Fourth Week of Lent My Father and I Are Still Working Introduction When Jesus is questioned and blamed for curing a paralyzed man on a Sabbath, Jesus says how he is like the Father. Yes, after the work of creation, God rested on the seventh day. But the work of redemption is going […]
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Fourth Week of Lent The Waters of Paradise Introduction Water flows from the Temple and turns the land into a fertile paradise, bringing health and life, says Ezekiel. But this living Temple is Christ, says John. Encountering him means forgiveness, health, and life. These readings on the symbolism of life-giving water and on […]
Fourth week of Lent Faith in the Future Introduction For people who believe, the golden age lies in the future, not […]
Fourth Sunday of Lent God Loved the World So Much… Looking Up to the Cross Greeting (see Second Reading) It is by grace that we have been saved, not by anything of our own, but by a gift from God. We are God’s work of art, created in Christ Jesus. May the grace […]
Third Week of Lent God Sees What It Is in Us Introduction We cannot save ourselves by rites and practices. Sin is forgiven and lasting happiness found in an encounter of love with God. If we recognize that we are sinners, people who have failed at times and who could do better, […]
Third Week of Lent Conversion to God in Love Introduction Many human endeavors fail because God is left out of the picture. Israel wanted to go her own way, relying on her resources and alliances with the mighty of the day. The mighty are toppled by mightier ones, and everything collapses. People today […]
Third Week of Lent Listening to God’s Word Introduction “Listen to my voice,” says God through his prophet Jeremiah, and then he complains that God’s people fails to listen: they listen to themselves and follow their own ways. Their deeds do not speak the language of God. They do not follow God. In […]
Third Week of Lent Commandments: Sign of Freedom and Love Introduction What is the meaning of the commandments to us? To some, they are the summary and summit of all morality; to others, narrow and outmoded rules; still to others, obstacles to the freedom of the gospel. To Israel, they were the expression […]
Third Week of Lent Forgive Us as We Forgive Introduction We don’t like too much—or not at all—to acknowledge it, but we have been forgiven a lot. Open, scandalous, upsetting sins… maybe not. Probably not. But scandalous in the sense of totally unexpected on the part of people who profess to be the […]
Third Week of Lent SALVATION FOR PAGANS Introduction Today’s liturgy thinks especially of converts who are baptized and immersed into the baptismal water. Are conversion and missionary action still valid? Why be concerned about unknown, distant peoples? – Elisha cured the pagan officer from Damascus, Syria, and the man found both […]