A Restless Life

Can light ever truly be contained?  Short of sealing a box and burying it, light will find a way to penetrate the darkest room or deepest corner of the world.  And like that light, the Truth of Jesus could not be contained despite all the efforts made by the Sanhedrin in today's First Reading.  We get an interesting look at the early disciples facing adversity for speaking what they knew to be true: that God sent Jesus to be our Savior and Jesus was crucified for it and then risen from the dead.  At the end of the passage, it is noted that they are happy to have been reprimanded for the sake of the Lord, which is foretelling of the many future struggles and persecution these early followers of Jesus will endure.   As I mentioned last week, the Book of Revelation is full of meaning buried within its divine lines, and yet I can but scratch the surface of it.  And with this, I want to stick to the idea of Jesus as the Light of the World.  As John des...

  The Screwtape Letters  by C.S. Lewis “When He talks of their losing their selves, He means only abandoning the clamour of self-will; once they have done that, He really gives them back all their personality, and boasts (I am afraid, sincerely) that when they are wholly His they will be more themselves than ever.” Summary : Here's a brief overview for those unfamiliar with the book.  The book is written as a series of letters from an uncle and senior devil, Screwtape, to his junior tempter, Wormwood, who is a demon attached to a man in England, set in the time around World War II.  There are thirty one letters in the book, each exploring facets of the human existence and interactions with the world surrounding him.   C.S. Lewis so delicately dives into the smallest nuances of everyday life and has Screwtape show how these little strands can be pulled and exploited into longer lasting effects.  I find it hard to read through these letters without seein...

In the first reading, we here of the miracles that Peter had performed in the time following Jesus's Resurrection.  As the truth spread, more and more people sought out those apostles, with Peter chief among them.  While we hear that all were cleansed and cured of their maladies, physically and spiritually, you can almost here the Psalm reverberating throughout the Temple as they gathered there, rejoicing in their newfound health, that the Lord's love is good and everlasting.  And it is interesting to note that this Psalm is also the one in which the rejected stone which becomes the cornerstone is first mentioned, and we are given a story where that new Church on that cornerstone is healing the masses at the Temple, the structure that has been so important to the Jewish tradition for generations. I must admit before continuing on that with the passage from Revelation in the Second Reading, I am out of my depths.  While I know some of the symbolism that is referenced ...

What more could I add to the glory of Christ's Resurrection?  This is the moment that all other moments point towards, both before and after.  Our life changed in Jesus's victory over death, as we now share in His triumph.  As the Psalm calls out - let us rejoice and be glad!  The celebrations this weekend are sacred and have been memorialized ever since Jesus was found to have left the tomb, as retold in the Gospel.  We hear of Mary Magdalene finding the empty tomb and racing back to Peter and John to bring them back.  Peter examines the tomb and, I assume, is trying to comprehend what he is witness to, as he is looking for any indication at what has happened as he sees the burial cloths rolled up and placed aside.  John, on the other hand, walks in and understands and believes right away.   Now, it is noted at the end of the Gospel passage that they did not yet understand that Jesus had to rise from the dead in order to fulfill the scriptur...

Palm Sunday is a day full of rich context to explore as we near the end of our Lenten journey.  For this week's reflection, I'm going to focus on the readings said during Mass and not on the processions.  In the reading from Isaiah this week, we see the foreshadowing of Jesus's Passion played out, as Isaiah tells of disgraces and grievances done towards him.  However, he does not bend or fall into despair, yet he is bolstered by the fact the Lord is with him.  In the face of these trials, he remains faithful and steadfast in his mission, just as Jesus does as His time comes. I'll come back to the Psalm with the Gospel, but in the second reading we are witnesses to one of the earliest teachings on the Mystery of our faith from St. Paul.  He explains the complexity of the Jesus succinctly, highlighting His Divinity, His Humanity, and the humbling sacrifice made for all of us.  Truly, the actions done by Jesus are those worthy of the highest praise, and while ...

My theme for this set of readings is that God will make all things new.  Now, there is a caveat to that statement, as it must be done with our consent and willingness to partake in a journey with God.  We see this played out in the reading from Isaiah, where the Exodus is retold poetically.  Here, God remakes the fortunes of the downtrodden Israelites as they leave their old selves behind in Egypt and are made anew in the promised land.  But the key line from this passage is in the middle, as Isaiah reminds them not to dwell on the past but to live in the light of the present blessings.  And this is what is reiterated throughout the Psalm as we affirm that we are filled with joy from the wonderous actions God has performed for us.  And with this in mind, we turn to St. Paul's words in the second reading. To close his letter, St. Paul says that he has forgotten what's behind him, and is focused on what awaits him in the next life, pursuing that prize of God'...