The Catholic Calendar for Thursday, March 31, 2005
Thursday in the Octave of Easter

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Psalm 8:2,5-9
Acts 3:11-26
Luke 24:35-48

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

In His name, penance for remission of sins
is to be preached to all nations. (see Luke 24:47)

We are all aware that words can exert great power over our attitudes and behavior. What we're not aware of is that whatever choices we make spring from only two possible sources: we can simply satisfy our own "wants" and self-desires; or we can look beyond ourselves to seek the good of others by allowing God's truth and love to guide our choices.

Today's readings affirm certain basic principles that apply universally and if followed sincerely, could reverse the self-destructive, downward spiral of human history as it preys on one another with evermore deadly weapons.

• Christ, the holy One of God, the living Word of the Father, died for our sins to cancel our debt to God incurred by our many heinous offenses against Him. He rose from the dead to offer us the knowledge and ability to walk in a new life of justice and peace.
  
  
• Man's purpose for existence and his ultimate destiny is to live blessed lives on this earth by living in God's holy Word, in the love and truth of God revealed to us by Jesus Christ.
  
  
• We who sincerely seek and accept the gift of new life through faith in Christ will be anointed by God's Holy Spirit Who teaches and empowers us to live Christ-like lives.
  

The glory of Easter Sunday was not intended to be a one-day celebration revealing God's glory and His love for us. Humanity was created to spend their entire lives in the joy of this day if they would only choose to live selflessly, free from sin and fully alive to God.

O Blessed Lord,
send forth Your Spirit upon us.
Amen

- Marie Bocko, OCDS
(mlbocko at earthlink dot net)

____________________

These meditations are also available by email subscription
©1986-2005 The Way, The Truth, The Life

The Catholic Calendar for Wednesday, March 30, 2005
Wednesday in the Octave of Easter

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Acts 3:1-10
Psalm 105:1-4,6-9
Luke 24:13-35

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

". . . He was made known to them in the breaking of the bread." (Luke 24:35)

When the unthinkable happens in our lives, we search for meaning and hope, trying to understand the message certain events can have for us. When life contravenes most cruelly the expectations we have, we can become lost and despondent. This was the case for Cleopas and his fellow-disciple on the road to Emmaus.

We can each walk that road at different intervals in our lives. Meeting Jesus on the road to Emmaus helped the disciples understand the significance of the recent events and how important these events were in fulfilling God's plan. Yet, only in the breaking of the bread with Jesus did their eyes open, and did they recognise Him for who He really was.

Through the Eucharist we really come to know and see Jesus. As Jesus grows in us, we grow in understanding and become seekers and reflectors of truth. Through the Eucharist our blindness dissipates and sees things as they really are.

Today, let us rejoice in the risen Lord and His gift to us of His precious Body and Blood, forever keeping us in His love and truth.

- Cliodhna Doyle
(cliadoyle at hotmail dot com)

____________________

These meditations are also available by email subscription
©1986-2005 The Way, The Truth, The Life

The Catholic Calendar for Tuesday, March 29, 2005
Tuesday in the Octave of Easter

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Acts 2:36--41
Psalm 33:4-5,18-20,22
John 20:11-18

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

"I have seen the Lord," Mary Magdalene tells the disciples when she sees the risen Lord outside the tomb. What a truly wonderful message this must have been to deliver to His followers. Their hopes of a new kingdom on earth shattered, in hiding from the authorities, wondering what to do next, the eleven and others must have received this news with a mix of emotions that would be hard to describe. Was it disbelief, shock, rejoicing, relief? Probably all of these and more.

While Mary's statement seems so wonderful, and it is, she is not the only one who can say "I've seen the Lord!" The Holy Father has proclaimed this to be the year of the Eucharist. It is through the Eucharist that we too can say "I have seen the Lord," and we can say it daily and freely just as Mary did, but without the mix of emotions that His followers must have felt.

For us, there is no doubt He is present, He is with us in the Eucharist and what a wonderful gift of Himself He has left us! As we leave the Lenten season and enter the Easter season, let us recommit to our worship of Him through daily attendance at Mass, and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. Tell others, "I have seen the Lord," and invite them to come see Him too.

Praise to Him forever! I have seen the Lord!

- Don Claunch, SFO
(dlclaunch at bresnan dot net)

____________________

These meditations are also available by email subscription
©1986-2005 The Way, The Truth, The Life

The Catholic Calendar for Monday, March 28, 2005
Monday in the Octave of Easter

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Acts 2:14,22-33
Psalm 16:1-2,5,7-11
Matthew 28:8-15

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

The Church is not shy nor does she hold back her joy:

Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

Now at last the "Alleluia's" that were silenced during the 40 days of Lent can burst forth! And what about us? Are our hearts filled with Easter joy? If, perhaps, we don't feel like we're so joyous, we mustn't wrongly judge that feelings have something to do with the effectiveness of the Pascal mystery in our lives.

Wise spiritual teachers have long reminded us that love of God and neighbor is not a matter of feelings, but of affective response. What then shall we do, now that the Church's liturgy brilliantly confirms our faith in the Divine Son of God? How shall we conduct our lives now that we dwell in living hope because of the Resurrected Jesus? And finally, how are the quality of our relationships changed because of the sacrificial love of Christ?

These are questions that are far more important to answer then those that concern how we feel; they find expression in the way we live, and by the way we love. Let us then, not be motivated by how we feel, but by what we know: Jesus Christ is risen from the dead! Let us share the Good News!

- Donna Raye Nelson, OCDS
(drn3rd at hotmail dot com)

____________________

These meditations are also available by email subscription
©1986-2005 The Way, The Truth, The Life

The Catholic Calendar for Sunday, March 27, 2005
Easter Sunday -- The Resurrection of the Lord

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Exodus 14:15--15:1
Romans 6:3-11
Psalm 118:1-2,16-23
Matthew 28:1-10

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

"The disciple whom Jesus loved...saw and believed,
for they did not yet understand the Scripture
that He had to rise from the dead." (see Luke 24:29,34,35)

Preceding His Passion, Jesus carefully reveals to His beloved disciples that He will suffer a sacrificial offering to restore us in covenant with God. This Word graces the minds and hearts of His beloved disciples to be able to behold all with the eyes of faith.

Only one who faithfully remains united in Love may 'see' and behold with these eyes of grace, His true victory. His horrific, passionate, sacrificial offering of pure Love surpasses human nature and understanding. Our Lady is so graced. She 'sees' and suffers Him through all, dying every step of the way to Life.

Luke tells us "the disciple whom Jesus loved", John, who remained with Him beyond his own temptation to fear, deny, and abandon Jesus, was also open to receive these graces to "see and believe' before they were able to return to the Word of scripture and understand that Jesus had to rise from the dead.

One who remains in The One, sees with 'His eyes' what Love is about. When we allow our faith to be shaken, we become scattered from Him in Whom all is restored. Jesus understands our weak, human nature and so promises as our Go-d Shepherd to gather what is scattered, restoring us in His gift of sacrificial offering, to covenantal One Love.

Lord, may we 'see and believe' accepting Your gift of faith that leaves what is dead in sin to rise to new life through, with and in You to the glory of God the Father. Our beLoved Redeemer lives! Alleluia!

- Mary Williams
(www.impactbydesign.biz)

____________________

These meditations are also available by email subscription
©1986-2005 The Way, The Truth, The Life

The Catholic Calendar for Saturday, March 26, 2005
Holy Saturday

A Soliloquy for Holy Saturday:

From Good Friday afternoon until the early hours of dawn on Sunday, the mood of the apostles had to be one of near despair. To them, it was the end of everything. They had locked themselves into the upper room, where just the day before Jesus had spoken such words of love to them. Hopeless and fearful of the authorities, they were convinced that their future lay in shambles. Shamed at their own cowardice at abandoning the Master in his hour of need, they hardly dared look at one another.

And Mary---this sorrowful Mother of Jesus--sat quietly in the shadows, her heart broken and inconsolable. When did she slip out of that upper room, or perhaps, find her way to the tomb to mourn? Soon, Jesus would make His first appearance to Mary--but not yet.

And ourselves? This Holy Saturday is a day of quiet anticipation, of struggling to absorb all that happened in the last 48 hours. What a horrible crime covers the earth with His blood, a blasphemy beyond category, to assassinate the Son of God, How fortunate that Jesus from the Cross cried to the Creator, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." Even as His Precious Blood flows down on the skull of Adam, and all the children of Eve, it converts from condemnation to redemption, from curse to blessing.

What response can we make as we reflect in awe? Heartfelt thanksgiving and praise. Along with all those in the Hell of the Just, including His dear foster-father, St. Joseph, we, the future children of the Promise, are released from eternal banishment, freed for heaven and Eternal Life. As we anticipate your Rising, O Jesus, the Christ, we stir in our hearts all the love we can muster:

"We adore You, O Christ,
and we praise You!
Because by Your holy cross,
You have redeemed the world!

- Msgr. Paul E. Whitmore
(smartins at twcny dot rr dot com)

____________________

These meditations are also available by email subscription
©1986-2005 The Way, The Truth, The Life

The Catholic Calendar for Friday, March 25, 2005
Good Friday of the Lord's Passion

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Isaiah 52:13--53:12
Psalm 31:2,6,12-13,15-17,25
Hebrews 4:14-16;5:7-9
John 18:1--19:42

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

". . . He shall be raised high and greatly exalted."

On this most solemn day, we cannot help but hear the irony of Isaiah's prophecy--the double intention of the words. Indeed Jesus is lifted up and greatly exalted, but only after He was lifted up and greatly debased. So great was this debasement that we have a word for it, kenosis, which means, utter emptying of self.

Jesus's greatest triumph could occur only because Jesus completely emptied himself of Self and took on what God had planned from the beginning. In putting away self, Jesus took on God, just as we, as adopted daughters and sons of God may take on God by putting away self.

Good Friday is good because our redemption was won, and because Jesus showed us how to put on that redemption here and now. His sacrifice was not merely a sacrifice of life, but a sacrifice of self, an abandonment of all the selfishness and self-centeredness that defines the human race.

Good Friday is good because we are shown in full measure the goodness of God, who suffered for us, and the utter ends of vileness that humanity is capable of. The reality of Good Friday is a reality for all the year. Our redemption at so great a cost was not too much cost for God. That is how valuable we are.

Good Friday is good because by following its lessons, we learn to love and we learn how very much we are loved.

May we all be blessed by the example and the lessons of this Good Friday. May we carry them into our lives every day.

- JuandelaCruz
(sriddle415 at yahoo dot com)

____________________

These meditations are also available by email subscription
©1986-2005 The Way, The Truth, The Life

The Catholic Calendar for Thursday, March 24, 2005
Holy Thursday

Scripture from Evening Mass of the Lord's Supper:
Exodus 12:1-8,11-14
Psalm 116:12-13,15-16
1 Corinthians 11:23-26
John 13:1-15

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

As I have done for you, you should do also. . . . (see John 13:15)

The next three days in our liturgical calendar depict events which,
if properly understood and their truths followed, can transform our hearts and minds to change human life for the better. Their basic theme is God's infinite, unconditional love, a love He desires to instill in us so we may share it with one another. God, our Father, sent us His Son to fulfill that love perfectly in full sight of man through the total giving of Himself on the cross for our salvation. Sin, our willful failure to live in His love and truth, separates us from the all-holy God and renders us spiritually dead to Him.

Christ restores us to life by paying the penalty we deserved; He satisfied God's justice by putting our sin to death in His own human flesh. In other words, Jesus wiped the slate clean for us who have faith in Him and who sincerely follow God's living Word, His Christ. More wondrously, Christ's resurrection is God's offer to us of a new glorious life beginning now on earth and continuing in eternity with Him. We cannot accomplish this on our own through purely human effort. God knows our weakness and provides us the grace we need through His Holy Spirit. If we listen to and obey the Spirit, we will receive the wisdom and strength needed to live in Christ's resurrected (holy) life.

Today's Gospel demonstrates the humility of Christ, His willingness
to serve His people by performing the most menial, thankless and undesirable of tasks. Recall that He died for us. His washing of His disciples' feet illustrates that they must first be cleansed so that they can help wash from others' feet, the dirt they gather by walking in this world's sin.

Redeemer King, grant us the grace to be fully cleansed of our transgressions; teach us to live purely and so make Your kingdom visible on this earth and attract others to it. Amen.

- Marie Bocko, OCDS
(mlbocko at earthlink dot net)

____________________

These meditations are also available by email subscription
©1986-2005 The Way, The Truth, The Life

The Catholic Calendar for Wednesday, March 23, 2005
Wednesday of Holy Week

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Isaiah 50:4-9
Psalm 69:8-10,21-22,31,33-34
Matthew 26:14-25

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

The readings for today bring us one step closer to the bloody path to Golgotha and the scene of our redemption when Christ made the ultimate sacrifice of His life. One can easily be shocked at the audacity of Judas for turning Christ in to the soldiers. Judas had the opportunity for an intimate relationship with Christ. He had listened to His teachings, traveled with Him and witnessed His miracles... and yet he chose to turn his back on Christ -- for the thirty pieces of silver.

Though we do not live in the era of Christ, we too have had an opportunity for intimacy with Christ through the intercession of our priests and the teachings and sacraments of the Church. Is there perhaps a bit of Judas in all of us? Sin is turning our back on Christ in small or serious matters. We turn away from Christ in our sin. He never turns away from us. What causes us to sin? Or another way to say it is: "What are our thirty pieces of silver?" We all know our weak spots. If there was no sin there would have been no need of the Crucifixion.

Holy Week is a good time to think about our own 'thirty pieces of silver' and by the grace of God and the Sacrament of Penance, we too, can dash our silver to the ground. What better way to approach Easter morning -- and the rest of our lives!

- Joan of Jesus, OCDS
(jmurphy at utica dot edu)

____________________

These meditations are also available by email subscription
©1986-2005 The Way, The Truth, The Life

The Catholic Calendar for Tuesday, March 22, 2005
Tuesday of Holy Week

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Isaiah 49:1-6
Psalm 71:1-6,15,17
John 13:21-33,36-38

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

How terrible it must have been for Our Lord to know that someone who had been a part of His ministry would betray Him. How terribly difficult it must have been for Him to refrain from stopping Judas from doing what had to be done. It seems that this is just the first terrible part of the whole terrible crucifixion story. But was it all that terrible? From our frail human perspective it sure seems so. However, our Lord knew what must be done and even though He could have called armies of angels to stop the whole process, He did not.

Why? Love, plain and simple. His love for us was and is so complete, so pure, and so thorough, that He couldn't have stopped what happened. His once-and-for-all sacrifice tore the veil of the inner sanctuary so we could commune with the Father and Him directly, forever. He loves us THAT much.

Could He have stopped Judas? Surely! Did He want to stop him? We do not know. But we do know that it all happened for us and for a love that transcends everything.

- Don Claunch, SFO
(dlclaunch at bresnan dot net)

____________________

These meditations are also available by email subscription
©1986-2005 The Way, The Truth, The Life

The Catholic Calendar for Monday, March 21, 2005
Monday of Holy Week

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Isaiah 42:1-7
Psalm 27:1-3,13-14
John 12:1-11

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

The tone of today's Holy Scripture readings portend both the growing conspiracy to crucify Jesus and the joy of Christ's final victory over sin and death. It always seems as though one cannot speak of victory without death, nor in the case of Jesus, death without victory.

It must be so with us who are to be His sincere followers, we must be willing to put to death those things that interfere with us loving God wholeheartedly, if we hope to share in the victory of Easter.

Here, only days away from the sacred celebration of our salvation we may wonder how we can satisfactorily do that. There is so little time left and so much to atone for. So little time to make up for the days we have failed to sacrifice. So little time to demonstrate that we take seriously the call to repentance and conversion.

If we didn't examine carefully the words of Scripture we might have missed the point that Jesus came to give us hope so that we might not despair over our weakness, but instead take refuge in Him and have Easter joy.

Let us do it, then! Let us take refuge in Christ truly present in the Sacraments of His Church, and seek forgiveness in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Time is short, but do not despair because of wasted opportunities, but instead give thanks to God for this day for forgiveness.

- Donna Raye Nelson, OCDS
(drn3rd at hotmail dot com)

____________________

These meditations are also available by email subscription
©1986-2005 The Way, The Truth, The Life

The Catholic Calendar for Sunday, March 20, 2005
Palm Sunday of the Lord's Passion

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Matthew 21:1-11
Isaiah 50:4-7
Psalm 22:8-9,17-20,23-24
Philippians 2:6-11
Matthew 26:14--27:66

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

"Surely it is not I, Lord?"

The apostles were deeply distressed when Jesus announced at the Last Supper, "Amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me," One after another pleaded, "Surely it is not I, Lord? Even though I should have to die with you, I will not deny you," each vowed.

Jesus guides: "watch and pray that you may not undergo the test. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak." He says "My soul is sorrowful even to death" and requests they watch with Him in the garden. His disciples sleep, failing to give Him their support.

Promising "though all may have their faith in you shaken, mine will never be," Peter swears, curses, and denies vehemently that he knows his beloved Jesus. The apostles who vowed to die rather than deny Him "left Him and fled" as Jesus suffers and dies.

Jesus knows they'll be overcome with weariness, fear, and grief and consoles them before they fall: "This night all of you will have your faith in me shaken." He quotes scripture, "I will strike the shepherd and the sheep of the flock will be dispersed" as He reassures He will come and gather them when He rises.

Lord, May our "seeing" inspire us to watch and pray so as not to be put to the test. When we sincerely vow to love You, then find ourselves lost--wearied, grieved, scattered and denying that we even know You--may we not despair condemning ourselves, and die in sin as did Judas; but rather, like Peter, the "rock," recall and find ourselves as we turn to You, our beloved Shepherd.

- Mary Williams
(www.impactbydesign.biz)

____________________

These meditations are also available by email subscription
©1986-2005 The Way, The Truth, The Life

The Catholic Calendar for Saturday, March 19, 2005
Saturday of the Fifth Week of Lent
The Solemnity of St. Joseph, husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
2 Samuel 7:4-5,12-14,16
Psalm 89:2-5,27,29
Romans 4:13,16-18,22
Matthew 1:16,18-21,24

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

In our Scripture readings of the past week, we've been preoccupied with the obstinacy of the Jews to accept wholeheartedly the person and the truth of Jesus. Their blindness distresses us, especially when we realize the disastrous effects it will have, both in the violation of Jesus' person, and the eventual destruction of the Temple.

As we take time out today to celebrate the feast of St. Joseph, we consider Nathan's prophecy concerning the building of the Temple by David's son, Solomon. As this building was erected by an illustrious son of David, so too will the new spiritual Temple and the new Covenant be established in the greatest Son of David: the Christ.

And Joseph is the link, the "just man" whose rock-like faith and trust in God led him to humbly accept his role as foster-father of Jesus. He is himself that "just man" whose role is critical to God's plan, less important than Mary's, but still a role that exalts him to greatness down through the ages.

In what ways can we attempt to imitate this strong, quiet saint? In his faith and his humility, he overcame any natural tendency to anger, rash reaction, or hatred for this woman who had apparently abused his plans for their life. His faith and humility saved him, and made possible a secure environment for Jesus to flourish and grow in His human nature. This humble faith, linked with his unshakable love for Mary and the Child, sets for us an example for us to follow in our own devotion to Jesus and Mary.

As temples of Jesus, may we provide an atmosphere of strong, yet tender love, ardent devotion, and readiness to sacrifice our time, our own convenience, and our own agenda for the will of Jesus and Mary in our choices and decisions in life.

- Msgr. Paul E. Whitmore
(smartins at twcny dot rr dot com)

____________________

These meditations are also available by email subscription
©1986-2005 The Way, The Truth, The Life

The Catholic Calendar for Friday, March 18, 2004
Friday of the Fifth Week of Lent
St. Cyril of Jerusalem, bishop and doctor of the Church

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Jeremiah 20:10-13
Psalm 18:2-7
John 10:31-42

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

The Father is in me and I am in the Father. . . .

Jesus reveals yet again the absolute unity of Father and Son. Jesus is not the father, but the Father and the Son are mutually interpenetrating.

St. Thomas Aquinas taught a very difficult doctrine, which does not sound so complex as it is. God is simple. That means that God is of one pure substance. Further, nothing that is not of the same pure substance can join with God. That is what God's simplicity means. Here Jesus defines it practically. He tells us, as we recite in The Creed, that He is of the same substance as God.

Why is this important? In part, because His redemptive act brings us into the one Body of Christ. This is the mystical body of Christ but it is no less real. And just as with Christ's real body it is of the same substance as God. That is why the work of confession and reconciliation are so crucial. Because in these we once again become the one pure substance and our union with God is once again possible. Without it, we cannot become one with God as the pure will not mix with the impure.

This simple line spells out so many things in our faith. By Jesus' sacrifice we are redeemed and become sons of God just as He is the Son of God. In a mysterious way we become divinized and capable of communication and being with the Father. By Christ's sacrifice, which we memorialize in the coming days, we are made whole, made pure, made of the same substance of God, and made capable of union with Him. Jesus opened the way of prayer and of unity with the Father. When He says, "I and the Father are one" he speaks of Himself and of the Body of which He is the Head. By His precious blood and unrivaled sacrifice He brought us back to the Father in a way unknown since Eden. It helps us to understand why Good Friday is indeed "Good." Not only Good, but Heavenly. . . literally.

May God bless us all with a special understanding of His Holy sacrifice as we enter into the Holy Triduum next week.

- JuandelaCruz
(sriddle415 at yahoo dot com)

____________________

These meditations are also available by email subscription
©1986-2005 The Way, The Truth, The Life

The Catholic Calendar for Thursday, March 17, 2005
Monday of Fifth Week of Lent
St. Patrick, bishop

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Genesis 17:3-9
Psalm 105:4-9
John 8:51-59

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

"Whom do you make yourself out to be?"

Perhaps the strongest of human instincts is for survival. Medical science has made giant strides in prolonging life and improving its quality; but eventually these mortal bodies, despite diet, exercise, medications and surgery will end in the grave. Christ takes the sting out of this "inevitability" by promising in today's Gospel that those who remain true to His "word" will never see death. Because His listeners' hearts were closed to the belief in eternal life and their insensitivity to God's Holy Spirit within Christ, they accused Him, for making so outrageous a promise, of being possessed by the devil.

Being challenged by the religious authorities did not cause Jesus to back down; for His message was of the utmost importance to humanity's life here and in the hereafter. Instead He referred to His eternal nature by stating, "before Abraham was, I AM." Jesus was quoting God's very words to Moses when the prophet asked Him what name he should use in speaking of Him to His people. God's reply to Moses was, "I AM WHO AM." The mere suggestion of Jesus claiming such a kinship with God was considered a blasphemy deserving stoning; still, Christ uses the present tense of the verb "to be" to fearlessly express that He, like His Father, exists in the "eternal now" of the Divinity.

Christ's assertion suggests that He is either insane and suffering from delusions or He is speaking the absolute truth. A serious, unbiased examination of Christ's life, the peace, love, healing, goodness and compassion He extended towards saints and sinners alike surely is not the behavior of a liar or a madman.

All-healing God,
make the "scales" fall from our eyes,
that we may clearly see christ as Your Son and our Savior
and joyfully abandon ourselves into His keeping.
Amen

- Marie Bocko, OCDS
(mlbocko at earthlink dot net)

____________________

These meditations are also available by email subscription
©1986-2005 The Way, The Truth, The Life

The Catholic Calendar for Wednesday, March 16, 2005
Wednesday of the Fifth Week of Lent

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Daniel 3:14-20,91-92,95
Daniel 3:52-56
John 8:31-42

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

"You shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free. . ."

Are there any more frightening words in the Bible than these? The truth, how frightening it would be to look at the face of the truth, undisguised by euphemism and circumlocution. Could any of us stand this?

But truly, the call of the Christian life is to gaze unflinchingly at the Truth Himself, and to obey Him completely. The Truth incarnate is also Love incarnate. We have nothing to fear but the loss of our fears.

And yet so many of us are afraid to look. We look around the truth. As a society we allow abortion because we cannot face the truth of what abortion is. We make elaborate semantic arguments to deny that we are murdering children. As a society we are worse than Herod himself.

But, we cannot take on the guilt of all society. We must stand away and stand for the truth. Not just in abortion, but in all things. We must respect and recognize the true sanctity of life. We must respect the sanctity of marriage. We must gaze upon the face of Truth, and know that we are loved. And that through that love we have the power to love others.

The Truth frees us from many things. But more than anything the truth frees us from our illusions about the world and about ourselves. The Truth will set you free if only you will allow Him to do so.

- JuandelaCruz (1994)

____________________

These meditations are also available by email subscription
©1986-2005 The Way, The Truth, The Life

The Catholic Calendar for Tuesday, March 15, 2005
Tuesday of the Fifth Week of Lent

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Numbers 21:4-9
Psalm 102:2-3,16-21
John 8:21-30

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

In today's first reading we hear once again how the Israelites grumbled to Moses. It seems they would find anything to complain about and turn their backs on God. Whether it was the water, food or weather, they complained. But, when their condition changed, or when something bad happened, they ran to Moses to save them once again by interceding for them.

My mother always told me that one phrase we should never teach children is, "if only." Like the Israelites, we use this phrase a little too often and cannot seem to accept and cherish the things the Lord provides for us. For them it was, "if only we had something other than this manna to eat," or "if only we had stayed in Egypt." For us it may be, "if only I had a different job," or "if only I had married a different person." The bottom line is that God provides for us as we need and not recognizing these gifts keeps us from realizing our full relationship with Him.

Next time you start to say, "if only," stop, pause and finish the statement like this: "If only I spent more time thanking God and in worship, my relationship would be fuller." Then, enter into prayer with him and receive gifts beyond imagination.

- Don Claunch, SFO
(dlclaunch at bresnan dot net)

____________________

These meditations are also available by email subscription
©1986-2005 The Way, The Truth, The Life

The Catholic Calendar for Monday, March 14, 2005
Monday of Fifth Week of Lent

Scripture from Today's Liturgy of the Word:
Daniel 13:1-9,15-17,16-30,33-62
Psalm 23:1-6
John 8:1-11

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

In today's readings we see the accusation of two women. In the Old Testament reading, Susanna is unjustly accused and is sentenced to death. She is the victim of powerful men and stands little chance of being vindicated, yet she cries to God for help and eventually is found innocent.

In the New Testament reading, we hear about a woman who is guilty and by law is consigned to stoning. Unlike Susanna, according to what was told in the story, she didn't cry out to God for help. Even so, her accusers slunk away, one by one, when Jesus exposes their own sinfulness.

The stories are very different, yet they speak to us something about God's justice. First of all, the Lord hears the cry of the wrongly accused; and secondly, even when guilty, the Lord deals mercifully, not dismissing the seriousness of sin, but providing the sinner with the opportunity to repent and mend their ways.

With God's grace may we imitate Jesus by defending the innocent, remembering that all of us are sinners and in need of forgiveness and mercy.

"Neither do I condemn you. Go now and sin no more." (John 8:11)

- Donna Raye Nelson, OCDS
(drn3rd at hotmail dot com)

____________________

These meditations are also available by email subscription
©1986-2005 The Way, The Truth, The Life

The Catholic Calendar for Sunday, March 13, 2005
Fifth Sunday of Lent

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Ezekiel 37:12-14
Psalm 130:1-8
Romans 8:8-11
John 11:1-45

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

I was not there, that you may believe. (see John 1:15)

Jesus instructs, "This illness is not to end in death, but is for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.... Our friend Lazarus is asleep, but I am going to awaken him...." We learn that Lazarus had been in the tomb for four days when Jesus replied to Martha's faith-filled hope that Lazarus will rise. Jesus said, "I am the resurrection and the Life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die." (Jn 1:25)

Jesus publicly presents His thanksgiving to the Father who always hears Him as a witness to encourage belief in those who "see." He calls Lazarus to Life, instructing the witnesses to untie him and let him go.

Jesus intends that we clearly see Who Life is; that Life is in Him, and that that Life never ends. Jesus desires for us to hear His call to Life, to untie ourselves from what binds us to death: that is, sin. We must choose to believe and then act on this belief in order to have Life eternal. Let us likewise give thanks to our Father, as we confess our sins and profess:

Through Him,
with Him,
and in Him,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
all glory and honor is yours almighty Father,
forever and ever.
Amen.

- Mary Williams
(www.impactbydesign.biz)

____________________

These meditations are also available by email subscription
©1986-2005 The Way, The Truth, The Life

The Catholic Calendar for Saturday, March 12, 2004
Saturday of the Fourth Week of Lent

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Jeremiah 11:18-20
Psalm 7:2-3,9-12
John 7:40-53

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

Both Jeremiah and Jesus are the focus of controversy. The people of both Jeremiah and Jesus' time dispute their teaching, using Scripture to prove their points. In the Gospel, the Pharisees have blinded themselves to the Scriptures. They lack humility, openness, and purity of heart and motives in what the Word of God has to convey. Their sin is great in this regard, as is the sin of any who abuse the Bible, seeking only to prove a point when reading, rather than praying the Scriptures with a view to learning.

Lent is the best time of the year to check out our habits of prayer and study. We need to ask ourselves, "What is my attitude when reading the Bible? Do I pray, even briefly, but fervently, whenever I approach the sacred text? Do I read carefully, making sure I make an effort to understand what I read--words, context, references made to other passages of Scripture? Do I ask for humility and grace to absorb and grow from what I understand? And am I careful when using the truth of Scripture in discussion or debate with others?

May we never fall into the careless and irresponsible practices of the Pharisees in using Scripture to promote half-truths or downright falsehood.

- Msgr. Paul E. Whitmore
(smartins at twcny dot rr dot com)

____________________

These meditations are also available by email subscription
©1986-2005 The Way, The Truth, The Life

The Catholic Calendar for Friday, March 11, 2005
Friday of the Fourth Week of Lent

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Wisdom 2:1,12-22
Psalm 34:17-21,23
John 7:1-2,25-30

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

"You know me and where I am from. . ."

At the time the Lord was preaching, the people knew Him and where He was from. They were expecting a Messiah who appeared mysteriously, as if from heaven. They were not expecting a Galilean. But they missed an essential point. They knew Jesus in His public ministry, but they didn't know the One who sent Jesus, the One who was behind all that was meaningful in life and in Christ's ministry. They didn't see the Messiah because they knew him.

Fast-forwarding to our era, many people are doubly blind. Not only do they no longer see and know Christ, they know nothing of the God who sent Christ to us. They know nothing of love and of compassion and of mercy.

Why should this be in a world with so many Christians? Shouldn't those of us who believe in Jesus be His presence for those around us? Shouldn't Jesus still be seen in the streets?

The sad truth is that even many Christians do not see Jesus today. They see the picture they have made of Him. They see the image they like of Him, the Jesus who does not intrude upon us, the Jesus who we can worship in our spare time, the Jesus who supports "every lifestyle" and every whim people can dream up. This is not Jesus. And those of us who truly believe in Him need to make Him manifest in all of His mercy and compassion; neither tolerating sin nor harming the sinner. This is the Jesus we must bring to people--the real Messiah, the voice of God.

The only way to do this is to allow ourselves to hear Him speak once again in the fullness of what He has to say. Allow Jesus to challenge you today; take heart and really listen to what Jesus has to say and then, as hard as it may be, act upon it. Only in this way will we see and know Jesus and the One who sent Him.

- JuandelaCruz
(sriddle415 at yahoo dot com)

____________________

These meditations are also available by email subscription
©1986-2005 The Way, The Truth, The Life

The Catholic Calendar for Thursday, March 10, 2004
Thursday of the Fourth Week of Lent

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Exodus 32:7-14
Psalm 106:19-23
John 5:31-47

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

"If you had believed Moses, you would have believed me, because. . ."
(see John 5:46)

Periodically some scripture scholars and theologians team up to expose biblical inconsistencies, presumably to cast doubts on the faithfuls' naive beliefs about God and His Christ. Their approach examines individual trees while losing sight of the forest. Biblical details may differ, depending on their "reporter," but its central theme remains intact throughout. Scripture traces man's fall from innocence into sin but not without hope.

At the proper time, when God's law had been perverted to mere legalistic rules devoid of His love and truth, He sent His Son, God in human flesh, to die in our place as the final perfect sacrifice restoring us to friendship with the Father. Having put our old life to death, Christ rose again to offer us a new life--the ability to live, through grace, in His goodness and holiness. Through thousands of years God had shown His chosen people His saving power to prepare them to receive their Messiah; yet, the most influential religious leaders in Christ's time had become essentially faithless and therefore remained blind to His Divinity.

Jesus attempts to open their eyes regarding His divine identity. He cited the ancient prophets and John the Baptist's words to prove it; He pointed to His miracles as evidence of God at work; also at His Baptism in the Jordan, God clearly identified Him as His Son. Through Jesus, salvation is offered by God to the entire world. However, unless we accept His gift and, through faith, make it our own by working it out in our daily lives, we cannot enter into His heavenly kingdom. To believe in Christ means that we must allow Him through His Spirit to transform us inwardly, that we may live in God's love and truth.

O Saving God,
by enabling us to live in Your peace, purity and joy,
help us to intensify Christ's light in this world
and so draw many others to Him.
Amen.

- Marie Bocko, OCDS
(mlbocko at earthlink dot net)

____________________

These meditations are also available by email subscription
©1986-2005 The Way, The Truth, The Life

The Catholic Calendar for Wednesday, March 9, 2004
Wednesday of the Fourth Week of Lent
St. Frances of Rome, religious

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Isaiah 49:8-15
Psalm 145:8-9,13-14,17-18
John 5:17-30

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

Ask 100 people on the street to name three of the most tender, loving pieces of literature and see how many would even consider the Bible as one of the three. We know of course, that scripture is much more than literature and for that reason some might not think of mentioning it; but over and over one is struck with the gentle, loving statements of Christ and the prophets. Today's first reading is such an example.

Though we are asked to focus on conversion from our old ways during this penitential season of Lent, it is easy to get caught up in a cycle of psychological self-floggings instead of looking up toward Christ who opened His arms in the ultimate gift of love on Good Friday. Our own pride can enter in, where we become so self-centered on trying to make ourselves holy and worthy that we miss the obvious fact, that yes, we are sinners.

Christ forgives our sins and now is waiting for us to open ourselves to His love. In the first reading from Isaiah we hear "Even should a mother forget you, I will never forget you." What more assurance do we need! What a promise! Let us begin or continue our journey both toward and in Love.

Sacred Heart of Jesus,
consume us.

- Joan of Jesus, OCDS
(jmurphy at utica dot edu)

____________________

These meditations are also available by email subscription
©1986-2005 The Way, The Truth, The Life

The Catholic Calendar for Tuesday, March 8, 2005
Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Lent
St. John of God

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Ezeckiel 47:1-9,12
Psalm 46:2-3,5-6,8-9
John 5:1-3,5-16

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

In today's Gospel of John we hear about a royal official who comes to Jesus asking Him to restore the health of his son who was near death. Jesus replies, "Unless you people see signs and wonders, you do not believe."

Who does Jesus group together as "you people?" Is it just the pagans, the obstinate -- could it be someone like me?

It is a question that all of us should consider because our belief in God is constantly being challenged by the extraordinary pressures of our everyday lives. And yet, we don't normally require daily signs and wonders from God, yet believe almost out of habit. Having said that, some might consider "believing out of habit" a derogatory thing and yet it actually might be that we believe out of a habit that comes from having the gift of faith and allowing that gift to be operative in our lives.

How good it would be for us to reflect on the gift of faith that we first received in Baptism -- and then meditate on how well we have taken the necessary measures to strengthen and keep our faith alive. If we haven't done as well as we could, let us remember that like the royal official in today's Gospel story, we must profess our neediness to the Lord and ask for His help. Like him, we will not be ridiculed and pushed aside, but receive what seeking and asking desires: a Divine response.

- Don Claunch, SFO
(dlclaunch at bresnan dot net)

____________________

These meditations are also available by email subscription
©1986-2005 The Way, The Truth, The Life

The Catholic Calendar for Monday, March 7, 2005
Monday of Fourth Week of Lent
Sts. Perpetua and Felicity, martyrs

Scripture from Today's Liturgy of the Word:
Isaiah 65:17-21
Psalm 30:2,4-6,11-13
John 4:43-54

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

In today's Gospel of John we hear about a royal official who comes to Jesus asking Him to restore the health of his son who was near death. Jesus replies, "Unless you people see signs and wonders, you do not believe."

Who are those Jesus groups together as "you people?" Is it just the pagans, the obstinate - or could it be someone like me?

It is a question that is worth considering because our belief in God is constantly being challenged by the extraordinary pressures of our everyday lives. And yet, we don't normally require daily signs and wonders from God, yet believe almost out of habit. Having said that some might consider believing out of habit a derogatory thing and yet it actually might be that we believe out of a habit that comes from having the gift of faith and allowing that gift to be operative in our lives.

How good for us it would be, to reflect on the gift of faith we first received in Baptism and then to meditate on how well we have taken the necessary measures to strengthen and keep our faith alive. If we haven't done as well as we could, let us remember that like the royal official in today's Gospel story, we must profess our neediness to the Lord and ask for His help. Like him, we will not be ridiculed and pushed aside, but receive what seeking and asking desires, a Divine response.

- Donna Raye Nelson, OCDS
(drn3rd at hotmail dot com)

____________________

These meditations are also available by email subscription
©1986-2005 The Way, The Truth, The Life

The Catholic Calendar for Sunday, March 6, 2004
Fourth Sunday of Lent
'Laetare Sunday'

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
1 Samuel 16:1,6-7,10-13
Psalm 23:1-6
Ephesians 5:8-14
John 9:1-41

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

"You say 'We see', so your sin remains"

Jesus gives physical sight to a man born with blindness as well as spiritual "in sight" to see He is the Son of Man, the Messiah. Jesus explains to this man that He "...came into this world for judgment, so that those who do not see might see, and those who do see might become blind."

Jesus exposes that the arrogance of souls who regard themselves as 'seers of truth' indeed lack true judgment to "see" Truth when they fetter healing love that is the true worship on the Sabbath. The judgment Jesus brings is that the Sabbath is the day to 'heal' that which keeps one from seeing Who the Truth is and what He wants to heal.

These misjudgments preclude them from seeing what is True and prompts suspicion of Jesus as not possibly being from God since He does not conform to their expectations and thus they falsely accuse the Son of Man of 'sin' because He heals on the Sabbath. Hearing Him explain He is trying to establish "true" judgment they insist, "Surely we are not also blind, are we?"

Jesus confirms that is indeed the case in their persistence, "...you are saying 'We see", so your sin remains." One must first listen to the Truth before one is able to rightly judge what is True.

O Lord,
forgive our sins of arrogance and self reliance.
Grace us to see your will,
to truly worship you
and heal what you will
in those lives you send to us.
Amen

- Mary Williams
(www.impactbydesign.biz)

____________________

These meditations are also available by email subscription
©1986-2005 The Way, The Truth, The Life

Notice to Daily Meditation Blog readers:

If you are currently subscribed to the Daily Meditations through a RSS news reader, please change your reader to this new (it's changed -- notice the hyphen) address:
http://daily-med.blogspot.com/atom.xml

Besides looking a little different, it is a single meditation for the current day only. This is something that some of our subscribers and readers have been asking for! We are very pleased to be able to offer this service to you, beginning today!

The Catholic Calendar for Saturday, March 5, 2004
Saturday of the Third Week of Lent

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Hosea 6:1-6
Psalm 51:3-4,18-21
Luke 18:9-14

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

In today's Psalm we can imagine seeing the imagery of water coming down from God, as the psalmist asks God to thoroughly wash him from all his sins, to cleanse him of his sins. The tax collector in the Gospel went home restored and refreshed, as well as justified, for his heart had been cleansed by the forgiveness of God.

Both the reading from Hosea and the Psalm proclaim that the Lord doesn't want our blind adherence to tradition (offering of holocausts, "what we give up for Lent"). Instead, God wants hearts that desire to love Him, hearts that desire to be purified by Him so that they can contain His love and carry it to others.

The rain of God, which falls on the just and the unjust alike, could be likened to His cleansing, purifying grace. The just let grace soak them, the unjust put up umbrellas. Which will YOU choose?

- Rose Atiyeh

____________________

These meditations are also available by email subscription
©1986-2005 The Way, The Truth, The Life

The Catholic Calendar for Friday, March 4, 2004
Friday of the Third Week of Lent
St. Casimir

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Hosea 14:2-10
Psalm 81:6-11,14,17
Mark 12:28-34

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

"You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart. . ."

The first and most important of the commandments is to have complete love and self-giving to God. We are called to love Him with all of our strength, heart, soul, and mind--in other words, with every fiber of our being. And the second commandment follows from the first--we will love those who are in the image and likeness of God. In the first letter of John we are asked how we can pretend that we love God whom we cannot see if we do not show evidence of loving our neighbor whom we can see.

And this sacrifice of love is worth all the sacrifices of the old covenant. When we can let go of ourselves enough to love God completely, we have sacrificed the only thing of value to God--our self-will. When we love Him, we will love those He has created--it cannot be otherwise. And once we grasp these truths, we too shall not be far from the kingdom of God.

- JuandelaCruz
(sriddle415 at yahoo dot com)

____________________

These meditations are also available by email subscription
©1986-2005 The Way, The Truth, The Life

The Catholic Calendar for Thursday, March 3, 2004
Thursday of the Third Week of Lent
St. Katharine Drexel, virgin, religious founder

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Jeremiah 7:23-28
Psalm 95:1-2,6-9
Luke 11:14-23

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

"Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste. . ." (Luke 11:17)

Today's readings speak of divided hearts and their resulting infidelities to God and hence to one another. Daily we hear of the devastating consequences to families caused by a couple's unfaithfulness to their marriage vows; but far more destructive to persons and society is our denial of or faithlessness toward our loving God.

In Luke's Gospel Jesus responds to those who attribute His miracles to the devil working through Him. He, however, asserts that Satan never works to heal and make peace; instead he creates conflict, distracts and divides people from God's truth and love and hence from one another. Also implied by Jesus is that we humans can only choose between two alternatives in this life. We can choose to live in God's holy Word or exist solely for "self" which means copying Satan's way, his self-will and self-elevating sin of pride, his attempt at usurping God's position and becoming one's own "little god."

That this world's people live in constant turmoil, in divisive hatred and injustice, in danger of being "laid waste" is caused by our trying to live life in both ways--denying God, or paying only lip-service to our Divine Creator while making choices that dishonor both Him and our fellow humans. In essence we were created to be spiritual beings (in God's image), and our physical bodies were to meant to live in His purity, goodness and holiness. If we reject this truth, that we were made to live in an "undivided" union with God's Spirit, we can never achieve our full humanity. World conditions strongly affirm man's state of inhumanity to man.

God of all Good, enlighten our minds and hearts to see and accept that we were created to participate in Your virtues and so bring Your Life of peace and joy into this world. Amen.

- Marie Bocko, OCDS
(mlbocko at earthlink dot net)

____________________

These meditations are also available by email subscription
©1986-2005 The Way, The Truth, The Life

The Catholic Calendar for Wednesday, March 2, 2004
Wednesday of the Third Week of Lent

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Deuteronomy 4:1,5-9
Psalm 147:12-13,15-16,19-20
Matthew 5:17-19

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

In today's Gospel Jesus tells us that He comes to fulfill the law and commandments laid down by the prophets of previous generations, not to abolish what is already there.

I think this is an interesting message for us to contemplate as Christian Catholics. On the one hand Jesus comes to fulfill the scripture already set in His people's history. On the other hand Jesus does a very new thing by radically changing people's minds and hearts in the fulfillment of His promise.

During Lent we have the option to go through our yearly observance of Lent as we have anticipated, based on years gone by -- or we have the option of 'doing a new thing' -- of opening our minds and hearts to a new experience of Jesus so that we can become transformed and touch others in the process of our 2005 Lenten observance.

Today, let us ask Jesus to build us anew, that we may shed our unwanted or unrequired attachments, so that we can experience new freedom in Christ.

We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen

- Cliodhna Doyle
(cliadoyle at hotmail dot com)

____________________

These meditations are also available by email subscription
©1986-2005 The Way, The Truth, The Life

The Catholic Calendar for Tuesday, March 1, 2005
Tuesday of the Third Week of Lent

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Daniel 3:25,34-43
Psalm 25:4-9
Matthew 18:21-35

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

Forgiveness is a wonderfully powerful thing. At times it is not easy, but always powerful with a healing and restorative quality of such magnitude, it is freely and unconditionally given to us by the Father.

God wants a relationship with us; an intimate, personal and meaningful relationship. This is so important that God grants us forgiveness just by asking for it. Nothing more, no strings attached. He is ready to overlook our wrongs to make our relationship whole and He wants the same for us in our relationships with others.

Jesus tells us in today's gospel that we must forgive as the Father forgives; totally, unconditionally and freely. The restorative power of forgiveness is self-evident. The opposite is also plainly clear. There are so many of us who carry grudges, cannot let go of the past or even try to obtain some revenge for some wrong done long ago. What a terrible burden to bear for one's lifetime! And this is where the true power of forgiveness lies: when we forgive we heal ourselves, lighten our loads and restore a broken relationship.

Reach deep down within you and find those places where forgiveness remains un-given and add this wonderful healing process to your Lenten journey.

- Don Claunch, SFO
(dlclaunch at bresnan dot net)

____________________

These meditations are also available by email subscription
©1986-2005 The Way, The Truth, The Life