A Word of Hope

Jesus argues with the Jewish authorities that Abraham is still alive in God and looking upon this moment, and that he is one with God. This is the Communion of Saints, made possible by Jesus, and today is a day to feel our connection to those who have died but are alive in heaven.

Hanaiah, Azariah, and Mishael chose to be cast into the fire rather than worship a Babylonian god. People will expect us to do all sorts of things, be all sorts of people. Do we know ourselves and have the integrity to act with integrity?

On this Feast of St. Joseph, we remember him as the patron saint of happy deaths, since he died presumably with Mary and Jesus at his side. Some planning ahead and conversing with loved ones can make your dying moments more likely to go better.

Today's readings are full of sin, but in the first, courage and wisdom are shown to be more powerful than sin, and in the Gospel, mercy is stronger than sin. So we acknowledge sin in the world, but also that it is not the whole picture.

This is the point in Lent when we turn with Jesus to face the cross ahead, hearing the words, "unless a wheat grain falls on the ground and dies, it remains only a single grain; but if it dies, it yields a rich harvest."

Courage in small things leads to courage in larger things. Nicodemus showed great courage in standing up for Jesus. Can we use our Lenten observances to become more courageous?

Jesus was tested by the Jewish authorities to find something to use against him. God tests us not to learn anything but so that we might grow.

Like Moses on the mountain, begging God to save his people, we should turn from sin and have the humility to see our solidarity with all God's sinful people who need that grace.

The Prophet Isaiah invited those who were suffering to come out and feel God's saving power. We are also invited to dive into the river of God's grace, and to invite others to do the same.

Ezekiel had a vision of a trickle of water flowing from the temple, but growing greater and greater as it flowed through the world. In the same way, the recognition of the dignity and call to mission that baptism confers on all people that was affirmed at the Second Vatican Council is bearing greater and greater fruit as the years pass.

The prophet Isaiah tells us that God will create everything new, so that what was once mourning will turn into joy. Look for that in your own life.

Nicodemus comes to Jesus in the night, wondering if he can believe. Can we believe and become people of the light, or do we prefer the darkness?

In the Gospel, Jesus speaks of the tax collector who prayed, "Lord, be merciful to me, a sinner." That is the prayer that gets through to God. May we be as honest and aware to be able to ask God for the mercy we need so that we might be healed as well.

The greatest commandment is to affirm that God is One. Christians, being children of the One God, need to remember that God is always there for us, and is the same God that is always there for everyone.

Jesus healed a man who was mute. Many things can make us mute, but we need to be free to speak the truth as we see it, and we need to help free others to speak their truth.

In Deuteronomy we hear, "Do not forget the things your own eyes have seen." We need to remember that today, for we have all seen glimpses of the great things God has done for us in the first words or first steps of a child. It is what we have already see that should give us hope for what is possible in our world.

Jesus challenges us to forgive not 7 times, but 77 times. This does not mean that we need to have warm feelings towards them or to reconcile with them, but it is the first step of the process that opens the way to these possibilities. Can we hope that the person who hurt us might grow? Can we help bring this about through forgiveness?

A poor Jewish slave girl offered mercy to her captor Naaman the Syrian, telling him where he could be healed. Can we show mercy to those who need it most, even our enemies, or do we reserve mercy for our friends?

In the first reading we hear the Ten Commandments. The 5th Commandment is Thou Shall Not Kill. We need to re-embrace this commandment today.

In the Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:1-3,11-32) we learn of the absolute certainty of God's mercy for us. If you are in doubt, read this parable again.

We are workers in the vineyard of the Lord, and it is not for us to hoard the profits for ourselves, but to get a harvest for God. So in Lent, we do not simply work on our own holiness, but in being more effective evangelizers.

In his parable of the rich man ignoring poor Lazarus at his door, Jesus taught us that God wants us to care for the poor at our door, so we can enjoy good things, as long as we do not do it to the exclusion of helping others in need.

Jesus tells his followers whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant. This is looking at the world the way God sees it, the right way up, unlike when we have allowed our own vision to be skewed, thinking servanthood is low.

Jesus admonished the Pharisees to be more humble. Humility is seeing ourselves as God sees us, not more or less, which allows us to become purified of our bad qualities because we also see the good.