:: Faith Today ::
Faith Central Catholic Daily
Thirty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time
Nov. 16, 2008
Today's Mass ~ Divine Office (Liturgy of the Hours) ~ Saintly Example ~ Prayer Intentions ~ News and Inspiration
Today's Mass
www.usccb.org/nab/111608.shtml
+ "When one finds a worthy wife,
her value is far beyond pearls."
+ "Well done, my good and faithful servant.
Since you were faithful in small matters,
I will give you great responsibilities.
Come, share your master's joy."
+ "Blessed are those who fear the Lord."
+ "... the day of the Lord will come
like a thief at night"
First Reading: Proverbs 31:10-13, 19-20, 30-31
A worthy wife fears God and is praised by her works. When her husband entrusts his heart to her, she brings him good and not evil her entire life. While mere "[c]harm is deceptive and beauty fleeting," in contrast, "When one finds a worthy wife, her value is far beyond pearls."
Psalm 128:1-2, 3, 4-5
Psalm 128 proclaims: "Blessed are those who fear the Lord." If one walks in God's way, his life will bear fruit, for him and his family.
Second Reading: 1 Thessalonians 5:1-6
The Apostle Paul reminds us that "the Day of the Lord will come like a thief at night." He exhorts us to stay "sober and alert" living as "children of the light and children of the day." Living in the light, we will not be overtaken by the Second Coming as if it were a thief. By implication, we will welcome it as the final reality we live in anticipation of, bringing our final Redemption.
Matthew 25:14-30 or 25:14-15, 19-21
Jesus tells His Disciples the parable of the wise and foolish servants.
A master goes on a journey and entrusts different amounts of talents to different servants, according to their abilities. (Note that a talent was a unit of wealth, and also a metaphor for the gifts and resources God gives each of us with which to serve Him and the building up of the Kingdom.)
Upon his return, the master praises the servants who invested their talents to profit the master, and chastises the servant who timidly buries what little he has in the ground. Those who bore fruit with what they were given bring the master joy, and are invited to share in his joy.
Recall Mother Teresa's observation that about Jesus being the Vine, and we being the branches -- with a vine it is the branches that bear fruit.
Jesus reminds us that we are to bear Fruit for the Kingdom, and that God gives us resources and tools with which to do so.
We are to be attentive to our gifts and opportunities. And we are to set out with courage to apply them, focusing on how we can use them, above all, to serve God.
Scripture texts in this work are taken from the New American Bible with Revised New Testament © 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Washington, D.C., at times enhanced to provide additional capitalization. All Rights Reserved. No part of the New American Bible may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the copyright owner.
Divine Office (Liturgy of the Hours)
In today's Office of Readings, Saint Augustine teaches, in an excerpt from a discourse on the Psalms, how to live so as to await God's Judgment free from fear:
These are the sacrifices most pleasing to God: mercy, humility, praise, peace, charity. Such as these, then, let us bring and, free from fear, we shall await the coming the judge Who will judge the world with Equity and the peoples in His Truth.
Office of Readings, Memorial of Saint Josaphat, Bishop and Martyr, Proper of Saints, The Liturgy of the Hours, According to the Roman Rite, Vol. IV, Ordinary Time Weeks 18-34, Catholic Book Publishing Co., New York, 1975, at 1556-57.
Saints of November
+ Saint of the Day from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (external link, opens in new window)
+ Saint of the Day from AmericanCatholic.org (Franciscans; external link, opens in new window)
+ Saints with Feast Days in November (external link, opens in new window).
Prayer Intentions
Holy Father's intentions for November 2008
General intention for November ~ Saints' testimony of Love fortifying Christians in their devotion to God and neighbor
Pope Benedict's general intention: "That the testimony of love offered by the Saints may fortify Christians in their devotion to God and their neighbor, imitating Christ who came to serve and not to be served".
Mission intention for November ~ Christian communities in Asia, contemplating the Holy Face of Christ, Faithful to the Gospel, guided to best ways to announce Him
Pope Benedict's mission intention: "That the Christian communities of Asia, contemplating the Face of Christ, may know how to find the most suitable ways to announce Him, in full faithfulness to the Gospel, to the people of that vast continent so rich in culture and ancient forms of spirituality"
Additional Faith Central prayer intentions
+ For God's Will to be accomplished with the upcoming election, and that God's Will be obeyed by all actions of government and all government-related actions of the populace
+ For an end to the recession, and for all humanity to work together to bear fruit in service to the needs of all
+ For those of means to divert resources to help those in the human family, locally or abroad, who are hungry, starving, or homeless
+ For peace in the world, and the conversion of the hearts of terrorists.
+ For peace in the world in families, especially for women and men facing crisis pregnancies, their preborn children, and those assisting them, especially their relatives and those volunteers and professionals dedicated to prolife work.
+ For the Poor Souls in Purgatory, especially the relatives of those
praying.
+ For the Poor Souls in Purgatory, especially those with no one praying for
them.
+ For the conversion of the hearts of sinners.
+ For respect for human life and the dignity of the human person, from their creation
prior to conception, to natural death.
News and Inspiration
[check back for more updates]
[Ads Generated by Google]
© 2007-2008 All Rights Reserved
Steven C. Welsh, Editor and Contributor
Steven C. Welsh, Web Design and Graphic Design
