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 

Love and Loyalty

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to activate our experience of love that overwhelms and inspires us to honour those relationships.

Building Love

The reading from the Song of Songs is a Dream of Love.

* [3:1–5] See the parallel in 5:2–8.

* [3:2] The motif of seeking/finding here and elsewhere is used by later Christian and Jewish mystics to speak of the soul’s search for the divine.

* [3:4] Whom my soul loves: the fourfold repetition of this phrase in vv. 1–4 highlights the depth of the woman’s emotion and desire. Mother’s house: cf. 8:2; a place of safety and intimacy, one which implicitly signifies approval of the lovers’ relationship. (Song of Songs, CHAPTER 3 | USCCB, n.d.)

The reading from the Letter of Paul to the Corinthians declares a New Creation and celebrates the Ministry of Reconciliation.

* [5:14–15] These verses echo 2 Cor 4:14 and resume the treatment of “life despite death” from 2 Cor 4:7–5:10.

* [5:16–17] Consequently: the death of Christ described in 2 Cor 5:14–15 produces a whole new order (2 Cor 5:17) and a new mode of perception (2 Cor 5:16). According to the flesh: the natural mode of perception, characterized as “fleshly,” is replaced by a mode of perception proper to the Spirit. Elsewhere Paul contrasts what Christ looks like according to the old criteria (weakness, powerlessness, folly, death) and according to the new (wisdom, power, life); cf. 2 Cor 5:15, 21; 1 Cor 1:17–3:3. Similarly, he describes the paradoxical nature of Christian existence, e.g., in 2 Cor 4:10–11, 14. A new creation: rabbis used this expression to describe the effect of the entrance of a proselyte or convert into Judaism or of the remission of sins on the Day of Atonement. The new order created in Christ is the new covenant (2 Cor 3:6). (2 Corinthians, CHAPTER 5 | USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 63 declares Comfort and Assurance in God’s Presence.

* [Psalm 63] A Psalm expressing the intimate relationship between God and the worshiper. Separated from God (Ps 63:2), the psalmist longs for the divine life given in the Temple (Ps 63:3–6), which is based on a close relationship with God (Ps 63:7–9). May all my enemies be destroyed and God’s true worshipers continue in giving praise (Ps 63:10–11)!

* [63:4] For your love is better than life: only here in the Old Testament is anything prized above life—in this case God’s love. (Psalms, PSALM 63 | USCCB, n.d.)

In the Gospel of John, after the Resurrection, Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene.

* [20:11–18] This appearance to Mary is found only in John, but cf. Mt 28:8–10 and Mk 16:9–11.

* [20:16] Rabbouni: Hebrew or Aramaic for “my master.”

* [20:17] Stop holding on to me: see Mt 28:9, where the women take hold of his feet. I have not yet ascended: for John and many of the New Testament writers, the ascension in the theological sense of going to the Father to be glorified took place with the resurrection as one action. This scene in John dramatizes such an understanding, for by Easter night Jesus is glorified and can give the Spirit. Therefore his ascension takes place immediately after he has talked to Mary. In such a view, the ascension after forty days described in Acts 1:1–11 would be simply a termination of earthly appearances or, perhaps better, an introduction to the conferral of the Spirit upon the early church, modeled on Elisha’s being able to have a (double) share in the spirit of Elijah if he saw him being taken up (same verb as ascending) into heaven (2 Kgs 2:9–12). To my Father and your Father, to my God and your God: this echoes Ru 1:16: “Your people shall be my people, and your God my God.” The Father of Jesus will now become the Father of the disciples because, once ascended, Jesus can give them the Spirit that comes from the Father and they can be reborn as God’s children (Jn 3:5). That is why he calls them my brothers. (John, CHAPTER 20 | USCCB, n.d.)

Steve Scholer comments that if we truly admire St. Mary Magdalene and her role as the Apostle to the Apostles, as described by St. Thomas Aquinas and confirmed by Pope Francis when he made July 22nd the Feast of St. Mary Magdalene, we need to think long and hard about where we stand on the loyalty scale with Christ, the church, and how we live out our faith.

So, as we go about our daily Examen of Conscience and review our day, let’s try to focus on God’s constant presence and love for us and how God is impacting our lives. Let us reflect that the loyalty of Mary pales in comparison to the loyalty God has for each of us. His support for us in our times of need is endless. What can we do in return, to demonstrate our loyalty to God and to the Church?

"Do not weep or grieve or be in doubt, for his grace will be with you all and will protect you. Rather, let us praise his greatness, for he has prepared us and made us truly human." The Gospel of Mary (Scholer, 2024)

Don Schwager quotes “The love of Christ enflamed her,” by Gregory the Great (540-604 AD).

"Mary Magdalene, who had been a sinner in the city (Luke 7:37), loved the Truth and so washed away with her tears the stains of wickedness (Luke 7:47). Her sins had kept her cold, but afterward she burned with an irresistible love... We must consider this woman's state of mind whose great force of love inflamed her. When even the disciples departed from the sepulcher, she did not depart. She looked for him whom she had not found... But it is not enough for a lover to have looked once, because the force of love intensifies the effort of the search. She looked for him a first time and found nothing. She persevered in seeking, and that is why she found him. As her unfulfilled desires increased, they took possession of what they found (Song of Songs 3:1-4)... Holy desires, as I have told you before, increase by delay in their fulfillment. If delay causes them to fail, they were not desires... This was Mary's kind of love as she turned a second time to the sepulcher she had already looked into. Let us see the result of her search, which had been redoubled by the power of love." (excerpt from FORTY GOSPEL HOMILIES 25) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on John 20:1-2, 11-18 asks “What made Mary Magdalene so unwavering?” Likely, she remembered what life was like before she met the Lord. 

We, too, have many, many reasons to be grateful for the ways Jesus has transformed our lives. Our gratitude can help us to push aside any regret, shame, grief, or fear that may be keeping us from seeking after Jesus with our whole hearts. May we pursue him with the same passion and persistence as Mary did. He is worth all that we can give him!

“Lord, I stand in gratitude today for all that you have done for me. I want to follow you today with passion, wherever you lead me.” (Meditation on John 20:1-2, 11-18, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments on the parallel of the passage from the Song of Songs to the encounter between Mary Magdalene and Jesus in the Gospel. In John, the Garden of this encounter is the garden of Eden and Mary represents the Church searching for Jesus. Jesus' message to Mary signifies that we know Him now in Spirit and Sacrament. Friar Jude reminds us that the “fallen woman” portrayal of Mary comes much later in Church history.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, names the importance of acknowledging wrong and harm, while trusting in the gift of grace.

God fully forgives us, but the impact or “karma” of our mistakes remains, and we must still go back and repair the bonds we’ve broken. Otherwise, others may not be able to forgive us, nor will we likely forgive ourselves. “Amazing grace” is not a way to avoid honest human relationships. Rather, it’s a way to redo them—but now, gracefully—for the liberation of both sides. Nothing just goes away in the spiritual world; all must be reconciled and accounted for. [1] (Rohr, n.d.)

We celebrate the Love we have experienced on our journey and seek the guidance of the Spirit to honour our relationships through our loyalty and support.

References

John, CHAPTER 20 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved July 22, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/john/20?1 

Meditation on John 20:1-2, 11-18. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved July 22, 2024, from https://wau.org/meditations/2024/07/22/1030629/ 

Psalms, PSALM 63 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved July 22, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/63?2 

Rohr, R. (n.d.). Daily Meditations — Center for Action and Contemplation. Facing the Hurt. Retrieved July 22, 2024, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/facing-the-hurt/ 

Scholer, S. (2024, July 22). Creighton U. Daily Reflection. Online Ministries. Retrieved July 22, 2024, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/072224.htm 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved July 22, 2024, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2024&date=jul22a 

Song of Songs, CHAPTER 3 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved July 22, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/songofsongs/3?1 

2 Corinthians, CHAPTER 5 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved July 22, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/2corinthians/5?14