Devotions from November 8 to 14, 2021
Pope Francis reminds us that “we are all called to walk on the path of holiness, and this path has a name and a face: the face of Jesus Christ. In the Gospel, He shows us the way: the way of the Beatitudes. Indeed, the Kingdom of heaven is for those who do not place their security in things, but in the love of God; for those who have a simple, humble heart, do not presume to be righteous, and do not judge others; for those who know how to suffer with those who suffer and rejoice with those who rejoice; they are not violent but merciful, and seek to be peacemakers and agents of reconciliation.” What do the saints tell us today? Pope Francis continues: “They tell us: trust in the Lord, because the Lord does not disappoint! He never disappoints; He is a good friend always at our side. Through their testimony, the saints encourage us not to be afraid to go against the current or to be misunderstood and mocked when we speak of Him and the Gospel; they show us through their lives that those who remain faithful to God and His Word already experience on this earth the comfort of His love, and then the ‘hundredfold’ in eternity.”
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 9
Dedication of the Lateran Basilica
Built around 314 by Pope Miltiades on land donated by Constantine next to the Lateran Palace, it was called “the mother church of all the churches of the City and of the World.” Dedicated to the two Saints John (the Baptist and the Evangelist), it houses the cathedra of the Bishop of Rome. It is a symbol of the faith of the Christians of the first centuries, who felt the need to gather in a common, consecrated place to celebrate the Word of God and the Sacred Mysteries. Just as happens with the dedication of the cathedral of every diocese, in celebrating the Lateran Basilica, which houses the Roman cathedra, the Churches throughout the world recognize in it the “presidency of charity” of which Saint Ignatius of Antioch had already spoken.
For further reading:
• “On Your Word” Missal November - December 2021
Let us imitate Mary, the queen of all the saints. “She is the woman of faith,” Pope Francis reminds us; “she is the Mother of the Church; she believed. Her life is a testimony that God does not disappoint, that God does not abandon his People, even when there are moments or situations in which it seems that He is not there.” Let us place everything under her protection.
Have a good journey!
