We all know that Jesus commands us to love one another, but all too often we overlook the sacrifice it takes to follow the teaching and example of Jesus. All three readings today point out that there will be a cost…and we will pay it with our lives.
Mass Readings – 5th Sunday of Easter
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Today the world stands silent at the foot of the Cross. Only the unconditional love of God could remedy human sin, and the sacrifice of Jesus Christ gives us hope for eternal life.
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The Passion of Christ is the greatest love story ever told. As we reflect on the depth of the Lord’s sacrifice for our sins, may we encounter the compassion, mercy and forgiveness of Jesus, who gave his life that we might be with him in Heaven.
Mass Readings – Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion
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Two widows offer examples of giving generously in the Scriptures today. Three words – gratitude, sacrifice and expectation – can offer insight into how we can be generous as we follow the example of Jesus.
Mass Readings – 32nd Sunday of the Year
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We remember the sacrifice and service of the men and women who have served our country. May this observance help us to count the blessings we have received and live the gift of freedom with conviction and dedication.
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Today we pray with the Church around the world as we recall the sign of God’s love through the death of Jesus on the Cross. May the Lord’s suffering and sacrifice open our hearts with gratitude as we reflect on what Christ has done for our eternal salvation.
Good Friday Scripture Readings
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Study: Recall a sacrifice you have made recently. What was it about this sacrifice that revealed your values and priorities?
Pray: Ask the Lord for the grace to serve with your whole heart. Pay attention to anything that is holding you back.
Serve: Is there someone in your life who is struggling with priorities right now? How can you help them?
Mass Readings – 2nd Sunday of Lent
What do you think is worth a personal sacrifice? What would you be willing to give up for someone or something you believe in?
We learn a lot about ourselves by what we are willing to sacrifice. Our values, personal convictions, and priorities all come into focus with the simple phrase:
Can I give that up?
We make sacrifices all the time. Some are simple, others complex; some are demanding while others are the act of a moment. Yet sacrifices reveal the depth of our hearts and our willingness to offer up our lives for something greater, something that we hold precious or valuable.
The thought that Abraham would be willing to offer up his only son – the child of God’s blessing to Sarah in her old age – strikes the modern hearer as barbaric and horrible. It is a crime against nature: that the innocent could suffer such atrocity sounds more like something from Hell, not Heaven.
Yet Jesus Christ, innocent and without sin, will die a brutal death on the Cross…for us. The atrocity that confronts us at Calvary reveals the value God places on our human souls – we are loved completely, entirely, and without thinking of the cost the Lord sacrifices his life to take our place for the evil we have done.
This is the power of the transfiguration in the Gospel of Mark. Jesus, revealed in all his glory with Moses and Elijah, is God’s “beloved Son.” Coming down from the mountain Peter, James, and John have no idea what lies ahead – they can only marvel at the awesome sight of Jesus as he stands in Heaven…the one who is honored for the sacrifice he makes.
Perhaps then, the real question for us pertains to those things to which we still cling. What priorities and values do we place higher than Christ? What is holding us back from embracing the Lord with all our heart? I suggest considering the following thoughts:
And if there are things that are keeping me from God & others….
Can I give that up?
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Archive of Fr. Andrew’s Podcasts
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Note: This post was first published on February 24, 2015.
