A KINGDOM OF PRIESTS

XI SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - Exodus 19:2-6

When they reached the wilderness of Sinai, the sons of Israel “pitched their camp; there facing the mountain Israel pitched camp.” Then, Moses went up the mountain, answering the Lord’s call, and God declared this to the people of Israel: “I will count you a kingdom of priests, a consecrated nation.”

All the peoples of the earth belong to God, but he specially chose Israel to hear his word, know his will and give thanks and praise to him. The people of Israel should stand for all humanity, establishing a bridge to God and serving the Lord in worship. They were not chosen for their greatness, their wealth or their cleverness. On the contrary, they were chosen for being one of the smallest and weakest among the nations. They were chosen so that the glory and the sanctity of God may be revealed in them. And God sealed this special relationship with Israel with a covenant that shows His commitment and confirms His promise of redemption. From the people, God demands faithfulness to the covenant: you must “obey my voice and hold fast to my covenant”.

We know that, time and again, the people of Israel were unfaithful to the covenant, doing their own will and pursuing their own ways, thus turning their backs to God and rebelling against Him. However, God kept his promise, preparing the coming of the Messiah and establishing in Christ the new covenant, a covenant open to all peoples of the world.

The Psalmist invites us to recognise and proclaim that we belong to him. 

We are his people, the sheep of his flock.

Know that he, the Lord, is God.

  He made us, we belong to him,

  we are his people, the sheep of his flock.

We are his people, the sheep of his flock.

(Psalm 100)

In the gospel, we can see Jesus facing the people and becoming aware of the dire situation they were in. “When Jesus saw the crowds he felt sorry for them because they were harassed and dejected, like sheep without a shepherd.” These words may be applied to our generation as well. We feel lost and hopeless. It brings to my mind the words of Jeremiah: "For my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water.” (Jer 2:13). All of this because there are very few shepherds, and many of them are not good shepherds. We must pray incessantly to “the Lord of the harvest to send labourers to his harvest.” And Jesus decided to initiate the Apostles in this work, sending them to proclaim the Good News: "The kingdom of heaven is close at hand.” (Mt 9:36-10:8), We must proclaim everywhere and to everybody that God’s Kingdom is within reach. God is calling; let us hear his voice and answer his invitation.

COMMUNION WITH THE BODY OF CHRIST

SOLEMNITY OF CORPUS CHRISTI – Deuteronomy 8:2-3, 14-16

In the calendar of the Universal Church, the solemnity of Corpus Christi is celebrated on the Thursday after the Holy Trinity. However, the celebration is done on the following Sunday in the countries where that Thursday is a working day. There should be no need for a special celebration of the Eucharist since it is celebrated every Sunday, but, in her wisdom, aware that we are carried by habit, Mother Church gives us this liturgical celebration for us to focus on some essential themes.

The first reading, taken from the book of Deuteronomy, presents the manna as pointing to the Eucharist as the true bread from heaven. Like the manna received by the people in their wandering in the desert, the Eucharist is the true viaticum, that is, the bread for the journey. We must be fed with this bread to become strong enough to proceed and reach the finishing line. Due to our weakness, we fall and go astray. On our own, we will never arrive unless we are fed with this special food.

In the gospel, Jesus tells his disciples that they will not have eternal life and enter the Kingdom of God without eating this food. And the reason for that is that, by eating this food, we enter into a special bond with Jesus, receiving life from Him as He receives from the Father. A true communion is established between Jesus and us and, through Jesus, with the Father.

Jesus makes it very clear that the food He gives us is his body and his blood. “I tell you most solemnly, if you do not eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you will not have life in you. Anyone who does eat my flesh and drink my blood has eternal life, and I shall raise him up on the last day.” Indeed, “He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood lives in me, and I live in him.” (Jn 6;51-58)

In the second reading, taken from the First Letter to the Corinthians, Paul echoes Jesus’ words by telling us that, in the celebration of the Eucharist, we enter into communion with the blood and the body of Christ. This was the belief of the early Church and is still our belief today. We cannot approach the table of the Lord without a strong belief that we receive the body and blood of Christ to become one with Him. “The fact that there is only one loaf means that, though there are many of us, we form a single body because we all have a share in this one loaf.” (1 Corinthians 10:16-17)

LET MY LORD COME WITH US

HOLY TRINITY SUNDAY - Exodus 34:4-6, 8-9

Before the mystery of God, who reveals Himself as Father, Son and Holy Spirit, we remain puzzled and in awe, as we contemplate the One who is beyond understanding. However, He would not be God if we could understand Him. He is so much higher and greater than us that He remains always beyond us while, at the same time, being in us. We believe in one God, being part of the religions that belong to the Abrahamic tradition.  Despite that belief, we are treated, mainly by the Muslims, as being polytheistic due to our belief in one God who reveals Himself as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. They accuse us of associating others with God. Indeed, our conception of God is miles apart from the Islamic God. Allah reveals himself as the Almighty and most powerful. He is the master of everything, and the only possible attitude before Him is that of a slave. We cannot ask or question Him, and total submission is the only acceptable attitude. Allah is a lonely God who revealed himself through an angel and never spoke to man or entered into a relationship with him. Yahweh, on the other side, is Love, who shares that love with us and establishes a relationship with us. Throughout the Holy Scriptures, Yahweh reveals himself entering into a dialogue and establishing a partnership with man. That is what we celebrate today. We can address Him, putting our grievances and our questions to Him, entrusting ourselves to His mercy and His love. Before Him, we can dream of the heights, filling our hearts with hope, being assured that He will take us to fulfilment, sharing in His glory. We can repeat the words of Moses with confidence: “…let my Lord come with us, I beg. True, they are a headstrong people, but forgive us our faults and our sins, and adopt us as your heritage.” In Jesus Christ, God has adopted us as his beloved children. Indeed, we are his heritage.

“God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not be lost but may have eternal life." (Jn 3:16)

Being one body with Christ, we are invited to enter God’s mystery, accepting His love and feeling His heartbeat for us. With the psalmist, we sing, "To you glory and praise for evermore.”

God’s love bestowed on us must be present in our communities and mould our lives: “Brothers, we wish you happiness; try to grow perfect; help one another. Be united; live in peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you.” (2 Corinthians 13:11-13).

UNITY AND RECONCILIATION

 PENTECOST SUNDAY - Acts 2:1-11

Chapter eleven of the book of Genesis begins with the story of Babel about human pride and arrogance. Humanity does not accept its limitations and frailties and continuously attempts to climb higher and excel until they reach God’s place and takes it over. However, such attempts end in failure, producing cracks and leaving scars that reopen time and again. When humanity decides to take God’s place and play God’s role, it produces division, violence and war. The effort of self-affirmation may end in self-destruction. When someone is born, he is born into a world tainted by sin. We may try, but we are unable to liberate ourselves and establish a world built on love, peace and communion. 

To enter the Kingdom of God, we must be born again (Jn 3:3), that is, we must be born from above, through water and the Spirit. The Spirit, granted to us by the Father, at the Son’s request, renews and recreates us, establishing a new humanity that dedicates itself to unity and reconciliation. We live in a divided world, but by giving us the Spirit, Jesus has sown the seeds of communion and peace.

On the day of Pentecost, after receiving the Holy Spirit, the disciples came to the public square to announce the Good News of Jesus Christ. And, by the power of the Spirit that leads to Jesus, the situation of division is healed by a spirit of union and peace. People coming from all corners of the world could hear the message in their own language: “We hear them preaching in our own language about the marvels of God”.

As Saint Paul wrote in his first letter to the Corinthians, there is a great variety of gifts bestowed on us by the Holy Spirit, but this diversity is at the service of communion. We make the body of Christ, each one of us playing a different role and occupying a different place. And all of this is for the good of the community.

The Church is a well-organised body with different services. Certainly, we still live in this world, thus being affected by divisions, and we may contribute to those divisions. That’s why there is a need for reconciliation. And the Gospel deals with that. Jesus granted the Holy Spirit to the Apostles to enable them to exercise the ministry of reconciliation. The practice of reconciliation in the Church should serve as a model and an incentive for others to practice reconciliation.

WITNESSES TO THE END OF THE EARTH

ASCENSION SUNDAY - Acts 1:1-11

We celebrate today the Ascension of the Lord. Jesus himself had explained to the disciples, "I came from the Father and have come into the world and now I leave the world to go to the Father.” (Jn 16:28). The ascension is this return to the Father. As the eternal Son, He had accepted to put aside His glory, humbling Himself and becoming a human being in everything, like all other human beings. He took “the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men." He humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Fil 2:6-11).

Jesus said goodbye to his disciples and rose to glory, to the glory He has as the beloved Son of the Father. Reading about that event in the Acts of the Apostles, we get surprised by the disciples’ attitude. 

The desire for power was so embedded in them that they had a last go at it. They asked, “Are you going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” Their expectations were about an earthly kingdom, and Jesus had to be straight with them: “It is not for you to know times or dates that the Father has decided by his own authority”, Then, he promised them the Holy Spirit, who would be bestowed on them so that they might proclaim the Gospel and be witnesses of Jesus Christ. They are entrusted with the mission to give witness to “the ends of the earth”. And they remained there transfixed, looking to heaven. They had to be called back to reality, keeping hope in the Lord Jesus, who will come back in glory to finish the work of salvation, taking us into plenitude. Up to then, we must proclaim the Good News to all peoples, making disciples of Jesus Christ. All those who accept the Good News must be baptised, and Jesus’ commands must be taught to them. This is the mission entrusted to the Church, and every Christian is called upon to carry it out. The final word that Jesus gave his disciples is one of reassurance: “I am with you always; yes, to the end of time.”.

THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH GUIDES US TO CHRIST

 VI EASTER SUNDAY - John 14:15-21

As we come to the end of Easter Time, our attention is drawn to the Holy Spirit, promised to the disciples by Jesus and received by them on the day of Pentecost. The resurrection of Jesus served as a gathering event for the disciples, who began to assemble on the first day of the week. However, they gathered in silence, avoiding calling attention to their group, afraid of being caught and punished by the authorities. It was only on the day of Pentecost that they got emboldened by the Holy Spirit who came upon them like a mighty wind, putting them on fire to proclaim without fear the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Since then, the Holy Spirit would play a vital role in the life of the Church. When the Holy Spirit came upon Cornelius and the members of his household, who heard the word, Peter was forced to accept in amazement that God shows no partiality and calls both the Jews and the Gentiles to salvation.

The first reading (Acts 8:5-8, 14-17) makes clear the connection between the Holy Spirit, the proclamation of the Gospel and the building of the Church. The deacon Philip went to Samaria, and there he successfully proclaimed the Good News, with many people asking to be baptised. “When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them.” Since “they had only been baptised in the name of the Lord Jesus”, “they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.” Thus, the receiving of the Holy Spirit is connected to the ministry of the Apostles, who prayed for them and laid their hands on them. This link with the Apostles and this dependence on them is necessary to be fully empowered as disciples of Jesus Christ and recognised as members of the Church.

The Holy Spirit was promised by Jesus as the Advocate (παρακλητον), the Spirit of truth, who is with us and in us. Through him, Jesus goes on being present among us. As the Spirit of truth, He leads us to an ever-deepening understanding of the relationship between Jesus and the Father. Through Jesus, we are being introduced into that relationship: “On that day you will understand that I am in my Father and you in me and I in you.” It is the Holy Spirit who enables us to keep Jesus’ commandments, thus living in a deep relationship of love with Him and with the Father. “Anybody who receives my commandments and keeps them will be one who loves me; and anybody who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I shall love him and show myself to him.”

JESUS, THE LIVING STONE

V EASTER SUNDAY - 1 Peter 2:4-9

Speaking of Jesus Christ, the apostle Peter tells us that He is “the living stone”, “chosen by God and precious to him”. Despite being rejected by men, there will be no building that may last but the one built upon this stone. He is the cornerstone that becomes a stumbling block that will bring down all those who refuse to believe in Him. Thus, Peter invites us to become living stones in communion with Him. The Church is the “spiritual house”, built upon Christ, that is to be our home. In Christ, we become “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a consecrated nation, a people set apart to sing the praises of God”.

In the gospel, Jesus presents himself as the Way, the Truth and the Life (Jn 14:1-12). Through him, we come to the Father, and we must realise that “He is the image of the invisible God” (Col 1:15). Thus, when we see him, we see the Father. In communion with Him, we are in communion with the Father.

In the first reading, taken from the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 6:1-7), we see the struggle of the Early Church to live out that communion with the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Since the beginning, the Church has had a social dimension, paying attention to the most vulnerable, looking after the widows. However, being human, the good intentions become easily tainted by selfish interests. And signs of discrimination on a tribal basis appeared: "The Hellenists made a complaint against the Hebrews: in the daily distribution their own widows were being overlooked.”

In an attempt to solve the problem, the apostles “called a full meeting of the disciples”. Indeed, matters affecting the Church are matters that must be the concern of all. The apostles made it clear that they should concentrate on the proclamation of the word of God. That is their ministry: they must be at the service of the word, accompanied by prayer. The community must take responsibility for other matters. Thus, it was decided to create a new ministry – the ministry of deacons – to be at the service of the community and its needs. As the Church grows, all members must be actively involved in the search for solutions to the arising problems and involved as well in the actual service of the community. That is what nowadays is called the synodal dimension of the Church. However, to the apostles belongs the great duty of giving witness to Jesus Christ and dedicating themselves to the proclamation of the word and to worship.

I AM THE GATE

IV EASTER SUNDAY – John 10:1-10

This fourth Sunday of Easter is also called the 'Good Shepherd Sunday’. We fix our eyes on Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd who leads us to fresh and green pastures, where he gives us repose. 

In the first reading, Peter gives a brief summary of the essential tenets of our Christian faith. The Crucified rose from the dead and is seated at the right hand of the Father, who made him Lord and Christ. He is the Saviour and the Redeemer. This is the basic proclamation of faith, which has implications for us who hear it: we must repent, be baptised in the name of Jesus and then receive the Holy Spirit, the great gift of God’s love. And Peter ends his message with a clear warning to all of us: “Save yourselves from this perverse generation.” (Acts 2:14, 36-41). Indeed, this world we live in is full of perversity and corruption. We may be taken in very easily; thus, we must be on the alert, being guided by Christ, who is the true Shepherd that takes us to the wells of salvation. Jesus Christ suffered for us; he passed through threats, insults and torture. “He was bearing our faults in his own body on the cross so that we might die to our faults and live for holiness; through his wounds you have been healed.” Like sheep gone astray, we were lost, and he came for us, becoming “guardian of our souls” (1 Peter 2:20-25).

In the gospel, Jesus presents himself as the gate, through whom we may pass and find safety. In a different passage, Jesus advised his disciples to pass through the “narrow gate” (Mt 7:13). Jesus is the gate, but, like him, we must carry our cross, having a share in Jesus's sufferings. We must be sure that, going through him, we will be welcomed in Paradise.

The Lord is my shepherd;

  there is nothing I shall want.

Fresh and green are the pastures

  where he gives me repose.

Near restful waters he leads me,

  to revive my drooping spirit.

Psalm 23

LORD, EXPLAIN THE SCRIPTURES TO US

III EASTER SUNDAY - Luke 24:13-35

According to Peter (1 Peter 1:17-21), we live in a foreign land, as in exile, walking towards the promised land in the Kingdom of God. Being in this situation, we “must be scrupulously careful”, aware that we were freed from slavery by Jesus Christ, who paid our ransom with his blood.

In his first speech after the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, Peter confronts people with their biggest sin: they killed the Messiah, the pure and innocent lamb who offered himself as a sacrifice for the redemption of our sins. Then, he proclaimed the resurrection of Jesus Christ and invited all his listeners to repent and convert. Jesus is the only way to the Father; believing in him, we find life and salvation.

Whenever the Gospel is proclaimed, we are invited to become disciples and to join the group of disciples, that is, to become the body of Christ, his Church. It is essential that, in the Church, we make the encounter with Christ and recognise that He is risen. This encounter is made possible through the Word of God and the Eucharist. These are the two sides of the same coin, as we discover in this Sunday’s gospel.

Jesus walks with us along the paths of life. We may not recognise him, but he listens to us and tries to understand our frustrations and backsliding so that we may find hope and purpose in our lives. For that to happen, we must allow ourselves to be confronted by the word of God. His word is both challenging and revealing; it gives understanding and meaning. It guides and motivates us, leading us to faith in Jesus Christ, He who is the Truth and the Life.

However, the proclamation of the Word must end in the breaking of the bread at the table of the Lord. As we discover in the story of the two disciples going to Emmaus, the word led them to invite Jesus into their home. In their hearts, there came a desire to hear more from the master of truth, thus opening new horizons and going deeper into the mystery of salvation. Learning from them, we must press Jesus to be with us: “Stay with us.” The celebration of the Eucharist – the breaking of the bread – is essential for us to recognise the Lord Jesus as the Risen Lord. It was this experience that gave them the strength to return to Jerusalem and give witness that Jesus is alive. The Eucharist makes the mission possible. After this eucharistic celebration, we are sent to our families and our working places to be witnesses of Jesus Christ.

DIVINE MERCY SUNDAY

II EASTER SUNDAY - John 20:19-31

Pope Saint John Paul II established the second Easter Sunday as the Divine Mercy Sunday. We are invited to celebrate God’s mercy in an attitude of thanksgiving, giving praise to God for his eternal mercy. His mercy is the paramount proof of his love. That’s why we repeat with the psalmist:

Let the sons of Israel say:

  ‘His love has no end.’

Let the sons of Aaron say:

  ‘His love has no end.’

Let those who fear the Lord say:

  ‘His love has no end.’ (Psalm 118)

In his first letter, Peter praises God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, for his great mercy which has led him to accept us as his sons. This is a cause of great joy for us. We may go through hardships and suffering, and our faith may be put to the test, but this faith will lead us to the salvation of our souls.

God’s mercy is the fountain of the mercy we must exercise to our brothers. This mercy makes reconciliation possible. Jesus entrusted to his disciples the ministry of reconciliation (2 Co 5:18-19). In his gospel, John clearly presents Jesus entrusting to his disciples the power to forgive sins, that is, to exercise mercy. It is through them that, in the Church, we receive mercy. Then, as we ask for the forgiveness of sins, we must forgive all those who have injured us.

Jesus entrusted to the Church the mission he received from the Father: “As the Father sent me, so am I sending you.” To enable us to carry out this mission, he gave his disciples the Holy Spirit. It is in the power of the Spirit, poured upon the Church by Jesus Christ, that the ministry of reconciliation is exercised.

The first reading (Acts 2:42-47) and the gospel stress the importance of the Church as a community of believers. The bonds of love that establish the communion of the children of God demand our participation and our commitment to the community so that we may be, like the first Christians, “one heart and soul" (Acts 4:32). In the gospel, Thomas was absent from the Sunday assembly. That's why he could not make the experience of the encounter with the Risen Jesus Christ. Once he gathered with the other disciples, he recognised the Lord's presence and was able to profess his faith: “My Lord and my God!” This is our profession of faith as well. This is the profession of faith of the Church. With him we say: “My Lord and my God!”

CHRIST IS RISEN. ALELUIA!

EASTER SUNDAY - Acts 10:34, 37-43

Easter is the greatest feast in the Christian calendar. It comes from the Jewish Passover, in which the liberation from slavery was celebrated. On Easter Sunday, we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who conquered death, defeating the slavery of sin, for us to become the beloved children of God. Thus, we are invited to die with Christ to rise with Him. 

On the first reading, taken from the Acts of the Apostles, while addressing Cornelius, Peter presents a summary of the great events surrounding Jesus Christ. According to Peter, everybody heard, and many saw what happened with Jesus. After John the Baptist, Jesus, being full of the Holy Spirit, “went about doing good and curing all who had fallen into the power of the devil”. And Peter stresses the fact that there were many witnesses of what Jesus said and did. However, despite his goodness, they killed Him on a cross; “yet three days afterwards God raised him to life and allowed him to be seen, not by the whole people but only by certain witnesses God had chosen beforehand.” Peter and his companions are the witnesses who had the privilege of having the experience of the Risen Lord. Indeed, “we have eaten and drunk with him after his resurrection from the dead.” From the Lord himself, they received the mandate “to proclaim this to his people and to tell them that God has appointed him to judge everyone, alive or dead.” Jesus is risen and has been constituted the judge of the living and the dead. As a consequence of his rising from the dead to be at the right hand of the Father, “all who believe in Jesus will have their sins forgiven through his name.”

With Peter, we give witness that Jesus is alive, being glorified and constituted the Lord of Lords and the King of Kings. He is the Saviour and Redeemer of humankind. Before him, all knees shall bow, and all tongues confess “that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Fil 2:11).

In his letter to the Colossians, Paul tells us that, if we die with Christ, “when Christ is revealed – and he is your life – you too will be revealed in all your glory with him.” For that to be true, Christ must become our model so that we “look for the things that are in heaven, where Christ is, sitting at God’s right hand. Let your thoughts be on heavenly things, not on the things that are on the earth.” (Col 3:1-4).

CRYING OUT IN A LOUD VOICE, JESUS YIELDED UP HIS SPIRIT

 PALM SUNDAY - Matthew 26:14-27:66

We begin Holy Week with Palm Sunday, in which we remember the solemn entrance of Jesus in Jerusalem, when he was acclaimed as the Messiah. Jesus entered accompanied by the crowds who were going on pilgrimage to the great celebration of Passover. The people in Jerusalem got very surprised and asked, "Who is this?” And the crowds answered, "This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth of Galilee.” And they proclaimed him to be the son of David, that is, the Christ. And they cried out, “Hosanna!" – that is, save us, liberate us. Entering in a humble and simple way, mounted on an ass, Jesus presented no threat to the authorities. He had no armies at his disposal to take power, defeat his enemies and become a real king. However, the authorities got afraid and planned to do away with Jesus.

With the crowds that entered Jerusalem, we recognise and proclaim that Jesus is the Christ, the Anointed One, who came to save us and set us free from all forms of oppression. However, we should not have false expectations like the crowds and even the disciples and the apostles had. Jesus is the Messiah, but he refused to be a political messiah. He did not come to restore the kingdom of David and become a ruler of the world in the manner of all great and powerful kings. He came to be a servant, the servant of God, carrying out his Father’s will, even if that would take him to suffering and death. He redeemed and saved us by shedding his blood on the cross, thus bringing reconciliation with God.

In the second reading, taken from Philippians 2:6-11, Paul quotes a hymn already in use in the church that gives the profound meaning of Jesus’ passion and death. Despite being divine, as the Son of God, Jesus humbled himself  and “became as men are”, accepting death on a cross to overcome the power of death and restore us to life. That’s why “God raised him high and gave him the name which is above all other names.” Every knee shall bend and every tongue shall “acclaim Jesus Christ as Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

In the gospel, we read Jesus’ passion according to Matthew. Thus, we are invited to live the Holy Week with our eyes fixed on the cross, aware of the great love of the one who shed his life for us so that we may be welcomed into Paradise, sharing there in the glory of the Lord.

MY SOUL IS LONGING FOR THE LORD

V SUNDAY OF LENT - John 11:1-45

This Sunday, we are presented with the third of the three great themes of Lent taken from the Gospel of John. With the Samaritan woman, we were invited to accept Jesus as the fountain of living water. With the blind man, we were taken to Jesus as our Light and the Light of the world. On this last Sunday of Lent, with Martha and in the company of Mary of Bethany, we proclaim that Jesus is the Son of God and that in Him we find true life because He is the resurrection and the life. Step by step, in the company of Jesus and of all his disciples, we are taken up until we reach the summit, proclaiming our faith – that is, the faith of the Church: Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, who came into this world.

Through the prophet Ezekiel (Ezekiel 37:12-14), God promised to take us out of our graves, putting his spirit in us so that we may live. Most of us are walking dead, dwelling in tombs richly adorned, covered with flowers that deceive us with their soothing odour. In reality, we are rotten, soul and body, and the perfume exhaling from the flowers can’t hide the stinking rottenness of our lives. The society we live in is rotten to the core. Like Lazarus, we must hear the Lord’s word calling us: “Come out.” Come to the Light and live. By the power of Jesus, the Lord of Life, may the promise made through Ezekiel be fulfilled so that we receive his Spirit, who will lead us to Christ to be his true disciples. Indeed, as Paul told the Romans, we must possess the Spirit of Christ to belong to him. And his Spirit will guide us to put our interests in spiritual things. The Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Jesus Christ, has the power to recreate us anew so that we live for God as his beloved children.

My soul is waiting for the Lord.

  I count on his word.

My soul is longing for the Lord

  more than watchman for daybreak.

(Let the watchman count on daybreak

  and Israel on the Lord.)

Psalm 130

LORD, I BELIEVE

IV SUNDAY OF LENT - John 9:1-41

In the year A of the liturgical cycle, the last three Sundays of Lent present three themes profoundly linked to the catechumens who prepare themselves to be baptised: Jesus is the fountain of the living water; he is the light that overcomes our darkness, and in him we find resurrection and life. Each theme is centred on a person and the journey of faith of that person: the Samaritan woman, the blind man and Martha of Bethany.

This Sunday, we are invited to look at the blind man’s journey from darkness to light and from unbelief to belief. As in the case of the Samaritan woman, Jesus takes the initiative; he was the one who saw the blind man and decided to heal him. At first sight, the encounter seems to have happened by chance, but all encounters with Jesus are purposeful. Jesus wanted to reveal himself as the light of the world. In this case, the physical handicap was a sign of a much deeper handicap that affects the soul. In order to be healed and become whole, one must recognise one's blindness and be ready to accept the gift of light. The fortuitous encounter led to a gift so great that it changed the blind man’s life forever. He allowed his heart to be touched, and that led him to a journey of faith that ended in an act of worship. 

Once healed of his blindness, the man was able to recognise and be thankful for the great gift received. He did not know Jesus, but he was going to be questioned and confronted because of Jesus. And those who hated Jesus turned against him, being ready to punish him, even though he had done nothing wrong. The unbelievers who rejected Jesus rejected him as well, refusing to accept his truthful statements. This rejection led him to a deeper understanding of the true Jesus. Immediately after his healing, he answered those who asked him about the healer: “The man called Jesus” did this to me. When asked his opinion about Jesus, he said, "He is a prophet.” Afraid of being expelled from the synagogue, his parents avoided any kind of involvement. Subjected to further questioning, the man unmasked those who confronted him, denying that Jesus could be a sinner and affirming him to come from God: if “this man were not from God, he couldn’t do a thing.” Seeing his determination to give witness to Jesus Christ, they expelled him from the synagogue. This expulsion led Jesus to make a full revelation to the healed man. 

“Jesus heard they had driven him away, and when he found him, he said to him, ‘Do you believe in the Son of Man?’ ‘Sir,’ the man replied, ‘tell me who he is so that I may believe in him.’ Jesus said, ‘You are looking at him; he is speaking to you.’ The man said, ‘Lord, I believe’, and worshipped him.”

JESUS IS THE SAVIOUR OF THE WORLD

III SUNDAY OF LENT - John 4:5-42

Today, we are invited to reflect upon human thirst and the water of life that quenches it. The physical thirst is just a symbol of the thirst of the heart: thirst for justice, peace and love. That is thirst for God, and our hearts do not rest until they find the spring of life.

In the first reading, by the order of God, Moses gets water for the people from a rock, and that rock stands for Christ (Exodus 17:3-7). He is the one who gives us the living water. He is the fountain of life. And, in the gospel, Jesus reveals himself to the Samaritan woman as the giver of life and salvation.

In the dialogue of Jesus with the Samaritan woman, the Gospel of John presents the journey of faith of that woman as a model for all those who search for meaning and accept Jesus’ invitation for a dialogue in which He guides us to the full truth.

Thirsty and tired, Jesus was resting by the well. It was about midday when a Samaritan woman came to draw water. It was as if Jesus waited for her. And he requested from her something very common and very easy to give – a cup of water. Jesus took the initiative and started the conversation. She was surprised and puzzled, feeling uncomfortable. She simply saw a man, a Jewish man in that case. And she made it clear, as if telling him that he was not welcome. However, the conversation had begun, and Jesus surprised the woman even more by offering her living water. How could he? Was he greater than Jacob, who had dug that well? Realising that Jesus was much more than a Jewish man, she dared to ask, "Give me some of that water.” Like the Samaritan, we must ask for the living water, even if we don’t understand its meaning well and what it implies.

Then, without any kind of accusation, Jesus leads her to have a good look at her life. Her life was a mess. With six men in her life, she could not be at peace with herself. She had been searching for love and dignity, but nothing could quench her thirst. Then, she takes one step more towards Christ, recognising him as a prophet. Being the case, she asks for clarification: What is the true worship? And Jesus shows her the truth. Those who worship God “must worship in spirit and truth.” Then, the woman goes one step further, putting herself among those who are waiting for the coming of the Messiah. And Jesus reveals himself to the woman as the Messiah, declaring, "I am he.” Hearing this, she forgot about the water and rushed to the village, telling everybody about the good news of the Messiah.

To the disciples, surprised to see him talking to a woman, Jesus says that his food is to do the will of the Father. Meanwhile, with her witness, the woman led many people to faith in Jesus Christ. They decided to invite Jesus to their village. They had a deep desire to have the same experience of encounter with Christ. 

The passage ends with the profession of faith of those Samaritans: “Now we no longer believe because of what you told us; we have heard him ourselves, and we know that he really is the saviour of the world.”

May the journey of our life lead us to encounter Jesus and be guided by him to the recognition and the proclamation that He is the Saviour of the world.