Guest Post: The Rev. Seminarian Donna Geist

Matthew 26:14-25

Then one of the twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief

priests and said, “what will you give me if I betray him to you?” They paid

him 30 pieces of silver. And from that moment he began to look for an

opportunity to betray him.

On the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying

“where do you want us to make the preparations for you to eat the

Passover?” He said, ʻGo into the city to a certain man, and say to him “The

teacher says, My time is near; I will keep the Passover at your house with

my disciples.” So the disciples did as Jesus directed them, and they

prepared the Passover meal.

When it was evening, He took his place with the twelve; and while they

were eating , he said “Truly i tell you, one of you will betray me.ʼ And they

became greatly distressed and began to say to him one after another,

ʻSurely not I, Lord?ʼ He answered, “The one who has dipped his hand into

the bowl with me. The Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to

that one by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for

that one not to have been born.ʼ Judas who betrayed him, said, “Surely not

I, Rabbi?ʼ He replied, “You have said so.ʼ

Betrayal by one of His own

Betrayal according to Merriam-Webster is: the violation of a personʼs trust

or confidence, of a moral standard, etc.

Betrayal is hard to accept, but even harder is when it is someone close to

you, someone you thought you could trust. Jesus is betrayed by Judas, for

a mere 30 pieces of silver, todays value a little less then $265. In John 12:6

we also find out that he was stealing from the money bag, as he was the

one in charge of it. So Judas is portrayed as an unsavory character. Still it

is hard to believe that he could do this to the Son of Man, for so little. We

do not know why Judas betrayed Jesus, there are speculations, Barclay

says Judas misunderstood Jesus, the Gospels says Satan entered him, I

have heard maybe jealousy, but the reason he did it does not matter since

we knew it had to happen.

Has anyone ever betrayed you?Lied to you? Hurt you? was that someone

a close friend, family member, co-worker? How did that make you feel? Did

you forgive them? We all have experienced some kind of betrayal and I

know for me it was very hurtful. We can forgive and should forgive, but if

we were hurt really bad we probably will not forget. But we can learn from

that and know if it is someone we want to trust with something we value.

Not saying that the person who betrayed you can never be trusted again,

but people can change and grow, but they will have to earn that trust back.

Jesus knows that this is going to happen. He knew his time was near, and

also knew that it was one of His chosen who would betray him. We see

further on in Chapter 26 that Judas tells the chief priests “the one I will kiss

is the man; arrest him”. Judas comes up to Jesus and says “greetings

Rabbi” and kissed him. Jesus says to him “friend do what you are here to

do.” But we do not see Jesus getting angry, He knew his dying would fulfill

the prophecy. In Matthew 26:53-54 Jesus says “Do you think that I cannot

appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more then 12 legions of

angels? But then how would scripture be fulfilled, which say it must happen

this way.” Jesus seems to take it in stride, He had to have been hurt, yet

he just as easily forgives Judas.

In Matthew 27 we meet a remorseful Judas who gives back the 30 pieces

of silver and says he has sinned by betraying an innocent blood. After that

he went and hung himself. Guilt can be a heavy burden to bear.

And So It Begins~The Rev Frank Bellino,OPI

Brothers and Sisters in Christ, grace and peace be with you this Palm Sunday.

Today, as we enter into this most sacred week, our hearts are a whirlwind of emotions. We wave our palms, echoing the joyous cries of the crowds lining the road to Jerusalem: “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” We celebrate Jesus, our King, entering his city, seemingly in triumph.

But even as we lift these symbols of victory, a somber undercurrent runs through our celebration. We know the rest of the story. We know that the cheers of “Hosanna” will soon turn to the venomous cries of “Crucify him!” The palms of praise will give way to the crushing weight of the cross.

As a priest in the Order of Preachers, a Dominican, I am particularly drawn to reflect on the Word, on the truth that God reveals to us. And what does today’s Gospel reveal? It reveals the paradoxical nature of our Savior, the mystery of God’s love poured out in suffering.

Think with me for a moment about the readings we have just heard. From Isaiah, we hear the suffering servant, a figure who bears the sins of many, who is struck and afflicted, yet opens not his mouth. We see a foreshadowing of the silent endurance of Christ in his Passion.

Then, in Philippians, Saint Paul unveils the profound humility of Jesus: “though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” 

This, my brothers and sisters, is the heart of Palm Sunday and the Holy Week that unfolds before us. We acclaim a King, yes, but a King who reigns not from a throne of earthly power, but from the wood of the cross. A King who conquers not through armies and might, but through love, sacrifice, and ultimate obedience to the Father’s will.

As Dominicans, our vocation is to contemplate and to share the fruits of our contemplation. And what we contemplate today is this immense love of God, a love that embraces suffering, a love that seeks the salvation of all humanity, even those who would betray, deny, and condemn.

This week, we are called to walk with Jesus. Not just to remember the events of the past, but to enter into them with our hearts. To feel the betrayal of Judas, the fear of Peter, the abandonment of the disciples. And most importantly, to witness the unwavering love of Jesus in the face of such profound human frailty.

The palms we hold today are a reminder of our own fickle nature. How often do we offer praise and then turn away when things become difficult? How often do we shout “Hosanna” with our lips, but our hearts are far from the self-sacrificing love that Christ embodies?

This Holy Week is an invitation to examine our own lives. Where do we need to empty ourselves, as Christ did? Where do we need to be more obedient to God’s will, even when it is challenging? Where do we need to offer true compassion and forgiveness, even to those who have hurt us?

My dear parishioners, as we carry these palms home, let them be more than just decorations. Let them be a tangible reminder of the King we acclaim today, the King who loved us so much that he willingly embraced suffering and death for our sake. Let them be a symbol of our commitment to follow him, not just in moments of glory, but also in the shadows of the cross.

May this Holy Week be a time of deep reflection, profound conversion, and a renewed appreciation for the boundless love of our Savior, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Guest Post: A Child and Disciple of God~The Rt. Rev. James Francis Dominic 

What does it mean to be considered a child of God? And to be a disciple of God.

Many times, in life, we grow up thinking that our heritage is what defines us and makes us who we are.  We look at our surname and think it is how we identify.  That our surname, if well known in the local community, is all we need to get through life.   The history of my father is … and his father is … and so, due to my family tree I should be seen as …. And that’s partly correct for some things in life.

And I believe that is what we see here in our text today.  The Jewish people in our text for today believed that since they were of the lineage of Abraham, they automatically were children of God. There was nothing that they had to do in life to secure their place at God’s table.  But in the beginning of this text Jesus says “…If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (vs 31,32)

What the people of the text failed to see was that if they continued to live a life focused on their heritage and where they came from and not look at how they lived their daily lives and who they served they became slaves to the sins of the world.  

Like them, we too must focus on who we serve and who we become a slave to.  It is so easy to get caught up in the activities that we see happening in the world around us.  And yes we need to admit that sometimes we loose track of God and often put God on the backburner as we focus on what brings us joy and happiness from the world’s point of view.  When we do that, getting caught up in the world, we become slaves to the world because we have put our worldly and earthly ambitions before our godly ambitions, making us slaves of sin. Jesus says in verse 34; “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin”.  But when we look for the voice of God in everything we do and put God at the forefront of who we are and show we live our lives we are no longer slaves to the world, but servants of Christ.

Amen. 

Sticks and Stones~The Rev Frank Bellino,OPI

Alright, family, let us dive into the profound depths of the Gospel you just heard, a passage that resonates deeply with my Dominican, calling to preach truth and extend mercy…

As your parish priest, and as a member of the Order of Preachers, I find this Gospel to be a mirror reflecting our own human frailties and the boundless, transformative power of God’s grace. We see the stark contrast between the self-righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees and the gentle, yet firm, compassion of our Lord.

They brought the woman, caught in adultery, into the light, not for justice, but to trap Jesus. They wielded the Law as a weapon, a stone ready to be hurled. How often, my friends, do we use our own understanding of righteousness to condemn, rather than to heal? How easily do we forget that we, too, are sinners in need of God’s mercy?

Jesus, in his infinite wisdom, doesn’t engage in their game. He bends down and writes on the ground. As a Dominican, a student and preacher of the Word, I find myself pondering what those words might have been. Perhaps, as tradition suggests, he wrote the sins of her accusers, forcing them to confront the darkness within their own hearts. This act, this silent, powerful gesture, speaks volumes about the power of truth to convict and to liberate.

“Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone.”

These words, so simple, yet so devastating, expose the hypocrisy that lurks within us all. In our parish, in our community, how often do we cast judgment upon others, blind to the flaws within ourselves? How quick are we to condemn, and how slow are we forgive? As s Dominican parish, we are called to bring the light of truth, not the darkness of judgment.

And then, there is the woman. Standing before Jesus, exposed and vulnerable, she faces the weight of her sin. Yet, in the presence of divine love, she finds not condemnation, but grace. “Neither do I condemn you,” Jesus says. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”

This, brothers and sisters, is the heart of our Gospel, the heart of our Dominican preaching: a message of forgiveness, redemption, and new beginnings. Jesus, the Word made flesh, does not condone sin, but he offers a path to transformation. He extends his hand to the broken, the lost, and the marginalized, offering them a chance to start anew…

As your parish priest, and as a Dominican, I urge you to reflect on these lessons:

The danger of hypocrisy: We must examine our own hearts before we judge others. We must be preachers of truth, starting with ourselves.

The power of forgiveness: God’s mercy is greater than any sin. We are called to be instruments of that mercy, extending grace to those in need.

The call to transformation: Jesus invites us to turn away from sin and embrace a new life. We are called to preach this transformative message, to lead others to Christ.

Let us, therefore, strive to emulate the compassion of Christ. Let us extend mercy to those who have fallen and let us remember that we are all in need of God’s grace. May we walk in the light of his love, and may we be instruments of his peace in our parish and in the world.

Amen.

Be Reconciled~The Rev Frank Bellino,OPI

Today, we find ourselves drawn into one of the most profound and moving stories our Lord ever told: the Parable of the Prodigal Son. It is a tale that, though ancient, resonates with the deepest currents of our human experience. We begin by noting that Jesus was being criticized for eating with tax collectors and sinners. The Pharisees and scribes grumbled, and Jesus responded with the parable. This setting is important. It shows us that Jesus’s heart is always oriented toward the lost.

“Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to him. And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, ‘This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them.’” (Luke 15:1-2)  

Think about that. Who do we grumble about? Who do we exclude? Who do we judge? Jesus shows us, we must welcome all.

Then we hear the story, a story of two sons, and a father. It is a story of rebellion, repentance, and above all, boundless, unconditional love.

The younger son, restless and foolish, demands his inheritance, as if to say, “Father, I wish you were already gone.” He takes his share and squanders it in a distant land, sinking into the depths of despair. He finds himself in a pigsty, a place of utter degradation.

But then, a glimmer of hope: “When he came to himself.” (Luke 15:17)

This is the moment of grace, the moment of recognition. He realizes the folly of his ways, and he turns his heart towards home. He prepares his plea, a plea of unworthiness, yet a plea, nonetheless.

And what does he find? A father, who has been watching, waiting, longing. A father who, upon seeing his son in the distance, runs to him, embraces him, and kisses him. The father does not wait for the son’s rehearsed speech; he interrupts it with the overwhelming outpouring of his love.

The father clothes him, restores his dignity, and throws a feast, a celebration of homecoming. This is not a reward for good behavior; it is a testament to the father’s immeasurable grace.

Then we have the older son, who stands outside, resentful and bitter. He represents those of us who, in our self-righteousness, forget the depth of our own need for mercy. He complains about justice, but he misses the point of love.

The father goes out to him as well, pleading, “Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found.” (Luke 15:31-32)  

Folks, this parable is not just a story; it is a mirror. In which son do we see ourselves? Are we the prodigal, lost and found? Or are we the elder brother, consumed by resentment?

The Father in this story is God. God’s love is not something that is earned, it is freely given. Like the father in the story, God waits for us, longs for us, and runs to embrace us when we return.

As Dominicans, we are called to preach this message of mercy, this Gospel of grace. We are called to be instruments of reconciliation, to bring the lost back to the Father’s embrace. Let us, therefore, open our hearts to the boundless love of God, and let us extend that same love to all those who are lost and searching. Amen.

Repent~The Rev Frank Bellino, OPI

Today, on this third Sunday of Lent, we stand at a pivotal point in our Lenten journey. We have already walked through the wilderness of temptation, and we are now faced with the stark reality of God’s unwavering call to repentance. Our readings today, particularly the Gospel of Luke, illuminate the urgent need for conversion and the consequences of ignoring God’s persistent invitation to change.

In the Gospel, Jesus speaks of two tragic events: the Galileans whose blood Pilate mingled with their sacrifices, and the eighteen people upon whom the tower in Siloam fell. These events, though seemingly random, serve as a powerful reminder of our mortality and the unpredictable nature of life. Jesus’ response to these tragedies is not to offer philosophical explanations for suffering, but rather to issue a direct and uncompromising challenge: “Unless you repent, you will all perish as they did.”

This is not a threat, but a loving warning. It is a call to recognize that our lives are fragile, and that time is precious. Jesus is urging us to examine our hearts, to acknowledge our sins, and to turn away from the paths that lead us away from God. He uses these shocking examples to penetrate our complacency and shake us from our spiritual slumber.

The parable of the fig tree further emphasizes this theme. The owner of the vineyard, frustrated by the barren fig tree, orders it to be cut down. But the gardener, standing for Jesus, pleads for mercy and offers a chance for renewal. He promises to cultivate the soil, to fertilize the tree, and to give it one more year to bear fruit.

This parable is a powerful image of God’s patience and mercy. He does not wish the death of the sinner, but rather that we turn to Him and live. He gives us time, he gives us opportunities, he gives us grace. But this time is not infinite. We must respond to his love and cultivate the soil of our hearts, removing the weeds of sin and allowing the seeds of faith to flourish.

What does it mean to repent? It is not simply about feeling sorry for our sins. It is about a fundamental change of heart, a turning away from sin and a turning towards God. It is about acknowledging our need for his forgiveness and embracing his grace.

First, it means acknowledging our sins. We must be honest with ourselves and with God about the ways in which we have fallen short. We must examine our consciences and find the areas of our lives where we need to change.

Second, it means turning away from sin. This requires a conscious effort to avoid the temptations that lead us astray. It means making choices that are consistent with our faith and our commitment to Christ.

Third, it means turning towards God. This involves seeking his forgiveness through the sacrament of reconciliation, praying for his guidance, and striving to live a life that is pleasing to him.

Lent is a time of grace, a time of renewal. It is a time to cultivate the soil of our hearts, to remove the obstacles that prevent us from bearing fruit for God. Let us heed Jesus’ call to repentance and embrace the opportunity to turn to him with renewed faith and love.

Let us ask ourselves:

Are we listening to God’s call to repentance?

Are we taking advantage of the time he has given us?

Are we using the sacraments, prayer, and fasting to grow closer to God?

May this Lent be a time of true conversion for each of us, a time when we allow God to transform our hearts and make us fruitful branches in his vineyard. Amen.

The Feast of St. Joseph, The Spouse of The Blessed Virgin Mary~The Very Rev Lady Sherwood, OPI

My dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

Today, we come together as the Church to commemorate St. Joseph, the Spouse of The Blessed Virgin Mary, and the foster Father of our Lord and Saviour,Jesus, when he became one of us here upon the Earth.

In the same way in which God, our Heavenly Father, who gives each of us as his children, unconditional love, care, stability and who sets us the standard with which we should strive to live our lives with his holy word in the scriptures, a true Father to each and every single one of us, who only ever wants the very best for all his children.  St. Joseph follows our Father’s example, as both husband and foster father.  He gives us examples which men should follow in their lives. Joseph cared for and provided for the Holy Household. There are many qualities that Joseph had which we could use to be the role model for Christian husbands and fathers. Joseph was a very compassionate man.  We can see an example of this when he suspected his wife of infidelity; he planned to divorce her quietly rather than denounce her publicly and expose her to public shame and penalty.

Joseph was always obedient to God and did what he knew was God’s will without thought or hesitation.  Examples of this are that he kept Mary as his wife; he protected and provided for his family when they had to flee to foreign lands to protect them from danger.

Joseph led a life of deep prayer and was in communion with God, and would always seek out that which was God’s will. God often told Joseph his will using dreams.

Joseph was a provider of care, When Jesus’s life was threatened, Joseph would take them out of danger. He took his family to Egypt and only returned when it was safe to do so, and when Jesus went missing at aged twelve, Joseph went searching for him because obviously, both parents were obviously extremely worried about Jesus’s safety.

Joseph also brought much more to Jesus’s life, he taught him his trade which Jesus worked in for about twenty years, he gave Jesus the love and stability he as any child needs, and was his earthly male role model, which was and still is vitally important for a good father to give any child.

He was a man with a firm faith in God coupled with a resilient personality, who did not complain and was not appalled nor distressed in the midst of trials and tribulations, St. Joseph knew how to face, carry and solve the burden of his vocation, of life’s difficulties and responsibilities with serenity, with complete faith and love, entrusting himself totally and unconditionally to God’s plans.

Sadly not all children are brought up in such a way today, but husbands and fathers truly should seek to follow this sincere man of God in the way they run their lives. Are you married? Do you give all the love, trust and respect to your spouse? Or with stresses and strains do you always argue or not truly make time for each other? If you have children, do you know where they are and if they are safe, or who they might be talking to online? Do you give emotional stability, patience and unconditional love? Do your children see you as the role model they need in a Father?  We should always strive to be as our heavenly Father is to each of us, whether that be to our spouses, to our children, and in fact to all as our brothers and sisters.

While the Gospels do not shed much light on St. Joseph’s life, it is believed that he died before Jesus’ public ministry.

St. Joseph is the patron of fathers, spouses, priests and seminarians. But also, St. Joseph teaches  us so much by his silent example of his life, and just how we should love God faithfully and obediently.

Let us pray:

Blessed St. Joseph, Spouse of The Blessed Virgin Mary,

be with us this day.

You protected and cherished the Virgin;

loving the Child Jesus as your Son,

you rescued Him from the danger of death.

Defend the Church,

the household of God,

purchased by the Blood of Christ.

Guardian of the Holy Family,

be with us in our trials.

May your prayers obtain for us

the strength to flee from error

and wrestle with the powers of corruption

so that in life we may grow in holiness

and in death rejoice in the crown of victory.

Amen.

Guest Post: The Solemnity of St. Joseph~The Rev. Seminarian Peri Jude Radecic of The Affirming Catholic Church

“When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded.”

Today, we celebrate the Solemnity of Saint Joseph, the husband of Mary and the legal father of Jesus. As we reflect on the Gospel of Matthew, specifically Matthew 1:16, 18-21, 24a, we delve into the life of this remarkable yet humble man, whose quiet strength and unwavering faith played a pivotal role in the story of Jesus and of our salvation.

In Matthew 1:16, we reach the culmination of Jesus’ genealogy, where Joseph is established as a descendant of the house of David, fulfilling the old prophecies and underscoring Jesus’ rightful place as the Savior of Israel. It is here in Matthew where Joseph is named as the husband of Marcy, of who Jesus was born and is called the Messiah or Christ.

The birth of Jesus, as narrated in Matthew’s Gospel, is uniquely told through the eyes of Joseph. Here we come to find that Joseph is a righteous man. He is faced with a dilemma. He is engaged to Mary and discovers she is with child, not by him, but by the Holy Spirit. This is a society where such news could lead to public disgrace at best or even death for Mary. We find Joseph has a heart of compassion when he resolves to dismiss her quietly, again representing his deep care and righteousness.

The story in Matthew continues when God reveals a different plan to Joseph. Joseph thinks he has this figured out, but God intervenes. God sends an angel to appear to him in a dream and reveal the true and divine nature of Mary’s pregnancy. The angel instructs Joseph not to fear taking Mary as his wife, for the child she carries is conceived by the Holy Spirit. The angel tells him to name the child Jesus.

Joseph’s response to this divine message is immediate and faithful. Upon waking, he does as the angel commands, embracing his role in God’s plan with humility and obedience. Here, we witness faith in action—a testament to Joseph’s character and his willingness to trust in God’s will, even when it defies human understanding.

Saint Joseph’s story is a celebration of humble service and strength. Despite being an ordinary man—a carpenter promised to Mary—God chose him for an extraordinary purpose. Joseph’s life exemplifies how God often selects the ordinary to achieve the extraordinary. His example of humility, obedience, and unwavering faith serves as a model for us all.

As the patron saint of carpenters, the dying, and workers, Joseph’s legacy extends beyond his earthly life. With God’s grace, he responded to his call, reminding us that, like him, we too can respond to God’s direction with grace and faith, even when faced with difficult tasks.

In his apostolic letter on the 150th anniversary of the proclamation of St. Joseph as the patron of the universal Church, Pope Francis describes Joseph as a beloved, tender, and loving father—a creatively courageous father who worked in the shadows. This description encapsulates the essence of Joseph’s role in the life of Jesus and the Church.

Let us pray for St. Joseph’s intercession, asking him to watch over us and grant us the courage and strength to follow God’s will, just as he did. May we find inspiration in his example, allowing his humility and obedience to guide us in our own journeys of faith.

St. Joseph, watch over us today and every day. Amen.

Understand the Journey~The Rev. Frank Bellino, OPI

Second Sunday of Lent is already upon us. Do you know where the word Lent comes from? In the old English world, the word “Lenten” meant “springtime”. And I think it is safe to say that, here in San Antonio, we are ready for some springtime! In Latin, Lent, however, means something altogether different. The word for this season is Quadragesima, denotes a season of preparation by fasting and prayer, to imitate the forty day example of Christ. A little historical fact, Lent used to begin on the first Sunday of Lent, also called Quadragesima Sunday after the Gospel reading for that weekend of Jesus fasting in the desert for forty days and ended as the Triduum began the evening of Holy Thursday. When we count the days from the first Sunday of Lent to Holy Thursday, it adds up to forty, including the Sundays. Over time, however, there was a discussion that the Sundays during Lent should not be fast days. When asked about fasting on the Sundays during Lent, tradition says, Solemnities, even during the Season of Lent, ought to still be seen as a feast days. Sundays are considered Solemnities after all, are the Lord’s Day, and a day of rest. Beginning the count for Lent on the first Sunday of Lent, and Sundays are not followed as days for fasting, this would equal fewer than forty days of fasting before Easter. In order to make the forty days as Jesus did, they allowed the Sundays to be removed as days of fast and we now start Lenten fasting on Ash Wednesday and when you do the Catholic math it remains the traditional forty days.

I mention this little bit of history since the second Sunday of Lent is also a good time to check in with ourselves on how we are doing with our Lenten promises. Did we eat the Filet-O-Fish instead of the Big Mac on Friday? Inquiring minds want to know. And how are we doing with what we gave up for Lent for that matter? Was it chocolate, alcohol, whatever? You see, as lightweight as our Lenten practices seem to be nowadays, I think it is helpful to consider what Quadragesima would have been like if you lived in medieval times. St. Thomas Aquinas proposed that no food would be allowed at all on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. On the other days of Lent, food would only be allowed after 3 PM (the hour of our Lord’s death on the cross). And, no animal flesh was allowed at all, neither were eggs or dairy, and Sundays were not free days from the fast either.  St. Thomas Aquinas believed in the most extreme fasting during Lent. I think for the people living in medieval times, the severity of this kind of fasting was meant to be life changing, life altering, helping Christians to embrace the seriousness of their baptismal identity as a People of God. Lent was supposed to be understood as a time for transformation. Someone who saw that kind of fast would certainly undergo a makeover by Easter Sunday, as well as their waist to say the least. I am not suggesting that we bring back that kind of Lenten fasting. Nevertheless, obviously though we see the season of Lent, the most important is the love we put into it in the first place.

If you think that fasting in medieval times was serious business, check out how covenants were made in the time of Abraham in our first reading from Genesis. Covenants were meant to be truly life-changing events as well. The Lord promises Abraham that his descendants would be like the number of stars in the heaven and offers the land before him as his possession.

Abraham wants to seal this deal and so God asks him to bring a three-year-old heifer, a three year-old she-goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon. Genesis says, “Abram brought him all these, split them in two, and placed each half opposite the other”. You see, that’s how the deals were done in those days, you would meet among the split animals to make the agreement which was a way of indicating, if I break my word may what happened to these animals happen to me. These kinds of covenants in those days were meant to be life altering events that helped move a person or tribe from one reality to a new reality based upon the agreement being made. These covenants were meant to be truly transformative. As we know, the Chosen People in the Old Testament broke one covenant after the other with God, which makes Jesus’ choice to die on the cross in atonement for our sins all the more remarkable.

All of these observations are meant to help us understand our Gospel reading from St. Luke about the transfiguration of Jesus. Here we are on Mount Tabor, Jesus is transfigured before Peter, John and James, foreshadowing the glory of the resurrection. Jesus is also seen conversing with Moses and Elijah, signifying to the disciples that Jesus is the fulfillment of both the Law and the Prophets. However, there’s something really unique about St. Luke’s version of the transfiguration. You see, in Luke’s Gospel it says, “And behold, two men were conversing with [Jesus], Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke of his exodus that he was going to conduct in Jerusalem.” The reference to exodus here is unique to St. Luke’s Gospel and is meant to help us connect the exodus of the Jews from Egypt to the Promised Land, to what Jesus conducts for us by his passion, death and resurrection. You see the exodus from Egypt was a transformative event for the Chosen People. They went from a state of being slaves to inheriting the land God promised to Abraham. The process for that transformation took the Hebrews a lot longer than forty days. It took forty years for that transformation to unfold, and it took centuries more before God was ready to offer a new exodus to the human race through his only Son our Lord.

This new exodus presented to us, through the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus, offers us a path from the tyranny of sin and death to the glory of the resurrection and eternal life with God. This ultimate transformation that Christians seek is what St. Paul is referring to in our second reading from Philippians when he says, “Brothers and sisters: Our citizenship is in heaven”. Think about how radical St. Paul’s message is, “Our citizenship is heaven, and from it we also await a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. He will change our humble body to conform with his glorified body by the power that enables him also to bring all things into obedience to himself.” (“Philippians 3:21)

My family, the second Sunday of Lent invites us to accept this season as time for a radical change. Our Lenten rituals of fasting, prayer, and almsgiving are meant to help us with this while we make our pilgrimage to Holy Week. We can ask ourselves this week, what areas in my life need radical transformation? In what ways can I allow this season of Lent to transform my heart to be more like Jesus? These are good questions to ask as we continue our pilgrimage into the desert with our Lord. During this season of Lent, the level of transformation God will bless us with will depend largely on our response.

Guest Post: The Very Rev Gabriel Allen” of The Affirming Catholic Church

Based on Luke 11:29-32

When I read this passage in the Gospel of Luke, the cynical side of me can’t help but envision an exasperated, eye rolling Jesus saying to the Israelites (in the style of Southern comedian, Bill Engvall)… “Here’s your sign.”

We are a week in from Ash Wednesday, where we had the sign of the cross placed on our foreheads in ashes reminding us of our mortality, to turn away from our sins and turn to Christ, and also to be a sign to those around us that we are Christians.  That is a powerful sign… but in this generation, did anyone “see” this sign?  Did we?

In this passage, Luke links passages from verses 14-36.  These are based on controversies about the source of Jesus’ kingdom power. In verse 16 preceding this text, the religious leaders ask for a sign from heaven to test him; though in reality they really didn’t care for any sign but simply wanted Jesus to submit to their signs and symbols of authority. They foolishly say they just need to see more but the truth is that they had already observed several miracles and did not believe.

Their demands are turned down flat,  for the very Word of God, their Sign had come to them and they and showed how little they desired it. So Jesus contrasts the Jewish  religious leadership with two examples; both of whom are pagan in origin and who were considered outsiders, but both of whom were able to read the signs of the time and accept the truth, unlike the Jewish authorities.  Even though God had revealed so much to the chosen people of Israel, these who knew so little were the ones who were responsive.

The first is the example of Jonah. Jonah was an Old Testament prophet who lived nearly 800 years before Christ and was sent to the pagan people in Nineveh (adjoining the current city of Mosul in Iraq). Jesus is comparing and contrasting the people of Nineveh with the people of His generation.

Unlike the related passage in Matthew, where the focus is on Jonah in the belly of the whale, Luke’s focus has to do with Jonah’s preaching of God’s word as the sign of repentance that was preached to the people, which as a consequence led to repentance of the pagan people of Nineveh. The people of Jesus’ generation don’t and didn’t. repent. They weren’t  showing hearts of receptivity but of resistance. It becomes  clear that they weren’t looking for a reason to believe, they were, in reality, looking for a reason NOT to believe. They were flat out choosing not to see their Sign.  How often do we see this in our generation today?  How often do we even see this in our own lives at times?

The second example Jesus used is that of  the Queen of the South, better known as the Queen Sheba. Sheba is believed to refer to an area of modern day Yemen in Arabia or Ethiopia in northern Africa. This queen of great education and wealth travelled from far away because she heard of the unusual wisdom of Solomon the King of Israel. When she met Solomon, she was blown away. She saw Solomon as the display of God’s justice, love, mercy, and righteousness in the world and she was amazed. This pagan queen praised God because of Solomon’s great wisdom.  

Jesus is making a point. When the Queen of Sheba heard of King Solomon there was something in her that resonated, she recognized the wisdom that he had to offer, and she longed for that wisdom enough to travel with caravans and gifts from afar just to seek out such wisdom. She saw the Sign.  Have we opened up the eyes of our hearts to see the signs God places before us every day?  Have we responded to those signs?

Here in lies the condemnation of the people at the time of Jesus who rejected his message. Their condemnation would be all the more complete because their privileges were even more great as compared to the people of Nineveh or the Queen of Sheba.  Their Sign, Jesus, was right before them and they chose to ignore and try to find  reasons not to see and not to believe.  Let us never forget that both privilege and responsibility go ever hand in hand. Let us remember, we are Christ’s hands and feet in this world.  We are co-workers with Christ and called to be a sign of God’s love, mercy, justice, and grace to ALL people in this tired and hurting world.  Let us go out into the world sharing and showing that we are seen, we are heard, we are loved.

So maybe it’s not so much of hearing, “Here’s your sign,” but more of realizing, “He’s your sign.”