“By Christ’s deeds the Lord has shown himself great”
A Reflection for Passion Sunday
Based on Readings from: John 8:48-59, Hebrews 9:11-15, Psalm 125, Philippians 3:8-14, John 8:1-11
By Rev. Robert Johnnene OFA
Mission Saints Sergius and Bacchus
www.missionstsergius.org
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/EverlastingLoveOfChristMinistry
I have chosen words from the title of the psalm used in today’s liturgy of the Novus Ordo rite or new rite in the western churches since it compliments all the readings used by the Universal church for Passion Sunday.
The Gospel of John 8:1-11 is the story of the woman about to be stoned because she was caught in adultery and how Jesus responded to those who were about to stone her. Jesus said to them “If there is one of you who have not sinned, let him be the first to throw a stone at her”. With those words Jesus broke with the teachings of the old covenant for Christ came into this world as the mediator of a new covenant or agreement between God and us.
In the Gospel of John 8:48-59 we find Christ being accused of sinning and having a demon in Him because he had broken with the traditional practices of the Jewish faith to which Jesus replied; “"I don't have a demon in me. I honor my Father, and you refuse to honor me. I don't want honor for myself. But there is one who wants me to be honored, and he is also the one who judges. I tell you for certain that if you obey my words, you will never die." "If I honored myself, it would mean nothing. My Father is the one who honors me. You claim that he is your God, even though you don't really know him. If I said I didn't know him, I would be a liar, just like all of you. But I know him, and I do what he says.”
Notice the words of Christ; “You claim that he is your God, even though you don't really know him”. Today everywhere we hear preachers claiming to know God and Christ and yet they go about shouting condemnation and hell fire and damnation and claim that they are preaching the teachings of Christ, yet, the Gospel story of the woman caught in adultery is an example of how Christ preached mercy and forgiveness.
The opening words of Paul’s Letter to the Hebrews 9:11 explain this very well; “Christ came as the high priest of the good things that are now here….. He freed us from sin forever. He did this by offering his own blood instead of the blood of goats and bulls.” (The Law of Moses prescribed that people who become unclean were not fit to worship God. Yet they would be considered clean, if they are sprinkled with the blood of goats and bulls and with the ashes of a sacrificed calf.) Paul continues with the following explanation; “But Christ was sinless, and he offered himself as an eternal and spiritual sacrifice to God. That's why his blood is much more powerful and makes our consciences clear……. Now he brings his chosen ones a new agreement with its guarantee of God's eternal blessings!”
Paul’s letter to the Philippians 3:8 opening words sum it all up, at least for me they do, “I believe nothing can happen that will outweigh the supreme advantage of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord”. Paul goes on to say how he he no longer is seeking the perfection that comes from the law but the perfection that comes through faith in Jesus Christ and Almighty God. He also acknowledges that perfection only comes when we have been received into the eternal promise of Christ. “I am far from thinking that I have already won. All I can say is that I forget the past and I strain ahead for what is still to come; I am racing for the finish, for is the prize to which God calls us upwards to receive in Christ.”
I believe that it is not our duty or obligation to place condemnation on any of God’s children but that we should teach the words of Christ and instruct God’s children on the way they have been called by God to live their lives. We most certainly should never think that God has made a mistake in creating someone in a certain way or refuse to allow one of God’s children from participating in the worship and reception of the graces of the sacraments for when we do so we are acting like those who wanted to stone the woman caught in adultery.
The next two weeks are some of the most holy and humbling times within the liturgical calendar. They are a time when we examine ourselves deeply and make our list of strengths and weaknesses within our living the teachings of God as given us through Christ. They are a time when we are reminded of how much Christ was willing to suffer for our sake and a time to ask ourselves how much we are willing to suffer in order to achieve the promise of Eternal life with God.
Christ did not go through all He endured for just a few individuals who perceive that they are holier than others but for ALL of the children of God, every individual on the face of the earth.
Let each of us, over the next two weeks, think about how Christ came to earth and by His words and deeds the Lord has shown himself great and given us the way, the truth and the light which will lead us to the Father, our creator, and everlasting life with Him, our redeemer Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit and Christ’s and our heavenly mother Mary and all the heavenly elect.
Use this time to improve your relationship with Almighty God and with your brothers and sisters in Christ by working harder to live a life that reflects the teachings of Christ.
That is our way of passing over to the promised land of Almighty God. 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 Lent. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lent. Show all posts
Saturday, March 24, 2007
Sunday, February 25, 2007
Something To Meditate Over
cSomething to think about during this Lent
A Reflection by Rev. Robert Johnnene OFA
Mission Saints Sergius and Bacchus
www.MissionStSergius.org
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/EverlastingLoveOfChristMinistry
Taken from Daniel 3: 26-90
(This passage is missing from most Translations of the Bible, Possibly because it is considered a Psalm/Prayer. They are translated from the Greek form of the Book of Daniel and originally were composed in Hebrew or Aramaic and few original transcripts are available.)
During this Lenten season I would like to put forth this reading from the Book of Daniel, which I think might be worth reflecting over as we look into our hearts and souls in order to find ways to bring ourselves closer to Almighty God. In these days of unrest and turmoil in the world it can provide us with a focus point to think about as we go about our daily lives and Lenten preparation.
Some consider this passage as a prophetic warning for our current time in history. Some consider the reading to be just another bible story to let us know how merciful Almighty God is to those who trust in Him. What ever your take on the readings is, it is an excellent source of meditation for us during Lent.
The similarities to what is happening in the Middle East and what happened in the time of Daniel are very similar considering where things are happening. (The king of Babylon which was in Persia and is now the countries of Iran, Iraq , Syria)
The passage begins with:
“O Lord, the God of our fathers, blessed are you and praiseworthy and glorious forever is your name.” The first thing being doing here is acknowledging that God is first and foremost, worthy of our acknowledging Him as we begin and end each day.
For you are just in all you have done, all your deeds are faultless, all your ways right and your judgments proper. This passage lets God know that we accept all his actions from the creation of the earth to the judgments imposed upon us and difficulties that we have to endure.
“You have executed proper judgments in all you have brought upon us and upon Jerusalem ( often thought to represent the kingdom of God the entire world) , the Holy City of our Fathers. By a proper judgment you have done all this because of our sins.”Here we affirm to God that we recognize that we are sinners and often times fail to live according to God’s will. “For we have sinned and transgressed by departing from you and we have done every kind of evil. Your commandments and teachings we have not heeded or observed nor have you done as you ordered us to do for our own good. You have handed us over to our enemies who are lawless and hateful rebels. You have given us over to an unjust king, the worst in all the world.”This is the part which could be considered prophetic. Even though this prayer was said by Daniel’s companions Shadrach, Meshach, Azariah, and Abednego while imprisoned by King Nebuchadnezzar .
They began with a plea to Almighty God, a plea that possibly we need to begin to ask God to bring about in this time. “For your names sake, do not deliver us up forever or make void your promise. Do not take away your mercy from us. Receive us with a contrite heart and humble spirit. Those who trust in you cannot be put to shame and so we follow you with our whole heart and fear you and pray to you. Do not let us be put to shame but deal with us in your unending kindness and great mercy. Deliver us by your wonders and bring glory to your name O Lord. Let all know that you alone are the Lord God, glorious over all the world.”The passage then goes on to tell how they were thrown into the furnace and how the flames rose forty nine cubits (1078 inches) above the furnace ( ( one cubit is about 22 inches) but an angel of the Lord came down and made the flames cool and the three were not harmed.
When considering the possibility of this passage as being prophetic to today, the flames could well represent the fire being cast down in the form if rockets upon the people of Israel and of Lebanon and Gaza and the firearms and weapons being used against innocent children and our own sons and daughters.
I suggest that possibly we might want to consider praying the prayer of the three young men when cast into the furnace. “Almighty and Merciful God, For your names sake, do not deliver us up forever or make void your promise to our Fathers. Do not take away your mercy from us. Receive us with a contrite heart and humble spirit. Those who trust in you cannot be put to shame and so we follow you with our whole heart and fear you and pray to you. Do not let us be put to shame but deal with us in your unending kindness and great mercy. Deliver us by your wonders and bring glory to your name O Lord. Let all know that you alone are the Lord God, glorious over all the world. AMEN”Upon being delivered they then began to praise God with a prayer that all priests and religious who pray the Liturgy of the Hours proclaim which begins thus; “Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of our fathers, praiseworthy and exalted above all forever; And blessed is your holy and glorious name, praiseworthy and exalted above all forever.”The prayer then continues giving praise for all things that exist individually followed by “praiseworthy and exalted above all forever”
How often do we acknowledge all that God has created? How often do we take the time to thank God for all He has given us? How often do we appreciate the gifts God has bestowed upon us and not just turn to Him when we are seeking something? God does indeed hear all our prayers, requests, petitions and does answer them, but He does so in His time and with what He thinks will be best for us.
Let us contemplate on this and let us examine our relationship with Him on a daily basis not only during this Lenten season but every day of the year.
Where do we need to make changes in our lives in order to strengthen our relationship with God? Do we need to become more trusting of His will and not always ask Him to bend to our will?
I leave the answers to these questions to you and God for I am not the one to make that judgement.
I pray that Almighty God, through the gifts of the Holy Spirit will inspire us and lead each of us into a closer and more trusting relationship with Almighty God.
The following The Canticle of Creatures by Saint Francis seems to be a shortened version of the prayer found in Daniel 3: 52-90 and might serve as one of your daily prayers.
The Canticle of Creatures
By Saint Francis
Most High, all-powerful, good Lord, Yours are the praises, the glory, and the honor, and all blessing, To You alone, Most High, do they belong, and no human is worthy to mention Your name. Praised be You, my Lord, with all Your creatures, especially Sir Brother Sun, Who is the day and through whom You give us light. And he is beautiful and radiant with great splendor; and bears a likeness or You, Most High One.
Praised be You, my Lord, through Sister Moon and the stars, in heaven You formed them clear and precious and beautiful.
Praised be You, my Lord, through Brother Wind, and through the air, cloudy and serene, and every kind of weather, through whom You give sustenance to Your creatures.
Praised be You, my Lord, through Sister Water, who is very useful and humble and precious and chaste. Praised be You, my Lord, through Brother Fire, through whom You light the night, and he is beautiful and playful and robust and strong.
Praised be You, my Lord, through our Sister Mother Earth, who sustains and governs us, and who produces various fruits with colored flowers and herbs.
Praised be You, my Lord, through those who give pardon for your Love, and bear infirmity and tribulation. Blessed are those who endure in peace for by You, Most High, shall they be crowned.
Praised be You, my Lord, through our Sister Bodily Death, from whom no one living can escape. Woe to those who die in mortal sin.
Blessed are those whom death will find in Your most holy will, for the second death shall do them no harm. Praise and bless my Lord and give Him thanks and serve Him with great humility. AMEN
A Reflection by Rev. Robert Johnnene OFA
Mission Saints Sergius and Bacchus
www.MissionStSergius.org
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/EverlastingLoveOfChristMinistry
Taken from Daniel 3: 26-90
(This passage is missing from most Translations of the Bible, Possibly because it is considered a Psalm/Prayer. They are translated from the Greek form of the Book of Daniel and originally were composed in Hebrew or Aramaic and few original transcripts are available.)
During this Lenten season I would like to put forth this reading from the Book of Daniel, which I think might be worth reflecting over as we look into our hearts and souls in order to find ways to bring ourselves closer to Almighty God. In these days of unrest and turmoil in the world it can provide us with a focus point to think about as we go about our daily lives and Lenten preparation.
Some consider this passage as a prophetic warning for our current time in history. Some consider the reading to be just another bible story to let us know how merciful Almighty God is to those who trust in Him. What ever your take on the readings is, it is an excellent source of meditation for us during Lent.
The similarities to what is happening in the Middle East and what happened in the time of Daniel are very similar considering where things are happening. (The king of Babylon which was in Persia and is now the countries of Iran, Iraq , Syria)
The passage begins with:
“O Lord, the God of our fathers, blessed are you and praiseworthy and glorious forever is your name.” The first thing being doing here is acknowledging that God is first and foremost, worthy of our acknowledging Him as we begin and end each day.
For you are just in all you have done, all your deeds are faultless, all your ways right and your judgments proper. This passage lets God know that we accept all his actions from the creation of the earth to the judgments imposed upon us and difficulties that we have to endure.
“You have executed proper judgments in all you have brought upon us and upon Jerusalem ( often thought to represent the kingdom of God the entire world) , the Holy City of our Fathers. By a proper judgment you have done all this because of our sins.”Here we affirm to God that we recognize that we are sinners and often times fail to live according to God’s will. “For we have sinned and transgressed by departing from you and we have done every kind of evil. Your commandments and teachings we have not heeded or observed nor have you done as you ordered us to do for our own good. You have handed us over to our enemies who are lawless and hateful rebels. You have given us over to an unjust king, the worst in all the world.”This is the part which could be considered prophetic. Even though this prayer was said by Daniel’s companions Shadrach, Meshach, Azariah, and Abednego while imprisoned by King Nebuchadnezzar .
They began with a plea to Almighty God, a plea that possibly we need to begin to ask God to bring about in this time. “For your names sake, do not deliver us up forever or make void your promise. Do not take away your mercy from us. Receive us with a contrite heart and humble spirit. Those who trust in you cannot be put to shame and so we follow you with our whole heart and fear you and pray to you. Do not let us be put to shame but deal with us in your unending kindness and great mercy. Deliver us by your wonders and bring glory to your name O Lord. Let all know that you alone are the Lord God, glorious over all the world.”The passage then goes on to tell how they were thrown into the furnace and how the flames rose forty nine cubits (1078 inches) above the furnace ( ( one cubit is about 22 inches) but an angel of the Lord came down and made the flames cool and the three were not harmed.
When considering the possibility of this passage as being prophetic to today, the flames could well represent the fire being cast down in the form if rockets upon the people of Israel and of Lebanon and Gaza and the firearms and weapons being used against innocent children and our own sons and daughters.
I suggest that possibly we might want to consider praying the prayer of the three young men when cast into the furnace. “Almighty and Merciful God, For your names sake, do not deliver us up forever or make void your promise to our Fathers. Do not take away your mercy from us. Receive us with a contrite heart and humble spirit. Those who trust in you cannot be put to shame and so we follow you with our whole heart and fear you and pray to you. Do not let us be put to shame but deal with us in your unending kindness and great mercy. Deliver us by your wonders and bring glory to your name O Lord. Let all know that you alone are the Lord God, glorious over all the world. AMEN”Upon being delivered they then began to praise God with a prayer that all priests and religious who pray the Liturgy of the Hours proclaim which begins thus; “Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of our fathers, praiseworthy and exalted above all forever; And blessed is your holy and glorious name, praiseworthy and exalted above all forever.”The prayer then continues giving praise for all things that exist individually followed by “praiseworthy and exalted above all forever”
How often do we acknowledge all that God has created? How often do we take the time to thank God for all He has given us? How often do we appreciate the gifts God has bestowed upon us and not just turn to Him when we are seeking something? God does indeed hear all our prayers, requests, petitions and does answer them, but He does so in His time and with what He thinks will be best for us.
Let us contemplate on this and let us examine our relationship with Him on a daily basis not only during this Lenten season but every day of the year.
Where do we need to make changes in our lives in order to strengthen our relationship with God? Do we need to become more trusting of His will and not always ask Him to bend to our will?
I leave the answers to these questions to you and God for I am not the one to make that judgement.
I pray that Almighty God, through the gifts of the Holy Spirit will inspire us and lead each of us into a closer and more trusting relationship with Almighty God.
The following The Canticle of Creatures by Saint Francis seems to be a shortened version of the prayer found in Daniel 3: 52-90 and might serve as one of your daily prayers.
The Canticle of Creatures
By Saint Francis
Most High, all-powerful, good Lord, Yours are the praises, the glory, and the honor, and all blessing, To You alone, Most High, do they belong, and no human is worthy to mention Your name. Praised be You, my Lord, with all Your creatures, especially Sir Brother Sun, Who is the day and through whom You give us light. And he is beautiful and radiant with great splendor; and bears a likeness or You, Most High One.
Praised be You, my Lord, through Sister Moon and the stars, in heaven You formed them clear and precious and beautiful.
Praised be You, my Lord, through Brother Wind, and through the air, cloudy and serene, and every kind of weather, through whom You give sustenance to Your creatures.
Praised be You, my Lord, through Sister Water, who is very useful and humble and precious and chaste. Praised be You, my Lord, through Brother Fire, through whom You light the night, and he is beautiful and playful and robust and strong.
Praised be You, my Lord, through our Sister Mother Earth, who sustains and governs us, and who produces various fruits with colored flowers and herbs.
Praised be You, my Lord, through those who give pardon for your Love, and bear infirmity and tribulation. Blessed are those who endure in peace for by You, Most High, shall they be crowned.
Praised be You, my Lord, through our Sister Bodily Death, from whom no one living can escape. Woe to those who die in mortal sin.
Blessed are those whom death will find in Your most holy will, for the second death shall do them no harm. Praise and bless my Lord and give Him thanks and serve Him with great humility. AMEN
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Ash Wednesday Reflection
Ash Wednesday, A Call to Repent
A Reflection For Ash Wednesday by Rev. Robert Johnnene OFA
Mission Saints Sergius & Bacchus
www.missionstsergius.org
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/EverlastingLoveOfChristMinistry
The first reading for Ash Wednesday is from Joel 2:12-19 and it encourages us with the following words, “The Lord says, Turn to me now, while there is time. Give me your heart Come with fasting, weeping, and mourning. Don’t tear your clothing in your grief, but tear your hearts instead.” Do not tear your clothing or cover yourself with ashes but tear your hearts instead. What we are being told here is that we need to open ourselves up to being more compassionate and caring. We need to change our ways from being selfish and greedy and open ourselves up toward more generous and forgiving.
Return to the Lord your God, for he is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. He is eager to relent and not punish. With these words God is telling us, in no uncertain terms, that he is not out to inflict vengeance and condemnation upon us but is very merciful and forgiving. Let the priests, who minister in the Lord’s presence, pray, “Spare your people, Lord! Don’t let your special possession become an object of mockery. Don’t let them become a joke for unbelieving foreigners” I understand the last sentence to indicate that as priests of God we should never allow those who do not accept God or Jesus Christ and His teachings to dictate to us how we should think and behave. So many people laugh and talk about what church leaders of all denominations have done or preached in the name of God and remark how that does not seem to be what Christ had to say. I have heard many say about religious leaders “They talk the talk but they do not walk the walk” meaning of course they preach the words but their actions are the exact opposite of the teachings.
If we but begin to live according to the teachings of Jesus Christ and work to bring about justice and peace to all the people of the earth then we have the following promise from God that; “The Lord’s Promises Restoration, Then the Lord will pity his people and jealously guard the honor of his land. The Lord will reply, “Look! I am sending you grain and new wine and olive oil, enough to satisfy your needs. You will no longer be an object of mockery among the surrounding nations.”
The second reading of the day comes from Matthew 6:16-21 “And when you fast, don’t make it obvious, as the hypocrites do, for they try to look miserable and disheveled so people will admire them for their fasting. I tell you the truth that is the only reward they will ever get. But when you fast, comb your hair and wash your face. Then no one will notice that you are fasting, except your Father, who knows what you do in private. And your Father, who sees everything, will reward you. Again we are promised a reward for living our lives without seeking out special recognition from other and living our life for God’s recognition. The passage goes on further to instruct us on how we should perceive our possessions. “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.” Everything we do in this live should be directed toward our Eternal life and not toward this fleeting existence on this earth. This is brought very clearly to focus when we receive the sign of the cross on our forehead with the words “Remember, you are dust and unto dust you shall return.” This life is not an everlasting one, we are here only for a short time and it is what and how we live our life here on earth that will determine how our eternal life will be.
There are so many opportunities to serve God according to Christ’s teachings in this world today. The guide I personally use for what I need to do is found in the Corporal Works of Mercy which tell us to; Feed the hungry, Give drink to the thirsty, Clothe the naked, Shelter the homeless, Visit the sick, Visit those in prison, and Bury the dead. These are the criteria by which God will judge us. We will not be judged by how many rosaries we say or how many times we go to church but by whether or not we practiced these actions for the sake of all God’s children and not just for our own personal recognition.
In Matthew 25:34-39 Christ makes this clear when He tells us “Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.' Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you? “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these, my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’ “Then the King will turn to those on the left and say, ‘Away with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his demons. For I was hungry, and you didn’t feed me, I was thirsty, and you didn’t give me a drink. I was a stranger, and you didn’t invite me into your home. I was naked, and you didn’t give me clothing. I was sick and in prison, and you didn’t visit me.’ “Then they will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and not help you?’
On this Ash Wednesday let us allow the ashes to remind us of the briefness of our time here to build up our heavenly treasure and the frailty of our nature and attempt as much as possible to become a fervent follower of Christ and child of God by our actions in His honor. Let us work fervently to seek a lasting peace and brotherhood between all of God’s children and not be the cause of friction and dissent but of compassion and forgiveness. Let us put our words into action and let our actions speak louder than our words. We are the masters of our destiny here on earth. God has given us the directions all we need to do is follow them. Christ made clear the will of the Father, He clarified the teachings of the Old Testament and gave us the New Covenant now all we have to do is live by it.
I close with this prayer; O Lord, I am not worthy that you should come under my roof, speak but the word and my soul shall be healed.
A Reflection For Ash Wednesday by Rev. Robert Johnnene OFA
Mission Saints Sergius & Bacchus
www.missionstsergius.org
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/EverlastingLoveOfChristMinistry
The first reading for Ash Wednesday is from Joel 2:12-19 and it encourages us with the following words, “The Lord says, Turn to me now, while there is time. Give me your heart Come with fasting, weeping, and mourning. Don’t tear your clothing in your grief, but tear your hearts instead.” Do not tear your clothing or cover yourself with ashes but tear your hearts instead. What we are being told here is that we need to open ourselves up to being more compassionate and caring. We need to change our ways from being selfish and greedy and open ourselves up toward more generous and forgiving.
Return to the Lord your God, for he is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. He is eager to relent and not punish. With these words God is telling us, in no uncertain terms, that he is not out to inflict vengeance and condemnation upon us but is very merciful and forgiving. Let the priests, who minister in the Lord’s presence, pray, “Spare your people, Lord! Don’t let your special possession become an object of mockery. Don’t let them become a joke for unbelieving foreigners” I understand the last sentence to indicate that as priests of God we should never allow those who do not accept God or Jesus Christ and His teachings to dictate to us how we should think and behave. So many people laugh and talk about what church leaders of all denominations have done or preached in the name of God and remark how that does not seem to be what Christ had to say. I have heard many say about religious leaders “They talk the talk but they do not walk the walk” meaning of course they preach the words but their actions are the exact opposite of the teachings.
If we but begin to live according to the teachings of Jesus Christ and work to bring about justice and peace to all the people of the earth then we have the following promise from God that; “The Lord’s Promises Restoration, Then the Lord will pity his people and jealously guard the honor of his land. The Lord will reply, “Look! I am sending you grain and new wine and olive oil, enough to satisfy your needs. You will no longer be an object of mockery among the surrounding nations.”
The second reading of the day comes from Matthew 6:16-21 “And when you fast, don’t make it obvious, as the hypocrites do, for they try to look miserable and disheveled so people will admire them for their fasting. I tell you the truth that is the only reward they will ever get. But when you fast, comb your hair and wash your face. Then no one will notice that you are fasting, except your Father, who knows what you do in private. And your Father, who sees everything, will reward you. Again we are promised a reward for living our lives without seeking out special recognition from other and living our life for God’s recognition. The passage goes on further to instruct us on how we should perceive our possessions. “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.” Everything we do in this live should be directed toward our Eternal life and not toward this fleeting existence on this earth. This is brought very clearly to focus when we receive the sign of the cross on our forehead with the words “Remember, you are dust and unto dust you shall return.” This life is not an everlasting one, we are here only for a short time and it is what and how we live our life here on earth that will determine how our eternal life will be.
There are so many opportunities to serve God according to Christ’s teachings in this world today. The guide I personally use for what I need to do is found in the Corporal Works of Mercy which tell us to; Feed the hungry, Give drink to the thirsty, Clothe the naked, Shelter the homeless, Visit the sick, Visit those in prison, and Bury the dead. These are the criteria by which God will judge us. We will not be judged by how many rosaries we say or how many times we go to church but by whether or not we practiced these actions for the sake of all God’s children and not just for our own personal recognition.
In Matthew 25:34-39 Christ makes this clear when He tells us “Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.' Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you? “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these, my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’ “Then the King will turn to those on the left and say, ‘Away with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his demons. For I was hungry, and you didn’t feed me, I was thirsty, and you didn’t give me a drink. I was a stranger, and you didn’t invite me into your home. I was naked, and you didn’t give me clothing. I was sick and in prison, and you didn’t visit me.’ “Then they will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and not help you?’
On this Ash Wednesday let us allow the ashes to remind us of the briefness of our time here to build up our heavenly treasure and the frailty of our nature and attempt as much as possible to become a fervent follower of Christ and child of God by our actions in His honor. Let us work fervently to seek a lasting peace and brotherhood between all of God’s children and not be the cause of friction and dissent but of compassion and forgiveness. Let us put our words into action and let our actions speak louder than our words. We are the masters of our destiny here on earth. God has given us the directions all we need to do is follow them. Christ made clear the will of the Father, He clarified the teachings of the Old Testament and gave us the New Covenant now all we have to do is live by it.
I close with this prayer; O Lord, I am not worthy that you should come under my roof, speak but the word and my soul shall be healed.
Friday, February 16, 2007
A Reflection on Trusing in God
My Hope Is In God My Savior
A message of Faith, Hope Trust and Love
A reflection for Quinquagesima Sunday
By Rev. Robert Johnnene OFa
Mission Saints Sergius and Bacchus
www.missionstsergius.org
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/EverlastingLoveOfChristMinistry
1 Corinthians 13:1-13, Luke 18:31-43, Psalms 30, 76, 99, 118
How appropriate it is that the Sunday following the day set aside to hone lovers and love the message we hear from the readings is one of affirmation and an example of how trusting and loving God can bring untold peace and miracles. In Paul’s letter to the Corinthians we hear Paul explain that without love all things are useless. “If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child; I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”
In his letter he also tells us what true love is and what it is not. We are told that a person who is in love is patient, kind, considerate, does not give in the envy or become boastful, is never rude or self-seeking and never gives in to anger and hatred or hold grudges against those who they perceive have done them wrong. In order to comply with all this we face an awesome task, especially in a world that praises wealth, power and fame. Paul goes on to tell su that prophecies and speaking in tongues and even those who claim to have great knowledge will all cease when the promised kingdom of God arrives.
The Introit Psalm and the Gospel back up the affirmation of Paul’s message with proof that by putting all our trust and faith in God and Loving God with our entire being miracles can and do happen. When we call upon the Lord He hears us and He always answers us even if the answer is not what we were seeking but it is the answer that is best for us according to God. This is where the trust has to be, that God’s will is what is best. This also is another difficult thing for us, especially for those who are used to getting their own way, to accept. “O LORD my God, I called to you for help and you healed me. O LORD, you brought me up from the grave; you spared me from going down into the pit. Sing to the LORD, you saints of his; praise his holy name. For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning. (Psalm 30: 2-5)
In this same passage we are reminded that God’s anger at us because we have failed to live according to His desires, lasts only but a brief moment for His love for us far outweighs His anger. This was the lesson of the story of the Prodigal Son. The father will always forgive. With complete trust and faith in God our sadness and tears will be wiped away just as the rainbow follows the storm.
The Gospel story is a perfect example of having faith and trust even when all those around you are trying to dissuade you and call you away from having faith in God and do not want to hear you talk about God. “He called out, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" Those who led the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!" “What do you want me to do for you? Lord, I want to see, he replied. Jesus said to him, Receive your sight; your faith has healed you. Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising God. When all the people saw it, they also praised God” (Luke 18: 38-43). “Your Faith has healed you” said Christ. There is a lesson to be learned in those words also, Christ said “Your Faith” He did not say the faith of others. True Christ also told us “Where ever two or three are gathered in my name so too am I in their midst”
Every day I receive requests for prayers for peoples intentions, healing or a special request that a person has to make to God and I always offer up my prayers for that person. I believe that the person who has asked for the prayers needs to pray even harder than I and give themselves over to having complete trust and faith in God healing them just as the blind man did.
On Wednesday we begin the season of Lent and it is a wonderful time for us to take inventory of our relationship with Almighty God and how we live out our daily lives with trust, faith and most of all love of Almighty God. Over the last few weeks I have reflected on ways that we show our love and trust in God by our actions. Today’s readings tell us the things we cannot have in our lives if we truly love God. Anger, greed, jealousy, pride, envy, discrimination, gossip, and being self-serving have no place in our lives if we are to truly follow the path of Christ.
To live in this manner is extremely difficult in this modern world but then neither was it easy for Christ to endure the way of the Cross and Calvary in order for us to be able to gain the promise of everlasting life and forgiveness of our sins.
We have choices in almost every thing we do, we can choose to try to live a life in accord with the teachings of Christ or we can pick and choose those things that are comfortable for us to do and reject the ones that might cause us some difficulty. What we choose and what our rewards will be depends solely on us. We can travel the smooth and easy road or take the more difficult but shorter road to our eternal reward. The choice is ours. In order to be able to travel the more difficult road we need to put our trust and faith in God and to continually talk to God with the knowledge that with Him we have the best friend in the world and He will give us the means to overcome the difficulties if we truly want to serve Him faithfully.
Let us give ourselves over to Him completely with boundless confidence in Him, since God is our Father and loves us more than any other person. Let us pray;
Father, into your hands I commend my soul, for I so need to surrender myself unto you and trust in and have faith in you in all things. Let your will be done in me always and lead me in your ways so that I may serve you in all things. Almighty God, Grant unto me your gifts of forgiveness to all who have harmed me, compassion toward all those in need, acceptance of all your children, and mercy and charity toward all I encounter. I ask this in the name of your beloved son, Jesus Christ, my redeemer and savior who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit as one God now and forever. AMEN
A message of Faith, Hope Trust and Love
A reflection for Quinquagesima Sunday
By Rev. Robert Johnnene OFa
Mission Saints Sergius and Bacchus
www.missionstsergius.org
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/EverlastingLoveOfChristMinistry
1 Corinthians 13:1-13, Luke 18:31-43, Psalms 30, 76, 99, 118
How appropriate it is that the Sunday following the day set aside to hone lovers and love the message we hear from the readings is one of affirmation and an example of how trusting and loving God can bring untold peace and miracles. In Paul’s letter to the Corinthians we hear Paul explain that without love all things are useless. “If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child; I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”
In his letter he also tells us what true love is and what it is not. We are told that a person who is in love is patient, kind, considerate, does not give in the envy or become boastful, is never rude or self-seeking and never gives in to anger and hatred or hold grudges against those who they perceive have done them wrong. In order to comply with all this we face an awesome task, especially in a world that praises wealth, power and fame. Paul goes on to tell su that prophecies and speaking in tongues and even those who claim to have great knowledge will all cease when the promised kingdom of God arrives.
The Introit Psalm and the Gospel back up the affirmation of Paul’s message with proof that by putting all our trust and faith in God and Loving God with our entire being miracles can and do happen. When we call upon the Lord He hears us and He always answers us even if the answer is not what we were seeking but it is the answer that is best for us according to God. This is where the trust has to be, that God’s will is what is best. This also is another difficult thing for us, especially for those who are used to getting their own way, to accept. “O LORD my God, I called to you for help and you healed me. O LORD, you brought me up from the grave; you spared me from going down into the pit. Sing to the LORD, you saints of his; praise his holy name. For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning. (Psalm 30: 2-5)
In this same passage we are reminded that God’s anger at us because we have failed to live according to His desires, lasts only but a brief moment for His love for us far outweighs His anger. This was the lesson of the story of the Prodigal Son. The father will always forgive. With complete trust and faith in God our sadness and tears will be wiped away just as the rainbow follows the storm.
The Gospel story is a perfect example of having faith and trust even when all those around you are trying to dissuade you and call you away from having faith in God and do not want to hear you talk about God. “He called out, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" Those who led the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!" “What do you want me to do for you? Lord, I want to see, he replied. Jesus said to him, Receive your sight; your faith has healed you. Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising God. When all the people saw it, they also praised God” (Luke 18: 38-43). “Your Faith has healed you” said Christ. There is a lesson to be learned in those words also, Christ said “Your Faith” He did not say the faith of others. True Christ also told us “Where ever two or three are gathered in my name so too am I in their midst”
Every day I receive requests for prayers for peoples intentions, healing or a special request that a person has to make to God and I always offer up my prayers for that person. I believe that the person who has asked for the prayers needs to pray even harder than I and give themselves over to having complete trust and faith in God healing them just as the blind man did.
On Wednesday we begin the season of Lent and it is a wonderful time for us to take inventory of our relationship with Almighty God and how we live out our daily lives with trust, faith and most of all love of Almighty God. Over the last few weeks I have reflected on ways that we show our love and trust in God by our actions. Today’s readings tell us the things we cannot have in our lives if we truly love God. Anger, greed, jealousy, pride, envy, discrimination, gossip, and being self-serving have no place in our lives if we are to truly follow the path of Christ.
To live in this manner is extremely difficult in this modern world but then neither was it easy for Christ to endure the way of the Cross and Calvary in order for us to be able to gain the promise of everlasting life and forgiveness of our sins.
We have choices in almost every thing we do, we can choose to try to live a life in accord with the teachings of Christ or we can pick and choose those things that are comfortable for us to do and reject the ones that might cause us some difficulty. What we choose and what our rewards will be depends solely on us. We can travel the smooth and easy road or take the more difficult but shorter road to our eternal reward. The choice is ours. In order to be able to travel the more difficult road we need to put our trust and faith in God and to continually talk to God with the knowledge that with Him we have the best friend in the world and He will give us the means to overcome the difficulties if we truly want to serve Him faithfully.
Let us give ourselves over to Him completely with boundless confidence in Him, since God is our Father and loves us more than any other person. Let us pray;
Father, into your hands I commend my soul, for I so need to surrender myself unto you and trust in and have faith in you in all things. Let your will be done in me always and lead me in your ways so that I may serve you in all things. Almighty God, Grant unto me your gifts of forgiveness to all who have harmed me, compassion toward all those in need, acceptance of all your children, and mercy and charity toward all I encounter. I ask this in the name of your beloved son, Jesus Christ, my redeemer and savior who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit as one God now and forever. AMEN
Thursday, February 08, 2007
Sexagesima Sunday Reflection, Let Your Light Shine Forth
Let Your Light Show Forth
A Reflection for Sexagesima Sunday
By Rev. Robert Johnnene OFA
Mission Saints Sergius and Bacchus
www.missionstsergius.org
http://groups.yahoo.com/EverlastingLoveOfChristMinistry
"No one lights a lamp and hides it in a jar or puts it under a bed. Instead, he puts it on a stand, so that those who come in can see the light.” (Luke 8:16)
These words are from the last line of the Gospel of Luke’s reading for Sexagesima Sunday and I have chosen them because they inform us that we should never hide our faith and be ashamed of believing in God.
They follow the parable story of the farmer who sowed his seed which represented the word of God that has been sown to us through Holy Scripture. Christ explained the parable in this way; “The seed is the word of God. Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away. The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life's worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature. But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop”.(Luke 8:11-15)
Most of us have heard the gospel and scripture stories all our lives, some have been read the Bible stories from the time they were little children which means we have heard the inspired word of God as given to the prophets and the disciples but what have we done with it?
During this time of the liturgical year when we are preparing ourselves for the season of lent and taking inventory of our spiritual live we need to examine which of the people Christ describes we are.
Are we the seeds that fell along the path but allowed Satan to trample upon them and harden our hearts against God because of the actions of people who are supposed to represent God here on earth but in reality are doing the work of Satan?
Are we like the seeds that fell upon the rocks who have heard the word but claim the Holy Scripture is just a lot of myths and fables and has nothing to do with God or how we should act and live our lives and even go so far as to say there is no God but that we are all masters of our own destiny?
Possibly we are among those who are like the seeds that have fallen on thorns, we believed when we were young but because of the difficulties we had to face or our need to follow a road that gives us more pleasure, fame and riches have let our faith die.
Hopefully, we are among the people who like the seeds that fell on fertile soil and have been nourished through prayer, the sacraments and by our living according the Christ’s teachings by being kind, generous, loving, merciful and welcoming to all of God’s children.
If you believe that you belong to the latter group, be sure not to be boastful about it, instead take heed from the words of the Epistle for this Sunday; “My power is strongest when you are weak. So if Christ keeps giving me his power, I will gladly brag about how weak I am. Yes, I am glad to be weak or insulted or mistreated or to have troubles and sufferings, if it is for Christ” (2 Corinthians 12:9-10)
Paul acknowledges that it is Christ that provides us with the strength to live our lives in a way that is pleasing to Almighty God and it is when we recognize that we can only follow Christ by admitting our weaknesses and attempting to overcome them that God sends us the ability to do so.
The one common denominator of almost all the saints, and certainly those who are revered among the greatest saints, is their admitting how sinful they were and their constant imploring God for forgiveness and strength to overcome their weaknesses. Why should we be any different than they? Morning and night and during the day I often turn to God and pray for the ability to resist the temptations that plague me. I pray for guidance and direction in my ministry. I plead for the means to proclaim God’s infinite mercy and love for all His children and to not give in to the thoughts that I am failing God because of the limitations I have.
Like any journey we travel on we encounter many different roads. Some are lined with the beauty of God’s creation with verdant fields or lush foliage, others are filled with pot holes and detours and we struggle to reach out destination.
The destination we are aiming for is everlasting life with Almighty God the Father, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, Our beloved mother Mary and all the angels, saints and heavenly elect. During the time of inventory before the season of lent let us take a good inventory of our life and where we are in the journey and then make the necessary plans to follow a road that is most desirable and will bring us to the promises of Christ.
AMEN
A Reflection for Sexagesima Sunday
By Rev. Robert Johnnene OFA
Mission Saints Sergius and Bacchus
www.missionstsergius.org
http://groups.yahoo.com/EverlastingLoveOfChristMinistry
"No one lights a lamp and hides it in a jar or puts it under a bed. Instead, he puts it on a stand, so that those who come in can see the light.” (Luke 8:16)
These words are from the last line of the Gospel of Luke’s reading for Sexagesima Sunday and I have chosen them because they inform us that we should never hide our faith and be ashamed of believing in God.
They follow the parable story of the farmer who sowed his seed which represented the word of God that has been sown to us through Holy Scripture. Christ explained the parable in this way; “The seed is the word of God. Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away. The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life's worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature. But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop”.(Luke 8:11-15)
Most of us have heard the gospel and scripture stories all our lives, some have been read the Bible stories from the time they were little children which means we have heard the inspired word of God as given to the prophets and the disciples but what have we done with it?
During this time of the liturgical year when we are preparing ourselves for the season of lent and taking inventory of our spiritual live we need to examine which of the people Christ describes we are.
Are we the seeds that fell along the path but allowed Satan to trample upon them and harden our hearts against God because of the actions of people who are supposed to represent God here on earth but in reality are doing the work of Satan?
Are we like the seeds that fell upon the rocks who have heard the word but claim the Holy Scripture is just a lot of myths and fables and has nothing to do with God or how we should act and live our lives and even go so far as to say there is no God but that we are all masters of our own destiny?
Possibly we are among those who are like the seeds that have fallen on thorns, we believed when we were young but because of the difficulties we had to face or our need to follow a road that gives us more pleasure, fame and riches have let our faith die.
Hopefully, we are among the people who like the seeds that fell on fertile soil and have been nourished through prayer, the sacraments and by our living according the Christ’s teachings by being kind, generous, loving, merciful and welcoming to all of God’s children.
If you believe that you belong to the latter group, be sure not to be boastful about it, instead take heed from the words of the Epistle for this Sunday; “My power is strongest when you are weak. So if Christ keeps giving me his power, I will gladly brag about how weak I am. Yes, I am glad to be weak or insulted or mistreated or to have troubles and sufferings, if it is for Christ” (2 Corinthians 12:9-10)
Paul acknowledges that it is Christ that provides us with the strength to live our lives in a way that is pleasing to Almighty God and it is when we recognize that we can only follow Christ by admitting our weaknesses and attempting to overcome them that God sends us the ability to do so.
The one common denominator of almost all the saints, and certainly those who are revered among the greatest saints, is their admitting how sinful they were and their constant imploring God for forgiveness and strength to overcome their weaknesses. Why should we be any different than they? Morning and night and during the day I often turn to God and pray for the ability to resist the temptations that plague me. I pray for guidance and direction in my ministry. I plead for the means to proclaim God’s infinite mercy and love for all His children and to not give in to the thoughts that I am failing God because of the limitations I have.
Like any journey we travel on we encounter many different roads. Some are lined with the beauty of God’s creation with verdant fields or lush foliage, others are filled with pot holes and detours and we struggle to reach out destination.
The destination we are aiming for is everlasting life with Almighty God the Father, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, Our beloved mother Mary and all the angels, saints and heavenly elect. During the time of inventory before the season of lent let us take a good inventory of our life and where we are in the journey and then make the necessary plans to follow a road that is most desirable and will bring us to the promises of Christ.
AMEN
Saturday, February 03, 2007
Septuagesima Sunday Reflection
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 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
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