November 17, 2016

Elizabeth of Hungary

November 17, 2016:  St. Elizabeth of Hungary, Religious

See 13 connections with today?
Legend below
Listen
  • Worthy is the Lamb, from Messiah/ Handel (with "Blessing and honor and glory and power" and "Amen") (1st reading)

For Psalm 149
Pope Francis
Homily:  Note the contrast between God’s steadfast and faithful love for his people, and their, our, faithlessness.  Our infidelity, our not recognizing God's love, God's caresses, pains the heart of Christ.  He wept over Jerusalem because they didn't recognize the time of their visitation.  It's our drama too.  Can any of us really know how always to recognize when God visits me?  Recall God visits us to correct us, enter into dialogue with us, and to invite himself into our home.”  Ask whether you listen to Jesus when he knocks and says, “Amend your life!”  Each of us can fall into the same sin of not recognizing when we've been visited.
The Lord visits us every day.  Do you make a daily examination of conscience about this?  How did the Lord visit me today?  What call did I hear, what inspiration to follow him more closely, to do a work of charity, to pray more?...  Recognize it, and open yourself to his love.  Jesus wept for us all.  He gave his life, that we might recognize his visitation, but if you’re not careful with your heart, you'll never know when Jesus visits you.  May the Lord give us the grace to recognize when we were, are, and will be shall be visited, so we may open the door to Jesus, let love enlarge our heart, and serve the Lord in love.
To Caritas:  Persevere in your fight against poverty, and learn from the poor.  We're called to act against exclusion of the weakest and strive for their integration. We need to overcome the prevalent throwaway culture of indifference and learn solidarity. 
Promote charity and justice in the light of the gospel and Church teaching by involving the poor as protagonists of their development.  Don't regard poverty, hunger, illness, and oppression as inevitable and permanent.  Reject whatever humiliates, exploits, or degrades people.  Promote peace and reconciliation and work together with other faith communities who put human dignity at the center of their mission.  Learn from the poor:  their values, solidarity, and sharing.
Read
    'Sealed scroll'
    (Animate)
  • Rv 5:1-10  I saw a sealed scroll with writing on both sides.  Angel:  “Who's worthy to open it?”  Elder:  “The lion of Judah; he triumphed.”  A Lamb came and received the scroll.  Elders, holding harps and incense-filled bowls:  “Worthy are you to receive and open the scroll, for you were slain and with your Blood you purchased for God those from every nation.  You made them a kingdom and priests for God, and they'll reign.”
  • Ps 149:1b-6a, 9b  "The Lamb has made us a kingdom of priests to serve our God."  Sing praise to the Lord; rejoice in your king.  The Lord loves his people and adorns the lowly with victory.
  • Lk 19:41-44  As Jesus drew near Jerusalem, he wept over it:  “If you only knew what makes for peace.  The days are coming when your enemies will hem you in and smash you and your children because you did not recognize the time of your visitation.”
Reflect
      Christ lamenting over Jerusalem/ Eastlake
    • Creighton:  Jesus wept over Jerusalem, the city whose inhabitants rejected and crucified him.  Despite their rejection, his love for them never ceased. As human, he experienced the heartbreak that comes from rejection; he handled it by surrendering to his Father, who responded by sending an angel to strengthen him.  Revelation was written to comfort Christians persecuted for their faith.  The early Christians were comforted knowing that Jesus had gone before them to purchase them for God!  God doesn't protect Jesus or his followers from persecution and death but never abandons them.  Jesus guarantees our ultimate triumph.
    • Passionist:  Picture yourself walking with Jesus toward Jerusalem as he stops and starts to weep.  Jesus grieves all violence, suffering, hatred, exclusion, injustice, indifference, and missed opportunities to love.  Imagine him looking into our homes, communities, societies, and world, saying, “If you only knew what makes for peace—but it's hidden from you.”  We persist in hopeless ways, but the way to peace is found in the Lamb that was slain and risen one.  We await the one whose life of mercy, justice, compassion, and love reveals the path to peace; following him is the only way to stop breaking God's heart....
    • DailyScripture.net:  "Know the time of your visitation":  Jesus' earthly ministry culminates in Jerusalem, the holy city, God's throne and dwelling place.  Jerusalem derives its name from 'salem,' 'peace.'  The temple reminded the people of God's presence with them.  Jesus wept over Jerusalem because they didn't know what makes for peace.  Throughout its history, many of its rulers and inhabitants rejected the prophets; now they refuse to listen to Jesus.  Jerusalem's rejection of the Messiah leads to its destruction.  Jesus' lamentation and prophecy echoes Jeremiah's.  Only Jesus can reconcile us with God and one another.  God comes to establish peace and justice by rooting out the world, the flesh, and the devil and leading us to justice, peace, love, and holiness.
      • Hilda, religious, abbess
      • Hugh of Lincoln, Carthusian prior, bishop, cared for the sick and oppressed
    Dress legend
    • 'Angel' pin:  A mighty angel proclaimed,... (1st reading)
    • 'Scroll' pin:  ..."Who's worthy to open the scroll?" (1st reading)
    • 'Lion' pin:  ..."The lion of Judah can." (1st reading)
    • 'Eyeball' pin:  The Lamb had seven eyes (1st reading)
    • 'Lamb' tie bar:  I saw a Lamb that seemed to have been slain (1st reading); the Lamb made us a kingdom of priests (psalm)
    • 'Blood drop' pin:  "With your Blood you purchased those from every people..." (1st reading) 
    • 'Peace sign' tie bar:  "If only you knew what makes for peace..." (gospel)
    • 'Stone' tie pin:  They won't leave one stone upon another within you... (gospel)
    • 'Clocks' tie:  ...because you didn't recognize the time of your visitation (gospel); countdown to end of church year
    • Gold-colored suspender bar:  Incense-filled gold bowls (1st reading)
    • White shirt:  St. Elizabeth of Hungary

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