The Word of God Sunday: 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

01-19-2020Weekly ReflectionVatican News

Pope Francis’ Apostolic Letter, Motu proprio "Aperuit illis", published on 30 September, establishes that "the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time is to be devoted to the celebration, study and dissemination of the Word of God". The timing of the document is significant: 30 September is the Feast of Saint Jerome, the man who translated most of the Bible into Latin, and who famously said: "Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ". The title of the document, “Aperuit illis”, is equally important. They are its opening words, taken from St Luke’s Gospel, where the Evangelist describes how the Risen Jesus appeared to His disciples, and how “He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.”

Recalling the importance given by the Second Vatican Council to rediscovering Sacred Scripture for the life of the Church, Pope Francis says he wrote this Apostolic Letter in response to requests from the faithful around the world to celebrate the Sunday of the Word of God.

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Me vicit

01-12-2020Weekly Reflection

In the baptism of Jesus, John was heard saying look “the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.” The following scene, as John was with two of his disciples, Jesus passed by and John again alluded to Him, “Behold the Lamb of God.”

Hearing John saying this for the second time about Jesus, something clicked in the minds of his two disciples. It was as if John was pointing and leading them to Jesus, and they started following Jesus, they started their journey as disciples of Jesus. Jesus noticed them and asked, the first words that Jesus uttered in the Gospel of John, “What are you looking for? The same question that probably each disciple, and would be disciple, should confront. Thinking that he was simply like one of the teachers of the Law, and not the awaited Messiah they said, Rabbi, which means teacher, where are you staying? The calling of the first two disciples then happened, Jesus' answer to their question was both an invitation and a promise, “come and you will see.” The disciples of John “stayed” with Jesus the entire day until four in the afternoon. And they experienced a “veni, vidi, me vicit” moment (I came, I saw, I was conquered).

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Besides the Wise Men, what is significant about the Epiphany?

01-05-2020Weekly Reflection

Epiphany means "manifestation," or public display. The feast is usually celebrated January 6. In the US, it is celebrated on the Sunday nearest to January 6. It originates from a story unique to Matthew (2:1-12). Magi from the East come to offer homage to the newborn King, presenting him with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

This part of Matthew's infancy narrative differs from Luke's account of the birth of Jesus. In Luke there are no Magi, star, nor gifts. Luke has Jesus being born in a stable after Mary and Joseph's long travel from Nazareth to Bethlehem. Matthew seems to have the family living in a house in Bethlehem, where the Magi find them.

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