Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe . Year B - Sunday, November 21, 2021 (EPISODE: 334)

Readings for Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe. Year B

FIRST READING: Dan 7: 13-14
Ps 93: 1a, 1b-2, 5. "The Lord is king; he is robed in majesty. "
SECOND READING: Rev 1: 5-8
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION (Mark 11: 9b+10a). Alleluia, alleluia! Blessed is he who inherits the Kingdom of David our father. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
GOSPEL: John 18: 33b-37

Image Credit: Shutterstock Licensed. ID: 46042582 -Beautiful artistic stained glass portrait of Jesus -By CURAphotography
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Please listen to the audio-recordings of the Mass – (Readings, prayers and homily), for Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe. Year B - Sunday, November 21, 2021 by clicking this link here: https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/faith-hope-and-love-34th-sunday-ordinary-b-christ-the-king-episode-334?si=6d97c43d34be42288cbcef43ca350171   (EPISODE:334)

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* (Prologue:  Fr Paul Kelly)

It is perfectly fitting that on the last Sunday of the church's liturgical year, (this Sunday!), we celebrate the feast of Our Lord Jesus Christ, the King of the Universe.

This is a celebration that looks forward to the fact that ultimately, at the end of time, Our Lord Jesus will definitively take his place as the Ruler of all Creation. All things will be placed under his authority and power forever.

In one sense this has already begun. The Reign of God is already here. God's Kingdom is already amongst us. The Kingdom is already at work IN us. However, at the end of time, the Reign of God will be established in all its fullness, with any opposing powers comprehensively defeated and vanquished.

We still live in unsettled times, and there are still values that oppose Christ's Gospel. But it is so completely reassuring to have this message that The forces of violence, hatred, deception, and injustice will ultimately be defeated.

Today in the Gospel, Jesus stands on trial before Pontius Pilate. Pilate is questioning his apparent prisoner. Pilate's questions are arrogant and confident. He thinks he is in control. But we Christians have long been challenged to see beyond appearances. We are invited to see the truth behind the surface. Jesus is actually in control at all times, even though he is a prisoner and on trial for his life. Christ is really the free person of the two. Christ is freer than Pilate, who actually is rather keen to release Jesus but is scared of what other people might think or say. Pilate is actually a prisoner. Pilate compromises the truth for political expediency and binds himself up by doing so.

Jesus is the King of truth. : So, Living Authentically. Living according to truth and integrity is all that really matters. If we succeed at something by deception or hypocrisy or disregard for the dignity and welfare of our brothers and sisters around us, we are really losing.

Pilate is virtually calling him a fool for pursuing this non-violent, passive resistance approach. This persistent preaching of the Gospel. "Do you realise that you are going to get yourself killed? And what good will come of your values then?"

However, Jesus knew that if he compromised his principles merely to try to avoid death, then the really important things of life would have been lost anyway. Jesus' principles and their practical application is the true message

Christ stands firmly for the fact that the ends never justify the means-  what you stand for is what you will die for - and in fact, how we get to the goal is part of the journey.

Jesus tells us that the truth is all that matters. However, Pilate has an answer for this…." and what is Truth???????". He --- like so many --- has turned truth into a commodity to be bought and sold at will. Yet, we know that truth is not a statement; Truth is a Person, Truth is a way of living: Jesus (and his life and everything he stood for) IS THE TRUTH.

Can we dare to follow this radical King? The one whose way of thinking is not of this world but is certainly intended to transform and change this world and the people in it.

True power is actually "power FOR" others and not actually "power OVER" others. Instead of dominating and subduing others, this true service of leadership helps us to become truly the people God wants us to be. Christ has a vision for the people he created us to be.

There is a nice quote that I find very insightful. The writer Paul Tillich says. "Distrust every claim for truth where you do not see truth united with love, and be certain that you are of the truth and that the truth has taken hold of you only when love has taken hold of you and has started to make you free from yourselves. (Paul Tillich).
 
I love the preface to the Eucharistic prayer for this feast day today. because it names some of the qualities to be found in Christ's Kingdom:

Christ's Kingdom, which has already begun to take hold in our hearts and in our world is …..
"A kingdom of truth and life,
a kingdom of holiness and grace,
a kingdom of justice, love, and peace."

This week, my mind has kept coming back to the concept of Jesus being the Universal King. and so, We are not only his disciples and followers, but we are also his subjects.

What does it mean to be a loyal subject of a "King?" It puts our lives into a new perspective.

God's ways, values and priorities, are about giving without expecting a return and loving without counting the cost.

Come, Lord Jesus! Come, Lord, in all your fullness. Take your rightful place as King of Heaven and Earth! Lead us in the ways of truth. Come, Lord Jesus, as King of our hearts and lives.
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(Homily:  Fr Peter Dillon).
Over the past year, we have heard a great deal about our Royal family, and not all of what we heard was good news. Apart from Queen Elizabeth who seems to be able to rise above any unpleasantness, some of the other Royals have been in the firing line for a number of less than pleasant accusations. If our only understanding of what a king does was associated with the English royalty then today's feast of Christ the King would have very little significance. Essentially we don't know what Kings do. They seem to be largely ceremonial, which is quite the opposite of what we know of the life of Jesus. He was rather the antithesis of the modern understanding of a King.

History tells us that Kings had great power, influence and responsibility. They were often loved and respected, but many others were warriors, cruel and oppressors. They had control over the lives of others and ruled rather than led their subjects. The best Kings were the ones who knew their people and lived their lives among them. They didn't need to be guarded against their people but used truth as their shield and compassion as their throne.

Students of John's gospel will know that one of his literary devices is his use of irony. The Pharisees can't see, but the blind man can, the Samaritan woman has a bucket for the well, but is still thirsty, the soldiers need weapons to arrest an unarmed Jesus. John uses the image of the powerless prisoner before Pilate, the powerful ruler, and we are left wondering – who is the real king? Who has the greater power?

"I came into the world to testify to the truth", said Jesus. In that one sentence, he sums up what he believes is the duty of his kingship. The one who upholds the truth and lives by it is the real king. No matter how lowly, imprisoned, tortured or rejected. Nothing can defeat this king who stands on the foundation of truth.

Even though we might be slightly uncomfortable with the use of the term "King", this day is in fact the feast day of integrity and moral witness. There are not too many kings and queens of today who are prepared to lay down their lives for their subjects. History tells us that when the going gets tough, some monarchs get going, and that is why the courage of Jesus is such a strong witness. In the face of certain condemnation, he did not back down. In fact, he took the fight right up to the face of Pilate.

As demanding as it can be at times we are urged not to back down or be seduced in the face of power or pride, riches or greed as the world might present it. Our goal is not to shrink from the challenges that will surely bear down on us. To be able to put our love of people ahead of our love of things that might offer us the empty promise of riches and status.

We may be criticised for it, bullied and mocked, but whoever has a well-formed conscience and is prepared to live by it, will never feel put down or derided.

No excuse or apology is ever required for doing the right thing. Each of us is born to be lifted high by the truth that guides our lives.
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References:

Homily – fr peter Dillon

Prologue - Fr Paul W. Kelly

Image Credit: Shutterstock Licensed. ID: 46042582 -Beautiful artistic stained glass portrait of Jesus -By CURAphotography

Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe . Year B  (Sunday, November 21, 2021)  (EPISODE:334)
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
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{{Goodness and kindness  to you all}} welcome everyone, we gather -  To take time to reflect upon the meaning of God's word for our everyday lives

My friends in Christ, to worthily celebrate the sacred mysteries, let us first acknowledge our sins. 

option two on the cards/ Have mercy on us, O Lord./ For we have sinned against you./ Show us, O Lord, your mercy. And grant us your salvation.

May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life.  Amen.
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Memorial Acclamation
1. We proclaim your Death, O Lord, and profess your Resurrection until you come again.
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Ps 93: 1a, 1b-2, 5. "The Lord is king; he is robed in majesty. "

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION (Mark 11: 9b+10a). Alleluia, alleluia! Blessed is he who inherits the Kingdom of David our father. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
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PREFACE: Christ, King of the Universe
EP II
(theme variation: 4 )


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{Thanks for joining us for this time of prayer and reflection}

Go and announce the Gospel of the Lord.

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Archive of homilies and reflections:  http://homilycatholic.blogspot.com.au
To contact Fr. Paul, please email:  paulwkelly68@gmail.com

To listen to our weekly homily audio podcast, please click this link here:  https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/tracks

You are welcome to subscribe to Fr Paul's homily mail-out by sending an email to this address: paulkellyreflections+subscribe@googlegroups.com

Further information relating to the audio productions linked to this Blog:
"Faith, Hope and Love - Christian worship and reflection"  - Led by Rev Paul Kelly

Prayers and chants  — Roman Missal, 3rd edition, © 2010, The International Commission on English in the liturgy. (ICEL)

Scriptures - New Revised Standard Version: © 1989,  and 2009 by the NCC-USA. (National Council of Churches of Christ - USA)

"The Psalms" ©1963, 2009,  The Grail - Collins publishers.

Prayers of the Faithful -   " Together we pray" by Robert Borg'.   E.J. Dwyer, Publishers, (1993) . (Sydney Australia).

Sung "Mass In Honour of St. Ralph Sherwin" -  By Jeffrey M. Ostrowski. The Gloria, Copyright © 2011 ccwatershed.org.

- "Faith, Hope and Love" theme hymn - in memory of William John (Bill) Kelly (1942-2017) -  Inspired by 1 Corinthians 13:1-13. Music by Paul W. Kelly. Arranged and sung, with additional lyrics by Stefan Kelk. 2019.

"Quiet Time."  Instrumental Reflection music. Written by Paul W Kelly. 1988, 2007. & This arrangement: Stefan Kelk, 2020.

- "Today I Arise" - For Trisha J Kelly.  Original words and music by Paul W. Kelly. Inspired by St Patrick's Prayer.  Arranged and sung, with additional lyrics by Stefan Kelk. 2019.

Sound Engineering and editing -  P.W. Kelly.
Microphones: -            RODE-NT-USB-mini

Editing equipment:    NCH software - MixPad Multitrack Studio Recording Software

NCH – WavePad Audio Editing Software. Masters Edition v 12.44

Sound Processing:  iZotope RX 6 Audio Editor

[Production -  KER -  2021]

May God bless and keep you.
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Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time. Year B - Sunday, November 14, 2021 - (EPISODE: 333)

Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time. Year B  - Sunday, November 14, 2021

(EPISODE:333)

Readings for Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time. Year B
FIRST READING: Dan 12: 1-3
Ps 16: 5+8, 9-10, 11. "Keep me safe, O God; you are my hope."
SECOND READING: Heb 10: 11-14, 18
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION (Luke 21: 36). Alleluia, alleluia! Be watchful and ready. You know not when the Son of Man is coming.
GOSPEL: Mark 13: 24-32

(Image – licensed Shutterstock ID: 1576586653 - LUND, SWEDEN - NOVEMBER 23, 2019: The roof of the high choir in the Cathedral of Lund is dominated by a six-foot-high absidic mosaic depicting the return of Jesus, shaped like a Christ Pantocrator. -Lund, Sweden --By crimson)
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Please listen to the audio recordings of the Mass – (Readings, prayers and homily), for Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time. Year B  - Sunday, November 14, 2021, by clicking this link here: https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/faith-hope-and-love-33rd-sunday-ordinary-b-episode-333?si=5f7bcf8bea4b4e3c9727fc570368f836  
(EPISODE:333 )
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* (Prologue:  Fr Paul Kelly)
This weekend, Jesus warns his disciples that there are tough, stormy times ahead, not only for him but for all who follow him…

But in the midst of this, he offers hope…  'don't be fooled, the end has not come…..'  witness to the truth of my message….  I will be with you,.. I will be faithful to you… even if following me causes hardship.

In some ways, all this talk (in the readings this weekend) of 'end times'  and 'the last judgement'  and 'the Day of the Lord'  and the like, is really about saying 'all things come to an end, except the things that last forever'  - the things of abiding (eternal) value.  Only that which lasts should be sought after….and the one thing that endures forever is Love; ---For God is love and all who live in love, abide in God, forever. 

 

One of the most unexpected and in many ways unwelcome things that have come out of the covid-crisis is that countless experts in the Book of Revelation and other apocalyptic passages like today's gospel from John.  It is as if thousands of people have awarded themselves doctorates in scripture, theology and ecclesiology, without reference to the authentic scholarship and interpretation from the church over thousands of years….   So, all of these experts have come out of the woodwork, and are happy to tell everyone who will listen (and those who would rather not, what the true meaning of those books of the bible are – and of course…  as people have done so many times in the past, are telling everyone that these texts are predicting what is happening right now….,  they will even lecture lifelong scripture experts and preachers about the meaning, although their information has been cobbled together from youtube and fundamentalistic, non-catholic sources (which in other times has unapologetically been anti-catholic and used those same texts differently, when it suited their argument- to accuse the catholic church of being the enemy predicted in these same texts…   which we know is nonsense and grossly lacking in Christ's charity. We cannot say this strongly enough…  don't listen to these prophets of doom and misinformation.   Let's take our counsel from the two-thousand years of tradition and study and teaching of the catholic church and its teachers, saints and scholars.  Really, don't be fooled…it is even in Jesus words in the scriptures..  "do not be misled;… the end has not come near…"  -  "we do not know the hour or the day.."     

 

There are so many things that we can be tempted to put our trust and energy into….  Things that we value, that are not necessarily of abiding value-  which we can try and wrap up and spend so much time protecting and storing away…..    but then when we go to check on it, it is gone….   It has slipped through our hands…..

In this weekend's gospel, Jesus is not merely warning about the impending end of the world….  (which two thousand years later has still not come….despite countless predictions to the contrary……).. but rather asking us, his disciples, to make sure our values and actions are directed to the coming of Christ's Kingdom into every aspect of our lives, here and now, and in the future (in its fullness).   That's why I love this quote…

"I observe then, that though Christians throughout the centuries may have been mistaken in what they took to be signs of Christ's imminent return in glory, (in the second coming), yet they were not wrong in their state of mind, and they were not mistaken in looking out for Christ and being ready to respond to Christ (in their daily lives)."  [John Henry Newman (1801-1890)].

As one scripture scholar points out, (Gustavo Gutierrez), in the context of the whole chapter of this gospel passage… Jesus is speaking about the imminent destruction of the temple, which people had come to take as the "be-all and end-all" of religious experience and achievement.  Jesus was saying, it is not the end, even when the temple lies destroyed!  His Good news is NOT about turning his word into a safe, secure, exclusive and privileged object for people to get complacent about. His good news is about loving service. The Good News is about paying the price for the values that last. It is about standing with those who are suffering. It is about realising that this is going to come at an enormous cost, not just for Our Lord, but for all who follow his values and his path.

The most reassuring thing about this weekend's gospel is the line by Jesus ….  "heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will NEVER pass away."   Jesus' words, Jesus Gospel, Jesus values, Jesus Kingdom will never, ever pass away. They are of eternal value.  Let us cling to his word,  let us nurture his word and values in our daily lives….  Let us build our lives and priorities on his Kingdom values… because these cannot be taken and cannot be destroyed…..    investing in other priorities and values is pure folly….

The Lord's word remains forever….  Including these words…

" What good is it if you gain the whole world, and lost your soul?"

And these words too…

Love your enemies, pray for those who persecute you…

The greatest among you is the one who serves….

There is more joy in heaven over one repentant sinner than over 99 who did not need to repent…

…..Neither do I condemn you….

Seek first the Kingdom of God and all these other things will be given you…

The law was made for humanity and not humanity for the law…

What I desire is mercy and not sacrifice…

Is it against the law to do good or to do evil….

I tell you solemnly, this poor widow has put in more than all of the treasury…..

Unbind him…  set him free...

Anyone who is not against us is for us….

Whatsoever you do to the least of these brothers and sisters of mine… you do it to me….

In praying, do not babble like the pagans, who think that they will be heard because of their many words.  Do not be like them. Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

The one who is forgiven a little, loves little.

If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? ……. And if you greet only your brothers and sister, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?  Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Jesus said to him, "If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me."

These words and so many more of Christ's words which we are so privileged to have preserved in the living word of the Scriptures….   will NEVER pass away.

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(Homily:  Fr Peter Dillon).

Every time we recite the Creed, often fairly mechanically, we say that we believe that Christ will come again to judge the living and the dead, and we profess our faith in the resurrection of the body and in an everlasting life that follows death. Today's readings invite us to reflect on these articles of the Creed.

Death, as the Catechism of the Catholic Church states, is the natural end of our earthly life. We are born. We live. We die - and the grave marks the end of all our worldly hopes and longings. But our Christian hope introduces a new element to the horizon. Again the Catechism: 'God, in his almighty power, will definitely grant incorruptible life to our bodies by uniting them with our souls through the power of Jesus' Resurrection'. How this will come about, we do not know, and it is pointless to speculate.

WE are not just travelling along a road that leads nowhere. Our existence has a destination rather than a mere termination. All that we do has meaning and value because it prepares us for the moment when the final Judge will decide our destiny in the afterlife. This though gives us the incentive to strive always for the noble and the worthy in life, and to check the selfish and sinful tendencies that can deflect us from the straight and narrow path of virtue.

As we approach the end of the liturgical year, our readings are a reminder that we will one day sleep in the dust of the earth and that human existence has radical finitude. Of course, they may be very confronting to contemplate, but it can be unwise to look too far into the future, particularly when we might just be speculating on what might occur. As scripture tells us "today has enough troubles of its own"

However, within his description of the end of the physical world, Jesus yet again offers something to hope for. The sun will be darkened, the moon will lose its brightness, the stars will come falling from heaven and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. Heaven and earth will pass away but my words will not pass away.

Mind you, Jesus does add that his followers will be persecuted for their beliefs. He never suggested that following him would be a bloodless affair, but he sees in suffering an opportunity for the courage of witness. Our whole community of faith lives in awe of the men and women who value their faith over their life, who refuse to change their commitment to the Gospel for the sake of their own survival. They live the truth not only of the words of Jesus but the pattern of his life.
 
In the face of such finality, you might wonder where to turn for comfort. Where is the joy and hope that was so dominant in the teachings of Jesus? Always the realist, Jesus is trying to make faith face the reality of suffering in the world and not turn its back on the evil and suffering in the world. His is not a faith that refuses to pay attention to the difficult questions.

Be it Star-wars, nuclear war, greenhouse effect, acid rain, destruction of the ozone layer., the possibilities are endless. Jesus words speak to us of a possible present reality. The end of the physical world has always has been a present reality – every epoch has predicted the immediate end, as seen in the destruction of Jerusalem thought to be the final destruction of the world. Most probably our own evil will well up and destroy our world and ourselves. Although the known world will be altered beyond recognition, one thing will be constant throughout - the word of God will never pass away.

It may seem that there are no ready answers to the questions posed in the Gospel because they are our questions as well. There are times when all our faith can do is endure, and that is what Jesus seems to be asking of his disciples: to endure in spite of horror and suffering, because if we had the answers then our faith would not need to endure, we would have no need to pray for the strength of our faith.
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References:

Homily – Fr Peter Dillon

Prologue - Fr Paul W. Kelly

SUNDAYS AND HOLY DAY LITURGIES. YEAR B. FLOR MCCARTHY S.D.B.

SHARING THE WORD THROUGH THE LITURGICAL YEAR. GUSTAVO GUTIERREZ.

My Daily Visitor reflections, Nov/Dec 2010.

(Image – licensed Shutterstock ID: 1576586653 - LUND, SWEDEN - NOVEMBER 23, 2019: The roof of the high choir in the Cathedral of Lund is dominated by a six-foot-high absidic mosaic depicting the return of Jesus, shaped like a Christ Pantocrator. -Lund, Sweden --By crimson)

Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time. Year B   (Sunday, November 14, 2021)  (EPISODE:  333)
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (or/ The Lord be with You)
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{{Kindness and grace  to you all}} welcome everyone, we gather -  To offer or praise, prayers and intercessions to our loving God

Coming together as Gods family, let us call to mind our sins. 

I confess to almighty God and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have greatly sinned, in my thoughts and in my words, in what I have done and in what I have failed to do, through my fault, through my fault,* through my most grievous fault; therefore I ask blessed Mary ever-Virgin, all the Angels and Saints, and you, my brothers and sisters, to pray for me to the Lord our God.

May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life.  Amen.

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Memorial Acclamation
3. Save us, Saviour of the world, for by your Cross and Resurrection you have set us free.
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Ps 16: 5+8, 9-10, 11. "Keep me safe, O God; you are my hope."

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION (Luke 21: 36). Alleluia, alleluia! Be watchful and ready. You know not when the Son of Man is coming.
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PREFACE: Sundays II
EP I
(theme variation: 3 )

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{Thanks everyone, and have a grace-filled and compassion-filled week. }

Go forth, the Mass is ended.

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Archive of homilies and reflections:  http://homilycatholic.blogspot.com.au
To contact Fr. Paul, please email:  paulwkelly68@gmail.com

To listen to our weekly homily audio podcast, please click this link here:  https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/tracks

You are welcome to subscribe to Fr Paul's homily mail-out by sending an email to this address: paulkellyreflections+subscribe@googlegroups.com

Further information relating to the audio productions linked to this Blog:
"Faith, Hope and Love - Christian worship and reflection"  - Led by Rev Paul Kelly

Prayers and chants  — Roman Missal, 3rd edition, © 2010, The International Commission on English in the liturgy. (ICEL)

Scriptures - New Revised Standard Version: © 1989,  and 2009 by the NCC-USA. (National Council of Churches of Christ - USA)

"The Psalms" ©1963, 2009,  The Grail - Collins publishers.

Prayers of the Faithful -   " Together we pray" by Robert Borg'.   E.J. Dwyer, Publishers, (1993) . (Sydney Australia).

Sung "Mass In Honour of St. Ralph Sherwin" -  By Jeffrey M. Ostrowski. The Gloria, Copyright © 2011 ccwatershed.org.

- "Faith, Hope and Love" theme hymn - in memory of William John (Bill) Kelly (1942-2017) -  Inspired by 1 Corinthians 13:1-13. Music by Paul W. Kelly. Arranged and sung, with additional lyrics by Stefan Kelk. 2019.

"Quiet Time."  Instrumental Reflection music. Written by Paul W Kelly. 1988, 2007. & This arrangement: Stefan Kelk, 2020.

- "Today I Arise" - For Trisha J Kelly.  Original words and music by Paul W. Kelly. Inspired by St Patrick's Prayer.  Arranged and sung, with additional lyrics by Stefan Kelk. 2019.

Sound Engineering and editing -  P.W. Kelly.

v Microphones: -      RODE-NT-USB-mini

v Editing equipment:    NCH software - MixPad Multitrack Studio Recording Software

v NCH – WavePad Audio Editing Software. Masters Edition v 12.44

v Sound Processing:  iZotope RX 6 Audio Editor

[Production -  KER -  2021]

May God bless and keep you.
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Fwd: Catholic: Remembrance Day Ceremony - (please begin playing this link at 10.56 am and 30 seconds)

You are welcome to play this commemoration at 10:56:30 am on Thursday 11th of November 2021. To commemorate Remembrance Day

Lest We Forget

Click here to play - https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/remembrance-day-11th-11th-2020?si=904013abbf124533ba8630c772ff60ac

Remembrance Day

11 November 2021 marks the 103rd Anniversary of the Armistice which ended the First World War (1914–18).

One hundred and three years ago, on 11 November 1918, the guns of the Western Front fell silent after four years of continuous warfare. The Australian Corps had been at the forefront of the allied advance to victory. The victory had come at a heavy cost. In the four years of the war more than 330,000 Australians had served overseas, and more than 60,000 of them had died. The social effects of these losses cast a long shadow over the postwar decades. (World war one is considered the most deadly war in human history: The total number of military and civilian casualties in World War I, was around 40 million. There were 20 million deaths and 21 million wounded. The total number of deaths includes 9.7 million military personnel and about 10 million civilians**)
Each year on this day Australians observe one minute's silence at 11 am, in memory of those who died or suffered in all wars and armed conflicts.

We pause to listen to the recitation of "the Ode," then "The Last Post," followed by one minute's silence and concluded by the Rouse.

{They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old; Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning, We will remember them}.

(people respond). We will remember them.

Last Post

(One Minute Silence)

Rouse

leader: 'Lest we forget."
r/ 'Lest we forget."

(Shutterstock licensed image -ID: 261784079 ---Anzac army slouch hat with Australian Flag on vintage wood background. By Milleflore Images)

Thirty-Second Sunday Ordinary Time. Year B - Sunday, November 7, 2021 (EPISODE: 332)

Readings for Thirty-Second Sunday Ordinary Time. Year B
FIRST READING: 1 Kgs 17: 10-16
Ps 146: 6c-7, 8-9a, 9b-10. "Praise the Lord, my soul! "
SECOND READING: Heb 9: 24-28
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION (Matt 5: 3). Alleluia, alleluia! Happy the poor in Spirit; The Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
GOSPEL: Mark 12: 38-44 or 12: 41-44

Image Credit: Shutterstock ID: 669705 -Widow's Mite. Jesus commends a poor widow for giving generously.-By Hannah Gleghorn
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Please listen to the audio recordings of the Mass – (Readings, prayers and homily), for Thirty-Second Sunday Ordinary Time. Year B - Sunday, November 7, 2021, by clicking this link here: https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/faith-hope-and-love-32nd-sunday-ordinary-b-episode-332-shorter?si=a7b54fcfcdaf4d14a18e1fba257b0351
(EPISODE: 332)
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* (Prologue: Fr Paul Kelly)
A little statistical example to show what Our Lord saw, behind all the 'smoke and mirrors' show going on with many of the donors at the Temple - 
Imagine there are four people wanting to donate to the treasury.   And also imagine that before they publicly put their coins into the treasury they first had to go to a private room and convert their donation to special coins which represented how much they were giving as a proportion of their total wealth. So these special coins would be worth 1 per cent of the person's wealth, irrespective of how much or little they were giving...  
The results are very revealing: 
 Fairly wealthy person 1 - intending to give 1000 denarius out of his 10,000 denarius savings =  is given ten coins to put into the treasury. 
 
Very wealthy person 2 -  three thousand out of his 50,000 savings  = six coins 
 
Extremely wealthy person 3 -   10,000 out of his 200,000 savings = five coins 
 
Poor widow -  for her intended donation of 3 small pennies out of her 3 penny savings -  100 coins 
 
Notice, in this process, the richest donor is not giving as much as some less well off but still wealthy donors, proportionately.  And of course, the widow is the most generous and committed by a huge margin. 
no wonder our lord praises her generosity,  faith and commitment -  
This lady doesn’t just "pip" the others by a small amount -  she smashes them out of the ballpark.

I reckon that if the above system was used in donations, publicly flaunting ones total would quickly be dispensed with, as it would not be as flattering to many. 
This weekend, in the scriptures, we come across two different types of behaviour. The scribes openly seek power, the honour that goes with it and the exploitation that gains it. Whilst the widow in the first reading and the widow in the gospel are generous. One group takes while the other group gives without counting the cost. Are we takers or givers?  Generosity is a tricky thing in a culture defined by independence. We are tempted to focus our responsibility on taking care of our own needs and desires//.

"Whilst we may not match the confidence and complete selflessness of the widow's trust in God, we can certainly keep growing in our desire to give much more than we take.

And, the ones who are giving the most, in terms of total dedication to Jesus' values, are not the ones who are most visible …….

It is possible to be appearing to be doing enough and giving enough, but only God sees into the human heart and truly knows what we are capable of. God knows the circumstances of each of our lives, and values and rejoices in all that is done with what we have; irrespective of how much it amounts to in quantity or by comparison with others.

Jesus sits watching as many people come by and donate to the temple treasury… to the people of Israel, donating to the Temple treasury was considered to be giving a donation to God…… // Jesus sees what everyone else is seeing… or more precisely, anyone else could have noticed what Jesus saw… if they were really looking… but only Our Lord sees what is really happening.

There is a surprising contrast in this incident, There are those whose lives are publicly dedicated to serving God, but in actual fact, they ARE NOT entirely committed to God. In essence, despite their grand show, they are holding a lot of things back…. They HAVE a lot of money and worldly possessions, and they are giving generously…. But (our Lord perceives that) they are only giving from their excess……(from what they can well spare to give, whilst still having plenty more). They keep a lot more for themselves…. They are not completely dedicated to the cause…..They are saving most of their possessions for themselves….. or for a rainy day…. But how much does one need for a rainy day??.....(that's like asking, "how long is a piece of string?,,,, )……. so they keep most of what they have for themselves and refuse to use it for the good of others. They trust in their own resources and not God's providence… and they put their potential future needs before the real AND ACTUAL needs of those around them, if they bothered to notice them….

And then there is this poor widow, who is in actual need and has very little to live one…. But she is TOTALLY committed to God's vision. She has invested and trusted in God's Kingdom totally… and is willing to invest her last penny in God's Kingdom….. //…. If everyone did that, there would be no more poverty, no one going without the basics of life while others hoard more than their fair share for a rainy day that may never arrive…..

Jesus is not teaching us to be reckless or irresponsible… but he is inviting us to commit ourselves totally to his vision of the Kingdom….

We are again invited to look beyond appearances…. Not to judge by outward appearances…… to trust in God's providence….. to not to hold back our gifts, talents and generosity ///

And we need to get rid of measuring the value of things in terms of quantity //……and focus more on quality We again realise, from this gospel, not to judge by earthly standards…. And to give from the heart… and realise that everyone may be giving as much as they can even if it might not look like a lot in comparison with others…. We cannot see into others' hearts and minds…. And all of us are called to respond in trust, with generosity, in a non-judgmental way……and above all ….with Love…. To give 100 per cent to the values and person of Christ…

Also, the other beautiful thing is: -- Jesus really Cares!!! And he invites us to have this attitude too…..; Jesus notices the people around him and the meaning of their actions….!!! // he sees beyond mere appearances and sees what is real. …. Jesus not only notices this unobtrusive and humble lady……. But he also notices that this lady has given everything she had…and was, surprisingly to everyone else, actually the most generous person to have donated that day. Meanwhile, almost everyone else not only didn't realise the profound generosity of this humble lady, but also the injustice of the system that doesn't care about the needs of people like this, nor do anything to help. If this system was working according to God's desire, that money would hae been contributing to the needs of people precisely like her. and meanwhile… people probably didn't even notice her at all….. !!
But Our Lord did !!!
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(Homily: Fr Peter Dillon).


In today's homily, I want to talk about that tainted thing we call money. It's been on my mind recently with people splurging on the Melbourne Cup, a $60 million dollar gold Lotto prize, historically low loan rates and astronomically high housing costs, so I can presume it's on your mind also. And so it should be since the one single, most accurate and reliable measure of our spiritual lives and where we stand with God is how we use our money. Now I know that sounds odd, but in truth money is necessary to live. We work for it, spend it and try to save it. It takes up a huge proportion of our life and we spend most of our energy and time acquiring it. Certainly, we might claim we should try to live, relying only on God's goodness and generosity, but realistically we live in a world that expects people to earn and spend. If that stops then so does our life, at least theoretically since we have never tried another way of living. Living on trust in God alone.

Clearly, Jesus must have known the pressure on people of his time to have the security that money appears to offer because 16 of the 32 parables he teaches were about how to handle money. In the entire Bible, there are 500 verses on prayer, 400 on faith and 2000 on money and possessions. What Jesus knew and we know all too well that money is an attractive hazard. It is powerful, sustaining and can bring great joy when used wisely. It can also push us to excess, to pride and idolatry. Rather than tell us to remove money from our lives altogether, he wanted us to know that we are not owners of our money but stewards of it. He suggests that money is on loan to us for the needs of others and will become the only basis of our final judgment. How wisely did we use the opportunities we were given for generosity?

It's been said that the true measure of generosity can be measured by what is left after we give to others. This statement suggests that we have to give something that will cost us something. This is not just giving what we can live without, but what we can't live without or don't want to live without. This kind of giving hurts, but this is also known as love in action, this is when the gift becomes a sacrifice. But how will it benefit the giver? What's in it for them?

From a Christian perspective, it is possible to give without losing, in fact, to give away can be a way of gaining. Take as a metaphor a single candle that lights many others. The original candle can do so without being diminished. It's able to share its light without losing its own.

So there is a sense that we can share what we own without being impoverished. Of course, we are not simply talking here about material things, but things like our time, our knowledge and expertise, our sense of kindness and tolerance. This type of giving liberates the soul of the giver. We are asked to give not just from our abundance but from our substance. That kind of giving always hurts, because it might leave us feeling insecure and uncertain of how we might manage. It might make us feel like we have no more to give, but it's that kind of giving that count with Jesus.
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References:

Homily – fr peter Dillon

Prologue - Fr Paul W. Kelly

((1)http://www.loyolapress.com/32nd-sunday-in-ordinary-time-b-sunday-connection.htm)

Image Credit: Shutterstock ID: 669705 -Widow's Mite. Jesus commends a poor widow for giving generously.-By Hannah Gleghorn

Thirty-Second Sunday Ordinary Time. Year B (Sunday, November 7, 2021)
(EPISODE: 332)

The Lord be with you.
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{{Peace and Patience to you all}} welcome everyone, we gather - Reflect upon the Holy Scriptures and the values of the Lord. 

Brothers and sisters, as we prepare ourselves to celebrate the Lord's supper, let us recall our sins and acknowledge them in silence.

sung (or Lord Jesus, you have revealed yourself as the way to the Father: Lord, have mercy//You have poured out on your people the Spirit of truth: Christ, have mercy//You are the Good Shepherd, leading us to eternal life: Lord have mercy)

May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life. Amen.
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Memorial Acclamation
2. When we eat this Bread and drink this Cup, we proclaim your Death, O Lord, until you come again.
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Ps 146: 6c-7, 8-9a, 9b-10. "Praise the Lord, my soul! "

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION (Matt 5: 3). Alleluia, alleluia! Happy the poor in Spirit; The Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
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PREFACE: Sundays I
EP II
(theme variation: 2 )

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{I pray this week brings you an ever deeper experience of Our Lord's compassion and love}

Go in peace.(glorifying the Lord by your life)

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Archive of homilies and reflections: http://homilycatholic.blogspot.com.au
To contact Fr. Paul, please email: paulwkelly68@gmail.com

To listen to our weekly homily audio podcast, please click this link here: https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/tracks

You are welcome to subscribe to Fr Paul's homily mail-out by sending an email to this address: paulkellyreflections+subscribe@googlegroups.com

Further information relating to the audio productions linked to this Blog:
"Faith, Hope and Love - Christian worship and reflection" - Led by Rev Paul Kelly

Prayers and chants — Roman Missal, 3rd edition, © 2010, The International Commission on English in the liturgy. (ICEL)

Scriptures - New Revised Standard Version: © 1989, and 2009 by the NCC-USA. (National Council of Churches of Christ - USA)

"The Psalms" ©1963, 2009, The Grail - Collins publishers.

Prayers of the Faithful - " Together we pray" by Robert Borg'. E.J. Dwyer, Publishers, (1993) . (Sydney Australia).

Sung "Mass In Honour of St. Ralph Sherwin" - By Jeffrey M. Ostrowski. The Gloria, Copyright © 2011 ccwatershed.org.

- "Faith, Hope and Love" theme hymn - in memory of William John (Bill) Kelly (1942-2017) - Inspired by 1 Corinthians 13:1-13. Music by Paul W. Kelly. Arranged and sung, with additional lyrics by Stefan Kelk. 2019.

"Quiet Time." Instrumental Reflection music. Written by Paul W Kelly. 1988, 2007. & This arrangement: Stefan Kelk, 2020.

- "Today I Arise" - For Trisha J Kelly. Original words and music by Paul W. Kelly. Inspired by St Patrick's Prayer. Arranged and sung, with additional lyrics by Stefan Kelk. 2019.

Sound Engineering and editing - P.W. Kelly.
Microphones: -                        
Sennheiser MK4 Cardioid Condenser;
and Shure Motiv MV5 Digital Condenser.

Editing equipment: NCH software - MixPad Multitrack Studio Recording Software

NCH – WavePad Audio Editing Software. Masters Edition v 12.44

Sound Processing: iZotope RX 6 Audio Editor

[ Production - KER - 2021]

May God bless and keep you.
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