A Restless Life

This week, we are challenged by the words of Jesus.  He tells those who were traveling with Him that no one can truly follow Him without "hating" their family.  Taken at just that line, it seems an insurmountable task, to disregard the love of those closest to us for the eternal love of Jesus.  But two keys lines, one from the First Reading from Wisdom and the second from later in the Gospel Reading, help me to (hopefully) make sense of Jesus's proclamation.  In the next part of the Gospel Reading, Jesus continues to compare being a disciple to preparing to construct a tower.  Taking that example, all other context is removed - the builder's family obligations, their taxes due, etc... - and it's a simple exercise in having the right resources to achieve the goal.  We too must remove the outside context, or distractions, and see what it is we truly need to do in our lives to be true to God, and sometimes that can be our family or our jobs or even our hobbies...

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 ...