Thoughts on salvation

 

Memorial of Saint Catherine of Siena, Virgin and Doctor of the Church

John 3:7b–15

Friends, in today’s Gospel, Jesus declares that he must be lifted up to bring eternal life to believers. Why would God’s salvation of the human race have to include something as horrifying as crucifixion? We live in a time when the human predicament is regularly denied, explained away, or ignored. Despite the massive counter-evidence from the moral disasters of the last century, we are still beguiled by the myth of progress: with just enough technical advancement, psychological insight, and personal liberation, we will solve our problems.  But with this sort of stupidity and superficiality the Bible has no truck. The scriptural authors understand sin not so much as a series of acts but as a condition in which we are stuck, something akin to an addiction or a contagious disease. No amount of merely human effort could possibly solve the problem.  With this biblical realism in mind, we can begin to comprehend why the Crucifixion of the Son of God was necessary. The just rapport between God and human beings could not be reestablished either through our moral effort or with simply a word of forgiveness. Something had to be done—and God alone could do it. Bishop Robert Barron

Thoughts on Divine Mercy Sunday

Today, on the Second Sunday of Easter, the Church celebrates the Feast of Divine Mercy.

 

In the early 1930s, the world was in turmoil, and its future appeared bleak. Communist ideology was gaining ground in Eastern Europe. The Great Depression was felt across the globe, and international political crises were escalating.

 

It was to a despairing and despondent world that Our Lord, on February 22, 1931, first appeared to Sr. Maria Faustina Kowalska in Plock, Poland, and requested that she spread the message of His infinite mercy. In total, Jesus visited Sr. Faustina fourteen times between 1931 and 1938. The faithful nun kept an extensive diary, detailing Our Lord’s revelations that would eventually be disseminated around the globe to people who hungered – and still hunger – for hope, love, and trust in God’s mercy.

 

Our Lord informed the young nun that He desired the Second Sunday after Easter to be declared Divine Mercy Sunday. He also instructed her how to pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet and directed her to recite it unceasingly, promising that whoever prayed the Chaplet would receive great mercy at the hour of their death.

 

The painting of today’s internationally recognized Divine Mercy image with the inscription “Jesus, I trust in You” was originally requested by Our Lord of Sr. Faustina to serve as a constant reminder that we are to approach Him with complete trust, for His mercy is greater than our sins.

 

Sr. Maria Faustina Kowalska was canonized by Pope St. John Paul II on April 30, 2000.

 

We encourage you to read our special page dedicated to Divine Mercy Sunday, where we answer questions such as:

• What is the meaning of Divine Mercy Sunday?
• What are the promises of the Divine Mercy Chaplet?
• How did Jesus appear to St. Faustina?
• What is the relationship with the Divine Mercy and the Second Coming of Jesus?
  
  

On the page, we also offer a free eBook, Divine Mercy Novena, which will help prepare you for the Feast of Divine Mercy.

 

We hope this eBook and page will encourage you to rest in the assurance of Our Lord’s Divine Mercy. May God bless you.

 

In Christ,

Your EWTN Family

  

 

 

Thoughts on miracles

 

How is it that a person becomes a “person of faith?” How is it that a family or community or culture or nation is “faith-filled” and others are not? Why is it that even within the same family some individuals, raised as children in seemingly the same manner and with the same values, in their adulthood “live the faith” and others do not?

One of the most difficult things for people today to embrace is the reality of the miraculous. We are prone to operate, more than we sometimes acknowledge, under the assumption that God cannot have an active role in a world where growing human knowledge – and expanding technology – seem to promise ultimate human control.

The first Christians who experienced and professed Jesus’ Resurrection, and who were observers and even performers of miracles, understood these events as signs of God’s salvation. God chose to act through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus; in that process, the “normal” limits of human life were broken on behalf of humanity.

In today’s Gospel, Thomas wants empirical proof if he is to believe the testimony of the other disciples that Jesus has risen. And yet, I suggest that it was not Thomas’ commitment to scientific thinking that keeps him from believing that Jesus has been raised from the dead. It is a more basic problem. It is his unwillingness, perhaps his inability, to believe that God would act in such a way to bring about salvation. Jesus appeared to him, passing through locked doors. In doing so, Jesus symbolically broke through the limits that Thomas had placed on God’s saving actions.

In giving us the story of “doubting Thomas,” John gives a new twist to the story of Jesus’ reality as the Resurrected One. Taking up a concern of the later Christian community, John asks: How can a person believe in the Risen One without having received an appearance? The answer he gives is clear: Seeing Jesus is no guarantee of believing. Even disciples had to come to faith when they saw him; so those who have not seen him can still have the blessedness of faith through believing the testimony of the first wit- nesses.

I have no simple explanations for why some people are people of faith and others are not. I do believe, however, that it is important to pray for a “holy imagination,” not in the sense of imagining something to be true which is not – that would be self-deception – but rather, to have the spiritual freedom to be able to imagine the truth, which is that God’s loving ways of operating are not always our own.  As we pray for the gift of a “holy imagination,” let us not fail to pray in gratitude for those people in our lives who have helped us to be the people of faith we are today… and let us always pray for those for whom faith is difficult.

Fr. Frank Reale, SJ

More thoughts on the Risen Jesus

 

Thursday within the Octave of Easter

Luke 24:35–48

Friends, in today’s Gospel, Jesus appeared alive again to his followers. Upon seeing him, “they were startled and terrified.” They are terrified because the one they abandoned and betrayed and left for dead is back—undoubtedly for revenge! Luke’s risen Jesus does two things in the presence of his shocked followers. The first thing is that he shows them his wounds. This move is a reiteration of the judgment of the cross: don’t forget, he tells them, what the world did when the Author of life appeared. But he does something else; he says, “Shalom”—“Peace be with you.” In this, he opens up a new spiritual world and thereby becomes our Savior. From ancient creation myths to the Rambo and Dirty Harry movies, the principle is the same: order, destroyed through violence, is restored through a righteous exercise of greater violence. And then there is Jesus. The terrible disorder of the cross (the killing of the Son of God) is addressed not through an explosion of divine vengeance but through a radiation of divine love. When Christ confronts those who contributed to his death, he speaks words not of retribution but of reconciliation and compassion. Bishop Robert Barron

Thoughts on the Risen Jesus

 

Tuesday within the Octave of Easter

John 20:11–18

Friends, in today’s Gospel, we find Mary Magdalene weeping by the tomb of the risen Lord. She then sees Jesus and doesn’t recognize him immediately.  In a wonderful detail, she thinks he’s the gardener. In the book of Genesis, God, the gardener of Eden, walked with his creatures in easy friendship. Sin, the sundering of the loop of grace, put an end to those intimate associations. Throughout the history of salvation, God had been trying to reestablish friendship. Through the death of Jesus, through that tomb placed right in the garden, he accomplished his goal. So now, in Christ, he appears again as a gardener. “Jesus said to her, ‘Mary!’ She turned and said to him in Hebrew, ‘Rabbouni.’” Then Jesus says: “Stop holding on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers . . .” The not clinging has to do with the call to proclaim. The idea is not to hang on to Jesus but to announce what he has accomplished. The content of the proclamation is, once again, that we have become the intimates of God: “My Father and your Father . . . my God and your God.” Bishop Robert Barron

More thoughts on the death of Pope Francis

 

Pope Francis passed away on the morning of Easter Monday after several months of health struggles that for some time required hospitalization.

“Dearest brothers and sisters, with deep sorrow I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis. At 7:35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the house of the Father," stated Cardinal Kevin Farrell from the Holy Father's residence in the Casa Santa Marta. "His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and of His Church. He taught us to live the values of the Gospel with fidelity, courage, and universal love, especially in favor of the poorest and most marginalized. With immense gratitude for his example as a true disciple of the Lord Jesus, we commend the soul of Pope Francis to the infinite merciful love of the One and Triune God."

The Holy Father was 88 years old.

He was born Jorge Mario Bergoglio on December 17, 1936, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, the eldest child of an Italian immigrant who fled the fascist government of Benito Mussolini. As a young man, Bergoglio worked humble jobs, including a stint as a janitor. At the age of 21, he had part of one lung removed after a life-threatening bout of pneumonia. 

He joined the Society of Jesus (the Jesuit Order) in 1960 after several years of seminary studies. He was ordained a priest in 1969.

He served terms as the provincial superior of the Jesuits in Argentina and as Archbishop of Buenos Aires before Pope St. John Paul II appointed him a cardinal in 2001 – making him eligible for his eventual election as pontiff.

Pope Francis was elected pope in 2013, and March 13 would have marked the completion of the 12th year of his papacy.

CatholicVote Vice President Joshua Mercer stated following the death of the pope: "CatholicVote joins the world in marking the death of Pope Francis, the 266th successor of St. Peter. Pope Francis was the first Jesuit pope, the first from Latin America, and the first to take the name of St. Francis of Assisi."

"Throughout his pontificate, Pope Francis asked Catholics to reflect on the mercy of Christ, called all people to encounter the love of God, especially the poor and marginalized, and urged the Church to embrace its missionary identity," Mercer continued. "We give thanks to God for the gift of the pope, his brother bishops, and our Holy Mother Church. The days following a pope’s death also call for intense prayer and fasting for the future of the Church as the cardinals gather to elect his successor."

Thoughts on the passing of Pope Francis

 

It's with great sadness this Easter Monday that we, as Catholics, mourn the loss of our Holy Father Pope Francis. 

I think the good Pope Francis will be remembered as the Pope of Mercy. And what a magnificent example he gave to all of us by showing up for Easter yesterday in St. Peter’s Plaza to bless the people, wishing them all a Happy Easter, and then bestowing his “Urbi et Orbi” blessing to the whole world. He was weak and ill, but was not going to feel sorry for himself. He rose to the occasion, using his last strength to minister to the people with a smile on his face, and kindness, warmth and tenderness in his touch. May he rest in Peace, and may Our Blessed Mother, and Salus Populi Romani, his favorite Icon, intercede for his soul and for all of us.

As we enter the official period of mourning, followed by a Solemn Funeral Mass and burial, we will be preparing for the Conclave to elect the next Pope. Relevant Radio will be here to bring you coverage of the entire process. But in the meantime, please stay tuned to Relevant Radio in these days and join us each evening on the Family Rosary Across America at 7 PM Central Time as we pray for the repose of his soul and for the next Roman Pontiff. 

You can tune in to Relevant Radio on your local radio station, online, or on the #1 FREE Catholic app.

Thoughts on Easter Sunday

 

Easter Sunday of the Resurrection of the Lord

John 20:1–9 (or Luke 24:1–12)

Friends, our Easter Gospel contains St. John’s magnificent account of the Resurrection. It was, says John, early in the morning on the first day of the week. It was still dark—just the way it was at the beginning of time before God said “Let there be light.” But a light was about to shine, and a new creation was about to appear. The stone had been rolled away. That stone, blocking entrance to the tomb of Jesus, stands for the finality of death. When someone that we love dies, it is as though a great stone is rolled across them, permanently blocking our access to them. And this is why we weep at death—not just in grief but in a kind of existential frustration. But for Jesus, the stone had been rolled away. Undoubtedly, the first disciples must have thought a grave robber had been at work. But the wonderful Johannine irony is that the greatest of grave robbers had indeed been at work. The Lord says to the prophet Ezekiel, “I am going to open your graves, and bring you up from your graves.” What was dreamed about, what endured as a hope against hope, has become a reality. God has opened the grave of his Son, and the bonds of death have been shattered forever. Bishop Robert Barron

Thoughts on Holy Saturday

 

A Holy Saturday Meditation

Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed and a sword will pierce through your own soul also, so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.” (Luke 2:34) It is Holy Saturday and Jesus lays lifeless in a garden tomb. Today is a perfect time to ponder his life - as I'm sure the disciples and apostles in Jerusalem were doing. And what better place to start than by reflecting on the woman who gave him life. Twice in the Gospel of Luke, we hear that Mary pondered what was happening in her heart. The first was when the Shepherds arrived in Bethlehem bringing news from the angels. The second was when Jesus left his parents and was found waiting for them in ‘his Father’s house,’ the temple of God. Luke, who knew Mary and heard her stories before writing his Gospel, gives us this detail to help us understand the heart of Mary. It’s a heart that receives, a heart that reflects, a heart that ponders. Imagine what her heart was going through Good Friday? She followed Jesus the entire way to his cross, never leaving his side. Not once did she call out, “Jesus, my Son, get off the cross!” Not once did she beg through teary eyes, “Jesus, for my sake, honor your mother! Make this stop!” No, she pondered and she walked and she suffered and she gave him her eyes. She offered him her strength. She lifted him up. We know Jesus was perfect in everything and never sinned. So, we know he honored his mother. We see this at Cana when he responds to Mary’s concern for the wedding party. “Woman, my hour has not yet come.” And yet, despite this, he listened to Mary’s request and performed his first miracle. Imagine the pain Mary would have caused Jesus if she asked him to get off the cross? Peter didn’t understand why Jesus had to die and we remember the chastisement given to Peter. What if Mary had asked the same? Would Jesus have honored her? How would he have reconciled her request with his mission - with the Commandments? The good news is Mary didn’t. She was silent just like her son, following him to the cross. Thank God for Mary. She gave us life twice. In her yes to his conception and in her yes to his death. "Be it done unto me according to thy word." And, because of her receptivity to the word of God, a sword pierces her soul. St. Paul tells us about this sword in Ephesians. He says it is "the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." It is this spirit that overshadows Mary in Nazareth and this spirit that penetrates her very soul at Calvary. In her restraint, Mary embodies the Holy Spirit and is prepared for her task - to Mother the Church. "Woman, behold your son. Son behold your mother." Mary stands beside those who face the cross - beside the Church - as our Mother. We can be sure that on Holy Saturday, just as Mary pondered her son's conception, his life and his death, she was pondering this gift she was given on Calvary. She was bringing us into her heart too. Let us then turn to Our Mother Mary today. Let's ask her to open her pondering heart and tell us stories of her son who is our brother Jesus. He is coming tomorrow. Catholic.store

Thoughts on Good Friday

 

Friday of the Passion of the Lord (Good Friday)

John 18:1—19:42

Friends, today’s Gospel is John’s wonderful narrative of Christ’s Passion. On the cross, Jesus entered into close quarters with sin (because that’s where we sinners are found) and allowed the heat and fury of sin to destroy him, even as he protected us. We can see, with special clarity, why the first Christians associated the crucified Jesus with the suffering servant of Isaiah. By enduring the pain of the cross, Jesus did indeed bear our sins; by his stripes we were indeed healed. And this is why the sacrificial death of Jesus is pleasing to the Father. The Father sent his Son into godforsakenness, into the morass of sin and death—not because he delighted in seeing his Son suffer, but rather because he wanted his Son to bring the divine light to the darkest place. It is not the agony of the Son in itself that pleases his Father, but rather the Son’s willing obedience in offering his body in sacrifice in order to take away the sin of the world. St. Anselm said that the death of the Son reestablished the right relationship between divinity and humanity. Bishop Robert Barron

Thoughts on Holy Thursday

 

Thursday of Holy Week (Holy Thursday)

John 13:1–15

Friends, in today’s Gospel, Jesus gathers with his chosen Twelve at the climax of his life and does something so strange that we still wonder at it two thousand years later: he takes off his outer garment, puts a towel around his waist, and begins to wash his disciples’ feet. The nineteenth-century philosopher Hegel said that all human society, to varying degrees, is characterized by the master-slave dynamic. Long before Hegel, the great St. Augustine noticed what he called the libido dominandi, the “lust to dominate,” as the mark of a dysfunctional society. Long before Augustine, the authors of the Old Testament were also interested in this problem, because the central story of the Scriptures is that of slavery and liberation from slavery—the Passover event. But we see now in John’s Gospel how the distinctive mark of Jesus’ kingdom is precisely the overturning of the master-slave dynamic. Jesus bends down to do the work that was so lowly and frankly gross that only the lowest of the slaves were expected to do it, and he says, “As I have done for you, you should also do.” And what does he do later at the same supper? He gives himself away entirely in the Eucharist: “This is my body, which will be given for you.” It is into this new dynamic that we are invited by Jesus: the washing of the feet, the giving away of body and blood. Bishop Robert Barron

Thoughts on Holy Wednesday

 

Wednesday of Holy Week

Matthew 26:14–25

Friends, in today’s Gospel, the Lord recognizes Judas as his betrayer. And after this he performs his greatest wonder. In the course of the supper, Jesus identifies himself so radically with the Passover bread and wine that they become his Body and his Blood. Like broken bread, the Lord says, his body will be given away in love; and like spilled wine, his blood will be poured out on behalf of many.  How does this terrible gathering come to a close? They sing! Matthew tells us, “When they had sung the hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.” Can you imagine a condemned criminal blithely singing on the eve of his execution? Wouldn’t there be something odd, even macabre, about such a display?  But Jesus knows—and his Church knows with him—that this joyful outburst, precisely at that awful time, is altogether appropriate. This is not to deny for a moment the terror of that night nor the seriousness of what will follow the next day; but it is to acknowledge that an act of total love is the passage to fullness of life. Bishop Robert Barron

Thoughts on Holy Tuesday

 

Tuesday of Holy Week

John 13:21–33, 36–38

Friends, in today’s Gospel, Jesus foretells the denial of Peter, which is fulfilled in the account of the Passion. Peter later denies Jesus three times before the cock crows and, remembering Jesus’ prediction, breaks down and weeps. After the Resurrection, Peter and the other disciples return to Galilee to work as fishermen again, and there spot Jesus on the far shore. As Jesus draws Peter back into his circle of intimacy, we witness a beautiful act of spiritual direction. Three times the Lord asks Peter whether he loves him, and three times Peter affirms it: “Lord, you know that I love you.” St. Augustine was among the first to comment that the threefold statement of love was meant to counteract the threefold denial. Peter emerges as the archetype of the forgiven and commissioned Church, for after each of his reaffirmations, Peter hears the command to tend the sheep. Once we are brought back into friendship with Jesus, we are called to love those whom he loves. Bishop Robert Barron

Thoughts on Holy Monday

 

Monday of Holy Week

John 12:1–11

Friends, in today’s Gospel, Mary of Bethany anoints Jesus’ feet with perfumed oil, preparing him for burial. This gesture—wasting something as expensive as an entire jar of perfume—is sniffed at by Judas, who complains that, at the very least, the nard could have been sold and the money given to the poor. Why does John use this tale to preface his telling of the Passion? Why does he allow the odor of this woman’s perfume to waft, as it were, over the whole of the story? It is because, I believe, this extravagant gesture shows forth the meaning of what Jesus is about to do: the absolutely radical giving away of self.  There is nothing calculating, careful, or conservative about the woman’s action. Flowing from the deepest place in the heart, religion resists the strictures set for it by a fussily moralizing reason (on full display in those who complain about the woman’s extravagance). At the climax of his life, Jesus will give himself away totally, lavishly, unreasonably—and this is why Mary’s beautiful gesture is a sort of overture to the opera that will follow. Bishop Robert Barron

Thoughts on Holy Week

During Holy Week, the holiest of all weeks, Christians are confronted with the suffering and death of a Christ who was crucified. How do we imagine the death of Jesus?

My own imagining of the death of Jesus was transformed about 15 years ago when, while living in Madrid, I had the opportunity for the first time to visit the family castle of the great Jesuit missionary St. Francis Xavier in the Spanish region called Navarre.  In a small chapel within the castle there is a crucifix, probably dating from the 13th century.  (Xavier himself lived from 1506-1552.)  On that cross, the suffering of Jesus is clear: Jesus is stripped, arms outstretched, head crowned with thorns and, of course, he is nailed to the wood.  But his face is unusual.  Rather than pictured as wracked with pain, he is depicted as peaceful and serene.

That sculpture is known as “the smiling Christ.”  Perhaps that seems shocking or even blasphemous; however, it seems to me that it points to a deep insight.

We may never be called upon to suffer and die as did Jesus Christ or the Christian martyrs.  Yet the liturgies of Holy Week remind us that the Cross is the only way to life.  For those who are faithful, Good Friday leads to Easter Sunday.  The smiling Christ points to a loving Father, who at the moment of deepest suffering reaches out in love to accept the life and work of his Beloved Son.  Love triumphs over death.

The Christian life does not promise us freedom from suffering, but reveals a more significant truth... it is through suffering that we are saved.  And, as Paul reminds us in his letter to the Romans, nothing can separate us from the love of God that comes to us in Christ, not trial, not distress, not persecution, not death. 

May the many “faces” of Christ which we observe during this holiest of weeks, lead us to the full joy and peace which came to be his own and which is meant to be ours as well because of what he has done for us. 

Fr. Frank Reale, S.J.

Thoughts on the cross

 

John 8:21–30

Friends, in today’s Gospel, Jesus predicts his death on the cross. We are meant to see on that cross not simply a violent display, but rather our own ugliness. What brought Jesus to the cross? Stupidity, anger, mistrust, institutional injustice, betrayal of a friend, denial, unspeakable cruelty, scapegoating, fear, etc. In other words, all of our dysfunction is revealed on that cross.  So far so awful. But we can’t stop telling the story at this point. Dante and every other spiritual master knew that the only way up is down. When we live in convenient darkness, unaware of our sins, we will never make spiritual progress. So we need the light, however painful it is. But then we can begin to rise.  On the cross of Jesus, we meet our own sin. But we also meet the divine mercy that has taken that sin upon himself in order to swallow it up. We have found, in that cross, the way up. We want to hold up this thing that was considered too horrible to look at. We want to embrace and kiss the very source of our pain. Bishop Robert Barron

Thoughts on sin

 

John 7:40–53

Friends, we see in today’s Gospel how Jesus’ preaching caused division. Some hearers believed him, but others wanted to arrest him. The life, preaching, and mission of Jesus are predicated upon the assumption that all is not well with us, that we stand in need of a renovation of vision, attitude, and behavior. A few decades ago, the book I’m OK—You’re OK appeared. Its title, and the attitude that it embodies, are inimical to Christianity.  The fact of sin is so often overlooked today. Look, no one has ever savored being accused of sin, but especially in our culture now there is an allergy to admitting personal fault.  A salvation religion makes no sense if all is basically fine with us, if all we need is a little sprucing up around the edges. Christian saints are those who can bear the awful revelation that sin is not simply an abstraction or something that other people wrestle with, but a power that lurks and works in them. When we lose sight of sin, we lose sight of Christianity, which is a salvation religion. Bishop Robert Barron

Thoughts on justice

God is just; God is merciful.

 

The Gospel for the 5^th Sunday of Lent takes place in Jerusalem, in the temple where Jesus had been teaching. In front of the eager crowds listening to Jesus, his enemies bring forward a woman caught in adultery, the penalty for which was death by stoning.  These opponents want to use the occasion to embarrass Jesus, since he had the well-deserved reputation of proclaiming God’s mercy toward sinners. The trap is clear.  If Jesus takes the side of the adulterous woman, he is open to the charge of ignoring God’s law and God’s justice.  If he insists on following the Law exactly, his reputation as a prophet of God’s mercy becomes questionable.

 

In response, Jesus, wise and merciful, devises a way to get the woman out of the situation, saving her life and letting her begin over again.  In doing so, he emphasizes the mercy of God, but he also upholds the justice of God. He does not reject the biblical commandment against adultery. We don’t know what Jesus was writing on the ground, but we do know that Jesus gives an unexpected answer to his enemies, and that response suggests a totally different way of looking at the situation.  He delivers a sharp challenge, “Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.”  His words have the effect of turning the accusers’ attention back on themselves, making them realize that they too are sinners. In his parting words to the woman, Jesus again manifests both mercy and justice.  He first says to her, “Neither do I condemn you,” upholding the mercy of God.  Then he adds, “From now on do not sin anymore.”

 

Jesus knows what sin is, and he does not shrink from calling certain actions “sins.”  He recognizes that some actions are inappropriate and offensive both to the justice of God and to the betterment of human beings.  He forgives the sinner but does not excuse or explain away the sin.  Thus, Jesus upholds the justice of God.

 

At this point in Lent, we may need to recognize and experience both God’s justice and God’s mercy.  By confessing our sinfulness and determining to avoid sin, we bear witness to the justice of God.  By accepting the forgiveness of our sins and by determining to forgive those who have offended us, we bear witness to God’s mercy.

Fr. Frank Reale, S.J.

Thoughts on the Beatitudes

 

Jesus' Self-Portrait

“Blessed are the poor,” he said. Jesus is poor, not in control, but marginal in his society. What good can come from Nazareth? “Blessed are the gentle,” he said. Jesus does not break the bruised reed. He always cares for the little ones. “Blessed are those who mourn,” he said. Jesus does not hide his grief, but lets his tears flow when his friend dies and when he foresees the destruction of his beloved Jerusalem. “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for justice,” he said. Jesus doesn't hesitate to criticize injustice and to defend the hungry, the dying, and the lepers. “Blessed are the merciful,” he said. Jesus doesn't always call for revenge but heals always and everywhere. “Blessed are the pure in heart,” he said. Jesus remains focused only on what is necessary and does not allow his attention to be divided by many distractions. “Blessed are the peacemakers,” he said. Jesus does not stress differences, but reconciles people as brothers and sisters in one family. “Blessed are those who are persecuted,” he said. Jesus does not expect success and popularity, but knows that rejections and abandonment will make him suffer. The Beatitudes give us Jesus' self-portrait. It is the portrait of a powerless God.

“Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them.”   - Matthew 5: 1, 2

Thoughts on spiritual healing

 

John 5:1–16

Friends, in today’s Gospel, Jesus heals a man who was physically ill for thirty-eight years. I want to make an observation about another manifestation of Christ’s power: his spiritual healing. The Gospels are filled with accounts of Jesus’ healing encounters with those whose spiritual energies are unable to flow. Much of Jesus’ ministry consisted in teaching people how to see (the kingdom of God), how to hear (the voice of the Spirit), how to walk (thereby overcoming the paralysis of the heart), how to be free of themselves so as to discover God. It is interesting that Jesus was referred to in the early Church as the Savior (soter in Greek and salvator in Latin). Both terms speak of the one who brings healing. The “soul” is that still point at the heart of every person, that deepest center, that point of encounter with the transcendent yet incarnate mystery of God. When the soul is healthy, it is in a living relationship with God; it is firmly rooted in the soil of meaning and is the deepest center of the person. Bishop Robert Barron