St. Paul of the Cross, priest 

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊

Ephesians 2:12-22

 At that time you were with­out Christ,

You did not belong to the community of Israel; the covenants of God and his promises were not for you; you had no hope and were without God in this world. But now, in Christ Jesus and by his blood, you who were once far off have come near.

 For Christ is our peace, he who has made the two peoples one, destroying in his own flesh the wall—the hatred—which separated us. He abolished the Law with its commands and precepts.

He made peace in uniting the two peoples in him, creating out of the two one New Man. He destroyed hatred and reconciled us both to God through the cross, making the two one body.

 He came to proclaim peace; peace to you who were far off, peace to the Jews who were near. Through him we—the two peo­ples—approach the Father in one Spirit. Now you are no longer strangers or guests, but fellow citizens of the holy people: you are of the household of God.

You are the house whose foundations are the apostles and proph­­­ets, and whose cornerstone is Christ Jesus. In him the whole structure is joined together and rises to be a holy temple in the Lord. In him you too are being built to become the spiritual sanctuary of God.

 

Ps 85:9ab-10, 11-12, 13-14

The Lord speaks of peace to his people.

 

＊＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊＊

Luke 12:35-38

Be ready, dressed for service, and keep your lamps lit, like people waiting for their master to return from the wed­ding. As soon as he comes and knocks, they will open to him.  Happy are those servants whom the master finds wide-awake when he comes.

 Truly, I tell you, he will put on an apron and have them sit at table and he will wait on them. Happy are those servants if he finds them awake when he comes at midnight or daybreak!

 

Gospel Reflection：

St. Paul tells the Ephesians that by the precious blood of Christ Jesus we, “who were once far off, have come near.” Indeed we have now become members of the household of God!

We do not just bear image of God but are, by the Cross of Jesus Christ, now citizens of the Holy People. Our loyalty truly is not to Caesar but to Christ!(Recall last Sunday’s theme)

Belonging to the household of God is a privilege and a task. It is by grace that we have been incorporated to the Body of Christ. But we have also to  be responsible servants preparing for the return of the Master.

Jesus advices his disciples to be ready for His return at the end of time. Jesus even gives a beautiful incentive to those who are prepared. He says that He, the Lord, would serve His servants! (We remember the Last Supper!)

St. Paul of the Cross, whose memorial we celebrate today showed special love for the Cross of Jesus Christ that made us belong to the household of God. by his life of penance.