Parishioner's Gospel reflection
Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead
29 March 2020: 5th Sunday of Lent (Cycle A)
Parishioner’s Gospel
Contributor: Aidan Twomey
John 11:1-45
What to make of the raising of Lazarus? The reanimation seems to have no lasting effect on him, who goes back to domestic life in Bethany, disturbed only by people coming for a gawp at the man raised from the dead. Since he no longer walks among us he presumably died again, this time good and proper. And what to make of the behaviour of Jesus who on receiving the call from Martha and Mary, instead of making haste to help, dawdles near the Jordan, yet when he sees the distress of the mourners is moved to tears?
The answer appears to lie in the great faith that Jesus seeks to enflame in his disciples.
He knows that death has no sting, that the Lord will, as Ezekiel proclaims in the first reading, raise his people from their graves and fill them with his spirit. Yet he is confronted by confusion and grief. His apostles, at their most gormless, worry about mundane nonsense and the temple aristocracy (Pope Benedict’s term for the Jews adversarial to Jesus in John’s gospel) deride him. Only the women of the story see Jesus with any clarity. They are convinced not of Jesus’ political or factional significance, but of his role as the anointed messiah who would restore Israel to life. Only in the face of this great faith does Jesus reveal himself in his full extent: “I am the resurrection and the life, if anyone believes in me, even though he dies he will live.”
Then follows Jesus’ great challenge to Martha, and to us: “Do you believe?” For it is this belief that unlocks the new life that he offers. We do not earn it or merit it, but we have to accept it. St Augustine said in response to John’s Gospel nisi credideritis, non intellegetis: unless you believe you won’t understand.
And the result of this understanding is death defying: the raising of Lazarus that we understand as a vindication of our belief in the power of the Lord.
*************************************
5 April 2020: Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord (Cycle A)
Parishioner’s Gospel
Contributor: Tony Luis
Matthew 26 14-27:66
This passage of the Gospel is made up of two important events leading up to the Passion and Death of Our Lord Jesus Christ.
Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus and Jesus keeping the Passover with the Disciples
1. Jesus Agrees to Betray Jesus (Matthew 26 14-16)
Then one of the twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, ‘What will you give me if I betray him to you? They paid him thirty pieces of silver.
The twelve were Christ’s chosen friends that had the privilege of his special favour. They were his constant followers. They had the benefit of his most intimate thoughts and teachings and had every reason to love him and be true to him; and yet one of them betrayed him. No bond of duty or gratitude will hold those that have a devil. Note it was Judas who went to the Chief priests and said’ What will you give me?’ They did not send for him, nor make the proposal to him. They could not have contemplated that one of Christ’s followers would be false to him. Judas referred himself to them and was willing to take what they were willing to give; he catches the first offer. Jesus himself was tempted by Satan with the bait ‘All these things I will give thee’ which Jesus rejected and sent Satan away. The contrast between Jesus and Judas is stark and relevant to our lives today.
How do we react? Who do we follow Jesus or Judas when tempted with the lure of financial or earthly gain in exchange for the truth, for the love and loyalty to God and our fellow brothers and sisters and eternal life?
2. The Passover with the Disciples and the Institution of the Lord’s Supper (Matthew 26 17:27)
Here we have an account of Christ keeping the Passover. Being made under the law he kept all the ordinances of it. The disciples took it for granted that Christ would eat the Passover and as a mark of respect asked him what preparations they should make. Jesus responds with clear instructions and with a prophetic message that his time was near (his suffering and death). The disciples did as directed by Jesus and prepared the Passover meal. When it was evening, Jesus took his place with the twelve and while they were eating Jesus said, ‘Truly I tell you one of you will betray me’. The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me. The Son of Man goes as it is written of him but woe to that one by whom the Son of Man is betrayed. Our Lord Jesus, just before he instituted the Lord’s supper, put his disciples upon this trial and suspicion of themselves, to teach us to examine ourselves before we eat of that bread and drink of that cup.
We have here the institution of the great gospel ordinance of the Lord’s supper which was received of the Lord as they were eating. Christ is to us the Passover-sacrifice by which atonement is made. Jesus’ words as he blessed, broke the bread and gave it to his disciples is significant. Take eat, this is my body. He then took the cup gave thanks gave it to them saying ‘Drink from it for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many, for the forgiveness of sins.
We must always be grateful that Jesus gave us the unique gift of his body and blood that we may live forever and the opportunity to commemorate this supper and receive him every time we go to Holy Mass.
Parishioner’s Gospel
Contributor: Aidan Twomey
John 11:1-45
What to make of the raising of Lazarus? The reanimation seems to have no lasting effect on him, who goes back to domestic life in Bethany, disturbed only by people coming for a gawp at the man raised from the dead. Since he no longer walks among us he presumably died again, this time good and proper. And what to make of the behaviour of Jesus who on receiving the call from Martha and Mary, instead of making haste to help, dawdles near the Jordan, yet when he sees the distress of the mourners is moved to tears?
The answer appears to lie in the great faith that Jesus seeks to enflame in his disciples.
He knows that death has no sting, that the Lord will, as Ezekiel proclaims in the first reading, raise his people from their graves and fill them with his spirit. Yet he is confronted by confusion and grief. His apostles, at their most gormless, worry about mundane nonsense and the temple aristocracy (Pope Benedict’s term for the Jews adversarial to Jesus in John’s gospel) deride him. Only the women of the story see Jesus with any clarity. They are convinced not of Jesus’ political or factional significance, but of his role as the anointed messiah who would restore Israel to life. Only in the face of this great faith does Jesus reveal himself in his full extent: “I am the resurrection and the life, if anyone believes in me, even though he dies he will live.”
Then follows Jesus’ great challenge to Martha, and to us: “Do you believe?” For it is this belief that unlocks the new life that he offers. We do not earn it or merit it, but we have to accept it. St Augustine said in response to John’s Gospel nisi credideritis, non intellegetis: unless you believe you won’t understand.
And the result of this understanding is death defying: the raising of Lazarus that we understand as a vindication of our belief in the power of the Lord.
*************************************
5 April 2020: Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord (Cycle A)
Parishioner’s Gospel
Contributor: Tony Luis
Matthew 26 14-27:66
This passage of the Gospel is made up of two important events leading up to the Passion and Death of Our Lord Jesus Christ.
Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus and Jesus keeping the Passover with the Disciples
1. Jesus Agrees to Betray Jesus (Matthew 26 14-16)
Then one of the twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, ‘What will you give me if I betray him to you? They paid him thirty pieces of silver.
The twelve were Christ’s chosen friends that had the privilege of his special favour. They were his constant followers. They had the benefit of his most intimate thoughts and teachings and had every reason to love him and be true to him; and yet one of them betrayed him. No bond of duty or gratitude will hold those that have a devil. Note it was Judas who went to the Chief priests and said’ What will you give me?’ They did not send for him, nor make the proposal to him. They could not have contemplated that one of Christ’s followers would be false to him. Judas referred himself to them and was willing to take what they were willing to give; he catches the first offer. Jesus himself was tempted by Satan with the bait ‘All these things I will give thee’ which Jesus rejected and sent Satan away. The contrast between Jesus and Judas is stark and relevant to our lives today.
How do we react? Who do we follow Jesus or Judas when tempted with the lure of financial or earthly gain in exchange for the truth, for the love and loyalty to God and our fellow brothers and sisters and eternal life?
2. The Passover with the Disciples and the Institution of the Lord’s Supper (Matthew 26 17:27)
Here we have an account of Christ keeping the Passover. Being made under the law he kept all the ordinances of it. The disciples took it for granted that Christ would eat the Passover and as a mark of respect asked him what preparations they should make. Jesus responds with clear instructions and with a prophetic message that his time was near (his suffering and death). The disciples did as directed by Jesus and prepared the Passover meal. When it was evening, Jesus took his place with the twelve and while they were eating Jesus said, ‘Truly I tell you one of you will betray me’. The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me. The Son of Man goes as it is written of him but woe to that one by whom the Son of Man is betrayed. Our Lord Jesus, just before he instituted the Lord’s supper, put his disciples upon this trial and suspicion of themselves, to teach us to examine ourselves before we eat of that bread and drink of that cup.
We have here the institution of the great gospel ordinance of the Lord’s supper which was received of the Lord as they were eating. Christ is to us the Passover-sacrifice by which atonement is made. Jesus’ words as he blessed, broke the bread and gave it to his disciples is significant. Take eat, this is my body. He then took the cup gave thanks gave it to them saying ‘Drink from it for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many, for the forgiveness of sins.
We must always be grateful that Jesus gave us the unique gift of his body and blood that we may live forever and the opportunity to commemorate this supper and receive him every time we go to Holy Mass.