Nov 23 Monday (St. Clement I Pope & Martyr
https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-clement/) , St. Columban, Abbot
(https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-columban/) , Blessed Miguel Augustin Pro, Priest, Martyr (U.S.A.)
(https://www.franciscanmedia.org/blessed-miguel-agusaint-iacute-n-pro/ ) : Luke 21: 1-4: He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury; 2 and he saw a poor widow put in two copper coins. 3 And he said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them; 4 for they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all the living that she had.” USCCB video reflections: http://www.usccb.org/bible/reflections/index.cfm
The context: There were 13 trumpet-shaped receptacles
that stood up against the wall of the Court of Women. They were intended
to hold the gifts of the faithful for the Temple treasury. As Jesus and his
disciples sat and watched the comings and goings of those offering their gifts
of support, they observed many wealthy worshipers placing significant sums into
the Temple treasury. But it was not until Jesus observed the tiny gift of
two lepta (equivalent to a couple of pennies), given by a poor
widow, that he was moved to comment on the proceedings.
Beginning with chapter 11 of Luke’s Gospel, Jesus is seen
confronting the Temple authorities and challenging abuses in the “organized
religion” of his time. Complimenting the poor widow in today’s Gospel, Jesus
contrasted the external signs of honor sought by the scribes with the humble,
sacrificial offering of a poor widow and declared that she had found true honor
in God’s eyes. The Gospel presents a poor widow who sacrificially gave her
whole life and means of livelihood to God, symbolizing the supreme sacrifice
Jesus would offer by giving his life for others. The episode invites us to a
total commitment to God’s service with a humble and generous heart free from
pride and prejudice.
Life messages: # 1: We need to appreciate the
widows of our parish: Their loneliness draws them closer to
God and to stewardship in the parish. They are often the active
participants in all the liturgical celebrations, offering prayers for their
families and for their parish family. Frequently, they are active in
parish organizations, as well as in visiting and serving the sick and the
shut-ins. Hence, let us appreciate them, support them, encourage them and
pray for them.
#2: We need to accept Christ’s criteria for judging people:
We often judge people by what they possess. But Jesus measures us on the
basis of our inner motives and the intentions hidden behind our actions.
He evaluates us on the basis of the sacrifices we make for others and on the
degree of our surrender to His holy will. What is hardest to give is ourselves
in love and concern, because that gift costs us more than reaching for
our purses. (Fr. Kadavil) (http://frtonyshomilies.com/)
L/20
Nov 24 Tuesday (St. Andrew Dung-Lac, Priest Martyr
and Companion Martyrs): Luke 21: 5-11: 5 And as some spoke of the
Temple, how it was adorned with noble stones and offerings, he said, 6 “As for
these things which you see, the days will come when there shall not be left here
one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.” 7 And they asked him,
“Teacher, when will this be, and what will be the sign when this is about to
take place?” 8 And he said, “Take heed that you are not led astray; for many
will come in my name, saying, `I am he!’ and, `The time is at hand!’ Do not go
after them. 9 And when you hear of wars and tumults, do not be terrified; for
this must first take place, but the end will not be at once.” 10 Then he said
to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; 11
there will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and pestilences;
and there will be terrors and great signs from heaven. USCCB video
reflections: http://www.usccb.org/bible/reflections/index.cfm
The context: Today’s Gospel begins with Jesus’
reaction to the comments his disciples had been making about the splendor of
the Temple in Jerusalem. The forty-foot tall pillars supporting the beams of
the front porch were made of solid marble. Most of the decorations and the
large vine on the front porch with six-foot long grape clusters were made of
solid gold plates, while the dome was gold-plated. But Jesus prophesied this
Temple’s total destruction. In AD 70, the Roman army invaded the city,
plundered everything valuable, set fire to the Temple, pulled down its walls,
killed one million Jews and took 97,000 healthy Jews as captives. Jesus also
gave his disciples warning about false military messiahs and their deceptive
doctrines about overthrowing the Romans. Then Jesus listed some signs of the
end of the world, like wars between nations, earthquakes, famines, plagues and
unnatural movements of the heavenly bodies.
Life message: We need to learn from the signs of
the times, like crises in morality, a culture of death, an increase in violence
and terrorism, the “normalization” of sexual deviations, the breaking down of
families and the moral degradation of society, and to prepare ourselves for the
end times by living ideal Christian lives, helping others, sharing our blessings
with others and getting reconciled with God and our neighbors, trusting in the
living presence of Jesus in the church (Fr. Kadavil) (http://frtonyshomilies.com/)
L/20
Nov 25 Wednesday (St. Catheryn of Sienna, Virgin,
Martyr): Luke 21: 12-19: 12 But before all this they will lay their
hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and
prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my name’s sake.
13 This will be a time for you to bear testimony. 14 Settle it therefore in
your minds, not to meditate beforehand how to answer; 15 for I will give you a
mouth and wisdom, which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or
contradict. 16 You will be delivered up even by parents and brothers and
kinsmen and friends, and some of you they will put to death; 17 you will be
hated by all for my name’s sake. 18 But not a hair of your head will perish.19
By your endurance you will gain your lives. USCCB video
reflections: http://www.usccb.org/bible/reflections/index.cfm
The context: Today’s Gospel gives Jesus’
prophetic warning to his Apostles and followers about the sufferings they will
have to bear for their Faith in him until his Second Coming. Jesus advises them
to bear witness to him in spite of persecutions, for those persecutions would
also encourage the disciples to flee to remote places and to preach the Gospel
among the Jews and the Gentiles. Believers, Jesus warns, will be locked up in
prisons and brought for trial before kings and governors. Jesus assures them
that he will give them words of defense and witness-bearing through the Holy
Spirit. (In the Acts of the Apostles, we read how Stephen was given
the wisdom to bear witness to Jesus in Jerusalem). Since there will be
divisions in families between believers and non-believers, Jesus declares,
close relatives will betray their Christian family members to the pagan
authorities and cause their martyrdom. But Jesus assures his followers in
today’s Gospel passage that their suffering for him will be amply rewarded.
Life messages: 1) Although we may not get a
chance to die for the Faith, we are invited to face “dry martyrdom,” a “living
death” as outcasts in our contemporary materialistic, secular, liberal,
agnostic and atheistic society.
2) We are called to bear witness to Christ by loving those
who hate us, by showing mercy and compassion to those who hurt and ill-treat
us, by forgiving those who continue to offend us, by accepting our sufferings
without complaint and by continuing to keep Jesus’ word in our lives. (Fr.
Kadavil) (http://frtonyshomilies.com/)
L/20
Nov 26 Thursday: Luke 21: 20-28: (Thanksgiving Day
homily, next) 20 “But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies,
then know that its desolation has come near. 21 Then let those who are in Judea
flee to the mountains, and let those who are inside the city depart, and let
not those who are out in the country enter it; 22 for these are days of
vengeance, to fulfill all that is written. 23 Alas for those who are with child
and for those who give suck in those days! For great distress shall be upon the
earth and wrath upon this people; 24 they will fall by the edge of the sword,
and be led captive among all nations; and Jerusalem will be trodden down by the
Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. 25 “And there will be
signs in sun and moon and stars, and upon the earth distress of nations in
perplexity at the roaring of the sea and the waves, 26 men fainting with fear
and with foreboding of what is coming on the world; for the powers of the
heavens will be shaken. 27 And then they will see the Son of man coming in a
cloud with power and great glory. 28 Now when these things begin to take place,
look up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” USCCB
video reflections: http://www.usccb.org/bible/reflections/index.cfm
The context: Jesus is prophesying the
destruction of Jerusalem and the end of the world in today’s Gospel passage. He
says that God is going to punish the city of Jerusalem for its sins, for its
indifference shown to Christ and its rejection of Christ’s preaching as foretold
by the prophets: “Behold the day of the Lord comes, cruel, with wrath and
fierce anger to make the earth a desolation and to destroy its sinners from
it” (Isaiah 13:9-13; Joel 2:1-2; Amos 5:18-20; Zephaniah 1:14-18).
Josephus, the Jewish historian, reports that over a million inhabitants died
when the Romans destroyed Jerusalem with the Temple in AD 70. Jesus also warns
his disciples about the end of the world and his second coming, this time in
glory as Judge of the whole human race, quoting Daniel’s prophecy 7:13-14.
There will be visible changes in nature, in heavenly bodies and in the universe
as a whole: “The powers of the heavens will be shaken.” But Jesus encourages
his followers to be prepared for the event with the assurance of their Heavenly
reward. Sacred Scripture describes the solemnity of this event, when the
sentence passed on each person in the particular judgment will be confirmed,
and God’s justice and mercy to men throughout history will shine out for all to
see.
Life messages: 1) Today’s Scripture readings warn us
to be ever prepared to give an account of our lives to Jesus, our Judge, at the
moment of our death, which nobody knows.
2) They also tell us to be ready to meet Jesus coming again,
this time as the Judge of the universe, by avoiding sins and doing good to
others, seeing the face of Jesus in each one of them. (Fr. Kadavil) (http://frtonyshomilies.com/)
L/20
Nov 26 Thursday (Thanksgiving Day in the U. S. ):
Nov 26, 2020 Thursday: .
Introduction: Today is a day of national
thanksgiving 1) for the blessings and protection God has given us. 2) for our
democratic government and the prosperity, we enjoy 3) for our freedom of speech
and religion 4) for the generosity and good will of our people.
History: The winter of 1610 at Jamestown,
Virginia, had reduced a group of 409 settlers to 60. The survivors prayed for
help, without knowing when or how it might come. When help arrived in the form
of a ship filled with food and supplies from England, a thanksgiving prayer
meeting was held to give thanks to God. President George Washington issued the
first national Thanksgiving Proclamation in 1789. President Abraham Lincoln, in
the midst of the Civil War, established Thanksgiving Day as a formal
holiday to express our thanks to God. In 1941 Congress passed the official
proclamation declaring that Thanksgiving should be observed as a legal holiday
the fourth Thursday of each November.
Biblical examples of thanksgiving: (1) Today’s
Gospel describes how one of the ten lepers Jesus healed, a Samaritan, returned
to Jesus to express his gratitude while the nine Jewish lepers did not care to
thank God and the one He had used to heal. Jesus asks the pained
question: Where are the others? The episode tells us that even God
expects gratitude from us. (2) In 2 Kings 5:1-9 Naaman the leper,
the chief of the army of the Syrian king, returned to the prophet Elisha to
express his thanks for the healing with a gift of 10 talents of silver, 6000
pieces of gold and six Egyptian raiments, as gifts. When Elisha refused the
gifts, Naaman asked for permission take home two sacks of the soil of Israel to
remember the Lord Who healed him, and he promised to offer sacrifices only to
the God of Israel. (3) Jesus’ example of thanksgiving at the tomb
of Lazarus: “Thank you Father for hearing my prayer” (Jn
11:42-42). (4) St. Paul’s advice (Eph 5: 20): “Give thanks to God
the Father for everything.”
The Eucharistic celebration is the most
important form of thanksgiving prayer for Catholics. In fact, Eucharist is the
Greek word for thanksgiving. In the Holy Mass we offer the sacrifice of Jesus
to our Heavenly Father as an act of thanksgiving and surrender our lives on the
altar with repentant hearts, presenting our needs and asking for God’s blessings.
Life messages: 1) Let us be thankful and let us learn to
express our thanks daily: a) To God for His innumerable blessings,
providential care and protection, and for the unconditional pardon given to us
for our daily sins and failures. b) To our parents – living and dead – for the
gift of life and Christian training and the good examples they gave us. c) To
our relatives and friends for their loving support and timely help and
encouragement. d) To our pastors, teachers, doctors, soldiers, police and government
officers for the sincere service they render us. (Fr. Kadavil) (http://frtonyshomilies.com/)
L/20
Nov 27 Friday: Lk 21: 29-33: 29 And he told
them a parable: “Look at the fig tree, and all the trees; 30 as soon as they
come out in leaf, you see for yourselves and know that the summer is already
near. 31 So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the
kingdom of God is near. 32 Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass
away till all has taken place. 33 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words
will not pass away. USCCB video reflections: https://youtu.be/vINcxtMLtAg?list=PLpTzvCOJa7DCwTEFRKioXB2l1OX9fULB0
The context: Foretelling the destruction of
Jerusalem in AD 70 and the end of the world at an unspecified future time,
Jesus warns his disciples in today’s Gospel that tribulations are inevitable
before the Last Judgment and the coming of his Kingdom. Jesus uses the
small parable of the fig tree to explain his point that we must be prepared for
the time of tribulation, his Second Coming and the Last Judgment. Fig trees in
Israel produce fruits twice a year, at Passover time and in autumn. The
sign of the ripening of their fruits is the appearance of fresh leaves on the
tree. The Jews believed that the Messiah would appear during the Passover
period, which coincides with the appearance of fresh leaves on fig trees.
The destruction of Jerusalem would be the end of their world for the Jews. So,
the generation in AD 70 saw the end of the world symbolically. Jesus
wants us to understand that the Kingdom of God will be near when wars, natural
calamities, pestilences, and unnatural movements of heavenly bodies occur. Except
for the last-named, these seem to occur in every age. Hence, we must be ever
vigilant and prepared.
Life messages: 1) We must be able to read the
signs of the times and stay in the kingdom of God by faithfully doing God’s
will every day of our lives, serving others in humility and love and bearing
witness to Jesus through the integrity and transparency of our Christian lives.
L/20
Nov 28 Saturday: Lk 21: 34-36: 34 “But take
heed to yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and
drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a
snare; 35 for it will come upon all who dwell upon the face of the whole earth.
36 But watch at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all
these things that will take place, and to stand before the Son of man.” USCCB
video reflections: http://www.usccb.org/bible/reflections/index.cfm
The context: In St. Luke’s version of Jesus’
advice to his disciples before his passion and death, as given in today’s
Gospel, Jesus emphasizes that every Christian needs to be vigilant and prepared
because we cannot be sure of the time of our own death when we will be asked to
give an account of our lives. Hence, Jesus advises us to be strengthened by
prayer so that we may be free from evil addictions and unnecessary attachment
to worldly pleasures. Jesus also instructs us to be vigilant because we
do not know the time either of our own death or of the end of the world and his
Second Coming. St. Paul repeats this advice: “You are not in darkness,
brethren, for that day to surprise you like a thief” (I Thes 5: 4).
Life messages: 1) We need to avoid spiritual laziness and indifference. 2) We need to be freed from excessive and crippling anxiety, needless worries and evil habits. 3) We need to get our strength from God by prayer, which means listening to God and talking to Him. (Fr. Tony) L/20
