Category: Uncategorized

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Gospel: Matthew 5: 20-26

Jesus said to his disciples: 
“I tell you, 
unless your righteousness surpasses that
of the scribes and Pharisees,
you will not enter into the Kingdom of heaven.

“You have heard that it was said to your ancestors,
You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment.
But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother
will be liable to judgment,
and whoever says to his brother, Raqa, 
will be answerable to the Sanhedrin,
and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ will be liable to fiery Gehenna.
Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar,
and there recall that your brother
has anything against you,
leave your gift there at the altar,
go first and be reconciled with your brother,
and then come and offer your gift.
Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court.
Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge,
and the judge will hand you over to the guard,
and you will be thrown into prison.
Amen, I say to you,
you will not be released until you have paid the last penny.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

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The Greek philosopher, Plato, likened the soul to a charioteer whose task it was to drive two horses. One horse was gentle and mild, obedient to the commands of its master. The other was wild, untamed, and rebellious.

The name of the first horse was Reason. The second horse was Passion.

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Reason and passion live in constant conflict within us.

For example, if someone strikes us across the cheek, reason would say, “Take a deep breath. Back down. They may be stronger than you!” 

Even, “Forgive them.”

Passion would say, “Hit ‘em hard! Smack ‘em back!”

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It’s our passions that Jesus is addressing in today’s Gospel. It is not enough for the Christian to know what is right; we also must do what is right.

It’s not enough to refrain from slapping a person; we should not even wish to hurt them. 

It’s not enough to refrain from gossip; we should not even think poorly about another person.

It’s not enough to refrain from dishonesty; we should never even consider telling a lie.

It’s not enough to repress our anger; we must genuinely forgive from our heart.

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Such a high standard is impossible to reach on our own as reason and Passion constantly tug at our will.

The only charioteer who can tame both is Jesus. 

Christians must learn to surrender to him, to the point as Saint Paul says, that, “It is no longer I who live, but Christ living in me” (Galatians 2:20). 

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Image credits: (1) The World Games (2) Steemit (3) The Word for the Day, Tumblr

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Esther 12: 14-16, 23-25

Queen Esther, seized with mortal anguish,
had recourse to the LORD.
She lay prostrate upon the ground, together with her handmaids,
from morning until evening, and said:
“God of Abraham, God of Isaac, and God of Jacob, blessed are you.
Help me, who am alone and have no help but you,
for I am taking my life in my hand.
As a child I used to hear from the books of my forefathers
that you, O LORD, always free those who are pleasing to you.
Now help me, who am alone and have no one but you,
O LORD, my God.

“And now, come to help me, an orphan.
Put in my mouth persuasive words in the presence of the lion
and turn his heart to hatred for our enemy,
so that he and those who are in league with him may perish.
Save us from the hand of our enemies;
turn our mourning into gladness
and our sorrows into wholeness.”

The Word of the Lord.

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This is one of the few times we read about the heroic story of Queen Esther, who is paralyzed by fear, in our first reading.

She’s a Jew who’s married to a foreign king, but the king doesn’t know her real identity.

One day while in his court, Esther overhears a plan to exterminate her people. 

If she reveals her Jewish identity, then she, too, may be killed. But if she remains silent, then thousands will be slaughtered.

What is she to do?

What would you do?

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In her darkest hour, she prays, “Help me, who am alone and have no one but you, O LORD, my God.”

“Help me.”

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By the end of the story, Esther finds the courage to speak the truth, revealing her identity, pleading with the king to save her people.

Amazingly, he relents, and the Jews are saved.

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In a sense, this is what Lent is all about: sharing our heart with God, who offers us the strength we need to do what is right, which can sometimes be difficult.

For some of us, that involves the sensitive work of healing a wounded heart; forgiving an enemy; or arresting control over a particular temptation.

But Esther reminds us that prayer is powerful. It changes things. 

As Jesus reiterates in today’s Gospel, “Ask. Seek. Find. The door shall be opened to you.”

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Image credits: (1) America Magazine (2) Queen Esther Art Print, Hugues Merle, Fine Art America (3) MNnews.today

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Gospel: Luke 11: 29-32

While still more people gathered in the crowd, Jesus said to them,
“This generation is an evil generation;
it seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it,
except the sign of Jonah.
Just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites,
so will the Son of Man be to this generation.
At the judgment
the queen of the south will rise with the men of this generation
and she will condemn them,
because she came from the ends of the earth
to hear the wisdom of Solomon,
and there is something greater than Solomon here.
At the judgment the men of Nineveh will arise with this generation
and condemn it,
because at the preaching of Jonah they repented,
and there is something greater than Jonah here.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

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A group of Christians were imprisoned during the French Revolution in a darkened dungeon.

For a brief moment each day, the sun rose to a certain angle, allowing a ray of light to penetrate their cell. As the light came in, one of the prisoners was hoisted onto another’s shoulders, where he opened his bible and proclaimed what he read.

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I wonder what verses they heard. Here are a few possibilities:

“For I know well the plans I have for you, says the Lord.” (Jeremiah 29:11)

“Come to me all you who are heavy burdened and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)

“Whoever hears my word and believes in him who sent me has eternal life.” (John 5:24)

“This is my Body…this is my Blood…do this in memory of me.” (Luke 22:19)

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At the darkest moment of their lives, these Christians turned to the Word of God for strength, and believed.

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In today’s Gospel, Jesus condemns the scribes and Pharisees for their hardened hearts. They’ve seen him heal people and cast out demons; they’ve heard him preach. Yet his Word is not enough for them. They’re stuck in the prison of unbelief, demanding more “signs.”

“But no [other] sign will be given it, except Jonah the prophet,” he says. Meaning, they should repent and believe like their ancestors.

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At times we’re all tempted to want more proof that God is real. But the words he speaks in the Gospels, along with the countless prayers he’s already answered, should be enough to assure us that God is alive … and in touch.

Like those Christians huddled in a dungeon during the French Revolution, may we hear the Word of God and receive it for what it is: “A lamp for our feet, a light for our path” (Psalm 119). 

This Lent, repent and believe in the Gospel.

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Image credits: (1) Soaking in God’s Word (2) China Institute (3) Bible Hub