Archive for March 14, 2015

March 15th 2015 – Fourth Sunday of Lent

Posted: March 14, 2015 by CatholicJules in Sunday Reflections
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Sunday Reflections with Dr Scott Hahn

Living in the Light

Readings:
2 Chronicles 36:14-17, 19-23
Psalm 137:1-6
Ephesians 2:4-10
John 3:14-21 (see also “Binding Isaac, Crucifying Jesus”)

The Sunday readings in Lent have been showing us the high points of salvation history – God’s covenant with creation in the time of Noah; His promises to Abraham; the law He gave to Israel at Sinai.

In today’s First Reading, we hear of the destruction of the kingdom established by God’s final Old Testament covenant – the covenant with David (see 2 Samuel 7; Psalm 89:3).

His chosen people abandoned the law He gave them. For their sins, the temple was destroyed, and they were exiled in Babylon. We hear their sorrow and repentance in the exile lament we sing as today’s Psalm.

But we also hear how God, in His mercy, gathered them back, even anointing a pagan king to shepherd them and rebuild the temple (see Isaiah 44:28-45:1,4).

God is rich in mercy, as today’s Epistle teaches. He promised that David’s kingdom would last forever, that David’s son would be His Son and rule all nations (see 2 Samuel 7:14-15; Psalm 2:7-9). In Jesus, God keeps that promise (see Revelation 22:16).

Moses lifted up the serpent as a sign of salvation (see Wisdom 16:6-7; Numbers 21:9). Now Jesus is lifted up on the cross, to draw all people to himself (see John 12:32).

Those who refuse to believe in this sign of the Father’s love, condemn themselves – as the Israelites in their infidelity brought judgment upon themselves.

But God did not leave Israel in exile, and He does not want to leave any of us dead in our transgressions. We are God’s handiwork, saved to live as His people in the light of His truth.

Midway through this season of repentance, let us again behold the Pierced One (see John 19:37), and rededicate ourselves to living the “good works” that God has prepared us for.

Binding Isaac, Crucifying Jesus

In the second and fourth Sundays of Lent (Cycle B), we see an ancient symbolic reading of the Old Testament – Abraham’s “binding” of Isaac as a symbol of God’s love for the world in giving His only son.

In Genesis 22, Abraham brings his firstborn, his only son, the one he loves, to offer him as a sacrifice. On the third day (see Genesis 22:4), an angel gives him his son back – not dead as expected, but alive. And this sacrificial offering leads God to promise to bless all the nations of the earth.

The New Testament writers read this story as symbolizing the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross.

In fact, God’s praise of Abraham for not withholding His only Son is echoed by Paul (see Romans 8:32) and John (see John 3:16). Hebrews says Abraham believed in the resurrection, and that Isaac’s release was a “symbol” of Christ’s resurrection (see Hebrews 11:17-19).

Jesus is the true heir promised to Abraham (see Matthew 1:1; Galatians 3:16). Abraham rejoiced at Isaac’s birth because he could foresee the day when Christ would be born (see John 8:56). Like Isaac, Christ carried the wood of His sacrifice (see Genesis 22:6; John 19:6).

And by His sacrificial death and resurrection the blessing of Abraham was extended to the nations (see Galatians 3:14; Genesis 22:16-18).

On Reflection…

Posted: March 14, 2015 by CatholicJules in Personal Thoughts & Reflections
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No one knows more about forgiveness then one who is in desperate need of it. How then can you withhold forgiveness when God has forgiven your heinous sins against Him?

On Today’s Gospel

Posted: March 14, 2015 by CatholicJules in Personal Thoughts & Reflections
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Sin! If even the word sin bothers you then you must ask yourself why? Are there areas in my life for which I need correction? Have I been caustic in my words? Have I hurt even derided others by them. Have I been uncharitable in my words and deeds? Have lingered on evil thoughts? Plotting against someone in my mind? Have I entertained unclean thoughts? Have I allowed myself to be desensitised to all that is sinful? Have I failed to help when it was most needed? Have I not made time especially this Lenten period to draw closer to God our Father who loves me? 

We all have to pay for the consequences of our sins sooner our later even though we may not see the consequences as such.  Whether or not we do the Lord our God wants to liberate us from the effects of sin. To take the heavy burden of our guilt away so that we may be free to live the life we are meant to live in Him. A contrite heart and spirit He will not spurn. What He wants is a loving relationship with us.

Lord Jesus I surrender my all to You, my heart, my head, my body, my spirit. Consecrate them so that I may love and serve You according to Your Will always. Amen

First reading
Hosea 5:15-6:6

The Lord says this:
They will search for me in their misery.
‘Come, let us return to the Lord.
He has torn us to pieces, but he will heal us;
he has struck us down, but he will bandage our wounds;
after a day or two he will bring us back to life,
on the third day he will raise us
and we shall live in his presence.
Let us set ourselves to know the Lord;
that he will come is as certain as the dawn
his judgement will rise like the light,
he will come to us as showers come,
like spring rains watering the earth.’
What am I to do with you, Ephraim?
What am I to do with you, Judah?
This love of yours is like a morning cloud,
like the dew that quickly disappears.
This is why I have torn them to pieces by the prophets,
why I slaughtered them with the words from my mouth,
since what I want is love, not sacrifice;
knowledge of God, not holocausts.

Gospel
Luke 18:9-14

Jesus spoke the following parable to some people who prided themselves on being virtuous and despised everyone else: ‘Two men went up to the Temple to pray, one a Pharisee, the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood there and said this prayer to himself, “I thank you, God, that I am not grasping, unjust, adulterous like the rest of mankind, and particularly that I am not like this tax collector here. I fast twice a week; I pay tithes on all I get.” The tax collector stood some distance away, not daring even to raise his eyes to heaven; but he beat his breast and said, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner.” This man, I tell you, went home again at rights with God; the other did not. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the man who humbles himself will be exalted.’