November 13
Memorial of Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini, virgin
First Reading
2 JN 4-9
I rejoiced greatly to find some of your children walking in the truth just as we were commanded by the Father. But now, Lady, I ask you, not as though I were writing a new commandment but the one we have had from the beginning: let us love one another. For this is love, that we walk according to his commandments; this is the commandment, as you heard from the beginning, in which you should walk.
Many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh; such is the deceitful one and the antichrist. Look to yourselves that you do not lose what we worked for but may receive a full recompense. Anyone who is so “progressive” as not to remain in the teaching of the Christ does not have God; whoever remains in the teaching has the Father and the Son.
Responsorial Psalm
PS 119:1, 2, 10, 11, 17, 18
R. (1b) Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!
Blessed are they whose way is blameless,
who walk in the law of the LORD.
R. Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!
Blessed are they who observe his decrees,
who seek him with all their heart.
R. Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!
With all my heart I seek you;
let me not stray from your commands.
R. Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!
Within my heart I treasure your promise,
that I may not sin against you.
R. Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!
Be good to your servant, that I may live
and keep your words.
R. Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!
Open my eyes, that I may consider
the wonders of your law.
R. Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!
Alleluia
LK 21:28
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Stand erect and raise your heads
because your redemption is at hand.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
LK 17:26-37
Jesus said to his disciples: “As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be in the days of the Son of Man; they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage up to the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. Similarly, as it was in the days of Lot: they were eating, drinking, buying, selling, planting, building; on the day when Lot left Sodom, fire and brimstone rained from the sky to destroy them all. So it will be on the day the Son of Man is revealed. On that day, someone who is on the housetop and whose belongings are in the house must not go down to get them, and likewise one in the field must not return to what was left behind. Remember the wife of Lot. Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses it will save it. I tell you, on that night there will be two people in one bed; one will be taken, the other left. And there will be two women grinding meal together; one will be taken, the other left.” They said to him in reply, “Where, Lord?” He said to them, “Where the body is, there also the vultures will gather.”
Give a Mass Offering
Prayer for Spiritual Communion
My Jesus, I believe that you are present in the most Blessed Sacrament. I love You above all things and I desire to receive You into my soul. Since I cannot now receive You sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if You were already there, and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You. Amen.
“Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!”
Readings & Reflection
“Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses it will save it.”
These words, spoken by Christ in today’s Gospel of Luke, remind us that often what we seek to preserve or see as important is, in actuality, of little importance. What do we think about when we consider how to preserve our life? Do we consider our prosperity, property, money, material goods, and especially those things that are sins in our life? If we honestly answer that question, our answer probably is yes. It seems only normal to worry about all the material goods of our life and those things that cause us to enter into sin. Sometimes we even may seek to preserve our own opinions on certain important topics, even if those opinions are in opposition to what Christ has taught.
The question remains, what do we do about all these things? Do we take action? If we fail to act in the manner to begin to rid ourselves of the things that weaken us, then perhaps we suffer from a lack of trust in the power of God and ultimate respect for what Christ has taught. We should be focused on Christ, and others around us, yet few of us, myself included, can claim that we only think of or are concerned about the other.
We must remember that Christ forgives all sin, all sinners, and even us! Today is a new day; let’s make a new start at improving ourselves, and how we live our baptismal call to holiness.
Peace,
Fr. John Kurgan
Read the story of Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini
Would you like to receive Readings & Reflections, and a link to join us for Mass? Subscribe to The Daily Bread newsletter.