By His Stripes...

~~~ Good Friday ~~~

~~Isaiah 52:13-53:12~~Psalm 31~~Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:7-9~~John 18:1-19:42~~

 ...he was pierced for our offenses,
crushed for our sins;
upon him was the chastisement that makes us whole,
by his stripes we were healed.

The prophet Isaiah reveals in detail the gruesome evidence
 of how Jesus suffered for each of us.

Jesus was pierced, crushed, and chastised.
His horrid brokenness makes us whole;
for we came into this world already scarred.

His torn bleeding flesh slashed by brutal soldiers
result in our healing.
Not the healing of our physical bodies, but the healing of our souls.
For it is not the healing of the body
that allows us to enter into heaven. but rather the healing of our soul.

We had all gone astray like sheep,
each following his own way;
but the LORD laid upon him
the guilt of us all.
I am not sure if we can be compared to sheep who are docile creatures.
Yes, it is true that when we turn away from God we are like the lost sheep.
We sin even when we know better; we make the choice to sin.
When we follow our own way it is because we think
we know what is better for us.

I have often reflected on how it was possible for Jesus to be silent
as false accusations were hurled at him one after the other.

Most of us today would be eager to defend our innocence.
We would have the best legal representation available to us.
We would be coached; to choose our words carefully.
...he was silent and opened not his mouth.

Jesus stood in humility while they humiliated,
scorned, and mocked him.

Sometimes the best we can do is to keep silent.
But can we?

...he was cut off from the land of the living,

Jesus came down to the land of the living to save us
who call this land our home.
This 'land of the living' was never the home for Jesus.
His home has always been in heaven with the Father.
This is where he also wants us to reside.
Our home is also in heaven with the Father and the Son.

...because he surrendered himself to death
and was counted among the wicked;
and he shall take away the sins of many,
and win pardon for their offenses.

We give you praise and adore you...
For you have set us free...
you have redeemed us.

Jesus suffered and died once for us;
he sends down his saving grace and blesses us each and every day.

The bleeding stripes upon his precious body heals our soul.
He suffered and died for you.
There is no greater love.
Amen.

The Ungrateful Majority

Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time

 

~~2 Kings 5:14-17~~Psalm 98~~2 Timothy 2:8-13~~Luke 17:11-19~~

 

The mystic, Meister Eckhart, says if the only prayer
we ever said in our entire life
was 'Thank you' it would be enough.
The first reading and the Gospel are connected
 with the theme of gratitude.

Both passages today are concerning diseased persons
who are considered unclean by their society.
Both are healed by God...restored to health.
Both readings speak of foreigners.

The military leader, Naaman, is healed by following
 Elisha's instructions to bathe seven times in the Jordan River.
The Jordan was not a mighty impressive river.
He may have doubted it would have any effect at all, but he did as he was told.

When he was cleansed he wanted to show his appreciation
 by giving gifts to Elisha.
Elisha expected nothing in return.
Elisha was doing the work of the Lord it was
 not for his honor and glory.

...none but this foreigner returned to give thanks to God?

 

There are so many things in our daily lives that we take for granted.

 God has always chosen those individuals
with open minds and hearts to act on his behalf.

Today God works through the prophet Elisha.
 Jesus is passing through Samaria and Galilee
when the ten lepers sought out his healing power. 

 

 

 Jesus healed without even touching them or even praying over them.
He simply tells them to present themselves to the priests.
This was to gain their permission to be reunited with the community.
Proof of their healing.

"Go show yourselves to the priests."

 

This group of ten of diverse backgrounds were joined together
because of their common illness. 

 

 Jesus makes no distinction between the Jews and the Samaritan.
The only one who did return to thank Jesus was in fact the Samaritan.
It was the foreigner who was the most grateful for his healing.

How many times I have failed to thank God?
I do remember the big things, but too many times
 I fail to mention the little incidentals.

 

 Every time we are in attendance at Mass
we are participating in a celebration of thanksgiving.
The word Eucharist means thanksgiving.
Jesus first gave thanks at his last supper.

Only one of the ten returned to give thanks.

 So where would you have been?
Would you have returned to thank Jesus?
Would you have been like the majority and just
 gone on with your life?

Blessing today come from thanking God
for all that he has done for you no matter how trivial it seems.