Adult Initiation & Sacrament Preparation

In the Nicene Creed we state that we believe Jesus “will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead and his kingdom will have no end."  This belief didn’t originate in the Creed, these words have their origins in the scriptures.  This Sunday's Gospel reminds us that God alone determines our fate after death, but that fate is also determined by our own choices in life – our free will to follow a path of righteousness or selfishness.  In one of Jesus' final sermons to his Apostles (in a continuation from last week's Gospel), Jesus gives us concrete examples to follow: The Word for Christ the King Ezekiel 34:11-12, 15-17 Psalm 23:1-2, 2-3, 5-6 1 Corinthians 15:20-26, 28 Matthew 25:31-46 Our first reading comes from Ezekiel, the exiled priest who found his prophetic voice in Babylon.  At a time where the exiled Jewish community is feeling abandoned by God, Ezekiel is called to bring a message of hope.  He speaks of God as a shepherd who seeks to bring back...

God the Father has endowed us with many gifts.  Not only does scripture recommend that we give thanks for these (as in our readings from Proverbs and Psalms), but it recommends that these gifts must be put to use for the greater good and the love of God. The Word for the 33rd Sunday of Ordinary Time Proverbs 31:10-13, 19-20, 30-31 Psalm 128:1-2, 3, 4-5 1 Thessalonians 5:1-6 Matthew 25:14-30 We open with a reading from the book of Proverbs.  This book falls within the category of “wisdom literature” in the Bible.  Like its other wisdom book counterparts, it is a collection of wise sayings used as a type of “catechism” to teach right living in the eyes of God.  Proverbs is thought to originate during the period of the Israelite monarchy but doesn’t reach its final form until the post-exilic period.  Our passage for this coming Sunday gives us the example of the value of a “worthy wife,” and how we should honor that value.  “Wisdom” in this period is considere...

Be prepared.  Our world is full of uncertainty.  Anything could happen at any time which can affect our lives, either personally, locally, or globally.  As Southern Californians, we live with the constant threat of the next big earthquake (in between all the fires, flash-floods, and traffic accidents), and we’re taught regularly what we need to do in the case of a disaster.  But what of our spiritual lives?  Are we prepared for the next spiritual crisis that comes into our lives?  Our readings for this Sunday have some advice… The Word for the 32nd Sunday of Ordinary Time: Wisdom 6:12-16 Psalm 63:2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 Matthew 25:1-13 Our first reading from the Book of Wisdom could be summed up as “good things come to those who wait”.  Wisdom (always envisioned as a beautiful feminine figure) will come to those who keep vigil for her sake.  There’s a sense of eager anticipation to this reading.  Those who seek wisdom and kee...