Jan 22, 2024
(2Sm.6:12-15,17-19; Ps.24:7-10; Mk.3:31-35)
“Lift up, O gates, your lintels;
reach up, you ancient portals,
that the King of glory may come in!”
In our first reading David leads all the Israelites in, “bringing up the ark of the Lord with shouts of joy and to the sound of the horn.” “Dancing before the Lord with abandon,” he brings the ark into Jerusalem and sets it within its tent or tabernacle. All celebrate this day as they surround the ark on its journey and as David “offers holocausts and peace offerings before the Lord,” the ark having come to its place in the city of David. The Lord is in their midst, and so all the people rejoice.
In our gospel the ever present crowd of people is assembled, seated “in a circle” around Jesus. They surround the Lord as once the Israelites surrounded the ark – and how their hearts must celebrate at His presence in their midst. And how indeed their hearts must leap up to hear what is said of them: “These are my mother and my brothers.” For thus the Lord gathers them into His arms; thus He feeds them better than with the meat of any holocaust – thus they are protected forever by His holy presence.
“Who is this King of glory? The Lord, strong and mighty, the Lord, mighty in battle.” He blesses and protects all His children; He makes all who worship Him His own. And what need we do but celebrate; what need we do but shout for joy? For He is present before us. For He enters into us, into the New Jerusalem in which we dwell. Here in His Church we have His Blessed Sacrament to feed us on our way to Him. In this He is already with us, as He is in His teaching and in His priests and in all His brothers and sisters and mothers – “whoever does the will of God” becomes one with Him.
We love you, Lord our God, for your presence among us! We praise you, dearest Jesus, for your presence within us! O brothers and sisters, make room for His entry into your hearts and minds, bodies and souls, that you might enter in with Him to His heavenly kingdom. He stands and knocks at the door even now. Will you open and welcome Him into your home?
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O LORD, let us rejoice before the ark of the Covenant
come into our midst in Jesus our King and Brother.
YHWH, come into our homes, into our hearts, that we might be your House, one with your Son. He is truly your Temple; let us open wide our gates that He might enter in and make His home with us.
Mother and brother and sister of Jesus let us be, O LORD, surrounding Him as His holy family. Let us rejoice at His Word and so follow your will in all things. May He look upon us with mercy and give us of Himself to eat.
What should we do but dance and sing and praise your holy NAME for your presence in our midst, for your entering our poor souls and remaining ever with us? O let us offer ourselves to you in sacrifice! that indeed your will might be done in our lives. Come and make your home in us, dearest LORD and God.
We feed upon your Word, O LORD, and on His body and blood. May He serve as King over us that we might enter your reign.