, Apostle

Lectionary: 684
Reading 1

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

PS 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.
. 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.

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Daily Meditation: Matthew 4:18-22

At once they left their nets. (Matthew 4:20)

Andrew was a Jewish fisherman during a time when Rome taxed every single catch of fish. But despite—or perhaps because of—the hardships of his trade, it seems that Andrew had more than his livelihood on his mind. He was also a follower of John the Baptist, a devout man searching for the promised Messiah of Israel (John 1:35-42). Just to hear John the Baptist preach, Andrew had to travel a journey of several days from Capernaum to the Jordan Valley. So it shouldn't surprise us that Andrew was eager and ready to respond when he finally did meet the Messiah.

Out of the many people who did hear about Jesus' ministry in its earliest days, Andrew had a unique response. Along with his brother, Peter, and their friends, James and John, Andrew left his nets in an extraordinary act of faith. His encounter with Jesus left an imprint that made him willing to let go of everything else so that he could learn more about who this man was.

Like Andrew, we need to be ready to leave parts of our former life aside as we seek the Lord this Advent. We can sharpen our hearing so that we can listen to Jesus and brace our feet so that we can run after him.

This Advent, consider praying through one of the Gospels as a way to encounter Jesus. As you contemplate God's word, see if Jesus is asking you to depart from "business as usual." Maybe he is asking you to come away to be with him for a while so that you can learn from him. You may not be able to walk with Jesus as Andrew did, but you can walk with him through the pages of the Bible.

Every day this week, the first reading for Mass comes from the Book of the prophet Isaiah. As you read these passages, ponder all the verses that prophesy about who Jesus is and what he came to do. As you discover each one, think of it as a "character trait" of the Messiah you are choosing to take on. Believe that every time you see Jesus more clearly—no matter where you see him—you will be moved to leave your "nets" behind and follow him more closely.

"Jesus, help me follow after you this Advent."

Romans 10:9-18
Psalm 19:8-11

ANF
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Hope is a holy thing, and insofar as we allow it to diminish, it is in that measure less holy.
— Mother Mary Francis, P.C.C.
from Cause of Our Joy

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2cts

my2cents:
"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." And then, say the protestant brothers and sisters "say the repentance prayer". They added man made prayers. But that's it? You need nothing else for salvation? They say that's it. But there's more. Take that line out of context and you leave out the rest "For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved." What does all this mean? Yes, salvation, but it is all about the Savior and our belief. A Muslim can call out to Jesus and our Lord would answer, if they believe. A complete atheist could call out to our Lord and be saved, if they choose to call out in honesty. It is not a protestant thing, it is scriptural reference....gone wild! LOL. Our Lord is Savior, and that is why we call out to Him to come during advent.

psalms

We pray: "The fear of the LORD is pure,
enduring forever; The ordinances of the LORD are true, all of them just. The judgments of the Lord are true, and all of them are just."
Fear of the Lord let's you call out to our Lord.
And this fear let's you love His laws.
Lord, give us this great gift from Heaven.

2cents2

Our Lord comes by the seashore and says to St.s Simon and Andrew: ""Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men."

From Bishop Barron Today:
"Friends, in today's Gospel, Jesus calls his first disciples. What is it about this scene that is so peaceful and right? Somehow it gets at the very heart of Jesus' life and work, revealing what he is about. He comes into the world as the second person of the Blessed Trinity, a representative from the community that is God—and thus his basic purpose is to draw the world into community around him.
Jesus says to Simon and Andrew, "Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men." This tells us something about how God acts. He is direct and in-your-face; he does the choosing. "Come after me," Jesus says. He is not offering a doctrine, a theology, or a set of beliefs. He is offering himself. It's as if he's saying, "Walk in my path; walk in imitation of me."
Finally, Jesus explains, "I will make you fishers of men." This is one of the best one-liners in Scripture. Notice the first part of the phrase: "I will make you . . ." This is counter to the culture's prevailing view that we're self-made, that we invent and define our own reality. Jesus puts this lie to bed. We learn from him that it's God who acts, and if we give ourselves to his creative power, he will make us into something far better than we ever could.
Reflect: What path is Jesus calling you to walk right now? How are you allowing him to equip and lead you on that path?"

When our Lord calls, it is a transformation if you have a true repentant heart, that is, holy fear.

Lord, we want to hear your voice. Lord we want to see you. Lord, we want to be transformed. Help us begin this journey now.

My friends, I invite you to start fasting from something that brings you joy, until Christmas Eve.
And that will be a gift to our Lord. Together, we can give Him a great Gift of Love!

***

Random Bible verse from online generator

Mark 10:43–45

43 But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant,1 44 and whoever would be first among you must be slave2 of all. 45 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

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Friday, November 27, 2020

⛪. Until all these things⛪

 
20201127 062957

Gratitude to God

Food is a symbol of our gratitude to God and our mutual appreciation for one another. It is a commodity to share as well as an expression of how much we care. Feeding the hungry is a virtue that must never be forgotten, dining with friends a value we cherish all the more. It is good to celebrate those moments—rare as they may be—where companionship around the table becomes a form of communion, where fantastic food seals friendships, where our vitality and our spirituality truly "wine and dine" together.

—from the book Table of Plenty: Good Food for Body and Spirit
by Susan Muto

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†Saint Quote
"If you do not hope, you will not find what is beyond your hopes."

— St. Clement of Alexandria

†MEDITATION OF THE DAY

"Nothing is sweeter than love; nothing stronger, nothing higher, nothing more generous, nothing more pleasant, nothing fuller or better in Heaven or on earth; for love proceeds from God and cannot rest but in God above all things created."

— Thomas a' Kempis, p. 87

†VERSE OF THE DAY

"We are afflicted in every way, but not constrained; perplexed, but not driven to despair persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our body. For we who live are constantly being given up to death for the sake of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh."

2 Corinthians 4:8-11

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Screenshot 20201127-065257 Gallery

SAINT OF THE DAYOUR LADY OF THE MIRACULOUS MEDAL

On November 27, 1830, the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to St. Catherine Laboure in Paris, France and gave her a vision of an image, with instructions to strike the image, front and back, onto a medal. With this medal Our Lady promised that, "All those who wear it will receive great graces; these graces will be abundant for those who wear it with faith." The medal bears an image of Our Lady standing on the world, the serpent crushed under her feet, with arms extended and graces pouring forth from her hands. On the reverse is a cross surmounted by the letter 'M', and beneath it the side-by-side symbols of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary, all encircled by twelve stars. The medal symbolizes Mary's perfect spiritual union with Jesus' redemptive mission, and, consequently, her intercessory role in salvation history as the mediatrix of God's graces to mankind through her Son. The medal spread widely and became a source of many graces and miracles for its wearers, earning the name "Miraculous Medal." It is traditionally worn around the neck and has become a treasured sacramental of the Catholic Church. Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal's feast day is November 27th.

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Screenshot 20201127-064608 Outlook
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Friday of the Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time
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."

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DAILY MEDITATION: LUKE 21:29-33

Know that the Kingdom of God is near. (Luke 21:31)

Have you noticed how many of our readings the past couple of weeks have focused on Jesus' triumphant return at the end of time? Certainly, it's a good thing to think about here at the end of the liturgical year, and it's good to be prepared to welcome the Lord when he returns. But many of these passages, like today's Gospel, can also be read in the light of the kingdom's presence among us right now. Yes, there is more to come, but we are already living in that new creation in which Jesus, the crucified and risen Lord, reigns.

What does it look like and feel like when God lives in the midst of his people? Here's one way to think about it. As we head into the holiday season, you will likely have many opportunities to see God working among your family, friends, and community. All of these can be signs of what life in God's kingdom is like.

For instance, you might notice how the shelves of your local food bank are overflowing, not only with necessary staples, but with special treats as well. Or you might see a toy collection box filled with gifts for children at a local shelter. You might notice one of your neighbors visiting the elderly couple down the street and helping them decorate their house. You might even be surprised by a relative's openness to share what's going on in their life or their desire to reconcile with you.

Now, it's easy to see God's kingdom breaking into our world through the selflessness or generosity of the people around us. But the kingdom is also at hand when situations don't look quite so heavenly. Sometimes family gatherings become contentious. Or the gift giving of the holiday season only makes you feel more lonely. Or severe weather highlights the plight of the homeless. But the kingdom is still there. Jesus is there, suffering with the poor and mourning over our divisions. He is there, embracing us in our isolation.

Indeed, Jesus is King. We can see and know it no matter what life throws at us. And that gives us hope.

"Jesus, give me eyes to see signs of your kingdom right here and right now."

Revelation 20:1-4, 11–21:2
Psalm 84:3-6, 8

Screenshot 20201127-064535 Outlook
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Take a look at your soul and how short time is; consider the fact that you must die, and you don't know when.
— St. Catherine of Siena
from Sermon in a Sentence Vol III

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2cts

my2cents:
'Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth.'
He makes all things new.
He desires to do so in you and through you.

psalms

We pray: "Blessed they who dwell in your house! continually they praise you.
Blessed the men whose strength you are!
They go from strength to strength.
Here God lives among his people."
He lives! Among us.

2cents2

Our Lord said, "Consider the fig tree and all the other trees." Consider how trees give signs. Now consider how we can give signs. He is prophesying. His prophetic message is forever.
Consider the times.
Consider what is going on. Look around. Do you see what is happening?
It is a sign.
Our Lord has been betrayed. By who? The atheists? How can they betray God if they don't supposedly believe? No. Betrayal means Judas. Betrayal means from a loved one.
We have betrayed Him as a whole.
We have been permissive.
Our people allow sin. Do not let sin reign.
Do not let your light to go out. Do not run out of oil.

How can we get oil?
Tap into the source.

In baptism, we are prophets.
We shall proclaim the truth wherever it may lead us.
'Heaven and earth will pass away,
but my words will not pass away."

Lord, may we discern the time for awakening and reckoning what is at hand. Your Jerusalem....Your great love.

***

Random Bible verse from online generator

Random Bible Verse 1
Deuteronomy 8:17–18
[Deuteronomy 8]

17 Beware lest you say in your heart, 'My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth.' 18 You shall remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth, that he may confirm his covenant that he swore to your fathers, as it is this day.

...
4 The reward for humility and fear of the LORD

is riches and honor and life.1

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