Making a Joyful Noise through Lent 04/08/2014

Making a Joyful Noise through Lent – 04/08/2014

“When we stand before Jesus crucified, we see the depth of his love which exalts and sustains us, but at the same time, unless we are blind, we begin to realize that Jesus’ gaze, burning with love, expands to embrace all his people. We realize once more that he wants to make use of us to draw closer to his beloved people. He takes us from the midst of his people and he sends us to his people; without this sense of belonging we cannot understand our deepest identity.” (Pope Francis, Evangelii Gaudium: The Joy of the Gospel)

Pope Francis’ words today touch on our scriptures. We need to stand at the foot of the cross to recognize our sinfulness but also the love of God. We need to stand at the foot of the cross to seek God’s forgiveness but also to be sent forth into the world to proclaim the joy of the Gospel. Jesus raised up on the cross is at once our healing and commissioning!

Today’s readings (Numbers 21: 4-9 and John 8: 21-30) ask us to look at the nature and the power of our sin in our life.  It is only when we do this that we can be healed from sin and its effects in our lives and our world.  In the first reading we have the familiar story of the people of the Exodus grumbling and complaining as they wander through the desert.  This grumbling comes from the very people that God rescued from horrific oppression in Egypt, under a Pharaoh who consumed their lives to feed his false god persona, is grossly ungrateful.  Not only had God rescued them from slavery but God also provided food eat and a fresh stream of pure water to drink, (from a rock no less).  God is taking them to a land “flowing with milk and honey” where they will be God’s people, protected and loved.  But they are a whining group, who can’t seem to see their own dependence upon God, the need to be grateful for all that God has done for them.  Their sin of ingratitude is as twisting and venomous as a poison snake which kills with its bite, but it can’t be recognized until it is lifted up on a pole and each person has to look at it and see his or her own darkness of heart to be “cured” of its effect.

In John’s Gospel the serpent on a stick becomes an image for Jesus’ crucifixion.  When, battered and bleeding, he is “lifted up” in front of us. It then becomes possible for us thankless sinners to see, to know, to recognize, and to understand, through God’s grace, the nature and cost of our sin for ourselves, our world and to our loving God.  Jesus took our sin into his own human personhood in order to put it to death and be the instrument for our release from the sin that condemned him and all its death-dealing consequences.

Our challenge today and always as we live our lives in the pursuit the life of grace is each day to stand before the cross and ask Jesus three questions: “What have I done for you?  What am I now doing for you? What can I do for you?”

Have a blessed Tuesday everyone and don’t forget to make a joyful noise with your life today!

Daily Lenten Prayer:

We put between us and all evil, the Passion of Jesus Christ.

We put between us and all struggle, the Passion of Jesus Christ.

We put between us and all disappointment, the Passion of Jesus Christ.

We put between us and all loss, the Passion of Jesus Christ.

We put between us and all weakness, the Passion of Jesus Christ.

We put between us and all sinfulness, the Passion of Jesus Christ.

We put between us and all violence, the Passion of Jesus Christ.

We put between us and death, the Passion of Jesus Christ.

May the Passion of Jesus Christ Be Always in Our Hearts...Amen!

A Runner’s Thoughts: Running can become a tool that helps us deal with the difficulties that we face. It can be a time to release the negative energies in our life. It can be a time to let go and let God!

Daily Blessing: Happy Tuesday everyone! I hope your day is getting off to a good start. We had a good beginning to the mission here at St. Mary’s yesterday. The community is small but enthusiastic and that is what is most important. So please continue to keep the faith community of St. Mary’s in your prayers and if you have the time please offer a short prayer for their preacher!

I pray that your day will be truly blessed with many good things and many encounters with God’s grace. If it hasn’t been a good start to the day I pray that your day only get better and become rich in the presence of God.

Again, my prayer for everyone is that you will all have a faith filled day with many blessings and much peace. As always you are in my prayers. Peace in Christ’s Passion…Fr. Paul