Gospel Reflections for Challenging Times

Sunday – 5h Sunday in Lent Gospel – John 11:1-45 Raising of Lazarus Entrance to The Tomb, Church of the Holy Sepulchre Jesus – fully divine and fully human!   It’s a core belief but I wonder how often we really take the time to reflect on it. Jesus is divine, Son of God and He is also completely human. He shares his humanity in common with us. It reminds me of a prayer I say as a Deacon at Mass at Offertory – “through this mingling of water and wine, may we come to share in the divinity of Christ who humbled Himself to share in our humanity.” This story about the raising of Lazarus from the dead brings that belief to reality. We see Jesus at His most human and at His most divine!     The one He loves is ill.   Imagine that – Jesus has friends!   And it grieves Him to learn Lazarus is ill.   But consider this!   Jesus knew Lazarus was dead before He got the news but still He cried! He knew Lazarus would be alive in a few moments and yet stil...

  Satur day – Feast of the Annunciation Gospel – Luke 1:26-38 A Leap of Faith Greek Orthodox Church of the Annunciation, Nazareth There was a town suffering through a severe drought, months and months of no rain.   Their crops were all dead and dying; their wells were drying up.   They were at their wits end.   So they decided to pray for rain.   They all gathered in the town square for the prayer service.   Every single one of the townspeople showed up.   But only one of them, a little boy, showed up with an umbrella!! Now that is faith, real faith!   He didn’t just believe; he acted on that belief!   That is one way to look at today’s Feast Day!   We celebrate today the Feast of the Annunciation!   Mary had every reason not to believe such incredible news from the Angel Gabriel, news that went far beyond any human logic or reasoning. And yet Mary said YES!   She expressed her faith in words: “Behold the hand...

  Friday – 4th Week of Lent Gospel – John 7:1-2, 10, 25-30 Do You Know Jesus? Basilica of Annunciation, Nazareth He was born in an obscure village The child of a peasant woman He grew up in another obscure village Where he worked in a carpenter shop Until he was thirty He never wrote a book He never held an office He never went to college He never visited a big city He never travelled more than two hundred miles From the place where he was born He did none of the things Usually associated with greatness He had no credentials but himself The people in today’s Gospel are angry. This guy Jesus claims to be the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of God! That can’t be!   He’s just a carpenter’s son from a backwater village in Galilee. He can’t possibly be the Messiah that we are waiting for!   We KNOW Him!   We KNOW who He is!   Or maybe they only think they know Him! So the question has to be asked – do we know Jesus?   Really know Him?  ...

  Thursday 4 th Week of Lent Gospel – John 5: 31-47 A “Valued Life” Spirit Plate Blessing, St Kateri Center Retreat Back when Covid isolated us from each other, one of the things I missed the most about my Kateri family was the community potluck meal we served after every Sunday Mass. Even today (as our kitchen continues to undergo updates and renovations), it is that simple meal which speaks volumes to me about our Native community and about the values that should define our lives.   I said a ‘simple’ meal but actually it’s more of a constant miracle.   Jody, our director, or Ginger, provides the main course.   And that’s it!   All the rest – sides, salads, pasta, dessert, bread and drinks   - all of that is left to the community.   Bring something to share!   We never know how many people will come!   We never know what they will bring!   Ginger always calls it a “loaves and fishes” event!   Somehow, some way there is ...

  Wednesday – 4th Week of Lent Gospel – John 5:17 - 30 Doing My Father’s Work Dad’s Store My Dad began working in that little country store at the age of 16 and retired from that same store over 50 years later.   It was part gas station, part ice cream stand, part deli and liquor store, supermarket and local gathering spot.   After hours, it was also home for a long string of brotherly games of poker and pitch.   During all those 50 some years, he ran the store on his own, hardly ever took a vacation, and worked roughly from 5 in the morning to 10 at night, at least 6 days a week.   During the school year we basically saw him only at dinnertime for about an hour.   In the last 10 years of the store’s existence, he was also doing double-duty as the postmaster (yes, it was also the post office), taking over after my grandmother passed away. And yet in spite of all the hardships, somehow out of that tiny little store, he managed to put all four of u...