Martin Jumbam

Catholic Meditation – First Sunday of Advent – Year B

Martin Jumbam

The Universal Church celebrates November 30, 2014 as the first Sunday of Advent in the liturgical year B.  The first Sunday of Advent marks the beginning of a new Church year. The season of Advent is a four-week period before Christmas during which the Church concentrates her attention on our Lord’s coming, a central theme in the Church’s worship. Advent (from the Latin adventus, meaning “coming”) looks back to the first coming of Christ, when he was born that first Christmas in Bethlehem over two thousand years ago, and it looks forward to his second coming at the end of time, when we will meet Him and His Father face-to-face in the glory of the heavenly kingdom.

During this liturgical year B, the Gospel readings will come mostly from the Gospel of Mark. Those of liturgical year A, the year that has just ended, came from the Gospel of Matthew and those of liturgical year C will come from the Gospel of Luke. These three Gospels are so similar that they can be placed side-by-side and viewed as it were at a glance: for this reason they are called ‘synoptic’, meaning at a glance. The Gospel of John is only heard in Lent and Eastertide.

Catholic Meditation – Solemnity of Christ King of the Universe

Martin Jumbam

Mother Church celebrates Sunday, November 23, 2014 as the thirty fourth Sunday of Ordinary Time, the last Sunday of liturgical Year A. It is the Solemnity of Christ as the King of the Universe. In the Entrance Antiphon we pray: “The Lamb who was slain is worthy to receive strength and divinity, wisdom and power and honor: to him be glory and power for ever. Amen.”

All the readings of this day centre on the kingship of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. In the first reading, the prophet Ezekiel outlines the duties of a shepherd, one who takes good care of his flock. We are here in the presence of a different kind of king, one who truly serves his people, instead of the other way round. In the second reading, from Saint Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians, the Apostle of the Gentiles tells his converts of Corinth of the entire messianic and redemptive work of Christ who, by decree of the Father, was made Lord of the universe. In Matthew’s Gospel, we learn that Christ’s kingship is not like any other kingship in the world.  His is a kingdom of truth and life, of holiness and grace, of justice, love and peace. In the course of this Eucharist, let us pray for the grace to follow Christ, the Universal King, so that when our time on earth runs out, we will be enlisted among the righteous ones who are invited to enter into the glory of his heavenly kingdom.  

Catholic Meditation - Thirty Third Sunday of Ordinary Time - Year A

Martin Jumbam

Mother Church invites us to celebrate Sunday, November 16, 2014, the thirty third Sunday of Ordinary Time – Year A.  In the Entrance Antiphon we pray: “The Lord say: my plans for you are peace and not disaster; when you call to me, I will listen to you, and I will bring you back to the place from which I exiled you. Amen.” This thirty third Sunday is the last but one Sunday of our liturgical year. The theme of this Eucharist is found in Matthew’s Gospel, which is, how well we have exercised our stewardship over the gifts God has given us. Have we buried our God-given talents for fear of taking the risks necessary for success in any enterprise, or have we gone out into the world and invested them wisely, thus reaping the inevitable benefits that come to those who actively participate in tilling the Lord’s vineyard, with all the risks and inconveniences that usually accompany such acts? Let us pray in the course of this Eucharist for the grace to invest the talents God has given us well, especially the talent of love and charity.

Catholic Meditation – Solemnity of Christ King of the Universe

 Martin Jumbam

Sunday, November 23, 2014, Mother Church celebrates the thirty fourth Sunday of Ordinary Time, the last Sunday of Liturgical Year A. It is the Solemnity of Christ as the King of the Universe. In the Entrance Antiphon we pray: “The Lamb who was slain is worthy to receive strength and divinity, wisdom and power and honor: to him be glory and power for ever. Amen.”  The readings of this day's Eucharist centre on the kingship of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. In the first reading, the prophet Ezekiel outlines the duties of a shepherd, one who takes good care of his flock. We are here in the presence of a different kind of king, one who truly serves his people, instead of the other way round. In the second reading, from Saint Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians, the Apostle of the Gentiles tells his converts of Corinth of the entire messianic and redemptive work of Christ who, by decree of the Father, was made Lord of the universe. In Matthew’s Gospel, we learn that Christ’s kingship is not like any other kingship in the world.  His is a kingdom of truth and life, of holiness and grace, of justice, love and peace. In the course of this Eucharist, let us pray for the grace to follow Christ, the Universal King, so that when our time on earth runs out, we will be enlisted among the righteous ones who are invited to enter into the glory of his heavenly kingdom.