Month: November 2024

Feast of Saint Andrew, Apostle

Reading I Rom 10:9-18

Brothers and sisters:
If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord
and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead,
you will be saved.
For one believes with the heart and so is justified,
and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved.
The Scripture says,
No one who believes in him will be put to shame.
There is no distinction between Jew and Greek;
the same Lord is Lord of all,
enriching all who call upon him.
For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

But how can they call on him in whom they have not believed?
And how can they believe in him of whom they have not heard?
And how can they hear without someone to preach?
And how can people preach unless they are sent?
As it is written,
How beautiful are the feet of those who bring the good news!
But not everyone has heeded the good news;
for Isaiah says, Lord, who has believed what was heard from us?
Thus faith comes from what is heard,
and what is heard comes through the word of Christ.
But I ask, did they not hear?
Certainly they did; for

    Their voice has gone forth to all the earth,
        and their words to the ends of the world.

Responsorial Psalm 19:8, 9, 10, 11

R.    (10)  The judgments of the Lord are true, and all of them are just.
or:
R.    (John 6:63)  Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.
The law of the LORD is perfect,
    refreshing the soul;
The decree of the LORD is trustworthy,
    giving wisdom to the simple.
R.    The judgments of the Lord are true, and all of them are just.
or:
R.    Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.
The precepts of the LORD are right,
    rejoicing the heart;
The command of the LORD is clear,
    enlightening the eye.
R.    The judgments of the Lord are true, and all of them are just.
or:
R.    Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.
The fear of the LORD is pure,
    enduring forever;
The ordinances of the LORD are true,
    all of them just.
R.    The judgments of the Lord are true, and all of them are just.
or:
R.    Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.
They are more precious than gold,
    than a heap of purest gold;
Sweeter also than syrup
    or honey from the comb.
R.    The judgments of the Lord are true, and all of them are just.
or:
R.    Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.

Alleluia Mt 4:19

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Come after me, says the Lord,
and I will make you fishers of men.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Mt 4:18-22

As Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers,
Simon who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew,
casting a net into the sea; they were fishermen.
He said to them,
“Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
At once they left their nets and followed him.
He walked along from there and saw two other brothers,
James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John.
They were in a boat, with their father Zebedee, mending their nets.
He called them, and immediately they left their boat and their father 
and followed him.

– – –

Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Change / El Cambio

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Doesn’t it seem like every time you find a good doctor that you really like, they move? Or every time you get into a smooth, steady routine, something happens to throw it off balance? Or once you find that perfect pair of pants that fit you like a glove you either gain or lose weight and they no longer fit well? It seems like our lives are in a permanent state of flux, never constant, always changing. Yet we don’t like that word do we? Change. A friend of mine once received as a gift a large cup that had every single one of its synonyms written on it. He had noticed that time and time again people would cringe when he mentioned change, so he avoided saying it at all costs.  

What is it about change that hits us at our core? Why do we so often flee from it, running instead toward what is inside our comfort zone, what is known and familiar? Part of it has to do with our tendency to sin and part of it our fear of the unknown. If I do something I have never done before, how will it make me feel? Will I get hurt? Will it make me sad? Or on the flip side, will I experience an unfathomable freedom and joy? 

Have you ever thought about what a tremendous change Andrew and the other men experienced as they were called to discipleship in today’s Gospel? There is no verbal response, no drama, and no second thoughts. It simply says: “At once they left their nets and followed him.” And again, “immediately they left their boat and their father and followed him.” Can you imagine what being in Jesus’ presence must have been like, so that just a few words of invitation were all they needed to leave everything they knew and loved, their livelihood and even their families? Now that is a huge amount of change!

Yet all of us are given the free will to make choices in our lives that can also impact us and others in a monumental way. We can choose charity instead of gossip to improve the atmosphere of our workplace. We can choose to control our temper when our children are bothering each other (yet again), to give them a Christ-like example of patience within our families. We can choose gratitude instead of complaining when things don’t go our way, to help create a more positive parish. We can choose to serve in a ministry we don’t think we have time for to allow the light of Christ to shine through us and brighten the lives of those in our communities. 

Lord, show us which areas in our lives you are calling us to make a positive change. Grant us the strength we need to overcome our weaknesses and the courage we need to overcome our fears. Increase our faith to truly believe that your grace is enough for us. Amen. 

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¿No te parece que cada vez que encuentras un buen médico que realmente te gusta, se mudan a otro lugar? ¿O cada vez que entras en una rutina tranquila y estable, algo sucede que la desequilibra? ¿O una vez que encuentras ese par de pantalones que te queda perfecto, subes o bajas de peso y ya no te queda bien? Parece que nuestras vidas están en un estado de flujo permanente, nunca constante, siempre cambiante. Sin embargo, no nos gusta esa palabra, ¿verdad? Cambio. Un amigo mío una vez recibió como regalo una taza grande que tenía escritos todos sus sinónimos posibles. Había notado que una y otra vez que a la gente le daba escalofrío cuando mencionaba el cambio, por lo que evitaba decirlo a toda costa.

¿Qué es lo que nos afecta en lo más profundo del cambio? ¿Por qué tan a menudo huimos de él, corriendo hacia lo que está dentro de nuestra zona de confort, lo conocido y familiar? Parte de ello tiene que ver con nuestra tendencia a pecar y parte con el miedo que tenemos a lo desconocido. Si hago algo que nunca he hecho antes, ¿cómo me sentiré? ¿Me lastimaré? ¿Me pondrá triste? ¿O, por el contrario, experimentaré una libertad y una alegría insondables?

¿Alguna vez has pensado en el tremendo cambio que experimentaron Andrés y los otros hombres cuando fueron llamados al discipulado en el Evangelio de hoy? No dieron ninguna respuesta verbal, no hubo drama ni dudas. Simplemente dice: “Ellos inmediatamente dejaron las redes y lo siguieron.” Y nuevamente, “Ellos, dejando enseguida la barca y a su padre, lo siguieron.” ¿Puedes imaginar cómo debe haber sido estar en presencia de Jesús, de modo que tan solo unas pocas palabras de invitación fueron todo lo que necesitaron para dejar todo lo que conocían y amaban, su sustento e incluso sus familias? ¡Eso sí que es un gran cambio!

Sin embargo, a todos se nos da el libre albedrío para tomar decisiones en nuestras vidas que también pueden afectarnos a nosotros y a los demás de una manera monumental. Podemos elegir la caridad en lugar de los chismes para mejorar el ambiente de nuestro lugar de trabajo. Podemos elegir controlar el enojo cuando nuestros hijos se molestan entre sí (una vez más), para darles un ejemplo de paciencia como el de Cristo dentro de nuestras familias. Podemos elegir la gratitud en lugar de quejarnos cuando las cosas no salen como queremos, para ayudar a crear una parroquia más positiva. Podemos elegir servir en un ministerio aunque creemos que no tenemos tiempo, para permitir que la luz de Cristo brille a través de nosotros e ilumine las vidas de quienes forman parte de nuestras comunidades.

Señor, muéstranos en cuales áreas de nuestra vida nos estás llamando a hacer un cambio positivo. Concédenos la fuerza que necesitamos para superar las debilidades y el valor que necesitamos para superar los miedos. Aumenta nuestra fe para creer verdaderamente que tu gracia es suficiente para nosotros. Amén.

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Tami Urcia grew up in Western Michigan, a middle child in a large Catholic family. She spent early young adulthood as a missionary in Mexico, studying theology and philosophy, then worked and traveled extensively before finishing her Bachelor’s Degree in Western Kentucky. She loves tackling projects, finding fun ways to keep her little ones occupied, quiet conversation with the hubby and finding unique ways to love. She works full time at Diocesan, is a guest blogger on CatholicMom.com and BlessedIsShe.net, and has been doing Spanish translations on the side for over 20 years.

Feature Image Credit: Linus Nylund, https://unsplash.com/photos/water-ripple-Q5QspluNZmM

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Friday of the Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time

Reading 1 RV 20:1-4, 11—21:2

I, John, saw an angel come down from heaven,
holding in his hand the key to the abyss and a heavy chain.
He seized the dragon, the ancient serpent,
which is the Devil or Satan,
and tied it up for a thousand years and threw it into the abyss,
which he locked over it and sealed,
so that it could no longer lead the nations astray
until the thousand years are completed.
After this, it is to be released for a short time.

Then I saw thrones; those who sat on them were entrusted with judgment.
I also saw the souls of those who had been beheaded
for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God,
and who had not worshiped the beast or its image
nor had accepted its mark on their foreheads or hands.
They came to life and they reigned with Christ for a thousand years.

Next I saw a large white throne and the one who was sitting on it.
The earth and the sky fled from his presence
and there was no place for them.
I saw the dead, the great and the lowly, standing before the throne,
and scrolls were opened.
Then another scroll was opened, the book of life.
The dead were judged according to their deeds,
by what was written in the scrolls.
The sea gave up its dead;
then Death and Hades gave up their dead.
All the dead were judged according to their deeds.
Then Death and Hades were thrown into the pool of fire.
(This pool of fire is the second death.)
Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life
was thrown into the pool of fire.

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth.
The former heaven and the former earth had passed away,
and the sea was no more.
I also saw the holy city, a new Jerusalem,
coming down out of heaven from God,
prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
 

Responsorial Psalm PS 84:3, 4, 5-6A AND 8A

R. (Rev. 21:3b) Here God lives among his people.
My soul yearns and pines 
for the courts of the LORD.
My heart and my flesh
cry out for the living God.
R. Here God lives among his people.
Even the sparrow finds a home,
and the swallow a nest
in which she puts her young–
Your altars, O LORD of hosts,
my king and my God!
R. Here God lives among his people.
Blessed they who dwell in your house!
continually they praise you.
Blessed the men whose strength you are!
They go from strength to strength.
R. Here God lives among his people.

 

 

Alleluia LUKE 21:28

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Stand erect and raise your heads
because your redemption is at hand.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel LK 21:29-33

Jesus told his disciples a parable.
“Consider the fig tree and all the other trees.
When their buds burst open,
you see for yourselves and know that summer is now near;
in the same way, when you see these things happening,
know that the Kingdom of God is near.
Amen, I say to you, this generation will not pass away
until all these things have taken place.
Heaven and earth will pass away, 
but my words will not pass away.”

– – –

Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

The Time is Now / Aquí y Ahora

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Every morning, as I brush my teeth or make my bed, I say a personal litany which has developed over a period of time. My prayers include the petition, “Come again, Lord Jesus,” And when I think of what the return of Christ will entail for those who do not believe, it naturally leads to the fervent prayer, “Jesus, I trust in you!” The one prayer always leads to the other.

Today’s Mass readings are sobering, but hopeful. Humankind has been diagnosed by God with a life-threatening illness. It is bad news. Our sin, untreated, will lead us to eternal death. But then there is the Good News. In God’s great mercy, there is a remedy available to us! 

Jesus Christ is the Divine Physician who can save us from a diagnosis of a terminal spiritual illness. We would be wise to foster a deep and trusting relationship with our “Doctor,” so that we can be more totally convinced that His remedy will really heal us, especially when the treatment gets tough, and we are tempted to give up and do things our own way. 

When the Bible speaks about tribulation, the end of the world, and God’s judgment upon humanity, it is a wake-up call. It is a reality we may be reluctant to face, but the Church clearly tells us: “The message of the Last Judgment calls men to conversion while God is still giving them ‘the acceptable time, . . . the day of salvation.’ It inspires a holy fear of God and commits them to the justice of the Kingdom of God. It proclaims the ‘blessed hope’ of the Lord’s return…” (CCC, 1041).

The time to get serious about deep and life-changing conversion is now. And what joys are in store for us when we do, both in this world and especially in the next! I don’t know what the new heavens and the new earth will look like (but it sounds awesome!), and I don’t know what trials I, personally, will have to undergo before I come before the judgment seat of God, but I will try to cooperate with my Physician, so that I might be healed. The rest—the future, judgment, eternal outcome—I will leave in His loving and capable hands. 

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Todas las mañanas, mientras me cepillo los dientes o tiendo la cama, rezo una letanía personal que he ido desarrollando a lo largo del tiempo. Mis oraciones incluyen la petición: “Ven de nuevo, Señor Jesús”. Y cuando pienso en lo que el regreso de Cristo implicará para aquellos que no creen, naturalmente me lleva a la oración ferviente: “¡Jesús, en ti confío!” Una oración siempre lleva a la otra.

Las lecturas de la Misa de hoy son sombrías, pero esperanzadoras. Dios ha diagnosticado a la humanidad una enfermedad que amenaza su vida. Es una mala noticia. Nuestro pecado, si perdura sin tratamiento, nos llevará a la muerte eterna. Pero luego viene la Buena Noticia: ¡En la gran misericordia de Dios, hay un remedio disponible para nosotros!

Jesucristo es el Médico Divino que puede salvarnos del diagnóstico de una enfermedad espiritual terminal. Sería prudente que fomentemos una relación profunda y de confianza con nuestro “Médico”, para que podamos estar más convencidos de que su remedio realmente nos curará, especialmente cuando el tratamiento se vuelve difícil y nos sentimos tentados a rendirnos y hacer las cosas a nuestra manera.

Cuando la Biblia habla de la tribulación, el fin del mundo y el juicio de Dios sobre la humanidad, es una llamada de atención. Es una realidad que tal vez nos resistamos a afrontar, pero la Iglesia nos dice claramente: “El mensaje del Juicio final llama a la conversión mientras Dios da a los hombres todavía ‘el tiempo favorable, el tiempo de salvación’. Inspira el santo temor de Dios. Compromete para la justicia del Reino de Dios. Anuncia la ‘bienaventurada esperanza’ de la vuelta del Señor…” (CIC, 1041).

Ahora es el momento de tomar en serio una conversión profunda que cambie nuestra vida. ¡Y qué alegrías nos esperan cuando lo hagamos, tanto en este mundo como, especialmente, en el próximo! No sé cómo serán los nuevos cielos y la nueva tierra (¡pero suena maravilloso!), y no sé qué pruebas tendré que atravesar yo personalmente antes de comparecer ante el tribunal de Dios, pero trataré de cooperar con mi Médico para poder sanarme. El resto —el futuro, el juicio, el resultado eterno— lo dejaré en Sus manos amorosas y capaces.

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A lover of Jesus Christ, a wife, and a mother of five, Christine is the author of Everyday Heroism: 28 Daily Reflections on the Little Way of Motherhood. She is a graduate of Franciscan University, an instructor for the Institute for Excellence in Writing, and an experienced catechist. Thrilled to have recently become grandparents, she and her husband currently live in Upstate, NY. Visit her author webpage at christinehanus.com

Feature Image Credit: Aron Visuals, unsplash.com/photos/selective-focus-photo-of-brown-and-blue-hourglass-on-stones-BXOXnQ26B7o

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