Christ is King

 

The Alpha and Omega, beginning and end in whom all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell. Absolute Sovereign over all, visible and invisible. But how, we ask ourselves with Benedict XVI, does our King exercise His power? With glittering regiments of cavalry and legions of angels?

No, on the Cross, in an act of total, perfect sacrificial love. How Satan must have laughed; God's Chosen, the Holy One of Israel, the Messianic King dying as a tortured criminal, nailed to a cross. Hear the demonic laughter, hear, too, Satan's shriek as our Lord rises victorious from the dead, bodily. Yes, His throne is the Cross, His triumph the empty tomb.

God give us grace, as loyal subjects, to follow Him. Yes, to the cross and from there to risen life, free of the power of death and Hell. In the mild words of our governing Collect:

Almighty and everlasting God, whose will it is to restore all things in thy well-beloved Son, the King of kings and Lord of lords: Mercifully grant that the peoples of the earth, divided and enslaved by sin, may be freed and brought together under his most gracious rule; who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

 

Be careful out there and God Bless,

LSP

A Short Sunday Sermon

 

"Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world," says John the Baptist of Christ. And so he is, the true Paschal Lamb, the definitive savior of God's people, whose blood shed on the cross in sinless sacrifice for the forgiveness of sin opens the gates of heaven to all who put their faith in him. Here indeed is a light to the nations who extends salvation to the ends of the earth.

Yes, the mystery of the cross and resurrection prefigured in the Baptism of Christ in the Jordan is now stated, but John doesn't stop there. The next day we see him standing with two of his disciples and as Jesus approaches he salutes him again, "Behold the Lamb of God!" The disciples then follow Jesus who turns to them and asks, "What seek ye?" They reply, "Where dwellest thou?" And he invites them to "come and see." They do, and stay with him that day. (Jn 1: 29-41)

Christ asks the same question of us, "What seek ye?" what are you after, what do you want? There's only one true answer, the soul finds no peace until it rests in the beatitude of God and this forces another question, where is he, the Paschal Lamb, to be found, where does he live?

Upon his throne of glory in heaven, for sure, and on earth? In his living Word, in the most holy Sacrament of the Altar and in the hearts of his faithful people. He lives in his body the Church, in which we find union with his sacrifice, the forgiveness of sins and a share in his risen life.

Be strong in that and confess with John's disciples, "We have found the Messiah."

Almighty God, whose Son our Savior Jesus Christ is the light of the world: Grant that thy people, illumined by thy Word and Sacraments, may shine with the radiance of Christ’s glory, that he may be known, worshiped, and obeyed to the ends of the earth; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord, who with thee and the Holy Spirit liveth and reigneth, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

God bless,

LSP

Palm Sunday 2019

I love Palm Sunday, the gateway to Holy Week and with it the opportunity to follow Christ ever more deeply on his way to the cross and resurrection. Beautiful, and it forces two things upon us, discernment and choice.

Who and what do we love, what leads us, who do we follow? Bread and power, the world, the flesh and the devil who hovers over all, or Christ? Discernment achieved, choose wisely.

That said, half of one of the Missions was missing in action today. Why? Because they'd gone to a rabbit show. That's right, a bunny display.

Well, there's nothing quite like anticipating Easter.

Antenicene Fathers forever,

LSP