Letters From Home

The St. Paul Center's daily scripture reflections from the Mass for Friday of the Thirty-third Week of Ordinary Time by Dr. John Bergsma.

First Reading: First Maccabees 4: 3-37, 52-59
Responsorial Psalm: First Chronicles 29: 10bcd, 11abc, 11d-12a, 12bcd
Alleluia: John 10: 27
Gospel: Luke 19: 45-48

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The St. Paul Center's daily scripture reflections from the Mass for Thursday of the Thirty-third Week of Ordinary Time by Dr. James Merrick.

Ordinary Weekday / Dedication of the Churches of Peter and Paul / Rose Philippine Duchesne, Virgin, Religious, Missionary First Reading: First Maccabees 2: 15-29
Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 50: 1b-2, 5-6, 14-15
Alleluia: Psalms 95: 8
Gospel: Luke 19: 41-44

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The St. Paul Center's daily scripture reflections from the Mass for the Memorial of St. Elizabeth of Hungary by Dr. John Bergsma.

Elizabeth of Hungary, Married Woman, Religious Obligatory Memorial First Reading: Second Maccabees 7: 1, 20-31
Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 17: 1bcd, 5-6, 8b and 15
Alleluia: John 15: 16
Gospel: Luke 19: 11-28

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The St. Paul Center's daily scripture reflections from the Mass for Monday of the Thirty-third Week of Ordinary Time by Dr. Scott Hahn.

Ordinary Weekday / Albert the Great, Bishop, Religious, Doctor First Reading: First Maccabees 1: 10-15, 41-43, 54-57, 62-63
Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 119: 53, 61, 134, 150, 155, 158
Alleluia: John 8: 12
Gospel: Luke 18: 35-43

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Readings:
Daniel 12:1-3
Psalm 16:5,8-11
Hebrews 10:11-14,18
Mark 13:24-32

In this, the second-to-last week of the Church year, Jesus has finally made it to Jerusalem.

Near to His passion and death, He gives us a teaching of hope—telling us how it will be when He returns again in glory.

Today’s Gospel is taken from the end of a long discourse in which He describes tribulations the likes of which haven’t been seen “since the beginning of God’s creation” (see Mark 13:9). He describes what amounts to a dissolution of God’s creation, a “devolution” of the world to its original state of formlessness and void.

First, human community—nations and kingdoms—will break down (see Mark 13:7–8). Then the earth will stop yielding food and begin to shake apart (13:8). Next, the family will be torn apart from within and the last faithful individuals will be persecuted (13:9–13). Finally, the Temple will be desecrated, the earth emptied of God’s presence (13:14).

In today’s reading, God is described putting out the lights that He established in the sky in the very beginning—the sun, the moon and the stars (see also Isaiah 13:10; 34:4). Into this “uncreated” darkness, the Son of Man, in whom all things were made, will come.

Jesus has already told us that the Son of Man must be humiliated and killed (see Mark 8:31). Here He describes His ultimate victory, using royal-divine images drawn from the Old Testament—clouds, glory, and angels (see Daniel 7:13). He shows Himself to be the fulfillment of all God’s promises to save “the elect,” the faithful remnant (see Isaiah 43:6; Jeremiah 32:37).

As today’s First Reading tells us, this salvation will include the bodily resurrection of those who sleep in the dust.

We are to watch for this day, when His enemies are finally made His footstool, as today’s Epistle envisions. We can wait in confidence knowing, as we pray in today’s Psalm, that we will one day delight at His right hand forever.

Lecturas:
Daniel 12, 1-3
Salmo 16, 5.8-11
Hebreos 10, 11-14.18
Marcos 13, 24-32

En esta penúltima semana del año litúrgico, Jesús finalmente ha llegado a Jerusalén.

Ya cerca de su pasión y muerte, Jesús nos da una señal de esperanza, diciéndonos como será todo cuando regrese en su Gloria.

El evangelio de este domingo está tomado de un largo discurso en el que Jesús habla de tribulaciones como no las “ha habido desde la creación del mundo” (cfr. Mc 13, 19). Describe una especie de disolución del mundo, un retorno de la creación a su estado primordial de vacío y caos.

En primer lugar, la comunidad humana—naciones y reinos—se quebrantará (cfr. Mc 13, 7-8). Después la tierra dejará de producir alimentos y empezará temblar (13, 8). Entonces, la familia se destruirá desde dentro y los últimos fieles serán perseguidos (13, 9-13). Por último, se profanará al Templo y la tierra será excluida de la presencia de Dios (13, 14).

La lectura de este domingo presenta a Dios apagando las luces que, en el principio, había puesto en el cielo: el sol, la luna y las estrellas (cfr. Is 13, 10; 34, 4). En medio de esta oscuridad el Hijo del Hombre, aquel por quien todo fue hecho, vendrá de nuevo.

Jesús nos había dicho que el Hijo del Hombre tenia que ser humillado y matado (cfr Mc 8, 31). Ahora nos habla de su victoria final, ocupando imágenes reales-divinas sacadas del Antiguo Testamento: las nubes, la gloria y los ángeles (cfr. Dn 7, 13). Nos muestra que en él se cumplen todas las promesas que Dios hizo de salvar a “los elegidos”, al resto fiel (cfr. Is 43, 6; Jr 32.37).

Como nos dice la primera lectura de hoy, esta salvación incluirá la resurrección corporal de los que duermen en la tierra.

Debemos estar atentos a ese momento, cuando los enemigos del Señor serán estrado de sus pies, según lo que vislumbra la epístola de hoy.

Podemos esperar confiados, sabiendo que un día tendremos la felicidad eterna a la derecha del Señor, como oramos en el salmo de este domingo.

The St. Paul Center's daily scripture reflections from the Mass for the Memorial of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini by Mr. Clement Harrold.

Frances Xavier Cabrini, Virgin, Religious Obligatory Memorial First Reading: Wisdom 18: 14-16; 19: 6-9
Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 105: 2-3, 36-37, 42-43
Alleluia: Second Thessalonians 2: 14
Gospel: Luke 18: 1-8

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The St. Paul Center's daily scripture reflections from the Mass for The Memorial of St. Josaphat by Dr. John Bergsma.

Josaphat, Bishop, Religious, Martyr Obligatory Memorial First Reading: Wisdom 13: 1-9
Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 19: 2-3, 4-5ab
Alleluia: Luke 21: 28
Gospel: Luke 17: 26-37

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The St. Paul Center's daily scripture reflections from the Mass for the Memorial of Martin of Tours by Dr. James Merrick.

Martin of Tours, Bishop Obligatory Memorial First Reading: Wisdom 7: 22b – 8: 1
Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 119: 89, 90, 91, 130, 135, 175
Alleluia: John 15: 5
Gospel: Luke 17: 20-25

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The St. Paul Center's daily scripture reflections from the Mass for the Memorial of St. Leo the Great by Dr. John Bergsma.

Leo the Great, Pope, Doctor Obligatory Memorial First Reading: Wisdom 6: 1-11
Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 82: 3-4, 6-7
Alleluia: First Thessalonians 5: 18
Gospel: Luke 17: 11-19

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