Each week I will give the Gospel assigned for each day and a short reflection.
Icon of the Transfiguration from the Holy Land
2010 Feb 28 SUN: SECOND SUNDAY OF LENT
Lk 9:28-36
Lk 9:28-36
Now about eight days after this had been said, he took with him Peter, John and James and went up the mountain to pray. 29 And it happened that, as he was praying, the aspect of his face was changed and his clothing became sparkling white. 30 And suddenly there were two men talking to him; they were Moses and Elijah 31 appearing in glory, and they were speaking of his passing which he was to accomplish in Jerusalem. 32 Peter and his companions were heavy with sleep, but they woke up and saw his glory and the two men standing with him. 33 As these were leaving him, Peter said to Jesus, 'Master, it is wonderful for us to be here; so let us make three shelters, one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.' He did not know what he was saying. 34 As he was saying this, a cloud came and covered them with shadow; and when they went into the cloud the disciples were afraid. 35 And a voice came from the cloud saying, 'This is my Son, the Chosen One. Listen to him.' 36 And after the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. The disciples kept silence and, at that time, told no one what they had seen.
Jesus came into the world as a second Adam. Where Adam had failed Jesus would succeed. He would live as a perfect human being. He would love and reverence his Father and reveal his love for us. He would be obedient unto death even death on a cross. Surrounded on all sides by rejection and followed by uncomprehending disciples prayer was his life-line. He would commune with his Father. Today lost in prayer he is transformed by the experience of being with God. The three disciples see him as the fulfillment of the Old Testament. Now his Father speaks both to Jesus and to the apostles. To Jesus he gives the assurance that he is his beloved Son and will never abandon him even on the cross. He tells his disciples to listen to Jesus. He alone is the complete Word of the Father. Do you listen to him?
2010 Mar 1 Mon: 2nd Lenten Lk 6: 36-38
'Be compassionate just as your Father is compassionate. 37 Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven. 38 Give, and there will be giftswill be poured into your lap; because the standard you use will be the standard used for you.' for you: a full measure, pressed down, shaken together, and overflowing,
In the first weeks of Lent the Church gives us instruction through God’s Word on the Christian life. “The Lord is gracious and merciful, abounding in love and slow to anger” (Ps103). We have been chosen to be his sons and daughters, born of the Holy Spirit. Our Father wants us to be like him. “Be merciful just as your heavenly Father is merciful”. Mercy and compassion are to be our characteristics. These are very human and endearing qualities. They do not overlook failings and sins but treat the sinner with the warmth of true love. They are qualities which attract and bring people to Jesus, the personification of mercy. Jesus also tells us that we will be treated by God in the way we have treated others. Since we are all sinners we need to be merciful and compassionate.
2010 Mar 2 Tue: 2nd Lenten Wk Mt 23: 1-12
Then addressing the crowds and his disciples Jesus said, 2 'The scribes and the Pharisees occupy the chair of Moses. 3 You must therefore do and observe what they tell you; but do not be guided by what they do, since they do not practise what they preach. 4 They tie up heavy burdens and lay them on people's shoulders, but will they lift a finger to move them? Not they! 5 Everything they do is done to attract attention, like wearing broader headbands and longer tassels, 6 like wanting to take the place of honour at banquets and the front seats in the synagogues, 7 being greeted respectfully in the market squares and having people call them Rabbi. 8 'You, however, must not allow yourselves to be called Rabbi, since you have only one Master, and you are all brothers. 9 You must call no one on earth your father, since you have only one Father, and he is in heaven. 10 Nor must you allow yourselves to be called teachers, for you have only one Teacher, the Christ. 11 The greatest among you must be your servant. 12 Anyone who raises himself up will be humbled, and anyone who humbles himself will be raised up.
Jesus is talking equally to the Christian community as to the Jews. There have to be leaders. Jesus is very clear about their qualities. Leaders are to be examples to the others, not preaching one thing and doing something else. A Christian leader should be able to preach what he practices himself. Jesus condemns self-display and honorific titles whereby people tend to think they are different and even superior. We are all brothers and sisters and everyone is equally important as a disciple. There should be no personality cult. There are no kings in Jesus’ community. He alone is king. Leaders such as Popes, Bishops and priests are pilgrims too and walk with their flocks. They show the way to the Kingdom by their lives and humble teaching. There is no priestly caste. Leaders wash feet in the humble service of pastors. We need to constantly examine ourselves.
2010 Mar 3 Wed: 2nd Lenten Wk Mt 20: 17-28
Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, and on the road he took the Twelve aside by themselves and said to them, 18 'Look, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of man is about to be handed over to the chief priests and scribes. They will condemn him to death 19 and will hand him over to the gentiles to be mocked and scourged and crucified; and on the third day he will be raised up again.' 20 Then the mother of Zebedee's sons came with her sons to make a request of him, and bowed low; 21 and he said to her, 'What is it you want?' She said to him, 'Promise that these two sons of mine may sit one at your right hand and the other at your left in your kingdom.' 22 Jesus answered, 'You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the cup that I am going to drink?' They replied, 'We can.' 23 He said to them, 'Very well; you shall drink my cup, but as for seats at my right hand and my left, these are not mine to grant; they belong to those to whom they have been allotted by my Father.' 24 When the other ten heard this they were indignant with the two brothers. 25 But Jesus called them to him and said, 'You know that among the gentiles the rulers lord it over them, and great men make their authority felt. 26 Among you this is not to happen. No; anyone who wants to become great among you must be your servant, 27 and anyone who wants to be first among you must be your slave, 28 just as the Son of man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.'
Jesus is God who empties himself and becomes a servant. As God he owns the world but as man has nowhere to lay his head. He is meek and humble and gives his life as a ransom. He goes to
2010 Mar 4 Thu: 2nd Lenten Wk Lk 16: 19-31
'There was a rich man who used to dress in purple and fine linen and feast magnificently every day. 20 And at his gate there used to lie a poor man called Lazarus, covered with sores, 21 who longed to fill himself with what fell from the rich man's table. Even dogs came and licked his sores. 22 Now it happened that the poor man died and was carried away by the angels into Abraham's embrace. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 'In his torment in Hades he looked up and saw Abraham a long way off with Lazarus in his embrace. 24 So he cried out, "Father Abraham, pity me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in agony in these flames." 25 Abraham said, "My son, remember that during your life you had your fill of good things, just as Lazarus his fill of bad. Now he is being comforted here while you are in agony. 26 But that is not all: between us and you a great gulf has been fixed, to prevent those who want to cross from our side to yours or from your side to ours." 27 'So he said, "Father, I beg you then to send Lazarus to my father's house, 28 since I have five brothers, to give them warning so that they do not come to this place of torment too." 29 Abraham said, "They have Moses and the prophets, let them listen to them." 30 The rich man replied, "Ah no, father Abraham, but if someone comes to them from the dead, they will repent." 31 Then Abraham said to him, "If they will not listen either to Moses or to the prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone should rise from the dead."
What was the rich man’s sin? He wasn’t bothered. He lived his own life. He never thought of Lazarus or anyone else. He was unconcerned. Because he was unconcerned, he never did anything for him. He saw that he himself was ok. He could have helped Lazarus but could he have helped all the sick and destitute in his country? Not at all. No one can. But are we concerned about people who suffer? Do you feel their pain and distress? Is their pain, their distress, anguish, our pain, distress and anguish? It is not pity that is needed but compassion. We are to go out to other fellow human beings. We must see each one as precious in God’s eyes. It is better to love one person in particular than the whole world in general. He didn’t notice Lazarus. Have you noticed him near your house?
2010 Mar 5 Fri: 2nd Lenten Wk Mt 21: 33-43, 45-46
'Listen to another parable. There was a man, a landowner, who planted a vineyard; he fenced it round, dug a winepress in it and built a tower; then he leased it to tenants and went abroad. 34 When vintage time drew near he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his produce. 35 But the tenants seized his servants, thrashed one, killed another and stoned a third. 36 Next he sent some more servants, this time a larger number, and they dealt with them in the same way. 37 Finally he sent his son to them thinking, "They will respect my son." 38 But when the tenants saw the son, they said to each other, "This is the heir. Come on, let us kill him and take over his inheritance." 39 So they seized him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. 40 Now when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?' 41 They answered, 'He will bring those wretches to a wretched end and lease the vineyard to other tenants who will deliver the produce to him at the proper time.' 42 Jesus said to them, 'Have you never read in the scriptures: The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this is the Lord's doing and we marvel at it? 43 'I tell you, then, that the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit.' 44 45 When they heard his parables, the chief priests and the scribes realised he was speaking about them, 46 but though they would have liked to arrest him they were afraid of the crowds, who looked on him as a prophet.
Jesus spoke the parable for the scribes and Pharisees but Matthew wrote the Gospel for his community and for us. The Church, the new people of God, is the vineyard and each of us has a share in it. What is the fruit God wants to find? It is a life of love. We are to love God expressed in praise and worship and we are to incarnate this in our love for others. The whole Gospel is about loving others in our words and deeds. In fact our practical love for others is the touchstone of our faith. Jesus comes to each of us. What is your response to the Son of God? Have you welcomed him and accepted his invitation to intimate friendship? He will make his home in you and help you produce the acceptable harvest.
2010 Mar 6 Sat: 2nd Lenten Wk Lk 15: 1-3, 11-32
2010 Mar 6 Sat: 2nd Lenten Wk Lk 15: 1-3, 11-32
The tax collectors and sinners, however, were all crowding round to listen to him, 2 and the Pharisees and scribes complained saying, 'This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.' 3 So he told them this parable: There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger one said to his father, "Father, let me have the share of the estate that will come to me." So the father divided the property between them. 13 A few days later, the younger son got together everything he had and left for a distant country where he squandered his money on a life of debauchery. 14 'When he had spent it all, that country experienced a severe famine, and now he began to feel the pinch; 15 so he hired himself out to one of the local inhabitants who put him on his farm to feed the pigs. 16 And he would willingly have filled himself with the husks the pigs were eating but no one would let him have them. 17 Then he came to his senses and said, "How many of my father's hired men have all the food they want and more, and here am I dying of hunger! 18 I will leave this place and go to my father and say: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you; 19 I no longer deserve to be called your son; treat me as one of your hired men." 20 So he left the place and went back to his father. 'While he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was moved with pity. He ran to the boy, clasped him in his arms and kissed him. 21 Then his son said, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I no longer deserve to be called your son." 22 But the father said to his servants, "Quick! Bring out the best robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring the calf we have been fattening, and kill it; we will celebrate by having a feast, 24 because this son of mine was dead and has come back to life; he was lost and is found." And they began to celebrate. 25 'Now the elder son was out in the fields, and on his way back, as he drew near the house, he could hear music and dancing. 26 Calling one of the servants he asked what it was all about. 27 The servant told him, "Your brother has come, and your father has killed the calf we had been fattening because he has got him back safe and sound." 28 He was angry then and refused to go in, and his father came out and began to urge him to come in; 29 but he retorted to his father, "All these years I have slaved for you and never once disobeyed any orders of yours, yet you never offered me so much as a kid for me to celebrate with my friends. 30 But, for this son of yours, when he comes back after swallowing up your property -- he and his loose women -- you kill the calf we had been fattening." 31 'The father said, "My son, you are with me always and all I have is yours. 32 But it was only right we should celebrate and rejoice, because your brother here was dead and has come to life; he was lost and is found." '
This parable is about the father who is a faint image of God and can be seen in Christ Jesus. The son is not the main character. Jesus is the friend of tax-collectors and sinners. He shares table fellowship with them without any preconditions because he loves them. It is his joy to be with them. He hopes too that his love and goodness will be contagious and that they will be touched and return to their Father. God made visible in Jesus is seen in the description of the father in verse twenty. He longs for his son to return. When he sees him coming he is overjoyed and though an elder runs out to meet him, throws his arms around him and kisses him. Then he gets the best robe, ring and sandals. This is how God sees you. How do you see God?
