Passion Sunday Reflection

“By Christ’s deeds the Lord has shown himself great”
A Reflection for Passion Sunday
Based on Readings from: John 8:48-59, Hebrews 9:11-15, Psalm 125, Philippians 3:8-14, John 8:1-11
By Rev. Robert Johnnene OFA
Mission Saints Sergius and Bacchus
www.missionstsergius.org
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/EverlastingLoveOfChristMinistry


I have chosen words from the title of the psalm used in today’s liturgy of the Novus Ordo rite or new rite in the western churches since it compliments all the readings used by the Universal church for Passion Sunday.
The Gospel of John 8:1-11 is the story of the woman about to be stoned because she was caught in adultery and how Jesus responded to those who were about to stone her. Jesus said to them “If there is one of you who have not sinned, let him be the first to throw a stone at her”. With those words Jesus broke with the teachings of the old covenant for Christ came into this world as the mediator of a new covenant or agreement between God and us.
In the Gospel of John 8:48-59 we find Christ being accused of sinning and having a demon in Him because he had broken with the traditional practices of the Jewish faith to which Jesus replied; “"I don't have a demon in me. I honor my Father, and you refuse to honor me. I don't want honor for myself. But there is one who wants me to be honored, and he is also the one who judges. I tell you for certain that if you obey my words, you will never die." "If I honored myself, it would mean nothing. My Father is the one who honors me. You claim that he is your God, even though you don't really know him. If I said I didn't know him, I would be a liar, just like all of you. But I know him, and I do what he says.”
Notice the words of Christ; “You claim that he is your God, even though you don't really know him”. Today everywhere we hear preachers claiming to know God and Christ and yet they go about shouting condemnation and hell fire and damnation and claim that they are preaching the teachings of Christ, yet, the Gospel story of the woman caught in adultery is an example of how Christ preached mercy and forgiveness.
The opening words of Paul’s Letter to the Hebrews 9:11 explain this very well; “Christ came as the high priest of the good things that are now here….. He freed us from sin forever. He did this by offering his own blood instead of the blood of goats and bulls.” (The Law of Moses prescribed that people who become unclean were not fit to worship God. Yet they would be considered clean, if they are sprinkled with the blood of goats and bulls and with the ashes of a sacrificed calf.) Paul continues with the following explanation; “But Christ was sinless, and he offered himself as an eternal and spiritual sacrifice to God. That's why his blood is much more powerful and makes our consciences clear……. Now he brings his chosen ones a new agreement with its guarantee of God's eternal blessings!”
Paul’s letter to the Philippians 3:8 opening words sum it all up, at least for me they do, “I believe nothing can happen that will outweigh the supreme advantage of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord”. Paul goes on to say how he he no longer is seeking the perfection that comes from the law but the perfection that comes through faith in Jesus Christ and Almighty God. He also acknowledges that perfection only comes when we have been received into the eternal promise of Christ. “I am far from thinking that I have already won. All I can say is that I forget the past and I strain ahead for what is still to come; I am racing for the finish, for is the prize to which God calls us upwards to receive in Christ.”
I believe that it is not our duty or obligation to place condemnation on any of God’s children but that we should teach the words of Christ and instruct God’s children on the way they have been called by God to live their lives. We most certainly should never think that God has made a mistake in creating someone in a certain way or refuse to allow one of God’s children from participating in the worship and reception of the graces of the sacraments for when we do so we are acting like those who wanted to stone the woman caught in adultery.

The next two weeks are some of the most holy and humbling times within the liturgical calendar. They are a time when we examine ourselves deeply and make our list of strengths and weaknesses within our living the teachings of God as given us through Christ. They are a time when we are reminded of how much Christ was willing to suffer for our sake and a time to ask ourselves how much we are willing to suffer in order to achieve the promise of Eternal life with God.
Christ did not go through all He endured for just a few individuals who perceive that they are holier than others but for ALL of the children of God, every individual on the face of the earth.
Let each of us, over the next two weeks, think about how Christ came to earth and by His words and deeds the Lord has shown himself great and given us the way, the truth and the light which will lead us to the Father, our creator, and everlasting life with Him, our redeemer Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit and Christ’s and our heavenly mother Mary and all the heavenly elect.
Use this time to improve your relationship with Almighty God and with your brothers and sisters in Christ by working harder to live a life that reflects the teachings of Christ.
That is our way of passing over to the promised land of Almighty God. AMEN

From Sinner To Saint

From Great Sinner to God’s Messenger
A Reflection on the Feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul
By Rev. Robert Johnnene OFA
Mission Saints Sergius and Bacchus
www.missionstsergius.org
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/EverlastingLoveOfChristMinistry

Today is the feast commemorating the conversion of St. Paul possibly one of the most influential of the messengers of Christ’s light of truth. The story of Saint Paul should be an inspiration to every person on the face of the earth. Here was a man who was among the educated elite of the Jewish faith, a Pharisee, who so despised and feared the teachings of Christ that he went about persecuting and killing those followers of Christ’s teachings. On the way to Damascus a blinding light struck him blind and he, according to his writings found in the Acts of the Apostles and Paul’s Epistles, heard the voice of Christ asking him “Saul, why are you persecuting me?”
We need to notice the words Christ used in addressing Paul. He did not say “Saul, why do you persecute my followers” but “Why are you persecuting me”
Christ himself by those words acknowledges that once we are baptized and acknowledge Christ as the promised messiah of God we become one with Christ. We become one in the Mystical Body of Christ. In short, we become the church, not some building, some city, or some group, we become and are the church.
The story of Paul’s conversion is also a message of hope for all who feel that they are not welcome or that they cannot be accepted because of their past sins or transgressions. How much more affirming can that message be for us because if a person who actual inflicted pain and suffering and murdered children of God can be forgiven and become one of the greatest evangelist of all time we can be assured that we can also achieve the promise of everlasting live with God.
It was also Paul who proclaimed that the message of salvation was not for a select few but for all people of all nations. Paul’s letter to the Corinthians makes it crystal clear when he wrote “There is one body. But it has many parts. Even though it has many parts, they make up one body. It is the same with Christ. We were all baptized by one Holy Spirit into one body. It didn't matter whether we were Jews or Greeks, slaves or free people. We were all given the same Spirit to drink. The body is not made up of just one part. It has many parts. Suppose the foot says, "I am not a hand. So I don't belong to the body." It is still part of the body. And suppose the ear says, "I am not an eye. So I don't belong to the body." It is still part of the body. ……….But God has joined together all the parts of the body. And he has given more honors to the parts that didn't have any. In that way, the parts of the body will not take sides. All of them will take care of each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it. If one part is honored, every part shares in its joy. You are the body of Christ. Each one of you is a part of it. This last line is of great importance when we look at how some churches have caused pain to parts of the body of
Christ by turning away people because they were divorced or have a same sex orientation.
In Galatians 2:6 Paul wrote “Some people in Jerusalem seemed to be important. It makes no difference to me what they were. God does not judge by what he sees on the outside. Those people added nothing to my message.” This passage makes it very clear that the high priests and those who set up rules and regulations added nothing to the message of Christ.
In 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 Paul tells us that He is only proclaiming what Christ made clear to him, What I received I passed on to you. And it is the most important of all. Here is what it is. Christ died for our sins, just as Scripture said he would. 4 He was buried. He was raised from the dead on the third day, just as Scripture said he would be.” These lines tell the whole story of our redemption and salvation as promised throughout the Old Testament to all the prophets, we have been saved by Christ’s gift of himself to us. Just as Paul, a sinner who committed the gravest of sins became on of God’s great messengers of the light of truth found in Christ’s teachings so we also will be welcomed by God if we live as Christ taught us in the two great commandments; “Love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, mind, soul and body and the second is like unto it; Love your neighbor as you love yourself”
Let us go forth from this day forward letting the light of Christ shine forth from us as a beacon to all we encounter. Let us not be afraid to live and act in ways that are befitting to a follower of Christ. Let us follow the instruction from Jesus found in Mark 16: 15 “Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature. Who ever believes and is Baptized will be saved”
Just as Paul went from great sinner to Evangelist, so too we can go from being a passive believer to becoming an active participant in the Mystical Body of Christ, the church, by our deeds and actions. Prayer alone is not enough, for prayer is a conversation with God and as we all know from the actions of so many in today’s world, especially those who are supposed to lead us, “Talk is cheap if not followed up by action”.
Paul went from contempt of Christ to a staunch believer and put his entire faith and trust in God, so too must we.
Our human nature is only a fleeting thing, but our spiritual salvation is forever. Let no human make you turn away from God by what they have done or said but listen to the truth found in Christ’s teachings and follow them.
God is love and God is forgiving and welcoming. Remember the teaching found in Luke 15:6-8 “In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away!”
Let us praise God from whom all blessings flow. AMEN