Free

March 29, 2023

Each day, I reflect upon a word or a phrase inspired by the readings of the day. I encourage you to do the same and perhaps incorporate that word or phrase into your daily prayer.

“If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:31-32)

FREE: ‘Free’ is an interesting word. One definition of free is ‘without cost’ – yet we all know ‘freedom’ comes with a price. In the passage above, Jesus distinguishes between a life of doing whatever we please versus doing what we know is right – following the truth.

Later in this same gospel, Jesus describes people only concerned with meeting their own needs and desires – a perceived ‘free’ life – as being “slaves to sin.” It takes more and more of the desired behavior to satisfy them, so they become consumed with it, literally slaves to it. What kind of freedom is that?

Jesus argues that we can get the same ‘rush’ from serving others – from loving God and others. Truth – the good – will fill us and satisfy us. We then become a slave to truth.

For Lenten prayer today, ask for the courage to follow your heart rather than your selfish desires. Consider going to confession prior to Easter – when the tomb will be empty and we will rise to new life, a fresh start. That is freedom.

God is Always with Us

Each day, I reflect upon a word or a phrase inspired by the readings of the day. I encourage you to do the same and perhaps incorporate that word or phrase into your daily prayer.

But with their patience worn out by the journey, the people complained against God and Moses, “Why have you brought us up from Egypt to die in this desert, where there is no food or water? We are disgusted with this wretched food!” (Numbers 21:4-9)

GOD IS ALWAYS WITH US: In the time leading up to this grumbling, God, working through Moses, had delivered the Israelites from over 400 years of slavery, spared the lives of their firstborn sons, parted the Red Sea to allow them safe passage, destroyed the Egyptian soldiers who were pursuing them, made quail available for them to eat in the desert, and dropped manna from the sky.

Each time God saved them, the Israelites sang His praises.

But how quickly they forgot these many blessings from God. Now, when they did not like the lunch menu, their praises quickly became, “But what have you done for me lately?”

The mistake the Israelites made, and that we often still make today, was in thinking that God was only involved in the extremes of their lives. They only recognized His presence in the highest of highs, and considered Him absent in the lowest of lows. They praised Him for the highs and cursed Him for the lows.

They paid Him little attention otherwise. Why should they? After all, God is really only a factor in our time of need. When those times pop up, we call on Him for help. Sometimes He delivers and sometimes He doesn’t.

Is that how we view our relationship with God? He is only with us in the highs of our lives and abandons us in the lows? Where does He go in-between? Where is He hiding?

What we often lose sight of is that God is always with us. There are countless moments in our lives when God reveals Himself to us and is truly present.

Throwing Stones

March 27, 2023

Each day, I reflect upon a word or a phrase inspired by the readings of the day. I encourage you to do the same and perhaps incorporate that word or phrase into your daily prayer.

“Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” (John 8:1-11)

THROWING STONES: I wish I could say that I never stand in judgment of others or point accusing fingers at them. I wish I could say that I never act in a self-righteous manner. I wish that I condemned others less and showed compassion more. I wish that when I read this Gospel story I hadn’t pictured myself holding a stone.

I pray for the gift of compassion today, in the words of Blessed Mother Teresa:

Lord, open our eyes that we may see you in our brothers and sisters.
Lord, open our ears that we may hear the cries of the hungry, the cold, the frightened, the oppressed.
Lord, open our hearts that we may love each other as you love us.
Renew in us your spirit.
Lord, free us and make us one.
Amen 

Homily: Resuscitation versus Resurrection

March 26, 2023 – Fifth Sunday of Lent

Readings: Ezekiel 37:12-14 / Romans 8:8-11 / John 11:1-45

I am not preaching today, but the following is a homily I delivered on these same readings BACK IN 2020:

We don’t need to dig too deeply to identify the theme that ties today’s three readings together. Clearly the readings are focused on being raised from the dead, on the possibility of new life.

In the first reading from the prophet Ezekiel we heard, “I will open your graves and have you rise from them…I will put my spirit in you that you may live.”

St. Paul was just as transparent in his letter to the Romans: “…the one who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also, through his Spirit dwelling in you.”

Finally, in the Gospel of John, we heard the familiar story of Jesus raising his friend Lazarus from the dead. “When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. He said, “Lazarus, come out!” The dead man came out, tied hand and foot with burial bands, and his face was wrapped in a cloth.”

Do Not Be Afraid

March 25, 2023 – Solemnity of the Annunciation

Each day, I reflect upon a word or a phrase inspired by the readings of the day. I encourage you to do the same and perhaps incorporate that word or phrase into your daily prayer.

Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary…” (Luke 1:30)

DO NOT BE AFRAID: One thing to keep in mind as we read Scripture: Whenever God spoke – whether through prophets, or an angel, or through his Son – he spoke not only to those there at the time, but also to us. His words transcend time and circumstance; the same message that needed to be heard back then still needs to be heard today.

And so it is with the angel Gabriel’s words to Mary: “Do not be afraid.”

We are not God; we are not perfect. That makes what God asks of us – to love God with all our heart, mind, and soul and love our neighbor as ourself – a daunting task. It is understandable that such a request would elicit fear. There are so many things battling for our time and attention, so many temptations, so much we want for ourselves – for US.

Living the life God calls us to live can be frightening. Think of what was being asked of Mary! He offers us the same consolation he did to Mary – “Do not be afraid.” God is there for us – as our support, our guide, and our comfort.

I came across a quote recently that captures the “Do not be afraid” sentiment very well: When God pushes you to the edge of difficulty, trust him fully because two things can happen: Either he’ll catch you when you fall or he’ll teach you to fly.

Who doesn’t want to learn to fly?

Comfort

March 24, 2023

Each day, I reflect upon a word or a phrase inspired by the readings of the day. I encourage you to do the same and perhaps incorporate that word or phrase into your daily prayer.

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted. (Psalm 34:19)

COMFORT: Today I was drawn to the Responsorial Psalm, words of comfort for those suffering.

We are taught from an early age to be grateful, to understand that the good things in our life are made possible by a loving and generous God. We are told to bring that gratitude to prayer to acknowledge God’s active presence in our life and as an expression of humility. That is certainly true and if you are like me, it is an area needing improvement.

Often lost, however, is the fact that God is equally present in our sorrow. We tend to look at suffering as something God did TO us, rather than something God does WITH us. The same love and generosity shown to us in the good times is present in the bad times. That said, we should bring our suffering to prayer as well, also an expression of humility.

When we bring our suffering to God in prayer, we are acknowledging we can’t do this alone. We are a communal people, members of the collective Body of Christ; we need the loving support of others, not isolation. He is closest to us in our suffering.

Yes, the Lord is close to the brokenhearted. We will feel his loving presence when we speak to him in prayer. We will also feel his loving presence when we allow others – sent by God to comfort us – into our suffering, into our hearts.

The Lord is as close as we allow him to be.

Stiff-necked

March 23, 2023

Each day, I reflect upon a word or a phrase that emerges from the readings of the day. I encourage you to do the same and perhaps incorporate that word or phrase into your daily prayer.

“The LORD said to Moses, I see how stiff-necked this people is.” (Exodus 32:9)

STIFF-NECKED: This is not a word we hear everyday, but it certainly describes us when it comes to following God’s plan for our lives. If you are anything like me, you want life to happen according to your plan. We plan; we make lists; we determine the best way to go about our business. We do all of this in order to achieve our goal – whatever that goal may be.

Oftentimes, God tries to show us that our plan is not his plan. However, we are stubborn and insist upon continuing down the wrong path.

We are stiff-necked. When we have a stiff neck, we can only look in one direction. So we choose to look where we want to look – in our direction, the way WE want to go. Thus, we don’t consider other options; we can’t see them. Eventually, we develop tunnel vision.

God wants us to loosen up our necks. He wants us to be able to see in every direction. When we do, we will see that God has other options for us to consider. We open ourselves up to HIS plan.

For our Lenten prayer today, let’s pray for a looser neck. Pray for the courage to let down our guard and consider his plan for us. It could potentially open up a whole new world for us – one filled with hope, joy and love.

Show Yourself!

March 22, 2023

Each day, I reflect upon a word or a phrase inspired by the readings of the day. I encourage you to do the same and perhaps incorporate that word or phrase into your daily prayer.

“Saying to the prisoners: Come out! To those in darkness: Show yourselves!” (Isaiah 49:9)

SHOW YOURSELF: For our Lenten reflection today, we shed light on ourselves. An anxious feeling of unworthiness plunges us into darkness; we feel alone. For many of us, it is not a darkness that comes and goes with the rising and setting of the sun; it is a perpetual darkness that appears to get darker and darker over time. It is the type of darkness that permeates all areas of our life – it not only prevents us from finding the right path, but may also lead us to give up on ever finding it, to lose hope.

God is our light. He is calling out to us – “Come out! Come toward me! I am the truth and the light.”

We must not stay hidden in the darkness of our perceived unworthiness. God offers us hope. He will light up our path once again!

What is your responsibility in acquiring this gift? Very simple – Show yourself!

Rise and Walk

March 21, 2023

Each day, I reflect upon a word or a phrase inspired by the readings of the day. I encourage you to do the same and perhaps incorporate that word or phrase into your daily prayer.

“One man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years…Jesus said to him, ‘Rise, take up your mat, and walk.’ Immediately the man became well, took up his mat, and walked.” (John 5:1-16)

The Gospel readings during Lent offer us a number of healing stories. Last Sunday we heard the story of the blind man whose sight was restored. Today, a man who had been ill for thirty-eight years is healed with a few simple words from Jesus.

These stories remind us  of our own afflictions, the baggage with which we are burdened. For some of us, it is baggage we have carried around for years. There may be shame that comes along with that baggage – “I am not worthy of forgiveness. My sins are too great.”

Our sins are not special. God has seen and heard it all.

Lent is a time to drop our baggage at the feet of Jesus. It is a time to confess our sins and be relieved of our burden. It is a time to “Rise, leave your burden, and walk.”

Build Him a House

March 20, 2023

Each day, I reflect upon a word or a phrase inspired by the readings of the day. I encourage you to do the same and perhaps incorporate that word or phrase into your daily prayer.

Should you build me a house to dwell in?…Why have you not built me a house? (2 Samuel 7:4-17)

BUILD HIM A HOUSE: Scripture is fascinating. Although written thousands of years ago for a completely different audience, Scripture is still able to convey a message people need to hear today.

To put the above passage in historical context, the prophet Nathan is passing along a message from God to David. As David has traveled, the Ark of the Covenant has traveled with him, transported on a cart and stored under a tent. The Lord wants to know why David has not built something more worthy of housing such a treasure.

What type of a dwelling place have we built for the Lord? How prominent of a place to do we give him in our lives? Do we allow him to dwell in our hearts?

Or is God watching how we live our life and wondering, “Why have you not built me a house?”