The Word God Spells

Luke 2: 33-35
Heb 5:7-9/Ps 31:2-6,15-16,20

Behold this child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign of contradiction, (while a sword will pierce your own soul) so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.
(Luke 2:34-35)

What was once a great mystery
Was that “sign of contradiction”;
But soon Christ’s Word revealed to me
That His cross was our salvation.

Malachi’s prophecy had finally come that day when Simeon and Anna entered the temple. “…suddenly the Lord for whom you long (for) will enter the sanctuary. The envoy of the covenant which you so greatly desire already comes, says Yahweh of hosts.” (Mal.3:1)

Reflection

Everyone who met Jesus fell, either into repentance or down to reality. He caused many to both fall, and then rise again. Simon Peter was the first when he witnessed the miraculous catch of fish and fell at Jesus’ feet, saying “Go away from me Lord, for I am a sinful man!” (Luke 5:8). Matthew came next when he left his post at the imperial revenue office. St. Paul had the biggest fall of all (from his horse) when he encountered the Spirit of Jesus on the way to Damascus. But as Simeon predicted, all of them rose again to become the best followers of Jesus in spreading His kingdom here on earth.

When we come into a closer relationship with God, He will reveal to us how sinful and unworthy we are of His beloved Son’s suffering and death on the cross. To fall down in humble penitence is an important process of our transformation, because, after all, we can never get to heaven on our own merits. Until we fall from the pride and prestige of this world, from the need to be self-assured and self-sufficient, from the folly of financial achievements and human glory, we will never learn to rise to the call of the cross, to be humble, to be servile, to wake up to the realization that we are nothing, and everything belongs to God alone. Let us always keep in mind the words of the Apostle Paul: “What do you have, that you weren’t given?” We who have acknowledged Jesus as King should live lives that reflect His character, especially His humility.

Today we commemorate the feast of our Blessed Mother Mary as Our Lady of Sorrows. She was given the privilege of being the mother of the Son of God. But with this high privilege also came a “sword which would pierce her heart,” as her Son would be tortured and killed on the cross. She received both a crown of joy and a cross of sorrow. But her joy was not diminished by her sorrow because she had faith and trust in God’s promise. The Lord gives this strange kind of joy which helps all His favored ones (the apostles and saints) bear any sorrow or pain.

Lord, thank You for Your supernatural love, which none of us on earth can ever hope to fathom; it fills us with gladness, and great expectation of things to come. Amen.

Matthew 9: 1-8
Gn 22:1-9 / Ps 115

When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, ‘Courage, child, your sins are forgiven.’
(Matthew 9:2)

Repentance comes before we’re healed;
With sin, miracles won’t happen.
Our faith can help, but not until
All our sins have been forgiven.

Jesus stepped into a boat, crossed over and came to his own town. Some men brought to him a paralytic, lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven.” At this, some of the teachers of the law said to themselves, “This fellow is blaspheming!” Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said, “Why do you entertain evil thoughts in your hearts? Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins….” Then he said to the paralytic, “Get up, take your mat and go home.” And the man got up and went home. When the crowd saw this, they were filled with awe; and they praised God, Who had given such authority to men.

Reflection

Matthew’s Gospel relates that when Jesus saw the faith of the men who had brought a paralytic to Him for healing, the first thing He did was to forgive the paralytic’s sins before He healed him. Why? Because a person paralyzed by sin has to reconcile himself to God first before he can receive God’s healing grace. A person in the state of sin cannot be receptive to God’s gift, because sin has weakened his faith. Jesus knew his thoughts, and that was why He assured him, “Courage, child, your sins are forgiven.”

Being omniscient, Jesus knew that the paralytic wanted to come to terms with his sinful past, and so put priority in forgiving his sins. It was also for the benefit of those who doubted His authority to forgive sins, as well as to reward the faith of the men who brought their sick friend to Him that He cured the man of his paralysis.

It was a common belief among the Jews in Jesus’ time that people with incurable ailments were being punished for their sins. Even today, this view may hold true in cases where physical disability or disease is the consequence of excesses or lack of discipline. Paralysis may be triggered by a stroke (a blood clot in a brain artery), which in most cases is caused by eating too much fatty foods (lechon, steak), aggravated by smoking, and drinking alcoholic beverages excessively. Gluttony is a mortal sin because eating excessively is harmful to our health. Proverbs 5:23 says, “For lack of discipline, a man dies because of his excessive folly.” In the context of the proverb, this saying refers to the sin of lust, but it applies as well to all sins that inevitably lead to the deterioration of a man’s body and the destruction of his soul.

Health and physical fitness are the results of the discipline we apply in leading a wholesome lifestyle. We should regard our bodies as temples of the Holy Spirit so that we can take better care of them. We have heard it often said, “Our bodies are gifts from God; how we take care of them, and how we use them for God’s glory is our gift to Him.”

Lord Jesus, we thank You for the sacrament of Penance, which enables the remission of our sins. May we always avail of this healing of our souls so that, freed from the paralysis of sin we may lead healthy, wholesome lives for the glory of your kingdom. Amen.

Holy Thursday

John 13: 1-15
Ex 12:1-8.11-14 / Ps 116 / 1 Cor 11:23-26

Whoever has bathed has no need (to be bathed again) except to have his feet washed, for he is clean all over…
(John 13:10)

Jesus showed us how we must serve
In the essence of true leadership;
In humility do we deserve
The commission of God’s stewardship.

During their Passover meal, Jesus rose from the table, took off His outer garment, wrapped a towel around His waist, and poured water into a basin. Then he proceeded to wash the feet of His apostles, drying them with the towel at His waist.

Peter could not understand what the Master was doing, or the message He was trying to impart. It was usually the lowliest servant in the house who washed the feet of the guests, and here was his Lord and Master wanting to wash his feet! Not if I can help it, thought Peter. But Jesus told him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will understand later. . . Unless I wash you, you will have no inheritance with me” (13:7,8).

Reflection

In Baptism we have already been cleansed. But in our journey through life, we cannot help but be soiled by the materialism of this world. That is why our Lord, through the Church, instituted the sacrament of reconciliation, Penance. By this mandate, He said: “Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven” (Mt.16:19) – His ministers ‘wash our feet’ every time we go to confession. Today, Holy Thursday, let us prepare ourselves for the coming passion and death of our Lord Jesus by humbling ourselves in confessing our sins, and in resolving to forgive those who have wronged us in the past.

In our celebration of the Holy Eucharist, how can we receive our Lord in the Paschal meal if our ‘feet are dirty’ (we’re in the state of mortal sin)? We have to let the priest ‘wash our feet’ first in the confessional box, as Jesus did with His apostles before they ate the Last Supper.

By washing His apostles’ feet, Jesus also showed us that servanthood is really the essence of true leadership. Christ’s leaders often have to do the dirty work in order to set the example of humility. As Christ pointed out in His sermon on the mount, “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth” (Mt.5:5). “Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven” (Mt.5:12).

Lord, You have washed away our sins not with water but with your own blood! This You have done not only because of Your great love, but for teaching us the value of humility. How can we ever measure up to what You have done for us?