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Wednesday of the Fourth Week of Lent

Scripture:

Isaiah 49:8-15
John 5:17-30

 

 

 

Reflection:

The reading from Isaiah is from the section called the Book of Consolation. The prophet announces that the people will return to Jerusalem from their exile in Babylon. They are still in exile so Isaiah wants to strengthen their hope in the midst of their hardships and backbreaking experiences. Better times are on the way.

God hears the cry of the poor and will respond to their prayers for deliverance. The prisoners will be set free, light will come into the darkness, water will be given to the thirsty and food to the hungry. No more will they have to labor as slaves in the harsh sun. The people, and all of creation, will soon rejoice…turning their weeping into cries of joy.

When we feel let down by others, defeated by life and its unfairness, when all our good efforts end in failure or misunderstanding, when we wonder if God is on our side or has God forgotten about my plight, that is precisely the time we are called to a "naked" faith (as St. Paul of the Cross describes it), a faith that does not depend on signs and wonders, a faith without props and guarantees. This is the faith that Isaiah encourages. In spite of darkness, harshness and impossible conditions, God is with us and will never forget us.

These are the experiences that bring us closer to Jesus Christ. They allow us, if we let them, to journey with Jesus in the desert for 40 days, to pray with Jesus during his agonizing prayer in the Garden, to be nailed with Jesus on the cross and cry with Jesus: "My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?" It’s on the dark side of life that our faith is tested. When God seems so far away, do we have the faith that Isaiah describes, the resilient faith that Jesus possessed? The journey back to Jerusalem challenges us to be people of faith, to believe beyond what we can see and touch, beyond our experience of exile. At these moments, for however long they last, we confess in our hearts that God has not forgotten me. I’m not in Jerusalem yet; dawn has not arrived; resurrection seems like wishful thinking; still, I believe God is with me and act accordingly.

 

Fr. Don Webber, C.P., is Provincial Superior of Holy Cross Province and resides in Chicago.

 

Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Lent

Scripture:

Ezekiel 47:1-9, 12
John 5:1-3, 5-16

Reflection:

Haridwar is a pilgrimage city in the Haridwar District of Uttarakhand, India. It is associated with both Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu. Haridwar is among the seven sacred cities of India. It is also one of the four venues for the Kumbh Mela, held in its magnitude every twelve years where the Ganges enters the plains is a very religious, Hindu spot. Millions of people gather there, put ashes on their body and bathe in the river Ganges to wash away their sins and be liberated from the chain cycle of life – birth, death, and rebirth. Every human person’s heart wants to cleanse oneself from sinfulness -like the Hindus bathing in the river Ganges.

In Jerusalem, there was a pool by the Sheep Gate, where it is believed that anyone who dips in first when the water is stirred would be healed. There were many who were blind, lame and paralyzed who were laying at the porticos.  Among them, Jesus meets a man who had been sick for thirty-eight years and could not get into the water before others and tells him, "Pick up your mat and walk." Immediately he began to walk and experienced healing in his life. Jesus, instead of throwing the paralyzed man into the waters of the pool, cures him by the strength of his word: "Pick up your mat and walk." The man does not even know who cured him. Jesus’ salvation is a free gift for all who believe in the power of his word and want to be cured of their many paralyses.

When we approach Jesus in faith, He heals us as he healed the man who was sick for 38 years. We are also called to take this blessing in other people’s lives – as the river of God’s grace that flows in our lives. In Palestine, the river Jordan always mixes good water into the Dead Sea. The Dead Sea allows no living creatures to live in it because it does not give to others what it has received. As Christians we are invited to share the grace that God blesses us with and not hold onto ourselves. This miracle of Jesus in our life is a grace-filled event which demands an active response from us, a response that has to effect the whole of our life.

 

Fr. A. Justin Nelson, CP,  is a member of our Indian Vicariate and temporarily stationed at St. Mary’s Parish, Fairfield, Alabama. 

Monday of the Fourth Week of Lent

Scripture:

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

Reflection:

The people of Judah once had a way of life they thought was like a paradise.  But now it was lost. The Babylonians had swept down upon them, slaughtered many of their loved ones and friends, carried off the youngest and the best into a foreign land.  Judah was crushed, Jerusalem demolished, the Temple destroyed. The world they had known and loved was lost.

Eventually they were allowed to return, but things were not the same as they had been before. For half a century they worked to restore the Holy City to its former splendor, but they found themselves still living in the despair that comes when life is not — and seemingly never will be — the same as it once was.

They rebuilt the temple. But it was a shabby building.  They had done their best to build God a decent house, but admittedly, it wasn’t much. At least it’s not what it used to be. The walls surrounding the city still lay in rubble, and their hearts and spirits felt the same.

It seems that life is always having to be rebuilt.  But it’s never the same. Just ask the people of Judah.

Yet, it is in the midst of this despair, that God, speaking through the prophet Isaiah, offers his people words of hope: "Pay attention now," He tells them.  "I’m creating new heavens and a new earth.  All the earlier troubles, chaos and pain are things of the past, will be forgotten.  Look ahead with joy!  I will create Jerusalem as sheer joy. No more sounds of weeping in the city, no cries of anguish; no more babies dying in the cradle, or old people who don’t enjoy a full lifetime."

How often have we felt like the people of Judah — when tragedy or crippling illness swept down on our lives, leaving behind only rubble.  We try to rebuild; but, of course, it can never be the same.

It is precisely in these moments, when God breaks into our lives and speaks to us words of hope:  Pay attention now, God says to us. Look ahead with joy to the new life Jesus came to create for us.  That chaos and pain?  They’re things of the past.  Old people will live long lives; no more babies dying prematurely.  Pay attention to what Jesus said to the royal official in Capernaum, and just as surely he says to you today: "Go home. Your child lives."  Isaiah’s prophesy of hope has been fulfilled in Jesus.  Today’s Psalm 30 underscores it: "I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me."

As we continue our Lenten journey, we are reminded that we have a choice. We can pine for the good old days that will never return, or we can in faith consider the possibility that God has something new in store for us, new life — if only we will pay attention now!

 

Deacon Manuel Valencia is on the staff at Mater Dolorosa Passionist Retreat Center, Sierra Madre, California.

 

Saturday of the Third Week of Lent

Scripture:

Hosea 6:1-6
Luke 18:9-14

 

 

Reflection:

Letting the Light of Christ Shine Within Us

In so many ways the axiom, ‘the brighter the light, the greater the shadow’ is seen:

success can blind us to our weak spots; victorious we can forget we are vulnerable. While we need to keep the light before us when we walk in shadow times, we also must be aware that our brightness can make it difficult to see in the shadows what can do us harm.

Jesus tells his parable to those who believe in their own self-righteousness. A shadow has crept into their lives. The Pharisee recognizes the other man at prayer and knows him to be a tax collector. In judging he is not aware that he also judges himself. His shadow blinds him to the good quality of the tax collector – humility. Something that the Pharisee needs in his own life

Righteousness is being one with God’s will for us, listening and responding to God’s unfolding plan. But self-righteousness seems to obscure God’s light by our own. The 1961 award winning play by Paddy Chayefsky, "Gideon", presents an Old Testament example of our good blinding us to the good of God. Gideon, who is voted the least likely to succeed becomes a great military leader. It is a story of intimate friendship. God loves and has chosen Gideon. God, who would be Gideon’s best friend, who accepts him with all his limitations, enjoys nothing more than sitting and talking with him. In the end, dressed in a golden uniform and truly blinded by success, Gideon can no longer see God. The ending so sad, as God says to Gideon, ‘I am right here where I always am. Can’t you hear me or see me?" Gideon sort of hears something, vaguely sees a glimmer, but dismisses it. He is busy being important.

Hosea keeps us on our Lenten journey. We walk with Our Lord with whom we have a relationship established in Baptism which we will renew at Easter. If we imitate the humble tax collector, we may hear in our hearts, ‘Come back to me. Like the spring rains that fall upon the earth, with the certainty of the dawn, the Lord is coming to us.’ This refreshing, welcoming and shadow dispelling light shows us that love is what God wants, not sacrifice. Our successes and good works God does not need. But all of these good things seen in the light of Our Lord, flowing from his guidance, made possible with his help, and done by hearts that are in dialogue, these God welcomes because they flow from his love.

May the light of Christ burn away self-righteousness. As we move to Easter the words of Hopkins draw us on, ‘let him easter in us, be a dayspring to the dimness of us’. 

 

Fr. William Murphy, CP is the pastor of St. Joseph’s Monastery parish in Baltimore, Maryland.

Scripture:

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

Reflection:

I wonder what the Scribe in today’s Gospel thought Jesus was going to say in response to his question, "Which is the first of all the commandments?"  Perhaps he thought Jesus was going to say something "new."  But, in his response, Jesus reminds him that love, first of God and then of neighbor, is at the heart of God’s commandments.  It always was and it always will be.  The Scribe praises Jesus’ answer.  Jesus tells the Scribe that, because he understands this important truth, he is not far from the Kingdom of God.

What about us?  What do we think is the most important of all the commandments?  Do we understand, as does the Scribe in the Gospel, that love is at the heart of the Gospel?  Of course we do!….

The first reading for today is from the prophet Hosea.  He speaks of God’s commitment to forgive Israel and Ephraim, i.e., God’s people who have been so unfaithful.  Throughout these first weeks of Lent we have had readings from various prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel, Ezekiel), assuring us of God’s constant forgiveness for the many sins of idolatry and injustice committed by God’s people.  It would seem that knowing the first of all the commandments doesn’t’ guarantee that we live it.

This message of the prophets is very reassuring for us as we try to live what we know is true, that love is the heart of the Gospel, and of God.  We pray that during this holy season, God transforms our hearts of stone into hearts of flesh so that we can live in God’s love.

 

Fr. Michael Higgins, C.P. is the director of lay formation for Holy Cross Province and is stationed at Immaculate Conception Retreat in Chicago.

Thursday of the Third Week of Lent

Scripture:

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

Reflection:

"…the mute man spoke and the crowds were amazed." Luke 11:14

Strange things are happening these days. People are beginning to trust their intuition, their inner sense of God, speaking up and being heard. Why just the other day, the great state of Mississippi spoke up and ratified the 13^th Amendment to the U.S Constitution.  All of a sudden we are hearing from the 99 percent, people who have been silent (dumb in today’s scriptural language). Hispanics, the fastest growing demographic in the US are voting as a bloc electing presidents, women are speaking up and more importantly are being heard. It’s amazing!

Using Facebook and Twitter, everyday people are now able to "comment" or "like" what someone else has written or said. They can let the world know what they think. It’s amazing! For example, the other day my cousin posted "Sami’s story" from Youtube on her Facebook page. I "liked" it and because I thought it significant, decided to post it on my Facebook page. From that one post, eight people from all parts of my past responded by "Liking" my post, and four of those wrote and shared their thoughts. It’s amazing! Some think presidential elections are won, when one person speaks up, i.e. Jimmy Carter’s grandson. James Carter IV, overheard remarks by one candidate, and "leaked" those remarks to the Press and those remarks went viral. Ordinary everyday people responded by showing up, voting and being heard. It’s amazing!

If I didn’t know better, I’d think Jesus was walking our streets today. Well, maybe He is, in the person of everyday, ordinary people, like you and me.

"If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts". (Today’s Responsorial Psalm refrain)

 

Dan O’Donnell is a Passionist Partner and a longtime friend of the Passionists.  He lives in Chicago.

Scripture:

Deuteronomy 4:1, 5-9
Matthew 5:17-19

Reflection:

Lent is a good time for us to examine our relationship with Jesus?  How close and how deep is our friendship with him?

 

I suggest we ask ourselves two questions:

     — The first question: On a scale of "one to ten," how would we measure our relationship with Jesus?  Let’s say that it’s a "seven."

     — The second question: What would it take to make that a "ten?"

In both our first reading today and in our gospel our attention is focused on the law and its fulfillment.  But it is clear from Jesus’ words that mere keeping of laws and statutes is not enough. 

So we participate at Mass, read Scripture, go to Reconciliation and pray the Stations and the Rosary to help us grow closer to Jesus.  During this Lenten season we also fast, give alms and do other good works to help our relationship with Jesus become a ten.  

Still, after keeping laws, praying, fasting and doing good works, we still don’t feel very close to God.  Slowly we begin to realize that the spiritual life is not about us.  It involves getting out of the way so that God can mold us, shape us, form us, take over and live through us.  If we "let go and let God," than some day we will be able to say with St. Paul , "I live now not I but Christ lives in me." (Galatians 2:20)   

The focus of the spiritual life is on the power and love of God at work among us. Then what is left for us is to give thanks and praise to God.  With Mary we proclaim,"He who is mighty has done great things to us.  Holy is his name." (cf. Luke 1:49)  There is great peace in a life of gratitude.

 

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

 

 

Tuesday of the Third Week of Lent

Scripture:

Daniel 3:25, 34-43
Matthew 18:21-35

Reflection:

As an urgent care physician, most of my days at work are filled with common maladies such as sore throats and sprains, cuts and coughs.  Occasionally, either due to denial or desperation, a more serious situation will present itself.  Such was the case recently when a man arrived at our center, severely short of breath.  He was brusque with the staff and greeted me with an obvious air of suspicion.  As his story was unfolded to me…60 pack-years of smoking, no regular or routine health care, it would have been easy to detach myself and judge his condition as self-inflicted.

As we continued our discourse, his anger began to give way to the fear that was driving it, and soon he was pleading with me.  "Please give me something to make me better.  I can’t climb the stairs to my apartment without stopping many times along the way.  I can’t sleep because I wake up choking.  I can’t work because I don’t have the strength or breath for the two-mile walk to get there."  Eventually, his words turned to sobs as his wife sat silently nearby.

After some testing, an x-ray, and treatments given to make him more comfortable, we gathered again in the tiny room to face the fact now revealed…a large tumor occupying his right lung.  This vulnerable soul at the foot of the cross.

I had been pondering our readings for today for some time prior to meeting this patient.  Both readings detail accounts of individuals, like my patient, in desperate situations.

In the reading from Daniel, we hear the prayer of Azariah (Abednego) as he, Shadrach and Meschach are pleading for their lives as the fiery furnace is being stoked.  Our reading today from Matthew’s Gospel is the final section of a larger discourse that is often called the "church order" discourse or the "Discourse on Community".  It includes the Parable of the Lost Sheep, in addition to today’s Parable of the Unforgiving Servant.  In the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant, we hear the pleading words of the servant as he falls down in homage before his master.  In each of these readings, the ultimate call is to reconciliation, right relationship.

The Proto-Indo-European origins of the word, plea, bear the meaning to smooth out or to make flat.  Similarly, the Middle English roots of the word, reconcile, mean to make good again, to reconsecrate.

Most of us do not pass the day without an awareness of the spoken and unspoken pleading voices in our world, in our communities, in our own families.  How do they transform us?  How do we reconcile? 

The Holocaust museum web site has a banner that provides one answer to such questions.  It reads, "Never again.  What you do matters."

 

Dr. Capper Rademaker is a longtime friend and partner of the Passionists in Louisville, Kentucky.