Gospel Reflections for September 25 2016
Go, you are sent!
These are final words at Mass, when you are sent out to the world, just as Our Lord designed.
The early church spoke Latin so they would say Ite (go!) Missa est (You are sent!). Those first Christians named the entire event after the Latin words “Missa est” later shortened to Missa, which became our English word Mass.
They knew Our Lord wanted Mass to both strengthen our soul …and send us out to change the world. What a powerful mission!
Today’s Gospel portrays a rich man who never even notices a poor man outside his door. His rich life made no difference to those around him. That must never be said of us. Our time at Mass is meant to make us better …and send us into the world to make it better!
Just after World War II, Pope Pius XII was deeply troubled. Twice in his lifetime the entire world had been at war, in World War I and again in World War II, with Catholics on both sides. Something was wrong. He sensed that Mass was having no effect! People were going to Mass on Sunday and going to war on Monday. He believed that if you were the same person at the end of Mass as you were at the beginning …well, you had not been to Mass!
Pope Pius and later Pope John XXIII knew that meeting Our Lord changes everything for the better, and Mass was where that meeting would take place, just as Jesus designed. They removed anything that would get in the way, including Latin, so Mass is now said in local languages. Meeting Jesus changes everything!
That is why the purpose of every parish is to authentically meet the Lord.
We want to meet Him in Bible classes, Baptisms, Confirmations, and Marriages; parish schools, Religious Education classes, all parish ministries; and especially …at Mass! The purpose of every Mass is to meet Our Lord, in the way that He designed. Our focus is always on Him.
Before Mass, our focus is on the tabernacle, where Our Lord is reserved in the Eucharist. During Mass, our focus is on Jesus at the altar, in the scriptures and especially in the words and actions at the consecration, when the priest changes the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Our Lord. After communion, where is Our Lord to be found? …He is now within us! We must focus on His divine presence within ourselves. Talk to Him there. That is why we sit or kneel in personal contemplation immediately after the last person receives.
With Our Lord within you …ask Him how you can be different in each of your day’s events. With that guidance from Our Lord now deep within you …Go! you are sent into the world!
God Bless!
Fr, Dave
Love reading your newsletter father Dave! Please continuing to keep me in daily prayer as you are always in my prayers 🙂 take care.
Love your daily IH radio.
I am glad you enjoy the articles, and the radio station as well. The Monday through Thursday 5 to 6pm broadcasts on AM 930 are an amazing new event for me!
Jesus designed so many beautiful things. We were privileged last Saturday to make Pilgrimage to the Jubilee Door of Mercy at the Church in Oxnard (what a beautiful church it is!) Every time I attend Mass I appreciate the designs of Jesus for our salvation. Thanks to the Church for preserving and continuing those designs.
Yes, I am glad that Pope francis has encouraged this ancient practice of walking through specially designated doors for special spiritual purposes. This year’s theme of mercy is perfect.
Thank you for this beautiful and important reflection Fr. Dave.
I will be sharing your reflection with all of my classes this week (Music and Religion Grade 8)!
May God be with you and your ministry always.
Sincerely,
Rosemary Circo-Happy Teacher and Music Liturgist at Saint Bruno Catholic Parish School 🙂
Thank you so much for sharing the reflection with the school!
Once again, excellent observations! Couldn’t believe that I’ve never known the origin of the word “Mass”!
Yes, I spoke at all the Masses today in my parish and many people said the same thing!
So many times in our lives we neglect to realize that indeed Jesus is in us and remains in us specially after receiving him in the Holy Eucharist during mass and as soon as we go on our way to our destinations and encounter trouble of some sort we react to it sometimes in a negative way forgetting that our Lord Jesus is in us so we need to keep focus on Jesus more so during those situations.
You understood the message perfectly!
Thank you for adding some background and history to your gospel reflections. As a convert to the church I appreciate the way you tie history into your guidance of how to get closer to Our Lord.
God Bless
Yes, I love Church history and find so many insights there. I am glad you find these reflections helpful!
We are sent into the world o bring the good news of Jesus to all the people,
and we need Him to be with us.
As we journey through life we realize that we are not the One.
I like the thought from “The Portrait of a Christian”
For me ‘Twas not the truth you taught,
To you so clear, to me so dim
But when you came to me
You brought a sense of Him
What a powerful short little poem. It says it all.
A beautiful reflection from Fr. Dave. I would like to also add that the Mass is a full participation of each one there. The prayers, songs, greetings within the Mass are also a needed participation. Sadly, I witness at most weekend Masses that the faithful just stand there like wooden statues and then with family rush out the door as quickly as they can after receiving the Lord. It is this constant apathy, this lack of reverence that causes me concern. A very holy friend recently told me of a Mass she had attended years ago at a small church in Canada whereby the priest said, “You don’t leave until the last note is sung for the last song.”. Clearly, those words of that simple priest are worthy of reflection.
Yes, I understand your concerns. I am glad that Canadian priest spoke up and help to guide his people.
WOW this scripture did me in. I have been listening to it during the week. Then I have been helping the Couples for Christ with the “Life in the Spirit type seminar’. Which should be the beginning of service to our Lord not just good feelings and good praise and worship which happens in other churches. (Not aLL) We are called to “pass it on, or the expression “Pay it forward”.
On the way home yesterday, I was in a conversation with the driver and his wife. Somehow we got on the subject of the senior citizens and I lost it. I was going on about how many there are out there who are not being touched. We ae called at the end of Mass to take what we got to touch others. In these houses that have assisted living, the workers are mostly Filipino’s who feel guilty cause they can’t get to Mass because they are working and when they are not working they have no transportation to get to Mass. When we go in there it is telling them and the senior that we as a Church community love and care for them. It sure makes a difference. Here I go again.. I thought I was over it as it took over a year to accept it that since my car broke down I can’t do it anymore. I thought I was over it. I pray for those people in our church to reach out to some of these people so they know they are not alone. We need that spirit of evangelism to touch our people to reach out to them.
OOOPS I was going to go on and on . I could talk on this for hours. PT L Have a blessed week.
Your heart is definitely in the right place to consider all those care givers who cannot make it to mass.
Fr. Dave,
This is one of the top 5 of your reflections. Except there are so many of your reflections that belong in the top 5.
That is high praise, and I am grateful. Thank you!
Father Dave, Your words are soooooooooooooo beautiful!! Thank you for giving us the most precious gift of our Jesus in Holy Communion!!!! We love receiving our loving Jesus and become one with him and then live His love!!The beauty in life is to go into our world and share His love with others!!! Dick and I are so blessed by being able to go to Mass every day at our St.Judes and I am so blessed as a Eucharistic Minister to give Jesus daily to others in Holy Communion!! It brings me soooooooooooooooo much joy!!I Dick and I wish we could color the world with Jesus’ love!! What a beautiful world it would be if everyone lived Jesus’ love as you so preciously do!!!!Beautiful faith, beautiful life, beautiful Jesus and beautiful you!!!
Loveeeeeeeeeeeeeeee, Franca and Dick
To “Ite Missa Est” we once responded, “Deo Gratias.” In thinking about my eventual retirement, your message this Sunday reminds me that, though business careers end, thankfully we all have a continuing Mission in this splendid Kingdom of God we are blessed to inhabit. Thanks for this Gospel reflection. As always, your meditations help me order my priorities.
You are very welcome. I hope you will enjoy your retirement, and whatever new direction you will go.