Category: QUESTIONS

“HAVE I SENT YOU INTO HIDING?” (Jn 8:51-59):  13 March 2008 (Thursday)

Today’s Readings

“DO I MAKE ROOM FOR YOU?” (Jn 8:31-42):  12 March 2008 (Wednesday)

Today’s Readings

C.S. Lewis of the “Narnia” fame wrote a different kind of book that he called The Screwtape Letters.  The protagonist is called Screwtape, a middle-level demon in Hell, who writes a series of letters to his nephew, a novice demon named Wormwood. In his letters, the elder demon dishes out all sorts of advice to train his nephew on the art of tempting and corrupting a human soul.  He has a lot of experiences, and as expected, he is quite capable of boasting about his conquests.

“CAN I READ BETWEEN THE LINES?” (Jn 8:21-30):  11 March 2008 (Tuesday)

Today’s Readings

Back in 1997, Edwin McCain released an album, for which he gave an interesting title:  “Misguided Roses.”  The only hit from that album is “I’ll Be,” a love anthem–if there is ever one–where the singer confesses his near-desperate love for his beloved and virtually promises heaven and earth.  The refrain goes:

“WILL MY DEMONS WALK AWAY?”  (Jn 8:1-11): 10 March 2008 (Monday)

Today’s Readings

There is a moving scene in Mel Gibson’s “The Passion of the Christ,” where after the scourging, Mary the mother of our Lord and Mary Magdalene fall on their knees on the blood-soaked floor to save whatever blood of Jesus they can save.  As she does so, Mary Magdalene tearfully remembers her very first encounter with Jesus when she was also down on the floor.  In that first encounter, recounted in today’s gospel reading, she has been caught in the act of adultery and is dragged to the public square for stoning.

“WHERE WERE YOU?” (Jn 11:1-45):  09 March 2008 (5th Sunday of Lent)

Today’s Readings

Whenever I read this gospel passage at wakes, the one line that always strikes me is Martha’s words to Jesus, which her sister Mary repeats later on:  “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”  Looking around a roomful of grieving faces, I can’t help but feel that they who mourn the passing of their loved ones have the same words for the Lord:  “Lord, if you had been here, my loved one would not have died!”