Reading 1 Ez 34:11-12, 15-17
Thus says the Lord GOD:
I myself will look after and tend my sheep.
As a shepherd tends his flock
when he finds himself among his scattered sheep,
so will I tend my sheep.
I will rescue them from every place where they were scattered
when it was cloudy and dark.
I myself will pasture my sheep;
I myself will give them rest, says the Lord GOD.
The lost I will seek out,
the strayed I will bring back,
the injured I will bind up,
the sick I will heal,
but the sleek and the strong I will destroy,
shepherding them rightly.
As for you, my sheep, says the Lord GOD,
I will judge between one sheep and another,
between rams and goats.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 23:1-2, 2-3, 5-6
R. (1) The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
In verdant pastures he gives me repose.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
Beside restful waters he leads me;
he refreshes my soul.
He guides me in right paths
for his name’s sake.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
You spread the table before me
in the sight of my foes;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
Only goodness and kindness follow me
all the days of my life;
and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD
for years to come.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
Reading 2 1 Cor 15:20-26, 28
Brothers and sisters:
Christ has been raised from the dead,
the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
For since death came through man,
the resurrection of the dead came also through man.
For just as in Adam all die,
so too in Christ shall all be brought to life,
but each one in proper order:
Christ the firstfruits;
then, at his coming, those who belong to Christ;
then comes the end,
when he hands over the kingdom to his God and Father,
when he has destroyed every sovereignty
and every authority and power.
For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.
The last enemy to be destroyed is death.
When everything is subjected to him,
then the Son himself will also be subjected
to the one who subjected everything to him,
so that God may be all in all.
Gospel Mt 25:31-46
Jesus said to his disciples:
“When the Son of Man comes in his glory,
and all the angels with him,
he will sit upon his glorious throne,
and all the nations will be assembled before him.
And he will separate them one from another,
as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.
He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
Then the king will say to those on his right,
‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father.
Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
For I was hungry and you gave me food,
I was thirsty and you gave me drink,
a stranger and you welcomed me,
naked and you clothed me,
ill and you cared for me,
in prison and you visited me.’
Then the righteous will answer him and say,
‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you,
or thirsty and give you drink?
When did we see you a stranger and welcome you,
or naked and clothe you?
When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?’
And the king will say to them in reply,
‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did
for one of the least brothers of mine, you did for me.’
Then he will say to those on his left,
‘Depart from me, you accursed,
into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
For I was hungry and you gave me no food,
I was thirsty and you gave me no drink,
a stranger and you gave me no welcome,
naked and you gave me no clothing,
ill and in prison, and you did not care for me.’
Then they will answer and say,
‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty
or a stranger or naked or ill or in prison,
and not minister to your needs?’
He will answer them, ‘Amen, I say to you,
what you did not do for one of these least ones,
you did not do for me.’
And these will go off to eternal punishment,
but the righteous to eternal life.”
Reading from another day, here by an accident.
Reading 1 2 Mc 7:1, 20-31
It happened that seven brothers with their mother were arrested
and tortured with whips and scourges by the king,
to force them to eat pork in violation of God’s law.
Most admirable and worthy of everlasting remembrance was the mother,
who saw her seven sons perish in a single day,
yet bore it courageously because of her hope in the Lord.
Filled with a noble spirit that stirred her womanly heart with manly courage,
she exhorted each of them
in the language of their ancestors with these words:
“I do not know how you came into existence in my womb;
it was not I who gave you the breath of life,
nor was it I who set in order
the elements of which each of you is composed.
Therefore, since it is the Creator of the universe
who shapes each man’s beginning,
as he brings about the origin of everything,
he, in his mercy,
will give you back both breath and life,
because you now disregard yourselves for the sake of his law.”
Antiochus, suspecting insult in her words,
thought he was being ridiculed.
As the youngest brother was still alive, the king appealed to him,
not with mere words, but with promises on oath,
to make him rich and happy if he would abandon his ancestral customs:
he would make him his Friend
and entrust him with high office.
When the youth paid no attention to him at all,
the king appealed to the mother,
urging her to advise her boy to save his life.
After he had urged her for a long time,
she went through the motions of persuading her son.
In derision of the cruel tyrant,
she leaned over close to her son and said in their native language:
“Son, have pity on me, who carried you in my womb for nine months,
nursed you for three years, brought you up,
educated and supported you to your present age.
I beg you, child, to look at the heavens and the earth
and see all that is in them;
then you will know that God did not make them out of existing things;
and in the same way the human race came into existence.
Do not be afraid of this executioner,
but be worthy of your brothers and accept death,
so that in the time of mercy I may receive you again with them.”
She had scarcely finished speaking when the youth said:
“What are you waiting for?
I will not obey the king’s command.
I obey the command of the law given to our fathers through Moses.
But you, who have contrived every kind of affliction for the Hebrews,
will not escape the hands of God.”
Responsorial Psalm Ps 17:1bcd, 5-6, 8b and 15
R. (15b) Lord, when your glory appears, my joy will be full.
Hear, O LORD, a just suit;
attend to my outcry;
hearken to my prayer from lips without deceit.
R. Lord, when your glory appears, my joy will be full.
My steps have been steadfast in your paths,
my feet have not faltered.
I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God;
incline your ear to me; hear my word.
R. Lord, when your glory appears, my joy will be full.
Keep me as the apple of your eye;
hide me in the shadow of your wings.
But I in justice shall behold your face;
on waking, I shall be content in your presence.
R. Lord, when your glory appears, my joy will be full.
Gospel Lk 19:11-28
While people were listening to Jesus speak,
he proceeded to tell a parable because he was near Jerusalem
and they thought that the Kingdom of God
would appear there immediately.
So he said,
“A nobleman went off to a distant country
to obtain the kingship for himself and then to return.
He called ten of his servants and gave them ten gold coins
and told them, ‘Engage in trade with these until I return.’
His fellow citizens, however, despised him
and sent a delegation after him to announce,
‘”We do not want this man to be our king.’
But when he returned after obtaining the kingship,
he had the servants called, to whom he had given the money,
to learn what they had gained by trading.
The first came forward and said,
‘Sir, your gold coin has earned ten additional ones.’
He replied, ‘Well done, good servant!
You have been faithful in this very small matter;
take charge of ten cities.’
Then the second came and reported,
‘Your gold coin, sir, has earned five more.’
And to this servant too he said,
‘You, take charge of five cities.’
Then the other servant came and said,
‘Sir, here is your gold coin;
I kept it stored away in a handkerchief,
for I was afraid of you, because you are a demanding man;
you take up what you did not lay down
and you harvest what you did not plant.’
He said to him,
‘With your own words I shall condemn you,
you wicked servant.
You knew I was a demanding man,
taking up what I did not lay down
and harvesting what I did not plant;
why did you not put my money in a bank?
Then on my return I would have collected it with interest.’
And to those standing by he said,
‘Take the gold coin from him
and give it to the servant who has ten.’
But they said to him,
‘Sir, he has ten gold coins.’
He replied, ‘I tell you,
to everyone who has, more will be given,
but from the one who has not,
even what he has will be taken away.
Now as for those enemies of mine who did not want me as their king,
bring them here and slay them before me.'”
After he had said this,
he proceeded on his journey up to Jerusalem.
Catholic Fundamentalism Interpretation:
In this passage, the coming place of safety, the Western Hemisphere, North and South America, is predicted. Catholic Fundamentalism believes that when He predicts, “I will rescue my sheep”, that He is not only talking about a return to Israel, but also saving the Christians from tyranny by giving the faithful Catholics to come a place to live.
He has “rescued us from every place” our ancestors were scattered .without hope. Here, the descendants of the Lost Tribes, exiled into the North in 720 B.C., would have a place to live and grow in safety. He then destroyed their tyrants.
He promises to still pass His Judgment among us, so it is important to be obedient and faithful.
R. The Loving Programmer provides all the programming assistance I will need.
The Loving Programmer takes care of me, programming what assistance I need. He provides rest.
R. The Loving Programmer provides all the programming assistance I will need.
He not only provides for my material needs, He puts my soul is a state of continual closeness and restoration, for His Name’s sake.
R. The Loving Programmer provides all the programming assistance I will need.
(When we ask) You will give me riches, though my foes can see what I have, You grant me what I need. And, you keep me close to You, so that my cup overflows, spiritually, mentally, and physically.
R. The Loving Programmer provides all the programming assistance I will need.
Only goodness and kindness follow me, as long as I live, and I shall be with Him, on earth and in Heaven, forever.
R. The Loving Programmer provides all the programming assistance I will every need.
Brothers and Sisters, Christ, The Program, Who took perfect, obedient, human form, came to earth to atone for our sins. He allowed Himself, The Program, the fullness of creation, to be erased. Then, He was restored.
Similarly, we can share that Restoration in and through Him. Coming to live with Him is done in right order. First, The Program was fully restored. Then, when He comes again, those who belong to Him will be restored.
Then, when The Creation Program comes to its appointed end, and He hands over The Kingdom, those within The Program, to The Loving Programmer, He will have (spiritually and intellectually) destroyed every other power so that those programs who believe will remain in restoration.
The last enemy to be destroyed is that which can erase human programs. When everything (that’s supposed to be restored) obeys, then The Program, Himself, will take His place in Heaven. (Kindness and mercy will triumph over hate and unforgiveness).
The Loving Program told the first human programs who made the necessary download of belief, “When I come in glory with My angels, I will be on My glorious throne, and every soul who ever lived will be before Me by nation.
“I will separate them as as shepherd separates sheep from goats. I will place the sheep on My right and the goats on My left.
Then, I and The Loving Programmer, speaking as One with The Holy Wireless Connector, will say to those on My right,
‘Come, you who are blessed by The Loving Programmer. You will now take possession of the Kingdom that has been written and downloaded for you from the first moment that The Program began to be written. (It was all for each of us who believe!).
You who are chosen showed your belief by giving Me food and drink when I was hungry and thirsty. You welcomed Me when I was a stranger. You gave me what I needed, both encouragement and care, when I needed it.’
“Then, those who hear the Words (the righteous) will be made to understand that the human programs who helped other human programs in danger of being erased are doing the Will of The Programmer, and they will be saved because of it.
To those who ignored or caused suffering will be sent to Hell and eternal pain. They did not help the other human programs in need, but discouraged their existence, and by doing so, encouraged them to be erased.
The key to the passage is love of neighbor. We who love our neighbors are saved. We who put ourselves ahead of our neighbors so much that we did not help them are rejected by Him. He wrote and downloaded the entire Creation Program simply so that we would decide whether or not we loved our neighbors, and obeyed The Loving Programmer’s Operating Instructions to help them.”
In an attempt to replace God with political authority, the king arrested seven brothers and their mother, and tortured them to make them eat pork.
Their mother was so admirable as to be worthy of everlastingly remembered. She saw her seven sons killed in a day, and her belief let her bear the grief with courage.
She was filled with a noble spirit that gave her manly courage. She told them, “I don’t know the mystery of how you came to life in me. I did not program you, nor did I program and download the elements that were brought together to make you.
Therefore, it is The Loving Programmer of all who programs each person’s individual program, as He programs everything.
He, in His mercy, will restore your own program (if this evil king erases them) because you have put Him above earthly concerns.
Antiochus, who didn’t understand her language, thought he was being insulted.
As the youngest brother was still alive, Antiochus tried to bribe him to give up his faith, promising him wealth and power if he’d only do his will.
When the boy paid no attention to him, Antiochus asked his mother to tell his son to save his life. She pretended to do so, but told him to stand firm in his faith.
The son obeyed his mother, and followed his faith to death. He obeyed the law as transmitted from The Loving Programmer through Moses.
Loving Programmer, when Your glory appears, I will be as filled with joy as it’s possible to be.
Hear, O Loving Programmer, my plea for justice. Grant that for which I ask, because I do not lie.
Loving Programmer, when Your glory appears, I will be as filled with joy as it’s possible to be.
I have followed Your operating Instructions. I have not hesitated to do Your will. I ask for programming assistance because I know You will provide it. Hear me, O Loving Programmer.
Loving Programmer, when Your glory appears, I will be as filled with joy as it’s possible to be.
Keep me among Your favored. Hide me in the shadow of Your power. But, I shall see Your Face. When my soul leaves my body, I will be content to be in Your Presence.
Loving Programmer, when Your glory appears, I will be as filled with joy as it’s possible to be.
Jesus, The Program, Who took human form and came to save us, tells those who choose to listen to Him, and who believed The Current Program was coming to an end, this parable:
“Jesus left Heaven to become King of Earth and then return.
He called ten of His angels, and gave them access to energy, telling them to use them for earthly concerns.
The Virus did not want The Program to take human form and take His Kingdom to earth. Viruses were sent to corrupt the world, in every age, telling everyone that “We don’t want this Man to be our King.”
But, He went to earth, and became King of all those who believed and obeyed His commands.
After His Resurrection and Ascension, He asked the angels in Heaven what they’d accomplished while He was gone. The first had turned his gold coin (access to one believer) into ten (believers). He was given charge of ten cities (city-states, nations?) in His earthly Kingdom.
The second, who’d turned his coin into five, was given charge of five political entities.
The last simply returned the coin, having been too afraid to use it for investing, or even to gain interest. He tried to justify his fear by recounting Christ’s power.
Jesus said to Him, “Your own words justify Me in condemning you. You knew that I was demanding, so why didn’t you just bank the money? You have even denied me interest on my investment.”
He ordered the angels nearby to take the coin from him and give it to the man who had ten political units under his control.
They said, “But he already has ten.”
He answered, “I tell you, to those who have the ability to use their talents to do more, more will be given. But, those who don’t have the ability to do so, will lose what little they have.
“Now, as for those who didn’t want Me to be their King, either in Heaven or on Earth, bring them here and erase their programs right here, in front of Me.”
After He’d explained what was going on, He went on, to Jerusalem.
