DR Squared: Thirty-Third Sunday In Ordinary Time (Year C)

First Reading:  Malachi 3:19-20a (DR--4:1-2a)

For behold the day shall come kindled as a furnace: and all the proud, and all that do wickedly shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall set them on fire, saith the Lord of hosts, it shall not leave them root, nor branch. But unto you that fear my name, the Sun of justice shall arise, and health in his wings:

Responsorial Psalm:  cf. Psalm 98 (97):9b; V. 5-6, 7-8, 9

R.  He shall judge the world with justice,

V.  Sing praise to the Lord on the harp,

     on the harp, and with the voice of a psalm:

     With long trumpets, and sound of cornet.

     Make a joyful noise before the Lord our king:

V.  Let the sea be moved and the fulness thereof:

     the world and they that dwell therein.

     The rivers shall clap their hands,

     the mountains shall rejoice together

V.  At the presence of the Lord:

     because he cometh to judge the earth.

     He shall judge the world with justice,

     and the people with equity.

Second Reading:  2 Thessalonians 3:7-12

For yourselves know how you ought to imitate us: for we were not disorderly among you; Neither did we eat any man's bread for nothing, but in labour and in toil we worked night and day, lest we should be chargeable to any of you. Not as if we had not power: but that we might give ourselves a pattern unto you, to imitate us. For also when we were with you, this we declared to you: that, if any man will not work, neither let him eat. For we have heard there are some among you who walk disorderly, working not at all, but curiously meddling. Now we charge them that are such, and beseech them by the Lord Jesus Christ, that, working with silence, they would eat their own bread.

Gospel Reading:  Luke 21:5-19

And some saying of the temple, that it was adorned with goodly stones and gifts, he said:  These things which you see, the days will come in which there shall not be left a stone upon a stone that shall not be thrown down. And they asked him, saying: Master, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign when they shall begin to come to pass? Who said: Take heed you be not seduced; for many will come in my name, saying, I am he; and the time is at hand: go ye not therefore after them. And when you shall hear of wars and seditions, be not terrified: these things must first come to pass; but the end is not yet presently. Then he said to them: Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there shall be great earthquakes in divers places, and pestilences, and famines, and terrors from heaven; and there shall be great signs. But before all these things, they will lay their hands upon you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and into prisons, dragging you before kings and governors, for my name's sake. And it shall happen unto you for a testimony. Lay it up therefore into your hearts, not to meditate before how you shall answer:  For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to resist and gainsay. And you shall be betrayed by your parents and brethren, and kinsmen and friends; and some of you they will put to death. And you shall be hated by all men for my name's sake. But a hair of your head shall not perish. In your patience you shall possess your souls.

The readings from the USCCB can be found here.

DR Squared: Optional Memorial Of Saint Albert The Great, Bishop And Doctor Of The Church

First Reading:  Sirach 15:1-6

He that feareth God, will do good: and he that possesseth justice, shall lay hold on her, And she will meet him as an honourable mother, and will receive him as a wife married of a virgin. With the bread of life and understanding, she shall feed him, and give him the water of wholesome wisdom to drink: and she shall be made strong in him, and he shall not be moved: And she shall hold him fast, and he shall not be confounded: and she shall exalt him among his neighbours. And in the midst of the church she shall open his mouth, and shall fill him with the spirit of wisdom and understanding, and shall clothe him with a robe of glory. She shall heap upon him a treasure of joy and gladness, and shall cause him to inherit an everlasting name.

Responsorial Psalm:  Psalm 119 (118):12b; V. 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14

R.  O Lord: teach me thy justifications.

V.  By what doth a young man correct his way?

     by observing thy words. 

V.  With my whole heart have I sought after thee:

     let me not stray from thy commandments.

V.  Thy words have I hidden in my heart,

     that I may not sin against thee.

V.  Blessed art thou, O Lord:

     teach me thy justifications.

V.  With my lips I have pronounced

     all the judgments of thy mouth.

V.  I have been delighted in the way of thy testimonies,

     as in all riches.

Gospel Reading:  Matthew 13:47-52

Again the kingdom of heaven is like to a net cast into the sea, and gathering together of all kind of fishes. Which, when it was filled, they drew out, and sitting by the shore, they chose out the good into vessels, but the bad they cast forth. So shall it be at the end of the world. The angels shall go out, and shall separate the wicked from among the just. And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Have ye understood all these things? They say to him: Yes. He said unto them: Therefore every scribe instructed in the kingdom of heaven, is like to a man that is a householder, who bringeth forth out of his treasure new things and old.

The readings from the USCCB can be found here.

DR Squared: Saturday Of The Thirty-Second Week In Ordinary Time (Year I)

First Reading:  Wisdom 18:14-16; 19:6-9

For while all things were in quiet silence, and the night was in the midst of her course, Thy almighty word leapt down from heaven from thy royal throne, as a fierce conqueror into the midst of the land of destruction. With a sharp sword carrying thy unfeigned commandment, and he stood and filled all things with death, and standing on the earth reached even to heaven. For every creature according to its kind was fashioned again as from the beginning, obeying thy commandments, that thy children might be kept without hurt. For a cloud overshadowed their camp, and where water was before, dry land appeared, and in the Red Sea a way without hinderance, and out of the great deep a springing field:  Through which all the nation passed which was protected with thy hand, seeing thy miracles and wonders. For they fed on their food like horses, and they skipped like lambs, praising thee, O Lord, who hadst delivered them.

Responsorial Psalm:  Psalm 105 (104):5a; V. 2-3, 36-37, 42-43

R.  Remember his marvelous works which he hath done;

V.  Sing to him, yea sing praises to him:

     relate all his wondrous works.

     Glory ye in his holy name:

     let the heart of them rejoice that seek the Lord.

V.  And he slew all the firstborn in their land:

     the firstfruits of all their labour.

     And he brought them out with silver and gold:

     and there was not among their tribes one that was feeble.

V.  Because he remembered his holy word,

     which he had spoken to his servant Abraham.

     And he brought forth his people with joy,

     and his chosen with gladness.

Gospel Reading:  Luke 18:1-8

And he spoke also a parable to them, that we ought always to pray, and not to faint, Saying: There was a judge in a certain city, who feared not God, nor regarded man. And there was a certain widow in that city, and she came to him, saying: Avenge me of my adversary. And he would not for a long time. But afterwards he said within himself: Although I fear not God, nor regard man, Yet because this widow is troublesome to me, I will avenge her, lest continually coming she weary me. And the Lord said: Hear what the unjust judge saith. And will not God revenge his elect who cry to him day and night: and will he have patience in their regard? I say to you, that he will quickly revenge them. But yet the Son of man, when he cometh, shall he find, think you, faith on earth?

The readings from the USCCB can be found here.

DR Squared: Friday Of The Thirty-Second Week In Ordinary Time (Year I)

First Reading:  Wisdom 13:1-9

But all men are vain, in whom there is not the knowledge of God: and who by these good things that are seen, could not understand him that is, neither by attending to the works have acknowledged who was the workman:  But have imagined either the fire, or the wind, or the swift air, or the circle of the stars, or the great water, or the sun and moon, to be the gods that rule the world. With whose beauty, if they, being delighted, took them to be gods: let them know how much the Lord of them is more beautiful than they: for the first author of beauty made all those things. Or if they admired their power and their effects, let them understand by them, that he that made them, is mightier than they:  For by the greatness of the beauty, and of the creature, the creator of them may be seen, so as to be known thereby. But yet as to these they are less to be blamed. For they perhaps err, seeking God, and desirous to find him. For being conversant among his works, they search: and they are persuaded that the things are good which are seen. But then again they are not to be pardoned. For if they were able to know so much as to make a judgment of the world: how did they not more easily find out the Lord thereof?

Responsorial Psalm:  Psalm 19 (18):2a; V. 2-3, 4-5ab

R.  The heavens shew forth the glory of God,

V.  The heavens shew forth the glory of God,

     and the firmament declareth the work of his hands.

     Day to day uttereth speech,

     and night to night sheweth knowledge.

V.  There are no speeches nor languages,

     where their voices are not heard.

     Their sound hath gone forth into all the earth:

     and their words unto the ends of the world.

Gospel Reading:  Luke 17:26-37

And as it came to pass in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. They did eat and drink, they married wives, and were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark: and the flood came and destroyed them all. Likewise as it came to pass, in the days of Lot: they did eat and drink, they bought and sold, they planted and built. And in the day that Lot went out of Sodom, it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man shall be revealed. In that hour, he that shall be on the housetop, and his goods in the house, let him not go down to take them away: and he that shall be in the field, in like manner, let him not return back. Remember Lot's wife. Whosoever shall seek to save his life, shall lose it: and whosoever shall lose it, shall preserve it. I say to you: in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left. Two women shall be grinding together: the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left: two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left. They answering, say to him: Where, Lord? Who said to them: Wheresoever the body shall be, thither will the eagles also be gathered together.

The readings from the USCCB can be found here.

DR Squared: Thursday Of The Thirty-Second Week In Ordinary Time (Year I)

(NB: Today is also the Memorial of Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini, Virgin [In the Dioceses of the United States] There are no specific reading assigned; they would be taken from the Common of Virgins or Common of Holy Men and Women: For Religious.)

First Reading:  Wisdom 7:22b–8:1

For in her is the spirit of understanding: holy, one, manifold, subtile, eloquent, active, undefiled, sure, sweet, loving that which is good, quick, which nothing hindereth, beneficent, Gentle, kind, steadfast, assured, secure, having all power, overseeing all things, and containing all spirits, intelligible, pure, subtile. For wisdom is more active than all active things: and reacheth everywhere by reason of her purity. For she is a vapour of the power of God, and a certain pure emanation of the glory of the almighty God: and therefore no defiled thing cometh into her. For she is the brightness of eternal light, and the unspotted mirror of God's majesty, and the image of his goodness. And being but one, she can do all things: and remaining in herself the same, she reneweth all things, and through nations conveyeth herself into holy souls, she maketh the friends of God and prophets. For God loveth none but him that dwelleth with wisdom. For she is more beautiful than the sun, and above all the order of the stars: being compared with the light, she is found before it. For after this cometh night, but no evil can overcome wisdom. She reacheth therefore from end to end mightily, and ordereth all things sweetly.

Responsorial Psalm:  Psalm 119 (118):89a; V. 89, 90, 91, 130, 135, 175

R.  Thy truth unto all generations:

V.  For ever, O Lord,

     thy word standeth firm in heaven.

V.  Thy truth unto all generations:

     thou hast founded the earth, and it continueth.

V.  By thy ordinance the day goeth on:

     for all things serve thee.

V. The declaration of thy words giveth light:

     and giveth understanding to little ones.

V. Make thy face to shine upon thy servant:

     and teach me thy justifications.

V. My soul shall live and shall praise thee:

     and thy judgments shall help me.

Gospel Reading:  Luke 17:20-25

And being asked by the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come? he answered them, and said: The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:  Neither shall they say: Behold here, or behold there. For lo, the kingdom of God is within you. And he said to his disciples: The days will come, when you shall desire to see one day of the Son of man; and you shall not see it. And they will say to you: See here, and see there. Go ye not after, nor follow them:  For as the lightning that lighteneth from under heaven, shineth unto the parts that are under heaven, so shall the Son of man be in his day. But first he must suffer many things, and be rejected by this generation.

The readings from the USCCB can be found here.

DR Squared: Memorial Of Saint Josaphat, Bishop And Martyr

First Reading:  Ephesians 4:1-7, 11-13

I therefore, a prisoner in the Lord, beseech you that you walk worthy of the vocation in which you are called, With all humility and mildness, with patience, supporting one another in charity. Careful to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. One body and one Spirit; as you are called in one hope of your calling. One Lord, one faith, one baptism. One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in us all. But to every one of us is given grace, according to the measure of the giving of Christ. And he gave some apostles, and some prophets, and other some evangelists, and other some pastors and doctors, For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:  Until we all meet into the unity of faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the age of the fulness of Christ;

Responsorial Psalm:  Psalm 1:1-2, 3, 4 and 6

R.  Psalm 40 (39):5a

     Blessed is the man whose trust is in the name of the Lord;

OR

R.  Psalm 1:2a

     But his will is in the law of the Lord,

OR

R.  cf. Psalm 92 (91):13-14

     The just shall flourish like the palm tree:...in the courts of the house of our God.

V.  Blessed is the man who hath not walked in the counsel of the ungodly,

     nor stood in the way of sinners,

     nor sat in the chair of pestilence.

     But his will is in the law of the Lord,

     and on his law he shall meditate day and night.

V.  And he shall be like a tree which is planted near the running waters,

     which shall bring forth its fruit, in due season.

     And his leaf shall not fall off:

     and all whatsoever he shall do shall prosper.

V.  Not so the wicked, not so:

     but like the dust, which the wind driveth from the face of the earth.

     For the Lord knoweth the way of the just:

     and the way of the wicked shall perish.

Gospel Reading:  John 17:20-26

And not for them only do I pray, but for them also who through their word shall believe in me; That they all may be one, as thou, Father, in me, and I in thee; that they also may be one in us; that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou hast given me, I have given to them; that they may be one, as we also are one:  I in them, and thou in me; that they may be made perfect in one: and the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast also loved me. Father, I will that where I am, they also whom thou hast given me may be with me; that they may see my glory which thou hast given me, because thou hast loved me before the creation of the world. Just Father, the world hath not known thee; but I have known thee: and these have known that thou hast sent me. And I have made known thy name to them, and will make it known; that the love wherewith thou hast loved me, may be in them, and I in them.

The readings from the USCCB can be found here.

DR Squared: Wednesday Of The Thirty-Second Week In Ordinary Time (Year I)

First Reading:  Wisdom 6:1-11

Wisdom is better than strength, and a wise man is better than a strong man. Hear therefore, ye kings, and understand: learn, ye that are judges of the ends of the earth. Give ear, you that rule the people, and that please yourselves in multitudes of nations:  For power is given you by the Lord, and strength by the most High, who will examine your works, and search out your thoughts:  Because being ministers of his kingdom, you have not judged rightly, nor kept the law of justice, nor walked according to the will of God. Horribly and speedily will he appear to you: for a most severe judgment shall be for them that bear rule. For to him that is little, mercy is granted: but the mighty shall be mightily tormented. For God will not except any man's person, neither will he stand in awe of any man's greatness: for he made the little and the great, and he hath equally care of all. But a greater punishment is ready for the more mighty. To you, therefore, O kings, are these my words, that you may learn wisdom, and not fall from it. For they that have kept just things justly, shall be justified: and they that have learned these things, shall find what to answer.

Responsorial Psalm:  Psalm 82 (81):8a; V. 3-4, 6-7

R.  Arise, O God, judge thou the earth:

V.  Judge for the needy and fatherless:

     do justice to the humble and the poor.

     Rescue the poor;

     and deliver the needy out of the hand of the sinner.

V.  I have said: You are gods

     and all of you the sons of the most High.

     But you like men shall die:

     and shall fall like one of the princes.

Gospel Reading:  Luke 17:11-19

And it came to pass, as he was going to Jerusalem, he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. And as he entered into a certain town, there met him ten men that were lepers, who stood afar off; And lifted up their voice, saying: Jesus, master, have mercy on us. Whom when he saw, he said: Go, shew yourselves to the priests. And it came to pass, as they went, they were made clean. And one of them, when he saw that he was made clean, went back, with a loud voice glorifying God. And he fell on his face before his feet, giving thanks: and this was a Samaritan. And Jesus answering, said, Were not ten made clean? and where are the nine? There is no one found to return and give glory to God, but this stranger. And he said to him: Arise, go thy way; for thy faith hath made thee whole.

The readings from the USCCB can be found here.

Veteran's Day Acknowledgement

My two brothers are veterans of the Air Force. I have other relatives who have served in various branches of the military. I personally owe them a debt of gratitude for their service to the country. To all other veterans, that gratitude, while not as personal, is nonetheless heartfelt.

Our active military personnel take the following oath (those in the National Guard take a similar oath which includes obeying orders from their state's Governor):

I, (NAME), do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God.

For those who have preserved our freedom, we salute you!

NOTE: I gave a Fedora Doff to a Facebook friend who posted a video on my wall which I had placed here in 2010. I no longer have that link.

**********

Originally posted 11/11/2010.
Re-posted 11/11/2011.
Re-posted 11/11/2012.
Updated and edited 11/11/2013.
Re-posted 11/11/2014.
Re-posted 11/11/2015.
Re-posted 11/11/2016.
Re-posted 11/11/2017.

Re-posted 11/11/2019.

Re-posted 11/11/2020.

Re-posted 11/11/2021.

Re-posted 11/11/2022.

Re-posted 11/11/2023.

Re-posted 11/11/2024.

DR Squared: Memorial Of Saint Martin Of Tours, Bishop

First Reading:  Isaiah 61:1-3abcd

The spirit of the Lord is upon me, because the Lord hath anointed me: he hath sent me to preach to the meek, to heal the contrite of heart, and to preach a release to the captives, and deliverance to them that are shut up. To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God: to comfort all that mourn:  To appoint to the mourners of Sion, and to give them a crown for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, a garment of praise for the spirit of grief:

Responsorial Psalm:  Psalm 89:2-3, 4-5, 21-22, 25 and 27

R.  The mercies of the Lord I will sing for ever.

V.  The mercies of the Lord I will sing for ever.

     I will shew forth thy truth with my mouth to generation and generation.

     For thou hast said: Mercy shall be built up for ever in the heavens:

     thy truth shall be prepared in them.

V.  I have made a covenant with my elect:

     I have sworn to David my servant:

     Thy seed will I settle for ever.

     And I will build up thy throne unto generation and generation.

V.  I have found David my servant:

     with my holy oil I have anointed him.

     For my hand shall help him:

     and my arm shall strengthen him.

V.  And my truth and my mercy shall be with him:

     and in my name shall his horn be exalted.

     And my truth and my mercy shall be with him:

     and in my name shall his horn be exalted.

Gospel Reading:  Matthew 25:31-40

And when the Son of man shall come in his majesty, and all the angels with him, then shall he sit upon the seat of his majesty. And all nations shall be gathered together before him, and he shall separate them one from another, as the shepherd separateth the sheep from the goats:  And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on his left. Then shall the king say to them that shall be on his right hand: Come, ye blessed of my Father, possess you the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry, and you gave me to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave me to drink; I was a stranger, and you took me in:  Naked, and you covered me: sick, and you visited me: I was in prison, and you came to me. Then shall the just answer him, saying: Lord, when did we see thee hungry, and fed thee; thirsty, and gave thee drink? And when did we see thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and covered thee? Or when did we see thee sick or in prison, and came to thee? And the king answering, shall say to them: Amen I say to you, as long as you did it to one of these my least brethren, you did it to me. Then he shall say to them also that shall be on his left hand: Depart from me, you cursed, into everlasting fire which was prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry, and you gave me not to eat: I was thirsty, and you gave me not to drink. I was a stranger, and you took me not in: naked, and you covered me not: sick and in prison, and you did not visit me. Then they also shall answer him, saying: Lord, when did we see thee hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister to thee? Then he shall answer them, saying: Amen I say to you, as long as you did it not to one of these least, neither did you do it to me. And these shall go into everlasting punishment: but the just, into life everlasting.

The readings from the USCCB can be found here.

DR Squared: Tuesday Of The Thirty-Second Week In Ordinary Time (Year I)

First Reading:  Wisdom 2:23–3:9

For God created man incorruptible, and to the image of his own likeness he made him. But by the envy of the devil, death came into the world:  And they follow him that are of his side. But the souls of the just are in the hand of God, and the torment of death shall not touch them. In the sight of the unwise they seemed to die: and their departure was taken for misery:  And their going away from us, for utter destruction: but they are in peace. And though in the sight of men they suffered torments, their hope is full of immortality. Afflicted in few things, in many they shall be well rewarded: because God hath tried them, and found them worthy of himself. As gold in the furnace he hath proved them, and as a victim of a holocaust he hath received them, and in time there shall be respect had to them. The just shall shine, and shall run to and fro like sparks among the reeds. They shall judge nations, and rule over people, and their Lord shall reign for ever. They that trust in him, shall understand the truth: and they that are faithful in love shall rest in him: for grace and peace is to his elect.

Responsorial Psalm:  Psalm 34 (33):2a; V. 2-3, 16-17, 18-19

R.  I will bless the Lord at all times,

V.  I will bless the Lord at all times,

     his praise shall be always in my mouth.

     In the Lord shall my soul be praised:

     let the meek hear and rejoice.

V.  The eyes of the Lord are upon the just:

     and his ears unto their prayers.

     But the countenance of the Lord is against them that do evil things:

     to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.

V.  The just cried, and the Lord heard them:

     and delivered them out of all their troubles.

     The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a contrite heart:

     and he will save the humble of spirit.

Gospel Reading:  Luke 17:7-10

But which of you having a servant ploughing, or feeding cattle, will say to him, when he is come from the field: Immediately go, sit down to meat:  And will not rather say to him: Make ready my supper, and gird thyself, and serve me, whilst I eat and drink, and afterwards thou shalt eat and drink? Doth he thank that servant, for doing the things which he commanded him? I think not. So you also, when you shall have done all these things that are commanded you, say: We are unprofitable servants; we have done that which we ought to do.

The readings from the USCCB can be found here.