FW: “Lord, help me to be humble and caring in all of my relationships.”
teera collaco
Date: Thu, 28 Nov 2013 19:53:06 +0700
Subject: “Lord, help me to be humble and caring in all of my relationships.”
From: van...@gmail.com
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Mass Reading & Meditation for November 28, 2013
Meditation: Daniel 6:12-28
Thanksgiving Day (USA)
The king ordered Daniel to be … cast into the lions’ den. (Daniel 6:17)
We all know the story about Daniel and the lions’ den. But one important dimension of this story is often overlooked: pride. Pride is a killer. It ruins more relationships than all the other sins. Today’s first reading tells us that the satraps schemed to destroy Daniel. Surely their pride was involved. Surely King Darius’ pride was in play when he signed the decree to ban any form of prayer to any god except himself. Finally, the king was the king. He could have rescinded the death sentence against Daniel, whom he clearly admired. What else but pride kept him from doing it?
This story is similar to the story of how Herodias schemed with her daughter Salome to have King Herod cut off John the Baptist’s head (Mark 6:17-29). Like Darius, Herod had the power to rescind his promise to give Salome half his kingdom, but his pride kept him from doing it.
Pride causes us to hear what we want to hear. It causes us to see what we want to see. It clouds our judgment and our perception of reality. Pride makes us think, say, and do things that are hurtful and divisive. Pride contributed to the execution of John the Baptist, and it would have killed Daniel, but for the grace and power of God.
While pride has a good side to it—being proud of your family or proud of the job you did at work—we are referring to the sinful side of pride. In this sinful side, pride is a preoccupation with oneself.
We can determine if we are too preoccupied with ourselves by checking our motives. Take education, for example. To learn something for the sake of personal development, to make yourself qualified for a job, or for the sake of helping others is a good thing. But to learn because you want to show off in front of people or prove that you’re smarter than your detractors—that’s a sign of pride.
Today, let’s remember that “God opposes the proud but bestows favor on the humble” (1 Peter 5:5). Let’s ask Jesus to put an end to every form of sinful pride in our lives.
“Lord, help me to be humble and caring in all of my relationships.”
(Psalm) Daniel 3:68-74; Luke 21:20-28
Today’s reading…
November 28, 2013 - Thanksgiving Day
Thanksgiving Day
The following are a selection of the readings that may be chosen for this day.
Reading 1 Sir 50:22-24 And now, bless the God of all,
who has done wondrous things on earth;
Who fosters people’s growth from their mother’s womb,
and fashions them according to his will!
May he grant you joy of heart
and may peace abide among you;
May his goodness toward us endure in Israel
to deliver us in our days.
Responsorial Psalm PS 145:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9, 10-11 R. (see 1) I will praise your name for ever, Lord.
Every day will I bless you,
and I will praise your name forever and ever.
Great is the LORD and highly to be praised;
his greatness is unsearchable.
R. I will praise your name for ever, Lord.
Generation after generation praises your works
and proclaims your might.
They speak of the splendor of your glorious majesty
and tell of your wondrous works.
R. I will praise your name for ever, Lord.
They discourse of the power of your terrible deeds
and declare your greatness.
They publish the fame of your abundant goodness
and joyfully sing of your justice.
R. I will praise your name for ever, Lord.
The LORD is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger and of great kindness.
The LORD is good to all
and compassionate toward all his works.
R. I will praise your name for ever, Lord.
Let all your works give you thanks, O LORD,
and let your faithful ones bless you.
Let them discourse of the glory of your Kingdom
and speak of your might.
R. I will praise your name for ever, Lord.
Reading 2 1 Cor 1:3-9 Brothers and sisters:
Grace to you and peace from God our Father
and the Lord Jesus Christ.
I give thanks to my God always on your account
for the grace of God bestowed on you in Christ Jesus,
that in him you were enriched in every way,
with all discourse and all knowledge,
as the testimony to Christ was confirmed among you,
so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift
as you wait for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ.
He will keep you firm to the end,
irreproachable on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
God is faithful,
and by him you were called to fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Gospel Lk 17:11-19 As Jesus continued his journey to Jerusalem,
he traveled through Samaria and Galilee.
As he was entering a village, ten persons with leprosy met him.
They stood at a distance from him and raised their voices, saying,
“Jesus, Master! Have pity on us!”
And when he saw them, he said,
“Go show yourselves to the priests.”
As they were going they were cleansed.
And one of them, realizing he had been healed,
returned, glorifying God in a loud voice;
and he fell at the feet of Jesus and thanked him.
He was a Samaritan.
Jesus said in reply,
“Ten were cleansed, were they not?
Where are the other nine?
Has none but this foreigner returned to give thanks to God?”
Then he said to him, “Stand up and go;
your faith has saved you.”