Greetings on this the Thursday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time
Readings: Ex 40:16-21, 34-38; Ps 84:3, 4, 5-6a and 8a, 11; Mt 13:47-53
Notes: ANY antisemitism in the Church is anathema.
The Storeroom is the place where sacred vessels and all sacred matter are kept, such as, grain for bread, oils for consecration, vestments, altar linens, and so on (sacramentals). All these things are guarded and protected and set aside from the ordinary so as to keep them undefiled and make certain their sacred purpose.
- The Storeroom is for the things we use in worship today.
- The Storeroom is for the things we used in worship in antiquity.
Both these old and new sacramentals, these old and new memories, these old and new manners of worship are to be treasured, forever.
Note, current day: Ashes, holy water, palms. Crucifixes, rosaries, holy cards, lit candles, and all things and persons and places blessed to praise God and pray for His gifts are sacramentals (https://www.usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/sacraments-and-sacramentals)
The Dwelling (tabernacle , meeting tent). Moses set it up exactly as the LORD wanted so the people can commune with G-d and G-d can dwell with his people.
This dwelling and its sacred matter foreshadow the coming of the Christ.
- Moses, who spoke face to face as with a friend with the LORD and his people.
- The Dwelling and all its component parts;
- The Ark (foreshadows the Blessed Mother)
- The Tablets (The Word)
- The Show Bread (The Bread of Life)
- The Menorah (Divine Dedication)
- The Lamps (The Consecrated)
- The golden altar (The Unbloodied Sacrifice)
- The incense (The Holy Spirit)
For Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. And again, The cloud of the LORD was over the tabernacle by day, and fire in the cloud at night, in the sight of the whole house of Israel in all the stages of their journey.
- We must honor and keep in honored, present and happy memory the People of Moses, their Worship, their Storeroom and their Dwelling place.
- We must honor and keep in honored, present and happy memory the People of the Christ, their Worship, their Storeroom and their Dwelling place.
We should all hope one day, the Merging of the Horizon will bring into focus one view.
A Synoptic view.
(See: http://deacongerrypalermo.blog/2022/11/19/the-merging-of-horizons/)
First Reading
On the first day of the first month of the second year the Dwelling was erected. It was Moses who erected the Dwelling.
Responsorial
How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord, mighty God!
Gospel Acclamation
Open our hearts, O Lord, to listen to the words of your Son.
Gospel
Jesus said
The Kingdom of heaven is like a net thrown into the sea, which collects fish of every kind. Do you understand all these things?”
They answered, “Yes.”
Then every scribe who has been instructed in the Kingdom of heaven is like the head of a household who brings from his storeroom both the new and the old.
Peace be with you,
Deacon Gerry