God opens our eyes to see things differently when we engage in relationship with Him--namely, the way He sees things, deep within a person. He helps us see beyond the externals, as Samuel could only see the externals, but could not see within each of Jesse's sons what God saw as the person He had chosen one to be King of Israel.
Jesus heals a blind man, which immediately causes a stir, and controversy, because the Pharisees and certain others are unable to embrace God's powerful presence among them, being blinded by their own ideas of God and how He is supposed to manifest Himself. Throughout the fallout from the miracle, which is the lion's share of the Gospel reading, the man once blind gains greater and greater spiritual sight to see that Jesus is the Messiah, and He worships Him at the end of the passage.
God's call to us is to turn away from sin (like the words pronounced when receiving ashes on Ash Wednesday), and rise up into the light of Christ, so we can see with the spiritual insight of the eyes of God.
Let us rejoice on this Sunday of rejoicing, as God's light overflows around us, His people, to see what He sees.
Sunday, March 30, 2014
Tuesday, March 25, 2014
March 25, 2014: Feast of the Annunciation of the Lord unto Mary
I offer a few thoughts on this important occasion, just 9 months away from an important holy day.
In the midst of our Lenten observance, we come to an occasion of great joy as we recall when the Angel Gabriel came to the Virgin Mary to announce that she would bear the Son of God.
Jesus submitted the Father's will and came to Earth in the Flesh. Mary submitted to God's will and accepted her role as the Mother of Jesus, bringing Him into the world. Both Mary and Jesus offer us an example of what is spoken of in the Scripture readings, offering up not sacrifices, but ourselves to doing God's will. We thereby take up our role in God's marvelous plan of salvation, which is unfolding even in our day and in our lives.
In the midst of our Lenten observance, we come to an occasion of great joy as we recall when the Angel Gabriel came to the Virgin Mary to announce that she would bear the Son of God.
Jesus submitted the Father's will and came to Earth in the Flesh. Mary submitted to God's will and accepted her role as the Mother of Jesus, bringing Him into the world. Both Mary and Jesus offer us an example of what is spoken of in the Scripture readings, offering up not sacrifices, but ourselves to doing God's will. We thereby take up our role in God's marvelous plan of salvation, which is unfolding even in our day and in our lives.
March 23, 2014: 3rd Sunday of Lent
The readings for this day give us reason to ponder our needs, both spiritual and physical. We can't go very long without water to quench our physical thirst. The Hebrews were painfully aware of this, and cried out to Moses and God because they were parched in the desert, going so far as to lose trust in God and put Him to the test. And in this world of sin and evil, we are thirsting for something to take us from evil to goodness.
Jesus declares Himself to be the One whom God provided to satisfy our thirsts. He declares this while in conversation with a Samaritan woman at the well. He started off the conversation speaking of physical need, and took the conversation on a course to meet the woman's spiritual need. By God's grace, living water has come to us in Jesus Christ, taking away our sin, and giving us a newness of life. We now have peace, deep down inside, as St. Paul writes in the 2nd reading. We don't have to ever worry about our needs being met, because God has met our greatest need, for salvation. So we don't need to test God, but trust in Him.
And having received the living water, we now share it with others, being the agents who bring that newness of life to all the world.
Jesus declares Himself to be the One whom God provided to satisfy our thirsts. He declares this while in conversation with a Samaritan woman at the well. He started off the conversation speaking of physical need, and took the conversation on a course to meet the woman's spiritual need. By God's grace, living water has come to us in Jesus Christ, taking away our sin, and giving us a newness of life. We now have peace, deep down inside, as St. Paul writes in the 2nd reading. We don't have to ever worry about our needs being met, because God has met our greatest need, for salvation. So we don't need to test God, but trust in Him.
And having received the living water, we now share it with others, being the agents who bring that newness of life to all the world.
Sunday, March 16, 2014
March 16, 2014: 2nd Sunday of Lent
In the midst of a penitential season with a more subdued, somber tone, we are reminded of where all of this is headed: the full realization of God's glory.
Right before today's Gospel reading in Matthew, St. Peter has just acclaimed Jesus as the Christ, and then Jesus tells His disciples that He must suffer, die, and be raised to new life. After rising, Jesus is to be glorified, and He gives His three disciples (and us) a glimpse of this glory in His Transfiguration.
It's a great piece of reassurance to receive this vision toward the beginning of Lent so that we know our acts of denying ourselves lead somewhere. And it gives us the strength to endure the hardships we encounter as we seek to live out the Gospel, as St. Paul writes in the Epistle.
As God called Abraham to journey forth, so He calls us to journey forth in this season of Lent toward renewal in our relationship with Him, and the Life it brings, not done by our own initiative, but because God has shown us His Grace and Mercy.
Right before today's Gospel reading in Matthew, St. Peter has just acclaimed Jesus as the Christ, and then Jesus tells His disciples that He must suffer, die, and be raised to new life. After rising, Jesus is to be glorified, and He gives His three disciples (and us) a glimpse of this glory in His Transfiguration.
It's a great piece of reassurance to receive this vision toward the beginning of Lent so that we know our acts of denying ourselves lead somewhere. And it gives us the strength to endure the hardships we encounter as we seek to live out the Gospel, as St. Paul writes in the Epistle.
As God called Abraham to journey forth, so He calls us to journey forth in this season of Lent toward renewal in our relationship with Him, and the Life it brings, not done by our own initiative, but because God has shown us His Grace and Mercy.
Monday, March 10, 2014
March 9, 2014: 1st Sunday of Lent
Lent has its origins in a period of preparation in the early church as a 40-day retreat preceding the Easter Vigil for those preparing to be baptized. It is a time to recall the stories of our relationship with God.
We see in the readings on this day the rise and fall of sin in the world.
Adam and Eve disobeyed God and ate of the fruit to become like Him. But when Jesus was tempted, He stood His ground, and refused to disobey God. Because, as a man, He overcame temptation, we now are able to overcome. Death came through the sin and disobedience of the first humans. Now in Jesus Christ, we are restored to righteousness.
We see in the readings on this day the rise and fall of sin in the world.
Adam and Eve disobeyed God and ate of the fruit to become like Him. But when Jesus was tempted, He stood His ground, and refused to disobey God. Because, as a man, He overcame temptation, we now are able to overcome. Death came through the sin and disobedience of the first humans. Now in Jesus Christ, we are restored to righteousness.
Sunday, March 9, 2014
March 5, 2014: Ash Wednesday
First off, I apologize for this post's delay. I guess I had enough going on between Wednesday and today, and I didn't get around to it.
This is the day that begins the Paschal Season of Lent, leading up to the Great Triddum and then Easter Season, when we celebrate the great Paschal Mystery of God.
It is such a great mystery, which tells the story of how God has loved us, and brought us to life. Being in the presence of such a mystery, we are called on this day to make ourselves right before God. We are called to repent with contrite hearts, not simply tearing our clothes. In this state of contrition, we plead before God to have mercy on us, knowing that we are sinners and stand unrighteous before Him, and that He alone can make us clean and restore us. And we show our repentance by fasting, giving of ourselves in alms, and praying, not to laud ourselves, but to engage in our relationship with God who has loved us so much.
Furthermore, we do this because, as St. Paul writes in stirring words in the 2nd reading from 2 Corinthians, "...now is a very acceptable time...now is the day of salvation."
This is the day that begins the Paschal Season of Lent, leading up to the Great Triddum and then Easter Season, when we celebrate the great Paschal Mystery of God.
It is such a great mystery, which tells the story of how God has loved us, and brought us to life. Being in the presence of such a mystery, we are called on this day to make ourselves right before God. We are called to repent with contrite hearts, not simply tearing our clothes. In this state of contrition, we plead before God to have mercy on us, knowing that we are sinners and stand unrighteous before Him, and that He alone can make us clean and restore us. And we show our repentance by fasting, giving of ourselves in alms, and praying, not to laud ourselves, but to engage in our relationship with God who has loved us so much.
Furthermore, we do this because, as St. Paul writes in stirring words in the 2nd reading from 2 Corinthians, "...now is a very acceptable time...now is the day of salvation."
Tuesday, March 4, 2014
March 2, 2014: Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time
God offers us a revelation of His (motherly) character in the first reading from Isaiah. He presents the image of a mother and the strong bond she has with her child. Yet even if that bond should fail, God's love for us never does. What a powerful image, which offers us the challenge presented in the Gospel reading: With God loving us so much, can we entrust all the cares of our lives to Him? He will take care of us, as His special part of Creation, just like He does the birds and the flowers, which don't worry, but simply are what God made them to be.
Entrusting ourselves to God, and resting in Him, we have no need to worry obsessively over the cares of this world. We turn instead to doing what St. Paul mentions, our work as servants and stewards of the great mysteries of God's love and care for us.
Entrusting ourselves to God, and resting in Him, we have no need to worry obsessively over the cares of this world. We turn instead to doing what St. Paul mentions, our work as servants and stewards of the great mysteries of God's love and care for us.
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