Priest and Martyr, and his companions, Martyrs
Biographical Information about St. Andrew Dung-Lac and his Companions
Readings for Monday of the Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time[1][2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Readings and Commentary:[3]
Reading 1: Revelations 14:1-3, 4b-5
Then I (John) looked and there was the Lamb standing on Mount Zion,
and with him a hundred and forty-four thousand
who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads.
I heard a sound from heaven
like the sound of rushing water or a loud peal of thunder.
The sound I heard was like that of harpists playing their harps.
They were singing what seemed to be a new hymn before the throne,
before the four living creatures and the elders.
No one could learn this hymn except the hundred and forty-four thousand
who had been ransomed from the earth.
These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever he goes.
They have been ransomed as the first fruits
of the human race for God and the Lamb.
On their lips no deceit has been found; they are unblemished.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Rev 14:1-3, 4b-5
The symbolism is clear in this passage from Revelations. Mount Zion represents the heavenly kingdom and the Lamb of God, Jesus. In spite of what has been written in the “Left Behind” series of books popularizing the idea that the one hundred and forty four thousand is an actual number, in the context of St. John’s numerology; “One hundred and forty-four thousand: the square of twelve (the number of Israel's tribes) multiplied by a thousand, symbolic of the new Israel (cf Rev 14:1-5; Gal 6:16; James 1:1) that embraces people from every nation, race, people, and tongue (Rev 7:9).[4]” These faithful and unblemished (” On their lips no deceit has been found; they are unblemished”) seem to be the faithful nucleus that forms the immediate worshipers of the Christ.
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Responsorial Psalm:[5] Psalm 24:1bc-2, 3-4ab, 5-6
R. (see 6) Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.
The LORD’s are the earth and its fullness;
the world and those who dwell in it.
For he founded it upon the seas
and established it upon the rivers.
R. Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.
Who can ascend the mountain of the LORD?
or who may stand in his holy place?
He whose hands are sinless, whose heart is clean,
who desires not what is vain.
R. Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.
He shall receive a blessing from the LORD,
a reward from God his savior.
Such is the race that seeks for him,
that seeks the face of the God of Jacob.
R. Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ps 24:1bc-2, 3-4ab, 5-6
This is part of a hymn of entrance, sung as the Arc of the Covenant was brought into the Temple followed by the faithful. Once again in this song we find a reference borrowed in the passage from John’s Revelation. Who are the ones allowed full access to God? They are those; “whose hands are sinless, whose heart is clean, who desires not what is vain.” In other words they are clean in heart, body, and spirit.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gospel: Luke 21:1-4
When he (Jesus) looked up he saw some wealthy people
putting their offerings into the treasury
and he noticed a poor widow putting in two small coins.
He said, “I tell you truly,
this poor widow put in more than all the rest;
for those others have all made offerings from their surplus wealth,
but she, from her poverty, has offered her whole livelihood.”
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Lk 21:1-4
The widow in this Gospel story represents the poor whose focus must be on God rather than on material wealth. This emphasis in their lives brings them the blessing of God because of their genuine praise and love.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reflection:
It is appropriate on the eve (metaphorically speaking) of Advent we are given a scriptural arrow that points us to the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Notice how in Revelations we hear of the 144 Thousand who are unblemished and in the presence of the Lamb of God and then again in the Psalm we hear of the ones who are clean in thought, in body, and in intent or spirit.
Finally we are given the story of the widow in the Gospel who gives from her need rather than her excess, the purity of her intent is praised by Jesus himself. The message begs us to evaluate our own worthiness to stand before the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.
We are asked to have the courage to look inside ourselves and see there the blemish that is a barrier to Jesus and to hold it up in contrition so that the Lord of Mercy can forgive it and it can be washed away.
There are some that argue that the Sacrament of reconciliation is not necessary, that if we say we are sorry to Jesus in prayer, that is enough. We argue that there is an analogy that shows how wrong they are.
If you go to the doctor because you are not felling well and he says he’d like to do some tests, and then if you went home and some time later started feeling better, you might think, I’m OK. In this, you would be in the position of the person who does not go along with the Sacrament of Reconciliation but feels that, since they were sorry for what ever sins they had committed, they must be forgiven. Would it not be better though to have the doctor call you up and say; “I’ve looked at the test results and you are fine” than just to guess.
That’s what happens in Reconciliation, the Priest, standing in the place of Christ, tells you directly, you’re all right. God’s love operates through the sacraments; grace is transmitted through them. We are foolish not to take advantage of it as we approach the make of God’s great gift in the Feast of the Nativity of the Lord.
For those who avoid going to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation we would encourage you to ask this question; why not? Is it because, in your opinion no sins worthy of God’s notice have been committed? Is it because it is embarrassing to go to your Priest and bear your soul, telling him your innermost regrets? Is it because it is inconvenient, it takes time to make a special trip to church? Is it because it does not seem like it has any real benefit to you spiritually?
We would ask one more question – which underlying flaw does your reason represent; arrogance, pride, or laziness. Each time we take advantage of a sacrament, graces appropriate to that sacrament are given.
We hope to enter that eternal home as a people of whom scripture says; “whose hands are sinless, whose heart is clean, who desires not what is vain.” We pledge to avoid sin as best we can and take advantage of the spiritual grace imparted by sacramental reconciliation with the Lord frequently. In doing so, may we also approach that spiritual place were the peace of Christ waits to embrace us.
Pax
Biographical Information about St. Andrew Dung-Lac and his Companions
Readings for Monday of the Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time[1][2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Readings and Commentary:[3]
Reading 1: Revelations 14:1-3, 4b-5
Then I (John) looked and there was the Lamb standing on Mount Zion,
and with him a hundred and forty-four thousand
who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads.
I heard a sound from heaven
like the sound of rushing water or a loud peal of thunder.
The sound I heard was like that of harpists playing their harps.
They were singing what seemed to be a new hymn before the throne,
before the four living creatures and the elders.
No one could learn this hymn except the hundred and forty-four thousand
who had been ransomed from the earth.
These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever he goes.
They have been ransomed as the first fruits
of the human race for God and the Lamb.
On their lips no deceit has been found; they are unblemished.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Rev 14:1-3, 4b-5
The symbolism is clear in this passage from Revelations. Mount Zion represents the heavenly kingdom and the Lamb of God, Jesus. In spite of what has been written in the “Left Behind” series of books popularizing the idea that the one hundred and forty four thousand is an actual number, in the context of St. John’s numerology; “One hundred and forty-four thousand: the square of twelve (the number of Israel's tribes) multiplied by a thousand, symbolic of the new Israel (cf Rev 14:1-5; Gal 6:16; James 1:1) that embraces people from every nation, race, people, and tongue (Rev 7:9).[4]” These faithful and unblemished (” On their lips no deceit has been found; they are unblemished”) seem to be the faithful nucleus that forms the immediate worshipers of the Christ.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Responsorial Psalm:[5] Psalm 24:1bc-2, 3-4ab, 5-6
R. (see 6) Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.
The LORD’s are the earth and its fullness;
the world and those who dwell in it.
For he founded it upon the seas
and established it upon the rivers.
R. Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.
Who can ascend the mountain of the LORD?
or who may stand in his holy place?
He whose hands are sinless, whose heart is clean,
who desires not what is vain.
R. Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.
He shall receive a blessing from the LORD,
a reward from God his savior.
Such is the race that seeks for him,
that seeks the face of the God of Jacob.
R. Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ps 24:1bc-2, 3-4ab, 5-6
This is part of a hymn of entrance, sung as the Arc of the Covenant was brought into the Temple followed by the faithful. Once again in this song we find a reference borrowed in the passage from John’s Revelation. Who are the ones allowed full access to God? They are those; “whose hands are sinless, whose heart is clean, who desires not what is vain.” In other words they are clean in heart, body, and spirit.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gospel: Luke 21:1-4
When he (Jesus) looked up he saw some wealthy people
putting their offerings into the treasury
and he noticed a poor widow putting in two small coins.
He said, “I tell you truly,
this poor widow put in more than all the rest;
for those others have all made offerings from their surplus wealth,
but she, from her poverty, has offered her whole livelihood.”
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Lk 21:1-4
The widow in this Gospel story represents the poor whose focus must be on God rather than on material wealth. This emphasis in their lives brings them the blessing of God because of their genuine praise and love.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reflection:
It is appropriate on the eve (metaphorically speaking) of Advent we are given a scriptural arrow that points us to the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Notice how in Revelations we hear of the 144 Thousand who are unblemished and in the presence of the Lamb of God and then again in the Psalm we hear of the ones who are clean in thought, in body, and in intent or spirit.
Finally we are given the story of the widow in the Gospel who gives from her need rather than her excess, the purity of her intent is praised by Jesus himself. The message begs us to evaluate our own worthiness to stand before the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.
We are asked to have the courage to look inside ourselves and see there the blemish that is a barrier to Jesus and to hold it up in contrition so that the Lord of Mercy can forgive it and it can be washed away.
There are some that argue that the Sacrament of reconciliation is not necessary, that if we say we are sorry to Jesus in prayer, that is enough. We argue that there is an analogy that shows how wrong they are.
If you go to the doctor because you are not felling well and he says he’d like to do some tests, and then if you went home and some time later started feeling better, you might think, I’m OK. In this, you would be in the position of the person who does not go along with the Sacrament of Reconciliation but feels that, since they were sorry for what ever sins they had committed, they must be forgiven. Would it not be better though to have the doctor call you up and say; “I’ve looked at the test results and you are fine” than just to guess.
That’s what happens in Reconciliation, the Priest, standing in the place of Christ, tells you directly, you’re all right. God’s love operates through the sacraments; grace is transmitted through them. We are foolish not to take advantage of it as we approach the make of God’s great gift in the Feast of the Nativity of the Lord.
For those who avoid going to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation we would encourage you to ask this question; why not? Is it because, in your opinion no sins worthy of God’s notice have been committed? Is it because it is embarrassing to go to your Priest and bear your soul, telling him your innermost regrets? Is it because it is inconvenient, it takes time to make a special trip to church? Is it because it does not seem like it has any real benefit to you spiritually?
We would ask one more question – which underlying flaw does your reason represent; arrogance, pride, or laziness. Each time we take advantage of a sacrament, graces appropriate to that sacrament are given.
We hope to enter that eternal home as a people of whom scripture says; “whose hands are sinless, whose heart is clean, who desires not what is vain.” We pledge to avoid sin as best we can and take advantage of the spiritual grace imparted by sacramental reconciliation with the Lord frequently. In doing so, may we also approach that spiritual place were the peace of Christ waits to embrace us.
Pax
[1] ALTRE
[2] The picture used today is “The Confession” by Pietro Longhi, 1750s
[3] Text of Readings is taken from the New American Bible, Copyright © Libreria Editrice Vaticana
[4] See NAB footnote from Rev 7:4-9.
[5] Excerpts from the English translation of The Roman Missal © 1973, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved
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