• Found in the Book of Samuel (Old Testament)
  
  
• Mother of Samuel

• Samuel became the high priest who anointed David, King of Israel (this is the story of our salvation history)
• One of the few women of the Old Testament to be considered a Prophetess

• Miracles: Through devoted prayer to God, she was able to concieve six children. Prior to this, she was unable to concieve no matter how hard she tried.

Born an impoverished free man in a strongly class-conscious society. Farm worker, field labourer, and mat maker. Married layman with no children. A mystical and religious man even as a pagan, he became an adult convert to Christianity around age 50, taking the name Juan Diego. Widower in 1529.

Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time

Mk 13:24-32

Jesus said to his disciples:
“In those days after that tribulation
the sun will be darkened,
and the moon will not give its light,
and the stars will be falling from the sky,
and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.

“And then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in the clouds’
with great power and glory,
and then he will send out the angels
and gather his elect from the four winds,
from the end of the earth to the end of the sky.

“Learn a lesson from the fig tree.
When its branch becomes tender and sprouts leaves,
you know that summer is near.
In the same way, when you see these things happening,
know that he is near, at the gates.
Amen, I say to you,
this generation will not pass away
until all these things have taken place.
Heaven and earth will pass away,
but my words will not pass away.

“But of that day or hour, no one knows,
neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.”

Sunday Sound bite

RealAudio

by Father Greg Friedman, O.F.M.