Life Tokens

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to recall life experiences, events, and “tokens” that have made the love and care of God visible on our journey.

Tokens and Life

The reading from the Book of Numbers proclaims the Bronze Serpent.

* [21:5] This wretched food: apparently the manna is meant.

* [21:6] Seraph: the Hebrew name for a certain species of venomous snake; etymologically the word might signify “the fiery one.” Compare the winged throne guardians in Is 6:2, 6; see also Is 14:29; 30:6.

* [21:8] Everyone who has been bitten will look at it and recover: in the Gospel of John this scene is regarded as a type for the crucifixion of Jesus (Jn 3:14–15).

* [21:9] King Hezekiah, in his efforts to reform Israelite worship, “smashed the bronze serpent Moses had made” (2 Kgs 18:4). (Numbers, CHAPTER 21 | USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 102 is a prayer to the Eternal King for Help

* [Psalm 102] A lament, one of the Penitential Psalms. The psalmist, experiencing psychological and bodily disintegration (Ps 102:4–12), cries out to God (Ps 102:1–3). In the Temple precincts where God has promised to be present, the psalmist recalls God’s venerable promises to save the poor (Ps 102:13–23). The final part (Ps 102:24–28) restates the original complaint and prayer, and emphasizes God’s eternity. (Psalms, PSALM 102, n.d.)

In the Gospel of John, Jesus, the Father’s Ambassador, foretells His Death.

* [8:21–30] He whose ambassador I am is with me. Jesus’ origin is from God; he can reveal God.

* [8:21] You will die in your sin: i.e., of disbelief; cf. Jn 8:24. Where I am going you cannot come: except through faith in Jesus’ passion-resurrection.

* [8:22] The Jews suspect that he is referring to his death. Johannine irony is apparent here; Jesus’ death will not be self-inflicted but destined by God.

* [8:24, 28] I AM: an expression that late Jewish tradition understood as Yahweh’s own self-designation (Is 43:10); see note on Jn 4:26. Jesus is here placed on a par with Yahweh.

* [8:25] What I told you from the beginning: this verse seems textually corrupt, with several other possible translations: “(I am) what I say to you”; “Why do I speak to you at all?” The earliest attested reading (Bodmer Papyrus P66) has (in a second hand), “I told you at the beginning what I am also telling you (now).” The answer here (cf. Prv 8:22) seems to hinge on a misunderstanding of Jn 8:24 “that I AM” as “what I am.” (John, CHAPTER 8, n.d.)

David Crawford comments that for the Israelites suffering under Roman rule, Jesus Christ filled that role.  John 3:14-15 makes a direct connection:  And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.  In today’s Gospel reading, when Jesus warns the Pharisees that unless they lift up the Son of Man, unless they believe as God would have them believe, they will die in their sins. 

That message resonates with us today.  Perhaps one lesson to be learned here is that when we focus on the troubles nipping at our heels, we are in serious trouble; but when we lift our gaze and put our focus on Christ, raised for all to see, healing and redemption are available to us.  Continually surrender your problems, challenges and worries to God, and continually trust in God.  In the word’s of an old hymn:  Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace. (Crawford, n.d.)

Don Schwager quotes “Aided by Christ's grace,” by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.

"God the Father said: 'I sent you One who would seek you out, walk with you, and forgive you. So he had feet to walk with and hands to forgive with. Thus, when he ascended after his resurrection, he showed hands, side, and feet: hands with which he gave pardon to sinners; and side from which flowed the ransom of the redeemed.'" (excerpt from Sermon 16A,10) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Numbers 21:4-9 comments that the Lord wasn’t telling his people to worship a false god. He wanted to bring them to repentance for their lack of trust in him. So he gave them a graphic image of what happens when they turn away from him: sadness, suffering, and death. Looking upon that bronze serpent brought them face-to-face with the very real consequences of their sin.

We live in a world that avoids the harsh realities displayed on the cross. But the only way we can be saved is to confront those realities, confess our sin, and humbly ask Jesus to rescue us. So gaze at the cross today. Fix your eyes on the One who suffered so humbly out of love for you.

“We adore you, O Lord, for by your cross you have redeemed the world!” (Meditation on Numbers 21:4-9, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments on the bronze serpent that is a totemistic object that appears in Hebrew and Christian tradition to recognize healing by God including at shrines today where people acknowledge healing. Jesus' declaration of “I Am” to the Pharisees is not even subtle. Friar Jude notes that Jesus' exaltation on the Cross is fulfilling the Will of the Father.

Rev. Dr. Barbara Holmes (1943–2024) reflects on the desert experiences of Jesus and the early Christians. She describes how we can live out this desert legacy and wisdom today. 

If the desert is a place of renewal, transformation, and freedom, and if the heat and isolation served as a nurturing incubator …, one wonders if a desert experience is necessary to reclaim this legacy.

We are in need of those values central to African [desert] monasticism and early Christian hospitality; they include communal relationships, humility, and compassion. Laura Swan sums up these virtues in the word apatheia, defined as “a mature mindfulness, a grounded sensitivity, and a keen attention to one’s inner world as well as to the world in which one has journeyed.” [1] Inevitably, the journey takes each of us in different directions; however, by virtue of circumstances or choice, each of us will at some point in our lives find ourselves on the outskirts of society listening to the silence coming from within. During these times, we realize that contemplation is a destination as well as a practice. The monastics knew this and valued both. (Holmes, n.d.)

We consider the role of “tokens” on our journey to connect us to events of conversion, healing, compassion, mercy, and love that reveal Divine truth, goodness, and Providence.

References

Crawford, D. (n.d.). Daily Reflection Of Creighton University's Online Ministries. OnlineMinistries. Retrieved April 8, 2025, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/040825.html 

Holmes, B. (n.d.). Recognizing Deserts Today. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved April 8, 2025, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/recognizing-deserts-today/ 

John, CHAPTER 8. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved April 8, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/john/8?21 

Meditation on Numbers 21:4-9. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved April 8, 2025, from https://wau.org/meditations/2025/04/08/1243478/ 

Numbers, CHAPTER 21 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved April 8, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/numbers/21?4 

Psalms, PSALM 102. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved April 8, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/102?2 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). When You Have Lifted up the Son of Man. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved April 8, 2025, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2025&date=apr8 

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