Vatican II said that this world is to be renewed through the Paschal Mystery. What role are we willing to take up in the "passion play" taking place every day in our midst?

Pat Anglin - Amityville
Mary Ann Collins - Blauvelt
Alice McCoy - Caldwell
Nancy Garson - Elkins Park
Maureen Sullivan - Hope
Kathy Logan - Sparkill

My students are preparing for information nights, completing applications and holding fundraisers. Over potluck dinners, they discuss their developing faith and what they are being called to do. Now is their preparation time. They are encouraged by the faith and experience of those that have gone before them. They are choosing to believe for themselves and claiming the promise we find in today's reading from Isaiah.

"Lo, I am about to create new heavens and a new earth…."

Living in solidarity, sharing their faith, hopes and dreams and activity working to create something new and sustainable with the people of Appalachia, Juarez, Guatemala, Tanzania, Cameroon, Uganda, this is their way of embracing the promise. While they are aware of what has been done before, they are hoping for something new. They want to be a part of creating something new.

In believing that change happens, they see and respond … a challenge to all of us. We are invited to enter the promise of Isaiah - to believe that we too may respond and be part of the new creation.

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Today we hear of the nourishment and healing that water offers. Sometimes we are able to accept these gifts on our own. At times, we are too weak or in denial of what debilitates or distresses us that we need others to assist. Whether alone or with other's help, either today or on the Sabbath, when we are open, healing comes. Love prevails!

Sabbath Healing

Water of life
nourishing all
water of healing
renew my soul

Sitting by the pool
seeking a hand
years of illness
healing demand

Do you want to be well?
do what you need
even on Sabbath
set the pain free

Get up, take your mat and walk
God's will revealing
love outweighs law

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The reading from Isaiah speaks of a long and wondrous list of gifts which Yahweh provides for creation. These include food, water, livestock, shelter, roadways and land. Most importantly Isaiah reminds his listeners of how close God's relationship is with all of creation. We will never be forgotten by God. We are called to life. God's love for us is reflected in all that has been created for the benefit of all. We are reminded of our interrelationship with our God and all good gifts.

In the reading from the Gospel of John today, Jesus has just been criticized for curing on the Sabbath. His enemies have yet again missed the big picture. Rather than rejoicing in the work of Jesus which has brought goodness and life to someone in need, they find more reasons to kill him. Jesus speaks of his relationship with God and credits that relationship with empowering him to bring life to others. God, the loving Creator goes on working and so does Jesus. Jesus speaks of a time coming when those who did good will rise again to life.

Let us continue to journey this Lent toward wholeness and holiness. May our loving God continue to empower us to bring life to all those we meet.

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Many of us are no doubt are familiar with the term "selective amnesia," which is generally associated with an experience of physical pain or trauma. But it can also be extended to other past events in our lives, both positive and negative.

This chapter from Exodus from which today's first reading is taken, is entitled The Golden Calf. In the preceding chapters God has led the Israelites out of bondage in Egypt, with Moses as their leader. While the Lord was giving Moses the two tablets of the commandments, the people grew impatient waiting and demanded another kind of god to worship, a Golden Calf. How quickly they forgot the God who had saved them and had made a covenant with them! Moses offered to make atonement for his people's sin and pleaded with God to forgive them, which God did.

In reflecting on this passage, I pray to remember my selective amnesia before judging the Israelites: the times I have been tempted by "golden claves" when I was impatient waiting for God's plan to unfold in my life; the times I have taken for granted God's steadfast love for me on my life's journey; the times I have forgotten the significance of God's covenant with me.

During this Lenten season, I pray to remember and to be grateful to the God who so loved the world that He sent His only Son to become one of us to save and redeem us.

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Today's readings take on a tone that is tense and charged with anticipation of the events to come.

The reading from Wisdom speaks of the 'just one" who is persecuted and tortured "because he professes to have knowledge of God and styles himself a child of the Lord". Evil cannot tolerate good and seeks to eliminate it. These Old Testament words foreshadow what happens to Jesus.

In today's gospel Jesus is at the Feast of Tabernacles and teaching in the temple area. The atmosphere is challenging; even hostile. Questions arise regarding his identity.

Some in the crowd question how Jesus can be the Messiah. "We know where he is from". They want to believe in him but they don't understand how he could be the Messiah if people know where he comes from? They do not believe because they don't fully understand.

Then there are those in the crowd who openly oppose him. They do not believe he is the Messiah, are closed to his message and want to do away with this one who challenges their authority, their way of life, their security and teaches the Truth. They plot to kill him.

Some in that crowd listen with openness and believe he is the Messiah. With courage and faith they allow his message of love and forgiveness, of mercy and compassion, of peace and justice to transform their lives.

As we approach the end of Lent, these challenging readings dare us to evaluate our lives as followers of Jesus. They remind us of the opposition that faith in Jesus will provoke- but also of God's magnanimous faithfulness to us. Our war-torn world is in desperate need of witnesses to the identity and message of Jesus. Where do you stand in the crowd?

Catherine of Siena says, "If we are who we are meant to be, we will set the world on fire". Jesus accepted his true identity and did just that! So did his first followers! What about you? Do you accept Jesus as Messiah? Has that transformed your life? Do you set the world on fire with his message of peace and love?

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In today's reading we can see how the societies of both Jeremiah and Jesus' times can't figure them out! They were threatened by what both individuals said or did, even though they saw truth in their words and deeds! We hear Jeremiah complaining to God about his society and its plot against him due to who he is as a person of God. At the same time, we heard about the Jewish community of Jesus' time guessing who they thought Jesus was, based on what they observed and his knowledge of God. But still they were overly confused about giving him the title of "prophet or Christ" because through their understanding, he did not fit their understanding of royalty! (A son of an unwed mother and stepson of a carpenter)! He cannot be of royal lineage. Identifying him as Christ…it would be blasphemy to do so!

In the midst of this chaos, we see Jeremiah and Jesus holding on to their God as the only source of the truth of their identity and mission. With their trust in God, they prevailed against the negativity they experienced from their surroundings and did not allow it to be an impediment to their fullness of life in God! For both of them, life goes on and the WORD OF GOD continues to be preached both in their deeds and through their words!

The WORD OF GOD is the "story" of Jesus and Jeremiah and also our story! I do believe that for each and every one of us, there were times when we felt that others could not figure us out or we can't figure others out! Perhaps there are times when, because of who we are, we felt suppressed or we even suppressed others. The readings of today challenge us to internalize the story and use it as a lens to transform ourselves. Through the unwavering spirit of Christ and Jeremiah who in the chaos, found strength to bring the word of God to the same people that couldn't figure them out through prayers and trust in God. These two readings invite us to reflect God to others in word and deed. It challenges us to reflect upon how we deal with those "we can't figure out"! Do we put aside our differences and see our God working in the life of those persons, embrace them with love as hard as it might be, or do we continue to close our hearts and minds, cover our eyes with shells, so as not to see God using these persons in our journey to transformation.

As people of God, called through our humanness, baptism and vowed life, how can we bring the GOOD NEWS to those around us who still can't figure us out after so many years? How can we bring the good news to those who are still to come into our lives? How can we as Dominicans be the voice that cries out in truth against wars, injustices, slavery of all kinds, prejudice and consumerism? How can we be bearers of truth in love? It is left to us to transform our world through our lives and prayers. We can only transform the world when we transform ourselves. And are we ready for this challenge?

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God doesn't do things our way! Life from death? In God's plan everything seems upended, reversed. Dried-up, disconnected bones come together and dance. Old sinful ways reverse and become a community of praise. The Lord of Life first delays, then proceeds, on a life-giving journey which will lead to his own death.

How touching is the intimacy of the friendship Jesus shared with Mary, Martha, and Lazarus! They long for his presence. Jesus will come…in his own time, but still, he comes in answer to their plea. New Life comes, but requires action on our part…response to the One who first calls us.

Martha, ever the woman of action, goes out to meet Jesus---and doesn't hesitate to indicate the costly delay. In the conversation which follows we see Martha's true discipleship in her profession of faith: "Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God…!"

Such powerful words, which open the heart to deep relationship with the One who has power to bring new life! Such powerful love from One who weeps at the grave of his friend rekindles hope, enlivens dead spirits.

"When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him." Are our ears attuned to his coming into our lives? Do we hear him weep out of love for us? Are we ready to go out to meet him? Are we ready to receive the gift of Life he offers?

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-The Preaching Continues - Send your thoughts and reflections to: