Gospel for September 25 2022 – Luke 16:19-31
Gospel Reflections for September 25 2022
Go, you are sent!
These are final words at Mass, when you are sent out to the world, just as Our Lord directed.
The early church spoke Latin so they would say Ite, Missa est, meaning Go! You are sent! They named the entire event after the Latin word Missa meaning “sent” which later became our English word Mass.
Our Lord wanted Mass to both strengthen your soul …and send you out to change the world. You have 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 you. Your time at Mass is meant to send you into the world to make it better!
Just after World War II, Pope Pius XII was deeply troubled. Twice in his lifetime he saw the entire world at war, in World War I and again in World War II. Something was wrong! He sensed that Mass was having no practical effect! He believed that if you were the same person at the end of Mass as you were at the beginning of Mass…well, you had not really 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. They wanted to remove anything that got in the way of your meeting Our Lord and so Mass is now said in local languages.
That is why the purpose of every Mass is to authentically meet the Lord. Our focus is always on Him there.
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 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 you! You should immediately focus on His presence within yourself and nowhere else.
That is why immediately after receiving communion we sit or kneel in personal, private, and prayerful contemplation to speak to Our Lord who is now within us.
Ask Him how you can be different in each of your day’s events. With His wisdom now within you …Go! …you are sent into the world!
God Bless!
Fr. Dave
verg reading today Father Dave
Thank you!
,The singing of the formal Ite Missa Est is brought to mind just reading them . My Mom was Choir Director at a little Catholic Parish in San Marino and we would sing those words at the end of Mass. I enjoyed the Majestic sound of them not completely understanding the meaning being only eight years old.
The Gospel this week emphasizes the importance of the meaning. Thanks for the clarification and I will try to make a difference in my everyday life.
Well said. You understand perfectly.
Loveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee your beautiful words Father Dave!!! Love our precious Mass, love receiving our precious Jesus in the Holy Eucharist!!! Loveeeeeeeeee receiving His love and touching the world with His LOVE!!!! and loveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee you for your loveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee for our Jesus and sharing His loveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee with everyone!!!
Loveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee, Franca and Dick
Thank you!
Thank you Fr. Dave, for stressing the importance of the Lord within
after receiving Holy Communion, as we continue to follow Him
throughout the day.
Yes, bring Our lord with you all day long.