Love Stronger than Death - Easter 2011

Pope Benedict XVI's 2011 Easter Vigil Homily

Easter and the paschal experience of Christians, however, now require us to take a further step. The Sabbath is the seventh day of the week. After six days in which man in some sense participates in God’s work of creation, the Sabbath is the day of rest. But something quite unprecedented happened in the nascent Church: the place of the Sabbath, the seventh day, was taken by the first day. As the day of the liturgical assembly, it is the day for encounter with God through Jesus Christ who as the Risen Lord encountered his followers on the first day, Sunday, after they had found the tomb empty. The structure of the week is overturned. No longer does it point towards the seventh day, as the time to participate in God’s rest. It sets out from the first day as the day of encounter with the Risen Lord. This encounter happens afresh at every celebration of the Eucharist, when the Lord enters anew into the midst of his disciples and gives himself to them, allows himself, so to speak, to be touched by them, sits down at table with them. This change is utterly extraordinary, considering that the Sabbath, the seventh day seen as the day of encounter with God, is so profoundly rooted in the Old Testament. If we also bear in mind how much the movement from work towards the rest-day corresponds to a natural rhythm, the dramatic nature of this change is even more striking. This revolutionary development that occurred at the very the beginning of the Church’s history can be explained only by the fact that something utterly new happened that day. The first day of the week was the third day after Jesus’ death. It was the day when he showed himself to his disciples as the Risen Lord. In truth, this encounter had something unsettling about it. The world had changed. This man who had died was now living with a life that was no longer threatened by any death. A new form of life had been inaugurated, a new dimension of creation. The first day, according to the Genesis account, is the day on which creation begins. Now it was the day of creation in a new way, it had become the day of the new creation. We celebrate the first day. And in so doing we celebrate God the Creator and his creation. Yes, we believe in God, the Creator of heaven and earth. And we celebrate the God who was made man, who suffered, died, was buried and rose again. We celebrate the definitive victory of the Creator and of his creation. We celebrate this day as the origin and the goal of our existence. We celebrate it because now, thanks to the risen Lord, it is definitively established that reason is stronger than unreason, truth stronger than lies, love stronger than death. We celebrate the first day because we know that the black line drawn across creation does not last for ever. We celebrate it because we know that those words from the end of the creation account have now been definitively fulfilled: “God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good” (Gen 1:31). Amen.

Source: www.vatican.va

Easter Message...

Below are two Easter links.  (1) Pope Benedict XVI's  2010 Easter Vigil homily and (2) the last Easter message given by Pope John Paul II in 2004.

Pope Benedict XVI's 2010 Easter Homily
What is new and exciting in the Christian message, in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, was and is that we are told: yes indeed, this cure for death, this true medicine of immortality, does exist. It has been found. It is within our reach. In baptism, this medicine is given to us. A new life begins in us, a life that matures in faith and is not extinguished by the death of the old life, but is only then fully revealed.

Pope John Paul II's 2004 Easter Message
Stay with us now, and until the end of time.  Grant that the material progress of peoples may never obscure the spiritual values which are the soul of their civilization.  Sustain us, we pray, on our journey.  In you do we believe, in you do we hope, for you alone have the words of eternal life (cf. Jn 6:68). Mane nobiscum, Domine! Alleluia!

You will understand later - Thursday, April 21st

Readings of the Day

Gospel: John 13: 1-15
Before the feast of Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to pass from this world to the Father.  He loved his own in the world and he loved them to the end.  The devil had already induced Judas, son of Simon the Iscariot, to hand him over.  So, during supper, fully aware that the Father had put everything into his power and that he had come from God and was returning to God, he rose from supper and took off his outer garments.  He took a towel and tied it around his waist.  Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and dry them with the towel around his waist.
He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Master, are you going to wash my feet?” Jesus answered and said to him, “What I am doing, you do not understand now, but you will understand later.” Peter said to him, “You will never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him,
“Unless I wash you, you will have no inheritance with me.” Simon Peter said to him, “Master, then not only my feet, but my hands and head as well.” Jesus said to him,
“Whoever has bathed has no need except to have his feet washed, for he is clean all over; so you are clean, but not all.” For he knew who would betray him; for this reason, he said, “Not all of you are clean.” So when he had washed their feet and put his garments back on and reclined at table again, he said to them, “Do you realize what I have done for you? You call me ‘teacher’ and ‘master,’ and rightly so, for indeed I am.
If I, therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another’s feet. I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do.”

• wash: to cleanse by the action of liquid; to pass a liquid (as water) over or through especially so as to carry off material from the surface or interior.
• What is the significance of Christ's washing the feet of his disciples?  Why their feet?  What parallel does this have to the "cleansing" of our sins He took upon Himself on the cross?
• understand: to grasp the meaning of; to grasp the reasonableness of.
• Do I always understand the lessons God wants to teach me at the time?  How does a "bigger picture" perspective help me to grasp?  How often do I get impatient with Him because I can't grasp?  What can I learn from the disciples?
• model: an example for imitation; an image to be reproduced.
• Is Christ an example I try to imitate?  In what aspects of my life would others be able to see me as a reproduction of Christ?  What other models do my words and actions portray?

Definitions from http://www.merriman-webster.com/ and http://www.dictionary.com/.

Thirty Pieces of Silver - Wednesday, April 20th

Readings of the Day

Gospel: Matthew 26: 14-25
One of the Twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, “What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?” They paid him thirty pieces of silver, and from that time on he looked for an opportunity to hand him over.

On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the disciples approached Jesus and said, “Where do you want us to prepare for you to eat the Passover?” He said, “Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, ‘The teacher says, My appointed time draws near;
in your house I shall celebrate the Passover with my disciples.”‘ The disciples then did as Jesus had ordered, and prepared the Passover. When it was evening, he reclined at table with the Twelve. And while they were eating, he said, “Amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” Deeply distressed at this, they began to say to him one after another,
“Surely it is not I, Lord?” He said in reply, “He who has dipped his hand into the dish with me is the one who will betray me. The Son of Man indeed goes, as it is written of him,
but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed. It would be better for that man if he had never been born.” Then Judas, his betrayer, said in reply, “Surely it is not I, Rabbi?” He answered, “You have said so.”

• if: requirement or stipulation; granting or supposing that; on condition that.
• Why did Judas ask for something in return for handing Jesus over?  Do I ever commit a wrong without thinking that I'll be getting some payback?  Is Jesus worth more to me than thirty pieces of silver?  (Remember, even Judas realized what he had done and tried to return the silver).
• recline: to lean or lie back; rest in a recumbent position; repose.
• How can Jesus calmly recline with his disciples hours before he was to be arrested?  Do you think He didn't know what was coming?  Or did his peace and composure come from knowing that He was doing God's will and that God would sustain Him?  How do I react in the midst of present or onlooking suffering?
• distress: great pain, anxiety or sorrow; trouble; that which causes pain or suffering; a state of danger or desperate need.
• Is it equally distressing for me to hear Christ's words - that I, too, will betray Him?  Am I not unrealistic expecting that I reach perfection?  Accepting that I do and will sin doesn't mean I don't try, but doesn't it help me ask for and accept God's mercy?

Definitions from http://www.merriman-webster.com/ and http://www.dictionary.com/.

...and it was night - Tuesday, April 19th

Readings of the Day

Gospel: John 13: 21-33, 36-38
Reclining at table with his disciples, Jesus was deeply troubled and testified, “Amen, amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” The disciples looked at one another, at a loss as to whom he meant. One of his disciples, the one whom Jesus loved, was reclining at Jesus’ side. So Simon Peter nodded to him to find out whom he meant. He leaned back against Jesus’ chest and said to him, “Master, who is it?” Jesus answered, “It is the one to whom I hand the morsel after I have dipped it.” So he dipped the morsel and took it and handed it to Judas, son of Simon the Iscariot. After Judas took the morsel, Satan entered him. So Jesus said to him, “What you are going to do, do quickly.” Now none of those reclining at table realized why he said this to him. Some thought that since Judas kept the money bag, Jesus had told him, “Buy what we need for the feast,” or to give something to the poor. So Judas took the morsel and left at once. And it was night. When he had left, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him. If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and he will glorify him at once. My children, I will be with you only a little while longer. You will look for me, and as I told the Jews, ‘Where I go you cannot come,’ so now I say it to you.” Simon Peter said to him, “Master, where are you going?” Jesus answered him, “Where I am going, you cannot 
follow me now, though you will follow later.” Peter said to him, “Master, why can I not follow you now?  I will lay down my life for you.” Jesus answered, “Will you lay down your life for me? Amen, amen, I say to you, the cock will not crow before you deny me three times.”

• betray: to deliver to an enemy by treachery; to fail or desert especially in time of need; to be disloyal to; to disappoint the hopes or expectations of.
• Whether or not I have betrayed Jesus and my faith is not a question - the real question is, how many times have I consciously betrayed Him?  If I normally "plan" to sin, then how do I get caught up in deserting my faith, disappointing God's hopes for me to be "another Christ" to those around me?
• night: the time from dusk to dawn when no sunlight is visible; the quality of state of being dark; period of dreary inactivity or affliction; condition or time of obscurity, ignorance, sinfulness.
• Can I relate to the feeling of night and darkness that comes into a soul after separating myself from God's friendship?  Do I see this night around me?  How can I be a light in that darkness?
• deny: to give a negative answer to; to refuse to admit or acknowledge; disown
• Do I pray for the grace to be courageous in my faith?  Peter didn't plan on denying Christ...why then did he do so?  What lesson can Peter teach me here?  Knowing that Christ compassionately forgivess Peter, and helps him to move forward from his failings - does this give me peace and hope in God's forgiveness?  How can I better take advantage of the grace to be better that comes from that encounter of mercy with Him?

Definitions from http://www.merriman-webster.com/ and http://www.dictionary.com/.

How can I be a friend to Jesus? - Monday, April 18th

Readings of the Day

Gospel: John 12: 1-11
Six days before Passover Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. They gave a dinner for him there, and Martha served, while Lazarus was one of those reclining at table with him. Mary took a liter of costly perfumed oil made from genuine aromatic nard and anointed the feet of Jesus and dried them with her hair; the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil. Then Judas the Iscariot, one of his disciples, and the one who would betray him, said, “Why was this oil not sold for three hundred days’ wages and given to the poor?” He said this not because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief and held the money bag and used to steal the contributions. So Jesus said, “Leave her alone. Let her keep this for the day of my burial.
You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.” The large crowd of the Jews found out that he was there and came, not only because of him, but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. And the chief priests plotted to kill Lazarus too, because many of the Jews were turning away and believing in Jesus because of him.

• serve: to be of use; to wait on someone/others; to supply with something needed or desired; to answer the needs of.
• How I serve Christ?  How do I answer His needs?  How do I answer the needs of those He loves and died for?
• recline: repose; to lean or incline backwards.
• Do I ever sit back and repose, or relax with Jesus?  Do I take time to just "be" with Him in prayer?  Do I ever visit and accompany Him in where He is truly present here on earth, in the Tabernacle?
• anoint: to rub with oil; to apply oil to as a sacred rite especially for consecration; to choose by or as if by divine election; to dedicate to the service of God.
• What do I dedicate to the service of God?  Do I count of the cost of what I give Him, or to His Church?  How will I anoint this Holy Week and set aside special time to live the Passion with Him?

Definitions from http://www.merriman-webster.com/ and http://www.dictionary.com/.

The Elusion of Evil - Friday, April 15th

Readings of the Day

Gospel: John 10: 31-42
The Jews picked up rocks to stone Jesus.  Jesus answered them, “I have shown you many good works from my Father.  For which of these are you trying to stone me?”  The Jews answered him, “We are not stoning you for a good work but for blasphemy.  You, a man, are making yourself God.”  Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your law, ‘I said, ‘You are gods”‘? If it calls them gods to whom the word of God came, and Scripture cannot be set aside, can you say that the one whom the Father has consecrated and sent into the world blasphemes because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’? If I do not perform my Father’s works, do not believe me; but if I perform them, even if you do not believe me,
believe the works, so that you may realize and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.” Then they tried again to arrest him; but he escaped from their power.
He went back across the Jordan to the place where John first baptized, and there he remained. Many came to him and said, “John performed no sign, but everything John said about this man was true.” And many there began to believe in him.

• stone: to hurl stones at; to kill by pelting with stone.
• What good works do I see being stoned around me?  Why are they attacked?  Is it not usually because they call out to the natural conscience, when something "of this world" tries to be a god and is challenged by the "out of this world"?
• blasphemy: the act of insulting of showing contempt or lack of reverence for God; the crime of assuming to oneself the rights or qualities of God; irreverent behavior toward anything held sacred, priceless.
• Where can I see blasphemy around me?  Who and what in the culture tries to assume the rights of God - deciding who and what is valuable, true and good?  Do I ever fail to reverence appropriately the sacred and priceless?
• escape (escaped): to get away; to avoid a threatening evil; avoid; break away from; elude pursuers, captors.
• Do I have firm hope in truth and good?  Do I see Christ's example here that ultimately, even though there will be suffering, truth and good always, always prevail?  How can I bolster up someone else today who is feeling threatened by an evil, pursued by some form of captor?

Definitions from http://www.merriman-webster.com/ and http://www.dictionary.com/.

Whoever keeps my word will never see death - Thursday, April 14th

Readings of the Day


Gospel: John 8: 51-59
Jesus said to the Jews: “Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever keeps my word will never see death.” So the Jews said to him, “Now we are sure that you are possessed. Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet you say, ‘Whoever keeps my word will never taste death.’ Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? Or the prophets, who died? Who do you make yourself out to be?” Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is worth nothing; but it is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God.’ You do not know him, but I know him. And if I should say that I do not know him, I would be like you a liar. But I do know him and I keep his word.  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.

• death: a permanent cessation of all vital functions; the cause or occasion of loss of life; a cause of ruin; spiritual death
• Have I ever met someone who is not afraid of death?  What are my fears of death?  If Jesus says that whoever keeps His word will never see death, how can I know and keep His word and live on? 
• know: to perceive directly; to have experience of; to be aware of the truth or factuality of; to be acquainted with.
• Do I have experience of God in my life?  Am I acquainted with Him?  Do I go to Jesus when I don't understand what God allows in my life or the lives of others?
• be (am): to exist or live; to continue or remain as before; have reality or actuality.
• Do I really believe in the existence of God?  Does my own faith have reality in my daily life?

Definitions from http://www.merriman-webster.com/ and http://www.dictionary.com/.

...and the truth will set you free - Wednesday, April 13th

Readings of the Day

Gospel: John 8: 31-42
Jesus said to those Jews who believed in him, “If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” They answered him, “We are descendants of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How can you say, ‘You will become free’?” Jesus answered them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin. A slave does not remain in a household forever, but a son always remains.  So if the Son frees you, then you will truly be free. I know that you are descendants of Abraham. But you are trying to kill me, because my word has no room among you.  I tell you what I have seen in the Father’s presence; then do what you have heard from the Father.” They answered and said to him, “Our father is Abraham.” Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would be doing the works of Abraham. But now you are trying to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God; Abraham did not do this. You are doing the works of your father!”
So they said to him, “We were not born of fornication.  We have one Father, God.” Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and am here; I did not come on my own, but he sent me.”

• remain: to stay in the same place or with the same person or group; to continue unchanged.
• Am I consistent in my prayer and good resolutions?  Do I realize that to "remain in God's word, and be Christ's disciple" a daily effort is needed - contact with the Word and personal contact with Christ?
• truth: the body of true statements and propositions; the property of a statement of being in accord with fact or reality; honesty, integrity.
• Where do I find the truth?  Christ proposes that knowledge of truth isn't just intellectual, but active - saying that when we are his disciples we will know the truth.  How do I live truth?
• free: enjoying freedom from outside domination; not subject to the control of another; not bound, confined or detained by force; a person who is not in slavery; able to do something at will.
• In what areas of my life am I free?  In what areas am I enslaved?  How can truth and discipleship and contact with God's Word/teaching release me from this domination?

Definitions from http://www.merriman-webster.com/ and http://www.dictionary.com/.

When I am lifted up - Tuesday, April 12th

Readings of the Day

Gospel: John 8: 21-30
Jesus said to the Pharisees: “I am going away and you will look for me, but you will die in your sin. Where I am going you cannot come.” So the Jews said, “He is not going to kill himself, is he, because he said, ‘Where I am going you cannot come’?” He said to them, “You belong to what is below, I belong to what is above. You belong to this world, but I do not belong to this world. That is why I told you that you will die in your sins. For if you do not believe that I AM, you will die in your sins.” So they said to him, “Who are you?”
Jesus said to them, “What I told you from the beginning. I have much to say about you in condemnation. But the one who sent me is true, and what I heard from him I tell the world.” They did not realize that he was speaking to them of the Father. So Jesus said to them, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will realize that I AM, and that I do nothing on my own, but I say only what the Father taught me. The one who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, because I always do what is pleasing to him.” Because he spoke this way, many came to believe in him.

• lift: to raise from a lower to a higher position; elevate; direct upward.
• What is Christ referring to?  Is it when He is lifted up, elevated on the cross?  Do I realize that the crosses I am lifted up on are a chance for me to share in the Passion of Jesus?  And by the way I live my sufferings that I can bring others to greater faith?
• realize: to grasp or understand clearly; to make real; be fully aware of.
• Why is it that suffering gives us such a clear vision of reality, what is true and untrue, what is lasting and fleeting?  Can I see any good or growth that has come out of suffering in my own life?
• please (pleasing): to give pleasure, gratify; as a source of delight or joy.
• When am I please to the Father?  When do I most feel accompanied by Him?

Definitions from http://www.merriman-webster.com/ and http://www.dictionary.com/.

Neither do I condemn you - Monday, April 11th

Readings of the Day

Gospel: John 8: 1-11
Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. But early in the morning he arrived again in the temple area, and all the people started coming to him, and he sat down and taught them. Then the scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery and made her stand in the middle. They said to him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery. Now in the law, Moses commanded us to stone such women.
So what do you say?” They said this to test him, so that they could have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and began to write on the ground with his finger. But when they continued asking him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” Again he bent down and wrote on the ground. And in response, they went away one by one, beginning with the elders. So he was left alone with the woman before him. Then 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.”

• alone: separate or apart from others; considered without reference to any other
• Am I ever like the scribes and Pharisees who bring others' sins before God wanting judgment to be served?  Do I not see that Christ deals with sinners on an INDIVIDUAL basis?  Does that give me greater confidence to confess my sins to Him, albeit through a priest who acts "in persona Christi"?  Do I really believe that confession is a PERSONAL encounter with Christ Himself?
• go: to leave a place, depart; to take a certain course or follow a certain procedure; to move on a course
• How does Jesus' reaction affect me - He doesn't admonish the woman, He indicates that she needs to leave the place (attitudes, values) she's been in, move in a new direction?  Do I see that His forgivess is full of encouragement, not shame?  Do I forgive others this way?  How can I instill this mindset in my children - to focus more on changes moving forward than revisiting past sins?
• now: at the present time or moment; under the present circumstances; without further delay
• Do I see that Christ does want His forgiveness to take an immediate effect?  What changes that I need to make to be more Christ-like am I putting off until later?

Definitions from http://www.merriman-webster.com/ and http://www.dictionary.com/.

What does Jesus mean by never and always? - Sunday, April 10th

Readings of the Day

Gospel: Jn 11:1-45 or 11:3-7, 17, 20-27, 33b-45
The sisters of Lazarus sent word to Jesus, saying, “Master, the one you love is ill.” When Jesus heard this he said, “This illness is not to end in death, but is for the glory of God,
that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So when he heard that he was ill, he remained for two days in the place where he was. Then after this he said to his disciples, "Let us go back to Judea.”

When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him; but Mary sat at home. Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give you.” Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise.” Martha said, “I know he will rise, in the resurrection on the last day.” Jesus told her, “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. Do you believe this?” She said to him, “Yes, Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world.”

He became perturbed and deeply troubled, and said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Sir, come and see.” And Jesus wept. So the Jews said, “See how he loved him.” But some of them said, “Could not the one who opened the eyes of the blind man
have done something so that this man would not have died?” So Jesus, perturbed again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay across it. Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the dead man’s sister, said to him, “Lord, by now there will be a stench;
he has been dead for four days.” Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believe
you will see the glory of God?” So they took away the stone. And Jesus raised his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you for hearing me. I know that you always hear me; but because of the crowd here I have said this, that they may believe that you sent me.” And when he had said this, He cried out in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” The dead man came out,
tied hand and foot with burial bands, and his face was wrapped in a cloth. So Jesus said to them, “Untie him and let him go.” Now many of the Jews who had come to Mary and seen what he had done began to believe in him.

• glory: worshipful praise, honor and thanksgiving; praise, honor or distinction extended by common consent; a state of absolute happiness, gratification, contentment.
• Does it make me happy and content to see God praised?  To see someone "come back to life" through and Him, especially from "spiritual death"?
• never: not ever; at no time; not in any degree or under any condition.
• What is the condition Christ places on never dying? What does it mean to "live in Him" and "believe in Him"? 
• always: at all times; forever; in any event; on every occasion; without exception.
• Do I believe that God always hears me?  What would cause Him not?  When He doesn't answer prayers the way I would wish, does it mean that God didn't listen?  What does it mean?

Definitions from http://www.merriman-webster.com/ and http://www.dictionary.com/.

Have you also been deceived? - Saturday, April 9th

Readings of the Day

Gospel: John 7: 40-53
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. So the guards went to the chief priests and Pharisees, who asked them, “Why did you not bring him?” The guards answered, “Never before has anyone spoken like this man.” So the Pharisees answered them, “Have you also been deceived? Have any of the authorities or the Pharisees believed in him? But this crowd, which does not know the law, is accursed.” Nicodemus, one of their members who had come to him earlier, said to them,
“Does our law condemn a man before it first hears him and finds out what he is doing?” They answered and said to him, “You are not from Galilee also, are you? Look and see that no prophet arises from Galilee.” Then each went to his own house.

• division: act or process of dividing; separation by difference of opinion; disagreement
• Do I see "crowds" where Jesus's words have caused division?  Why do so many accept Jesus as a prophet, but not as the Christ?  What "side" am I on?
• deceive (deceived): to mislead by a false appearance or statement; to cause to accept as true or valid what is false or invalid.
• The Pharisees claim Jesus is deceiving - have I ever been misled by Him?  Has He ever asked me to accept as true what is false?  Do I see the deception in the pop culture - where true and false are obliterated by subjectivism?  Can I see the truth, and stand up for it?
• believe (believed): to have confidence in the truth or the reliability of something, although without proof that one is right in doing so; give credence to; accept something as true or genuine.
• What roadblocks didn't allow many of the Jewish authorities to believe in Him?  What roadblocks threaten my acceptance of Him?  Can I believe without proof?

Definitions from http://www.merriman-webster.com/ and http://www.dictionary.com/.

He is Speaking Openly... - Friday, April 8th

Readings of the Day

Gospel: John 7: 1-2, 10, 25-30
Jesus moved about within Galilee; he did not wish to travel in Judea, because the Jews were trying to kill him. But the Jewish feast of Tabernacles was near. But when his brothers had gone up to the feast, he himself also went up, not openly but as it were in secret. Some of the inhabitants of Jerusalem said, "Is he not the one they are trying to kill? And look, he is speaking openly and they say nothing to him. Could the authorities have realized that he is the Christ? But we know where he is from. When the Christ comes, no one will know where he is from." So Jesus cried out in the temple area as he was teaching and said, "You know me and also know where I am from. Yet I did not come on my own, but the one who sent me, whom you do not know, is true. I know him, because I am from him, and he sent me." So they tried to arrest him, but no one laid a hand upon him, because his hour had not yet come.

• openly: completely free from concealment; exposed to general view or knowledge; not restricted to a particular group or category of particpants; having the interior immediately accessible
• Does Jesus ever conceal Himself from me, even when He knows that what He is saying is not what I want to hear?  What barriers do I put up that don't allow me immediate access to knowledge of God?  What about the barriers I build to try and conceal my interior from Him?
• realize (realized): be fully aware of; to grasp or understand clearly.
• What caused the Jewish authorities to not accept Jesus as the Christ?  How often am I aware of God's will (general or specific), and still choose to follow my own way?  Why can His will be so hard to accept and act on?
• send (sent): to cause to go; deliver; to propel in a particular direction.
• Do I know that, by virtue of my Baptism, I also am sent by the Father into the world?  How can I be an authentic ambassador of His today?

Definitions from http://www.merriman-webster.com/ and http://www.dictionary.com/.

Actions Speak Louder than Words - Thursday, April 7th

Readings of the Day

Gospel: John 5: 31-47
Jesus said to the Jews:  “If I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is not true. But there is another who testifies on my behalf, and I know that the testimony he gives on my behalf is true. You sent emissaries to John, and he testified to the truth. I do not accept human testimony, but I say this so that you may be saved. He was a burning and shining lamp, and for a while you were content to rejoice in his light. But I have testimony greater than John’s. The works that the Father gave me to accomplish, these works that I perform testify on my behalf that the Father has sent me. Moreover, the Father who sent me has testified on my behalf. But you have never heard his voice nor seen his form,
and you do not have his word remaining in you, because you do not believe in the one whom he has sent. You search the Scriptures, because you think you have eternal life through them; even they testify on my behalf. But you do not want to come to me to have life. “I do not accept human praise; moreover, I know that you do not have the love of God in you. I came in the name of my Father, but you do not accept me; yet if another comes in his own name, you will accept him. How can you believe, when you accept praise from one another and do not seek the praise that comes from the only God? Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father: the one who will accuse you is Moses,
in whom you have placed your hope. For if you had believed Moses, you would have believed me, because he wrote about me.  But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my words?”

• testimony: firsthand authentication of a fact; an open acknowledgment; a public profession of religious experience.
• What is Jesus Christ's testimony?  If He is the One whom the Father sent to save us, then why does Jesus always refer and point us back to the Father?
• accept: to make a favorable response to; to endure without protest or reaction; to receive willingly; to undertake the responsibility, duties of; regard as true or sound.
• Do I accept Christ?  Do I respond favorably to Him?  Do I receive willingly His teachings - ALL of them, not just the ones I pick and choose?  Does my acceptance translate into undertaking the duties of His word and example?
• hope: to desire with expectation of obtainment; to expect with confidence (trust).
• In whom or what is my hope placed?  What do I expect with confidence from Jesus, the Father and/or the Holy Spirit?

Definitions from http://www.merriman-webster.com/ and http://www.dictionary.com/.

If Jesus does nothing on His own, why do I? - Wednesday, April 6th

Readings of the Day

Gospel: John 5: 17-30
Jesus answered the Jews: “My Father is at work until now, so I am at work.” For this reason they tried all the more to kill him, because he not only broke the sabbath but he also called God his own father, making himself equal to God. Jesus answered and said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, the Son cannot do anything on his own, but only what he sees the Father doing; for what he does, the Son will do also. For the Father loves the Son and shows him everything that he himself does, and he will show him greater works than these, so that you may be amazed. For just as the Father raises the dead and gives life, so also does the Son give life to whomever he wishes. Nor does the Father judge anyone, but he has given all judgment to the Son, so that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him. Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes in the one who sent me has eternal life and will not come to condemnation, but has passed from death to life. Amen, amen, I say to you, the hour is coming and is now here when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live.  For just as the Father has life in himself, so also he gave to the Son the possession of life in himself. And he gave him power to exercise judgment, because he is the Son of Man. Do not be amazed at this, because the hour is coming in which all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and will come out, those who have done good deeds to the resurrection of life, but those who have done wicked deeds to the resurrection of condemnation. “I cannot do anything on my own; I judge as I hear, and my judgment is just, because I do not seek my own will but the will of the one who sent me.”

• work: activity in which one exerts strength or faculties to do or perform something; something that results from the use or fashioning of a particular material; something produced by the exercise of creative talent or expenditure of creative effort; to have an effect or influence.
• Where and how do I see the work of God?  Jesus works because the Father is at work - why do I work?  Does my work contribute to that of God?  Are my works directed towards His glory and the establishment of His Kingdom, or my own glory, my own kingdom?
• honor: a good name or public esteem; one whose worth brings respect; to give special recognition to; to accept as valid and conform to the request or demands of.
• What forms does respect, recognition and esteem of God take on in my life?  What, or whom, do I honor more than Him? 
• anything: any thing whatever; in any way; no matter what.
• Can I make the same claim as Jesus? - "I cannot do anything on my own...I do not seek my own will but the will of the One who sent me".  Does this concept feel constricting?  Or freeing?  Do I really, truly believe in God's wisdom and providence?  In my efforts, do I work the way He does, or in ways that are humanly "logical" and "acceptable"?

Definitions from http://www.merriman-webster.com/ and http://www.dictionary.com/.

Rise Up and Walk - Tuesday, April 5th

Readings of the Day

Gospel: John 5: 1-16
There was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now there is in Jerusalem at the Sheep Gate a pool called in Hebrew Bethesda, with five porticoes. In these lay a large number of ill, blind, lame, and crippled. One man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had been ill for a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be well?” The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; while I am on my way, someone else gets down there before me.” Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your mat, and walk.” Immediately the man became well, took up his mat, and walked.

Now that day was a sabbath. So the Jews said to the man who was cured, “It is the sabbath, and it is not lawful for you to carry your mat.” He answered them, “The man who made me well told me, ‘Take up your mat and walk.’“ They asked him, “Who is the man who told you, ‘Take it up and walk’?” The man who was healed did not know who it was,
for Jesus had slipped away, since there was a crowd there.

After this Jesus found him in the temple area and said to him, “Look, you are well; do not sin any more, so that nothing worse may happen to you.” The man went and told the Jews
that Jesus was the one who had made him well. Therefore, the Jews began to persecute Jesus because he did this on a sabbath.

• no one: no person; nobody
• How often do I wait for someone else to come along and help me with a cross I am bearing?  How long does it take me to realize that no other person can give me what Jesus can - grace, salvation, eternal life, the sacraments? 
• rise: to assume an upright position especially from lying, kneeling or sitting; to become heartened; to increase in fervor or intensity; to exert oneself to meet a challenge; to be built up; to come into action.
• Am I open and willing to take action after encountering Christ?  Does my prayer life translate into following God's will and working for his Kingdom?
• persecute: to harass or punish in a manner designed to injure, grieve or afflict; specifically, to cause to suffer because of belief; trouble persistently.
• Do I ever act like the Pharisees when others have had a strong experience of grace or conversion?  Do I "harass" Jesus because He hasn't handled a situation the way I see fit?

Definitions from http://www.merriman-webster.com/ and http://www.dictionary.com/.

We Walk by Faith, and Not by Sight - Monday, April 4th

Readings of the Day

Gospel: John 4: 43-54
At that time Jesus left [Samaria] for Galilee. For Jesus himself testified that a prophet has no honor in his native place. When he came into Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him, since they had seen all he had done in Jerusalem at the feast; for they themselves had gone to the feast. Then he returned to Cana in Galilee, where he had made the water wine.

Now there was a royal official whose son was ill in Capernaum. When he heard that Jesus had arrived in Galilee from Judea, he went to him and asked him to come down and heal his son, who was near death. Jesus said to him, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will not believe.” The royal official said to him, “Sir, come down before my child dies.” Jesus said to him, “You may go; your son will live.” The man believed what Jesus said to him and left. While the man was on his way back, his slaves met him and told him that his boy would live. He asked them when he began to recover. They told him, “The fever left him yesterday, about one in the afternoon.” The father realized that just at that time Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live,” and he and his whole household came to believe. Now this was the second sign Jesus did when he came to Galilee from Judea.

• welcome (welcomed): to greet with courtesty; to accept with please to occurence or presence of; a kindly greeting or reception.
• Did the Galileans welcome Jesus because of genuine faith?  Or because they had seen his miracles?  How about me?
• heal: to make sound or whole; to restore to health; to cause an undesirable condition to be overcome; to restore to original purity or integrity; to effect a cure.
• Why did Jesus heal the officials' son, even though He seemed frustrated that another "sign" was being asked for?  Was is that He saw the official's underlying sincere faith in the request?  When my prayers are answered do I react in the same way - increasing my own faith and giving witness that brings others to faith as well?
• unless: except on the condition that; except under the circumstances that.
• What are the conditions of my faith?  Unless I see what?  Do I not understand that believing without seeing is true faith - as the traditional hymn, "We walk by faith and not by sight..."?

Definitions from http://www.merriman-webster.com/ and http://www.dictionary.com/.

He washed and was able to see - Sunday, April 3rd

Readings of the Day

Gospel: John 9: 1-41 or 9:1, 6-9, 13-17, 34-38
As Jesus passed by he saw a man blind from birth. He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva, and smeared the clay on his eyes, and said to him, “Go wash in the Pool of Siloam” — which means Sent —. So he went and washed, and came back able to see.
His neighbors and those who had seen him earlier as a beggar said,  “Isn’t this the one who used to sit and beg?” Some said, “It is, “ but others said, “No, he just looks like him.”
He said, “I am.” They brought the one who was once blind to the Pharisees.

Now Jesus had made clay and opened his eyes on a sabbath. So then the Pharisees also asked him how he was able to see. He said to them, “He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and now I can see.” So some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God,
because he does not keep the sabbath.” But others said, “How can a sinful man do such signs?” And there was a division among them. So they said to the blind man again, “What do you have to say about him, since he opened your eyes?” He said, “He is a prophet.”
They answered and said to him, “You were born totally in sin, and are you trying to teach us?” Then they threw him out.

When Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, he found him and said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” He answered and said, “Who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?”
Jesus said to him, “You have seen him, and the one speaking with you is he.” He said,
“I do believe, Lord,” and he worshiped him.

• blind: unwilling or unable to perceive or understand; not characterized or determined by reason; lacking all consciousness or awareness.
• Do I recognize the effect of of original sin in my life?  Even though I been washed clean through Baptism, am I aware of my fallen nature?  And the need to be reflecting often on where spiritual blindness is affecting me?
• wash: to apply water or some other liquid for the purpose of cleansing; to free from spiritual defilement; to remove (as dirt) by rubbing or drenching with liquid.
• Just as Jesus used earthly material and water, do I see His healing hands at work in my life through others and grace?  Am I open to others being His instrument?  Do I seek His grace, especially in confession, to cleanse my soul?
• see: to perceive mentally; discern; understand; to have experience of; to come to know.
• Does my experience of Christ and His forgiveness bring me to a deeper trust and commitment to follow Him?  Do my human experiences bring me to rely more on Him?  Or to end up trusting in my own self-sufficiency?

Definitions from http://www.merriman-webster.com/ and http://www.dictionary.com/.

Two people went up to pray - Saturday, April 2nd

Readings of the Day


Gospel: Luke 18: 9-14
Jesus addressed this parable to those who were convinced of their own righteousness and despised everyone else. “Two people went up to the temple area to pray; one was a Pharisee and the other was a tax collector. The Pharisee took up his position and spoke this prayer to himself, ‘O God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of humanity — greedy, dishonest, adulterous — or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week, and I pay tithes on my whole income.’ But the tax collector stood off at a distance and would not even raise his eyes to heaven but beat his breast and prayed, ‘O God, be merciful to me a sinner.’ I tell you, the latter went home justified, not the former; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

• justify (justified): to declare innocent or guiltless; uphold as well-grounded; to judge or regard as righteous and worthy of salvation.
• Do I pray as if I am already innocent?  Or do I place myself before God as I am, in need of salvation?  Do I realize that in justifying myself and not recognizing the forgiveness I need, I close myself off to God's mercy?
• humble (humbled): not proud or arrogant; modest; insignificant.
• Would I rather humble myself, or be humbled?  Do I know that humility is closely related to truth - so it is to recognize my weaknesses, but also my strengths and gifts?
• exalted: to raise in rank, honor, character; to elevate by praise or in estimation.
• Does it come natural to me to exalt myself?  Do I try to give God, and others esteem?  When I am complimented, do I gracefully accept?

Definitions from http://www.merriman-webster.com/ and http://www.dictionary.com/.

First & Second - Friday, April 1st

Readings of the Day

Gospel: Mark 12: 28-34
One of the scribes came to Jesus and asked him, “Which is the first of all the commandments?” Jesus replied, “The first is this: Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is Lord alone! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. The second is this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these.” The scribe said to him, “Well said, teacher. You are right in saying, He is One and there is no other than he. And to love him with all your heart, with all your understanding, with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is worth more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.” And when Jesus saw that he answered with understanding, he said to him,
“You are not far from the Kingdom of God.” And no one dared to ask him any more questions.

• Lord: a person who has authority, control or power over others; a master, chief or ruler.
• Does Lord comprise my concept of God? - ruler, controller, master.  Or is my relationship with Him founded on a vision of Him as Lord, God and Father - loving Creator, giver of my life and my freedom, full of compassion and mercy?
• neighbor: a person (or thing) that is near another; one's fellow human being; a person who shows kindliness or helpfulness toward his or her fellow humans.
• How do I show kindness towards those around me?  How do I love myself - as the center of the universe?  Or not giving myself the dignity and respect that I am worthy of as God's child?  Am I aware that I can't truly love another until I have a deep sense of my own value before God?
• understanding: comprehension; knowledge of or familiarity with a particular thing; skill in dealing with or handling something.
• How do I develop my familiarity and skill when it comes to loving God, myself and others?  Do I realize that this takes time and effort - what more am I willing to do?  What more is God calling me to?

Definitions from http://www.merriman-webster.com/ and http://www.dictionary.com/.

Are my possessions safe? - Thursday, March 31st

Readings of the Day

Gospel: Luke 11: 14-23
Jesus was driving out a demon that was mute, and when the demon had gone out, the mute man spoke and the crowds were amazed. Some of them said, “By the power of Beelzebul, the prince of demons, he drives out demons.” Others, to test him, asked him for a sign from heaven. But he knew their thoughts and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste and house will fall against house. And if Satan is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that it is by Beelzebul that I drive out demons. If I, then, drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your own people drive them out? Therefore they will be your judges. But if it is by the finger of God that I drive out demons, then the Kingdom of God has come upon you. When a strong man fully armed guards his palace, his possessions are safe. But when one stronger than he attacks and overcomes him, he takes away the armor on which he relied and distributes the spoils. Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.”

• against: in opposition to; in competition with; in an opposite direction to
• How do I guard the "palace" of my own soul, of the souls of my loved ones?  Am I aware of the many influences around me that are "against" my faith and morals?  How do I respond to the culture without closing myself off?  How do I teach my children to have this security in their convictions?
• gather: to bring together (harvest, pick); to assemble from various places or sources; to draw about or close to something; to collect
• What tools are at my disposal to bring together and bolster my faith, and the faith of others?  Do I take comfort in knowing that I am gathering with Christ - that He is present with His grace in all I do for Him?
• scatter: to fling away heedlessly; to divide into ineffectual small portions; to separate and go in various directions
• How often do I, myself, feel scattered?  Is this a consequence of not "gathering with Christ" - of allowing myself to be bombarded by temptations and influences stronger than what I can handle on my own?  Do I know that Jesus is always there, just waiting to help me? - I just have to ask.

Definitions from http://www.merriman-webster.com/ and http://www.dictionary.com/.

What will I be called in the Kingdom of Heaven? - Wednesday, March 30th

Readings of the Day

Gospel: Matthew 5: 17-19
Jesus said to his disciples: “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter will pass from the law, until all things have taken place. Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do so will be called least in the Kingdom of heaven.
But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments will be called greatest in the Kingdom of heaven.”

• fulfill: to perform or do, as duty; to develop the full potential of; to put into effect; to convert into reality.
• The law was given to the Israelites as part of their covenant with God - how do I "develop the full potential" of the commandments in my life?  Or is my sense of fulfillment legalistic and mere duty?
• obey (obeys): to comply with or follow the commands, instructions or guidance of; to comply with or follow; to conform in action to
• The commandments are given to us not because God wants to "ruin our lives" and take all the fun out of life - do I see them for what they are, instruments of God's fatherly guidance to live a truly happy life?  How much true happiness have I found in breaking the commandments?
• teach (teaches): to impart knowledge or skill; to instruct by precept, example or experience.
• Teaching the fulfillment of the commandments leads to being greatest, teaching to break them leads to being least - through my words and actions, at home, at work, among friends - will I be least or greatest in the Kingdom?

Definitions from http://www.merriman-webster.com/ and http://www.dictionary.com/.

Forgiveness from the Inside Out - Tuesday, March 29th

Readings of the Day

Gospel: Matthew 18: 21-35
Peter approached Jesus and asked him, “Lord, if my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus answered, “I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times. That is why the Kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king who decided to settle accounts with his servants. When he began the accounting,
a debtor was brought before him who owed him a huge amount. Since he had no way of paying it back, his master ordered him to be sold, along with his wife, his children, and all his property, in payment of the debt. At that, the servant fell down, did him homage, and said, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back in full.’ Moved with compassion the master of that servant let him go and forgave him the loan.

When that servant had left, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a much smaller amount. He seized him and started to choke him, demanding, ‘Pay back what you owe.’ Falling to his knees, his fellow servant begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.’ But he refused. Instead, he had him put in prison until he paid back the debt. Now when his fellow servants saw what had happened, they were deeply disturbed, and went to their master and reported the whole affair. His master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you your entire debt because you begged me to. Should you not have had pity on your fellow servant, as I had pity on you?’ Then in anger his master handed him over to the torturers until he should pay back the whole debt. So will my heavenly Father do to you, unless each of you forgives your brother from your heart.”

• patient: bearing trials or pains calmly or without complaint; steadfast despite opposition or difficulty; bearing misfortune or hardship with fortitude.
• Did the Master forgive the debt because the payment really didn't matter to him?  Was it rather that he saw the servant/debtor saw him as a fellow human being, and moved by his humility in asking for understanding?  How often do I humble myself before God and ask for his mercy, in forgiveness, in prayers of petition and intercession?
• pity: sympathetic sorrow for one suffering, distressed or unhappy, often leading one to give relief or aid or to show mercy.
• Do I have a sense of just how much God has forgiven me?  And moreso, how freely and unconditionally his forgiveness has been given?  How can I imitate this better with those I struggle to forgive, wanting, on some level, to receive retribution?
• heart: one's innermost character, feelings or inclinations; the essential or more vital part of something; the center of the total personality.
• Does God's forgiveness change my heart?  How can I let his love and mercy "sink in" deeper and affect my feelings and inclinations towards those who hurt or frustrate me, from the inside out?

Definitions from http://www.merriman-webster.com/ and http://www.dictionary.com/.