We end our novena by praying to the patroness of all humanity.
At the wedding feast at Cana, Christ performed His first public miracle at the request of His mother. Let us ask her to implore on our behalf another miracle of healing for our world.
Let us take comfort in her words to St. Juan Diego:
“Listen and let it penetrate your heart…do not be troubled or weighed down with grief. Do not fear any illness or vexation, anxiety or pain. Am I not here who am your Mother? Are you not under my shadow and protection? Am I not your fountain of life? Are you not in the folds of my mantle? In the crossing of my arms? Is there anything else you need?”
Thank you for joining us in prayer! What a gift to continue to be united with our community during this trial. We look with confidence to the future, and know that our good Father, Jesus our Savior, the Holy Spirit, Mary our mother, and all the angels and saints in heaven are walking with us on this journey to heaven.
O clement, O loving, O sweet Mother Mary,
We, your children of every nation,
Turn to you in this pandemic.
Our troubles are numerous; our fears are great.
Grant that we might deposit them at your feet,
Take refuge in your Immaculate Heart,
And obtain peace, healing, rescue,
And timely help in all our needs.
You are our Mother.
Pray for us to your Son.
Immaculate Heart of Mary, Mother of God, and patroness of all humanity, pray for us!
98. I would like to mention some of those “hidden exiles” who are treated as foreign bodies in society.[76] Many persons with disabilities “feel that they exist without belonging and without participating”. Much still prevents them from being fully enfranchised. Our concern should be not only to care for them but to ensure their “active participation in the civil and ecclesial community. That is a demanding and even tiring process, yet one that will gradually contribute to the formation of consciences capable of acknowledging each individual as a unique and unrepeatable person”. I think, too, of “the elderly who, also due to their disability, are sometimes considered a burden”. Yet each of them is able to offer “a unique contribution to the common good through their remarkable life stories”. Let me repeat: we need to have “the courage to give a voice to those who are discriminated against due to their disability...
Excerpt: FRATELLI TUTTI
Pope Francis Encyclical
On Fraternity and Social Friendship
*Part of a sequential daily series to read and reflect on this new encyclical.
📷 Kirkman family with Fr. Mike, Beach Mass 2019
Gospel
LUKE 21:1-4
When Jesus looked up he saw some wealthy people
putting their offerings into the treasury
and he noticed a poor widow putting in two small coins.
He said, “I tell you truly,
this poor widow put in more than all the rest;
for those others have all made offerings from their surplus wealth,
but she, from her poverty, has offered her whole livelihood.”
#dailyingodsword
96...In the dynamics of history, and in the diversity of ethnic groups, societies and cultures, we see the seeds of a vocation to form a community composed of brothers and sisters who accept and care for one another”.[75]
Open societies that integrate everyone
97. Some peripheries are close to us, in city centres or within our families. Hence there is an aspect of universal openness in love that is existential rather than geographical. It has to do with our daily efforts to expand our circle of friends, to reach those who, even though they are close to me, I do not naturally consider a part of my circle of interests. Every brother or sister in need, when abandoned or ignored by the society in which I live, becomes an existential foreigner, even though born in the same country. They may be citizens with full rights, yet they are treated like foreigners in their own country. Racism is a virus that quickly mutates and, instead of disappearing, goes into hiding, and lurks in waiting.
Excerpt: FRATELLI TUTTI
Pope Francis Encyclical
On Fraternity and Social Friendship
*Part of a sequential daily series to read and reflect on this new encyclical.
The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe
Gospel Matthew 25:31-46
Jesus said to his disciples:
"When the Son of Man comes in his glory,
and all the angels with him,
he will sit upon his glorious throne,
and all the nations will be assembled before him.
And he will separate them one from another,
as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.
He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
Then the king will say to those on his right,
'Come, you who are blessed by my Father.
Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
For I was hungry and you gave me food,
I was thirsty and you gave me drink,
a stranger and you welcomed me,
naked and you clothed me,
ill and you cared for me,
in prison and you visited me.’
Then the righteous will answer him and say,
'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you,
or thirsty and give you drink?
When did we see you a stranger and welcome you,
or naked and clothe you?
When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?’
And the king will say to them in reply,
'Amen, I say to you, whatever you did
for one of the least brothers of mine, you did for me.’
Then he will say to those on his left,
'Depart from me, you accursed,
into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
For I was hungry and you gave me no food,
I was thirsty and you gave me no drink,
a stranger and you gave me no welcome,
naked and you gave me no clothing,
ill and in prison, and you did not care for me.’
Then they will answer and say,
'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty
or a stranger or naked or ill or in prison,
and not minister to your needs?’
He will answer them, 'Amen, I say to you,
what you did not do for one of these least ones,
you did not do for me.’
And these will go off to eternal punishment,
but the righteous to eternal life."
#dailyingodsword
As we continue our novena we ask for the intercession of St. Matthew, the patron of finances. Our current circumstances cast an uncertain light over the economic health of not only the United States but the whole world. Whether we are anxious as we watch the stock market, struggling to keep our business stable or dealing with job loss, wondering how we will pay rent, pay on loans or just buy groceries, it is easy to become afraid and overwhelmed. Just remember the toilet paper scramble of March and we see what our fallen human nature becomes when we live out of fear, rather than from a place of trust in our good God.
I remind you today of Jesus’ words: ““Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds in the sky they do not sow or reap, they gather nothing into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are not you more important than they? Can any of you by worrying add a single moment to your life-span?” (Matthew 6:25-27)
Jesus’ words were not just for times of economic prosperity they were for all times, even times of global pandemics. It is especially in times like these that we are called to a deeper radical trust in Him and His will and goodness. Let us trust the goodness of God, but let us also BE the goodness of God. We cannot let our own fear and need for control keep us from being generous to our neighbor. The Lord is never outdone in generosity.
Today, pray to St. Matthew for the grace to give our financial stresses over to the Lord, the grace to live generously, to be the hands and feet of Christ in this suffering world, for wisdom for our world leaders as they take measures to mitigate the economic impact of this pandemic, for those with financial treasure to be generous stewards of their gifts, and for all the poor, homeless, jobless, elderly, isolated....that they may experience the charity and love of Christ through His people.
November 21 2020
3pm Saturday Vigil
Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ
King of the Universe
King of kings...
A LOVE EVER MORE OPEN
95. Love also impels us towards universal communion. No one can mature or find fulfilment by withdrawing from others. By its very nature, love calls for growth in openness and the ability to accept others as part of a continuing adventure that makes every periphery converge in a greater sense of mutual belonging.
Excerpt: FRATELLI TUTTI
Pope Francis Encyclical
On Fraternity and Social Friendship
*Part of a sequential daily series to read and reflect on this new encyclical.
📷Holly, a member of our parish family, with her Open Hearts artwork
