Welcome
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.
SATURDAY, WEEK V of LENT
R. The Lord will guard us, as a shepherd guards his flock. Hear the word of the LORD, O nations, proclaim it on distant isles, and say: He who scattered Israel, now gathers them together, he guards them as a shepherd his flock. R. The Lord will guard us, as a shepherd guards his flock. (Jer 31)
Pope Francis has used the scriptural image of the shepherd and the sheep to speak about the church’s ministers. As he says, the shepherd should smell of the flock. Jesus says, “I am the good shepherd, and I know mine and mine know me . . . and I will lay down my life for the sheep” (Jn 10:14-15).
FRIDAY, WEEK V of LENT
R. In my distress I called upon the Lord, and he heard my voice. In my distress I called upon the LORD and cried out to my God; From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry to him reached his ears. R. In my distress I called upon the Lord, and he heard my voice. (Psalm 18)
At times we think that no one is listening, that no one cares. But the Scriptures tell us that our cries for help do indeed reach God’s ears.
THURSDAY, WEEK V of LENT
R. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever. He remembers forever his covenant which he made binding for a thousand generations – Which he entered into with Abraham and by his oath to Isaac. R. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever. (Psalm 105)
The Lord remembers . . . covenant, land, promise, people. But we humans tend to forget. As the old grandpa used to say, “When we stop remembering . . . we forget.” That God remembers us and never forgets is our hope.
WEDNESDAY, WEEK V of LENT
Nebuchadnezzar rose in haste and asked his nobles, “Did we not cast three men bound into the fire?” “Assuredly, O king,” they answered. “But,” he replied, “I see four men unfettered and unhurt, walking in the fire, and the fourth looks like a son of God.” (Dn 3:91-92)
The three youths in the fiery furnace is one of those Bible stories that just stays with you. God watches over us even when it seems that everything and everyone is against us.
TUESDAY, WEEK V of LENT
R. O Lord, hear my prayer, and let my cry come to you.
O LORD, hear my prayer,
and let my cry come to you.
Hide not your face from me
in the day of my distress.
Incline your ear to me;
in the day when I call, answer me speedily.
R. O Lord, hear my prayer, and let my cry come to you.
Lent has always consisted of Prayer, Fasting and Works of Mercy. It seems that Lent 2020 is teaching us more about prayer. As Saint Paul reminds us, “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thes 5:17). And so with the Psalmist we remind the Lord: “Hide not your face from me . . . incline your ear to me!”
MONDAY, WEEK V of LENT
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.” (Jn 8:10-11)
In the story of Susana and the Elders (Daniel 13:1-64) the whole assembly praises God “who saves those who hope in him . . . Thus was innocent blood spared that day.” (Daniel 13:60,62) But the gospel of Jesus and the Adulterous Woman is another story altogether. The tag line could have read: “Thus guilty blood was spared that day.” Or as the wonderful poster at the diocesan retreat center said while showing a hand holding a rock: “Jesus was once asked for his support of the death penalty--His reply, Let one who is without sin cast the first stone.”
V SUNDAY of LENT
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. (Jn 11:25-26)
In time of great fear of death and disease, the Lord reminds us as he reminded Martha: “I am the Resurrection and the Life,” and then asks her, “Do you believe this?” And Martha answers for all of us:
“Yes, Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world.” (Jn 11:27)
