29
November
Blessed Bernard Francis de Hoyos (1711-1735)
Violet
Bernard Francis de Hoyos (1711-1735) was born in Torrelobatón, Spain. He entered the Jesuit novitiate at Villagarcia in 1726 and, just three months later, had his first mystical experience. Then, in early May 1733, during his theology studies, he received his decisive mission from Christ: “I wish for you to spread the devotion to my Sacred Heart throughout all of Spain.” Days later he obtained the “Great Promise”: “I will reign in Spain with more veneration than in other places.” Through his efforts, devotion to the Sacred Heart became popular throughout Spain. He is acclaimed as the first apostle of the Sacred Heart in Spain.
Entrance Antiphon: Jer 31: 10; Is 35: 4
Hear the word of the Lord, O nations; declare it to the distant lands: Behold, our Saviour will come; you need no longer fear.
Collect
Keep us alert, we pray, O Lord our God, as we await the advent of Christ your Son, so that, when he comes and knocks, he may find us watchful in prayer and exultant in his praise. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
First reading: Isaiah 2:1-5
The vision of Isaiah son of Amoz, concerning Judah and Jerusalem. In the days to come the mountain of the Temple of the Lord shall tower above the mountains and be lifted higher than the hills. All the nations will stream to it, peoples without number will come to it; and they will say: ‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the Temple of the God of Jacob that he may teach us his ways so that we may walk in his paths; since the Law will go out from Zion, and the oracle of the Lord from Jerusalem.’ He will wield authority over the nations and adjudicate between many peoples; these will hammer their swords into ploughshares, their spears into sickles. Nation will not lift sword against nation, there will be no more training for war. O House of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the Lord.
Psalm 121(122):1-2,4-5,6-9
R/ I rejoiced when I heard them say: ‘Let us go to God’s house.’
1. I rejoiced when I heard them say: ‘Let us go to God’s house.’ And now our feet are standing within your gates, O Jerusalem.
2. It is there that the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord. For Israel’s law it is, there to praise the Lord’s name. There were set the thrones of judgement of the house of David.
3. For the peace of Jerusalem pray: ‘Peace be to your homes! May peace reign in your walls, in your palaces, peace!’
4. For love of my brethren and friends I say: ‘Peace upon you!’ For love of the house of the Lord I will ask for your good.
Gospel Acclamation: Ps79:4
Alleluia, alleluia! God of hosts, bring us back: let your face shine on us and we shall be saved. Alleluia!
Gospel: Matthew 8:5-11
When Jesus went into Capernaum a centurion came up and pleaded with him. ‘Sir,’ he said, ‘my servant is lying at home paralysed, and in great pain.’ ‘I will come myself and cure him’ said Jesus. The centurion replied, ‘Sir, I am not worthy to have you under my roof; just give the word and my servant will be cured. For I am under authority myself, and have soldiers under me; and I say to one man: Go, and he goes; to another: Come here, and he comes; to my servant: Do this, and he does it.’ When Jesus heard this he was astonished and said to those following him, ‘I tell you solemnly, nowhere in Israel have I found faith like this. And I tell you that many will come from east and west to take their places with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob at the feast in the kingdom of heaven.’
Prayer over the Offerings
Accept, we pray, O Lord, these offerings we make, gathered from among your gifts to us, and may what you grant us to celebrate devoutly here below gain for us the prize of eternal redemption. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon: Ps 105: 4-5; Is 38: 3
Come, O Lord, visit us in peace, that we may rejoice before you with a blameless heart.
Prayer after Communion
May these mysteries, O Lord, in which we have participated, profit us, we pray, for even now, as we walk amid passing things, you teach us by them to love the things of heaven and hold fast to what endures. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation The power of Christ has no limits. Even come to his enemies and non-Jews cometo him to seek solutions to their problems. The most important fact in the Gospel is that the centurion leaves his throne of authority and humbles himself before Christ to ask him to heal his servant. This attitude leads us to reflect on our relations with those around us. Whatever our social status, we must turn our gaze to our brothers and sisters. We must not close our ears to the cries of the orphan. We must not close our hearts to the misery of others. The Lord has blessed us so that we may be a blessing to others