Third Sunday of Lent - 2023

Ancestrally, Samaritans claim to be descent from the tribe of Ephraim and tribe of Manasseh (two sons of Joseph, O.T.) as well as from the Levites. They occupied the region of Israel between Judea in the south and Galilee to the north. Some Religious their beliefs: That there is one God, YHWH, the same God recognized by the Hebrew prophets. That the Torah, the Law, was given by God to Moses. That Mount Gerizim, not Jerusalem, is the one true sanctuary chosen by Israel’s God to worship Him. Samaritans were considered unclean heretics by the Jews whom they despised even more than they despised Gentiles. Now the Samaritan woman’s life is a total mess and by engaging with her Jesus is breaking all the conventional norms of shunning the Jews practiced toward Samaritans. The woman is totally surprised by Jesus’ willingness to engage with her and his disciples where dumbfounded when they saw him doing so. But Jesus tells them that he has come not to perpetuate division but to unite all peoples by taking them to a higher state of religious belief and practice. “The hour is coming, and is now here, when true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such people to worship him. God is Spirit, and those who worship him must worship in Spirit and truth.” This proclamation by Jesus is no less relevant for us to hear today than for these in today’s gospel. True religion, true worship comes down from God – it is God acting on the believer – it is a work of the Spirit. The worshipper cooperates by seeking after this outpouring of God’s grace. We create rituals around this “sacred act” of the Spirit. They are intended to help us to recognize and cooperate with the Spirit acting in us. We must never forget that it is not the rituals that make worship true, it is our humble surrender to the action of the Spirit working within us that makes our worship true and fruitful. Jesus tells the Samaritan woman that it is not the mountain that makes worship true. During lent we are asked to examine the quality of our worship. Just showing up in church on Sunday is not enough. Merely reciting prayer formulas by rote while our mind is way off shopping is not true prayer. Rituals play an important part, and when they are performed with reverence and devotion, they serve to help us rise up into God’s grace acting upon us. Let us always come to worship with such disposition of mind and heart.

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Second Sunday of Lent - 2023

The Second Sunday presents us with the account of the Transfiguration of Jesus. The word transfiguration comes from a Greek word from which we get the word metamorphosis, meaning a radical change. An example that illustrates this well is the butterfly. It begins as worm like leaf eater, then after a time wrapped in a cocoon it emerges as a beautiful butterfly able fly. So here Jesus appearance is being radically transfigured, radically transformed. And as this happens Peter, James, and John can see Jesus’ divine glory. Remember Matthew gospel was first written to first century Jews. When they heard these details of the transfiguration, they would immediately make the connection with Moses on Mount Sinai. Some of these connections with the Transfiguration of Jesus and Moses’ experience on Mount Sinai are: * Moses goes up the mountain taking three companions – Jesus take with him Peter, James and john. * When Moses went up the mountain of Sinai, it says that “when he came down his face shone with the glory of having been in the presence of God,” * When Jesus goes up the mountain, his face is transfigured and it shines like the sun with its own light - similar to Moses but is greater than Moses, because he's being revealed as the divine son of God. * In the Moses experience a cloud descends upon him; it says that “God spoke to Moses from the cloud.”   * In the Transfiguration of Jesus the voice of the Father speaks from the cloud and says the words, “this is my beloved son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” So, for the first century Jews they would see in the Transfiguration the revelation of one who is even greater than Moses. Jesus is acting like a new Moses, but he's a new and greater Moses, and he's bringing the disciples up that mountain to encounter God, to enter into the mystery of God and to also reveal to them his divine Sonship. What is the meaning of the Transfiguration for us today? As for Peter, James and John Jesus is preparing them for the scandal of the Cross. When they and the other disciples see Jesus’ passion and death their faith will suffer a crushing blow. So for us we also see in the Transfiguration the glory and power of God revealing Jesus as our Lord and Saviour – for  we too must face the crushing blows that our own trials will bring against our faith – faith that for some will be lost. This is why Lent is such an important time because it is during Lent that through prayer and meditation, we seal in one unbreakable bond the glorious Transfiguration with the passion of Jesus. So that we can face our trials with the vision of the victorious Christ - so seared into our memory that no suffering we face will ever separate us from our confident trust in the Lord. May I recommend that this be the way for you pray and meditate this Lent. As you look up at the Crucified Jesus, see also the vision of the glorious risen Christ.

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First Sunday of Lent - 2023

Some reflections for prayer on the First Sunday of Lent Gospel for the First Sunday Lent invites us to go with Jesus into the wilderness – not literally, rather into the wilderness of or our own minds & hearts. Like Jesus, we want our own integrity to be tested, to examine the true quality of our faith. What kind of believer am I? So, let us look at the three tests to which Jesus was subjected by the devil, which are the same tests we too must face this Lent. The first test: integrity, security of our lives, "my bread of life". It is said that we are living in the Age of Individualism – the “Me First Generation", the “What-ever-makes-you-happy” generation. That is “my truth”, and it’s my right to have what I need and want to make me happy. Jesus’ response: Truth comes from God the creator. The true goal of every life is to discover and pursue God’s plan for my existence. The question I must ask myself is what truth is shaping my life? What is my daily bread I seek and desire each day? The second test: proof; seeing is believing.  We are also called the Scientific Age. Sound reason demands proof. If religion is true, where is the proof? If God is, and God is love, why so much suffering in the world? Jesus’ response: believing is seeing. No human mind can capture the essence of God – but God will reveal himself to those who open their minds and hearts. Ask yourself, is the secularism of today eroding my faith? The third test: power & possession – “to the victor goes the spoils”.  We are also called the Age of Success. My life is measured by all my successes and the power that I must have to control them. Jesus’ response = wealth & power last but a few years – then death comes to everyone. It is said of our age that the rich are getting richer; poverty in the world is growing. But where is this leading us? History has some worrisome suggestions. Ask yourself: life is short, eternity is forever; where do I wish to end up?

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When the woman saw that the tree was good for food and delightful to look at and desirable for gaining wisdom Pride of the flesh (appetites) Pride of the eye (possessions) Pride of life (control) “If You are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: ‘He will command His angels concerning You, and they will lift You up in their hands, so that You will not strike Your foot against a stone.’ showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. “All this I will give You,” he said, “if You will fall down and worship me.” ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’ “Away from Me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only.’”

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"The first temptation is the devil tempted Jesus to turn stones into bread.  Well why does he do that and is that a real temptation?" >>> LINK <<<

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Fifth Sunday Ordinary Time - 2023

Catholic Answers website has an article entitled How to Respond to the “New Atheism”. The author is Trent Horn. He points out that the “Old Atheism” championed by Communism was not doing as well as atheist were hoping. Quoting Trent Horn, “Beginning in the 1970s, the philosopher Paul Kurtz promoted what he called “secular humanism,” which focused on promoting human well-being without religion rather than converting people to atheism”. Some atheist view religion as having some good to offer society, but the more militant sees it as the cause of today’s world disorders. Quoting Trent Horn again, “In 2004 American atheist Sam Harris, after reflecting on the September 11 terrorist attacks, published The End of Faith. In the book, Harris argued that religion is a form of mental illness and not part of a rational worldview”. How common it is today to see governments separating religious signs and symbols from public life, sighting that we now live in a “secular” society. Religion at best is a private matter. I mention all this as a way for us to connect in our time to Jesus' words in today’s gospel. Atheism and Secular Humanism are trying to extinguish the Light of religious faith. By claiming secular humanism as normal and rational and religion as superstition; and by discrediting religion whenever it has problems the New Atheist are at war with the “Children of Light”. “You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hidden. No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before human beings, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.” So what is it that makes us the Light of the World? It is the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, with His gifts and graces – beginning with our baptism. Consider the oil lamp. It has two main components – the base which is a reservoir to be filled with fuel – and for its top a globe which is transparent to all that surrounds it. When it is filled with oil and the wick is lighted a brilliant light fills the room. Just so with us – filled with the Holy Spirit with many charisms and graces, with wisdom and truth taught to us by Jesus – when set alight by His inspiration we become a true light, dispelling the darkness of ignorance of God’s truth around us. And the lampstand – it is our place in the world wherever that may be – there and then the truth of our faith is always to be with us shining for all to see and hear. We come here to Mass each week to have the light of the Holy Spirit replenished in our minds and hearts so that going forth our light will shine brightly. My dear brothers and sisters in Christ never let the New Atheism smother your light under its bushels of falsehoods. Here is the link to the article How to Respond to the “New Atheism” Here is a link to a chart showing the percentage of atheists per county.

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