w2314AFC040723 – Short and Simple
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A pile of keys outside an antique shop in Eton.
Aloha nui loa, ʻŌmea! Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Christ Jesus our Lord. You might recognize ← this image. It means that this post is loaded with Scripture. The title – Sort and Simple – refers to the fact that each passage will be presented on its own, for the most part, with a few comments interspersed here and there.
Today is Good Friday (↔ Learning Link), and we are in the center of the Triduum – a very L-O-N-G single event that begins on Thursday evening and runs through Sunday morning. During that period, my hope is that you’ll will make time to review some of these passages – even use the links I’ve provided – and soak your soul in the sweetness of Holy Scripture. Before we get into that, though, just a little housekeeping.
Beginning tomorrow, April 8, Crucita and I will be on a little “stay-cation” up in Princeville on the North end of Kauaʻi. For next Friday’s post, I will send you only a link for something I will (or have already) post(ed) before we depart. It’s only around 25 miles away, but on some days it can take more than an hour to get from there to Kapaʻa, and 2 hours to get from Princeville to Lihuʻe. Whatever I chose or prepare will need to be read online. The link will also be posted to my Facebook page (I hope). Please remember: if you are using an iOS device, you can select “Reader Version” if you find it difficult to read light-against-dark printing colors. We also have a little rectangle in the upper-left corner of each post that will give you a non-dynamic text version. OK, then! We’re off to see the King! (↔ Music Link) As you approach each passage, I encourage you to read them aloud or at least “silently vocalize” (lip-sync) each of them.
We begin with some well-trod ground with phrases that are not Scripture, but are scriptural – the memorial acclamations used in the Eucharistic prayers before and after the revision of the Roman Missal beginning in 2008:
We proclaim your death, O Lord, and profess your Resurrection until you come again.
When we eat this Bread and drink this Cup, we proclaim your death, O Lord, until you come again.
Save us, Savior of the world, for by your Cross and Resurrection, you have set us free.
Dying, you destroyed our death; rising you restored our life. Lord, Jesus, come in glory.
Christ has died. Christ has risen. Christ will come again.
When we eat this bread and drink this cup, we proclaim your death, Lord Jesus, until you come in glory.
Lord, by your cross and resurrection, you have set us free. You are the Savior of the World.
Save us, Savior of the world, for by your Cross and Resurrection, you have set us free.
Here we begin with Scripture, but not necessarily in chronological order. As you speak them please try to sort them into their places in the History of Salvation fully aware that history is His Story.
Some of those should ring a bell, I hope, and as you read them please remember to speak them.
Luke 2:9-11 – 9 Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for see — I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: 11 to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord.
Genesis 3:15 –
15 I will put enmity between you and the woman,
and between your offspring and hers;
he will strike your head,
and you will strike his heel.”
Genesis 12:1 – 1 Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you.
Psalm 2:7 –
7 I will tell of the decree of the Lord:
He said to me, “You are my son;
today I have begotten you.
Psalm 51:15 –
15 O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth will declare your praise.
(do you remember the response in the Prayer to the Holy Spirit which begins with the words “Incline unto?”
Isaiah 7:14 – 14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin will conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. World English Bible (WEB) Used with permission.
A REFLECTION ON WHAT IS HERE SO FAR:
He refused to save himself so that he could save all of us. Therefore, we have gratitude and we are given grace to understand so we can continue to fulfill our mission in his mission because we will have distractions which will require us to stay focused on Jesus. In the Life of Christian Service, and on our mission, we are broken and shared because a broken heart expresses, and exposes, its secret of seeing how beautiful is the body of Christ. (↔ Music Link)
Psalm 110:3
3 Yours is royal dignity in the day of your birth;
in holy splendor, before the daystar,
like the dew, I have begotten you.”
New Catholic Bible (NCB) Copyright © 2019 by Catholic Book Publishing Corp. All rights reserved. [Used by permission]
Psalm 110:4 –
4 The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind,
“You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.
We always remember, of course, the momentous event that brought us “ a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord” as it is told to us in Luke 1:28-38 – Our Holy Mother’s fiat. (OPEN THE LINK and meditate on the full content and impact of the event that led to the defeat of Ha-Satan)
The following were made available to us by our Brother and coworker in Christ, Nicholas J Stojakovich. They remind us that as Christians and Jews we are now targets of many hate-crimes; however, we have a fortress, a refuge, a Strong and Mighty Arm to defend us!
Genesis 50:20 – 20 Even though you intended to do harm to me, God intended it for good, in order to preserve a numerous people, as he is doing today.
Romans 8:28 – 28 We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.
Psalm 33:10 –
10 The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing;
he frustrates the plans of the peoples.
Psalm 21:11 –
11 If they plan evil against you,
if they devise mischief, they will not succeed.
Job 5:12-13 –
12 He frustrates the devices of the crafty,
so that their hands achieve no success.
13 He takes the wise in their own craftiness;
and the schemes of the wily are brought to a quick end.
Psalm 21:11 –
11 If they plan evil against you,
if they devise mischief, they will not succeed.
And in the same way we are certain that “they will have their reward.” (See Matthew Chapter 6 for multiple examples. Understanding these lessons from Jesus is essential to Christian life.)
We also know that God commands that HIS rules for the universe are what we are to follow, the moral criteria for living a Blesséd Life, and not the amoral or contra-moral laws implemented by political vermiforms such as these:
1 Corinthians 6:9-11 – 9 Do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived! Fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, male prostitutes, sodomites, 10 thieves, the greedy, drunkards, revilers, robbers—none of these will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And this is what some of you used to be. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.
God (remember that’s the same as “Trinity” in these pages) does not permit anything or anyone contaminated with unrepented evil to enter his house, so here are some additional wise words for those folks who think they can outsmart God by going, “Nyah-nyah-nyah-nyaaah-nyah! You can-a-an’t catch me!” Take a moment to let the underlined words sink in when it comes to so-called “refuge cites” that decry and defy moral law and tout their immorality – like Honolulu for instance.
Proverbs 6:16-19 –
16 There are six things that the Lord hates,
seven that are an abomination to him:
17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue,
and hands that shed innocent blood,
18 a heart that devises wicked plans,
feet that hurry to run to evil,
19 a lying witness who testifies falsely,
and one who sows discord in a family.
It is the Lord who judges, and his judgment is just. He knows the heart of each of us and rewards us according to his Perfect Integrity, Endless Mercy, Everlasting Love, and Eternal Salvation through Christ our Lord. Sometimes during Mass, if we are listening carefully to the Eucharistic Prayer, we might hear these words:
Eucharistic Prayer IV – Intercessions (partial) Remember also those who have died in the peace of your Christ and all the dead, whose faith you alone have known.
This weekend we are given extra and very special time to be contemporaneously concomitant (↔ Learning Link) with Jesus as we listen to the whole array of Messianic Scripture, prayers, and Rites that comprise the Triduum. The most beautiful, the most important, and the most dear of these treasures from the hand of God are these:
Matthew 26:26-30 – 26 While they were eating, Jesus took a loaf of bread, and after blessing it he broke it, gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” 27 Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you; 28 for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many* for the forgiveness of sins. 29 I tell you, I will never again drink of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.” ** πολλῶν (pollon) from πολύς (polus) {pol-oos’} – signifies ‘many, numerous’; with the article it is said of a multitude as being numerous or abundant, plenteous; many, a large part of mankind. This is similar to the Hebrew word רַב (rab) {rab} – much, abundant, abounding, great or great in numbers. (↔ Learning Link)
30 When they had sung the hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
(See also Mark 14:32-42; Luke 22:39-46)
We can also seek the will of God when it comes to our choices. How is it possible that we can so easily betray Someone whom we love so much?! Our prayer can also be “Not my will but yours be done.” Often times we end up praying “Not thy will but mine be done. 
Here’s my list.” Let’s not, and say we know better. If we focus on our intentionality as Disciples, we must know that without Calvary there is no Easter, and without Easter, there is no Bride of Christ. When we struggle with the rigors of obedience and humility, it will be those four words that will make our struggle fruitful – THY WILL BE DONE. (↔ Music Link) It’s a short and simple way to rest against The Master’s shoulder and know that we are finally safe at Home. We arrive at living with Jesus by Living For Jesus (↔ Music Link) That’s the Power in the Blood that animates the Absolutely Perfect Plan.
God bless you always and all ways. See you in two weeks, but watch for a link after seven days.
Whatever, whenever, wherever, whoever, however, if ever, forever —
at your service, Belovéd!
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Unless otherwise indicated, all scripture passages are from the New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE) New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Biblical languages inserts from Bible Hub (Bible Hub: Search, Read, Study the Bible in Many Languages) Visit at http://biblehub.com
Aloha Friday Messages by Charles O. Todd, III is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License
