All glory alone belongs to Jesus Christ our savior, our heavenly Father, Creator, and the Holy Spirit, sanctifier: the Holy Trinity and undivided unity, our beloved Lord!
God fulfilled his promise to Adam and Eve (see Gen. 3:15)! Through the offspring of the "Woman," Jesus Christ, Son of Mary, Satan , death and hell have all been defeated! Turn to Jesus Christ our Lord, through Mary, the "New Eve" and be transformed!
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Catholic Evangelization Society
michaelr
THIS WEEK'S
GOSPEL MESSAGE
Copyright, 2010. CES
Previous Gospel Messages.
This month we look back at the message from January 1st:
January 1, 2010
Feast of Mary, Mother of God
Numbers 6:22-27
Galatians 4:4-7
Luke 2:16-21
Message for January 1st:
In today's gospel reading, shepherds watching over their flocks received an invitation from God (a grace) to visit the world's newborn savior and quickly acted upon it, going "...in haste..."
After they honored Him, Luke's Gospel tells us implicity the shepherds received several spiritual gifts from Jesus though Mary (much the same way Elizabeth and John did in Lk. 1:39-45): they received to a certain degree the gift of the Holy Spirit who gave them faith and spiritual joy and by their cooperation transformation, for they "...returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, just as it had been told to them" (Lk. 2:20). Truly, by their expression of faith (seen in their rejoicing) the shepherds were transformed more into the image and likeness of Christ.
Hence, we are urged today - just as the shepherds were- to quickly honor Jesus our savior through Mary, Mother of God (Mother of her Son's humanity) and to rejoice over the fact that because Mary is Mother of God she is simultaneously our spiritual Mother in the order of grace: Mary spirtually feeds us (distributes to us) grace just as an earthly mother physically feeds her children human food. Further, to recognize that transformation only occurs through the work of Jesus Christ through Mary, Mother of God - our Mother in the order of grace.
To Jesus Christ alone be all glory!
-Michael J. Ruggiero, SFO, Director
Master of Arts in Theology
Franciscan University of Steubenville
All scripture quotations are taken from the New American Bible. Confraternity of Christian Doctrine. Catholic Book Publishers: KS, 1987.
Copyright, 2010. CES
THIS WEEK
March 7, 2010
Third Sunday of Lent
Readings
Exodus 3:1-18
1Corinthians 10:1-12
Luke 13:1-9
In today's gospel reading, Luke the Evangelist recalls a discussion and a parable to make timeless moral theological points: notably we must change our direction - repent, attain a state of grace and produce charitable spiritual and corporal works if we desire to share eternity with God in heaven.
As Moses, the old law giver, (noted in today's Old Testament reading)delivered those who had faith in him from physical bondage in the earthly Egypt, so our savior, Jesus Christ, the new law giver continues to deliver those of us who have faith in Him from the state of mortal sin (spiritual bondage in the spiritual Egypt) provided we embrace His call to repentance!
The veiled meaning behind today's parable is as follows:
The tree represents each person, the soil -life, the fertilizer-grace (God's undeserved gifts and help) the gardener - Jesus (but also, considering the actions of the gardener, this could be Mary - advocate and distributor of grace) and the Orchard owner - God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). For a time God seemingly allows us to simply live but at a certain point demands (like the owner of a fig tree) that we mature and bear fruit. In short, that we cooperate with His grace!
Tomorrow may never come! Today is the day for us to repent and choose, to the best of our ability, to think, speak, and act like Jesus Christ - to deny ourselves for a greater devotion to God and the welfare of our neighbor.
To Jesus Christ alone be all glory!
-Michael J. Ruggiero, SFO, Director
Master of Arts in Theology
Franciscan University of Steubenville
All scripture quotations are taken from the New American Bible. Confraternity of Christian Doctrine. Catholic Book Publishers: KS, 1987.
Last Week...
Readings
Genesis 15:5-12, 17-18
Philippians 3:17 -4:1
Luke 9:28-36
The Evangelist Luke recalls the transfiguration of Jesus to timelessly show every Christian who Jesus Christ is in relation to us and to declare that our savior would soon complete God's saving plan for mankind (the plan God put into place after the fall of Adam and Eve - to restore to union with Him all who accept His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, as Lord and Savior, accept His sacrificial death as full payment for their sins and attain/remain in a state of grace).
Hence, Luke recalled the transfiguration to pass on to US the same theological truths revealed over time to Peter, James, and John:
1. Elijah and Moses appeared on each side of our savior to highlight the fact that Jesus Christ is the Messiah spoken of by the prophets and the New Law Giver who would fulfill (through His example and two commandments - to love God and neighbor ) the Old Testament law given by Moses!
2. Through his death and resurrection our savior would make a journey (Exodus) out of this world to glorification in heaven!
3. Our savior appeared in glory before the Apostles to remind them that though the Messiah had to suffer (fulfill the the role of the suffering servant mentioned in Isaiah 52:13 - 53:12) He would ultimately be glorified!
4. In relation to God the Father, Jesus Christ is His only begotten Son and as a result of our faith in Jesus, we are brought into deeper union with God. Recall that on Mt. Sinai (see Exodus 20:21) only the mediator of the covenant could enter the cloud (the symbol of God's omnipresence). In Luke's transfiguration account, the Mediator (Jesus Christ) and Peter, James and John all enter the cloud. Hence, the degree of our union to God our Father and our comforter the Holy Spirit (symbolized by the cloud coming over the apostles and later deepened through the institution of the sacraments) has changed through our faith in the mediator of the New Covenant, Jesus Christ!
5. Lastly, we are to listen to our glorious savior, for he is greater than Moses! Consider that Moses an exceptional, cherished friend of God could only lead the Israelites as far as the promised land - he couldn't cross over into it (see Exodus 32:52), but our glorious savior not only crossed over into the promised land of heaven, he continues to lead to the lush green land of pardise all who possess faith in Him as Lord and Savior and attain/remain in a state of grace!
All of these truths lead us to the conclusion that God's place is with His people! (see Rev. 21:3)
To Jesus Christ alone be all glory!
-Michael J. Ruggiero, SFO, Director
Master of Arts in Theology
Franciscan University of Steubenville
All scripture quotations are taken from the New American Bible. Confraternity of Christian Doctrine. Catholic Book Publishers: KS, 1987.
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Catholic Evangelization Society
michaelr
