Friday, March 28, 2014

The Seven First Words of Christ

The Seven First Words of Christ: From Crèche to Cross Hebrews 10:7 I Have Come to Do Your Will. A Body You Have Prepared for Me. God always gives the very best—even when it is costly: Blood, sweat, and tears - himself – born to die! His Cross. Our cross. A Body – cells multiply like crazy in Mary’s womb. Thousands every minute. A Body…. God gave his self – as a gift to you, to us, to all. We then give our self – as a gift to God, to the body (church), to the world around us. This is costly in terms of blood, sweat, and tears. His cross. Our cross. Daily. The Crèche tableau turns to the Cross tableau. His entry via a stranger’s home His exit via a stranger’s tomb John 1:10-13 He came to the world he created, but the world did not recognize him; (Crèche) born into his own people, but they rejected him (Cross). BUT – to all who receive him he gives the right to become children of God! We are reborn: a birth from God. (St. John chapter 3) BUT: to all who do recognize who he is, who do receive him, he makes the children of God! This is the Mass of Christ! Christ-mas. MASS C HR I S T Friend, meditate on this: a Cross in His future - and in the end, a Crown. A cross is in your present and - in your future, a crown. Look up the words of the classic hymn: Thou Didst Leave Thy Throne and Thy Kingly Crown.