In today's Gospel, John 11: 1-45, Jesus is informed that his friend Lazarus is ill. when Jesus hears this, he says: "This illness is not to end in death, but is for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it." The same is true of the illness that has swept the world in our day. God's glory will be revealed in it! Jesus does immediately go to Bethany to comfort Mary and Martha, Lazarus' sisters and also close friends of Jesus. He waits two days. His disciples are concerned that Jesus would ever consider going to Judea, where his friends live: "Rabbi, the Jews were just trying to stone you, and you want to go back there?" Jesus not only risks his life for his friends, and for us who are also His friends, He actually surrenders his life for us on the cross and is risen from the dead for us. As with Jesus, so with us. Jesus simply and lovingly and faithfully goes before us. We will follow.
Jesus weeps for Lazarus and with Mary and Martha. He also weeps with us in our losses. He approaches the tomb in which Lazarus' body is and says: "Lazarus, come out!" Lazarus comes out wrapped in burial cloths from head to foot. "Untie him and let him and let him go," Jesus says to Martha and Mary.
As we know, Jesus is the Resurrection and, like Lazarus, enters His tomb and rises from death. He also enters whatever "tomb" you and I are in and calls us to come out of those tombs. Likewise, He asks that we become "untied" of that which interferes with us answering God's call to holiness. We are asked, as well, to "untie" anyone else that needs our assistance to be free!
Jesus/God is one with us in all things human! He cries with us, laughs with us, "dies" with us and "rises" with us. He shares our joys and sorrows! He also celebrates with us and invites us ultimately to His banquet in eternal life!
Showing posts with label Jesus' power over death. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jesus' power over death. Show all posts
Sunday, March 29, 2020
Monday, May 20, 2019
The Confidence of Paul and Barnabas
In today's first reading, Acts 14: 5-18, Paul and Barnabas encounter opposition to their proclamation of the Good News of Jesus' resurrection. The jealousy of the leaders of an empire and their leaders' fear of losing their power led to Jesus' arrest and condemnation to be crucified, a fate that happened to anyone who was a threat to those in power at that time. However, death would have no power over Jesus, the Son of God. Efforts to destroy Him, then and now, would be in vain. Hence the confidence of Paul and Barnabas. They simply moved to other towns open to the Good News.
Neither the early Christians nor us today are promised a life free of problems, even problems within the Church, within our own families or society as a whole. What we are promised is that God is with us to the very end of the world as we know it! Some people may oppose us as Christians, as practicing Catholics, especially as believers in the Eucharist--the body and blood, soul and divinity of Jesus, our spiritual food, of which Jesus invites us to partake: "Take and eat! This is my body given up for you. Take and drink! This is my blood poured out for you" (Compare Luke 22: 19-20; Matthew 26: 26-28; Mark 14: 22-24). Many people walked away from Jesus when He said this about His body and blood. They would have none of this teaching. Jesus asked the apostles if they, too, were going to leave and Peter responded: "To whom shall we go, Lord? You have the words of everlasting life."
We may, in some instances, also be mocked for believing that the Scriptures, the Word of God, "is something alive and active: it cuts like any double-edged sword but more finely: it can slip through the place where the soul is divided from the spirit, or joints from the marrow; it can judge the secret emotions and thought. No created thing can hide from [God]; everything is uncovered and open to the eyes of the one to whom we must give an account of ourselves" (Hebrews 4: 12-3). Jesus' friend Mary gave priority to sitting at Jesus' feet, listening to His every word. We do that when we spend time reflecting upon the Scriptures or take time quietly pondering God's presence in nature, in the quiet of our rooms or in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament in a Catholic Church or a prayer space in any church!
Developing a personal relationship with Jesus, as Paul and Barnabas did, is important if we are going to weather the storms of this life!
Neither the early Christians nor us today are promised a life free of problems, even problems within the Church, within our own families or society as a whole. What we are promised is that God is with us to the very end of the world as we know it! Some people may oppose us as Christians, as practicing Catholics, especially as believers in the Eucharist--the body and blood, soul and divinity of Jesus, our spiritual food, of which Jesus invites us to partake: "Take and eat! This is my body given up for you. Take and drink! This is my blood poured out for you" (Compare Luke 22: 19-20; Matthew 26: 26-28; Mark 14: 22-24). Many people walked away from Jesus when He said this about His body and blood. They would have none of this teaching. Jesus asked the apostles if they, too, were going to leave and Peter responded: "To whom shall we go, Lord? You have the words of everlasting life."
We may, in some instances, also be mocked for believing that the Scriptures, the Word of God, "is something alive and active: it cuts like any double-edged sword but more finely: it can slip through the place where the soul is divided from the spirit, or joints from the marrow; it can judge the secret emotions and thought. No created thing can hide from [God]; everything is uncovered and open to the eyes of the one to whom we must give an account of ourselves" (Hebrews 4: 12-3). Jesus' friend Mary gave priority to sitting at Jesus' feet, listening to His every word. We do that when we spend time reflecting upon the Scriptures or take time quietly pondering God's presence in nature, in the quiet of our rooms or in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament in a Catholic Church or a prayer space in any church!
Developing a personal relationship with Jesus, as Paul and Barnabas did, is important if we are going to weather the storms of this life!
Wednesday, May 8, 2019
The Apostle's faith in Jesus
Today's Scripture readings, Acts 8: 1b-8 and John 6: 35-40, are awesome! In the first reading we are told that the early Christians are being persecuted and everyone is scattering "except the Apostles!" The Apostles' faith in the resurrection holds them fast in the face of incredible odds. Nothing stops them from proclaiming Jesus Christ and His resurrection from the dead. He is alive, not dead. Through the power of Jesus, as we hear in Acts 8: 1b-8, Philip goes to the city of Samaria proclaiming Christ, healing the sick, and casting out "unclean spirits." Death and Satan had no power over Jesus, over the Apostles nor over us who hold fast to the faith and keep our eyes on Jesus, believing in Him, proclaiming Him, trusting Him and looking to the power of His resurrection at work in our lives!
In the second reading, the Gospel, Jesus reminds us that the will of His Father is "that I should not lose anything of what he gave me,....[and] that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him may have eternal life, and I shall raise him on the last day." The Apostles knew Jesus' promises, believed in them and in Jesus, the Son of God, the Incarnate Word of God flesh, who walked among them healing the sick, casting out demons, raising the dead to life, and proclaiming the Good News of the Kingdom among us. During His last discourse with the Apostles, Jesus said to them: "I tell you solemnly, whoever believes in me will perform the same works I do myself, he will perform even greater works, because I am going to my Father. Whatever you ask for in my name, I will do...."
And for that reason, the Apostles do not flee when things get rough and dangerous! They go on, as Philip did, doing what Jesus did, not fearing death but eagerly waiting for the day they, too, would be raised "on the last day.".
What is your belief? What is mine?
In the second reading, the Gospel, Jesus reminds us that the will of His Father is "that I should not lose anything of what he gave me,....[and] that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him may have eternal life, and I shall raise him on the last day." The Apostles knew Jesus' promises, believed in them and in Jesus, the Son of God, the Incarnate Word of God flesh, who walked among them healing the sick, casting out demons, raising the dead to life, and proclaiming the Good News of the Kingdom among us. During His last discourse with the Apostles, Jesus said to them: "I tell you solemnly, whoever believes in me will perform the same works I do myself, he will perform even greater works, because I am going to my Father. Whatever you ask for in my name, I will do...."
And for that reason, the Apostles do not flee when things get rough and dangerous! They go on, as Philip did, doing what Jesus did, not fearing death but eagerly waiting for the day they, too, would be raised "on the last day.".
What is your belief? What is mine?
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