IT IS WONDERFUL TO BE HERE

II SUNDAY OF LENT - Mark 9:2-10

In this Sunday’s Gospel, we are presented with the scene of the Transfiguration, in which we can be touched by several aspects. 

• We may ask ourselves why did Jesus choose only three out of the twelve Apostles for this extraordinary experience? Not all gifts are given to everybody. God gives to whom he chooses to give. The deep experience of Jesus Christ which brings a sense of bliss is not given to all, even though all of us may desire it and ask for it.
• Jesus took them to a high mountain, “where they could be alone by themselves.” It is important to have times to be alone, without anybody or anything that may disturb us, so that our hearts and our minds concentrate on the Lord. Nothing else matters. In order to have an experience of contemplation, we must make silence around ourselves. On the other side, they were four with Jesus, showing us the importance of small groups in prayer or in sharing God’s word. In the small group, they help each other to express the deep experience of God’s presence.
• We may also reflect on the role of the “high mountain”, which reminds us of the Mountain, of God’s Mountain, where he reveals himself in manifestations of power and glory, proclaiming his mercy and his love. It is on the mountain that Jesus revealed his glory. and this mountain reminds us of another mountain, the Calvary, where Jesus would give the greatest proof of love.
• To go up the mountain implies effort and endurance, which can lead to an exhilarating experience. Up there, our vision is enlarged and things fall into position. We faced with a world bigger than ourselves, which we cannot embrace. Up there, we are touched by the beauty and the harmony of what surrounds us. There have been always people who look for thrilling experiences, in which they feel high. Nowadays, many look for that in drugs; however, such experiences leave a sour aftertaste leading to emptiness and despair.
• On the mountain, alone with Jesus, they were able to contemplate Him in his glory. And they were full of joy and happiness. For a while, they forgot everything else, and Peter claimed: “It is wonderful for us to be here.” And they would like this moment to last forever. Maybe, we have forgotten that only Jesus Christ is able to give us peace, joy and happiness. Only in his company, can we climb up the mountain and make the experience of bliss, which enables us to find meaning in life.
• On the mountain, Jesus is presented and recognised as the Son. The voice, that same voice heard before during the baptism, proclaims: “This is my Son, the Beloved. Listen to him.” A deep experience of Jesus Christ will lead us to recognise that He is the Son of the living God.
• In the New Testament, God gives only one commandment, and that is about Jesus Christ: “Listen to him.” Indeed, he is the way, the truth and the life (Jn 14:6)

LENT: GOING THROUGH THE EXPERIENCE OF THE DESERT

I SUNDAY OF LENT - Mark 1:12-15

In this Sunday’s Gospel,  is from Mark (1:12-15) presents a few details about Jesus. He went to the wilderness, guided by the Spirit and there he remained for forty days, being tempted by Satan. Jesus’ experience in the desert is the basis for our lent season. 

We may ask ourselves: What for did Jesus go to the desert? And he went there on an impulse by the Spirit. Before beginning his ministry, Jesus went to the desert for a time of silence and solitude. Those were days of intensive prayer, searching for the way to achieve his mission. It was a time for listening to his own heart and to the voice of the Spirit that speaks within. In forty days, Jesus went through the experience of the people of Israel who wandered for forty years, thus preparing himself for his ministry.

A desert is a harsh place, where the survival is difficult. Filled with awe, we are forced to recognise our smallness and our fragility. In order to survive, one must know where to find water and a resting place. One must be able to find the way that will lead him out of the wilderness. But endurance and the readiness to leave aside everything that is not essential are keys to success.

In the desert, we are made aware that we are not self-sufficient; in fact, for our survival, we are dependent on others and we depend on God. Life is not in our hands and we must make responsible decisions.

The desert was like a school for the people of Israel. During their stay in the desert, they made an extraordinary experience of God. They could feel God’s presence, the one who is always near, always accompanying us in our journey, walking side by side with us. God guided and protected them and he gave them instructions which are true guidelines for life. He made a covenant with them, by which he committed himself to them. God showed his care and his love.

And what was the people’s reaction? When they experienced thirst and hunger, they doubted God’s care and remained full of mistrust. They questioned God’s intentions, accusing him of evil. They put God to the test and revolted. They did not want to be dependent on God, and they chose to make their future with their own hands. Such attitude led them to a dead end. There can be no life outside the source of life.

In the desert, Jesus went through the experience of the people of Israel. Being tempted like them, he remained faithful, never questioning or doubting God’s love and care. In the desert, Jesus was able to find a place of rest, being in harmony with the creation: “He was with the wild beasts, and the angels looked after him.”

Then Jesus went to Galilee and started preaching the Good News: “The time has come’ he said ‘and the kingdom of God is close at hand. Repent, and believe the Good News.” (Mk 1:15)

During this Lent season, let’s accompany Jesus in his desert experience and thus find the strength to follow him up to the Calvary and then to resurrection. This time is a time of grace for us to reconcile with God and to believe in the Good News of God’s mercy and love.

THE WORLD DAY OF THE SICK

VI SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - Mark 1:40-45

The Church celebrates today the World Day of the Sick, giving us the opportunity to pray for the sick while reflecting upon their suffering and upon our attitude towards all those who touched by sickness.

In this Sunday readings, we are called upon to look at the suffering of all those who are excluded and rejected, being abandoned to their own fate. In the past, all those who suffered from leprosy were ostracised and forced to live far from the community, without anybody to show them compassion and love.  Being stigmatised as impure and as a danger to society, people stayed away from them. And this was sanctioned by the religious laws and done in the name of God, as we can see in the first reading (Lev 13:1-2,44-46). We can understand that in the past people did not know how to protect themselves from a contagious disease, and they needed to avoid all contact with the people who were infected, but the law was too harsh, adding religious motives and considering them as impure, thus excluding them from God’s mercy and compassion. It was and still is very easy and common to justify in the name of God what we do out of ignorance.

Jesus, by ignoring the laws of impurity, reveals a different face of God - a caring and compassionate God. He allowed the leper to come close to and then, full of compassion, touched him, demonstrating that our human tabus should not prevent us from caring for the sick, even those who suffer from terrible and repulsive conditions. In fact, they are the ones who most need our care. And nowadays we know how to protect ourselves from contagious diseases. To the leper's request: “If you want to, you can cure me.”, Jesus replied: “Of course I want to! Be cured!”

In his healing ministry, Jesus never cared only for the cure of the body. For him, the soul was the most important, and so Jesus tried always to help the person to regain the sense of self-dignity and to restore her/ him to the community. That’s why he touched this untouchable, so that, in this gesture, he could feel loved and cared for. This is most important. Nowadays, we have the means to care effectively for the sick bodies of our relatives or our friends, but many times they suffer from loneliness because there is nobody to keep them company. There are so many elderly people abandoned by their children in Old People’s Homes and abandon them there.

Pope Francis’ message for the World Day of the Sick

As theme for the World Day of the Sick, Pope Francis proposes the scene of Jesus on the cross leaving his mother to his beloved disciple: “Behold, your son... Behold, your mother. And from that hour the disciple took her into his home.” (Jn 19:26-27) As a role model, Mary teaches the Church the maternal care that she must have mainly for the poor, the sick and the suffering.

“The Church’s maternal vocation to the needy and to the sick has found concrete expression throughout the two thousand years of her history in an impressive series of initiatives on behalf of the sick. This history of dedication must not be forgotten.  It continues to the present day throughout the world.  In countries where adequate public health care systems exist, the work of Catholic religious congregations and dioceses and their hospitals is aimed not only at providing quality medical care, but also at putting the human person at the centre of the healing process, while carrying out scientific research with full respect for life and for Christian moral values.  In countries where health care systems are inadequate or non-existent, the Church seeks to do what she can to improve health, eliminate infant mortality and combat widespread disease.  Everywhere she tries to provide care, even when she is not in a position to offer a cure.  The image of the Church as a “field hospital” that welcomes all those wounded by life is a very concrete reality, for in some parts of the world, missionary and diocesan hospitals are the only institutions providing necessary care to the population.”

“Jesus bestowed upon the Church his healing power:  “These signs will accompany those who believe... they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover (Mk 16:17-18).  In the Acts of the Apostles, we read accounts of the healings worked by Peter (cf. Acts 3:4-8) and Paul (cf. Acts 14:8-11).  The Church’s mission is a response to Jesus’ gift, for she knows that she must bring to the sick the Lord’s own gaze, full of tenderness and compassion. Health care ministry will always be a necessary and fundamental task, to be carried out with renewed enthusiasm by all, from parish communities to the most largest healthcare institutions. We cannot forget the tender love and perseverance of many families in caring for their chronically sick or severely disabled children, parents and relatives.  The care given within families is an extraordinary witness of love for the human person; it needs to be fittingly acknowledged and supported by suitable policies.  Doctors and nurses, priests, consecrated men and women, volunteers, families and all those who care for the sick, take part in this ecclesial mission. It is a shared responsibility that enriches the value of the daily service given by each.” (Pope Francis, Message for the World Day of the Sick, nº 4,6)

THE LORD HEALS THE BROKEN-HEARTED

V SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - Mark 1:29-39

Nobody passes through this world without being touched by the cold hand of pain and suffering. And whenever it touches us, we are made aware of our fragility and our mortality. Then, we realise that “life is but a breath” (Job 7:7), lasting a little while and no more. And that little while is filled with pain and suffering. In moments of joy, we may behave like the lords of the world to whom nothing seems impossible as if life is full of merriness. However, when suffering knocks at the door, all that enjoyment is no more than a faint memory. And then we ask time and again: Why? Why all this suffering? What have I done to be punished in this way?

We do not get used to suffering and we do not accept our mortality. In our quest for understanding, we may raise our hands and turn our eyes to heaven in an attitude of defiance or even of revolt. In such moments, it is good to read the book of Job. It is an extraordinary book, in which we can hear the cry of humanity: with an aching heart filled with anguish, we hear the questions being asked aloud - those eternal questions always mumbled in our hearts, for which we never find an appropriate answer.

Job has the audacity to stand before God and ask: Are you being fair? Do you take pleasure in my pain? If you are a good and merciful God, how can you allow such violence, injustice, suffering and anguish? Or did you create us for pain and death?

Time and again, humanity tries to silence the big questions and lives as if life is only for joy and pleasure.  We can even find preachers of a gospel of well-being and wealth in which God will be at our service, ready to satisfy all our desires. The book of Job compels us to look at the harsh reality of life lived here on earth. Pleasures are but a passing moment which leaves a bitter taste. Moments of incomplete happiness are followed by a hangover of malaise, anguish and (almost) despair. 

The questions of Job go on reverberating through all generations. In spite of the violence of an endless pain and of a life rushing towards death, we long for peace, happiness and the fullness of life. In Job, we can see a prophecy of Christ, who in his pain addressed God, crying out: "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Mt 27, 46). On the cross, Jesus is the “man of sorrows”, whose life seems to be meaningless. In his wounds and in his pain, he looks like a cursed man, rejected by all, before whom God remained silent. In Jesus Christ, humanity experienced the anguish and the pain to the last. But death had not the last word on him. In fact, he passed through death to life, becoming a source of hope for all those who follow on his way. 

In the book of Job, at the end, we find him acknowledging God’s mystery, the mystery of a God whose plan for humanity is a plan of life not of death. And that is what Jesus Christ revealed to us by his words and by his actions. God is with us and on our side, when we pass through suffering and death, so that in him we may find resurrection and life.

In this Sunday liturgy, with the Psalm 147, we sing: 

“He heals the broken-hearted,

  he binds up all their wounds.” (Ps 147:3)

In his ministry to the sick and the poor, Jesus showed the compassionate face of God who listens to the cry of his people and feels their pain. Jesus Christ “took our sicknesses away, and carried our diseases for us.” (Mt 8:17 (Is 53:4)

JESUS IS THE PROPHET PROMISED BY MOSES

IV SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - Deuteronomy 18:15-20

Moses tells the people that God will raise “a prophet like myself” for them (Dt 18:15). This passage was always understood as a promise that God would not abandon his people and that he would send the Messiah, a second Moses to guide and instruct the people of God.

The Muslims understand these words as a prophecy about Muhammad, whom they consider to be the last and the greatest of the prophets. For them, Muhammad is the Prophet that supersedes all the prophets and it is to him that God made the final revelation. The profession of faith of Islam - the shahada - is made up of two simple statements: There is no god, but Allah: Muhammad is the Messenger of God. All those who do not accept these two twin statements are considered infidels (kafir) and are destined to hell.

It is a common belief among the Muslims that the Jewish and Christian Scriptures announced the coming of Muhammad (see Is 29:11-12; Jn 14:16-17). One of the most important passages presumably referring to Muhammad is Dt 18:15-20, read as the first reading in this Sunday’s liturgy.

If we read attentively Dt 18:15-20 and all other passages supposedly referring to Muhammad and try to understand them within the text to which they belong, we cannot see how they would possibly refer to Muhammad. The Deuteronomy speaks of a prophet “from among you, from your brothers” (Dt 18:15 ESV), very clearly saying that this prophet will a member of the people of Israel, and we cannot see how Muhammad can be considered an Israelite or a Jew. And that was one of the main reasons why the Jews of the Arabian Peninsula did not recognise him as a prophet. As a consequence, Muhammad got rid of the Jews of Medina.

Christians have always interpreted this passage as referring to Jesus Christ. The Gospel of John tells us that “Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” (Jn 1:45). The disciples considered Jesus as a prophet, describing him in the words of Moses: “Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people” (Lk  24:19) In his sermon to the people, Peter presents the resurrection of Jesus as the proof that he is the fulfilment of all the prophets and of the promises made by them. He is the prophet announced by Moses (Act 3:18-26).

In the scene of the Transfiguration, the voice from heaven spoke: “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” (Mt 17:5) Listen to him is the same command given through Moses: “it is to him you shall listen.” (Dt 18:15)

This Sunday’s gospel tells us that Jesus’ “teaching made a deep impression on them because, unlike the scribes, he taught them with authority.” (Mk 1:22). Jesus is the Christ (Messiah). He is the true Prophet. And he brought the last and final revelation: “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power.” (Hb 1:1-3)

GOD ACCEPTS ALL WHO TURN THEIS HEARTS TO HIM

III SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - Jonah 3:1-5,10

Jonah is a small but extraordinary book, telling us the story of a prophet who thought he knew better than God. Unhappy with the mission entrusted to him, he ran away from God and went as far away as he could from the people whom he had been sent to. He wanted to have his own way and preach his own message. In the end, unable to run away from God, Jonah looks like a silly prophet, being forced to carry out God’s will. It seems that he did not trust God with his own destiny. Instead, he preferred to be in charge and choose his own path. But he had no alternative, being led to realize that God’s ways are the way, in spite of our own twists. 

We may ask the reason why Jonah did not accept willingly the mission entrusted to him. He was sent to Nineveh, which was the capital city of Assyria, the worst enemy of the people of Israel. They had conquered the Kingdom of the North, taking most of the population as prisoners of war, causing the destruction of that kingdom and the disappearance of most of the tribes of Israel. For the people of Israel, the Assyrians deserved only contempt, and God should curse and punish them if he was truly the protector and defender of Israel. How could God send a prophet to the enemies of his people? Certainly, Jonah must have feared for his life.

This book is not a historical book. In fact, it is a kind of novel with a prophetic message. When it was written, Nineveh did not exist anymore. The Assyrian Empire was destroyed by the Babylonians and Nineveh was sacked   (612 BC). Most experts think that the book was written after the exile when the people who came back to the land of Israel were driven by a strong nationalism. The book, being prophetic, questions that prevailing culture in the Jewish society and announces God’s message - a universal message of salvation, which includes even those who are seen as enemies.

A nationalist and chauvinist attitude transforms a society into a ghetto, turning into oneself, excluding the others and seeing them as a threat to the survival of the community and of the nation. Chauvinism leads to assert ourselves against the others, who are seen as enemies. They are demonised, despised and vilified, while we are the only saints. We exalt our small victories and turn them into extraordinary and glorious deeds. Whenever there is an exaggerated nationalism, we are blinded to the values, deeds and achievements of others; we affirm ourselves as holy and perfect and turn others into sinners and devils. That was the situation with the people of Israel. As a small people, threatened by all sides, they affirm themselves as the chosen and the beloved of God, seeing the others as the enemies of God, just because they are their enemies. It is no surprise that the Scriptures, portraying the life and history of the people of Israel, are filled with pages full of nationalistic attitudes. That’s why Jonah cannot understand that God sends him to preach to the enemies of Israel. But he cannot thwart God’s plans and God loves all peoples and cares for their salvation. If Israel was chosen, it was for the purpose of being a witness of God’s love, compassion and mercy. In the end, in spite of all his complains, Jonah understood that God is merciful to all who turn to him in search of salvation.

Enjoy the story of Jonah by this little girl.

CREATE A NETWORK OF RELATIONSHIPS WITH CHRIST AS THE CENTRE

II SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - John 1:35-42

This Sunday’s gospel presents us with three extraordinary scenes. In the first one, while John was with two of his disciples, Jesus passed nearby and John pointed out Jesus to them, making a profession of faith about his role: He is “the lamb of God”, that is He is the  true sacrifice, a sacrifice for the forgiveness of sins, the sacrifice that set us free, a peace offering. Jesus offered himself in sacrifice and he is the holy, pure and true sacrifice that is pleasing to God. The statement of John is considered so important that the Church repeats it in the liturgy of the Church, just before the holy communion.  Hearing John’s statement, we should look as well to his attitude: not caring about himself, he affirms Jesus before his disciples, thus leading them to Him. John knew his own role and accepted it. He did not overstep his mission; instead, he humbled himself before Jesus, recognising him as the Messiah, the one who was anointed with the Spirit. Nowadays, we can find many preachers who attract all attention to themselves, as if Jesus was only a side figure pointing out to them. Like John, we must accept that the role of all prophets and all preachers is to lead others to Jesus.

In the second scene, we see the two disciples leaving John behind and going after Jesus. Jesus, noticing that, look behind and ask them: “What are you looking for (or What are you seeking)”? This is an important question, one which may be made time and again and which we try to answer, even if we don’t have an answer that satisfies us. What are we looking for? Some look for power and wealth, while others seek pleasure at all costs. What are we looking for? We are looking for peace, freedom, justice and love. And what is the way to find that well-being? The question goes on resonating in our minds and in our hearts and it demands an answer. 

The two disciples appear to be confused with the question and their answer sounds like an answer to avoid a real answer to the question. They answered with another question: Where are you staying? Where do you live? The real purpose of the question was to tell Jesus that they wanted to know him and to make friends with him. And Jesus gave a quick and short answer: “Come and see.” This invitation can still be heard today. Jesus goes on inviting us: “Come and see.” If we want to know Jesus, we must come close to him and we must experience his friendship. This personal relationship with Jesus is essential for us to find in Him the way, the truth and the life. And it is the duty of the Church - that is the community of Jesus’ disciples - to facilitate this encounter with Jesus and the ensuing relationship.

In the third scene, we find Andrew rushing to his brother Simon to tell him about the encounter which had modified his life. He could not keep it a secret, but he was impelled to share his experience of Jesus with a close relative, not only informing him but taking him to Jesus. If Jesus has become the centre of our lives, the source of our peace and our joy, then we cannot keep it a secret but we must share it with our relatives and our friends.

We need many Andrews always ready to give witness to Jesus Christ. We must start an evangelização person to person, friend to friend, relative to relative. Then we will establish a community of faith, a network of personal relationships which has Christ as its hub.