Today's Reading
Why did Judas betray his Master? Was his treachery motivated by greed, bitter disappointment with Jesus, or hatred because of disillusionment? It may be that Judas never intended for his Master to die. Maybe he thought Jesus was proceeding too slowly and not acting aggressively enough in setting up his messianic kingdom. Perhaps Judas wanted to force Jesus' hand by compelling him to act. Nonetheless, his tragedy was his refusal to accept Jesus as he was.
Origen, a 3rd century bible scholar and church father, comments on Judas' betrayal: “Let us consider what Judas said to the Jewish priests: What will you give me if I hand him over to you? He was willing to take money in exchange for handing over the Word of God. They do the same thing who accept sensual or worldly goods in exchange for handing over and casting out from their souls the Savior and Word of truth who came to dwell with them. Indeed, it would be fitting to apply Judas’s example to all who show contempt for the Word of God and betray him, as it were, by committing sin for the sake of money or for any selfish motive. People who behave in this way appear openly to be calling out to the powers of the enemy who offer worldly gain in return for the sin of betraying God’s Word, saying, What will you give me if I hand him over to you? And they gave him thirty pieces of silver. The number of coins they gave Judas was equivalent to the number of years the Savior had sojourned in this world. For at the age of thirty, he was baptized and began to preach the gospel, like Joseph was thirty years old when he began to gather grain for his brothers. Just as at that time the grain was prepared by God for the sons of Israel but given also to the Egyptians, so also the gospel was prepared for the saints but preached also to the unfaithful and wicked.”
Jesus knew beforehand what would befall him. As Jesus ate the passover meal with his twelve apostles he put them under trial and suspicion (one of you will betray me) to teach them to examine themselves rightly, lest they be highminded and think themselves more strong than they were. We, also must examine ourselves in the light of God's truth and grace and ask him to strengthen us in faith, hope, and love that we may not fail him or forsake him when we are tempted. Do you pray with confidence in the words Jesus gave us to pray: Do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil?
"God our Father, we are exceedingly frail and indisposed to every virtuous and gallant undertaking. Strengthen our weakness, we beseech you, that we may do valiantly in this spiritual war; help us against our own negligence and cowardice, and defend us from the treachery of our unfaithful hearts; for Jesus Christ's sake."
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
For thirty pieces of silver...Judas betrayed Jesus with a kiss
Today's Readings
Jesus knew that one of His apostles would betray Him by selling Him for thirty pieces of silver and handing Him over to the authorities. When Jesus announced that He would be betrayed, He saw that the apostles were more curious and selfish than concerned about Him. Next, Jesus heard Peter shooting off his mouth about how he would never deny Him. Then Jesus left the Last Supper and suffered through His agony in the garden. He asked three apostles to stay awake and pray, but they all fell asleep. Judas betrayed Jesus with a kiss, and all the apostles deserted Jesus and fled. Finally, Jesus was mocked, scourged, and crucified. "He was pierced for our offenses, crushed for our sins, upon Him was the chastisement that makes us whole, by His stripes we were healed." As Jesus breathed His last, He screamed: " 'Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?' which means 'My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?' "
Jesus was the most victimized, rejected, and abused Person ever. No matter how badly you have been abused, He understands your pain. He will give you the grace to forgive, to be forgiven, and to be healed. Jesus loves you more than you love yourself. He suffered for you. He was no victim of circumstances, but a Victim of love.
"Father, may I take personally the sufferings of Jesus."
Jesus knew that one of His apostles would betray Him by selling Him for thirty pieces of silver and handing Him over to the authorities. When Jesus announced that He would be betrayed, He saw that the apostles were more curious and selfish than concerned about Him. Next, Jesus heard Peter shooting off his mouth about how he would never deny Him. Then Jesus left the Last Supper and suffered through His agony in the garden. He asked three apostles to stay awake and pray, but they all fell asleep. Judas betrayed Jesus with a kiss, and all the apostles deserted Jesus and fled. Finally, Jesus was mocked, scourged, and crucified. "He was pierced for our offenses, crushed for our sins, upon Him was the chastisement that makes us whole, by His stripes we were healed." As Jesus breathed His last, He screamed: " 'Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?' which means 'My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?' "
Jesus was the most victimized, rejected, and abused Person ever. No matter how badly you have been abused, He understands your pain. He will give you the grace to forgive, to be forgiven, and to be healed. Jesus loves you more than you love yourself. He suffered for you. He was no victim of circumstances, but a Victim of love.
"Father, may I take personally the sufferings of Jesus."
Monday, March 29, 2010
Mary anointed Jesus' feet with costly perfume
Today's Readings
Yesterday, Jesus heard sweet acclamations of "Hosanna." Today He hears happy sounds of a meal shared with people who love Him dearly. In a few days, Jesus will hear the screams and curses of a raging mob shouting, "Crucify Him!" Today Jesus feels the tender loving touch of smooth ointment and soft hair on His feet. In a few days, He will feel the painful pierce of metal nails in His feet.
So many people would be abusing Jesus' body a few short days after He ate with Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. Mary anointed Jesus' feet, which would soon be pierced with nails, and dried His feet with her hair. She did Jesus a kindness. She did what she could to love and comfort Jesus. Her loving acts toward Jesus filled the house. In a few days, Jesus will smell the smoke of a charcoal fire. His chosen leader and friend, Simon Peter, will deny that he even knows Jesus while standing by this fire.
This is the week of decision. Now is the acceptable time! Now is the day of salvation! What is Jesus feeling, smelling, seeing from your life? Are you crucifying Him again and adding to His pain? Or are you doing Him a kindness?
Repent deeply of causing Jesus any pain. Adore His Eucharistic body and receive Him in Holy Communion daily or as often as possible. Treat the members of His body, "the small and the great," and the least of our brethren, with esteem. Do the body of Jesus a kindness.
"Jesus, make me a 'sweet-smelling oblation to' You."
Yesterday, Jesus heard sweet acclamations of "Hosanna." Today He hears happy sounds of a meal shared with people who love Him dearly. In a few days, Jesus will hear the screams and curses of a raging mob shouting, "Crucify Him!" Today Jesus feels the tender loving touch of smooth ointment and soft hair on His feet. In a few days, He will feel the painful pierce of metal nails in His feet.
So many people would be abusing Jesus' body a few short days after He ate with Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. Mary anointed Jesus' feet, which would soon be pierced with nails, and dried His feet with her hair. She did Jesus a kindness. She did what she could to love and comfort Jesus. Her loving acts toward Jesus filled the house. In a few days, Jesus will smell the smoke of a charcoal fire. His chosen leader and friend, Simon Peter, will deny that he even knows Jesus while standing by this fire.
This is the week of decision. Now is the acceptable time! Now is the day of salvation! What is Jesus feeling, smelling, seeing from your life? Are you crucifying Him again and adding to His pain? Or are you doing Him a kindness?
Repent deeply of causing Jesus any pain. Adore His Eucharistic body and receive Him in Holy Communion daily or as often as possible. Treat the members of His body, "the small and the great," and the least of our brethren, with esteem. Do the body of Jesus a kindness.
"Jesus, make me a 'sweet-smelling oblation to' You."
He humbled Himself, obediently accepting even death, death on a cross!
28 March Readings
Today the Church tries to shock us into repentance by contrasting the "Hosanna" of Palm Sunday with the "Crucify Him" of Good Friday. How can human beings be so perverse as to viciously murder God Himself, the perfectly loving and innocent Jesus? How can we be so unfaithful and violent?
Our abuse of the Savior definitely proves we need a savior. In this Holy Week, we must repent and radically change our lives. Like the good thief, we must change from blasphemy to commitment. Like the centurion, we must no longer rationalize our sins but admit that Jesus is innocent and we are guilty of putting to death the innocent God-Man. In confessing our sins, we will give glory to God.
Like Joseph of Arimathea, we can repent of giving in to fear and being a "secret" disciple of Jesus. During this Holy Week, we can become another Simon of Cyrene and carry the daily cross with Jesus. The way of the cross is over for Jesus but continues for us. Holy Week is now. Repentance is now.
"Lord, let me walk that lonely road with You under the weight of the wood."
Today the Church tries to shock us into repentance by contrasting the "Hosanna" of Palm Sunday with the "Crucify Him" of Good Friday. How can human beings be so perverse as to viciously murder God Himself, the perfectly loving and innocent Jesus? How can we be so unfaithful and violent?
Our abuse of the Savior definitely proves we need a savior. In this Holy Week, we must repent and radically change our lives. Like the good thief, we must change from blasphemy to commitment. Like the centurion, we must no longer rationalize our sins but admit that Jesus is innocent and we are guilty of putting to death the innocent God-Man. In confessing our sins, we will give glory to God.
Like Joseph of Arimathea, we can repent of giving in to fear and being a "secret" disciple of Jesus. During this Holy Week, we can become another Simon of Cyrene and carry the daily cross with Jesus. The way of the cross is over for Jesus but continues for us. Holy Week is now. Repentance is now.
"Lord, let me walk that lonely road with You under the weight of the wood."
One heart and one mind
27 March Readings
A week from tonight we will celebrate Easter Vigil, the glorious beginning of the Easter season. We have been fasting, giving alms, and praying for over thirty days. As Jesus did in the desert, we have overcome many temptations of the evil one this Lent. We have also gone to Confession and repented of our sins.
What is the point of all God has done in our lives this Lent? The Lord intends "to bring all things in the heavens and on earth into one under Christ's headship." Jesus died on the cross "to gather into one all the dispersed children of God." "There is but one body and one Spirit, just as there is but one hope given all of you by your call. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all." At this moment, Jesus is praying that we would be one as He and the Father are one. Then the world will believe that the Father has sent Jesus.
Lent should result in a deeper unity with God our Father through Jesus and in the Spirit. As we near the end of Lent, we should be more united than ever to the Church, our brothers and sisters in Christ, spouses, parents, children, and friends. We must be of "one heart and one mind" to bear witness with power "to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus."
"Father, purify me 'from every defilement of flesh and spirit' so that I will 'strive to fulfill' my 'consecration perfectly.'"
A week from tonight we will celebrate Easter Vigil, the glorious beginning of the Easter season. We have been fasting, giving alms, and praying for over thirty days. As Jesus did in the desert, we have overcome many temptations of the evil one this Lent. We have also gone to Confession and repented of our sins.
What is the point of all God has done in our lives this Lent? The Lord intends "to bring all things in the heavens and on earth into one under Christ's headship." Jesus died on the cross "to gather into one all the dispersed children of God." "There is but one body and one Spirit, just as there is but one hope given all of you by your call. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all." At this moment, Jesus is praying that we would be one as He and the Father are one. Then the world will believe that the Father has sent Jesus.
Lent should result in a deeper unity with God our Father through Jesus and in the Spirit. As we near the end of Lent, we should be more united than ever to the Church, our brothers and sisters in Christ, spouses, parents, children, and friends. We must be of "one heart and one mind" to bear witness with power "to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus."
"Father, purify me 'from every defilement of flesh and spirit' so that I will 'strive to fulfill' my 'consecration perfectly.'"
Friday, March 26, 2010
I am the Son of God
Today's Readings
Is your life consecrated to God? The scriptural understanding of consecration is to make holy for God – to be given over as a free-will offering and sacrifice for God. Jesus made himself a sin-offering for us, to ransom us from condemnation and slavery to sin. He spoke of his Father consecrating him for this mission of salvation. Why were the religious leaders so upset with Jesus that they wanted to kill him? They charged him with blasphemy because he claimed to be the Son of God. Jesus made two claims in his response: He was consecrated by the Father to a special task and he was sent into the world to carry out his Father's mission. Jesus challenged his opponents to accept his works if they could not accept his words. One can argue with words, but deeds are beyond argument. Jesus is the perfect teacher in that he does not base his claims on what he says but on what he does. The word of God is life and power to those who believe. Jesus shows us the way to walk the path of truth and holiness. And he anoints us with his power to live the gospel with joy and to be his witnesses in the world. Are you a doer of God's word, or a forgetful hearer only?
"Write upon my heart, O Lord, the lessons of your holy word, and grant that I may be a doer of your word, and not a forgetful hearer only."
Is your life consecrated to God? The scriptural understanding of consecration is to make holy for God – to be given over as a free-will offering and sacrifice for God. Jesus made himself a sin-offering for us, to ransom us from condemnation and slavery to sin. He spoke of his Father consecrating him for this mission of salvation. Why were the religious leaders so upset with Jesus that they wanted to kill him? They charged him with blasphemy because he claimed to be the Son of God. Jesus made two claims in his response: He was consecrated by the Father to a special task and he was sent into the world to carry out his Father's mission. Jesus challenged his opponents to accept his works if they could not accept his words. One can argue with words, but deeds are beyond argument. Jesus is the perfect teacher in that he does not base his claims on what he says but on what he does. The word of God is life and power to those who believe. Jesus shows us the way to walk the path of truth and holiness. And he anoints us with his power to live the gospel with joy and to be his witnesses in the world. Are you a doer of God's word, or a forgetful hearer only?
"Write upon my heart, O Lord, the lessons of your holy word, and grant that I may be a doer of your word, and not a forgetful hearer only."
Thursday, March 25, 2010
The holy Offspring to be born will be called Son of God
Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord
Today's Readings
"The Word became flesh." This is a most shocking revelation. We believe that the almighty, all-holy God, Who created an awesome universe spanning millions of light-years, became a human being smaller than your thumbnail. We believe God was implanted in the uterus of a teenager named Mary. We believe God had to have His diaper changed, talked baby-talk, fell on His rear end when He tried to walk, slobbered on His foster-father, spat up on His mother, nursed at Mary's breast, and threw His food on the floor. Christianity is the only world religion that believes God became man. The Incarnation seems blasphemous to non-Christian religions.
Christianity is also the only world religion which believes in a personal relationship with God. For human beings, a personal relationship is only possible with other human beings. To personally relate to someone, we need someone whom we are able to touch, hear, and see. Only when God became Man was it possible to have a personal relationship with Him.
Our personal relationship with God began with the Incarnation and continues through the Holy Spirit even after the ascension of Christ's physical body into heaven. The Holy Spirit puts us in touch with the person of Jesus through Christ's body, the Church, and the sacraments, especially Jesus' body and blood in the Eucharist. Today's feast day, the Annunciation, celebrates the beginning of love that comes only in a personal relationship. Praise Jesus, Who is God, Man, and Love!
"Father, inspire me to fall down in worship when I hear the words: 'The Word became flesh.'"
Today's Readings
"The Word became flesh." This is a most shocking revelation. We believe that the almighty, all-holy God, Who created an awesome universe spanning millions of light-years, became a human being smaller than your thumbnail. We believe God was implanted in the uterus of a teenager named Mary. We believe God had to have His diaper changed, talked baby-talk, fell on His rear end when He tried to walk, slobbered on His foster-father, spat up on His mother, nursed at Mary's breast, and threw His food on the floor. Christianity is the only world religion that believes God became man. The Incarnation seems blasphemous to non-Christian religions.
Christianity is also the only world religion which believes in a personal relationship with God. For human beings, a personal relationship is only possible with other human beings. To personally relate to someone, we need someone whom we are able to touch, hear, and see. Only when God became Man was it possible to have a personal relationship with Him.
Our personal relationship with God began with the Incarnation and continues through the Holy Spirit even after the ascension of Christ's physical body into heaven. The Holy Spirit puts us in touch with the person of Jesus through Christ's body, the Church, and the sacraments, especially Jesus' body and blood in the Eucharist. Today's feast day, the Annunciation, celebrates the beginning of love that comes only in a personal relationship. Praise Jesus, Who is God, Man, and Love!
"Father, inspire me to fall down in worship when I hear the words: 'The Word became flesh.'"
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