Last Sunday of October
30 October 2011
Feast of Christ the King
“The Lamb that was slain is worthy to receive power and divinity and wisdom and power and honour: to Him be glory and empire for ever and ever.” Rev. 5:12 & 1:6
Firstborn of All Creatures
Jesus is the firstborn of all creatures. He gives the Father the greatest glory as Man because He is true God and loves the Father infinitely as God, the Son. This is why the Father is so pleased with His Son. Christ is the King for all eternity because He has given Himself for our ransom and has won for us our eternal salvation: “The Lord will reign forever and will give his people the gift of peace.” Ps. 28: 10-11 Jesus Christ is the “Son of Man” as He is both God and man. He is the first-born of all creatures because He gives the Father the greatest glory. This is why He is the “King of Kings” and the “Lord of Lords.” He is Christ the King of all nations and tribes: “He has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have our redemption, the remission of our sins. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature. For in him were created all things in the heavens and on the earth, things visible and invisible…” Col. 1: 13-16
He Has Redeemed Us
“(Jesus Christ) faithful witness, first-born of the dead and ruler of the Kings of the earth.” Rev. 1:5. He is the faithful witness who has given His life and “washed us from our sins in His own blood.” Rev. 1:5 All creation looks to Him as He is the “Alpha and Omega,” (Rev. 1:8) the beginning and the end of all things. All things are measured by His great sacrifice for He has conquered death and redeemed us of our sins. “To Him belong glory and dominion forever and ever.” Rev. 1:6
Jesus Christ is King, Priest and Victim
The Preface for the Feast of Christ the King (Ordinary Form) echoes the theme of Christ’s Kingship: “that we should at all times and in all places give thanks to Thee, holy Lord, Father almighty, eternal God: Who with the oil of gladness didst anoint Thine only-begotten Son our Lord Jesus Christ as Priest for ever and King of all.” (Preface) Jesus is our eternal High Priest and King of Kings forever. “that offering Himself on the altar of the Cross a stainless Victim to appease Thee, He might accomplish the mysteries of man’s redemption…” (Preface) He is not only our King, but He is also our Priest who has sacrificed Himself for our sins. By His sacrifice, we are redeemed for His eternal kingdom in heaven: “and that subjecting all creatures to His sway, He might present to Thine infinite Majesty a universal and eternal Kingdom; a Kingdom of truth and life; a Kingdom of holiness and grace: a kingdom of justice and peace.” (Preface) This is why St. Paul told us that if we are going to belong to Christ’s Kingdom in heaven, then we must be “without spot or wrinkle.” (Eph. 5: 27)
Tragic Choice of Modern Man
Tragically, the nations of the world have rejected the Kingship of Christ with their immoral laws in opposition to God’s Divine laws. Many nations today have legalized practices which are opposed to the Ten Commandments: abortion, divorce, contraception, same sex marriages, and euthanasia. With these sins against God’s Commandments, the world has chosen Satan, the Prince of this World, as their leader (king). This choice can only lead to tragedy for all of us in this world. People no longer believe in truth and think that they can do what they want; they no longer believe in the eternal truths of heaven, hell and judgment; they deny the Church’s teachings on life and marriage and fail to procreate the children that God wishes to give the world. “Without a deep reverence for the sacredness of life, humanity places itself on the path of self-destruction.” (Bishop Sean O’Malley of Fall River, Ma. USA, In Vitro Fertilization)
Christ the King Must Reign in Our World and in Us All
When Pope Pius XI instituted this feast in 1925 with his decree, “Quas Primas,” he wanted to remind us that Jesus Christ must reign as King in our minds, our hearts and in our wills if we want peace and happiness in this world. “He must reign in our minds which should assent with perfect submission and firm belief to revealed truths and to the doctrines of Christ. He must reign in our wills, which should obey the laws and precepts of God. He must reign in our hearts, which should spurn natural desires and love God above all things, and cleave to Him alone. He must reign in our bodies and in our members which should serve as instruments for the interior sanctification of our souls.”(#21) Jesus has created us, He has redeemed us, He has sanctified us with His Flesh and Blood, He governs us with love and protection, and He has prepared a place for us in His heavenly Kingdom if we are faithful to His commandments. He will come to judge us in His glory and power. If we choose Him as our King today, we need not fear that He will refuse us His kingdom in Heaven for all eternity.
Feast of All Saints
Tuesday, 1 November 2011
Holyday of Obligation
Holy Mass is at 10:00 A. M.
Mission of the Immaculate Mediatrix
First Saturday: 5 November 2011
9:30 AM- Tea and coffee: St. Joseph’s Hall)
10:00 AM- First Conference:
Marian Vow of Total Consecration
11:30 AM- Holy Mass in the chapel
12:30 PM- Lunch (Bring your own); Tea supplied
1:30 PM- Quiet Time: Adoration, Confession, Rosary & Divine Mercy Chaplet
3:10 PM- Benediction
3:30 PM- Second Conference: Marian Vow
4:15-4:30 PM- Tea and Departure
The Mission of the Immaculate Mediatrix (Our Lady) is to bring all souls to her Son, Jesus Christ, King of all creation. Our Lady will destroy all His enemies (Cf. Genesis 3:15) that is those who are opposed to Christ with laws against His Commandments. On November 9, 1976 Karol Cardinal Wojtla, the future Pope John Paul II, spoke at the Eucharistic Congress in Philadelphia, Pa., USA: “We are now standing in face of the greatest historical confrontation humanity has gone through. I do not think that the wide circles of American society or the wide circles of the Christian community realize this fully. We are now facing the final confrontation between the Church and the Anti-Church, of the Gospel and the anti-gospel.”
Souls in Purgatory: November in the month in which we remember the poor souls in Purgatory who cannot help themselves. They rely on us to shorten their time of purification. Wednesday, 2 November is the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed or All Souls Day. Mass is at 7:30 AM as usual.
All-Souls Lists: Please put the names of those who have died on the All-Souls list, and we will include them in our Masses during the month of November .
Could you not, then, watch one hour with Me?…” Mt. 26:40
“…. Particular attention should also be given to Eucharistic adoration, and in every diocese there should be churches or chapels specifically devoted to this purpose. I ask parishes, seminaries, religious houses and monasteries to organise periods of Eucharistic adoration, so that all have an opportunity to take part…” (#14) Pope Benedict XVI, Pastoral Letter to the Catholics of Ireland. 3 March 2010 We are now in our second year of adoration (as of 4 July 2011) Please sign up as an adorer.
The Five First Saturdays
Next Saturday, 5 November is the First Saturday of November. Our Lady told Sr. Lucia in 1925 “…I promise to assist at the hour of death, with all the graces necessary for salvation, all those who, on the first Saturday of five consecutive months go to confession and receive Holy Communion, recite five decades of the Rosary and keep me company for a quarter of an hour while meditating on the mysteries of the Rosary, with the intention of making reparation to me.” If only we would do what Our Lady asks, we would be assured of eternal salvation. Our Lady promises us all the graces necessary for our salvation if we keep The Five First Saturdays!
After Mass, we will have the veneration of the skull of St. Cuthbert who celebrated the Holy Mass here in this monastery when it belonged to the Arundells.
