TURNING BACK TWICE TO JESUS

Tuesday in the Easter Octave

Acts 2:36-41. John 20:11-18.

 

Turning back again and again to JESUS 

 

Let us begin today’s reflection with an insight from Saint Augustine. In the gospel reading, Mary of Magdala stands in front of the tomb weeping. She talks to the two angels who were sitting inside the tomb of Jesus. She turns back and sees Jesus. But she sees Jesus as a gardener. She begins her conversation with the gardener. At the end of the conversation, the gardener says to her, “Mary!” She turns again and says, ‘Rabbouni’, and hugs him. She realizes that it is the Lord. Mary has already turned back from the tomb, towards Jesus. How come she turns around for the second time?

 

Saint Augustine interprets her two turning backs this way: ‘The first time when Mary turned she turned her body toward Jesus. Only the second time she turned her soul. She could recognize the Lord only when she turned her soul towards the Lord. When her body was towards the Lord, and her soul was towards the tomb, she partially recognized Jesus as a gardener. It is when our body and soul together are turned towards Jesus we are able to recognize him as our Lord.’

 

Mary’s recognition of Jesus occurs in four stages:

• First, Mary did not find Jesus.
• Second, she sees him as a gardener.
• Third, she sees him as ‘rabbouni’ (‘my teacher’).
• Fourth, she recognizes him as ‘the Lord.’

 

Jesus sends her on a mission. But she forgets everything. She just says, ‘I have seen the Lord.’

 

According to the Fourth Gospel, ‘sees’ means ‘believing.’ When the Greeks say to Philip, ‘Sir, we would like to see Jesus’ (cf. Jn 12). Here, ‘seeing’ means ‘believing.’

 

Mary’s announcement to the apostles becomes the foundation of faith.

 

Mary of Magdala announces to the apostles, ‘Christ is alive.’

 

Let our face and soul be not towards the tomb. We shall turn back. He stands behind us. Sometimes as a gardener, sometimes as a teacher, and sometimes as the Lord.

Holy Tuesday

In the early literature, we meet several examples of tragic heroes. Before their death they experience Abandonment Issues, How to deal with abandonment issues in Your Relationships, when you are totally abandoned by your loved ones, you need to handle them attentively. Similarly, Jesus is abandoned by the human persons whom he loved very much one by one: Judas, Peter and other disciples. Jesus is addressing them indirectly to the persons first, then telling them also directly. 

Judas: is a figure of one of the disciples, therefore a figure belonging to the group of those whom Jesus had chosen as strict companions and collaborators. It was repeatedly written in the gospels as "one of the twelve" (Mt 26: 14, 47; Mk 14: 10, 20; Jn 6: 71) or "of the number of the twelve" (Lk 22: 3). Betrayal and denial are part of his discipleship, one has to undergo even though it is a painful process with the hope of grace of resurrection.

Then you may ask this question, "Then Why did Jesus choose him/call him?" The mystery of the choice remains, all the more since Jesus pronounces a very severe judgment on him: "Woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed!" (Mt 26: 24).

There are three biblical motivations for Judas' behavior: why does he betray Jesus? 

1. Greedy for money: What is the worth of 30 pieces of silver today? Historians agree that most probably, Judas was paid in Tyrian Shekel. This is because the Tyrian shekel was the currency used during the era to pay for the Temple tax in Jerusalem. So, if half a shekel was two days’ salary, one shekel was four days’ salary and therefore, 30 shekels were worth 4 months’ salary (120 days’ salary). He decided to betray the Lord for this invalid money. 

2. Judas was a zealot: Judas was part of this political-militaristic group who were fighting for their nation's liberation from the Romans. Judas learned that this is not possible for Jesus' preference for the kingdom of God through ministry to the poor. Judas would have been disappointed at seeing that Jesus did not fit into his program for the political-militaristic liberation of his own nation. 

3. Satan entered into Judas: Luke expressly says that Then Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot" (Lk 22: 3). It was not the personal initiative of Judas but voluntary act of devil, but with the freedom based on the personal responsibility of Judas, who shamefully ceded to a temptation of the Evil One.

The third one seems to be valid for me. Jesus has planned/predestined everything according to the thought of God. Your names are written in the palm of God. But He respects you to act in freedom. attention to the work of the devil here. Jesus does not force his will or protect it from the temptations of Satan, respecting human freedom. It is a combat between a disciple and the devil. Peter put everything on his own shoulders not allowing God to act at all saying, “Master, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.”  Let us remember that one of the easiest manifestations of Satan is Ego.  

Let us remember two things in the cases of Peter and Judas.

1. Jesus respects our freedom. 

2. Jesus awaits our openness to repentance and conversion; he is rich in mercy and forgiveness. 

Judas also repented, but his repentance generated desperation and thus became self-destructive. The word "to betray" is the version of a Greek word that means "to consign". Do not surrender at any cost, at any moment. Sometimes the subject is even God in person: it was he who for love "consigned" Jesus for all of us (Rm 8: 32). In his mysterious salvific plan, God assumes Judas' inexcusable gesture as the occasion for the total gift of the Son for the redemption of the world.

SIN cannot be the last word; the last word is God's MERCY. Easter time is the adequate time. On the Cross, Christ opens his arms wide to all of us, nobody is excluded. Every repented thief has his place in Paradise. On condition, however, to change his life and remedy his shortcomings, like the thief in the Gospel: “And indeed, we have been condemned justly, for the sentence we received corresponds to our crimes, but this man has done nothing criminal” (Lk 23:41).

Holy Monday

In the first reading God institutes the figure of the Saviour , he gives him all the possible credit and tells us to look at him. At Him only. 

Now the Gospel has many figures going around the Servant of God, Jesus. Martha, Mary, Lazarus, Jude ...many faces appear. Even Lazarus is depicted as one of the diners. There is a lot of movement at the dinner. But, the question is: who is looking only at Jesus? Are we following only him or are we taken by daily chores like Martha? Are we concerned about talking to people like Lazarus or maybe we are Judah who thinks of the poor outside or we are like the priests who think of their position? There are three persons and with their attitudes we begin the journey of Holy week. 

1. Any complaint should be an act of responsibility: if we complain we have to ask ourselves how we would have handled the situation and what we would be willing to do if we were in that position. Our complaint should have good motivation. Otherwise, we run the risk of unjustly criticizing someone for doing the best they can, according to the circumstances.

On the other hand, Mary anoints Jesus' feet and wipes them with her hair, because she truly believes that this is what she must do. This is an act of great benevolence toward Jesus: “Mary took a liter of costly perfumed oil made from genuine aromatic nard” (Jn 12:3). It is an act of love, and like any act of love, it is difficult to be understood by those who do not share it. I think that, at that very moment, Mary realized what St. Augustine wrote centuries later: “Perhaps on this earth the Lord’s feet are still in need. For of whom but of His members is He yet to say in the end, “Inasmuch as ye did it to one of the least of mine, ye did it unto me”? Ye spent what was superfluous for yourselves, but ye have done what was grateful to my feet.”

Judas' complaint has no utility whatsoever, and it only led him to treachery. Mary's act, on the other hand, led her to love her Lord even more and, as a consequence, to a greater love for all the “feet” of Christ in world today.

2.  Who is this Mary? 

According to Greek Orthodox traditions, there are three distinct women of which the Gospel of John speaks; Mary of Bethany, sister of Lazarus, Mary, the sinner (prostitute) and Mary Magdalene whom she has been very forgiven because she has loved much. The Greek liturgy commemorates all three women separately while Latin church commonly commemorates one woman; Mary of Magdalene. 

Mary, the sinner, washing the feet of Jesus is a reminder for us who begin the journey of the Holy Week. The only one who really touched Jesus is Mary, she is even scolded for the waste of the perfume. She is at his feet, in humiliating position, washing his feet, giving all herself to the service. Why? Wasn't it more natural that the resurrected Lazarus should be in her place kissing the feet of Jesus for having given him another life opportunity?

1. She is silent and washes the feet of the Son of God. An act of high repentance for her misdeeds. 

2. An act of love; unique intimacy: 

3. An act of consecration;   

Today, the Gospel summarizes two different attitudes about dealing with God, Jesus-Christ and life itself. We see the attitude of Judas criticizing Mary for anointing Jesus' feet: “Then Judas the Iscariot, one of his disciples, and the one who would betray him, said, “Why was this oil not sold for three hundred days’ wages and given to the poor?” (Jn 12:4-5). What Judas said makes sense as it ties in with Jesus' doctrine; but it is easy to criticize what others do, even when there are no hidden intentions, as it was with Judas’ case.

Jesus goes every day on the Cross for us. In the Eucharist  he offers himself. Where are we in the picture? Are we at his feet or somewhere else, passing by and even mocking him?

The gospel of the day is a pre- announcement of the Calvary scene. We are all different and we all have different roles but the most important one is in serving the Lord who loves us.

March 24, 2024,  John 12:1-11

How to spend the Holy Week? Whom we can follow? The Holy Week starts with the prostitute woman, a figure of pure passionate love. Who is she? 

According to Greek Orthodox traditions, there are three distinct women of which the Gospel of John speaks; Mary of Bethany, sister of Lazarus, Mary, the sinner (prostitute) and Mary Magdalene whom she has been very forgiven because she has loved much. The Greek liturgy commemorates all three women separately while Latin church commonly commemorates one woman; Mary of Magdalene. 

1. Passionate love: Love of intimacy, Mary stands for her love of passion, intimacy and deep affection towards the one who is going to suffer right now. There are two cultural hindrances the woman is violating; No young woman can participate in a public Jewish banquet, they have their own place at the feast, public dinner (wedding at Cana, mother is a household lady). How can she come at center in front of a prophet? image of a prostitute, an attractive woman. 

The Lord allows her to wipe his feet with the hair (Jn 11).  No woman is found publicly with unbound hair (prostitute's symbolic act in Jewish parties).  There was a special study on “A Woman's Unbound Hair in the Greco-Roman World” Only two types of Jewish women can appear with hair unbound, prostitutes or women while having their relationship. In every case, this act of young woman, Mary expresses the love of passion, spousal love and nearness of intimacy to the one who is going to suffer. 

2. Judas makes a complaint, which seems to be valid. You need to look at the motivation is not genuine. Any complaint should be an act of responsibility: Complaints should be for the construction and proposals should be done with responsibility. Our complaint should have good motivation. Otherwise, we run the risk of unjustly criticizing someone for doing the best they can, according to the circumstances.

Judas said, “Why was this oil not sold for three hundred days’ wages and given to the poor? Jesus meant to "You always have poor with you" in the sense, a different approach to poverty is required! do not get worried about solving all the problems of poverty within a day. they are always with humanity. Do you think the oil can be sold and distributed to the poor, how many will get the benefit, and how many days you can help them? 

Jesus is not against helping the persons of those in need. It was meant to be a way of recognizing this woman’s devotion and love. Leave her alone!  We say poor! but they enjoy it more than us! they are happy and more generous than us, Leave her alone should be interpreted like this! 

This is a powerful lesson for his disciples in every age. “the poor you will always have with you”. let us not exaggerate thinking about the poor in war, poor in our images, poor are not people “outside” our communities, but brothers and sisters whose sufferings we should share, to alleviate their difficulties and marginalization, restore their dignity and mutual sharing generates fraternity. Almsgiving is occasional; mutual sharing, on the other hand, is enduring.

Where are we in the picture? Are we at his feet or somewhere else, passing by and even mocking him?

What is the Type Scene? Type Scene is a kind of literary technique that many ancient authors used in their literature. They used in works where the particular scene has the same feature or pattern all over his works. For example, the films of James Cameroon have some garden-type scenes. There was a recent study on type seen and they discovered in the bible there are a number of type-scenes present; betrothal-type scenes, dream type-scenes, banquet type-scenes and et cetera. Annunciation is one of the type scene event. 

If the authors wanted to narrate the story of a legend, they speak about the nation which was under slavery and people were suffering, God choose a poor family and there is a barren lady in that family.  The angel of God was sent to her and announces god's message about the birth of a legend, initially, she does not receive the message then she receives and the birth takes place. This is called the annunciation type seen in the bible. 

There are three annunciation-type scenes: The birth of Samson, the birth of John the Baptist and the birth of Jesus. There are many similarities between these three, but Mary's YES was unique and different compared to other scenes. Manoah's wife (mother of Samson) had also pronounced yes but a different kind that of criticizing and demanding YES. He was dependent to Manoah, her husband. Zachariah did not tell yes directly but with the heart of a high priest. But Mary had the heart of the humble immaculate lady.  innocent question. God wants us to express our honesty. God with hold the heart of a priest of a Leader Be simple and fight your ego every day.

Bring a sacrifice to the Lord

"…when a man among you brings a sacrifice to the Lord…"—Leviticus 1:2

We are beginning the book of Leviticus this week. The word Leviticus means “of the Levites.” The name makes sense considering that the book is primarily focused on the service in the Temple or the Biblical laws of purity and impurity.

Today though, the Levites are for the most part unemployed!

The Second Temple was destroyed in the year 70 CE and hence the end of the sacrificial system which was a central feature of the Temple.

Jews today pray three times a day paralleling the morning offering, the afternoon offering and the burning of the remains of the offering in the evening.

Substituting prayer for sacrifice is explicitly written in the book of Hosea where it says “…we will render for bulls the offering of our lips” (Hosea 14:3)

The English word sacrifice means that you are giving up something that has some level of value to you often in exchange for something else or for a higher value. For example, you may sacrifice your time for a friend or you may sacrifice your money for a good cause.

When we think of sacrifice in the context of the Temple, we think of the offering of an animal or in some cases vegetarian offerings.

In order to understand what the sacrifices in the Temple meant, we need to look at the Hebrew word used. The Hebrew word commonly translated as a sacrifice is “korban.”

The root of the word korban means “to come close.” It does not mean to sacrifice. When a person would bring any kind of offering in the Temple, and there were many, the goal was always the same—to get closer to God.

Whether it was a voluntary offering, holiday offering, peace offering, Nazirite offering, sin offering—what they all had in common was that it was a means to help us get closer to God.

The bringing of the offering was not an end in and of itself. This is a common misunderstanding of what a korban is. It is not a magic trick that somehow offering an animal in the Temple will affect an outcome automatically. The korban was the culmination of all the inner work that a person would do and it was a reflection of that.

Think of it this way. A person invests time and energy into a project and then makes a party to celebrate the completion of the project. The korban is the completion of the project–of all the inner, spiritual work that is invested to get closer to God. The korban is the celebration of the end of the process.

Thanks: Rabbi Moshe, weekly devotional

LIFE OF JOSEPH FORESHADOWING LIFE OF JESUS

God loves the man and he offers his beloved son for us every day in the Eucharist. The sacrifice at the Cross was a visible sign of invisible mercy we experience every day.

In the first reading, we see how Israel loved his last son, he was the son he had in advanced age. He knew that he would not generate again and this last child was like a closing life legacy to the world. This son was his last love in the life. Many times we were told that Joseph is a figure of Jesus, sold and abandoned. Every detail of the story of Joseph matches the life of Jesus. Even his being cast in a well, is very similar to the place where Jesus was held during the night before coming in front of Pilatus. Jesus is also God’s only begotten, the last son of the alliance. God sent many prophets to the people of Israel to call His people back from sin, but their ears were always deaf, or their hearts were attached to wealth and sin. Jesus narrates about the vineyard slaves who kill the legal son thinking how to solve the problem of the vineyard and keep it. Jesus hits the nerve of the Pharisees and priests because that is their thought precisely. How can they keep their positions and wealth, love of the people and well-being? The exact thought also of Joseph’s brothers. 

Do we sell our brothers and sisters to be well-off ourselves? Are we ready to throw them away because of our ideas and positions? Do we sometimes look at a person with disgust and rejection because it is more loved in our eyes by God or by other people? One can kill not only with weapons but more often by envy, hatred, prejudice and haughtiness. 

This Lenten time is a good moment to look for our Josephs in the wells where we threw them and give a hand of reconciliation. Though God can save his son from any evil and let come good out of evil, we should never find ourselves dirty with the blood and tears of our brothers and sisters. God will know what is hidden and as in the story of Joseph, God will bless his sufferings but with what face and courage can we appear in front of God and face his wrath if we abandoned our youngest and smallest brothers in Christ?

Let us use this Lenten time for reconciliation and love....

Thanks: Zeljka

RICH MAN AND LAZZARUS

If you are one of the Jeepney passengers in the Philippines, you will not be indifferent to the suffering of the Jeepney drivers at this moment. More than 100,000 drivers launched a national strike against govt plans to provide new Jeepneys. A Jeepney driver says, “Govt is indifferent to our livelihood."

The theme for today is indifference or carelessness toward the other and it is visible in today's readings. We are called to be sympathetic, concerned and helpful to the other who is living next to us. As human beings we are responsible for others, we can not give God the irresponsible answer of Cain, "am I guardian of my brother?" 

1. The parable tells vividly the amount of wealth that separates the rich man from Lazzarus. Apart from this wealth, there is also Lazzarus' experience of suffering that has to be noted; Lazzarus body was full of sores, even dogs were licking his sores. The rich man was indifferent to the pain of Lazzarus all his lifetime. (In Old Testament, chronic diseases were considered cursing. Society had a lot of rules of isolation for the sick person because they wanted to care the society. In the parable of the good samaritan also, the two persons passed by on the other side being indifferent to the suffering of the other). 

Remember! physical suffering in this world is temporary suffering. Death puts an end to this. What the rich man was experiencing today in hell is "eternal torment". We need to show solidarity with the suffering ones in our temporary life. Solidarity is not merely a question of helping others, but it is more than that - it is a matter of justice.

2. The rich man and Lazarus had one thing in common. Both were Jews. Both were sons of Abraham. According to Torah, one Israelite should help another Israelite. In a special way, he should be concerned with the poor and abandoned. In this case, he disobeyed Torah also. He did not even concern his own family member. Charity begins at home. People who need our help are all around us. If our vision is focused on wealth, fame and power we may not care about them. 

3. Everyone should make this reflection, "Who is poor for you?". We may help the poor persons generously. But with what attitude? The rich man did not even have concerns about the poor Lazzarus in the next world. He argues with Abraham to send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool his tongue. In his mind, Lazzarus  is still a slave, a work that he could command at any time and by whom he should be obeyed. The first reading is opening our eyes in regard to this. God is God. The poor are not God for you, we should treat him equally so that we identify Jesus in then. For Jesus said, "whatsoever you do to the least ones, you do to me" (Mt 25). In today's first reading, God curses the people who put their trust in human beings. We can share our love with the people, and we can help and feed them, but we cannot believe them, we can only believe in God.