“Jesus Defines the Word ‘IS’ AT His Last ‘Feast’!” – Mark 14:12-16, 22-26†

The Solemnity of the Most Holy
Body and Blood of Christ

Today’s Content:

• ·        Dan’s Deliberations, Discoveries, & Declarations
• ·        Today in Catholic History
• ·        Quote of the Day
• ·        Today’s Gospel Reading
• ·        Gospel Reflection
• ·        Reflection Prayer
• ·        Catholic Apologetics
• ·        A Franciscan’s Saint of the Day
• ·        Reflection on part of  the OFS Rule

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Dan’s Deliberations, Discoveries, & Declarations:

There will not be a Reflection Blog next week as I will be on an “ACTS Retreat” Weekend with Christ and my fellow Bothers in Christ from my home parish in Hazelwood, Missouri; along with a few great men from Chicago, Illinois who are trying to bring the ACTS Retreat format to their area.  Please keep all of us in your prayers as I will be keeping you in my prayers.

I personally make two three-day retreats a year: one an ACTS format retreat and the other a Franciscan Regional Retreat.  On top of this, I make several one-day personal or small group retreats throughout the year.  I truly love spending time separated from this “materialistic” world, totally and completely tuned-in to God’s world instead.  For me, it’s a little bit of heaven.

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Today, the second Sunday after Pentecost, we celebrate a second week of solemnities as well.  We have now returned to “Ordinary Time” in the liturgical calendar of the Catholic Church.  Today is the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ.  At one time, this day was called Corpus Christi, the Latin words for “the Body of Christ.”  In the most recent revision of our liturgical rites, the name for this day has been expanded to be a more complete reflection of our Eucharistic theology.

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Today in Catholic History:

†   1190 – Third Crusade: Frederick I Barbarossa drowns in the Sally River while leading an army to Jerusalem.
†   1538 – Catholic German monarchy signs League of Neurenberg
†   1539 – Council of Trent: Paul III sends out letters to his bishops, delaying the Council due to war  and the difficulty bishops had had traveling to Venice.
†   1632 –Birth of Esprit Fléchier, French writer and bishop (d. 1710)
†   1637 – Birth of Jacques Marquette, French Jesuit missionary and explorer (d. 1675)
†   1688 – Birth of James III Edward, Old Pretender, recognized as King of Britain by Pope
†   2001 – Pope John Paul II canonizes Lebanon’s first female saint Saint Rafqa
†   2010 – Death of Metropolitan Basil Schott, Archbishop of the Byzantine Catholic Archeparchy of Pittsburgh (b. 1939)

(From the “On This Day” Blog Site
otday.wordpress.com &/OR
“Today in Catholic History”
http://www.historyorb.com)

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Quote of the Day:

“I do not know how we can live a spiritual life that bears great fruit (including having our prayers answered) unless we are feeding on the life that God intended us to feed on.  The Eucharist is essential for our life.  It is food for the soul; it is food for life eternal.” ~ Sr. Ann Shields, “Pray and Never Lose Heart“, Servant Books

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Today’s reflection: Jesus shares His Last Supper with His disciples.

 

(NAB Mark 14:12-16, 22-26) ¹² On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, when they sacrificed the Passover lamb, his disciples said to him, “Where do you want us to go and prepare for you to eat the Passover?”  ¹³ He sent two of his disciples and said to them, “Go into the city and a man will meet you, carrying a jar of water.  Follow him.  ¹⁴ Wherever he enters, say to the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says, “Where is my guest room where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?”’  ¹⁵ Then he will show you a large upper room furnished and ready.  Make the preparations for us there.”  ¹⁶ The disciples then went off, entered the city, and found it just as he had told them; and they prepared the Passover.  ²² While they were eating, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them, and said, “Take it; this is my body.”  ²³ Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, and they all drank from it.  ²⁴ He said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed for many.  ²⁵ Amen, I say to you, I shall not drink again the fruit of the vine until the day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”  ²⁶ Then, after singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

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Gospel Reflection:

Our reading today is the account of the “Last Supper” as found in Mark’s Gospel.  It begins with the instructions Jesus gave to His disciples in order to prepare the Passover celebration approaching rapidly.  Mark then goes on to give a brief, yet accurate, account of the “Last Supper”.  However, our reading today omits the middle verses about Jesus’ predicting His betrayal by one of His disciples, we soon learn to be Judas Iscariot.

Today’s Gospel reading gives us the specific time period of the event:

“On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, when they sacrificed the Passover lamb …” (Mark 14:12).

The connection between these two events – – the festival of “Passover” and the “Feast of Unleavened Bread” – – are reflected in several books of the Old Testament (cf., Exodus 12:3–20, 34:18; Leviticus 23:4–8; Numbers 9:2–14, 28:16–17; and, Deuteronomy 16:1–8).

Mark’s Gospel describes Jesus’ “Last Supper”, celebrated with His disciples, as occurring during the Jewish feast of Passover.  The Passover meal, still today, includes many ritually important elements, such as unleavened bread, lamb, and bitter herbs.  Each food item recalls an aspect related to the Israelite Exodus event, with the instructions for the preparation of the meal carefully prescribed in Mosaic Law.  It is a significant, central, and crucial obligation of the Jewish faithful to celebrate the Passover meal, even still today, giving thanks to God for His deliverance and protection.

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The “Passover” festival commemorated the Israelite’s redemption from slavery and their departure from Egypt by night while led by Moses.  This festival began at sundown, after the Passover lamb was sacrificed in the temple in the afternoon of the “fourteenth day of the month of Nisan” **.  FYI, Passover, as all Jewish religious holidays, begins at Sundown. 

The Passover supper is on the same evening, and thus is associated with the eating of “unleavened bread”.  The “Feast of the Unleavened Bread”, itself was continued through “Nisan 21” **.  This particular Jewish “Feast” is a reminder of the hardships and haste placed upon the Israelites surrounding their “Exodus” departure.  

Through both the dual “festival” and “feast”, praise and thanks to God for His magnificent goodness in the past are combined with a hope of their future salvation through His grace.

Bible Scholars have placed the exact date of Jesus’ “Last Supper” as “Nisan 14” **, a date on the Hebrew Calendar (still in use today).

** Nisan (or Nissan) is the first month of the ecclesiastical year and the seventh month (eighth, in leap year) of the civil year, on the Hebrew calendar.  The name of the month is Babylonian.  In the Torah it is called the month of the Aviv, referring to the month in which barley was ripe.  Being a spring month of 30 days, Nisan usually falls on the Gregorian calendar between March and April.  

The first verse of today’s reading, besides giving us a definitive date of Jesus’ Passover meals, opens with Jesus’ disciples asking for directions from Him:

“His [Jesus’] disciples said to Him, ‘Where do you want us to go and prepare for you to eat the Passover?’” (Mark 14:12) 

I am certain Jesus’ response bewildered His much loved disciples and friends:

“Go into the city and a man will meet you, carrying a jar of water.   Follow him.” (Mark 14:13)

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A “man carrying a jar of water” is a strange sort of oddity for the Jewish society of the first century.   Only women carried jars at this time of history in Israel.  Perhaps His words were a prearranged signal from Jesus to follows of His in the City of Jerusalem itself; a signal to get prepared for His arrival.  So, in order to understand this point better, I went back to the original Greek version of the Bible to see the actual words used, with their word-to-word translations:

kai {AND} apostellei {HE SENDS FORTH} duotwn {TWO} maqhtwn  autou {OF HIS DISCIPLES,} kai {AND} legei  {SAYS} autoiV {TO THEM,} upagete  {GO} eiV {INTO} thn  {THE} polin  {CITY,} kai {AND} apanthsei {WILL MEET} umin {YOU} anqrwpoV {MAN – meaning a human being, NOT GENDER} keramion {A PITCHER} udatoV {OF WATER} bastazwn {CARRYING;} akolouqhsate  {FOLLOW} autw {MAN – meaning a human being, NOT GENDER }

The Greek word actually used here, “anqrwpoV”, implies simply a person and not necessarily a male.  I believe this verse, along with the next, gives a strong credence to a signal for a pre-arraigned meeting place needing to be readied:

“Wherever he enters, say to the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says, “Where is my guest room where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?”’” (Mark 14:13). 

(My dear Watson, this sounds like a “James Bond 007” thriller starting to act out!  Wait, I’m mixing spy stories up, aren’t I!)

They did as they were told, and found exactly what Jesus said they would find.  This unknown “water-carrying man” showed Jesus’ emissaries a “large upper room” (verse 15), already furnished and ready for use.  So, they prepared for the Passover celebration feast:

“The disciples then went off, entered the city, and found it just as he had told them; and they prepared the Passover.” (Mark 14:16)

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Jesus chose the time of Passover to fulfill what He had announced earlier at Capernaum – – giving His disciples “the LIVING bread”, His body and His blood:

 “I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give IS my flesh for the life of the world.”  The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying, ‘How can this man give us [his] flesh to eat?’  Jesus said to them, ‘Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you.  Whoever eats my flesh and drinks MY blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day.  For MY flesh IS true food, and MY blood IS true drink.  Whoever eats my flesh and drinks MY blood remains in me and I in him.  Just as the living Father sent me and I have life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me.  This is the bread that came down from heaven.  Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died, whoever eats this bread will live forever.’” (John 6:51-58).

Jesus’ passing over to His Father by His death and resurrection – – the “new” Passover – – is anticipated in the “Last Supper” and celebrated in the Eucharist or “Lord’s Supper”, fulfilling the “Jewish Passover” and anticipating the “final Passover” of the church in the glory of God’s kingdom.  (Say this sentence three times fast.)  The “old” LIVES in the “new”, and the “new” FULFILLS the “old”.

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Mark seems to have purposely omitted many elements found in the Jewish Passover meal.  Instead he describes only those elements he believed to be most essential to revealing the true essence of the Christian Eucharist: Jesus taking the bread, blessing the bread, breaking the bread, and sharing the bread with His disciples.  This bread He now shares IS transubstantiated*** into Jesus’ own body.  Comparable words and actions follow as Jesus shares the chalice (cup) with His disciples.  Those who drink from the chalice are invited to share in a “NEW” covenant, sealed by Jesus’ own blood.  Mark, through the Eucharist, looks forward to the Kingdom of God which Jesus inaugurates at the “Last Supper” celebration.

*** “Transubstantiate” is an intransitive verb in Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox doctrine meaning  to undergo a change in substance from bread and wine to the body and blood of Jesus Christ during Communion

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We now skip forward to the actual Passover Celebration – – the “Last Supper”.  This Gospel reading shows the clear-cut and specific time Jesus instituted the “Sacrament of the Eucharist”:

“He [Jesus] took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them, and said, ‘Take it; this IS my body.’  Then He took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, and they all drank from it.  He said to them, ‘This is MY blood of the covenant, which will be shed for many’” (Mark 14: 22-24). 

Paul, in his first letter to the Corinthians, shows that Jesus’ words continued to live on in the celebration of the ”Mass”, and still continues to this day:

 “For I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you, that the Lord Jesus, on the night He was handed over, took bread, and, after He had given thanks, broke it and said, ‘This IS my body that is for you.  Do this in remembrance of me.’  In the same way also the cup, after supper, saying, ‘This cup IS the new covenant in my blood.  Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.’” (1 Corinthians 11:23–25).

The actions and words of Jesus expressed within the framework of the Passover meal conveys God’s “chosen” people towards a “NEW” covenant through Jesus’ selfless sacrifice of Himself.  How?; through the offering of His body and blood in anticipation of His passion and death just a few short hours later.  His “blood of the covenant” alludes to the Old Covenant story of the Exodus:

“Moses then wrote down all the words of the LORD and, rising early in the morning, he built at the foot of the mountain an altar and twelve sacred stones for the twelve tribes of Israel.  Then, having sent young men of the Israelites to offer burnt offerings and sacrifice young bulls as communion offerings to the LORD, Moses took half of the blood and put it in large bowls; the other half he splashed on the altar.  Taking the book of the covenant, he read it aloud to the people, who answered, ‘All that the LORD has said, we will hear and do.’  Then he took the blood and splashed it on the people, saying, ‘This is the blood of the covenant which the LORD has made with you according to all these words.’” (Exodus 24:4–8).

Jesus, through His actions and words is signifying the NEW community that His sacrifice will bring into being on earth and in heaven.  His “blood” is the “seat of life”, and when placed on the altar (transubstantiated), “makes atonement”:

“Since the life of a living body is in its blood, I have made you put it on the altar, so that atonement may thereby be made for your own lives, because it is the blood, as the seat of life, that makes atonement.” (Leviticus 17:11).

Jesus’ blood “will be shed for many” (verse 24) is a participle denoting an event “future” to the “Last Supper”.  Jesus knew His Father’s will and plan, and He was willing to surrender Himself for the salvation and redemption of His flock.

The word “many” (verse 24) in today’s reading does not mean some are excluded.  Instead, the word “many” in this case is a “Semitism” (a custom, tradition, and characteristic of Semitic people – primarily Jewish and Arab peoples) designating the combined group who will share and benefit from the service of the “ONE”!!  Thus, “many” in this particular instance is equivalent to “ALL”.  Wait, how can “many” mean “all”?!  The meaning, significance, and substance of both words can be vicarious to interpret into present day English; in Hellenistic Greek, it is difficult to distinguish between the two words.  Many words in the Greek Bible do not translate well into our present day English easily.

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Jesus begins verse 25 with a word never before used as the opening word of a sentence – – until Jesus did (and did many times) – – “AMEN”:

“Amen, I say to you, I shall not drink again the fruit of the vine until the day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God” (Mark 14:25). 

You see, any time the word “Amen” started a sentence in Holy Scripture, it was ALWAYS said by Jesus Himself.  These initial or beginning “Amen’s” are truly unparalleled, otherwise unknown, in Hebrew literature.  “Amen” at the beginning of a sentence does not refer to the words of a previous speaker.  Instead, Jesus deliberately used this particular word in introducing a new thought, a new way for gaining entrance to God’s kingdom.  He is deliberately indicating that whatever He says next is true, and will occur.  AWESOMELY WOW!!

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Today’s reading from Mark concludes with Jesus and His disciples “singing a hymn” before leaving for the “Mount of Olives”:

“Then, after singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.” (Mark 14:26)

My understanding is that it was a custom to sing a “hymn of thanksgiving” at the conclusion of the Passover meal.   Bible footnotes point to five specific “hymns” or “Psalms”: Psalms 114–118.  Psalm 114 is a hymn celebrating Israel’s escape from Egypt, journey through the wilderness, and entry into the promised land; and the miracles of nature that bore witness to God’s presence in their midst.  Psalm 115 is a hymn to the glory of Israel’s God.  Psalm 116 is a thanksgiving hymn responding to the Jewish people’s divine rescue from mortal danger and near despair.  Psalm 117, being the shortest hymn, calls on the nations to acknowledge God’s supremacy.  Finally, Psalm 118 is a thanksgiving hymn usually used in a procession into the Temple boundaries.

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In summary, the Gospel for today reminds us to the awesome fact that the Eucharist is a memorial of Jesus Christ’s sacrifice on the Holy Cross – – for US!!  We, as pious and faithful Catholics, truly and fully believe that Jesus Christ IS truly and fully present in the elements (aka, “accidents”) of bread and wine, transubstantiated into His glorified and perfect body and blood.  Each time we celebrate this precious Sacrament of the Catholic Church, we are preparing for God’s Kingdom. The Second Vatican Council has taught us that this celebration IS THE SOURCE AND SUMMIT of the Catholic Christian’s life. 

The supernatural food of the Holy Eucharist is healing for both body and soul, and gives strength for our personal journey towards heaven.  The Holy Eucharist offers healing, pardon, comfort, and rest for your soul.  The principal fruit of receiving the Eucharist IS an intimate union with Christ Himself.  I firmly believe, when consuming His precious body and blood, we are perfected (oh, so temporarily), and experience a true heaven on earth, united with Christ completely and fully!!  Now that is truly AWESOME indeed!!

When the Lord Jesus commands His disciples (including us) to eat His flesh and drink His blood, He invites us to take His life into the very center of our being:

 “Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you” (John 6:53).

The life which Jesus offers is the very life of God Himself.  Jesus’ death on the cross, His gift to us of His body and blood – – in the Eucharist, and His promise to eat and drink again with His disciples when the kingdom of God comes – – in all its fullness – – are inseparably connected.  

Jesus instructed His disciples to “do this in remembrance of me”.  These words establish every “Lord’s Supper” or Eucharist as a “remembrance” of Jesus’ atoning death, His resurrection, and His promise to return again:

“For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes” (1 Corinthians 11:26).

Within hours of Jesus’ “Last Supper” and the institution of the “Sacrament of the Eucharist”, He is put to death.  Yet, what a joyful result came from such a gruesome death as Jesus experience!  We gained an inheritance; an inheritance of “union” with a truly loving and living God.  And, there seems to be a further secret in all of this as well (my dear Watson).  The secret is that God’s inheritance for us is more immediate and present than we could ever dream.  Yet, we often forsake God’s gift to us – – Himself – – as only a “consolation prize” of solace and comfort for when we die, not while we are living.

Guess what?!  We can experience our inheritance, our communion with God – – and ALL His creation – – again and again during this life.  We experience our inheritance in a central way through, with, and in, the Eucharist.  The Blessed Sacrament is a celebration and thanksgiving of Christ’s self-offering and the covenant between the human and the divine life.  A “Sacrament” effects what it signifies: the Eucharist, at the same time, effects and signifies a communion (a co-union).  It effects and signifies our participation in Jesus Christ’s death-conquering activity to bring about an everlastingly and joyful life.  WOW!!!  The Eucharist itself moves us to becoming a “sacrament” (little “s”) as well – – showing Christ’s presence and power in the world.  Watson, that’s a TRIPLE WOW for us to celebrate!!

Our celebration of the Lord’s Supper joyfully anticipates the final day when the Lord Jesus will feast anew with His disciples in His promised heavenly feast.  

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In conclusion, Think about some of the things that are required to prepare for a family/friend holiday meal: choosing the menu, preparing the shopping list, and assigning duties for cooking, setting the table, preparing decorations, leading the prayers, and cleaning up during and afterwards.  (Wow!! A lot to do for sure.)

Did you notice how Jesus instructed His disciples to prepare for their Passover meal in this reading? (Answer: by having a trust in Him.)  As ALL meals require some kind of planning and preparation, so too does our Sunday (and weekday) Eucharistic celebrations requires planning.  So, what might you do to better prepare for our celebration of the Eucharist? Examples should include prayer, reading the scriptures of the mass PRIOR to mass, being attentive, and participating in mass.  Choose one or more ideas and begin to implement them in your life.  Pray for God’s help in making your celebration of the Eucharist the highlight of your week – – AS IT SHOULD BE ALWAYS!!

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Reflection Prayer:

“Behold the Lamb of God”

“the Agnus Dei”

“Behold the Lamb of God,
behold Him who takes
away the sins of the world.
Blessed are those called
to the supper of the Lamb.  Amen”

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 Catholic Apologetics:

 

My reason and purpose for this section on my blog is to provide “scriptural confirmation” for our beliefs and doctrines, not to cause dissention or opposition with my fellow believers in Jesus Christ, yet not in union with the Roman Catholic Church.  Whether God speaks to us through the “Bible”, or through “Tradition”, it is the Holy Spirit that inspires the “Word” from which all authentic tradition flows.

Tradition can be separated into two aspects: oral and behavioral.  Oral tradition includes written forms.  After all, it ALL started with oral tradition.  Behavioral tradition includes Baptism, Eucharist or Lord’s Supper, Lying on of hands or healing, Intercessory prayer, and Ordination.  

All Scriptural verses are taken from both the Revised Standard Version: Catholic Edition of the Holy Bible and the King James Version of the Holy Bible.

Faith and Works

“What does it profit, my brethren, if a man says he has faith but has not works?  Can his faith save him?” (James 2:14) RSV.

“What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works?  Can faith save him?” (James 2:14) KJV.

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“So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead” (James 2:17)RSV.

“Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone” (James 2:17) KJV.

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A Franciscan’s Saint of the Day:  St. Margaret of Scotland

St. Margaret was Queen of Scotland’s father, Edward Atheling, was the Saxon heir to the throne of England, and her mother was a German princess, the descendant of Emperors.  Like the strong woman of the Gospel, the practice of Catholic virtues made her still more illustrious.  After the Norman Conquest, many members of the English nobility, including Margaret, found refuge in the court of Malcolm III of Scotland.  In 1070 Malcolm married Margaret and made her Queen of Scotland.

Margaret impressed the Scottish court both with her knowledge of continental customs and also with her piety.  For the love of God she imposed upon herself severe mortifications, leaving aside the superfluous and often even the necessary.  She influenced her husband and son to govern better and introduced Catholic customs, manners and ceremony to the Scottish court.  She raised her sons in great piety and one, David, was later canonized.  Above all she excelled in her zealous charity for her neighbor.  She was called “the mother of orphans” and “the bursar for the poor of Jesus Christ.”

In 1093, after six months of great physical suffering, she delivered her soul to God in Edinburgh.  The sanctity of her life and the numerous miracles she worked both in her life and after her death made her famous worldwide.

In 1673 Pope Clement X named her the patroness of Scotland, over which she had reigned for almost a quarter century.

http://www.traditioninaction.org/SOD/j077sdMargaret4-10.htm

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Secular Franciscan Order (OFS) Rule
Article #’s 10 & 11 of 26:

10.  United themselves to the redemptive obedience of Jesus, who placed His will into the Father’s hands, let them faithfully fulfill the duties proper to their various circumstances of life.  Let them also follow the poor and crucified Christ, witness to Him even in difficulties and persecutions.

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11.  Trusting the Father, Christ chose for Himself and His mother a poor and humble life, even though He valued created things attentively and lovingly. Let the Secular Franciscans seek a proper spirit of detachment from temporal goods by simplifying their own material needs. Let them be mindful that according to the gospel they are stewards of the goods received for the benefit of God’s children.

Thus, in the spirit of the Beatitudes, and as pilgrims and strangers on their way to the home of the Father, they should strive to purify their hearts from every tendency and yearning for possession and power.

 

 

 

♫“You Light Up My Life♫- – But I Still Have My Flashlight, Just In Case!” – Matthew 25:1-13†

 

 Thirty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

 

 Today’s Content:

 

• Dan’s Deliberations, Discoveries, & Declarations
• Today in Catholic History
• Joke of the Day
• Today’s Gospel Reading
• Gospel Reflection
• Reflection Psalm
• New Translation of the Mass
• A Franciscan’s Saint of the Day
• Franciscan Formation Reflection
• Reflection on part of  the SFO Rule

 

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 Dan’s Deliberations, Discoveries, & Declarations:

  

Holy Father’s Prayer Intentions
for November, 2011

 

General Intention:

That the Eastern Catholic Churches and their venerable traditions may be known and esteemed as a spiritual treasure for the whole Church.

Missionary Intention:

For Justice and Reconciliation in Africa:
That the African continent may find strength in Christ to pursue justice and reconciliation as set forth by the second Synod of African Bishops.

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Tuesday, November 8^th, is Election Day for most of the United States of America.  Please vote.

 

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 Today in Catholic History:

    

†   1406 – Death of Innocent VII, [Cosma de’ Migliorati], Italian Pope (1404-06)
†   1789 – Pope Pius VI appoints Father John Carroll as the first Catholic bishop in the United States.
†   1875 – Death of John Baptist van Son, Dutch Catholic politician, at age 71
†   Feasts/Memorials: St. Leonard of Noblac; St. Winnoc

(From the “On This Day” Blog Site
otday.wordpress.com &/OR
“Today in Catholic History”
http://www.historyorb.com)

 

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 Joke of the Day:

 

 

  

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Today’s reflection is about Jesus telling the parable of the wise and the ten foolish virgins, teaching His disciples the importance of being prepared to receive the Kingdom of Heaven.

 

(NAB Matthew 25:1-13) ¹“Thenthe kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.  ²Five of them were foolish and five were wise.  ³The foolish ones, when taking their lamps, brought no oil with them, ⁴but the wise brought flasks of oil with their lamps.  ⁵Since the bridegroom was long delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep.  ⁶At midnight, there was a cry, ‘Behold, the bridegroom!  Come out to meet him!’  ⁷Then all those virgins got up and trimmed their lamps.  ⁸The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’  ⁹But the wise ones replied, ‘No, for there may not be enough for us and you.  Go instead to the merchants and buy some for yourselves.’  ¹⁰While they went off to buy it, the bridegroom came and those who were ready went into the wedding feast with him.  Then the door was locked.  ¹¹Afterwards the other virgins came and said, ‘Lord, Lord, open the door for us!’  ¹²But he said in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, I do not know you.’  ¹³Therefore, stay awake,_* for you know neither the day nor the hour.

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 Gospel Reflection:

 

In this week’s Gospel, Jesus talks about what it means to be “prepared” to receive the Kingdom of Heaven.  This reading follows a series of warnings and predictions by Jesus about the coming of the Son of Man, the “Parousia”.  Jesus wants His disciples to understand that the exact day and time cannot be predicted, for only God the Father knows the time.  He teaches the disciples that they must remain always vigilant so that they will not be caught unprepared.

When reflecting on the parable of the “wise and foolish virgins” from today’s reading, it is important to consider the first-century wedding traditions of Palestine.  Bible Scholars believe it was the custom of the day for young maidens—friends and family members of the bride—to meet the bridegroom when he came to bring his bride to her new home.

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The Parable of the “Ten Virgins” can only be found in Matthew’s Gospel.  As with many of Jesus’ other parables, several levels of interpretation are easily possible (just like separating the layers of an onion).  In last week’s Sunday Gospel, Jesus warned against following the example (and not the words) of the Temple leaders, chiefly the Pharisees and Scribes.  Today’s Gospel, – – when read in the context of Matthew’s early Church’s Christian on-going struggle to define itself against the misinterpreted Pharisaic Judaism, – – is a continuing critique and condemnation of that time.  This reading suggests that the Jewish leaders were like the foolish virgins, unprepared to meet Jesus who is the bridegroom of Israel.

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Jesus’ story of ten young women seems strange to most modern westerners today.  But Matthew’s audience knew how easy this event could happen in their society.  Wedding customs in ancient Palestine required extra vigilance and preparation for everyone involved.  (Some places in the world still follow this custom, in today’s reading.)  The bride and groom did not go away for their honeymoon, but celebrated for a whole week with their family and friends, twenty-four hours at that (Now that’s partying in the extreme!!). 

It was the custom for the groom to come at his discretion to get his bride and bring her to the wedding party.  If he came at night, lamps were obviously required, out of necessity (there were no public street lights in the first century). 

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Just prior to this week’s reading is the parables of the “Unknown Day and Hour” (Matthew 24: 36-44) and the “Faithful or the Unfaithful Servant” (Matthew 24: 45-51).  Along with these two parables, today’s parable is also about the time of the “Parousia”.  Knowing this explains the very first word, “Then”, meaning “at the time of the parousia”, followed immediately by, “the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins ….”  What a very thought-provoking sentence; it is not simple in structure nor meaning.

 The comparison of virgins and the kingdom in Matthew 25:1 does not mean that the kingdom of heaven may be likened simply to the ten virgins in question but to the situation related in the entire story. (In reading any part of Holy Scripture, we must take the whole of it and not just take a little part out of context.)  Today’s parable is a warning to Jesus’ disciples not to attempt to anticipate the Final Judgment of God, nor the limits of His kingdom.  His kingdom on earth is presently composed of the “good” and “bad”.  The sole judgment of God will eliminate the sinful, at His time – – not ours!!  Until then there must be patient and repentant as John the Baptist repeated preached throughout his ministry.

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I love the image of these ten virginal women who were split down the middle: five “wise” and five “foolish”.  I wonder, did they have blond jokes back then?  Matthew used this “foolish…wise” contrast once before:

“Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. … And everyone who listens to these words of mine but does not act on them will be like a fool who built his house on sand.” (Matthew 7:24, 26)

The two groups of each parable are distinguished by good deeds and lack of good deeds.  The deed in today’s reading is signified by the “oil” of this parable.

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No one knows when Jesus will return for the “final judgment”, the Parousia.  We cannot anticipate or linger behind in our preparations for this time.  It is interesting that the phrase “trimmed their lamps” is used (verse 7).  Trimming a lamp means “preparing for use”.  It entails filling with oil, literally cutting off the bad part of the wick, and removing any excess so as to make the lamp burn more effectively and efficiently. 

For us, to prepare for the Parousia we need to “trim our lamps”.  Preparation includes our proper actions with ourselves and each other, AND with God.  Do you see Jesus Christ in yourself and others?  Do you participate in the Sacraments regularly, especially the Eucharist and Reconciliation?  The Holy Eucharist fills us to the brim with the fuel of God, and the Sacrament of Reconciliation removes the evil and immoral excesses we collect in our sinful state.

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The exclamation “Lord, Lord”, found in verse 11, is a re-edification of a similar verse from much earlier in Matthew’s Gospel:

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.” (Matthew 7:21)

In both verses, entrance into the kingdom is only for those who do the will of God the Father.  On the Day of Judgment the morally corrupt will be rejected by Jesus Christ.  The reply to these women in today’s parable, “I do not know you”, is also very similar to the one in Matthew 7:

“I will declare to them solemnly, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you evildoers.’” (Matthew 7:23)

 

Thank God that Jesus doesn’t stop with the ominous statement of “I do not know you.”  He goes on to offer hope for those who trust and prepare for His return.  We need to “Stay awake”; to be always ready.  The wise virgins were adequately equipped and PREPARRED.  The wise virgins prepared as the master of the house would have prepared for the thief coming in the night:

“If the master of the house had known the hour of night when the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and not let his house be broken into.” (Matthew 24:44)

Being unprepared can lead to a lot of unnecessary trouble, and can even lead to disastrous consequences!  After all, what good is a life-jacket left on shore when the boat is sinking?  Let us all take a lesson from the Boy Scout motto:  “Be Prepared!”

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To summarize, Jesus warns us that there are consequences for being unprepared.  There are certain things you cannot obtain at the last moment.  For example, a student cannot adequately prepare for his exam on the day of testing.  A person cannot get the right kind of temperament or skill required for an impending task unless he already possesses the temperament and skills by the time of the task.  

Our eternal happiness and wellbeing depends on our “hearing”, and sadly, many have trained themselves not to hear.  Those not hearing will also not be prepared to meet Jesus Christ on His return, when He calls us on the Day of Judgment.  We need to listen to Him TODAY and EVERY DAY!! 

 

In conclusion, in the chapter preceding this parable (Chapter 24), Jesus warns about the destruction of Jerusalem, the tribulation of the end times, and the coming of the Son of Man – – the “Parousia”.  Keeping this in mind, today’s parable is a warning to the Catholic Christian community to remain ever vigilant and always prepared to receive Jesus Christ, the Son of Man, who will return at the end of time for the Final Judgment.  This interpretation is supported by the reference to the “delay of the bridegroom”.  The Jewish-Catholic community, for whom Matthew wrote this Gospel, was coming to terms with the realization that the promise of Jesus’ return would possibly not be fulfilled within their mortal lifetimes.  So, the question remains for us to ask to ourselves, “Are we ready to receive Jesus? AND,  Will we be prepared to receive him?”

In our daily activities, it is easy to find excuses for not attending to our spiritual lives.  If not given the “top priority”, prayer and reading of Holy Scripture risks becoming “occasional” activities rather than daily practices.  In today’s Gospel, Jesus reminds us that if we fail to give our spiritual life priority, we will find ourselves unprepared to receive Jesus.  Daily prayer, spiritual practice, and frequent reception of the Sacraments help to keep us ready to receive Jesus Christ.

What are some of the things our faith calls us to do every day, every week, every moment, to keep God FIRST in our lives?  What might happen if these things are not done regularly?  Jesus taught us that it is important to keep ourselves prepared and ready to receive Him when he comes again.  Jesus says that it is so important to remain ready to receive the Kingdom of Heaven since you will not have time to prepare after He arrives for the Final Judgment.  Pray that you will always keep God “FIRST” in your lives so that you will “be prepared” to receive Jesus when He comes.

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  Reflection Prayer:

 

“Psalm 63”

Our souls are thirsting for God.

 

“O God, you are my God— it is you I seek!  For you my body yearns; for you my soul thirsts, in a land parched, lifeless, and without water.  I look to you in the sanctuary to see your power and glory.  For your love is better than life; my lips shall ever praise you!  I will bless you as long as I live; I will lift up my hands, calling on your name.  My soul shall be sated as with choice food, with joyous lips my mouth shall praise you!  I think of you upon my bed, I remember you through the watches of the night you indeed are my savior, and in the shadow of your wings I shout for joy.  Amen” (Psalm 63:2-8)

  

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New Translation of the Mass:

 

 

In November of 2011, with the start of the new Liturgical year and Advent, there will be a few noticeable changes in the Mass.  It will still be the same ritual for celebrating the Eucharist.  The Mass will still have the same parts, the same patterns, and the same flow as it has had for the past several decades.  It is only the translation of the Latin that is changing.

The new translation seeks to correspond much more closely to the exact words and sentence structure of the Latin text.  At times, this results in a good and faithful rendering of the original meaning.  At other times it produces a rather awkward text in English which is difficult to proclaim and difficult to understand.  Most of those problems affect the texts which priests will proclaim rather than the texts that belong to the congregation as a whole.  It is to the congregation’s texts that I will address with each blog, in a repetitive basis until the start of Advent.

In the words of Vatican II’s Lumen Gentium, #11, the Eucharist is the “source and summit” of Christian life. Anything we can do to understand our liturgy more deeply will draw us closer to God.

 

When the priest invites us to share in the Lord’s Supper, we now say, “Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and I shall be healed.”  With the new Missal, we will respond:

“Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.”

The use of “under my roof” is a reference to the Gospel passage where the centurion asks Jesus to heal his servant but says he is not worthy for Jesus to enter his house (Luke 7:6).  The other change is “my soul” instead of “I”, which focuses more clearly on the spiritual dimension of the healing we seek.

Material from “Changing How We Pray”, by Rev. Lawrence E. Mick

 

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A Franciscan’s Saint of the Day: Blessed Alfonso Lopez, priest, and companions, martyrs

Blessed Alfonso Lopez was born at Secorún, in the dioceses of Jaca, on 16th November 1875.  He held various civil offices, but he felt to be called to religious life, so he entered the convent of Granollers in 1906.   He was sent to Italy, where he was received in the Seraphic Province of Umbria.  He spent his novitiate at Osimo, pronouncing his temporary vows in 1908 and his perpetual profession in 1911, the same year of his priestly ordination.  He was confessor in the Basilica of Loreto, then he returned to Granollers, where he carried out the task of teacher of the postulants and novices until 1935.  He distinguished himself by his virtues, mainly by his love for God, for his neighbour and his devotion for the Virgin Mary.  He was an excellent formator of the applicants for consecrated life that he mainly directed with the example of his virtuous life.

At the outbreak of the civil war, Alphonzo Lopez was a Friar Minor Conventual priest (OFM, Conv.).  He took refuge at some of his friends and was arrested on 3rd August 1936, along with Friar Miguel Remón Salvador and four other companions.  They showed themselves brave in the face of the request of apostasy.  In the end, they were taken to Samalús and shot in the evening of the same day, while Father Alfonso repeated, with spirit of faith and charity, “Forgive them, My Lord”.

From his degree on Martyrdom:

“The Servants of God Alfonso López López and his 5 brethren of the Conventual Franciscan Order belong to this huge multitude.

The Spanish civil war (1936-1939) didn’t spare their convent, in the town of Granollers, in Barcelona district, where they lived at that time.

In 1936, immediately after the military insurrection of the 19th July, the authors of political change rushed into the convent searching for weapons; they didn’t find any, but they threatened the friars and threw them out of their house, compelling them to take refuge at their neighbors and friends.  They could hide themselves only for one week.

In such a hostile and irreligious environment, the seed of terror and death threats against the Church and Her children, as it was in Spain at that time, these followers of St. Francis of Assisi were imprisoned and condemned to death, just because they were Christ’s disciples.

They shed their blood with inner serenity and meekness, giving glory to God with the profession of faith and forgiving their enemies. ” (from the Decree on the martyrdom )

Blessed Alphonso Lopez was Beatified by Pope John Paul II on March 11, 2001.

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 Franciscan Formation Reflection:

 

“Saint Francis and Penance”

Do I live this “penance” from a sense of duty, or of a love relationship?  How?

In what ways do change and conversion require detachment and humility (a form of poverty)?

Why is it important to realize that every personal sin have social consequences?

Do I think of the Sacrament of Reconciliation as a positive celebration of the mercy of God?

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Secular Franciscan Order (SFO) Rule
Subsection #’s 6 & 7 of 26:

06.  They have been made living members of the Church by being buried and raised with Christ in baptism; they have been united more intimately with the Church by profession. Therefore, they should go forth as witnesses and instruments of her mission among all people, proclaiming Christ by their life and words.

Called like Saint Francis to rebuild the Church and inspired by his example, let them devote themselves energetically to living in full communion with the pope, bishops, and priests, fostering an open and trusting dialog of apostolic effectiveness and creativity.

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07.  United by their vocation as “brothers and sisters of penance” and motivated by the dynamic power of the gospel, let them conform their thoughts and deeds to those of Christ by means of that radical interior change which the gospel calls “conversion.” Human frailty makes it necessary that this conversion be carried out daily.

On this road to renewal the sacrament of reconciliation is the privileged sign of the Father’s mercy and the source of grace.