Almighty God,
you have generously
made known to human beings
the mysteries of your life
through Jesus Christ your Son
in the Holy Spirit.
Enlighten my mind
to know these mysteries
which your Church treasures and teaches.
Move my heart to love them
and my will to live in accord with them.
Give me the ability
to share this faith with others
without pride, without ostentation,
and without personal gain.
Let me realize
that I am simply your instrument
for bringing others
to the knowledge of the wonderful things
you have done for all your creatures.
Help me to be faithful to this task
that you have entrusted to me. Amen.
- St. Charles Borromeo
Saturday, November 5, 2011
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed
Book of Wisdom 3:1-9.
But the souls of the just are in the hand of God, and no torment shall touch them.
They seemed, in the view of the foolish, to be dead; and their passing away was thought an affliction
and their going forth from us, utter destruction. But they are in peace.
For if before men, indeed, they be punished, yet is their hope full of immortality;
Chastised a little, they shall be greatly blessed, because God tried them and found them worthy of himself.
As gold in the furnace, he proved them, and as sacrificial offerings he took them to himself.
In the time of their visitation they shall shine, and shall dart about as sparks through stubble;
They shall judge nations and rule over peoples, and the LORD shall be their King forever.
Those who trust in him shall understand truth, and the faithful shall abide with him in love: Because grace and mercy are with his holy ones, and his care is with the elect.
Psalms 27(26):1.4.7.8.9.13-14.
Of David The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom do I fear? The LORD is my life's refuge; of whom am I afraid?
One thing I ask of the LORD; this I seek: To dwell in the LORD'S house all the days of my life, To gaze on the LORD'S beauty, to visit his temple.
I Hear my voice, LORD, when I call; have mercy on me and answer me.
"Come," says my heart, "seek God's face"; your face, LORD, do I seek!
Do not hide your face from me; do not repel your servant in anger. You are my help; do not cast me off; do not forsake me, God my savior!
But I believe I shall enjoy the LORD'S goodness in the land of the living.
Wait for the LORD, take courage; be stouthearted, wait for the LORD!
Letter to the Romans 6:3-9.
Brothers and sisters: Are you unaware that we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?
We were indeed buried with him through baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might live in newness of life.
For if we have grown into union with him through a death like his, we shall also be united with him in the resurrection.
We know that our old self was crucified with him, so that our sinful body might be done away with, that we might no longer be in slavery to sin.
For a dead person has been absolved from sin.
If, then, we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him.
We know that Christ, raised from the dead, dies no more; death no longer has power over him.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 25:31-46.
Jesus said to his disciples: «When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit upon his glorious throne,
and all the nations will be assembled before him. And he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.
He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
Then the king will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me,
naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.'
Then the righteous will answer him and say, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink?
When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you?
When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?'
And the king will say to them in reply, 'Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.'
Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink,
a stranger and you gave me no welcome, naked and you gave me no clothing, ill and in prison, and you did not care for me.'
Then they will answer and say, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or ill or in prison, and not minister to your needs?'
He will answer them, 'Amen, I say to you, what you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for me.'
And these will go off to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."
But the souls of the just are in the hand of God, and no torment shall touch them.
They seemed, in the view of the foolish, to be dead; and their passing away was thought an affliction
and their going forth from us, utter destruction. But they are in peace.
For if before men, indeed, they be punished, yet is their hope full of immortality;
Chastised a little, they shall be greatly blessed, because God tried them and found them worthy of himself.
As gold in the furnace, he proved them, and as sacrificial offerings he took them to himself.
In the time of their visitation they shall shine, and shall dart about as sparks through stubble;
They shall judge nations and rule over peoples, and the LORD shall be their King forever.
Those who trust in him shall understand truth, and the faithful shall abide with him in love: Because grace and mercy are with his holy ones, and his care is with the elect.
Psalms 27(26):1.4.7.8.9.13-14.
Of David The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom do I fear? The LORD is my life's refuge; of whom am I afraid?
One thing I ask of the LORD; this I seek: To dwell in the LORD'S house all the days of my life, To gaze on the LORD'S beauty, to visit his temple.
I Hear my voice, LORD, when I call; have mercy on me and answer me.
"Come," says my heart, "seek God's face"; your face, LORD, do I seek!
Do not hide your face from me; do not repel your servant in anger. You are my help; do not cast me off; do not forsake me, God my savior!
But I believe I shall enjoy the LORD'S goodness in the land of the living.
Wait for the LORD, take courage; be stouthearted, wait for the LORD!
Letter to the Romans 6:3-9.
Brothers and sisters: Are you unaware that we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?
We were indeed buried with him through baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might live in newness of life.
For if we have grown into union with him through a death like his, we shall also be united with him in the resurrection.
We know that our old self was crucified with him, so that our sinful body might be done away with, that we might no longer be in slavery to sin.
For a dead person has been absolved from sin.
If, then, we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him.
We know that Christ, raised from the dead, dies no more; death no longer has power over him.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 25:31-46.
Jesus said to his disciples: «When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit upon his glorious throne,
and all the nations will be assembled before him. And he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.
He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
Then the king will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me,
naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.'
Then the righteous will answer him and say, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink?
When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you?
When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?'
And the king will say to them in reply, 'Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.'
Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink,
a stranger and you gave me no welcome, naked and you gave me no clothing, ill and in prison, and you did not care for me.'
Then they will answer and say, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or ill or in prison, and not minister to your needs?'
He will answer them, 'Amen, I say to you, what you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for me.'
And these will go off to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
All Saints - Solemnity
Book of Revelation 7:2-4.9-14.
Then I saw another angel come up from the East, holding the seal of the living God. He cried out in a loud voice to the four angels who were given power to damage the land and the sea,
"Do not damage the land or the sea or the trees until we put the seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God."
I heard the number of those who had been marked with the seal, one hundred and forty-four thousand marked from every tribe of the Israelites:
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.
They cried out in a loud voice: "Salvation comes from our God, who is seated on the throne, and from the Lamb."
All the angels stood around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They prostrated themselves before the throne, worshiped God,
and exclaimed: "Amen. Blessing and glory, wisdom and thanksgiving, honor, power, and might be to our God forever and ever. Amen."
Then one of the elders spoke up and said to me, "Who are these wearing white robes, and where did they come from?"
I said to him, "My lord, you are the one who knows." He 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.
Psalms 24(23):1-2.3-4ab.5-6.
A psalm of David. The earth is the LORD'S and all it holds, the world and those who live there.
For God founded it on the seas, established it over the rivers.
Who may go up the mountain of the LORD? Who can stand in his holy place?
"The clean of hand and pure of heart, who are not devoted to idols, who have not sworn falsely.
"The clean of hand and pure of heart, who are not devoted to idols, who have not sworn falsely.
They will receive blessings from the LORD, and justice from their saving God.
Such are the people that love the LORD, that seek the face of the God of Jacob." Selah
First Letter of John 3:1-3.
See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God. Yet so we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.
Beloved, we are God's children now; what we shall be has not yet been revealed. We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.
Everyone who has this hope based on him makes himself pure, as he is pure.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 5:1-12a.
When he saw the crowds, he went up the mountain, and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him.
He began to teach them, saying:
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land.
Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you (falsely) because of me.
Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven. Thus they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Then I saw another angel come up from the East, holding the seal of the living God. He cried out in a loud voice to the four angels who were given power to damage the land and the sea,
"Do not damage the land or the sea or the trees until we put the seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God."
I heard the number of those who had been marked with the seal, one hundred and forty-four thousand marked from every tribe of the Israelites:
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.
They cried out in a loud voice: "Salvation comes from our God, who is seated on the throne, and from the Lamb."
All the angels stood around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They prostrated themselves before the throne, worshiped God,
and exclaimed: "Amen. Blessing and glory, wisdom and thanksgiving, honor, power, and might be to our God forever and ever. Amen."
Then one of the elders spoke up and said to me, "Who are these wearing white robes, and where did they come from?"
I said to him, "My lord, you are the one who knows." He 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.
Psalms 24(23):1-2.3-4ab.5-6.
A psalm of David. The earth is the LORD'S and all it holds, the world and those who live there.
For God founded it on the seas, established it over the rivers.
Who may go up the mountain of the LORD? Who can stand in his holy place?
"The clean of hand and pure of heart, who are not devoted to idols, who have not sworn falsely.
"The clean of hand and pure of heart, who are not devoted to idols, who have not sworn falsely.
They will receive blessings from the LORD, and justice from their saving God.
Such are the people that love the LORD, that seek the face of the God of Jacob." Selah
First Letter of John 3:1-3.
See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God. Yet so we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.
Beloved, we are God's children now; what we shall be has not yet been revealed. We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.
Everyone who has this hope based on him makes himself pure, as he is pure.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 5:1-12a.
When he saw the crowds, he went up the mountain, and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him.
He began to teach them, saying:
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land.
Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you (falsely) because of me.
Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven. Thus they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
A Prayer for Today
Into your hands, O Lord,
and into the hands of your holy angels,
I commit and entrust this day my soul,
my relations, my benefactors,
my friends and my enemies,
and all your people.
Keep us, O Lord,
throughout this day
by the merits and intercessions
of blessed virgin Mary and all the saints.
- St. Edmund of Abingdon
and into the hands of your holy angels,
I commit and entrust this day my soul,
my relations, my benefactors,
my friends and my enemies,
and all your people.
Keep us, O Lord,
throughout this day
by the merits and intercessions
of blessed virgin Mary and all the saints.
- St. Edmund of Abingdon
Sunday, October 30, 2011
10 Tips for Living a Better Life by Pope John XXIII
Found this at I Catholic, one of the members posted and we should all try this to see how much better our lives can be.
So here are ten tips from Pope John XXIII about how to live a better life, dahttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gify to day:
1. Only for today, I will seek to live the livelong day positively without wishing to solve the problems of my life all at once.
2. Only for today, I will take the greatest care of my appearance: I will dress modestly; I will not raise my voice; I will be courteous in my behavior; I will not criticize anyone; I will not claim to improve or to discipline anyone except myself.
3. Only for today, I will be happy in the certainty that I was created to be happy, not only in the other world but also in this one.
4. Only for today, I will adapt to circumstances, without requiring all circumstances to be adapted to my own wishes.
5. Only for today, I will devote 10 minutes of my time to some good reading, remembering that just as food is necessary to the life of the body, so good reading is necessary to the life of the soul.
6. Only for today, I will do one good deed and not tell anyone about it.
7. Only for today, I will do at least one thing I do not like doing; and if my feelings are hurt, I will make sure that no one notices.
8. Only for today, I will make a plan for myself: I may not follow it to the letter, but I will make it. And I will be on guard against two evils: hastiness and indecision.
9. Only for today, I will firmly believe, despite appearances, that the good Providence of God cares for me as no one else who exists in this world.
10. Only for today, I will have no fears. In particular, I will not be afraid to enjoy what is beautiful and to believe in goodness. Indeed, for 12 hours I can certainly do what might cause me consternation were I to believe I had to do it all my life.
So here are ten tips from Pope John XXIII about how to live a better life, dahttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gify to day:
1. Only for today, I will seek to live the livelong day positively without wishing to solve the problems of my life all at once.
2. Only for today, I will take the greatest care of my appearance: I will dress modestly; I will not raise my voice; I will be courteous in my behavior; I will not criticize anyone; I will not claim to improve or to discipline anyone except myself.
3. Only for today, I will be happy in the certainty that I was created to be happy, not only in the other world but also in this one.
4. Only for today, I will adapt to circumstances, without requiring all circumstances to be adapted to my own wishes.
5. Only for today, I will devote 10 minutes of my time to some good reading, remembering that just as food is necessary to the life of the body, so good reading is necessary to the life of the soul.
6. Only for today, I will do one good deed and not tell anyone about it.
7. Only for today, I will do at least one thing I do not like doing; and if my feelings are hurt, I will make sure that no one notices.
8. Only for today, I will make a plan for myself: I may not follow it to the letter, but I will make it. And I will be on guard against two evils: hastiness and indecision.
9. Only for today, I will firmly believe, despite appearances, that the good Providence of God cares for me as no one else who exists in this world.
10. Only for today, I will have no fears. In particular, I will not be afraid to enjoy what is beautiful and to believe in goodness. Indeed, for 12 hours I can certainly do what might cause me consternation were I to believe I had to do it all my life.
Thirty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time
Book of Malachi 1:14b.2:1-2b.8-10.
Cursed is the deceiver, who has in his flock a male, but under his vow sacrifices to the LORD a gelding; For a great King am I, says the LORD of hosts, and my name will be feared among the nations.
And now, O priests, this commandment is for you: If you do not listen,
And if you do not lay it to heart, to give glory to my name, says the LORD of hosts, I will send a curse upon you and of your blessing I will make a curse. Yes, I have already cursed it, because you do not lay it to heart.
But you have turned aside from the way, and have caused many to falter by your instruction; You have made void the covenant of Levi, says the LORD of hosts.
I, therefore, have made you contemptible and base before all the people, Since you do not keep my ways, but show partiality in your decisions.
Have we not all the one Father? Has not the one God created us? Why then do we break faith with each other, violating the covenant of our fathers?
Psalms 131(130):1.2.3.
A song of ascents. Of David. LORD, my heart is not proud; nor are my eyes haughty. I do not busy myself with great matters, with things too sublime for me.
Rather, I have stilled my soul, hushed it like a weaned child. Like a weaned child on its mother's lap, so is my soul within me.
Israel, hope in the LORD, now and forever.
First Letter to the Thessalonians 2:7b-9.13.
Although we were able to impose our weight as apostles of Christ. Rather, we were gentle among you, as a nursing mother cares for her children.
With such affection for you, we were determined to share with you not only the gospel of God, but our very selves as well, so dearly beloved had you become to us.
You recall, brothers, our toil and drudgery. Working night and day in order not to burden any of you, we proclaimed to you the gospel of God.
And for this reason we too give thanks to God unceasingly, that,in receiving the word of God from hearing us, you received not a human word but, as it truly is, the word of God, which is now atwork in you who believe.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 23:1-12.
Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples,
saying, "The scribes and the Pharisees have taken their seat on the chair of Moses.
Therefore, do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you, but do not follow their example. For they preach but they do not practice.
They tie up heavy burdens (hard to carry) and lay them on people's shoulders, but they will not lift a finger to move them.
All their works are performed to be seen. They widen their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels.
They love places of honor at banquets, seats of honor in synagogues,
greetings in marketplaces, and the salutation 'Rabbi.'
As for you, do not be called 'Rabbi.' You have but one teacher, and you are all brothers.
Call no one on earth your father; you have but one Father in heaven.
Do not be called 'Master'; you have but one master, the Messiah.
The greatest among you must be your servant.
Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Twice as Good?
So as mentioned I started RCIA this week and now it seems I will be going to two parishes! Confusing yes problem no! It kind of dawned on me that this might just be the best of both worlds and help my journey even more.
Now I am sure it will not accelerate it but actually in fact bring me back to the very roots of my faith that I need to establish. I guess my roots are like those of the mustard seed on the rocks!
The people who run the RCIA are very wonderful and really appear to want to go out of their way to help and to make one welcome. I received a nice package and best of all a bible, my very first and now a very cherished possession. Remarkable the contents and why is it that it is easier to read in book form then in online form?
So hang on as this should be a good ride but one with great benefits. Mass is easy I can go to the English parish Saturday evening or Sunday first thing and then on for the 11am at our old parish. I have discussed at my old parish that I might not be there every week but will try as the 11:00am mass is a bit late and wipes out the day but for the most part we can live with it. Hectic yes strange yes but from what I have seen at our Hungarian parish that there are a few people who attend two parishes as well.
So all in all took a small big step forward and now time to absorb the teachings and the words to be a better person and to become strong in my faith!
Now I am sure it will not accelerate it but actually in fact bring me back to the very roots of my faith that I need to establish. I guess my roots are like those of the mustard seed on the rocks!
The people who run the RCIA are very wonderful and really appear to want to go out of their way to help and to make one welcome. I received a nice package and best of all a bible, my very first and now a very cherished possession. Remarkable the contents and why is it that it is easier to read in book form then in online form?
So hang on as this should be a good ride but one with great benefits. Mass is easy I can go to the English parish Saturday evening or Sunday first thing and then on for the 11am at our old parish. I have discussed at my old parish that I might not be there every week but will try as the 11:00am mass is a bit late and wipes out the day but for the most part we can live with it. Hectic yes strange yes but from what I have seen at our Hungarian parish that there are a few people who attend two parishes as well.
So all in all took a small big step forward and now time to absorb the teachings and the words to be a better person and to become strong in my faith!
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Floating
As mentioned I have been contemplating switching parishes. Going from my ethnic Hungarian background and parish to a local parish.
I have been weighing the pros and cons of the situation and right now the local parish is winning out. First I love the mass time of 8:00am. Really has worked out great the last few weeks and even today as I have the whole day still ahead of me to work around my house, be with my family, be a couch potato and unwind. The 11:00am mass at the other parish plus the travel time and the helping out had us home around 1:00pm and we were either in a rush or just gave up and fell behind in our chores and cooking and never had time for each other and the family. I really liked it when we had the 9:00am mass but this has been canceled and so has the 10:00am mass which was still good.
As mentioned we had a 15-20 minute drive to the Hungarian parish. New parish 5 minutes can even walk on a nice day (or when my hip decides to heal up).
The largest influence having me lean to the new parish is that I have already enrolled in the RCIA class after talking with Father A. I have been lost many times at mass even though I did pick up Hungarian and learned to read Hungarian I still knew that I did not have the comprehension of the mass and the faith. Sadly though there was not much they could offer me. I wanted to learn what I had never learned about the faith and how it works and what my role there is etc. I did go through Cursillo but that is not a base but maybe a branch or at the very least a different type of foundation. As I mentioned to the office secretary at the new parish when enrolling even though I am a Catholic I know nothing.
My heart is still heavy about this and it might be a few weeks before I make a final decision and it is hard but is it selfish to ant to know and expand your knowledge in your faith so ultimately one can become closer to the Lord? I don't think so but I could be wrong.
Looking forward to RCIA class on Tuesday evening and going forward from there. Until later God Bless and take care!
I have been weighing the pros and cons of the situation and right now the local parish is winning out. First I love the mass time of 8:00am. Really has worked out great the last few weeks and even today as I have the whole day still ahead of me to work around my house, be with my family, be a couch potato and unwind. The 11:00am mass at the other parish plus the travel time and the helping out had us home around 1:00pm and we were either in a rush or just gave up and fell behind in our chores and cooking and never had time for each other and the family. I really liked it when we had the 9:00am mass but this has been canceled and so has the 10:00am mass which was still good.
As mentioned we had a 15-20 minute drive to the Hungarian parish. New parish 5 minutes can even walk on a nice day (or when my hip decides to heal up).
The largest influence having me lean to the new parish is that I have already enrolled in the RCIA class after talking with Father A. I have been lost many times at mass even though I did pick up Hungarian and learned to read Hungarian I still knew that I did not have the comprehension of the mass and the faith. Sadly though there was not much they could offer me. I wanted to learn what I had never learned about the faith and how it works and what my role there is etc. I did go through Cursillo but that is not a base but maybe a branch or at the very least a different type of foundation. As I mentioned to the office secretary at the new parish when enrolling even though I am a Catholic I know nothing.
My heart is still heavy about this and it might be a few weeks before I make a final decision and it is hard but is it selfish to ant to know and expand your knowledge in your faith so ultimately one can become closer to the Lord? I don't think so but I could be wrong.
Looking forward to RCIA class on Tuesday evening and going forward from there. Until later God Bless and take care!
The Sunday Readings
First Reading - Ex 22:20-26
20 He that sacrificeth to gods, shall be put to death, save only to the Lord. 21 Thou shalt not molest a stranger, nor afflict him: for yourselves also were strangers in the land of Egypt. 22 You shall not hurt a widow or an orphan. 23 If you hurt them they will cry out to me, and I will hear their cry: 24 And my rage shall be enkindled, and I will strike you with the sword, and your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless. 25 If thou lend money to any of my people that is poor, that dwelleth with thee, thou shalt not be hard upon them as an extortioner, nor oppress them with usuries. 26 If thou take of thy neighbour a garment in pledge, thou shalt give it him again before sunset.
Psalm - Ps 18:2-4,47,51
2 I will love thee, O Lord, my strength: 3 The Lord is my firmament, my refuge, and my deliverer. My God is my helper, and in him will I put my trust. My protector and the horn of my salvation, and my support. 4 Praising I will call upon the Lord: and I shall be saved from my enemies. 47 The Lord liveth, and blessed be my God, and let the God of my salvation be exalted. 51 Giving great deliverance to his king, and shewing mercy to David his anointed: and to his seed for ever.
Second Reading - 1 Thess 1:5c-10
5c As you know what manner of men we have been among you for your sakes. 6 And you became followers of us, and of the Lord; receiving the word in much tribulation, with joy of the Holy Ghost: 7 So that you were made a pattern to all that believe in Macedonia and in Achaia. 8 For from you was spread abroad the word of the Lord, not only in Macedonia, and in Achaia, but also in every place, your faith which is towards God, is gone forth, so that we need not to speak any thing. 9 For they themselves relate of us, what manner of entering in we had unto you; and how you turned to God from idols, to serve the living and true God. 10 And to wait for his Son from heaven (whom he raised up from the dead,) Jesus, who hath delivered us from the wrath to come.
Gospel - Mt 22:34-40
34 But the Pharisees hearing that he had silenced the Sadducees, came together: 35 And one of them, a doctor of the law, asking him, tempting him: 36 Master, which is the greatest commandment in the law? 37 Jesus said to him: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart, and with thy whole soul, and with thy whole mind. 38 This is the greatest and the first commandment. 39 And the second is like to this: Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 40 On these two commandments dependeth the whole law and the prophets.
20 He that sacrificeth to gods, shall be put to death, save only to the Lord. 21 Thou shalt not molest a stranger, nor afflict him: for yourselves also were strangers in the land of Egypt. 22 You shall not hurt a widow or an orphan. 23 If you hurt them they will cry out to me, and I will hear their cry: 24 And my rage shall be enkindled, and I will strike you with the sword, and your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless. 25 If thou lend money to any of my people that is poor, that dwelleth with thee, thou shalt not be hard upon them as an extortioner, nor oppress them with usuries. 26 If thou take of thy neighbour a garment in pledge, thou shalt give it him again before sunset.
Psalm - Ps 18:2-4,47,51
2 I will love thee, O Lord, my strength: 3 The Lord is my firmament, my refuge, and my deliverer. My God is my helper, and in him will I put my trust. My protector and the horn of my salvation, and my support. 4 Praising I will call upon the Lord: and I shall be saved from my enemies. 47 The Lord liveth, and blessed be my God, and let the God of my salvation be exalted. 51 Giving great deliverance to his king, and shewing mercy to David his anointed: and to his seed for ever.
Second Reading - 1 Thess 1:5c-10
5c As you know what manner of men we have been among you for your sakes. 6 And you became followers of us, and of the Lord; receiving the word in much tribulation, with joy of the Holy Ghost: 7 So that you were made a pattern to all that believe in Macedonia and in Achaia. 8 For from you was spread abroad the word of the Lord, not only in Macedonia, and in Achaia, but also in every place, your faith which is towards God, is gone forth, so that we need not to speak any thing. 9 For they themselves relate of us, what manner of entering in we had unto you; and how you turned to God from idols, to serve the living and true God. 10 And to wait for his Son from heaven (whom he raised up from the dead,) Jesus, who hath delivered us from the wrath to come.
Gospel - Mt 22:34-40
34 But the Pharisees hearing that he had silenced the Sadducees, came together: 35 And one of them, a doctor of the law, asking him, tempting him: 36 Master, which is the greatest commandment in the law? 37 Jesus said to him: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart, and with thy whole soul, and with thy whole mind. 38 This is the greatest and the first commandment. 39 And the second is like to this: Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 40 On these two commandments dependeth the whole law and the prophets.
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Twenty-Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Reading 1 Is 45:1, 4-6
Thus says the LORD to his anointed, Cyrus,
whose right hand I grasp,
subduing nations before him,
and making kings run in his service,
opening doors before him
and leaving the gates unbarred:
For the sake of Jacob, my servant,
of Israel, my chosen one,
I have called you by your name,
giving you a title, though you knew me not.
I am the LORD and there is no other,
there is no God besides me.
It is I who arm you, though you know me not,
so that toward the rising and the setting of the sun
people may know that there is none besides me.
I am the LORD, there is no other.
whose right hand I grasp,
subduing nations before him,
and making kings run in his service,
opening doors before him
and leaving the gates unbarred:
For the sake of Jacob, my servant,
of Israel, my chosen one,
I have called you by your name,
giving you a title, though you knew me not.
I am the LORD and there is no other,
there is no God besides me.
It is I who arm you, though you know me not,
so that toward the rising and the setting of the sun
people may know that there is none besides me.
I am the LORD, there is no other.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 96:1, 3, 4-5, 7-8, 9-10
R. (7b) Give the Lord glory and honor.
Sing to the LORD a new song;
sing to the LORD, all you lands.
Tell his glory among the nations;
among all peoples, his wondrous deeds.
R. Give the Lord glory and honor.
For great is the LORD and highly to be praised;
awesome is he, beyond all gods.
For all the gods of the nations are things of nought,
but the LORD made the heavens.
R. Give the Lord glory and honor.
Give to the LORD, you families of nations,
give to the LORD glory and praise;
give to the LORD the glory due his name!
Bring gifts, and enter his courts.
R. Give the Lord glory and honor.
Worship the LORD, in holy attire;
tremble before him, all the earth;
say among the nations: The LORD is king,
he governs the peoples with equity.
R. Give the Lord glory and honor.
Sing to the LORD a new song;
sing to the LORD, all you lands.
Tell his glory among the nations;
among all peoples, his wondrous deeds.
R. Give the Lord glory and honor.
For great is the LORD and highly to be praised;
awesome is he, beyond all gods.
For all the gods of the nations are things of nought,
but the LORD made the heavens.
R. Give the Lord glory and honor.
Give to the LORD, you families of nations,
give to the LORD glory and praise;
give to the LORD the glory due his name!
Bring gifts, and enter his courts.
R. Give the Lord glory and honor.
Worship the LORD, in holy attire;
tremble before him, all the earth;
say among the nations: The LORD is king,
he governs the peoples with equity.
R. Give the Lord glory and honor.
Reading 2 1 Thes 1:1-5b
Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy to the church of the Thessalonians
in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:
grace to you and peace.
We give thanks to God always for all of you,
remembering you in our prayers,
unceasingly calling to mind your work of faith and labor of love
and endurance in hope of our Lord Jesus Christ,
before our God and Father,
knowing, brothers and sisters loved by God,
how you were chosen.
For our gospel did not come to you in word alone,
but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with much conviction.
in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:
grace to you and peace.
We give thanks to God always for all of you,
remembering you in our prayers,
unceasingly calling to mind your work of faith and labor of love
and endurance in hope of our Lord Jesus Christ,
before our God and Father,
knowing, brothers and sisters loved by God,
how you were chosen.
For our gospel did not come to you in word alone,
but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with much conviction.
Gospel Mt 22:15-21
The Pharisees went offand plotted how they might entrap Jesus in speech.
They sent their disciples to him, with the Herodians, saying,
"Teacher, we know that you are a truthful man
and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth.
And you are not concerned with anyone's opinion,
for you do not regard a person's status.
Tell us, then, what is your opinion:
Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not?"
Knowing their malice, Jesus said,
"Why are you testing me, you hypocrites?
Show me the coin that pays the census tax."
Then they handed him the Roman coin.
He said to them, "Whose image is this and whose inscription?"
They replied, "Caesar's."
At that he said to them,
"Then repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar
and to God what belongs to God."
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Great Reminder!
I saw this at CNA and thought what a great reminder for us. Please read through and apply to your daily life!
Pope reminds Christians to thank God for good things
Pope reminds Christians to thank God for good things
Vatican City, October 12 (CNA/EWTN News)
.- Pope Benedict XVI reminded Christians today to thank God for the
good things in life, instead of only bringing problems to him.
"Dear
brothers and sisters, in our prayers we should look at how often, in
the events of our lives, the Lord has protected us, guided us, helped
us," the Pope said at the Oct. 12 general audience in St. Peter's
Square.
He
encouraged Christians to "be more attentive to the good things that the
Lord gives us. We are always attentive to the problems, difficulties
and almost do not want to see that there are good things come from the
Lord."
In
his latest discourse on prayer, Pope Benedict was dwelt on Psalm 126.
It charts the joy of the Jewish people returning from their exile in
Babylon in the 6th century B.C. Even today, the psalm is sung in an
upbeat, joyous manner at Jewish religious occasions.
"When
the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who
dreamed," reads the psalm's first line as it depicts a people whose
"mouths were filled with laughter" and "tongues with songs of joy."
The
psalm "celebrates the great things which the Lord has done for His
people, and which He continues to do for all believers," said Pope
Benedict.
The
importance of this gratitude to God, he added, is that it creates
hearts "full of joy" and memories "of the good that also helps us in the
dark hours."
Such
good memories are required by the Jewish people in the psalm, the Pope
observed, as they returned to find to a promised land now "impoverished,
devastated." "Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy," is
how the psalmist expresses his hope.
"This
imagery of the seed which silently grows to maturity reminds us that
God's salvation is at once a gift already received and the object of our
hope, a promise whose fulfilment remains in the future," the Pope.
And
he noted how Jesus later uses the same imagery to "express the passage
from death to life, from darkness to light, which must take place in the
lives of all who put their faith in him and share in his paschal
mystery."
"This
psalm teaches us that, in our prayer, we must always remain hopeful and
firm in our faith in God," even when our life is "marked often by
suffering, uncertainty, moments of crisis," said the Pope, echoing a
theme of his teachings from the last several weeks.
This hope and faith is fulfilled in Jesus, with whom "our exile ends, and every tear is dried." It is in the "great discovery of Jesus Christ" that "we learn that even in dark nights, not to forget that the light exists, that God is already in the midst of our life and that we can sow with great confidence."
This hope and faith is fulfilled in Jesus, with whom "our exile ends, and every tear is dried." It is in the "great discovery of Jesus Christ" that "we learn that even in dark nights, not to forget that the light exists, that God is already in the midst of our life and that we can sow with great confidence."
Pope
Benedict finished his discourse by saying: "As we pray this Psalm, may
we echo the song of the Virgin Mary by rejoicing in the great things
which the Almighty has done for us, and by awaiting in hope the
fulfilment of God's promises."
He then led pilgrims in the singing of the Our Father in Latin before imparting his apostolic blessing.
Sunday, October 9, 2011
A Prayer for Today
Lord, I believe that you are present here as I turn to you in prayer. I trust and have confidence in your desire to give me every grace I need to receive today. Thank you for your love, thank you for your immense generosity toward me. I give you my life and my love in return.
The Struggles Continue
Yes my struggle is still on going and I have zeroed in on some problems and the cause of the struggles.
First is whether or not to stay at my parish. I do love the fact of it being a 'ethnic church' this gives us a uniqueness and also helps with my roots being developed back to Hungary.
I do like the way mass is done a more traditional style but there are some shortcomings since Father L took over and one of them is he always seems to be in a hurry when going through mass. Personally I do not like this as I go to pray and absorb what mass has to offer me and be with God. I do not like the "Beat the Clock" Mass.
Of course the get together's and different dinners through the year are excellent. Again helping my roots develop more.
I do not like the 11:00 am mass as it is too late in the morning for me especially with the travel. Last week as I help clean up after mass, turn off lights etc. we got home around 1 in the afternoon. Not that this should matter but I would like to be at home and enjoy my time with my wife and family.
Lastly the affiliations Father L is starting to me will lead the parish on a path that might leads to its own end based on the track record of the people he is aligning himself with despite objections and warnings from others.
The lack of spiritual development is huge and other than the Cursillo get together there really is nothing. We also can't make the evening midweek mass and rosary which we went to once and I really enjoyed. With my wife working and my inability to drive it is extremely hard to get there for this.
The parish down the road I could be at 8:00am mass which I did mention the other week that I loved and they always have some form of spiritually development renewal every week going on. The parish is Polish and English so the mix is nice.
So here I sit in my struggles of where to go. On top of that I am still struggling with the fact where am I in all of this and where do I want to be. It continues and sometimes I get reved up do some reading of blogs the bible do a rosary all online and think this is great but then the realization of well would this and should this not take place in church gets to me because for some reason in my mind it would mean more? Not sure. I will continue to work it out and hopefully settle but I hate this restlessness and want to grow in my faith. What to do? Take care and God Bless!
First is whether or not to stay at my parish. I do love the fact of it being a 'ethnic church' this gives us a uniqueness and also helps with my roots being developed back to Hungary.
I do like the way mass is done a more traditional style but there are some shortcomings since Father L took over and one of them is he always seems to be in a hurry when going through mass. Personally I do not like this as I go to pray and absorb what mass has to offer me and be with God. I do not like the "Beat the Clock" Mass.
Of course the get together's and different dinners through the year are excellent. Again helping my roots develop more.
I do not like the 11:00 am mass as it is too late in the morning for me especially with the travel. Last week as I help clean up after mass, turn off lights etc. we got home around 1 in the afternoon. Not that this should matter but I would like to be at home and enjoy my time with my wife and family.
Lastly the affiliations Father L is starting to me will lead the parish on a path that might leads to its own end based on the track record of the people he is aligning himself with despite objections and warnings from others.
The lack of spiritual development is huge and other than the Cursillo get together there really is nothing. We also can't make the evening midweek mass and rosary which we went to once and I really enjoyed. With my wife working and my inability to drive it is extremely hard to get there for this.
The parish down the road I could be at 8:00am mass which I did mention the other week that I loved and they always have some form of spiritually development renewal every week going on. The parish is Polish and English so the mix is nice.
So here I sit in my struggles of where to go. On top of that I am still struggling with the fact where am I in all of this and where do I want to be. It continues and sometimes I get reved up do some reading of blogs the bible do a rosary all online and think this is great but then the realization of well would this and should this not take place in church gets to me because for some reason in my mind it would mean more? Not sure. I will continue to work it out and hopefully settle but I hate this restlessness and want to grow in my faith. What to do? Take care and God Bless!
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