Have you been struggling to do something that you can't do with mere human strength? Listen to today's homily to be reminded that you have the gift of Divine Grace to fulfill your purpose - to be perfect forever. "Perfect" doesn't mean what you may think though. And you don't have to settle for mediocre Christianity!

Note: Father Chuck discerned promptings to make slightly different emphases In each homily at 9 and 11 am Mass and then sensed that both should be available online. You may want to listen to both and ask the Holy Spirit to inspire you to take what you may need from one or the other or both versions. (This is the 11am version.)

Catholic Mass Readings for the 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, November 17, 2024

First Reading: Daniel 12: 1-3
Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 16: 5, 8, 9-10, 11
Second Reading: Hebrews 10: 11-14, 18
Alleluia: Luke 21: 36
Gospel: Mark 13: 24-32

Have you been struggling to do something that you can't do with mere human strength? Listen to today's homily to be reminded that you have the gift of Divine Grace to fulfill your purpose - to be perfect forever. "Perfect" doesn't mean what you may think though. And you don't have to settle for mediocre Christianity!

Note: Father Chuck discerned promptings to make slightly different emphases In each homily at 9 and 11 am Mass and then sensed that both should be available online. You may want to listen to both and ask the Holy Spirit to inspire you to take what you may need from one or the other or both versions. (This is the 9am version.)

Catholic Mass Readings for the 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, November 17, 2024

First Reading: Daniel 12: 1-3
Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 16: 5, 8, 9-10, 11
Second Reading: Hebrews 10: 11-14, 18
Alleluia: Luke 21: 36
Gospel: Mark 13: 24-32

Have you realized that you are truly a saint in the making? Listen to learn how God leads us and helps us grow in our saintliness, sometimes with "Godincidences". And we can trust the Holy Spirit to guide us on our way.

Here is the prayer for our spiritual homework this week: "Lord, I praise you as my constant helper and call on you as my loving protector. Guide me by your wisdom, correct me with your justice, comfort me with your mercy, protect me with your power. Help me to conquer anger with gentleness, greed by generosity, apathy by fervor… Help me to forget myself and reach out toward others, through Christ our Lord. Amen"

Catholic Mass readings for the 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, November 10, 2024:

First Reading: First Kings 17: 10-16
Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 146: 7, 8-9, 9-10
Second Reading: Hebrews 9: 24-28
Alleluia: Matthew 5: 3
Gospel: Mark 12: 38-44 or Mark 12: 41-44

Did you ever wonder as a child who got to take the Sunday collection out of the basket? Well, St. Elizabeth parishioners got to take something out of the collection basket this weekend. We each received a calling from the Holy Spirit to be people of prayer for our seminarians. And Father Chuck reminded us that we all have a vocation to love God.

Got Seasonal Affective Disorder from our country's current political climate? Listen now to this second of two bonus episodes—courtesy of Mater Dei Radio's "Voice of the Shepherd" podcast. You'll benefit from learning ways to resist the worldly divisions which too easily infiltrate our individual faith and corrupt our community of faith, the Catholic Church. Portland Archbishop Alexander Sample frankly discusses the hurtful harm that the political climate of our time causes in the Body of Christ. Yet—to keep this "political weather report" from deflating our sails—the archbishop explores humble, hope-filled, lovingly Christ-like ways to navigate this political season with podcast host, Dina Marie. Mater Dei Radio originally posted this interview as one episode on August 6, 2024. Our "Part 2" intentionally starts with a minute-or-so overlap with the end of "Part 1." For more "Voice of the Shepherd" episodes, go to (or copy-and-paste into your web browser) https://materdeiradio.com/category/the-voice-of-the-shepherd/.

Content © 2024 Mater Dei Radio; re-posted with permission

Got Seasonal Affective Disorder from our country's current political climate? Listen now to the next two bonus episodes—courtesy of Mater Dei Radio's "Voice of the Shepherd" podcast. In it, Portland Archbishop Alexander Sample suggests ways to resist the worldly divisions which can infiltrate our faith and corrupt our community, the Church. Archbishop Sample discusses the great harm our current political climate has upon the Body of Christ and with host, Dina Marie, explores humble, hope-filled, Christ-like loving ways to navigate this political season. Mater Dei Radio originally posted this interview as one episode on August 6, 2024. To hear more episodes, go to (or copy-and-paste into your web browser) https://materdeiradio.com/category/the-voice-of-the-shepherd/.

Content © 2024 Mater Dei Radio; re-posted with permission

Did you know you can benefit from Catholic guidance for our civic responsibility to vote? The Holy Spirit will help us make wise judgements just as Jesus helps the blind man see in today's Gospel.

You can find the documents that Fr. Chuck recommends in his homily at this link, under "Learn More": https://www.usccb.org/sjp/forming-consciences-faithful-citizenship. Plus, do you feel like the current political climate give you Seasonal Affective Disorder? Be sure you hear the two bonus episodes which our podcast posted on October 30, "Politcal Division — Archbishop Sample Calls for Unity."

Catholic Mass readings for the 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time, October 27, 2024

First Reading: Jeremiah 31: 7-9
Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 126: 1-2, 2-3, 4-5, 6
Second Reading: Hebrews 5: 1-6
Alleluia: Second Timothy 1: 10
Gospel: Mark 10: 46-52

When you listened to today's Second Reading from the book of Hebrews, did you think about those times when you approach the throne of grace? We are actually closer to eternity during the magnificence of every Mass. Let us remember during Mass that we're in a conversation with God, encountering the same powerful grace that created the world and overcame death.

Catholic Mass Readings for the 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time, October 20, 2024

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