Pope Francis on Friday suggested watchfulness, service and gratuitousness as three attitudes that can help us keep clean the temple of the Holy Spirit
http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2017/11/24/pope_francis_santa_marta_mass/1350945
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Holy Mass Readings from UNIVERSALIS on Friday, November 24th, 2017
First reading |
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| 1 Maccabees 4:36-37,52-59 |
Judas and his brothers said, ‘Now that our enemies have been defeated, let us go up to purify the sanctuary and dedicate it.’ So they marshalled the whole army, and went up to Mount Zion.
On the twenty-fifth of the ninth month, Chislev, in the year one hundred and forty-eight, they rose at dawn and offered a lawful sacrifice on the new altar of holocausts which they had made. The altar was dedicated, to the sound of zithers, harps and cymbals, at the same time of year and on the same day on which the pagans had originally profaned it. The whole people fell prostrate in adoration, praising to the skies him who had made them so successful. For eight days they celebrated the dedication of the altar, joyfully offering holocausts, communion sacrifices and thanksgivings. They ornamented the front of the Temple with crowns and bosses of gold, repaired the gates and the storerooms and fitted them with doors. There was no end to the rejoicing among the people, and the reproach of the pagans was lifted from them. Judas, with his brothers and the whole assembly of Israel, made it a law that the days of the dedication of the altar should be celebrated yearly at the proper season, for eight days beginning on the twenty-fifth of the month Chislev, with rejoicing and gladness.
| Responsorial Psalm |
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| 1 Chronicles 29:10-12 |
We praise your glorious name, O Lord.
Blessed are you, O Lord,
the God of Israel our father,
for ever, for ages unending.
We praise your glorious name, O Lord.
Yours, Lord, are greatness and power,
and splendour and triumph and glory.
All is yours, in heaven and on earth.
We praise your glorious name, O Lord.
Yours, O Lord, is the kingdom,
you are supreme over all.
Both honour and riches come from you.
We praise your glorious name, O Lord.
You are the ruler of all,
from your hand come strength and power,
from your hand come greatness and might.
We praise your glorious name, O Lord.
| Gospel Acclamation | cf.2Tim1:10 |
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Alleluia, alleluia!
Our Saviour Jesus Christ abolished death
and he has proclaimed life through the Good News.
Alleluia!
| Or | Jn10:27 |
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Alleluia, alleluia!
The sheep that belong to me listen to my voice,
says the Lord,
I know them and they follow me.
Alleluia!
| Gospel | Luke 19:45-48 |
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Jesus went into the Temple and began driving out those who were selling. ‘According to scripture,’ he said ‘my house will be a house of prayer. But you have turned it into a robbers’ den.’
He taught in the Temple every day. The chief priests and the scribes, with the support of the leading citizens, tried to do away with him, but they did not see how they could carry this out because the people as a whole hung on his words.
FRIDAY GOSPEL OF WEEK 33 IN ORDINARY TIME
Evanġelju
Id-dar tiegħi għamiltuha għar tal-ħallelin.
Lq 19, 45-48
Qari mill-Evanġelju skont San Luqa
F’dak iż-żmien, Ġesù [Lq:19:45] daħal fit-tempju, u qabad ikeċċi 'l barra l-bejjiegħa [Lq:19:46] u jgħidilhom: "Hemm miktub, 'Id-dar tiegħi tkun dar it-talb.' Iżda intom għamiltuha għar tal-ħallelin!
[Lq:19:47] U kien jgħallem kuljum fit-tempju. Il-qassisin il-kbar u l-kittieba u l-kbarat tal-poplu kienu jfittxu li jeqirduh; [Lq:19:48] iżda ma kinux jafu x'jaqbdu jagħmlu, għax il-poplu kollu kien imqabbad miegħu biex jisimgħu.
Il-Kelma tal-Mulej
R/. Tifħir lilek Kristu
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http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2017/11/24/pope_francis_santa_marta_mass/1350945
Pope Francis on Friday suggested watchfulness, service and gratuitousness as three attitudes that can help us keep clean the temple of the Holy Spirit. He made the exhortation in his homily at the morning Mass in the chapel of the Vatican’s Casa Santa Marta residence.
Listen to our report:
Listen to our report:
The Pope was reflecting on the first reading from the Book of the Maccabees where Judas and his brothers were re-consacrating the temple desecrated by the pagans, and the Gospel reading where Jesus was driving out merchants from the temple, that was transformed into a den of thieves.
Temple of God - our heart
The Pope pointed out that the most important temple of God is our heart, where the Holy Spirit dwells.
The Holy Father asked whether we keep watch over this interior temple, and are careful about what happens in the heart, who comes in and who goes out, the feelings, the ideas... “Do we talk to the Holy Spirit and listen to Him?” the Pope asked and urged all to keep watch over what happens within.
The Pope then explained how this temple can be safeguarded and cared for through service. The Pope urged Christians to examine their conscience, whether they come forward to help, to clothe and console those in need. In this regard, he recalled St. John Chrysostom reprimanding those who were making many offerings to decorate the church but were not caring for the needy saying, “This is not good. First service, then decoration.” “Purifying the temple means caring for others, the Pope said, adding, “ when we come forward to serve, to help, we resemble Jesus who is inside us.”
The Pope then spoke about how gratuitousness, the third attitude, helps in keeping the temple clean. He wondered, “How many times we sadly enter a temple – a parish, a bishop’s house and so on, not knowing whether were are in the house of God or in a supermarket.” “There we have business, including the price list for the sacraments – nothing is free!” But the Pope argued that God saved us freely, without making us pay.
God's providence
In this regard, he asked whether money is needed to maintain building, priests and so on... And the Pope answered, “You give freely and God will do the rest.” “God will provide what is lacking,” the Pope said wishing our churches be “churches of service, free churches.”
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