Nov 21 2006
Memorial of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Rev 3:1-6, 14-22 I, John, heard the Lord saying to me: “To the angel of the Church in Sardis, write this: “‘The one who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars says this: “I know your works,that you have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Be watchful and strengthen what is left, which is going to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God. Remember then how you accepted and heard; keep it, and repent. If you are not watchful, I will come like a thief, and you will never know at what hour I will come upon you. However, you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their garments; they will walk with me dressed in white, because they are worthy. “‘The victor will thus be dressed in white, and I will never erase his name from the book of life but will acknowledge his name in the presence of my Father and of his angels. “‘Whoever has ears ought to hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’” “To the angel of the Church in Laodicea, write this: “‘The Amen, the faithful and true witness, the source of God’s creation, says this: “I know your works; I know that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either cold or hot. So, because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. For you say, ‘I am rich and affluent and have no need of anything,’ and yet do not realize that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. I advise you to buy from me gold refined by fire so that you may be rich, and white garments to put on so that your shameful nakedness may not be exposed, and buy ointment to smear on your eyes so that you may see. Those whom I love, I reprove and chastise. Be earnest, therefore, and repent.“‘Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, then I will enter his house and dine with him,and he with me. I will give the victor the right to sit with me on my throne, as I myself first won the victory and sit with my Father on his throne. “‘Whoever has ears ought to hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’”
Ps 15:2-3a, 3bc-4ab, 5
R. (Rev. 3: 21) I will seat the victor beside me on my throne.
He who walks blamelessly and does justice; who thinks the truth in his heart and slanders not with his tongue.
R. I will seat the victor beside me on my throne.
Who harms not his fellow man, nor takes up a reproach against his neighbor; By whom the reprobate is despised, while he honors those who fear the LORD.
R. I will seat the victor beside me on my throne.
Who lends not his money at usuryand accepts no bribe against the innocent. He who does these things shall never be disturbed.
R. I will seat the victor beside me on my throne.
Reading II
Heb 10:11-14, 18
Brothers and sisters:
Every priest stands daily at his ministry,
offering frequently those same sacrifices
that can never take away sins.
But this one offered one sacrifice for sins,
and took his seat forever at the right hand of God;
now he waits until his enemies are made his footstool.
For by one offering
he has made perfect forever those who are being consecrated.
Where there is forgiveness of these,
there is no longer offering for sin.
Lk 19:1-10 At that time Jesus came to Jericho and intended to pass through the town. Now a man there named Zacchaeus,who was a chief tax collector and also a wealthy man, was seeking to see who Jesus was; but he could not see him because of the crowd, for he was short in stature. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree in order to see Jesus, who was about to pass that way. When he reached the place, Jesus looked up and said, “Zacchaeus, come down quickly, for today I must stay at your house.” And he came down quickly and received him with joy. When they saw this, they began to grumble, saying, “He has gone to stay at the house of a sinner.” But Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord,“Behold, half of my possessions, Lord, I shall give to the poor, and if I have extorted anything from anyone I shall repay it four times over.”And Jesus said to him,“Today salvation has come to this house because this man too is a descendant of Abraham. For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save what was lost.”
The first reading reminds me of several weeks ago when Abbott Primate Notker Wolf OSB visited here at the monastery. One of his messages was that a community needs to be truly alive with the gospel life. The true sense of a Christian life is vibrant and full and without making a list of charities or ministries there is a sense of being on fire for love of the Lord and fully alive. There is a living presence of God in a Religious community. The Holy Spirit can be a powerful presence in the discernement and life of a community. Some communities may have a dwindling of the flame and aliveness in Christian life. It is a thing that as the Abbott Primate pointed out that any visitor can quickly see and discern from a Religious community.
The tax collector is a person scorned by his society of the time but Jesus is ready and eager to share a meal with him. Jesus is criticized for being with sinners but teaches that he is seeking and saving what is lost. Zacheus is immediately responsive to Jesus and willing to give any worldly possessions that the Lord would be pleasing to God. I pray this morning for my Religious vocation and that I have today the readiness to put aside any worldly goods or possessions and put following the Lord always first in my heart and in all my decisions and acts along with my path that I chose daily. I trust in the salvation that the Lord has brought to all those who believe and walk in God's ways.
Rev 3:1-6, 14-22 I, John, heard the Lord saying to me: “To the angel of the Church in Sardis, write this: “‘The one who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars says this: “I know your works,that you have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Be watchful and strengthen what is left, which is going to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God. Remember then how you accepted and heard; keep it, and repent. If you are not watchful, I will come like a thief, and you will never know at what hour I will come upon you. However, you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their garments; they will walk with me dressed in white, because they are worthy. “‘The victor will thus be dressed in white, and I will never erase his name from the book of life but will acknowledge his name in the presence of my Father and of his angels. “‘Whoever has ears ought to hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’” “To the angel of the Church in Laodicea, write this: “‘The Amen, the faithful and true witness, the source of God’s creation, says this: “I know your works; I know that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either cold or hot. So, because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. For you say, ‘I am rich and affluent and have no need of anything,’ and yet do not realize that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. I advise you to buy from me gold refined by fire so that you may be rich, and white garments to put on so that your shameful nakedness may not be exposed, and buy ointment to smear on your eyes so that you may see. Those whom I love, I reprove and chastise. Be earnest, therefore, and repent.“‘Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, then I will enter his house and dine with him,and he with me. I will give the victor the right to sit with me on my throne, as I myself first won the victory and sit with my Father on his throne. “‘Whoever has ears ought to hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’”
Ps 15:2-3a, 3bc-4ab, 5
R. (Rev. 3: 21) I will seat the victor beside me on my throne.
He who walks blamelessly and does justice; who thinks the truth in his heart and slanders not with his tongue.
R. I will seat the victor beside me on my throne.
Who harms not his fellow man, nor takes up a reproach against his neighbor; By whom the reprobate is despised, while he honors those who fear the LORD.
R. I will seat the victor beside me on my throne.
Who lends not his money at usuryand accepts no bribe against the innocent. He who does these things shall never be disturbed.
R. I will seat the victor beside me on my throne.
Reading II
Heb 10:11-14, 18
Brothers and sisters:
Every priest stands daily at his ministry,
offering frequently those same sacrifices
that can never take away sins.
But this one offered one sacrifice for sins,
and took his seat forever at the right hand of God;
now he waits until his enemies are made his footstool.
For by one offering
he has made perfect forever those who are being consecrated.
Where there is forgiveness of these,
there is no longer offering for sin.
Lk 19:1-10 At that time Jesus came to Jericho and intended to pass through the town. Now a man there named Zacchaeus,who was a chief tax collector and also a wealthy man, was seeking to see who Jesus was; but he could not see him because of the crowd, for he was short in stature. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree in order to see Jesus, who was about to pass that way. When he reached the place, Jesus looked up and said, “Zacchaeus, come down quickly, for today I must stay at your house.” And he came down quickly and received him with joy. When they saw this, they began to grumble, saying, “He has gone to stay at the house of a sinner.” But Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord,“Behold, half of my possessions, Lord, I shall give to the poor, and if I have extorted anything from anyone I shall repay it four times over.”And Jesus said to him,“Today salvation has come to this house because this man too is a descendant of Abraham. For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save what was lost.”
The first reading reminds me of several weeks ago when Abbott Primate Notker Wolf OSB visited here at the monastery. One of his messages was that a community needs to be truly alive with the gospel life. The true sense of a Christian life is vibrant and full and without making a list of charities or ministries there is a sense of being on fire for love of the Lord and fully alive. There is a living presence of God in a Religious community. The Holy Spirit can be a powerful presence in the discernement and life of a community. Some communities may have a dwindling of the flame and aliveness in Christian life. It is a thing that as the Abbott Primate pointed out that any visitor can quickly see and discern from a Religious community.
The tax collector is a person scorned by his society of the time but Jesus is ready and eager to share a meal with him. Jesus is criticized for being with sinners but teaches that he is seeking and saving what is lost. Zacheus is immediately responsive to Jesus and willing to give any worldly possessions that the Lord would be pleasing to God. I pray this morning for my Religious vocation and that I have today the readiness to put aside any worldly goods or possessions and put following the Lord always first in my heart and in all my decisions and acts along with my path that I chose daily. I trust in the salvation that the Lord has brought to all those who believe and walk in God's ways.
posted by Joan Morris at 5:09 AM
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