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Peace be with You / La Paz Esté Con Ustedes

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The Sign of Peace can be a struggle. We are in the midst of the Eucharistic prayer, preparing our hearts and minds to receive Jesus; body, blood, soul, and divinity and the Eucharistic prayer is such a beautiful dialogue of prayer between the priest and the Body of Christ, carefully crafted to bring us into communion, not just with God, but with one another. As a people, we each go inward and open ourselves up to God’s presence. It is from this reflective state of mind that we move from prayer to greeting one another. 

That’s when the awkwardness hits. Some folks are bowing, some are flashing peace signs, some are shaking hands or hugging. I have that internal conversation with myself, “What are they doing? Will I offend someone if I choose the wrong gesture? Have I been coughing? What germs am I spreading? What if they want a hug and I stick out my hand?” Then there are times the priest omits the Sign of Peace and I am left feeling a bit empty and end up hurriedly whispering, “Peace be with you” to my husband as I try to catch up with the Mass. 

Relatively sure that I am not alone in my awkwardness, I think we have lost sight of the true purpose of the Sign of Peace. Today’s readings reorient us to this significant but often misunderstood portion of the Mass.

Jesus is pretty clear, before you approach the altar, you best make sure that you are coming free of any sin or quarrel with another. “..if you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift.” 

At this moment of the Mass before we receive Our Lord, we are called once again to look deep within ourselves and through our encounter with the person sitting next to us to examine our hearts. It isn’t about the gesture, it is about looking into the eyes of the person next to us and emptying ourselves and cleansing our hearts and souls of any failure to love as Jesus calls us to love. We are both asking for and offering forgiveness and we are only capable of doing so because of what comes next. 

There is forgiveness in the Eucharist. There is peace and love and joy. Even if we don’t feel those things all at once, they are still there and taking root in us. My prayer for each of us is that the next time you and I go to Mass, we look into the eyes of our neighbor and from our hearts, wish them the peace that comes only from Christ. Awkward gestures notwithstanding.

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El Signo de la Paz puede ser un poco difícil. Estamos en medio de la Plegaria Eucarística, preparando nuestros mentes y corazones para recibir a Jesús; cuerpo, sangre, alma y divinidad y la oración eucarística es un hermoso diálogo de oración entre el sacerdote y el Cuerpo de Cristo, cuidadosamente elaborado para llevarnos a la comunión, no solo con Dios, sino también con los demás. Como pueblo, cada uno de nosotros vamos hacia adentro y nos abrimos a la presencia de Dios. Es a partir de este estado mental reflexivo que pasamos de la oración al saludo mutuo.

Ahí es cuando llega la incomodidad. Algunas personas se inclinan la cabeza, otras ponen dos dedos en signo de paz, otras se dan la mano o se abrazan. Tengo esa conversación interna conmigo mismo, “¿Qué están haciendo? ¿Ofenderé a alguien si elijo el gesto equivocado? ¿He estado tosiendo? ¿Qué gérmenes estoy propagando? ¿Qué pasa si quieren un abrazo y les doy la mano? Luego, hay momentos en que el sacerdote omite el Signo de la Paz y me quedo sintiéndome un poco vacío y termino susurrando apresuradamente a mi esposo: “La paz esté contigo”  mientras trato de ponerme al momento en la Misa.

Relativamente seguro de que no estoy solo al sentirme así, creo que hemos perdido de vista el verdadero propósito del Signo de la Paz. Las lecturas de hoy nos reorientan hacia esta porción significativa pero a menudo mal entendida de la Misa.

Jesús es bastante claro, antes de acercarte al altar, es mejor que te asegures de que vienes libre de cualquier pecado o pelea con otro. “…si cuando vas a poner tu ofrenda sobre el altar, te acuerdas allí mismo de que tu hermano tiene alguna queja contra ti, deja tu ofrenda junto al altar y ve primero a reconciliarte con tu hermano, y vuelve luego a presentar tu ofrenda.”

En este momento de la Misa antes de recibir a Nuestro Señor, estamos llamados una vez más a mirar profundamente dentro de nosotros mismos y a través de nuestro encuentro con las personas a nuestro alrededor, a examinar nuestros corazones en busca de cualquier falla. No se trata del gesto, se trata de mirar a los ojos a la persona que tenemos al lado y vaciarnos y limpiar el corazón y el alma de cualquier falta de amor como Jesús nos llama a amar. Estamos tanto pidiendo como ofreciendo perdón y solo somos capaces de hacerlo por lo que viene después.

Hay perdón en la Eucaristía. Hay paz, amor y alegría. Incluso si no sentimos todas estas cosas a la vez, todavía están ahí y echando raíces en nosotros. Mi oración por cada uno de nosotros es que la próxima vez que usted y yo vayamos a Misa, miremos a los ojos de nuestro prójimo y de corazón le deseamos la paz que solo viene de Cristo. (A pesar de los gestos incómodos.)

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Sheryl is happy to be the number 1 cheerleader and supporter for her husband, Tom who is a candidate for the Permanent Diaconate in the Diocese of Kalamazoo. They are so grateful for the opportunity to grow together in this process. Sheryl’s day job is serving her community as the principal for St. Therese Catholic School in Wayland, Michigan. Since every time she thinks she gets life all figured out, she realizes just how far she has to go, St. Rita of Cascia is her go-to Saint for intercession and help. Home includes Carlyn, a very, very goofy Golden Retriever and Lucy, our not-so-little rescue puppy. 

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The Best Gift Ever Received / El Mejor Regalo Jamás Recibido

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“What’s the best Christmas or birthday gift you’ve ever received?”

I posed this question to my Confirmation candidates in small groups recently, as a good way to start thinking about gifts. Then we could go a step further and talk about grace being a free and undeserved gift from God. Then one step further and talk about the sacraments being gifts of Jesus’ own presence for us. 

The candidates’ answers were pretty standard – money, my phone, etc. – but one group started discussing why we receive gifts. Have we done anything to deserve them? No. Do we intentionally ask for them? Also no. Most of the time, these gifts are carefully selected for us by someone who knows us and loves us and cares about us, just for us because we are who we are. 

Imagine how much joy the gift-giver experiences throughout the whole process. Imagine them picking up a gift off the shelf, looking it over and picturing the recipient’s face when opening it. If the gift doesn’t exude joy, the giver puts it back and picks up another one until their smile matches the one that will be on the recipient’s face.

Our God is a generous giver and He loves to give good gifts to His children! In fact, He gives better gifts than any gift-giver here on earth ever could and we hear about this point in today’s Gospel. In the passage, Jesus draws the comparison between earthly fathers and His Heavenly Father when it comes to generosity. Earthly fathers, who love their children but are fallen human creatures, still know how to give good gifts whereas God the Father is only Love and Truth and Goodness. How much greater are the gifts that He gives!

In His gifts, we find more love. We find more goodness and beauty. But, ultimately, God gave us the greatest gift in His Son, Jesus Christ, who became man, suffered and died for our sins and rose from the dead. Through his Passion, Death and Resurrection, we have been given the gift of eternal life with God, this intimate union with Him that we can’t even imagine. Jesus also gives us the gift of Himself in the sacraments, particularly His Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity in the Eucharist, as nourishment for the journey. 

What a gift indeed. 

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“¿Cuál es el mejor regalo de Navidad o cumpleaños que has recibido?”

Hace poco planteé esta pregunta a los candidatos a la Confirmación en grupos pequeños como una buena manera de empezar a pensar en los regalos. Entonces podríamos dar un paso más y hablar de que la gracia es un regalo gratuito e inmerecido de Dios. Luego, dimos un paso más y hablamos de que los sacramentos son regalos de la propia presencia de Jesús para nosotros.

Las respuestas de los candidatos fueron bastante estándar: el dinero, mi teléfono, etc., pero un grupo comenzó a discutir por qué recibimos regalos. ¿Hemos hecho algo para merecerlos? No. ¿Los pedimos intencionalmente? Tampoco. La mayoría de las veces, estos regalos son seleccionados cuidadosamente por alguien que nos conoce, nos ama y se preocupa por nosotros. Son únicamente para nosotros porque somos quienes somos.

Imagínate cuánta alegría experimenta la persona que da el regalo durante todo el proceso. Imagínate que toman un regalo del estante, lo miran y se imaginan la cara del destinatario al abrirlo. Si el regalo no emana alegría, el donante lo vuelve a colocar y toma otro hasta que su sonrisa coincida con la que estará en el rostro del destinatario.

¡Nuestro Dios es un dador generoso y le encanta dar buenos regalos a sus hijos! De hecho, Él da mejores regalos que cualquier otro dador de regalos aquí en la tierra y escuchamos sobre este punto en el Evangelio de hoy. En el pasaje, Jesús establece la comparación entre los padres terrenales y Su Padre Celestial cuando se trata de generosidad. Los padres terrenales, que aman a sus hijos pero son criaturas humanas caídas, aún saben dar buenos dones mientras que Dios Padre es sólo Amor y Verdad y Bondad. ¡Son mucho mejores los dones que Él da!

Dentro de sus dones, encontramos más amor. Encontramos más bondad y belleza. Pero, finalmente, Dios nos dio el regalo más grande en Su Hijo, Jesucristo, quien se hizo hombre, sufrió y murió por nuestros pecados y resucitó de entre los muertos. A través de su Pasión, Muerte y Resurrección, se nos ha dado el don de la vida eterna con Dios, esta unión íntima con Él que ni siquiera podemos imaginar. Jesús también nos da el don de Sí mismo en los sacramentos, particularmente Su Cuerpo, Sangre, Alma y Divinidad en la Eucaristía, como alimento para el camino.

Un verdadero regalo.

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Erin is a Cleveland native and graduate of Franciscan University of Steubenville. She is passionate about the Lord Jesus, all things college sports and telling stories and she is blessed enough to get paid for all three of her passions as a full-time youth minister and a freelance sports writer.

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Return to Me/ Volver a Mi

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There is an interesting dynamic in the readings for today. The tension is real. The message from the verse before the Gospel is clear, “Even now, says the Lord, return to me with your whole heart for I am gracious and merciful.” Jl 2: 12-13

Each and every creature has been created in the image and likeness of God. The Lord is in all the hearts ever created. It is the choice of every human being to accept God as our personal Lord and Savior. 

God our Father gave us free will. The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) is clear on the role of freedom and responsibility:

1731 Freedom is the power, rooted in reason and will, to act or not to act, to do this or that, and so to perform deliberate actions on one’s own responsibility. By free will one shapes one’s own life. Human freedom is a force for growth and maturity in truth and goodness; it attains its perfection when directed toward God, our beatitude. 

1732 As long as freedom has not bound itself definitively to its ultimate good which is God, there is the possibility of choosing between good and evil, and thus of growing in perfection or of failing and sinning. This freedom characterizes properly human acts. It is the basis of praise or blame, merit or reproach.

1733 The more one does what is good, the freer one becomes. There is no true freedom except in the service of what is good and just. The choice to disobey and do evil is an abuse of freedom and leads to “the slavery of sin.”

The readings for today demonstrate these concepts. Jonah and the King of Nineveh are great examples of turning your heart back to God. Each has a conversion experience which opens the eyes of their hearts, to stop ignoring the signs God has sent them to do the work He has set before them. The psalmist plainly speaks of God’s actions for a person with a contrite heart. 

In the Gospel from Luke, Jesus makes some very concise direct statements. He says, “This generation is an evil generation; it seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it, except the sign of Jonah. Just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so will the Son of Man be to this generation….At the judgment the men of Nineveh will arise with this generation and condemn it, because at the preaching of Jonah they repented, and there is something greater than Jonah here.”

Come Holy Spirit. Be with me throughout my day. Guide my actions and decisions, all that I do and fail to do, keep my heart, thoughts and ways, turned to the will of my Father. I pray that I do His will, not mine in each and every moment. Please help me keep my focus on you, Lord Jesus Christ, now and forever. Amen.

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Hay una dinámica interesante en las lecturas de hoy. La tensión es real. El mensaje del versículo anterior al Evangelio es claro: “Aún ahora, dice el Señor, vuélvanse a mí con todo su corazón porque soy clemente y misericordioso”. (Joel 2, 12-13)

Todas y cada una de las criaturas han sido creadas a imagen y semejanza de Dios. El Señor está en todos y cada uno de los corazones. Es elección de cada ser humano aceptar a Dios como nuestro Señor y Salvador personal.

Dios nuestro Padre nos dio libre albedrío. El Catecismo de la Iglesia Católica (CIC) es claro sobre el papel de la libertad y la responsabilidad:

1731 La libertad es el poder, radicado en la razón y en la voluntad, de obrar o de no obrar, de hacer esto o aquello, de ejecutar así por sí mismo acciones deliberadas. Por el libre arbitrio cada uno dispone de sí mismo. La libertad es en el hombre una fuerza de crecimiento y de maduración en la verdad y la bondad. La libertad alcanza su perfección cuando está ordenada a Dios, nuestra bienaventuranza.

1732 Hasta que no llega a encontrarse definitivamente con su bien último que es Dios, la libertad implica la posibilidad de elegir entre el bien y el mal, y por tanto, de crecer en perfección o de flaquear y pecar. La libertad caracteriza los actos propiamente humanos. Se convierte en fuente de alabanza o de reproche, de mérito o de demérito.

1733 En la medida en que el hombre hace más el bien, se va haciendo también más libre. No hay verdadera libertad sino en el servicio del bien y de la justicia. La elección de la desobediencia y del mal es un abuso de la libertad y conduce a la esclavitud del pecado (cf Rm 6, 17).

Las lecturas de hoy demuestran estos conceptos. Jonás y el Rey de Nínive son grandes ejemplos de volver el corazón a Dios. Cada uno tiene una experiencia de conversión que abre los ojos de su corazón, para dejar de ignorar las señales que Dios les ha enviado para hacer la obra que les ha puesto por delante. El salmista habla claramente de las acciones de Dios para una persona con un corazón contrito.

En el Evangelio de Lucas, Jesús hace algunas declaraciones directas muy concisas. Dice, “La gente de este tiempo es una gente perversa. Pide una señal, pero no se le dará más señal que la de Jonás. Pues así como Jonás fue una señal para los habitantes de Nínive, lo mismo será el Hijo del hombre para la gente de este tiempo. Cuando sean juzgados los hombres de este tiempo, la reina del sur se levantará el día del juicio para condenarlos, porque ella vino desde los últimos rincones de la tierra para escuchar la sabiduría de Salomón, y aquí hay uno que es más que Salomón.”

Ven, espíritu santo. Esté conmigo a lo largo de mi día. Guía mis acciones y decisiones, todo lo que hago y dejo de hacer, guarda mi corazón, pensamientos y caminos, vueltos a la voluntad de mi Padre. Oro para hacer Su voluntad, no la mía en todos y cada uno de los momentos. Por favor, ayúdame a mantener mi enfoque en ti, Señor Jesucristo, ahora y para siempre. Amén.

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Beth Price is part of the customer care team at Diocesan. She is a Secular Franciscan (OFS) and a practicing spiritual director. Beth shares smiles, prayers, laughter, a listening ear and her heart with all of creation. Reach her here bprice@diocesan.com.

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An Outward Approach / Mirando Para Afuera

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Perhaps we’re not ready. Perhaps we feel unprepared. Perhaps our hearts are still restless. Perhaps we are still in a post-holiday slump. But ready or not, here we are, and we can take it in or we can shut it out. 

Lent. Many of us consider this a time for self examination, the purging of our sins, the perfecting of our imperfections and the turning away from our vices. But what does the Church ask of us during this time? Prayer, fasting and almsgiving. 

Prayer is the lifting of our minds and hearts to God. Fasting is denying ourselves so as to focus on how much we rely on God and in the meantime perhaps reflect on so many who suffer hunger daily. Almsgiving is giving to those in need. Which one of these practices has an inward focus? None of them! 

Perhaps we can take a different approach this Lent. Perhaps we have been missing the mark. Not that self-reflection is bad, but perhaps looking outside ourselves to focus on the realities of who God is and what others need will come back full circle and help us grow in holiness as well. 

In today’s Gospel Jesus teaches us exactly how to pray. He gifts us with the “Our Father”. Then he takes it one step further and states “If you forgive men their transgressions, your heavenly Father will forgive you.” Notice the outward focus. He does not speak of inward reflection, but rather of forgiving others. If we forgive them, he will forgive us. 

Lord, may your name be honored as holy. May your Kingdom come on this earth. May your will be done by all people. May all corporal and spiritual hunger be satisfied. May forgiveness be freely given. May virtue replace all temptation and may goodness replace all evil. You have taught us to pray for these things and you are the giver of all good gifts. Grant us what we need and make us holy, so that we may bask in your presence forever in heaven. Amen. 

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Tal vez no estemos listos. Quizás no nos sentimos preparados. Tal vez nuestros corazones aún estén inquietos. Tal vez todavía nos sentimos un poco deprimidos después de las fiestas Navideñas. Pero listos o no, aquí estamos, y podemos aceptarlo o podemos ignorarlo.

La Cuaresma. Muchos de nosotros la consideramos una temporada para el autoexamen, la purga de nuestros pecados, el perfeccionamiento de nuestras imperfecciones y el alejamiento de nuestros vicios. Pero, ¿qué nos pide la Iglesia en este tiempo? Oración, ayuno y limosna.

La oración es elevar nuestra mente y nuestro corazón a Dios. Ayunar es negarnos a nosotros mismos para centrarnos en cuánto confiamos en Dios y, mientras tanto, quizás reflexionar sobre tantos que sufren hambre a diario. Dar limosna es dar a los necesitados. ¿Cuál de estas prácticas tiene un enfoque en nosotros mismos? ¡Ninguno!

Quizás podamos adoptar un enfoque diferente esta Cuaresma. Tal vez hemos estado perdiendo la marca. No es que la autorreflexión sea mala, pero tal vez mirar fuera de nosotros mismos para enfocarnos en las realidades de quién es Dios y lo que otros necesitan volverá al punto de partida y nos ayudará a crecer en santidad también.

En el Evangelio de hoy, Jesús nos enseña exactamente cómo orar. Él nos regala el “Padre Nuestro”. Luego va un paso más allá y declara: “Si ustedes perdonan las faltas a los hombres, también a ustedes los perdonará el Padre celestial.” Observe el enfoque hacia el exterior. No habla de reflexión interior, sino de perdonar a los demás. Si los perdonamos, él nos perdonará.

Señor, que tu nombre sea santificado. Venga tu Reino a esta tierra. Que se haga tu voluntad por todas las personas. Que toda hambre corporal y espiritual sea satisfecha. Que el perdón sea dado gratuitamente. Que la virtud reemplace toda tentación y que la bondad reemplace todo mal. Nos has enseñado a orar por estas cosas y eres el dador de todos los buenos dones. Concédenos lo que necesitamos y haznos santos, para que podamos disfrutar de tu presencia para siempre en el cielo. Amén.

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Tami Urcia grew up in Western Michigan, a middle child in a large Catholic family. She spent early young adulthood as a missionary in Mexico, studying theology and philosophy, then worked and traveled extensively before finishing her Bachelor’s Degree in Western Kentucky. She loves tackling projects, finding fun ways to keep her little ones occupied, quiet conversation with the hubby and finding unique ways to love. She works at for Christian Healthcare Centers, is a guest blogger on CatholicMom.com and BlessedIsShe.net, runs her own blog at https://togetherandalways.wordpress.com and has been doing Spanish translations on the side for over 20 years.

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Visiting the Imprisoned / Visitando a los Encarcelados

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If you or I ever wished that Jesus would personally tell us what he wishes for us to do, it is the above reading that makes it very clear. Jesus talks to us about feeding the hungry and thirsty, helping a stranger, helping clothe the naked, visiting the sick, and visiting those in prison. 

I can remember this list from many years ago and trying to be honest with myself. I was doing great until the last one, visiting those in prison. That was one that made me rationalize I could do all of those except for that one. I had friends in prison ministry who told me how wonderful it was. I told them very “calmly” that it was not a good fit for me. My wife reminded me that I was making a judgment based on zero knowledge. She knows how to get to me. 

I had a friend at that time who was very involved in jail ministry at the Kent County jail. Lay ministers would go to the jail on Saturday nights. He said he would come by someday and pick me up. I told him not to bother and that I wasn’t interested. About a month later we were eating dinner and somebody was blowing their horn out in our driveway. I jumped up and went out there and guess what? It was him. Come on, jump in he said we’re going down to jail! I said well have a nice ride by yourself! He rejected my words and said “get in now”! So I did. 

Back in the day a person that was cleared to come into jail could bring a friend without a background check. As we walked through the facility I heard three loud klinks as the doors locked behind me. I was somewhat intimidated by that. We were led down a long hallway to the end and to the last jail cell on the left. Above the door was a red light that was not turned on. The officer told us if we had any trouble to flick the switch on the inside and it would turn the light on and they would come down and help. Yeah right!  

When I got into the jail cell there were fifteen of the toughest looking guys I had ever seen in my life! After a couple of minutes, the Lord’s presence was so heavy in the cell that I began to weep. This was not good! When I recovered I felt like that was the place I was supposed to be! I ministered there for about 10 years. God knows best! 

So the next time He asks you to do something you don’t really want to, it’s probably exactly what he wants you to do! Don’t just take my word for it, take His Word for it! 

I beg you not to rationalize yourself out of God’s request. It might be one of the greatest ministries you are ever involved in. Also, don’t forget those other things he is asking you to do. Those incarcerated men gave me back more than I could have ever given them. Hallelujah.

Serving with joy!

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Si usted o yo alguna vez deseamos que Jesús nos dijera personalmente lo que desea que hagamos, la lectura anterior lo deja muy claro. Jesús nos habla de alimentar al hambriento y sediento, ayudar a un extraño, ayudar a vestir al desnudo, visitar a los enfermos y visitar a los encarcelados.

Puedo recordar esta lista de hace muchos años y tratando de ser honesto conmigo mismo. Me iba muy bien hasta el último, visitando a los presos. Racionalicé que podría hacer todos menos ese. Tenía amigos en el ministerio de prisiones que me dijeron lo maravilloso que era. Les dije con mucha “tranquilidad” que no me convenía. Mi esposa me recordó que estaba haciendo un juicio sin conocimiento ninguno. Ella sabe cómo hacerme pensar.

Tenía un amigo en ese momento que estaba muy involucrado en el ministerio de prisiones del condado de Kent. Los ministros laicos iban a la cárcel los sábados por la noche. Dijo que vendría algún día a recogerme. Le dije que no se molestara y que no me interesaba. Aproximadamente un mes después, estábamos cenando y alguien estaba tocando la bocina afuera de la casa. Salté y salí y ¿adivinen quien fue? “¡Vamos, vente!, vamos a ir a la cárcel.” Le dije, “que tengas un buen viaje, te vas solo.” No aceptó mi respuesta y dijo “¡entra ahora!” Así que lo hice.

En ese entonces, una persona autorizada para ir a la cárcel podría traer a un amigo sin una verificación de antecedentes. Mientras caminábamos por las instalaciones, escuché tres fuertes ruidos metálicos cuando las puertas se cerraron detrás de mí. Eso me intimidó. Nos condujeron por un largo pasillo hasta el final y hasta la última celda a la izquierda. Sobre la puerta había una luz roja que no estaba encendida. El oficial nos dijo que si teníamos algún problema, presionáramos el interruptor en el interior y encendería la luz y ellos bajarían y ayudarían. ¡por supuesto!

Cuando entré a la celda habían quince de los tipos más fuertes que había visto en mi vida. Después de un par de minutos, la presencia del Señor era tan pesada en la celda que comencé a llorar. ¡Esto no fue bueno! Al recuperarme sentí que ese era el lugar donde debía estar! Fui ministro allí durante unos 10 años. ¡Dios sabe mejor!

Entonces, la próxima vez que Él te pida que hagas algo que realmente no quieres,  lo más probable es que sea exactamente lo que Él quiere que hagas. No confíe sólo en mi palabra, ¡confíe en Su Palabra!

Te ruego que no racionalices lo que Dios te pide. Puede que sea uno de los mejores ministerios en los que estés involucrado. Además, no olvides esas otras cosas que te está pidiendo que hagas. Esos hombres encarcelados me regalaron mucho más de lo que yo podría haberles dado. Aleluya.

¡Sirviendo con alegría!

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Deacon Dan Schneider is a retired general manager of industrial distributors. He and his wife Vicki have been married for over 50 years. They are the parents of eight children and thirty grandchildren. He has a degree in Family Life Education from Spring Arbor University. He was ordained a Permanent Deacon in 2002.  He has a passion for working with engaged and married couples and his main ministry has been preparing couples for marriage.

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The Tempting of the King / La Tentación del Rey

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“Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.”

“You shall not tempt the Lord your God.”

“You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.”

 In Matthew 4:1-11, Jesus is tempted by the devil. Three trials are given, each tempting Jesus to avoid suffering and death. The first attacked the human preference for security (through hunger), when the devil tempted Jesus to make bread from stone. The second was to put God to the test by telling Jesus to throw himself down from the top of the temple. The final temptation was idolatry, or worshiping a false God, tempting Jesus with all the world’s riches. Each time, Jesus fights back with his knowledge and application of Scripture as the living word. 

We recognize through these examples that we must rely on God for all our needs and recognize that our greatest hunger is for God himself. (CCC 2835). During Lent, “the Church is united to Jesus in the desert” (CCC 540), reminiscent of being in the wilderness over the course of 40 days. As Israel was tested for 40 years, Lent is a time for God’s followers to learn to trust Him through trials and tribulations. The tools we are given are prayer, fasting and alms (which teach us discipline), and penance. 

Jesus is our living example of complete trust in the Father. Ultimately in this Gospel, the devil is questioning the identity of Jesus as the Son of God and likewise, you and I as children of God. I encourage you today to reflect on your true identity. God loves you and you belong to Him- this is how we must identify ourselves first and above all else.

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“No sólo de pan vive el hombre, sino también de toda palabra que sale de la boca de Dios”.

“No tentarás al Señor, tu Dios.”

“Adorarás al Señor, tu Dios, y a él sólo servirás”.

 En Mateo 4:1-11, Jesús es tentado por el diablo. Se dan tres pruebas, cada una tentando a Jesús para evitar el sufrimiento y la muerte. El primero atacó la preferencia humana por la seguridad (a través del hambre), cuando el diablo tentó a Jesús para que hiciera pan de piedra. La segunda fue poner a Dios a prueba diciéndole a Jesús que se arrojara desde lo alto del templo. La tentación final fue la idolatría, o adorar a un dios falso, tentando a Jesús con todas las riquezas del mundo. Cada vez, Jesús responde con su conocimiento y aplicación de las Escrituras como la palabra viva.

Reconocemos a través de estos ejemplos que debemos confiar en Dios para todas nuestras necesidades y reconocemos que nuestra mayor hambre es de Dios mismo. (CIC 2835). Durante la Cuaresma, “la Iglesia se une a Jesús en el desierto” (CIC 540), que recuerda estar en el desierto durante 40 días. Como Israel fue probado durante 40 años, la Cuaresma es un tiempo para que los seguidores de Dios aprendan a confiar en Él a través de pruebas y tribulaciones. Las herramientas que se nos dan son la oración, el ayuno y la limosna (que nos enseñan la disciplina), y la penitencia.

Jesús es nuestro ejemplo vivo de la plena confianza en el Padre. En última instancia, en este Evangelio, el diablo está cuestionando la identidad de Jesús como el Hijo de Dios y, del mismo modo, tú y yo como hijos de Dios. Os animo hoy a reflexionar sobre vuestra verdadera identidad. Dios te ama y le perteneces, así es como debemos identificarnos ante todo y por encima de todo.

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Dr. Alexis Dallara-Marsh is a board-certified neurologist who practices in Bergen County, NJ. She is a wife to her best friend, Akeem, and a mother of two little ones on Earth and two others in heaven above.

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Get Up and Follow Christ / Levántate y Sigue a Cristo

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“Leaving everything behind, [Levi] got up and followed him.”

Jesus invites people individually and personally to follow him. Levi, despite the fact that he was truly an unlikely candidate, was truly blessed. As a tax collector, his friends were other tax collectors and sinners. He was not in good standing in the community. He amassed his obvious riches by overtaxing members of the community and then threw a “great” banquet for Jesus in his house. His relationships there were broken and bridges burned through greed and corruption.

Yet Jesus, going out and walking along, saw Levi sitting at the customs post and knew exactly who and what he was. Jesus offered Levi an invitation to become one of the intimate Twelve who would abide with him, build relationships with him, and become the foundation stones of the new Jerusalem. There was no mistake. Jesus wanted Levi. Jesus chose Levi. And Levi chose Jesus.

It was Jesus who first called Levi to follow him. Levi did not call himself. Instead he was irresistibly drawn. He was encountered by the Savior of the world, the King of Kings and Prince of Peace, the Christ. The glorious person of Jesus Christ exerted such an attraction on him, that Levi immediately got up without hesitation, walked away from his occupation that benefited the Roman occupiers and himself, and began to walk after Jesus. 

To follow Jesus is to move, to get up, to leave something behind, to enter into a new and unknown life, to be drawn into relationships where the one inviting sets the terms, to be drawn into utter obedience and submission to the demands of the Gospel.

There is a decision to be made. It may or may not have been easy for Levi to leave behind his lucrative career, but in doing so, in following Jesus, he was walking into poverty. He was walking towards the cross. He was walking into the glorious power of the resurrection. “Leaving everything behind, [Levi] got up and followed him.”

Where have you heard these words from the lips of the Master, “Follow me.” Was it long ago during a retreat, a sacred moment of Eucharistic adoration, at a decisive moment of your vocational journey? To follow Jesus is the most important thing you can do with your life.

It doesn’t mean you must sign away your house, your finances, your career. Levi left his tax collector’s post with all the greedy practices by which he overtaxed his fellow Jews. Yet shortly afterwards he threw a large and expensive party for Jesus and invited his friends to meet the one who had become such an important part of his new life. He put his considerable wealth, property, and relationships at the service of the Kingdom in one of the first and most astounding moments of evangelization on record. He knew he was following not a project but a Person, so parties and friendships were now a part of his call, his love, and his loyalty to Christ.

So, again, where are you hearing right now the invitation of Christ to follow him? He is walking by and he is choosing you. This, by itself, is astounding. He is worthy of your time, of your attention, of your creative response. He desires your presence at Mass, for you are his friend. He waits for you in the chapel of Eucharistic adoration because he wants to be there for you in good times and in difficult times. He hopes that you will introduce him to your friends in the way that reflects your temperament and creativity. 

Leave everything behind today. Get up and follow Christ. 

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“Dejándolo todo, [Levi] se levantó y lo siguió.”

Jesús invita a las personas a seguirlo individual y personalmente. Levi, a pesar de que realmente era un candidato poco probable, fue realmente bendecido. Como recaudador de impuestos, sus amigos eran otros recaudadores de impuestos y pecadores. No estaba en buena posición en la comunidad. Amasó sus evidentes riquezas sobrecargando a los miembros de la comunidad y luego organizó un “gran” banquete para Jesús en su casa. Sus relaciones allí estaban rotas y los puentes se habían quemado por la codicia y la corrupción.

Sin embargo, Jesús, saliendo a caminar, vio a Leví sentado en el puesto de aduana y supo exactamente quién y qué era. Jesús le ofreció a Levi una invitación para que se convirtiera en uno de los Doce íntimos que morarían con él, construirían relaciones con él y se convertirían en las piedras fundamentales de la nueva Jerusalén. No hubo error. Jesús quería a Leví. Jesús eligió a Leví. Y Levi escogió a Jesús.

Fue Jesús quien primero llamó a Leví para que lo siguiera. Levi no llamó a sí mismo. En cambio, estaba irresistiblemente atraído. El Salvador del mundo, el Rey de Reyes y Príncipe de Paz, el Cristo, lo encontró. La gloriosa persona de Jesucristo ejerció tal atracción sobre él, que Leví inmediatamente se levantó sin dudarlo, se alejó de su ocupación que beneficiaba a los ocupantes romanos y a él mismo, y comenzó a caminar tras Jesús.

Seguir a Jesús es moverse, levantarse, dejar algo atrás, entrar en una vida nueva y desconocida, dejarse llevar por relaciones donde el que invita pone las condiciones, y dejarse llevar por la total obediencia y sumisión a las exigencias del Evangelio.

Hay una decisión que tomar. Puede o no haber sido fácil para Levi dejar atrás su lucrativa carrera, pero al hacerlo, al seguir a Jesús, estaba caminando hacia la pobreza. Iba caminando hacia la cruz. Estaba caminando hacia el glorioso poder de la resurrección. “Dejándolo todo, [Levi] se levantó y lo siguió.”

¿Dónde has oído estas palabras de labios del Maestro: “Sígueme”? ¿Fue hace mucho tiempo durante un retiro, un momento sagrado de adoración eucarística, en un momento decisivo de vuestro camino vocacional? Seguir a Jesús es lo más importante que puedes hacer con tu vida.

No significa que debas ceder tu casa, tus finanzas, tu carrera. Levi dejó su puesto de recaudador de impuestos con todas las prácticas codiciosas con las que exigía impuestos excesivos a sus compatriotas judíos. Sin embargo, poco después organizó una fiesta grande y costosa para Jesús e invitó a sus amigos a conocer al que se había convertido en una parte tan importante de su nueva vida. Puso su considerable riqueza, propiedades y relaciones al servicio del Reino en uno de los primeros y más asombrosos momentos de evangelización registrados. Sabía que no estaba siguiendo un proyecto sino a una Persona, por lo que las fiestas y las amistades ahora eran parte de su llamado, su amor y su lealtad a Cristo.

¿Dónde estás escuchando en este momento la invitación de Cristo para seguirlo? Él está caminando y te está eligiendo a ti. Esto, por sí mismo, es asombroso. Él es digno de tu tiempo, de tu atención, de tu respuesta creativa. Él desea tu presencia en la Misa, porque eres su amigo. Él te espera en la capilla de adoración eucarística porque quiere estar allí para ti en las buenas y en las malas. Él espera que lo presentes a tus amigos de una manera que refleje tu temperamento y creatividad.

Deja todo atrás hoy. Levántate y sigue a Cristo.

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Sr. Kathryn J. Hermes

Sr. Kathryn James Hermes, FSP, is an author and offers online evangelization as well as spiritual formation for people on their journey of spiritual transformation and inner healing. Website: www.touchingthesunrise.com My Books: https://touchingthesunrise.com/books/
Public Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/srkathrynhermes/ HeartWork Spiritual Formation Group: https://touchingthesunrise.com/heartwork/

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New Wine and the New Wineskin / Vino Nuevo y Odre Nuevo

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When the disciples of John the Baptist approached Jesus and asked, “Why do the Pharisees and we fast (much), but your disciples do not fast?” At that time, fasting was emphasized as a public way to give up food and appear pious to others. In the Jewish religion, the external practice was essential, for that was how a person measured their ability to practice their faith. For example, they had rules about what they ate, when they ate, how much they ate, and how they prepared their food. It was easy to “judge” others based on their ability to follow these rules and to fast. 

Jesus came to fulfill and complete the law of the Jewish faith, but not be limited by these restrictions. We encounter the newness of Christ in this Gospel and how we are invited to follow Jesus and be fed by the Lord. The New Covenant instituted by Christ could not be contained in the Old Covenant structure.

Joy: Jesus invites us to be joyful and see the connection between faith and Christian joy. Jesus shares, “Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them?” Jesus reminds the people of the joy of the wedding. One of the universal factors of a wedding is the joy it brings. Weddings reinforce the love, the excitement, and the newness of life to come. The “wedding party” are the best friends of the bride and groom who spend the most time with them during this life-changing event. They share in the celebration of the anticipation of the life their friends will live, and the joy of finding a life partner. 

How often do we trade in our Christian joy for worry and despair? Our hearts can easily be overcome by anxiety and worry instead of seeing the Lord and coming to know Him personally. When we place our eyes and focus on Christ, we allow Him to lead us to a deep and joyful encounter with God. 

Newness: Jesus shares that “something new is coming” as He says, “No one pours new wine into old wineskins”. This analogy might mean little to us today, but in Jesus’ time, that was common knowledge. The wineskin would break if you used an old one. We must let go of our fallen nature, cling to eternal life, and give up the sins that keep us from living out our faith.

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Cuando los discípulos de Juan el Bautista se acercaron a Jesús y le preguntaron: “Por qué tus discípulos no ayunan, mientras nosotros y los fariseos sí ayunamos?” En ese momento, el ayuno era enfatizado como una forma pública de renunciar a la comida y parecer piadoso ante los demás. En la religión judío, la práctica externa era esencial, porque así era como una persona medía su posibilidad de practicar la fe. Por ejemplo, tenían reglas sobre lo que comían, cuándo comieron, cuánto comieron y cómo prepararon su comida. Era fácil “juzgar” a los demás basado en su habilidad de seguir estas reglas y ayunar.

 Jesús vino a cumplir y completar la ley de la fe judía, pero no se limitó a estas restricciones. Encontramos la novedad de Cristo en este Evangelio y cómo somos invitados a seguir a Jesús y ser alimentados por el Señor. La Nueva Alianza instituida por Cristo no pudo ser contenida en la estructura de la Antigua Alianza.

 Alegría: Jesús nos invita a estar alegres y ver la conexión entre la fe y la alegría cristiana. Jesús comparte: “¿Cómo pueden llevar luto los amigos del esposo, mientras él está con ellos?” Jesús recuerda a la gente la alegría de la boda. Uno de los factores universales de una boda es la alegría que trae. Las bodas refuerzan el amor, la emoción y la novedad de la vida por venir. El cortejo nupcial son los mejores amigos de los novios que pasan la mayor parte del tiempo con ellos durante este evento que cambia la vida. Comparten la celebración de la anticipación de la vida que vivirán sus amigos y la alegría de encontrar un compañero de vida.

 ¿Con qué frecuencia cambiamos nuestro gozo cristiano por preocupación y desesperación? Nuestros corazones pueden ser vencidos fácilmente por la ansiedad y la preocupación en lugar de ver al Señor y llegar a conocerlo personalmente. Cuando ponemos nuestra mirada y nos enfocamos en Cristo, permitimos que Él nos guíe a un encuentro profundo y gozoso con Dios.

 Novedad: Jesús comparte que “algo nuevo viene” cuando dice: “Nadie echa vino nuevo en odres viejos”. Esta analogía puede significar poco para nosotros hoy, pero en la época de Jesús, eso era de conocimiento común. El odre se rompería si usaras uno viejo. Debemos dejar ir nuestra naturaleza caída, aferrarnos a la vida eterna y renunciar a los pecados que nos impiden vivir nuestra fe.

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Emily Jaminet is a Catholic author, speaker, radio personality, wife, and mother of seven children. She earned a bachelor’s degree in mental health and human services from the Franciscan University of Steubenville.  She is the co-founder of www.inspirethefaith.com and the Executive Director of The Sacred Heart Enthronement Network www.WelcomeHisHeart.com. She has co-authored several Catholic books and her next one, Secrets of the Sacred Heart: Claiming Jesus’ Twelve Promises in Your Life, comes out in Oct. 2020. Emily serves on the board of the Columbus Catholic Women’s Conference, contributes to Relevant Radio and Catholic Mom.com.

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Losing Yourself / Perderte a Ti Mismo

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There are seasons in life when it seems we are losing. I think back to when I was the mother of babies – I lost: sleep, quick trips to the store, quiet at Mass, clothes that stayed clean and other things that at this moment no longer seem important at all. Those losses passed, and yes, were replaced with other losses. But mixed in with the losses was joy, so much joy. I knew that the loss would pass, it would not and did not last forever. Most things in this life pass away. The most difficult times in my life have passed and yet, I remain. By the grace of God, I remain standing and believe that each cross taught me something and formed me a bit more into a person who will go to heaven one day. Do I like my crosses? Usually not. In my worst moments, I rail at God about them. In my better moments, I ask, “What do You want me to learn from this?” 

Crosses teach us that we are able to overcome adversity, to see the bigger picture and focus on what is ahead. Gold is forged in fire, iron sharpens iron and crosses can teach us something about ourselves. I’m not saying to go out and seek crosses; life brings us plenty! But by willingly picking up our crosses we share in the suffering of Christ, we become a living example to others of faithfulness and can lead others to know Christ more deeply by that example.

The other compelling reason to pick up our cross is that when we do, we gain eternal life. Picking up our cross shifts the focus from ourselves to others, which is what Jesus did when He died on the cross. He did that for others, for us, not Himself.

As Lent begins, let us pick up our cross each day, and deny ourselves some small comfort or pleasure. If you are in a difficult season, try to bear the suffering without complaining. Whatever it is that you have chosen for Lent this year, do it with an eye on the cross and the thought of eternal life.

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Hay temporadas en la vida donde parece que estamos perdiendo. Pienso en cuando era madre de bebés, perdía: sueño, salidas rápidas a la tienda, silencio durante la misa, ropa que se mantenía limpia y otras cosas que en este momento ya no me parecen tan importantes. Esas pérdidas pasaron, y sí, fueron reemplazadas por otras pérdidas. Pero mezclado con las pérdidas estaba la alegría, mucha alegría. Sabía que la pérdida pasaría, no duraría para siempre. La mayoría de las cosas en esta vida pasan. Los momentos más difíciles de mi vida han pasado y, sin embargo, permanezco. Por la gracia de Dios, sigo de pie y creo que cada cruz me enseñó algo y me formó un poco más en una persona que algún día irá al cielo. ¿Me gustan mis cruces? Normalmente no. En mis peores momentos, critico a Dios por ellos. En mis mejores momentos, pregunto: “¿Qué quieres que aprenda de esto?”

Las cruces nos enseñan que somos capaces de superar la adversidad, de ver el panorama completo y enfocarnos en lo que está por venir. El oro se forja en el fuego, el hierro se afila con el hierro y las cruces pueden enseñarnos algo sobre nosotros mismos. No digo que debemos salir a buscar cruces; ¡la vida nos trae muchas! Pero al levantar nuestras cruces voluntariamente, compartimos el sufrimiento de Cristo, nos convertimos en un ejemplo vivo de fidelidad para otros y podemos guiar a otros a conocer a Cristo más profundamente mediante ese ejemplo.

La otra razón convincente para tomar nuestra cruz es que cuando lo hacemos, ganamos la vida eterna. Tomar nuestra cruz cambia el enfoque de nosotros mismos a los demás. Lo mismo hizo Jesús cuando murió en la cruz, lo hizo por los demás, por nosotros, no por sí mismo.

Al comenzar la Cuaresma, tomemos nuestra cruz cada día y neguémonos algún pequeño consuelo o placer. Si estás en una temporada difícil, trata de soportar el sufrimiento sin quejarte. Sea lo que sea que hayas elegido para la Cuaresma este año, hazlo con la mirada puesta en la cruz y el pensamiento de la vida eterna.

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Deanna G. Bartalini, M.Ed.; M.P.A., is a certified spiritual director, writer, speaker and content creator. The LiveNotLukewarm.com online community is a place to inform, engage and inspire your Catholic faith. Her weekly Not Lukewarm Podcast gives you tips and tools to live out your faith in your daily life.

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Seeing is Believing / Ver es Creer

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I have a confession to make: I don’t notice things. I’ll have spent half an hour with someone, and they’ll finally ask, “So what do you think of my new glasses?” I never realized they were wearing new glasses—or a new haircut, or a new dress, or whatever the fairly obvious to anyone but me change might be. A friend of mine drives a very noticeable bright aqua Jeep, and she’ll say, “I drove right by you this morning and waved,” and of course, I had no idea. I’d like to think it’s because I’m constantly thinking deep thoughts, but I’m afraid that’s not the answer. I just don’t notice things.

Seeing is important. Seeing others, really seeing them, is an essential part of living in community. It enables us to transcend differences, to form bonds, to delight in shared values. And despite my apparent inability to notice the world around me, I always feel that the most traumatic loss of a sense would be the loss of sight. It’s difficult enough to navigate life with my eyes open; I can’t imagine doing it were they to be permanently closed.

And that’s where we start with today’s Gospel reading: with a blind man. You’ve probably noticed the number of blind people referenced in Scripture. There was little those afflicted could do by way of work, so most were reduced to begging. And so it was with Bartimaeus, who is on the roadside outside Jericho. He is poor, he is blind, and he is clearly a nuisance; when he learns that Jesus is passing and calls out, everyone around tells him to be quiet.

It’s a small story, but it’s worth taking a second look—noticing— what those storylines are. First, there’s the fact that this blind man, someone who clearly lived on the fringes of society, knew who Jesus was. He’s well-informed and attentive. He notices things. He notices the size of the crowd and knows what that means; and when he’s told who is passing, he knows exactly who Jesus is and what he can do.

Second, he is willing to claim his rights. He shouts; the good citizens around him try to hush him, but he shouts. He’s determined. He doesn’t let them tell him how he should behave. He doesn’t let them make decisions for him.

Third—and this is particularly interesting—Jesus asks him a question. “What do you want me to do for you?” Of course he wants to be cured! What else could he possibly want? But Jesus didn’t make any assumptions. He let the man choose. He showed this blind beggar the respect no one else had. He treated him as a valued human being and He cured him.

What do you want me to do for you? When we can ask that of others, instead of assuming we know best what someone else needs, then we too will be closer to Jesus, on that road to Jericho, and in our own modern lives. It really is all about noticing!

Quiero confesar algo: no me doy cuenta de las cosas. Habré pasado media hora con alguien y finalmente me preguntan: “¿Qué piensas de mis lentes nuevos?” Nunca me di cuenta que traían lentes nuevos, o un corte de cabello nuevo, o un vestido nuevo, o lo que sea el cambio bastante obvio para cualquier otro menos yo. Una amiga mía conduce un Jeep aguamarina brillante muy notable, y ella dice: “Pasé junto a ti esta mañana y te saludé”, y por supuesto, no tenía ni idea. Me gustaría pensar que es porque constantemente estoy pensando en pensamientos profundos, pero lastimosamente no es la razón. Simplemente no me doy cuenta de las cosas.

Ver es importante. Ver a los demás, realmente verlos, es una parte esencial de vivir en comunidad. Nos permite trascender las diferencias, formar coneciones, deleitarnos en los valores compartidos. Y a pesar de mi aparente incapacidad para notar el mundo que me rodea, siempre siento que la pérdida más traumática de un sentido sería perder la vista. Ya es bastante difícil navegar por la vida con los ojos abiertos; No puedo imaginar hacerlo si estuvieran cerrados permanentemente.

Y ahí es donde comenzamos con la lectura del Evangelio de hoy: con un ciego. Probablemente haya notado la cantidad de personas ciegas a las que se hace referencia en las Escrituras. Era poco lo que los afligidos podían hacer a modo de trabajo, por lo que la mayoría se vio reducido a mendigar. Y así fue con Bartimeo, que está al borde del camino a las afueras de Jericó. Es pobre, es ciego y claramente es una molestia; cuando se entera de que Jesús pasa y grita, todos a su alrededor le dicen que se calle.

Es una historia pequeña, pero vale la pena echarle un segundo vistazo y notar cuáles son los puntos principales. Primero, está el hecho de que este hombre ciego, alguien que claramente vivía al margen de la sociedad, sabía quién era Jesús. Está bien informado y atento. Se da cuenta de las cosas. Se da cuenta del tamaño de la multitud y sabe lo que eso significa; y cuando le dicen quién está pasando, sabe exactamente quién es Jesús y lo que puede hacer.

En segundo lugar, está dispuesto a reclamar sus derechos. Grita y los buenos ciudadanos que lo rodean tratan de silenciarlo, pero grita. Está decidido. No deja que le digan cómo debe comportarse. No deja que tomen decisiones por él.

Tercero, y esto es particularmente interesante, Jesús le hace una pregunta. “¿Qué quieres que haga por ti?” ¡Claro que quiere curarse! ¿Qué más podría querer? Pero Jesús no hizo ninguna suposición. Dejó que el hombre eligiera. Mostró a este mendigo ciego el respeto que nadie más tenía. Lo trató como a un ser humano valioso y luego lo curó.

¿Qué quieres que haga por ti? Cuando podamos pedir eso a los demás, en lugar de asumir que sabemos mejor lo que alguien más necesita, entonces también estaremos más cerca de Jesús, en ese camino a Jericó, y en nuestra propia vida moderna. ¡Realmente se trata de darse cuenta!

This reflection was reposted from Diocesan Archives. Author: Jeannette de Beauvoir

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The Liturgy of the Magnificent Easter Vigil

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Holy Saturday…

A day of quiet and calm. A day of intimacy and hope.

A day when all creation sighed in exhaustion after witnessing the sorrowful and tragic events of Calvary the day before.

A day when the earth trembled as it held the sacred Body of the Savior as it lay in the silent darkness.

A day of waiting….

The liturgy on Holy Saturday, the magnificent Easter Vigil, teaches us the divine art of waiting. We wait in the dark around the Easter Fire, usually shivering in the early spring evening for the service to begin. We wait as the Paschal candle precedes us into a darkened church and our tiny candles gradually become a sea of lights punctuating the shadows. We wait for everyone to take their place before the lovely Exultet is proclaimed in song. And then finally we wait for the reading of the Gospel of the resurrection as the Liturgy of the Word “takes us by the hand” in the words of Benedict XVI and walks us through the whole trajectory of salvation history. If your parish proclaims all the readings for Holy Saturday Liturgy there will be seven Old Testament readings and one from the Epistles in the New Testament.

As these readings follow upon each other, one after another, I feel that in some way I take my place in the long centuries of creation waiting for redemption as I look through the “scrapbook” of memories and miracles, of suffering and assurance that is the heartbeat of the Liturgy of the Word of the Easter Vigil. Story after story is read from creation through the promise made to Abraham and the miraculous freeing of the Hebrew slaves as they raced across the path made by the Lord for them through the Red Sea, to the prophecies of how God has chosen Israel, making with them a covenant, inviting them to fidelity, through to God sorrowing over his unfaithful people to whom he promises a new heart and a new spirit. 

Every baptized person stands in this arc of salvation, this mysterious longing of the Father’s heart for our return to him. We are baptized into Christ’s death and rise with him.

In the Easter Vigil, the readings assure us with the unmistakable echoes of a Father’s heart: “I love you. All of this was for love of you. I have always stood by my covenanted people and I will do so forever. I will stand by you. Even if you walk away. Even if you are weak and wobbly in your love for me, I will love you. You do not need to be afraid.”

And lastly, the community breaks out with joy as we celebrate the Baptisms of those who have waited many months of preparation. I always feel more complete as we welcome them among us, each of us holding them spiritually to our hearts.

If you have never been to an Easter Vigil, someday give yourself that gift. Don’t wait any longer!

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Sr. Kathryn J. HermesKathryn James Hermes, FSP, is the author of the newly released title: Reclaim Regret: How God Heals Life’s Disappointments, by Pauline Books and Media. An author and spiritual mentor, she offers spiritual accompaniment for the contemporary Christian’s journey towards spiritual growth and inner healing. She is the director of My Sisters, where people can find spiritual accompaniment from the Daughters of St. Paul on their journey. Website: www.touchingthesunrise.com Public Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/srkathrynhermes/ For monthly spiritual journaling guides, weekly podcasts and over 50 conferences and retreat programs join my Patreon community: https://www.patreon.com/srkathryn.

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Behold The Wood Of The Cross

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Lent has come to an end; it ends when the Mass on Holy Thursday begins and we enter into these three holy days (“Triduum”), which are the summit of the Liturgical Year, unfolding for us the unity of Christ’s Paschal Mystery. The Triduum begins with the Holy Thursday Mass of the Lord’s Supper and ends with Evening Prayer on Easter Sunday.

The number 40 always signifies a preparation period, and the 40 days of Lent have been a preparation for us to enter into these holy days and also a preparation for our own participation in Christ’s mission in the world.

On Good Friday, we are invited to look deeply into the Passion and Death of Jesus, to look at his final Word, his final Gifts, his final Suffering. We must look at his suffering face, which should lead us to his suffering Heart; we must look at him, and not look away! In the agony of Jesus we really see that the enemy is real, that sin is real, that the wages of sin is death, and that our redemption comes at great cost. God redeems us, not by patting us on the head and telling us it’s all fine, but by taking on the whole mess of us – our sinfulness, our brokenness, our pain, our sorrow, our loss, our fear, and our aloneness – and lifting it up on the Cross. And as the Israelites in the desert had to look up to the serpent to be saved from its poisonous venom, we are directed to “look on him whom we have pierced,” to be saved from the certain death which is the result of our sin.

We look up to Christ nailed, immobile, suffering, suffocating, surrendering, pouring himself out, offering himself fully to the Father, so that we might be saved. “The collapse of the opened Heart is the content of the Easter mystery” (BXVI). He is betrayed for our betrayal, scourged for our sins of the flesh, crowned for our pride, bearing the weight of our sin to free us of the burden, crucified to show us what Love looks like. Love takes on suffering for the sake of others, without counting the cost. Love sees first the good of the other. On the Cross, Jesus was thinking of you and me, and he was willing to bear the whole horrific humiliation and execution so that we might be with him in the joy and glory of the Father. Forever.

The 40 days of Lent prepare us for these great Three Days, which lead us through this Suffering of Love to the silence of Holy Saturday, and then through an empty tomb to the Octave (8 days) of celebrating the Resurrection – liturgically, Easter Sunday is eight full days, through and including Divine Mercy Sunday, the culmination of Easter Day. Today, we look on the suffering and pierced Heart of Jesus; on Divine Mercy Sunday, we celebrate the outpouring of mercy through that very Heart! 

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Kathryn Mulderink, MA, is married to Robert, Station Manager for Holy Family Radio. Together they have seven children (including Father Rob), and four grandchildren. She is President of the local community of Secular Discalced Carmelites and has published five books and many articles. Over the last 30 years, she has worked as a teacher, headmistress, catechist, Pastoral Associate, and DRE, and as a writer and voice talent for Catholic Radio. Currently, she serves the Church by writing and speaking, and by collaborating with various parishes and to lead others to encounter Christ and engage their faith. Her website is www.KathrynTherese.com

Feature Image Credit: Policraticus, https://www.cathopic.com/photo/10564-miada-cristo-cruz