Sunday, October 30, 2016

Fr. Voigt, "Humility leads to Kingship"

Fr. Voigt, "Humility leads to Kingship"

We must have a king as all other nations!"  The Israelites demanded a king from the prophet, Samuel, who told them what a human king would do to their economy, the family and their faith.  It did not matter and God told Samuel that it was not the prophet who was being rejected but it was God Himself Whom they were rejecting.  God relented and gave the people Saul.  It was Samuel's task to "anoint" the first king of Israel.
This anointing took place with the "Chrism".  This oil would take on increasing significance as the kingship developed in the chosen people.  



"Art thou a king?"  Pilate inquired of Jesus.  It was for this that the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity entered our human flesh.  "I came to bear witness to the Truth."  At these words of Jesus, Pilate responded as our modern world would respond:  "Truth, what is that?"  The relativism of modern man knows only their personal and emotional truth; they will not seek the absolute truth nor believe that God's Word made Flesh has revealed Truth incarnate for our salvation.  The truth that must return to our souls is clearly that which 
is summed up by the anointing of Jesus Christ.  The anointing with Chrism presents us with the "Christ" for He is the anointed of the Lord and His presence is to share that anointing with all who believe.


In the tradition of the Old Testament the anointing was reserved for two categories of souls:  kings and priests.  Kings were anointed to judge and govern the people while the priest was anointed to offer atonement to God through a sacrificial lamb.  Now these two orders never intertwined but remained separate with priests anointing the king indicating that the supernatural life is over and above the material order.  


However, in the case of Our Lord, Jesus Christ, the two orders become united.  Jesus is our King of all kings; Jesus is the eternal High Priest.  This union creates the new order of grace for it initiates the great mystery of the Church.  The Church is best defined as the "Mystical Body" of Jesus.  This Mystical Body has our Lord as the Head and consequently the Mystical Body shares both in the priesthood and in the kingship of Our Lord.  Every soul baptized is anointed by the priest to share a twofold nature: i.e. that of a king and that of a priest.  What a great privilege baptism produces within the soul of the Catholic.


Now every Catholic has a divine dignity and destiny.  Catholics know that only within the Mystical Body can there be union with the King through the bloody sacrifice of the eternal high Priest.  This cannot be achieved outside of the Mystical Body (or outside of the Catholic Church).  This is the truth upon which the dogmas of the Church rests.  From this rock of truth flow the waters of regeneration upon all those who accept in faith the Words of God issued from the mouth of our Redeemer.  


Consider your own body.  The finger cannot say that it is not part of the body; nor can the eyes say they are not part of the body.  Each part of the body shares in the unity of the body but represents a different function.  In the Mystical Body all those baptized have  a unique role in the salvation of souls.  We are called to be apostolic and to call all those who hear the Word of God into the family of God.  If they reject this invitation they cannot enter the kingdom God has prepared for those who love Him.  It is impossible.  We cannot hope for the salvation of Baptists, Lutherans, Jews, Muslims, Hindus, etc. unless they come to the Lord and are baptized into the Mystical Body of Christ.  There cannot be many ways to God's kingdom; there can be only One Way.
To deny this truth means that Christ entered our humanity for no purpose and His self-immolation was totally unnecessary.  The denial of this act of God's love is the "unforgivable sin".


Today we stand with Christ, the anointed one, and we pray that all nations will return to God's Providential Plan revealed by Jesus.  We must return to the Theocracy of the Old Testament with the grace of the New Covenant.
We are "anointed" and we share in the eternal kingship and priesthood of the Lamb of God.  What a great privilege to possess and to share.  Let us take the first step and consecrate Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary and then the Kingship of her Son will take over the entire world.  Begin in your homes today to offer the consecration of the country of Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary and perhaps our prayers will influence the hierarchy to do what God has commanded for peace in our world.  Please God may it happen soon.


In the hearts of Jesus, Mary and Joseph,


Fr. Richard Voigt