What's new as of 03/25/24 ?
First time here? Click
Slide to Adjust font size | ||
Font Size |
||
Using 100 rem |
Select Pray a Rosary or Study a Mystery:
Unitas Oratio:
Mi Jesu venerande, pedes nostri simul iter faciant. Manus nostrae in unum colligant. Sit corda nostra beat simul. Sit animabus nostris in concordia. Cogitationes nostrae sint sicut unum. Auribus nostris simul audiat silentium. Utinam oculi nostri se mutuo penitus perfundant. Oremus pariter labia nostra, ut ab aeterno Patre misericordiam consequamur. Amen
Reflection on the Annunciation to Mary
From the Gospel according to Luke:
The angel said, "Don't be afraid, Mary. God is honoring you. Look! You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great and he will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of David his father. He will rule over Jacob's house forever, and there will be no end to his kingdom".
From the writings of Saint Pio of Pietrelcina:
The Lord's words are also for each one of us: Give me your heart. Do not waste the encouragement of such a tender and caring Father. Open the door of your heart to Him with total trust and abandonment.
Reflection on the Visitation of Mary
From the Gospel according to Luke:
Mary got up and hurried to a city in the Judean highlands. She entered Zechariah's home and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the child leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. With a loud voice she blurted out, "God has blessed you above all women, and he has blessed the child you carry".
From the writings of Saint Pio of Pietrelcina:
Reflect upon the great humility of the Mother of God, our Mother, and constantly keep it within your mental gaze. The more she was filled with heavenly gifts, the more deeply did she humble herself. Let it be for you like for her: the more gifts you receive, the more you want to humble yourself.
Reflection on the Birth of our Lord Jesus Christ
From the Gospel according to Luke:
The angel said, "Don't be afraid! Look! I bring good news to you - wonderful, joyous news for all people. Your savior is born today in David's city. He is Christ the Lord. This is a sign for you: you will find a newborn baby wrapped snugly and laying in a manger". Suddenly a great assembly of the heavenly forces was with the angel praising God. They said, "Glory to God in heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors".
From the writings of Saint Pio of Pietrelcina:
Our heart feels too small to contain the heavenly favours and our soul seems to almost disintegrate in the presence of this God who took human flesh for our own sake. How can we help loving Him more and more fervently? Oh, let us draw near to the Child Jesus with our hearts free from sin, that we may discover how sweet and delightful it is to love Him.
Reflection on the Presentation of the Child Jesus in the Temple
From the Gospel according to Luke:
Simeon took Jesus in his arms and praised God. He said, "Now, master, let your servant go in peace according to your word, because my eyes have seen your salvation. You prepared this salvation in the presence of all peoples. It's a light for revelation to the Gentiles and a glory for your people Israel".
From the writings of Saint Pio of Pietrelcina:
Holiness means loving our neighbour as ourselves, all for the love of God. In this connection holiness means loving those who curse us, who hate and persecute us, and even doing good to them. Holiness means living humbly, being disinterested, prudent, just, patient, kind, chaste, meek, diligent, carrying out one's duties for no other reason than that of pleasing God and receiving from Him alone the reward we deserve.
Reflection on the Finding of Our Lord in the Temple
From the Gospel according to Luke:
When his parents saw him, they were shocked. His mother said, "Child, why have you treated us like this? Listen! Your father and I have been worried. We've been looking for you!" Jesus replied, "Why were you looking for me? Didn't you know that it was necessary for me to be in my Father's house?".
From the writings of Saint Pio of Pietrelcina:
You may be fearful, if you like, but let your fear be a holy fear, which is never separated from love. When fear and love are united, they help each other, like sisters, to remain on their feet and to walk securely in the Lord's paths.
Reflection on the Baptism in the Jordan
From the Gospel according to Matthew:
At that time Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan River so that John would baptize him. When Jesus was baptized, he immediately came up out of the water. Heaven was opened and he saw the Spirit of God coming down like a dove and resting on him. And a voice came from the heavens, saying: “This is my beloved Son (Ps 2:7) in whom I am well pleased” (Is 42:1); (Mt 3:17, Mk 1:11, Lk 3:22).
From the writings of Saint Pio of Pietrelcina:
We believe that Jesus will invariably sustain us by his grace. We shall fight as strong men, through the strength of our souls, and the prize will not be far off.
Reflection on the Wedding at Cana
From the Gospel according to John:
On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee. Jesus' mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the celebration. When the wine ran out, Jesus' mother said to him, "They don't have any wine". Jesus replied, "Woman, what does that have to do with me? My time hasn't come yet". His mother told the servants, "Do whatever he tells you". Nearby were six stone water jars used for the Jewish cleansing ritual, each able to hold about twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus said to the servants, "Fill the jars with water", and they filled them to the brim. Then he told them, "Now draw some from them and take it to the headwaiter", and they did. The headwaiter tasted the water that had become wine. He didn't know where it came from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. The headwaiter called the groom and said, "Everyone serves the good wine first. They bring out the second-rate wine only when the guests are drinking freely. You kept the good wine until now".
From the writings of Saint Pio of Pietrelcina:
Be patient and persevere in the holy exercise of meditation and be content with taking small steps, until you have the legs to run, or better still, wings to fly. Be content with obedience, which is never an easy matter for a soul which has chosen God as its portion, and resign yourself for now, to being a little bee in a hive, that will soon become a big bee capable of making honey.
Reflection on the Proclamation of the Kingdom
From the Gospel according to Mark:
After John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee announcing God's good news, saying, "Now is the time! Here comes God's kingdom! Change your hearts and lives, and trust this good news!"
From the writings of Saint Pio of Pietrelcina:
Jesus said: Unless you become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. And before teaching this by his words, he had already put it into practice. He became a child and gave us the example of that simplicity he was to teach us later also by his words.
Reflection on the Transfiguration
From the Gospel according to Mark:
Six days later Jesus took Peter, James, and John, and brought them to the top of a very high mountain where they were alone. He was transformed in front of them, and his clothes were amazingly bright, brighter than if they had been bleached white. Elijah and Moses appeared and were talking with Jesus. Peter reacted to all of this by saying to Jesus, "Rabbi, it's good that we're here. Let's make three shelters: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah". He said this because he didn't know how to respond, for the three of them were terrified. Then a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice spoke from the cloud, "This is my Son, whom I dearly love. Listen to him".
From the writings of Saint Pio of Pietrelcina:
I am consumed by the love for God and the love for my neighbour. God is continually fixed in my mind and imprinted in my heart. I never lose sight of him.
Reflection on the Institution of the Eucharist
From the Gospel according to Matthew:
While they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed it, broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, "Take and eat. This is my body". He took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, "Drink from this, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many so that their sins may be forgiven. I tell you, I won't drink wine again until that day when I drink it in a new way with you in my Father's kingdom".
From the writings of Saint Pio of Pietrelcina:
Let us approach to receive the bread of angels with great faith and with a great flame of love in our hearts. Let us await this most tender lover of our souls in order to be consoled in this life with the kiss of His mouth. Happy are we if we succeed in receiving from the Lord the consolation of this kiss in the present life! Then indeed will we feel our will inseparably bound to Jesus will at all times and nothing in the world will prevent us from willing what our divine Master wills.
Reflection on the Agony of Christ in the Garden
From the Gospel according to Mark:
Jesus and his disciples came to a place called Gethsemane. Jesus said to them, "Sit here while I pray". He took Peter, James, and John along with him. He began to feel despair and was anxious. He said to them, "I'm very sad. It's as if I'm dying. Stay here and keep alert". Then he went a short distance farther and fell to the ground. He prayed that, if possible, he might be spared the time of suffering. He said, "Abba, Father, for you all things are possible. Take this cup of suffering away from me. However - not what I want but what you want".
From the writings of Saint Pio of Pietrelcina:
Hence it is, Father, that the bitterness of the trial is sweetened by the balm of God's goodness and mercy. Praise be to God who can so marvellously alternate joy and tears so as to lead the soul by unknown paths to the attainment of perfection.
Reflection on Scourging at the Pillar
From the Gospel according to Matthew:
Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere and that a riot was starting. So he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. "I'm innocent of this man's blood" he said. "It's your problem". All the people replied, "Let his blood be on us and on our children". Then he released Barabbas to them. He had Jesus whipped, then handed him over to be crucified.
From the writings of Saint Pio of Pietrelcina:
Never fall back on yourselves, but place all your trust in God and don't be too eager to be set free from your present state. Let the Holy Spirit act within you.
Reflection on the Crowning with Thorns
From the Gospel according to John:
The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head, and dressed him in a purple robe. Over and over they went up to him and said, "Greetings, king of the Jews!" And they slapped him in the face.
From the writings of Saint Pio of Pietrelcina:
May faith and the reassurance of the Christian hope always offer you continual support. If you act in this way the heavenly Father will ease your trials with the balm of His goodness and mercy.
Reflection on the Carrying of the Cross
From the Gospel according to Matthew:
When they came to a place called Golgotha, which means Skull Place, they gave Jesus wine mixed with gall to drink. But after tasting it, he didn't want to drink it. After they crucified him, they divided up his clothes among them by drawing lots. They sat there, guarding him. They placed above his head the charge against him. It read, "Jesus the Nazarene, the king of the Jews".
From the writings of Saint Pio of Pietrelcina:
What are you afraid of with regard to your own soul? Don't you know that Jesus is with you and is doing everything within you? Calm yourself and do not heed those vain and useless fears; fill up the empty places in our heart with a fervent love of God.
Reflection on the Crucifixion and Death of Our Lord on the Cross
From the Gospel according to Luke:
It was now about noon, and darkness covered the whole earth until about three o'clock, (Am 8:9) while the sun stopped shining. Then the curtain in the sanctuary tore down the middle. Crying out in a loud voice, Jesus said, "Father,into your hands I commend my spirit." After he said this, he breathed for the last time.
From the writings of Saint Pio of Pietrelcina:
I am all aflame, although there is no fire. I feel myself bound to the Son by means of this Mother, without seeing the chains which bind me so tightly. A thousand flames consume me; I feel I am constantly dying, yet I am still alive.
Reflection on the Resurrection
From the Gospel according to Matthew:
The angel said to the women, "Don't be afraid. I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He isn't here, because he has risen from the dead, just as he said. Come, see the place where they laid him. Now hurry, go and tell his disciples, “He's been raised from the dead. He's going on ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there.” I've given the message to you".
From the writings of Saint Pio of Pietrelcina:
Let yourself be guided by Jesus by means of authority as he pleases. Be assured that all is well with you and will always be well. Jesus is and will be yours; you are his and will always be his!
Reflection on the Ascension
From the Acts of the Apostles:
After his suffering, he showed them that he was alive with many convincing proofs. He appeared to them over a period of forty days, speaking to them about God's kingdom. "you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth". After Jesus said these things, as they were watching, he was lifted up and a cloud took him out of their sight.
From the writings of Saint Pio of Pietrelcina:
Peace is simplicity and serenity of the mind, tranquillity of the soul, the bond of love. Peace means order, harmony in our whole being, it means continual contentment springing from the knowledge of a good conscience; it is the holy joy of a heart in which God reigns. Peace is the way to perfection, indeed perfection is to be found in peace.
Reflection on the descent of the Holy Spirit
From the Acts of the Apostles:
When Pentecost Day arrived, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound from heaven like the howling of a fierce wind filled the entire house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be individual flames of fire alighting on each one of them. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit.
From the writings of Saint Pio of Pietrelcina:
Let us always trust in God and may our lively faith and the comfort of Christian hope assist us in this. We must pray continually, moreover, that peace may soon smile on the nations.
Reflection on the Assumption
From the Gospel according to Luke:
With all my heart I glorify the Lord! In the depths of who I am I rejoice in God my savior. He has looked with favor on the low status of his servant. Look! From now on, everyone will consider me highly favoured
From the writings of Saint Pio of Pietrelcina:
I wish I had a voice strong enough to invite the sinners of the whole world to love Our Lady. But since this is not within my power, I have prayed and will pray to my dear Angel to perform this task for me.
Reflection on the crowning of Our Lady Queen of Heaven
From the Book of Revelation:
Then a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head.
From the writings of Saint Pio of Pietrelcina:
The external doors open, and the mother of God enters. As soon as the blessed ranks see her, they are struck by the splendor of her beauty and so they all move to greet her joyfully and with rejoicing; they salute and honour her with the most exalted titles, prostrate themselves at her feet, present their compliments to her, and unanimously proclaim her Queen. The Holy Trinity joins the feast of angels. The Father welcomes His beloved one and invites Her to take part in his power.
"No one can rejoice more than I do at every step the people of this great country take to preserve the Union, establish good order and government, and to render the nation happy at home and respectable abroad. No country upon earth ever had it more in its power to attain these blessings than United America. Wondrously strange then, and much to be regretted indeed would it be, were we to neglect the means, and to depart from the road which Providence has pointed us, so plainly; I cannot believe it will ever come to pass. The Great Governor of the Universe has led us too long and too far on the road to happiness and glory, to forsake us in the midst of it. By folly and improper conduct, proceeding from a variety of causes, we may now and then get bewildered; but I hope and trust that there is good sense and virtue enough left to recover the right path before we shall be entirely lost."
George Washington, June 29, 1788
It may be the will of Heaven that America shall suffer calamities still more wasting and distresses yet more dreadful. If this is to be the case, it will have this good effect, at least: it will inspire us with many virtues, which we have not, and correct many errors, follies, and vices, which threaten to disturb, dishonor, and destroy us. The furnace of affliction produces refinement, in states as well as individuals. And the new governments we are assuming, in every part, will require a purification from our vices, and an augmentation of our virtues or there will be no blessings... But I must submit all my hopes and fears to an overruling Providence; in which, unfashionable as the faith may be, I firmly believe."
John Adams, July 3, 1776
"Review the great scenes of history: you will find mankind has always been obliged to pay dear for the blessings they enjoyed... The struggles of a great people have almost always ended in the establishment of liberty.... Such a people are spoken of with admiration by all future ages...." "Their souls glow with gratitude for the virtue and self-denial of their forefathers. They consider them as patterns for their own conduct on similar occasions and are continually pointing them out to the reverence and imitation of their children. These are the glorious effects of patriotism and virtue. These are the rewards annexed to the faithful discharge of that great and honorable duty, fidelity to our country.... I pray to God that the fair character I have described may be that of America to the latest ages."
James Iredell, May 1, 1778
"To the kindly influence of Christianity we owe that degree of civil freedom, and political and social happiness which mankind now enjoys. In proportion as the genuine effects of Christianity are diminished in any nation, either through unbelief, or the corruption of its doctrines, or the neglect of its institutions; in the same proportion will the people of that nation recede from the blessings of genuine freedom, and approximate the miseries of complete despotism."
"All efforts to destroy the foundations of our holy religion, ultimately tend to the subversion also of our political freedom and happiness."
"Whenever the pillars of Christianity shall be overthrown, our present republican forms of government, and all the blessings which flow from them, must fall with them."
Jedediah Morse, 1799
"Soldiers! Let us humble ourselves before the Lord, our God, asking through Christ, the forgiveness of our sins, beseeching the aid of the God of our forefathers in the defense of our homes and our liberties, thanking Him for His past blessings, and imploring their continuance upon our cause and our people."
"Knowing that intercessory prayer is our mightiest weapon and the supreme call for all Christians today, I pleadingly urge our people everywhere to pray. Believing that prayer is the greatest contribution that our people can make in this critical hour, I humbly urge that we take time to pray - to really pray."
"Let there be prayer at sunup, at noonday, at sundown, at midnight - all through the day. Let us pray for our children, our youth, our aged, our pastors, our homes. Let us pray for the churches."
"Let us pray for ourselves, that we may not lose the word 'concern' out of our Christian vocabulary. Let us pray for our nation. Let us pray for those who have never known Jesus Christ and His redeeming love, for moral forces everywhere, for our national leaders. Let prayer be our passion. Let prayer be our practice."
General Robert E Lee, 1863
Make the Sign of the Cross. (τ)
The Joyful Mysteries
Slide to Adjust font size | ||
Font Size |
||
Using 100 rem |
The Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary
(Recited on Monday and Saturday)
1st Joyful Mystery- The Annunciation of the Lord to Mary
Background- The date of Jesus’ birth: The fulfillment of Tabernacles
2nd Joyful Mystery- The Visitation of Mary to Elizabeth
3rd Joyful Mystery- The Birth of our Lord Jesus Christ
4th Joyful Mystery- The Presentation of our Lord
[Franciscan Crown- The Adoration of the Magi ]
5th Joyful Mystery- The Finding Jesus in the Temple
Annunciation
- December 9, 3 BC/Tevet 2, 3759 ...Gabriel says: “Behold you will conceive and bear a son and you will name him Jesus” (Lk 1:31). (Yeshua: ‘Yahweh saves’). ... “He will be great and will be called ‘Son of the Most High’, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and He will rule over the house of David forever, and of his kingship there will be no end” (Lk 1:32-33).
Gabriel continued: “Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. For no word from God will ever fail! (Lk 3:36-37).”
Mary’s child is to be the long-awaited Messiah, the Son of God! How could Mary have said anything but yes? There is one rather large problem: Joseph, her betrothed. When Mary is found to be pregnant, Joseph can denounce her, and she will be stoned for adultery. ... Mary’s response is one of complete surrender to God: her heart’s only desire is to do God’s will. To even consider the consequences is to attempt to control, which is against the complete surrender to God’s will. +
Mary says: “Behold I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be it done to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her (Lk 1:38). (HM-7)
God’s plan for salvation was dependent on a human. With Mary’s “Yes” came the Incarnation: God assumed human nature! God entered his own creation! Jesus is both God and is fully man.
As God’s plan unfolds, it is Tevet 2, the last (8th) day of the celebration of Chanukah - Hanukkah. The number 8 signifies new beginnings. The feast of Chanukah celebrates the re-dedication of the temple after it had been profaned by the Syrian armies under Antiochus Epiphanes. It took 8 days to complete the re-dedication. For the people of Israel, that 8th day, in 3622, 139 BC, represented a new beginning in their relationship with Yahweh. In the year 3759 on the same day on the Jewish Calendar, which occurred that year on December 9th of 3 BC, was another very new beginning in God’s relationship with man! God has become man! That day, the completion of Chanukah, is called the little celebration of light ... Chanukah - Hanukkah is closely tied to the big celebration of light during the Feast of Tabernacles. That day the true light that enlightens every man came into the world. (HM-8)
God has answered Mary’s prayer, Joseph’s prayer, the prayers of all the Essenes, and of all Israel! What joy she must feel! (HM-9)
Elizabeth got it right when she said: “Happy is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord” (Lk 1:45). Share Mary’s joy! (HM-10, GB, OMJ) ...
Reflections on the Annunciation
I consider it important to focus also on the final sentence of Luke’s Annunciation narrative: “And the angel departed from her” (Lk 1:38). The great hour of Mary’s encounter with God’s messenger—in which her whole life is changed—comes to an end, and she remains there alone, with a task that truly surpasses all human capacity. There are no angels standing around her. She must continue along the path that leads to many dark moments–from Joseph’s dismay at her pregnancy, [the flight into Egypt, learning the names of the children slaughtered by Herod’s soldiers, the journey back to Jerusalem in search of her son], to the moment when Jesus is said to be out of his mind (Mk 3:21; Jn 10:20), right up to the night of the cross.
How often in these situations must Mary have returned inwardly to the hour when God’s angel had spoken to her, pondering afresh the greeting: “Hail, full of grace!” And the consoling words: “Do not be afraid!” The angel departs; her mission remains, and with it matures her inner closeness to God, a closeness that in her heart she is able to see and touch.
Why would God become part of his creation?
We are spiritual beings immersed in a physical experience, constrained by time. You, Father, chose this physical experience as the mechanism to raise spiritual beings that are made in your image and likeness. From all eternity, You planned to come into your own creation to show us how to be like You. You knew man would fall. You wanted us to learn to love. You wanted us to choose to love. You wanted us to learn that there is no greater love than to lay down your life for someone. As the father of us all You knew the way to teach us was to teach by example; so, You, in the person of your son, became man to give us the example. You wanted us to learn to see beyond ourselves. We need to be shown. Give me the grace to learn. Give me the gifts of the Holy spirit so I can help to draw others to you.
Why was I blessed to be shown God’s love while others have not?
God has a plan for each of us. We each have a role to play. God has given me a task that requires the gifts he has given me. Help me, Mary, to do what God has planned for me. Give me the guidance to see the direction I must go. Lead me to your Son for if I stay close to him I will be safe. Mary help me to realize that everyone has a role to play in God’s plan. Help me to see Jesus in everyone. God loves us all the same and each has been given what is required. We are all brothers on a similar journey. After all the greatest human that ever lived, other than Jesus, who was also God, was you Mary, who aspired to be a handmaid! In the spiritual dimension, greatest is determined by love; not power, fame, or wealth!
Mary’s love for God allowed her to risk life: Trust
When I love, make a sacrifice for someone, there is no guarantee that the beloved will accept my gift. Jesus, when you sacrificed yourself on the cross, you knew not everyone you loved would accept your sacrifice. You were willing to take the heart break of rejection you loved us so much. Mary, you loved God so much, you were willing to risk anything, simply because it was your Love, God, who asked. Mary’s trust in God was such that she did not even need to consider the consequences. It was God’s will, that was enough!
Prayer as more than words
Mary, you were completely drawn to God even as a little girl. Your whole life was made into a prayer as you took a vow a celibacy. Prayer is communicating with God or the saints in heaven. We can also communicate with more than words. Just as a picture is worth a 1000 words, an action is worth a 1000 pictures. Help me to love without seeking recognition as you did. Help me to do things for others without them knowing they have ever been done. Cleaning up a mess (pet or child made a mess) before anyone knows it has ever happened and then never mentioning it. Doing chores that belong to others to make their job lighter. Every act of love is a prayer in action. Help me to be grateful for all that has been given me, remind me to thank God for the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Remind me to be grateful to others. It makes someone feel good to receive acknowledgement of their contributions. As we are all members of the Mystical body any act of gratitude is an act of gratitude to your son. Never let me forget that your special ones are closest to your son. That an act of kindness to one of the special ones whether infant, aged or handicapped is a prayer you will never forget.
Coincidences
The Annunciation happened on the last, 8th day of Chanukah. That feast celebrates the re-dedication of the Temple. A new beginning of the people’s relationship with God. The number 8 stands for new beginnings. God became human on that day.
Mary immediately wanted to go to help Elizabeth and there were visitors from Jerusalem who would be returning home the following morning, since the celebration of Chanukah - Hanukkah had ended. Nazareth was an out of the way place. Caravans to Jerusalem were not a regular occurrence.
The 8th day of Chanukah - Hanukkah , on which all the lights on the Menorah are lit is closely tied to the Feast of Tabernacles at which there were four giant Menorahs lit in the Court of the Women in the temple to symbolize the light provided by the pillar of fire during the Exodus. The light could be seen all over Jerusalem and was even visible in Bethlehem. What a coincidence that the Light of the World would also be conceived on the eighth day of Chanukah and 40 weeks later be born on the Feast of Tabernacles. I wonder which had the greater light: the four 75ft Menorahs in the Court of the Women or the 4 million candle power of the 9 candles per Menorah in a half a million homes of the Israelites.
Looking directly at scripture.
- A convocation is when all the Israelite men, were to convene in the place designated for the worship of Yahweh: the place where the Ark of the Covenant resided (Deut 16:6). After the Exodus, but prior to David that place varied between Bethel (Jug 20:27), Shiloh (1Sam 1:3), seven months (1Sam 6:1) in the hands of the Philistines in Ashdod, in the temple of Dagon (1Sam 5:2), Kiriath-jearim (1Sam 7:3) and later Gibeon, in the house of Obed-edom (2Sam 6:11) . After David, it was Jerusalem. “Three times a year all your men must appear before the LORD your God at the place he will choose: at the Feast of Passover, the Feast of Weeks [Pentecost], and the Feast of Tabernacles” (Deut 16:16). Women and children went to Jerusalem for Passover which is a family feast but were only required to go to Jerusalem for Tabernacles on Sabbatical, Shmittah year – years divisible by 7 (Deut 31:10-13). They did not need to attend the other Feasts. The holy family went to Jerusalem every year for Passover (Lk 2:41).
- A dress rehearsal concept implies that the feasts are prophecies of something beyond themselves. These feasts form the cornerstone of the practice of the Jewish faith.
- Passover (Pesach) is celebrated on the 14th day of the first month, Nisan. It is a remembrance of the sacrifice of an unblemished, male lamb; whose blood saved the 1st born sons of the Israelites. It is in fact a dress rehearsal for the sacrifice of God’s First-Born Son, the Lamb of God, to save all men. It happened on the 14th day of the first month. St. Paul says “For our Passover has been sacrificed, that is, Christ.” (1Cor 5:7)
- Unleavened Bread (Chag Matzot) begins on the 15th of Nisan with the Seder Meal which was both the sacrificial meal for the Paschal lamb, slaughtered just before sunset, and a Todah, thanksgiving, offering of unleavened bread and wine. The Todah was in thanksgiving for the deliverance, about to be provided , by the blood of the paschal lamb: the angel of death would see the blood on the door posts and lintel of the homes of those who had participated in the Seder meals. The Angel of death would then "pass over" their houses (Ex 12:21-23). Animal sacrifices could only be made in the Temple in Jerusalem. Anyone offering sacrifice anywhere else was to be cut off from the people of God. Anyone who could not travel to Jerusalem was expected to celebrate the Seder in an un-bloody fashion as the primary event is the Todah. The word “Todah” means “thanksgiving”. Todah in the Greek is “Eucharistia”. The Seder is a dress rehearsal for the Eucharist: a Todah, Eucharistic, offering of unleavened bread and wine in thanksgiving for the deliverance [from sin] about to be provided through the blood of the unblemished Paschal Lamb: The Lamb of God. The Seder meal as the sacrificial meal for the Paschal Lamb is celebrated after the death of the Lamb. Since Jesus could not celebrate the Seder meal after his own death, God arranged for there to be two calendars in use in Jerusalem at the time of Jesus death. Jesus celebrated the Seder meal on the Essene calendar, on Tuesday Evening. The Essene’s were not allowed to offer sacrifice in the Temple. So, that Seder celebration was called an un-bloody sacrifice, celebrated just as the Jews celebrate the Passover Seder Meal today. For an exercise for yourself go through the Gospels and look at the time from the Meal in Bethany at which Mary poured expense perfume over Jesus to the feast of Passover. It is very confusing as some show it to be 2 days and some 5 days. They are both right! There were two Seder Meals! The Last Supper, a Seder meal, was initiated on the 15th of Nisan, according to the Essene calendar. God uses both of His calendars! It was completed on the cross, with the completion of the Seder ritual’s consumption of the 4th cup and the declaration of the Nirtzah: “It is finished”. That happened right before the death of the Paschal lamb, the Lamb of God, on the Passover Preparation Day: Nisan 14 on the Temple calendar! Jesus, the Lamb of God, upon entering Jerusalem, had been selected by the people on Lamb Selection Day (Palm Sunday) as the lamb for sacrifice for all the people by waving Palm fronds and shouting Hosanna.
- First Fruits (Reishit Katzir) is the celebration of the first fruits of the harvest. It is an acknowledgement that God continues to provide for us. Jesus is the first fruit of the resurrection, opening the Kingdom of God and demonstrating that God continues to provide for us for all eternity (1Cor 15:20). First Fruits was the third day: Passover Eve (the day the Lamb of God died on the cross) is the first day; the first day of Unleavened Bread (the Seder) is the second day; and First Fruits is the third day. First Fruits was the day Jesus rose from the grave. So, in answer to the question: Where does it say in scripture that the Messiah must die and rise on the third day? Although most scholars will quote Hos 6:2, it is specifically in the fulfillment of Passover and First Fruits! (Lev 23:1-14). Passover, Nisan 15, the second day, is always a Sabbath. The Hebrew calendar is always tweaked so that two Sabbaths will never occur back to back: Friday & Saturday or Saturday & Sunday. That was because no cooking was done on the Sabbath and without refrigeration food would not keep for two days. Thus, the Feast of First Fruits, specified in Leviticus as occurring on the first day after the Sabbath, is always on the 3rd day. Thus First Fruits is always the 3rd day: to fulfill the Feast of First Fruits Jesus must have died on Passover Eve and arose on the 3rd day, the Feast of First Fruits according to scripture!
- Pentecost (Shavuot) means 50 days and is the 50th day after First Fruits. It is a memorial of the day God himself came down on Mount Sinai in a cloud of fire and smoke and a blast of God's trumpet (Ex 19:18-19), to ratify the covenant with his people. It is a dress rehearsal for the day the Holy Spirit came down as flames of fire on the disciples, with a noise loud enough to draw a crowd of over 3,000 to the Cenacle, to ratify the new covenant written in our hearts.
- Trumpets (Rosh Hashanah) is celebrated on the 1st day of the 7th month. The feast celebrates God judgement: when all the world is judged before God’s throne. ...It is unfulfilled but thought to be the warning or illumination when everyone will see themselves as God sees them. The first of the two events that must yet be fulfilled before the Messiah returns is that the Gospel must have reached all men. If you think about it the only way that can happen is with the warning, a supernatural event in which all men recognize the truth. It is interesting to note that it is the only event that happens to everyone in the world on the same day. If you think about it there is no time when it is the same day everywhere in the world, but Trumpets is also a 2-day feast, oh what a coincidence!
- Atonement (Yom Kippur) is the holiest day of the year. It is celebrated on the 10th day of the 7th month. It is unfulfilled. It is thought to be when the Jewish nation will acknowledge Jesus as the Messiah. The second event, that must happen before the end, is the conversion of the Jews. That is not meant to be the personal conversion of every Jew but rather the acknowledgement by the Jewish people, the nation of Israel, that Jesus was/is the Messiah.
- Tabernacles (Succot), the Feast of “God with us”, in Hebrew “Emanuel”, is on the 15th day of the 7th month. It is the feast that celebrates God’s physical presence with the Israelites, during the Exodus, in a pillar of cloud by day to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light during the Exodus (Ex 13:21). The feast is celebrated by living in Sukkot, tents with a thatched roof, through which the stars must be visible, and rain must leak into the dwelling. It is a dress rehearsal for the birth of Jesus; when God came to live among his people as the Light of the World and the Source of Living Water. Jesus was born in a stable, which with the thatched roof qualified as a sukkah. The stable was used during the winter to protect infant lambs during the first week of life, while they were still vulnerable to the weather. Jesus, like infant lambs, was inspected by Levitical Shepherds and found without blemish thus qualified to be selected for sacrifice on Passover: The Lamb of God! It is interesting to note that just as it says in scripture the first shall be last and the last shall be first (Mt 19:30, Mk 10:31): Tabernacles was the first of the Feasts to be fulfilled and the last in the list on the Jewish lunar, solar calendar.
Checking consistency with the rest of scripture
A birth on the Feast of Tabernacles explains:
- Why there was no room in the inn (the caravansary courtyard): it was full of wealthy men’s tents (sukkot). Noone could stay inside the inn, so the rich set up their sukkah in the courtyard where the poor people normally stayed.
- Why Jesus was born in a stable: it qualified as a sukkah and provided more privacy, warmth, and comfort than a poor man’s sukkah.
- Why none of Joseph’s relatives opened their home to Mary who was about to give birth: she wouldn’t have stayed anywhere but in a sukkah.
- It fulfills both Jewish celebrations of light:
- The Incarnation on the last day of Chanukah, the little celebration of light, when every family had lit all nine candles (one for each of the eight days of Chanukah and the center one to light the other candles.) Every family had Menorahs for each of the older children in addition to the family Menorah. A half a million families with just one older child each lighting their Menorahs produces 9 million candle power.
- The Feast of Tabernacles, the great celebration of light, for which 4 giant (75 ft) Menorahs were erected in the Court of Women produced enough light to keep all of Jerusalem lit up all night.
- John was conceived Shevat 10, 3758 (Jan 26, 3 BC) which would imply that Jesus was born on Nisan 15, 3759. That might explain why the caravansary was full ... (there was no room in the inn). But most importantly, Jesus said that John the Baptist was Elijah (Mt 11:13-14) and the Jews hold that Elijah would return for the Seder Meal to herald the coming of the Messiah. Which in fact is what John the Baptist did. So John the Baptist must have been born on Nisan 15 of 3759 ( March 20, of 2 BC) not Jesus. If John was conceived on Jan 26 there is no way he could be born on Passover. ...
- John was conceived Av 1, 3758 (July 13, 3 BC) which implies that Jesus was born on Tishrei 15, 3760 (Sept 13, 2 BC) and John the Baptist was born on Passover, Nissan 15 of 3759, (March 20, 2 BC). (If you are counting days of Elizabeth's pregnancy, you will note the John was born on the 250th day of Elizabeth pregnancy which makes him 4 weeks early. That is explained in the Joyful mysteries narrative.) John conception on Av 1, 3758 explains: why the caravansary was full; why Jesus was born in a stable and laid in a manger; why shepherds were sent to the manger; and how the Feast of Tabernacles was fulfilled, and even fulfills the Feast of Chanukah.
Extra Biblical Validation.
- Friday September 15, 5 BC
- Monday, Tuesday Mar 12-13, 4 BC
- Saturday January 10, 1 BC
- Wednesday December 29, 1 BC
Jul Date
|
Time
|
Type
|
Umbra
Magnitude
|
Duration
|
Lat
|
Lon
|
|
Jan 10, 1 BC
|
02:04:40
|
Total
|
1.7825
|
98.8
|
22N
|
16E
|
Luke also ties the birth of Jesus to a census taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria (Lk 2:2). This has caused problems because Quirinius reigned from 6 to 9 AD. But considering that: “there was found near Tibur (Tivoli) in AD.1764 a fragment of marble known as the Lapis Tiburtinus, with part of an inscription, which is now preserved in the Lateran Museum of Christian Antiquities, as one of the important monuments bearing on the history of Christianity:
Lapis Tiburtinus |
“Here again, however, we are confronted with a serious difficulty. The supreme authority on the subject, Mommsen, considers that the most probable date for Quirinius's first government of Syria is about BC.3-1.” +
That serious difficulty evaporates when we realize that Jesus was born in 2 BC not sometime before 4 BC as was assumed by Mommsen and others.
We have established now that Quirinius was the Governor of Syria at the time of Jesus’ birth. We still want to validate the rest of Luke’s statement, that there was a requirement to go to the ancestral home for taxation. The Romans levied both a Land Tax and a Poll tax. The Land Tax was levied every 14 years and only affected the wealthy who owned property. The Poll Tax was also levied every 14 years. It affected both men (age 14 to 60) and women (age 12 to 60). The Poll Tax required everyone to return to their home city and register. The Poll Taxation occurred half way between the Land taxations. There was a Land tax riot mentioned by Josephus which occurred in 6 AD. Thus, the prior Land Tax would have occurred in 9BC and the Poll tax would have occurred in 2 BC and would have been executed by Quirinius during his first reign as governor of Syria from 3 to 1 BC. +
Jul Date
|
Time
|
Type
|
Umbra
Magnitude
|
Duration
|
Lat
|
Lon
|
|
Oct 29, 3 AD
|
01:32:40
|
Total
|
1.6883
|
103.9
|
13N
|
17E
|
The death of Herod according to Eusebius would make the Holy Families stay in Egypt 4 years instead of a few months which coresponds with the traditional expectation, or may be the source of that expection.
Jewish Temple Priest Rotation- Courses of Priest from 70 AD to 4 BC
This spreadsheet is very large so it will take a few moments to completely load onto screen. Temple rotation occurred at sunrise on Saturday morning so Jehoiarib would have begun serving at sunrise on Saturday August 4th. The priests were in the Temple saying the prayers for Sunday evening when the soldiers actually broke into the Holy of Holies.
To scroll down use the scroll wheel on your mouse, or the scroll bar on the right side of the spreadsheet. There are two sheets. Sheet1 shows the serving Division of Priest beginning in the week ending 8/11/70 AD and goes back in time to the week ending 1/5/3 BC. Sheet2 begins with week ending 1/5/3 BC and goes forward in time to week ending 8/11/70 AD. Also, those interested can view the full document in Excel format here.
Validation of the Jewish Calendar
Some scholars may complain that this is a derived calendar, whereas the Jews only started using a derived calendar after the destruction of the temple in 70 AD and therefore, all my dates are suspect at best because all the dates are on or before 70 AD. However the derived calendar was derived based on 2000 years of practice. And was self correcting every spring. So to validate the calendar I will demonstrate its validity using NASA’s solar and lunar eclipse records. All dates are going to be plus or minus 1 day because the date changes at sunset not midnight and because the Jews tweaked the calendar to prevent back to back Sabbaths. Because the Hebrew calendar is a lunar based calendar a total solar eclipse can only occur on the 1st of the month and a total lunar eclipse can only occur on the 15th of a month. We have shown that the temple destruction began on the 9th of Av, of 70 AD and the Talmud establishes that on the 10 of Av the priests were reciting the prayers for the afternoon of the first day of the week when the soldiers came into the Holy of Holies. On our derived calendar the 9th of Av is also a Saturday, August 4th and the 10th is thus also a Sunday the first day of the week: Sunday August 5th: exactly right. Once again the validity of the date of the crucifixion is easy because the moon rose over Jerusalem as a partial blood moon: in a partial eclipse on April 3rd of the year 33 AD. [27] (As referenced by Peter's speech referring to the day of Jesus' crucifixion on Pentecost (Acts 2:20) as a fulfillment of Joel's prophecy. (Joel 2:10) As shown in this Web publication the crucifixion happened on April 3rd, 33AD, the 14th of Nissan the eve of Passover. To validate the calendar for the date of Jesus’ birth we have:- On February 15, 3 BC a total solar eclipse #4757 which occurred on the last day of Adar, 30 Adar
- On January 10, 1BC a total lunar eclipse #4821 which occurred on the 15th of Shevat
- On July 5, 1 BC a total lunar eclipse #4822 which occurred on the 14th of Tammuz
Visitation
- approximately 12/16/-3 to 3/19/-2 about 3 months (Lk 1:56)Our Father
As Mary reflected on the words of the angel, she realized the angel had given her a sign in the pregnancy of Elizabeth. Gabriel had said: “Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; for nothing will be impossible for God” (Lk 1:36-37). (HM-1).
Mary rejoiced for Elizabeth. Elizabeth ... Elizabeth and Zechariah lived only 6 miles (9.6 kilometers) from the temple where Mary lived for 8 years. Being childless, Elizabeth devoted care and attention to the children in the Temple. During her stay in the Temple, Mary saw much more of Elizabeth than she did of her parents, who lived 90 miles (145 kilometers) away. Mary knew how much her own child would mean to Elizabeth. As she thought about Elizabeth, Mary also realized that Elizabeth, because of her age, would need help during the last months of her pregnancy and she was already in her sixth month. Mary was delighted at the thought of helping Elizabeth. She had to go to Elizabeth! Now Elizabeth needed her!
Map of Palestine |
When did I last turn a complement to God’s glory where it truly belongs? When did I last give glory to God? (HM-4)
One Year Old Male Lamb |
After Elizabeth’s baby is born and the Seder meal finished, things began to settle down. Joseph laid down for the night in a common area (likely the roof) with the rest of the extended family. ...
His thoughts return to Mary and her situation. Mary left suddenly 3 months ago, had she been attacked? He was hurting. He felt betrayed. Then he considered the consequences to Mary. It was not his child, so if he denounced her she would be stoned to death as an adulteress. Over the two and a half years that he has known Mary, he has grown to love her. Mary was such a good, kind, and loving girl. She had an incredible love of God. It was difficult to understand how this could have happened. He could not let such a one be stoned. If instead he just submitted a writ of divorce to the Great Sanhedrin, ... then she would be a repudiated woman and free to marry the father of her child, if that was what she wanted. But, because he had not divorced her for adultery, people would think that he was the father. He would be considered a “deadbeat” father and be scorned and possibly even shunned for casting Mary off while she was with child. As shameful as that would be, he could not leave Mary subject to the law (stoning). Joseph chose to divorce Mary privately rather than to make an example of her (Mt 1:19). He chose to give up his own reputation for Mary. Joseph chose to take on Mary’s "guilt”, just as Jesus has taken on our guilt. There is no greater love than to give up your life for someone (Jn 15:13).
Typical home during Jesus’ time |
The angel said: “Joseph son of David, do not fear to take Mary, your wife, for what is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit: she will bear a son and you will name him Jesus, ‘Yahweh saves’, for He will save his people from their sins” (Mt 1:20-21).
Naming Jesus was an adoptive act. Joseph was to adopt Jesus as his own son. The Angel had asked Joseph if he would take Mary into his home and be the father to Jesus. I wonder if Joseph slept at all the remainder of the night. Joseph pondered the implications of being a father to the Messiah, a father to the Son of God! He had thought, with his vow of celibacy, he would never get to experience the joy of fatherhood. He had thought that, even though he was a descendant of David, he was not worthy to even be considered to be in line for the fatherhood of the Messiah. He took the vow of celibacy as a prayer to bring the Messiah. Now the Messiah was not only coming, He was coming into Joseph’s care! His sorrow has turned to great joy: his prayer for the Messiah has been answered. Mary is not an adulteress; she is the mother of the Messiah! He can hardly wait for Mary to wake up.
Consider the joy in the house on the following morning, the morning following the Seder Supper. Mary and Joseph shared the stories of their respective angelic visits: “Mary, an angel came to me last night …” Think of the flood of relief and joy that poured over Mary at those words!
Elizabeth and Zechariah are now parents of a son, just as the angel had told Zechariah. They are now also overwhelmed with relief and delight at the sight of Mary and Joseph together: hand in hand and grinning from ear to ear! One look at the joy on Mary’s face and Elizabeth knows that Joseph is also part of God’s plan.
Mary’s parents are told that they will be grandparents after all, of the Messiah! (Remember Mary’s father had to give his permission for Mary to take a vow of celibacy.) (HM-8)
The Seder celebration has a custom of setting an extra place at the table for Elijah, because of the tradition that Elijah would return on Passover. + That year, with the birth of John the Baptist, whom the angel Gabriel told Zechariah had the spirit of Elijah (Lk 1:17), Elijah did return for the Seder meal on Passover 2 BC.
Normally the father of the groom determines when a marriage for a betrothed couple will be formalized: the nisu’in is celebrated under the wedding canopy. Hence the saying “Only the Father knows the day and the hour” (Mt 24:36). The father determines the day and the hour based on the couple’s behavior. Think about that in the context of Mt 24:36. (HM-9)
But if Joseph was 30 years old then he alone could decide when the nisu’in is celebrated. Joseph and Mary likely celebrated it that same day, while together with the extended family in Jerusalem. Zechariah, a priest, has known Mary’s situation for three months. He gladly officiates at the ceremony (with someone reading the words for him as is normally done even today for a priest or minister who lost his speech to a stroke).
Since John was born on Passover, his circumcision would have taken place on Passover Yizkor. ... Circumcisions took place on the 8th day even if it fell on a Sabbath. Mary and Joseph would have stayed for the celebration. They would not have left for home until Nisan 23. ...
And it happened that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to call him Zechariah,after his father. But his mother answered and said, “No, he will be called John.”
And they said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who is called by that name.” And they made signs to his father, as to what he wanted him called.
Zechariah asked for a tablet and wrote as follows: “His name is John.” And they were all astonished and at once his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he began to speak in praise of God. Fear came on all those living around them; and all these matters were being talked about in all the hill country of Judea.
All who heard them kept them in mind, saying, “What then will this child turn out to be?” For the hand of the Lord was certainly with him.
And his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying: “Blessed be the Lord the God of Israel, for He has visited us and accomplished redemption for his people, and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of David his servant [a prophecy concerning Jesus] - as He spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old - Salvation from our enemies from the hand of all who hate us; to show mercy toward our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant. The oath which He swore to Abraham our father, to grant us that we, being rescued from the hand of our enemies, might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.
“And [concerning his own son] you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare his ways to give to his people knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, with which the Sunrise will visit us, to shine upon those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.” (Lk 1:57-79). [Jesus is the dawn from on high, the “Sunrise”, who will visit us bringing ‘life’, ‘light’, and ‘peace’]. +
After sharing such a powerful experience as that which occurred throughout the Feast of Passover; Mary and Joseph did not leave until they had made plans to return in the fall, when they would be relocating to Bethlehem, a suburb of Jerusalem. ... Both Mary and Joseph knew that Micah had prophesied that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem (Mic 5:1), Joseph’s home town. Even if they hadn’t remembered it, Zechariah would surely have reminded them. Knowing Mary was carrying the Messiah; Zechariah would have reviewed all the scriptural prophesies relating to the Messiah.
Mary and Joseph had been betrothed for almost 3 years. Mary has been away from home, Nazareth, for just over three months and returns a married woman. Joseph’s family is from Bethlehem where the wedding would have normally been held. No one in Nazareth would have expected a wedding in Nazareth. Mary and Joseph left Nazareth for Bethlehem 3 weeks before Jesus’ birth, the last week of August. They then fled from Herod by going from Bethlehem to Cairo, Egypt. ... The Holy Family did not return to Nazareth for almost 8 months. They did not return to Nazareth until after Passover in 1 BC, returning from Jerusalem with the caravan from Nazareth on Sunday, April 15th, 1 BC. The timing of Jesus’ birth versus the formalization of the marriage would simply never have arisen. (HM-10, GB, OMJ)
Reflections on the Visitation
Mary, your initial reaction to the angel’s message was to go and help Elizabeth. You immediately decided to go take a 90 mile, 6-day walk to help someone. My reaction would be: “Good for her, I’ll bet she is excited.” Teach me to focus on service for that too is prayer. It is taking an active part in the Mystical Body of your son. Help me to recognize opportunities to serve.
Turn the praise back to God
Mary, when Elizabeth recognized you as the mother of the Messiah, your first reaction was to turn the praise to God. You turned Elizabeth’s focus directly to God. Help me to keep in mind that all things come from God and all praise belongs to God. If I am given the gift to accomplish something it is only because God has first given me both the opportunity and the skills necessary to accomplish it. I have simply been blessed to be his instrument.
Do not presume to do God a favor
God can do anything. He does not need me to do anything for him. If he wants something he will ask directly or through one of his messengers (angels). Most often though, He provides both an opportunity through a series of coincidences and a compulsion to do what He is asking. If he has not asked, it is not time and He may even block my attempts to do so. It is presumption to think that God needs me to do something. It is likely not possible to be more arrogant. Lord give me the grace to recognize that when you have not presented the opportunity it is simply not time. Give me the wisdom to recognize when it is time. Give me the humility to accept that I am not finished. Give me the grace to see what still needs to be done. Thank you, Lord for what you have provided already. God has given me the desire, so I must change my prayer to one of “Show me what I must do to be ready.”
Mary was given a sign by Gabriel
When Mary went to Ein Kerem to see Elizabeth she was also responding to the sign given her by Gabriel. For her effort she was rewarded with confirmation of all that the angel had said, since Elizabeth realized she was carrying the Messiah. Elizabeth’s words: “Happy is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord” (Lk 1:4) were fulfilled at that very moment.
Joseph was not told until he had decided to give his life for Mary Joseph, God chose to wait until you had decided what to do about Mary, before He let you in on his plan. I think He wanted you to know that you had in fact chosen to give yourself for Mary. He wanted you to know you had freely chosen love. Help me to love. Keep me aware of my choices in the little things of the day. Picking up some trash on the floor, putting something left out away, taking out the trash, a word of encouragement, an acknowledgement of the effort of another, and doing what needs to be done are also acts of love. You lived a life in the background, always there, always providing, always loving. Help me to imitate you. God has shown me that in doing things for love, that are never mentioned, God will not be out done in generosity: Peace reigns, the Kingdom of God comes. I wish I knew more about you, Joseph. I love the staircase you built in Santa Fe. That was something beautifully done and then you simply left, asking for no acknowledgement or payment.
Nativity
- September 13, 2 BC/Tishrei 15, 3760Our Father
That summer there came a decree, from Caesar Augustus, that the entire world should be taxed. ... Joseph, being from the house of David and intending to relocate to his home town, Bethlehem, now also had to go to Bethlehem to register for the poll tax (Lk 2:1-3). The census during the reign of Quirinius ... required all to travel to their own city sometime during the fall and winter months: when harvest was over. Harvest completion was marked by the Feast of Tabernacles, Sukkoth, an 8-day feast, beginning on Tishrei 15.
The Feast is in remembrance of God’s physical presence with the Israelites in the pillar of cloud and fire, during the Exodus (Ex 13:21). It is also called the Feast of God with us, in Hebrew: “Emanuel”. (HM-1)
The Israelites lived in booths, called a sukkot, during the Exodus. They were accompanied during their journey by the physical presence of God in the Pillar of cloud by day and a Pillar of fire by night. They were also provided water from the rock that accompanied them during the Exodus. Thus there are three components to the celebration of Tabernacles: lights, water, and booths:
- The Illumination of the Temple Ceremony in which four oil fed lamps, seventy-five-foot Menorahs, provided light to the entire city all night long just as the pillar of fire provided light during the Exodus (Jesus is the light of the world).
- The Joyous Water-Drawing Ceremony. + On Sukkoth, water was also poured over the altar in a special ceremony. This ritual engendered such joy that it was celebrated with music, dancing and singing all night long. It celebrates the fact that during the Exodus water flowed from the rock that accompanied them during their journey (Jesus is the source of living water.) ... (HM-2)
- Tabernacles is also called Shelters or Booths because during the entire eight days, all Israelites are required to live in shelters, called sukkot, like they did during the Exodus. The sukkot are tents for the wealthy but for the common people, like a carpenter and his wife, it was a kind of lean-to. A sukkah must have at least 3 sides, allow the stars to be visible, and have a cover of branches: a leaky thatched roof. If it rains you are supposed to get wet!
Expensive Sukkah Exodus Encampment Minimum Sukkah |
Holy Land Caravansary |
Joseph needed to go to Jerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacles as it is a convocation during which every Israelite male over 13 was required to go to the designated place of worship: Jerusalem. Bethlehem is a suburb of Jerusalem, just 5 miles (8 kilometers) south of the Temple. Although it is only 70 miles (113 kilometers) from Nazareth to Jerusalem the route the caravan would take was 92 miles (148 kilometers) to avoid going through Samaria.
Travelers without family or friends in Jerusalem, upon arriving in environs of Jerusalem, set up their sukkot in the central courtyard of the caravansaries with the pack animals and baggage. This allowed them to leave their property in the caravansary and go to the Temple or market, as was required, without fear of losing their property. With the courtyards filling up with sukkot even the caravansaries as far away as Bethlehem filled quickly. For the next 8 days, no one lived inside! The Greek word for “caravansary” which is used by Luke in his Gospel has been translated into English as “inn”.
Arriving at the caravansary in Bethlehem early Friday afternoon, Joseph discovers the courtyard is already full of sukkot (there is physically no room in the “inn”, the caravansary courtyard, to set up even a poor man's sukkah). (HM-4)
Joseph has family in Bethlehem, so he seeks them out to set up his sukkah with theirs and at the same time to arrange for assistance for Mary who was now beginning labor. It is suggested that rather than use Joseph’s sukkah, they use one of the nearby stables. ... The stables were only used to protect new born lambs from the cold weather. The stables were currently empty since the temple flocks were still in pasture. ...
Joseph’s sukkah does not provide the required privacy for giving birth. The stable qualifies as a sukkah, provides privacy, and is much warmer than Joseph’s lean-to. Joseph’s family is there to assist Mary with the birth of Jesus. (HM-5)
When my daughter had her first child, a son, as she lay in the hospital bed holding her son, she looked up at me and said: “I didn’t think it was possible to love a human being this much!” Worn out from hours of labor, hair in dis-array, with no makeup, her face radiated with so much joy, I have never seen her so beautiful!
Consider the joy felt by both Mary and Joseph. They also know that their little baby boy is the long-awaited Messiah! The baby is God’s Son. God’s own son is the answer to their prayer for the Messiah! (HM-6)
Jesus is Mary’s first born, born in a stable used by the Levitical shepherds to protect new born Paschal Lambs from the weather. He is inspected by the Levitical shepherds and found without blemish! How else could the Lamb of God be born?
Mary’s child is born in Bethlehem which means “House of Bread”. Where else would the Bread of Life be born? (Like coincidences? Jessi Romero calls them "Godincidences.") In Arabic "Bethlehem" means "House of Meat". But wait. isn’t the Bread of Life actually the flesh of the Lamb of God! The Nativity is not only pointing to Passover but also to the Eucharist!
Jesus is born on the Feast of Emanuel, the Feast of God with us! When else would He who is God, is now with us, and is even called Emanuel (God with us) by Isaiah (Is 7:14), be born?
Jesus is conceived and born on the two Jewish celebrations of light. How else should the “Light of the World” be brought into the world?
The joy experienced by Mary and Joseph at the birth of Jesus, the source of living water, is the fulfillment of the saying in the Talmud: He who has not seen the Water-Drawing Celebration has never seen joy in his life.” +
This gives additional meaning to the words of Jesus to Pilate when He said: “for this I was born” (Jn 18:37). Jesus was a first born, born in a stable used for the temple flocks to protect the new born lambs, inspected by the Levitical shepherds, found without blemish, and thus qualified from his birth for a Paschal sacrifice: The Lamb of God. (HM-10, GB, OMJ)
Reflections on the Nativity
God’s Providence
Mary, how many hundreds of millions of people read the story
of the birth of your son and thought: Why was Joseph so late that there was no
room in the inn? Why was there no one, in a culture that valued highly “providing
assistance to travelers”, to take you in so that you could have your baby in
the warmth and privacy of a home? God had a plan! Your son was born in a
stable used for the temple flocks to protect new born lambs from the weather. He
was inspected by the Levitical shepherds and found without blemish thus marked
for sacrifice on Passover as the Lamb of God. All these things happened by the
Providence of God not just for those living when you lived but also for us
living 2000 years later. Luke says you pondered these things in your heart.
Did you see the connections? I take my life on the surface, based only on what
my own senses perceive, one day at a time. It is inconceivable to me that my
life too is part of God’s plan. My part may be small but it is a part of his
plan. The only requirement is that I love. Love is action not feeling! I must
reach out to those with whom I come in contact. When I submit myself to become
God’s instrument He will use me in ways that I will only understand after I
die. What a joy to look forward to.
Coincidences?
We see coincidences all the time. We run into a friend at a store or are thinking of someone and they call. There is math for that: it is called probability. What is the probability that if I go into a store I will see someone I know? That is a fairly high probability, I know a lot of people. When you combine two independent events: “What is the probability I meet someone in the store I know, who was at Mass this morning?” The number of possible successful outcomes is now significantly reduced because most of the people I know were not at Mass this morning and I don’t know all the people who were at Mass this morning. However sometimes the series of coincidences (the number of events) gets to be so long it becomes obvious that this was planned: Linda always stops at the store, on her way home from Mass, to pick up a gallon of milk so she has fresh milk for her kids. If I meet her at the store after Mass the probability was 100%. When the probability of accidental happening gets so small and yet it happens that implies that it was planned! Jesus is the Lamb of God. Lambs are frequently born in stables. New born lambs are inspected by Levitical shepherds. Unblemished lambs are sacrificed. What is the probability that Jesus would also be born in a stable, inspected by Levitical shepherds, and die on Passover? Oh, and that He would be known as the Lamb of God and that He would be born on the feast of “God with Us”, the feast of Emanuel, that the Light of the World would be conceived and born on the two celebrations of light, that the Source of living water would be born on the day of the Joyous Water Drawing Ceremony? It was planned that way! Help me Lord to see your hand in the coincidences in my life.
Presentation
- October 22, 2 BC/Cheshvan 24, 3760After the Feast of Tabernacles, when the requirement to live in a sukkah ended, Joseph moved his small family into a home where they would be found by the magi (Mt 2:10). (HM-1)
When a woman gives birth to her first child, if it is a boy, then he must be redeemed by the father. The ceremony of redemption of a first born by his father is termed a Pidyon Haben. It takes place on the 30th day after the birth (for Jesus that would have been: October 12th, Cheshvan 14th). The offering for redemption, five shekels (Nm 18:15-16), is not mentioned in the New Testament but Joseph understood his role as adoptive father and we are told that they had performed everything according to the law of the Lord (Lk 2:39). (HM-2)
A woman, who becomes pregnant and gives birth to a son, is ceremonially unclean for seven days, just as during her monthly period. Then the woman must wait thirty-three more days to be purified from her bleeding. She must not touch anything sacred or go to the sanctuary (Lev 12:2-4). The mother does not attend the Pidyon Haben. At the end of this period of purification the woman was required to make a sacrifice of a year-old lamb for her purification and a turtle dove or pigeon for sin (Lev 12:6). If she could not afford that, then a sacrifice of two turtle doves could be made (Lev 12:8). ... (HM-3)Mary and Joseph went to the temple to make the required sacrifice for Mary’s purification (Lk 2:22). Mary, like any woman who has given birth while the father is away, wanted to take Jesus to his Father, Yahweh.
As Mary and Joseph entered the temple, after Mary’s purification in one of the many baths located just outside the temple, Simeon approaches (Lk 2:27). Simeon recognized Jesus as the Messiah, he takes Jesus into his arms saying: “Lord, now let your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all peoples, a light of revelation to the gentiles, and glory for your people Israel”(Lk 2:29-32). (HM-4)
Mary also rejoices with Anna, an 84-year-old widow of the tribe of Asher, who recognizes Jesus and goes off telling everyone who was looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem (Lk 2:38)
Both Simeon and Anna (Lk 2:36) filled with the Holy Spirit, have recognized not Mary and Joseph but the child and give glory to God! According to Jewish Law, it takes two witnesses of an event to prove that the event occurred as described by the witnesses. It is not a coincidence that Luke provides two witnesses to the presentation of Jesus. (HM-6)
Consider the joy Mary felt when strangers exclaimed over her new born. Even more so, the joy she felt when her child is recognized for being special. Jesus is recognized as the Messiah even as an infant! (HM-7)
As they were leaving the Temple, Simeon blessed them and said to Mary: “Behold this child is destined for the rise and fall of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be contradicted and you yourself a sword will pierce so that the thoughts of many may be revealed” (Lk 2:33-35).
Mary holds her son close to her heart as she realizes that Simeon’s prophecy will come because of her son. (HM-8)
Simeon has witnessed what he perceives to be a dedication to temple service. Mary and Joseph did not make a sacrifice for the redemption of Jesus after presenting him to his Father so from Simeon perspective Jesus, the Messiah, has just been very appropriately dedicated to the service of God. Since Mary and Joseph must have forgotten to record the dedication, Simeon was happy to take care of that for them. ... (HM-9)Both Samuel and Mary, dedicated to the temple, were brought back to the temple to stay when they were weaned (able to live without their mother) but it was not required to bring the male child until he became of age because his dedication was for life.
God initiated Jesus’ conception. Mary had no intention of dedicating Jesus to the Temple. Mary and Joseph knew Jesus was to be the Messiah. They were simply bringing Jesus to his Father. (HM-10, GB, OMJ)
Reflections on the Presentation
Joseph and Mary acknowledge the Fatherhood of God
When a woman whose spouse is on military deployment gives birth, the first thing she wants to do is bring their child to his father. Mary, you were no different. By law you could not go into the temple for 40 days. You were an hour away from the temple, but you could not go. You were completely drawn to God as Gabriel testified. Now you were holding your son, God’s Son! Joseph has adopted Jesus at God’s request and he too wants to be with you as you brought to God his own son. Just from a human perspective it had to be an incredibly joyful moment. From a spiritual perspective, it was indescribable, even unimaginable!
Joy tempered with sorrow
The presentation was a complex event. It was at the same time a Joyful Mystery and one of your sorrows. It filled you with incredible joy to be able to introduce your son to his Father. Your joy was amplified when Simeon and Anna recognized Jesus as the Messiah. As a new mother, all praise directed to your son was shared by you. You were on such an incredible high when, as you were about to leave, Simeon brought you down: “A sword will pierce your soul!” These were words you immediately recognized to be prophetic. It made you want to hold your child close to your heart because you knew it meant the sword would come because of your son. There would be those who would resent, even hate, your son.
As Joseph took you by night to Egypt you began to see just how much the world could hate; then you were told about the children in and around Bethlehem who were killed as Herod attempted to kill your son. ... Many were children you had met in your brief stay in Bethlehem. They were the children of the mothers with whom you had shared the joys of new motherhood. Your heart was ripped apart. You felt all the pain of those 20 mothers. Your child was safe but theirs were gone! Lord give me the grace to accept the losses that must come. Allow me the wisdom and compassion to be able to console those who feel the pain.
Joseph is the Adoptive Father of God’s Son
Joseph was told by the angel to name the baby Yeshua, “Yahweh saves”. Naming is an adoptive act. The angel was telling Joseph to adopt Jesus as his own son. Joseph took Jesus to a Synagogue and made the offering of 5 shekels to redeem Mary’s first born. Joseph knew that Jesus was conceived by the action of the Holy Spirit and that Jesus would grow up to become the Messiah. Joseph, you were a carpenter who swore to live a life of celibacy as a prayer to bring the Messiah. Now your son is God’s son! What must it have been like to hold God? To hold him in your arms and rock him to sleep? He must have fallen when he was learning to walk, and you held him when he cried. God cried in your arms! You taught Jesus to be a carpenter. You taught God! You learned humility from your son. So, you chose to always remain in the background. You chose to love and to serve providing for Mary and Jesus. Teach me to love as you loved. Help me to provide for my family.
Adoration of the Magi
- November - December, 2 BC / Kislev to Tevet, 3760Our Father
Their origin was from the East. It is thought from either Seleucia (Babylon was destroyed in 325 BC and a new capital city, Seleucia, was established 27 miles (43 kilometers) to the North) or possibly Persepolis if Cyrus or Darius had moved the wise men back to Persia.
It took 4 months for a large caravan to travel from Babylon to Jerusalem. It was 1090 miles (1754 kilometers). It is 1420 miles (2285 kilometers) from Persepolis to Jerusalem. A small group on camels would average 25 miles (40 kilometers) a day carrying up to 300 lbs. (136 kg) per camel for a few days. For a longer trip the average was closer to 18 miles (29 kilometers) a day. Thus, the trip would have taken a minimum of 72 days from Seleucia and 94 days from Persepolis, allowing for 1 day of rest for every 6 days of travel for the camels and men. (HM-2)
Then Herod secretly called the magi and determined from them the exact time the star appeared (the first conjunction of Jupiter and Regulus). And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the Child; and when you have found him, report to me, so that I too may come and worship him.” After hearing the king, they went their way; and the star, which they had seen in the east, went on before them until it came and stood over the place where the Child was. (The early Church Fathers assumed that the star was angelic at this point as the star had to have been low enough to designate which house it was over). When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. After coming into the house, they saw the Child with Mary his mother; and they fell to the ground and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they presented to him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned by God in a dream not to return to Herod, the magi left for their own country by another way. (Mt 2:1-12)
Reflections on the Adoration of the Magi
There are several elements which anticipate the stories end. Here as there the issue is Jesus’ status as the King of the Jews. Here as there the Jewish leaders gather against him. Here as there, plans are laid in secret. And here as there Jesus’ death is sought. So, the end is foreshadowed in the beginning. But there are also artistic contrasts. Here a light in the night sky proclaims the Messiah’s advent. There the darkness during the day announces his death. Here Jesus is worshipped and there He is mocked. Here it is prophesied that Jesus will shepherd his people Israel; there it is foretold that Jesus, the shepherd, will be struck and his sheep scattered. Here there is great rejoicing; there we find mourning and grief. +
Why would they bring gold, frankincense, and myrrh?
Isaiah speaks of the coming of the light and that Gentiles would come on camels bringing gold and incense. Both frankincense and myrrh are incense. Jesus, like Melchizedek, was priest, prophet, and king; and He was both God and man. Jesus would choose to sacrifice himself for us. Gold is a gift for a king. Frankincense is a gift for an offering of a smell pleasing to God. Myrrh is a gift of an incense used for embalming. What did Mary and Joseph do with the gifts? Is that where the money for the redemption of Jesus came?
Why did God provide the celestial symbolism?
Mary, I suspect that you didn’t notice the celestial symbolism. Yet God so arranged the events that it is obvious that it had to be planned. It was another thing God did for us living 2000 years later so that we would believe.
Finding in the Temple
– April 5th, 12/Nisan 25, 3772Reflections on the Finding in the Temple
Jesus did not use his divinity.
If Jesus had used his divinity, He would have known that Mary and Joseph were not aware of the requirement for Jesus to remain in the temple. Knowing and allowing them to be hurt as they were, would be sinful. Scripture tells us Jesus was like us in everything but sin. Jesus did work miracles but so have many saints. Jesus did raise the dead but so did Elisha and Peter. Jesus knew the hearts of people but so did Padre Pio (he wouldn’t absolve a woman until she confessed having an abortion). Both Padre Pio and Jesus’ mom bi-located, Jesus didn’t do that, but He did say you will do still more than I have done. Mary, while I am afraid of anything miraculous because of my own ego, I believe in miracles and still petition you and your son to intervene in the lives of us still on earth.
There is a spiritual battle going on.
Mary, you were only 27 when you were confronted with the realization that your son was missing. You checked with all your neighbors and discovered that Jesus and not been with the caravan at all. He was still in Jerusalem. The wait until daybreak to begin the trip back to Jerusalem was horrible. That next day ended in frustration. You were back in Jerusalem and had checked with all your relatives and friends where Jesus might have gone and it is nightfall again. Once again you must wait until morning. I know you were praying for your son. Praying that you would find him safe. Did you begin to suspect that the spiritual battle had begun again? The devil had struck another blow: distracting you throughout the first day’s journey.
When you found Jesus and asked him why He had done this you were stunned by his answer: “Why were you looking for me? Didn’t you know that I must be in my father’s house.” Suddenly you realize Jesus must be redeemed! But you know you never intended to dedicate Jesus to temple service. Yet you must redeem Jesus since you presented him! At that point, you probably realized you were once again in the middle of a “God thing” although you can’t see the whole picture: the foreshadowing of Jesus’ death and resurrection as well as preventing a future move by Satan to hinder Jesus’ mission. You are grateful that the solution is simple: redeem Jesus and you can go home. Mary help me to see the things that I don’t understand as just that: “God things”. Help me to trust as you did, that God is in control and that He directs events according to a picture beyond my ability to see. Did you wonder if this was the sword that Simeon was referring to? I’ll bet you knew in your heart this was not it.
In the presentation joy is followed by sorrow and now sorrow is followed by joy.
The Presentation and the Finding in the Temple are both Joyful Mysteries and one of your Seven Sorrows. The Presentation was joyful until Simeon prophesied that a sword would pierce your soul: joy followed by sorrow and now the Finding in the Temple is intense sorrow followed by intense joy. Jesus is found safe and will return home. My life is like that too. There is both joy and sorrow. Thank you for the joy, thank you for sharing the joy with me. Help me through the sorrows that must also come. Sorrow is always associated with loss and nothing in this life except love will last. All though even love can be rejected which brings sorrow. Give me the courage to love without worry about rejection.
There is only one life. It will soon be past. Only what’s done for love will last.
The Luminous Mysteries
Slide to Adjust font size | ||
Font Size |
||
Using 100 rem |
The Luminous Mysteries
Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary
(Recited on Thursdays)
1st Luminous Mystery- The Baptism in the Jordan
2nd Luminous Mystery- The Wedding at Cana
3rd Luminous Mystery- The Proclamation of the Kingdom
4th Luminous Mystery- The Transfiguration
Background- The Events of Holy Week
5th Luminous Mystery- The Institution of the Eucharist
The Baptism in the Jordan
A prefiguration of Jesus Passion and Death“This is my beloved Son (Ps 2:7) in whom I am well pleased ( Is 42:1, Mt 3:17, Mk 1:11, Lk 3:22).
Our Father
Reflections on the Baptism of Jesus
A foreshadowing of his baptism unto deathLike their mothers, Mary and Elizabeth, Jesus and John were associated in the plan of God. John had a specific role to play as the forerunner announcing the arrival of the Messiah and proclaiming a baptism of repentance. By the hand of John, Jesus is baptized in waters that symbolize his upcoming death, and as he rises from the water, the Spirit descends and the Father’s voice is heard echoing across the Jordan. This mystery of Jesus’ baptism offers a glimpse of that other baptism he will undergo on the cross—a total submersion into sin and death, two abominations that never should have been, but that man’s free will brought into the world. By this baptism, Jesus is saying that he is ready to take it all on, that he is not afraid of our sin, and that he will do this for us because he loves us. In this mystery, Mary can help us to face our own challenges, especially the ones we fear most. Perhaps it is a long-postponed confession, or an overdue reconciliation with a family member, or an act of honesty about something we would rather leave in the shadows. She can teach us to plunge into those cold waters with the confidence that we will rise again, made stronger and purer by the Father’s grace.
Do little things exceedingly well for love of me.
In the reality of daily living we do little things constantly. But how about the little things of the Spirit: that one step farther, that true smile that comes from the depth of your heart and not only from your lips? When you are numb with tiredness and your body wants only to sit, and suddenly in the crowd you see a sad person, how about that one little touch?
The inner power of the Spirit makes you get up and extend your hand to that person and say, “Good night, sleep well, I will really pray for you. I know without ‘knowing,’ that you are sad.” Suddenly the face of that other person lights up. Then when you get home, don’t forget to “do little things well for love of Me.” Don’t forget to pray, if only a little: “Lord, I don’t know her name, but you know her name. Cheer her.” Then you can go to sleep.
That’s very little, but it too must be done well. This mandate is not only physical; that is to say it’s not only that I must arise. It’s deeply spiritual, regarding the hidden life of the Spirit.
The Little phrase is like a misty horizon that under the sun or the fire of the Spirit, extends in depth. Each one of those words calls you until the end of your life. Only when you are laid into the grave will you know the dimension of the road and the country you have traveled. It’s much bigger than the distance between earth and moon, in fact it’s infinite.
For Peace +
John the Baptist baptized Jesus even though He did not need it. Jesus lived his life – the joys, the daily routine, his mission, and sufferings always in the presence of his Father. Tuned precisely to his Father’s will, his baptism was not for himself, a baptism of necessity; but it was rather a necessity for us – that we might follow his Way to the Father. He was giving us the invitation: “Follow Me.”
Peace of heart is the result of applying love in all of our relationships; with God, others, and even the natural world. Love when applied in our daily life draws the Holy Spirit. He is the one who brings peace.
You can do little to make the whole world peaceful, but you can BE peace in your small part of it. St. Seraphim of Sarov said: “Attain Peace and you will save a thousand around you.” Peace opens hearts to God. In this decade of the Rosary I pray that we the baptized, can become peace - like a candle that says: “Follow Me.”
The Wedding at Cana
Remember Jesus’ words: “What is this between you and me?” Jesus won’t refuse his mother!Jesus replied: “Woman, ... what is this between you and me? My hour has not yet come.” (Jn 2:4).
That sounds like a rebuke to us, but “What is this between you and me?” is a biblical idiom that means: our relationship or this situation is such that you know that whatever you ask me I will do. + It is accepted by Abraham, when he bought the tomb for Sara (Gen 23:15).In John’s Gospel, Jesus’ use of the term “Hour” always refers to the culminating moments of Jesus’ life. Jesus is pointing out to Mary the fascinating connection to his hour: Jesus’ first miracle will turn water into the finest wine while at his Hour He will turn wine into his own blood. Thus, his public life becomes the fulfillment of Moses first miracle of turning water into blood. + Notice also; Mary did not question Jesus but told the waiters to do whatever Jesus said.
Mary asked for wine and Jesus provided the “good wine”. Remember Jesus’ words: “What is this between you and me?” Jesus won’t refuse his mother! Mary would not let the groom be embarrassed by running out of wine at his wedding. She knew what was needed. As He died on the cross, Jesus gave her to us to be our mother. Mary is our most powerful advocate! Invite her to be part of your life. (HM-10, GB, OMJ)
Reflections on the Wedding at Cana
Who is this man?The wedding in Cana is the first moment when Jesus performs a public miracle – an act of power that makes people start asking the crucial question: “Who is this man?” Mary is there with him, with her discreet and serene presence. When the wine runs short, she approaches Jesus with an implicit request that she knows will have tremendous consequences: “They have no wine.” Mary knows that if he works this miracle now, their hidden life together will never be the same, that he will leave Nazareth for Capharnum ... and begin his public ministry. It is a sacrificial request inspired by the Holy Spirit, and Jesus acts on it because he perceives the Father’s will behind her words. In fact, his hour has come. He works the miracle, and the great mystery of his identity begins to attract attention. In our lives too, there are moments when other people with their needs and requests are actually the voice of God speaking to us, asking us to take a step that perhaps we know will have big consequences. Perhaps the timing is inconvenient, or we would rather not get involved. But that inconvenient request could be God’s way of imploring us to step into an important mission in his plan. In this mystery, Mary can gain us the grace to “do whatever He tells you.”
Love, love, love, never counting the cost
I barely dare to touch that because, speaking for myself, I have counted the cost very often. As God knows, I have cried out, “Lord, that is impossible!” To love means to surrender to every situation, no matter how horrible and impossible. To love means to surrender to every person, no matter how terrible or obnoxious. It means to stand naked with the naked crucified Christ in the market place where people may spit at you or push you.
But doing this has the power to make the other surrender to God. Our love, when it is without counting the cost, leads the other toward God. Our love makes straight the paths of the Lord. It’s making straight the paths of the Lord with our bare hands and bare feet, sometimes through brambles. Torn and broken, we still keep moving so that other people can follow this little path without being scratched. No matter what the price, we make a road to Christ for the other. It’s life in the Spirit.
There can be no self-pity in the person who makes straight the way of the Lord. No matter how hard it is to love and love and love again, always the Fire and the Wind are there, so you resolutely enter the brambles. Then after you’ve made about six steps, or perhaps only three, a tremendous Wind comes like a tornado and — whoosh! there are no brambles, for they are torn from the path. All God asks is an act of faith made with love and he will do the rest.
When our heart is open to that Gospel we must preach, a shadow falls over us: Someone Else is walking beside us. Faith brings Christ right next to us. As we surrender to “Love without counting the cost,” immediately we see Golgotha. We hear, “I thirst!” and we understand what love is. Dimly, that is, for who can understand God?
I too am called to accomplish the divine through my humanity
God has a plan. I am part of that plan. When I love I am contributing to that plan. Mary, I would hate to die and discover all the times I had inhibited God’s plan by my failure to love or worse contributed to the damnation of someone. Mary, I know that in the past I have failed miserably to love. I know that in God’s love he has forgiven me. Please beg your spouse to give me fear of offending the Lord so that I seek out opportunities to love and flee from seeking to serve myself.
Through obedience I too am working to accomplish God’s plan. When I am obedient to authority, I am doing God’s will for me. All authority comes from God (Rm 13:1)
For Peace
Jesus works his first miracle at his mother’s request – at a wedding in the little town of Cana. Hospitality was deeply engrained in the culture, and Mary did not want the family to be embarrassed by running out of wine. We also read that this miracle gave Jesus’ disciples such a sublime experience that they began to believe in him - it was as if a page had turned.
Mary’s heart had room for everyone, and so she was quick to ask for Jesus’ help. He told her it was not time, which tells us she was asking for extraordinary action on his part. There were no Circle K stores in that dusty little town. Such an action would begin to unveil his Person and Mission. That is exactly the effect this miracle had on the disciples.
Jesus knew such a miracle would bless some, but offend others – thinking maybe of the Pharisees. Mary’s humble, “Do whatever He tells you”, shows us the confidence she had in him, and in her discernment that it was indeed time.
This miracle initiates a new phase in Jesus’ Mission – one in which the cross was writ large. The Prince of Peace recognizes that peace has a price: it will cost him everything. We who pray for peace must be willing to pay the price of it – the widening of our hearts to include everyone – even THEM.
What is this between you and me, my hour has not yet come.
“What is this between you and me” is a Hebrew idiom that means: You know whatever you ask of me I will do. “ My hour has not yet come” is to remind Mary of the connection to Jesus Passion, “My Hour,” where He will turn wine into his Blood. Thus, completing the parallel to Moses turning water into blood. Jesus turns water into wine (also called the blood of the grape) and then in his hour turns wine into blood. Jesus turned far more water into wine, about 100 gallons, than they would need to finish the wedding feast. Makes one wonder if the left-over “best” wine was actually the wine used during the Last Supper. They were already using Oak Barrels to store and transport wine in Jesus’ time. (Alexander the Great used clay “amphora” while the Romans switched to Oak barrels prior to their conquest of the Greeks.) Jesus as a carpenter may have even made oak barrels. And Jesus did direct the Apostles to a specific house in which to prepare the Last Supper.
The Proclamation of the Kingdom
“What does God require of you but to do right, to love steadfastly, and to walk humbly with your God.” (Mic 6:8)"The time is fulfilled and the Kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel." (Mk 1:15)
“You are not a human being in search of a spiritual experience. You are a spiritual being immersed in a human experience.” +
God is love (1Jn 4:8): since we can love, therefore we are in his image. When we love, we are being like God, we are in God’s likeness.
- Love requires freedom (free will). Free will allows us to establish our priorities (I can choose chocolate over vanilla).
- Love is choosing to place someone else before myself. (I choose to give you the chocolate rather than keep it for myself.)
- A sacrifice is choosing to satisfy another’s need before satisfying my needs.
- There is a natural priority of needs.
- Self-preservation (which requires: oxygen, food, water, clothing, shelter, and sleep)
- Self-actualization or self-fulfillment (which requires: sanitation, healthcare, education, and contribution - work)
- Socialization (which requires: self-control - politeness, consolation, peace-making, protection, and support)
- Self-gratification (now we are at chocolate and vanilla)
- To satisfy a more basic need is a greater act of love: to save a life (the gift of a kidney or bone marrow is better than a gift of chocolate).
- To give from need is a far greater act of love than to give from surplus. Remember the old woman who put two pennies in the treasury? (Mk 12:41). She put the needs of God’s house before her own survival.
- There is no greater love than to give up one’s life for someone. (Jn 15:12-13). It is a gift from need, I only have one life, and it is a gift of the highest priority: self-preservation. (HM-3)
- We are social creatures, so we have many relationships. Love implies a relationship between us and our beloved.
- We are free to prioritize our relationships. We must have a relationship with God first, and then with our spouse, our family, our community, our country, our animals, our environment. Whom do I serve? Each of these relationships carry responsibilities. Do I live up to my responsibilities? The Jewish notion of righteousness is living up to the responsibilities of our relationships.
- We cannot love what we do not know. We prioritize our relationships by our quest for knowing. With whom do I communicate?
- Every Kingdom has laws. The Kingdom of God has two fundamental laws:
- Love God with your whole heart, mind, and strength (hence the prioritization of the relationship with God as the highest priority).
- Love your neighbor as Jesus loves us. (Jn 13:34) [He gave the highest honor at the Last Supper to his enemy, He gave his life for each of us.] (HM-4)
- God, provided us with an initial set of interpretations of those laws: The Ten Commandments ... (Ex 20:2-17, Deut 5 6-21). They were given in priority sequence:
- The first group addresses our relationship with God: divine worship (#1-3).
- Monotheism.
- Respect & honor God.
- Acknowledge the primacy of our relationship with God, weekly.
- The second group addresses our relationship with those who introduced us to God, to Love (our parents/family) (#4).
- Filial responsibility.
- The third addresses our relationship to each other (#5-8).
- Respect Life.
- Respect the Family.
- Respect property rights.
- Be grounded in Truth: seek the truth and let your yes be yes and no be no.
- The last addresses ourselves (9,10).
- Sensual detachment (pleasure must not be our goal in life).
- Material detachment (material things must not be our goal in life).
- Every Kingdom has overseers. All authority comes from God (Rm 13:1) and we must obey all authority unless to do so would violate one of the fundamental laws and interpretations stated above.
Reflections on the Proclamation of the Kingdom and the Call to Conversion
Response to Jesus’ call
One of the ways that God reaches man is through words. The spoken word—and even the written word that seems to leap off of the page when we read it—has the power to pierce and move hearts. And when that word is full of truth, it has a mysterious resonance in the heart, a kind of magnetic attraction for the soul that is truly hungry for what is right, true, and good. When Christ came to proclaim the Kingdom of God, he made a series of appeals to the heart—invitations to a life of greater poverty, simplicity, honesty, and wholehearted service. Some perceived the beauty of that call and rose up to follow it. Others did not. Why? Perhaps some became entrenched in their own supposed righteousness, so burdened by the need to maintain appearances that they cannot rise up in response to the call. The accessories of success keep them weighted down. Others are so hungry for God, in some cases, so humiliated by life, that they feel entirely free to let go of everything, even their pride. Others are simply pure of heart, focused on what is good and not on self at all. There are so many reasons why some do and some do not follow Jesus, and He alone knows the story of each soul. Where do we stand? What does He see in our hearts? In this mystery, we can ask Mary to show us the way to get closer to that eternal Kingdom where obedience sets us free.
Preach the gospel with your life - listen to the spirit and he will lead you
“Preach the Gospel” doesn’t mean that we be great preachers of Sacred Scripture, or scholars. It simply means that we live it. Here is our greatest difficulty. I speak for myself. Christ said, “Love your enemies and pray for those who hurt you.”
There is absolutely nothing in this world that Christ has not touched simply by saying, “Love God, love your neighbor and each other.” Everything is subject to the immense Gospel of the love of God, who became one of us. Love did that. Out of the little country of Palestine, most of it arid and desert, came light and a solution to every problem from now until the parousia.
But we close our ears to the Gospel. Because, indeed, it calls us to empty ourselves until there is nothing left of ourselves. For us to walk around in the world for a while feeling empty is devastating emotionally! It’s only after a little while that we perceive that Christ is filling us. It’s a sort of death. Those of us who in God’s grace have experienced that for a moment, know that the price of preaching the Gospel is terribly high, intensely high.
Yet into these difficulties comes joy. The difficulties seem hard and they are. The cross of Christ was hard and so is our life. Yet suddenly, through the goodness of our Father, we’re given the Spirit. He enters into our family with a song, with the words of the Father which come to us through his Son. The Holy Spirit has the capacity to crack those words open and to make pleasurable what seemed intolerable.
Suddenly the painful process of growing in faith, emptying oneself, carrying each other’s crosses and identifying with the other is lifted up like a song. Into the ears of our soul come words of the Holy Spirit, that Word of Fire who illuminates and warms. The words of that Wind pick us up and bring us right to the mountaintop without touching the ground. Instead of angels, he himself carries us lest we fall or hurt our feet.
The media defines our culture.
The media feeds us with a set of values by providing examples of beautiful, humorous, charming people who show us they have achieved happiness and success while portraying the values being pushed by the media. When we watch the shows and buy the advertised products we vote with our money on our agreement of the media assessment of values: self-love, money, fame, power, and pleasure!
For Peace
Jesus came to invite us into the Kingdom of God – which in the end means inviting us to be sons and daughters by adoption in Christ – sharing, with him, intimately, the life of the Trinity. Jesus is In the Trinity by nature – we are invited to be WITH the Trinity by adoption. St. Paul teaches us this, and the private prayer of the Priest when he adds water to the wine in the Chalice affirms it: “By the mystery of this water and wine may we come to share in the divinity of Christ who humbled himself to share in our humanity.
The Kingdom of God extends the presence and reign of Christ to the entire creation – everyone and everything in it. When I love God, all of the OTHERS, and the whole created world, I help bring the whole created order to fulfillment. St. Paul says the entire created world groans for salvation in Christ – for wholeness and completion in Christ.
When I love all that God has made, I build the Kingdom. When I retreat into selfishness I diminish the Kingdom. The goal is fulfillment and completion in Christ. The work that gets that done is love. If I really want peace in my heart and in the world, I absolutely have to do the work. In a way, our religion then becomes love, and peace.
Happiness in Heaven
As spiritual beings we are placed on earth to grow and mature spiritually, just as our physical being’s physically grow and then mature. All growth is painful: does anyone want to go through puberty again? We are called by Jesus to take up our cross daily and follow him if we are going to mature spiritually. We can look around and see people who stopped physical maturing because of a tragic event: a loss of a parent or as a child, who was sexually molested or abused, during puberty who is now unable to establish a relationship with a member of the opposite sex. So also, we can stop maturing spiritually, by the pain of love’s rejection or the inability to forgive someone. We are given opportunities to grow spiritually (crosses to bear) and we will continue to be given crosses to allow us to practice loving. After we die and get to heaven we know we will be as happy as we can be, we know we will be completely happy for all eternity. So, stop for a moment and look at us from God’s point of view: if you place a gallon jug on the table beside a jigger and fill both vessels with water to the point that adding another drop to either vessel will cause it to overflow that drop. We can see that both vessels are completely full. Just so our spiritual growth determines the size of the vessel we take into eternity: our capacity for happiness. Which would you rather go into eternity with: a jigger or a 55-gallon drum? It all depends on our spiritual growth!
The Transfiguration
A Prefiguration of the Resurrection and the Kingdom of GodOur Father
Give us today our daily bread
|
|
τόν äρτον ημών τόν έπιούσιον δός ημίν αήμερον
|
|
Give us today our day by day bread
|
|
τόν äρτον ημών τόν έπιούσιον διδόυ ημίν το καθ ήμεραν
|
Jesus’ Exodus began when He died on the cross and continues until He comes again to establish a new earth.
Reflections on the Transfiguration
A prefiguration of the Resurrection
In the Transfiguration, another moment of supernatural light bursts through and shatters the ordinary appearances of business-as-usual. Jesus allows them to see the dazzling light of glory, and to hear the Father’s voice attesting to his Son. If Jesus’ baptism prefigured his Passion and Death, the Transfiguration prefigures his Resurrection into glory. In the shining face of Jesus, the new Moses, the apostles see the glory that will be waiting for them too, once the sufferings of this life are through. Peter wanted to set up tents on the mountain, but he had it all backwards. They were not meant to dwell in that experience; it was meant to dwell in them, as a memory that would travel with them like a torch to enlighten the hard times ahead. In our lives too, sometimes we find ourselves nostalgic for our own mountain-top experiences, wishing we could return to bask in that blissful glow. But like Peter, we’ve got it all backwards. Those moments are given to us as an encouraging memory to spur us on in hard times, as a glimpse of the greater joy that lies ahead of us. In this mystery, Mary can help us remember that no matter how deep and shadowed the valleys—discouragement, depression, confusion, loneliness, anxiety— the light of heaven is real and there is much to look forward to. The best is yet to come.
Jesus wasn’t changed. + At the transfiguration of Jesus, it wasn’t Jesus who was changed. The eyes of Peter, James, and John were opened to allow them to see Jesus as He really is in the Kingdom. They were opened to allow them to perceive the reality in the spiritual dimension as Jesus spoke with Moses and Elijah. Lord open my eyes to the spiritual dimension.
Pray always I will be your rest.
He says to us, “Go without fear into the depth of men’s hearts. I shall be with you.” Suddenly this dimly-seen Figure becomes luminously clear and envelops us in his embrace. No matter what state we may be in, if we abandon ourselves we shall rest on his breast as did the apostle John.
Now this is real joy! He will be our rest at all times if only we follow his words. Let us be little, and not too literal. In his infinite mercy, God doesn’t wait until we become perfect in every letter of his Little Mandate. As we put ourselves into what appears to us as the “cold water” of this mandate, he is already our rest, and that also means our strength.
Resting in the arms of God is supreme prayer. Resting in the arms of God is having one’s ears opened by God, and once this happens, our point of view falls apart like a house built on sand. Then we become another house, built on the rock of his love. All this doesn’t happen in a day!
Like him, we must walk in the heat of a Palestinian day. We have to go through everything he did. But we know something that nobody knew in his day. We know that we live in his resurrection, and that he will temper this heat and quiet the wind of our emotional storms and help us in everything, if we let him.
For Peace
Baptism is the beginning of our life in the heart of the church, and Transfiguration in Christ is the fulfillment of that beginning. Jesus’ Transfiguration not only pulled the curtain back, so Peter, James, and John could see as much of the Glory of God as they were able to stand, but also shows the reality of the transfiguration of our own souls – we get an idea of how noble the future of the believer really is in God’s design! It begins to dawn on us that we have too small a vision where God is concerned.
It has been said that Jesus of Nazareth, his divinity hidden beneath a robe of humility, was crucified and buried and that the one who emerged from the tomb in a glorious explosion of light was the Christ – Eternal God, whose Spirit fills the entire universe. Sort of an uncreated big bang! Something not found in creation, but only in the Triune One.
The Christ, the great and holy Other, the one we cannot look upon without falling to the ground – this Lord Jesus Christ is the very one who bends over us like a mother over her child – like a hen over her chicks – like our beloved, who longs for our love and glorification in eternal life. This is the Peace that is beyond all human concepts and understanding. Peace is not passive – the lack of strife – but entrance into the Mystery of God Himself.
The Events of Holy Week
The Events of Holy Week in the year 33, the year Jesus died.Lamb Selection Day: Palm Sunday - March 29th;Nisan 9th (for the Temple Passover)
Josephus tells us the normal group for Passover consisted of 20 people. He was of course only counting the men (males over 13 years old). So, with 20 males probably 15 are married and each has an average of 4 children (grandparents’ kids are grown so actually the families are larger). You would have 30 parents and 10 teenagers and 46 children for a group of 86 people. They would be eating between 27 and 39 lbs. (12 to 18 kg.) of meat. Figure a ¼ lb. (.11 kg.) for the children (11.5 lbs. or 5.2 kg.) and a ½ lb. (.22 kg.) for the teenagers and adults (20 lbs. or 9 kg.) It works out. A small group could consist of 10 (men) but anything smaller had to be combined with another group. All the leftovers had to be burnt. ...
Take care of them (the lambs) until the fourteenth day of the month, when all the people of the community of Israel must slaughter them at twilight. Care must be taken not to break any of the bones (Ex 12:46).
Jesus, a first-born male, born in Bethlehem in a stable used for the protection of Paschal lambs, inspected by the Levitical shepherds, and found without blemish was offering himself as the sacrificial lamb, on Lamb Selection Day! He fulfilled the prophecies of Zech 9:9 and Gen 49:11 by riding down into the city on a donkey with her colt, through the Eastern gate also fulfilling Ez 43:4. He came as the Lamb who would be sacrificed for the sins of all mankind. +
Cleaning Day Monday of Holy Week - March 30th; Nisan 10th; Essene Nisan 13th
The Last Supper Tuesday March 31th; Nisan 11th; Essene Nisan 14th
- Jesus said “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.” (Lk 22:15.) The only Seder celebrated in Jerusalem before Jesus died was by the Essenes (20% of the population) on Tuesday night about 30 minutes after sunset.
- A capital trial could not be started on a Friday as a capital trial required two days and the Sanhedrin never met on the Sabbath.
- John’s Gospel says Jesus died on Preparation Day. The Seder Meal occurs after sunset after Preparation Day. How could the Last Supper occur after Jesus already died?
- The body on the Shroud was washed – the blood from the scourging was washed off therefore it was not life blood like the blood from the crown of thorns and the crucifixion. He died on Friday, but He was not scourged on Friday! He did not attend the Last Supper, Thursday, after having been scourged.
- The Sanhedrin would not have met on Friday, a festival eve – yet three gospels speak of the meeting of the Sanhedrin after Jesus was arrested and before He was condemned by Pilate. He could not have been arrested Thursday night / Friday morning.
- How would Pilate’s wife have even known that Jesus was before Pilate if Jesus was initially brought before Pilate Friday morning?
- Mark says Jesus was crucified at 9 am: not enough time for at least 6 trials, scourging, crowning with thorns and still walk to Calgary. Even if we use John’s close to 12 pm there still isn’t enough time.
Day of Week
|
Gregorian
|
Temple
|
Essene
|
Event
|
Sunday
|
March 29, 33
|
Nisan 9, 3793
|
Nisan 12
|
Temple Lamb Selection Day,
Jesus enters Jerusalem
|
Monday
|
March 30, 33
|
Nisan 10, 3793
|
Nisan 13
|
Essene Cleaning Day,
Jesus cleans the Temple
|
Tuesday
|
March 31, 33
|
Nisan 11, 3793
|
Nisan 14
|
Essene Preparation Day,
Last Supper, Agony in Garden
|
Wednesday
|
April 1,33
|
Nisan 12, 379
|
Nisan 15
|
Essene Passover; Arrest, Ananus’
house, Sanhedrin T1 & T2, (T= Trial)
|
Thursday
|
April 2,33
|
Nisan 13, 3793
|
Nisan 16
|
Temple Cleaning Day, Pilate T3 and Herod T4, Pilate T5, Scourging
|
Friday
|
April 3,33
|
Nisan 14, 3793
|
Nisan 17
|
Temple Preparation Day,
Crowning with Thorns, Pilate T6, Crucifixion
|
Saturday
|
April 4,33
|
Nisan 15, 3793
|
Nisan 18
|
Temple Passover (Sabbath)
|
Sunday
|
April 5,33
|
Nisan 16,3793
|
Nisan 19
|
Temple First Fruits: Resurrection
|
The Institution of the Eucharist
March 31, 33; Nisan 12, 3793; Essene’s Nisan 15thFor the Seder Meal to be a dress rehearsal for the Eucharist there must be a Seder Meal before the temple sacrifice of the Paschal Lamb which is the dress rehearsal for the sacrifice of the Lamb of God. For this God utilized the Essenes’ solar calendar. All things come from God, even the calendars. God uses both his lunar/solar (Temple) and his solar (Essene) calendars. (HM-1)
Last Supper Upper Room |
“I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer” ( Lk 22:15).
The ritual for the celebration of the Seder + called the Haggadah, is in four parts:
-
It begins with an initial blessing, the kiddush, spoken over the first, of four cups
of wine. Then the eating of the bitter herbs which symbolize the bondage in Egypt.
- They then recite Exodus 12, the story of the Exodus, and then sing Psalm 113, the little Hallel. After which they drink the second cup of wine.
- The main course is eaten. The lamb and bread are consumed. The third cup is consumed.
- The great Hallel is sung, the fourth cup is consumed, and the Nirtzah, a simple statement that the Seder has ended, ends the Seder.
There are two ritual washings between: parts #1 and #2 without a blessing and between #2 and #3 with a blessing. Jesus proclaimed a blessing when He finished washing the feet of the apostles so it would make sense if that before starting #3 was the point at which He washed the feet of the apostles. John also tells us that Jesus returned to the table after washing the apostles’ feet ( Jn 13:12).
During supper, the devil having already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, to betray him;... Jesus knowing that the Father had put everything into his power, and that He had come from God and was returning to God, got up from supper, and took off his outer garments. He took a towel and tied it around his waist. Then He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to dry them with the towel around his waist.
He came to Simon Peter, who said to him: “Master are you going to wash my feet?”
Jesus answered and said to him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will understand later.”
Peter said to him, “You will never wash my feet!”
Jesus answered him: “Unless I wash you, you have no inheritance with Me.”
Simon Peter said to him: “Master, then not only my feet, but my hands and head as well.”
“Whoever has bathed has no need except to have his feet washed, for he is clean all over; so, you are clean, but not all.” He knew the one who would betray him; for this reason, He said, “Not all of you are clean.”
So, when He had washed their feet, and put his garments back on and reclined at table again, He said to them, “Do you realize what I have done for you? You call me ‘teacher’ and ‘master’ and rightly so, for indeed I am. If I therefore, the master and teacher, washed your feet, you ought to wash one another’s feet. For I gave you an example to follow so that as I have done for you, you should also do. Amen, amen, truly, I say to you, no slave is greater than his master, nor any messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you understand this, blessed are you, if you do it. (Jn 13:1-17)
Jesus probably announced that He was to be betrayed after eating the main course but before drinking the 3rd cup. Mark describes it: “As they reclined at table and were eating, Jesus said, ‘Amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me, one who is eating with me’” (Mk 14:18) From now on I am telling you before it happens, so that when it happens, you may believe that I Am’. Amen, amen, I say to you, he who receives the one I send receives me; and whoever receives me receives him who sent me.” (Jn 13:19-20)
When Jesus had said this, He became troubled in spirit, and testified and said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, that one of you will betray me.” (Jn 13:22) I do not speak of all of you. I know those whom I have chosen. But so that the Scripture might be fulfilled: ‘The one who eats my food has raised his heel against me.’(Ps 41:10). Jesus continued: “The son of Man indeed goes, as is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed. It would be better for him if he had never been born.” ( Mt 26:24-25, Mk 14:21, Lk 22:22).
The disciples began looking at one another, at a loss to know of which one He was speaking. Deeply distressed the apostles began to ask, one after another: “Surely it is not I” (Mt 26:23).
There was reclining on Jesus’ bosom (on his right), one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved. So, Simon Peter gestured to him, and said to him, “Tell us who it is of whom He is speaking.”
He, leaning back thus on Jesus’ bosom, said to him, “Lord, who is it?”
Jesus then answered, “That is the one for whom I shall dip the morsel [sop] and give it to him.”
So, when He had dipped the morsel, He took and gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. After eating the morsel, Satan entered him. Judas said to Jesus “surely it is not I, Rabbi? Jesus answered: “You have said so.” (Mt 26:25) Jesus said to him, “What you do, do quickly.”
Now no one of those reclining at the table knew for what purpose He had said this to him. For some were supposing, because Judas had the money box, that Jesus was saying to him, “Buy the things we have need of for the feast” ... or else, that he should give something to the poor. So, after receiving the morsel he went out immediately; and it was night (Jn 13:21-30)
For the Master to share the sop was a sign of love and deep friendship. Jesus wanted John to know how much He loved his betrayer, despite knowing what he was about to do. He was showing John what it is to love your enemy: “Love one another as I have loved you.” (Jn 13:34) (HM-3)
When Judas had left, Jesus said: “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him. If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and He will glorify him at once. My children, I will be with you only a little while longer. You will look for me, and as I told the Jews, ‘Where I go you cannot come,’ so now I say it to you. I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another. This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (Jn 13:31-35).
Jesus reiterated: “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no man than this: that a man lay down his life for his friend.” (Jn 15:12-13). Jesus is about to do just that: allowing himself to be tortured and killed so that we can have everlasting life. (HM-4)
It was during that third part that Jesus instituted the Eucharist, He took bread, blessed it and said: "Take and eat, this is My Body." (Mt 26:26). Taking the 3rd of 4 cups of wine (called the “Blessing Cup” (1Cor 10:16) or the “Cup of Redemption”), Jesus said: "Drink from it, all of you, for this is My Blood. This cup is the new covenant in My Blood, shed for you." ( Mt 26:28, Lk 22:20, 1Cor 11:25). Covenants were made with a blood sacrifice. At this point Jesus is initiating the new covenant spoken of by Jeremiah ( Jer 31:31). The consumption of the bread, Jesus’ body, and the wine, Jesus’ blood, is the beginning of the gift of Jesus’ life for his friends. He has separated his body and blood; offering them as the communion in the new covenant that He is now establishing.
“Do this in remembrance of me.”( Lk 22:19, 1Cor 11:24). [Thus, instituting Holy Orders]. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him." (Jn 6:56).
Jesus said: “I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until the Kingdom of God comes.” ( Mt 26:29, Mk 14:25, Lk 22:18). Jesus is saying He won’t take the 4th cup until his work is finished. That is: finishing the Last Supper will be his last act before death. The Kingdom comes at his death. (HM-5)
Then Jesus said to them: “All of you will have your faith shaken, for it is written: ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’ ( Zech 13:7).
Peter said to him: “Even though all will have their faith shaken mine will not be.”
Jesus said: “Simon, Simon, behold Satan has demanded to sift you all like wheat. But I have prayed that your faith may not fail; and once you have turned back, you must strengthen your brothers.” (Lk 22:31-32).
Then Jesus said to him: “Amen I say to you this very night before the cock crows twice you will deny me three times.” (Mk 14:30).
But he vehemently replied: “Even though I should have to die I will not deny you” and they all spoke similarly.
They then sang the great Hallel including:
“What shall I render to the LORD for all his bounty to me? I shall lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the LORD … Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his holy ones. Oh LORD, I am your servant; I am your servant, the son of your handmaid. You have loosed my bonds; I will offer you the sacrifice of thanksgiving and call on the name of the LORD.” (Ps 116:12–13, 15–17)
This is exactly what Jesus is doing at the Last Supper: he is offering to God the “sacrifice of thanksgiving,” the new “thank offering” (zebah todah). Even more striking, given what He was about to suffer on the cross, imagine Jesus chanting (probably in Hebrew) these words of the Great Hallel on the night he was betrayed:
“Out of my distress I called to the LORD; the LORD answered me and set me free … I shall not die, but I shall live, and recount the deeds of the LORD. The LORD has chastened me sorely, but he has not given me over to death. Open to me the gates of righteousness, that I may enter through them and give thanks to the LORD. This is the gate of the LORD; the righteous shall enter through it. I thank you that you have answered me and have become my salvation. The stone which the builders rejected has become the head of the corner. This is the LORD’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes. (Ps 118:5,17,22–) +
Normally at this point the fourth cup is consumed, and the Nirtzah ends the Seder. This time it didn’t happen that way.
Every Eucharist we celebrate is a thanksgiving (Todah) for the deliverance we have received by means of the crucifixion. The Seder Supper which is celebrated by the Israelites in remembrance of Passover is a dress rehearsal for the Eucharistic meal which we share in remembrance of Jesus’ sacrifice. The Eucharist like the Seder Supper transcends time and is always celebrated in the present. (HM-8)
Jesus has shown us through many Eucharistic miracles + that the bread and wine are truly transformed into his Body and Blood. The most notable of the Eucharistic miracles + are the ones that occurred in: Tixla, Mexico, + Lanciano, Italy, + Buenos Aires, Argentina + , and Legnica, Poland. +
Reflections on the Last Supper
The Eucharist is the greatest gift given to man… and probably one of the least appreciated. In this Last Supper—a supper that the disciples do not fully realize will be their last—Jesus opens his heart with such a deep yearning to give himself to his beloved ones. The disciples know that they are loved, but they have no idea how much. They do not yet realize that he is literally holding his heart in his hands and breaking it in front of them, offering it to them to eat. They are doing their best, but they cannot understand it all now. The Holy Spirit will help them to understand, little by little, through their own experience of loving others as Jesus has loved them. In our lives too, we grow in our ability to understand the mystery of the Eucharist only insofar as we learn to love others. There is a shell of egotism around the heart—sometimes camouflaged under the name of a virtue (detachment, prudence, giving others their space, not getting emotionally involved)—and as long as that shell is there, the heart will never be broken. But neither will it grow as it could. In the Eucharist, Jesus loves to the extreme. He does not protect his heart, but lays it on a paten as a free gift. Some souls have responded in love for him. But others have abused the gift of that heart, breaking it with their sins and sacrileges. Mary, the first heart to be broken by love, can teach us not to be afraid to learn to love like Jesus: taking the first step, risking rejection, giving people a chance, offering a sincere friendship… In this mystery, we can ask her for the courage to love others without fear.
Be hidden be a light to your neighbor’s feet, I shall be with you.
How can you be hidden when you are a light to your neighbor’s feet? That’s very simple. A lantern carried along a path in the night is taken for granted. There is a photo from my days of rural nursing that I cherish very much. A little boy carried the lantern, Father carried the Blessed Sacrament, and I trudged behind them, for one of my patients was dying.
Nobody paid any attention to that little light. It was so commonplace to carry a lantern from the house to the barn to milk the cows in early morning, and so on, that in a sense the lantern was hidden. It was that ‘invisible’ thing that everybody takes for granted, like one’s fork and knife and plate at meals.
I myself have experienced that one can be hidden while being a light. You may be a celebrity but still hidden, because of your desire to be hidden. That’s deep. St. Joseph is a great example, the second greatest saint of all, and he remains hidden. As he lived his life completely for others, Joseph became smaller and smaller and his hiddenness grew. Yet he provides light for all who wish to be a servant of others! +
No One Takes My Life From Me. +
Jesus celebrated the Passover without a [sacrificed] lamb and without a temple; yet, not without a lamb and not without a temple. He himself was the awaited Lamb, the true Lamb, just as John the Baptist had foretold at the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry: "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" (Jn 1:29).
And he himself was the true Temple, the living Temple where God dwells and where we can encounter God and worship him. His Blood, the love of the One who is both Son of God and true man, one of us, is the Blood that can save. His love, that love in which he gave himself freely for us, is what saves us. The nostalgic, in a certain sense, ineffectual gesture which was the sacrifice of an innocent and perfect lamb, found a response in the One who for our sake became at the same time Lamb and Temple.
Thus, the Cross was at the center of the new Passover of Jesus. From it came the new gift brought by him, and so it lives on forever in the Blessed Eucharist in which, down the ages, we can celebrate the new Passover with the Apostles.
From Christ’s Cross comes the gift. "No one takes [my life] from me, but I lay it down of my own accord". He now offers it to us.
The paschal Haggadah, the commemoration of God’s saving action, has become a memorial of the Cross and Resurrection of Christ - a memorial that does not simply recall the past but attracts us within the presence of Christ’s love.
Thus, the barakah, Israel’s prayer of blessing and thanksgiving, has become our Eucharistic celebration in which the Lord blesses our gifts - the unleavened bread and wine - to give himself in them.
Let us pray to the Lord that he will help us to understand this marvelous mystery ever more profoundly, to love it more and more, and in it, to love the Lord himself ever more.
For Peace
What would the Catholic Church be without the Mass! Our prayer, our food, our divine medicine, our irreplaceable worship, our offering of creations work, struggle and sufferings, our praise and thanksgiving for all of God’s providence, what would the Church be without the Mass? The Holy sacrifice washes away our sins, and for the grave ones following sincere Confession, the Bread of Life and the cup of Salvation restore in our weary souls the flow of Divine “sap” to our little branch of the Vine that is Christ.
In this mystery, we pray for peace in the world, in our hearts, in our family, in our country, at our work, with our neighbor, even with our enemies – and really, especially with our enemies. In the Mass, we lift up to God all of the wars and divisions on our planet. Like creation’s own blood, mixed into the wine of our chalices, the Holy Spirit transforms it into the Blood of Christ, for the healing of our wounded world – for the healing of our wounded souls.
Praying for peace is not enough – we must become peace. Then, as St. Seraphim of Sarov said, we will save a thousand souls around us.
An Un-bloody sacrifice
It is interesting that Jesus, God, arranged the sequence of events such that the last Supper was celebrated on the Essene’s Seder meal. This took advantage of the Essene’s un-bloody Seder celebration to put the focus on Jesus’s ultimate sacrifice for all as a Todah, a Eucharistic sacrifice not the animal sacrifice that was celebrated once for all on Passover.
12 comments:
Thank you So Very much!!! God Bless all of you and your loved ones!!!❤️
It is a great joy to know that you like what we have done to make our rosaries more reflective. I have expanded the cookie support to enable you to set the font size and then every time you bring up the web site the site opens up to the font size you have selected. In addition the Eucharistic Adoration Site Selection is saved. Once selected when you re check "Show the Eucharist Live." the saved selection is opened immediately. There are a few Gregorian chant sites at the bottom of the Eucharistic adoration sites for those who would like some soft background music.
If you are interested a few of us meet every weekday morning at 7am Phoenix time to pray the rosary. We are currently doing a 54 day novena for our nation. It will complete on Mercy Sunday. You can join us at https://meet.mysteriesoftherosary.net/rosary
(be sure you use "https" or you will not find the site.
I wish to thank you very kindly for your help in my journey to this profound prayer. It certainly helping me so I may do it at my own pace so I can hopefully go into a deeper mediation. I sure can use all the help of every saint on earth and in heaven!!! We'll keep interceding for each other as we pray. May Our Lord be with you in your ministry, may HE hear our supplications and help us to become faithful to HIM alone.
Thank you Alice! You will be in my prayers that your growth may continue. Just in case you tried to join us at the link above, we have changed to a site that can take more people: https://meet.jit.si/rosary God Bless you and yours.
hI I love your website but the reflections need to edited some of them are in the wrong place that belong in other mysteries or say weird things could you have someone look them over and edit them?
There are over 3000 lines of meditative content within the site. If you can be specific when you encounter something that contains an error or does not belong, please send me the name of the rosary (Traditional, Franciscan Crown etc.), the Mystery (4th Sorrowful), the reflection set (Context, Scriptural, etc.) and the Hail Mary number and I can get back to you within a day or two. Such corrections will benefit everyone who come to pray.
Thank you so much for using the site. I am continually working to make the site better.
God Bless
Greg - I use your site daily to pray my rosary and meditate on the reflections as well as on the meditations you've both developed and have pulled together from other resources. I find that your site is very informative, helpful, prayerful and is a “tool” that can benefit most Catholics in their daily prayer time.
There are many different aspects with this site that encourage people to both pray the rosary with more conviction of “praying” the rosary instead of simply “saying” it! With so many optional meditations for each mystery, it means that by using this site, the rosary will NEVER again become rote. The set of reflective rosary prayers can make every rosary unique, and causes the person praying it to think about what Jesus and Mother Mary went through when Jesus came into this world - His life, torture, killing, and His Resurrection - to save all of us from eternal darkness!
You've done this work out of your love of Jesus and Mary. May you be blessed for your work, may all who use this work of yours be blessed in using it for their own prayer life, and may all who have learned of the value you have brought to the world through your work, be blessed also!!
Please encourage everyone to share this resource URL with their friends, family, Faith communities, and others who can gain graces from God who pray the rosary not only DAILY, but CONTINUALLY!!
DGL
Hi great website thanks. Just wondering why the 5th sorrowful mystery's appear to be missing? I have been doing the flame of love rosary. God bless.
Fixed. Thanks for letting me know. If you find anything else let me know. Sometimes fixing one thing breaks something else.
Hi Greg, Easter tidings to you, can I just ask if there is an easy link to the 9 month novena on the flame of love rosary? I can't seem to find it anymore. Many thanks Anton
Hi Greg I've found out it was the 9 month novena to Our Lady of Guadeloupe. Somehow that got added onto the FOL rosary at the beginning. Have downloaded that novena prayer, happy to see it at the beginning of the FOL too if that is a possibility. God bless. Anton
Yes. Click the button Advanced Settings and you will see the options.
I always click the gear at the top left hand corner of the page to put the options on the right side of the page. All the settings are then in a fixed scrollable box so you can easily change any setting without having to scroll to the top.
Happy Easter to you and your loved ones.
God Bless
Post a Comment