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.
So Jesus said to them, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will realize that I AM. (Jn 8:21-30)
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/040522.cfm
The mystery of the Cross draws closer and the revelation of God’s glory in Christ. And the promise—all who look upon him will be saved. I AM is the name of God revealed to Moses on the mountain.
Jesus answered, “You know neither me nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also.” He spoke these words while teaching in the treasury in the temple area. But no one arrested him, because his hour had not yet come. (Jn 8:12-20)
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/040422.cfm
The “hour” referred to in the passage is the hour of Jesus’ glorification on the Cross. In ancient times this last section of Lent was called Passiontide. We pray that God will deliver the Ukrainian people from their sufferings.
Forgetting what lies behind but straining forward to what lies ahead, I continue my pursuit toward the goal, the prize of God’s upward calling, in Christ Jesus. (Phil 2:8-14)
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/040322-YearC.cfm
We are on a journey . . . to the Easter (Pascha) that never ends. The key to this journey as Saint Paul tells us is “forgetting what lies behind, but straining forward to what lies ahead.” The stories of the Woman Caught in Adultery and of the conversion of Saint Paul remind us that the encounter with Jesus changes everything. May the Ukrainian people keep their eyes on the prize.
Some in the crowd who heard these words of Jesus said, “This is truly the Prophet.” Others said, “This is the Christ.” But others said, “The Christ will not come from Galilee, will he? Does not Scripture say that the Christ will be of David’s family and come from Bethlehem, the village where David lived?” So a division occurred in the crowd because of him. Some of them even wanted to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him. (Jn 7:40-53)
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/040222.cfm
The question of where Jesus is from is a central question. Matthew and Luke begin their gospels by carefully having Jesus born in the city of David (Bethlehem). But the Fourth Gospel has no problem with Jesus being from Galilee—because the Fourth Gospel answers the question of Jesus’ origins by saying that Jesus is from God. Through the prayers of the Mother of God, may God protect the Ukrainian people.
Responsorial Psalm (Psalm 34)
R. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted. Many are the troubles of the just man, but out of them all the LORD delivers him. He watches over all his bones not one of them shall be broken. R. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted.
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/040122.cfm
The early church searched the Hebrew Scriptures, especially the Book of Psalms, to understand the Scandal of the Cross. They began to see how the Crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus was “in accordance with the Scriptures” (The Nicene Creed). We pray that God will be close to the brokenhearted people of Ukraine.
