Wednesday of the Fourth Week of Lent - March 30, 2022

-

Isaiah 49:8-15      John 5:17-30

In the first reading from Isaiah we see a gentleness of expression and reassurance of God’s love and protection. The reading invites those imprisoned to “come out” and makes it safe for those in dark interiors to “show themselves.” “For the LORD comforts his people and shows mercy to the afflicted.” 

The healing images continue in the Gospel reading from John.  We see Jesus as the judge who shows mercy and love. Jesus speaks the word and it happens: forgiveness, judgment, healing, mercy, and love. Jesus says “the Father goes on working and so do I,” daring to speak of God as his own Father and making himself equal to God. Jesus tells us in this Gospel that he cannot do anything on his own. He always keeps his Father as his point of reference. His deepest desire is to please God in everything. This desire is based on love, and their hearts are united in one course of action.

Richard Rohr suggests that Jesus is like a two-way mirror looking in both directions. The Gospel says that just as the Father raises the dead and gives life, so also does the Son “grant life to those he wishes;” nor does the Father judge anyone, he has given all judgments to the Son.  God refuses to view us negatively and Jesus passes this on to all allowing us to bypass condemnation and “pass from death into life.” The message here reminds us that we must not condemn because we have not been condemned. 

St. Therese of Lisieux focuses on one thing-love. Love can be hard; it takes attention and intention. It takes practice to widen the circles of our affections. By allowing God’s love to take possession of our hearts our love is extended to everyone God loves.

Today’s readings remind us that God is gracious and merciful.

Q:  Do I try each day to follow the perfect example of Jesus who lived his life under the direction of the Spirit of God?


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Monday of the First Week of Lent - March 11, 2019

-
Leviticus19:1-2, 11-18  Matthew 25:31-46 As I read my assignment for today, I felt relief. I knew these readings; I could relate to them. I had heard them multiple times and thought that I understood them well. The first reading from Leviticus tells me to love my neighbor as myself and to judge my neighbor justly. I know this! I believe this in my head! I often find it difficult to carry out, but I do believe it. Today’s gospel, Matthew 25, many of us know well through readings, songs, and social concerns committees, "Whatever you do for one of the least of …mine, you do to me." Feed the hungry; give drink to the thirsty; welcome the stranger; clothe the naked; comfort the sick; visit the prisoner. We try to do these things in our life. I decided to read our parish book, Stranger God by Richard Beck, to see how it could expand my understanding of Matthew 25 – and expand it did! After I read the book, I realized that I had been reading Matthew 25 literally. ...
Read more

Fifth Sunday of Lent - March 26, 2023

-
Isaiah 43:16-21 Philippians 3:8-14 John 8:1-11 Unfortunately, I am able to easily say that death is the most significant image that is present in my life at this time. My wife of 50+ years died approximately 2½ years ago. My wife was a seriously  committed Catholic and she was able to accept her death after an illness of less than 2 years. She said, “Jim, I am ready.” I think a lot about what “ready” means and what it meant to Kathy! Clearly, Kathy thought that she had accomplished a full life of being a mother to our children, being a loving and faithful wife to me, and being an active and meaningful friend to the people she met and the organizations she assisted and contributed to. She was at her best when assisting “others.” Probably the biggest contribution Kathy made to me and our children was that she has made it easy for us to face our own deaths because she was “at peace” with her imminent death; and yet she showed us a graceful way to handle the process and demonstrate tha...
Read more

Annunciation of the Lord - March 25, 2021

-
Isaiah 7:10-14; 8:10 Psalm 40:7-8a,8b-9,10,11 Hebrews 10:4-10 Luke 1:26-38 In the Responsorial Psalm, I hear these words, “Here I am Lord, I come to do your will,” and I immediately begin to hum the song we hear so often during mass: “Here I am Lord, here I am, I come to do your will.“ As I begin each day at my kitchen table reading the daily scriptures, a reflective app on my phone, and the daily devotional Jesus Calling, I sit in joyful hope, waiting to hear what God has to say to me. Although I don’t believe I will ever hear the enormous call that our mother Mary heard in the Annunciation of our Lord, I do try every day to listen and hear what God is calling me to do as a humble daughter, sister, wife, mother, and friend. I feel all are called according to God’s plan in small and large ways; the trick is recognizing the signs when God is calling us. It is easy to get lost in all the “have to-dos of the day” in our crazy busy world. Today, let us start by asking Him to guide us to re...
Read more