Thursday November 21, 2024
THE PRESENTATION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY (Memorial)
Office: Memorial, Psalter Week 1
Mass and Preface of the Memorial
Vestment: White
Today’s Rosary: The Luminous Mystery
Click HERE for the Previous Catholic Daily Reading
Entrance Antiphon
Hail, Holy Mother, who gave birth to the King who rules heaven and earth for ever.
Collect
As we venerate the glorious memory of the most holy Virgin Mary, grant, we pray, O Lord, through her intercession, that we, too, may merit to receive from the fullness of your grace. Through our Lord…..
FIRST READING
The lamb was slain and by his blood ransomed us from every nation.
A reading from the Book of Revelation (Revelation 5 :1 – 10)
I, John, saw in the right hand of him who was seated on the throne a scroll written within and on the back, sealed with seven seals; and I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it, and I wept much that no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. Then one of the elders said to me, “Weep not; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.” And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders, I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth; and he went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who was seated on the throne. And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and with golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints; and they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain and by your blood you ransomed men for God from every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on earth.”
The word of the Lord.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM Ps 149: 1b-2.3-4.5-6a and 9bc (R. Rv 5: 10)
R/. You have made us a kingdom and priests to our God.
Or: Alleluia.
Sing a new song to the Lord,
his praise in the assembly of the faithful.
Let Israel rejoice in its Maker;
let Sion’s children exult in their king. R/.
Let them praise his name with dancing,
and make music with timbrel and harp.
For the Lord takes delight in his people;
he crowns the poor with salvation. R/.
R/. You have made us a kingdom and priests to our God.
Or: Alleluia.
Let the faithful exult in glory,
and rejoice as they take their rest.
Let the praise of God be in their mouths.
This is an honour for all his faithful. R/.
ALLELUIA Psalm 95:7d.8a
Alleluia. Today, harden not your hearts, but listen to the voice of the Lord. Alleluia.
GOSPEL
“Would that you knew the things that make for peace!”
A reading from the holy Gospel to Luke (Luke19:41-44)
At that time: When Jesus drew near and saw the city he wept over it, saying, “Would that even today you knew the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. For the days shall come upon you, when your enemies will cast up a bank about you and surround you, and hem you in on every side, and dash you to the ground, you and your children within you, and they will not leave one stone upon another in you; because you did not know the time of your visitation.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
TODAY’S REFLECTION
Jesus wept over Jerusalem because it “did not know the time of its visitation”. The Lord himself was in the midst of its people, bringing them the good news of salvation and peace. But they refused to listen to him and change their lives. What an opportunity missed! We are also privileged to have the Lord’s visitation in many ways-in the Holy Eucharist, in the poor and needy, in the daily events of life etc. do we recognize the Lord’s presence and turn these occasions into opportunities for our growth and for the increase of our blessings? Or do we pass by them by and miss the opportunity of the Lord’s visitation?
PERSONAL DEVOTIONAL
For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. – Matthew 16:25
O Lord our God, graciously pour forth the grace of thy Holy Spirit in our hearts that it may enables us to obtain forgiveness for all our shortcomings. Amen.
Let Us Pray,
Lord Jesus, you remained steadfast to the will of thy Father even on the cross of death, help me never to deviate from the will and plan of God at that hour when I shall breathe my last. Help me so that your servant may go in peace. May the Virgin Mary, mediatrix of all graces, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death.
