Tuesday, December 8, 2015

Everyone who belongs to the truth pays attention to Jesus’ voice


November 22, 2015

The Solemnity Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe

Reading 1


13As the visions during the night continued, I saw one like a Son of man coming, on the clouds of heaven; when He reached the Ancient One and was presented before Him,[1] 14the one like a Son of man received dominion, glory, and kingship; all peoples, nations, and languages serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that shall not be taken away, His kingship shall not be destroyed.

Responsorial Psalm


R. (1a) The LORD is king; He is robed in majesty.

1The LORD is king, in splendor robed; robed is the LORD and girt about with strength.

R. The LORD is king; he is robed in majesty.

1And He has made the world firm, not to be moved. 2Your throne stands firm from of old; from everlasting you are, O LORD.

R. The LORD is king; He is robed in majesty.

5Your decrees are worthy of trust indeed; holiness befits your house, O LORD, for length of days.

R. The LORD is king; He is robed in majesty.

Reading 2


5Jesus Christ is the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead and ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood,[2] 6who has made us into a kingdom, priests for His God and Father, to Him be glory and power forever and ever. Amen.

7Behold, He is coming amid the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him. All the peoples of the earth will lament Him. Yes. Amen.

8"I am the Alpha and the Omega, " says the Lord God, "the one who is and who was and who is to come, the almighty."[3]

Alleluia Mark 11:9, 10 

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!
Blessed is the kingdom of our father David that is to come!
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel
  
33bPilate said to Jesus, "Are you the King of the Jews?" 

34Jesus answered, "Do you say this on your own or have others told you about me?"

35Pilate answered, "I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests handed you over to me. What have you done?"

36Jesus answered, "My kingdom does not belong to this world. If my kingdom did belong to this world, my attendants would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not here."

37So Pilate said to Him, "Then you are a king?"

Jesus answered, "You say I am a king. For this I was born and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice."[4] 



Notes on Readings:

[1] Daniel 7:13-14- One like a son of man: in contrast to the worldly kingdoms opposed to God, which appear as beasts, the glorified people of God that will form His kingdom on earth is represented in human form  (Daniel 7:18). Just as our Lord applied the figure of the stone hewn from the mountain to Himself (Daniel 2:36-45), He also made the title "Son of Man" His most characteristic way of referring to Himself, as the One in whom and through whom the salvation of God's people came to be realized.

[2] Revelation 1:5 - Freed us: the majority of Greek manuscripts and several early versions read "washed us"; but "freed us" is supported by the best manuscripts and fits well with Old Testament imagery, see Isaiah 40:2.

[3] Revelation 1:8 - The Alpha and the Omega: the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. In Revelation 22;13 the same words occur together with the expressions "the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End"; compare with Revelation 1:172:8; 21:6; Isaiah 41:4; 44:6.

[4] John 18:37 - You say I am a king: see Matthew 26:64  for a similar response to the high priest. It is at best a reluctant affirmative.

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Dear Humanity,

I personally encourage everyone to emulate JESUS' values on LOVE, FAITH, HOPE
and CHARITY, as the humanity has been a failure; which resulted to the more than two (2) years of pandemic and its after-effects on economy, not only here in the Philippines but worldwide.

And the saddest part of it, is that, it affected the POOREST of the POOR to even extremely be more poorer, in exchange of the affluent to be more richer.

Thank you and may GOD bless you and the whole family to have an enjoyed life's journey at home, Church, schools/universities, corporate commitments, public and places of interest.