In those days, all the tribes of Israel came to David in Hebron and said: "Here we are, your bone and your flesh. In days past, when Saul was our king, it was you who led the Israelites out and brought them back. And the LORD said to you, 'You shall shepherd my people Israel and shall be commander of Israel.'" When all the elders of Israel came to David in Hebron, King David made an agreement with them there before the LORD, and they anointed him king of Israel.
SECOND READING
A reading from the Letter of Saint Paul to the Colossians 1:12-20
Brothers and sisters: Let us give thanks to the Father, who has made you fit to share in the inheritance of the holy ones in light. He delivered us from the power of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For in him were created all things in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things were created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. He is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things he himself might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile all things for him, making peace by the blood of his cross through him, whether those on earth or those in heaven.
GOSPEL OF THE DAY From the Gospel according to Luke 23:35-43
The rulers sneered at Jesus and said, "He saved others, let him save himself if he is the chosen one, the Christ of God." Even the soldiers jeered at him. As they approached to offer him wine they called out, "If you are King of the Jews, save yourself." Above him there was an inscription that read, "This is the King of the Jews."
Now one of the criminals hanging there reviled Jesus, saying, "Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us." The other, however, rebuking him, said in reply, "Have you no fear of God, for you are subject to the same condemnation? And indeed, we have been condemned justly, for the sentence we received corresponds to our crimes, but this man has done nothing criminal." Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." He replied to him, "Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise."
WORDS OF THE HOLY FATHER While the good thief speaks of the future, saying: “when you come in your kingly power”, Jesus’ answer does not leave him waiting; he speaks of the present: he says “today you will be with me in Paradise” (v. 43). In the hour of the cross, the salvation of Christ reaches its height; and his promise to the good thief reveals the fulfillment of his mission: that is, to save sinners. (General Audience, 28 september 2016)
FAUSTI - The text presents the Royalty of Jesus, Principle of Salvation. From the high of the Cross, His throne, the Lord makes God's judgment on the enemies: He forgives and gives the Kingdom to the evildoers. Here we understand well in what sense Jesus is King and what salvation He brings. He is a king who exercises His freedom in serving: His only power is loving to the point of death. His salvation is not what man expects. It is that of a God who makes himself be condemned to the same punishment as us, in order to be with us. "You will be with me, for I, the Emmanuel, am with you. You have not been with me, you have fled far away. And I have come so far here, on the Cross. I want to be with you, so that you can be with me. I came with you on the cross, that you might return with me to the Kingdom. Our covenant is new and eternal, as is my fidelity, which is stronger than death". On the cross Jesus realizes the Kingdom that He had announced at the beginning. He is the poor King, hungry, weeping, hated, banned, insulted and rejected as wicked, He loves His enemies, does them good, blesses them, intercedes for them, resists evil by bringing it, is willing to suffer more in order not to return it, and gives others the salvation that everyone would like for himself. This His kingship reveals the Grace and Mercy of God: is the Son equal to the Father, who does not judge, not condemn, He forgives and gives His life for His brothers and sisters. Before being an example of the martyrs, Jesus Himself is a martyr, that is, a witness to Father's Love for all His children. Thus He opens up the Kingdom to us. His Cross of Just is the justification for all the unjust and salvation of the world. It is in fact the Revelation and closeness of a God who loves gratuitously and who in His Mercy becomes near to the sinful man. Every liberation Theology, in order not to fall into idolatry and produce other alienations, must confront to the Cross of Jesus. He rejects as temptations our expectations of Salvation, based on signs of strength and power. They would multiply that evil from which He wants to tear us away. "Save yourself" is the refrain repeated on Golgotha. It represents the supreme aspiration of man who, moved by the fear of death, tries to save himself from it at all costs, establishing the strategy of having, being in power and appearing. But this very anxiety for life generates selfishness, the true death of man as a child of God. From this comes every other evil and false way of understanding life and death. Jesus does not free us from death, but from the fear of it, which is poisoning all our lives. In fact "the sting of death is sin". Sin is essentially that lie that has taken away from us the knowledge of God as Love and that prevents us from accepting to be from Him and for Him. Right where we fear absolute loneliness - nothingness and damnation - we discover a God who offers us His solidarity and communion with Him, which is Life.
FIRST READING
RispondiEliminaA reading from the Book of Samuel
5:1-3
In those days, all the tribes of Israel came to David in Hebron and said:
"Here we are, your bone and your flesh.
In days past, when Saul was our king,
it was you who led the Israelites out and brought them back.
And the LORD said to you,
'You shall shepherd my people Israel
and shall be commander of Israel.'"
When all the elders of Israel came to David in Hebron,
King David made an agreement with them there before the LORD,
and they anointed him king of Israel.
SECOND READING
A reading from the Letter of Saint Paul to the Colossians
1:12-20
Brothers and sisters:
Let us give thanks to the Father,
who has made you fit to share
in the inheritance of the holy ones in light.
He delivered us from the power of darkness
and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son,
in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
He is the image of the invisible God,
the firstborn of all creation.
For in him were created all things in heaven and on earth,
the visible and the invisible,
whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers;
all things were created through him and for him.
He is before all things,
and in him all things hold together.
He is the head of the body, the church.
He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead,
that in all things he himself might be preeminent.
For in him all the fullness was pleased to dwell,
and through him to reconcile all things for him,
making peace by the blood of his cross
through him, whether those on earth or those in heaven.
GOSPEL OF THE DAY
From the Gospel according to Luke
23:35-43
The rulers sneered at Jesus and said,
"He saved others, let him save himself
if he is the chosen one, the Christ of God."
Even the soldiers jeered at him.
As they approached to offer him wine they called out,
"If you are King of the Jews, save yourself."
Above him there was an inscription that read,
"This is the King of the Jews."
Now one of the criminals hanging there reviled Jesus, saying,
"Are you not the Christ?
Save yourself and us."
The other, however, rebuking him, said in reply,
"Have you no fear of God,
for you are subject to the same condemnation?
And indeed, we have been condemned justly,
for the sentence we received corresponds to our crimes,
but this man has done nothing criminal."
Then he said,
"Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom."
He replied to him,
"Amen, I say to you,
today you will be with me in Paradise."
WORDS OF THE HOLY FATHER
While the good thief speaks of the future, saying: “when you come in your kingly power”, Jesus’ answer does not leave him waiting; he speaks of the present: he says “today you will be with me in Paradise” (v. 43). In the hour of the cross, the salvation of Christ reaches its height; and his promise to the good thief reveals the fulfillment of his mission: that is, to save sinners. (General Audience, 28 september 2016)
FAUSTI - The text presents the Royalty of Jesus, Principle of Salvation. From the high of the Cross, His throne, the Lord makes God's judgment on the enemies: He forgives and gives the Kingdom to the evildoers.
RispondiEliminaHere we understand well in what sense Jesus is King and what salvation He brings. He is a king who exercises His freedom in serving: His only power is loving to the point of death.
His salvation is not what man expects.
It is that of a God who makes himself be condemned to the same punishment as us, in order to be with us.
"You will be with me, for I, the Emmanuel, am with you. You have not been with me, you have fled far away. And I have come so far here, on the Cross.
I want to be with you, so that you can be with me. I came with you on the cross, that you might return with me to the Kingdom. Our covenant is new and eternal, as is my fidelity, which is stronger than death".
On the cross Jesus realizes the Kingdom that He had announced at the beginning.
He is the poor King, hungry, weeping, hated, banned, insulted and rejected as wicked,
He loves His enemies, does them good, blesses them, intercedes for them, resists evil by bringing it, is willing to suffer more in order not to return it, and gives others the salvation that everyone would like for himself.
This His kingship reveals the Grace and Mercy of God:
is the Son equal to the Father, who does not judge, not condemn, He forgives and gives His life for His brothers and sisters.
Before being an example of the martyrs, Jesus Himself is a martyr, that is, a witness to Father's Love for all His children. Thus He opens up the Kingdom to us.
His Cross of Just is the justification for all the unjust and salvation of the world.
It is in fact the Revelation and closeness of a God who loves gratuitously and who in His Mercy becomes near to the sinful man.
Every liberation Theology, in order not to fall into idolatry and produce other alienations, must confront to the Cross of Jesus. He rejects as temptations our expectations of Salvation, based on signs of strength and power. They would multiply that evil from which He wants to tear us away.
"Save yourself" is the refrain repeated on Golgotha. It represents the supreme aspiration of man who, moved by the fear of death, tries to save himself from it at all costs, establishing the strategy of having, being in power and appearing.
But this very anxiety for life generates selfishness, the true death of man as a child of God.
From this comes every other evil and false way of understanding life and death.
Jesus does not free us from death, but from the fear of it, which is poisoning all our lives.
In fact "the sting of death is sin". Sin is essentially that lie that has taken away from us the knowledge of God as Love and that prevents us from accepting to be from Him and for Him.
Right where we fear absolute loneliness - nothingness and damnation - we discover a God who offers us His solidarity and communion with Him, which is Life.