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
To remember the Lord God
across experiences,
in the bliss of greatest highs,
during the lulls and lows too,
and all the places between,
is but part of honest faith.
Giving praise and all glory
involves so much more than that,
a heart, mind, and soul willing
and free, receiving great Love,
breathing out in word and deed
that same Love without distance.
Taking and giving what’s Good,
sharing among the many,
knowing Christ in body, blood,
guiding light, for what is right,
showing care to all, for all,
with room to grow, not to shrink.
Because the loaf of bread is one, we, though many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf. – 1 Corinthians 10:17
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
In the First Reading for the Seventh Sunday of Easter, after Jesus ascends into heaven, it is written of the apostles:
When they entered the city
they went to the upper room where they were staying,
Peter and John and James and Andrew,
Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew,
James son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot,
and Judas son of James.
All these devoted themselves with one accord to prayer,
together with some women,
and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers. – Acts 1:13-14
Envision yourself in the upper room with those who are close to you. You’ve just witnessed Jesus ascending into heaven, and have experienced the living word of God, individually and collectively. What is in your heart and on your mind, and what is your prayer regarding it?
The response for the Psalm is, “I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living.” (Psalm 27:13).
The verses of the Psalm for this Sunday, begin with:
The Lord is my light and my salvation;
whom should I fear?
The Lord is my life’s refuge;
of whom should I be afraid? – Psalm 27:1
Take some time to consider, one by one, anything that has been on your mind and makes you feel concerned, anxious, afraid, or troubled. Imagine yourself bringing each thing that comes to mind to the Lord and, as you do, picture the Lord gently receiving each care and taking it from you, as you say:
“I have seen the good things of the Lord in the land of the living.”
Allow yourself to be present to whatever thoughts and feelings arise. Converse with the Lord about them and listen to the Lord to get a deeper sense of the message or sentiment that is awaiting you amid your earthly cares.
In the verses of the Second Reading it is written:
But rejoice to the extent that you share in the sufferings of Christ,
so that when his glory is revealed
you may also rejoice exultantly.
If you are insulted for the name of Christ, blessed are you,
for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.
But let no one among you be made to suffer
as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as an intriguer.
But whoever is made to suffer as a Christian should not be ashamed
but glorify God because of the name. – 1 Peter 4:13-16
What phrase or part of these verses sticks out to you most, as if jumping off the page?
In the verse that comes before the ones in the Second Reading, it is written:
Beloved, do not be surprised that a trial by fire is occurring among you, as if something strange were happening to you. – 1 Peter 4:12
What comes to mind as you consider both what stood out to you in verses 13-16 and this verse? What would you like to say to the Lord about it? What do imagine the Lord wants to say to you in reply?
In the Gospel passage, it is written:
Jesus raised his eyes to heaven and said,
“Father, the hour has come.
Give glory to your son, so that your son may glorify you,
just as you gave him authority over all people,
so that your son may give eternal life to all you gave him.
Now this is eternal life,
that they should know you, the only true God,
and the one whom you sent, Jesus Christ.
I glorified you on earth
by accomplishing the work that you gave me to do.
Now glorify me, Father, with you,
with the glory that I had with you before the world began.
“I revealed your name to those whom you gave me out of the world.
They belonged to you, and you gave them to me,
and they have kept your word.
Now they know that everything you gave me is from you,
because the words you gave to me I have given to them,
and they accepted them and truly understood that I came from you,
and they have believed that you sent me.
I pray for them.
I do not pray for the world but for the ones you have given me,
because they are yours, and everything of mine is yours
and everything of yours is mine,
and I have been glorified in them.
And now I will no longer be in the world,
but they are in the world, while I am coming to you.” – John 17:1-11a
What happens when you reflect on Jesus giving glory and honor to God by his love, prayers, devotion, and dedication to the well-being of those placed in his care?
Jesus says in the verses above, “I pray for them.” How might his prayer be applied to today’s world? And how do you desire to be devoted “with one accord” (united with others) thru that prayer?
O that water on which you walked
became solid ground, sprouting faith.
Filled with hope, trusting in the way,
embracing light and life you give.
Yet, shadows billow as they may,
threatening clouds swirling around.
Acting big, but so very small,
so dull and dense, missing the point.
Replace the darkness in our midst.
Revive good sense that’s been dismissed.
Protect and guide all souls to you,
doing the good you’d have them do.
Do not let your hearts be troubled.
You have faith in God; have faith also in me. – John 14:1
In the Gospel passage for the Foruth Sunday of Easter (John 10:1-10) it is written:
Jesus said:
“Amen, amen, I say to you,
whoever does not enter a sheepfold through the gate
but climbs over elsewhere is a thief and a robber.
But whoever enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.
The gatekeeper opens it for him, and the sheep hear his voice,
as the shepherd calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
When he has driven out all his own,
he walks ahead of them, and the sheep follow him,
because they recognize his voice.
But they will not follow a stranger;
they will run away from him,
because they do not recognize the voice of strangers.”
Although Jesus used this figure of speech,
the Pharisees did not realize what he was trying to tell them.
So Jesus said again, “Amen, amen, I say to you,
I am the gate for the sheep.
All who came before me are thieves and robbers,
but the sheep did not listen to them.
I am the gate.
Whoever enters through me will be saved,
and will come in and go out and find pasture.
A thief comes only to steal and slaughter and destroy;
I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly.”
The thief and robber, thinking themself clever, sneaks their way in. They side-step or going over or around the gate, and sometimes even appear to be the gatekeeper. However, Jesus says, though they may get in, they are still a thief and robber, and the sheep will not be fooled by them.
How do you invite the Lord, the Good Shepherd, to help you discern the differences between His voice and that of the stranger who robs and steals?
Take some time to contemplate a situation that might be weighing you down? What might there be that is being robbed or stolen from you when it comes to this? Pray to the Lord for insight and wisdom so that His voice can be stronger or more clear, having greater influence on you and your response to the situation.
In what ways does the Lord want you to have life more abundantly?
The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want. – Psalm 23:1
Approaching the Fifth Sunday of Lent, take a moment to consider the past few weeks and the times you have felt closest to the Lord as well as those times you have felt distanced. Of the situations that come to mind, what jumps out the most in terms of the characteristics of the Lord that you experienced and the ones that, in hindsight, you may have been seeking without knowing it at the time? Take what you notice to prayer, trusting that although the time has passed, conversation with the Lord can still bear fruit, providing insight, wisdom, and whatever else you may need at this moment, and going forward.
As you prepare to consider the readings for this Sunday, invite the Lord to continue the conversation and time together.
In the First Reading from Ezekiel 37:12-14, we have the ending verses of a section referred to as “Vision of the Dry Bones”. The passage is a conversation between the prophet and the Lord where the dry bones are likened to the loss of hope in the Lord, and Ezekiel is instructed as to what he is to tell to the people. As Ezekiel follows each of the Lord’s directives, the vision moves toward the bones being restored to life.
The directives to the dry bones spoken by the prophet are in Word:
“Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord!” (v. 4);
and Spirit:
“Listen! I will make breath enter you so you may come to life.” (v. 5).
The dry bones come to life and the Lord says to Ezekiel: “They are saying, ‘Our bones are dried up, our hope is lost, and we are cut off.’” (v.11)
This is where the First Reading starts. The Lord further instructs Ezekiel, giving him the words to address the need for restoration/renewal, hope, and connection.
Among the words of the Lord, in these verses, to be prophesied are:
“I will put my spirit in you that you may come to life, and I will settle you in your land. Then you shall know that I am the Lord. I have spoken; I will do it” (v. 14)
How are your mind and your heart touched by the words and imagery in this passage? Share what you think and feel at this moment with the Lord. Ask the Lord for openness to receiving his insights about restoration, renewal, hope, and/or connection in your life, your community, and the world at large.
Continuing to stay with the conversation, consider the response to the Psalm, “With the Lord there is mercy and fullness of redemption.” (Psalm 130:7). What are a few ways that you have received the Lord’s mercy and a sense of redemption? How do you feel as you recall those times? In what ways might they instill greater hope in you or inspire you today?
In the Second Reading (Romans 8:8-11), part of what St. Paul writes to the Romans is:
“But you are not in the flesh; on the contrary, you are in the spirit, if only the Spirit of God dwells in you. Whoever does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the spirit is alive because of righteousness.” – v. 9-10
How do you desire for the Spirit of God, that dwells in you, to be with you and to help you to not only hold onto and connect to, but to also be energized by and to be a reflection of the Lord’s mercy, hope, and inspiration? Share with the Lord whatever is in your heart at this time. Also, take time to allow the Lord to reveal what’s on his heart.
The following verses are an excerpt from the Gospel Reading (John 11:1-45):
Jesus said, “Take away the stone.”
Martha, the dead man’s sister, said to him,
“Lord, by now there will be a stench;
he has been dead for four days.”
Jesus said to her,
“Did I not tell you that if you believe
you will see the glory of God?”
So they took away the stone.
And Jesus raised his eyes and said,
“Father, I thank you for hearing me.
I know that you always hear me;
but because of the crowd here I have said this,
that they may believe that you sent me.”
And when he had said this,
He cried out in a loud voice,
“Lazarus, come out!”
The dead man came out,
tied hand and foot with burial bands,
and his face was wrapped in a cloth.
So Jesus said to them,
“Untie him and let him go.”
Now many of the Jews who had come to Mary
and seen what he had done began to believe in him. – John 11:39-44
Contemplating this passage in the light of your prayers, conversation with the Lord, and what you noticed from the prior readings above, what is the stone that Jesus wants to take away? In what ways might Jesus want you to “untie” and “let go”?
As you pray with this, ask for openness to the Lord’s guidance and for whatever you feel you need to hear the Word of God, to listen, and to receive the Spirit of God. What does the Lord desire for you so that the goodness that dwells within you, continues to sustain you, your hope in the Lord, and extends to others.
I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this? – John 11:25-26
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
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