1 November 2021: Solemnity of All Saints

(Liturgical Color: White)

Reflection for All Saints Day

(Suggested short meditation on the Word of God for lay people, from nickisip.blogspot.com

)

Cycle B - Year I

Readings:

First Reading: Revelation 7:2-4, 9-14

Second Reading: 1 John 3:1-3

Gospel: Please Read Matthew 5:1-12

We glorify God through His saints!

We interrupt our observance of the liturgical season of Ordinary Time to celebrate the Solemnity of All Saints on November 1.

It was Pope Gregory IV who established the Commemoration of All the Saints of the Catholic Church in the year 835. This day commemorates all the saints, not only those celebrated in the Church's calendar of saints but all the heroic men and women who followed our Lord Jesus Christ faithfully and who have now attained the beatific vision in heaven.

This day is a celebration of holiness, the working of the Holy Spirit bearing fruit in human beings throughout the world and throughout time. The saints serve as our companions and models in the journey of faith and in the body of Christ.

The Church honors all the saints reigning together for these reasons: to thank God for the graces and crowns of all His saints; to excite ourselves to a fervent imitation of their virtues by considering and reflecting on their holy examples; to implore the divine mercy through this multitude of powerful intercessors; and to glorify God in the saints who are unknown to us or for whom no particular feast days are appointed.

Now bear in mind that on All Saints' Day, and in other feast days of saints, the object of our supreme worship is God only, and the whole of that inferior veneration which is paid to saints is in reality directed to give sovereign honor to God alone. Our addresses to saints are only petitions to holy fellow creatures for the assistance of their prayers to God on our behalf.

Commemoration of All Saints' Day in 2021: Our traditional observance of All Saints' Day includes visit to our departed loved ones in cemeteries and columbarium. Because of the pandemic, civil authorities may declare closure of these places for the dead as precautionary measure against the spread of the corona virus. Listen to the pronouncements of your specific Local Government Unit. Nonetheless, let us pray to all the saints and for our loved ones in our homes on their Feast Day today.

Short Reflection on the Gospel:

The Gospel proclamation is from St. Matthew on the Beatitudes. The word "beatitude" means literally "happiness" or "blessedness" in the context of our search for God's kingdom.

What is the significance of the Beatitudes and why are they so central in the teaching of our Lord Jesus?

As we reflect more deeply, we realize that the beatitudes respond to the natural desire for happiness in every human heart. Because the beatitudes teach us the final end to which God calls us to His kingdom. The beatitudes also confront us with decisive choices concerning the life we pursue here on earth and the use we make of the goods which God puts at our disposal. For in reality, God alone satisfies our longing for happiness, and not material possessions or wealth.

The Beatitudes point the way to God's kingdom. The saints have trodden the path of the beatitudes in their worldly journey. We, too, are called to be holy and to be happy, by working for the treasures which can afford us welcome into the heavenly home. For when we follow the way of the Beatitudes our Lord Jesus Christ promises us, at the conclusion of the Gospel reading: "Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven..." like all the saints who followed our Lord.

To conclude our reflection for this day, All Saints' Day is the perfect time to pray to all the holy men and women, asking for their intercession for the conversion of sinners, so that we might all become SAINTS! Amen.

A Blessed All Saints' Day to us all. And thank you for a moment with God.

Ad Jesum per Mariam!

Seen by 1

Like

Comment

 2 November 2021: Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed

(Liturgical Color: Violet or White)

Reflection for All Souls Day

(Suggested short meditation on the Word of God for lay people, from nickisip.blogspot.com

)

Cycle B - Year I

Readings:

First Mass: First Reading: 2 Maccabees 12:43-46

Second Reading: Romans 8:31-35, 37-39

Gospel: John 14:1-6

Second Mass: First Reading: Wisdom 3:1-9

Second Reading: Romans 6:3-4, 8-9

Gospel: John 6:37-40

Remembering our loved ones departed.

The Catholic tradition of the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed, or more popularly known as All Souls Day, is celebrated on November 2.

All Souls Day is a commemoration of the dead, a communal commemoration of those who have died. It allows time for collective remembrance, sorrow, and hope during a time of year.

This special day is celebrated with Masses and festivities in honor of those gone ahead of us. This Feast reminds us of our obligation to live holy lives and that there will be purification of the souls of those destined for heaven.

According to Catholic belief, the soul of a person who dies can go to one of these places. The first is heaven, where a person who dies in a state of perfect grace and communion with God goes. The second is hell, where those who die in a state of mortal sin are naturally condemned by their own choice. The intermediate option is Purgatory which is thought to be where most people, free of mortal sin, but still in a state of lesser (venial) sin, must go.

Purgatory is necessary so that souls can be cleansed and perfected before they enter into heaven. The living pray on behalf of the souls who are still in Purgatory. Praying for souls of loved ones helps to remove the stain of sin, and allow the souls to enter the pearly gates of heaven. And All Souls Day is a special time to pray for their souls that they may be received into heaven.

All priests are permitted to celebrate three Masses today, with the following intentions: one of the Masses in favor of any person, and accept a stipend for this Mass; the second Mass for all the faithful departed; and the third Mass for the intention of the Supreme Pontiff. The second and third Masses the priests may not accept a stipend. (Apostolic Constitution of Pope Benedict XV, 10 August 1915)

Like last year at the start of the pandemic, expect that government authorities might again declare cemeteries and columbarium closed as precautionary measure against the spread of the corona virus. It is best to listen to announcement in this regard by the specific Local Government Units (LGUs). At any rate, if we cannot visit the tombs of our loved ones, let us remember through prayers and lighting of candles in a safe place at home..... and then pray that the dead do not visit us "visibly" in our homes.

Short reflection on the Gospel: (Jn 14:1-6)

Jesus assures the disciples that when He departs from them it is for their good as He will secure a place for them in God's kingdom, a place of refuge, peace, and everlasting joy.

Jesus proclaims: "I am the Way". It means the Lord does not simply give advice and direction. He is personally the Way, and we cannot miss it. The Lord leads and guides us personally each day.

Our Lord Jesus is also the Truth: Jesus embodies the truth in His very person. Moral truths cannot be conveyed by words alone; it must be shown by examples as well.

Finally, Jesus is the Life: He does not only show us the path of life; He gives the kind of life which only God can give, and that is eternal life with Him in heaven.

Let us pray that our Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed be an opportunity to think without fear about the mystery of death, and prepare ourselves to face it with serenity.

Merciful Father, hear our prayers and console us, as we renew our faith in Your Son whom You raised from the dead. Strengthen our hope that all our departed sisters and brothers will share in His resurrection, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever. Amen.

A blessed Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed. And thank you for a moment with God.

Ad Jesum per Mariam!

Like

Comment

Share

 Cycle B - Year I:  

31 October 2021: Thirty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time 

(Liturgical Color: Green)

Readings:

First Reading:        Deuteronomy 6:2-6

Second Reading:   Hebrews 7:23-28

Gospel:  Please Read  Mark 12:28-34 

Love as the foundation of Christian living!

In the beginning.... human life was simple guided only by Natural Laws that come from God's Providence.  Human beings came up with laws and more laws to govern and regulate human living. So we end up with batteries of laws that some are hardly observed or outdated.

The Gospel narrative this Sunday has something to do with laws or commandments. Let us reflect on God's message for us this week.

One of the scribes engages our Lord Jesus Christ in a discussion and asks Him what is the most important of God's commandments.  Now, a scribe knows the law himself but perhaps this scribe in the Gospel narrative wants Jesus to confirm his own understanding of the Law.

Our Lord's answer was brief but very profound, which is actually a summary of everything that our Lord teaches on God and His life.

Jesus points out that in fact the whole Law can be condensed in just two commandments of love: the first, and most important, consists of unconditional love of God: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength." (Mk 12:30)    

The second commandment is a consequence and the result of the first: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."  (Mk. 12:31)  The word "neighbor" here means whoever is in need.   

Now, the summary of the Law means that behind all these commandments is a life of love that God demands from His people, meaning to say, our love of God must show itself concretely in the love for our neighbor.  For love of neighbor springs from our love of God because man is created in the image of God.

So then, a person who genuinely loves God loves his fellows as well.  Because they are brothers and sisters, children of the same Father, and redeemed by the same Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.

That is why, our external worship and piety becomes empty and meaningless if it does not express our internal loving attitude. And without such love, even following the rest of God's commandments becomes burdensome.  And so we may say that the practice of love is more important than novenas, promises, sermons and processions.  Because our Christian life rests on the foundation of love of God and of neighbor.  

The second point in our reflection is this:  in the Old Testament the criterion of love of neighbor was: "Love your neighbor as yourself."  But in the New Testament our Lord Jesus Christ extends the sense of love: "This is my commandment: love one another as I have loved you!" (Jn 15:12)  Thus, the new criterion will be "love your neighbor as Jesus has loved us!"  And this is the sure path to being able to live together in a more just and fraternal way.  

For us new generation of disciples, we should keep this Law of love in our mind, in our intelligence, in our heart, in our hands and feet, because one cannot reach God without giving oneself totally to one's neighbor!  In other words, LOVE is the very foundation  of our Christian life.

A blessed Sunday to us all. And thank you for a moment with God.

Ad Jesum per Mariam!