November 13, 2013

Memorial of Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini, Virgin 
Lectionary: 493
Reading 1 WIS 6:1-11

Hear, O kings, and understand;
learn, you magistrates of the earth’s expanse!

The wisdom of God instructs Kings.

Hearken, you who are in power over the multitude
and lord it over throngs of peoples!
Because authority was given you by the Lord
and sovereignty by the Most High,
who shall probe your works and scrutinize your counsels.

 All kings and all rulers are subject to God.   God will judge all men from the lowest to the highest.

Because, though you were ministers of his kingdom, you judged not rightly,
and did not keep the law,
nor walk according to the will of God,
Terribly and swiftly shall he come against you,
because judgment is stern for the exalted–

 And those who are in the highest offices will be judged more severely.

For the lowly may be pardoned out of mercy
but the mighty shall be mightily put to the test.

Because the poor and meek may be forgiven out of mercy.

For the Lord of all shows no partiality,
nor does he fear greatness,
Because he himself made the great as well as the small,
and he provides for all alike;
but for those in power a rigorous scrutiny impends.

 God is not afraid of the rich and powerful. God judge all the same way.  Whether rich or poor.

To you, therefore, O princes, are my words addressed
that you may learn wisdom and that you may not sin.

 Therefore these words are addressed to kings and princes fear God and do right.

 For those who keep the holy precepts hallowed shall be found holy,
and those learned in them will have ready a response.
Desire therefore my words;
long for them and you shall be instructed.

Those who keep the commandments will abide in holiness. 

Responsorial Psalm PS 82:3-4, 6-7

R. (8a) Rise up, O God, bring judgment to the earth.
Defend the lowly and the fatherless;
render justice to the afflicted and the destitute.
Rescue the lowly and the poor;
from the hand of the wicked deliver them.

R. Rise up, O God, bring judgment to the earth.
I said: “You are gods,
all of you sons of the Most High;
yet like men you shall die,
and fall like any prince.”
R. Rise up, O God, bring judgment to the earth.

 God is a defender of the weak and the powerless.   Therefore, call upon God in your need.

Gospel LK 17:11-19

As Jesus continued his journey to Jerusalem,
he traveled through Samaria and Galilee.
As he was entering a village, ten lepers met him.
They stood at a distance from him and raised their voice, saying,
“Jesus, Master! Have pity on us!”

 As Jesus traveled to Samaria, 10 lepers called to him for help.

And when he saw them, he said,
“Go show yourselves to the priests.”
As they were going they were cleansed.
And one of them, realizing he had been healed,
returned, glorifying God in a loud voice;
and he fell at the feet of Jesus and thanked him.

 He said to them, "go and show yourself to a priest."  On their way they were healed. And one of the returned glorifying God and thanking him.

Jesus said in reply,
“Ten were cleansed, were they not?
Where are the other nine?
Has none but this foreigner returned to give thanks to God?”
Then he said to him, “Stand up and go;
your faith has saved you.”

Jesus recognized that only the Samaritan a foreign  had come back. And he said to him, "go on your way your faith has saved you."