Prayer for Guidance:

Lead me. Guide me. Your will not mine, Lord. Lead me. Guide me. I don’t know the way. I’ve tried stepping out on my own and I just mess things up. Lead me. Guide me. Your will, Lord, not mine.

“Calling – Vocation”:

In today’s Gospel, Jesus called the Apostles to serve Him as “fishers of people.” It is a great honour to be called to serve in God’s Kingdom. There is no other profession or career that one can commit his entire life and energy to directly serving God’speople and His church.

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Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier. Be the living expression of God's kindness: kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile.

- Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta (1910-1997)

Prayer for Those Who Are Suffering:

When we are suffering, we forget that someone else is also suffering. Our sorrow looms so large that it often blinds us to another. Lord God, help me to focus on your love and kindness, so that I can joyfully do what you ask.

“Second Coming” – Faith:

In today’s Gospel, Jesus reminds us of His Second Coming i.e. the end of the world. We should never live in fear. Instead, we should accept this reality with faith and peace,and look forward to spending our eternal life with God.

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Never be in a hurry; do everything quietly and in a calm spirit. Do not lose your inner peace for anything whatsoever, even if your whole world seems upset.

- Saint Francis de Sales

The Church evangelizes when she seeks to convert, solely through the divine power of the Message she proclaims, both the personal and collective consciences of people, the activities in which they engage, and the lives and concrete milieus which are theirs.

- Evangelization in the Modern World, #18 by the late Pope Paul VI

Prayer Haiku:

Listening to my Lord Turning over all worries Enjoying the peace

God’s Word – “Division”:

In today’s Gospel, Jesus asserts that if we follow His Gospel, we will experience opposition and “division”. The Truth of God’s Word will always challenge our insecurities and self-centeredness through the ways of the secular world of prestige, pride and power. Pray for the grace to live the Gospel at all times.

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Do not let any occasion of gaining merit pass without taking care to draw some spiritual profit from it; as, for example, from a sharp word which someone may say to you; from an act of obedience imposed against your will; from an opportunity which may occur to humble yourself, or to practice charity, sweetness, and patience. All of these occasions are gain for you, and you should seek to procure them.

- Saint Ignatius Loyola

Beloved and most holy word of God! You enlighten the hearts of the faithful, you satisfy the hungry, console the afflicted; you make the souls of all productive of good and cause all virtues to blossom; you snatch souls from the devil’s jaw; you make the wretched holy, and men of earth citizens of heaven.

- Sermon of Saint James of the Marche

I Thank You:

Lord, I thank you for all that you have provided—my joys and moments of triumph; my family and loved ones; all that is yet to be. I thank you also for the sorrows, the pains, the disappointments and unfulfilled dreams. I know these things strengthen my faith in your and in myself.

False securities – Faith:

To the Jews it is unthinkable that their magnificent and solid Temple could be destroyed. Yet, in today’s Gospel, Jesus warned them that nothing that is man-made can lasts forever. Are we holding on to any false securities in our lives? God is our only “security” that lasts forever.

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If you do not learn to deny yourself, you can make no progress in perfection.

- Saint John of the Cross

My Guide, My Protector:

O, good and gracious God who reigns in heaven and in our hearts, I praise you and adore you. I know you as the giver of every good and perfect gift. I know you as my Creator, my Guide, my Protector.

Giving – Loving God:

In today’s Gospel the poor widow gave away everything she owned. Jesus judges us by the sincerity of our love for Him. Are you generous with your wealth, talents and time? The more you share with others reveals the more you love God.

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My dear Jesus, if it is a fault to be too kind to sinners, it is a fault I learned from you, for you never scolded anyone who came to you seeking mercy.

- Saint Leonard of Port Maurice (1676-1751)

Forgive Me:

Forgive me, Lord, for those times when I see things from my own perspective and not as you do. Forgive me when I am selfish and possessive and without enough trust in your mercy, providence and absolute love.


“Christ the King”:

Today’s Gospel passage captures the great mystery of how the Son of God, as Saviour of humankind is cruelly mocked and condemned as a criminal. This mystery shows God’s infinite Mercy and Love for us. Ponder on this truth and beg God for the gift of repentance and the grace to renew our love and commitment to Him.

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An intelligent mind is simple and teachable; it sees its faults and allows itself to be guided. A mind that is dull and narrow never sees its faults even when shown them. It is always pleased with itself and never learns to do right.

- Saint Teresa of Avila

Christ the King (C)

2 Sm 5:1-3
Ps 122:1-2, 3-4, 4-5
Col 1:12-20
Lk 23:35-43

It's the least likely place to find a king: beaten, bloody, dying upon the horrific Roman instrument of crucifixion, in the midst of two common criminals. That's the scene selected by the Church to portray Christ our King, today.

The scene sums up so much of the Gospel of Luke. At the beginning of Luke's account, Jesus is placed in a manger: another unlikely setting for a king. In his infancy stories, Luke wants us to recall Israel's great King David, and then tells us what true kingship is all about.

With these portraits of our King comes an understanding of the reign of God which he proclaims. That heavenly reign is populated by those who seek it in humility; by the poor and those rejected by society, by those who imitate their crucified King in love, forgiveness and reconciliation, even as he hangs on the cross.

We live in a world with a lot less royalty than in past centuries. And yet we still can be tempted by our own brand of royalty and a love for the trappings of wealth and power. The voice of our crucified King, inviting us to Paradise along with the repentant thief, cuts through all that is shallow and cannot truly satisfy. Will we hear it today?

Scripture:

•You shall shepherd my people Israel (Samuel 5:2)

•I rejoiced because they said, “We will go up to the house of the LORD.” (Psalm 122:1)

•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,(Colossians 1:19,20)

•Have you no fear of God?…Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom (Luke 23:40,42)

Reflection:

•Why is a shepherd a good image of King David and of Christ?

•How are you like the criminal asking Christ to save you?

•How is Christ like an alternative king and different from an earthly ruler in the first century or now?

•What would you say to Jesus as he hangs near death, on the cross?

“Oh God,” I said and that was all. But what are the prayers of the whole universe more than expressions of that one cry? It is not what God can give us, but God that we want. (George MacDonald)

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In this weekend's Gospel reading, one of the criminals hanging next to Jesus on the cross represents us. Jesus is our king and we want to spend eternity with him in his kingdom. As long as we have this attitude, there is no reason to doubt that when we die we will join Jesus in Paradise.

As the king of heaven, Jesus has the right and the authority to choose who is allowed into his kingdom. And as this Good Friday thief shows us, Jesus says, "Yes, come in, welcome!" to anyone who recognizes his authority.

Let's look at what the authority of Jesus is like. At the Last Supper, when he washed the feet of his disciples, he made it clear that the heavenly king exerts his authority by serving those who belong to his kingdom.

The next day, he took a crown of thorns instead of a crown of gold and gems, because the glory of his kingship is not represented by earthly treasures but by riches that are given to others, the personal sacrifices that are motivated by love, even for those who don't deserve it.

After his resurrection, although he'd been healed from the destruction of death, his five crucifixion wounds were not healed. To this day, he still bears those wounds as a continual reminder that he does not use his authority for his own benefit, but for ours. Earthly kings wear expensive rings on their hands; our heavenly king wears the marks of sacrifice.

We know that we belong to God's kingdom because of how lovingly we serve others with Christ. When we understand the glory of giving to others, of making personal sacrifices, and of loving those who don't deserve our love, we are in God's kingdom.

When we offer to Jesus our sufferings because we realize that they have value, we wear the five wounds of Jesus in our souls, and we are in God's kingdom.

Of course we will join Jesus in Paradise — we have already united ourselves to him!

Questions for Personal Reflection:

Reflect on a time when you submitted yourself to Christ's authority by obeying a difficult teaching of the Church or by doing something Christ-like that you didn't want to do. Did you feel loved by God? Did you feel served? What will you do to become more aware of his service to you? What are you holding onto today that does not belong to his kingdom? What will you do this week to allow Jesus to be your king in every area of your life?

Questions for Family & Community Faith Sharing:

Name some of the ways that Jesus serves us. Does he do it more often one-on-one with you or through the people of his kingdom? When you serve others, how is this a recognition of the kingship and authority of Christ?

When I Pray:

When I pray, send your Spirit to pray for me. Hear my songs of love, praise, honor and worship. Hear my plea for your intervention into the lives of those who need you most. And most of all, Lord, increase my faith.

God’s Protection:

In today’s Gospel, Jesus cautions us to expect rejection and even persecution if we are to live His Gospel fully. However, Jesus also assures us that we can always trust in His divine protection. Have you experienced the truth of Jesus’ message? How did you respond?

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Worry is a weakness from which very few of us are entirely free. We must be on guard against this most insidious enemy of our peace of soul. Instead, let us foster confidence in God, and thank Him ahead of time for whatever He chooses to send us.

- Venerable Solanus Casey (1870-1957)

Each martyr has offered the same simple—and profound—lessons: Be not afraid. You are not alone. Your faith is your greatest treasure. Embrace it, celebrate it, live it openly. Trust in God.

—St. Anthony Messenger

Words of Wisdom:

I look for eloquence in words, to express my praise And polysyllable words to express my joy. But though I search for weeks and days, My soul with wonders words can’t trace. Because so wondrous are you, Lord, That all the words of men can never comprehend The majesty of your love, the power of your grace.

Jesus’ Anger:

In His anger Jesus chased the cheating money changers out of the Temple of worship. When we get angry at evil deeds like: cheating, abuse and exploitation of the weak, poor, aged and the like, they are justifiable as we are living the Gospel values. Timidity is a weakness and a sin of omission .

God’s Gifts – To be Used:

Jesus says, “Anyone who is trustworthy in little things, is trustworthy in great.” If we use God’s gifts e.g. talents, time, faith etc more fully for the good of His Kingdom, God will bless us with even more gifts. But, if we are selfish with God’s gifts, we will only find emptiness in our lives.

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Does our life become from day to day more painful, more oppressive, more replete with sufferings? Blessed be He a thousand times who desires it so. If life be harder, love makes it also stronger, and only this love, grounded on suffering, can carry the Cross of my Lord, Jesus Christ.

- Blessed Miguel Agustin Pro (1891-1927)

Forgiving is love's revolution against life's unfairness. When we forgive, we ignore the normal laws that strap us to the natural law of getting even and we release ourselves from our own painful pasts.

- Lewis Smedes

Self-Sacrifice:

All I want, all I feel, all I experience…Comes from you. Only you. You give me Life, Hope, Faith, Inspiration, Love…Life to live to its fullest, in order to more fully serve you.

Vigilance – Faith:

To be vigilant in our faith is never easy as we can be distracted and lured away from God by either the strong attractions of the secular world or discouraged by our hurts or be blinded by our pride. We need to seek God’s divine strength daily to live more fully in His ways.

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Among many small pearls there is the one; and in a great take of fish there is the beauty-fish; and by time and toil truth will gleam forth, if a good helper is at hand. For most benefits are supplied, from God, through men.

- Saint Clement of Alexandria

Liturgical action is given a more noble form when sacred rites are solemnized in song, with the assistance of sacred ministers and the active participation of the people.... Choirs must be diligently promoted, but bishops and other pastors must ensure that, whenever the sacred action is to be celebrated with song, the whole body of the faithful may be able to contribute that active participation which is rightfully theirs.... Gregorian chant, other things being equal, should be given pride of place in liturgical services. But other kinds of sacred music, especially polyphony, are by no means excluded.... Religious singing by the people is to be skillfully fostered, so that in devotions and sacred exercises, as also during liturgical services, the voices of the faithful may ring out

- Constitution on the Liturgy, 112-118

Feast of the Presentation of Mary

Mary’s presentation was celebrated in Jerusalem in the sixth century. A church was built there in honor of this mystery. The Eastern Church was more interested in the feast, but it does appear in the West in the 11th century. Although the feast at times disappeared from the calendar, in the 16th century it became a feast of the universal Church.

As with Mary’s birth, we read of Mary’s presentation in the temple only in apocryphal literature. In what is recognized as an unhistorical account, the Protoevangelium of James tells us that Anna and Joachim offered Mary to God in the Temple when she was three years old. This was to carry out a promise made to God when Anna was still childless.

Though it cannot be proven historically, Mary’s presentation has an important theological purpose. It continues the impact of the feasts of the Immaculate Conception and of the birth of Mary. It emphasizes that the holiness conferred on Mary from the beginning of her life on earth continued through her early childhood and beyond.

Comment:

It is sometimes difficult for modern Westerners to appreciate a feast like this. The Eastern Church, however, was quite open to this feast and even somewhat insistent about celebrating it. Even though the feast has no basis in history, it stresses an important truth about Mary: From the beginning of her life, she was dedicated to God. She herself became a greater temple than any made by hands. God came to dwell in her in a marvelous manner and sanctified her for her unique role in God's saving work. At the same time, the magnificence of Mary redounds upon her children. They, too, are temples of God and sanctified in order that they might enjoy and share in God's saving work.

Quote:

"Hail, holy throne of God, divine sanctuary, house of glory, jewel most fair, chosen treasure house, and mercy seat for the whole world, heaven showing forth the glory of God. Purest Virgin, worthy of all praise, sanctuary dedicated to God and raised above all human condition, virgin soil, unplowed field, flourishing vine, fountain pouring out waters, virgin bearing a child, mother without knowing man, hidden treasure of innocence, ornament of sanctity, by your most acceptable prayers, strong with the authority of motherhood, to our Lord and God, Creator of all, your Son who was born of you without a father, steer the ship of the Church and bring it to a quiet harbor" (adapted from a homily by St. Germanus on the Presentation of the Mother of God).

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Use it or lose it

Ancient and sacred Christian tradition recalls that the parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary dedicated her to the service of God when she was three years old. In the temple, she joined other girls in prayer, reading the scriptures, and assisting the temple priests. Because Mary's holiness was very evident and her desire to serve so pure, the priest in charge of her believed that God had great plans for her.

God has great plans for all of us — yes, even you! Since Jesus ascended into heaven and sent the Holy Spirit to earth, God ministers to the world through us, first in our homes, then extending his love into our parishes and work-places and play-places. Today's Gospel reading reminds us how very important it is to use, to the best of our ability for the benefit of his kingdom, every gift that God has given to us, every talent he created us to have, every bit of time we've got and every breath that we breathe, our financial resources, and every unique facet of our personalities. It should all be offered for the glory of God. What we don't use for God's purposes, we eventually lose — maybe in the near future, but definitely when we die.

Ministry is nothing more and nothing less than putting to good use whatever we have gained from experiences, training, hardships, and blessings of the Lord. That means we're doing ministry when we benefit others in any way. We should never separate the activities of daily life from ministry. Even scrubbing your kitchen floor, when offered to God as a gift for those who will walk on that floor, is a ministry. Oh, except when it's an excuse to avoid a more important mission. When we do "good" while hiding other talents that could be used for a greater good, we're no better than the wicked servant who stored the gold coin in a handkerchief.

Our talents and abilities come from God, because we're made in his image. When we place ourselves at the service of others to help Christ in his work and ministry today, he shares with us his talents and his abilities, even the supernatural ones when necessary.

God has invested in you. Now it's your turn. Invest what he's given to you, not with mediocrity but with full effort in a spirit of success. Watch how he multiplies the investment into great profit, great goodness, and even great healing.

Where you've failed in the past to invest what God's given to you, look again at Jesus and see the hand that will gladly share from his abundance. He will give you another opportunity to use your gifts. And for the good you've already been doing, God is saying: "Well done, good servant! You have been faithful in this small matter; I am going to do even more good through you."

Evening Prayer:

Thank you, Jesus, for another day I hope I’ve pretty much kept on your way. But if somehow I’ve caused you sorrow, I’ll try to do much better tomorrow.

Deepest Relationships – Faith:

In today’s Gospel, Jesus explains that as the deepest human relationships are within a family, the “deepest” of all relationships are those that unite us with the Lord. How much do we love God and want to live our life for Him? Those who do not are squandering their most precious gift of time and life on earth.

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Let every one be subject to another, according to the order in which he is placed by the gift of God. Let not the strong man neglect the care of the weak; let the weak see that he reverence the strong. Let the rich man distribute to the necessity of the poor, and let the poor bless God who give him one to supply his want. Let the wise man show forth his wisdom, not in words, but in good works.

- Pope Saint Clement I (d. 101)

Let not your heart be disturbed.Do not fear that sickness nor any other sickness or anguish. Am I not here,who is your Mother?

—Our Lady to Juan Diego at Guadalupe

Morning Prayer:

My Jesus, thank you For another day. Lead me, guide me Keep me in your way. If I should stray Show not your wrath, But place me firmly Back on the Path.

Sincerity – Faith:

In today’s Gospel, Jesus praised Zacchaeus for his sincerity. How sincere and zealous are you in wanting to know Jesus more fully? Are we like Zacchaeus? What are the obstacles and attachments in your lifestyles that prevent you from living a life of sincere faith in the Lord?

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A jewel demands a setting of gold, and a pearl should be only placed in precious necklaces. Be, then, the finest sort of gold! Be a precious necklace, so that the spiritual pearl can be set in you! For Christ the Lord is the pearl that the rich merchant in the gospel hastened to buy.

- St. Maximun of Turin (350-415)

We cultivate a very small field for Christ, but we love it, knowing that God does not require great achievements but a heart that holds back nothing for self.... The truest crosses are those we do not choose ourselves.... He who has Jesus has everything.

- Unknown

Love, Prayer and Healing:

Brother Jesus, Holy Spirit,God, Creator, I have been journeying with you for a while now, seeking to draw closer to you. I feel your presence and your guiding hand upon me. Be with me still as I continue to open myself to this process of love and prayer and healing.

“Blindness” – Faith:

In today’s Gospel, Jesus cured the blind man who pleaded for healing. Which “blind” areas in your life need healing from God? Could it be your pride, low self-esteem, lack of affection for the poor and the like? Speak to the Lord from your heart about your needs.

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Our Redeemer, ever present in the most Blessed Sacrament, extends His hand to everyone. He opens His heart and says, "Come to Me, all of You."

- Saint Raphael Kalinowski (1835-1907)

It is extraordinarily interesting that Roman pilgrimage began at an early time. Pilgrims did not wait for the Peace of the Church [Constantine’s edict of toleration] before they visited the tombs of the Apostles. They went to Rome a century before there were any public churches and when the Church was confined to the tituli [private homes] and the catacombs. The two great pilgrimage sites were exactly as today—the tombs, or memorials, of St. Peter upon the Vatican Hill and the tomb of St. Paul off the Ostian Way

- H.V. Morton, This Is Rome

One must pass through solitude and dwell in it to receive God’s grace. It is there that one empties oneself, that one drives before oneself all that is not God, and that one completely empties this little house of our soul to leave room for God alone. In doing this, do not fear being unfaithful toward creatures. On the contrary, that is the only way for you to serve them effectively

- Raphael Brown, Franciscan Mystic, p. 126

Too many of us live our own little lives with little knowledge of what others might be doing though. Individuals will not survive. And if they do, their lives will be pretty poor. We all need to belong to something and somewhere.

33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time (C)

Mal 3:19-20a
Ps 98:5-6, 7-8, 9
2 Thes 3:7-12
Lk 21:5-19

Travelers in Europe can visit the great cathedrals of England, France, Germany and other countries. Stone, metal and glass create soaring structures that embody our prayers, and what we perceive of God's grandeur. Some of these impressive shrines of Christianity were destroyed in World War II and later rebuilt.

The Jews of Jesus' time had the temple in Jerusalem, which was the physical heart of their religion. It symbolized God's presence, and was a powerful sign of their belief. Read some of the psalms to get a sense of how these ancient people of faith felt about the temple. A great tragedy befell them when the temple was destroyed in the year 70 by the Romans. This event had already happened by the time Luke wrote his Gospel account. And in today's passage, Jesus predicts the temple's destruction, and other troubling events that will happen to his followers.

The purpose of his words, and of Luke's recollection of them, was reassurance. Jesus wanted his followers to draw strength from his continuing presence with them, a presence that would be assured in the Church through the gift of his Holy Spirit.

In our troubling times, as we witness destruction and upheaval at least as disturbing as those in today's Gospel, we need that reassuring presence more than ever. Let our faith be strengthened by Jesus' words.

Scripture:

•…and the day that is coming will set them on fire, leaving them neither root nor branch, (Malachi 3:19)

•…he will rule the world with justice and the peoples with equity. (Psalm 98:9)

•…we worked so as not to burden any of you (2 Thessalonians 3:8)

•…the days will come when there will not be left a stone upon another stone… (Luke 21:6)

Reflection:

•How do you offer yourself for others?

•How do you bring first yourself and then others to know God?

•Have you ever learned a life lesson from an event that first did not seem just or equitable?

•Has there been a time in your life when you were extremely motivated over some activity or sport? What did it feel like? How do you bring that spirit to your life in the gospel?

We lived like skylarks.
Our real prayer was our gladness. Our rule was the gospel, and the certainty that it was God who was guiding us.
When I think back on that time I feel uplifted. I would have liked to fasten forever to that manner of living, for it helped us to break with all our habits, and immersed us in the utopia of the gospel, which is an explosion of freedom, simplicity of life, love, and the absence of problems.

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In today's Gospel reading, we hear Jesus say that the day will come when not one stone of the temple will be left mortared to another, because it will all be torn down. He's reminding us that everything here on earth is temporary.

What do you enjoy here on this earth? It's temporary. What causes you to suffer? It's temporary. What of this world do you depend on? It's temporary. What do you admire, trust, save, hope for, plan for, spend working hours to achieve, and spend relaxation hours as a reward? It's all temporary — unless we are using it for the Kingdom of God.

We know that we're supposed to focus on the things of God, things that will last for all of eternity, but we don't like the blind faith that this requires. We are like the disciples who looked for God's vindication against injustices and immorality in the temporal world: wars and insurrections, earthquakes, plagues and famines. We wish that Jesus would hurry up with his Second Coming and stop all the evils and hardships.

In our daily lives, we seek God's help, but we look for something concrete upon which to base our faith. We want to know the future; we don't like the insecurity of not knowing what God has planned. We want to depend on what we see, rather than depend on God whom we cannot see, so we ask God to give us signs.

However, the best way to walk forward on our journeys with God is to raise one foot in air, preparing to take the next step, and — while that foot is still in the air — ask God: "Where do You want me to place my foot next?"

To solely live in and rely on the kingdom of God, we have to lift up our foot and wait. This takes balance; if we don't remain centered in God, we teeter and fall. If God doesn't show us immediately where to put our foot down to move forward, we fall and die — we either fall away or we fall into his hand (which is already holding us up whether we realize it or not) and then we die to ourselves, i.e., to our own desires and ideas of where we should go next.

God's hand is never temporary! God's hand is the kingdom that lasts forever. And of course, God's hand provides true security based only on his endless, all-powerful, all-knowing love. It doesn't always feel that way, but his love and protection never fail.

Questions for Personal Reflection:

What help from God are you currently waiting for? What wars and insurrections are plaguing your life? Do you realize that your problem temporary or do you fear that it's permanent? What will you do this week to entrust yourself to the wisdom and guidance of Jesus?

Questions for Family & Community Faith Sharing:

When waiting for God's guidance, how do you stay centered on God? How do you find and hold your balance while you've got one foot wavering in the air. What if you were to put your foot down in the wrong place and move in the wrong direction? Does God protect you then? How?

My Life Is a Landscape:

I see now, my Companion God, how my life is a landscape of anger and love, Of tornados and volcanoes, Of quiet streams and welcomed retreats.Walk with me over this landscape now, And visit with me the places Where my earth cries out for healing and forgiveness.

Failures and Successes:

Is it true, my dear Jesus? That my failures are as dear to you as my successes? Perhaps more dear? I hardly dare believe it. And yet your desert times teach me, your way of the cross declares to me, that this is true. Let me understand this, live it,and even cherish it.

Radical Christian Living:

Jesus preaches a radical way of living that is not found in any other writings or religions in the world. To live a radical Christ-like life is possible only if we have a strong faith and deep love for Our Lord. How much of Jesus’ teachings do we live out daily?

“Trials" of our faith:

Jesus cautions us that if we are “persecuted” and have to suffer for our faith, we should hold on firmly to it and not be deceived into taking the “easy way out”. Jesus, Himself suffered such pains but “held on” to the end to fulfil His Father’s Will.

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If after we have embarked on ship, and are holding on to the cable, attached to some rock, we do not draw the rock to us, but ourselves, and the ship, to the rock. Wherefore, before everything, we must begin with prayer; not as though we ourselves were drawing the power, which is everywhere and nowhere present, but as, by our godly reminiscences and invocations, conducting ourselves to and making ourselves one with It.

- Saint Dionysius of Alexandria (190-265)

We cultivate a very small field for Christ, but we love it, knowing that God does not require great achievements but a heart that holds back nothing for self.

- Saint Rose Philippine Duchesne (1769-1852)

Today, there is an inescapable duty to make ourselves the neighbor of every individual, without exception, and to take positive steps to help a neighbor whom we encounter, whether that neighbor be an elderly person, abandoned by everyone, a foreign worker who suffers the injustice of being despised, a refugee, an illegitimate child wrongly suffering for a sin of which the child is innocent, or a starving human being who awakens our conscience by calling to mind the words of Christ: 'As long as you did it for one of these, the least of my brethren, you did it for me' (Matthew 25:40)

- Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World, 27, Austin Flannery translation

Persevere in Prayer:

Lord, may I persist in prayer, Coming daily to your temple. You wait for me here, always. You never tire of me, Why should I ever grow weary of seeking your face? Forgive me, God, when I become lazy or disinterested, Too caught up in the world to visit with you, talk to you and seek your will, your loving will in my life.

Divine Truth – Faith:

In today’s Gospel Jesus warns us that no one is spared from death regardless of who we are or how much we own. If we live in God’s ways we will gain eternal life, but if we live by the evil ways of the secular world, we will suffer for all eternity. Which way of living is God challenging us to choose?

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Our obedience to God's Will must be total, without reserve, and constant.

- Blessed Domingo Iturrate Zubero (1901-1927)

Come and Heal:

We praise Jesus, the same, yesterday, today and tomorrow, Come, Jesus,Come and heal.We will be whole in you.For service in your kingdom.

Vigilance – “Second Coming”:

In today’s Gospel, Jesus reminds us that the end of the world i.e. the “Second Coming” of Christ will come suddenly. If we live a “vigilant” Christ-like life of forgiveness, compassion and love we will then be living in the way that Jesus preached.

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There are some who desire knowledge merely for its own sake; and that is shameful curiosity. And there are others who desire to know, in order that they may themselves be known; and that is vanity, disgraceful too. Others again desire knowledge in order to acquire money or preferment by it; that too is a discreditable quest. But there are also some who desire knowledge, that they may build up the souls of others with it; and that is charity. Others, again, desire it that they may themselves be built up thereby; and that is prudence. Of all these types, only the last two put knowledge to the right use.

- St. Bernard, Sermon on the Canticle of Canticles).

It is by the path of love, which is charity, that God draws near to man, and man to God. But where charity is not found, God cannot dwell. If, then, we possess charity, we possess God, for "God is Charity" (1 John 4:8).

- Saint Albert the Great (1206-1280)

All Parts of Ourselves:

Having explored who we really might be,in God’s eyes and in our own,we look at our blindness and our light.We look at our broken parts, those we don’t acknowledge.They are parts of us that need to be loved,we welcome all parts of ourselves home so that we may be whole.

Prejudice – Compassion:

In today’s Gospel, Jesus shows us that He was able to go beyond the prejudices of His culture, and proceeded to touch and heal the lepers. That culture denounced and condemned all lepers as sinful and repulsive. Do we have any prejudices that drivepeople away from God?

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All is too little for the Lord.

- Saint Agostina Petrantoni (1864-1913)

Lord, you have granted me your secret friendship by opening the sacred ark of your divinity, your deified heart, to me in so many ways as to be the source of all my happiness; sometimes imparting it freely, sometimes as a special mark of our mutual friendship. You have so often melted my soul with your loving caresses that, if I did not know the abyss of your overflowing condescensions, I should be amazed were I told that even your Blessed Mother had been chosen to receive such extraordinary marks of tenderness and affection

- Adapted from The Life and Revelations of Saint Gertrude

Truth and Love:

God shares truth and love with the world in ongoing revelation. Beauty exists in the quiet heartbeat of the beloved. We learn to stop and attune our soul to listen, to be watered in the presence of God.

“Roles – Duties”:

In today’s Gospel, Jesus asserts that the Lord wants us to fulfil our duties of drawing more people into His Kingdom of salvation. Regardless of our roles and duties in our family, at work, our Church or country, we are each called to fulfil God’s purpose in all situations in our lives.

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I find a heaven in the midst of saucepans and brooms.

- Saint Stanislaus Kostka (1550-1568)

The Inner Voice:

To be heard, the inner voice of our wisdom requires a daily shower of stillness and prayer. In addition, awakened senses are needed, as is a deep trust of God’s love and enduring goodness. Trusting and reverencing the still, small voice of inner truth is precious to God, others and us.

Unity – Faith:

In today’s Gospel, Jesus prays to God the Father for His believers to be united in His Love and Truth. While the Holy Spirit gives each one of us the gift of the desire to live in unity, what do you think is Jesus’ challenge for us to concretize this desire in our daily living?

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The man who is filled with the Holy Spirit speaks in different languages. These different languages are different ways of witnessing to Christ, such as humility, poverty, patience, and obedience; we speak in those languages when we reveal in ourselves these virtues to others.

- St. Anthony of Padua (1159-1231)

Our Identity:

We discover our primary identity when we praise God and recognize we are clothed in garments of salvation. We learn to appreciate who we are through our profound relationship with God.

Life with Faith:

In today’s Gospel, Jesus preaches about the reality of eternal life that awaits us when we die. Ponder on this truth for a whileand ask yourself, “How is God challenging me to deepen my relationshipwith Him so that I can live my eternal life more meaningfully?”

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Lord, if your people still need me, I am ready for the task; your will be done.

- Saint Martin of Tours (316-397)

32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time (C)

2 Mc 7:1-2, 9-14
Ps 17:1, 5-6, 8, 15
2 Thes 2:16--3:5
Lk 20:27-38 or Lk 20:27, 34-38

Hello, I’m Franciscan Father Greg Friedman with the Sunday Soundbite for the Thirty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time.

In my ministry with St. Anthony Messenger Press, one of my roles is to answer questions on our radio program, "American Catholic Radio." I usually try first to put the answer in the simplest terms, from what I already know. Then I usually do some research, to be sure I’m giving the person an accurate response.

But I’m not sure how I'd react if I had to tackle the case Jesus receives in today's Gospel. It's a complicated, multi-part question about a woman who was widowed seven times, the Old Testament's law about a brother-in-law stepping in to marry his deceased brother's widow, and what will happen to all those spouses in heaven! Fortunately, the answer is an easy one: It's all about resurrection.

The question was a loaded one. It was asked of Jesus by the Sadducees, who did not believe in the resurrection, so their agenda was to promote their erroneous point of view. Jesus' clever reply cuts through all their complications, and even quotes Moses to respond.

Fortunately, we don't have to go through such complications to ground our faith in the resurrection, and the promise of eternal life with Christ. We need only to make our act of faith in him who died and rose for us. As Christians, the new life Jesus gives is the ultimate answer to all our questions.

Scripture:

•It is my choice to die at the hands of men with the hope God gives of being raised up by him (2 Malachi 7:14)

•Keep me as the apple of your eye, hide me in the shadow of your wings. (Psalm 17:8)

•May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the endurance of Christ. (2 Thessalonians 3:5)

•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. (Luke 20:36)

Reflection:

•How do you live the resurrection daily?

•What opportunities do you have to be the resurrection for others?

•Did you pray this week? How did you pray?

•Did you offer a prayer or sacrifice for another this week?

We need not fly to the height of heaven, nor go down to the depths of the earth, to find him who is with us, if only we love him and want to be with him. No one need say, ‘But what am I to love?’ Love your brother, and you will be loving love itself, you will know the love by which you live better than the brother whom you love. He who is filled with God is filled with love. St John says: ‘He who does not love his brother whom he sees, cannot love God whom he does not see.’ Why is that? If he does not love his brother he walks in darkness and cannot see the light; he only sees his brother with an outward human vision which cannot see God who is himself the love he lacks. It is with the same love that God and our neighbor are loved, for God is love. (St Augustine)

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Do you believe in the resurrection? That's the question that Jesus indirectly poses when he challenges the Sadducees in this Sunday's Gospel reading.

As Christians, we believe that someday we will experience a resurrection like Christ's, after we depart from this present earthly "age" or stage of life. All believers who follow Jesus will live as the angels do. This is why Catholic funeral Masses are Resurrection Masses and use white instead of black as the liturgical color.

But do you believe in the resurrection of love? Jesus explained the resurrection in terms of marriage. A marriage is supposed to be a reflection of God's love for his people. Marriage is supposed to unite a man and a woman in an enduring love that comes from God; therefore it gives witness to the world of God's faithfulness and commitment.

So why would Jesus say that marriage is not a part of the resurrection of the dead? Why wouldn't marriages formed on earth become perfect and continue forever after both husband and wife have entered heaven?

Here on earth, love is imperfectly given and imperfectly received. Therefore, it's constantly dying and being resurrected again, every day, to the extent that each spouse repents and forgives. (The same is true of any holy friendship.)

Perfect love is God. We live as his true offspring to the extent that we love our brothers and sisters the way he loves them. Today we are imperfect children. When we die, purgatory will purge out the imperfections, and in heaven we will be just like our Daddy.

Marriage does not exist in the afterlife because it's an imperfect reflection of God's love: We love our spouses more than we love others. In heaven, we will love our spouses fully (yes, even our ex-spouses!) AND we will love everyone else just as much. And those who have loved us poorly will love us better than the best spouse could love us now.

Marriage is only a foreshadowing of what love – with everyone – will be like in heaven.

Questions for Personal Reflection:

Who has failed to love you enough? Who has caused you a lot of pain? How would you feel if that person were to greet you at the entrance of heaven to let you in at the moment of your death? Do you have enough love for that person to get you through the door?

Questions for Family & Community Faith Sharing:

How is a marriage like God's love? Describe the ways that God loves us, and relate these signs of true love to what you've experienced in good friendships. How is this a foretaste of heaven.

Surrender:

Perfection is not possible in this life, and it should not be the goal. Desire for God and surrender to God’s Spirit are the goals providing the roots for deeper union with our Creator. From a stance of utter trust, surrender and faith in God’s holy embrace, we flower and bear fruit; watered with grace, we grow with the Spirit.

Peter - First Pope:

In today’s Gospel, Jesus chose Peter to be the rockand foundation of His institutional Church. Peter was chosen even though he was imperfect. To be a good disciple of Christ, Jesus only asks for a big heart that loves Him unconditionally in spite faults and failures.

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Virtue is nothing without the trial of temptation, for there is no conflict without an enemy, no victory without strife.

- Pope Saint Leo the Great (400-461)

Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome

Ezek 47:1-2, 8-9, 12
Ps 46:2-3, 5-6, 8-9
1 Cor 3:9c-11, 16-17
John 2:13-22

The heart of the temple

You are God's building, says today's second reading, because Jesus Christ is your foundation. However, when we build our daily life upon this foundation without the bricks and tools that are from God, our faith cracks, weakens, and even collapses.

You are God's temple, because the Holy Spirit dwells in you. In the Old Testament days, the temple was made of stone and mortar, and people visited it on pilgrimages. God's Spirit dwelled in the heart of this structure, a room called the holy of holies into which no human could enter except the high priest once a year on the Day of Atonement when a blood offering was made for the sins of the people.

Jesus became the High Priest and transformed the Day of Atonement into Good Friday (he speaks of this in today's Gospel reading) and because the Holy Spirit dwelled perfectly and completely in the human temple of his body, we who are now the Body of Christ on earth are also temples of the Holy Spirit. But the door to the holy of holies within our hearts is not always open. When we close our hearts to others, we deny them the opportunity to experience the Holy Spirit working through us.

In the first reading, we see that much good comes from God's temple. Since we are temples of the Holy Spirit, goodness flows out into the world from God through us. Water in Ezekiel's vision represents the Holy Spirit, the Giver of Life. Look at what happens when the Holy Spirit flows outward from our hearts: Instead tasting like salty water that kills those who try to drink it, we do good deeds that bring nourishment and life to others.

To be life-giving, we must first nourish our own hearts by soaking up the refreshing waters of the Holy Spirit. Desiring to be holy and wanting to do good is not enough. It's easy to fall back into the old reactions and limitations of our sinful human nature. We're weak and we quickly succumb to the temptations of worldly, unholy ways of dealing with stress and difficulties and relationships. Holiness requires great effort — more effort than we can muster by ourselves

We soak up the life of the Spirit whenever we purify our hearts by receiving Jesus in the Eucharist, and by repenting of our sins in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and then by additionally taking time to pray and to listen for his quiet voice within. God's Spirit refreshes us when we read and reflect on scripture, discuss our problems with faith-filled companions, or take action in the ministry of Christ.

As human temples built on Christ, we rely upon and give to others what the Holy Spirit gives to us. By imitating Jesus in ministering to the people around us, we build our lives with bricks and mortar that will last forever.

Dedication of St. John Lateran (Dedication of Lateran Basilica)

Most Catholics think of St. Peter’s as the pope’s main church, but they are wrong. St. John Lateran is the pope’s church, the cathedral of the Diocese of Rome where the Bishop of Rome presides.

The first basilica on the site was built in the fourth century when Constantine donated land he had received from the wealthy Lateran family. That structure and its successors suffered fire, earthquake and the ravages of war, but the Lateran remained the church where popes were consecrated until the popes returned from Avignon in the 14th century to find the church and the adjoining palace in ruins.

Pope Innocent X commissioned the present structure in 1646. One of Rome’s most imposing churches, the Lateran’s towering facade is crowned with 15 colossal statues of Christ, John the Baptist, John the Evangelist and 12 doctors of the Church. Beneath its high altar rest the remains of the small wooden table on which tradition holds St. Peter himself celebrated Mass.

Comment:

Unlike the commemorations of other Roman churches (St. Mary Major, Sts. Peter and Paul), this anniversary is a feast. The dedication of a church is a feast for all its parishioners. St. John Lateran is, in a sense, the parish church of all Catholics, for it is the pope's parish, the cathedral church of the Bishop of Rome. This church is the spiritual home of the people who are the Church.

Quote:

"What was done here, as these walls were rising, is reproduced when we bring together those who believe in Christ. For, by believing they are hewn out, as it were, from mountains and forests, like stones and timber; but by catechizing, baptism and instruction they are, as it were, shaped, squared and planed by the hands of the workers and artisans. Nevertheless, they do not make a house for the Lord until they are fitted together through love" (St. Augustine, Sermon 36>).

Bloom With the Spirit:

A life sharing the fruits of the spirit with the world is whole, holy and a healing balm. Within each of us are moments of peace, kindness, generosity, forgiveness and faithfulness. In order for our life to fully bloom with graces of the Holy Spirit, we know that time must be spent in prayer, silence and communion with God.

Sacredness – Church:

In today’s Gospel, Jesus was furious at those who were cheating the poor in the Temple. To cheat is itself a sin, but to cheat the poor in a sacred place of worship is a triple evil. Do we give much reverence to God when we worship Him in our Churches?

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When something turns out not very well or even badly, do not be disturbed nor think it a real evil; but be humble before God and be confident that from it He will draw some good.

- St Anthony Mary Gianelli (1789-1846)

Love and Be Loved:

Before we can give love away, we must know we are loved. To share joy, we need to have the experience of joy and delight within our soul. For peace and patience to flower, we must be patient and accepting of others and ourselves. The unparalleled gift of kindness is nurtured by gentleness and generosity of thought and deed.

“Elitism” – Faith:

In today’s Gospel Jesus reminds us that we should not be “elitists” by “excluding” those who do not live and believe the way we do. Such “elitism” is a sign of self-righteousness in our faith. Our faith is God’s gift to us and He wants us to share it with all peoples.

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Make a little cell in your heart for Jesus of the Agony; take refuge there, when you hear Him outraged by men, try to make reparation; you, at least, love Him and keep your heart quite pure for Him. Oh! If you only knew how the good God loves pure hearts! It is there that He loves to reign.

- Saint Elizabeth of the Trinity (1880-1906)

Give God Thanks:

Offer a simple thank-you to God for the life you have been given, for the things you have chosen for yourself, for the things others have chosen for you and for the circumstances that have occurred over which you had no control. God is with you, always.

Cross - Faith:

In today’s Gospel, Jesus asserts that if we want to follow Him, then we will have to take up our crosses. These “crosses” are the sacrifices and the struggles of “dying to ourselves” when we try to live the Gospel values of forgiveness, generosity, service to the needy and the like.

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Now many possible miseries are prevented from happening to someone; therefore, God wills against them. The proof that this is true with regards to present misery goes in just the same way. For no misery is eliminated unless God wills against its being present in someone; and quite often, many miseries are eliminated.

- Blessed John Duns Scotus (1266 - 1308)

Know Each Other and Ourselves:

All human persons have a beauty within that they express through actions and in relationship with others. God contemplates every person’s inner beauty with reverence. God invites us to know each other and ourselves with the same sense of wonder and awe.

God’s Invitation:

In today’s Gospel Jesus asserts that God constantly invites us to live a more meaningful life. Yet we turn Him away with our excuses. If we continue to “reject” God and take Him for granted, we may one day find ourselves losing our faith in Him totally.

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There are moments in life of special importance such as when the Lord shows us the way to be followed and then leaves it up to our will to respond.

- Blessed Margarita de Maturana (1884-1934)

Shaping the Soul:

Each person has a distinctive personality that brings a rich garden of diversity and experience into their families and communities. Belief systems, the culture one lives in and one’s own unique life experiences shape and form the soul.

Deeds – Motives:

In today’s Gospel, Jesus urges us to have pure motives when we do good deeds and when we show compassion towards others, even in difficult situations. A very good practice to live in this way is to pray thus: “Lord, I thank You for the opportunity to love You more deeply today.”

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No one will have any other desire in heaven than what God wills; and the desire of one will be the desire of all; and the desire of all and of each one will also be the desire of God.

- Saint Anslem of Canterbury (1033-1109)

The only science that gives purpose to every other science is the science of religion —the science of our happy relationship with, and our providential dependence on, God and our neighbor.

— Father Solanus Casey

31st Sunday in Ordinary Time (C)

Notice the determination of Zacchaeus in the Sunday's Gospel reading. His view of Jesus was obstructed, but that didn't stop him from seeing Jesus. He had an obstacle (the crowd) and a handicap (his short stature), but he refused to allow any of this to prevent him from reaching his goal of getting a clear view of Jesus.

In fact, Zacchaeus was so eager to experience Jesus that he did something drastic: He climbed a tree! Maybe he felt embarrassed hanging onto a tree limb; maybe onlookers thought he was odd. Maybe someone tried to talk him down. Maybe the tree was rough and tore his clothes and scratched his skin. None of that stopped him.

The Christian life isn't easy. We all have handicaps — prejudices, misconceptions, bad training, spiritual laziness, fears and doubts, and so on — which obstruct our view of Jesus. We pray for God's help and when our prayers aren't answered quickly enough, we assume that God has abandoned us. Or we fail to love others unconditionally and forgivingly when they repeatedly bring trouble to our lives, and so we assume that Jesus is just as unforgiving toward us.

And when following Jesus means walking through hardships and getting nailed to the cross of someone's rejection or false accusations, we assume that Jesus isn't really there; he's beckoning us to run from the trial and find peace in the easy route.

Instead, we should be like Zacchaeus. We should want to see Jesus fully, as he really is, and we should do everything possible to find a way around the obstacles that interfere with our ability to understand what he's really doing.

Notice that once Zacchaeus climbed the tree, Jesus zeroed in on him and gave him personal attention and affirmation. How did Zacchaeus respond? He QUICKLY descended from the tree and welcomed Jesus with DELIGHT. He had so much enthusiasm that he wanted to quadruple the penance for his sins!

If that kind of reaction to Christ's presence isn't our reaction, we need to climb even higher; our view is still partly obstructed.

Questions for Personal Reflection:

What are you "short" on? What in your faith life is too small? What is crowding your life and obstructing an enthusiastic relationship with Jesus? And how can you overcome this handicap so that you can see Jesus and recognize his nearness and hear his affirmation?

Questions for Family & Community Faith Sharing:

Name some signs of spiritual determination that you've seen in others. Why are we able to see Jesus better when we pray more fervently, sing in Mass more enthusiastically, serve others more eagerly, immerse ourselves in scripture more hungrily, care about others more cheerfully, or donate our treasures more generously?

31st Sunday in Ordinary Time (C)

Wis 11:22--12:2
Ps 145:1-2, 8-9, 10-11, 13, 14
2 Thes 1:11-22
Lk 19:1-10

I once heard some advice for writers on how to make a story more dramatic. "Get your character up in a tree," the advice goes, "and throw rocks at him." The advice isn't meant literally, but rather it's about how a character in jeopardy is always a good source of drama.

Well Saint Luke, author of today's Gospel passage, seems to have taken at least a part of that advice literally. It's the famous tale of Zacchaeus, who was short of stature and so needed a higher perch to see Jesus pass by.

But it's really the grace of God that's creating the drama here—a dramatic act of repentance. Even before Jesus comes on the scene, Zacchaeus is determined to see him. What led this wealthy tax collector—an unpopular figure in the town of Jericho—to be interested in Jesus? And even more, what moved him to a radical divesting of half his possessions, and a promise to over-compensate anyone he may have defrauded? It can only be grace!

And it gives you and me an important reminder. God is at work in the most unlikely of ways, and in people we may least expect to change. Repentance like that was—and is—the mission of Jesus. Let's welcome his invitation to stay with us, in our daily lives.

Scripture:

•For you love all things that are… (Wisdom 11:24)

•Every day will I bless you… (Psalm 145:2)

•We always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and powerfully bring to fulfillment every good purpose and every effort of faith, that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him… (2 Thessalonians 1:11)

•So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree in order to see Jesus… (Luke 19:4)

Reflection:

•Where do you find God?

•How do you do God’s will?

•Do you allow God to work through you?

•What is your prayer, and what do you hold near to your heart?

The Church must offer itself as one of the principal agents whereby the human community is made to stand under the judgment of the enduring values of the Gospel of Jesus Christ: freedom, justice, peace, charity, compassion and reconciliation.

Never Alone:

Although you may have had life experiences of loneliness, pain or even trauma, and God may have appeared at times to be absent, you have never been truly alone. Every human person is held in this inclusive and primary embrace of the Creator from conception.

Zeal for Truth:

In today’s Gospel, Zacchaeus was so captivated by Jesus that he climbed a tree to get a better glimpse of Him. How much zeal do we have for Jesus in our daily living? If God were to ask you, “What have you done for me that you can be proud of?” Answer Him from your heart .

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If we wish to make any progress in the service of God we must begin every day of our life with new eagerness. We must keep ourselves in the presence of God as much as possible and have no other view or end in all our actions but the divine honor.

- Saint Charles Borromeo (1538-1584)

God Alive in You:

You are unique, distinct and utterly irreplaceable. There is no other human person who has ever lived in the same way you have or will live as you have in the future. The magnificence of God is alive within you and has been since the moment of your conception.

Humility – Faith:

In today’s Gospel, Jesus urges us to be humble and not to exalt ourselves. To be humble is to face the reality of our true self i.e. our finiteness, weakness and sinfulness, and yet knowing how precious we are in God’s eyes. To exalt ourselves is to assert a false self that denies God’s love for us.

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Compassion, my dear Brother, is preferable to cleanliness. Reflect that with a little soap I can easily clean my bed covers, but even with a torrent of tears I would never wash from my soul the stain that my harshness toward the unfortunate would create.

- Saint Martin de Porres (1579-1639)

Feast of All Souls

The Church has encouraged prayer for the dead from the earliest times as an act of Christian charity. "If we had no care for the dead," Augustine noted, "we would not be in the habit of praying for them." Yet pre-Christian rites for the deceased kept such a strong hold on the superstitious imagination that a liturgical commemoration was not observed until the early Middle Ages, when monastic communities began to mark an annual day of prayer for the departed members.

In the middle of the 11th century, St. Odilo, abbot of Cluny (France), decreed that all Cluniac monasteries offer special prayers and sing the Office for the Dead on November 2, the day after the feast of All Saints. The custom spread from Cluny and was finally adopted throughout the Roman Church.

The theological underpinning of the feast is the acknowledgment of human frailty. Since few people achieve perfection in this life but, rather, go to the grave still scarred with traces of sinfulness, some period of purification seems necessary before a soul comes face-to-face with God. The Council of Trent affirmed this purgatory state and insisted that the prayers of the living can speed the process of purification.

Superstition still clung to the observance. Medieval popular belief held that the souls in purgatory could appear on this day in the form of witches, toads or will-o’-the-wisps. Graveside food offerings supposedly eased the rest of the dead.

Observances of a more religious nature have survived. These include public processions or private visits to cemeteries and decorating graves with flowers and lights. This feast is observed with great fervor in Mexico.

Comment:

Whether or not one should pray for the dead is one of the great arguments which divide Christians. Appalled by the abuse of indulgences in the Church of his day, Martin Luther rejected the concept of purgatory. Yet prayer for a loved one is, for the believer, a way of erasing any distance, even death. In prayer we stand in God's presence in the company of someone we love, even if that person has gone before us into death.

Quote:

“We must not make purgatory into a flaming concentration camp on the brink of hell—or even a ‘hell for a short time.’ It is blasphemous to think of it as a place where a petty God exacts the last pound—or ounce—of flesh.... St. Catherine of Genoa, a mystic of the 15th century, wrote that the ‘fire’ of purgatory is God’s love ‘burning’ the soul so that, at last, the soul is wholly aflame. It is the pain of wanting to be made totally worthy of One who is seen as infinitely lovable, the pain of desire for union that is now absolutely assured, but not yet fully tasted” (Leonard Foley, O.F.M., Believing in Jesus).

Transform Me:

Master Gardener, you will come alive more fully in my life when I surrender to your loving will and design for my life that we create together. Allow me to give you permission to transform me into your ambassador on earth.

Salvation:

In today’s Gospel, we hear of the Good News of how Jesus, Our Lord fulfils His Father’s Will to save all peoples. Ponder on how we should change our lifestyle and attitudes so that we can be more in touch with this divine truth of Our Lord in our daily lives.

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It is an important duty of ours to pray for the dead because although they may have died in grace and in friendship with God, they may still be in need of a last purification in order to enter into the joy of heaven. Prayer for the souls of the dead can be expressed in various ways, including a visit to the cemetery. Going to these sacred places provides an auspicious occasion to reflect on the meaning of earthly life and to nourish, at the same time, hope in the blessed eternity of paradise.

- Pope John Paul II (All Souls Day Nov. 2, 2003)

Happy are those who have died in the Lord. Let them rest from their labors for their good deeds go with them.

—Rev 14:13

Daily Encounters:

Master Gardener, you are already present in every moment of my daily life. Teach me to discover and appreciate your presence in the people and places I encounter every day.

The Beatitudes:

In today’s Gospel the “Beatitudes” remind us of our need to be compassionate towards those who mourn, the hungry, the persecuted and abused. Jesus also urges us to be “poor in spirit,” be gentle and merciful to others. Ponder on each of these aspects of our faith and ask yourself, “How can I deepen my love for Our Lord?”

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The example of the Saints encourages us to follow in their same footsteps and to experience the joy of those who trust in God, for the one true cause of sorrow and unhappiness for men and women is to live far from him.

- Pope Benedict XVI (Nov. 1, 2006)

The challenge of sainthood is to go where love takes me.

—Prayer for Daybreak and Day's End, Volume II

Feast of All Saints

The earliest certain observance of a feast in honor of all the saints is an early fourth-century commemoration of "all the martyrs." In the early seventh century, after successive waves of invaders plundered the catacombs, Pope Boniface IV gathered up some 28 wagonloads of bones and reinterred them beneath the Pantheon, a Roman temple dedicated to all the gods. The pope rededicated the shrine as a Christian church. According to Venerable Bede, the pope intended "that the memory of all the saints might in the future be honored in the place which had formerly been dedicated to the worship not of gods but of demons" (On the Calculation of Time).

But the rededication of the Pantheon, like the earlier commemoration of all the martyrs, occurred in May. Many Eastern Churches still honor all the saints in the spring, either during the Easter season or immediately after Pentecost.

How the Western Church came to celebrate this feast in November is a puzzle to historians. The Anglo-Saxon theologian Alcuin observed the feast on November 1 in 800, as did his friend Arno, Bishop of Salzburg. Rome finally adopted that date in the ninth century.

Comment:

This feast first honored martyrs. Later, when Christians were free to worship according to their conscience, the Church acknowledged other paths to sanctity. In the early centuries the only criterion was popular acclaim, even when the bishop's approval became the final step in placing a commemoration on the calendar. The first papal canonization occurred in 993; the lengthy process now required to prove extraordinary sanctity took form in the last 500 years. Today's feast honors the obscure as well as the famous—the saints each of us have known.

Quote:

“After this I had a vision of a great multitude, which no one could count, from every nation, race, people, and tongue. They stood before the throne and before the Lamb, wearing white robes and holding palm branches in their hands.... [One of the elders] said to me, ‘These are the ones who have survived the time of great distress; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb’” (Revelation 7:9,14).