REFLECTION NEW WORDS. DEEPER MEANING. SAME MASS.
The long history of the celebration
of the Eucharist has its origins in the Last Supper
of Christ and his apostles.
Every time we gather to celebrate Mass,
we gather not only with members of our parish,
school or community but also with
those who once worshipped here and
have gone before us in death.
We gather too with all the saints and martyrs, as
ancient as Agnes and as contemporary as Mary
MacKillop, St Mary of the Cross.
Although the shape and form of our rites,
and the words, gestures and actions
of our celebrations have evolved and
changed throughout the ages, at the heart
of our worship in the one unchanging
and eternal sacred action,
the celebration of the Lord’s Supper.
Thus the continuity of liturgical celebration today
gives witness to an unbroken tradition:
new words, deeper meaning,
same Mass
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REFLECTION NEW WORDS. DEEPER MEANING. SAME MASS.
In just two weeks now , until we begin praying
and singing the new words of the People’s Parts
of the Mass.
The translation process that provided these new
words was intent upon three significant results:
more theological precision in vocabulary;
more scriptural, and more consistency across all
language groups.
Their purpose is to enable us to enter more deeply
into the sacred mystery we celebrate at Mass.
We give thanks for all those who have contributed
to this process of translation so we might
appreciate the deeper meaning of the Eucharist we
celebrate. read more..
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REFLECTION This text should be contrasted
with the story of the rich official who
is a righteous man which comes just before it
(Luke 18:18-23) but is not included
in the lectionary readings for this year.
In that text, Jesus challenges
the rich man to sell all he has
and distribute the proceeds to the poor,
but the rich man is unable
to give up his wealth.
Here, Zacchaeus, also a rich man
but considered a sinner, spontaneously
offers to give half his wealth away and to
make generous restitution
to those he has cheated.
The response to Jesus of these two characters
is in stark contrast.
In his undignified climbing of the tree,
Zacchaeus is prepared to make himself
look ridiculous in order to know Jesus.
He has humbled himself in the eyes
of the crowd just as the publican
humbled himself in the Temple
in last week’s gospel.
Jesus not only tells parables
but lives them in reality.
He has searched out the lost and
the encounter leads to conversion and salvation.
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REFLECTION
The purpose of this parable is to shake the
complacency of those who think that
all they have to do is to follow the rules to the
letter of the law and that is enough to guarantee
them salvation, regardless of their
attitudes towards others or
the way they speak and act.
There is a timelessness to this parable.
It is as true today as it was in the time of Jesus.
The Pharisee asks nothing of God.
He is under the mistaken impression that he can
fulfill all that is required of him
by his own actions.
The tax collector on the other hand, is aware of
his brokenness and opens himself to God,
asking for his mercy.
He rightly recognizes his own sinfulness
and sees that God is the only one
who can fill the void within.
Again, as is common in Luke’s Gospel,
it is the poor or the outcast who is on the right
track and who will be exalted.
The Pharisee, who should know better,
will be the one who experiences God’s dramatic
reversal and will ultimately be humbled.
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