Isaiah 50:4-7
Psalm 22
Philippians 2:6-11
Matthew 26:14-27:66
But Then How Would the Scriptures Be Fulfilled?
In this very long gospel reading of the passion, what strikes me for the first time is Jesus saying to the disciple who cut off the ear of the high priest’s servant, ”Do you think that I cannot call upon my Father and he will not provide me at this moment with more than twelve legions of angels? But then how would the Scriptures be fulfilled…?” Jesus had just prayed the most agonizing prayer of his life asking to possibly be spared this cup, but ending each time by submitting his will to the Father’s plan. Yet, when the disciple comes to his “defense”, Jesus tells him how his Father would himself defend the Son IF he asked. To me, it’s like the temptations coming back all over again, only this time more insidiously. Jesus knows his Father will do whatever he asks, even to spare him, but he also knows what the Father wishes. When they tell him to come down off the cross IF he is really God’s son, he must have to restrain himself. He certainly could have, but what the Father wants is the ONLY focus that he allows himself. Any other plan of action would not fulfill the Scriptures.
How often I think that, well yes, I’m asked to do something this way, but gee, this other way would be so much easier, better, more efficient, gain more….. excuses all! All, truly ALL, I have to do is the next right thing. Obedience is hard for me, but I’m beginning to see that my life will have no valuable success without it.
1 Samuel 16:1;6-7;10-13
Psalm 23
Ephesians 5:8-14
John 9:1-41
You Have SEEN Him
Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you are saying, ‘We see,’ so your sin remains.” This burning condemnation stands in sharp contrast to the short dialogue with the man born blind, “Who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?” Jesus said to him, “You have seen him, the one speaking with you is he.” What always stuns me is that it didn’t matter what kind of miracle Jesus performed, for those who were closed-minded would remain so. Who is the one who receives the gift of faith this day but one who has lived in darkness all his life? My temptation is to assume that I am not like the Pharisee, but have I been blind to the goodness in my sisters, to the effort of a child, to the suffering of a parent? Have I been so blinded by my own needs that I have totally neglected another? ” ‘We see,’ you say, but your sin remains.” Wow! That’s a scary thought! Have I seen Jesus? Have I missed him standing in right in front of me saying, “It is he who is speaking to you now”?
Exodus 17:3-7
Psalm 95
Romans 5:1-2;5-8
John 4:5-42
If Only
“Strike the rock, and the water will flow from it for the people to drink.” “…and out of his wounded side flowed blood and water.” If only the woman would realize who it was who was asking her for a drink… If only the Chosen People would not grumble against God… If only I would not harden my heart when asked to do some simple act of trust… If only…
It seems to me there are two choices before me, surrender completely or keep on fighting. I have fought for so long, it almost seems like I’d miss the action. Perhaps, that’s why I hold on to false illusions. The only choice that gives me hope is to trust with abandon this stranger at the well who dares to ask ME for a drink.
Genesis 12:1-4
Psalm 33
2 Timothy 1:8-10
Matthew 17:1-9
LISTEN
I love this passage and wanted to come up with all kinds of profound things to share, but the message I’m getting is simply to LISTEN to Jesus. Peter, my beloved, impulsive and big-mouth Peter, blurts out some crazy thing about what he can DO for the Lord. But God shuts him up with an overwhelming sense of presence. And all three fall prostrate, flat on their faces. It seems that I listen best when I fall flat on my face. When I hit rock bottom and [duh] finally get it that there’s only one God, and it’s not I, then I’m far more eager to listen and take suggestions. God doesn’t want me to DO anything. God wants me to listen. There is nothing, absolutely nothing, that I can do that will “earn” God’s love or make me “worthy” of God’s presence in my life. I just need to listen, and when it’s time that God speaks and expects my response, then, yes, I’ll need to do whatever it is. But I’ll never be able to hear that if I don’t start now to tune in and stay quiet. God’s message to me today is simple…Shut up and listen!
Genesis 2:7-9;3:1-7
Psalm 51
Romans 5:12-19
Matthew 4:1-11
If You are the Son of God…
How many times I’ve read and heard interpretations on the temptations of Jesus! This time, a couple of things struck me. First, was that I had always focused on the temptations and not on Jesus’ responses, responses that came from his heart, a heart wrapped in prayer. Evil tried to poke holes in his spirituality but couldn’t. I know when I’m experiencing temptation, all the reasons why I “shouldn’t” do whatever don’t cut it. Only some deep conviction, some non-negotiable can pull me through it. The other thing that struck me was that he kept saying, “If you are the Son of God…”, as if trying to get Jesus to prove it. Later, on the cross, this temptation comes again, “If you are the Son of God, come down off that cross,” or again, “…save yourself and us!” Wow! Even thinking of saving others can be a temptation if it’s not what God wants me to do. I imagine then, that the only way to stand strong, or even get back up again when I’ve fallen, is to focus just on what God’s plan is for me today. It’s that simple…and that difficult.
Zephaniah 2:3; 3:12-13
Psalm 146
1Corinthians 1:26-31
Matthew 5:1-12
Seek Humility
This speaks to me loud and clear this week! All the readings seem to focus on humility, but the word “seek” rang all kinds of bells for me. Some of the passages that get me moving in the right direction start with the word “seek”. Just yesterday, we had ”and suddenly, there will come to the temple the Lord whom you seek.” Or the Easter classic, “Woman, whom do you seek?” These are lines that cause me not to just ponder but get off my duff and do something. So, it looks like God’s message to me today is to seek humility, actively and with earnest. To yearn for, welcome and embrace the truth is the best way for me. I don’t know the truth, but God does. So I want to be open to what God wants me to know and let go of the rest.
Isaiah 8:23-9:3
Psalm 27
1Corinthians 1:10-13, 17
Matthew 4:12-23
“Anguish has taken wing, dispelled is darkness”
So many themes come from these readings, but this is what stood out the most for me during lectio. This is not a promise of something to come but an accomplished fact. “Anguish has taken wing.” I have experienced such anguish in my life for different reasons, so for me to hear that it’s finally all over seems almost surreal. Putting this next to Paul’s words “that the Cross of Christ not lose its meaning” makes me question which is true. They both are, of course. I believe Jesus calls me to experience a freedom from within…a freedom to suffer with Christ with serenity and not anguish…a freedom to see loved ones suffer and know that there is a God who cares. Jesus calls his first followers, and they don’t have a clue what awaits them. Neither do I, yet I feel a call to trust that both light and darkness have a place in my life. I have only to wait with open hands believing that anguish is no more, only faith.
Isaiah 49:3;5-6
Psalm 40
1 Corinthians 1:1-3
John 1:29-34
I Did Not Know Him
Today seems to be built around the idea of the call each one of us receives. Isaiah speaks of being formed in the womb and called to be a servant. Paul identifies himself as being called to be an apostle and tells the Corinthians they are called to be holy. John, for me, seems to be reflecting on this baptism incident. He knows he is called to prepare the way, to be the bridegroom, to watch for the one on whom the Spirit descends, and then to decrease and trust. Yet, even with all this, what strikes me most is his twice repeated phrase, “I did not know him.”
This past week’s gospels spoke much of the call with Samuel and Matthew among those called. In the story of Samuel, it says that at that time, he was not yet familiar with the Lord. This struck me to the heart. Do I know the Lord? Am I familiar with the Lord? No, not yet. God must be knocking and pounding on the thick doors of my mind and heart, and I don’t even hear it. God is in my sisters, the young, the parents, and most often, I miss that presence completely. I fear reaching the end of my life and only being able to say, “I did not know him.” I fear even more hearing the Lord say, “I do not know you,” as he did to those locked out of the feast. They taught in their churches and preached in the streets, but did not know the Lord. To me, that is a huge risk! My call is not only public; God calls me to know and be known.
Lord, come to me. Come as you will, but help me open my heart to become familiar with you.
Isaiah 42:1-4;6-7
Psalm 29
Acts 10:34-38
Matthew 3:13-17
Am I Missing Something?
All week long I’ve been thinking about epiphanies and how they have happened in my life. How often I have that “Ahah” experience and come to understand something that has previously been a mystery to me. These feasts of Epiphany and Baptism are all about God manifesting Godself to us. God has “grasped me by the hand”. [Actually, I think God had to tackle me since I'm usually running from God.] The line in the Gospel where Jesus comes up from the water and “the heavens were opened for him” leads me to ask myself, “What is God trying to get across to me and maybe I’m not listening?” What part of the “heavens”, of mystery, is God trying to break open for me at this time of my life?
The gospels throughout the week all had Jesus “manifesting” himself to the apostles: healing, feeding the 5000, walking on water…duh! Yet they still didn’t catch on. So what am I missing? Maybe God is being just as clear with me, but I’m not attentive enough to get it. Lord, help me to see. If you will to, you can heal my blindness.
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