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Fifth Day
Theme:
The reign of God will replace all worldly kingdoms
The issue addressed:
Need to relativize the things of this world, and resist getting absorbed
by a consumer society while at the same time building up a civilization
of love.
Object: Create the awareness of the absolute priority of the reign of Christ over the temporal powers of this world. Create in this way an attitude of subordinating personal and national interests to the interests of Christ.
Scripture readings:
Isa.2:1-5; Ps.122; Jn.2:13-23
Alleluia: Alleluia. Alleluia. Come, Key of David, opening the gates of God's eternal kingdom: free the prisoners of darkness! Alleluia.
Adapted reading from the Nican Mopohva ( 2:14.23-26):
When Juan Diego reached the top of the hill, he saw a woman, who was standing. She told him to draw near.Symbols in this context: The mountain, the meaning of the pyramids, and the importance of Tepeyac for the Aztecs, the construction of a new temple on the ruins of the old one. The new Christian meaning.
Upon reaching her presence, he was utterly amazed by her surpassing beauty: her garments seemed like the sun and emitted rays . . .
Then she spoke to him and said: " Know and take to heart, my most forsaken son, that I am the ever-Virgin Holy Mary, Mother of The God of Great Truth, Teotl, of The One through Whom we Live, of The Creator of People, of The Owner of that which is Close and Together, of the Lord of Heaven and of Earth."
I deeply want a temple built for me here, so that in it I may show and bestow all my love, compassion, aid, and protection; for I am indeed your merciful mother; yours, and all your fellow-dwellers in this land and my other loved ones who plead with me and confide in me. I will hear their lamentations, and remedy all their miseries, pains, and afflictions."
Theme developed:The
reign of God should emerge and transform history from within, defeating
tyrannical, corrupt and oppressive governments, and allow governments of
justice, truth, freedom, love and peace to appear.
Many peoples of all times have had the custom of constructing temples
in elevated places. The top of a mountain seems closer to heaven. If one
is on top, one has a beautiful view, and one can see the world below better;
the things we value most we put on high. That is how the things of God
should be. They should be in a prominent place in our lives. From God's
perspective we see much better the things of life. With the help of God
we can understand the meaning of life, of suffering, and of death.
The most important religious occurrences in the Bible happen on mountains.
The ten commandments were given on Mt. Sinai. Christ gave us the beatitudes
on a hill; he was transfigured on another; died on Mt. Calvary, and ascended
into heaven on Mt. Olivet. Jerusalem itself and its temple are constructed
on a hill. Many hills are not high, but they are all elevations. The temples
themselves as centers of important cities have had their importance. Political
and economic powers have been prominent and often served the interests
of the individuals in power rather than the interest of God and of the
people.
All the nations of Mesoamerica had this sense for high places. That
is why the pyramids were built as places of prayer and religious rituals.
They were considered temples. That is why the hill of Tepeyac was a place
of worship and this was dedicated to Tonantzin. But her temple was destroyed.
Would it not be a symbolic reflection of the words of Christ: "Destroy
this temple, and in three days I will build it up again?" Christ has come
to plant his reign. The temples that should be destroyed are those that
serve the selfish interests of a few, at the expense of the majority of
the people. It is not that God wants to take away temporal powers, but
that they be transformed from within, in such a way that the values of
the reign are always first. If the reign was truly at the center of people's
interests, then all structures and powers would generate kindness, justice,
freedom, truth, mutual love. With a new temple on Tepeyac, this becomes
a place to generate new hearts so that there may be a new civilization
based on love. But the temple at Tepeyac was to be a place among the poor
Mexicas and not at the centers of domineering power as at Tlatelolco in
the center of the city (Siller Acuna-1981/1989-77)(Elizondo-1980: 73; 117).
Tepeyac reminds us that God's power emerges from simplicity and generosity
of life, found mostly among the poor.
The civilization of love Christ has established forever and for all
places. Christ formed the Church to form this new and eternal civilization,
commonly called the reign of God. That is why personal, family and national
interests are relative before those of the reign of Christ. Christ teaches
us that if we love others more than him, we are not worthy of him. If a
government, for example, asks me to commit an injustice, my loyalty is
first to Christ, before that to a government. Therefore, I must not commit
an injustice even if I am punished for not doing so. If a family pressures
one of its members to commit an act against the will of God, this member
must obey God even if s/he is disinherited by the family. These are extreme
examples but they illustrate better the point I'm trying to make. To follow
Christ in everything can lead to great sacrifices. One also must remain
firm before all that society offers that is contrary to the gospel. Consumerism,
materialistic ambitions, hunger for power, drugs and unbridled freedom
in all its forms, must be firmly rejected. Then yes, destroying the temples
of this world, we will let Christ build in us a new temple, from the sacrifice
of the cross. Because it is from sacrificial love, in fidelity to God ,and
in service to others, that the new temple is built.
Questions: Do we cling to the things of this world forgetting that we are pilgrims, or do we fight with all our strength so that the reign of God may be visible more and more in our life and in the world that surrounds us?
Prayers of the Faithful for the Fifth Day of the Novena:
Let us now present our petitions to the Lord responding: Lord, hear
our prayer.
1. So that in the midst of an environment which often reflects the
contrary of what Christ wants, we may know how to opt firmly for him and
his reign, even if this leads to persecution or even death. Let us
pray to the Lord.
2. So that the Spirit may help us and that the Virgin may inspire us
so that we may construct a true community of love in this corner of our
city. Let us pray to the Lord.
3. So that the corruption of drugs, the moral corruption, the violence
in the streets and in homes, the abuse and abandonment of children
and the elderly, and racial discriminations may end. Let us pray to the
Lord.
4. So that the Virgin of Guadalupe inspire the Church to be always
faithful to the gospel and may it recognize those things that need to be
purified when they do not conform to the message of Christ. Let us pray
to the Lord.
5. So that the Spirit of God uphold in power all those prophetic voices
of our time that try to build up a civilization of love, in the midst of
opposition at the service of interests alien to the gospel. Let us pray
to the Lord.
Let us pray:
All powerful God, infuse in us the power of your love, so that we may
know how to opt firmly for the values of the reign, even when this means
having to carry a cross because of it. Give us your courage of being willing
to die if necessary for the truth. And may we have the strength of the
Virgin who supported Christ at the foot of the cross when he died for us.
Through Christ Our Lord. Amen.