WEDNESDAY - April 22, 2020
“I pray
God may preserve your health and life many years.”
St. Junipero
Serra
TODAY'S READINGS
April 22 2020
Wednesday of the Second Week of Easter
Lectionary: 269
Reading 1ACTS 5:17-26
The high priest rose up and all his companions,
that is, the party of the Sadducees,
and, filled with jealousy,
laid hands upon the Apostles and put them in the public jail.
But during the night, the angel of the Lord opened the doors of the prison,
led them out, and said,
“Go and take your place in the temple area,
and tell the people everything about this life.”
When they heard this,
they went to the temple early in the morning and taught.
When the high priest and his companions arrived,
they convened the Sanhedrin,
the full senate of the children of Israel,
and sent to the jail to have them brought in.
But the court officers who went did not find them in the prison,
so they came back and reported,
“We found the jail securely locked
and the guards stationed outside the doors,
but when we opened them, we found no one inside.”
When the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests heard this report,
they were at a loss about them,
as to what this would come to.
Then someone came in and reported to them,
“The men whom you put in prison are in the temple area
and are teaching the people.”
Then the captain and the court officers went and brought them,
but without force,
because they were afraid of being stoned by the people.
that is, the party of the Sadducees,
and, filled with jealousy,
laid hands upon the Apostles and put them in the public jail.
But during the night, the angel of the Lord opened the doors of the prison,
led them out, and said,
“Go and take your place in the temple area,
and tell the people everything about this life.”
When they heard this,
they went to the temple early in the morning and taught.
When the high priest and his companions arrived,
they convened the Sanhedrin,
the full senate of the children of Israel,
and sent to the jail to have them brought in.
But the court officers who went did not find them in the prison,
so they came back and reported,
“We found the jail securely locked
and the guards stationed outside the doors,
but when we opened them, we found no one inside.”
When the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests heard this report,
they were at a loss about them,
as to what this would come to.
Then someone came in and reported to them,
“The men whom you put in prison are in the temple area
and are teaching the people.”
Then the captain and the court officers went and brought them,
but without force,
because they were afraid of being stoned by the people.
Responsorial Psalm34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9
R. (7a) The Lord hears the cry of the poor.
or:
R. Alleluia.
I will bless the LORD at all times;
his praise shall be ever in my mouth.
Let my soul glory in the LORD;
the lowly will hear me and be glad.
R. The Lord hears the cry of the poor.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Glorify the LORD with me,
let us together extol his name.
I sought the LORD, and he answered me
and delivered me from all my fears.
R. The Lord hears the cry of the poor.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Look to him that you may be radiant with joy,
and your faces may not blush with shame.
When the poor one called out, the LORD heard,
and from all his distress he saved him.
R. The Lord hears the cry of the poor.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The angel of the LORD encamps
around those who fear him, and delivers them.
Taste and see how good the LORD is;
blessed the man who takes refuge in him.
R. The Lord hears the cry of the poor.
or:
R. Alleluia.
or:
R. Alleluia.
I will bless the LORD at all times;
his praise shall be ever in my mouth.
Let my soul glory in the LORD;
the lowly will hear me and be glad.
R. The Lord hears the cry of the poor.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Glorify the LORD with me,
let us together extol his name.
I sought the LORD, and he answered me
and delivered me from all my fears.
R. The Lord hears the cry of the poor.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Look to him that you may be radiant with joy,
and your faces may not blush with shame.
When the poor one called out, the LORD heard,
and from all his distress he saved him.
R. The Lord hears the cry of the poor.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The angel of the LORD encamps
around those who fear him, and delivers them.
Taste and see how good the LORD is;
blessed the man who takes refuge in him.
R. The Lord hears the cry of the poor.
or:
R. Alleluia.
AlleluiaJN 3:16
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
God so love the world that he gave his only-begotten Son,
so that everyone who believes in him might have eternal life.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
God so love the world that he gave his only-begotten Son,
so that everyone who believes in him might have eternal life.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelJN 3:16-21
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.
Whoever believes in him will not be condemned,
but whoever does not believe has already been condemned,
because he has not believed in the name of the only-begotten Son of God.
And this is the verdict,
that the light came into the world,
but people preferred darkness to light,
because their works were evil.
For everyone who does wicked things hates the light
and does not come toward the light,
so that his works might not be exposed.
But whoever lives the truth comes to the light,
so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God.
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.
Whoever believes in him will not be condemned,
but whoever does not believe has already been condemned,
because he has not believed in the name of the only-begotten Son of God.
And this is the verdict,
that the light came into the world,
but people preferred darkness to light,
because their works were evil.
For everyone who does wicked things hates the light
and does not come toward the light,
so that his works might not be exposed.
But whoever lives the truth comes to the light,
so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God.
******************************
Trusting in the light of Christ in an imperfect Church
Whether it's the very disturbing scandals of the molestation of children and other abuses by priests, or bullying by parish managers, or the judgmentalism of lay persons whose sharp words condemn, or unpastoral bishops, it's all scandalous, because it's all anti-evangelization -- it's not Christ-like.
However, there's good news in this! The pain of doing something to stop what's bad, and the embarrassment of facing the need for change, and even the pain of negative media attention, are a cross that leads to resurrection.
The Church -- the imperfect representation of Christ -- can always be resurrected into a better Servant. It starts with you and me. It includes how well we love abusers in addition to caring for the abused and how well we affirm the holy priests we do have so that they become visible role models. It includes standing up to bullies while finding a way to do it with mercy. It includes silencing judgmentalism while extending a hand of love to the judgmental, while also supporting the judged.
Any form of abuse or unloving response to abuse by a Christian is a grave sin, because it harms the whole Body of Christ as it turns away the unbelievers who are watching. How far should we go to stop this? What are we willing to sacrifice to heal the Body of Christ?
In our Gospel reading today, Jesus points out that those who do evil prefer darkness so that their wickedness can continue unnoticed. Most of us, however, tend to contribute to this darkness. When we witness abuses, we're afraid to speak up for fear of reprisal, or we're afraid that it's a sin to take action because it will make the Church look bad, or we're afraid that there aren't enough priests and it's better to have a bad one than none at all, or we're afraid of seeing more than we're comfortable seeing.
The good news is: Jesus has overcome the darkness! We are an Easter people. The Lord can bring to light what has been hidden. Sins need be exposed so they can lead to repentance, and how it's handled needs to be exposed so the world sees what real love is like, and holiness needs to be exposed so that others are inspired to embrace the faith.
What we see in the light is sometimes very ugly, repulsive, shocking, and dismaying, but isn't that what Jesus looked like on the cross? If we truly prefer the light, we thank God for the cross of exposed sins and we trust his Holy Spirit while looking forward to the inevitable resurrection. Although bringing sin into the light is painful, it really is the way of Christ. The New Testament is full of such stories.
The cross is the only way to redemption. Jesus redeems scandals by raising up much good from them.
Today's Prayer
Forgive me, Lord, for those times in which I judged some members of Your Church. I judged Yourself, because the Church is Your Body here on earth. Help me to be aware of my own fragility, heal me of my arrogance and help me to grow in holiness. Amen.
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God Bless You.....
The mother of Jesus promised St. Dominic that, “one day
through the rosary & the scapular I shall save the world!”
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