christianity

“Peace be with you.”

The disciples locked themselves in a room fearing further persecution from the Jewish leadership. Jesus was crucified and as their followers, they believed that they would be next. The distinction needs to be made that Jesus and his disciples are Jewish. When John referenced the fact that the disciples were locked in the room because they were “afraid of the Jews”, John was referring to was the Jewish leaders from Jerusalem that led to the crucifixion of Jesus. Jesus and his followers were Galilean Jews from the north.

The Apostles were not only afraid of the potential persecution, they were also most likely ashamed of having turned away from Jesus during his time of dire need, as well as mourning the death of Jesus. While they gathered in the darkness and were locked away experiencing fear, shame, and grief, Jesus “came and stood in their midst”. As a light shining in their darkness, Jesus has returned as he promised. Their reaction of amazement and fear of the possibility of Jesus’ impending judgment had no time to form in their minds. As quickly as Jesus arrived and stood in their midst, he said to them, “Peace be with you.”

Jesus forgave them for their betrayal. He did not rub their nose in their shame or say that he had told them so. Jesus came among them and immediately bestowed upon them his mercy. He then commissioned them to be his Apostles as he said: “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.” As Jesus is the Son of God, he has the power to forgive, and he is now sending his Apostles to be bearers of his forgiveness and mercy in his name. Just as the Father sent his Son and gave him authority to act in his name, Jesus was now giving the same authority to his brothers.

Thomas was not among the eleven and when they shared with him the good news of their encounter with the risen Lord. Thomas did not believe. Just like the apostles did not believe Mary Magdalene’s nor Cleopas and his companion’s account that they had encountered the risen Lord. The following week, Jesus returned again, and seeing the marks on Jesus’ hands and his side, Thomas too believed, saying, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus acknowledges Thomas’ affirmation but also builds on it for those who would come after: “Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.”

Today, we still have access to the gift of God’s mercy and forgiveness instituted by Jesus as is recorded in today’s Gospel of John. Jesus is just as present to us as he was to his disciples. He is present in his word when we receive it proclaimed in the Mass or read, meditate, and pray with his word on our own. Jesus is present in the Eucharist that we receive, where we behold again the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Jesus is present through our priests who hear our confession, and he is present in each one of us.

On this Divine Mercy Sunday, may we spend some quiet time with today’s Gospel and imagine ourselves in the locked room with the disciples. May we allow Jesus to appear to us in the midst of any sorrow, grief, fear, or doubts and challenges that we may be struggling with. May our minds and hearts be open to hear his words, “Peace be with you!” and allow the radiating light of his mercy, peace, and forgiveness to wash over and through our whole being. May we allow ourselves to be healed and transformed by the love and forgiveness of Jesus.

Jesus sends us out as he sent his apostles to practice mercy and forgiveness. We do so when we react less and breathe deeply more as well as become advocates for peace, healing, joy, and reconciliation. Is there someone who could benefit from the presence of Jesus through our being present with them, someone who may in the words of Pope Francis, the Pope of Mercy, who we lost this week, need “to hear God’s good news of forgiveness and love” (Francis, 25)? Allowing ourselves to be loved by Jesus we can then be filled to overflowing to share a smile, radiate his joy, and share God’s love and mercy as he did. Alleluia!

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Close up of painting by Robert Skemp. “Have mercy on us and on the whole world.”

McCann, Deborah. 30 Days of Reflections and Prayers: What Pope Francis Says About Mercy. New London, CT: Twenty-Third Publications, 2015.

Link for the Mass readings for Sunday, April 27, 2025

Apart from Jesus we can do nothing, but with him all things are possible.

There are a handful of incidents in today’s Gospel reading from John that refer back to encounters Jesus had with his Apostles before his death and resurrection. Jesus waits on the shore as seven of his disciples; Peter, Thomas, Nathanael, James, John, and two others, return from a night of fishing. This is reminiscent of when Jesus first came to Andrew and Simon, James and John as they were casting and mending nets and he invited them to follow him.

The disciples are on their way back to shore with their nets empty, and Jesus suggests that they cast their net over the right side and they quickly find that they “were not able to pull it in because of the number of fish.” Peter had this experience in one of his first encounters with Jesus when he had been fishing all night and Jesus encouraged him to put out into the deep water, and that time also they were able to fill two boats with fish.

After their great catch “of one hundred fifty-three large fish,” John told Peter that the Lord was the one who had instructed them. Just as when Jesus approached his disciples that night walking on the stormy waters, Peter jumped out of the boat and walked on water until he took his eyes off Jesus and began to sink. Peter again “jumped into the sea.” When Peter and the disciples came to shore “they saw a charcoal fire.” The most recent event with another charcoal fire was outside the gate where Jesus was led for his judgment. To keep warm Peter joined the servants and slaves huddled around a charcoal fire. It was at that charcoal fire that Peter denied Jesus. The final scene in today’s account was when Jesus offered cooked fish and bread to his disciples, this is reminiscent of Jesus feeding the five thousand with two loaves and a few fish and also an echo of the Last Supper and the road to Emmaus account we just read a few days ago in which Jesus was made known in the breaking of the bread.

Throughout our lives, we will have encounters with people and experience incidents that we have experienced before. We may not have been as present as we have wanted to be when attempting to comfort someone, we may have been involved in some task and made a mistake, may have given in to temptation or fear that we regretted, just as Peter had denied Jesus three times at that first charcoal fire. Peter wept when he heard the cock crow. The sound brought back Jesus’ prediction, brought to light Peter’s own denial and cowardice. How many times must he have berated himself, as we have done when we have sinned, fallen short of our goals, or made mistakes?

Making mistakes and taking risks, are necessary for learning and growing in any endeavor in life. Jesus does not want us to beat ourselves up when we fall short or fail. What is required for maturation is an honest assessment of the situation, an acknowledgment of our mistakes and sins, and then a movement to correct and learn from them. Often we overcompensate in the beginning, but as we remain persistent we reach a healthy balance. Jesus does not seek to condemn or shame us. He shines his light that we might see to identify where we have missed the mark so we can identify and confess our sins.

Jesus returns to his disciples after his Resurrection, he meets them in very similar settings as he had before his when he had first called them. All of his disciples failed him, yet Jesus did not condemn or shame them. Jesus helped to show them how far they had come since he first called them, while at the same time helping them to see how far they still have to go to actualize their potential. Jesus is not only their teacher but the divine source of their own transformation. Apart from Jesus they and we can do nothing. In fishing all night on their own nothing happened, but as soon as they did what Jesus called them to do, they caught fish to bursting.

Jesus guides and empowers us with his love and encouragement. He reminds us we can’t nor ought we to go it alone. When we are with Jesus, grow in our relationship with and trust him as the disciples did, we will be a little more present to someone the next time we are in a position to provide comfort or understanding, have greater resolve when tempted, and be able to identify our sins and mistakes as well as learn from them.

Jesus has risen, appeared to his disciples to guide, encourage, and empower them to be who God has called them to be. Jesus offers us the same teaching, guidance, and power shared from the wellspring of his humanity and divinity so that we will be able to participate in his life. Our repentance and Jesus’ forgiveness go beyond helping us to become better people. Through the love of Jesus, our minds, hearts, and souls change, we are transfigured, and conformed to Jesus and his life of resurrection. This is good news to share not only in word but in deed. Alleluia!!!

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Photo by Emerson Peters on Unsplash from “The Charcoal Fire” by Grace Abruzo.

Link for the Mass readings for Friday, April 25, 2025

Who will we believe?

Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were bewildered from their encounter with the angel and the empty tomb. As they ran to get the news to the disciples, they were also dealing with mixed emotions, feeling both “fearful yet overjoyed,” (Mt 28:8) when in the midst of their travel they were greeted by Jesus. Jesus assured them and then sent them to, “tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me” (Mt 28:10). Off the pair went to share the message that Jesus had risen!

At the same time, some of the guards who witnessed the event at the tomb took a different way and headed into the city to meet with the chief priests. They relayed the incident about the earthquake and the angel appearing to them and the two women. After deliberating, the chief priests and the elders paid the guards a large sum to perpetuate the tale that his disciples took Jesus away.

Who would be believed, the two women or the guards? Apparently both! Mary Magdalene and the other Mary fulfilled their first apostolic role and passed on Jesus’ message to his disciples for them to meet him in Galilee. Galilee was where the public ministry of Jesus began. They would all go back to the beginning. The tale spread by the guards would also be believed, because by the time of the writing of the Gospel of Matthew, the community, to which he wrote, were aware that, “this story has circulated among the Jews to the present day” (Mt 28:15).

Did Jesus really rise again from the dead as the angel, Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary claim or was this an elaborate plot by the disciples of Jesus to stage his resurrection, as the guards portrayed? How we answer these questions ought to make a difference in our lives. If we say yes, that we believe in Jesus and that he rose again, do we live our lives any differently than those who say they don’t believe?

We, who follow Jesus who rose again, are to be like the angel and each Mary. We are to be an Alleluia people, allowing the risen Christ to proclaim through us to those facing death – the promise of hope and life; to those living in the darkness of sin and addiction – the inviting light of a new direction; to those who are weak and indifferent – our presence and accompaniment. Each day, during this Easter Season, may we become less, so that the risen Jesus, who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, becomes more.

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Photo: Il Ragazo from http://www.cathopic.com

Link for the Mass readings for Monday, April 21, 2025

Ponder death this Holy Saturday, so that we may better appreciate life.

“So they laid Jesus there because of the Jewish preparation day; for the tomb was close by” (John 19:42).

“They” is a reference to Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus. Joseph appealed to Pontius Pilate seeking to receive his body for burial. The common Roman practice would be to leave the dead bodies of those who died on their crosses to be picked at and eaten by animals. This display further emphasized that if one decided to go against the Roman leadership, this would also happen to them. Joseph and Nicodemus were able to give him a proper resting place in an unused tomb near the place where he died. Up to this point, these disciples in secret now have come forward publicly to show their alliance with Jesus.

The place of Jesus’ burial, though at first glance was opportune because it was close to Golgotha, has deeper significance as does all of Scripture. For Jesus was buried in a tomb in a garden (see John 19:41). The image of Jesus being buried in a garden echoes the idea of Adam being cast out of the garden he was first created in. The image of Jesus as the new Adam, being buried in a new tomb, is not the end of the story but only the beginning.

This moment of Holy Saturday was the in between time of the death of Jesus until his resurrection. Death appeared to have the final word but as we know, Jesus experienced death, just as he was laid in the tomb, but he conquered death and rise again. The reality of this fact we will celebrate beginning tomorrow night as we celebrate the Easter Vigil and then Easter Sunday when Jesus indeed did conquer death and become the first born of the new creation!

May we give ourselves some time this Holy Saturday to be simple, to be still, to ponder the mystery of this moment in Jesus’ life as he experienced death and slept in that state of death, alone in a tomb. May this pondering of Jesus’ death help us to also reflect upon our own death. Doing so is not a morbid practice, but instead helps us to appreciate the gift of life that God has given us. Pondering our mortality helps us to acknowledge that our time is limited and that we are only passing through this life.

All of us will die. That is the truth. Facing and pondering that truth will help us to decide more intentionally how we want to live our lives, now and in the life to come. Instead of being governed by reactive thoughts, words, and actions, we can come to a place of peace and stillness, breathing, resting, receiving, and abiding in God’s love. From that place of experiencing and resting in God’s love, we can open our hearts and minds to the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Through following the lead of the Holy Spirit, we are granted a path that will lead us to heal, be forgiven, and be restored to the original glory, to be transformed into the image and likeness of God that was intended from the beginning of creation. Jesus has opened up to us the possibility of returning to the new garden by undoing the sin of Adam that cast us out in the first place. Jesus’ obedience to and love of the Father we are invited to participate and share in. Are we willing to take his hand and follow him to where he will lead? This question as well as a few of the other points above are good to ponder this Holy Saturday.

Photo: Even in the darkness of Holy Saturday, even in our darkest moments, the light of Jesus is present.

Link to the Mass readings for Good Friday to ponder on Holy Saturday

Jesus’ washing of his disciple’s feet – an act of humility and a foreshadowing of the cross.

A key focal point of the last supper narrative in the Gospel of John is Jesus washing the feet of his disciples. Washing feet was certainly a custom in the ancient Near East, for either people walked barefoot or wore sandals. In either event, people’s feet became quite sore and dirty getting from here to there. Walk accumulated on a person’s feet was also substantial. Washing of the feet was a hospitable way to welcome guests into one’s home. This action though was the most menial of tasks and often performed by slaves or the lowest of servants.

After washing his disciples’ feet and sitting down, Jesus said to them, “Do you realize what I have done for you? You call me ‘teacher’ and ‘master,’ and rightly so, for indeed I am. If I, therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another’s feet” (Jn 13:13-14). Jesus is sharing with those who will carry on his message and ministry that they are not to feel so high and mighty in their being called to follow him. The Apostles, those sent by Jesus, are to look at their ministry as seeking how best to serve others, not seeking to be served themselves.

The ultimate service will be displayed in only a few more days. Jesus’ washing on his disciples feet is a foreshadowing of the ultimate act of humility and service that Jesus will show in giving his life for them on the cross. The most degrading, humiliating, and painful of deaths. Jesus will give his life on the cross as will Peter: “Unless I wash you, you will have no inheritance with me” (John 13:8). Peter does not grasp what Jesus is talking about. He followed Jesus on the literal level of the feet washing and much as he did when Jesus told him that he must die, Peter did not understand then either.

Traditionally, this evening at the Mass of the Lord’s Supper, select members of the parish will come to have a foot washed by the priests, following the model set by Jesus washing his disciples’ feet. This would remind all of us, as members of the Church, that we are all an integral part of the Body of Christ. Reenacting the actions of Jesus proclaimed in the Gospel brings the vivid reality of Jesus’ invitation. We are at our best when we are willing to serve, support, and lift one another up. This is to be true when all is well and rosy, in addition to when conflict and challenges arise in the messiness of our daily lives.

Pope Francis, in his homily on April 5, 2020 highlighted this same point: “Dear brothers and sisters, what can we do in comparison with God, who served us even to the point of being betrayed and abandoned? We can refuse to betray him for whom we were created, and not abandon what really matters in our lives. We were put in this world to love him and our neighbors. Everything else passes away, only this remains. The tragedy we are experiencing summons us to take seriously the things that are serious, and not to be caught up in those that matter less; to rediscover that life is of no use if not used to serve others. For life is measured by love.”

We best exemplify Jesus’ washing of the feet when we resist the allure and temptation of pride because our life is not about us. We are not the center of the universe. We are invited to walk away from the table presenting a buffet of the false substitutes for God: pleasure, wealth, fame and power. We are not to curve in upon ourselves either, afraid that our sins are not forgivable. Jesus has not abandoned us and he never tires of loving, forgiving, and serving us. Jesus gave his life for us, and is with us every step of our journey and we experience him with us when we keep him first. As we receive and experience his love and forgiveness, may we be more willing to love and serve one another.

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Painting: “Jesus Washing Peter’s Feet” by Ford Madox Brown

Link for the Mass readings for Thursday Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper, April 17, 2025

Making time to be still and listen, can help us to correct an ill advised course.

As Jesus and his companions shared the Passover, Jesus offered this morsel, “One of you will betray me” (Mt 26:21). I am sure that this bitter herb shifted the mood of the meal and fellowship. Each apostle asked if they were the one to betray him. There is no recorded response, though the assumption is that Jesus says no to each, except for one.

A unique feature about this exchange was that each of the disciples in asking Jesus if they would betray him prefaced their request by calling him, Lord. In doing so, they acknowledged that Jesus was the Messiah. When Judas addressed Jesus he called him, Rabbi. He did not acknowledge Jesus as his Lord. Could this be a tell regarding why Judas was willing to turn Jesus over because he did not believe Jesus to be the Messiah, that he too believed Jesus to be a blasphemer?

Jesus’ response to Judas was an affirmation of truth: “You have said so” (Mt 26:25).

Jesus offered this affirmative response two other times, confirming each time the truth presented to him. When Caiaphas asked if he was the Messiah and then later with Pilate when he asked Jesus if he was the king of the Jews. In answering in the affirmative to Judas, was Jesus giving him the opportunity to look at himself in the mirror? Jesus knew that Judas would betray him, he did not have to make this point known. Judas could have remained silent, yet he asked, as did the others who went before him. Could he have been contemplating shifting his prior determination of betrayal? Was Jesus inviting Judas to acknowledge what he had agreed to do, confess, change course, and ask for forgiveness?

Judas chose his course of action to betray Jesus, and unfortunately, even with Jesus’ intervention, Judas was not able or willing to stop or change course. Judas fulfilled his agreement with the chief priests to turn Jesus over. Often we set a similar course of action and even when Jesus makes an attempt to intercede on our behalf, we do not slow down enough to hear.

God speaks to us in the silence of our hearts but too often we are focused on or diverted by other things and we do not hear. We can instead allow fear, anxiety, pride, prejudice, or anger to be our guide. We can be too blind to see or too determined to do it our own way, regardless of the consequences. Our interpretation of our experience may be that the momentum is already too strong to turn around. That it is too late to change course.

We need to know in the depth of our being, that it is never too late to change course, to make amends, to repent, and to turn back to God. The first step is being willing to be still or aware enough to hear or see his guidance. The second step is to be willing to look in the mirror and see what Jesus presents to us, accept what we see, and then seek his forgiveness. Yet, sometimes we feel we are digging ourselves into a hole that we can’t escape from. The answer is that we need to just stop digging and put the shovel down. Jesus will meet us in the deepest of the holes we have dug for ourselves and when we are willing lift us out.

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Photo: Blessed to have some time to be still and pray a holy hour in the chapel at the cathedral of St. Ignatius of Loyola.

Link for the Mass readings for Wednesday, April 16, 2025

Will we follow the path of Judas or Peter?

The Gospel reading for today from John is painful on two fronts. First, Jesus said to Judas, “What you are going to do, do quickly” (Jn 13:27). Did their eyes meet at that moment, was there an unspoken appeal from Jesus to Judas, or had that already been settled? Judas aligned himself with Satan and set his course. Worse, he removed himself from Jesus and his companions and it was night.

Reference to night in the Bible is typically not a good sign. This is not only the time of day, it is also the spiritual absence of the light in which Judas has now entered. This night has also begun its descent upon Peter as well, although he is not yet fully conscious of it creeping.

The second front appears at the end of today’s reading. Despite Peter’s apparent full endorsement of Jesus and promise to even lay his life down for him, Jesus predicted that “the cock will not crow until” Peter will deny him “three times” (Jn 13:38). The momentum of utter betrayal builds. Judas will agree to turn Jesus over for thirty pieces of silver. He will betray the Son of God, yet in so doing, Judas will play his part in salvation history.

Judas will set in motion Jesus’ arrest that will culminate in his crucifixion. Peter will come to deny Jesus three times as Jesus predicted. I cannot think of any experience worse than the pain of betrayal. Yet, how is it that we betray Jesus each day? Remember what he taught us, “What you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for me” (Mt 25:45). Who and how have we betrayed Jesus in our lives? This is an important question to ask, and what is even more important is that we not only answer it honestly but seek forgiveness and resist the temptation of isolating ourselves in our sin and pride.

Judas separated himself, cut himself off from Jesus and his companions. He came to realize his sin, though he did not seek forgiveness, but isolated himself further and in his despair took his life. Peter, also regretted his sin, his cowardice, he wept when he heard the cock crow, but he also trusted, and later affirmed his love for Jesus three times, atoning for his three denials and was forgiven.

This Holy Week we can choose to walk the path of Judas or Peter. With each humble step may we come to see how our spirits are often willing but our bodies are weak, that we have been wounded by others and acted in kind, so falling short of who God has called us to be in what we have done and what we have failed to do.

Through our awareness of our unworthiness though, we must resist isolating and beating ourselves up, but instead recognize that Jesus has not come for those who are worthy, but for those who are willing to be forgiven and to be healed. In this way, we can learn from Peter, that we have betrayed Jesus also, but he is willing to forgive us too so that we will become wounded healers as well!

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Painting: A path I am blessed to take often, to serve at the altar of our Lord.

Link for the Mass readings for Tuesday, April 15, 2025

May we pray and trust in Jesus.

In yesterday’s Gospel reading, Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin plot to bring about the death of Jesus. The results of their planning will be on full display today in the Gospel account of Luke 22:14-23:46.

The scene from the Passion account that I would like to reflect upon is Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane (Lk 22:39-46). The disciples follow Jesus to the Mount of Olives and once arriving, Jesus withdraws about a stone’s throw from them, and kneeling, he prayed, saying, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me; still, not my will but yours be done.” As Jesus accepted the cup he would take from his Father, He was in such agony and he prayed so fervently that his sweat became like drops of blood falling on the ground. Jesus is willing to follow the will of his Father even unto giving his life.

Jesus has done all that the Father asked of him, he has preached, taught, healed, exorcised demons, and each time his Father requested something of him, Jesus said, “Yes.” He now finds himself on death’s door. He can probably sense Judas and the Temple guards drawing close. He will soon be turned over to those who have rejected the will of his Father. Jesus would say, “Yes” again, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me; still, not my will but yours be done.” 

With these words of surrender Jesus echoed the verse from Psalms 42 and 43: “Hope in God, I will praise him still, my savior and my God.” Even faced with his death, Jesus accepted the will of his Father, his Abba. He trusted that there would be a greater good from the sacrifice of giving his life. Jesus would surrender all and what is on full display for us in the garden is the mystery of his hypostatic union: Jesus is one divine person, the Son of God, subsisting in two natures and two wills, the human and divine.

The God man, Jesus, arose, and as he approached his disciples he found them sleeping from grief. Jesus was ready to face the cross even if his apostles were not. As with the Apostles, Jesus commands us to watch and pray this Holy Week. How many times have we also been in a situation of facing something that is too heavy to bear, and our response is to sleep.

We, like the disciples fall short, for our flesh is weak, and we too have sinned. Yet, Jesus has faith in us that we will actualize who his Father calls us to be, as he still had faith in his apostles who persisted despite their failures and fulfilled their role in God’s plan. No matter what test, trial, or tribulation looms before us, let us now rise with Jesus and meet it head on, placing our trust in God, as Jesus did in the Garden of Gethsemane.

Let us follow the lead of Jesus, the Son, this Holy Week and surrender our will to the Father so to experience the Love of the Holy Spirit. No matter the challenge, come what may, we are not alone. Let us hope in God, let us praise him still, our savior and our God.

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Painting: “In Agony He Prayed”, Chad Winks

Link for the Mass reading for Sunday, April 13, 2025

“Better for you that one man should die instead of the people…”

A core group within the leadership of Israel has decided. They will not deny themselves, their power, prestige, their place. They will not take up their cross and follow Jesus, the way, the truth, and the life. They will not allow the teaching and momentum of the growing number of those following Jesus to continue unchecked. As Passover drew nearer, thousands of people were coming to Jerusalem to purify themselves for the great feast.

This meant that many more centurions would be in place to keep the peace. The division and commotion that Jesus was causing could escalate conflict, unrest, and then swift and violent retribution from the Roman presence. The Sanhedrin, the Jewish High Council, followed the lead of the high priest, Caiaphas, who said, “You know nothing, nor do you consider that it is better for you that one man should die instead of the people, so that the whole nation may not perish” (Jn 11:49-50). With these words, they began to plan how to put to death the carpenter of Nazareth.

With the words of Caiaphas, the sun began to set on the life of Jesus. These words even affect us still today as they usher in the sunset of our Lenten observance. The gift of our liturgical readings allows us to relive the story of our faith. Lent has given us a time to reflect, to meditate upon who Jesus is. Is he just a carpenter, another teacher, or a holy man from the past? Is he each of these, but someone so much more, the Son of God who became one with us in our humanity so that we can become one with him in his divinity?

Do we see Jesus’ teachings and life as a threat as did the Sanhedrin? Do we like our life the way it is, such that we do not want Jesus to come into our home and start turning over the tables and disrupting our order and comfort? Do the Gospels cut us to the heart and inspire us to shake off our complacency, our indifference, our cynicism, our fear, so to be inspired to acknowledge our sins, to repent, and to begin anew? Are we willing to have our hearts opened such that we see the needs of our brothers and sisters and so are moved with compassion to help?

As Holy Week begins with the Vigil Mass for Passion Sunday may we meditate on the words of Caiaphas, “consider that it is better for you that one man should die instead of the people, so that the whole nation may not perish” (Jn 11:49-50). Caiaphas did not know that what he proclaimed would be so true. The one, Jesus, would die, not only so the nation would not perish, but that all of humanity would not perish and be saved.

Jesus died for each and everyone of us that we might have life and have it to the full. As the sun sets this Saturday evening, may it not be just another rotation of the earth on its axis, but an opportunity to commit once again to make time to ponder and appreciate Jesus dying for us that we may be empowered to die to our false selves, our egos, our self-centered postures, and better take up our cross and follow Jesus into Holy Week.
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Photo: As each day ends, may we examine what we have been grateful for and where we have fallen short ask for forgiveness and help to begin again.

Link for the Mass readings for Saturday, April 12, 2025

Blasphemer or Son of God?

Two groups of Jews emerged in today’s Gospel account. There were those about to stone Jesus for blasphemy and those who began to believe. The first group did not recognize Jesus as the Son of God. There may have been some opening, which Jesus appeals to, in the good works that Jesus had done. These works came from his Father, and so Jesus sought to reason with them, “even if you do not believe me, believe the works, so that you may realize and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father” (Jn 10:38). They listened to the claim that Jesus was making but they refused to accept the fulfillment of the assertion: Jesus did the works of his Father because he was then and still is today the Son of God. Jesus knew the voice of his Father and was obedient to his Father’s will.

The more that Jesus sought to help them to understand that he was who he says he is, the more they dug in their heels. They may have left the stones on the ground but then moved to have him arrested. Jesus evaded their grasp and moved on to the region across the Jordan where John first baptized. John did not preach in the Temple precincts either, even though he was the son of a priest. John followed the lead of God to prepare the way for Jesus and his eternal priesthood. The Temple had not been the seat of God for some time. Jesus would become the new living Temple.

Jesus returned to the place of his baptism, where he joined in solidarity with sinful humanity. This visible image of consecration revealed what happened silently in his conception and birth: the Son of God took on flesh and became man to open up heaven for us in the humanity he assumed. As people came to John in the Jordanian wilderness, so too, people came to Jesus. Not all rejected his message. Many came to him and said, “John performed no sign, but everything John said about this man was true.” And many there began to believe in him (Jn 10:41-42).

The question that arises for us as our steps take us closer to Palm Sunday and Holy Week is to which group of Jews recorded in today’s Gospel account will we align ourselves with? Will we label Jesus as a blasphemer or accept that Jesus is the Son of God? The scriptural record does not reveal indifference as an option, the accounts do not leave any room for Jesus being only human; a good teacher, a wise man, or a revolutionary radical.

We either accept Jesus is fully human and fully divine or we don’t. If he isn’t who he claimed to be, the Son of God, then Christianity is just another philosophical, theological pursuit. If we accept that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God, then our lives ought to be aligned to his. Our thoughts, words, actions, and even our faces need to reflect that truth.

A good way to begin each day is affirming this fact by stating with an attitude of prayer, “Jesus I believe in you, I need you,” and asking him what works of the Father he would have us offer in his name this day? In what ways can we be of help and support to those around us? May we have the openness of mind and heart to hear his words and the courage to act upon his guidance, so to be the precious, living stones we are, radiating the light from our source, Jesus the Christ, the Son of the Living God.

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Painting credit: Sacred Heart of Jesus by Charles Chambers, hanging in my bedroom.

Link for the Mass readings for Friday, April 11, 2025