Hope and Health

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to invest our hope in the transformation of our attitudes to love and care for people and the planet.

Signs of Hope

The reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah foresees the Glorious New Creation.

* [65:17–18] The new creation (cf. 66:22) is described with apocalyptic exuberance: long life, material prosperity, and so forth. As the former events in 43:18 are to be forgotten, so also the new creation wipes out memory of the first creation. (Isaiah, CHAPTER 65 | USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 30 is a thanksgiving for Recovery from Grave Illness.

* [Psalm 30] An individual thanksgiving in four parts: praise and thanks for deliverance and restoration (Ps 30:2–4); an invitation to others to join in (Ps 30:5–6); a flashback to the time before deliverance (Ps 30:7–11); a return to praise and thanks (Ps 30:12). Two sets of images recur: 1) going down, death, silence; 2) coming up, life, praising. God has delivered the psalmist from one state to the other. (Psalms, PSALM 30 | USCCB, n.d.)

In the Gospel of John, Jesus Returns to Galilee and Heals an Official’s Son.

* [4:43–54] Jesus’ arrival in Cana in Galilee; the second sign. This section introduces another theme, that of the life-giving word of Jesus. It is explicitly linked to the first sign (Jn 2:11). The royal official believes (Jn 4:50). The natural life given his son is a sign of eternal life.

* [4:44] Probably a reminiscence of a tradition as in Mk 6:4. Cf. Gospel of Thomas 4:31: “No prophet is acceptable in his village, no physician heals those who know him.”

* [4:46–54] The story of the cure of the royal official’s son may be a third version of the cure of the centurion’s son (Mt 8:5–13) or servant (Lk 7:1–10). Cf. also Mt 15:21–28; Mk 7:24–30. (John, CHAPTER 4 | USCCB, n.d.)

Jim Caime, S.J. feels like an exile in his own land, bogged down in despair, unable to see a way forward, a way to hope. Yet hope is what God always calls us to—what Jesus longs for us to root deeply in our very being.

But hope is not passive. Just as the returning exiles rebuilt their community, we too must labor for a nation that reflects God’s justice. Are we building a society that welcomes or excludes? Do we hear the cry of the poor, or do we silence them and strip away what little they have? Do we create a world where dignity is for all—or just for a select few?

Jesus, heal us—and as sinners called by you under the banner of the cross, give us the courage to labor with you for your kingdom. (Caime, n.d.)

Don Schwager quotes “Christ our physician”, by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.

"God sent the human race a physician, a savior, One Who healed without charging a fee. Christ also came to reward those who would be healed by Him. Christ heals the sick, and He makes a gift to those whom He heals. And the gift that He makes is Himself!" (excerpt from Sermon 102,2) (Schwager, n.d.)

Word Among Us Meditation on Isaiah 65:17-21 comments that this passage reveals an amazing truth about our God: he is willing to forgive—and forget—even the gravest of sins! Yet, try as we may, we often hold on to our memories and our guilt over past wrongdoing—even after we have repented. This can be a huge obstacle to receiving the free gift of God’s mercy.

If God chooses not to focus on your past, why should you? Just as the Lord was eager to begin again with the Israelites, so he is with you. So let today be a new day—free from the pain of the past—to drink from the deep well of God’s endless love and mercy!

“Lord God, give me the grace to put the past behind me so that my relationship with you can only deepen.” (Meditation on Isaiah 65:17-21, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments on the response in Trito Isaiah to the complaints of the Jewish exiles returning to Jerusalem. In the Gospel of John, the healing of the son of the official is a “sign” that points to a greater reality. Friar Jude notes that Jesus is the source of life.

Brian McLaren considers how authoritarian systems seek conformity. He highlights practices of contemplation and community that can strengthen our resolve and enable us to remain “salt and light” under difficult circumstances. An expert in authoritarian regimes, Sarah Kendzior captures the danger like this. No wonder, in a time of authoritarian Caesar-worship, the early Christian leader Paul wrote, “Do not be conformed to this world. But be transformed by the renewal of your minds” (Romans 12:2). Kendzior addresses this very need for inner renewal and transformation. Authoritarian regimes, she says,

 

… can take everything from you in material terms—your house, your job, your ability to speak and move freely. They cannot take away who you truly are. They can never truly know you, and that is your power. But to protect and wield this power, you need to know yourself—right now, before their methods permeate, before you accept the obscene and unthinkable as normal.   

We are heading into dark times, and you need to be your own light. Do not accept brutality and cruelty as normal even if it is sanctioned. Protect the vulnerable and encourage the afraid. If you are brave, stand up for others. If you cannot be brave—and it is often hard to be brave—be kind. But most of all, never lose sight of who you are and what you value. [1] (McLaren, n.d.)

We have hope in the guidance of the Spirit, Providence, and the goodness in human hearts that truth, compassion, and love will ascend in our relationship with the people in our environment.

References

Caime, J. (n.d.). Daily Reflection Of Creighton University's Online Ministries. Creighton University's Online Ministries. Retrieved March 31, 2025, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/033125.html 

Isaiah, CHAPTER 65 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Bible Readings. Retrieved March 31, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/isaiah/65?17 

John, CHAPTER 4 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Bible Readings. Retrieved March 31, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/john/4 

McLaren, B. (n.d.). Protecting Our Own Light. CAC Daily Meditations. Retrieved March 31, 2025, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/protecting-our-own-light/ 

Meditation on Isaiah 65:17-21. (n.d.). Word Among Us. Retrieved March 31, 2025, from https://wau.org/meditations/2025/03/31/1238088/ 

Psalms, PSALM 30 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Bible Readings. Retrieved March 31, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/30?2 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). Jesus - the Divine Physician. Daily Scripture net. Retrieved March 31, 2025, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2025&date=mar31 

Ambassadors of Reconciliation

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today proclaim the life-giving mission of ambassadors of Christ to restore love and community in situations of rejection and dismissal.

Restore Relationship

The reading from the Prophet Joshua celebrates the Passover at Gilgal.

* [5:10] The month: the first month of the year, later called Nisan; see note on 3:15. The crossing of the Jordan occurred, therefore, about the same time of the year as did the crossing of the Red Sea; cf. Ex 12–14. (Joshua, CHAPTER 5 | USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 34 offers praise for Deliverance from Trouble.

* [Psalm 34] A thanksgiving in acrostic form, each line beginning with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet. In this Psalm one letter is missing and two are in reverse order. The psalmist, fresh from the experience of being rescued (Ps 34:5, 7), can teach the “poor,” those who are defenseless, to trust in God alone (Ps 34:4, 12). God will make them powerful (Ps 34:5–11) and give them protection (Ps 34:12–22). (Psalms, PSALM 34 | USCCB, n.d.)

The reading from the Second Letter of Paul to the Corinthians declares us ambassadors for Christ in the Ministry of Reconciliation

* [5:18–21] Paul attempts to explain the meaning of God’s action by a variety of different categories; his attention keeps moving rapidly back and forth from God’s act to his own ministry as well. Who has reconciled us to himself: i.e., he has brought all into oneness. Not counting their trespasses: the reconciliation is described as an act of justification (cf. “righteousness,” 2 Cor 5:21); this contrasts with the covenant that condemned (2 Cor 3:8). The ministry of reconciliation: Paul’s role in the wider picture is described: entrusted with the message of reconciliation (2 Cor 5:19), he is Christ’s ambassador, through whom God appeals (2 Cor 5:20a). In v. 20b Paul acts in the capacity just described.

* [5:21] This is a statement of God’s purpose, expressed paradoxically in terms of sharing and exchange of attributes. As Christ became our righteousness (1 Cor 1:30), we become God’s righteousness (cf. 2 Cor 5:14–15). (2 Corinthians, CHAPTER 5 | USCCB, n.d.)

The Gospel of Luke presents the Parable of the Prodigal and His Brother.

* [15:1–32] To the parable of the lost sheep (Lk 15:1–7) that Luke shares with Matthew (Mt 18:12–14), Luke adds two parables (the lost coin, Lk 15:8–10; the prodigal son, Lk 15:11–32) from his own special tradition to illustrate Jesus’ particular concern for the lost and God’s love for the repentant sinner. (Luke, CHAPTER 15 | USCCB, n.d.)

John Shea, S.J. comments that In the eyes of God, we are all brothers and sisters. Yet we easily forget this, especially when it comes to how we treat the most vulnerable in our society. How can we remember our common kinship? In his 2025 message for Lent, Pope Francis stated, “It would be a good Lenten exercise for us to compare our daily life with that of some migrant or foreigner, to learn how to sympathize with their experiences and in this way discover what God is asking of us so that we can better advance on our journey to the house of the Father.”

There are many ways we can get to know migrants, refugees, and immigrants. It may be as easy as talking with our neighbor or co-worker. Or we can spend time volunteering with an organization that serves the most vulnerable. Or we can learn about their stories with the help of the internet. Adit fled South Sudan when she was just 9 years old and now lives in Kenya’s Kakuma Refugee Camp where she pursues education. As you listen to her story, what are her dreams? Her challenges? Do you see God welcoming Adit with joy? Do you see Adit as your sister? (Shea, n.d.)

Don Schwager quotes “The Father redeems his son with a kiss,” by Peter Chrysologus (400-450 AD).

"'He fell on his neck and kissed him.' This is how the father judges and corrects his wayward son and gives him not beatings but kisses. The power of love overlooked the transgressions. The father redeemed the sins of his son by his kiss, and covered them by his embrace, in order not to expose the crimes or humiliate the son. The father so healed the son's wounds as not to leave a scar or blemish upon him. 'Blessed are they,' says Scripture 'whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered' (Romans 4:7)."(excerpt from SERMON 3)

[Peter Chrysologus, 400-450 AD, was a renowned preacher and bishop of Ravena in the 5th century] (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on 2 Corinthians 5:17-21 asks what does it mean to “be reconciled to God” (2 Corinthians 5:20)?

We can hear our Father’s pleas in today’s Gospel story of the prodigal son, too. The father of the prodigal stands ready, on the lookout, to welcome his wayward younger son back into the family. And he goes out to beg his resentful older son to join him and experience the fullness of life that is already his.

Lent is a perfect season to lay hold of this restoration in a new and deeper way. And what better way to do it than through the Sacrament of Reconciliation! ... So let your heavenly Father restore you through the life-giving power of Jesus’ death and resurrection. Listen to his voice as he pleads with you to receive all the riches of his “home.” It’s all there—come and receive it!

“Lord, I say yes to the reconciliation you offer me!” (Meditation on 2 Corinthians 5:17-21, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments that the “self sufficiency” that the Israelites experience as they cross the Jordan to the Holy Land may have been troublesome in their understanding of dependance on God. Paul exhorts the Corinthians to live for Christ as ambassadors and not for sin. Friar Jude notes that “prodigal” meaning generous should be applied to the father who celebrates and forgives a son who had violated Jewish tradition and may have been stoned for his offense.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, explores the nature of evil—and our collective complicity in it. He introduces Brian McLaren who writes about contemplation as a way of sustaining our spirits and minds while suffering under systems of domination:  Solitary contemplation becomes the doorway into communion—communion with the Spirit in whom we find a new relationship with ourselves, with others, with history, and with the cosmos….

When even two or three of us gather in the name of truth, honesty, and love, in the name of courage, compassion, and kindness, we find ourselves feeling joined by another presence—the presence of Christ, the way, the truth, and the life. We listen to one another with compassion and curiosity. We speak to one another with wisdom and wonder. We turn together toward the light. And that helps us create islands of sanity in a world that is losing its mind. [2] (Rohr, n.d.)

We contemplate the direction the Spirit reveals to us to be ambassadors of truth, honesty, and love as we adopt the response of the “Prodigal Father” to events in which we experience rejection. 

References

Joshua, CHAPTER 5 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Bible Readings. Retrieved March 30, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/joshua/5?9 

Luke, CHAPTER 15 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Bible Reading. Retrieved March 30, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/15?1 

Meditation on 2 Corinthians 5:17-21. (n.d.). Word Among Us. Retrieved March 30, 2025, from https://wau.org/meditations/2025/03/30/1237299/ 

Psalms, PSALM 34 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Bible Readings. Retrieved March 30, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/34?2 

Rohr, R. (n.d.). Islands of Sanity. CAC Daily Meditations. Retrieved March 30, 2025, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/islands-of-sanity/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). I Will Go Home to My Father. Daily Scripture net. Retrieved March 30, 2025, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2025&date=mar30 

Shea, J. (n.d.). Daily Reflection Of Creighton University's Online Ministries. Creighton University's Online Ministries. Retrieved March 30, 2025, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/033025.html 

2 Corinthians, CHAPTER 5 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Bible Readings. Retrieved March 30, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/2corinthians/5?17