He is Risen

Image: Wikimedia Commons

Mark 16:1-7

When the sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary, the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go and anoint Him. Very early when the sun had risen, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb. They were saying to one another, “Who will roll back the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?” When they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back; it was very large. On entering the tomb they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a white robe, and they were utterly amazed. He said to them, “Do not be amazed! You seek Jesus of Nazareth, the crucified. He has been raised; He is not here. Behold the place where they laid Him. But go and tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going before you to Galilee; there you will see Him, as He told you.'”

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November 22 – Last Sunday After Pentecost

Jesus and His Disciples

My God, in the evening of life You will judge me according to my love.  Help me grow in love each day.

Today is a Mass of thanksgiving for the liturgical year that is ending and preparation for the new one which is about to begin.  We are reminded that the present life is fleeting and that our Lord invites us to keep ourselves in readiness for the final step which will usher us into eternity.

In today’s Gospel from Matthew (24:15-35), Jesus foretells the destruction of the world, and His second Advent, when all nations shall see the eternal Judge coming with power and majesty in the clouds of heaven.

At that time Jesus said to His disciples: When you shall see the abomination of desolation, which was spoken of by Daniel the Prophet, standing in the holy place; he that readeth, let him understand: then they that are in Judea, let them flee to the mountains; and he that is on the housetop, let him not come down to take anything out of this house; and he that is in the field, let him not go back to take his coat.  And woe to them that are with child and that give suck, in those days.  But pray that our flight be not in the winter, or no the sabbath: for there shall be great tribulation, such as hath not been found from the beginning of the world until now, neither shall be: and unless those days had been shortened, no flesh should be saved; but for the sake of the elect, those days shall be shortened.  Then if any man shall say to you: Lo, here is Christ, or there; do not believe him; for there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders, insomuch as to deceive (if possible) even the elect.  Behold I have told it to you, beforehand.  If therefore they shall say to you: Behold he is in the desert, go ye not out: Behold he is in the closets, believe it not.  For as lightning cometh out of the east, and appeareth even into the west: so shall the coming of the Son of man be.  Wheresoever the body shall be, there shall the eagles also be gathered together.  And immediately after the tribulation of those days, the sun shall be darkened and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of heaven shall be moved:  And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all tribes of the earth mourn: and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with much power and majesty.  And he shall send his angels with a trumpet, and a great voice: and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the farthest parts of the heavens to the utmost bounds of them.  And from the fig tree learn a parable: When the branch thereof is now tender, and the leaves come forth, you know that summer is nigh.  So you also, when you shall see all these things, know ye that it is nigh, even at the doors.  Amen I say to you, that this generation shall not pass till all these things be done.  Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My words shall not pass away.

Excita, quaesumus, Domine, tuarum fidelium voluntates: ut divini operis fructum propensius exsequentes, pietatis tuae remedia mejora percipiant.  Per Dominum nostrum.

Stir up, we beseech Thee, O Lord, the wills of Thy faithful to seek more earnestly this fruit of the divine work, that they will receive more abundantly healing gifts from Thy tender mercy.  Through our Lord.

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