These reflections are a result of more than 40 years of ministry as a Roman Catholic priest. Most of these years I spent in the Diocese of Charlotte which covers Western North Carolina. Now I am retired, and live in Medellín, Colombia where I continue to serve as a priest in the Archdiocese of Medellín.
R. Lord, you will show us the path of life. Keep me, O God, for in you I take refuge; I say to the LORD, “My Lord are you.” O LORD, my allotted portion and my cup, you it is who hold fast my lot. R. Lord, you will show us the path of life. I bless the LORD who counsels me; even in the night my heart exhorts me. I set the LORD ever before me; with him at my right hand I shall not be disturbed. R. Lord, you will show us the path of life. Therefore my heart is glad and my soul rejoices, my body, too, abides in confidence; because you will not abandon my soul to the netherworld, nor will you suffer your faithful one to undergo corruption. R. Lord, you will show us the path of life. You will show me the path to life, abounding joy in your presence, the delights at your right hand forever. R. Lord, you will show us the path of life. (Psalm 16)
The early church turned to the scriptures to try to understand the scandal of the Cross. The readings of the Easter Season reveal to us not only the preaching of the early church but also its absolute joy in the Resurrection.
The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ [the Son of God]. (Mk 1:1)
Sometimes we forget that when the first gospel writer put pen to paper, there had never been a gospel written before. How important that first gospel writer! Later church tradition put names to the originally anonymous four gospels. Today’s feast is not so much about a person . . . but rather the celebration of the first written gospel.
One of his disciples, Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, said to him, “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish; but what good are these for so many?” Jesus said, “Have the people recline.” Now there was a great deal of grass in that place. So the men reclined, about five thousand in number. Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed them to those who were reclining, and also as much of the fish as they wanted. (Jn 6:8-11)
This is one of my favorite Bible stories—the Boy with the Bag Lunch. I’m sure that kid was embarrased when his mother gave him the bag lunch to take with him. “Aw Ma, I’ll be the only one!” And he was. But then Jesus wanted his bag lunch. That kid must have thought twice before handing over his little sack of goodies, but he did hand it over. Jesus took it and blessed it, and there was more than enough for everyone.
For the one whom God sent speaks the words of God. He does not ration his gift of the Spirit. (Jn 3:34)
The Spirit freely given . . . not only to the One that God sent . . . rather through that One to all of us in abundance. God isn’t stingy.
God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him. (Jn 3:16-17)
Growing up in the Baptist tradition meant that isolated Bible verses were drilled into our heads. We even had Bible Sword Drills (trust me, it’s a Baptist thing!) so that we could practice looking up chapter and verse of specific scripture passages. Well, one thing I learned as a Catholic is that when studying the scriptures, context is everything. As Baptist kids, we all knew John 3:16 by heart . . . but very few of us ever heard of John 3:17.
