Tag: Social Justice

Greetings on this the Second Sunday in Ordinary Time
Readings: Is 49:3, 5-6; Ps 40:2, 4, 7-8, 8-9, 10; 1 Cor 1:1-3; Jn 1:29-34
Notes: John said this twice in the account of the baptism of the Lord.

I myself did not know him.

There is a mystery in this statment worthy of today’s consideration.

John did know Jesus certainly.
Elizabeth was visited Mary and John leapt in the womb at the sound of Mary’s voice.
Mary helped Elizabeth birth John (sympathetic reading of the scripture).

Taking a step back.

The baptism of the Lord is accounted for in each of the four Gospels.

We celebrated the Baptism of the Lord in Guatemala City on Sunday and in the USA on Monday past.
On this second Sunday of Ordinary Time we encounter the Gospel of John’s account of the baptism.

There are slight variations between the accounts each giving a more profound accounting theologically than the one written before. Using progressive elaboration is a common theme in the divine-human exchange and most delightful when seeing the process play out over the development of the gospel accounts themselves.

One example to illustrate. ok?

Spirit

• Gospel of Mark – the first of the gospels – the Spirit descended upon him like a dove.
• Gospel of Matthew – the second gospel – the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighted on him.
• Gospel of Luke – the third gospel – the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form, as a dove.
• Gospel of John – the last gospel – I saw the Spirit descend as a dove from heaven, and it remained on him.

There are many such examples in this very brief but impactful sacred scripture.

Trinity

• All four indicate the Trinity by the Father’s voice, the Sonship and the Spirit.
• This is my beoved Son, with whom I am well pleased (three accounts, slight and important differences).
• The Spirit, the Spirit of God and the Holy Spirit.

This is why we can make summary statements about the baptism taking into account the totality of the baptism accounts provided. For today, let us look at just one more and it will be the basis of the homily.

Where From?

• Gospel of Mark – the first of the gospels – Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee.
• Gospel of Matthew – the second gospel – Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordon to John.
• Gospel of Luke – the third gospel – Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized.
• Gospel of John – the last gospel – After me comes a man who ranks before me, for he was before me (eternal).

The gospel of John adds:

• Lamb of God.
• Son of God.
• Witness to divinity (preexistence).
• Jesus is the baptizer of the Holy Spirit.
• I did not know him.

What follows?

• Mark – Tempation of Jesus.
• Matthew – Temptation of Jesus.
• Luke – Genealogy of Jesus and the temptation of Jesus.
• John – Calling of the disciples and the ‘conclusion’ of the temptation Heavens open and Angels (See Jn 1:51)

First reading
The Servant of the Lord (Salvation for the Jew and Gentile alike)

It is too little, the LORD says, for you to be my servant, to raise up the tribes of and restore the survivors of Israel;

AND

I will make you a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.

Responsorial Psalm
Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will.

“In the written scroll it is prescribed for me, to do your will, O my God, is my delight, and your law is within my heart!”

Second reading
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Alleluia Verse
The Word of God became flesh and dwelt among us. To those who accepted him, he gave power to become children of God.

Gospel Portion
Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.

I did not know him.
I did not know him.

the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘On whomever you see the Spirit come down and remain, he is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ Now I have seen and testified that he is the Son of God.

Just like Simeon in the Gospel of Luke, John received insight as to how to know him.

Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, awaiting the consolation of Israel, and the holy Spirit was upon him. It had been revealed to him by the holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Messiah of the Lord. He came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to perform the custom of the law in regard to him, he took him into his arms and blessed God, saying: “Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace, according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you prepared in sight of all the peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel.”

God reveals.

• John knew Jesus as man and as Lamb of God – though he wondered what that meant.
• John knew Jesus as Suffering Servant, The Ideal Davidic King, and Messiah after his visitation.

There are seven weeks in Ordinary Time before we begin Lent Season.

Now is the perfect time to come to know Jesus:

• Know him as a man walking the Earth.
• Know him as friend and join his pilgrimage.
• Know him as Lamb.
• Know him as King.
• Know him as Messiah.
• Know him as suffering.

Let the Lord speak to you of him.

Peace be with you,
Deacon Gerry

Greetings on this the Feast of The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph
Readings: Sir 3:2-6, 12-14; Ps 128:1-2, 3, 4-5; Mt 2:13-15, 19-23
Notes: Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI is lucid, conscious and stable but his condition remains serious, the Vatican said Thursday… at age 95 the retired Pope is entering his final days, his final journey home.

The Holy Family had to flee to Egypt to save Jesus’ life. On their return they had to divert to Galilee for Judea was unsafe for them. The course of our lives is filled with the unexpected and the dangerous.

But the Lord is always guiding: (three times the angel helped Joseph decide what to do)

• the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream to flee (refugee).
• the angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt to return.
• and because he had been warned in a dream (to divert), he departed for the region of Galilee (internally-displaced).

Today about 68 million people are in forced migration.
Refugees, migrants, and internally-displaced persons all make up these numbers.

Source: https://www.concernusa.org/story/forced-migration-causes/

• Secure national borders are rational.
• Impenetrable national borders are a grave moral disorder especially when it is caused by dysfunctional governing.
• International aid to nation-states that struggle with food, employment and political insecurity is a priority response.

List of Popes: https://www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/2013/feb/13/popes-full-list#table

The world has changed so very much. Yet the fatherly care of the popes continues in the line of Saint Peter, the Apostolic Succession. Who was Pope when you were born? I have lived under the fatherly care of these popes:

• Francis I
• Benedict XVI
• John Paul II
• John Paul I
• Paul VI
• John XXIII
• Pius XII

Formative Guidance (in my life)

Paul VI

And what is more, the Church has the firm conviction that all temporal liberation, all political liberation- even if it endeavors to find its justification in such or such a page of the Old or New Testament, even if it claims for its ideological postulates and its norms of action theological data and conclusions, even if it pretends to be today’s theology- carries within itself the germ of its own negation and fails to reach the ideal that it proposes for itself whenever its profound motives are not those of justice in charity, whenever its zeal lacks a truly spiritual dimension and whenever its final goal is not salvation and happiness in God.

-Paul VI. 1975.

John XXIII
(11) Man has the right to live. He has the right to bodily integrity and to the means necessary for the proper development of life, particularly food, clothing, shelter, medical care, rest, and, finally, the necessary social services. In consequence, he has the right to be looked after in the event of illhealth; disability stemming from his work; widowhood; old age; enforced unemployment; or whenever through no fault of his own he is deprived of the means of livelihood.

—John XXIII.Pacem In Terris. 1963.

Pius XII

It is not too much, We are sure, to expect that in the process of restriction, Christian charity and the sense of human solidarity existing between all men, children of the one eternal God and Father, will not be forgotten. Immigration can help in solving one of Europe’s saddest human problems, – a problem which is being aggravated inhumanely by the enforced transfer of helpless, innocent populations.

PIUS XII. 1946.

First reading
God sets a father in honor over his children; a mother’s authority he confirms over her sons. Whoever honors his father atones for sins, and preserves himself from them. When he prays, he is heard; he stores up riches who reveres his mother.

Responsorial Psalm
Blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways.

Blessed is everyone who fears the LORD, who walks in his ways! For you shall eat the fruit of your handiwork; blessed shall you be, and favored.

Alleluia Verse
Let the peace of Christ control your hearts; let the word of Christ dwell in you richly.

Gospel Portion
And because he had been warned in a dream, he departed for the region of Galilee. He went and dwelt in a town called Nazareth,

Peace be with you,
Deacon Gerry

Greetings on this the Feast of the Holy Innocents, martyrs
Readings: 1 Jn 1:5—2:2; PS 124:2-3, 4-5, 7cd-8; Mt 2:13-18
Notes: Jesus Christ the righteous one. Perfect righteousness.

Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth.

https://deacongerrypalermo.blog/2020/10/31/blessedness/

https://deacongerrypalermo.blog/2021/12/28/he-ordered-the-massacre/

First reading
Beloved: This is the message that we have heard from Jesus Christ and proclaim to you:

• God is light, and in him there is no darkness at all.
• The Blood of his Son, Jesus, cleanses us from all sin.
• We have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous one.

• We have fellowship with one another.
• Forgive [ness of] our sins and cleanse us from every wrongdoing.
• Expiation for our sins.

Responsorial Psalm
Our soul has been rescued like a bird from the fowler’s snare.

Alleluia Verse
We praise you, O God, we acclaim you as Lord; the white-robed army of martyrs praise you.

Gospel Portion
“Rise, take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you. Herod is going to search for the child to destroy him.”

When Herod realized that he had been deceived by the magi, he became furious. He ordered the massacre of all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had ascertained from the magi.

Jeremiah the prophet:

A voice was heard in Ramah,
    sobbing and loud lamentation;
Rachel weeping for her children,
    and she would not be consoled,
    since they were no more.

Abortion is about the powerful not the woman and not her child.

Come learn the meaning of this mystery.

The LORD has created a new thing upon the earth: woman encompasses man (Jer 31:22).

Listen to Rachel.

Peace be with you,
Deacon Gerry