Ruminations of an Irascible Hermit.: December 2021

Sunday, December 12, 2021

Rejoice in your salvation

Today you may have noticed your priest wore a pink or a “rose” vestment and if your Church has an advent wreath - the third candle would have been pink as well. This is similar to the 4th week of Lent (Laetare Sunday) …. The only two times in the liturgical year that a priest will ever wear pink/“rose”.

The reason for this is that Lent & Advent are both penitential times of year. This is why the priest wears purple during this time and we don’t sing the Gloria during Mass on Sundays. It is a time to intensify and prepare for the mystery we are going to celebrate.

Today is know as “Gaudate” Sunday - this comes from the entrance antiphon of the Mass for today, where we are told to Rejoice. This is highlighted by the opening prayer and especially the first reading from the prophet Zephaniah. As we await the Coming of Jesus, we await joyfully because we know that our God comes.

The birth of Jesus fulfilled the prophecies of God dwelling amongst us and being in our midst. He remains with us hidden in the Sacraments, and will return again in glory to complete the Kingdom he has already started here in earth.

Let us cry out with rejoicing - come Lord Jesus!

———

ENTRANCE ANTIPHON

Phil 4: 4-5
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice.
Indeed, the Lord is near.

COLLECT

O God, who see how your people
faithfully await the feast of the Lord’s Nativity,
enable us, we pray,
to attain the joys of so great a salvation
and to celebrate them always
with solemn worship and glad rejoicing.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.

Friday, December 3, 2021

Share the testimony of the Gospel in your life

In honour of St Francis Xavier today, this is something I have learnt in the past few years…

Do not be afraid to share your testimony with others. No matter how flawed or broken your spiritual life may be, people still need to hear your story of the Gospel in your life and the grace of God working through you. Not everyone is at the same place in their life, but your example could be the inspiration they are looking for.

None of us are perfect, those people who pretend to be so are often hiding the biggest secrets.

Be public with your witness to Christ and His mercy on your life. 🙏

Wednesday, December 1, 2021

Messianic Prophecy of the Hypostatic Union

During Bible study last night in my parish I had a very interesting insight regarding this passage…

We were studying the symbolism and person of Melchizedek and this passage was brought up regarding the Messianic prophecy of Jesus’ priesthood and kingship - just as Melchizedek was a Priest & King.

The interesting thing about this passage is it talks about a king on his throne and a priest next to him with the two of them in harmony or “peaceful understanding”. This can be interpreted allegorically to mean the Hypostatic Union of Jesus, fully human and fully divine. His Divinity represented by the King, and his humanity by the Priest - but their unity of “peaceful understanding” represents the two natures (human & Divine) in one Person. In theology this is called the Hypostatic Union. The temple of Lord that is referenced in this passage is the body of Jesus himself, just as Jesus tells us in John 2:19-22

Disclaimer

Please note. I am a Catholic layman, not a qualified theologian or philosopher. What I say and write here are my own personal thoughts and ideas, although I always try to conform my writings to the Magisterium of the Church.

I- with firm faith believe and profess everything that is contained in the symbol of faith: namely,

I believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is seen and unseen. I believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, one in Being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven: By the power of the Holy Spirit, he was born of the Virgin Mary, and became man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered, died and was buried. On the third day he rose again in fulfillment of the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son he is worshipped and glorified. He has spoken through the Prophets. I believe in the one holy catholic and apostolic church. I acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.

With firm faith I believe as well everything contained in God's word, written or handed down in tradition and proposed by the church--whether in solemn judgment or in the ordinary and universal Magisterium--as divinely revealed and called for faith.

I also firmly accept and hold each and every thing that is proposed by that same church definitively with regard to teaching concerning faith or morals.

What is more, I adhere with religious submission of will and intellect to the teachings which either the Roman pontiff or the college of bishops enunciate when they exercise the authentic Magisterium even if they proclaim those teachings in an act that is not definitive.