Reflection for March 20, 2016- Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord- Year C

Readings for today:

Luke 19:28-40
Isaiah 50:4-7
Psalm 22:8-9, 17-18, 19-20, 23-24
Philippians 2:6-11
Luke 22:14–23:56

Today could be considered a day of opposites. We began with joy and celebration, as we commemorated the Lord’s triumphant entry into Jerusalem. However, that tone of joy was quickly muted, as we read St. Luke’s account of the Passion of our Lord. We see Jesus at the highest of highs entering into Jerusalem, and at the lowest of lows on the Cross. The same crowd that proclaimed “Hosanna to the Son of David!” shouts out “Crucify Him!” when they realize that Jesus is not the type of Messiah that they want him to be. In earthly matters, Jesus seems to be a failure. He has suffered the most shameful death imaginable- so much so that according to the Book of Deuteronomy, he is cursed, because he was hung on a tree.

            This scandal of the cross had to be explained by the early Church. How could the cursed one be the Messiah, the savior of all? Today’s Second Reading gives us one example of the interpretation of these events. . This hymn, quoted by St. Paul, represents a remarkable understanding of who Christ was- and is.  Already in this hymn, Christ is presented as Divine- yet Jesus does not “grasp” for his own divinity- another translation reads that he did not see it as “something to exploit for selfish gain.” This is a contrast to the Greek and Roman Gods, who were often portrayed as using their Divinity to fulfill their own selfish wants and desires.  Jesus, however, does not do this. As the Divine Son of God, he fully enters into the Human condition. He suffers not only the humiliation of taking on a human existence, but also the humiliation of death on a Cross, in order that he might be obedient to God the Father. And it is out of this earthly failure that God the Father does something new. St. Paul reminds us in the Letter to the Corinthians that “The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” (1 Cor 1:18). For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength. This is why Christ, who has suffered extreme humiliation, is exalted above all else, and given the Name which causes all who hear it to bend the knee in worship and Adoration.

            This is the great mystery of our Faith. For we know that Christ had to become fully human, and truly suffer and die, in order to win our redemption. We commemorate this mystery every time the Eucharist is celebrated- but this week, we commemorate it in an even more powerful way. This Holy Week is a special time to pause and remember the great sacrifice that Christ made for us, as we prepare to celebrate the Solemnity of the Resurrection. Will you take up your own cross this week, and walk with Christ to Calvary? If you have never been to any of the Triduum Liturgies before, I highly encourage you to go. These three days are the Holiest days of the Church year, and these beautiful Liturgies give the Faith that we celebrate a deeper meaning. If you are unable to attend, I highly encourage you to spend some time reading and reflecting on the Gospel accounts of the Passion of our Lord, so that you may celebrate the Easter Mysteries with a greater Joy for the Redemption that Christ has won for us. 

Reflection for March 13, 2016: 5th Sunday of Lent, Year C

 Readings for the 5th Sunday of Lent:

Isaiah 43:16-21

Psalm 126:1-2,2-3,4-5,6

Philippians 3:8-14

John 8:1-11

This Reflection focuses especially on the Gospel account of the Woman caught in adultery.

           The woman was scared. She had just been dragged out of a house, and  paraded through the streets of the city towards the temple.  Surrounded on all sides, she listened, terrified, as insults and condemnations were hurled at her. The crowd was like a lion, ready to pounce at any second, ready to devour its prey. It was in that instant, that she saw Jesus. He was bent down in the midst of the crowd, drawing in the sand. What was he doing? And how could he be so calm, when the crowd was threatening to devour both of them at any second? Slowly, he raised his head. She couldn’t quite make out the words that came from his mouth, but suddenly, the crowd grew quiet.  One by one, they began to depart. She stood there, trembling, until only she and Jesus remained. He came to her, and as he stared into her eyes, she could feel him staring into the very depths of her soul. She began to turn away, ashamed, but then she felt something in that gaze- not condemnation, but love- a love like she had never known. As he began to speak, this same love was present in his words- a word saying “I do not condemn you. Go, and sin no more.”

            Today’s Gospel shows us a radical encounter with the mercy of God. Looking at the Gospel from the perspective of the woman, we can begin to see how powerful this encounter must have been. But like many Gospel stories, today’s passage is left open ended. Perhaps we would like closure- to hear “and the woman went away changed, and heeded the words of Christ, and did not sin again.” But these words aren’t there. So we are left to wonder: Was the woman’s life truly changed as a result of this radical encounter? Did the crowd who condemned the woman learn anything from their encounter with Jesus? What can we learn from the story of today’s Gospel?

Like the Pharisees in today’s Gospel, it seems that many in the world today are quick to condemn, and slow to forgive.  Jesus’ words to the scribes and Pharisees, then, should be a challenge to us-with these words, Jesus is calling us to be aware of our own faults, before we condemn the faults of others- to realize that we deserve punishment for our sins, just as the other person does. When we recognize this, it changes how we approach the other person. We learn to recognize the plank in our own eye, and not to criticize others for the speck in theirs. We learn to become more and more compassionate and merciful to those we meet. Recognizing our own faults, we learn to walk with others on their journey, and help them to achieve greater holiness, instead of condemning them for their sins.  Becoming aware of our own faults also inspires us to seek God’s mercy ourselves!

Where do we go to encounter this mercy? We can find it most easily in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Do we take advantage of this wonderful Sacrament of God’s mercy?  Have we remained away from this sacrament because of fear, or shame, or a belief that God will not forgive us for our sins? In this Holy Year of Mercy, Pope Francis has called us to be especially mindful of God’s willingness to forgive. If we truly desire to turn our lives back to God, we will find his Mercy in Abundance. And what is this mercy that is found? It is Christ, knowing full well that we deserve the punishment for our sins, loving us enough to take away the punishment for our sins, and take it upon himself. This is what the message of the Cross is about. This is what we are preparing to celebrate in two weeks time.

God’s mercy knows no limit- but the last line of the Gospel reminds us that with mercy comes the call to conversion. Truly encountering the mercy of Christ means realizing that we cannot keep living our lives the same way. We are called to become more and more like Christ each and every single day.  This is a monumental task- and it can only be accomplished with God’s grace.  Conversion is not a one-shot deal: It is a life long process, in which we are called to continually recognize our need for God’s mercy and forgiveness. Even when we struggle with the same sins repeatedly, Pope Francis reminds us that “God never tires of forgiving us. We are the ones who tire of seeking God’s mercy.” Indeed, so long as we are making an effort to draw closer to God, we will always know his mercy and love in our lives. We will know that we are not condemned for our actions, but that we are met with the gaze of God’s loving mercy.

So, my challenge to you this week is this: If you have not been to Confession in a while- Go. Allow yourself to experience God’s mercy, and be forgiven, so that you may celebrate the coming Easter mysteries with your heart and soul made new. And know that no matter how long you have been away, you can always come home. Then, like the woman in today’s Gospel, you can walk away from the radical encounter with God’s mercy, and live a changed life.

Scripture Reflection for March 3, 2016

Today's Readings:

Jeremiah 7:23-28

Psalm 95: 1-2, 6-7, 8-9

Luke 11:14-23

            “This is a nation that does not listen to the voice of the Lord, its God.” One might wonder if these words from today’s first reading might have crossed Jesus’ mind at some point during the events of today’s Gospel reading. Jesus, who continues the saving mission of God, and brings it to its fulfillment, meets with the same rejection that God faced from the people of Israel. The crowds reject his power, either by attributing it to Beelzebul, or by demanding that he perform another sign “from heaven”. They refuse to accept the presence of God’s grace, and in doing so, their hearts become hardened to the truth of God’s presence among them in the person of Jesus Christ.

            It might be easy for us to look at today’s Gospel, and laugh about how the people just didn’t get it. However, Jesus’ words to the crowds at the end of the Gospel should give us pause for further reflection. They are a reminder to us that there is no middle ground when it comes to following Jesus-There can be no half-hearted attempts at Discipleship, no lukewarm recognitions of his message- we are either with him, or we are against him. The choice is ours to make- Do we accept the power and Grace of God present in our lives, and allow it to work in us and through us? Or do we reject this power, and choose instead to turn our backs to God, allowing our hearts to become hardened?

            Truly listening to God’s voice can be hard, because God calls us to do things and go places that we might not like to go. It is in these moments that we need the reminder of today’s Psalm response: “If today you hear His voice, harden not your hearts.” In keeping these words in mind, we might be truly able to respond to that voice in Love, and not reject God’s word. 

            This message to not allow our hearts to be hardened is especially timely, since we are roughly halfway through our Lenten Journey. This “halfway point” gives us a chance to stop and reflect on how our journey has gone thus far. Perhaps things have gone well, but If things have not been going as well as you had hoped, don’t give up! it is not too late. Make the most out of the time you have left, and ask God to help you soften your heart, so that you may become more open to hearing his voice each day.