"Surely , it is not I" or Is it?

In the Gospel Acclamation of today's liturgy, we pray:  "Hail to you, our King: you alone are compassionate with our errors."    We witness this compassion in today's Gospel,in which Jesus reclines at table, celebrating the Passover meal with both his betrayer and the one who would later that night deny Him vehemently three times!  Jesus is cognizant of both men's future behavior and  He says to the Twelve: "Amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me."  A shock wave goes through the room and each of the twelve in turn asks Jesus: "Surely it is not I, Lord?"  Even Judas poses that question to Jesus! Jesus simply, caringly and lovingly responds to him, saying:  "You have said so!" Perhaps Jesus is hoping that Judas will repent of his plan.

Imagine yourself sitting at this banquet, one of these especially chosen persons very close and dear to Jesus. You hear the One you love, the One you have followed closely for three years, the One from whom you have learned so much about love and truth and justice say: "One of you is going to betray me tonight to those who are seeking to kill me. Yes, one of you is going to hand me over to these evil men. I will then be arrested, condemned and put to death by way of crucifixion!"  Unbelievable but the truth!  One of the twelve men whom Jesus chose to carry on His mission when He returns to the Father will abandon Him to men jealous of His popularity, threatened by the increase of followers who cling to His every word and believe in Him as the Messiah.

That betrayer is you and me when we choose sin over righteousness, lies over the truth, hatred over love, a corrupt way of living over doing what is good and right,  a promiscuous lifestyle over a disciplined way of living as Jesus lived!

And how often have we not said to the person who catches us in sin, as Judas said to Jesus: "Surely it is not I...?"

Believing in Jesus and Loving as Jesus Loved

In today's first reading, 1 John 3: 22-4:6, St. John reminds us that the first commandment is as follows: "[W]e should believe in the name of his son, Jesus Christ, and love one another just as he commanded us."  Jesus is the Son of God, who assumed human nature, remaining fully God and becoming fully human. Jesus was sent to show us God's unconditional love for us, a love revealed to us by Jesus' life, death and resurrection.  We are called to believe in the truth that the Blessed Trinity---three divine persons but one God--agreed to send the second person to become a human being like us in all things but sin.

All who came to Him, Jesus healed. He took the side of sinners, ate with them, forgave them and invited them to repent and sin no more! Even on the cross when the good thief turned to Jesus and asked to be remembered in paradise, Jesus said to him: "Indeed, I promise you...today you will be with me in paradise"  (Luke 23:43). It was from his cross that the good thief rebuked the other thief who had joined those mocking Jesus: "Have you no fear of God at all?  ...You got the same sentence as he did, but in our case e deserved it: we are paying for what we did. But this man has done nothing wrong." (Luke 23: 40-42).  

To believe in Jesus is to love as Jesus loved, rising above our suffering and pain. Loving as Jesus taught us to love means to reach out to others in need: forgiving, embracing and showing others the love of God within us, a love that holds nothing back!

My Lord and my God!

In today's Gospel, John 20:19-31,  the apostles have locked themselves in a building, fearful of the Jews finding them, imprisoning them and putting them to death as they did Jesus. "...Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, 'Peace be with you.'"  Recall the times Jesus said to them: Fear not those who can physically harm the body. Fear those who can harm you spiritually.   In a sense Jesus is reminding them of that fact. "Be at peace! The Jews cannot harm you. Look at me. I am risen from the dead.  The Jews could not harm me and they will harm you neither. Fear not physical death. Follow me! Proclaim my resurrection. You, too, will one day be raised with me." And later when Jesus is about to ascend to His Father and theirs, He tells them that they cannot follow Him at that moment. It's like He said to them: "You cannot come with me now, but you will join Me later. Where I am, you will also be," referring to His eternal Kingdom.

At this meeting, Jesus commissioned them:  "'As the Father has sent me, so I send you.' And when he had said this, he breathed over them, and said to them 'Receive the Holy Spirit...'"  In the sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation, we, too, received the Holy Spirit.  Though we do to see Jesus with our naked eyes but with eyes of faith, we believe. In today's Gospel, Thomas was not with the apostles when Jesus appeared.  When the apostles told them that they had seen the Lord, Thomas said: "Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hand and put my finger into the nail marks and put my hand into his side, I will not believe." A week later, Jesus appears to the apostles again. This time Thomas is with them and Jesus says to him:   "Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe."  Thomas responds: "My Lord and my God."

Notice that Jesus does not condemn Thomas but is very gentle and affirming. He meets Thomas where he is at! He does the same for us!  If we are at a point of disbelief or unbelief and proclaim: "I will not believe unless.......(fill in the blank)," Jesus will invite us at the right moment to a position where, like Thomas, we say: "My Lord and my God."  Jesus is willing to wait as long as it takes for us to open our hearts to His Love.

The Justice and Saving Graces of our God

In today’s first reading, Dan 13:1-9, 15-17, 19-30, 33-62, the elder judges falsely accuse Susanna, an innocent woman, of committing adultery. God raised up Daniel to confront these wicked elders of their unjust sentences that sent many innocent women to their deaths.  The innocent woman is spared and the unjust men, elder judges, face the sentence they had leveled against her, and so many others.

In today’s Gospel, John 8: 1-11, the scribes and the Pharisees bring a woman to Jesus caught in adultery: “Teacher, this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery. Now in the law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?” Jesus bends down and writes in the sand with his finger.  They ignored Him and continued begging the question. Jesus then stands up and says to them: “Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” One by one, “beginning with the elders,” the men accusing her walk away! Jesus says to the woman: Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She says “No, Lord.” And Jesus says to her: “Neither do I condemn you.”

In Ez 33: 11, we are reminded that God takes “no pleasure in the death of the wicked…, but rather in [a person’s] conversion, that [each individual] may live” (Ez 33:11).   That is God’s attitude toward the wicked.  His attitude, obviously, toward the just is the same.  John reminds us in John 3: 17 that “God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world but so that through him the world might be saved.” B Both Scripture readings, today, witness to these truths! And our faith tells us that Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. We, too, will encounter Jesus’ justice, a justice secured for us by His death on the cross on Good Friday and His resurrection from the dead on Easter Sunday, both of which are celebrated at every Catholic Liturgy! And each of us entered into this Paschal Mystery at our Baptism and in our reception of the Sacraments!

God be praised and honored, glorified and thanked by every breath we take and every beat of our hearts throughout this day God has given us!

"Take up Your Cross and Follow Me" (Mt. 16: 24)

In today’s Gospel, Matthew 16: 24-28, Jesus says to his disciples, that is to you and me:  “ If ..[you] wish to come after me [you] must deny [yourself], take up [your] cross, and follow me. For [if you wish]  to save[your] life, [you] will lose it, but [if you lose] your life for my sake, [you] will find it.”

Am I willing to take up a cross that is repulsive to me, that I would never choose for myself?  How would I treat someone who treats me coldly, for instance? How would I respond to persons who avoid eye  contact with me, who would walk away when  I am approaching? How would I respond to people who seems to be ignoring me, whose attitude toward me seems filled with hostility and disdain? 

If I am carrying such a cross, I need to think of Jesus. He was treated with hostility.  People treated Him disdainfully, coldly, walked away from Him. They yelled “Crucify Him,” “Crucify Him!” Whom am I crucifying by my coldness, my attitudes of disdain and hatred? I may hate being treated coldly. I may hate it when I am not treated respectfully and kindly.  Jesus says to me: Remember, people hated me and they will hate you as well (John  15:18). We all stand before our God as sinners. We all stand before God needing God’s mercy. No one is exempt from this position. God says to His Father: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they are doing” to one another. And when we turn to Him in our dying to urges to retaliate, to return evil for evil, and acknowledge our need for mercy and forgiveness,  Jesus says to us: “This day you will be with me in Paradise.”

Jesus' Heart Was Moved to Pity

In today's Gospel, Matthew 9: 32-38, Jesus drives a demon out of a mute man. He also goes around to "all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom, and curing every disease and illness. At the sight of the crowds, his heart was moved with pity for them because they were troubled and abandoned."

Jesus does the same today in our world. He drives out demons when you and I are mute and unable to speak the truth or engage in the lives of others in meaningful and caring, loving ways, in ways that lead to reconciliation and forgiveness, in acceptance and understanding, not in judgment and criticism . When Jesus looks upon you and me, "his heart" is also  "moved with pity. Jesus knows when you and I  are troubled, upset and ready to take things into our own hands without relying upon Him for the wisdom and the help we need to do what is right or to seek the good and do good for ourselves and thus for others.

Am I willing to bring my troubles to the Lord? Am I willing to seek the Lord above all when I feel abandoned, misunderstood and judged or misjudged?  Or, when I slip into behaviors and attitudes that leave others feeling troubled and abandoned, do I go to the Lord and to the person I am offending, asking for enlightenment and forgiveness? Do I realize that when Jesus looks upon me that his heart is moved with pity and wants to right the wrongs within me and lead me to the truth that will make me free and empower me to free others from the kind of judging that the Pharisees in today's Gospel engaged in?

Jesus' Love for Martha

Today we celebrate the feast of St. Martha, a close friend of Jesus.  She is the one who asked Jesus to tell her sister Mary to help her in meeting their hospitality responsibilities when He visited them.  Jesus is very honest with Martha and says to her:  Mary has chosen the better part, that is, sitting at Jesus’ feet and listening to Him. That is not to say that service is not important. Both are! We need to balance both of these ways of serving the Lord. Martha also witnesses to her faith in Jesus when He came to visit them four days after Lazarus had died. She says to Him: “If you had been here, my brother would never have died.  Even now, I am sure that God will give you whatever you ask of him.” Jesus says to her: “Your brother will rise again.” Martha replies: “I know he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.”   Jesus tells her: "I am the resurrection and the life: whoever believes in me, though he should die, will  come to life; and whoever is alive and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”  “Yes, Lord, I have come to believe that  you are the Messiah, the Son of God: he who is to come into the world.”  (John 11: 19-27).

Do you believe? How strong is your faith? How confident are you in Jesus as the Messiah?  Do you have a relationship with Jesus as did Martha? She was very natural with Jesus, very open and honest with Him. She complained to Him. She challenged Him. She shared her hopes with Him. She served Him. She shared her beliefs with Him. She shared her love with Him. 

Lord, may we grow in our faith as Martha did! May we be as honest with you as she was. May we rejoice in your visits as she did, go out to meet you as she did. May we grow to know you as intimately as she did. I ask for these grace in Your name.

Jesus' Composure

“He is near who upholds my right….See, the Lord God is my help; who will prove me wrong?” we read in today’s first reading, Isaiah 50: 4-9a.  In the Gospel, Mt. 26: 14-25, Jesus says very calmly “one of you will betray me.”  The apostles then break into a frenzy, asking who it is and, Judas, the betrayer, attempts to cover up his sinful intentions by saying “Surely, it is not I, Rabbi?”  The others simply ask: “Is it I, Lord?” Judas adds emphasis: Surely!    All of us know when we have sinned. We know when our behaviors are dishonest, when we are covering up what is really real!  That is why Judas added the emphasis. 

Jesus, knowing that His Father was near, upholding His right, remains calm and proceeds with the Last Supper meal, offering the disciples bread to eat and wine to drink, telling them: “This is my body, given for you….This cup is the new covenant in my blood poured out for you” (Luke 22: 19-20).  What love! What compassion. What composure as He willingly accepts his upcoming death for the sake of our salvation.

How composed am I when I am faced with a situation that is anything but kind, when another turns against me, lashing out at me, throwing a “grenade” of uncontrollable anger at me, when another sins against me, as Judas sinned against Jesus? Can I, like Jesus, let the other person’s actions be that person’s accuser or do I rely upon my own weaknesses and  become retaliatory?  Can I allow the person’s conscience to be his/her judge and not be condemnatory? Jesus does.

A love story!

When I told this morning that I loved Him, the following dialogue ensued:

Jesus, I love you.

And I love you to the point that I gave my life as ransom "money."

And they tortured You so horribly.

The price I paid to rescue you was high. Satan was not going to surrender his will easily.
I battled Satan all the way through my passion and death. I triumphed in the resurrection. So, too, will you in my name.

My Lord and my God!

Jesus, my Lord and my God!

This is my belief. What is yours?

Jesus' Heart Was Moved to Pity

In today’s Gospel, Mt 9: 35-10: 1, 5a, 6-8, we read that Jesus “went to all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom, and curing every disease and illness. At the sight of the crowds, his heart was moved with pity for them because they were troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd.”

Jesus, I believe, is very much moved with pity when he sees children abandoned, left without guidance and expected to make right decisions without parental  or adult supervision or direction; when parents  and adults are bent more on increasing their wealth  or accumulating material things than on nurturing a child’s or each other’s faith, building a child’s or one another’s confidence in themselves and trust in the Lord. I believe that God is moved with pity when we are so engrossed in ourselves that we do not spend time listening attentively and respectfully to others, when we do not take time to assist others in problem solving and/or being with them in times that are troubling to them.  Jesus, I believe, longs for us to seek His help in living as He did, engaged with those in need of healing, sharing meals with each other in our poverty as Jesus  invited Pharisees  and the poor to a meal with him. I believe that Jesus is moved with pity when we fail to share other people’s joy in events that are significant to them, as Jesus participated in the wedding feast of Cana.

Jesus spent his time here on earth doing good to all who were receptive to His generosity.  He rejoices when we do the same, when we do all in our power so that another is not abandoned or left in troubling situations.  Yes, we are here to be “shepherds” to abandoned “sheep”, to be sisters and brothers to each other in need and to allow others to respond to us in need as well.

Jesus, Master, Have Pity on Us

Today's Gospel, Luke 17: 11-19, tells the story of the ten lepers who encounter Jesus and, obviously recognize who Jesus is--the One who can restore them to wholeness, the One who is their "gate" to re-enter society and their "ticket" to leave their isolation.  By recognizing Jesus and calling out for pity, by believing in Jesus as the One who can save them, these lepers are healed. They no longer need to isolate themselves from others. They no longer need to hide from the public.

It was no accident that these lepers encountered Jesus, anymore than it is an accident when we encounter loving, merciful, wise individuals who free us from that which may be "eating" away at our "flesh,"  people who open our eyes to our hatreds, our prejudices, our fears, our sinful behaviors and attitudes by which we distance ourselves from others and from God. Whenever we stand in judgment of another, whenever we condemn another, whenever we enter into gossip of another, we are distancing ourselves from others. Whenever we are dishonest, deceitful; whenever we act out of pride and vent our anger onto others, deliberately hurting them, returning evil for evil, the leprosy of sin within us comes out of remission, so to speak.  Whenever we succumb to "leprous," diseased attitudes and behaviors, we darken our faith vision. At those times, we, like the lepers, have created a wall between us and others and need to cry out:  "Jesus, Master, have pity on us."   Am I aware when I become "the leper" who has distanced her/himself from God and others and are in need of mercy?