Claire Smith

Scripture:

Jeremiah 31: 31 – 34
Hebrews 5: 7 – 9
John 12: 20 – 33

Reflection:

As I sit at the desk in my office, I look up to gaze upon my beautiful print by Thomas Kinkade entitled “Walk of Faith”.    The artist has created a magnificent image of a garden with lush trees and greenery offset by his characteristic patches of bright light and shadows with a path winding its way down the center of the garden.  When completed, the artist wrote that he himself was so enchanted by the beauty of the scene that he had to place a person on the pathway to give the image fullness of life.  He placed the image of Jesus walking on the Way with Peter strolling along side.   I find both the image of the garden and the title striking.  As a meditation, I often put myself in place of Peter on the walk and imagine a conversation with the Lord in an effort to discover in ever deeper ways who Jesus is for me and for all of us.  When we think about it, we might discover differing images or dimensions of who Jesus is for us depending upon what we are experiencing in life and how we are dealing with that experience.

Our Lenten Scriptures today say some Greeks ask “to see Jesus”.  Really?  Which Jesus do they wish to see?   Our readings tell us whom they will meet today.  He is the one who fulfills the promise of a renewed relationship with God as foretold by Jeremiah in the first reading.   To accomplish this, Jesus is the one who learns obedience from His sufferings.  He will be the seed that falls to the ground and dies so that we might live, so that we might be freed from slavery to sin, so that we might walk with Him in the pathways of light rather than in the dark shadows.  While John has, throughout the Gospel, revealed Jesus as the Gentle Good Shepherd, the Bread of Life for us, the Giver of Life to the Dead, the Healer of both body and soul, John now reveals Jesus as the Suffering Savior who will die the scandalous death of crucifixion so that we might have new life in Him.  Is this the Jesus the Greeks came to see?  Will they understand this image of the Suffering Messiah?  They will if they have ever experienced suffering in their own lives or if they have witnessed the suffering of others.  As believers who have lived from the 20th century into the 21st, we are beset by a collage of images we will never forget, even if we desired to do so.  Images of the trench warfare of World War I, the bread lines of the 1930’s and families with unemployed breadwinners, the death camps of Nazi Germany, the scarred survivors of the atomic blasts in Hiroshima and Nagasaki , screaming children running for their lives during the Tet Offensive in Vietnam,  the sight of the Twin Towers collapsing to the ground with thousands of innocents trapped inside, the ugly and horrifying images of journalists, aid workers , and Syrian Christians  being slaughtered by terrorists — all of these and more are part of our life circumstances.  In addition to seeing and feeling the suffering of this magnitude, we experience our own pain and suffering in the circumstances of life from death of a loved one, to unemployment, to worry and concern for a child or grandchild or parent or a friend, to personal illness, to the ordinary advancement of aging.

Our Scriptures invite us to vividly remember that Jesus was no stranger to suffering and that we, His followers, will need to deal with suffering in our own lives as well.  This is the Jesus we meet in today’s Scriptures.  Does Jesus desire for us to suffer?  I think not.  I believe in a Jesus who wishes us to do everything in our power to eliminate or minimize suffering in life.   After we do this, we will find, as did Jesus, that there is just some suffering in life we just cannot do anything about.  It is at this point that we are invited today to unite ourselves with our Crucified Lord, to make ourselves one with Jesus in His sufferings so that we might receive His Divine strength in our neediest moments and become one with Him in bringing about new life and a renewed, more profound relationship with God for ourselves and for all of God’s People.  These are the moments when we look for Jesus, when we most desire and need to see Jesus.  Our Scriptures invite us to understand that in these neediest of life’s circumstances; we will see the Suffering Jesus and will recognize the immensity of His love as the foundation of His sacrifice for us.

United with our Crucified Lord through our own unavoidable sufferings in life, we will be fortified and empowered by Him to take the “Walk of Faith” with Him through the garden of life.

 

Fr. Richard Burke, CP, is a member of St. Paul of the Cross Province and also serves on the Provincial Council of Holy Cross Province.  He lives at St. Ann’s Monastery in Scranton, Pennsylvania.

Scripture:

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

Reflection:

Brandon Marshall is a highly respected professional football player.  He is a wide receiver, and has accrued All-Pro honors for several years.  He receives a handsome salary commensurate with his talents.  The past several seasons he has played for the Chicago Bears.  But recently the Bears traded him to the New York Jets.  They no longer wanted him as a member of their organization.  Why would they divest themselves of so valuable a player, especially given their need of great talent to improve upon their recent overall poor performance?

There are presumably several reasons, of which money (the salary paid him) was a likely factor.  But is it the primary reason?  Probably not.  Marshall proved to be an outspoken commentator on matters football, and his remarks were often critical, that is, uncomplimentary, especially of the Bears organization, management and leadership.  So the powers-that-be made the judgment that more good than harm would accrue from his being traded to the Jets team.

This is not the first time that a valuable asset has been given up by an organization on the score that it would be better off without than with him/her.  In fact, today we hear of the same scenario operative in the lives of Jewish prophets of old: Jeremiah and Jesus.  Both members of the Hebrew people, they belonged to a highly esteemed category: the prophets.  Some of the most illustrious persons among the  Hebrew people were prophets: spokespersons for God, who revealed God’s designs at work in the history and life of the Jews, and the way forward to improve their lives.  But, as is so often the case, their prophetic words and actions on behalf of God were not always appreciated, somewhat like Brandon Marshall’s comments about the Chicago Bears’ organization.

This is what we hear today, from the assigned scriptures.  They speak to us of the plight of Jeremiah, one of the two or three most esteemed prophets in Hebrew history, undergoing some grueling treatment at the hands of his fellow Jews.  But he portrays himself as a trusting lamb being led to slaughter by those opposed to him and his prophetic ministry to them.   Designs got underway among the Jewish leadership to rid themselves of him, with his withering criticism of them and their ways.  They even wanted to obliterate all memory of him.  But Jeremiah was not going to take this “lying down”.  He called on God to defend him by taking vengeance on his opponents.  Undoubtedly, Brandon Marshall may have much the same thing in mind the next time the Jets play the Bears.

And we hear nothing different in the readings taken today from John’s gospel, about the greatest of all prophets, and, indeed, one far superior to any prophet: Jesus the Galilean.  We become witnesses to a heated discussion among the Jews, apparently not so much the leadership, but the ordinary population at large, that is, those who had opportunity to hear the words of Jesus, and perhaps witness some of His miracles.  They heard Him explain the meaning of the scriptures, and the designs God had in mind for the Jewish people.  He spoke to them of God’s program, centering on love of His Father, and of one another.  They heard Him criticize Jewish leadership much as Jeremiah had done before Him.  He was fearlessly outspoken.  And so He was the center of attention, much to the discontent of the chief priests and the Pharisees.  And so the issue became His credentials: was He THE prophet, perhaps the MESSIAH, long awaited throughout Jewish history?   Various answers flew back and forth on this issue.  Even the soldiers sent by the Jewish leadership to arrest Him, returned empty-handed, stunned by His eloquence.  And the secretive and timid Nicodemus, of whom we heard early on in Jesus’ public ministry, and himself a Pharisee, took issue with this inordinate haste to condemn Him.

So, critics often have a hard time of it.  Of course, many of them give as good as they get.  Nonetheless,   today’s scriptures speak to us forcefully of the role that convictions and commitments should play in our lives.  While we need not be brash or combative about them, we must abide by them, and not allow opposition or criticism to deter us.  All of us are called to be prophets of God’s ways in our lives, if not in word, at least in our conduct.

 

Fr. Sebastian MacDonald, C.P. is a member of the Passionist formation community at Catholic Theological Union, Chicago.

 

Scripture:

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

Reflection:

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted.

The readings that we have for the Mass today offers us glimpses into two minds. The first, from the Book of Wisdom, the mind of the evil doer. The second, from the Gospel according to John, the mind of Jesus, the Son of God. The contrasts could not have been greater. It is worth our while to just of deepen our mindfulness into these two very different points of view.

Maybe there was a time in our lives when we thought we were in control. We thought that we were worldly-wise. We cut corners and we were not struck by lightning. We were able to take advantage of those who wanted to do everything right, thinking that they were so dumb and we were so smart. Some of us even thought that we were superior to those who seemed weak or powerless. At the conclusion of this first reading, we are told: “they know not the hidden counsels of God; neither do they count on a recompense of holiness nor discern the innocent souls’ reward.” (Wisdom 2:22)

In the Gospel reading, we hear Jesus express his mind to the crowds that are following him. He knows who he is, he knows where he comes from and he knows why he has been sent by His Father. There is clarity in his mind, while there is confusion in the minds of the people who follow him.

Jesus knows well why God sent him: because God is close to the broken-hearted.

It seems to me that when our hearts get broken, we become more open to the healing touch of God. When our hearts get broken, we realize that we are no longer in control. When our hearts get broken, we long for someone to heal our broken hearts, to tell us that it will be alright, even when it doesn’t feel alright just now. The power of God’s Love is more powerful than the feelings hopelessness and unworthiness.
Lent is a time to get our act together. It is a time to set aside those naïve thoughts that are expressed in the first reading, thoughts of power and control and smugness. It is a time for us to have clarity of mind, like the mind of Jesus. It is a time to recognize when we are brokenhearted, even when we have lived in denial for a while.

There is no shame in being brokenhearted.

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted.

Fr. Clemente Barrón, C.P. is a member of Immaculate Conception Community in Chicago, Illinois.

 

Scripture:

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

Reflection:

There are three miracles of healing from a distance in the Gospels: One is the healing of the Centurions’ son, Another is the healing of the Syrophenician woman’s daughter. And the last is the healing of the son of the Royal Official from Capharnaum. This last is the first miracle of “giving life” in John’s Gospel. It is an anticipation of the raising of Lazarus from the dead.

What is striking here in this periscope is that this man was more than likely a Gentile. He did not ask for a sign from Jesus. He simply asked him to come down to his home and heal his son who is near death. Jesus responded to his request, because this father’s deep faith.

Jesus says “You may go, your son will live. The man believed what Jesus said to him and he left.” Jesus was impressed with this man, unlike others they wanted to see signs. But because of his deep faith, he took Jesus at his word and returned to be with his son.

How does one draw on the deep faith the Centurion had? How does one take Jesus in faith and trust and return to our responsibilities? Different people have different ways. The Paul Bechtold Library in Chicago has a very impressive painting by Joseph O’Connor. The picture is a depiction of Peter crying copious tears and in his hands he has a rooster by the neck and is strangling it. I asked the student what it was that she saw in this picture, that caused her to pay it a visit every day of her classes. Her reply was the agony of Peter is so authentic it touches her heart, and gives me a deep sense of peace.

Where do we find this peace? There is an essay by C. S. Lewis entitled “Palaces of Peace.” He says in this essay that there are four palaces where we can find peace. The first is in solitude, the second is in relationships with others, the third is in simplicity of life, and the fourth is compassionate presence.

Let this Lenten season be palace of peace for all of us. Let us deepen our faith in Jesus Crucified, in whom we place our faith.
Fr. Ken O’Malley, C.P., is the local superior at Holy Name Passionist Community in Houston, Texas.

Fourth Sunday of Lent

Scripture:

2 Chronicles 36: 14-16, 19-23
Ephesians 2: 4-10
John 3: 14-21

Reflection:

We now have reached the midpoint of Lent and God invites the Church (Jerusalem) to ”Rejoice!” And we, the members of the Church, are also to “Be joyful…/to exult and be satisfied at her consoling breast”. (Entrance Antiphon for this Laetare Sunday). On this day we are called to anticipate the paschal mystery we will celebrate during the three days of the Triduum and let bright light of Easter break through the shadows of Lent. The deep purple of our Lenten vestments are lightened to the color of rose for this one day.

The passage from the second Book of Chronicles puts us into the last years of the kingdom of David when infidelity is added to infidelity and the practices of the pagan peoples enter into the religious life of the Jewish people. The warnings of the prophets are unheeded. Consequently the temple and the city of Jerusalem are destroyed and the people taken captive to Babylon. Restoration and return did not come for seventy years and then through the decree of the Persian King Cyrus. Why are we asked to remember these long ago events in 2015? The Israelite people are undergoing their own death-resurrection experience of exile/return. As they reflect on their collective experience they come to a deeper appreciation of how God works in the world. We too much search for the signs of the times for how God is dealing with us today.

“God, who is rich in mercy, because of the great love he had for us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, brought us to life in Christ…that…he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus… By grace you have been saved!” This is how Paul put it. John was more direct; “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.” So we realize that through Jesus a powerful force is at work in the hearts and minds of people. It is the power of love.

 

Fr. Michael Hoolahan, C.P. is on the staff of Mater Dolorosa Passionist Retreat Center, Sierra Madre, California.

Scripture:

Hosea 14:2-10
Mark 12:28-34

Reflection:

Today’s reading from the Gospel of Mark is situated in the Jerusalem time of Jesus ministry leading up to his crucifixion. In chapter 11, Jesus arrives to sounds of Hosanna and following his temple cleansing, begins to teach the people.  In this cleansing he sets the foundational precepts of God’s view of temple worship and as we know that caused a stir.

In this text Jesus is being questioned by the scribes.  The passage in the bible contains a partial sentence not in the Lectionary: “when he (the scribe) came forward and heard them disputing and saw how well he (Jesus) had answered them, asked him…..” (12:28), so we recognize this scribe as one who is open to hearing Jesus’ teaching. In fact he paves the way for one of the greatest proclamations in all of scripture. Echoing Deuteronomy 6:4, Shema Israel, “Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God, is Lord alone!….”  followed by “love of neighbor…” found in Leviticus 19:18. Notice Jesus adds a fourth component to this text.  He commands us to love with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. The original text mentions, heart, soul and strength.

I have heard it said that the longest distance in humanity may be from the mind to the heart. True conversion happens when our mind and heart connect as one—Metanoia.  This change of mind St. Paul teaches is to believe that through baptism we are God’s temple –Christ lives in us (1 Cor 3:16). What strikes me in this context is the second command: “….love your neighbor as yourself.”

Arguably the hardest challenge is love of self.  Is Jesus really commanding me to love you as much as I love myself?  Then how well do I love myself? The prophet Hosea reminds us that, sinners stumble on the paths of the Lord (14:10) but the important thing to recognize is that sinners are on the path!  So as I/we stumble along fixed on having the mind of Christ, may we come to a deeper awareness of the importance of love of self so as to love God.

 

Jean Bowler is a retreatant at Mater Dolorosa Passionist Retreat Center in Sierra Madre, and a member of the Office of Mission Effectiveness Board of Holy Cross Province

 

Scripture:

Jeremiah 7:23-28
Luke 11:14-23

Reflection:

In the words of the prophet Jeremiah, this day, the Lord is encouraging us to listen, pay heed, because we are, actually, sent, today, among so many who don’t “walk in all the ways that I command you.” In a real sense paying attention to God’s voice today is to recognize the “muteness” that goes on around us, and in the face of it, act, speak. That is, to take any available opportunity, today, to respond in some communicative, personal way to the love of God as is revealed in our midst.

Karl Rahner wrote that “Lent” is necessary because God is apparently “far from us.” That distance means “that our heart is despondent over unanswered prayers, and is tempted to look on “God” only as one of those grand a ultimately unbelieved-in words under cover of which men (sic) hide their despair, because this despair no longer has the power to accept even itself as real.” And, for Rahner, the way of Lent is to first “stand up and face this God-distance of a choked-up heart. What God is really far away from you in this emptiness of the heart? Not the true and living God; for he is precisely the intangible God, the nameless God; and that is why he can really be the God of your measureless heart. Distant from you is only a God who does not exist; a tangible God, a God of man’s small thoughts and his cheap, timid feelings, a God of earthly security…” Second, he suggests: “notice that God is there.  Know with faith that he is with you. Perceive that for a long time now he has been waiting for you in the deepest dungeon of your blocked-up heart, and that for a long time he has been quietly listening to you, even though you, after all the busy noise that we call our life, do not even let him get a word in edgewise, and his words to the man-you-were-until now seem only deadly silence.” But all of this would not have occurred if it were not for that night in the Garden of Gethsemane. “He lay on his face; death crept into his living heart into the heart of the world …The earth wickedly and greedily gulped down the drops of blood of his mortal terror…In this death-silence the small voice of the Son floated somewhere, the only sign from God that was still left. Each moment it seemed to be stifled. But a great miracle took place; the voice remained. The Son spoke to the awful God with his tiny voice that was like a dead man’s, ‘Father’ – he spoke to his own abandonment-‘Thy will be done.’ Through him and in him and with him our soul is laid in the hands of this God, this Father, whose former decree of death has now become love. Our Lenten sacrifices to love deliver us from our muteness to respond to the burdens and bitterness of life. The fasting is in this: standing firm, drinking the cup that contains our poverty and want and God-distance. We face all with a response and not muteness. Lord, give me your grace to do this today.

 

Fr. Alex Steinmiller, C.P. is president of Holy Family Cristo Rey Catholic High School, Birmingham, Alabama.