This reflection is prompted by John 20:1-9, the reading for Easter Sunday.
I love Easter mornings. I find it a very consoling time after the frenzy of retreat-giving during Holy Week every year. I’ve been giving a Lenten retreat every year for the past twelve years–both face-to-face and online–because, among other reasons, I need it, and it’s good for my soul.
This morning I caught the moon lingering beyond sunrise, and it was a marvel to see how brightly it shone amidst the daylight.
The title of this year’s online Holy Week retreat is: “THREE QUESTIONS FOR JESUS.” We’ve heard His story so many times before, but every year we come still bearing questions.
If you decide to join us, by no means are you going to be doing your retreat alone: We have our online faith community, as well as volunteer Jesuit Spiritual Directors who will be available online for those who wish to consult them.
Join our faith community as we accompany one another in prayer and reflection this Holy Week. Many have been doing this retreat with us for the past 10 years.
It’s a “Do-It-Yourself” recollection that you can undergo anytime and anywhere you may be this coming Holy Week. As always, the three modules will be made available by 8 am from Holy Thursday to Holy Saturday.
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This homily is prompted by John 8:1-11.
Today’s Gospel recounts the story of the woman accused of adultery. She would have been stoned to death had our Lord not confronted her accusers about their sins. The story invites us to put ourselves in her place and appreciate God’s boundless mercy.
Given the digital world today, however, it should also invite us to put ourselves in the place of her would-be stoners, for isn’t that what a lot of people tend to do on social media these days?
This reflection is based on the Gospel reading for the Fourth Sunday of Lent, Luke 15:1-32.
The 2017 McCann study called “Truth about the Youth” surveyed over 30,000 respondents all over the world, and found that one out of two young people today feel worse about themselves whenever they see the posts of their friends on social media. This rising phenomenon has been called “social media envy.”
This reflection on Luke 13:1-9 is for the Third Sunday of Lent.
I almost did a double take reading today’s Gospel. You see, something doesn’t quite add up–at least on first reading. And I’m not talking about the parable of the fig tree–that one is pretty clear, its meaning self-evident and its message quite consoling. Put simply: If we don’t get our act together, we will perish. But God is the gardener who gives us an undeserved second chance and a much-welcomed reprieve.
Neat, simple, and reassuring enough for us to get back to business as usual, right? The problem, however, is what comes before that. What our Lord says before the parable is not quite as neat and simple–and certainly not as consoling!