Get behind me Christ?

“From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. And Peter took him and began to rebuke him, saying, ‘God forbid, Lord! This shall never happen to you.’ But he turned and said to Peter, ‘Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me…’” (Mt 16:21-23)

Have you ever turned Christ’s response around to where you are the one who says it to him? “Get behind me Christ! You are a hindrance to me and my enjoying life!” It seems like this is what our culture is saying. And it is so easy to say that ourselves. I know I have done it before.

For so many people, it seems as if God and religion in general have become taboo in almost ever facet of life. Bring up Christ in certain situations and see how a person may react. “Dude, why did you bring him up? Now I feel guilty!”

So many people say that ignorance is bliss. But then they turn around and want to know the meaning to life. How can you come to the meaning to life through an ignorance of your Creator and his wishes? He is the One who made you. Should he not know best what you are here for? So then how can we ever tell Him to get behind us?

HOLY DAY OF OBLIGATION: December 8, Immaculate Conception

This Saturday (December 8) is the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception and is a Holy Day of Obligation. It is this day that we celebrate what Pope Pius IX defined infallibly (this is dogma and cannot change): “The most Blessed Virgin Mary, in the first instant of her conception… in view of the merits of Jesus Christ… was preserved free from all stain of original sin.” Remember that Christ was around for creation, and even played a part in it as the second Person of the Trinity—God the Son. So his merits and power certainly were capable of redeeming Mary even before the Paschal event.

In Luke 1:28 the angel Gabriel, speaking on God’s behalf, addresses Mary as “full of grace” (or “highly favored”). In that context this phrase means that Mary is receiving all the special divine help necessary for the task ahead. However, the Church grows in understanding with the help of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit led the Church, especially non-theologians, to the insight that Mary had to be the most perfect work of God next to the Incarnation. Or rather, Mary’s intimate association with the Incarnation called for the special involvement of God in Mary’s whole life. (…) Moreover, this great privilege of Mary is the highlight of all that God has done in Jesus. Rightly understood, the incomparable holiness of Mary shows forth the incomparable goodness of God.

The greatest way of celebrating such a wonderful act of God, and such a holy person to have lived with us on earth, is to celebrate the Sacrament of the Eucharist. Thus, we are obligated as Christians, with this being such a noble and necessary truth to believe, to attend Mass on Saturday as if it were a Sunday. Remember, going to Mass Saturday night will only count as the Sunday Vigil, and will not fulfill your obligation for December 8. Going to Mass twice in a day, or twice in two days only means more graces for you! How could you resist such a gift?

**Remember, if you deliberately do not make a Mass for December 8 and another Mass for Sunday December 9, you put your soul in grave risk of mortal sin.

**Portion in italics is from http://americancatholic.org/Features/SaintOfDay/default.asp?id=1223

Welcome to Advent!!!

We have now begun a new liturgical season and a new Church year. The season of Advent is one calling us to presence—both in awareness and participation.

We are called to become aware of the coming presence of our Lord as he takes on human flesh. Just over 8 months ago, on March 25, we celebrated the Annunciation—the conception of the Son of God in the womb of Mary. And now as we draw closer to Christmas Day, we stop to meditate upon his presence in our lives.

In the same way, we are called to make ourselves become actively present. We are called to be present to Christ by presenting ourselves in prayer, both communally and personally. We are called to enliven our participation in Mass and also enhance our offering of self in prayer. As in any relationship, if we are to come closer to God, we must turn to him in conversation, both verbally (speaking ourselves) and silently (listening to the words he speaks to us).

We are also called to make Christ present to everyone we encounter day by day since Christ has come not only to dwell with us, but also in us (hence, the Eucharist). Thus, we are called this season to dwell more intensely on the words of Saint Paul: “it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me; and the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20).