ASCENSION OF THE LORD  - CYCLE C – 2013

      The Church celebrates the solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord  on the Thursda after the sixth Sunday of Easter.  

      Some countries or regions, due to pastoral needs, have the authorization to celebrate this solemnity on the seventh Sunday. Our country is one of those countries.   

FIRST READING - Acts of the Apostles  1:1-11

Ø  The liturgy takes us back to the beginning of the book of the Acts. 

Ø  We already mentioned that Luke wrote two books of the New Testament: the Gospel and the Acts.  

Ø  The Acts, begin  repeating the end of the Gospel, and both books begin with an introduction. 

Ø  Luke uses a great number of images and symbols to explain the meaning of the return of the Lord to the Father.

Ø  In our reflection we are not going to delve into the details about the Lord going up, if the cloud covered him, if some angels spoke to the apostles.  

Ø  I do  not think that Luke’s purpose was that, but he wanted to give us a message using very beautiful symbols. If we remain at the symbol, we will never understand the message. The narrations using images and symbols say a lot with few words.   

Ø  Let us enter into the meaning of the images to let ourselves be captivated by the message:   

v  He starts saying that the Lord came to them alive, after his death on the cross, and during 40 days he gave diverse proofs so that they could understand and believe that he is alive. At the same time he explains to them the meaning of the Kingdom of God.  

v  40 days is already one of the symbols: 40 days of the flood, 40 years in the desert, 40 days Jesus in the desert… 40 is a symbolic number in the Bible meaning a “long time.”    

v  He said not to leave Jerusalem before he sends to them the Father’s promise, the Holy Spirit, of whom he had spoken to them several times and specially after the Last Supper. 

v  They and all of us will be baptized with the Holy Spirit. Baptize means to be submerged into, we will be submerged, completely surrounded by the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of the Father, and of Jesus, the Son.   

v  With the Holy Spirit, those men scared, will be able to be witnesses until the end of the world.   

v  He was raised, when we think or speak about God we lift up our eyes, because there is something in the human heart that understands God as superior en this is what we consider to be higher.   

v  Jesus returns to the Father and at the same time he remains with us, thus he has told us.  

v  His stay is not visible, from this moment on his presence will be sacramental, through signs, things and through his followers, and even through any human being.   

v  The cloud is a symbol of God’s presence, it has two functions: to hide and to discover the divine presence. In exodus

ü  The cloud was dark during the day, and bright during the night. 

ü  When the cloud was over the meeting tent, they knew that God was there.   

ü  The cloud is the symbol of the glory of Yahweh.  

v  Jesus returns to the Father, Jesus his indeed the glory of God the Father, Jesus is the son of the Father made flesh.   

v  They keep looking up to the heaven, we do the same sometimes when we experience difficulties, or we suffer, we keep looking up to the heights, we so not want to leave the presence of the Lord.   

v  The angels remind them that they have to work, they have to go out and proclaim the kingdom, they have to encounter the Lord in the men and women who journey with us, we have to encounter him in this our world, which is his also. According to the Gospel of Matthew we know that “I will be with you until the end of the world, the end of human history

v  Jesus will come back, we do not know when, but meanwhile it is the time of the Spirit, the time of the Church, that has to continue the work that Jesus, the Son of God has begun.   

RESPONSORIAL PSALM  Sal 47: 2-3,6-7,8-9 

R.(6) God mounts his throne to shouts of joy: a blare of trumpets for the Lord.
All you peoples, clap your hands,
shout to God with cries of gladness,
For the LORD, the Most High, the awesome,
is the great king over all the earth.
R.(6) God mounts his throne to shouts of joy: a blare of trumpets for the Lord.
God mounts his throne amid shouts of joy;
the LORD, amid trumpet blasts.
Sing praise to God, sing praise;
sing praise to our king, sing praise.
  R.(6) God mounts his throne to shouts of joy: a blare of trumpets for the Lord.
For king of all the earth is God;
sing hymns of praise.
God reigns over the nations,
God sits upon his holy throne.
R.(6) God mounts his throne to shouts of joy: a blare of trumpets for the Lord.

This psalm does not need much explanation, it is clear that it is a psalm of joy and praise to God, King of all the earth.   

GOSPEL: Luke 24:46-53

In the first reading we read the beginning of the book of Acts, now we read the end of Luke’s Gospel.   

§  Luke is the author of both books. He says that afterwards…. In the afternoon of the resurrection, the ascension took place. However in the Acts it says that it was 40 days after his death. It seems thast the evangelist is not interested in the historical accuracy in relation to the time, he is interested in the truth that God wants to communicate to us, that is the theology of history.

§  Today’s reading begins in v.46, Jesus is teaching as a good Teacher  

      It was written that the Messiah had to suffer and be raised, and this is what has happened to him, he is the Messiah sent by the Father

      In his name, the forgiveness of sins will be preached to all nations. 

      He continues saying that they are his witnesses, and that he will send them the promise of the Father, thus they have to stay in the city of Jerusalem. 

      In these two verses, Luke gives a synthesis of the mission of Jesus and of the Church history.   

      Luke describes here also, with very beautiful images, the mystery of the ascension. See that I say mystery that means a truth of faith that goes beyond our capacity to understand, and which is explained to us by means of comparisons, symbols and images.  

      Jesus blesses them, to bless is to say good upon someone.  

      They kneel, that means they acknowledge him as God.   

      They return filled with joy, and they keep blessing God.   

      The presence of Jesus in our life, the presence of the Father and of the Holy Spirit are the source of a deep and overflowing joy which becomes contagious.

CLARETIAN CORNER    

Some days before my religious profession, our Lord told me his desire to communicate a grace to my prelate, but that would not be done until he had received my profession. And the most blessed Mary told me that she would take care of making him understand that the load of the church weighted upon him.

So, that is what happened a few days after my profession: he was told that he had to be the angel of the Apocalypse. He himself told me this (full of admiration and astonishment) the day he came to say goodbye for the visit – I think it was November 1 1855, and I made my profession on August 27 of the same year.  Venerable María Antonia París, Foundress of the Claretian Missionary Sisters.   Autobiography 79-80.

 Love is the most necessary of all the virtues. Yes, I say it and will say it a thousand times: the virtue an apostolic missionary needs most of all is love. He must love God, Jesus Christ, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and his neighbors. If he lacks this love, all his talents, however fine in themselves, are for nothing. But if, together with his natural endowments, he has much love, he has everything.Love in a man who preaches the Word of God is like fire in a musket. If a man were to throw a bullet with his hands, he would hardly make a dent in anything; but if he takes this same bullet and ignites some gunpowder behind it, it can kill. It is much the same with the Word of God. If God's Word is spoken only naturally, it does very little; but if it is spoken by a priest who is filled with the fire of charity-- the fire of love of God and neighbor--it will wound vices, kill sins, convert sinners, and work wonders. We can see this in the case of St. Peter, who walked out of the upper room afire with the love he had received from the Holy Spirit, with the result that through just two sermons he converted 8,000 people, three in the first sermon and five in the second.  Saint Antony Mary Claret, Founder of the Claretian Missionary Sisters. Autobiography   438-439. 

SIXTH SUNDAY OF EASTER - CYCLE C – 2019

      The readings of the sixth Sunday of Easter prepare us for the return of Jesus to his Father. The Church will have to discover the presence of the Lord among us in a different way, through the Sacraments. From the document Lumen Gentium of Council  Vatican II we learn that Jesus is the sacrament of God, and that we are the sacrament of Jesus.  

      After the day of the Ascension we, the followers of Jesus, will make him visible among our brothers and sisters who journey with us through the roads of history by means of our life, ministry and worship.   

FIRST READING ACTS  15:1-2,22-29

Ø  The Church, the first communities of believers, is faced with its first problem. From its solution depends the future of the Church, her fidelity to the Project of Jesus. 

Ø  Some brethren had come from the community of Jerusalem, and were saying to the community of Antioch that, to belong to the people of God in order to be saved, they had to be circumcised, baptism was not enough. 

Ø  They had not yet understood the newness of the teaching of Jesus who had come to reveal to us the    

full meaning of the covenant made with Abraham and his descendants.      

Ø  The faithful of Antioch went to the Apostles for an answer.  The Apostles were the leaders of the community; they were the witnesses of the resurrection and, thus the foundation of the Church.   

Ø  The Apostles had a meeting to discuss the matter. They invoked the Holy Spirit, they fasted, they reached the conclusion that to be part of the community of Jesus it is enough with baptism, and they did not have to be circumcised.   

Ø  They put only some conditions (not to eat meat sacrificed to the idols, abstain from blood and meat of strangled animals, and unlawful marital unions.)    Paul explained in one of his letters about the meals, he said that the follower of Jesus may eat anything, because we do not believe in idols, but if my eating the meat sacrificed to an idol  may cause my brother or sister to sin, then I will abstain from it.  What continues to be forbidden are the illicit marital unions, since it is the will of God expressed in the 6^th commandment.   

RESPONSORIAL PSALM  Ps 67

«  Psalm 67 has three stanza separated by a refrain which is found in verses 4 and 6. This refrain is used as the response of the responsorial psalm.   

«   Every good thing, every gift comes from the goodness of God, and this is the cause of our joyful thanksgiving. 

O GOD, LET ALL THE NATIONS PRAISE YOU! 

May God have pity on us and bless us;

May he let his face shine upon us

So may your ways be known upon earth;

Among all nations, your salvation.

O GOD, LET ALL THE NATIONS PRAISE YOU! 

May the nations be glad and exult

Because you rule the peoples in equity

The nations on the earth you guide.

O GOD, LET ALL THE NATIONS PRAISE YOU! 

May the peoples praise you, O God

May all the peoples praise you!

May God bless us

And may all the ends of the earth fear him!

O GOD, LET ALL THE NATIONS PRAISE YOU! 

 SECOND READING  Rev  21:10-14, 22-23

ü  Today instead of reflecting on the meaning of the Second Reading, we will talk about some clues to help us to understand this wonderful book, which is filled with words and images of hope.   

ü  We know that to be able to understand a message we need to know what led the author write the book and what message did he want to convey to the reader.   

ü  There are two authors of this book: the human author who writes in a given time and place, in a concrete moment of history, with a given psychology and spirituality, in a language different from ours in a very different society. We need someone to explain the meaning of all of this to us, if we want to enjoy the message.  

ü  But, there is another author whom we may call the main author, the Holy Spirit, and the only way we will be able to understand the message, besides being aware of what we have already said, is in prayer. Through prayer, we listen to the words the Spirit  says to the Church, and which one of the words of Jesus he wants to remind to the Church. (Jn 14,26)

ü  I list below four different ways to look at the contents of this book:

1.      History. This book is about “the theology of history”. In reality, the whole Bible is understood as a reading of history through the eyes of God. The apocalyptic literature opens a door to hope: history has a meaning, evil does not have the last word, and the victory belongs to Christ, the lamb that has been slain.

2.      Symbolism.  The apocalyptic literature uses symbols: colors, numbers, animals, plants, natural phenomena to describe an experience which goes beyond the limits of our senses, beyond what is controllable.   

It is not enough to understand the meaning of the symbols, we need to submerge ourselves into its meaning and allow the symbol to impress us.  

3.      Crisis.   The book of Revelation has been written in times of crisis for the first community. The community was been persecuted by Romans and by Jews. The book is not about the end of the world, but about moments in history like those of the first community, when we think that everything is lost. It is the book of the just who entrust their cause to God.  

4.      Christology. The Word apocalypse means revelation. The book is the revelation of the Risen and Glorious Lord Jesus Christ.  He died but now he is alive.  He is before the throne of God and   opening the book of the seven seals he reveals to us the   will of God, and the meaning of history. He, the Lord Jesus, is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end of history.  Alpha is the first letter of the Greek alphabet and Omega the last.

GOSPEL Jn 14:23-29

Jesus speaks with his disciples after the last supper, before his death. Last week he talked to us about the new commandment: to love as he has loved us. This week we will hear again, what he wants to tell us about this commandment.    

«  He who loves me will keep my Word. This is something easy to understand, since we also keep and remember the words of those we love.   

«  The Father will love those who keep the word of Jesus.   

«   What follows is unexpected: We will come to him and make our dwelling in him. Who are “we”, from the text we understand it is the Father and Jesus, but as we continue the reading we realize it is also the Holy Spirit. Therefore, the three divine Persons will come to dwell in us.  

«  The word of Jesus is the Father’s who has sent him to say to us this word. There is only One Word, the Creating Word incarnate in Jesus of Nazareth, sent by the Father to tell this Word which is himself.   

«  Jesus has already said this Word to us, now the Holy Spirit will remind us all the words of Jesus, and he will teach us how to live this word in our human history.   

«  Jesus leaves us his peace, invites us not to be afraid, and even to be joyful that he leaves us, because this is what is convenient for us, and because the Father is greater than him.         

In some places the Ascension of the Lord is celebrated on the VII Sunday of Easter. In the USA in the VI Sunday we can take the second reading and the Gospel from the VII Sunday of Easter if we please. Therefore I am writing the commentary about  these two readings instead of the Claretian Corner, this week.

SECOND READING FOR THE VII SUNDAY OF EASTER   – Rev. 22:12-14. 16-17.20

v  This reading is full of symbolism and images from the Old Testament.  

v  It starts saying that a voice says “Behold, I am coming soon.” "Yes, I am coming soon." And the answer  is Come, Lord Jesus!   

v  This voice at the beginning and at the end is always Jesus,  the Lord. 

o   He brings the recompense  

o   He is the Alfa and the Omega, the First and the Last. 

o   He is the root and descendent of David. In the Old Testament we read that the Messiah will be called the Son of David.   

o   He is the bright morning star, what a beautiful image!   

v  The Spirit and the bride say “Come”  

o   The author of the book invites us to repeat this same petition “come”  

o   The author invites also those who are thirsty and want the gift of the living water to come to Jesus, the source of life.   

v  Let the beauty of this symbols surround us, let us listen to the words as if they were said to us, let the Lord put inside us the water of life eternal

GOSPEL – JOHN 17:20-26

Jesus prays to the Father   

Ø  For us who have believed by the preaching of those who saw him after his resurrection, the apostles. 

Ø  He asks for our unity, as the Father is one with the Son.   

Ø  That, we also may  be one  in them.  

Ø  So that the world may believe, that the Father has sent to us his Son Jesus.   

Ø  She repeats again his desire that we may be one. The repetition makes us realize  the difficulty of this petition.  

Jesus says something beautiful to the Father   

Ø  We are the gift from the Father to Jesus, we are a gift.  A gift is something that always makes us happy because it reminds us the love of the person who has given it to us. We remind Jesus that the Father has given us to him.  

Ø  He wants us to be where he is, with Him.   

Ø  That we may see his glory, this is the great joy for each one of us, one day we will see his glory, his beauty and we will enjoy his goodness, without veils.  

Ø  Jesus is also worried for the world, so that the world may know him and be happy.   

   

FIFTH SUNDAY OF EASTER- CYCLE  C – 2019

       The new heavens and the new earth will become a reality through the preaching of the Church. 

      They will be the mature fruit of the commandment given by Jesus, which is the fulfillment of the Law given at Mount Sinai.    

FIRST READING ACTS OF THE APOSTLES  14:21-27

Ø  With chapter 13, in which we read that the community of Antioch sends Paul and Barnabas in a mission, we start the last part of this book. 

Ø  The Acts describe for us different communities or local churches with different organization and different names for the leadership or servants. That means that we learn about different models of the Church.  

o   The church of Antioch is presided over by 5 leaders of whom Luke gives the names in chapter 13,1.   

o   This list begins with the name of Barnabas and ends with the name of Paul.  Luke calls them prophets and teachers.   

o   Luis Alonso Schökel in his commentary on the Biblia de nuestro Pueblo says:

§  Luke helps us to see how the movement of the Spirit fashions the different churches,   

§  Calling their members to be leaders, facilitators, responsible of the community with different functions and different titles according to the needs of each community   

§  With a great participation  in decision making.    

o   The Apostles are the leaders in the community of Jerusalem, besides them we hear that some men are called deacons and others elders or presbyters. 

o   Luke does not tell us how the five leaders of Antioch planned the first mission of Paul and Barnabas, but  

o   What they say is that  

§  The initiative comes from the Holy Spirit  

§  The preparation was done through fasting and prayer.

READING  

Ø  Paul and Barnabas continue their mission, which they began in Antioch, as we read on the Fourth Sunday of Easter.   

Ø  We learned that they had difficulties with the Jews and they decided to go to the Gentiles to announce them the Good News of Jesus. We learned also that the Gentiles were happy about that decision. 

Ø  Today we find them visiting several towns, establishing in them new communities (churches) and appointing elders to lead the community. To select them, again they fast and pray, afterwards they command them to the grace of God, and leave to another town.       

Ø  They continue their way back to Antioch from where they left, sent by the community. 

Ø  On their arrival, they reported to the community how the Lord had opened the doors of faith to the Gentiles.   

Ø  To us, the descendants of those first Gentiles, the doors of faith were opened through the sacrament of Baptism 

RESPONSORIAL PSALM 145

I WILL PRAISE YOUR NAME FOREVER, MY KING AND MY GOD.

The Lord is gracious and merciful

Slow to anger and of great kindness

The Lord is good to all

And compassionate toward all his works.

I WILL PRAISE YOUR NAME FOREVER, MY KING AND MY GOD. 

Let all your Works give you thanks, O Lord,

And let your faithful ones bless you

Let them discourse of the glory of your kingdom

And speak of your might.

I WILL PRAISE YOUR NAME FOREVER, MY KING AND MY GOD. 

Let them make known your might to the children of Adam,

And the glorious splendor of your kingdom.

Your kingdom is a kingdom for all ages

And your dominion endures through all generations.   .

I WILL PRAISE YOUR NAME FOREVER, MY KING AND MY GOD. 

«   Many of the psalms are hymns to God who makes himself known through creation and through history. 

«  There are psalms of praise used usually for worship  

«  They may be organized as follows  

o   Hymns to God the Creator and the Lord of the Covenant, the God of history.   

o   Hymns to God as King.   

o   Royal psalms   (about the King )

o   Canticles to Zion.    

«  Psalm 145 which we will pray on Sunday belongs to the group of  Hymns to the Creator and Lord.    

SECOND READING   Rev 21:1-5a   

ü  Last Sunday we left John contemplating a huge multitude of men and women….  

ü  Today almost at the end of the Book of Revelation John sees again something he describes to us. He says that he sees the new heavens and the new earth, and that the sea is no more.  

o   New heavens and new earth, new creation made through the redemption of Christ, where sin is eliminated, and death as well.   

o   This is the fruit of Christ’s death on the cross. This fruit will reach its fullness when all of us, men and women, open up ourselves to the gift of redemption, which Christ wants to give to us. When all of us will be ready to walk together through the way that leads to the Father, led by the hand of Christ the Lord.      

o   The former earth, where sin abides, does not exist anymore, not because God will destroy his wonderful creation, but because he will destroy our sin, to allow the new earth, the new society to develop, where love, peace, justice, brotherhood … will reign.  

o   The sea does not exist anymore, because in the Scriptures the sea is the symbol of sin, and it will not have a place in the new earth, it has already been destroyed by Christ.    

o   John sees also the New Jerusalem coming down from heaven; the city becomes the bride adorned for her husband. She is the new creation, the new earth and the new heavens  

o   From the throne a voice is heard, remember that the Father and also the Lamb are on the throne, the voice invites us to look at, what? 

§  The dwelling of God among men and women 

§  He will dwell with them and  

§  They will be his people     

§  The New Covenant prophesized by Jeremiah becomes a reality (Jer 31,33.)   

§  He will wipe every tear from their eyes, there shall be no more death or mourning, wailing or pain.  

o   The One who seats on the throne says: BEHOLD I MAKE ALL THINGS NEW.    

GOSPEL Jn 13:31-33a, 34-35

      The liturgy takes us back to the conversation of Jesus with his Apostles, after the meal at his Last Supper,  before going to the cross. During the meal he gives to us the Sacrament of his Body and blood. He  also gives to his own the most beautiful and sacred teaching from among all his teachings.  

      I GIVE YOU A NEW COMMANDMENT:   

o   LOVE ONE ANOTHER. 

o   AS I HAVE LOVED YOU, SO YOU ALSO SHOULD LOVE ONE ANOTHER.  

o   THIS IS HOW ALL WILL KNOW THAT YOU ARE MY DISCIPLES, 

o   IF YOU HAVE LOVE FOR ONE ANOTHER.   

      We call this commandment the “new commandment”, as a matter of fact Jesus calls it so 

o   But it is really the fullness of the Law proclaimed by God and given  to Moses on Mount Sinai  

o   And before that He had carved this law in the heart of every man and every woman who comes to this world.

o    If those of us, followers of Jesus, who have been baptized into  his death and resurrection   

§  Live this commandment, that is we make it a reality in our daily life  

§  And we proclaim it with our words as Paul and Barnabas did  

§  The new earth and the new heaven will be a reality, which we do not have to wait after our death to enjoy it, because it is already among us from the moment that Jesus nailed all our sins on his cross.   

§  Now we have to play our part, we need to open up to his gift, and get ready to work so that others may be able to enjoy what we already enjoy.  

§  LET US PUT OUR HANDS TO THE TASK, LET US BEGIN WITH ENTHUSIASM AND FIRE IN OUR HEART.  JESUS WALKS WITH US, AND  LOVES IN AND THROUGH US EVERYONE. LET US MAKE HIS PRESENCE AND LOVE VISIBLE IN OUR LIVES. 

 CLARETIAN CORNER                    

In the morning, on the feast of St. Andrew the Apostle, after communion our Lord told me that Fr. Claret together with his sons in the order of the Apostles of Jesus Christ, will be the bright star that, with their clear and apostolic doctrine, will dispel the ignorance of the present century, that those who are blinder, I think, call century of the enlightenment; His Divine Majesty added: this priest is the first, and I wish that he establishes the first houses of the order.

Venerable María Antonia París, Foundress of the Claretian Missionary Sisters, Autobiography 32

Besides having a very good elementary teacher, which, as I have said, is no small gift from heaven, I also had good parents who cooperated with my teacher in molding my understanding in truth and nurturing my heart in the practice of religion and all the virtues. Every day after lunch, which we ate at a quarter past twelve, my father had me read a spiritual book, and at night we would sit for a while around the table, where he would always tell us something edifying and instructive until it was time for us to retire.  Saint Anthony Mary Claret, Founder of the Claretian Missionary Sisters, Autobiography 25. 

BIBLIOGRAFÍA 

CLARET, Antonio María , Autobiography.

FLOR SERRANO, Gonzalo, “Introduction and Commentary to the Psalms” en Comentario al Antiguo Testamento II –      La Casa de la Biblia, 1997, 3ª. Edición.  

PARIS, María Antonia, Autobiography.  

RAVASI, Gianfranco, Según Las Escrituras, Año C, 2006

SCHÖKEL, Luis Alonso, commentary to the  Biblia de Nuestro Pueblo, 2010