Gospel Reflections for Challenging Times

  Saturday - 3rd Week of Lent Gospel – Luke 18:9-14 Let Us Pray! Stone of Anointing, Church of Holy Sepulchre The Pharisee and the Tax Collector!   Two very different individuals – one an elite and highly regarded member of Jewish society, a religious leader.   The other – reviled and hated, looked on as a collaborator with the Romans, someone who cheats and steals from the people. The Pharisee offers God a prayer of thanksgiving, well, sort of!   What is he thankful for?   That he’s not like others, that he is better than everyone.   He is blind to the needs of those around him and selfishly puts himself on a pedestal.   The tax collector, on the other hand, can’t even raise his head to the heavens.   His is a prayer of repentance, sorrow for his sins and failings.   The Pharisee thanks the Lord that he is not greedy or dishonest like others; and yet, that is exactly what he is.   The tax collector, the one everyone assume...

    Friday - 3rd Week of Lent Gospel – Mark 12:28-34 Almost There Heiskell Home Ginger and I took a ‘little’ road trip last week, driving back up to Chicago, her first trip back since last May.   It was a week full of doctor appointments, reunions with friends and family, and a very healthy dose of Chicago pizza and lasagna!   Yum!   Driving back to Tennessee, we became more and more anxious and excited the closer we got to our Heiskell home!   Almost there!   Almost there!   As we pulled into the driveway, all we wanted was to hear Google tell us – Welcome Home!   What a great feeling of relief and of joy! That must be something like what the scribe in today’s Gospel felt.   The reading starts off with the scribe asking Jesus a question.   Uh oh, we know where this is going!   Jesus is going to teach him a harsh lesson; this is not going to go well.   But quite the reverse happens.   The scribe...

  Thursday - 3rd Week of Lent Gospel – Luke 11:14-23 Are You With Me? Caiaphas’ House, Jerusalem Are you with me?   It sounds like a spirited speech from the coach for the Lady Vols during college basketball’s March Madness!   Or maybe a rallying cry to the crowds in Les Miserables !   Or maybe it’s the whispered words of an older brother as he plots in secret with his siblings to raid the cookie jar!   But in today’s Gospel, Jesus expressed similar words to the crowds – you are either with me or against me!   It’s a challenge to choose a side, a question of faith or denial! We all know from experience that we sometimes falter in our response!   Sometimes we don’t always listen to God.   We don’t always follow His commands!   We act selfishly and decide to cater to the whims of the world or our own desires.   The very act of Jesus driving out the demon from the mute is an announcement that the Kingdom is here, right h...