For your reading, reflection, faith-sharing, comments, questions, discussion.

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From: Daniel 7:13-14

Daniel’s Vision (Continuation)

[13] I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came
one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented
before him. [14] And to him was given dominion and glory and kingdom, that all
peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlas-
ting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be
destroyed.

*********************************************************************************************
Commentary:

7:9-14. Divine judgment is passed on the kingdoms in this scene. God is depic-
ted as being seated on a throne in heaven, his glory flashing out and angels all
around. Judgment is about to take place, and it will be followed by execution of
the sentence. The books (v. 10) contain all the actions of men (cf. Jer 17:1; Mal
3:16; Ps 56:8; Rev 20:12). The seer is shown history past (not laid out accor-
ding to chronology: all the empires are included in one glance), and he notes
that a more severe sentence is passed on the blasphemous horn than on the
other beasts. They had their lives extended (v. 12), that is, their deprivation of
power did not spell the end; but the little horn is destroyed forthwith. “Following
in the steps of the prophets and John the Baptist, Jesus announced the judg-
ment of the Last Day in his preaching (cf. Dan 7:10; Joel 3-4; Mal 3:19; Mt 3:7-
42)” (”Catechism of the Catholic Church”, 678).

The one “like a son of man” who comes with the clouds of heaven and who, after
the judgment, is given everlasting dominion over all the earth, is the very antithe-
sis of the beasts. He has not risen from a turbulent sea like them; there is no-
thing ferocious about him. Rather, he has been raised up by God (he comes with
the clouds of heaven) and he shares the human condition. The dignity of all man-
kind is restored through this son of man’s triumph over the beasts. This figure,
as we will discover later, stands for ‘the people of the saints of the Most High’ (7:
27), that is, faithful Israel. However, he is also an individual (just as the winged li-
on was an individual, and the little horn), and insofar as he is given a kingdom,
he is a king. What we have here is an individual who represents the people. In
Jewish circles around the time of Christ, this “son of man” was interpreted as
being the Messiah, a real person (cf. “Book of the Parables of Enoch”); but it
was a title that became linked to the sufferings of the Messiah and to his resur-
rection from the dead only when Jesus Christ applied it to himself in the Gospel.
“Jesus accepted Peter’s profession of faith, which acknowledged him to be the
Messiah, by announcing the imminent Passion of the Son of Man (cf. Mt 16:23).
He unveiled the authentic content of his messianic kingship both in the transcen-
dent identity of the Son of Man ‘who came down from heaven’ (Jn 3:13; cf. Jn 6:
62; Dan 7:13), and in his redemptive mission as the suffering Servant: ‘The Son
of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for
many’ (Mt 20:28; cf. Is 53:10-12)” (”Catechism of the Catholic Church”, 440).

When the Church proclaims in the Creed that Christ is seated at the right hand
of the Father, she is saying that it was to Christ that dominion was given; “Being
seated at the Father’s right hand signifies the inauguration of the Messiah’s king-
dom, the fulfillment of the prophet Daniel’s vision concerning the Son of man; ‘To
him was given domination and glory and kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and
languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall
not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed’ (Dan 7:14). Af-
ter this event the apostles became witnesses of the ‘kingdom [that] will have no
end’ (Nicene Creed)” (”Catechism of the Catholic Church”, 664).

*********************************************************************************************
Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.

From: Revelation 1:5-8

Address and Greeting

[5] And from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the first-born of the dead, and the
ruler of kings on earth.

To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood [6] and made
us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion for
ever and ever. Amen. [7] Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye
will see him, every one who pierced him; and all tribes of the earth will wail on
account of him. Even so. Amen.

[8] “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, who is and who was
and who is to come, the Almighty.”

*********************************************************************************************
Commentary:

5-6. Three messianic titles taken from Psalm 89:28-38 are given a new meaning
in the light of fulfillment of Christian faith and applied to Jesus Christ. He is “the
faithful witness” of the fulfillment of God’s Old Testament promises of a Savior, a
son of David (cf. 2 Sam 7:14; Rev 5:5;), for it is Christ who has in fact brought a-
bout salvation. That is why, later on in the book, St John calls Jesus Christ “the
Amen” (Rev 3:4) — which is like saying that through what Christ did God has ra-
tified and kept his word; St John also calls him “Faithful and True” (Rev 19;11),
because God’s fidelity and the truth of his promises have been manifested in
Jesus. This is to be seen in the Resurrection, which made Jesus “the first-born
from the dead”, in the sense that the Resurrection constituted a victory in which
all who abide in him share (cf. Col 1:18). Christ is also “the ruler of kings on
earth” because he is Lord of the world: this will be clearly seen when he comes
a second time, but his dominion is already making itself felt because he has be-
gun to conquer the power of sin and death.

The second part of v. 5 and all v. 6 are a kind of paean in praise of Christ recalling
his great love for us as expressed in his words, “Greater love has no man than
this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (Jn 15:13). Christ’s love for us
knows no bounds: his generosity led him to sacrifice his life by the shedding of
his blood, which redeemed us from our sins. There was nothing we could have
done to redeem ourselves. “All were held captive by the devil”, St Augustine com-
ments, “and were in the thrall of demons; but they have been rescued from that
captivity. The Redeemer came and paid the ransom: he shed his blood and with
it purchased the entire orb of the earth” (”Enarrationes in Psalmos”, 95, 5).

Not content with setting us free from our sins, our Lord gave us a share in his
kingship and priesthood. “Christ the Lord, high priest taken from among men (cf.
Heb 5:1-5), made the new people ‘a kingdom of priests to his God and Father’
(Rev 1:6; cf. 5:9-10). The baptized, by regeneration and the anointing of the Holy
Spirit, are consecrated to be a spiritual house and a holy priesthood, that through
all the works of Christian men and women they may offer spiritual sacrifices and
proclaim the perfection of him who has called them out of darkness into his mar-
velous light (cf. 1 Pet 2:4-10)” (Vatican II, “Lumen Gentium”, 10).

7. Christ’s work is not finished. He has assembled his holy people on earth to
bring them enduring salvation, and he will be revealed in all his glory to the whole
world at the end of time. Although the text speaks in the present tense — “he is
coming with the clouds”—this should be understood as referring to the future: the
prophet was seeing future events as if they were actually happening (cf. Dan 7:
13). This will be the day of final victory, when those who crucified Jesus, “every
one who pierced him” (cf. Zech 12:10; Jn 19:37), will be astonished by the gran-
deur and glory of the crucified One. “The Sacred Scriptures inform us that there
are two comings of the Son of God—one when he assumed human flesh for our
salvation in the womb of a virgin; the other when he shall come at the end of the
world to judge all mankind [...]; and if, from the beginning of the world that day of
the Lord, on which he was clothed with our flesh, was sighed for by all as the
foundation of their hope of deliverance; so also, after the death and ascension
of the Son of God, we should make that other day of the Lord the object of our
most earnest desires, ‘awaiting our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of
our great God’ (Titus 2:13)” (”St Pius V Catechism”, I, 8, 2).

Commenting on this passage of the Apocalypse, St Bede says: “He who at his
first coming came in a hidden way and in order to be judged (by men) will then
come in a manifest way. (John) recalls these truths in order to help the Church
bear its suffering: now it is being persecuted by its enemies, later it will reign at
Christ’s side” (”Explanatio Apocalypsis”, 1, 1).

The joy of those who put their hope in this glorious manifestation of Christ will
contrast with the pains of those who reject God’s love and mercy to the very end.
“Then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of man co-
ming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory” (Mt 24:30).

8. The coming of the Lord in glory, the climax of his dominion, is guaranteed by
the power of God, the absolute master of the world and its destiny. Alpha and
Omega are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet; here they are used
to proclaim that God is the beginning and end of all things, of the world and of
history; he is present at all times — times past, present and future.

*********************************************************************************************
Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States

From: John 18:33b-37

The Trial before Pilate: Jesus is King (Continuation)

[33] Pilate entered the praetorium again and called Jesus, and said to him,
“Are you the King of the Jews?” [34] Jesus answered, “Do you say this of your
own accord, or did others say it to you about me?” [35] Pilate answered, “Am I
a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have handed you over to me; what
have you done?” [36] Jesus answered, “My kingship is not of this world; if my
kingship were of this world, my servants would fight, that I might not be handed
over to the Jews; but my kingship is not from the world.” [37] Pilate said to him,
“So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this I was
born, and for this I have come into the world, to bear witness to the truth. Every
one who is of the truth hears my voice.”

*******************************************************************************************
Commentary

33-34. There is no onus on Pilate to interfere in religious questions, but because
the accusation levelled against Jesus had to do with politics and public order, he
begins his interrogation naturally by examining him on the main charge: “Are you
the King of the Jews?”

By replying with another question, Jesus is not refusing to answer: he wishes to
make quite clear, as he has always done, that his mission is a spiritual one. And
really Pilate’s was not an easy question to answer, because, to a Gentile, a king
of the Jews meant simply a subverter of the Empire; whereas, to a Jewish natio-
nalist, the King-Messiah was a politico-religious liberator who would obtain their
freedom from Rome. The true character of Christ’s messiahship completely tran-
scends both these concepts—as Jesus explains to the procurator, although he
realizes how enormously difficult it is for Pilate to understand what Christ’s King-
ship really involves.

35-36. After the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves and the fish, Jesus re-
fused to be proclaimed king because the people were thinking in terms of an ear-
thly kingdom (cf. Jn 6:15). However, Jesus did enter Jerusalem in triumph, and
he did accept acclamation as King-Messiah. Now, in the passion, he acknowled-
ges before Pilate that he is truly a King, making it clear that his kingship is not
an earthly one. Thus, “those who expected the Messiah to have visible temporal
power were mistaken. ‘The kingdom of God does not mean food and drink but
righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit’ (Rom 14:17). Truth and jus-
tice, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. That is the kingdom of Christ: the divine
activity which saves men and which will reach its culmination when history ends
and the Lord comes from the heights of paradise finally to judge men” (St. J. Es-
criva, “Christ is Passing By”, 180).

37. This is what his kingship really is: his kingdom is “the kingdom of Truth
and Life, the kingdom of Holiness and Grace, the kingdom of Justice, Love and
Peace” (Preface of the Mass of Christ the King). Christ reigns over those who
accept and practise the truth revealed by him—his Father’s love for the world (Jn
3:16; 1 Jn 4:9). He became man to make this truth known and to enable men to
accept it. And so, those who recognize Christ’s kingship and sovereignty accept
his authority, and he thus reigns over them in an eternal and universal kingdom.

For its part, “the Church, looking to Christ who bears witness to the truth, must
always and everywhere ask herself, and in a certain sense also the contempo-
rary ‘world’, how to make good emerge from man, how to liberate the dynamism
of the good that is in man, in order that it may be stronger than evil, than any mo-
ral, social or other evil” (John Paul II, “General Audience”, 21 February 1979).

“If we [Christians] are trying to have Christ as our king we must be consistent.
We must start by giving him our heart. Not to do that and still talk about the king-
dom of Christ would be completely hollow. There would be no real Christian sub-
stance in our behavior. We would be making an outward show of a faith which
simply did not exist. We would be misusing God’s name to human advantage. If
we let Christ reign in our souls, we will not become authoritarian. Rather we will
serve everyone. How l like that word: service! To serve my king and, through him,
all those who have been redeemed by his blood. I really wish we Christians knew
how to serve, for only by serving can we know and love Christ and make him
known and loved” (St. J. Escriva, “Christ is Passing By”, 181-182).

By his death and resurrection, Jesus shows that the accusations laid against
him were based on lies: it was he who was telling the truth, not his judges and
accusers, and God confirms the truth of Jesus—the truth of his words, of deeds,
of his revelation—by the singular miracle of his resurrection. To men Christ’s king-
ship may seem paradoxical: he dies, yet he lives for ever; he is defeated and is
crucified, yet he is victorious. “When Jesus Christ him appeared as a prisoner
before Pilate’s tribunal and was interrogated by him...did he not answer: ‘For this
I was born, and for this I have come into the world, to bear witness to the truth’?
It was as if with these words [...] he was once more confirming what he had said
earlier: ‘You will know the truth, and truth will make you free’. In the course of so
many centuries, of so many generations, from the time of the Apostles on, is it
not often Jesus Christ himself that has made an appearance at the side of peo-
ple judged for the sake of truth? And has he not gone to death with people con-
demned for the sake of truth? Does he ever cease to be the continuous spokes-
man and advocate for person who lives ‘in spirit and truth’ (cf. Jn 4:23)? Just as
he does not cease to be it before the Father, he is it also with regard to the his-
tory of man” (John Paul II, “Redemptor Hominis”, 12).

*********************************************************************************************
Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.

Readings at Mass

First reading	Daniel 7:13-14 ©

I gazed into the visions of the night.

And I saw, coming on the clouds of heaven,

one like a son of man.

He came to the one of great age

and was led into his presence.

On him was conferred sovereignty,

glory and kingship,

and men of all peoples, nations and languages became his servants.

His sovereignty is an eternal sovereignty

which shall never pass away,

nor will his empire ever be destroyed.

Psalm	Psalm 92:1-2,5 ©

The Lord is king, with majesty enrobed.

The Lord is king, with majesty enrobed;

the Lord has robed himself with might,

he has girded himself with power.

The Lord is king, with majesty enrobed.

The world you made firm, not to be moved;

your throne has stood firm from of old.

From all eternity, O Lord, you are.

The Lord is king, with majesty enrobed.

Truly your decrees are to be trusted.

Holiness is fitting to your house,

O Lord, until the end of time.

The Lord is king, with majesty enrobed.

Second reading	Apocalypse 1:5-8 ©

Jesus Christ is the faithful witness, the First-born from the dead, the Ruler of the kings of the earth. He loves us and has washed away our sins with his blood, and made us a line of kings, priests to serve his God and Father; to him, then, be glory and power for ever and ever. Amen. It is he who is coming on the clouds; everyone will see him, even those who pierced him, and all the races of the earth will mourn over him. This is the truth. Amen. ‘I am the Alpha and the Omega’ says the Lord God, who is, who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.

Gospel Acclamation	Mk11:10

Alleluia, alleluia!

Blessings on him who comes in the name of the Lord!

Blessings on the coming kingdom of our father David!

Alleluia!

Gospel	John 18:33-37 ©

‘Are you the king of the Jews?’ Pilate asked. Jesus replied, ‘Do you ask this of your own accord, or have others spoken to you about me?’ Pilate answered, ‘Am I a Jew? It is your own people and the chief priests who have handed you over to me: what have you done?’ Jesus replied, ‘Mine is not a kingdom of this world; if my kingdom were of this world, my men would have fought to prevent my being surrendered to the Jews. But my kingdom is not of this kind.’ ‘So you are a king then?’ said Pilate. ‘It is you who say it’ answered Jesus. ‘Yes, I am a king. I was born for this, I came into the world for this: to bear witness to the truth; and all who are on the side of truth listen to my voice.’

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PRAYERS AFTER

HOLY MASS AND COMMUNION

Leonine Prayers

Following are the Prayers after Low Mass which were prescribed by Pope Leo XIII who composed the Prayer to Saint Michael the Archangel, and were reinforced by Pope Pius XI and Pope Pius XII to pray for the conversion of Russia. Below the normal Leonine Prayers is the longer version of the Prayer to St. Michael, composed by His Excellency Pope Leo XIII to defend against The Great Apostasy.

Latin

Ave Maria, gratia plena, Dominus tecum, benedicta tu in mulieribus et benedictus fructis ventris tui, Jesus. Sancta Maria, Mater Dei, ora pro nobis peccatoribus, nunc et in hora mortis nostrae. Amen.
(Said 3 times)

Salve Regina, Mater misericordiae, vita, dulcedo, et spes nostra, salve. Ad te clamamus, exsules filii Evae. Ad te suspiramus gementes et fientes in hac lacrymarum valle. Eia ergo, Advocata nostra, illos tuos misericordes oculos ad nos converte. Et Jesum, benedictum fructum ventris tui, nobis, post hoc exilium, ostende. O clemens, o pia, o dulcis Virgo Maria. Ora pro nobis, sancta Dei Genitrix. Ut digni efficiamur promissionibus Christi.

Oremus. Deus, refugium nostrum et virtus, populum ad te clamantem propitius respice; et intercedente gloriosa, et immaculata Virgine Dei Genitrice Maria, cum beato Joseph, ejus Sponso, ac beatis Apostolis tuis Petro et Paulo, et omnibus Sanctis, quas pro conversione peccatorum, pro libertate et exaltatione sanctae Matris Ecclesiae, preces effundimus, misericors et benignus exaudi. Per eundum Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen.

Sancte Michael Archangele, defende nos in proelio; contra nequitiam et insidias diaboli esto praesidium. Imperet illi Deus, supplices deprecamur: tuque, Princeps militiae Caelestis, satanam aliosque spiritus malignos, qui ad perditionem animarum pervagantur in mundo, divina virtute in infernum detrude. Amen.

Cor Jesu sacratissimum. Miserere nobis.
Cor Jesu sacratissimum. Miserere nobis.
Cor Jesu sacratissimum. Miserere nobis.

Vernacular

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
(Said 3 times)

Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness, and our hope. To thee to we cry, poor banished children of Eve. To thee do we send up our sighs, mouring and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us, and after this exile, show unto us the blessed Fruit of thy womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.

Pray for us, O holy Mother of God. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray.
O God, our refuge and our strength, look down with mercy upon the people who cry to Thee; and by the intercession of the glorious and immaculate Virgin Mary, Mother of God, of Saint Joseph her spouse, of the blessed Apostles Peter and Paul, and of all the saints, in Thy mercy and goodness hear our prayers for the conversion of sinners, and for the liberty and exaltation of the Holy Mother the Church. Through the same Christ Our Lord. Amen.

Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle; be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray: and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly host, by the power of God, thrust into hell satan and all the evil spirits who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.

Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, Have mercy on us.
Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, Have mercy on us.
Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, Have mercy on us.

Complete Prayer to Saint Michael

The following is the longer version of the vital prayer composed by Pope Leo XIII in 1888 after his startling vision as to the future of the Church. This prayer was dedicated for the Feast of St. Michael 1448 years from the date of the election of the first Leo - Pope Saint Leo the Great. Everyone is familiar with the first prayer below which was mandated by His Holiness as part of the Leonine Prayers after Low Mass. Below are both the short and longer versions of this poignant prayer which should never be forgotten.

Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle, be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him we humbly pray, and do thou, O heavenly hosts, by the power of God, thrust into hell satan and all the evil spirits who prowl about the world for the ruin of souls. Amen.

O glorious Archangel Saint Michael, Prince of the heavenly host, be our defense in the terrible warfare which we carry on against principalities and powers, against the rulers of this world of darkness, spirits of evil. Come to the aid of man, whom God created immortal, made in His own image and likeness, and redeemed at a great price from the tyranny of the devil. Fight this day the battle of our Lord, together with the holy angels, as already thou hast fought the leader of the proud angels, Lucifer, and his apostate host, who were powerless to resist thee, nor was there place for them any longer in heaven. That cruel, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil or Satan who seduces the whole world, was cast into the abyss with his angels. Behold this primeval enemy and slayer of men has taken courage. Transformed into an angel of light, he wanders about with all the multitude of wicked spirits, invading the earth in order to blot out the Name of God and of His Christ, to seize upon, slay, and cast into eternal perdition, souls destined for the crown of eternal glory. That wicked dragon pours out. as a most impure flood, the venom of his malice on men of depraved mind and corrupt heart, the spirit of lying, of impiety, of blasphemy, and the pestilent breath of impurity, and of every vice and iniquity. These most crafty enemies have filled and inebriated with gall and bitterness the Church, the spouse of the Immaculate Lamb, and have laid impious hands on Her most sacred possessions. In the Holy Place itself, where has been set up the See of the most holy Peter and the Chair of Truth for the light of the world, they have raised the throne of their abominable impiety with the iniquitous design that when the Pastor has been struck the sheep may be scattered. Arise then, O invincible Prince, bring help against the attacks of the lost spirits to the people of God, and give them the victory. They venerate thee as their protector and patron; in thee holy Church glories as her defense against the malicious powers of hell; to thee has God entrusted the souls of men to be established in heavenly beatitude. Oh, pray to the God of peace that He may put Satan under our feet, so far conquered that he may no longer be able to hold men in captivity and harm the Church. Offer our prayers in the sight of the Most High, so that they may quickly conciliate the mercies of the Lord; and beating down the dragon, the ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, do thou again make him captive in the abyss, that he may no longer seduce the nations. Amen.

V: Behold the Cross of the Lord; be scattered ye hostile powers.
R: The Lion of the Tribe of Juda has conquered the root of David.
V: Let Thy mercies be upon us, O Lord.
R: As we have hoped in Thee.
V: O Lord hear my prayer.
R: And let my cry come unto Thee.

V: Let us pray. O God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, we call upon Thy holy Name, and as suppliants, we implore Thy clemency, that by the intercession of Mary, ever Virgin, immaculate and our Mother, and of the glorious Archangel Saint Michael, Thou wouldst deign to help us against Satan and all other unclean spirits, who wander about the world for the injury of the human race and the ruin of our souls. Amen.

Prayer Before the Crucifix

Look down upon me, O good and gentle Jesus, while before Thy face I humbly kneel, and with burning soul pray and beseech Thee to fix deep in my heart lively sentiments of faith, hope and charity, true contrition for my sins, and a firm purpose of amendment; the while I contemplate with great love and tender pity Thy five most precious wounds, pondering over them within me, calling to mind the words which David Thy prophet said of Thee, my good Jesus: "They have pierced My hands and My feet; they have numbered all My bones."

Indulgence of ten years; a plenary indulgence if recited after devout reception of Holy Communion, Raccolta 201)

Anima Christi - Soul of Christ

Soul of Christ, sanctify me.
Body of Christ, save me.
Blood of Christ, inebriate me.
Water from the side of Christ, wash me.
Passion of Christ, strengthen me.
O Good Jesus, hear me.
Within Thy wounds, hide me.
Suffer me not to be separated from Thee.
From the malignant enemy, defend me.
In the hour of my death, call me.
And bid me come to Thee, that with
Thy saints I may praise Thee for ever and ever. Amen.

Indulgence of 300 days; if recited after devout reception of Holy Communion, seven years Raccolta 131)

Prayer for Vocations

O Lord Jesus Christ, Who didst take to Thyself a body and soul like ours, to teach us the glory of self-sacrifice and service, mercifully deign to instill in other hearts the desire to dedicate their lives to Thee. Give us PRIESTS to stand before Thine Altar and to preach the words of Thy Gospel; BROTHERS to assist the priests and to reproduce in themselves Thy humility; SISTERS to teach the young and nurse the sick and to minister Thy charity to all; LAY PEOPLE to imitate Thee in their homes and families. Amen

Prayers for The Religion Forum (Ecumenical)

Continue to Pray for Pope Benedict [Ecumenical]

Jesus, High Priest

We thank you, God our Father, for those who have responded to your call to priestly ministry.

Accept this prayer we offer on their behalf: Fill your priests with the sure knowledge of your love.

Open their hearts to the power and consolation of the Holy Spirit.

Lead them to new depths of union with your Son.

Increase in them profound faith in the Sacraments they celebrate as they nourish, strengthen and heal us.

Lord Jesus Christ, grant that these, your priests, may inspire us to strive for holiness by the power of their example, as men of prayer who ponder your word and follow your will.

O Mary, Mother of Christ and our mother, guard with your maternal care these chosen ones, so dear to the Heart of your Son.

Intercede for our priests, that offering the Sacrifice of your Son, they may be conformed more each day to the image of your Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Saint John Vianney, universal patron of priests, pray for us and our priests

This icon shows Jesus Christ, our eternal high priest.

The gold pelican over His heart represents self-sacrifice.

The border contains an altar and grapevines, representing the Mass, and icons of Melchizedek and St. Jean-Baptiste Vianney.

Melchizedek: king of righteousness (left icon) was priest and king of Jerusalem. He blessed Abraham and has been considered an ideal priest-king.

St. Jean-Baptiste Vianney is the patron saint of parish priests.

Pray a Rosary each day for our nation.

Pray the Rosary

1. Sign of the Cross: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

2. The Apostles Creed: I BELIEVE in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell. On the third day He rose again. He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty. From there He shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

3. The Lord's Prayer: OUR Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.

4. (3) Hail Mary: HAIL Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now, and in the hour of our death. Amen. (Three times)

5. Glory Be: GLORY be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Fatima Prayer: Oh, my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all souls to heaven, especially those in most need of your mercy.

Announce each mystery, then say 1 Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, 1 Glory Be and 1 Fatima prayer. Repeat the process with each mystery.

End with the Hail Holy Queen:

Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope! To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve! To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this vale of tears! Turn then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy towards us; and after this, our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus!

O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary! Pray for us, O holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Final step -- The Sign of the Cross

The Mysteries of the Rosary

By tradition, Catholics meditate on these Mysteries during prayers of the Rosary.
The biblical references follow each of the Mysteries below.

The Glorious Mysteries
(Wednesdays and Sundays)
1.The Resurrection (Matthew 28:1-8, Mark 16:1-18, Luke 24:1-12, John 20:1-29) [Spiritual fruit - Faith]
2. The Ascension (Mark 16:19-20, Luke 24:50-53, Acts 1:6-11) [Spiritual fruit - Christian Hope]
3. The Descent of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1-13) [Spiritual fruit - Gifts of the Holy Spirit]
4. The Assumption [Spiritual fruit - To Jesus through Mary]
5. The Coronation [Spiritual fruit - Grace of Final Perseverance]

~ PRAYER ~

St. Michael, the Archangel, defend us in battle
Be our protection against the wickedness
and snares of the devil;
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray,
and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly host,
by the power of God,
Cast into hell Satan and all the evil spirits
who prowl through the world seeking the ruin of souls.
Amen
+

A Prayer for our Free Nation Under God
God Save Our Country web site (prayer warriors)
Prayer Chain Request for the United States of America
Pray for Nancy Pelosi
Prayer and fasting will help defeat health care reform (Freeper Prayer Thread)
Prayer Campaign Started to Convert Pro-Abortion Catholic Politicians to Pro-Life
[Catholic Caucus] One Million Rosaries
Non-stop Rosary vigil to defeat ObamaCare

From an Obama bumper sticker on a car:

"Pray for Obama. Psalm 109:8"

PLEASE JOIN US -

Evening Prayer
Someone has said that if people really understood the full extent of the power we have available through prayer, we might be speechless.
Did you know that during WWII there was an advisor to Churchill who organized a group of people who dropped what they were doing every day at a prescribed hour for one minute to collectively pray for the safety of England, its people and peace?

There is now a group of people organizing the same thing here in America. If you would like to participate: Every evening at 9:00 PM Eastern Time (8:00 PM Central) (7:00 PM Mountain) (6:00 PM Pacific), stop whatever you are doing and spend one minute praying for the safety of the United States, our troops, our citizens, and for a return to a Godly nation. If you know anyone else who would like to participate, please pass this along. Our prayers are the most powerful asset we have. Please forward this to your praying friends.

St. Teresa of Avila Interceding for the Souls in Purgatory, from the workshop of Peter Paul Reubens, 1577–1640

II Maccabees 12:43-46: "And making a gathering, he [Judas] sent twelve thousand drachms of silver to Jerusalem for sacrifice to be offered for the sins of the dead, thinking well and religiously concerning the resurrection, (For if he had not hoped that they that were slain should rise again, it would have seemed superfluous and vain to pray for the dead,) And because he considered that they who had fallen asleep with godliness, had great grace laid up for them. It is therefore a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead, that they may be loosed from sins."

November Devotion: The Holy Souls in Purgatory

Since the 16th century Catholic piety has assigned entire months to special devotions. As a reminder of our duty to pray for the suffering faithful in Purgatory, the Church has dedicated the month of November to the Holy Souls. The Holy Souls are those who have died in the state of grace but who are not yet free from all punishment due to their unforgiven venial sins and all other sins already forgiven for which satisfaction is still to be made. They are certain of entering Heaven, but first they must suffer in Purgatory. The Holy Souls cannot help themselves because for them the night has come, when no man can work (John 9:4). It is our great privilege of brotherhood that we can shorten their time of separation from God by our prayers, good works, and, especially, the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

To Help the Holy Souls in Purgatory:

1. Have the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass offered up for them.

2. Pray the Rosary and or the Chaplet of Divine Marcy for them, or both.

3. Pray the Stations of the Cross.

4. Offer up little sacrifices and fasting.

5. Spread devotion to them, so that others may pray for them.

6. Attend Eucharistic Adoration and pray for them.

7. Gain all the indulgences you can, and apply them to the Holy Souls

8. Visit to a Cemetery

Say here the prayer for the day, click on torch for specific day:

SUNDAY

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

Litany for the Holy Souls in Purgatory

V. The just shall be in everlasting remembrance;

R. He shall not fear the evil hearing.

V. Absolve, O Lord, the souls of the faithful departed from every bond of sin,
R. And by the help of Thy grace may they be enabled to escape the avenging judgment,
and to enjoy the happiness of eternal life.
V. Because in Thy mercy are deposited the souls that departed in an inferior degree of grace,
R. Lord, have mercy.
V. Because their present suffering is greatest in the knowledge of the pain that their separation from Thee is causing Thee,
R. Lord, have mercy.
V. Because of their present inability to add to Thy accidental glory,
R. Lord, have mercy.
V. Not for our consolation, O Lord; not for their release from purgative pain, O God;
but for Thy joy and the greater accidental honour of Thy throne, O Christ the King,
R. Lord, have mercy.
V. For the souls of our departed friends, relations and benefactors,
R. grant light and peace, O Lord.
V. For those of our family who have fallen asleep in Thy bosom, O Jesus,
R. grant light and peace, O Lord.
V. For those who have gone to prepare our place,
R. grant light and peace, O Lord.
V. (For those who were our brothers [or sisters] in Religion,)
R. grant light and peace, O Lord.
V. For priests who were our spiritual directors,
R. grant light and peace, O Lord.
V. For men or women who were our teachers in school,
R. grant light and peace, O Lord.
V. For those who were our employers (or employees),
R. grant light and peace, O Lord.
V. For those who were our associates in daily toil,
R. grant light and peace, O Lord.
V. For any soul whom we ever offended,
R. grant light and peace, O Lord.
V. For our enemies now departed,
R. grant light and peace, O Lord.
V. For those souls who have none to pray for them,
R. grant light and peace, O Lord.
V. For those forgotten by their friends and kin,
R. grant light and peace, O Lord.
V. For those now suffering the most,
R. grant light and peace, O Lord.
V. For those who have acquired the most merit,
R. grant light and peace, O Lord.
V. For the souls next to be released from Purgatory,
R. grant light and peace, O Lord.
V. For those who, while on earth, were most devoted to God the Holy Ghost, to Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament,
to the holy Mother of God,
R. grant light and peace, O Lord.
V. For all deceased popes and prelates,
R. grant light and peace, O Lord.
V. For all deceased priests, seminarians and religious,
R. grant light and peace, O Lord.
V. For all our brethren in the Faith everywhere,
R. grant light and peace, O Lord.
V. For all our separated brethren who deeply loved Thee, and would have come into Thy household had they known the truth,
R. grant light and peace, O Lord.
V. For those souls who need, or in life asked, our prayers,
R. grant light and peace, O Lord.
V. For those, closer to Thee than we are, whose prayers we need,
R. grant light and peace, O Lord.
V. That those may be happy with Thee forever, who on earth were true exemplars of the Catholic Faith,
R. grant them eternal rest, O Lord.
V. That those may be admitted to Thine unveiled Presence, who as far as we know never committed mortal sin,
R. grant them eternal rest, O Lord.
V. That those may be housed in glory, who lived always in recollection and prayer,
R. grant them eternal rest, O Lord.
V. That those may be given the celestial joy of beholding Thee, who lived lives of mortification and self-denial and penance,
R. grant them eternal rest, O Lord.
V. That those may be flooded with Thy love, who denied themselves even Thy favours of indulgence and who made the heroic act for the souls who had gone before them,
R. grant them eternal rest, O Lord.
V. That those may be drawn up to the Beatific Vision, who never put obstacles in the way of sanctifying grace and who ever drew closer in mystical union with Thee,
R. grant them eternal rest, O Lord.
V. Eternal rest give unto them, O Lord,
R. And let perpetual light shine upon them.
Let Us Pray
Be mindful, O Lord, of Thy servants and handmaids, N. and N., who are gone before us with the sign of faith and repose in the sleep of grace. To these, O Lord,
and to all who rest in Christ, grant, we beseech Thee, a place of refreshment, light and peace, through the same Christ Our Lord.
Amen

All Saints or All Souls? Differences should be black and white
All Souls' Day [Catholic Caucus]
Why I Am Catholic: For Purgatory, Thank Heavens (Ecumenical)
Q and A: Why Pray for the Dead? [Ecumenical]
“….and Death is Gain” – A Meditation on the Christian View of Death [Catholic Caucus]
99 & 1/2 Won’t Do – A Meditation on Purgatory
The Month of November: Thoughts on the "Last Things"
To Trace All Souls Day (Protestants vs Catholics)

November 2 -- All Souls Day
On November: All Souls and the "Permanent Things"
"From the Pastor" ALL SAINTS & ALL SOULS
Praying for the Dead [All Souls Day] (Catholic/Orthodox Caucus)
To Trace All Souls Day [Ecumenical]
All Souls Day [Catholic/Orthodox Caucus]
The Roots of All Souls Day
The Commemoration of all the Faithful Departed (All Souls)
During Month of Souls, Recall Mystic, St. Gertrude the Great
All Saints and All Souls

November 2012

Pope's intentions

General Intention: Ministers of the Gospel. That bishops, priests, and all ministers of the Gospel may bear the courageous witness of fidelity to the crucified and risen Lord.

Missionary Intention: Pilgrim Church. That the pilgrim Church on earth may shine as a light to the nations.

Arlington Catholic Herald

GOSPEL COMMENTARY JN 18:33B-37

Good kings and bad kings

Father Jerry J. Pokorsky

The desire to be king — or even to accept the office of king — is a curious thing. What kind of person would want to be in charge of an entire nation or people? What kind of man would want to be in control of anything other than his own affairs? Some people consider kingship a “prize” or a reward. Others, especially those who inherit or are elected to the office, more soberly consider it a burden or a grave responsibility. (Pope Benedict XVI, after being elected pope in 2005, joked that he felt like a guillotine was falling on him.) But motives for seeking the office of king probably include all the virtues and vices known to man.

There are many examples of powerful rulers who were very bad men. The 20th century has a notorious history of tyranny rivaling every other epoch. Some rulers were ruthless thugs or gangsters, such as Joseph Stalin, the Soviet dictator, who committed mass murder (50 million people is a number historians seem to agree upon) to protect his turf against encroachment. Others were ideologues who killed for some great cause. Mao Zedong in China rivaled Stalin in mass murder in the name of a “classless society.” Adolph Hitler was a relatively minor tyrant with “only” 12 million murders to his credit. A master race needs to be purified from time to time.

This is not to suggest that all desires to be king are necessarily bad. With pure motives rulers may be in position truly to serve their subjects. The church has canonized several kings and queens for their sanctity, proving it is truly possible, after all, for a ruler to enter into heaven. The Catholic Encyclopedia, for example, tells us of 13th-century St. Louis VIII of France: “St. Louis led an exemplary life, bearing constantly in mind his mother's words: ‘I would rather see you dead at my feet than guilty of a mortal sin.’ His biographers have told us of the long hours he spent in prayer, fasting and penance, without the knowledge of his subjects.” Indeed the court of justice established by King Louis influenced the judiciaries of all of Christendom.

All great men need to be reminded of a fundamental truth about authority and power. During the trial of Christ, Pilate threatens Him: “Do you refuse to speak to me? Don’t you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?” Jesus answers with a truth that echoes through the ages: “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above” (Jn 19:8-11). All kingly power, all power of office or any position of authority is granted by God, for us to use or abuse. Even petty tyrants like Pontius Pilate and King Herod have a legitimate authority granted to them by God Himself in His Providence. But those who aspire to kingship or hold any position of authority are true kings only to the extent that they, with humility, participate in the kingship of Christ.

In this Sunday’s Gospel, Christ acknowledges He is a king, but not of this world: “My kingdom does not belong to this world. If my kingdom did belong to this world, my attendants would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not here.” This does not mean, however, that his nonviolent kingship has no influence on earthly affairs. Quite the contrary. The divine kingship of Christ is the absolute measure of worldly kings: “For this I was born and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.”

There is an amusing G.K. Chesterton poem depicting a donkey delighting in the adulation he received in a procession. It concludes:

“For I also had my hour; / One far fierce hour and sweet: / There was a shout about my ears, / And palms before my feet.”

The donkey, of course, is the one carrying Christ, the King of Kings into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. The donkey is not the subject of the adoration of the crowds; Christ is. A wise ruler will not permit praise and admiration to become a narcotic of vainglory. Every king — in the family, in civil society, in the church — serves under the authority of God. He belongs to Christ the King and will be judged by the truth of Christ.

Fr. Pokorsky is pastor of St. Michael Parish in Annandale.

Archdiocese of Washington

Is He your King? Really? A Meditation on the Gospel of Christ the King

By: Msgr. Charles Pope

On the feast of Christ the King, we are called to acknowledge that Jesus is, in fact our King. It is one thing to say that he is our King because the song in Church we sang said that, or the preacher said that, or the Bible says that. Yes, faith does come by hearing. But there also comes a moment when WE must say that Jesus is our King. When we must personally affirm what the Church has always announced: “Jesus is Lord, and he is King, he is my king. He has authority in my life.”And this must become more than lip service. It must become a daily, increasing reality in our life.

Kings take care of us, but they also have the authority to command us. Can Christ command you or me? Or are we more typical of the modern person who doesn’t like to be told what to do? Or perhaps we suffer from the more mild form of this attitude that reduces and trivializes Jesus to being the “harmless hippie” who just says pleasant things about peace and flowers, but would never rebuke us or command us to repent.

And so, again the question for us: Is Jesus Christ your King?

And that brings us to the Gospel for today’s Mass. Now, the Gospels are not theater, as though we were in the audience and watching a story unfold, a story that took place 2000 years ago. No, we are in the story. We are not just to observe what Peter, or Pilate, of James, or Mary Magdalene do. They are us and we are them.

One of the things that this means is that when Jesus asks them a question, we cannot merely wait and see how they will answer as though we were watching a movie. No, WE have to answer the question.

In today’s Gospel the spotlight moves to Pontius Pilate. And the Lord asks the critical question of him (i.e. us) that we are here pondering. And we cannot simply wait to see how Pilate answers that question, WE have to answer it. Consider this Gospel in three stages.

I. INDECISION – In a remarkable display of literary artistry, John and the Holy Spirit vividly depict the vacillation of Pontius Pilate. For in this Gospel passage of the trial of Jesus, Pilate goes in and out of the Praetorium (i.e. the Governor’s palace) more than a bell-hop through the revolving door of a hotel. Indeed he goes in and out seven times. Note the text with the texts describing his motions highlighted in bold text:

²⁹So Pilate went out to them and said, “What accusation do you bring against this man?” …..³³Pilate [re]entered the praetorium and called Jesus…..” ³⁹After he had said this, he went out to the Jews again, and told them, “I find no crime in him…..¹Then Pilate took Jesus [back into the praetorium] and scourged him…… ⁴Pilate went out again, and said to them, “See, I am bringing him out to you, that you may know that I find no crime in him….⁸When Pilate heard these words, he was the more afraid; ⁹he re-entered the praetorium and [spoke] to Jesus….¹²Upon this Pilate [went back out] and sought to release him, but the Jews cried out, “If you release this man, you are not Caesar’s friend…When Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus out and he sat down on the judgment seat…..(John 18-19 selected verses)

Did you count? Seven times Pilate goes in or out of the Praetorium! Such a picture of indecision an vacillation! He’s trying to please the crowds, he’s trying to please his wife (who had warned him to have nothing to do with that innocent man (Mat 27:19)), he’s trying to help Jesus. But he can’t decide! In and out he goes!

He is like us. We say we love God, but we also love the world. We want to please others, we want to please God. We cannot do both. We have to decide. But instead we vacillate, we go back and forth. We are Pilate. We are often locked in indecision, we vacillate, trying to please the world, trying to please others and to please God.

Is Pilate really so different from many of us? Faced with a crucial decision, he weighs the consequences that choosing Jesus will have on his career, his future, his family, his loyalty to country and Caesar, his access to power, and so forth. And while we may rightfully criticize Pilate for his choice, is it not easy for so many of us to make compromises with the world for the sake of similar things? How often does Jesus our King take a back seat to career, politics, convenience and so on? And so easily we stay rooted in vacillation, compromise and indecision.

II. INQUIRY – And now, in the midst of all this indecision comes the question.

Pilate begins with his own question: “Are you the King of the Jews?” (John 18:33) But Jesus, who is on trial, turns the tables on Pilate and putting him on trail asks him the crucial question:

“Are you saying this on your own or have others been telling you about me?” (John 18:34).

A remarkable question! And guess what?! YOU have to answer it, I have to answer it. Do not wait for Pilate, he has already made his answer and he has faced his judgment centuries ago. But YOU, and ME, how do WE answer the question?

Now notice what the Lord is getting at. He is asking you if you call him a King merely because you have heard others say this or because you personally know him to be King. Is he really your King, or this just a slogan you’ve heard in church before? Do you believe he is King or do you merely parrot what you’ve heard others say?

There is an old Gospel song that says, “Yes I know Jesus for myself.” But is that really the case with us? Too many of us are satisfied with a kind of inferential faith. Inferential faith is based merely on what others have said: “I think, or suppose, that is I infer that Jesus is Lord because my mother said so, or my pastor said so.” This is a good beginning, for after all, faith comes by hearing (Rom 10:17).

But there comes a moment when YOU have to say so. It is not enough that your pastor says so, or your mother says so. And thus Jesus is asking you and me right now: “Are you saying I am King on your own or merely because others have said so?”

Answer him…..It’s a crucial question isn’t it? The faith of the Church is essential, normative and determinative, but at some point you have to step up and say, I personally affirm that the faith of the Church is true and is mine and I hereby declare: “Jesus is Lord and King.”

And what does it mean that he is King? As we have already discussed, A king has authority doesn’t he? Does Jesus have authority in my life? Do I have the obedience of faith (Rom 1:5) and base my life upon his will?

A king also takes care of his people and protects them. Do I allow the Lord to feed me with the Holy Eucharist? Do I allow him to protect me from the poison of sin by the sacrament of confession and the medicine of his Holy Word? Am I willing to live within the protection of the walled city of his Church?

Is the Lord really my King? How do I answer? Is it more than a slogan or is his Kingship real? Let the Lord ask one more time:

Are you saying I am a king on your own or have others been telling you about me?

III. IMPLICATION - You have to answer. To refuse to answer, IS to answer.

A fascinating and wondrous literary device is employed by John and the Holy Spirit in this Gospel passage. We have already seen how Jesus, who was on trial, has turned the tables, and it is now Pilate who is really on trial. Pilate who has the duty to question Jesus is now being questioned by him. And it is Pilate who must now make a decision, not so much about Jesus, but about himself. He has been asked a question he cannot ultimately avoid and now it is time to answer. And here is where the ingenious literary device comes into play. Look carefully at this line from John’s Gospel and see if you notice anything strange:

Upon this [the shouting of Crucify him!]Pilate sought to release him, but the Jews cried out, “If you release this man, you are not Caesar’s friend; every one who makes himself a king sets himself against Caesar.” When Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus out, and he sat down on the judgment seat at a place called The Pavement, and in Hebrew, Gabbatha. (John 19:12-13)

So what is strange here? Well notice that when Pilate has Jesus brought out, “he” sat on the judgment seat. Who exactly is sitting on the judgment seat? Well, you might say, Pilate of course!” And historically that might have been true. But the text is ambiguous as to the exact identity of “he” and most Scripture scholars argue that it is supposed to be ambiguous.

From the standpoint of historical facts it was likely Pilate who took that seat. But from the standpoint of Divine Justice it is Jesus who takes that seat.

He has turned the tables on Pilate. Pilate is now on trial and the verdict is about to be revealed. Pilate will seal his own fate when he hands Jesus over to be crucified. His vacillation is over. He has made his choice. He has answered the question.

From this context it is Jesus who sits silently upon the judgment seat. The verdict is in. In deciding to hand Jesus over, in deciding to favor himself and the crowds over Jesus, Pilate has brought judgment on himself.

Too many of us have cartoonish notions about our final judgment. Many today conceive of that judgment as either a benign Jesus giving us a great big hug, or for the condemned, an angry Lord gleefully passing judgment on his “enemies.” Perhaps too there is some notion of the repetition of our deeds, good or bad, and the pronouncing of some sort of verdict, while we cringe and wait. But Jesus is not a King who imposes his Kingdom. He is one who invites our entry into his Kingdom. So ultimately judgment is about our choice, not His.

And. thus what if judgment is finally this: the Lord, who suffered for us, respectfully and quietly seated on the Judgement seat, accepting our final choice, a choice that is the cumulative sum of all our choices, a choice that is now and forever fixed? Isn’t that what really happens here?

The Lord has called the question for Pilate, as he does for us. But the choice is for Pilate and the judgement he brings on himself. A choice either to accept the Lord’s kingship, or to reject it and see the Lord led away, while he (Pilate himself) stands alone, the judgment having been rendered by his own choice.

Yes, there are implications as to whether we accept the Lord for our King or not. Today the Lord asks us all: “Will you let me be your King?” And to those of us who say, “yes,” the Lord has this further question, “Are you saying this on your own or is it just that others have been telling you about me?” Is he really our King? Think about it. There are implications.

The question that we cannot fail to answer has now been answered by Pilate. What is your answer? What is mine?

There is an mp3 of this sermon recorded Saturday night here: King or no

Sunday Gospel Reflections

Solemnity of Christ The King
Reading I: Daniel 7:13-14 II: Revelation 1:5-8

Gospel
John 18:33-38

³³ Pilate entered the praetorium again and called Jesus, and said to him, "Are you the King of the Jews?"
³⁴ Jesus answered, "Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me?"
³⁵ Pilate answered, "Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have handed you over to me; what have you done?"
³⁶ Jesus answered, "My kingship is not of this world; if my kingship were of this world, my servants would fight, that I might not be handed over to the Jews; but my kingship is not from the world."
³⁷ Pilate said to him, "So you are a king?" Jesus answered, "You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I have come into the world, to bear witness to the truth. Every one who is of the truth hears my voice."
³⁸ Pilate said to him, "What is truth?" After he had said this, he went out to the Jews again, and told them, "I find no crime in him.

Interesting Details

Chapter 18 of John describes the arrest and the trial of Jesus. Here is the sequence of actions:
- Jesus is arrested (vv. 1-11)
- Jesus is brought to Caiphas (13-14)
- Peter denies Jesus (15-18)
- Caiphas interrogates Jesus (19-24)
- Peter denies Jesus again (25-27)
- Pilate talks with "the Jews" about what they have accused Jesus (28-32)
- Pilate talks with Jesus about Jesus' kingship (33-38)
- Pilate talks with "the Jews" again about Jesus' innocence (39-40)
Today, our reading (Pilate talks with Jesus about his kingship, vv. 33b-38) deals with the charge against Jesus.
In v. 33, when Pilate asks Jesus: "Are you the King of the Jews?" (v. 33), he helps clarifying the charge against Jesus. Jesus was accused of being a king (a political, revolutionary leader), which indicates some sort of rebellion against the Roman Empire.
Jesus replies that his kingdom is not of this world (v. 36). We may restate this as "his kingdom is in this world" but not "of (or belonging to) this world." Here, the world (or the flesh) indicates the evil of the world. This statement shows the dualism between the goodness of Jesus and the evil of world.
Later, Jesus said he was born and came into the world to testify to the truth (v. 37). Like Pilate, we response in unison: What is truth? In John, we hear about the spirit of truth, about the truth sets us free. Jesus' word is equated with truth. Truth is real; truth is true. It is the reference to God, o a divine reality, of which Jesus came to reveal to us.
Lastly, Jesus' answer assures Pilate that he is not a political evolutionary. Interestingly, Jesus managed to "turn the table" on Pilate in the sense of challenging Pilate's ability to see the "truth" (v. 38). So Pilate is now on trial!

One Main Point

Jesus came to testify to the truth, and those who belong to him will listen to his voice. As professed Christians, our vocation is to accept this truth, which will transform our lives so we can recognize Jesus' voice. In other words, our task is to be "enlightened" and Jesus is the source of our "enlightenment."

Reflections

Jesus is on trial. His values are on trial. I put myself in his trial scene. When was the trial? Where am I? Who am I? What am I?
How is Jesus my king?
Jesus came to testify to the truth, to show us God's life. How do I belong to him? What is truth for me?

November 25, 2012

The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe

Reading 1 Dn 7:13-14

Responsorial Psalm Ps 93:1, 1-2, 5

Reading 2 Rv 1:5-8

Gospel Jn 18:33b-37

Readings at Mass

November Devotion: The Holy Souls in Purgatory

Litany for the Holy Souls in Purgatory

Is He your King? Really? A Meditation on the Gospel of Christ the King