Reflections of a beloved son

The world is in the midst of a battle.  The Coronavirus/COVID-19 Pandemic has taken over the world.  It started in a small part of a country and then it spread.  People who may have contracted it did not know they were infected and then they travel and meet family and friends, and by doing so, those they met may have been infected. This silent agent brought our world to a standstill.  Countries closed their borders.  School are closed.  Stores are closed.  Churches are closed.  Public masses and services are cancelled.  This microscopic agent wreaked havoc on the world.  But it does not have the last word. At the surface, the battle that we are in the midst of is a physical one.  People are getting sick. People are dying.  But we are simultaneously fighting a spiritual battle.  People are turning on each other.  One race discriminates against another.  People turn inward and put their own needs above others....

"Rise, and do not be afraid." Those were the word Jesus told Peter, James, and John when they witnessed Jesus transfigured before them and the voice of the Father saying, " This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him. "  When Jesus first brought Peter, James, and John to the mountain and Peter saw Moses and Elijah, Peter said, "It is good that we are here."  He was so excited and happy that he asked Jesus if He wanted him to build three tents so everyone can stay!  Then a big cloud covered them and the Father said, " This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him."   The disciples became scared and fell to the ground.  "But Jesus came and touched them, saying, ' Rise, and do not be afraid. ' And when the disciples raised their eyes, they saw no one else but Jesus alone." When the disciples experienced the immensity of the Father's power they grew afraid and even fell down. They...

The prophet Jonah reluctantly went to Nineveh to tell the people that their city would be destroyed in 40 days.  When the people heard of this they immediately experienced a conversion of heart, and " the people of Nineveh believed God; they proclaimed a fast and all of them, great and small, put on sackcloth " (Jonah 3:5).  Do you think Jonah expected this?  I think Jonah was sort of expecting the people to not care and so people could know the impact and effect of their sins.  But, the people immediately repented and begged for God's mercy.  Later on we are told that the king found out about this news and then he himself "rose from his throne, laid aside his robe, covered himself with sackcloth , and sat in ashes" (Jonah 3:6).  I find it interesting how the prophet went first to the people and then later the king found out.  In the same way Jesus was seen first by the shepherds and the lowly, and then the Magi came to see Him and others came to know ...

Standing before Pilate, Jesus is bleeding everywhere, struggling to breathe, and trying His best to stay standing.  Our Lord has been betrayed by His friend, tied up, led from the garden like a criminal, dragged around, spat upon, shoved and punched to the ground, denied by His trusted friend - treated like a victim fallen prey to a bunch of broken and wounded bullies.  "Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered." Our Lord did not rebel and shout, calling out "Unfair!"  Rather, He accepted and endured all that came to Him.  " Like a lamb led to slaughter or a sheep silent before his shearers he opened not his mouth."  Out of obedience to His Father and out of love for us, Jesus endured the unjust suffering.  Though unjust, it was redemptive.  It is truly wrong and unjust that Jesus was mistreated the way He was, but Our Lord saw the bigger picture and He chose to remain faithful to His Father and persevered in carrying out His wil...

In the Old Testament, the Lord gives to Moses the 10 Commandments and the exhortation to love God with all of one's heart, soul, and strength.  In the New Testament, Jesus tells His disciples to love God with all their heart, soul, and mind, and to love their neighbor as themselves.  Jesus further tells His followers that whatever they are do to the least of His people, they do to Him.  (Read Mt. 25:31-46 ). What does it mean when we tell God we love Him?  Do we say we love Him because we make it to mass or service every Sunday?  Do we say we love Him because we say our prayers before we go to bed at nighttime?  Do we say we love Him because we donate money to charitable organizations?  The Church Father St. John Chrysostom famously said something that stopped me in my tracks and really made me think: " If you cannot find Christ in the beggar at the church door, you will not find him in the chalice."   Wow.  Think about that.  Especia...

" Did God really tell you not to eat from any of the trees in the garden? "  That was how Satan, the devil, the enemy introduced himself to Eve.  What an introduction, imagine that.  If someone came up to you and said "Did he really say..." instead of "Good morning, how are you?" or "What a beautiful day" or something similar, how would you feel?  I would feel awkward and not sure if I really want to engage this person in conversation. However, I'd still be cordial.  (With the enemy, we should never engage in dialogue) But this isn't about manners.  It's about something deeper.  It's about our life, our salvation. The serpent used what he knew was a lie to engage Eve in conversation.  He knew that God allowed Adam and Eve to eat of any of the trees in the garden but to not eat of the Tree of Knowledge.  So, the enemy was playing mind games with Eve, trying to make her question God's goodness and intentions. That is how he tr...