Easter Blessing

 

Alleluia! Happy Easter!

A friend shared this reflction with me and I found it perfect for the celebration of Easter. 

Today, we stand before the silence of the tomb of our Savior, Jesus. A profound silence, which invites us to enter into ourselves and question ourselves. 

What have I offered of myself out of love for others?

To what path of peace and justice is Christ calling me today?

What is it that holds back my confidence in following Jesus without fear?

From that silent tomb, a light emerges, a joy that nothing, not even the power of men, can extinguish. This Easter light illuminates the darkness of our lives.

May it illuminate you, wherever you feel closed in...

May it become a source of strength, peace, and confidence, so that you can accomplish what Christ is calling you to do today.

Passion Sunday

 

Today we celebrate Palm Sunday the beginning of Holy Week.  For the next week we will recall Jesus’ suffering, death and resurrection. The Gospel for today is Luke’s Passion Narrative. Mass began with the palms being blessed recalling Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Every time I hear the Passion Narrative something always strikes me. Today I found myself listening as the centurion says, “this man was innocent beyond a doubt.” The second thing that struck me was the interchange between Jesus and the two thieves crucified with Him. One of them recognized the gift and value of God and asked Jesus to remember him. We too are called to recognize the gift of Jesus. This week during our journey to Calvary with Jesus may we increase our faith knowing that our loving God is always present to us.

Blessings on this Holy Week.

Fifth Sunday of Lent

 

Today we hear the familiar story of the Woman Caught in Adultery. What should we focus our vision on right now? We should focus on God. On what God is doing right now. In this story what Jesus does in the present moment is what holds value – not just for the woman but for all those gathered around trying to make sense of who Jesus is and what his brand of faithfulness actually entails.

Jesus refuses to get into the debate about the value of the law. Instead, he asks those gathered around to consider their own faithfulness. The scribes and Pharisees have dragged this woman into the temple area in order to exploit her sin for their own purposes. Jesus does not engage in this enterprise at all. Have you ever wondered – what in the world is he writing in the sand? What a strange reaction. Maybe he’s writing out a list of their sins or hinting at them. Whatever it is, though, it works, and everyone leaves, including the judgmental religious leaders. Instead, he waits for the crowd to disperse, and then engages the person. Jesus does not address her sin, he addresses her fear of condemnation, assuring her that she is not condemned. She is not perfect as we too are imperfect.

I remember being on retreat once and the director had me reflect on this scripture. We were at a house near a beach, and she encouraged me to go and walk on the beach and to sit on the sand and write what I heard Jesus saying to me. It was an extremely powerful prayer experience. I sat on the beach for a long time and kept writing in the sand smoothing it out and writing again. As I sat there, I kept thinking about the woman and what she must have felt. In the end she felt Jesus’ love and mercy and that is all that mattered.