Tag: disciple

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Twenty-Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Jesus' hand

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Mass Readings

Reading 1: Isaiah 53:10-11
Responsorial: Psalm 33:4-5, 18-19, 20, 22
Reading 2: Hebrews 4:14-16
Gospel: Mark 10:35-45 or 10:42-45

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/101721.cfm
https://www.deaconrudysnotes.org/

Welcome back for another edition of deacon rudy’s notes. I’m your host, Deacon Rudy Villarreal and together we’re going to break open the Word!

In today’s Gospel, Jesus says, “I came to serve, not to be served” (Mark 10:45). What a powerful line – a powerful theme – that’s at the heart of what it means to be a Christian disciple – service. It’s also at the center of so many our vocation stories. I’d like to share a little bit of my story with you.

When I was in high school, I wanted to be an attorney. I wanted to earn my first million by the time I turned twenty-one! And then of course that movie came out. You know, the one with Tom Cruise and Jack Nicholson – A Few Good Men. Who didn’t want to be the suave debonair attorney in a courtroom saying, “I want the truth!”

Man, did I have a plan!

One day, there was an event going on at school and an event going on at the parish. So, my dad let me take the other car and go to school first and then come to the church when it was finished. I remember walking into the parish hall, and some adult I didn’t know saw me. He jumped out of his chair and rushed over to me. He said, “You must be our new seminarian.” In my heart of hearts I said, “good one, Lord, but I’ve got plans.”

Things like that kept happening to me – too many to share today. I even had a series of conversations with the director of campus ministry, a priest, about my call. Ultimately, I told him that I believed I was being called to married life. I thought that was that! Man was I wrong!

The next year I met this beautiful girl. A few years later, we married. And a few years later, we started a family. But we both kept feeling this call to serve. So, we served in a variety of ways – as a couple, as a family, as individuals. But for me, something was missing.

So, I kicked it up a notch. I became an acolyte much like our CALM up here. One year, I was coordinating the altar servers. The diocese had a workshop for altar servers in Belton. So, some parents and I took a group of altar servers to Belton. While I was there, I ran into an old college buddy who I hadn’t seen in years. He saw me, threw his arms in the air and he bounded up to me and said, “Father, Rudy!” In my heart of hearts, I said, “Well played, Lord, well played.”

I felt God was trying to send me a message. I felt I was being invited to be a deacon. So, I went home and I talked with my wife. After some discussion, prayer and some tears, we decided to speak with Father. And then we decided to attend an inquiry session. An inquiry session is an opportunity to learn more about the diaconate, to learn about the application process, and to learn about the formation process. And the rest is history.

What about you? Does any of that sound familiar to you? When you hear Jesus say, “I came to serve,” does something in your heart stir? Have you ever considered serving God as a priest, a deacon or a consecrated religious brother or sister?

You might be thinking, “Hold on now, Deacon! Don’t ask me that question! I can’t serve! Jesus doesn’t want a person like me!”

I get it! I used to think that way and to be honest, sometimes I doubt my call. I remember saying to Jesus, “You don’t want me! I’m a dreamer! I’m a big picture guy! I’m not the best or the brightest or the most organized. I don’t like the straight path! I like to meander my way through the woods and take my time. You don’t want me, Lord.”

God addressed my concern on the radio, believe or not! I remember listening to KLOVE, and someone rattled off a list of people in Scripture who have problems, yet God was able to work through them. Now, I don’t remember the whole list, but it went something like this. Isaac, one of the patriarchs was blind. Jacob who led his family to Canaan, walked with a limp after wrestling with the angel Lord. Rahab, that important spy who helped the people capture Jericho, was a prostitute. Moses spoke with a stutter. Peter denied Jesus three times. James and John in today’s Gospel asked Jesus, “What’s in it for us?” And Paul stood by and watched as Stephen, one of the first deacons of the church, was stoned to death.

God said to all of them, Despite all your problems and faults, I can work with you. He said to me, Rudy, despite all your problems and faults, I can work with you. And he says to each and every one of you, I can most assuredly work with you.

Okay, next question. Why does Jesus need me? Aren’t there enough priests, and deacons and religious brothers and sisters in this world? And the short answer is no.

But the need in our own parish is great!

There are retired people in our parish who think to themselves, “This isn’t what I had in mind for retirement.” Maybe their independence is threatened because their bodies aren’t cooperating or the money they saved for retirement is running out too fast.

Do you know, there are grandparents whose adult children are so busy trying to meet the challenges of life that they can’t bring their own kids to faith formation classes? So, the grandparents who believe it’s important for their grandchildren to be grounded in the faith bring their grandkids to faith formation classes.

There are single parents who struggle like so many people living paycheck to paycheck. The come to mass, and they feel completely alone.

I was reminded last night that there are also people in our community who are hurting over the loss of their spouse or a close family member. And they’re trying to figure out what’s their role in life now that their children have grown up and left the house.

The need is great right here, right now. None of those people want the Church to solve their problems them. But they need us to be here in ministry – to walk with them on their journey of faith. They need you right here, right now. Will you answer the call?

Ladies, next Wednesday, Project Miriam is hosting a dinner at St. William for young, single ladies who would like to know more about becoming a religious sister. Just go on to the Diocese of Austin’s vocations website to RSVP.

To the single men of our community, the diocese is hosting a dinner next Thursday at the Cathedral for men considering the priesthood. Just go on to the diocese’s vocations page to RSVP or talk with Father.

Gentlemen, if you’ve between the ages of 30 to 59 and wondered whether Jesus is calling you to be a deacon, then I have really good news for you! The diocese will begin hosting inquiry sessions at various locations beginning this November and running through next Spring. An inquiry session is where you can learn more about what it means to be a deacon, the application process, and the formation process. I encourage you to check it out. Talk to Father. Talk to me. Talk to any one of my brother deacons or our wives. We’d love to listen to how God is calling you and we’d love to share some more of our vocations stories with you.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus invites you to a life of service. What are you waiting for?

Homework! Nourished by the Word of God and by the Eucharist, I encourage you to reflect on the following question.

Jesus said he came to serve, not to be served. Ask yourself, “How am I answering Jesus’ invitation to serve?”

Do you got it? Do you get it? Good! Now go make disciples! May each of us come to know the grace and peace of our Lord, Jesus Christ! +Amen!

You’re listening to deacon rudy’s notes. Our theme music was composed by Silent Partner. You can find all sorts of helpful information on the website at www.deaconrudysnotes.org. I’m Deacon Rudy Villarreal. Join me again next weekend as we break open the Word! Peace!

Image Credit: Unknown. JPG file.

References:
1. Healy, Mary. Hebrews. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2016. Kindle.
2. Healy, Mary. The Gospel of Mark. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2008. Kindle.
3. Montague, George T. SM. Mark: A Popular Commentary on the Earliest Gospel. Steubenville, Ohio: Franciscan University Press, 1992.

Catechism References http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc.htm:
1. Christ as truly man: 467-70
2. Jesus’ temptations: 538-40
3. Jesus’ sacrifice: 599-618, 1225
4. Jesus’ sinlessness: 612
5. Christ the high priest: 662, 1137, 1544-45
6. Authority as service: 876, 2235
7. Jesus’ sympathy for us: 2602
8. Confidence before God: 2777-8

Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/101721.cfm
Lectionary: 146

Reading 1
Isaiah 53:10-11
The LORD was pleased
to crush him in infirmity.

If he gives his life as an offering for sin,
he shall see his descendants in a long life,
and the will of the LORD shall be accomplished through him.

Because of his affliction
he shall see the light in fullness
of days;
through his suffering, my servant shall justify many,
and their guilt he shall bear.

Responsorial
Psalm 33:4-5, 18-19, 20, 22
R. (22) Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.
Upright is the word of the LORD,
and all his works are trustworthy.
He loves justice and right;
of the kindness of the LORD the earth is full.
R. Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.
See, the eyes of the LORD are upon those who fear him,
upon those who hope for his kindness,
To deliver them from death
and preserve them in spite of famine.
R. Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.
Our soul waits for the LORD,
who is our help and our shield.
May your kindness, O LORD, be upon us
who have put our hope in you.
R. Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.

Reading 2
Hebrews 4:14-16
Brothers and sisters:
Since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens,
Jesus, the Son of God,
let us hold fast to our confession.
For we do not have a high priest
who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses,
but one who has similarly been tested in every way,
yet without sin.
So let us confidently approach the throne of grace
to receive mercy and to find grace for timely help.

Alleluia
Mark 10:45
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The Son of Man came to serve
and to give his life as a ransom for many.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel
Mark 10:35-45 or 10:42-45
James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus and said to him,
“Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.”
He replied, “What do you wish me to do for you?”
They answered him, “Grant that in your glory
we may sit one at your right and the other at your left.”
Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking.
Can you drink the cup that I drink
or be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?”
They said to him, “We can.”
Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink, you will drink,
and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized;
but to sit at my right or at my left is not mine to give
but is for those for whom it has been prepared.”
When the ten heard this, they became indignant at James and John.
Jesus summoned them and said to them,
“You know that those who are recognized as rulers over the Gentiles
lord it over them,
and their great ones make their authority over them felt.
But it shall not be so among you.
Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant;
whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all.
For the Son of Man did not come to be served
but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

OR:

Jesus summoned the twelve and said to them,
“You know that those who are recognized as rulers over the Gentiles
lord it over them,
and their great ones make their authority over them felt.
But it shall not be so among you.
Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant;
whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all.
For the Son of Man did not come to be served
but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

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Twenty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

the word discipline

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Mass Readings

Reading 1: Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6-8
Responsorial: Psalm 15:2-5
Reading 2: James 1:17-18, 21b-22, 27
Gospel: Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/082921.cfm
https://www.deaconrudysnotes.org/

Welcome back for another edition of deacon rudy’s notes! I’m Deacon Rudy Villarreal, and together we’re going to break open the Word!

Today I’d like to share some thoughts about our Gospel from this past weekend. We heard excerpts from the Gospel according to Mark Chapter 7. Some Pharisees and scribes confronted Jesus wanting to know why his disciples were not following the letter of the Jewish discipline concerning washing hands.

Jesus quotes Isaiah saying, “This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me…” (Mark 7:6). He goes on to say that the people, “…disregard God’s commandment but cling to human tradition.” (Mark 7:8)

Now, this is a really interesting place to pause. You see, our Protestant brothers and sisters or even those who stand outside the Church might accuse Catholics of sharing this in common with the Pharisees and scribes. We cling to traditions and customs and lose sight of God’s commandment.

Well, to the uninformed, I guess it would be easy to jump to that conclusion. But nothing could be further from the truth. You see, Catholics do not believe in and teach rules and regulations or disciplines for the sake of our traditions.

Let’s walk through that for just a minute.

We Catholics are disciples of Christ Jesus. As disciples, we observe certain disciplines. Some of these disciplines are from Scripture. Some of these disciplines come from Tradition – both capital “T” and lower case “t” traditions. Some of our disciplines come from our doctrine or our teachings based on Scripture and Tradition.

Ok, but why bother with any sort of discipline at all? Ok, it’s time for a brief lesson in Latin. Full disclosure: I don’t speak Latin. Well, according to The German Etymological Dictionary (Kluge 23rd edition, 1999), the word “discipline” comes from the Latin disciplina. Disciplina comes from the Latin word discipulus or disciple. It also means student. The root of discipulus is discipere which means “to learn.” <1>

If the root of “discipline” is “to learn,” then our Catholic disciplines are designed to teach us about our faith in God, in Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Spirit. This is really important to remember because sometimes our family and friends can get really hung up on a particular “rule” in the Church and question why something has changed or why something hasn’t changed. Instead of questioning the legitimacy of a change, we should ask ourselves, “What fruit would that change produce? Will that change help us learn more about our faith?”

A great example is the Catholic practice of abstaining from meat on Fridays during Lent. Now, we don’t do that so that we can over-indulge in decadent seafood that we would not normally eat. The fruit of the disciple of self-denial is to help us focus on everything but our bellies. Is the way we live our lives consistent with our professed faith in Christ Jesus? But this practice was not just limited to the Fridays during Lent, but all Fridays.

In 1966, the bishops of the United States allowed Catholics to seek alternative forms of penance on Fridays because meat had become fairly common in American culture. Now I didn’t know this, but even though the bishops at that time allowed for alternative forms of penance – by the way, I didn’t know that either that we are supposed to do some kind of penance every single Friday of the year. But even though the bishops at that time allowed for alternative forms of penance they continued to recommend that Catholics should continue to abstain from meat on Fridays throughout the entire liturgical year. <2>

I didn’t know that. There are some suggesting we should return to this discipline of austerity on all Fridays to stand against our consumerist culture and to help shine the light of Christ on how our excesses contribute to the problems in our country and of course to help us focus our attention on Jesus Christ. What an interesting idea, don’t you think?

That’s one example of a discipline whose purpose is to teach us and by proxy all those around us. So, don’t fall into the trap of parroting Church disciplines. Try to understand them and their impact on your faith life and the faith life of our family and friends.

Homework! Nourished by the Word of God and the Eucharist, I invite you to reflect on the following two questions.
First, what disciplines of our Church do you find helpful to you in your faith life?
Second, how can you help other people appreciate the value of discipline?

I think doing our homework will help us be the intentional disciples we are called to be! Do you got it? Do you get it? Good! Now go make disciples! May Almighty God bless you Father, Son and Holy Spirit. +Amen!

You’re listening to deacon rudy’s notes. Thank you for joining me today. Our theme music was composed by Silent Partner. You can find all sorts of helpful information on the website at www.deaconrudysnotes.org. I’m Deacon Rudy Villarreal. Join me again next weekend as we break open the Word. Peace!

Image: DISCIPLINE. Artist Unknown. JPEG.

Notes:
<1> https://latin.stackexchange.com/questions/126/on-the-etymology-of-discipulus-and-disciplina
<2> https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2021/08/23/climate-change-meatless-fridays-catholic-241270

Bibliography/Suggested Readings:
1. Anderson, Kelly and Daniel Keating. James, First, Second, and Third John. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2017. Kindle.
2. Healy, Mary. The Gospel of Mark. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2008. Kindle.
3. Montague, George T. SM. Mark: A Popular Commentary on the Earliest Gospel. Steubenville, Ohio: Franciscan University Press, 1992.

Catechism References http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc.htm:
1. Divine providence: 302-8
2. Jesus and Israel: 574-82
3. Jesus and the law: 577-82
4. Imitation of Christ: 1693-96
5. Human freedom: 1731-33
6. Conscience: 1776-77
7. Capital sins: 1866
8. The Old Law and the Gospel: 1961-74
9. Christian holiness: 2012-16
10. The heart: 2517-19, 2563
11. Purity: 2520

Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/082921.cfm
Lectionary: 125

Reading 1
Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6-8
Moses said to the people:
“Now, Israel, hear the statutes and decrees
which I am teaching you to observe,
that you may live, and may enter in and take possession of the land
which the LORD, the God of your fathers, is giving you.
In your observance of the commandments of the LORD, your God,
which I enjoin upon you,
you shall not add to what I command you nor subtract from it.
Observe them carefully,
for thus will you give evidence
of your wisdom and intelligence to the nations,
who will hear of all these statutes and say,
‘This great nation is truly a wise and intelligent people.’
For what great nation is there
that has gods so close to it as the LORD, our God, is to us
whenever we call upon him?
Or what great nation has statutes and decrees
that are as just as this whole law
which I am setting before you today?”

Responsorial
Psalm 15:2-3, 3-4, 4-5
R. (1a) The one who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord.
Whoever walks blamelessly and does justice;
who thinks the truth in his heart
and slanders not with his tongue.
R. The one who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord.
Who harms not his fellow man,
nor takes up a reproach against his neighbor;
by whom the reprobate is despised,
while he honors those who fear the LORD.
R. The one who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord.
Who lends not his money at usury
and accepts no bribe against the innocent.
Whoever does these things
shall never be disturbed.
R. The one who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord.

Reading 2
James 1:17-18, 21b-22, 27
Dearest brothers and sisters:
All good giving and every perfect gift is from above,
coming down from the Father of lights,
with whom there is no alteration or shadow caused by change.
He willed to give us birth by the word of truth
that we may be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

Humbly welcome the word that has been planted in you
and is able to save your souls.

Be doers of the word and not hearers only, deluding yourselves.

Religion that is pure and undefiled before God and the Father is this:
to care for orphans and widows in their affliction
and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

Alleluia
James 1:18
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The Father willed to give us birth by the word of truth
that we may be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel
Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23
When the Pharisees with some scribes who had come from Jerusalem
gathered around Jesus,
they observed that some of his disciples ate their meals
with unclean, that is, unwashed, hands.
—For the Pharisees and, in fact, all Jews,
do not eat without carefully washing their hands,
keeping the tradition of the elders.
And on coming from the marketplace
they do not eat without purifying themselves.
And there are many other things that they have traditionally observed,
the purification of cups and jugs and kettles and beds. —
So the Pharisees and scribes questioned him,
“Why do your disciples not follow the tradition of the elders
but instead eat a meal with unclean hands?”
He responded,
“Well did Isaiah prophesy about you hypocrites, as it is written:
This people honors me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me;
in vain do they worship me,
teaching as doctrines human precepts.
You disregard God’s commandment but cling to human tradition.”

He summoned the crowd again and said to them,
“Hear me, all of you, and understand.
Nothing that enters one from outside can defile that person;
but the things that come out from within are what defile.

“From within people, from their hearts,
come evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder,
adultery, greed, malice, deceit,
licentiousness, envy, blasphemy, arrogance, folly.
All these evils come from within and they defile.”

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The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

painting by fra agnelico called the visitation featuring mary visiting elizabeth and two servants

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Mass Readings

Reading 1: Revelation 11:19a; 12:1-6a, 10ab
Responsorial: Psalm 45:10-12, 16
Reading 2: 1 Corinthians 15:20-27
Gospel: Luke 1:39-56

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/081521-Day.cfm https://www.deaconrudysnotes.org/

Welcome back for another edition of deacon rudy’s notes! I’m Deacon Rudy Villarreal, and together we’re going to break open the Word!

This weekend marks the solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. And our readings this weekend celebrate Mary’s excellent example as Jesus’ first disciple. Mary serves as an excellent role model for all of us who struggle with living out our faith as disciples in our everyday lives.

In the Gospel, Elizabeth tells Mary, “Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.” (Luke 1:45)

Gosh, there are so many examples in the world around us where that demonstrate a lack of belief in Jesus’ words. I’m not just talking about the shocking number of Catholics who no longer believe in the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. Although that’s a biggie. I’m talking about politics and the pandemic.

If we believe that Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life, I think a lot less hot air would be shared in this world! Don’t get me wrong, we should be engaged in what is happening around us. But people talk as if politics is the very heart of their being. My brothers and sisters, Mary reminds us that our hope is not in government. Our hope is in Christ alone. Government is a tool.

Another line that pops out at me from the Gospel is, “Mary set out and travelled to the hill country in haste…” (Luke 1:39).

Now here’s Mary. She’s pregnant but runs off “in haste” to see her cousin. Why “haste?” Why did she leave with such urgency and speed?

While we don’t know the specific reasons – we can only speculate – Mary gives us yet another example about our lives as disciples.

Mary has Jesus within her, yet, Jesus is not a gift exclusively for Mary. Mary carries Jesus with her into the world sharing of herself, and by proxy, sharing Jesus with everyone she encounters, in this case, Elizabeth.

As a Catholic, I have the distinct honor and privilege to receive Jesus in the Eucharist every single day! Yes, the Eucharist should nourish us, but the Eucharist is not meant for our benefit alone. Like Mary, we need to go out into the world and bring the gift of Jesus Christ with us. We should bring Jesus with us everywhere we go in-person and online.

Before I share an article about politics or the pandemic online, as someone who has Jesus within, I should ask myself if my example will draw people to Jesus or away from Jesus. Before I complain about our Church leaders – about the Pope or the Bishop – I should ask myself if my comments will draw people toward Jesus or push them away. Before I viscously ridicule any elected official regardless of their politics, I need to ask myself if my words shine the light of Christ or spread the darkness of doubt.

That is a lot to consider. How can we, following Mary’s example, share Jesus in haste? That leads us to homework! Feeling the presence of Christ within us as we listen to the Word and receive the Eucharist, I encourage you to reflect on the following two questions. First, do a self-assessment. Do you believe that the way you’ve discussed politics, the pandemic or even the Church are examples of sharing Jesus with others? Second, as you consider Christ within, what grace should you ask Jesus for to help you?

I think doing our homework will help us live as authentic disciples of Christ Jesus! Do you got it? Do you get it? Good! Now go make disciples! May Almighty God bless you Father, Son and Holy Spirit. +Amen!

You’re listening to deacon rudy’s notes. Thank you for joining me today. Our theme music was composed by Silent Partner. You can find all sorts of helpful information on the website at www.deaconrudysnotes.org. I’m Deacon Rudy Villarreal. Join me again next weekend as we break open the Word. Peace!

Image: Public domain. Fra Angelico. Visitation. 1433-1434. JPG.

Bibliography/Suggested Readings:
1. Gadenz, Pablo T. The Gospel of Luke. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2018. Kindle.
2. Montague, George T. SM. First Corinthians. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2011. Kindle.

Catechism References http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc.htm:
1. Mary’s faith: 148, 273
2. Mary, the New Eve, assumed into heaven: 411, 966-71, 974-5, 2853
3. Promise to Abraham: 422, 706
4. Mary, Mother of God: 495
5. John the Baptist: 523
6. Visitation: 717
7. Mary, eschatological icon of the Church: 773, 829, 967, 972
8. Marian devotion: 971
9. Magnificat and Hail Mary: 2097, 2619, 2622, 2675-77
10. At prayer with Mary: 2673-9

Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/081521-Day.cfm
Mass during the Day
Lectionary: 622

Reading 1
Revelation 11:19a; 12:1-6a, 10ab
God’s temple in heaven was opened,
and the ark of his covenant could be seen in the temple.

A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun,
with the moon under her feet,
and on her head a crown of twelve stars.
She was with child and wailed aloud in pain as she labored to give birth.
Then another sign appeared in the sky;
it was a huge red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns,
and on its heads were seven diadems.
Its tail swept away a third of the stars in the sky
and hurled them down to the earth.
Then the dragon stood before the woman about to give birth,
to devour her child when she gave birth.
She gave birth to a son, a male child,
destined to rule all the nations with an iron rod.
Her child was caught up to God and his throne.
The woman herself fled into the desert
where she had a place prepared by God.

Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say:
“Now have salvation and power come,
and the Kingdom of our God
and the authority of his Anointed One.”

Responsorial
Psalm 45:10, 11, 12, 16
R. (10bc) The queen stands at your right hand, arrayed in gold.
The queen takes her place at your right hand in gold of Ophir.
R. The queen stands at your right hand, arrayed in gold.
Hear, O daughter, and see; turn your ear,
forget your people and your father’s house.
R. The queen stands at your right hand, arrayed in gold.
So shall the king desire your beauty;
for he is your lord.
R. The queen stands at your right hand, arrayed in gold.
They are borne in with gladness and joy;
they enter the palace of the king.
R. The queen stands at your right hand, arrayed in gold.

Reading 2
1 Corinthians 15:20-27
Brothers and sisters:
Christ has been raised from the dead,
the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
For since death came through man,
the resurrection of the dead came also through man.
For just as in Adam all die,
so too in Christ shall all be brought to life,
but each one in proper order:
Christ the firstfruits;
then, at his coming, those who belong to Christ;
then comes the end,
when he hands over the Kingdom to his God and Father,
when he has destroyed every sovereignty
and every authority and power.
For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.
The last enemy to be destroyed is death,
for “he subjected everything under his feet.”

Alleluia
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Mary is taken up to heaven;
a chorus of angels exults.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel
Luke 1:39-56
Mary set out
and traveled to the hill country in haste
to a town of Judah,
where she entered the house of Zechariah
and greeted Elizabeth.
When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting,
the infant leaped in her womb,
and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit,
cried out in a loud voice and said,
“Blessed are you among women,
and blessed is the fruit of your womb.
And how does this happen to me,
that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears,
the infant in my womb leaped for joy.
Blessed are you who believed
that what was spoken to you by the Lord
would be fulfilled.”

And Mary said:

“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord;
    my spirit rejoices in God my Savior
    for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed:
    the Almighty has done great things for me
    and holy is his Name.
He has mercy on those who fear him
    in every generation.
He has shown the strength of his arm,
    and has scattered the proud in their conceit.
He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,
    and has lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
    and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has come to the help of his servant Israel
    for he has remembered his promise of mercy,
    the promise he made to our fathers,
    to Abraham and his children forever.”

Mary remained with her about three months
and then returned to her home.