๐ฝ๐ก๐๐จ๐จ๐๐ ๐๐จ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ค๐จ๐ ๐๐๐ฃ๐จ ๐ผ๐ง๐ ๐๐ค๐ง๐๐๐ซ๐๐ฃ
March 10, 2026
โ๐๐ฅ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐๐ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ก๐ ๐ฐ๐ก๐จ๐ฌ๐ ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐ง๐ฌ๐ ๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐ข๐ฌ ๐๐จ๐ซ๐ ๐ข๐ฏ๐๐ง, ๐ฐ๐ก๐จ๐ฌ๐ ๐ฌ๐ข๐ง ๐ข๐ฌ ๐๐จ๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐๐.โ - ๐๐ด๐ข๐ญ๐ฎ 32:1
I recall the first time I returned to the Sacrament of Reconciliation as an adult. It was October 2013. I was last in the confessional line, and I had made it in time just before the Friday morning Mass was to begin.
When Jesus broke into my life, he first moved my intellect to seek Truth. Then, He softened my heart. I had been wrestling with God for about a year. I had been indifferent to God and I was a child of this world. But, through different people and situations God led me to study His plan for me through the Scriptures. I hungered for God and to be restored in Him.
By this point in my life, I had accepted Jesus words, โ๐ก๐ ๐ฐ๐ก๐จ ๐๐๐ญ๐ฌ ๐ฆ๐ฒ ๐๐ฅ๐๐ฌ๐ก ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ซ๐ข๐ง๐ค๐ฌ ๐ฆ๐ฒ ๐๐ฅ๐จ๐จ๐ ๐ก๐๐ฌ ๐๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ง๐๐ฅ ๐ฅ๐ข๐๐, ๐๐ง๐ ๐ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐ซ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐ ๐ก๐ข๐ฆ ๐ฎ๐ฉ ๐๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐๐ฒโ (๐๐ฐ๐ฉ๐ฏ 6:54) I wanted Jesusโ life in me. I knew that I needed Him. I was afflicted; and hungered for food that would not perish, but endured to eternal life.
But it wasnโt that easy. I needed to repent. I read what St. Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 11, โ๐๐ก๐จ๐ฏ๐๐ฏ๐๐ซ, ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ซ๐๐๐จ๐ซ๐, ๐๐๐ญ๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ซ๐๐๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ซ๐ข๐ง๐ค๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฉ ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐จ๐ซ๐ ๐ข๐ง ๐๐ง ๐ฎ๐ง๐ฐ๐จ๐ซ๐ญ๐ก๐ฒ ๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ง๐๐ซ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐๐ ๐ ๐ฎ๐ข๐ฅ๐ญ๐ฒ ๐จ๐ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐๐๐ง๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐จ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ฅ๐จ๐จ๐ ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐จ๐ซ๐โ(๐ท 27). The last time I had gone to confession was as a junior in high school for Confirmation, and I did not remember how that went. I know I โrepentedโ from time to time as a young adult. Often in negotiation with God. Sometimes authentic, but without roots in good soil.
God allowed me to begin feeling the weight and burden of my sins. โ๐๐ก๐๐ง ๐ ๐๐๐๐ฅ๐๐ซ๐๐ ๐ง๐จ๐ญ ๐ฆ๐ฒ ๐ฌ๐ข๐ง, ๐ฆ๐ฒ ๐๐จ๐๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ ๐๐ฐ๐๐ฒ... ๐ ๐จ๐ซ ๐๐๐ฒ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ง๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ญ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ก๐๐ง๐ ๐ฐ๐๐ฌ ๐ก๐๐๐ฏ๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ฉ๐จ๐ง ๐ฆ๐โ (๐๐ด๐ข๐ญ๐ฎ 32:3-4).
And, at the same time God stirred up in me a heart of repentance. โ๐๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐จ๐ซ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฌ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ฌ๐๐ฅ๐, ๐ ๐๐จ๐ซ๐, ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ฐ๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ ๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐จ๐ซ๐๐!โ - ๐๐ข๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ต๐ข๐ต๐ช๐ฐ๐ฏ๐ด 5:21
I had learned that Jesus came with the authority to forgive sins (๐t 9:6), and that He died for our sins (1 ๐๐ฐ๐ณ 15:3). Then, Jesus appeared to Peter and then the Twelve, and said to them, โ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ. ๐๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ ๐๐ญ๐ก๐๐ซ ๐ก๐๐ฌ ๐ฌ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐ฆ๐, ๐๐ฏ๐๐ง ๐ฌ๐จ ๐ ๐ฌ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ.โ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฐ๐ก๐๐ง ๐ก๐ ๐ก๐๐ ๐ฌ๐๐ข๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ, ๐ก๐ ๐๐ซ๐๐๐ญ๐ก๐๐ ๐จ๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ฆ, ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฌ๐๐ข๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ฆ, โ๐๐๐๐๐ข๐ฏ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐จ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐๐ฉ๐ข๐ซ๐ข๐ญ. ๐๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐๐จ๐ซ๐ ๐ข๐ฏ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฌ๐ข๐ง๐ฌ ๐จ๐ ๐๐ง๐ฒ, ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ฒ ๐๐ซ๐ ๐๐จ๐ซ๐ ๐ข๐ฏ๐๐ง; ๐ข๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ซ๐๐ญ๐๐ข๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฌ๐ข๐ง๐ฌ ๐จ๐ ๐๐ง๐ฒ, ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ฒ ๐๐ซ๐ ๐ซ๐๐ญ๐๐ข๐ง๐๐.โ (๐๐ฐ๐ฉ๐ฏ 20:21-23).
I had prepared. I found a good guide to help me examine my conscience. Most importantly, I prayed for the Holy Spirit to bring to my mind all that I needed to confess and to grant me the grace of repentance. I remember making a note for myself to help me remember. Just number (if I could even remember) and kind. The particulars beyond that arenโt necessary. As I confessed, I began to feel lighterโฆ free from burden.
Then, I heard the words of absolution: โ๐๐ค๐, ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐๐ฉ๐๐๐ง ๐ค๐ ๐ข๐๐ง๐๐๐๐จ, ๐ฉ๐๐ง๐ค๐ช๐๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ฉ๐ ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ง๐๐จ๐ช๐ง๐ง๐๐๐ฉ๐๐ค๐ฃ ๐ค๐ ๐๐๐จ ๐๐ค๐ฃ ๐๐๐จ ๐ง๐๐๐ค๐ฃ๐๐๐ก๐๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ฌ๐ค๐ง๐ก๐ ๐ฉ๐ค ๐๐๐ข๐จ๐๐ก๐ ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐จ๐๐ฃ๐ฉ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐ค๐ก๐ฎ ๐๐ฅ๐๐ง๐๐ฉ ๐๐ข๐ค๐ฃ๐ ๐ช๐จ ๐๐ค๐ง ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐ค๐ง๐๐๐ซ๐๐ฃ๐๐จ๐จ ๐ค๐ ๐จ๐๐ฃ๐จ; ๐ฉ๐๐ง๐ค๐ช๐๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ข๐๐ฃ๐๐จ๐ฉ๐ง๐ฎ ๐ค๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐พ๐๐ช๐ง๐๐ ๐ข๐๐ฎ ๐๐ค๐ ๐๐๐ซ๐ ๐ฎ๐ค๐ช ๐ฅ๐๐ง๐๐ค๐ฃ ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ฅ๐๐๐๐, ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ ๐๐๐จ๐ค๐ก๐ซ๐ ๐ฎ๐ค๐ช ๐๐ง๐ค๐ข ๐ฎ๐ค๐ช๐ง ๐จ๐๐ฃ๐จ ๐๐ฃ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ฃ๐๐ข๐ ๐ค๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐๐ฉ๐๐๐ง, ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ค๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐ค๐ฃ โ , ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ค๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐ค๐ก๐ฎ ๐๐ฅ๐๐ง๐๐ฉ.โ
The invisible mercy of God was made visible to me through the physical ministry of Jesusโs Church.
I was restored โ enveloped in His Divine Mercy. I confessed my transgressions to the Lord and He forgave the guilt of my sins (cf ๐๐ด๐ข๐ญ๐ฎ 32:5). I received the Holy Eucharist and I was satisfied. I still remember the simple penance assigned to me by the priestโฆ prayerfully read Matthew Chapter 5.
Burden was transformed into Communion.
If you hunger for Him โ truly hunger โ do not remain at a distance.
Encounter His mercy in the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
โ๐๐ก๐ ๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ข๐๐ญ๐๐ ๐ฌ๐ก๐๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐๐๐ญ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ ๐ฌ๐๐ญ๐ข๐ฌ๐๐ข๐๐.โ - ๐๐ด๐ข๐ญ๐ฎ 22:26
St. John the Baptist Catholic Church Reconciliation Times:
Saturday at 3:30-4:15 p.m.
Monday, Wednesday thru Friday at 7:40 a.m. or by appoint
Blessed among All Generations
March 10, 2026
๐ฝ๐ก๐๐จ๐จ๐๐ ๐๐ข๐ค๐ฃ๐ ๐ผ๐ก๐ก ๐๐๐ฃ๐๐ง๐๐ฉ๐๐ค๐ฃ๐
สษชสสษชแดแดส sษชษขษดษชาษชแดแดษดแดแด แดา แดแดสส
แดษดแด
แดแดแดสแดสษชแด แด
แดแด แดแดษชแดษด
โ๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ๐ก๐ฒ๐ ๐ถ๐ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐น๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ข๐น๐ฑ, ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ข๐น๐ฑ ๐ถ๐ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐น๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ก๐ฒ๐.โ - ๐ฆ๐. ๐๐๐ด๐๐๐๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ
Another way to formulate this is: โThe Old prefigures the New, and the New fulfills the Oldโ. This biblical pattern is known as typology.
This pattern is beautifully expressed in Maryโs Magnificat, where she proclaims: โMy soul magnifies the Lordโฆ for behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed.โ (Luke 1:46-48)
๐๐๐ซ๐ข๐๐ง ๐ญ๐ฒ๐ฉ๐จ๐ฅ๐จ๐ ๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ญ๐ข๐ฆ๐๐ญ๐๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐ฉ๐จ๐ข๐ง๐ญ๐ฌ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐ก๐ซ๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ.
Below are three prominent examples.
Not exhaustive for each.
โ๏ธ ๐๐ณ๐ฌ ๐ฐ๐ง ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐๐ฐ๐ท๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ข๐ฏ๐ต
The Old Testament Ark of the Covenant prefigures Mary who is the Ark of the New Covenant in Christ.
The OT Ark contained within it 3 items (Hebrews 9:4):
โข 10 Commandments (Word of God)
โข Rod of Aaron (true priesthood)
โข Manna (bread from Heaven)
For 9 months, Mary bore Jesus who is:
โข the Word made flesh (John 1:14)
โข the Eternal High Priest (Hebrews 4:14)
โข the Bread of Life (John 6:35)
The Ark carried the signs of Godโs covenant. Mary carried the fulfillment of the covenant โ Jesus Christ Himself.
โ๏ธ ๐๐ถ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ฏ ๐๐ฐ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ณ
In the OT Davidic Kingdom, the queen was the kingโs mother, not his wife (1 Kings 2:19). The royal office was known as the Queen Mother (Gebirah). About 17 Queen Mothers are mentioned in the OT.
Jesus is the eternal King who sits on the throne of David forever (Luke 1:31-33). Christ restores and fulfills the Davidic Kingdom through His Universal Kingdom โ the Church.
As the mother of the King, Mary holds the royal dignity of Queen Mother in Christโs Kingdom.
โ๏ธ ๐๐ฆ๐ธ ๐๐ท๐ฆ
โThe knot of Eveโs disobedience was untied by the obedience of Maryโ - St. Irenaeus (c. 180 A.D.) compare Genesis 3:1-6 & Luke 1:38.
Eve influenced Adam toward sin (Gen 3:6). Mary brings forth Christ who conquers sin (Romans 5:19).
Eve was called Woman by Adam (Genesis 2:23), and Mary was referred to as Woman by Jesus (John 2:4).
โฌ๏ธ The Gospel of John subtly presents Christ as inaugurating a New Creation. John chapter 2 begins on the 3rd day, completing a sequence that echoes the seven days of creation described in Genesis. In this new creation, Christ is the New Adam and Mary appears as the New Eve (Woman).
โค๏ธโ๐ฅ โ๐ก๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฏ๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ณ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ถ๐ฑ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐น๐ผ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐น๐ฒ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ฉ๐ถ๐ฟ๐ด๐ถ๐ป ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ ๐๐ผ๐ผ ๐บ๐๐ฐ๐ต. ๐ฌ๐ผ๐ ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ป ๐ป๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐น๐ผ๐๐ฒ ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐บ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ป ๐๐ฒ๐๐๐ ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ฑ.โ - ๐ฆ๐. ๐ ๐ฎ๐ ๐ถ๐บ๐ถ๐น๐ถ๐ฎ๐ป ๐๐ผ๐น๐ฏ๐ฒ
To be clear, Catholics do not worship Mary. The Church condemns any worship not given to God alone.
In John 2:5, the final recorded words of Mary are: โDo whatever [Jesus] tells you.โ
At the foot of the cross (John 19:26-27), Jesus said to His mother, referring to the beloved disciple, โbehold your sonโ and He said to the disciple โbehold your motherโ.
The beloved disciple obeyed Christ and took Mary into his own home from that hour onward. In the same spirit, Christians receive Mary as our mother in the household of faith.
Mary is the Queen Mother in the Kingdom of Christ โ alive in Him and honored within His Church.
The mystery of Mary is inseparable from the mystery of Christ. The Ark bore the presence of God, the Queen Mother shares in the dignity of the Kingโs kingdom, and the New Eve stands beside the New Adam as the work of redemption unfolds. Yet, in all these things Mary remains the humble handmaid of the Lord, always pointing beyond herself to Jesus. When Christians honor her, we do nothing more than follow the pattern of Scripture itself โ magnify the Lord for the great things He has done. In this way the Church continues, in every generation, to fulfill the words of the Magnificat: โ๐ผ๐ก๐ก ๐๐๐ฃ๐๐ง๐๐ฉ๐๐ค๐ฃ๐จ ๐ฌ๐๐ก๐ก ๐๐๐ก๐ก ๐ข๐ ๐๐ก๐๐จ๐จ๐๐.โ
Let Your Light Shine
October 23, 2024
Like the moon, we do not produce our own light. The light we share we receive from Christ who is the light of the world. We cannot share light we do not receive; and we should not hide what light God has given us. Iโm reminded of this when I notice the glowing moon during the daylight. I wish I remembered this all the time. Especially, in the times I fail to reflect Jesusโ light all together. Iโm grateful for the reminders.
โ๐๐จ๐ข๐ช๐ฏ ๐๐ฆ๐ด๐ถ๐ด ๐ด๐ฑ๐ฐ๐ฌ๐ฆ ๐ต๐ฐ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ฎ, ๐ด๐ข๐บ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ, โ๐ ๐ข๐ฎ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ญ๐ช๐จ๐ฉ๐ต ๐ฐ๐ง ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ธ๐ฐ๐ณ๐ญ๐ฅ; ๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ธ๐ฉ๐ฐ ๐ง๐ฐ๐ญ๐ญ๐ฐ๐ธ๐ด ๐ฎ๐ฆ ๐ธ๐ช๐ญ๐ญ ๐ฏ๐ฐ๐ต ๐ธ๐ข๐ญ๐ฌ ๐ช๐ฏ ๐ฅ๐ข๐ณ๐ฌ๐ฏ๐ฆ๐ด๐ด, ๐ฃ๐ถ๐ต ๐ธ๐ช๐ญ๐ญ ๐ฉ๐ข๐ท๐ฆ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ญ๐ช๐จ๐ฉ๐ต ๐ฐ๐ง ๐ญ๐ช๐ง๐ฆ.โ
- ๐
๐ค๐๐ฃ 8:12 (๐๐๐2๐พ๐)
โ๐๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐๐ข๐ณ๐บ ๐ด๐ข๐ช๐ฅ, โ๐๐บ ๐ด๐ฐ๐ถ๐ญ ๐ฎ๐ข๐จ๐ฏ๐ช๐ง๐ช๐ฆ๐ด ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐๐ฐ๐ณ๐ฅ...โ
- ๐๐ช๐ ๐ 1:46 (๐๐๐2๐พ๐)
โ๐ ๐ฐ๐ถ ๐ข๐ณ๐ฆ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ญ๐ช๐จ๐ฉ๐ต ๐ฐ๐ง ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ธ๐ฐ๐ณ๐ญ๐ฅ. ๐ ๐ค๐ช๐ต๐บ ๐ด๐ฆ๐ต ๐ฐ๐ฏ ๐ข ๐ฉ๐ช๐ญ๐ญ ๐ค๐ข๐ฏ๐ฏ๐ฐ๐ต ๐ฃ๐ฆ ๐ฉ๐ช๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ฏ. ๐๐ฐ๐ณ ๐ฅ๐ฐ ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ฏ ๐ญ๐ช๐จ๐ฉ๐ต ๐ข ๐ญ๐ข๐ฎ๐ฑ ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ต ๐ช๐ต ๐ถ๐ฏ๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ณ ๐ข ๐ฃ๐ถ๐ด๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ญ, ๐ฃ๐ถ๐ต ๐ฐ๐ฏ ๐ข ๐ด๐ต๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ, ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐ช๐ต ๐จ๐ช๐ท๐ฆ๐ด ๐ญ๐ช๐จ๐ฉ๐ต ๐ต๐ฐ ๐ข๐ญ๐ญ ๐ช๐ฏ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ฉ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ด๐ฆ. ๐๐ฆ๐ต ๐บ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ณ ๐ญ๐ช๐จ๐ฉ๐ต ๐ด๐ฐ ๐ด๐ฉ๐ช๐ฏ๐ฆ ๐ฃ๐ฆ๐ง๐ฐ๐ณ๐ฆ ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ฏ, ๐ต๐ฉ๐ข๐ต ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ๐บ ๐ฎ๐ข๐บ ๐ด๐ฆ๐ฆ ๐บ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ณ ๐จ๐ฐ๐ฐ๐ฅ ๐ธ๐ฐ๐ณ๐ฌ๐ด ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐จ๐ช๐ท๐ฆ ๐จ๐ญ๐ฐ๐ณ๐บ ๐ต๐ฐ ๐บ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ณ ๐๐ข๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ณ ๐ธ๐ฉ๐ฐ ๐ช๐ด ๐ช๐ฏ ๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ข๐ท๐ฆ๐ฏ.โ
- ๐๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐๐๐ฌ 5:14-16
***๐๐๐ฐ๐๐ซ๐ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฌ๐ ๐ฅ๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ญ๐ฌ***
โ๐๐ฐ๐ณ ๐ด๐ถ๐ค๐ฉ ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ฏ ๐ข๐ณ๐ฆ ๐ง๐ข๐ญ๐ด๐ฆ ๐ข๐ฑ๐ฐ๐ด๐ต๐ญ๐ฆ๐ด, ๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ค๐ฆ๐ช๐ต๐ง๐ถ๐ญ ๐ธ๐ฐ๐ณ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ฏ, ๐ฅ๐ช๐ด๐จ๐ถ๐ช๐ด๐ช๐ฏ๐จ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ด๐ฆ๐ญ๐ท๐ฆ๐ด ๐ข๐ด ๐ข๐ฑ๐ฐ๐ด๐ต๐ญ๐ฆ๐ด ๐ฐ๐ง ๐๐ฉ๐ณ๐ช๐ด๐ต. ๐๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐ฏ๐ฐ ๐ธ๐ฐ๐ฏ๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ณ, ๐ง๐ฐ๐ณ ๐ฆ๐ท๐ฆ๐ฏ ๐๐ข๐ต๐ข๐ฏ ๐ฅ๐ช๐ด๐จ๐ถ๐ช๐ด๐ฆ๐ด ๐ฉ๐ช๐ฎ๐ด๐ฆ๐ญ๐ง ๐ข๐ด ๐ข๐ฏ ๐ข๐ฏ๐จ๐ฆ๐ญ ๐ฐ๐ง ๐ญ๐ช๐จ๐ฉ๐ต. ๐๐ฐ ๐ช๐ต ๐ช๐ด ๐ฏ๐ฐ๐ต ๐ด๐ต๐ณ๐ข๐ฏ๐จ๐ฆ ๐ช๐ง ๐ฉ๐ช๐ด ๐ด๐ฆ๐ณ๐ท๐ข๐ฏ๐ต๐ด ๐ข๐ญ๐ด๐ฐ ๐ฅ๐ช๐ด๐จ๐ถ๐ช๐ด๐ฆ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ด๐ฆ๐ญ๐ท๐ฆ๐ด ๐ข๐ด ๐ด๐ฆ๐ณ๐ท๐ข๐ฏ๐ต๐ด ๐ฐ๐ง ๐ณ๐ช๐จ๐ฉ๐ต๐ฆ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ด๐ฏ๐ฆ๐ด๐ด. ๐๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ช๐ณ ๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐ธ๐ช๐ญ๐ญ ๐ค๐ฐ๐ณ๐ณ๐ฆ๐ด๐ฑ๐ฐ๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐ต๐ฐ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ช๐ณ ๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ฅ๐ด.โ
- 2 ๐พ๐ค๐ง๐๐ฃ๐ฉ๐๐๐๐ฃ๐จ 11:13-15
Plunging into Good Friday
March 30, 2024
From 4/15/2019
Something Iโve been reflecting on over the last week...
โThe Church is plunged into the Darkness of Good Fridayโ is the title of a recent interview with Robert Cardinal Sarah.
In the interview +Sarah states, โI firmly believe that the situation that we are experiencing within the Church resembles in every respect the situation of Good Friday...โ
Iโve been thinking, โwhat does it mean to experience the darkness of Good Friday?โ What does this look like? Certainly, there are deeper soteriological and eschatological implications to consider; but I wanted to ponder this just on the apparent surface. So hereโs my thoughts...
When I think of Good Friday, I tend to primarily recall the obvious, sorrowful darkness of it. That Passion of our Lord. The crucifixion and death of Jesus. Now look closer at the surroundings of that Day and consider some of the different groups that were there.
At the foot of the cross were Our Sorrowful Mother, the Beloved Disciple, and the other Maryโs (Jn 19:25) and those who followed bewailing & lamenting Him (Lk 22:27). Those within the body of Christ who did not abandon Jesus in His suffering. Those who faithfully remained and entered into Jesusโ suffering. Compassion literally means to โsuffer withโ or โco-sufferingโ. Today within the Body of Christ, on Earth, there are those who remain true. Those disciples who enter into the suffering of Christ by denying themselves, picking up their crosses, & following Jesus (Lk 9:23, 14:27). The predestinate are to be conformed to the image of Him (Rom 8:29). This image does not exclude Christ crucified. I hope to be in the company of this group. Tho, I fall short very often. Iโd hardly come close if it werenโt for Godโs grace and mercy.
We can see those who condemn our Lord to His death (Lk 23:21). Jesus is a nuisance to their way of life; and they readily condemn and mock Him (Lk 23:35). Wishing Him to go away and be forgotten. We clearly see this scene too in our present time. Jesusโ Passion is palpable for this group and the aforementioned group. Both groups are deeply engaged in this cataclysmic event.
There are others on the scene. Bystanders who find themselves plunged into this epoch: โข The centurion who witnessed the crucifixion and proclaimed the glory of our Lord (Mk 15:39). โข Simon of Cyreโne who was seized and made to carry the very cross that imbibed the Blood of the New Covenant (Lk 23:26). Going about their daily business, these people unexpectedly encountered the suffering Christ. I can relate to this in my own conversion & encounter with the King of kings.
Then there are those who are indifferent to the happenings. Just another Roman execution. Nothing noteworthy for them. Some soldiers dividing Jesusโ garments and casting lots trying get what they can from Christ not very concerned with Him otherwise (Jn 19:23-24). Unengaged. Not concerned with the divine claims of this God-man on a cross. This is a perspective with which I can ashamedly relate. There was a time (and at times still) that I just wanted to benefit from Christ redemptive act, but not partake of His divine nature (2 Pt 1:4). Unlike the first group of devout believers, I did not want to be crucified with Christ. No self-abandonment to Him. I did not want to enter into His Passion so that Christ might live in me (Gal 2:20). I simply wanted to cast lots, collect, & depart with my pleasures. Yet, I could not long ignore the suffering servant before me.
I will address one last group in hopes to avoid further prolixity. The group who, tho within the Body of Christ, abandoned, denied, and betrayed Christ. Those who were within the closest circle of disciples. Of the twelve... one betrayed Him, 10 abandoned Him, one denied Him, and only one remained at the foot of the cross. This is another perspective I can relate too. I can be within the embrace of Holy Mother Church, a member of the mystical body of Christ, yet still abandon my Lord when it gets tough. Deny and betray Jesus when itโs not convenient to be a Christian in the contemporary cultural climate. Speaking generally again, some citizens from the City of the world, false teachers (2 Pt 2:1) masquerading as if from the City of God, within the Church preach another Jesus, a low christology, a counterfeit christ (2 Cor 11:4, Gal 1:8). They deny and abandon Truth which is to deny and abandon Jesus (Jn 14:6).
This might not be revelatory insight for some, but it is for me. Iโm sure far smarter men have figured this scene out long ago with far less effort. Nonetheless, this reflection has helped me to better imagine what it looks like to be plunged into the darkness of Good Friday for myself and the Church.
TAKE UP YOUR CROSS AND FOLLOW HIM
November 21, 2023
โ๐๐ค๐ฌ ๐ ๐ง๐๐๐ค๐๐๐ ๐๐ฃ ๐ข๐ฎ ๐จ๐ช๐๐๐๐ง๐๐ฃ๐๐จ ๐๐ค๐ง ๐ฎ๐ค๐ช๐ง ๐จ๐๐ ๐, ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ฃ ๐ข๐ฎ ๐๐ก๐๐จ๐ ๐ ๐๐ค๐ข๐ฅ๐ก๐๐ฉ๐ ๐ฌ๐๐๐ฉ ๐๐จ ๐ก๐๐๐ ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ฃ ๐พ๐๐ง๐๐จ๐ฉโ๐จ ๐๐๐๐ก๐๐๐ฉ๐๐ค๐ฃ๐จ ๐๐ค๐ง ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐จ๐๐ ๐ ๐ค๐ ๐๐๐จ ๐๐ค๐๐ฎ, ๐ฉ๐๐๐ฉ ๐๐จ, ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐พ๐๐ช๐ง๐๐.โ ~ ๐๐ฉ. ๐๐๐ช๐ก (๐๐ฐ๐ญ๐ฐ๐ด๐ด๐ช๐ข๐ฏ๐ด 1:24)
This is one of my favorite passages from Holy Scripture. Itโs probably also one of the most difficult to wrap oneโs mind around.
What could possibly be lacking in the afflictions of Jesus Christ who died once for all and declared from the cross, โIt is finishedโ? Why is St. Paul rejoicing in his sufferings? How can he add anything to Jesusโ finished work?
St. Augustine understands this verse to mean, โ๐๐ฉ๐ณ๐ช๐ด๐ต ๐ช๐ด ๐ด๐ต๐ช๐ญ๐ญ ๐ด๐ถ๐ง๐ง๐ฆ๐ณ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ, ๐ฉ๐ฆ [๐๐ต. ๐๐ข๐ถ๐ญ] ๐ด๐ข๐บ๐ด, ๐ฏ๐ฐ๐ต ๐ช๐ฏ ๐๐ช๐ด ๐ฐ๐ธ๐ฏ ๐ง๐ญ๐ฆ๐ด๐ฉ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ข๐ต ๐๐ฆ ๐ข๐ด๐ค๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ฅ ๐ช๐ฏ๐ต๐ฐ ๐๐ฆ๐ข๐ท๐ฆ๐ฏ ๐ธ๐ช๐ต๐ฉ, ๐ฃ๐ถ๐ต ๐ช๐ฏ ๐ฎ๐บ ๐ง๐ญ๐ฆ๐ด๐ฉ, ๐ธ๐ฉ๐ช๐ค๐ฉ ๐ด๐ต๐ช๐ญ๐ญ ๐ญ๐ข๐ฃ๐ฐ๐ณ๐ด ๐ฉ๐ข๐ณ๐ฅ ๐ฐ๐ฏ ๐ฆ๐ข๐ณ๐ต๐ฉ. ๐๐ฉ๐ณ๐ช๐ด๐ต, ๐ข๐ด ๐๐ต. ๐๐ข๐ถ๐ญ ๐ด๐ข๐บ๐ด, ๐ช๐ด ๐ด๐ต๐ช๐ญ๐ญ ๐ด๐ถ๐ง๐ง๐ฆ๐ณ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ ๐ช๐ฏ ๐ฎ๐บ ๐ง๐ญ๐ฆ๐ด๐ฉ: โ๐ ๐ก๐๐ซ๐, ๐ฃ๐ค ๐ก๐ค๐ฃ๐๐๐ง, ๐๐ช๐ฉ ๐พ๐๐ง๐๐จ๐ฉ ๐ก๐๐ซ๐๐จ ๐๐ฃ ๐ข๐โ (๐๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐ต๐ช๐ฐ๐ฏ๐ด 2:20). St. Augustine then reminds us of the words of St. Paul in 1 ๐๐ฐ๐ณ๐ช๐ฏ๐ต๐ฉ๐ช๐ข๐ฏ๐ด 12:12-13, โ๐๐ค๐ง ๐๐ช๐จ๐ฉ ๐๐จ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐ค๐๐ฎ ๐๐จ ๐ค๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐๐จ ๐ข๐๐ฃ๐ฎ ๐ข๐๐ข๐๐๐ง๐จ, ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ก๐ก ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ข๐๐ข๐๐๐ง๐จ ๐ค๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐ค๐๐ฎ, ๐ฉ๐๐ค๐ช๐๐ ๐ข๐๐ฃ๐ฎ, ๐๐ง๐ ๐ค๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ค๐๐ฎ, ๐จ๐ค ๐๐ฉ ๐๐จ ๐ฌ๐๐ฉ๐ ๐พ๐๐ง๐๐จ๐ฉ. ๐๐ค๐ง ๐๐ฎ ๐ค๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ฅ๐๐ง๐๐ฉ ๐ฌ๐ ๐ฌ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ก๐ก ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฉ๐๐ฏ๐๐ ๐๐ฃ๐ฉ๐ค ๐ค๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ค๐๐ฎ...โ
St. Thomas Aquinas states about this verse, โ๐๐ฉ๐ข๐ต ๐ช๐ด โ๐ญ๐ข๐ค๐ฌ๐ช๐ฏ๐จโ, ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ฏ, ๐ฑ๐ฆ๐ณ๐ต๐ข๐ช๐ฏ๐ด ๐ต๐ฐ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ข๐ง๐ง๐ญ๐ช๐ค๐ต๐ช๐ฐ๐ฏ๐ด ๐ฐ๐ง ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ต๐ช๐ณ๐ฆ ๐๐ฉ๐ถ๐ณ๐ค๐ฉ, ๐ต๐ฐ ๐ธ๐ฉ๐ช๐ค๐ฉ ๐๐ต. ๐๐ข๐ถ๐ญ ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ด ๐ฉ๐ช๐ด ๐ฐ๐ธ๐ฏ ๐ข๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฏ๐ตโ. Dr. Scott Hahn, in a talk about suffering, draws on St. Thomasโ commentary on Col 1:24 and phrases something like, โWe unite our suffering with Christโs suffering and He invests our suffering with His redemptive valueโ. This is why St. Paul rejoices in his suffering, because he knows that โ๐ฌ๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ค๐โ๐จ ๐๐๐ก๐ก๐ค๐ฌ ๐ฌ๐ค๐ง๐ ๐๐ง๐จโ (1 ๐๐ฐ๐ณ๐ช๐ฏ๐ต๐ฉ๐ช๐ข๐ฏ๐ด 3:9) and that his suffering wonโt compare to the glory of whatโs been revealed (cf. ๐๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ข๐ฏ๐ด 8:18).
St. Paul, who suffered greatly spreading the Gospel, knew the demand Jesus put on His disciples, โ๐๐๐ค๐๐ซ๐๐ง ๐๐ค๐๐จ ๐ฃ๐ค๐ฉ ๐๐๐๐ง ๐๐๐จ ๐ค๐ฌ๐ฃ ๐๐ง๐ค๐จ๐จ ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ค๐ข๐ ๐๐๐ฉ๐๐ง ๐ข๐, ๐๐๐ฃ๐ฃ๐ค๐ฉ ๐๐ ๐ข๐ฎ ๐๐๐จ๐๐๐ฅ๐ก๐โ (๐๐ถ๐ฌ๐ฆ 14:27).
Itโs an incredible thing of which to be demandedโฆ to take up the cross of oneโs own suffering, to bear it, and then follow Jesus, God incarnate, along the way of sorrows.
When Jesus foretold His own death and resurrection, St. Peter took hold of Jesus and rebuked Him saying, โ๐๐๐๐จ ๐จ๐๐๐ก๐ก ๐ฃ๐๐ซ๐๐ง ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐ฃ ๐ฉ๐ค ๐ฎ๐ค๐ชโ (๐๐ข๐ต๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ธ 16:22). I think St. Peterโs response is much like our own, particularly in our own lives and for those we love. We recoil at suffering, even the thought of it. The want of a christ without the cross. To want the promise of resurrection without the crucifixion. But, a christ who doesnโt demand we take up our cross is a counterfeit. A christ without scars is antichrist. This is why Our Blessed Lord then rebuked St. Peter, โ๐๐๐ฉ ๐๐๐๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ข๐, ๐๐๐ฉ๐๐ฃ! ๐๐ค๐ช ๐๐ง๐ ๐ ๐๐๐ฃ๐๐ง๐๐ฃ๐๐ ๐ฉ๐ค ๐ข๐; ๐๐ค๐ง ๐ฎ๐ค๐ช ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฃ๐ค๐ฉ ๐ค๐ฃ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐จ๐๐๐ ๐ค๐ ๐๐ค๐, ๐๐ช๐ฉ ๐ค๐ ๐ข๐๐ฃโ (๐๐ข๐ต๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ธ 16:23). Jesus then says that if we would come after Him, we must deny ourselves, pick up our cross and follow Him (cf. Matthew 16:24, Mark 8:34). We can not be His disciples otherwise.
Not only His disciples, but also โ๐๐๐๐ก๐๐ง๐๐ฃ ๐ค๐ ๐๐ค๐, ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ก๐๐ง๐๐ฃ, ๐ฉ๐๐๐ฃ ๐๐๐๐ง๐จ, ๐๐๐๐ง๐จ ๐ค๐ ๐๐ค๐ ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐๐ก๐ก๐ค๐ฌ ๐๐๐๐ง๐จ ๐ฌ๐๐ฉ๐ ๐พ๐๐ง๐๐จ๐ฉ, ๐ฅ๐ง๐ค๐ซ๐๐๐๐ ๐ฌ๐ ๐จ๐ช๐๐๐๐ง ๐ฌ๐๐ฉ๐ ๐๐๐ข ๐๐ฃ ๐ค๐ง๐๐๐ง ๐ฉ๐๐๐ฉ ๐ฌ๐ ๐ข๐๐ฎ ๐๐ก๐จ๐ค ๐๐ ๐๐ก๐ค๐ง๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฌ๐๐ฉ๐ ๐๐๐ข (๐๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ข๐ฏ๐ด 8:16-17). As members of Christโs body, disciples and co-heirs with Christ, we can know โ๐ฉ๐๐๐ฉ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐จ๐ช๐๐๐๐ง๐๐ฃ๐๐จ ๐ค๐ ๐ฉ๐๐๐จ ๐ฅ๐ง๐๐จ๐๐ฃ๐ฉ ๐ฉ๐๐ข๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฃ๐ค๐ฉ ๐ฌ๐ค๐ง๐ฉ๐ ๐๐ค๐ข๐ฅ๐๐ง๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ฌ๐๐ฉ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐ก๐ค๐ง๐ฎ ๐ฉ๐๐๐ฉ ๐๐จ ๐ง๐๐ซ๐๐๐ก๐๐ ๐ฉ๐ค ๐ช๐จโ (๐๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ข๐ฏ๐ด 8:18). St. Paul does not tell us we wonโt suffer or that we wonโt experience significant suffering. He does tell us that our suffering wonโt compare with Godโs reward. St. Paul guarantees our suffering as Christians saying that we are only co-heirs with Christ provided we suffer with Him. We plead with God to alleviate our sufferings. Just as St. Paul thrice pleaded with God that his thorn in the flesh be relieved. Jesus responds, โ๐๐ฎ๐ธ๐ฒ ๐๐ฝ ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐ฐ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ณ๐ผ๐น๐น๐ผ๐ ๐บ๐ฒ.โ Godโs grace is sufficient for us and His power is made perfect in our weakness (cf. 2 ๐๐ฐ๐ณ๐ช๐ฏ๐ต๐ฉ๐ช๐ข๐ฏ๐ด 12:7-9).
Speaking of those in Christ, St. Paul says that the predestined are to be conformed to the image of Jesus (cf ๐๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ข๐ฏ๐ด 8:29). Jesus who appeared to the disciples and showed them the wounds of His hands and feet; and invited St. Thomas to place a hand in His side where the Sacred Heart is pierced (cf. ๐๐ถ๐ฌ๐ฆ 24:40, ๐๐ฐ๐ฉ๐ฏ 20:27). This is the Christ we are to image. This is the Christ of whomโs body we are members. Itโs as members of His body that we conform to His image in our lives, that He would live in us, in whom we take up our crosses and follow as fellow laborers and co-heirs whose suffering is invested with the grace of His redemption.
How hard is it to have ears to hear this in our times? The world proclaims almost any kind of suffering as evil and to be avoided or ended by any means, even means that include separating ourselves from God in sin.
Our Blessed Lord, a sign that is spoken against, a sign of contradiction (cf. Lk 2:34), looks at us, points to our cross and says โ๐ณ๐ผ๐น๐น๐ผ๐ ๐บ๐ฒโ. Jesus speaks to us, โ๐๐ผ ๐ป๐ผ๐ ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ถ๐ฟ. ๐ ๐ ๐ฏ๐๐ฟ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ป ๐ถ๐ ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐. ๐ ๐ ๐๐ผ๐ธ๐ฒ ๐ถ๐ ๐น๐ถ๐ด๐ต๐. ๐๐ผ ๐ป๐ผ๐ ๐ฏ๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ณ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ถ๐ฑ. ๐๐ผ ๐ป๐ผ๐ ๐ฏ๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ ๐ถ๐ผ๐๐. ๐ง๐ฎ๐ธ๐ฒ ๐ถ๐ ๐๐ฝ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ณ๐ผ๐น๐น๐ผ๐ ๐บ๐ฒ.โ
The afflicted shall eat and be satisfied!
September 9, 2023
โThe afflicted shall eat and be satisfied: those who seek him shall praise the Lord! May your hearts live for everโ โ Psalm 22:26
God reveals His plan to feed us in the Holy Eucharist throughout Sacred Scripture. We can see this revealed in events of the Old Testament and fulfilled in the New Testament. Here we will briefly highlight some of these prefigurements and fulfillments.
It is no coincidence that our Blessed Lord was laid in a manger at His Birth (Lk 2:7). A foreshadowing of Jesus feeding us in the Eucharist (Mt 26:26-28). A manger is an open box designed to feed livestock. The word โmangerโ comes from the Latin word โmandereโ which means to chew. Bethlehem, where Jesus was born, means โHouse of Breadโ in Hebrew and Aramaic, and โHouse of Meatโ in Arabic. From the very birth of Christ, we see an orientation towards the Last Supper.
Jesus is a priest in the order of Malchizedek who, in Genesis, offered the non-bloody sacrifice of bread and wine (Heb 7:11-27, Gen 14:18, & Ps 110:04).
Jesus is the fulfillment of the Passover Lamb that was to be sacrificed and eaten with unleavened bread by the Israelites when God saved them from slavery in Egypt and brought them to the promised land (Ex 12, Lev 23:4-14). Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes a way the sins of the world! (Jn 1:24). He is our pascal lamb (1 Cor 5:7). Jesus Christ, who nourishes us in His Real Presence in the Holy Eucharist, stands before the Father, as our slain Paschal Lamb (๐๐ฆ๐ท 5:6,ย 5:12).
God fed the Israelites with Manna (Bread from Heaven) & quail meat as they journeyed through the desert to the Promised Land (Ex 16:4-13). Jesus fulfills the miracle of Manna & quail meat in Exodus, because He is the bread from heaven and we must eat his flesh to have eternal life (see Bread of Life discourse in Jn 6:22-52).
The Bread of Presence in the Old Covenant Temple was to be eaten by the priests and given every Sabbath as a holy offering to God (Lev 24:5-9); and be kept always before the Lord (Ex 25:30). This was a sign of the everlasting covenant between God and His people. The Holy Eucharist is Jesusโ Real Presence (1 Cor 10:15-16). In the Gospel accounts of the Last Supper, Jesus states, โfor this is my blood of the covenantโ. The new covenant is the everlasting covenant.
From the very beginning God was telling us how He intended to feed us. Our Lord instructed Adam and Eve in the garden that they could eat from any tree, except the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil (Gen 2:16). Itโs easy to overlook, but important to note, that of the trees they could eat from was also the Tree of Life. After the fallโฆ โlest he put fort his hand and take also from the Tree of Life, and eat, and live foreverโ-therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden (Gen 3:23). Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life (Jn 14:6). St. Peter, referring to the Cross, tells us Jesus was hung from a tree for our sins (1 Pt 2:24). Here St. Peter is calling us back to the Tree of Life from the garden. In John 6, Jesus tells us He is the bread from Heaven and if we eat His flesh and drink his blood we will live forever (v51), have eternal life and be raised on the last day (v54), He will abide in us and we will live because of Him (v56), and โhe who eats this bread will live foreverโ (v58). Considering this imagery, and all mentioned so far, we can see how Jesus fulfills the Tree of Life from whom we eat and have His life in us, that we will live forever.
We began referencing Psalm 22. Jesus referenced Psalm 22 while nailed to the cross, when He cried out, โMy God, My God, why have you forsaken Me?โ (Mt 27:46, Ps 22:1). Psalm 22 reveals to us how God intends to save us from the slavery of sin through Jesus Christโs crucifixion, death, and resurrection; and that He intends to feed us through Christ.ย Jesus fulfills what is revealed in Psalm 22. Read this Psalm, John 6 and the accounts of the Last Supper and pray. Ask God our Father for the grace of repentance and to draw you into a more intimate union with Him through the Holy Eucharist in the Holy Spirit. Spend time with our Lord, in the Blessed Sacrament, at adoration.
โJesus said to them, โI am the bread of life; he who comes to me shall not hunger, and he who believes in me shall never thirst.โ (Jn 6:35). At the Kingโs table we shall eat and be satisfied. Our hearts will live for ever.
- Jake
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