To hear the Audio Reflections of Saturday, March 24, 2018 click HERE
Friday, 23 March 2018
Saturday, March 24, 2018 - Impatience is trying to go faster than the Holy Spirit. Are you by nature impatient?
To read the texts click on the texts:Ezek37:21-28; Jn 11:45-56
The first two verses of
today can be seen as the conclusion of the miracle story of the raising of
Lazarus. While some of those who witnessed the miracle respond positively,
others do not. However, the number of those who believe is more than that of
those who do not as is evident in the use of “many” for those who believed and
“some” for those who did not. The chief priests and Pharisees respond to the
information they receive about the miracle by calling a meeting during which
they discuss the fate of Jesus. Their main concern seems to be their own loss
of power. They do not seem really interested in the destruction of the temple
or even Jerusalem but with the effect that Jesus’ popularity will have on their
own selfish interests.
Caiaphas who was high priest
speaks on behalf of all of them. Even as he wants Jesus to die so that greater
trouble can be avoided, he is in fact unknowingly prophesying about the true
meaning of the death of Jesus. Though his sole aim is political expediency, he
is collaborating in God’s plan of salvation for the whole of the human race. He
uses his power to suppress God’s word but in effect witnesses to him. In his
death Jesus would gather together all the scattered people of God to bring them
to a union and unity never witnessed before.
Jesus retreats to Ephraim
after the Sanhedrin’s decision. This retreat, however, is not to escape death
but to control its time. Jesus will not go to his death until his hour arrives.
It is God who decides that hour and no amount of human plotting or planning can
hasten its arrival.
Even as the Passover draws
near, questions remain about whether Jesus will come to the feast or not. It is
not clear whether those who are looking for him have a positive or malicious
intent. The question, however, reinforces the idea that Jesus acts not
according to the will of human beings but of God and if God so ordains then no
matter what the threat or consequence, Jesus will do what is required.
God’s ways are not our ways.
As high as the heavens are from the earth so are God’s ways different from
ours. It is not always possible to accept this simple truth and there are times
when we try to go faster than the Holy Spirit because of our impatience.
We are
reminded as we reflect on today’s readings that there will be numerous times
when we will knowingly or unknowingly try to upset the plans of God because
they do not fit in with what we think is good for us. At times like these we
too behave like the adversaries of Jesus. We have to realize that no matter how
much we try we will never be able to upset God’s will for the world though it
might seem sometimes that we have and can. When we witness evil overpowering
good, selfishness dominating selflessness or fear overtaking love, then it
might seem that we have done so. However, these “victories’ are only temporary
as was the victory of the ones who crucified Jesus on the cross. In the final
race it is always God who wins, it is always selflessness that come first and
it is always love that will overcome.
Saturday, March 24, 2018 - Ezek 37:21-28; Jn 11:45-56
Saturday, March 24, 2018 - Ezek 37:21-28; Jn 11:45-56
Thursday, 22 March 2018
Audio Reflections of Friday, March 23, 2018
To hear the Audio Reflections of Friday, March 23, 2018 click HERE
Friday, March 23, 2018 - How will you make Jesus visible today?
To read the texts click on the texts: Jer20:10-13; Jn 10:31-42
The text of today begins
with the Jews picking up stones to stone Jesus. While the immediate context is
the last words of Jesus in his response to who he is, namely “The Father and I
are one”, this reaction must also be seen in the larger context of the
revelations that Jesus has been making. Jesus’ question to the Jews immediately
after their attempt to stone him is indicative of this. He asks them for which
of his good works they want to stone him. In response they accuse Jesus of
blasphemy. Though it is true that Jesus is equal to God, they do not realize
that it is not he who makes such a claim on his own accord. It is God who
confirms him.
Jesus uses “their” law to prove his claims and disprove theirs.
He begins by citing the first half of Ps 82:6 in which human beings are
regarded as “gods” because they receive the Word of God and then goes on to
prove from the lesser to the greater, that thus it cannot be blasphemy if Jesus
speaks of himself as God’s Son. It is the Father who sanctified and thus set
apart Jesus and sent him into the world and thus he always does what the Father
commands him to do.
Jesus goes on to appeal to
his works as a proof of the fact that he has indeed been sent by God. His
works, which are in keeping with God’s plan for the world, are clear indication
that he and the Father are one. He is in the Father and the Father is in him.
To be able to recognize this is to come to faith. These words do not go down
well with the listeners who try to arrest him. Again as in the past Jesus
escapes because his hour had not yet come.
The last three verses of the
text look back to 1:28 and to John’s witness of Jesus at Bethany. John’s
witness and then truth of that witness manifested in Jesus leads people to
believe in Jesus.
In these verses, Jesus does
not claim to be another God or to replace God or even make himself equal to
God. He claims to make God known as never before. He reveals God as loving
Father and as one whose only will for the world is its salvation. This is
evident in the works that he performs, which are works of unconditional and
redeeming love.
Jesus’ offer of recognizing
him in the world is an offer that is relevant and available even today. The
“good works” he inaugurated are on view whenever one goes beyond oneself and
reaches out in love and compassion. They are continued when one speaks an
enhancing word or performs a loving action. There are visible in selfless
service and forgiveness. They are visible when love is made real.
Friday, March 23, 2018 - Jer 20:10-13; Jn 10:31-42
Friday, March 23, 2018 - Jer 20:10-13; Jn 10:31-42
Wednesday, 21 March 2018
Audio Reflections of Thursday, March 22, 2018
To hear the Audio Reflections of Thursday, March 22, 2018 click HERE
Thursday, March 22, 2018 - Will you look for the revelation of God in everything that happens to you today?
To read the texts click on the texts: Gen 17:3-9; Jn8:51-59
The consequence of keeping
Jesus’ word is the destruction of death itself, since his word is a life giving
word and can only result in life. This promise of Jesus is misunderstood by the
listeners. They attack Jesus’ identity by appealing to Abraham and the fact
that he died. Since Abraham died, the words of Jesus cannot be true. They thus
accuse Jesus of being possessed by a demon. They keep challenging Jesus by
asking him whether he is greater than Abraham. While the question here assumes
a negative response, for the one who has accepted Jesus, the response can only
be positive. Jesus is indeed greater than Abraham and all the prophets. The
reason for this is that Jesus does not glorify himself. It is the Father
himself who glorifies Jesus. It is the God in whom the Jews believe who
glorifies Jesus. The Jews claim to “know” him, but in reality do not. It is
Jesus who knows and reveals the Father and so anyone who refuses to believe in
this revelation is shutting him/herself out from the truth and so indulging in
lies and falsehood.
For the first time here
Jesus himself appeals to Abraham to prove his claims. However, by the use of
the distancing “your ancestor Abraham” Jesus indicates on the one hand that
there is a distance between him and his listeners and on the other that while
they may have Abraham as their ancestor (father) he has only God as his. Even
so it is Abraham their father who also testified to Jesus when the grace was
given to him by God to “see” Jesus’ day. He did see it and rejoiced in it. Here
too the Jews misunderstand Jesus. They appeal to chronology, not realizing that
Jesus goes beyond time and space. The double “Amen” with which Jesus responds
is an indication on the one had of a new teaching and on the other of a deep
revelation. While on the one hand there is a contrast of tenses: the past
(Abraham was) and the present (I am), on the other hand the “I am” saying is used
here in the absolute sense indicating that Jesus identifies himself with God.
Jesus is infinitely greater than Abraham since Jesus is one with God.
The Jews respond to this
revelation by wanting to stone Jesus because they consider it blasphemy.
However, since his hour had not yet come, Jesus cannot be touched.
As human beings we often set
limits on ourselves. While this is bad enough, we often also go further and set
limits on God. We decide in advance what God can and cannot do and so miss out
on mystery and miracle. Our stereotypes and closed minds result in our missing
out on the revelation that God continues to make to us. In our understanding of
who God is or how God reveals himself, it is important for us to note that with
our finite minds we will never be able to totally fathom the depths of this
mystery. We are limited by space and time, but God is not. Thus, it is
important to open our minds as fully as we can and even after we have done this
to know that there will still be much that we do not and can never know.
Tuesday, 20 March 2018
Audio Reflections of Wednesday, March 21, 2018
To hear the Audio Reflections of Wednesday, March 21, 2018 click HERE
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