{"id":17379,"date":"2014-12-17T15:29:24","date_gmt":"2014-12-17T21:29:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/?p=17379"},"modified":"2017-04-17T21:58:50","modified_gmt":"2017-04-18T01:58:50","slug":"the-reign-of-the-lion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/the-reign-of-the-lion\/","title":{"rendered":"The Reign of the Lion","gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"text"}]},"content":{"rendered":"
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THE NOW WORD ON MASS READINGS
for December 17th, 2014
of the Third Week of Advent<\/p>\n

Liturgical texts here<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

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HOW<\/strong> are we to understand the prophetic texts of Scripture which imply that, with the coming of the Messiah, justice and peace would reign, and He would crush His enemies beneath His feet? For would it not appear that 2000 years later, these prophecies have utterly failed?<\/p>\n

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Jesus came to announce to the world that He was the way out of darkness, by following the light of truth, which leads to life.<\/p>\n

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The descent into hell brings the Gospel message of salvation to complete fulfillment.<\/span><\/strong> \u2014Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC), <\/em>n. 634<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

So by His death and Resurrection, Jesus accomplished His mission to reconcile mankind with the Father. However… a big <\/em>however:<\/p>\n

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Christ\u2019s redemptive act did not of itself restore all things, it simply made the work of redemption possible, it began our redemption. Just as all men share in the disobedience of Adam, so all men must share in the obedience of Christ to the Father\u2019s will. Redemption will be complete only when all men share his obedience.<\/strong> \u2014Fr. Walter Ciszek, He Leadeth Me<\/em>, pg. 116-117; quoted in The Splendor of Creation<\/em>, Fr. Joseph Iannuzzi, pg. 259<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

This is precisely the prophecy in today’s first reading regarding the Lion of Judah, one of Christ’s titles.<\/p>\n

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The scepter shall never depart from Judah, or the mace from between his feet, until tribute comes to him, and he receives the people\u2019s obedience.<\/em> (Gen 49:10)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Redemption “in the fullness of time” will not be accomplished until the Gospel reaches the ends of the earth\u00a0“as a witness to all nations, and then the end will come.”<\/em> [1]<\/sup><\/a>cf. Matt 24:14<\/span><\/span>