33rd Sunday of the Year (b)
This Week’s Liturgy Calendar.
Ordinary Season of the Year. (b)
Weekdays – Year 1
Sunday 15th November: 33rd Sunday of the Year. (B)
The first reading is from the Prophet Daniel. He presents a prophecy of the end of time, when the virtuous will be rewarded.
The second reading is from the Letter to the Hebrews. Jesus, our High Priest, has taken his place at God’s right hand in heaven.
The Gospel passage is from St. Mark. Jesus repeats Daniel’s prophecy adding that only the Father knows when the end will come.
Monday 16th November: Feast of St. Margaret of Scotland.
Margaret was born in Hungary in 1046. She was a relative of Edward the Confessor. When she was 24, she married Malcolm Canmore, the King of Scotland and bore him eight children. She was a good wife and promoted family values as well as promoting education and faith in her adopted country. She tried to ensure that priests came to all parts of Scotland and lived a life of prayer and austerity. She died
in 1093 and is the secondary patron of Scotland, after St. Andrew.
Tuesday 17th November: Memorial of St. Elizabeth of Hungary.
Elizabeth was born in 1207, the daughter of King Andrew of Hungary. She was married and had three children. After the death of her husband, she led a life of poverty and spent her life caring for the sick in a hospice that she had built. She died in 1231, aged 24.
Wednesday 18th November: Wednesday in 33rd week of the year.
The two Books of Maccabees from which the first readings are taken this week were written around 100 years before the birth of Christ. They highlight the conflict that existed between the traditional Jewish religion and the Greek and near Easter religions.
The ruler Antiochus had persecuted the Jews and banned them from practicing their faith. Today we hear of a family who refuse to accept his demands and as a result are martyred. Their example was to inspire the Jews to continue in their faith until they won their case. The Temple was restored.
The Gospel reminds us that we have all been given talents ad they are to be used fully to build up God’s kingdom. Our efforts are the factors on which we will be judged.
Thursday 19th November: Thursday in 33rd week of the Year.
We go back in time to the begiing of the revolt of the Maccabees. We hear of the efforts made to bring down the father of the Maccabees – Mattathias. Pressure is put on him to reject his faith. He response is to stir up the people and all who wish to remain loyal to the Covenant are welcome to join them.
The Gospel reminds us that the people of Jerusalem rejected Christ and as a result face destruction.
Friday 20th November: Friday in 33rd week of the year
There was a truce in the fighting so the Maccabees decide to try the Temple which had been badly damaged with a view to it taking its rightful place at the centre of Jewish worship. We hear of the celebrations which were held to mark this.
We are very clearly warned that we should have respect for the Temple of the Lord. It is to be first and foremost a place of prayer.
Saturday 21st November: Memorial of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
This feast goes back to 543 when a church, built near the Temple in Jerusalem, was dedicated to Our Lady. The feast helps reminds us of Our Lady’s dedication to God from her earliest years. According to an early Christian tradition, she was taken to the Temple as a child to be offered to the service of God.
Eternal Rest
Grant unto them
O Lord
And
Let perpetual light
shine upon them.
May they rest in peace.
Amen.
