1/24/16 Active Participation in the Eucharist
3RD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
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Dear brothers and sisters,
The beauty of Ordinary Time lies in its simplicity. As we do not focus on the big events and solemnities of the life of Jesus, we follow Him, paying attention to the simple events of his daily life, to his teachings, his works, his miracles. In this way, we get to know Jesus more deeply and learn again what it means to be his disciples.
Today we witnessed the important moment of his first preaching. He went to the synagogue of Nazareth, a small building where the Word of God was read and meditated. But this time it was not someone reading a word; it was the Word himself proclaiming that the prophecies were being fulfilled. Jesus said: today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your presence. Jesus was the one they were waiting for, the one who was bringing glad tidings to the poor and proclaiming liberty to captives.
When we read God’s Word at Mass, those passages are being fulfilled in our presence. It is not just us randomly reading some words, but God himself pronouncing his own Word in our midst, Jesus saying again for us today what He said for the first time two thousand years ago. This active power of God’s Word at Mass is a powerful and moving mystery that we should try to appreciate more and more, through a silent and reverent disposition of truly listening to the Word of God when we come to Mass. This is one of the most effective ways of actively participating in the celebration of the Eucharist.
With my prayers,
Fr. Daniel
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