13 November 2025 (Thursday) / Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini, Virgin, Religious Obligatory Memorial / Memorial of Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini, Virgin [In the Dioceses of the United States]

13 November 2025 (Thursday)

Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini, Virgin, Religious Obligatory Memorial.

Memorial of Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini, Virgin [In the Dioceses of the United States]

Readings from the Bible of the Roman Catholic Church:

First Reading: Wisdom 7: 22 – 8: 1
Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 119: 89, 90, 91, 130, 135, 175
Alleluia: John 15: 5
Gospel: Luke 17: 20-25

First Reading: Wisdom 7: 22 – 8: 1

For in her is the spirit of understanding: holy, one, manifold, subtile, eloquent, active, undefiled, sure, sweet, loving that which is good, quick, which nothing hindereth, beneficent,vGentle, kind, steadfast, assured, secure, having all power, overseeing all things, and containing all spirits, intelligible, pure, subtile. For wisdom is more active than all active things: and reacheth everywhere by reason of her purity. For she is a vapour of the power of God, and a certain pure emanation of the glory of the almighty God: and therefore no defiled thing cometh into her. For she is the brightness of eternal light, and the unspotted mirror of God’s majesty, and the image of his goodness. And being but one, she can do all things: and remaining in herself the same, she reneweth all things, and through nations conveyeth herself into holy souls, she maketh the friends of God and prophets. For God loveth none but him that dwelleth with wisdom. For she is more beautiful than the sun, and above all the order of the stars: being compared with the light, she is found before it. For after this cometh night, but no evil can overcome wisdom. She reacheth therefore from end to end mightily, and ordereth all things sweetly.

Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 119: 89, 90, 91, 130, 135, 175

R. (89) Your word is for ever, O Lord.

LAMED. For ever, O Lord, thy word standeth firm in heaven.

R. Your word is for ever, O Lord.

Thy truth unto all generations: thou hast founded the earth, and it continueth.

R. Your word is for ever, O Lord.

By thy ordinance the day goeth on: for all things serve thee.

R. Your word is for ever, O Lord.

The declaration of thy words giveth light: and giveth understanding to little ones.

R. Your word is for ever, O Lord.

Make thy face to shine upon thy servant: and teach me thy justifications.

R. Your word is for ever, O Lord.

My soul shall live and shall praise thee: and thy judgments shall help me.

R. Your word is for ever, O Lord.

Alleluia: John 15: 5
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
5 I am the vine, you are the branches, says the Lord: whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit.
(5. I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me, with me in him, bears fruit in plenty; for cut off from me you can do nothing).
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel: Luke 17: 20-25

And being asked by the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come? he answered them, and said: The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: Neither shall they say: Behold here, or behold there. For lo, the kingdom of God is within you. And he said to his disciples: The days will come, when you shall desire to see one day of the Son of man; and you shall not see it. And they will say to you: See here, and see there. Go ye not after, nor follow them: For as the lightening that lighteneth from under heaven, shineth unto the parts that are under heaven, so shall the Son of man be in his day. But first he must suffer many things, and be rejected by this generation.

For our reflection today:

The Lord never says that the Kingdom of God is a spectacle. Of course, “it is a celebration, but it’s different! It’s a beautiful celebration, a grand feast. And Heaven will be feast, but not a spectacle”. Instead, “our human weakness prefers a spectacle”. As opposed to a spectacle,  there is “the perseverance of so many Christians carrying the family forward: men, women who care for their children, take care of grandparents, who have only 50 cents in their pocket by month’s end, but they pray”. And the Kingdom of God “is there, hidden in that holiness of daily life, that everyday holiness”. Because “the Kingdom of God is not far from us, it’s close”. The very “closeness is one of the characteristics” of the Kingdom. It is an “everyday” closeness. the Kingdom of God is humble, like a seed: humble; but it becomes big by the power of the Holy Spirit”. And we have to “let it grow within us, without boasting. May the Spirit come, change our soul and lead us forth in silence, in peace, in quiet, in closeness to God, to others, in adoration of God, without pageantry”. (Pope Francis, Santa Marta, 13 November 2014)

Jonathan Fabian Ginunggil,
Most High Servant,
Jesus, Mary, Joseph Ministry of Love (Blessed  and Saints and the Nine Choirs of Angels)