gesima,A Time of Reflection, Sacrifice, and Renewal
A Reflection for Septuagesima Sunday
By Rev. Robert Johnnene OFA, Mission St. Sergius & Bacchus
Holliston MA
www.missionstsergius.org
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/EverlastingLoveOfChristMinistry
February begins the countdown and beginning of the church season set aside to remind us of what Christ was willing to do for us and how we are doing, as followers of Christ, in living according to His instructions.
We are reminded during the weeks leading up to the official start of Lent on Ash Wednesday to begin our period of reflection and preparation by the titles of the Sundays leading up to Ash Wednesday.
The 17-day period beginning on Septuagesima Sunday is intended to be observed as a preparation for the season of Lent, which is itself a period of spiritual preparation.
In the Catholic liturgy, the Alleluia ceases to be said during the liturgy, effective at First Vespers of Septuagesima Sunday, and is not sung again until Easter. Violet Vestments are worn, except on feast days, during the period from Septuagesima Sunday until Holy Thursday. The readings of the Divine office during this time are from the Books of Genesis which describe the Creation of the universe, the human race and the fall from grace of man by disobedience of God’s law, the sin of Cain and Abel and continue with the promises of redemption and the Messiah made to Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Moses. The Gospel Story for Septuagesima Sunday is that of the Prodigal son and is meant to remind us of the forgiving and infinite merciful way of God.
Usually during this week I try to spend time reflecting on the past year and how well I did in living up to the teachings of Jesus Christ. Was I kind and considerate of others, even those who were not so nice to me? Did I give back to God a portion of what he provided me with, sometimes called tithing, in time or financial resources? Did I care for the sick and needy? Did I discriminate against anyone or put anyone down? Did I cause anyone to become angry and if so, did I apologize and try to make amends? I ask myself how I can become a better person and how I can best serve God. Where I find weaknesses in my life or when I think of ways to improve myself, I write them down as something to put on my list of things I need to do.
Sexagesima” is Latin for “sixtieth”; this Sunday is so called because it is roughly sixty days from Easter. Sexagesima brings us a firm warning that as we work for Christ and His Kingdom, we must always be aware that any success we may see is not due to our own efforts, but to God’s direction and His Grace. This Sunday is a perfect time to reflect on where we are and why and how we got here and what part and for what reason God placed us here. During this week I ask if I am doing all that I can to be a true servant and disciple of Christ.
Quinquagesima Sunday marks the period of fifty days before Easter. It begins with the Sunday before Ash Wednesday, called Dominica in Quinquagesima or Esto Mihi from the beginning of the Introit of the Eucharistic Liturgy; it is a Sunday of the second class, and the Color for the vestments of the Mass is violet. In the past, for early Christians it was the beginning of fasting period, and is called “The days without Meat” by many nationalities. This is the Sunday that I usually have my list of things that I need to do to improve myself in living according to the teachings of Christ prepared and posted somewhere that I can see it every day.
This year Ash Wednesday begins on the 21st of the month and on this day, worshippers are blessed with ashes by the priest. The priest or minister marks the forehead of each participant with black ashes, in the shape of a cross, and the worshipper traditionally retains until washing it off after sundown as a reminder of their mortality and sinfulness. The symbolism echoes the ancient Near Eastern tradition of throwing ash over one's head signifying repentance for the sins one has committed (as related numerous times in the Scripture). The priest marks the forehead of the person with one of these three blessings: "Remember, man that you are dust and unto dust you shall return." (Latin: Memento homo, quia pulvis es, ET in pulverem reverteris.) From Genesis 3:19 or "Turn away from sin and be faithful to the Gospel." Or "Repent, and hear the good news."
The ashes are prepared by burning palm leaves from the previous year's Palm Sunday and mixed with olive oil; as a fixative. Ash Wednesday is observed by both fasting and abstinence and is a day of contemplating one's transgressions. The ashes are not a Sacrament but a Sign or Sacramental. (A Sacramental is something that aids one’s devotion to God but is not a sacrament.) Sacramentals are commonly divided into six classes: prayer, anointing, eating, confession, giving, and blessings.
As the title of this reflection indicates this is a time for us to reflect on our past and how well we are doing in coming closer to God and on what we might have to change from our current way of life and to plan for making those changes. It is a time of Sacrifice, of giving up some of the comforts we are accustomed to, reflecting the sacrifice Christ offered up for us and also of the forty days and nights that Christ fasted in the desert.
It is a time of Renewal, a time to make our selves over so that we better reflect Christ in our day to day lives.
God placed us here to achieve the promise of everlasting life with Him and all the heavenly elect but we have to earn that by living our lives in accord with the way Christ instructed us. We need to adhere to what Christ Called the two great commandments “Love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, soul, mind and body and the second is like unto it, Love your neighbor as you love yourself” AMEN
A mission of the Franciscans of Divine Mercy. We are a welcoming and affirming faith community to all who feel disenfranchised, unwanted, and rejected by Faith Communities. We welcome all persons who believe Christ was the redeemer and savior. The mission pastor is Rev. Robert Johnnene OFD
Showing posts with label Church. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Church. Show all posts
Saturday, February 03, 2007
Thursday, January 25, 2007
From Sinner To Saint
From Great Sinner to God’s Messenger
A Reflection on the Feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul
By Rev. Robert Johnnene OFA
Mission Saints Sergius and Bacchus
www.missionstsergius.org
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/EverlastingLoveOfChristMinistry
Today is the feast commemorating the conversion of St. Paul possibly one of the most influential of the messengers of Christ’s light of truth. The story of Saint Paul should be an inspiration to every person on the face of the earth. Here was a man who was among the educated elite of the Jewish faith, a Pharisee, who so despised and feared the teachings of Christ that he went about persecuting and killing those followers of Christ’s teachings. On the way to Damascus a blinding light struck him blind and he, according to his writings found in the Acts of the Apostles and Paul’s Epistles, heard the voice of Christ asking him “Saul, why are you persecuting me?”
We need to notice the words Christ used in addressing Paul. He did not say “Saul, why do you persecute my followers” but “Why are you persecuting me”
Christ himself by those words acknowledges that once we are baptized and acknowledge Christ as the promised messiah of God we become one with Christ. We become one in the Mystical Body of Christ. In short, we become the church, not some building, some city, or some group, we become and are the church.
The story of Paul’s conversion is also a message of hope for all who feel that they are not welcome or that they cannot be accepted because of their past sins or transgressions. How much more affirming can that message be for us because if a person who actual inflicted pain and suffering and murdered children of God can be forgiven and become one of the greatest evangelist of all time we can be assured that we can also achieve the promise of everlasting live with God.
It was also Paul who proclaimed that the message of salvation was not for a select few but for all people of all nations. Paul’s letter to the Corinthians makes it crystal clear when he wrote “There is one body. But it has many parts. Even though it has many parts, they make up one body. It is the same with Christ. We were all baptized by one Holy Spirit into one body. It didn't matter whether we were Jews or Greeks, slaves or free people. We were all given the same Spirit to drink. The body is not made up of just one part. It has many parts. Suppose the foot says, "I am not a hand. So I don't belong to the body." It is still part of the body. And suppose the ear says, "I am not an eye. So I don't belong to the body." It is still part of the body. ……….But God has joined together all the parts of the body. And he has given more honors to the parts that didn't have any. In that way, the parts of the body will not take sides. All of them will take care of each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it. If one part is honored, every part shares in its joy. You are the body of Christ. Each one of you is a part of it. This last line is of great importance when we look at how some churches have caused pain to parts of the body of
Christ by turning away people because they were divorced or have a same sex orientation.
In Galatians 2:6 Paul wrote “Some people in Jerusalem seemed to be important. It makes no difference to me what they were. God does not judge by what he sees on the outside. Those people added nothing to my message.” This passage makes it very clear that the high priests and those who set up rules and regulations added nothing to the message of Christ.
In 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 Paul tells us that He is only proclaiming what Christ made clear to him, What I received I passed on to you. And it is the most important of all. Here is what it is. Christ died for our sins, just as Scripture said he would. 4 He was buried. He was raised from the dead on the third day, just as Scripture said he would be.” These lines tell the whole story of our redemption and salvation as promised throughout the Old Testament to all the prophets, we have been saved by Christ’s gift of himself to us. Just as Paul, a sinner who committed the gravest of sins became on of God’s great messengers of the light of truth found in Christ’s teachings so we also will be welcomed by God if we live as Christ taught us in the two great commandments; “Love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, mind, soul and body and the second is like unto it; Love your neighbor as you love yourself”
Let us go forth from this day forward letting the light of Christ shine forth from us as a beacon to all we encounter. Let us not be afraid to live and act in ways that are befitting to a follower of Christ. Let us follow the instruction from Jesus found in Mark 16: 15 “Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature. Who ever believes and is Baptized will be saved”
Just as Paul went from great sinner to Evangelist, so too we can go from being a passive believer to becoming an active participant in the Mystical Body of Christ, the church, by our deeds and actions. Prayer alone is not enough, for prayer is a conversation with God and as we all know from the actions of so many in today’s world, especially those who are supposed to lead us, “Talk is cheap if not followed up by action”.
Paul went from contempt of Christ to a staunch believer and put his entire faith and trust in God, so too must we.
Our human nature is only a fleeting thing, but our spiritual salvation is forever. Let no human make you turn away from God by what they have done or said but listen to the truth found in Christ’s teachings and follow them.
God is love and God is forgiving and welcoming. Remember the teaching found in Luke 15:6-8 “In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away!”
Let us praise God from whom all blessings flow. AMEN
A Reflection on the Feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul
By Rev. Robert Johnnene OFA
Mission Saints Sergius and Bacchus
www.missionstsergius.org
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/EverlastingLoveOfChristMinistry
Today is the feast commemorating the conversion of St. Paul possibly one of the most influential of the messengers of Christ’s light of truth. The story of Saint Paul should be an inspiration to every person on the face of the earth. Here was a man who was among the educated elite of the Jewish faith, a Pharisee, who so despised and feared the teachings of Christ that he went about persecuting and killing those followers of Christ’s teachings. On the way to Damascus a blinding light struck him blind and he, according to his writings found in the Acts of the Apostles and Paul’s Epistles, heard the voice of Christ asking him “Saul, why are you persecuting me?”
We need to notice the words Christ used in addressing Paul. He did not say “Saul, why do you persecute my followers” but “Why are you persecuting me”
Christ himself by those words acknowledges that once we are baptized and acknowledge Christ as the promised messiah of God we become one with Christ. We become one in the Mystical Body of Christ. In short, we become the church, not some building, some city, or some group, we become and are the church.
The story of Paul’s conversion is also a message of hope for all who feel that they are not welcome or that they cannot be accepted because of their past sins or transgressions. How much more affirming can that message be for us because if a person who actual inflicted pain and suffering and murdered children of God can be forgiven and become one of the greatest evangelist of all time we can be assured that we can also achieve the promise of everlasting live with God.
It was also Paul who proclaimed that the message of salvation was not for a select few but for all people of all nations. Paul’s letter to the Corinthians makes it crystal clear when he wrote “There is one body. But it has many parts. Even though it has many parts, they make up one body. It is the same with Christ. We were all baptized by one Holy Spirit into one body. It didn't matter whether we were Jews or Greeks, slaves or free people. We were all given the same Spirit to drink. The body is not made up of just one part. It has many parts. Suppose the foot says, "I am not a hand. So I don't belong to the body." It is still part of the body. And suppose the ear says, "I am not an eye. So I don't belong to the body." It is still part of the body. ……….But God has joined together all the parts of the body. And he has given more honors to the parts that didn't have any. In that way, the parts of the body will not take sides. All of them will take care of each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it. If one part is honored, every part shares in its joy. You are the body of Christ. Each one of you is a part of it. This last line is of great importance when we look at how some churches have caused pain to parts of the body of
Christ by turning away people because they were divorced or have a same sex orientation.
In Galatians 2:6 Paul wrote “Some people in Jerusalem seemed to be important. It makes no difference to me what they were. God does not judge by what he sees on the outside. Those people added nothing to my message.” This passage makes it very clear that the high priests and those who set up rules and regulations added nothing to the message of Christ.
In 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 Paul tells us that He is only proclaiming what Christ made clear to him, What I received I passed on to you. And it is the most important of all. Here is what it is. Christ died for our sins, just as Scripture said he would. 4 He was buried. He was raised from the dead on the third day, just as Scripture said he would be.” These lines tell the whole story of our redemption and salvation as promised throughout the Old Testament to all the prophets, we have been saved by Christ’s gift of himself to us. Just as Paul, a sinner who committed the gravest of sins became on of God’s great messengers of the light of truth found in Christ’s teachings so we also will be welcomed by God if we live as Christ taught us in the two great commandments; “Love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, mind, soul and body and the second is like unto it; Love your neighbor as you love yourself”
Let us go forth from this day forward letting the light of Christ shine forth from us as a beacon to all we encounter. Let us not be afraid to live and act in ways that are befitting to a follower of Christ. Let us follow the instruction from Jesus found in Mark 16: 15 “Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature. Who ever believes and is Baptized will be saved”
Just as Paul went from great sinner to Evangelist, so too we can go from being a passive believer to becoming an active participant in the Mystical Body of Christ, the church, by our deeds and actions. Prayer alone is not enough, for prayer is a conversation with God and as we all know from the actions of so many in today’s world, especially those who are supposed to lead us, “Talk is cheap if not followed up by action”.
Paul went from contempt of Christ to a staunch believer and put his entire faith and trust in God, so too must we.
Our human nature is only a fleeting thing, but our spiritual salvation is forever. Let no human make you turn away from God by what they have done or said but listen to the truth found in Christ’s teachings and follow them.
God is love and God is forgiving and welcoming. Remember the teaching found in Luke 15:6-8 “In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away!”
Let us praise God from whom all blessings flow. AMEN
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)