Lent 4

The rod of Asclepius, with a single snake entwined upon the staff, remains a symbol used in modern medicine. Its biblical likeness as the bronze serpent lifted up on a pole is the sign of God’s saving power during the Exodus when the people of Israel had rebelled against the Lord and he sent seraph serpents among them as a punishment. In the Gospel of John the victory of God’s saving action is not a symbolic serpent, but the Son of Man who is lifted up on the cross. The self-offering of Christ is the ultimate victory over death. The Gospel reminds us: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.”

Lent 3

As each Lenten Sunday draws us nearer to Holy Week and Easter, the scriptures urge us to measure ourselves against the mysteries we celebrate so we can be better, grow in God more deeply and believe more fully – both as individuals and as a community.

A wonderful word that comes to mind is zeal. Zeal is that passionate driving force that can enflame a person’s heart and motivate one to give great effort. I am sure the disciples recalled the words of Psalm 69 when they saw Jesus cleansing the Temple, “Zeal for your house will consume me.” We are at the midpoint of Lent and maybe some of our initial enthusiasm and zeal for the traditional practice of prayer, fasting and almsgiving have worn off a bit. The zealousness of Jesus for setting things aright might serve to encourage us and help us renew our own zeal this week.

Lent 2

I have had the opportunity to go up Mt. Tabor, the mountain on which Jesus was transfigured. It was quite an adventure. The mountain is steep and thus preventing a bus to travel up it. What is needed is a strong-powered taxi. The road zigs and zags going up the mountain and there is no guard rail. To add to the adventure the taxi driver who only speaks Arabic is looking at the passengers and speaking to them while he drives up the perilous road. When one finally arrives at the top there is a beautiful panoramic view of the countryside below. There is also a beautiful church built in honor of the Transfiguration. I am sure Peter, James and John got to see the same beautiful sight as well. They also saw an amazing sight when Jesus was transfigured before them. We may never get a chance to go up Mt. Tabor to see the face of Jesus transformed, but our Lenten acts of kindness and almsgiving will transform the faces of those around us who are Christ present among us.

Lent 1

Today my father turns 91 years old. He turns another year. God has given him some more time to serve him. For ourselves we have come to another Lent. We have received another season of Lent of striving in the battle against evil, knowing that we always will fall short of our goal of perfection. But this is not a day to throw up our hands in despair. If we truly believe in the Incarnation – that the Word took on our human flesh so completely that he is one of us – then we are filled with hope this day. For our Gospel tells us that Jesus – the human Christ – battled temptation and overcame the tricks of Satan. And with the support of one another and with faith in God, we can do the same. Just as my father celebrates the anniversary of his birth, he has been given an extension in his life to do more for God. So as we journey through this season of Lent let us know also that God will help us become closer to him.

Ordinary Time 7

On Ash Wednesday, we begin the season of Lent by receiving ashes on our forehead. Receiving ashes in the shape of a cross identifies us as a disciple of Jesus Christ. The ashes also serve as reminders of human mortality and the need for repentance and change in our lives. This day is a time for fasting and abstaining from meat. We begin the forty-day season of Lent by keeping our sights on Jesus’ victory over death on Easter. Lent is a time for change - changing our lives to be more Christ-like. Lent is a time when we make space in our lives to think about our relationship with our heavenly Father and the ways in which we are responding or failing to respond to his love and care for us. This desire to change our lives toward God and away from sin finds outward expression in various ways: prayer, fasting, almsgiving, reading the Bible, praying the Rosary, following the Stations of the Cross, going to the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

This Lent when we receive ashes, keep in mind that it is an invitation to repent, a challenge to grow closer to the Lord and a gentle reminder that our time on earth is limited.

Ordinary Time 6

Leprosy, in the ancient world, meant being cut off from contact with the human community. The leper who approached Jesus in today’s Gospel would have borne the shame and isolation of this disease beyond what most of us might imagine. The leper’s faith in Jesus was grounded in his desire to be in a right relationship with God. “Moved with pity,” Jesus made the leper clean.

How do we imitate Jesus in our lives? Who are the despised among us? Who are the overlooked among us today? Whom do we fear because of who they are?

Some possible ways we can overcome the lepers of today are to pray for those who mistreat us, forgive someone, especially someone who is a “leper” in our life, or resolve that we will say something complimentary to someone every day. By being Christ-like, we can bring healing to those around us that may feel they are lepers.

Ordinary Time 5

In my nearly 25 years of ministry, I have been called many times to visit and pray for the sick. We all seek healing. I know how my arthritis is slowing me down, and how good it is to turn to Jesus in prayer for healing. When illness strikes us or a close relative or friend, we may want Jesus to come with immediate healing. Often, in illness, people deepen their own prayer-life and their relationship with God.

But our Gospel story this weekend suggest that Jesus takes a different approach to sickness. When everyone is looking for him, Jesus simply tells his disciples, “Let us go to the nearby villages that I may preach there also.” Jesus’ activity is less about healing, than it is about announcing the good news. In our quest for healing we discover what “good news” is for us as we draw closer to God. We are invited to consider our own response to difficulties of life and to examine how we can help others cope with their struggles. This is truly following Jesus.