MASS READINGS & SAINT QUOTE OF THE DAY : Wednesday - November 17, 2021

Wednesday - November 17, 2021

One must not think that a person who is suffering is not praying. He is offering up his sufferings to God, and many a time he is praying much more truly than one who goes away by himself and meditates his head off, and, if he has squeezed out a few tears, thinks that is prayer.

--St. Teresa of Avila

November 17, 2021

Memorial of Saint Elizabeth of Hungary, Religious
Lectionary: 499

 

Reading 1                                                     2 Mc 7:1, 20-31

It happened that seven brothers with their mother were arrested

and tortured with whips and scourges by the king,

to force them to eat pork in violation of God’s law.

 

Most admirable and worthy of everlasting remembrance was the mother,

who saw her seven sons perish in a single day,

yet bore it courageously because of her hope in the Lord.

Filled with a noble spirit that stirred her womanly heart with manly courage,

she exhorted each of them

in the language of their ancestors with these words:

“I do not know how you came into existence in my womb;

it was not I who gave you the breath of life,

nor was it I who set in order

the elements of which each of you is composed.

Therefore, since it is the Creator of the universe

who shapes each man’s beginning,

as he brings about the origin of everything,

he, in his mercy,

will give you back both breath and life,

because you now disregard yourselves for the sake of his law.”

 

Antiochus, suspecting insult in her words,

thought he was being ridiculed.

As the youngest brother was still alive, the king appealed to him,

not with mere words, but with promises on oath,

to make him rich and happy if he would abandon his ancestral customs:

he would make him his Friend

and entrust him with high office.

When the youth paid no attention to him at all,

the king appealed to the mother,

urging her to advise her boy to save his life.

After he had urged her for a long time,

she went through the motions of persuading her son.

In derision of the cruel tyrant,

she leaned over close to her son and said in their native language:

“Son, have pity on me, who carried you in my womb for nine months,

nursed you for three years, brought you up,

educated and supported you to your present age.

I beg you, child, to look at the heavens and the earth

and see all that is in them;

then you will know that God did not make them out of existing things;

and in the same way the human race came into existence.

Do not be afraid of this executioner,

but be worthy of your brothers and accept death,

so that in the time of mercy I may receive you again with them.”

 

She had scarcely finished speaking when the youth said:

“What are you waiting for?

I will not obey the king’s command.

I obey the command of the law given to our fathers through Moses.

But you, who have contrived every kind of affliction for the Hebrews,

will not escape the hands of God.”

 

Responsorial Psalm                                              3:2-3, 4-5, 6-7

 

R.    (15b) Lord, when your glory appears, my joy will be full.

 

Hear, O LORD, a just suit;

    attend to my outcry;

    hearken to my prayer from lips without deceit.

R.    Lord, when your glory appears, my joy will be full.

My steps have been steadfast in your paths,

    my feet have not faltered.

I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God;

    incline your ear to me; hear my word.

R.    Lord, when your glory appears, my joy will be full.

Keep me as the apple of your eye;

    hide me in the shadow of your wings.

But I in justice shall behold your face;

    on waking, I shall be content in your presence.

R.    Lord, when your glory appears, my joy will be full.

 

Alleluia                                                                      Jn 15:16

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I chose you from the world,

to go and bear fruit that will last, says the Lord.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

 

Gospel                                                                       Lk 19:11-28

While people were listening to Jesus speak,

he proceeded to tell a parable because he was near Jerusalem

and they thought that the Kingdom of God

would appear there immediately.

 

So he said,

“A nobleman went off to a distant country

to obtain the kingship for himself and then to return.

He called ten of his servants and gave them ten gold coins

and told them, ‘Engage in trade with these until I return.’

His fellow citizens, however, despised him

and sent a delegation after him to announce,

‘We do not want this man to be our king.’

But when he returned after obtaining the kingship,

he had the servants called, to whom he had given the money,

to learn what they had gained by trading.

The first came forward and said,

‘Sir, your gold coin has earned ten additional ones.’

He replied, ‘Well done, good servant!

You have been faithful in this very small matter;

take charge of ten cities.’

Then the second came and reported,

‘Your gold coin, sir, has earned five more.’

And to this servant too he said,

‘You, take charge of five cities.’

Then the other servant came and said,

‘Sir, here is your gold coin;

I kept it stored away in a handkerchief,

for I was afraid of you, because you are a demanding man;

you take up what you did not lay down

and you harvest what you did not plant.’

He said to him,

‘With your own words I shall condemn you,

you wicked servant.

You knew I was a demanding man,

taking up what I did not lay down

and harvesting what I did not plant;

why did you not put my money in a bank?

Then on my return I would have collected it with interest.’

And to those standing by he said,

‘Take the gold coin from him

and give it to the servant who has ten.’

But they said to him,

‘Sir, he has ten gold coins.’

He replied, ‘I tell you,

to everyone who has, more will be given,

but from the one who has not,

even what he has will be taken away.

Now as for those enemies of mine who did not want me as their king,

bring them here and slay them before me.’”

 

After he had said this,

he proceeded on his journey up to Jerusalem.

 

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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. (We will celebrate this on November 21st, the Memorial of the Presentation of Mary.) 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! Because Jesus ascended into heaven and sent the Holy Spirit to earth, God now chooses to minister to the world through you and through all followers of Christ, 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. Are we truly offering all of our selves to Christ 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. This means that we're doing ministry whenever we benefit others in any way.

 

We should never separate the activities of daily life from ministry. Even scrubbing the 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.

 

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 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, so now I am going to do even more good through you."

 

Today's Prayer

 

Lord, May fear and selfishness neither control me nor stop me from being a witness of Your love and a good servant for my brothers and sisters. Amen.

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God Bless You.....

The Rosary Family

The mother of Jesus promised St. Dominic that, “one day through the rosary & the scapular I shall save the world!”