“Christ is mediator…” Painting: Ronald Raab, CSC
Entrance Antiphon:
Christ is mediator of a New Covenant, so that by means of his death, those who are called may receive the promise of an eternal inheritance. (Heb 9:15)
“O Lord, hear my prayer” Ink sketch: Ronald Raab, CSC
R. (2) O Lord, hear my prayer, and let my cry come to you.
O LORD, hear my prayer,
and let my cry come to you.
Hide not your face from me
in the day of my distress.
Incline your ear to me;
in the day when I call, answer me speedily.
R. O Lord, hear my prayer, and let my cry come to you.
The nations shall revere your name, O LORD,
and all the kings of the earth your glory,
When the LORD has rebuilt Zion
and appeared in his glory;
When he has regarded the prayer of the destitute,
and not despised their prayer.
R. O Lord, hear my prayer, and let my cry come to you.
Let this be written for the generation to come,
and let his future creatures praise the LORD:
“The LORD looked down from his holy height,
from heaven he beheld the earth,
To hear the groaning of the prisoners,
to release those doomed to die.”
R. O Lord, hear my prayer, and let my cry come to you.
“The Freed Sinner” Painting: Ronald Raab, CSC 2017
Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.
But early in the morning he arrived again in the temple area,
and all the people started coming to him,
and he sat down and taught them.
Then the scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman
who had been caught in adultery
and made her stand in the middle.
They said to him,
“Teacher, this woman was caught
in the very act of committing adultery.
Now in the law, Moses commanded us to stone such women.
So what do you say?”
They said this to test him,
so that they could have some charge to bring against him.
Jesus bent down and began to write on the ground with his finger.
But when they continued asking him,
he straightened up and said to them,
“Let the one among you who is without sin
be the first to throw a stone at her.”
Again he bent down and wrote on the ground.
And in response, they went away one by one,
beginning with the elders.
So he was left alone with the woman before him.
Then Jesus straightened up and said to her,
“Woman, where are they?
Has no one condemned you?”
She replied, “No one, sir.”
Then Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you.
Go, and from now on do not sin any more.”
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“Lazarus, Come Out” Drawing: Ronald Raab, CSC 2017
Dear Believers in the Christ,
Today’s gospel (John 11: 1-45) reveals new life for Lazarus. However, Mary and Martha are first disappointed that Jesus did not come earlier to help Lazarus. This encounter with death shows them all the miracle and compassion that Jesus holds for us as his followers.
The raising of Lazarus from the dead is an image of what is to come in Jesus’ resurrection. New life will abound for us during this Lenten season if we have the courage to wait, just as Mary and Martha did. New life springs up in places where we least expect if we remain faithful to our lives of prayer and the practice of discipleship. We can grow weary in our waiting; we can think that Jesus will never show up; we can doubt the gifts we have; and we can distrust that God will guide us to use our gifts for the right purpose. In these Lenten days, faith becomes alive when we trust in the goodness of God and wait patiently for Jesus to show us how to use the gifts that He has given us.
This gospel leads us faithfully toward Easter. Our baptism becomes the way Christ brings us back to life. Our second birth in baptism is a rising from the grave of our human concerns. Being born again in baptism raises us up to new life. We shed our old ways and are guided by the gift of the Holy Spirit. New life emerges in ways we do not expect. New life opens the graves of our despair, anger and depression. Our baptism helps us to see that new life means affirming all life and respecting the lives of people who are different from ourselves. Baptism wakes us up to the immigrant longing to have food, shelter and safety. Baptism shows us that new life happens when we educate people, house those who need shelter and feed people who are hungry. Baptism shows us that people matter and that all life has meaning.
Here are some things to help you reflect on the gospel this week:
Lazarus was raised from the tomb. What are the things in your life that need to be changed? How is Jesus offering you new life? What does this gospel say to you about what is dead within your heart and life? How do you view Lazarus and how does he speak to your life?
Jesus told Martha and Mary to take away the stone from Lazarus’ grave. The image of stone in the story leads us to Jesus’ resurrection when the stone will be rolled away without the disciples understanding how it happened. What stone needs to be rolled away from your heart?
Lazarus was freed of his burial bands and the cloth that covered his face. Jesus said to them, “Untie him and let him go.” What do you need to be free of as you face Jesus this Lent? What about your life and freedom matters to Jesus? How does Jesus want you to live differently? How is Jesus offering you new life?
Blessings in your new freedom in faith,
Fr. Ron
On the Margins from Mater Dei Radio, Portland, OR
Fifth Sunday of Lent, April 2, 2017
This is the third gospel celebrating the scrutinies for the Elect, those who will be baptized at the Easter Vigil. We are confronted with many things that have died within us. Baptism will be a second birth, a new hope for people’s lives. Death gives way to new life, a hope for us all.
“How were your eyes opened?” Drawing: Ronald Raab, CSC
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Dear Followers of the Light,
Lent is a renewal of our journey toward the Light of Christ. The Resurrection reveals our hope and our journey toward God. At the Easter Vigil we will ignite a new fire and carry the new Paschal Candle into a dark church. Lent opens our eyes and the desires of our soul to find our true path in Jesus Christ.
Today’s second reading from Ephesians (5:8-14) states, “You were once in darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light, for light produces every kind of goodness…” We are very aware of the darkness we carry in our hearts in these Lenten days. We carry doubt and despair, anger and rage, hatred and violence. We stumble in the darkness of our addictions, our lashing out and blaming others for our problems, and even watching our children make unfortunate decisions. The Light of Christ brings us into the hope of living a life that is kind and merciful. The Light of Christ leads us onto a path of love.
Today’s gospel (John 9:1-41) is the second conversion story in the Scrutinies for our Elect who are preparing for the Easter sacraments. This story of a man born blind opens our own lives up to the promises Jesus is making for us as well. There are many aspects to our blindness. This healing story is a metaphor for our own spiritual blindness. We may be blind to the gifts of our grandchildren or to our own depression. Our blindness keeps us from seeing the effects of alcohol in our family or the ways hopelessness gets pasted down from generation to generation. Blindness causes us to stay locked in our attitudes about gun violence or the role of drugs in our cities. Blindness paralyzes us when we need to make decisions about what is best for our families or when we just cannot comprehend the impact of our negative actions on our relationships. Blindness is a spiritual tool in which we need Jesus to offer his healing touch not just on our eyes, but also within our hearts.
Here are some lessons to learn from the blind man this week:
The blind man’s eyes were open and he saw Jesus. How are you longing to see the person of Jesus restore your own life of faith? What are you asking for Jesus to do for you in this Lenten season? How can you find your way through the darkness of doubt, stubbornness and anger to find the healing touch of Christ Jesus?
The blind man testified to others that Jesus healed him. How can you testify to others in your family, neighborhood or in our parish to what Jesus is doing in your life? How can you learn to see Jesus with not only your vision, but with new insight in your heart? How can you testify to others that Jesus is the true light for your life, the forgiveness that you hope for? How does this story relate to the Light given to you in your baptism?
Blessings in the Light of Christ,
Fr. Ron
“Do not be afraid, Mary” Painting: Ronald Raab, CSC 2017
The angel Gabriel was sent from God
to a town of Galilee called Nazareth,
to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph,
of the house of David,
and the virgin’s name was Mary.
And coming to her, he said,
“Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.”
But she was greatly troubled at what was said
and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.
Then the angel said to her,
“Do not be afraid, Mary,
for you have found favor with God.
Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son,
and you shall name him Jesus.
He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High,
and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father,
and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever,
and of his Kingdom there will be no end.”
But Mary said to the angel,
“How can this be,
since I have no relations with a man?”
And the angel said to her in reply,
“The Holy Spirit will come upon you,
and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.
Therefore the child to be born
will be called holy, the Son of God.
And behold, Elizabeth, your relative,
has also conceived a son in her old age,
and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren;
for nothing will be impossible for God.”
Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.
May it be done to me according to your word.”
Then the angel departed from her.
On the Margins from Mater Dei Radio, Portland, OR
Fourth Sunday of Lent, March 26, 2017
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We are all blind. Yet, we see from the beauty and miracle of Jesus’ passion, death and resurrection. Jesus’ light shows us a way to enlighten the darkness of doubt, war, violence and hopelessness into being people of peace. Jesus reveals love like we have not experienced before. We all see.
“Love your neighbor” Painting: Ronald Raab, CSC 2017
One of the scribes came to Jesus and asked him,
“Which is the first of all the commandments?”
Jesus replied, “The first is this:
Hear, O Israel!
The Lord our God is Lord alone!
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart,
with all your soul,
with all your mind,
and with all your strength.
The second is this:
You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
There is no other commandment greater than these.”
The scribe said to him, “Well said, teacher.
You are right in saying,
He is One and there is no other than he.
And to love him with all your heart,
with all your understanding,
with all your strength,
and to love your neighbor as yourself
is worth more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”
And when Jesus saw that he answered with understanding,
he said to him,
“You are not far from the Kingdom of God.”
And no one dared to ask him any more questions.
“If today you hear his voice…” Painting: Ronald Raab, CSC 2017
R. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
Come, let us sing joyfully to the LORD;
let us acclaim the Rock of our salvation.
Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;
let us joyfully sing psalms to him.
R. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
Come, let us bow down in worship;
let us kneel before the LORD who made us.
For he is our God,
and we are the people he shepherds, the flock he guides.
R. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
Oh, that today you would hear his voice:
“Harden not your hearts as at Meribah,
as in the day of Massah in the desert,
Where your fathers tempted me;
they tested me though they had seen my works.”
R. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
Broken But Not Divided 