Daily Prayer for March 28

My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense – Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. 1 John 2:1–2, NIV

Lord God, we thank you that you have given us atonement, an atonement that delivers us from all evil, from all that is temporal and perishable, and that allows us even now to live in eternity. Grant that many people become aware of the greatness and freeing power of the redemption you have offered us. May a people be born to you, serving you with light in their hearts as they look to the future coming of Jesus Christ. Be with us, strengthen us, and protect us from all the deception on earth. For we want to be your children and nothing else; with our whole hearts we want to look always to you. Amen.

 

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Monday of the Fifth Week of Lent

Reading I Dn 13:1-9, 15-17, 19-30, 33-62 or 13:41c-62

In Babylon there lived a man named Joakim,
who married a very beautiful and God-fearing woman, Susanna,
the daughter of Hilkiah;
her pious parents had trained their daughter
according to the law of Moses.
Joakim was very rich;
he had a garden near his house,
and the Jews had recourse to him often
because he was the most respected of them all.

That year, two elders of the people were appointed judges,
of whom the Lord said, “Wickedness has come out of Babylon:
from the elders who were to govern the people as judges.”
These men, to whom all brought their cases,
frequented the house of Joakim.
When the people left at noon,
Susanna used to enter her husband’s garden for a walk.
When the old men saw her enter every day for her walk,
they began to lust for her.
They suppressed their consciences;
they would not allow their eyes to look to heaven,
and did not keep in mind just judgments.

One day, while they were waiting for the right moment,
she entered the garden as usual, with two maids only.
She decided to bathe, for the weather was warm.
Nobody else was there except the two elders,
who had hidden themselves and were watching her.
“Bring me oil and soap,” she said to the maids,
“and shut the garden doors while I bathe.”

As soon as the maids had left,
the two old men got up and hurried to her.
“Look,” they said, “the garden doors are shut, and no one can see us;
give in to our desire, and lie with us.
If you refuse, we will testify against you
that you dismissed your maids because a young man was here with you.”

“I am completely trapped,” Susanna groaned.
“If I yield, it will be my death;
if I refuse, I cannot escape your power.
Yet it is better for me to fall into your power without guilt
than to sin before the Lord.”
Then Susanna shrieked, and the old men also shouted at her,
as one of them ran to open the garden doors.
When the people in the house heard the cries from the garden,
they rushed in by the side gate to see what had happened to her.
At the accusations by the old men,
the servants felt very much ashamed,
for never had any such thing been said about Susanna.

When the people came to her husband Joakim the next day,
the two wicked elders also came,
fully determined to put Susanna to death.
Before all the people they ordered:
“Send for Susanna, the daughter of Hilkiah,
the wife of Joakim.”
When she was sent for,
she came with her parents, children and all her relatives.
All her relatives and the onlookers were weeping.

In the midst of the people the two elders rose up
and laid their hands on her head.
Through tears she looked up to heaven,
for she trusted in the Lord wholeheartedly.
The elders made this accusation:
“As we were walking in the garden alone,
this woman entered with two girls
and shut the doors of the garden, dismissing the girls.
A young man, who was hidden there, came and lay with her.
When we, in a corner of the garden, saw this crime,
we ran toward them.
We saw them lying together,
but the man we could not hold, because he was stronger than we;
he opened the doors and ran off.
Then we seized her and asked who the young man was,
but she refused to tell us.
We testify to this.”
The assembly believed them,
since they were elders and judges of the people,
and they condemned her to death.

But Susanna cried aloud:
“O eternal God, you know what is hidden
and are aware of all things before they come to be:
you know that they have testified falsely against me. 
Here I am about to die,
though I have done none of the things
with which these wicked men have charged me.”

The Lord heard her prayer.
As she was being led to execution,
God stirred up the holy spirit of a young boy named Daniel,
and he cried aloud:
“I will have no part in the death of this woman.”
All the people turned and asked him, “What is this you are saying?”
He stood in their midst and continued,
“Are you such fools, O children of Israel! 
To condemn a woman of Israel without examination
and without clear evidence?
Return to court, for they have testified falsely against her.”

Then all the people returned in haste.
To Daniel the elders said,
“Come, sit with us and inform us,
since God has given you the prestige of old age.”
But he replied,
“Separate these two far from each other that I may examine them.”

After they were separated one from the other,
he called one of them and said:
“How you have grown evil with age!
Now have your past sins come to term:
passing unjust sentences, condemning the innocent,
and freeing the guilty, although the Lord says,
‘The innocent and the just you shall not put to death.’
Now, then, if you were a witness,
tell me under what tree you saw them together.”
“Under a mastic tree,” he answered.
Daniel replied, “Your fine lie has cost you your head,
for the angel of God shall receive the sentence from him
and split you in two.”
Putting him to one side, he ordered the other one to be brought.
Daniel said to him,
“Offspring of Canaan, not of Judah, beauty has seduced you,
lust has subverted your conscience.
This is how you acted with the daughters of Israel,
and in their fear they yielded to you;
but a daughter of Judah did not tolerate your wickedness.
Now, then, tell me under what tree you surprised them together.”
“Under an oak,” he said.
Daniel replied, “Your fine lie has cost you also your head,
for the angel of God waits with a sword to cut you in two
so as to make an end of you both.”

The whole assembly cried aloud,
blessing God who saves those who hope in him.
They rose up against the two elders,
for by their own words Daniel had convicted them of perjury.
According to the law of Moses,
they inflicted on them
the penalty they had plotted to impose on their neighbor:
they put them to death.
Thus was innocent blood spared that day.

OR:

The assembly condemned Susanna to death.

But Susanna cried aloud:
“O eternal God, you know what is hidden
and are aware of all things before they come to be:
you know that they have testified falsely against me.
Here I am about to die,
though I have done none of the things
with which these wicked men have charged me.”

The Lord heard her prayer.
As she was being led to execution,
God stirred up the holy spirit of a young boy named Daniel,
and he cried aloud:
“I will have no part in the death of this woman.”
All the people turned and asked him,
“What is this you are saying?”
He stood in their midst and continued,
“Are you such fools, O children of Israel!
To condemn a woman of Israel without examination
and without clear evidence?
Return to court, for they have testified falsely against her.”

Then all the people returned in haste.
To Daniel the elders said,
“Come, sit with us and inform us,
since God has given you the prestige of old age.”
But he replied,
“Separate these two far from each other that I may examine them.”

After they were separated one from the other,
he called one of them and said:
“How you have grown evil with age!
Now have your past sins come to term:
passing unjust sentences, condemning the innocent,
and freeing the guilty, although the Lord says,
‘The innocent and the just you shall not put to death.’ 
Now, then, if you were a witness,
tell me under what tree you saw them together.”
“Under a mastic tree,” he answered.
Daniel replied, “Your fine lie has cost you your head,
for the angel of God shall receive the sentence from him
and split you in two.”
Putting him to one side, he ordered the other one to be brought. 
Daniel said to him, “Offspring of Canaan, not of Judah,
beauty has seduced you, lust has subverted your conscience.
This is how you acted with the daughters of Israel,
and in their fear they yielded to you;
but a daughter of Judah did not tolerate your wickedness.
Now, then, tell me under what tree you surprised them together.”
“Under an oak,” he said.
Daniel replied, “Your fine lie has cost you also your head,”
for the angel of God waits with a sword to cut you in two
so as to make an end of you both.”

The whole assembly cried aloud,
blessing God who saves those who hope in him.
They rose up against the two elders,
for by their own words Daniel had convicted them of perjury.
According to the law of Moses,
they inflicted on them
the penalty they had plotted to impose on their neighbor:
they put them to death.
Thus was innocent blood spared that day.

Responsorial Psalm 23:1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6

R. (4ab) Even though I walk in the dark valley I fear no evil; for you are at my side.
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
In verdant pastures he gives me repose;
Beside restful waters he leads me;
he refreshes my soul.
R. Even though I walk in the dark valley I fear no evil; for you are at my side.
He guides me in right paths
for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk in the dark valley
I fear no evil; for you are at my side
With your rod and your staff
that give me courage.
R. Even though I walk in the dark valley I fear no evil; for you are at my side.
You spread the table before me
in the sight of my foes;
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
R. Even though I walk in the dark valley I fear no evil; for you are at my side.
Only goodness and kindness follow me
all the days of my life;
And I shall dwell in the house of the LORD
for years to come.
R. Even though I walk in the dark valley I fear no evil; for you are at my side.

Verse before the Gospel Ez 33:11

I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked man, says the Lord,
but rather in his conversion, that he may live.

Gospel Jn 8:1-11

Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.
But early in the morning he arrived again in the temple area, 
and all the people started coming to him, 
and he sat down and taught them.
Then the scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman 
who had been caught in adultery 
and made her stand in the middle.
They said to him,
“Teacher, this woman was caught 
in the very act of committing adultery.
Now in the law, Moses commanded us to stone such women.
So what do you say?”
They said this to test him,
so that they could have some charge to bring against him.
Jesus bent down and began to write on the ground with his finger.
But when they continued asking him,
he straightened up and said to them,
“Let the one among you who is without sin 
be the first to throw a stone at her.”
Again he bent down and wrote on the ground.
And in response, they went away one by one,
beginning with the elders.
So he was left alone with the woman before him.
Then Jesus straightened up and said to her,
“Woman, where are they?
Has no one condemned you?”
She replied, “No one, sir.”
Then Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you.
Go, and from now on do not sin any more.”

– – –

Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Joy In the Dirt! / ¡Alegría en el Lodo!

Today’s Gospel is one that we have heard often. I would dare say that many of us look at this in many different ways. Some believe that this whole story was a setup to put Jesus in a very uncomfortable position. The Mosaic law stated that a woman caught in adultery would be stoned to death, a very serious charge. According to that law the person being charged would have to have been actually caught in the physical act of adultery. That would have been very difficult to do. That is why some commentators believe it was all a set up. In the Mosaic law there had to be two witnesses. Hmmm. Were there actually spies set in place so as to catch this woman in the act? We will never really know for sure. 

Let’s take a look at how Jesus handles the situation. Most of us have seen pictures of the men encircling Jesus with rocks raised above their heads ready to do her in. We see the woman lying in the dirt waiting for her punishment. Then, to our surprise, Jesus bends down to her level and begins writing in the sand. We don’t really know what he was writing, but what we do know is that it was not anything condemning her. Instead of standing over her and shaking his finger at her he got down in the dirt. The men surrounding him continued to harass her. He then dropped this forever-remembered statement, “Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her”. One by one they dropped their stones and walked away. Again, Jesus knelt by her and continued to draw in the dirt. Now, only he and the woman were left. Again, he stands up and says to her, “Woman where are they? Has no one condemned you”? “No one Sir”. Then Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you. Go and from now on do not sin anymore”. 

Was that sweet or what? Imagine the disappointment of the Pharisees. Too bad! To me this story and the one of the woman at the well show us the incredible love he has for his people. Perhaps way beyond our understanding but, being grateful for his incredible forgiveness.

Many years ago we had a family situation that I needed some guidance on. I went to our then pastor and sought his help. He asked me some questions and I answered them. And then he said this, “Charity (love) trumps everything”! What a profound answer to a very complex problem! I got out of the “dirt” and did what I needed to do! Let us continue to wallow in God’s infinite Divine Mercy!

Serving with Joy!

Contact the author


El Evangelio de hoy es uno que hemos escuchado con frecuencia. Me atrevería a decir que muchos de nosotros vemos esto de muchas maneras diferentes. Algunos creen que toda esta historia fue un montaje para poner a Jesús en una posición muy incómoda. La ley mosaica establecía que una mujer sorprendida en adulterio sería lapidada hasta la muerte, un cargo muy grave. De acuerdo con esa ley, la persona acusada tendría que haber sido sorprendida en el acto físico de adulterio. Eso hubiera sido muy difícil de hacer. Es por eso que algunos comentaristas creen que todo fue un montaje. En la ley mosaica tenía que haber dos testigos. Interesante… ¿Hubo realmente espías establecidos para atrapar a esta mujer en el acto? Nunca lo sabremos con certeza.

Echemos un vistazo a cómo Jesús maneja la situación. La mayoría de nosotros hemos visto imágenes de los hombres rodeando a Jesús con rocas levantadas sobre sus cabezas listas para acabar con ella. Vemos a la mujer tendida en el suelo esperando su castigo. Luego, para nuestra sorpresa, Jesús se inclina hasta su nivel y comienza a escribir en la arena. Realmente no sabemos qué estaba escribiendo, pero lo que sí sabemos es que no era nada que la condenara. En lugar de pararse sobre ella y agitar su dedo hacia ella, se tumbó en la tierra. Los hombres que lo rodeaban continuaron acosándola. Luego dejó caer esta declaración siempre recordada: “Aquel de ustedes que no tenga pecado, que le tire la primera piedra”. Uno por uno dejaron caer sus piedras y se alejaron. Nuevamente, Jesús se arrodilló junto a ella y continuó dibujando en la tierra. Ahora, solo quedaban él y la mujer. De nuevo se pone de pie y le dice:  “‘Mujer, ¿dónde están los que te acusaban? ¿Nadie te ha condenado?’ Ella le contestó: ‘Nadie, Señor’. Y Jesús le dijo: ‘Tampoco yo te condeno. Vete y ya no vuelvas a pecar’.”

¡Que increíble! Imagina la gran desilusión de los fariseos. Para mí esta historia y la de la mujer en el pozo nos demuestran el increíble amor que Jesús tiene por su pueblo. Quizás mucho más allá de nuestro entendimiento, pero estando agradecidos por su increíble perdón.

Hace muchos años tuvimos una situación familiar sobre la que necesitaba orientación. Fui a nuestro pastor y busqué su ayuda. Me hizo algunas preguntas y yo las respondí. Y luego dijo esto: “¡La caridad (el amor) triunfa sobre todo”! ¡Qué respuesta tan profunda a un problema tan complejo! Salí de la “suciedad” e hice lo que tenía que hacer. Sigamos gozando de la infinita Misericordia Divina de Dios. 

¡Servir con Alegría!

Comunicarse con el autor

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

Featured Image Credit: Tsunami Green, https://unsplash.com/photos/mEr9KXjOSKs

Daily Prayer for March 27

For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God. Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. 2 Corinthians 1:20-22, NIV

Lord our God, from whom great promises are given for all humankind and especially for your people, we gather in your presence. We rejoice before you, for your promise is sure and your works will be revealed to the glory of your name. Grant us steadfast faith in the grace of Jesus Christ. Grant us faith to hold firm, and in spite of all evil to trust that you are ruling and will set everything right. Lord our God, our Father, we cry to you. As the deer pants for refreshing water, so in our time our souls cry out to you, “Our Father in heaven, may your name be honored. May your kingdom come. May your will be done on earth as in heaven.” Amen.

 

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Reading I Ez 37:12-14

Thus says the Lord GOD: 
O my people, I will open your graves 
and have you rise from them, 
and bring you back to the land of Israel.
Then you shall know that I am the LORD, 
when I open your graves and have you rise from them, 
O my people!
I will put my spirit in you that you may live, 
and I will settle you upon your land; 
thus you shall know that I am the LORD.
I have promised, and I will do it, says the LORD.

Responsorial Psalm 130:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8

R. (7) With the Lord there is mercy and fullness of redemption.
Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD;
    LORD, hear my voice!
Let your ears be attentive
    to my voice in supplication. 
R. With the Lord there is mercy and fullness of redemption.
If you, O LORD, mark iniquities,
    LORD, who can stand?
But with you is forgiveness,
    that you may be revered. 
R. With the Lord there is mercy and fullness of redemption.
I trust in the LORD;
    my soul trusts in his word.
More than sentinels wait for the dawn,
    let Israel wait for the LORD.
R. With the Lord there is mercy and fullness of redemption.
For with the LORD is kindness
    and with him is plenteous redemption;
And he will redeem Israel
    from all their iniquities.
R. With the Lord there is mercy and fullness of redemption.

Reading II Rom 8:8-11

Brothers and sisters:
Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
But you are not in the flesh; 
on the contrary, you are in the spirit, 
if only the Spirit of God dwells in you.
Whoever does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.
But if Christ is in you, 
although the body is dead because of sin, 
the spirit is alive because of righteousness.
If the Spirit of the one who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, 
the one who raised Christ from the dead 
will give life to your mortal bodies also, 
through his Spirit dwelling in you.

Verse Before the Gospel Jn 11:25a, 26

I am the resurrection and the life, says the Lord;
whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will never die.

Gospel Jn 11:1-45

Now a man was ill, Lazarus from Bethany, 
the village of Mary and her sister Martha.
Mary was the one who had anointed the Lord with perfumed oil 
and dried his feet with her hair; 
it was her brother Lazarus who was ill.
So the sisters sent word to him saying, 
“Master, the one you love is ill.”
When Jesus heard this he said,
“This illness is not to end in death, 
but is for the glory of God, 
that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”
Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.
So when he heard that he was ill, 
he remained for two days in the place where he was.
Then after this he said to his disciples, 
“Let us go back to Judea.”
The disciples said to him, 
“Rabbi, the Jews were just trying to stone you, 
and you want to go back there?”
Jesus answered,
“Are there not twelve hours in a day?
If one walks during the day, he does not stumble, 
because he sees the light of this world.
But if one walks at night, he stumbles, 
because the light is not in him.” 
He said this, and then told them,
“Our friend Lazarus is asleep,
but I am going to awaken him.”
So the disciples said to him,
“Master, if he is asleep, he will be saved.”
But Jesus was talking about his death, 
while they thought that he meant ordinary sleep. 
So then Jesus said to them clearly,
“Lazarus has died.
And I am glad for you that I was not there,
that you may believe. 
Let us go to him.”
So Thomas, called Didymus, said to his fellow disciples, 
“Let us also go to die with him.”

When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus 
had already been in the tomb for four days.
Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, only about two miles away.
And many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary 
to comfort them about their brother.
When Martha heard that Jesus was coming,
she went to meet him;
but Mary sat at home.
Martha said to Jesus, 
“Lord, if you had been here,
my brother would not have died.
But even now I know that whatever you ask of God,
God will give you.”
Jesus said to her,
“Your brother will rise.”
Martha said to him,
“I know he will rise,
in the resurrection on the last day.”
Jesus told her,
“I am the resurrection and the life; 
whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, 
and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die.
Do you believe this?”
She said to him, “Yes, Lord.
I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God,
the one who is coming into the world.”

When she had said this, 
she went and called her sister Mary secretly, saying, 
“The teacher is here and is asking for you.”
As soon as she heard this,
she rose quickly and went to him.
For Jesus had not yet come into the village, 
but was still where Martha had met him.
So when the Jews who were with her in the house comforting her 
saw Mary get up quickly and go out,
they followed her, 
presuming that she was going to the tomb to weep there.
When Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, 
she fell at his feet and said to him, 
“Lord, if you had been here,
my brother would not have died.”
When Jesus saw her weeping and the Jews who had come with her weeping, 
he became perturbed and deeply troubled, and said, 
“Where have you laid him?”
They said to him, “Sir, come and see.”
And Jesus wept.
So the Jews said, “See how he loved him.”
But some of them said, 
“Could not the one who opened the eyes of the blind man 
have done something so that this man would not have died?”

So Jesus, perturbed again, came to the tomb.
It was a cave, and a stone lay across it.
Jesus said, “Take away the stone.”
Martha, the dead man’s sister, said to him, 
“Lord, by now there will be a stench; 
he has been dead for four days.”
Jesus said to her,
“Did I not tell you that if you believe 
you will see the glory of God?”
So they took away the stone.
And Jesus raised his eyes and said,
“Father, I thank you for hearing me.
I know that you always hear me; 
but because of the crowd here I have said this, 
that they may believe that you sent me.”
And when he had said this,
He cried out in a loud voice, 
“Lazarus, come out!”
The dead man came out,
tied hand and foot with burial bands, 
and his face was wrapped in a cloth.
So Jesus said to them,
“Untie him and let him go.”

Now many of the Jews who had come to Mary
and seen what he had done began to believe in him.

OR: 

Jn 11:3-7, 17, 20-27, 33b-45

The sisters of Lazarus sent word to Jesus, saying, 
“Master, the one you love is ill.”
When Jesus heard this he said,
“This illness is not to end in death, 
but is for the glory of God, 
that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”
Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.
So when he heard that he was ill, 
he remained for two days in the place where he was.
Then after this he said to his disciples, 
“Let us go back to Judea.”

When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus 
had already been in the tomb for four days.
When Martha heard that Jesus was coming,
she went to meet him; 
but Mary sat at home.
Martha said to Jesus, 
“Lord, if you had been here,
my brother would not have died.
But even now I know that whatever you ask of God,
God will give you.”
Jesus said to her,
“Your brother will rise.”
Martha said,
“I know he will rise,
in the resurrection on the last day.”
Jesus told her,
“I am the resurrection and the life; 
whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, 
and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die.
Do you believe this?”
She said to him, “Yes, Lord.
I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God,
the one who is coming into the world.”

He became perturbed and deeply troubled, and said, 
“Where have you laid him?”
They said to him, “Sir, come and see.”
And Jesus wept.
So the Jews said, “See how he loved him.”
But some of them said, 
“Could not the one who opened the eyes of the blind man 
have done something so that this man would not have died?”

So Jesus, perturbed again, came to the tomb.
It was a cave, and a stone lay across it.
Jesus said, “Take away the stone.”
Martha, the dead man’s sister, said to him, 
“Lord, by now there will be a stench; 
he has been dead for four days.”
Jesus said to her,
“Did I not tell you that if you believe 
you will see the glory of God?”
So they took away the stone.
And Jesus raised his eyes and said, 
“Father, I thank you for hearing me.
I know that you always hear me; 
but because of the crowd here I have said this, 
that they may believe that you sent me.”
And when he had said this,
He cried out in a loud voice, 
“Lazarus, come out!”
The dead man came out,
tied hand and foot with burial bands, 
and his face was wrapped in a cloth.
So Jesus said to them,
“Untie him and let him go.”

Now many of the Jews who had come to Mary
and seen what he had done began to believe in him.

– – –

Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Jesus Wept / Jesús Se Puso a Llorar

We might think Jesus had nothing to cry about. After all, he knows that the life we experience after earthly death is the point at which our eyes are opened and our hearts are completely filled at last. He knows that he will soon raise Lazarus from the dead, and everyone will be rejoicing and their sorrow forgotten. So, why did he weep?

It seems he wept at the sight of others’ sorrow; he saw Mary and the others grieving over Lazarus’ death and became “perturbed and deeply troubled,” and he wept. This is a profound insight into the very Heart of the Savior – a compassionate heart truly entering into the sorrow of others and reaching out to alleviate their pain.

He is again “perturbed” when some of the bystanders suggest that he was unable to do anything about this, that he should have done something earlier to save Lazarus. What caused this agitation was not that he took personal offense at their doubtfulness. His Heart is always for others first! His pain was caused by their continued lack of faith, which was detrimental to THEM, not to him. He is the Savior and Redeemer, who calls them to believe and trust.

Jesus is also a Teacher, who does not miss any “teachable moment.” So, as he is about to perform this extraordinary act, he wants to make sure that the lessons are understood clearly. One of these lessons is that Jesus only does what the Father wills, that his power over sickness and demons and death itself is the will of the Father and comes from the Father (“Father, I thank you for hearing me. I know that you always hear me.”) but it is truly also HIS power. In the Gospel, Jesus never asks the Father to do the healing, the casting out, or the raising from the dead; he speaks directly for himself. “He cried out in a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come out!’ The dead man came out.”

In this one scene, Jesus is accomplishing many things, “for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it”:

  •         Jesus shows he is beyond any fear of perceived danger by returning to the people who had rejected him and tried to stone him to death.
  •         Jesus reminds the disciples that he walks by a greater light, and they can too.
  •         Jesus strengthens the faith of those present and declares, “I am the resurrection and the life.”
  •         Jesus raises the one he loves, four days after he died.
  •         Jesus restores a brother to two grieving sisters.
  •         Jesus demonstrates his divine power to the bystanders and the disciples.
  •         Jesus draws many others to believe in him.

This Lent, has my faith deepened? Do I believe that whatever God allows is for a greater good, for His greater glory? Do I trust that his love and mercy never fail and will ultimately relieve every sorrow? Is my heart freer to receive the fullness of redemption in Christ?

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Podríamos pensar que Jesús no tenía nada por qué llorar. Después de todo, él sabe que la vida que experimentamos después de la muerte terrenal es el punto en el que nuestros ojos se abren y nuestros corazones se llenan por fin. Sabe que pronto resucitará a Lázaro de entre los muertos, y todos se regocijarán y olvidarán su dolor. Entonces, ¿por qué lloró?

Parece que lloró al ver el dolor de los demás; vio a María y a los demás afligidos por la muerte de Lázaro y se “se conmovió hasta lo más hondo”, y lloró. Esta es una visión profunda del Corazón mismo del Salvador: un corazón compasivo que realmente se adentra en el dolor de los demás y se extiende para aliviar su dolor.

Él está nuevamente “conmovido” cuando algunos de los espectadores sugieren que no pudo hacer nada al respecto, que debería haber hecho algo antes para salvar a Lázaro. Lo que causó esta agitación no fue que se sintiera ofendido personalmente por sus dudas. ¡Su Corazón siempre está para los demás primero! Su dolor fue causado por su continua falta de fe, lo cual fue perjudicial para ELLOS, no para él. Él es el Salvador y Redentor, que los llama a creer y confiar.

Jesús es también un Maestro, que no se pierde ningún “momento de enseñanza”. Entonces, cuando está a punto de realizar este acto extraordinario, quiere asegurarse de que las lecciones se entiendan claramente. Una de estas lecciones es que Jesús solo hace lo que el Padre quiere, que su poder sobre la enfermedad y los demonios y la muerte misma es la voluntad del Padre y viene del Padre (“Padre, te doy gracias porque me has escuchado. Yo ya sabía que tú siempre me escuchas.”) pero verdaderamente también es SU poder. En el Evangelio, Jesús nunca le pide al Padre que haga la curación, la expulsión o la resurrección de los muertos; habla directamente por sí mismo. “Luego gritó con voz potente: ‘¡Lázaro, sal de allí!’ Y salió el muerto”.

En esta escena, Jesús está logrando muchas cosas, “para la gloria de Dios, para que el Hijo de Dios sea glorificado por medio de ella”:

  • Jesús muestra que está más allá de cualquier temor de peligro al regresar donde la gente que lo había rechazado y tratado de apedrearlo hasta la muerte.
  • Jesús les recuerda a los discípulos que él camina en una luz mayor, y ellos también pueden hacerlo.
  • Jesús fortalece la fe de los presentes y declara: “Yo soy la resurrección y la vida”.
  • Jesús resucita al que ama, cuatro días después de su muerte.
  • Jesús restaura un hermano a dos hermanas afligidas.
  • Jesús demuestra su poder divino a los espectadores y a los discípulos.
  • Jesús atrae a muchos otros a creer en él.

Esta Cuaresma, ¿se ha profundizado mi fe? ¿Creo que todo lo que Dios permite es para un bien mayor, para su mayor gloria? ¿Confío en que su amor y misericordia nunca fallan y finalmente aliviará cada dolor? ¿Está mi corazón más libre para recibir la plenitud de la redención en Cristo?

Comunicarse con la autora

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

Feature Image Credit: Rita Laura, https://cathopic.com/photo/11441-ternura-y-amor

Daily Prayer for March 26

It is not that the Lord is slow in fulfilling his promise, as some suppose, but that he is very patient with you, because it is not his will for any to be lost, but for all to come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9, NEB

Dear Father in heaven, we thank you with all our hearts that you have given us your living promise. We thank you that again and again our faith can receive a clearer vision through this promise. For you have promised that at last the greatest day of all will come, will conquer the whole world, and bring salvation to all people to the glory of your name as Father throughout all nations. Strengthen us in every way, especially when we are in need and distress. Strengthen the sick and those who are tempted. May they wait in expectation for fulfillment of the promise, and may they see help come. May your name, Lord God, be honored among us. May your kingdom come and your will be done on earth as in heaven. Amen.

 

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Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord

Reading 1 Is 7:10-14; 8:10

The LORD spoke to Ahaz, saying:
Ask for a sign from the LORD, your God;
let it be deep as the nether world, or high as the sky!
But Ahaz answered,
“I will not ask! I will not tempt the LORD!”
Then Isaiah said:
Listen, O house of David!
Is it not enough for you to weary people,
must you also weary my God?
Therefore the Lord himself will give you this sign:
the virgin shall be with child, and bear a son,
and shall name him Emmanuel,
which means “God is with us!”

Responsorial Psalm Ps 40:7-8a, 8b-9, 10, 11

R. (8a and 9a) Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
Sacrifice or oblation you wished not,
but ears open to obedience you gave me.
Holocausts or sin-offerings you sought not;
then said I, “Behold I come.”
R. Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
“In the written scroll it is prescribed for me,
To do your will, O my God, is my delight,
and your law is within my heart!”
R. Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
I announced your justice in the vast assembly;
I did not restrain my lips, as you, O LORD, know.
R. Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
Your justice I kept not hid within my heart;
your faithfulness and your salvation I have spoken of;
I have made no secret of your kindness and your truth
in the vast assembly.
R. Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.

Reading 2 Heb 10:4-10

Brothers and sisters:
It is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats
take away sins.
For this reason, when Christ came into the world, he said:

“Sacrifice and offering you did not desire,
but a body you prepared for me;
in holocausts and sin offerings you took no delight.
Then I said, ‘As is written of me in the scroll,
behold, I come to do your will, O God.'”

First he says, “Sacrifices and offerings,
holocausts and sin offerings,
you neither desired nor delighted in.”
These are offered according to the law.
Then he says, “Behold, I come to do your will.”
He takes away the first to establish the second.
By this “will,” we have been consecrated
through the offering of the Body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Verse Before the Gospel Jn 1:14ab

The Word of God became flesh and made his dwelling among us;
and we saw his glory.

Gospel Lk 1:26-38

The angel Gabriel was sent from God
to a town of Galilee called Nazareth,
to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph,
of the house of David,
and the virgin’s name was Mary.
And coming to her, he said,
“Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.”
But she was greatly troubled at what was said
and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.
Then the angel said to her,
“Do not be afraid, Mary,
for you have found favor with God.
Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son,
and you shall name him Jesus.
He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High,
and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father,
and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever,
and of his Kingdom there will be no end.”
But Mary said to the angel,
“How can this be,
since I have no relations with a man?”
And the angel said to her in reply,
“The Holy Spirit will come upon you,
and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.
Therefore the child to be born
will be called holy, the Son of God.
And behold, Elizabeth, your relative,
has also conceived a son in her old age,
and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren;
for nothing will be impossible for God.”
Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.
May it be done to me according to your word.”
Then the angel departed from her.

– – –

Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Do Not Be Afraid / No Temas

“Do not be afraid, Mary.”

Through the centuries, the Annunciation has inspired many artists who have sought to capture in their paintings this most sacred and pivotal moment in the history of the world. My favorite is The Annunciation, painted in 1898 by the American artist Henry Ossawa Tanner. The artist seems to capture the intensity and fire of the angel Gabriel’s appearance to the young Mary. I can’t decide if Tanner is depicting Mary’s first startled awareness at what God was asking of her or her sinking under the weight of what this message would mean for her life. Her hands folded, she is already pondering, storing away in her heart what God was doing.

So many masterpieces of the Annunciation portray the young virgin Mary in a religious setting where all seems peaceful and simple. But Tanner, I believe, captures the words of the angel, “Do not be afraid, Mary.”

We cannot imagine that this girl, barely a teenager, would not have been concerned or apprehensive about the role that she was to carry out in salvation history. There were many unknowns that the angel didn’t clear up for her. Gabriel didn’t point out a way forward or explain to her how Joseph was going to find out about the child. What would her parents think? Her friends? Would she be able to share this with anyone? Would anyone be able to walk this way with her and show her the next steps she should take? The Messiah. The Son of the Most High. The one who would sit upon the throne of David and rule over the house of Jacob forever. The one whose kingdom would have no end.

It is hard to think that this young girl walked with ease and security into the rest of that Annunciation day with total confidence about what was happening to her. Throughout every day of her life, I can imagine her recalling the words as she heard them from the angel, “Do not be afraid, Mary.” 

When she and Joseph realized Jesus was lost, “Do not be afraid, Mary.”

When Jesus left home to begin his public life, “Do not be afraid, Mary.”

When she saw the growing discontent and disapproval directed at Jesus by the religious leaders, “Do not be afraid, Mary.”

When she stood beneath the cross, “Do not be afraid, Mary.”

This beautiful account of what happened at the Annunciation, probably told to Luke by Mary herself, concludes with her yes, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Then the passage transitions back into ordinary life with the almost ominous sentence, “Then the angel departed from her.” She was left alone.

We are told of no angel leading her back into Jerusalem to find her son. We read of no angels providing for her needs after Joseph had died and Jesus had left home to pursue his public ministry. The Gospel does not assure us that Mary had special revelations from further angels that everything was going to be okay as the religious leaders sought to put her son to death. We see no angels supporting her beneath the cross. Only John who stood in for you and me as Jesus gave us his mother to be our mother. No. The angel departed from her.

There must have been not a few moments of wondering, worry, anxiety, sorrow alongside the strong faith, the determined surrender, and the rejoicing with which she continued to magnify the Lord. Somehow Mary was able to hold in her heart, to ponder and pray and believe and hope even as she wondered and worried in the uncertainty of all that was happening. As I look at Tanner’s Annunciation, this is the message I tuck away in my own heart. When I worry and wonder and doubt and fear I usually forget to ponder and pray and believe and hope. Mary was able to hold together the whole picture: the whole picture of what was happening in her own life, in the life of her Son, of her people, of history, of God’s work of salvation. She didn’t have a selective memory. She remembered everything and trusted everything and entrusted herself entirely into the unknown of the radical newness of what God was accomplishing in her for the sake of the world. 

I struggle to do this, and perhaps so do you. In whatever strained circumstances or difficult situations that cause you anxiety and doubt today, remember the angel’s words, “Do not be afraid.”

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“No temas, María”.

A través de los siglos, la Anunciación ha inspirado a muchos artistas que han buscado capturar en sus pinturas este momento tan sagrado y fundamental en la historia del mundo. Mi favorito es The Annunciation, pintado en 1898 por el artista estadounidense Henry Ossawa Tanner. El artista parece captar la intensidad y el fuego de la aparición del ángel Gabriel a la joven María. No puedo decidir si Tanner está representando la primera toma de conciencia de María sobre lo que Dios le estaba pidiendo o si ella se hunde bajo el peso de lo que este mensaje significaría para su vida. Con las manos cruzadas, ya está meditando, guardando en su corazón lo que Dios estaba haciendo.

Tantas obras de arte de la Anunciación retratan a la joven Virgen María en un ambiente religioso donde todo parece pacífico y sencillo. Pero Tanner, creo, capta las palabras del ángel: “No temas, María”.

No podemos imaginarnos que esta niña, apenas una adolescente, no se hubiera sentido preocupada o aprensiva por el papel que iba a desempeñar en la historia de la salvación. Había muchas cosas desconocidas que el ángel no le aclaraba. Gabriel no señaló un camino a seguir ni le explicó cómo Joseph iba a averiguar sobre el niño. ¿Qué pensarían sus padres? ¿Sus amigos? ¿Sería capaz de compartir esto con alguien? ¿Alguien podría caminar por este camino con ella y mostrarle los próximos pasos que debe tomar? El Mesías. El Hijo del Altísimo. El que se sentaría en el trono de David y reinaría sobre la casa de Jacob para siempre. Aquel cuyo reino no tendría fin.

Es difícil pensar que esta joven caminó con tranquilidad y seguridad el resto del día de la Anunciación con total confianza en lo que le estaba pasando. A lo largo de cada día de su vida, puedo imaginarla recordando las palabras que escuchó del ángel: “No temas, María”.

Cuando ella y José se dieron cuenta de que Jesús se había perdido, “No temas, María”.

Cuando Jesús salió de la casa para comenzar su vida pública, “No temas, María”.

Cuando vio el creciente descontento y la desaprobación dirigida a Jesús por parte de los líderes religiosos, “No temas, María”.

Cuando estuvo bajo la cruz, “No temas, María”.

Este hermoso relato de lo que sucedió en la Anunciación, probablemente contado a Lucas por la misma María, concluye con su sí: “Yo soy la esclava del Señor; cúmplase en mí lo que me has dicho.” Luego, el pasaje vuelve a la vida ordinaria con la frase casi siniestra: “Y el ángel se retiró de su presencia.” Ella se quedó sola.

No se nos dice que ningún ángel la condujo de regreso a Jerusalén para encontrar a su hijo. No leemos que ningún ángel suplió sus necesidades después de que José falleció y Jesús se fue de la casa para continuar con su ministerio público. El Evangelio no nos asegura que María tuvo revelaciones especiales de otros ángeles de que todo iba a estar bien mientras los líderes religiosos buscaban matar a su hijo. No vemos ángeles que la apoyen debajo de la cruz. Solo Juan, quien nos sustituyó a ti y a mí cuando Jesús nos dio a su madre para que fuera nuestra madre. No. El ángel se retiró de su presencia.

Debió haber muchos momentos de asombro, preocupación, ansiedad, dolor junto con la fe fuerte, la entrega decidida y el regocijo con el que continuaba magnificando al Señor. De alguna manera, María pudo contener en su corazón, meditar y orar, creer y esperar, incluso mientras se preguntaba y se preocupaba por la incertidumbre de todo lo que estaba sucediendo. Mientras miro a The Annunciation de Tanner, este es el mensaje que guardo en mi propio corazón. Cuando me preocupo, me pregunto, dudo y temo, por lo general me olvido de meditar, orar, creer y esperar. María pudo mantener unida la imagen completa de lo que estaba sucediendo en su propia vida, en la vida de su Hijo, de su pueblo, de la historia, de la obra de salvación de Dios. Ella no tenía una memoria selectiva. Recordaba todo y confiaba en todo y se entregaba enteramente a lo desconocido de la novedad radical de lo que Dios estaba realizando en ella por el bien del mundo.

Batallo por hacer esto, y quizás tú también batallas. En cualquier circunstancia tensa o situación difícil que te provoque ansiedad y dudas hoy, recuerda las palabras del ángel: “No temas”.

Comunicarse con la autora

Sr. Kathryn J. Hermes

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

Feature Image Credit: Henry Ossawa Tanner, wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ac/Henry_Ossawa_Tanner_-_The_Annunciation.jpg

Daily Prayer for March 25

As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him; for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust. Psalm 103:13–14, NIV

Lord our God, merciful God and almighty Father in heaven, we beseech you, look upon us as your children. For in spite of everything, all of us are allowed to be your children and to praise you for all the good you are doing and for all you still want to do for us. Hear our prayer as we come to you with particular concerns, asking for your will to be done in us, for everything to be carried out according to your good purpose, that we may be joyful even in hard and serious times and may hold fast to what you have promised. Amen.

 

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