We Pray, Proclaim, Profess and Praise

Transcription

1 A A We Pray, Proclaim, Profess and Praise O ssue No. 18: he ight Has Come he piphany of the ord R N O R N Notes for Pastors: he wonderful Christmas Story comes to a climax in splendor and majesty as the King of Kings is revealed to the nations. he guiding star brings the Magi to the one for whom they are searching the Christ Child. his journey of faith is our journey. Pope Benedict X speaks of the need to discover the journey of faith so as to shed ever clearer light on the joy and renewed enthusiasm of the encounter with Christ (he Door of Faith, 2). As we begin a new calendar year remind everyone of the opportunities provided by the Faith nitiative to discover and pursue this journey. et Us Pray he Collect of the Day from the Roman Missal At the igil Mass: May the splendor of your majesty, O ord, we pray, shed its light upon our hearts, that we may pass through the shadows of this world and reach the brightness of our eternal home. At the Mass During the Day: O God, who on this day revealed your Only Begotten Son to the nations by the guidance of a star, grant in your mercy that we, who know you already by faith, may be brought to behold the beauty of your sublime glory. he Word of the ord Highlights from the ectionary readings of the day Rise up in splendor, Jerusalem! Your light has come, the glory of the ord shines upon you. saiah 60:1 he Gentiles are coheirs, members of the same body, and copartners in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel. phesians 3:6 Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage. Matthew 2:2 he piphany of the ord 83

2 his space left blank for homily notes: Preaching with Words Reflections for homilists he wise men are remembered for their gifts. hey highlight that each of us has gifts we can bring to God. he gift most worth giving at any age is our love. n prayer we might ask God to accept the love of our life for husband or wife, friends, children, neighborhood. We can think of them now and bring our love of them to the crib and to prayer today. he Magi are remembered also for their journey and their search for God. A star guided them. n prayer can we be grateful for those whose stars brought us to God through the love, their teaching, the example of their lives? hey are remembered also for their journey home. hey had to avoid persecution and maybe death at the hand of Herod, who wanted to kill Jesus. hey were among the first whose lives were endangered by their faith in Jesus, reminding us of many people today who suffer persecution, imprisonment and danger in their lives in the cause of faith and justice. hey returned by another way. hey had been changed by their meeting with Jesus, Mary and Joseph. We can say that in a figurative way we all go onward a different way when we really meet the ord. Our hearts are widened in gratitude for all that is good in life, and in care and love for others, those nearby in our lives and the wider world, especially those in need. We call this feast little Christmas. t is little only in the ways it is publicly celebrated. t is big in its meaning that people from a far country came to find the newborn King of srael. God and his church are for everyone. ord, may your kingdom come on earth and in my heart! Donal Neary, S.J. 84 he piphany of the ord

3 ord, Hear our Prayer ntercessions for the prayer of the faithful During the seasons of Advent and Christmas, we offer the options for the Universal Prayer or Prayer of the Faithful as given in Appendix, to the Roman Missal, which serve as a model and guide for the local, extemporaneous composition of this prayer. Here is the formula for Christmas ime: For the Church of God, that in integrity of faith she may await and may welcome with joy him whom the immaculate irgin conceived by a word and wondrously brought to birth, let us pray to the ord. For the progress and peace of the whole world, that what is given in time may become a reward in eternity, let us pray to the ord. For those oppressed by hunger, sickness or loneliness, that through the mystery of the piphany of Christ they may find relief in both mind and body, let us pray to the ord. For the families of our congregation, that, receiving Christ, they may learn also to welcome him in the poor, let us pray to the ord. Sing to the ord he day s antiphons from the Missal, with suggested songs based on them and on the day s readings ntrance Antiphon: Arise, Jerusalem, and look to the ast and see your children gathered from the rising to the setting of the sun. Baruch 5:5 (igil) and Behold, the ord, the Mighty One, has come; and kingship is in his grasp, and power and dominion. Cf. Malachi 3:1; 1 Chronicles 29:12 (Day) Communion Antiphon: he brightness of God illumined the holy city Jerusalem, and the nations will walk by its light. Cf. Revelation 21:23 (igil) and We have seen his star in the ast, and have come with gifts to adore the ord. Cf. Matthew 2:2 (Day) Songs for the iturgy All the nds of the arth Angels from the Realms of Glory As with Gladness Men of Old Good Christian Friends, Rejoice Of the Father s ove Begotten Songs of hankfulness and Praise he First Nowell We hree Kings What Child s his he piphany of the ord 85

4 How ovely s Your Dwelling Place Principles of liturgical art, environment and pastoral celebration hese seasonal decorations are maintained throughout the entire liturgical season. Since the Christmas season begins with the igil Mass on Christmas ve and ends with the baptism of the ord, the placement and removal of Christmas decorations should coincide with these times. USCCB, Built of iving Stones, 125 he use of living flowers and plants, rather than artificial greens, serves as a reminder of the gift of life God has given to the human community. Planning for plants and flowers should include not only the procurement and placement but also the continuing care needed to sustain living things. USCCB, Built of iving Stones, 129 As We Pray, So We Believe Reflections from the Catechism relevant to today s liturgical themes 528. he piphany is the manifestation of Jesus as Messiah of srael, Son of God and Savior of the world. he great feast of piphany celebrates the adoration of Jesus by the wise men (magi) from the ast, together with his baptism in the Jordan and the wedding feast at Cana in Galilee. n the magi, representatives of the neighboring pagan religions, the Gospel sees the first-fruits of the nations, who welcome the good news of salvation through the ncarnation. he magi s coming to Jerusalem in order to pay homage to the king of the Jews shows that they seek in srael, in the messianic light of the star of David, the one who will be king of the nations. heir coming means that pagans can discover Jesus and worship him as Son of God and Savior of the world only by turning toward the Jews and receiving from them the messianic promise as contained in the Old estament. he piphany shows that the full number of the nations now takes its place in the family of the patriarchs, and acquires sraelitica dignitas (are made worthy of the heritage of srael ). For more information about the Faith nitiative, or to download this iturgy Guide and view other resources, please visit select For eadership and click on iturgy Guide. 86 he piphany of the ord

5 A A We Pray, Proclaim, Profess and Praise O ssue No. 19: n Whom God s Well-Pleased he Baptism of the ord R N O R N Notes for Pastors: Jesus comes to John the Baptist to be baptized in the Jordan with soldiers, tax collectors and prostitutes. Ask people if they are ready for purification. Are they ready to be forgiven. he Year of Faith is a time of constant conversion and renewal. his begins with the Sacrament of Penance. et Us Pray he Collect of the Day from the Roman Missal Almighty ever-living God, who, when Christ had been baptized in the River Jordan and as the Holy Spirit descended upon him, solemnly declared him your beloved Son, grant that your children by adoption, reborn of water and the Holy Spirit, may always be well pleasing to you. Or: O God, whose Only Begotten Son has appeared in our very flesh, grant, we pray, that we may be inwardly transformed through him whom we recognize as outwardly like ourselves. he Word of the ord Highlights from the ectionary readings of the day hus says the ORD: Here is my servant whom uphold, my chosen one with whom am pleased, upon whom have put my spirit. saiah 42:1 n truth, see that God shows no partiality. Rather, in every nation whoever fears him and acts uprightly is acceptable to him. Acts 10:34-35 You are my beloved Son; with you am well pleased. uke 3:22 he Baptism of the ord 87

6 Preaching with Words Reflections for homilists Christ appeared in the world, and, bringing beauty out of disarray, gave it luster and joy. He bore the world s sin and crushed the world s enemy. He sanctified the fountains of waters and enlightened the minds of men. nto the fabric of miracles he interwove ever greater miracles. For on this day land and sea share between them the grace of the Savior, and the whole world is filled with joy. oday s feast manifests even more wonders than the feast of Christmas. greater and more important than the flood of Noah s day. hen the water of the flood destroyed the human race, but now the water of baptism has recalled the dead to life by the power of the one who was baptized. n the days of the flood the dove with an olive branch in its beak foreshadowed the fragrance of the good odor of Christ the ord; now the Holy Spirit, coming in the likeness of a dove, reveals the ord of mercy. Saint Proclus of Constantinople his space left blank for homily notes: On the feast of the Savior s birth, the earth rejoiced because it bore the ord in a manger; but on today s feast it is the sea that is glad and leaps for joy; the sea is glad because it receives the blessing of holiness in the river Jordan. At Christmas we saw a weak baby, giving proof of our weakness. n today s feast, we see a perfect man, hinting at the perfect Son who proceeds from the all-perfect Father. At Christmas the King puts on the royal robe of his body; today the very source enfolds and, as it were, clothes the river. Come then and see new and astounding miracles: the Son of righteousness washing in the Jordan, fire immersed in water, God sanctified by the ministry of man. oday every creature shouts in resounding song: Blessed is he who comes in the name of the ord. Blessed is he who comes in every age, for this is not his first coming. And who is he? ell us more clearly, beg you, blessed David: he ord is God and has shone upon us. David is not alone in prophesying this; the apostle Paul adds his own witness, saying: he grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all men, and instructing us. Not for some men, but for all. o Jews and Greeks alike God bestows salvation through baptism, offering baptism as a common grace for all. Come, consider this new and wonderful deluge, 88 he Baptism of the ord

7 ord, Hear our Prayer ntercessions for the prayer of the faithful During the seasons of Advent and Christmas, we offer the options for the Universal Prayer or Prayer of the Faithful as given in Appendix, to the Roman Missal, which serve as a model and guide for the local, extemporaneous composition of this prayer. Here is the Formula for Ordinary ime: For all who have vowed themselves to God, that with his help they may faithfully keep to their resolve, let us pray to the ord. For peace among nations, that, delivered from all turmoil, the peoples may serve God in freedom of heart, let us pray to the ord. For the elderly who suffer from isolation or sickness, that they may be strengthened by our love of them as brothers and sisters, let us pray to the ord. For ourselves gathered here, that, as God does not cease to sustain us with the things of this life, we may know how to use them in such a way that we may hold even now to the things that endure for ever, let us pray to the ord. Sing to the ord he day s antiphons from the Missal, with suggested songs based on them and on the day s readings ntrance Antiphon: After the ord was baptized, the heavens were opened, and the Spirit descended upon him like a dove, and the voice of the Father thundered: his is my beloved Son, with whom am well pleased. Cf. Matthew 3:16-17 Communion Antiphon: Behold the One of whom John said: have seen and testified that this is the Son of God. John 1:32-34 Songs for the iturgy All the nds of the arth All You Who Are hirsty Baptized in Water Joy to the World O Healing River Praise to You, O Christ, Our Savior Songs of hankfulness and Praise Wade in the Water When John Baptized by Jordan s River he Baptism of the ord 89

8 How ovely s Your Dwelling Place Principles of liturgical art, environment and pastoral celebration hese seasonal decorations are maintained throughout the entire liturgical season. Since the Christmas season begins with the igil Mass on Christmas ve and ends with the baptism of the ord, the placement and removal of Christmas decorations should coincide with these times. USCCB, Built of iving Stones, 125 he use of living flowers and plants, rather than artificial greens, serves as a reminder of the gift of life God has given to the human community. Planning for plants and flowers should include not only the procurement and placement but also the continuing care needed to sustain living things. USCCB, Built of iving Stones, 129 As We Pray, So We Believe Reflections from the Catechism relevant to today s liturgical themes 535. Jesus public life begins with his baptism by John in the Jordan. John preaches a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. A crowd of sinners tax collectors and soldiers, Pharisees and Sadducees, and prostitutes come to be baptized by him. hen Jesus appears. he Baptist hesitates, but Jesus insists and receives baptism. hen the Holy Spirit, in the form of a dove, comes upon Jesus and a voice from heaven proclaims, his is my beloved Son. his is the manifestation ( piphany ) of Jesus as Messiah of srael and Son of God he baptism of Jesus is on his part the acceptance and inauguration of his mission as God s suffering Servant. He allows himself to be numbered among sinners; he is already the amb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. Already he is anticipating the baptism of his bloody death. Already he is coming to fulfill all righteousness, that is, he is submitting himself entirely to his Father s will: out of love he consents to this baptism of death for the remission of our sins. he Father s voice responds to the Son s acceptance, proclaiming his entire delight in his Son. he Spirit whom Jesus possessed in fullness from his conception comes to rest on him. Jesus will be the source of the Spirit for all mankind. At his baptism the heavens were opened the heavens that Adam s sin had closed and the waters were sanctified by the descent of Jesus and the Spirit, a prelude to the new creation hrough baptism the Christian is sacramentally assimilated to Jesus, who in his own baptism anticipates his death and resurrection. he Christian must enter into this mystery of humble self abasement and repentance, go down into the water with Jesus in order to rise with him, be reborn of water and the Spirit so as to become the Father s beloved son in the Son and walk in newness of life : et us be buried with Christ by baptism to rise with him; let us go down with him to be raised with him; and let us rise with him to be glorified with him. verything that happened to Christ lets us know that, after the bath of water, the Holy Spirit swoops down upon us from high heaven and that, adopted by the Father s voice, we become sons of God. For more information about the Faith nitiative, or to download this iturgy Guide and view other resources, please visit select For eadership and click on iturgy Guide. 90 he Baptism of the ord