The Cross as the Wisdom and Power of God

In today's first reading, 1 Cor 1: 17-25, Saint Paul reminds us of the meaning of the cross  as "the power of God."  "[W]e proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those who are called, Jews and Greeks alike, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength."

Let's ponder that message, especially the statement that Christ is the power and the wisdom of God, who on the cross appeared as the foolishness of God and God's weakness.  If we stand beneath the cross as unbelievers, we might join those who mocked him and say something like: "The  Messiah who is to save us! Look at him! He does not even appear to have human form. He looks like a worm squirming on that cross!" As Christians with a strong faith, we fall down on our knees, knowing that this is God in the process of saving us. We hear Jesus say: "Father, forgive them for they know not what they are doing." We witness Jesus responding to the thief who asked to be remembered in Jesus' eternal Kingdom:   "This day you will be with me in Paradise."  As we gave upon the cross, we see the weakness of God as incomprehensible strength and the foolishness of God as wisdom! In our own sufferings, when viewed from a position of faith, we experience God's power as we rely upon God to give us strength.  When weak and relying upon God, we come to know the wisdom of God working within us to draw us to Himself upon the cross!

In speaking to someone whose child committed suicide and walking through that horrible darkness with that person, I learnt that through her child's suicide she developed an intimacy with God that she does not believe would ever had been possible without that tragedy--it took years, an abundance of tears, and incredible pain to come to that realization and that closeness to God.  Unbelievers would probably bulk at that testimony, asking how could one ever see a blessing in the suicide of a loved one.  From the perspective of faith, an individual who is leaning on God, trusting God, seeking God, clinging to God, and having confidence in God, will, in bearing the cross of Christ, be given incredible graces.

I believe! Do you?

Sanctified in Christ Jesus and Clothed in Holiness

In today's first reading, 1 Cor 1: 1-9, St. Paul refers to the people of Corinth and us,  as persons who "have been sanctified in Christ Jesus," persons "called to be holy with all those everywhere who call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours. Grace to you," Paul prays, "and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ."  Paul tells the people that he always thanks God "for the grace bestowed [upon them] in Christ Jesus, that in him [they] were enriched in every way, with all discourse and all knowledge, as the testimony to Christ was confirmed among you, so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ." In today's Gospel,Matthew 24: 42-51, Jesus asks us to "stay awake" for Jesus' coming, be that our personal dying to this world and returning home to heaven  with Jesus or Jesus' second coming at the end of this world as we now know it!

What blessing is Paul, perhaps, talking about?  First of all, God's grace and  peace, a peace the world cannot give and what is ours when we seek God in solitude, in prayer, in being true to our call as children of the Most High. Furthermore, Paul speaks about our being enriched in every way and not lacking in any spiritual gifts! What might those be?  The opportunities, I believe,  for discourse of things that matter concerning our faith, our growth in love and in trust; all knowledge necessary for 1) walking with the Lord God through this world in which we now exist and 2) for growing in love!  WOW!  For what else can we ask?

Cleansing the Inside of the "Cup"

In today's Gospel, Matthew 23: 23-26, Jesus challenges the Pharisees to cleanse the inner "cup" and not just the outer "cup".  He uses strong words, not to shame the Pharisees, but to get their attention: "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You cleanse the outside of cup and dish, but inside they are full of plunder and self-indulgence."

The questions we need to ask ourselves are: Are we "cleaning" only the outside of our "cups," and neglecting the inside?  Do we look good on the outside while our innermost self is filled with attitudes of hatred, deceit, avarice, greediness, lust, covetousness and other thoughts that separate us from God's designs  and purposes for us?

If our innerself is cleansed, is shining brightly with grace, then we will shine on the outside also.  We will, then, truly be a light to those around us. On the other hand, if our innermost self is filled with darkness-- negativity,  selfishness, narcissism--we will spread that darkness to others.  Misery on the inside leads to misery on the outside. Only we can change our way of thinking so that our lives are filled with peace, joy and happiness. Only then will we be a reflection of God to those around us.

Am I, are you ready to heed Jesus' message and make whatever changes we need to make to be living a live of grace and growing in holiness?

Intercessory Prayer

In today's first reading, 2 Thes 1: 1-5, 11-12, Saint Paul thanks God for the people of Thessalonia, praying: "[G]race to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ."  Let us offer that same prayer for all of the people of the U.S. and throughout the world, persons serving our country in foreign wars, in governmental positions, those who are ministering to us through our churches--any denomination. Let us also pray for parents, children, grandparents,  grandchildren, teachers, students,  counselors, clients, and all health care professionals, public servants in all of our cities and counties, clerks of all kinds and in all professions and states of life.  With Saint Paul, let us "thank God always for [our brothers and sisters in Christ], as is fitting, because [their] faith flourishes ever more, and the love of every one of [them] for one another grows bigger. [Let us] boast of [our fellow travelers on the way to eternal life for their] regarding endurance and faith in all [the]...afflictions [they] endure," especially those who endure afflictions imposed by government officials, by those prejudiced against immigrants, foreigners, persons of other cultures, religions, races and genders.

As with Saint Paul, we pray that God will make all of us "worthy of his calling and powerfully bring to fulfillment every good purpose and every effort of faith, that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in [us] and [we] in him, in accord with the grace of our God and Lord Jesus."

Is St.Paul's prayer for the Thessalonians a prayer that I truly pray for others in my time and place and which you pray for persons in your time and space?

The Glory of God in our Midst

In the first reading, Ezekiel 43: 1-7b, the prophet shares the vision with us in which "the angel led [Ezekiel] to the gate which faces the east, and there [Ezekiel] saw the glory of the God of Israel coming from the east....I, [Ezekiel tells us], fell prone as the glory of the Lord entered by way of the waste which faces the east but the spirit lifted me up and brought me to the inner court....The voice said to me: Son of man, this is where my throne shall be, this is where I will set the soles of my feet; here I will dwell among there children of Israel forever."

May God open our eyes to the glory of God, to God Himself, dwelling in our Churches, in our Tabernacles, in the Holy of Holies in synagogues, in the depth of each person's being, in the innocence of babies and children, in the love and justice, joy and peace which we bring to each other; in the universe itself: in sunrises and sunsets, in flowers and all created things.

"The glory of the Lord will dwell in our land," we pray in today's  responsorial psalm, Psalm 85.  Furthermore, the psalmist prays: Near indeed is his salvation to those who fear him, glory dwelling in our land. Kindness and truth shall meet; justice and peace shall kiss. Truth shall spring out of the earth, and justice shall look down from heaven. The Lord himself will give his benefits; our land shall yield its increase. Justice shall walk before [God who dwells in our land], and salvation along the way of his steps."

Am I, are you, in step with the Lord? Are we aware of the glory of God being revealed to us?

Learning from the Scriptures

Today's Gospel, John 1:45-51, presents the calling of Nathaniel (St. Bartholomew) to become an apostle of the Lord.  God uses Philip to alert Nathaniel to his calling. Philip find Nathaniel under a fig tree and tells him that he and others "have found the one about whom Moses were in the law, and also the prophets, Jesus, son of Joseph, from Nazareth."  Nathaniel sarcastically asks: "Can anything good come from Nazareth?"  Philip does not get sucked into Nathaniel's sarcasm or dismissal but says to Nathaniel: "Come and see!"

Am I, in this passage, Nathaniel, one who does not mince words, who speaks his mind, who is forthright in speaking to others? Jesus sees the depth of Nathaniel's heart and introduces him as "a true child of Israel," one in whom there is "no duplicity."  How would Jesus describe you/me?  Nathaniel is amazed and says to Jesus: "How do you know me?"  Jesus responds: "Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree."  Jesus sees you and me wherever we are and  in whatever we are doing!  He knows us more than we know ourselves. As God, Jesus knows what we are thinking before we do and what we might say before we have said it!  God knows us through and through. We are a book, so to speak, in the process of being written and Jesus knows us cover to cover!  Are you/am I aware of this fact?

As with Nathaniel, Jesus uses other people to communicate God's will to us, or uses us to bring truths to other people's attention, truths which He wants people to know and to which He wants their response. Are we listening for God's messages sent to us through others and, also, do we allow God to use us to bring His message to other people?

Another very important fact to note in this Scripture passage is how Nathaniel is changed by His encounter with Jesus!  Immediately, he recognizes and acknowledges who Jesus is! His sarcastic, critical attitude is changed from "Can anything good come from Nazareth?" to a stance of appreciation and  awe: "Wow, look at the good coming from Nazareth!"  How am I, are you, changed in the presence of Jesus?

At Home with the Lord, Clothed in Righteousness

Today's first reading, Ezekiel 36: 23-28, the Lord says the following to the nation of Israel, and to us: "I will prove my holiness of my great name, profaned among the nations, in whose midst you  have profaned it.  Thus the nations [the world] shall know that I am the Lord God, when in [its] sight I prove my holiness through you. For I will take you away from among the nations [that are profaning my name], gather you from all the foreign lands [places in this world and peoples in this world who are profaning the name of God by evil actions against others], and bring you back to your own land. I will sprinkle clean water upon you to cleanse you from all your impurities, and from all your idols will I cleanse you. I will give you a new heart and place a new spirit within you, taking from your bodies your stony hearts and giving you natural hearts. I will put my spirit within you...."

On the cross and through the cross, Jesus clothes us in righteousness and puts a robe of salvation on  us.  We have been brought back to God, gathered from "foreign lands" by Jesus' obedience unto death,  His resurrection on Easter morning and His return to glory on the day of His Ascension into heaven!  In our baptism we have been sprinkled with "clean water" and cleansed "from all [our] impurities."  "A new heart and...a new spirit"--the Spirit of Jesus--has been put within us, our stony hearts turning into hearts of flesh!

In today's responsorial psalm, we pray:  "A clean heart create for me, O God, and a steadfast spirit renew within me.  Cast me not out of your presence,and your Holy Spirit take not from me. Give me back the joy of your salvation, and a willing spirit sustain in me...."

May we sincerely desire those graces and return to the Lord, to our true home, we have strayed off into "foreign lands."