Friday of the Thirty-fourth week in Ordinary Time

Book of Daniel

In a vision I, Daniel, saw during the night, the four winds of heaven stirred up the great sea,
from which emerged four immense beasts, each different from the others.
The first was like a lion, but with eagle's wings. While I watched, the wings were plucked; it was raised from the ground to stand on two feet like a man, and given a human mind.
The second was like a bear; it was raised up on one side, and among the teeth in its mouth were three tusks. It was given the order, "Up, devour much flesh."
After this I looked and saw another beast, like a leopard; on its back were four wings like those of a bird, and it had four heads. To this beast dominion was given.
After this, in the visions of the night I saw the fourth beast, different from all the others, terrifying, horrible, and of extraordinary strength; it had great iron teeth with which it devoured and crushed, and what was left it trampled with its feet.
I was considering the ten horns it had, when suddenly another, a little horn, sprang out of their midst, and three of the previous horns were torn away to make room for it. This horn had eyes like a man, and a mouth that spoke arrogantly.
As I watched, Thrones were set up and the Ancient One took his throne. His clothing was snow bright, and the hair on his head as white as wool; His throne was flames of fire, with wheels of burning fire.
A surging stream of fire flowed out from where he sat; Thousands upon thousands were ministering to him, and myriads upon myriads attended him. The court was convened, and the books were opened.
I watched, then, from the first of the arrogant words which the horn spoke, until the beast was slain and its body thrown into the fire to be burnt up.
The other beasts, which also lost their dominion, were granted a prolongation of life for a time and a season.
As the visions during the night continued, I saw One like a son of man coming, on the clouds of heaven; When he reached the Ancient One and was presented before him,
He received dominion, glory, and kingship; nations and peoples of every language serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that shall not be taken away, his kingship shall not be destroyed.

Book of Daniel

Mountains and hills, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.
Everything growing from the earth, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.
You springs, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.
Seas and rivers, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.
You dolphins and all water creatures, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.
All you birds of the air, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.
All you beasts, wild and tame, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke

Jesus told his disciples a parable. “Consider the fig tree and all the other trees.
When their buds burst open, you see for yourselves and know that summer is now near;
in the same way, when you see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near.
Amen, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place.
Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away."

St. Charles of Jesus(Priest (1858-1916))

SAINT CHARLES OF JESUS Charles de Foucauld Priest (1858-1916) St. Charles of Jesus was born at Strasbourg, France, on September 15, 1858. Orphaned at 6, he and his sister Marie were raised by their grandfather: in whose footsteps he followed by taking up a military career. As an adolescent, Charles lost his faith. Upon receiving an inheritance, he squandered his wealth like the prodigal son (Lk. 15:11-32). Hedonism checked his progress at the military academy, but his resilience was also proven. In 1883, he undertook a risky exploration of Morocco. Upon seeing the way Muslims expressed their faith, Charles questioned God and began repeating, ‘‘My God, if you exist, let me come to know you.’’ After Charles returned to France, the warm, respectful welcome he received from his deeply Christian family made him continue his search. Under the guidance of Fr. Huvelin, Charles rediscovered God in October 1886. He was 28 years old. ‘‘As soon as I believed in God, I understood that I could not do otherwise than to live for him alone.’’ A pilgrimage to the Holy Land revealed Charles' vocation: following Jesus in a life at Nazareth. Charles spent 7 years as a Trappist in France, and then at Akbès in Syria. Afterward, he led a solitary life of prayer and adoration near a convent of Poor Clares in Nazareth. Ordained at 43, Fr. Charles left for the Sahara, living at first in Beni Abbès and later at Tamanrasset among the Tuaregs of the Hoggar. He wanted to be among those who were ‘‘the furthest removed, the most abandoned.’’ He wanted all who drew close to him to find in him a brother, ‘‘a universal brother.’’ With great respect for the culture and the faith among those he lived, his desire was to ‘‘shout the Gospel with his life.’’ ‘‘I would like to be sufficiently good that people would say, ‘If such is the servant, what must the Master be like?'’’ On the evening of December 1, 1916, Fr. Charles was killed by bandits who encircled his house. Miracles following his death prove that he attained the beatific vision: seeing God face to face. St. Charles, standing next to the Lord, hears our prayers and asks God with perfect faith. St. Charles always dreamed of sharing his vocation with others. After writing several rules for religious life, he concluded that the ‘‘life of Nazareth,’’ seeking God in an active and contemplative life, could be led by all. Today, the spiritual family of St. Charles de Foucauld encompasses several associations, religious communities and secular institutes for both priests and lay people.

St. Eligius(Bishop († 665))

SAINT ELIGIUSBishop( 665) Eligius, a goldsmith at Paris, was commissioned by King Clotaire to make a throne. The gold and precious stones given to him were so many that he made two instead. Struck by Eligius' rare honesty, King Clotaire gave him a position at the royal court. At court, Eligius mortified his senses and prayed regularly. He had a marvellous zeal for redeeming captives, and for their deliverance would sell his jewels, food, clothes and his very shoes. Through prayer and acts of mercy, he restored people's union with God: becoming like Jesus Christ and "leading captives in his train" (Eph 4:8, Ps 68:18). For all his activity, he delighted in making shrines for relics. A remarkably virtuous person, Eligius was consecrated Bishop of Noyon. He possessed gifts of miracles and prophecy. Death could not put an end to so great a love; and so Jesus took him up on the last day.

St. Florence()

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Category: Mass by Year / Catholic Missal 2023 / Catholic Missal of december 2023