We are called to live and love as children of God, conscious of the Holy Trinity dwelling within us! - Wednesday in the 6th Week in Ordinary Time, February 16th, 2022 - S + L Mass at MQW Cathedral downtown Montreal

Sign of the + Cross

Good Morning. (Unfortunately, there is no sponsor for the Holy Mass this morning; however, the Holy Spirit continues to join our intentions and offerings to those of Jesus who enables us to offer ourselves with Him to the Father.)

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ…. As we look out into our world, we see a lot of angry people, much yelling and running around. It’s a wonderful experience to be passionate about loving God and others, but it’s a terrible thing to be a slave of any of the human passions.

Penitential Rite         Brothers and sisters let us acknowledge our sins and so prepare ourselves to celebrate the sacred mysteries.  (Formula 1)

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   Gospel & Homily - MP3 version             Homily PDF version 

HOMILY

Did you notice in the Gospel passage today how considerate Jesus was for the feelings of the blind man? Jesus knew how self-conscious the man was, or perhaps embarrassed by those who brought him to Jesus. So, Jesus brought him outside the village out of sight of people.

The Apostle James advises us to be slow at the right time and quick at the right time. If I do or say something quickly because of human impulses; then I am not acting out of the freedom of the children of God, but as a slave to the many human passions. Mary, Joseph, and all the saints were quick to listen, but slow to speak. Listening attentively to others is an act of love. As I give others my full attention, I am able to notice things that may have been hidden before.

As children of God and disciples of Jesus, we are called to be constantly vigilant to notice the gentle promptings of the Holy Spirit deep within us, which is what Jesus Himself did.

Much of the world – other people, society around us, and life itself – rarely go the way we would like them to go. When I am full of myself; then, I am likely to let myself be carried away by feelings of frustration and anger, as if the whole world revolved around me.

The truth is that God, the Most Holy Trinity, is at the center of Creation; so, we need to pay close attention to the presence, the promptings, and the action of our Creator God and Saviour.

“O God, true Light, pour into your faithful the brilliance of perpetual light, that You may be pleased to glorify Yourself in us, even in our weakness, and save many souls.”  “O my Jesus, I trust in You. Immaculate Mother Mary, pray for us. Saint Joseph, pray for us.

We give praise to You, O God, the Father, + the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.”

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Prayer after Communion                                    Announcement

Our God uses this Live Daily Mass to welcome all who seek Him, in this Cathedral and via TV or the Internet. Please support us with your prayer, Mass intentions, and donations. Salt + Light Media and Mary Queen of the World are especially in need of generous sponsors. 

Mother Mary, pray for us. Saint Joseph, pray for us.    Blessing and Dismissal

 

https://frgilleshomilies.blogspot.com

 

© 2006-2022 All rights reserved Fr. Gilles Surprenant, Associate Priest of Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montreal QC
© 2006-2022 Tous droits réservés Abbé Gilles Surprenant, Prêtre Associé de Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montréal QC

Christian, you are a Christopher, a "Light Bearer" - with God in you, boldly bring the Light of Christ into the world! - Wednesday in the 4th Week in Ordinary Time & The Presentation of the Lord, February 2nd, 2022 - S + L Mass at MQW Cathedral downtown Montreal

 Sign of the + Cross                         The Presentation of the Lord

Good Morning. There is no sponsor for this Holy Mass today.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ…. Today we celebrate the Presentation of the Lord, the 4^th Joyful Mystery of the Rosary. We too were presented to the Lord at our Baptism. Jesus, with Mary and Joseph, help us live closely with God by love of neighbour and enemy alike. We pray that many women and men will become witnesses to God’s love in the consecrated life.

Penitential Rite         Brothers and sisters let us acknowledge our sins and so prepare ourselves to celebrate the sacred mysteries.  (Formula 1)

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  Gospel & Homily - MP3 version             Homily PDF version 

HOMILY

Today is the 40^th Day of Christmas! Surprised? It’s true that we ended the Christmas Season with the Baptism of the Lord, but Christians have always remembered with devotion this 40^thday when Mary and Joseph accomplished their obligation to present the Child Jesus to God his heavenly Father in the Temple in Jerusalem. Their visit to the Temple allowed Mary to perform the purification rite for women who have given birth.

The observance of The Presentation of the Lord has always been a festival of light. Candles were blessed at the beginning of Mass at the Christmas Manger Scene and the faithful carrying lighted blessed candles processed to the sanctuary to continue the Holy Mass. You may imagine or perhaps remember participating in such a candle light procession, making visible our call as Christians to be Christopher’s, bearers of light, to bring the Light of Jesus into the dark places of our world, our neighborhoods, our families, and yes, even to the dark places in our churches.

Brothers and sisters, you don’t need a special permission, ritual or blessing to be capable of bearing the Light of Christ into the world, in your family, neighborhood, and parish. At Baptism you were made a child of God, a sister or brother to Jesus; so, you are a member of the Family of God, the Most Holy Trinity, for all eternity. At Confirmation, the Holy Spirit filled you with the power of God; so that your human weakness might no longer frighten or embarrass you. It is precisely our weakness that Jesus asks us to offer to God, as He did Himself; so that through our weakness God might make it obvious that it is his power that saves. Carry the Light boldly!

“O God, true Light, pour into your faithful the brilliance of perpetual light, that You may be pleased to glorify Yourself in us, even in our weakness, and save many souls.”  “O my Jesus, I trust in You. Immaculate Mother Mary, pray for us. Saint Joseph, pray for us.

We give praise to You, O God, the Father, + the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.”

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Prayer after Communion                                    Announcement

If you have the means, by God's grace, please sponsor one of these masses, or even on a regular basis. Do it for the love of Jesus, to let his Light shine!

Mother Mary, pray for us. Saint Joseph, pray for us.    Blessing and Dismissal

 

https://frgilleshomilies.blogspot.com

 

© 2006-2022 All rights reserved Fr. Gilles Surprenant, Associate Priest of Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montreal QC
© 2006-2022 Tous droits réservés Abbé Gilles Surprenant, Prêtre Associé de Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montréal QC

At every moment, especially when facing adversity, Jesus calls us to trust in Him - Wednesday in the 2nd Week in Ordinary Time & Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, January 19th, 2022 - S + L Mass at MQW Cathedral downtown Montreal

  Gospel & Homily - MP3 version             Homily PDF version 

HOMILY

We saw yesterday how God instructed the Prophet Samuel to anoint the young shepherd, David. When he poured the holy oil on David’s head, “the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon David from that day forward.” We can see how the Spirit of the Lord makes the weak strong. King Saul doubts that the boy could possibly take on the giant soldier Goliath, but the Spirit of the Lord strengthens David’s natural abilities and dispels whatever fear he may have.

This is how God works in us. The Lord is pleased with who we are, and He blesses what He has already given to us. God enhances who we are, and with our attitude of trust, He makes a partnership with us to perfect our human weakness with his mighty power as God.

In a similar way, the Holy Spirit came to the aid of Jesus in his human weakness. Rather than be put off by the skepticism and opposition of his enemies among the religious leaders, Jesus set out to find the simple faith in those who were in need of his help. The man with the withered hand did not ask anything of Jesus, but Jesus saw the man’s infirmity, and He was apparently aware of the man’s humble prayers and supplications before God. 

God did not magically take away the defiance of the giant Philistine soldier. God’s way is rather to offer a grace to his people, his soldiers. Whoever wanted it could receive a grace to be made strong, wise, and courageous by the Lord to go out against the challenge with help from the Lord. In all of Israel there was only the shepherd boy David willing to accept this grace.

Jesus was constantly in communion with his Father; so, He was always willing to face his challenges with the strength and wisdom of the Holy Spirit. Now, today and every day, Jesus calls us to walk in his steps. At every moment we face a challenge, trouble, task or duty, even in the face of fear and self-doubt, the Holy Spirit unites Christians who believe in God to put our trust in the Lord Jesus; by asking Him to use our weakness to bring about the Father’s will. Peace and joy are given by the Holy Spirit when we put our trust in the Lord in everything.

“Father in Heaven, like your Beloved Son Jesus, help us put our trust in You.”  “O my Jesus, I trust in You. Immaculate Mother Mary, pray for us. Saint Joseph, pray for us.

We give praise to You, O God, the Father, + the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.”

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Sign of the + Cross       

Good Morning. (Today there is no sponsor for this Holy Mass.)

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ…. Brothers and Sisters, today the Lord cautions us not to be afraid of those who are against us but to trust in Him. We ask for the help of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen of the World, and of her Spouse Saint Joseph, Patron of the Universal Church.

Penitential Rite         Brothers and sisters let us acknowledge our sins and so prepare ourselves to celebrate the sacred mysteries.  (Formula 1)

 Prayer after Communion                                    Announcement 

Our God uses this Live Daily Mass to gather together all who turn to Him, in this Cathedral and via TV or the Internet. Please support us with your prayer, Mass intentions, and donations. Salt + Light Media and Mary Queen of the World are especially in need of generous sponsors.

Mother Mary, pray for us. Saint Joseph, pray for us.    Blessing and Dismissal

 

https://frgilleshomilies.blogspot.com

 

© 2006-2022 All rights reserved Fr. Gilles Surprenant, Associate Priest of Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montreal QC
© 2006-2022 Tous droits réservés Abbé Gilles Surprenant, Prêtre Associé de Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montréal QC

God delights to bless those who open themselves to Him - these women call us to enter into the joy of doing God's will - Wednesday in the 4th Week of Advent, December 22nd, 2021 - S + L Mass at MQW Cathedral downtown Montreal

 Gospel & Homily - MP3 version             Homily PDF version 

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 HOMILY

        By now, Mary and Joseph are more than half way between Nazareth and Bethlehem; a very difficult journey on foot, with the donkey for Mary, in those days. But we experience with them the joy of anticipation of the birth. 

        This morning our God seems proud of his two daughters Hannah and Myriam of Nazareth whom we know as Mary. Much later when Jesus engaged in his ministry, He also favoured the women who came to Him like the sinful women or the Samaritan woman who accepted to chat with Him at Jacob's well. With men God seems to have had a harder time throughout history; even with his own apostles.

Why do you think that is? When the religious leaders were scandalized at Jesus forgiving the sins of the woman they were accusing, Jesus explained that she had loved much. They may love wrongly, at times, but women are the first to give themselves in selfless love. Hannah and Mary are among countless women who open their mind, heart, and soul – even their bodies – to God and his will, ready to put all their trust in God for their past, their present, and their future.

When Spanish priests started the Cursillo movement, they insisted that men had to follow the retreat first. They knew that women would be far more willing to follow a retreat, to take the time and make the effort to open themselves to God and grow closer to Him. It is true that God our Creator has designed women for love and to love, with their whole being open to and motivated for loving attentiveness to others and wholehearted service to give and nurture life.

 God our Creator has designed us men with strength to lead, courage to fight, ability to organize, and the will to apply ourselves to hard labors; so that we might care for the Earth and the human family. We attend to things; while women attend to people. I am generalizing here, that is true. Men are capable of caring for people too, and women are capable of taking care of business. Still, it's true to say the world is a mess, and both women and men are in need of the Most Holy Trinity in order to get our act together and care better for our world. Please pray with me…

Prayer to St. Joseph from the Madonna House Apostolate for the Year of St. Joseph which just ended.

“Hail, Guardian of the Redeemer, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary. To you God entrusted his only Son; in you Mary placed her trust; with you Christ became man. Blessed Joseph, to us too, show yourself a father and guide us in the path of life. Obtain for us grace, mercy and courage, and defend us from every evil. Amen.” 

"Mary, our Mother, you made room for God within yourself, in your life, we ask your intercession, that by God's grace we also may make more room for Jesus in our lives." 

“Father in Heaven, like Mary and Joseph help us make more room for Jesus.”  “O my Jesus, I trust in You. Immaculate Mother Mary, pray for us. Saint Joseph, pray for us.

We give praise to You, O God, the Father, + the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.”

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Good Morning. Today's Holy Mass is being offered by an anonymous donor to the Glory of God and in loving memory of Royden Lamwatt: a faithful Christian, a highly respected educator and a dear friend.

Sign of the + Cross       

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ…. Brothers and Sisters, today Almighty God encourages us to trust in Him like the women and men of the Bible. We ask for the help of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen of the World, and of her Spouse Saint Joseph, Patron of the Universal Church.

Penitential Rite         Brothers and sisters let us acknowledge our sins and so prepare ourselves to celebrate the sacred mysteries.  (Formula 1)  

Prayer after Communion                                    Announcement 

This Live Daily Mass is a bold and courageous initiative to care for all of you when you are unable to go out to church every day. We are especially grateful for today's sponsor. Please support us with your daily prayers, Mass intentions, and donations. Salt + Light Media is especially in need of generous sponsors. 

Mother Mary, pray for us. Saint Joseph, pray for us.    Blessing and Dismissal

 

https://frgilleshomilies.blogspot.com

 

© 2006-2021 All rights reserved Fr. Gilles Surprenant, Associate Priest of Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montreal QC
© 2006-2021 Tous droits réservés Abbé Gilles Surprenant, Prêtre Associé de Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montréal QC

We too are called to constant communion in the Most Holy Trinity - Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Wednesday in the 2nd Week of Advent, December 8th, 2021 - S + L Mass at MQW Cathedral downtown Montreal

  Gospel & Homily - Creed & Preparation of the Gifts and our personal Offering - Silence after Communion and exhortation to prayer and communion in God - Support for this Live Daily Mass - MP3 version             Homily PDF version 

Image from Divine Office .org

 Good Morning. (Today there is no sponsor for this Holy Mass - I offer it for Maureen Marolly.)

Sign of the + Cross       Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the B.V. Mary.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ…. Brothers and Sisters, today with the universal Church we honor the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen of the World, and also her Spouse Saint Joseph, whom Pope Pius IX declared Patron of the Universal Church in 1870.

Penitential Rite         Brothers and sisters let us acknowledge our sins and so prepare ourselves to celebrate the sacred mysteries.  (Formula 1)  

HOMILY

Once again, Brothers and Sisters, Happy Feast Day!

Brothers and Sisters, Eve did not bring an apple to Adam, even though medieval churches were decorated with frescoes portraying Adam and Eve eating a similar fruit. The devil tempted them to stop trusting in God and instead to taste evil as well as good and get experience. As a result, Adam was ashamed of his nakedness, which had not been a problem before. Perhaps the evil knowledge they were tempted to experience was something sexual, we don’t know.

When we consider the mess that humanity has been in since then, sexuality may very well have been the original arena of human sinfulness. The Gospel celebrates human sexuality in the virginal conception Mary had by the Holy Spirit and the natural conception Elizabeth and her husband Zechariah had in their old age. For both couples, it was all about the transmission of life and the love of husband and wife. We have received that Joseph respected Mary’s virginity; though they loved one another as brother and sister, their love was deep and life giving. Jesus would grow up knowing that his parents loved one another with a perfectly devoted love.

Much human drama and suffering is the direct result of trying to separate sexual intimacy from this perfectly faithful and chaste love of husband and wife and from that couple’s capacity to lovingly generate and transmit life, thereby truly living and loving in God’s image.

Whether or not married couples like Mary and Joseph, like Elizabeth and Zechariah, are able to have their own children, or whether they have recourse to adopting children or caring for foster children, or whether they are fruitful and generate life by caring for children in their extended family or for poor children in need or other people in distress; there are so many ways in which we human beings can generate life and pour ourselves out selflessly in love of others.

Today, one of the truths we celebrate is that Mary, like the son she was about to have, Jesus, was always in communion with the Most Holy Trinity, always aware of God's love and Presence, pondering the mysteries of God's love for us in the world. We are capable of the same communion; that is what prayer is - to open our mind, heart, and soul to God at all times. During this Mass let us ask Our Blessed Mother, Immaculate Heart of Mary, to pray for us; that we may do just that.

Please pray with me now…

Prayer to St. Joseph from the Madonna House Apostolate for this Year of St. Joseph

“Hail, Guardian of the Redeemer, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary. To you God entrusted his only Son; in you Mary placed her trust; with you Christ became man. Blessed Joseph, to us too, show yourself a father and guide us in the path of life. Obtain for us grace, mercy and courage, and defend us from every evil. Amen.”

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Father in Heaven, your plan for our life on Earth then eternal life after death is the best possible plan. May the example and intercession of Mary Immaculate and Joseph help us to know and do your holy will in our lives as they did and help us follow in the steps of Our Lord Jesus Christ.”  “O my Jesus, I trust in You. Immaculate Mother Mary, pray for us. Saint Joseph, pray for us.

We give praise to You, O God, the Father, and + the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.”

Our Profession of Faith - The Apostles' Creed 

The Preparation of the Gifts and Our Offering

In lieu of the Prayers of the Faithful, which we would have on a Sunday, I invite you now to reflect during the Offertory Hymn, and as the bread and wine are prepared, to reflect on what intentions you bring to the Lord this morning for yourself, for your family, for the Church, and for the world. A big one is asking God to grant us vocations to the priesthood and to give the men He is calling the courage and the generosity to respond to the call; but also, we place on the Altar our efforts we have made since the last time we were in Church, our efforts to live as God's children, our desire, or perhaps the lack of our desire, to be in communion with God at all times. 

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Reflection after Holy Communion

This moment of silence after Communion, just as after the Homily, is part of the Liturgy because the Lord wants us to learn that the Most Holy Trinity does most of the work in our life and deep within us. We can at times be so anxious about how to pray, how long to pray, and what to pray, but really all we need to do is just to be there, with an open mind, heart, and soul, and allow God to do what God wants to do deep within us. As a woman is content to sit in the hairdresser's chair and allow her to do good things to her, and as a man doesn't mind sitting in the barber's chair and allow the barber to do those things; so we are to approach God with an even better attitude of allowing the Lord to do all He wants to do within us; as Mary did, and as Joseph did. 

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 Prayer after Communion                                    Announcement 

Let us offer a Hail Mary for the good of the Church, for the good of souls, and for the remedy of all those who may have been harmed in any way in their experience of the Church. "Hail Mary...."

Our Lady of Ville-Marie, pray for us. Saint Joseph, pray for us. 

Please support this Live Daily Mass through your daily prayers, Mass intentions, and donations to the Cathedral and to Salt + Light Media. We are especially in need of generous sponsors. 

 Solemn Blessing and Dismissal

https://frgilleshomilies.blogspot.com

 

© 2006-2021 All rights reserved Fr. Gilles Surprenant, Associate Priest of Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montreal QC
© 2006-2021 Tous droits réservés Abbé Gilles Surprenant, Prêtre Associé de Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montréal QC

Why are Christians persecuted? Many people deny God exists - the big shock will be after the moment of death. - Wednesday in the 34th Week in Ordinary Time, November 24th, 2021 - S + L Mass at MQW Cathedral downtown Montreal

 Gospel & Homily MP3 version             Homily PDF version 

There is no sponsor today for this Holy Mass; so I offer it for priests having difficulties. 

Sign of the + Cross                 Saint Andrew Dung-Lac and Companions

Good Morning. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ…. Brothers and Sisters, today we remember 130,000 Vietnamese martyrs who died from the 17^th to the 19^thcenturies. We ask Mary Queen of the World and Saint Joseph to pray with us for all Christians persecuted for their faith in God.

Penitential Rite         Brothers and sisters let us acknowledge our sins and so prepare ourselves to celebrate the sacred mysteries.  (Formula 1)  

Prayer after Communion                                    Announcement 

Please support this Live Daily Mass through your daily prayers, Mass intentions, and donations to the Cathedral and to Salt + Light Media. We are especially in need of generous sponsors. 

Saint Joseph, pray for us.              Blessing and Dismissal

HOMILY

Brothers and sisters, the Word of the Lord addressed to us today by the Most Holy Trinity is not about “Jolly, jolly, happy, happy!” Nevertheless, it is good news, because every word that comes from the mouth of God is good news for humanity. The Lord calls on us to consider a very hard question: “Why do people persecute those who are religious, those who believe in the one true God and who worship Him?”

Today we honour some 130,000 Vietnamese men and women, young people and children who were imprisoned, often tortured, and executed simply because they had the boldness to believe in God, to share their faith with others, and to worship the one true God. So, why are some people bothered by manifestations of faith and worship offered to the one true God?

They deny that God exists, or that there is only one true God of all Creation, or they don’t like the God believed in and worshipped by Christians. What will happen to them? We are told in no uncertain terms by Daniel what the outcome will be in every case. The King of Babylon or Chaldea, which is Iraq today, disrespected God publicly when he had his nobles, guests, wives and concubines drink from the sacred vessels his father had taken from the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem. God never turns down such a direct challenge; nor did He then.

The hand that appeared in thin air to write on the wall was a brutal wake up call for the king who was killed that very night. People think God is cruel and stingy like us, but He is not. God is love. God’s every action is an act of love, tough love at times, but still love. Those who die an unexpected sudden death are given time by God to open their heart to the divine mercy. Those who refuse God’s offer of love prefer to go to hell rather than feel indebted to God.

Death of itself solves nothing. People who choose to end their life prematurely rather than suffer here on Earth pass through the thin veil separating us from eternity, and they discover the shocking truth that they have solved nothing. They no longer have a body to suffer in, but now they cannot avoid suffering worse pains in their soul. Those who accept God’s mercy but need to be purified from sinful habits and material attachments will suffer in Purgatory until they are finally set free and are now ready and willing to enter into God’s radiant presence.

Father in Heaven, your plan for our life on Earth then eternal life after death is the best possible plan. Have mercy on all those bent on looking for a better solution than the plan you offer.  “O my Jesus, I trust in You. Mother Mary, pray for us. Saint Joseph, pray for us.

We give praise to You, O God, the Father, + the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.”

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https://frgilleshomilies.blogspot.com

© 2006-2021 All rights reserved Fr. Gilles Surprenant, Associate Priest of Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montreal QC              © 2006-2021 Tous droits réservés Abbé Gilles Surprenant, Prêtre Associé de Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montréal QC

God asks us not to harshly judge those in high places but to mercifully pray for them daily. - Wednesday in the 32nd Week in Ordinary Time, November 10th, 2021 - S + L Mass at MQW Cathedral downtown Montreal

 Gospel & Homily MP3 version             Homily PDF version

(Unfortunately, there is no sponsor today for this Holy Mass.)

Sign of the + Cross                

Good Morning. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ…. Brothers and Sisters, today we remember Pope Saint Leo the Great, who with Mary Queen of the World, and Saint Joseph, calls on us to pray daily for all the people in high places who are responsible for much of humanity.

Penitential Rite         Brothers and sisters let us acknowledge our sins and so prepare ourselves to celebrate the sacred mysteries.  (Formula 1)  

 Prayer after Communion                                    Announcement 

Please support this Live Daily Mass through your daily prayers, Mass intentions, and donations to the Cathedral and to Salt + Light Media. We are especially in need of generous sponsors. 

Saint Joseph, pray for us.              Blessing and Dismissal

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(Anticipating Remembrance Day - November 11th, 2021)

HOMILY

“Rise up, O God, bring judgment to the earth.” This is the refrain for today’s Psalm. It is a prayer and a sentiment that I believe many of us may find already echoing in our own heart in the face of the great misery we observe all over this planet today. It is easy to understand how we might come to feel this way about the powerful and the wealthy of this world and all those who govern us at the many levels of government in all the nations of the Earth.

We know, and Pope Francis tirelessly declares it for all of humanity to hear, that money alone rules the Earth, but it should not. Governments and commercial interests of all types are fully committed to seeking endless growth in profits and wealth. Human peace and harmony mean nothing to the arms producers and traders. Land, labor, and lodging for families to live and thrive mean nothing to wealthy and powerful landowners. Human dignity, freedom, and the common good mean nothing to the commercial lobbies that pressure politicians or to the forces of law and order which keep the wealthy and powerful secure and often take their part.

However, Jesus did not criticize the rich and powerful out of hate, but because God loves them, because they are also children of God. It would be a mistake for us to condemn those in high places. It is enough for us to know that they, like us, will be judged by God, and that those in high places will be judged severely because of the common good entrusted to their care.

The nine lepers who did not have grateful hearts may have been cured of their leprosy, but they were not made well. Only the Samaritan leper, who noticed he was healed, was grateful, and came back to prostrate himself before Jesus and thank Him. His faith opened his soul to God in gratitude, and it is this transformation of his spirit that made him well.

If all we do about the world’s troubles is gripe about the rich, the powerful, and all those in government; then we are no better than the 9 lepers who felt no gratitude towards Jesus. God is calling us to have understanding, pity, compassion, and mercy for all those in high places. They need our daily prayer to help them accept the light of wisdom shining on the face of Jesus. We will more easily pray for them if we begin every day by thanking God for our life and his love.

Father in Heaven, thank You for our life. Have mercy on all those in high places, those in government, business, and private enterprise. They are all prisoners of fear, fear of losing ground to competition, fear of failure, fear of not getting re-elected, and countless other fears. Have mercy on them and let your light of wisdom break through the dark and cold places in their souls. “O my Jesus, I trust in You. Mother Mary, pray for us. Saint Joseph, pray for us.

We give praise to You, O God, the Father, + the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.”

https://frgilleshomilies.blogspot.com

 

© 2006-2021 All rights reserved Fr. Gilles Surprenant, Associate Priest of Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montreal QC
© 2006-2021 Tous droits réservés Abbé Gilles Surprenant, Prêtre Associé de Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montréal QC