He walks the Streets

REFLECTION AND PRAYER SERIES.

Christ the Redeemer 

My reflection and prayer series is about sharing reflections and Prayers which have impacted upon me and have provided food for thought. I hope that they will also nurture your soul and spirit.

My Scripture reflection is 

Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation”’ 
(Mark 16 15)

Christ The Redeemer.

My post is called:

                                                              He walks the streets.

He walks the streets where we refuse to go

Passes among the lost one we have forgotten,

 weeps at the pain and the same of the city,

 and wonders

where is the Church for He died?

No 110 What is the meaning of the Transfiguration?

COMPENDIUM SERIES.

JESUS THE TEACHER COMPENDIUM SERIES ICON.

No 110 What is the meaning of the Transfiguration? (CCC 554-556,568) 

WHAT DOES THE COMPENDIUM SAY?

Compendium states:

Above all the Transfigurations shows the Trinity: ‘’the Father in the voice, the Son in the man Jesus and the Spirit in the shining Cloud” (Saint Thomas Aquinas). Speaking with Moses and Elijah about the ‘’departure’’ (Lk 9:31) Jesus reveals that His glory comes by way of the Cross and He anticipates His Resurrection and His glorious coming which “will change our lowly bodies into a copy of His glorious body’’ (Philippians 3:21).

What does this mean for me?

1.            I can thank God that Jesus loves the world so much that through His suffering, death and Resurrection, I have the hope of future glory with Him. .

2.            I can be thankful for the Trinity where each person has contributed to the salvation of humanity and yet, through each person, God reveals Himself to me..

Questions to consider.

1.      How do I contribute to the transfiguration of humanity? 

2.      How do I build up the Church – what contribution do I make? 

3.      How do I recognise the voice of the Father? 

4.      How do I recognise Jesus? 

5.      How do I recognise the Holy Spirit in my life?  What is the shining cloud in my life?

Liturgy of the Eucharist Preparation of the Gifts Part 8 Washing of the Hands.

About the Mass Series: 

 

THE MASS: ABOUT THE MASS VOL 2 ICON.

‘PREPARATION OF THE GIFTS: PART 8: WASHING OF THE HANDS’. 

Washing one’s hands as a sign of inner purity was customary in both Judaism and early Christianity. Historically, in Rome, there were various times when the washing of the hands took place, sometimes before the gifts of the people were collected, sometimes afterward. The hand-washing rite first appeared outside Rome at this stage of the Mass, and it survived only in a Mass presided over by a priest. At first, no prayer accompanied the action, but a number of formulae were added around the eleventh century, with verses of Psalm 26 being the most used. In the 16th century Psalm 26:6-12 and a concluding doxology were made obligatory.

Today, the washing of the hands is accompanied by Psalm 51:2 which is said quietly by the priest. It reads: ‘Lord, wash away my iniquity, cleanse me from my sin’. 

Notice that the word ‘sin’ is in the singular- not that it infers that the priest has only one sin, but on our behalf, he gathers up the sin of all of us and prays. The priest uses a linen small finger towel, which is distinguished by a small embroidered cross on its edge. The purificator (also known as purifier) however, has the embroidered cross in the centre.

At every Mass we attend, we too, like the priest should desire to be cleansed within. So, whilst watching this action in the Mass, we can spiritually participate by again strengthening our commitment to Christ, (and if necessary) revisit in our hearts the penitential rite and our desire for a change of heart. You might even decide to include this prayer in your prayer life.

The Condemnation and Denial Mk 14: 53-72

GOSPEL OF MARK SERIES.

THE BIBLE: GOSPEL OF MARK SERIES.ICON.

During 2019, each week, I will write a weekly post about the Gospel of Mark, as I review and explore each of the 16 chapters and how it may be applied in our daily lives. If you are following this series for the first time, you will find this series under Scripture- New Testament- Gospel of Mark. 

Click here to read the first post in the series. I have written this series in different years (2012, 2015, 2018) with some irregularity, but am determined to complete this series this year since I am more than half way through this Gospel.

My goal is to understand and pray the Gospel of Mark. I hope you will join me on this journey as we travel through the liturgical season.  In today's post we explore chapter 14:53 -72 which is called The Condemnation and denial.

THE CONDEMNATION AND DENIAL.

Mark consistently focuses attention on Jesus and what really happen to him in the deeper and broader perspectives of God’s view of things and how Christian faith quickly came to understand the passion.

Mark is not overly concerned with Jewish legal processes. Nor is his chief aim to give a strict account of historical events.  He was unlikely to be in a position to do that, even had he wished. 

Jesus is before the men of power- priests, elders, and scribes.  Peter sits with the servants of the enemies of Jesus, to warm himself in the cold night air of Jerusalem. Already we sense the separation of Peter from Jesus, despite his show of loyalty in following him.

The witness against Jesus is false, not because it is necessarily untrue, but because it is given out of malice. The climax comes when the high priest asks Jesus  if He is the Messiah and the Son of the Blessed One.  For the first time, Jesus clearly accepts these two titles together, Christ and Son of God (1:1).

Standing in weakness before the powers of the land, he is less likely to have His claim to them misunderstood.  Yet at once Jesus describes Himself as the Messiah in terms of the name, He uses of Himself the on of Man, but now a Son of Man will will bring the full power of God into the world, in word from a psalm and the prophecy of Daniel. (Ps 110:1 and Dan 7:13).

After Jesu is condemned, insults, violence and mockery are heaped upon Him by His enemies.  Outside, Peter, His disciple denies Him three times, publicly separating Himself from Jesus.  Jesus is now entirely alone.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS.

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In our journal and/or our discussion group we may wish to reflect on this passage as follows:

• Name the key points that you have learnt about the person of Jesus in this passage of scripture?

• Imagine that you are the disciples- What do you see and hear and feel. What can I learn from this?
  
  

·         Imagine being the one of the chief priests and scribes
What questions do I want to bring to Jesus? 

·         What is reading the Gospel passage with the eyes and ears of disciple mean to me?

• How does Jesus make clear His teaching to me in this passage?
  
  

·         Consider a situation in your life today where the teaching of Jesus needs to be applied.

• Consider how much my faith means to me and what does my faithfulness/unfaithfulness to my church/parish mean to me and others?

• What are the areas in my life I need to bring to Jesus in the light of this teaching?
  
  
• Am I willing to look into myself with honesty and ask how much do I grasp what it means to be a true disciple of Jesus in the light of this teaching? 

Collect for 21 Sunday of Year C

COLLECT SERIES

THE MASS: COLLECT SERIES ICON.

COLLECT 

The Opening Prayer for the Twenty First Sunday of Year C reads as follows:

O God, who cause the minds of the faithful to unite in a single purpose,

grant your people to love what you command

and to desire what you promise,

that, amid the uncertainties of this world,

our hearts may be fixed on that place where true gladness is found.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

who lives and reigns with you

in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

Converting this prayer into spirituality in action, the following reflection questions emerged:

1.What is the single purpose to which I am united?

2.What are the commands that God wants to love?

3. Which of these commands do I struggle with most often and what can I do to change this?

4.What are the promises of God that I need to desire?

5.Where is my heart fixed right now and where will I fix it this coming week?

6. What are the uncertainties of my world that I can bring to God this coming week?

GOSPEL REFLECTION

Enter through the narrow gate.  This is the key message of today’s Gospel.  What does it mean?

The reality of life is that we can easily become distracted with life= not even necessarily bad things but making an income, caring for our families and the like. These are good things and of course most necessary.  God does not ask us to put them aside because He knows that we need to do these things.However, we are to Seek the Kingdom first. God is our top priority.

Enter through the narrow gate is to put God first and not to assume that our salvation is secured.  Yes, God died for us to redeem us but we must want to accept that redemption personally.

Earning an income and looking after our families but if these things, although good stop us from putting God first then we need to reassess our true priorities. We need to put God first.  For example: you have to take a child to sport game. This will mean that you may miss Mass- a commandment of God.  If you love God and are following Him in your heart, then you will find a way to attend Mass on that Sunday- eg Saturday night/Sunday night.  Alternatively, you say to your child that he/she is not to play sports on Sunday. It is the Lord’s day. Play 6 times a week if you wish, but not on Sunday.  This tells the child that Go is more important- your value of obeying His command is more important than the sports game. Yes, your child may be disappointed but do you wish to enter through the narrow gate?

Depending on the time of the game, it may mean attending Mass getting up early and going to Mass. The child may complain but  you will be honouring God and His commands and teaching your child to do the same. 

This is of course just one example from life but every day we are faced with many such decisions. As Catholics we need to value our faith and not just cop out and think it is just all too hard.

Think of a narrow gate- not easy to jus waltz straight through- no, there is a sqeeze- it requires effort.  God asks us for our effort to enter through the narrow gate.

Living Waters

REFLECTION AND PRAYER SERIES.

My reflection and prayer series is about sharing reflections and Prayers which have impacted upon me and have provided food for thought. I hope that they will also nurture your soul and spirit.

My Scripture reflection is 

'Come Whoever is thirsty,

let him come and whoever wishes

Let him take the free gift of the water of life’ 
(Revelations 22: 17)

Christ The Redeemer.

My post is called:

LIVING WATERS.

In the dry and dusty place of my life,

God pours out the Livings Water

He turns a parched and barren wasteland

Into fertile ground where love can grow.

Liturgy of the Eucharist Preparation of the Gifts Part 7

ABOUT THE MASS SERIES

THE MASS:  ABOUT THE MASS SERIES.

LORD GOD, WE ASK YOU …’.

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One of the private prayers that entered the preparation rite during the Middle Ages is the ‘In Spiritu  humilitatis’. Its text is:

‘We now have no leader, no prophet, no prince, no burnt offering, no sacrifice, no oblation, no incense, no place where we can make offerings to you and win your favour. But may the contrite soul, the humbled spirit, be as acceptable to you as burnt offerings of rams and bullocks, as thousands of fat lambs: such let our sacrifice be to you today, and may it please you that we follow you wholeheartedly, since those who trust in you will not be shamed’. (Daniel 3:38-40)

It was prayed by Azariah who, missing the sacrifices of the temple, realised that it was the spiritual sacrifice which best pleases God.  

The prayer used in the Mass today is:

‘Lord God, we ask you to receive us 

and be pleased with the sacrifice we offer you 

with humble and contrite hearts’.

The prayer was made obligatory with the Missal of Pius V (1570).  Being a private prayer of the priest, it is usually recited inaudibly or sotto voce (in a soft voice). The priest bows and says this prayer:

In other words, the priest requests that the future offering made in the Eucharistic prayer, animated by the spiritual sacrifices of the heart, be favourably received by God.

We can join the priest as he offers this prayer by making it our own.  We can offer our own pain and difficulties of life to God.  The prayer stance of the Publican ‘Lord be merciful to me a sinner’ (Lk 18:13) could also provide us with further reflective thoughts when linked with this prayer

The arrest of Jesus Mk 14 43-52

GOSPEL OF MARK SERIES.

The Bible: Gospel of Mark icon.

During 2019, each week, I will write a weekly post about the Gospel of Mark, as I review and explore each of the 16 chapters and how it may be applied in our daily lives. If you are following this series for the first time, you will find this series under Scripture- New Testament- Gospel of Mark. 

Click here to read the first post in the series. I have written this series in different years (2012, 2015, 2018) with some irregularity, but am determined to complete this series this year since I am more than half way through this Gospel.

My goal is to understand and pray the Gospel of Mark. I hope you will join me on this journey as we travel through the liturgical season.  In today's post we explore chapter 14:43 -52 which is called The Arrest of Jesus.

THE ARREST OF JESUS.

Jesus is ready and His testing begins at once.  Judas, one of the twelve, as Mark repeatedly notes, comes not with disciplined solders nor with temple police but with a mob of men armed with knives and clubs.  When Judas hand Jesus over to His enemies by a kiss of friendship, Jesus remains silent.

After Judas, the unfaithful disciple, is introduced, no one is named in this present episode except Jesus.  It appears that in this manner Mark wants to focus our attention fixedly on the person of Jesus.

When someone makes a show of violence to defend Jesus and cuts off the ear of the high priest’s slave, Mark does not directly name this individual as a disciple.  Already the disciples are facings from our view.  They are mentioned no further in Marks account of the passion.

The words of Jesus, which Mark records, draw our attention to the infidelity, malice, and violence which surround Jesus at this moment.  They do not threaten or accuse anyone, but make clear what is really happening, as God see things.  They point to the trust which Jesus feels towards God, despite the apparent victory of evil and injustice.  God foresees the evils that come to His faithful servants as part of the achievement of His divine plan for the world, as scripture makes clear (14:49)

What is the meaning of the young man, whom Mark’s gospel alone mentions?  Historically, it is not at all clear who this person many have been.  Its symbolic meaning may be more important.

It could be a symbol of Jesus Himself as the one who escaped from the shroud of death (15:46) to appear in the shining robe of resurrection (16:5).  We may have here an early symbol of Christ faith in Jesus as the one saved by God out of death into the glory of the resurrection.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS.

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In our journal and/or our discussion group we may wish to reflect on this passage as follows:

• Name the key points that you have learnt about the person of Jesus in this passage of scripture?

• Imagine that you are the disciples- What do you see and hear and feel. What can I learn from this?
  
  
•   Imagine being the one of the men  arresting Jesus. What questions do I want to bring to Jesus?
  
•  What is reading the Gospel passage with the eyes and ears of disciple mean to me?

• How does Jesus make clear His teaching to me in this passage? 

•  Consider a situation in your life today where the teaching of Jesus needs to be applied. 

• Consider how much my faith means to me and what does my faithfulness/unfaithfulness to my church/parish mean to me and others?

• What are the areas in my life I need to bring to Jesus in the light of this teaching?
  
  
• Am I willing to look into myself with honesty and ask how much do I grasp what it means to be a true disciple of Jesus in the light of this teaching?