«That Christ you see, is not Jesus. —It will be, in any case, the sad image your blurred eyes may form... —Purify yourself. Clarify your look with humility and penance. Afterwards... you won't be lacking the clear lights of Love. And you will have a perfect vision. Your image will really be: Him!». – St. Josemaria Escriva
Gospel text (Jn 5,31-47): Jesus said to the Jews:
“If I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is not true.
But there is another who testifies on my behalf,
and I know that the testimony he gives on my behalf is true.
You sent emissaries to John, and he testified to the truth.
I do not accept human testimony,
but I say this so that you may be saved.
He was a burning and shining lamp,
and for a while you were content to rejoice in his light.
But I have testimony greater than John’s.
The works that the Father gave me to accomplish,
these works that I perform testify on my behalf
that the Father has sent me.
Moreover, the Father who sent me has testified on my behalf.
But you have never heard his voice nor seen his form,
and you do not have his word remaining in you,
because you do not believe in the one whom he has sent.
You search the Scriptures,
because you think you have eternal life through them;
even they testify on my behalf.
But you do not want to come to me to have life.
“I do not accept human praise;
moreover, I know that you do not have the love of God in you.
I came in the name of my Father,
but you do not accept me;
yet if another comes in his own name,
you will accept him.
How can you believe, when you accept praise from one another
and do not seek the praise that comes from the only God?
Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father:
the one who will accuse you is Moses,
in whom you have placed your hope.
For if you had believed Moses,
you would have believed me,
because he wrote about me.
But if you do not believe his writings,
how will you believe my words?”
There is a tendency in our society to not believe in what we cannot see. If something is not right there in front of us, society has taught us to believe that it isn’t real. We as Christians must be cautious of this idea. Many non-believers tend to use this argument against us in questioning us on how we could believe in something that we cannot see, touch, or hear. It is a difficult task for us to believe in the divine, but it is not impossible. We can take the small hints around us like the beauty of Mother Nature and use them to help us believe in the Lord. While these hints can help us believe more, they are not enough to fully convince ourselves. We must have the courage and strength to take a leap of faith.
The leap of faith we take is not easy. We put our total trust and faith into the unknown. We must trust in what we cannot see to be our guidance towards everlasting life. Once we’ve taken this leap of faith we should never look back. Continue on at full force and don’t ever let another being convince you that you’ve made a mistake. God is all-loving and he rewards those who take a chance on him and believe with all their hearts. Let us trust in him and ourselves and we will receive everlasting life.
God Bless
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
"The battle belongs to God!" — David when facing Goliath
"We shall steer safely through every storm so long as our heart is right, our intention fervent, our courage steadfast, and our trust fixed on God." — St. Francis de Sales
(Is 49:8-15) Thus says the LORD:
In a time of favor I answer you,
on the day of salvation I help you;
and I have kept you and given you as a covenant to the people,
To restore the land
and allot the desolate heritages,
Saying to the prisoners: Come out!
To those in darkness: Show yourselves!
Along the ways they shall find pasture,
on every bare height shall their pastures be.
They shall not hunger or thirst,
nor shall the scorching wind or the sun strike them;
For he who pities them leads them
and guides them beside springs of water.
I will cut a road through all my mountains,
and make my highways level.
See, some shall come from afar,
others from the north and the west,
and some from the land of Syene .
Sing out, O heavens, and rejoice, O earth,
break forth into song, you mountains.
For the LORD comforts his people
and shows mercy to his afflicted.
But Zion said, “The LORD has forsaken me;
my Lord has forgotten me.”
Can a mother forget her infant,
be without tenderness for the child of her womb?
Even should she forget,
I will never forget you.
In today’s reading from the prophet Isaiah, God makes a powerful statement about his love for humanity referring to the image of a mother’s love, which is perhaps the strongest commitment to care among humans: “Can a mother forget her infant, be without tenderness for the child of her womb? Even should she forget, I will never forget you.” God’s love for us is like a mother’s love for her child, but at the same time also stronger and more permanent than a mother’s love could ever be.
This comparison is not only expressive of the permanence and strength of God’s love but also indicates the type of love God has towards us: it is not so much a mere emotional attachment but a caring love; it is love that provides comfort and mercy, guides, protects, and provides for basic needs. The reading states very clearly that God’s love is not only a sensation felt inside us but also experienced in very tangible and concrete, even material terms.
This gives us an idea of how our love towards others ought to be: tangible and concrete, triggering social and structural change in our world! Our Christian goal should be a society, in which none of us has to suffer hardship. Obviously, this is an ideal which cannot be easily reached, but this should not deter us from going one step at a time towards creating such a society, which will – hopefully – over time increasingly resemble the heavenly Jerusalem , where God’s love permeates every aspect of life.
The reading makes it also very clear that God’s Word cannot be locked within the walls of a church building or the confines of a prayerful home. God’s Word is highly political and its power will spill over from churches and homes into every corner of our society and world! God’s Word inspires action transforming the world.
Christ says in today’s reading from the Gospel of St. John (Jn 5,17-30) that “for just as the Father raises the dead and gives life, so also does the Son give life.” Raising the dead refers to the life in eternal bliss promised to all followers of Christ but also to our mission to raise up those among us, who are “dead” in one way or another, who are, for example, constrained in developing their potential because of being born into a household that cannot afford a decent education, whose health is threatened because of their inability to afford basic health care, and who are depressed because they cannot find work.
This, our mission, asks us to reflect not only about our individual ways of showing love but also about our collective mission as church to “raise the dead.” Those of us in parish leadership need to go beyond organizing meetings and events and must also reach out to one another. Priests need to seek out the lost and suffering and bishops need to courageously make statements about our Mission to show God's love to our fellow human beings.
Let us be inspired by Christ who said the following in today’s Gospel: “whoever hears my word and believes in the one who sent me has eternal life.” Listening to and believing in Christ gives us eternal life and inspires us to give life to humanity, raising others from death by transforming our society and world!
(Is 49:8-15) Thus says the LORD:
In a time of favor I answer you,
on the day of salvation I help you;
and I have kept you and given you as a covenant to the people,
To restore the land
and allot the desolate heritages,
Saying to the prisoners: Come out!
To those in darkness: Show yourselves!
Along the ways they shall find pasture,
on every bare height shall their pastures be.
They shall not hunger or thirst,
nor shall the scorching wind or the sun strike them;
For he who pities them leads them
and guides them beside springs of water.
I will cut a road through all my mountains,
and make my highways level.
See, some shall come from afar,
others from the north and the west,
and some from the land of Syene .
Sing out, O heavens, and rejoice, O earth,
break forth into song, you mountains.
For the LORD comforts his people
and shows mercy to his afflicted.
But Zion said, “The LORD has forsaken me;
my Lord has forgotten me.”
Can a mother forget her infant,
be without tenderness for the child of her womb?
Even should she forget,
I will never forget you.
In today’s reading from the prophet Isaiah, God makes a powerful statement about his love for humanity referring to the image of a mother’s love, which is perhaps the strongest commitment to care among humans: “Can a mother forget her infant, be without tenderness for the child of her womb? Even should she forget, I will never forget you.” God’s love for us is like a mother’s love for her child, but at the same time also stronger and more permanent than a mother’s love could ever be.
This comparison is not only expressive of the permanence and strength of God’s love but also indicates the type of love God has towards us: it is not so much a mere emotional attachment but a caring love; it is love that provides comfort and mercy, guides, protects, and provides for basic needs. The reading states very clearly that God’s love is not only a sensation felt inside us but also experienced in very tangible and concrete, even material terms.
This gives us an idea of how our love towards others ought to be: tangible and concrete, triggering social and structural change in our world! Our Christian goal should be a society, in which none of us has to suffer hardship. Obviously, this is an ideal which cannot be easily reached, but this should not deter us from going one step at a time towards creating such a society, which will – hopefully – over time increasingly resemble the heavenly Jerusalem , where God’s love permeates every aspect of life.
The reading makes it also very clear that God’s Word cannot be locked within the walls of a church building or the confines of a prayerful home. God’s Word is highly political and its power will spill over from churches and homes into every corner of our society and world! God’s Word inspires action transforming the world.
Christ says in today’s reading from the Gospel of St. John (Jn 5,17-30) that “for just as the Father raises the dead and gives life, so also does the Son give life.” Raising the dead refers to the life in eternal bliss promised to all followers of Christ but also to our mission to raise up those among us, who are “dead” in one way or another, who are, for example, constrained in developing their potential because of being born into a household that cannot afford a decent education, whose health is threatened because of their inability to afford basic health care, and who are depressed because they cannot find work.
This, our mission, asks us to reflect not only about our individual ways of showing love but also about our collective mission as church to “raise the dead.” Those of us in parish leadership need to go beyond organizing meetings and events and must also reach out to one another. Priests need to seek out the lost and suffering and bishops need to courageously make statements about our Mission to show God's love to our fellow human beings.
Let us be inspired by Christ who said the following in today’s Gospel: “whoever hears my word and believes in the one who sent me has eternal life.” Listening to and believing in Christ gives us eternal life and inspires us to give life to humanity, raising others from death by transforming our society and world!
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
"Healing is a matter of time, but it is sometimes also a matter of opportunity."
"In all the miracles of healing performed by Our Divine Savior, we must admire the remarkable goodness which caused Him to heal first the sickness of the soul, then that of the body. He teaches us the great lesson that we must first purify our consciences before turning to God for help in our earthly needs." – St John Bosco
Gospel text (Jn 5,1-3.5-16):
There was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem .
Now there is in Jerusalem at the Sheep Gate
a pool called in Hebrew Bethesda, with five porticoes.
In these lay a large number of ill, blind, lame, and crippled.
One man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years.
When Jesus saw him lying there
and knew that he had been ill for a long time, he said to him,
“Do you want to be well?”
The sick man answered him,
“Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool
when the water is stirred up;
while I am on my way, someone else gets down there before me.”
Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your mat, and walk.”
Immediately the man became well, took up his mat, and walked.
Now that day was a sabbath.
So the Jews said to the man who was cured,
“It is the sabbath, and it is not lawful for you to carry your mat.”
He answered them, “The man who made me well told me,
‘Take up your mat and walk.’“
They asked him,
“Who is the man who told you, ‘Take it up and walk’?”
The man who was healed did not know who it was,
for Jesus had slipped away, since there was a crowd there.
After this Jesus found him in the temple area and said to him,
“Look, you are well; do not sin any more,
so that nothing worse may happen to you.”
The man went and told the Jews
that Jesus was the one who had made him well.
Therefore, the Jews began to persecute Jesus
because he did this on a sabbath.
Today, Saint John speaks of the parable of the pool of Bethzatha. It rather looked like the waiting room of a traumathology hospital. «There lay a multitude of sick people-blind, lame and paralyzed» (Jn 5:3). Jesus went up there. It's rather curious!: Jesus manages to be found always in the middle of some problem. Wherever He goes, there is always somebody to be “liberated”; there He is when it comes to making people happy.
“Do you want to be well?” -John 5:6
Jesus poses such a poignant and direct question that it cannot help but jump out at us. Instead of asking the sick man if he wants to be cured of his disease, Jesus asks if he wants to be “well”.
Jesus jumps directly to the ultimate goal: contentment, joy, and peace. Even with modern medicine on our side, he offers so much more than we can ever provide, including forgiveness of sins. Therefore, this Gospel serves as a reminder for us to utilize this penitential Lenten season as an encouragement to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation with our Spiritual Doctors: our beloved priests.
Just as he asks the sick man in the Gospel, he encourages us to ponder whether we are wallowing in our own pain and excuses. Are we choosing to be ensnared by a certain sin tendency? Are we purposefully letting a long-term illness define us? Are we consciously using a challenge in our lives as an excuse?
Jesus offers total and complete forgiveness from our sins and freedom from what ails us in life. Physicians face serious issues with non-compliance among patients who fall away from their treatment plans. A physician cannot treat a patient who does not want to be healthy. In precisely the same way, the desire to be well is central to Jesus’ offer.
That helpless disabled man in our gospel passage today, close to the water, does he not remind you of our own helplessness to do good? How can we dare solve by ourselves that which has a supernatural scope? Don't you see, every day, around you, a big crowd of disabled ones that are “moving” themselves about, while being totally unable to get rid of their lack of freedom? Sin paralyzes man, grows him old, kills him... We have to fix our eyes on Jesus. We need him —His Grace— to plunge us into the waters of prayer, of confession, of the opening of our spirit. You and I may be eternal disabled persons, or, on the contrary, bearers of his light.
Today in prayer, picture Jesus asking you, “Do you want to be well?”
What will you answer?
Gospel text (Jn 5,1-3.5-16):
There was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem .
Now there is in Jerusalem at the Sheep Gate
a pool called in Hebrew Bethesda, with five porticoes.
In these lay a large number of ill, blind, lame, and crippled.
One man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years.
When Jesus saw him lying there
and knew that he had been ill for a long time, he said to him,
“Do you want to be well?”
The sick man answered him,
“Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool
when the water is stirred up;
while I am on my way, someone else gets down there before me.”
Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your mat, and walk.”
Immediately the man became well, took up his mat, and walked.
Now that day was a sabbath.
So the Jews said to the man who was cured,
“It is the sabbath, and it is not lawful for you to carry your mat.”
He answered them, “The man who made me well told me,
‘Take up your mat and walk.’“
They asked him,
“Who is the man who told you, ‘Take it up and walk’?”
The man who was healed did not know who it was,
for Jesus had slipped away, since there was a crowd there.
After this Jesus found him in the temple area and said to him,
“Look, you are well; do not sin any more,
so that nothing worse may happen to you.”
The man went and told the Jews
that Jesus was the one who had made him well.
Therefore, the Jews began to persecute Jesus
because he did this on a sabbath.
Today, Saint John speaks of the parable of the pool of Bethzatha. It rather looked like the waiting room of a traumathology hospital. «There lay a multitude of sick people-blind, lame and paralyzed» (Jn 5:3). Jesus went up there. It's rather curious!: Jesus manages to be found always in the middle of some problem. Wherever He goes, there is always somebody to be “liberated”; there He is when it comes to making people happy.
“Do you want to be well?” -John 5:6
Jesus poses such a poignant and direct question that it cannot help but jump out at us. Instead of asking the sick man if he wants to be cured of his disease, Jesus asks if he wants to be “well”.
Jesus jumps directly to the ultimate goal: contentment, joy, and peace. Even with modern medicine on our side, he offers so much more than we can ever provide, including forgiveness of sins. Therefore, this Gospel serves as a reminder for us to utilize this penitential Lenten season as an encouragement to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation with our Spiritual Doctors: our beloved priests.
Just as he asks the sick man in the Gospel, he encourages us to ponder whether we are wallowing in our own pain and excuses. Are we choosing to be ensnared by a certain sin tendency? Are we purposefully letting a long-term illness define us? Are we consciously using a challenge in our lives as an excuse?
Jesus offers total and complete forgiveness from our sins and freedom from what ails us in life. Physicians face serious issues with non-compliance among patients who fall away from their treatment plans. A physician cannot treat a patient who does not want to be healthy. In precisely the same way, the desire to be well is central to Jesus’ offer.
That helpless disabled man in our gospel passage today, close to the water, does he not remind you of our own helplessness to do good? How can we dare solve by ourselves that which has a supernatural scope? Don't you see, every day, around you, a big crowd of disabled ones that are “moving” themselves about, while being totally unable to get rid of their lack of freedom? Sin paralyzes man, grows him old, kills him... We have to fix our eyes on Jesus. We need him —His Grace— to plunge us into the waters of prayer, of confession, of the opening of our spirit. You and I may be eternal disabled persons, or, on the contrary, bearers of his light.
Today in prayer, picture Jesus asking you, “Do you want to be well?”
What will you answer?
Monday, April 4, 2011
“Faith is a knowledge within the heart, beyond the reach of proof”
“Humanism or atheism is a wonderful philosophy of life as long as you are big, strong, and between the ages of eighteen and thirty-five. But watch out if you are in a lifeboat and there are others who are younger, bigger, or smarter.”
Gospel text (Jn 4:43-54):
At that time Jesus left [ Samaria ] for Galilee .
For Jesus himself testified
that a prophet has no honor in his native place.
When he came into Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him,
since they had seen all he had done in Jerusalem at the feast;
for they themselves had gone to the feast.
Then he returned to Cana in Galilee ,
where he had made the water wine.
Now there was a royal official whose son was ill in Capernaum .
When he heard that Jesus had arrived in Galilee from Judea ,
he went to him and asked him to come down
and heal his son, who was near death.
Jesus said to him,
“Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will not believe.”
The royal official said to him,
“Sir, come down before my child dies.”
Jesus said to him, “You may go; your son will live.”
The man believed what Jesus said to him and left.
While the man was on his way back,
his slaves met him and told him that his boy would live.
He asked them when he began to recover.
They told him,
“The fever left him yesterday, about one in the afternoon.”
The father realized that just at that time Jesus had said to him,
“Your son will live,”
and he and his whole household came to believe.
Now this was the second sign Jesus did
when he came to Galilee from Judea .
Today, we find Jesus again in Cana of Galilee, where He had previously made the well known miracle of changing the water into wine. Now, on this occasion, He performs a new miracle: the recovery of a royal official's son. In spite of how spectacular the first one was, this second miracle is, undoubtedly, more valuable, for what Jesus solves with this miracle is nothing material, but a problem of a human life.
What is so remarkable in this case is that Jesus does not go to Capernaum to directly heal there the sick one; He performs the miracle without moving from Cana : «The official told him: ‘Sir, come down before my child dies!’. And Jesus replied: ‘Go, your son is living’» (Jn 4:49-50).
This should remind us all that we can do a lot of good from a distance, that is, without having to make us present wherever our generosity is requested. We can, thus, help the Third World simply by collaborating economically with our Missions or with catholic organizations that may be working over there. Or let us help those in need on the marginal suburbs of the big cities with our contributions to institutions like Caritas International, without our having to set foot there. Or, we can even make a lot of people far away happy by means of just a telephone call, a letter or an e-mail.
Quite often we do not perform a good deed by excusing ourselves because of our impossibility to be physically present wherever there is an urgent need for outside help. Jesus did not use that excuse. He was not at Capernaum , but He simply performed the miracle.
If you want to be generous, distance should be no problem, for our generosity comes all the way directly from our heart and it crosses all frontiers. As Saint Augustine said: «He who is charitable at heart, always finds something to give».
Gospel text (Jn 4:43-54):
At that time Jesus left [ Samaria ] for Galilee .
For Jesus himself testified
that a prophet has no honor in his native place.
When he came into Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him,
since they had seen all he had done in Jerusalem at the feast;
for they themselves had gone to the feast.
Then he returned to Cana in Galilee ,
where he had made the water wine.
Now there was a royal official whose son was ill in Capernaum .
When he heard that Jesus had arrived in Galilee from Judea ,
he went to him and asked him to come down
and heal his son, who was near death.
Jesus said to him,
“Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will not believe.”
The royal official said to him,
“Sir, come down before my child dies.”
Jesus said to him, “You may go; your son will live.”
The man believed what Jesus said to him and left.
While the man was on his way back,
his slaves met him and told him that his boy would live.
He asked them when he began to recover.
They told him,
“The fever left him yesterday, about one in the afternoon.”
The father realized that just at that time Jesus had said to him,
“Your son will live,”
and he and his whole household came to believe.
Now this was the second sign Jesus did
when he came to Galilee from Judea .
Today, we find Jesus again in Cana of Galilee, where He had previously made the well known miracle of changing the water into wine. Now, on this occasion, He performs a new miracle: the recovery of a royal official's son. In spite of how spectacular the first one was, this second miracle is, undoubtedly, more valuable, for what Jesus solves with this miracle is nothing material, but a problem of a human life.
What is so remarkable in this case is that Jesus does not go to Capernaum to directly heal there the sick one; He performs the miracle without moving from Cana : «The official told him: ‘Sir, come down before my child dies!’. And Jesus replied: ‘Go, your son is living’» (Jn 4:49-50).
This should remind us all that we can do a lot of good from a distance, that is, without having to make us present wherever our generosity is requested. We can, thus, help the Third World simply by collaborating economically with our Missions or with catholic organizations that may be working over there. Or let us help those in need on the marginal suburbs of the big cities with our contributions to institutions like Caritas International, without our having to set foot there. Or, we can even make a lot of people far away happy by means of just a telephone call, a letter or an e-mail.
Quite often we do not perform a good deed by excusing ourselves because of our impossibility to be physically present wherever there is an urgent need for outside help. Jesus did not use that excuse. He was not at Capernaum , but He simply performed the miracle.
If you want to be generous, distance should be no problem, for our generosity comes all the way directly from our heart and it crosses all frontiers. As Saint Augustine said: «He who is charitable at heart, always finds something to give».
Sunday, April 3, 2011
"But the eyes are blind. One must look with the heart..."
The Truth is an eye given by God for the seeing of God. Some of these “eyes” we cannot bear to look out of; we blind them as quickly as possible.
Gospel text (Jn 9:1-41):
As Jesus passed by he saw a man blind from birth.
He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva,
and smeared the clay on his eyes,
and said to him,
“Go wash in the Pool of Siloam” — which means Sent —.
So he went and washed, and came back able to see.
His neighbors and those who had seen him earlier as a beggar said,
“Isn’t this the one who used to sit and beg?”
Some said, “It is, “
but others said, “No, he just looks like him.”
He said, “I am.”
They brought the one who was once blind to the Pharisees.
Now Jesus had made clay and opened his eyes on a sabbath.
So then the Pharisees also asked him how he was able to see.
He said to them,
“He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and now I can see.”
So some of the Pharisees said,
“This man is not from God,
because he does not keep the sabbath.”
But others said,
“How can a sinful man do such signs?”
And there was a division among them.
So they said to the blind man again,
“What do you have to say about him,
since he opened your eyes?”
He said, “He is a prophet.”
They answered and said to him,
“You were born totally in sin,
and are you trying to teach us?”
Then they threw him out.
When Jesus heard that they had thrown him out,
he found him and said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?”
He answered and said,
“Who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?”
Jesus said to him,
“You have seen him, and
the one speaking with you is he.”
He said,
“I do believe, Lord,” and he worshiped him.
Today, in the Fourth Sunday of Lent —also called rose or “laetare” (rejoice) Sunday— all the liturgy invites us to experience a deep joy, a great exultation, because Easter is getting nearer.
This Sunday's gospel narrative allows us to examine closely the intense and ever increasing tension developing between the Pharisees who can see physically, but are spiritually blind, and a simple, humble man who is physically blind, but who eventually is able to see who Jesus really is.
The Pharisees deny that which is evident: Jesus healed the man born blind. They refuse to accept that which is obvious. Is not this the situation of our contemporary world?
For example, it is obvious and evident that life begins at the moment of conception, and yet in the face of scientific proof, many continue to promote abortion. If human life did not begin at the moment of conception, why would an abortion be necessary in the first place?
Furthermore, a blind humanity continues to advance destructive practices such as embryonic stem-cell research, homosexual marriages, euthanasia and human cloning. Many refuse to see the consequences of godless behavior on human society. How much more destruction must take place before people begin to see the truth?
Unfortunately, our own country has become profoundly divided between two opposing forces. On the one hand, the radical "left" decries any appearance of traditional values in the name of individual rights. When Americans speak out in support of family values, they respond by questioning the substance of these values.
On the other hand, the radical "right" are just as polarizing as their counterparts on the left. They decry the immorality of our times, but they are too often void of any Christian charity.
Darkness abides in the deep recesses of opinions and ideologies not borne of - and informed by - the truth. We must move beyond the illusory images that only appear to be reality. We must have the openness to question and not accept blindly everything that is presented to us by modern culture. We must understand that relativism is bankrupt and that true freedom can only be found in objective truth.
Pope John Paul II once wrote; "It is urgent to rediscover and to set forth once more the authentic reality of the Christian faith, which is not simply a set of propositions to be accepted with intellectual assent. Rather, faith is a lived knowledge of Christ, a living remembrance of his commandments, and a truth to be lived out. A word, in any event, is not truly received until it is put into practice. Faith is a decision involving one's whole existence. It is an encounter, a dialogue, a communion of love and of life between the believer and Jesus Christ, the way, and the truth, and the life. It entails an act of trusting abandonment to Christ, which enables us to live as he lived, in profound love of God and of our brothers and sisters" (Veritatis Splendor, 88).
Those who think that they have all of the answers are no longer reachable. Pride is the root of spiritual blindness. The man born blind in this Sunday's gospel passage exemplifies the humility that is needed in order to see and to grasp the truth.
How can we move from erroneous opinion to the acquisition of objective truth? We need to be open. We need to ask God to show us the truth. In our quest for truth we should be on our knees and cry out to the Lord: Lord, show me the truth. Then we must read. Read objective sources. It is better not to read someone's opinion about a particular topic. Read and study the Magisterium of the Catholic Church.
On the morning before the conclave began that elected Cardinal Ratzinger as our Pope, he delivered what I consider to be one of the greatest homilies that I have heard. Pope Benedict addressed the very root of the modern problem. This is what he said.
"How many winds of doctrine we have known in these last decades, how many ideological currents, how many fashions of thought? The small boat of thought of many Christians has often remained agitated by the waves, tossed from one extreme to the other: from Marxism to liberalism, to libertinism; from collectivism to radical individualism; from atheism to a vague religious mysticism; from agnosticism to syncretism, etc.
"Every day new sects are born and we see realized what St. Paul says on the deception of men, on the cunning that tends to lead into error (cf. Ephesians 4:14). To have a clear faith, according to the creed of the Church, is often labeled as fundamentalism. While relativism, that is, allowing oneself to be carried about with every wind of 'doctrine,' seems to be the only attitude that is fashionable. A dictatorship of relativism is being constituted that recognizes nothing as absolute, leaving its whims as the ultimate measure.
"We have another measure: the Son of God, true man. He is the measure of true humanism. 'Adult' is not a faith that follows the waves in fashion and the latest novelty. Adult and mature is a faith profoundly rooted in friendship with Christ. This friendship opens us to all that is good and gives us the measure to discern between what is true and what is false, between deceit and truth".
We must mature in this adult faith; we must lead the flock of Christ to this faith. And this faith, the only faith, creates unity and takes place in charity. St. Paul offers us a beautiful phrase, in opposition to the continual ups and downs of those who are like children tossed by the waves, to bring about truth in charity, as fundamental formula of Christian existence. Truth and charity coincide in Christ. In the measure that we come close to Christ, also in our life, truth and charity are fused. Charity without truth would be blind; truth without charity would be like 'a clanging cymbal' (1 Corinthians 1:13).
Because he was open and humble, the man born blind asks the most fundamental question that needs to be asked by everyone: "And who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?" (John 9: 36). His question was answered; "You have seen him and it is he who speaks to you" (John 9: 37).
When we are humble, open and thirsty for the truth, Jesus will flood our souls with his Holy Spirit. The cobwebs of twisted thinking will vanish. Light will shine through our entire being. Our eyes will be open and we shall see.
"Jesus heard that they had cast him out and having found him he said, 'Do you believe in the Son of man?' He answered, 'And who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?' Jesus said to him, 'You have seen him, and it is he who speaks to you.' He said, 'Lord, I believe'; and he worshiped him" (John 9: 35-38).
Gospel text (Jn 9:1-41):
As Jesus passed by he saw a man blind from birth.
He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva,
and smeared the clay on his eyes,
and said to him,
“Go wash in the Pool of Siloam” — which means Sent —.
So he went and washed, and came back able to see.
His neighbors and those who had seen him earlier as a beggar said,
“Isn’t this the one who used to sit and beg?”
Some said, “It is, “
but others said, “No, he just looks like him.”
He said, “I am.”
They brought the one who was once blind to the Pharisees.
Now Jesus had made clay and opened his eyes on a sabbath.
So then the Pharisees also asked him how he was able to see.
He said to them,
“He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and now I can see.”
So some of the Pharisees said,
“This man is not from God,
because he does not keep the sabbath.”
But others said,
“How can a sinful man do such signs?”
And there was a division among them.
So they said to the blind man again,
“What do you have to say about him,
since he opened your eyes?”
He said, “He is a prophet.”
They answered and said to him,
“You were born totally in sin,
and are you trying to teach us?”
Then they threw him out.
When Jesus heard that they had thrown him out,
he found him and said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?”
He answered and said,
“Who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?”
Jesus said to him,
“You have seen him, and
the one speaking with you is he.”
He said,
“I do believe, Lord,” and he worshiped him.
Today, in the Fourth Sunday of Lent —also called rose or “laetare” (rejoice) Sunday— all the liturgy invites us to experience a deep joy, a great exultation, because Easter is getting nearer.
This Sunday's gospel narrative allows us to examine closely the intense and ever increasing tension developing between the Pharisees who can see physically, but are spiritually blind, and a simple, humble man who is physically blind, but who eventually is able to see who Jesus really is.
The Pharisees deny that which is evident: Jesus healed the man born blind. They refuse to accept that which is obvious. Is not this the situation of our contemporary world?
For example, it is obvious and evident that life begins at the moment of conception, and yet in the face of scientific proof, many continue to promote abortion. If human life did not begin at the moment of conception, why would an abortion be necessary in the first place?
Furthermore, a blind humanity continues to advance destructive practices such as embryonic stem-cell research, homosexual marriages, euthanasia and human cloning. Many refuse to see the consequences of godless behavior on human society. How much more destruction must take place before people begin to see the truth?
Unfortunately, our own country has become profoundly divided between two opposing forces. On the one hand, the radical "left" decries any appearance of traditional values in the name of individual rights. When Americans speak out in support of family values, they respond by questioning the substance of these values.
On the other hand, the radical "right" are just as polarizing as their counterparts on the left. They decry the immorality of our times, but they are too often void of any Christian charity.
Darkness abides in the deep recesses of opinions and ideologies not borne of - and informed by - the truth. We must move beyond the illusory images that only appear to be reality. We must have the openness to question and not accept blindly everything that is presented to us by modern culture. We must understand that relativism is bankrupt and that true freedom can only be found in objective truth.
Pope John Paul II once wrote; "It is urgent to rediscover and to set forth once more the authentic reality of the Christian faith, which is not simply a set of propositions to be accepted with intellectual assent. Rather, faith is a lived knowledge of Christ, a living remembrance of his commandments, and a truth to be lived out. A word, in any event, is not truly received until it is put into practice. Faith is a decision involving one's whole existence. It is an encounter, a dialogue, a communion of love and of life between the believer and Jesus Christ, the way, and the truth, and the life. It entails an act of trusting abandonment to Christ, which enables us to live as he lived, in profound love of God and of our brothers and sisters" (Veritatis Splendor, 88).
Those who think that they have all of the answers are no longer reachable. Pride is the root of spiritual blindness. The man born blind in this Sunday's gospel passage exemplifies the humility that is needed in order to see and to grasp the truth.
How can we move from erroneous opinion to the acquisition of objective truth? We need to be open. We need to ask God to show us the truth. In our quest for truth we should be on our knees and cry out to the Lord: Lord, show me the truth. Then we must read. Read objective sources. It is better not to read someone's opinion about a particular topic. Read and study the Magisterium of the Catholic Church.
On the morning before the conclave began that elected Cardinal Ratzinger as our Pope, he delivered what I consider to be one of the greatest homilies that I have heard. Pope Benedict addressed the very root of the modern problem. This is what he said.
"How many winds of doctrine we have known in these last decades, how many ideological currents, how many fashions of thought? The small boat of thought of many Christians has often remained agitated by the waves, tossed from one extreme to the other: from Marxism to liberalism, to libertinism; from collectivism to radical individualism; from atheism to a vague religious mysticism; from agnosticism to syncretism, etc.
"Every day new sects are born and we see realized what St. Paul says on the deception of men, on the cunning that tends to lead into error (cf. Ephesians 4:14). To have a clear faith, according to the creed of the Church, is often labeled as fundamentalism. While relativism, that is, allowing oneself to be carried about with every wind of 'doctrine,' seems to be the only attitude that is fashionable. A dictatorship of relativism is being constituted that recognizes nothing as absolute, leaving its whims as the ultimate measure.
"We have another measure: the Son of God, true man. He is the measure of true humanism. 'Adult' is not a faith that follows the waves in fashion and the latest novelty. Adult and mature is a faith profoundly rooted in friendship with Christ. This friendship opens us to all that is good and gives us the measure to discern between what is true and what is false, between deceit and truth".
We must mature in this adult faith; we must lead the flock of Christ to this faith. And this faith, the only faith, creates unity and takes place in charity. St. Paul offers us a beautiful phrase, in opposition to the continual ups and downs of those who are like children tossed by the waves, to bring about truth in charity, as fundamental formula of Christian existence. Truth and charity coincide in Christ. In the measure that we come close to Christ, also in our life, truth and charity are fused. Charity without truth would be blind; truth without charity would be like 'a clanging cymbal' (1 Corinthians 1:13).
Because he was open and humble, the man born blind asks the most fundamental question that needs to be asked by everyone: "And who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?" (John 9: 36). His question was answered; "You have seen him and it is he who speaks to you" (John 9: 37).
When we are humble, open and thirsty for the truth, Jesus will flood our souls with his Holy Spirit. The cobwebs of twisted thinking will vanish. Light will shine through our entire being. Our eyes will be open and we shall see.
"Jesus heard that they had cast him out and having found him he said, 'Do you believe in the Son of man?' He answered, 'And who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?' Jesus said to him, 'You have seen him, and it is he who speaks to you.' He said, 'Lord, I believe'; and he worshiped him" (John 9: 35-38).
Saturday, April 2, 2011
The only saints are sinners saved by grace!
When comes the evening of life, I shall stand before Thee with empty hands, because I do not ask Thee, my God, to take account of my works. All our works of justice are blemished in Thine Eyes. I wish therefore to be robed with Thine own Justice, and to receive from Thy Love the everlasting gift of Thyself. - St. Therese of Lisieux
Lk 18:9-14: Jesus addressed this parable
to those who were convinced of their own righteousness
and despised everyone else.
“Two people went up to the temple area to pray;
one was a Pharisee and the other was a tax collector.
The Pharisee took up his position and spoke this prayer to himself,
‘O God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of humanity —
greedy, dishonest, adulterous — or even like this tax collector.
I fast twice a week,
and I pay tithes on my whole income.’
But the tax collector stood off at a distance
and would not even raise his eyes to heaven
but beat his breast and prayed,
‘O God, be merciful to me a sinner.’
I tell you, the latter went home justified, not the former;
for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled,
and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
We find ourselves near the middle of the wonderful season of Lent, a time that allows us to assess our progress or lack thereof. Lent gives the opportunity to look at ourselves from the perspective of the most important relationship of our lives as Christians: where is Christ in our day-to-day lives? Do I each day find God and Christ in their desire to relate to me?
Today’s gospel models for us the way we are to relate to God. The parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector present two models of how to relate to God. The Pharisee, a religious authority, and a tax collector, a publicly branded sinner both went to the temple to pray.
The Pharisee was “convinced of (his) own righteousness” and he prayed out of that certainty, “O God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of humanity –greedy, dishonest, adulterous – or even like this tax collector.” He then proceeds to tell God what he does and how he acts, “I fast. . . I pay tithes. . .” Can I see in the Pharisee’s prayer my own inclination to list the good things that I am “doing” or “avoiding” during Lent with an implied “what are you doing for me, O God?”
On the other hand the tax collector, a known sinner, stood off to a distance and prayed, “Be merciful to me a sinner.” The gospel goes on to say that the tax collector went away “justified” while the Pharisee did not. Why? Because “(the one) who exalts himself will be humbled.”
What a marvelous lesson is here for us in the stance towards God of the Pharisee and that of the tax collector. The Pharisee is led into pride and the tax collector is led to humility. The Pharisee saves himself while the tax collector recognizes that he is far from being saved and rests that salvation on God. He went home “justified” and the Pharisee did not.
Those you have ears should listen, most importantly me!
Lk 18:9-14: Jesus addressed this parable
to those who were convinced of their own righteousness
and despised everyone else.
“Two people went up to the temple area to pray;
one was a Pharisee and the other was a tax collector.
The Pharisee took up his position and spoke this prayer to himself,
‘O God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of humanity —
greedy, dishonest, adulterous — or even like this tax collector.
I fast twice a week,
and I pay tithes on my whole income.’
But the tax collector stood off at a distance
and would not even raise his eyes to heaven
but beat his breast and prayed,
‘O God, be merciful to me a sinner.’
I tell you, the latter went home justified, not the former;
for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled,
and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
We find ourselves near the middle of the wonderful season of Lent, a time that allows us to assess our progress or lack thereof. Lent gives the opportunity to look at ourselves from the perspective of the most important relationship of our lives as Christians: where is Christ in our day-to-day lives? Do I each day find God and Christ in their desire to relate to me?
Today’s gospel models for us the way we are to relate to God. The parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector present two models of how to relate to God. The Pharisee, a religious authority, and a tax collector, a publicly branded sinner both went to the temple to pray.
The Pharisee was “convinced of (his) own righteousness” and he prayed out of that certainty, “O God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of humanity –greedy, dishonest, adulterous – or even like this tax collector.” He then proceeds to tell God what he does and how he acts, “I fast. . . I pay tithes. . .” Can I see in the Pharisee’s prayer my own inclination to list the good things that I am “doing” or “avoiding” during Lent with an implied “what are you doing for me, O God?”
On the other hand the tax collector, a known sinner, stood off to a distance and prayed, “Be merciful to me a sinner.” The gospel goes on to say that the tax collector went away “justified” while the Pharisee did not. Why? Because “(the one) who exalts himself will be humbled.”
What a marvelous lesson is here for us in the stance towards God of the Pharisee and that of the tax collector. The Pharisee is led into pride and the tax collector is led to humility. The Pharisee saves himself while the tax collector recognizes that he is far from being saved and rests that salvation on God. He went home “justified” and the Pharisee did not.
Those you have ears should listen, most importantly me!
Friday, April 1, 2011
“It is not enough for us to say: "I love God," but I also have to love my neighbor.”
How can you love God whom you do not see, if you do not love your neighbor whom you see, whom you touch, with whom you live? – Mother Teresa
Gospel text (Mk 12:28b-34):
One of the scribes came to Jesus and asked him,
“Which is the first of all the commandments?”
Jesus replied, “The first is this:
Hear, O Israel !
The Lord our God is Lord alone!
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart,
with all your soul,
with all your mind,
and with all your strength.
The second is this:
You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
There is no other commandment greater than these.”
The scribe said to him, “Well said, teacher.
You are right in saying,
He is One and there is no other than he.
And to love him with all your heart,
with all your understanding,
with all your strength,
and to love your neighbor as yourself
is worth more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”
And when Jesus saw that he answered with understanding,
he said to him,
“You are not far from the Kingdom of God .”
And no one dared to ask him any more questions.
As I read these passages, I could really identify with the scribe in today’s Gospel. With all the different and challenging teachings Jesus provides, the scribe wants to simplify things and discover the main guideline from which he should base his life. In a way, he is saying, “Jesus, I know all your teachings are important. But to which one should I most fully give my attention?” The scribe’s question relates quite well to our own experiences. We often want to identify the main idea of a message given to us, whether it is in a college lecture or a presentation at work. We strive to discover the ideas that should not be missed or forgotten, and the scribe’s question applies this same process to our faith lives.
Instead of just saying all of his commandments are equally important, Jesus answers the scribe by first emphasizing that God is God alone and without equal. Therefore, we should love and serve God with all of our being. Jesus shows that we are called to direct our whole lives to God, which includes our actions and choices. As a result, we should view the rest of Jesus’ teachings as helping us to love and come closer to God. Jesus then points out that we are to love our neighbor as ourselves. We are called to show God’s unceasing love for all people, which enables us to more fully see God’s presence in the world.
While it may seem these commandments are too basic or simple, think about the numerous times where we have found it difficult to follow these teachings. So many things in our lives try to pull our focus away from serving God and others: greed, wealth, pride, status, and even fear. We must continually remind ourselves of the importance of these commandments, and I think this Lenten season has the ability to bring our minds back to God. Through our Lenten fasts, we are able to tell God, “I may have earthly desires, God, but nothing comes even close to my desire to love and serve you.” Therefore, when we struggle with keeping our Lenten promises, let us look to today’s Gospel and remember we are showing God that he comes first in our lives.
Gospel text (Mk 12:28b-34):
One of the scribes came to Jesus and asked him,
“Which is the first of all the commandments?”
Jesus replied, “The first is this:
Hear, O Israel !
The Lord our God is Lord alone!
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart,
with all your soul,
with all your mind,
and with all your strength.
The second is this:
You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
There is no other commandment greater than these.”
The scribe said to him, “Well said, teacher.
You are right in saying,
He is One and there is no other than he.
And to love him with all your heart,
with all your understanding,
with all your strength,
and to love your neighbor as yourself
is worth more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”
And when Jesus saw that he answered with understanding,
he said to him,
“You are not far from the Kingdom of God .”
And no one dared to ask him any more questions.
As I read these passages, I could really identify with the scribe in today’s Gospel. With all the different and challenging teachings Jesus provides, the scribe wants to simplify things and discover the main guideline from which he should base his life. In a way, he is saying, “Jesus, I know all your teachings are important. But to which one should I most fully give my attention?” The scribe’s question relates quite well to our own experiences. We often want to identify the main idea of a message given to us, whether it is in a college lecture or a presentation at work. We strive to discover the ideas that should not be missed or forgotten, and the scribe’s question applies this same process to our faith lives.
Instead of just saying all of his commandments are equally important, Jesus answers the scribe by first emphasizing that God is God alone and without equal. Therefore, we should love and serve God with all of our being. Jesus shows that we are called to direct our whole lives to God, which includes our actions and choices. As a result, we should view the rest of Jesus’ teachings as helping us to love and come closer to God. Jesus then points out that we are to love our neighbor as ourselves. We are called to show God’s unceasing love for all people, which enables us to more fully see God’s presence in the world.
While it may seem these commandments are too basic or simple, think about the numerous times where we have found it difficult to follow these teachings. So many things in our lives try to pull our focus away from serving God and others: greed, wealth, pride, status, and even fear. We must continually remind ourselves of the importance of these commandments, and I think this Lenten season has the ability to bring our minds back to God. Through our Lenten fasts, we are able to tell God, “I may have earthly desires, God, but nothing comes even close to my desire to love and serve you.” Therefore, when we struggle with keeping our Lenten promises, let us look to today’s Gospel and remember we are showing God that he comes first in our lives.
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