Sunday, November 07, 2004

5:19 am

Dear Meditation reader,
You're receiving three meditations today in advance because I'll be off-campus; will be back Thursday. - Joachim
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The Catholic Calendar for Monday, November 8, 2004
Thirty-second week in Ordinary Time

Scripture from Today's Liturgy of the Word:
Titus 1:1-9
Psalm 24:1-6
Luke 17:1-6

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

Forgiveness. . . .

A fairly common word to us Christians. Much used, fairly well understood but perhaps not fully practiced.

But for us Christians, our Lord makes practicing forgiveness simple. JUST DO IT! We are to forgive, and forgive and forgive again and again. Seven times a day. Seventy times seven times. Always. Every time. How much more simple can it get?

Well, for us humans it's not that simple. We're often guilty of forgiving but only up to a point. We forgive--for now--only to bring up the sin committed against us at a later time when it suits our own needs. Is this what Christ said? That we should forgive for only a period of time and then un-forgive?

NO! We are to forgive. Period. And forgive and forgive again and again. Period. Easy to do? No. But we have the ultimate example in Jesus who displayed true forgiveness even when suffering on the cross. (And He forgives us now even when we fail to forgive.) Learn from Him and just do it.

- Don Claunch, SFO

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The Catholic Calendar for Tuesday, November 9, 2004
The Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Ezekiek 47:1-2,8-9,12
Psalm 46:2-3,5-6,8-9
1 Corinthians 3:9-11
John 2:13-22

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

I had to do some research to find out again why this is such an important feast day in the church's calendar. I wasn't disappointed! The details below are taken from a homily given by Fr. Raymond J. de Souza, Canada, in 2003.
(www.newmanhouse.ca/homily/nov9.html)

St. John Lateran Cathedral was the original residence of the pope up to only 600 years ago. It was given to the church after a time of Christian persecution by Emperor Constantine, who was the first to permit and officially sanction the Christian faith. He gave the Lateran Basilica to the Church after conquering Rome in an epic battle in 313. The night before that battle he saw a vision in the sky in which the "Chi-Ro" (the symbol of Christ) appeared with the Latin words: "in this sign you will conquer."

The Lateran Basilica was dedicated in 326AD. It was sacked by vandals after the fall of Rome and Pope Leo the Great restored it about 460. In 896 it was almost totally destroyed by an earthquake. It was rebuilt only to be destroyed by fire 400 years later. It was rebuilt again, and destroyed again by fire. It was rebuilt yet again and still stands today.

So? Our foundation is always Christ, and Christ guaranteed that the Church He would build upon Peter would never fail.

"Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up."

- Cliodhna Doyle
(clia at cliadoyle dot com)

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The Catholic Calendar for Wednesday, November 10, 2004
The Thirty-second Week in Ordinary Time
St. Leo the Great, pope, doctor of the Church

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Titus 3:1-7
Psalm 23:1-6
Luke 17:11-19 or Matthew 16:13-19

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

"You are 'Rock' and on this rock I will build my church. . . ." (Matthew 16:18)

From the outset, Church history reveals that she has been besieged from within and without by those refusing to accept her teachings, changing them to suit their willful, selfish desires, eliminate any limitations placed on the wants of their flesh. That our Catholic faith has survived intact, is God's work performed through such men as Pope Leo and now John Paul II. Whereas the former defended the Church from Barbarians, today's Pope opposes Secular Humanism which usurps God's authority, putting "self" in His place, as well as Paganism that worships many gods, among them money, property, power, sex, and youth.

Because Catholic dogma stands firm against today's lax morality--divorce and remarriage, adultery, cohabitation, abortion, embryonic creation and destruction for medical purposes, homosexuality--our Faith is continually being pilloried by a liberal media and money-hungry lawyers. Surely, some of our hierarchy, clergy and laity have seriously sinned, but this should not be used to malign the Faith but only the actions of those who choose to disobey God's word given to us through Christ. It is He, the living Word of God, Who provides us both the wisdom and the will to live in His love and truth--if only we would yield to His Spirit.

Today's Gospel reveals Christ's fail-safe means of preserving His Church through Peter, the Rock, and his successors. The world's waves of dissent and hatred will always try smashing The Rock, but they will only continue to be swept away in the Divine Tides.

O Blessed Redeemer,
strengthen our faith in the knowledge that You have
conquered evil.
Make us fearless in opposing the satanic forces seeking
to overtake our world.
Amen.

- Marie Bocko, OCDS
(mlbocko at earthlink dot net)
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Scripture from today's Mass: http://www.nccbuscc.org/nab/index.htm
Lives of the saints: http://www.christdesert.org/public_texts/martyrology/
Daily Meditations in Spanish: http://www.daily-meditations.org/SpanishMeditations.html
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