DEVOTIONAL SATURDAY NOVEMBER 21, 2015

Reading the Liturgy Saturday, November 21, 2015
PW ST. Maria Dedicated to God

Reading 1: 1Mak 6: 1-13
At that time king Antiochus exploring the mountainous region of Persia. He heard the news that Elimais, a city in Persia, famous for its rich silver and gold. Anyway in the city there is a temple that is very rich,
because there is kept gold armaments, as well as armor and weapons left Alexander, son of Philip, king of Macedonia, the first to reign over the Greeks. So Antiochus went there and tried to take the city and looting. But he did not succeed because it means getting caught by the city's population. They provide resistance to the king, so he escaped from there and with regret going back to the city of Babylon.
Then someone came to the area to tell the king of Persia, that the armies were entering Judea already repulsed. Lysias especially the war with a strong army has been beaten back by the Jews. The Jews had grown strong because of weapons, troops and lots of swag they receive from the soldiers who had them beat. They have also dismantle the idol set up by the king on the altar in Jerusalem. They have fenced the temple with high walls as before. Similarly, Beth-Zur, one of the king. Hearing the news of the king was amazed and very distracted. He lay down on the bed and fell ill because of pain. For these things do not happen as desired. For days the king lay in bed and constantly seized with great melancholy. When it was going to die he called all his friends and then say to them,
"Sleep is gone from my eyes and my heart broken because of heartbreak. So I said to myself: How great keimpitan and misfortune
that happened to me today! And I have always been generous and beloved in my power! But I remembered now going all evil
I've done against Jerusalem to take the gold and silver utensils that exist in the city and by having utterly destroyed Jerusalem
with arbitrary. Now I became aware that everything which is why I struck this calamity. Indeed, I now fall to perish in a foreign country with a very sad heart. "
Thus saith the Lord.

Psalms: Psalm 9: 2-3.4.6.16b.19
God, I rejoice in your victory.
* I want to thank the Lord with all your heart, I will tell of all thy wondrous works; I will be glad and rejoice in thee, sing praise to thy name, O Most High.
* For my enemies have retreated, stumble and perish in your presence.
You rebuked the nations and destroyed the wicked;
their names have purge and for all and forever;
* Her foot caught in the net of the installation of its own. For it is not for the poor so forgotten, are not forever dashed hopes of the oppressed.

Introduction to Gospel 2 Tim 1: 10b
Our Savior Jesus Christ has abolished death
and brought life that can not perish.

Gospel: Matthew 12: 46-50
While Jesus was still speaking to the crowds, his mother and his brothers stood outside, wanting to speak to him. Then one said to him: "Behold, your mother and your brothers are outside asking for you." But Jesus replied to the person who delivered the news to him, "Who is my mother? And who are my brothers?" Then he said, pointing toward the disciples to him, "are my mother and my brothers and my brothers! For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brothers male, he was my brothers female, she is my mother. "
Thus the Gospel of the Lord.

Afterthought
Today we commemorate the Blessed Virgin Mary presented. No text of Scripture who reported this, Nevertheless we believe that the Virgin Mary from the beginning has been dedicated by his parents to God. Blessed Virgin Mary herself since childhood have realized that life is only to God alone. Our Lady knows what it means to live that has been offered to God.
Life dedicated to God is not accomplished through praise and recognition in public. Our Lady is certainly not experience a period of time in the all-round flattered, honored either as champion or champion as a girl singing or performing. His life was dedicated precisely to live a fully meaningful, fully appreciate the loneliness and sacrifice for the sake of Jesus Christ atoned for our sin. In the Gospel reading today, the Blessed Virgin Mary as if not respected by his own son, Jesus. Jesus actually states that do the will of the Father in Heaven he is brothers and sisters of Jesus and mother of Jesus. Of course the point is clear Lady holy not first of all because of the relationship, especially with Jesus, that as a mother, but precisely because he excelled in intact and carry out the will of the Father in Heaven.

Item reflection
Let us reflect on what it means to each of our lives dedicated to God, calls family life, monasticism, celibacy for the kingdom of God, Priesthood and so must we see as a form of life that has been sacrificed. Serious appreciation of life dedicated certainly bring unpleasant consequences, not live completely delicious, smooth and flattered, but rather loneliness and sacrifice, the point of suffering in the name of Jesus Christ. If we have to live with the difficulty of truly living our vocation, we just have to be inline with the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Prayer
Father, help us to live the faith life according to your will, so that our lives better from day to day. Amen.