Monday, March 10: "You shall not steal… lie… curse the deaf or put a stumbling block in front of the blind. You shall not act dishonestly in rendering judgment…nor shall you stand by idly when your neighbor's life is at stake” (Lv 19:1-2, 11-18). When the Son of Man comes in his glory, he will sit upon his glorious throne, and all the nations will be assembled before him (Mt 25:31-46).

Today’s missive from Leviticus lists things we, as individuals, “shall not” do. In the gospel, we hear about the judgement of the “nations.” What do you think this means? That governments and leaders of nations will be judged, but those under their rule won’t be? Somehow, I don’t think that’s it. (So, if we are part of a “sheep nation,” we won’t benefit from their largesse!?) One way to look at these two passages is to contrast the difference between personal sin and societal sin.

Provision: ACT as if your life depended on it. We all get the idea of personal sin, but how do you define societal sin? Jesus’ list seems to be about charitable works, but that’s a narrow reading of this text. Societal sin includes policies and practices that exclude others from God’s bounty, that bring about the need for charitable works: racism, bigotry, “deference to the mighty” (as we hear in Leviticus), injustice, denying people a place at the table, policies that demonize the stranger or ignore care for the earth. Spend time reflecting on societal sin, and how your actions and inaction impact the greater good. “Your life and my life flow into each other as wave flows into wave, and unless there is peace and joy and freedom for you, there can be no real peace or joy or freedom for me” (Frederick Buechner).

Tuesday, March 11: “The LORD confronts the evildoers, to destroy remembrance of them from the earth” (Ps 34).

In Hebrew, that last phrase is “to cut off from the earth their names.” I understand what the psalmist is saying here: evil will be forgotten in the face of good. But for me, there’s a huge caveat, expressed best by George Santayana’s most famous quote: “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” In the US and some European countries, there is a rise in “neo-Nazism.” Let’s get one thing straight: there’s nothing “neo” about it, and world leaders who, no matter how much they deny it, are, by their words, actions, and policies, supporting this movement. My parents’ generation, those who lived through WWII, and, in my father’s case, fought against the scourge of Nazism, have moved on to their reward, and it is up to my generation to honor them by making sure the coming generations never forget. Humanity is nowhere near being ready to dismiss the presence of evil. It is front and center right now.

Provision: FAST from turning away. “You may choose to look the other way, but you can never say again that you didn’t know” (William Wilberforce, British slavery abolitionist). Oh, I know how easy it is to say, “this too will pass, we’ve survived this before” or “there’s nothing I can do” or “someone else will deal with it.” But what is happening now is an affront to all those with a moral conscience, regardless of political affiliation. I encourage you to make your voice heard repeatedly to your elected leaders. Tell them there is no place for hatred and bigotry in our world.

Wednesday, March 12: “Everyone shall turn back from their evil way and from the outrage to which they hold fast” (Jon 3:1-10, Hebrew). “This generation is an evil generation” (Lk 11:29-32).

Outrage: as a noun it could be both a horrible, violent act, or the reaction to a horrible, violent act. In the NABRE translation, I guess it’s the former: the violence the Ninevites “had in hand.” But we know an outrageous act can easily spark an outrageous and equally violent response. Violence begets violence, which is why Jesus’ words to his evil generation can likely be said to all generations. How do we work to turn back from our evil ways, from violence?

Provision: ACT nonviolently. I am a bit of a hothead. I’ve calmed down some in these, my later years, but my outrage can be sparked quickly. What’s interesting about our current political climate is that there are a lot of people who are outraged, but we are not all outraged about the same things. Some are outraged by elitism (I’m not saying, “so called,” because I think this is grounded in reality). Others, like me, are outraged by the current political situation and the leaders in my country. They have deceived the very people to whom they have promised greatness (go back to Sunday’s reflection) and are destroying democracy to feed their own egos and bank accounts. Considering Jesus’ comment about an evil generation, let’s go back to Monday’s reflection as well. Is Jesus talking just to the leaders or to all of us? How can we calm and channel our outrage into nonviolent and compassionate ways to “repair the breach?”
 

Thursday, March 13: “Help me, who am alone and have no help but you, for I am taking my life in my hand”
(Est C:12, 14-16, 23-25).

Esther is scared. She is taking a big risk. Her husband, the king, is a powerful and mercurial dude (although we hear God changed his anger to gentleness), but she doesn’t know that walking into his throne room. She prays fervently to God to give her courage to speak truth and goodness to treachery and evil.

Provision: PRAY for courage. It takes courage to speak out against evil. For Esther, it could have meant death; for Jesus, it did (along with MLK, Gandhi, recent activists in Russia, and I’m sure many other saints around the world). For me, it is awful to see the cuts to USAID given the number of good people who have put their own lives at risk over the years to fight illness and evil around the world. It takes courage for us to speak out today. The threat of violence and slander is very real. Not all of us are called to take a public stand, but that doesn’t mean we don’t speak out, nonviolently, to call out evil we see. This is a time, folks, when the rubber of our faith meets the road, and that means friction; friction causes heat. Pray today for the courage to endure the heat, to take a nonviolent stand within your community.
 

Friday, March 14: “If the wicked one turns away from all the sins he committed, if he… does what is right and just, he shall surely live, he shall not die. …And if the virtuous one turns from the path of virtue to do evil, the same kind of abominable things that the wicked one does… none of his virtuous deeds shall be remembered” (Ez 18:21-28).

An important thing to remember here: God sees and knows the disposition of our hearts. This is not about “thou shalt not” sins of commission. The virtuous person who appears to do nothing wrong may have a cold, hardened, judgmental heart. The one deemed as wicked because of their actions may have a warm, loving, merciful heart. (I have witnessed many times the compassion and love of those that society looks down upon for their sins.) You can’t fool God. “You are the ones who are offering justifications of yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts; because that which is lofty among men is an abomination before God” (Lk 16:15).

Provision: FAST from judgment. These words of Jesus hit me: “that which is lofty among men is an abomination before God.” I know people who judge others favorably based on the amount of money or power they make or have accrued. But then, I need to look at how I judge people who judge people that way! We all judge others. It’s human nature. Heck, Jesus did, but he judged based on the actions rather than on the person (an important distinction; he saw everyone as a child of God). But today, let’s each of us look at the criteria with which we judge. How do these standards align with how we imagine God judges? "Do not pay too much attention to fame, power, or money. Someday, you will meet a person who cares for none of these, and then you will know how really poor you are” (Rudyard Kipling).
 

Saturday, March 15: “Today, I am making this agreement with the LORD: God will be my God, and I am to walk in God’s ways” (Dt 26:16-19, adapted).

Provision: GIVE this PRAYer a try! (I didn’t have any “GIVES” this week, so we will go with this one!) Each morning, imagine you are making an agreement with God. What are you agreeing to? Where might you be challenged to keep this agreement (say, you know you will encounter “this person” or “that situation” today)? And do this with the knowledge that God keeps God’s commitment. God will never abandon the promises to us! Yes, we might need to “repair a breach” or two this evening, but God awaits our return!

Monday, March 17: "Stop judging and you will not be judged. Stop condemning and you will not be condemned …For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you" (Lk 6:36-38).

I like Luke’s Gospel. He says things plainly and gets to the point. These words today cause me to reflect on righteous anger and calling out hypocrisy and evil that we talked about yesterday. Now Jesus does this all the time—just look at Matthew 23 which we read from tomorrow to see how Jesus gets to the point about what he thinks of the elders’ hypocrisy! (A skeptic might say Jesus did indeed get measured out to him what he measured to others!) But unlike Jesus, and like the elders, I am a hypocrite. I preach but do not always practice. Who am I to call out others when I, like Isaiah, am a person of unclean lips as well?

Provision: PRAY for the Spirit’s guidance. When I complain about things I see as wrong in our world, or when I call out lies from our leaders, it tends to devolve into a personal attack. And while much of what is in Matthew 23 does sound like a personal attack on the elders, Jesus is also willing to engage them. He condemns their actions, but not who they are. Even though we humans are not saints and prophets (but remember, saints and prophets didn’t start that way), God still calls us to speak up, to act. Pray for guidance. Don’t use human weakness as an excuse for silence in the face of lies.
 

Tuesday, March 18: "[The scribes and the Pharisees’] works are performed to be seen. They widen their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels. They love places of honor at banquets, seats of honor in synagogues” (Mt 23:1-12).

A phylactery is a small leather box containing Jewish scripture. Orthodox Jewish men wear them on their foreheads as a symbol of keeping God’s word “top of mind.” Ostensibly, the wider the phylactery, the more pious the wearer, which in some cases may be very true. Jesus takes issue, though, with those who make a show of holiness but lack compassion in their hearts.

What would be the Christian equivalent today? In the Roman church, some like honoring the King with the pageantry of lace trains and tall miters. I cannot pretend to judge their hearts but also can’t help imagining Jesus running away as he did in John 6:15, not wanting to be made king! Those who preach the prosperity gospel could be examples too. Again, I don’t begrudge them their riches, if their God is still God, and they work for justice and give generously from their bounty. And yes, I must look each day at where I have made a show of something for my own ego and not for God.

Provision: ACT for the greater glory of God. Remember Jesus’ words on Ash Wednesday. Do good things for God that only God knows about. Don’t worry about who sees them or who gets the credit. Today, do something good in secret for someone or for some cause. God sees what you do and will reward you.
 

Wednesday, March 19: “For this reason, it depends on faith, so that it may be a gift” (Rom 4:13, 16-18, 22). When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel had commanded him and took his wife into his home" (Mt 1:16, 18-21, 24).

Today, in the Catholic and some Protestant denominations, we celebrate the person and the faith of St. Joseph. We talked yesterday about acting quietly for the greater glory of God, and indeed, Joseph did just that. And, as we talked about Sunday, he surely did not take the easy road, one that was well within the law for him to do. But as we hear in Paul’s letter to the Romans, faith is not about the law. It is a gift given freely to us by God.

Provision: PRAY for the faith of Joseph. Joseph, like Mary, like the saints and the prophets on Monday, were human beings. The gift of faith they received is a gift available to each of us as well. If you are a person of faith, pray to St. Joseph for the courage to open that gift even further, aware that it may not lead you on the easiest of paths. If faith is still a concept for you or a gift you’ve not yet opened, pray that, like Joseph, you will listen closely for God’s call.
 

Thursday, March 20: “I am the Lord who probes the heart, testing the conscience and allotting to humans according to their ways, according to the fruit of their deeds” (Jer 17:5-10, Hebrew). “Remember that you received what was good… while Lazarus likewise received what was bad; but now he is comforted, whereas you are tormented” (Lk 16:19-31).

The gospel today is the story of Lazarus and the rich man. For those of us blessed with plenty, it’s a “squirm in your seat” reading. But I take some solace in knowing God sees my heart. I believe I have good intentions, but we all know where that can lead: “The road to hell is paved with good intentions.” It is the “fruit of my deeds,” “the measure with which I measure” that I will face in my heart and my conscience, for comfort or for torment, at the end of my earthly days.

Provision: GIVE from your heart. The world would be a far better place if people gave from their need to give, or even from their hope for personal salvation. But true giving comes from a loving heart. It is not the amount of money we give or the time we spend. If the source of our giving is an open and compassionate heart, the fruits of our deeds will be sweet and nourishing. Take time to examine today why you give. Is it out of obligation or guilt? See if you can soften your heart by looking into the eyes of those to whom you give. The fruit of that deed will be sweet for you, too.

Friday, March 21: Israel loved Joseph best of all his sons … When his brothers saw that their father loved him best … they hated him so much that they would not even greet him (Gn 37:3-4). “This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and acquire his inheritance.” They seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him (Mt 21:38-39).

These readings are uncomfortable. They are about egoism, envy, jealousy, and revenge. Very human stories we see played out in the Bible many times. Stories we see played out in today’s news. It’s amazing how some people don’t see the parallels. In fact, even the word parallel doesn’t do it justice. I imagine the ancients we read about in Scripture would be horrified to see what we do today; it reminds me of what Jesus said a few weeks ago about the Queen of Sheba and the Ninevites judging the people of his generation! How would his generation look at us?!

Egoism: “It’s all about me. I am self-centered and uncaring.” Jealousy: “Don’t you dare take away or threaten what’s mine. I am selfish and suspicious.” Envy: “I covet what ‘they’ have. I am resentful, ungrateful, and scheming.” Revenge: “I’m going to make sure the ‘other’ gets what’s coming to them. I am hateful and unmerciful.” These are toxic emotions, sins that lead to terrible decisions, terrible acts, and terrible lives.

Provision: PRAY for those whose hearts are hard. Especially for yourself if you are in the grip of any of these painful emotions. Pay attention when these feelings arise. They are insidious and can creep up on any one of us. Pray too for God to soften the hearts of those in leadership positions whose fear, insecurity, or evil intent lead them to make bad decisions that impact thousands of lives.
 

Saturday, March 22: “Now the older son had been out in the field…he heard the sound of music and dancing. He called one of the servants [who] said to him, 'Your brother has returned, and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf’ …
He became angry, and he refused to enter the house” (Lk 15:1-3, 11-32).

Speaking of toxic emotions, let’s go ahead and add bitterness to the list! It’s one I’ve heard mentioned recently regarding US politics: people feeling bitterness towards those whose votes have put our current situation into motion. My bitterness is more towards leaders, on both sides of the aisle, who have failed, and are failing to fight to keep our democracy intact. But as is the case with the older son today, those who are bitter don’t get to feel joy.

Provision: FAST from bitterness. I’ve talked to several people who have no sympathy for people who are suffering at the hands of the very leaders they voted for. Bitterness will get us nowhere and will only serve to make things worse. Spend time today ridding your heart of bitterness. Journal about how you feel. Do this before you go out into the world to take action. Take time during the day to make sure bitterness is not making a comeback.

Monday, March 24: "As a deer yearns for streams of water, so I yearn for you, O God. My whole being thirsts for God, for the living God” (Ps 42, Hebrew translation).

Here we are almost halfway through Lent. I don’t know about you, but this has been a painful, living Lent for me. I thirst for the living God. I join my prayers with those who are encountering so much suffering and abuse—immigrants, industry workers, research scientists, victims of war, those who have dedicated their lives to Mother Earth and her poorest children. There have been times when I could not hold back tears or quell my anger seeing the images and words that flash before me on the news. I yearn for the streams of living water, the living God, Jesus.

Provision: PRAY for living water for all! As we reflected yesterday, to access the living water of God’s peace, we strive to keep the faith, trust in God’s promises, and keep hope alive. How do we best do that? Of course, daily prayer really matters. Not just rote prayer, but heartfelt dialog with God. If you’ve not used the psalms for prayer, give it a try. (Today’s psalm is perfect; psalms 4, 16, 27, 49, 62, 92, 115, 121, 133, and 146 are several more you might want to pray.) And once you’ve strengthened yourself, ACT. Support those whose strength is failing.
 

Tuesday, March 25: “Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son” (Lk 1:260—38). A Meditation on Henry Ossawa Tanner's 'The Annunciation,’ by’ J. Michael Sparough (from America, March 31, 2008).

“Yet you do not blink. In the intimacy of a bedchamber
Your soul is awakened from sleep, Fragile flesh before angelic brilliance.
Your rumpled night sheets tossed aside,
You listen in peace with your whole self
To the question that will define history.
Holding its breath for your answer, all heaven pauses.”

“LET IT BE DONE TO ME…”
Here it begins. In such utter simplicity,
In quiet strength, at the appointed hour,
With the rippled rungs of time at your feet,
And the broad lines of history at your back.
At the balance of His grace in your will, Eve reborn, humanity to be redeemed Through a child, from a virgin Whose name is Mary.”

Provision: GIVE yourself over to God’s will. Gabriel comes to each of us, calls us by name, and says: “Behold, favored one. You will conceive in your heart and bear God’s son.” What does it mean for you to bear Christ in your heart for the good of the world? Let God’s grace balance with your will. Can you say, “LET IT BE DONE TO ME?”

Wednesday, March 26: “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have come not to abolish but to fulfill” (Mt 5:17-19).

A Bible website I access lists 44 OT references to the Messiah, so I get what Jesus means when he says he fulfills the prophets. But what does it mean for him to fulfill the law? I Jesus says, ‘watch me, how I resist the temptation to take the easy way out; how I retreat from the crowds for intimate time with my Father. Watch how I pray and gather strength to access the Spirit when confronted by evil.’ “Keep holy the Sabbath day:” ‘See how I enjoy times of rest with my friends to praise and thank God. But don’t forget, I’m willing to do the will and work of God any day of the week.’ “You shall not bear false witness.” ‘Look. I am not afraid to call out hypocrisy and dishonesty when I see it.’ “Love your neighbor as yourself.” I am always ready to heal, to forgive, to treat everyone with the dignity they deserve as a child of God.’

Today’s Provision: ACT as Jesus would. Jesus fulfills the law by teaching us how to live. Some folks get very caught up in the letter of the law. What Jesus is concerned with is the Spirit of the law. So, he heals the man with the withered hand on the Sabbath. He saves the woman caught in adultery by challenging the elders and the crowd to examine themselves. He thinks a clean heart is more important than clean hands. He sees the poor as God’s chosen ones. Think about stories from Jesus’ life. Where do you see him showing you how to fulfill God’s law?

Thursday, March 27: “From the day your fathers left the land of Egypt to this day, I have sent untiringly my servants, the prophets. Yet you have not obeyed me nor paid heed; … This is the nation that does not listen” (Jer 7:23-28).

Earlier this Lent, I suggested reading the Book of Isaiah. For even more fun, add in Jeremiah, Lamentations, and Baruch. Misery loves company, you know! Actually, I take comfort in the words of the biblical prophets. They are hard to hear, even harder when I look closely at my own life and at our world to realize we’ve not changed much, and in some cases, have fallen far behind our ancestors. But the words of the prophets bear witness to God’s unending commitment and mercy. Harsh though they sound, they are a source of hope for us. God will not abandon his children.

Provision: ACT on the guidance of true prophets. From the time of my son, Jesus, I have sent you untiringly servants and prophets. I continue to send them today.” To whom do you listen? Who are today’s prophets you turn to? For me, Pope Francis is one, the Dahli Lama another: lone voices on the world’s stage calling us to compassion and truth. I read scripture and wisdom from the ancients and mystics, not as history, but with an eye to what it means for us today. As you read or listen to scripture today, make it real. How does it apply to our world, to your own life?

Friday, March 28: "You are not far from the Kingdom of God” (Mt 21:38-39).

“My sense of sin is linked to my sense of God. The closer I am to God, the more aware I am of my sinfulness. Distance from God reduces the contrast necessary for me to recognize my true condition” (Mark Link, SJ). I remember paraphrasing this to a much older classmate during my pastoral studies: “The closer we are to God, the more we see our faults.” His eyes flew wide open, thinking I was referring to a closeness to death, rather than to the kingdom! I wonder if our scribe today might have that same worry! The kingdom Jesus refers to is not in heaven, it’s not the idea of eternal life after our mortal bodies die. Jesus says this to the scribe because he sees the man understands God’s law and the prophets. He knows this scribe realizes the Kingdom of God is right here and right now.

Provision: ACT for the Kingdom, right here, right now. “To love your neighbor as yourself is worth more than burnt offerings.” Remember, “neighbor” doesn’t mean the person who lives on your street or goes to your church. “I really only love God as much as the person I love the least” (Dorothy Day). This challenges me. Does it challenge you?
 

Saturday, March 29: “What shall I do for you, Ephraim, what shall I do for you, Judah when your trust is like a morning cloud, like the early dew that melts away?” (Hos 6:1-6, Hebrew translation).

God is speaking to two tribes of Israel, but I imagine God saying this to me, to our country, to our world. I wonder how many millions of times over the millennia has God had to ask this same question! (The NABRE translation sounds like a frustrated parent: “What can I do with you!?”) But I like the Hebrew because of the word “trust” (other translations say piety, goodness, or love). Trust. Why do I allow my own sinfulness and the state of the world to erode my trust and my hope in God’s promise?

Provision: FAST from hopelessness. I interact with folks from all walks of life: those living in fear of deportation or losing what little government support they have; others who are, or have family members, losing jobs to which they’ve dedicated their lives. Some are despondent, depressed, even despairing. We are called as Christians to stand tall in the grace of faith we have received and to fast from hopelessness. Do something real today for someone whose hope is flagging. Don’t sugar-coat what is happening or share shallow words of comfort. If you don’t know anyone who feels this way these days well, it may be time to reflect on how you are living the law as Jesus taught us.

Sunday, March 30, 2025

During this and next Sunday, there are options for two sets of readings. If a parish has catechumens and people preparing for full communion at the Easter Vigil, the parish may choose to use the readings from the "A Cycle".

From today’s Gospel reading:

FAITH BOOK

Jesus...smeared the clay on the blind man’s eyes and said to him,
“Go wash in the Pool of Siloam” – which means Sent.
So he went and washed,
and came back able to see.

Reflection:

We who have been washed in the baptismal pool have received sight. Now we must be ready to give our own accounting of what has happened to us – just as the blind man did. We must be prepared to put into plain and personal language who Jesus is for us and what difference our faith in him makes in our lives.

So, we ask ourselves:

• Was there a moment in our lives when we had an experience of Jesus giving us a new gift of sight?

• What difference has that new insight or experience made in our lives?

Monday, March 31: "For I create Jerusalem to be a joy and its people to be a delight; I will rejoice in Jerusalem and exult in my people. No longer shall the sound of weeping be heard there, or the sound of crying; No longer shall there be an infant who lives but a few days, or an old man who does not round out his full lifetime” (Is 65:17-21).

This passage hits hard. Like everything else, the situation in Israel and Gaza is fraught with politics, but we know there is little joy in this part of the world. Regardless of one’s political stance, who does not weep at the stories and images we see? An elderly Israeli hostage whose life ended in a tunnel somewhere; Palestinian mothers weeping (in Hebrew, “screaming”), their dead infants on their laps. The God I believe in is not rejoicing, not exulting at all right now.

Provision: FAST, PRAY, GIVE, ACT, HOPE. The Ramadan fast just ended; the Passover eve Fast of the First Born--Ta’anit Bechorim in Hebrew — is April 11. Good Friday is April 18. Consider a day of fasting for all those suffering in the Middle East: Muslims, Jews, Christians, everyone—because they are all suffering. It doesn’t have to be fasting from food. Use time you might spend watching favorite programs or doomscrolling to pray for peace. Give money you plan to spend on something you want to a cause that helps all those impacted. Act by donating time to an organization that provides aid to the region; contact government representatives and ask them to vote for peace. And keep hope alive. Trust God will make this land a place of delight, a symbol of reconciliation and peace, a model for God’s kingdom for the world.

Tuesday, April 1: “There was now a river through which I could not wade … "Have you seen this, son of man?"…"This water flows into the eastern district down upon the Arabah, and empties into the sea, the salt waters, which it makes fresh. Wherever the river flows, every sort of living creature that can multiply shall live…for they shall be watered by the flow from the sanctuary” (Ez 47:1-9, 12).

This is a great story, a great metaphor for the power of God. The trickle of a stream continues to grow, down from Mount Zion east through the Jordan Valley to the Dead Sea (in Hebrew, “the sea of filthy water” where nothing can live). As it grows stronger, it brings life to what is dead and barren, nourishing the banks along the way. The angel of God brings Ezekiel back to the riverbank to explain the image and the lesson. I like to imagine Ezekiel then decides to ride the current. What does he see as he travels?

Provision: GIVE yourself over to Living Water. Last week, we talked about Mary giving herself over to God’s will. Today, we picture allowing ourselves to be immersed in, swept up by God’s living water. It might be scary, but we don’t fight the gentle current, we ride it. Yes, we may encounter rapids along the way, bumping into a tree stump or two, but we trust the Spirit will sustain us and help us bring nourishment to everyone and everything we touch. What a wonderful call: to bring living water to that which is dying or dead! How is God asking you today to trust the Spirit and immerse yourself in living water? God knows, we need this river to rise!

Wednesday, April 2: “"Amen, amen, I say to you, the Son cannot do anything on his own, but only what he sees the Father doing; for what he does, the Son will do also” (Jn 5:17-30).

What do you think Jesus means when he talks about seeing what the Father is doing? What does he see? How does he look at the world around him and discern God’s actions? Jesus went back to the words of the prophets, and we can do that too, if we dare. But we also have the gospels that describe what Jesus does, so given his statement today, we know what the Father is doing, right? Jesus heals. Jesus comforts. Jesus shows mercy. Jesus enjoys the company of good friends. Jesus teaches. Jesus confronts and challenges. Jesus empowers.

Provision: ACT. Do what Jesus does. I have a guided meditation I share around this time of year that asks us to reflect on Jesus’ words: “Love one another as I have loved you.” How has Jesus loved you? As you read the stories in the gospels, what stands out to you? Perhaps this is the way you are called to love, to do what the Father and the Son do. Reflect on the gospel stories that make you feel Jesus’ love. Talk to him about it and thank him for his love. Ask the Spirit to guide you to love the way Jesus loves you. Then, “go and do likewise.”

Thursday, April 3: “You search the Scriptures, because you think you have eternal life through them” (Jn 5:31-47).

Jesus is criticizing the elders, saying they pay attention to certain parts of Scripture, but not to others. They fall back on the hundreds of rules, thinking that by their adherence, they will gain eternal life. What about the words of the prophets that foretell the Messiah’s coming? There are a few dynamics at work here. First, who wouldn’t’ want a checklist to guarantee eternal happiness?! Let’s face it, humans like control, so, for the elders (and some of us), why not a rigid compliance with the law? Second, folks don’t like it when you compare them to sinful people in the past (see Lk 4 and Mt 23). Most of the prophetic references to the Messiah are when the community is really a mess. Third, we all tend to pay attention to the words in Scripture we “agree with” or with which we feel most comfortable (guilty as charged).

I love Scripture, but if what I read does not lead me to metanoia, a change of heart and mind, I’ve missed the point. If I don’t take time to pray with passages that make me uncomfortable, I may be ignoring a message the Spirit has for me. If religious practice, church, or the rules become the focus of my worship, I am no better than the Israelites at Mount Sinai: “(they) adored a molten image; they exchanged their glory for the image of a grass-eating bullock” (Ps 106).

Provision: PRAY with Scripture. Start with one you really like and look beyond the words on the page to the meaning for these current days, for your life (e.g., Jn 8:1-11: who would the elders be throwing at Jesus’ feet today?). Then, turn to one that gets under your skin (could it be Lk 6:27-30: to whom is the enemy I need to do good?). When you pray with Scripture, try to spend time reflecting on what you’ve read (Lectio Divina) or imagine yourself in the situation (Imaginative Contemplation). Then talk with—not to!—Jesus or the Spirit. What do you hear in your heart?

Friday, April 4: “When [Jesus’] brothers had gone up to the feast, he himself also went up, not openly but in secret. … Jesus cried out in the temple area as he was teaching and said, "You know me and also know where I am from. Yet I did not come on my own, but the one who sent me, whom you do not know, is true” (Mt 21:38-39).

“Um, Jesus? If you want to keep hidden, I wouldn’t be crying out at the Temple!” Here’s part of this passage that isn’t in the lectionary today: His brothers [relatives] said, “Go to Judea, so your disciples also may see the works you are doing. No one works in secret if he wants to be known publicly.” …For his brothers did not believe in him. Jesus said, “My time is not yet here, but the time is always right for you. The world cannot hate you, but it hates me, because I testify to it that its works are evil.” The time is always right for those who don’t rock the boat. But Jesus cannot keep silent for long. He cries out…out of frustration, out of urgency, out of his hope that at least some will listen.

Provision: FAST from silence and inaction. Jesus is a fugitive. Let’s not ignore that fact. His crime: sedition. If we pray with these chapters in John and put ourselves in the stories, would we have followed him? I’m not sure I would’ve (although as a woman, I would have been ignored… just saying.) Would we have been willing to rock the boat? What keeps us from following his teachings which are still as radical today?

Saturday, April 5: “Nicodemus…said "Does our law condemn a man before it first hears him…?" They answered, "…Look and see that no prophet arises from Galilee." Then each went to his own house (Jn 7:50-53).

(This is adapted/abridged from our reflection in 2020.) “The debate ends, and the Pharisees go to their own homes.
…I imagine a few open their scrolls to the words of the prophets; some stay up all night praying; some just go to sleep, deciding to follow the party line. I wonder about members of Congress in my own country, or in other democratic countries. Do they wrestle with themselves: “Do I go along with the party line; do I succumb to “groupthink” or do I allow my conscience to guide me?” It’s a sorry state of affairs when party loyalty is given precedence over one’s conscience.

Today’s Provision: ACT on your conscience. The truth revealed here keeps me up at night. I look at how I live. I shudder to think of what Jesus sees when he looks at me. How often do I dismiss my moral compass for what is expedient or more acceptable or along the path of least resistance! Reflect on this tough assignment. Scholars say the Christianity practiced in the modern world would be unrecognizable to Jesus’ early followers. “Christianity should not be criticized. It hasn’t been tried yet.” (G.K. Chesterton, adapted) Give true Christianity a try today.”

Sunday, April 6, 2025

Today,, there are options for two sets of readings. If a parish has catechumens and people preparing for full communion at the Easter Vigil, the parish may choose to use the readings from the "A Cycle".

Monday, April 7: God stirred up the holy spirit of a young boy named Daniel, and he cried aloud: “I will have no part in the death of this woman.” … “Are you such fools, O children of Israel! To condemn a woman of Israel without examination and without clear evidence?” (Dn 13:41-62).

“Way to go, Daniel!” You may think it takes great courage for him to speak up, but indeed he has the Spirit within him! The Holy Spirit rarely allows one to mince words! The undercurrent to this story is about the community blindly following the elders, which Daniel is quick to point out. It reminds me of the old folktale, The Emperor’s New Clothes (https://andersen.sdu.dk/vaerk/hersholt/TheEmperorsNewClothes_e.html).  Too often, we just go along with what those in authority say is true or right. We fail to use our own consciences. We just don’t want to take a risk.

Provision: FAST from just going along. ACT. I know so many people—myself included—who are tired, overwhelmed, by the rapid-fire disruption to the world order. It might seem easier to throw up our hands in disgust and despair, but this is precisely the time to act. Ordinary citizens throughout the world are coming together, crossing party and ideological lines, to oppose the “chainsaw,” “strongman” approach to governing. Do you feel the Holy Spirit moving in you, encouraging you to take a risk and speak out against injustice, to fast from blind allegiance? “Do not quench the Spirit.”
(1 Thes 5:19).

Tuesday, April 8: “Make a saraph and mount it on a pole, whoever looks at it after being bitten will live” (Nm 21:4-9).

I listened to a webinar the other day that featured Greg Boyle, SJ, author, and the founder of Home Boys Industries (https://homeboyindustries.org/). He’s an absolutely amazing man. He said something that made me think of this story from Numbers. To paraphrase Greg: If we do not welcome our own woundedness, we will tend to despise the woundedness we see in others. So, what’s that got to do with these nasty biting saraph serpents? God is telling the people, through Moses, “you must look at what has bitten you so as to live.” If we are unwilling to look at our sinfulness—and as Greg says—to welcome it as part of our human condition, healing will be hard to come by. And when we are not healed, it is difficult to reach out to heal another. “You cannot give what you do not have” (Carroll A. Wise, The Meaning of Pastoral Care).

Provision: GIVE of yourself. Be a wounded healer. Do you have what it takes to be a “wounded healer?” Can you be a bearer of God’s mercy without dwelling on your own experience? Are you healed enough from your own sin, loss, or pain to be an empathetic listening ear for those who suffer? Can you “teach” those who have fallen away or who have given up hope, not by proselytizing but by your compassion and joy? Wounded healers can be powerful companions. Is this a gift you can share? (The Wounded Healer by Henri Nouwen is still one of the best books on this subject.)

Wednesday, April 9: “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free” (Jn 8:31-42).

Sometimes, I feel like Pilate: “What is truth?” (Jn 18:38). There is so much misinformation, “gaslighting,” and even bold-faced lying, it makes my head spin. I have been holding on to Scripture for dear life: Proverbs 6:16-19; Zechariah 8:16-17; Isaiah 58 & 59; Matthew 7:15-20; the parables in Luke; John 14:6 “I am the way and the truth and the life.” The way to truth, the way to freedom is to live life the way Jesus lived.

Provision: PRAY to live as Jesus lived. Several people have been credited with this saying, but it appears theologian Karl Barth was the first to say, ‘people should hold the Bible in one hand and the newspaper in the other.’ Not many of us read newspapers anymore, preferring sound bites from our favorite echo chamber, but the advice remains sound. When you read or hear about a situation, talk to Jesus about it. What would he have to say? Are there parallels in Scripture? What advice might he give you? (Another good quote, this one from Reinhold Niebuhr: “It's always wise to seek the truth in our opponents' error, and the error in our own truth.” Niebuhr’s writings on religion and politics, though dated, are worth reading. He is neither “conservative” nor “liberal.” He is a Christian. I wonder what he’d say to us today.)

Thursday, April 10: When Abram prostrated himself, God spoke to him: "My covenant with you is this: you are to become the father of a host of nations” (Gn 17:3-9). Jesus said to the Jews: "Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever keeps my word will never see death" (Jn 8:51-59).

Why does God pick Abram? Genesis 11 and 12 don’t give us much information. We learn a bit more about him as the story continues, but why is he chosen “to become the father of a host of nations?” In Romans 4, Paul tells us it is his righteousness that comes from faith. But faith is a gift as well. Why does God grant Abram faith? I think God picked Abram because of his openness to the Mystery and his willingness to take a risk. One might say believing in these words of Jesus is taking a risk, too.

Provision: Have HOPE and faith in the Mystery: Abram was one of three sons of Terah, and the only one who did not have children. Since children were a sign of blessing, Abram and Sarai could have been bitter. Some may say they had nothing to lose, but I think they were open to the possibilities that believing God’s promise offered. How open are you to God’s promise? What risks are you willing to take for God, remembering the words in Mt 7:21-23: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father?” See if you can leave your comfort zone today and encounter the Mystery. Holding on to hope is to have faith in the mystery.

Friday, April 11:"I hear the whisperings of many: ‘Terror on every side! Denounce! Let us denounce him!’ All those who were my friends are on the watch for any misstep of mine” (Jer 20:10-13).

“Those who were my friends…” I imagine these words ring in Jesus’ ears as he faces his torture and death. I wonder: What was the turning point for Jeremiah’s “friends?” Maybe it’s the Temple Sermon (Jer 7:1-7). Most people resent having their wrongdoing called out, particularly in public at the temple gate. For all but one of Jesus’ male friends—those who had something to lose—it was fear that drove them from his side. I don’t equate Jeremiah’s so-called friends with the disciples who ran away Good Friday. I believe they truly loved Jesus. But often, when the going gets tough or we face threats for speaking God’s truth in community, fear of losing what we have can cause us to turn away from the good.

Provision: ACT without fear. What do you have to lose?
 

Saturday, April 12: “I will turn their mourning into joy, I will console and gladden them after their sorrows”
(Jer 31:10-13).

True to the role of a prophet, Jeremiah reminds those whom God has duly and pointedly scolded, that God will be true to God’s covenant. “Yahweh keeps promises,” no matter how many times we break ours. (I’ve never taken the time to analyze Isaiah and Jeremiah to see how many of their prophecies are condemnation versus God’s faithfulness…maybe someday!) Today, God promises to turn our mourning into joy: those living in war zones, the innocent being held in prisons and cages, those who have lost their livelihoods and their freedom, those who are mourning a fragile, but peaceful world order, those frightened by challenges to democracy. “I will console and gladden them after their sorrows.”

Provision: HOPE. Give thanks for the Lord’s faithfulness. “But this I will call to mind; therefore, I will hope: The LORD’s acts of mercy are not exhausted, his compassion is not spent; they are renewed each morning— great is your faithfulness! The LORD is my portion, I tell myself, therefore I will hope in him. The LORD is good to those who trust in him, to the one that seeks him. …Let us search and examine our ways and return to the LORD. Let us lift up our hearts as well as our hands toward God in heaven!” (Lamentations 3:21-25, 40-41).