10th Week in Ordinary Time 2024 - Monday - Fulfillment of promises and longings

 Having come to the end of our readings through the public ministry of the Lord prior to his passion from the Gospel of Mark, our daily ordinary time weekday Gospel readings from now until September will be taken from the Gospel of Matthew. We’ll read sequentially from the beginning of the Lord’s Sermon on the Mount, as we heard this morning, to the final parables prior to his arrest. We’ll then read from Luke’s Gospel until the end of the liturgical year.

This gospel was written by a Jew, Matthew the tax-collector, for a Jewish Christian audience. The structure of the Gospel even reflects its Jewish origins. There are five discourse sections sandwich between 7 narrative sections. Those five narrative sections mirror the five books of Moses and portray Jesus the New Moses giving the New Law for God’s people. 

Because the Gospel was written by a Jew for the Jews, Matthew, utilizes far more Old Testament quotations and references than the other Gospel writers. Matthew’s Gospel begins with Jesus’ genealogy tracing Him back to David and then to Abraham, the father of the Jewish nation.

Again, writing to Jews, Matthew portrays Jesus as the fulfillment of God’s promises to the Jewish people—promises of salvation and justice and peace and glory. 

In today’s reading, Jesus promises that all of those longings—longings for the kingdom, longings for righteousness, for peace, longings to see the face of God—can be found in heading his teachings. You will obtain the kingdom of heaven, if you become humble. You will come to see the face of God, if you become pure of heart. You will obtain mercy if you show mercy.

Jesus is the fulfillment not only of God’s promises to the Jewish people, he is the fulfillment of our hearts deepest longings.  He fulfills our longings for truth, for goodness, for beauty, and for peace. But he is clear. We must pursue Him. We must pursue beatitude. It requires effort and conversion and embrace of the cross.

Beatitude is not obtained by passive complacency, or by those who resist the change of mind and heart that he teaches. Again, if you want mercy, you must show mercy. If you want peace, you must make peace. If you want purity of sight, you purify your heart. If you want truth to reign on earth, you must be willing to suffer for it. If you want the highest heaven, you must become lowly—poor in spirit. 

God’s promises coincide with our deepest longings. May we seek that fulfillment we long for in Christ, actively, intently, with all the effort we can muster, and with the help of God, so to obtain the life he promises, for the Glory of God and the salvation of souls.

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That during this month of June, dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, all Christians may witness to the tender love of Christ for sinners through our prayer, fasting, and works of charity. 

For our young people beginning summer vacation, that they may be kept safe from the errors of our culture and kept in close friendship with Jesus through prayer and acts of mercy.

For all married couples, that they may be faithful to the Gospel in every dimension of their married life—and that single and celibate Christians may witness to the sacrificial, all-embracing love of Christ for all.

For the sick, the impoverished, the lonely, those suffering from mental illness, those most in need, and those near death: may God, through the mercy of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, be close to them in their trials

For all who have died, and for all the poor souls in purgatory, and for X. for whom this Mass is offered.

Incline your merciful ear to our prayers, we ask, O Lord, and listen in kindness to the supplications of those who call on you. Through Christ our Lord

December 18 2023 - King of Kings & Emmanuel

 Yesterday, began “late Advent” the seven days leading up to Christmas.

Where the first part of Advent focused on the coming of Christ and the need to prepare our hearts and lives for his coming, Late Advent focuses on the identify of the Christ Child, particularly as he is the fulfillment of God’s promises to Israel.

Several promises are contained in our scripture readings today.

Firstly, in the Jeremiah reading, we hear the promise of a righteous king from the line of David. The Davidic kings were not always righteous men, they were sometimes even quite despicable. Some of them were outright idolators, whose false worship brought terrible ruin to Israel. Injustice ran rampant under these immoral, greedy, blood thirsty kings. Yet, Israel possessed a hope in God’s promise of a king who would establish justice, whose kingdom would last forever.

The child born at Christmas is that promised king. The king of kings of who establishes the “eternal and universal kingdom, a kingdom of truth and life, a kingdom of holiness and grace, a kingdom of justice, love, and peace.” The Church established by the Christ is the beginning of that Kingdom over which Christ our head rules. And the truth, life, holiness, grace, and justice, love, and peace of that kingdom can be seen in the life of the Church.

In the Gospel, we heard how the Christ child would be the fulfillment of another promise, two promises, actually. “Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel.” The first promise is that, a virgin would bear a son. The king of kings would be born of a virgin. That’s how you’ll know him. And the second, is that he shall be called Emmanuel—God is with us. 

Now, Israel believe this child would just be a sign that God was with his people. But we know, that he is more than that. He is not just a sign that God is with his people, he is God with us. He is God incarnate. God takes flesh in Christ, and fulfills his promises in a way that is greater than Israel first conceived. 

Over these final Advent days, cultivate a real appreciation for the ways God fulfills his promises in Christ and their relevance for the life of the Church and for the good of mankind. This will help you to deepen your love and gratitude for him, and to share the good news of his birth with others for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

 

As we await with longing the Advent of our Lord Jesus Christ, we raise up our prayers of petitions.

That Christ may visit his holy Church and always find her repentant of sin and watchful in prayer.

That Christ may fill the Pope, our Bishop, and all the clergy with spiritual gifts and graces.

That Christ may guide the minds of those who govern us to promote the common good according to His Holy Will.

That Christ may banish disease, drive out hunger, and ward off every affliction.

For all who have died, and for all the poor souls in purgatory, and for X. for whom this Mass is offered.

Almighty ever-living God, who bring salvation to all and desire that no one should perish, hear the prayers of your people and grant that the course of our world may be directed by your peaceful rule and your Church rejoice in tranquility and devotion. Through Christ our Lord.