Through the waves of dissonance,
steady and in great calmness,
Truth works its way to the front,
making known what was hidden,
replacing what’s distorted,
shining light on what’s debased,
transforming what’s been disturbed,
renewing all purpose and
bringing a meaningful state.
The Spirit of truth will testify to me, says the Lord;
and you also will testify. – John 15:26b, 27a
We are His, the Lord’s, people, the sheep of His flock.
The One we belong to, so much better than great,
Carries all without blame, no excuses, no lies,
Just a care that runs deep and a heart of pure Love.
While one pretends, leading others astray and awry,
The Lord, ever-present, makes clear to the willing,
What’s honest and true, compared to what’s opposite.
Eyes open or not, the Lord is faithful to all.
Know that the Lord is God,
he made us, we belong to him,
we are his people, the flock he shepherds. – Psalm 100:3
Created in the Father’s image,
shown how to live by His only Son,
designed with hearts and minds that are free,
able to choose between many things,
but made to be moved by the Spirit.
Everywhere, working things for best,
sometimes we see it, others we don’t.
Either way, you never fade or leave,
but wait for an open, honest gaze.
The coming, going, and going ons,
time, ages, and different stages,
accompanied by the Love of three,
Holy Trinity, how blessed are we.
God so loved the world that he gave his only Son,
so that everyone who believes in him might not perish
but might have eternal life.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world,
but that the world might be saved through him.
Whoever believes in him will not be condemned,
but whoever does not believe has already been condemned,
because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. – John 3:16-18
The readings for the Solemnity of Pentecost offer an opportunity to contemplate faith from the perspective of both personal experience and communal experience. In the First Reading (Acts 2:1-11), it is written:
Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire,
which parted and came to rest on each one of them.
And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit
and began to speak in different tongues,
as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim.
The Spirit not only rested upon each one, but penetrated them, and more than filled them up. The apostles were given what they needed, the ability to communicate effectively with those whose languages were different than theirs.
In what area(s) of your life do you desire the Holy Spirit to assist or inspire you?
The reading continues with the people shocked at what they are hearing and trying to understand what is going on:
We are Parthians, Medes, and Elamites,
inhabitants of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia,
Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia,
Egypt and the districts of Libya near Cyrene,
as well as travelers from Rome,
both Jews and converts to Judaism, Cretans and Arabs,
yet we hear them speaking in our own tongues
of the mighty acts of God.
Recall how you have been taken by surprise, experiencing or witnessing the mighty acts of God.
The Psalm response is from Psalm 104:
Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth. (cf. 30)
Inspired by the mighty acts of the Lord, take some time to pray for the things that your heart longs for the Lord to bring His peace, love, healing, wisdom, and/or unity to.
After naming and praying for each thing, repeat the response from Psalm 104. As you pray, be aware of how your heart and mind are stirred. Allow yourself time to communicate your thoughts and feelings about both personal matters and those regarding your brothers and sisters in your community and around the world.
In the Second Reading (1 Corinthians 12:3b-7, 12-13), St. Paul gives voice to the fact that, yes, we are different (not all have the same gifts, or are called to serve, or to be the same), but that underneath those differences, we are born of the same God. And furthermore, he writes:
To each individual the manifestation of the Spirit
is given for some benefit.
As a body is one though it has many parts,
and all the parts of the body, though many, are one body,
so also Christ.
For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body,
whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free persons,
and we were all given to drink of one Spirit.
What’s it like to consider that the Holy Spirit can work in each, and every, person, no matter who they are or what they have done, to bring forth the good that God has in mind? How does, or how might, this notion influence you in your words, actions, and thoughts and prayers?
In the Gospel reading (John 20:19-23), it is written:
On the evening of that first day of the week,
when the doors were locked, where the disciples were,
for fear of the Jews,
Jesus came and stood in their midst
and said to them, “Peace be with you.”
When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side.
The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.
Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you.
As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”
And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them,
“Receive the Holy Spirit.
Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them,
and whose sins you retain are retained.”
Reflecting on this Gospel passage and the fifty days since Easter, what catches your attention? What have you carried forward for yourself, and regarding others? What, if anything, might be interfering with your ability to be guided by and to cooperate more fully with the Holy Spirit? What do you sense the Lord wants you to know at this moment?
Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love. – Gospel Acclamation
You will show me the path to life,
abounding joy in your presence,
the delights at your right hand forever. – Psalm 16:11
Thinking over the past week, reflect on the path(s) you traveled as you went from place to place or activity to activity. Try to recall what you were thinking and feeling as you moved from one thing to another. Overall, as you went along each day, what sentiments did you carry with you? To what did you hold onto and of what did you let go?
Take some time to converse with the Lord about what you felt grateful for and what you struggled with or disliked during the week, and what it is like now as you think back on it. What strikes you most? As you share, allow time to listen to what strikes the Lord most about your week. What does the Lord want you to know? How might you draw both peace and strength, joy and reverence from this past week?
Continuing with paths along one’s journey, imagine yourself on the road to Emmaus as you read the Gospel for the Third Sunday of Easter.
That very day, the first day of the week,
two of Jesus’ disciples were going
to a village seven miles from Jerusalem called Emmaus,
and they were conversing about all the things that had occurred.
And it happened that while they were conversing and debating,
Jesus himself drew near and walked with them,
but their eyes were prevented from recognizing him.
He asked them,
“What are you discussing as you walk along?”
They stopped, looking downcast.
One of them, named Cleopas, said to him in reply,
“Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem
who does not know of the things
that have taken place there in these days?”
And he replied to them, “What sort of things?”
They said to him,
“The things that happened to Jesus the Nazarene,
who was a prophet mighty in deed and word
before God and all the people,
how our chief priests and rulers both handed him over
to a sentence of death and crucified him.
But we were hoping that he would be the one to redeem Israel;
and besides all this,
it is now the third day since this took place.
Some women from our group, however, have astounded us:
they were at the tomb early in the morning
and did not find his body;
they came back and reported
that they had indeed seen a vision of angels
who announced that he was alive.
Then some of those with us went to the tomb
and found things just as the women had described,
but him they did not see.”
And he said to them, “Oh, how foolish you are!
How slow of heart to believe all that the prophets spoke!
Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things
and enter into his glory?”
Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets,
he interpreted to them what referred to him
in all the Scriptures.
As they approached the village to which they were going,
he gave the impression that he was going on farther.
But they urged him, “Stay with us,
for it is nearly evening and the day is almost over.”
So he went in to stay with them.
And it happened that, while he was with them at table,
he took bread, said the blessing,
broke it, and gave it to them.
With that their eyes were opened and they recognized him,
but he vanished from their sight.
Then they said to each other,
“Were not our hearts burning within us
while he spoke to us on the way and opened the Scriptures to us?”
So they set out at once and returned to Jerusalem
where they found gathered together
the eleven and those with them who were saying,
“The Lord has truly been raised and has appeared to Simon!”
Then the two recounted
what had taken place on the way
and how he was made known to them in the breaking of bread. – Luke 24:13-35
What insight or wisdom does the Lord want to impart to you at this moment? And how might it inspire you to be a greater reflection of God’s love and mercy as you journey on?
As we reach Laetare (“rejoice”) Sunday, the thought of rejoicing during a time of such unrest, outright war, and great concern throughout the world can seem so far away and of another world. However, isn’t that part of what faith is all about? Trusting that there is something more. Placing our hope in the One who hears our cries, lifts us up, and gives us guidance and strength as we strive for eternal life. Rejoicing in the Lord who, without fail, is with us.
Take some time to think about what you’re grateful for and to remember the ways in which you have been blessed by the Lord. Then, inspired by the Lord’s faithfulness, pray for whatever enters your mind and heart, knowing that you are praying to the Lord for whom nothing is impossible.
Continuing on, be mindful of the Lord who is ever present and loves us unconditionally as we look at the readings for the Fourth Sunday of Lent.
In the First Reading (1 Samuel 16:1b, 6-7, 10-13a), the Lord sends Samuel to Bethlehem to anoint David king. When Samuel arrives in Bethlehem all he knows is that one of Jesse’s sons is to be anointed and that the Lord will help him to know which one. As soon as Samuel sees the first son, Eliab, he assumes this is the one to be anointed. However, Eliab is not the one.
“But the Lord said to Samuel: Do not judge from his appearance or from his lofty stature, because I have rejected him. God does not see as a mortal, who sees the appearance. The Lord looks into the heart.” – v. 7
What have you been holding in your heart this past week? What about today? What do you imagine is on God’s heart?
As the reading continues, the remaining sons of Jesse are then presented to Samuel, but none of them are the one that he was sent to anoint. This leads Samuel to ask Jesse if he has any other sons. Jesse reveals that there is another son and then sends for David, his youngest, at Samuel’s instruction. Sure enough, David is the one whom the Lord has chosen.
At first sight, Samuel was certain that Eliab had to be the one the Lord had chosen. Yet, in the end, the son the Lord had chosen wasn’t present and had to be sent for. Imagine how unexpected going through the seven sons who were present and not being told, “this is the one,” must have been for Samuel. What do you think led him to ask Jesse if he had any other sons?
What kinds of things do you notice at first sight? How do you experience the unexpected? In what ways do you sense or seek the Lord’s presence in what you notice? In the unexpected?
The Psalm for Laetare Sunday is the following:
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
In verdant pastures he gives me repose;
beside restful waters he leads me;
he refreshes my soul.
He guides me in right paths
for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk in the dark valley
I fear no evil; for you are at my side
With your rod and your staff
that give me courage.
You spread the table before me
in the sight of my foes;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Only goodness and kindness follow me
all the days of my life;
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
for years to come. – Psalm 23: 1-6
Reflecting on the characteristics of the Lord that are expressed in the Psalm, in what way do you most need the Lord to shepherd you today?
Turning to the Second Reading, it is written:
You were once darkness,
but now you are light in the Lord.
Live as children of light,
for light produces every kind of goodness
and righteousness and truth.
Try to learn what is pleasing to the Lord.
Take no part in the fruitless works of darkness;
rather expose them, for it is shameful even to mention
the things done by them in secret;
but everything exposed by the light becomes visible,
for everything that becomes visible is light.
Therefore, it says:
“Awake, O sleeper,
and arise from the dead,
and Christ will give you light.” – Ephesians 5:8-14
Allow yourself to envision being enveloped in the light of the Lord. As you take in the goodness of the Lord, your heart becomes full of peace, love, and hope. How do you desire to respond? How does the Lord envision you as an extension of God’s peace, love, and hope?
The Gospel passage is John 9:1-41, The Man Born Blind. Read this passage from your Bible.
What part(s) of this passage resonated with you most? What part(s) surprised you or struck you differently than in the past? How does what you noticed or what’s being stirred within you relate to what’s in your heart and what’s weighing on your heart?
What insight does the Lord want to share with you so that you are better able to consider what’s beyond visible and to see more and more with the eyes of your God-given heart?
I am the light of the world, says the Lord;
whoever follows me will have the light of life. – John 8:12
The readings for the Third Sunday of Lent can be seen as an invitation to pray and reflect on our encounters with God and others, the conversations that arise during them as well as after, and how we determine what we hold onto and listen to.
After the prophet Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt and into the wilderness, they started to become disgruntled. God provided food for them in the form of quail and manna, however, as the days passed their unhappiness grew as they still did not know what was next and where they would end up. Their existence became a grind and a growing number of the people began to feel like maybe they would have been better off not following Moses; perhaps their current situation was worse than being enslaved in Egypt.
The First Reading (Exodus 17:3-7) has Moses receiving complaints and being well aware of the growing displeasure among the people. He’s in a “What now?” moment.
So Moses cried out to the Lord,
“What shall I do with this people?
a little more and they will stone me!” – v. 4
What strikes you most from the verse above? What are your conversations with God like during your “What now?” moments?
In the following verse, the Lord responds to Moses and tells him what to do. What do you notice about the Lord’s answer?
“Go over there in front of the people,
along with some of the elders of Israel,
holding in your hand, as you go,
the staff with which you struck the river.
I will be standing there in front of you on the rock in Horeb.
Strike the rock, and the water will flow from it
for the people to drink.” – v. 5-6
In what ways do you trust God to provide for you and others during challenging times? How about during less difficult times?
Recall a time when you cried out to God, and God provided for both you and others.
The First Reading ends with:
The place was called Massah and Meribah,
because the Israelites quarreled there
and tested the Lord, saying,
“Is the Lord in our midst or not?” – v. 7
What do you make of the people quarreling? How do you imagine something like that could impact a sense of trust in the community? And in God?
The response for the Psalm is:
“If today you hear God’s voice, harden not your hearts.” – Ps 95:8.
Again, thinking about your conversations with God, what level of transparency do they reflect? Are there areas where you may be holding back, or you feel like God is? Take some prayer time to express your thoughts and feelings on this and to allow room for God’s insight to be shared with you.
The Second Reading (Romans 5:1-2, 5-8), begins with: “Brothers and sisters:”
If you were to use this greeting, who would be included as brothers and sisters?
This letter to the Romans continues:
Since we have been justified by faith,
we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
through whom we have gained access by faith
to this grace in which we stand,
and we boast in hope of the glory of God.
Have there been times when you have felt justified by faith? What made you feel that way or what were the signs? And what was it like?
The passage is completed with the following verses:
And hope does not disappoint,
because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts
through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
For Christ, while we were still helpless,
died at the appointed time for the ungodly.
Indeed, only with difficulty does one die for a just person,
though perhaps for a good person one might even find courage to die.
But God proves his love for us
in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.
How has God’s love been poured out into your heart? What has the impact been? And how do your choices reflect that love to God, yourself, and to others?
In the Gospel Reading (John 4:5-42), we read about Jesus, a Jew, and the woman at the well, a Samaritan. Each comes from a line of people who normally steer clear of each other. Thinking about this atypical exchange back then and life today, how do you desire to respond to the “atypical”?
Next, consider Jesus’s words around water and food, things that last a limited amount of time before one needs to acquire more, as an invitation to look more closely at what’s been on your plate and the concerns you are carrying. As you do so, contemplate what you are seeking and from where you are seeking it.
What does the Lord want to reveal to you?
Lord, you are truly the Savior of the world; give me living water, that I may never thirst again. – John 4:42, 15
Late afternoon the other day as sunset was moving in, the sky displayed a beautiful spread of colors in between the homes and trees, utility poles and power lines. Through all the obstacles intruding on the view, there was light, not only persevering, but also bringing hope, showing up in shades of glory, working among its surroundings, in a most remarkable way.
When was the last time your attention was caught by light? Recall where you were and what was happening at the time. How were your heart and mind stirred by the experience? As you remember it, how are you touched by it today?
The following verses from the Gospel reading for the Second Sunday of Lent (Matthew 17:1-9) come after Peter, James, and John witness the Transfiguration of Jesus. The three disciples saw remarkable light as they watched Jesus, transfigured, speaking with the prophets, Moses and Elijah. Peter is all about wanting to build three tents at the site—one each for Jesus, Moses, and Elijah.
Take some time to consider what you seek to preserve and what kinds of things lead you to a sense of reverence or admiration?
While he was still speaking, behold,
a bright cloud cast a shadow over them,
then from the cloud came a voice that said,
“This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased;
listen to him.”
When the disciples heard this, they fell prostrate
and were very much afraid. – v. 5-6
Envision yourself on the mountain alongside the three disciples. Like them, you hear the voice and fall to the ground, face down in fear. In that moment, it’s as if you’re alone. But then, Jesus puts his hand on your shoulder and says, “Rise, and do not be afraid.” (v. 7). You lift your head and the first thing you see, are Jesus’s eyes, tenderly looking into your eyes. You reach for and grab his hand as he helps you to stand up. Next, the two of you sit down, and Jesus asks you to tell him what you are afraid of, what is weighing on you or puts your gaze down toward the ground. What do you say? And how does Jesus respond?
What do you need from Jesus to continue raising your eyes toward Him?
Continue the conversation, taking time to reveal what’s on your heart and pausing to really listen to what Jesus wants you to know. When this exchange with Jesus feels complete, allow for some words or a gesture between you and Jesus as you prepare to rejoin the disciples for the trek back down the mountain.
What does Jesus want you to carry with you or to remember most at this moment?
And when the disciples raised their eyes, they saw no one else but Jesus alone. – Matthew 17:8
In the First Reading for the Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time, it is written:
If you choose you can keep the commandments, they will save you;
if you trust in God, you too shall live;
he has set before you fire and water
to whichever you choose, stretch forth your hand.
Before man are life and death, good and evil,
whichever he chooses shall be given him.
Immense is the wisdom of the Lord;
he is mighty in power, and all-seeing.
The eyes of God are on those who fear him;
he understands man’s every deed.
No one does he command to act unjustly,
to none does he give license to sin. – Sirach 15:15-20
Take some time to reflect on your words and actions this past week. Consider to what or to whom you “stretched forth your hand” as you went about the week. Invite Jesus to reflect with you. As you review situations that come to mind, how is your heart touched? How do you imagine Jesus’s heart is touched?
The final verse in this week’s Psalm is verse 34 of Psalm 119:
Give me understanding to keep your law, to observe it with all my heart.
There are 613 laws within the first 5 books of the Old Testament (the Torah), there are 10 commandments revealed by God at Mount Sinai, and there are Jesus’s words and example among which is:
You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.
This is the greatest and the first commandment.
The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments. – Matthew 22:37-40
Taking what you have learned through both Scripture and personal experience, how would you describe the heart of God?
In the Second Reading (1 Corinthians 2:6-10), St. Paul gives voice to the fact that knowledge born of the earthly is different than wisdom, pure and true, which is a gift that emanates from God.
But as it is written:
What eye has not seen, and ear has not heard,
and what has not entered the human heart,
what God has prepared for those who love him,
this God has revealed to us through the Spirit.
For the Spirit scrutinizes everything, even the depths of God. – verses 9-10
Contemplate these verses. Notice where your heart is drawn and what comes to mind. As you do so, enter into conversation with Jesus. Reveal your innermost thoughts and feelings and ask him for whatever you need (healing, peace, insight, etc.).
In the Gospel for this week (Matthew 5:17-37), Jesus tells his disciples:
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets.
I have come not to abolish but to fulfill.
Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away,
not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter
will pass from the law,
until all things have taken place.
Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments
and teaches others to do so
will be called least in the kingdom of heaven.
But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments
will be called greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses
that of the scribes and Pharisees,
you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.” – verses 17-20
As you navigate the world around you, how is your heart informed and motivated by God’s laws and commandments, and the spirit of them, along with Jesus’s words and example?
The Gospel passage continues with Jesus stating a few examples of what the disciples have heard or what’s been said of the law of God followed by “But I say to you…”:
“You have heard that it was said to your ancestors,
You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment.
But I say to you…”
“You have heard that it was said,
You shall not commit adultery.
But I say to you…”
“It was also said,
Whoever divorces his wife must give her a bill of divorce.
But I say to you…”
“Again you have heard that it was said to your ancestors,
Do not take a false oath,
but make good to the Lord all that you vow.
But I say to you…” – excerpted verses 21-37
In these verses, Jesus is teaching the disciples a deeper understanding of what they have heard or what’s been said; what they’ve come to know. He’s shifting the focus to connect the law/commandments back to their divine intent—preserving the goodness of God in our hearts.
How might the wisdom of God bring a new understanding or bring greater depth to what you have heard or what’s been said? In what ways might your heart exercise more like the heart of God, the intent of God’s law and commandments, and the teachings and example of Jesus?
Lord, God, creator of all, stretch forth our hearts,
So that your goodness and mercy may shine through.
Let our words and deeds, give you honor and praise.
May they spread hope and love, light and peace, to all.
Blessed those who keep the Lord’s testimonies, who seek the Lord with all their heart. – Psalm 119:2
Beating still, beating quietly, beating nonetheless,
Attention becomes the disciple of intention.
A stir within, roars within, formation from within.
Look and listen closely as true passion is revealed.
Following the leader? Where? To what good do they lead?
Igniting hearts? Uniting hearts? On whose behalf?
All hearts can and must choose for whom and for what they burn.
Discern! Discern! Deception has so many voices.
Does the message uplift all of us, like the true one
Who gracefully overcomes the small, in all of us,
Helping the steadfast to be ready, set, and to ask,
How does this represent the good teacher serving all?
The Lord keeps faith forever,
secures justice for the oppressed,
gives food to the hungry.
The Lord sets captives free.
The Lord gives sight to the blind;
the Lord raises up those who were bowed down.
The Lord loves the just;
the Lord protects strangers.
The fatherless and the widow the Lord sustains,
but the way of the wicked he thwarts.
The Lord shall reign forever;
your God, O Zion, through all generations. Alleluia. – Psalm 146:6-10
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