Bulletins on Sunday Bulletins (Page 12)

Scholars divide the Gospel of Saint John into two parts: The Book of Signs (from John 1:18 until the end of chapter 12) and the Book of Glory (from chapter 13 until the end of the gospel). The raising of Lazarus from the dead is the seventh, last and greatest sign. While the raising of Lazarus is a sign of Jesus’ Resurrection, the two differ: Lazarus was dead beyond the point of no return, already the fourth day when Jesus arrived at the tomb. Jesus’ restoration of his life was a resuscitation; eventually Lazarus would die again. Jesus’ Resurrection was to a new and permanent life, a resurrection to glory. It is this that is promised to us, and for which we hope. It is the promise of our Baptism and the hope of eternal life. This Saturday, at the 5:00 pm Mass, we celebrate the Third Scrutiny with the Elect who will be baptized at Easter. Jesus conquered sin and death, making the same possible for all who are baptized into Him. May these last weeks of Lent help our Elect prepare for Easter, and may the rest of us find in these days the opportunity to be renewed in our baptismal life.

If we were to doubt that the story of the man who was born blind is about something more than Jesus giving physical sight to the man, we need only reflect upon a line from the first reading, from the First Book of Samuel: “Do not judge from his appearance or from his lofty stature, because I have rejected him. Not as you see does God see, because you see the appearance but the Lord looks into the heart.” When we speak of sight in terms of faith, we consider the words, “sight” and “insight,” which is more the function of one’s soul than one’s eyes. The healing of the blind man was an opportunity for him to become a believer, as seen in these few lines from the Gospel of John: When Jesus heard that they had thrown [the man who was born blind] out [of the synagogue], he found him and said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” He answered and said, “Who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?” Jesus said to him, “You have seen him, and the one speaking with you is he.” He said, “I do believe, Lord,” and he worshiped him. Then Jesus said, “I came into this world for judgment, so that those who do not see might see, and those who do see might become blind.” Following last Sunday’s presentation of Jesus as living water, we encounter today another baptismal theme, that the Lord is light in darkness, both physically and spiritually. Jesus, the New Creation, brings forth living water and light, just as God had created them in the beginning. And he creates them in us, that we might have life to the full, as promised in the raising of Lazarus, in next Sunday’s gospel reading.

On the third, fourth and fifth Sundays of Lent, we celebrate Scrutinies with and for the Elect who are approaching the Easter Sacraments (Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist). The readings these Sundays focus on three baptismal themes: Living Water for the Samaritan woman at the well, Sight for the man who was born blind, and the Raising of Lazarus from the Dead, which was the last and greatest sign that Jesus performed before His Passion, Death and Resurrection. While these readings are used for Masses with Scrutinies every year, this year (using the “Cycle A” readings), we hear them at all Sunday Masses. In fact, they are so important that parishes are allowed to use them on these three Sundays every year – at every Mass. It is Jesus who is Living Water, Sight to the Blind and Life for the Dead. Even as we focus upon the journey of the Elect toward Baptism, we are given the opportunity to renew our own life in Christ, the life of the Baptism we already share. This is what we celebrate at Easter, as we renew our Baptismal promises and are sprinkled with Easter Water, the Paschal Candle leading us from darkness to light.

Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them; his face shone like the sun and his clothes became white as light (Matthew 17:1). The Transfiguration of Jesus, which we recall each year on the second Sunday of Lent, gave the Lord courage and hope as he walked the road to the Crucifixion. He was – if only for a short time – as he would become after the Cross and Resurrection. Although they did not understand it at the time, Jesus’ appearance in His glory would also give hope to the Apostles that their suffering and death, too, could be transformed into glory. On this weekend during which we celebrate the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick, we pray that those who are weakened by illness or age might also undergo a transformation. While the Sacrament does not make any promise or guarantee of physical healing, its pledge of the prayers of the Church for those who suffer a form of isolation due to infirmity and age can bring real and lasting healing in mind and spirit. Whether you will approach this “holy anointing” or not, your participation in our prayer is a sign of solidarity with those who suffer here and around the world.

We should be very clear about this: temptation can be insidious in that it makes us believe that we must do something which we might otherwise avoid. But we should also be clear of this: being tempted is not a sin. The Book of Genesis relates that Adam and Eve gave in to the temptations of the serpent. We call this “The Fall.” However, Jesus, as recounted this Sunday from the Gospel of Matthew, was successful in overcoming the temptations that He encountered during 40 days in the desert. To be human is to be subject to temptations of all kinds. The discipline of Lent (prayer, penance and care for the poor) aims to help us to be faithful to our Baptism. Lent is also – and primarily – the time of “purification” for those who are preparing for Baptism at Easter. May we – the baptized – by our prayer and our example – help those who will be elected for Baptism by our Bishop. And may the Elect grow closer to the Lord these six weeks that precede their joining with Christ and the Church.

“Be holy, for I, the Lord, your God am holy” (Leviticus 19:1). “Be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48). These two passages taken from this Sunday’s readings remind us of the challenged given to all the baptized. Yet, when hearing this, we may decide not even to try, because the task seems to be impossible. Can we really be like God? Our catechism, echoing the words of the Book of Genesis, teaches that we are made “in the image and likeness of God.” If God, therefore is holy and perfect, we also have that capability. As we have heard often, we cannot let the perfect be the enemy of the good. We strive toward holiness little by little, poco a poco, and we must not be discouraged if it takes a long time or even, at times, seems impossible. With God, all things are possible, even, by God’s grace, achieving holiness that mirrors God’s holiness. As we approach the season of Lent, the final period of preparation for those to be baptized or received into the Church, we use this coming 40 days to rediscover the life of Baptism that is ours. That is the reason Easter is so full of the symbols of Baptism, including the weekly sprinkling with baptismal water. Please join us on Ash Wednesday as

Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother [or sister] has anything against you, leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court (Matthew 5:23-24). Based upon this passage from the Sermon on the Mount, there was a consultation throughout the Church some years ago to consider moving the Sign of Peace from its current place, just before Communion, to a position prior to the Procession of Gifts at Mass. The proposal was not accepted, but it did serve to make us think: How many times do we bring “our gifts” to the altar without first being reconciled with others? It is true that just before we receive Communion, we pray, “Lord, I am not worthy. . .” But this statement of unworthiness and the request, “Only say the word, and my soul shall be healed,” cannot be a substitute for making peace with others. The two go hand-in-hand. First, we make peace, attempt to right the wrongs of our lives, then, after that effort has been made, we look to the Lord to heal us, to nourish us. We “bring our gift” to the altar, not to gloss over some wrong that we have done, but as a sign of the peace which we have already sought.

This Sunday’s gospel passage is a continuation of the Sermon on the Mount, found in the fifth chapter of the Gospel of Matthew. We hear Jesus’ words, “You are the salt of the earth…You are the light of the world. . .Your light must shine before others.” Isaiah 58 (our first reading) is clear on the path of virtuous living, of walking in the light: Share your bread with the hungry, shelter the oppressed and the homeless; clothe the naked when you see them, and do not turn your back on your own. Then your light shall break forth like the dawn. Care of the marginalized has been central to the life of God’s people for thousands of years. We are chosen to be light for others in the ways we support them. On this Annual Diocesan Pledge Sunday, we realize that support of our parish and the Appeal is one way of letting our light shine, of sharing with the hungry and homeless, so that our light might break forth like the dawn.