Friday - November 22, 2019
It is difficult to live a saintly life in this world even with the best of intentions. There always exists the dangerous menace of one's being left entirely to oneself and also the probability of one's being absorbed by work, by the necessities of life, and by the occupations of every sort which conditions or our own will impose. Then too, one is most always ignorant of the right road to pursue!
-- St. Peter Eymard
It is difficult to live a saintly life in this world even with the best of intentions. There always exists the dangerous menace of one's being left entirely to oneself and also the probability of one's being absorbed by work, by the necessities of life, and by the occupations of every sort which conditions or our own will impose. Then too, one is most always ignorant of the right road to pursue!
-- St. Peter Eymard
November 22 2019
Memorial of Saint Cecilia, Virgin and Martyr
Lectionary: 501
Reading 11 MC 4:36-37, 52-59
Judas and his brothers said,
"Now that our enemies have been crushed,
let us go up to purify the sanctuary and rededicate it."
So the whole army assembled, and went up to Mount Zion.
Early in the morning on the twenty-fifth day of the ninth month,
that is, the month of Chislev,
in the year one hundred and forty-eight,
they arose and offered sacrifice according to the law
on the new altar of burnt offerings that they had made.
On the anniversary of the day on which the Gentiles had defiled it,
on that very day it was reconsecrated
with songs, harps, flutes, and cymbals.
All the people prostrated themselves and adored and praised Heaven,
who had given them success.
For eight days they celebrated the dedication of the altar
and joyfully offered burnt offerings and sacrifices
of deliverance and praise.
They ornamented the facade of the temple with gold crowns and shields;
they repaired the gates and the priests' chambers
and furnished them with doors.
There was great joy among the people
now that the disgrace of the Gentiles was removed.
Then Judas and his brothers and the entire congregation of Israel
decreed that the days of the dedication of the altar
should be observed with joy and gladness
on the anniversary every year for eight days,
from the twenty-fifth day of the month Chislev.
"Now that our enemies have been crushed,
let us go up to purify the sanctuary and rededicate it."
So the whole army assembled, and went up to Mount Zion.
Early in the morning on the twenty-fifth day of the ninth month,
that is, the month of Chislev,
in the year one hundred and forty-eight,
they arose and offered sacrifice according to the law
on the new altar of burnt offerings that they had made.
On the anniversary of the day on which the Gentiles had defiled it,
on that very day it was reconsecrated
with songs, harps, flutes, and cymbals.
All the people prostrated themselves and adored and praised Heaven,
who had given them success.
For eight days they celebrated the dedication of the altar
and joyfully offered burnt offerings and sacrifices
of deliverance and praise.
They ornamented the facade of the temple with gold crowns and shields;
they repaired the gates and the priests' chambers
and furnished them with doors.
There was great joy among the people
now that the disgrace of the Gentiles was removed.
Then Judas and his brothers and the entire congregation of Israel
decreed that the days of the dedication of the altar
should be observed with joy and gladness
on the anniversary every year for eight days,
from the twenty-fifth day of the month Chislev.
Responsorial Psalm1 CHRONICLES 29:10BCD, 11ABC, 11D-12A, 12BCD
R.(13b) We praise your glorious name, O mighty God."Blessed may you be, O LORD,
God of Israel our father,
from eternity to eternity."
R. We praise your glorious name, O mighty God.
"Yours, O LORD, are grandeur and power,
majesty, splendor, and glory.
For all in heaven and on earth is yours."
R. We praise your glorious name, O mighty God.
"Yours, O LORD, is the sovereignty;
you are exalted as head over all.
Riches and honor are from you."
R. We praise your glorious name, O mighty God.
"You have dominion over all,
In your hand are power and might;
it is yours to give grandeur and strength to all."
R. We praise your glorious name, O mighty God.
God of Israel our father,
from eternity to eternity."
R. We praise your glorious name, O mighty God.
"Yours, O LORD, are grandeur and power,
majesty, splendor, and glory.
For all in heaven and on earth is yours."
R. We praise your glorious name, O mighty God.
"Yours, O LORD, is the sovereignty;
you are exalted as head over all.
Riches and honor are from you."
R. We praise your glorious name, O mighty God.
"You have dominion over all,
In your hand are power and might;
it is yours to give grandeur and strength to all."
R. We praise your glorious name, O mighty God.
AlleluiaJN 10:27
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord;
I know them, and they follow me.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord;
I know them, and they follow me.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelLK 19:45-48
Jesus entered the temple area and proceeded to drive out
those who were selling things, saying to them,
"It is written, My house shall be a house of prayer,
but you have made it a den of thieves."
And every day he was teaching in the temple area.
The chief priests, the scribes, and the leaders of the people, meanwhile,
were seeking to put him to death,
but they could find no way to accomplish their purpose
because all the people were hanging on his words.
those who were selling things, saying to them,
"It is written, My house shall be a house of prayer,
but you have made it a den of thieves."
And every day he was teaching in the temple area.
The chief priests, the scribes, and the leaders of the people, meanwhile,
were seeking to put him to death,
but they could find no way to accomplish their purpose
because all the people were hanging on his words.
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Dealing with the den of thieves
Soon we will enter into a new Season of Advent. Some folks think it's the Season of Christmas Shopping, a time of heightened compulsions to spend money in the name of generosity and gift-giving. It's consumerism in the guise of getting into the "spirit" of Christ's birthday.
Don't get me wrong, I'm a consumer, too. Buying gifts for others can honor Jesus, but only if we purchase items that would please Jesus, and only in the amount that would adhere to good stewardship. Are we doing anything that helps families that are suffering from job lay-offs, illness, or loss, or is our gift-giving ear-marked only for our own family and friends?
In today's Gospel reading, we see Jesus ejecting the merchants from the outer grounds of the holy temple. Not only did this hurt their income, it also affected the shoppers who planned on buying what they "needed" to fulfill their religious obligations.
How obligated do you feel about buying gifts? ("Aunt Susie always sends me a $30 check for Christmas, so I have to get her something that costs $30, even though we forget about each other the rest of the year.") When we prayerfully select gifts as a gesture of love instead of an obligation, it's a gift that we give to Jesus, but over-shopping and building credit card debts that we cannot pay off immediately is no blessing to him.
What would Jesus recommend if he were to walk the store aisles with you? Or -- what if he came to your house on Christmas morning while the presents were being opened? Would he approve of everything he sees? Would he ask you to take anything back and get a refund? Would he say, "You have made my birthday a holiday for thieves"?
Before making any purchase, think about the message that it might convey. Is it ethical? Helpful? A true expression of love? A gift you want to give to Jesus? Sometimes, what seems fun and harmless actually hurts Jesus.
For example, when I was twelve years old, I received a Ouija board as a Christmas gift. This so-called game started me on a nine-year journey away from Christ. Harry Potter and other occult-oriented stories and games might do the same thing today. Even if our own children would not experiment with the occult because of such gifts, the opposite is true for somebody else's children. If we reward the producers of occult-oriented books, games, and movies by giving them our money, we're supporting thieves.
Let us make a commitment to glorify God and only God with our Christmas shopping this year!
Today's Prayer:
Beloved Jesus, cleanse me of everything that makes noisy distractions inside me, occupies my life in vain things and does not allow me to give You the place You want to have in me. Amen.
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God Bless You.....
Rosary Family
The mother of Jesus promised St. Dominic that, “one day through the rosary & the scapular I shall save the world!”
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