Monthly Archives: November 2016

THE FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT
The beginning of the new liturgical year

ADVENT (from the Latin word meaning “coming”) is a season of expectant waiting and preparation for the celebration of the Nativity of Jesus at Christmas. The word adventus is the translation of the Greek word parousia, commonly used to refer to the Second Coming of Christ.  For Christians, the season of Advent anticipates the coming of Christ from two different perspectives: The season offers the opportunity firstly, to share in the ancient longing for the coming of the Messiah and secondly, to be alert for his Second Coming.

As we begin this new liturgical year let us resolve to make our Advent journey this year a time of ‘walking in the light of the Lord’, of encountering the Lord in his Word and through the sacraments and of adoring the Lord in the Eucharist.

In the words of the Collect: Let us resolve to run forth to meet Christ. 

Fr Philip Sainter

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Pondering the SOLEMNITY OF CHRIST THE KING

What does the Solemnity of Christ the King mean to us?  Do you believe in the absolute and supreme authority of Jesus Christ in all things?

Affirmed in the scriptures and especially in Mark 11:9-10; 13:26; 15:29-39; John 19:1-22; Col:1:12-20), the celebration of Christ the King was originally part of the celebration of The Ascension, which marks Jesus’ exaltation and crowning with heavenly glory. 

Today we happily declare:  Jesus is Lord!  Jesus is our King! Jesus is our Saviour and Redeemer!  To him be glory and majesty, honour and praise!

In the words of the Psalm:

All peoples, clap your hands, cry to God with shouts of joy! For the Lord, the Most High, we must fear, great king over all the earth.  He subdues peoples under us and nations under our feet.  Our inheritance, our glory, is from him, given to Jacob out of love. 

God goes up with shouts of joy,  the Lord ascends with trumpet blast.  Sing praise for God, sing praise, sing praise to our king, sing praise.  God is king of all the earth, Sing praise with all your skill.  God is king over the nations;  God reigns on his holy throne.  (Ps 47:1-9)

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Pondering the Word of God –
THE ESCHATOLOGICAL REALITY

“The day is coming now, burning like a furnace; and all the arrogant and the evil-doers will be like stubble.  The day that is coming is going to burn them up, says the Lord of hosts, leaving them neither root nor stalk.  But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness will shine out with healing in its rays.” (Malachi 3:19-20)

With these words in mind, let us turn from sinful behaviour and thought-processes and instead, enthrone the Lord in our lives.  May the words of today’s Psalm reverberate from our lips:

… For the Lord comes, he comes to rule the earth. 
He will rule the world with justice and the peoples with fairness.  (Psalm 97:9)

The Collect: Grant us, we pray, O Lord our God, the constant gladness of being devoted to you, for it is full and lasting happiness to serve with constancy the author of all that is good.  Amen.

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Pondering the Word of God – THE RESURRECTION

Today’s readings speak of the resurrection. They show that belief in the resurrection radically changed the way people looked at life and gave them a new hope that enabled them to live through dreadful hardships and persecutions.

For the early Church, faith in the resurrection of Jesus was the cornerstone of all their preaching and it was this that allowed a message of indestructible hope to reach many whose lives were filled with despair.

As we move towards the end of the liturgical year, these readings invite us to think about THE END and to strive with conscious intentionality to do all in our power to grow in holiness and so become more and more pleasing to God.

“I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body and life everlasting.”

Fr Philip Sainter

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