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Wednesday of the Fifth Week of Lent
Reading 1 Dn 3:14-20, 91-92, 95
Gospel Jn 8:31-42
Jesus said to those Jews who believed in him, "If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." They answered him, "We are descendants of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How can you say, 'You will become free'?" Jesus answered them, "Amen, amen, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin. A slave does not remain in a household forever, but a son always remains. So if the Son frees you, then you will truly be free.
Meditation:
'Truth' is being assailed today as I've never seen before: accusations of 'fake news', presentation of 'alternate facts', deflections, cover ups, and of course blatant lies emanate from those that occupy the halls of power. It can all be summed up in Pilate's words: 'truth', what is that?
Yet today's Gospel tells us that truth is not a 'that', it is a person: Jesus Christ. The Pharisees and scribes have been hostile in opposition to the truth (nothing really changes does it?), hiding behind the letter of the law while decimating its spirit, claiming bloodline with Abraham yet denying Abraham's hope and in their self delusion and deception remain "a slave to sin".
Truth is freedom: "If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free", but it comes with a price, a cost, a cross. Jesus will pay the ultimate price in being the liberating truth.
In the first reading from Daniel, a white hot furnace awaited Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego for standing up for their faith before the powerful Babylonian king. Three cast into the fire yet four seen in it and they were saved. The Truth set them free!
As we draw closer to Holy Week let us try even harder to seek the truth despite what it may reveal about ourselves. The words of Ash Wednesday "repent and believe in the Gospel" is a call to seek the Truth and freedom.
Peace.
Reading 1 Dn 3:14-20, 91-92, 95
Gospel Jn 8:31-42
Jesus said to those Jews who believed in him, "If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." They answered him, "We are descendants of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How can you say, 'You will become free'?" Jesus answered them, "Amen, amen, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin. A slave does not remain in a household forever, but a son always remains. So if the Son frees you, then you will truly be free.
Meditation:
'Truth' is being assailed today as I've never seen before: accusations of 'fake news', presentation of 'alternate facts', deflections, cover ups, and of course blatant lies emanate from those that occupy the halls of power. It can all be summed up in Pilate's words: 'truth', what is that?
Yet today's Gospel tells us that truth is not a 'that', it is a person: Jesus Christ. The Pharisees and scribes have been hostile in opposition to the truth (nothing really changes does it?), hiding behind the letter of the law while decimating its spirit, claiming bloodline with Abraham yet denying Abraham's hope and in their self delusion and deception remain "a slave to sin".
Truth is freedom: "If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free", but it comes with a price, a cost, a cross. Jesus will pay the ultimate price in being the liberating truth.
In the first reading from Daniel, a white hot furnace awaited Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego for standing up for their faith before the powerful Babylonian king. Three cast into the fire yet four seen in it and they were saved. The Truth set them free!
As we draw closer to Holy Week let us try even harder to seek the truth despite what it may reveal about ourselves. The words of Ash Wednesday "repent and believe in the Gospel" is a call to seek the Truth and freedom.
Peace.
- Published on
Thursday of the Fifth Week of Lent
Reading 1 Gn 17:3-9
Gospel Jn 8:51-59
Abraham your father rejoiced to see my day; he saw it and was glad." So the Jews said to him, "You are not yet fifty years old and you have seen Abraham?" Jesus said to them, "Amen, amen, I say to you, before Abraham came to be, I AM."
Meditation:
Back in the Trinidad of my youth we had a 'character' who roamed the streets of the city nicknamed 'Red Hawk'. Now at a carnival celebration one year we were all trying to get close to the stage exit so we could see the performance for free. The problem was that it was a no-no according to the organizers and the law enforcement who maintained a perimeter with a police horseman.
Well Red Hawk approached the area where we wanted to be and looked at the police officer on his horse then drew a line in the sand daring the officer to cross it and come and remove him. The smart 'constable' turned his horse around and left and we all ran forward and stood with Red Hawk for the rest of the show.
Funny how the mind works; pulling a distant and obscure memory from my youth as I reflect on Jesus and the Gospel today. In the first reading God says to Abraham (formerly Abram): "I will maintain my covenant with you and your descendants after you throughout the ages as an everlasting pact, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you. I will give to you and to your descendants after you the land in which you are now staying, the whole land of Canaan, as a permanent possession; and I will be their God." God also said to Abraham: "On your part, you and your descendants after you must keep my covenant throughout the ages."
The Jewish leaders wanted to remind Jesus of their proud lineage all the way back to Abraham. Jesus reminded them of his:
"Before Abraham came to be, I AM".
That is his line in the sand. Stand with him or against him but you're going to have to take a stand.
As a youth I stood with Red Hawk but now I ask would you stand beside me with Jesus?
Peace.
Reading 1 Gn 17:3-9
Gospel Jn 8:51-59
Abraham your father rejoiced to see my day; he saw it and was glad." So the Jews said to him, "You are not yet fifty years old and you have seen Abraham?" Jesus said to them, "Amen, amen, I say to you, before Abraham came to be, I AM."
Meditation:
Back in the Trinidad of my youth we had a 'character' who roamed the streets of the city nicknamed 'Red Hawk'. Now at a carnival celebration one year we were all trying to get close to the stage exit so we could see the performance for free. The problem was that it was a no-no according to the organizers and the law enforcement who maintained a perimeter with a police horseman.
Well Red Hawk approached the area where we wanted to be and looked at the police officer on his horse then drew a line in the sand daring the officer to cross it and come and remove him. The smart 'constable' turned his horse around and left and we all ran forward and stood with Red Hawk for the rest of the show.
Funny how the mind works; pulling a distant and obscure memory from my youth as I reflect on Jesus and the Gospel today. In the first reading God says to Abraham (formerly Abram): "I will maintain my covenant with you and your descendants after you throughout the ages as an everlasting pact, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you. I will give to you and to your descendants after you the land in which you are now staying, the whole land of Canaan, as a permanent possession; and I will be their God." God also said to Abraham: "On your part, you and your descendants after you must keep my covenant throughout the ages."
The Jewish leaders wanted to remind Jesus of their proud lineage all the way back to Abraham. Jesus reminded them of his:
"Before Abraham came to be, I AM".
That is his line in the sand. Stand with him or against him but you're going to have to take a stand.
As a youth I stood with Red Hawk but now I ask would you stand beside me with Jesus?
Peace.
- Published on
Friday of the Fifth Week of Lent
Reading 1 Jer 20:10-13
Gospel Jn 10:31-42
"If I do not perform my Father's works, do not believe me; but if I perform them, even if you do not believe me, believe the works, so that you may realize and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father."
Meditation:
It's common practice today to make a statement then walk it back: "when I said such and such, I really didn't mean that...". Happens all the time, especially with politicians so when the Jewish leaders accused Jesus of making himself God and confronted him with rocks, it was the perfect opportunity to clarify exactly who he was (Jn 10:33). Jesus could have easily said, "Easy, guys! Don't stone Me. When I said 'I AM', I really didn't mean to imply that I was actually God." Everyone would have gone home and Holy Week would have probably been cancelled, not taken place.
But Jesus not only refused to walk back His claims to be God; rather, he doubled down on it citing the evidence of his works, his obedience, and having been sent by the Father to us (Jn 10:34-38).
'Believe': it's what we've been hearing as we read John's Gospel in particular this Lent. From Samaria to Galilee and back to Judea he called for them to believe and he calls for us to believe still.
Finally, do our works reveal that the Father is in us and we are in the Father. Is our testimony believable?
Peace.
Reading 1 Jer 20:10-13
Gospel Jn 10:31-42
"If I do not perform my Father's works, do not believe me; but if I perform them, even if you do not believe me, believe the works, so that you may realize and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father."
Meditation:
It's common practice today to make a statement then walk it back: "when I said such and such, I really didn't mean that...". Happens all the time, especially with politicians so when the Jewish leaders accused Jesus of making himself God and confronted him with rocks, it was the perfect opportunity to clarify exactly who he was (Jn 10:33). Jesus could have easily said, "Easy, guys! Don't stone Me. When I said 'I AM', I really didn't mean to imply that I was actually God." Everyone would have gone home and Holy Week would have probably been cancelled, not taken place.
But Jesus not only refused to walk back His claims to be God; rather, he doubled down on it citing the evidence of his works, his obedience, and having been sent by the Father to us (Jn 10:34-38).
'Believe': it's what we've been hearing as we read John's Gospel in particular this Lent. From Samaria to Galilee and back to Judea he called for them to believe and he calls for us to believe still.
Finally, do our works reveal that the Father is in us and we are in the Father. Is our testimony believable?
Peace.
- Published on
Saturday of the Fifth Week of Lent
Reading 1 Ez 37:21-28
Gospel Jn 11:45-56
Many of the Jews who had come to Mary and seen what Jesus had done began to believe in him. But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. So the chief priests and the Pharisees convened the Sanhedrin and said, "What are we going to do? This man is performing many signs. If we leave him alone, all will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our land and our nation."
Meditation:
Conversion must take place in the heart. We can be scholars in theology and never experience conversion. Take the chief priests and the Pharisees, all scholars for sure yet they remained unconverted. Why? Because their hearts were never open to God's grace. In Christ they saw loss not gain: "What are we going to do? This man is performing many signs.If we leave him alone, all will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our land and our nation."
As scholars they should have been well versed in the words we hear from Ezekiel in the first reading: "My servant David shall be prince over them,and there shall be one shepherd for them all; they shall live by my statutes and carefully observe my decrees. They shall live on the land that I gave to my servant Jacob, the land where their fathers lived; they shall live on it forever, they, and their children, and their children's children..."
Their fear of Rome was greater than their trust in God's covenant, so much so that even the resuscitation of Lazarus brought murderous intent rather than glorious hope and praise. But let's not be too quick in our condemnation and take this last Saturday of Lent to examine our own heart: is it predisposed to conversion or have we something other that God at its center?
Peace.
Reading 1 Ez 37:21-28
Gospel Jn 11:45-56
Many of the Jews who had come to Mary and seen what Jesus had done began to believe in him. But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. So the chief priests and the Pharisees convened the Sanhedrin and said, "What are we going to do? This man is performing many signs. If we leave him alone, all will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our land and our nation."
Meditation:
Conversion must take place in the heart. We can be scholars in theology and never experience conversion. Take the chief priests and the Pharisees, all scholars for sure yet they remained unconverted. Why? Because their hearts were never open to God's grace. In Christ they saw loss not gain: "What are we going to do? This man is performing many signs.If we leave him alone, all will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our land and our nation."
As scholars they should have been well versed in the words we hear from Ezekiel in the first reading: "My servant David shall be prince over them,and there shall be one shepherd for them all; they shall live by my statutes and carefully observe my decrees. They shall live on the land that I gave to my servant Jacob, the land where their fathers lived; they shall live on it forever, they, and their children, and their children's children..."
Their fear of Rome was greater than their trust in God's covenant, so much so that even the resuscitation of Lazarus brought murderous intent rather than glorious hope and praise. But let's not be too quick in our condemnation and take this last Saturday of Lent to examine our own heart: is it predisposed to conversion or have we something other that God at its center?
Peace.
- Published on
Fourth Sunday of Lent
Reading 1 1 SM 16:1B, 6-7, 10-13A
Reading 2 EPH 5:8-14
Gospel JN 9:1-41
"Not as man sees does God see, because man sees the appearance but the LORD looks into the heart."
Meditation:
'Never judge a book by its cover'; I've heard this so many times and said it almost as much and yet I need the reminder that God has to give Samuel: the Lord looks into the heart.
What does a king, an emperor, a president look like? We all have our opinions and we make judgements based on what we see or hear and maybe what we like about them is a reflection of what is in our heart.
Today's Gospel gives us the account of the man born blind. All the readings speak today of vision: sight, insight and foresight or the lack thereof: blindness. Jesus had to add to address blindness and it is important to notice the order in which he does it.
The first is blindness due to ignorance. His disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" It was the prevailing thought at the time. His blindness or any such afflictions were a sign of sinfulness. But St. Paul tells us in the second reading that Christ, the Light will give you light. Jesus answered, "Neither he nor his parents sinned; it is so that the works of God might be made visible through him. And he heals the man with clay made of the earth and spittle. A new creation for Genesis tells us that God formed man from the clay. The man sees and he gains his sight and now he also gains insight; his testimony grows from 'the man, Jesus' to 'prophet' to 'Son of Man' to 'Lord'.
He also gained foresight; "He said, "I do believe, Lord," and he worshiped him. Yes he worshipped the Son of God even before the glory of the resurrection.
And then there is blindness due to deliberate stubbornness. Not just a lack of sight but a total lack of vision: no sight, insight or foresight. The disciples believed, the healed man worshipped, his parents saw as did the people of the town. All believed except the Pharisees: there are none so blind as those who will not see. How can you be blinded by the Law when it was given in anticipation of the coming of the Son of Man?
They still saw only a man born "totally in sin" , threw him out of the synagogue and in doing so rejected the son of man in their midst. Eyes open but heart closed.
And so to them Jesus could only answer "but now you are saying, 'We see,' so your sin remains."
Are our eyes open and our hearts closed? This Lent let us pray the words of a popular song:
Open the eyes of my heart, Lord.
Open the eyes of my heart
I want to see you.
To see you high and lifted up
Shining in the light of your Glory
Pour out your power and love
As we sing 'holy, holy holy'
When God looks into our heart does he see the reflection of his Son?
Peace.
Reading 1 1 SM 16:1B, 6-7, 10-13A
Reading 2 EPH 5:8-14
Gospel JN 9:1-41
"Not as man sees does God see, because man sees the appearance but the LORD looks into the heart."
Meditation:
'Never judge a book by its cover'; I've heard this so many times and said it almost as much and yet I need the reminder that God has to give Samuel: the Lord looks into the heart.
What does a king, an emperor, a president look like? We all have our opinions and we make judgements based on what we see or hear and maybe what we like about them is a reflection of what is in our heart.
Today's Gospel gives us the account of the man born blind. All the readings speak today of vision: sight, insight and foresight or the lack thereof: blindness. Jesus had to add to address blindness and it is important to notice the order in which he does it.
The first is blindness due to ignorance. His disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" It was the prevailing thought at the time. His blindness or any such afflictions were a sign of sinfulness. But St. Paul tells us in the second reading that Christ, the Light will give you light. Jesus answered, "Neither he nor his parents sinned; it is so that the works of God might be made visible through him. And he heals the man with clay made of the earth and spittle. A new creation for Genesis tells us that God formed man from the clay. The man sees and he gains his sight and now he also gains insight; his testimony grows from 'the man, Jesus' to 'prophet' to 'Son of Man' to 'Lord'.
He also gained foresight; "He said, "I do believe, Lord," and he worshiped him. Yes he worshipped the Son of God even before the glory of the resurrection.
And then there is blindness due to deliberate stubbornness. Not just a lack of sight but a total lack of vision: no sight, insight or foresight. The disciples believed, the healed man worshipped, his parents saw as did the people of the town. All believed except the Pharisees: there are none so blind as those who will not see. How can you be blinded by the Law when it was given in anticipation of the coming of the Son of Man?
They still saw only a man born "totally in sin" , threw him out of the synagogue and in doing so rejected the son of man in their midst. Eyes open but heart closed.
And so to them Jesus could only answer "but now you are saying, 'We see,' so your sin remains."
Are our eyes open and our hearts closed? This Lent let us pray the words of a popular song:
Open the eyes of my heart, Lord.
Open the eyes of my heart
I want to see you.
To see you high and lifted up
Shining in the light of your Glory
Pour out your power and love
As we sing 'holy, holy holy'
When God looks into our heart does he see the reflection of his Son?
Peace.
- Published on
Saturday of the third week of Lent
Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord
Reading 1 Is 7:10-14; 8:10
Reading 2 Heb 10:4-10
Gospel Lk 1:26-38
"The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin's name was Mary."
Meditation:
Mark your calendars, today March 25th, we are exactly 9 months from Christmas. Christmas? We haven't even celebrated Easter yet, so why bring that up, Deacon, you may ask? It's because today the Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Annunciation.
We all know the story: The angel Gabriel announces to Mary that she is to be the mother of the "Son of God".
This news would be terrifying, head-spinning, earth moving for anyone, much more so for a teenaged maiden already betrothed to a man named Joseph. It flooded her mind with questions and concerns; after all this was a potential life threatening decision: for this scandal she could be stoned to death.
But after listening with mind, and heart and spirit, Mary said: “ I am the maidservant of the Lord. Let it be done to me as you say. “
Can you and I respond like Mary: "Let it be done to me as you say"? Do we trust God to bring good when all we can see ahead is bad? Lord I believe, help my unbelief (Mk. 9:24)
Remember the angel's greeting: "Hail, full of grace. The Lord is with you" and "Do not fear".
THE LORD IS WITH YOU.
DO NOT FEAR.
Peace.
Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord
Reading 1 Is 7:10-14; 8:10
Reading 2 Heb 10:4-10
Gospel Lk 1:26-38
"The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin's name was Mary."
Meditation:
Mark your calendars, today March 25th, we are exactly 9 months from Christmas. Christmas? We haven't even celebrated Easter yet, so why bring that up, Deacon, you may ask? It's because today the Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Annunciation.
We all know the story: The angel Gabriel announces to Mary that she is to be the mother of the "Son of God".
This news would be terrifying, head-spinning, earth moving for anyone, much more so for a teenaged maiden already betrothed to a man named Joseph. It flooded her mind with questions and concerns; after all this was a potential life threatening decision: for this scandal she could be stoned to death.
But after listening with mind, and heart and spirit, Mary said: “ I am the maidservant of the Lord. Let it be done to me as you say. “
Can you and I respond like Mary: "Let it be done to me as you say"? Do we trust God to bring good when all we can see ahead is bad? Lord I believe, help my unbelief (Mk. 9:24)
Remember the angel's greeting: "Hail, full of grace. The Lord is with you" and "Do not fear".
THE LORD IS WITH YOU.
DO NOT FEAR.
Peace.
- Published on
Tuesday of the third week of Lent
Reading 1 Dn 3:25, 34-43
Gospel Mt 18:21-35
"Then in anger his master handed him over to the torturers until he should pay back the whole debt. So will my heavenly Father do to you, unless each of you forgives your brother from your heart."
Meditation:
"Lord, if my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive him? As many as seven times?"
Peter's question on forgiveness led to the parable of the unforgiving steward and its stern warning at the end. I must admit that there are times that I've found Peter's offering of seven times to be actually generous. Sometimes even once is hard.
Shaquille O'Neal has told a story that Miami Heat Coach Pat Riley once held his breath in a bucket of water for 8 minutes in a motivational demonstration. Fantastic it may be but in reality it is child's play.
Let me ask this question: how long can you hold a grudge? I salute you if your answer ends in 'minutes' or even 'hour's. We are capable of holding grudges for days, weeks, months, years, decades or even more tragically, lifetimes.
Peter, perhaps felt especially benevolent, in offering forgiveness seven times, after all, Jewish rabbis at the time taught that forgiving someone was limited to three times, citing Amos 1:3-13 where God forgave Israel’s enemies three times, then punished them. Three strikes and you're out. So Peter was offering forgiveness more than double that of the Old Testament example.
There for when Jesus responded that forgiveness should be offered far beyond that which Peter was proposing to 'seventy times seven', it must have stunned the disciples who were listening. Jesus used the opportunity to teach them that they were still thinking in the terms of the limits of the law and not in the terms of unlimited grace.
I admit it's a hard lesson and for this deacon it is 'back to the drawing board', but isn't that the purpose of Lent?
The cross becomes heavier with each step in this Lenten journey but if Jesus did it then we must also. Lord I pray for the grace of not only seven times but seventy times seven. Peace.
Reading 1 Dn 3:25, 34-43
Gospel Mt 18:21-35
"Then in anger his master handed him over to the torturers until he should pay back the whole debt. So will my heavenly Father do to you, unless each of you forgives your brother from your heart."
Meditation:
"Lord, if my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive him? As many as seven times?"
Peter's question on forgiveness led to the parable of the unforgiving steward and its stern warning at the end. I must admit that there are times that I've found Peter's offering of seven times to be actually generous. Sometimes even once is hard.
Shaquille O'Neal has told a story that Miami Heat Coach Pat Riley once held his breath in a bucket of water for 8 minutes in a motivational demonstration. Fantastic it may be but in reality it is child's play.
Let me ask this question: how long can you hold a grudge? I salute you if your answer ends in 'minutes' or even 'hour's. We are capable of holding grudges for days, weeks, months, years, decades or even more tragically, lifetimes.
Peter, perhaps felt especially benevolent, in offering forgiveness seven times, after all, Jewish rabbis at the time taught that forgiving someone was limited to three times, citing Amos 1:3-13 where God forgave Israel’s enemies three times, then punished them. Three strikes and you're out. So Peter was offering forgiveness more than double that of the Old Testament example.
There for when Jesus responded that forgiveness should be offered far beyond that which Peter was proposing to 'seventy times seven', it must have stunned the disciples who were listening. Jesus used the opportunity to teach them that they were still thinking in the terms of the limits of the law and not in the terms of unlimited grace.
I admit it's a hard lesson and for this deacon it is 'back to the drawing board', but isn't that the purpose of Lent?
The cross becomes heavier with each step in this Lenten journey but if Jesus did it then we must also. Lord I pray for the grace of not only seven times but seventy times seven. Peace.
- Published on
Saturday of the Second Week of Lent
Reading 1 Mi 7:14-15, 18-20
Gospel Lk 15:1-3, 11-32
"Quickly, bring the finest robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Take the fattened calf and slaughter it. Then let us celebrate with a feast, because this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again; he was lost, and has been found.Then the celebration began."
Meditation:
Where did the image of the 'Angry God' come from? By this I mean the perpetually scowling, always-looking-to-damn-you God, whom the Pharisees and scribes would never and could never see dining with tax collectors and sinners as in today's Gospel.
Perhaps it comes from a faulty theology that places rules above love or a patriarchal world view with an insistence on domination or whatever reasons beyond my mortal understanding.
Nevertheless in response to Pharisees and scribes Jesus told the parable of the Prodigal Son which I'm sure we know very well. But let us shift focus from the son or rather, sons and look at the father.
Jesus says: "He ran to his son, embraced him and kissed him." Does that sound angry to you? Maybe you, like the second son, are angry but the father certainly isn't. All he cares about was that his 'lost' son has been found, his 'dead' son is now alive!
The father Jesus reveals is one whose eyes are always searching the horizons in hope of seeing us returning, whose feet are always shod, ready to run to meet us less we turn away again, whose arms are always ready to embrace, to hug, to hold us close to himself, whose mouth is prepared not to utter condemnation but to seal his mercy with a kiss.
Even the Old Testament reading from the prophet Micah does not support the image of the 'angry God' who only desires our condemnation.
"Who is there like you, the God who removes guilt and pardons sin for the remnant of his inheritance; Who does not persist in anger forever, but delights rather in clemency, And will again have compassion on us, treading underfoot our guilt? You will cast into the depths of the sea all our sins"
God is just and we will get what we deserve, but God is merciful and we will get what we don't deserve if we repent.
This Lent is a good opportunity to reflect on our image of God and reconcile to the image revealed by his Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. This Lent is an opportunity to return to him: repent and find life.
Peace.
Reading 1 Mi 7:14-15, 18-20
Gospel Lk 15:1-3, 11-32
"Quickly, bring the finest robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Take the fattened calf and slaughter it. Then let us celebrate with a feast, because this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again; he was lost, and has been found.Then the celebration began."
Meditation:
Where did the image of the 'Angry God' come from? By this I mean the perpetually scowling, always-looking-to-damn-you God, whom the Pharisees and scribes would never and could never see dining with tax collectors and sinners as in today's Gospel.
Perhaps it comes from a faulty theology that places rules above love or a patriarchal world view with an insistence on domination or whatever reasons beyond my mortal understanding.
Nevertheless in response to Pharisees and scribes Jesus told the parable of the Prodigal Son which I'm sure we know very well. But let us shift focus from the son or rather, sons and look at the father.
Jesus says: "He ran to his son, embraced him and kissed him." Does that sound angry to you? Maybe you, like the second son, are angry but the father certainly isn't. All he cares about was that his 'lost' son has been found, his 'dead' son is now alive!
The father Jesus reveals is one whose eyes are always searching the horizons in hope of seeing us returning, whose feet are always shod, ready to run to meet us less we turn away again, whose arms are always ready to embrace, to hug, to hold us close to himself, whose mouth is prepared not to utter condemnation but to seal his mercy with a kiss.
Even the Old Testament reading from the prophet Micah does not support the image of the 'angry God' who only desires our condemnation.
"Who is there like you, the God who removes guilt and pardons sin for the remnant of his inheritance; Who does not persist in anger forever, but delights rather in clemency, And will again have compassion on us, treading underfoot our guilt? You will cast into the depths of the sea all our sins"
God is just and we will get what we deserve, but God is merciful and we will get what we don't deserve if we repent.
This Lent is a good opportunity to reflect on our image of God and reconcile to the image revealed by his Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. This Lent is an opportunity to return to him: repent and find life.
Peace.
- Published on
Third Sunday of Lent
Reading 1 EX 17:3-7
Reading 2 ROM 5:1-2, 5-8
Gospel JN 4:5-42
"If you knew the gift of God and who is saying to you, 'Give me a drink, 'you would have asked him and he would have given you living water."
Meditation:
"Water, water everywhere, nor any drop to drink" wrote the poet Samuel Coleridge in the Rime of the Ancient Mariner, whose ship is now afloat in a windless sea and they are dying of thirst despite the abundance of water surrounding them.
The image of water is powerfully demonstrated in our Scriptures today in its association with thirst.
In the 1st reading from the book of Exodus as they journey through the reset wilderness:
"In those days, in their thirst for water, the people grumbled against Moses, saying, "Why did you ever make us leave Egypt? Was it just to have us die here of thirst with our children and our livestock?"
Their thirst was a real need but they failed to trust in the providence of God, the very God who led them out of Egypt through the waters of the Sea of Reeds. How quickly they forget, how quickly we forget! Even with God we adopt a 'what-have-you-done-for-me-lately' attitude. We read that God brought water from the rock. More than enough to satisfy their needs as well as their children's and their livestock's. God indeed fulfilled his promise to bring them into the promised land.
In the Gospel it is Jesus who thirsts and initially asks the Samaritan women for a drink. It was noon, and It was against all societal protocols to speak directly to a woman and worse a Samaritan at that. Yet after the opening discourse it is the woman who asks for the living water that Jesus speaks of. What is it that she thirsts for: love, acceptance, forgiveness, redemption? What are we thirsting for? Nothing we try seems to satisfy, we are always left wanting in our pursuit of happiness in love, power, riches or fame.
But like the Samaritan woman we will find living water only in Jesus. Notice how she immediately goes to give witness and as a result how many came to believe in Him.
Come satisfy your thirst once and for all in the living water that Jesus offers: He is both our rock and our wellspring.
In the poem by Coleridge, the ancient mariner, driven by guilt, and as penance for shooting the albatross, is forced to wander the earth, telling his story over and over, in order to teach this lesson to those he meets:
"He prayeth best, who loveth best
All things both great and small;
For the dear God who loveth us,
He made and loveth all."
Peace
Reading 1 EX 17:3-7
Reading 2 ROM 5:1-2, 5-8
Gospel JN 4:5-42
"If you knew the gift of God and who is saying to you, 'Give me a drink, 'you would have asked him and he would have given you living water."
Meditation:
"Water, water everywhere, nor any drop to drink" wrote the poet Samuel Coleridge in the Rime of the Ancient Mariner, whose ship is now afloat in a windless sea and they are dying of thirst despite the abundance of water surrounding them.
The image of water is powerfully demonstrated in our Scriptures today in its association with thirst.
In the 1st reading from the book of Exodus as they journey through the reset wilderness:
"In those days, in their thirst for water, the people grumbled against Moses, saying, "Why did you ever make us leave Egypt? Was it just to have us die here of thirst with our children and our livestock?"
Their thirst was a real need but they failed to trust in the providence of God, the very God who led them out of Egypt through the waters of the Sea of Reeds. How quickly they forget, how quickly we forget! Even with God we adopt a 'what-have-you-done-for-me-lately' attitude. We read that God brought water from the rock. More than enough to satisfy their needs as well as their children's and their livestock's. God indeed fulfilled his promise to bring them into the promised land.
In the Gospel it is Jesus who thirsts and initially asks the Samaritan women for a drink. It was noon, and It was against all societal protocols to speak directly to a woman and worse a Samaritan at that. Yet after the opening discourse it is the woman who asks for the living water that Jesus speaks of. What is it that she thirsts for: love, acceptance, forgiveness, redemption? What are we thirsting for? Nothing we try seems to satisfy, we are always left wanting in our pursuit of happiness in love, power, riches or fame.
But like the Samaritan woman we will find living water only in Jesus. Notice how she immediately goes to give witness and as a result how many came to believe in Him.
Come satisfy your thirst once and for all in the living water that Jesus offers: He is both our rock and our wellspring.
In the poem by Coleridge, the ancient mariner, driven by guilt, and as penance for shooting the albatross, is forced to wander the earth, telling his story over and over, in order to teach this lesson to those he meets:
"He prayeth best, who loveth best
All things both great and small;
For the dear God who loveth us,
He made and loveth all."
Peace
- Published on
Monday of the third week of Lent
Reading 1 2 Sm 7:4-5a, 12-14a, 16
The LORD spoke to Nathan and said: "Go, tell my servant David, 'When your time comes and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your heir after you, sprung from your loins, and I will make his kingdom firm. It is he who shall build a house for my name. And I will make his royal throne firm forever. I will be a father to him, and he shall be a son to me. Your house and your kingdom shall endure forever before me; your throne shall stand firm forever.'"
Meditation:
Today the church celebrates the solemnity of St Joseph, spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Not much is said of him in the gospels other than in accounts of Jesus birth and infancy.
I remember my primary (elementary) school of St. Joseph's Boys R.C. next to the catholic church where this day would mean a special treat for us (after Mass of course). That was so many, many years ago. Distant memory.
I wonder if God's words to Nathan concerning David centuries before, as recorded in the Hebrew scriptures, were fresh in Joseph's mind at the time of Jesus's birth or were they, too, distant memory. After all, Joseph was of the house of David but he certainly had no pretensions to the throne, or wealth or prestige as a carpenter. Israel was far removed from its 'glory days' of powerful kings and now under the heel of Roman oppressors. Distant memory.
But God did not forget, he never does:
"Your house and your kingdom shall endure forever before me; your throne shall stand firm forever.'"
The promise was fulfilled in Jesus, this little child that brought Joseph pain, doubt, and no little confusion and anxiety while yet fostering hope and trust in God's fidelity.
Lent calls us to 'go beyond' like Joseph, to take Christ into our heart and home without fear or doubt but rather in complete trust in God's fidelity.
St. Joseph pray for us. Peace.
Reading 1 2 Sm 7:4-5a, 12-14a, 16
The LORD spoke to Nathan and said: "Go, tell my servant David, 'When your time comes and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your heir after you, sprung from your loins, and I will make his kingdom firm. It is he who shall build a house for my name. And I will make his royal throne firm forever. I will be a father to him, and he shall be a son to me. Your house and your kingdom shall endure forever before me; your throne shall stand firm forever.'"
Meditation:
Today the church celebrates the solemnity of St Joseph, spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Not much is said of him in the gospels other than in accounts of Jesus birth and infancy.
I remember my primary (elementary) school of St. Joseph's Boys R.C. next to the catholic church where this day would mean a special treat for us (after Mass of course). That was so many, many years ago. Distant memory.
I wonder if God's words to Nathan concerning David centuries before, as recorded in the Hebrew scriptures, were fresh in Joseph's mind at the time of Jesus's birth or were they, too, distant memory. After all, Joseph was of the house of David but he certainly had no pretensions to the throne, or wealth or prestige as a carpenter. Israel was far removed from its 'glory days' of powerful kings and now under the heel of Roman oppressors. Distant memory.
But God did not forget, he never does:
"Your house and your kingdom shall endure forever before me; your throne shall stand firm forever.'"
The promise was fulfilled in Jesus, this little child that brought Joseph pain, doubt, and no little confusion and anxiety while yet fostering hope and trust in God's fidelity.
Lent calls us to 'go beyond' like Joseph, to take Christ into our heart and home without fear or doubt but rather in complete trust in God's fidelity.
St. Joseph pray for us. Peace.