There is a verse from a popular African American Spiritual that says:
John tells us of a time when time will be no more
in the days when the trumpet shall blow.
We'll meet over yonder in that heavenly place.
There we'll see each other face to face.
Then the refrain:
I can almost see the lights of the city
shining down on me.
I can almost see the lights of the cit,y
forever Lord, I shall be free.
I encourage each and every one of you to remember the words of this spiritual when you enter into this church building from now and and see its newly appointed lighting system. It is true! The lights of the new and eternal Jerusalem to which we are all invited are meant to be foreshadowed to some degree in the worship spaces in which we gather – to keep us wanting to come back each week to see them – to have something to dwell upon and remember during the week when we are not here – to remind us of our goal. Use well this new dimension of our experience of God's presence among us and our communion with one another as fellow pilgrims through life!
In the new configuration of the sanctuary there are three things to remember: Christ Has Died! Christ is Risen! Christ will come again! (These, you will notice, are the exact three elements of the Acclamation of the Memorial we proclaim and sing after the words of consecration.)
CHRIST HAS DIED! The central arch, the most prominent, containing the Altar of Sacrifice and the Crucifix has to do with the fact that Christ has come into the world to die for us – so that we can have the forgiveness of our sins and entrance into heaven. (It is fitting that the Mary statue is now in the sanctuary as it is she who gave birth to Jesus, and she who stood by him during his most horrible passion and death!) (It is fitting too that the Book of Gospels which announces the story of how it all happened is also there – for it is this very Word of God that became flesh in Mary).
CHRIST IS RISEN! The arch on the right has to do with the Risen Christ being very much present in the tabernacle. It is fortunate that there is a Risen Christ image to place there above the tabernacle. It really is an astounding fact that he is here with us – until the end of time – as spiritual food but also object of prayer and adoration!
CHRIST WILL COME AGAIN! The arch on the left has to do with an open invitation to the whole world to experience life in the Church while there is time to do so. It has to do with joining the Church through Baptism and Confirmation. It has to do with living the Catholic Christian faith that has to do with loving God first and then helping one another in self-sacrificial ways all the days of our lives – until Christ comes again to gather us all into the Kingdom of heaven – just as he promised that he would do!
With this three-part theme in mind for this sanctuary – let us truly proclaim and sing the acclamation of faith when it comes up in Mass each week with great enthusiasm and joy! For it is all about who we are and where we are going!
Now, to talk about the new crowning jewel of the sanctuary: the hand-carved in Czechoslovakia, wooden, St. Paul Series Crucifix! There is no greater symbol and sign in all of the world since that day on Calvary than the symbol and sign of the Cross! There is no greater image! It has a life all its own! By means of it the powers of the Evil One have been held back! By means of it Hope has dawned on the despairing! By means of it Peace has been restored! By means of it Reconciliation has been accomplished and man has once again become friends with God, adopted children and heirs of eternal life!
So long as we have breath in our bodies we ought never take our eyes off the Cross of Christ Jesus! For not only was suffering on it the necessary prerequisite for Resurrection of newness of life for Jesus – but it is also the same for us! Just as Jesus never took his eyes off his own cross throughout his entire life from the moment of his birth; so too we must not take our eyes off our own cross that he has assigned us! Just as he carried his cross, so too we must carry ours, so that we may enjoy the fruits of the reconciliation that he won for us all!
Our readings today for the Feast of Christ the King tell us that the purpose of the reconciliation of all of mankind was so that the way would be paved for the establishment of the One True Universal Kingdom that God the Father had in mind all along. The plan is spelled out very clearly in the second reading of St. Paul's letter to the Corinthians. Christ would bring about and be the reconciliation that was absolutely needed for man to be in right relation to God; his reward would also be our reward if we believe in him and do what he told us to do; then, his reign would extend over all the temporary "presidents, kings, potentates" of the earth and he would subject them to himself; then he would offer all of them and us, including himself to God his father who would make him king of all creation forever – and then God would be all in all – which was the original plan in the first place! After taking the very long way around – we will finally have made it! It will be quite the day: that final one!
As the gospel passage tells us: as we have heard so many times: "if you say you love me (Jesus says this) but do not take care of the least of my brothers and sisters – then you have not really loved me – and you will have no place in my kingdom." (This applies to the very least of the brothers and sisters wherever they may be found!) But if you did your best to care for me where I told you I would be: in the poor, the weak, the defenseless; in the sick, in the imprisoned, in the hungry, in the naked – you will be warmly welcomed into everlasting life – and you reward will be beyond anything you can possibly imagine now!
Lord Jesus, you are king of truth and life, holiness and grace, justice, love and peace! These are the hallmarks of your amazing kingdom! We want you to know this day that even above all of these things you are most of all KING AND CENTER of our Lives and our Hearts! We ask you to receive the crown that we bring forward during the offertory procession today as a symbol of our desire to live each day as if we truly believed in your Kingship and want to be among the sheep at your right hand on that day that is surely coming – and could arrive at any time!
No comments:
Post a Comment