Psalm 24

To our God belongs the whole world and all it contains

the whole world and all who live in it.

This means that God owns the entire world, all people, nations, and species of creatures.

He founded it upon the oceans and established it on the waters beneath.

This is symbolic of God who founded our world on the purification of baptism.

Who may ascend to Yahweh's mountain, who may stand at Yahweh's holy shrine.

The mountain is the mountain of our hearts and the shrine is the shrine of the blessed sacrament.

The man who has clean hands and a pure heart is one that 

Speaks truth and his heart is meek and humble.

He does not lift up his sole to a false God.

This means that his God, Jesus, has first place in his heart.

Amen

Queen of Esther Symbolizes Queen Mary

King Ahasuerus represents King Jesus

Queen Esther represents Queen Mary

Haman represents the devil

Queen Esther prayed for her people

For three days and three nights with her hand maidens

In order to go into the King's presence and ask him for a favor

The King put out his royal scepter to her 

And she invited him and Haman to come to a banquet

At the banquet they asked her what is her request 

And she invited them to come to a second banquet

Because she found favor in the King's eyes.

Just like Mary found favor in the eyes of Jesus

At the second banquet everyone ate

Queen Esther begged for the life of her people

This is equivalent to Mary asking God for our eternal life

And to be spared from the hand of the devil.

Amen

Isiah 53 and the Fulfillment in Christ

As the prophet Isaiah saw, in the time before crucifixion

He saw a prophecy about the crucifixion of Christ.

In his words, "he bore our grief and carried our sorrows"

This is symbolic of the cross that Jesus literally and figuratively carried.

Isiah said he was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities.

In New Testament Jesus was whipped for our transgressions 

And a crown of thorns was laid upon his head for our iniquities.

Isiah said, "we all, like sheep, have gone astray. 

We have turned everyone his own way, 

And the Lord has laid on him the iniquities of us all."

The Romans laid the cross on Jesus which was symbolic of our iniquities.

Our iniquities are not actually heavy, but they are heavy to the Lord,

Just like the cross on Jesus' shoulders was heavy.

Just as a crucified man would smell bad to us,

So would sin smell bad to a Holy God.

Amen

The Millennial Reign of Christ

Oh Christ, you will reign for a thousand years

And then forever and ever.

During the millennial reign there shall be peace on earth.

The lion shall lay down with the lamb

People shall beat their swords into plowshares,

Their spears into pruning hooks,

Neither shall there war nor injustice.

Those who were once vulnerable, shall be safe.

Crimes will disappear from the earth.

Amen

Red Carnations Represent the Blood of Christ

Oh Jesus, you shed your blood on the via della rosa and golgotha

And every time your blood dripped, 

Red carnations sprung from the earth in mercy and kindness and love.

Over the years, people continue to use red carnations as a symbol of your love.

Pink carnations grew from Mary's tears mixed with the blood of Jesus

These flowers symbolize the love you one's son.

Amen

David and Goliath

Oh David, you were brave and strong, but small.

Goliath, a giant, was strong and huge.

When no one in Israel would fight the giant Goliath

You, by the power of God, 

Took your slingshot and five smooth stones into battle.

Then you swirled the stone in your slingshot

And slayed the giant.

In this story, the giant Goliath represents satan

David represents Jesus

And the stone represents God's power to go into battle 

Against our own sin and become more virtuous.

Amen

Jairus's Daughter

Oh Jesus, you came to earth to do mighty miracles

And teach the people.

Among your miracles was one unique to you as Messiah

For both Elijah and Elisha had raised the dead, 

But they had only raised little boys.

Unique to your ministry was 

Your raising of a 12-year old girl from the dead,

The daughter of Jairus.

Through this you showed that you love all people, 

Both men and women alike.

Amen