Holy Thursday 2021
The cross exemplifies every virtue
by Saint Thomas Aquinas, Priest
Why did the Son of God have to suffer for us? There was a great need, and it can be considered in a twofold way: in the first place, as a remedy for sin, and secondly, as an example of how to act.
It is a remedy, for, in the face of all the evils which we incur on account of our sins, we have found relief through the passion of Christ. Yet, it is no less an example, for the passion of Christ completely suffices to fashion our lives. Whoever wishes to live perfectly should do nothing but disdain what Christ disdained on the cross and desire what he desired, for the cross exemplifies every virtue.
If you seek the example of love: Greater love than this no man has, than to lay down his life for his friends. Such a man was Christ on the cross. And if he gave his life for us, then it should not be difficult to bear whatever hardships arise for his sake.
If you seek patience, you will find no better example than the cross. Great patience occurs in two ways: either when one patiently suffers much, or when one suffers things which one is able to avoid and yet does not avoid. Christ endured much on the cross, and did so patiently, because when he suffered he did not threaten; he was led like a sheep to the slaughter and he did not open his mouth. Therefore Christ’s patience on the cross was great. In patience let us run for the prize set before us, looking upon Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith who, for the joy set before him, bore his cross and despised the shame.
If you seek an example of humility, look upon the crucified one, for God wished to be judged by Pontius Pilate and to die.
If you seek an example of obedience, follow him who became obedient to the Father even unto death. For just as by the disobedience of one man, namely, Adam, many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one man, many were made righteous.
If you seek an example of despising earthly things, follow him who is the King of kings and the Lord of lords, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Upon the cross he was stripped, mocked, spat upon, struck, crowned with thorns, and given only vinegar and gall to drink.
Do not be attached, therefore, to clothing and riches, because they divided my garments among themselves. Nor to honors, for he experienced harsh words and scourings. Nor to greatness of rank, for weaving a crown of thorns they placed it on my head. Nor to anything delightful, for in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.
Fifth Sunday of Lent 2021
HIS HOUR IS OUR HOUR
Lent Week 5, 2021
Fifth week of Lent, the final week of preparation to cleanse, refresh, and attentive to receive the Grace of God to refashion to the proper and original image of us. This season of Lent is a time of special grace in which we experience the real presence of a personal God who cares and loves us. Our response is to transform ourselves and live according to his will. We want to do something new and come to him in obedience and freedom. Before him we acknowledge our weakness, and we know that he is the one who supports us and builds with us a new relationship. We ought to change our lives during Lent and come closer to him to make this time a joyful time, because it is our preparation for the future joy of Easter that approaches us bringing his blessings, mercy, and forgiveness forever.
Interestingly, we have been experiencing the steadfast Love of God through our ongoing Covenant of God. It is also reiterated in the first reading today; a God who never gives up on us is looking beyond the failure of his people and takes the initiative to establish a new covenant with us, “I will be their God, and they shall be my people”. Those who stay in this covenant and acknowledge His teaching will be able to receive the holiness of life to live in His glorified Grace as He says, “for I will forgive their iniquity, and remember their sins no more.”
The time has come for the eternal Covenant to be made right away, the one and only Covenant forever for which he is speaking of the “Hour”. We have seen in the past weeks many signs of covenant including the rainbow in the sky. But this everlasting covenant is in the form of a cross “lifted up and exalted”.
The hour that is referred to is the moment of his death which is a permanent saving event. It is that moment when God fully glorifies Jesus, raised up and exalted on the cross, which now becomes the sign of his total victory forever and for everyone.
The hour of the Lord is real for us when we come into the Church and meditate before the Cross, or just look at it, and then it hits us, “My God, Jesus, you did this for me? How much must you love me?” The hour of the Lord is real for us when we feel ourselves united to him on his cross, drawn to him as the Gospel prophesied, and lifted up from the burdens of this life into the realm of the spiritual. And Jesus said, “When I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself.”
The world lives in this moment, this hour. Whether we stood at the foot of the cross like Mary and John or whether we were born two thousand years later, the hour is real to us. We are there. We are always before the Lord on the cross. We kneel during the Eucharistic Prayer of the Mass and pray to the Father with the Lord as he offers his Body and Blood for us. Every Holy Mass renews the hour. Through the sacrificial love of Jesus Christ, his hour has become our hour, his death has become our life, our deaths have become his life, his love.
Death and life are united. Sacrifice and gift are merged. Love Conquers All. This is why we honor and adore the cross, we wear crosses around our necks respectfully, the purpose of our lives is to realize, to make real, the love of Christ in our homes and in our lives. We must allow Christ’s love to direct our lives.
Oh! The power of the cross! The power of the love of God! The central moment of human history! “The hour!”
Fourth Sunday of Lent 2021
LIGHT LIFTED UP TO SHINE
We enter in to fourth week of Lent; we are called upon to renew ourselves and experience the loving invitation of our Lord. In conversation with Nicodemus, Gospel of John chapter 3, Jesus speaks of, “born again”. The Jewish leader explains how it is impossible for a person to enter into a mother’s womb and be born again! Replying to his statement, Jesus says, “how is it impossible for a person to enter into the Kingdom of God, unless and until you are born again Spirit and Water.” We are children of the light baptized into the glory that is Christ. We are initiated into the life of Christ who is the light of the world. Once baptized in Christ, we become his new creation, the members of God’s own family. God also sends us to carry his divine love into the world and give the message of the newness of life and light.
Jesus continued with a story as a parable of himself which we see in the book of Numbers 21:7-9. “Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up.” He told Nicodemus that for the salvation of the world he himself would be “lifted up.”
Once we are born again in Spirit and Water, even though the impossibility of entering in the Kingdom of God is removed, bodily sins are keeping us away from the “Born again” assurance. Jesus speaks of how we can come out of the darkness of sin by deeds of Light. The possibility and opportunity to hate the darkness and embrace and expose to the light.
During this time of Lent, let us review our hearts to determine where we stand. Are we walking in the Light of God or are we walking in the darkness? Our eternal life and salvation depend entirely on our living faith that calls us to look up to Jesus who was “Lifted up” on the Holy Cross.
“Be enlightened, be enlightened, we cry to you, as holy prophet Isaiah trumpeted, for the light has come to you and the glory of the Lord has risen over you.” It is that which enlightens every man coming into the world. It is the everlasting light, the timeless light revealed in time, the light manifested in the flesh although hidden by nature, the light that shone round the shepherds and guided the Magi. It is the light that was in the world from the beginning, through which the world was made, yet the world did not know it. It is that light which came to its own, and its own people did not receive it.
In my previous reflection I spoke about how we are fashioned into His image, similarly, when Jesus said, “I am the light of the world” (John 8:12), he also said, “You are the Light of the World.” (Mathew 5:14) equalizing the same image of Him to us. As he was lifted up, Jesus continued saying, “A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor do men light a lamp and put it under a basket.” The light he means is an intelligible light, far superior to the rays of the sun we see.
Regardless of cast and creed, age and gender, all of us like to shine, all of us want to be on the hilltop, the highest of our dreams, desires and work. To achieve this, we are to come out of darkness using God given power the Prayer, is the light of the spirit. It is a partnership and union with God, when used we will overcome darkness and shine on Light. As the eyes of the body are enlightened when they see light, so our spirit, when it is intent on God, is illumined by his infinite light. Prayer is the light of the spirit, true knowledge of God, mediating between God and man strengthening us to shine.
“Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” (Psalm 119: 105).
