Third Sunday of Lent

"Lord, Give me this water..." The Lord Jesus speaks with the woman, most likely an outsider even in the Samaritan town (who else would go to the well at noon, in the heat of the day). He thirsts for her faith, and draws that faith out through gentle, yet challenging, questions. She is moved from seeing him as a Jew, a man, prophet, messiah, and finally Savior of the World. He calls us, and challenges us to conversion, He continues to thirst for us.

Second Sunday of Lent

Jesus is transfigured, and gives Peter, James, and John a glimpse of His glory. He tells them not to share what they have witnessed until after He rises from the dead. The transfiguration most likely allowed them to see through the scandal of the cross, eventually, to believe in the Resurrection. But look what their first response was to the Crucifixion - one denied knowing Jesus, one presumably hid, while one stood at the foot of the Cross in worship. Let us follow the example of John, and recognize Jesus in our midst, and worship Him.

First Sunday of Lent

Adam and Eve grasp the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge, and in doing so, give in to temptation. Surrounded by the wonderful fruits of the Garden, they still desire the forbidden fruit, with the seeds of doubt planted by the serpent. The Lord Jesus, after 40 days of fasting, surrounded by the nothingness of the desert, resists Satan's temptations. He does so by quoting Deuteronomy. In His replies, he hints at how we might resist temptation too. Man does not live by bread alone, but by the word of God - we must fast from food, feed on the Scriptures. We will not put God to the test, but admit our own limitations. We shall worship the Lord God alone and serve Him.

Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time

"I do not know you. Depart from me." There are perhaps no harsher words that the all-knowing Son of God will say to us. Perhaps, though, this is not simply about knowing about us, but knowing us, as we are to know Him. It is not enough to simply say we know about the Lord, but know Him as we might know about our best friend. We must take our faith to heart, binding it to our wrists, heads, and hearts as Moses instructed the Hebrews. This is not simply about God knowing us, but the Savior knowing our hearts. We, therefore, need to be aware of where we build our house. We must pray, asking the Lord to know our hearts.

Eighth Sunday in Ordnary Time

You cannot serve both God and Mammon. Instinctively, we know this, but all too often we hedge our bets, becoming anxious about the 'stuff' that surrounds us. But Jesus gives us the example of the birds and flowers - they do not work, yet they are well feed and arrayed. They simply respond to God's will, and He provides. When we seek His Kingdom and righteousness first, and everything else follows - He will give us what we truly need. So, following the example of the birds and the flowers, we respond to God's will for us, and trust in His Providence

March-August, 2011, Prayer Calendar

I have posted the new prayer calendar for March through August.

Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

Be holy, be perfect, be merciful... We are called to be fulfilled in Christ, to come to perfection. This does not mean that we cease to have flaws, or that we suddenly know and see all, but rather that we are exactly who we are to be. We rest in God. This is holiness. Out of that rest, we in turn meet the needs of others in mercy. This, too, is holiness. So, we allow the Lord to build us into His holy Church, and find in Him rest, peace, mercy, and perfection.