March 29^th 2015.  Palm Sunday

PROCESSIONAL GOSPEL: Mark 11:1-10

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­Translated from a homily by Don Fabio Rosini, broadcast on Vatican Radio

Don Fabio’s reflection follows the Gospel reading ...

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PROCESSIONAL GOSPEL: Mark 11:1-10

 When they were approaching Jerusalem, in sight of Bethphage and Bethany, close by the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples and said to them, ‘Go off to the village facing you, and as soon as you enter it you will find a tethered colt that no one has yet ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone says to you, “What are you doing?” say, “The Master needs it and will send it back here directly.” They went off and found a colt tethered near a door in the open street. As they untied it, some men standing there said, ‘What are you doing, untying that colt?’ They gave the answer Jesus had told them and the men let them go. Then they took the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks on its back, and he sat on it. Many people spread their cloaks on the road, others greenery which they had cut in the fields. And those who went in front and those who followed were all shouting, “Hosanna! Blessings on him who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessings on the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest heavens!’

The Gospel of the Lord: Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ

Kieran’s summary . . . The central figure in the processional Gospel is the donkey who carries Jesus into Jerusalem. Much of the Gospel text describes how the animal is to be untied and taken to the Lord because it is needed. When the Lord comes to us, he is always borne on the shoulders of someone else! The Christian life is a life called to service. We bring Christ to others by becoming beasts of burden, carrying the weight of others. Service is all about bearing the burdens of others, not focussing on carrying our own load. The donkey becomes important because he carries Jesus to glory. We too only become significant when we bear the burden and carry Jesus to others. While we carry only our own weight we remain obscure and alone. The liturgy of Palm Sunday relates the Passion of Jesus. We encounter the one who truly bears the burdens of all of us. The first reading from Isaiah tells of the suffering servant who does not turn away from pain and disgrace. Jesus does not turn away from our suffering. The attitude he displays during the passion is of one who can bear all shame and ignominy because he trusts in the Lord. Shame cannot touch him inside because of his unshakeable relation to the Father. How quick we can be to feel ashamed when we do not win, when we look bad in the eyes of others! Let us imitate Jesus who never wavers in placing his trust in the Father. The reading tells us that the suffering servant knows how to speak words of consolation to others because he knows how to listen like a disciple. To be a good leader we must be a good follower, as Jesus was. How often we seek to lead without having ever learned obedience. This Holy Week let us follow the example of Jesus and develop the listening ear of the true disciple!

The central figure in the processional Gospel is a beast of burden.

The liturgy begins with the recollection of the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, and then moves on to the very different kind of reception given to Jesus at the moment of his Passion. Jesus is proclaimed as the “one who comes in the name of the Lord”, bringing about the restoration of the kingdom of his father David. Strangely enough, the central figure in the processional Gospel is the donkey. Jesus sends his disciples to a nearby village with detailed instructions on how to find this donkey and on what to say to his owner. Then the entire sequence of events is repeated in detail. The text doesn’t just say, “The disciples did as they were asked”. Every detail is gone through twice. Why is the story of the donkey given such prominence? In the prophet Zechariah it was foretold that the Messiah would be enthroned after entering the holy city of Jerusalem on a donkey. Jesus thus fulfils a prophecy that contains within it an aspect of humility – the entry into glory borne upon a modest beast of burden.

Jesus is always carried into people’s lives on a beast of burden, a person who acts in the service of others

The donkey is found in a village on the outskirts of the city, and is not even kept in a stall. No-one has ever mounted it previously. An animal that was made for carrying people has never yet fulfilled its function. The fundamental characteristic of this donkey is that it is a beast of burden, and that Jesus has need of it. The fact is that Jesus always enters the lives of people borne by a poor beast of burden. But beasts of burden will never fulfil their function unless someone unties them, unless someone goes to them and announces “The Lord has need of you”. None of us would have Jesus carried into our lives if another person had not taken it upon themselves to bear the weight. Each of us must learn the art of bearing burdens, namely, the art of service. Service always involves carrying the burden of others instead of that of oneself. The Christian life is a life where we are called to bear burdens in this way. It is not important if we are beautiful, capable, or intelligent. What matters is that the Lord unties us from that which impedes us and teaches us how to act in the service of others.

We become important when we carry the Lord instead of ourselves

In the Gospel, the disciples place their mantles on the donkey and the animal takes on a beautiful aspect. We are unimportant for as long as we continue to be directed towards ourselves, but we become significant when we carry the Lord, when the Lord has need of us. What a beautiful thing to discover that the Lord needs us, that we are not useless! The yoke of the Lord is light and easy to bear. Often when we do things for the Lord, we receive thanks and blessings, even though it is really the Lord who accomplishes everything! The donkey in the Gospel must have marvelled at how everyone applauded him. Sometimes we are inclined to think that is we who are deserving of praise, but it is the one that we carry who must be praised alone. Once we learn to carry the Lord we must keep returning to these situations where we can serve to carry him.

We can only speak consolation to others when we learn how to listen to the Lord

The liturgy of Palm Sunday then turns to the events in which we learn of the One who truly carries the burden of all. Jesus had said in Chapter 8 of Mark: “He who wishes to be my disciple must carry his cross and follow me”. In the Gospel reading we see how he himself carries his cross and enters into a state of total service. In a very clear way, Jesus is presented as the servant of all in Mark’s Gospel. In Chapter 10 he says “I did not come to be served but to serve and to give my life in ransom for many”. This logic of service is presented in the first reading from the prophet Isaiah where we listen to the third song of the suffering servant. “The Lord has given me a disciple’s tongue so that I might know how to speak to those who are in despair”. To become beasts of burden of the Lord signifies being able to console the broken hearted. It is interesting that the servant has learned how to listen like a disciple and this is what enables him to speak consolation to others. Good teachers are those who were once good students. Often we try to be good teachers without having ever been good listeners or followers. We want to tell others what to do but we have no notion of true obedience ourselves.

Jesus does not turn away from suffering. He knows that the shame does not touch him inside. He places his trust in the Father who will deliver him

This servant offers his shoulders to those who flog him and his face to those who tear at his beard. He does not turn away from insults and spittle. In tribulation God is near. He does not turn away. We fear rejection and physical pain, but this servant of God has learned to find God in these things. The Lord comes to his aid, we are told, so that he will not be ashamed. We are quick to feel shame when we lose, when we are rejected, when things do not go our way. But the servant of the Lord has discovered that shame does not enter into his heart. He sets his face like stone and is not dismayed because he knows that the Lord will come to his aid. This Sunday we enter into the liturgy of Holy Week, the horror of the sufferings of Christ, illuminated by the light of the Resurrection. This is the Christian way. We poor beasts of burden carry with us the announcement of the victory of the Lord over all anguish. The Lord transforms all paths of sorrow and suffering into paths of life. Only he can do this.

March 22^nd 2015.  Fifth Sunday of Lent

GOSPEL: John 12:20-30

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­Translated from a homily by Don Fabio Rosini, broadcast on Vatican Radio

Don Fabio’s reflection follows the Gospel reading ...

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GOSPEL: John 12:20-30

Among those who went up to worship at the festival were some Greeks. These approached Philip, who came from Bethsaida in Galilee, and put this request to him, ‘Sir, we should like to see Jesus.’ Philip went to tell Andrew, and Andrew and Philip together went to tell Jesus. Jesus replied to them

‘Now the hour has come
for the Son of Man to be glorified.
I tell you, most solemnly,
unless a wheat grain falls on the ground and dies, it remains only a single grain;
but if it dies, it yields a rich harvest.
Anyone who loves his life loses it;
anyone who hates his life in this world will keep it for the eternal life.
If a man serves me, he must follow me, wherever I am, my servant will be there too.
If anyone serves me, my Father will honour him.
Now my soul is troubled. What shall I say:
Father, save me from this hour?
But it was for this very reason that! have come to this hour.
Father, glorify your name!’

A voice came from heaven, ‘I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.
People standing by, who heard this, said it was a clap of thunder; others said, ‘It was an angel speaking to him.’

Jesus answered, ‘It was not for my sake that this voice came, but for yours.

‘Now sentence is being passed on this world;
now the prince of this world is to be overthrown.
And when I am lifted up from the earth, I shall draw all men to myself.’
By these words he indicated the kind of death he would die.

 The Gospel of the Lord: Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ

Kieran’s summary . . . In the Old Testament, the people of Israel never managed to keep the Covenant. The prophet Jeremiah speaks of a future Covenant written on our hearts. How is this new relationship with God to be written on our hearts? In the Gospel, Jesus’ moment has finally arrived. Is this a moment of glory, or ostentatious victory? No, it is the moment when the grain of wheat falls to the earth and dies, yielding a rich harvest. The way of God is not the way of the prince of this world. The prince of this world follows the way of success and self-affirmation. We think that the “good” life is a life of health, entertainment and satisfaction. But Jesus shows us a different way: the way of self-renunciation and abandonment of oneself to God. Good marriages, parents and friendships are made by those who take the path of self-denial and self-giving. But how can we, weak as we are, be transformed from people who seek success and vain glory to people who lose ourselves in God? How can we achieve this attachment to God, the attachment referred to by Jeremiah when he spoke of a covenant written in our hearts? The answer is the life-transforming pardon of God. Through his pardon, offered to us by the Church, Jesus takes away our hankering after glory and the focus on ourselves. Our way of self-conceit is transformed into the self-giving way of Jesus when we experience his life-giving pardon.

The Old Testament is centred on the various Covenants in which God made an alliance with the people, but the people failed to live up to their side of the agreement. The prophet Jeremiah looks forward to a new Covenant written on our hearts.

The Old Testament is centred on the notion of the Covenant. The Covenant concerns the relationship between God and his people and the norms of behaviour that are associated with it. But the people never manage to fulfil these norms! In this context the prophet Jeremiah announces a Covenant of a different sort in which the people will finally manage to respond to the Lord. The new law will no longer be an external code but will be written in their hearts. But in what way will this happen? How will the people attain an attachment to the will of the Father? The text tells us that everyone, old and young, will know God even without the use of instruction. What is the key to this intimate knowledge of God? How do I achieve this profound experience of him that changes my heart? Before considering the answer, which is given in the last part of the first reading, we will turn to the Gospel.

The Gospel announces that Jesus’ moment has finally arrived. Is this a moment of glory, or victory, or self-affirmation? No, it is the moment when the grain of wheat dies to yield new life.

In the Gospel, Jesus’s fame has spread far and wide. Andrew and Philip come to tell the Lord that there are Greeks who wish to see him. All of us want to see Jesus, to meet him, to get to know him. When we go to find him, however, what do we find? The glorious envoy sent by God? Someone who is powerful and capable of imposing his authority on others? Instead we find a grain of wheat that dies. This is the surprising announcement of the Gospel reading. Through our Christian upbringing, we are already aware that Jesus must die on the Cross before rising again. Yet it is always a shock to our way of thinking to reflect on the fact that God does not choose the way of victory, or ostentatious glory, or self-affirmation. God’s way is the way of self-nullification and abandonment, the way of dying in order to give life to others. The image of the grain of wheat is very evocative. It must first undergo a process of decay. At the very moment when it seems to have been ruined, it begins to give rise to a new shoot. The process that appeared to be destroying it enables it to be itself, something that is fundamentally life-giving.

How do we manage to take the path of self-renunciation? By following Jesus, by experiencing his mercy.

Life originates in self-giving. Too often, when we are faced by problems, we think that the solution consists in having security, possessions, affirmation. But the real solution is to lose ourselves in God. How are we to do that with our simple, impoverished capacities? We can do so because Jesus has done so. Jesus manifested the glory of the Father using this way of self-renunciation. The Greeks wanted to see his glory and what they were shown was one who abandoned himself completely in the hands of the Father.

How is the new Covenant written on our hearts? When we experience his grace that transforms us from being self-fixated to abandoning ourselves in the arms of the Father

If we return now to Jeremiah, we find that the last part of the reading is a little surprising. How is this new Covenant to be written in their hearts without instruction of any kind? The Lord will forgive them their iniquity and no longer remember their sins. If we wish to approach God and feel unworthy, the problem is resolved with the experience of pardon. If we have hankerings after glory, we are saved and healed by the humiliation of Christ. All too often our problems are linked to our pretensions and self-conceit. We suffer because we look for glory that does not come. We long for the moment when life recognizes us, compensates us, gives us the satisfactions that we think are rightly ours. In reality, these problems aid us enormously by helping us to grow and become children of God. What is it that really counts? To be contented, to be healthy, to live life from one moment of gratification to the next? Or is it better to learn the art of abandoning oneself into the hands of the Father, and in this way learn to love our brothers and sisters?

The logic of the prince of this world is the logic of success and self-affirmation. This logic can only be opposed by self-abandonment in God. We manage to do this when we experience the healing pardon of God that transforms us.

The Gospel tells us that the prince of this world is now cast out. The Greeks want to see Jesus and expect to see something impressive or spectacular. Instead, Jesus speaks of his death and resurrection, and then mentions the prince of this world. For the logic of the prince of this world is the logic of success and self-affirmation. This logic is the enemy of fraternity, of marriage, of paternity, of service, of social cohesion, and of care of the weak. The logic of success, the logic of the prince of this world, is not beaten by opposing it directly. It is vanquished by abandoning oneself into the hands of the Father. This week we have the announcement of the death and resurrection of Jesus and of the forgiveness of sins. The human being does not need to be stronger, to have more intelligence, to be endowed with more gifts. He needs, in the first place, to be forgiven. The men and women of this world need to be forgiven in order to bring them to full wholeness and health. The forgiveness of the Lord which is made present in the Church is what writes the word of God, the new Covenant, in our hearts.

March 15^th 2015.  Fourth Sunday of Lent

GOSPEL: John 3:14-21

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­Translated from a homily by Don Fabio Rosini, broadcast on Vatican Radio

Don Fabio’s reflection follows the Gospel reading ...

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GOSPEL: John 3:14-21

Jesus said to Nicodemus:

‘The Son of Man must be lifted up as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert,
so that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.
Yes, God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son,
so that everyone who believes in him may not be lost
but may have eternal life.
For God sent his Son into the world not to condemn the world,
but so that through him the world might be saved.
No one who believes in him will be condemned;
but whoever refuses to believe is condemned already,
because he has refused to believe in the name of God’s only Son.
On these grounds is sentence pronounced:
that though the light has come into the world
men have shown they prefer darkness to the light
because their deeds were evil.
And indeed, everybody who does wrong hates the light and avoids it,
for fear his actions should be exposed;
but the man who lives by the truth comes out into the light,
so that it may be plainly seen that what he does is done in God.

The Gospel of the Lord: Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ

Kieran’s summary . . . The Gospel this Sunday has the beautiful statement from John’s Gospel: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son so that whoever believes in him may not be lost but have eternal life”. The Lord presents us with such a marvellous gift, and our incredible dignity lies in the fact that we can freely welcome God’s unconditional love for us. But our freedom can also lead to the abysmal poverty that comes with rejecting the love of God. Every day we make many decisions about our health, our careers, our relationships, but there is one decision in life that stands above all others: will I welcome the light that is coming into the world, the love of God for me as a person? If I decide to accept this love, then my life must change radically. It is not possible to accept this love in an authentic way and continue living the banal life that I lead. Once I accept God’s love for me, then I must renounce my self-absorption, my reliance on my own works, my striving for the approval of others. What an incredible dignity we have been given! The capacity to accept God’s gift of himself or to renounce it! We all fail and we are all in need of pardon. The important point is not the greatness of our sin but the greatness of God’s love for me.

God loved us so much that he gave his only Son, but we must accept that Son. And accepting God’s love means to allow our lives to be changed completely

Lent is a battle for our hearts and for our inner freedom. The Fourth Sunday of Lent is traditionally associated with consolation and joy. Christian joy is something that has its feet firmly on the ground. Our happiness is something that is always threatened. It must be welcomed, received and defended constantly. The Gospel of John has the beautiful statement of God’s radical concern for us: “God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not be lost but may have eternal life”. The sacrifice of a son that was asked of Abraham is now given by God himself out of love for us. This Son represents the gift above all gifts, bestowed on us because we are so important to him. As a result we are presented with the incredible and beautiful task of welcoming this gift, accepting the Son who carries us with him into the love of the Father. This possibility of salvation does not come without risk. We can believe or refuse to believe. And if we believe, then we cannot continue with the same banal lives as previously! The life that has opened itself to faith cannot be the same as a life that is closed to the faith.

Our enormous dignity consists in the fact that we are free to accept God’s love. But we also have the capacity to refuse it and to sink into abysmal poverty

The first reading gives a summary of a dramatic episode in the history of Israel. The Second Book of Chronicles was the final book in the Hebrew Bible, summarizing the narrative contained in the Scriptures themselves. The passage that we read on Sunday tells of the end of the Exile. There are two elements here: there is the joy of liberation, but this is preceded by great suffering. Israel had descended to the depths of its sinfulness. Its leaders had committed infidelity upon infidelity until the nation had fallen into the hands of foreign invaders. The point is that it is very easy to refuse the gift of God. Christian happiness is not guaranteed simply by virtue of the fact that we are baptized. The greatness of the human being is his freedom to choose; and it can also lead him into abysmal poverty. We can say yes or no to God. Our will is frail and our weakness is great, but we have the incredible possibility of accepting freely the love of God.

The principal decision that we have in life is whether or not to accept the love of God

There is one decision in life that stands above all other decisions. On a daily basis we are confronted with choices regarding our health, our careers, our approaches to different issues. But the real decision of life is whether or not to accept the light that is coming into the world. What counts in life is not acceptance by others, or the approval of the world, or whether or not I succeed in my enterprises. The only thing that matters is whether or not I accept the love of God, allow myself to be loved by Him. When the light comes into the world, will I place myself before Him? Poor as I am, I have the awesome capacity to accept the light. The one who does evil hates the light. All of us do things that are wrong and all of us are weak. The question is how attached we are to our own works, how trapped we are within our own self-absorption. The first reading tells of a people who live only for themselves, following their own ways, incapable of placing themselves in the light of God. As Pope Francis says, God never tires of forgiving us, but we tire of asking for forgiveness. On this Sunday of Joy let us ask for forgiveness! And what is forgiveness? What is joy? It is the fact of being welcomed by God even though we are poor. This is true happiness! But it involves renouncing our own false images of success. Coming into the light involves denying our own works and escaping from the illusion of self-sufficiency.

Just as the people in exile were liberated by a gracious act of God, so too the Lord is ready to free us for no other reason than his enormous love for us

The first reading tells us that the people were ready for liberation after seventy years of exile and suffering. At this point it had become very clear that the salvation being offered to them was pure grace, not something that they had won by merit. The joy of liberation, consequently, was not self-celebration but praise of God. Lent is in progress. Let us hurry to welcome the light, poor as we are. The thing to keep in mind is not the greatness of our sin but the greatness of the love of God for us.

March 8^th 2015.  Third Sunday of Lent

GOSPEL: John 2:13-25

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­Translated from a homily by Don Fabio Rosini, broadcast on Vatican Radio

Don Fabio’s reflection follows the Gospel reading ...

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GOSPEL: John 2:13-25

Just before the Jewish Passover Jesus went up to Jerusalem, and in the Temple he found people selling cattle and sheep and pigeons, and the money changers sitting at their counters there. Making a whip out of some cord, he drove them all out of the Temple, cattle and sheep as well, scattered the money changers’ coins, knocked their tables over and said to the pigeon-sellers, ‘Take all this out of here and stop turning my Father’s house into a market.’ Then his disciples remembered the words of scripture: Zeal for your house will devour me. The Jews intervened and said, ‘What sign can you show us to justify what you have done?’ Jesus answered, ‘Destroy this sanctuary, and in three days I will raise it up.’ The Jews replied, ‘It has taken forty-six years to build this sanctuary: are you going to raise it up in three days?’ But he was speaking of the sanctuary that was his body, and when Jesus rose from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the scripture and the words he had said.

During his stay in Jerusalem for the Passover many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he gave, but Jesus knew them all and did not trust himself to them; he never needed evidence about any man; he could tell what a man had in him.

The Gospel of the Lord: Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ

Kieran’s summary . . . The Gospel recounts the event of Jesus purifying the Temple and chasing away the things that should not be there. There is a clear parallel between the Temple of Jerusalem and the temple that is our bodies. Each one of us is a temple of the Holy Spirit and in need of the purifying activity of Jesus. The first reading lists the Ten Commandments. In the Old Testament these are always referred to as the “Ten Words”. They were not cold imperatives but statements of a loving dialogue with a providential Father. The Commandments were kept in the Ark of the Covenant in the most sacred part of the Temple. In the same way, the most sacred area deep within each of us should be a place where the word of the Lord dwells. This Sunday’s Gospel should prompt me to ask myself: What is in my heart? A relationship of abandonment to the providential love of God? Or a spirit of profit and self-gain? “To profane the Temple” in the Old Testament meant to place something that should not be there in the Holy of Holies. May the sacred place inside of me not be profane! May it be the place of a relationship of trust with my loving Father!

There is a parallelism in this text between the purification of the Temple in Jerusalem and the need to purify what is inside each one of us, since we are temples of the Holy Spirit.

The last line of this Gospel is a useful way to approach the meaning of the passage, even though it would be very easy not to notice it at all. We are told that Jesus did not need to be told what was in the heart of man, because he already knew. This verse can be used as a lens for viewing the entire story of the purification of the Temple. Jesus arrives at the Temple and discovers animals, doves, money changers and sellers. He fashions a broom and clears all of them away from the entrance to the Temple. The act is clearly premeditated. It is not a case of Jesus losing his temper, flying into a fury and losing control of himself. Such interpretations are  inconsistent with the wider picture of this symbolic, profound action on the part of Jesus. He then makes an extraordinary prophecy about his Passion and Resurrection. John places this event in the second chapter of his Gospel, immediately after the miracle at Cana. Matthew, Mark and Luke recount it to us just as Jesus is entering Jerusalem, shortly before the Passion. But John describes this event just after his account of the transformation of the water into wine, using the very jars used by the Jews for acts of purification. Then he goes to the Temple and cleanses it of the things that ought not be there.

Jesus found the spirit of profit and self-gain in the Temple. What does he see when he gazes inside each one of us?

When the Jewish leaders challenge him about his actions, Jesus begins to speak in a prophetic way about his own body. This connection between temple and the body of Christ is something that we are now well familiar with. The Church is the body of Christ, and each of us is called to be a temple of the Holy Spirit. John’s account contains allusions to all of these elements. At the end of the passage he tells us that Jesus knew what was in the heart of man. In this time of Lent it is important to focus on purification and on what is needed for a pure and healthy heart. “Purification” means “to pass through fire”. What is in our hearts that needs to be passed through fire? When Jesus enters the Temple, he finds merchants. In a parallel way we should realize that when the Lord looks into the interior of each of us, he finds a marketplace. He sees habits and attitudes that use the things of God for our own selfish ends.

The most sacred area of the Temple used to contain the Ten Commandments. These commandments represent a relationship of dialogue and trust with God. What is in inside us, in the most sacred area of our interior lives?

The first reading contains a statement of the Ten Commandments. What is the connection between the Commandments and the purification of the Temple? The Ten Commandments were contained in the Ark of the Covenant, and the Ark was placed in the most sacred part of the Temple. The Temple was divided into different sections. The Court of the Gentiles was an area where even the non-Jews could enter. Then there were areas reserved only for Jews, for the tribe of Levi, for the priest whose turn it was to offer the sacrifices, and finally there was the most internal zone, the heart of the Temple, the Holy of Holies where the Ark was kept. To profane the Temple meant to put something in that area that did not belong there. When the Gospel says, “Jesus knew what was at the heart of man”, we should reflect on what ought to be at the heart of any temple of the Lord. In the Latin tradition we speak of the “Ten Commandments” but in the Old Testament these were always referred to as the “Ten Words”. In other words, they were not abstract, cold imperatives, but a relationship of dialogue with the Lord. What is in man? Either God is at the heart of each one of us, speaking to us as an intimate providential Father, or there is deceit, the darkness that comes with refusing the authority of God. When the latter is the case, profit and conceit take over in the Temple. Jesus says, “Do not make a market of this place!” Either we have the paternal wisdom of God at heart, wherein we entrust ourselves to his providence in the Holy of Holies within each of us, or we are a marketplace, consumed by a spirit of self-profit that is never satisfied.

May this Sunday be a time when the sword of God’s word strikes us within, making us ponder what it is that lies in our hearts! Is it a relationship of trust with God, or a spirit of egoism and self-gain?

In this time of Lent we must focus on the state of our hearts. The word of the Lord this Sunday is like a sword that strikes at us within, enquiring what has taken the place of the relationship of trust with God. What is within our hearts? One of the Psalms says: “If you do not speak to me, then I am like one who goes down in the pit”. But if God speaks to my heart, then I am truly alive, happy and well.

March 1^st 2015.  Second Sunday of Lent

Gospel: Mark 9:2-10

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­Translated from a homily by Don Fabio Rosini, broadcast on Vatican Radio

Don Fabio’s reflection follows the Gospel reading ...

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GOSPEL: Mark 9:2-10

Jesus took with him Peter and James and John and led them up a high mountain where they could be alone by themselves. There in their presence he was transfigured: his clothes became dazzlingly white, whiter than any earthly bleach could make them. Elijah appeared to them with Moses; and they were talking with Jesus. Then Peter spoke to Jesus. ‘Rabbi’, he said it is wonderful for us to be here; so let us make three tents, one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.’ He did not know what to say; they were so frightened. And a cloud came, covering them in shadow; and there came a voice from the cloud, ‘This is my Son, the Beloved. Listen to him.’ Then suddenly, when they looked round, they saw no one with them any more but only Jesus.

As they came down the mountain he warned them to tell no one what they had seen, until after the Son of Man had risen from the dead. They observed the warning faithfully, though among themselves they discussed what ‘rising from the dead’ could mean.

The Gospel of the Lord: Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ

Kieran’s summary . . .

1. In the first reading, Abraham ascends the mountain to sacrifice his son. In the Gospel, Jesus ascends the mountain and the disciples discover that he is the divine Son that is offered to humanity.

2. By going apart with Jesus, the disciples discover his true identity. We too need to go apart with Jesus so that we can find out who he really is.

3. Moses and Elijah appear with Jesus on the mountain. They represent the Old Testament, which reveals the light of Jesus’ face. We too will contemplate the light of Jesus’ face when we immerse ourselves in the Scriptures.

4. After the Fall, Adam fled from God, not realizing how wonderful it is to be with the Lord. On the mountain Peter says, “It is beautiful to be here!” Peter rediscovers that which Adam had lost. We too can discover the wonder of being with the Lord if we generously set aside time to be with him.

5. Even from the Cross, the good thief discovers that to be with Jesus is to be in Paradise. This Lent may we discover our Mount Tabor where we can spend time with Jesus and learn to appreciate his beauty, just as Abraham discovered the beauty of God on the same mountain.

In the first reading Abraham ascends the mountain to sacrifice his son. In the Gospel, the Father reveals Jesus as God on the mountain and offers him to us

The second Sunday of Lent is traditionally the Gospel of the Transfiguration. Both the first reading and the Gospel describe mountain ascents. Abraham climbs a mountain to offer his son in sacrifice to the Lord; in the Gospel, Jesus climbs a mountain with Peter, James and John, and it becomes clear that God, too, is making an offering of his son. Abraham’s experience on the mountain is dramatic and full of enigma. As a result of the experience he comes to realize that God is much different than he thought. At this period of history, the Canaanites lived in the area and they had the terrible practice of sacrificing their children to the gods. In order to maintain their control over the things they valued in their lives, they believed that they had to offer to the gods the most precious thing they possessed. Abraham is in the process of getting to know his God, and he must still discover that his God is not of the Canaanite sort. Abraham soon discovers that God does not make demands but provides, gives the very best of himself to humanity. This discovery of the real nature of God comes to completion in the person of Jesus.

In going apart with Jesus, the disciples discover who he really is. We too must go apart with Jesus in order to get to know him

The story recounted in the Gospel is of the utmost importance. The Eastern Church considers this text to be of central significance for theology and spirituality. It highlights the importance of going away to a separate place in order to discover who Jesus really is, to behold his true countenance. In the Gospel, the disciples are given this privilege for a short time: they see Jesus as the Father sees him, not only as a man but also as God. For a while they Jesus in another way, not in the sense of being different but in the sense of being complete. As St Paul says, with the eyes of faith we look at the invisible dimension of things; we look on things as God looks on them.

Abraham discovered God on the mountain and so must we. We do so through immersion in the Scriptures (symbolized by Moses and Elijah) which reveal the light of Jesus’ face

Jesus reveals himself as God on this mountain. Abraham, our father in faith, had a definitive experience of God upon a mountain. We can see things from the perspective of the plain, or with the eyes of God from the perspective of the mountain. The disciples here see Jesus as light and splendour. No laundromat on earth could produce the whiteness that shone from Jesus. No human work can shine like the work of God. One of our most tragic and wayward tendencies is our persistent belief that we can manage on our own without God. But we are made to do things along with God and our neighbour. Without God and neighbour, we are not fully authentic human beings. Along with Jesus on the mountain appear Moses and Elijah. Moses is the giver of the Law, whilst Elijah is the greatest of the prophets. These two personalities represent many things. They speak with Jesus as the disciples look on. In this way they symbolize the Scriptures, composed of the law and the Prophets and which reveal the light of Jesus’ face. The entire Old Testament is oriented towards revealing the light of this man who is not just a man.

Adam fled from God’s presence, not realizing the wonder of the Lord’s presence. This Lent, may we discover the places where we can discover how beautiful it is to be with God.

Peter is afraid and doesn’t know what to say. He comments, “It is beautiful for us to be here!” There is no doubt that the beauty of Jesus must have been immense. But Peter says something more specific: “It is beautiful for us to be here! It is beautiful to be with you and to know you!” It was beautiful for Abraham to entrust himself to God completely. It was the moment when he became a father in the fullest sense. It is beautiful to be in God’s presence. We tend to put God in a compartment where he can come to our aid whenever we need help. But it would be better for us if we were with God all the time. On the Cross Jesus tells the good thief, “Today you will be with me in Paradise”. It is beautiful to be with Jesus, even on the Cross. It is good for us to be with Jesus wherever he is. After the Fall, Adam did not want to be with the Lord. When the Lord searched for him, Adam hid himself. Peter discovered that which Adam had failed to realize: “It is beautiful to be with you, even if I am weak and incompetent. It is beautiful to be with God!” A son doesn’t have to be on the level of his father in order to feel happy in the presence of his father. A student doesn’t have to be on the level of his master in order to appreciate being in the master’s presence. A creature doesn’t have to be perfect; he merely needs to know how to be with his creator. He doesn’t have to be autonomous; he simply needs to allow himself to contemplate his maker. This Lent may we discover our places of transfiguration! May we seek out our Mount Tabors where we learn to entrust ourselves to God and abandon ourselves as Abraham did. Lent calls us to experience intimacy with God so that we can descend from the mountain in the knowledge of the beauty of God.

February 22^nd 2015.  First Sunday of Lent

GOSPEL Mark 1:12-15

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­Translated from a homily by Don Fabio Rosini, broadcast on Vatican Radio

Don Fabio’s reflection follows the Gospel reading ...

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GOSPEL Mark 1:12-15

The Spirit drove Jesus out into the wilderness and he remained there for forty days,
and was tempted by Satan.
He was with the wild beasts, and the angels looked after him.

After John had been arrested, Jesus went into Galilee.
There he proclaimed the Good News from God.
‘The time has come’ he said ‘and the kingdom of God is close at hand.
Repent, and believe the Good News.’

The Gospel of the Lord: Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ

Kieran’s summary . . . God makes a covenant with Noah after the flood. Jesus goes into the desert and then announces the Kingdom of God. Both of these episodes reveal that communion with God comes after the time of purification. The desert is an essential part of Christian life! Woe to us if we think we can enter the Kingdom, taking all of our illusions, fixations and self-deceptions with us! We need to be purified before we can enter the pure house of God’s love. Woe to us if we confuse the door that leads to our own limited goals with the door to the Kingdom of Heaven! There are many things we need to be rid of before we can make a real alliance with God. The experience of the desert rids us of these things. Jesus tells us that the Kingdom of God is at arm’s reach, but we must repent and be converted if we are to enter it. The word “convert” means to turn and face a new destination; the term in Hebrew means to return to the original state of goodness; in Greek it means to go beyond our habitual scheme of thinking. Lent is the season of the desert when we do all of these things! God wishes to make an intimate alliance with us, but he cannot make an alliance with our self-deceptions! Let us embrace this happy time of Lent and all that it brings: prayer, fasting, almsgiving, emptying of self. This purification is an essential part of orienting ourselves to the Kingdom that Jesus brings.

After the flood, God makes an alliance with Noah. After the time in the desert, Jesus proclaims the Kingdom. Purification is a prelude to communion with God!

In contrast to the First Sunday of Lent in other years (which present us with an account of the temptations of Jesus in the desert), this year we have the succinct account of St Mark. After the temptations in the desert, Jesus proclaims the Kingdom of Heaven. The first reading recounts the covenant God makes with Noah and with all living flesh. This comes in the aftermath of the flood when God vows that he will never again destroy life with a flood. The alliance with God comes after the time of tribulation. Similarly, when Jesus emerges from the desert, he proclaims the Kingdom of Heaven and asks that people repent and believe the Good News. This is a wonderful key for approaching the season of Lent. The time in the desert is an essential prelude to new life and communion with God.

The desert is an essential part of Christian life. To arrive at the freedom God wishes for us, we must be stripped of those things that limit our freedom

In Mark’s Gospel we are told that Jesus goes into the desert after he is baptized. Why could he not begin his mission immediately after his baptism? The text tells us that the Spirit drives Jesus into the desert. The original Greek terms is particularly violent, as if Jesus was dragged into the desert. This emphasizes that his sojourn there is no accident. The Spirit takes him to this place of desolation and temptation because Jesus must follow the same path that every human being follows. Every human being must reach the stage of forming an alliance with God. And it is not possible to arrive at the entrance to the Kingdom of Heaven if we do not first make this journey that Jesus makes on our behalf. The Season of Lent every year is the happy time when we make this journey in a special way. We must go to the place where we can confront our temptations and be purified. We must face down the wild beasts and the dangers in a sacred space where we do not have our domestic comforts. Our need for purification is an essential need, a need that if often overlooked today. The journey to freedom, beauty and joy is not a victorious journey. It involves being stripped bare of those things that obstruct our entry into the Kingdom.

Do we really think we can enter the Kingdom whilst holding on to our disordered habits and behaviour? There are many things in our life that cannot enter the Kingdom, and we need the desert to rid us of these

Jesus, having taken on our flesh, confronts the desert. The desert is a fundamental element of the Christian life. Before Noah can make the alliance with God, he must pass through the period of desolation. Woe to us if we think we can enter the Kingdom, taking all our fixations with us! Woe to us is we think that we can cling on to our disordered behaviour and still enter the pure house of freedom, the splendid and joyful house of love! There are many things in our lives that must remain outside. It is simply not true that everything in life can be “canonised” or made acceptable. A cultural tendency in our time is to sanctify and regularize those problems that we are unable to face. We have certain internal or moral difficulties, but instead of confronting them, we convince ourselves that everything is fine as it is. But the human being needs purification; he needs to enter into combat with these aspects of himself; he needs the biblical flood to prepare him for entry into the Kingdom.

Lent is the season of reorienting ourselves to the Kingdom of God. But we must repent and be converted before we can enter the Kingdom. “Convert” means different things in different languages: to return to the original state of goodness; to turn towards a new destination; to go beyond our usual ways of thinking

Lent is a season when we reorient ourselves to the Kingdom of God. Jesus says in the Gospel, “The time has come”. In other words, this moment is a beautiful one, full of possibilities and good things. The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. We can be saved wherever we are and in whatever condition we are in. However, the next words of Jesus are important: “Repent and believe in the Gospel!” Believing in the Gospel is fairly easy because it is a beautiful thing, but the business of conversion is not so simple. It involves a definite choice on my part. The term “convert” literally means to turn towards a new destination. The old Hebrew word for conversion signified “to repent and go back to the original good state”. The Greek word that appears in the original version of the Gospel means “to go beyond my habitual way of thinking”. All of us need to return to the original state of goodness! All of us need to direct ourselves to the right destination! All of us need to go beyond our habitual schemes! We need to orient ourselves to that which is truly worthy of us.

God wishes to make an alliance with us, but he cannot make an alliance with our self-deceptions! We need the desert to eliminate these.

This Lent we need to enter into this time of purification, enter into this flood, establish a new alliance with the Lord. God will not make a covenant with my self-deceptions! The gate to the Kingdom of Heaven is not to be confused with the ambiguous gate that leads to my limited and self-referential goals. God gives us signs of purity and of freedom. The rainbow reveals the secret of light and of colour. It normally appears when the rain is over and the sun is breaking through. It comes after the tribulation, after we have rid ourselves of the unessential. In impoverished words, we are called during the season of Lent to enter into combat with our self-delusions, with the demon, with Satan. Who among us can face this combat by himself? We need Jesus to lead us and guide us. We need to enter into that space which has none of our domestic comforts. If we remain in our comfort zone, refusing to be challenged by other ways of thinking and living, then we will fail to make the leap to the most noble part of ourselves. We need the desert, an experience away from the banality of ordinary life. This experience makes possible the leap beyond our schemes of thinking. The fact is that the Kingdom of Heaven is beyond our normal convictions and comfort zone. It comes after the desert. Let us embrace this desert, this time of Lent, with all that it brings, prayer, fasting, almsgiving, sobriety, self-emptying! We need purification if we are to be oriented towards the Kingdom of Heaven.