Mercy and Transformation

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today invite us to accept the challenge to expect the triumph of love and peace as we strive to choose forgiveness and mercy as our response to the failings of the people in our environment.

Choose Mercy

The reading from the Prophet Isaiah expresses Promises of Redemption and Restoration.

* [43:14–17] The destruction of Babylon is described in language that recalls the drowning of the Egyptian army in the Red Sea (Ex 14–15).

* [43:18] Remember not: God’s new act of delivering Israel from the Babylonian captivity is presented as so great a marvel as to eclipse even the memory of the exodus from Egypt. This comparison of the return from Babylon to the exodus from Egypt recurs throughout Second Isaiah (cf. 41:17–20; 43:18–21; 48:20–21; 49:8–13; 51:9–11). (Isaiah, CHAPTER 43, n.d.)

Psalm 126 proclaims a Harvest of Joy.

* [Psalm 126] A lament probably sung shortly after Israel’s return from exile. The people rejoice that they are in Zion (Ps 126:1–3) but mere presence in the holy city is not enough; they must pray for the prosperity and the fertility of the land (Ps 126:4). The last verses are probably an oracle of promise: the painful work of sowing will be crowned with life (Ps 126:5–6). (Psalms, PSALM 126, n.d.)

In the reading from the Letter to the Philippians, Paul urges pressing towards the Goal; Forward in Christ.

* [3:12–16] To be taken possession of by Christ does not mean that one has already arrived at perfect spiritual maturity. Paul and the Philippians instead press on, trusting in God. (Philippians, CHAPTER 3, n.d.)

In the Gospel of John, Jesus addresses a Woman Caught in Adultery.

* [7:53–8:11] The story of the woman caught in adultery is a later insertion here, missing from all early Greek manuscripts. A Western text-type insertion, attested mainly in Old Latin translations, it is found in different places in different manuscripts: here, or after Jn 7:36 or at the end of this gospel, or after Lk 21:38, or at the end of that gospel. There are many non-Johannine features in the language, and there are also many doubtful readings within the passage. The style and motifs are similar to those of Luke, and it fits better with the general situation at the end of Lk 21: but it was probably inserted here because of the allusion to Jer 17:13 (cf. note on Jn 8:6) and the statement, “I do not judge anyone,” in Jn 8:15. The Catholic Church accepts this passage as canonical scripture. (John, CHAPTER 8, n.d.)

Rashmi Fernando, S.J. comments that this passage is a powerful reflection on the nature of God’s mercy. 

Jesus does not deny the seriousness of sin but prioritizes redemption over retribution. His words invite us to reflect on our own tendency to judge others while overlooking our faults. More importantly, they remind us that no one is beyond the reach of God’s grace. Just as the woman was given a new chance, we too are called to rise from our past and walk forward in transformation.

In this Lenten season, these readings encourage us to embrace God’s invitation to renewal. Whether by letting go of past burdens, striving forward in faith, or showing mercy to others, we are reminded that God is always making a way for us, offering rivers in the wasteland of our lives. (Fernando, n.d.)

Don Schwager quotes “A humble examination,” by Bede the Venerable, 672-735 A.D.

"In line with our usual human way of doing things, we can understand that the reason why the Lord might wish to bend before his unprincipled tempters and to write on the ground was that by directing his look elsewhere he might give them the freedom to go away. He foresaw that as they had been astounded by his answer, they would be more inclined to depart quickly than to ask him more questions...

Figuratively speaking, the fact that both before and after he gave his opinion he bent and wrote on the ground admonishes us that both before we rebuke a sinning neighbor and after we have rendered to him the ministry of due correction, we should subject ourselves to a suitably humble examination, lest perhaps we be entangled in the same things that we censure in [our neighbors] or in any other sort of misdeeds. For it often comes about, for example, that people who publicly judge a murderer to be a sinner may not perceive the worse evil of the hatred with which they themselves despoil someone in secret. People who bring an accusation against a fornicator may ignore the plague of the pride with which they congratulate themselves for their own chastity. People who condemn a drunkard may not see the venom of envy with which they themselves are eaten away.

In dangers of this sort, what saving remedy is left for us except that, when we look at some other sinner, we immediately bend down - that is, we humbly observe how we would be cast down by our frail condition if divine benevolence did not keep us from falling? Let us write with a finger on the ground - that is, let us meticulously ponder with discrimination whether we can say with blessed Job, 'For our heart does not censure us in all our life' (Job 27:6), and let us painstakingly remember that if our heart censures us, God is greater than our heart and he knows all things." (excerpt from HOMILIES ON THE GOSPELS 1.25) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Philippians 3:8-14 comments that St. Paul’s description of his life in Christ can sound like a burdensome set of rules: accept the loss of all things; share in Jesus’ sufferings; forget what lies behind; strain toward God’s upward calling.

But Paul was happy to do all of this. Why?

How have you encountered Jesus? You might have decided to give your life completely to him at a pivotal point. You might have brought a burdensome sin to Confession and been convinced of God’s forgiveness and love. Maybe you’re longing for an even deeper encounter right now!

These experiences can change your heart and shape your perspective. They make losing your life for Jesus—even when it involves difficulty—completely worth it! You, like Paul, can hold onto the “supreme good of knowing Christ Jesus [your] Lord” (Philippians 3:8).

“Jesus, I will follow you!” (Meditation on Philippians 3:8-14, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments on the sense among the exiles in Babylon that perhaps Yahweh was not as powerful as the Babylonian gods and the response of Isaiah to prophecy a greater return than the Exodus from Egypt. The exhortation of Paul to the Phillippians shows a deeper humility as he admits not being there yet and urges his audience to follow him. Friar Jude explains how the passage is ill fitting in John as he notes the cleverness of Jesus in addressing the sin of the woman without her being condemned to death.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, considers the desert mystics foundational contributors to his lineage of faith. The period of early Christianity is one of the key building blocks in his lineage of faith. It’s an overlooked area for much of the Roman Church and its child, Protestantism. With the self-sufficiency and arrogance that has often characterized the West, we have proceeded as if the first centuries of Christianity were unimportant, or not part of the essential Christ mystery. The very things the early Christians emphasized—such as the prayer of quiet, divinization, universal restoration, and the importance of practice—are some of the most neglected parts of the Western Church. 

After the legitimation and, some would say, the co-opting of Christianity by the Roman Empire in the 4th century, many Christians fled to the deserts of Egypt, Palestine, Syria, and Cappadocia (Eastern Turkey). We call these men and women the desert fathers and mothers (or abbas and ammas). The desert Christians emphasized lifestyle practice, an alternative to empires and their economies, psychologically astute methods of prayer, and a very simple spirituality of transformation into Christ. The desert communities grew out of informal gatherings of monastics and functioned much like families. This tradition preceded the emergence of systematic theology and the later Church councils. Since the desert monks often lacked formal education, they told stories, much as Jesus did, to teach about ego, love, virtue, surrender, peace, divine union, and inner freedom. [1] (Rohr, n.d.)

We embrace the guidance of the Spirit on our journey and accept, like Paul, that we need the continued Presence of Christ to transform our legalism and doubt to forgiveness, faith, and mercy.

References

Fernando, R. (n.d.). Daily Reflection Of Creighton University's Online Ministries. OnlineMinistries. Retrieved April 6, 2025, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/040625.html 

Isaiah, CHAPTER 43. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved April 6, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/isaiah/43?16 

John, CHAPTER 8. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved April 6, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/john/8?1 

Meditation on Philippians 3:8-14. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved April 6, 2025, from https://wau.org/meditations/2025/04/06/1241630/ 

Philippians, CHAPTER 3. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved April 6, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/philippians/3?8 

Psalms, PSALM 126. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved April 6, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/126?1 

Rohr, R. (n.d.). Daily Meditations — Center for Action and Contemplation. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved April 6, 2025, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/a-radical-foundation/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). Go, and Do Not Sin Again. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved April 6, 2025, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2025&date=apr6 

Persevere in the Promise

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today exhort us to act as the Body of Christ as we meditate on Jesus' ascension into heaven.

Persevere as the Body

The reading from the Acts of the Apostles is the Promise of the Holy Spirit that accompanies the Ascension of Jesus.

* [1:1–26] This introductory material (Acts 1:1–2) connects Acts with the Gospel of Luke, shows that the apostles were instructed by the risen Jesus (Acts 1:3–5), points out that the parousia or second coming in glory of Jesus will occur as certainly as his ascension occurred (Acts 1:6–11), and lists the members of the Twelve, stressing their role as a body of divinely mandated witnesses to his life, teaching, and resurrection (Acts 1:12–26). (Acts of the Apostles, CHAPTER 1, n.d.)

Psalm 47 praises God’s Rule over the Nations.

* [Psalm 47] A hymn calling on the nations to acknowledge the universal rule of Israel’s God (Ps 47:2–5) who is enthroned as king over Israel and the nations (Ps 47:6–9). (Psalms, PSALM 47, n.d.)

The reading from the Letter to the Ephesians describes the Church as Christ’s Body through which Jesus may give us a spirit of wisdom and revelation as we come to know him.

* [1:15–23] See note on Rom 1:8 for the thanksgiving form in a letter. Much of the content parallels thoughts in Col 1:3–20. The prayer moves from God and Christ (Eph 1:17, 20–21) to the Ephesians (Eph 1:17–19) and the church (Eph 1:22–23). Paul asks that the blessing imparted by God the Father (Eph 1:3) to the Ephesians will be strengthened in them through the message of the gospel (Eph 1:13, 17–19). Those blessings are seen in the context of God’s might in establishing the sovereignty of Christ over all other creatures (Eph 1:19–21) and in appointing him head of the church (Eph 1:22–23). For the allusion to angelic spirits in Eph 1:21, see Rom 8:38 and Col 1:16. Here, as in 1 Cor 15:24–25 and Col 2:15, every such principality and power is made subject to Christ. (Ephesians, CHAPTER 1, n.d.)

An alternate reading from the Letter to the Hebrews is a call to persevere.

* [9:28] To take away the sins of many: the reference is to Is 53:12. Since the Greek verb anapherō can mean both “to take away” and “to bear,” the author no doubt intended to play upon both senses: Jesus took away sin by bearing it himself. See the similar wordplay in Jn 1:29. Many is used in the Semitic meaning of “all” in the inclusive sense, as in Mk 14:24. To those who eagerly await him: Jesus will appear a second time at the parousia, as the high priest reappeared on the Day of Atonement, emerging from the Holy of Holies, which he had entered to take away sin. This dramatic scene is described in Sir 50:5–11. (Hebrews, CHAPTER 9, n.d.)

The Gospel of Luke proclaims the Ascension of Jesus.

* [24:50–53] Luke brings his story about the time of Jesus to a close with the report of the ascension. He will also begin the story of the time of the church with a recounting of the ascension. In the gospel, Luke recounts the ascension of Jesus on Easter Sunday night, thereby closely associating it with the resurrection. In Acts 1:3, 9–11; 13:31 he historicizes the ascension by speaking of a forty-day period between the resurrection and the ascension. The Western text omits some phrases in Lk 24:51, 52 perhaps to avoid any chronological conflict with Acts 1 about the time of the ascension. (Luke, CHAPTER 24, n.d.)

Larry Gillick, S.J. comments that at the end of our First Reading from the Acts up the Apostles, we hear of the two, who were dressed in white, asking the Apostles why they are looking up, gazing off into the blue. We can join them, if we wish, gazing into the blue of mysteries or insufficiencies. What these two messengers are saying to the Apostles is, “get on with it!” "You have seen enough, heard enough, now be enough for the Body of Christ to take flesh in you individually and corporally as The Church."

The “men of Galilee” went back up to Jerusalem.   As with the "Viri Galille choir," they sang at times humilified with the more than scoffing listeners. They sang and their song continues when we are His Body revealing His Presence. We can be tempted that we are not ever enough. The Holy Spirit, Who inspired and guided that early Galilean band continues creating life in the Church and the world through such singers as ourselves. Don’t forget the words!!! (Gillick, n.d.)

Don Schwager quotes “Jesus ascends to heaven in his body - divine and human nature,” by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.

"You heard what came to our ears just now from the Gospel: 'Lifting up his hands, he blessed them. And it happened, while he was blessing them he withdrew from them, and was carried up to heaven.' Who was carried up to heaven? The Lord Christ was. Who is the Lord Christ? He is the Lord Jesus. What is this? Are you going to separate the human from the divine and make one person of God, another of the man, so that there is no longer a trinity of three but a quaternary of four? Just as you, a human being, are soul and body, so the Lord Christ is Word, soul and body. The Word did not depart from the Father. He both came to us and did not forsake the Father. He both took flesh in the womb and continued to govern the universe. What was lifted up into heaven, if not what had been taken from earth? That is to say, the very flesh, the very body, about which he was speaking when he said to the disciples, 'Feel, and see that a spirit does not have bones and flesh, as you can see that I have' (Luke 24:39). Let us believe this, brothers and sisters, and if we have difficulty in meeting the arguments of the philosophers, let us hold on to what was demonstrated in the Lord's case without any difficulty of faith. Let them chatter, but let us believe." (excerpt from Sermon 242,6) (The Lord Jesus Was Taken up Into Heaven, 2022)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Luke 24:46-53 comments that like the disciples, we might wonder how to follow Jesus since he is no longer walking the earth. But the answer remains the same: Stay in the city. Stay close to your brothers and sisters in the Lord. When hard times come, we may feel distant from God or uncertain about what to do next. Confusion, hurt, or disillusionment can undermine our trust in the Lord and one another. In these situations, our first instinct is often to withdraw. We might avoid seeing people or even stop going to church. But Jesus encourages us: Stay in the city.

Jesus promises to give us the power we need to live as his people. He urges us, Stay close to your brothers and sisters. Stay close to me. Keep praying. I will fill you with my Spirit. “Jesus, help me to stay close to you and to your people, even when I don’t understand what you’re doing.” (Meditation on Luke 24:46-53, 2022)

Friar Jude Winkler notes that Luke dedicates the Acts of the Apostles to Theopolis that could be a symbolic name for all lovers of God. Luke states the mission to be witnesses to the end of the world, the political centre of Rome. Friar Jude reminds us that the third revelation of Jesus in Luke mirrors our usual journey of the revelation of Christ to us through Scripture, Word and Sacrament, and ultimately face to face in faith.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, describes his spiritual development as a “pilgrim’s progress,” with God using the circumstances of his life—particularly his international ministry and travel—to expand his vision, heart, and mind.

Soon there was a much bigger world for me than the United States and the Roman Catholic Church, which I eventually realized also contained paradoxes. The e pluribus unum (“out of many, one”) on American coinage did not include very many of its own people (women, BIPOC, LGBTQIA+ people, poor folks, people with disabilities, and so many more). As a Christian I finally had to be either Roman or catholic, and I continue to choose the catholic end of that spectrum—remember, catholic means universal. Either Jesus is the “savior of the world” (John 4:42), or he is not much of a savior at all. Either America treats the rest of the world and its own citizens democratically, or it does not really believe in democracy at all. That’s the way I see it. But this slow process of transformation and the realizations that came with it were not either-or decisions; they were great big both-and realizations. None of it happened without much prayer, self-doubt, study, and conversation. The journey itself led me to a deepening sense of holiness, freedom, and wholeness. Although I didn’t begin thinking this way, I now hope and believe that a kind of second simplicity is the very goal of mature adulthood and mature religion. (Rohr, 2022)

The liturgy of the Ascension prepares us to be prepared to accept the prompting of the Spirit to bring Christ to the ends of the earth in our acts of love, mercy, and compassion.

References

Acts of the Apostles, CHAPTER 1. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved May 29, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/acts/1 

Ephesians, CHAPTER 1. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved May 29, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/ephesians/1?17 

Gillick, L. (n.d.). Creighton U. Daily Reflection. Online Ministries. Retrieved May 29, 2022, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/Ascension-2022.html 

Hebrews, CHAPTER 9. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved May 29, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/hebrews/9 

The Lord Jesus Was Taken up into Heaven. (2022, May 26). Daily Scripture net. Retrieved May 29, 2022, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2022&date=may26 

Luke, CHAPTER 24. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved May 29, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/24?46 

Meditation on Luke 24:46-53. (2022, May 29). Word Among Us. Retrieved May 29, 2022, from https://wau.org/meditations/2022/05/29/395828/ 

Psalms, PSALM 47. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved May 29, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/47?2 

Rohr, R. (2022, May 29). Ever-Widening Circles. Daily Meditations Archive: 2022. Retrieved May 29, 2022, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/ever-widening-circles-2022-05-29/