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November 28, 2008 –  Friday of 34th Week in Ordinary Time       DAILY LITURGICAL/THEME MEDITATION: "Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away" UNIVERSAL CHURCH/WORLD EVENT(S): Ruling on Europe Stem Cell Patent Called "Sensible" SAINT OF THE DAY St. James of the Marche  GENERAL MARIOLOGY The Virgin Mary in the New Testament Part II: The Finding of Jesus in the Temple DIVINE MERCY On Deify, Divinize The Marriage Feast at Cana  TEACHING/TESTIMONY/CONVICTION: Cardinal Foley's Thanksgiving Address   Monthly Index

DAILY LITURGICAL MEDITATION

Friday (11/28): "Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away" Scripture: Luke 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. Meditation: How can you tell when something very significant is about to happen? Jesus used the image of a fig tree to teach his disciples an important lesson about reading the "signs of the times". The fig tree was a common and important source of food for the Jews. It bore fruit twice a year, in the autumn and in the early spring. The Talmud said that the first fruit came the day after Passover. The Jews believed that when the Messiah came he would usher in the kingdom of God at Passover time. The early signs of a changing season, such as springtime, are evident for all who can see and observe the changes. Just so are the signs of God's kingdom and his return in glory on the day of judgment. The "budding" of God's kingdom begins first in the hearts of those who are receptive to God's word. Those who trust in God's word will bear the fruits of his kingdom. And what are the fruits of that kingdom? "The kingdom of God ..is righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit" (Romans 14:17). We do not know the day or hour when the Lord will return again in glory. But the Lord does give us signs, not only to "wake us up" as a warning, but also to "rouse our spirits" to be ready and eager to see his kingdom come in all its power and glory. The "Day of the Lord" will strike terror in those who reject God and his kingdom of righteousness, but it will be a day of joy and rejoicing for those who long to see the Lord face-to-face. The Lord wants us to be filled with joyful anticipation for his coming again. He surely comes to us each day and speaks to our hearts like a lover who whispers in the ear of the beloved. As he promised, the Lord will surely come again in all his glory. Do you look for the signs pointing to the Lord's return and do you pray that he come quickly to establish peace and justice on the earth? "Lord Jesus Christ, you are the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end of all history, and the lord of all creation. Give me joyful hope and confidence that I will see you face to face when you return in glory ." Psalm 119:49-56 49 Remember thy word to thy servant, in which thou hast made me hope. 50 This is my comfort in my affliction that thy promise gives me life. 51 Godless men utterly deride me, but I do not turn away from thy law. 52 When I think of thy ordinances from of old, I take comfort, O LORD. 53 Hot indignation seizes me because of the wicked, who forsake thy law. 54 Thy statutes have been my songs in the house of my pilgrimage. 55 I remember thy name in the night, O LORD, and keep thy law. 56 This blessing has fallen to me, that I have kept thy precepts.   RETURN TO TOP

UNIVERSAL CHURCH/WORLD EVENTS

Ruling on Europe Stem Cell Patent Called "Sensible"   BRUSSELS, Belgium, NOV. 27, 2008 (Zenit.org).- A spokesman for the European bishops says the decision to deny patents for embryonic stem cells is "sensible." Father Piotr Mazurkiewicz, secretary-general of the Commission of the Bishops' Conferences of the European Community, welcomed the decision made public today by the Enlarged Board of Appeal of the European Patent Office. With the decision, the patent office has determined that European patent law prohibits the patenting of human stem cell cultures whose preparation necessarily involves the destruction of human embryos. The European bishops had already in 2006 prepared a brief to explain the objections to the proposed patent. "Even if patent law is formally only designed to entitle one to prevent other people from using a given invention -- or to sell licenses enabling them to use it -- patents nevertheless imply a certain amount of support for the patented invention," a statement from the bishops explained. "[The prelates] emphasized that for patent applications that relate to human life, the granting of a patent was, in their view, utterly bound up with the ethical dimension." RETURN TO TOP

DAILY LITURGICAL SAINT

St. James of the Marche (1394-1476)   Meet one of the fathers of the modern pawnshop! James was born in the Marche of Ancona, in central Italy along the Adriatic Sea. After earning doctorates in canon and civil law at the University of Perugia, he joined the Friars Minor and began a very austere life. He fasted nine months of the year; he slept three hours a night. St. Bernardine of Siena told him to moderate his penances. James studied theology with St. John of Capistrano. Ordained in 1420, James began a preaching career that took him all over Italy and through 13 Central and Eastern European countries. This extremely popular preacher converted many people (250,000 at one estimate) and helped spread devotion to the Holy Name of Jesus. His sermons prompted numerous Catholics to reform their lives and many men joined the Franciscans under his influence. With John of Capistrano, Albert of Sarteano and Bernardine of Siena, James is considered one of the "four pillars" of the Observant movement among the Franciscans. These friars became known especially for their preaching. To combat extremely high interest rates, James established montes pietatis (literally, mountains of charity) — nonprofit credit organizations that lent money at very low rates on pawned objects. Not everyone was happy with the work James did. Twice assassins lost their nerve when they came face to face with him. James was canonized in 1726. Comment: James wanted the word of God to take root in the hearts of his listeners. His preaching was directed to preparing the soil, so to speak, by removing any rocks and softening up lives hardened by sin. God’s intention is that his word take root in our lives, but for that we need both prayerful preachers and cooperative listeners. Quote: "Beloved and most holy word of God! You enlighten the hearts of the faithful, you satisfy the hungry, console the afflicted; you make the souls of all productive of good and cause all virtues to blossom; you snatch souls from the devil’s jaw; you make the wretched holy, and men of earth citizens of heaven" (Sermon of St. James). RETURN TO TOP

GENERAL MARIOLOGY

The Virgin Mary in the New Testament, Part I By Fr. Settimio M. Manelli, F.I.   Mary in the Accounts of the Public Life of Jesus The Marriage Feast at Cana (Jn 2:1-11) Jesus decided to leave Bethany where he had been staying and where John was baptizing, and return to Galilee (Jn 1:43). The evangelist writes that "on the third day a marriage took place at Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Now Jesus too was invited to the marriage, and also his disciples" (2:1-2). These words constitute the immediate context of the episode of Jesus’ first miracle. They situate it in a very precise place and at a very exact time, indicating as well the chief personalities whom the evangelist wishes to set in relief: Jesus, his Mother and the disciples. The importance of this first miracle worked by Jesus is noted by the evangelist at the conclusion of the account, when he writes: "This first of his signs Jesus worked at Cana of Galilee; and he manifested his glory, and his disciples believed in him" (2:11). In this context the figure of Mary occupies front stage. She appears indeed as the one who intervenes with her Son to initiate the revelation of his messianic identity. Through her intervention with Jesus and her sage directives to the servants, she guided the working of the miracle by which her Son publicly initiated the work of salvation. As verse one indicates, Mary is called "mother of Jesus." This is a gracious title of honor, concentrating attention on the role to be played by Mary in relation to Jesus: she is the Mother of him who is the Son of God, the Mother of the Word incarnate. This title, then, unveils the singular role played by Mary in the history of salvation (165). This role is one which in the episode of Cana is given summary definition. St. John relates that with the unforeseen shortage of wine the Mother of Jesus intervened with her Son, to have him resolve the embarrassing situation, which had it continued would have deeply humiliated the two newlyweds. Mary addressed Jesus with a very simple observation: "They have no wine" (2:3). Often John the Evangelist tacitly invites his readers to go beyond the strictly literal meaning of the facts he narrates. Here at Cana Jesus’ miracle is a sign of something far more profound. Mary is here presented as someone who asks the help of her divine Son, of the Word incarnate of the Father, through whom the entire world was created. She asks help, not for herself, but for mankind in need of an intervention from on high. Mary "is ever the one who presents our needs to God. This she does with a minimum of words, without adding anything superfluous. This is the essence of mediation. This is direct intercession—one may say ‘calculated’—for a precise end" (166). Mary requests of her Son a miraculous intervention. From the assurance in her words: "They have no wine. … Do whatever he tells you" (2:3, 5), one can deduce what she expected (167). The reply of Jesus: "Woman, what is this to you and to me?" (2:4), might seem to indicate, if we take an oft used formulary, both in the Old and New Testament as model, a certain surprise and divergence of views. Nonetheless, this remains an enigmatic phrase, to be interpreted each time as used in its context. In John 2:4 it is not to be understood as though Jesus wanted to distance himself from his Mother’s request, treating her as someone barely known. De Fiores correctly states: "The theory that this occasions a distancing and alienation between Jesus and Mary is refuted by the fact that the Son does intervene as requested by his Mother and that after the event they go together to live in Capernaum" (168). Realistically, one must hold that between Mother and Son there exists a higher level of mutual understanding (169). (to be continued)  RETURN TO TOP

DIVINE MERCY

Dairy from St. Faustina On Deify, Divinize, Transform My Heart Is A Temple For You O Lord, deify my actions so that they will merit eternity; although my weakness is great, I trust in the power of Your grace, which will sustain me (Diary, 1371.) † All the good that is in me is due to Holy Communion. I owe everything to it. I feel that this holy fire has transformed me completely. Oh, how happy I am to be a dwelling place for You, O Lord! My heart is a temple in which You dwell continually ... (Diary,1392). RETURN TO TOP

CATHOLIC  TEACHING/CONVICTION/TESTIMONY

Cardinal Foley's Thanksgiving Address "The Most American of All Holidays"   ROME, NOV. 27, 2008 (Zenit.org).- Here is the Thanksgiving Day homily delivered today by Cardinal John Foley, the grand master of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulcher of Jerusalem, at the Santa Susanna Church in Rome. * * * My brothers and sisters in Christ: Happy Thanksgiving! Even though Thanksgiving Day was officially celebrated in Italy several Sundays ago, the observance cannot begin to match an American Thanksgiving Day, the most American of all holidays, especially because it is celebrated by people of all faiths and of all political parties. It is the one day which unites us all. We may be at war on two fronts: Iraq and Afghanistan; we may be in the midst of the greatest world economic crisis in at least thirty and perhaps seventy years and we may -- according to not always reliable polls -- be disliked more than we have been at any time in our history, but we still have much for which to be grateful. We have our lives, our families, our faith and many material and spiritual gifts -- not one of which is more important than the Mass. It is truly a joy to be with you here today, because I do not think that there is a better way of marking Thanksgiving than beginning the celebration with the Eucharist, which itself means "thanksgiving." In the opening prayer, we have said that we come before God with gratitude for His kindness and we ask Him to open our hearts to our fellow men and women so that we may share His gifts in loving service. I have always been impressed by the preface developed for the celebration of Thanksgiving Day: “Once you chose a people And gave them a destiny And, when you brought them out of bondage to freedom, They carried with them the promise That all men would be blessed And all men could be free. What the prophets pledged Was fulfilled in Jesus Christ, Your Son and our Saving Lord. It has come to pass in every generation For all who have believed that Jesus By His death and resurrection Gave them a new freedom in His Spirit. It happened to our Fathers Who came to this land as if out of the desert Into a place of promise and hope. It happens to us still in our time As you lead all men through your Church To the blessed vision of peace. And so, with hearts full of love, We join the angels, today and every day of our lives, To sing your glory in a hymn of endless praise.” I pray that, as Americans, we may truly be united in giving thanks to God for our fabulous and fruitful land, a land to which -- despite our alleged unpopularity -- people still wish to come in great numbers. I pray that, as Americans, we may be united in giving thanks for our democracy, for our political system; some, myself included, might be deeply concerned about the morality of policies which may be implemented after our recent elections, but no one can deny that probably in no other nation but the United States of America could a man of mixed race who had lived in so many different places have been elected to the highest office in the land. It is a great tribute to American democracy and it is truly a historic occurrence. We give thanks for American democracy, but at the same time we pray for future American policy. And that is a great fact for which to be thankful. As Americans we enjoy freedom of religion and freedom of speech. We can advocate what we believe to be right, in keeping with our Founding Fathers, that all persons are endowed with the right to life, and we can pray that God may touch the hearts of our newly elected President, of the members of Congress and of our judges to give recognition in human law to what we believe is guaranteed in divine law, the right to life from the moment of conception until the moment of natural death. Today, as we give thanks for our lives, for our faith, for our freedom, and for our nation, our concluding prayer can be the prayer of our newly elected president: “God bless all of you and God bless the United States of America.”   RETURN TO TOP

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