April 19, 2011

Read It:
Reclining at table with his disciples, Jesus was deeply troubled and testified,
“Amen, amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me.”
The disciples looked at one another, at a loss as to whom he meant.
One of his disciples, the one whom Jesus loved,
was reclining at Jesus’ side.
So Simon Peter nodded to him to find out whom he meant.
He leaned back against Jesus’ chest and said to him,
“Master, who is it?”
Jesus answered,
“It is the one to whom I hand the morsel after I have dipped it.”
So he dipped the morsel and took it and handed it to Judas,
son of Simon the Iscariot.
After Judas took the morsel, Satan entered him.
So Jesus said to him, “What you are going to do, do quickly.”
Now none of those reclining at table realized why he said this to him.
Some thought that since Judas kept the money bag, Jesus had told him,
“Buy what we need for the feast,”
or to give something to the poor.
So Judas took the morsel and left at once. And it was night.

When he had left, Jesus said,
“Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him.
If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself,
and he will glorify him at once.
My children, I will be with you only a little while longer.
You will look for me, and as I told the Jews,
‘Where I go you cannot come,’ so now I say it to you.”

Simon Peter said to him, “Master, where are you going?”
Jesus answered him,
“Where I am going, you cannot follow me now,
though you will follow later.”
Peter said to him,
“Master, why can I not follow you now?
I will lay down my life for you.”
Jesus answered, “Will you lay down your life for me?
Amen, amen, I say to you, the cock will not crow
before you deny me three times.”

Reflect On It:
In today's gospel, we see that Peter will deny Christ three times. I almost feel bad for Peter. He has SUCH resolve to choose the Lord, to lay his life down for Sweet Jesus, but overcome by his humanity, he ends up denying Christ three times. Today's gospel is an interesting one, because we see the two men who will betray Jesus: Peter and Judas. The only difference between these two betrayals is that after Peter denied Christ, he trusted that Christ would forgive him. Judas, on the other hand deemed himself unforgivable and hanged himself. Who are we to believe that there can not be forgiven? Peter goes on to be the ROCK of the Church. How humbling is that? Jesus can totally and WILL totally forgive our sins against him if we come with a humble and repentant heart to him.

Pray About It:
Sweet Jesus, I want so badly to follow you to the cross. Help me to never deny you with my words or deeds. When I do deny you, help me to know of your forgiveness.

Live It! Challenge: Today, spend a good amount of time really doing an examination of Conscience in preparation of Confession for tomorrow

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Sunday, March 20, 2011

Read It:
Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother,
and led them up a high mountain by themselves.
And he was transfigured before them;
his face shone like the sun
and his clothes became white as light.
And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them,
conversing with him.
Then Peter said to Jesus in reply,
“Lord, it is good that we are here.
If you wish, I will make three tents here,
one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”
While he was still speaking, behold,
a bright cloud cast a shadow over them,
then from the cloud came a voice that said,
“This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased;
listen to him.”
When the disciples heard this, they fell prostrate
and were very much afraid.
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.

As they were coming down from the mountain,
Jesus charged them,“Do not tell the vision to anyone
until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”

Reflect on it: In today's gospel, we see the story of the transfiguration. Peter, James and John are privy to an awesome experience: The Lord of the Universe is transfigured before them...he's basically glowing and Moses and Elijah appeared to them! This is a huge deal. When a voice (God), comes from the clouds and says, "this is my Son, with whom I am well pleased", they lie prostrate. This prostration shows us what it is to be humbled in front of the Lord. It's a death to self and an acceptance of new life, lead with the Lord. We are called to be prostrate in front of the Lord.

Pray about it: Lord, help me to always be humbled by you and to die to myself in order to live for you. Transfigure my life, Lord Jesus and shine through it. I ask this in your name, Amen.

Live it! Challenge: Do something around your house today that you hate doing, so that you can die to yourself and rise with Christ. (Taking out the garbage, washing dishes, letting your sister or brother pick the TV show.

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