April 29, 2018 — Fifth Sunday of Easter

ACTS 9: 26-31; PS 22: 26-28, 30-32; 1 JN 3: 18-24; JN 15: 1-8

We have previously addressed the issue of what is included in the readings which we hear at our liturgies on Sunday — that is, the Church operates on a three-year cycle with A being basically the Year of Matthew; B the Year of Mark (our current year as a matter of fact); and C the Year of Luke. One might ask “Where is John?” The Gospel of John is more or less scattered through the other three cycles. All together there are 70 passages we hear from John over the three years, 30 in B, and 20 in A and C. However, these usually occur during Lent and Easter.

The other thing unique about our Easter season, which is right now, is that the First Reading is usually from the Acts of the Apostles (and occasionally from Revelations). The Church has reasons for all of this. The choice and sequence of readings are aimed at giving Christ’s faithful an ever-deepening perception of the faith they profess and of the history of salvation. During this Holy Easter Season, Acts gives us an accurate perception of the development of the Church, and the Gospel of John is an introspective view of salvation.

While the synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke) provide a view of Jesus from birth to ascension, John focuses on the final 40 months of Jesus’ life, with particular emphasis on His death and Resurrection. John has been called ‘the spiritual gospel’, not because the others are unspiritual, but because it has a special way of drawing our attention to who Jesus is and challenging us to make a personal response to Him. John’s Gospel constantly calls us to a relationship of trust with the Lord. The call is not to a complex system of beliefs, but simply to believe that Jesus really is from God and that to relate to Him is to relate to God. He is God’s Word in human reality. That is essential for us to hear during Easter season.

The First Reading from Acts speaks of St. Paul coming to Jerusalem to be with the other Christians and disciples, including Apostles. Although this event occurred three years after Paul’s conversion, he was greeted with mistrust and doubt. It would have been easy for Paul to just turn his back on those who rejected him and to leave. That is something many of us might have done, but not Paul.

Paul had a great love for Jesus, as we know, but he also felt love for those who followed the Lord and were close to Him during His time on earth. Paul also probably remembered that they saw in himself someone who had persecuted Jesus’ followers; thus, Paul responded with love. If those Paul encountered him were lacking in love, Paul provided a little more love to make up for it.

As a sidelight we must take notice of Barnabas and what he did because it provides a great example to us. Barnabas welcomes Paul into the family of God simply by providing friendship to him. Hospitality is one of the Four Pillars of stewardship. Like Barnabas, we need to be welcoming and friendly to those who come into our parish.

There are three letters attributed to St. John in the New Testament. The first letter, from which today’s Second Reading comes is somewhat different from the other two. All three were seemingly written in a more general way than the letters of St. Paul. Paul’s letters were generally written to a specific community (e.g., Philippians, Corinthians, etc.) John’s letters appear to be written to the general Christian community. However, the First Letter clearly follows the spirit of John’s Gospel.

Despite the richness of this entire reading, let us concentrate on John’s statement that “… we keep his commandments and do what pleases him. And his commandment is this: we should believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another just as he commanded us.” If we are in true fellowship with the Lord, we should want to do things that please Him. If we look carefully at our lives, we need to differentiate between what we do to please ourselves and what and how much we do to please the Lord. God is glorified when we do what pleases Him, even if that may not please us at a precise moment.

In the Gospel from John, Jesus uses the image of a vine and its branches. The world He lived in was filled with grapevines. Last Sunday was Good Shepherd Sunday, but the branch depends on the vine even more than the sheep depend on the shepherd. We must be rooted in and connected to Jesus to function effectively. Our goal should be to bear fruit for God’s Kingdom.

In Greek the word for “prune” is the same as the word for “cleanse.” When the Lord prunes us, He cleanses us. Having been cleansed, we are prepared to serve Him and others and to bear fruit. When we bear fruit, in a spiritual sense we bring honor to God.

April 22, 2018 — Fourth Sunday of Easter

ACTS 4: 8-12; PS 118: 1, 8-9, 21-23, 26, 28-29; 1 JN 3: 1-2; JN 10: 11-18

In the First Letter of St. John, from which our Second Reading comes, John declares, “Beloved, we are God’s children now.” St. John also provides us with our Gospel Reading. In that passage the Lord speaks of being the Good Shepherd. It reinforces the idea of us being the children of God as Jesus says, “…and there will be one flock, one shepherd.”

Jesus is certainly our Good Shepherd. Today, the Fourth Sunday of Easter, is also called Good Shepherd Sunday. It always occurs at this time of year, although Jesus is our Good Shepherd every day and every hour. The Good Shepherd lays down His life for His sheep, which is what Jesus did for us, His children.

Throughout the Acts of the Apostles we are treated to St. Peter preaching. Today’s First Reading is another example of that. Five separate times in Acts Peter preaches. His emphasis is always on Christ’s Resurrection. In one way or another in every sermon Peter states, “God raised him from the dead.”

In association with Peter’s stress of Jesus’ resurrection is the call for repentance. Peter tends to remind us that if we truly repent, our sins are forgiven. He tells us that not only are we forgiven, but we are saved, But Peter did not merely proclaim Jesus as a way of salvation, but that He was really the only way to salvation. As he states in today’s reading, “There is no salvation through anyone else, nor is there any other name under heaven given to the human race by which we are to be saved.” Peter explains many times that Jesus provides us all hope, that “our hope is in the Lord.” He is the Good Shepherd on Whom we must rely.

Just as St. Peter wants us to understand and appreciate what Jesus did for us, St. John (in his First Letter, our Second Reading) wants us to know how much God loves us. John asks us to “see what love the Father has bestowed on us.” John tells us we need to not only be aware of it, but also to ponder and meditate on it intently. Do we really do that? It is important.

What might keep us from doing that? Perhaps we feel God must prove His love before we accept it. It may also be doubt, the unwillingness to trust God’s love because our lives may be filled with hurts and the pain of living. Sometimes it may just take us time to gain a complete understanding of God’s love for us.

The idea that we are all God’s children is reinforced many times in Holy Scripture. In Second Corinthians, Paul tells us that God says, “I will be a Father to you, and you shall be my sons and daughters.” In his letter to the Romans Paul cites the Holy Spirit, saying “The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.”

Christ is the light of the world, and we are called to provide light as well, to reflect His light. That is what it means by grasping what salvation is, and accepting that we are the children of God.

Nevertheless, as we hear the Gospel of John and the reference to the Good Shepherd, that is what brings everything into focus for us. On this Fourth Sunday of Easter, Good Shepherd Sunday, we need to be aware that we remain in the Easter Season. The Easter Season is a continual celebration of the once central mystery of our Church, that Jesus gave His life for us by dying on the Cross. He saved us from our sins.

We have reflected previously on why the image of a shepherd and sheep is an important one during Jesus’ time. To be a shepherd in Jesus’ time required living a life of total self-giving. The area where Jesus lived and worked had ground that was mostly rough and rocky. Raising sheep was, nonetheless, possible. However, it required moving constantly to find pastures for grazing. Every flock of sheep needed a shepherd who would lead the flock from place to place so the sheep could eat and survive. (“The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall lack.”)

Thus, being a shepherd could be very difficult. The shepherd was on duty every hour of every day. In the midst of that sheep could get lost, they could be attacked by predators, and they could be stolen by others. We as people are not that different from the sheep. Sheep without a shepherd were virtually defenseless. Look at out society. We have children who are orphans even though they have parents; we have people who long to be loved and protected. We are among those people. But we have a Good Shepherd, Who loves us and Who is with us always, because we are His children.

April 8 — Second Sunday of Easter (Sunday of Divine Mercy)

ACTS 4: 32-35; PS 118: 2-4, 13-15, 22-24; 1 JN 5: 1-5: JN 20: 19-31

We celebrate the Second Sunday of Easter today, but we also celebrate Divine Mercy. This is relatively new on our Church calendar, as it was proclaimed by St. Pope John Paul II on April 22, 2001. The Pope announced it at the Canonization of Faustina Kowalska who included in her writings her devotion to Divine Mercy, saying “Humanity will never find peace until it turns with trust to Divine Mercy! This is the Easter gift that the Church receives from the risen Christ and offers to humanity.”

The week after we celebrate Easter is the perfect time for us to celebrate the Lord’s Mercy. Mercy is the emphasis of the readings on this Holy day.

The First Reading from the Acts of the Apostles speaks of the early Church, its sense of community, and its understanding of stewardship. When it is written that “they had everything in common,” that is really recognition on their part that God owns everything. Everything belongs to God and through Him to His people. God had touched their lives very deeply, which made it easier for them to share all things. That is part of our stewardship challenge as well — to realize that all that we have and all that we are come from and belong to God. That is what allows us to be good stewards — the trust that results from that belief.

The reading also points out “With great power the apostles bore witness.” This is an indication that they put God first, other people second, and material things were a distant third at best. In our society that promotes the gather, save, and keep attitude, that can also be a difficulty for us.

First John offers our Second Reading. John writes, “Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is begotten by God.” Several times in his writings John uses that term “begotten by God.” To be “begotten” we must accept the Lord as our Messiah, not just the Savior in a general sense, but our personal Savior. John provides great emphasis to the idea of love. However, he is not saying that we earn salvation by just loving others, although that is a significant part of what we need to do. We also must put our total trust in the Lord and on His saving grace in our lives.

John is not speaking of an intellectual acceptance of the Lord. He is calling us to a total trust and reliance on Jesus. To have that heartfelt acceptance, we have to not only understand that we are begotten by God, but also all others are begotten as well, our community in Christ. This appreciation is our common ground as Christians. It goes way beyond race or class or culture or language. That is the secret of salvation, and the key to being a good steward.

And then we get to St. Thomas, a story most of all about trust. Thomas is often called “Doubting Thomas,” which is a bit of a mis-statement. It was not that Thomas doubted; quite frankly he did not believe. Thomas, like perhaps most of us, wanted proof and evidence of the resurrection. That is what he states: “I will not believe.” Yet Thomas was present one week later; clearly he still wished to be in the company of those who did believe. In the long run, Thomas does not place his fingers in Jesus’ wounds although the Lord invites him to do so. What is Thomas’ reaction to the presence of the Lord? He declares, “My Lord and my God.” For a Jew, for anyone, this is a remarkable affirmation. In the original Greek the two words “Lord” and “God” are kyrios and theos. Those are titles of deity and divinity.

In a way Thomas may have believed more strongly at that moment than any of the others. Seeing Jesus may have made Thomas believe that the Lord was truly risen, but it was something far deeper and more inward that had him calling Jesus God. Thomas more openly states his belief in the Lord than the others did.

Thomas, like the others, was “called” and “sent.” We, too, are called and sent. The word missionary has at its root the Latin word meaning “to send.” We are all missionaries if we are disciples of the Lord. This Gospel Reading appears virtually at the end of John’s Gospel. One might say that it is the climax of the book. Thomas represents the final accomplishment of the Lord — the triumph over unbelief.

April 1, 2018 — Easter Sunday/The Resurrection of the Lord (the Mass of Easter Day)

ACTS 10: 34A, 37-43; PS 118: 1-2, 16-17, 22-23; COL 3: 1-4, JN 20: 1-9

Today is Easter, the greatest feast in our Catholic calendar. On this Sunday, we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. For Catholics, Easter Sunday comes at the end of 40 days of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving known as Lent. Through spiritual struggle and self-denial, we have prepared ourselves to die spiritually with Christ on Good Friday, the day of His Crucifixion, so that we can rise again with Him in new life on Easter.

Last night was our Easter Vigil, called by our US Bishops the “Mother of All Vigils.” Today, then, is the greatest of all Sundays, and Easter Time is the most important of all liturgical times. Easter culminates with Christ’s Ascension to the Father and sending of the Holy Spirit upon the Church. There are 50 days of Easter from today to Pentecost. It should be characterized, above all, by the joy of glorified life and the victory over death, expressed most fully in the great resounding cry of Christians: Alleluia! All faith flows from faith in the resurrection.

It is most appropriate on this Day of Resurrection that the First Reading comes from the Acts of the Apostles and recounts part of a sermon made by St. Peter. Hippolytus of Rome, a Third Century theologian, gave Peter the title of “Apostle of Apostles.” We recognize Peter as the first Pope. Peter was one of the first Apostles and was present and witnessed events with Jesus, including the Transfiguration. Not only did he play a role on this Easter Sunday (as recounted in today’s Gospel), but he initially was the foremost evangelist revealing to people the divinity and resurrection of Jesus.

Peter opens his sermon today by saying, “You know what happened all over Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John (the Baptist) preached, how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power.” Peter no doubt gave this sermon scores of times to untold numbers of people. It is important coming from Peter because he was a personal witness to Jesus’ ministry and especially His Resurrection. In today’s reading Peter also says, “This man God raised on the third day and granted that he be visible…to us, the witnesses chosen by God in advance.” Personal and firsthand witness is the most powerful way to evangelize. Each of us is called to evangelize through our Baptism and by how we live our lives.

The personal witness of St. Peter is followed by St. Paul’s advice as to what we need to do with our lives, as indicated in the Second Reading from Colossians. Paul is telling us that we, too, were raised with Christ and we need to behave as Christ did after He was resurrected. The first thing Jesus did was leave the tomb. We, too, need to leave the tomb; resurrection means we are not destined to live in a tomb. Jesus ministered, especially to His disciples. Stewardship calls us to live our lives with and to serve others. One of the important pillars of stewardship is indeed service.

Jesus used His God-given power and strength to continue to accomplish things. With the help of the Holy Spirit we can do the same. Today reminds us that as Catholics and Christians we are enabled, not just for eternity, but to do things right now and right here.

Our Gospel last week was the powerful reading of the Passion of Christ. Although the Gospel this week is not as long or as comprehensive, it is equally powerful, especially for what it means to us as Christians. It is the retelling of the Resurrection of Christ and the finding of the empty tomb. St. John’s perspective is important to us for he is most likely the “other disciple” in today’s Gospel Reading. As was the case with the Passion, there is so much in this reading on which we might focus.

Having indicated that nonetheless, it might be of value to concentrate on a couple things. We may not always find humor in the Word, but it is there. For example, John is humble enough not to mention he is the other disciple, but at the same time he is competitive enough to make it clear that he outran Peter. Yet when it came to entering the tomb, he was hesitant and waited for Peter to enter first. The combination of these two decisions tells us a lot about both Peter and John. Throughout Holy Scripture St. Peter is somewhat spontaneous and often acts and thinks before thinking. St. John, on the other hand tends to stop and think; this may have been one of those occasions. Many Apostles were not convinced of the resurrection until they experienced Jesus in reality. John saw and believed. The word translated as “saw” is the Greek word eiden. That means much more than “saw.” It means “to understand and to perceive the significance of something.” Do we share John’s understanding and belief? We should; this is Easter.

March 25 — Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion

IS 50: 4-7; PS 22: 8-9, 17-20, 23-24; PHIL 2: 6-11, MK 14: 1 – 15: 47

The official name for today is, of course, Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion. We tend to shorten it and simply call it Palm Sunday. It is the final Sunday of Lent and marks the beginning of Holy Week. It commemorates the triumphant arrival of Christ in Jerusalem. We call it Palm Sunday because in our Catholic tradition we receive palm fronds that we use to reenact Christ’s arrival. Palm branches are a symbol of peace and victory. To show great respect to someone, the people of Jesus’ time threw palms in front of the person as a sign of great respect. The prepositional phrase “of the Lord’s Passion” is much more important.

On this day our Gospel Reading is Christ’s Passion, this year from the Gospel of Mark. It is the longest Gospel Reading of the church year. With more than 2,300 words in Mark’s Passion Gospel, that alone is longer than 26 other books of the Bible. In fact it is longer than Paul’s entire letter to the Philippians, from which our Second Reading is drawn.

The purpose of these reflections is in part to plant seeds for possible homily subjects, and to try to take something out of each reading to provide a focal point. On this Palm, or Passion, Sunday many priests opt not to give a homily, or to give a very brief one. There are so many possibilities for emphasis in the Passion alone; yet the other readings also offer “food for thought.” This reflection might be more appropriate to use in a letter to the faithful or some other communication.

The First Reading comes from the prophet Isaiah. More than any other prophet he anticipated the coming of Jesus Christ, the Messiah. In the last verse of this reading the Messiah says, “I have set my face like flint, knowing that I shall not be put to shame.” One might say that there are two kinds of courage — the courage of the moment that requires no previous thought, but there is also what might be called a “planned” courage. Jesus shows a “planned” courage in this instance.

The Lord knew the agony in front of Him, but He had an unwavering determination to obey His Father and to follow His Way. Jesus knew what awaited Him, but He suffered for us, in our behalf. As we approach life and living, we need to seek a similar determination to live as Disciples of Christ, and to do what we should do in spite of the possible consequences.

The Second Reading from St. Paul’s letter to the Philippians declares in the opening verse that Christ Jesus was in “the form of God.” Some scholars point out that the ancient Greek word for “form” (huparchein) is difficult to translate because it has more depth of meaning than the word “form” can communicate. When we use the word “form” we tend to think of shape, but that is not what was meant by the ancient Greeks. A better word might have been “essence,” which includes the inner nature of someone as well as the external one.

Because of how we celebrate Christmas, we may lose sight of the fact that Jesus’ existence did not begin in a manger in Bethlehem. Jesus was, is, and always will be. He is eternal. Perhaps on this Passion Sunday we should focus on that because it is really eternity that should be our focus. Being human, it is difficult for us to either appreciate or concentrate on eternity, but that should be the motivation of everything we do.

Mark’s Passion alone provides so much to think about and on which to meditate. We need to carefully listen and hear this Gospel Reading. There is so much here for us. The Passion of Christ is reported in all four Gospels. Those who analyze these things point to the fact that Mark seemed to place Christ’s suffering at the center of his version.

The time of the Passion is significant in many ways. At Passover there was always a great expectation of the Messiah. At that time of year Jerusalem tended to be crowded. As the Romans were the rulers in that part of the world, they were alert to any hint of revolt, which was always a threat from their perspective. Thousands of pilgrims came to Jerusalem as every male Jew who lived within 15 miles was obligated to come, and many more came from great distances, including Galilee.

You might say that the chief priests and the scribes feared the people more than they feared God. There is, as indicated, so much here for us as Catholics. The Last Supper includes the statement from Jesus, “Take it; this is my body.

Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, and they all drank from it. He said to them, ‘This is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed for many’.” Christ gave us so many gifts on this day, the gift of life, and the gift of the Eucharist. We must never forget that, now or at any Mass and celebration.

March 18, 2018 — Fifth Sunday of Lent

JER 31: 31-34; PS 51: 3-4, 12-15; HEB 5: 7-9; JN 12: 20-33

There are only a couple weeks left in Lent, actually somewhat less than that, as there is a Sixth Sunday of Lent next week, but Lent officially ends with the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday. Salvation of all peoples is at hand. In the Gospel, for example, Jesus states “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.” Two times earlier in the Gospel of John Jesus, had stated, “My hour has not yet come,” including saying that to the Blessed Mother Mary at the wedding in Cana, which fell at the beginning of His ministry.

As our Lenten season approaches its completion, the readings on this Fifth Sunday of Lent focus on the salvation offered to us by Jesus and our own need for penance and reconciliation always, but especially at this time.

Jeremiah was one of the longest serving prophets. He was a prophet through the reign of five kings of Judah — Josiah, Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin, and Zedekiah over a period of 40 years. At the time Jeremiah was growing up, he witnessed the tearing down of pagan places of worship. One of Jeremiah’s most common themes, one that is addressed in our First Reading, was the restoration of God’s covenant. He addresses this new covenant in this way: “The days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah.”

One might contend that God’s plan of redemption is completed and perfected in the new covenant about which Jeremiah writes. It involves cleansing and spiritual transformation, and the reign of the Messiah. Jesus specifically would institute this new covenant by His death on the cross, and the Lord would institute the recognition and remembrance of it with the bread and cup of communion. The new covenant brings a new relationship with God, one that we realize in particular during this Lenten season. Those connected to God through this covenant have a closer and more personal relationship with God. As Jeremiah writes, “All, from least to greatest, shall know me.”

Although the Second Reading taken from the Letter to the Hebrews is brief, it richly fulfills Jeremiah’s prophecy and another perspective of our redemption and salvation. We are called to obey the Lord and Lent is a time for us to work on that. Jesus struggled with obedience at times; however, He finally obeyed perfectly. As indicated in the reading from Hebrews, “He (Jesus) offered prayers and supplications with loud cries and tears to the one who was able to save him from death.” We recall the agony of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane.

We may nonetheless misunderstand what Jesus is praying for when He asks that the cup be taken away from Him. In reality His prayer was not to escape God’s will, but to accept it — that prayer was definitely heard. Is that our prayer, to appeal to God to relieve us of suffering and to make our lives more ideal? Or is our prayer to accept God’s will. Is that not what we pray every time we say the Our Father when we invoke the Lord by saying “Thy will be done?” That is our true challenge, to accept and live with God’s will, not to dispute it.

As Jesus indicated and as mentioned previously, “the hour has come.” Today’s Gospel Reading from St. John speaks of Jesus being approached by some Greeks who merely, it seems, want to see Him and meet Him and experience Him. There are a number of clever hints about what all this means in today’s Gospel. First of all, the Greeks initially approach the Apostle Philip, to whom they said, “Sir, we would like to see Jesus.” Clearly these Greeks had heard of Jesus, perhaps of His reputation as a teacher and a worker of miracles. The point is that they wanted to know more about Him. It is interesting that they chose to approach Philip, who was the only Apostle with a Greek name.

Other scholars have pointed out that there is a parallel between these Greeks and the Magi about whom we hear during the Christmas season. The Magi came from the East, but these Greeks came from the West. The Magi visited in the beginning of the Lord’s life, one might say visiting the cradle. The Greeks are visiting at the completion of His life, one might say visiting the Cross. As the Greeks wanted to know more about Jesus, that is also part of our efforts during Lent, to learn more about Jesus, and to deepen our relationship with Him.

This Gospel is so full of information for us. Just after the Lord announces His hour has come, He also says, “Whoever serves me must follow me.” To be a disciple of Jesus we must follow Him. That does not mean you quit your job or abandon your family, but it does mean that everything you do should be as a servant and follower of Jesus.

March 11, 2018 — Fourth Sunday of Lent

2 CHR 36: 14-16, 19-23; PS 137: 1-6; EPH 2: 4-10; JN 3: 14-21

Today, the Fourth Sunday of Lent, is what is called Laetare Sunday. Most of us are quite accustomed to the Mass being conducted in our native tongue, and we may have lost track of the fact that Latin is still the official language of the Church. On occasion Latin reasserts itself. This Sunday is one of those times as Laetare means “Rejoice” in Latin. In the Introit to the Mass (the entrance antiphon) it begins Laetare, Jerusalem (“Rejoice, Jerusalem!”)

The actual midpoint of Lent occurred this past Thursday, and this day has traditionally been viewed as a day of celebration, when we sort of lessen the soberness normally attached to Lent. You may notice some changes in the church itself in terms of environment, and priests and deacons have the option of wearing pink or rose vestments rather than purple or violet. This Sunday has a corresponding day during Advent called Gaudete Sunday. The point of both these days is providing us with encouragement in the midst of our penitential seasons.

As part of this more upbeat attitude and approach to our celebrations of Mass this weekend, there is a focus on salvation and redemption, which is the reason we have to “rejoice.”

There are two Books of Chronicles — First Chronicle and Second Chronicle. Although Chronicles tends to repeat much of what has gone before in the Bible, the writer (the chronicler) brings a different approach to some aspects. The material of Chronicles lists genealogies from Adam to King Saul and covers the death of Saul, the reign of King David, the reign of King Solomon, and from the division of the monarchy into the northern and southern kingdoms to the end of the Babylonian exile.

Our First Reading comes from the final chapter of Second Chronicles, so it includes the beginning of the Babylonian Exile (607-586 B.C.). The chronicler spent a lot of time addressing the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem (thus the statement Laetare, Jerusalem or “Rejoice, Jerusalem”). The final verses of today’s readings are indeed the closing of Chronicles. Chronicles points out to the Jewish people, and to us also, that they are strongly connected to God’s overall plan. “Whoever, therefore, among you belongs to any part of his people, let him go up (return to Jerusalem) and may his God be with him.” The people were released from exile by King Cyrus of Persia in the first year of his reign. Where the Books of Kings seems to be centered on stern moral judgments, Chronicles is essentially a book of hope. That is why we rejoice. Christ’s saving grace gives us hope during this time of Lent.

St. Paul, in his letter to the Ephesians, our Second Reading, reminds us “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not from you; it is the gift of God.” What a reason to rejoice. God loves us even when we are not lovable. He loves us even when we do not give Him a reason to do so.

We are also reminded that God created each of us. In this same reading St. Paul declares, “for we are his (God’s) handiwork.” In the original Greek the word translated as “handiwork” is poiema (ποίημα). Another meaning of the word is considered by some scholars to be “masterpiece.” The word poiema is also the root word for “poem” and “poetry.” What a joyous thought for us to consider and appreciate! We, each and every one of us, are God’s masterpiece, His poem. That is a reason to celebrate, but it is also a reason for us to be doing things during Lent to make us more that way.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish, but might have eternal life.” (John 3:16) There are well more than 30,000 verses in the Bible as we know it, but this particular verse has been held forward as the most succinct declaration of the entire Gospel message. Yet, we may dissect all the meanings too much, but because of its brevity and its power it is worthy of a close look. “God so loved the world…” This includes all of us, the entire world; it does not limit this love to a particular group or location. “He gave…” That is what God does; He gives. We are the recipients. Stewardship is understanding that is the case, and striving to share some of those gifts.

“…so that everyone believes.” This is much more than an intellectual conviction. It means to trust in God, to rely on God, and to cling to God in many ways. That is also at the basis of a stewardship way of life. We respond to God by becoming disciples and placing our total trust in Him. “…might have eternal life.” The concept of eternity is beyond our ability to comprehend as humans. This is much more than living forever; it means living with God, in His glory forever. That is what we all strive for; that is why we do what we do always, not just during this Lent. That also is a reason to “rejoice.”

March 4, 2018 — Third Sunday of Lent

EX 20: 1-17; PS 19: 8-11; 1 COR 1: 22-25; JN 2: 13-25

There is no doubt we are in the midst of Lent based on the readings on this Third Sunday of Lent. From the Ten Commandments, which compose our First Reading from Exodus, to St. Paul’s discussion of the wisdom of God in the Second Reading, to Jesus’ actions at the Temple as reported in the Gospel of John, we are reminded of what Lent is truly all about.

Lent should be a time of reflection for us, about how we can improve in living our lives as disciples of Jesus Christ and as His disciples, but also about hope in God’s enduring promises of love and forgiveness. After all, God looks for a heart that is tender and is adaptable to God’s word. Lent is a time to take our spiritual journey a little deeper. It should not be about “beating up” on ourselves, but about being honest and asking God to forgive us and help us.

The First Reading from Exodus presents the Ten Commandments as God handed them down to us. In our secular-based society, the idea of a God-based moral code seems to have become less popular. There is a tendency that a moral code should be based upon each individual’s inner sense of what is right or wrong, what is good or bad, but not on a standard set by God.

We need God to morally instruct and guide us. Though these principles resonate with the human conscience (both individually and collectively), they are certainly not the only influence upon our thinking and behavior. We need to know that there is a God in heaven who expects certain moral behavior and that there are consequences from obeying or disobeying these commands. It is important for us to note the order of the Commandments. In truth one could give an entire homily on each of the Commandments, but the main thing is to take note that the first four Commandments have to do with our attitudes toward God, and our conduct in relationship to God. The last six have to do with how we relate to and conduct ourselves toward one another.

The portion of St. Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians which is our Second Reading is not very lengthy. As is often the case nonetheless, it is filled with a wisdom and understanding of its own. To the Jewish people the idea of a Messiah translated into power, splendor, and triumph. To them “crucified” meant weakness, defeat, and humiliation. This is what St. Paul preaches throughout his writings.

A story is told of a church which inscribed the following over their entrance: “We preach Christ crucified.” However, as time passed, they seemed to lose their passion for the Lord. Ivy began to grow over the entranceway covering part of the message. It then read “We preach Christ.” After awhile it read only “We preach.” Finally it said simply “We.” Today many churches have become mere social gatherings which are not about God and certainly not about Christ crucified. Our faith is not about “we” but about God. Lent is a time for us to appreciate that and embrace the fact that as Catholics we are blessed with the foundations and the meanings of our faith. As Paul says in today’s reading, “…the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.”

We have indicated previously how the Gospel of John is quite different from the other three Gospels (the synoptic gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke). John focuses on the final days of Christ. He gives us fewer stories, but what he does offer is rich in detail. Scholars, as is often the case, do not agree on when the story of Jesus’ cleansing the temple actually occurred. It appears early in John’s Gospel, evidently at the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry, but just prior to his Crucifixion in the synoptic gospels.

This particular passage from the Gospel of John is often called “the cleansing of the temple.” Cleansing was part of the Passover celebration, just as it is part of our Lenten journeys. What we do at this time needs to result in a cleansing of our consciences and our souls. What we do now and what we commit to doing now should be part of this cleansing process. That includes conversion — changing our lives if necessary, and certainly participating in confession, the sacrament of reconciliation.

February 25, 2018 — Second Sunday of Lent

GN 22: 1-2, 9A, 10-13, 15-18; PS 116: 10, 15-19; ROM 8: 31B-34; MK 9: 2-10

The absolute first verse of our First Reading from the Book of Genesis is, “God put Abraham to the test.” Is that not what Lent is all about for each of us? We are being “put to the test.” Although we are less than two weeks into our Lenten journey, how are we doing? Have we even made an effort to let the Lord know that we are being tested? Have we set goals? What have we done to change the way we live?

One of the great gifts we have received, and it is also a challenge, is that God has granted us “free will.” That means we choose the direction we are going to go; this is a time when we should reflect on what we have and what we need to change. Someone once said, “Lent is a time for spiritual ‘spring cleaning’.” What are the habits we need to eliminate from our lives? What are the behavioral patterns that make us less than what a Christian should do? That is what we need to address.

The First Reading from the Book of Genesis speaks of, as mentioned, the test to which Abraham was placed. It may seem dramatic and excessive to us, but the truth is that it involves trust in God. That total trust is tough for us most of the time. Yet, as we see in the First Reading, Abraham passes it with room to spare. God is not evil or vindictive, but He is interested in how we use our “free will” and how we respond to the challenges offered us. This time, Lent, is the time for us to step up and to respond as Abraham did. God says to Abraham, “I know now how devoted you are to God, since you did not withhold from me your own beloved son.” It was God’s willingness to give to us His beloved Son that has provided us with salvation.

In his letter to the Romans, our Second Reading, St Paul tells us, “If God is for us, who can be against us?

He who did not spare His own Son but handed Him over for us all, how will He not also give us everything else along with Him?” God’s gift to us in His Son Jesus Christ might be considered the ultimate gift. Having received that, how can we think that the Lord will not give us other gifts, smaller gifts?

Nothing, absolutely nothing, can separate us from the love of God. It is this gift, this understanding, which allows us to trust God to the same extent that Abraham did. Yet, is this part of what we see as our Lenten journey and effort? Do we truly incorporate God’s love for us into everything we do, and everything we try to do? We can make all the lists and goals we wish during this Lenten period, but at the base of it all has to be trust in God and a willingness to adjust our lives to pursue holiness.

The Gospel recounts the Transfiguration, that moment when the Lord revealed to us just a glimpse of what Heaven is all about. Of course, we cannot even completely conceive of that (nor could Peter, James, and John). Nevertheless, that is what is very much at the basis of what our efforts and concentration should be during this Lenten season. We must take care not to think of the transfiguration as being a bright light on Jesus. This is not a light coming to Jesus from the outside; it involves a change from the inside. The change, although it may appear to be on the outside, really comes from the inside.

That is what we need to be striving for in our faith lives, and particularly during this Lent. We need to strive to change from within. That is what really allows us to be the disciples we need to be, and to experience the conversion (change) we need to undergo.

February 18, 2018 — First Sunday of Lent

GN 9: 8-15; PS 25: 4-9; 1 PT 3: 18-22; MK 1: 12-15

From the Scriptural Readings on this First Sunday of Lent it should be clear to us that Lent has begun. From a reminder that God has made a covenant with us in the First Reading from Genesis to St. Peter’s reference to that in his letter to Jesus’ 40 days in the desert as explained in the Gospel of St. Mark we should know that it is time for us to pursue our Lenten disciplines.

Our Lent is also 40 days in length, beginning this past Wednesday, Ash Wednesday, and ending on Holy Thursday, March 29, at the beginning of the Mass of the Lord’s Supper. The three facets of our Lenten experience are traditionally prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. This is to be a time of spiritual preparation for Easter for us.

The major point made in the First Reading from the Old Testament Book of Genesis is God’s covenant. In this reading God declares a covenant with Noah, his family, and all their descendants, which is effect with all humankind, including us. There are many covenants described in the Bible, but this covenant, known as the Noahic Covenant, is unique in that it applies to all humanity. In this covenant God promises never again to destroy all life on earth, and He creates the rainbow as the sign of this “everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.” Every time we see a rainbow, we should remember the faithfulness of God and every one of His promises. He even says His covenant of peace with us is just as sure as His covenant with Noah and all generations.

Normally a covenant is an agreement between two parties, in this case God and humankind. However, because this covenant is “divinely imposed” makes it plain to us that there is no room for negotiation on our part. We either accept or reject this covenant. Accepting it means working to fulfill God’s expectations. That is part of what Lent is all about for us.

Often with the Letters of St. Paul it is clear to whom he is writing (e.g., Philippians, Ephesians, Corinthians, etc.). However, it is not clear as to the intended readers for St. Peter’s two letters. At one point he states that he is writing to God’s elect “scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia.” The basic keynote purpose of the letters is “hope.” Peter is writing to encourage the Christian community to live in accordance with the hope they have received through Christ. He returns to this declamation throughout his two letters.

In our Second Reading from the First Letter of Peter, he says, “Christ suffered for our sins once, the righteous for the sake of the unrighteous, that he might lead you to God.” Is that not what should be happening to us now and throughout Lent? We are to be lead to God in more and better ways. Peter makes reference to Noah and thus implies the covenant that God has with us. Nevertheless, in fulfilling that covenant we have to do something also.

We might say it is all about restoring and strengthening our relationship with God. What we do during Lent and the efforts we make and the disciplines we practice all should have that intention. Peter paints a picture for us in this reading. He points out that Noah’s salvation was connected to water, just as our salvation is connected with the water of our Baptism. We are fond of using the term “Baptismal call.” The waters of the flood washed away sin and brought a new world, with a fresh start in the eyes of God. Now is the time for us to accept our Baptism as a fresh start from the old to the new. We have several weeks during Lent to begin that process.

Our connection with God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit is similar to the story about a little boy flying a kite that flew so high he could no longer see it. An observer said to him, “How do you know it is still up there?” The boy replied “I can feel the pull.” Lent is a time for us to “feel the pull.” We may not see Jesus in Heaven, but we need to feel Him pulling us toward Him.

In the Gospel from St. Mark we hear, “The Spirit drove Jesus out into the desert, and he remained in the desert for 40 days.” It is obvious where our 40 days of Lent come from. But 40 is a recurring theme in the Bible. In Noah’s flood it rained for 40 days and 40 nights. Israel was in the wilderness for 40 years. It was a time of “testing” for Jesus. Lent is a time of testing for us. Everything we are called to do is to bring us the ideas of patience, sacrifice, self-discipline, commitment, and, as Peter implies, hope.

February 11, 2018 — Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

LV 13: 1-2, 44-46; PS 32: 1-2, 5, 11; 1 COR 10:31 – 11: 1; MK 1: 40-45

Lent begins for us Catholics on Feb. 14. Lent is a special time of prayer, penance, sacrifice and good works in preparation of the celebration of Easter. In the desire to renew the liturgical practices of the Church, The Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy of Vatican Council II stated, “The two elements which are especially characteristic of Lent — the recalling of baptism or the preparation for it, and penance — should be given greater emphasis in the liturgy and in liturgical catechesis. It is by means of them that the Church prepares the faithful for the celebration of Easter, while they hear God’s word more frequently and devote more time to prayer” (no. 109). The word Lent itself is derived from the Anglo-Saxon words lencten, meaning “Spring,” and lenctentid, which literally means not only “Springtide” but also was the word for “March,” the month in which the majority of Lent falls.

Our readings on this Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time more or less serve as an introduction and preparation for Lent. Our First Reading from the Old Testament Book of Leviticus has explanations of and references to leprosy. Leprosy is a disease we may know about and may hear about, but it is largely unknown to us. Because of modern drugs and treatments, leprosy is almost unknown in the western world – the United States’ last two leper colonies have been shut down for many years now. But worldwide there are some 15 million lepers, almost all of them in third-world nations.

In Jesus’ time, once the diagnosis of leprosy was confirmed, everything changed for the leper. They lived in a perpetual state of mourning and in a perpetual state of public disgrace (he shall… cry “Unclean! Unclean!”). Furthermore, they lived in a perpetual state of isolation (“he shall dwell alone.”). As stringent as all this was, eventually the Jews went further. In the days of Jesus many Jews thought two things about a leper: “You are the walking dead and you deserve this because this is the punishment of God against you.”

But Jesus was different. He loved lepers; He touched them and healed them when they had no hope at all. We are called to treat people in a similar way. That is part of what Lent is all about, getting us to alter our lives so that we are willing to love others, regardless the circumstances.

In the opening verses of the Second Reading from St. Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians, he declares, “…whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God.” That is another way of saying that God should be at the center of our lives, and literally everything that we do should never lose that focus. Again, as we enter into Lent this week, the idea is not to do the minimum, not to barely fulfill what we are to be and what we are to do to be Disciples of Christ, but to go beyond and truly glorify God.

The Lord was always at the center of Paul’s life, but he also makes it clear that his motivation had nothing to with seeking profit or reward or glory for himself. Paul’s greatest desire for others was that they be saved; that was the true concentration of everything he did or tried to do.

Paul fully understood that he was an example. More important, he knew that he was not the worthy example, but it was Paul, the follower of Christ, who was the example. If we did nothing else during Lent but strive to show others what it means to believe in and to follow Christ, Lent would be successful for us.

Leprosy, which is addressed in the First Reading as well as our Gospel from St. Mark, has largely, as mentioned, been eradicated in the world we live in. As terrible as the physical suffering of having leprosy was, the worst part may have been the way lepers were treated. Throughout Jesus’ ministry, we hear and experience situations where the Lord reaches out to someone, probably to the horror of His followers and His Apostles.

This does not mean that we have to spend our lives, as St. Teresa of Calcutta (Mother Teresa) did. Her service to others and that of her sisters is well known. In today’s Gospel Jesus sees God in the leper who approaches Him. One of Mother Teresa’s famous quotes was, “I see Jesus in every human being. I say to myself this is hungry Jesus; I must feed him. This is sick Jesus. This one has leprosy or gangrene; I must wash him and tend to him. I serve because I love Jesus.” It is easy to establish guidelines for ourselves during Lent: Love like Jesus. Act like Jesus. Be Christian examples to others. Pray like Jesus. Find Jesus in all around us, and treat them accordingly.

February 4, 2018 — Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

JB 7: 1-4, 6-7; PS 147: 1-6; 1 COR 9: 16-19, 22-23; MK 1: 29-39

It is not always possible to establish a theme in relation to the readings for a particular Sunday. In fact, on this Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time we might say there are two themes — suffering and stewardship. Suffering in particular is something our society has come to view almost as an evil. Yet, suffering is part of life. Our faith takes this into account. Whenever you are suffering, all you have to do is look at a Crucifix. Seeing Christ on that Cross should remind us how much the Lord loves us, enough to be tortured and crucified for us. When we are in agony, Christ is in agony with us.

Our First Reading comes from the Old Testament Book of Job. The suffering of Job is legendary. You perhaps need to read the entire book to put things in perspective with today’s brief reading. Job was blessed with wealth and a blessed family. Then there is a scene in Heaven where Satan tells God that Job is pious and good only because he is so blessed; if he had none of this he would most likely curse God. Job loses everything. Yet he is able to maintain his faith, saying at one point, “Naked I came forth from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I go back there. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; blessed is the name of the Lord.”

Job suffered immensely. In today’s reading he declares, “Is not man’s life on earth a drudgery?” There is a translation of that same phrase that reads, “Is not man’s life on earth a battle?” There is no denying that. The point is not how much we suffer; the point is how we respond to that. As Catholics and Christians we have been given hope in eternal and suffering-free life through Christ’s sacrifice for us. With Lent only a few days away (it begins on Wednesday, February 14) this is a good time to be reminded of that.

St. Paul changes the focus a bit in our Second Reading from his First Letter to the Corinthians. Paul certainly suffered in many ways during his life, although like Job, he was at one time quite comfortable and seemingly blessed. The key line in today’s reading may be “…I have been entrusted with a stewardship.” The stewardship to which he refers is his role in life to preach the Gospel no matter what the response or the attitudes he faces.

Suffering may not be a situation in which we have a choice. It is thrust upon us. In the same way Paul knew that his ministry was not a matter of choice. It was something he was called to do; it was something he had to do. He was called to preach and he feels compelled to fulfill that call. For many of us we are not certain what our calling is, but stewardship asks that we try to identify what that calling may be, and then, of course, we need to respond by trying to carry that out. In some cases it may require sacrifice and even suffering. However, if we live as God wants us to we can be assured of the same reward Paul understands — eternal life with our Lord and our God. Like Job we can declare, “Blessed is the name of the Lord.”

In our Gospel Reading from St. Mark, we hear the continuation of what we heard last week. Last week Jesus preached in the synagogue on the Sabbath day; today we hear what he did when he left the synagogue. We must remember that Jesus was in Capernaum. Capernaum was more or less the center of Jesus’ activities and ministry. It was also where the apostles Peter, James, Andrew, John, and Matthew were from. It is thus natural that the Lord would know many people there. The first thing we hear is that he visited Peter’s mother-in-law who was suffering with a fever. This act of healing is significant first because it was not in front of a large crowd, and second because it indicates that the Lord was interested in individuals. He loved them and cared for them, and was not doing it to promote himself. It was an unselfish act of stewardship.

Also, reflective of how he dealt with the demons possessing the man last week, the Lord did it with authority and simplicity. Perhaps the most telling portion of this Gospel is what Jesus did the next morning. “Rising early before dawn, he left and went off to a deserted place, where he prayed.” Jesus knew it was important to be alone with God if possible. We need to do the same. Jesus did not pray because he was weak, but because He was strong. He knew the source of His strength — God the Father. When we are busy and under pressure, as the Lord was, it becomes even more important to have a regular and active prayer life. Our personal prayer habits and policies need to reflect the same thing: this is especially important with Lent approaching.

January 28, 2018 — Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

DT 18: 15-20; PS 95: 1-2, 6-9; 1 COR 7: 32-35; MK 1: 21-28

The homily at Mass is delivered during what we call the Liturgy of the Word. Most of the Liturgy of the Word is made up of readings from Holy Scripture. There are three scripture readings plus the Responsorial Psalm. Most often the First Reading comes from the Old Testament (although during Easter it tends to come from the Acts of the Apostles); the Second Reading is often from one of the New Testament letters; and the Gospel Reading is always taken from one of the four Gospels — Matthew, Mark, Luke or John. From the perspective of the Church the Liturgy of the Word “feeds the people of God from the table of His Word” (Sacrosanctum Concilium). The Responsorial Psalm occurs after the First Reading. The psalm is intended to help us to meditate on the Word of God.

Often there is a clear connection among the readings, but on occasion it is somewhat difficult to connect them. In the readings for this Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time, the First Reading and the Gospel and the psalm are clearly closely connected; the Second Reading is to some extent more vague in its connection.

We are accustomed to hearing about Moses (Moshe in Hebrew). The first five books of the Old Testament are called the Pentateuch, which is formed by two Greek words, pente, which means five, and teuchos, which means book. The Pentateuch is also called “the five books of Moses.” It consists of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.

Our First Reading today is from the Book of Deuteronomy. Moses is considered by many to be “the greatest prophet and teacher” in the Old Testament; in fact the Torah describes him as “the greatest prophet who ever was and will be” His influence is so great on Judaism that the religion is sometimes called Mosaism. At the beginning of this reading Moses says, “A prophet like me will the LORD, your God, raise up for you from among your own kin; to him you shall listen.” Moses is speaking of Jesus, and it is such a clear declaration that we need to pay attention to this reading and all others as well.

Later in the reading Moses quotes God as saying, “I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their kin, and will put my words into his mouth; he shall tell them all that I command him.” When we consider today’s Gospel you will understand that statement more clearly.

On the one hand, the Second Reading from St. Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians might appear to be dealing with a topic very distant from the First Reading and the Gospel. On the other hand, the inspired Word we find in scripture is always related. Many point to this section of the letter to explain the Catholic Church’s stance on unmarried priests, but that is not really Paul’s point at all. For Paul the most important thing in life was not romantic love, but pleasing God. From his view, he personally could please God better by remaining single. He is not condemning those who are married, and he is certainly not saying someone cannot serve God and pursue his or her vocation and calling if they are married.

Paul does make it clear that each of us called and each of us must define and pursue that calling. He wants to put all this in what we might call an “eternal perspective.” Unfortunately, there are many single persons who think that being single is a distraction. Whether that is a temporary or a permanent state, it should be seen as a special opportunity to serve God.

There are two distinct parts to today’s Gospel Reading from St. Mark. The first involves Jesus teaching clearly and with authority in the synagogue. We know from where His authority came and was based, but the people at that time were “astonished” because this occurred early on in His ministry. Perhaps a more telling moment is the second part of the Gospel when Jesus expels an evil spirit. In the time of Jesus there were many who offered the ability to expel evil spirits from someone, but they tended to use long and elaborate ceremonies, and they often were not successful. In all of Holy Scripture Jesus never failed to cast out a demon. He did not need to rely on ceremonies, because He had the authority of God, the same authority to which is referred earlier in this Gospel.

Jesus says quite simply, “Quiet! Come out of him!” That is enough and the reaction of the people is to be amazed and the beginning of having trust in the Lord, the same trust we need to have. God needs to be the authority in our own lives. We need to comprehend that and to adjust our lives to serve the Lord as good stewards and disciples.

January 21, 2018 — Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

JON 3: 1-5, 10; PS 25: 4-9; 1 COR 7: 29-31; MK 1: 14-20

Our readings on this Third Sunday in Ordinary Time remind us that we are each called by God to a particular purpose in life. In addition, we must guard against being too rooted, so that we can indeed respond to the Lord as a disciple.

Jonah might be called the “reluctant prophet.” God had called Jonah, but Jonah did everything he possibly could to resist that call. God is persistent, and calls Jonah again. God may be calling us as well over and over; the calling will not cease, but our response must be a positive one, just as Jonah’s is. One might say that God offers Jonah a new beginning; we, too are offered a new beginning by the Lord, and as we enter a new calendar year this may be the time to consider that.

Realizing that it was pointless to resist the will of God, Jonah does go to Nineveh, and there he preaches repentance. It is the same message brought by John the Baptist and one conveyed by Jesus over and over. Before we can answer a call, before we can be disciples, we, too, must repent.

Although brief, the Second Reading from St. Paul’s letter to the Corinthians carries a message closely associated with repentance. Paul warns against being too rooted and attached to the things of this life. When Paul says “the time is running out,” he is paralleling Jesus’ words and advice. Jesus said in Matthew 24:44 “Therefore, you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”

Time is always running out on us. That is why we must seek to repent and respond now, not later. What is our calling? It may not come to us in capital letters and clearly, but it is something we must ever be seeking, and then trying to fulfill it. Paul’s comments about family are often misinterpreted. He is not encouraging neglect of family duties, but he wants us to know that the things of this world — attitudes, emotions, and certainly possessions — are not all that matters. We each have a higher calling.

Finally, the Gospel of Mark relates a story very familiar to us when the Lord calls His first Apostles to “come after me.” This is in effect the calling heard by Jonah, and what Paul was trying to emphasize to us. Before the calling, however, Jesus says again, “The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe in the gospel.” We will hear something very similar on Ash Wednesday as Lent begins.

When Jesus says “Repent” it may not mean quite what we think it does. The Lord is not telling us to just feel sorry. He is calling us to action. That involves conversion, a change in how we live and what we do. Repentance is a change of direction. Also, it is not something we do before we come to God and answer His call. It is telling us what coming to God is like, what it requires.

In the original Greek, the word attributed to Jesus for “believe” is pisteuo. That means much more than just knowledge or agreement. It speaks of our total trust and dependence on God. It is not just an intellectual acceptance, but it is a call to live it out. That is what the Apostles did when Jesus called them.

Note that the Lord says “I will make you fishers of men.” He is speaking of a process, not an instantaneous happening. Jesus called His Apostles to do what He did. It was their responsibility to share this with others, which is what occurred. Imagine that from that original calling there are now millions upon millions of potential disciples. We are still called to do Jesus’ work. It began with two, then four, then twelve and has continued to grow through the centuries. Spreading the Good News is still part of what Jesus expects from each of us.