These reflections are a result of more than 40 years of ministry as a Roman Catholic priest. Most of these years I spent in the Diocese of Charlotte which covers Western North Carolina. Now I am retired, and live in Medellín, Colombia where I continue to serve as a priest in the Archdiocese of Medellín.
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread; and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors; and do not subject us to the final test, but deliver us from the evil one. (Mt 6:9-13)
“This is how you are to pray: ‘Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.’ (The Lectionary)
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil. (English Language Liturgical Consultation)
The prayer that Jesus gave us has suffered through the ages from translation. Perhaps the common texts movement had a point in trying to give modern English speakers a text that everyone could pray together, Catholics and Protestants. But of course, the bishops of the USA failed to act and so Catholics are still praying in Elizabethan English. Please note Jesus did NOT speak Elizabethan English nor any other version of English even though the lectionary makes you think so. Thank goodness we can all pray from the depths of our heart as Jesus taught.
When the LORD was about to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind, he and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. Elijah said to Elisha, “Please stay here; the LORD has sent me on to the Jordan.” “As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you,” Elisha replied. And so the two went on together. As they walked on conversing, a flaming chariot and flaming horses came between them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind. When Elisha saw it happen he cried out, “My father! my father! Israel’s chariots and drivers!” But when he could no longer see him, Elisha gripped his own garment and tore it in two. Then he picked up Elijah’s mantle that had fallen from him, and went back and stood at the bank of the Jordan. (2 Kgs 2:1,11-13)
In the South, making an entrance or an exit is a work of art. But Elijah’s departure in a flaming chariot—well that’s really hard to beat. To see your mentor flying up to heaven in a fiery chariot must have left an impression on Elisha. Perhaps that explains the almost mirrored work of the two prophets. The ministry of Elijah is reflected in the similar works of Elisha.
Jesus said to his disciples: “You have heard that it was said, You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father. (Mt 5:43-44)
What can I say? “Love your enemies.” The Lord asks impossible things of us . . . but of course, he gives us an example. What else happened on the Cross but that the Lord forgave us all? If only we could learn to love our enemies . . . what a different world it would be!
Ahab’s wife Jezebel came to him and said to him, “Why are you so angry that you will not eat?” He answered her, “Because I spoke to Naboth the Jezreelite and said to him, ‘Sell me your vineyard, or, if you prefer, I will give you a vineyard in exchange.’ But he refused to let me have his vineyard.” His wife Jezebel said to him, “A fine ruler over Israel you are indeed! Get up. Eat and be cheerful. I will obtain the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite for you.” (1 Kgs 21:5-7)
In the South we use lots of Bible names. Jezebel is one of the Bible names you almost never hear in the South. Shakespeare must have had Jezebel in mind when he created the character of Lady Macbeth.
Brothers and sisters: The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? Because the loaf of bread is one, we, though many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf. (1 Cor 10:16-17)
The question I always ask about this feast is why? The answer of course perhaps had to do with the state of Holy Week before the reforms of Pope Pius XII in the 1950’s. But the fact was that Holy Thursday and Good Friday were poorly attended by the faithful, if at all. These celebrations took place in the morning when most folks were working. As a consequence, Passion Sunday was invented with the reading of the Passion Narrative so that the faithful would hear the Passion of the Lord at least once during the year and the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ was added so that Holy Thursday and the institution of the Eucharist would at least be acknowledged. And of course, as the Second Vatican Council decreed, the restoration and promotion of the liturgy should lead to the “fully conscious, and active participation” of the faithful in liturgical celebrations. During our first year in seminary, I remember one of my classmates who called to me one day after a liturgy class on the Paschal Triduum to ask what in the world the professor had been talking about. He and his family attended Mass faithfully every Sunday, but he had never heard of the Paschal Triduum: Holy Thursday, Good Friday, the Easter Vigil. It was news to him. Perhaps that’s why we have Corpus Christi Sunday.
