Claire Smith

Scripture:

Daniel 3:14-20, 91-92, 95
John 8:31-42

Reflection:

The first reading for today—April Fools’ Day!–is taken from the Book of Daniel and tells the fantastic story of the three Israelites, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who heroically resist the demand of the wicked Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar to worship a golden statue.  If, when they hear the “sound of the trumpet, flute, lyre, harp, psaltery, bagpipe, and all the other musical instruments,” they still refuse to worship the idol, then they are to be thrown into a roaring fiery furnace.  When this royal ensemble plays its tune, the three still refuse and are thrown into the roaring flames. But miraculously the three Israelites are spared by the power of God—leading the mighty king of Babylon to praise the God of Israel! “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego!”

This marvelous story of heroism and God’s protection of his people was crafted centuries after the exile of Israel to Babylon but also during a period of great suffering.  The Jews were under the thumb of the Seleucid empire, a Greek dynasty created in the wake of Alexander the Great’s conquest of the Middle East.  One of rulers of this dynasty, Antiochus IV Epiphanes (167–164 B.C.) was exceptionally cruel.  The story from the Book of Daniel both urges Israelites to remain faithful amid suffering and assures them of God’s protective care.

The gospel selection today is from the Gospel of John and there is also here a threat of violence, as Jesus’ opponents, the religious authorities, bitterly criticize him.  But Jesus offers words of comfort to “the 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.”

I checked the internet and learned that there are many explanations about the origin of this day.  One that struck me as plausible was a connection with the end of the winter solstice and the fact that the weather at this time of the year changes rapidly and fools us all.

Who could have predicted the “climate” we all are in now—with the threat of the Coronavirus seeming to turn upside down almost every aspect of our normal lives? One refrain I keep hearing from thoughtful people in this moment is the paradox that, as we are forced to separate from each other (“social distancing”), we are also realizing how connected with each other we truly are and how much we need each other.  That conviction, in fact, is at the heart of our Christian faith.  The belief that we are all daughters and sons of God and that we are responsible for each other.  The heart of Jesus’ teaching (and the example of his life) was precisely this: Jesus taught that the “greatest commandment was to love God with all our heart and soul, and our neighbors as ourselves.”  That is the truth that sets us free and will help us persevere through this present threat.

Fr. Donald Senior, C.P. is President Emeritus and Professor of New Testament at Catholic Theological Union.  He lives at the Passionist residence in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Chicago.

Scripture:

Numbers 21:4-9
John 8:21-30

Reflection:

Explosive Love of God

People in the Exodus had to look at the brazen serpent to be healed from the venom of fiery serpents.  They made the disastrous spiritual mistake of accusing God of not caring for them or even thinking that He intended to destroy them and their children.   They made the capital sin of grumbling against God!  The apostles made the same mistake much latter at the storm on the sea in Mark’s gospel when Jesus was asleep at the helm of the ship!

“It does not matter to you that we are perishing” The people of the first covenant had to look at the cause of their pain, the Bronze serpent, to remind them how terribly wrong they were about God’s love and care of them!  It was only by seeing the snake they could be healed.   To complain about God not caring for us is indeed a deadly mistake!

Most certainly one of the worse things we can do is to accuse God of not being

lovingly and intensely affectionate to us!   I think one of the greatest reasons He chose to suffer and die on the cross was to show us how very fond He is of us.  Grumbling against His providence must hurt Him very deeply after all He has done for us!

We must learn to look on Christ crucified to learn the depths of God’s care for us. So Jesus said, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am”.  When we gaze on the uplifted Christ on the Cross we will begin to understand how passionately he cares about us.  “God is love” and nowhere else can we see this better than the explosive figure on the Cross.

That the God who is now creating the universe is so anxious to prove His fondness for us that He asks His Son to die a horrifying death on the cross should utterly boggle our minds and hearts!

A priest was visiting the Holy Land and bought a crucifix for his parish.  The strict Jewish security told him that they must X-Ray the Crucifix for explosives.  The priest thought to himself if only they knew how explosive the cross really is!

 

Fr. Bob Weiss, C.P. preaches Parish Missions and is a member of the Passionist Community in Louisville, Kentucky.

Scripture:

Daniel 13:41c-62
John 8:1-11

Reflection:

“Game changer.”  That’s a good phrase to state that things will never be the same.  The invention of the wheel was certainly a game changer, as was the invention of the printing press, the light bulb, automobile, and the computer.

In political history, the conversion of Constantine was certainly a game changer, as was the Magna Carta, the American Revolution, and the atom bomb.

And this Corona Virus is presently a game changer for our lives right now.

In our first reading today, we see how truth can be game changer. Once the truth came out through Daniel, an innocent woman’s life was spared and the guilty were punished.  In our gospel reading we see how forgiveness can be a game changer.  A woman’s physical life was spared and a new life of faith began.  And a definite game changer in human history we just celebrated five days ago on the Feast of the Annunciation.   Mary said, “Yes!”  And because Mary said, “Yes,” Christ took on human flesh, and nothing has been the same since.

Maybe this Corona Virus will end up being a real game changer in human history.  Maybe we as a human race will finally realize that we are one family, under one God, that we are called to help each other and enjoy each other.  Maybe this corona virus will help us see how much we have in common and bring about a greater compassion for one another.  Maybe this corona virus will lead to greater unity and peace among all nations and people.  Why not?  As Christians, we are encouraged to dream, for “with God nothing will be impossible” (Luke 1:37).

Remember, the Holy Spirit, the game changer, is amongst us.

Fr. Alan Phillip, C.P. is a member of the Passionist Community at Mater Dolorosa Retreat Center, Sierra Madre, California.   http://www.alanphillipcp.com/

Scripture:

Ezekiel 37:12-14
Romans 8:8-11
John 11:1-45

Reflection:

Our Gospel reading for this Sunday is the account of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead (John 11:1-45). And as I was reflecting on this reading, it just seemed to me how appropriate it was for our times. For me, the emotions expressed at different times in the story reflect, I think, the emotions many of us are feeling now.

For instance, there is the grief that Mary and Martha, the sisters of Lazarus, feel when their brother has died. In the Gospel, Jesus does not immediately respond to the sisters’ message that Lazarus is ill. Jesus knows what He’s going to do, and waits until after Lazarus has died before He goes to see Mary and Martha. Before He gets to the family home, Martha meets Him, and says, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give you.” Martha speaks with faith, but I can also hear the grief and maybe even frustration in her voice.

Later, Martha sends word to Mary that Jesus has arrived, and Mary goes out to meet Jesus. And she says to Jesus exactly what Martha said: “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” Again, I can hear the grief and frustration in her words. We know that there are thousands of people who are grieving because of covid-19. And it would be understandable if many of them asked, “God, where are you? Where were you? If you really cared, my loved one would not have died.” There is a place for lament. And I believe it is okay to lament to God. God is like a parent who comforts a grieving child who doesn’t understand his or her loss.

In Jesus’ response to Martha and Mary, we see His humanity. I see Jesus greatly affected by the sisters’ grief. And when He gets to Lazarus’ tomb, He weeps. Why would He weep if He knew what He was going to do? I think it has to do with being caught up in the grief of people He loves. I also wonder whether He wondered whether He should have gone right away after all. Anyway, Jesus seems to collect Himself, and orders that the tomb be opened, and after He prays to the Father, He cries out, “Lazarus, come out!” As we try our best to hunker down and self-quarantine and keep social distancing, aren’t we yearning for someone, Dr. Fauci, or the CDC, or the World Health Organization, anybody, to say to us, “Come out!”? It hasn’t happened yet, and it would not be wise to rush it, but it will happen, and we need to keep trusting in the love of God in Jesus Christ. As we have heard it said by so many, “We’re in this together.” But we’re not only in this together with each other. God is with us.

When Lazarus comes out of the tomb, Jesus says, “Untie him and let him go.” May we let the love of Jesus in, and let Him untie the bonds that hold us down. Whatever tomb or pit in which we may find ourselves, may we take His hand and be lifted up! May we let Him bind us together in compassion and justice and peace. And when the crisis passes, may we not pick up the old bonds again or go back into the tomb! Jesus is the resurrection and the life!

Fr. Phil Paxton, C.P., is the local superior of the Passionist Community in Birmingham, Alabama. 

Scripture:

Jeremiah 11:18-20
John 7:40-53

Reflection:

It seems the big discussion in the gospel today centers around the question. ‘who is Jesus, where did he come from?  What is he about?  Is he from Galilee or Bethlehem?  Is he a prophet or the Christ?  Many asked out of curiosity, some were afraid and wanted to arrest him.  Others wanted to treat him justly and give him a chance to explain himself.

Today as I write this reflection, we are in week three of Covid-19 with no real end in sight.  It is a time in which we are being called upon to trust one another, our leaders in church and government as well as community and family.  Just as in the time of Jesus, people are asking, who is God, how can this crisis be happening?  If we are people of faith, should we even question?  As each day passes, I find myself becoming more overwhelmed and worried about when and how it will all end.  Some days I find I do not have the words to pray, other days, my spirit is filled with words of wisdom and comfort!  Recently a homilist reminded us not to spend so much time telling God how bad everything is going, but, rather, to remember that God is bigger than all of these tribulations, crisis and uncertainty!  In other words, trust in God, God never fails us!

This bigger God showed me the beauty of nature on a road trip to the lake house yesterday.  The peace and quiet that emanated from those surroundings gave me a sense of hope that I had been missing of late.  This bigger God gave me reason to laugh and smile as we gathered as friends to share jokes and good times for a few hours.  This bigger God sat with me during adoration in a quiet church as I heard that still small voice of God say ‘come unto me and rest’!

Lent looks and feels different these days.  At the beginning of this season, we were encouraged to focus on three attitudes:  Generosity, Openness & Emptiness so God can fill us and Silence to spend time with God.  I began Lent determined to cultivate these attitudes.  Some days I was more successful than others.  Then along came COVID-19 and a constant attitude adjustment.  The attitude of Generosity has lead me to look at how much ‘stuff’ I have that I really don’t need!  The attitude of Openness and Emptiness is leading me to step back and lower my expectations of self and others and find in the emptiness room for new growth and experiences.  Silence can be challenging for an extrovert like myself!  But I am finding a sense of solace and peace that feed my soul in unexpected ways!

The days and weeks ahead promise to hold different experiences for us all. Some will be painful, others will bring peace and joy.  The one certain thing we can count on is that our loving God is walking with us during this time. Together we are called to persevere in faith and trust and persevere.  Health and blessing to all.

 

Theresa Secord is a Pastoral Associate at St. Agnes Parish, Louisville, Kentucky.

Scripture:

Wisdom 2:1a, 12-22
John 7:1-2, 10, 25-30

Reflection:

What a time we live in! Did you ever imagine that we would be staying fast in our homes, our friends would lose their jobs, that we would be praying through God’s infinite mercy that our businesses would make it through this turmoil? Yet, here we are. But, scripture tells us today,

When the just cry out, the LORD hears them,
and from all their distress he rescues them.

He is there, as He has always been, holding and comforting us, assuring us that all is well. Find time in the midst of uncertainty to pray; find a quiet space to read your bible and work on your daily meditation of scripture and reflection. Turn this time into a gift from God directly to you! Of course this can be scary and unsure, but make it something more – devote it to God, and find his peace and goodness and mercy in all things. I pray for you and your families, that you overcome any illness, you are safe, and that you remember the presence and love of almighty God in every action.

Patty Masson resides in Houston, Texas.

Scripture:

Ezekiel 47:1-9, 12
John 5:1-16

Reflection:

Get Up and Go!

Lent is the season for growing closer to God and healing our spiritual problems.  In today’s Gospel, we see Jesus healing a very hesitant and depressed man.   He did not ask Jesus to be healed, nor he did not bother to notice who it was that rehabilitated him.  Why are we so reluctant to accept the healing word of Jesus?

I think it probably is for two reasons. The first reason is we don’t think we need healing.  We have a strong feeling that we don’t need to seek the doctor or to have to change for the better.   Jesus asks him “do you want to be healed”?   The sick man seemed very indifferent about it.  He most likely gave up 38 years previously. He proceeds to say it is other people’s fault he is not healed.   “I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, but while I am coming, another steps down before me.”  We must have the humility to take the responsibility of being far from a person like Christ!

The second reason we fail to make an effort to grow is a form of discouragement and depression.   The man in the story is clearly depressed! He obviously had no notion Who was speaking to him.  Jesus said to the Samaritan woman:” If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.”  At this point, Jesus seems upset with him.  He speaks that wonderful word in SS to him: “Get up”.    In the Greek New Testament, the word is egeírō.  It is used 157 times!   Is means ideas like wake up, get on your feet, rise.  In SS Jesus says: “for I say to you that from these stones God is able to get up (egeírō rise)  children to Abraham”. Mt 3:9  If the Lord can make stones come alive, may I have a chance!

What power is in this word on the lips of Jesus!  He used this word to the paralytic in Lk 5:24. “I say to you, get up, and pick up your stretcher and go home.”  After the theophany of the Transfiguration in Mt 17:7: “Jesus came to them and touched them and said, “Get up, and do not be afraid.” Mt 17:7  “He said to the man with the withered hand, “Get up and come forward!” And he got up and came forward.” Lk 6:8  What a powerful medicine for depression is “Get up” by the Divine Physician!

Fr. Bob Weiss, C.P. preaches Parish Missions and is a member of the Passionist Community in Louisville, Kentucky.

Scripture:

Isaiah 65:17-21
John 4:43-54

Reflection:

At the end of our Gospel reading for today, in which we have an account of Jesus healing the son of a royal official in Capernaum, it is written: “Now this was the second sign Jesus did when he came to Galilee from Judea.” The first sign to which this verse refers was the changing of the water into wine at the wedding in Cana.

These signs have something important in common: trust in Jesus. At the wedding in Cana, after she and Jesus have a discussion about whether Jesus should do anything about the wine running out at the wedding banquet, Mary simply says to the servants there, “Do whatever he tells you,” and she leaves the scene, trusting that Jesus will take care of it. In the Gospel reading today, the royal official asks Jesus to accompany him to his home to heal his son. But Jesus simply says, “You may go; your son will live.” And the official trusts Jesus, and indeed goes back home, to find that his son has truly been healed.

In times like these, when we find ourselves asking “Why?” or are tempted to assign blame, it may be difficult to put our trust in Jesus. But the Cross of Christ tells us that we are not alone. To trust in Jesus does not mean we simply do nothing. Instead, the Cross of Christ strengthens us to do what we can for others and enables us to comfort and be with those who have lost so much.

May we support and comfort each other with the faith of Mary and the royal official, and put our trust in Jesus.

Fr. Phil Paxton, C.P., is the local superior of the Passionist Community in Birmingham, Alabama.