redeemer

THE DAILY GOSPEL AND READINGS 14 SEPTEMBER 2012

/ Michael J. Cunningham / Leave a comment
Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross
Lectionary: 638

Reading 1 Nm 21:4b-9

With their patience worn out by the journey,
the people complained against God and Moses,
“Why have you brought us up from Egypt to die in this desert,
where there is no food or water?
We are disgusted with this wretched food!”
In punishment the LORD sent among the people saraph serpents,
which bit the people so that many of them died.
Then the people came to Moses and said,
“We have sinned in complaining against the LORD and you.
Pray the LORD to take the serpents from us.”
So Moses prayed for the people, and the LORD said to Moses,
“Make a saraph and mount it on a pole,
and if any who have been bitten look at it, they will live.”
Moses accordingly made a bronze serpent and mounted it on a pole,
and whenever anyone who had been bitten by a serpent
looked at the bronze serpent, he lived.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 78:1bc-2, 34-35, 36-37, 38

R. (see 7b) Do not forget the works of the Lord!
Hearken, my people, to my teaching;
incline your ears to the words of my mouth.
I will open my mouth in a parable,
I will utter mysteries from of old.
R. Do not forget the works of the Lord!
While he slew them they sought him
and inquired after God again,
Remembering that God was their rock
and the Most High God, their redeemer.
R. Do not forget the works of the Lord!
But they flattered him with their mouths
and lied to him with their tongues,
Though their hearts were not steadfast toward him,
nor were they faithful to his covenant.
R. Do not forget the works of the Lord!
But he, being merciful, forgave their sin
and destroyed them not;
Often he turned back his anger
and let none of his wrath be roused.
R. Do not forget the works of the Lord!

Reading 2 Phil 2:6-11

Brothers and sisters:
Christ Jesus, though he was in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God something to be grasped.
Rather, he emptied himself,
taking the form of a slave,
coming in human likeness;
and found human in appearance,
he humbled himself,
becoming obedient to death,
even death on a cross.
Because of this, God greatly exalted him
and bestowed on him the name
that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus
every knee should bend,
of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue confess that
Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.

Gospel Jn 3:13-17

Jesus said to Nicodemus:
“No one has gone up to heaven
except the one who has come down from heaven, the Son of Man.
And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert,
so must the Son of Man be lifted up,
so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.”
For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son,
so that everyone who believes in him might not perish
but might have eternal life.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world,
but that the world might be saved through him.

Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

REFELECTION ON THE DAILY GOSPEL 27 MARCH 2012

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Recognizing Christ was difficult for the Pharisees, they did not understand his language, that he was the Redeemer promised from the Old Testament. That he was here to save them from sin. How often do we recognize Christ in our fellow men during the day? Are we listening for his Word in our actions and thoughts?

SURRENDER: The importance of surrender to God

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Our Lord came as Our Savior, the Redeemer, the Anointed One promised in the Old Testament, revealed in the New Testament. However, we are not automatically saved; at least that’s our belief as Catholics. In order to be saved, we need to be in the right order with Christ, this means not just keeping his commandments, but honoring him in the appropriate way. That means understanding our role in salvation, in order to be given the grace and gift of salvation itself.

In fulfillment of the Old Testament, Jesus came to save us, but these are not mere words. He came, through his Father, and became fully human, descending from heaven to live both humanly and divinely in the form of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. This redeeming action, not only shows the love he has for us all, his most favored creation, but also deeply illustrates what he wants from us; surrender.

His surrender to the will of his Father, completely humbled by arrogant and cruel prosecutors who were amongst his chosen people, only tells us where we need to be in relation to him. There is no humility that could even compare to his love for us in his mission on earth. The one and true God, tortured, abused, humiliated, rejected; not just during the Passion of the Christ, but throughout his missionary life. How did he react? He surrendered and obeyed the will of his Father.

This is a key element for us in determining where we should start if we want to be close to him. We can only understand where we stand, by showing him that same love and respect, and it starts with not trying to stand “shoulder-to-shoulder” with God or others, but understanding and accepting his omnipotence and omnipresence in our lives and the world. That makes us his loving subjects in his kingdom, but not in any way equal, or just transactional Christians. Wanting the benefits of the kingdom, but unwilling to walk through the narrow gate to enter it. He lies, like a Shepard protecting his flock across this gate, ensuring those inside are safe and welcoming newcomers who have found the way to the entrance.

I would submit, surrender to his will is the first stage in really understanding his mission, with faith and acceptance of the word of the apostles, who were fortunate enough to have witnessed his love in “real time” during his human lifetime.

We, among others, have the job of sharing this with our fellow man, but I believe the real spiritual journey begins with this admission of submitting and dedicating our lives to him. It will be the door that opens all others to his love and splendor.

 

Mike Cunningham January 2012