Daily Retreat 04/03/08

2008 Apr 3 Thu: Easter Weekday
Acts 5: 27-33/ Ps 33(34): 2 and 9. 17-18. 19-20/ Jn 3: 31-36

From today’s readings:  “We are witnesses of these things, as is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him....  Many are the troubles of the just man, but out of them all the LORD delivers him....  Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever disobeys the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God remains upon him.”

Obey God, rather than men!

By now, we are familiar with the pattern found throughout the Acts of the Apostles: time and time again, the disciples suffer persecution or other obstacles in spreading the faith, but nonetheless, they always find a way to proclaim the Gospel with zeal and boldness.  Yesterday, sacred scripture recounted the miraculous release of the apostles from prison, which enabled them to overcome that formidable barrier, and as soon as they were free, they returned to public proclamation of the good news (Acts 5:20-21).  Today, Holy Writ relates how the Apostles were again dragged before the Sanhedrin, and again stood their ground (“We must obey God rather than men!”) in the face of the gag order imposed by the Jewish leaders (cf. 4:13-31, and  reflection on April 17).

The Apostles insist that Jesus was exalted by God “as Leader and Savior to grant Israel repentance and forgiveness of sins.”  Once again, that central focus of Christ’s ministry is stressed: His call to repentance and discipleship for the forgiveness of sins!  This crucial aspect must never be lost or overshadowed by other dimensions of living out our faith, and since now the proclamation of the Gospel at this time has been entrusted to you and me, with our words, and more importantly, with our deeds, we must give faithful Christian witness in the face of whatever obstacle or persecution we account, for we too “must obey God rather than men!”

Daily Retreat 04/02/08

2008 Apr 2 Wed: Easter Weekday/ Francis of Paola, h
Acts 5: 17-26/ Ps 33(34): 2-3. 4-5. 6-7. 8-9/ Jn 3: 16-21

From today’s readings:  “Go and take your place in the temple area, and tell the people everything about this life....  The Lord hears the cry of the poor....  God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son, so that everyone who believes in Him might not perish but might have eternal life.”

WARNING - You can’t lie to God!

The Sunday lectionary readings are on a three year cycle, and the daily readings are on a two year cycle, and together, that makes for a pretty good tour of scripture over the course of those years, but even so, not every verse of the Bible is included in the lectionary.  While almost the entire Acts of the Apostles is covered in the daily readings after Easter, if you’ve been following the daily readings in your Bible, you probably noted that the first verses of chapter 5 of the Acts have been skipped over, including vv. 1-12 (which I invite you to read now!), the unsettling incident with Ananias and Sapphira.  This husband and wife sold a piece of property, but unlike Barnabas (cf. Acts 4:32-37), the deceptive couple only contributed a part of the proceeds, even though they feigned that they had given all.  Because they lied to the Holy Spirit, they were struck dead on the spot!

If one focuses on the harshness and immediacy of their punishment, the point can easily be missed, which is probably why these verses are omitted from the lectionary.  But the central message here certainly IS NOT that God instantly strikes dead anyone who steps out of line (in which case, none of us would be around to read this!), nor was the issue about Ananias’ and Sapphira’s limited generosity (cf. v. 4).  Rather, their sin was in their lie to the Holy Spirit (v. 3).  God, of course, cannot be deceived, so anyone who deliberately attempts to do so (as Ananias and Sapphira tried) is revealing a fundamental lack of faith in God as God!  After all, if a person thinks he can ever fool God, that’s the same as saying the person thinks he’s smarter than God, and if that could be the case, the person wouldn’t need God at all!

Mark Twain reflected on this same insight in Huckleberry Finn, although from a different angle.  The lead character, the unsophisticated boy Huck Finn, finds himself helping Jim, a runaway slave, to make good his escape.  Haunted by the social mores of the ante-bellum south, which maintained that turning in the runaway was the right thing to do, Huck thinks it’s his duty to ask God for strength to betray his friend Jim, but he ultimately shies away from petitioning God’s help to do something that his conscience forbids, concluding in chapter 31, “You can’t pray a lie!”

Let the example of Ananias and Sapphira serve as an urgent warning to every one of us: You can’t fool God, and you can’t pray a lie - those who try to do so are seeking death by dismantling the very basis of their own faith!

Daily Retreat 04/01/08

2008 Apr 1 Tue: Easter Weekday
Acts 4: 32-37/ Ps 92(93): 1ab. 1cd-2. 5/ Jn 3: 7b-15

From today’s readings:  “The community of believers was of one heart and mind....  The Lord is king; He is robed in majesty....  You must be born from above....”

Benchmark of Community Life

The Christian faith is founded upon personal relationships of love with the Lord Jesus Christ, but one’s relationship with Christ develops, not in isolation, but in the context of the network of all relationships with Christ, which is the Church.   So, don’t skim over the weighty verses of the first reading, since they outline healthy characteristics to look for which give witness to a healthy community life in the Church.

First, “the community of believers was of one heart and mind,” that is, unity of faith, since one’s faith is dependent on the cooperation of heart and mind.   Second, “no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they had everything in common,” that is, commitment to sharing all blessings, in recognition that they all come from God, and are given for the common good.  Third, “with great power, the Apostles bore witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus,” that is, zealous focus on Christ’s Resurrection, which is the Holy Spirit’s mainspring of Christian evangelization.  Finally, “great grace was accorded them all,” that is, visible, outward signs of Christ’s presence sanctified their lives.

Now, we can use these characteristics as criteria for guiding our efforts to build up the Church. All our ideas and programs and work, to be considered Christian, must truly contribute to unity of faith, must foster commitment to sharing all blessings, must highlight the zealous focus on Christ’s Resurrection, and must incorporate sacramental sanctification.

Daily Retreat 03/31/08

2008 Mar 31 Mon: ANNUNCIATION OF THE LORD S
Is 7: 10-14; 8: 10/ Ps 39(40): 7-8a. 8b-9. 10. 11/ Heb 10: 4-10/ Lk 1: 26-38

From today’s readings:  “The Lord Himself will give you this sign: the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and shall name Him Emmanuel, which means ‘God is with us!’...  Here I am, Lord; I come to do Your will...  Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, but a body You prepared for Me....  Behold the handmaid of the Lord - let it be done unto me according to your word!”

The Incarnation

“And the Word became flesh, and dwelt amongst us....”  John 1:14 is one of the most jubilant verses in all of Sacred Scripture, the gospel, the “good news” of the Incarnation.  Although those first verses which form the prologue of John’s Gospel are proclaimed on Christmas day, they also are equally appropriate for meditation on today’s solemnity of the Annunciation, recalling Mary’s fiat and the moment when the Eternal Word of the Father became flesh and was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Generally,  the Annunciation is appropriately celebrated on March 25, nine months before the celebration of the Birth of Jesus.  However, when that date falls during Holy Week or Easter Week  (as was the case this year), the feast is transferred to the Monday after the Octave of Easter.  This feast day continues to grow in importance and in people’s awareness, mostly because the link between Christ’s conception and His birth nine months later is being stressed to emphasize the sacredness of human life even before birth.  Consequently, many parishes celebrate Holy Mass with a particular pro-life focus on this day.

Even by themselves, the Gospel texts of the Annunciation (Lk 1:26-38) and the Visitation (Lk 1:39-56) prove the indisputable biblical basis for recognizing the sanctity of unborn human life.  So, following the example of the Holy Father, one of the best pro-life strategies is simply to cultivate greater appreciation for these feasts in the life of the Lord, which each one of us can do simply by sharing with others the gospel, the good news of what is celebrated today - the Incarnation of the Word of God!

Daily Retreat 03/30/08

2008 Mar 30 SUN: SECOND SUNDAY OF EASTER
Acts 2: 42-47/ Ps 117(118): 2-4. 13-15. 22-24/ 1 Pt 1: 3-9/ Jn 20: 19-31

From today’s readings:  “They devoted themselves to the teaching of the apostles and to the communal life, to the breaking of bread and to the prayers. ....  Give thanks to the Lord for He is good, His love is everlasting....  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who in His great mercy gave us a new birth to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ....  Receive the Holy Spirit - whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained....”

The Sacrament of Peace and Divine Mercy

It’s interesting how well it was driven into my head (growing up in a Catholic family, attending Catholic schools) that Holy Thursday was such an important day: Jesus instituted the Sacrament of the Eucharist and He established the Sacrament of the Priesthood that holy night.  But it wasn’t until I got older and was reading a bit of the Bible by myself when I realized:  just a couple of days later – Easter Sunday –  He gave His Church another sacrament:   the Sacrament of Confession, the Sacrament of Reconciliation, the Sacrament of Mercy, or my favorite name for it, the “Sacrament of Peace!” Because Jesus introduced this sacrament with the Easter greeting “Peace be with you!”  that’s the name that He gave to that sacrament, saying, in effect, “This is how I am going to have My peace be with you,” breathing on the apostles and saying, “Receive the Holy Spirit: whose sins you forgive, they are forgiven! Whose sins you hold bound are held bound!”

When we turn to Jesus in the Sacrament of Peace, the Sacrament of Penance, we say, “You know, Lord, there’s all kinds if things that are taking away the peace that You gave me – my own sins take away peace! But sometimes, it’s the sins of others which I resent, and they eat into me – they take away the peace that You gave me! Other times, it’s just the problems of my life that I am faced with and seem so overwhelming....” All of that is matter for us to bring to the Sacrament of Peace and say “Lord, You gave me that gift of peace, and now, confiding in Your Divine Mercy, I lay at your feet these things that have taken that peace away. Renew Your peace within me!”

Renew, Lord, Your peace within us! Jesus has given His Church the marvelous sacrament of His peace and Divine Mercy – let us all turn to Him to receive so great a gift!

Daily Retreat 03/29/08

2008 Mar 29 Sat: Easter Saturday
Acts 4: 13-21/ Ps 117(118): 1 and 14-15ab. 16-18. 19-21/ Mk 16: 9-15

From today’s readings:  “Observing the boldness of Peter and John and perceiving them to be uneducated, ordinary men, the leaders, elders, and scribes were amazed, and they recognized them as the companions of Jesus....  Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good, for His mercy endures forever....  Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature!”

The Unsettling Effect of the Good News

The Gospel either brings comfort (which it is meant to do!) or consternation (when it is resisted and rejected).  The Sanhedrin members could not explain the compelling zeal of Peter and John and they could not deny the miraculous cure worked through them.  What, then, could they do?  Either they could welcome the good news, or stubbornly reject it and try to ignore or smother it.

So they ordered Peter and John “not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.”  Such an approach was not only futile, it was infantile - how could anyone resent the healing of a lame man and the proclamation of the good news of Christ’s resurrection?

Now in countries which boast of their guarantee of freedom of speech, the very idea of such a crude gag order seems remote, and yet, more subtle sinister forces are resurrecting the Sanhedrin’s strategy!  While it’s not illegal to speak or teach in the name of Jesus, restrictions on public display and influence of Christian faith continue to increase, at the same time that legal restraints against obscenities and atrocities continue to decrease!   And it certainly is seen as uncouth to stand firm in Gospel convictions (as the Apostles did) in the face of powerful and popular opposition, and those who do so continue to be dismissed, like Peter and John were, as “uneducated, ordinary men.”

But the Good News cannot be ignored or smothered by overt or covert gag operations - you and I, and all other Christians standing in Peter’s and John’s shoes today, need to make the same courageous stand and reply, “Whether it is right in the sight of God for us to obey you rather than God, you be the judges - It is impossible for us not to speak about what we have seen and heard,” namely, the power and presence and comfort of our resurrected Lord!

Daily Retreat 03/28/08

2008 Mar 28 Fri: Easter Friday
Acts 4: 1-12/ Ps 117(118): 1-2 and 4. 22-24. 25-27a/ Jn 21: 1-14

From today’s readings:  “There is no salvation through anyone else....  The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone....  This was now the third time Jesus was revealed to His disciples after being raised from the dead.”

Jesus, Savior, Source of Salvation

“There is no salvation in anyone else, for there is no other name under Heaven given among men by which we are to be saved!”  In Acts 4:12, Peter’s claim of the unique and universal vocation of Jesus (whose very Name means “God saves”, cf. Matt 1:21), in one of the boldest tenets of our Christian faith, and the urgency of this assertion has inspired the heroic sacrifices of missionaries and martyrs.

So without Christ, there is no salvation!  Does this preclude the salvation of those who, through no fault of their own, do not believe in Christ?  The answer is delicate in nuance, for Jesus Himself insists that acceptance of His Gospel is crucial (e.g., Mk 16:16), but He also allows for invincible earthly ignorance in His discourse on the Last Judgment (cf. Matt 25:31–46).   Pope John Paul the Great explained it this way in Redemptoris Missio §10:

 The universality of salvation means that it is granted NOT ONLY to those who explicitly believe in Christ and have entered the Church. Since salvation is offered to all, it must be made concretely available to all! But it is clear that today, as in the past, many people do not have an opportunity to come to know or accept the gospel revelation or to enter the Church. The social and cultural conditions in which they live do not permit this, and frequently they have been brought up in other religious traditions. For such people salvation in Christ is accessible by virtue of a grace which, while having a mysterious relationship to the Church, does not make them formally part of the Church but enlightens them in a way which is accommodated to their spiritual and material situation. This grace comes from Christ; it is the result of his Sacrifice and is communicated by the Holy Spirit. It enables each person to attain salvation through his free cooperation.

In other words, all salvation truly comes through Christ, but He can certainly save even those who have never heard of Him, provided that they cooperate with His grace, which “enlightens them in a way which is accommodated to their spiritual and material situation.”  We might consider this analogy:  Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation freed all the Confederate slaves, including those who possibly had never heard of him!  However, if a slave obstinately rejected the authority of President Lincoln to free him, the slave would tragically condemn himself to bondage.  Similarly, Christ presents Himself as the means of salvation for all (overtly, in Christianity and covertly, in other ways), but He cannot save those who freely reject whatever means He gives for salvation.

Daily Retreat 03/27/08

2008 Mar 27 Thu: Easter Thursday
Acts 3: 11-26/ Ps 8: 2ab and 5. 6-7. 8-9/ Lk 24: 35-48

From today’s readings:  “For you first, God raised up His servant and sent Him to bless you by turning each of you from your evil ways....  O Lord, our God, how wonderful Your Name in all the earth!...  Thus it is written that the Christ would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins, would be preached in His Name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things!”

Thinking Things Through

Many find the Acts of the Apostles more difficult to read than the Gospels because of the spectacular speeches (particularly by Peter and Paul) which proffer profound insights about the implications of various aspects of Christian belief.  In other words, faith, which is an act of the will (to decide to believe in God), also implores, invites, and embraces the participation of the intellect - faith and reason are not opposed; rather, as Pope John Paul the Great remarked in the beginning of his encyclical Fides et Ratio, “Faith and reason are like two wings on which man’s spirit rises to the contemplation of truth!”

Thus, there’s much to be gained in thinking things through about our faith, and so, we should never just skim over scriptural texts that invite and implore us to take the time to embrace more fully, meditate and delve deeply into the mysteries of our faith.

So, here are just a few points to get you started: In the first verses of his speech (3:12-16), Peter contrasts the Israelites’ rejection of Christ with God’s exultation of Him.  This insight was not just meant for the first century Jews in Jerusalem - as is often brought up in Stations of the Cross meditations, our own sinful choices have echoed the disastrous decision of those who stood before Pilate and “denied the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released” instead.

Hence, in light of Christ’s second coming (“the times of universal restoration”), Peter next (v. 17-21) urges his listeners (and us, who are also “the children of the prophets and of the covenant”!) to “Repent, therefore, and be converted!”    And such is the fulfillment of God’s eternal plan of salvation (v. 22-26).  Peter implies that, with or without us, God pushes forward with this plan of salvation which is for the benefit of all, so it only makes sense to go along and share in the benefits of faith in Christ (such as the miraculous healing of the crippled man)!

Daily Retreat 03/26/08

2008 Mar 26 Wed: Easter Wednesday
Acts 3: 1-10/ Ps 104(105): 1-2. 3-4. 6-7. 8-9/ Lk 24: 13-35

From today’s readings:  “I have neither silver nor gold, but what I do have I give you: in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean, rise and walk!...  Rejoice, O hearts that seek the Lord....   Were not our hearts burning within us while He spoke to us on the way and opened the Scriptures to us?”

What Do You Have to Give?

Peter and John found themselves in the situation of someone turning to them for charity when they had no money to give.  But rather than shrugging their shoulders and walking past the crippled man, they were filled with the truest charity, and so they gave the beggar what they had: faith in the Name of Jesus Christ!

In our own lives, there are many charitable causes (not to mention needy individuals!) that reach out to us for help.  When you and I truly share our faith with others and commit ourselves to praying for them, without a doubt, that is a much greater gift than merely writing a check to some charitable organization.

And yet, even a supremely generous commitment to pray for others in need is not meant to be an excuse for selfishness with our own blessings of time, talents, and treasure.  It’s a privilege and blessing for me to take the time every day to share my faith in Jesus Christ with you through these virtual retreat reflections, because, like Peter and John, I knew that this work would bring me “no silver nor gold,” but I joyfully jumped at the chance to freely give what I have: faith in the Name of Jesus Christ! 

Daily Retreat 03/25/08

2008 Mar 25 Tue: Easter Tuesday
Acts 2: 36-41/ Ps 32(33): 4-5. 18-19. 20 and 22/ Jn 20: 11-18

From today’s readings:  “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit....  May Your kindness, O LORD, be upon us who have put our hope in You....  I am going to My Father and your Father, to My God and your God....”

Save Yourself from this Corrupt Generation!

Peter’s speech on the day of Pentecost was an urgent exhortation, not just a shallow suggestion.  Even for those of us already baptized, the need to repent and be fully committed to our baptismal promises is a reminder we all have to act upon.  Peter’s description of the people of his day as a “corrupt generation” is certainly not an outlandish claim at this time as well.

That’s not to say though, that Peter fell into a “holier than thou” attitude - his assessment of the “corrupt generation” was just a matter of fact, and he recognized his own contribution to that corruption.  But he also welcomed the sacramental solution, and prescribed that for everyone who heard him.

Our own sins and selfishness has contributed to the corruption of this generation.  On our own, we don’t have what it takes to rectify our own messes, or those of others, but we do have the same sacramental solution offered to us, for “the promise is made to you and to your children and to all those far off, whomever the Lord our God will call.”

NB:  Normally, the Solemnity of the Annunciation is celebrated today, nine months before the celebration of the birth of Christ.  However, in observance of this octave week of Easter, the celebration of the Annunciation is transferred to next Monday.

Daily Retreat 03/24/08

2008 Mar 24 Mon: Easter Monday
Acts 2: 14. 22-33/ Ps 15(16): 1-2a and 5. 7-8. 9-10. 11/ Mt 28: 8-15

From today’s readings:  “But God raised Him up, releasing Him from the throes of death, because it was impossible for Him to be held by it....  Because You will not abandon my soul to the nether world, nor will You suffer Your faithful one to undergo corruption....  Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went away quickly from the tomb, fearful yet overjoyed, and ran to announce the news to His disciples....”

Acts of the Apostles

The Resurrection of Christ made a big difference in the lives of His apostles - they spent the rest of their lives telling the world the good news of the life of Jesus, His passion and death, His resurrection and ascension.

Those apostles set an example for you and me:  Easter has to be more than just an annual holiday - it’s meant to be a life-defining moment!  And so, during these fifty days of the Easter season (culminating in Pentecost), the Church has us read almost the entire Acts of the Apostles, precisely so that we can be inspired by their example of living out their Easter faith as we fulfill our baptismal promises by zealously living out our own Easter faith!

Daily Retreat 03/23/08

2008 Mar 23 SUN: EASTER SUNDAY. The Resurrection of  Jesus Christ.
Acts 10: 34a. 37-43/ Ps 117(118): 1-2. 16-17. 22-23/ Col 3: 1-4 or 1 Cor 5: 6b-8/ Sequence Paschali Victimae Laudes/ Jn 20: 1-9 or Mt 28: 1-10 or Lk 24: 13-35

From today’s readings:  “He commissioned us to preach to the people and testify that He is the one appointed by God as judge of the living and the dead....  This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad!...  If then you were raised with Christ, seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God....  On the first day of the week, Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning, while it was still dark, and saw the stone removed from the tomb. ”

Alleluia!

Alleluia!  Jesus is truly risen from the dead, just as He said!  Our celebration today is the very heart of our faith.  During His earthly life, Jesus was undeniably a great preacher, teacher, healer, and charismatic leader, but none of those qualities in themselves qualify Him as divine.  But His victory over sin and death do prove His divinity, enshrining Him alone as our Redeemer!

This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad!  Sunday is the first day of the week - when the Lord rose on that Easter Sunday morning, He announced the beginning of His new creation, and how blessed are we to have a share in that!  So, as St. Paul observes, “Clear out the old yeast, so that you may become a fresh batch of dough, inasmuch as you are unleavened. For our paschal lamb, Christ, has been sacrificed. Therefore, let us celebrate the feast, not with the old yeast, the yeast of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.”

Daily Retreat 03/22/08

2008 Mar 22 Sat: Holy Saturday/Easter Vigil
Gn 1:1--2:2/ Ps 103(104) or Ps 32(33)
Gn 22:1-18/ Ps 15(16)
Ex 14:15--15:1/ Ex 15 canticle
Is 54:5-14/ Ps 29(30)
Is 55:1-11/ Is 12 canticle
Bar 3:9-15.32--4:4/ Ps 18(19)
Ez 36:16-28/ Ps 41(42) or Ps 50(51)
Rom 6:3-11/ Ps 117(118)
Mt 28:1-10

In earlier times, the faithful would keep a sacred vigil throughout
this
entire night, waiting for the dawn of the Easter resurrection. Now,
parishes are allowed to begin the Easter Vigil Mass anytime after
sundown. The Vigil begins with the lighting of the new Easter fire and
candle, then after the singing of the Exultet, a rich selection of
scripture readings follow.

These readings (indicated above) form a synopsis of salvation history
to
the time of Christ, starting with Creation, continuing with the
liberation of the Exodus, and then the unfolding of the prophetic
promises of the Messiah.

Even if you don't normally read the Bible, take the time tonight to
read
through ALL these scripture passages as the ideal way to prayerfully
finish your preparation for Easter.

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Daily Retreat 03/21/08

2008 Mar 21 Fri: Good Friday: Is 52: 13 -- 53: 12/ Ps 30(31): 2. 6. 12-13. 15-16. 17. 25/ Heb 4: 14-16; 5: 7-9/ Jn 18: 1 -- 19: 42

Isaiah’s Servant Songs

Isaiah is the greatest of the prophets. Certainly his book (with 66 chapters) is the longest prophetic book (in fact the longest book in the Bible except for the collection of Psalms), and he prophesied in such detail about the coming Messiah that St. Jerome asserted that Isaiah is almost more of an evangelist, a gospel writer, than a prophet!   

Not surprisingly, then, the words of Isaiah ring out regularly throughout the Church’s liturgical year - in fact, every single day of this Holy Week includes a reading from the book of the prophet Isaiah, and in particular, the four profound canticles of the Servant of the Lord.  The first of these is read on Monday, Is 42:1-7.  God the Father speaks in these words, describing the vocation and mission of His holy chosen one:

Here is My Servant whom I uphold, My chosen One with whom I am pleased,
Upon whom I have put My Spirit; He shall bring forth justice to the nations,
Not crying out, not shouting, not making His voice heard in the street.
A bruised reed He shall not break, and a smoldering wick He shall not quench,
Until He establishes justice on the earth; the coastlands will wait for His teaching.

Thus says God, the LORD, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spreads out the earth with its crops, Who gives breath to its people and spirit to those who walk on it: I, the LORD, have called You for the victory of justice, I have grasped You by the hand; I formed You, and set You as a covenant of the people, a light for the nations, To open the eyes of the blind, to bring out prisoners from confinement, and from the dungeon, those who live in darkness.

The second servant poem, Is 49:1-6, is read on Tuesday of Holy Week.   The prophesy is presented as a first person exposition from the lips of the Servant of the Lord Himself, describing the uniqueness of His election, the travails of His labors, and universal extent of His mission:

Hear Me, O islands, listen, O distant peoples. The LORD called Me from birth, from My mother's womb He gave Me My Name. He made of Me a sharp-edged sword and concealed Me in the shadow of His arm. He made Me a polished arrow, in His quiver He hid Me. You are My Servant, He said to Me, Israel, through whom I show My glory.
Though I thought I had toiled in vain, and for nothing, uselessly, spent My strength, Yet My reward is with the LORD, My recompense is with My God. For now the LORD has spoken who formed Me as His Servant from the womb, That Jacob may be brought back to Him and Israel gathered to Him; And I am made glorious in the sight of the LORD, and My God is now My strength! It is too little, He says, for You to be My Servant, to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and restore the survivors of Israel; I will make You a light to the nations, that My salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.

The third Servant Canticle, Is 50:4-9a, is read on Palm Sunday, and Wednesday of Holy Week.  In these verses, the Servant of the Lord describes His mission of patient teaching and indomitable inspiration, even in spite of formidable opposition:

The Lord God has given Me a well-trained tongue, That I might know how to speak to the weary a word that will rouse them. Morning after morning He opens My ear that I may hear; And I have not rebelled, have not turned back. I gave My back to those who beat Me, My cheeks to those who plucked My beard; My face I did not shield from buffets and spitting.
The Lord GOD is My help, therefore I am not disgraced; I have set My face like flint, knowing that I shall not be put to shame. He is near who upholds My right; if anyone wishes to oppose Me, let us appear together. Who disputes My right? Let him confront Me. See, the Lord GOD is My help; who will prove Me wrong?

On Holy Thursday in the morning, the Chrism Mass includes a familiar passage from Isaiah chapter 61, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me....”  Jesus Himself claimed those verses as the very manifesto of His mission when He proclaimed them in the synagogue of His hometown of Nazareth (Luke 4:16-21).

Then, today, Good Friday, the fourth and longest servant song: Isaiah 52:13-53:12.

See, My Servant shall prosper, He shall be raised high and greatly exalted. Even as many were amazed at Him-- so marred was His look beyond human semblance and His appearance beyond that of the sons of man-- so shall He startle many nations, because of Him, kings shall stand speechless; for those who have not been told shall see, those who have not heard shall ponder it.

Who would believe what we have heard? To whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? He grew up like a sapling before Him, like a shoot from the parched earth; there was in Him no stately bearing to make us look at Him, nor appearance that would attract us to Him. He was spurned and avoided by people, a man of suffering, accustomed to infirmity, one of those from whom people hide their faces, spurned, and we held Him in no esteem.
Yet it was our infirmities that He bore, our sufferings that He endured, while we thought of Him as stricken, as one smitten by God and afflicted. But He was pierced for our offenses, crushed for our sins; upon Him was the chastisement that makes us whole, by His stripes we were healed! We had all gone astray like sheep, each following his own way; but the LORD laid upon Him the guilt of us all.
Though He was harshly treated, He submitted and opened not His mouth; like a lamb led to the slaughter or a sheep before the shearers, He was silent and opened not His mouth. Oppressed and condemned, He was taken away, and who would have thought any more of His destiny? When He was cut off from the land of the living, and smitten for the sin of His people, a grave was assigned Him among the wicked and a burial place with evildoers, though He had done no wrong nor spoken any falsehood. But the LORD was pleased to crush Him in infirmity.
If He gives His life as an offering for sin, He shall see His descendants in a long life, and the will of the LORD shall be accomplished through Him.
Because of His affliction He shall see the light in fullness of days; through His suffering, My servant shall justify many, and their guilt He shall bear. Therefore I will give Him His portion among the great, and He shall divide the spoils with the mighty, because He surrendered Himself to death and was counted among the wicked; and He shall take away the sins of many, and win pardon for their offenses.

Ah - How accurately was this haunting, most improbable prophecy fulfilled on that Good Friday of the Lord’s Passion!  Truly, Isaiah is an evangelist, as well as prophet, and how blessed are those who have come to know the Suffering Servant in the songs!

Daily Retreat 03/20/08

2008 Mar 20 Thu: Holy Thursday. Chrism Mass: Is 61: 1-3a. 6a. 8b-9/ Ps 88(89): 21-22. 25. 27/ Rv 1: 5-8/ Lk 4: 16-21.
Evening Mass of the Lord's Supper: Ex 12: 1-8. 11-14/ Ps 115(116): 12-13. 15-16bc. 17-18/ Jn 13: 1-15

The New Covenant

Today, in the morning, priests gather with their bishop to celebrate the Chrism Mass with the whole people of God in the diocesan cathedral.  Recalling that “Christ” means “the Anointed One,” the bishop blesses the Oil of Salvation, Oil of the Sick, and the Sacred Chrism, all of which are used in the sacramental continuation of Christ’s mission, and so on this day, all priests also renew their own commitment to continue that mission.

In the evening, the faithful come together in their parish church for the renewed celebration of the Last Supper, when our Lord instituted the sacraments of the Eucharist and of Holy Orders, and gave His example of fraternal charity in service when He humbly washed His apostles’ feet.

At the end of Mass, the Eucharistic Real Presence of Jesus processes to a shrine of adoration, where all are invited to heed the plea He gave His apostles to join Him in prayer in the garden of Gethsemane.  This solemn adoration can continue even until Midnight, at which time it ends, symbolizing the arrest of Jesus.

Our Lord gives us Himself - let us take and eat!

Daily Retreat 03/19/08

2008 Mar 19 Wed: Wednesday of Holy Week
Is 50: 4-9a/ Ps 68(69): 8-10. 21-22. 31 and 33-34/ Mt 26: 14-25

From today’s readings:  “The Lord GOD is My help, therefore I am not disgraced; I have set My face like flint, knowing that I shall not be put to shame....  For the LORD hears the poor, and His own who are in bonds, He spurns not....  My appointed time draws near; in your house I shall celebrate the Passover with My disciples....”

The Triumphant Servant of the Lord

Christ’s victory over sin and death is the greatest triumph of all time, and yet, He was not at all gloatingly triumphant - rather, He meekly and lovingly endured all the injuries and insults of His Passion and Death for the sake of all who would turn to Him for salvation.

For Christ, remember, never set out to triumph over Caiphas and the Sanhedrin, Pilate and the Romans, for these were merely agents of the real Enemy whom Jesus came to vanquish.  All those who definitively align themselves with the Devil will ultimately share his fate of damnation, but among those who once ally themselves with Evil, some are providentially moved to repentance by the example of the Suffering Servant, Who conquered evil by refusing to return it when He said, “I gave My back to those who beat Me, My cheeks to those who plucked My beard; My face I did not shield from buffets and spitting.”

Daily Retreat 03/18/08

2008 Mar 18 Tue: Tuesday of Holy Week
Is 49: 1-6/ Ps 70(71): 1-2. 3-4a. 5ab-6ab. 15 and 17/ Jn 13: 21-33. 36-38

From today’s readings:  “ I will make You a light to the nations....  For You are my hope, O Lord....  Amen, amen, I say to you, one of you will betray Me....”

Light to all the nations

When all the rest of the world was wallowing in the darkness of paganism, God chose the Israelites to be His own people, to whom He would entrust His revelation, both in the Old Testament, and the New Testament.  But the reading from Isaiah (the second “Servant Song”) explains how Jesus, God’s chosen Servant, had a mission, not just to the chosen people Israel, but also to the whole world, as the light to the nations, bringing salvation to the ends of the earth.

Jesus, of course, was aware of the universal dimension of His vocation - while He concentrated on preaching the Gospel first to His own Jewish people, He also gradually and deliberately spread the good news to all nations.

As we meditate anew on the events of Holy Week, we thank God for His universal plan of salvation, that the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Christ effects, not just the people of that past time and place, but also our lives in this time and place - it’s sobering to realize that only the Jewish people were the original beneficiaries of revelation, but because of Christ, we share that great gift!

Daily Retreat 03/17/08

2008 Mar 17 Mon: Monday of Holy Week
Is 42: 1-7/ Ps 26(27): 1. 2. 3. 13-14/ Jn 12: 1-11

Overview of the Scripture of Holy Week

This is Holy Week - take advantage of it by immersing your life in the Paschal mystery of our redemption through the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Christ! Give ample time and opportunity for the Word of God to permeate your life - print out this chart of the scripture of this week, then commit yourself to daily time in meditation. Check your local parish for times to go to confession, and join in the celebration of the Sacred Triduum: Thursday Mass of the Last Supper, Friday Veneration of the Cross, and the most holy Easter Vigil.

Passion/Palm Sunday
Holy Week begins with the commemoration of Jesus’ arrival in Jerusalem, where He was greeted by the excited crowd waving palm branches and shouting, "Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is He Who comes in the Name of the Lord!"
Matt 21:1-11    Mark 11:1-10 or John 12:12-16    Luke 19:28-40

Isaiah 50:4-7 The Lord GOD has given me a well-trained tongue... (3rd Servant Song)
Psalm 21(22) My God, My God, why have You abandoned Me?
Phil 2:6-11 Christ Jesus, though He was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God...
Matt 26:14-27:66    Mark 14:1-15:47    Luke 22:14-23:56


Monday - Wednesday of Holy week
The Cleansing of the Temple was Jesus’ first action on entering Jerusalem. He went on to preach several parables, tell about the End, and respond to crucial questions raised by the Sadducees and Pharisees.
(cf. chapters between 1st and 2nd Gospel of Passion/Palm Sunday)

Monday
Isaiah 42:1-7 Here is My Servant whom I uphold, My chosen one,(1st Servant Song)
Psalm 26(27) The Lord is my light and my salvation.
John 12:1-11 Mary took a liter of costly perfumed oil

Tuesday
Isaiah 49:1-6 I will make you a light to the nations,(2nd Servant Song)
Psalm 70 (71) I will sing of your salvation.
John 13:21-33, 36-38 "Amen, amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me."

Wednesday
Isaiah 50:4-9 The Lord GOD has given me a well-trained tongue... (3rd Servant Song)
Psalm 68 (69) Lord, in your great love, answer me.
Matt 26:14-25 One of the Twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot,

Holy Thursday
Chrism Mass
Isaiah 61:1-9 The spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me, because the LORD has anointed Me;
Psalm 88 (89) For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
Rev 1:5-8 He has made us into a kingdom, priests for His God and Father,
Luke 4:16-21 The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me

TRIDUUM
Mass of the Lord’s Supper
Exodus 12:1-14 It is the Passover of the LORD.
Psalm 115 (116) The cup of salvation I will take up, and I will call upon the name of the LORD.
1Cor 11:23-26 When you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord until He comes.
John 13:1-15 He loved His own in the world and He loved them to the end.

Good Friday
Isaiah 52:13-53:12 but the LORD laid upon Him the guilt of us all. (4th Servant Song)
Psalm 30 (31) Father, into Your hands I commend My spirit.
Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:7-9 Son though He was, He learned obedience from what He suffered
John 18:1-19:42 "Jesus the Nazorean, the King of the Jews."

Easter Vigil
Genesis 1:1-2:2 In the beginning...
& Psalm 103(104) Lord, send out Your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.
or Psalm 32(33) The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.
Genesis 22:1-18 God put Abraham to the test.
& Psalm 15(16) You are my inheritance, O Lord.
Exodus 14:15-15:1 Thus the LORD saved Israel on that day from the power of the Egyptians.
& Exodus 15:1-18 Let us sing to the Lord; He has covered Himself in glory.
Isaiah 54:5-14 Your redeemer is the Holy One of Israel,called God of all the earth.
& Psalm 29(30) I will praise You, Lord, for You have rescued me.
Isaiah 55:1-11 All you who are thirsty,come to the water!
& Isaiah 12:2-6 You will draw water joyfully from the springs of salvation.
Baruch 3:9-15,32-4:4 Hear, O Israel, the commandments of life: listen, and know prudence!
& Psalm 18(19) Lord, You have the words of everlasting life.
Ezekiel 36:16-28 I will give you a new heart and place a new spirit within you,
& Psalm 41 & Psalm 42 Like a deer that longs for running streams....
or Isaiah 12:2-6 You will draw water joyfully from the springs of salvation.
or Psalm 50(51) Create a clean heart in me, O God.
Romans 6:3-11 We know that Christ, raised from the dead, dies no more;
Matt 28:1-10    Mark 16:1-7    Luke 24:1-12


Easter Sunday
Acts 10:34-43 This Man God raised on the third day
Psalm 117(118) This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad!
Col 3:1-4 If then you were raised with Christ, seek what is above,
or 1Cor 5:6-8 For our paschal lamb, Christ, has been sacrificed.
John 20:1-9 On the first day of the week, Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early
or Luke 24:13-35 Stay with us, Lord!

Daily Retreat 03/16/08

2008 Mar 16 SUN: PALM SUNDAY OF THE LORD'S PASSION
Procession: Mt 21: 1-11. Mass: Is 50: 4-7/ Ps 21(22): 8-9. 17-18. 19-20. 23-24/ Phil 2: 6-11/ Mt 26: 14 – 27: 66

From today’s readings: “Hosanna to the Son of David; blessed is the He who comes in the name of the Lord; hosanna in the highest!...  I gave My back to those who beat Me, My cheeks to those who plucked My beard; My face I did not shield from buffets and spitting....  My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?...  He humbled Himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross....  Jesus cried out again in a loud voice, and gave up His Spirit....”

Palms & Passion

All of the Gospels have a disproportionate detailing of Holy Week, because, in fact, each one of the evangelists wrote his Gospel precisely so that we could see the love and life of the Lord that is manifested most in those moments of His Passion, Death, and Resurrection.  What precedes the Passion accounts is simply what Matthew, Mark, Luke and John thought was necessary so that we could understand the eternal ramifications of the Passion of Christ.

Even though Jesus was 33 when He died, and He had had 3 years of public ministry,  look at how much of the Gospels are dedicated to His last  week!  Think, for instance, of the Gospel of St. John: the Last Supper begins in Chapter 13, and the words of Christ in the Last Supper go through Chapters 14,  15, and 16.  Chapter 17 is the priestly prayer of Christ,  how right before the agony in the garden, He turns to God the Father and offers Himself, and His words explain  His whole priestly mission, and then Chapter 18 and Chapter 19 are the events of the Passion itself, beginning  in the Garden of Gethsemani, continuing through the trials and the Way of the Cross leading up to His crucifixion, and then the last two chapters (20 and  21)  are about the Resurrection.  

So over a third of the Gospel of St John is just concerned with one week in the life of Christ! To be accurate,  the resurrection appearances take place over a number of weeks, but in essence, over a third of the Gospel of St John is dedicated to the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Our Lord.  The other Gospels have a similar ratio - not quite as high, though, simply because they don’t record as many words with Christ at the Last Supper.  So take the time to read thoroughly the Passion of Christ!  Today, Matthew’s account is proclaimed; on Good Friday, the Passion will be from the Gospel of St. John.  And whenever you read the Gospels, remember that they focus on the Passion, and everything that comes before that is just meant to help and understand the love of the life of Christ that is revealed in that definitive moment of His life on earth!

Daily Retreat 03/15/08

2008 Mar 15 Sat: JOSEPH, HUSBAND OF MARY S
2 Sm 7: 4-5a. 12-14a. 16/ Ps 88(89): 2-3. 4-5. 27. 29/ Rom 4: 13. 16-18. 22/ Mt 1: 16. 18-21. 24a or Lk 2: 41-51a

From today’s readings:  “Your house and your kingdom shall endure forever before Me; your throne shall stand firm forever....  I have sworn to David My servant: Forever will I confirm your posterity and establish your throne for all generations....  as it is written, I have made you father of many nations....  His mother said to Him, ‘Son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been looking for You with great anxiety.’ ”

St. Joseph

The solemnity of St. Joseph is normally celebrated on March 19th, but on the rare occasions when that date falls on a Sunday or any day during Holy Week, the feastday observance is transferred, which is why the Ides of March is St. Joseph’s day this year.

And, by a happy coincidence, this day is also my birthday!  Since this is the only year in our lives that this day will be honored to host someone as prestigious as St. Joseph, it’s an ideal opportunity to reflect on St. Joseph’s role, not just in biblical salvation history, but also as an outstanding inspiration and patron saint for so many Christians through the ages.

Scripture, in fact, has recorded no word spoken by St. Joseph, and only a precious few details of his actions and attributes (see especially the first chapters of Matthew).  Nonetheless, there’s a remarkable affinity that so many Christians feel toward him, perhaps because, just as Joseph must have been overwhelmed with his vocation to be so close to Jesus and His Mother, so must all of us Christians reflect on the overwhelming superabundance of God’s grace which, in spite of our own unworthiness, calls us to the most intimate communion with our Lord.

On this my birthday, I thank God so much for those many stupendous blessings St. Joseph has had a hand in - thank you, St. Joseph, for your faithful example, for your silent inspiration, and for your paternal, prayerful guardianship!

Daily Retreat 03/14/08

2008 Mar 14 Fri: Lenten Weekday.
Jer 20: 10-13/ Ps 17(18): 2-3a. 3bc-4. 5-6. 7/ Jn 10: 31-42

From today’s readings:  “All those who were my friends are on the watch for any misstep of mine....   In my distress I called upon the Lord, and He heard my voice....   If I do not perform My Father’s works, do not believe Me; but if I perform them, even if you do not believe Me, believe the works, so that you may realize and understand that the Father is in Me and I am in the Father.”

A Week Heart

One week to go before Good Friday – certainly,  for the enemies of Jesus, that was a time of  plotting against Him, being “on the watch for  any misstep.” What about for Jesus Himself?  As He drew near Jerusalem, fully aware of the  suffering and death He was facing, the words of  Jeremiah in the first reading must have resonated  within His Sacred Heart, along with the psalm  and all the other scripture passages which were  about to come to fulfillment.  

And what about us at this time? Are our own  hearts more in line with those of Christ’s enemies,  or, set aflame with the Word of God, are they  pulsing with love of Christ’s own Sacred Blood?  Or, are they merely indifferent, inexcusably  catatonic in tragic disregard of the greatest act of  love that the world ever has or ever will see?

Daily Retreat 03/13/08

2008 Mar 13 Thu: Lenten Weekday
Gn 17: 3-9/ Ps 104(105): 4-5. 6-7. 8-9/ Jn 8: 51-59

From today’s readings:  “God also said to Abraham: On your part, you and your descendants after you must keep My covenant throughout the ages....  The Lord remembers His covenant for ever....  Amen, amen, I say to you, before Abraham came to be, I AM.”

Our Father Abraham

Many Christians have only a vague familiarity  with Abraham and his importance in the history  of salvation. But, in the first book of the Bible,  Genesis, Abraham is clearly central - of the 50  chapters of Genesis, 12 focus almost entirely on  Abraham (cc. 12-24; Joseph is the only other  patriarch with similar attention in Genesis). True,  Noah's paternity reaches back even further, but he  is thus ancestor to all peoples, whereas Abraham is  the father specifically to the Israelite people.

Abraham's importance, of course, stems from the covenantal relationship God solemnized with him  and his descendants. On the basis of this covenant,  Jews recognize Abraham as their great "father in  faith," and so, Christians too need to realize how  prominently he figures in the whole history of salvation.

In this context, Christ's comments about Abraham (which attest to personal familiarity!) can be felt with  the full weight of their eternal significance: Jesus  said to them, "Abraham your father rejoiced to see  My day; he saw it and was glad.... Amen, amen, I say to you, before Abraham came to be, I AM." God's election of Abraham was the beginning of His chosen people, but  the entire plan was done in light of the future coming  of Christ!

Daily Retreat 03/12/08

2008 Mar 12 Wed: Lenten Weekday
Dn 3: 14-20. 91-92. 95/ Dn 3: 52. 53. 54. 55. 56/ Jn 8: 31-42

From today’s readings:  “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who sent His angel to deliver the servants who trusted in Him; they disobeyed the royal command and yielded their bodies rather than serve or worship any god except their own God....  Blessed are You, O Lord, the God of our fathers, praiseworthy and exalted above all forever....  Amen, amen, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin....”

God gives us ourselves and Himself

The thrilling account of the deliverance of Daniel’s companions from the fiery furnace of King Nebuchadnezzar is one of the most vividly memorable texts of the Bible.  The youths declare their absolute fidelity to God, and they don’t even insist on His saving them as a condition for their faithfulness.  “If our God, whom we serve, can save us from the white-hot furnace and from your hands, O king, may He save us! But even if He will not, know, O king, that we will not serve your god or worship the golden statue that you set up.”

God is faithful, and always so, and thus, it is not for us to make our faith in Him dependent on what we think He should do for us!  But this happens, for example, when people are attracted to some earthly idol (money, power, prestige) and then, as a condition for remaining faithful to God, they expect to get from God the same crass rewards promised by idol worship!   

God never gives us what idols promise in their idle promises, because God gives us, not just ourselves, but also Himself!  Therein lies our reason for faithfulness forever to Him alone!

Daily Retreat 03/11/08

2008 Mar 11 Tue: Lenten Weekday
Nm 21: 4-9/ Ps 101(102): 2-3. 16-18. 19-21/ Jn 8: 21-30

From today’s readings:  “We have sinned in complaining against the LORD and you....  O Lord, hear my prayer, and let my cry come to You....  When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will realize that I AM, and that I do nothing on my own, but I say only what the Father taught Me. ”

Disdaining God’s Way

When God’s chosen people were enslaved in Egypt, they called out to God, and He delivered them through His servant Moses.  But even after being delivered, they continued to need God’s saving help and call out to Him - when they were pursued by Pharaoh, and made the crossing at the Red Sea, when they had no food, and God gave them Manna, when they had no water, and God gave them water from the rock.

At Mount Hor, the Israelites disdained God’s sufficient grace and His chosen means of providing for them.  They couldn’t really say that God had abandoned them - there were too many counter-proofs!  But they could say God wasn’t giving them what they wanted, and so they complained against His Providence.

And so, in punishment, they were plagued by serpents, and only when they recognized their sinfulness, did God use a sign of their sinfulness (the bronze serpent) to heal them.  Centuries later, God raised up the sign of His Son’s Cross as the definitive remedy for all sin - when we recognize the times we have disdained God’s grace and His will because things aren’t the way we want them to be, our sinfulness can only be healed by the saving power of His Cross!

Daily Retreat 03/10/08

2008 Mar 10 Mon: Lenten Weekday
Dn 13: 1-9. 15-17. 19-30. 33-62 or 13: 41c-62/ Ps 22(23): 1-3a. 3b-4. 5. 6/ Jn 8: 1-11

From today’s readings:  “The whole assembly cried aloud, blessing God who saves those who hope in Him....  The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want....  Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her....”

Suppressed Consciences

The first reading from the Book of Daniel is, aside from the Gospel narratives of the Passion, the longest text in the lectionary!  The intriguing story of Susanna offers many points of reflection: Daniel’s brave initiative in standing alone against the evil of the day, Susanna’s unshakeable trust in God and her heroic refusal to commit a sin, even while under duress.  But, allow me to concentrate, for a moment, on the “bad guys,” those wicked elders who coveted Susanna’s beauty, then lied under oath in testifying against her, thus securing her sentence of execution when she refused to cooperate with their immorality.

“They suppressed their consciences; they would not allow their eyes to look to heaven, and did not keep in mind just judgments.”   Sacred Scripture states explicitly how such evil came about - it was a clear matter of suppressed, or dulled consciences.  When even a good person deliberately ignores or shuts up the voice of conscience, horrible and habitual sins are bound to follow.

One of the whole purposes for the season of Lent is to “tune up” our consciences.  First of all, we need to honestly examine our conscience, and repent of all the times we have ignored or suppressed that inner voice that’s meant to keep us on the right track.  But, that is not enough - we also need to develop our consciences by studying scripture and all the moral teaching of the Church, so that when we’re faced with temptation, whether it be subtle or overt, our conscience can clearly provide guidance for our will to make the right choice!

Daily Retreat 03/09/08

2008 Mar 9 SUN: FIFTH SUNDAY OF LENT. Third Scrutiny of the Elect.
Ez 37: 12-14/ Ps 129(130): 1-2. 3-4. 5-6. 7-8/ Rom 8: 8-11/ Jn 11: 1-45

From today’s readings: “Thus says the Lord GOD: O My people, I will open your graves and have you rise from them....  With the Lord there is mercy and fullness of redemption....   If Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the spirit is alive because of righteousness....  Now a man was ill, Lazarus from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha....”

The Time Left

Are there not twelve hours in the day?  And are there not 40 days in this annual spiritual retreat of the Church which we call the holy season of Lent?  Ah, now that I brought that up, I have another question for you: of the following three possibilities, which most accurately describes you:

1.  Although I am vaguely aware that this is the season of Lent, I must honestly admit that this fact has very little practical meaning in my life.

2.  I know it’s Lent, and I’ve had enough of it, and I can’t wait for it to finish.

3.  During this joyful season of Lent, I am striving to participate as much as possible in this annual retreat of the Church.  I am finding concrete ways to put into practice Ash Wednesday’s Gospel call to penance in the 3 forms of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.  I am owning up to my sins, and repenting of them, turning to the Lord for the forgiveness He grants through the sacrament of confession.

My friends, if the grace of this holy season is not yet permeating your whole life, if Lent has so far had very little practical meaning in your life, I have good news for you - it’s not too late! There’s still a fourth of this holy season remaining.  Hearken to the words of St. Paul: now is the acceptable time, now is the day of salvation!  Rend your hearts, open them up so that the Spirit of God can fill them!  Take even a baby step today in committing yourself to penance: find an extra five minutes a day for some extra prayer; fast this week and next by committing yourself to a plain and simple diet, or make a sacrifice by abstaining from your favorite leisure activity; find a concrete way to help someone, even just one person, less fortunate than yourself.  Take up the offer, the warmest invitation and most ardent encouragement to receive the sacrament of confession in the remaining days of Lent.  No excuse if you’ve forgotten HOW - just mention to your priest that you need a little help, and he will be happy to explain HOW TO.  Now is the acceptable time, now is the day of salvation!

If, on the other hand, anyone already feels tired of this holy season, and is just waiting for it to end, this is a sure sign that his observance of Lent is superficial - he needs dive fully into the living waters we heard Jesus promise in the Gospel two weeks ago.  He needs enlightenment from Him Who presented Himself as the “Light of the World” in the Gospel last week.  He needs to wake from his slumber to embrace wholeheartedly the Resurrection and the Life!

Aren’t there twelve hours in a day?  Aren’t there 40 days in Lent?  My friends, what are you going to do with the 10 days that remain for you?

Daily Retreat 03/08/08

2008 Mar 8 Sat: Lenten Weekday/ John of God, rf
Jer 11: 18-20/ Ps 7: 2-3. 9bc-10. 11-12/ Jn 7: 40-53

From today’s readings:  “I knew their plot because the LORD informed me; at that time you, O LORD, showed me their doings....  O Lord, my God, in you I take refuge....  Never before has anyone spoken like this Man.”

Innocence instead of gullibility

The innocence of Christ shrines particularly brightly throughout His passion.  Remember, Jesus was not blinded in the least by ignorance or naivete - His own detailed predictions of His passion (cf. Mk 8:31, 9:31, 10:33, etc.) and His penetrating insights into human hearts (cf. John 2:25) rule out those possibilities.

Yet He was like the “trusting lamb led to slaughter,” but not because He trusted vainly in man, rather, because He trusted valiantly in His Father’s plan.  In living out our own Christian faith, we are to imitate Christ in that element of innocence, but that’s not at all to say that we should deliberately be dull-witted, gullible or obtuse - quite the contrary, for none of those traits are seen in Christ, so being such couldn’t possibly be Christ-like!

Daily Retreat 03/07/08

2008 Mar 7 Fri: Lenten Weekday/ Perpetua and Felicity, mts.
Wis 2: 1a. 12-22/ Ps 33(34): 17-18. 19-20. 21 and 23/ Jn 7: 1-2. 10. 25-30

From today’s readings:  “Their wickedness blinded them, and they knew not the hidden counsels of God....  The LORD is close to the brokenhearted....  they tried to arrest Him, but no one laid a hand upon Him, because His hour had not yet come...”

Just One

Sometimes, scripture offers an insight into wickedness - not to encourage us in that path, of course, but rather, just to help us to see evil plainly, and then, with the help of God, uproot it from our lives.

The first reading, from the book of Wisdom, presents the thought process of those wicked men who determine to “beset the just One, because He is obnoxious to us.”   Clearly, their description of the “just One” prophetically fits Jesus perfectly, and all the evil schemes mentioned were carried out against our Lord literally, for they “put Him to the test with revilement and torture,” and “condemn[ed] Him to a shameful death.”  

As repulsive as such blatant wickedness is to us, we do well to thoroughly examine our consciences for any traces of such thoughts before quickly and self-righteously assuming that scripture is not at all referring to us here.  For it is a matter of our fallen human nature that, too often when you and I hear about or come in contact with a person living a more virtuous life than we ourselves have lived, instead of being inspired by such moral excellence, we are miffed by the contrast with our own failings, and so we seek to throw aspersions of hypocrisy or undercut the impressiveness of the “just one’s” virtue in some other way.

For example, I’ve noted times in the past when, after I’ve come across a person who is much more scrupulous about speed limits than I am, or more generous in personal willingness to give others the benefit of the doubt, that I’ll find myself either pitying such a person’s naivete, or calling to mind some apparent character flaw, thereby distracting me from acting on the pricks to my own conscience.   Then too, I’ve often marveled at how many people will become hotly self-defensive or coldly aloof when I even obliquely, and in an unthreatening impersonal manner, bring up topics such as confession or contraception.

So, scripture warns us against being blinded by our own iniquities - rather, we need to be continually enlightened by the splendor of truth and virtue, whether the example comes from the pages of the Bible, or from the lives of saints and contemporary “just ones” God sends to inspire us.

Daily Retreat 03/06/08

2008 Mar 6 Thu: Lenten Weekday
Ex 32: 7-14/ Ps 105(106): 19-20. 21-22. 23/ Jn 5: 31-47

From today’s readings:  “They have soon turned aside from the way I pointed out to them, making for themselves a molten calf and worshiping it, sacrificing to it ....  They exchanged their glory for the image of a grass-eating bullock....  But you do not want to come to Me to have life.....”

Poor Exchange

Idolatry is obviously idiotic - it seems incomprehensible that anyone would commit such a stupid sin as those Israelites did who turned away from the Lord and, as summarized in the psalm, “They exchanged their glory for the image of a grass-eating bullock!”  What a poor exchange!

And yet, even though it might be hard to find many people worshiping molten calves today, we would be sadly mistaken to boast that in our “enlightened” age, there are no transgressions against the first commandment.  On the contrary, in fact, there are many sins of idolatry in our age, because whenever anyone treats a thing or another person as more important than God, then the Lord’s rightful place  has effectively been displaced by a modern variant of the “grass-eating bullock.”

So, for instance, if a person is willing to make formidable sacrifices in order to get ahead in his career, yet contents himself with the flimsiest excuses for missing Mass, or not praying daily, or dismissing charitable appeals, can it not be said that such a person treats his career as his god?  Or, if a person is fanatical in his patriotism, but lukewarm in his faith, then clearly, his priorities prove  his allegiance is not first to God!

Look closely at how you spend your time, energy, and money - is your offering of these things directed to the one true God, or to some contemporary reincarnation of a molten calf?

Daily Retreat 03/05/08

2008 Mar 5 Wed: Lenten Weekday
Is 49: 8-15/ Ps 144(145): 8-9. 13cd-14. 17-18/ Jn 5: 17-30

From today’s readings:  “Can a mother forget her infant, be without tenderness for the child of her womb? Even should she forget, I will never forget you!...  The LORD is near to all who call upon Him....  the hour is coming in which all who are in the tombs will hear His voice and will come out, those who have done good deeds to the resurrection of life, but those who have done wicked deeds to the resurrection of condemnation.”

Forsaken or Forgotten by the Lord?

When times are tough, it’s easy to complain about practically every little thing, because even small problems, darkened with the shadow of larger problems, can seem so formidable.  Following this tendency to its illogical extreme, people in adversities have been known to discount their blessings and even feel abandoned by God Himself.

Historically, this very sentiment has arisen in the heart of God’s chosen people in times of national calamity.  In the book of the prophet Isaiah, to Zion’s plaintive complaint, “The LORD has forsaken me; my Lord has forgotten me,” the reply comes from God, “Can a mother forget her infant, be without tenderness for the child of her womb? Even should she forget, I will never forget you!”    

It is, in fact, especially in time of turmoil that our reliance on the Lord is most patently demonstrated.  So whether we’re faced with personal afflictions and hardships, or whether it’s the more general dismay provoked by the prominent presence of Evil in the world, rather than seeing these as signs that the Lord has forsaken and forgotten us, we can and must recognize God’s presence among us precisely in these times we need Him most, for if He were not upholding us, we would already have been overcome by Evil’s adversities long ago.  Indeed, “the LORD is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth!”

Daily Retreat 03/04/08

2008 Mar 4 Tue: Lenten Weekday/ Casimir
Ez 47: 1-9. 12/ Ps 45(46): 2-3. 5-6. 8-9/ Jn 5: 1-16

From today’s readings:  “I saw water flowing out from beneath the threshold of the temple toward the east....  There is a stream whose runlets gladden the city of God, the holy dwelling of the Most High....  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.”

Holy Water

Ezekiel’s vision of water flooding from out of the Temple at first seems confusing - why in the world would so much water flow from the House of God?

For Christians, though, since water immediately makes one think of Baptism, specifying the sanctuary as the source of this life-giving water cinches the matter - Ezekiel’s vision is an allegorical depiction of the saving waters of Baptism!

In fact, the whole season of Lent originated in the preparation of catechumens for Easter Baptism.  The forty days Jesus had spent praying and fasting in the desert was the inspiration for the length of Lent, and because the catechumens were so exemplary in their commitment to prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, it wasn’t long before the whole Church decided to commit also to this penitential time, and so the Easter liturgy includes not just the Baptism of the elect, but also the renewal of baptismal promises for all the children of God, who then joyfully sing together the opening verses of Ezekiel’s vision!

Daily Retreat 03/03/08

2008 Mar 3 Mon: Lenten Weekday/ Katharine Drexel, v, rf
Is 65: 17-21/ Ps 29(30): 2 and 4. 5-6. 11-12a and 13b/ Jn 4: 43-54.

From today’s readings:  “Thus says the LORD: Lo, I am about to create new heavens and a new earth....  I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me....  Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will not believe.”

What’s New?

There is so much beauty in creation to give thanks to God for, and yet the pervasive pollution of sin has contaminated so much, one can wonder if there’s anyplace left unscarred by evil!

But it is the Lord’s ambitious plan to go beyond a mere cleanup operation, for as we read in the book of Isaiah: Thus says the LORD: “Lo, I am about to create new heavens and a new earth; The things of the past shall not be remembered or come to mind. Instead, there shall always be rejoicing and happiness in what I create; For I create Jerusalem to be a joy and its people to be a delight; I will rejoice in Jerusalem and exult in My people!”

This glorious promise is echoed in the New Testament (e.g., 2 Pet 3:13, Rev 21:1), so we should never see the task of cooperating with God’s work as too daunting  - when the Lord completes His new creation, there shall be the complete end of evil, suffering, and sadness....

Daily Retreat 03/02/08

2008 Mar 2 SUN: FOURTH SUNDAY OF LENT. Second Scrutiny of the Elect.
1 Sm 16: 1b. 6-7. 10-13a/ Ps 22(23): 1-3a. 3b-4. 5. 6 (1)/ Eph 5: 8-14/ Jn 9: 1-41

From today’s readings: “Not as man sees does God see, because man sees the appearance but the LORD looks into the heart....  The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want....  Live as children of light, for light produces every kind of goodness and righteousness and truth....  If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you are saying, ‘We see,’ so your sin remains.”

See What I Mean?

Of the body’s five senses, seeing is clearly our most developed and most crucial sense.  We seldom follow our nose, unless, of course, it’s leading us to those fascinating affairs of our neighbors which really are none of our business.  We certainly savor our taste, but even the blandest diet need not make life itself insipid.  The world would decidedly be less musical if we lost our hearing, but if we had to, we could see our way through that.  Our sense of touch is obviously omnipresent, and thus more essential than we probably realize, but it doesn’t provide us with the same depth of sensory data that comes from our sight.

But how dark life would be if we could not see!  If day were as colorless as night, how we would long for the blessing of sight!  And yet, the scriptures argue that there’s something worse than blindness in the eyes, and that would be, blindness in the heart!

In the first reading, God reminds His prophet not to make a hasty approval based on Eliab’s sightly impression, for the LORD said to Samuel: “Do not judge from his appearance or from his lofty stature, because I have rejected him. Not as man sees does God see, because man sees the appearance but the LORD looks into the heart.”  And the heart, for its part, looks for the Lord!

The second reading too, urges us to “Live as children of light, for light produces every kind of goodness and righteousness and truth.”    Such virtuous things aren’t the result of physical photosynthesis, but they are cultivated by the sunlight of God’s saving revelation that shines in the heart who learn what is pleasing to the Lord.

Chapter Nine of John’s  Gospel focuses on that man born blind who saw the light, not just the light of day, but Jesus, the true Light of the World!  But the illuminating and enlightening account ends with a very dark warning to the Pharisees, when Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you are saying, 'We see,' so your sin remains.”

It’s clearly easy for you and me also to say, “We see!” but do we?   Do you and I see all the Lord endeavors to show us?  Or do we see only what we want to see from Him?   For His light reveals not only the colors of the world, but also the true color of our hearts, and whatever sin and selfishness might be lurking there.  But as hard as it is, we need to expose our hearts fully to the Light of Christ, which alone drives out the fruitless deeds of darkness.   "Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light."