30 April 2017 - taste of freedom

And it happened that, while he was with them at table,
he took bread, said the blessing,
broke it, and gave it to them.
With that their eyes were opened and they recognized him,
but he vanished from their sight.

Jesus reveals himself to us in the Eucharist. In his Body and Blood we receive the Risen Christ, not dead flesh. Because of this the Eucharist heals us of our doubts. This is the same spotless lamb who ransomed us with his precious blood. But his body was not abandoned to the netherworld. So receiving we proclaim, "We have seen the LORD!"

Therefore my heart has been glad and my tongue has exulted;
my flesh, too, will dwell in hope, 
because you will not abandon my soul to the netherworld,
nor will you suffer your holy one to see corruption.

What we taste in the Eucharist is the Resurrection. Because of this the Eucharist renews our faith. It renews our hope as well, our hope that God will not abandon us to the netherworld either, that we will one day rise as well. We taste our future in the Eucharist because it unites us to Jesus and promises the even deeper union we will one day know.

The Eucharist not only renews our faith and our hope, but also our love and charity. It is the flesh and blood that ransoms us from our futile conduct handed on by our ancestors. United with Jesus we are no longer slaves to the fear of death. We are no longer slaves to the selfishness that such fear creates. We are free to love as Jesus himself loves.

You will show me the path to life,
abounding joy in your presence,
the delights at your right hand forever.

29 April 2017 - weather or not

[ Today's Readings ]

Jesus shows us who he is by walking on water, something only God can do. He is the one whom even the wind and the sea obey. He does all things well. Naturally, facing the storms of life, we want him present in our boats. But more fundamental than this is for us to realize who he is, to have faith even in the storms.

But he said to them, "It is I. Do not be afraid."

The disciples want him to join them. They want his presence. But this revelation wherein Jesus uses the Divine Name and does what only God can do is what these disciples need right now. Jesus is Jesus even in the storms, even when we don't sense him in our boats. And knowing this, we are safe from all that could do us harm.

They wanted to take him into the boat,
but the boat immediately arrived at the shore
to which they were heading.

This story has a practical lesson as well. For those of us who can't be everywhere at once, we don't have to be. We only need to be where God calls us. 

Brothers, select from among you seven reputable men,
filled with the Spirit and wisdom,
whom we shall appoint to this task,
whereas we shall devote ourselves to prayer
and to the ministry of the word.

Most often God calls us to use the special gifts he gives us. He calls us to do what we're uniquely able to do for him because of the charisms which he bestows. And if that means that there are ten other things we aren't doing we needn't worry. He's a big enough God to handle them.

The word of God continued to spread,
and the number of the disciples in Jerusalem increased greatly;

We needn't be afraid to use our gifts because we can trust Jesus even in the storms.

See, the eyes of the LORD are upon those who fear him,
upon those who hope for his kindness,
To deliver them from death
and preserve them in spite of famine.

28 April 2017 - one thing i seek

[ Today's Readings ]

Jesus can provide for us. He is enough even when it seems like our needs are too great.

"Two hundred days' wages worth of food would not be enough
for each of them to have a little."

Jesus shows the crowd that he is able to provide for them. He shows us the same. But he doesn't give us bread to promise that he will always give us bread. He gives us what we think we need so that we are ready to listen when he offers us something even more important: his own Body and Blood.

Still, we misunderstand. We're all too ready to put him in charge of our practical concerns but not terribly interested in the greater gift of the Eucharist.

Since Jesus knew that they were going to come and carry him off
to make him king,
he withdrew again to the mountain alone.

This tends to make us fair weather friends of Jesus because we hold it against him when the circumstances take a turn for the worse. We blame him for it. How different this is from the disciples who know the true value of the gift they have in Christ.

So they left the presence of the Sanhedrin,
rejoicing that they had been found worthy
to suffer dishonor for the sake of the name.
And all day long, both at the temple and in their homes,
they did not stop teaching and proclaiming the Christ, Jesus.

Jesus gives us bread so that we can realize that we cannot live by bread alone. Once we realize that the words that God speaks are more important even than our mortal lives we can begin to live fearlessly. We can suffer courageously for the sake of the name. We have been given the bread of heaven. It is worth any price.

One thing I ask of the LORD
this I seek:
To dwell in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life,

27 April 2017 - witness protection

St. Stephen is a case in point.

[ Today's Readings ]

We are witnesses of these things,
as is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him.

We are called to proclaim that God has raised Christ Jesus from the dead. We can't proclaim him on our own. Strategies and plans only go so far. We need the Holy Spirit's help. On our own we meet resistance and fall flat. When the Spirit is with us we may meet resistance, but it does not stop us.

We must obey God rather than men.

The people who hear us may even become infuriated with us. They might not want to here the truth. But God wants them to hear it. If they are ready, the Spirit may move us to proclaim God's word even in such hostile situations. He may ask us to proclaim God's word even when it seems to have no effect.

He testifies to what he has seen and heard,
but no one accepts his testimony.

The Holy Spirit knows what he is doing. He knows when we should speak and when we should give an example of silent love and charity. His concern is the concern of the Father and the Son as well, that everyone has the opportunity to believe in the Son for eternal life. The Spirit is poured out without measure to empower this mission. The Father does not ration his gift of the Spirit so that his words can be spoken and his truth can be made known. The psalmist shows us a good example of this proclamation, so let's invite the Spirit to fill us with similar words of praise.

I will bless the LORD at all times;
his praise shall be ever in my mouth.
Taste and see how good the LORD is;
blessed the man who takes refuge in him.

26 April 2017 - prison break

 [ Today's Readings ]

And this is the verdict,
that the light came into the world,
but people preferred darkness to light,
because their works were evil.

Because people prefer darkness they try to silence the good news. But another aspect, which we consider less, is that because we prefer the darkness we allow ourselves to be kept in prisons and prevented from spreading the message of Jesus.

What does it mean to prefer the darkness? We let the world silence us. We become content with the status quo. But the status quo really is dominated by darkness. We focus on the good parts and ignore the dark. We hide from it rather than bringing the light to bear. We don't want to take the risk of exposing it. After all, we are complicit in many ways. Uncovering darkness anywhere uncovers it in ourselves.

We need the light. We need to learn to prefer it. God gave his only Son so that we could have the light. He gave his only Son so that we could live the truth. In order to break free from the prisons that stop us from spreading the good news or slow our progress toward the kingdom we need Jesus to save us.

God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son,
so that everyone who believes in him might not perish
but might have eternal life.
The Father is not giving us a one-time gift in his Son. He is giving us the only solution to the problem of darkness. We need to turn to him again and again each time we encounter darkness, whether within or without. We need to believe in him and trust that he is able to save us and give us freedom.
But during the night, the angel of the Lord opened the doors of the prison,
led them out, and said,
"Go and take your place in the temple area,
and tell the people everything about this life."
Let's not waste our time staring at the prison walls. We aren't going to figure out freedom on our own, nor find a way through the locked doors that we missed the last time we looked. Instead, let us believe in the Son whom the Father gives to the world. His angel is ready to deliver those who believe.

The angel of the LORD encamps
around those who fear him, and delivers them.
Taste and see how good the LORD is;
blessed the man who takes refuge in him.

25 April 2017 - humble bundle

 

 [ Today's Readings ]

Go into the whole world
and proclaim the Gospel to every creature.

We go out to proclaim the risen Christ. We are the people "who know the joyful shout" because it is precisely the light of the countenance of Christ that has shattered the dark night of sin and death. Even so, we have to be humble when we proclaim the Gospel.

Clothe yourselves with humility
in your dealings with one another, for:
God opposes the proud
but bestows favor on the humble.
It would be easier on the one hand to say nothing at all, or on the other, to give in to triumphalism. Genuine humility must reach beyond ourselves and our own fears to show concern for others. The devil is prowling, trying to keep this message from getting out.

Your opponent the Devil is prowling around like a roaring lion
looking for someone to devour.

The devil wants to silence us. But if he cannot, he is happy to make us so obnoxious and self-righteous that no one will listen. He wants us to spread the gospel as a vanity project for ourselves rather than for others. He is afraid of the humility to which we are called. Where the Devil otherwise restrains the gospel humility cuts through. Humility makes us able to deal with the sufferings along the way. This makes our testimony more persuasive and enables the God of all grace to restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish us as we choose to place him even before our own comfort.

It is from humility before God that signs and wonders come. It is not from an overly pronounced view of ourselves or our spiritual progress. It is in fact a lack of trust in ourselves and a trust rather in the God who works with us and confirms our words.

These signs will accompany those who believe:
in my name they will drive out demons,
they will speak new languages.
They will pick up serpents with their hands,
and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not harm them.
They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.
Let us rejoice that we know the joyful shout and share the good news with everyone. Let us do it from a posture of humility, trusting in God to confirm our message, trusting in him to get us through suffering, trusting that if we trust him we will rejoice forever.

At your name they rejoice all the day,
and through your justice they are exalted.

 

24 April 2017 - born again

 [ Today's Readings ]

Amen, amen, I say to you,
unless one is born from above, he cannot see the Kingdom of God.

We are born again of water and Spirit in Baptism. That means that our spirits our reborn by the power of the Holy Spirit. They are made able to see and to enter the Kingdom of God. Once we are born from Spirit we begin to operate based on what the Spirit tells us. The world doesn't understand our motivations any longer. We're like the wind that blows where it wills.

The wind blows where it wills,
and you can hear the sound it makes,
but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes;
so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit."

Or we are meant to be. We need to live the grace of our baptism. We must not let the living water stagnate nor close the windows to the breeze of the Spirit blowing upon us. Living the grace of our baptism means living in a way that is dead to sin and alive to God. It is trusting in God for freedom from our past lives and actions and living to please him. Why do we often notice that we aren't living this way? The world tricks us, even hypnotizes us, into falling in line with its fallen paradigms. Subtle fears keep us from allowing the wind of the Spirit to fully take our sails are propel us onward and upward. Let us pray for boldness as the disciples do.

And now, Lord, take note of their threats,
and enable your servants to speak your word
with all boldness, as you stretch forth your hand to heal,
and signs and wonders are done
through the name of your holy servant Jesus."
As they prayed, the place where they were gathered shook,
and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit
and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.

The LORD wants to answer prayers to make us bold. He wants to do signs and wonders and healings to vindicate those who are bold for him. If we pray for this he may give us opportunities to put it to the test. At first this might be frightening but as we act with the boldness he gives us we learn that he is trustworthy. There is really no competition between the world which tries to frighten us and the God who gives us his strength.

He who is throned in heaven laughs;
the LORD derides them.
Then in anger he speaks to them;
he terrifies them in his wrath:
"I myself have set up my king
on Zion, my holy mountain."

 

23 April 2017 - that we may believe

[ Today's Readings ]

The LORD reveals himself to Thomas not only for him but also for us when we doubt. He shows us that he is compassionate toward those who doubt. He wishes them the same peace as those who have an easier time believing. He stretches out his hand in order reveal himself to Thomas. May the witness of Thomas, that Jesus had mercy on him, convict us as well.

We are called to be those who don't see but believe. Fortunately we have so many witnesses that did see who give testimony to us. Fortunately, too, the community of believers produces many signs and wonders that we can see.

Awe came upon everyone,
and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles.

Jesus wants us to hear him say "Peace by with you" today and to truly feel that peace in our hearts, the peace of the Risen LORD, which the world cannot take away. The world has done its worst and lost. Death itself is defeated.

This is the living hope which the LORD gives us: he is risen so we will rise! It is enough to get us through various trials that we have to suffer for a little while. Or it needs to be. If our faith is not yet at that level, the level which gives us peace and sustains us in trial, let us ask the LORD: increase our faith!

Although you have not seen him you love him;
even though you do not see him now yet believe in him,
you rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy,
as you attain the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

This is all written so that we can believe. Let us receive the grace of belief being offered to us.

But these are written that you may come to believe
that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God,
and that through this belief you may have life in his name.

22 April 2017 - can't help it

Today's Readings

When they heard that he was alive
and had been seen by her, they did not believe.

LORD, help us to believe that you are alive! You want the truth that you are alive to be so apparent that no one can deny it.

Everyone living in Jerusalem knows that a remarkable sign
was done through them, and we cannot deny it.

You want us to be so convinced that we can't help but speak about it.

It is impossible for us not to speak about what we have seen and heard.

Convince us and convict us, LORD. Plant the good news deep in our hearts so that it impacts everything we say and everything we do. Transform us so that our default posture is that of a missionary disciple. Ingrain it so deeply in us that it isn't something we have to remember or turn on but rather something we live.

He said to them, "Go into the whole world
and proclaim the Gospel to every creature.

We have trouble believing that any news this good could be true. But you live! And your life is the vindication of your truth, better than anything we could ask for or even imagine. Death is defeated! How can we help be speak of it?

I shall not die, but live,
and declare the works of the LORD.

21 April 2017 - no other name

[ Today's Readings ] 

Simon Peter said to them, "I am going fishing."
They said to him, "We also will come with you."

It can't just be back to business as usual once we've seen the risen LORD. Just like before we knew him it turns out to be leave us empty.

So they went out and got into the boat,
but that night they caught nothing.

Fortunately, even when we try this, Jesus still comes to us and enters into our lives and circumstances.

So he said to them, "Cast the net over the right side of the boat
and you will find something."

We lose ourselves in our work and responsibilities and forget about the resurrection. So Jesus comes to meet us in these very places. He shows us what his resurrection means, not only in general or in abstract, but here with us.

So they cast it, and were not able to pull it in
because of the number of fish.
So the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "It is the Lord."

He reveals himself to us. His presence in our lives spills over. There are too many fish for just us. We have to share what we receive. And when we do so people notice.

Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, answered them,
"Leaders of the people and elders:
If we are being examined today
about a good deed done to a cripple,
namely, by what means he was saved,
then all of you and all the people of Israel should know
that it was in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean
whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead;
in his name this man stands before you healed.

Jesus enters into our lives with the power of his resurrection. His name is the only name that saves, the only name that makes any real or lasting difference. We must not reject him, for he is the cornerstone. The structure doesn't hold together without him. We must proclaim his name to our own spheres of the human race so that everyone can see how wonderful is his everlasting mercy. They are tired of building things destined to collapse. Let's ask Jesus to show them the wonders of his love.

By the LORD has this been done;
it is wonderful in our eyes.
This is the day the LORD has made;
let us be glad and rejoice in it.

20 April 2017 - times of refreshing

[ Today's Readings ]

"You children of Israel, why are you amazed at this,
and why do you look so intently at us
as if we had made him walk by our own power or piety?

We need to constantly give credit where credit is due! We need to tell the world what Jesus does for us and through us when we get the chance. Otherwise the world is all to ready to assume there is some other explanation. Maybe she is just a joyful sort of person, even in hard times? We can't let the world think thoughts like this when we know that it is Jesus that is sustaining us. How much more so in the case of miracles. These are meant not only for those who receive them but also to help those who do not yet believe.

We do not begrudge those who deny Jesus, deny that he is at work in the world, or even deny he performs particular miracles. Often our brothers and sisters act out of ignorance. And sometimes we ourselves fail to believe and act out of ignorance. Being kind in the face of denial can be easier, or sometimes harder if the denial becomes more obstinate and less reasonable. But regardless, they act in ignorance. And we sympathize, knowing that the same ignorance is in us as well. Jesus knows that he will be denied. But he offers himself so that we can one day realize the truth he offers. We in turn continue to offer his truth even in the face of denial.

Repent, therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be wiped away,
and that the Lord may grant you times of refreshment

The LORD wants the world to repent, not because he is mad, but so that he can give us times of refreshment. He wants to pour his risen life into our hearts. Yet we are often still troubled, afraid, and questioning. For our own sake, and for the sake of those who persist in even more obstinate denial, we need Jesus to open our minds to understand his plan.

These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you,
that everything written about me in the law of Moses
and in the prophets and psalms must be fulfilled."
Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.

Once our minds our open we here Jesus say, "You are witnesses of these things", and it is made true.

O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth!

 

19 April 2017 - Stay with us, LORD

[ Today's Readings ]

Peter said, "I have neither silver nor gold,
but what I do have I give you:
in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean, rise and walk."

We receive something more important from Jesus than silver or gold. We receive freedom of Spirit. We are made able to walk by the Spirit.

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh (see Galatians 5:16).

Our response should be like that of the beggar.

He leaped up, stood, and walked around,
and went into the temple with them,
walking and jumping and praising God.

We need not be downcast like the disciples on the road to Emmaus. Jesus remains with his people!

But they urged him, "Stay with us,
for it is nearly evening and the day is almost over."

Even as darkness draws near, Jesus does remain with us. His power is present to us in Peter and John, that is, in his Church. He speaks to us in the Scriptures.

"Were not our hearts burning within us
while he spoke to us on the way and opened the Scriptures to us?"

He heals our lameness by his presence in the Eucharist and the other Sacraments.

And it happened that, while he was with them at table,
he took bread, said the blessing,
broke it, and gave it to them.
With that their eyes were opened and they recognized him,
but he vanished from their sight.

The blessings of the Resurrection are available to us. The Spirit of the Risen LORD dwells in our hearts and wants to do so more and more. Let us pray:

"Stay with us,
for it is nearly evening and the day is almost over."

If we walk off from Easter without this power we quickly collapse. We aren't meant to do this on our own. Let us plead:

"Stay with us,
for it is nearly evening and the day is almost over."

When we invite him he comes, for we find that he is already with us, knocking on the doors of our hearts, waiting for us to let him in.

Glory in his holy name;
rejoice, O hearts that seek the LORD!
Look to the LORD in his strength;
seek to serve him constantly.

 

18 April 2017 - Rabbouni!

She probably didn't recognize him because of the hat.

[ Today's Readings ]

Mary Magdalene stayed outside the tomb weeping.
And as she wept, she bent over into the tomb
and saw two angels in white sitting there,
one at the head and one at the feet
where the Body of Jesus had been.

Why are we weeping? Jesus is risen! He is risen indeed! And yet we weep. We assume that the most recent challenge or catastrophe that we face has finally proved too much for the risen LORD. We weep because we believe that circumstances have finally separated us from the love of God in Christ. But this is not so!

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?  As it is written,

"For your sake we are being killed all the day long;
    we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered."

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us (see Romams 8:35-39).

This is what it means for Jesus to be risen. This is why any weeping now is weeping outside of an empty tomb.
Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?
Whom are you looking for?"

We are looking for Jesus even though he is right here with us. The trouble is that we get so self-involved that we fail to recognize him.

Jesus said to her, "Mary!"
She turned and said to him in Hebrew, "Rabbouni,"
which means Teacher.

This is part of what it means that God has made Jesus both "Lord and Christ" even though we ourselves crucified him through our sins. He is now available to us no matter what circumstances or challenges we face. How then do we respond when we recognize his presence?

Peter said to them,
"Repent and be baptized, every one of you,
in the name of Jesus Christ, for the forgiveness of your sins;
and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
For the promise is made to you and to your children
and to all those far off,
whomever the Lord our God will call."

We ask for more of the Holy Spirit. This is what he wants to give us. It is the power of his risen life, not just for him, but for all who believe in him, whomever the Lord will call. It is the only way to stand firm against the winds that assail us. Without the Spirit this corrupt generation will overwhelm us and claim us once again as one of its own. This is the only thing worth fearing, and we have been offered the strength so that we can stand firm in the LORD. Let us receive it.

See, the eyes of the LORD are upon those who fear him,
upon those who hope for his kindness,
To deliver them from death
and preserve them in spite of famine.

 

17 April 2017 - stronger than death

[ Today's Readings ]

This man, delivered up by the set plan and foreknowledge of God,
you killed, using lawless men to crucify him.

We are complicit in the events of Good Friday. We ourselves put Jesus to death using lawless men to crucify him. This is the most significant of the many sins we all commit. But God did not give Jesus up to death to hold his death against us. He did not set the cross as a trap for us. Rather, he knew we would kill Jesus. He surrendered Jesus into our hands knowing precisely this.

But God raised him up, releasing him from the throes of death,
because it was impossible for him to be held by it.

God knew what he would do about death from the moment when death was a possible consequence of the choice set before Adam. He allowed for death, but only because it would not have the final say. He allowed for death, even if it meant the death of his Son, because on the other side of that death would be life.

God raised this Jesus;
of this we are all witnesses.
Exalted at the right hand of God,
he poured forth the promise of the Holy Spirit 
that he received from the Father, as you both see and hear.

Jesus wants to meet us this week to reveal to us that he is indeed alive in a way that no dead person besides him is alive. He is alive in a way that we one day share fully, in a way that we taste even now. Death still seems quite real to us. But Jesus is more real than death.

But God raised him up, releasing him from the throes of death,
because it was impossible for him to be held by it.

So let us meet Jesus this week as he shows us just how alive he truly is. And once we do, let us proclaim: He is risen! He is risen indeed!

Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid.
Go tell my brothers to go to Galilee, 
and there they will see me."

If we follow the risen Christ we too walk the path to life, because that path culminates in living in his presence forever.

You will show me the path to life,
fullness of joys in your presence,
the delights at your right hand forever.

13 April 2017 - washed and anointed

[ Today's Readings ]

But the blood will mark the houses where you are.
Seeing the blood, I will pass over you; 
thus, when I strike the land of Egypt, 
no destructive blow will come upon you.

Jesus is the lamb whose blood marks the houses of those who believe in him. Because we are marked with his Precious Blood we are safe from the judgment of God. He marks us again and again each time we receive him in the Eucharist.

"This cup is the new covenant in my blood.
Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me."

The humility of Jesus is so great that he strips from himself the outer garments of his glory. He takes on life as man to offer that life for our sakes. He not only lays down his glory as God but even his life as man. He does this for our sakes, so that his Precious Blood can anoint us. He does it so he can give us his flesh and blood in the Eucharist. He does this so that the water that pours from his side can wash us clean from our sins in baptism and reconciliation.

Then he poured water into a basin 
and began to wash the disciples' feet 
and dry them with the towel around his waist.

He has to stoop way down to reach us. The chasm that separates man from God was uncrossable from our end. The humility required for God to cross it is breathtaking, so much so that people are offended by the very idea.

Peter said to him, "You will never wash my feet."

But we must embrace the tender love Jesus offers us. It is the gateway to inheritance with him.

In response to that breathtaking love of God we too are called to love differently, with humility and tenderness and intimacy.

If I, therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet, 
you ought to wash one another's feet.

This is not payment for what Jesus gives us. It doesn't square us up and make us even. Rather it is offering back to him that which he first gives to us as an offering of thanksgiving.

How shall I make a return to the LORD
for all the good he has done for me?
The cup of salvation I will take up,
and I will call upon the name of the LORD.

12 April 2017 - love without conditions

[ Today's Readings ]

The Lord GOD is my help,
therefore I am not disgraced;
I have set my face like flint,
knowing that I shall not be put to shame.

Jesus trusts in the LORD. Because of this he is able to love others even when they do not love him. He is able to give even Judas every chance, knowing all the while that he will not take them. That lack of response is not, ultimately, a threat to Jesus in his deepest core and his truest identity. Judas failing to respond to the love of Jesus does have profound consequences for Judas himself, for Jesus, and for the world. But even though it means crucifixion and death for Jesus he doesn't have to run from the lack of response to his love. Because Jesus trusts in the Father he is able to love even the one who betrays him.
"Amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me."
Deeply distressed at this,
they began to say to him one after another,
"Surely it is not I, Lord?"
He said in reply,
"He who has dipped his hand into the dish with me
is the one who will betray me.

He welcomes even the kiss of betrayal. He responds by calling him friend. Let us in turn listen to God who opens our ears to love in in difficult moments.
The Lord GOD has given me
a well-trained tongue,
That I might know how to speak to the weary
a word that will rouse them.
Morning after morning
he opens my ear that I may hear;
And I have not rebelled,
have not turned back.

There are times when we ourselves betray Jesus. Isn't it good to know how unconditional is his love for us? Yet for this to be to our advantage we must not be like Judas

It would be better for that man if he had never been born.

When we betray Jesus we can repent with great confidence, knowing that his love for us is still there waiting, undiminished by our failings.
"See, you lowly ones, and be glad;
you who seek God, may your hearts revive!
For the LORD hears the poor,
and his own who are in bonds he spurns not."

 

11 April 2017 - dark night of glory

[ Today's Readings ]

Though I thought I had toiled in vain,
and for nothing, uselessly, spent my strength,
Yet my reward is with the LORD,
my recompense is with my God.

This can happen. Things can get bad and dark. It can get to a point where our efforts appear to have been a waste of time.

So Judas took the morsel and left at once. And it was night.

Things can look very dark indeed. Judas betrays Jesus. Even Peter denies him. There is almost no one to stand by him in his most painful moments. He definitely feels this abandonment just as we often do. Though we ourselves compound things in our dark times because we are not perfectly obedient as Jesus is. We bring some of the darkness down on our own heads and so we often assume that our suffering is merely our just desserts. But we can choose to take the perspective of Jesus when he is faced with darkness.
When he had left, Jesus said,
"Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him.
If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself,
and he will glorify him at once.

Jesus knows that his cross glorifies the Father. We too can embrace our crosses as ways to show the world that God is first in our lives. Even if, like Peter, we don't succeed at first, Jesus is always willing to give us another chance. When we recognize in our crosses not arbitrary happenstance nor mere punishment which we deserve but rather a mysterious purpose in God's plan we are able to endure them courageously and with hope.

And I am made glorious in the sight of the LORD,
and my God is now my strength!

Jesus is glorified even on the Cross, even on Good Friday, before Easter dawns and before the Resurrection. When he is lifted up he draws all peoples to himself. It can be like this with us if we embrace our crosses for the kingdom.

For you are my hope, O Lord;
my trust, O God, from my youth.
On you I depend from birth;
from my mother's womb you are my strength.

We can do so assured that Easter Sunday is on the way.

My mouth shall declare your justice,
day by day your salvation.

 

10 April 2017 - nard decisions

 

Mary anoints the feet of Jesus with aromatic nard

[ Today's Readings ]

Mary took a liter of costly perfumed oil
made from genuine aromatic nard
and anointed the feet of Jesus and dried them with her hair;
the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.
Let us draw near to Jesus this week and show him our love in whatever way we can. Let us be extravagant with him whose love for us is so amazing. The poor we always have with us, but this Holy Week let us show Jesus special love as he prepares to go to the cross for us. Let us focus on Jesus as much as we can.

Jesus doesn't force us to pay attention to him this week.

Not crying out, not shouting,
not making his voice heard in the street.
A bruised reed he shall not break,
and a smoldering wick he shall not quench,
Until he establishes justice on the earth;
the coastlands will wait for his teaching.

He never forces us. He only ever invites. And during a week marked by his profound suffering it is easy to look away, to fall asleep, or to deny him. But the closer we are able to journey with him the more this Triduum can transform our lives.
I have grasped you by the hand;
I formed you, and set you
as a covenant of the people,
a light for the nations,
To open the eyes of the blind,
to bring out prisoners from confinement,
and from the dungeon, those who live in darkness.

Jesus leads us out from confinement and dungeons. His resurrection is a light that opens eyes blinded by sin. The nearer we stay to him, the more we show him our love and affection, the sooner the light of Easter Sunday, the light of the resurrection, will rise in our hearts.
I believe that I shall see the bounty of the LORD
in the land of the living.
Wait for the LORD with courage;
be stouthearted, and wait for the LORD.

9 April 2017 - did ever such love and sorrow meet

[ Today's Readings ]

Let us welcome Jesus with shouts of joyful praise. He comes to deliver his people from bondage. He comes to set right that which has been wrong since Adam first sinned.

"Hosanna to the Son of David;
blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord;
hosanna in the highest."

He is a prophet and a king. But he is also a priest who comes to offer his own flesh and blood for our sakes. Let us follow him. Let us not turn aside when the response of the crowd changes from joy to persecution. When times get hard, when suffering comes, let us continue to follow Jesus on his way.

Jesus himself shows us the way. Even as he suffers more than we can grasp he has a well-trained tongue that can speak a word to our weary hearts to give us the strength to follow him on his way. Even though he meets those that beat him, spit on him, and pluck his beard, he has enough strength not only for himself, but also for those who follow him.

The Lord GOD is my help,
therefore I am not disgraced;
I have set my face like flint,
knowing that I shall not be put to shame.

Let us follow Jesus as he empties himself of the glory that is his by right of his equality with God. Let us be willing to become like slaves in our obedience, even to the point of death. Jesus shows us the way. If we cling to our lives we inevitably lose them. But if we lose our lives for the sake of Jesus and his gospel we save them. Jesus brings our old sinful selves to the cross that they may die. But he does this because of his trust in the Father, that he won't be abandoned, that we in turn won't be abandoned.

Because of this, God greatly exalted him
and bestowed on him the name
which is above every name

Jesus wants us to stay awake with him. He wants us to witness his love for us, the blood he sweats and the suffering he bears for our sakes. He wants us to see this love so that we may open ourselves to it and surrender to it that we may be transformed. We are able to enter into the depths of the Passion and not be crushed because we know what happens on Easter Sunday. We see the deepest suffering and sorrow and the most tragic death all from the point of view of a hope that cannot be taken away.

I will proclaim your name to my brethren;
in the midst of the assembly I will praise you:
"You who fear the LORD, praise him;
all you descendants of Jacob, give glory to him;
revere him, all you descendants of Israel!"

8 April 2017 - currents of grace

[ Today's Readings ]

I will deliver them from all their sins of apostasy,
and cleanse them so that they may be my people
and I may be their God.
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.

The LORD wants to deliver us from our sins and apostasy. He wants to cleanse us so that we may be more perfectly his people. We follow Jesus, our shepherd, through Holy Week, trusting in him to transform us. If we feel like all attempts at holiness and change on our parts are one step forward and two steps back we need to trust in ourselves less and Jesus more. The transformation he promises is profound and permanent.

I will make with them a covenant of peace;
it shall be an everlasting covenant with them,
and I will multiply them, and put my sanctuary among them forever.
My dwelling shall be with them;

The source of the transformation is his presence with us. It is Jesus himself dwelling with his people in his Church. Let us enter into this current of grace this easter.

He offers himself to die for our sakes. This unleashes for us the current of grace that unites and gathers the dispersed children of God. Let us follow him to the cross as he offers himself for us. Let us receive the grace that flows from his heart to transform us, to cleanse us, and to united us as one in him. The unity he promises is one that can only exist because of the holiness he makes possible in us. Unity is more than a matter of being near one another and tolerating one another. It is only through the Holy Spirit that we can experience the whole human race united by love just as we are meant to be. 

He who scattered Israel, now gathers them together,
he guards them as a shepherd his flock.

7 April 2017 - in word and deed

 [ Today's Readings ]

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.

We need to have consistency between our works and what we preach. Our lives need to be marked by the works of mercy so that those around us can know that we are the followers of Jesus by our love (see John 13:35). Our lives need to be marked by demonstrations of the Spirit and power so that people can believe in Jesus not merely based on our testimony, but because of God's power.

and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God (see First Corinthians 2:4).

Yet these things must be a part of the proclamation, not a replacement for it.

Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! (see First Corinthians 9:16).

We should be like the early Church in Acts:

Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard (see Acts 4:19-20).

We should be able to say with Jesus, if you do not believe us, look at what we do. We will not achieve the consistency between action and message that Jesus shows us. But he is the goal to strive for. That doesn't mean folks will always listen. After all, they didn't listen to him. But as with him this need not stop us or slow us down. We can entrust ourselves to the LORD.
for to you I have entrusted my cause.

It's a big task. But we needn't shrink from it. Instead, in our distress, we cry out to the LORD.

In my distress I called upon the LORD
and cried out to my God;
From his temple he heard my voice,
and my cry to him reached his ears. 

April 6 2017 - he is

[ Today's Readings ]

'Whoever keeps my word will never taste death.'
Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died?
Or the prophets, who died?
Jesus stands out from the crowd of religious figures. He makes claims that Buddha and Mohamed do not make. He has a unique relationship with the Father. Salvation is found, not merely in the teachings of Jesus, in Jesus himself. 

God made a promise to Abraham: he promised him descendants, that he would be the father of a host of nations, and that kings would stem from him. Abraham rejoices to see the day of Jesus arrive because in it he sees those promises fulfilled. The true kingdom and the true king that will never pass away have arrived.

He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end. (see Luke 1:32).

Jesus is the great I AM. He is beyond the confines of time and space. It is impossible for death to hold him. But imagine all of this on Good Friday. Think of Jesus claiming that his followers will never taste death even as he himself suffers and dies. Think of Jesus claiming that he is God even as he hangs upon the cross. It is all still true. And his power is no less. It is love which keeps him on this cross for us. This apparent defeat is a part of his plan. We should always second guess apparent defeats. They may hide victory within them. He suffers for us. He dies for us. Not because he has to. Not because his words are false. He hangs there, the one beyond death tasting death, the all-powerful God surrendered to evil men, because he loves us. And this love is not defeated. He dies that we might live. On the third day his victory is revealed.
He remembers forever his covenant
which he made binding for a thousand generations –
Which he entered into with Abraham
and by his oath to Isaac.

 

5 April 2017 - free indeed

 [ Today's Readings ]

They answered him, "We are descendants of Abraham
and have never been enslaved to anyone.
How can you say, 'You will become free'?"
It's hard to receive what Jesus wants to give us when we refuse to see the problem. Jesus wants us to be free. That is why he tries to show us the ways in which we are not free. He reveals the ways in which this world is more of an influence on us than is the kingdom.

Jesus said to them, "If you were Abraham's children,
you would be doing the works of Abraham.
But now you are trying to kill me,
a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God;
Abraham did not do this.

Jesus wants us to become children of the Father and to love them both. In this we find the purpose for which we are made. We need to receive this freedom from Jesus more and more. Let us not rebel when he shows us areas of our hearts where the darkness lingers. Let us rather come to him for light.

It doesn't matter how profound is our imprisonment. If we trust in the LORD, if we resolve to worship him alone and not idols, then we can know a deliverance even more amazing than that of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. The bindings of death cannot hold us. The fires of hell cannot consume us. We have freedom even while those forces still press in upon us.

"But," he replied, "I see four men unfettered and unhurt,
walking in the fire, and the fourth looks like a son of God."

When others see our freedom even amidst the flames they see a profound testimony to the power of God.

"Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego,
who sent his angel to deliver the servants who trusted in him;
they disobeyed the royal command and yielded their bodies
rather than serve or worship any god
except their own God."

Together we join in one chorus of praise.

Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of our fathers,
praiseworthy and exalted above all forever;
And blessed is your holy and glorious name,
praiseworthy and exalted above all for all ages.

 

4 April 2017 - whoever looks

[ Today's Readings ]

Make a saraph and mount it on a pole,
and whoever looks at it after being bitten will live.

The people are probably tired of looking at saraphs by now. Yet they must look once more. They must fully comprehend the depth of the problem in order to move beyond it. These saraphs are their own bitterness and lack of trust in God. This is hard to see. The consequences are hard to take. But only if the people see this can they reach the freedom toward which they journey.

Looking on him whom we have pierced, Jesus Christ, we see that sin is much more serious than we like to believe. But in seeing this, accepting it, and owning up to it, we come into line with how God thinks about it. When we believe what God believes about it his offer of deliverance begins to make sense. We can find the freedom toward which we journey.

When you lift up the Son of Man,
then you will realize that I AM,
and that I do nothing on my own,
but I say only what the Father taught me.

We see the obedience of Jesus and our own lack thereof by contrast. He only does what the Father tells him. He only tells the world what he hears from the Father. Looking upon this beautiful surrender to the Father is not meant to make us feel guilty so much as to show what we are meant for, and yes, what we have not yet even dared to attempt. Only in such surrender do we find fulfillment. And until now our surrender has been partial at best. But from the cross Jesus draws us to himself, into his own obedience, his own surrender, and his own offering. Let us allow ourselves to be drawn.
He has not left me alone,
because I always do what is pleasing to him."
Because he spoke this way, many came to believe in him.

No matter where we are in life, how destitute we feel, how much we feel like prisoners, like those doomed to die, the LORD will hear us if we cry out to him.
The LORD looked down from his holy height,
from heaven he beheld the earth,
To hear the groaning of the prisoners,
to release those doomed to die.

3 April 2017 - no valley parking

[ Today's Readings ]

Even though I walk in the dark valley I fear no evil; for you are at my side.

There is nothing for us to fear if God is by our side. This should give us courage like that of Susanna.

If I yield, it will be my death;
if I refuse, I cannot escape your power.
Yet it is better for me to fall into your power without guilt
than to sin before the Lord.
God's presence should make us courageous like Daniel, who speaks up for the truth in spite of being a youth in the face of esteemed elders. The same Spirit that stirs ardor within him lives even more in us.

God stirred up the holy spirit of a young boy named Daniel,
and he cried aloud:
"I will have no part in the death of this woman."

Even if we ourselves are not innocent like Susanna we still don't need to fear when we have Jesus to protect us. His mercy keeps us safe.

"Woman, where are they?
Has no one condemned you?"
She replied, "No one, sir."
Then Jesus said, "Neither do I condemn you.
Go, and from now on do not sin any more."
The dark valley is sometimes of our own making, other times it is a test through which we are allowed to pass. In either case we can trust in our shepherd to get us safely through. When we are in the valley we can get tunnel vision. We can begin to think the valley is all their is. But there is more.

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
In verdant pastures he gives me repose;
Beside restful waters he leads me;
he refreshes my soul.
Susanna trusts in the LORD to save her. Daniel is inspired with zeal in courage to speak up for truth. The women in adultery is able to turn to Jesus when she has no other hope. The LORD rescues and protects all who trust in him. We may walk through the dark valley. But thank God for the through. We do not stay there.

He brought me out into a broad place;
he rescued me, because he delighted in me (see Psalm 18:19).

Let us turn to God. We know that we are not entirely innocent. But we also know that we can trust in the mercy of the LORD. We know that in his mercy we will reach the end of the dark valley sooner or perhaps later. Let us ask him not just to cast out fear from our hearts but to inspire courage within us.

Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord (see Acts 3:19-20).

Even if the valley is long it is a brief momentary affliction compared to the glory that is to be revealed (see Second Corinthians 4:17)

2 April 2017 - from the tomb

[ Today's Readings ]

O my people, I will open your graves 
and have you rise from them, 
and bring you back to the land of Israel.

Death seems like such an unsolvable problem, such an insurmountable obstacle, that it takes away all hope. What else can have meaning when seen in light of the inevitable end we all face? Ancient peoples found the idea of bodies coming back to life impossible, just as modern secular people do. They could accept more spiritual alternatives, ghosts, spirits, and reincarnation. But they did not imagine that the very bodies laid in tombs would one day rise from them.

The Jewish people were gradually taught to hope in the resurrection of the body. They could find hope not just in distant spiritual realities but in the ultimate restoration of all things that God promised. The fulfillment of that hope and that promise come in the person of Jesus Christ.

Jesus told her,
"I am the resurrection and the life; 
whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, 
and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die.

This seems even more unlikely than a generic resurrection on the last day. Jesus appears to be one subject to death just like the rest of us. How can the solution be found in him? We must have faith.

Yes, Lord.
I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God,
the one who is coming into the world.

Death may seem insurmountable. It's just so real, so physical, so undeniable. Yet here is Jesus before us claiming that he is greater even than death. In fact he weeps at death, because it was never his intention for us. God does not delight in the death of the sinner. Yet he allows death so that he can so that we can see his power over it and believe in him.

He cried out in a loud voice, 
"Lazarus, come out!"It is the very same power that raises Jesus from the tomb.

All of us experience little deaths in our lives. There is sin and suffering that paralyzes us and prevents us from moving and growing. It steals our peace and our joy. The same power that raised Lazarus is available to give us new life. It is more than just some nice idea. It is the very same power that raises Jesus from the tomb. It has power over even the very physical reality of death itself. It has the power to give us life even in our own little deaths.

If the Spirit of the one who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, 
the one who raised Christ from the dead 
will give life to your mortal bodies also, 
through his Spirit dwelling in you.

We're afraid to open these areas to God, thinking that there will be a stench. And there certainly would were it not for the divine power that gives us life again. But we we believe that Jesus is the resurrection and the life. We can open ourselves to him.

For with the LORD is kindness
and with him is plenteous redemption;