The consolation from last Sunday has faded, but I've not sunk back into the utter desolation of the preceding ten days.
'Tis the Thursday of the Fifth Week of Lent (meaning "Spring;" the Latin name is Quadragesima, meaning "fortieth"): Quadragesima-link & Wikipedia-link Quadragesima.
Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Thursday of the Fifth Week of Lent
The Book of Genesis, chapter seventeen, verses three thru nine;
Psalm One Hundred Five (R/. eight[a]), verses four & five, six & seven, & eight & nine;
The Gospel according to John, chapter eight, verses fifty-one thru fifty-nine.
Commentary: Reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):
Friends, in today’s Gospel Jesus asserts his pre-existence by declaring that "before Abraham came to be, I AM."Video reflection by Father Roger Lopez, O.F.M. (U.S.C. of Catholic Bishops): Daily Reflection.
There has been a disturbing tendency in recent years to turn Jesus into an inspiring spiritual teacher. If that’s all he is, the heck with him. But the Gospels are never content with such a reductive description. Though they present him as a teacher, they know that he is infinitely more than that. That something else is at stake in him and our relation to him.
Scripture clearly teaches that Jesus is divine. He once declared, "Have faith in God; have faith also in me." We can easily imagine other religious founders urging faith in God, but we’d be hard pressed to imagine them urging the same faith in themselves! But on Jesus’ lips, the two are parallel.
As C.S. Lewis so vividly saw, this means that Jesus compels us to make a choice the way no other figure does. Either you are with Jesus or you are against him. There is no other way to take in this language. To get this wonderful paradox is to come close to the heart of what it means to be a Christian.
Reflect: Reflect on this statement: "Either Jesus is who he says he is, or he is a lying lunatic. There is no middle ground." Where do you stand?
"Easter of Hope" Reflection (Array of Hope):
In today’s Gospel, Jesus is once again explaining to the Jews that He is God, the great “I AM.” Both human and divine, He is the great healer, forgiver of sins, and comes from our loving and merciful Father. The Jews did not want to accept Jesus as their Messiah because He did not fulfill their expectations. They were so angry at His claims that they wanted to stone Him. Their hard hearts refused to be open to the mystery of God's plan of salvation in Christ and closed themselves off from the new life Jesus was offering.Scripture Study—Prophetic Books
How often do we reject God? We want to control our life and plan how we think it should turn out. We try to fit God into our own self-designed boxes, but God is a God of surprises and wants to open us up to even greater possibilities than we could even plan or dream! This is the beauty of our Catholic faith. We have a God who is actively pursuing us amid our doubt and unbelief. We are called to place our trust in His unfailing promises. In turn, a sense of peace will come over us because we know that He has a beautiful plan for our lives. As we approach Easter, let us open ourselves more fully to the mystery of God.
Today’s Tip: Take a few minutes to remember a moment of consolation, a moment in your life where you really felt the presence of God in your life, and sit with that moment embracing the closeness of our mysterious yet loving God.
The Book of Daniel, chapter one (verses one thru twenty-one);
The Book of Daniel, chapter two (verses one thru forty-nine).
Commentary: Four Young Israelites at the Babylonian Court (Daniel, 1:1-2:16), God Reveals Nebuchadnezzar's Dream (2:17-23), Daniel Interprets the Dream (2:24-45), & Daniel & His Friends Promoted (2:46-49).
I find rich the readings from Daniel whenever we encounter them in the Lectionary (the Mass Readings), but I've not read the whole book since I skimmed it back in my undergraduate course with Professor Ralph Williams, "The Bible as Literature." I hope to read several of the Prophetic Books, though there is every chance I will re-read the Acts of the Apostles during the Paschaltide.
Scripture Study—Exodus 90: Day 81
The Book of Exodus, chapter thirty-five, verses one thru twelve;
The Book of Exodus, chapter thirty-seven, verses one two, ten, seventeen, twenty-five, & twenty-nine;
The Book of Exodus, chapter thirty-eight, verses one & two.
Commentary: Sabbath Regulations (Exodus, 35:1-3, Preparations for Making the Tabernacle (35:4-12), Making the Ark of the Covenant (37:1-2), Making the Table (37:10), Making the Lampstand (37:17), Making the Altar of Incense (35:25), Making the Anointing Oil & Incense (37:29), & Making the Altar of Burnt Offering (38:1-2).
Scripture Study—The 3:16 Project
The Book of Micah, chapter three, verse twelve.
Therefore because of youCommentary: Several of the chapters of Micah have sixteen or more verses, but chapter three has only twelve.
Zion shall be plowed as a field;
Jerusalem shall become a heap of ruins,
& the mountains of the house a wooded height.
'Tis the Optional Memorial of Saint Francis of Paola, Hermit, O.M. (1416-1507, A.K.A. the Fire Handler), founder of the Order of Minims (1435, O.M.): Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link; Order-link O.M. & Wikipedia-link O.M.
Commentary: Wayback Machine.
'Tis also the commemoration of Saint Aphian of Caesarea, Martyr (circa 287-305, also spelt Appian, etc.), martyred in the reign of the Roman emperors Galerius & Constantius, a victim of the Great Persecution (303-313): Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link; Persecutions-link & Wikipedia-link Great Persecution.
Commentary: Brother of the martyr St. Aedesius of Alexandria [8 April].
'Tis also the commemoration of Saint Theodosia of Tyre, Martyr (circa 290-307, also spelt Theodora), martyred in the reign of the Roman emperors Galerius & Constantius, a victim of the Great Persecution (303-313): Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link; Persecutions-link & Wikipedia-link Great Persecution.
'Tis also the commemoration of Saint John Payne, Priest & Martyr (1532-1582), martyred in the reign of the English queen Elizabeth I, one of the Forty Martyrs of England & Wales: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link; Martyrs-link England & Wales & Wikipedia-link England & Wales.
'Tis also the commemoration of Blessed Elizabetta Vendramini, Religious, T.O.S.F. (1790-1860), foundress of the Franciscan Elizabethan Sisters: Blessed-link, Blessed-link (List), & Wikipedia-link.
'Tis also the commemoration of Blessed Vilmos Apor, Bishop & Martyr (1892-1945) Bishop of Győr (1941-1945), martyred in the reign of the Communist dictator Joseph Stalin for defending women against a Red Army rape gang: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Győr.
Papal Quote o' the Day
"Christian renunciation is an authentic way of Christian life.It implies a hierarchical classification of its goods & it stimulates us to choose the better part. It gives us practice in self-control,& it establishes a mysterious economy of expiation, which makes us participants in Christ's redeption."Saint Quote o' the Day
—Pope St. Paul VI (1897-1978, r. 1963-1978; feast: 29 May)
"We must often feel weary & tired, yet God brings us through all these things."Chesterton Quote o' the Day
—St. Mary of the Cross MacKillop (1842-1909, feast: 8 August)
"When we have come to the end of a thing we have come to the beginning of it."
—G. K. Chesterton (1874-1936)
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