Monday, December 2, 2024

03-DEC-'24, Memorial of St Francis Xavier


Memorial of St Francis Xavier

LECTIONARY
219

FIRST READING
Jeremiah 1:4-8

Now the word of the Lord came to me saying,
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
and before you were born I consecrated you;
I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”
Then I said, “Ah, Lord God! Truly I do not know how to speak, for I am only a boy.”
But the Lord said to me,
Do not say, ‘I am only a boy’;
for you shall go to all to whom I send you,
and you shall speak whatever I command you.
Do not be afraid of them,
for I am with you to deliver you,
says the Lord.”

SECOND READING
2 Corinthians 4:7-15

But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that it may be made clear that this extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible in our bodies. For while we live, we are always being given up to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus may be made visible in our mortal flesh. So death is at work in us, but life in you.

But just as we have the same spirit of faith that is in accordance with scripture—“I believed, and so I spoke”—we also believe, and so we speak, because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus, and will bring us with you into his presence. Yes, everything is for your sake, so that grace, as it extends to more and more people, may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.

GOSPEL
Luke 10:1-16

After this the Lord appointed seventy others and sent them on ahead of him in pairs to every town and place where he himself intended to go. He said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. Go on your way. See, I am sending you out like lambs into the midst of wolves. Carry no purse, no bag, no sandals; and greet no one on the road. Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this house!’ And if anyone is there who shares in peace, your peace will rest on that person; but if not, it will return to you. Remain in the same house, eating and drinking whatever they provide, for the laborer deserves to be paid. Do not move about from house to house. Whenever you enter a town and its people welcome you, eat what is set before you; 9 cure the sick who are there, and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ But whenever you enter a town and they do not welcome you, go out into its streets and say, ‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet, we wipe off in protest against you. Yet know this: the kingdom of God has come near.’ I tell you, on that day it will be more tolerable for Sodom than for that town.

“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the deeds of power done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. But at the judgment it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon than for you. And you, Capernaum,

will you be exalted to heaven?

No, you will be brought down to Hades. “Whoever listens to you listens to me, and whoever rejects you rejects me, and whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me.”

OR

Tuesday of the First Week of Advent
Lectionary: 176

Reading 1
Isaiah 11:1-10
On that day,
A shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse,
and from his roots a bud shall blossom.
The Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him:
a Spirit of wisdom and of understanding,
A Spirit of counsel and of strength,
a Spirit of knowledge and of fear of the LORD,
and his delight shall be the fear of the LORD.
Not by appearance shall he judge,
nor by hearsay shall he decide,
But he shall judge the poor with justice,
and decide aright for the land's afflicted.
He shall strike the ruthless with the rod of his mouth,
and with the breath of his lips he shall slay the wicked.
Justice shall be the band around his waist,
and faithfulness a belt upon his hips.

Then the wolf shall be a guest of the lamb,
and the leopard shall lie down with the kid;
The calf and the young lion shall browse together,
with a little child to guide them.
The cow and the bear shall be neighbors,
together their young shall rest;
the lion shall eat hay like the ox.
The baby shall play by the cobra's den,
and the child lay his hand on the adder's lair.
There shall be no harm or ruin on all my holy mountain;
for the earth shall be filled with knowledge of the LORD,
as water covers the sea.

On that day,
The root of Jesse,
set up as a signal for the nations,
The Gentiles shall seek out,
for his dwelling shall be glorious.

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 72:1-2, 7-8, 12-13, 17
R. (see 7) Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.

O God, with your judgment endow the king,
and with your justice, the king's son;
He shall govern your people with justice
and your afflicted ones with judgment.
R. Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.

Justice shall flower in his days,
and profound peace, till the moon be no more.
May he rule from sea to sea,
and from the River to the ends of the earth.
R. Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.

He shall rescue the poor when he cries out,
and the afflicted when he has no one to help him.
He shall have pity for the lowly and the poor;
the lives of the poor he shall save.
R. Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.

May his name be blessed forever;
as long as the sun his name shall remain.
In him shall all the tribes of the earth be blessed;
all the nations shall proclaim his happiness.
R. Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.

Alleluia
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Behold, our Lord shall come with power;
he will enlighten the eyes of his servants.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel
Luke 10:21-24
Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said,
"I give you praise, Father, Lord of heaven and earth,
for although you have hidden these things
from the wise and the learned
you have revealed them to the childlike.
Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will.
All things have been handed over to me by my Father.
No one knows who the Son is except the Father,
and who the Father is except the Son
and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him."

Turning to the disciples in private he said,
"Blessed are the eyes that see what you see.
For I say to you,
many prophets and kings desired to see what you see,
but did not see it,
and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it."

Reflection 1
Catholic Daily Reflections 

The Eyes of Faith

Turning to the disciples in private he said, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see.
For I say to you, many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it.”  Luke 10:23–24 

What did the disciples see that made their eyes “blessed?” Clearly, they were blessed to see our Lord. Jesus was the One promised by the prophets and kings of old, and now He was there, in flesh and bone, present for the disciples to see Him. Though we do not have the privilege to “see” our Lord in the same way that the disciples did some 2,000 years ago, we are privileged to see Him in countless other ways in our daily lives, if we only have “eyes that see” and ears to hear.

Since the time of Jesus’ appearance on Earth, in the flesh, so much has changed. The Apostles were eventually filled with the Holy Spirit and sent forth on a mission to change the world. The Church was established, the Sacraments were instituted, the teaching authority of Christ was exercised, and countless saints have given witness to the Truth with their lives. The past 2,000 years have been years in which Christ was continually made manifest to the world in countless ways.

Today, Christ is still present and continues to stand before us. If we have the eyes and ears of faith, we will not miss Him day in and day out. We will see and understand the countless ways that He speaks to us, leads us and guides us today. The first step toward this gift of sight and hearing is your desire. Do you desire the Truth? Do you desire to see Christ? Or are you satisfied with the many confusions of life that seek to distract you from what is most real and most life-changing?

Reflect, today, upon your desire. The prophets and kings of old “desired” to see the Messiah. We are privileged to have Him alive in our presence today, speaking to us and calling to us continually. Foster within yourself a desire for our Lord. Allow it to become a blazing flame which longs to consume all that is true and all that is good. Desire God. Desire His Truth. Desire His guiding hand in your life and allow Him to bless you beyond what you can fathom.

Reflection 2
One Bread, One Body 

THE LAMB’S SUPPER

“There shall be no harm or ruin on all My holy mountain; for the earth shall be filled with knowledge of the Lord, as water covers the sea.” —Isaiah 11:9

The Advent readings speak of the restoration of the harmony that originally existed in the Garden of Eden. Before the fall of man, there were no obstacles to intimacy with God. In Eden, there was no predation. The wolf could have the lamb over for a meal of vegetables rather than lamb chops (see Is 11:6ff). Isaiah prophesies that the Messiah will not only restore the original peace and order of Eden, but far surpass it (Is 11:9). This is because the Messiah is now present with us, until the end of time (see Mt 28:20).

This Advent, as we look forward to the Second Coming of Christ, we recall that in Jesus the hopes of Isaiah have been fulfilled (see Mt 5:17). Jesus, the Lamb of God, now becomes Isaiah’s promised Meal in the Holy Eucharist (Is 25:6). There is no further need of predation, for we feed upon the Lamb of God.

Right now, Jesus is revealing God the Father (Lk 10:22). Will you slow down and let Jesus reveal the Father to you? During the hubbub of preparing for the world’s Christmas, resolve to be still and know that He is God (see Ps 46:10, JB). Be filled with the knowledge of the Lord (Is 11:9).

Prayer:  Father, may I want to know Jesus far more than I want to revel in the “holiday” celebrations of this world.

Promise:  “No one knows the Son except the Father and no one knows the Father except the Son — and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal Him.” —Lk 10:22

Praise:  Although St. Francis Xavier was shot by robbers, had his bed set afire, and was threatened by wild boars and tigers, his greatest sufferings came from loneliness and isolation. Yet he persevered in his mission and brought the Good News of Jesus to hundreds of thousands of people in the Far East.

Reflection 3
Shared from Daily Liturgy

We have to see the Gospel passage in the context of the mission of the seventy. Hearing their wonderful experience, Jesus thanks the Father for having “hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children.” There is a double contrast: wise, understanding versus children; hidden versus revealed. What is being hidden from the wise and revealed to children, and why so? Compared to the wise and understanding, children are fresh and they are more open to receiving the Good News. Unlike the wise, whose convictions and belief system are already formed, those who are like children easily accept Jesus and His new teachings. They are open to receive salvation.

Prayers
My divine Lord, I know You are alive today, speaking to me, calling me and revealing to me Your glorious presence. Help me to desire You and, within that desire, to turn to You with all my heart. I love You, my Lord. Help me to love You more. Jesus, I trust in You.

Lord Jesus, give me the child-like simplicity and purity of faith to gaze upon your face with joy and confidence in your all-merciful love. Remove every doubt, fear, and proud thought which would hinder me from receiving your word with trust and humble submission.

Daily Reflections on Divine Mercy

Reflection 337: Helping the Anxiety of Others
In our lives it is almost certain that we will encounter people from time to time who are agitated, upset or worried.  They may obsess about this or that and their thinking may even be somewhat irrational.  What a graced opportunity this is for Mercy.  Anxiety and worry will happen in life and we should not let it draw us in.  We must keep our peace, make the situation light, and especially offer prayers for those struggling with this burden (See Diary #1636).

How do you react when you encounter the excessive worries or anxieties of another?  This is a heavy burden to them and a source of much stress.  Reflect upon how you approach people in this situation.  Know that the Lord wishes to use you to bring peace to their worried minds and anxious hearts.  Commit to this act of Mercy and the Lord will bless them.

Lord, please do make me an instrument of Your peace.  When I encounter those who have no peace and are filled with anxiety, help me look at them with compassion and love.  Help me to know that these souls need Your Mercy and that I am the one sent to dispense it.  Jesus, I trust in You.

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