Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego walked in the fiery furnace with a fourth person who looked like a Son of God. During those times in our lives when we have been put to the test, may we trust that Christ walks with us as well.
Mass Readings – Wednesday of the 5th Week of Lent
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The Scripture readings today all reference human hardship: suffering, battle and illness. Yet through it all we have hope as we see how God gives us the grace we need to overcome these challenges every time we turn to Christ.
Mass Readings – Monday of the 4th Week of Lent
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As Jesus speaks to the disciples about his suffering and death on the Cross, he must also contend with the pettiness that often accompanies our human nature…teaching how we offer our lives in service of one another.
Mass Readings – Wednesday of the 2nd Week of Lent
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Study: Consider a profound moment when you felt God’s presence. What made this possible?
Pray: Are you feeling drawn toward a certain activity or task? Ask the Lord for guidance.
Serve: What types of service do you find most rewarding? How does helping others lead you to Christ?
Mass Readings – 16th Sunday of the Year
Here’s a quick overview of the readings this week:
One way to reflect on these verses is to see how the Lord meets us in the pattern of daily life. Consider:
We understand that our relationship with God touches multiple aspects of our lives, such as prayer, sacraments, relationships, work, and recreation. The invitation today encourages us to see with our hearts how the Lord is present to us in the current moment.
Does it mean that we serve with a joyful heart? That we swiftly respond to injustice? That we compassionately care for others? That we stop and “smell the roses” in moments of rest & renewal, beauty & blessing? In all these ways we are led back to the Lord, recognizing the gifts God gives us with a grateful heart.
How is God present in your life right now? May our response bring us closer to Christ and one another.
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Note: This post was first published on July 11, 2016.
The Lord offers us a profound insight into the path of discipleship: through suffering and service we conform our lives to Christ as we pour out our lives in love for one another.
Mass Readings – Wednesday of the 2nd Week of Lent
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The prophet Isaiah and Jesus both speak of the servant who suffers for others. Once we recognize the value of life we begin to embrace our suffering with the grace of Christ…whose death and resurrection reveal the depth of love God has for us all.
Mass Readings – 29th Sunday of the Year
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Study: Consider an experience of suffering in your life. What lessons did you learn? How did you change and grow?
Pray: Many people carry heavy crosses every day…pray for them that they find the strength and grace they need.
Serve: Many people carry heavy crosses every day…how can you help them?
Mass Readings – 29th Sunday of the Year
The readings today weave together around some common themes:
Let’s start with Jesus. The Lord’s mission included not only teaching and healing, but was most clearly articulated in his death and resurrection for the life of the world. Christ died for our sins – taking our place by his suffering on the Cross for the evil we have done. His resurrection blazes a trail for us that leads to Heaven.
It is crucial to note that suffering is the path, not the goal. God the Father did not choose Jesus to suffer out of a desire for pain, but to bridge the gap between the human and divine. The Lord is the High Priest whose suffering draws near to a wounded and broken humanity. Like us in all things but sin, Jesus embraces us as he stretched out his hands on the Cross.
The victory of the Resurrection reveals suffering as the doorway, a path that when taken purges and cleanses, through which Christ has passed to break the bonds of sin and death. Suffering does not end in suffering; it leads to a freedom in Christ that is filled with grace, mercy, and peace.
This message has elements of consolation and challenge for us today. The consolation? We look to Christ for our redemption – turning to the Lord whose saving death and resurrection give us eternal life.
The challenge? We are called to face our suffering, recognizing in the crosses of our lives the path of redemption that God sets before us. In other words, we drink from the cup of Christ’s suffering – but we do it with conviction, faith, and hope.
The suffering we face today is part of our transformation as disciples. We engage the challenges of this life, not because we welcome pain, but because we see God’s hand at work in our struggles to purify our hearts and desires. Through this process we offer our lives, following the example of Jesus Christ to bring life to those in our midst.
Drink from the cup. Consider the sufferings of today as an offering to the Lord – given out of love that our lives might be transformed into the image and likeness of Christ!
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La crucifixion, Philippe de Champaigne; 1644-1646, 800 x 600 pixels.
Note: This post was first published on October 13, 2015.
