A Path of Transformation

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to be aware that some paths that we are led to by the Lord may test our faith and resolve as we follow Him.

A Path of Transformation

The Reading from the Prophet Jeremiah exhorts us to stay the course when our mission becomes challenging.

g. [20:10] Jb 19:19; Ps 31:13; Lk 20:20.

h. [20:11] Jer 1:8; 15:20.

i. [20:12] Jer 11:20.

j. [20:13] Ps 35:9–10; 109:30–31. (Jeremiah, CHAPTER 20 | USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 18 is a royal thanksgiving for a military victory.

* [Psalm 18] A royal thanksgiving for a military victory, duplicated in 2 Sm 22. Thanksgiving Psalms are in essence reports of divine rescue. The Psalm has two parallel reports of rescue, the first told from a heavenly perspective (Ps 18:5–20), and the second from an earthly perspective (Ps 18:36–46). The first report adapts old mythic language of a cosmic battle between sea and rainstorm in order to depict God’s rescue of the Israelite king from his enemies. Each report has a short hymnic introduction (Ps 18:2–4, 32–36) and conclusion (Ps 18:21–31, 47–50). (Psalms, PSALM 18 | USCCB, n.d.)

The Gospel of John presents the hostility toward Jesus at the Feast of the Dedication

* [10:34] This is a reference to the judges of Israel who, since they exercised the divine prerogative to judge (Dt 1:17), were called “gods”; cf. Ex 21:6, besides Ps 82:6 from which the quotation comes.

* [10:36] Consecrated: this may be a reference to the rededicated altar at the Hanukkah feast; see note on Jn 10:22.

* [10:41] Performed no sign: this is to stress the inferior role of John the Baptist. The Transjordan topography recalls the great witness of John the Baptist to Jesus, as opposed to the hostility of the authorities in Jerusalem. (John, CHAPTER 10 | USCCB, n.d.)

Edward Morse comments that God plays the long game. He remains steadfast with us when confronted with evil plans, even when those plans might seem to be succeeding. We may not know the end of the story, but we can depend upon eternal and enduring promises coming from One who is trustworthy.

Jesus “escaped from their power” and went to the place where John had been baptizing. That place, which some biblical scholars name “Bethabara”, was near the place where the Israelites had entered the promised land. It was also associated with the prophet Elijah, who had been taken up into heaven. It is fitting for our Lord to choose such a place to pray, where he would rely upon his own deep relationship with the Father to sustain him. His knowing that all would end well did not erase his difficulty in the midst of this experience. We should not expect to avoid such difficulties in our own struggles, even when we know that all will end well.

It is notable that others came to visit Jesus in that place because they had come to believe in him. Love overcomes the hostility that emerges from thin friendships of utility. Truth walks hand in hand with that kind of love, leading us toward God and away from the nonsense that can emerge from our own fractured demands for satisfaction. Let us ponder the depth and strength of that bond of love as we move forward toward Holy Week. Thanks be to God. (Morse, n.d.)

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

"Even though the man Christ Jesus, in the form of God together with the Father with whom He is one God, accepts our sacrifice, nonetheless He has chosen in the form of a servant to be the sacrifice rather than to accept it. Therefore, He is the priest Himself Who presents the offering, and He Himself is what is offered." (excerpt from City of God, 10,20) (Schwager, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments that the Jeremiah passage reveals a plot against him that is connected to the disaster he prophecies actually occurring. They blamed Jeremiah who in the Confessions presents a challenge to God: where is your protection God? The passage leads to a hymn of trust and praise for the saving of the suffering that is sung as a lamentation. Jeremiah is perhaps mouthing pious platitudes. Jesus speaks of good works by the Son of God as He shows that If the Scripture can address people as gods why not proclaim himself as the Son of God. Friar Jude comments that the Gospel proclaims everything John the Baptist said was true as a confirmation of his witness to the Messiah.

The Word Among Us Meditation on John 10:31-42 comments that we are probably familiar with the stories about Jesus and the impressive miracles he worked in the Bible. But make no mistake, he is still working today.

These moments of grace come from God’s hands. The more of them you see for what they are, the more you will believe, especially when times of doubt or anxiety make your faith feel shaky. Set your eyes on Jesus—both on what he has done in the past and what he is doing right now. Believe, too, that he wants to work just as much in your life. If he kept trying to convince his “enemies,” why wouldn’t he work just as hard to help you know him better?

“Jesus, you bring miracles to life around me. Open my eyes to see your works and believe in you.” (Meditation on John 10:31-42, n.d.)

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces Diana Butler Bass who recounts how she was challenged to read Psalm 23 through the eyes of those who face poverty, food insecurity, injustice, and marginalization. Read Robert Alter’s version—a modern translation noted by scholars for its precision—and the pivot sentence contrasts sharply: My life He brings back. He leads me on pathways of justice for His name’s sake.” [2]

Alter’s translation of Psalm 23:1–3 reads:

The LORD is my shepherd,
I shall not want.
In grass meadows
He makes me lie down,
by quiet waters guides me.
My life He brings back.
He leads me on pathways of justice
for His name’s sake.

Butler Bass emphasizes the call to share our restored lives with others for the sake of justice:

The psalmist proclaims, This is the reality of the Lord’s government, the beloved community, over and against all oppression and exploitation. Through it, we humans are restored to what was always intended: My life He brings back; Our lives He brings back.

The renewed life, however, does not remain content in grass meadows or by quiet waters…. Instead, those who are citizens of this sacred realm are called forth on pathways of justice to make God’s name—God’s sabbath reign—known throughout the world. (Rohr, n.d.)

We seek the consolation of the Spirit as we learn by doing about our need to be transformed as we accept the invitation to walk with the Shepherd who brings back our lives.

References

Jeremiah, CHAPTER 20 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved March 27, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/jeremiah/20? 

John, CHAPTER 10 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved March 27, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/john/10?31 

Meditation on John 10:31-42. (n.d.). Retrieved March 27, 2026, from https://wau.org/meditations/2026/03/26/1526440/ 

Morse, E. (n.d.). Daily Reflection. Creighton Online Ministries: Home. Retrieved March 27, 2026, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/daily-reflections/daily-reflection-march-27-2026 

Psalms, PSALM 18 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved March 27, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/18? 

Rohr, R. (n.d.). A Psalm of Peace and Justice. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved March 27, 2026, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/a-psalm-of-peace-and-justice/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). I Am the Son of God. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved March 27, 2026, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/ 

According to Divine Will

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today, Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord, challenge us to adopt the faith of Mary as we seek to surrender to the Will of God in the midst of our tendency to be distracted by the traditions and ways of humans.

St Mary's Basilica 

In the Reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah, Ahaz is offered a sign to trust in God.

* [7:14] Isaiah’s sign seeks to reassure Ahaz that he need not fear the invading armies of Syria and Israel in the light of God’s promise to David (2 Sm 7:12–16). The oracle follows a traditional announcement formula by which the birth and sometimes naming of a child is promised to particular individuals (Gn 16:11; Jgs 13:3). The young woman: Hebrew ‘almah designates a young woman of marriageable age without specific reference to virginity. The Septuagint translated the Hebrew term as parthenos, which normally does mean virgin, and this translation underlies Mt 1:23. Emmanuel: the name means “with us is God.” Since for the Christian the incarnation is the ultimate expression of God’s willingness to “be with us,” it is understandable that this text was interpreted to refer to the birth of Christ. (Isaiah, CHAPTER 7 | USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 40 offers an enthusiastic proclamation of the salvation just experienced.

* [Psalm 40] A thanksgiving (Ps 40:2–13) has been combined with a lament (Ps 40:14–17) that appears also in Ps 70. The psalmist describes the rescue in spatial terms—being raised up from the swampy underworld to firm earth where one can praise God (Ps 40:2–4). All who trust God will experience like protection (Ps 40:5–6)! The Psalm stipulates the precise mode of thanksgiving: not animal sacrifice but open and enthusiastic proclamation of the salvation just experienced (Ps 40:7–11). A prayer for protection concludes (Ps 40:12–17). (Psalms, PSALM 40 | USCCB, n.d.)

The Reading from the Letter to the Hebrews presents sacrifices and offerings, holocausts and sin offerings.

* [10:5–7] A passage from Ps 40:7–9 is placed in the mouth of the Son at his incarnation. As usual, the author follows the Septuagint text. There is a notable difference in Heb 10:5 (Ps 40:6), where the Masoretic text reads “ears you have dug for me” (“ears open to obedience you gave me,” NAB), but most Septuagint manuscripts have “a body you prepared for me,” a reading obviously more suited to the interpretation of Hebrews.

* [10:8] Sacrifices and offerings, holocausts and sin offerings: these four terms taken from the preceding passage of Ps 40 (with the first two changed to plural forms) are probably intended as equivalents to the four principal types of Old Testament sacrifices: peace offerings (Lv 3, here called sacrifices); cereal offerings (Lv 2, here called offerings); holocausts (Lv 1); and sin offerings (Lv 4–5). This last category includes the guilt offerings of Lv 5:14–19. (Hebrews, CHAPTER 10 | USCCB, n.d.)

In the Gospel of Luke, Mary surrenders to the announcement of her role in the Birth of Jesus.

* [1:26–38] The announcement to Mary of the birth of Jesus is parallel to the announcement to Zechariah of the birth of John. In both the angel Gabriel appears to the parent who is troubled by the vision (Lk 1:11–12, 26–29) and then told by the angel not to fear (Lk 1:13, 30). After the announcement is made (Lk 1:14–17, 31–33) the parent objects (Lk 1:18, 34) and a sign is given to confirm the announcement (Lk 1:20, 36). The particular focus of the announcement of the birth of Jesus is on his identity as Son of David (Lk 1:32–33) and Son of God (Lk 1:32, 35).

* [1:32] Son of the Most High: cf. Lk 1:76 where John is described as “prophet of the Most High.” “Most High” is a title for God commonly used by Luke (Lk 1:35, 76; 6:35; 8:28; Acts 7:48; 16:17).

* [1:34] Mary’s questioning response is a denial of sexual relations and is used by Luke to lead to the angel’s declaration about the Spirit’s role in the conception of this child (Lk 1:35). According to Luke, the virginal conception of Jesus takes place through the holy Spirit, the power of God, and therefore Jesus has a unique relationship to Yahweh: he is Son of God.

* [1:36–37] The sign given to Mary in confirmation of the angel’s announcement to her is the pregnancy of her aged relative Elizabeth. If a woman past the childbearing age could become pregnant, why, the angel implies, should there be doubt about Mary’s pregnancy, for nothing will be impossible for God. (Luke, CHAPTER 1 | USCCB, n.d.)

Rev. Larry Gillick, SJ, comments that today we watch the acceptance in faith of the invitation to do God’s will by a questioning young woman of Nazareth. She has good questions and excuses, as do all those who have been called to surrender to God’s ways.

Here, as the end of Lent nears, we are confronted with God’s invitations to us to do what we believe is doing the “will of God.”  We do not have angels announcing that will to us, but we do believe we have God’s grace to sense, and respond to, the invitations to give Grace a space and a face.  To do God’s will is to make human choices which reflect our belief that what we are doing is God’s Will.  As with Mary, we trust that what we are doing is what God wills. Trusting then is God’s will, trusting that God will be freed. (Gillick, n.d.)

Don Schwager quotes “Do you wish to be great?,” by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.

"Just imagine the incredible kindness and mercy! He was the only Son, but He did not want to remain alone. So that humans might be born of God God was born of humans. Begotten of God is He through Whom we were created - Born of a woman is He through Whom we are to be re-created. The Word first wished to be born of humans, so that you might be assured of being born of God" (excerpt from Sermon on John 2, 13) (Schwager, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments that the reading from Isaiah is the story of Ahaz being urged to ask for a sign from the Lord as Jerusalem is besieged and needs assistance. Isaiah asserts God would send him a sign to trust in the Lord rather than the emperor of Assyria. In the Hebrew text, a maiden will birth Immanuel whose name means “God is with us“ Isaiah sees this as a continuous repetition of the offer of God to rescue. In the Letter to the Hebrews the sacrifices of bulls and goats will be no more but the Son would reestablish the union with God. Gabriel visits Mary proclaiming “Hail, Full of grace” in perfect tense in Greek indicating Mary has always been full of grace as celebrated in the Doctrine of the Immaculate Conception. Mary would conceive and bear “Yeshua” the Son of God, a hero of Davidic lineage. Joseph and Mary were both descendants of David. The angel explains this to Mary and unlike Zechariah, who had heard his prayer had been answered, Mary as the New Ark would be overshadowed by the Holy Spirit. In Luke’s Gospel Jesus is the actual Son of God and not being proclaimed with an honorific title. Friar Jude concludes that in fact Mary, the handmaid of the Lord, has Jesus become present through an act of surrender, a free will act, presenting her to be totally available to God’s plan.

The Word Among Us Meditation on Luke 1:26-38 invites us to imagine the relief as Mary tells the angel, “May it be done to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38). God, in his mysterious providence, invited her to participate in his awesome plan of salvation. He could have accomplished his plan without her, but he didn’t want to. Instead, he desired the free and willing assent of this blessed woman who was full of grace.

We, too, are invited to say yes to God throughout our lives so that we can build a habit of cooperation with the Holy Spirit. Each of us is vital to God’s plan taking on flesh in our world. Every time we say, “May it be done to me” as Mary did, we become blessed participants in God’s plan of salvation. When we are criticized and want to respond in kind but we say yes to the Spirit’s invitation to hold our tongue, heaven rejoices. When we see someone who is hurting and feel the call to stop what we’re doing and listen to their story, we bring Jesus to them. When we respond to the Spirit and welcome a needy child into our home, our choice changes the world around us. Jesus is made visible with our every yes to God!

“Blessed Mother, Mary, help me to bring Christ into the world around me!” (Meditation on Luke 1:26-38, n.d.)

Brian McLaren uses a psalm of Exile, Psalm 137, as an example of the importance of how we read the Bible—as the literal word of God or as an expression of God’s people and their experience of God—makes a significant difference in who we think God is.

We dare to listen deeply, to understand and empathize, to put ourselves in the shoes of those who suffer and feel their fury and despair.  

And we don’t stop there either: then we see how oppression and revenge, if we let them take over, create vicious cycles that grow uglier and more catastrophic. We imagine how in our future, we could repeat the worst mistakes of our past.

Remember, O Lord, against the Edomites

the day of Jerusalem’s fall,

how they said, “Tear it down! Tear it down!

Down to its foundations!”

O daughter Babylon, you devastator!

Happy shall they be who pay you back

what you have done to us!

Happy shall they be who take your little ones

and dash them against the rock!(Psalm 137:7–9)

Then we are ready to take our stand: If we want to break out of the vicious, violent cycles of our history, we must develop a new way of reading the Bible, a new way of seeing, a new way of being.

That’s why, in a sense, Psalm 137 is like an eye exam: What we see there tells us how well we see. (McLaren, n.d.)

 

We seek the wisdom of the Spirit to guide our understanding of surrender to the Will of God as that of Mary who prayed “Let it be done to me, according to Your Will”

References

Gillick, L. (n.d.). Daily Reflection. Online Ministries. Retrieved March 25, 2026, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/daily-reflections/daily-reflection-march-25-2026 

Hebrews, CHAPTER 10 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved March 25, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/hebrews/10? 

Isaiah, CHAPTER 7 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved March 25, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/isaiah/7?10 

Luke, CHAPTER 1 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved March 25, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/1? 

McLaren, B. (n.d.). Psalms of Exile: An Eye Exam. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved March 25, 2026, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/psalms-of-exile-an-eye-exam/ 

Meditation on Luke 1:26-38. (n.d.). Word Among Us. Retrieved March 25, 2026, from https://wau.org/meditations/2026/03/25/1525811/ 

Psalms, PSALM 40 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved March 25, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/40? 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). You Have Found Favor with God. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved March 25, 2026, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/