Monday of the Fourth Week of Lent

Reading I Isaiah 65:17-21

Thus says the LORD:
Lo, I am about to create new heavens
    and a new earth;
The things of the past shall not be remembered
    or come to mind.
Instead, there shall always be rejoicing and happiness
    in what I create;
For I create Jerusalem to be a joy
    and its people to be a delight;
I will rejoice in Jerusalem
    and exult in my people.
No longer shall the sound of weeping be heard there,
    or the sound of crying;
No longer shall there be in it
    an infant who lives but a few days,
    or an old man who does not round out his full lifetime;
He dies a mere youth who reaches but a hundred years,
    and he who fails of a hundred shall be thought accursed.
They shall live in the houses they build,
    and eat the fruit of the vineyards they plant.

Responsorial Psalm Psalm 30:2 and 4, 5-6, 11-12a and 13b

R.    (2a)  I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.
I will extol you, O LORD, for you drew me clear
    and did not let my enemies rejoice over me.
O LORD, you brought me up from the nether world;
    you preserved me from among those going down into the pit.
R.    I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.
Sing praise to the LORD, you his faithful ones,
    and give thanks to his holy name.
For his anger lasts but a moment;
    a lifetime, his good will.
At nightfall, weeping enters in,
    but with the dawn, rejoicing.
R.    I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.
“Hear, O LORD, and have pity on me;
    O LORD, be my helper.”
You changed my mourning into dancing;
    O LORD, my God, forever will I give you thanks.
R.    I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.

Verse before the Gospel Amos 5:14

Seek good and not evil so that you may live,
and the LORD will be with you.

Gospel John 4:43-54

At that time Jesus left [Samaria] for Galilee.
For Jesus himself testified
that a prophet has no honor in his native place.
When he came into Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him,
since they had seen all he had done in Jerusalem at the feast;
for they themselves had gone to the feast.

Then he returned to Cana in Galilee,
where he had made the water wine.
Now there was a royal official whose son was ill in Capernaum.
When he heard that Jesus had arrived in Galilee from Judea,
he went to him and asked him to come down
and heal his son, who was near death.
Jesus said to him,
“Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will not believe.”
The royal official said to him,
“Sir, come down before my child dies.”
Jesus said to him, “You may go; your son will live.”
The man believed what Jesus said to him and left.
While the man was on his way back,
his slaves met him and told him that his boy would live.
He asked them when he began to recover.
They told him,
“The fever left him yesterday, about one in the afternoon.”
The father realized that just at that time Jesus had said to him,
“Your son will live,”
and he and his whole household came to believe.
Now this was the second sign Jesus did
when he came to Galilee from Judea.

– – –

Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Ask Boldly / Pide con valentía

A royal official, a high-ranking Roman army soldier who had been trained to emulate confidence and persuasion, went up to Jesus and asked Him to heal his son. Would we dare go to Jesus and ask Him boldly to do a miracle? This royal official had most likely been hanging around overseeing the crowds and had witnessed the miracles Jesus and his disciples were performing, which helped him to grow in faith and courage. 

Have you ever walked into a gathering and immediately felt the tone of your surroundings?  Perhaps that’s what Jesus’ actions imply here, since He reacted not directly to the official but to the crowd by saying that without signs, they wouldn’t believe. But after the royal official insists, Jesus has a different reaction to his request. Jesus had already felt what was in his heart and perceived the spark of faith. To boldly ask Jesus to heal his son came from both his outward soldier experience and a deep stirring within his soul. Jesus understood. The royal official didn’t need a sign. He already had faith.

Today, when we go to Jesus pleading for a miracle, are our hearts closed? Or are we like a teenager who only half listens and is preoccupied with our ego? If we hear the Lord saying to us “O ye of little faith!” we can respond, “I believe Lord, help my unbelief.”

Yes, we can go to Jesus and boldly ask for a miracle. Do we have faith and conviction that He will do what we ask of Him? In a podcast I heard recently, Sr. Miriam said that when you are surrounded by doubt, anxiety, and fear, you should say, “God, I know you love me and want good. Please show me what to do.”  That is confident faith. 

The royal official had started with faith in the Roman Army and Ceasar, but God had other plans for him. He shows us that faith can make us bold when we acknowledge God; it can even move mountains. And as an added bonus his whole household came to believe. When we approach Jesus with a request, we, too, receive a bonus. We can kneel before Him in the Eucharist. Whether in Adoration or the Mass, Jesus is waiting to hear from us and acknowledge His presence. 

How long did it take the royal official to obtain this deep faith? Who knows, but growing in faith in Jesus Christ, as true God and true Man, can be very simple. In a quiet moment say to Him, “O Jesus, I surrender myself to you; take care of everything.” No matter how weak or bold our faith is, when we come to Him, He wraps us in His arms. Let’s learn a lesson from the royal official and confidently speak up with faith.

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Un oficial real, un soldado de alto rango del ejército romano que había sido entrenado para emular la confianza y la persuasión, se acercó a Jesús y le pidió que sanara a su hijo. ¿Nos atreveríamos a ir a Jesús y pedirle con valentía que hiciera un milagro? Este oficial real probablemente había estado vigilando a las multitudes y había presenciado los milagros que Jesús y sus discípulos estaban realizando, lo que lo ayudó a crecer en fe y valentía.

¿Alguna vez has entrado en una reunión y has sentido de inmediato el tono de tu entorno? Tal vez eso es lo que implican las acciones de Jesús aquí, ya que a la primera no reaccionó directamente al oficial sino a la multitud al decir que sin señales, no creerían. Pero después de que el oficial real insistiera, Jesús tiene una reacción diferente a su pedido. Jesús ya había sentido lo que había en su corazón y percibió la chispa de su fe. Pedirle con valentía a Jesús que sanara a su hijo surgió tanto de su experiencia externa de soldado como de una profunda inquietud dentro de su alma. Jesús entendió. El oficial real no necesitaba una señal. Ya tenía fe.

Hoy, cuando vamos a Jesús pidiendo un milagro, ¿nuestros corazones están cerrados? ¿O somos como un adolescente que sólo escucha a medias y está preocupado por su ego? Si escuchamos al Señor que nos dice “¡Que poca fe tienes!”, podemos responder: “Creo, Señor, ayuda mi incredulidad”.

Sí, podemos ir a Jesús y pedir con valentía un milagro. ¿Tenemos fe y convicción de que Él hará lo que le pedimos? En un podcast que escuché recientemente, la Hna. Miriam dijo que cuando estamos rodeados de dudas, ansiedad y temor, debemos decir: “Dios, sé que me amas y quieres el bien. Por favor, muéstrame qué hacer”. Esa es una fe confiada.

El oficial real había comenzado con fe en el ejército romano y en César, pero Dios tenía otros planes para él. Nos muestra que la fe puede hacernos valientes cuando reconocemos a Dios; incluso puede mover montañas. Y como beneficio adicional, toda su familia llegó a creer. Cuando nos acercamos a Jesús con una petición, nosotros también recibimos un beneficio. Podemos arrodillarnos ante Él en la Eucaristía. Ya sea en la Adoración o en la Misa, Jesús está esperando escucharnos y que reconozcamos Su presencia.

¿Cuánto tiempo le tomó al oficial real obtener esta fe profunda? Quién sabe, pero crecer en la fe en Jesucristo, como verdadero Dios y verdadero Hombre, puede ser muy sencillo. En un momento de tranquilidad, dígale: “Oh Jesús, me entrego a Ti; encárgate de todo”. No importa cuán débil o audaz sea nuestra fe, cuando venimos a Él, nos envuelve en Sus brazos. Aprendamos una lección del oficial real y hablemos con confianza y fe.

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Marti Garcia’s passions are her retired life and growing deeper in her Catholic faith. Marti is a Sacristan/EM, facilitates small groups, and assists as a First Communion Catechist for parents. Being a parent educator and writer for 35 years, she recently published a children’s chapter book on Amazon, The Ladybugs. You can find her at her blog: MartiGarcia.org, or thewaterisshallow.com, or her cohost podcast, findingacommonthread.com, which is coming soon.

Feature Image Credit: remehernandez, cathopic.com/photo/9804-prayer

The views and opinions expressed in the Inspiration Daily blog are solely those of the original authors and contributors. These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of Diocesan, the Diocesan staff, or other contributors to this blog.

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God’s Merciful Embrace / El abrazo misericordioso de Dios

I find myself struggling to sit with this parable. As if silence and stillness aren’t difficult enough, the parable is too familiar and my interest wanes. Moreover, my soul is anxious at the thought that God might actually speak truth into my life. I’ll be honest, it terrifies me. Yet, I know God loves me so I must dive into the deep.

What jumps out at me is the prodigal’s distance. We’re all guilty of being far from God from time to time. We writhe in jealousy, we cling to plans, we pride ourselves in our good works, or we consent to serious mortal sin.  

I’ve been far from God on multiple occasions. Sometimes, to my chagrin, I’ve walked very far from God. I know this is why it pains me to read this parable. I’ve gone to confession, amended my life, sought spiritual direction, prepared speeches to the Father, yet the thought that I squandered my heavenly inheritance, and even worse, turned my back on my best friend Jesus, kills me. 

Oh, my Jesus, what do you say? While he was still a long way off, his father caught sight of him, and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him and kissed him.” Luke 15:20.

That’s what I was afraid of. The overwhelming power of God’s mercy. It is too big for me to contain but it’s exactly what my broken heart and memory needs. My heart yearns to receive His all encompassing love and tenderness. He knows me and I know my Beloved. He knows that I long to be wrapped in garments of His affection and bedecked with his claim over me. I know He is the Father of love and He never takes His eyes off of me. 

I don’t know if you’ve ever been far from God, I pray not for your sake. If so, I hope you muster the courage to sit and receive this Gospel. Receive God’s mercy in full. If you have not, is there someone in your life who needs a return to the Father’s heart? Would you be brave and extend the merciful embrace of the Father to them?

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Me cuesta mucho aceptar esta parábola. Como si el silencio y la quietud no fueran lo suficientemente difíciles, la parábola me resulta demasiado familiar y mi interés se desvanece. Además, mi alma se pone ansiosa ante la idea de que Dios pueda realmente decir la verdad en mi vida. Voy a ser honesta, esto me aterroriza. Sin embargo, sé que Dios me ama, así que debo sumergirme profundamente en ello.

Lo que me llama la atención es la distancia del hijo pródigo. Todos somos culpables de estar lejos de Dios de vez en cuando. Nos llenamos de celos, nos aferramos a los planes, nos enorgullecemos de nuestras buenas obras o nos permitimos cometer un pecado mortal grave.

He estado lejos de Dios en múltiples ocasiones. A veces, para mi disgusto, me he alejado mucho de Dios. Sé que es por eso que me duele leer esta parábola. Me he confesado, he enmendado mi vida, he buscado dirección espiritual, he preparado discursos para el Padre, pero el pensamiento de que he desperdiciado mi herencia celestial y, peor aún, que le he dado la espalda a mi mejor Amigo Jesús, me mata.

Oh, Jesús mío, ¿qué dices? “Estaba todavía lejos, cuando su padre lo vio y se enterneció profundamente. Corrió hacia él, y echándole los brazos al cuello, lo cubrió de besos.” (Lucas 15,20)

Eso era lo que temía. El poder abrumador de la misericordia de Dios. Es demasiado grande para yo poder contenerlo, pero es exactamente lo que mi corazón y mi memoria quebrantados necesitan. Mi corazón anhela recibir Su amor y ternura que todo lo abarcan. Él me conoce y yo lo conozco a mi Amado. Sabe que anhelo estar envuelta en las vestiduras de Su afecto y adornada con Su derecho sobre mí. Sé que es el Padre de amor y nunca quita Sus ojos de mí.

No sé si alguna vez has estado lejos de Dios, ojalá que no, pero si es así, espero que tengas el valor de sentarte y recibir este Evangelio. Recibe la misericordia de Dios en su plenitud. Si no es así, ¿hay alguien en tu vida que necesite volver al corazón del Padre? ¿Podrías ser valiente y extenderle el abrazo misericordioso del Padre?

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Former NPS Park Ranger, Catholic educator, and Youth Minister, Melissa Lucca now spends her days evangelizing family and neighbors as a stay-at-home mom. She holds an MA in Theology from the Augustine Institute and pursues personal study in her spare time. Melissa loves Ignatian Spirituality, Mother Mary, and rock climbing. If you don’t hear her and her kiddo laughing at home, then they are probably out on an adventure!

Feature Image Credit: Rembrant, wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/53/Rembrandt-The_return_of_the_prodigal_son

The views and opinions expressed in the Inspiration Daily blog are solely those of the original authors and contributors. These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of Diocesan, the Diocesan staff, or other contributors to this blog.

The post God’s Merciful Embrace / El abrazo misericordioso de Dios appeared first on Diocesan.