v e i t we pray, proclaim, profess and praise...desires of those who entreat you, pour out your...

263

Let Us PrayThe collect of the day from the Roman Missal

“Almighty ever-living God, who in the abundance of your kindness surpass the merits and the desires of those who entreat you, pour out your mercy upon us to pardon what conscience dreads and to give what prayer does not dare to ask.”

The Word of the LordHighlights from the lectionary readings of the day

“The just one, because of his faith, shall live.” — Habakkuk 1:2-3; 2:2-4

“If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you would say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.” — Luke 17:5-10

LIV

E I

T

L

OV

E I T

L

EA

RN

I

T LIV

E I

T

L

OV

E I T

L

EA

RN

I

T

We Pray, Proclaim, Profess and PraiseIssue No. 57: Living with FaithOctober 6, 2013Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

October 6, 2013Issue No. 57: Living with Faith

LIV

E I

T

L

OV

E I T

L

EA

RN

I

T LIV

E I

T

L

OV

E I T

L

EA

RN

I

T

Notes for Pastors:

The Catechism of the Catholic Church says “All must be prepared to confess Christ before men and to follow him along the way of the Cross, amidst the persecutions which the Church never lacks.” — CCC 1816

It is perhaps not an easy message to hear, but it is the challenge of our time. FAITH: Proclaim It.

264

Preaching with WordsReflections for homilists

“Though faith is a gift of God, and though God will give it to those that ask it, there is one very human obstacle why more minds do not receive it, and that is Pride. Pride is the commonest sin of the modern mind, and yet the one of which the modern mind is never conscious. You have heard people say: ‘I like drink too much,’ or ‘I am quick-tempered,’ but did you ever hear anyone say: ‘I am conceited?’

“Pride is the exaltation of self as an absolute standard of truth, goodness and morality. It judges everything by itself, and for that reason everyone else is a rival, particularly God. Pride makes it impossible to know God. If I know everything, then not even God can teach me anything. If I am filled with myself, then there is no place for God. Like the inns of Bethlehem, we say to the Divine Visitor: ‘There is no room.’ “If pride is the great human obstacle to faith, it follows that, from the human side, the essential condition of receiving faith is humility. Humility is not an underestimation of what we are, but the plain, unadulterated truth. . .

“The nature of the act of faith was revealed by Our Lord’s attitude toward the unbelieving Pharisees. They had seen miracles worked and prophecies fulfilled. They were not lacking in motives for belief. But they still refused to believe. Our Lord took a little child in His midst and said: ‘Amen, I say to you, whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall not enter into it.’

“By this He meant that the act of faith has more in common with the trusting belief of a child in his mother than with the assent of a critic. The child believes what the mother tells him because she said it. His belief is an unaffected and trusting homage of love to his mother. When the Christian believes, he does so, not because he has in the back of his mind the miracles of Christ, but because of the authority of one who can neither deceive nor be deceived.”— Venerable Fulton Sheen


265

Sing to the LordThe day’s antiphons from the Missal, with suggested songs based on them and on the day’s readings

Entrance Antiphon: “Within your will, O Lord, all things are established, and there is none that can resist your will. For you have made all things, the heaven and the earth, and all that is held within the circle of heaven; you are the Lord of all.” — Cf. Esther 4:17

Communion Antiphon: “The Lord is good to those who hope in him, to the soul that seeks him.” — Lamentations 3:25 or “Though many, we are one bread, one body, for we all partake of the one Bread and one Chalice.” — Cf. 1 Corinthians 10:17

Songs for the Liturgy “Love Divine, All Loves Excelling”

“One Bread, One Body”

“Send Down the Fire”

“The Servant Song”

“We Walk by Faith”

Lord, Hear our PrayerIntercessions for the prayer of the faithful

That the Church may continue to boldly proclaim the faith of the apostles, we pray to the Lord.

That those in whom we have placed our confidence to lead us may do so with integrity and humility, we pray to the Lord.

That those who seek the Lord with sincere hearts may come to the truth for which they long, we pray to the Lord.

That each of us may treasure the precious gift of faith and allow it to show forth greatly in our lives, we pray to the Lord.


For more information about the Faith Initiative, or to download this Liturgy Guide and view other resources, please visit www.archkck.org/faith, select “For Leadership” and click on “Liturgy Guide.”

266

How Lovely Is Your Dwelling PlacePrinciples of liturgical art, environment and pastoral celebration

9. The sacred liturgy does not exhaust the entire activity of the Church. Before men can come to the liturgy they must be called to faith and to conversion: “How then are they to call upon him in whom they have not yet believed? But how are they to believe him whom they have not heard? And how are they to hear if no one preaches? And how are men to preach unless they be sent?” — Romans 10:14-15

As We Pray, So We BelieveReflections from the Catechism relevant to today’s liturgical themes

Faith is the theological virtue by which we believe in God and believe all that he has said and revealed to us, and that Holy Church proposes for our belief, because he is truth itself. By faith “man freely commits his entire self to God.” For this reason the believer seeks to know and do God’s will. “The righteous shall live by faith.” Living faith “work[s] through charity.” — CCC 1814

The gift of faith remains in one who has not sinned against it. But “faith apart from works is dead”: when it is deprived of hope and love, faith does not fully unite the believer to Christ and does not make him a living member of his Body. — CCC 1815

The disciple of Christ must not only keep the faith and live on it, but also profess it, confidently bear witness to it, and spread it: “All however must be prepared to confess Christ before men and to follow him along the way of the Cross, amidst the persecutions which the Church never lacks.” Service of and witness to the faith are necessary for salvation: “So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven; but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.” — CCC 1816


267


“May your grace, O Lord, we pray, at all times go before us and follow after and make us always determined to carry out good works.”


“Now I know that there is no God in all the earth, except in Israel.” — 2 Kings 5:14-17

“Stand up and go; your faith has saved you.” — Luke 17:1-19

LIV

E I

T

L

OV

E I T

L

EA

RN

I

T LIV

E I

T

L

OV

E I T

L

EA

RN

I

T

We Pray, Proclaim, Profess and PraiseIssue No. 58: Your Faith Has Saved YouOctober 13, 2013Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time

October 13, 2013Issue No. 58: Your Faith Has Saved You

LIV

E I

T

L

OV

E I T

L

EA

RN

I

T LIV

E I

T

L

OV

E I T

L

EA

RN

I

T

Notes for Pastors:

Today’s Collect reads “May your grace … at all times … make us always determined to carry out good works.” Out theme for the Year of Faith — which is rapidly coming to a close — has been the words of Pope Benedict, “Let your heart be shaped by grace.” Please remind people that this simple act of the will — letting our hearts be shaped by grace — is an important choice in the midst of so many choices that shape our lives.

268


“This Sunday’s Gospel presents Jesus healing ten lepers, of whom only one, a Samaritan and therefore a foreigner, returned to thank him. The Lord said to him: ‘Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.’ This Gospel passage invites us to a twofold reflection. It first evokes two levels of healing: one, more superficial, concerns the body. The other, deeper, level touches the innermost depths of the person, what the Bible calls ‘the heart,’ and from there spreads to the whole of a person’s life. Complete and radical healing is ‘salvation.’ By making a distinction between ‘health’ and ‘salvation,’ even ordinary language helps us to understand that salvation is far more than health: indeed, it is new, full and definitive life.

“Furthermore, Jesus here, as in other circumstances, says the words: ‘Your faith has made you whole.’ It is faith that saves human beings, re-establishing them in their profound relationship with God, themselves and others; and faith is expressed in gratitude. Those who, like the healed Samaritan, know how to say ‘thank you,’ show that they do not consider everything as their due but as a gift that comes ultimately from God, even when it arrives through men and women or through nature. Faith thus entails the opening of the person to the Lord’s grace; it means recognizing that everything is a gift, everything is grace. What a treasure is hidden in two small words: ‘thank you!’

“Jesus healed ten people sick with leprosy, a disease in those times considered a ‘contagious impurity’ that required ritual cleansing. Indeed, the ‘leprosy’ that truly disfigures the human being and society is sin; it is pride and selfishness that spawn indifference, hatred and violence in the human soul. No one, save God who is Love, can heal this leprosy of the spirit which scars the face of humanity. By opening his heart to God, the person who converts is inwardly healed from evil.”— Pope Benedict XVI


269


That the Church may continue to preach to the nations the saving power of God, we pray to the Lord.

That the nations of the earth will heed the wonders of God and submit to his divine will, we pray to the Lord.

That the lepers of our time, both physical and spiritual, will seek to be cleansed of their impurities and receive mercy and consolation, we pray to the Lord.

That, as this Year of Faith winds down to a close, each of one us may seek an ever-greater belief in God and a deeper appreciation of his steadfast love, we pray to the Lord.



Entrance Antiphon: “If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities, Lord, who could stand? But with you is found forgiveness, O God of Israel.” — Psalm 130:3-4

Communion Antiphon: “The rich suffer want and go hungry, but those who seek the Lord lack no blessing.” — Cf. Psalm 34:11 or “When the Lord appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.” — 1 John 3:2

Songs for the Liturgy

“All Creatures of Our God and King”

“Let All Things Now Living”

“Life-Giving Bread, Saving Cup”

“Now Thank We All Our God”

“Sing of the Lord’s Goodness”


270


11. But in order that the liturgy may be able to produce its full effects, it is necessary that the faithful come to it with proper dispositions, that their minds should be attuned to their voices, and that they should cooperate with divine grace lest they receive it in vain. Pastors of souls must therefore realize that, when the liturgy is celebrated, something more is required than the mere observation of the laws governing valid and licit celebration; it is their duty also to ensure that the faithful take part fully aware of what they are doing, actively engaged in the rite, and enriched by its effects.


Thanksgiving characterizes the prayer of the Church which, in celebrating the Eucharist, reveals and becomes more fully what she is. Indeed, in the work of salvation, Christ sets creation free from sin and death to consecrate it anew and make it return to the Father, for his glory. The thanksgiving of the members of the Body participates in that of their Head. — CCC 2637

As in the prayer of petition, every event and need can become an offering of thanksgiving. The letters of St. Paul often begin and end with thanksgiving, and the Lord Jesus is always present in it: “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you”; “Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.” — CCC 2638


271


“Almighty ever-living God, grant that we may always conform our will to yours and serve your majesty in sincerity of heart.”


“As long as Moses kept his hands raised up, Israel had the better of the fight…”— Exodus 17:8-13

“Will not God then secure the rights of his chosen ones who call out to him day and night? Will he be slow to answer them? I tell you, he will see to it that justice is done for them speedily.” — Luke 18:1-8

LIV

E I

T

L

OV

E I T

L

EA

RN

I

T LIV

E I

T

L

OV

E I T

L

EA

RN

I

T

We Pray, Proclaim, Profess and PraiseIssue No. 59: The Power of PrayerOctober 20, 2013Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time

October 20, 2013Issue No. 59: The Power of Prayer

LIV

E I

T

L

OV

E I T

L

EA

RN

I

T LIV

E I

T

L

OV

E I T

L

EA

RN

I

T

Notes for Pastors:

This week’s liturgy guide includes a reflection on prayer by Charles Spurgeon. It is a moving essay on that fact that we all “ought to pray” - saint and sinner, rich and poor, the famous and the forgotten. This has been one of our touchstones during the “Faith: Love It, Learn It, Live It” program. Simply invite people to pray - more often, more intensely, with more openness to grace.

272


“Your knees may be bent before the altar of God, though they are stained through many a fall into sin. Though it is many years since you ever thought of praying, yet you may pray! Though, perhaps, you have even denied that there is a God, still you may pray! Though you have ridiculed the very notion of prayer, you may pray — God does not refuse to you the permission to come to His Mercy Seat. Though you have committed every crime in the catalog of sin, you may pray. And though you have gone on in those crimes and involved yourself yet more and more deeply in iniquity, you may pray! Though you are within a few days of death and even of damnation unless the Grace of God shall visit you, yet you may pray! It is clear that you may pray because men ought always to pray, and what they ought to do they may do! Grasp that Truth of God, O despairing one, and grip it fast, and say to your despair, ‘Get away from me! It is not possible that I am denied the right of praying unto the Lord while such a text as this still stands in Holy Writ, ‘Men ought always to pray.’

“Who ought always to pray, then? ‘Men.’ And the word, ‘men,’ is generic and includes the race. That is, men and women and children — old men and fathers, young men and maidens — all who belong to the race of mankind ought always to pray! Perhaps you say, ‘So-and-So is not a good man.’ No, but he is a man, and men ought always to pray! ‘He is a long way from being a commendable man, a man of mark, a man of note, a nobleman in the truest sense of that term.’ Ah, but he is a man, and men ought always to pray! Go down the back streets into the dark alleys where there are men who scarcely seem to

be men, and women who are scarcely women, and tell even them that they are still included under this head, ‘Men ought always to pray.’ Go upstairs and stand by the bed where Death has his victim by the throat — the man yet living is still a man — that poor creature lying there is not yet a corpse, but still a man! Say to him, ‘Men ought always to pray.’ They who curse and swear ought always to pray. They who live without any regard for God, or even in disbelief of His existence, and detestation of His Gospel, yet they ought always to pray! And, as I said at the beginning, the ‘ought’ implies a permission, for, what a man ought to do, he may do and, therefore, whoever you may be, if you are in the shape of a man, you ought to pray!

“If you have a head on your shoulders and lungs that heave, and a heart that palpitates — if you are still in the land of the living and can be numbered among the sons of men — to you this text rings out a grand and glorious Gospel! Even though it seems to be put in the form of a Law of God by the use of that stern word, ‘ought,’ yet it really is in the form of the Gospel — you may pray if you are either man or woman, if you are of the race of mankind, for, ‘men ought always to pray.’”— Charles Spurgeon


273


Entrance Antiphon: “To you I call; for you will surely heed me, O God; turn your ear to me; hear my words. Guard me as the apple of your eye; in the shadow of your wings protect me.” — Cf. Psalm 17:6, 8

Communion Antiphon: “Behold, the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him, who hope in his merciful love, to rescue their souls from death, to keep them alive in famine.” — Cf. Psalm 33:18-19 or “The Son of Man has come to give his life as a ransom for many.” — Mark 10:45


“God of Day and God of Darkness”

“I Want to Walk as a Child of the Light”

“O God, Our Help in Ages Past”

“O Lord, Hear My Prayer”

“Taste and See”


That prayer, the Church’s banquet of petition and praise, may resound without ceasing from the hearts of all who seek the Living God, we pray to the Lord.

That the leaders of nations may seek justice and peace for all, whether it be convenient or inconvenient to their temporal designs and ambitions, we pray to the Lord.

That the Lord will come to comfort those who suffer, through the merciful witness and steadfast kindness of his servants, we pray to the Lord.

That we will take to heart what we have heard proclaimed in the Scriptures today, and remain faithful always to what we have heard and believed, we pray to the Lord.



274


12. The spiritual life, however, is not limited solely to participation in the liturgy. The Christian is indeed called to pray with his brethren, but he must also enter into his chamber to pray to the Father, in secret; yet more, according to the teaching of the Apostle, he should pray without ceasing. We learn from the same Apostle that we must always bear about in our body the dying of Jesus, so that the life also of Jesus may be made manifest in our bodily frame. This is why we ask the Lord in the sacrifice of the Mass that, “receiving the offering of the spiritual victim,” he may fashion us for himself “as an eternal gift.”


Man is in search of God. In the act of creation, God calls every being from nothingness into existence. “Crowned with glory and honor,” man is, after the angels, capable of acknowledging “how majestic is the name of the Lord in all the earth.” Even after losing through his sin his likeness to God, man remains an image of his Creator, and retains the desire for the one who calls him into existence. All religions bear witness to men’s essential search for God. — CCC 2566

God calls man first. Man may forget his Creator or hide far from his face; he may run after idols or accuse the deity of having abandoned him; yet the living and true God tirelessly calls each person to that mysterious encounter known as prayer. In prayer, the faithful God’s initiative of love always comes first; our own first step is always a response. As God gradually reveals himself and reveals man to himself, prayer appears as a reciprocal call, a covenant drama. Through words and actions, this drama engages the heart. It unfolds throughout the whole history of salvation. — CCC 2567

Intercession is a prayer of petition which leads us to pray as Jesus did. He is the one intercessor with the Father on behalf of all men, especially sinners. He is “able for all time to save those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.” The Holy Spirit “himself intercedes for us... and intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.” — CCC 2634

Since Abraham, intercession — asking on behalf of another — has been characteristic of a heart attuned to God’s mercy. In the age of the Church, Christian intercession participates in Christ’s, as an expression of the communion of saints. In intercession, he who prays looks “not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others,” even to the point of praying for those who do him harm. — CCC 2635

The first Christian communities lived this form of fellowship intensely. Thus the Apostle Paul gives them a share in his ministry of preaching the Gospel but also intercedes for them. The intercession of Christians recognizes no boundaries: “for all men, for kings and all who are in high positions,” for persecutors, for the salvation of those who reject the Gospel.“reconciled to God by the death of his Son.” — CCC 2636


275


“Almighty ever-living God, increase our faith, hope and charity, and make us love what you command, so that we may merit what you promise.”


“The LORD is a God of justice, who knows no favorites.” — Sirach 35:12-14, 16-18

“I tell you, the latter went home justified, not the former; for whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” — Luke 18:9-14

LIV

E I

T

L

OV

E I T

L

EA

RN

I

T LIV

E I

T

L

OV

E I T

L

EA

RN

I

T

We Pray, Proclaim, Profess and PraiseIssue No. 60: No FavoritesOctober 27, 2013Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

October 27, 2013Issue No. 60: No Favorites

LIV

E I

T

L

OV

E I T

L

EA

RN

I

T LIV

E I

T

L

OV

E I T

L

EA

RN

I

T

Notes for Pastors:

This week we will gather for the Archdiocesan Convocation for Parish Leadership. It is a good time to ask parishioners for their prayers and to reflect on the new energies of the Spirit in our Archdiocese.

Invite them to take the faith that has grown in love, that has been learned and loved more deeply, and PROCLAIM IT! Evangelize!

276


“A brother questioned Abba Motius, saying, ‘If I go to dwell somewhere, how do you want me to live?’ The old man said to him, ‘If you live somewhere, do not seek to be known for anything special; do not say, for example, I do not go to the synaxis; or perhaps, I do not eat at the agape. For these things make an empty reputation and later you will be troubled because of this. For men rush there where they find these practices.’ The brother said to him, ‘What shall I do, then?’ The old man said, ‘Wherever you live, follow the same manner of life as everyone else and if you see devout men, whom you trust doing something, do the same and you will be at peace. For this is humility: to see yourself to be the same as the rest. When men see you do not go beyond the limits, they will consider you to be the same as everyone else and no-one will trouble you.’”

“A brother went to find Abba Serapion. According to his custom, the old man invited him to say a prayer. But the other, calling himself a sinner and unworthy of monastic habit, did not obey. Next Abba Serapion wanted to wash his feet, but using the same words again, the visitor prevented him. Then Abba Serapion made him eat and he began to eat with him. Then he admonished him saying, ‘My son, if you want to make progress stay in your cell and pay attention to yourself and your manual work; going out is not so profitable for you as remaining at home.’ When he heard these words the visitor was offended and his expressions changed so much that the old man could not but notice. So he said to him, ‘Up to now you have called yourself a sinner and accused yourself of being unworthy to live, but when I admonished you lovingly, you were extremely put out. If you want to be humble, learn to bear generously what others

unfairly inflict upon you and do not harbor empty words in your heart. Upon hearing this, the brother asked the old man’s forgiveness and went away greatly edified.”

“A brother said to Abba Sisoes, ‘I am aware that the remembrance of God stays with me.’ The old man said to him, ‘It is no great thing to be with God in your thoughts, but it is a great thing to see yourself as inferior to all creatures. It is this, coupled with hard work, that leads to humility.’”— From the Desert Fathers



That the Church may humbly yet boldly proclaim to God of justice, who knows no favorites, we pray to the Lord.

That the powerful of the earth may humbly serve those who are weak, we pray to the Lord.

That those who are in need may humbly welcome assistance from those who wish to serve them with humility, we pray to the Lord.

That each of us may properly examine our lives and seek ways to humbly look upon others with compassion and affection, we pray to the Lord.


277


Entrance Antiphon: “Let the hearts that seek the Lord rejoice; turn to the Lord and his strength; constantly seek his face.” — Cf. Psalm 105:3-4

Communion Antiphon: “We will ring out our joy at your saving help and exult in the name of our God.” — Cf. Psalm 20:6 or “Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, as a fragrant offering to God.” — Ephesians 5:2


“How Can I Keep from Singing”

“In the Breaking of the Bread”

“Praise to the Lord, the Almighty”

“Shelter Me, O God”

“The Cry of the Poor”



26. Liturgical services are not private functions, but are celebrations of the Church, which is the “sacrament of unity,” namely, the holy people united and ordered under their bishops.Therefore liturgical services pertain to the whole body of the Church; they manifest it and have effects upon it; but they concern the individual members of the Church in different ways, according to their differing rank, office, and actual participation.

28. In liturgical celebrations each person, minister or layman, who has an office to perform, should do all of, but only, those parts which pertain to his office by the nature of the rite and the principles of liturgy.

29. Servers, lectors, commentators, and members of the choir also exercise a genuine liturgical function. They ought, therefore, to discharge their office with the sincere piety and decorum demanded by so exalted a ministry and rightly expected of them by God’s people. Consequently they must all be deeply imbued with the spirit of the liturgy, each in his own measure, and they must be trained to perform their functions in a correct and orderly manner.

32. The liturgy makes distinctions between persons according to their liturgical function and sacred Orders, and there are liturgical laws providing for due honors to be given to civil authorities. Apart from these instances, no special honors are to be paid in the liturgy to any private persons or classes of persons, whether in the ceremonies or by external display.

278


Created in the image of the one God and equally endowed with rational souls, all men have the same nature and the same origin. Redeemed by the sacrifice of Christ, all are called to participate in the same divine beatitude: all therefore enjoy an equal dignity. — CCC 1934

The equality of men rests essentially on their dignity as persons and the rights that flow from it:

Every form of social or cultural discrimination in fundamental personal rights on the grounds of sex, race, color, social conditions, language, or religion must be curbed and eradicated as incompatible with God’s design (Vatican II, Constitution on the Church in the Modern World). — CCC 1935

On coming into the world, man is not equipped with everything he needs for developing his bodily and spiritual life. He needs others. Differences appear tied to age, physical abilities, intellectual or moral aptitudes, the benefits derived from social commerce, and the distribution of wealth. The “talents” are not distributed equally. — CCC 1936

These differences belong to God’s plan, who wills that each receive what he needs from others, and that those endowed with particular “talents” share the benefits with those who need them. These differences encourage and often oblige persons to practice generosity, kindness, and sharing of goods; they foster the mutual enrichment of cultures:


I distribute the virtues quite diversely; I do not give all of them to each person, but some to one, some to others.... I shall give principally charity to one; justice to another; humility to this one, a living faith to that one.... And so I have given many gifts and graces, both spiritual and temporal, with such diversity that I have not given everything to one single person, so that you may be constrained to practice charity towards one another.... I have willed that one should need another and that all should be my ministers in distributing the graces and gifts they have received from me (St. Catherine of Siena, Dialogues). — CCC 1937

There exist also sinful inequalities that affect millions of men and women. These are in open contradiction of the Gospel:

Their equal dignity as persons demands that we strive for fairer and more humane conditions. Excessive economic and social disparity between individuals and peoples of the one human race is a source of scandal and militates against social justice, equity, human dignity, as well as social and international peace (Vatican II, Constitution on the Church in the Modern World).— CCC 1938

279

LIV

E I

T

L

OV

E I T

L

EA

RN

I

T LIV

E I

T

L

OV

E I T

L

EA

RN

I

T

We Pray, Proclaim, Profess and PraiseIssue No. 61: Seeking the LostNovember 3, 2013Thirty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time


“Almighty and merciful God, by whose gift your faithful offer you right and praiseworthy service, grant, we pray, that we may hasten without stumbling to receive the things you have promised.”

The Word of the LordHighlights from the Lectionary readings of the day

“But you have mercy on all, because you can do all things; and you overlook people’s sins that they may repent.” — Wisdom 11:22-12:2

“The Son of Man has come to seek and to save what was lost.” — Luke 19:1-10

November 3, 2013Issue No. 61: Seeking the Lost

LIV

E I

T

L

OV

E I T

L

EA

RN

I

T LIV

E I

T

L

OV

E I T

L

EA

RN

I

T

Notes for Pastors:

The weekend of November 17 will be Faith Challenge Weekend. Each parishioner will be asked to renew their commitment made a year ago, to reenergize their promise of prayer, sacrifice and service. It is a secret, personal promise between themselves and God.

280


“Each one of us should find hope in this story because, literally or figuratively, we have compromised in our lives. Perhaps in our work, by failing to live fully the implications of our faith. Perhaps in our family, by failing to love in the way that we know we ought, sacrificially. Perhaps in our ‘free time’ — by giving into pursuits that we know actually lead to bondage. The ‘Good News’ is that, no matter what has happened in our past, Jesus walks into the dusty streets of our own lives this day. He comes for us.

“The story of Zaccheus invites us to ask ourselves if we are serious about fully and truthfully living out our Christian vocation. Do we really want to see Jesus or are we comfortable with keeping Him at a distance? Do we compartmentalize our lives, living a separation between faith and life that keeps religious things in a ‘religious compartment’, treating faith like a hat that we put on and take off depending upon the environment that we find ourselves in?

“The Sycamore tree created a clear line of vision for Zaccheus. It helped him to rise above the crowd and see the Lord clearly. It placed him in the right position for the invitation that would follow. Jesus told him to come down for he was coming to his house! Imagine the thrill. For us, the Sycamore tree is a symbol of that place in our own lives which enables us to have a clear vision of Jesus. Zaccheus did not hesitate. With the same lack of caution which he had demonstrated in climbing the tree, he came down to stand in the presence of God Incarnate. There he heard the call that would forever change his life. So may it be with all of us. When God calls we have only one choice, to respond without reserve.

“Where is Jesus passing through in our own lives? He always shows up for those who have their spiritual eyes opened to see Him. How about in our workplace? How about in our relationships? How about in our families? Are we running out to meet Him? Or are we afraid? Are we wondering ‘if we see Him, what will He ask of us?’ The invitation of this story is to climb that Sycamore tree; to find the place that will make it possible for us to see Jesus, unimpeded, so as to hear Him call our name. He still comes to seek and to save what is lost. He still comes to the homes of all who open their hearts wide to his presence and are willing to live lives bathed in the light of His refining fire.” — Deacon Keith Fournier


281


Entrance Antiphon: “Forsake me not, O Lord, my God; be not far from me! Make haste and come to my help, O Lord, my strong salvation!” — Cf. Psalm 38:22-23

Communion Antiphon: “You will show me the path of life, the fullness of joy in your presence, O Lord.” — Cf. Psalm 16:11 or “Just as the living Father sent me and I have life because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me shall have life because of me, says the Lord.” — John 6:58


“In the Breaking of the Bread”

“Only This I Want”

“The Master Came to Bring Good News”

“There’s a Wideness in God’s Mercy”

“You Are the Voice”


That the Church may imitate her Master in seeking out and finding those who are lost, we pray to the Lord.

That peoples may grow in respect for the fundamental rights and privileges of all, we pray to the Lord.

That those with troubled minds and anxious spirits may know that God is their loving creator, we pray to the Lord.

That each of us may look for Jesus along the way of life, and welcome him when he comes, we pray to the Lord.



282


59. The purpose of the sacraments is to sanctify men, to build up the body of Christ, and, finally, to give worship to God; because they are signs they also instruct. They not only presuppose faith, but by words and objects they also nourish, strengthen, and express it; that is why they are called “sacraments of faith.” They do indeed impart grace, but, in addition, the very act of celebrating them most effectively disposes the faithful to receive this grace in a fruitful manner, to worship God duly, and to practice charity.

62. With the passage of time, however, there have crept into the rites of the sacraments and sacramentals certain features which have rendered their nature and purpose far from clear to the people of today; hence some changes have become necessary to adapt them to the needs of our own times. For this reason the sacred Council decrees as follows concerning their revision.

72. The rite and formulas for the sacrament of penance are to be revised so that they more clearly express both the nature and effect of the sacrament.


The Gospel is the revelation in Jesus Christ of God’s mercy to sinners. The angel announced to Joseph: “You shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” The same is true of the Eucharist, the sacrament of redemption: “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” — CCC 1846

“God created us without us: but he did not will to save us without us.” To receive his mercy, we must admit our faults. “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” — CCC 1847

As St. Paul affirms, “Where sin increased, grace abounded all the more.” But to do its work grace must uncover sin so as to convert our hearts and bestow on us “righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Like a physician who probes the wound before treating it, God, by his Word and by his Spirit, casts a living light on sin:

Conversion requires convincing of sin; it includes the interior judgment of conscience, and this, being a proof of the action of the Spirit of truth in man’s inmost being, becomes at the same time the start of a new grant of grace and love: “Receive the Holy Spirit.” Thus in this “convincing concerning sin” we discover a double gift: the gift of the truth of conscience and the gift of the certainty of redemption. The Spirit of truth is the Consoler (Blessed John Paul II). — CCC 1848


283

LIV

E I

T

L

OV

E I T

L

EA

RN

I

T LIV

E I

T

L

OV

E I T

L

EA

RN

I

T

We Pray, Proclaim, Profess and PraiseIssue No. 62: We Will Rise AgainNovember 10, 2013Thirty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time


“Almighty and merciful God, graciously keep from us all adversity, so that, unhindered in mind and body alike, we may pursue in freedom of heart the things that are yours.”


“You accursed fiend, you are depriving us of this present life, but the King of the world will raise us up to live again forever.” — 2 Maccabees 7:1-2, 9-14

“They can no longer die, for they are like angels; and they are the children of God because they are the ones who will rise.” — Luke 20:27-38

November 10, 2013Issue No. 62: We Will Rise Again

LIV

E I

T

L

OV

E I T

L

EA

RN

I

T LIV

E I

T

L

OV

E I T

L

EA

RN

I

T

Notes for Pastors:

The early martyrs of the Church gave their lives for their faith. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., was famous for saying “if you don’t have anything worth dying for, you don’t have anything worth living for.” Our faith compels us to live it openly and actively, and to proclaim it joyfully. Next week will be the Faith Challenge Weekend. Prepare parishioners by reflecting on how one can fulfill this command to “die to ourselves” to “live in Christ.”

284


“The Church of the first millennium was born of the blood of the martyrs: ‘Sanguis martyrum — semen christianorum’. The historical events linked to the figure of Constantine the Great could never have ensured the development of the Church as it occurred during the first millennium if it had not been for the seeds sown by the martyrs and the heritage of sanctity which marked the first Christian generations. At the end of the second millennium, the Church has once again become a Church of martyrs. The persecutions of believers — priests, Religious and laity — has caused a great sowing of martyrdom in different parts of the world. The witness to Christ borne even to the shedding of blood has become a common inheritance of Catholics, Orthodox, Anglicans and Protestants, as Pope Paul VI pointed out in his Homily for the Canonization of the Ugandan Martyrs.

‘This witness must not be forgotten. The Church of the first centuries, although facing considerable organizational difficulties, took care to write down in special martyrologies the witness of the martyrs. These martyrologies have been constantly updated through the centuries, and the register of the saints and the blessed bears the names not only of those who have shed their blood for Christ but also of teachers of the faith, missionaries, confessors, bishops, priests, virgins, married couples, widows and children.

“In our own century the martyrs have returned, many of them nameless, ‘unknown soldiers’ as it were of God’s great cause. As far as possible, their witness should not be lost to the Church. As was recommended in the Consistory, the local Churches should do everything possible to ensure that the memory of those who have suffered martyrdom should be safeguarded, gathering the necessary documentation. This gesture cannot fail to have an ecumenical character and expression. Perhaps the most convincing form of ecumenism is the ecumenism of the saints and of the martyrs. The communio sanctorum speaks louder than the things which divide us. The martyrologium of the first centuries was the basis of the veneration of the Saints. By proclaiming and venerating the holiness of her sons and daughters, the Church gave supreme honor to God himself; in the martyrs she venerated Christ, who was at the origin of their martyrdom and of their holiness. In later times there developed the practice of canonization, a practice which still continues in the Catholic Church and in the Orthodox Churches. In recent years the number of canonizations and beatifications has increased. These show the vitality of the local Churches, which are much more numerous today than in the first centuries and in the first millennium. The greatest homage which all the Churches can give to Christ on the threshold of the third millennium will be to manifest the Redeemer’s all-powerful presence through the fruits of faith, hope and charity present in men and women of many different tongues and races who have followed Christ in the various forms of the Christian vocation.”— Blessed John Paul II


285


Entrance Antiphon: “Let my prayer come into your presence. Incline your ear to my cry for help, O Lord.”— Psalm 88:3

Communion Antiphon: “The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want. Fresh and green are the pastures where he gives me repose, near restful waters he leads me.” — Cf. Psalm 23:1-2 or “The disciples recognized the Lord Jesus in the breaking of bread.”— Cf. Luke 24:35


“Blest Are They”

“For All the Saints”

“I Am the Bread of Life”

“Shelter Me, O God”

“Sing with All the Saints in Glory”


That the Church’s preaching of the resurrection of the dead may be a sign of hope to those who seek the truth, we pray to the Lord.

That there may be an end to oppression and violence based on differences of conscience and belief, we pray to the Lord.

That those who presently suffer for the sake of righteousness may hold fast to the faith and memory of the martyrs of the past, we pray to the Lord.

That we may celebrate this Eucharist in joyful hope, and be drawn more fully into its fruits in daily life, we pray to the Lord.



286


83. Christ Jesus, high priest of the new and eternal covenant, taking human nature, introduced into this earthly exile that hymn which is sung throughout all ages in the halls of heaven. He joins the entire community of mankind to Himself, associating it with His own singing of this canticle of divine praise.

For he continues His priestly work through the agency of His Church, which is ceaselessly engaged in praising the Lord and interceding for the salvation of the whole world. She does this, not only by celebrating the Eucharist, but also in other ways, especially by praying the divine office.

84. By tradition going back to early Christian times, the divine office is devised so that the whole course of the day and night is made holy by the praises of God. Therefore, when this wonderful song of praise is rightly performed by priests and others who are deputed for this purpose by the Church’s ordinance, or by the faithful praying together with the priest in the approved form, then it is truly the voice of the bride addressed to her bridegroom; it is the very prayer which Christ Himself, together with His body, addresses to the Father.

85. Hence all who render this service are not only fulfilling a duty of the Church, but also are sharing in the greatest honor of Christ’s spouse, for by offering these praises to God they are standing before God’s throne in the name of the Church their Mother.


The fidelity of the baptized is a primordial condition for the proclamation of the Gospel and for the Church’s mission in the world. In order that the message of salvation can show the power of its truth and radiance before men, it must be authenticated by the witness of the life of Christians. “The witness of a Christian life and good works done in a supernatural spirit have great power to draw men to the faith and to God.” — CCC 2044

Because they are members of the Body whose Head is Christ, Christians contribute to building up the Church by the constancy of their convictions and their moral lives. The Church increases, grows, and develops through the holiness of her faithful, until “we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.” — CCC 2045

By living with the mind of Christ, Christians hasten the coming of the Reign of God, “a kingdom of justice, love, and peace.” They do not, for all that, abandon their earthly tasks; faithful to their master, they fulfill them with uprightness, patience, and love. — CCC 2046


287

LIV

E I

T

L

OV

E I T

L

EA

RN

I

T LIV

E I

T

L

OV

E I T

L

EA

RN

I

T

We Pray, Proclaim, Profess and PraiseIssue No. 63: Perseverance November 17, 2013Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time


“Grant us, we pray, O Lord our God, the constant gladness of being devoted to you, for it is full and lasting happiness to serve with constancy the author of all that is good.”


“But for you who fear my name, there will arise the sun of justice with its healing rays.” — Malachi 3:19-20a

”You will be hated by all because of my name, but not a hair on your head will be destroyed. By your perseverance you will secure your lives.” — Luke 21:5-19

November 17, 2013Issue No. 63: Perseverance

LIV

E I

T

L

OV

E I T

L

EA

RN

I

T LIV

E I

T

L

OV

E I T

L

EA

RN

I

T

Notes for Pastors:

FAITH CHALLENGE WEEKEND

Invite the faithful to prayerfully consider a personal commitment to Jesus Christ — to look into the face of Jesus on the cross — to listen to “the truth that liberates … which alone gives peace of heart [that] people are looking for when we proclaim the Good News to them.” — Pope Paul VI, On Evangelization in

the Modern World, 78

Invite all to renew their commitment to

proclaiming the FAITH! Today!

288


“It is good for us to have trials and troubles at times, for they often remind us that we are on probation and ought not to hope in any worldly thing. It is good for us sometimes to suffer contradiction, to be misjudged by men even though we do well and mean well. These things help us to be humble and shield us from vainglory. When to all outward appearances men give us no credit, when they do not think well of us, then we are more inclined to seek God Who sees our hearts. Therefore, a man ought to root himself so firmly in God that he will not need the consolations of men.

“When a man of good will is afflicted, tempted, and tormented by evil thoughts, he realizes clearly that his greatest need is God, without Whom he can do no good. Saddened by his miseries and sufferings, he laments and prays. He wearies of living longer and wishes for death that he might be dissolved and be with Christ. Then he understands fully that perfect security and complete peace cannot be found on earth.”— Venerable Thomas à Kempis


That God’s people may always face the future with serene confidence, serving as a witness to those who may doubt or falter in faith, we pray to the Lord.

That the peoples of the earth may embrace the common good, seeking justice for one another, we pray to the Lord.

That those who lack bread, work and dignity may be supported in their struggles by the disciples of Jesus, we pray to the Lord.

That we may each see ourselves as living stones of an indestructible temple, going forth to love and serve in a world which may reject our efforts, we pray to the Lord.



289


102. Holy Mother Church is conscious that she must celebrate the saving work of her divine Spouse by devoutly recalling it on certain days throughout the course of the year. Every week, on the day which she has called the Lord’s day, she keeps the memory of the Lord’s resurrection, which she also celebrates once in the year, together with His blessed passion, in the most solemn festival of Easter.

Within the cycle of a year, moreover, she unfolds the whole mystery of Christ, from the incarnation and birth until the ascension, the day of Pentecost, and the expectation of blessed hope and of the coming of the Lord.

Recalling thus the mysteries of redemption, the Church opens to the faithful the riches of her Lord’s powers and merits, so that these are in some way made present for all time, and the faithful are enabled to lay hold upon them and become filled with saving grace.

103. In celebrating this annual cycle of Christ’s mysteries, holy Church honors with especial love the Blessed Mary, Mother of God, who is joined by an inseparable bond to the saving work of her Son. In her the Church holds up and admires the most excellent fruit of the redemption, and joyfully contemplates, as in a faultless image, that which she herself desires and hopes wholly to be.


Entrance Antiphon: “The Lord said: I think thoughts of peace and not of affliction. You will call upon me, and I will answer you, and I will lead back your captives from every place.” — Jeremiah 29:11, 12, 14

Communion Antiphon: “To be near God is my happiness, to place my hope in God the Lord.” — Psalm 73:28 or “Amen, I say to you: Whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you will receive, and it shall be given to you, says the Lord.” — Mark 11:23-24


“Be Not Afraid”

“Blest Be the Lord” “Come, You Thankful People, Come” “Nothing Can Trouble” “The Church’s One Foundation”


290

104. The Church has also included in the annual cycle days devoted to the memory of the martyrs and the other saints. Raised up to perfection by the manifold grace of God, and already in possession of eternal salvation, they sing God’s perfect praise in heaven and offer prayers for us. By celebrating the passage of these saints from earth to heaven the Church proclaims the paschal mystery achieved in the saints who have suffered and been glorified with Christ; she proposes them to the faithful as examples drawing all to the Father through Christ, and through their merits she pleads for God’s favors.

105. Finally, in the various seasons of the year and according to her traditional discipline, the Church completes the formation of the faithful by means of pious practices for soul and body, by instruction, prayer, and works of penance and of mercy.


“We know that in everything God works for good with those who love him... For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the first-born among many brethren. And those whom he predestined he also called; and those whom he called he also justified; and those whom he justified he also glorified.” — CCC 2012

“All Christians in any state or walk of life are called to the fullness of Christian life and to the perfection of charity.” All are called to holiness: “Be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

In order to reach this perfection the faithful should use the strength dealt out to them by Christ’s gift, so that... doing the will of the Father in everything, they may wholeheartedly devote themselves to the glory of God and to the service of their neighbor.

Thus the holiness of the People of God will grow in fruitful abundance, as is clearly shown in the history of the Church through the lives of so many saints (Vatican II, Dogmatic Constitution on the Church). — CCC 2013

Spiritual progress tends toward ever more intimate union with Christ. This union is called “mystical” because it participates in the mystery of Christ through the sacraments — “the holy mysteries” — and, in him, in the mystery of the Holy Trinity. God calls us all to this intimate union with him, even if the special graces or extraordinary signs of this mystical life are granted only to some for the sake of manifesting the gratuitous gift given to all. — CCC 2014

The way of perfection passes by way of the Cross. There is no holiness without renunciation and spiritual battle. Spiritual progress entails the ascesis and mortification that gradually lead to living in the peace and joy of the Beatitudes:

He who climbs never stops going from beginning to beginning, through beginnings that have no end. He never stops desiring what he already knows (St. Gregory of Nyssa). — CCC 2015

The children of our holy mother the Church rightly hope for the grace of final perseverance and the recompense of God their Father for the good works accomplished with his grace in communion with Jesus. Keeping the same rule of life, believers share the “blessed hope” of those whom the divine mercy gathers into the “holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.” — CCC 2016

N.B.: Next Sunday’s Feast of Christ the King draws a close to both the liturgical year of the Roman Rite and the observance of the Year of Faith. A special Liturgy Guide will be issued which will call all parishes and faith communities of the archdiocese to particular liturgical themes and observances.


v e i t we pray, proclaim, profess and praise...desires of those who entreat you, pour out your...

Documents