The 1st and 2nd readings, along with the Psalm response, picture Christ as a King in Great Glory.
He earned this Glory because of how He stood up for the values of Truth and righteousness, in the face of all the world's unrighteousness, described eloquently in an exchange between Jesus and Pilate right before His Crucifixion, which reveals an epic struggle occurring on a higher level between Truth and unrighteousness.
It is clear that the power of Christ's Kingdom lies in the reality that it is not a Kingdom of this world. It transcends this world, and stands for Truth, Justice, Peace, Righteousness, and Love. As a King, Christ embraced great humility to free humanity from sin and restore us to a righteous relationship with God. His Throne was the Cross.
Just like St. Paul writes in Philippians, Christ humbled Himself, and now is greatly exalted, because we recognize our salvation's Source is this Great King Who gave Himself for us, so we could reign with Him forever, acclaiming His Glory. We do so even now as we stand for the Truth of those values of His Kingdom, as they work in our hearts, so we impact our world.
Sunday, November 25, 2018
Sunday, November 18, 2018
November 18, 2018: 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time
With the end of the liturgical year, the readings focus us toward the End of Time. It is then that God will pronounce His judgment on the Earth and unleash His power to vanquish all evil and restore everything to the order He intended for it in His righteousness, bringing His people back to Himself in His loving embrace.
He has already begun this work in Christ, Who offered Himself as the one perfect sacrifice that makes us right before Him. In Him, we now dwell securely. And so when signs described in Daniel and Mark--our final reading from St. Mark's Gospel this liturgical year--appear that Christ will return to usher in the end of the ages when God judges evil, we will shine brightly as the ones who have been purified because we hold to His ways of love and justice.
He has already begun this work in Christ, Who offered Himself as the one perfect sacrifice that makes us right before Him. In Him, we now dwell securely. And so when signs described in Daniel and Mark--our final reading from St. Mark's Gospel this liturgical year--appear that Christ will return to usher in the end of the ages when God judges evil, we will shine brightly as the ones who have been purified because we hold to His ways of love and justice.
Sunday, November 11, 2018
November 11, 2018: 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time
How appropriate that on the Feast Day of St. Martin of Tours, the readings in the lectionary feature impoverished people. Despite their lack of material goods, they entrust themselves to God and offer all that they have, counting on God to provide.
The widow entrusts the word of God as proclaimed through Elijah that even in offering the little she has to him, there will still be enough for her and her son. The widow in the Gospel reading offers the little she has for providing for her needs and entrusts that God will provide for her, even though we don't see how that turns out. But we know, like in the words of Psalm 146, that God provides for those who are in need, and is forever praised.
We know He has provided for all of us who are in great need because of our sin: We can truly trust the God Who offered Himself fully to us in Christ to save. And in that same spirit, we give of ourselves, entrusting that God will provide abundantly from our act of giving, which makes God real as we commit ourselves in trust to Him.
The widow entrusts the word of God as proclaimed through Elijah that even in offering the little she has to him, there will still be enough for her and her son. The widow in the Gospel reading offers the little she has for providing for her needs and entrusts that God will provide for her, even though we don't see how that turns out. But we know, like in the words of Psalm 146, that God provides for those who are in need, and is forever praised.
We know He has provided for all of us who are in great need because of our sin: We can truly trust the God Who offered Himself fully to us in Christ to save. And in that same spirit, we give of ourselves, entrusting that God will provide abundantly from our act of giving, which makes God real as we commit ourselves in trust to Him.
Sunday, November 4, 2018
November 4, 2018: 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time
As Jesus will later dictate at the Last Supper, so He indicates in today's Gospel reading that we should love God and neighbor with all we are as the most important commandments.
The Law as a whole, with all its commandments, is not so much about following rules and procedures, but about putting us into right relationship with God, reflected in right relationship with each other.
In love, Jesus offered Himself as a perfect sacrifice to free us from sin, and lives forever so that we may always stand in this salvation, as we draw from His strength and abiding in His love, to the point that we are completely drawn into living it out, as we are fully drawn into relationship with Him.
The Law as a whole, with all its commandments, is not so much about following rules and procedures, but about putting us into right relationship with God, reflected in right relationship with each other.
In love, Jesus offered Himself as a perfect sacrifice to free us from sin, and lives forever so that we may always stand in this salvation, as we draw from His strength and abiding in His love, to the point that we are completely drawn into living it out, as we are fully drawn into relationship with Him.
Friday, November 2, 2018
November 2, 2018: All Souls' Day
It is a moving and solemn occasion today, certainly more meaningful to me than what Halloween has come to be.
On this All Souls' Day, we remember all the faithful departed, commending them to the grace of God, as we affirm our belief in Christ Who died and rose again. We rejoice that we will one day experience the fullness of His New Life that He won for us by the Paschal Mystery.
On this All Souls' Day, we remember all the faithful departed, commending them to the grace of God, as we affirm our belief in Christ Who died and rose again. We rejoice that we will one day experience the fullness of His New Life that He won for us by the Paschal Mystery.
Thursday, November 1, 2018
November 1, 2018: All Saints' Day
We celebrate the lives of the saints on this special Feast Day, those who lived lives of faith like we do, and now in glory shine before God.
We furthermore celebrate because God has called us to holiness and purity, made possible by the Paschal Mystery of His Son Jesus Christ. The saints, canonized and obscure, who lived before us give us great examples as we keep striving toward Heaven, glorifying God all along.
We furthermore celebrate because God has called us to holiness and purity, made possible by the Paschal Mystery of His Son Jesus Christ. The saints, canonized and obscure, who lived before us give us great examples as we keep striving toward Heaven, glorifying God all along.
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