Never Forgotten

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today exhort us to recall the consistent presence of God in our lives presented today in feminine and masculine images of support for fullness of life.

I will never forget you

The reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah declares that Zion’s Children will Be Brought Home from exile.

* [49:8] You: the individual is not named; perhaps Cyrus or the prophet.

* [49:12] Syene: now called Aswan, at the first cataract of the Nile in southern Egypt. (Isaiah, CHAPTER 49 | USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 145 praises the Greatness and the Goodness of God.

* [Psalm 145] A hymn in acrostic form; every verse begins with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Acrostic poems usually do not develop ideas but consist rather of loosely connected statements. The singer invites all to praise God (Ps 145:1–3, 21). The “works of God” make God present and invite human praise (Ps 145:4–7); they climax in a confession (Ps 145:8–9). God’s mighty acts show forth divine kingship (Ps 145:10–20), a major theme in the literature of early Judaism and in Christianity. (Psalms, PSALM 145 | USCCB, n.d.)

The Gospel of John declares the authority of the Son and witnesses to Jesus.

* [5:17] Sabbath observance (10) was based on God’s resting on the seventh day (cf. Gn 2:2–3; Ex 20:11). Philo and some rabbis insisted that God’s providence remains active on the sabbath, keeping all things in existence, giving life in birth and taking it away in death. Other rabbis taught that God rested from creating, but not from judging (=ruling, governing). Jesus here claims the same authority to work as the Father, and, in the discourse that follows, the same divine prerogatives: power over life and death (Jn 5:21, 24–26) and judgment (Jn 5:22, 27).

* [5:19] This proverb or parable is taken from apprenticeship in a trade: the activity of a son is modeled on that of his father. Jesus’ dependence on the Father is justification for doing what the Father does.

* [5:21] Gives life: in the Old Testament, a divine prerogative (Dt 32:39; 1 Sm 2:6; 2 Kgs 5:7; Tb 13:2; Is 26:19; Dn 12:2).

* [5:22] Judgment: another divine prerogative, often expressed as acquittal or condemnation (Dt 32:36; Ps 43:1).

* [5:28–29] While Jn 5:19–27 present realized eschatology, Jn 5:28–29 are future eschatology; cf. Dn 12:2. (John, CHAPTER 5 | USCCB, n.d.)

Barbara Dilly comments that God’s people so often respond inelegantly. It sounds like we have the blues.

And that is what I think Jesus has come to tell us. Jesus puts the swing in our faith. Can’t you just feel it in the words, “I am the resurrection and the life”? “Whoever believes in me will never die.”  Those words really swing for me! As we read the words of Jesus in the Gospel today, we can hear the upbeat. It is not about abandonment. It is about being saved. So, while we sing those down beat songs during Lent that remind us of our sins of despair, we can also sing the upbeat songs that lift us out of our darkness. Isaiah tells us, we can break forth into joyful sound and rejoice with all the earth for the mercy the Lord shows to the afflicted.

I pray this week that we can hear the upbeat way God speaks to us and that we can put some swing in our faith in the way we relate our faith to others. As the Lord comforts his people and shows mercy to his afflicted, we also can try a little kindness. Look up the old song, “Try a Little Kindness” by Glenn Campbell. It says it well, with swing! (Dilly, n.d.)

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

"Unless the Word of God had first assumed our mortal flesh he could not have died for us. Only in that way was the immortal God able to die and to give life to mortal humans. Therefore, by this double sharing he brought about a wonderful exchange. We made death possible for him, and he made life possible for us." (excerpt from Sermon 218c,1) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on John 5:17-30 comments that Jesus continually reminds us that his Father is our Father. Every time we pray to “our Father, who art in heaven,” Jesus is there as well, inviting us into his Father’s loving embrace.

And when you gaze with gratitude on Jesus—especially when you fix your eyes on an image of Christ crucified—be sure to ask him to show you the outstretched arms of his Father. Ask him to tell you that he is your Father as well!

“Jesus, thank you for showing me the Father. Help me to walk with the Father as you did and to know his unfailing love.” (Meditation on John 5:17-30, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments on the sense among the Babylonian exiles that God was impotent. The feminine image of God in Isaiah 49 proclaims Israel is not forgotten and is the recipient of the unconditional love of God. Friar Jude notes the masculine image of God in John is rejected by the Pharisees because of Jesus' work on the Sabbath and His declaration of a special relationship with the Father.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces Episcopal priest Adam Bucko who offers encouragement for action and contemplation amid circumstances of systemic injustice. He believes returning to the gospel and tending to our spiritual lives are essential practices in times of crisis and unknowing.

It may not be in our power to determine how things will unfold, but it is in our power to decide how we respond. It is in our power to hold on to the practices that nourish us, inform us, and give us courage. It is in our power to remain in integrity, to choose nonviolence and noncooperation in the face of all the violence we are already seeing. 

Jesus was clear: Love always. Bless those who persecute you. Forgive even the unforgivable. Turn the other cheek, not in surrender but in defiance of violence. Do not repay evil with evil, but overcome evil with good. This may not change the world, but sometimes it is important to do things simply because they are the right things to do. In the end, all we have is our integrity. So let us stand in it, grounded in the One who renews us each moment and calls us to a nonviolent witness of love—one that is big enough to hold both our friends and our oppressors, knowing that love endures beyond violence.  (Rohr, n.d.)

Reference:  

Adam Bucko, “This Demands a Response: A Call to Spiritual Defiance,” Contemplative Witness with Adam Bucko (Substack newsletter), February 14, 2025. Used with permission. 

When we ponder where we can go in times of chaos and disruption we remember the Divine promise that we are never forgotten and we restate our faith, hope, and love in the guidance of the Spirit in our actions to support all people.

References

Dilly, B. (n.d.). Daily Reflection Of Creighton University's Online Ministries. Creighton University's Online Ministries. Retrieved April 2, 2025, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/040225.html 

Isaiah, CHAPTER 49 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Bible Readings. Retrieved April 2, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/isaiah/49?8 

John, CHAPTER 5 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Bible Readings. Retrieved April 2, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/john/5?17 

Meditation on John 5:17-30. (n.d.). Word Among Us. Retrieved April 2, 2025, from https://wau.org/meditations/2025/04/02/1239355/ 

Psalms, PSALM 145 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Bible Readings. Retrieved April 2, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/145?8 

Rohr, R. (n.d.). Gospel Instructions. CAC Daily Meditations. Retrieved April 2, 2025, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/gospel-instructions/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). My Father Is Working Still, and I Am Working. Daily Scripture net. Retrieved April 2, 2025, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2025&date=apr2 

Hope and Healing

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today encourage us to continue to seek the healing help of God for long term divisions with friends, family, and our community.

Waters of Life

The reading from the Prophet Ezekiel is a vision of Water Flowing from the Temple.

* [47:1–12] The life and refreshment produced wherever the Temple stream flows evoke the order and abundance of paradise (cf. Gn 1:20–22; 2:10–14; Ps 46:5) and represent the coming transformation Ezekiel envisions for the exiles and their land. Water signifies great blessings and evidence of the Lord’s presence (cf. Jl 2:14).

* [47:8] The sea: the Dead Sea, in which nothing can live. This vision of the Temple stream which transforms places of death into places of life is similar in purpose to the oracle of dry bones in 37:1–14: it offers the exiles hope for the future. (Ezekiel, CHAPTER 47 | USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 46 praises God’s Defence of His City and People.

* [Psalm 46] A song of confidence in God’s protection of Zion with close parallels to Ps 48. The dominant note in Ps 46 is sounded by the refrain, The LORD of hosts is with us (Ps 46:8, 12). The first strophe (Ps 46:2–4) sings of the security of God’s presence even in utter chaos; the second (Ps 46:5–8), of divine protection of the city from its enemies; the third (Ps 46:9–11), of God’s imposition of imperial peace. (Psalms, PSALM 46 | USCCB, n.d.)

In the Gospel of John, Jesus Heals on the Sabbath

* [5:3] The Caesarean and Western recensions, followed by the Vulgate, add “waiting for the movement of the water.” Apparently an intermittent spring in the pool bubbled up occasionally (see Jn 5:7). This turbulence was believed to cure.

* [5:4] Toward the end of the second century in the West and among the fourth-century Greek Fathers, an additional verse was known: “For [from time to time] an angel of the Lord used to come down into the pool; and the water was stirred up, so the first one to get in [after the stirring of the water] was healed of whatever disease afflicted him.” The angel was a popular explanation of the turbulence and the healing powers attributed to it. This verse is missing from all early Greek manuscripts and the earliest versions, including the original Vulgate. Its vocabulary is markedly non-Johannine.

* [5:14] While the cure of the paralytic in Mk 2:1–12 is associated with the forgiveness of sins, Jesus never drew a one-to-one connection between sin and suffering (cf. Jn 9:3; Lk 12:1–5), as did Ez 18:20. (John, CHAPTER 5 | USCCB, n.d.)

Steve Scholer consults AI for a definition of the individual aspects of spiritual wellness.

The spiritual wellness we seek is so important to our overall well-being and contributes to our improved mental health, stress management, and resilience. It is a personal and unique journey that is cultivated through our continued self-reflection, prayer and meaningful connections.

But like the man at the pool, we often have shallow reasons for not fully committing to improving our relationship with God. Instead, we fixate on obstacles to our wellness that often seem insurmountable.

Jesus had a simple directive to the man at the well, one that pushed him past his roadblock: "Rise, take up your mat, and walk."
As we continue in the second half of our Lenten journey, let us reflect on those powerful words of Jesus. Perhaps in doing so, we will realize that there are no impediments to our spiritual wellness. No magical waters we need to step into. Jesus is simply telling us to, “Rise, take up your mat and walk.” (Scholer, n.d.)

Don Schwager quotes “Christ our physician,” by Augustine of Hippo, 430-543 A.D.

"Our wound is serious, but the Physician is all-powerful. Does it seem to you so small a mercy that, while you were living in evil and sinning, He did not take away your life, but brought you to belief and forgave your sins? What I suffer is serious, but I trust the Almighty. I would despair of my mortal wound if I had not found so great a Physician." (excerpt from Sermon 352,3)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Ezekiel 47:1-9, 12 comments on the wonderful promise this vision must have been for the Jews who had been exiled to Babylon: God was going to restore the Temple and bring them back home!

Today, take heart from Ezekiel’s vision. Trust that as you faithfully journey with the Lord, he will bring you to a place where you “shall bear fresh fruit”—because your nourishment is from him (Ezekiel 47:12)!

“Jesus, stay by my side as I journey through Lent! Help me to trust in your promise of refreshment and restoration. ” (Meditation on Ezekiel 47:1-9, 12, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments on the vision of Ezekiel of the reconstruction of the Temple as a source of life from his place as an exile in Babylon. Archaeologists have located a five portico pool in Jerusalem that is located next to a shrine to the pagan god of healing. Friar Jude notes that we sometimes have fear to “move on” and, like the Pharisees, delay our compassion and help by “administrative rules”.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces religion scholar Diana Butler Bass who ponders the crowd’s outrage after Jesus’ first sermon in Nazareth (Luke 4:18–30)—and the courage required to resist it. Butler Bass asks “What do you do when the mob turns ugly? When widows and lepers, when LGBTQ people and immigrants, are afraid and treated cruelly—and when a brave prophet calls out the self-righteous? What do you do when there’s a lynch mob or a cross-burning?”

It was frightening for them; it must have been hard to go against their family, friends, and neighbors. As they followed the mob to the bluff, they must have worried that if they spoke up they could be thrown off, too. But instead of submitting to the tyranny of the “all,” maybe they formed a little alternative community in solidarity with each other. When Jesus was herded to the cliff, perhaps it was they who saw an opening—made an opening—and helped him escape. He passed through the midst of them and went on his way. 

That is, indeed, a miracle. The bystanders find the courage to do something. 

If Jesus needed that, so do we…. We must form squads of love and make a path through together … no matter how fearsome the mob. 

And that’s the overlooked miracle of Luke 4: Only a community—even one that goes unnoticed in the crowd—the band that refuses to join the rabble—can keep us from going completely over the edge. (Rohr, n.d.)

We consider the importance of hope that is rooted in our experience of the love of God that our efforts, aided by the Spirit, will bring truth, compassion, and love to our daily journey. 

References

Ezekiel, CHAPTER 47 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Bible Readings. Retrieved April 1, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/ezekiel/47?1 

John, CHAPTER 5 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Bible Readings. Retrieved April 1, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/john/5?1 

Meditation on Ezekiel 47:1-9, 12. (n.d.). Retrieved April 1, 2025, from https://wau.org/meditations/2025/04/01/1238651/ 

Psalms, PSALM 46 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Bible Readings. Retrieved April 1, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/46?2 

Rohr, R. (n.d.). Not Joining the Crowd. CAC Daily Meditations. Retrieved April 25, 2025, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/not-joining-the-crowd/ 

Scholer, S. (n.d.). Daily Reflection Of Creighton University's Online Ministries. Creighton University's Online Ministries. Retrieved April 1, 2025, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/040125.html 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). Walk and Sin No More. Daily Scripture net. Retrieved April 1, 2025, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2025&date=apr1