The Feast of All Saints Year B Readings, Lectionary #667

Transcription

1 The Feast of All Saints Year B Readings, Lectionary #667 Begin in prayer Spend a few moments in prayer before reading the Scripture. Ask the Lord to let his Word speak to your heart. Be with me now, Holy Spirit, as I prepare my homily for next weekend. Guide my words and my life to reflect the joy you bring. Amen. Liturgical Context Martyrs were honored at a celebration as early as the fourth century. Each church celebrated the martyrs individually. There is evidence that Rome celebrated various dates. Emperor Phocas gifted Pope Boniface IV with the pagan temple Pantheon. It was consecrated in honor of the Blessed Mother and martyrs on May 13, 609. Twenty-eight wagonloads of martyrs bones were brought to the church from the catacombs. May 13 was established as the feast of All Saints. During the eighth century England and Ireland celebrated a feast in honor of saints on November 1. Western Emperor Louis the Pius was given permission by Pope Gregory IV to designate November 1 the feast of All Saints for his empire. That date eventually spread to the entire Church. The feast celebrates the Christian lives of deceased friends, relatives, and ancestors who now enjoyed eternal glory. It further remembers all officially canonized saints. Each time we gather for liturgy the Church prays for the intercession of the saints who have gone before us with the sign of faith. We ask that their intercession bring about forgiveness and love. The feast also celebrates the Trinity who gathers the communion of saints in the heavenly courts to give, honor praise and worship of the Triune God.

2 Approach the Text Read the Scripture for this Sunday several times. Let its words and phrases truly affect you. Use the Lectio Divina method (available from PastoralPlanning.com as part of this homily kit) to allow the Word to fill your heart and excite you about the homily you are preparing. Begin by reading through all the readings for this weekend. FIRST READING: Revelation 7, The primary theme of the Book of Revelation centers on the risen and exalted Christ the Lord. Jesus first encourages the seven churches and then describes the battle between good and evil that will occur at the end of days. The Feast of All Saints celebrates the glory shared by the communion of saints throughout the ages. Today s liturgy celebrates the martyrs of the Church. The martyrs share Christ s glorification since they intimately share in his death and thus through his death are heirs of his resurrection and glory. Today s reading from John has a second vision of a large assembly of God s people. The number of people is too large to count. The first vision assembly is a metaphor for Israel. Today s vision is a metaphor for all the nations all people. The palm branch was a sign of victory. The great trial is a reference to the trials, tribulations, and persecutions that God s people will experience at the end of time. The robe is a metaphor for the spiritual life of the people. Soiled robes represent sin and clean robes represent holiness. Clean robes are also a metaphor for the sacrifice of Christ s life. The spiritual life is renewed and washed clean by his death and resurrection. Baptism is the means by which a person is washed clean by the blood of the Lamb complete and total metanoia. The vision of end times is a call to conversion and transformation. Christians must persevere and through that perseverance they will be given the necessary strength to endure and share in the Paschal Mystery of Christ. Some believers will be called to give the ultimate gift the sacrifice of their lives through martyrdom. For your reflection: How might Christians be called upon to endure and persevere for the sake of the Gospel? It is common for people to deny their faith in the midst of trials and tribulations of life. How do you see yourself in such a situation? Do you think you would hold strong in your faith or will you falter? What are the implications for the Christians to whom you will preach the word this week? Preparing the Homily Mary Birmingham PastoralPlanning.com Page 2

3 SECOND READING: 1 John 3, 1-3 A primary theme in John s letter is God s love the love God has for his people. If we would discipline our minds and hearts to be in tune with God s love, then we would completely and totally transform our lives and live in communion with God. The world will never understand such personal and total commitment to God. We are not to seek after persecution, but if we live the Gospel we can expect persecution to come calling. Jesus can only be fully embraced and understood through eyes of faith. His identity is a stumbling block to the world. As a result of the love God has for us, he has called us his children. If we are God s children it follows that we share his divine nature and we share in the eternal life he shares with his Father for all eternity. For your reflection: How do you know in your heart of hearts that God loves you? What evidence of God s love is there in your life? Can you share that this week as part of your homily? Some people say they do not have the emotional feeling of God s love. Is that necessary to have for you to believe that God loves you? What has your experience of God s love taught you about God? How might you share the Good News of God s love in your homily? GOSPEL: Matthew 5, 1-12 Following Jesus temptation in the desert he went to Capernaum where he announced the coming of the messiah and the inauguration of the messianic age. He called the people to conversion and repentance. Jesus then escorted them to a mountain height where he began to teach them. Whenever we hear that Jesus is teaching from a mountain height Matthew is telling us to pay particular attention. Mountain top locations are places of the highest teaching authority. Mountains are places where human beings experience divine authority. Moses went up the mountain to encounter God. Now Jesus ascends the mountain to teach with Divine authority. Matthew wants his readers to understand that Jesus teaching carries the weight of God s own authority. He spoke as a king sitting and ruling the people from his royal throne. Jesus outlined for them what it meant to live in the newly established kingdom of God. Jesus taught them the meaning of true holiness; he exhorted and encouraged his followers. Matthew s Gospel is a call to action. Preparing the Homily Mary Birmingham PastoralPlanning.com Page 3

4 In the Sermon on the Mount he reaches out to a people in dire need of healing. He comes to touch the people at the core of their being. Matthew s Jesus is a Teacher and Healer. The purpose of Jesus teaching is to transform hearts and teach people that the reign he came to established would be based on love and healing o0f souls. The reign of God was not to be understood as a far off entity but a present day reality alive in the hearts of all believers. For your reflection: Jesus taught that the kingdom of God is now and in the future. What does it mean to you that the reign of God is now? Have you ever experienced the salvific nature of Jesus kingdom? In other words has God ever rescued you from a situation or a way of behaving and acting that was not in your best interest? Have you ever experienced the reign of God as a community experience? What is your experience of community? What have you learned about God as a result of being part of a Christian community? In what way have you grown in holiness over the past weeks and months? Note: this week we take a slightly different approach, offering you a translation of this week s Gospel that comes from The Message which is a new Catholic and ecumenical translation, offering the text is contemporary terminology. Matthew 5:1-12The Message (MSG) You re Blessed When Jesus saw his ministry drawing huge crowds, he climbed a hillside. Those who were apprenticed to him, the committed, climbed with him. Arriving at a quiet place, he sat down and taught his climbing companions. This is what he said: 3 You re blessed when you re at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule. 4 You re blessed when you feel you ve lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you. 5 You re blessed when you re content with just who you are no more, no less. That s the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can t be bought. 6 You re blessed when you ve worked up a good appetite for God. He s food and drink in the best meal you ll ever eat. Preparing the Homily Mary Birmingham PastoralPlanning.com Page 4

5 7 You re blessed when you care. At the moment of being care-full, you find yourselves cared for. 8 You re blessed when you get your inside world your mind and heart put right. Then you can see God in the outside world. 9 You re blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That s when you discover who you really are, and your place in God s family. 10 You re blessed when your commitment to God provokes persecution. The persecution drives you even deeper into God s kingdom Not only that count yourselves blessed every time people put you down or throw you out or speak lies about you to discredit me. What it means is that the truth is too close for comfort and they are uncomfortable. You can be glad when that happens give a cheer, even! for though they don t like it, I do! And all heaven applauds. And know that you are in good company. My prophets and witnesses have always gotten into this kind of trouble. Speaking of Scripture Preparing the 8-minute homily Perhaps this week you have been able to get in touch with the ways in which you have been and are being blessed. These are the ways through which God is calling you ever more deeply into your ministry and into the life of his own Sacred Heart. Help your people see the blessings in their own lives as well. Timing Homily notes Memo 30 seconds Greet everyone and say one thing to connect with what is on the mind of the community news, weather, sports, parish events, visitors, a special group which is present, or other. Humor is good here. God is sending his love through you to your listeners. 1-2 minutes Tell a story or provide an image that will fire the imagination of your listeners. Do not launch into a treatment of the readings. This image or story must be one that is easy to understand by everyone, young and old. Avoid using standard jokes here. Instead, as you prepare the homily, what comes to mind as illustrative of the message in the Keep this very short. It takes any group of people a few seconds to get used to the sound of your voice in a room and this is a way to begin that will help your listeners hear you. Again, make sure this stays brief. The point of the homily is not you or your story but the Word of God and this image or story is a way to set the stage for that. Preparing the Homily Mary Birmingham PastoralPlanning.com Page 5

6 readings? 3-4 minutes Connect that image now to the message in today s readings. Again, avoid providing commentary on the readings or exegesis which is disconnected from your image. You want people to remember what you say and take it home. What hope does the message today offer to your listeners? 1-2 minutes Return to the liturgy. Gesture toward the altar and say, Let s come back here now to this liturgy You re setting the stage for what will follow. Make a quick connection between the message today and the Eucharist. 30 second Thank your listeners and end on a very positive note. Make two or three quick points here. Remember that the message must fit into the lives of the people in front of you. How will celebrating Eucharist and receiving communion change you and your listeners? How will it help them incorporate the message of today s readings into their daily lives? Sit down. Conclude in prayer To conclude your preparation, think about the community for whom you ve just prepared to preach or teach, and spend a few moments in prayer. I open myself to the wisdom you alone can give and I offer myself as the earthen vessel which will carry your Word to these people. Through Christ our Lord. Amen. Preparing the Homily Mary Birmingham PastoralPlanning.com Page 6