Trust His Vision

The way we see things and the picture which is clear to God are not the same. The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today remand us that we are not God. Friar Jude Winkler comments that the description given to the reader in this passage of the book of the Prophet Isaiah comes from the third part of this book which was written after the return from the exile in Babylon. Jerusalem is desolate and destroyed. The Prophet tells the people that God will create (using a verb which means from nothing) a new heaven and a new earth in and through the restoration of Jerusalem. The vision from God is a rich place where people live long lives. The people will need to restore their faith and trust in God to realize this vision. The Gospel from John is inspiration to Susan Tinley of Creighton University to put herself in the place of the official in Cana who requests healing for his son. Parents do pray for their children and grandchildren. We, like the Roman official, see areas where they could benefit from the help of God. The request that Jesus makes to the parent in the Gospel, he makes to us. Our faith is requested to understand that God loves our children and grandchildren even more than we and God only desires what is best for them. This trust in God is not always easy. The relationships in which we experience life are blessed and given grace by God. He will continue to Love when we slip into selfish motivation. Thank God.  

Witness Our Healing

The Roman Catholic Lectionary today opens our mind to texts which reveal the tendencies of our nature to see what we want to see and reject that which challenges our comfort with the way things are. The passage from the Book of Samuel describes the anointing of the youngest and least likely of the sons of Jesse, David, to be become the next King of Israel. The Prophet Samuel learns and teaches that God does not judge by appearance but sees the human heart. Friar Jude Winkler extends the theme of the inability to see to the comparison of life in the light and sin in the dark which is delivered to the Ephesians by Paul. Perhaps a great misconception of believers is that the actions which we keep to ourselves are not visible to others. We might concede that there are no secrets from God but we are not convinced that the deeds we keep secret find their way into the habits and actions of our visible life. Our witness to the healing which is happening in our lives through our relationship with Jesus can bring even more light and life to others when we are can see how our whole self is called to serve the well being of others. Our witness is to a world which largely does judge by appearance and which has constructed the modern nation state to adjudicate the right and wrong or the economically responsible way to bring physical healing, housing, food and sustenance to our brothers and sisters. Gerald Darring of St Louis University notes the social justice blindness which causes us to not recognize people because of our comfort with the stereotypes provided by our culture. Gary DeLashmutt sees in the development of the witness of the man born blind to the action of Jesus as a clear call for us to be witness to the healing Jesus brings to our life and vision.  Paddy Gilger, S.J. of CreightonUniversity identifies the trial and rejection which we may face as we stand with and in Jesus to bring truth and light to life events. Friar Jude comments that this passage from the Gospel from John shows a Christology where Jesus is presented first as a man who healed and finally in self declaration as I AM, the Hebrew Testament naming of God. The certainty that Jesus accompanies the witness from healing, through expulsion from the synagogue, to disciple of truth and Love gives us strength to step into the light.

Sinner leads

Today the texts of the Roman Catholic Lectionary invite us to join Jorge Mario Bergoglio, Pope Francis, in proclaiming our person as simply, "I am a sinner." The reality of sin in the world is not difficult to confirm. Our twitter feed or our news update certainly can show events of genocide, oppression and treatment of our brothers and sisters in ways which are far from the Golden Rule which always seeks the good of others for their sake. We sometimes interpret the teaching of Jesus about our relationship to others as work of the intervention of God rather than our way of experiencing and witnessing to the power of God in our lives to act for others. Friar Jude Winkler comments that the text in the passage from the Prophet Hosea indicates that God intervenes after a period of three days. The three day symbolism is predictive of Jesus passion yet the question of when God intervenes is real and difficult for believers. The tension between the action of God which is always for our best interests and the transformation of ourfocus and motivation to be in accord with the Will of God takes time. The humility of the tax collector described in the Gospel of Luke today reminds JayCarney of Creighton University of the dangers of religiosity as demonstrated by the Pharisee, observant to the forms, traditions and liturgies of the Temple, but without the deep insight of the tax collector and the Pope that we struggle in sin which requires our transformation through living in the Body of Christ to see the work we must do for the benefit of all our brothers and sisters with whom we live daily.

Faithful in Love

The Roman Catholic Lectionary today traces the Law of Love from Jesus words to the Scribe in the Gospel of Mark to the Shema prayer of Deuteronomy 6:4-9. Friar Jude Winkler expands loving God with our whole heart in our modern understanding of our whole intellect, our soul today is our whole life, our strength is our whole possessions and our mind is our conscience. There is no space of our being which the Great Commandment does not call to be used in Love of God. Joe Simmons, S.J of Creighton University comments on the teaching of Pope Francis in his letter, Evangelii Gaudium, that reminds us to demonstrate the Love we know in God through the Love we share with those we encounter daily. The Prophet Hosea, in the text from the Hebrew Testament today, describes with images of beauty and splendor, the welcome God has for those of Israel who would turn from their idols and time spend accumulating wealth to reunite themselves with the Law of Love, which like Hosea’s continuous forgiveness of his adulterous wife, Gomer, is expressed in attending to the needs of our brothers and sisters.

Stiff neck again

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today present the stubbornness of our predecessors in the faith to live directed by the Will of God. Patrick Borchers of Creighton University shares his childhood confusion as to why anyone would harden their hearts to God as he listens to the refrain of the psalmist today. The history of our relationship with God seems to show alternating patterns of moving toward and moving away from spiritual practice and discipline which seems to be necessary for our human nature to stay tuned to the guidance of God. The passage from the Book of the Prophet Jeremiah laments the failure of the people to trust in Providence as the threat of the Assyrian conquerors came against Judah. Jeremiah sought to reverse the choice of the people to live without attending to the practices which marked them as the Chosen People of God. The Gospel from Luke makes it clear that we cannot seek or find community life and spiritual health in two different directions. The Law of Love and Living as the Body of Christ is not compatible with following prescriptions for success which ignore the other and pretend that the health of the foot is not important to the head. The Christian community which practices Eucharistic intimacy as the Body of Christ is transforming to live Christ-like relationships with everyone. The decision to take this direction requires healing of our stiff necks once again.

Laws of the Kingdom of heaven

The texts today from the Roman CatholicLectionary remind us of the ancient understanding that the laws and ordinances which God offers to humanity are our most fundamental guides for life. The Book of Deuteronomy declares that the nations of the world will look to the People of God as being blessed by a gift. Friar Jude Winkler comments that the peoples of the ancient world were often aligned with gods of superstition who required homage and unknown tribute from them. The greatest commandment of Deuteronomy 6:4 which calls Israel to love God with all our heart, soul and might is cited in texts in the Christian Testament. Nate Romano, S.J. of Creighton University who works in the court system of the United States expresses difficulty with the praise offered today by the psalmist for laws and decrees. Our implementation of bureaucratic law by broken humanity struggles at time to achieve justice and satisfaction for those involved. The Law of Love which Moses introduces offers a Divine Covenant through which we learn in relationship with God how to fulfill the Law. The Gospel from Matthew, written to a Jewish Christian audience, proclaims Jesus as the fulfillment of the Law. Friar Jude explains that we are exhorted by Jesus to understand that the Law against murder is a decree which challenges us to control our anger. Pope Francis is exhorting Christians to find new joy in the Gospel message. DavidDean of the Atlantic School of Theology has described the methodology of Francis as a renewal of our hearts based on our practice of being Eucharistic communities. As we seek the transformation of the person which the Love of the Eucharist brings we become what we are, the Body of Christ. This Body lives in Christ and thrives in this relationship to be communities which the peoples of the world can observe and praise God for the gift of Law Fulfilled in Action.

Annunciation and our yes

The texts today from the Roman Catholic Lectionary invite us to be transformed into believers who are open to living the Will of God in our lives. The prophet Isaiah provides an illustration of the difficulty we have in giving up our plan as he tells of the decision of Ahaz of Judah to refuse to seek the Will of God in the situation facing Judah as political threats of domination from foreign people in Syria and Israel threaten his power. His decision, without considering the Will of God is to seek protection from Assyria in favour over seeking Divine Providence. Our patterns of decision making and social action can be too wrapped up in our traditions. Friar Jude Winkler comments that the letter to the Hebrews was written to Jewish Christians who were too Jewish. The blood sacrifices to infuse life (blood) where there was death or sin are not appropriate when Jesus as high priest, is the perfect sacrifice of Love of God for humanity. Embracing the salvation Will of God to Love humanity through our brotherhood with Jesus and the inspiration of the Holy Spirit is to move in holiness toward the fullness of grace which is present in Mary as she says “yes” to the Will of God in the text today from the Gospel of Luke. Mary is, to be sure, our model for acceptance and invitation to faithfully respond to the word of God in our lives.  Mary’s discerning response to Gabriel’s announcement models for us our acceptance of God’s invitations in our own unique circumstances comments Tom Shanahan, S.J of Creighton University. The natural fear of stepping into the unknown requires us hear the assurance of angel Gabriel that the Lord is with us. We are what we become, that is the Body of Christ, when we encounter His Presence and let the Holy Spirit overshadow our self serving motives to transform us in love and service to being “yes” men and woman in the mode of Mother Mary.

Humbly hear and see

The commander of the army in Damascus has leprosy and the slave girl captured from Israel advises him to go to the Prophet Elisha for healing in the passages from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today. FriarJude Winkler notes that the traditional Middle East hospitality is not shown the military man as Elisha remains in his dwelling and gives the Syrian instructions to wash in the muddy creek which was the Jordan River. Jeanne Schuler ofCreighton University picks up the necessary humility which the commander reluctantly accepts to bare himself in front of his slaves from whom he has accepted correction for his pride and receive the healing which is attributed to Yahweh. Our preconceived notions of the way things are or should be are an obstacle to our ability to see how God is able to enter our lives with transformative power. Jesus, in the passage from the Gospel written by the Gentile Luke, astounds the people in the synagogue of His home town, Nazareth, with the assertion that the transformative mission given Israel by the Prophet Isaiah is meant for all peoples and that he in their midst is the Messianic Servant of God who is called today as Prophet to bring the promises to fulfillment. Our faith requires us to trust that we are agents of the mission of God to transform the world. We are tempted by our contentment with the status quo to treat the truth of our baptismal role as prophet as being improbable. Humility and the willingness to hear and see the Word among us in the people of our lives are attitudes we can practice so that the life giving instructions from Jesus will be witnessed in our daily action.

Speaking at our place

The Roman Catholic Lectionary for the third Sunday in Lent contains the Gospel passage from John which tells of Jesus encounter at the well of Jacob with a Samaritan woman. The “Scrutinies” are a rite celebrated today as part of the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults which uses this Gospel as instruction for those wishing to be baptized at Easter. Water, life, faith and trust are themes for today as we hear the psalmist implore us not to harden our hearts as Moses did at Meribah and Massah where his manner of bringing forth water for the complaining Israelites was sufficiently lacking in faith that, as Friar Jude Winkler notes, he was prohibited, according to rabbinic teaching, from entering the Promised Land. Paul proclaims to the Romans that our justification before God is in our faith and trust that the Love shown by Jesus and confirmed in us and Paul through our experience of the in dwelling Holy Spirit which Dick Hauser, S.J. of CreightonUniversity notes was poured into Paul’s heart,  totally  unexpected  and totally unmerited.  So dramatic was this experience for Paul that later he refers to it as a “new creation." The Gospel tells us that Jesus stopped at a well in Samaria as He journeyed from Judea to Galilee. Friar Jude comments that the well is the traditional place for Jewish men to find a wife. Our understanding of Church today is as the bride of Christ. Jesus encounters the thirst of the Samaritan woman for God and offers her life in intimate relationship with Love and Truth through the indwelling Spirit. Jesus is offering to become her seventh husband. The perfect number is seven and the dialogue between Jesus and the woman, a scandalous encounter to righteous Jews, opens hope within her that this might be the Messiah. Some scholars have noted how the “Samaritan Messiah”, The Taheb, is described as being like Moses. The similarity between Jesus, the new Moses, and the expectations for the Messiah is very high. In this Gospel, Jesus initiates an intimate encounter with a woman of an ethnic background rejected by the people of his culture and chooses her as His first missionary to gather  into Him those of the “white” harvest, Samaritans wearing their traditional white clothes, who were those despised by and outcast from the Jewish culture. Our contemplation of this episode in Jesus mission should soften our hearts to expand our family to the others we neglect or ignore.

Three mirrors of our life

The texts from the Roman CatholicLectionary today are brought to our consideration of kindness and mercy by the thoughts of Charlie Wester of Creighton University about which roles we adopt in life which are mirrored in the people in Parable of the Prodigal Son. We may use our imagination to speculate on what happened before the youngest son leaves with his inheritance and what happened after the elder son rejected the invitation of the Father to join the forgiveness celebration. Friar JudeWinkler tells us that Micah, who provides the text from the Hebrew Testament today, was a contemporary of Isaiah. Our reading of salvation history from the time of Abraham shows a pattern of the People of God, like the younger son in the parable from the Gospel of Luke, time and again leaving the guidance and Presence of God to ”do it my way”. Micah and the psalmist today celebrate the mercy and forgiveness of God who remains faithful to His promises. Why would the younger son leave a family which is led by such a figure as the generous or “prodigal” father appears to be? Why did Israel and why do we answer self directed passions to do it by and for ourselves? Imagination permits us to consider that when we stand in the place of the father, we may not have always been forgiving, merciful and generous. Perhaps people have abandoned us because we set expectations based on what we need or expect from others. Perhaps we have people close to us who are being very patient as they put in time for the material benefits which are associated with our social and economic position. The depth of this parable may lead us to consider the selfishness of the younger son or the misplaced work ethic of the elder son. By identifying with a human father we may imagine that the mercy, patience and forgiveness that he shows his sons are the consequence of his experience of mercy and forgiveness from God who never forgets His Covenant Promise.

Betrayal and incredible consequence

As Friar Jude Winkler comments on the passages from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today which tell of betrayal and consequences we might be struck by decisions made which seem to be incredibly short sighted. The Book of Genesis tells us that the love which Jacob had for Joseph was greater than that he had for his others sons. The jealousy which prompted his brothers to consider killing Joseph and led to his sale as a slave into Egypt was either not visible to Jacob or was part of a cultural norm for fathers to declare preference for individual children. The experience of depth of family love is expressed by Susan Naatz of Creighton University as she reads this episode in the life of Joseph. The hope that siblings will be life for one another is shared by many parents. Friar Jude teases us with a synopsis of the how the story of Joseph does become life giving for all the sons of Jacob. The ways of the Divine perhaps are truly incredible and our growth is a call to be more open to possibilities which, at first, seem unreal. The parable of the Wicked Tenants from the Gospel of Matthew presents the incredible decision by the tenants to kill the heir in anticipation that the property would become theirs. The great self giving of the Heir, Jesus, is the forgiving offering of life to humanity. Our behaviour as wicked tenants clamouring to accumulate the riches for ourselves is brought to an incredible halt as Jesus invites us to be brother, sister and heir forgiving our passion to serve self and offering us Divine Presence in a universal and eternal family.

Practices for others

The texts today from the lectionary of the Roman CatholicChurch are quite compatible with the practices of Lent as identified by JoeZaborowski of Creighton University of prayer, fasting and almsgiving. The routine of Lenten observance has value to us in many ways. We are creatures who can get better at what we do through practice. The time in prayer is an opportunity for us to consider the life which God is calling us to live. The message which Friar Jude Winkler highlights from the passage in the Book of the Prophet Jeremiah is the exhortation to trust in the promises of God. We are warned that trust in human resolve or plans may lead us away from God. The picture created in the parable of poor Lazarus from the Gospel of Luke today is too often seen today in our cities in the contrast between those who have material wealth and those who line the streets in material poverty and homelessness. The traditional Lenten reflection mentioned by Joe Zaborowski that we are ashes and to ashes we will return may open our consciousness to who we are in the Jesus parable and how blind we might be to the God given dignity of those who live with us daily in our cities. So our practice as Christians is to be open to the action of God Incarnate in our being through the Holy Spirit. The physical touching and sensual experience of Jesus Presence in the Eucharistic celebration is the fulfillment of the wish not granted to the rich man in the parable. Jesus bridges the great gulf to bring us the water of life which is our participation in His Body. Our awareness of Divine Presence as the substance of life and the water which brings growth opens to us the possibility that we see all people as brothers and sisters of Christ, living because of a giving decision of the Divine to be faithful to promise and Covenant to be Present within them. The “other” is our opportunity to really live and to know the comfort of the bosom of Abraham through our invitation to be at the banquet next to Jesus as the beloved disciple. In this experience of intimacy with God, our grasp of those death dealing possessions, powers and privileges can be loosened through charity and self denial made real as our almsgiving and fasting.

Aware of family

An idea which is present in the documents of the Second Vatican Council is that the family is the basic Church wherein we come to know God. The texts today from the Roman Catholic Lectionary on the feast of Saint Joseph who was declared by Pius IX (1870) patron and protector of the universal family of the Church. This “silent man” moved, as noted in the Gospel of Matthew by Friar JudeWinkler, by a dream like his scriptural namesake Joseph, becomes the foster father of Jesus and takes on care of the Holy Family demonstrating the faith which Paul proclaims to the Romans brought righteousness to Abraham. Mary and Joseph, Friar Jude notes, were descendants of David who receives the promise from the prophet Nathan in the text from the Book of Samuel that he will be the first of a dynasty through which a Temple for the Lord within all people will be recognized. The Gospel passage from Luke allows us to see how the episode of Jesus spending time in the company of the scribes and teachers in the Temple is set as an opportunity for followers of Jesus to explore how deeply we really know Him. What are the ways in which, as Catie O'Malley of Creighton University asks that we set God up to tell him how he is supposed to work in our lives.

Phylacteries and Tassels

The Roman Catholic Lectionary today presents Jesus discussion of the phylacteries and tassels of the Pharisees in the passage from the Gospel of Matthew. Friar Jude Winkler tells us of the beginning of the mission of the Prophet Isaiah when he experiences the holiness of God in the Temple and is confronted with the difference between the holy life with God that his people and we are called to and the life which we lead which the Scripture text compares to that of Sodom and Gomorrah. Robert P. Heaney of CreightonUniversity encourages us to avoid the comfortable thinking that we are different from the people in the time of Isaiah and Jesus. The lack of justice for the oppressed and marginalized in our culture is there for our eyes to see. Heaney confronts us with our ability to be less charitable to those who have become outcast from our circles because of bad choices they made. The truth in prophesy of Isaiah is that God is Love for all regardless of the circumstances which place us apart from Him. Our turn around to follow Him to holiness is the direction in which we will be empowered to Love all. The notion of kinship in the Middle East in Jesus time, as now, is strong. Jesus calls us to attend to all as kin, “brothers and sisters”. The religious practice of phylacteries and tassels, noted in the YAHSWORD blog, is an aid to remind the wearer of the first place of God and the pursuit of holiness in our mind. This pursuit of holiness is in the humble service of the widow and orphan, marginalized and forgotten. The details of religious observance such as the design of garments are to reinforce that the work for God is to be done at the highest level of our attention. Creighton’s Heaney discusses some areas where modern Christians continue to lay heavy burdens on the brother and sisters that Jesus invites us too relate to as kin. He is encouraged, as we should be, by the non-judgmental approach he sees in the words of Pope Francis that our turn around may be near. 

Measure for measure

The invitation from God to live in relationship with those around us according to the Way which He models for us in our relationship with Jesus is always open for our acceptance. The texts today from the Roman Catholic Lectionary point to our awareness that we fall short of the model by our own decisions to be live disregarding the rod and staff of the Shepherd. Friar Jude Winkler comments on the penitential prayer from the Book of Daniel. The exile of the Hebrew people to foreign lands is the consequence of their decision not to hear the prophets and follow the Commandments of God. Patricia Soto of Creighton University is motivated by the text from the Gospel of Luke to seek Christ in the persons who we initially avoid because we are aware that in that relationship we will be called to exercise lack of judgment, patience, mercy and forgiveness. The gift which enables us to transcend our human limitations is recognized by Don Schwager as the Holy Spirit of God. Friar Jude reminds us that all the gifts of God are not our private possession. We are called to use them for others. The measure of our generosity is His Life, total giving

Present Light

The texts today from the Roman CatholicLectionary bring us in touch with the times in our lives when we experienced a certainty, a peace or an awareness of the Presence of God. Friar Jude Winkler comments that this gift is a moment of courage and encouragement. We may be overwhelmed in such a moment by thanksgiving. The passage from the Book of Genesis today takes us through the long tradition of being in the faith family of Abraham who heard the call of God to move and change and let the Will of God be the guide for his actions. This touchstone of faith is celebrated in the teaching of Paul about the centrality of trusting God beyond what our senses may tell us in being people who live well with and because of transcendence. The Gospel from Matthew relates the action of Jesus to reveal His Nature as the Light of God and the fulfillment of the Law and Prophets to the disciples identified by Friar Jude as the great apostles. Maureen McCann Waldron of CreightonUniversity reflects on the gift of the transcendent mountain top experiences as so important to Christians as we take on with courage the role of being Christ in the world. The pastoral advice in the second letter to Timothy today inviting us to share in the suffering for the Gospel through times of darkness and confusion with the sure faith that God is present in Jesus laying hands on us through those with whom we journey up the mountains and down again to the new lands which He shows us. We hear the psalmist reassuring praise Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us, even as we hope in you. (Psalm 33:22).

Holy people in perfect Love

The happiness expressed by the psalmist in the texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today is for those who walk in the Law of the Lord. These keep His decrees and seek Him with all their heart. Friar Jude Winkler notes that the Book of Deuteronomy, from which the passage today celebrates the acceptance of the Covenant by the people, has the theme of our decision to accept from God one of two paths for our lives. We can choose life and live to become a holy people or we can choose to serve ourselves and be consumed in the isolation of separation from God as we put our passions, power and privilege first. The Gospel from Matthew is part of Jesus Sermon on the Mount where He examines the Law of Moses and offers His direction on how that Law is fulfilled. Kyle Shinseki, S.J. of Creighton University reflects on how Ignatius taught that we need to break down spiritual barriers between “us” and “them” if we are to journey to being the people holy to the Lord who loves all and instructs us in Jesus words to love our enemies. We, like Kyle Shinseki, may not find enemies in the people with whom we associate. We need to ask who it is that is separated from us by barriers we have erected. These barriers may have been placed there to avoid conflict. We may have seen ourselves as different as or better than those across the barrier. The sign to the world of Jesus Life is to destroy the barriers in witness to Love which is for all. We need to hear the theme in Pope Francis exhortation that the weeds and the wheat grow together. Richard Beck reflects on the Gospel (Matthew 13.24-30) parable which encourages us to let the weeds and wheat grow together and sees in the Greek translation a call to be forgiving to those who we see as the weeds. We rush to a judgment which is not the decision of God when we attempt to separate good and bad before the harvest.

Gehenna justice and mercy

The Roman Catholic Lectionary today invites us to reflect on justice and interpretation of the Law. The passage from the Prophet Ezekiel in the Hebrew Testament addresses the nature of justice in the eyes of God. Friar JudeWinkler comments that the punishment we experience for our sin is the consequence of our choice to move away from the direction set by God. The reasoning of this passage seems to indicate that those who know the life of Love they are rejecting to choose the self serving focus and isolation of sin are acting in a most reprehensible manner in the eyes of God. The death at least of the soul, if not the body, which accompanies the self serving decision is only defeated by the mercy of God toward all who turn from transgression to pursue holiness. The Gospel from Matthew today is an example to Luis Rodriguez, S.J.of Creighton University of the declaration that Jesus spoke with authority, not like their Scribes [Mk. 1:22]. The Law of Moses was interpreted by the Pharisees through many prescriptions on behaviour. Jesus presents the spirit of the Law and enumerates some examples of how we may kill our brothers with words and lack of forgiveness. The reference in this text to Gehenna ,in the valley of Hinnom near Jerusalem, may have been inspired by actually looking at the place of shame which, in Jesus time, had become a dump for the Temple. The Jewish heritage of the audience to whom Matthew wrote would inform them of the long history of desecration in this place of idol worship and of the teaching of the rabbis about the judgement of God on the people at death. In Christian Life, we are reminded that we need to be in loving relationship with our brothers and sisters as we seek to follow Jesus in holiness. From whom do I need forgiveness for my actions or omissions which have favored death over life? Who do I need to forgive for actions which stick to my consciousness as death dealing?

Pray to act

The texts today from the Roman CatholicLectionary include a passage from the Book of Ester. (It is likely that the text today is from the Greek text, not part of the Jewish or Reformed canon). This Book tells the story, which is remembered annually by the Jewish celebration of Purim, of the action of the Ester, Queen of Persia and a Jewess, to convince the King of Persia not to wipe out the Jewish people in an act of genocide which was advocated by one of the advisers to the king, Haman. Ester acts to accomplish this by prayer to “give her” the courage and knowledge to speak in persuasive tongue. Kirk Peck of Creighton University is struck by the desire of Ester to be active in the action requested in prayer from God. He notes that, in keeping with western civilization, we expect immediate gratification from our prayer. The Will of God in the situations of life is the direction we seek in prayer. Our attending to action in support of our understanding of this Will is our part in the process described by Jesus in the Gospel from Matthew today. The daily exegesis blog puts the text in the context of how we treat others as prescribed by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount. The prudence required of those who act as Jesus disciples is such that we need to avoid judgment of others (Matthew 7:1-5) and do to others as you would have them do to you (Matthew 7:12). The Ask, Search, and Knock section in this Gospel is the instruction list for Jesus disciples to acquire the peace, patience and wisdom to move and encounter people according to the Will of God. The psalmist declares and we are invited to experience “When I called, you answered me; you built up strength within me” (Psalm 138:3)

Speaking the truth

The Sign of Jonah is the subject of the texts from the RomanCatholic Lectionary today. The Book of the Prophet Jonah is described by Friar Jude Winkler as more of a parable than prophesy. Jonah is called by God to prophesy to the people of Nineveh, the capital city of the Assyrian Empire who had occupied the land of the northern tribes of Israel. Friar Jude comments that the reluctance of Jonah to help the enemy was based on his desire for revenge. Kelly Tadeo Orbik of Creighton University reflects on the difficulty of living the prophet part of our Baptismal mission. We would like to see those who hurt or reject us “get your just deserts”. The other difficulty with being the prophet is the challenge of speaking the truth. Speaking truth to power has been very costly to the modern prophets cited by Kelly Tadeo Orbik. Jesus speaks to the people who demand a sign of the Presence of God in the passage from the Gospel of Luke. He cites the signs of Jonah and the Queen of Sheba. This episode also appears in the Gospel of Matthew (Matthew 12:38-40), where the difference in the text indicates that Matthew was using the story of Jonah three days in the belly of a whale to point to Jesus three days in the Tomb. Friar Jude uses the example of Jonah (and the Queen of Sheba) being outsiders as a sign to the questioners in Jesus time and to us that the messages of God come to us from all and even unexpected sources. Theses sources may be outside our orthodoxy. God is love of all. We must expect that the Word for our transformation may come from unexpected people at unusual and inconvenient times.

Will be done

The texts today from the Roman Catholic Lectionary invite us to be aware of the will of God in our daily experience. The Prophet Isaiah is clear that the Word of God is the means whereby the Will of God becomes action. Friar Jude Winkleroffers some background on the deep power which the people of Jewish tradition associate with the Word. The Word or Act or Deed of God makes present in some way a transformation of reality. This re-creating act is the reality we experience. It happens. The Gospel from Matthew is the instruction from Jesus, during the Sermon on the Mount, about how we should pray. Scholars have commented on the simplicity of these phrases, which Friar Jude contrasts with the recitation of many words in formula mode by the pagan religions of Jesus time. What are we to hear from God in this prayer? What action of transformation is the Word making real in us? Friar Jude finds intimacy, praise, surrender, providence, forgiveness and deliverance in this prayer. Some scholars have found the exegesis of this text leads them to wonder about specific references to Christianity or Judaism which seem to be missing. The flow of the prayer from what we have and experience to what we need to survive is a powerful daily reminder of our place and the mission to which we are invited as co creator and active witness to the power of the Word. Praise God.

Totally Other Behaviour

The moral code which is expressed in the Book of Leviticus from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today is based on being holy as God is holy. Friar Jude Winkler explains that the Hebrew understanding of God is as totally other. The people must aspire to be totally other like God in their everyday conduct. The many details of the application of the directions in Leviticus are towards behavior which is not expected or frequently witnessed in society. The keeping of the laws in too many situations seems to be based too much on the fear of punishment. We are not usually motivated to seek a dignity beyond ourselves as Moses implores us to do. Matthew relates Jesus telling a parable of separation of sheep and goats that become symbols of those blessed in eternity by the Father and those who are condemned to the company of the devil. Sheep and goats are described by StephenBroyles as ancient animal companions to the people of the Middle East.  Friar Jude notes that the social behavior of sheep in the flock shows consideration for other animals in the way they harvest grass and take water. Goats apparently are only concerned about getting all the grass and water they need for themselves at the moment. Too often we are goat like in our treatment of the resources of the world intended for the support of all. Cindy Murphy McMahon of Creighton University responds to the icy water of this judgment as she considers the depth of Jesus instruction to us to be brother and sister to the least of these members of His flock. The call to holiness as God is holy is continuous, daily and practical in service. The achievement of these goals is possible through our intimate communion with the Good Shepherd who guides us with His staff and His rod. 

Living Limitations

The texts today from the Roman Catholic Lectionary will introduce Lent to many at the Sunday Liturgy. The public witness of Pope Francis over the past year has prepared many to consider as James Martin SJtweets “This Lent, why not return to church? Does Pope Francis make you feel more welcome? That's God's welcome. Come home.” The text from the Book of Genesis takes us back to our spiritual beginnings. We are created in the image of God and Friar Jude Winkler reminds us of an ancient Jewish saying which states that angels call out in front of all humans for the honour due the creatures which image God. Our creation is as limited beings. Friar Jude teaches the sin of Adam and Eve as the failure to except the limits of our being and to be jealous of God and greater authority and power than is ours. The issue of our limitations is difficult to confront. What is the source of the sin in the world which is identified by Paul in his letter to the Romans other than our own decisions like Adam to take care of ourselves to the exclusion of and separation from others?  The free gift of Jesus from God to humanity is our peace and justification before and with the Creator. Many people have sought to get in deeper connection with the Spirit of God through meditation and fasting. Jan Schnack of Creighton University shares some of her practice of fasting to bring more time in the prayer of listening to God into her life. A reflection which compares the fasting and temptation of Jesus and Siddhartha brings us to two points for consideration. Fasting and physical calming open the body to hear the Spirit and the temptation to act outside our limitations and to be in charge are at the root of self aggrandizement which moves us to power, pride and privilege, sometimes with up front noble intentions, and away from the humility, hope and faith which puts the power in the hands and will of the Transcendent God who continues to invite us to be clearer pictures of His Image to the world.

Making a stretch

The texts from the Roman CatholicLectionary today return to the Book of the Prophet Isaiah to reinforce the call to believers to seek a conversion of heart and action as we are motivated by the season of Lent to follow Jesus more closely. Friar Jude Winkler invites us to hear the call of Isaiah about trampling the Sabbath as a query about our life style which may be too full of self and work to pause for the Day of the Lord and be restored and refocused. The pursuit of actions which are self serving is often a consequence of the isolation which is caused by sin. The Gospel from Luke, which Friar Jude notes is likely about the calling of the Evangelist Matthew, offers an example of Jesus method of breaking down the barriers of isolation which exist between people because of life choices or social and economic conditions. Molly O'Gorman Billings of Creighton Universityrecalls the action of a religious sister to get to know the isolated. Our comfort zone may need stretching to bring us into situations where we will encounter Jesus acting with us and through the other to become the light that rises in the darkness as a sign of hope and a confrontation of the isolation in which we sin and seek our own self aggrandizement. 

Transcend to Isaiah 58 living

The message of the texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today urges us to consider the deep implications and opportunities to draw closer to God through actions which place service of the poor, oppressed, disadvantaged and outcast as action in our daily life. Our practice of fasting is a discipline of cleansing. Barbara Dilly of Creighton University declares that the words from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah today really kick our butts. The situation which surrounded the people of Jerusalem when they returned from exile in Babylon is, according to Friar Jude Winkler, the background for the text today which was written at that time. The promise of a restored Jerusalem seems distant to the returnees. They are drawn to ritual fasting as a way to seek the support of God. This discipline of clearing out the distractions which come from our over consumption and over concern with our own comfort is a personally healthy exercise. We can give some food and clothing away from our excess as we are moved toward the social justice described in Isaiah. The transcendent call of Jesus, who is presented as the Bridegroom in the passage from the Gospel of Matthew today, is to action of mercy, compassion, inclusion and generosity which becomes our live style. Self denial through ritual fasting is very appropriate for times of mourning in life, as Friar Jude comments. Our awareness of others and other movements which are not centered on us is the first step to the life change which brings our action toward the people we encounter closer to the model set by Jesus, our transcendent power to carry out the fast which brings the justice described in the Book of Isaiah.

Choose to serve

The psalm today in the texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today is entitled The Two Ways. It is Psalm 1 and the choices offered are the happiness of those who delight in the Law of the Lord or the dispersion and destruction which befalls those who follow the path of the wicked. Friar Jude Winkler comments on the blessings and curses which are associated with the Covenant between God and his people expressed in the words from the Book of Deuteronomy which was written when the Israelites were facing a conquering enemy who may take them into exile. The reality of life and death as the options in the words of Moses may not appear as clear to us. The Book of Deuteronomy is frequently cited by Christian Testament authors and quoted in the Gospel by Jesus. One theological study uses this Book as inspiration for development of a theology of work. It is in the workplace that the daily choices between good and evil and our daily opportunities to take up our cross and die to self as Jesus directs us to do in the Gospel today from Luke often occur. We share the experience of Edward Morse of Creighton University that the life and death choices seem distant but the decision to follow Jesus is daily and continuous. We decide not to join the scoffers and critics mentioned in Psalm 1 but to be merciful and forgiving to those we encounter. We are convinced that the path with Jesus invites us to share is living out the Words of Eternal Life and we have His intimate Presence to remind us to choose life in service of others.

Change the rhythms

The texts today in the Roman CatholicLectionary celebrate the beginning of the annual penitential season of Lent. The power of this season comes with our openness to change the rhythms of our daily life. Friar Jude Winkler reminds us that this change involves the way we think and live and our whole attitude to life. The Prophet Joel uses strong language to exhort the people of Israel to see that they had allowed God to slip from being a part of their daily consciousness. The prophet looked at natural disasters of drought and locusts as signs that following the will of the Lord was no longer the direction of His Covenant People. Commentators are stirred by the strength of the call to action of Joel which caused radical changes in behavior. The disaster to the people of Israel was averted in their return to God. Paul declares to the Corinthians that the time is now to accept the reconciliation that Jesus is with God and turn to following His Way as the path to change. The Gospel from Matthew was written to an audience with Jewish heritage after the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem. Friar Jude notes that the rabbis had instructed the people to approach God for reconciliation of sin through the practices of prayer, fasting and almsgiving. These practices help to break the cycle of our daily lives which too often have little time set aside for God and others. The dilemma of modern life in serving perceived family need is identified by Diane Jorgensen of Creighton University as being really busy and needing the pause to come home and rediscover a rhythm which includes prayer, self denial and presence with others. Happy homecoming this Lent.

Holy and transformed

The first letter of Peter in the texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today reminds us of the long history of our relationship with God which includes the Prophets of ancient Israel who looked to the time of Jesus when the means of being transformed into holiness as God is holy would be revealed. Friar Jude Winkler tells us that the Letter of Peter refers to the Book of Leviticus in the directive to be holy as God is holy. The Gospel from Mark today presents some apparent difficulty of Peter in understanding the theme in Jesus teaching of releasing our hold on the material things of life. The reflection of JohnMcKinnon on this passage of the Gospel is entitled Finding True Family. He associates the hundredfold of “houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields, with persecutions” (Mark 10:30) with transformation to seeing community through the eyes of God. This revelation of the unique dignity given humanity, created in the image of God, is visible through the grace of God in the hundredfold who Peter knows in the immediate followers of Jesus but also through growth in holiness we can see the Love of God for all in all people and through all circumstances of persecution. Don Schwager reminds us that should we not be surprised if we lose favor and experience ridicule, intimidation, and injury when we take a stand for truth and righteousness in the light of our vision of others with the eyes of God. As Amy Hoover of CreightonUniversity wrestles with the nature of holiness, she finds some experience of the Divine in living the tensions and contradictions which are the life of the believer. The first will be last, the last first but John McKinnon notes that this is not a replacement of the rich with the poor but a movement of rich and poor to a realization that in the hundredfold of followers of Jesus there is no division based on power, privilege or position. The Kingdom to which we are invited is the transformation in holiness which the Prophets foresaw.

Release our hold

The texts today from the Roman CatholicLectionary invite us to consider growing in our relationship with Jesus through a change in our attitude and experience. The Gospel from Mark places Jesus on a journey and we as His followers should expect that we journey and change scene and encounter different circumstance and people as we move toward the glory of intimacy with God which gives us dignity and life as proclaimed today in the first letter of Peter. According to Friar Jude Winkler, some Scripture scholars question the authorship of the Letter of Peter because of the quality of the Greek and the nature of the theology. Silvanus, who put the ideas of Peter into Greek was likely responsible for the quality writing. Our assumption that God may not have used a Galilean fisherman to express such a marvelous heritage from God is questioned by Friar Jude as being a fault with our reasoning. The change in our attitude encouraged by this letter goes deeper to the mystery of how we need to be open to share in suffering in the cross carried by Jesus. Our tendency to turn away from personal hardship may be a choice to turn away from greater intimacy with the Shepherd who is inviting us into His ministry. GregO'Meara, S.J. of Creighton University is hopeful that the rich young man who addresses Jesus on the road may not have gone away forever. He reminds us of our experience that God does not give up on us. The events and circumstances of our lives continue to invite us to join His mission. The reflection of Don Schwageron this passage from Mark reminds us that it is not only wealth which we hold onto and thereby chose over Jesus but our habits, passions, privileges and positions are too often placed above the invitation of Jesus to join Him on the journey. With wealth and the other tokens which fill our concerns, it is not so much having them that is the problem as it is holding on to them when our growth to glory invites us to let them go.

A Divine Look at Anxiety

Anxiety is a debilitating condition. The texts today from the Roman Catholic Lectionary offer us a look at our anxiety from a position of relationship with God. Friar Jude Winkler tells us that the passage from the Prophet Isaiah comes from the Babylonian exile when the Jewish people questioned whether they had been forgotten by God. The author of this text uses the image of God as nursing mother to convey how closely God is connected to our daily needs in our relationship with the Divine. The actions of the Apostle Paul which are recorded in the Christian Testament are clearly those of a faithful servant to the commission of Jesus to bring the Good News to all. Paul prepared and acted with both prudence and under the guidance of Providence. He tells the Corinthians that he must leave the judgment of his actions to God. One source of our anxiety is the judgment of our actions by others and by God. We become anxious over rejection, criticism, our reputation, legacy and pride. We are concerned that we may be discovered to be negligent, a fraud or a sinner. The application of the proclamation by Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew that we cannot serve two masters may be a key to addressing some of the anxiety over our actions. When we respond to the invitation to be servant of the Will of God and seek out the humility, sincerity, wisdom, patience and perseverance which is antidote to anxiety, we rest in the peace experienced by Dan Clendenin and practice the discipline of St Ignatius, cited by Andy Alexander, S.J. ofCreighton University, that we should therefore use those things which help us achieve the end for which we are created and that we should shun those things which get in the way of our fulfilling our purpose. 

Let the children come

The mystery of dependence on Jesus is a reflection for us from the texts today in the Roman Catholic Lectionary. The letter from James encourages us to pray for healing when we are suffering. Our dependence is not passive. We are encouraged to act to bring those needing healing to the presbyters who will, as Friar Jude Winkler notes, stand in the person of Christ to make visible the action of God in our lives through a sacramental anointing. The continuing mission is to act to gather the lost and misdirected by sin back to the community which witnesses to Christ. The witness we choose to give to Christ may miss the point as Mark A. Copeland notes in his exegesis of the Gospel today from Mark. Jesus disciples act with mistaken zeal to keep the parents from bringing children to touch Jesus as He shared the healing power of God. The author describes Jesus as using His displeasure or anger with the actions of the disciples as a learning opportunity for them. When we allow our attempts to act for Jesus to depend on Him rather than our impulses or assumptions we will be more genuine in the message we send to others. This dependence is shown as loving action in support of those who, like little children, are completely dependent and whom we might on our own mission ignore. In addition, as Chris Duffy, S.J of Creighton University identifies, we are invited by Jesus to return to the childlike dependence on loving parents which makes each day filled with the joy of discovery and the peace of knowing we are loved. Don Schwager identifies the challenge we may have with the exuberance and impatience of youth who are the children in the faith which bring so much more to our communities than the behavior natural for their stage in life which annoys us. Depend on Jesus that our encounter with people He puts in our lives is opportunity to grow in intimacy with Him