Welcome back to the Sunday Mass notes for 12-13-2015. This week we open with a reading from Zephaniah, one of the so-called “Minor Prophets,” largely because their 12 prophecies are shorter than the Major Prophets like Isaiah and Jeremiah. Then we move to one of the Epistles of St. Paul, Philippians, a letter likely written from a prison cell in Rome, making its theme of joy even more significant. Finally we conclude with a reading from Luke’s Gospel, which includes some interesting instructions for the people of Jesus’ day. 

Introduction to the First Reading:

Zephaniah has been called “the Royal Prophet,” probably because he was the great-great-grandson of King Hezekiah of Judah. He was the last of the prophets before the captivity of Judah and ministered during the reign of Josiah who tried to restore proper worship practices which had been pretty much abandoned in Judah. His message centers on “the Day of the LORD,” which is seen from two perspectives: 1) a time of judgment against sinners, and 2) a time of blessing for those who follow God.

First Reading:

Zephaniah 3:14-18 NAS95 14 Shout for joy, O daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem! 15 The LORD has taken away His judgments against you, He has cleared away your enemies. The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst; You will fear disaster no more. 16 In that day it will be said to Jerusalem: “Do not be afraid, O Zion; Do not let your hands fall limp. 17 “The LORD your God is in your midst, A victorious warrior. He will exult over you with joy, He will be quiet in His love, He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy. 18 “I will gather those who grieve about the appointed feasts–They came from you, O Zion; The reproach of exile is a burden on them.

The first two-thirds of the prophecy deal with God’s judgment of sin and apostasy. Someone has said that the book is an out-working of the text, “I, the Lord, thy God, am a jealous God” (Exodus 20:5; Deuteronomy 5:9). God’s people must worship Him and Him alone. Otherwise, judgment will come, and in this case it is to be the captivity of the nation by Babylonia, which did occur in —.

Today’s reading, however, is in a concluding portion of the book that looks forward—beyond the captivity—to a time, yet future, when Israel will rejoice in the promised Kingdom blessing, chapter 3:9-20). Such a blessed future will be occasion to “shout for joy … shout in triumph … rejoice and exult.” Why? Because God has “taken away His judgments against you” and “He has cleared away your enemies.” What causes for joy and rejoicing? But, even more astounding, the promise is that God Himself will be among them. The phrase is repeated: “The LORD is in your midst” (vv. 15, 17).

As in other Old Testament prophecies, Zephaniah warns his people that judgment is certain; it will come at the Day of the Lord’s wrath. But, he admonishes them in chapter 2:1-3 to “Seek the Lord … seek righteousness; seek humility.” There will be a restoration, as we see in chapter 3; a remnant will be saved.

Introduction to the Second Reading:

Zephaniah had promised a time of future joy and rejoicing after severe judgment and captivity. In this epistle, Paul encourages Christians to find their joy and peace in God in the midst of trials and difficult circumstances. He himself had suffered to even get to Philippi some years before (see Acts 16), and he understands how stressful life can be. But, as in Zephaniah, it’s the promised presence of God that enables the Christian to live above life’s stresses and rejoice in God’s goodness.

Second Reading:

Philippians 4:4-7 NAS95 4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! 5 Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. 6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Chapter four of this power-packed letter emphasizes the power that Jesus provides for the Christian’s life. There is strength in unity, vv. 1-3; strength from God’s peace, vv. 4-7; strength from God’s presence, vv. 8-9; and strength from God’s provision, vv. 10-19. We look today at the significant words from verses 4-7.

Paul instructs the Philippians with emphasis, “rejoice.” That joy is possible, of course, only because it is “in the Lord.” Outside of one’s personal trust in the all-sufficient grace and mercy of God, there is no lasting source of joy. He encourages the believer to be gentle. Though translated a variety of ways (“forbearing,” “moderation”), its meaning in the original language if “sweet reasonableness.” Wouldn’t life be so much more pleasant if we lived in a continue environment of sweet reasonableness? How is that possible? Well, believers in Jesus must be constantly aware that “The Lord is near.” Not merely that He is watching judgmentally but that He is near to help, to keep us sweet and reasonable. The indwelling Christ does that for us when we cannot by ourselves.

The next admonition is so difficult for many of us. He writes, “Be anxious for nothing.” Didn’t Paul realize the many anxieties those first-century Christians were facing? How could it tell them not to worry? He is likely saying that Christians should not be distracted by the affairs of life that they forget the real source of life, peace, and joy. It’s good to remember that he was living in circumstances that may have been far more difficult than the Philippians at that time. But, more importantly, he provides the antidote for anxiety: prayer and thanksgiving. Nothing in life is beyond the realm of prayer. We may and should take everything to God in prayer; He should be our first resort, not the last. We should approach God with confidence that He is both able and willing to relieve our fears.

The result is the incomprehensible peace that only God can provide. Peace is not just the absence of fear or stress. It is, as the Hebrews say, “Shalom.” The term implies wholeness, harmony, completeness. Those attributes can be found only in the God of Peace. Here are Paul’s words from another of his epistles: “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13)

Introduction to the Gospel Reading:

The four Gospels all cover the life and ministry of Jesus, each from a different perspective with somewhat different purposes in mind—all, however, to reveal the purposes of His coming to the glory of God. Luke’s telling emphasizes Jesus as Savior, a divine man. He stresses the humanity of Jesus Christ and his perfection as a human. His audience probably consisted mostly of Gentile Christians, but he wrote to show his readers that the Gospel is for both Jews and Gentles.

Luke’s account is more chronological than the other Gospels. Today’s reading is taken from Christ’s teaching as He approaches Jerusalem for the climactic final days of his earthly life. In this passage, which could be titled “The Signs of the Times,” He speaks of the coming of the Son of Man (the title He frequently uses to speak of Himself).

Gospel Reading:

Luke 3:10-18 NAS95 10 And the crowds were questioning him, saying, “Then what shall we do?” 11 And he would answer and say to them, “The man who has two tunics is to share with him who has none; and he who has food is to do likewise.” 12 And some tax collectors also came to be baptized, and they said to him, “Teacher, what shall we do?” 13 And he said to them, “Collect no more than what you have been ordered to.” 14 Some soldiers were questioning him, saying, “And what about us, what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Do not take money from anyone by force, or accuse anyone falsely, and be content with your wages.” 15 Now while the people were in a state of expectation and all were wondering in their hearts about John, as to whether he was the Christ, 16 John answered and said to them all, “As for me, I baptize you with water; but One is coming who is mightier than I, and I am not fit to untie the thong of His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 17 “His winnowing fork is in His hand to thoroughly clear His threshing floor, and to gather the wheat into His barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” 18 So with many other exhortations he preached the gospel to the people.

Today’s reading reports on the ministry of John the Baptist, the prophesied forerunner of the Messiah. John’s words just prior to this reading were rather scathing. “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?” (v. 7). He had been prophesying that that the Lord would come to straighten the crooked places and make level the rough ways. “All flesh,” he said,” shall see the salvation of God” (v. 6).

It is in response to that teaching that the crowd asked, “Then what shall we do?” John the Baptist lists a number of practices that his listeners could pursue that would demonstrate a genuine change of heart that he has been calling for. “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 3:1). A man with two coats could show his heart change by giving one to someone who had not. Likewise, with someone who has enough food; he can share.

When the tax collectors (usually men who collected more than the tax due to enlarge their own pockets) indicated they wanted to enter the waters of baptism for repentance, John tells them to collect only what is the proper tax. Soldiers also asked about their responsibility, and John pointed out what, apparently, were the illegal practices of some: taking money by force, falsely accusing people, complaining about their wages. They are to discontinue such practices.

All of this had the people conjecturing about who this prophet really was. Could he be the Messiah? John responds to clarify his role by noting his inferiority to the One he is preparing the way for. John’s baptism was with water, the Messiah would baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire (was was to be fulfilled in Acts 2). It’s interesting to note the final words of this reading, “So with many other exhortations he preached the gospel to the people.” Yet, the preceding words are words of judgment (“winnowing fork,” “burn up the chaff”). You see the gospel has two facets. It offers the free grace of God in response to faith in the work of Jesus, but it promised judgment to those who reject Jesus.

Bottom Line: Questions for Reflection

1.  In light of the second reading, list the ways in which you daily lay down your anxieties to God. Do I have the unexplainable joy and peace of God because I pray with thanksgiving and give my anxieties to Him?

2.  In the Gospel reading the crowd asked John, “Then what shall we do?” to which John responded with a list of practices believers in God exhibited as evidence of their change in heart. List two ways in which your life provides this evidence of turning away from sin (repentance) and a turning to living out your life for God.

Note: For a listing of readings for the Roman Catholic Mass, visit this web site:

http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/121315.cfm     

Source(s):

Online Scripture verses for most Bible versions can be found at:  http://www.biblegateway.com/

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB

Welcome back to the Sunday Mass notes for 11-8-2015. This week we open with a story from 1 Kings that tells how God provided food in a time of drought for a faithful prophet through a poor widow who trusted God and gave all she had. Then we move to the book of Hebrews and learn how Jesus has provided a superior and final sacrifice for our sin. We conclude with a reading from the Gospel of St. Mark where Jesus condemns religious hypocrisy and commends humble, sacrificial faith.

Read Online:http://www.christiansforchrist.org/articles/weekly-study-notes-for-the-sunday-mass/11-08-2015

Introduction to the First Reading:

In First Kings 17, the lives of a wicked king, a faithful prophet, and a poor widow converge when God sends a punishing drought upon the land. As God judges the evil, He simultaneously and miraculous preserves the faithful.

A little review of Israel’s history is a necessary backdrop to this passage. The people of God were composed of twelve tribes descended from Abraham’s grandson Jacob (renamed Israel in Genesis 35:10). These descendants and the land God gave them for a home were called Israel. From them, the Messiah Jesus would come, and through His salvation all the nations of the world would be blessed.

Despite their privileged position in God’s plan for the nations, the people of Israel rebelled against God and went after the false gods of the surrounding nations. They forgot the Lord’s commands and worshiped idols. This was the fate of King Solomon when he ruled in Israel after his father David’s reign.  At first he followed God, and God gave him great wisdom to rule justly. But when Solomon married foreign women, he began to follow after their gods. Because of his idolatry, God said He would take ten of the tribes from Solomon’s rule and leave only the tribes of Benjamin and Judah under the authority of his descendants. The ten tribes became known as the Northern Kingdom and were called Israel. The remaining two tribes formed the Southern Kingdom and were called Judah.  

A series of kings reigned in Judah. Some followed the Lord and some did not. In Israel a different series of kings reigned, each one more evil than the previous one.  Eventually King Ahab came to power, and he “did more to provoke the Lord God of Israel than all the kings of Israel who were before him (1 Kings 16:33).” He married Jezebel, a foreign woman, and created places of worship for her gods—Baal and Asherah. It was to this idolatrous, evil king that Elijah came as a prophet of God to proclaim judgment on Israel.

Elijah prophesied, “As the Lord, the God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, surely there shall be neither dew nor rain these years, except by my word.” In the ensuing drought, God miraculously provided food for Elijah. One of the ways He did this was through an unlikely source–a poor widow woman.

When Elijah’s source of drinking water dried up, God sent him to a widow in Zarephath. Elijah arrived just as the widow was gathering wood to cook a final meal for her and her son. She had only enough flour and oil to make a little bread, and after that she believed she and her son would die. When Elijah requested bread from her, the widow explained her plight. Elijah promised her that God would not let the flour and oil run out until the day God sent rain upon the earth. Why the widow believed Elijah we do not know.  But placing her trust in Elijah and Elijah’s God, she did as he requested. God kept His promise, and the widow, her son, and Elijah were miraculously spared.

The story begins in 1 Kings 17:8. You will want to begin reading there and continue through the First Reading (v. 10-16).

First Reading:

1 Kings 17:10-16 NAS95 10 So he arose and went to Zarephath, and when he came to the gate of the city, behold, a widow was there gathering sticks; and he called to her and said, “Please get me a little water in a jar, that I may drink.” 11 As she was going to get it, he called to her and said, “Please bring me a piece of bread in your hand.” 12 But she said, “As the LORD your God lives, I have no bread, only a handful of flour in the bowl and a little oil in the jar; and behold, I am gathering a few sticks that I may go in and prepare for me and my son, that we may eat it and die.” 13 Then Elijah said to her, “Do not fear; go, do as you have said, but make me a little bread cake from it first and bring it out to me, and afterward you may make one for yourself and for your son. 14 “For thus says the LORD God of Israel, ‘The bowl of flour shall not be exhausted, nor shall the jar of oil be empty, until the day that the LORD sends rain on the face of the earth.’” 15 So she went and did according to the word of Elijah, and she and he and her household ate for many days. 16 The bowl of flour was not exhausted nor did the jar of oil become empty, according to the word of the LORD which He spoke through Elijah.

Elijah and the widow trusted God, and God kept His promise. We will likely never go through a drought but we might experience a job loss or setback that greatly affects our ability to provide for ourselves and our family. The same God who took care of Elijah and the widow knows our needs, too. Philippians 4: 13 says, “And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” He is a faithful God who never changes. Like the widow of Zarephath, we can trust Him to provide.

It is rare, though, for God to provide through a direct miracle as He did when the flour and oil did not run out. More often He lays the need on the hearts of His people and moves us to give.  After all, everything we have belongs to God.  We are merely stewards or managers of it.  Every time we pray for God to provide for someone’s need, we should ask God if He wants any of our stuff (money, food, belongings) to be the provision for that need. The widow did not fear to give all she had.  We don’t need to fear either.

Introduction to the Second Reading:

The book of Hebrews was written to Jewish believers who were experiencing persecution and, as a result, were contemplating returning to Judaism.  The writer of Hebrews explains how Jesus is superior to all things under Judaism.  He is greater than Moses, the Old Covenant, the Old Testament priesthood, and the earthly tabernacle with its animal sacrifices.

A reminder of the Old Testament sacrificial system would be helpful here. When an Israelite sinned, he would bring an animal (often an unblemished lamb) to the priest in the tabernacle. The priest would sacrifice the animal and shed its blood on the altar for the remission of sin. Behind a heavy curtain was the Holy of Holies where God would appear in a pillar of cloud or fire. No one could go in there except the high priest, and he could go in only once a year on the Day of Atonement. On that day the high priest would make a sacrifice for himself (for he is a sinner, too) and for the sins of all the people and carry the blood inside the curtain, presenting it to God. The sacrifices had to be repeated year after year since they were never able to perfect the worshipper. They were only a foreshadowing of the ultimate sacrifice of the Lamb of God (Jesus) who takes away the sin of the world (Gospel of St. John 1: 29).

The Second Reading shows us that Jesus, as the mediator of a new covenant, is superior in every way. 

Second Reading:

Hebrews 9:24-28 NAS95 24 For Christ did not enter a holy place made with hands, a mere copy of the true one, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us; 25 nor was it that He would offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the holy place year by year with blood that is not his own. 26 Otherwise, He would have needed to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now once at the consummation of the ages He has been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. 27 And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment, 28 so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him.

Jesus Himself is the high priest who entered into the holy place, not an earthly one made by human hands, but into heaven itself. There He presented to God, not the blood of animals as a sacrifice for sin, but His own blood. Because Jesus was perfect, God accepted His sacrifice as final. There is no need for any other.

He is coming a second time to receive all believers to Himself, and we eagerly await that day! Will you be ready to meet Him when He comes?

Introduction to the Gospel Reading:

Many people in our parishes follow the practices of the church because they love God.  Some however follow the rituals because they want to be thought of as “religious.”  Their concern is not so much how God sees them but how others see them.  They are not so much interested in pleasing God as they are in impressing others.  Some of the religious leaders of Jesus day were like that, too.

In the immediate setting of the Gospel Reading, religious leaders were pretending to be interested in Jesus, but they were actually trying to trick Him with difficult questions in order to discredit Him.  Knowing their motives, Jesus confounded them with His superior wisdom until they had nothing left to say.

Jesus warned the crowd to beware of religious leaders who flaunt their religion for self-serving reasons— for personal gain or to be seen and respected by men.  Instead, Jesus pointed out a poor widow and her small gift as an example of sincere faith, for she gave it quietly and sacrificially.  Others gave out of their surplus, but she gave out of her poverty.

Gospel Reading:

Mark 12:38-44 NAS95 38 In His teaching He was saying: “Beware of the scribes who like to walk around in long robes, and like respectful greetings in the market places, 39 and chief seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets, 40 who devour widows’ houses, and for appearance’s sake offer long prayers; these will receive greater condemnation.” 41 And He sat down opposite the treasury, and began observing how the people were putting money into the treasury; and many rich people were putting in large sums. 42 A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which amount to a cent. 43 Calling His disciples to Him, He said to them, “Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the contributors to the treasury; 44 for they all put in out of their surplus, but she, out of her poverty, put in all she owned, all she had to live on.”

Our religious acts of service are to be done humbly and quietly out of love for God not as a means to impress men and earn favor with God.  God already looks favorably on us not because of what we have or what we do but because of what Jesus has done for us on the cross.  God is not looking for impressive external religion but sincere and sacrificial devotion from the heart. 

Bottom Line: Questions for Reflection

1.  Jesus was the perfect and final sacrifice for sin. God looks on us with favor not because of what we have or what we do but because of what Jesus has done for us on the cross. How does this truth affect your day-to-day relationship with God?

2. Do a heart check this week.  Are you practicing your religion to impress people or as an expression of sincere devotion from the heart?

Note: For a listing of readings for the Roman Catholic Mass, visit this web site:

http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/110815.cfm

Source(s):

Online Scripture verses for most Bible versions can be found at:  http://www.biblegateway.com/

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB

Welcome back to the Sunday Mass notes for 6-14-2015. This week we open with Ezekiel 17: 22-24.  The prophet uses a metaphor to show how God sets up kings and takes them down and will eventually establish a King who will reign over all. Then we move to St. Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians 5: 6-10, encouraging the use of our earthly bodies for eternal purposes.  Finally we conclude with St. Mark 4: 26-34, as Jesus uses parables to teach about the kingdom of God.

Introduction to the First Reading:

When an F5 tornado struck Joplin, Missouri, on May 22, 2011, 158 people died and countless others were injured.  Tornado warnings had been issued and the sirens activated, but many did not seek shelter soon enough.  One study found that only 10 percent of the population respond immediately when a tornado warning is given.  The others respond with what the researcher called, “denial.” *   Lives are lost when people don’t believe and heed the warnings.

Ezekiel was a prophet of God sent out to warn God’s people of impending destruction.  God had always been their shelter in a time of storm, but they had strayed far from Him. If they didn’t turn back to Him destruction would surely overtake them.  Ezekiel and many of the other prophets were sent to sound the alarm, but sadly, many did not heed the prophets’ warning. 

The people of God were composed of twelve tribes descended from Abraham’s grandson Jacob, (renamed Israel in Genesis 35:10).   These descendants and the land God gave them for a home were called Israel.  From them, the Messiah Jesus would come, and through the salvation He would bring, all the nations of the world would be blessed.

Despite their privileged position in God’s plan for the nations, Israel rebelled against God and went after the false gods of the surrounding nations.  They forgot the Lord’s commands and worshiped idols.  This was the fate of King Solomon when he ruled in Israel after his father David’s reign.  At first he followed God, and God gave him great wisdom to rule justly.  But when Solomon married foreign women, he began to follow after their gods.  Because of his idolatry, God would take ten of the tribes from his rule and leave his posterity the tribes of Benjamin and Judah only.  The ten tribes became known as the Northern Kingdom and were called Israel.   The remaining two tribes formed the Southern Kingdom and were called Judah.   It was to Judah that God sent Ezekiel with His warnings. 

God had already sent an invading army from Babylon to take Judah into captivity.   Ezekiel was with the first wave of captives taken to Babylon.    Some of God’s people, however, still remained in Jerusalem, Judah’s capital.  If they didn’t repent and turn back to God, they would face a similar fate as their brothers.   They ignored the warning, and instead of seeking God, they sought an alliance with Egypt.  That failed, and Babylon conquered Jerusalem taking most of the people who resided there into captivity.

In the First Reading, Ezekiel uses trees as a metaphor for rulers God sets up and takes down.  When kings abandoned God and led the people far away from Him, God sent prophets like Ezekiel to call them back to God and warn them of impending destruction.  When the king and his people persisted in their rebellion, God sent conquerors to come and take them captive.

Ezekiel looked forward to the time when God will set up another king.  God will take a twig from the lofty top of the cedar and plant it on the mountain of Israel, and it will bear fruit and birds of all kinds will come and prosper there.  This tree is a reference to Jesus who will be established in Israel and will bring salvation to all who come to Him.  And someday He will reign as King of Kings and Lord of Lords in a heavenly kingdom that has no end.

Another prophet sounds the warning for us.  St. John tells us:

¹⁶ “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. ¹⁷ For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. ¹⁸ He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.      (Gospel of St. John 3: 16-18)

Those who believe in Jesus have eternal life.  Those that don’t, stand judged already.  Are you going to heed the warning and believe?

* http://www.mprnews.org/story/2012/05/09/storm-ready-human-reaction#gallery accessed 5/18/15

First Reading:

Ezekiel 17:22-24 NAS95 22 Thus says the Lord GOD, “I will also take a sprig from the lofty top of the cedar and set it out; I will pluck from the topmost of its young twigs a tender one and I will plant it on a high and lofty mountain. 23 “On the high mountain of Israel I will plant it, that it may bring forth boughs and bear fruit and become a stately cedar. And birds of every kind will nest under it; they will nest in the shade of its branches. 24 “All the trees of the field will know that I am the LORD; I bring down the high tree, exalt the low tree, dry up the green tree and make the dry tree flourish. I am the LORD; I have spoken, and I will perform it.”

Introduction to the Second Reading:

1 and 2 Corinthians were written by St. Paul the Apostle to the church in Corinth.  There were sin issues in the church, and Paul had addressed them frankly in 1 Corinthians.  Now in his second letter, he wanted to reassure the Corinthians that he did this, not out of anger, but out of love. In 2 Corinthians 2, Paul encourages the Corinthian church to forgive and restore the one who had caused the problems.  He goes on to discuss practical matters of Christian living such as financial giving and caution regarding relationships with unbelievers.  But often his thoughts turn from earthly matters to eternal blessings.

In the proclamation of the gospel, St. Paul had undergone extreme persecution which he recounts in 2 Corinthians 4.  He testified, ^“We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; ⁹ persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed.”  Encouragement came from knowing that these “light troubles,” as he called them, were producing eternal results—people were hearing about and believing in Jesus.  His focus was not on the temporary suffering but on eternal rewards.  He continued this focus in chapter 5.

In the first five verses, St. Paul compares our bodies with an earthly tent.  Tents are fragile and temporary and subject to destruction.   So are our earthly bodies.  While we are in this “tent” we groan and are burdened, Paul tells us.  We long for a heavenly body, which is like an eternal house not a fragile tent.

In the Second Reading (v. 6-10), Paul acknowledges that it would be much better to be away from this body and home with the Lord in heaven.  But until then, Paul tells us to do what is pleasing to the Lord.   God has ministry for us to do, and it would be pointless to waste this time by wishing we were in heaven.  But on the other hand, knowing that we are going to heaven someday will give us courage and perseverance when we face persecution and hardship in this life.

In addition, St. Paul reminds us we will someday have to give an account to Christ for what we have done in this life as Christians.   Did we serve Him well?  Did we tell others about Christ? Will He someday be able to say to you and me, “Well done, good and faithful servant”?  He will if we faithfully use these earthly bodies to accomplish his eternal purposes.

Second Reading:

2 Corinthians 5:6-10 NAS95 6 Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord– 7 for we walk by faith, not by sight– 8 we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord. 9 Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

Introduction to the Gospel Reading:

Wherever Jesus went, a crowd of the curious gathered.  Often He spoke to them in parables.  A parable is a simple, everyday story that represents a spiritual truth or moral principle.  It usually compares a spiritual concept with an earthly object or event.

 In the Gospel Reading, two parables are given.  The first one begins, “The kingdom of God is like a man who casts seed upon the soil.”  Stories like these are often told to illustrate or illuminate a truth.  But Jesus spoke in parables not to clarify the truth but to obscure it.  It was a judgment on those whose hearts were hard.  To the unbelieving, the parables were incomprehensible riddles, but to those who wanted to understand the truth, Jesus would give them understanding.  He said to His disciples and His true followers, “To you has been given the mystery of the kingdom of God, but those who are outside get everything in parables, ¹² so that while seeing, they may see and not perceive, and while hearing, they may hear and not understand….”*

In the first parable, the kingdom of God is compared to a man who plants seeds.  While he goes about his daily routine and without any further help from the man, the seed sprouts and matures.  So it is with us.  We plant the seed of the gospel in people’s hearts when we teach or preach or proclaim the truth of the Bible to our friends, neighbors, and relatives.  Then God causes the implanted truth to take root and grow.  A mature Christian is the result.

The second parable says that the kingdom of God is like a tiny mustard seed which grows into a large plant with branches capable of providing shade for birds of the air.  The church was small in the beginning–just a little band of disciples.  But when those men were empowered by the Holy Spirit to be witnesses of the Gospel to the whole world, the church grew rapidly.  Many have found comfort and salvation there.  If we plant the seed of the Word of God in people’s hearts, God will cause that seed to spout and the church to flourish.

*Information gleaned from a sermon by John MacArthur accessed 5/20/15. http://www.gty.org/resources/sermons/90-464/the-purpose-for-parables

Gospel Reading:

The Gospel lesson is from Mark 4: 26-34:

Mark 4:26-34 NAS95 26 And He was saying, “The kingdom of God is like a man who casts seed upon the soil; 27 and he goes to bed at night and gets up by day, and the seed sprouts and grows–how, he himself does not know. 28 The soil produces crops by itself; first the blade, then the head, then the mature grain in the head. 29 But when the crop permits, he immediately puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.” 30 And He said, “How shall we picture the kingdom of God, or by what parable shall we present it? 31 It is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the soil, though it is smaller than all the seeds that are upon the soil, 32 yet when it is sown, it grows up and becomes larger than all the garden plants and forms large branches; so that THE BIRDS OF THE AIR can NEST UNDER ITS SHADE.” 33 With many such parables He was speaking the word to them, so far as they were able to hear it; 34 and He did not speak to them without a parable; but He was explaining everything privately to His own disciples.

Bottom Line: Questions for Reflection

1.  What would you need to do differently in order to live your life for eternal purposes? List two areas in which you will write down on a card or in your personal journal.

2.   If we plant the seed of the Word of God in people’s hearts, God will cause it to grow.  What are some ways you can plant more “seeds” this week? Give at least two ways in which this could be done. 

Note: For a listing of readings for the Roman Catholic Mass visit this web site:

http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/061415.cfm  

First Reading  EZ 17:22-24

Second Reading 2 COR 5:6-10

Gospel Reading MK 4:26-34

Source(s):

Online Scripture verses for most Bible versions can be found at:  http://www.biblegateway.com/

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB

Keywords: tree, body, judgment, seeds, plant, kingdom, parable

Welcome back to the Sunday Mass notes for 11-23-2014. This week we open with the first reading from Ezekiel in which we see the contrast between the ungodly shepherds and God the Good Shepherd. We include a great deal of the surrounding verses in order to help us to understand the meaning of the reading based upon its context. Then we move onto the second reading from 1 Corinthians in which we study the truth of the resurrection of believers and how this provides us with great hope.  Finally, we conclude with the Gospel lesson from Matthew 25 in which we study the coming judgment of everyone who lives in the world at the end of the tribulation period.  We pray that this study gives you much more insight as you attend Mass this coming Sunday. 

The first reading is from the Prophet Ezekiel. The context is just after God told Ezekiel that although the people recognized him as a prophet and came to listen to him (Ezekiel 33:30-31c) they did not take his words into account and change their lives (Ezekiel 33:31d-ff). Instead, God told them that it would be afterwards that they would look back and “know that a prophet has been among them” (v. 33). In Ezekiel’s time, and also in the present age God is not pleased with people going through the motions of dead religion, especially when they don’t listen to God’s word and let Him operate on their hearts and minds to change their behavior. Chapter 34, the section from which today’s reading is taken, opens with God’s scathing critique of the “shepherds of Israel,” meaning the ungodly leaders of the nation including kings, priests, and prophets (except for Ezekiel, Daniel and Jeremiah his contemporaries). We get our word “pastor” from the Latin word for “shepherd.” These passages are messianic, meaning that they prefigure the revelation of the True Shepherd Jesus Christ. In those days the people were as “sheep without a shepherd,” something eerily reminiscent of what Jesus said some six hundred years later. “Jesus was going through all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness. Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd” (Matthew 9:36-37). As usual in these study notes it is crucially important to understand the context as the reading provides a contrast between the ungodly “shepherds” of Ezekiel’s time and the Godly Shepherd God and His ultimate fulfillment in the Person of Jesus Christ. This contrast is important enough to understand that we have provided the first ten verses of the chapter leading up to today’s reading.

1 Then the word of the LORD came to me saying, 2 “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel. Prophesy and say to those shepherds, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, ‘Woe, shepherds of Israel who have been feeding themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flock? 3 You eat the fat and clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fat sheep without feeding the flock. 4 Those who are sickly you have not strengthened, the diseased you have not healed, the broken you have not bound up, the scattered you have not brought back, nor have you sought for the lost; but with force and with severity you have dominated them. 5 They were scattered for lack of a shepherd, and they became food for every beast of the field and were scattered. 6 My flock wandered through all the mountains and on every high hill; My flock was scattered over all the surface of the earth, and there was no one to search or seek for them.’ 7 Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the LORD: 8 ‘As I live,’ declares the Lord GOD, ‘surely because My flock has become a prey, My flock has even become food for all the beasts of the field for lack of a shepherd, and My shepherds did not search for My flock, but rather the shepherds fed themselves and did not feed My flock;’ 9 therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the LORD: 10 Thus says the Lord GOD, ‘Behold, I am against the shepherds, and I will demand My sheep from them and make them cease from feeding sheep. So the shepherds will not feed themselves anymore, but I will deliver My flock from their mouth, so that they will not be food for them.’”(Ezekiel 34:1-10)

This is the text of the reading for today that follows the opening of chapter 34. Note: Verses 13-14 which were skipped in the reading were added in order to provide the full context.

11 For thus says the Lord GOD, “Behold, I Myself will search for My sheep and seek them out. 12 “As a shepherd cares for his herd in the day when he is among his scattered sheep, so I will care for My sheep and will deliver them from all the places to which they were scattered on a cloudy and gloomy day. 13 I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries and bring them to their own land; and I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the streams, and in all the inhabited places of the land. 14 I will feed them in a good pasture, and their grazing ground will be on the mountain heights of Israel. There they will lie down on good grazing ground and feed in rich pasture on the mountains of Israel. 15 I will feed My flock and I will lead them to rest,” declares the Lord GOD. 16 “I will seek the lost, bring back the scattered, bind up the broken and strengthen the sick; but the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them with judgment. 17 As for you, My flock, thus says the Lord GOD, “Behold, I will judge between one sheep and another, between the rams and the male goats.” (Ezekiel 34:11-17).

Throughout the Scripture, the Lord God pictures Himself as the “Shepherd of the Sheep,” and this occurs early in the Bible. This theme in the reading from Ezekiel occurs frequently in Ezekiel’s Book, occurring some 15 times in chapter 34 alone.  The first time this concept appears is back in the Book of Genesis when Jacob was prophesizing about the twelve sons (and tribes) of Israel, this time about Joseph. “Joseph is a fruitful bough, A fruitful bough by a spring; Its branches run over a wall. The archers bitterly attacked him, And shot at him and harassed him; But his bow remained firm, And his arms were agile, From the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob (From there is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel)” (Genesis 49:22-24). The shepherd theme is reminiscent of the opening of Psalm 23, “The LORD is my Shepherd, I shall not want” v. 1). We see this clearly in today’s reading. “I will feed them in a good pasture, and their grazing ground will be on the mountain heights of Israel. There they will lie down on good grazing ground and feed in rich pasture on the mountains of Israel. I will feed My flock and I will lead them to rest,” declares the Lord God” (vv. 14-16). As we examine today’s reading we find additional insight into the identity of this Shepherd of Israel. He emerges as a Shepherd-King figure Who has a special relationship with the LORD. This is none other than the Lord Jesus Himself. If we look beyond today’s reading to verse 34, we see a continuation of this contrast between the evil shepherds and the One True Shepherd. “Then I will set over them one shepherd, My servant David, and he will feed them; he will feed them himself and be their shepherd” (Ezekiel 34:23). “David” in this verse prefigures the One True Shepherd that was yet to come at the time Ezekiel wrote this passage, the Person of Jesus Christ. It is also evident throughout Scripture that the resurrected King David will also play a role in governing Israel in the future Millennial reign of the Lord Jesus on earth.

As believers in Jesus, we can find great comfort from Ezekiel’s writing. First, God will seek His sheep that are lost, meaning that God Himself places a calling upon our lives to come to faith in His Son Jesus Christ (v. 11). Jesus said, “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day” (John 6:44). Second, since God keeps His promises that He made to Israel, He will keep all of the promises that He has made to us. One of those promises made to Israel is that He will re-gather this nation Israel at some future time. “I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries and bring them to their own land” (v. 13a). Third, we can trust that God will take care of us in the same way that a Good Shepherd takes care of His sheep. Finally, although we may feel judged by worldly people in this age, the only real judgment that counts is our True Judge the Lord Jesus Himself (v. 17). We can trust that God’s judgment will be correct in that as we enter eternity He will judge between the evil shepherds in our land and the ones that do good in serving Him.

As we move onto the second reading, we will see more about the Person Jesus Christ, since He was made alive at the resurrection, we too will be made alive when our bodies are resurrected from the dead. The reading is from Saint Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians. The context is Paul’s vigorous explanation of the bodily resurrection of believers, first the Lord Jesus and then all people who put their faith in Him. Paul opens this section with a caution to his readers for them to “hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain” (1 Corinthians 15:2b,c). The main theme that runs throughout the chapter is that the risen Lord Jesus is the hope of all believers, in spite of the fact that some in the church had denied the teaching of the future resurrection of the dead (v.12). Paul said, “But if there is no resurrection of the dead, not even Christ has been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain” (1Corinthians 15:13-14). He closes the section just before today’s reading by saying, “If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied” (1Corinthians 15:19), something which denies the conventional wisdom of our age that would say that the Christian life is a noble way of living. With these concepts in mind let’s move onto today’s reading. Note: Verse 27 which was skipped in the reading was provided in order to provide the full context.

20 But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep. 21 For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. 23 But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ’s at His coming, 24 then comes the end, when He hands over the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power. 25 For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. 26 The last enemy that will be abolished is death. 27 For HE HAS PUT ALL THINGS IN SUBJECTION UNDER HIS FEET. But when He says, “All things are put in subjection,” it is evident that He is excepted who put all things in subjection to Him. 28 When all things are subjected to Him, then the Son Himself also will be subjected to the One who subjected all things to Him, so that God may be all in all. (1 Corinthians 15:20-28)

Paul said that since Christ has been raised from the dead, is the first One to be resurrected (v.20), He is the one through Whom came life and is a precursor of the hope of resurrection for all who believe (v. 22b, 23). As we saw in the first reading from Ezekiel, Jesus’ rulership will be established on earth, which is one of the aspects of the resurrection. Jesus will “come in glory,” (Matthew 25:31) something that we will read about in the Gospel lesson today. Paul quoted from Psalm 8 when he said that Jesus would totally subdue all of His enemies, “put them under His feet” (vv. 25-26). The evil shepherds spoken of by Ezekiel will be subdued and judged forever. The greatest enemy that Jesus will conquer is death through the victory of the resurrection, first Himself and then all believers. The culmination of world history will be marked by the end of Jesus’ one thousand year (millennial) reign on earth. This will be concluded with Christ handing over His kingdom to His Father in heaven (vv.24 -28), something that would fall into the category of what Saint Peter called “things that are hard to understand” (2 Peter 3:16). After Christ has handed His kingdom over to the Father, His eternal reign will begin (Revelation 21, 22).

As believers, our greatest hope lies in the hope of resurrection. We can rest in the historical fact that Jesus was the first to rise from the dead, something that is one of the best proven historical events throughout all of history. As our bodies wear out and grow old, we can rest in the fact that one day we will be given a new eternal body that will never grow old. In the same way that Paul comforted the Corinthian believers with these facts, we can find comfort and give comfort to other believers through hope in our future resurrection.

As we transition to the Gospel lesson, earlier we mentioned in the first reading how God is the Righteous Judge and in the second reading how one day He will come in Glory to rule and reign over the earth. One of the elements of rulership is acting as a Judge, and at the end His reign on earth Jesus will judge those who have survived the tribulation period at the conclusion of the Day of the Lord. This is the judgment that is marked by Jesus’ statement earlier in Matthew 24, “Then there will be two men in the field; one will be taken and one will be left” (Matthew 24:40). The one that is taken will be taken in judgment, the one that is left behind will enter the Millennial Reign of Jesus Christ. This is similar to what happened to the nonbelievers during Noah’s flood. Jesus said, “For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so will the coming of the Son of Man be(Matthew 24:37-39). As you read the Gospel lesson from Matthew 25, keep in mind the context that this judgment is immediately preceding Jesus’ Millennial Reign on earth, rather than the Great White Throne judgment spoken of in Revelation 20:11-15 which doesn’t happen until after Jesus’ thousand year reign on earth. This judgment is the “reaping” spoken of by John in the Book of Revelation Chapter 14. “And another angel came out of the temple, crying out with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, ‘Put in your sickle and reap, for the hour to reap has come, because the harvest of the earth is ripe.’ Then He who sat on the cloud swung His sickle over the earth, and the earth was reaped” (Revelation 14:15-16).

31 “But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; 33 and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; 36 naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? 38 And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? 39 ‘When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40 The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’ 41 Then He will also say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels; 42 for I was hungry, and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me nothing to drink; 43 I was a stranger, and you did not invite Me in; naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me.’ 44 Then they themselves also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not take care of You?’ 45 “Then He will answer them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ 46 These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” (Matthew 25:31-46)

In the reading we see how nonbelieving goats are forcibly separated from the believing sheep by the Good Shepherd Jesus. Up until the time of this judgment these two groups of people who looked identical on the outside lived together in the world. This concept of a “mixed multitude” is clearly taught by Jesus in other places in the Gospel and especially in His parable of the wheat and the tares which also speaks of this same judgment (Matthew 13:24-30). In that parable Jesus said, “Allow both to grow together until the harvest; and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, ‘First gather up the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them up; but gather the wheat into my barn’” (Matthew 13:30). In today’s reading Jesus’ point is similar, but He used the shepherd analogy that we saw in Ezekiel. The Good Shepherd who knows His Sheep will divide these two groups on the basis of their heart condition. The criteria that He will use was something He explained to Nicodemus in John Chapter 3, “You must be born from above (or again, Greek “anothen”) to enter the kingdom of heaven” (John 3:3, with my explanation). Jesus said in that same Gospel, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand” (John 10:27-28). Although Jesus as God knows His sheep instinctively, just like any shepherd, and they look the same on the outside, His sheep bear distinctive markings on the inside. These markings display themselves in their behavior, which is a way that even the worldly people can recognize them. This becomes clear in verses 35 -40. Some of the good works of a believer flow from a heart that has been changed by God (John 3:3), as James said, “Faith without works is dead” (James 2:14). The sheep indulge in a variety of “sheeplike” behaviors. They feed the hungry (v. 35a), give drink to the thirsty (v. 35c), clothing to those without (v. 36a), visit the sick (v. 36b), and visit those in prison (v. 36b-c). Jesus then went on to explain that anytime you do these things for others it was as if you were doing it directly for Him (vv. 37-40, 42-45). Jesus also made it clear that the eternal destination (v. 46) for nonbelievers is the “eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels” (v. 41). It’s interesting to note that Jesus’ sheep sit at His right hand, while Jesus sits at the right hand of the Father (1 Peter 3:22).

The Gospel lesson helps us to prioritize and value what God cares about. In this world, attending to the needs of those who are marginalized in society is an opportunity for us to display what’s really in our hearts. Do we have the love and compassion of God or ware we still living only for ourselves? Jesus shares specific types of needs that were commonplace in His day and age including hunger, thirst, lack of sufficient clothing, and imprisonment. You might be encountering other types of needs that God is asking you to meet (helping a child learn how to read, sacrificing some of your income to provide a home for someone, giving a friend a ride to work while their car is being repaired. The opportunities to meet other people’s needs are endless. So we’ll need to ask for wisdom to know what needs are our opportunity to love Christ by serving others.

What does all of this mean in our lives? First, we can trust that the Good Shepherd Who was the first to rise from the dead will also come for us one day when we enter eternity (John 14: 3). Second, even though we may be tortured by the ungodly behavior of people in the world, we can trust that God knows the intentions of our heart and those who are His. God will work it out, “Vengeance is mine says the Lord” (Romans 12:19). Second, We can rest in the fact that our good works flow out of a heart changed by God (Ephesians 2:8-9, John 3:3) and these are evident to those who are unknowingly (2 Corinthians 4:3-4) on the broad road to destruction (Matthew 7:13). Our good works will be evident to them and will shed light on their evil works (John 3:20). Finally, we can trust that since we are believers we can trust in the fact that when we sit before the Lord in judgment it will be for the basis of rewards and not to determine our eternal destination.

Bottom Line: Questions for Reflection

1.  In the Bible the word translated “faith” brings with it the idea of expecting to have the things hoped for or living in light of an unseen reality. In your life, what does it mean to have faith? How does faith play into obedience? Are these two separate things in your mind or are they connected?

2.  The Greek word translated “obedience” (hupakoe) according to Strong’s Concordance (5218, drawn from 5219) means “attentive hearkening, i.e. (by implication) compliance or submission.” Read the following Scripture and answer the question that follows.

25 Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which has been kept secret for long ages past, 26 but now is manifested, and by the Scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the eternal God, has been made known to all the nations, leading to obedience of faith; 27 to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, be the glory forever. Amen. (Romans 16:25-27, emphasis added)

In light of what you learned today along with Paul’s teaching above on obedience of faith, what does it mean for you to walk in obedience of faith? How is your faith evident to others?

Note: For a listing of readings for the Roman Catholic Mass visit this web site: http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/112314.cfm   

First Reading EZ 34:11-12, 15-17

Second Reading 1 COR 15:20-26, 28

Gospel Reading MT 25:31-46

Source(s):

Online Scripture verses for most Bible versions can be found at:  http://www.biblegateway.com/

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB