Archives for February 2024

Jesus said: “Take these out of here, and stop making my Father's house a marketplace.” His disciples recalled the words of Scripture, Zeal for your house will consume me. At this the Jews answered and said to him, “What sign can you show us for doing this?” Jesus answered and said to them, “Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up.” (Jn. 2:16-19) Two weeks ago Jesus was out in the desert, hungry and thirsty. Last week, He was on top of a mountain, gloriously transfigured in dazzling white before Peter, James and John. This week, He’s in the Temple, purifying it. Most of us are familiar with the story of Jesus casting the money-changers out of the Temple, and most of us understand that the scene is more than about a beautiful stone building in Jerusalem. Ultimately, … [Read more...]

Jesus took Peter, James, and John and led them up a high mountain apart by themselves.  And he was transfigured before them, and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no fuller on earth could bleach them. (Mk. 9:2-3) Last week Jesus was out in the desert, hungry and thirsty.  And this week, He’s on top of a mountain, transfigured in dazzling white before Peter, James and John.  This transfiguration has traditionally been interpreted as a preliminary revelation of the glory of Jesus given to His closest collaborators so that they might be strengthened in advance of the scandal of the cross. And in this moment of mystical experience, they also hear a voice from heaven:  “Listen to Him.” During Lent, there is something comforting about the transfiguration for us, too.  It reminds … [Read more...]

The Spirit drove Jesus out into the desert, and he remained in the desert for forty days, tempted by Satan.  (Mk. 1-12) I always look forward to Lent.  And this year is no exception.  Now that Lent is here, I’m happy to create my own little desert of calm by the Lenten disciplines of prayer, fasting and almsgiving.  It’s the perfect remedy for the last two weeks of noise, feasting and excess. One of the good disciplines of Lent is “giving something up.”  When I was in seminary, I remember my rector publicly acknowledging that he gave up cigars during Lent.  And then one Friday in Lent, I walked by his room and smelled cigar smoke.  The next day I asked him about it, and he said that he decided to do something different that year because he felt like everyone knew he gave up cigars.  … [Read more...]

Brothers and sisters, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God. (1 Cor. 10:31) It’s wonderful be able to gather in front of our church and watch parades! There are so many ways to celebrate Mardi Gras. Fat Tuesday is meant to be a time of feasting in preparation for the fasting and austerity of Lent. But that doesn’t mean that Lent is a “holy” season and Mardi Gras is a “pagan” season. As St. Paul tells us above, everything should be done for the glory of God. A recent article in the Times Picayune had a question asking the question: “What vices are you giving up for Lent?” And then it listed a long list of “vices,” including among them “meat” and “alcohol.” Now it’s certain that excessive drinking and obesity are unhealthy, but can we call … [Read more...]

Job spoke, saying: Is not man's life on earth a drudgery? Are not his days those of hirelings? He is a slave who longs for the shade, a hireling who waits for his wages. So I have been assigned months of misery, and troubled nights have been allotted to me. (Job 7:4) Most of us know the story of Job. He was faithful to God, but God let the devil take away all of Job’s possessions, kill all of his children and ruin his health. And despite his misfortunes, Job does not curse God. But that doesn’t stop him from bemoaning his situation. The passage above reflects his poor attitude, but it speaks to a truth. The world often imposes on us many miseries. We get tired and frustrated with work. We get in arguments with family members and friends. We get sick, we can’t pay the bills, and we … [Read more...]