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.
Friday, Week V, Lent (Passiontide)
Verse Before the Gospel
Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life; you have the words of everlasting life. (Jn 6)
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/032224.cfm
Opposition to the Gospel simply reminds us of where we receive our strength, from the One whose words are Spirit and life, from the One who has the words of everlasting life.
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Thursday, Week V, Lent
Jesus answered, “Abraham your father rejoiced to see my day; he saw it and was glad.” So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old and you have seen Abraham?” Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, before Abraham came to be, I AM.” So they picked up stones to throw at him; but Jesus hid and went out of the temple area. (Jn 8:51-59)
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/032124.cfm
An interesting detail about Jesus’ age is revealed in this passage, “You are not yet fifty years old.” Traditionally the Lord was about 30-35 years old at the time of his Passion and Resurrection. Of course, the solemn declaration, “Before Abraham came to be, I AM,” gets him into trouble. I AM is a reference to the Divine Name.
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Wednesday, Week V, Lent (Passiontide)
Nebuchadnezzar exclaimed, "Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who sent his angel to deliver the servants who trusted in him; they disobeyed the royal command and yielded their bodies rather than serve or worship any god except their own God." (Dn 3:14-20, 91-92, 95)
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/032024.cfm
I grew up with the story of the three youths in the fiery furnace singing the praises of God. The Canticle of the Three Youths is a favorite. The Canticle goes on to invite all creation, including mountains and hills, dolphins and all water creatures, beasts wild and tame, to give “glory and praise forever!”
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Saint Joseph, husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary, March 19
Jacob was the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary. Of her was born Jesus who is called the Christ. (Mt 1:16, 18-21, 24a)
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/031924.cfm
At times Saint Joseph is often overlooked or only receives an “honorable mention” in the gospel story itself, but what an important role he has in the Holy Family of Nazareth. The church is grateful that Saint Joseph’s name has finally been added to the main Eucharistic prayers following the name of the Blessed Virgin Mary, a task that began with Pope Saint John XXIII in 1962 and was completed by Pope Francis in 2013.
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Monday, Week V, Lent (Passiontide)
Thus was innocent blood spared that day. (Dn 13:1-9, 15-17, 19-30, 33-62)
Then Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you. Go, and from now on do not sin any more." (Jn 8:1-11)
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/031824.cfm
The long story of Susanna and the Elders ends with the statement that innocent blood was spared that day. Well, the gospel tells a quite different story where the guilty walks free. Perhaps Jesus is just too soft on crime.
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Sunday, Week V, Lent
“The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Amen, amen, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will preserve it for eternal life . . . And when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself.” He said this indicating the kind of death he would die. (Jn 12:20-33)
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/031724-YearB.cfm
The hour has come to be glorified, to die, to be lifted up. As we enter into this last part of Lent, the Cross becomes ever more present to us. The Paschal Mystery, dying and rising with Christ, is the center of our faith which we celebrate in Eucharist. It is the essence of the Sacraments. It is the pattern of our lives.
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Saturday of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Lent, March 16
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. (Jn 7:40-53)
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/031624.cfm
The Fourth Gospel has no interest in Bethlehem nor in tracing David’s offspring through all the generations. Instead the gospel addresses the issue of where Jesus is from by declaring that Jesus comes from God (Jn 1:10). And to those who believe in his name, he has given the “power to become the children of God” (Jn 1:12). What is essential according to the Fourth Gospel is that we be born “from above” (Jn 3:3). And the Mother of Jesus tells us: "Do whatever he tells you" (Jn 2:5).
