My parish does not normally have a Mass on Mondays. This is altogether reasonable, since we normally have three liturgies on Sunday: 9:00 A.M., 11:00 A.M., & 5:00 P.M., plus the 4:00 P.M. Saturday anticipatory Mass. For the duration of the COVID-19-inspired interdict against faithful, we will be live-streaming the Saturday anticipatory Mass as our only weekend liturgy. Yesterday (Sunday, 22 March), we had no Masses, though the chaplain of Powers Catholic High School used our parish church & our live-streaming setup to live-stream an all-school Mass for Powers's homebound students & faculty. This morning, to my surprise, I found no less than three e-mails in my inbox containing hyperlinks to the live-stream of the Monday morning Mass. Strange days.
'Tis the Monday of the Fourth Week of Lent (meaning "Spring;" the Latin name is Quadragesima, meaning "fortieth"): Quadragesima-link & Wikipedia-link Quadragesima.
Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Monday of the Fourth Week of Lent
The Book of Isaiah, chapter sixty-five, verses seventeen thru twenty-one;
Psalm Thirty (R/. two[a]), verses two & four; five & six; & eleven, twelve(a), & thirteen(b) ;
The Gospel according to John, chapter four, verses forty-three thru fifty-four.
Commentary: Reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):
Friends, in today’s Gospel Jesus heals the son of a royal official.Video reflection by Monsignor James Vlaun (U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops): Daily Reflection.
Healer: that’s why he’s come; that’s who he is. In Jesus, divinity and humanity meet. His hands and mouth and his eyes, his whole body becomes a conduit of God’s energy. What’s God’s energy, God’s purpose? To set right a world gone wrong, a suffering world. Out of every pore of his body, Jesus expresses the healing love of God.
Jesus’ ministry of healing expresses in history God’s ultimate intention for the world. In Jesus we see a hint of that world to come where there will be no more suffering, no more sadness, no more sickness.
He does not wait for the sinner, the sufferer, the marginalized to come to him. In love and humility, he goes to them. This same Jesus, risen from the dead, present and alive in the Church, is still seeking us out, coming into our homes—not waiting for us to crawl to him, but seeking us out in love and humility.
Reflect: How do you need Jesus to heal you?
"Easter of Hope" Reflection (Array of Hope):
In Today’s Gospel, a man from Capernuam went far out of his way to travel to Cana in pursuit of Jesus. He must have possessed such great faith in Jesus to have left his suffering son. If members of his household did not believe, would they have been upset to know that he left or just think he was foolish? Because of his courage and trust, he becomes a great example for us. He believed, he asked, and he received. The man was given no proof that his son had been healed, but he returned home believing everything Jesus told him. Only as he journeyed back, did he learn that his son was healed precisely at the hour Jesus said. Jesus could have chosen to heal the child at any time, but He chose a time that would lead to further conviction, not just for the man, but for his entire household.we see fit. However, God’s perfect timing sometimes means immediate results, and other times, it may take some time before His Power is manifested. If God has responded to our prayer, we should first ask Him what He desires to show us. It is only when we believe and allow the Lord to open our eyes, that we are able to see the miracles He is continuously working around us, in us, and through us. Seeing strengthens our belief but believing is what makes us see.
How often do we want God to wow us with what we want, but then want to be left alone from what He asks of us? Jesus is always giving us signs and working wonders, but we often do not acknowledge them, for we think they came from another source. When we do not receive what we expected, we claim that God does not care about us, or even exist. In our pride, we are often convinced that we know what is best and that God should act only as
Today’s Tip: Is there a situation that you have been praying about for a while and have not seen the answer to your prayer? Pray to God to ask how He is working in this situation and use the eyes of your heart to see where He is answering prayers in your life. Scripture Study—Exodus 90: Day 71
The Book of Exodus, chapter thirty, verses twenty-two thru thirty-three.
Commentary: The Anointing Oil & Incense (Exodus, 30:22-33).
Scripture Study—Wisdom Books
The Book of Sirach, chapter forty-one (verses one thru twenty-three);
The Book of Sirach, chapter forty-two (verses one thru twenty-five).
Commentary: A Series of Contrasts (Sirach, 41:1-42:25).
Scripture Study—The 3:16 Project
The Book of Jeremiah, chapter chapter three, verse sixteen.
And when you have multiplied & increased in the land, in those days, says the LORD, they shall no more say, "The ark of the covenant of the LORD." It shall not come to mind, or be remembered, or missed; it shall not be made again.'Tis the Optional Memorial of Saint Turibius of Mogrevejo, Bishop (1538-1606), third (III) Archbishop of Lima (1579-1606): Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Lima.
Commentary: Wayback Machine.
'Tis also the commemoration of Saint Gwinear, Martyr (died circa 460, A.K.A. Fingar), martyred in the reign of the Cornish king Tewdwr Mawr: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link.
'Tis also the commemoration of Saint Æthelwold of Farne, Priest, O.S.B. (died circa 699; A.K.A. the Hermit; also spelt Ethelwald, Oidilwald): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.
'Tis also the commemoration of Blessed Edmund Sykes, Priest & Martyr (circa 1550-1587), martyred in the reign of the English queen Elizabeth I, one of the Eighty-five Martyrs of England & Wales: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link; Martyr-link England & Wales & Wikipedia-link England & Wales.
'Tis also the commemoration of Blessed Peter O'Higgins, Priest & Martyr, O.P. (1601-1642, also spelt Peadar Ó Huiggin), martyred in the reign of the English king Charles I, one of the Irish Martyrs: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link (List); Martyr-link Éire & Wikipedia-link Éire.
'Tis also the commemoration of Saint José Orioli, Priest (1650-1702, the "Wonder-worker of Barcelona;" Anglicized as Joseph Oriol): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.
Proverb o' the Day (Sirach, 41:3-4a)
Do not fear the sentence of death;Papal Quote o' the Day
remember your former days & the end of life;
this is the degree from the Lord for all flesh,
& how can you reject the good pleasure of the Most High?
"Because all are entrusted with the vast area of charity & material assistance, I invite you to give generously. Give for the maintenance & support of seminarians, for the formation of the laity, in particular of catechists, for the construction of churches, schools, hospitals, & social work."Saint Quote o' the Day
—Pope St. John Paul II the Great (1920-2005, r. 1978-2005; feast: 22 October)
"Note that all are sinners, as the two revolutionaries, or thieves, were both sinners. They both blasphemed when they began. There was no difference between them. Then one of them responded to grace, & the other interpreted the power of God as doing something good for himself, & so he said, 'If you're the Son of God, save yourself & save us.' That's all God is for. What would he have done with his life had it been given to him? He would have gone on with the dirty business of thieving. So, on the last day there will be the good & the bad. This is judgment in its prologue."Chesterton Quote o' the Day
—Ven. Fulton Sheen (1895-1979)
"Wherever there are happy men they will build beautiful things."
—G. K. Chesterton (1874-1936)
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