Nunc Coepi: Now I Begin!

Fifth Sunday of Lent
April 6, 2025 — Year C
by Rev. Mr. Mark De La Hunt, Permanent Deacon
Readings:  Is 43:16-21 / Ps 126 / Phil 3:8-14 / John 8:1-11

Today we begin the 5^th week of Lent and next week is Holy Week.  It kicks off with Palm Sunday and Lent officially ends when Holy Thursday begins the Holy Triduum. 

I strongly encourage you to make a Lenten resolution, and whatever sacrifice you need to make, to attend Holy Thursday Mass, Good Friday Liturgy, and Easter Vigil Mass Saturday night.  I attended my first Triduum at the age of 25 and it was a conversion moment.  It opened my mind and heart to more fully grasp Jesus’ suffering, death, and resurrection.  The Triduum helped me make sense of the transition from the austerity of Lent to the joy of Easter.

If you recall, the week before Lent began, I preached on Jesus’ invitation to become more like Him.  I suggested doing this through practicing the Virtues and living the Beatitudes with the help of the Holy Spirit’s gifts, which perfect and complete our virtue and make us more docile before God’s will.  If you accepted that spiritual challenge or something equally daunting, you likely failed one or more times in the past four weeks.

If you have failed or simply need to dig deeper, I encourage you with the motto of Venerable Bruno Lanteri who founded the Oblates of the Virgin Mary, “Nunc Coepi,”  Latin for “Now I begin.”  It’s a Catholic way of saying, “Never give up.  Never surrender to failure or mediocrity in the spiritual life!”  (Venerable is a title for one of “heroic virtue,” under consideration for sainthood.)

We have, if I did my Catholic Lenten math correctly, nine days of Lent left to strive with grace to become more like Jesus.  Think of those nine days as a living Lenten novena.  Today’s gospel gives us hope to try.  Jesus told the woman who committed adultery, “I do not condemn you. Go and do not sin any more.” (Jn 8: 11)  Nunc Coepi.  

Jesus saw something in that woman that was worth saving.  Jesus is like Michelangelo, the great Italian sculptor, who once said, “I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free.”  Jesus saw a mini-Christ in the woman who committed the sin of adultery.  He sees a mini-Christ in you and me and is chiseling and carving us to free us to be holy enough to one day enter God’s presence in heaven. 

Here is a personal story where Jesus revealed this spiritual reality to me.  I began my Lent focused on practicing the Virtues and the Beatitudes with the gifts of the Holy Spirit.  Ten days in, speaking with Jesus during prayer using Ignatian meditation, He revealed to me a weakness that He hit with His chisel the day before.

The day He spoke of was when I was driving to a doctor’s appointment in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.  (You may have driven this trip before.  You get off 29 south in Danville and turn left onto highway 86 to Yanceyville, a long rural two-lane road.)  For the first time in making that trip, I ended up behind a slow 18-wheeler.  I kept looking for opportunities to pass it, with no luck.  Anxiety was gnawing at me, as these appointments take months to get.  I kept praying, “Jesus I trust in you.”  It was Lent and I was on my game! 

The truck eventually turned off that road and I was able to speed up and get back on schedule.  I thanked Jesus for His grace in staying calm.  I made my final turn off the interstate, a turn I have made several times the past four years.  But for whatever reason, it did not look right, and I ignored my GPS, looking for a familiar place to turn.  I was falling behind schedule.  I became very agitated, not only about being late, but also because of this unsettling sense of losing my memory with age. Panic set in. 

Praying to St. Joseph for help, I found the medical center.  I walked hurriedly through the parking garage, still feeling agitated.  An older woman up ahead lost her balance a little and a woman closer to her, offered to help her.  The woman who stumbled said she was fine.  The helpful woman and I continued on our way, but the helpful woman stopped again, turned around and asked the other lady if she was sure she did not want some help.  The lady said she was sure, and we proceeded to the medical center.  Wrapped up in my anxiousness to get to my appointment, I never said a word.  I did not affirm the helpful lady, nor encourage the one who stumbled.

Now, back to my Ignatian meditation the following day:  Jesus asked if the woman in the garage that I failed to help was on my mind?  I said, “Yes.”  Then I asked somewhat cheekily, “Did you place that slow 18-wheeler in front of me and cause me to lose my sense of direction on the way to my doctor’s appointment?”  He said, “Yes.”  I felt His divine chisel hit.  I was so disappointed in myself, for failing His test, especially because a couple of months earlier, I had preached on saints always being available to help.  And even more so, because I was wearing my Roman collar in case someone wanted prayer in the waiting room.  I felt the chisel strike again, and cringed thinking what that helpful woman must have thought about Catholic clergy after seeing my indifference to someone in need. 

Jesus told me that the helpful woman’s two attempts to lend aid were grace he sent me to try and awaken me.  Another strike of His chisel.  He said that I tend to focus so much on schedules and tasks that I miss opportunities to love.  The divine chisel hurts.  But then he encouraged me to begin again.  Nunc Coepi.  He told me that my focus for Lent was to be always ready to help, even when I am in a rush.  He then told me He took care of the lady in need and that He loved me.  It was as if He said, “Mark, I do not condemn you.  Go and do not sin any more.  Be ready to help another even when feeling rushed.” 

What is really cool is that a week before my trip, God’s grace began preparing my heart for His divine chisel.  Just three days into Lent, due to a history of failure in other areas of my life, I wondered if I was progressing at all in becoming more like Jesus.  I told my spiritual director, Fr. Joe, about my failures and asked him if I was progressing. He shared that Michelangelo quote about freeing the angel in the marble and spoke of Jesus using a chisel to sculpt us.  Two days later in Confession, the priest mentioned the chisel metaphor.  And then on Hallow I heard a St. Maximilian Kolbe quote on Jesus’ chisel.  Before this time, I had not heard that metaphor before.  (Pay attention when God repeats Himself three times!)  Fr. Joe then prayed these words from the French priest and scientist, Father Pierre Teilhard de Chardin: 

“Above all, trust in the slow work of God.
We are quite naturally impatient in everything
to reach the end without delay.
We should like to skip the intermediate stages.
We are impatient of being on the way to something
unknown, something new.
And yet it is the law of all progress
that it is made by passing through
some stages of instability—
and that it may take a very long time.

And so I think it is with you;
your ideas mature gradually—let them grow,
let them shape themselves, without undue haste.
Don’t try to force them on,
as though you could be today what time
(that is to say, grace and circumstances
acting on your own good will)
will make of you tomorrow.

Only God could say what this new spirit
gradually forming within you will be.
Give Our Lord the benefit of believing
that his hand is leading you [chiseling],
and accept the anxiety of feeling yourself
in suspense and incomplete.”

Fr. Joe then encouraged me with the reminder that the sculpting Jesus begins in this life is often not finished until after death, in purgatory.  There He chisels whatever else we need to be freed from, to be that person we have so long desired to be, that angel in the marble that our Lord has seen from the moment of our conception, that real me and real you that He refuses to condemn IF we seek His forgiveness AND surrender to his divine chisel. 

With all of that in mind, listen again to God speaking to us from today’s readings where He invites us to pray with Fr. Bruno Lanteri, “Nunc Coepi.  Now I begin.”

From Isaiah on Nunc Coepi:  “Remember not the events of the past, the things of long ago consider not; see, I am doing something new!…the people whom I formed for myself.”  (Is 18-19;21) (The chiseling began when He made us a new creation in Baptism.)

From the Psalmist on Nunc Coepi:  “Those who sow in tears shall reap rejoicing.” (Ps 12: 5)  (Chiseling hurts and may even bring tears, but surrendering to it brings about amazingly wonderful transformation.) 

From Philippians:  St. Paul writes on Jesus not being done chiseling him, “I for my part do not consider myself to have taken possession [of being a mini-Christ]. Just one thing:  forgetting what lies behind [our failures] but straining forward to what lies ahead [Nunc Coepi], I continue my pursuit toward the goal, the prize of God’s upward calling, in Christ Jesus.” (Phil 3: 13-14)

As for the gospel, Jesus speaks words that transform the hearts of His enemies from accusation to compassion, from trying to punish to letting go and letting God.  Listen to Jesus, this time imagining Him looking directly at you with a stone in your hand.  “Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone.” (Jn 8:7)  Then see His look of love for the person you want to stone and hear Him say, “Has no one condemned you?…Neither do I condemn you. Go, and from now on do not sin any more.” (Jn 8:11)  [Now that person can say Nunc Coepi, Now I begin.]

Never forget this truth: Jesus is God and His words have power to make all things new! (Rev 21:5)  He said, “Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone,” and the angry mob became a compassionate community.  He said, “Lazarus come out,” and the dead man came out. “This is my body,” and the bread became His flesh.  Just as His words still change the bread into His flesh today, so too did His words do something new in those listening back then and continue to bring about something new in us listening right now.  Not only can we see where WE need chiseling, but through His grace, we also can now see the angel in others striving to be freed.  With your newly chiseled eyes and heart, be patient and compassionate with one another. And for others and yourself, “Trust in the slow work of God.”  

Now, let’s seek the intercession of a saint who was an expert with a chisel and who taught Jesus how to use one too: 

St. Joseph, you chiseled wood to make it beautiful and to make it strong enough to withstand the storms and abuse of life.  Pray for us that we forget what lies behind and surrender to your carpenter son’s chisel, trusting He will make us new, freed to be like Him.  Amen. 

Nunc Coepi, my friends. Now we begin!

Forgiven, Healed, and Restored

Fourth Sunday of Lent
March 30, 2025 — Year C
Readings: Josh 5:9a, 10-12 / Ps 34 / 2 Cor 5:17-21 / Lk:1-3, 11-32
by Rev. Nixon Negparanon, Pastor

The fourth Sunday of Lent, often called Laetare Sunday, is a day of joyful anticipation as we draw closer to Easter.  The readings today reveal God’s boundless mercy, and His call for us to be reconciled with Him.  Each passage invites us to reflect on God’s transformative love that restores us to grace and calls us home.

In our first reading today, the Israelites have just crossed the Jordan River into the promised land.  The Lord declares to Joshua, “Today I have removed the reproach of Egypt from you.”  This moment marks a turning point.  The people who had wandered in the desert for forty years now experience the fulfillment of God’s promise.  They celebrate the Passover, no longer dependent on manna, but now eating from the produce of the land.  This highlights God’s faithfulness in bringing His people from slavery to freedom, from exile to home.  Just as God provided for the Israelites, He continually offers us the nourishment we need, both physically and spiritually.

Saint Paul speaks of a powerful transformation.  Whoever is in Christ is a new creation.  The old things have passed away.  Behold, new things have come.  Paul emphasizes that through Christ’s death and resurrection, we have been reconciled with God.  He describes this reconciliation as a gift entrusted to us.  We are now called to be ambassadors for Christ, sharing His message of mercy with the world.  This reminds us that Lent is a time for renewal; no matter how far we have strayed, God offers us a fresh beginning, inviting us to be instruments of peace and reconciliation.

The familiar parable of the prodigal son is a powerful illustration of God’s mercy.  The younger son squanders his inheritance, but eventually returns home, prepared to beg for forgiveness.  Yet, before he can finish his confession, his father runs to embrace him, clothing him in a robe and celebrating his return with a feast.  The elder son struggles to understand such mercy, questioning why his loyalty was not similarly rewarded.

The parable of the prodigal son highlights the stark differences, yet profound similarities between the younger and older sons, reflecting our own lives.  The younger son’s realization and decision to return home underscore the importance of acknowledging one’s mistake and seeking reconciliation.

The father’s response illustrates unconditional love and the joy of recovery, emphasizing that redemption is always possible.  This reveals the heart of God, a father who seeks us out, welcomes us home, and rejoices in our repentance.  The father’s actions reflect what Pope Francis has called the joy of the Gospel.  “God never tires of forgiving us.  We are the ones who tire of seeking His mercy.”  The father in the parable runs to his son, emphasizing the need for healing, a reality many of us face.

While the younger son experiences regret after leaving, the older son who stays home in obedience grapples with resentment and the desire for recognition.  Both sons demonstrate the need for acceptance and healing, highlighting that, regardless of our choices, we all long for connection and understanding.  The parable also challenges us to examine our hearts.  Are we like the younger son, needing to return to God?  Or are we like the elder son, struggling to embrace God’s mercy for others?

Being embraced by the Father is pivotal in understanding Christianity, which hinges on the question of whether one allows God to love them as they are.  Despite God’s invitation to join in His celebration, the refusal to grant permission to be loved can create barriers to acceptance.  Ultimately, the final step toward receiving this love lies in personal consent.

All three readings center on themes of renewal, reconciliation, and God’s abundant mercy.  In Joshua, God restores His people to the promised land.  In Corinthians, Paul proclaims that God makes us new through Christ.  In the gospel, Jesus reveals God as a father who welcomes sinners home.  Together, these readings remind us that no sin is greater than God’s mercy, and no distance is too far for God to reach.

Brothers and sisters, our Church reminds us that God’s mercy is central to His identity.  God reveals His fatherly omnipotence by His infinite mercy, for He displays His power at its heights by freely forgiving sins.  The parable of the prodigal son reflects this truth.  God’s greatest strength is His ability to forgive, heal, and restore.

As we continue our Lenten journey, let us examine our own need for mercy.  In our fast-paced world, pride and self-reliance can blind us to our need for God’s forgiveness.  Lent offers us a chance to reflect deeply and seek the sacrament of reconciliation.

Let us also embrace those who have wandered.  Like the merciful Father, we are called to welcome back those who have strayed from the Church.  A kind word, a listening ear, or an invitation to Mass can be a powerful gesture of reconciliation.  As Christians, we are called to be ambassadors of mercy, especially in today’s world where judgement and division are common.  We are called to practice forgiveness, whether in our families, workplaces, or communities.  Showing compassion to those who hurt us reflects God’s mercy in action.

Our readings this Sunday remind us that our God is a God of second chances, whether we are the younger son in need of forgiveness, or the elder son called to embrace mercy.  God invites us all to the feast.  May we accept this invitation, trusting in His love that never fails.

Father, I have sinned against Heaven and against you.  May these words be the beginning of our journey back to the Father’s embrace.

Satisfying Our Spiritual Thirst

Third Sunday of Lent
March 23, 2025 — Year C  (Year A readings)
Readings: Ex 17:3-7 / Ps 95 / Rom 5:1-2, 5-8 / Jn 4:5-42
by Rev. Nixon Negparanon, Pastor

As we continue our journey through Lent, today’s readings invite us to reflect on our spiritual thirst, a longing only God can truly satisfy.  Through the image of water, scripture reveals how God reaches out to us in our need and invites us into a deeper relationship with Him.

In our first reading, the Israelites are grumbling against Moses as they suffer from thirst in the desert.  Their desperation leads to doubt, frustration, and even accusations against Moses and God.  Despite their lack of faith, God responds with mercy by instructing Moses to strike the rock, bringing forth water to quench their thirst. This reminds us that God is always faithful, even when we struggle with doubts and fears. The rock in this passage is a powerful symbol of Christ, who provides the living water that satisfies our deepest needs.

Saint Paul speaks of the peace we receive through faith in Jesus Christ in his letter to the Romans.  He emphasizes that hope does not disappoint, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit.  This pouring out of God’s love echoes the image of water flowing from the rock in Exodus.  Paul also reminds us that God’s love is not based on our worthiness.  While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.  This profound truth reveals the depth of God’s mercy.  He meets us in our brokenness and thirst, offering us the grace we cannot earn.

In our gospel reading, we see a remarkable encounter:  Jesus meets the Samaritan woman at the well.  She comes seeking physical water, but Jesus leads her to recognize her deepest thirst, a thirst for truth, healing, and salvation.  Jesus reveals Himself as the source of living water, offering her a new life in God’s grace.

There is a story of four high school students who decided to cut classes one morning and didn’t go to school until noon.  They said to the teacher, “Our car had a flat tire. That is why we were very late.”  They were so relieved when they saw the teacher smiling and heard her say, “OK, I understand, boys.  You missed a test, but you can make up for it right now.”  Thereupon, she had them seated in the four corners of the room which were away from one another.  “Now you will answer just one question,” the teacher said. “Which tire was flat?”  The boys were perspiring and gave different answers.  They had lied about having a flat tire.

Today’s gospel passage talks about Jesus’ conversing with a Samaritan woman who had many excuses at the start of her encounter with Jesus.  In their dialogue, the woman’s response is half-truth and evasive.  Jesus is asking her to fetch her husband.  The woman says that she has no husband, instead of telling Jesus the truth, that she has had six husbands. But as the gospel goes on, we see that the Samaritan woman’s transformation is really striking.  Once an outcast burdened by her past, she becomes a joyful witness who leads others to Christ. Her story shows us that no one is beyond God’s mercy, and He seeks us out even when we feel unworthy or distant from Him.

Saint Augustine reflects beautifully on this encounter saying, “You’ve made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until we rest in You.”  Like the Samaritan woman, our restless hearts will only be satisfied when we drink deeply from the living water that Jesus offers.  At the beginning, the woman was arrogant and even proud, but one by one Jesus broke down her defenses.

Jesus told the woman, “You are right, because you have had five husbands, and the man with whom you are living is not your husband.”  In other words, her life is a mess.  But Jesus does not condemn her, and neither does He excuse her and allow her to continue what she is now.  At the end of their conversation, she was changed.  Why?  Why would she be changed?  Because she opened her heart.  She did not hold on to pride, rationalizations, and traditions that kept her from realizing and accepting the truth.  In other words, she let go, she surrendered, and just allowed Jesus to take over her life.

Our Church emphasizes that the living water Jesus offers symbolizes the gift of the Holy Spirit.  This living water becomes a source of grace, cleansing, and renewal in the Sacraments, particularly Baptism and the Eucharist. The Samaritan woman’s encounter with Jesus is a powerful reminder that God invites everyone, regardless of their past, into His mercy and love.  The life which the Holy Spirit produces in us makes us a new creation in Jesus Christ. The point Jesus makes is that we all have a thirst similar to our bodily thirst for water, and that spiritual thirst, the Old Testament says, is our thirst for God.  For example, in the book of Psalms, the psalmist says, “As a deer longs for a stream of cool water, so I thirst for You, the living God.”

All three readings highlight our spiritual thirst and God’s response to that need. In Exodus, the Israelites’ physical thirst symbolizes our deeper longing for God’s presence. Paul reminds us that God pours His love into our hearts, and Jesus fulfills the promise by offering Himself as the living water that quenches our spiritual thirst.  The common thread is God’s mercy.  He meets us in our struggles, doubts, and sins to offer us new life.

We are challenged today to be like the Samaritan woman. We all have a thirst for love, meaning, and purpose.  Lent is a time to ask: What am I truly seeking?  Am I trying to satisfy my spiritual thirst with temporary things?

Let us encounter Jesus in prayer and the Sacraments.  The living water Jesus offers flows through His Church.  We can spend time in prayer, visit the Blessed Sacrament, and seek the grace of Confession to experience His mercy.  As followers of Christ, we are witnesses of hope.  The Samaritan woman didn’t keep her encounter with Jesus to herself.  In a world filled with spiritual drought, we are called to share the living water of Christ with those who are struggling. Jesus meets us where we are in our doubts, our struggles, and our thirst.  Just as He reached out to the Samaritan woman, He offers us living water that satisfies our deepest longing.  As we continue our Lenten journey, may we turn to Him with open hearts, trusting that His mercy will renew and sustain us.

Let the Light Shine Through

Second Sunday of Lent
March 16, 2025 — Year C
Readings: Gn 15:5-12, 17-18 / Ps 27 / Phil 3:17-4:1 / Lk 9:28b-36
by Rev. Nixon Negparanon, Pastor

On this second Sunday of Lent, the Church invites us to journey to the mountaintop with Jesus, Peter, James, and John.  The Transfiguration reveals something profound, not only about Jesus, but also about us.  It speaks to our identity as beloved children of God, and how that identity must shape our mission in this world.

In our first reading, God makes a covenant with Abraham, promising him countless descendants, despite Abraham’s doubts.  How can this be?  God reaffirms His faithfulness by sealing the covenant with a symbolic gesture:  a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch, passing through the divided sacrifices.  This powerful moment shows that God’s promises are not based on our merit, but on His unwavering love and faithfulness.

St. Paul, in our second reading, urges the Philippians to remain firm in their faith.  He contrasts those who live for earthly desires with those who place their hope in the Lord.  Paul reminds us that our true citizenship is in heaven, calling us to live with our eyes fixed on Christ.  This is a call to identity, not defined by worldly success, but by our relationship with God.

Our gospel today comes after the passage where Jesus had told His disciples that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and on the third day be raised.  (Luke 9:22) This was not good news for the disciples.  They expected Jesus, as the Messiah, to confront and topple the Roman army of occupation and restore the kingdom to Israel.  Many of them would have begun to have second thoughts.  Is Jesus really the expected Messiah?  Is He really the anointed of God who is to come?  Should we go along with Him to the showdown in Jerusalem, or should we back off before it’s too late?

One fine morning a few days after, Jesus invites the leaders of the group of apostles, Peter, James, and John, to go with Him for a prayer session on the mountain.  The mountain is a place of encounter with God.  Moses encountered God on the mountain and so did Elijah.

On the mountain, Jesus goes into prayer, and the eyes of the apostles—their spiritual eyes—were opened, and they caught a glimpse of the true reality of Jesus that their physical eyes never saw.  The Transfiguration is a pivotal moment.  Jesus, radiant in divine glory, stands with Moses and Elijah, representing the law and the prophets.  The Father’s voice declares, “This is my chosen Son.  Listen to Him.”

This event marks a turning point in Jesus’ mission, as He sets His face toward Jerusalem and His coming Passion.  But notice what happens before this:  Jesus reveals His identity first, before He moves toward suffering and sacrifice.  The Father affirms Him as His beloved Son.  This moment highlights that Jesus’ identity comes before His mission.  His worth is not defined by what He will do, but by who He is:  the beloved Son of God.

The readings invite us to reflect on God’s faithfulness and our true identity.  Like Abraham, we are called to trust in God’s promises.  Like Paul, we are reminded that our true home is in heaven.  And like the disciples on the mountain top, we are invited to listen to Jesus, the one who reveals our true identity as beloved children of God.

Saint Mother Teresa once said, “If you want to change the world, go home and love your family.”  This wisdom echoes the message of the Transfiguration:  that our identity as beloved sons and daughters of God must shape everything we do.  Our mission, whether family, work, or ministry, flows from this identity.

Today we are challenged to embrace our identities.  In a world that often defines us by our achievements, we must remember that our worth comes from being a beloved child of God.  Spend time in prayer, reflecting on this truth, so that we can fully embrace our identities as Christians.

There is a story of a young mother with her little 4-year-old son who went into the church.  She was saying her prayers while he was running around, investigating everything inside.  He pointed to a statue and wanted to know who that was.  His mother told him it was the Lord Jesus.  To another such question, the mother said it was the Holy God’s mother, Mama Mary.  Finally, he made his way into the sanctuary, where the light was streaming through the stained-glass windows.  He held out both arms as he moved backward and forward.  Fascinated by the colors as they were reflected on his hands and clothes, he looked up at the windows and asked his mother who they were.  She said they were the saints.

The following day in preschool, the teacher was telling them about the saints.  He got all excited as he interrupted her to tell her that he knew who they were.  When asked who they were, his answer was very simple and given with great confidence.  “They are the ones who let the light shine through.”

Today’s gospel gives us a glimpse of Jesus’ glory.  But it also shows the possibility of every Christian who is called to reflect the face of Christ to others.  Let us remember that, as Christians, we are called to seek transformation.  The disciples encountered Jesus’ glory through prayer.  In this Lenten season, deepen your prayer life to allow God to transform your heart.  Let us live our mission with confidence.  Knowing who we are in God’s eyes gives us the strength to face challenges, whether as parent, student, or professional.  Let your identity as a beloved child of God guide your actions.

As we continue our Lenten journey, may the Transfiguration remind us that our world is not tied to what we do, but to who we are:  beloved children of the Father.  Just as Jesus was strengthened by His identity before facing the cross, may we, too, embrace our identity in Christ, allowing it to shape our mission in the world.

Conquering Temptation

Fifth Sunday of Lent
March 9, 2025 — Year C
Readings: Deut 26:4-10 / Ps 91 / Rom 10:8-13 / Lk 4:1-13
by Rev. Nixon Negparanon, Pastor

As we begin the sacred season of Lent, the Church invites us to reflect on Jesus’ forty days in the wilderness, where He faced temptation.  Lent is a time of spiritual renewal, a journey through the desert of our lives, where we are called to turn away from sin and prepare our hearts for Easter.  Today’s readings guide us in understanding the significance of faith, obedience, and trust in God as we confront our own struggles.  

In the first reading, Moses instructs the Israelites to bring their first fruits as an offering to the Lord, remembering how God delivered them from slavery in Egypt.  This emphasizes gratitude and trust in God’s providence.  The Israelites acknowledge that their freedom and blessings are not of their own making but are gifts from God.  This act of remembering and thanksgiving strengthens their relationship with Him.  Similarly, we are called to recognize God’s work in our lives, responding with faith and devotion.  

Paul, in his letter to the Romans, reminds us that salvation is near:  “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart.”  He teaches that confessing Jesus as Lord and believing in His resurrection lead to salvation.  This passage highlights that salvation is available to all who call upon the Lord with faith.  Paul emphasizes that righteousness does not come through human effort alone but through belief in Christ.  Our Lenten journey should be one of deepening this faith and surrendering to God’s grace.

There is a story of an exasperated motorist who parked his car in a no-parking zone.  He attached the following message to the windshield:  “I have circled this block twenty times.  I have an appointment to keep.  ‘Forgive us our trespasses.’”  When the owner of this car returned, he found this reply attached to his own note:  “I have circled this block for twenty years.  If I don’t give you a ticket I will lose my job.  ‘Lead us not into temptation.’”

Today’s gospel passage from St. Luke tells us that Jesus, led by the Holy Spirit into the desert, is tempted by the devil.  Our first parents were tempted but they failed.  The Israelites were tested in the desert, and they also failed.  Jesus is tempted, and He wins.  The temptation of Jesus is always read on the first Sunday of Lent.  One of the reasons this passage is read every first Sunday of Lent is because Jesus’ forty days in the desert is paralleled with the forty days of Lent.  The gospel recounts Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness.  After fasting for forty days, He is confronted by the devil, who tempts Him with physical comfort, which is turning stones to bread; worldly power, which is authority over kingdoms; and testing God, which is jumping from the temple.  Jesus resists each temptation by relying on the word of God, demonstrating His unwavering obedience to the Father.  His victory over temptation is not just for Himself, but for all humanity.  

Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness serves as a profound revelation of His role as the Messiah, countering worldly expectations of power. Through entering our weaknesses and being tested yet sinless, He vanquished temptation for humanity.  The Church commemorates this mystery annually during Lent, inviting believers to confront their own wilderness experiences with trust in God’s presence and help.  

All three readings highlight faithfulness to God.  In Deuteronomy, the Israelites remember God’s past faithfulness and respond with gratitude.  In Romans, Paul affirms that salvation comes through faith in Christ.  The gospel reveals Jesus as the model of perfect obedience, resisting temptation and remaining faithful to God’s will.  These readings remind us that, like Jesus, we must trust in God’s word and resist the temptations that lead us away from Him.  

The Church teaches that temptation itself is not sin, but a test of our faith and reliance on God.  Christ’s victory over temptation shows us that we are not alone in our struggles.  Through prayer, fasting, and reliance on scripture, we can overcome the temptations that challenge our faith.  Christ’s victory over temptation is achieved through His loving obedience to the Father.  Understanding and following the Father’s will is very essential for our lives.  Neglecting it leads to spiritual loss, while fulfilling it leads to sanctity.  

Emphasizing obedience as the core of our faith, we are called to align our actions with divine guidance.  We face many temptations on a daily basis:  materialism, power, selfishness, and destruction of our spiritual lives.  The season of Lent calls us to turn from these temptations and turn to God.  We can do this through:  first, prayer, deepening our relationship with God and seeking His guidance during moments of temptation; second, by fasting, detaching from worldly distractions to focus on what truly matters; third, through almsgiving, serving others as an expression of our faith and gratitude.

To fully enter into the spirit of Lent, let us reflect:  Do we prioritize our relationship with God?  Are we using the season to grow in faith or are we distracted by the world?  How can we be more generous with our time and resources?  By embracing these Lenten practices, we follow Christ’s example and draw closer to God.  When we face our own wilderness experiences, we must remember that Jesus has already won the victory for us.  With faith and obedience, we too can overcome temptation and grow in holiness.  

As we journey through Lent, let us fix our eyes on Jesus, who conquered temptation for our sake.  Let us embrace this season as an opportunity to renew our faith, trust in God, and commit ourselves to His will.  May our Lenten journey lead us to Easter with our hearts transformed and strengthened in Christ.  

Becoming Like God

Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time
March 2, 2025 — Year C
Readings: Sir 27:4-7 / Ps 92 / 1 Cor 15:54-58 / Lk 6:39-45
by Rev. Mr. Mark De La Hunt, Permanent Deacon

Jesus said, “When fully trained, every disciple will be like his teacher.” (Lk 6:40) Our teacher is Jesus who is God. How can we be like God?  St. Gregory of Nyssa said that to become like God, one must live a virtuous life.  (CCC 1803) Lent begins this coming Wednesday. It is a season for us to replace vices and distractions with prayer and virtuous acts.  In preparation for Lent, in this homily we will reflect on our fallen human nature and on how practicing virtue with Jesus’ grace and the power of the Holy Spirit helps us become like God. 

Fr. Pablo T. Gadenz says, “In asking us to remove the beam in our eye first, Jesus is teaching us the lesson of not judging others’ faults without first addressing our own worst faults.”  Fr. Gadenz, in his commentary on Luke’s gospel, says this is not meant to say we cannot correct someone who is in sin, for Jesus said, “If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him.” (Lk 17:3) But Jesus was saying that “we should not have a critical spirit” like the scribes and the Pharisees who “watched Him closely…so that they might discover a reason to accuse Him.” (Lk 6:7) 

Regarding accusing others with a critical spirit, we would do well to remember that in Revelation, the Apostle John called Satan an accuser. “For the accuser of our brothers is cast out, who accuses them before our God day and night.” (Rev 12:10) Why do we tend to be accusers of others? 

One reason is because it is easier to try to fix someone else than to battle our own weaknesses.  Another is that our ego is fragile, because we have centered our life too much on self and not enough on Jesus.  In this weakness, we accuse others to make ourselves feel better about our own faults.  We must be careful not to feed this instinct. Could there be a dark reason that streaming reality shows of men and women behaving badly are so popular?  While watching them, could Satan enter our thoughts or dim our spiritual sight so that we become blind to our faults?  Maybe abstaining from those shows would be a good Lenten discipline that frees up time to do those things that help us become more like God. 

How do we know, though, if we are becoming more like God?  Reality TV is not our standard.  Nor are the poorly behaved people at school and at work.  Our standard is Jesus.  But how do we know how far we are from that standard?  The readings for the first three and half weeks of Lent are going to focus on helping us see where we fall short, as does today’s first reading and the gospel.

In Sirach, we are told that what we say helps us see our shortcomings, and in the gospel, Jesus says, “from the fullness of the heart the mouth speaks.”  What words come out of my mouth when I am stressed or upset?  Do I gossip?  Do I brag about myself and belittle others?  Do my words cause others to fall into sin?  For Lent, take to heart St. Paul’s spiritual direction to the Ephesians on how to speak.  “Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for edifying as fits the occasion, that it may impart grace to those who hear.” (Eph 4:29) 

Jesus said you can tell if He is your standard by the fruit your life is producing.  Do I produce rotten fruit or good fruit?  What does good fruit look like?  I struggled with this question as there are so many ways to answer it.  So, I asked myself what is good fruit that is common to people of all ages and circumstances?

One answer is that good fruit is those things you do and you say that you would want the most innocent person to imitate.  Another answer is the good fruit listed by St. Paul in his letter to the Galatians:  love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. (5:22) How do we become like that?  This Lent, ask the Holy Spirit for the power to do so. 

When you meet a person who exhibits love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control, would you call them a happy person (and a godly person)?  Yes!  How did Jesus describe happiness?  If you recall, He used the word “blessed” for happiness, preaching: “Blessed are you who are poor, for the kingdom of God is yours.  Blessed are you who are now hungry, for you will be satisfied.  Blessed are you who are now weeping, for you will laugh.  Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude and insult you, and denounce your name as evil on account of the Son of Man.”  (Lk 6:20-22)

Let’s unpack these beatitudes to see why Jesus ties them to happiness and the good fruit.  The poor who love God are blessed because they trust Him and rely on Him. Their poverty does not allow them to rely on wealth or power.  Those who voluntarily choose poverty are also happy.  Mother Teresa’s smiling face was absolutely radiant, for she relied on God so much.  She would refuse large donations, because she wanted her sisters to experience God’s loving care.  Those who have money and love God find happiness in using their wealth to build up the Church and to help the poor.  

Those who are hungry or weeping and love God are blessed because they share in Jesus’ suffering on the cross.  Through His cross their suffering has the power to help others. Also, in their suffering they more clearly hear God in prayer.  C.S. Lewis wrote, “God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pain: it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world.” 

Those who are hated, excluded, insulted, and called evil for their love of God are blessed, for they have been found worthy to be treated like Jesus.  Remember the apostles, after receiving the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, rejoicing after the Sanhedrin whipped and threatened them?  (Acts 5:40-41) The first pope, Peter, said it this way, “If you are insulted for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.” (1 Pt 4:14)

So, we want to follow Jesus so that our life bears good fruit that really describes a happy person (who is like God), and Jesus tied happiness to the beatitudes.  How do we put all of that together so we can live it?  Father Gadenz shows us three steps to living a happy life that we would want the most innocent person to imitate:  Step 1) Practice the Virtues. Step 2) Live the Beatitudes. Step 3) Call upon the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Doing these three things make us like God, filled with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. 

What are the virtues? There are seven, and they are theological and moral. The theological virtues are faith, hope, and charity. (1 Cor 13:13) To live the beatitudes, we must have faith in Jesus’ power and hope in His promise of eternal life.  Faith and hope free us so that we can practice charity.  These virtues keep us mindful that we are made for eternal life in heaven. Therefore, we do not need to grasp for all the pleasure and money we can get because our life is NOT short, for our life is eternal in Christ Jesus.

The moral virtues are also called the cardinal virtues. They are prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance. (Wis 8:7; CCC 1805-1809)  Prudence is knowing and doing the right thing in all circumstances.  Justice is giving God and neighbor their due. Fortitude is dogged determination to resist temptation and to conquer fears that make us turn inward in a selfish manner.  Temperance is keeping our desires within the limits of what is honorable and moderating pleasures.

This Lent, memorize these seven virtues and make daily resolutions to live them so that you may become like God.  Ask the Holy Spirit to give you the power to live these seven virtues.  He does this through seven gifts:  wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord.  (Is 11: 1-2 & CCC 1830-1831) The Catechism says that these gifts “perfect and complete your virtue.” 

I recommend you look up the seven virtues and seven gifts in your Catechism or Google “Catechism – moral virtues / cardinal virtues/seven gifts of Holy Spirit.”  Write them down with definitions beside each one, and pray over them daily.  Make a daily resolution to try to live the virtues you most need to practice, and ask the Holy Spirit to increase the gifts you most need to be successful doing so.  Do the same for the beatitudes.  All of these work together to help us be more like God.

If we set a Lenten goal to be more like God, we will more than likely fail one or more times during Lent.  Instead of giving up, though, we should accept that failure as the gift that it is, for it reminds us that we need a savior.  That realization puts us in the perfect frame of mind for Lent, and then we begin again. 

Jesus’ love for us destroyed death and weakness through the cross and resurrection. His perfect love cast out all fear, giving us the courage to cast off our old self this Lent and to put on our new self in Him. (Eph 4:24; 1 Jn 4:18) And here is the good news. Through our baptism we already have been given a new self.  We simply need to remember that “[We] have been crucified with Christ [and] it is no longer [we] who live, but Christ who lives in [us]; and the life [we] now live in the flesh we live by faith in the Son of God, who loved us and gave himself for us.” (Gal 2:20) Practicing virtues and living beatitudes with the help of the Holy Spirit help us reawaken that new self we received when we were baptized. 

Speaking of courage, the Latin word for virtue is virtus. It means: courage, valor, or manliness.  So, do not fear to strive to become like God this Lent!  With the love and grace of Jesus Christ, we can practice the virtues and live the beatitudes with the power of the Holy Spirit’s gifts. In doing so, regardless of our circumstances, we can live a life that inspires others to desire the godliness they see in us:  love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.  And when others ask you, “How can you be so joyful and loving and peaceful all the time?”  THEN you can share the good news that God loves them and made them for a purpose and gives them gifts to achieve that purpose, filling them with love, joy, peace and patience. Then invite them to come and see Jesus at Mass.  

Holy Spirit, increase your gifts in us that we may practice the virtues and live the beatitudes so that the good fruit from our lives may attract the world to Jesus. Amen.

Citations

Fr. Pablo T. Gadenz. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture – The Gospel of Luke. Baker Academic 2018. 

Catholic Church. Catechism of the Catholic Church. Doubleday publishing 1995. 

Who Is This Man?

Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion
March 24, 2024 — Year B
Readings: Is 50:4-7 / Ps 22 / Phil 2:6-11 / Mk 14:1-15:47
by Rev. Nixon Negparanon, Pastor

Today we embark on a profound journey that encapsulates the contrasting emotions of jubilation and solemnity, celebration and sacrifice.  As we wave palm branches and chant “Hosanna,” we join the crowd in welcoming Jesus into Jerusalem, acknowledging Him as our King and Savior.  Yet, intertwined with this triumphant entry, is the shadow of the cross looming over Him.

Today, the Church begins Holy Week with Palm or Passion Sunday.  What is the correct title?  Is it Palm Sunday or Passion Sunday?  Well, actually, it is both. At the beginning of the Mass today, there is the blessing of the palm branches, and then there is the long gospel narrative of the suffering and death of Jesus.  What does all of this mean as we begin Holy Week, going on to Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter?

With Palm Sunday, we begin the yearly journey, a journey not so much toward a destination, but a journey into a sacred time.  We follow Jesus as He accomplishes His Paschal Mystery, which is His suffering, death, and resurrection, or in simple terms, the saving mission of Jesus.  Jesus wants to save us from our sins and bring us closer to God.  The readings of Palm Sunday invite us to reflect deeply on the mysteries of Christ’s Passion, inviting us to walk alongside Him in His final moments.

In the gospel narrative, we witness the fickleness of human nature as the same crowd that hailed Jesus with hosannas later cries out for His crucifixion.  This stark comparison challenges us to examine our own commitment to Christ.  Are we truly devoted to Him, or do we falter when faced with adversity or societal pressure?  From the depths of human weakness and sinfulness, Jesus wants to lift us up to God and to living a life of holiness, a life for which God has created us to live.  As we walk with Jesus through St. Mark’s account of the Passion, we are challenged to answer, perhaps for the first time, or perhaps for the hundredth time, the Jesus question:  Who is this man that died on the cross and what does His death have to do with me?

The painfully detailed description of Jesus’ sufferings will bear no fruit in us unless we face this question and offer our personal answer.  Our answer may start us on a lifelong commitment to Christ, or it may deepen a commitment we made long ago.  We may struggle with darkness and with many more questions and find ourselves on our knees at the foot of the cross, but we cannot walk away from the Passion without an answer.

There is so much to ponder as we read the account of the plot to kill Jesus, the anointing at Bethany, the treachery of Judas, the Passover preparations, Jesus’ prophecy of His betrayal, His institution of the Eucharist, His agony in Gethsemane, His betrayal, arrest, and trial, Peter’s denial, the judgement of Pilate, Jesus’ humiliation and torture, His crucifixion, death, and burial.  We could spend a lifetime mining the depths of the Passion narrative and this would be a fruitful way to spend a lifetime.

The urgent issue, however is that we truly encounter Jesus through this story.  We do not know how long our lifetime will be.  We cannot wait.  We cannot put off our answer until a tomorrow that may never come for us.  The Passion narrative invites us to contemplate Christ’s unwavering obedience to the Father’s will, even in the face of immense suffering.  Jesus’ agony in the garden of Gethsemane reveals the depth of His humanity as He grapples with the impending ordeal, but His prayer, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me.  Still, not my will, but yours be done,” embodies the epitome of submission and trust in God’s plan.

As we meditate on Christ’s journey to Calvary, we are confronted with the harsh realities of sin and its consequences.  The betrayal by Judas, the denial by Peter, and the abandonment by His disciples, serve as poignant reminders of human frailty and the prevalence of moral weakness.  Yet, amidst these betrayals, Jesus extends forgiveness and compassion, exemplifying divine mercy in the face of human sinfulness.

At the heart of Palm Sunday lies the profound mystery of redemption, the sacrificial love of Christ poured out for our salvation.  Jesus willingly embraces the cross, bearing the weight of our sins so that we may be reconciled with God.  His cry of abandonment, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me,” echoes through the ages, encapsulating the depths of His solidarity with humanity in its darkest hour.

Palm Sunday beckons us to journey alongside Christ embracing the paradox of the cross, the instrument of suffering transformed into a symbol of victory and redemption.  May we, like the faithful centurion who witnessed Jesus’ crucifixion, profess with conviction, “Truly this man was the Son of God.”  May our hearts be stirred with gratitude for the immense sacrifice of love offered for our salvation, and may we respond with renewed dedication to follow Christ faithfully, even to the foot of the cross.

As we enter into Holy Week, no matter how many times we have walked the way of the cross with Jesus, watched Him die, attended His burial, and dwelt in darkness at the tomb waiting for the light, it is a time for us to face right now the central question, Who is this this man who died on the cross and what does His death have to do with me?

Come Out of the Tomb

Fourth Sunday of Lent
March 17, 2024 — Year B  (Readings for Scrutiny Year A)
Readings: Ex 37:12-14 / Ps 130 / Rom 8:8-11 / Jn 11:1-45
by Rev. Nixon Negparanon, Pastor

As we approach the fifth Sunday of Lent, it is a time of deep introspection and spiritual reflection. This period in the liturgical calendar marks the final stretch before Easter, a time when Christians worldwide prepare their hearts and minds for the celebration of Christ’s resurrection.

Two weeks ago, we heard the story of the Samaritan woman at the well, when Jesus explained the meaning of the waters of baptism, which grant us the opportunity of gaining eternal life. Last week we heard about the man born blind, whom the Savior granted a gift not only of physical sight, but at the same time gave him an insight into spiritual things, a knowledge of Jesus as the savior of the world. Today we have some ideas about that, about the death that leads us to eternal life. It is life which interests us today, eternal life that Jesus wants to give to all his followers.

Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, as we just heard. But Lazarus died again, just like all of us human beings. So why then did Jesus perform this miracle of giving life to Lazarus who had died? As Jesus said in the prayer he pronounced before calling Lazarus forth, “for the people who are here, that they may believe that you have sent me.”

This miracle was certainly a sign, a sign that Jesus had power over death and over life. Of all the miracles Jesus did, the raising of Lazarus ranks as the most astonishing to the people of His time. Traditional Jewish belief had it that the soul of a dead person remains with the body for three days. After three days, the soul departs finally from the body, never to return, and that is when corruption sets in. When Martha objects to the opening of the tomb and says, “Lord, already there is a stench because he’s been dead for four days”, she is expressing the common view that this is now a hopeless situation. Is that why Jesus delayed coming to the funeral: to let the situation become impossible before acting on it?

G.K. Chesterton once said, “Hope means hoping when things are hopeless, or it is no virtue at all.” In the traditional Jewish mentality, bringing back to life a person who is already four days dead and decaying is as unthinkable as the prophet Ezekiel’s vision in which the gray, dry bones of the dead are miraculously restored to life.

For the early Christians, the story of the raising of Lazarus was more than a pointer to the resurrection of Jesus. Jesus rose on the third day. His body never saw corruption. For them this miracle is a challenge to never give up hope. Even in the hopeless situations in which they found themselves as individuals, as a church, or as a nation. It is never too late for God to revive and revitalize a person, a church, or a nation. But first, we must learn to cooperate with God.

One of the profound lessons of life is that we don’t really treasure or value something until it is lost. It is a recurring lesson and we don’t seem to learn enough of it. So, we take a lot of things for granted, and we seem to think that we will always have them. We don’t value the convenience of our mobile phone until it is spoiled or lost. We don’t really take care of our health until we fall sick. We don’t appreciate the love of our parents and loved ones until they have passed on. And we don’t often think about the meaning and purpose of our life until we are faced with the reality of death.

No doubt we have experienced the loss of a loved one, and we have attended the wakes and funerals of relatives and friends. It may affect us for a while as we think about death and what the afterlife is about.

Today’s gospel brings up the topic of death and makes us think about the meaning and purpose of our life. We may not know exactly what the afterlife is about. But we know that Jesus is the resurrection and He is our life and in Him we have a new life after death. As Christians, we live our lives here on Earth in preparation for our eternal life in heaven. And in following the commandment of Jesus in whatever love and good that we can do for others, we will want to do it. because we only walk this way once, and we want to walk with others all the way to heaven.

Our life on Earth is to be a life of love. And we will be prepared to face our own death, because we long for the eternal love of God in heaven. But the worries and anxieties of this world, the wear and tear of life, makes us hide in the tombs of our darkness. And in that darkness, we succumb to the sense of anger, resentment, bitterness, frustration, disappointment, greed, selfishness — in short, the corruption of the tomb.

But just as Jesus called out Lazarus, He calls out to each of us to come out. Let us listen to the voice of Jesus. Let us listen to the voice of life and love. Let us come out of our self-made tomb to encounter Jesus who is the resurrection and who is our life. Jesus wants to unbind our sins so that we can be free to live with love. And Jesus sends us out to love so that others can find meaning and purpose of their lives and to journey with us, to have life on earth and eternal life in heaven.

The story of Lazarus invites us to consider the areas of our lives where we may feel spiritually dead or hopeless. It encourages us to recognize that Jesus is the source of life. And that He has the power to breathe new life into even the direst situation. Just as He called Lazarus out of the tomb, He calls us to emerge from the darkness of sin and despair into the light of his grace and salvation.

During this Lenten season, we are called to confront our own spiritual deadness. To acknowledge our need for Christ’s saving grace, and to trust in His promise of resurrection and new life. It is a time to reflect on the ways in which we may have become entombed by sin, fear, doubt, or complacency. And to invite Jesus to roll away the stones that bind us, bring us to live fully in His love and truth.

Moreover, our Church reminds us today of the importance of community and solidarity in our journey of faith. Just as Jesus wept with Mary and Martha in their grief, so too, does He accompany us in our trials and sorrows. This gospel passage calls us to be present for one another; to offer support and compassion; and to bear witness to the transformative power of Christ’s love in our life.

As we approach the culmination of Lent and the beginning of Holy Week, may we heed the call to turn our hearts toward Jesus, the resurrection and life. We will trust in His promise to lead us from death to life. And may we emerge from this season of preparation renewed in faith and love. May Jesus Christ be praised.

Spiritual Blindness

Fourth Sunday of Lent
March 10, 2024 — Year B  (Readings for Scrutiny Year A)
Readings: 1 Sm 16:1b, 6-7, 10-13a / Ps 23 / Eph 5:8-14 / Jn 9:1-41
by Rev. Nixon Negparanon, Pastor

Most Catholics know that the third Sunday of Advent is also known as Gaudete Sunday, the day on which our excitement for the coming of the Lord is heightened, because the Church assures us that it will soon be upon us.  Less known is Laetare Sunday, the fourth Sunday of Lent.  Both days refer to happiness.  In fact, the word Laetare means “rejoice” in Latin.  Gaudete means “joyful.”  The connection is obvious, as they are both days of joyous anticipation in the midst of what might seem like darkness.  In fact, Easter is exactly twenty-one days from Laetare Sunday.

As we journey through the Lenten season, the fourth Sunday of Lent offers us a profound opportunity for introspection and spiritual renewal.  This Sunday invites us to rejoice amidst our penitential practices, for we are reminded of the boundless mercy and love of God.

The gospel reading for this Sunday tells us the story of the man born blind, whom Jesus heals.  This miraculous healing serves as a powerful metaphor for the spiritual blindness that afflicts humanity.  Like the scribes in the story, we, too, can be blinded by our own pride, prejudice, and self-righteousness.  We may fail to recognize God working in our midst, and the transformative power of His love.

Someone once said to Helen Keller, “What a pity you have no sight.”  Helen Keller replied, “Yes, but what a pity so many have sight but cannot see.”

Jesus, toward the end of the gospel, says, “I came into this world for judgment, so that those who do not see may see.  And those who do see may become blind.”  In other words, this gospel passage concentrates on the distinction between physical and spiritual blindness.

The early Christians saw physical blindness as a metaphor for the spiritual blindness that prevents people from recognizing Jesus.  This story of healing of the man born blind testifies to the power of Jesus to heal not only physical blindness, but above all, the spiritual blindness of the heart.

How many blind men do you think are in our gospel today?  I’m sure most answers will be “one,” because there is only one identified blind person.  But I would rather say that there are four cases of blindness in this story.  The first blind ones are the apostles themselves, because they ask, “Who sinned, the parents or the blind man himself?” instead of helping the person.  The Jews believed that a person got sick because he was being punished for his sin or his parents’ sin.

The second blind ones are his parents, relatives, and neighbors.  Even though they witness that it is Jesus who heals the blind man, they refuse to say it.  They refuse to witness because of their fear that they would be expelled from the synagogue by the Pharisees.

The third blind ones are the Pharisees, because they refuse to acknowledge that Jesus had performed the miracle of restoring sight to the blind man.  They suspend their belief because of their biases against Him.  Instead, they call Jesus a sinner because He violated the law of the Sabbath.  They are blind to the truth already in their eyes.

The fourth blind one is, of course, the blind man himself.  A source said that eighty percent of our work depends on our eyes.  Eighty percent is rather a big chunk of activities.  It means that totally blind people have an output of only twenty percent with regard to work.  But based on experience by most blind people, even if they cannot see with their own physical eyes, God finds means by sharpening their other senses in order to go on with life.

This could be the case with the blind man.  He could not see with his physical eyes, but he could see and sense with his heart.  This could be the reason why he easily feels the accepting and healing attitude of Jesus toward him.  But Jesus cures him because of his faith and trust in Him.  Though he was blind physically, he could see with his heart.  The other three groups could see with their eyes, but not with their hearts, as fear, cowardice, prejudices, biases, and their own selfish interests blind them.

Today’s gospel gives us hope because Jesus Christ performs miracles for us.  He cures us of our sickness and feeds us with His Word, Body, and Blood.  But above all, He died for us and then rose from the dead and brings us to eternal life.

Like Jesus who is our light, and shows us the light of truth in our path, let us all, too, show the light and be a light while we are still alive.

There is a story about two soldiers who found themselves recovering in the same hospital room during World War II.  Every day, the one beside the window of the room would describe the outside world to the other soldier, who was paralyzed from the neck down.  Not only did he share many beautiful and exciting stories about the outside world, he also continued to give cheer and hope to his disabled comrade.

Then, one morning, the soldier beside the window died.  On that same morning, the disabled soldier was transferred to that other soldier’s bed upon his request, near the window.  He found out that there was nothing beautiful outside the window.  There was just a wall.  His friend who had just died was blind.

Our readings today challenge us to examine our own spiritual blindness and to seek the healing touch of Christ.  They call us to open our eyes to the marginalized and oppressed, to see the humanity in every person, and to respond with compassion and love.  Just as Jesus restored physical sight to the blind man, He invites us to open our hearts to His light, allowing it to illuminate the darkness within us and guide us on the path of righteousness.

As we continue our Lenten journey, let us embrace the message of hope and joy that Laetare Sunday brings.  Let us rejoice in the mercy of God, who calls us to repentance and offers us forgiveness and redemption.  May we open our eyes to see His presence in our lives and in the world around us.  And may we respond with gratitude and love.

Ascend the Mountain of Prayer

Second Sunday of Lent
February 25, 2024 — Year B
Readings: Gn 22:1-2, 9a, 10-13, 15-18 / Ps 116 / Rom 8:31b-34 / Mk 9:2-10
by Rev. Nixon Negparanon, Pastor

As we journey through the Lenten season, the readings invite us to pause, reflect, and deepen our commitment to spiritual growth and transformation. This Sunday’s scriptures call us to embrace the call of discipleship, acknowledging the challenges and joys that come with following Christ.

The first reading, from the book of Genesis, recounts the story of Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son Isaac, demonstrating profound obedience and trust in God’s providence. Abraham’s faith challenges us to examine our own willingness to surrender our desires and plans to God, even when it requires great sacrifice. Like Abraham, we are called to trust that God will provide and to step out in faith, knowing that His promises are faithful and true.

In the second reading, from the letter of St. Paul to the Romans, we are reminded of the power of God’s grace to transform us from within. Paul writes of the assurance we have as heirs with Christ, heirs who are called to share in His suffering and glory. This passage invites us to reflect on the ways in which we are called to die to self and to live for Christ, allowing His grace to shape and mold us into His likeness.

The gospel reading from Mark recounts the transfiguration of Jesus on the mountain, where Peter, James, and John witness His divine glory. This extraordinary moment reminds us of the importance of encountering God in prayer and contemplation. Like the disciples, we are called to ascend the mountain of prayer, to seek moments of intimacy with God, and to be transformed by His presence. In these sacred encounters, we are reminded of our identity as beloved children of God and are empowered to live out our faith with courage and conviction.

There is a story of a young shepherd named David, who lived in a small village nestled between towering mountains. David was known throughout the village for his unwavering faith and his deep connection to the land. One day, as David led his flock to graze in the lush meadows, he felt a strange pull toward a distant mountain peak. Despite the warnings of his elders, David felt compelled to climb higher and higher, drawn by an inexplicable force.

As he ascended the rugged terrain, David encountered trials and obstacles along the way, but with each step he felt a sense of peace and purpose guiding him forward. Finally, after a long journey, David reached the summit of the mountain and there, in a breathtaking moment of revelation, he beheld a sight that filled him with wonder and awe. The sky seemed to open up, and a radiant light enveloped everything around him. In that divine moment, David experienced a profound connection to something greater than himself: a glimpse of the glory of God. It was a great mountaintop experience.

As he descended the mountain on the return to his village, David knew that he had been forever changed by his encounter with the divine. Though he could not fully describe the experience, he carried within him a newfound sense of purpose and clarity. From that day forward, David lived his life with a renewed sense of faith and devotion, sharing his story with all who would listen. And though some doubted his tale, those who truly listened could sense the truth in his words, a truth that transcended the limitations of human understanding.

In the gospel of St. Mark, Jesus’ disciples have been following Him and watching what He does. What they were seeing was the human side of Jesus, who was mostly healing people and telling them not to tell anyone, because He didn’t want to become known just as a healer. In earlier passages Jesus had healed a blind man and told him not to return to his village. He told the deaf man that he healed to tell no one. And He told the leper that He cured to tell no one anything.

In a previous passage in Mark, Jesus told His disciples that He would suffer greatly, be killed, and rise after three days. What kind of human leader could this be? So, to help His followers see more than His human side, Jesus took Peter, James, and John to a mountaintop to reveal His divine side. Even after that experience, Jesus wanted it to be a secret until after He had risen from the dead, because only then would His followers be able to understand that He was the Son of God.

The deeper meaning of Mark’s narrative for us during Lent is that, even after moments of transcendence and transformation, we must come back to earth, continue to hear the voice of Jesus, and follow Him on the way to the cross.

After the Transfiguration, Jesus’ followers had to leave their mountaintop experience and descend down the mountain to continue to follow Jesus and to do the more mundane things of building up the Kingdom. We too cannot continue to live on a mountaintop, but we have to come down to help build up the Kingdom. Like Peter, James, and John, we cannot remain there, but we have to come down to wherever we spend most of our regular life.

Jesus’ disciples did their part two thousand years ago. We must do ours in our home, school, place of work, in the parish, and wherever we connect with God’s people.

At Baptism, our ears were blessed to hear the Word of God, and our mouth was blessed to proclaim the Word of God. So, how is our proclamation going? Are we telling people about the way to salvation, or do we need to seek a mountaintop experience to set ourselves in motion? Just as Peter, James, and John witnessed the transfiguration of Jesus on the mountain, so too can we experience moments of profound transformation, when we open our hearts to the mystery and wonder of God’s presence in our life.

So, as we reflect on the readings today, may we be inspired to deepen our commitment to discipleship, to embrace the challenges and joys of the journey, and to trust in God’s unfailing love and providence. May we ascend the mountain of prayer, encounter Christ in His glory, and be transformed by His grace, so that we may shine as lights in the world, bearing witness to the love and mercy of our Savior, Jesus Christ.