Jacob's Ladder

After his dream,Jacob awoke and exclaimed,"Truly ,the Lord is in this spot,although I did not know it!" The miraculous ladder in his dream reunited the earth with the Devine. You can read about the dramatic story of Jacob's life and faith in Genesis 27:41-28:22

The Ram

Today's ornament is the Ram provided to Abraham in place of his son Isaac. You can read about Abraham and Isaac in Genesis 22:1-19

Thanksgiving Proclamation Issued by President George Washington, at the request of Congress, on October 3, 1789

"Whereas it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor; and—Whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me “to recommend to the people of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness:”

Now, therefore, I do recommend and assign Thursday, the 26th day of November next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the signal and manifold mercies and the favor, able interpositions of His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquillity, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed; for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted; for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and, in general, for all the great and various favors which He has been pleased to confer upon us.

And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations, and beseech Him to pardon our national and other trangressions; to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our National Government a blessing to all the people by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all sovereigns and nations (especially such as have shown kindness to us), and to bless them with good governments, peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us; and, generally, to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as He alone knows to be best.

Given under my hand at the City of New York the third day of October in the year of our Lord 1789."

Go. Washington!

Thursday, November 17 Saint Elizabeth of Hungary, Religious (Memorial)

REVELATION 5:1-10

I, John, saw a scroll in the right hand of the one who sat on the throne. It had writing on both sides and was sealed with seven seals. Then I saw a mighty angel who proclaimed in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to examine it. I shed many tears because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to examine it. One of the elders said to me, “Do not weep. The lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, has triumphed, enabling him to open the scroll with its seven seals.”

Then I saw standing in the midst of the throne and the four living creatures and the elders a Lamb that seemed to have been slain. He had seven horns and seven eyes; these are the seven spirits of God sent out into the whole world. He came and received the scroll from the right hand of the one who sat on the throne. When he took it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each of the elders held a harp and gold bowls filled with incense, which are the prayers of the holy ones. They sang a new hymn:

“Worthy are you to receive the scroll
and break open its seals,
for you were slain and with your Blood you 
purchased for God
those from every tribe and tongue, people and nation.
You made them a kingdom and priests for our God, and they will reign on earth.”

PSALM 149

R. The Lamb has made us a kingdom of priests to serve our God. or R. Alleluia.
Sing to the Lord a new song
of praise in the assembly of the faithful.
Let Israel be glad in their maker,
let the children of Zion rejoice in their king. R. 
Let them praise his name in the festive dance,
let them sing praise to him with timbrel and harp.
For the Lord loves his people,
and he adorns the lowly with victory. R. 
Let the faithful exult in glory;
let them sing for joy upon their couches;
Let the high praises of God be in their throats.
This is the glory of all his faithful. Alleluia.  R.

LUKE 19:41-44

As Jesus drew near Jerusalem, he saw the city and wept over it, saying, “If this day you only knew what makes for peace–but now it is hidden from your eyes. For the days are coming upon you when your enemies will raise a palisade against you; they will encircle you and hem you in on all sides. They will smash you to the ground and your children within you, and they will not leave one stone upon another within you because you did not recognize the time of your visitation.”

He saw the city and wept over it. (Luke 19:41) 

“Jesus, you are overflowing with compassion! You saw that ‘what makes for peace’ was hidden from the eyes of your people, and you wept over them (Luke 19:42). It made you suffer, but you did not turn away. You did not condemn. You wept!

“Thank you, Lord, that you are not aloof from us. When we separate ourselves from you, it stirs your compassion and sorrow, not your judgment. You did not come to condemn us, but to save us. And when we miss out on that, when our eyes are blinded, you suffer with us. When we cut ourselves off from your grace, you weep. You enter into the misery we’re bringing on ourselves.

“Even when we suffer physically, when we die, you weep over us. Just as you wept over your friend Lazarus, your heart is stirred whenever we hurt. You are our brother, and you long for the best for us.

“Thank you, Lord, that your love for us produces so much more than sympathy! You took on our humanity, and you share all our human emotions. You weep with us, but you also rejoice with us. In our victories, no matter how small, you rejoice. When the disciples returned from their missionary trip, you rejoiced to see how the Father worked through them. When the couple was married in Cana, you celebrated with them. When you see us reach out to someone in need, you smile.

“Jesus, help me to see your tears when I am the one who has separated myself from you. Move my heart to repentance by the compassion and love in your eyes. Draw me to you, and make me whole again. Let me rejoice in your lavish tenderness.

“Give me your heart, Lord! Just as you are close to each of us, help me not to hold myself aloof from my brothers and sisters. Even if they seem to be cutting themselves off from you, stir my compassion. Help me see over everything else that they are my brothers and sisters, that we are all children of the same Father in heaven. Help me to suffer with them and rejoice with them, to welcome them and accompany them, just as you do. 

“Jesus, give me a heart like yours—a heart of compassion and solidarity.”

Tuesday, November 15 Saint Albert the Great, Bishop and Doctor of the Church (Optional Memorial)

REVELATION 3:1-6, 14-22

I, John, heard the Lord saying to me: “To the angel of the Church in Sardis, write this:

“‘The one who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars says this: “I know your works, that you have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Be watchful and strengthen what is left, which is going to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God. Remember then how you accepted and heard; keep it, and repent. If you are not watchful, I will come like a thief, and you will never know at what hour I will come upon you. However, you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their garments; they will walk with me dressed in white, because they are worthy.

“‘The victor will thus be dressed in white, and I will never erase his name from the book of life but will acknowledge his name in the presence of my Father and of his angels.

“‘Whoever has ears ought to hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”’

“To the angel of the Church in Laodicea, write this:

“‘The Amen, the faithful and true witness, the source of God’s creation, says this: “I know your works; I know that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either cold or hot. So, because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. For you say, ‘I am rich and affluent and have no need of anything,’ and yet do not realize that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. I advise you to buy from me gold refined by fire so that you may be rich, and white garments to put on so that your shameful nakedness may not be exposed, and buy ointment to smear on your eyes so that you may see. Those whom I love, I reprove and chastise. Be earnest, therefore, and repent.

“‘Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, then I will enter his house and dine with him, and he with me. I will give the victor the right to sit with me on my throne, as I myself first won the victory and sit with my Father on his throne.

“‘Whoever has ears ought to hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’”

LUKE 19:1-10

At that time Jesus came to Jericho and intended to pass through the town. Now a man there named Zacchaeus, who was a chief tax collector and also a wealthy man, was seeking to see who Jesus was; but he could not see him because of the crowd, for he was short in stature. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree in order to see Jesus, who was about to pass that way. When he reached the place, Jesus looked up and said, “Zacchaeus, come down quickly, for today I must stay at your house.” And he came down quickly and received him with joy. When they saw this, they began to grumble, saying, “He has gone to stay at the house of a sinner.” But Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, “Behold, half of my possessions, Lord, I shall give to the poor, and if I have extorted anything from anyone I shall repay it four times over.” And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house because this man too is a descendant of Abraham. For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save what was lost.”

Zacchaeus, come down quickly, for today I must stay at your house. (Luke 19:5)

Which came first, the chicken or the egg? That’s a difficult question! Today’s Gospel poses a similar dilemma. Who saw whom first, Zacchaeus or Jesus?

Maybe it was Zacchaeus. After all, he hoisted himself into a sycamore tree so that he could catch a glimpse of the Lord. Then again, maybe it was Jesus. He seemed to know exactly where Zacchaeus was, and he readily called him by name and invited himself over for dinner. So who saw whom first? 

We may never know. But we do have a good idea of what each person saw. Zacchaeus saw a holy man, and he dared to hope that Jesus could bring him peace.

Jesus looked into Zacchaeus’ heart and saw his eagerness and curiosity. He saw his desire to grow closer to God. Of course, he saw his sin, but that didn’t stop him. He loved everything else he saw so much that he answered Zacchaeus’ silent prayer and called him.

Commenting on this passage, St. Augustine wrote, “The Lord, who had already welcomed Zacchaeus in his heart, was now ready to be welcomed by him into his home.” Before Zacchaeus had even thought about climbing that tree, Jesus was already at work in him. 

In the same way, Jesus saw you before you woke up this morning. He loved what he saw, and he began working in your heart. While you slept, he was giving you the grace you’ll need today.

Jesus came “to seek and to save what was lost” (Luke 19:10). To seek out Zacchaeus, he provided the grace—the curiosity, the longing, and the hunger for God—that would get him up that tree. He is seeking you today too.

Do you feel a nudge to pray? To read Scripture or go to Mass? To turn away from a tempting situation? Those promptings come from the Lord. He is nudging you every day, trying to get your attention. Even when you are oblivious or resistant, he keeps working to bring you back. 

Jesus has already welcomed you into his heart. Now he wants you to welcome him into yours. Are you ready to receive him? Follow those “nudges,” and he will come in.

“Jesus, you see my heart and know what this day holds. Help me to stay close to you.”

Word Among Us

Friday, November 11 Saint Martin of Tours, Bishop (Memorial)

2 JOHN 4-9

[Chosen Lady:] I rejoiced greatly to find some of your children walking in the truth just as we were commanded by the Father. But now, Lady, I ask you, not as though I were writing a new commandment but the one we have had from the beginning: let us love one another. For this is love, that we walk according to his commandments; this is the commandment, as you heard from the beginning, in which you should walk.

Many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh; such is the deceitful one and the antichrist. Look to yourselves that you do not lose what we worked for but may receive a full recompense. Anyone who is so “progressive” as not to remain in the teaching of the Christ does not have God; whoever remains in the teaching has the Father and the Son. 

PSALM 119

R. Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!

Blessed are they whose way is blameless,
who walk in the law of the Lord. R. 
Blessed are they who observe his decrees,
who seek him with all their heart. R. 
With all my heart I seek you;
let me not stray from your commands. R. 
Within my heart I treasure your promise,
that I may not sin against you. R. 
Be good to your servant, that I may live
and keep your words. R. 
Open my eyes, that I may consider
the wonders of your law.  R.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

Alleluia, alleluia.
Stand erect and raise your heads
because your redemption is at hand. Lk 21:28
Alleluia, alleluia.

LUKE 17:26-37

Jesus said to his disciples: “As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be in the days of the Son of Man; they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage up to the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. Similarly, as it was in the days of Lot: they were eating, drinking, buying, selling, planting, building; on the day when Lot left Sodom, fire and brimstone rained from the sky to destroy them all. So it will be on the day the Son of Man is revealed. On that day, someone who is on the housetop and whose belongings are in the house must not go down to get them, and likewise one in the field must not return to what was left behind. Remember the wife of Lot. Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses it will save it. I tell you, on that night there will be two people in one bed; one will be taken, the other left. And there will be two women grinding meal together; one will be taken, the other left.” They said to him in reply, “Where, Lord?” He said to them, “Where the body is, there also the vultures will gather.”

MEDITATION

Let us love one another. (2 John 5)

Did you notice that John says, “Let us love one another” (2 John 5)? He includes himself in the exhortation, telling us that everyone is called to love. And actions speak louder than words. It’s not enough to just say, “I love you.” You need to actually do it.

The author of 2 John was probably not John the apostle, but another John, a presbyter, or elder, in a local church. He likely knew some of the people who were eyewitnesses of Jesus’ ministry—maybe even some of the apostles. John is writing out of concern for the brothers and sisters in his church. He rejoiced like a proud parent that they were “walking in the truth” and urged them to “love one another” (2 John 4, 5).

Why did John focus on these concerns? Some believers had stirred up confusion about whether Jesus had really been fully human. Perhaps, they thought, he was just pretending to be a man. As a result, many people were caught up in controversy and were missing the heart of the matter: God loves our humanness so much that he sent his Son to take on our actual flesh and blood. He wanted to be completely human: one of us so that he could be one with us.

If God has so much love for us human beings, then how could the people in John’s church think they didn’t have to love each other—and in practice, not just in theory? This was John’s 

point. What we do matters. How we love matters. Sometimes it matters more than what we say we believe.

So when we attend Mass faithfully but speak harshly to a family member at home, we are missing something. Our love for one another is a reflection of our love for God. As John wrote, love is the most important way we can live out our faith.

God loves everyone and wants his love to flow out from you and into your relationships. So stop today, and look at the people around you. Ask God to show you one brother or sister that he wants you to love in a concrete way. Then spend time with them: look them in the eye, listen to their concerns, and care for them with the love that you have received from God.  

“Jesus, help me to show your love today.”

Word Among Us

November 10th,2016 Memorial of Saint Leo the Great, Pope and Doctor of the Church Lectionary: 494

Reading 1 

PHLM 7-20

Beloved:
I have experienced much joy and encouragement from your love,
because the hearts of the holy ones
have been refreshed by you, brother.
Therefore, although I have the full right in Christ
to order you to do what is proper,
I rather urge you out of love,
being as I am, Paul, an old man,
and now also a prisoner for Christ Jesus.
I urge you on behalf of my child Onesimus,
whose father I have become in my imprisonment,
who was once useless to you but is now useful to both you and me.
I am sending him, that is, my own heart, back to you.
I should have liked to retain him for myself,
so that he might serve me on your behalf
in my imprisonment for the Gospel,
but I did not want to do anything without your consent,
so that the good you do might not be forced but voluntary.
Perhaps this is why he was away from you for a while,
that you might have him back forever,
no longer as a slave but more than a slave, a brother,
beloved especially to me, but even more so to you,
as a man and in the Lord.
So if you regard me as a partner, welcome him as you would me.
And if he has done you any injustice
or owes you anything, charge it to me.
I, Paul, write this in my own hand: I will pay.
May I not tell you that you owe me your very self.
Yes, brother, may I profit from you in the Lord.
Refresh my heart in Christ.

Responsorial Psalm PS 146:7, 8-9A, 9BC-10

R. (5a) Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The LORD secures justice for the oppressed,
gives food to the hungry.
The LORD sets captives free.
R. Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The LORD gives sight to the blind.
The LORD raises up those who were bowed down;
the LORD loves the just.
The LORD protects strangers.
R. Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The fatherless and the widow he sustains,
but the way of the wicked he thwarts.
The LORD shall reign forever;
your God, O Zion, through all generations. Alleluia.
R. Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Alleluia JN 15:5

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I am the vine, you are the branches, says the Lord:
whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel LK 17:20-25

Asked by the Pharisees when the Kingdom of God would come,
Jesus said in reply,
“The coming of the Kingdom of God cannot be observed,
and no one will announce, ‘Look, here it is,’ or, ‘There it is.’
For behold, the Kingdom of God is among you.”

Then he said to his disciples,
“The days will come when you will long to see
one of the days of the Son of Man, but you will not see it.
There will be those who will say to you,
‘Look, there he is,’ or ‘Look, here he is.’
Do not go off, do not run in pursuit.
For just as lightning flashes
and lights up the sky from one side to the other,
so will the Son of Man be in his day.
But first he must suffer greatly and be rejected by this generation.”

USNCCB