This story may help us through our Meatless
Fridays. John, a Protestant, moved into a large Catholic neighborhood. On the
first Friday of Lent, John was outside grilling a big juicy steak on his grill.
His neighbors were eating grilled cheese or tuna fish and tomato soup for supper. This went on
each Friday in Lent.
Finally, the neighborhood men got together
and decided that something had to be done about John. He was tempting them to
eat meat each Friday in Lent, & they could not take it anymore. They
decided to try to convert John to Catholicism and they went over to talked with
him. John decided to join his neighbors and become a Catholic.
They took him to church, and the Fr. O’Reilly
sprinkled some holy water over him and said: "You were born a Baptist,
you were raised a Baptist and now you are a Catholic." The men were relieved because their biggest
Lenten temptation was gone.
When the next Lenten season rolled around,
as the neighborhood settled down to their grilled cheese or tuna fish & tomato soup dinner,
the smell of steak cooking on a grill came wafting into their homes. They could
not believe it, so they went to John's yard to see if he had forgotten it was
Friday in Lent.
As they arrived John standing over his
grill with a small pitcher of water & as he was sprinkling the water over
his steak, they heard him say: "You were born a cow, you were raised a cow, now you
are a fish."
Lenten sacrifices help us remember that are
visitors here on earth.
Ezekiel tells us God said, “I will put
my spirit in you that you may live ….” God did that at our Baptism.
Today’s psalm tells us that with the Lord “… there is
mercy and fullness of redemption.” St. Paul teaches us, “if Christ is
in you … the spirit is alive ….”
It is ironic that in John’s Gospel, Jesus raises Lazarus
from the dead & the authorities plot to kill Him. Lazarus
wrapped in burial cloth; garments that point to our sins being wrapped around
us. Jesus
called Lazarus from the tomb, and He calls us to leave our tombs of sins.
Lazarus responded to Jesus’ call. Jesus
calls each one of us to reform, to reshape, to refashion our lives; away from
sin - to live His Way! The raising of Lazarus reminds us that life is pure gift
from God.
God’s grace is, also, pure gift.
This Lent may we be reminded that the
Gospel Way, the Way of Grace – is the Way to return to the Lord with all our
heart.
Lazarus means God is my help. Is God your Way,
your G.P.S.? Is God your soul mate? Jesus “wept for Lazarus” and He
weeps for you and for me!
Pope Francis preached about: Journeying,
Building & Confessing.
1. Journeying always in the presence of
the Lord
2. Building the living stones of the
Church
and 3. Confessing Jesus Christ.
“When we do not confess Jesus Christ, we confess the
worldliness of the devil, the worldliness of the demon.” [Zenit.org 03/15/13]
Rabbi
Harold Kushner wrote, “Religion is not primarily a set of beliefs, a
collection of prayers or a series of rituals. Religion is 1st & foremost a
way of seeing. It can’t change facts about the world we live in, but it can
change the way we see those facts, & that in itself can often make a
difference.” [Who Needs God]
May we see with the eyes of faith; may our
lives reveal the joy of faith. Jesus spoke and Lazarus was raised from the
dead.
Words have power: to help, to heal, or to
hurt. Words of kindness, gentleness, and love can bring joy to our world. For a
few minutes, in silence, think about how you can bring more joy to the world
through your: kindness, gentleness and love, so Christ’s light shines through
you.
May God Be Praised.
