SUNDAY READINGS - 3rd Sunday of Advent
FIRST READING: Zephaniah 3:14-18. Sing aloud, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem! The Lord has taken away the judgements against you, he has cast out your enemies. The King of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst; you shall fear evil no more. On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: " Do not fear, O Zion; let not your hands grow weak. The Lord your God is in your midst, a warrior who gives victory; he will rejoice over you with gladness, he will renew you in his love; he will exult over you with loud singing as on a day of festival."
EXPLANATION: Zephaniah was a prophet who preached to the people of Judah and Jerusalem during the second half of the seventh century B.C. This was a period of religious degradation. The pure monotheism of Moses was almost forgotten, pagan idols were worshipped even in the holy city of Jerusalem. The prophet chastises the Chosen People and the neighboring pagan peoples who have led them astray. But he ends up with words of hope and consolation. A remnant of the Chosen People will be saved and to that remnant God will fulfill his promise---he will forgive Jerusalem and send it a lasting peace, for he will come to dwell in it as a "mighty savior." Our reading today is taken from this hymn of hope.
Sing aloud . . . Israel: Having pronounced his "woes" and threats against Israel and Jerusalem (which "woes" were later fulfilled to the letter), the prophet now sees the light of hope shining amidst the darkness. In spite of her sins, Zion, that is, Jerusalem will yet have cause to rejoice, and to sing for joy.
the Lord . . . the judgements: God in his mercy will forgive Jerusalem. Many a time that city, humanly speaking, deserved to be wiped out forever, like Sodom and Gomorrah, but God is divine, not human; be has a patience, a mercy which our small human minds cannot even imagine. He promises now, through Zephaniah, that Jerusalem will survive all its disasters and that notwithstanding its citizens' insults to him, through their idolatry, he would yet make it a safe and a happy city because
the King of Israel . . . in your midst: he would dwell once more amongst them; therefore they need fear no enemy.
on that day . . . who gives victory: Some time in the future "on that day," God will come to Jerusalem as its true Savior, not merely to save it from its earthly enemies, but to bring it back to the true worship and to save it from its sins, as the following verses show.
He will rejoice . . . renew you in his love: In the old covenant made on Mount Sinai, God promised to be a father to the Chosen People if they remained true children of his. He would make his throne in the Temple in Jerusalem and dwell in their midst. The Chosen People failed badly in keeping their part and God abandoned them to their pagan enemies. But a remnant would remain true and with that remnant he would make a new covenant, build a new Jerusalem and found a new Chosen People. This is the theme of almost all of the prophets (see Jer. 31: 31-34) and it is to this messianic covenant that Zephaniah refers here.
He will . . . festival: God will rejoice in the people of this new covenant because they will be more loyal, but especially because there will be one amongst them, their Head and Leader, human like themselves but at the same time God's "beloved Son in whom he is well pleased."
APPLICATION: It is very probable that neither Zephaniah nor his hearers saw the full meaning of the consoling words he uttered and that matters not. But we see their full meaning now in their fulfillment and we have every reason to do what the prophet said. "to shout for joy." God has come to dwell amongst us. He, Christ, is head of the new Israel, the Church. We are its members. "I am the vine, you are the branches" he said; while we remain united with him in grace and love we are producing fruit for eternal life, we are progressing daily towards our perfection.
The Israelites of old were indeed thankless and mean towards God, they forgot him and went after false Gods, and God resented this, and we would all say "how right he was"! But what about ourselves? We have seen proof of God's love, exceedingly greater than anything the Israelites saw---his Son came amongst us---and actually died the most shameful and painful death for our sakes! Could we ever forget that? We can and we do, unfortunately. We too desert God and go after idols, false gods of our own making, the pleasures, the riches and the power of this passing world.
Let us stop and think today of our privileged status. We have been made adopted sons of God, brothers of Christ, who lowered himself to become one of us so that he would raise us up to become one with him forever. Would we swap our birthright of adopted sonship of God for a mess of valueless pottage? Would we exchange an eternal happiness for some passing pleasure, some trivial material gain, some foolish sop to our false pride? This has been known to have happened, it can happen again. God forbid it should happen to me!
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SECOND READING: Philippians 4: 4-7. Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let all men know your forbearance. The Lord is at hand. Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
EXPLANATION: In the first reading you heard read today, the prophet Zephaniah exhorts the new Israel, that is us, to shout for joy, because of the new covenant of love God was to make with mankind. St. Paul too, writing from a prison where he was "in chains," because of this new message of God---the gospel---urges his first European converts to shout for joy, to rejoice always and for the same reason.
rejoice in the Lord always: The true Christian is a man who is on the direct road to heaven. Heaven is a place where there will be happiness, without any admixture of sorrow, in the company of God and his saints, and that happiness will be eternal, everlasting. Surely joy should be the theme-song of his life.
let . . . forebearance: the Greek word means courtesy, tolerance, gentleness. Who should be more courteous, tolerant and gentle to his neighbor than a follower of the gentle Christ who said: "learn of me for I am meek and humble of heart"? The true Christian, conscious of the kindness, the toleration God has shown him, will surely be tolerant and kind to his neighbor. If that neighbor is a definite sinner, which a kind Christian should never presume---he should be all the more sympathetic toward him---his eternal happiness may be in jeopardy.
prayer . . . full of gratitude: We can never thank God sufficiently, but every prayer of ours should begin with thanksgiving.
let your requests . . . God: the true Christian is on the right road to heaven, but he must keep moving always in order to get there. For this he will need God's help and that help is there for him who asks for it. He must tell God of his needs then, not only his spiritual needs but also his temporal ones, always with the proviso "if this temporal favor is conducive to my spiritual good." There are snags and troubles and disappointments in the course of every man's journey to heaven, but these very difficulties are often the means used by God to raise us up spiritually. The true Christian will see them in this light.
the peace of God: What greater gift could St. Paul wish for his converts! To share in that peace, namely, which dwells in the Trinity. No creature could expect such divine peace which "surpasses all understanding." The man who is loyal to God, just and charitable to all his fellow-men, can and does share in that peace even in this life.
will keep your hearts . . . in Christ Jesus: This peace on earth, a foreshadowing of the eternal peace of heaven, has been won for men by our Savior Christ Jesus.
APPLICATION: St. Francis of Assisi tried in his daily life to follow Christ as closely as possible. He was one of the happiest and most joyful of men for this very reason. He was often ill, often hungry, often cold and often fatigued but he was never known to have been sad. He had taken this exhortation of St. Paul to his heart. Whenever he saw one of his early followers gloomy and sad---there were some evidently who were as yet only following from afar---he told him go to confession as he must be in mortal sin. There seemed no other true explanation for sadness in a true Christian's life. Is there? We are really pilgrims, exiles on this earth, but every day we live is a day nearer to our true and lasting home which is heaven. Would an exile on his home-journey complain of the few hardships and discomforts he may meet with on his journey? Not if his heart is really set on coming home.
Troubles and trials there must be in every individual's life, but of this we have been forewarned by our Savior himself---"if anyone will come after me let him take up his cross daily and follow me." The crosses we meet are not impediments to our progress towards heaven but rather necessary aids on our journey. If accepted willingly they will keep us closer to our Leader who carried his cross to Calvary for our sakes.
St. Paul tells us today to pray for all our needs, always with thanksgiving. Such prayers, especially if we stress the thanksgiving we owe God already for the wonderful gifts he has given us, will lighten the cross and even perhaps make us grasp it closely rather than want to cast it from us. We are very mean if we refuse to undergo a little suffering for God who did so much for us and suffered so much for us.
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GOSPEL: Luke 3: 10-18. The multitudes asked John, "What shall we do?" And he answered them, "He who has two coats, let him share with him who has none; and he who has food, let him do likewise." Tax collectors also came to be baptized, and said to him, "Teacher, what shall we do?" And he said to them, "Collect no more than is appointed you." Soldiers also asked him, "And we, what shall we do?" And he said to them, "Rob no one by violence or by false accusation, and be content with your wages."
As the people were in expectation, and all men questioned in their hearts concerning John, whether perhaps he were the Christ, John answered them all, "I baptize you with water; but he who is mightier than I is coming, the thong of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie; he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor, and to gather the wheat into his granary, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire."
So, with many other exhortations, he preached good news to the people.
EXPLANATION: The Baptist's preaching at the Jordan caused a stir all over Palestine. Many thought he was a prophet. They had had no prophet from God for over 200 years. Others thought he was the long-expected Messiah. The theme of his preaching was "change of heart," turn to God and to things spiritual, forget your political ambitions---the Messiah is not here to free you from the Romans and make you a great temporal nation but to free you from your sins and make you sons of God.
What shall we do?: Many of those who flocked to hear him were willing to change their hearts but how? was their question. Be charitable, share with your needy neighbor, was his basic rule. The rest would follow.
tax collectors . . . soldiers: Doubtless he had a word for all classes but Luke picks out two of the most despised classes of that time. The tax collectors were Jews (for the most part), who collected the taxes Rome had imposed on their fellow-Jews. The system of collection opened the door to many abuses. The tax collector had to give the Roman authorities a certain amount each year for his district. He could exact whatever sum he liked provided Rome got the sum decided on. Thus, injustice was widespread, the Roman taxes were a hated burden for Jews, the collector made them more hated still. The "soldiers" were most probably not those of the Roman or Herod's army but the henchmen of the tax collectors who often used strong arm methods to get the taxes, and often collected something extra for themselves. John's answer to both is: "be just."
I baptize . . . water: The washing in the Jordan waters had no value in itself but was a symbol of the interior cleansing---"change" of heart. John answers the question "are you the Messiah?" Although chosen by God to be the precursor---to prepare the way for Christ, he feels he is not worthy to be his most lowly servant---the one who was not fit to tie his superior's sandals.
baptize . . . Holy Spirit and . . . fire: The baptism which Christ will confer will be the reality, it will give the Spirit of God, a new breath of divine life, to those who receive it. As in the Genesis description of creation God breathed on the clay he had formed and made Adam man, so now the new breath "Spirit" of God would make man something greater: sons of God.
fire: Cleansing, purifying by fire, was common in the old testament (see Nm. 21: 33 and Mal. 3: 3-19 where the reference is messianic).
winnowing fork: John now uses a simile well-known to his audience---the farmer threshing his wheat---the good grain will be separated from the useless chaff. Our Lord himself uses the same image in his parable of "the wheat and the cockles" (Mt. 13: 24ff).
he preached good news: John kept on telling the crowds who came to hear him the "good news" of the arrival of the long-awaited Messiah and thus prepared the way for Christ's public ministry.
APPLICATION: The Baptist's words are still very much to the point for all of us. We are all to a greater or lesser degree tax collectors and sinners. They had the honesty to admit it and asked John what they should do in order to be ready to welcome the Messiah, Christ. Let me ask today too what I should do if I mean to welcome Christ sincerely at Christmas. And the answer is in the words I have just heard. Am I just and charitable to my fellow-men? If I am an employer am I paying a just wage to those who are producing my wealth for me? If I am an employee am I doing an honest day's work for the pay I am getting? And both employer and employee must in justice and charity think of the consumer---the third party, when fixing or causing the price of what they produce.
If the employer, through desire for excessive profit, or the employee through not earning his pay, cause prices to rise then the third party, the consumer, is treated unjustly. Our world today is full of such injustices and sad to say, the Christian countries whose citizens profess to be followers of Christ not only do nothing to prevent this state of affairs but instead are even worse offenders than those who have not yet heard of Christ. I may shrug my shoulders and say what can I do about the injustice that abounds on all sides? But stop and think, there are things I can do. I can put my own conscience in order. I can put myself right with God and neighbor by acting justly, "giving every man his due" from this day forward. I can thus become an example to lead others to do likewise.
The true Christian in the world is the leaven which will convert the dough into wholesome healthy bread. I can be, and I should be, that energizing leaven. If I will not and if I do not strive to become so, Christ's winnowing-fan on my day of judgement will put me among the chaff which is destined for the unquenchable fire.-c012
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Thursday, December 13, 2012
RE: 12.13.12~Readings for Sunday, December 16, 2012 _ Catholic Matters
USCCB » Bible » Daily Readings December 16, 2012
« December 15
December 17 »
Third Sunday of Advent
Lectionary: 9
Reading 1 Zep 3:14-18aShout for joy, O daughter Zion!
Sing joyfully, O Israel!
Be glad and exult with all your heart,
O daughter Jerusalem!
The LORD has removed the judgment against you
he has turned away your enemies;
the King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst,
you have no further misfortune to fear.
On that day, it shall be said to Jerusalem:
Fear not, O Zion, be not discouraged!
The LORD, your God, is in your midst,
a mighty savior;
he will rejoice over you with gladness,
and renew you in his love,
he will sing joyfully because of you,
as one sings at festivals.
Responsorial Psalm Is 12:2-3, 4, 5-6.R. (6) Cry out with joy and gladness: for among you is the great and Holy One of Israel.
God indeed is my savior;
I am confident and unafraid.
My strength and my courage is the LORD,
and he has been my savior.
With joy you will draw water
at the fountain of salvation.
R. Cry out with joy and gladness: for among you is the great and Holy One of Israel.
Give thanks to the LORD, acclaim his name;
among the nations make known his deeds,
proclaim how exalted is his name.
R. Cry out with joy and gladness: for among you is the great and Holy One of Israel.
Sing praise to the LORD for his glorious achievement;
let this be known throughout all the earth.
Shout with exultation, O city of Zion,
for great in your midst
is the Holy One of Israel!
R. Cry out with joy and gladness: for among you is the great and Holy One of Israel.
Reading 2 Phil 4:4-7Brothers and sisters:
Rejoice in the Lord always.
I shall say it again: rejoice!
Your kindness should be known to all.
The Lord is near.
Have no anxiety at all, but in everything,
by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving,
make your requests known to God.
Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding
will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
Gospel Lk 3:10-18The crowds asked John the Baptist,
"What should we do?"
He said to them in reply,
"Whoever has two cloaks
should share with the person who has none.
And whoever has food should do likewise."
Even tax collectors came to be baptized and they said to him,
"Teacher, what should we do?"
He answered them,
"Stop collecting more than what is prescribed."
Soldiers also asked him,
"And what is it that we should do?"
He told them,
"Do not practice extortion,
do not falsely accuse anyone,
and be satisfied with your wages."
Now the people were filled with expectation,
and all were asking in their hearts
whether John might be the Christ.
John answered them all, saying,
"I am baptizing you with water,
but one mightier than I is coming.
I am not worthy to loosen the thongs of his sandals.
He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
His winnowing fan is in his hand to clear his threshing floor
and to gather the wheat into his barn,
but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire."
Exhorting them in many other ways,
he preached good news to the people.
Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United
« December 15
December 17 »
Third Sunday of Advent
Lectionary: 9
Reading 1 Zep 3:14-18aShout for joy, O daughter Zion!
Sing joyfully, O Israel!
Be glad and exult with all your heart,
O daughter Jerusalem!
The LORD has removed the judgment against you
he has turned away your enemies;
the King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst,
you have no further misfortune to fear.
On that day, it shall be said to Jerusalem:
Fear not, O Zion, be not discouraged!
The LORD, your God, is in your midst,
a mighty savior;
he will rejoice over you with gladness,
and renew you in his love,
he will sing joyfully because of you,
as one sings at festivals.
Responsorial Psalm Is 12:2-3, 4, 5-6.R. (6) Cry out with joy and gladness: for among you is the great and Holy One of Israel.
God indeed is my savior;
I am confident and unafraid.
My strength and my courage is the LORD,
and he has been my savior.
With joy you will draw water
at the fountain of salvation.
R. Cry out with joy and gladness: for among you is the great and Holy One of Israel.
Give thanks to the LORD, acclaim his name;
among the nations make known his deeds,
proclaim how exalted is his name.
R. Cry out with joy and gladness: for among you is the great and Holy One of Israel.
Sing praise to the LORD for his glorious achievement;
let this be known throughout all the earth.
Shout with exultation, O city of Zion,
for great in your midst
is the Holy One of Israel!
R. Cry out with joy and gladness: for among you is the great and Holy One of Israel.
Reading 2 Phil 4:4-7Brothers and sisters:
Rejoice in the Lord always.
I shall say it again: rejoice!
Your kindness should be known to all.
The Lord is near.
Have no anxiety at all, but in everything,
by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving,
make your requests known to God.
Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding
will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
Gospel Lk 3:10-18The crowds asked John the Baptist,
"What should we do?"
He said to them in reply,
"Whoever has two cloaks
should share with the person who has none.
And whoever has food should do likewise."
Even tax collectors came to be baptized and they said to him,
"Teacher, what should we do?"
He answered them,
"Stop collecting more than what is prescribed."
Soldiers also asked him,
"And what is it that we should do?"
He told them,
"Do not practice extortion,
do not falsely accuse anyone,
and be satisfied with your wages."
Now the people were filled with expectation,
and all were asking in their hearts
whether John might be the Christ.
John answered them all, saying,
"I am baptizing you with water,
but one mightier than I is coming.
I am not worthy to loosen the thongs of his sandals.
He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
His winnowing fan is in his hand to clear his threshing floor
and to gather the wheat into his barn,
but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire."
Exhorting them in many other ways,
he preached good news to the people.
Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United
Thursday, December 6, 2012
12.06.12~Readings for Sunday, December 9th-2012
December 9, 2012
Second Sunday of Advent
Lectionary: 6
Reading 1 Bar 5:1-9
Jerusalem, take off your robe of mourning and misery;
put on the splendor of glory from God forever:
wrapped in the cloak of justice from God,
bear on your head the mitre
that displays the glory of the eternal name.
For God will show all the earth your splendor:
you will be named by God forever
the peace of justice, the glory of God's worship.
Up, Jerusalem! stand upon the heights;
look to the east and see your children
gathered from the east and the west
at the word of the Holy One,
rejoicing that they are remembered by God.
Led away on foot by their enemies they left you:
but God will bring them back to you
borne aloft in glory as on royal thrones.
For God has commanded
that every lofty mountain be made low,
and that the age-old depths and gorges
be filled to level ground,
that Israel may advance secure in the glory of God.
The forests and every fragrant kind of tree
have overshadowed Israel at God's command;
for God is leading Israel in joy
by the light of his glory,
with his mercy and justice for company.
put on the splendor of glory from God forever:
wrapped in the cloak of justice from God,
bear on your head the mitre
that displays the glory of the eternal name.
For God will show all the earth your splendor:
you will be named by God forever
the peace of justice, the glory of God's worship.
Up, Jerusalem! stand upon the heights;
look to the east and see your children
gathered from the east and the west
at the word of the Holy One,
rejoicing that they are remembered by God.
Led away on foot by their enemies they left you:
but God will bring them back to you
borne aloft in glory as on royal thrones.
For God has commanded
that every lofty mountain be made low,
and that the age-old depths and gorges
be filled to level ground,
that Israel may advance secure in the glory of God.
The forests and every fragrant kind of tree
have overshadowed Israel at God's command;
for God is leading Israel in joy
by the light of his glory,
with his mercy and justice for company.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 126:1-2, 2-3, 4-5, 6.
R. (3) The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.
When the LORD brought back the captives of Zion,
we were like men dreaming.
Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
and our tongue with rejoicing.
R. The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.
Then they said among the nations,
"The LORD has done great things for them."
The LORD has done great things for us;
we are glad indeed.
R. The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.
Restore our fortunes, O LORD,
like the torrents in the southern desert.
Those who sow in tears
shall reap rejoicing.
R. The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.
Although they go forth weeping,
carrying the seed to be sown,
They shall come back rejoicing,
carrying their sheaves.
R. The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.
When the LORD brought back the captives of Zion,
we were like men dreaming.
Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
and our tongue with rejoicing.
R. The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.
Then they said among the nations,
"The LORD has done great things for them."
The LORD has done great things for us;
we are glad indeed.
R. The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.
Restore our fortunes, O LORD,
like the torrents in the southern desert.
Those who sow in tears
shall reap rejoicing.
R. The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.
Although they go forth weeping,
carrying the seed to be sown,
They shall come back rejoicing,
carrying their sheaves.
R. The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.
Reading 2 Phil 1:4-6, 8-11
Brothers and sisters:
I pray always with joy in my every prayer for all of you,
because of your partnership for the gospel
from the first day until now.
I am confident of this,
that the one who began a good work in you
will continue to complete it
until the day of Christ Jesus.
God is my witness,
how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.
And this is my prayer:
that your love may increase ever more and more
in knowledge and every kind of perception,
to discern what is of value,
so that you may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ,
filled with the fruit of righteousness
that comes through Jesus Christ
for the glory and praise of God.
I pray always with joy in my every prayer for all of you,
because of your partnership for the gospel
from the first day until now.
I am confident of this,
that the one who began a good work in you
will continue to complete it
until the day of Christ Jesus.
God is my witness,
how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.
And this is my prayer:
that your love may increase ever more and more
in knowledge and every kind of perception,
to discern what is of value,
so that you may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ,
filled with the fruit of righteousness
that comes through Jesus Christ
for the glory and praise of God.
Gospel Lk 3:1-6
In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar,
when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea,
and Herod was tetrarch of Galilee,
and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region
of Ituraea and Trachonitis,
and Lysanias was tetrarch of Abilene,
during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas,
the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the desert.
John went throughout the whole region of the Jordan,
proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins,
as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah:
A voice of one crying out in the desert:
"Prepare the way of the Lord,
make straight his paths.
Every valley shall be filled
and every mountain and hill shall be made low.
The winding roads shall be made straight,
and the rough ways made smooth,
and all flesh shall see the salvation of God."
when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea,
and Herod was tetrarch of Galilee,
and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region
of Ituraea and Trachonitis,
and Lysanias was tetrarch of Abilene,
during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas,
the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the desert.
John went throughout the whole region of the Jordan,
proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins,
as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah:
A voice of one crying out in the desert:
"Prepare the way of the Lord,
make straight his paths.
Every valley shall be filled
and every mountain and hill shall be made low.
The winding roads shall be made straight,
and the rough ways made smooth,
and all flesh shall see the salvation of God."
Thursday, November 29, 2012
RE: 11.29.12~C Matters Sunday, November 25th
SUNDAY
READINGS - Christ the King
FIRST READING: Daniel 7:13-14. I saw in the night visions, and behold
with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the
Ancient of Days and was presented before him. And to him was given dominion and
glory and kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him;
his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his
kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.
EXPLANATION: These verses are part of some visions which Daniel had in
the night and for which he got the explanation next day (Dn. 7). There were
visions of the four kingdoms or empires whose rulers are described as beasts.
These kingdoms were those of Babylon, Media, Persia, Greece. Finally he saw the
worst of them all---the reign of Antiochus Epiphanes who tried to destroy the
Jewish religion. But the "Ancient of Days" stepped in and set up a new king and
a new kingdom. The kingdom was for all nations---for Gentiles as well as
Jews---and one that would be everlasting.
one...man: In Hebrew and Aramaic "a son of man" means a man, but here it signifies some man who is mysteriously more than man. That he was an individual is attested to by early Jewish apocryphal (Enoch and 2 Esdras), and rabbinical writings but especially by our Lord who applied this title to himself. At times, he used it to express his lowly state (Mt. 8: 20; 11: 19; 20: 28), at other times to proclaim the definitive triumph of his resurrection (17: 19), of his return in glory (24: 30), and of his coming in judgement (25: 30). In this way, the title puts a veil over---and hinted at---the sort of Messiah Jesus was. His final explicit avowal before the Sanhedrin left no doubt as to the meaning for him of this title.
Ancient of Days: The rulers of the pagan kingdoms are described as beasts coming out of the abyss; the ruler of the eternal kingdom, however, is like a man and comes "with the clouds of heaven" that is, comes from God who is described as the Ancient of Days---he who was there before time began.
presented before him: After his resurrection, Christ appeared in glory at the throne of the Father, his mission on earth accomplished (see Jn. 17).
dominion...kingdom: He was then made king of the new universal, spiritual kingdom---the Church---which begins on earth but has its completion and perfection in heaven.
people...languages: All mankind was made subject to his rule.
everlasting...destroyed: Unlike all earthly kingdoms, the kingdom of Christ will last forever. On earth his Church will last until the last man has been saved: "the gates of hell will not prevail against it," and in heaven those who served him faithfully will have an unending kingdom of happiness. APPLICATION: Today's feastday was instituted as a rallying-call to all Christians to acknowledge the sovereignty of Christ our King over all earthly powers, kingdoms and peoples. This call was very necessary in an age when worldliness and earthly ambitions were drawing the minds of men further away from God and Christ, and from their own eternal interests. Our twentieth century has seen not only pagan countries denying the existence of God and a future life but nations that were once Christian have been forced to live under atheistic regimes which forbid the public practice of religion. It was to counteract and stem this growing infidelity that Pope Pius XI instituted the feast in honor of Christ the King; he wanted to remind Christians of the fidelity and loyalty they owed to Christ who by his incarnation had made them adopted children of God and future citizens and heirs of the kingdom of heaven. Today's extract from the Book of Daniel, written two centuries before Christ came on earth, tells us that the son of man would receive from God his Father, dominion and sovereignty over all peoples, nations and languages. He would be the king of kings and the lord of glory and his kingdom would last forever. Many other messianic prophecies in the Old Testament give Christ the Messiah the title of King. The prophet Nathan promised King David (c. 1000 B.C.) that a descendant of his would come "who would establish his throne forever" (2 Sm. 7: 16). Isaiah says of the future Messiah: "he will sit on David's kingly throne, to give it lasting foundations of justice and right" (Is. 9: 6-7; see 1-5). In the prophet Jeremiah we read: "a time is coming, the Lord says, when I will raise up from the stock of David a faithful descendant at last" (Jer. 23: 3). To crown and confirm the Davidic typology, the Virgin Mary is told by the angel that the child she is to conceive "shall be known as the Son of the Most High; the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David . . . and of his kingdom there will be no end" (Lk. 1: 32). We are called on today to honor Christ our King. The other feasts of our Lord which we celebrate throughout the year remind us of all that Christ has done for us, but today's should call to our minds what we are to do for him in return. Unlike the kings of earthly kingdoms who rightly expect their loyal subjects to die for them and their nation if need be, our King, Christ, died for us in order to make us free citizens of his kingdom. He does expect us to be ready to die for him and for his kingdom if the occasion should arise, and down through his Church's history many of his loyal subjects have gladly done so. But from the vast majority of his subjects, Christ does not demand this supreme sacrifice. What he does expect and demand is not that we should die for him but that we should live for him. This we can and should do by faithfully living our Christian life day by day. The loyal, honest citizen of any country will keep the law of the land of which he is a citizen. A Christian has double citizenship: he is a citizen of his homeland and he is a citizen of Christ's kingdom. He must, therefore, be loyal to his country and loyal to Christ but as the Christian law commands obedience to the lawful civil authority the two obligations are identical in many cases. As Christians, however, we have some extra duties to perform above and beyond what our country demands of us. These can be summed up briefly in the double commandment of charity, love of God and love of neighbor. While most civilized states have laws preventing their citizens from publicly insulting God or religion, and all states prohibit citizens from injuring their neighbor in his person or in his property, the Christian law demands a positive approach. The Christian is bound to love, reverence and obey God. The first three commandments spell out for him how this is to be done. Likewise, the Christian rule of life not only forbids a Christian to injure his neighbor, it commands him positively to help his neighbor---in fact to love him as he loves himself. How loyal are we to Christ? Are we worthy citizens of his kingdom on earth and so working our way toward his eternal kingdom in heaven? Our answer is the answer to the question: do we sincerely love God and our neighbor? Only we can give a true answer to this question and it is we ourselves who will reap the reward or suffer the eternal consequence of the positive or negative answer which our consciences give to this vital question.
SECOND READING: Apocalypse (Revelation) 1: 5-8. Jesus Christ is the faithful witness, the first-born of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, everyone who pierced him; and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen. "I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty. EXPLANATION: Apocalypse, a Greek word meaning uncovering or revelation, is the name given to the last book of the New Testament. Tradition dating from St. Justin (165 A.D.), and widespread by the end of the second century, says that its author was St. John the Evangelist. The very different style of writing and the different vocabulary when compared with St. John's Gospel and Epistles may be explicable when we consider that the apocalyptic literature was very different from ordinary literature. It became a very common type of writing among the Jews of the last two centuries before Christ. It uses a lot of symbolic imagery and language, mostly borrowed from Old Testament prophetic books. Visions occur frequently but need not be taken as having been objective; nor must the symbolic imagery be interpreted literally. The general theme of St. John's Apocalypse is best interpreted as eschatological, that is, as referring to the end of the world and the events that precede and accompany it. On the other hand, the brief letters to the seven churches are practical contemporaneous advice as the occasion demanded. The four verses, read from this book today, refer to the supreme kingship of Christ who founded a kingdom for us. In this kingdom he has made us priests dedicated to the service of God his Father. He will come a second time to judge all men.
Jesus...witness: Jesus is our witness of God. He has revealed God to us and God's plan for us, and as a faithful witness he gave his life to prove the truth of what he preached and revealed to us.
first-born of the dead: But death did not hold him, he rose from the dead "the first-fruits of those who have fallen asleep (died)" (1 Cor. 15: 20). He conquered death not only for himself but for all men.
ruler of kings on earth: At the resurrection of Christ, God the Father glorified him in his humanity and gave him dominion and power over all creatures. Everything in heaven and on earth was made subject to him. As he said to his Apostles before his ascension: "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me" (Mt. 28: 18; see Dan. 7: 14; Rom. 14: 9; Phil. 2: 11; Eph. 1: 20-23). Here, in this one sentence, we have the essential points of our Christian faith: the incarnation, death, resurrection and glorification of Christ, the Son of God.
To...us: Because of his love for us---a love which will continue for all time---he has freed us from our sins, his sacrifice of himself on Calvary made atonement to his Father for all the sins of the world.
made us a kingdom: He established his messianic kingdom. Its first stage is the Church on earth. Its perfection is the eternal kingdom of heaven.
priests...Father: Christ was our great High Priest (see Epistle to Hebrews), who offered the perfect sacrifice. We Christians are members of his mystical body and therefore partake in his priesthood. Our Christian lives, if truly lived, are a continual reoffering of the perfect sacrifice of Christ.
glory...ever: This is a doxology thanking Jesus for all he has done for US.
coming...clouds: He will be seen coming in the clouds of glory to judge all men, as foretold in Daniel 7: 13 (first reading today).
every...him: This judgement will be universal.
everyone...him: His second coming will not be a cause for joy for those who caused his passion, either physically or morally, by their sins.
tribes...wail: The pagan nations which persecuted Christ's Church will then bemoan their errors but too late.
Alpha and Omega: These are the first and the last letters of the Greek alphabet. Here the phrase means the beginning of all things and the end toward which all things created are destined.
is...come: That is the eternity of God; he began all history and he it is who will terminate it.
the Almighty: This corresponds to "the God of hosts," the "God of power" of the Old Testament. APPLICATION: As one would expect on this special feastday of Christ our King, the readings chosen from sacred Scripture stress the kingly glory and dignity of Christ after his triumph over sin and death, while they also remind us of how much we owe him. This kingly glory will be visible to all men at his second coming---a vision which will delight his faithful ones but which will strike terror into his enemies. In his Apocalypse St. John reminds us first and foremost of all that Christ has done for us. During his life among us, he has revealed his loving Father. It was his own divine love that made him come as the incarnate Son of God and give his life for us. He triumphed over death and continues to love us in heaven. He established his messianic kingdom, in which we, his subjects, are given the power and the privilege of serving God with a true service---for he has joined us to himself who alone could give fitting service to his Father. John then reminds the faithful followers of Christ and Christ's opponents as well that Christ will return in glory and majesty to demand a reckoning from each one. This is a sobering thought for all of us. Each will have to stand before the tribunal of Christ one day and see one's life work laid bare. On that day we shall see all our thoughts, words and actions as they really were. Here on earth, our prejudices and our pride and selfishness can minimize our faults and exaggerate our virtues, but in the presence of the omniscient Judge we will see ourselves as we truly are. We shall have no excuses to offer because we will see the emptiness, the folly of the excuses with which we silenced our consciences here below. Instead of making too much of our good deeds and our virtues, we will realize how little we have done for him who humbled himself even to the death of the cross for our sakes. The saints of God regretted that they had not done more for the Savior and King who had gone to such lengths in order to bring them into his heavenly kingdom. We thank God that the dread moment has not yet arrived. We have still time left in which to put our conscience and our spiritual affairs in order. Today's feast gives each one of us the opportunity of seeing how we stand in relation to Christ. Are we loyal subjects faithfully trying to carry out his laws? Are we sincerely grateful to him who put heaven within our reach, showed us the way to go there and is daily helping us? If so, let us promise that with the help of God's grace we will continue to be loyal and grateful. If, on the other hand, some of us will have to admit to ourselves, and to Christ, that we have been far from faithful and too often entirely ungrateful for his divine love and mercy we still have a chance to put things right before our judgement day arrives. Christ is ever ready to forgive and welcome back the prodigal sons. Today our King is calling to us to return home to him who "loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood." He died on a cross so that we should have eternal life. He is ready to forgive and forget all our past disloyalties, if only we will turn to him and ask for forgiveness. Our verdict on the day of our judgement will depend on the decision which we take today. Our eternity of happiness or of misery depends on that verdict. With our eternal future at stake should we allow the trivial, transient things of this life to come between us and Christ, the King of Kings?
GOSPEL: John 18: 33-37. Pilate said to Jesus, "Are you the King of the Jews?" Jesus answered, "Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me?" Pilate answered, "Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have handed you over to me; what have you done?" Jesus answered, "My kingship is not of this world; if my kingship were of this world, my servants would fight, that I might not be handed over to the Jews; but my kingship is not from the world." Pilate said to him, "So you are a king?" Jesus answered, "You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I have come into the world, to bear witness to the truth. Every one who is of the truth hears my voice." EXPLANATION: The Sanhedrin or the highest governing body of the Jewish people at that time, had condemned Jesus as guilty of blasphemy, because he claimed to be the Son of God. For this crime they judged him deserving of death. Because they wanted him to die the most shameful and painful of deaths, they brought him to Pilate who would pass the sentence of crucifixion. The accusation they produced to Pilate was not the religious one mentioned above, but a trumped up political charge. As St. Luke puts it: "We found this man inciting our people to revolt, opposing payment of the tribute to Caesar, and claiming to be Christ, a king" (Lk. 23: 2). Pilate was not impressed by their accusation. He questioned Jesus about his kingship and Jesus admitted that he was a king but that his kingdom was not of this world.
Are you...Jews?: Pilate saw there was something false about the Jewish accusation and so he questioned Jesus the prisoner, in order to get the true facts.
or did...it: Jesus knew that Pilate did not suspect him of being a leader of a revolt against the Roman authorities who were then in Palestine. As governor, Pilate had his agents around the country. He wondered therefore why Jesus should ask him this question. As Messiah, Jesus was a king---the messianic descendant promised to David, but he was not a king in the Roman sense of the word.
what...done?: Pilate again showed that he did not accept the accusation of the chief priests who handed Jesus over to him for condemnation. He, therefore, asked Jesus what he had done to merit this treatment from "his own nation," his fellow-Jews.
Jesus answered: Jesus told Pilate that the priests' accusation about his claim to be King was not a true one in the sense that they wished Pilate to understand it, but he was a true king and was founding a new kingdom which was a spiritual kingdom, one not concerned with political causes. His "kingship was not of this world."
you...king: Jesus agreed with Pilate's statement. That Pilate understood Jesus' kingship to be something other than political is clear from his later attempts to free Jesus.
bear...truth: He had come into the world as man to teach men the fundamental, real truths concerning God and man.
who...bears: Christ's message would be accepted gladly by all lovers of truth and likewise would be rejected by all those who preferred the darkness of ignorance. Whether Pilate was impressed or not by this statement, history has proved how true it was. APPLICATION: In today's two previous readings we have seen that the prophets foretold the kingship of Christ and the Apostle John described him as the founder of our kingdom who one day would judge all mankind. In today's gospel, we have our divine Lord's own statement that he is a king---the king of a new and everlasting kingdom which is not of this world. He made this statement to the Roman governor to whom he had been handed over by the priests and leaders of the Jewish people to be put to death by crucifixion. Long before, he had foreseen this death and had accepted it as part of his Father's plan for making atonement for the sins of mankind. He knew Pilate did not believe that he was the leader of a rebellion against the Roman authorities, but he did not try to influence Pilate's decision in his favor for he wanted the will of his Father carried out to the letter. Five centuries before, the prophet second-Isaiah had described the Messiah who was to come as the Servant of God who suffered torments on our behalf. The prophet says: "He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief . . . surely, he has borne our grief's and carried our sorrows, yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that made us whole, and with his stripes we are healed. We like sheep have gone astray . . . and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, like a sheep before its shearers he opened not his mouth" (Is. 53: 3-7). Had Pilate known this prophecy he would not have been surprised that Jesus uttered no word in his own defense. His Father had sent him to raise up mankind and to make atonement for men's sins; his death on the cross was that supreme act of atonement and without objection he accepted it. The kings of this earth demand of their subjects that they should be ready, if necessary, to lay down their lives to defend their king and realm. Men have always accepted this and millions have gladly given their lives to defend their country and rulers. We have a king who laid down his life for us and set us an example unlike that of any earthly king. Following his Father's will, he did this to make us worthy to share in the Father's eternal kingdom. The incarnation, which made us adopted children of God, and the crucifixion, which obtained remission of our sins, surely prove to us the love and the esteem in which God holds us. It should also show how important is our future life. Christ did not come on earth to make us healthy, happy or prosperous in this world; he came to open heaven for us where we could be happy forever. This was God's purpose in creating us. This is his purpose for us still. All our other interests in this life are secondary when compared with this. In honoring Christ today as our King, let us especially thank him for all the humiliations and sufferings he endured on our behalf. If our Christian way of living makes some demands on us let us not forget how trivial they are when compared with what Christ's earthly life cost him. He made these severe sacrifices for us; we are asked to make our small offerings for ourselves. Our self-interest alone should inspire us, but our gratitude to Christ should especially move us to play our part. Let us promise to be grateful and loyal subjects of his for the rest of our days. He has made us members of his kingdom on earth---the Church---and is preparing a place for us in his everlasting kingdom. Let no one be so foolish as to forfeit an eternal happiness because of some earthly attachment to the passing things of this world.-b452 Click to return to our Home page
FIRST READING: Daniel 7:13-14. I saw in the night visions, and behold
with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the
Ancient of Days and was presented before him. And to him was given dominion and
glory and kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him;
his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his
kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.
EXPLANATION: These verses are part of some visions which Daniel had in
the night and for which he got the explanation next day (Dn. 7). There were
visions of the four kingdoms or empires whose rulers are described as beasts.
These kingdoms were those of Babylon, Media, Persia, Greece. Finally he saw the
worst of them all---the reign of Antiochus Epiphanes who tried to destroy the
Jewish religion. But the "Ancient of Days" stepped in and set up a new king and
a new kingdom. The kingdom was for all nations---for Gentiles as well as
Jews---and one that would be everlasting. one...man: In Hebrew and Aramaic "a son of man" means a man, but here it signifies some man who is mysteriously more than man. That he was an individual is attested to by early Jewish apocryphal (Enoch and 2 Esdras), and rabbinical writings but especially by our Lord who applied this title to himself. At times, he used it to express his lowly state (Mt. 8: 20; 11: 19; 20: 28), at other times to proclaim the definitive triumph of his resurrection (17: 19), of his return in glory (24: 30), and of his coming in judgement (25: 30). In this way, the title puts a veil over---and hinted at---the sort of Messiah Jesus was. His final explicit avowal before the Sanhedrin left no doubt as to the meaning for him of this title.
Ancient of Days: The rulers of the pagan kingdoms are described as beasts coming out of the abyss; the ruler of the eternal kingdom, however, is like a man and comes "with the clouds of heaven" that is, comes from God who is described as the Ancient of Days---he who was there before time began.
presented before him: After his resurrection, Christ appeared in glory at the throne of the Father, his mission on earth accomplished (see Jn. 17).
dominion...kingdom: He was then made king of the new universal, spiritual kingdom---the Church---which begins on earth but has its completion and perfection in heaven.
people...languages: All mankind was made subject to his rule.
everlasting...destroyed: Unlike all earthly kingdoms, the kingdom of Christ will last forever. On earth his Church will last until the last man has been saved: "the gates of hell will not prevail against it," and in heaven those who served him faithfully will have an unending kingdom of happiness. APPLICATION: Today's feastday was instituted as a rallying-call to all Christians to acknowledge the sovereignty of Christ our King over all earthly powers, kingdoms and peoples. This call was very necessary in an age when worldliness and earthly ambitions were drawing the minds of men further away from God and Christ, and from their own eternal interests. Our twentieth century has seen not only pagan countries denying the existence of God and a future life but nations that were once Christian have been forced to live under atheistic regimes which forbid the public practice of religion. It was to counteract and stem this growing infidelity that Pope Pius XI instituted the feast in honor of Christ the King; he wanted to remind Christians of the fidelity and loyalty they owed to Christ who by his incarnation had made them adopted children of God and future citizens and heirs of the kingdom of heaven. Today's extract from the Book of Daniel, written two centuries before Christ came on earth, tells us that the son of man would receive from God his Father, dominion and sovereignty over all peoples, nations and languages. He would be the king of kings and the lord of glory and his kingdom would last forever. Many other messianic prophecies in the Old Testament give Christ the Messiah the title of King. The prophet Nathan promised King David (c. 1000 B.C.) that a descendant of his would come "who would establish his throne forever" (2 Sm. 7: 16). Isaiah says of the future Messiah: "he will sit on David's kingly throne, to give it lasting foundations of justice and right" (Is. 9: 6-7; see 1-5). In the prophet Jeremiah we read: "a time is coming, the Lord says, when I will raise up from the stock of David a faithful descendant at last" (Jer. 23: 3). To crown and confirm the Davidic typology, the Virgin Mary is told by the angel that the child she is to conceive "shall be known as the Son of the Most High; the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David . . . and of his kingdom there will be no end" (Lk. 1: 32). We are called on today to honor Christ our King. The other feasts of our Lord which we celebrate throughout the year remind us of all that Christ has done for us, but today's should call to our minds what we are to do for him in return. Unlike the kings of earthly kingdoms who rightly expect their loyal subjects to die for them and their nation if need be, our King, Christ, died for us in order to make us free citizens of his kingdom. He does expect us to be ready to die for him and for his kingdom if the occasion should arise, and down through his Church's history many of his loyal subjects have gladly done so. But from the vast majority of his subjects, Christ does not demand this supreme sacrifice. What he does expect and demand is not that we should die for him but that we should live for him. This we can and should do by faithfully living our Christian life day by day. The loyal, honest citizen of any country will keep the law of the land of which he is a citizen. A Christian has double citizenship: he is a citizen of his homeland and he is a citizen of Christ's kingdom. He must, therefore, be loyal to his country and loyal to Christ but as the Christian law commands obedience to the lawful civil authority the two obligations are identical in many cases. As Christians, however, we have some extra duties to perform above and beyond what our country demands of us. These can be summed up briefly in the double commandment of charity, love of God and love of neighbor. While most civilized states have laws preventing their citizens from publicly insulting God or religion, and all states prohibit citizens from injuring their neighbor in his person or in his property, the Christian law demands a positive approach. The Christian is bound to love, reverence and obey God. The first three commandments spell out for him how this is to be done. Likewise, the Christian rule of life not only forbids a Christian to injure his neighbor, it commands him positively to help his neighbor---in fact to love him as he loves himself. How loyal are we to Christ? Are we worthy citizens of his kingdom on earth and so working our way toward his eternal kingdom in heaven? Our answer is the answer to the question: do we sincerely love God and our neighbor? Only we can give a true answer to this question and it is we ourselves who will reap the reward or suffer the eternal consequence of the positive or negative answer which our consciences give to this vital question.
SECOND READING: Apocalypse (Revelation) 1: 5-8. Jesus Christ is the faithful witness, the first-born of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, everyone who pierced him; and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen. "I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty. EXPLANATION: Apocalypse, a Greek word meaning uncovering or revelation, is the name given to the last book of the New Testament. Tradition dating from St. Justin (165 A.D.), and widespread by the end of the second century, says that its author was St. John the Evangelist. The very different style of writing and the different vocabulary when compared with St. John's Gospel and Epistles may be explicable when we consider that the apocalyptic literature was very different from ordinary literature. It became a very common type of writing among the Jews of the last two centuries before Christ. It uses a lot of symbolic imagery and language, mostly borrowed from Old Testament prophetic books. Visions occur frequently but need not be taken as having been objective; nor must the symbolic imagery be interpreted literally. The general theme of St. John's Apocalypse is best interpreted as eschatological, that is, as referring to the end of the world and the events that precede and accompany it. On the other hand, the brief letters to the seven churches are practical contemporaneous advice as the occasion demanded. The four verses, read from this book today, refer to the supreme kingship of Christ who founded a kingdom for us. In this kingdom he has made us priests dedicated to the service of God his Father. He will come a second time to judge all men.
Jesus...witness: Jesus is our witness of God. He has revealed God to us and God's plan for us, and as a faithful witness he gave his life to prove the truth of what he preached and revealed to us.
first-born of the dead: But death did not hold him, he rose from the dead "the first-fruits of those who have fallen asleep (died)" (1 Cor. 15: 20). He conquered death not only for himself but for all men.
ruler of kings on earth: At the resurrection of Christ, God the Father glorified him in his humanity and gave him dominion and power over all creatures. Everything in heaven and on earth was made subject to him. As he said to his Apostles before his ascension: "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me" (Mt. 28: 18; see Dan. 7: 14; Rom. 14: 9; Phil. 2: 11; Eph. 1: 20-23). Here, in this one sentence, we have the essential points of our Christian faith: the incarnation, death, resurrection and glorification of Christ, the Son of God.
To...us: Because of his love for us---a love which will continue for all time---he has freed us from our sins, his sacrifice of himself on Calvary made atonement to his Father for all the sins of the world.
made us a kingdom: He established his messianic kingdom. Its first stage is the Church on earth. Its perfection is the eternal kingdom of heaven.
priests...Father: Christ was our great High Priest (see Epistle to Hebrews), who offered the perfect sacrifice. We Christians are members of his mystical body and therefore partake in his priesthood. Our Christian lives, if truly lived, are a continual reoffering of the perfect sacrifice of Christ.
glory...ever: This is a doxology thanking Jesus for all he has done for US.
coming...clouds: He will be seen coming in the clouds of glory to judge all men, as foretold in Daniel 7: 13 (first reading today).
every...him: This judgement will be universal.
everyone...him: His second coming will not be a cause for joy for those who caused his passion, either physically or morally, by their sins.
tribes...wail: The pagan nations which persecuted Christ's Church will then bemoan their errors but too late.
Alpha and Omega: These are the first and the last letters of the Greek alphabet. Here the phrase means the beginning of all things and the end toward which all things created are destined.
is...come: That is the eternity of God; he began all history and he it is who will terminate it.
the Almighty: This corresponds to "the God of hosts," the "God of power" of the Old Testament. APPLICATION: As one would expect on this special feastday of Christ our King, the readings chosen from sacred Scripture stress the kingly glory and dignity of Christ after his triumph over sin and death, while they also remind us of how much we owe him. This kingly glory will be visible to all men at his second coming---a vision which will delight his faithful ones but which will strike terror into his enemies. In his Apocalypse St. John reminds us first and foremost of all that Christ has done for us. During his life among us, he has revealed his loving Father. It was his own divine love that made him come as the incarnate Son of God and give his life for us. He triumphed over death and continues to love us in heaven. He established his messianic kingdom, in which we, his subjects, are given the power and the privilege of serving God with a true service---for he has joined us to himself who alone could give fitting service to his Father. John then reminds the faithful followers of Christ and Christ's opponents as well that Christ will return in glory and majesty to demand a reckoning from each one. This is a sobering thought for all of us. Each will have to stand before the tribunal of Christ one day and see one's life work laid bare. On that day we shall see all our thoughts, words and actions as they really were. Here on earth, our prejudices and our pride and selfishness can minimize our faults and exaggerate our virtues, but in the presence of the omniscient Judge we will see ourselves as we truly are. We shall have no excuses to offer because we will see the emptiness, the folly of the excuses with which we silenced our consciences here below. Instead of making too much of our good deeds and our virtues, we will realize how little we have done for him who humbled himself even to the death of the cross for our sakes. The saints of God regretted that they had not done more for the Savior and King who had gone to such lengths in order to bring them into his heavenly kingdom. We thank God that the dread moment has not yet arrived. We have still time left in which to put our conscience and our spiritual affairs in order. Today's feast gives each one of us the opportunity of seeing how we stand in relation to Christ. Are we loyal subjects faithfully trying to carry out his laws? Are we sincerely grateful to him who put heaven within our reach, showed us the way to go there and is daily helping us? If so, let us promise that with the help of God's grace we will continue to be loyal and grateful. If, on the other hand, some of us will have to admit to ourselves, and to Christ, that we have been far from faithful and too often entirely ungrateful for his divine love and mercy we still have a chance to put things right before our judgement day arrives. Christ is ever ready to forgive and welcome back the prodigal sons. Today our King is calling to us to return home to him who "loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood." He died on a cross so that we should have eternal life. He is ready to forgive and forget all our past disloyalties, if only we will turn to him and ask for forgiveness. Our verdict on the day of our judgement will depend on the decision which we take today. Our eternity of happiness or of misery depends on that verdict. With our eternal future at stake should we allow the trivial, transient things of this life to come between us and Christ, the King of Kings?
GOSPEL: John 18: 33-37. Pilate said to Jesus, "Are you the King of the Jews?" Jesus answered, "Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me?" Pilate answered, "Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have handed you over to me; what have you done?" Jesus answered, "My kingship is not of this world; if my kingship were of this world, my servants would fight, that I might not be handed over to the Jews; but my kingship is not from the world." Pilate said to him, "So you are a king?" Jesus answered, "You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I have come into the world, to bear witness to the truth. Every one who is of the truth hears my voice." EXPLANATION: The Sanhedrin or the highest governing body of the Jewish people at that time, had condemned Jesus as guilty of blasphemy, because he claimed to be the Son of God. For this crime they judged him deserving of death. Because they wanted him to die the most shameful and painful of deaths, they brought him to Pilate who would pass the sentence of crucifixion. The accusation they produced to Pilate was not the religious one mentioned above, but a trumped up political charge. As St. Luke puts it: "We found this man inciting our people to revolt, opposing payment of the tribute to Caesar, and claiming to be Christ, a king" (Lk. 23: 2). Pilate was not impressed by their accusation. He questioned Jesus about his kingship and Jesus admitted that he was a king but that his kingdom was not of this world.
Are you...Jews?: Pilate saw there was something false about the Jewish accusation and so he questioned Jesus the prisoner, in order to get the true facts.
or did...it: Jesus knew that Pilate did not suspect him of being a leader of a revolt against the Roman authorities who were then in Palestine. As governor, Pilate had his agents around the country. He wondered therefore why Jesus should ask him this question. As Messiah, Jesus was a king---the messianic descendant promised to David, but he was not a king in the Roman sense of the word.
what...done?: Pilate again showed that he did not accept the accusation of the chief priests who handed Jesus over to him for condemnation. He, therefore, asked Jesus what he had done to merit this treatment from "his own nation," his fellow-Jews.
Jesus answered: Jesus told Pilate that the priests' accusation about his claim to be King was not a true one in the sense that they wished Pilate to understand it, but he was a true king and was founding a new kingdom which was a spiritual kingdom, one not concerned with political causes. His "kingship was not of this world."
you...king: Jesus agreed with Pilate's statement. That Pilate understood Jesus' kingship to be something other than political is clear from his later attempts to free Jesus.
bear...truth: He had come into the world as man to teach men the fundamental, real truths concerning God and man.
who...bears: Christ's message would be accepted gladly by all lovers of truth and likewise would be rejected by all those who preferred the darkness of ignorance. Whether Pilate was impressed or not by this statement, history has proved how true it was. APPLICATION: In today's two previous readings we have seen that the prophets foretold the kingship of Christ and the Apostle John described him as the founder of our kingdom who one day would judge all mankind. In today's gospel, we have our divine Lord's own statement that he is a king---the king of a new and everlasting kingdom which is not of this world. He made this statement to the Roman governor to whom he had been handed over by the priests and leaders of the Jewish people to be put to death by crucifixion. Long before, he had foreseen this death and had accepted it as part of his Father's plan for making atonement for the sins of mankind. He knew Pilate did not believe that he was the leader of a rebellion against the Roman authorities, but he did not try to influence Pilate's decision in his favor for he wanted the will of his Father carried out to the letter. Five centuries before, the prophet second-Isaiah had described the Messiah who was to come as the Servant of God who suffered torments on our behalf. The prophet says: "He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief . . . surely, he has borne our grief's and carried our sorrows, yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that made us whole, and with his stripes we are healed. We like sheep have gone astray . . . and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, like a sheep before its shearers he opened not his mouth" (Is. 53: 3-7). Had Pilate known this prophecy he would not have been surprised that Jesus uttered no word in his own defense. His Father had sent him to raise up mankind and to make atonement for men's sins; his death on the cross was that supreme act of atonement and without objection he accepted it. The kings of this earth demand of their subjects that they should be ready, if necessary, to lay down their lives to defend their king and realm. Men have always accepted this and millions have gladly given their lives to defend their country and rulers. We have a king who laid down his life for us and set us an example unlike that of any earthly king. Following his Father's will, he did this to make us worthy to share in the Father's eternal kingdom. The incarnation, which made us adopted children of God, and the crucifixion, which obtained remission of our sins, surely prove to us the love and the esteem in which God holds us. It should also show how important is our future life. Christ did not come on earth to make us healthy, happy or prosperous in this world; he came to open heaven for us where we could be happy forever. This was God's purpose in creating us. This is his purpose for us still. All our other interests in this life are secondary when compared with this. In honoring Christ today as our King, let us especially thank him for all the humiliations and sufferings he endured on our behalf. If our Christian way of living makes some demands on us let us not forget how trivial they are when compared with what Christ's earthly life cost him. He made these severe sacrifices for us; we are asked to make our small offerings for ourselves. Our self-interest alone should inspire us, but our gratitude to Christ should especially move us to play our part. Let us promise to be grateful and loyal subjects of his for the rest of our days. He has made us members of his kingdom on earth---the Church---and is preparing a place for us in his everlasting kingdom. Let no one be so foolish as to forfeit an eternal happiness because of some earthly attachment to the passing things of this world.-b452 Click to return to our Home page
RE: 11.29.12~Readings for December 2, 2012
December 2, 2012
First Sunday of Advent
Lectionary: 3
Reading 1 Jer 33:14-16
The days are coming, says the LORD,
when I will fulfill the promise
I made to the house of Israel and Judah.
In those days, in that time,
I will raise up for David a just shoot ;
he shall do what is right and just in the land.
In those days Judah shall be safe
and Jerusalem shall dwell secure;
this is what they shall call her:
"The LORD our justice."
when I will fulfill the promise
I made to the house of Israel and Judah.
In those days, in that time,
I will raise up for David a just shoot ;
he shall do what is right and just in the land.
In those days Judah shall be safe
and Jerusalem shall dwell secure;
this is what they shall call her:
"The LORD our justice."
Responsorial Psalm Ps 25:4-5, 8-9, 10, 14
R. (1b) To you, O Lord, I lift my
soul.
Your ways, O LORD, make known to me;
teach me your paths,
Guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my savior,
and for you I wait all the day.
R. To you, O Lord, I lift my soul.
Good and upright is the LORD;
thus he shows sinners the way.
He guides the humble to justice,
and teaches the humble his way.
R. To you, O Lord, I lift my soul.
All the paths of the LORD are kindness and constancy
toward those who keep his covenant and his decrees.
The friendship of the LORD is with those who fear him,
and his covenant, for their instruction.
R. To you, O Lord, I lift my soul.
Your ways, O LORD, make known to me;
teach me your paths,
Guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my savior,
and for you I wait all the day.
R. To you, O Lord, I lift my soul.
Good and upright is the LORD;
thus he shows sinners the way.
He guides the humble to justice,
and teaches the humble his way.
R. To you, O Lord, I lift my soul.
All the paths of the LORD are kindness and constancy
toward those who keep his covenant and his decrees.
The friendship of the LORD is with those who fear him,
and his covenant, for their instruction.
R. To you, O Lord, I lift my soul.
Reading 2 1 Thes 3:12-4:2
Brothers and sisters:
May the Lord make you increase and abound in love
for one another and for all,
just as we have for you,
so as to strengthen your hearts,
to be blameless in holiness before our God and Father
at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his holy ones. Amen.
Finally, brothers and sisters,
we earnestly ask and exhort you in the Lord Jesus that,
as you received from us
how you should conduct yourselves to please God
and as you are conducting yourselves
you do so even more.
For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus.
May the Lord make you increase and abound in love
for one another and for all,
just as we have for you,
so as to strengthen your hearts,
to be blameless in holiness before our God and Father
at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his holy ones. Amen.
Finally, brothers and sisters,
we earnestly ask and exhort you in the Lord Jesus that,
as you received from us
how you should conduct yourselves to please God
and as you are conducting yourselves
you do so even more.
For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus.
Gospel Lk 21:25-28, 34-36
Jesus said to his disciples:
"There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars,
and on earth nations will be in dismay,
perplexed by the roaring of the sea and the waves.
People will die of fright
in anticipation of what is coming upon the world,
for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
And then they will see the Son of Man
coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
But when these signs begin to happen,
stand erect and raise your heads
because your redemption is at hand.
"Beware that your hearts do not become drowsy
from carousing and drunkenness
and the anxieties of daily life,
and that day catch you by surprise like a trap.
For that day will assault everyone
who lives on the face of the earth.
Be vigilant at all times
and pray that you have the strength
to escape the tribulations that are imminent
and to stand before the Son of Man."
"There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars,
and on earth nations will be in dismay,
perplexed by the roaring of the sea and the waves.
People will die of fright
in anticipation of what is coming upon the world,
for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
And then they will see the Son of Man
coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
But when these signs begin to happen,
stand erect and raise your heads
because your redemption is at hand.
"Beware that your hearts do not become drowsy
from carousing and drunkenness
and the anxieties of daily life,
and that day catch you by surprise like a trap.
For that day will assault everyone
who lives on the face of the earth.
Be vigilant at all times
and pray that you have the strength
to escape the tribulations that are imminent
and to stand before the Son of Man."
RE: Christ The King
The Solemnity of Christ the King
Lectionary: 161
Reading 1 Dn 7:13-14
As the visions during the night continued, I saw
one like a Son of man coming,
on the clouds of heaven;
when he reached the Ancient One
and was presented before him,
the one like a Son of man received dominion, glory, and kingship;
all peoples, nations, and languages serve him.
His dominion is an everlasting dominion
that shall not be taken away,
his kingship shall not be destroyed.
one like a Son of man coming,
on the clouds of heaven;
when he reached the Ancient One
and was presented before him,
the one like a Son of man received dominion, glory, and kingship;
all peoples, nations, and languages serve him.
His dominion is an everlasting dominion
that shall not be taken away,
his kingship shall not be destroyed.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 93:1, 1-2, 5
R. (1a) The LORD is king; he is robed in
majesty.
The LORD is king, in splendor robed;
robed is the LORD and girt about with strength.
R. The LORD is king; he is robed in majesty.
And he has made the world firm,
not to be moved.
Your throne stands firm from of old;
from everlasting you are, O LORD.
R. The LORD is king; he is robed in majesty.
Your decrees are worthy of trust indeed;
holiness befits your house,
O LORD, for length of days.
R. The LORD is king; he is robed in majesty.
The LORD is king, in splendor robed;
robed is the LORD and girt about with strength.
R. The LORD is king; he is robed in majesty.
And he has made the world firm,
not to be moved.
Your throne stands firm from of old;
from everlasting you are, O LORD.
R. The LORD is king; he is robed in majesty.
Your decrees are worthy of trust indeed;
holiness befits your house,
O LORD, for length of days.
R. The LORD is king; he is robed in majesty.
Reading 2 Rv 1:5-8
Jesus Christ is the faithful witness,
the firstborn of the dead and ruler of the kings of the earth.
To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood,
who has made us into a kingdom, priests for his God and Father,
to him be glory and power forever and ever. Amen.
Behold, he is coming amid the clouds,
and every eye will see him,
even those who pierced him.
All the peoples of the earth will lament him.
Yes. Amen.
"I am the Alpha and the Omega, " says the Lord God,
"the one who is and who was and who is to come, the almighty."
the firstborn of the dead and ruler of the kings of the earth.
To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood,
who has made us into a kingdom, priests for his God and Father,
to him be glory and power forever and ever. Amen.
Behold, he is coming amid the clouds,
and every eye will see him,
even those who pierced him.
All the peoples of the earth will lament him.
Yes. Amen.
"I am the Alpha and the Omega, " says the Lord God,
"the one who is and who was and who is to come, the almighty."
Gospel Jn 18:33b-37
Pilate said to Jesus,
"Are you the King of the Jews?"
Jesus answered, "Do you say this on your own
or have others told you about me?"
Pilate answered, "I am not a Jew, am I?
Your own nation and the chief priests handed you over to me.
What have you done?"
Jesus answered, "My kingdom does not belong to this world.
If my kingdom did belong to this world,
my attendants would be fighting
to keep me from being handed over to the Jews.
But as it is, my kingdom is not here."
So Pilate said to him, "Then you are a king?"
Jesus answered, "You say I am a king.
For this I was born and for this I came into the world,
to testify to the truth.
Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice."
"Are you the King of the Jews?"
Jesus answered, "Do you say this on your own
or have others told you about me?"
Pilate answered, "I am not a Jew, am I?
Your own nation and the chief priests handed you over to me.
What have you done?"
Jesus answered, "My kingdom does not belong to this world.
If my kingdom did belong to this world,
my attendants would be fighting
to keep me from being handed over to the Jews.
But as it is, my kingdom is not here."
So Pilate said to him, "Then you are a king?"
Jesus answered, "You say I am a king.
For this I was born and for this I came into the world,
to testify to the truth.
Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice."
Thursday, November 8, 2012
RE: 11.08.12~Readings for November 11, 2012
November 11, 2012
Thirty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time
Reading 1 1 Kgs 17:10-16
In those days, Elijah the prophet went to Zarephath.
As he arrived at the entrance of the city,
a widow was gathering sticks there; he called out to her,
"Please bring me a small cupful of water to drink."
She left to get it, and he called out after her,
"Please bring along a bit of bread."
She answered, "As the LORD, your God, lives,
I have nothing baked; there is only a handful of flour in my jar
and a little oil in my jug.
Just now I was collecting a couple of sticks,
to go in and prepare something for myself and my son;
when we have eaten it, we shall die."
Elijah said to her, "Do not be afraid.
Go and do as you propose.
But first make me a little cake and bring it to me.
Then you can prepare something for yourself and your son.
For the LORD, the God of Israel, says,
'The jar of flour shall not go empty,
nor the jug of oil run dry,
until the day when the LORD sends rain upon the earth.'"
She left and did as Elijah had said.
She was able to eat for a year, and he and her son as well;
the jar of flour did not go empty,
nor the jug of oil run dry,
as the LORD had foretold through Elijah.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 146:7, 8-9, 9-10
R. (1b) Praise the Lord, my soul!
or:
R. Alleluia.
The LORD keeps faith forever,
secures justice for the oppressed,
gives food to the hungry.
The LORD sets captives free.
R. Praise the Lord, my soul!
or:
R. Alleluia.
The LORD gives sight to the blind.
The LORD raises up those who were bowed down;
the LORD loves the just.
The LORD protects strangers.
R. Praise the Lord, my soul!
or:
R. Alleluia.
The fatherless and the widow he sustains,
but the way of the wicked he thwarts.
The LORD shall reign forever;
your God, O Zion, through all generations. Alleluia.
R. Praise the Lord, my soul!
or:
R. Alleluia.
Reading 2 Heb 9:24-28
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 human beings 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.
Gospel Mk 12:38-44
In the course of his teaching Jesus said to the crowds,
"Beware of the scribes, who like to go around in long robes
and accept greetings in the marketplaces,
seats of honor in synagogues,
and places of honor at banquets.
They devour the houses of widows and, as a pretext
recite lengthy prayers.
They will receive a very severe condemnation."
He sat down opposite the treasury
and observed how the crowd put money into the treasury.
Many rich people put in large sums.
A poor widow also came and put in two small coins worth a few cents.
Calling his disciples to himself, he said to them,
"Amen, I say to you, this poor widow put in more
than all the other contributors to the treasury.
For they have all contributed from their surplus wealth,
but she, from her poverty, has contributed all she had,
her whole livelihood."
or Mk 12:41-44
Jesus sat down opposite the treasury
and observed how the crowd put money into the treasury.
Many rich people put in large sums.
A poor widow also came and put in two small coins worth a few cents.
Calling his disciples to himself, he said to them,
"Amen, I say to you, this poor widow put in more
than all the other contributors to the treasury.
For they have all contributed from their surplus wealth,
but she, from her poverty, has contributed all she had,
her whole livelihood."
Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of
Thirty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time
Reading 1 1 Kgs 17:10-16
In those days, Elijah the prophet went to Zarephath.
As he arrived at the entrance of the city,
a widow was gathering sticks there; he called out to her,
"Please bring me a small cupful of water to drink."
She left to get it, and he called out after her,
"Please bring along a bit of bread."
She answered, "As the LORD, your God, lives,
I have nothing baked; there is only a handful of flour in my jar
and a little oil in my jug.
Just now I was collecting a couple of sticks,
to go in and prepare something for myself and my son;
when we have eaten it, we shall die."
Elijah said to her, "Do not be afraid.
Go and do as you propose.
But first make me a little cake and bring it to me.
Then you can prepare something for yourself and your son.
For the LORD, the God of Israel, says,
'The jar of flour shall not go empty,
nor the jug of oil run dry,
until the day when the LORD sends rain upon the earth.'"
She left and did as Elijah had said.
She was able to eat for a year, and he and her son as well;
the jar of flour did not go empty,
nor the jug of oil run dry,
as the LORD had foretold through Elijah.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 146:7, 8-9, 9-10
R. (1b) Praise the Lord, my soul!
or:
R. Alleluia.
The LORD keeps faith forever,
secures justice for the oppressed,
gives food to the hungry.
The LORD sets captives free.
R. Praise the Lord, my soul!
or:
R. Alleluia.
The LORD gives sight to the blind.
The LORD raises up those who were bowed down;
the LORD loves the just.
The LORD protects strangers.
R. Praise the Lord, my soul!
or:
R. Alleluia.
The fatherless and the widow he sustains,
but the way of the wicked he thwarts.
The LORD shall reign forever;
your God, O Zion, through all generations. Alleluia.
R. Praise the Lord, my soul!
or:
R. Alleluia.
Reading 2 Heb 9:24-28
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 human beings 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.
Gospel Mk 12:38-44
In the course of his teaching Jesus said to the crowds,
"Beware of the scribes, who like to go around in long robes
and accept greetings in the marketplaces,
seats of honor in synagogues,
and places of honor at banquets.
They devour the houses of widows and, as a pretext
recite lengthy prayers.
They will receive a very severe condemnation."
He sat down opposite the treasury
and observed how the crowd put money into the treasury.
Many rich people put in large sums.
A poor widow also came and put in two small coins worth a few cents.
Calling his disciples to himself, he said to them,
"Amen, I say to you, this poor widow put in more
than all the other contributors to the treasury.
For they have all contributed from their surplus wealth,
but she, from her poverty, has contributed all she had,
her whole livelihood."
or Mk 12:41-44
Jesus sat down opposite the treasury
and observed how the crowd put money into the treasury.
Many rich people put in large sums.
A poor widow also came and put in two small coins worth a few cents.
Calling his disciples to himself, he said to them,
"Amen, I say to you, this poor widow put in more
than all the other contributors to the treasury.
For they have all contributed from their surplus wealth,
but she, from her poverty, has contributed all she had,
her whole livelihood."
Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of
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