Jesus Christ

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But she stayed

The Gospel from last Sunday (Jn 8:1-11) about the woman caught in adultery has haunted me for the past few days. While there are many pieces to ponder and various levels of spirituality one can glean from it, I keep tripping up over one very obvious yet very subtle fact: the woman stayed standing in front of Jesus.

Most times in the Gospel readings there are minute details that a person can read through and totally not catch the depth of the meaning. But sometimes they can be frustratingly lacking in detail. We do not know the woman’s name or the circumstances of how she was caught in the trap of the Pharisees. Was she set up? Did she agree to be part of the plan? Did she make a habit of committing adultery, or was this the first time? Who was her husband? Was he in on the plan? John did not include any of these details in the account, perhaps out of mercy to her, so that we can’t invoke her name or her situation. 

One by one her accusers walk away and she is standing alone before Jesus. Could she read? Did she know what He was writing on the ground? Did she even know who Jesus was? Yet she stood there until He addressed her. Her response is just two short words acknowledging that no one had condemned her. She neither pleaded her innocence nor her guilt. Perhaps she was curious as to what Jesus would say, now that she survived the mob of vengeance. While it’s beautiful to hear Jesus saying He doesn’t condemn her either, He does give her a directive not to sin again.

We need to keep this story in mind as we celebrate the sacrament of reconciliation. We stand (or sit, or kneel) before Jesus (who is personified by the priest) and while we don’t have a mob of people declaring all our offenses, we do await the Holy Spirit’s inspiration of the priest’s response: the counsel, the penance, and the absolution. In the most beautiful words, the absolution is like Jesus’ response to the woman,  “Neither do I condemn you. Go, and from now on do not sin any more.”

Perhaps because I correlate the woman’s interaction with Jesus to the sacrament, I am curious as to what happened next for her. What did her husband say when she returned home? How did other people treat her after that? Was she shunned or did others forgive her once they found out that Jesus forgave her? Maybe most importantly, how was she changed by her interaction with Jesus? Did she become a follower? Alas, there is no more written of her, so we will never know in this lifetime. 

Even when comparing this account with the sacrament of reconciliation, I still marvel that she stayed standing after all her accusers left. I wonder if I had been in her shoes, would I have stayed there? Or, once I knew I was not going to be stoned, would I have walked away? Would I have waited until Jesus addressed me? Or would I have been too embarrassed by what had happened to want to have any sort of interaction with Him? Being branded an adulteress, perhaps she knew that Jesus was different from any other man she had ever met. Perhaps she heard about His healings and wanted to be healed as well. 

May we all have the courage of this adulteress to stand in our sin before God, seeking His healing mercy and the grace not to sin again. 

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Why believe

This past Sunday’s Gospel was the famous story of the prodigal son. However, the alternate Gospel for the second scrutiny Mass in preparation for receiving the sacraments at Easter was the story of Jesus healing the blind man. While both readings spoke of healing, they also posed a deeper question: why believe?

The story of the prodigal son is one of hope but is also tinged with hurt. The younger son asks his father for his share of his inheritance and leaves to squander it all. Me, me, me is his perspective; he wants things his way. It’s only after everything is gone and he finds himself the caretaker of pigs that he starts to consider what life is all about. Even though he still has a selfish mindset, he knows the generosity of his father and would rather be a servant to his father, than a hungry swineherd. The lavish welcome the father gives his son tugs at our heartstrings and we appreciate the beauty of the moment. This son had to leave and lose everything in order to value his family. His initial belief system was tested and failed him. He learns that there is something greater than himself: his family.

The story does not end there. How many have heard this account from Luke and not felt a bit like the older brother? It’s not fair! How can a father totally forgive his son for living so recklessly? Those feelings are not unlike those that might bubble up when weekly churchgoing parishioners have to accommodate attendees they see only at the Christmas and Easter Masses. Yes, we all have a little bit of the older brother resentment in us. The older brother in the parable, however, is not much different than his younger brother, he too, has a selfish mentality. He complains to his father about how long he has “served” his father. This sentiment is not of a son who appreciates learning the business, receiving a gift to be nourished, strengthened, and passed onto the next generation. He sees his father as a taskmaster telling him what to do, and he responds out of filial responsibility, not out of love. The older brother may be the heir, but his belief system was tested when the father urges him to receive his brother back into the fold.

The healing of the blind man in John’s Gospel, focuses on what people believe in black and white: “We know that God spoke to Moses, but we do not know where this one is from.” (Jn 9:29) Oh how sorry I feel for the Pharisees! How in the world can they know that God spoke to Moses? How can they know that beyond a shadow of a doubt? How can they know “that God,” yet be so completely clueless about Jesus: true God from true God? It’s great that they can recognize God’s handiwork in the past, yet it’s more the tradition that they are clinging to rather than seeking a relationship with Him. All of what Moses taught was so that the Israelites could learn to have a relationship with God, to lean on Him in times of trial, and to celebrate His generosity. While some generations of Israel had success in forging that relationship, too many others failed to the point where instead of becoming a great nation, Israel fell under Roman occupation. 

So why believe in God? He is our creator, the one responsible for giving us life. He is our redeemer, the One who gave His life for ours. He is our sanctifier, the One who will guide our way if we can just listen to Him. God wants a relationship with us, one as intimate as a Father. His generosity can be glimpsed in the amazing amount and variety of species that inhabit the earth. But it doesn’t stop with just the material things, His blessings include endless mercy showered upon us when we seek to be reconciled with Him. We believe not just because of stories and traditions, but because He has touched our lives in many ways. We believe, because we can see Him in our family, in our friends, and in the smiles of people we have yet to meet. 

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Caterpillar or butterfly?

All around us in nature are reflections of God’s handiwork, as well examples of spiritual truths. This past week’s Gospel of Jesus’ transformation on Mount Tabor calls to mind the transformation of a caterpillar into a butterfly. The question becomes: are you a content caterpillar or a future butterfly?

The purpose of a caterpillar is to eat. It’s eating so that its body can go through metamorphosis. I think for many of us who are on a spiritual journey, we are hungry and just eat. We know we need to be fed, but may not be careful about what we are eating. We may forget that eating has a purpose, that we are not supposed to stay caterpillars forever. Yet we sojourners may become content caterpillars, just “eating” our way through life. We may absorb the information about God, but never find ways to put it into action.

During the spiritual journey, if at some point a person realizes that something needs to change in them, they become a potential future butterfly. The person who recognizes that all the “eating” they’ve done as a caterpillar means that they can’t remain the way they are, then they are ready for the cocoon. In some ways, we can consider Lent a type of spiritual cocoon, as we look deep into ourselves and focus on our relationship with God. It can be a time of darkness when we realize with stark realization how much we’ve strayed from what God had planned for us. In that cocoon, as we open ourselves up to God’s grace, we may be a bit surprised that God doesn’t put us back together the way we were, but truly makes us a new creation. As a caterpillar in a cocoon digests its cells so that it can make new ones, so we too, in our spiritual journey, allow all that we have learned to be put into action as we become a spiritual butterfly. 

The Catholic faith is not an intellectual pursuit, it’s not a club to join. A Catholic Church is not a place to be entertained or a place to go once a week “because we have to.” The Catholic faith is one of action: as our thoughts and words are channeled into action; we become God’s hands and feet in the world. When we worship God and acknowledge that we need to be spiritually fed by Him, we choose to attend Church Masses and events to be filled by God’s Word and Sacraments. We also volunteer to fill others by participating in outreach programs. We are not called to be content caterpillars, but rather to transform and become spiritual butterflies, spreading the love of God by our actions.

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Suffering with joy

I walked down a steep mountain last week and my legs let me know they weren’t happy with me for multiple days that followed. Yet as sore and uncomfortable as I was whenever I walked or stretched my legs, I didn’t seem to mind it. Can there actually be joy in suffering?

For a person who spends all day sitting behind a computer, touring Monticello and then walking back down to the visitor’s center (okay, the distance may have only been a bit over a half mile, but it was very steep!) is a feat that I’m proud to have accomplished. I could tell as I was descending the second portion of the trail that my calves were getting quite a workout, but it felt good to do it instead of taking the shuttle bus back. I wasn’t thinking about how sore I was going to be the next day (or several), but I concentrated on where I was walking because of the slope and the uneven surface. It was a nice day to be out in Virginia, not too hot and not too cold. Monticello has been on my bucket list of places to explore since I moved down here 3 years ago and found out how close it was. 

In reflecting on why the protesting limbs of my body did not affect me, one obvious answer is that I knew, in time, the pain would gradually diminish to nothing. However, I don’t think that was the sole reason. Plus, when I was walking around in the days afterward, instead of making faces of discomfort, I realized I was smiling. The pain was serving as a reminder of what a wonderful day I had and how happy I was to have seen the landmark, learn more about its history, and enjoy a day off from work. Perhaps the key to finding joy in suffering is perspective.

In this time of Lent, it is a serious business that we undertake to sacrifice parts of ourselves in order to strengthen and improve our relationship with God. Lent is a penitential season, so we’re supposed to be grim and feel miserable, right? I don’t think so. It was only last Wednesday at the beginning of Lent that Jesus said in Matthew’s Gospel, “When you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites. They neglect their appearance, so that they may appear to be fasting.” (Matt 6:16) In the sufferings that we take on during this Lent, we also need to make sure we have a positive perspective so they can affect a positive change in us. Lent is only a few weeks, and while some days may be challenging, we can lean on God to help us through. The pain of our penance will not last forever. When we feel the discomfort it brings, we should smile and thank God for the opportunity He is giving us to grow closer to Him, to participate in a very small way the agony He suffered on the cross. We also need to keep in mind that we will be happier in heaven than we can ever be on earth, and that’s the whole reason we take our Lenten practices so seriously.

If we choose the right perspective with which to view the sacrifices we make during Lent, we will be able to find joy in the suffering, in the celebration of Easter, and in the eternal presence of God.

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Shades of love

This past Sunday’s Gospel from Luke hit rather close to challenges I’m facing. “But rather, love your enemies and do good to them…” (Lk 6:35) But what exactly does it mean to love one’s enemies?

The Magnificat® had a wonderful reflection of the Gospel from Maria von Trapp (yes, that von Trapp who  inspired the Sound of Music). She talked about how one grows learning to love. First we love our parents and siblings. Then we learn to love our school and the friends we meet there. And as adults, the loves of our lives change yet again. “It is perfectly amazing how many shades of love move a human heart during one short life,” von Trapp writes. 

Love is a word that we, at least in the English speaking world, throw around way too often. I love my cat, Vera, but I also love chocolate, yet those loves are very different. Neither of these loves are the same as what I have for my family. I remember from my schooling days that the Greek language had three different words for love: eros, philia, and agape. Eros is used for romantic love, philia is for friendship, and both have an aspect of self-interest. Agape is the odd one out; it stands for the kind of love that is self-sacrificing. 

Of course,I don’t want to have enemies, but if there is friction in a relationship, I think it’s safe to say that we need to take extra care. While another may not perceive us as an enemy, when a verbal argument is launched, it’s very hard not to immediately respond in defense of ourselves but Jesus is calling us to do that and more. I don’t think His directive on loving our enemies is limited to just doing good for them. In fact it’s the whole last portion of the Gospel: stop judging, stop condemning, forgive, and give gifts. When others want to pick a fight with us, it seems impossible for us to do what God is calling us to do. Here we fall into the pit of pride, thinking that we, all by ourselves, need to deal with the issue. We forget to lean into God, asking Him to help us to forgive, to turn judgment over to Him, and to walk the path He wants us to walk. 

Unemotional is a word von Trapp used to describe the love for our enemies but I’m not sure I agree with that assessment. While our initial reaction can be highly charged with emotion, letting God in to help us in a confrontation will cause the emotional surge to change from anger to peace. We will cease calling them enemies and instead see them as fellow children of God, to be treated with dignity and respect. I do agree that loving our enemies is not a feeling, but rather an act of the will: specifically ours and God’s. Perhaps this is why God allows these challenges in our lives, so that we can become closer to Him and be more like Him. 

Lastly, agape is the  kind of love that all Catholics, all Christians, are called to love the whole of mankind. Let us pray for God’s assistance so that we can change our hearts, and perhaps make the lives of those we interact with just a bit better. 

Grape leaf and bunch of grapes gilded on a church door in Israel

Water jars

They were just standing there; tall sentinels watching over the wedding festivities. Once their purpose of ceremonial washings was already completed, they didn’t seem to have any purpose. Until Jesus put them to use. 

The wedding feast of Cana was the Gospel proclaimed last weekend, and is such a well-known story, that sometimes the details get lost. If there were six stone jars holding at least 20 gallons each, those vessels could practically be used as seating options! Most likely they were probably used at the beginning of the ceremony for the participants to draw water out of for the ritual cleansing. And then the party began, and, as typical in ancient times, it went on for days. The lack of wine meant several things: the party was about to end, the bridegroom and his family did not prepare sufficiently for the party, and/or the family did not have the funds to procure enough. Imagine how embarrassing it would’ve been to start one’s newlywed life being the laughingstock of the community! 

I read one commentary on the Gospel reading that mentioned there would have been wine casks from what had already been distributed. But Jesus did not choose them. Rather, He chose the vessels that were specifically intended to be for the ritual cleansing as identified in Leviticus. Oddly enough, stoneware was the only material that could come in contact with ritually impure items and not be rendered unusable. Clay vessels, if tainted, had to be smashed and no longer used. Stoneware jars were like mini cisterns that kept the ceremonial water for washing, usually around a town’s synagogue or in the houses of priests. It’s from this “pure water” that Jesus turns an embarrassing situation into a non-event. Jesus keeps this celebration of uniting two lives into one going, not just for a few more hours, but potentially a few more days. After all the wine that had been already consumed, only God knows if all the wine Jesus provided (120 gallons?) was consumed or if some was leftover. 

It’s interesting to ponder how Jesus transforms these Old Testament jars into a New Testament miracle. One perspective is to see the old order, and habits, passing away for what Jesus is instituting. Ceremonial washing is good, yes, but living life and celebrating it, which is what the wine represents, is far better. We may look at the people in the Bible or even the saints throughout the ages and say that we can’t be as holy or do the good deeds that others have done. Yet Jesus takes these jars that were largely ignored and repurposed them. He gave them new life in abundance, and He wants to do the same for us. We cannot change water into wine any more than the stoneware jars could. But when we let Jesus into our lives, anything is possible. 

Rather than watching the world go by, let us offer ourselves as vessels for Jesus to bring new life into the world. And don’t be surprised to find yourself the life of the party. 

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The perfect gift

There is nothing quite like having a gift package opened with a gasp of surprise and a voice of sheer delight exclaim, “Just what I wanted!” It’s like there is a bond created between the giver and the receiver; one knowing what the other wants and needs while the other is able to identify the item given as something pleasing and desired. As we wrap up the final week of Advent, what is it that we truly want for Christmas?

The Son of God was born over 2,000 years ago, and while Christmas is a celebration of that historic moment, it’s also a celebration of the way Jesus comes to us today. Physically, He is here in the Eucharist. Spiritually, He is in every Sacrament, conferring special graces on us based on the nature of the sacrament received. Jesus creates a bond of brotherhood with us through the sacraments of initiation, heals us with sacraments of reconciliation and anointing, and sends us on a mission with marriage or holy orders. When we seek ways to strengthen our relationship with Him during the Advent season, we turn away from what we want and turn to what others need. We look to imitate Jesus, to bring the light of His Presence to our little pinhead area of the world. 

The four weeks of Advent are a spiritual journey to take a break from the everyday and open our hearts to a deeper relationship with God. For some it may be a struggle just to get into a regular routine of reaching out to God in daily prayers. Even those with consistent prayer habits need to pause and see how they can dig further and open more of their bodies/minds/souls/wills to God’s call. No matter how old we get or how much experience we gain, there is alway some sort of improvement we can make in our relationship with God. The journey we take is one from self-love to selfless-love. At the end of it, what we want is nothing less than Jesus our Savior.

As Christmas draws closer, sometimes we need to double our efforts so they do not get lost in the rush of decorating/cooking/buying/wrapping/partying that is expected for the celebration. Central to the celebration is the Mass, which is the gift Jesus gives us. It’s literally the name of the feast: Christ’s Mass. It’s not meant to be one item on a checklist, to be completed as early as possible then not given another thought. Rather it should be the cornerstone of the festivities; to be the source of joy which flows over to all other activities.

Let us prepare to receive Jesus Christ into ourselves in the Eucharist as well as into our families and friendships with our celebrations. Let us delight in receiving Him, knowing He fulfills our every need. Let us joyfully exclaim, “He is just what I wanted!” as we receive the most perfect gift of all. 

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Gifting to God

God is lavish with His gifts to us. He didn’t have to create us, but He did — and He hasn’t stopped there. Moment by moment, He showers blessings down upon us. He has even given His most precious gift to us, His Beloved Son, Jesus. Is there any gift we can give to Him?

It’s very overwhelming when we try to consider how much God has blessed us in our lives. We think about the gifts of friendships, or even those who have crossed our paths for a short time and left a warm fondness in our memories. We think of all the happy occasions we have celebrated and even some regular ordinary days that were just delightful. I don’t think it’s possible to be able to inventory all the blessings just from our own lifetime! God is a role model of generosity; we really can’t give more than He gives to any one of us. Is it possible to give God a gift at Christmas? After all, it is His birthday, shouldn’t He receive a gift from us?

Looking to the Gospels for inspiration, I found where Jesus once remarked, “Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God the things that are God’s.” (Matthew 22:21) Since God created everything, that seems like a tall order, not to mention a totally new dimension to re-gifting. Yet a recent Advent reflection I read used the analogy of a coin from this Gospel reading. It talked about how a coin minted in a kingdom has the image of the king on it. It went on to say that God will only recognize our actions if they are in the image and likeness of Jesus. While we can’t give the blind back their sight, we can be their eyes. We may not be able to heal a sick person, but we can provide a little comfort to ease their pain and be a shoulder for them to lean on. We cannot forgive another’s sins, but we can forgive those who have wronged us and show mercy to them. 

As Catholics, we are all called to love one another. You may think you are because you’re nice to people. Being nice is but an atom in the element of love. To love someone is to sacrifice a bit of ourselves for their good. Like a parent who gives up their own time to spend time with their child, we must sacrifice our time, our talents, and our resources in loving others. When we give of ourselves out of love, especially to those less fortunate than ourselves or to strangers without reward, we are acting in the image of Christ Jesus. 

We’ve passed the halfway mark in Advent and preparations for Christmas will soon heighten to a frenzy of activity. Let us make the time and effort to be a gift to another. Maybe it’s a phone call to someone who may be lonely. Perhaps it’s participating in supporting a food pantry. In whatever way we can, let us  give God a gift of ourselves by mirroring the love and generosity He has shown us in His Son Jesus.  

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Unexpected gifts

One type of gift that can be received at Christmas is the unexpected gift. It’s the type of gift that we don’t know we need, but really end up enjoying.

Most gifts are unexpected, unless you specifically instruct  expected givers exactly what to purchase. However, for those that know us well, it goes both ways, as those gifts to us can be a reflection of the giver. My Mom (and perhaps most mothers?) is a person for whom I struggle to find the right, unique gift. The gift I’ve found that suits her needs best is a desk calendar, and each year I create one from my travels throughout the year. Mom knows she’s getting a calendar, she may not know what pictures will be in it, but it’s not a big surprise when she receives it. 

We all have a list of people with whom we expect to exchange Christmas gifts. We may receive a gift from someone outside of that list, but those unexpected gifts are not what I’m talking about. I’m talking about the actual gift itself when you open it. The kind that makes you pause when you realize it’s something that you wouldn’t have ever bought for yourself, and you’re not quite sure what to do with it. I’m not talking about ugly sweaters or sports equipment you will never use. Unexpected gifts can be anything: a wearable article, a kitchen gadget, a book to read, a tool for a hobby, or even a knick knack. What makes the unexpected gift special is that it fills a void that we didn’t realize was there. 

Christmas comes every year, yet it can be an unexpected gift. We are all familiar with the Nativity as a story, but have we opened up our hearts to the gift God has given us all — His Son as Savior? A recent Advent reflection reminded me that unless I realize my sinfulness and that I need to be saved, Jesus’ coming becomes just a story. Jesus did come at a particular point in history, not when everything was right in the world, but in the midst of hardship. He came in poverty to share the burdens of life with all. He came not just for the people of that time, or for those who went before them, but for all people and across all time. Jesus came for you and for me, knowing that we are sinners and that we turn away from Him on a regular basis. Yet He does not give up on us. His mercy and forgiveness are unexpected gifts from a God of Love. 

Advent is a time of preparation for receiving the gift of Jesus Christ. One way to prepare is to look at all the gifts God has blessed us with and discover those unexpected gifts among them. It’s an opportunity to acknowledge our weaknesses and ask for the Lord’s help in the sacrament of reconciliation — an unexpected gift of His grace. 

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To fear or not to fear

At this time of the year, fear seems to be something everyone is excited about. However, the fear of being afraid and scared with Halloween horror festivities is what people are looking for nowadays, not fear of the Lord.

In reviewing the definition for the word fear, there are two very opposite meanings. One is to be aware or anticipate danger. This definition fits the etymology of the word, as its origins seem to trace back through Old Saxon for “lurking danger,” Old Norse for “evil, mischief, plague,” and possibly sharing a verbal based from Indo-European of per, meaning “test or risk” (which is from where the word peril comes). None of these would fit the second meaning which is a feeling of respect and wonder for something powerful. “Fear of the Lord” falls into the second definition.

It seems strange to associate a word that has strong negative connotations with God, yet Fear of the Lord is not just an idea thrown about in religious circles, but is a gift of the Holy Spirit. In researching where in the Bible Jesus says not to be afraid, I found not just a few instances, but a whole webpage with 365 citations within both the Old and New Testaments that express that sentiment! If the Bible has a verse for everyday that tells us not to fear, why does the Holy Spirit give us the gift of fear? 

Perhaps it’s best to dive even deeper into word meanings, specifically that of the word danger. One of the meanings is “exposure or liability to injury, pain, harm, or loss.” If we focus on the word loss, we now get closer to what Fear of the Lord really means. This gift serves as a warning system to realize how precious our relationship with God is and to be concerned to lose it through sin. Through this realization, we are called to be sorrowful for our sins, seeking to turn back to God to ask for his forgiveness and repair the damage that our sins cause. It also prompts us to contemplate God’s love for us. He is constantly seeking us out and bringing us closer to Him. If we receive this gift with an open heart we will be able, through God’s grace, to cultivate the virtue of humility. As we seek to embrace the gift, we also look to share it with others and it motivates us to bring others to a relationship with God. 

Fear of the Lord is also counter-cultural in our time. It calls us to recognize the supreme goodness of God and all of the gifts He gives us. This is in contrast to what many advertisements would sell us in doing whatever we please. When we place God at the center of our life, living in fear and humility, we’re no longer obsessed with trying to obtain feelings and things that society tells us we need. Our culture also likes to emphasize the negative aspects of fearing God from a justice and punishment standpoint. Yet we are the ones who seem to be keeping “score” of our own detriment. Yes, we need to be sorrowful, repent of our sins, and lean into God’s grace to avoid sinning again. We need to learn from our mistakes but not dwell in them. If God can forgive us, we need to forgive ourselves as well.

When we are receptive to the Holy Spirit’s gift of Fear of the Lord, all other fears within our culture and society fade from our focus. “The fear of the Lord is like a garden of blessing, and covers a man better than any glory.” (Sirach 40:27) Not just in this season of Halloween, but everyday, let us open our hearts to the gifts of the Holy Spirit, unwrapping them thoroughly and putting them to good use, most especially the Fear of the Lord gift.