When Jesus said, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand,” He was calling people, including us, to choose a life for God. Jesus not only taught this, but He lived it in His words and actions. [Anglican Scripture scholar N.T. Wright]
Reflect on your choice, God or mammon?
May God Be Praised.
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.
Our Lenten practices may not be “fast” like the monk, but in this fourth week of Lent it may be the right time to review what we have done so far and why we have sacrificed. [Handout]
Our Readings emphasize that the Lord as the Just Judge, and Jesus clearly taught us what we will be judged on. Our judgement will be what did we do when we came face to face with human need – How did we respond?
During the remainder of Lent may the focus for our Almsgiving, Fasting & Prayer be on following the carpenter from Galilee more faithfully.
Then our “Fast” will be “Fast” and we will know our ‘Username” [The Lord is kind & merciful] and our “Password” [Beatitudes].
May God Be Praised.
In the Book of
Sirach we read, “A faithful friend is a sturdy shelter: he that has found
one has found a treasure. There is nothing so precious as a faithful friend,
and no scales can measure his excellence. A faithful friend is an elixir of
life …. [6:14-16a]
“The husband of a good wife is a fortunate man; he will live twice as long
because of her.
A fine wife is a joy to her husband, and he can live out his years in peace. A
good wife is among the precious blessings given to those who fear the Lord. Whether
such men are rich or poor, they will be happy and always look cheerful.” [26:1-4]
Give thanks to God today for the faithful friends in your life, I know I am.
May God Be Praised.