"The evening tide is falling fast,
My feet are weary, but I'm free at last,
So meet in the tomb, my Lord,
Come roll away, roll away the stone.
"And this is a mystery,
Death bows to the King of kings,
He has overcome the grave
For the sinners and the saints."
Friends, on this Holy Saturday in our Gospel we hear St. Mark’s account of the Resurrection. The Resurrection of Jesus from the dead is the be-all and end-all of the Christian faith. If Jesus didn’t rise from the dead, all bishops, priests, and Christian ministers should go home and get honest jobs, and all the Christian faithful should leave their churches immediately.Video reflection by Harry Dudley, D.Min.: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
As Paul himself put it: "If Jesus is not raised from the dead, our preaching is in vain and we are the most pitiable of men." It’s no good, of course, trying to explain the Resurrection away or rationalize it as a myth, a symbol, or an inner subjective experience. None of that does justice to the novelty and sheer strangeness of the biblical message.
It comes down finally to this: if Jesus was not raised from death, Christianity is a fraud and a joke. But if he did rise from death, then Christianity is the fullness of God’s revelation, and Jesus must be the absolute center of our lives. There is no third option.
"Christ is risen! Let us open our hearts to hope & go forth. May the memory of His works & His words be the bright star which directs our steps in the ways of faith towards that Easter that will have no end."Little Flower Quote o' the Day
—Pope Francis
"We must love our nothingness, & think only of the All which is infinitely lovable."Saint Quote o' the Day
—St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Doctor of the Church (1873-1897, feast day: 1 October)
"No one does more harm in the Church than he who has the title or rank of holiness & acts perversely."
—Pope St. Gregory the Great, Doctor of the Church (540-604, feast day: 3 September)
Friends, our Gospel today is John’s great account of the Passion of Jesus. The ultimate good—God incarnate—appeared, and we collectively responded not with exultation but with murderous violence. On Calvary, the Author of Life was crucified and killed.Video reflection by Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller, M.Sp.S.: U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
The crucifixion is the fullest expression of the divine anger at sin. We are meant to see on that cross, not simply a violent display, but rather our own ugliness. What brought Jesus to the cross? Stupidity, anger, mistrust, institutional injustice, betrayal of friends, denial, unspeakable cruelty, scapegoating, and fear.
But in the brutality of the cross we also see the fullest expression of the divine solidarity with sinners. God himself has come to stand with us in our dysfunction and absorb into his forgiveness all of the deadly sins. Yes, we know, with disquieting certitude, that we are sinners. But, with Paul, we willingly boast of our weakness, for we know with equal clarity that we are redeemed sinners.
Jesus’ crucifixion was the opening up of the divine heart so that we could see that no sin of ours could finally separate us from the love of God.
"Dear friends, let us bring to Christ's Cross our joys, our sufferings, & our failures. There we will find Heart that is open to us & understand us, forgives us, loves us."Little Flower Quote o' the Day
—Pope Francis
"I thirst after heaven, that blessed abode where our love for Jesus will be without bounds."Saint Quote o' the Day
—St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Doctor of the Church (1873-1897, feast day: 1 October)
"If we knew at what time we were to depart from this world, we would be able to select a season for pleasure & another for repentance. But God, who has promised pardon to every repentant sinner, has not promised us tomorrow. Therefore we must always dread the final day, which we can never foresee. This very day is a day of truce, a day for conversion."
—Pope St. Gregory the Great, Doctor of the Church (540-604, feast day: 3 September)
Friends, today’s Gospel recounts Jesus’ inaugural address in his hometown synagogue. Jesus reads words from the prophet Isaiah that he felt best summed up who he was and what his mission was. Therefore it behooves us to listen carefully.Ruach Yahweh, the breath of God, the spirit that hovered over the surface of the waters at the beginning of time, the life energy of God—this is what has seized and animated Jesus.
Jesus first says, "The spirit of the Lord is upon me." The
"Let us just remember & show that it is beautiful to live together as brothers & sisters, with different cultures, religions, & traditions: we are all brothers & sisters! And this is called peace & love."Little Flower Quote o' This Day
—Pope Francis
"As a father has tenderness for his children, so the Lord has compassion on us!"Saint Quote o' This Day
—St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Doctor of the Church (1873-1897, feast day: 1 October)
"Have confidence in the compassion of our Creator. Reflect well on what you are now doing, & keep before you the things you have done. Lift up your eyes to the overflowing compassion of heaven, & while He waits for you, draw near in tears to our merciful Judge."
—Pope St. Gregory I the Great (540-604, feast day: 3 September)
If you can meet with Triumph and DisasterBut before we go any further, the great feast of Easter awaits. Easter is not a day, it's not even a weekend. Easter, the greatest feast in Christianity, lasts for fifty days, from the Resurrection of the Lord to Pentecost, seven weeks later. Of course, I'm not taking the whole of Easter off, but there will not be a weigh-in next week, during the Octave of Easter. We'll see you back here on Wednesday, 11 April, when we'll get the amusingly alliterative Weekly Wednesday Weight-in back on track. In the meanwhile, I'm going to feast, which essentially means eating my weight in pastel-colored Peanut M&Ms.
And treat those two impostors just the same…
Friends, on this Palm Sunday we are privileged to become immersed in Mark’s great Passion narrative, where the kingship of Jesus emerges with great clarity—and also with great irony.Video reflection by Father Greg Friedman, O.F.M.: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
We read that upon being brought before the Sanhedrin, Jesus is asked whether he is the "Messiah," an implicit reference to David. When Jesus calmly responds, "I am," the high priest tears his robes, for how could a shackled criminal possibly be the kingly descendant of David? Upon being presented to Pilate, Jesus is asked the functionally equivalent question: "Are you the King of the Jews?" Again a blandly affirmative answer comes: "You say so." This leads the soldiers to mock him, placing a purple cloak on his shoulders and a crown of thorns on his head.
Mark does not want us to miss the irony that, precisely as the King of the Jews and the Son of David, Jesus is implicitly king to those soldiers. For the mission of the Davidic king is the unification not only of the tribes of Israel but also of the tribes of the world. What commenced with David’s gathering of the tribes of Israel would soon reach completion in the criminal raised high on the cross, thereby drawing all people to himself.
God created us with legitimate needs. We all have legitimate physical, emotional, intellectual, & spiritual needs. The most basic understanding of these legitimate needs comes from considering our relationship to food, water, & oxygen. To east & drink are legitimate needs. If you don't eat & drink, you will die. if you don't breathe, you will die even faster. God gave us these needs for a reason. When we hear them calling to us, we hear the voice of God.†
"As we keep our gaze fixed on the Passion & death of the Lord, let us receive in our heart His boundless love & in silence await the Resurrection."Little Flower Quote o' That Day
—Pope Francis
"It is true that Our Lady is Queen of Heaven & earth, but at the same time she is more Mother than Queen."Saint Quote o' That Day
—St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Doctor of the Church (1873-1897, feast day: 1 October)
"What is essential is not what we say but what God tells us & what He tells others through us. In silence He listens to us; in silence He speaks to our souls. In silence we are granted to privilege of listening to His voice."
—St. Teresa of Calcutta (A.K.A. Mother Teresa, 1910-1997; feast day: 5 September)
"Sweet Sacrament of rest,
Ark from the ocean's roar,
Within Thy shelter blest,
Soon may we reach the shore;
Save us, for still the tempest raves,
Save, lest we sink beneath the waves:
Sweet Sacrament of rest,
Sweet Sacrament of rest."
Friends, in today’s Gospel, the Pharisees plot to kill Jesus because he raised Lazarus. We see here a particular form of opposition, namely, scapegoating. René Girard identified the scapegoating mechanism as basic to the maintenance of order in most human communities. When tensions arise among people due to competitive desire, scapegoats—usually outsiders—are automatically singled out, and upon them is cast the collective anxiety of the group.Video reflection by Harry Dudley, D.Min,: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
The leaders of the nation are seeking to isolate and eliminate Jesus because they are anxious to soothe tensions among the people. The author of John’s Gospel stresses this dimension when he puts in the mouth of Caiaphas the words: "You do not understand that it is better for you to have one man die for the people than to have the whole nation destroyed."
But, in Jesus, the true God will undermine this officially sanctioned scapegoating by becoming the scapegoat himself.
"May we exercise all forms pf power as service for God & for brothers & sisters, with the criteria of love, of justice, & of service to the common good."Little Flower Quote o' That Day
—Pope Francis
"How I would like to make you understand the tenderness of the Heart of Jesus, what He is asking of you."Saint Quote o' That Day
—St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Doctor of the Church (1873-1897, feast day: 1 October)
"Faith means battles; if there are no contests, it is because there are none who desire to contend."
—St. Ambrose of Milan, Doctor of the Church (circa 340-397, feast day: 7 December)
Friends, in today’s Gospel, Jewish leaders attempt to stone Jesus because he claimed to be the Son of God. He defended his identity, saying "If I do not perform my Father’s works, do not believe me; but if I perform them, even if you do not believe me, believe the works, so that you may realize and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father."Video reflection by Deacon Mike Pawelek: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
At the Last Supper, Jesus would further explain his intimate relationship with the Father. There he lays out for us the co-inherence that obtains at the most fundamental dimension of being, that is to say, within the very existence of God. "Lord," Philip said to him, "Show us the Father, and that will be enough for us." Jesus replied, "Philip, after I have been with you all this time, you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father."
How can this be true, unless the Father and the Son coinhere in each other? Though Father and Son are truly distinct, they are utterly implicated in each other by a mutual act of love. As Jesus says, "It is the Father who lives in me, accomplishing his works."
"Let us ask the Lord to show us & the world the beauty & fullness of this new life, of being born of the Spirit, of treating each other with kindness, with respect. Let us ask for this grace for us all."Little Flower Quote o' That Day
—Pope Francis
"To be His, one must remain little, little like a drop of dew!… Oh! how few are the souls who aspire to remain little in this way!"Saint Quote o' That Day
—St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Doctor of the Church (1873-1897, feast day: 1 October)
"For faith is the beginning & the end is love, & God is the two of them brought into unity. After these comes whatever else makes up a Christian gentleman."
—St. Ignatius of Antioch, Apostolic Father (circa 35-108, feast day: 17 October)
Friends, in today’s Gospel Jesus asks his disciples to go into Jerusalem and prepare a Passover supper.Video reflection by Jem Sullivan, Ph.D.: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
At the heart of the Passover meal was the eating of a lamb, which had been sacrificed, in remembrance of the lambs of the original Passover, whose blood had been smeared on the doorposts of the Israelites in Egypt. Making his Last Supper a Passover meal, Jesus was signaling the fulfillment of John the Baptist’s prophecy that he, Jesus, would be the Lamb of God and the definitive sacrifice.
This sacrifice is made sacramentally present at every Mass—not for the sake of God, who has no need of it, but for our sake. In the Mass, we participate in the act by which divinity and humanity are reconciled, and we eat the sacrificed body and drink the poured-out blood of the Lamb of God.
"This week let us think deeply about the suffering of Jesus & let us say to ourselves: this is for my sake. Even if I had been the only person in the world, He would have done it. He did it for me. Let us kiss the crucifix & say: for my sake, thank You, Jesus, for me."Little Flower Quote o' This Day
—Pope Francis
"God alone can sound the heart!"Saint Quote o' This Day
—St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Doctor of the Church (1873-1897, feast day: 1 October)
"He who can preserve gentleness amid pains, & peace amid worry multitude of affairs, is almost perfect."
—St. Francis de Sales, Doctor of the Church (1567-1622, feast day: 24 January)
Friends, in today’s Gospel Jesus foretells the denial of Peter, which is fulfilled in the account of the Passion. Peter later denies Jesus three times before the cock crows and, remembering Jesus’ prediction, breaks down and weeps.Video reflection by Sr. Johnice Rzadkiewicz, C.S.S.F.: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
After the Resurrection, Peter and the other disciples returned to Galilee to work as fishermen again, and there spotted Jesus on the far shore. As Jesus draws Peter back into his circle of intimacy, we witness a beautiful act of spiritual direction. Three times the Lord asks Peter whether he loves him, and three times Peter affirms it: "Lord, you know that I love you."
St. Augustine was the first to comment that the threefold statement of love was meant to counteract the threefold denial. Peter emerges as the archetype of the forgiven and commissioned church, for after each of his reaffirmations, Peter hears the command to tend the sheep. Once we are brought back into friendship with Jesus, we are called to love those whom he loves.
"Have I lost the joy of the marvel of the first encounter with Jesus? Today is a day for listening."Little Flower Quote o' the Day
—Pope Francis
"My life is but an instant, an hour that passes by."Saint Quote o' the Day
—St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Doctor of the Church (1873-1897, feast day: 1 October)
"Acquire the habit of speaking to God as if you were alone with God. Speak with familiarity & confidence as to your dearest & most loving friend. Speak of your life, your plans, your troubles, your joys, & your fears. In return, God will speak to you—not that you will hear audible words in your ears, but words that you will clearly understand in your heart. These may be feelings of peace, hope, interior joy, or sorrow for sin… gentle knockings at the door of your heart."
—St. Alphonsus Ligouri, Doctor of the Church (1696-1787, feast day: 1 August)
Friends, in today’s Gospel Mary of Bethany anoints Jesus for his death and burial. By this act, she anticipates the visit of three women to the tomb of Jesus. Early on the morning of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene, Mary the Mother of James, and Salome will bring spices to anoint the body of Jesus.Video reflection by Msgr. James Vlaun (Telecare T.V.): United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
They will look in and see a young man—and be frightened out of their wits. Can you imagine? You walk into a tomb, fully expecting to see a dead body, and you see instead someone alive and well—someone different than the man who was buried there! But that will not be the end of their surprise. The man will announce that the Jesus whom they seek is not there, that he has been raised up and will go ahead of them into Galilee.
From this grave of Jesus we will learn that everything we took to be the case is not the case. God is the enemy of death, and he has shown us his power over death in the most unambiguous way; our lives no longer need to be dominated by the fear of death, and we see the proof of this in the most vivid way imaginable.
Keep all of that in mind as we read this beautiful story of Mary of Bethany anointing the feet of Jesus.
"We thank God, Who has raised up in many a desire to be close to their neighbor & to follow the law of charity which is the heart of the Gospel."Little Flower Quote o' the Day
—Pope Francis
"How powerless I am to express in human language the secrets of heaven!"Saint Quote o' the Day
—St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Doctor of the Church (1873-1897, feast day: 1 October)
"When you encounter difficulties & contradictions, do not try to break them, but bend them with gentleness & time."
—St. Francis de Sales, Doctor of the Church (1567-1622, feast day: 24 January)
"Lord, let me walk that lonely road with You,
Under the weight of the wood,
Lord, Let me walk that last miles in Your shoes,
Under the weight of the wood,
Freedom can be found, laden down,
Under the weight of the wood…
"Father, forgive them, they don't know what they do,
Under the weight of the wood…"
"…No time for mediocrity,Side note: One week 'til SKApril '18! Put your dancing shoes on & get ready to skank.
Convenience, or practicality.
"He went all out for us,
Say what you will,
I'll answer to my God!
"I'm a freak, & they say I've lost my mind,
But I know I've never seen so clearly,
When I speak they say I've gone too far this time,
And lets me know, I have not gone nearly…"
"Take our music, take away our lives,
Jesus still remains.
I wonder what will people think
When they hear that I'm a Jesus Freak…"
Friends, today Jesus refers to himself as "I AM," the name God revealed to Moses. So, let’s reflect on this episode from Genesis. While tending sheep in the hill country, Moses sees a strange sight. There an angel of the Lord appears to him in fire, flaming out of a bush. God sees him and calls him by name: "Moses, Moses. I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob." This is a very familiar God, one who knows Moses’ ancestors.Video reflection by Fr. Roger Lopez, O.F.M. (Franciscan Media): U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
Moses makes bold to ask, "If the Israelites ask me, ‘what is his name?’ what am I to tell them?" "God replied, ‘I am who I am.’" What does that mean? God is saying, in essence, "I cannot be defined, described, or delimited. I am not a being, but rather the sheer act of to-be itself."
"This is what you shall tell the Israelites: I AM sent me to you." The sheer act of being itself cannot be avoided, and it cannot be controlled. It can only be surrendered to in faith. How shocking and strange Jesus’ listeners must have found it when Jesus took this name for himself!
"Our hope is in Your hands. O Lord, preserve our hope."Little Flower Quote o' the Day
—Pope Francis
"Jesus prefers leaving me in darkness to giving me a false light which would not be Himself."Saint Quote o' the Day
—St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Doctor of the Church (1873-1897, feast day: 1 October)
"This, in short, is the difference between us & others who know not God, that in misfortune they complain & murmur, while the adversity does not call us away from the truth of virtue & faith, but strengthens us by its suffering."
—St. Cyprian of Carthage (200-258, feast day: 16 September)
"She's like a baby, I'm like a cat,Then again, if restlessly chasing the next goalpost helps me to attain a healthier, more sustainable weight, one more pleasing to the bishop & my future seminary formators, all to the good; I will gladly chance the hazard. Onward!
When we're happy we both get fat…"
Friends, today in our Gospel Jesus confronts those Jewish leaders who want to kill him, telling them that they are hardened in their sin. He speaks, "Amen, amen, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin."cette claudication mystérieuse, this mysterious limp. It is a deformation, a corruption.
In our tradition, sin is a kind of non-being, an illusion, if you will. To live in sin is to live stubbornly in an unreal world. Our mind becomes confused, and our will disoriented. This helps explain why the devil is often referred to as the father of lies.
Theologian Henri de Lubac gives voice to this conviction when he refers to sin as
"O God, Eternal father, in Your mercy hear our prayer which we raise up to You amidst the deafening noise & desperation of the world. We turn to You with great hope, full of trust in Your infinite Mercy. We ask for the gift of peace."Little Flower Quote o' the Day
—Pope Francis
"Jesus, hidden in my poor little heart, has once again made me understand how hollow & empty are all passing things."Saint Quote o' the Day
—St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Doctor of the Church (1873-1897, feast day: 1 October)
"Be a good child, & God will help you."
—St. Joan of Arc (1412-1431, feast day: 30 May)
"I just made an enemy of someone I don't know
And they are upset about something that I must have done,
It really doesn't make much sense,
Well, I've got no statement in my defense—but!
"I know,
No matter what,
No matter who,
No matter what I do,
Somebody hates me!
(Somebody hates me!)
Somebody hates me! Somebody hates me!
(Somebody hates me!)
Somebody hates me!
Somebody hates me & I hate somebody, too!
"Did you misunderstand something that I did?
Or was there one of my jokes that you didn't get?
Or do you think you got the way I think all figured out?
What did I say to make you feel not cool now? Well!
"I know,
No matter what,
No matter who,
No matter what I do,
Somebody hates me!
(Somebody hates me!)
Somebody hates me! Somebody hates me!
(Somebody hates me!)
Somebody hates me!
Somebody hates me & I hate somebody, too!
"I know it's wrong,
I do it too (I do it, too),
I guess I should say:
Don't let it get to you…"
"By the pricking of my thumbs,For all that, though, I'm accustomed to that envy-inspired hated. (More on that with Wednesday's R.B.D.S.O.T.D.) No, the true trouble was among us. We Misty Beavers have always won the quiz because we won the fun, because we laugh & joke & pound the table & chant loudly & absurdly. (Small wonder we're reviled.) This year, though, we were all out of sorts. We were nervous, agitated, on edge. We were relatively joyless. We seemed to be convinced that we could only win the fun if we won the quiz, perceiving the matter exactly backwards. The Bard of Avon again comes to mind, the line from Julius Caesar:
Something wicked this way comes."
"The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars,There had been very little communication 'twixt us all in the weeks leading up to History Quiz Night. As the night unfolded, it turned out that the fault really was in ourselves, not in our stars. There were fractures that needed to be mended, friendships that had been neglected that needed to be reaffirmed & rejuvenated. Something was off that night. Something was odd that night. Which takes us to "Season of the Witch."
But in ourselves, that we are underlings."
"When I look out my window,
So many sights to see,
When I look in my window,
So many different people to be.
"You got to pick up every stitch,
Rabbits running in the ditch,
Beatniks are out to make it rich,
Oh no, oh no, must be the season of the witch,
Must be the season of the witch,
Must be the season of the witch,
Must be the season of the witch."
Friends, in today’s Gospel Jesus prophesies his crucifixion and his Father’s role in his coming death. What enabled the first Christians to hold up the cross, to sing its praises, to wear it as a decoration is the fact that God raised up and ratified precisely this crucified Jesus. “You killed him, but God raised him up.” Therefore, God was involved in this terrible thing; God was there, working out his salvific purposes.Video reflection by Fr. Ross Chamberland, O.F.M.: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
But what does this mean? There have been numerous attempts throughout the Christian centuries to name the salvific nature of the cross. Let me offer just one take on it. It became clear to the first Christians that somehow, on that terrible cross, sin had been dealt with. The curse of sin had been removed, taken care of. On that terrible cross, Jesus functioned as the “lamb of God,” sacrificed for sin.
Does this mean God the Father is a cruel taskmaster, demanding a bloody sacrifice so that his anger might be appeased? No, Jesus’ crucifixion was the opening up of the divine heart so that we could see that no sin of ours could finally separate us from the love of God.
"May the Lord grant us the grace to understand this mystery of the cross a little better."Little Flower Quote o' the Day
—Pope Francis
"I thank You, O my God, for all the graces You have given me."Saint Quote o' the Day
—St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Doctor of the Church (1873-1897, feast day: 1 October)
"To attribute to God, & not to self, whatever good one sees in oneself; but to recognize always that the evil is one's own doing, & to impute it on one's self."
—St. Benedict of Nursia (480-547, feast day: 11 July)
In Matthew, the infant Jesus, like Moses, is in peril from a cruel king; like Moses, He has a (fore)father named Joseph who goes down to Egypt; like the Old Testament Joseph, his Joseph has a father named Jacob; & both Josephs receive important dreams foretelling their future. The last time Joseph appears in person in any Gospel is in the story of the Passover visit to the Temple in Jerusalem when Jesus is twelve years old.Scripture of the Day
Friends, today’s Gospel centers on the intriguing figure of Joseph. Joseph is one of the most beloved of the saints, featured in countless works of art and prominent in the devotional lives of many.Video reflection by Msgr. James Vlaun (Telecare T.V.): United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
We know almost nothing about him, yet some very powerful spiritual themes emerge in the accounts of Joseph. He had become betrothed to Mary, and this union had been blessed by God. And then he finds that his betrothed is pregnant.
This must have been an emotional maelstrom for him. And, at a deeper level, it is a spiritual crisis. What does God want him to do? Then the angel appears to him in a dream and tells him, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home." He realizes at that moment that these puzzling events are part of a much greater plan of God’s. What appears to be a disaster from his perspective is meaningful from God’s perspective.
Joseph was willing to cooperate with the divine plan, though he in no way knew its contours or deepest purpose. Like Mary at the Annunciation, he trusted and let himself be led.
"I entrust myself to You because You do not disappoint; I do not understanding, but even without understanding, I entrust myself to Your hands."Little Flower Quote o' the Day
—Pope Francis
"St. Joseph, how I love him! What does me a lot of good when I think of the Holy Family is to imagine a life that was very ordinary, just like our own."Saint Quote o' the Day
—St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Doctor of the Church (1873-1897, feast day: 1 October)
"If there be a true way that leads to the Everlasting Kingdom, it is most certainly that of suffering, patiently endured."
—St. Colette (1381-1447, feast day: 7 February)
Friends, our Gospel for today contains one of the most beautiful and terrible summations of the Christian message: “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit.”Video reflection by Father Greg Friedman, O.F.M.: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
And now this one upon whom the crowds had pinned their hopes is speaking of falling to the earth and dying. And then it gets stranger. “The man who loves his life loses it, while the man who hates his life in this world preserves it to life eternal.” Come again?!
Just when we are raising you up, you’re talking about falling down; just when we are showing you that your life has come to its fulfillment, you’re talking about hating this life.
To understand what all this means, we should go back to the grain of wheat that falls to the earth. A seed’s life is inside, yes, but it’s a life that grows by being given away and mixing with the soil around it. It has to crack open, to be destroyed.
Jesus’ sign is the sign of the cross. The Death that leads to Transfiguration.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church wastes no time in addressing this truth. The opening point of Chapter One, Section One, reads, "The desire for God is written in the human heart, because man is created by God & for God; & God never ceases to draw man to himself. Only in God will man find the truth & happiness he never stops yearning for.†
"May the Lord today, give us all the grace to rise from our sins, to come out of our tombs; with the voice of Jesus, calling us to go out, to go to Him."Little Flower Quote o' the Day
—Pope Francis
"Turn your eyes back upon yourself, & you will not judge the doings of others."Saint Quote o' the Day
—St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Doctor of the Church (1873-1897, feast day: 1 October)
"Receive communion by making a throne: one hand under the other, ready to receive our great King."
—St. Cyril of Jerusalem, Doctor of the Church (313-386, feast day: 18 March)