Toward the New Jerusalem – New Life: God’s Continual Restoration Works and Their Signs – Monday of the 4th Week of Lent (Cycle A)

As our Lenten journey is nearing its end and the celebration of the Resurrection of the Lord is coming in sight, the Scripture readings bring this anticipatory joy, juxtaposing God's continual works of renewal and the Resurrection, with eschatological hope,  as we are now on the 4th week of Lent.

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The Scripture readings for Monday of the 4^th Week of Lent on Cycle A (Isaiah 65:17-21; John 4:43-45) are about God’s love to bring fresh renewals to His creations, including us, leading all the way until the end of time. The first reading (Isaiah 65:17-21) reflects God’s post-exilic promise of His new creation, and this promise is spelled all the way into the last chapter of the Book of Isaiah, Isaiah 66. In fact, the Antiphon for the 4^th Sunday of Lent (also known as Laetare Sunday) is drawn from Isaiah 66:10-11 to call to anticipate God’s renewal of Jerusalem, inviting to rejoice over this new creation of Jerusalem.

In the First Reading today, we read:

There shall always be rejoicing and happiness in what I create; For I create Jerusalem to be a joy and its people to be a delight; I will rejoice in Jerusalem and exult in my people (Isaiah 65:18-19).

The above passage is echoed in the Antiphon for Mass yesterday, the 4^th Sunday of Lent:

Rejoice, Jerusalem, and all who love her. Be joyful, all who were in mourning; exalt and be satisfied at her consoling breast (Isaiah 66:10-11).

Thus, the 4^th Sunday of Lent (Domingo IV de Quaresma) is know as Laetare Sunday (Domingo Laetare).

God’s new creation of Jerusalem, renewal of Jerusalem, in the first reading (Isaiah 65:17-21) and the rest of the Book of Isaiah, Isaiah 65:22-Isaih 66:23, is not only about the post-exilic hopeful restoration of Jerusalem (Ezekiel 40-48) but ultimately about the eschatological establishment of the New Jerusalem upon the deconstruction of the world, envisioned in Revelation 21.

Reading about God’s renewal of Jerusalem, His creation of new Jerusalem, upon cleansing factors that may corrupt Jerusalem, on the first two days of the 4^th week of Lent is to remind that our Lenten journey of spiritual renewal is nearing its end to rejoice the Resurrection of the Lord, which is a powerful symbol of God’s new creation, upon witnessing how the Lord died with what can corrupt Jerusalem. Here, Jerusalem is not necessarily the geographical Jerusalem but us collectively as the Church. Thus, Christ the Lord during the Paschal Triduum, between the Lenten season and the Paschal season, is the climax of the renewal process of us, Jerusalem, the Church, through the body of Christ the Lord. And this renewal process goes through Christ’s death to bring a new better life with the Resurrection.  In this sense, the Resurrection of Christ symbolizes the realization of the New Jerusalem, prophetically reflected in Isaiah 65-66, with the eschatological implication in Revelation 21.

What corresponds to today’s first reading on the joy of God’s renewal of Jerusalem (Isaiah 65:17-21) is the joy in Jesus’ restoration of a dying life of a royal official’s son in the Gospel reading (John 4:43-54). It is also known as the second sign in the seven signs of Jesus in John’s Gospel.  This second sign that Jesus made in Cana, Galilee, took place when Jesus returned from Jerusalem.

After making his first sign in Cana, turning water into the choicest wine at a wedding reception (John 2:1-12), Jesus want up to Jerusalem for Passover (John 2:13).  However, what he found in Jerusalem was the Temple corruption, and he had to cleanse the house of God for Passover (John 2:14-25). In fact, Jesus’ cleansing of the Temple in John 2:14-25 is an early sign for God’s promise for renewal of Jerusalem and construction of the New Jerusalem addressed in Isaiah 65-66, further into Revelation 21, in addition to what will come upon Lent and Paschal Triduum, the Resurrection of the Lord, given Jesus’ promise of rebuilding the New Temple in John 2:19.

While Jesus was in Jerusalem, he met Nicodemus and enlightened this Gentile man (John 3:1-21). In fact, a part of this narrative is read for the 4^th Sunday of Lent on Cycle B (John 3:14-21). Then, Jesus stepped outside of Jerusalem and went to where John the Baptist was still baptizing (John 3:22-36). Then, Jesus had to return to Galilee from Judea as the Pharisees thought Jesus was baptizing more people than John the Baptist, though Jesus never baptized anyone (John 4:1-3). On his way back to Galilee, Jesus chose to go through Samaria, though it was a taboo, and there, he met a woman by the Jacob’s well, reaching out to her deeply wounded soul and renewed her life (John 4:4-42), as read for the 3^rd Sunday of Lent on Cycle A.

 The today’s Gospel reading (John 4:43-54) reminds that Jesus continued to renew a life of someone in need by bringing healing,  not only on his way back to Galilee from Jerusalem but also upon arriving in Galilee. So, he healed the endangered life of a son of a royal official in Cana, Galilee, restoring his life. Jesus’ continuing work of restoring diseased and endangered lives by healing is also a reflection of God’s promise for restoring Jerusalem plagued with defilements into the New Jerusalem, prophesized in Isaiah 65-66 and its consummation eschatologically envisioned in Revelation 21. And, the Resurrection of Christ, upon the completion of our Lenten journey, following the Paschal Triduum, makes a powerfully assuring sign of this promise of God, for which we rejoice.

Just as the arrival of spring will bring a new life in nature, God brings a new life and renew lives through Christ (cf. 2 Corinthians 5:17), and this renewal process that God makes with His love is beautiful and leads to eternity (Ecclesiastes 3:11).

Laetare Sunday amidst of Covid-19 Virus Pandemic Trials

 Felix Domingo Laetare! Happy Laetare Sunday! Let us rejoice!

Before the beginning of Laetare Sunday Mass, we sing this antiphon in reflection of Isaiah 66:10-11:

Laetare, Ierusalem , et conventum facite, omnes  qui diligitis eam; gaudete cum laetitia , qui in tristitia fuistis , ut exultetis , et satiemini ab uberibus consolationis vestrae.

Laetatus sum in his, quae dicta sunt mihi: in domum Domini ibimus. Gloria Patri.

Rejoice, O Jerusalem: and come together all you that love her: rejoice with joy, you that have been in sorrow: that you may exult, and be filled from the breasts of your consolation.

I rejoiced at the things that were said to me: we shall go into the house of the Lord. Glory be to the Father.

 Some may say, rejoice, when covid-19 virus pandemic is sweeping the world? Are you crazy? The virus is spreading like a wild wife and more people are falling sick and dying. How dare can you rejoice amid of crisis?

It is true. We are in a very troubled time. But it does not mean we should refrain from rejoicing. Even amidst a crisis, Christians can nevertheless rejoice for a great object of our hope.  As we are already on the latter half of this year’s Lenten journey, our hearts are looking forward to what is beyond the end horizon of Lent, and it is Resurrection of the Lord. This anticipatory joy beyond Lent becomes evident as we are on the 4^th Sunday of Lent, out of 6 Lenten Sundays (6^th Sunday – Palm (Passion) Sunday) , between Ash Wednesday and Holy Thursday (Maundy Thursday), as we are nearing to end our Lenten journey and to be greeted by the risen Lord.

We cannot let the current pandemic ruin our anticipatory joy beyond Lent and upon Resurrection, while we remain vigilant in protecting not only ourselves but also one another by keeping social distance and refraining from non-essential outing. We know that we will rise to the occasion through this difficult time of the pandemic, as long as we do not lose our hope. Yes, hope. And to keep our hope, we need to see beyond the horizon of this difficult time, so that we will not lose our sight in the darkness of fear. The below passage from Peter’s epistle echo the spirit of Laetare Sunday amidst the current covid-19 virus pandemic trial:

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who in his great mercy gave us a new birth to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you who by the power of God are safeguarded through faith, to a salvation that is ready to be revealed in the final time.  In this you rejoice, although now for a little while you may have to suffer through various trials, so that the genuineness of your faith, more precious than gold that is perishable even though tested by fire, may prove to be for praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Although you have not seen him you love him; even though you do not see him now yet believe in him, you rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy, as you attain the goal of [your] faith, the salvation of your souls.    1 Peter 1:3-9

Let us endure this difficult time with the living hope (1 Peter 1:3), arising with the risen Christ beyond the end horizon of this Lent! And, let us rejoice in our anticipation for Resurrection, which is fast-approaching, as we continue to refine our faith with the rest of Lenten trials.

Ultimately and eschatologically, it is the victorious return of Christ, the King of the Universe, that we rejoice in anticipation. And the Laetare Sunday antiphon reflects this eschatological Christian hope, juxtaposing to Resurrection after Lent. 

Upon parousia, God’s promise in Isaiah 66 will be consummated as envisioned in Revelations 21. Before this, the Book of Revelation reminds that we must endure trials and tribulations as Satan will wage his war against us with ever greater scales, before our victory. Our commander in chief, Christ, assures salvation and victory as long as we remain with him. So, our steadfast faith in Christ is the bottom line of our sustenance, leading to our triumph. The way we handle ourselves amidst the current pandemic crisis for the remaining of this Lenten season also follow this strategy in the Book of Revelation.

Our steadfast faith will not let the current covid-19 virus threat darken our vision and the fear of the virus will not blind our eyes of faith. We are children of the light and, indeed, light of the world (Ephesians 5:8; cf Matthew 5:14), as Paul has declared. As long as we are with Christ, who is the light (John 8:12; 9:5; 12:46; 1 John 1:4) and life (John 1:4; cf John 6:35), we will conquer the darkness that the epidemic may bring. 

A main theme for Laetare Sunday is light, in juxtaposition to life! It is the light that enables us to see the truth. It is the light to fight and conquer the darkness of sin and death!  God created light first in His creation of the heavens and the earth, spreading the light (Genesis 1:2). And it is the light that prevails in the end (Revelation 21:23-26).

As we keep our faith in Christ, the darkness of sins of the world, the darkness of the pandemic threat, cannot conquer the light, which is also the life that Christ shares with us! So, let us rejoice for Christ’s victory – his victory over death: Resurrection and his victory over Satan at the end of time! We are destined to la victoriam de lux et vita! 

Self-Righteous Pride: Obstacle in Receiving Mercy of God: Saturday of 3rd Week of Lent (A)

Which one of the two in Jesus’ parable (Luke 18:9-14) reflects you more: a Pharisee, who boated of his righteous acts and thanked God for keeping him righteous, or a tax collector, who cried to God for His mercy? As we have entered in the latter halfway on our Lenten journey, examining ourselves with this question is of critical importance to ensure that we are on the right track.

 

What characterizes the Pharisee is self-righteousness, which reflects his excessive pride to himself. In contrast, the tax collector reflects penance and humble recognition of the need for mercy from God. If we were all as righteous as what the Pharisee thought of himself, then, why would we need to be on the Lenten journey? To feel superior to the rest of repenting brothers and sisters, who seek God’s mercy on the journey?

A self-righteous attitude of the Pharisee is sometimes observed even in a prayer meeting or faith-sharing meeting. At such a meeting, we share our personal experiences of being touched by God, experiencing His grace. We are to speak how God, especially in His mercy (chesed), has touched and how this experience has been transforming us. However, once in a while, there is a person simply describing good deeds he or she did in the name of God, as to be acknowledged by the rest of the attendees of the meeting. Rather than saying how God enabled him or her to do a good thing to others, this person simply speaks of his or her accomplishment.

Perhaps, this person did not intend to boast of his or her good deed to others. Nevertheless, it suggests that this person is blind to his or her tendency toward self-righteousness and psychological need to be recognized as superior.  Such a need reflects his or her inner insecurity, and it needs to be acknowledged by him or her. This acknowledgement of the insecurity deep within, contributing to his or her tendency to self-righteousness is, an indispensable step to be taken, while Lenten journey is still taking on.

It is important to understand why Jesus spoke this parable, and it is to teach a lesson to those who were too confident of their own righteousness and therefore looked down on others (Luke 18:9). Through our Lenten journey together, we come to realize that self-righteousness is a reflection of pride, as well as, an indication of spiritual blindness, which is addressed in the Gospel reading for the 4^th Sunday of Lent (A) (John 9:1-41). Not to mention, it is a major obstacle on our Lenten path.

As the repenting tax collector in the Gospel reading was asking for, what we need is mercy of God, as we continue on with our Lenten journey. We, in fact, journey on the path of God’s mercy during Lent. Mercy is what we pray for through our Lenten prayers with contrite heart. The First Reading (Hosea 6:1-6) reminds that the mercy of God is a healing and reviving medicine (Hosea 6:1-2). It is as reviving as rains enable the earth to be vegetated (Hosea 6:3) so that it will not be barren. And, it is what we pray for with our humility and penance. However, our pride is a major obstacle to receive the medicine of mercy from God.

As we continue to move forward on this Lenten journey, let us pray for God’s mercy, the very medicine we need, so that we can be transformed and we can perform acts of mercy to others.

It is in God’s desire to give us chesed : mercy in His covenant loyalty and steadfast love (Hosea 6:6; Matthew 9:13). It is also in His desire to be merciful to one another as He is so (Luke 6:36).  Let us be touched by God through His medicine of mercy so that we can be transformed to become more merciful, eradicating all the causes of our self-righteousness, such as pride.

Pride to ourselves keeps us from God but humble recognition of our need for God’s mercy is a stride into the closeness to God.

Returning to God: Making the Crossroads of Love

Return, O Israel, to the Lord, your God; you have collapsed through your guilt (Hosea, 14:2). 

When we began our Lenten journey on Ash Wednesday, we were reminded that the journey is to return to God. Now, we have come halfway through on this journey. And, once again, we remind ourselves that we are on the journey to return to God. But, what does it really mean to return to God?

First, we must have a contrite heart. But, it is more than penance. In fact, our penance is motivated by our love, leading to stimulate our desire to return to God. And, returning to God also means to love our neighbors better than ever because our love of God also promotes our love of neighbors.

The way of  love goes vertically between God and us and also horizontally between our neighbors and ourselves. Thus, the way of love reflects the shape of the  Cross, which is a powerful symbol of God's steadfast love.

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The Scripture readings for Friday of the 3^rd week of Lent on Cycle A (Hosea 14:2-10; Mark 12:28-34) are about love. First Reading (Hosea 14:2-10) reminds that the door of God’s heart of love is always open, even though we have betrayed Him with our sins countlessly, ever since the great fall of Adam and Eve. God never shuts the door of His heart, the gate of His mercy. Thus, the First Reading reminds us to return to God as the door of His heart is still open.

The open door of God’s heart of love and mercy is reflected so beautifully through the goodness of His Creation (Hosea 14:6-8). This reminds us that the open door to God’s love and mercy can be found in all things, as to echo with this important Ignatian principle: Go and find God in all things. As God is love (1 John 4:8, 16) and rich in mercy (Ephesians 2:4). God’s love and mercy are as readily available as the goodness of nature is, just as dew and lily (Hosea 14:6) are so. At the same time, the love and mercy of God is so powerful just as the root of Lebanon cedar tree strikes the earth to put forth its shoot (Hosea 14:6-7). Moreover, the splendor of God’s loving and merciful heart is like that of the olive tree and its fragrance is comparable to that of the Lebanon cedar (Hosea 14:7).

God is reminding us that we do not have to go so far to find Him and to return to His heart of love and mercy through Hosea 14:6-7. His is found as closely and readily as His Creation, namely, nature. And, upon our return to Him, God will shelter us with his love and mercy in order to make us blossom and grow fruitful in His splendor (Hosea 14:8).

This beautiful reflection of God’s loving and merciful heart in the First Reading also recalls that the love and mercy of God, chesed of God, endures forever, as beautifully sung in all 26 verses of Psalm 136, as well as in Psalm 118:1-4, 28. This is why He keeps the door of His loving and merciful heart open for us to return even though we have hurt and disappointed Him with our sins. Just as the powerful root of the Lebanon cedar will knock off the earth (Hosea 14:6-7), the chesed of God will overcome our sinfulness, as long as we repent of our sins and return to God. 

Return to God is an enduring theme for Lent.  We started Lent with the theme of returning to God, citing Joel 2:12, “Return to God with our whole heart, with fasting, weeping, and mourning” on Ash Wednesday. Now, our Lenten journey has come to its middle, once again, we remind ourselves that we have turned away from sins and been on our way to return to God, to enter into His heart of love and mercy as its door is open.

Return to God with our whole heart…..whole heart. It means that we must fully commit to our journey of return – conversion of our heart.

The Gospel Reading for this day (Mark 12:28-34) also reminds us of our need for wholehearted commitment not only to God but also to one another (neighbors). In this Gospel reading, Jesus teaches us in Mark 12:29-31 that loving God wholeheartedly, unconditionally (Deuteronomy 6:5) also means to love our neighbor as ourselves (Leviticus 19:18). 

Through our Lenten journey, we have been wholeheartedly committed to loving God. Therefore, we have turned away from our past sinful ways and decided to return to God. And, God reminds us that the gate of his loving and merciful heart is always open. So, we have been on this Lenten journey to return to God to be sheltered by His love and mercy. And, Jesus teaches us that our full commitment in loving God unconditionally not only means our return to God but also to love our neighbors. That is why we heighten our compassion for our neighbors, especially those whose needs are greater than our own. So, we demonstrate our compassion through fasting and almsgiving, as we continue to return to God with repenting heart.

As the steadfast love and mercy (chesed) of God is found in all things and endures forever, let our love of God and love for our neighbors prevail and endure likewise! This way, we can keep our hope and overcome the trials from the current covid-19 virus pandemic.

St. Joseph – Quiet Man of Humility and Loving Service, Our Lenten Model

The Scripture readings for the feast of St. Joseph (March 19), the provider and chaste husband of Mary, remind us not only Joseph’s Davidic royal lineage but of his humility. The first reading (2 Samuel 7:4-5a, 12-14a, 16) , in connection to Jesus’ Abrahamic and Davidic genealogy in Matthew 1:1-17, reminds that Joseph, like Abraham and David, faithfully served God for His grand scheme to build His house, where His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, is its head. This grand scheme is, of course, for our salvation, to redeem the humanity, which had been lost with the Original Sin of Adam and Eve (Genesis 3), and it began to be evident with God’s initial covenant with Abraham in Genesis 15. The narrative of 2 Samuel 7, from which the first reading is drawn, describes God’s covenant with David through prophet Nathan, carrying the spirit of His initial covenant with Abraham in Genesis 15. The house of Abraham and the house of David were built, based on Abraham’s and David’s covenants with God, leading up to the House of God. And, Joseph was the last one on the lineage to let Christ, the Son of God, to establish the House of God on earth as it is in heaven, together with Mary, the Virgin Theotokos.

As the Gospel reading for this feast, Matthew 1: 1:16, 18-21, 24a, describes, it was through the matrimony of Joseph with Mary that Christ was able to grow up in the house of Joseph. He was a loving provider for his household, though the Scripture itself does not give the details about how loving and generous he was in taking care of his family.

Though he shared the Davidic royal blood, Joseph was not wealthy. Rather, he was, what we call today, “working poor”.  Had he been a wealthy just because of his royal lineage, then, Mary would not have had to give birth to Jesus in such a poor condition of an animal stable. Had the innkeeper, whom Joseph And Mary asked for a room for Mary to give birth (Luke2:4-7), acknowledged Joseph’s Davidic lineage, he would have given them a very special room. Joseph kept his royal privilege silent and did his best to care for Mary’s labor and delivery in the poverty at the stable. 

Joseph could have “shown off” his Davidic royal lineage in Judea. He could have boasted about being the protector of the new Ark of the Covenant, Mary, who was carrying God in her womb and gave birth to Jesus, God in the human flesh. But, Joseph kept his privilege and service quiet because of his humility. 

Joseph must have known that he came to the world to serve, not to take credit for what he had done. Just as Abraham’s acts were all in his service for God, and just as David’s acts were also all in his service for God, as reflected in the first reading, everything Joseph did was to serve God, together with his wife, Mary.

As the Gospel reading indicates, however, Joseph might not have been able to serve God as Abraham and David did, unless he changed his plan to secretly divorce Mary for her out-of-wedlock pregnancy. Joseph learned through the same Archangel, Gabriel, who also announced Mary’s virgin pregnancy before the consummation of her marriage with Joseph, that Mary’s surprise pregnancy was made by the power  of the Holy Spirit, according to God’s plan to bring His house through the Son, whom Mary became pregnant with.  Just as Mary accepted her unplanned pregnancy and her role as the Theotokos (Luke 1:38), Joseph accepted Mary as his  role as the earthly provider for both Mary the Theotokos and Jesus the Son of God by marrying to him, surrendering his own intention of divorce to God’s will (Matthew 1:24). 

When we provide service to someone, we want to be acknowledged. However, the fact that there is not much written about Joseph and that not even a word spoken by him is written in the canonical Scriptures indicate that Joseph did not care if he would have a special acknowledgement by us for making sure that God’s covenant with David in 2 Samuel 7 would be fulfilled through his service to God as the chaste and loving husband to Mary and stepfather to her Son, Jesus.

Joseph’s humility, quietly manifested in his loving and caring service to his household, the Holy Family, is also a great reflection of Jesus’ teaching in the Ash Wednesday Gospel reading (Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18), as well.  As we continue on with our Lenten journey, let us be like Joseph, a humble and quiet servant of God, for the house of God.

Also, St. Joseph, for his humility, reflects the spirit of this famous saying of Fr. Pedro Arrupe, SJ, “hombres para los demas”(men for others), as the ultimate purpose of the Jesuit education. So, during this Lent, let us strive to become “hombres para los demas como San Jose”(men for others like St.Joseph)!

Remember, we know Joseph as St. Joseph, only in the context of the Holy Family, the prototype of the House of God, for which he existed.

Reading the Johannine Narrative of the Samaritan Woman at the Jacob’s Well amidst the Covid-19 Virus Pandemic – 3rd Sunday of Lent, A

In teaching the Johannine Gospel narrative on Jesus' interaction with the Smaritan woman at the Jacob's well (John 4:5-42) in connection to Exodus 17:3-7 on the 3rd Sunday of Lent (Cycle A), I usually focus on "thirst". In doing so, I put reflection questions on what we thirst for and how we quench our thirst. In doing so, whether the way we quench our thirst draws us closer to God or brings us away from God. To ensure that our efforts to quench our thirst draws closer and closer to God, we can draw a lesson in comparative hermeneutical exegesis of John 4:5-42 (Gospel reading) and Exodus 17:3-7 (First reading), along with Exodus 16:22-27. 

What the Israelites sought to quench thirst in the Exodus 16:22-27 and 17:3-7 and what the Samaritan woman in John 4:5-42 initially sought to quench her thirst does not lead to eternal life. Therefore, our thirst will return cyclically until we die. On the other hand, as we sought the solution for our thirst in Christ, we would not have to go through the endless cycle (like the samsara cycle in Buddhism teaching) of thirst. 

What are we thirsty for? Are we thirsty for what comes and goes? Are our efforts to quench our thirst still keeping us in a cycle of thirst? Or, are our efforts to quench our thirst liberating us from the samsara-like cycle of thirst? If the latter is the case, then, we are also drawn closer to the source of the quench: Christ, who is the well of the living water.

Today, however, I shift the gear on the focus of my teaching from our thirst and efforts for quenching, as I was touched by a reflection that Diana shared with me in our response to the current pandemic of covid-19 virus. She is hermana querida mia en Cristo, with whom I enjoy teaching and learning the Word of God. Her reflection is pointing our pitfall in our response to threat and calling us not to fall in this pit but to our need to reach out to those whose needs are greater in our response to the virus threat. And, I have found a juxtaposition between hermana Diana's reflection and Jesus' interaction with the Samaritan woman. It is about reaching out as what Pope Francis calls "the current of grace", and it is about the living water, which only Christ can offer.                                                       

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I am sure you are familiar with this Johannine narrative on Jesus' interaction with the Samaritan woman at the Jacob's well.

So what does this Gospel story mean to you? How does this story affect you? How is this story related to your life?

In fact, this Gospel story reflects how we should live in the covid-19 virus pandemic today. Hermana querida mia en Cristo, Diana, pointed out in her excellent reflection, how our fear reaction to the pandemic can blind ourselves to the needs of the poor and the marginalized. The panic reaction to hoard up not only masks and hand sanitizers but now toilet papers (and what is next?) is an example of this. This shows that we tend to act only for self-preservation at the expenses of the survival needs of others, especially the greater needs of the least among us.  In our panic, we tend to operate ourselves with the Darwinian mode of "the survival of the fittest". And this makes us blind and deaf to the truth in Jesus' commandment: Agape, especially for those who are regarded as the least among us (cf. Matthew 25:40). In her loving and compassionate reflection, hermana Diana shared with me last night, hear heart is calling the world to heighten our love and compassion for the poor and the marginalized as the world sinks in the Darwinian mode out of panic.

With this in mind, let's unpack this Johannine Gospel narrative for this Sunday (the 3^rd Sunday of Lent, Cycle A): John 4:5-42.

Jesus came to Samaria. But pious Jews always stayed away from this area. For them, even it meant to inconveniencing themselves for extra miles, in traveling, the region of Samaria had to be bypassed and avoided at any costs. Why? Simply because they were afraid to be contaminated spiritually by coming in contact with a Samaritan. To pious Jews at that time, the Samaritan's were regarded as spiritually unclean people due to the intermarriages to Assyrians, who conquered the region in 722 BC. Thus it was a taboo for the Jews to have any contact with a Samaritan.

By coming to this spiritually filthy region of Samaria, Jesus sure broke the taboo. But why did he do that? Because Jesus wanted a shortcut in traveling the area to be "cost-effective"? Of course, not!

Being God and savior (2 Petert 1:1), Jesus knew what he was doing and knew his purpose to go to this prohibited place. And it was solely to save the Samaritan with his Gospel through the worst among the marginalized Samaritans. Namely, the worst among the marginalized by the pious Jews was this Samaritan woman, whom Jesus took the initial step to reach-out by breaking the wall of taboo.

This woman Jesus reached out at the well was isolated and marginalized even by the Samaritans, whom were marginalized by the Jews. In a way, she was "untouchable". If not Jesus, breaking the taboo, risking himself of stigmatization for spiritual contamination, who else would care about this woman?!

The fact that this woman came to the well alone indicates that she was marginalized and rejected by the rest of her Samaritan community. Otherwise, she would come to the well earthy in the morning with a bunch of other women, as a public well was like a water cooler in today's office, where folks gather to socialize, besides getting water the need.

Jesus knew what he was doing, and he started with the woman, who was most marginalized, to teach out with his Good News, for which to be proclaimed he came (Luke 4:18, 43). So he came to this region where mainstream "clean" people avoided, initiating the contact with the most marginalized and isolated, to transform the hearts of the despised people.

 Gradually, Jesus melted the layers of obstacles within the woman's heavy heart. As the obstacles were recognized and melted away by the love and mercy of Jesus, transformation began in the woman. And the transformation was progressively growing and growing from deep within in her heavy heart to the manifestation of joy, which override all the pain that had kept her in marginalization and stigmatization. And what began to transform her was, indeed, the living water that Only Jesus can offer. So, filled with fresh joy, she began evangelizing those whom she had been avoiding, those who had marginalized her!

The living water that only Jesus can give ( along with el Pan y la Sangre de la Vida: John 6:47-58) is not only for eternal life per se but also for transforming us through God's grace, as in the case with the Samaritan woman in this Johannine Gospel story for the Third Sunday of Lent (Cycle A). This living water, indeed, is what Pope Francis calls "the current of grace". The living water that wells up and flows from Christ is the transforming and salvific current of grace we all pray just for so that we may be one with each other seamlessly in order to be one body of Christ, as Paul images in 1 Corinthians 12:12-26). In this one body, there is no more marginalization and isolation. In this body, the living water circulates as the current of grace flows freely.

 Through our steadfast faith, we will not let fear of covid-19 virus pandemic stagnate the current of the living water of transformation and salvation, especially flowing to where it is most needed, "Samaria" in our world today, "Samaritans" among us. Let us not make our fear form walls of marginalization and isolation. Amen.

Lenten Journey: Starting with Ashes, Renewing through the Holy Spirit – Life over Death

Lent has begun. We tend to think of Lent as a season of penance. But, it is more than penance. Though we become more aware of our sinfulness, the focus of Lent is not on our sins but the ultimate purpose of overcoming sins. And it is through Christ and his grace, which comes through the Holy Spirit. Yes, the Holy Spirit for our clean heart! 

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We have started Lent on Ash Wednesday, being humbly reminded that we are nothing but dust (עָפָר/aphar) without life (Genesis 3:19) in receiving ashes on our foreheads. As written in Genesis 2:7, though we were nothing but dust (עָפָר/aphar) from the ground (אֲדָמָה/adamah), we became a living human (אָדָם/adam) as we receive God’s  breath of life (נִשְׁמַ֣ת חַיִּ֑ים/nishmat hayyim), reflected on the 1^st Sunday of Lent on Cycle A.

Though we are no longer mere dusts from the ground, because of God’s breath of life, we will return to dusts upon death. It means that God’s breath of life will depart from us when we die.  God’s breath of life will not stay in us forever because of Adam’s sin (Romans 5:12).

As we have begun our Lenten journey, we need to keep in mind this solemnly. At the same time, we also need to remember that Christ has come to change this, reversing what Adam has brought by his sin (Original Sin): death, as reflected in Romans 5:12-19(the 2^nd Reading for the 1^st Sunday of Lent on Cycle A).  Though we all will die and our bodies will return to dusts of the ground, because of Adam,  this will not be the end of our existence. Our life goes beyond death, thanks to Christ. And in the fullness of time, he will return and raise us in our bodies out of the ground (1 Corinthians 15:12-58), so that we may enjoy eternal life (John 3:16; 5:25; 10:27-28; 1 John 5:11) in the Father’s house in heaven (John 14:2). For this, Jesus has promised us the παράκλητος/parakletos, the Holy Spirit as our “adovocate” (John 14:16, 26).  Because God’s breath of life (נִשְׁמַ֣ת חַיִּ֑ים/nishmat hayyim), which turned dusts from the ground (עָפָר֙ מִן־ הָ֣אֲדָמָ֔ה/apar min hadamar) into a living human (אָדָם/adam) with soul (נֶ֫פֶשׁ/nephesh) is, in essence, the Holy Spirit (רוח הקודש/ruah ha-kodesh; Πνεύματος  Ἁγίου/pneumatos hagiou).

As we proceed on our Lenten journey into the Paschal Triduum, let us keep our focus on the Holy Spirit, the breath of life, our Parakletos (Advocate), while working on cleansing ourselves of our sinful dispositions for a clean new heart, as reflected in Psalm 51. This way, though we are reminded of our mortality due to Adam’s sin (Genesis  2:7-9; 3:1-7, the 1^st reading for the 1^st Sunday of Lent on Cycle A) in receiving Ashes to start our Lenten journey, we will come to have a deeper appreciation for eternal life that Christ has promised, as he has revered sin-death effect on us by fending off temptations , as reflected in Gospel reading for the 1^st Sunday of Lent on Cycle A, Matthew 4:1-11. This appreciation will become even greater and stronger upon his Resurrection well into Paschaltide toward Pentecost, because the Resurrection marks Christ’s triumph over death (i.e. Acts 2:24;Romans 6:9; 1 Corinthians 15:55-57).

 

Therefore, though Lent is a somber season of penance, it is also a time to grow in faith and to look forward to experiencing not only Christ’s reversing the sin-death effect , which Adam has brought on us,  but also his Resurrection, through which death has no longer its last word on us.

Remember, as Fr. Mike Schmitz has said, though ashes on our foreheads reminds us of our mortality, the cross-shaped mark of our ashes reminds us that we have the Savior, who has conquered death, by reversing  what Adam has brought on us with his sin. Through grace that our Savior, Christ, and the Holy Spirit have brought, we can overcome our sins for our eternal life over death.