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.
Jesus said to his disciples: "Stop judging and you will not be judged. Stop condemning and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven.
Give and gifts will be given to you. For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you." (Lk 6:36-38)
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/030623.cfm
This is one of those Bible passages that we hear and then completely disregard. But Lent gives us another opportunity to hear what the Lord is saying to us and perhaps this time to put it into practice.
Beloved: Bear your share of hardship for the gospel with the strength that comes from God. (2 Tim 1:8b-10)
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/030523.cfm
The Transfiguration of the Lord, which is the gospel for this Second Sunday of Lent, is part of that “strength that comes from God” not just for Peter, James, and John, but for all of us on this Lenten journey to the Easter that never ends.
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, for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust. (Mt 5:43-48)
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/030423.cfm
The Lord seems to ask the impossible of us, until we remember he forgive us all on the Cross.
Jesus said to his disciples: “If you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift.” (Mt 5:20-26)
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/030323.cfm
I will never the forget the Maronite priest I met on retreat who told the story of celebrating the Sunday liturgy and having read this particular gospel, left his congregation praying in the church and went to the rectory to call his brother, made peace, and then returned to the church to finish the liturgy.
Queen Esther, seized with mortal anguish, had recourse to the LORD, and said: "God of Abraham, God of Isaac, and God of Jacob, blessed are you. Help me, who am alone and have no help but you, for I am taking my life in my hand. Save us from the hand of our enemies; turn our mourning into gladness and our sorrows into wholeness." (Est C:12, 14-16, 23-25)
Jesus said to his disciples: "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. (Mt 7:7-12)
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/030223.cfm
Queen Esther is a great model of faith and prayer in action. As the Lord reminds us, we have only to ask in order to receive the courage and grace to confront the evils of our time.
