Greetings my brothers and sisters in Jesus. Today our faith community is gathered to celebrate the twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Equally, there are hundreds of thousands of other spiritual gatherings that are taking place today throughout the world in the Houses of the Lord before His Real Presence in the Sacred Tabernacle. How pleased Jesus must be with the loving presence of all His children.
Today's First Reading from the Book of Zechariah [Zech. 12:10-11] was prophetic in nature. Seven hundreds and fifty years before its fulfillment, inspired by the Holy Spirit, the prophet Zechariah foretold the piercing of the Lord Jesus on the Holy Cross in Jerusalem and the mourning of many for the One that they loved so much. This prophecy foretold of the tears of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the other women who were present, the Apostles and the many followers of the Lord who admired Him as a great Teacher.
This prophecy also foretold that Jesus, the promised Messiah, would be a descendant of King David who had lived two hundreds and fifty years earlier in time. How marvellous are the prophecies that are received from God. They are one hundred percent accurate, even when foretold one thousand years ahead of time. Truly, for God, all times, past, present and future, coexist as one, He knowing all things.
From today's Second Reading from the Letter to the Galatians, [Gal. 3:26-29] we are reminded that through the Sacrament of Baptism, we have become children of God, sons and daughters of God. Our adoption in the Divine family echoes that we are of Abraham's seed. This does not mean that we are of Abraham's biological seed but rather his spiritual seed. He was the first of God's people. Us, we are counted among the endless number of believers who have embraced the God of Abraham through faith in Christ Jesus.
As a body without a spirit is dead, so faith without works is also dead. It is insufficient to just have faith in Jesus. Christ commanded us to receive the Sacraments of the Holy Catholic Church that He has instituted on earth. He commanded us to receive the Sacrament of Baptism, the Sacrament of Confession and the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist through participation in the great Feast of the Holy Mass on a weekly basis. He commanded us to receive the Sacrament of Matrimony by marrying a believer to protect and defend the precious gift of faith that we have received from our ancestors by the grace of God.
To clothe ourselves with Christ means to continuously receive the Sacraments, to live as Jesus lived, to obey God's Commandments, to be faithful to the teachings of the Holy Catholic Church, to live holy lives by loving one another as Christ loved us. So great was the love of Jesus that He laid down His life for each and everyone of us.
Today's Reading from the Gospel of Luke [Lk. 9:18-24] delivered a number of spiritual messages to us.
First of all, the attention is drawn on Jesus. Who was Jesus? Who did the crowds think that He was? Who did Saint Peter think that Jesus was? There were those who believed that Jesus was John the Baptist who had returned. Some believed that He was Elijah. Others believed that He was one of the prophets of long ago who had come back to life. These answers echoed either returning from the dead or reincarnation. Both of these beliefs are rejected by the Holy Catholic Church. The dead do not return for a second chance. There is no second chance. When we move on after death, we are judged accordingly to the way we have lived in this life, this one and only life.
When Peter was asked who he thought that Jesus was, He answered, "The Messiah of God." The word "Messiah" is Hebrew for the word "anointed." The Greek translation is "christos" from which comes the word Christ. In Israel, kings, like priests, were anointed. The future King, who was to be the Saviour of His people and the world, came to be spoken of as "the Anointed One." The word was applied to the future Saviour in the Old Testament [Psalm 2], in telling of the conspiracy of the enemies of Jehovah and "his Christ." It was used in later Jewish writings; and the New Testament shows that it was in current use in Our Lord's time.
Secondly, the Gospel draws our attention to Jesus' prophecy that He would suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law. And finally, He would be killed. But on the third day, He would rise from the dead. Such a prophecy must have been hard for the Apostles to swallow. After all, no one comes back from the dead. When you die, your time here on earth is finished, now and forever. What was spoken by Jesus to the Apostles was meaningless at the time. It was only after His glorious Resurrection that the Apostles would remember his prophecy.
Thirdly, the Gospel draws our attention to the necessity to renounce one's life and to follow Jesus by persevering in the trials that may cross our daily path. Those who strive for fame, wealth, pleasures, they are lost. For these goals oppose spiritual growth. It is better to have little and to be happy with it, being thankful to God for all that one receives. It is better to be humble, submissive to God, obedient to the Commandments, than to elevate oneself above all others. Those who defend and spread their faith, they shall be glorified by God throughout eternity. Those who are ashamed of Jesus and their faith, refusing the defend and spread the Catholic faith, they shall be eternally lost. For one cannot serve two masters, the God of glory and the god of indifference.
Jesus said, "Take up your cross and follow me." That is not just a bunch of words; it is a strict command by the Lord Jesus Himself, to follow Him. This week, let us reflect on these Sacred Words of Jesus. Let us ask ourselves if we are being obedient to the Lord Jesus, if we are taking up our cross and following Him. If so, then praise the Lord. If not, then it is never too late to begin. This week, let us also pray for one another, especially for those who need to take up their cross, that they may find the strength to do so for the glory of the Lord Jesus.
Sunday, June 19, 2016
Homily for Today
Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Reading 1ZEC 12:10-11; 13:1
Thus says the LORD:
I will pour out on the house of David
and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem
a spirit of grace and petition;
and they shall look on him whom they have pierced,
and they shall mourn for him as one mourns for an only son,
and they shall grieve over him as one grieves over a firstborn.
On that day the mourning in Jerusalem shall be as great
as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the plain of Megiddo.
On that day there shall be open to the house of David
and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem,
a fountain to purify from sin and uncleanness.
I will pour out on the house of David
and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem
a spirit of grace and petition;
and they shall look on him whom they have pierced,
and they shall mourn for him as one mourns for an only son,
and they shall grieve over him as one grieves over a firstborn.
On that day the mourning in Jerusalem shall be as great
as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the plain of Megiddo.
On that day there shall be open to the house of David
and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem,
a fountain to purify from sin and uncleanness.
Responsorial PsalmPS 63:2, 3-4, 5-6, 8-9
R. (2b) My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.
O God, you are my God whom I seek;
for you my flesh pines and my soul thirsts
like the earth, parched, lifeless and without water.
R. My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.
Thus have I gazed toward you in the sanctuary
to see your power and your glory,
For your kindness is a greater good than life;
my lips shall glorify you.
R. My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.
Thus will I bless you while I live;
lifting up my hands, I will call upon your name.
As with the riches of a banquet shall my soul be satisfied,
and with exultant lips my mouth shall praise you.
R. My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.
You are my help,
and in the shadow of your wings I shout for joy.
My soul clings fast to you;
your right hand upholds me.
R. My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.
Through faith you are all children of God in Christ Jesus.
For all of you who were baptized into Christ
have clothed yourselves with Christ.
There is neither Jew nor Greek,
there is neither slave nor free person,
there is not male and female;
for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
And if you belong to Christ,
then you are Abraham’s children,
heirs according to the promise.
My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord;
I know them, and they follow me.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
O God, you are my God whom I seek;
for you my flesh pines and my soul thirsts
like the earth, parched, lifeless and without water.
R. My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.
Thus have I gazed toward you in the sanctuary
to see your power and your glory,
For your kindness is a greater good than life;
my lips shall glorify you.
R. My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.
Thus will I bless you while I live;
lifting up my hands, I will call upon your name.
As with the riches of a banquet shall my soul be satisfied,
and with exultant lips my mouth shall praise you.
R. My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.
You are my help,
and in the shadow of your wings I shout for joy.
My soul clings fast to you;
your right hand upholds me.
R. My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.
Reading 2GAL 3:26-29
Brothers and sisters:Through faith you are all children of God in Christ Jesus.
For all of you who were baptized into Christ
have clothed yourselves with Christ.
There is neither Jew nor Greek,
there is neither slave nor free person,
there is not male and female;
for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
And if you belong to Christ,
then you are Abraham’s children,
heirs according to the promise.
AlleluiaJN 10:27
R. Alleluia, alleluia.My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord;
I know them, and they follow me.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelLK 9:18-24
Once when Jesus was praying by himself,
and the disciples were with him,
he asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?”
They said in reply, “John the Baptist;
others, Elijah;
still others, ‘One of the ancient prophets has arisen.’”
Then he said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
Peter said in reply, “The Christ of God.”
He scolded them
and directed them not to tell this to anyone.
He said, “The Son of Man must suffer greatly
and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes,
and be killed and on the third day be raised.”
Then he said to all,
“If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself
and take up his cross daily and follow me.
For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it,
but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.”
and the disciples were with him,
he asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?”
They said in reply, “John the Baptist;
others, Elijah;
still others, ‘One of the ancient prophets has arisen.’”
Then he said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
Peter said in reply, “The Christ of God.”
He scolded them
and directed them not to tell this to anyone.
He said, “The Son of Man must suffer greatly
and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes,
and be killed and on the third day be raised.”
Then he said to all,
“If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself
and take up his cross daily and follow me.
For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it,
but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.”
Sunday, June 12, 2016
Peace Through Daily Prayer & Faith
This article found at Catholic Exchange sparked my interest as it truly helps and I have been trying to do this lately and having god there and praying really does make things different. Please enjoy.
Yesterday was a day for multi-tasking.
I had to prepare and meet with a client at work, then work on multiple projects while there, then drive home to take my mom to a doctor’s appointment, then drive back to the same town I work in to take her to the doctor’s appointment, then get back home to work on some home projects, before ending my day as quickly as it started.
And throughout this entire day…I kept a smile on my face, and peace in my soul.
Are you serious?
Yes. I am.
Now, before you become too impressed, I have to fully admit, this isn’t a normal reaction for me. Most of the time multi-tasking has been something that has caused me a lot of stress. I usually end up anxious, moody and some times even a bit snappish with people.
But yesterday was different, because I took a different approach. I started my day with an awareness that the day was looking to be very busy, so I prayed to God early for help.
Not only did I pray for help that morning, but I prayed to God that He would help me to be in union with Him, in whatever happened that day, good or bad. And He answered my prayer.
Even though it was a very busy, hectic day – I remained calm.
I didn’t worry about my meeting. I simply spoke when I had questions, or when I felt I needed to offer my opinion. I felt no pressure to speak to impress others, or to give the other people in the meeting the impression that I knew more than I did.
On all of my car rides to and from work and the doctor, I never felt the need to rush anywhere. I let people drive the way they wanted to drive, and I just flowed with the traffic, no matter how fast, or congested it was.
But rarely have I prayed for my day-to-day life. Praying for my normal tasks, normal duties – things that come with every day. And by neglecting this, I’ve realized that I have limited God’s potential in my life.
It’s only recently that I’m learning to include God in my daily activities.
In every decision.
In every action.
In every thing I do.
When we are stressed out or feeling anxious, it’s mostly because we want to be somewhere at a certain time, or want something to happen the way we want it to happen. We desire other people to be (or drive, or talk, or react) the way we want them to, and are stressed when they simply don’t comply. And many (if not most) of these stresses we feel are entirely self-created.
We create our own anxiety. And we think we have the solutions to solve our own day-to-day problems.
When we pray and commend our day to God, asking for His help, it’s then that we become less attached to our own desires, and no longer complain when things are not going the way we wanted.
It’s when we pray and commend our day to God, asking for His help, that it feels so much more easy, and natural, to be kind and compassionate to others – even those whose actions and personalities are not in compliance with our desires for them.
It’s when we pray and commend our day to God, asking for His help, that we can deal with the stresses of our lives, instead of complaining about them or running away from them.
It’s when we pray and commend our day to God, asking for His help, that we can learn to give proper attention to every person and every duty in our lives, without giving them too much or too little.
Your desires will gradually become less focused on yourself and more focused on God and His desire for you. He will take care of all the details.
Prayer and faith that God will answer our prayers.
These two things are essential.
When you have succeeded in giving yourself to God, without any reservation, then God will give Himself to you so completely that you’ll neither need nor desire your old ways of managing the stresses of this life.
Prayer.
Faith.
Yesterday was a day for multi-tasking.
I had to prepare and meet with a client at work, then work on multiple projects while there, then drive home to take my mom to a doctor’s appointment, then drive back to the same town I work in to take her to the doctor’s appointment, then get back home to work on some home projects, before ending my day as quickly as it started.
And throughout this entire day…I kept a smile on my face, and peace in my soul.
Are you serious?
Now, before you become too impressed, I have to fully admit, this isn’t a normal reaction for me. Most of the time multi-tasking has been something that has caused me a lot of stress. I usually end up anxious, moody and some times even a bit snappish with people.
But yesterday was different, because I took a different approach. I started my day with an awareness that the day was looking to be very busy, so I prayed to God early for help.
Not only did I pray for help that morning, but I prayed to God that He would help me to be in union with Him, in whatever happened that day, good or bad. And He answered my prayer.
Even though it was a very busy, hectic day – I remained calm.
I didn’t worry about my meeting. I simply spoke when I had questions, or when I felt I needed to offer my opinion. I felt no pressure to speak to impress others, or to give the other people in the meeting the impression that I knew more than I did.
On all of my car rides to and from work and the doctor, I never felt the need to rush anywhere. I let people drive the way they wanted to drive, and I just flowed with the traffic, no matter how fast, or congested it was.
Prayer for Our Everyday Lives
I’ve been praying for years – twelve to be exact – since I converted to Catholicism, from being an agnostic. But for most of my post-conversion years my prayers were usually limited to special intentions, friends and family that were sick or in hard times, or for world situations.But rarely have I prayed for my day-to-day life. Praying for my normal tasks, normal duties – things that come with every day. And by neglecting this, I’ve realized that I have limited God’s potential in my life.
It’s only recently that I’m learning to include God in my daily activities.
In every decision.
In every action.
In every thing I do.
When we are stressed out or feeling anxious, it’s mostly because we want to be somewhere at a certain time, or want something to happen the way we want it to happen. We desire other people to be (or drive, or talk, or react) the way we want them to, and are stressed when they simply don’t comply. And many (if not most) of these stresses we feel are entirely self-created.
We create our own anxiety. And we think we have the solutions to solve our own day-to-day problems.
Allowing God into Our Lives through Prayer and Faith
It’s only when we turn our problems and our daily tasks and duties over to God, that we are able to gain peace. Because when we allow God into our daily lives, our interior peace is no longer disturbed by daily events that are not in our control.When we pray and commend our day to God, asking for His help, it’s then that we become less attached to our own desires, and no longer complain when things are not going the way we wanted.
It’s when we pray and commend our day to God, asking for His help, that it feels so much more easy, and natural, to be kind and compassionate to others – even those whose actions and personalities are not in compliance with our desires for them.
It’s when we pray and commend our day to God, asking for His help, that we can deal with the stresses of our lives, instead of complaining about them or running away from them.
It’s when we pray and commend our day to God, asking for His help, that we can learn to give proper attention to every person and every duty in our lives, without giving them too much or too little.
Your desires will gradually become less focused on yourself and more focused on God and His desire for you. He will take care of all the details.
Daily Prayer and Faith
With a commitment to daily prayer, and faith in God that He will help us through our daily lives, we can become calm and peaceful in the midst of the raging flow around us that is called “life”.Prayer and faith that God will answer our prayers.
These two things are essential.
When you have succeeded in giving yourself to God, without any reservation, then God will give Himself to you so completely that you’ll neither need nor desire your old ways of managing the stresses of this life.
Prayer.
Faith.
Homily for Today's Mass
The greater the sinner who's sins are forgiven, the greater is the love that he shall display towards the Lord Jesus. Good morning my brothers and sisters in Christ. May I extend a warm welcome to the visitors who have joined our faith community on this day of the Lord.
As you may have noted, today's readings spoke of the necessity of repentance and forgiveness in order to receive the gift of salvation.
Reviewing the chain of events that led to today's First Reading from the Second Book of Samuel, verses 12:7-10, 13, one day, while David was walking about on the roof of the King's house, he saw a woman bathing. Failing to control his eyes, the sin of lust struck David to the heart. He sent someone to inquire as to who was the woman. The person reported that the woman was Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite. So David sent messengers to get her, and she came to him, and he lay with her. As a consequence of this grave sin of adultery, Bathsheba became pregnant.
Having already severed his relationship with God, David did not stop there. Desiring Bathsheba for himself, he engineered the death of Uriah, the husband of Bathsheba. When Uriah was killed, after having been placed in a deadly position during battle at the order of David, David brought Bathsheba to his house, married her, and she bore him a son.
Now the Lord God, He Who is all-knowing, was not blind to the lustful and murderous actions of David. God sent the prophet Nathan to pronounce judgment upon David. Because David repented of his sins, they were forgiven. But David still had to endure a punishment for the remission for his sins. His son, born through the adulteress affair, was taken away from his by the Lord.
Through today's First Reading, we learn that if an individual sincerely repents of his sins, God can and will forgive him of all his sins, even those of adultery and murder. God always seeks to call us back to faithfulness and fidelity to Him. Such is manifested by the grace of God. Without it, we could never repent and reconcile with God when we sin.
Today's Second Reading from the Letter to the Galatians began with the following words, "We know that a person is justified not by the works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ." [Gal. 2:16] When Paul said that a person is not justified by the works of the law, he was referring to the Mosaic Law and all its ceremonies, the different kinds of animal sacrifices and offerings for the forgiveness of sins. With the arrival of the Messiah, the Mosaic Law had become obsolete. No one could be saved by performing the works of the law, the ceremonial sacrifices of animals. Paul appealed to the conviction that was shared by him and Peter at the time of their conversions. Like them, other Jewish person had to realize their inability to achieve uprightness by the "deeds of the Laws."
When Paul referred to justification by faith, he was making reference to the necessary attitude of a person that includes the acceptance of the Divine revelation made known through Christ and the necessity for the individual to respond to it with complete dedication of his/her personal life to Christ.
Because the Christian has been crucified with Christ, it is no longer he who lives, but it is Christ who lives in him. This new status of justification of the Christian was not achieved because of good works; it was only made possible for him through his crucifixion with Christ. Crucified with Christ, the new Christian has died to the Law. Through faith and the Sacrament of Baptism, [Rom. 6:3] the Christian has been identified with the phases of Christ's passion, death, and resurrection. And so he can "live for God".
The perfection of the Christian life is expressed in these few words, "It is Christ who lives in me." [Gal. 2:20] This perfection is not merely an existence dominated by a new psychological motivation. Yet, it must eventually penetrate the individual's psychological awareness, so that he realizes in faith that his real life comes only from the redemptive and vicarious surrender of the Son of God. Faith in Christ does not substitute a new norm or goal of action. Rather it reshapes man anew internally, supplying his very new being with a new purpose in life that is moved by Christ Who lives in him.
Summarizing today's Second Reading, Paul tells us that when we are baptized, our faith transforms us. In Jesus, we become one with each other in the Body of Christ. Once a member of the Body of Christ, there is no social or religious distinctions, neither American or European, neither male or female, neither a child or a senior, neither white or black, neither rich or poor. All who have been baptized in Christ, they hold the same status, the same worth, the same value, no matter what they are or who they are. Equal in God's eyes and in His Kingdom, they all inherit the same glory.
Today's Reading from the Gospel of Luke [Lk. 7:36-8:3] related to us the event concerning the penitent woman. The reading began with a Pharisee inviting Jesus to eat with him at his house. In consideration of the fact that the Pharisees usually displayed animosity towards Jesus, it was courageous for this one Pharisee to show hospitality by inviting Jesus to dinner.
In relating the event, the Evangelist Luke does not name the woman. He simply characterized her as a sinner (possibly a prostitute, or else a woman married to a man considered an outcast, like a publican). It appears that the woman intended simply to anoint the feet of Jesus with a fragrant myrrh, but as she leaned over, tears gushed forth, which she ingenuously wiped away with her long hair. Completely overcome, she repeatedly kissed his feet.
While Simon silently condemns Jesus for not divining the character of the woman, Jesus proves Himself to be a prophet by reading the secret throughts of Simon. Jesus then presented the parable of the two debtors to Simon, asking him, which person loved the creditor the greater, the one who owed five hundred denarii or the one who only owed fifty.
Comparing this parable to the woman, Jesus said, "Therefore, I tell you, her sins, which were many, have been forgiven; hence she has shown great love. But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little." The verse "She has shown great love" has been a classic text for showing that perfect charity has the power of forgiving sins. The woman loved Jesus because her sins were forgiven, not that "she was forgiven because she loved Jesus."
Jesus makes it clear that great love springs from a heart that is forgiven and cleansed. From the First Letter of Peter, we read, "Above all, maintain constant love for one another, for love covers a multitude of sins." [1 Pet. 4:8] "For love is from God." [1 Jn. 4:7]
The opposing attitudes of Simon and the woman clearly show that we can either accept or reject the mercy of God. Simon viewed himself as an upright Pharisee, displaying an attitude of having no need for love or mercy. His self-sufficiency prevented him from acknowledging his need for the grace of God.
During the Gospel Reading, it was noticed that Jesus neither judged, nor rebuked the woman as the Pharisee expected. Instead, He welcomed her. This approach goes against the ways of the world; we are asked to model love instead of judging, to welcome instead of rejecting. Those who come in contact with Jesus, they manifest one of two behaviours; they are either attracted to Him or repelled by Him. If they are like Simon, they appear to be doing good deeds in order to gain respect, honour, fame or wealth. These persons shun the company of sinners like prisoners, beggars, prostitutes, etc... By doing so, they neglect to give sinners the help that they need to find healing and wholeness.
This week, let us examine our hearts. Do we invite Jesus in our lives for prestige? Or do we love Him because He is the one and only Saviour who has died for our sins?
As you may have noted, today's readings spoke of the necessity of repentance and forgiveness in order to receive the gift of salvation.
Reviewing the chain of events that led to today's First Reading from the Second Book of Samuel, verses 12:7-10, 13, one day, while David was walking about on the roof of the King's house, he saw a woman bathing. Failing to control his eyes, the sin of lust struck David to the heart. He sent someone to inquire as to who was the woman. The person reported that the woman was Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite. So David sent messengers to get her, and she came to him, and he lay with her. As a consequence of this grave sin of adultery, Bathsheba became pregnant.
Having already severed his relationship with God, David did not stop there. Desiring Bathsheba for himself, he engineered the death of Uriah, the husband of Bathsheba. When Uriah was killed, after having been placed in a deadly position during battle at the order of David, David brought Bathsheba to his house, married her, and she bore him a son.
Now the Lord God, He Who is all-knowing, was not blind to the lustful and murderous actions of David. God sent the prophet Nathan to pronounce judgment upon David. Because David repented of his sins, they were forgiven. But David still had to endure a punishment for the remission for his sins. His son, born through the adulteress affair, was taken away from his by the Lord.
Through today's First Reading, we learn that if an individual sincerely repents of his sins, God can and will forgive him of all his sins, even those of adultery and murder. God always seeks to call us back to faithfulness and fidelity to Him. Such is manifested by the grace of God. Without it, we could never repent and reconcile with God when we sin.
Today's Second Reading from the Letter to the Galatians began with the following words, "We know that a person is justified not by the works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ." [Gal. 2:16] When Paul said that a person is not justified by the works of the law, he was referring to the Mosaic Law and all its ceremonies, the different kinds of animal sacrifices and offerings for the forgiveness of sins. With the arrival of the Messiah, the Mosaic Law had become obsolete. No one could be saved by performing the works of the law, the ceremonial sacrifices of animals. Paul appealed to the conviction that was shared by him and Peter at the time of their conversions. Like them, other Jewish person had to realize their inability to achieve uprightness by the "deeds of the Laws."
When Paul referred to justification by faith, he was making reference to the necessary attitude of a person that includes the acceptance of the Divine revelation made known through Christ and the necessity for the individual to respond to it with complete dedication of his/her personal life to Christ.
Because the Christian has been crucified with Christ, it is no longer he who lives, but it is Christ who lives in him. This new status of justification of the Christian was not achieved because of good works; it was only made possible for him through his crucifixion with Christ. Crucified with Christ, the new Christian has died to the Law. Through faith and the Sacrament of Baptism, [Rom. 6:3] the Christian has been identified with the phases of Christ's passion, death, and resurrection. And so he can "live for God".
The perfection of the Christian life is expressed in these few words, "It is Christ who lives in me." [Gal. 2:20] This perfection is not merely an existence dominated by a new psychological motivation. Yet, it must eventually penetrate the individual's psychological awareness, so that he realizes in faith that his real life comes only from the redemptive and vicarious surrender of the Son of God. Faith in Christ does not substitute a new norm or goal of action. Rather it reshapes man anew internally, supplying his very new being with a new purpose in life that is moved by Christ Who lives in him.
Summarizing today's Second Reading, Paul tells us that when we are baptized, our faith transforms us. In Jesus, we become one with each other in the Body of Christ. Once a member of the Body of Christ, there is no social or religious distinctions, neither American or European, neither male or female, neither a child or a senior, neither white or black, neither rich or poor. All who have been baptized in Christ, they hold the same status, the same worth, the same value, no matter what they are or who they are. Equal in God's eyes and in His Kingdom, they all inherit the same glory.
Today's Reading from the Gospel of Luke [Lk. 7:36-8:3] related to us the event concerning the penitent woman. The reading began with a Pharisee inviting Jesus to eat with him at his house. In consideration of the fact that the Pharisees usually displayed animosity towards Jesus, it was courageous for this one Pharisee to show hospitality by inviting Jesus to dinner.
In relating the event, the Evangelist Luke does not name the woman. He simply characterized her as a sinner (possibly a prostitute, or else a woman married to a man considered an outcast, like a publican). It appears that the woman intended simply to anoint the feet of Jesus with a fragrant myrrh, but as she leaned over, tears gushed forth, which she ingenuously wiped away with her long hair. Completely overcome, she repeatedly kissed his feet.
While Simon silently condemns Jesus for not divining the character of the woman, Jesus proves Himself to be a prophet by reading the secret throughts of Simon. Jesus then presented the parable of the two debtors to Simon, asking him, which person loved the creditor the greater, the one who owed five hundred denarii or the one who only owed fifty.
Comparing this parable to the woman, Jesus said, "Therefore, I tell you, her sins, which were many, have been forgiven; hence she has shown great love. But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little." The verse "She has shown great love" has been a classic text for showing that perfect charity has the power of forgiving sins. The woman loved Jesus because her sins were forgiven, not that "she was forgiven because she loved Jesus."
Jesus makes it clear that great love springs from a heart that is forgiven and cleansed. From the First Letter of Peter, we read, "Above all, maintain constant love for one another, for love covers a multitude of sins." [1 Pet. 4:8] "For love is from God." [1 Jn. 4:7]
The opposing attitudes of Simon and the woman clearly show that we can either accept or reject the mercy of God. Simon viewed himself as an upright Pharisee, displaying an attitude of having no need for love or mercy. His self-sufficiency prevented him from acknowledging his need for the grace of God.
During the Gospel Reading, it was noticed that Jesus neither judged, nor rebuked the woman as the Pharisee expected. Instead, He welcomed her. This approach goes against the ways of the world; we are asked to model love instead of judging, to welcome instead of rejecting. Those who come in contact with Jesus, they manifest one of two behaviours; they are either attracted to Him or repelled by Him. If they are like Simon, they appear to be doing good deeds in order to gain respect, honour, fame or wealth. These persons shun the company of sinners like prisoners, beggars, prostitutes, etc... By doing so, they neglect to give sinners the help that they need to find healing and wholeness.
This week, let us examine our hearts. Do we invite Jesus in our lives for prestige? Or do we love Him because He is the one and only Saviour who has died for our sins?
Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
Reading 1 2 Sm 12:7-10, 13
Nathan said to David:
“Thus says the LORD God of Israel:
‘I anointed you king of Israel.
I rescued you from the hand of Saul.
I gave you your lord’s house and your lord’s wives for your own.
I gave you the house of Israel and of Judah.
And if this were not enough, I could count up for you still more.
Why have you rejected the LORD and done evil in his sight?
You have cut down Uriah the Hittite with the sword;
you took his wife as your own,
and him you killed with the sword of the Ammonites.
Now, therefore, the sword shall never depart from your house,
because you have looked down on me
and have taken the wife of Uriah to be your wife.’”
Then David said to Nathan,
“I have sinned against the LORD.”
Nathan answered David:
“The LORD on his part has forgiven your sin:
you shall not die.”
“Thus says the LORD God of Israel:
‘I anointed you king of Israel.
I rescued you from the hand of Saul.
I gave you your lord’s house and your lord’s wives for your own.
I gave you the house of Israel and of Judah.
And if this were not enough, I could count up for you still more.
Why have you rejected the LORD and done evil in his sight?
You have cut down Uriah the Hittite with the sword;
you took his wife as your own,
and him you killed with the sword of the Ammonites.
Now, therefore, the sword shall never depart from your house,
because you have looked down on me
and have taken the wife of Uriah to be your wife.’”
Then David said to Nathan,
“I have sinned against the LORD.”
Nathan answered David:
“The LORD on his part has forgiven your sin:
you shall not die.”
Responsorial Psalm Ps 32:1-2, 5, 7, 11
R. (cf. 5c) Lord, forgive the wrong I have done.
Blessed is the one whose fault is taken away,
whose sin is covered.
Blessed the man to whom the LORD imputes not guilt,
in whose spirit there is no guile.
R. Lord, forgive the wrong I have done.
I acknowledged my sin to you,
my guilt I covered not.
I said, "I confess my faults to the LORD,"
and you took away the guilt of my sin.
R. Lord, forgive the wrong I have done.
You are my shelter; from distress you will preserve me;
with glad cries of freedom you will ring me round.
R. Lord, forgive the wrong I have done.
Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, you just;
exult, all you upright of heart.
R. Lord, forgive the wrong I have done.
Blessed is the one whose fault is taken away,
whose sin is covered.
Blessed the man to whom the LORD imputes not guilt,
in whose spirit there is no guile.
R. Lord, forgive the wrong I have done.
I acknowledged my sin to you,
my guilt I covered not.
I said, "I confess my faults to the LORD,"
and you took away the guilt of my sin.
R. Lord, forgive the wrong I have done.
You are my shelter; from distress you will preserve me;
with glad cries of freedom you will ring me round.
R. Lord, forgive the wrong I have done.
Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, you just;
exult, all you upright of heart.
R. Lord, forgive the wrong I have done.
Reading 2 Gal 2:16, 19-21
Brothers and sisters:
We who know that a person is not justified by works of the law
but through faith in Jesus Christ,
even we have believed in Christ Jesus
that we may be justified by faith in Christ
and not by works of the law,
because by works of the law no one will be justified.
For through the law I died to the law,
that I might live for God.
I have been crucified with Christ;
yet I live, no longer I, but Christ lives in me;
insofar as I now live in the flesh,
I live by faith in the Son of God
who has loved me and given himself up for me.
I do not nullify the grace of God;
for if justification comes through the law,
then Christ died for nothing.
God loved us and sent his Son
as expiation for our sins.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
and he entered the Pharisee's house and reclined at table.
Now there was a sinful woman in the city
who learned that he was at table in the house of the Pharisee.
Bringing an alabaster flask of ointment,
she stood behind him at his feet weeping
and began to bathe his feet with her tears.
Then she wiped them with her hair,
kissed them, and anointed them with the ointment.
When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this he said to himself,
"If this man were a prophet,
he would know who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him,
that she is a sinner."
Jesus said to him in reply,
"Simon, I have something to say to you."
"Tell me, teacher," he said.
"Two people were in debt to a certain creditor;
one owed five hundred days' wages and the other owed fifty.
Since they were unable to repay the debt, he forgave it for both.
Which of them will love him more?"
Simon said in reply,
"The one, I suppose, whose larger debt was forgiven."
He said to him, "You have judged rightly."
Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon,
"Do you see this woman?
When I entered your house, you did not give me water for my feet,
but she has bathed them with her tears
and wiped them with her hair.
You did not give me a kiss,
but she has not ceased kissing my feet since the time I entered.
You did not anoint my head with oil,
but she anointed my feet with ointment.
So I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven
because she has shown great love.
But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little."
He said to her, "Your sins are forgiven."
The others at table said to themselves,
"Who is this who even forgives sins?"
But he said to the woman,
"Your faith has saved you; go in peace."
Afterward he journeyed from one town and village to another,
preaching and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God.
Accompanying him were the Twelve
and some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities,
Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out,
Joanna, the wife of Herod's steward Chuza,
Susanna, and many others who provided for them
out of their resources.
and he entered the Pharisee's house and reclined at table.
Now there was a sinful woman in the city
who learned that he was at table in the house of the Pharisee.
Bringing an alabaster flask of ointment,
she stood behind him at his feet weeping
and began to bathe his feet with her tears.
Then she wiped them with her hair,
kissed them, and anointed them with the ointment.
When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this he said to himself,
"If this man were a prophet,
he would know who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him,
that she is a sinner."
Jesus said to him in reply,
"Simon, I have something to say to you."
"Tell me, teacher," he said.
"Two people were in debt to a certain creditor;
one owed five hundred day's wages and the other owed fifty.
Since they were unable to repay the debt, he forgave it for both.
Which of them will love him more?"
Simon said in reply,
"The one, I suppose, whose larger debt was forgiven."
He said to him, "You have judged rightly."
Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon,
"Do you see this woman?
When I entered your house, you did not give me water for my feet,
but she has bathed them with her tears
and wiped them with her hair.
You did not give me a kiss,
but she has not ceased kissing my feet since the time I entered.
You did not anoint my head with oil,
but she anointed my feet with ointment.
So I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven
because she has shown great love.
But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little."
He said to her, "Your sins are forgiven."
The others at table said to themselves,
"Who is this who even forgives sins?"
But he said to the woman,
"Your faith has saved you; go in peace."
We who know that a person is not justified by works of the law
but through faith in Jesus Christ,
even we have believed in Christ Jesus
that we may be justified by faith in Christ
and not by works of the law,
because by works of the law no one will be justified.
For through the law I died to the law,
that I might live for God.
I have been crucified with Christ;
yet I live, no longer I, but Christ lives in me;
insofar as I now live in the flesh,
I live by faith in the Son of God
who has loved me and given himself up for me.
I do not nullify the grace of God;
for if justification comes through the law,
then Christ died for nothing.
Alleluia 1 Jn 4:10b
R. Alleluia, alleluia.God loved us and sent his Son
as expiation for our sins.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel Lk 7:36—8:3
A Pharisee invited Jesus to dine with him,and he entered the Pharisee's house and reclined at table.
Now there was a sinful woman in the city
who learned that he was at table in the house of the Pharisee.
Bringing an alabaster flask of ointment,
she stood behind him at his feet weeping
and began to bathe his feet with her tears.
Then she wiped them with her hair,
kissed them, and anointed them with the ointment.
When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this he said to himself,
"If this man were a prophet,
he would know who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him,
that she is a sinner."
Jesus said to him in reply,
"Simon, I have something to say to you."
"Tell me, teacher," he said.
"Two people were in debt to a certain creditor;
one owed five hundred days' wages and the other owed fifty.
Since they were unable to repay the debt, he forgave it for both.
Which of them will love him more?"
Simon said in reply,
"The one, I suppose, whose larger debt was forgiven."
He said to him, "You have judged rightly."
Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon,
"Do you see this woman?
When I entered your house, you did not give me water for my feet,
but she has bathed them with her tears
and wiped them with her hair.
You did not give me a kiss,
but she has not ceased kissing my feet since the time I entered.
You did not anoint my head with oil,
but she anointed my feet with ointment.
So I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven
because she has shown great love.
But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little."
He said to her, "Your sins are forgiven."
The others at table said to themselves,
"Who is this who even forgives sins?"
But he said to the woman,
"Your faith has saved you; go in peace."
Afterward he journeyed from one town and village to another,
preaching and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God.
Accompanying him were the Twelve
and some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities,
Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out,
Joanna, the wife of Herod's steward Chuza,
Susanna, and many others who provided for them
out of their resources.
Or Lk 7:36-50
A Pharisee invited Jesus to dine with him,and he entered the Pharisee's house and reclined at table.
Now there was a sinful woman in the city
who learned that he was at table in the house of the Pharisee.
Bringing an alabaster flask of ointment,
she stood behind him at his feet weeping
and began to bathe his feet with her tears.
Then she wiped them with her hair,
kissed them, and anointed them with the ointment.
When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this he said to himself,
"If this man were a prophet,
he would know who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him,
that she is a sinner."
Jesus said to him in reply,
"Simon, I have something to say to you."
"Tell me, teacher," he said.
"Two people were in debt to a certain creditor;
one owed five hundred day's wages and the other owed fifty.
Since they were unable to repay the debt, he forgave it for both.
Which of them will love him more?"
Simon said in reply,
"The one, I suppose, whose larger debt was forgiven."
He said to him, "You have judged rightly."
Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon,
"Do you see this woman?
When I entered your house, you did not give me water for my feet,
but she has bathed them with her tears
and wiped them with her hair.
You did not give me a kiss,
but she has not ceased kissing my feet since the time I entered.
You did not anoint my head with oil,
but she anointed my feet with ointment.
So I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven
because she has shown great love.
But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little."
He said to her, "Your sins are forgiven."
The others at table said to themselves,
"Who is this who even forgives sins?"
But he said to the woman,
"Your faith has saved you; go in peace."
Sunday, June 5, 2016
Homily
My brothers and sisters in Christ, may the grace of God be with each one of you as you hear today's spiritual message that comes from the readings.
The First Reading from the First Book of Kings [1 Kgs 17:17-21, 22-24] took place in the days of the great drought that was long remembered and even recorded in the Tyrian annals, as Menander of Ephesus testified when writing about the reign of Ittobaal of Tyre.
When Elijah visited the widow’s house, she felt that Elijah had been sent by God to make sure that she knew why her son had died. According to the mentality that prevailed in the days of the Old Testament [Jn. 9:2], the people believed that bad things happened as a punishment for their sins. So here we have a women who affirmed that (1) she was a sinner, (2) that her son had died because of her sins and (3) that Elijah had come to make sure that she knew her son’s death was God’s punishment.
But after Elijah’s triad prayerful intercession to God, the child was revived and Elijah gave him back to his mother. This event, the resurrection of the widow's son, enhances the reputation of the Prophet Elijah and thereby helps to establish the authority of his word.
As one would say, by his action, you will know that he is of God. For words without actions are dead. [James 2:17]
In today’s Second Reading from the Letter to the Galatians [Gal. 1:11-19], we heard Paul defending his apostleship. Why did Saint Paul have to defend his apostleship? Why did he have to voice his surprise and shock at the Galatian’s falseness that was taking place? Paul was denouncing another teaching that was taking place and being believed. He condemned this unauthentic gospel, affirming that his alone was the real "Gospel of Christ." [Gal. 1:5] Paul was shocked to see how easy, soon after their conversion, and his evangelization, the allowed themselves to be brainwashed and poisoned by false teachings.
Paul made it clear that since his Gospel originated from Christ, He Who is not divided [1 Cor. 1:13], there can only be one Gospel. [Eph. 4:5]
It appears that the Judaizers had accused Paul of having derived his message not from Christ, but from other preachers, and of having watered it down for the Gentiles by eliminating the obligation of circumcision. His reply reaffirmed the Divine origin of his apostolic commission by explaining his relationship to the mother Church of Jerusalem.
Paul rejected their accusation that he was watering down the Gospel to win many converts, that he was trying to please men. Paul explained that his conversion had freed him from the "yoke of slavery," which was the Mosaic Law that emphasized human achievement.
It is interesting to hear that even 2,000 years ago, some were persecuted and accused of watering down the truth. This is obvious today by the number of religions in the world. For a few centuries now, the attitude has been, “If you do not like a teaching of the Catholic Church, start another Church without that teaching.” And so we now have 30,000 different religions. The Bible does not lie when it says that God hates divorce [Mal. 2:16], that He condemns abortion as murder, that there is no place in Heaven for those who practice homosexuality, and the list goes on. Starting another religion that supports divorce, abortion and active homosexuality is not going to change the fact that the Word of God is unchanging. Those who change it, they shall be judged accordingly!
The same applies to politicians who have two faces. They tell the people what they want to hear so they will be elected. Once elected, they do what the party wants, not what the people wants, not what is right, nor what God teaches.
Paul emphasized that the Gospel that he preached was from Christ, such being a revelation he received on the road to Damascus.
Paul brought up the fact that prior to his conversion, he violently persecuted the Church of God in an effort to destroy it. His faith was in Judaism, the religion of his ancestors. And he was very zealous in promoting and defending his tradition. No Church of Christ was going to turn the people away from their Jewish belief.
That reminds me that 'by the sacrament of Confirmation, [we the baptized] are more perfectly bound to the Church and are enriched with a special strength of the Holy Spirit. Hence [we] are, as true witnesses of Christ, more strictly obliged to spread and defend the faith by word and deed.'" [LG 11; Cf. OC, Introduction 2.] (Catechism of the Catholic Church # 1285)
Paul continued, that while he was a zealous member of the Jewish faith, by the grace of the Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was revealed to him. God had set Paul apart so that he may proclaim the Gospel to the Gentiles. Paul emphasized that since he had "seen the Lord" [1 Cor. 9:1], he was therefore an Apostle. When Paul connected his apostolic mission to the Gentiles, it was because of the revelation of Christ that he had received. It was not his decision; it was God’s decision. Paul continued by indicating that his basic insight into Christ did not come from the traditional center from which the "Word of the Lord" went forth to men. [Lk. 2:3; Lk. 24:48] He had gained Divine knowledge of God's purpose for the Church through supernatural means, not through human flesh and blood.
The point that Paul was making here was that his teachings were authentic Christians teachings that were personally taught to him by the Lord Jesus Christ. The teachings did not come from men. They did not come from the Apostles. They came directly from Jesus Christ Himself. As such, the Gospel of Christ must be accepted as being 100% pure and worthy of association.
Today’s Reading from the Gospel of Luke [Lk. 7:11-17] is a record of the event that took place in a village called Nain (modern Nein). This event concerned the raising of the widow’s son. Nain, not mentioned anywhere else in the Bible, was located two to three hours by foot South-East of Nazareth and about eight to nine hours South-West of Capernaum.
The Evangelist Luke took special delight in portraying Jesus, not only overwhelmed with pity at the sight of tragedy, but also turning with kindly regard toward women. The dead boy was the mother's only son.
In this event, we have two crowds coming face to face. Jesus approached the town with His disciples and a large crowd. At the same time, the funeral procession, another large crowd, was leaving the village, going towards the graveyard that was just outside of the town.
Coming face to face with each other, Jesus could not avoid seeing the widow. This was one of those instances where you are at the right place at the right time. Jesus appeared clothed with the exalted power over life and death by which he became the object of his Church's faith and worship.
And so it was as we heard, Jesus told the young man to rise and he sat up. Then Jesus gave him to his mother. Imagine the shock of the two crowds that were present! In Jesus they perceived that a great prophet had risen among them. According to them, with this kind of a sign, it was clear that God had looked favorably upon His people!
It did not take long afterwards for the word to spread out all over that Jesus, the Prophet of God, had risen the widow's son.
What messages do we get from these readings?
For one thing, we should not be corrupting the teachings of Jesus Christ that were handed down to us through apostolic succession and Divine guidance.
Secondly, when something bad happens to us, it is not a punishment from God. Sometime we are to blame for our own misfortunes. At times mother nature is to blame. Mechanical failure has been known to cause endless accidents. Aging has its impact on the human body. And the list goes on. We live in a world of many seasons and beauties. At the same time, we know that this world is called to die. This world is just a stepping stone towards the next world, the eternal spiritual world that awaits the faithful.
Thirdly, having being confirmed in Christ, we are called to spread and defend the faith by word and deed. We are called to be missionaries in the world, not oversee, but locally. We are called to evangelize to our family, our neighbours, our friends, our co-workers, our community, all with who we come in contact, in words and actions. Words without actions are dead! Faith without works is dead!
And so my brothers and sisters in Christ, that is today’s message from God to us. We possess the truth, therefore, let us go forward and share it with others in the love of Jesus.
Tenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Reading 11 KGS 17:17-24
Elijah went to Zarephath of Sidon to the house of a widow.
The son of the mistress of the house fell sick,
and his sickness grew more severe until he stopped breathing.
So she said to Elijah,
“Why have you done this to me, O man of God?
Have you come to me to call attention to my guilt
and to kill my son?”
Elijah said to her, “Give me your son.”
Taking him from her lap, he carried the son to the upper room
where he was staying, and put him on his bed.
Elijah called out to the LORD:
“O LORD, my God,
will you afflict even the widow with whom I am staying
by killing her son?”
Then he stretched himself out upon the child three times
and called out to the LORD:
“O LORD, my God,
let the life breath return to the body of this child.”
The LORD heard the prayer of Elijah;
the life breath returned to the child’s body and he revived.
Taking the child, Elijah brought him down into the house
from the upper room and gave him to his mother.
Elijah said to her, “See! Your son is alive.”
The woman replied to Elijah,
“Now indeed I know that you are a man of God.
The word of the LORD comes truly from your mouth.”
The son of the mistress of the house fell sick,
and his sickness grew more severe until he stopped breathing.
So she said to Elijah,
“Why have you done this to me, O man of God?
Have you come to me to call attention to my guilt
and to kill my son?”
Elijah said to her, “Give me your son.”
Taking him from her lap, he carried the son to the upper room
where he was staying, and put him on his bed.
Elijah called out to the LORD:
“O LORD, my God,
will you afflict even the widow with whom I am staying
by killing her son?”
Then he stretched himself out upon the child three times
and called out to the LORD:
“O LORD, my God,
let the life breath return to the body of this child.”
The LORD heard the prayer of Elijah;
the life breath returned to the child’s body and he revived.
Taking the child, Elijah brought him down into the house
from the upper room and gave him to his mother.
Elijah said to her, “See! Your son is alive.”
The woman replied to Elijah,
“Now indeed I know that you are a man of God.
The word of the LORD comes truly from your mouth.”
Responsorial PsalmPS 30:2, 4, 5-6, 11, 12, 13
R. (2a) I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.
I will extol you, O LORD, for you drew me clear
and did not let my enemies rejoice over me.
O LORD, you brought me up from the nether world;
you preserved me from among those going down into the pit.
R. I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.
Sing praise to the LORD, you his faithful ones,
and give thanks to his holy name.
For his anger lasts but a moment;
a lifetime, his good will.
At nightfall, weeping enters in,
but with the dawn, rejoicing.
R. I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.
Hear, O LORD, and have pity on me;
O LORD, be my helper.
You changed my mourning into dancing;
O LORD, my God, forever will I give you thanks.
R. I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.
that the gospel preached by me is not of human origin.
For I did not receive it from a human being, nor was I taught it,
but it came through a revelation of Jesus Christ.
For you heard of my former way of life in Judaism,
how I persecuted the Church of God beyond measure
and tried to destroy it, and progressed in Judaism
beyond many of my contemporaries among my race.
But when God, who from my mother’s womb had set me apart
was pleased to reveal his Son to me,
so that I might proclaim him to the Gentiles,
I went into Arabia and then returned to Damascus.
Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem
to talk with Cephas and remained with him for fifteen days.
But I did not see any other of the Apostles,
only James the brother of the Lord.
A great prophet has risen in our midst
God has visited his people.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I will extol you, O LORD, for you drew me clear
and did not let my enemies rejoice over me.
O LORD, you brought me up from the nether world;
you preserved me from among those going down into the pit.
R. I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.
Sing praise to the LORD, you his faithful ones,
and give thanks to his holy name.
For his anger lasts but a moment;
a lifetime, his good will.
At nightfall, weeping enters in,
but with the dawn, rejoicing.
R. I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.
Hear, O LORD, and have pity on me;
O LORD, be my helper.
You changed my mourning into dancing;
O LORD, my God, forever will I give you thanks.
R. I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.
Reading 2GAL 1:11-14A, 15AC, 16A, 17, 19
I want you to know, brothers and sisters,that the gospel preached by me is not of human origin.
For I did not receive it from a human being, nor was I taught it,
but it came through a revelation of Jesus Christ.
For you heard of my former way of life in Judaism,
how I persecuted the Church of God beyond measure
and tried to destroy it, and progressed in Judaism
beyond many of my contemporaries among my race.
But when God, who from my mother’s womb had set me apart
was pleased to reveal his Son to me,
so that I might proclaim him to the Gentiles,
I went into Arabia and then returned to Damascus.
Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem
to talk with Cephas and remained with him for fifteen days.
But I did not see any other of the Apostles,
only James the brother of the Lord.
AlleluiaLK 7:16
R. Alleluia, alleluia.A great prophet has risen in our midst
God has visited his people.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelLK 7:11-17
Jesus journeyed to a city called Nain,
and his disciples and a large crowd accompanied him.
As he drew near to the gate of the city,
a man who had died was being carried out,
the only son of his mother, and she was a widow.
A large crowd from the city was with her.
When the Lord saw her,
he was moved with pity for her and said to her,
“Do not weep.”
He stepped forward and touched the coffin;
at this the bearers halted,
and he said, “Young man, I tell you, arise!”
The dead man sat up and began to speak,
and Jesus gave him to his mother.
Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, crying out
“A great prophet has arisen in our midst, “
and “God has visited his people.”
This report about him spread through the whole of Judea
and in all the surrounding region.
and his disciples and a large crowd accompanied him.
As he drew near to the gate of the city,
a man who had died was being carried out,
the only son of his mother, and she was a widow.
A large crowd from the city was with her.
When the Lord saw her,
he was moved with pity for her and said to her,
“Do not weep.”
He stepped forward and touched the coffin;
at this the bearers halted,
and he said, “Young man, I tell you, arise!”
The dead man sat up and began to speak,
and Jesus gave him to his mother.
Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, crying out
“A great prophet has arisen in our midst, “
and “God has visited his people.”
This report about him spread through the whole of Judea
and in all the surrounding region.
Sunday, May 22, 2016
Homily
My brothers and sisters in Christ, in recognition of your presence here today to celebrate the Feast of Trinity Sunday, may the grace of God shine on you abundantly.In view of all this, Trinity Sunday is celebrated once a year, during which time the readings from the Holy Scriptures place emphasis of the Three Divine Persons of the Blessed Trinity.
First of all, in order for you to understand the First Reading from the Book of Proverbs, it is necessary to understand the origin of Trinity Sunday in the Catholic Liturgical Calendar.
"Trinity Sunday, the first Sunday after Pentecost, was instituted to honour the Most Holy Trinity. The early Church did not honour the Trinity by a special Office or day. When the Arian heresy was at its height, an Office with canticle, responses, a Preface, and hymns was composed by the Fathers, and recited on Sundays." (Source: "The New Catholic Dictionary", Copyright 1929.)
"Bishop Stephen of Liège (903-20) wrote an Office of the Holy Trinity which was recited in some places on the Sunday after Pentecost, in others on the Sunday preceding Advent. St. Thomas Becket, consecrated Archbishop of Canterbury on the Sunday following Pentecost, obtained for England the privilege of honouring the Holy Trinity on that day, and Pope John XXII (1316- 34) made this practise universal. A Plenary Indulgence is gained by those who receive the Holy Eucharist on this day. The Gospel of the Mass (in Cycle B of the Liturgical Calendar) is the charge of Christ to His Apostles to teach all nations 'baptizing them in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost.'" (Ibid.)
"Trinity Sunday is the last day in the United States for the observance of what is known as the Easter duty, so called because it is of obligation for all Catholics to confess and partake of Holy Communion once a year, usually between the first Sunday of Lent and Trinity Sunday." (Ibid.)
Regarding the Arian heresy, known as "Arianism," it was a heresy propagated by Arius who denied the Divinity of Jesus Christ. He regarded the Son of God as standing midway between God and creatures; not like God without a beginning, but possessing all other Divine perfections, not of one essence, nature, substance with the Father and therefore not like him in Divinity. In 325 A.D., the Council of Nicea adopted the Doctrine of the Divinity of Christ which expressed the identity of the Son in essence, nature, substance with the Father. (Ibid.)
Today's First Reading from the Book of Proverbs occasioned serious difficulty with the Arians who used this text to support the created nature of Jesus as the Word of God. While the author of the Book of Proverbs did use the word "create" to explain the eternal existence of the Wisdom of God, in all truth, he did not do so for the purpose of identify a beginning of Wisdom. Expressing himself the best way that he could, the author was trying to assert the absolute priority of Wisdom and her origin from God before all creation. The author strived to assert that Wisdom was with God prior to the creation of the visible universe. By placing Wisdom first, before creation, this acknowledges the superiority of Wisdom over and above all created things.
For God to create the order of all what is seen and unseen, He had to possess infinite Divine Wisdom that included knowledge and understanding. For nothing can be created prior to being known and understood. Nor can creation take place without the Wisdom that places each thing in its order and knows the long-term outcome of each creation as it relates to the next one.
As such, Wisdom came first before creation.
During today's Second Reading from The Letter of Paul to the Romans, we heard that God justifies man through faith in Jesus Christ, this leading to the salvation of the upright man. When viewed in context with the entire Scriptures, we come to perceive that justification not only requires faith in Jesus Christ, but also the Sacrament of Baptism.
By emphasizing that we are justified through Jesus Christ, St. Paul is telling us that in the plan of salvation, the Heavenly Father has appointed Christ as our Mediator.
St. Paul also tells us that the reconciled Christian who will be saved, he will share with hope in the risen life of Christ. The first effect of justification is the Christian experience of peace. This is a peace that anxieties cannot upset, a hope that knows no disappointment, and a confidence of salvation of which the Christian can truly boast.
As Christians, we boast in the hope of the glory of God. We put our boast in something that is wholly beyond our ordinary natural powers - in hope. This hope is a free gift to us from God just like faith itself. And in the long run, our boast relies on God. What we hope for is the communicated glory of God, still to be attained, even though we have already been introduced to the grace of God.
St. Paul tells us that through sufferings, endurance, the forming of character and hope, God's love is poured into our hearts through the indwelling Holy Spirit. This love of God, it is not "our love of God" but rather, "God's love of us."
All the gifts that we receive from God, be it His grace, faith, hope, peace, justification, they are bestowed upon us through the Blessed Trinity. It is by the grace of God through the power of the Holy Spirit in the Most Holy Name of Jesus that God manifests His love in us, with us and through us so His light may shine in the world.
Today's Gospel Reading from the Gospel of John reaffirms the three fold action of the Blessed Trinity in our lives. Both, the Father and the Son have sent the Holy Spirit in the world as the Spirit of truth to guide us into the truth. As Jesus did not speak of His own, but spoke of what He heard from the Father, the Holy Spirit also will not speak on His own, but he speaks of what He hears.
During the Gospel Reading, we heard Jesus say, "I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now." From these words, we learn that while "Revelation is already complete in Jesus Christ, it has not been made completely explicit; it remains for Christian faith gradually to grasp its full significance over the course of the centuries." (C.C.C. # 66)
As we are able to grasp the truth, depending on our age and our openness to the knowledge and understanding of Scriptures, the grace of God shines on us according to our need and our desire to grow in Christ. Such a grace may be manifested by the Holy Spirit who may choose to inspire us, guide us to written teachings of the Catholic Church, or possibly put on our path a loving teacher who will explain to us what we seek to learn for the glory of God.
My brothers and sisters, before proceeding with the celebration of the Holy Mass, I would like to ask you to take the time this week to reflect upon the Blessed Trinity. Take any event in your life, be it related to your faith, your marriage, your employment, or even the birth of a child, and ask yourself the following question. "How was the love of God manifested in this event through the Blessed Trinity?" "What was the role of the Heavenly Father?" "What was the role of Jesus?" "What was the role of the Holy Spirit?" And when you come to perceive the individual roles of each Person of the Blessed Trinity, take a moment to thank God for His priceless involvement in this event of your life.
May the grace and peace of God be with you this week.
The Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity Lectionary: 166
Reading 1 Prv 8:22-31
Thus says the wisdom of God:
"The LORD possessed me, the beginning of his ways,
the forerunner of his prodigies of long ago;
from of old I was poured forth,
at the first, before the earth.
When there were no depths I was brought forth,
when there were no fountains or springs of water;
before the mountains were settled into place,
before the hills, I was brought forth;
while as yet the earth and fields were not made,
nor the first clods of the world.
"When the Lord established the heavens I was there,
when he marked out the vault over the face of the deep;
when he made firm the skies above,
when he fixed fast the foundations of the earth;
when he set for the sea its limit,
so that the waters should not transgress his command;
then was I beside him as his craftsman,
and I was his delight day by day,
playing before him all the while,
playing on the surface of his earth;
and I found delight in the human race."
"The LORD possessed me, the beginning of his ways,
the forerunner of his prodigies of long ago;
from of old I was poured forth,
at the first, before the earth.
When there were no depths I was brought forth,
when there were no fountains or springs of water;
before the mountains were settled into place,
before the hills, I was brought forth;
while as yet the earth and fields were not made,
nor the first clods of the world.
"When the Lord established the heavens I was there,
when he marked out the vault over the face of the deep;
when he made firm the skies above,
when he fixed fast the foundations of the earth;
when he set for the sea its limit,
so that the waters should not transgress his command;
then was I beside him as his craftsman,
and I was his delight day by day,
playing before him all the while,
playing on the surface of his earth;
and I found delight in the human race."
Responsorial Psalm Ps 8:4-5, 6-7, 8-9
R. (2a) O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth!
When I behold your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars which you set in place —
What is man that you should be mindful of him,
or the son of man that you should care for him?
R. O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth!
You have made him little less than the angels,
and crowned him with glory and honor.
You have given him rule over the works of your hands,
putting all things under his feet:
R. O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth!
All sheep and oxen,
yes, and the beasts of the field,
The birds of the air, the fishes of the sea,
and whatever swims the paths of the seas.
R. O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth!
Therefore, since we have been justified by faith,
we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
through whom we have gained access by faith
to this grace in which we stand,
and we boast in hope of the glory of God.
Not only that, but we even boast of our afflictions,
knowing that affliction produces endurance,
and endurance, proven character,
and proven character, hope,
and hope does not disappoint,
because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts
through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.
When I behold your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars which you set in place —
What is man that you should be mindful of him,
or the son of man that you should care for him?
R. O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth!
You have made him little less than the angels,
and crowned him with glory and honor.
You have given him rule over the works of your hands,
putting all things under his feet:
R. O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth!
All sheep and oxen,
yes, and the beasts of the field,
The birds of the air, the fishes of the sea,
and whatever swims the paths of the seas.
R. O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth!
Reading 2 Rom 5:1-5
Brothers and sisters:Therefore, since we have been justified by faith,
we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
through whom we have gained access by faith
to this grace in which we stand,
and we boast in hope of the glory of God.
Not only that, but we even boast of our afflictions,
knowing that affliction produces endurance,
and endurance, proven character,
and proven character, hope,
and hope does not disappoint,
because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts
through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.
Alleluia Cf. Rv 1:8
R. Alleluia, alleluia.Glory to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit;
to God who is, who was, and who is to come.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel Jn 16:12-15
Jesus said to his disciples:"I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now.
But when he comes, the Spirit of truth,
he will guide you to all truth.
He will not speak on his own,
but he will speak what he hears,
and will declare to you the things that are coming.
He will glorify me,
because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you.
Everything that the Father has is mine;
for this reason I told you that he will take from what is mine
and declare it to you."
Prayers for this Morning
Lord Jesus, I believe in you. I believe you
have called me to the faith and to share that
faith. I trust that you will fill me with your
spirit of courage and truth so that I might faithfully
assimilate and transmit the faith. I love you. I want
to love you more with my prayer and with my
life, and so grow in the unity of the love
you share with your Father and the Holy Spirit.
Dear Jesus, send me your Holy Spirit so that I might better know and love you. Grant me a hunger to know you better, to experience you more deeply. May my knowledge of you set my heart on fire so that I cannot keep you to myself. Aid me in faithfully communicating you and your message of love.
Dear Jesus, send me your Holy Spirit so that I might better know and love you. Grant me a hunger to know you better, to experience you more deeply. May my knowledge of you set my heart on fire so that I cannot keep you to myself. Aid me in faithfully communicating you and your message of love.
Sunday, May 8, 2016
Homily
While blessing them, He was carried up to Heaven. Welcome my brothers and sisters in Christ to today's celebration of the Feast the "Ascension of the Lord" Jesus.
While reflecting on this Feast that the Holy Catholic Church has found worthy of including in the Liturgical Calendar, I asked myself, "What does the Ascension of Jesus mean to us?" After spiritual reflections, I was able to perceive some important factors that are associated with the Ascension of the Lord Jesus.
1. First of all, the visible departure of the Lord concluded the Risen Jesus' sojourn on earth. For 40 days after His Resurrection, Jesus had been appearing to many of His followers and spoke to them about the Kingdom of God. [Acts 1:3] The days of His apparitions had come to an end.
If we are to take Chapter 24 of the Gospel of Luke or Chapter 20 of the Gospel of John as they stand, we would get the impression that all three, the Resurrection, the Ascension and the giving of the Holy Spirit happened on the same day. But this is not so. As I have just mentioned, there was "40 days" [Acts 1:3] between the day of the Resurrection and the day of the Ascension. This knowledge is made known to us by St. Luke who also wrote "The Acts of the Apostles."
2. Secondly, I have come to perceive that the Ascension of Jesus completes our understanding of the awesomeness of the glorious Resurrection. Because the Lord Jesus was raised to Heaven after His glorious Resurrection, it is made known to us that our blessed hope of eternal life does not consist of dwelling in this world, but rather in Heaven.
3. Thirdly, the Ascension of the Lord affirms that Jesus was the Messiah. As the Gospel of Luke tells us, "He was carried up into Heaven." [Lk. 24:51] The questions to ask here are, "Who carried Him?" and "Why did they carry Him?" It was the angels who carried Jesus to Heaven because they were created to "adore Him" [Heb. 1:6] and serve Him.
In concluding the writing of his Gospel, St. Luke emphasized that the proclaiming of repentance and the forgiveness of sins was to be proclaimed in His Name. [Lk. 24:47] This emphasis, in "His Name," shifts the faith of the believers from Yahweh, the God of the Old Testament, to the divinity of Jesus. "For in Him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell bodily." [Col. 1:19, 2:9]
4. Next, the Ascension of the Lord Jesus opened the door for the beginning of the Divine ministry of the Holy Spirit. Jesus had told His disciples not to leave Jerusalem but to wait there for the promise of the Heavenly Father. [Lk. 24:49; Acts 1:4]
5. Fifth, during the Gospel Reading, we heard that Jesus raised His hands and blessed His disciples. [Lk. 24:50] This action echoes a similar action that is found in the Book of Sirach in the Old Testament."The leader of his brothers and the pride of his people was the high priest, Simon son of Onias..." [Sir. 50:1] "Then Simon came down and raised his hands over the whole congregation of Israelites to pronounce the blessing of the Lord with his lips, and to glory in his name." [Sir. 50:20]From this passage, we come to perceive that the blessing of Jesus was not just an ordinary blessing. It was a blessing from the True High Priest, He who is a priest forever, according to the Order of Melchizedek. [Heb. 5:6, 7:17, 7:21]
6. Sixth, from the moment of the Ascension, the living hope of all Christians has been for the Second Coming of Christ, not to deal with sin, but to save those who are eagerly waiting for Him. At the moment of the Ascension of the Lord, the countdown began. "About that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father." [Mt. 24:36] "Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour." [Mt. 24:44]
7. Seventh, once the Lord Jesus had ascended into Heaven, He sat at the right hand of God. [Mk. 16:19; Rom. 8:34; Col. 3:1; Heb. 1:3, 8:1, 10:12; 1 Pet. 3:22; Acts 2:33, 7:56-7] Since then, He has been the Mediator between God and humankind. [1 Tim. 2:5] "Jesus has now obtained a more excellent ministry, and to that degree He is the Mediator of a better Covenant, which has been enacted through better promises." [Heb. 8:6]
8. Eight, from the moment of the Ascension of Jesus into Heaven, His glorious reign began as the King of kings. Through the Resurrection of Jesus, death was conquered. "The great dragon was thrown down (out of Heaven), that ancient serpent who is called the Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world." [Rev. 12:9]
Following the glorious moment of the Ascension of Jesus, the souls that dwelled in Limbo were finally released "Christ was the first fruits of those who had died." [1 Cor. 15:20]In theological usage the name "Limbo" has two meanings. The first is the temporary place or state of the souls of the just who, although purified from sin, were excluded from the beatific vision until Christ's triumphant ascension into Heaven (the "limbus patrum").
According to apocryphal Jewish literature that refers to the abode of the departed just, the following condition of the souls is generally agreed upon:
- that their condition is one of happiness,
- that it is temporary, and
- that it is to be replaced by a condition of final and permanent bliss when the Messianic Kingdom is established.
(See Catholic Encyclopedia Online; Subject: Limbo.)9. Ninth, while Jesus has ascended into Heaven, His Divine Presence continues to be with us where He is adored daily in the Sacred Tabernacles of the Catholic Churches.
The last verse from today's Gospel Reading states, "And they worshipped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy; and they were continually in the Temple blessing God." [Lk. 24:53] What is stressed here is that the believers were "continually" in the Temple and their "great joy."
From this passage, it can be perceived that the physical Church mirrors the invisible Kingdom of God. The One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church mirrors the new Jerusalem and the new Temple. The Divine Presence of Jesus in the Sacred Tabernacles mirrors His Divine Presence among the saints and the angels in the Kingdom of God.
Why is there great joy? Because the celebration of the Holy Mass and the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist mirror the Heavenly Feast in which Jesus, the Blessed Virgin Mary, the saints and all the angels are partaking. To receive Jesus in the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist is to "worship God in spirit and truth." [Jn. 4:24]
My brothers and sisters in Christ, the aforementioned raises the importance of the Feast of the Ascension of the Lord above the fact that the Lord Jesus was carried up to Heaven by the angels. While the Resurrection was the turning point in history regarding salvation, the Ascension was the turning point in history regarding the beginning of the Kingdom of God.
Following the glorious Ascension of the Lord, the endless righteous souls who had died from the days of Adam to the days of Jesus, all were finally released from their prison in Limbo. Finally, they could enjoy the eternal Presence of Christ the King. For these souls, the Resurrection of Jesus prepared the way for their freedom from a dwelling where they did not enjoy the beatific vision of Christ.
These are reasons to celebrate the Ascension of the Lord. There may be more than those that I have mentioned. But these are sufficient for us to rejoice, not only for ourselves, but for the countless souls of the days of the Old Testament who finally entered the Kingdom of God.
Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord
Reading 1 Acts 1:1-11
In the first book, Theophilus,
I dealt with all that Jesus did and taught
until the day he was taken up,
after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit
to the apostles whom he had chosen.
He presented himself alive to them
by many proofs after he had suffered,
appearing to them during forty days
and speaking about the kingdom of God.
While meeting with them,
he enjoined them not to depart from Jerusalem,
but to wait for “the promise of the Father
about which you have heard me speak;
for John baptized with water,
but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
When they had gathered together they asked him,
“Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”
He answered them, “It is not for you to know the times or seasons
that the Father has established by his own authority.
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you,
and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem,
throughout Judea and Samaria,
and to the ends of the earth.”
When he had said this, as they were looking on,
he was lifted up, and a cloud took him from their sight.
While they were looking intently at the sky as he was going,
suddenly two men dressed in white garments stood beside them.
They said, “Men of Galilee,
why are you standing there looking at the sky?
This Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven
will return in the same way as you have seen him going into heaven.”
I dealt with all that Jesus did and taught
until the day he was taken up,
after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit
to the apostles whom he had chosen.
He presented himself alive to them
by many proofs after he had suffered,
appearing to them during forty days
and speaking about the kingdom of God.
While meeting with them,
he enjoined them not to depart from Jerusalem,
but to wait for “the promise of the Father
about which you have heard me speak;
for John baptized with water,
but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
When they had gathered together they asked him,
“Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”
He answered them, “It is not for you to know the times or seasons
that the Father has established by his own authority.
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you,
and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem,
throughout Judea and Samaria,
and to the ends of the earth.”
When he had said this, as they were looking on,
he was lifted up, and a cloud took him from their sight.
While they were looking intently at the sky as he was going,
suddenly two men dressed in white garments stood beside them.
They said, “Men of Galilee,
why are you standing there looking at the sky?
This Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven
will return in the same way as you have seen him going into heaven.”
Responsorial Psalm Ps 47:2-3, 6-7, 8-9
R. (6) God mounts his throne to shouts of joy: a blare of trumpets for the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
All you peoples, clap your hands,
shout to God with cries of gladness,
For the LORD, the Most High, the awesome,
is the great king over all the earth.
R. God mounts his throne to shouts of joy: a blare of trumpets for the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
God mounts his throne amid shouts of joy;
the LORD, amid trumpet blasts.
Sing praise to God, sing praise;
sing praise to our king, sing praise.
R. God mounts his throne to shouts of joy: a blare of trumpets for the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
For king of all the earth is God;
sing hymns of praise.
God reigns over the nations,
God sits upon his holy throne.
R. God mounts his throne to shouts of joy: a blare of trumpets for the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
May the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory,
give you a Spirit of wisdom and revelation
resulting in knowledge of him.
May the eyes of your hearts be enlightened,
that you may know what is the hope that belongs to his call,
what are the riches of glory
in his inheritance among the holy ones,
and what is the surpassing greatness of his power
for us who believe,
in accord with the exercise of his great might:
which he worked in Christ,
raising him from the dead
and seating him at his right hand in the heavens,
far above every principality, authority, power, and dominion,
and every name that is named
not only in this age but also in the one to come.
And he put all things beneath his feet
and gave him as head over all things to the church,
which is his body,
the fullness of the one who fills all things in every way.
a copy of the true one, but heaven itself,
that he might now appear before God on our behalf.
Not that he might offer himself repeatedly,
as the high priest enters each year into the sanctuary
with blood that is not his own;
if that were so, he would have had to suffer repeatedly
from the foundation of the world.
But now once for all he has appeared at the end of the ages
to take away sin by his sacrifice.
Just as it is appointed that men and women die once,
and after this the judgment, so also Christ,
offered once to take away the sins of many,
will appear a second time, not to take away sin
but to bring salvation to those who eagerly await him.
Therefore, brothers and sisters, since through the blood of Jesus
we have confidence of entrance into the sanctuary
by the new and living way he opened for us through the veil,
that is, his flesh,
and since we have Aa great priest over the house of God, “
let us approach with a sincere heart and in absolute trust,
with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience
and our bodies washed in pure water.
Let us hold unwaveringly to our confession that gives us hope,
for he who made the promise is trustworthy.
Go and teach all nations, says the Lord;
I am with you always, until the end of the world.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
or:
R. Alleluia.
All you peoples, clap your hands,
shout to God with cries of gladness,
For the LORD, the Most High, the awesome,
is the great king over all the earth.
R. God mounts his throne to shouts of joy: a blare of trumpets for the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
God mounts his throne amid shouts of joy;
the LORD, amid trumpet blasts.
Sing praise to God, sing praise;
sing praise to our king, sing praise.
R. God mounts his throne to shouts of joy: a blare of trumpets for the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
For king of all the earth is God;
sing hymns of praise.
God reigns over the nations,
God sits upon his holy throne.
R. God mounts his throne to shouts of joy: a blare of trumpets for the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Reading 2 Eph 1:17-23
Brothers and sisters:May the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory,
give you a Spirit of wisdom and revelation
resulting in knowledge of him.
May the eyes of your hearts be enlightened,
that you may know what is the hope that belongs to his call,
what are the riches of glory
in his inheritance among the holy ones,
and what is the surpassing greatness of his power
for us who believe,
in accord with the exercise of his great might:
which he worked in Christ,
raising him from the dead
and seating him at his right hand in the heavens,
far above every principality, authority, power, and dominion,
and every name that is named
not only in this age but also in the one to come.
And he put all things beneath his feet
and gave him as head over all things to the church,
which is his body,
the fullness of the one who fills all things in every way.
or Heb 9:24-28; 10:19-23
Christ did not enter into a sanctuary made by hands,a copy of the true one, but heaven itself,
that he might now appear before God on our behalf.
Not that he might offer himself repeatedly,
as the high priest enters each year into the sanctuary
with blood that is not his own;
if that were so, he would have had to suffer repeatedly
from the foundation of the world.
But now once for all he has appeared at the end of the ages
to take away sin by his sacrifice.
Just as it is appointed that men and women die once,
and after this the judgment, so also Christ,
offered once to take away the sins of many,
will appear a second time, not to take away sin
but to bring salvation to those who eagerly await him.
Therefore, brothers and sisters, since through the blood of Jesus
we have confidence of entrance into the sanctuary
by the new and living way he opened for us through the veil,
that is, his flesh,
and since we have Aa great priest over the house of God, “
let us approach with a sincere heart and in absolute trust,
with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience
and our bodies washed in pure water.
Let us hold unwaveringly to our confession that gives us hope,
for he who made the promise is trustworthy.
Alleluia Mt 28:19a, 20b
R. Alleluia, alleluia.Go and teach all nations, says the Lord;
I am with you always, until the end of the world.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel Lk 24:46-53
Jesus said to his disciples:“Thus it is written that the Christ would suffer
and rise from the dead on the third day
and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins,
would be preached in his name
to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.
You are witnesses of these things.
And behold I am sending the promise of my Father upon you;
but stay in the city
until you are clothed with power from on high.”
Then he led them out as far as Bethany,
raised his hands, and blessed them.
As he blessed them he parted from them
and was taken up to heaven.
They did him homage
and then returned to Jerusalem with great joy,
and they were continually in the temple praising God.
Prayers for Today
"Lord Jesus, through the gift of your Holy Spirit, you fill us with an indomitable spirit of praise and joy which no earthly trial can subdue. Fill me with your resurrection joy and help me to live a life of praise and thanksgiving for your glory. May I witness to those around me the joy of the Gospel and the reality of your great victory over sin and death."
Lord, I believe in you and all that you have revealed for our salvation. I hope in you because of your overflowing mercy. Every single act of yours on this earth demonstrated your love for us. Your ascent into heaven before the eyes of the Apostles inspires my hope of one day joining you there. I love you and wish you to be the center of my life.
Jesus, it is hard to forgive others. Sometimes it is hard to forgive myself. I need your strength to move me beyond the pain and struggle. I need the security of your love and your presence in my life. Help me to mend the disharmony in my life that you want me to fix. Heal the brokenness in my heart, in my home, in my family and in my Church.
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